Raspberry/banana Protein Pancakes

Yet another variation on my lovely pancake recipe!

For this, follow my usual recipe for banana pancakes here:  Banana Protein Pancakes

The only change you need to make is to smash some raspberries up and drop them onto each pancake before you flip it over in the pan :-)

I have tried mixing the raspberries into the pancake mixture but it makes each pancake really hard to flip and can result in burning because of the sugars in the fruit.

I enjoy mine with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of cacao flaxseed!

ENJOY :-) x

Zucchini / courgette noodles!

So we all know about the slim noodles and zero noodles which have become highly popular... Mainly for those wanting to loose weight. Losing weight isn't what I'm wanting to do though so I wanted to find a nutricious alternative with low carbs.... This is when courgette noodles were born!!

So basically all you need is a courgette and a Julienne peeler:

Stand your courgette vertical and slice the peeler down each length until you've reached the core! The peeler creates lots of noodle strands!

In this example I sautéed the noodles in a pan to soften them then added a tomato and herb sauce. To this I added edamame beens and some veg and sprinkled some cheese on top! You can add meat, fish.. Whatever takes your fancy!

Delicious, nutricious and clean!

Pretty good when you consider one nest of whole wheat noodles contains 180 calories and 38carbs and one courgette 'noodled' is only 30 calories and 1 carb!! BOOM! 

High Protein, Gluten Free, Chocolate Chickpea Loaf

So, you fancy some cake....but we all know lots of cake too often = muffin top and sluggishness.

So this is where I thought I'd try make a 'healthier cake'...something which can be enjoyed post-workout with a helping or protein and a good dose of vitamins and healthy fats. This was the result....:

High protein, gluten free, raw chocolate chickpea loaf!

This was my first time making this, and it turned out great! More dense than fluffy - infact its best enjoyed when it's fully cool or after refrigeration in my opinion.

I reckon with modifications here and there it could be improved even further. For example - I didn't use honey/agave syrup, but this could be added next time? Or maybe unsweetened apple sauce. I may even experiement adding protein powder to up the protein intake. Food for thought.

What you will need: (serves 6)

- 20g Fairtrade Organic cacao powder
- 4 whole eggs
- 50g dark brown unrefined cane sugar (could be replaced with alternatives such as agave syrup, honey or unsweetened apple sauce
- 15g coconut flour
- 4 packets stevia
- 1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
- 1 tsp  vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp olive oil (could be replaced with coconut butter - or other healthy alternatives to add moisture)
- 1 tin chickpeas drained, washed and de-skinned
- 100g begian 72% dark chocolate

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F/ 180 C
2. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper
3. Purree the chickpeas, eggs and vanilla in a blender or grinder
4. In a large bowl bring together oil, cocoa, brown sugar, stevia (or more brown sugar), baking powder, salt and chickpea mixture – stir until smooth 
   
5. Melt chocolate chips in a bowl over a pan with hot water 
   
6. Add to batter and stir until smooth
7. Transfer batter into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes

Viola!!

Per 1/6th of loaf: 

Fat: 7.2g (mostly healthy fats!)
Carbs: 17.8 g
Protein 10.2g

Healthy High Protein Bacon Breakfast Idea

So I've recently moved house and found myself conveniently close to a Waitrose which = amazing top quality food, but more importantly ...an amazing selection of gluten free/health foods!!

So on my most recent visit I stumbled across Organic Wholegrain Biona Millet Bread. I generally don't eat much bread anyway but this doesn't really resemble bread... More like a seedy, fibre-filled, cakey-textured, nutty-flavoured accompaniment to a healthy meal. It's MUCH healthier than your average slice of bread!

So the other day I decided I needed such an accompaniment to my protein-packed breakfast of scrambled egg whites and grilled crispy bacon with avocado.......

DEEEElicious! A breakfast that kept me sustained through until lunch time and a perfect to have following a gym session the previous evening or pre-breakfast :-) 

Healthy Breakfast Option

This has become my new favourite in the (rare) long period of hot weather we're having this summer!

It contains a variety of fruit and grains and is therefore a brilliant source of vitamins to help kickstart your day!

Ingredients

-3 tablespoons of fat free Greek yoghurt

-a sprinkling of gluten free porridge oats

- a sprinkling of 'munchy seeds' (a combo of roasts sunflower, pumpkin, hemp, sesame, chia and flaxseed)

- a squeeze of honey

- a combo of fruit - I often have a banana chopped with raspberries, blueberries and kiwi or peach and strawberries .... The list goes on....

Combine your preferred fruits with all other ingredients as ENJOY! Super tasty!!

Cauliflower cheese and herb 'flat bread'

This recipe is really simple and creates a flat bread which doesn't actually contain any usual bread ingredients such as flour! It is therefore gluten free and low carb :-)!!!

Ingredients (makes one small flat bread)

-1 egg

-1 cup of cauliflower (riced)

-Couple of teaspoons of mixed herbs

-Handful of low fat cheese (grated)

-Baking paper

~*~

- pre heat oven to 180c

- put enough cauliflower into a food chopper to make 1 cup full of grated cauliflower.

- sauté the cauliflower in a pan to remove moisture

- mix cauliflower with egg, cheese and herbs

- spread onto a baking tray (covered with baking paper). Make sure it's spread nice and thinly but make sure it is still one piece.

- bake for approx 15 mins or until golden brown.

Ta-da!

I used mine for a ham salad wrap mmm.

However you can coursley chop your cauliflower and double the mixture to make a pizza base and then top with your favourite toppings and grill!!

Tastes amazing!!!

Macros per one wrap: 208 calories, 11g fat, 7g carbs, 18g protein.

I will be sure to post a pizza version soon :-)

Enjoy xxx

Healthy meal idea: Flaked baked tuna, cream cheese and pesto with greenveg!

This meal is easy peasy to make and packed full of protein and vitamins! 

Ingredients

- 1 tuna steak

- 40g 'Yum' pesto and cream cheese

- 5 spears of asparagus

- 50g green beans

- 100g brocolli and cauliflower florets 

- fresh black pepper

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-preheat the over at 180 degrees and place tuna steak on middle shelf (sprinkle some black pepper on top beforehand). Cook for approx 17mins.

-in the meantime prepare the veg. 

- once the tuna is cooked, flake it in a bowl and mash the pesto cream cheese into it.

-serve everything up in a dish and FEAST!!

~*~

Macros: 410cals 14g carbs 16g fat 49g protein

Enjoy x

Breakfast idea: 'Overnight' Oats

This breakfast idea is so simple. All it requires is for you to prepare it the night before :-)

The secret added ingredient that makes ALL the difference is the addition of Chia seeds. Chia seeds have a huge nutritional profile. They contains calcium, manganese, and phosphorus, and are a great source of healthy omega-3 fats. Chia's stabilizing effect on blood sugar also fights insulin resistance which can be tied to an increase in belly fat, according to Live Strong.

Ingredients 

-60g gluten free oats

-120ml alpro light soya milk

- tsp vanilla extract

- 20g chia seeds

- 1tbsp agave syrup

Optional ingredients:

You can add whatever fruit you fancy to your overnight oats. In my picture above I used some strawberries and sultanas. If you plan to workout before your breakfast you could even add a scoop of protein powder in there :-)

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- mix all of the ingredients together in a sealable container and leave in the fridge over night. Add your fruit toppings just before you eat it - as simple as that!

Macros for the porridge without toppings: 

404cals 

36g carbs (all the chia carbs are pure fibre so not absorbed!) 

11g fat (6 of which are polyunsaturated!) 17g protein.

Enjoy x

Spicy baked tempeh sticks!

Tempeh goes in the same category with marmite - people seem to either love it or hate it. I personally love marmite- I'll eat it out of the jar with a spoon he he! 

I must warn you, these spiced chips are quite addictive, and a perfect alternative to bread as an accompaniment to soup or stew.

Ingredients

-1 packet of tempeh (300g)

-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

-1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

-1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes or cayenne pepper

-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

-pinch of sea salt

-freshly ground black pepper

                       ~*~

1. Preheat the oven to 150C and line a baking sheet with baking paper. 

2. Cut the tempeh into thinnish slices and arrange the slices on the baking sheet.

3. Mix together all the spices and sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the tempeh slices. 

4. Bake for 40-60 minutes, turning the slices regularly, until they feel firm and slightly crispy. 

YUM!

Macros: 150cals 11g protein 10g carbs 7.5g fat (mostly poly-unsaturated)

Moroccan turkey, lentil and vegetable stew!

So you're after some comfort food but you don't want it to lay heavy on your waistline? Well you've come to the right place!

This lentil stew can be served with or without the meat depending on your preference.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 yellow onion, finely chopped

-1 clove garlic, minced

small piece of fresh ginger, grated

-2 carrots, finely cubed

-1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

-1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-1 medium sized eggplant, cubed

-100g green beans, chopped

-100g button mushrooms, chopped

-5-6 tomatoes, chopped

-100g green lentils (or any lentil you prefer

-300g turkey breast, cubed

250ml - 500ml vegetable stock

pinch of freshly grounded black pepper

 1. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Cook the turkey through. Add onion, garlic, ginger and carrots. Cook for a few minutes, then add the spices and a splash of vegetable stock. Cook for a further few minutes.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients. Start with just 250ml of vegetable stock and add more when necessary during cooking. Cook the stew for 30-40 minutes or until all the vegetables and the lentils are fully cooked.

Serve with any other veg you fancy! Put any leftovers in Tupperware in the freezer and just defrost and heat up when you fancy more!

I will be enjoying my leftovers with some spicy baked tempeh sticks at work this week :-) (recipe soon to be added)

Macros per serving: 175cals 9g carbs 30g protein

Enjoy :-) x

Guilt free chocolate yoghurt!

Ok, call me crazy, but this yummy dessert treat is made with.... Wait for it..... Wait for it......

COTTAGE CHEESE!?

Yep, totally crazy but totally delicious! Perfect for a post workout protein treat YUM!

Ingredients

-125g low fat cottage cheese

-1tsp raw cacao powder

-1tbsp stevia 

-using a hand blender, blend all ingredients together until smooth

Viola!

Add healthy toppings such as strawberries.

                    ~*~

This version has these macros:

138cals 16g protein 10g carbs and 3g fat

                     ~*~

Are you after an even bigger protein-packed version?? 

Add a scoop of protein powder to the mixture and a splash of Alpro light soya milk and you'll get the following macros:

222cals 32g protein 10g carbs 5g fat!!

Enjoy :-)

Vanilla protein pancake!

So ok... You get the idea! I love protein pancakes!! As time goes on I'm finding new variations so I'll continue to post each one so you have a few to pick and choose from!!

Ingredients

-2 egg whites

-One scoop of unflavoured pro-10 whey concentrate powder

-1tbsp coconut flour

-100ml alpro light soya milk (or a milk of your choice)

1 tbsp vanilla extract 

-Whisk all of the above together in a bowl then pour the mixture into a hot flat frying pan (spray some 1cal spray on beforehand)

- wait until one side has gone brown then flip. Once the other side is brown, fold over and place on a dish.

At this stage the plain pancake has the following macros: 

171cals, 27g protein 6g carbs (all fibre!!)

                              ~*~

But of course we like some lovely toppings to go with it!!!

In this example I chose to top the pancake with some chopped strawberries, blueberries and some cacao chocolate sauce (basically healthy raw chocolate!)

How do you make the chocolate sauce I hear u ask?!

Cacao sauce

- 1tbsp raw cacao powder (mine was The Raw Chocolate Companies Organic Cacao powder)

- a splash of soya milk

-A squeeze or honey

- A tablespoon of stevia

Mix together in a shallow dish then microwave until warm and smooth

Then pour pour pour! Don't forget to lick the bowl and spoon :-)

                              ~*~

Macros for pancake + toppings:

285cals 32g protein 16gcarbs

ENJOY x

Zero Calorie Moyu Noodles!

 Moyu noodles are my new favourite alternative to spaghetti/noodles.

In one 200g pack there are only 12 cals (and these are burnt just through eating them) so there we go...zero calorie noodles!

I thought I'd share a few simple, nutricious, high protein recipe ideas which you can use with Moyu Noodles.

My favourite is as follows:

Ingredients

200g moyu noodles, rinsed

Half an avocado

1 poached egg

80g soya beans, pre-cooked
50g chicken, pre-cooked(feel free to use more though, it's just what I had left!)
40g Pesto Cream cheese (by YUM)
Grated Mozerella Cheese 10g
1tbsp Pesto Alla Genovese

- first start off by scooping the avocado half into a bowl
- add the tbsp of Pesto alla Genovese - then use a hand blender to puree both til smooth
- in a hot pan, add the moyu noodles together with the avocado/pesto puree, cooked chicken pieces, soya beans and Pesto cream cheese.
- keep stirring until heated through - in the mean time bring your poached egg to the boil (make sure its runny!)
-serve up noodle mixture, add poached egg to the top and sprinkle with the mozerella cheese

TA-DA!

This recipe contains only 403 calories, a whopping 31g of protein and only 4g carbs!! And boy does it taste good after a 5k run and weights session followed by some protein pancakes!!


Other ingredient ideas...

In this version I used brocolli and cauliflower....

In this version I used asapargus and peppers!

Be creative and share any ideas you have :-)

Nori Wraps

So here's a recipe I picked up from Pinterest and tried out for myself...a healthy take on wraps!

Substitute the bread in your usual wraps for Nori Seaweed sheets...we're talking a massive 5.5 calories per sheet!!?? Considering the average bread wrap is about 180cals - that's quite a reduction in calories don't you think? Aside from that..Nori is very nutrional!

You can choose any filling you like - healthier the better of course!

One of my favourites is as follows (this makes two wraps):

- Shredded chicken (100g)
- Half an Avocado, sliced
- 1 Sweet Pepper, sliced
- a blob of Pesto alla Genovese
- 2 nori sheets

Macros: 290 cals 7.5g carbs 25.5g protein

I often chuck an extra boiled egg in my lunch box too just to up the protein even further (add an additional 83 cals and 7g protein.....373 cals and 32.g of protein - not bad for a super healthy, super tasty lunch don't ya think?! :-)

Banana Protein Pancake

This has to be literally one of the easiest pancake recipes EVER! And totally delicious – next time I’m going to make a double batch!!

A perfect post work-out snack – I had mine for dessert after my tea!

All you need are 5 ingredients and BOOM, delicious puffy banana pancake!!

~*~

Ingredients

-1 scoop Pro-10 whey protein concentrate protein powder (unflavoured)

-1 tbsp coconut flour

-Half a banana mashed

-1 egg white

-A splash of Alpro Light soya milk (or any milk)

- Whisk all ingredients together then heat a flat frying pan, spray a little non-stick spray and pour the mixture into the pan when its heated up. With these quantities I made one medium pancake but you could make two small if your prefer J Wait a few moments then flip pancake over so it goes golden on both sides!

Macros for the pancake alone: 192 cal 22g protein 19g carbs (mostly from the banana!)

You can add whatever toppings you fancy. I decided to add the remaining half of my banana, a squirt of Groovy Foods Agave Syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon powder and WOW it was gooooood!

 

Macros with my toppings:  258cals 23g protein, 36g carbs (again, mostly from the banana!)

Strawberry Protein Pancakes

So here's my first eat clean post! Woo!

I’ll start off with one of my favourite recipes….

Strawberry Protein Pancakes!

These are so simple to make and the toppings are completely up to you…but obviously fruit and a dash of honey will be a lot healthier than mountains of cream / sweet sauces.

In this example I used blueberries and some Rowse’s honey. I also made a chocolate protein powder sauce to make them extra gooey/proteiny (I will add this recipe at the end).

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Ingredients

-1 scoop of strawberry whey protein isolate protein powder (I used Pro-10 Whey protein isolate Strawberry which you can buy from Play.com/Amazon)

-2 egg whites

-1tbsp of coconut flour

-1 tsp of cocoa berry flaxseed (any flaxseed will do but this version can be bought from -Holland and Barrett)

-100ml of Alpro Light Soya milk (or any milk you prefer)

- Whisk all ingredients together then heat a flat frying pan, spray a little non-stick spray and pour a bit of the mixture into pan when its heated up (you should be able to make 5 small pancakes from the whole lot). Wait a few moments then flip pancake over so it goes golden on both sides J

-Top with blueberries and honey or whatever you fancy! Or if you fancy some protein-packed chocolate sauce see below:

Protein Chocolate Sauce

 

Ingredients

1/3 scoop of Diet Fuel Ultralean Chocolate protein powder (bought mine from Holland and Barrett)

A splash of soy milk (or any milk you prefer)

Add water as needed for consistency

Microwave for 10 seconds at a time til it’s heated and smooth…then pour on top of your pancakes!

~*~

Of course if you wanted something really chocolatey you could melt a little bit of 85% dark chocolate on top….but let’s keep that idea for treat days ;-)

For this example, my pancakes totalled 285 cals and 44g of protein!