Kedgeree

This is a dish my other half made me on Friday. It was a dish his mother cooked regularly when he was growing up.

Kedgeree is originally a traditional British breakfast from colonial India with a nice balance of spicy and smoky flavours. It makes a tasty breakfast, lunch or dinner. I loved it (although he still reckons his mothers recipe is still tastier). It is always nice to try something different rather than the usual chicken and salmon each evening. 

Ingredients:

200g brown rice
400g Smoked Haddock
4 Free Range Eggs
8 Spring Onions
1 clove garlic
Red Chilli Pepper
2 teaspoons of ginger
2 teaspoons of turmeric
1 teaspoon of cumin powder
100g peas
2 tablespoon of parsley or coriander
Black pepper

Method:

• Cook the brown rice in a saucepan for 30-35 minutes until tender.At the same time, put haddock in a large frying pan and cover with water. Simmer for 5-6 minutes. Drain, discard skin and any bones and flake the fish into large chunks.

• Boil the eggs for 8 minutes. Cool in cold water and shell them.
• Heat a large frying pan and add the spring onions, garlic, chilli and ginger for 4-5 minutes.

• Drain rice and add to the frying pan and add turmeric  cumin and peas. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes , then stir in the haddock and parsley. Season.

• Serve with quartered eggs.

Yummy Banana Cupcakes

On Friday I made these tasty cupcakes from http://makeandbakefromscratch.com.  They didn't last too long but I will be definitely making them again. Perfect with a cup of green tea.

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup ground almond

pinch of pink rock salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp vanilla essence

1 tbsp cinnamon powder

5 free range eggs

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 bananas

2 tablespoon of cocoa nibs

1 tbsp chia seeds

5 dates

1/4 cup agave

Method:

• Mix coconut flour, almond meal, salt,vanilla essence, baking soda, cinnamon cocoa nibs and chia seeds.

• In a blender add eggs, coconut oil, bananas and agave syrup.

• Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine.

• Fill cupcake cases half way and pop into pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes.

• Once baked, all to cool.

• Add various toppings such as peanut butter and cocoa nibs; almond butter and cocoa nibs or smother in dark chocolate. I am not a massive peanut butter fan but it was definitely my favourite topping. They are even delicious with no topping.

ENJOY!

IIFYM- Can you eat what you want and still lose weight?

Over the past couple of months I have been using IIFYM- If It Fits Your Macros. This is a form of flexible dieting which I love. I love it because if I want to have bar of chocolate or go out with my friends for a meal I can do so without having to worry about gaining weight and ruining my hard work. But there is a few things you need to know first:-


So what is IIFYM?

It is simply eating to meet your macronutrient needs. Your macronutrients consist of your carbohydrates, protein and fats. These three macronutritents all play essential roles in the human body.  With IIFYM you don't have to eat at certain times, eat a set amount of meals etc, you just have to try hit your macros consistently each day to reap the benefits. You can eat whatever foods you like to hit these macro targets each day.

Does this mean that I can eat what I want and still lose weight?

Good luck if you think you can hit you targets by just eating chips, chocolate etc (I have tried). You still need you staples in order to hit your macros e.g. meat, green vegetables, eggs etc. If you have room for the odd junk food snack go for it but you won't hit your targets by eating all the junk foods you want everyday. Fibre is another issue -you need to be eating good quality foods. If you are hitting your macros by eating foods like chips, crisps etc I promise you, you won't feel great.

So what are the benefits?

It is flexible eating. You don't have to eat a set amount of meals a day, you don't have to eat every two hours, you don't have to eat within a certain time pre or post workout. You can skip breakfast if you want. If you are having a meal out with friends in the evening you can fit it into your diet by just sticking to protein and veggies throughout the day so that you don't go over your carb and fat intake and then have the meal you want when out with friends. If you are craving something you can have it but make sure that for your other meals you don't go over your carbs/fat intake. It just means your meals are that bit more exciting, you can work around your social life and still keep on track. 

How do I calculate my Macros?

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

Copy this link for a free IIFYM calculator and calculate what your macro targets should be and try to consistently meet those. It is not as easy as you think but after a few days you start to see what macros you lack in or eat too much of. 

My Fitness Pal App

I insert my macro targets into My Fitness Pal app so I can keep on track each day and know if certain foods have too high fat/carb intake.

Healthy Irish Brown Bread

A great way to stay motivated to eat healthy is to set up a whats app groups with your friends to encourage and motivate each other. My friends and I are always sending each other pictures of our meals, its great for recipe ideas or if you have no idea what to cook for dinner. But I think its greatest for motivation- if you are about to tuck into a bag of crisps and your friend sends you a picture of a healthy meal you get the "guilts" and will choose to make a healthier option. Here are some pictures of the meals so far. I will be sharing more of their recipes with you.

My friend Michelle sent me this healthy brown bread recipe and pictures which I thought you might love to try. It is so easy to make and tastes really good!

Ingredients:

1 large tub of natural yoghurt-500ml
2 Tubs of fine Porridge oats
1 Tablespoon of Bread soda
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp of wheat bran (optional)

Method:

1. Put Bread Soda, salt and yoghurt in bowl and stir well.

2. Fill the empty yoghurt pot up with Oats and add two tubs to the mixture and stir.

2. Grease loaf tin and put in mixture. Sprinkle wheat bran (Optional)

3. Cook at 180 degrees Celsius for 50 minutes. Remove from tin and put on rack and cook for 10 minutes on the rack.

Foods to eat to help you get a flat stomach and so called "healthy" foods to avoid

I cannot stress how much abs are down to diet. If I have a good week of tough workouts but my diet is not spot on then my abs are non existent and I feel like crap. Although exercise does help diet is really the key. I am the same as everyone I have good days and bad days. On my bad days (which have been a lot recently) I get what I call the "guilts" which I suppose is better than not having them. The main thing is to get your diet back on track asap when you have a bad day or weekend. Don't say "oh I will start again on Monday" start straight away. You will feel so much better for it. What I find is that people don't understand what is good for them and what is bad for them.The following are "fatty" foods that can actually help you try to get lean and start seeing some abs:-

1. Dark Chocolate (at least 72% cocoa content)

 If you are like me and have a sweet tooth and crave a dessert after dinner then try 1 or 2 small squares of chocolate to satisfy your cravings for only 30 or 40 calories rather than 400 calories for a bar or a piece of cake. Check the brand of dark chocolate you choose has a high fibre and low sugar content. Look for more fat than total carbs. Dark chocolate does not spike your blood sugar levels like other desserts. It is also a powerful antioxidant. The fat content in dark chocolate should come solely from natural healthy fats from cocoa butter and not from other added fats. The higher the content of cocoa the lower the % of sugar.

2. Coconut milk, coconut flour and coconut oil

Coconut milk and oil are great sources of a super healthy type of saturated fat. Coconut flour is a healthier flour option for baking and adds flavour. Coconut flour is extremely high in fibre and very high in protein compared to other flours and is gluten free.

3. Grass fed butter (Kerrygold) or real butter

Real butter has got a lot of bad press and has been talked about as  being unhealthy. Real butter (grass fed) can actually be a healthy part of your diet. Grass fed butter has an ideal balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. It helps satisfy your appetite and control blood sugar levels which help you keep lean.

4. Whole eggs including yolks

Eggs are one of the highest sources of protein. What people don't know is that the egg yolks are the healthiest part of the egg. That is where almost all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are found. Egg yolks contain more than 90% of calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate and B12 as well as vitamins A, D, E and K of the egg. Make sure the eggs are free range organic eggs. The balance between healthy omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids is controlled by the diet of the hens.

5. Grass fed beef

Beef found in a grocery store is raised on grains such as corn. This is not the natural diet of cattle and changes the chemical balance of fats and other nutrients in beef. Grain fed beef is usually too high in omega 6 fats and way too low in omega 3 fats. On the other hand grass-fed cattle were raised on natural foods and have much higher levels of healthy omega 3 fats and lower levels of inflammatory omega 6 fats.

6. Avocados

Avocados are full of healthy fats. It is super high in monounsaturated fats and full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which helps your body to maintain proper levels of hormones that help with fat loss and muscle building.

7. Nuts: Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios, Pecans, Brazil nuts etc

Nuts are a good source of fibre and protein which helps control blood sugar levels and can aid in fat loss. Nuts also maintain good levels of fat burning hormones as well as helping to control appetite and cravings. Try eat a handful of nuts 20 minutes before your dinner so you will not overeat for your meal.

 

"Healthy" Foods to Avoid

These are sometimes seen as healthy but are in reality fat storing traps:-

• whole grain breads
• whole grain crackers
• soymilk
• tofu
• veggie burgers
• orange juice
• apple juice
• skim milk
• pre-packaged diet dinners
• diet ice cream and diet desserts
• pasta
• rice cakes
• protein bars
• sports drinks
• low fat foods

 

Quinoa Krispy Treats

I saw this recipe on instagram a few weeks back and really wanted to make them as I used to love rice krispie squares when I was younger. Finally made it and it tastes even better than I thought it would. I found it difficult to get quinoa pops. I eventually got them in Planet Organic however, it is possible to pop ordinary quinoa in a hot saucepan. See below

Ingredients:

Cup Quinoa pops
1/2 cup of dates
1/2 cup of almond butter
1/4 agave or honey
Large bar of dark chocolate

Method:

Add dates, almond butter and agave to the food processor and blend.

Add puffed quinoa and above mixture together in a bowl.

Spread mixture on to a lined baking tin.

Put it in freezer to set.

Melt chocolate and pour over the base.

Put it back in freezer until it hardens.

Cut it up and serve it with some green tea!

How to pop your own Quinoa?

Heat a saucepan over a medium-high heat. When hot add a few tablespoons of quinoa to the pan. Put lid on saucepan as the quinoa starts to pop. Once popping stops remove from heat. Repeat again with another batch.

 

Chicken and Broccoli Quiche with Healthy Crust

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups of ground almonds
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 egg

Quiche Filing:

1 broccoli stalk
2 chicken breasts
1 onion
Cherry tomatoes
6 eggs
1/4 cup of almond milk


Method:

• In a bowl mix the almond meal, coconut oil and the egg until it clumps.

• Line a baking dish with baking paper. Press the mix into the base of the dish.

• Bake for about 8-10 minutes at 180'C.

• On a pan cook the onion and chicken.

• Steam broccoli. Don't overcook.

• Add them to the top of the crust.

• Mix eggs and almond milk together with a hand whisk and pour in on top of the dish.

• Top with cherry tomatoes.

• Bake in over for 35 minutes.

Enjoy this protein packed meal!

 

Paprika Chicken with Quinoa Tabbouleh

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 bunch parsley finely chopped

8 cherry tomatoes

3 spring onions

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon of caster sugar

1 courgette

Greek yoghurt

Chicken breast fillets

Method:

1. Place the quinoa and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes. Drain well and leave to cool.
2. Add parsley, tomatoes and onion to quinoa and toss.
3. Combine oil, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, cumin, cayenne and sugar and drizzle over quinoa and combine.
4. Dip the chicken in the remaining dressing and sprinkle with paprika. Grill/Bake for 7-8 minutes each side until cooked. 
5. Cut courgette in half and bake in oven for 10 minutes. 
6. Serve with greek yoghurt.

Chocolate Bark-Clean Eating Dessert

Spice up you dark chocolate with this recipe. This is a very easy and quick recipe and tastes amazing.

Ingredients:

- 70 or 80% dark chocolate
-Handful of almonds
-Handful of goji berries
-Handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds
-pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Method:

1. Melt chocolate on a low heat. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
2. Line a baking tray with cling film or tin foil.
3. Spread chocolate mixture into the tray.
4. Top with almonds, goji berries and seeds
5. Put in freezer for 30 minutes
6. Remove and break into small bark pieces.

Homely Food

Here are three dinners I cooked recently. These are great meals if you want to cook enough for a few meals.

1. Chicken and Broccoli Bake

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast
• Head of broccoli
• Mushrooms
• Coconut milk
• Chicken Stock
• Hazelnuts

Method:

• Chop up the mushrooms, add to a saucepan and cook for a few minutes until they brown.
• Add a cup of coconut milk and stock to the pan.
• Mix it in a food blender.
• In another pan add chicken and broccoli for about 5-10 minutes
• Add hazelnuts to the blender until they resemble breadcrumbs
• Into a casserole dish, add chicken and broccoli
• Then add your mushroom and coconut milk sauce
• Top off with hazelnuts and bake for 35 minutes.

2. Mexican Shepherds Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• Lean minced beef or lean turkey mince
• Red Kidney beans (soak in water over night)
• Tin of tomatoes
• Cumin
• Garam Masala
• Onion

Method:

• Boil sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes.
• In a saucepan add your onion, then add your beef or turkey and cook through
• Add the spices to the meat
• Pour in a tin of tomatoes and then add your kidney beans
• Stir and cook for 5 minutes on a low heat
• Peel potatoes and mash, adding salt and pepper
• In a casserole dish at your meat and top with sweet potato.
• Bake in over for 35 minutes

3. Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

• Butternut Squash
• 2 breast of chicken
• Broccoli
• Onion
• Chickpeas
• Mushrooms
• Brown Rice
• Greek yoghurt
• Cumin
• Garam Masala
• Cayenne Pepper
• Ginger
• Veg Stock

Method:

• Cook chicken and set aside
• Cook butternut squash on the pan until starts to soften
• Add onions, and other veg
• Add spices
• Add your stock
• Stir and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes
• Serve with brown rice and some greek yoghurt.

 

Healthy Quinoa Granola

This is a healthy breakfast alternative to granola. It is packed full of protein, fibre and iron and is gluten and dairy free.

This is so easy to make and very quick.

Ingredients:

Quinoa Flakes
Flaxseed
Agave or maple syrup or honey
2 tbsp of virgin olive oil
Coconut oil
1 tbsp of vanilla essence
Cinnamon

Optional:
Greek yoghurt- protein
Blueberries/Raspberries and Blackberries-full of antioxidants.
Goji Berries- more vitamin C than oranges, more beta-carotene than carrots and more iron than steak.

Method:

• In a bowl add the agave, olive oil and vanilla essence. Put in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

• Take out add cinnamon or what ever spices you choose.

• Add in a cup of quinoa flakes and some flaxseed and mix until all the quinoa and flaxseed are covered in the agave/oil mix.

• Line a baking tray with tin foil and grease with coconut oil.

• Pour the mix into the tray and bake for 10 minutes.

• Store in lunch box to have for the week.

 

You don't get Abs by doing Abs Exercises- so how do you get Abs?

I didn't get my abs from doing abs exercises. This is the worst myth. YOU ALREADY HAVE ABS- the problem is that they are probably hidden. What you need to do is remove the fat that is covering your abs.

YOU CAN'T SPOT REDUCE- doing a 100 sit ups a day is not the answer. Your body decides where the fat will come off and there is nothing we can do about it. Stop focusing on training your abs and start doing the following:-
 

1. LIFT WEIGHTS- the more muscle on your body the more fat your body burns even by doing absolutely nothing. Concentrate on large compound movements. With weights you are working your abs indirectly by engaging your core with each movement. And NO doing weights doesn't make you bulky it gives you that lean defined look.
2. NO MORE CARDIO- instead of long and boring cardio do High Intensity Interval Training- click on my bikini challenge link on my blog home page for some 10-20 minute HIIT workouts you can do from home. Try do 3 sessions a week and trust me you will start to see a difference and start seeing some abs coming through.
3. CONSISTENCY- Consistency is key. Set realistic goals so that you don't burn yourself out after two weeks. This is a lifestyle change -so try fit it into your lifestyle not let it take over your life! Start off with 2 or 3 days a week to see what works for you.
4. EAT CLEAN-this does not mean starving yourself or eating tasteless food, this just means making healthy choices. Click on the clean eating label on my blog home page for some clean eating ideas or follow my instagram page @thechicphysique.
5. CUT OUT GLUTEN AND DAIRY- some people don't realise that they might have an intolerance to either gluten or dairy or both. This causes inflammation in your gut which decreases nutrient absorption and makes you put on weight.
6. CARB CYCLE- eating the same amount of calories day in and day out when trying to lose fat can quickly result in adaptions, making it impossible to lose weight or gain muscle. The solution is to "cycle" your calories. For example on weight training days have a calorie surplus- eat starchy carbs for breakfast and lunch. On cardio days or light training days- try have a calorie deficit- one starchy carb in the morning. This will keep your thyroid activity efficient and leptin sensitivity high, which is necessary for fat loss and muscle gains.
7. DRINK WATER- It increases your metabolism, regulates your appetite and aids in digestion to name a few. A lot of people think drinking water bloats them. One of the main causes of bloating is dehydration. When the amount of water in your body falls too low, your kidneys signal the rest of your body to hold onto water. So drinking enough water can help reduce bloating.
8. DRINK GREEN TEA-Try drink green tea after each meal. In addition to boosting your metabolism it also decreases belly bloat.
9. EAT PROTEIN- Try eat protein with every meal. Proteins are the body's building blocks. After a tough workout, muscles are rebuilt and repaired by the proteins you eat.

 

Healthy Chicken Kiev

Healthy Chicken Kiev

 

 

Ingredients:

• Breast of chicken
• Kerrygold butter
• Garlic clove
• Hazelnuts
• 1 egg

Method:

1. In a bowl mix a tsp of Kerrygold real butter and a garlic clove.
2. Cut a slice in the chicken and add the garlic and butter mix. Close the slit with some wooden cocktail sticks.
3. Break an egg into a bowl and stir with a fork.
4. Blend a handful of hazelnuts and place in a bowl.
5. Dip the chicken in the egg and then in the blended hazelnut.
6. Place on a baking tray and cook for 20-30 minutes.

Food Diary May 2014

Here are some healthy meal ideas:

Quinoa Dessert Bites

Add dates, almond butter (or peanut butter), rice syrup (or agave or honey) and quinoa to a blender to mix.

 Layer into a container and put in fridge to set for an hour.

Melt dark chocolate (85%) and pour over the quinoa mix in the container and put in fridge to set for 20 minutes. Cut up into small pieces and enjoy with some greek yoghurt and cocoa nibs.

 

 

Banoffi Pie

 

Base: Add half cup of ground almond meal, half cup of desiccated coconut, 1 tbsp. of rice syrup or honey, 4 table spoon of coconut oil, 1 tsp of vanilla essence or powder, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to a blender and mix. Add to the bottom of jar or container and put in fridge to set for 40 minutes.

Topping: Add three bananas, 6 dates, vanilla essence, tbsp. of rice syrup or honey and half tsp of cinnamon. Mix until a toffee like consistency and add on top of your base layer. Set in fridge.

Serve with greek yoghurt and cocoa nibs.

Tuna Fish Cakes

• Cook and mash your sweet potato and place in a large mixing bowl.
• Add your almond flour (1/2 cup), chopped parsley, onion, lemon juice, salt cumin, paprika, black pepper and eggs (2 large).
• Add tin of salmon (in water) and crush into mixing bowl with your hands.
• Stir until well mixed then mould into fish cake patties and place on baking tray.
• Heat a large pan and add coconut oil. Allow the pan to get very hot before adding your fish cakes.
• Cook for 4 minutes each side and serve hot.

Stuffed Chicken and Quinoa

• Stuff chicken with feta, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Place on baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until fully cooked.
• Boil quinoa until cooked-20 minutes.
• Chop up cucumber, peppers, feta cheese and sun-dried tomato and mix into the quinoa and serve.

 

Salmon and Quinoa

Or have it with salmon with squeeze of lemon to flavour.

Healthy Greek Turkey Kebabs

• Cut up turkey breast and marinate  in a bowl with garlic, oregano, juice of a lemon, salt and pepper.
• Add the pieces of turkey to a kebab stick.
• Grill the kebabs for 10/15 mins
• Prepare greek salad-cucumber, tomato, olives, feta cheese and mint.
• Prepare your salad dressing- 3 tbsp. of olive oil, lemon, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Serve with some pitta bread.