The media and health - what can we do? K is for, weekly recipe,HIT, kale crisps...........

MY PURPOSE IS NOT TO TELL YOU TO CHANGE BUT TO BE HERE TO HELP YOU CHANGE

Helllooooooooo
And apologies again for the delay in blogging. Big news has hit Smith Towers but I can't reveal what it is yet! (but it does not include babies before anyone asks!)

So the weather hasn't been quite so fab of  late, in fact this morning our roof shed had white stuff on it - that's okay in the Autumn but not August surely? Brrrrrr!
This week I spent 6 hours in one session in the gym with Pete a personal trainer. I was shadowing him as I intend to train other people as soon as possible. IT WAS GREAT, he was kind with his time, I learned lots about form and met some lovely people - a big shout out especially to Maria!

The media have been busy lately with stories about our body weight and its link to disease and illness. There has been much about cancers and diabetes. I'm really pleased to see this is finally making news as it s about time we all had the facts so we can make informed choices about our diet and health. The choices I guess are ultimately straightforward - we choose to live well and have a fab time or risk premature death. Yep, that sounds scary but it is the truth. As a result of all the media attention I thought i would concentrate on diet/weight/health this week and precis what is being said.I hope it will give you enough ammo to support your friends and family to greater well-being.

So... this week;

* Hello!
* K is for.....
* Weekly Recipe
* Media Focus
* Move More, Chill a Bit Less

Are YOU ready for change?
Let's get at it!

is for....
Kale (my fave)
Kiwi
Kohlrabi
Kumquat (mmm Kumquat liquor in Corfu!)
Kuka

Kale... what is it good for?
Absolutely everything!
Say it again..........
KALE IS GOOD FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!!!!

she'd never tried kale crisps!

I love this stuff so much whether it's a base for my fruit or green smoothies,lightly steamed as a veg with the tiniest dash of sesame, in a fab Californian stylee Kale salad or as crisps. Yes I did say crisps! If you haven't tried them you haven't lived!(check out the recipe below).
Most illnesses and chronic disease are caused by cell inflammation. We need to eat far more anti inflammatory foods - kale is superb for reducing cell inflammation. To boot, it is rich in anti oxidants which fight off those free radicals from your body, (and free radicals cause incredible damage that can lead to cancers among other diseases,) they are low calorie and low in carbs. What is not to love about this wonder food?

A bit of science to show how anti oxidants mop up free radicals in your body.

Crispy Kale Crisps ( or if you are reading in USA Kale Chips)

What do I need?

* 1/2 tsp of olive or coconut oil per tray of kale

* 3/4 - 1 tsp garlic powder

* 1/2 tsp chilli powder (adjust to your heat tolerance but don't go to hot, keep it subtle)

* 1/2 tsp onion powder

* 1/4 tsp sea salt (give it a little going over in your salt grinder to make it fine)

* 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

* 1 and 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast (but only if you like it as many people don't!)

How do I make these scrummy morsels?

* Turn oven on low (about 300 F)

* Remove stems from the leaves and tear into largish pieces

* Spray or mix with your oil making sure you massage the oil in well and every bot of the leaf is coated

* Lay out in a single layer on your baking sheet

* After 10 minutes mess them up a bit but keep in a single layer

* Cook for approx 15 minutes further - don't let them them burn!

* Remove form the oven and leave them in the tray to cool. This is when they crisp up (You know how cookies do?)

* Whilst they are cooling make the dry dressing:

* Combine all the spices etc together thoroughly and once your crisps are cool coat with dressing evenly.

Media Focus - what can we learn from recent media?! (apart from the fact that KP had a daughter and David Beckham went to the gym!!!!)

In 1975 a size 10 waist was classed as 24 inches, today it is 28 inches - our clothes have become roomier than ever! This is often referred to as "vanity sizing" so that we believe that the extra pounds we are carrying are normal. It is a really scary concept as it is estimated that by 2050 over 50% of the population in the UK will be obese as a minimum. (National Obesity Forum). Presently over 30% of children in the UK are obese and it seems that parents are not seeing it - which means they are unwittingly leading their most precious children to a life of serious disease as they become adults. No one does this on purpose but if we don't address it and wake up to the stark reality of what is happening then we are in serious trouble. With an NHS already overburdened with patients suffering from obesity related illnesses, will there be an NHS left to support us and our children?

In England 64% of the population is overweight or obese! In Scotland the figure is 61.9%! That is absurd! When are we going to wake up and stop harming ourselves? When will we stop being offended if the GP tells us that if we lost weight we would feel much better? How can that be offensive? Isn't it the golden ticket to a great life?

According to the Social Progress Index 2014 out of 132 countries surveyed re their health the UK is 37, that's the lowest ranking for comparable western nations. Do you know why we have that ranking? It's because of our weight problems. 

But hang about! It's not our fault is it?

Well actually we are responsible for what goes into our shopping trolleys, cupboards and guts BUT..........it is also very possible that our ideas of what a "normal healthy weight" is has been skewed as we frequently see photos and pictures of overweight people and because we see so many we believe that to be okay. Of course being overweight may seem to be the norm but it isn't a normal healthy weight. Doctors have also reported that they often find it very difficult to overcome the difficulties of talking to patients about weight. We know that there is a social stigma about the "F" word and Doctors understandably don't want to offend anyone. Unfortunately this means they often fail to give us the best wake up call they could give us.

Life has become more sedentary too. We pop clothes in the washing machine instead of working up a sweat washing heavy things by hand. This means we burn a lot less calories than our predecessors who were rarely overweight. 

Social changes have also helped to increase our waist lines. People now eat in the street on the go and snacking when not hungry is seen as perfectly acceptable. I'ts as though we have forgotten the purpose of eating. Our plates are 20% bigger than they were in the 1980s, so are mugs, cups, serving spoons etc. It's very easy for portion distortion to happen. When this is combined with the fact that so many people eat calorie dense, salt and sugar laden foods it's no wonder we have an out of control weight problem in the UK.

The good news of course is that you have just read this and can see whats going on around us! That means you know the pitfalls and can  move forward to avoid them. We have to change our perceptions of body weight. We must accept that fat isn't okay, not from an aesthetic point of view but from your personal health well being point of view. This country is seeing increased rates of all forms of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers. Furthermore this is costing the NHS an extra £5,000,000,000 (£5 billion) per annum. by getting healthy we could probably save the NHS single handedly!

To read more about how weight affects your risk of developing certain cancers click here and go to the bbc website

So what we can do to help ourselves? LETS TAKE BACK CONTROL OF OUR HEALTH!

so true - and we can do it

* Admit this country has a problem with food and weight
* Support our friends and families kindly and with dignity to adopt a happier healthier way of living so that we can share a wonderful life with them
* Reduce our portion sizes - try using a smaller plate, cup.spoon...
* Only snack if you are truly hungry - a few almonds can really fill you up and do untold goodness to your body
* Adopt a plant based lifestyle. It is the only way forward and doesn't mean you cant drink or eat cake!
* Move more - your body wants to move so give it a treat and you will be rewarded!
* The more we do in the kitchen for ourselves the healthier our diets and the more weight will drop off us
* Try out the weekly recipes on this blog.

What have you done to achieve a healthier fabulous life? Id love to know! click here to mail me or add a comment at the bottom of the blog.

Move More!

Age or size is not a barrier

I am totally in Love with HIT training. HIT = High Intensity Training. It's brilliant because you don't need to exercise for long at all - yep its true you don't need 2 hours in the gym to get incredibly fit and toned. In 8 minutes - you can do a full work out! Be prepared to dig deep and use mind over matter to complete your HIT training because it's well worth it. At the moment I have a fave routine which you will find the video link below for. It takes 8 minutes, involves 40 seconds of HIT and 20 seconds rest over 8 cycles. No equipment needed (except a sturdy bra!), the calorie burn during exercise is high and you will be burning calories at a rate of knots for hours after as well a shaving fun and creating a gorj bod! I'm not pretending it's easy but then easy doesn't reap rewards does it?

Remember: Most of us give in too easily! Dig deep like your life depends on it, you will be so proud of yourself for doing your true best instead of what your mind keeps telling!!! BTW - always check with your GP that it's okay before you embark on a physical exercise programme.

So here is the link HIT Training Free video

Enjoy and let me know what you think?!

For the next couple of months I will be blogging on a weekly basis rather than twice a week. Don't worry though I am still here to take your emails etc and support your path to a healthier lifestyle.

Have a great Bank Holiday and see you next week if not before!
Lots of love and peace
Janie xxxxx

Gut Friendly Pickles! "Diet Has No Destination", Recipes Galore and so much more! Supporting your healthy lifestyle!

LIVE LIFE POSITIVELY! MAKE YOUR FUTURE HAPPEN! EAT FOR GREAT HEALTH! PEACE!

Helloooooooooooooooooooooo
Happy Days! The sun is shining and the sky is blue..........

Okay, so we had a couple of duff days but let's be happy about the good stuff and not mull over the less positive! I think this is a mantra I need to rememember given that every time I watch the news I just want to cry with despair over the sheer cruelty in the world. I have to try and remind myself that actually there is so much good in the world and so many wonderful people. You only have to think back to Stephen Sutton whose work still reaps rewards for the Teenage Cancer Trust in his highly regarded memory.You can still donate to his fund here . There are thousands of people out there doing good deeds like my cousins son Jamie Bond who participates in voluntary work in Africa, my son who has walked miles every day to deliver cooked meals to a relative who has had an operation recently. You see? the world is great but these stories don't make the headlines. Do you have an unsung hero in your family? If you do id love to hear about them.

Jordan - my son

Jamie - proud 

In this weeks blog:

* The world is pretty fab actually!
* J is for..
* Try something new this week and expand your recipe repertoire!
* Perfect Pickles
* Myth Buster - Diets have an end date!

is for........
Jerusalem Artichoke
Jojoba
Jack Fruit
Juniper
Jalapeno
Jamaica Plum


Flipping heck! This fruit and veg alphabet malarkey is more challenging by the week!!!
Choosing a recipe for the letter J this week has been difficult however I have always enjoyed Jerusalem Artichokes and there are myriad recipes out there for these lovely veg. 

Jerusalem Artichokes
These are also known as Sun Artichokes which seems pretty fitting. I think they look like those wonderful Anya Potatoes that you can often find at the green grocers. They can be eaten raw or cooked and when cooked can be used just like potatoes , for example, mashed. I love them sliced with wholewheat pasta.
JA are nutrition dense. One cup has 25% of your daily fibre requirement, 10% Vitamin C, 30% of Thiamine, are mineral dense for strong bones and have a role as a pre-biotic. To top it all they are low calorie at only 73 kc per 100g and fat free too!
The part we eat of this vegetable is the tuber which we peel to prepare. 
I love the recipe below and I hope you do too. For more gorj recipes like this go to Yummly.

Sun Artichokes with Baby Toms, Lemon and Thyme

photo courtesy of Saveur

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1½ lb. small sunchokes, washed, dried and sliced about ¼" thick
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 sprigs thyme
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
6 tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15 baby tomatoes slice in half
1 tsp. agave

INSTRUCTIONS


Heat oven to 425°. Toss sunchokes, garlic, thyme, and lemon zest with half the oil, plus salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring once, until tender and beginning to caramelize, 35 to 40 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and transfer sunchokes to a bowl with tomatoes. Whisk lemon juice, remaining oil, agave, salt and pepper in a bowl; pour over sunchokes and toss to coat.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do.

Okay, so this week I wanted to bust the myth about the word "diet"!

So many people tell me that they just cant diet and that all diets fail. 
I used to be a leader for a major slimming club  and I heard this refrain so many times. One morning I woke up and knew I couldn't be part of the dieting industry farce any more. 
So why do I think the dieting industry is a farce? Firstly its all about making money from the desperate. No one walks through the meeting door without having reached the end of the road. Now the average expected life cycle of a member is 12 weeks! The number of members who reach their goal weight is incredibly low and there is a reason for this....... members believe that they are "on a diet" and it's all about what they can't have rather than following a healthy lifestyle for life that will reward you with great health and a trim body. The first thing they do at a meeting is give you a "goal weight" - again there is an end date! Also the meeting talks that are prescribed are repeated on a 13 week cycle - so that tells you how successful the dieting industry expects their "diets" to be!!!!!
Diet is define by the Oxford English Dictionary as " the kind of foods that a person, animal or community eats habitually". It comes form the Greek word diata which means way of life. Have you noticed that it doesn't mention end dates, deprivation or anything else horrible? It doesn't mention buying "diet food" full of crap or paying membership fees? Dust anybody?!

So the modern day usage of the word "diet" has been created by those who want you to fail and hand over your money on a regular basis so they they can keep their shareholders happy. Trust me they will keep making money out your insecurities - most people who joined my meetings were previous members often several times over! 
The true meaning of the word diet is all about lifestyle without a destination. Imagine a life where you are not deprived and your health improves significantly? Instead of setting yourself up to fail choose the right definition and adopt a healthy way of living for life. 

Perfect Pickles

Photo courtesy of Marlene Watson Tara

Our western diet doesn't offer enough fibre and frequently causes horrid digestive issues. You hear people constantly discussing how bloated they are or are struggling with indigestion, wind etc. The thing is it doesn't have to be like that! Having suffered from IBS for years and having a stressful stint in hospital I know that making some alterations in my diet cured it! One of the biggest revelations was discovering the probiotic power of homemade pickles. We already eat them without knowing it - think dill pickles, pickled cabbage and sauerkraut. There are so many amazing pickles we can make and enjoy an amazingly healthy gut. I do believe its better to make your own - it doesn't take long and you know exactly what goes in to your body. Just add 1 tablespoon a day to your diet. Simples.
Marlene Watson Tara has made a great video to explain more and show you how to make your own gut loving pickles in your own kitchen! Marlene's Gut Busting Pickles Video . If you want to read more click here for great easily digestible (geddit?!) info'. Okay, I shouldn't give up the day job to become a comedian!!!

Your Winter Snuffle  Cures!

I am writing a blog later in the year about natural remedies for those pesky things like the common cold and all those horrid nasties that you get with colds. The only proviso is that it needs to be vegan please. I know recently when I had a sore throat I was offered lots of brilliant ideas to ease it. This inspired me to put an article together to prepare you just for the winter in the unlikely event you suddenly get struck down! 

ACT NOW and mail me here with your fab ideas. Please let me know the name you want your idea accredited to in the blog! THANK YOU! xxxx





Coming on Monday...
* Can we reduce our cancer risk through healthy eating?
* K is for...
* Your scrumptious weekly recipe
* Move More, Chill a Bit Less
* Myth Buster
* Guest Blog By Veg Growing Expert Karen Housby

Have the most wonderful weekend, love yourself and all those awesome cells in that extra special bod of yours!
Janie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thursday's Take! bargain health, blueberries galore, recipes and more! oh and exercise when u r a little older!

" WHEN YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND, ADJUST YOUR SAILS "

Being a keen sailor I know this works
 at sea and in your everyday life!

Well Hello There!
How has your week been so far? Have you been cooking or assembling some great life changing, illness busting food for you and your family?
I am so happy to see that a plant based diet is finally being recognised in the mainstream as the healthiest way to live and the best way to eat to avoid some incredibly nasty diseases like cancers, diabetes, heart disease, diverticulitis to name but a few.
I know that it can be easy for many of you to transition from your current eating habits to this wonderful way of eating, but of course it isn't for everyone. Why not take little steps? Introduce a couple of plant based meals and snacks a week in to your diet, learn more about  it and find it easier to adopt and adapt recipes. Once you are confident and realise how much better you feel, keep trying new food ideas, introduce exercise, (you will have the energy for it believe me), and before you know it you will be eating healthily for life. You will also be slimmer and have so much more energy. Remember if you get stuck you can always email me for help.xxx

u r emailing the one in the dress!

Have you tried eating for £1 a day? 

If you missed the brilliant article written by Marlene Watson 
Tara click here .

There are full meal plans and recipes. 
Think it can't be done?  I CHALLENGE YOU to give it a try if you want to prove us wrong!!!!!!

Did You Know?......

DID YOU KNOW?..................

If you eat 3 portions of blueberries a week you could cut your heart attack risk as a woman by 33%.

How can I eat 3 portions a week?
* Top your porridge with them - yum, my fave way to eat it
* Add to salad - delish
* Poach and serve with a yummy portion of dairy free ice cream
* Use raw in a fresh fruit salad
* Make a compote
* Add to your morning granola
* Stir into a plate of steamed broad beans, sounds mad but its's good!
* ......................or how about making the following easy quick low cal, super delish and nutrish recipe:

Blueberries and Strawberries with Basil Shreds

This beautiful photo was taken
by Colin Campbell at The Guardian

Ingredients
* 250 g strawberries, hull and quarter
* 250 g blueberries
* 1 dessert spoon of stevia granules
* Lemon Juice - a squeeze
* 10 Basil leaves (large ones) finely shredded.

Method
* Combine the fruit and stevia in a bowl.
* Cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour. This will let them macerate and become yummy and syrupy.
* When ready to eat remove from the fridge and top with basil shreds.

YUM YUM YUM ! This is sooooooo good you will want it every day!YUM YUM YUM!

Exercise and the over 55 s

Are you over 55, not ready to give up on life and want to exercise and think thatthere is nothing out there for you?
Recently whilst at the gym I was looking through the class lists and noticed just how many classes there were for members over 55 years old. I had a chat with one of the instructors who told me that the gym also runs a social club and when the studios are not in use they even do indoor bowls etc. I was totally enamoured with this as I know so many people that want to exercise in an environment where they feel safe and won't feel patronised.

Despite have a couple of years to go before I hit 55 I went along to a class. Astrid was the instructor and let me tell you she is adorable. Kind and keen to make sure everyone no matter what their age or whether they have any disabilities, gets as much as they possibly can form the class. This was an aerobics class but there was also yoga, swiss ball work, line dancing and many other classes on offer for the age group. Astrid made sure that everyone in attendance knew what they needed to do and gave several options. No one was embarrassed if they had to take the easiest option but believe you me most of the people in the class were giving the hardest options a damned good go. Some had been going a while and they too had started at the beginning but their fitness had improved so much that they could happily do the "tough stuff". Members got to use weights, did floor work, chairs were available for anyone who needed them and gentle aerobic exercises. Everyone was super friendly and their was a great social atmosphere there too . All ages were exercising form 55 to 80 plus. I just love that the gym is doing so much for people who want to exercise but not in a class full of peachy buttocks. Mind you there were some amazingly toned bodies in this class, they would give many a teenager a run for their money!). At the end of the class everyone was a little sweaty and had enjoyed themselves and achieved so much more in that hour that many far younger people will ever achieve.
If you too aren't ready to give up on life why not pop along to your local council run gym and see if they can offer you some classes? You will love it! If you want to see the kind of activities you could ask your local facility for click here.

Eating Healthily On A Shoestring!

I had had lots of requests for cheap healthy meals. I am a huge fan of eating on the cheap. The good news of course is that good healthy food isn't expensive. So, today I thought I'd share my fave curry with you! I make it out of left over veg from the fridge and a can of 25p chickpeas form the supermarket who always sell 4 cans for £1. If you don't have left over veg why not try a couple of aubergines for 49p each from Lidl?

Janies Veggie and Chickpea Curry
Ingredients

* A ruck of left over veg like cauli, aubergine, carrots, green beans, peppers, broccoli, kale, potatoes etc. Cut into similar sized chunks.
* 2 onions, chopped finely
* 6 - 8 tomatoes chopped roughly
*1 tbsp of coconut oil (or veg  oil)
* 1- 2 generous pinches of dried chilli flakes
* 2 tsp turmeric
* salt and freshly ground pepper
* 6-8 cardamom pods
* 3 inches root ginger, peeled and shredded
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
* Small handful of coriander (freeze the remainder in ice cube trays for future use)
* Small handful of mint (chop left over mint and add to vinegar with a pinch of stevia and store in a screw top jar -voila mint sauce on tap!)

Method
* Heat oil in a solid based pan and add tomatoes, onions, ginger and garlic. Pop a lid on top, reduce heat to low and allow to cook for 20 minutes. As we have cut back on the amount of oil used you will need to check regularly. if you think the mixture is a little dry just add a little water to loosen.You want it to cook to a sauce.
* Crush the cardamom to remove the seeds.Take these seeds and put with all the other spices in to a pestle a mortar and grind to a powdery state.
* After 20 minutes remove lid from pan add add spices. Cook through for three minutes adding extra water if needed to avoid burning your spices.
* Now add your veg and pop the lid back on.
* Check and cook until the veg are cooked to your liking.
* season with the salt and pepper if needed.
* Serve topped with coriander and mint along with a delish bowl of brown basmati rice.

Tips.
* If you use aubergine, give it a quick grill first to start softening it.
* It is better to used leftover cooked potatoes rather than raw ones
* Lidl veg is great! Don't be a food snob like I was for years!
* You can find brown basmati rice at your super market or my preferred choice at The Kind Food Company who are a small company and are passionate about your health, not the shareholders interests like those pesky supermarkets.

The Kind Food Company Rocks!

Nutrition info
* Chick peas are so delicious and so good for your body and well being. They are full of iron,  protein, fibre, folate, dietary fibre, low in fat and may reduce your blood cholesterol.
* Brown basmati rice is classed as medium on Glycaemic Index ( that's good) , is full of  protein, magnesium,calcium,copper, Vit B6 and B1, Vit E , Vit K and fibre. Brown basmati rice is highly recommended for diabetics.

Well I hope that today's blog inspires you and that you are walking a long that road to great health and happiness!

On Monday...............

* J is for...
* Weekly recipe
* Magical Medicinal Pickles - why not make your own?
* mMve More, Chill a bit less - Get cool in the pool!
* Myth busters - is sugar your enemy?

Have the most wonderful weekend,
With love to you all
Janie xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Monday Madness! Health on the uber cheap!

 Yum Yum!
SEE THE 5 DAY £1 A DAY MEAL PLAN IN TODAY'S BLOG! PLUS 36 BURGERS FOR 99P!

Helloooooo there!
Yep, it's Monday again and here we are enjoying our healthier lifestyle in the summer sunshine. (If you are in a cold zone right now I apologise for rubbing it in that the weather here in London is fab!).

In today's blog............
* Don't accept  so called ageing
* Just a Thought
* I is for...
* Prickly Pear Pie
* Myth Busting - Healthy eating is cheaper than you think!
* 36 Burgers f or 99p!
* Feed yourself healthily for a week for under £1 a day!!!!

So how has this week been for you all? Have you managed to get out moving a bit more in the glorious sun whilst catching a few rays at the same time? Have you found yourself wanting to eat lighter foods this week? I have found the kitchen too hot so I have mainly been assembling salads etc. Luckily I have lots of different pulses and lentils in the freezer so they could just quickly defrost and make a beautiful wholesome and filling base for my salads. None of that boring iceberg lettuce for me!!!!!!
This week I have been speaking to suppliers of health products and people of interest to write you a guest blog. I have already lined up another competition prize and shopping discounts for you - these will all be coming soon!
I've worked my backside off in the gym this week! It has been super hot in the building and so everything has been a little harder. Not one for doing defeat though I have upped my weights significantly this week. I've combined this with aeropilates very late at night and I am feeling great. Don't let anybody tell you that bingo wings and wobbly legs are your destiny as you age. It is so not true! I don't have either and I am few weeks shy of 52! Yep I have to work harder at it than when I was 18 but once you are in good shape again you will find it much simpler to maintain. PLEASE DON'T WRITE YOURSELVES OFF, AND PLEASE DON'T AGE YOURSELVES.

AGEING DOES NOT EQUAL WOBBLY BITS AND WEIGHING TOO MUCH FOR GREAT HEALTH!

Why do we spend so much time lovingly watering and feeding our plants in the garden so that they will thrive or making sure we don't put petrol in our car that takes diesel, yet we don't care enough about our own bodies to make sure it lives, thrives and is in great running order?

I love this drawing by Damien Simpkins

is for......
well.... to be truthful not much at all!

Indian Fig
Indian Almonds
Indian Prunes
Ice berg lettuce (!)



I had a feeling this week would be a difficult one! I thought i had better investigate further so I chose to learn more about the Indian Fig and guess what I recognised it from the local shops - it's what we call a prickly pear! So I delved a little deeper so that we could try something new and I found a gorj recipe for a prickly pear pie which I have oh so slightly pimped!

Prickly Pear aka the Indian Fig

 This is a funny looking fellow that can be found in the "exotic" fruit and veg section in your local supermarket. The outside might be just a little off putting but the inside is filled with a beautiful deep red pulpy tanginess. mmmmmm.

Prickly Pear Pie

Ingredients
* 4 cups PP pulp (remember to remove seeds!)
*1 cup date sugar or maple sugar or 1/2 cup of stevia granules
*1 tsp of cornflour or kuzu
* 1 pack of ready rolled pastry or make your own whole wheat pastry

Method
*Mix your seedless pulp, sugar substitute and cornflour together
* Roll out your pastry to fit the bottom in to a 7 inch pie tin. reserve the left overs
* Place the pie tin with pastry in oven for a few minutes at 350 to start the bottom cooking.
* In the meantime roll out several 1 cm wide strips of pastry to criss cross over your pie later
* When ready removed pie tin carefully from oven and add PP mixture. Spread out evenly
* Use your strip to criss cross over the top.
* Brush pastry strips with a little almond or soya milk and bake for approx 25 minutes.

This week I go all out to discover whether eating healthily is expensive. Thanks to the lovely Marlene Watson Tara we can go really in to depth as she shares her "Living healthily for under £1 a day" article with us plus a stunning recipe to make 36 burgers for 99p!!!!!!!

I have been told so many times that eating healthily is very expensive. This worries me because I don't think this is true. But as you all keep telling me it is I thought I  had better find out for myself. My shopping bill is minimal every week so it got me wondering if perhaps its because many peeps aren't quite sure how to make the changes to a healthy plant based diet.

Most healthy foods are also the cheapest.I regularly buy fours cans of chick peas for £1. Wholefoods doesn't have to mean organic. Not everyone can afford to eat all organic, if any, produce. You are far better off eating standard wholefoods than processed boxed foods that do work out to be very expensive whilst failing to nourish your precious body.
I decide to look at the family favourite of burgers this week and so looked at one major brand and three different supermarkets to check out their prices.

Price Comparison Study (28/07/2014)
Beef Burgers

Brand	Price Each	Price Per Kilo	Price for 36
Birds Eye (12 pack)	35p	£6.80	£12.60
Sainsburys Basics	10p	£3.02	£3.60
Iceland Own Brand	25p	£5.03	£9.00
Waitrose Essentials	37p	£4.41	£13.55

Now, thanks to my dear friend Marlene Watson - Tara I can make 36 burgers for 99p! They have no additives, taste delicious and can be made and frozen until you need them. They are packed full of nourishment and I know you will love them. My grandchildren ask for them to be made especially.

Here is the recipe and watch the "how to" video below
Grilled Lentil Burgers - and way under 3 pence each! or £1.98 a kilo!

1 cup brown lentils (rinsed and cooked in filtered water until soft) 25 minutes approximately (Yields 3 cups cooked lentils)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large onion, finely diced

1 large carrot finely grated

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried ginger powder

2 tbsps.. shoyu or tamari (natural soy sauce)

3 to 4 tbsp. whole wheat flour (or enough to bind the mixture together)

Yields 12 burgers

Preheat the grill to medium/hot. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the flour and fold until you achieve a consistency that glues the ingredients together adding a little more flour if required.

Using your hands make the burgers with two tbsp. of the mixture, squeezing together until they are firm. Place the burgers on a foil lined grill tray and grill for 15 minutes, turning halfway through. Serve with steamed greens and a side bowl of soup or make some delicious sourdough sandwiches.  Spread some vegan mayonnaise on the sourdough bread, toasted or plain. Add a layer or two of salad greens, pop in a burger or two,  top with sliced avocado, cucumber, sauerkraut or your favourite chutney like I have done here.  This is also fantastic food for your lunch box, they are delicious cold.

Note; If you enjoy a smoked taste add 1 tsp. or 1 tbsp. of smoked paprika to the mixture.

Alternative to grilling; fry the burgers in a heavy based frying pan using organic sunflower oil.

Freeze the burgers in quantities that work for you and your family.  Make the whole 500g pack and yield 36 burgers.

lentils have often been laughed at but have truly moved into the mainstream now. It is so easy to laugh at things you've never tried, and in the process miss out on something completely wonderful.

The brown lentils in these burgers also make great sald bases, pates, sausages, meatless balls, lentil loaves and so much more. Imagine getting 36 sausages out of this mix opr 3 lentil loaves!

To watch the video click Marlenes Burger Video

Lentils are so good for you and have huge health benefits including:

* lowering cholesterol

* reducing heart disease risk

* roughage to prevent constipation and associated diseases such as IBS

* stabilise your blood sugar levels through slowing down the digestion process

* will keep you fuller for longer

* high protein

l* ow calorie

* lentils are for everyone but if you are diabetic you want to be eating them regularly.

Marlene purchased a 500g bag of brown lentils for 99p and a 500g bag of organic lentils for £2.49.

FIVE DAY EATING PLAN FOR £1 A DAY BY MARLENE WATSON TARA!
This is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo fab - to read the full mealp lan please click here for the £1 a day eating plan!


Move More, Chill A Bit Less

Okay, so are you moving more? If not why not? I'm not going to preach at you this week but rather I'm going to use the power of pictures!

 these maybe USA stats but we are all the same!

Reduce YOUR RISK
The RISK is REAL!

'Nuff said!

Coming next time!

* another budget conscious recipe to keep you healthy and the pennies in your pocket

* weekend wanders

* motivation central

* plus loads more

Have a great happy and healthy week

Janie xxxxx

Monday Madness 21/07/2014 - COMP WINNER, HIJIKI HAPPINESS,SNACKING FOR GREAT HEALTH!

Hi Hunnies I'm here!

Yep, it's Monday and I'm raring to go. It's another new week to go out and live life to the full - I can't wait to get going.

How have you been enjoying the summer weather? Its still mighty hot here in Wimbledon but I'm loving it! I'm pretty sure I came form the Mediterranean and no one told me.Did you try the frozen  grape snack from last Mondays blog? Talking of snacks today we are going to have a little look at why we snack and how to do it to our advantage!! Hubby was being schmoozed last week in Montreux and he said it was beautifully warm there too. He even got a swim in Lake Geneva! (jammy sod!)

I hope you loved Claire Smedley's guest blog on Thursday. She is very knowledgeable and wrote an incredibly useful article to support you on your way to a healthier lifestyle.If you missed it Click here to read it

Thank you to the gazillions of you who entered the blog competition. The big question is.....................are you the winner? I'll let you know in a minute! ( I love teasing!)

Coming this week:

H is for.....

Monday Munchies recipe

Myth busting - snacks are bad for me! (really?!)

and more..............

is for...............................................................

Hijiki

Horseradish

Haricot beans

Honeydew Melon

Hazelnut

Hearts of Palm

I've got to be honest some weeks I do struggle to find fruit and veg beginning with certain letters! I've had to cheat a bit this week but luckily one of my fave sea vegetables has made the list. Now you might be thinking "hold on a minute, I'm not eating seaweed" - well fine, but why not try something different just for once. I'm pretty certain that once you have tried sea veg you will become a mermaid!  

Hijiki is one of many sea vegetables that are significant in the Japanese diet. Indeed it has been consumed for centuries in Japan. In the last couple of decades sea veg have become popular in the western diet too. Hijiki is very rich in dietary fibre and the essential vitamins calcium, iron and magnesium - all essential in a ablanced diet.

Hijiki with carrots and tofu

Ingredients

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3/4 cup dried hijiki
• 1 carrot
• 1 block of firm tofu cut into smallish cubes and drained well
• cornflour or kuzu to coat the tofu
• 2 cups of vegetable dashi (or 2 cups of veg stock if this is difficult for you)
• 2-3 tbsp of reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• vegetable oil for frying your tofu.
  

Method

• Soak the hijiki in water until it is 5 times its original size, rinse well and drain well.
• Coat your tofu cubes in your cornflour or kuzu and deep fry for 5  minutes or until crispy and golden.
• Chop your carrots - if you are feeling authentic use a funky shaped cutter to make them pretty! (or you can of course just slice them)
• Saute the hijiki and carrots so that they are coated in sesame oil in a pan.
• Add the dashi stock, mirin and tofu and cook until carrots are tender.
• Season with soy sauce and serve!

Yummmmmmy!

from just bento - the pig is cut from tofu skin!

Myth Busters!
This week I set out to bust another "healthy living/eating" myth for you.

It's only the dieting industry that wants us all confused so that we will waste money buying"special" and more often than not lab created foods and join their clubs for an expensive weekly fee and almost certainly failure.

Keep reading here and you will be armed with the knowledge you need to live a healthy life.

The Myth: I'm on a "diet", I can't have snacks and I'm so hungry!

First of all no-one should go on a diet - healthy eating and therefore healthy living doesn't have an end date! It's all about lifestyle, a lifestyle that you can live with and reap the rewards of.
Snacking is something most people do, sometimes because there is genuine hunger and often because it is a craving caused by dopamine. Women in particular are far more likely to snack when they are stressed - which is actually counterproductive. A great and balanced diet means that you will only snack when you need to. Its the imbalanced diet that makes us dive for something sweet or salty. If you have overloaded on simple sugars you will find yourself craving savoury foods like crisps, cheese and the like even though you are not hungry. Similarly if you eat a lot of salty processed foods you will try and balance this out by over snacking on simple sugary foods. So, it seems that by following a natural eating plan and not consuming laboratory created junk you can quell the cravings.
If you crave food because you are actually hungry you wont be craving non food junk. Your body will crave what it needs such as protein in the form of beans or tofu, complex carbs like brown rice or fresh fruit.

Snacking can be good for you! Yes you did read that correctly!
It can help keep your energy levels up and stop you bingeing on junk. If you choose protein based snacks under 200 calories, with approx 10g protein and around 5g of fibre and combine this with exercise you can help to build muscle. No not, Arnie in his heyday but achieve a beautiful toned body. The reason the right snacking also helps is because as your body builds muscle you will burn calories far more efficiently. It's a great equation - you get to look and feel good plus you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight easily.

Often we forget to count snack foods in to our diet which means that our weight can creep up and we put ourselves at risk of future serious illness. No one tries to make themselves ill but they are often the victim of persistent advertising and great photography, the reality of course is often very different!

Some common snack values

Smoothies - around 700 calories
Nutella per 100g serving - 541 calories
BK LittleTaster - 295 calories
Small Strawberry Shake - 300 calories
3 Buffalo Chicken Strips - 380 calories
Pretzel ,average size, 380 calories per 100g plus 52g of salt
Cupcake 250 - 500 calories

As you probably know by now I work out hard in the gym and am very active. I often need to snack. I know that if I piled my shopping trolley full of supermarket snacks I would just eat them even when I didn't have any nutritional requirement for it. I decided that as I am responsible for what goes in to the pantry I needed to find a way to deal with this.
I mentioned in my last blog about visiitng V Delicious the other week. One of the companies that impressed me was the Good Health Box. Set up by Tin, a fitness freak and Chin, a cookie addict to provide us with great healthy, imaginative, guilt free snacks delivered to our door.

Tin

 They offer several options on the boxes and several delivery options too. I particularly like the protein box. Not only do I get high protein scrumptious snacks but I can choose free from, veggie, vegan options and know the calories contents to help me make my mind up.

It's what's inside that counts!

Having a box delivered means I don't need any rubbish from the shops! This week I had a great vegan protein box which included among other things the best Cookie I have ever eaten, Tamari Roasted Almonds,Peanut Butter Crunch Bar, Acai Berry Bite, Hummus Chips (to die for!) and Chilli Miso Ramen (100% brown rice noodles with chilli miso soup). Delivery is free too and when I've finished writing this I'm going to put in my next order.
It's so worth going for a look at their website and also to support independent traders. To go and have a look and make your first order click right here. I honestly think you will  be super impressed. let them know you found out about htem on my blog so we can persuade them to write us a guest blog one day!!!!
BTW I don't get paid by them to tell you how good they are. I just love their products, passion and drive for healthy living.

And the blog competition winner is.............................

Click here for the fanfare!

Jane Dunkley this is your prize!

cLICK HERE FOR YOUR congratulations!

Coming in Thursday's blog......

• Cooking healthily on a tiny budget
• Great budget recipes
• Motivation Central
• Move More, Chill a Bit less.

Have a happy healthy week....
with love and peace
Janie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ps. Why not try two macrobiotic meals this week?

me & my gorj daughter (June 2013)