6:15am
Waking up around six is a long-standing habit, as my daughter is up early to take the train to school in Edinburgh. I like getting a head start on the day and I’m usually walking the dog on the beach by 7am – bliss!
7am
Depending on my day, I’ll either have a green smoothie when I’m back from my dog walk, or porridge for breakfast. I use spinach, banana and St Helen’s Farm goat’s milk (£1.70, sainsburys.co.uk).
11am
I generally don’t snack in the morning unless I’ve worked out, in which case I’ll usually have some yoghurt to boost my calcium intake and help set me up for the day. I’ll have a second coffee, a decaf macchiato, usually out somewhere.
1pm
I’ll make a huge salad for lunch, usually based on a slaw of sweetheart and red cabbage, grated carrot and some grated hard goat’s cheese or some nuts. I will mix up the dressings, often using tahini or Middle-Eastern style spices. I always have soup on the go, too. A couple of days a week I’ll buy a good sourdough or rye loaf from a local bakery so I will have a slice of that alongside it, or I fill out a salad with some quinoa.
3pm
A cup of English breakfast tea and a low-sugar biscuit, or home-made snack ball is my afternoon treat. If it’s a hot day, I will have a chilled kombucha.
7pm
If I’m cooking for the kids, then I will have a variation of what they’re having, I’ve been really conscious of ensuring they grow up having a healthy relationship with food. They eat pretty much everything, and we eat with the seasons, including all vegetables.
Quick fire
Night owl or early riser?
I’m early to bed, around 10-10.30pm, unless I am out salsa dancing, in which case, it’s the wee small hours!
I refuse to eat?
I started eating a little bit of meat and fish again in my late 20’s but I can’t eat octopus – a local delicacy where I work in the Mediterranean – after listening to a radio documentary about how extraordinary their minds are.
My last meal on earth would be?
I’d be drawn back to Scotland. My heritage is from the island of Skye and there’s something in my soul for the land and the natural Scottish larder. I imagine hand-dived scallops, fresh salmon and seasonal vegetables would be on the menu.
The low-down
London’s leading nutritionist, Lily Soutter (lilysoutternutrition.com), gives her insight into Amanda’s day.
“Amanda has a wholesome diet full of homecooked foods. However, as she relies heavily on goat’s milk, yoghurt and cheese, she may like to opt for skimmed or low-fat options to ensure that her saturated fat intake isn’t too high. She eats very little meat and fish, therefore she could focus on including iron-rich vegetables within her diet, such as dark green leafy veg, tofu and beans. Vitamin C can also aid with the absorption of iron from the gut, therefore a piece of fruit at each meal could be of benefit.
The current government guidelines are to consume two portions of fish a week, one of which is oily. Fish is an excellent source of high-quality protein, but also omega 3 fats, which play an essential role with brain, skin and cardiovascular health. As Amanda follows mostly a plant-based diet, it could be lacking in oily fish. Consumption of chia or ground flaxseed on a regular basis could help to ensure she is consuming sufficient omega 3 fats.”
