Fuel your day!

Hi there!

I’m going to try and get more regular posts out now! I’ll be a bit more room bound now that exams are racing round so will have a bit of time to sit down and write! Today, I’d like to post about breakfast. My favourite meal ever and I love trying out new things to give me a great, healthy kick start to the day! I thought I’d share a couple of my favourite recipes! Unfortunately, there are no photos, except ones of breakfasts I’ve already posted! Unless otherwise stated, all recipes are for 1 person.

1) My Rock n Roll 10k breakfast; I made this just this weekend to prepare me for my first 10km race. I ate it about 1 hour 30 minutes before I started and it kept me powering through! It needs to be left in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients;

• 1 portion of natural/greek yoghurt (your preference here)
• 1 protein scoop of oats (this is about 25g worth of oats)
• 6 frozen strawberries
• Optional; 1 teaspoon cinammon/agave syrup/golden syrup

Method;

1. In a resealable tub, mix the oats with the cinammon (if using).
2. Chop 3 of the frozen strawberries into chunks and pile on top of the oats.
3. Add the yoghurt.
4. Cut the remianing strawberries and place them on top of the yoghurt.
5. Drizzle the agave syrup/golden syrup on top (if using) or sprinkle more cinammon (if using).
6. Leave this covered in the fridge overnight.

2) Power Up Pancakes; follow the link for the recipe!

3) Avocado & Egg Toast; oats aren’t everybodies cup of tea, so here’s a more savoury option for those dreary mornings!

Ingredients;

• 2 slices wholegrain bread
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 2 medium eggs
• To season; ground black pepper, smoked paprika, salt, tabasco, you’re condiment of choice

Method;

1. Slice the avocado into strips.
2. Scramble the eggs (try use olive oil rather than butter here).
   If you want, feel free to boil/poach/omlette your eggs!
3. Toast the bread whilst the eggs are cooking.
4. Put the avocado on top of the toast first.
5. Add the eggs on top.
6. Season.
7. Devour.

4) Super fruit bowl; for a fresher, lighter start to the day!

Ingredients;

• 1 small banana
• 1 small apple
• Handful of berries (you choose)
• 1 portion of natural/greek yoghurt
• Optional; cinammon, golden syrup, agave syrup, cocoa powder

Method;

1. Chop all the fruit and pile into a bowl.
2. Mix the yoghurt and any optional toppings you fancy.
3. Simples!

These are 4 super easy and healthy recipes you can whip up for breakfast to keep the day starting right! I always find if I start the day on a good, healthy note, then maintaining my healthy eating throughout the day is so much easier. I also feel more energetic and have more energy right through to snack time.

Have a great week guys! Anyone else counting down the days until summer!?

Gym Bug

Snack time!

Hi there!

Sorry I’ve been absent, the weather is gorgeous and I’ve been spending a lot of time outside getting my daily dose of Vitamin D!

Can’t help but be outside.

However, yesterday I discovered a new delicious, quick and healthy snack! It’s pretty basic but tastes like apple pie!

Ingredients;

• 1 apple, chopped (go for any type you want)
• 1/4 cup of oats
• 1/4 cup cornflakes/bran flakes/crunchy cereal
  Watch what you choose, remember some are high in sugar and calories
• Honey
• Cinnamon

Method;

1. Add the oats, apple and cornflakes/bran flakes/crunchy cereal to a bowl.
2. Add as much honey and cinnamon as you like.
3. Enjoy!
4. Optional; if you’re looking for a punchier snack, add some greek yoghurt to it (proteeeeeein).

Om nom nom

I know it doesn’t look like much but I swear it’s delicious!

Happy snacking!

Gym Bug

Foodie Challenge #6

Hi there!

Another Foodie Challenge post! This time it’s a side dish I prepared last night to go along with some grilled chicken breast and sweet potato. I had plenty leftover and enjoyed the rest for lunch today. This recipe is based off of what I fancied at the time!

Ingredients (for one);

• 1/2 apple, cubed.
• 1 beetroot, cubed.
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped (you can have more, but I’m not a huge fan of red onion).
• 1/2 orange, peeled and roughly chopped.
• 1 cup red cabbage, shredded.
• 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
• 4 tablespoons olive oil.
• Salt.
• Pepper.
• 1 garlic glove.

Method;

1. In bowl/jar/bottle mix the salt, pepper, garlic (which has been squashed but not chopped), olive oil and balsmic together. Set to one side.
2. Mix all the other ingredients into a bowl.
3. Pour over the dressing (as much or as little as you want).
4. Done. Easier than mixing up a protein shake.

I’ve included this one in my foodie challenge series because it’s a recipe I’d never tried before using an ingredient I’d never used before; red cabbage. It’s super simple, cheap and healthy! It’s also really colourful!

Gym Bug

Oats!

Hi there!

Warning: I will use oats and porridge interchangeably.

I’ve already done a post on Stoats, which is a great porridge company based in Scotland. I love their oats and recommend trying their flavours to mix breakfast up! However, if you prefer making your own delicious oats, I’ve made a list of easy toppings that you can cook into the porridge (just cook the toppings with th oats) or throw on after cooking. I usually cook my oats in the microwave also a make it slightly drier.

• Banana; very simple. If you microwave your oats the banana disappears and creates a delicious and creamy mix.
• Banana and honey; bit sweeter.
• Pineapple; this becomes insanely hot in the microwave, but it’s a great sweet and sour flavour. Add some dried/fresh coconut to make a tropical breakfast.
• Dried fruit; cranberries, raisins, sultanas, apricots, dried coconut, the list goes on! Bananas and raisins are also delicious.
• Cinnamon; powdered cinnamon is brilliant, throw it in with bananas, apples, raisins for even more flavour.
• Apples; cook them with the porridge too for delicious, hot breakfast.
• Berries; strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries. Again, add these on top or cook into the porridge. Cooking them creates a lovely compote.
• Peanut butter; on its own, with cinnamon, bananas or apples.
• Jam; a bit more fruit (and a bit more sugar).
• Peanut Butter and Jam; watch the portions here, but it’s a delicious treat.
• Dark chocolate; a couple of squares, great if you’re craving some chocolate.
• Cocoa powder; not as tasty as dark chocolate but better if you’re watching your calories.
• Yoghurt; I really enjoy cooking up a nice, hot bowl of porridge and adding a tablespoon of low-fat natural or fruit flavoured yoghurt.
• Granola; top your bowl with a modest amount of granola for a lovely crunch.
• Almonds; adds a nice crunch and delicious flavour. Best add these in and cook for the final 20 seconds or crush them into your porridge.
• Protein Powder; I recommend mixing up the protein and milk in your shaker then adding that to the oats before cooking to make sure the protein dissolves well.

You can also make porridge savoury, but I’ve never tried this (yet) but here’s a list of recipes from Shape to try if sweet porridge is not your thing!

If hot porridge is not your thing then try mixing your oats (typical 40g portion) with yoghurt in an airtight container (I use Weight Watchers individual pots, one per breakfast, great flavours), throw in some toppings listed above  and leave it overnight. Next morning you’ll have delicious cold oats, they must be left overnight however to ensure the oats soften. I’ve already mentioned overnight oats before with a recipe for Bircher’s Muesli that my mum makes.

IMPORTANT; porridge doesn’t need to be just for breakfast. Porridge can be a brilliant recovery food. Over the Christmas holidays I enjoyed cold, overnight oats post-run. You can get a great balance of carbohydrates and proteins and some sugars to help your body recover.

I’m a huge fan of porridge in case no one noticed.

Gym Bug

Fit Not Thin

Hi there!

In the midst of my revision I stumbled upon this article (it’s in Spanish) which talks about the editor of de Revistas de El Mercurio (Mercury Magazines). She has decided that they will no longer photoshop any photographs featured in their publications, only use models who are 18 or older and not use any model with a BMI below 18.5. BRILLIANT.

I understand there’s this constant pressure for people to be thin or incredibly muscular, I’ve felt it and it’s horrible. What this magazine is doing is perfect and something that needs to be done by all of them. People have been saying for ages it’s time to change the way the media represents what’s socially accepted as ‘beautiful’.

If you’re looking to be slim, this blog is not for you. Healthy? Then I’d like to think some of my experiences, posts and insights can help you. It’s so easy to make small changes to start you on your path to becoming FIT AND HEALTHY;

• Reduce saturated fat intake; swap semi-skimmed/whole milk for skimmed milk, for example.
• Reduce refined sugar intake; as simple as having an apple instead of a chocolate bar as a snack.
• Fit in exercise; it can be a 7-minute HIIT session or a 30-minute walk. Check out my post on HIIT, LIIT  (lower intensity interval training) or have a look at strength workouts (one example linked for a bodyweight workout) for more information.
• Make smart swaps; wholewheat pasta/rice/bread instead of white, refined bread/pasta/rice, for example.
• Do a bit of trial and error; there’s not a ‘one size fits all’ plan for leading a fit and healthy lifestyle, try things out, do some research.
• Do it with friends/family; it’s added motivation, you don’t want to stop until they do and chances are they feel the same so you won’t stop until you’re done.
• Don’t give up; you will slip up, you’re allowed, just make sure it doen’t completel demotivate you and stop you from reaching your end goal.
• Set a goal; fit into that pair of jeans, get to a healthier weight, tone up a bit. Whatever it is, set it and tell people what it is, that way you’ll find more motivation to stick with it and avoid being a ‘quitter’. Setting challenges such as a marathon, 10k, Tough Mudder, Spartan Race etc are also great motivators (you don’t really want to be photographed as a pile on the floor, you want to be photographed holding that medal or tackling that obstacle).

It doesn’t have to be a huge mountain, small steps can make big changes.

Gym Bug

Recovery Foods

Hi there!

Hard, intense workouts of the cardio or strength training variety should leave you feeling pretty drained and eventually hungry. If you’re like me, you’re not hungry immediately after a workout, but give it 20-30minutes and the hunger kicks in and it’s intense! It’s necessary to fuel your body up 1-2 hours after working out in order to help muscles repair and your body to maintain function. It’s best to get a good mix of protein, carbs and healthy fats.

After most of my workouts I’ll eat a bowl of porridge (I prefer exercising first thing in the morning) and on occassion I’ll have a salad packed with rommaine lettuce, white beans/lentils, cucumber and olives. I also have MyProtein Chocolate Smooth Whey Protein after strength training days. However, this isn’t foreveryone, so below I’ve listed some great recovery foods to have after the gym.

• Chocolate milk (especially handy for people on the go) with a banana
• Cottage cheese on rye bread (cottage cheese is good for protein)
• Scrambled eggs (protein, protein, protein) pair it with some wholemeal bread or rye bread!
• Peanut butter on wholemeal toast or rye bread
• Coconut water and a banana (great for restoring electrolytes)
• Avocado stuffed with cottage cheese and tomato
• Avocado on wholemeal toast/rye bread
• Spinach salad with chicken
• Sliced apple with peanut butter and raisins
• Tuna salad or sandwich
• Smoothie with oats and greek yoghurt
• Greek yoghurt, chopped banana, topped with some nuts

These are just a couple of great ideas that combine carbs, fats and proteins to help your body recover and make sure you’re ready to tackle the next workout! Remember to try keep carbs as wholegrains and DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. Rehydrating is vital and consistently drinking water through the day is an excellent habit to develop. Always try keep a water bottle to hand.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Gym Bug

Stoats; Fuelling you with Scottish greatness

Hi there!

Now, I’m a huge fan of porridge. I think it’s a super kick start to your day; excellent source of energy, filling, warm and low GI. For me, porridge ticks all the boxes and it’s NOT BORING. You can add fruit, sauces, chocolate, peanut butter; the list is endless with a good old bowl of oats! I eat a variety of brands of porridge but my all-time favourite has to be good old Stoats. It was my dad that picked up a box a while ago because it was on special in the supermarket. He came home with Apricot and Sultana, and the box didn’t last the week (my dad and I especially partial to this flavour).
The oats are Scottish (waving the flag here, you go Stoats) and they use all natural ingredients like fruits and seeds (always a huge bonus).
Here’s a run-down of what they’ve got;

• Apricot & Sultana Porridge;
  Stoats get their proportion of fruit to oats spot on here. Juicy sultanas and dried apricots bring the occasional bite of sweetness without it being too much. You don’t even need to add anything; it’s delicious on its own.
• Sunflower & Poppy Seed Porridge;
  My twin loves this one. I definitely prefer the apricot one but this always made a nice break. The subtle crunch of the seeds gave a nice, subtle flavour. I’ll admit, my sister adds peanut butter, but it’s a very good porridge with or without it (given my obsession with peanut butter, it’s very good with it).
• Apple & Cinnamon;
  A tummy hug. Best way to describe it. I am not a huge fan of cinnamon, but they’ve again got the balance spot on. The apples compliment the cinnamon perfectly so rather than being overwhelmed and feeling like you’ve done the Cinnamon Challenge you’re left with a warm, fuzzy feeling in your tummy. This is excellent on a cold morning.
• Original Oats;
  We usually have a box in the house as back-up in case we run out of the others. I chop through banana, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, apple, raisins etc (maybe some peanut butter) to give it a bit more flavour. But these oats are very filling and perfect to get you up and going.
• Quick Pots;
  These are one portioned sized boxes of porridge for on the go dining. As a snack or as a breakfast these are great for chucking in your bag and going. Like most oats, you can make it with hot water, so you don’t even need to worry about heating up milk. They come in 3 flavours; Apple & Cinnamon, Original and Cranberry & Blueberry. They DON’T offer the Cranberry & Blueberry in large boxes only in porridge pot form, but I recommend giving it a try, nice tangy berries always make a great start to the morning.
• Porridge Bars;
  Energy packed bars for snacking or a quick breakfast. They come in 6 flavours; Apple & Cinnamon, Apricot & Sultana, Blueberry & Honey, Fig & Date, Raspberry & Honey and White Choc & Hazelnut. I’m a fan of Apple & Cinnamon as well as their Raspberry & Honey. But I can tell you, they’re all delicious and filling.
• Oatcakes;
  I didn’t actually know they produced these. I learned this by checking out their website. I’m a fan of oatcakes (and cheese, anybody?), so I’m sure their amazing.

Taken from their Pinterest page, look at that range!

What’s also great is how much they care about customer feedback. My dad e-mailed them to let them know we’re huge fans and to ask a question about production. They responded with a really kind e-mail and then SENT US STOATS GOODIES. Now, I’m a sucker for freebies so that sends them from 0 to hero in my book. It shows a different level of customer commitment.  They were also incredibly helpful in making sure I got all my information correct for you readers out there!
I would like to point out the box of goodies event occurred months ago and Stoats is not sponsoring this post, the onset of winter and the finishing of my only box of Stoats here in Madrid prompted this post.

Something that’s also great is that they’re not necessarily for breakfast. My dad enjoys a bowl of Stoats to fuel him for his long-distance runs.

You can purchase their products on their online store or keep an eye for their oats, bars and pots in Asda, Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and lots of independent deli’s, cafes and farm shops! They’re also on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest (some great recipes).

Stoats of Scotland, woot woot! If you’re looking for a great meal (breakfast is the most important meals of the day) then go for Stoats. You won’t regret it.

Gym Bug

Soreen; Fitness Fuel

Hi there!

So this post will be about one of my all time favourite snacks; Soreen! If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an excellently squidgy malt loaf filled with fruit. It comes in a whole range of flavours and is a healthy source of energy! It’s only available in the UK (unless you order it online from somewhere) so for those in the UK, get your hands on some of this if you’re looking for an excellent, energy packed healthy snack!

The best part is that they come in a whole range of different flavours! I’ll run through them and comment on the ones I’ve tasted!

1) Original Malt Loaf
This one is the original malt loaf, packed with juicy raisins, this one is delicious. This can be topped with probably just about anything and still taste absolutely amazing! I love this one toasted with some peanut butter.

2) Banana Loaf

This one is my all time favourites (and my family’s). It’s delicious, banana squidginess is perfect. The banana tastes really authentic, not like processed, fake banana flavouring. Again, love this one with peanut butter.

3) Fruity Five Loaf

Again, delicious. I prefer the banana one but I love bananas. This one has raisins, sultanas, cherries, lemon and orange this gets your tastebuds really going! If you’re not a huge fan of fruit cakes (e.g Christmas Cake) then this one might not be for you though.

4) Apple & Raisin

Packed with apples and raisins, this one is nice and apple-y. There is a hint of cinnamon in this one, which is good, since cinnamon is great for balancing sugar levels but it’s not for everyone so be warned. I think it’s delicious because the cinnamon is not overpowering, it’s subtle and provides almost like a small warmth.

5) Chocolate Loaf

I know what you’re thinking, chocolate is not healthy! In moderation, everything is okay, but in this loaf it really isn’t that bad. They use small chocolate chips and cocoa powder to get a great chocolate flavour without it being too rich. Again I top this with peanut butter (PB is a huge favourite of mine).

6) Festive Loaf

A Christmas special from Soreen! Raisins, currents, cherries, citrus and heart-warming winter spices, this is a must try at Christmas! I loved it when I was rowing and I’d come back from the cold and have a warmed slice of this. It is incredible and made even better by the fact it’s only available around Christmas. Gets me right into the festive mood!

Now I’ll go onto the ones I haven’t tried (yet)

7) Cinnamon & Raisin

My sister loves it (she says it ties with Banana loaf). She says the sweetness of the raisins help cut through the cinnamon and make it taste a little festive! Apparently a must try toasted with a little bt of butter!

8) Orange Loaf

This one intrigues me. Being in Spain I am unable to get my hands on it and I’ve heard it’s limited edition (hopefully not), because I think it sounds interesting. I would imagine it is quite tangy and zingy. A refreshing loaf I would imagine. Fingers crossed I get to try it!

9) Toffee Apple Loaf

I love Toffee Apples and the idea of them being in a SOREEN LOAF sounds great. Again I’ve heard this might be a Halloween thing, again I’m praying not! It may have the potential to be quite sweet but that’s acceptable sometimes! Who doesn’t love a dash of toffee though some squidgy goodness!?

Soreen comes in different formats too! All the ones above (except Toffee Apple) come in loaf form, and then some come in lunchbox loaf sizes (Original, Banana, Chocolate and Toffee Apple). The Original Loaf comes in a pre-sliced package, pre-buttered package and a single mini loaf size too. Soreen are great for snacks on the go! The lunchbox loaves in particular are great if you’re like me and can’t always resist temptation and take a massive slice, it’s just too good.

Nutritionally, they’re calorie dense, but as an on- the- go snack they’re perfect for energy slumps or sweet cravings without piling on the nasties like sugar or saturated fat! For detailed nutritional details on each loaf head here where they keep you fully informed on their squidgy nutrition.

Soreen also do events, look out in the UK for the excellent Soreen T-Shirts (if anyone knows how to get their hands on one, let me know). They also run many, many competitions, here is their current one for a YEAR’S SUPPLY OF SOREEN (what!?) http://www.soreen.com/halloween-comp/ Good luck everyone! Their Facebook page also has some great competitions too, check that out here.

So, overall, I’m sure it’s clear I’m a massive Soreen supporter. They’ve just released a great new advert too featuring the adorable Loveable Loaf, check it out here.

I would like to note Soreen have not promoted this in any way. I’m just a little blogger making sure the awesome potential this food has for those who lead active lifestyles is known.

Gym Bug