January Favourites

“there are stars you haven’t seen, and loves you haven’t loved. there’s light you haven’t felt and sunrises yet to dawn. there are dreams you haven’t dreamt and days you haven’t lived and nights you won’t forget. and flowers yet to grow. and there is more to you that you have yet to know. G.C” 

I’m a worrier. I can say that for certain. I know it causes me a great deal of stress and upset. Yet, as hard as I might try, I cannot change it. Not for all the tea in China. If there was something to worry about, trust me, I’ve worried about it 10 times over and created a million different outcomes and each consequence following them. And the future is not a concern unnoticed. The future, in fact, is probably my biggest worry of all.

I want to have it altogether, now. I want to know what I want to do with my life, now. I want to be living and breathing it all, now. I don’t want to wait, I can’t handle that uncertainty. The worrying all the time of what is to come. But it isn’t the way to live. Constantly on edge, constantly in fear. There’s so much beauty in life, and yet I catch myself thinking of all the things that could go wrong. 

I’m learning to trust it though. Life. Trust that great things take time and one day it will all become mine, and in the meanwhile realise all the things I’m blessed to experience. Learning to walk blind, unaware of the next turn and when the path might become rocky, but walking down it regardless. Finally ending up where I was meant to be all along, through the good and the bad.

So relax into your journey, it’s a predestined path. Make February a month to be taken along with the current, instead of fighting it. Embrace the change and learn to love the uncertainty. Admire all the beauty whilst you’re on your way. 

Onto the favourites…

In true tradition, I received a new cookbook for Christmas. I've followed Niomi Smart for a long time and enjoyed watching her journey to eating a plant-based diet, and even embraced the abundance of fruit and vegetables myself. So her first book Eat Smart is a no brainer favourite for me this month.

This Laura Mercier Honey Bath Duo in Creme Brulee, makes an evening bath the most luxurious treat. I may come out of the bathroom smelling like a french patisserie, which admittedly just makes my sweet tooth 100x worse, but it's oh so worth it.

Finally, this poetry book, Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kaur has been my absolute favourite through January and probably for the rest of the year too. It's a collection of deeply moving poetry, comprised of heartbreak, feminism, self-love and healing. Some of her words really speak to me and bring me to tears, but they are some of the most beautiful and heartfelt words I have read in a long time. It's a must-read.

What were your January Favourites?

K

My Post-Spin Pina-Kale-Ada Smoothie

Last Friday, I was lucky enough to join forces with the Popcycle team on their Sweaty Betty Live DJ Ride, providing all the post-workout goodies to all the sweaty ladies who absolutely killed it on the spin bike. 

And just in case you’re thinking it was a cool, laid back way to spend your Friday evening, it’s not. 

This high energy class is definitely not for the faint hearted. A 90-minute spin class of hill climbs, sprints and a few upper body weights (thrown in for good measure, just to ensure you’re unable to move the next day), all to live DJ Georga’s deep house, old school hip hop and EDM set. 

But was it an amazing way to spend a Friday night? Was it ever. Why go clubbing when you can get all hot and sweaty on a spin bike?

Check out the Popcycle website for more information on their spin classes and upcoming events if you live in the Kent area!

To refuel I created this delicious Pina-Kale-Ada smoothie. My favourite cocktail with a healthy twist. It’s full of hydrating coconut water to help replace all those lost electrolytes, sweetened all naturally with banana and pineapple, and packs a plant-based protein punch to help your muscles recover after that intense workout!

Ingredients:

Serves 1

1 Cup Frozen Pineapple Chunks

1/2 Ripe Banana

1 Packed Cup Chopped Kale

2 Teaspoons Hemp Protein Powder

1 Cup Coconut Water

2 Teaspoons Lime Juice

when life hands you pineapples...make pina-kale-ada's!

K

Banana, Honey & Granola Crunch Muffins

I’m pretty sure I only bake in a bid to try and bribe people into liking me. In fact, I frequently turn up to work with sweet goods to keep on my managers good side, and seeing as I haven’t been fired (yet), I’ll assume it works. Now nothing says “please don’t lock me in the stock room or force me to deal with the horrible customers that make me cry” quite like a big batch of these Banana, Honey & Granola Crunch muffins. And if I really want to get on her good side, I’ll give these to her with a cup of tea and my butter-wouldn’t-melt smile 

Ingredients

Makes 12 Muffins

2 Cups Ground Almonds

1/2 Cup Plain Gluten-Free Flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

Pinch Of Sea Salt

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

3 Eggs

3 Ripe Bananas

1 Tablespoon Dairy-Free Milk

Topping: Granola And Banana Slices.

Method

Preheat your oven to 175 degrees celsius. Grease your muffin tin with coconut oil and leave to one side.

In a large bowl, combine your ground almonds, flour, baking powder and sea salt. 

In a separate bowl, cream together your coconut oil and honey with an electric whisk until pale. Add in your vanilla extract and your eggs and continue to whisk until combined.

Slowly add in your dry ingredients to your honey and coconut oil mix and stir in well.

Mash your 3 ripe bananas and fold into your wet mixture with your dairy-free milk.

Using a 1/4 cup measurement, or a large ice cream scoop, fill each well with your mixture until about 3/4 full. Top with a banana slice and a sprinkling of granola. 

Bake in your oven for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown. They should spring back when touched.

Leave to cool.

Serve with a hot cup of tea to seriously impress your manager.

K

Foods For Happiness

Happiness is a truly personal experience. How am I to know if the way I feel it, is the same as you? Do you feel it intensely like me, or is it just a comfortable fuzzy feeling always in the background? When I feel happy, I get a little shiver that ripples up through my spine, jerks my shoulders and goes right up and through the top of my head. I get a warm sensation that runs down from my forehead, down through my arms and right to the tips of my fingers. I smile, a lot (it’s a bit weird actually). And then for a second, I feel like I could cry, just because I’m so. bloody. happy. But however you feel your happiness, I’m sure we can all agree its one of the greatest feelings, is it not?

To me, happiness is so important. I really believe we are a reflection of the quality of our thoughts and morals, our lifestyles and how we choose to spend our time. But that is all, as I said, truly personal, and there is no right or wrong in the way we choose to live our lives. However, the quality of the food we consume can play a big part in supporting and aiding all the functions of our body to keep it running well, including our moods. Here are my top picks for foods that can help us to feel a little more happy:

Asparagus 

Asparagus contains an amino acid called tryptophan, which helps to create the feel-good brain chemical serotonin. 

Pumpkin Seeds

Like asparagus, pumpkin seeds contain that amazing amino acid tryptophan, helping us to feeling calmer. Sprinkle onto salads or onto fruit and yogurt for a serotonin hit. 

Cherry Tomatoes

Along with regular tomatoes, cherry tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant which fights against depression causing inflammation. They make a great snack for when you're craving a little something sweet.

Mussels

These little shellfish’s are loaded with B12 vitamins that help produce brain chemicals that positively affect our moods and improve brain function.

Avocados

Avocados are also high in B vitamins to support the brain, and help to naturally balance out our hormones. Mash up and spread onto a slice of wholegrain toast for a snack when you need to relax.

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is a fantastic source of magnesium, which has been associated with lower depression.

Eggs

Eggs are full of mood improving Omega-3 fatty acids. Poach and serve with steamed spinach for a punch of iron and folate.

Happy Eating

K

Why I'm Ditching The 'New Year Diet'

I cannot lie and say that festive period did not fill me with such a tremendous fear. No matter how far I have come in my journey, I am not immune to the guilt that can sit very heavily upon your shoulders the second the spoon hits the bottom of the bowl. And I get stressed out just by the thought of having 3 nights out in a row, not to mention the sleepless nights I endure attempting to plan what I’m going to wear, when I’m going to paint my nails, when am I going to have time to hit the gym in-between shaving my legs and moisturising. And to some, this may all sound very silly. To be afraid of eating and drinking a little bit too much, or not being able to fit in exercise, or getting dressed up all nice to go to social events. But anyone who has suffered with any type of disordered eating, body dismorphia and anxiety can tell you just how frightening it is to feel so out of control, so bloated and spoiled, and, well, fluffy (or fat).

In previous years, I’ve always used the New Year as a fresh start and placed such a massive emphasis on getting back on track and losing weight. Many of you can easily slip in and out of these weight loss programmes that scream in our faces “New Year Shape Up!” But many of us can also fall into very unhealthy, restrictive lifestyles. So it’s a no from me. I’m ditching the ‘New Year Diet’ and here’s why:

• Number one, you have to understand you’re good enough exactly how you are. Before you try losing any weight, try admiring and appreciating your body at whatever size you are, because if you’re not happy at a size 12/10/8, you’re not going to be happy at any other size. Its time to learn how to accept your body for all the beautiful things it is, not all the things it is not. 
• Number two, in truth, you probably haven't changed that much. Not drastically that is. Don’t be fooled into thinking you need to buy into these diets, just because everyone around you is so fixated on losing the pounds. The diet industry is worth a lot of money, so it’s no surprise they’re convincing you that you need to lose weight after Christmas. And hey, even if you did put on weight, please bear in mind you don’t live like that normally. As soon as you start to eat a bit more fresh, whole ingredients and move around a bit more, you’ll find you’ll probably lose weight without really trying. 
• Number three, you need to ask yourself are you trying to be a better version of yourself, or are you trying to look like the model on the cover? The people endorsing these fad diets are fitness models and celebrities, people who have the money to hire professional make up artists, hair stylists, personal trainers and personal chefs. They have big fancy lights on photo shoots that make them look incredible. And thats before they get photoshopped. Hell, these people don’t even look like their glossy magazine covers. Do this to be a better you, because I promise if you’re eating your bodyweight in kale to look like them, you’re only going to be highly disappointed. 
• Number four, you need to live a life you’re going to enjoy. I know that if I went back on some big restrictive diet and exercise programme, I wouldn’t be able to do all the things I love to do. Go out for tasty dinners, have spontaneous drinks after work, meet with friends for coffee… My relationships wouldn’t work in the way that they do, and my life would be spent between the kitchen, then gym and work. I wouldn’t enjoy it.
• And most importantly, number five, your diet should be sustainable and healthy. And you know what isn’t sustainable and healthy? Restriction. Hunger. Loss of natural hunger cues. Obsessions and fixations over food, wondering when the next meal will be before you’ve even finished your breakfast. Disordered eating. Feelings of hunger, shame, guilt and anxiety. A healthy and sustainable diet is enjoyable, balanced and an easy part of your life. I would hate to look back at January and think of all the things I gave up so I could “smash the gym” and live off green smoothies.

‘the way you speak of yourself. the way you degrade yourself into smallness. is abuse.’

So before you set out to change your body, learn to love it first. Learn to love the weight you are, appreciate how your body moves and know that you body is an amazing thing that will change throughout our entire lives. Treat it with respect and fuel it well. Don’t abuse yourself to look like someone on a magazine, and don’t stop yourself having a life to lose a couple pounds. Eat, workout and do lovely things, so you can look back on 2017 happy, full of energy and beautiful.

K

December Favourites

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes…including you” Anne Lamott.

Taking a breather, is a tool I’ve never claimed to have in my set. But in December, I learnt to just relax a little. Loosen the reigns a smidge when it came to eating well, treating myself to a couple extra mince pies I probably shouldn’t have done. Lightened up on getting to the gym for every session, skipped a couple of planned runs, and just had fun going out dining and drinking with friends. And why? Because I was told taking time out for myself was fundamental. Living your life a little bit more, is just as important as eating well and exercising, in order to become a well rounded healthy individual. 

So no, I didn’t pressure myself to do anything remotely taxing. In fact, the only stress that caused a couple sleepless nights was a certain gingerbread train awaiting being decorated downstairs. And crumbs, if baked goods are my biggest problem, I think I can cope with that. And guess what? I'm still alive. I'm still here. And I still work just fine.

Onto the favourites... 

Rude Health Almond Drink. Mayver’s Cacao Super Spread. Wolf Blass Silver Label Red Wine. Raw 46 Rawkin’Roons. Raw 46 Cheezy Kale Krackers.

Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder Candlelight. Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream Transylvania. Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Body & Hand Wash, Cologne and Body Creme. Caudalie Huile Divine Oil. Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder Light. 

Peanut Butter Jumper. Zara Black Mini Bag. Sweaty Betty Zero Gravity Run Leggings.

Just take a breather this January, my Lovelies.

K

Cacao And Coconut Christmas Morning Granola

Get your fat pants ready, it’s Christmas! 

The days are long, long gone where sleep felt like an impossible task on Christmas Eve. When I would wake every hour on the hour to reach my toes nervously towards the end of the bed, feeling for a stocking filled up with treats and gold chocolate coins. When my Brother and I would sneak down the stairs to catch a glimpse of presents under the tree, and impatiently tear open our chocolate selection boxes. Jumping onto our parents bed at ridiculous o'clock to beg to go downstairs and open all the presents. And although Christmas Mornings now start with a cheeky run with my Dad rather than wading though the sea of wrapping paper, one thing about Christmas never truly changes. Chocolate for breakfast, and the excitement of the feasting ahead. 

This Cacao and Coconut Granola, served with coconut yogurt, fresh berries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, is such a delicious breakfast to start a day of indulgence. Full of whole ingredients with amazing properties for our bodies, homemade and sweetened naturally with a mixture of ground cinnamon and local runny honey, this stuff is so much better for us than the shop brought stuff. Not that you needed a reason on Christmas Morning to be quite so decadent…

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

2 TBSP Coconut Oil

185g Mixed Nuts

35g Pumpkin Seeds

70g Raisins

35g Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut

1 TSP Cacao Powder

1 TSP Ground Cinnamon

2 TBSP Runny Honey

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the nuts, raisins and seeds to the pan first and stir frequently for 10 minutes. Then add the desiccated coconut, cacao powder, cinnamon and honey and reduce heat to low, stirring consistently for a further 5 minutes. Transfer the granola from the pan into a large bowl to cool completely. 
2. Serve with your chosen plant-based milk, or yogurt and fresh berries if you like.

Put on some cheesy Christmas music, sip slowly on a freshly brewed coffee and enjoy your Christmas Morning…

K

(This recipe was adapted from the Julie Montagu’s Chocolate and Coconut Granola recipe in the Sainsbury’s December 2016 issue).