A trio of top recipes

I realise I have been very sparse with providing my latest recipes on here recently.

So to make up for it, here are three of my favourite from the last couple of weeks - maybe give them a try this bank holiday?

The absolute best in my opinion and one that will become a regular mid week supper is stuffed peppers.

Now who doesn't like a stuffed pepper? But I have to admit, it took me a long time to master the recipe. It sounds easy enough to make but as it is such a simple concept it is important to get the flavour.

I also found a fast way to make the creation.

I hollowed out the peppers and then put the lids back on. I put them in the over in a little tin foil chair so they didn't fall over and just baked at 180 degrees whilst I prepared everything else.

Make up some cous cous and flavour it how you prefer. I had mushroom cous cous. Whilst that is soaking fry off some onion and turkey mince. I added in some oregano. (I think fresh oregano is too strong but I loved the dried stuff and it is a match made in heaven with turkey). Once it was all cooked I mixed the turkey mixture with the cous cous and cooked spinach for added benefits and then stuffed the peppers.

I left them in the oven for a further 10 minutes to make sure everything was cooked through and hot. It also lets the flavours combine. Then serve with salad. Yum!


This next dinner is a rarity as my other half hates courgettes so I take the opportunity when he is away to have this super healthy tea.

Spiralize your courgettes. They can be eaten raw or cooked slightly but I recommend keeping some crunch in them or they become a bit watery.

For a sauce I blended an avocado with half a sachet of creamed coconut. It was a very luxurious and tasty sauce. Just season it to your liking and add some lemon juice. The coconut was a new twist I hadn't done before but I had some left over so I gave it a go and now i'll never look back.

I fried some onions for some lovely texture, added the sauce and courgetti to warm it all through and served with a couple of poached eggs on top. When the luscious yolk runs into the courgetti it is heaven.

My third creation, and one I am currently eating is an adaptation of lots of recipes for protein balls. I see them all the time and wanted to give this type a go. I have made some before but these were easier and so good!

In a blender I whizzed together some peanut butter, unflavoured protein powder, vanilla essence and honey.

Once it all came together in a crumbly consistency I scooped some out and rolled it into a ball. I did this 12 times and let the balls cool.

I then melted some chocolate with some coconut oil and dipped the balls into the choccy mix. One lesson I learnt was to keep the balls separate and in the fridge to set. As you can see from the below image they look a bit messy when they have been stuck together. Lesson learnt!

Once they set they have kept in the fridge for two weeks now (it has killed me trying not to binge on them) and they are a great healthy, on the go snack!

The nobbly bits give off the 'homemade vibe' or so I tell myself

Find all these recipes on my recipe page soon.

Sugar free my a**

I have just about had it with all these fad diets and trends.

Why is it so difficult to grasp the concept of eating well. We eat food that fuels our bodies and what nourishes our bodies, or so we should.

Now, I will be the first person to agree that sugar is the enemy. Refined sugar that is. If it has been processed it is no good for you! Your body cannot deal with it, you will not digest it the way you should, it is unnatural and therefore not designed for human consumption.

However, I do believe that a little bit of what you fancy will not kill you. If you want that donut, eat that donut. Just stop at one and ensure all your other meals and snacks are nutritious. I would be the first to eat the donut.

But to hear all these people now say that fruit should be cut out, FRUIT! Yes, fruit it full of sugar, but it is natural. I like to think of it in the same way as fat. There was a huge trend for a long time saying that fat is the

enemy. Again, unnatural processed fats are. But dairy, nuts, salmon, avocado, they are among the many foods which burn fat, and guess what, they are high in fat.

Did you know you need fat to burn fat? That may not make sense to a lot of people but the healthy fats like omega 3 and 6 feed the body and give it the ability to slowly release energy and burn the visceral fat.

So now to be told to cut out fruit has really wound me up. As someone with a sweet tooth, I need fruit to help me avoid eating biscuits every day. (And I would). Not only is it a better alternative but think about all the fibre and vitamins you would miss out on too. Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, the list goes on.

Also, the sugar in fruit helps fuel my runs, because you need carbs and sugar to give you the energy to run.

Why does it have to be a diet? Why does it have to be a lifestyle, fat free, sugar free, dairy free, wheat free. Unless you have an allergy or a personal reason for not eating a certain food group, then eat that food.

What a lot of people cannot grasp is that it is all about moderation and nutrition. You feed your body the kind of food that it needs, that helps it run at optimum performance then you can have that slice of cake, it is fine. The only thing I have heard of lately which I agree with is the 80/20 method.

Eat well 80% of the time then that left over 20% when you want to eat something naughty, don't feel guilty for it. Your body can handle it because it is happy.

Think of your diet as a healthy life style, a way of living and eating rather than a quick fix fad diet which will work for a week and then the weight and the lethargy will come flooding back.

Today's lesson: Eat that apple, then eat your steamed chicken and veg and then you know what... Eat that Rocky Road!

A hair-raising revelation

What a ridiculous flick

As I have previously written, I have had some real trouble with my hair these past two years.

It started falling out and became very thin. But, after some extensive research I managed to get back on track by lowering my stress levels and eating quality food which is good for hair health. The right nutrients are also key, particularly vitamin C, protein and iron.

I still feel it is a bit thin at the ends and can look straggly. I recently chopped it all off and it looked thicker, fuller and healthier. However, it just wasn't me, so I am currently in the middle of that process that most girls have been through of growing my hair out. It is at that mid stage where it just looks terrible and a really awkward length. It sits on my shoulders funny and flicks out and as it is thinner at the bottom, it just looks ratty.

So, upon my research reading the many hundreds of articles on healthy eating, nutrition etc... I stumbled across some editorial on hair. It was very interesting, it suggested that those with thin hair should CONDITION BEFORE THEY SHAMPOO.

Now, everyone has been taught to shampoo and then condition it just seems natural to us. But, who is to say that is how it should be done? Who made the rules and said it had to be that way?

Looking healthy and natural 

This article suggested that people with thinner hair condition then shampoo but if you have thick hair keep to the norm or condition before and after the shampooing process.

I have thin hair but a lot of it so it has never looked as though it was lacking until now. So I thought, what do I have to lose? Why not try it.

And I am glad I did. Instantly my hair was looking better. It didn't look dull anymore, in fact it had a new kind of gleam, a very natural looking one and it just looked healthier. It wasn't as frizzy and had less fly-aways and it felt as soft as silk. Even the knots seemed to disappear. It was a real revelation.
  
So, I continued with the pattern for a week and seven days down the line I don't think I will ever go back to shampooing first. I urge anyone with thinner hair to give it a try, maybe even those with thick hair, who is to say it won't work for you?

The big move!

Again, I have been a little quiet on the blog front. That is because I am in the middle of moving house. It has taken me a few days just to finish this post!

So moving and packing is exhausting, especially when you have made your current place homely as I had. We have been so busy and there has been so much to do!

I have moved in with my boyfriend, Matt. We both previously lived in flat's so we couldn't be more excited to live in a house with a garden so we can enjoy some sunshine properly! (If it comes back!)

Men are so much different to women, it took one evening to pack most of Matt's things up. It slowly took us around a week to do mine, and did I mention I live in a top floor flat complete with a spiral staircase.

Matt's stuff was moved into the new place throughout the week and mine on Saturday. It took Matt, two removal men and me to get all of my things out in a reasonable time. 

Needless to say we didn't make it to the gym or for any runs for a few days.


It also meant we had to whittle our food supplies down. If I hadn't already mentioned, I am a hoarder! A massive one, and that includes food. So I had a few frozen left over curries and loads of eggs. So tea for the last few days before moving was whatever we had. As you can see by this image, one night that meant, left over curry and scrambled eggs. Surprisingly, it was delicious and satisfying. 

My "What's left" creation

It also meant Saturday night was a take-away treat night. By the time we sat down and stopped unpacking I was way too tired to even think about cooking. We also had a few naughty treats as little sugar boosts such as Krispy Kremes and salted peanuts. If ever there was a good excuse to eat dirty this is it! The pick me up was just what we needed! I am sorry but a banana would not have cut it.

We are both just too stubborn to miss out on training although we did avoid it during the weekend, on top of being tired we just did not have the time. Moving house is like a work out in itself anyway. Between moving everything from one property to another and then re-building and unpacking everything we were exhausted. But this is such an exciting time for us and we couldn't wait to spend our first night in the new house. It has been incredible and now we miss it when we're away.

Our living room looking homely and beautiful

It is our place, which is new for us both. It has our stamp on it and we love arranging and organizing the furniture to suit us. 

But today is Monday and it is virtually complete except for some storage and reorganising, so we are back on the straight and narrow. Nutritious healthy food and a good amount of gym time. 

The Color Obstacle Rush

I don't often take part in organised runs or races but when I do they are so much fun!

Twice now I have done a color run (It irritates me that it isn't colour - but I digress) and both times have been hilarious.


Last year was just a 5k event which was done in an attempt to get a couple of friends running. This year was done with a group of friends from the gym, so the fitness elite and it was a bit different. This one was an obstacle course, too.

The big, bouncy, inflatable courses just made the running part a doddle while you cried with laughter trying to sabotage your friends (or in my case, become a victim of sabotage) as you all try to dip, duck, dodge and dive though the bounce castle barriers.

Don't get me wrong, for the five of us it wasn't the biggest challenge but it was a great way for us all to get out together and have a laugh. To be able to get out of the house - or the gym - and do something that is in line with all of our favourite pass-time (sport/fitness) was excellent and just what we all needed.

We went in crisp white and fresh and what came out at the other end was a mish mash of colours in a tie dye frenzy.

The feeling of camaraderie at the end of an event like that is something that needs to be experienced first hand and for those of you who want to enter your first run or race, one like this is well worth the cash!

Five victors

The Girls

Feeling successful and ready for food

Matt and I in good spirits

Food really is fuel

We have all heard it 100 times before, you need food to fuel your body.

And the food you eat depends on how you use your  body.

It goes without saying healthy eating is a must for all. Filling your body with vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals is the most important thing. But, we all have a treat now and again - you have to!

As someone who really loves cake, sugary cereals and ice cream (to name just a few vices), I have to work hard so I don't give in or I would eat it all day, every day.

But remembering that sugar is the enemy is difficult when that brownie is melting in your mouth.

Which is what happened to me over the weekend. Cooking lunches, dinners, breakfasts, even snacks are not difficult for me. I only cook healthy food with natural ingredients - wherever possible - it is just that cookie that is presented to me that ruins things. But as those kinds of sugary treats hadn't really been on my radar since coming back from holiday and I haven't struggled too much.

I enjoyed feeling energetic and fresh last week living on a hearty and healthy diet. I didn't even feel hungry!

But then I went home to Yorkshire - where the dreaded monster mum lives and it all went down hill.

She had baked brownies, chocolate cake and a strawberry tart. We also had a big family BBQ. I managed to reign it in with the BBQ, eating just a few nice pieces of meat and some salad with only one (homemade) breadcake.

And what a BBQ it was

But then came the strawberry tart with homemade ice cream. (I did ensure it was a small portion but when you're out drinking all night ((a friends wedding do)) the calories rack up no matter what.)

Then the next day I enjoyed two big sticky brownies. Yes I did turn down the chocolate cake but the amount of sugar consumed in everything else made up for it anyway.

Matt and I didn't eat very well that day, skipping meals and eating bread and oil when we finally wanted something to eat at 8pm!

I am ashamed.

But the main point of all of this is, the next day I really felt it. I was sluggish and lethargic - as was Matt and when it came to going to the gym neither of us had it in us to actually train hard. After 20 minutes of slowly trying to push ourselves we gave in.

We were close to burning out and it just isn't worth the exhaustion. So we went home to rest up and I am happy to say we both ate very well, as we will the rest of the week.

Grilled chicken, sweet potato and veg. Mmmm

So, hopefully with properly fueled bodies we can train hard again and get back into the fantastic shape we were a month ago!

Hot Holiday Bods

When I say hot bods, I mean temperature, because wow was it hot when we tried to keep on top of our fitness levels when we holidayed in Cyprus last week.

It was tough! But, I just wanted to write a post to show how easy it is to tie in a workout without the gym or any equipment.

Myself and my partner Matt, did a couple of shorts run. They were short because it didn't matter what time of day it was, it was sweltering running or not running, especially as we were not accustomed to 30 degree heat.

But, I highly recommend even a short run along the sea front. I personally hate running on the beach but most places have paths along the top of the beach which are ideal to run on. It is so serene and beautiful running alongside the sea. It would make even the most dubious of runners enjoy themselves.

Alternatively - a routine such as my 12 minute workout is perfect for a quick and effective way to get your heart rate up. It can be done anywhere and adapted slightly if needs be.

Incline push ups

That is exactly what we did about half way though our holiday when we had a slightly overcast morning.

The 12 minute workout was our cardio and then we continued to do some body weight exercises. We used what we had to create a good routine. As it was the only day with a bit of cloud we used the opportunity to push ourselves and have a bigger session to feed our craving for the holiday.

We have been looking into a lot of doubles exercises lately and these push up taps were something new. We both loved them. It looks like a simple exercise but it isn't, you can really feel it working your core and balance. It is a great upper body work out.

Push up

Touch

This exercise, in which you both do a standard push up (keeping your body in a straight line) and when you come up, clap your right hands together, return to push up position and repeat but using the left hands.

It targets the chest, triceps and core whilst also testing your balance.

So, as you can see, even for a wannabee slob like myself, there is no excuse to fit in the odd workout here and there while you are on holiday - but please make sure it isn't your soul focus and you do relax. That is what holidays are for after all.