Monday Madness - ENTER THE COOLEST COMP EVER! PLUS IS YOUR MAN A REAL MAN AND MUCH MORE!

Well HELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !
Have you had a great weekend?
Did you go and visit any fab places that you'd love to see featured in the blog? If you did let me know where by clicking  here!
This weekend I went to V Delicious at Olympia - but more about that when I review the show on Thursday..........

COMPETITION.....................
So I promised you a chance to win a super awesome prize this week...........................................and here it is!

YOU can win this great prize worth £69!

YOU can win this amazing prize offered to you by Marlene Watson Tara!

Answer this simple question;
"Who have women described as being more considerate lovers in recent research?"
 and email your answer here. Please put "Natures Way" in the subject header.

The answer is in today's blog!

Closing date for this cool competition is Wednesday 16th July 2014 at midday. The winner will be announced on this blog on Monday 21st July 2014. The winner will also be notified by email.

If you want to discover more about this awesome prize click here for more info.


Only enter IF:

* You know that “diet” is a four letter word

* You want to banish fat from your body forever

* You want to say goodbye to fatigue

* You want to decrease your stress levels

* You would love to increase your self esteem

* You just want your life back on track

Wishing you all the very best of luck!

 F is for

Fig
Fennel
(Okay so its a short list for F and only one of them is presently in season too!)

Figs
Figs are in season form July to October and are grown in Mediterranean countries where you can see them everywhere. They are a great source of fibre, potassium, manganese and iron as well as the vitamins A,B and C. When buying figs in a shop remember that once picked they can not carry on ripening, so only buy ripe fruit. They have an incredibly short fridge life of 1 to 2 days. Figs are delicious served in a number of ways and feature in starters, mains and puds. I love them drizzled with agave syrup, some crumbled pistachios and a little crumbled fresh thyme - yum!

This Week's Recipe

www.preventcancer.aicr.org

Instead of a full on fig recipe I have been asked by a gazillion readers to share a recipe for chocolate caramel lollipops. It is not my own recipe but was one we made at the Dorking workshop with Marlene.

Chocolate Caramel Lollipops
Ingredients (for the caramel)
1 cup pitted soft dates
1 and 1/2 tsp peanut butter or nut butter of your choice
pinch of fine grain seas salt

For the chocolate coating
1/4 cup dairy free and sugar free choc chips ( I have used Plamil chocolate successfully)
1/2 tsp coconut oil

Method
* process dates in food processor until they form a sticky paste
* add the nut butter and salt and process to combine
* scrape out your sticky mixture into a bowl and freeze uncovered for 10 minutes (this is sooooo worth doing as it makes rolling the mixture into lollipops so much easier)
* line a plate with parchment
* with slightly wet fingers shape your mix into small balls. You should get about 20 from the mix
* place plate in the freezer to firm the balls up

* in a small pan melt the choc chips and oil on a very low heat. (I prefer the bain marie method), until 2/3 of the chips are melted.
* remove form the heat and stir the mix until smooth
* get the caramel balls from the freezer and using a cocktail stick dip each one in the mix to completely coat. tap off excess and replace on the parchment paper.
* place the finished balls in the freezer for about 20 minutes until the chocolate is set.

Now enjoy! Bet you cant eat more than 2 in one go!

Myth buster

Real men don't eat vegan or vegetarian!

So, I have heard a gazillion times that real men don't eat meat and that men who don't meat are lousy lovers! Oh so you have heard that too!

I decided that I needed to investigate this story to see how true it is.

Here are my findings:

There are quite a few studies available on this topic and they reveal some startling insights in to how diet affects us on all levels, not just weight.

So on the "lousy lover" front, do non meat eaters do it organically or is there very little difference between them?

I looked at scientific and qualitative studies to find the answers to this much asked question.

* Many meat eating men, according to various studies, believe that they are better lovers because they have "more blood" (!). Yep, they really did say that! Unfortunately for meat eaters it is the opposite. Cholesterol which is only found in animal based diets clogs arteries and veins including the penis. This means that actually meat eating men are 33% more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction and by the age of 65, 1 in 4 will be completely impotent. Furthermore men who eat meat are less likely to look after all areas of their health and may well also smoke and do less exercise which will contribute even more to the problem. 

* An animal based diet decreases energy. Whether it's the fats and toxins that are in meat that are too blame I don't know yet but what is recorded in research is that men who eat plant based diets have much more energy because plant foods convert to energy easily. It is recorded that meat eating men have less energy in and out of the sack.But hey, that might suit some people.........

* Plant based diet eaters tend to be leaner, trimmer and more agile which in studies has been reported as being more attractive. of course we all have our own personal preferences as to what we find attractive.

* Both meat eating and vegan/vegetarian women have described their plant based diet men as being more considerate lovers who take the time to think of their partners needs too. Many likened it to the idea that men who eat meat are selfish because they satisfy their taste buds at the the expense of all the other issues involved. (Recorded by Joan Zacharias)

* A famous porn actress ( and I guess she will have had plenty of experience on this front!) said that vegan/vegetarian men taste better! Apparently they taste sweeter and much less saltier and acidic. 

* In scientific tests women got to smell mens' armpits (eugh). They found that the men who had been given plant based diets consistently smelt "more attractive".  This is probably because meat releases toxins thorough the skins pores.

* Soy is beneficial to sexual health - yes there are some reports out there to the contrary but do check out who actually paid for these reports! In women soy in the diet keeps up the lubrication and in men it is beneficial for prostate health which is the males key sexual organ.If the prostate isn't functioning properly nor will anything else be down there!

In terms of training in the gym again I give you some photos of vegan athletes: 

Jim Morris aged 61

Dave Scott

Vegan athlete of 2013

Rich Roll

So, ladies and gentlemen, draw your own conclusions, I know what mine are.................

Move More Chill A Bit Less

Okay, so my training is now up to 2 hours per session and I am loving it. I am so chuffed with the progress I am making. I have also added in Pilates for extra flexibility and was surprised how my muscle strength is making a huge difference to my form in the Pilates class. 

Did you try a walk 10000 steps a day last week? Why not record what you do and let me know? Do you feel better for moving about more? Does having a target each day may you more connected with your bodies needs?

I really truly hope that you will move more than you did before this week. I know the benefits. I also know that I cant force or nag you to do anything. It is your life and your choice.I do however hope that you will look after your bod' the best you can and reap the rewards.

I hope you have enjoyed todays blog and that you will enter the competition. Please do share the blog with your friends so that they too can join in with us all.

On Thursday I will

*  be reviewing V Delicious

* finding you a great weekend wander

* weekend recipe

* motivation central

* and hopefully Kate will be well enough to write up her £30 challenge.

Spread the word..............................

Love to you all

Janie xxx

PS HAVE YOU ENTERED THE COMPETITION YET?
ENTER NOW!

Thoroughly Thrilling Thursday 02/07/2014

Hey you!

You know what? sometimes I find Oprah Winfrey a bit too sugary for my taste but she got it spot on with the above quote. We can all achieve, whether it's learning a smattering of a new language for a long awaited holiday or getting fit and healthy. No-one who achieves has been handed it on the proverbial plate. They aren't lucky, they worked for it! But that is fabulous news because it doesn't matter who we are, where we live, how much money we have, we can all achieve of we are willing to work for it!

Have a little, but not too long, think about it! Come on lets all shout together "WE CAN DO IT IF WE REALLY WANT TO"

More Marvelous Miso

On Monday we talked about the magic of miso and I promised you a super awesome recipe. Not one that will taste like restaurant dish water but like fragrant, yummy, "can I have some more" Miso soup. It's a really easy recipe, can be made in bulk and stored in a glass jar in your freezer for several days so its always there for you, will freeze well and best of all it is so kind to your body.

Here goes....................

Ingredients

* 1 x 5 inch piece of Kombu (Kombu is a seaweed)

* 1/4 cup shitake mushrooms

* 2 Spring Onions - diced Finely

* Freshly grated ginger juice (grate a good 2 inches or more on a fine grater. then squeeze the juice out)

* 1 heaped tsp miso paste per bowl

To garnish

* chopped coriander                          

* finely sliced spring onion
* toasted seaweed

* gomassio (click here for recipe

Kombu is bought dried

Method

* Soak your piece of Wakame and shitake mushroom in 2 cups of water for about twenty minutes. 

* After twenty minutes, remove form the water (keep the water) and slice mushroom and seaweed finely

* In a soup pan add the scopped items, soaking water and another 4 to 5 cups of water. bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

* Add spring onions and simmer for a further 5 minutes.If you are planning to put some in the fridge or freezer do it now without adding the miso. 

* Remove from heat and using a strainer like a seive or tea strainer place your miso paste in it. Lower into the soup and using a spoon pus the paste through into the soup. Don't boil the soup with miso in or you will kill all the lovely living microorganisms.

put the ginger juice in and stir through.

Shitake are dried too!

Voila!

You now have a basic miso.

Serve with a sprinkle of uncooked spring onion, a few coriander leaves and gomassio.

You can add lovely small pieces of firm tofu to bulk it up.

Why not add some cooked noodles to the bottom of the bowl before pouring in the soup.

NOTE; when you take soup out of the fridge or freezer, heat it through thoroughly. In your soup bowl place a teaspoon of miso. Pour hot soup over and stir. Serve.

The Great Dorks Weekend
"Food is the problem AND food is the answer" by Marlene Watson-Tara

Well I promised you a review if the macrobiotic workshop so here we go.................................

Firstly hello to Marlene, Jane D,Jo, Debbie C, Debbie F, Sharon, Glynn, Vanda, Jill, Zoe, Louise, Arline and last but not least NESTA the Wonder Dog!

The Event was organised by Debbie Flint  who was ably supported by Sharon Harvey.

Our host for the day was Marlene Watson-Tara, the doyenne of Macrobiotic cooking and well-being. She is a macrobiotic practitioner who helps her patients to improve their lives through good nutrition and the the co owner of the Wellness Academy  with her husband the world renowned William (Bill) Tara. With a pedigree like that I figured I would be in for a great day and thankfully I wasn't wrong.

Marlene greeted us all as we arrived at the hall and offered us bancha or green tea to settle us down for the off! I have to say it was delicious and I am a firm believer in using teas as tonics. She also offered us handmade organic almond and pecan nuggets. Believe me once you've tried one of these you wouldn't ever need a bar of choccy again! One nugget gave us the satisfaction of a couple of big bars of fruit and nut and of course it was also nutritionally sound. Believe me one was more than enough to satisfy any sweet cravings - brilliant!

During the morning we discussed the role of balancing our hormones and the biome to be super fit and healthy. There was no phoohey, just Marlene's straight forward common sense approach. For more info about hormonal balance and weight loss and to read Marlene's article. click here.
We then took part in a cookery demonstration - the fragrances were divine! Some ingredients may have looked odd to non experienced vegan macrobiotic aficionados but they soon got the hang of them.
The Lunch Menu was divine;

Miso Soup

Fragrant Crispy Tofu Balls with Lemon/Tahini sauce served on Steamed Greens, Spelt Couscous and topped with Sauerkraut.

Apple Kanten and Date and Nut Chocolate Balls

OMG! Gorgeous or what! Even the meat eaters were bowled over with such great tasting food.. Once you've tried quality macrobiotic food there's no turning back!

Just writing about it is making my mouth water!

In the afternoon we looked at the role of laboratories creating so called food and how many big corporations pay to have research carried out to mock so called alternative ways to eat other than mass produced Frankenstein foods. Of course we also continued to examine the role of macrobiotic diet for good health and avoiding illness.
Mid-afternoon we made daikon tea. Now that raised some giggles! Daikon tea is a fab fat burning tonic but when making it one does get a smell like you do cooking sprouts on Christmas Day! However, when you drink it, it is the most delightful sweet teas and incredibly palatable.

1 tsp to 1 cup of water, boil for approx 20 minutes.
a fab fat burner

We finished with a lively and informative Q and A session which was most useful.
Jo from The Kind Food Company brought along a whole range of foods for attendees to look at, feel and purchase. This was a real bonus for the people there who hadn't come across some of the ingredients before.

 Marlene has true passion, tells the truth without fear, holds your attention the whole time, is a fantastic ambassador for macrobiotic living and a superb cook! On top of that I met amazing people who I would love to meet up with again. Thank you girls and Glynn for making it such a memorable day.

I've already recreated the recipes we made at the workshop and my husband looooooooved it all. (Btw for people who think real mean don't eat this type of food my hubbie is 6'1" of leanness, a runner and a sailor, my son is 6'5" and built like a brick privy and walks miles every day! ).

Marlene's workshops are well worth attending and truly are life changing - just ask Zoe! She runs them mainly from Glasgow but you can approach her to organise an event in another part of the country. She will of course be able to discuss this possibility with you.

Weekend Wanders

You know me I like a good wander at the weekend! i love discovering new places and walking around and learning new things. Nourishes the soul and the mind.

This weekend's suggestion is Eyam in Derbyshire.

You may well know Eyam as it is often referred to as the plague village. A London cotton merchant inadvertently introduced the plague in to the village in August 1665. Eyam means islands. This is really appropriate because the village isolated itself to prevent the plague spreading further.Supplies were dropped at pre-determined points around the village boundaries.

I know that all sounds a bit miserable! (I'm pretty sure it was, I remember watching The Roses of Eyam by Dan Taylor as a little girls), BUT, it is a very pretty village in the divine Derbyshire countryside and forms a huge part of our social history.

Eyam is a thriving place with plenty of stops for eating, drinking and making merry. After lunch why not stroll around the village and see:

* The Cool Stone

* The Plague Cottages

* Eyam Church

* Eyam Museum

* The mightily impressive Jacobean Eyam Hall (1671)

* The Anglo Saxon Cross.

Eyam's Jacobean Hall

One of the plague cottages

The Saxon Cross

Move more chill a bit less

Okay, so you have had it easy lately with marching etc. Its time to up the ante!

This week your challenge is to walk 10000 steps a day. That is a recommended minimum for good health. I can't make you do exercise, you will when you are ready.......but remember exercise gives you power, vitality and a far reduced incidence of serious illness. Unless you are in a coma you are more than capable of moving more and chilling a bit less!! I was watching "A year to save my life" yesterday and a thirty stone woman who was bed bound climbed 27 flights of stairs in one go! So whats your excuse? If you are worried or have concerns about exercise please always consult your doctor.

If you want to know more about moving more, checkout this newspaper article. Once you have read it you can make your own mind up. x

Will You?

Anyway time to sign off now but before I go...............................

On Monday I am launching a BIG competition with a super special prize!
We will be looking at F for...
Weekly recipe
Moving our bods
Real Men Eat Macro/Vegan (wait til you see some of the piccies I've got lined up!)
Kate tries the £30 challenge.

Cant wait ..............................weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
janie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Monday's Marvelous Madness! 30/06/2014 Supporting Your Well Being!

 It's Mooooooooooooooooooooooooonday! Yay! Another week to live life to the full is coming your way! How lucky are we? What an amazing opportunity. 

What can you expect today?
* E is for...........
* Weekly recipe to tickle your taste buds (it involves Edamame Beans!)
* The awesome power of Miso
* The Myth Buster strikes!(Does keeping fit cost a bomb?)
ENJOY!

I Love GYM!
(Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......don't tell my husband!)

Wow! I've had the most amazing week! Four super sweaty gym workouts, some great walks, fab food and a fantastic day in Dorking with fellow Dorks. (More about the Dorks on Thursday!). I can really see my body is looking stronger and I am feeling taller. What a brilliant way to feel about life! This is so wonderful for me as to be fair I have truly had some major downs in my life, some almost destroyed my will to live, but do you know what? A little hope kept sparking within me and kept me going until I was strong enough to take the bull by the horns and grab life back on my terms. And boy have I finally done it!
You may wonder why I'm telling you all this and baring my soul...............................It's because no matter how we appear in public we all have gremlins and knock backs and I want you to know that you can recover from them and deal with them so that you too can live the life you want. You may not believe it but I do know that the answer lays with great food to nourish the body and mind, exercise and my added extra, the love of my Husband,Children and Grandchildren. If you are ready or when you are ready to have a fab life keep referring to this blog and also get some great advice from The Wellness Acadmey. BTW I AM NOT BEING PAID OR GAINING ANY BENEFIT (OTHER THAN THE SAME FAB INFO YOU CAN GET) BY RECOMMENDING THEM. I recommend them out of pure passion and the knowledge that they aren't faddy or out to make money from peoples insecurities. They just offer the truth so that when you are ready you too can join in the "great life club". Can you feel the passion?! Baby, I'm on fire on this one!!!!

soundcloud.com

E is for................

Edamame
Endive
Elderberry
Eggplant (this is a nightshade so approach with caution!)

Beautiful Edamame

Edamame are super foods in my humble opinion! They are full of essential amino acids, great for protein,  low fat and a fab source of fibre. They make a great snack, side dish, appetizer and there are myriad recipes out there to include them as an ingredient.It is normal not to eat the outside shell as it is uber fibrous.
Edamame beans are neither yin or yang foods so will not cause you nutritional distress. Whats not to love?!
Many of you lovely readers may have tried these delicious beans at a japanese restaurant or one of the Japanese food chains but believe me if you make your own at home they take minutes, cost very little and can be pimped to your taste and will taste far superior.
Here's my super quick and easy, super yummy recipe that will enhance to your health and well being;

RECIPE!
Excellent Edamame with Gorgeous Gomassio
Ingredients
Edamame in shells (as many as you want per person, I suggest 100g per person)
Sea salt
For Gomassio
Sea Salt (1 part to 10 parts sesame seeds)
Sesame seeds (white or black)

Method
* Bring a pan of water to the boil with 1 teaspoon of sea salt.Make sure you have enough water to immerse all your beans once water comes to boil)
*Immerse your beans once the water is boiling and cook for about five minutes. Do not leave any longer or they will become mushy, yeuk!
* Remove and drain. If you plan to shell them before you serve place them in ice cold water to stop them cooking any further. When cool shell. otherwise they are ready to serve hot topped with your gorgeous gomassio.
* Whilst your edamame are cooking make your Gomassio.
Gomassio Method
* In a dry heavy based pan toast the sea salt for three minutes. It may go a bit grey but that's fine.
* Remove and add your sesame seeds and toast lightly. Toss regularly to avoid burning. Once they have started popping or have darkened a couple of shades they are ready.
* Remove and mix with toasted salt.
* Using a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder, grind to the texture you know you will love the most.
* Once your lovely beans are ready and are drained, toss them in your mix. I would advise using a teaspoon of Gomassio per two portions. You can always add more toy our own taste but of you put too much on remember you cant take it away!
Notes
* Your Gomassio can be stored in a glass jar in your cupboard quite safely for a good few weeks. Add it to everything!!!!!
* Cooked edamame in shells or podded can be frozen very successfully.
* Keep some in the freezer you have podded so that you make a quick salad or snack.
* If you aren't up to making your own Gomassio you can purchase it online from a wonderful company called The Kind Food Company. They are a small company with a vast range of marvelous macrobiotic foods and more. I love to support them whenever I can.(and yes there is no financial incentive to say this, just the usual Janie Smith Passion to spread the word!).

Edamame snack comparison 
Edamame Beans 100 calories 1/2 cup shelled
Peanuts - 431 calories 1/2 cup
Oreo Biscuit - 1 biscuit 160 calories
Walkers Ready Salted Crisps - 25gm 140 calories
never mind the fat contents!

Myth Busters
As you know I love to go out and disprove myths so that YOU can get to the truth about healthy living. Many reports you read online are sponsored by corporate companies with a vested interest in getting you to believe their take on things. It's the same with nearly all the diet industry cookbooks - they are published to make money from YOU and pray on YOUR worries.

The Myth; I need expensive kit and fancy gym membership to be fit.
The Truth: Well I guess if you want expensive gym kit and fancy gym memberships then you can go buy them but unless you actually wear them and use your membership to its best advantage you wont get healthy!
Now, as you know I train all the time, its a really important part of my life but have I spent a fortune on kit? Hell NO!!! Does my kit look good? I'd like to think so!
So where can you get excellent quality comfortable clothes to train in that don't coast a bomb but look fab?
* your supermarket - my cropped lycra leggings cost me a whole £10 and they go in the wash at least four times a week, don't look any different than when I bought them, fit well and look good!
* I invested in a long length vest top from the shop that rhymes with Harks and Farks for £12. I know you can buy cheaper but again mine goes in the wash daily and hasn't shrunk, faded and looks fab.
* my trainer socks are also a supermarket buy - you know 5 pairs for £3. I have to admit I bought them in pink so they match the trim on my leggings! lol! OK, so I'm quite girly at times!!!
* when it comes to trainers I struck lucky. I take a shoe size 5 so can buy from the kids dept! I bought a fabulously comfortable pair of all round use trainers suitable for the gym floor, walking and classes for £35 and they are NIKE! Even if you have to go in to adult sizes and pay the VAT you do not need to spend a fortune. Just find a pair that feel very comfy and support your feet. Don't be sold on expensive trainers unless you absolutely cant live without them. If you are going running you can get great supportive running shoes for well under £100. I find Asics the most comfortable and supportive for running.
* My water bottle was purchased in Planet organic and has a replaceable water filter in it as well as being made of safe materials so that nasties don't leach in to my water. Okay, it cost me £10 but its worth it for the goodness of my health and I cant even begin to put a price on that. If you do use bottled mineral water when you train please DO NOT REUSE your water bottle. It is really unhealthy to you.

Obviously I have a pink one!
The Bobble Bottle

So I do have gym membership, it costs me £26 a month. I saved a fortune by taking the 9-5 option, 7 days a week. It includes, gym, swim and classes! The gym is better furnished than most of the expensive places, has superb facilities including great showers, loos, locker rooms etc. The fitness trainers are always very happy to help with questions and guidance. In fact its all around brilliant! How is it sooooooo inexpensive? It is owned and run by our local borough council! It doesn't have a fancy brand name! Believe me it's the best gym I've ever been to and believe me I've joined all the highfalutin ones!!!!! If you click on Wimbledon Leisure Centre it will give you an idea just what you could find in your local area without breaking the bank! It has been upgraded since the photos were taken and is now super fab, we even have an Elemis Spa!

Of course if a leisure centre isn't your thing why not go for free exercise like walking, cycling, running, skipping, hiking, playing ball games, tennis, swing ball or join a local ramblers group?

So, I hope I have proved you  need top spend a fortune to be fit and healthy. After all its not the kit and the fancy surroundings that make you fit .......its YOU!

I would loooooove to see your bargain kit, why not send me a pic here. I would only pop it on the website if you expressly agree!

The power of Magical Miso!
After several centuries of being a highly revered food/folk remedy in countries such as Japan, Miso has been recognized by modern medical science as being an essential food for excellent health. It is used regularly for digestive ailments, to treat various cancers, radiation sickness and many intestinal infections. It truly is a super well being food. Miso is a live probiotic food that is completely natural without any added nasties. When it is fermented it creates massive amounts of isoflavines which makes its nutrients more accessible to the the gut and also promotes a healthy pH in your system. When you buy the lab created probiotic drinks you are not eating real food and nor are they very effective.
Miso is
* a complete protein with all your amino acid needs
*  a great source of B vitamins, calcium, iron
*  dairy and wheat free
* low in cholesterol
* high in antioxidants
* less sodium than your table slat
* is known to strengthen your immune system

There are a gazillion sorts out there but if you start with a good Clearspring Organic Hatcho Miso for your savoury needs and the Organic Sweet Miso for your sweet recipes, you are on to a winner for amazingly good health. You can buy some great sachets to take to work too.

In Thursdays blog I will be giving you a super easy miso soup recipe that will taste delicious and not taste like the poohey stuff you get in most restaurants! Trust me it is so fragrant and de - lish - ussss.







Coming on Thursday!
* Review of Macrobiotic workshop with the Dorks!
* Weekend Wanders
* Weekend Recipe - Scrumptious Miso Soup
* Motivation central
* Move More Chill a bit less
* The Feed a family for £30 a week blog challenge!

So, I'm revved up to face this weeks' challenges and emerge with a triumphant smile on my face - I hope you are too.My mate gym will be calling along with a food prep session to fill the freezer with awesomeness!
What are doing ? Id love to hear from you! I know you are out there, the data tells me so and so do you! I would love to create a readers gallery for when we move over to the new layout on wordpress. Why not be part of it?
Contact Janie - go on, be brave, I don't bite!

If we don't "speak" before Ill see you all on Thursday.have a happy healthy week and don't forget to share the love and passion.
Much love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxjaniexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Monday Madness 09/06/2014 - Another week dawns!

Monday Madness 09/06/2014

In this Mondays blog:

* free legal high (I mean endorphins!)

* Wimbledon strawberries

* parents arrested over obese child

* B is for.......

* your weekly recipe

* rumour busting

* move more chill a bit less

* dear diary, the countdown begins

Wow! Where has the week gone?. Is it really a week ago I was bouncing off the walls with excitement at the official first blog entry being published? At this rate it will be Christmas again soon!!(aghhhhh!)

Okay, so how has your week been?

Did you make time to move more?

Did you try out the MM recipe?

BTW if you want some inspiration for getting moving ladies you must check out Jessie Pavelka. I'm pretty certain he could get most of you interested in fitness! Just go and check him out (jus sayin')

My free legal high!

So this week I have been crazy in the gym. It might sound sad but the feeling of happiness when I've had a damned good sweaty workout at the gym is incredible. Of course its also scientifically proven as we release endorphins which give us a free and legal high! I'm really chuffed that my “standing up” cycling on the spinning cycle, (no not the washing machine!), is getting longer and longer. Its going to help my legs, bum and waist! Yay! Its lovely to come out of the gym and feel happier and more energetic than when I went in. You have to give exercise a go, you’ve got nothing to lose. Note: if you are new to exercise etc. do consult your GP first.

Wimbledon Strawberries

As some of you may know I live in Wimbledon. We aren’t far form the tennis and the town is def gearing up for Wimbledon fortnight which begins on the last week of June. Strawberries will be everywhere oh, and Cliff Richard look alikes singing down at Wimbledon train station! 

Pic courtesy of velojoy

I love strawberries but you know the Lawn Tennis Association thinks they can only be eaten with cream. For the Wimbledon fortnight blog I would love to publish your recipes and ideas of how you use strawberries. Feel free to send pics and ant anecdotes too to mrsjesmith@outlook.com.

In the news this week I spotted a report about a mother and father who are being investigated by the police for child cruelty. Their son who is eleven years old, 5'1” and weighs 15 stone has a BMI of 48. I’m not really sure what to make of this. I would love to know what you think and am really interested to hear your viewpoint. Please comment below at the end of this blog. Thank you.

To read more on this story go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-27730696     

Is for

berries ( a gazillion varieties!)beetroot

butternut Squash

brussels

bamboo

banana

broccoli

burdock

beans galore

balsam apples

balsam pears

broad beans (in season! right now)

As broad beans are in season and because they are yummy and under rated this weeks' recipe features them. This a recipe I have made oodles of times because quite simply its delicious! The original comes from Angela Hartnet but I've modified it a little. It is a warm salad but is delicious cold too.

I love this courgette photo. It is here courtesy of jandlseeds.com

Broad Bean and Courgette Salad. (serves 4)

Ingredients

4 large courgettes

200 g broad beans out of the pods. (tbh you can use frozen!)

1 tbsp olive oil

10 walnut halves, chopped

The dressing ingredients

half tbsp white wine vinegar

25 ml olive oil

salt/pepper

Method

*Whisk the dressing ingredients together and set aside.

*Slice the courgette in to half cm slices

*Heat oil in saute pan and add courgettes to cook for around five minutes (no more, you want them with some bite and not soggy)

*Put your broad beans in boiling water and cook for three minutes. Drain and peel if you are using fresh. Add to the pan with the courgettes.

*Add walnuts and stir dressing through whilst the salad is still warm.

Eat and marvel at how delish this is!

Myth Buster!

This weeks myth is one I heard sooooo many times when I was a weight loss leader so I thought it would be a good one to address!

The Rumour: My body is in starvation mode so I can't lose weight.

The facts: if I had a pound for every time I was told this at the scales I'd be super rich by now.

The fact is it's a myth. If you are not losing weight or are gaining weight its not because you haven’t eaten enough, it's because you've eaten more calories than you've burned. It is so rare that there is any other cause I'm afraid. Simple. This is usually caused by miscalculating your energy intake so you need to be careful and honest with yourself when adding up your energy in and energy out.

So you've heard that low calorie diets slow down your metabolism so that must be why you aren't losing weight. Okay, it may slow down a little but not enough to prevent you losing weight.

I'm not trying to be funny but you only have to look at the devastating effect of people unfortunate to live in countries where they really are starving. Have any of them kept their original body weight on? No!

So, sorry everyone but this one is a myth! Just be really careful to make your sums balance if you are trying to reduce body weight.

Move More Chill a bit less!

How are you feeling after a week of marching? Revitalised and raring to try something new I hope?

So this week how about getting yourself outside and take a walk around the park or even around the block? Try doing it every day and you will soon be walking further and who knows you may start running in the future. Maybe you could walk to collect the children/grandchildren from school? You could stop at the park on your way home and play with the kids. Walking is great for our lady bones. It helps to keep them strong which is of course essential for us girls. It will also help to tone your body. A toned body had more muscle and more muscle means that your body burns calories more effectively.

So, healthy bones, heart, toned body, the ability to burn energy more effectively – how can that not be motivation enough to get moving more and chilling a bit less? YOU can do it, I believe in you!

Illustration : www.letswalkmore.com

Dear Diary - The Countdown Begins!

Dear Diary will begin in on the 25^th of June and feature every fortnight. I've got a great diarist lined up for you whose them is going to be about how to have a healthy family on a budget and boy does she know exactly what she's talking about. I know you’re going to enjoy it and naturally there will be plenty of humour involved!

I have loved working on this Mondays blog and I really hope that you have enjoyed reading it too. My dream is that you have been inspired to go and make some small changes towards getting a healthier life that you want! cant wait for next week!

Janie xxxx

Weekend woes or wonderful weekends?

SMILE!
It's almost the weekend!

Yipee! Its Thursday, hump day has passed and the weekend is ever closer.
Weekends can be wonderful - a time to recharge, catch up, spend time with your loved ones or see a film at the local cinema.
Weekends can also be a little worrying for most of us as somehow or other we find ourselves more likely to fall off the wagon (I'm not just talking drinkypoos here!). Somehow we just lose it and sabotage our great weekday efforts.
I've had a think and also spoken to friends who manage to avoid the weekend woes. here are some of their ideas.

Avoiding Weekend Woes
* What is it that makes you fall off the wagon? make a list and see if you can find alternative ways of doing things.
* Create family time. get outside and play footie (yes women are better at football than men)n, chase the kids around the park, visit a museum, the list is endless and much of it is FREE!
* If you adore cooking like my friend who spends all day Saturday cooking why not try out some super duper new healthy recipes. You wont be disappointed and nor will your family. ( have you tried the great recipe from Mondays blog post yet?!)
* If you like to workout but find it more difficult at the weekends, get down the gym early on Saturday morning, shower and change after and your ready for the rest of the weekend.
* Be active, wash and wax the car yourself. it will save money and work those arms!
* Dine out just the once.
* If you blow it by mistake then do some extra movement to compensate.

I hope these ideas will inspire you!
What do you do to prevent the sabotage? id love to hear what you do so we can share your success and pass it on to others.

Thought for the weekend
"Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness" (Edward Smith-Stanley)
(Did you know that this guy was British Prime Minister three times? I am a geek, be warned!)
So, I hope you have a brilliant and healthy weekend and don't forget to thoroughly enjoy it!
Janie xxxx

Monday Madness! June 2nd 2014

Are you ready?
No, I cant hear you! Are you ready?!
Yes? Well let,s go!




Monday will be the biggest blog of the week so what can you expect?
Every week
A-Z of fruit and veg
Diet Myth buster
Move more!
Nutrition made easy
Recipe of the week

Fortnightly
Dear Diary

Monthly
Seasonal eating Chart
Expert in the spotlight

Soooooooooooooo lets get going!

is for
apple
amaranth
artichoke
achoccha
anise
arrowroot
arrugula (rocket)
asparagus
atemoya
apricot
and my absolute fave, AVOCADO

So why do I love the avocado so much?
They are awesomely versatile and incredibly yummy but not only that they really are a gift from nature.
It has its own creamy flavour and texture and can be used in sweet and savoury dishes.
Its mostly eaten raw but I also love it warm as a veggie burger topping and in pasta.Only gently warm it though because it will become inedible!
It is super rich in monounsaturated fat, around 9.8 g per 100 g and a reasonable source of protein at  2  mg per 100 g. Mother nature has packed it full of vitamins and minerals
Studies have shown that the Hass avocado is brilliant at reducing harmful cholesterol levels and that can only be good!
So how can we introduce this awesome fruit in to our diets?
salads and salsas
smoothies
in pancakes - yum!
tostadas
as a sandwich filling
in sushi
with pasta
cupcakes
brownies
dips
and the list goes on!
I'd love your recipes please!

An unusual but scrumptious recipe for you to try!
Key Lime Pie (Serves 6)(240 kc per serving)

Filling
2 ripe avocado
2 tbsp raw honey (any will do if you don't have raw)
2 tablespoons of lime juice (yum)
1/2 cup coconut oil
* Blitz all the ingredients together for your filling and set aside.



Base
1/2 cup of finely ground almonds
1/2 cup dates (do not soak)
pinch of sea salt (please don't use table salt)
a few dried chilli seeds if you like a light kick
* Blitz the base ingredients together and press in to your tin (line it)

Spoon the filling over the base and place in your freezer for an hour or so.
remove and eat!!!!!

Top Tip
You can make these as individual portions using muffin cake cases. Freeze to avoid too much temptation
This is not meant for everyday eating but its a great one to wheel out when you want to impress your friends!


This weeks diet myth busted just for you!
Is fat our enemy?

The rumours:
*fat is bad
*fat makes you fat
*very low fat diets are healthy
*there's no such thing as a healthy fat

I set to work to find out the truth because quite frankly I'm sick of all the scare mongering that goes on and I want to know the truth so that I can make informed decisions about my own health.

So fats can be simplistically put in to four main groups:
*saturated
*cholesterol
*Monounsaturated
*Polyunsaturated

The first thing to note is that we have to have fats in our diet - we cant live without it.But it is also fair to note that all fats are not equal!

So, research suggests that some fats are good for us - they can help reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease, help nerve and brain function, assist the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins vitamins A,D and E, create subcutaneous fat to regulate our body temperature and are crucial for fetal development.
The fats identified as good fats are mono and polyunsaturated. we can find these in veg oils, fish oils, nuts, seeds, whole grain wheat for example. (Oh and not forgetting this weeks featured fruit , the good old avocado). These fats provide Omega 3 and 6 which we must have to live.
Saturated fats are those we need to be wary of. Excess consumption is linked to serious diseases such as cancers and cardiovascular disease and who the heck wants to encourage that?! saturated fats are dirt cheap and that's why they get thrown in processed foods! a diet high in convenience foods will be high in killer saturated fats.
Cholesterol is found in animal products.
A healthy amount of healthy oils per day is 1-2 teaspoons.

So, concentrate on your healthy fats, cut down or eliminate processed "foods" and bobs your uncle!
Verdict! fat is our enemy       (not if you don't abuse it!)

Move more chill a bit less!
I keep hearing people tell me that they hate exercise and they don't do any. Well bad news buster, you better start liking it or its gonna make you ill with all that lounging about. As the saying goes "if you cant make time to exercise , you better make time to be ill". Not a good thought eh?
Now, I looooove exercise it makes my body lean, strong and lets me live my life properly. I also appreciate that it can be a hard habit to get in to. But one thing I'm sure of is that if I promised you a night of passion with Johnny Depp, (or whoever your crush is),if you just walked around the block for ten minutes, you could do it!! So that tells me this is largely due to motivation!
People tell me they are too fat to exercise, ( bet you aren't), too embarrassed, (why? you are as entitled to want to improve your life as anybody else), too expensive ,( well I think some of the best ways to exercise are free), they feel intimated ( hell no! you are as good if not better than anyone else out there).
Frankly, and I am going to be brutal these are excuse we invent for not doing something. We all do it in one or other walks in our life so you're not evil or bad or anything, we just need to get past it and find ways to deal with them.
I love being outside, being in the gym or whatever but that didn't happen overnight. I took small steps but pretty quickly I became fitter and more confident. This isn't about body size its about you feeling great.

So what can you do this week to have the life you want?
How about exercising indoors by getting up and marching gently each time the adverts come on the TV? (or if you watching BBC get up every 15 minutes and march for 3 minutes?) Before you know it you will want to jog gently  on the spot or even run or skip. I know that you can do this and you can build your new well oiled machine so that life is fabulous! PS do consult your GP before starting any new exercise programme.

Taken form the Wolfson museum blog

photo taken from web md

So this week I am looking forward to hearing what you have done to move more and if you are a seasoned exerciser I would love to hear what your routine was this week. Come on girls, lets share our successes and motivate ourselves and others who might be struggling a bit right now!



Your next blog is on Thursday so keep your eyes peeled!
Really looking forward to hearing from you all, and enjoy the wonderful body you have been blessed with!
Janie xxxx