Healthy Recipes

Hey lovely people, 

So in keeping with my new healthy approach to eating... and well... life... I have decided to share a couple of my favourite healthy recipes along with the cost of the ingredients. I feel that we are all encouraged to live healthier lives and eat more fruit and vegetables. However, I find that it is often overlooked that eating better often costs us double the price of a standard weekly shop, so sometimes it's not that people don't want to, it's just that they can't afford to eat better.

On that note, these recipes will not only be healthy, but cost effective. 

Warm Quinoa Salad with Grilled Halloumi

(serves 3)

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red onion, sliced

1 large roasted pepper from a jar, thickly sliced, or a handful of ready-roasted sliced peppers

200g quinoa

500ml vegetable stock

small bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

zest and juice 1 lemon

large pinch sugar

250g pack halloumi cheese, cut into 6 sliced

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a medium saucepan. Cook the onion and pepper for a few mins, then add the quinoa and cook for a further 3 mins. Add the stock, cover and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 15 mins or until soft, then stir through half the parsley. Heat the grill.

2. Meanwhile, mix the lemon zest and juice with the remaining parsley and oil, and a large pinch of sugar and salt. Grill the halloumi until both sides are golden and crisp. Serve the salad with the grilled halloumi and the dressing poured over everything.

Asda

Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil - £1.50 (250ml)

Sliced Red Onions - £0.50 - 225g

Roasted Red Peppers - £1.40 - 480g

Great Scot Scot Quinoa - £2.18 - 300g

Vegetable Stock Cubes - £0.40 - 120g

Parsley - £0.70 - 31g

Lemons - £0.30 - each

La Doria Fine Sea Salt - £0.50 - 500g

Halloumi - £2.00 - 250g

Total Cost - £9.48

Cost per person - £3.16

I think you'll agree that £3.16 for a delicious, healthy meal isn't asking too much. I've used Asda for purchasing the ingredients, but by all means check your own local supermarket. 

So you've wolfed down that delicious meal, now you want to wash it down with a delicious and super healthy smoothie.

Mango & Banana Smoothie

(makes 1 litre)

Ingredients

1 medium mango

1 banana

500ml orange juice

4 ice cubes

1. Cut the mango down either side of the flat stone, then peel and cut the flesh into chunks.

2. Peel and chop the banana.

3. Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender, then process until smooth and thick. Keep in the fridge and use the day you make it.

Asda

Large Mango - £0.75

Banana - £0.68

Orange Juice Smooth - £1.00

The Ice Co Ice Crush - £1.00

Total Cost - £3.43

Cost Per 250ml serving - £0.85

So there you are my lovely readers. Two delicious and cost effective recipes to help you become a healthier and happier person. I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!

Take care lovelies. x

It's A Weighty Issue!

Hey lovely people,

So I recently made a decision to lose weight. This is an ever-present thought in the back of my head, due to being really overweight for quite some time now. But as serious as I thought I was being each of the other times, I didn't realise until recently that this wasn't actually the case. I often convince myself that I am absolutely well and truly determined to shift the load, but when it comes down to actually doing it, I never rise to the occasion. 

This time is different! I have not only signed up for the Juice Plus diet, but I've made a commitment with my husband that we will lose weight together.

The thing that got the ball rolling in the first place??? Lying in my bed at night and imagining my poor husband having to arrange my funeral!

Now, let me be clear. I am very overweight, however I have several visits with my doctor keeping checks on things, and other than that I am perfectly healthy. I have no ailments or disorders, and have healthy BP and cholesterol levels. I drink water by the gallon, and have a relatively healthy diet (except for the amount I eat) and so there are no immediate threats of death. But for some reason... since I was a little girl, I have always had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me I won't live past 30. I honestly don't know why, but it's a substantially heavy feeling I've always had. So being 28 and turning 29 this year, you can imagine the feeling of impending doom I am currently experiencing, and therefore this is a last ditch attempt to get myself into shape, so as to not tempt fate any more.

On that note, as mentioned before I've started the Juice Plus diet. I won't bore you all with the details but if you want to know more then just click here. The sole purpose of mentioning it though is my way of committing fully. I've committed my money and not i've committed my word to you all. I will make a point of updating you on my journey every week, whether i've lost or gained and hopefully you will enjoy being a part of this little junction in my life. 

Before I finish, I'd just like to say for the record that I don't believe that happiness can solely be found in being thin or skinny. I am a very happily married woman, and I know for sure that my husband still loves and adores me and would find me attractive at any size. This change in my life is solely for me, and nobody else... So please don't go changing yourself for the sake of somebody else. 

Take care lovelies. x

Pinspiration... For The Sake Of A Laugh!!!

Hey lovely people!

So it's Wednesday and the long weekend is well and truly behind us, and if you're anything like me then that is a very depressing thought. So, in a bid to not only cheer myself up, but you lovely people too... I thought I would post some funny things I found on Pinterest recently. 

So I hope you managed to squeeze out a laugh or 2 reading those... I certainly did... And I feel miles better for it...

Take care lovelies. x

The Self-Love Tag

Hey there lovely people!

Today I thought I would do another post sharing a little bit about myself. I will regularly do posts like this just because I think it's important that I share who I am with all of you wonderful people who take the time out of your day to read my posts. 

So without further rambling, here goes:

The Self-Love Tag

1. What does self-love mean to you?

I think it means loving and accepting yourself as you are. We all get caught up with the way we look and are often trying to change ourselves to mimic looks we see in celebrities or on catwalks and I think that we will never truly be happy in our hearts until we accept who we are and what we have.

2. What is your favourite way to pamper yourself?

This is generally something that I don't often do. I'm not a bath person so I can't do the whole bath bomb and candle thing. Generally if I'm feeling a little rubbish and wanting a little pick me up, I'll have a long relaxing shower... give myself a little facial... get some comfy lounge clothes on... and paint my nails. Obviously this will be accompanied by a generous sized glass of White Zinfandel and a bar of good chocolate.

3. What are your three favourite hobbies/pastimes that make your soul feel on fire?

Taking photographs. I am in love with photography. It's the most relaxing and rewarding hobby there is. Other than that I enjoy Swimming (which I don't often get the opportunity to do) and I really love cooking. There is nothing like watching somebody enjoy food that you have put your heart and soul into.

4. What movie always puts you in a good mood when you’re not in the greatest mood?

The Little Mermaid. Yes I'm aware I'm 28 years old and yes I'm aware that this is a Disney movie... But it is my most favourite and cherished movie of all time. What girl can say she doesn't like a little fairytale in her life???

5. Who do you trust the most in your life?

My husband. He is the one person in my whole entire world, who I can truly be myself with. I would trust him with my life.

6. What quote totally motivates you?

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again". It's one of life's most important lessons!

7. What make-up or beauty product makes you feel like a million bucks?

Red Lipstick... It always makes me feel a great no matter how light or heavy the rest of my makeup is. 

8. Do you feel comfortable with and without make-up on? Why?

Make-up is a relatively new concept to me (relatively being 3 years or so). I have always worn lip gloss and a bit of blusher over the years but I only seriously got into it when I was getting married and wanted some inspiration. For that reason I am completely comfortable with just my bare face... it's not only important to let your skin breathe but to feel comfortable with the way your face looks without all the frills.

9. What piece of advice would you give a child growing up with the pressures of today’s media and its crushing expectations?

I recently came across a little quote that says "Be who you are, not who the world wants you to be"! This is the advice I give my little sisters. I've said it before - there is nothing more important than learning to love yourself as you are, only then can you be truly happy in your heart.

10. What song puts you in a good mood every time?

Right now it is "Happy" by Pharrell Williams... it's impossible to not feel good when you hear this song... it's in the title!!!

11. Who makes you giggle like a giggle monster?

What a strangely worded question... Lol! :) In terms of real life, I have a niece and nephew who make me laugh every time I'm with them. But I have to say, Phil and Cameron on Modern Family really make me laugh out loud!!!

12. What is something about society that bugs you?

Besides from the ridiculous pressure put on young girls to be stick thin, I really hate the way the media builds people up and puts them on pedestals, and as quickly as they're up there, they drag them back down to earth with a giant thud! I know that as celebrities, their lives are susceptible to public scrutiny... but they are people, just the same as us, and I think it's unfair to treat their lives like a TV show.

13. What is one of your favourite things to do on the weekends?

Spend time with my family & take photographs.

14. What is something you’re really proud of that you've done?

Completed my Diploma in Photography. It's something that I wanted to do for the longest time and I am super proud that I actually got off my backside to do it. 

My most prized possession.

15. What advice would you give someone who needs a boost in confidence?

1. Smile as much as is humanly possible - It will automatically make you feel better. 
2. Try and make a difference in the world - If you make someone else feel good then you yourself will feel good.
3. Look at yourself in the mirror everyday and tell yourself you are beautiful - You will eventually believe your words.
4. Look after yourself - Whether its a weekly pamper session or a exercise, make sure you are healthy on the inside, so that you can always appreciate what is on the outside. 

I loved this little tag. I think it's important to get the message across that you should always have love and respect for yourself. I hope that if you read this post you realise how wonderful and important you are, and I invite you all to take part in this tag. 

Take care lovelies. x

Your idea of "Inspiration" is very different from mine!!!

Hey lovely people!

This post is the result of a recent post I had the displeasure of reading on my Facebook. The age old debate of fat vs. skinny. It angered me so much that it ended up being all I could think about.

So, the post that offended me, was basically a photograph of a fit young lady working out with the words "Work For It" written across the bottom of the photo. That's fair enough... And some would definitely find that inspirational. Some would even share the image themselves, myself included. However, the person who posted it then wrote above it "One for all you chunky ladies"... Yep... this is seriously what they wrote!!!

Livid doesn't even describe how I felt when I read that. Especially because I know for a fact that said person is in a position to heavily influence my younger sisters... beautiful young girls who already have major insecurities about their weight.

So after voicing my opinion to said person on the matter, it got me thinking... When are people going to realise that their words are hurtful? When are people going to realise that their opinions on the way a person should look are subjective? People come in all shapes and sizes and just because one small minded person thinks that women should look a certain way doesn't mean they're right!

Let me be clear, I am not a skinny or thin person. I am very aware of the fact that I am overweight. This has been a problem for years, and admittedly I am often unhappy with the way I look. However the difference between myself and the average 16 year old girl (aside from the age difference) is that I am generally quite a confident person, who over the years has let go of a lot of the insecurities I have about my weight. But not every girl has the confidence that I have. This is where the worry begins.

It worries me because I know how it affects my sisters. They often feel overwhelmed by how high the bar is set by celebrities... But the difference in that scenario is that there is a safe boundary that exists there due to the fact that technically we don't see that as "real life". You can separate yourself from the famous faces and bodies you see on TV. But when people actually connected to your life start adding the pressure by saying these things out loud and on social platforms like Facebook, I think we're in real danger of setting too high a standard on our vulnerable youngsters. Simply put, we are setting the kids of this generation up to fail... And to feel terrible about themselves as an added bonus. 

Don't get me wrong, I am not encouraging destructive lifestyles and unhealthy life choices. I do believe that we should all eat the proper foods and exercise as much as we can... But if a person falls down in either of these areas, do they deserve to be shamed because of it? 

So I will end this post with this, my opinion, which of course is a subjective one.

• I believe that everybody is a beautiful person regardless of their looks, their weight, their skin colour. If they are good people then they are beautiful people.

• I believe that people should look after themselves and should aspire to be the best version of themselves that they can.

• I believe that people like myself who are overweight should choose to the best of their ability to lead a healthy life.

• I believe that individuals who are subjected to negative narrow-minded comments from negative and narrow-minded people should simply feel sorry for those people... they have nothing better to do with their lives than bring people down and fill the world with negativity. These people are a waste of time and energy.

• Finally... and I think most importantly, I believe that people who, like myself, are sometimes unhappy with their weight (whatever weight that might be), should stand up, look in the mirror and tell themselves they are beautiful... Over and over again until they believe it. It is simply the truth!

Don't ever let anyone ever make you feel like you are anything less than amazing... 

Take care lovelies. x

P.S I just wanted to share a few photos of super sexy women, who are bigger than society would deem "average" sized... But are gorgeous and confident about who they are! 

Mondays Dinner Plans

Hey my lovelies!

I know that I have already posted today, but I thought I would try and get into the habit of sharing my cooking with you. This is intended to be more of a "lifestyle" type blog, showcasing my life through photographs as opposed to a more specific field of interest.

So on that note, I thought it would be a fun addition to include a few of my recipes over the week, starting with tonight's dinner choice:

Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients:

Lean Diced Beef Steak

1x Red Bell Pepper

1x Yellow Bell Pepper

1x Large Onion

2x Spring Onions

1x tsp Sea Salt

1x tsp Pepper

2x tsp Paprika

2x tbsp Soy Sauce

Instructions:

1. Marinade your meat with Sea Salt, Pepper, Paprika & Soy Sauce. Add chopped spring onions.

2. Leave the marinade for 2 hours (longer if possible).

3. Fry chopped onion in a tsp of oil, until onions are translucent and beginning to caramelise slightly.

4. Add the marinaded meat to the frying pan and fry for 10 minutes on a medium heat.

5. Add chopped bell peppers to the frying pan and leave to fry for a further 5 minutes. 

6. Serve with a baked potato and green salad.

I may be bias my lovelies... but this is a truly delicious little dinner, as well as being a fairly healthy meal option for those of us who could really do with losing some lbs!!! 

Take care my lovelies. x