Quick and Easy Food Hacks for a Healthier Tea Time! - Guest Post

Fast food and being healthy don’t usually go hand in hand, but when you’re whipping up your own dinners it’s possible to combine the two. Take a look at my food hacks for making classic dishes healthier and quicker, or preparing in advance to get you ahead on the night.

Wok it up

One of the quickest meals you can make has to be a stir fry. I like to pack in loads of vegetables so it’s really good for you – whatever I have in the fridge but usually carrots, peppers and greens at the very least. If you have a big wok you can cook your meat, veg and sauce together too and save on washing up.

Race for Life Energy Boost Flapjacks

Last week my mum and I completed the race for life. We usually run in the morning but the race for life was being held in the evening so I knew that we would both need an energy boost both before and after the race. This is how this recipe came along. After doing some research into foods I discovered that malt extract is a fantastic, healthy way to boost sugar levels and replenish your energy levels. Malt extract is not something that is widely available in supermarkets but I did find some in our local Holland and Barrett store. In this recipe I have paired the malt extract with honey, bananas, dates and plenty of protein!

This is what I did...

Food for Healthy Hair

Recently I have been looking more closely about what vitamins and minerals are good various aspects of our health. At the moment I have been looking how food can benefit the health of my hair. Last summer I had a hair disaster. I decided that I wanted to change the colour of my hair from dark brown to blonde. Yes I thought that I would save some money and do it myself. Not surprisingly it did not go as planned. My hair went from dark brown to orange! This happened just before we were due to go on holiday with Carnival Cruise. I ended up getting the colour sorted at a hair dressers which did get the colour looking good but it did damage the condition of my hair. It needed a lot of bleach and toners and since then the health of my hair has not been fantastic. I try not use heat products unless I am going somewhere special and use deep conditioning products. But to try and repair my hair the natural way I have been looking at what foods will help to naturally repair the colour damage that I have done. Eating the correct balance of minerals, nutrients and vitamins will help to keep your hair shiny, lustrous and strong.

This is what I have discovered...

Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Calsway Snacks Review - Plus Dessert Recipe!

Eating right just got a lot easier with the new health brand Calsway. Calsway have recently announced the launch of their Eat Right® (#EatRight) range of snacks.

Like the majority of busy people finding a healthy snack for on the go can be hard. But Calsway have created a range of naturally delicious snacks that finally solve this problem. Trying to follow a healthy eating plan you are bombarded by what you can and cannot eat, the amount of calories to consume, weighing foods, following a 'diet' can be exhausting. These Calsway snacks come pre packed in resealable pouches that come in 100, 150 and 200 calorie packets with both paleo and vegan options available. When Calsway contacted me to ask if we would like to try one of their variety boxes I knew that they could solve both my snacking problems and finding healthy snacks for the children.

#NationalVegetarianWeek - Mexican Spiced Butternut Squash Noodle Stir Fry

As you know, I love a good foodie celebration and this week is no exception! This week it is National Vegetarian Week. I am not a vegetarian but I do love vegetarian meals and this week is a good excuse to try some new veggie meals.

National Vegetarian Week is to promote how truly versatile and delicious fresh vegetables are. Even The Hairy Bikers are going veggie this week. We all know that we should eat more vegetables and how good they are for us but often finding new ways to incorporate vegetables into meals and be the stars of the dish is the challenge. Buying vegetables are also a great way to save money on your weekly shopping and if you have enough room growing your own is such a rewarding thing to do.

This recipe is all about savouring the vegetables and adding a little spice that will compliment this meal perfectly.

This is what I did...

National Multi Tasking Day with Nature's Finest Plus a Healthy, Quick and Easy Dessert!

Wednesday 24th May 2017 is National Multi Tasking Day. Being a busy working mum to three children, wife to the hubby and caring after animals multi tasking is something that you need to do to maintain sanity! I never truly knew what multi tasking was until the twins arrived and the hubby returned to work after his paternity leave. Having two babies needing you, often at the same time, makes you look at what you do and try to make life as easy as possible.

Nature's Finest is celebrating National Multi Tasking Day and making preparing fruit one less job to do! Their pre prepared fruit contains no added sugar and is preserved in natural juice. The fruit in Nature's Finest has been picked and packed at its peak ripeness to ensure all of the goodness is retained.

It has been identified that 24th May is the country's busiest day. People are starting to plan their summer holidays, the children are getting ready for yet another half term holiday, work that needs doing, like all families, the list goes on. So to make the busiest day a little easier I am going to share with you my top tips for multi tasking and how to survive the busy day! Plus a deliciously quick and easy recipe that is perfect for the days when you are not prepared for the question "what's for pudding mum?".

Quick and Easy Warm Rice and Quinoa Salad

When it comes to lunch time, I want something that is healthy, something that I can prepare quickly and easily. If it is not quick and easy I tend to go for a sandwich. I love salads but after a few they can get boring. So to make them a bit more exciting I have been trying some new ways to enjoy a salad. You can expect to see some new salad recipes over the next few months!

My first new salad recipe is a salad that is so full of flavours, health benefits and quick to prepare. To make it quick and easy to prepare I have used a pouch packet of Tilda brown basmati rice with quinoa, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. I am a huge fan of the easy rice pouches but love that this one has the added grains and seeds. When I saw it on a recent shopping trip I knew that it would make a delicious addition to a salad.

This is what I did...

Dairy Free, Free From Refined Sugar Easter Fruit Oaty Snack - An Alternative #FreeFromEaster with Aldi

Recently I have been experimenting more and more with free from baking so when Aldi challenged me to create an alternative Easter bake I jumped at the chance. At the end of the week the children break up for the Easter holidays and we all know how important it is to keep them busy. This weeks Aldi recipe is perfect to make with the children and I even had a little helper when I made these.

These lovely little fruit oaty snacks are a bit like a soft flapjack that can be cut into a range of shapes and decorated as you wish. They are dairy free and free from refined sugar. We added fruit and honey to give them a natural sweetness. Aldi have got lots of delicious Easter recipes, including some free from treats, in their Easter section. But for now let me and my little helper show and tell you what we did...

Quinoa Stir Fry Salad

Quinoa is one of those great ingredients that I just cannot get enough of. I love it! It is such a versatile ingredient. I can be used in sweet dishes as well as savoury and is so quick to prepare. I always have a good supply of quinoa in the house!

Not only is quinoa versatile and tasty it is also a super food. Quinoa is gluten free and a complete protein that contains all of the essential amino acids which helps your body to repair muscle, which is especially needed after exercising. Quinoa contains three times more iron than brown rice so it is an ideal addition to your diet if you suffer from anaemia. As well as amino acids and iron it is also a great source of folate, manganese, magnesium and zinc. When I cook quinoa I usually cook it in a bulk as once it is cooked it can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days!

My quinoa stir fry salad is a bit of a mixture of meals. It contains stir fried vegetables but it is like a salad. It can be eaten warm or cold the following day. It is such a versatile base to a meal. I have enjoyed it with smoked salmon and eggs, while the hubby had his the following day with mackerel in tomato sauce. The possibilities are endless!

This is what I did...

Kale and Egg Brunch

Since starting the Slimming World eating plan back in October I have been focused on good, healthy food to get my weight down. I have now lost 30lbs and now is the time to start thinking about toning up and getting fit. My weight loss has slowed down and this is due to me relaxing the eating plan a little and then need for more exercise. I was recently referred to the gym via my lovely doctor who could see how my belly was affecting me. During my twin pregnancy I got huge and my poor stomach was stretched more than I thought it was possible. I carried two, beautiful, healthy babies so believe me I am not ashamed of how my stomach looks now. It is a testament to carrying two 6lbs babies at the same time. But I do get very uncomfortable as I have been left with excess skin. After visit the doctor, who I will admit was so much more understanding than I was expecting she advised me to loose weigh, which I am doing, and improve my fitness. After waiting for almost 4 months I got the call from the gym! I have had my induction session and a tailor made workout has been set for me. This week is my second week of going to the gym. At the moment I have only been twice but I am hoping to up it to 2 sessions a week. 

Now that I am focusing on my fitness, the food, on my gym days, has changed. I am not concentrating so much on the 'syns' but eating what I know is good for me. Before I go to the gym I start the day with a bowl of my Full of Energy Porridge. This bowl of porridge is full of goodness from the oats, banana, cinnamon and peanut butter, just what my body needs before a good workout. What you eat after a workout is just as important. Protein is essential after exercise as it helps to repair your muscles. My go to protein foods are eggs and chicken. Today I am sharing with you one of my favourite post workout meals, Kale and Egg Brunch. This is such a simple meal that is full of flavour and full of goodness!

This is what I did...

Naked Coleslaw - Low FODMAP and Syn Free

For the next few weeks we are following the FODMAP eating plan.

For years the hubby has suffered from digestive discomfort and one day while he was looking on the internet he discovered the FODMAP plan. FODMAP stands for Fermantable Oligo-saccharides Di-saccharides Mono-saccharides and Polyols, otherwise known as FODMAP's. FODMAP's are carbohydrates that can be hard to digest and cause digestive discomfort and eliminating foods which contain these carbohydrates can ease symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, gases and bowel problems. They are found in various fruits, vegetables, dairy and many other foods. After doing my own research and visiting various different websites I now have a list of FODMAP foods. The list is divided into two sections, high 'red' FODMAP foods, which I need to avoid in the hubby's meals and low 'green' FODMAP foods which he can eat.

This has meant that my meal plans need to be planned more carefully. Now when I write my weekly meal plan I am carefully looking at the ingredients that are needed for each individual meal and adapting them accordingly.

When I was planning this weeks meals I found a recipe in the Slimming World magazine that I knew everyone would love, but it was served with a homemade coleslaw which contained many high FODMAP ingredients. This got me thinking how I could make a coleslaw type salad that is both syn free for me and, of course, low FODMAP for the hubby. What I created was a huge success and is now a firm favourite.

This is what I did...

Clean Eating with MuscleFood's Live Clean Meals

You may have read that I am currently on a weight loss journey with Slimming World. But this time I am not seeing it as a diet, it is a lifestyle change that is for good. Starting my journey has made me evaluate what I eat, how I prepare food and ensuring that my meals are full of goodness. As much as I love to cook all of our meals from scratch sometimes life takes over and all I want is a healthy meal that is already prepared for me. This leads me to the next problem, finding a ready meal that is nutritious and wholesome. This is where MuscleFood's Live Clean meals come in!

If you have not heard of MuscleFood before let me tell you a little about them.

MuscleFood is an online food and nutrition supplier. They specialise in foods that are not only a high quality but also contain the necessary nutrients and proteins that you need whether you are a keen sports and fitness person or if you, like me, want to eat as healthily as possible with the aim to get to a healthy weight and maintain it. All of their meats are of the highest quality and all carry quality stamps such as the red tractor, RSPCA assured, free range, Organic Association to name but a few. So you know that you are getting exactly what you want. MuscleFood is tried and trusted by professional athletes, they are suppliers to some of the top British restaurants and deliver straight to your door without adding any water or salt to their products. Their meat has never been frozen and is even classically butchered on the day that it is dispatched to you.

With this ethos in mind MuscleFood have developed their new range of meals, Live Clean. The meals are nutritionally balanced, full of clean ingredients and will never contain added sugars or anything artificial! The Live Clean meals have been hand cooked by a Michelin star trained chef and are ready in minutes!

Carrot Cake Porridge

Since starting Slimming World six weeks ago breakfasts have become a meal that I look forward to. In the past I have, more often than not, skipped breakfast. This often leads to snacking. Breakfast is often known as the most important meal of the day as it gets your metabolism going and sets you up for the day.

Breakfasts do not need to be boring they can be easily transformed into something quite special. My favourite breakfast food has to be porridge oats. They are such a versatile ingredient that can be revamped into so many different flavours and accompanied with endless additional ingredients.

I recently shared my Fruit Layered Porridge Breakfast Bowl which has been a favourite of mine. That was until I tried today's porridge. While I was at my Slimming World group last week someone mentioned a carrot cake porridge bake. This certainly got my attention as carrot cake has to be my favourite cake. So when I got home I looked at my favourite carrot cake recipe, noted the ingredients and got planning as to how I could transfer the flavours into a porridge.

This is what I did..

Peachy Giant Couscous Salad with Del Monte

We all love fruit. It is the one food which the children have free run of. We keep the fresh fruit in baskets in the fridge so that it is easily accessible. This is great for their health but the amount of times I have gone to the fridge for some fruit to find that the kids have eaten it all are endless. That is why we always keep some tins of fruit in the cupboard. So when Del Monte asked me if I would like to create an easy recipe using some of their fruit I could not wait to get started.

To get my ideas flowing they sent me a lovely hamper full of Del Monte goodies.  The hamper included some of their new kids Squeezie pouches. As soon as the children saw the Minnie and Mickey design they could not wait to try them. The pouches are 100% fruit based and are aimed at children aged 3 - 9 years old but even my 12 year old wanted to try them! The children got to try two of the new flavours, apple and mango and apple, strawberry and blueberry. Both flavours were a huge success and we will definitely be keeping an eye out for them on our next shopping trip. They are perfect to pop in the bag for days out or for the children's lunch box.

For today's recipe I have used some of Del Monte's tinned fruit. Did you know that tinned fruit can be more nutritious than fresh fruit? This is because the fruit is picked when it is fully ripe and is processed immediately. This locks in the goodness that can deteriorate over time. A recent study actually found that when they compared fresh, frozen and canned foods the nutrients were surprisingly similar. Plus when the fruit is kept in a can it has a longer shelf life. Inevitably this reduces food waste and saves us valuable money!

This recipe is a deliciously healthy salad recipe that contains fresh vegetables, chicken and the star of the dish, Del Monte peaches.

This is what I did..

Smoked Haddock and Black Tiger Prawn Fat Free Veggie Noodles

If there is one way of serving vegetables that I love it has to be in noodles. I love using my spiraliser and am always looking for new ways to use them in our meals. They are not only a great way to get more vegetables into our diets but a quick and easy way to prepare vegetables.

Today's recipe with Aldi is all about the delicious fresh products that are available in Aldi. In this recipe I have combined two different vegetables to create bright noodles. Paired them with some lovely smoked fish and black tiger prawns then used some great, fat free Quark to make a creamy sauce.

Now that Halloween and bonfire night are done for yet another year you know what is coming. Yes, as of next week Tuesdays are going to be all about Christmas with Aldi. Last year I focused on how to have a budget Christmas. This year I am going to be showing you how Aldi can not only help you save money this Christmas but how they provide top quality food and drinks at the bargain price that we have grown to expect from Aldi. Next week I am going to be telling you about the Christmas in July event that I went to where I had a preview of their Christmas range. I am not going to disclose too much today, but I was extremely impressed with what I saw and am excited to showcase some of their best products. You can have a sneak peak at their Christmas products here. I will also be telling you what I will be covering over the coming weeks.

Now back to today. This is what I did...

Winter Kale Salad

At the moment we have got a lot of kale in the garden ready for harvesting. Kale is one vegetable that I think often gets over looked. We get bored of eating it the same way, steamed, so I am always looking for new ways to add this super food to our diets. Now that we have had our first frost I know that the kale will be even sweeter and perfect for salad!

One thing that kale is great for is as a salad. It has a firmer texture and fuller flavour than lettuce and, in my opinion, makes a more filling salad. Today's recipe contains 6 delicious vegetables and is jam packed with goodness. It is perfect as a lunch or goes great with a jacket potato.

This is what I did...

Love it or Hate it Cottage Pie

This is going to be one of those love it or hate it recipes and one that I know will certainly divide my audience but it is just too good to go unshared!

I have recently joined a local Slimming World group, which I am planning to tell you more about soon. Changing the foods that I can eat freely has made me look at healthier alternatives and ways to add more flavour to meals. Cottage Pie is a firm family favourite but I usually thicken the stock with gravy granules. But, if you follow the Slimming World plan you will know, gravy is not a free food. This got me thinking of a different ingredient that was not only free but would also do the job. The magic ingredient did an amazing job, it thickened the stock to a gravy consistency and added a delicious depth of flavour!

The secret ingredient is Marmite! Hence me calling this my Love it or Hate it Cottage Pie. Even if you are not a lover of Marmite this dish is definitely worth a try. The two boys hate Marmite in sandwiches but loved this cottage pie and still have no idea what I used!

This is what I did...

Fruit Layered Porridge Breakfast Bowl

Last week I joined a local Slimming World group. Recently I have been eating and drinking what I want without much thought to what it was doing to me health. This has caused my weight to naturally go up which is starting to effect my health and well being. So now my meals are all about using as many "free" foods as possible to ensure that I am full, but full of good, healthy foods. Normally I am not a breakfast person but this last week I have been looking forward to my breakfast. This has been my favourite breakfast. It does take a little effort but is so worth it and that is why I am sharing it with you today!

Oats are a deliciously filling fibre rich food that are the perfect way to start the day. Porridge oats should be classed as a super food. They are packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre but they also help reduce high blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol, keeping blood sugar levels steady and they give you enough energy to keep you going until lunch time! The best part is that you do not need to eat a lot to gain the health benefits. This breakfast, with the oats combined with fruit, is the ideal way to start the day.

This is what I did...

 

Celeriac, Bacon and Cumin Soup

At this time of year I love a good soup. They are great as a lovely warming lunch or even as a light dinner. The best thing about soups is the added goodness that you get from all of the ingredients. With soups you can easily disguise vegetables that the children may not like but be happy that they are unknowingly eating and and most of all enjoying it. For us grown ups soup is a fabulous healthy option that can be bulked out with filling, good for you foods that will really keep you going for longer!

Today's soup uses celeriac. This is a vegetable that often gets over looked. It really is not the prettiest of vegetables but who says that is important? I would rather have a tasty, ugly vegetable than a pretty but horrible vegetable. Taste, at the end of the day, is what matters. Recently we have been having celeriac more and more. It is a cheaper vegetable and is so versatile. The other week I used it to make vegetable spaghetti and everybody loved it. The children did not even question what it was! It looked like spaghetti, it tasted good hence there were no questions. Celeriac also goes great in soup, it adds a really creaminess to the soup and one that I am sure you will love!

This is what I did...

Top Tips to Help You Stick to a Healthy Diet

Guest post

Dieting is such a strong word for many of us and conjures up images of either total hunger or feeding oneself on lettuce all day long. Personally I hate the word when it is used for slimming. However, trying to eat a healthier diet is a completely different story that promotes our well-being and, of course, overall good health, with everything that comes along with that. But, as we all know, that is easier said than done. We have all thrown our healthy diet out of the window every chance we get, like during the weekends or holidays or when going out to eat with friends or when we are invited to a party, and the list goes on and on!

The good news is that there are just as many ways to stick to your healthy diet as there are to stray from it!

Here are some top tips that you might find as handy as I hope to...