July Favourites!

I have wanted to do a monthly favourite post for a while now!
I like reading other people blogs that have a monthly favourite post and see what things they like and recommend. Its a good way to try new things!

So currently it is winter here in little old New Zealand. I actually got excited today because I thought July is the last month of winter for us, except then I realised it isn't spring until September.. 1 more month!!
The weather hasn't been too bad here lately. But now that I am saying that it has just started to rain quite heavy and it has gotten really dark all of a sudden and it is only 1 in the afternoon!

So here goes my favourites of the month!

Favourite Exercise

Running outdoors! I love it! I've been wrapping up in my thermals and getting outside and running rather than sticking on a boring old treadmill! Getting out and appreciating this beautiful world we live in. Its a place where I don't have to think. Just relax and get a good workout at the same time.

Favourite food:

I know it's only winter ( You lucky ones in summer might like these!) but I have been loving my salads lately. Fulled with lots of nutritional goodies! If I want a warm salad I will usually have cous cous and roasted beetroot in it. For protein I put a runny poached egg on top. The runny egg yolk acts as a good "dressing" for the salad so it isn't dry.

Ingredients for salads are endless! Here are just a few ideas that I like to put in my salads,

Spinach, avocado, tomato, cucumber, olives, red onion, cous-cous, roasted beetroot, egg, grapes etc.

Favourite Beauty Product

Okay So I have 2 or maybe 3 favourites! But they work well together which is why I had to include them all :)
First of all is Nivea In shower body lotion skin conditioner for very dry skin. This stuff is the hit! If your skin is in need for extra moisture this stuff is for you! I've never been a big moisturiser person because I often get eczema so I tend to stay away from too many products and only use special sensitive skin products if I really need it.
This moisturiser is applied in the shower then you wash it off as if it was soap.

To go with the moisturiser I like to use the fake tan by Dove. This is the summer glow fake tan in medium to dark. I have pale skin but I find the shade for pale skin doesn't apply enough tan. It is a gradual tanner which works perfectly for me because I always stuff up the instant tanners and get streaks. But this gradually tanner works for me every time! I use it with a tanning mit so I don't get the tan all over the palms of my hands.

Let me know what you're monthly favourites are! I would love to know, or link your monthly favourite blog post in the comments so I can check it out! :)

Brit :)

Eating with a busy lifestyle!

It has been a while since my last post! I have been super busy working lately, the unfortunate side of working in hospitality! But with new rosters I have been able to get a good work/life balance and getting new routines so I can make the most out of everyday.

Time is one big factor when it comes to having a balanced life. With working long hours, getting enough sleep, spending time to make meals, having a social life, getting some fitness in AND having some 'me time' it can be quite hard to fit everything in and sometimes things have to be sacrificed for others.

If you ever feel this way I can totally relate! When I finished studying I was working 2 jobs most days for 12 hours and working 7 days a week. This was not good at all! With limited breaks, I would quickly eat something while travelling to my 2nd job and finish late. And there are a lot of people who work even crazier hours than this! But there was no way I could keep this up. It wasn't healthy for my body. Fortunately I have managed to get some better hours that I am so happy with so I can keep doing things I love :)
Blogging is one of them and keeping a healthy lifestyle!

Here is a few pictures of what has been making me happy lately and have been helping me have a balanced lifestyle,

I love making salads with lots of flavours. This one has spinach, cous cous, roasted beetroot, avocado, tomato, olives, cucumber, homemade mayo and a poached egg. yum yum :)

I love to go running on the same track, its open and has a great view. It is winter here at the moment but this one day the sun decided to come out :)

I'll have more regular posts up now with some recipes I have been making over the last few weeks.
How do you keep a balanced lifestyle?

Brit :)

Healthy Nutty Date balls

Here is a great idea for an after dinner sweet treat! I like to have a hot drink after dinner, usually green tea or just plain hot milk.
These nutty date balls are so easy to make and you can make so many different flavours!

These are gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and contain NO processed sugars.

Recipe

1/2 cup chopped nuts. I used hazelnuts, cashews and almonds
1/2 cup chopped dates
1T cocao powder
1T  organic nut butter eg. almond or peanut
1-2 T coconut (optional)

Blend all ingredients in a kitchen wizz for 1-2 minutes depending on how powerful your kitchen wizz is.Or until smooth rolling consistency.
Roll your mixture into small balls
Sprinkle coconut on top

Enjoy!

Brit xx

Gluten and Sugar Free Apple Crumble!

 This week I created my own take off of Apple crumble. I have always loved apple crumble especially at this time of the year in New Zealand with the cold winter weather approaching!
This recipe is gluten free and is free of any processed sugars. It only contains the sweet sweet goodness of those lovely juicy apples! I also had some pears that I chucked in there too and they were perfectly ripe and were so sweet.
The Crumble is packed full of nuts and some seeds. I pretty much put any nut I could find in the house and crushed them up.

Gluten and Sugar Free Apple Crumble

Ingredients:

Apples and pears (just enough to cover the bottom of my roasting dish.) approx 4-6
2 cups chopped nuts. ( I used hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts and cashew nuts)
1 cup of seeds ( I used pumpkin and sunflower seeds )
25 g  organic butter
2 t cinnamon 

Method:

Chop up apples and pears
place in the bottom of your roasting pan

Finely chop half of your nuts and left the other half roughly chopped
Place nuts in a bowl and mix in with seeds.
Rub in butter

Sprinkle crumble on top of the fruit
Dust with cinnamon

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 170 C

Serving suggestions:
Serve with cream or some good old pro biotic yoghurt :)

Enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments :)

Brit

Raw broccoli and salmon salad with Avocado dressing

This recipe was written in the NZ Herald back in April this year. If you are looking for a meal idea that is healthy and tastes great, you've found a winner! This recipe caters for everyone! Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar free, Clean eaters! If you are vegetarian or vegan you can easily take out the salmon :)

This recipe is so easy and can be achieved in 3 steps!

You will Need:

1 Head of broccoli broken in to florets

1 red capsicum, roughly chopped

Handful fresh herbs of your choice (I used coriander, Italian parsley and Vietnamese mint)

200 g salmon (smoked if you wish, I prefer mine not to be smoked)

1 cup black pitted olives

1/2 cup seeds (toasted if you wish, I use pumpkin seeds and sunflower )

Dressing:

1 avocado

Juice of a lemon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

2 cloves garlic*

sea salt

pepper

* Note that the 2 cloves of garlic is quite strong, change this to 1 clove if you don't want it too garlic-y :)

What to do:

Dressing:
1. Blend up all ingredients together until smooth.

Salad:
2. In a food processor, Pulse the broccoli, capsicum and herbs until a rice like consistency.

3. Transfer to a large bowl and toss in dressing, salmon, olives and seeds!

Enjoy!

I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Let me know what you think!

Brit xx

Sugar free Healthy "Banoffee Pie"

Lately I have been getting that sweet tooth craving that just won't go away! When this happens it is so easy just to go into the snack cupboard and find some chocolate for a quick fix. But this is not going to be an option any longer!

I have come up with an idea that will satisfy that sweet tooth but will leave you feeling free of guilt.

There are a few different variations, so it can suit everyone! It is even Gluten Free!

For this recipe you can use either Organic cream or yoghurt. Some of you may be thinking that the cream is not healthy. Personally I would rather have natural products that have fat in them over processed sugar any day. I also think the yoghurt option tastes great too if the cream isn't for you :)

Recipe

Banana

Coconut oil

organic cream or organic Pro biotic yoghurt ( I use BioFarm )

Grated (sugarfree) Dark Chocolate. The higher the cacao amount the better!

What to do

Heat coconut oil in a pan and saute bananas until they start to bring out their natural sugars and caramelise.

Take off the heat**

Whip cream until semi whipped (if you are using it)

Place caramelised bananas in your serving bowl, with cream or yoghurt on top and sprinkle your dark chocolate on top!

**If you are in a hurry you can always leave the caramel part out and leave the bananas raw :)

Let me know what you think!

Enjoy
Brit xx

Healthy Dinner Idea

Medallions of Beef Sirloin served with sesame seed coasted cauliflower, bok choy, baby carrots and a simple sauce.

I love this dish because of the great colours. It has wonderful textures and the sauce complements the beef.

This recipe is not restricting at all. I know what it is like to find a recipe and only have half the ingredients in the kitchen! Feel free to swap ingredients for ones you have. For example, Cauliflower for broccoli, Bok choy for spinach, carrots for beans. Sesame seeds for bread crumbs. Even the sauce you can change the chicken stock to a beef stock.
Have fun getting creative and playing around with your ideas :)

Serves 4

You will need:
8 cauliflower florets
600-800g beef sirloin
50g flour
1 egg
1T Turmeric ground
1/2 cup sesame seeds
12 leaves of bok choy
12 baby carrots
2 T butter
2 T oil
Radish cress for garnish

Simple Sauce
1/2 medium onion
300ml chicken stock
150ml soy sauce
100g crushed tomato
50g sugar
1/2 root ginger
1 clove garlic
90 ml sesame oil

What to do:
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Blanch cauliflower in boiling water until just semi cooked, drain and cool.Combine Turmeric and sesame seeds Coat cauliflower in flower then egg wash coat in sesame seed mix.

To make the sauce, add all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, blend then pass.

Beef:
place oil in (oven proof- I like cast iron pans)  hot pan then pan fry your beef sirloin until it has a good colour on all sides.
Place in oven for 10 minutes or until medium rare.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes once cooked

Vegetables:
Place baby carrots in a saucepan. Just cover with water and add butter. Boil and simmer until cooked.
Add Bok choy and allow it to wilt.
You can either deep fry your cauliflower, or pan fry in oil until golden

Plate up with bok choy on the bottom, pour the sauce on, cauliflower, beef cut into 2 slices per plate, Carrot and garnish with cress.

Enjoy!

Brit xx