My Week in Food: Rosie Norman

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My Week in Food: Rosie Norman

Diagnosed as a coeliac at a young age Rosie was always fascinated by food but became serious about nutrition when she traded in a career in fashion to go back to the books and train as a dietitian. Four years of studying later her training is nearly complete and she can also add  supperclub host ,  gluten free blogger  and nutrition advisor at  Potage  to her bursting CV. Here she lifts the lid on what she eats on an average week…

After being quite unwell when I was younger, I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, a lifelong autoimmune disease which requires me to follow a strict gluten-free diet for life. Good nutrition is especially important to me, after developing complications associated with being a coeliac such as: osteopenia (low bone density), anaemia and poor digestion. Though the gluten-free industry is booming, packaged gluten-free foods can be highly processed with refined sugar and flour, making them relatively energy dense, but not necessarily nutrient dense. I love to use local, seasonal food to create recipes which are full of colour, flavour and variety. I eat a largely whole-food, plant-based diet. For me this means focusing mainly on fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and oils, and at times incorporating good quality meat, fish, eggs or dairy. Apart from gluten, I don’t exclude anything from my diet and loosely follow an 80% healthy vs 20% indulgence rule.

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Monday

Breakfast: I'm currently doing my last clinical placement at Chelsea and Westminster hospital before qualifying as a Registered Dietitian. I like to get to work early and have my breakfast there. I pick up a flat white coffee on the way and once at my desk have a homemade instant porridge pot made from gluten-free oats, raisins and almonds. I drink from a 2L bottle of water which I get through daily.

Lunch: Food from my Sunday lunchbox prepping which I try to do every weekend - roasted veg, quinoa, hummus and carrot sticks.

Dinner: A baked salmon fillet (marinated in tamari soy sauce), with spiralised carrot noodles, quinoa, broccoli and a chili cashew crumb

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Tuesday

Breakfast: A homemade instant porridge pot, this time with ground flax seeds, grated apple and dates.

Lunch: Hummus with a packet of gluten-free oatcakes, spinach and baby tomatoes

Afternoon: A Chomp chocolate bar and an apple

Dinner: Tom yum soup with green beans, spring greens and brown rice noodles

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Wednesday

Breakfast: A homemade instant porridge pot with cinnamon, raisins and raspberries.

Lunch: Mini sweetcorn pancakes with a coriander and grated carrot salad and tomato salsa

Dinner: Mushroom, garlic and almond soup

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Thursday

Breakfast: A smoothie with frozen raspberries, 1/2 a banana, natural yoghurt, milk and ground flaxseeds

Lunch: Sardine sandwich with tomatoes and a dijon mustard dressing. Plus hummus and carrot sticks.

Dinner at a friend's house: We have smoked salmon and crème fresh on corn crispbreads to start, roast chicken with sweet potato wedges, wok-charred veggies and Asian slaw for main, and then nibble on some chocolates for pudding. All washed down with some Prosecco.

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Friday

Breakfast: Corn, flax, quinoa and amaranth cereal with milk - topped with pistachio nuts and a banana

Lunch: Roasted cauliflower and aubergine salad with coriander and roasted hazelnuts

Afternoon snack: A grapefruit

Dinner: Slow-cooked beef stew with wild rice and broccoli

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Saturday

Breakfast: Buckwheat pancakes with avocado mash, fresh chillies and a poached egg. A cup of tea with milk.

Lunch: Delicious tapas from the local deli. Goats cheese, salad, tomatoes, ham, garlic stuffed olives and gluten-free bread.

Afternoon snack: Maca hot chocolate

Dinner: Red onion and carrot quinoa with salad, along with a grapefruit gin and tonic

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Sunday

Breakfast: Wholegrain millet bread with peanut butter and banana slices

Lunch: Roast chicken with roast potatoes and steamed savoy cabbage. Followed by homemade apple crumble with an almond and pecan crumb topping (sweetened with whole dates, vanilla bean and lucuma).

Dinner: Brown rice pasta with cashew nut/spring greens pesto and salad