Fitness Playlist: Pump It!

Doing a lot of work at home over the last few weeks has had me listening to Spotify more than usual, and as a result I have been refining my playlists -about time too, as I get bored easily! My workout tunes have moved away from pace-setting pop to slightly heavier stuff... appropriate for when it comes to mastering pull ups, squaring up to the punch bags and smashing out the last few reps in a HIIT session. I totally blame Carly and Fab and their music for this. ;) I've added some songs to help you warm up before you go out guns blazing to get you in the zone. For more insight on how I balance different aspects of fitness and yoga, have a look at my post here. Appropriately, the newest playlist has been named Pump It. I have two days of university left before Easter involving deadlines, society talks and lab sessions, so I feel like this playlist may be featuring more often...


Like what you're hearing? Check out my calming yoga playlist for completely different vibes, and let me know if you like these playlist posts!

Photo: I am Vibes

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

It's another Monday arriving again, but as the four day Easter weekend rolls ever closer, I find myself not minding. That, or the fact that weekends don't exist in quite the same way when you're in assignment season at university. I have been flirting with the idea of having more savoury breakfasts, although my heart still firmly lays with meals of the sweeter persuasion first thing. This kale and squash quinoa bowl is a good choice for such moods as grain bowl is reminiscent of porridge, and, with a bit of evening prep, is nice and simple to put together for a weekday early start as it is for Saturday brunch. The lemon brings all the ingredients together without being too heavy. Plus, with only three main ingredients and condiments, my breakfast bowl won't overwhelm your palette (or washing up load!). The measurements here are approximate, and depending on what size butternut squash you buy, you may find this serves closer to three than two people. If so, pop any leftovers in a Tupperware for a satisfying lunch later on. You can also swap the quinoa for bulgar wheat, which is less expensive, buttery tasting and still a good source of protein.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• Olive oil
• 100g dried quinoa (should produce 2 cup)
• Vegetable stock
• Cayenne pepper or chilli power
• Mixed dried herbs, or fresh thyme
• Two handfuls of kale, coarse stems removed
• Coconut oil

I strongly suggest cooking the butternut squash and quinoa the night before!

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Peel, remove the seeds and chop the butternut squash into bitesized cubes. Tip into a roasting tin, and drizzle with olive oil and herbs before roasting in the oven for 40 minutes, checking occasionally. 

Next, rinse and cook the quinoa in two parts water for every one part quinoa. Add a stock cube, or teaspoon of stock powder and a pinch of pepper or chilli. Cook in a lidded pan for twenty minutes, or according to packet instructions.

In a frying pan, saute the kale in a tablespoon of coconut oil over a medium heat until wilted. Add the butternut squash and quinoa  and stir. Add the juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. When everything is heated through, divide between bowls, and enjoy. If you'd like, you could also add goat's cheese or sliced (or shaved if you're feeling fancy) avocado.

Fitness Update: Balancing Workouts, Weights and Yoga

Hello! I thought I would do a fitness update you all. When I first started going to the gym I managed to avoid the trap of slogging it out on the treadmill and headed to the weight section, deadlifts and all. However, I probably didn't get enough coaching to protect my form. Last autumn, I started to up my weights game, splitting my upper body days into different sections, saving my cardio for the odd gym class or run. However, after starting my #100daysofyoga challenge, I realised that my increased gym time was conflicting with my yoga practice -both in terms of actual time, and in how I felt in my body and flexibility. I also found that leg day and I weren't getting on -I'm naturally pear shaped anyway, so want to get my upper body to balance out my lower half, plus my strongly arched back (I have an over-emphasised lumbar lordosis) is prone to strains from deadlifts and lunges. That being said, the last thing I wanted was to become a cardio bunny -I like feeling strong!

I was quite inspired by the online fitness community -Kayla is obviously a very famous example of this, and over summer I signed up to the 12 week Way of Grey program. Inspired by these and a few other trainers on Instagram, I decided to shake up my routine to hopefully achieve a better balance to my fitness.

Health and fitness is, of course, a journey and not a destination and I will continue to make changes, some of which I'll mention at the end of this post. My key aim was to make my gym time more effective, without risking injury. I have started to increase the amount of HIIT and interval training that I do, supplementing with boxing, spin and pole classes.

Because core and upper body strength are things that I still want to build (hello forearm and handstands!), I am still doing a fair bit of arm training, and have upped my ab work into full sessions rather than a quick ten minutes after another workout. As my ab days are shorter than legs and arms, I like to pair them with a quick interval training session for a full body burn! I have refocused my leg days to train use bodyweight and plyometrics whilst still using some weighted exercises. This has given me more time for my yoga practice, which has been lovely!

I have been surprised to have started to noticed some results in my stomach, my yoga has improved and I still feel strong. I know I'll never be the fastest runner, the strongest lifter or the bendiest yogi, but I'm really happy with the balance I have building. I feel my healthiest yet, and in a maintainable, enjoyable way. And ultimately, that is the most important thing -because it doesn't matter what kind of exercise you do to be healthy. Whatever makes you feel good is your brand of healthy, and that's perfect.

Would you like to hear more about my fitness routines? Comment below if you'd like to see more regular features, workouts and updates!

Outfit:
Jumper - Zara, Top - H&M, 7/8 Tights - Sweaty Betty, Shoes - Nike

Thanks to Miriam of  The English Mademoiselle Diaries for the photographs!

Apricot Coconut Energy Bites

Energy bites are the tastiest way to refuel mid afternoon whilst the hunger pangs come in. As they are so easy to make and last for ages, these little balls of goodness are really having a moment. So long as you have a couple hundred grams of nuts or seeds, dried fruit and some flavourful "superfoods", you're in. There must be so many different recipes out there, covering a whole spectrum of diets, nutrient profiles, flavours...... However, I am pretty keen on my apricot and coconut flavoured bites, particularly good if you ever want a break from basing your healthy snacks on gooey dates (although really, can you?). I heard somewhere, possibly from Ella Woodward at the Oxford Union talk, that freezing energy bites is a good way to keep them out of sight and therefore sightly reduces the amount you eat in a day! With snacks so moreish, this is definitely a tip I'll be taking into account...

I've given in (for breakfasts and raw snacks at least) and started using cup measurements. For proper baking and cooking, I much prefer using actual grams, but for flexible recipes like these, volume measurements are considerably easier. If you don't have dates, you can just use a whole cupful of dried apricots. Medjool dates are best, but if you don't have them, soak whichever dates you do have in warm water for ten minutes.


Apricot and Coconut Energy Bites

• 2/3 cup almonds
• 2/3 cup walnuts
• 3/4 cup apricots
• 1/4 cup dates
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut, plus extra for dusting.
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, softened
• Optional - honey/date syrup, to taste

In a food processor, blend with almonds and walnuts until they form a fine powder. Add the apricots and dates, followed by the desiccated coconut, chia seeds and coconut oil. Add the honey for flavour or to make the mix stickier. The mix should just come together when pressed. Using a tablespoon as a measure, roll the mix into ball, and cover in the desiccated coconut. Allow to both set and then store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

These bites taste so lovely and can be adapted really easily based on what you have. To boost your protein content, add a tablespoon or two of protein powder or hemp powder. I really like the blend of almonds and walnuts (a nice mix of protein and omega-3 and 6) but use whichever nuts you have to hand. Let me know what you think if you give these a go!

Immunity-Boosting Ginger Shots

Ginger is one of the most popular health foods out there at the moment and it isn't hard to see why. A famous anti-inflammatory ingredient, ginger is a great digestive aid, and can settle nausea. My usual routine is to chop up a few slices of ginger to add to my hot lemon water in a morning. However, when I'm getting my juicer out or fancy something a little more potent I will make myself a shot of ginger juice.

To make, simply peel an 5 cm chunk of ginger and feed it into your juice. You may find it helpful to use a small amount of cucumber or similar to flush the ginger out if you don't seem to be getting much juice out.

But how to drink this powerful tonic? You can drink it neat, or with the juice of half a lemon. These two options are very concentrated but also quite strong on the palate. As an alternative, make like some of the juice cleanses out there and create a spicy lemonade. Mix the juice of half a lemon with the ginger juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Top this up with water of coconut water and maple syrup to taste.

Adding ginger to your diet is so good for you at this time of year when the wet and windy weather keeps us inside, increasing the risk of catching bugs. Plus, the spicy flavour, especially when paired with citrus is energising, alkalising and fresh, perfect for if you're feeling sluggish.

Budget Tip: No juicer? No problem! As I mentioned earlier, an infusion of ginger and lemon still is my go-to. It's warming and you still get all the lovely benefits. You can also stir dried ginger into the juice of half a lemon. Ginger in itself is pretty inexpensive and you can also add chopped or grated ginger to a variety of sweet and savoury meals.

Healthy on a Budget: Lentil Dahl

Once I discovered dahl at university, I found myself making it quite often for lunch. Dahls can be made from just about any dried, split pulse and make a delicious, healthy lunch. This recipe is a great example of how you can use spices to bring a simple, inexpensive dish to life. Dried spices are great as they last ages, and fresh ginger really does cost just pennies. My addition of rice to the lentils makes a dish that has a good balance of carbohydrates and protein to keep you full and satisfied. All the ingredients are full of so much goodness too -garlic, ginger and turmeric are all anti-inflammatory and keep your gut happy. Cumin aids in digestion and is rich in iron and vitamin C. I like to use coconut oil for it's health benefits and delicious taste, but olive oil is a less expensive option that is rich in omega 3. This dahl recipe can be served alongside curry for 4-6, or as a lunch for 2-3 people.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4cm chunk of ginger, finely grated
• 150g dried red lentils
• 80g brown or basmati rice
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp tomato paste or one salad tomato, chopped
• 800ml vegetable stock

In a saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat and then add the garlic and ginger. Cook until golden, before adding the spices, lentils, rice, tomato paste and stock. Bring to a simmer, before covering with a lid and reducing the temperature of the hob. Stir occasionally, as lentils tend to stick. Cook for roughly twenty minutes until the lentils and rice are cooked through, adding a little extra water if needed. You are looking for a porridge-like consistency, but do adjust to the thickness that you prefer.

To serve, decant into a bowl with some natural yoghurt swirled in, or use full fat coconut milk if you  don't take dairy. If you have any to hand, some more chopped tomato or fresh coriander makes an excellent garnish. I used some zingy homemade tomato and lime salsa, which worked great.

Let me know what you do to keep eating healthily on a budget!

Review: Deliciously Ella

I think many, if not all, of us health bloggers can view Ella Woodward, of Deliciously Ella, as the epitome of blogging success. She has changed her lifestyle to radically improve her own health, and inspired many others to do the same, all whilst keeping a positive, grounded attitude and producing lots of yummy food.

Those of you on Instagram may have noticed me sharing a few images of Deliciously Ella creations that I had made myself. Now, I am the first to admit that I am far too inclined to buy or lust after lots of recipe books, but then barely use any of the recipes, if any. However, Ella's book is just stuffed full of recipe's that I wanted to try, and I found myself often trying two or three a day.

As far as I am aware, most of the recipes in the book can also be found on the blog, but here they are even easier to find, with a few extra tit bits and anecdotes thrown in. What is different is that Ella goes into a lot of detail on how diet has changed her health, which ingredients and cooking methods to use, and recommendations on how to take up Ella's lifestyle yourself.

So far, I have been pretty pleased with everything that I have tried so far, and can't wait to have a crack at the sweet potato brownies. I am particularly taken by the tahini-based dressing used frequently in recipes, even though I am not keen on it on it's own. The dressing typically involves mixing the tahini with lemon, or honey and oil. It makes the best stir fry dressing! I would also recommend trying the lentil bolognese, which is the perfect healthy comfort food.

Although I initially borrowed the Deliciously Ella book, I am really considering purchasing it myself because it was such an enjoyable read. I will say that some of the ingredients are a little on the expensive side -I have plain pitted dates instead of medjool and a friend of mine used marmite and water as part of the dressing ingredients to avoid a more pricy item. However, there is a lot of flexibility around ingredients, and so long as you have some kind of food processor to get you started you will be able to access most of the recipes without too much bother.... I will need to get myself a food processor of my own by the end of summer!

If you are looking to eat cleanly, and naturally then Ella's book really is an excellent, whether as a starting point or to add some new ideas to an existing repertoire.

Roast Butternut Squash, Sweet Spices, Lime and Chilli

In the last few months, butternut squash have become something of a staple in my weekly shop. I can find a use for them in almost anything; soups, with quinoa, in vegan mac 'n' "cheese", with sautéed or roasted veg, in risottos.... you can see that the squash is a favourite! Today I am sharing an Ottolenghi recipe of roasted butternut squash, with sweet spices, lime and chilli.

Ingredients -serves two

• One whole lime
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 tsp ground allspice (or use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or pepper)
• 3 tbsp Greek or natural yoghurt
• 1 tbsp Tahini (see my recipe here)
• 1 green chilli, thinly sliced
• Sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 200'C/gas mark 7. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways and remove the seeds. Cut across each of the two halves to make 1cm slices of squash. Mix the spices with the oil and brush over the slices of butternut squash. Sprinkle over some sea salt and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, or until tender. Leave to cool before peeling off the skin.

Whisk together the yoghurt, tahini and lime juice, with a pinch of salt. The sauce should be just pourable. Greek yoghurt may require loosening with water. 

Serve the squash with the yogurt sauce drizzled over the top, and the chilli scattered on top. An option is to garnish with coriander. Serve with quinoa cooked in vegetable stock and cayenne pepper.

Enjoy! 

Hummus From Scratch

When I can, I love to make food from scratch in the kitchen. I really enjoy tweaking recipes and experimenting with flavourings. Last time I tried to make hummus (or houmous) however, it just didn't taste nice, no matter how much lemon I added. An old jar of past-its-best tahini was to blame and I didn't bother try again for a while. Fresh hummus is a regular feature at the deli where I work, and so, also wanting to make lots of the recipes from Rachel Khoo's Sweet and Savoury Pates, I decided to give it a go again.

First up, the tahini. This is a paste made from sesame seeds, and the basic recipe can be applied to make any nut or seed butter (see my almond butter recipe here). The amount of oil required will vary depending on the type of seed used, the condition of the seeds bought and the efficiency of your food processor. A tahini wants to be runnier in comparison to a nut butter; it should be just pourable. Once you have a rough idea of how much oil is required, you can make as much as little as required.

To sterilise jars and containers, wash in soapy water before drying and placing in a 120'C oven for fifteen minutes.

Tahini
Ingredients (to make 300g)

• 280g sesame seeds.
• 4-5 tbsp sunflower or olive oil.
• Pinch of sea salt (optional, or to taste).

OPTIONAL: Preheat the oven to 180'C/gas mark 4 and spread the sesame seeds on a baking tray. Toast for ten minutes, before allowing to cool slightly.

In the food processor, blitz the seeds into a fine powder, adding a couple of tablespoons of oil and the salt. Continue to blend, frequently stopping to scrap the sides down, until a smooth paste forms. Add the rest of the oil as needed. The blending process can take anything between 10 and 20 minutes, so be patient! When you are happy with the consistency, decant into a jar or airtight container, and store in the fridge. In the Middle East, sesame seed paste is also used in making pastries as well as hummus. It also can be made into a dressing for salads and vegetable dishes.

Hummus
Ingredients

• 200g tinned chickpeas.
• 1/2 garlic clove, peeled and crushed.
• Squeeze of lemon juice.
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil, organic and virgin if possible.
• 1 tsp tahini.
• 1 tsp ground cumin.
• Sea salt.
• Cracked black pepper.

Simply blend all the ingredients together, adjusting the lemon, salt and pepper to taste. 

Variations:

Use 1/2 a lemon and its zest, with 5g of dried coriander to make lemon and coriander hummus.

Reduce the chickpeas to 130g, and add three chopped roasted peppers to make a roasted red pepper hummus.

Reduce the chickpeas to 100g and add two large roasted carrots for a carrot hummus.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of a pesto, or sundered tomato paste. Reduce the olive oil content as needed.

The above photos show a lemon and coriander variant, and a sundries tomato pesto hummus. It is really easy to adjust the recipe based on what extra ingredients that you have to hand.

Feed Your Soul: Superfood Hot Chocolate

A few weeks ago, I spotted a recipe by MindBodyGreen for superfood hot chocolate. Since then, I have had it whilst studying, winding down with a film and out on Snowdonian walks. I bought some raw cocoa powder a few weeks ago and until I tried this particular recipe, I could never get my hot chocolates to taste quite right. So, it is safe to say I am converted, and I had to share it here. I'll admit; my portion size is somewhat larger than MindBodyGreen's, but it fills an average cup nicely. This hot chocolate contains a variety of "superfood" spices. I don't personally have macs powder or cayenne pepper in my cupboards, but I have included them nonetheless. Tumeric is a fantastic addition, adding a subtle warming taste and helping to beat colds and other aliments aided by its anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients

• 125ml of each almond milk and water
• 1 tbsp raw cocoa or cacao powder
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup, honey or agave 
• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1/4 tsp each macs powder, cinnamon and nutmeg
• Pinch of cayenne pepper and sea salt

MindBodyGreen

Heat the almond milk and water on the stove until just under boiling point. Then, simply whisk or blend the ingredients together. Adjust flavours to taste, and enjoy. This isn't a super sweet hot chocolate, which I actually really enjoy as I can savour it, possibly alongside other food, without it all feeling too sickly. However, I have promised myself to one day hop over the Menai Strait and go to Beaumaris and try one of these amazing creations from an Italian cafe I have been recommended. For the kilner mug and gingerbread man if nothing else!

Like, seriously.

Cooking with Nakd Bars

One of my greatest challenges faced whilst trying to eat clean and largely plant-based is what to do when I'm craving a sweet, satisfying snack. Luckily, there are lots of healthier bars and chocolates around, including Nakd bars by Pulsin, which are becoming even easier to find in shops. As the bars count as one of your five a day, and often contain a small portion of protein, I love filling up on one of these. I normally buy one to chuck in my bag as a between-lectures snack, but hadn't ever used the bars in recipes. However, when I was sent a few suggested recipes and bars from Nakd Wholefoods, I knew that I had to get into the kitchen.

Almond and Berry Biscuits

These biscuits or cookies are vegan, gluten-free and paelo. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter for a perfect treat this Valentine's.

Ingredients:

• 200g ground almonds
• ½ tsp baking powder (gluten free if needed)
• A small pinch of salt
• 4 tbsp vegan spread or coconut oil
• 4 tbsp maple syrup, honey or agave nectar
• Optional: ½ tsp almond extract
• 1 Nākd Berry Delight, or Bakewell Tart bar, cut into small chips

In a bowl, combine the ground almonds, baking powder and salt together. Melt the coconut oil before adding that, the maple/honey/agave, almond extract and Nakd bar to the mix. Combine, then press together with your hands. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Turn on the oven to preheat to 170'C. After chilling, roll or press out the dough to around ½cm thickness, and cut out small biscuits. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The biscuits will still be soft as they come out of the oven, but will harden as they cool.

Chocolate Mousse Pots

I love these mousse pots -they're so decadently rich and creamy that you'd never know that they were filled with such goodness, or avocados! They do go down very easily so watch out. I have heard of avocado and chocolate mousses before, but the Nakd bar topping makes a tasty addition.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados, skin and stone removed
• 8 tbsp cocoa powder
• 8 tbsp maple syrup, honey or agave nectar
• 120ml dairy-free milk
• 4 Nākd Cocoa Delight bars

Blend the avocados, cocoa powder, syrup and milk together in a food processor until creamy. Divide the mousse between four pretty glasses or tumblers and chill for at least thirty minutes in the fridge. Meanwhile, in a clean food processor, blitzt the Nakd bars (along with an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder, if desired) into small pieces, without blending too fine. Top the glasses with the Nakd bars. To serve, decorate with frozen raspberries or edible flowers.

Both of these recipes, although containing fats and sugars, are made with whole foods and are a really delicious alternative to traditional snacks and treats. What are your favourite clean desserts?

Disclaimer: I was sent a selection of Nakd bars for the purpose of trying out suggested recipes or my own. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Veganuary: the Results

So it is now February which means that the month of Veganuary is over. As I started late, I still have a few more days to go, but I thought I would do a summary post in conduction with the challenge's official end.

So, how have I found it? Surprisingly, making vegan meals for a month really wasn't that difficult. For breakfasts, I only had to omit yoghurt and I recently discovered that my local health food shop sells coconut yoghurt, which makes a nice occasional treat. I have been avoiding using soy substitutes, so have been getting my protein this month from nuts, seeds and dark leafy veggies. Many of my staple dinners are vegan anyway, so I only had to switch the kind of pesto that I used, and hold the cheesy topping. I did find the few times that I ate out difficult as only having one option on the menu was a bit disappointing. There is a vegetarian cafe near me though and another local cafe caters for lots of different diets, so I do have those for future eating choices. I have also branched out on my snack options -who knew that you could buy lentil or quinoa crisps? I'll confess, I haven't actually said no to any offers of chocolate, but when buying for myself, I have become much more familiar with which dark chocolate brands to go for. Some are completely vegan; some are technically dairy free but may have milk traces and some have milk as an ingredient. So it was worth looking at and deciding where my boundaries of strictness were.

I am pretty pleased that I've managed to stay off the cheese when my chocolate avoidance somewhat failed! I did have cheesy pizza the one time as a friend bought a few boxes as a thank you for a group of us helping her to move. This means I did cheat, but I reduced my animal products an awful lot and only bought vegan food for myself. So although it was tempting to beat myself up about this, I have stepped back from that and still think I have made some really good progress.

I guess the next question is what is in store for my diet from now on. I'm really proud of what I have done this month, and as I really want to keep my carbon and ethical footprint right down, I will definitely continue to eat as little animal products as possible, especially from those linked to cattle. After next week I will start to have eggs again, as I buy locally sourced ones. To me, the unfertilised egg is a waste product from a chicken and so to take an egg from a chicken living in good, outdoor conditions is fine to me. Honey from sustainable sources I am also fine with as bee keeping is an important method to protecting the declining bee populations. Everything else I plan to reduce as much as possible, whilst still accepting that I am human and imperfect!

Source

Whether animal rights, environmental impact or health is your concern, moving to a more plant based diet will bring great benefits. I have been so inspired by the hosts of vegans out there, providing recipes, motivation and positivity so thank you to them! I am looking forward to living increasingly sustainably and my food basket has been such a good place to have a kickstart.

Have you changed your diet recently, or got involved with Veganuary? Let me know below!

National Breakfast Week

This week, in the UK, it is National Breakfast Week, which this year aims to have us making small changes to make our mornings healthier. With this in mind, I thought I'd share a few of my personal favourites. I'm still quite a fan of fruity things for breakfast, although I do try to throw in some veggies as well. I actually wrote a similar post to this last year, which is here if you fancy seeing some other ideas, including juices and smoothie bowls! I'm giving some specific examples and recipes here, using meals that I have shared over Instagram over the last few weeks.

Smoothies

Carrot Cake Smoothie
I love carrot cake-inspired breakfasts, including this carrot cake porridge here. Here, I blended up a grated carrot, banana, around 100-150ml almond milk, two tsp goji berries (pre-soaked in almond milk), a teaspoon of chia seeds and almond butter and a pinch of both nutmeg and cinnamon. It was delicious, more like a treat than breakfast!

Smoothie and Chia layered Pudding
Possibly one of the coolest looking things I have ever made. This is a two step process. Firstly, make the chia seed and oat pudding by mixing 25g (1/4 cup) of oats with a tablespoon of chia seeds and 125ml (1/2 cup) of almond milk. Add in honey, cinnamon or vanilla extract to taste and leave overnight in the fridge, making sure that there is room for your smoothie on top. For the smoothie, I blended up some strawberries with frozen summer fruits and a banana. This should come out much thicker than a traditional smoothie and is nicknamed a "thickie" as it can be eaten with a spoon. Pour the  smoothie over the top of the chia pudding and either eat separately, or mix the two up!

Green Protein Smoothie
My final smoothie has already featured in my blog -for suggested variations and nutritional information, click here. In essence, I blend 100g (two handfuls) of kale or spinach with a banana and/or 1/2 avocado, 70ml almond milk and almond butter together. Natural sweetener and wheatgrass powder can also be added. I've started using Provamel's almond milk recently, which goes really well with the "green" flavours.

Hot Breakfasts

Avocado Porridge
It's no secret that I am a big fan of porridge. It's my go-to breakfast -smoothies are actually what I have after a gym session most days because I otherwise crave warm, comforting foods first thing when it is cold. Adding avocado was a new one to me though, but it really works. You slowly add water to oats and chia seeds in a pan to create a creamy base, adding in soft fruit such as peach or banana to gently cook through. Half a ripe avocado is added as a topping along with your choice of nuts and seeds. For the full recipe, see Honestly Healthy's recipe on Grokker here.

Mushrooms and Avocado on toast
Finally, for a savoury option, I have to use avocados again. The avocados are mashed with lemon juice, salt and pepper, while the mushrooms are gently cooked in a pan. If you eat dairy, cream cheese, or a small amount of cream really benefits the mushrooms as they cook. Alternatively, leave the mushrooms raw as well; they taste so good! Depending on your preference, use good quality whole grain bread, or choose a gluten/yeast free option. I like both, so switch between both types on any given week!

Are you cleaning up your breakfasts this week, or this year? Let me know below!