Alfred Vogel dedicated his work to understanding how plants and nature give us everything we need to live a healthy life.
As well as nutritional advice Vogel created his guiding principles, which adapt and change along with the seasons
#1 Eat slowly and chew well. Eat light meals in the evening.
As we head into cooler days and crave comfort food this principle feels harder to achieve. Autumnal foods tend to be heavier, warming and carb heavy.
Try batch cooking stews and chillis and eating them at lunch time. Swap potatoes for sweet potatoes on cottage pies and try butter bean mash with your sausages. Keep portion sizes small and make sure you get a balance of protein, carbs & vegetables.
Seasonal soups, with bread to dunk, make for the perfect light evening meal.
#2 Food should be fresh and well prepared.
Spring and summer are synonymous with ‘fresh’, but autumn also provides an abundance of seasonal fresh foods. Visit local markets, butchers and green grocers to find out what is in season.
Cooking fresh needn’t be complicated or timely, we have lots of ideas for mid week meals.
#3 Get into the habit of going for a walk after meals. This is good for respiration and digestion.
During lockdown the nation took advantage of the nice weather and went for lots of walks during the day, but as shops have reopened, schools have gone back and life has got a bit more hectic these habits have started to slip.
Try and make your Sunday roast a lunchtime affair and take the opportunity to get outside and get some fresh air.
Not only will this help prepare you for the week ahead but it will also help burn off that extra helping of homemade stuffing, made with Vogel’s breadcrumbs of course.
#4 Eat in moderation.
More time at home and colder weather means that you may spend more time looking in the cupboards for snacks. Make sure you don’t over indulge by eating the right foods at the right time.
Guacamole & toast chips, smoked salmon & cream cheese and pizza toasts all provide satiating snacks that will reduce blood sugar spikes and keep you full until dinner.
#5 Live in harmony with nature.
Eat seasonally. Butternut squash, wild mushrooms, leeks, beetroot, parsnips and of course pumpkins are some of the vegetables that all make great soups and pies.
Be experimental and make your own crisps using beetroot & parsnips to have with your lunchtime sandwich.
Most fruits are coming to the end of season but grab those last few blackberries and some bramley apples to create a twist on the traditional summer pudding, the perfect way to use up any slices of bread.
#6 Responsibility for our wellbeing lies in our own hands. Follow nature’s example and try to find a balance between tension and relaxation and activity and rest.
Food is easy to adapt with the seasons, but don’t let the darker evenings and shorter days ruin your fitness goals.
Working out in the morning, home workouts and indoor sports are great tips to keep moving and ensure that you get the right balance of activity and rest.
And, finally
#7 In all your striving let love be your guide. It is the greatest power in the universe.
