ARTICLE | 5
5 minutes with Valli Little
Senior Editor at delicious. magazine
Valli Little is one of Australia’s food superstars. The author of 10 bestselling
cookbooks, and for many years, Food Director of delicious. magazine, this mum
of two shares her top tips for decluttering, staying healthy and keeping on top of
her busy schedule.
FOR ME, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT
BALANCE
I admit, getting the balance right isn’t easy. Being someone who has
worked seven days a week, I know what it’s like juggling competing
tasks in life.
I find the best way to master this is to step back and reassess my
priorities. I’ve also found that setting myself the following ground
rules has really helped in maintaining simplicity in my life.
UNCLUTTER YOUR CUPBOARDS
Your body is only as good as what you put in it, so give your pantry,
fridge and food cupboards a cleanout. Try not to keep them full of
foods sneakily laden with sugars, bad oils and nasty preservatives.
Keep an eye out for major culprits like breakfast cereals, tomato
and BBQ sauces and most Asian condiments like oyster and hoisin.
SHOP LIKE A PRO
Years of working in the food industry have taught me to always
read the small print! When shopping my tip is to always do your
research beforehand. Check out eatforhealth.gov.au for tips on
how to read labels and what to look for in ingredients listings.
MEAL PREP SUNDAYS
For all those working parents out there, I know what it’s like. My
two sons (who are grown up now) were young and needy when I
was trying to launch my career in food. I had to plan ahead for our
weekly meals, I’d do that on Sunday which made for a less crazy
start to each day. My favourite lunch trick is to make a layered
salad jar as it’s so simple to prepare and easy to transport too!
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HOME COOKING
I truly believe that wholesome home-cooked food is the solution
to many of our physical, emotional and spiritual problems. Listen
to your body and learn to cook with all of your senses -- but most
of all, cook with love. My ‘go to’ home cooked meal at the moment
is anything ‘tray baked’. Add your favourite veggies and your
choice of meat and bake it all on the one tray. I’ll then pour any
left-over juices into my Vitamix to make a smooth and delicious
home made sauce or gravy.
SWITCH OFF AND UNPLUG
I’ve made a rule for myself to always end my day ‘unplugged’ as a
way to unwind and practice gratitude. Turning off my mobile and
iPad isn’t easy but I am training myself to do so by 7pm each night.
I get quite a few emails from overseas for work, but there is really
nothing that can’t wait until the next morning.
TREAT YOURSELF
There is nothing I love more than having a pedicure or a good
massage. I’ve also started going on walking adventures with my
girlfriends, where we pick an area of Sydney we’ve never been to
before, such as a park, beach or a hub with an interesting food
culture. For many years, my busy life as a working mum meant I
never seemed to have any ‘me time’ -- but what I’ve learnt is that a
little bit of TLC goes a long way!
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