2 Ingredient Healthy Banana Pancakes (Low Carb, Gluten-Free and Dairy Free!)

Happy Pancake Day!

 Forget about drowning your crepes in an ocean of maple syrup and overly fried bacon...
 how about we rustle up a stack of pancakes that look the part, taste like the real thing and are 100% clean too?

The eggs are a great source of protein and healthy fats, the banana provides you with a burst of energy and potassium whilst the apple gives you a good dose of fiber!

Behold, my 2 ingredient banana pancakes with hot apple cinnamon slices. Delicious, guilt-free and even easier to make than the traditional kind. No sieving and measuring required. I also filmed a video version of the recipe too (that's embedded below) if you fancy watching it.

 Let's go!



You Will Need: 

 {Pancakes}: 
2 medium free range eggs
1 ripe medium-large sized banana
Blueberries (optional)

{Cinnamon Apple Slices}: 
An apple
Cinnamon
Honey (optional)



1. Crack two eggs into your food processor/blender/mixing bowl.



2. Add in your chopped banana.

(If you're mixing these by hand, make sure to pre-mash the banana before adding it into the egg!)



3. Blend/mix until smooth.

For a more authentic appearance, I would use a food blender/smoothie maker. Pulse it for about a minute or so; this will result in incredibly light and fluffy golden pancakes. You could also mash the ingredients by hand with a fork. Try and get it as smooth as possible as the rougher the texture, the more it'll look like little banana omelettes than pancakes ;)



4. Pre-heat your pan to a low-medium heat. Drizzle in some olive/coconut oil and pour in your pancake mix!



5. Once they're starting to firm up and form little 'bubbles' on the surface, it's flippin' time. Repeat until there isn't any batter left. Stack them and you're done!

Now it's time for the cinnamon apple slices:



1. Slice the apple into a bowl.

2. Sprinkle in your desired amount of cinnamon and mix.

3. Add a little hot water and microwave for 3-4 minutes.

4. Serve them with your pancakes and drizzle in some honey for added sweetness.

5. Marvel, snap a picture for Instagram to show off your culinary skills and enjoy.



It's really that easy to make. It tastes even better knowing that it's incredibly healthy for you too! Let me know if you end up making these!



...and the video version :)

Recipe: Baked Egg in a Tomato Bowl

 

I love vegetables but I'm not a salad person.

I can eat steamed vegetables, hot chunky soups and stir fry all day err day but I'm not one to munch on lettuce and raw peppers. I also love eggs so I'm constantly looking for eggcellent ways to incorporate it into every meal that I eat. I spotted a picture of this dish on Instagram and set to explore this cracking idea further. I'm obsessed so I thought I'd share it with you too! : )

This is incredibly easy to make (so easy that I feel a bit silly writing a recipe on it) and would be great for any time of the day: breakfast, lunch, pre/post workout snack or even as a side to go with your dinner! Enjoy!

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YOU WILL NEED:

A beef tomato (bigger tomatoes works best)

A medium-large free range egg

Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Coriander (optional)

Shall we start?

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Using a sharp knife, slice the top of the tomato off. This will act as the 'lid' to your bowl.

 

2. Hollow out the inside of the tomato but leave a thick border as we wouldn't want our egg whites to leak out from any accidental holes! 

(You won't need the tomato bits for this recipe so you can either discard it or store it in a little bowl to munch on later on!)

 

3. It should look like this. Make sure you've gotten rid of the excess water inside too.

 

 

4. Crack the egg inside and ensure that everything is contained inside your tomato bowl and not spilling over the edges. 

5. Place your tomato bowl in the oven for 20-30 minutes depending on how well you'd like your eggs to be cooked. If you're a cheese person, take the egg out after 10 minutes, sprinkle on some parmesan or low fat mozzarella and put it back in for a further 10 minutes.

 

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I sprinkled on some coriander leaves for added flavour but feel free to top it with some spring onion, basil or even some steamed spinach or mushrooms! Bacon lovers could place a slice or two over the top too.

7. Enjoy!

That's all, yolks!

To pack this dish with even more nutrients, you could place some kale, mushrooms or spinach leaves at the base of the tomato before covering it with the egg. This would also taste great served alongside avocado or smoked salmon - eggs-periment with what you've got! ; )

Ok, I'm done with the egg puns. I'm egghausted!

If you end up making this, let me know how you got on with it - I'd love to know : )

Have a great rest of the day!

Recipe: Kale Chips (Healthy Crispy Seaweed)

It may come as a surprise but growing up, my sisters and I were rarely allowed to eat the takeaway dishes that our parents prepared for the customers.

"We cook and serve it 24/7, we don't want it for dinner too!"

"It's not healthy. Have some steamed pak choi instead."

 On the occasions that we did have the odd dinner, we'd request duck pancakes, kung po chicken and a mountain of crispy seaweed. The thing is, we'd glug galleons of water before we've even cleared our first bowl of food and would wake up with hideously puffy faces from the high sodium levels. That wasn't so pretty.

Fun fact, crispy seaweed isn't actually made from seaweed. It's actually green cabbage that's been throughly deep-fried, overloaded with salt and soaked in oil before it's liberally sprawled all over your plate.

I'll let you on a little secret though...

I've perfected my recipe for a healthy version of the dish. It tastes exactly like it, doesn't have nearly as much trans fat and calories, it's super easy to prepare and it's made out of the king of superfoods: kale. All hail the kale.

Kale is classed as a 'nutritional powerhouse' - a single serving will provide you with your entire day's worth of Vitamin A, C and K (which will reduce the risk of various cancers!) It's a powerful antioxidant, high in fibre and rich in iron so munch away! This will satisfy your cravings for crisps and fries and you will be addicted. You've been warned.

You will need:

Handfuls of kale

A swirl of olive oil

A pinch of sea salt

A sprinkle of chilli flakes/paprika (toppings optional)

That's it!

1) Wash your kale well. Drain the excess water with kitchen towels or a salad spinner and make sure it's as dry as possible. This is especially important as soggy kale will only lead to soggy seaweed. Preheat oven to 200C.

- Most people opt to chop off the stalks of the kale so only the leaves remain. This will give it more of a uniform 'crispy seaweed' taste but it's entirely up to you. I personally like the odd chewy texture of the stems!

2) Spread the kale in a single layer over an oiled baking tray. I've used a reusable baking sheet so there wasn't a need to pre-grease it beforehand. Make sure there's enough space for it to 'breathe' and it isn't too closely packed in together. Again, this is important as this will help give it the crunch that we're after!

3) Drizzle a generous swirl of olive oil and sprinkle your 'seaweed' with a dusting of sea salt. Flaked chunky sea salt works really well and gives it a lovely crystallised effect. However, I've used chilli sea salt this time for an added kick! Toppings wise, it's completely down to your personal preference. Chilli flakes and paprika are great and rosemary will boost its flavour!

4) Time for a kale party. Give them some lovin' and a good ol' shake to ensure that everything is seasoned evenly and well.

5) Shove it in the oven for 8-12 minutes or until it crisps up and resembles crispy seaweed as you know it. Keep a very close eye on it as it can brown (and then taste like coal) in a matter of seconds. Beady eyes here, guv'nor.

6) Here's one that I made earlier (I've always wanted a Blue Peter moment). 

7) Transfer to a pretty bowl (or a bucket in my case) and enjoy!

It's the perfect film snack albeit not a very quiet one ;)

If you give this a go, let me know how you get on with it! 

Healthy Lunch Ideas #1: Low Carb, Gluten Free and High Protein

 

Yay lunch!

Continuing on from my healthy breakfast series, I thought I'd share a few meals that I've been preparing for work over the last week or so that focuses on low carbs with a higher protein intake and a boost in healthy fats too. If you're looking for some lunch time inspiration, I hope this comes in handy for you! Please note, a few of these meals are highly repetitive with minimal changes for a few reasons:

1) I do a weekly food shop where 90% of the things I buy are fresh fruit and vegetables. I've learnt that if I go too crazy with my choices, they end up a sad and wilted bunch in the fridge.

2) Whilst I'm adventurous with food when eating out or cooking a lavish dinner - my lunches are a different story. I prefer simplicity and meals that require minimal effort but have maximum health benefits. Because of this, I like to repeat the same meals over and over again until my next weekly shop (or until I finally get bored!)

3) I have an addictive personality. Once I'm obsessed with something or a certain food 'e.g. eggs', I'll eat it again and again until I'm sick of it 'e.g. avocados'.

Meal #1: The Salad

 
Above: One large carrot, two stalks of celery, two tomatoes and two boiled eggs.

Now, I'm not a huge salad person and much prefer having vegetables that are steamed or quickly stir-fried instead but there are some days where I fancy something fresh, quick and easy. It's also a great snack for the transitional period between meals if the hunger pangs hit!

Tomatoes are packed full of vitamins, low in calories and contain a high level of lycopene - an antioxidant that helps to prevent various cancers. Celery reduces high blood pressure and aids digestion due to its high water content. Boiled eggs provide you with healthy good fats and are high in protein to aid muscle repair post-workout. It also provides you with vitamin D to boost calcium levels for stronger teeth and bones!

Meal #2: Smoked Salmon
 

Above: smoked salmon, steamed kale and spinach with a boiled egg on the side

I usually only eat meat during the weekends and so consume a lot of steamed, grilled or smoked fish on weekdays. It's not for health reasons but purely a personal preference and this changes if a lunch/dinner crops up mid-week (hello steak). I rarely season my meals and whilst I can sense people shudder at the thought of bland vegetables, I actually prefer it! My mother is still getting over the fact that I dislike white rice, avoid simple carbs and have an intense hatred for soy sauce but that's another story.

Adding smoked salmon/mackerel helps to flavour the vegetables and adds a subtle hint of smokiness to the meal. If you hate the idea of steamed kale/spinach, this helps to season it whilst the boiled egg adds an extra texture to the dish! Smoked salmon and mackerel provides you with omega-3 fatty acids, are another great protein source and an alternative to chicken/turkey if you don't like the texture of meat. However, as the name suggests, it's high in sodium so eat this in moderation and focus on bulking up your lunch with veggies instead : )

Meal #3: Leafy Greens 
 

Above: smoked mackerel, steamed kale and spinach with half a sliced avocado
 
Above: steamed kale and spinach, half an avocado and one boiled egg

Have I mentioned that I love steamed vegetables? Well, I do. Aside from eating it raw, it's one of the healthiest (and arguably quickest) methods of preparing your meals. I just chuck it in my steamer for 5-15 minutes, potter around the house and ding! it's done. Unlike boiling, it still retains most of the nutrients and keeps the moisture too.

If you're aiming to up your intake of leafy greens, the general rule is that the darker it is, the better it'll be for you. Whilst lettuce is a popular go-to item when preparing salads, things like kale, spinach and broccoli are hailed as the 'super foods' in the green world and there's not much that will top it health benefits wise. I'm slightly bias here as I eat it on a daily basis but it's packed full of nutrients like vitamins C, A, K and E - now there's a 'CAKE' that'll do you nothing but good ;) - these help to strengthen your immune system, clear congestion and boost your energy too.

There's been a lot of hype over kale recently and rightly so, it contains a very high level of vitamin K - an antioxidant that helps to reduce the risk of cancer, lowers cholesterol levels and is one of the healthiest things you could possibly eat. If you're a fan of crispy seaweed at Chinese takeaways, kale chips are a great alternative for a Saturday night binge or movie snack. Let me know if you'd like a recipe on it : )

If you're vegetarian or prefer another alternative to smoked fish, avocados may be your new best friend. It'll do your skin and hair wonders, is high in soluble fibre and so will keep you full with its slow-release of energy throughout the day.

Meal #4: Sweet Potato and Rye Bread

Above: Roasted sweet potato and butternut squash served with sliced avocado on half a rye bread slice

I love sweet potato so much that I'm pretty sure I was known as the 'sweet potato' girl at work when I first started. I ate it all day, every day. Whether it's steamed, grilled, roasted, mashed or turned into spicy sweet potato chips and wedges, I can't get enough of them (I have it for lunch today.)

If you're cutting out white potatoes from your diet, these are great (and taste better too!) It's high in magnesium, rich in potassium, lowers blood sugar levels and aids weight loss with its fibre content. Rye bread gives you an extra boost in the fibre department and I reach for a half/one slice of it when I fancy an alternative to wholemeal bread; it doesn't make me feel as bloated as I would with wheat-based products. If you're on a GF diet, feel free to skip this part and just replace it with some vegetables instead!

Tada! I salute you if you're reached this point.

I hope this has helped and hasn't been too repetitive. I'll post up a few more ideas in the next few weeks and change up the ingredients for more variation!

What's your go-to healthy lunch to prepare? : )

Recipe: Healthy Carrot Cake Porridge/Oatmeal

 

Now, I like porridge a lot and my obsession with it has gotten slightly out of control - my Instagram feed is living proof of that. I have it every single morning and I'm yet to be bored of it - I am known to eat it for dinner too... ahem. There are endless ways of how you can serve it and the (lumpy) canvas is a playground for flavour experimentation so I put down my fun-sized banana (yes, a normal banana is too big for me to handle, send in your innuendos now) and decided to transform my favourite breakfast dish to one inspired by (healthy) carrot cake. Dessert for breakfast or breakfast for dessert? I don't know but I'm going to roll (oats) with it. Now you can have your cake and eat it too.

If you don't fancy fruit as a topping, this would be a great healthy alternative. Carrots provide you with a lot of vitamin A and it even have anti-ageing properties: the high level of the antioxidant beta-carotene helps to repair and slow down the ageing of cells.  

You will need:

 (serves one)

40g of rolled oats

150ml water and 50ml almond milk

Two grated medium-sized carrots

Cinnamon powder

Nutmeg powder

Ground ginger

Chopped walnuts
Non-fat greek yogurt

 

1. Over a low to medium heat, throw in your rolled oats and 3/4 of your milk and water.

Note: I normally opt to have more water with a small splash of milk for a slight creamy texture and prefer to thicken my porridge up with chopped bananas. It's purely my personal preference - depending on your favoured consistency, feel free to use 200ml - 300ml of milk instead!

  

2. Grate your carrots over the top of your oats and stir it into the mixture.

I made the mistake of only using one to serve two people. For a more authentic taste, reserve two medium-sized carrots for each person.

 

3. Time to go crazy - manically shake sprinkle in your desired amount of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger powder into the porridge. I'm a cinnamon fiend so I may have practically emptied the bottle in there. Leave it bubbling away on a low heat until it reaches your desired level of thickness. 

The spices help to enhance the flavour and are the secret ingredients in achieving the carrot cake taste. For those who usually find porridge to be bland, don't reach for the brown sugar and opt for these to season your oats with instead! They're mighty good for you, they strengthen your immune system and will naturally sweeten the porridge whilst providing a kick and a boost in flavour too. 

 

4. Serve with chopped walnuts, (optional) extra cinnamon and enjoy!

If you fancy having it more creamier, you can even 'ice' it with a dollop of greek yogurt for that cream cheese taste. Don't undo all your hard work with the real thing, go for the healthier option instead! It'll give you an extra dose of protein too ;) The walnuts are packed with omega-3 acids and reduce the risk of breast cancer too. 

That's all, folks!
(name the reference)

Of course, feel free to chop and change this to however you'd prefer and if you do try it out, let me know how you get on with it!

I'm off to dream up more porridge recipes - have a lovely rest of the day : )

Grocery Haul: Healthy Weekly Food Shop

It's one thing to be excited about your weekly food shop...

And another to think 'I know what, I'll film it after and wave around my new packet of carrots.'

I have reached a new level of crazy.

I've just uploaded my weekly grocery haul so if you're on the search for some healthy lunch ideas then voila! On that note, I woke up today to find that I've reached 9000 subscribers on my YouTube channel! Say WHAT?! I still can't quite believe it. Don't try and get me to imagine 9000+ people in a room either, I'll most probably rock on the spot verrrry nervously and whisper 'who, meeeee?!' Insane. Thank you for putting up with my frequent and weird ramblings - I appreciate it more than you guys will ever know : )

Let me know if you'd like the grocery hauls to be a regular feature. Likewise, tell me if you'd rather I never that excitedly talk about kale again... now where's the line to get a cooler life? ; )

Healthy Breakfast Ideas: Low GI Options, Protein and Good Fats

Now, I take the phrase 'eat breakfast like a king' very, very seriously.

 If you're looking to adapt to a healthier lifestyle change or want to shed a few pounds, I have a few healthy breakfast ideas to suit most tastes. Please bear in mind that I'm not a licensed nutritionist/dietician so I'm not demanding you to listen to me - I'm simply sharing my daily routine and the things that I've learnt along the way. I also wanted an excuse to share a load of my breakfast pictures (like the one above, drool). Tell me that I'm not the only one that likes photos of porridge/poached eggs close up?

Breakfast Facts:

The first meal of the day should technically be your biggest meal of the day. Breakfast quite literally means to 'break the fast' from the 6-8 hours that you've been asleep. It's the meal that kickstarts your metabolism, refuels your body and supplies it with enough energy to keep you going for the day ahead. To sum it up, it's important and if you plan on losing weight and maintain it, it's a must. Never skip breakfast (unless you plan on having a slow metabolism by starting your first meal at lunch with a tyre belly and sluggish mood to match.)

I normally kick start my day with a glass of cold water and aim to eat my breakfast within 30-60 minutes of waking up. Don't ignore the hunger pangs - your body will slowly head to starvation mode and then proceed to cling on to any signs of fat - not good.

Complex Carbs: Low GI Food

Aim to have a mix of protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates with your breakfast. Carbs get a very, very bad rep but they're essential if you know the right types to eat! Ditch the morning pastries and aim for low-GI options instead. Food with a low glycaemic index will provide you with slow-release energy, keep you fuller for longer and gradually raise your blood sugar levels throughout the day whilst taking longer to break down the food that you've eaten. It avoids the instant sugar crash that you'd get from high GI (simple and refined) carbs such as croissants/pain au chocolats and won't spike your insulin levels. All of this comes back down to another reason with why porridge is so great. 

Above: porridge with goji berries, half a banana, half an apple, sunflower seeds and unsweetened cranberries with a sprinkle of cinnamon for luck

The Benefits of Oats:

Oh, wholegrain rolled oats. It's packed with fibre and will keep you full until lunch without having to reach for a mid-morning biscuit. I normally cook it with around 150ml of water and 50ml semi-skimmed milk for a thicker consistency; I flavour it with cinnamon, sliced fruit and nuts/seeds. I sometimes mix mine in with some natural/greek/strained yogurt too - my absolute favourite being Chobani. An added dose of protein with my complex carbs - perfect : )! I also love adding a small handful of almonds/linseed/flaxseeds/sunflower seeds/walnuts to incorporate some healthy fats into the dish too.

Note: Do NOT go for the instant oatmeal packets - whilst they may seem convenient and have flavours like 'golden syrup' - it's full of sugar and preservatives. Stick to the traditional rolled oats/steel-cut oats option instead. Ditch the brown sugar/swirls of golden syrup in there too. If you're aiming to eat healthy, adding in a ton of sugar is not going to help matters (or your waistline). Stick to a small amount of honey if absolute necessary or have fruit for natural sweetness instead! :)

Above: half an avocado and two poached eggs with chilli flakes

Protein and Healthy Fats:

My favourite food group: protein. As I do a lot of circuit/cardio/strength training, I try to include protein rich things into every meal to aid muscle repair with the essential food to refuel my body after working out. Some of my favourite breakfast options include quinoa, nuts, natural/greek yogurt and eggs. Want swishy hair and glowing skin? Avocados, and smoked or normal salmon/mackerel will also give you much needed doses of healthy fats too. I'm trying to incorporate more eggs/salmon/steamed vegetables with my breakfast (instead of my beloved porridge) following Carly's advice and amazing food diary posts so here are the things that I've been experimenting with lately:



Meal Ideas:

- Half an avocado with poached eggs and chilli flakes (no additional seasoning and DELICIOUS)

- Smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and a bed of spinach/courgettes/grilled mushrooms/tomatoes

- A slice of rye bread with a layer of houmous, a boiled egg, carrot sticks, celery sticks and a small pot of extra houmous on the side ;)

- Greek yogurt mixed with oats, blueberries, almonds, walnuts and a teaspoon of natural peanut butter

- Two egg spinach omelette with grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and sriracha chilli sauce

(I just had to add in another picture although I took too long perfecting this photo after cooking it and it went cold. ALL THE MORE REASON TO MAKE MORE.)

Eggs BeneFit:

Eggs, oh eggs. I could dedicate another post to the rounded geniuses. They're packed full of protein, keep you full and are mighty good for you. A lot of people ditch the egg yolks to avoid the high cholesterol but it's actually where most of the nutrients are based! Don't throw it away, eat it! I boil it, poach it, make it into an omelette, mix it with oats to make a mug cake or I turn them into banana pancakes. These are magical: a two-ingredient pancake that tastes like the real thing but it's all clean. I first saw this on Blogilates and it's been a staple ever since as it's super easy to whip up! It's 100% natural and is also a great pre/post workout snack too as banana is a great source of potassium too.

Above: 2 ingredient banana pancakes served with frozen banana peanut butter ice cream (2 natural ingredients!) and some Thai mango

I also make this when I fancy dessert/an extra sweet but healthy breakfast at the weekends. Every person I've cooked this for has loved it and I always get requests to make it! I like to add in some baked cinnamon apple slices, grated pear or heated up berries with a swirl of honey drizzled on top. It's beautiful. Evidence below:

So voila! I hope this has helped!

I've received a lot of requests recently to film more cooking/food videos so keep your eyes peeled for that in the next few weeks. It puts a HUGE smile on my face to know that you enjoy the healthy videos and it gives me an excuse to experiment with my meals!

What are your favourite things to eat for breakfast?