It’s a gorgeous sun-soaked afternoon in Thailand. You’re sitting on a beach chair in the middle of a resort reading a book when someone serves you a local banana that is bursting with flavour. Nothing could be more blissful.

Unfortunately, life in the big city usually isn’t so easeful. You’re probably late for a meeting and squished on a stinky train, attempting to ignore the gushing wind and rain of the outside world. Oh, and your umbrella just broke on the way in. You feel your stomach starts to rumble and forage through your bag, only to find half a piece of chewing gum and lonely pieces of popcorn at the bottom of your bag.

What are you to do?

We all know fresh is best, yet we can’t always get fruit and vegetables from a tree served to us on a silver platter. When that’s the case, it’s time for a more convenient snack. While regular snack foods are typically loaded with sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Now, I love dried fruit, but sadly, it’s often coated in sugar.

To hit that spot and get me through, I call on Banana Joe chips.

These chips are the perfect snack. Regular bananas are one of the most beautiful fruits out there, containing fibre, vitamin C and potassium, but these ones are a little bit more special.

Banana Joe chips are handmade from Hom Thong green bananas. They’re sustainably sourced from a small family-owned farm in Thailand. 10% of Banana Joe chips profits go towards sustainable agriculture to help improve the livelihood of the local farmers and their families. Every day at sunrise the farmers pick the bananas, cook and pack them for extra freshness. It’s a farmer-to-chip experience.

Each bag contains over two heirloom bananas which have way less sugar in them than regular bananas. I’m not sure how they’ve achieved this wizardry, but the chips have a freakishly potato-like texture and taste that is crispy and full of flavour. They’re not too salty or sweet – the obvious criteria for a good packet of chips.

But, that’s not all. They’re the first synbiotic chip on the market; each bag contains both probiotics and prebiotics. This means every chip you eat supports your digestive health, immune function and increases your protein absorption. One packet contains at least 1 billion gut-boosting cultures, and are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and NON-GMO. They’re the real deal.

Banana Joe chips are available in multiple flavours so, you can pick what tickles your taste buds. I’m a traditional girl and can’t go past regular Sea Salt because of the subtle and balanced flavours. If you like a bit of a kick, the Hickory BBQ are your go-to. They’re a bold combination of sweet and tangy and definitely provide the heat! If you have more of a sweet tooth, the Thai Sweet Chilli is certainly one to try. It has a mild sweet taste with a hint of sour and a dash of chilli for a hot finish.

If you’re ready to embrace your inner-resort king or queen amongst the hustle and bustle of busy city living, get yourself a packet of Banana Joe chips. You can learn more about Banana Joe chips here.

Welcome to Who’s Toothpaste is it Anyway, with your host, Lee Holmes.

I have one question for the audience: in a world full of ingenious life-changing products, what makes one stand out from the rest?

Is it?

1. A product that helps us perform a menial task.
2. Products that are efficient and cost-effective.
3.  Products that help reduce our environmental footprint.
4. All of the above.

Ready for the answer?

Drum roll please.

The answer is D: all of the above.

When it comes to my shopping cart (whether that’s in person or online), I try to ensure that whatever I buy has a purpose, is relatively inexpensive and won’t leave a negative impact on the environment.

To give you an example, let’s start with my morning routine.

Obviously, the first thing I do when I wake up is take some of my Love Your Gut Powder, which fulfils all of these requirements ;).

What’s next?

Well, the average person spends close to 1500 hours of their lives brushing their teeth so, that sounds like a pretty good place to start.

Did you know that regular toothpaste that sits on the supermarket shelf is loaded with chemicals that may be harmful to your health? They’re typically filled with Sodium Fluoride and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate which are highly toxic. They also come in plastic tubes that aren’t great for the environment either.

If you’re ready to clear your conscience (and your teeth) with something new, come with me!

Nelson Naturals Crush & Brush Toothpaste Tablets bring eco-innovation into the bathroom. This product is perfect for the cruelty-free, vegan and gluten-free folk among us, and just about anyone else, too.

How does it work?

Nelson Naturals’ toxin-free toothpaste tablets are placed in a glass jar, making for a great replacement to traditional toothpaste tubes. Oh, and did I mention they’re fluoride free and made using 100% food grade ingredients? I know, crazy town. The tablets are made from an-ultra clean formula and are free from artificial colours, flavours or fillers. They use a mineral concentrate that contains over 72 naturally occurring minerals! It’s also wonderful for sensitive teeth and may even reduce sensitivity.Sounds pretty great but how do you use it?

Step 1: Place tablet in mouth.

Step 2. Crush with teeth.

Step 3. Experience effervescent fizzing and foaming.

Step 4. Wet brush and brush normally.

Step 5. Teeth twinkle town.

And there you go, your teeth are white, sparkling and picture perfect! Just make sure to re-cap the jar after use to prevent the tablets from drying.

The jar is completely mess-free, convenient and portable. The tablets are perfectly portioned for brushing at home or on-the-go. They also use less water than traditional toothpaste which is another obvious bonus for the environment.

If you’re ready to make a huge change to your oral health, you can either get the OG Crush and Brush Mint Toothpaste Tablets or, Crush and Brush Toothpaste Tablet in Mint Charcoal which is beneficial for teeth whitening. A 60g jar is available at a price of only $18.95.

Who knew you could ditch your regular chemical-filled toothpaste and care for the environment too? With only purely food-grade ingredients, oral hygiene never felt so good. You can learn more about Nelson Natural products here.

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is what I eat in a day. I’m usually apprehensive to share what I eat on here because it’s just so personal and it changes daily!

What works for one person may not work for someone else. But, after many a request, I’ve decided to write my day on a plate to hopefully inspire you to shake things up in the kitchen and try something new.  

Eating should never make you feel worried. If you’re living a supercharged life (which we all are here!), food should be enjoyed and savoured.

This is why I don’t follow any specific diet or way of eating. Letting go of a rule-bound approach gave me a sense of freedom and I know it’ll do the same for you. Your food choices should liberate you, and bring you vibrant health, longevity and a life fully lived. 

If I did have to put a label on the way I eat, I would call it a common-sense approach. If you feel the same, instead of being motivated by the fear of negative consequences, why not try to implement one or more of these in your life? 

To summarise, my common-sense approach includes:

★Eat mostly plants

★Avoid processed & inflammatory foods where you can

★Balance out your eating

★Look after your gut

★Take an Ayurvedic approach

★Choose quality over quantity

★Practice mindful eating

★Live by the 80:20 rule

★Make small changes everyday

★Enjoy your food

You can read about it in-depth here.

To help me live my common-sense approach, I make sure to stock my pantry, fridge and freezer appropriately. 

 Along with your spice rack, it a good idea to build up your pantry slowly and systemically, and focus on dry goods and staples. 

I make sure to always keep flavour providers on hand, including ginger, wheat-free tamari, seaweed, tahini, spices, cacao nibs and coconut flakes. Onions and garlic, both from the Allium genus of plants, are two of my favourite flavour accompaniments to use in cooking. They don’t just play an important culinary role; they also provide a plethora of health benefits. 

Another absolute staple in my pantry are grains, nuts, seeds, pepitas and seeds. Grains and seeds are among the most affordable ingredients you can add to any meals. I use brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat to create hearty and nourishing dishes. I also love using oats and buckwheat for my Gutmeal and Golden Gut Oatmeal Cookies. Each grain is versatile, budget-friendly and will last for months if it’s sealed in a jar. To bulk up a dish, add some brown rice to let it serve a larger group of people AND make it more affordable. I love repurposing last night’s roast or vegetables into a fried rice because it’s super-fast, (I’m also incredibly lazy sometimes, don’t judge me) and makes for a tasty and convenient work lunch.  

Teff and quinoa are pseudo grains that have become extremely popular over the last few years. If you want different ways to cook these guys up, my book Supercharge Your Gut, is filled with gut friendly recipes. I also love a good loaf, like a good grainy one, dark rye, sourdough or this gluten free turmeric seeded loaf. 

From pasta sauces to vegetable bakes and soups to casseroles, there’s no limit to what a trusty tin of tomatoes can do. They add a rich flavour to meals and are extremely versatile. When transforming a roast into a stew, or converting unused vegetables into a pasta, tinned tomatoes are your go-to. 

Let’s talk pulses… and no, I’m not talking about a Pilates class! Stocking chickpeas, cannellini beans, lentils and other pulses in your pantry is a convenient and inexpensive to jazz up any meal. One of my favourite dishes ever is my Supercharged Dahl and I mean… who can say no to hummus? Nobody, absolutely nobody.

Unopened raw pulses can last for years in the pantry, reducing waste. They’re also really simple to prepare. Once you’ve cooked up a batch of your favourite pulse, you can store any unused portion in the fridge up to five days as a quick and easy addition to your remaining week’s meals. 

When it comes to satisfying a sweet tooth, there are wonderful alternatives to sugar that won’t expand the waistline. These alternatives to refined sugar and artificial sweeteners include monk fruit, rice malt syrup, raw honey, maple syrup, stevia and fruits. 

My fridge is forever filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, tomato pastes, meat and dairy products.

When it comes to dairy, I love goats and sheep’s cheese because of their flavours and aromas. They're delicious toppers for any salad and make for a great addition to any cheese platter. Moving right along, goat, sheep or coconut yoghurt are a delightful addition to your supercharged kitchen. Use them to create a creamy yet light dressing for a salad or simply enjoy them with some berries and Golden Gut Granola Clusters on top.  

When it comes to dairy-free options, a natural nut milk, oat milk, coconut milk, rice milk or seed milk (such as hemp) is a delightful dairy-free option to add to breakfast muesli or porridge. You can even make your own if you’re feeling handy in the kitchen. When creating curries, soups, casseroles or stews or even thickening up a sauce or gravy to pour over meat, coconut milk is a close friend. Purchase non-dairy milks in the carton and store them in the pantry until you’re ready to enjoy them.  

While it may seem controversial, frozen fruits and vegetables are just as good as fresh. When there’s no fresh ingredients in the fridge and you want to eat something right away (anybody hangry here?), frozen vegetables come in to save the day. I always keep snap-frozen vegetables in my freezer such as edamame, spinach, broccoli and green beans. I love adding green leafy vegetables to my smoothie to sneak in an extra source of nutrients. 

Speaking of smoothies, my final freezer must-have is frozen berries. I know that they’re so healthy and full of antioxidants and have lots of nutrient benefits, but I just love the taste. They’re sweet, refreshing and delicious.  And I also have frozen bananas on the reg for smoothies too.

Now that the kitchen’s in order, it’s time to talk about my day on a plate! While it does change depending on my mood, what’s in season and what I have on-hand, this is an example of one of my days of eating. 

Day on a Plate

At 8am I have a glass of warm water. I’ll usually have it with my Love Your Gut Powder and a squeeze of lemon. After my morning water, I usually take a walk to the park or go to a barre, pilates or yoga class. There’s no better way to start my day!

When I get home, I’ll have an Antihistamine Smoothie.

This usually looks a bit like:

• Blueberries
• Rocket
• ½ cup oat milk (is anyone else loving their oat milk at the moment?)
• Plant based protein powder
• Love Your Gut Powder
• Collagen Powder
• Water 

When I don’t feel like a smoothie, I’ll have porridge with berries and seeds or if I’m feeling a little fancy, I’ll have my Golden Gut Granola Clusters with milk or yoghurt. 

I’d definitely call myself a teapot. My 11am tea hit is usually a Rooibos chai with oat milk. (below is my fave recipe for home made sticky chai ) …

At around 1pm, I’ll have a chicken and veggie soup with either spelt bread, sourdough or seeded crackers. It all depends on what I have in the fridge that day.

If I feel like a veggie option, I’ll have my Asparagus, Fennel and Spinach Soup with Pepitas. If you want the recipe, you’ll can check it out over here on the Supercharge Your Gut website.

I love a good afternoon snack. At 3pm, if my sweet tooth hits, my Chocolate Truffles often make a sneaky appearance. If savoury is calling for me, I’ll have avocado and goat’s cheese on seeded crackers or a bunch of salad veggies wedged into seeded crackers. 

At 4pm, the kettle gets some more love. I love a good afternoon dandelion tea with coconut milk. Mmm mm mmmm...

Dinner is typically a serving of protein with lots of vegetables and some brown or cauliflower rice. Pan-fried salmon and green veg often feature in my weekly dinner rotation.

Otherwise, my Prebiotic Tray Bake with garlic chips and a green salad is my go-to. I’m salivating just thinking about it. 

And that’s it! 

I’d love to know – what does your day on a plate look like? 

Ps here is my S T I C K Y ☕️ C H A I recipe

• 12 cardamom pods
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 3 cinnamon quills
• 4 star anise
• 1 tbs fennel seeds
• 1 cup rooibos tea leaves 
• 1 tbs vanilla fresh, liquid or powder
• 1/4 cup honey
• Pinch saffron (optional) 

In a small pan toast cardamom pods, ginger, cinnamon, star anise and fennel seeds

Transfer to blender or mortar and pestle and smash or whizz until pieces are chunky

Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir in vanilla and honey to coat

Keep in airtight container- I usually store mine in the fridge.

Sticky Oat Milk Rooibos Chai

Serves 2

Place 3 TBS of chai and 2 cups of boiled water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil then turn down to simmer.  

Add 1/2 cup of oat milk and warm gently. 

Turn off heat and let steep for 5 minutes allowing the flavours to mingle. Strain into a mug and top with ground cinnamon 💚