Sunshine salad...

I am a huge fan of salads. Many people find them boring or not filling enough but think the complete opposite. Yes, if you are just going to have some leaves, a tomato and a cucumber on your crazy quest to be a stick, then you will find your blood sugars crashing and find yourself starving within half an hour. I on the other hand cram my salads full of yummy goodies so that each mouthful is nutritious and enjoyable. 

This was a post workout salad I ate today for lunch. Some people think I am strange because I put fruit with various different ingredients, i have a huge sweet tooth and I find that blueberries on a salad really make it more enjoyable and break up the taste a bit. They are also full of antioxidants and are brilliant for your hair and skin. I don't believe in depriving your body of anything, so diets lacking in fruit are a big no no for me. They may have sugar in them, but it is naturally occurring and in moderation, they help to indulge your sweet tooth and provide a varied diet.

Salad ingredients:

-spinach

-cucumber

-tomatoes

-avocado

-chicken

-cottage cheese

-blueberries

-seed and nut mix

-homemade lemon and rosemary olive oil

What ingredients make your perfect salad? Don't forget to follow my blog and I would love to hear from you guys reading :)

xx

Protein cookies...

I really struggle to get protein in my diet. It's one of those things that I am always working on but I just love vegetarian food (even though I do eat meat) and don't eat enough nuts etc. I bought some protein powder, but my God it tastes vile. I thought it was the powder but it turns out to be every powder. I just can't stomach them as a shake. I'v started adding a full or half scoop to porridge and my refrigerator oats and it really is keeping me fuller for longer.

I have such a sweet tooth that I though I would bake protein cookies. Im not a fan of the packaged protein bars and these cookies are brilliant as a quick breakfast or mid afternoon snack. I haven't loaded them with the powder but the nuts and seeds definately make up for it. 

When I eat cookies, I like them to be gooey, moist and breakable. Nothing worse than a cookie that wants you to break your teeth as well as pile on the pounds. Iv researched a few recipes and kind of combined my own. I like to work in cups just as it saves washing up compared to bowls and scales so here it is:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 1/2 cups of oats (i use old fashioned)
• 1 cup of unsweetened apple sauce (you could add in a little apple juice for a slightly tangier taste)
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Designer Whey French Vanilla)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (i only had around 1/6th so topped up with flaked almonds)
• 1/3 cup dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cranberries all work well)

I basically chucked it all in a bowl and mixed well. It was quite a sticky consistency, if yours turns out too runny, just add in some more oats and stir again.

Pop the oven on at around 180C and while that is warming up just leave the mixture to infuse all the flavours and spices. 

Once heated, line a tray or 2 with baking paper and spoon the mixture on. I like my cookies slightly larger so use a table spoon but its personal preference. Press them slightly flatter so they cook all the way through and then put in the oven for around 20 - 25 mins depending on size. They do not spread out so you can place them pretty close on the tray. 

nice and golden

chewy gooey middle

When cooked bring them out to cool and place on a wire cooling rack then tuck in. I love this recipe as it makes the kitchen smell awesome!

I reckon there are tons of changes and additions I could make. I would really like to do a maple syrup infused cookie. Next time...

kick start...

So the other day I made a huge batch of homemade granola. Im a big porridge fan, and fan of oats in general but I do want a change occasionally. What I love about granola is that its sticky and crunchy and sweet and also really filling. I would much rather have a bowl of that that a bowl of Frosties.

I was looking in the supermarket and all of the shop bought varieties seem to have loads of added sugars and were also really expensive, this all combined lead me to making my own so I thought I would share the recipe.

I made some flavoured oil while it baked

300g rolled oats (I like to use the big old fashioned ones)

50g sunflower

50g pumpkin seed

50g flaxseed

50g flaked almonds

50g chopped walnuts

50g desiccated coconut

100g dried berries (preferably no added sugar) I used cranberries and apricots

1tsp vanilla extract

3tbsp honey

125ml maple syrup or 75ml apple juice ***

Pre-heat your oven to 160 C and line a big baking tray with baking paper.

I personally find it easier to combine all of my dry ingredients (except coconut and fruit) together in one bowl and then my sticky ingredients in another. This enables me to make my granola pretty clumpy rather than little bits. Then gradually mix each bowl together so it all combines and there are no huge sections with none of the honey mixture (this happened to me before)

***If you want to use apple juice, I would suggest soaking the oats in it for an hour or two before baking or adding any other dry ingredients.

Pour the mixture into the tray and spread out in a thin layer so it goes crunchy. If the layer is too thick, the bottom half wont cook as much but that may be personal preference. Pop it in the oven for around 15 - 20 mins before taking out, adding in the coconut and fruit, mixing well and putting back in. At this point you may want to drizzle a bit more honey over the top, but i like to add mine after when im actually eating it. Bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden. Be careful not to over cook as the coconut tends to brown too much and not taste sweet.

Let cool on the side before breaking up into your granola pieces and store in an air tight container. It should last you 2 - 3 weeks and contain around 15-18 servings if you don't eat it all in one go... its pretty moreish.

I like to serve mine with a bit of natural yoghurt, honey and fresh fruit and it keeps me full until lunch.