This is a delicious low fat high protein smoothie, making it an ideal healthy breakfast idea. It is so simple to make and filling to keep you going till lunch time.
Ingredients
100g blueberries
40g oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
200ml plant base milk
100g yogurt
Method
Start with placing all the ingredients into a blender.
Now blitz till smooth, pour the smoothie into a glass and enjoy.
Frozen yogurt bark with fruit toppings is the perfect healthy protien snack. This recipe is so simple to make.
Ingredients
500g greek yogurt
3 tbsp honey
5 fresh blueberries
5 fresh strawberries
5 fresh Raspberries
Method
Start by mixing the yogurt and honey together.
Now line the baking tray with foil and pour in the yogurt mixture. Spread the mixture, depending on how thick or thin you want the bark to be.
Now sprinkle the strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in the mixture and place the freezer for 3 hours or till completely frozen.
Now remove from the fridge and break the bark into pieces.
Store the bark in the freezer.
New Year resolutions mostly fail, because they are not the right resolutions for a person and because they are, too vague and arealistic plan has not been made to achieve the resolutions.
In fact, statistics show that only 9% of people actually commit to their new year resolutions and successfully achieve them. To avoid being a part of this, spend time on thinking about what you want to achieve in 2023 and start setting Smart Goals that will help you to set realistic resolutions that are right for youpersonally and achievable as well.
How to set S.M.A.R.T Goals.
Specific: The resolution should be crystal clear and not vague.For example, don’t write ‘I need to lose weight.’ Write “how much weight you want to lose and the time frame to achieve this.
Measurable: If the goal is weight loss, the best way to measure itto track your weight and measurements on a weekly basis to track you progress. Another effective way to measure your weight loss progress is to take pictures of yourself overtime
Achievable: Your goal should challenge you, but at the same time be achievable. Setting unachievable goals will lead to failure and leave you feeling frustrated. For example, I want to lose a stone in 8 weeks is an unachievable goal and one that will fail. Instead break your goal down to a more achievable one like “I want to lose half stone in a month. This is an achievable goal and one that you will be more likely to succeed at.
Relevant: Ask yourself the following questions: Is the goal of high importance to you? How will this goal help improve my life?
Time-bound: Timeline to reaching the goal needs to be realistic,as well. too. So, give yourself enough time to achieve your goal, but also set smaller goals along the way. This will keep you motivated and make your end goal achievable
Here are some of my top 3 tips to help you set and successfully achieve your New Year Resolutions.
1. Break your big goals in to small goals, this will keep you on track and motivated.
2. Celebrate every little win along the journey to keep you motivated and ensure you achieve your big goal.
3. Reflect on your progress, this helps you to know how far you have come, when you have a wobble in your journey.
Strawberries and raspberries are high in:
Antioxidants nutrients
Fibre
Helps with weight loss
High in folate
High in micronutrients
Lowers Cholesterol
Ingredients
2 cups of strawberries
3 cups of raspberries
4 tbs chia seeds
1 lemon
2 tbs of maple syrup
Method
Start by adding all the ingredients in a large pan.
Cook the over a low to medium heat for around 10-12 mins.
Once cooked remove from heat.
If there are any big chunks, use a fork to mash them down.
Pour the jam into a jar and let it cool down.
Once cooled, close the jar and place it in the fridge..
This is the perfect showstopper chocolatey dessert, for the festive season. It’s quick and easy to make.
One of my personal favourites, that I make at most special occasions.
Ingredients
Base:
1 packet of Digestive biscuits crushed.
120g unstaled melted butter
28 KitKat fingers.
Cheesecake
500g Cream cheese
100g Icing Sugar
400ml Double Cream.
120g chocolate chips
Topping
100ml Double Cream
100g dark chocolate or chips
Chopped KitKat or chocolate shavings for to decorate.
100ml milk
Method:
Prep an 8 inch baking tin with KitKats around the edges.
Using a food processor blitz the digestive biscuits to fine crumbs.
Now melt the butter and add it to biscuit bowl and mix well.
Place the biscuit mixture into the tin inside the KitKat tower.
Then take a spoon and press the mixture down firmly to secure the KitKats.
For the Cheesecake:
In a bowl add in the double cream and whisk till it becomes thick and smooth.
In a separate bowl add in the cream cheese and icing sugar and whisk until it becomes smooth.
Add the whisked double cream to the cheese cream mixture and whisk again till it becomes smooth and thick.
Now spread the mixture inside the KitKat tower and smooth it over with a spoon.
Place the KitKat tower in the fridge for a minimum of 5 hours to allow it to set.
For the Topping
To a bowl add the double cream and dark chocolate/chips.
Place the bowl inside the microwave for 30 second to let the mixture melt.
Pour the melted mixture over the top of the cheesecake and smooth it over with a spoon.
Add either chopped KitKats or chocolate shavings on the too to decorate the cake.
Finally place the cake in the fridge overnight to allow it to set well.
Let’s talk about the macronutrient FAT
Fat breaks down into fatty acids to provide the body with energy. Apart from being a rich source of energy, it has many of the essential roles in the body:
Provides the body with essential fatty acids.
structural compounds, which body is unable to produce itself and can only get from food.
absorb fat-soluble vitamins.
Creates hormones.
promotes healthy skin and hair.
Essential for brain health, as the brain is composed of 60% fat.
Fats found in the following foods:
Oils – olive, canola, sunflower, vegetable, soybean, sesame, peanut, etc
Dairy: Butter, margarine,
Full fat and 2% dairy &
Eggs.
Meat, poultry and
fish.
Nuts & seeds
Avocado
Trans fats should be cut out or reduced from thr diet. They mostly come from hydrogenating or adding hydrogen molecules to unsaturated fats. It can be found in margarine, shortening, baked goods, doughs, and fried foods.
Large quantities of saturated fat caused high cholesterol levels and increase risk of heart disease. It’s very
beneficial to reduce the amount of saturated fat in diet. Saturated fat is found mainly in animal sources like, fatty beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, lard, cream, butter, full fat cheese, and dairy.
Unsaturated fats are healthy fats and can help with decreasing thr risk of heart disease. They originate from plant sources; avocados, nuts and nut butters, seeds, olives, and oils (olive, canola, safflower etc.). Also found animal products like, fatty fish including salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, and herring.
Let’s talk about carbs
There is a wde perception that carbs are the enemy when it come to weight loss peopletend to cut out carbs from their diet to achieve weight loss and follow low carb diet.
Let me start by dismissing this notion.. carbs are not the Enemy. Of course you should reduce processed and sugary carbohydrates from the diet, for weigh loss and to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The healthier sources of carbs such as wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and pulses are an important integral part of a healthy, balanced diet and ones that will help with weight loss.
Another important point to make is that Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy: They fuel the brain, kidneys, heart muscles, and central nervous system.
Priary functions of carbohydrates
💪 Energy production.
💪 Energy storage.
Building
💪 macromolecules.
💪 Sparing protein.
💪 Assit with lipid metabolism.
Side effects of not eat enough carbs. Limiting Carbs from the diet can cause the body to break down fat into ketones for energy. This is called ketosis. Ketosis can cause side effects such as bad breath, headache, fatigue and weakness
Ingredients
Half cup orange juice
Half lemon juiced
Half cup celery juice
Half lime juiced
Handful of spinich
2 chopped kiwis
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp chia seeds
Pinch of salt
1 tsp honey
Method
Place all the juiced and chopped up ingredients into a blender and blitz till it’s turnd into liquid.
Pour into a glass and serve.
My vegan protein ball recipe is a healthier and tastier alternative and much cheaper the supermarket brands.
It’s quick and easy to make with using only a few ingredients.
Almonds are an excellent source of plant protein and packed with antioxidants. They are low in fat, carbs and calories, whilst high in fibre.
Desiccated coconut is an excellent source of healthy fat, it contains no cholesterol and is poacked with selenium, fiber, copper and manganese.
Ingredients
100g fresh unstoned dates
• 140g soaked almond nuts
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 pinch Sea Salt
50g Dessicated Coconut
Method
In a blender blitz all the ingredients together to a smooth consistency.
Place the mixture into a bowl and allow to cool for 4-6 hours.
Now roll the mixture in your hads and form small balls.
Roll the balls into dessicated Coconut and leave to chill for 2 hours before eating.
Ingredients
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 Red bell pepper
• 1 large onion
• 1 courgette
• 1 aubergine
• 1 tbs olive oil,
• Pinch of Salt and pepper
• 300 – 400g lasagne sheets
• 150g mozzarella
Tomato sauce ingredients
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cans chopped tomatoes
• Hadful of basil leavez
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
white sauce ingredients
• 70g plain flour
• 700ml milk
• 70g butter
Method
Start by Preheating the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Chop up all the veggies and add to a lightly oiled baking tray. Coat the veggies with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place in the tray. Roast the veggies for 30mins until they turn lightly browned.
Remove from over and leave Leave on rack cool down.
How to make tomato sauce.
In a large pan heat the olive oil and add in onions and garlic.
Cook them for 5 mins over a slow heat until softened.
Turning the heat to medium, pour in the chopped tomatoes and bring to boil and then let it simmer for anout 25 mins.
Now add in the basil leaves, take of heat and leave to cool down. Once the mixture is cooled, pour into the processor and blitz till smooth.
How to make the white sauce.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, the. Add and stir in the plain flour. Let this cook for 2-4 mins and then whisking in the milk and bring to boil, while stirring all the way through. Lower the heat and cook till the sauce starts to thicken up.
Preparing the Lasagna
The oven should be preheated at 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Oil the ovenproof lasagna dish lightly.
Add a layer of the cooked vegetables to the dish, then pour over a layer of the tomato sauce. Followed by covering with a layer of lasagne sheets and drizzling a small layer of the white sauce.
Repeat this process until you have three/ four layers of pasta.
Lastly scattering mozzarella cheese over the lasagna till fully covered
Place the the lasagna dish inside the preheated over and bake for 45 minutes, till golden brown.
Lena's Kitchen 