Can you eat clean and be Vegetarian?

I recently had an enquiry from a lady who is Vegetarian and was struggling to eat foods that are not heavy, starchy and processed. It's a common complaint and one I've been thinking about for a while.

Here is my reply below. As always feel free to ask me any questions, I'm more than happy to respond!

Hi Ruth, Yes I totally agree lots of veggie food is heavy and starchy and often people think they are being healthy just by virtue of being vegetarian. But a life of pizza and pasta is not very healthy! Saying that other vegetarians are some of the healthiest people I know. Here are some ideas to still eat clean...without the meat!

- Bulk things up with seeds and nuts. Not too many just add them to each dish for extra fuel, nutrients and omega 3s. Walnuts are the best nut and Chia Seeds the best seed. See my post on them here. I add them to pretty much everything, my husband even has them on his ice-cream! Link here

- Try sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. Click here for a recipe for sweet potato wedges and here is a list of their benefits.

Or you could make this stew and substitute the sausage for more veggies Spicy Sweet Potato Stew.

-Try these other salad recipes to have in the fridge ready to bulk up meals:

Red Cabbage Salad
Brocolli Salad

Eat lots of fresh soups and eat them with some Clean oat bread. Both recipes here:

Clean Oat Bread
Superfood Healing Soup

Spinach Pesto to add flavour to plain meals Link here

Snacks:

Bruschetta

Omelette

- Some clean desserts:

Coconut and Mango Drizzle Cake

Carrot Cakes (also good at breakfast)

Avocado Mousse

When travelling Click here for eating clean while travelling tips

Breakfasts options:

French Toast

Granola

Good for the Gut Breakfast
Pancakes (2 types)

Hummus is also a great add to the diet. I am just perfecting a recipe for roasted red pepper hummus which will be on the blog soon!

Hope they help!

Any more questions just let me know!

Jean

x

Spicy Sausage and Sweet Potato Stew

If there is one thing Germany is know for it's Sausages! And I must admit their range and quality of ingredients is great. So I've come up with this new recipe to showcase just how you too can experience the flavour and enjoy this delicious combination.


If you are in Ireland then O'Flynn Sausage (check them out here) do an amazing range of high quality sausages. They are 95% meat with some spices and herbs. Nothing else, no nasty ingredients. Please avoid using highly processed, low meat content sausages for this recipe. In Germany the general Bratwurst you get in the supermarket are typically 97% pork with spices and salt and so these are also perfect.

For the spicy sausage in Ireland SuperValu do a great Chrizo that is just pork, paprika, garlic and salt. No other nasty ingredients or fillers. In Germany you can get lots of gluten free, sugar free cured and smoked sausages to add some spicy flavour. Rewe do a great range and they aren't too pricey.

Ingredients:

4-5 large high quality pork sausages
1 stick of chrizo or 4 small sticks of cured sausages
3 large organic sweet potatoes, washed and chopped. You can leave the skins on.
1 large chopped organic red onion
1 chopped organic sweet pepper
2-3 handfuls of organic spinach (frozen spinach chunks shown here)
3-4 cloves of chopped garlic
1 large jar or organic tomato sauce, just tomato and salt no other ingredients
2 table spoons of Turmeric
1 table spoon of Paprika
1 table spoon of Cumin

Method:

Chop all ingredients. 

Sear the sausages (fresh and smoked/cured) in a large pan for 5-10 minutes. 

Add in the vegetables and stir well.

Cover all the ingredients in the tomato sauce and simmer on a low heat (or in a slow cooker) for 25-30 minutes until the meat is cooked and sweet potato is soft to the touch.

Serve piping hot in a large bowl with a generous spoon! 

Prep Time:

5-10 minutes

Cooking time:

30 minutes

Dietary Information:

Paleo

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Sugar Free

High in Protein

Low in carbohydrate. High in good carbohydrates - sweet potatoes

Full of healthy vegetables

Cumin aids digestion, lowers blood sugar and prevents hypoglycaemia (excellent for people with diabetes), fights viral infections, rich in Iron.

Paprika is high in Vitamin A, E and Iron. It also has anti ageing properties, prevents hair loss and promotes sound sleep.

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory with amazing healing and cancer fighting benefits.

Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral so excellent for fighting colds and flu.

Storage Instructions:

I typically make a big batch of this. It keeps in the fridge for a couple of days and is nice cold or heated up the next day for lunch.

It can also be frozen in batches.

Enjoy this healthy, hearty, tasty and easy to make meal.

Tuesday's Change week 21 - Chia Seeds

This week's change is a tasty one! Chia Seeds. Start adding them to your daily meals or shakes. You won't regret it!

Why should you start eating Chia Seeds?:

I mean there isn't much more I can say about that is there? The benefits are immense and they take on the taste of the food you add them to so they can taste how you want them to!

I get my Chia Seeds in my local health food shop and some large suprermarkets also stock them. If it's something you want to invest in for the long haul you might be better off buying in bulk. I got some here and they are Organic. They may seem expensive but they go a long way and last for ages.

Here are some suggestions on how you can add them to your diet:

- I often add 1/4 cup of chia seeds to my Oat Bread, Recipe here

- You can add them to your breakfast or make my Choco Berry Granola, Recipe here

- Add them to soups or smoothies, they act as a thickener.
- Add them to your eggs in the morning.
- They go great in rice dishes especially risotto.
- They are great to bulk up cupcakes and buns like my Carrot Cake Breakfast Muffins, Recipe here
- Use them to thicken mousse like my Paleo Chocolate Mousse, Recipe here
- Use them to make puddings. There are some great recipes here.
- Sprinkle them on salads.
- Have them with some yoghurt in the morning

So there you have it. Lots of ideas and yummy recipes to add to your routine.

As always any questions just ask!

Keeping Hydrated Top Tips! Tuesday's Change Week 1

So it's 6 days into Tuesday's Change Week 1 - Drinking more water and I hope you are all feeling the benefits! Here is the link if anyone missed it.

I have put together some top tips to help you keep going with the challenge. The plan is to stick to it for the 7 days and then it should become a habit and part of your daily routine.

1) Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Put it out beside the bed the night before.

2) Drink a glass just before you go to sleep (after you go to the toilet!)

3) Drink a glass before each meal

4) Drink while driving - the only time you are allowed drink drive! Keep a bottle in your car and sip every time you are in traffic or cruising along the motorway.

5) Sip while watching TV. Chug at every add break!

I always like to know why I'm doing something. So here are some great reasons to drink more water!:

It aids digestion which aids fat loss

It boosts your metabolism

It is good for your skin

Helps you think better

Helps you work out better

Prevents headaches

Helps aid detox

Helps all your internal organs and systems function better

Helps you sleep better

Now surely you don't need any more reasons than that?

I'd love to hear from you so send me on your top tips or things that you feel work well. Sharing knowledge is what it's all about!

Keep a look out for Week 2's change announced this evening!

#EatClean #Train Dirty #LiveEasy

Canarian Food. Sampling the local cuisine.

When I travel I always try and sample as much of the local cuisine as possible. Not only is it fun and tasty it usually is locally sourced and fresh. Often you find it is cheaper as well as it doesn't have to be imported or stored for long periods of time. My great friend Adam Frost inspired me by going into a restaurant in India one day and just asking the waiters 'Please make me what you like to eat yourself', it was the best food we had all week! And finally local food is usually suitable for the environment whether it's cold or hot, humid or dry. Allow your body to adapt by helping it with local food. Check out where the local people eat and try and eat there!

My father, Papa Lifestyle Jeanie to you boys and girls, lives in Lanzarote and so we jumped at the chance to see him for a week and get some winter sun before the Christmas madness begins.

The good thing about having a resident to show you around is they know all the best places to eat!

As we were staying in his apartment it was also great to have somewhere to cook and prepare our own food. Helpfully he also lives above a massive supermarket, a fantastic fruit and veg shop and an AMAZING traditional tapas restaurant! (yes there is such a thing as Roquefort Chips and they were as amazing as they sound!).

Paella and fresh sea food is always a good shout here in Spanish countries by the sea. As in Iberian Ham or Serrano Ham. Especially when it is served with fresh melon. So refreshing after a thirsty day in the sun getting some Vitamin D and swimming in the sea.

Canarian Potatoes are a favourite with the locals on the Canary Islands and last night I cooked at home for my husband and father. I got some fresh Salmon which I baked with some lemon, salt and pepper and served it with chopped salad and the Potatoes. Here is the recipe:

You’ll need:

• 1kg small new potatoes
• 250g salt (Organic Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Crystal Salt)
• Sprigs of fresh Thyme

You’ll also need:

• A medium-sized saucepan to accommodate the potatoes

The Steps:

• Scrub the potatoes and leave them unpeeled.
• Add about 1.5l water to your saucepan. Add the salt and stir to dissolve. Add the potatoes and set over a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes can be easily pierced with knife, about 15-20 minutes, depending on size. You’ll see the skins of the potatoes start to wrinkle a bit towards the end of cooking.
• Drain almost all of the water off the potatoes, leaving just barely enough to cover the base of the saucepan. Return the saucepan with the potatoes to the heat for a couple of minutes to dry off, shaking the pan periodically. You should see a white coating form on the potatoes as the salt recrystallizes.
• Sprinkle with the fresh Thyme and serve. They don't need any more seasoning and are perfect with any meal.

As we have both had a hectic year and past couple of weeks our routine has been fairly low key here the last week. Rise early with some morning exercise. Either yoga on the roof for me and a run for Dan down by the marina. Or this morning I jogged to the beach, did some yoga in then sand and went for a swim then jogged back to dry off. There is also an outdoor gym here in Playa Blanca near the beach that is free and open to the public. There are many of these in areas around Cork and Ireland too so keep an eye out and use what you have in your local area. You never have an excuse not to exercise! All you need is your body, desire to work out and a small space. There are lots of online work outs you can do if your unsure where to start. 20 minutes a day is all you need and it will set you up for the day. #TrainDirty


After our various workouts I love having a long and lazy breakfast. That's what holidays are all about right!

This morning we had some Papaya and Mango with some natural, plain yoghurt to start.  Then as a treat some chocolate muesli and then a 3 egg omelette each with spinach, peppers and local goat's cheese. Delicious. Sunshine and books help of course! #EatClean


And finally it would be rude not to sample the local Cava. Bubbly is one of my favourite drinks. Prosecco is my favourite or a dry Cava if I have to! Best served by the sea with good company and a better view with nothing on your schedule but to relax. #LiveEasy