Thursdays Thriller! 17/07/2014 Hot & bothered, faking it, indoor skiing and an awesome guest blog!

Times of India

Okay, so I usually post the blog in the morning but to be honest it's been sooooo wonderfully hot today I couldn't face being stuck over a hot laptop in my office. I decided it would be much better to do the finishing touches in the evening once it cooled down a little. Now I don't know about where you are but it's still really hot here even at this time! If you haven't been lucky enough to have the awesome temperatures that are going on down here, at least you can sleep comfortably at night!

Are you good at faking it?!!!!!!!
Cook your own weekend "Fake Away"!

Weekends are great for socializing and eating. Whats great is that you don't have to eat like an unhealthy couch potato to still enjoy yourself. In fact you can eat well, save money and cook for your friends and impress them! Its really tempting to pick up the menu form the local delivery fast "food" outlet, but you know by the time you have all attempted to decide what to order, made the call and waited for the food to arrive, you could be cooking up the best fake away ever! (Oh and it will cost under £5 to feed four people).

I love this recipe from the Canadian Living website. Its a real fave among friends and of course you can swap the veg around etc.It also comes in at an awesome 239 calories per serving! your average takeaway is going to be closer to a 1000!

Spicy Tofu with Green Beans

Ingredients

• 1 pkg extra-firm tofu, cut in 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) corn flour or kuzu
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (light and dark green parts separated)
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) minced fresh ginger
• 1/3 tsp (1 ml) hot chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
• 450 g green beans, trimmed (about 6 cups)
• 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp (10 ml) sodium-reduced soy sauce

Method

Gently toss tofu with cornstarch to coat. In wok, heat oil over medium-high heat; fry tofu, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towel-lined plate.

Drain all but 2 tsp oil from wok. Add garlic, light green parts of green onions, ginger and hot pepper flakes; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add tomato paste; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add green beans, broth, 1/4 cup water, hoisin sauce and soy sauce; stir-fry until green beans are tender-crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tofu and green parts of green onions; stir-fry until coated and heated through, about 1 minute.

Notes: This is delicious served with fluffy brown basmati rice with just a dash, and I mean a couple of pin pricks, of sesame oil swirled through it.

Try swapping the green beans with aubergine or pak choi.

Weekend Wanders and move more chill a bit less - a great combo!

Carrying on with ideas to do at the weekend whilst improving fitness as a really nice bonus this I thought some of you might want to cool down form the heat! So lets go dry slope skiing!

So you think 'a crazy idea? Well read on a minute before you dismiss the idea completely.

There are indoor slopes all over the country which makes it a highly accessible activity. These centres are suitable for beginners and advanced skiers alike. Its miles cheaper to ski indoors than many activities and its great for your m ind and body! people who spend an average day skiing burn around 3000 calories off per day, your entire body will tone up as skiing is just the best all around work out, it boosts your immunity, can help to relieve depression and improve your cardio vascular health to boot! Oh talking about boots, if you are going to tell me you cant try this because you don't have any kit, that's fine - the centres all hire kit for really reasonable rates.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Life is for living not existing, so go out and try something new! If its not for you then hey, you dont have to go again.

Suggestion: why not get a bunch of friends together and book a day at the slopes?

To find out where your local centre is click here . This will take you to a comprehensive UK wide list.

This Week's Super Awesome Guest Blog - Yay!

I have known Claire's husband for more years than I can care to remember - we were friends at school! Claire shares my passion for healthy living and is what I would describe as a "real woman" i.e. she knows what it feels like to be a yo-yo dieter and not always having the will to get moving and exercising. Together Claire and her husband Graham, ( an Iron Man athlete these days , dontcha know!), have turned their lives around. I asked Claire what three key things she felt a woman could do to achieve a healthier life. Luckily for me she agreed to write for the blog!
Claire and Graham are 99% vegan, however because we know some people are still trying to switch over to vegetarian/vegan diets for their health she has talked about dairy foods.

So...................... without further ado, here is Claire's article, enjoy.

The Three Best Things a Woman Can Do For a Healthier Life.

by

Claire Smedley

(ok, Claire is a really beautiful woman but the blog refuses to show her photo - damned technology!)

I believe these three things are fundamental to achieving your personal wellness goals and the following is exactly what I discuss with every new client who comes to me with a goal of wanting to improve their diet, health & lifestyle in some way; whether it be more energy, to obtain & maintain a healthy weight or improving their sports performance.

So, firstly, why do we need better nutrition solutions?

On the whole, we have increasingly poor nutrition and diet and this combined with other modern lifestyle factors such as stress and pollution could increase the risks of a variety of health problems.

So how did this happen?

In a nutshell, modern life! The increase of technology and packaged foods, our dependence on motor transportation rather than walking, our sedentary lifestyles and our busy schedules that leave us little time for exercise and to prepare healthy meals has led to an increase in weight gain across populations, which in turn may lead to the development of problems in later years.

Today, many of us are not getting what experts consider essentials for optimal wellness in terms of diet, exercise or lifestyle habits. Poor nutrition choices can lead to increased health risks including:

• Weakened immune system, leading to more frequent infections

• Weak bones

• Weakened muscles and poor skin tone, leading to premature aging

• Becoming overweight can lead to serious health conditions

Ensuring your body gets good nutrition can help to keep many health risks at bay and the three main things you can do to improve your nutrition levels and health are:

1. Balance your diet

You need to get enough of the right foods including colourful fruits and vegetables, protein, good carbohydrates and just enough good fats for the taste you want. You may also wish to consider vitamins, minerals and fibre from dietary supplements to provide the nutrition that may be missing from your diet that your cells need to maintain good health.

2. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise helps you look and feel your best. Exercise conditions your heart, relieves stress and makes it easier to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

3. Drink plenty of water

Your body is about two-thirds water. In an average day, you lose at least one pint of water even without excessive sweating. To feel your best, you should drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, more if you are exercising.

1. Balance your diet

This really is the crucial element of the three – you cannot out-exercise a bad diet, so getting this correct will make the biggest difference to your future health & wellness.

• The power of protein:

Protein is important for helping to build and maintain lean muscle mass. . Limit high-fat protein foods such as full-fat cheeses, high fat cuts of red meats, sausages and full-fat dairy products. Protein should make up approximately 30% of your daily diet. It’s also important to ensure you eat an adequate amount of protein relative to your own body – roughly 0.7 grams per 1lb of body weight, which must be spread throughout the day in each meal & snack, as the body can only breakdown and utilise about 30g at a time.

• Good Grains:

Wherever possible choose whole grain, complex carbohydrates over sugary, starchy ones. Whole grains are made up of an outer shell of fibre, an inner portion rich in starch and a germ centre rich in protein. Try to consume up to 3 servings per day of whole grain products such as 100% whole grain breads and pasta, brown rice and cereals such as rolled oats and shredded wheat. These supply more vitamins, minerals and fibre than refined grain products. You should get 25 grams of fibre per day from a combination of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Getting enough fibre is crucial for bowel regularity and normal colonic function.

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• Good fats:

Healthy fats that naturally occur in nuts, avocados and olive oil are some of the healthiest fats you can consume. Ocean-caught fish also provides healthy fats, (Omega 3) that may help to maintain a healthy heart when eaten three to four times per week as part of a healthy balanced diet. Good fats are also needed for the normal development and functioning of the brain. Deficiency of essential fatty acids can lead to an impaired ability to learn and recall information.

Butter, margarine, oils, mayonnaise and foods rich in fats such as salad dressings, sauces and gravies should be limited. Add just enough for taste, rather than completely covering food. A few nuts or some slices of avocado can add a lot of flavour to vegetables or salads with less fat than rich sauces or dressings.

• Dairy products:

Milk protein is a high-quality protein that can be helpful in balancing your diet for optimum wellness. If you are sensitive to the milk sugar lactose, you can find lactose-reduced dairy products. You can also substitute for soy products without losing any key nutrients. Look for low-fat and non-fat dairy products and stay away from full-fat dairy products. Dairy products also tend to be high in calcium and vitamin D.

Calcium is needed for muscular growth and contraction and for the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth.

Lack of vitamin D is associated with an increased risk of a number of common aliments of aging.

• Vitamins, Minerals & Phytonutrients:

Vitamins, minerals and trace elements (or micronutrients) play a vital role in cell function and are essential for our growth, development and overall health.

• Vitamins cannot be made by the body in sufficient amounts so must be obtained from a varied diet. There are 13 vitamins we must obtain from food to assist the growth and repair of skin, bone, muscle and many other body processes.
• Minerals and trace elements are essential for the maintenance and control of many body functions, including the production of enzymes and hormones. There are 16 minerals that we need in order to keep us healthy.
• Antioxidants are substances that can help protect our cells from the effects of free radicals. These are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, and also from environmental damage such as pollution, smoking and some chemicals. Free radicals can negatively affect our health.
• Phytonutrients are plant-based nutrients which give fruits and vegetables their colours. It’s important to consume a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables each day to benefit from their nutritional properties. To get the most benefit out of your 5-a-day, your five portions should include a variety of fruit and vegetables because different fruits and vegetables contain different combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Basically try to include fruits & vegetables daily from a mix of the colour groups, some examples of which are:

• Orange-yellow: Oranges, tangerines, peaches, papayas, nectarines
• Orange: Carrots, mangos, apricots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes
• Red: Tomatoes and tomato products, pink grapefruit, watermelon
• Green: Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, bok choy
• Red-purple: Red grapes, plums, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries
• Yellow-green: Spinach, avocado, honeydew melon,
• Yellow: corn, green peas
• White-green: Garlic, chives, onions, celery, leeks, asparagus

Getting the right nutrients:

There are many types of vitamins, minerals and other types of nutrients that can be used to achieve excellent personal nutrition. The chart can help you identify some of the key vitamins and minerals that you could benefit from or those that you may not be getting enough of in your diet.

Vitamin/Mineral	Contributes to:	Food Sources
Vitamin A/Beta-carotene	Normal vision, skin, immune function	Spinach, leafy green vegetables, carrots, broccoli, apricots, milk and breakfast cereals
Vitamin D	Bone health	Milk and breakfast cereals, salmon, sardines
Vitamin E	Protects cells from oxidative stress	Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, cereals
Vitamin K	Contributes to normal blood clotting	Green vegetables, milk
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamin)	Helps release energy from foods; healthy nervous system	Whole and enriched grain products, dried beans, meats
Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin)	Helps release energy from foods	Milk, mushrooms, spinach, whole grains
Vitamin B-3 (Niacin)	Helps release energy from foods	Mushrooms, bran, fish, chicken, beef, peanuts, enriched grains
Vitamin B-6	Helps body to process proteins; healthy nervous system	Meats, fish, poultry, spinach, broccoli, bananas, sunflower seeds
Folic Acid	Normal blood formation and cell division	Green leafy vegetables, orange juice
Vitamin B-12	Healthy nervous system	Animal foods (not naturally in plants), cereals and other fortified foods
Vitamin C	Collagen formation for normal bones and cartilage	Citrus fruits, strawberries, green leafy vegetables, peppers, tomatoes, kiwi fruit
Potassium	Healthy nervous system	Spinach, squash, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, melons, dried beans, milk, whole grains
Calcium	Healthy nervous system; healthy bones and teeth	Milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, leafy vegetables and some fortified foods (such as orange juice)
Copper	Normal immune and nervous system	Beans, nuts, whole grains
Iron	Normal red blood cells and immune system	Meats, seafood, whole grains, broccoli, peas, bran
Magnesium	Normals muscle and nervous system function	Wheat bran, green vegetables, nuts, chocolate, beans
Selenium	Helps protect cells from oxidative stress	Meats, eggs, fish, whole grains
Zinc	Normal hair and nails	Seafood, meats, greens, whole grains

Given today’s busy schedules, unfortunately, it’s not always possible for us to get the right balance of all the nutrients we need from our daily diet. Supplements may help to ensure that you receive the essential vitamins, minerals and other vital nutrients. Taking a good quality multivitamin daily is a great way to make sure you receive the minimum amounts of a variety of nutrients. It’s also an excellent foundation on which to build a personalised supplementation programme.

2. Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise is vital for good health and wellness. Exercise has many health benefits including managing your weight, maintaining strong bones and muscles and helping to reduce stress. It can also help your digestive system function much better; therefore enabling your body to make the best use of the nutrition you are taking in.

Physical activity can be divided into two types:

• Aerobic exercise involves large muscle movements over a sustained period of time and includes activities such as:

• Running

• Fast walking

• Aerobic exercise classes

When you make aerobic activity a part of your regular routine, your heart and cardiovascular system become much healthier. In addition, your mood improves, because exercise relieves stress and tension.

• Anaerobic exercise builds new muscle and includes activities like:

• Lifting weights

• Resistance training

Only 20 minutes of anaerobic exercise per day can make a dramatic change in your body’s shape and condition. Muscle mass helps protect bone mass, which is especially important for women.

Powering your muscles:

The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you can burn – even when you’re not exercising!

• Each pound of lean body mass burns about 14 calories a day

• Each pound of fat tissue burns about 2 calories a day

The rate at which you burn calories depends on your resting metabolic rate, or it is often referred to as your ‘metabolism’. Increasing your metabolism through exercise makes the process of maintaining weight easier.

Building lean muscle mass through exercise can help to reshape your body in the way you choose.

Consuming low-fat protein daily can help you build lean muscle mass. Without adequate protein intake, your body will take protein from existing muscle. Eating protein after each workout will help your muscles repair and recover.,

Examples of moderate amounts of physical activity to integrate into your daily life:

Common Chores	Sporting Activities
Washing and waxing a car for 45‑60 minutes	Playing volleyball for 45‑60 minutes
Washing windows or floors for 45‑60 minutes	Playing football leisurely for 45 minutes
Gardening for 30‑45 minutes	Walking 1.75 miles in 35 minutes (20 min/mile)
Raking leaves for 30 minutes	Bicycling 5 miles in 30 minutes
Walking 2 miles in 30 minutes (15 min/mile)	Dancing fast for 30 minutes
Shovelling snow or digging for 15 minutes	Swimming laps for 20 minutes
Stair walking for 15 minutes	Running 1.5 miles in 15 minutes

Less Vigorous,

Did you

Getting started:

If you haven’t exercised before, or have been out of shape for a while, the key is to start slowly, and work your way to longer, more active workouts. Over training or doing too much, too soon can lead to strains and injury. When you’re limited for time or not a fan of the gym:

• Try parking your car further away from your workplace and get a brisk walk in each day
• Take the stairs, not the lift
• You can count the exercise you get which is a normal part of your day e.g. gardening or chores around the home.
• Join a local sports team or group fitness class – exercising with others makes it more fun and you forget you’re doing it.

The key is to find the exercise that fits best into your lifestyle and make sure you have fun!

3. Drink Plenty of Water

Next to air, water is the element most necessary for survival. Your body is made up of approximately 60% water. Drinking plenty of water is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight and a nutritious diet. Water plays an essential role in helping your body process nutrients, maintain normal circulation and keep the proper balance of fluids.

Most of the chemical reactions that happen in our cells need water and we also need water to enable our blood to carry nutrients around the body.

You will lose at least 1.7 litres of water each day through the normal living functions of the body – eating/digestion, breathing, perspiring, going to the toilet etc.

Low water intake can result in the body being in a constant state of mild dehydration which can lead to:

• Migraines
• Constipation
• Muscular cramps
• Blood pressure increase
• Kidney problems
• Dry skin / dry mouth

So how Much Water is Enough?

As a general guideline, try to drink 2 litres of water a day and then when you exercise, you’ll need to drink more to replace water lost through sweat. Try keeping a sports bottle with you to help you stay hydrated while you exercise. If you are unable to sip a drink during exercise, drink at least 2 glasses after every 30 minutes of workout to replenish your fluids.

You can usually trust your sense of thirst to let you know when you need to drink. Your sense of thirst, combined with

simply paying attention to how many glasses of water you’ve had in a day can help you to keep your body hydrated.

Because of their calorie content, soft drinks and fruit juice are not good choices for replacing lost fluids if you are trying

to lose fat or manage your weight. Try adding just a splash of fruit juice or a slice of lemon or lime to a glass of water if

you don’t like the taste of plain water.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So what should you do now?

Steps you can take to achieve optimum health:

• Define your wellness goals – fat loss, increased energy, better fitness etc

• If possible have an evaluation of your current nutrition & lifestyle to identify key areas you need to change.

• Make a plan of action that you can commit to long term.

• Get on-going support to stay on track to a healthier future.

“The goal of having great nutrition and achieving optimum wellness is simple: to live healthier and feel better every day.”

Claire Smedley is a qualified Diet & Nutrition Advisor (SAC Dip Diet & Nutrition), Wellness Coach and Herbalife Independent Distributor. Previously overweight, unhealthy & a yo-yo dieter she was able to make the changes necessary to achieve her own healthy active lifestyle, and has spent the 12 years since that change helping others achieve their own wellness & nutrition goals through nutritional education, coaching and the Herbalife nutritional products. She works alongside her husband Graham, also previously overweight and unhealthy , now an ultra-endurance athlete.

More information can be found at: www.smedley-wellness.co.uk


Motivation Central

We all know how it feels, some days we bounce out of bed and some days we want to hide from the world. I have found that its the days when I don't feel so inclined to eat well and go down the gym that I actually do the best workouts and feel proud of myself. You know how it goes - you feel crap so you do nothing all day but sabotage your hard work - one thing is for certain you don't feel happier because you caved in! Someone once said to me that just because you drop your i-phone on the floor  and lightly scratch it doesn't mean you are going to stamp on it and break it, so why do that to yourself?
If you feel good 30% of the time you will only get 30% of the results you could have had.
No matter how you feel take my word for it getting yourself moving will lift your spirits no end and make you want to eat healthily too.
                                                                        YOU CAN DO IT! 

Coming on Monday

* Are you the blog comp winner? the winner is announced.
* H is for....
* Monday Munchies Recipe
* Myth Busting
* Plus loads more!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend wherever you are and whatever you are doing..............
As always, much love
Janie xxxxxx

Here to support your healthy lifestyle..

Monday Madness 13/07/14 - OOOOOOH! I could crush a grape! (or freeze one!)

BLOG COMP CLOSES SOON! BLOG COMP CLOSES SOON!BLOG COMP CLOSES SOON!

Wahay!

What a wonderful week! Lots of training, saw my sister and nieces and of course as per my wonderful children have been in my life all week.
Competition entries are piling in - have you entered yet? If you've missed the excitement you better check the blog for more details!
I've finally sorted out the guest bedroom which means my aero pilates machine is back up and in use. It's a fantastic antidote to the gym, (which I looooove), because it still tightens up the wobbly bits but also gets you to stretch beautifully so that you become really flexible - I can't argue with those benefits! I usually get on the machine, no special clothing required, switch on a bit of LBC or Radio 4 and work out. Yay!

Aero Pilates Machine

ONLY TWO AND HALF DAYS LEFT TO ENTER!

Yep, tempus fugit and all that - there are now only two and a half days left to enter the super blog comp and win the best prize ever - in fact a truly life changing plan. Forget all about gastric bands and dangerous eating fads to get yourself "healthy". Lose weight and stay slim for the rest of your life with our  perfect prize.

to find out more click here

How to enter
Answer the following question: Who do women say are the most considerate lovers?
Clue: check through the article from last Mondays blog for the answer! here is the article.

Email your answer to comp blog by clicking here
Please write "comp" in the title - good luck

is for:
Grapes
Garlic
Galangal (Thai Ginger)
Guava
Grapefruit
Greengage
Gooseberry
Galia melon
Garbanzo (chick peas)
Gourds

I thought I would focus on grapes this week because in my humble opinion grapes are a super food!
Grapes are a unique blend of sweetness and tartness that satisfy the sweetest of teeth and when we are trying to avoid simple sugar that can only be a good thing.

Grapes come in two varieties - table and wine. It is the table grapes that we eat.They are fantastic in sweet and savoury dishes. Have you ever tried popping grapes into a curry? yum!

They are really rich in essential phytonutrients especially reservatrol which is linked to longevity. Have you also noticed that it pops up as a premium skincare ingredient? They are low GI and provide you with optimal nutrition and minimal calories.

A serving is classed as 15-20 grapes, so when you are eating all those grapes absent mindedly when visiting a relative in hospital, you have probably eaten a days allowance of fruit! A recommended allowance for the day regarding fruit is 3 portions. This is because fruit is naturally high in sugars and can be a diabetics nightmare. As with everything we are talking "balance".

Before consuming always wash in cold water and dab dry gently. Where possible buy organic.

Frozen Grape Recipe

stylish cuisine

Actually I feel rather cheeky calling this a recipe, in truth it's a quick assemblage!!!
This is actually a non recipe but it is so worth sharing.It might sound wierd but trust me its so worth trying.
If you do these grapes , you will have a ready made snack that tastes like delicious ice lollies without all the additives and nasty sugars!

Method!
Wash and dry grapes. Place in a bag and pop in the freezer. - ready!

The Myth Buster Strikes Again!

Okay, so I've been hearing all the diet and health related rumours again this week and have sought one out to investigate just for you!

Panic! Its 8 o' clock and I haven't eaten yet!

The rumour; If you eat after 8 o' clock at night you will store extra fat!

I'm sure you have heard this one, though sometimes you are told i'ts six o clock or not to eat certain food types after 6 o' clock.What the heck are shift workers, late workers, busy peeps supposed to do?

Your weight is determined by eating a healthy balanced diet not by the time you eat at. For those who are calorie counters this means that what really matters is how many calories you have taken in over a 24 hour period, not what time you took them in. A clinical study by Dunn Nutrition Centre in Cambridge backs this up. They discovered that people who ate late at night compared to those who ate before eight (ooh, a little rhyme there, okay Wordsworth won't be quaking in his grave over that one!), did not gain any more weight than the other group.
What they did discover was a possible correlation between those who eat minimally all day and then over eat at night because they are starving and are too hungry to make healthy informed food choices.It was this group who were most likely to put on weight.

So my darlings it is okay to eater after 8 or 6 or whatever but.......................you might find it harder to sleep as you may well get annoying indigestion!aghhhhhh!

Last weekend i visited the V Delicious show at Olympia. I had a great time and met some really interesting and passionate people there, some of whom I will be hooking up later with for the blog. The show was advertised as vegan and vegetarian and there was an allergy and back pain show attached. Unfortunately it wasn't easy to delineate between where the veg*n show and the allergy show went their separate ways. This meant that there were stalls selling animal foods and cooking them which I found pretty off putting! Anyway, I was struck by the number of companies there are selling anti allergy foods. I know that there are people with severe life threatening allergies but there are also ones out there that could be lessened or stopped by eating a really healthy balanced plant based diet rather than a dozen gluten free cup cakes! Now don't get me wrong the cup cakes looked delicious but I could not bring myself to stuff my bod' with all the sugar in them. If you do have allergies do check any foods carefully as there were some very scary ingredients in some of the products. There was also a heck of a lot of vegan chocolate stands and of course the ubiquitous coconut water.I did of course avail myself of samples!
One stand that really stood out to me was a new business that sells vegan and vegetarian snacks delivered to your door. The options were awesome and I've since been over to their website and it is absolutely brilliant. I spoke to Tinesh, (co-founder), at the show and he really is passionate about what he is doing. Do yourselves a favour and pop over to have a look at their website store because I think you will be really impressed.Good Health box.
I've had a good look at their offer and have ordered some goodies. When they arrive I will do a review for you.
Whilst at the show i also had a great chat to Alan a volunteer at the Vegan society stand. What a great guy! I have decided that as a result of chatting with him I am going to register as a volunteer. I joined the society whilst I was there too - great goody bag was given to me too rather unexpectedly! Yay!

I am glad I went to the show and look forward to it growing as more vegan businesses attend. Entry was free so all in all well worth going.
If you visit the V Delicious website they are also holding a show in Liverpool later in the year. You can register for free admission tickets - way to go!


Sooooooo.......
Remember, if you haven't entered the competition yet, do it now and don't miss out on a chance to win the life changing prize.

Coming on Thursday
* Guest blog (it's a really great article and I know you will love it)
* Weekend wanders
* Move a bit more, chill a bit less
* Weekender recipe
* Motivation central

BTW - are you interested in writing a guest entry for this blog? If you are please do contact me here with an outline of your ideas. Thank you. xxxxx

Here's wishing you a happy, healthy week filled with love for yourself and others,
Janie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Most common used conversions in measuring ingredients!

Hellooooooooo
Another one for the archive so that you can reference when needed!

I am assuming that you can add and multiply and if not well you can use the calculator on your phone if you want to double up the measures etc! lol

Fluid

25 ml = 1fl.oz
50 ml = 2 fl.oz or 1/4 cup
120 ml = 1/2 cup
175 ml = 1 cup

Dry

25 gm = 1 oz
1 kg (1000 gm) = 2.25 lb

Spoon

1 tsp = 5 ml
1 tbsp = 15 ml

Seasonal Fruit and Veg Link

One for the archive.
I love eating seasonally but sometimes i'ts often hard to work out what is naturally in season and what's been forced to grow and will be completely tasteless. I love the BBC interactive seasonal fruit and veg guide for the UK.
Its easy to switch between the pages and easy to read.
I hope you find it useful.

BBC Good Food Calendar

lots of love and healthiness
Janie xxxxxxx

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!

YOU'D BE CRAZY NOT TO............................................

ENTER OUR SUPER EASY BLOG COMPETITION!

Coming in Mondays blog..................the coolest competition question and the bestest prize ever!

Check it out at - janiesappleaday.blogspot.co.uk

Check the blog tomorrow to find out more!
See you there, Janie xx

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