Protein Balls - low in sugar

I made these Protein balls for my Food and Yoga Trail in Cork City recently (more details here) and they went down a storm. Many protein ball recipes contain artificial or refined protein powder and are often high in natural sugars using dates and sweeteners. So I wanted to create ones that were high in protein naturally and sweetened naturally. 

As always I didn't follow a specific recipe just made it up as I went along but below is what I've figured to be the best combination.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of Irish, Organic Oats
2 heaped tablespoons of chia seeds
3 heaped tablespoons of milled flax seeds
3 heaped tablespoons of local, organic honey
3 heaped tablespoons of nut butter
3 heaped tablespoons of roasted buckwheat
3 heaped tablespoons of Cacao nibs
Some oat milk/water to get consistency

Method:
Put all of the above in a bowl and mix well. 
Roll into balls and place in the fridge. I've found it helpful to wet the hands slightly to make this easier.
Optional to dip in dark chocolate or sprinkle. You could also roll them in coconut or other chopped seeds/nuts when wet.

Prep Time:
These take just a few minutes to measure and mix the ingredients and then some time to roll into balls. 

Dietary Information:
These are naturally gluten free, sugar free, vegan (use agave syrup instead of honey), raw and tasty I swear!
The flax, chia and nut butter are high in proteins.

Storage Instructions:
These will keep well in the fridge and so handy for a snack or treat on the go, that's if they last!
Enjoy!

Spinach Pesto

Spinach Pesto

I love Pesto and let’s be honest there aren't many dishes that don’t taste better with a little (or a lot) of Pesto. It is typically made with basil leaves and basil is a brilliant antibacterial agent but to help increase my intake of Spinach I substituted the basil for spinach instead. This recipe can be made with Spinach, Kale or Basil or a combination of all 3. It is made in 5 minutes and keeps in the fridge for 3-4 weeks (sometimes longer) so I usually make a batch and store it. It’s so handy to have it prepared and ready in the fridge for those days you are in a rush and want some instant falvour.

Ingredients:

2 – 3 cups of Organic Spinach (packed) – can use Kale or Basil or combination of all 3

1/2 cup of Cheese (parmesan works best but you can use what’s in the fridge!)

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive oil (I used the one I brought back from Italy – Delicious!)

1/3 cup of Pine nuts

3 large Organic Garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Using a blender/nutribullet/mixer blitz the spinach and pine nuts until they form a paste. Add the garlic and chunks of cheese and blend. As the mixer is on slowly add the olive oil ensuring it is evenly added. Using a spoon (or your finger!) taste the mixture and add Salt and Pepper until it is seasoned to your liking. Enjoy!

Prep Time

3-5 minutes

Equipment needed

Blender/Mixer/Nutribullet

Dietary Information

This recipe is:

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Paleo

Vegetarian (Can be made Vegan if you leave out the cheese)

Sugar Free

Contains good fats

One of your 5 a day

Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral – good for colds/flus and infections

Spinach is high in fibre, chlorophylls, Calcium and antioxidants

Pine Nuts are high in good fats and protein

Storage Instructions:

Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks. Can keep longer depending on the quality of your oil.

Serving suggestions

I use this pesto with pretty much everything! Here I used it as a topping for some Salmon darns. Just baste it on top and bake in the oven!

It can be used on pasta, rice noodles, to coat or stuff in chicken, as a topping on soups, on garlic bread, as a dip for carrot or celery sticks, in salads and on canapés with sun-dried tomatoes (drool!) and anything else you typically use pesto for.

Send me in any suggestions or pics of how you used it. I’d love to hear from you!

Tuesday's Change Week 2 - Eat your '5 a day'

So how did everyone get on for week one? Do you feel better? Sleep better? Look better? Let me know any benefits you felt. I'd love to hear from you. Week one's post here. Now try and keep it up while tackling Week 2.

This week's change is another one that sounds simple, we all have heard of it but how many of us actually do it? Eat your 5 a day! It's a common slogan bandied around in the media and you often see it on food labels. I'll discuss this in a bit but first let me outline the challenge.

See if you can eat 5 portions of Vegetables everyday for 7 days. 

Notice I have said veg and not fruit. Feel free to eat portions of fruit on top of your 5 Vegetable portions. Just ensure you are getting 5 portions of vegetable as well!

Here is some more information on the specifics:

1) A portion is roughly 1 hand full. 

2) Try as much as possible to eat organic vegetables only.

3) Raw is preferable to cooked but if you are cooking make sure not to over cook. Steaming or baking is good! Keeping the skin on where possible is also added benefit!

3) At least 2 or 3 of your 5 portions should be of green, leafy vegetables like Spinach, Kale,  Brocolli, Rocket, Salad greens, Pok Choi, Cabbage etc. The rest should be a variety of brightly coloured options e.g. Red Cabbage, red and yellow Peppers, Beetroot etc.

3) You can eat them raw or cooked but never from a packet (i.e. you can not include processed or tinned fruit and veg) and try and cook the veg yourself if having it cooked.

4) If a label on a packet says "this is one of your 5 a day portions" ignore this. If something is in a packet (besides whole fruits and vegetables that come in trays or packaged for the supermarket) then it has been processed and so lots of the benefits and nutrients are lost on processing. You are more than likely just getting the sugars left over. And we all have enough of those in our diet.

5) Plan your day in advance the night before. Where am I going to be? Will I have access to fresh food? Do I need to bring food with me? And plan accordingly so you are prepared.

Ok now you have all the information here are some tips on how you can easily add in the portions to your everyday diet.

1) Add vegetables to your breakfast. This way you start the day right and have half your portions done before you leave the house! Make an omelette with some spinach, peppers and onions. Recipe here.

2) Make a smoothie for breakfast! Adding vegetables to a smoothie is a great way of having a portion of vegetables without realising. Making a berry smoothie with some natural yoghurt, blueberries, cinnamon and honey tastes great. Adding a handful of spinach and blending will not alter the flavour too much and tastes just as good! This is a nice sweet treat on a Saturday morning!

3) Eating a large salad for lunch or dinner and get your 5 portions into you in one go! I like to use mixed salad greens with spinach rocket and baby lamb's leaf then add some spring onion, peppers, grated carrot and courgette. You can add some left over meat from the night before or cook some fresh and you have an entire meal. If you want to bulk it up a bit cook some sweet potato wedges as a side. Drizzle the with extra virgin olive oil if you find it too dry.

4) Snack on celery, cucumber and carrot sticks between meals if you are hungry. Have them chopped and ready in the fridge, sealed in a container to keep them fresh. Reach for these instead of biscuits or bread when you are famished and waiting for your dinner to cook.

5) Hide vegetables in food! Take what you might consider a regular dinner. Shepard's pie, Pasta Sauce etc. Try chopping vegetables into the sauce or if you have very picky eaters in the house you can even blend the vegetables into the sauce to thicken it. They won't even know!

6) If you are finding the vegetables bland then season them. Freshly grated black pepper is delicious on salads or cooked veg, try a small sprinkling of organic rock salt (link here), Simplee do an amazing range of salt free seasoning like paprika and lemon or chilli. Mix it up and try new spices! Link here.

7) Cook your least favourite veg with your favourite food! Brussels Sprouts taste amazing when stir fried in a small bit of bacon! A green, leafy salad is delicious when sprinkled with some olive oil and parmean cheese! All in moderation of course!

So here is a comprehensive list of veggies you should aim for that are available in most large supermarkets. Alternatively places like Quay Co-Op in Cork, Ballincollig and Carrigaline for the Cork followers (link http://www.quaycoop.com/) or organic vegetable shops will have a great range!

Spinach
Kale
Cabbage
Rocket
Lettuce
Pok Choi
Brocolli
Asparagus
Celery
Beetroot
Peppers
Red Cabbage
Carrots
Courgette/Zucchini
Onions

P.S. 'Vegetables' that are good for you but don't count as 5 a day and are more connected to the carbohydrate family are:

Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Parsnips
Peas

FYI: Lentils, beans and peanuts are not vegetables. They are legumes!

Vegetables to avoid: 

Sweetcorn. This is not a vegetable it is a grain and a GMO one at that! More on this is a future post.

So that is it Jeanies! Do you think you are up for the challenge? I have no doubt. Planning is key and let me know if you need any more information on anything!

#EatClean

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

Cathy's Broccoli Salad

So I hate Broccoli!

But I love Cathy!

Cathy designed my blog, logo and got me up to speed on how best to run this show! You can find her Social Media Consultant business here and her amazing blog and Vintage Shop here. So just for her I said I would do this salad!

If, like me, you hate broccoli but know you should eat more of it (you really should, it's so good for you, it can be grown locally and it's cheap!) then this salad is a tasty way to get it into you without sitting and eating a big bowl of steamed green!

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli (I got mine for 39c in Dunnes as it was on a weekly deal. It wasn't Organic but it was Irish grown)
1 tub of sundried tomatoes
1 packet of small mozzarella balls (Mozzarella is one of the lowest fat cheeses)
2 handfuls of chopped walnuts (walnuts have the best Omega 3/6 ratio and are one of the healthiest nuts full of good fats and protein)
2 teaspoons of Olive Oil

Method:

Steam or boil the Broccoli florets until just tender.
Leave to cool.
Add cheese and tomatoes.
Chop walnuts and sprinkle on top
Drizzle with olive oil.

Mix well and serve!

Alternative Ingredients:

Add chicken or sausage or alternative meat to make it a whole meal as opposed to side salad
Feta cheese works well instead of Mozzarella
Pine nuts can replace walnuts
Add Sweet potato wedges for some extra carbohydrates to make it a more substantial meal.
Replace sundried tomatoes with quartered cherry tomatoes for a lower fat option.


Happy green eating!

A Gut Busting Brekkie

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Typically your gut is clear, you've digested all the food from the day before and I always think of it as a chance to heal any damage done from the weeks before (processed foods, alcohol, sugar all cause damage to the gut bacteria which is so important is health and especially in aiding weight loss).

So this breakfast is chock full of healthy bacteria inducing foods, it's tasty and quick to make!

Ingredients:

Greek Yogurt
2 heaped tablespoons of Udo's Beyond Greens (found here)
1 heaped teaspoons of Cinnamon (excellent at lowering your blood sugar and aiding weight loss)
1 handful of blueberries
1 heaped tablespoon of 100% Coco
1 teaspoon of honey (I use Healy's Organic Honey as it's local to Ballincollig)
2 teaspoons of my homemade granola (recipe here)


Method:
Add all ingredients into a bowl, mix well and enjoy!

Why should you eat a well balanced healthy breakfast? Above is why!

Soy Products, should you be eating them?

Would you give your baby 5 birth control pills every day? Would you give yourself 5 of them? Or men how would you feel if you took them? I hope your answer is no!

Check out this link here on reasons to avoid Soy and Soy products such as:

http://www.realfarmacy.com/10-reasons-to-avoid-soy/

-- Tofu

– TVP (texturized vegetable protein) or soy protein isolate

– Soybean oil

– Soymilk

– Soy cheese, soy ice cream, soy yogurt

– Soy “meat”

– Soy protein

– Edamame

– Soy infant formula

– Avoid ALL processed foods, and purchase only whole foods prepared by yourself! Many packaged food products contain soy.

Thank you to Irish Paleo Girl for sharing the link. You can find her page here

Like with any article giving advice on health and nutrition only trust the ones (like the one above) that have concrete, referenced scientific papers. Anyone can write an article and publish it with no scientific research. So only trust the referenced articles. You will see numbers at the end of quotes or references and these will correspond to scientific research papers that you will see at the end of the article. As I always say, trust no one, do the research yourself!

So the next time you think you are being healthy by choosing soy milk for your health, or giving up dairy to try and conceive, or choosing the tofu option to save a few calories. You might thinking again.

Like I always say if it's not natural don't eat it! Simples.

Fly away with me...

I do a lot of travelling. I fly at least once a month, if not more. So it's a good thing then that I love airports. I find them fascinating for people watching as well as the fact that they are packed full of the excitement and anticipation of all its travelers off on their many adventures. I love wondering where each person is going or guessing their nationality. You can learn a lot by just sitting and observing people. I guess it's a good thing I enjoy it so much as I sit here on my 5 hour wait for my connecting flight! I'm just back from Oktoberfest in Germany with my Husband.

When you travel a lot you begin to realise how nearly every airport is the same. Selling overpriced, cardboard food and packed full of cheap, sugary convenience snacks and drinks. Not to mention the lack of readily available drinking water.

So here are my top tips for travelling and trying to keep healthy.

1) First rule of the scouts is 'be prepared'. Bring food with you! Rice cakes and hard boiled eggs are perfect. They are light and don't take up too much room. They can be eaten with your hands and they keep well for long periods of time at room temperature. I always throw in some full fat real butter in a little tub too. An excellent source of good fat providing it's Irish and from grass fed cows. Here you have a quick and easy meal that has your clean carbohydrates, lean protein and good fats. It takes 5 minutes to prepare and you can bring them anywhere. Not just for airports!

2) Did you know reusable water bottles can go through security? Even if they are over 100mls! I always have a quiet, smug giggle to myself watching all the girls going through security who completely forgot the 100 ml liquid rule (which btw is completely redundant now. Who do I talk to about getting this removed?! Obama?) I always feel bad seeing them squeal with horror as the security guard tries to wrestle their oversized bottle of Clinque eye make up remover from their hands as they clutch it to their chest like it's their first born child! 

Anyway providing the bottle is empty and you show it to the security guards along with your zip locked bag or minis they have no problem letting it through. (I can regularly be spotted in Cork airport guzzeling the end of my water just as I approach the X-ray scanners!). Almost every airport has a water fountain airside, typically located outside the toilets, so once you are through security checks you can refill it and drink away to your heats content.

This will save you paying €3 for 500 ml of water (seriously Ryanair? Gold is cheaper!) and also make you drink more as you can go back and refill it as often as you want. It will also save the environment as you are producing less waste in disposable bottles. 

I've had my reusable bottle for nearly 4 years now and it has been to 4 continents with me! I have only bought a disposable bottle of water maybe twice a year since I got it. That's a massive saving on finances, the environment and as it's always glued to my side it reminds me to drink more.  Win win win. Check out my post here on the importance of hydration and how much you should drink each day.

3) Be selective with your food. Wander the airport, see what alternatives there are, is there a small shop or newsagents that might sell something healthier than the restaurants or on board menus. Ryainair have now marked all their menu items with the dietary requirements. There is still only 1-2 items that are gluten free (1 is their ketchup!) but at least you can make informed decisions when you do travel. They are still miles ahead of Aer Lingus who have 1 Gluten Free item on their menu! Which is friut! Good food will make you feel better when flying. Lots of water will help you feel less tired and groggy. You just need to put in the effort!

Happy travelling my little wanderers! Keep exploring and discovering new lands

Rustic Stone, Cocktails and Rice Cakes!

So myself and my sister just spent a girly weekend in Dublin. We are both clean eating aficionados and could be seen leaving the Cork border with the car stocked with easy, on the road, clean eating snacks. We had had rice cakes, eggs, cooked turkey, spinach omelettes and some hard sheep's cheese. Anyone who knows me knows I bring food everywhere I go. It's the only way to ensure you've a supply of healthy, fresh foods. My tupperware tower is ever growing! My sister has just lost over 3 stone through sheer hard work of eating clean and training dirty (I know, sorry, there is no magic pill, it actually does take hard work!)so it's handy we are on the same page.

Travelling while trying to eat clean can be difficult and preparation is key. On the flip side I'm a big advocate of not missing out on the fun just for the sake of trying to be strict with your diet. Just chose carefully when you want to break away and decide if you think you've worked hard enough before hand to really deserve it. We enjoyed many a wonderful cocktails in Opium Restaurant, Dublin with our friends on Saturday night celebrating (wait for it) 2 recent engagements, an upcoming wedding, a birthday, a new job, an upcoming move of country and an unsuccessful wedding dress shopping day! Phew. We had passionfruit and honey prosecco (drool!), a fresh ginger, orange and schnapps concoction and my personal favourite basil, cucumber and Hendrick's Gin swirl (they are all healthy right?!). We paid the price on Sunday but a treat once in a while is well deserved. (Watch out for an upcoming post on 'cheat meals and treats' and when you should have them.)

Anyway, back to my point! As we we trawled Dublin shopping and our legs got weary it was time to eat. We were both prepared to spend the next few minutes scanning menus and signs looking for somewhere even remotely healthy to eat. As we both only eat gluten free my first instinct is to look to the bottom of the menu to the legend as most restaurants these days mark what is gluten free along with vegetarian. Then I scan upwards to see what is suitable for me. We passed a few restaurants but noting seemed to appeal to us. 

The head chef and creator of Rustic Stone, Dylan Mc Grath

And then, there she was, like a shining beacon across the road we saw Rustic Stone. The name itself made me think at least they would have a nice, hearty salad or meat board we could tuck into. Imagine our delight as we scanned the menu when we realised every single dish is marked clearly with the nutritional details. I think we may have hugged and high fived each other we were so excited. This would mean we wouldn't have to be those 'difficult' customers who quizzed the server if foods contained certain elements.

On the menu they have marked everything with symbols if it is:

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Lactose Free

Diary Free

Sugar Free

Nut Free

Super Food

Vegetarian

I'm not joking. We were besides ourselves. Tasty, nice restaurant food and we would be fully informed on what it contained. You'd think when you are paying money in a restaurant you'd know what you are paying for but often you are totally in the dark. This was heaven.

The waiter also handed us a Raw menu where everything on it is raw (dudh!) and even this made us salivate. Some dishes are even marked with little helpful pieces of information on the food items contained in the dish. Did you know mustard contains lots of antioxidants and is good for your skin? It was like someone crawled inside my head and made a restaurant from my dreams. Maybe we were delirious with hunger but I really couldn't fault the place!

Yes I was 'that girl' that took a picture of the food before she ate it. I got a wonderful eye roll from the waiter!

After much discussion we both ordered the Mightly Mustard Salad with a side of Polenta chips and Potato and Pesto chips to share. Check out their menu here for all the amazing dishes we wished we had tried! 

Typically, we also checked the dessert menu before even ordering our main meal and it was all I could think about as we ate our food. We both got the Chocolate Mousse with Chocolate Soup and guess what...The whole dessert is sugar free! It sure tasted good. We rolled out of there on a superfood, satisfied, soupy high!

You have no idea the discipline this took to take a picture instead of lifting the bowl to my face to drink in the chocolatey goodness!

Not only was all this food amazingly tasty it was nutritious, well informed and the service was excellent. People often think healthy food is bland and this just proves it is absolutely not.

From what I gather the restaurant is known for it's hot stone style meats which you cook yourself at your table, they have an extensive wine and cocktail list and Monday nights have half price cocktails. Just another reason to visit!

I am aware I sound like a blubbering idiot who loves every restaurant I go to but actually I'm quite the opposite. Having worked in restaurants growing up I'm highly critical and service is often one of my gripes. Just ask my friends about the Green Tea incident at brunch ("there wasn't even a string on the tea bag!")But the Rustic Stone staff were a nice mix of attentive without fussing.

I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone with an interest in healthy eating and also to anyone who likes delicious food. So basically everyone. Almost 90% of the menu was 'clean' which is so refreshing considering usually when I eat out there is 1 or maybe 2 choices available,often with me having to make modifications.

The chef is Dylan Mc Grath and as you can see here he has a passion for nutrition and has been awarded a Michelin Star. I wonder is he single...?

You can check them out on Twitter and Facebook here.