tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505295241613357032024-02-18T08:39:03.229-08:00LONDON: The Fit Way Food, Fitness & Lifestyle in London Jessica Srivastavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16228501790438882415noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-7940726603000483442020-04-14T08:39:00.000-07:002020-04-22T02:45:23.227-07:00Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies [vg]<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Presenting to you - UK lockdown staple number two! My oatmeal raisin cookies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These cookies are so easy that I have had people with small kids tell me that they have used my recipe with them and it went down a treat! The cookies are also guilt free IMO and although they feel like a little indulgence, they're really not when you look at the basic ingredients!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I seem to be unable to eat food that isn't topped with PB or AB atm! Oops.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
(Makes about 9 cookies)<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 ripe bananas, mashed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 cups jumbo oats</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1tsp ground cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 heaped tbsp salted PB or AB</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pinch of salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">handful of raisins</span></li>
</ul>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mix!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Press and shape into cookies with your hand - TOP TIP: wet your hands before doing this so that less of the mixture sticks to your hands and more of it helps to form the nice and even cookie shape</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes or until browned on top</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Remove from oven once cooked and allow to cool for 5 min on the tray before transferring to a rack - this first step ensures your cookies don't break up and the latter step ensures you don't get a soggy bottom..!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enjoy covered in PB or AB!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I store these in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days (they don't last longer than this in our household..!)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enjoy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Makes about 9 good sized cookies :)</td></tr>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-37983916069941689792020-04-14T08:28:00.001-07:002020-04-22T02:39:47.722-07:00My Guilt Free and Fool Proof Walnut and Raisin Banana Bread [vg]<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So it's been nearly 7 months since my last blog post..! I don't know where the time has gone but I am gracing the internet with my presence again to post the much requested recipes you will have seen me baking each week during the UK lockdown.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is the first one - my easy and pretty much guilt free walnut and raisin banana bread. I have seen so many 'influencers' posting their sad, sunken banana breads that it's time you had a more reliable recipe to hand..! I wasn't planning on even posting these recipes so I apologise in advance for my IG story screen grabs of the inserted photos! Next time I bake them I will be sure to take some snaps :)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Perfect every time!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 ripe bananas, mashed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">70ml coconut oil, melted</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">200g plain flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar (must be granulated for texture)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1tsp ground cinnamon </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1tsp bicarbonate soda</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pinch of salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">handful of raisins and chopped walnuts (or fresh blueberries for a blueberry loaf!)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">N.B. I've found that more sugar is needed for darker flours such as buckwheat and rye</span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mix!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bake at 175 degrees for 35 minutes (I use a fan oven so cooking times will vary slightly if your oven is different) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Remove from oven once cooked - bread should be browned on top and spring back when gently pressed in the middle. Leave to cool on a wire rack so you don't get a soggy bottom!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I love mine warmed up and topped with salted PB or AB :)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enjoy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warm banana bread topped with salted AB and cinnamon - dreamy!</td></tr>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-42611914517594649092019-09-25T01:32:00.001-07:002019-09-25T01:32:34.266-07:00Middle Eastern Inspired Chickpea Pilaf<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hi Friends, how are you?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been a long time since I uploaded a recipe on here as to be honest, I haven't had a wave of inspiration or creativity in the kitchen for a long time - until now.. thanks mum!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A lot of the dishes I make tend to use similar spices but this chickpea pilaf is such a welcome change to my norm. The warming infusion of cinnamon really bring this to life and the creamy cashews are just divine! I have started making this in bulk portions for my boyfriend and I to eat for a few days at a time and he actually likes to add extra protein such as chicken or salmon to it when he takes it to work for lunch (I love it just as it is though!) It could also be frozen in batches too if you wished as all the ingredients freeze really well.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Middle Eastern Inspired Chickpea Pilaf - the easiest one pot dinner</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Makes around 5-6 main meals or even more if pairing with animal protein</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Note - you will need a large pan with a lid for this one pan dish, especially if you are making extra for multiple meals!</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 cups brown rice</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 cups water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 tbsp olive oil (I use EVOO)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 white onion, diced </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 big cloves of garlic, crushed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cinnamon stick</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3 bay leaves </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 handfuls of raw cashews (unsalted)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 tsp chilli powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">freshly ground black pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 courgette, sliced into half moons</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cup fennel, sliced </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 cups of baby plum tomatoes, halved</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 large handfuls of spinach </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tbsp tamari (can sub for soy sauce if you don't have tamari)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 veg stock cube</span></li>
</ul>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Place the rice in a sieve and thoroughly rinse under fresh running water 4-5 times until the water runs clear. Dissolve the stock cube in the 4 cups of water and then add in the washed and drained rice. Set aside to soak.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Heat 1tbsp of oil to the pan and then add in the onion and sauté until they have softened and browned</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Then add in the garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves, cashews, chilli powder and black pepper. Continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the cashews have become slightly toasted and the spices have become fragrant.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Then add in the courgette, fennel, tomatoes and chickpeas. Continue to sauté for a further 5-8 minutes until the tomatoes have become nice and juicy. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Add the rice with the stock and water to the pan and bring to the boil. Place the lid on the pan and reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes. Note - check the package instructions for your rice as quick cook rice will often cook in just over 15 minutes, especially as we have soaked it for 15-20 minutes already.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Once the rice is cooked, give everything a good stir and make sure all the water has been absorbed. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Stir in the spinach, tamari and remaining tbsp of olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Serve either on it's own (my preference!) or with your choice of animal protein</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: georgia;">Enjoy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia;">Jess x</span></div>
Jessica Srivastavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16228501790438882415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-33103103034649551132018-12-11T06:02:00.000-08:002018-12-11T06:02:11.614-08:00My Vegan Food Guide to Dubai <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have always had a huge affinity with Dubai since visiting with my family when I was younger. However, since my diet took a huge plant-based shift in January 2018 and one of my best friends moved out to Dubai a few years ago, I have seen a side to this city-state that I'd never explored before - the ever-expanding range of vegan eateries (and ofc, matcha spots). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wild & The Moon</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>FOOD</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With a lot of the restaurants in Dubai, they aren't solely vegan eateries as you often get in London. The plant-based options are usually a section of a menu, which I actually highly rate because it doesn't put off non-vegan friends or family from joining you. They can either choose a totally non-vegan meal or choose a plant-based meal and add animal protein if they so wish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. Surf Cafe</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0MiWm_ijIuZUk1GBU5rO8_4knnr0NWtaqjzFpY-4twj6EtdMpJQhyphenhyphenYusB5gJMNvmMXc78PrIqhQ-FLxe6AYoPGEP0VOaBOwZqtRxX5Q8QWgV-Kojy_SCgDnnQ_itXml0baOAnl47f5Pn/s1600/IMG_6627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0MiWm_ijIuZUk1GBU5rO8_4knnr0NWtaqjzFpY-4twj6EtdMpJQhyphenhyphenYusB5gJMNvmMXc78PrIqhQ-FLxe6AYoPGEP0VOaBOwZqtRxX5Q8QWgV-Kojy_SCgDnnQ_itXml0baOAnl47f5Pn/s640/IMG_6627.JPG" width="512" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dreamy chickpea omelette</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This has to rate as one of the best vegan brunches I've <i>ever</i> had. I ordered the chickpea 'omelette', which in itself I thought was wonderfully original. It was filled with sliced avo, a delicious EVOO, sauteéd kale, spring onion and courgette. It came with a side of roasted toms and rye bread with an olive tapenade. I then ordered extra thyme roasted mushrooms, which were just fabulous. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I didn't get a close up of the food here because I was too excited to dig in, sorry. You'll have to make do with the photo of my face and just trust me, it was <i>amazing</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My friend ordered the açai bowl, which looked equally as delicious. It was made of pure açai rather than being blended with another fruit, which I thought was quite unusual (as most açai bowls are more banana 'ice cream' than açai). It looked wonderfully thick, rather than a sloppy mess (the latter being the worst form of açai IMO). She thoroughly enjoyed it and said it was one of the best açai bowls she'd had too. Maybe I'll have one for dessert next time lols. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Amongst Few</b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eaRQ8Fcpz193k_hzKF7LmQCU1H2J1mqY8W2qOifqYeGWQ-6XqH4Am-fBEcRX1U9-6dm-7w9174dY_z6VxQj4SEXz9KayUHuhAykOpK_Ziiqm6CuWhB-n4eOYCsCwFJA8HeBlx3eMcWYh/s1600/IMG_6668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eaRQ8Fcpz193k_hzKF7LmQCU1H2J1mqY8W2qOifqYeGWQ-6XqH4Am-fBEcRX1U9-6dm-7w9174dY_z6VxQj4SEXz9KayUHuhAykOpK_Ziiqm6CuWhB-n4eOYCsCwFJA8HeBlx3eMcWYh/s640/IMG_6668.JPG" width="512" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amongst Few: one and a half savoury brunches for me ty</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We'd been eying up this brunch on Instagram for a while and it didn't disappoint in taste. We both ordered the roasted portobello mushrooms topped with a chickpea scramble, hash browns, sauteéd sweet potato, greens and half an avo filled with balsamic, soy and EVOO. My only criticism is that it wasn't big enough! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Luckily my friend has more of a sweet tooth and adored the vegan GF pancakes so not only did I eat my breakfast, I also ate just over half of hers as well lol. The pancakes weren't to my taste. I found them a bit sticky and chewy with a bitter aftertaste from whichever flour they used. However, if your diet is strictly GF then they may suit your palate better than mine. Tbh it just made me question again why the hell people go GF when they don't need to.. I'd trade those pancakes in for all the gluten any day.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>3. Gourmet by Kcal</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This restaurant is situated inside Le Meridien Hotel. It has a huge range of nutrient dense food options and a whole plant based section, so don't be fooled by the menu online - it's very different . The vegan section had delicious options such as black bean burgers and butternut squash risotto. However, I actually went for a teriyaki salmon Buddha bowl bc I was feeling like all the veggies. Even though I am around 95% plant based, I do like to keep my omega 3 intake up with salmon once a week too. Before the vegans kick off, I know you can get vegan omega 3, but they're not as easily absorbed as the ones found in oily fish and I'm not ashamed to say I do still love salmon. It's for this reason I'd never label myself vegan either. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, back to the food in question. It was absolutely delicious! The veg had so much flavour and the salmon was cooked to perfection. They had some incredible seasonings on the table including a smoky salt and sumac, which totally transformed the dish even further! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We shared a vegan mezze platter too, which had some lovely dips on such as </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">roasted red pepper & walnut,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> creamy hummus and moutabel. We also ordered extra grilled veggies and a side of air fried sweet potato fries. The veggies were amazing but the fries weren't crispy at all - rather limp in fact. They also had a strange coating on them, which tasted odd (I still ate them tho so they can't have been all that bad. I just wouldn't order them again). They'd be much better off as a crispy wedge IMO. On the whole though, a delicious meal with loads of healthy options to suit all types of diet and tastes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>4. Projeto Açai</b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The homemade walnut granola was a game changer! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">We stumbled across this place on our quest for good açai and definitely succeeded here. They have two locations - one in the marina and one on Sheikh Zayed Road, DIFC. We visited the latter and went for smaller </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">açai </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">bowls because we were training in an hour so didn't want anything too large. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">They have an absolutely huge menu, which is extremely vegan-friendly. It includes everything from your classic avo on toast to sandwiches on homemade wholewheat su</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">nflower bread and even poké bowls (they do a vegan tofu poké bowl so I would definitely return to try that - <i>yum</i>). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The açai bowls are made from açai blended with mango, which I thought was a beautiful collaboration of flavours. It was just the right balance of sweetness and wasn't as overbearing as açai blended with banana (which is what I have eaten in 99.9% of other açai bowls). My pet peeve is runny </span>açai/banana ice cream bowls but this was the most perfect consistency! I ordered mine topped with fresh berries and a homemade walnut granola, which was absolutely <i>delicious. </i>I'd highly recommend this place and can't wait to return. My only dilemma would be </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">açai or </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">poké..?! I think I'll just get both. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>5. Wild & The Moon</b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Average matcha bowl accompanied by friggin' phenomenal matcha latte</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Keeping up the</span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"> açai</span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"> theme, the specialty of Wild & The Moon are their bowls. This ranges from açai bowls, matcha bowls (I KNOW!), power bowls (which are made of a banana and apple pudding), porridge and granola bowls. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">I was super excited to try their </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">açai bowl, however, even though they had </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">açai in stock, they couldn't use it..?! The exact reason for this definitely got lost in translation so we just accepted our </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">açai loses and opted for the matcha bowls. Tbh I was actually 50:50 on whether I was going to choose </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">açai or matcha bc of my obvious love of the latter. So the waiter chose for me by eliminating all </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">açai possibilities</span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"> but I really wish he hadn't..</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">The matcha bowl was literally just a runny bowl of banana ice cream - you now know how much I dislike both overly powerful banana flavour and runny bowls. This was both of those things, sadly. The saving grace was that we changed our toppings from banana (why TF do they nee</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">d <i>more</i> banana?!) to granola, frozen bloobs and desiccated coconut. The granola saved the day - when does granola not save the day though, let's be honest. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The highlight of this visit was the velvety matcha latte, but more detail of this in the matcha section..! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Their juices and nut mylks also looked delicious so I would pick one up to try next time. Matcha latte and a juice - maybe it's somewh</span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">ere I'd go for a liquid snack lols (unless they figure out how to make an </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">açai bowl again ofc). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>MATCHA</u></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Wild & The Moon </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This was hands down my favourite matcha in Dubai. It is made with their creamy homemade almond mylk (just look at that above photo in the food section!) and spirulina, funnily enough. I personally love spirulina and couldn't taste it so thought it was a fantastic nutrient boost to add to the drink. I asked for it without the syrup as I don't like overly sweet things, especially not overly sweet matcha and it was just perfect. Creamy, frothy, great quality matcha and yeah, I'm drooling at the thought of it again..! 10/10 from me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Flow</b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHt88Z7-VNgw_ggO6xaJe6yLOgLvjLGwvRidLly-8G9zxifODPZAqN1X1j3I0wCZWp-0zcReSJxvSiLiCAG5d8ZToQBsXBY5EqXKHqlSkVw1M44mDZkGVnCajmhwWFMNytytvXyzzLEu1/s1600/IMG_6107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHt88Z7-VNgw_ggO6xaJe6yLOgLvjLGwvRidLly-8G9zxifODPZAqN1X1j3I0wCZWp-0zcReSJxvSiLiCAG5d8ZToQBsXBY5EqXKHqlSkVw1M44mDZkGVnCajmhwWFMNytytvXyzzLEu1/s400/IMG_6107.jpg" width="362" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Homemade almond mylk matcha </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This beautiful little spot is set within Jumeirah Emirates Towers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I opted for homemade almond mylk in my matcha, which was delicious. It did separate a bit so needed a continual stir, which is always mildly annoying. However, it tasted fabulous. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">We only went for matcha/coffee but glanced at the menu and it actually looked really good. There were several vegan options such as waffles, oats, toasts, desserts and salads. They also had warm mains such as GF VG pasta if that's your kinda thing. I also loved the idea of the 'milk taps'. You could order coffee or granola and help yourself to either soy or dairy options, which I thought was quite cute. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Arabica</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOi32oZ0uh9Pmh5dLPivkaiZWQ08iC-PIHeytQeApta9SZL9Q83yBNIQP2p2zi-FAow4egpgmSMpyB4ii6HZL3Sb_Pk0iRgXxcmxMru6J3dPioBUrusC3m7XxQ4ZUIyDiyzAT8i80Uz0RW/s1600/IMG_6305+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOi32oZ0uh9Pmh5dLPivkaiZWQ08iC-PIHeytQeApta9SZL9Q83yBNIQP2p2zi-FAow4egpgmSMpyB4ii6HZL3Sb_Pk0iRgXxcmxMru6J3dPioBUrusC3m7XxQ4ZUIyDiyzAT8i80Uz0RW/s320/IMG_6305+%25281%2529.jpg" width="287" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was a very surprising find within Dubai Mall! Arabica is a large chain of coffee shops with branches all over the globe; six of them being in UAE. I always thought they were a chain dedicated to coffee. However, by chance we wandered in for a shopping break and I found a matcha..! </span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The only sugar free plant-based milk option was soya milk so I opted for that and it was surprisingly good! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wouldn't venture out of your way to try the matcha here but if I was out and about and passed an Arabica store then I would definitely get one again. It's good but not so good you'd travel for it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's also handy to know that in a place that does great coffee (or so I'm told), there is a matcha option for those that want it.</span>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span></b>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>What didn't make the cut?</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Comptoir 102</span></b></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgAF-wV5bgMi5Ss66Btv7DYpX9QpmXDM4jGRf_z1DDZSMyeDJFFMLDH6nZA8Pe4GUc2_otCB0RHVkwCfxtGX2fOuEJA57TZpphGlfyjDmy2I5ZoYwn-7YAtN_wfRH84vGaI4c1WveKmrB/s1600/IMG_6134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgAF-wV5bgMi5Ss66Btv7DYpX9QpmXDM4jGRf_z1DDZSMyeDJFFMLDH6nZA8Pe4GUc2_otCB0RHVkwCfxtGX2fOuEJA57TZpphGlfyjDmy2I5ZoYwn-7YAtN_wfRH84vGaI4c1WveKmrB/s400/IMG_6134.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Smaller than the size of my palm (and I have small hands)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, this was probably the biggest disappointment of all my food experiences. Hyped up to be one of the best healthy eateries in Dubai, yet I could not wait to get out. I chose to order the special, which you'd think would be spectacular bc it's the special, right? Wrong. It was roasted aubergine and buckwheat with feta, so obvs I swapped out the feta for chickpeas bc dairy, eww. When it arrived it looked like a starter portion (and if you know me then you know I live for voluminous meals). I reluctantly went with it and just accepted that I'd go home and eat again. However, the aubergine was like rubber. It was so tough that I couldn't even cut it with my knife! You expect roasted aubergine to be gooey and full of flavour, yet this was none of those things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, I sent it back and did actually </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">specify that if all the aubergine was like this I'd swap to the vegan quinoa salad. Turns out they failed to listen and returned to me with the aubergine looking exactly the same but the chickpeas burnt to a crisp. Far from ideal. Full of frustration and hanger, I sent this back again and clearly specified for them to bring the vegan quinoa salad. When this sad looking half-empty bowl of quinoa and 1/4 of an avo arrived, I decided to pack it up and just head home so I could pair it with other food to make a proper meal. That was one expensive side dish..</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My friend had a juice here and did mention that it was nice. So the conclusion of Comptoir 102, is that if you're not hungry and don't mind repeating yourselves a few times to the staff, go for the chilled vibes bc the candle shop and outdoor space is cute (bar the fact it was full of people smoking). I, however, will be swerving this one for the foreseeable future bc a gal needs to eat, you know?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other vegan spots that I didn't get a chance to try this time around but definitely will next time:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Vibe </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Urth </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Poke & Co </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ultra Brasserie </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tr!beca Kitchen and Bar </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Circle Cafe</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So that's my round up of vegan Dubai thus far. Hopefully I'll be back to UAE in the spring to try all those other spots and let you know whether they're worth the careem fare..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jess x</span></div>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-12267958434232084482018-11-01T09:20:00.000-07:002018-11-01T09:20:00.702-07:00I've *finally* gained my level 3 PT! Part 2Over 65 hours of online learning and five full weekends of physical training complete, I am so happy to say I've <i>finally </i>gained my level 3 PT qualification! If you have no idea how we got here, take a look at Part 1 of this journey <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2018/08/finally-gaining-my-level-3-pt-part-1.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I've since had a few questions about what the qualification entailed and what I thought of <a href="https://www.no1fitnesseducation.co.uk/" target="_blank">No1 Fitness Education</a> as a course, so here it is.<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The course</b></span></div>
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To be honest, the hardest part was getting through the online learning! It was quite repetitive but they do have to cover all the basics too, even the things that are common sense (which means yes, you have to read about the potential hazard of slipping on wet grass when training a client outside..) You can complete this at your own pace though and it's fairly easy to do on the go as it's all online. It was ideal for me to do between patients!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
The five physical sessions, however, went a lot faster. It was a great opportunity to put all the online information into practice and reinforce things such as technique for the major lifts. We were also able to programme sessions for each other and learn about all the different systems of training, which is something that is much easier to learn in person than it is to do online. </div>
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<br /></div>
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One thing I would say the team at No1 Fitness were great at was the support and reassurance they provided for us. A Whatsapp group was set up, where we could voice any concerns we had and bounce questions off each other. They also sent us some mock papers and made sure we were thoroughly prepared for each exam, which is obviously ideal.<br />
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Another perk at No1 Fitness was the chance to use the gym whilst completing the course. Everyone had full access to both studios and can join in a class or train themselves whenever they wanted to, which I thought was pretty cool.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQGa_JOehG9kqXvkqRyMDIVmRiRIg2XGmJ2gfrfF18avmM6fI2BwtdqstO-pKyyhPogUizGwssTjx6bQvAwcqLqSuAJgn2yhRgu_7MS5Y40psLqNTe3ttydgGB68Gm1H4G7cWDvU2Q6jz/s1600/b11471d3-0f23-47ee-95fa-91b222960932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1033" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQGa_JOehG9kqXvkqRyMDIVmRiRIg2XGmJ2gfrfF18avmM6fI2BwtdqstO-pKyyhPogUizGwssTjx6bQvAwcqLqSuAJgn2yhRgu_7MS5Y40psLqNTe3ttydgGB68Gm1H4G7cWDvU2Q6jz/s1600/b11471d3-0f23-47ee-95fa-91b222960932.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just finding out we had passes our level 3 practical exams with the group - the best feeling! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The exams</span></b></div>
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Apart from the exams at the end of each online learning section, there are a few other exams along the way that we had to sit in person. The first lot were for our level 2 gym instructor exams. These involved:</div>
<div>
1. An anatomy and physiology MCQ (multiple choice question) paper</div>
<div>
2. Writing a programme for a client<br />
3. Coaching a client through several exercises as requested by the examiner<br />
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I was super happy to get great feedback and results from my examiner about my level 2 exams, which motivated me to crack on with the level 3 studying! Level 3 exams were comprised of the same structure as above, but at a more advanced level. The MCQ also covered a much broader range of topics as we were tested on everything we had learned throughout the whole course.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHOLktv80L545ivunX5LseFoF4MasVMvPxR-a4hhBHgEEI91ee6kcDk6ualUXaFpaABCnAbG3oaZEV62Y451VkUDbd-si1K_BNcDqkT4tx0wyhrAqJ7A1iY9Kgp35rZ-Y3VPBiAWKimti/s1600/85135a86-18a1-4f6b-8517-cdec63c9b1f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHOLktv80L545ivunX5LseFoF4MasVMvPxR-a4hhBHgEEI91ee6kcDk6ualUXaFpaABCnAbG3oaZEV62Y451VkUDbd-si1K_BNcDqkT4tx0wyhrAqJ7A1iY9Kgp35rZ-Y3VPBiAWKimti/s640/85135a86-18a1-4f6b-8517-cdec63c9b1f4.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helping each other through the last stages of the exam..!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What will I do with my qualifications?</b></span><br />
I was pretty confident with what I was doing in the gym but this course has given me a much deeper level of understanding of the '<i>why' </i>behind what I do. I understand the training systems so much more and the ideology of training antagonistic (opposite) muscle groups together instead of just picking random exercises.<br />
<br />
I have something very exciting planned for January 2019, which involves one of my favourite training methods - pilates! It will involve both group and one-on-one training with myself in some absolutely incredible facilities, which are still under construction. So keep an eye on my Instagram <a href="http://www.instagram.com/jesssriv" target="_blank">@jesssriv</a> as I'll keep this updated with the progress of any personal training or classes that I teach.<br />
<br />
Jess x<br />
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-6180030808776663272018-08-16T02:11:00.002-07:002018-08-16T02:13:06.805-07:00*finally* gaining my Level 3 PT: Part 1<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hi friends. I'm back! It's been a little while since I blogged and it's about time I started again tbh. It actually feels quite odd writing on here. Odd because it's strange to write informally after spending the last year completing the dissertation for my masters. I've finally finished it though and I'm not ashamed to say I'm super proud of myself for doing so. Not only for finishing the three-year masters but achieving a distinction overall and also for my final dissertation on Botox to treat chronic migraine and temporomandibular joint disorders. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With that under my belt, of course, classic Jess, I felt a gap in my life without having something to study for. This is when I finally realised I had time to do something I always wanted to do and further my education in the field of personal training. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, I've already mentioned this on my Instagram and I've had a few messages asking if I'll be changing careers to become a full-time PT. In short, no. No, I will not be throwing in the towel after eight years at university studying dentistry and facial aesthetics (lol). The main reason for me always wanting to gain this PT qualification is because health and fitness is a huge passion of mine, as is my love for helping people to become happy and confident in themselves. In my mind, it all comes under the huge umbrella term of aesthetics. For the last three years, I've adored helping people gain confidence in their smile or their skin. But what about their body? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm always getting questions about training and lifestyle and even though I know what I want to say to people, I am forever holding back because I'm not actually qualified to be giving advice in that field. Hence, I jumped at the opportunity to enroll in the Level 3 PT course with <a href="http://www.no1fitnesseducation.co.uk/" target="_blank">No1 Fitness</a>.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkJqnR1VJpELWtGXzbAKDqthItNAfLo3XUdS2-Zs-G8WIZMeUEk_O5mJnc_PMvXnu7ZFFeMLGmLNYVKiBXV9wuj5lbrawOYMnGbrj-PuiMYWXPcf9401-tcVHYVCiaJBFT68crzdkPuaT/s1600/IMG_1129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkJqnR1VJpELWtGXzbAKDqthItNAfLo3XUdS2-Zs-G8WIZMeUEk_O5mJnc_PMvXnu7ZFFeMLGmLNYVKiBXV9wuj5lbrawOYMnGbrj-PuiMYWXPcf9401-tcVHYVCiaJBFT68crzdkPuaT/s1600/IMG_1129.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sure snacking is proven to increase studying productivity...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Why No1 Fitness?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All PT courses have to cover the same syllabus, however, the way in which it is delivered at No1 Fitness with their eight years of experience really stood out to me. They also came highly recommended from friends that had completed their course last year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I've mentioned before in my nutrition diploma post, online learning is extremely useful for me whilst working at my dental and aesthetic clinic during the week. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1fitnesseducation/" target="_blank">No1 Fitness</a> allows me to gain a good understanding of anatomy, physiology and training online via their e-learning platform before five consecutive weekends of intensive physical sessions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>My thoughts so far..</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the moment I am half way through the e-learning. I know this is the part that most people hate but the geek in me is loving it! It was actually quite exciting re-visiting human biology (a topic that I hadn't covered since my first year at dental school). I've always loved cardiology in particular and fun fact - if I had my time again I likely would have done medicine at uni and specialised to be a cardiologist. I just find it fascinating! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm super excited to get into the gym for the physical sessions starting mid-September. I will report back with a part 2 to this blog post to let you know how I found it and *hopefully* by then I will have my Level 3 PT qualification! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, for now, d</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">entistry and facial aesthetics will remain my bread and butter, but who knows where my career will take me in the future. There's only one way to find out and that is to complete my journey with No1 Fitness! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">See you on the other side </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-62442990381464893772018-03-11T14:18:00.000-07:002018-03-11T14:18:19.985-07:00The only [energy] balls you need in your life <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I’ve tried lots of energy
ball recipes and they were all loaded with either far too many dates or nuts
and not enough protein, if any. This is why I came up with the following recipe
– it saves me spending a fortune on less than ideal energy balls and has turned
out to be the perfect sweet treat or snack to take on the go.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">It took quite a bit of
playing around with and the milk ratio varies a lot depending on what protein
powder you use. I use vegan protein, which is super thick (so needs more
liquid). However, I recently discovered that when making these for one of my
friends using her beef isolate protein, it needs virtually no liquid as the
beef protein causes everything to miraculously turn to water (oatmeal included!
Sad times). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I’ve therefore included a
range with the almond milk so adjust accordingly depending on what protein
you’re using. I originally made these with vegan vanilla protein but tried it with chocolate and think it's just as delicious. So I've included two variations – one vanilla and one chocolate. How original..! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1XlJOebq6cdwhpxRQYrBdPPBHCP7Xf7e_mRB5td0B7GJoKxRfC8iTKVGuI-vbd0VOevFAAk8X2K164KvUIpI1HHYvAqKbCSFqvgz9k10Ko3XrXzwj75SbeYghFWIuiBwMWzER6aGXKc/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1XlJOebq6cdwhpxRQYrBdPPBHCP7Xf7e_mRB5td0B7GJoKxRfC8iTKVGuI-vbd0VOevFAAk8X2K164KvUIpI1HHYvAqKbCSFqvgz9k10Ko3XrXzwj75SbeYghFWIuiBwMWzER6aGXKc/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan vanilla and cinnamon balls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients: </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">(makes 8 balls)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">1 scoop
protein of choice - vanilla or chocolate </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">½ cup oats</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">¼ cup desiccated coconut</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">4 pitted ‘normal’ dates or 2 pitted medjool dates as they’re much bigger</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">2 tbsp almond
butter</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: georgia; text-indent: -18pt;">¼ cup almond
milk if using vegan protein OR 3 tbsp almond milk if using beef isolate protein
(I haven’t tried using whey as I don't consume dairy but if you are using it
I’d imagine it’s around 4 tbsp. If anyone tries it with whey, let me know!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">Extra
desiccated coconut to roll the balls in afterwards</span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">FOR VANILLA: add ½ tsp
ground cinnamon <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">FOR CHOCOLATE: add 1 tbsp
raw cacao powder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1QnRUIOMR3E7WaUugAZ6QeeawyhueeZKlcEJINLBHlKIdaPHTQO1mDuA3XWzAIwFs032Q1c8YvQUWvHlcUUna4KqBo8EEVKuwWLBZObfNLcVb_7xJjIrQToOB9mdzeT6Bjp_5x9fUz8/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1QnRUIOMR3E7WaUugAZ6QeeawyhueeZKlcEJINLBHlKIdaPHTQO1mDuA3XWzAIwFs032Q1c8YvQUWvHlcUUna4KqBo8EEVKuwWLBZObfNLcVb_7xJjIrQToOB9mdzeT6Bjp_5x9fUz8/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the texture you're looking for - see point 3 below for more detail </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Method:</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">Firstly decide
on if you’re making vanilla or chocolate!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">Then place all
relevant ingredients into a food processor depending on which flavour you’re
going for.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">Blend until
the mixture looks like a crumb but enough so that there are no lumps of date
left (see above photo). You don't want to over-blend it so that it turns into a paste. The
mixture shouldn't stick to the sides of the food processor or the blade. It
should, however, be easy to pick up and stick together when pressed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">Once you have
the right consistency, wet your hands and begin to form the mixture into small
balls. Wetting your hands stops any mixture sticking to you and saves so much
mess!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">Make sure you
press each ball firmly together and then roll into a bowl of the extra desiccated
coconut.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-indent: -18pt;">Place on a
plate and then refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to firm up.</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">You’ll be addicted from first bite so apologies in advance..! Let me know if you make them and tag me on insta <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesssriv/?hl=en" target="_blank">@jesssriv</a>!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Jess x</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssc3XqbDTRmVsqPQZRFfYcj-VmjkPxxo-wdd6QRT139gNaUIBX1gdQ6T37OxRN8sK6EWsDCoiqZU_ZXr8gavc4wdueJlbQOsNyXrjbxqacD-BBC-4z_YiFwomiU5NITI0SD7zu9ikloA/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssc3XqbDTRmVsqPQZRFfYcj-VmjkPxxo-wdd6QRT139gNaUIBX1gdQ6T37OxRN8sK6EWsDCoiqZU_ZXr8gavc4wdueJlbQOsNyXrjbxqacD-BBC-4z_YiFwomiU5NITI0SD7zu9ikloA/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The perfect cakey consistency. Because who doesn't love tea and cake..?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Jessica Srivastavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16228501790438882415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-54191657550495885782018-03-10T22:14:00.002-08:002018-03-10T22:14:21.565-08:0015-minute red lentil dhal <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This is my go-to vegan
protein source when I haven’t had time to soak any beans, chickpeas or other
lentils etc. Red lentils don't <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need</i>
to be soaked but they DO have to be rinsed thoroughly. That, I do have time for
as it takes about 3 minutes to do and increases the ease of digestion so much
more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I have made this recipe
countless times and it always seems to go down really well when I make it for
other people too. I often cook a whole 500g packet of lentils and it’ll then last me
a few days. This recipe, however, is for 3 people or 3 meals but it can easily be
doubled. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">For any left over lentils, I store them in a tupperware. They will solidify on cooling so when it comes to reheating, just place them in a pan with enough water to regain the correct consistency and <i>voila</i>, you've got another amazing meal!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOE3SWEbpWTaWBDX8lPE4ob-Sb4IrDkePhccQeyXQTK-mAhvVfhSWkvFz2b8sEeTZACw0If_WJIAMAOBj1WkM-4YooVDNl_Fzp5j4DbRIXuD_3BZGO0lhCpkRuvRg1pfbwK5rXqw38ntk/s1600/IMG_8686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOE3SWEbpWTaWBDX8lPE4ob-Sb4IrDkePhccQeyXQTK-mAhvVfhSWkvFz2b8sEeTZACw0If_WJIAMAOBj1WkM-4YooVDNl_Fzp5j4DbRIXuD_3BZGO0lhCpkRuvRg1pfbwK5rXqw38ntk/s1600/IMG_8686.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1
cup of red lentils</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">3
cups of vegetable stock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1
tsp turmeric powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1
tsp cumin powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">½
tsp chilli powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1
tsp freshly ground black pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Few
grinds of pink salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1
clove of garlic, crushed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">½
red onion, finely diced</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1
tbsp olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2
handfuls of fresh coriander, finely chopped</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTNfn0hCtFg2KxG59P5-mb_HPyPSoCZCncIqcdh9DxMKnjIHfX3dmgTlmDmJgAxbKu4w9WWEXw-1zucDJ4EQGr8rMS-D7ti78fzCz2e4spG0v9sW_3ZSt9Uj-9CvX_l4JuUoxReDkaLg/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTNfn0hCtFg2KxG59P5-mb_HPyPSoCZCncIqcdh9DxMKnjIHfX3dmgTlmDmJgAxbKu4w9WWEXw-1zucDJ4EQGr8rMS-D7ti78fzCz2e4spG0v9sW_3ZSt9Uj-9CvX_l4JuUoxReDkaLg/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The perfect vegan dinner party set up: red lentil dhal, sticky tahini brown rice and garlicky sautéed veggies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Method:</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Thoroughly
rinse the lentils in fresh water and keep repeating until the water runs clear.
It’ll start off very cloudy but after about 4-5 rinses it’ll begin to look
clear.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Mix
up the vegetable stock and add to the rinsed and drained lentils along with the
turmeric, cumin, chilli, salt and pepper.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Bring
to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until the
lentils are completely soft and all the stock has been absorbed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">If
at any point in the cooking process the lentils begin to stick to the bottom of
the pan, just add more water. The exact ratios of stock/water to lentils
doesn't matter as much as it does for rice IMO. So adding some extra liquid in
mid-cooking isn’t an issue at all.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Whilst
the lentils are simmering, heat the olive oil in a clean frying pan.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Add
in the garlic and onions and sauté until the onions have softened and browned. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">During
this time the lentils should be cooked. Add them to the frying pan and stir
well so that everything is nicely combined.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Once
cooked, add in the fresh coriander and serve. I like to have mine with brown rice and
veggies (as shown above).</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Enjoy and let me know if you try them on my insta <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesssriv/" target="_blank">@jesssriv</a>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Jess x<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jessica Srivastavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16228501790438882415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-51571979727073792762018-02-01T12:31:00.000-08:002018-02-04T07:01:52.646-08:00Veganuary: my experience <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you've followed me on Instagram you'll know that I took part in Veganuary (vegan January). This involved cutting out all animal products - not just the obvious meat, fish, dairy and eggs. The good news - I'm still alive and haven't died of a protein deficiency as many people seemed to be worried about.. So straight to the point with what you want to know - how did I find it and am I staying vegan?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYDmbE2S4hzZctzT3ZOSr10tai3eEzcvrmdMETyMYjmdH0p15Qdgmdpw8jiuOZVjjFICuHpC2U1w61Xf7-FdMsBB6QyCBtjMkZicdWN35909qtbvYl9wz7HnPjG1Au_yYqzwYMzIATEg/s1600/IMG_8862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="741" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYDmbE2S4hzZctzT3ZOSr10tai3eEzcvrmdMETyMYjmdH0p15Qdgmdpw8jiuOZVjjFICuHpC2U1w61Xf7-FdMsBB6QyCBtjMkZicdWN35909qtbvYl9wz7HnPjG1Au_yYqzwYMzIATEg/s1600/IMG_8862.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my fav meals to cook at home - black rice, yellow split peas and greeeeens</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As you may have gathered from my previous blog posts and Instagram, I started becoming more plant based during the last few months of 2017. This definitely made it easier when it came to participating in Veganuary because I was used to cooking beans, lentils, chickpeas and rice etc. and making them exciting to eat. Before this though, I had thoroughly researched plant proteins so that I could do what I did with meat and fish - eyeball a portion so that I roughly know what a cup of lentils looks like and therefore know that in one serving there is around 18g protein.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It still amazes me how many people are uneducated when it comes to plant protein (myself included until around September 2017). But truth be told, if you know you can easily get your protein from animal sources and you've been doing so the whole of your life, I can understand that the motivation to change isn't there. However, personally, I am SO glad I invested time into re-educating myself. Never in a million years did I think I would be walking past the meat and fish counters in Waitrose and heading down to pick up a bag of chickpeas and rice for dinner.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALPt3sBb2FRhpbjITbxX91WQbcrbzKzQhx-_MP0ZCDxzl2ojzo_4iZvRbJjQVbZ81qo0KeshMjcPxo5oKPGb6gDq3Pop7jPbiphueHmQe4BpFR8iX24GP3K77tqjmC4IN7LQDBur-0TY/s1600/IMG_8861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="749" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALPt3sBb2FRhpbjITbxX91WQbcrbzKzQhx-_MP0ZCDxzl2ojzo_4iZvRbJjQVbZ81qo0KeshMjcPxo5oKPGb6gDq3Pop7jPbiphueHmQe4BpFR8iX24GP3K77tqjmC4IN7LQDBur-0TY/s1600/IMG_8861.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious black rice bowl at Electric Members Club (I was hungry when I left though so had to eat again lol)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At first I was very conscious that I needed to consume 'complete proteins' and even wrote up a table of incomplete proteins together with which amino acid they are low in (this is my OCD shining through). For example lentils and black beans are low in methionine so ideally you want to consume them with brown rice, which is high in methionine. However, I have since read some more papers and watched a few lengthy YouTube videos from nutritionists (one of my favourites being Derek Simnett, who is a vegan nutrition practitioner). These state that you don't actually need to consume the complete protein in one meal. The elimination of amino acids from the body isn't fast enough that you would be deficient in them if consumed on different <i>days</i> let alone different meals! Obviously do your research but this is something that made my meal choices a lot easier and took the stress away from thinking I was going to be amino acid depleted! To be honest I still consumed legumes with rice anyway because it's delicious lol. BUT it's always good to know that either way I would be getting a well balanced nutritional profile. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also came to realise that if you're at all 'carb phobic' then a vegan lifestyle is going to be very difficult for you to get your head around. You have to accept that your meals will be higher in carbs than protein - I'll admit this was a challenging concept to grasp for me initially too. It's hard to undo years of brainwashing by the media that you should be very conscious of your carb intake otherwise you'll be obese before you know it. But you know what? F that. I have more than <i>doubled</i> my carb intake from what it was a few months ago! And the result? I look leaner, eat more, have more energy and I am a hell of a lot happier! This leads me onto a few of the main pros that I found:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Positives </b></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>MUCH cheaper</b>. One 500g pack of beans, chickpeas or lentils provided around 5 meals for me (depending on how much rice/bulgar wheat/bread/quinoa etc I had with it). That equates to your main protein source at each meal coming in at around 38p! Compare that with a fillet of salmon at £5-6... hmm you do the math... </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>More energy</b>. The initial increase in carbs had my energy levels through the roof! I was training more than I previously wanted to just because I actually had the energy to do so. Eating at home meant I could load my plate up with food. Eating out, however, often left me hungry with my energy levels going the other way (but more about that in the next section).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Clearer skin.</b> This may be TMI but for the first time in my life I didn't have one breakout around my period. Normally without fail I will always always get at least one big spot, which drives me insane. But this time, nothing! It literally felt like a miracle. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Inches lost</b>. So as mentioned on my initial Veganuary Instagram post, I don't actually own any functioning scales anymore (they broke summer '17 and just cba replacing them). So at the start of the month I took measurements of my waist, hips, each leg and each arm (as idk about you but my arms and legs are different sizes on each side?!) My intention was never to lose weight but I just did the measurements out of curiosity. I lost 1/2 an inch from every single area, which actually really surprised me. Maybe this will help people realise that carbs aren't the devil when it comes to weight loss after all..!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Increased food volume</b>. idk about you but I LOVE big meals. I know some people hate them and prefer eating smaller meals (weirdos) but I have never ever been like that. As plant foods are much less calorie dense, you can literally live the dream (or my dream at least) and EAT. ALL. THE. FOOD. It's important to make up those calories from removing animal proteins - so to know that you can pile a massive plate FULL of food and let your portion sizes literally go out the window is such a good feeling. I genuinely had to go out and buy bigger plates..!! Obviously I'm no nutritionist and saying that you can disregard portion sizes may not be the most sensible thing to say to some people. BUT of course, I'm talking about piling the plate full of whole foods rather than Oreos... Use ya common sense here hun.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Health benefits</b>. This was my main motivation for adopting a plant based lifestyle. There are countless papers backing up the evidence that a vegan diet can help to lower cancer risk, improve cardiovascular health, lower mortality rates and protect against chronic diseases. Seems like a no brainer. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Faster recovery</b>. I found my DOMS were a LOT less than they usually are. I normally take quite a while to recover after heavy weight sessions. However, I found my muscle soreness diminish and climbing the stairs after leg day didn't seem as hard! I did some research into why this may be and apparently animal protein can cause a build up of uric and lactic acid in the body, which in turn impairs muscle recovery... Interesting! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Doing your bit for our planet.</b> This is often many people's motivation to adopt a plant based lifestyle. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One month as a vegan saves an average of 33,000 gallons of water, 500kg of grain and 30 animals lives. WOW.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Challenges </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So it wasn't all plain sailing. The biggest hurdles I came across were during eating out. A lot of restaurants that are not solely vegan often have a very limited choice of vegan options, which are far from what I would consider a healthy or balanced meal. For example, some were just a bowl of white pasta and tomato sauce or rice and vegetables. To me, neither of those are complete meals. So when I did go out and get lumped with these poor options, I had to come home and eat again as I was still hungry! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I even found myself having to eat at home after my last meal at Farmacy, which was pretty shocking. Not only do they charge you £15 for a dish you can make for £1 at home but I had to send my food back because it was cold. It was also one of the blandest meals I've EVER had in my life. Such a shame because it's so close to where I live and seems to have a bizarrely good reputation. However, every time I've eaten there either myself or someone I've been with has had a problem with the food. Plus the portions are tiny - fine if you want to go there and just take pretty photos; hashtag vegan, hashtag health. But if you actually want to eat and feel satiated - <i>avoid</i> IMO. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aZ7V-g_-p04njqxTAhwrsGwRZM1-dLgOBOWrGNbH9_KmCmp2_4wHRc_gjuXK1YxOV_MPIir_Sx7FjdeaXB1dSmqSARDLjhWAavX1CP2F6nh8AylcPqRe7XBRG3HlpBZcY2PSiMaVz0I/s1600/IMG_8658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aZ7V-g_-p04njqxTAhwrsGwRZM1-dLgOBOWrGNbH9_KmCmp2_4wHRc_gjuXK1YxOV_MPIir_Sx7FjdeaXB1dSmqSARDLjhWAavX1CP2F6nh8AylcPqRe7XBRG3HlpBZcY2PSiMaVz0I/s1600/IMG_8658.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">vegan burrito DREAM at Wulf and Lamb</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the other hand, this meal above was literally my favourite of the whole month! It was the 'open burrito' from a vegan restaurant in Chelsea called Wulf and Lamb. Comprised of a soft wheat tortilla topped with cashew cream, sautéed ackee, black beans and red rice. So so delicious and I'd 100% recommend it to anyone looking for good, <i>filling</i> vegan food. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The one downer here was that I was super excited to try the vegan mac and cheese but it was terrible. I used to LOVE regular mac and cheese and it was one of my favourite comfort foods before I cut out dairy. Therefore, I'd like to think of myself as a somewhat mac and cheese connoisseur (lol). If you have also cut out dairy but remotely remember what cheese tastes like OR you still eat cheese then you <i>will</i> be disappointed with this. It has an awful bitter aftertaste from the nutritional yeast (and I actually like nutritional yeast!) So yeah, it's a no to the mac and cheese but a big fat yes to the burrito.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know that some of my friends found eating with other non-vegan friends quite challenging. However, in these situations my friends were really understanding and non judgemental, which was amazing as it didn't make me feel embarrassed or awkward at all. I even went to a dinner party where they served up roast pork. However, as we all brought a dish, I cooked some lentils and had that as my protein source with all the other veggies that were there. Turned out to be a delicious meal and everyone else loved the lentils too! Win win. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Will I stay vegan?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't think I will ever put a label on my diet or lifestyle. Just because the day you slip up or want to deviate, everyone is too quick to criticise or make you feel awful for your decision. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The stats mentioned above in the 'positives' section are pretty amazing IMO and have convinced me that I will definitely try my hardest to remain vegan as much as possible. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, as I mentioned, I found eating out the hardest part and would never want to distance myself from social situations because I feel like I can't eat there. So in all honesty, when the vegan options are poor, I would much rather opt for a wild salmon fillet for a good boost of omega-3, than be stuck with some greasy vegan option lacking in excitement and nutritional value. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At home though, I can't see myself ever buying animal products again. I have </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">become a lot more experimental in the kitchen and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> saved SO much money this month (handy when you've got all that tax to pay). As long as I'm prepared with soaking my beans etc then being vegan at home is easy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As for the long term effect on my health, it might be great now, but I want to be sure that I am never deficient in any vitamins or minerals such as B12 and iron being the main two. With my predisposition to iron deficiency as found out in my recent DNA test (you can read about that <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2018/01/listen-to-your-dna-and-microbiome-atlas.html" target="_blank">here</a>) I may need to consider iron supplementation along with my already supplemented B12. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you are vegan, have tried veganism or are thinking of trying it, I'd love to know how you are getting on either here or on my Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesssriv/" target="_blank">@jesssriv</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Until next time, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17262547497944353778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-17458695892207046982018-01-16T11:55:00.000-08:002018-01-16T11:55:32.861-08:00An insight into food waste with FoodSaver <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Everyone has their own reasons for becoming plant based. I will be 100% honest and say my <i>initial</i> 'why' when taking on the Veganuary challenge was not because of the environmental damage around us, it was because of my health.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, this has <i>definitely</i> changed and I have since become much more aware of the impact that we have on our planet. New research carried out by the <a href="http://www.foodsaver.co.uk/" target="_blank">FoodSaver</a> team backs up why we need to start thinking more about our actions and the easy things we can change, such as minimising our food waste. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpIUM2Uq6H-bIe-HjGq8pInu_UEDYkmWxPf_SL5k5Lfc00spKW4yEnsvXB6k1uCIx4-0PhlginocnO15Kj3gLCq1VeX4YmFfg_OGWNKXqsjbWgbJ7-PuNFV9ti1_ce9_s2zcxiZUzkvk/s1600/IMG_7898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpIUM2Uq6H-bIe-HjGq8pInu_UEDYkmWxPf_SL5k5Lfc00spKW4yEnsvXB6k1uCIx4-0PhlginocnO15Kj3gLCq1VeX4YmFfg_OGWNKXqsjbWgbJ7-PuNFV9ti1_ce9_s2zcxiZUzkvk/s1600/IMG_7898.JPG" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Facts</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brits throw away nearly 2.5 billion food items a year. With each person throwing away an average of four food items a month, surveys showed that adults waste around 3000 food items in their lifetime. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The most commonly wasted food is lettuce as over a 1/3 of our population regularly dispose of it. However, possibly a good thing is that the surveys showed that 87% of people disregard 'best before' dates, which let's face it - many vegetables often last far beyond this. Although 87% is a huge portion of our population, we are still wasting <i>so</i> much food. So why is this?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJW98Z21Sgbka7BIWVnGHPPhwNLKuvrUoViIt_1Sozby6OJ7XYdA_IXdQ6h9W1kxubSskW_78nTiivMNdGXE592_ybM948BgAqps4sKU11nkxixNNL9A_DrTKnBuBuOjfFfHs4UF9o7Z8/s1600/IMG_8089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJW98Z21Sgbka7BIWVnGHPPhwNLKuvrUoViIt_1Sozby6OJ7XYdA_IXdQ6h9W1kxubSskW_78nTiivMNdGXE592_ybM948BgAqps4sKU11nkxixNNL9A_DrTKnBuBuOjfFfHs4UF9o7Z8/s400/IMG_8089.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;">Sealing up the remainder of my crushed potatoes using FoodSaver Fresh</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Interestingly enough, one of the biggest reasons for food waste is due to the confusion over how to store it correctly. Some of the top MYTHS were:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">food should be left to cool before storing (73%)<span style="font-size: xx-small;">[1]</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">fresh, raw carrots are more nutritious than cooked carrots (61%)<span style="font-size: xx-small;">[2]</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">if food smells ok, then it's fine to eat (35%)<span style="font-size: xx-small;">[3]</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'five second rule' is true..! (25%)<span style="font-size: xx-small;">[4]</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How do people think that the 'five second rule' is true?! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the other hand, even I was convinced that food should be left to cool before storing! With this being the biggest misconception, it was interesting to find out that leaving food out at room temperature actually encourages bacterial growth. Research shows that food should not be left out for longer than two hours as after this time bacteria begins to multiply rapidly. If you are worried about putting hot liquids such as soup in the fridge, then they suggest to transfer it to several smaller containers to help it cool more quickly. Makes sense. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another fun fact was that a quarter of Brits admitted to having arguments with their partners about how to store their food?! Wow. Talk about first world problems..! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Whatever your motivation for reducing your food waste (even if it is to reduce your domestic arguments) one sure way to help is using FoodSaver Fresh vacuum sealing storage system. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr613barU7goGpgo1nmKDdDu2gtlNgzv42jbH_W8nhLUfZEPahd_uCwLnql3DPVhyphenhyphenLcBhW4S-QadzCNWg2Lqi8mPtxMuCi_JFtsm-yaodW33xWAnPUpqsFWO176EcXVMEDJ5sDYgMfkks/s1600/IMG_7899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr613barU7goGpgo1nmKDdDu2gtlNgzv42jbH_W8nhLUfZEPahd_uCwLnql3DPVhyphenhyphenLcBhW4S-QadzCNWg2Lqi8mPtxMuCi_JFtsm-yaodW33xWAnPUpqsFWO176EcXVMEDJ5sDYgMfkks/s400/IMG_7899.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick lunch: smoked salmon, all the veggies and mashed parsnip</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>FoodSaver Fresh</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you haven't previously read my posts about FoodSaver Fresh then you can do so <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2017/11/diet-changes-my-current-obsession.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I go into detail about what it is and how it's been a <i>huge</i> help in my meal prep and food storage, as well as helping me to save so much time and money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And if you're looking for more meal prep inspo or how I use it to keep food fresh for up to twice as long, then take a look at my week of food <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2017/12/a-week-of-food-with-foodsaver-fresh.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So this is just a tiny insight into food waste, which focuses on an easy way that we can minimise what we throw out by using vacuum storage. Of course there are many other avenues we could look at and I'd love to hear yours! Let me know either in the comments or on my Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesssriv/" target="_blank">@jesssriv</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">References:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span> <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/xO5cC4x2GWcBVMPAULPzLk?domain=aarp.org">http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/housing/info-02-2010/myth_buster_should_you_let_hot_food_cool_before_refrigerating_.html</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[2]</span><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/BbUeC68MKYhrNjklIEvvTt?domain=berkeleywellness.com">http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/nutrition/article/are-cooked-carrots-better-raw</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[3]</span><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/K68-C73MVDiAg4MjF7_JY7?domain=eatright.org">http://www.eatright.org/resource/homefoodsafety/safety-tips/food-poisoning/10-common-food-safety-mistakes</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[4]</span><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/_nBFC82gKXF6GD38SZ-fs6?domain=nhs.uk">http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/homehygiene/Pages/does-the-five-second-rule-really-work.aspx</a><!--EndFragment-->
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">N.B. This post was kindly sponsored by FoodSaver but as always, all opinions are my own and 100% honest </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17262547497944353778noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-62295283293245725772018-01-15T05:27:00.003-08:002020-04-22T02:46:16.962-07:00roasted coconut cinnamon almond butter [vg, gf, sf]<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I first made my own nut butter a few years ago, purely out of curiosity - were home made nut butters really worth the extra effort? My consensus after making my first batch of roasted coconut cinnamon almond butter was YES. Yes, it bloody was!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXCJnMkSxr6NUOuStN25jpFzAbvL6qnkvS_aNMmXwUojOAuJIHiKMywNRKI_MGaX8UPDby369cMX_uxdr3BqHVHDYEsdwenz7nsrf6aEZ1q8mVHrsKjN2DK6KprPJWOiAnvFYNI_rmrE/s1600/IMG_8309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXCJnMkSxr6NUOuStN25jpFzAbvL6qnkvS_aNMmXwUojOAuJIHiKMywNRKI_MGaX8UPDby369cMX_uxdr3BqHVHDYEsdwenz7nsrf6aEZ1q8mVHrsKjN2DK6KprPJWOiAnvFYNI_rmrE/s1600/IMG_8309.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've experimented with a few flavour combinations in the past but this is definitely my favourite. It was inspired by one of my favourite nut butter companies - you all know the one (and if you don't then you haven't lived). However, it's made with no added sweetener or sugar as I find the coconut and cinnamon alone is sweet enough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I never thought to post the recipe but one of my best friends moved to Dubai and can't get Pip and Nut out there (get the violins out) so P, this one's for you my love. Let's just hope you agree that IMO it just about <i>pip's</i> your fav almond butter to the post - excuse the sh*t pun.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvqOrHxO57mf5oxJnxlHVyiba-qWa0dO9J-OCJCmR9jnTdV3qdd2OjQX7oVO3e3j0KBIQpTPWei-LVP7Grw6nH7u6NZ4XCISqQ0IfqzYo3cOPb2Bx5uhyphenhyphenONA45xnM7dgv7xKAgNQPd4A/s1600/IMG_8308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvqOrHxO57mf5oxJnxlHVyiba-qWa0dO9J-OCJCmR9jnTdV3qdd2OjQX7oVO3e3j0KBIQpTPWei-LVP7Grw6nH7u6NZ4XCISqQ0IfqzYo3cOPb2Bx5uhyphenhyphenONA45xnM7dgv7xKAgNQPd4A/s1600/IMG_8308.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(makes a small jar full) </span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 cups raw, unsalted almonds </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 tbsp desiccated coconut </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tsp ground cinnamon </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 big pinches of pink salt </span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Method:</span></b></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spread the almonds onto a roasting tray and place in the oven for 7 minutes at 180<span style="font-size: 12pt;">ºC, turning half way</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before placing into a food processor</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Add the coconut, cinnamon and pink salt and blend (it really is that simple!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Once blended, pour into a sterile and sealable jar. I keep mine on the worktop so that it's still a nice consistency to enjoy straight up (rather than being solidified if you were to keep it in the fridge). It should last about a week - I'm yet to have enough self control to see if it will actually keep for longer than this so if anyone finds out, let me know..! lol</span></span></li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFmU3mXhcr5E5IouWb2Jid1P2qe6W2A9irh-NcdkAnA-BDsilgsGAYYzMMIRDdtJY9v597QeicoQrCYz1Cmvk4RWscWgZiVlPePJuOTtqzw5-LBFPILMCIOTd7SI03LPZL65NQVaI-Pta/s1600/IMG_0464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1357" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFmU3mXhcr5E5IouWb2Jid1P2qe6W2A9irh-NcdkAnA-BDsilgsGAYYzMMIRDdtJY9v597QeicoQrCYz1Cmvk4RWscWgZiVlPePJuOTtqzw5-LBFPILMCIOTd7SI03LPZL65NQVaI-Pta/s640/IMG_0464.JPG" width="542" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">N.B. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The almonds will go through several stages: almond crumb, almond flour, almond paste, a ball of almond mush (yes they will just fly around the food processor in a ball for a bit) and THEN eventually almond butter!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The key is having patience and sticking with it because I promise you it's worth it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You may have to keep stopping the food processor and scraping down the sides periodically, especially at the beginning when the mixture is quite firm. So no leaving your almonds unattended, sorry! It will take around 6-8 minutes of blending depending on how powerful your food processor is. Mine isn't very good, as you can tell from the timing. But if you're lucky enough to own a Vitamix then you'll be done in less than 5 minutes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enjoy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17262547497944353778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-36764614250412161202018-01-05T00:46:00.000-08:002018-01-05T00:53:27.061-08:00Listen to your gut (and DNA): Atlas Biomed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPXEssHZqoEXVbzLhDTWQi2sDTVGx9FGqZtegEQCyBMSPQ5BUnkzR91AeTbKWgKahcRxe9dS07nl7ML5JCXgyVVnm9hJkS0U-sfJAO9nEYIekurKuPjhR2oyOS8aJ-Oq06GISip-Dr6Eo/s1600/IMG_5561.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPXEssHZqoEXVbzLhDTWQi2sDTVGx9FGqZtegEQCyBMSPQ5BUnkzR91AeTbKWgKahcRxe9dS07nl7ML5JCXgyVVnm9hJkS0U-sfJAO9nEYIekurKuPjhR2oyOS8aJ-Oq06GISip-Dr6Eo/s1600/IMG_5561.JPG" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have you ever wondered if you're at risk of hereditary illness? Ever wondered if your diet is not only fuelling disease processes but also preventing you from making progress with your fitness goals?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know I have.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm also sure that if you're reading this, you're aware that everyone is different and there are reasons why some diets work for one person but can have the complete opposite effect for another. We've all heard the classic lines, 'it's just good genes' or 'they look like that because they have good genetics'. But how true is this? To what extent can understanding your DNA actually affect your nutrition and training?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is where <a href="https://atlasbiomed.com/" target="_blank">Atlas Biomed</a> comes into play.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>What is it?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Atlas Biomed is a personalised health company who provide two at-home tests - DNA and microbiome analysis, which together provide a detailed analysis of your overall wellbeing. The results of the tests are uploaded onto your online account with recommendations on the exercise, diet and lifestyle that may suit you best, all based on the findings from analysing your own DNA and gut flora.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Atlas <b>DNA test</b> shows:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">HEALTH</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">an overview of your risk to 17 of the most common diseases</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">carrier status for 283 hereditary conditions and lifestyle advice for how to help prevent them from developing </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">NUTRITION</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">analysis of your metabolism </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">taste preferences that influence your food choices </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">predisposition to unbalanced vitamin and mineral levels </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">analysis of the most common food intolerances </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">dietary advice based on all the above </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">SPORTS</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">strength and muscle growth potential </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">endurance </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">genetic risk of sports injuries </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">recommended length of training sessions and rest periods </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Atlas <b>Microbiome Test</b> shows:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">if you have a balanced diet that allows your microbiome to function optimally </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the ratio of bacteria in your gut and whether you have enough of the right ones to synthesise vitamins B and K</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">if you're consuming enough fibre </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">how your microbiome compares with those who have type II diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease or those who are obese </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">which foods to incorporate to help increase the diversity of healthy bacteria in your gut</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I wanted to know and what you're probably thinking:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You've got all my most detailed information, so how are you keeping it secure?!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was reassured that Atlas Biomed opperates a strict Information Governance Policy, which incorporates the European Data Protection Regulation. All data is encrypted as soon as it is received and is anonymised on the Atlas database. Therefore, only the Atlas servers can read the information. We are the only people that can request access to our own information and can request removal of all of our data from the Atlas server at any point, as stated in the Data Protection Regulation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How accurate are the tests?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The technology used for Atlas Biomed is 99.9% accurate. Data is analysed using DNA microarray technology from Illumina. Illumina are at the forefront of in vitro diagnostics and operate in a certified EU laboratory (accredited with ISO 15189 - unsure what this means but sounds <i>fancy</i>)</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">My Experience </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I completed the tests the day after they were delivered and it took around 8 weeks for the results to come back. I actually found the site quite hard to navigate as there are so many tabs to click on and I found myself missing some info and then re-reading others! Once I actually understood all my results here's a few of the most interesting things I found out..</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">DNA test</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received the DNA test back first and it came with two main suggestions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- limit food rich in sodium because I'm genetically prone to high blood pressure</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- limit HIIT as I'm at risk of bronchial asthma</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The above were true - high bp and asthma <em>do</em> run in my family BUT what I feel was not taken into consideration was my initial baseline readings. I actually have a naturally low blood pressure, which is partly due to HIIT! So:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a) I've been told by consultants to include <i>more</i> salt because of my bp being low..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">b) I love salt so would massively struggle to cut it out..!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It also stated "avoid HIIT as it can be just as bad for your health as doing no sports at all" - debatable. Yet again, this is one piece of advice I'm not sure I will take BUT it's good to be aware of the 'risk' either way. I don't do a lot of HIIT anymore but I do do some and it's my preferred method of cardio. IMO I think doing one high intensity class a week is more beneficial for my health than doing no cardio at all, especially considering my sedentary job.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course Atlas Biomed do base it purely on existing disease prevalence, genetics and the lifestyle questionnaire you fill out. So in a way you do have to take some suggestions with a pinch of salt (excuse the pun)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was also told I'm at high risk of several other diseases based on close relatives already experiencing them. For these, Atlas Biomed suggested some lifestyle changes. I also really liked the fact that they included a scientific paper with each disease process to reinforce the data and suggestions they were making.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In addition to the above, I also found out some pretty cool things. One of them being that I am 24% African?! Um whaaaat?! As if my mix of Indian/Ukrainian wasn't strange enough!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Probably one of the most useful tools was the genetic predisposition to some low vitamin levels as shown in the screen shot below.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RBJSAj4tPFkXHdqHCJr13ZBuE4t1jiK6pFvre10x8XUse3PJlSuXEjHwzfMACBbYMXEjOkjlFX27O5bpN-0xmD-OfL1ZeUi0GNclgvb98-nAllZ_SBqhfWN6cz-BSnJdlLkI8CQ2Vd0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-12-13+at+09.23.38.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RBJSAj4tPFkXHdqHCJr13ZBuE4t1jiK6pFvre10x8XUse3PJlSuXEjHwzfMACBbYMXEjOkjlFX27O5bpN-0xmD-OfL1ZeUi0GNclgvb98-nAllZ_SBqhfWN6cz-BSnJdlLkI8CQ2Vd0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-12-13+at+09.23.38.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My predisposition to vitamin deficiencies </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So clicking on the tab for low levels of B6 for example, it displayed some information about this water soluble vitamin and a scientific paper about how my genetic variant has been linked to low B6 levels. It also gave some suggestions to incorporate foods that are high in B6 such as walnuts, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and avocado - all of which I already have almost daily, which is good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One area that I think could be improved was the iron recommendations. There was no mention of the difference between heme and non-heme iron, which I think is particularly important considering I have a predominantly plant based diet. Put simply, non-heme iron is primarily found in plants and most iron supplements. Heme iron is primarily found in meat. Non-heme iron is therefore what I generally consume in the form of legumes, rice, oats, nuts and green leafy veg. It is harder for the body to absorb non-heme iron as it has to be converted first. Therefore, some mention of this to people that are not initially aware of the difference could be much more beneficial.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Microbiome test</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So apparently my microbiome is Danish..! How the heck that evolved from my Indian/Ukrainian/African roots, I have no idea! I also got told my microbiome was that of a 'village peasant' lol. As insulting as that initially sounds, once I read through the literature provided by Atlas Biomed, it turned out to be a good thing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So they state that microbiomes are generally organised into three types, which have been established after analysing thousands of diets across the world:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Urban citizen (a typical western diet high in simple sugars and animal fat)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Indigene (common in isolated tribes such as Amazonians and high in plant fibre with little sugar, meat or fat)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Village peasant (common in those that consume a lot of starchy fibre and often associated with a healthy gut)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Atlas Biomed gave several suggestions of foods I should incorporate to help build upon the already goo</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">d colonies of bacteria in my gut. I actually sent off my samples before my transition to a more plant based diet so it would be really interesting to see how these results would compare if I was to take the test again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So that's a short summary of my experience using Atlas Biomed. Of course, every test has its flaws and I've highlighted the main ones I came across. However, on the whole I think it's a brilliant tool to understand your own DNA and microbiome. This is particularly useful if you're struggling with a certain aspect of your training or diet (there were training recommendations for me but I am actually already doing them, hence why I didn't detail it above!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I would definitely look at repeating the microbiome test in a few months, as particularly with Veganuary coming up, I'd want to check my vitamin and mineral levels along with any change in gut flora after a whole month on a vegan diet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">N.B. This post was kindly sponsored by Atlas Biomed but as always, opinions are my own and 100% honest</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-86500541684106234882017-12-03T12:29:00.001-08:002017-12-04T01:33:51.150-08:00A week of food with FoodSaver Fresh<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In my last post I talked about my latest <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2017/11/diet-changes-my-current-obsession.html" target="_blank">diet changes</a> and discovery of the <a href="http://www.foodsaver.co.uk/" target="_blank">FoodSaver Fresh</a>, which has made the transition to a more plant based way of living <i>so</i> much easier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since then I've received a lot of messages asking about what I usually eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So I thought it would be helpful to document a week of food for you and how I actually store the food to make it stay fresh, reduce waste and save money!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioclNk-kwNoZbllgNGNtHUMKiV1NA1PfUa1yyd2uxiw6FjNGC5Fbzdm4P7mgQRq3MEC7HjiUVPqzuU1GUIpjBowLEG2AZyH4OYgqZ9kZ8yUbcJaeTDm790TzTGDXzginTpxiYFW2N-2SUc/s1600/IMG_6808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioclNk-kwNoZbllgNGNtHUMKiV1NA1PfUa1yyd2uxiw6FjNGC5Fbzdm4P7mgQRq3MEC7HjiUVPqzuU1GUIpjBowLEG2AZyH4OYgqZ9kZ8yUbcJaeTDm790TzTGDXzginTpxiYFW2N-2SUc/s1600/IMG_6808.JPG" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Weekly grocery haul (minus the store cupboard staples)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Breakfast</span></b> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWuBeF8aK42XAbVTMwNnvXuH4hlL_TO6OgmC8PKvROrvHpV4cok9_tKNKyxUdVvzt876S2auPhonS8Euz_Mfb6JdG8ybihg-HiArTBKOkOWn1t8jFPx33iRYvOw0oJbe62ukPEG2jEUXE/s400/IMG_6854.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protein zoats and all the best toppings </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWuBeF8aK42XAbVTMwNnvXuH4hlL_TO6OgmC8PKvROrvHpV4cok9_tKNKyxUdVvzt876S2auPhonS8Euz_Mfb6JdG8ybihg-HiArTBKOkOWn1t8jFPx33iRYvOw0oJbe62ukPEG2jEUXE/s1600/IMG_6854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My morning routine hasn't changed for years now. I'm a creature of habit and stick by the saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". You guessed it - zoats. They're my go to breakfast and you can find my recipe <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2016/09/zoats.html" target="_blank">here</a> BUT to make it completely vegan I now use 1 chia egg instead of egg whites. I find that this brings the dish together really well and still keeps me just as full as the voluminous egg whites would. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I mentioned on Instagram that oats can have the tendency to make me feel a little weighed down. So if I'm training in the morning, I will make my sweet potato protein bowl, which can be found <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2017/07/sweet-potato-protein-pudding.html" target="_blank">here</a>. It says 'pudding' on the recipe but I have it for breakfast too. Because who doesn't like dessert for breakfast?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My other option on early training days is a big protein smoothie filled with all the usual culprits - sweet potato, banana, spinach, greens powder, protein powder and almond milk. I also like to throw in some extra fruit if I have some such as berries or mango. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A lot of the time I'm using up portions of fruit or vegetables and want the remainder of the packet or cut open fruit/veg to stay fresh until I need it again. The FoodSaver Fresh has been a great way for me to store this food in their vacuum packed bags as shown in the photos. No more soft, brown bananas/mangoes/courgettes. They're all much fresher for at least double the time than they otherwise would be using conventional storage methods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The FoodSaver Fresh is so easy to use too. Line up the bag, adjust the height of the vacuum head and press start as soon as the green light shows. 10 seconds later you're sealed up and it's ready to be stored in the fridge!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuP8vxx0N8cCYmdPvqPYwwykeLe3Fv-k1FFpPolEE5taoRH_531B-WmCWVE6zPt5O5htSDh_Kkf-nNF7W_OCS3_RGgB0ImnEP3bZwcLCyP3lTNv1WtBeuXhYEQ9rbJxm9vBiwblwodd6ll/s1600/LastShareCollage.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuP8vxx0N8cCYmdPvqPYwwykeLe3Fv-k1FFpPolEE5taoRH_531B-WmCWVE6zPt5O5htSDh_Kkf-nNF7W_OCS3_RGgB0ImnEP3bZwcLCyP3lTNv1WtBeuXhYEQ9rbJxm9vBiwblwodd6ll/s1600/LastShareCollage.PNG" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Left: pre vacuum seal<br />Right: post vacuum seal..! (obviously)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Lunch</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBkjrvQmx1NIdv9QVdQxdTPksE7o8HkijDnpYF2heuahgDk_CCHEQLqhGgcxXwB5EcOfUOoqpckWTD_vyOeHcvQHCgiFykYOdinX7wzmdG1cWJ_V3EQ2keWEcGagoi-GK3H_kjV6qiesT/s1600/IMG_5744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBkjrvQmx1NIdv9QVdQxdTPksE7o8HkijDnpYF2heuahgDk_CCHEQLqhGgcxXwB5EcOfUOoqpckWTD_vyOeHcvQHCgiFykYOdinX7wzmdG1cWJ_V3EQ2keWEcGagoi-GK3H_kjV6qiesT/s400/IMG_5744.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical lunchbox for me - Thai marinated salmon, quinoa and veggies</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My lunch is simple and easy. It's often just left overs from my dinner! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Recently I've been making an effort to make them completely vegan for a couple of reasons:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a) I'm now only eating fish for 3-4 meals a week </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">b) because of the above I thought I'd be slightly kinder to my colleagues and stop making the staff room smell of fish..! So I'm keeping the fish to evening meals most of the time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So lets get onto these dinners..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dinner</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I like to cook up a few big batches of pulses or beans and then combine them with different veggies that I sauté each evening - just because they are so quick to fry and whilst I'm doing so, I can think about what else I want to eat with them - ultimate multi-tasking, right..?! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I structure <i>all</i> my meals with a source of protein, carbohydrates (including lots of vegetables) and a healthy dose of good fat. I also have dessert every evening without fail. This is usually a bowl (or two) of all the good stuff - it's basically a slightly smaller version of one of my breakfast bowls..!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bought two red snapper fillets so I can cook once and eat twice! Winner.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF38rYZf3MjaXHy5NHd9jh_lvzEeKP4idy_1Asb5F6Foeje48UYQIWjBtRt46jxAfqWxrKAxgoh_K3n1gA_TLNBOgIpSE2jQAtSs1uT6QKLX-rRp2wwtD85TRgWTimkQnG9IN_KNK0WrGG/s1600/IMG_5643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF38rYZf3MjaXHy5NHd9jh_lvzEeKP4idy_1Asb5F6Foeje48UYQIWjBtRt46jxAfqWxrKAxgoh_K3n1gA_TLNBOgIpSE2jQAtSs1uT6QKLX-rRp2wwtD85TRgWTimkQnG9IN_KNK0WrGG/s400/IMG_5643.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curried salmon, sweet potato mash, veggies and tahini ofc</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few of my current favourite <b>protein </b>(and <b>carb</b>) sources:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. green split pea curry and rice (recipe <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2017/11/diet-changes-my-current-obsession.html" target="_blank">here</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. lentils (usually red lentil daal or puy lentils)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. basic rice and beans </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. tempeh</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. roasted spicy chickpeas and wild rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. smokey sweet potato and pinto beans (accidentally made this recipe when I had cinnamon sweet potato mash in the same container as some smokey pinto beans. Thought I'd try it together and now I'm obsessed - it's just the best mix of flavours and textures!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So those are the main things that I cook in batches and will then store for 3-4 days (if I don't eat them all before that time!) The great thing about using the FoodSaver Fresh is that because my meals stay fresher for longer, I can cook a few more options than I otherwise would. Before FoodSaver I would pick one or two of these options and eat the same thing for a couple of days. Now I pick three or four and alternate each meal. It allows me much more variety in my diet, which keeps it interesting and exciting! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-Cl2GnlTRb_mtjZBIZd4HxnjP5me8_EGpscaZ-Aoe29xVjzH5nVE6ExTnMwD2wsLvJh52hwWkIyBY73Dem42s_AAKIQPc6BlMi2RPGA688BtGikvzreqLU6FOXMQSBZUD10XEO_9iyil/s1600/IMG_6881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-Cl2GnlTRb_mtjZBIZd4HxnjP5me8_EGpscaZ-Aoe29xVjzH5nVE6ExTnMwD2wsLvJh52hwWkIyBY73Dem42s_AAKIQPc6BlMi2RPGA688BtGikvzreqLU6FOXMQSBZUD10XEO_9iyil/s400/IMG_6881.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The magical mistake - smokey sweet potato and pinto beans!<br />
I'm addicted.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Storing fish has now also become a lot easier. I was actually amazed the first time I did this with the FoodSaver Fresh as when I took the lid off the container a couple of days later, I wasn't overwhelmed with the smell of fish as I usually am with standard tupperware (gross I know, but I'm just being honest..!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a lot of plant based meals are naturally much higher in carbs, I don't often then add in a separate carb unless I'm just having fish as my protein. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If I am having fish or tempeh, then my <b>carb</b> sources are usually:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. quinoa </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. sweet potato wedges or mash </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. brown rice </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. mashed parsnip (I love parsnip in the winter!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Again, I used to hate having tupperwares of quinoa or rice and found my mash went a little bit weird after a couple of days. BUT removal of all air using FoodSaver preserves the freshness of these dishes so much more. It makes putting time into cooking seem that much more worthwhile when you know it'll last more than one day in the fridge!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBwpZWY-r1nHWQZVknVbuCpPzFpkAlt2dCrPO-X2XNrRkuGbpI76txtgdL3lXW0PA-O6JxIEwyfD2QXmguXkGW68Ddo6RR6mTo3cn9XgvpDuF5jlbRGZ_vw2X6es4YKDDHK7pzVQM4fy4/s1600/IMG_6506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBwpZWY-r1nHWQZVknVbuCpPzFpkAlt2dCrPO-X2XNrRkuGbpI76txtgdL3lXW0PA-O6JxIEwyfD2QXmguXkGW68Ddo6RR6mTo3cn9XgvpDuF5jlbRGZ_vw2X6es4YKDDHK7pzVQM4fy4/s400/IMG_6506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stackable FoodSaver storage - fits SO easily into the cupboard and fridge</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm very samey with my </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">fat</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> sources:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. nuts and/or seeds </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. tahini (it goes on virtually every meal I have!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. avocado </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. olive oil or sesame oil </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now I use the FoodSaver Fresh for 90% of my food storage, however, there are a few things that it specifies cannot be stored using their vacuum sealing system. These include foods that naturally release gases including fresh mushrooms, raw onion, cauliflower and bananas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For these items I still put them in the FoodSaver containers but don't vacuum seal them. I just love how easily the containers all stack up and how neat it looks in my fridge - I think it's my OCD.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I haven't had a chance to buy a loaf of bread this week but is it weird that I'm excited to buy one, vacuum pack it in a FoodSaver container and not wake up to a rock hard sourdough loaf in the morning..?! Okay, yes, it's weird but I'm still excited to do it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">So that's a brief overview of my week of eating at home, however, I do go out for brunch and dinner about 3-4 times a week. This is another reason that I'm becoming a little obsessed with FoodSaver - I can prep food and know that even though I am not eating at home the day after or for the next two evenings, the food will be fine in the fridge and taste just as good in 3 days time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Next week I will be researching some common food beliefs and looking into sustainability and waste I the UK. It's a topic I'm becoming much more aware of after previously being quite ignorant about it so stay tuned for the findings..!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Jess x</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">N.B. This post was kindly sponsored by FoodSaver but as always, all opinions are my own and 100% honest</span><br />
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-87197868770939521832017-11-18T11:56:00.000-08:002017-11-18T11:57:25.450-08:00Diet changes, my current obsession & FoodSaver FreshOver the past few months I've had a little bit of a diet overhaul. <br />
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To rewind a step - I've not consumed dairy for about a year now as it causes me to have terrible breakouts. Since doing this I've felt much better in myself and more confident in my own skin. It is from this small change and through greater research into the dairy and meat industry that I decided to continue transitioning my diet into a more plant based way of living. <br />
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Of course, I've also watched 'What the Health' and 'Cowspiracy' on Netflix. Who hasn't? To be honest 'Cowspiracy' didn't tell me anything I wasn't already aware of. However, 'What the Health' actually documented some pretty impressive statistics and cases of people reversing chronic illnesses through vegan diets. If you haven't seen 'What the Health', it's one documentary I actually would recommend watching. If you're conscious of your health in any way (which I assume you are if you're reading this), then it could change your opinion on a few things like it did for me. Either way, it's a brilliant educational tool into the meat and dairy industry if nothing else.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9qcQ8dLS_w4WwPmKFfvmQYt3B5bVobll1OdAE4AiV8leobejr6lWJgLVzMLYiEznZvdko0E_bZB5FmkpvzcXa3enCG3Bo-VJAl2N9BQwwYO1w7qhOeCGwA076E9Dab50AxF5ruMNZ3buX/s1600/IMG_6505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9qcQ8dLS_w4WwPmKFfvmQYt3B5bVobll1OdAE4AiV8leobejr6lWJgLVzMLYiEznZvdko0E_bZB5FmkpvzcXa3enCG3Bo-VJAl2N9BQwwYO1w7qhOeCGwA076E9Dab50AxF5ruMNZ3buX/s1600/IMG_6505.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meal of the moment - my green split pea curry and rice! </td></tr>
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Saying all that, I'm not vegan though. And I wouldn't want to label myself as vegan either because right now I'm very far from it. I still consume fish, especially wild caught salmon just because I love it and it contains essential omega 3 fatty acids. I also heave at the thought of consuming omega 3 supplements though.. So at the moment there is no way I'd consider giving up something I love like salmon in favour of fishy tasting tablets. Ew. <br />
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I also still consume eggs BUT I haven't actually bought eggs for months. They are just something I enjoy when I go out for brunch. (Because right now, the thought of giving up eggs and avo on toast is far too upsetting). However, that's my point right there. I'm not giving up fish and eggs because I don't want to. And I've vowed to myself I would never commit to a lifestyle where I felt restricted in any way. I've made changes and choices because I <em>want</em> to not because it's the latest fad on Instagram.<br />
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I haven't actually bought meat since March and haven't eaten red meat this <em>year</em>! The latter is a big thing for me as I used to love steak night and comforting cottage pies or beef chillies. Yes, I've eaten chicken maybe once every 3-4 weeks when I've been out for lunch or dinner and there haven't been any other options - for example a Sunday roast. I'm still coming to terms with a meat-less roast dinner.. But to be honest, I just don't miss meat and actually find it slightly bizarre tasting when I do consume it now. Saying no to my mum's Malaysian chicken curry or to turkey on Christmas day will be the biggest tests though..! <br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Plant based experiments</span></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgStE484-NY8h6SbDBcEd-bIrcXtYRIyMhCcr8l14G4qE6B8wxNGgINrDLrs_dDiKRwTlyOqpCofTCj1svQlUm8Cl8FrIj4fGs_DacK7VLHVyLdSH8f-VqN59aVLnheY6dugU2oiSxZOb/s1600/IMG_6527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgStE484-NY8h6SbDBcEd-bIrcXtYRIyMhCcr8l14G4qE6B8wxNGgINrDLrs_dDiKRwTlyOqpCofTCj1svQlUm8Cl8FrIj4fGs_DacK7VLHVyLdSH8f-VqN59aVLnheY6dugU2oiSxZOb/s400/IMG_6527.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saving time, saving money and reducing waste - FoodSaver Fresh in action</td></tr>
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Cutting down on my meat consumption has made me explore different plant based sources of protein. I actually had no idea how high in protein lentils, chickpeas and beans were! The one downside is that they can take a little bit more preparation than just throwing some chicken into a pan as many pulses that are not tinned require soaking overnight. However, it is SO worth it as I've made some of the most delicious and cheapest dishes I've ever had from some simple beans, pulses and rice.<br />
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This is where <a href="http://www.foodsaver.co.uk/" target="_blank">FoodSaver Fresh</a> has been a God send! Because let's be honest, if something takes longer to soak and prepare, I don't want to be doing it every night. FoodSaver Fresh is the number one vacuum sealing system in the US and we are lucky enough to now have it launching in the UK. It keeps food fresh for up to TWICE as long compared to your usual plastic containers, zip bags or foil and cling film.<br />
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Due to the removal of air through the vacuum sealing system, FoodSaver not only saves us time and money but can massively help to reduce food waste. With around 7 million tonnes of annual food wastage in the UK, I think this is definitely something that can benefit both ourselves and the planet. If you're making lifestyle choices to become more plant based because of the environment, then it also makes sense to reduce energy consumption by reducing the number of times you're cooking. You have to cook less, you save money <i>and</i> you do a little bit for the planet - what's not to love?!<br />
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Side note but also huge bane of my life - ever cut open an avocado, wrapped it up as <i>tightly</i> as possible but it's STILL brown when you go back for the other half? Me too. ME TOO. But <a href="http://www.foodsaver.co.uk/" target="_blank">FoodSaver</a> has <i>changed</i> my avo game and now there's no looking back to those soft, brown avocados! Hurrah! FoodSaver Fresh has revolutionised my cooking and storage by allowing me to bulk prepare so many of my meals and accompaniments such as homemade dips, hummus (and guac...!)<br />
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Now onto my favourite meal of the moment - green split pea curry! This recipe below I've used tinned tomatoes BUT the next time I cook this I'm going to experiment with coconut milk to mix things up a bit and see what it's like with a creamier texture.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vP1tTqcsxypSm8cAkyRu0DE0FsF8k_4O3rEvzhOPRY9yIpxbnxkh97_th0uYnEPxjV6gwi_oi5ltx2r018LTNw8gXQe3EJejrHeU_E7Gl7VUfLhMXr3TCOIJX4MjbZWEyhX1bUXI8SU7/s1600/IMG_6504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vP1tTqcsxypSm8cAkyRu0DE0FsF8k_4O3rEvzhOPRY9yIpxbnxkh97_th0uYnEPxjV6gwi_oi5ltx2r018LTNw8gXQe3EJejrHeU_E7Gl7VUfLhMXr3TCOIJX4MjbZWEyhX1bUXI8SU7/s640/IMG_6504.JPG" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Served up with fragrant brown rice and balsamic glazed sprouts, chestnuts and tahini!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">INGREDIENTS </span><br />
(makes 2-3 servings)<br />
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<ul>
<li>1 cup of green split peas, rinsed 5-6 times until water runs clear and then soaked overnight</li>
<li>1 cup of vegetable stock</li>
<li>1 tin of chopped tomatoes</li>
<li>1 tbsp tomato puree </li>
<li>1 clove of garlic, crushed </li>
<li>1/2 red onion, sliced</li>
<li>1/2 leek, diced</li>
<li>1cm ginger, grated</li>
<li>1/2 tsp chilli powder </li>
<li>1/2 tsp smoked paprika </li>
<li>1/2 tsp ground turmeric </li>
<li>1/2 tsp ground cumin</li>
<li>Good grind of black pepper</li>
<li>1 tsp dried thyme</li>
<li>1 bay leaf</li>
<li>1 tbsp liquid aminos or tamari </li>
<li>1 tsp red wine vinegar </li>
<li>1 tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>Handful of fresh coriander to garnish </li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>METHOD</b></span></div>
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<ol>
<li>In a large casserole dish, heat the oil over a medium heat and add in the onion, garlic, leek and ginger with all the herbs and spices (chilli powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, thyme, bay leaf)</li>
<li>Sauté until the vegetables have softened and slightly browned - add a splash of water to help cooking if needed </li>
<li>Drain the split peas and add them to the pan with the tomato puree. Stir well </li>
<li>Add the vegetable stock, chopped tomatoes, liquid aminos/tamari and red wine vinegar </li>
<li>Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover for around 50 minutes or until the green split peas are cooked through (the longer they have been soaked, the quicker they will cook)</li>
<li>After this time all the liquid should have been absorbed and the curry should be nice and thick. If not then cook for a little longer until you reach this stage. </li>
<li>Once done, remove from the heat and serve with brown rice, sautéed greens and fresh coriander </li>
<li>Leave the rest to cool and then seal up using your FoodSaver Fresh to enjoy throughout the week!</li>
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Next week I'll be cooking more of my current favourite meals and using FoodSaver Fresh for a whole weeks worth of meal prep! So stay tuned for what's to come..!</div>
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Jess x</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">N.B. This post was kindly sponsored by FoodSaver but as always, all opinions are my own and 100% honest</span></div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-60425769070555470892017-09-25T12:12:00.000-07:002017-09-25T12:12:23.534-07:00The Honestly Good Smoothie Company<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've never been one to make many smoothies - mainly because I run out of interesting flavour combos and most are too sweet for my liking. This was all until I stumbled across <a href="https://www.honestly-good.co/" target="_blank">The Honestly Good Smoothie Company</a>...</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>What is it?</b></span></h3>
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The Honestly Good Smoothie Co. was founded by Vikesh, who after years of stomach problems, discovered that the consumption of whole, natural ingredients managed to completely cure all his ailments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The company produces pre-packaged vegetable based smoothies, which are <i>ideal</i> for someone like me who doesn't really have a sweet tooth! Between the talented head chef, Blake Bowden and award-winning consultant nutritionist, Caroline Farrell, the company creates an amazing range of nutritionally dense, low GI smoothies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each smoothie concoction contains organic, locally sourced ingredients where possible (unfort mangoes and coconuts don't grow in abundance in our wonderful English weather.. so they are sourced from Soil Association Certified Organic Suppliers). Everything is made to order so is prepped, packed and air frozen at Vikesh's family home in Bedfordshire just hours before delivery. This ensures maximum freshness and maintenance of nutrient quality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The name 'Honestly Good' extends beyond the ingredients of their smoothies. This company gives you the option to return your insulated packaging liners for free so that they can be reused in a bid to reduce waste. Not only that, but they also donate two meals to those in need for every smoothie box that is shipped. Incredible! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpOSvHjzJfqbv6QtwcT0jRZ6x7WX-9-X-7Da47l9jTraI0Deak6d-ndx_mPJaYk19eivpQqVoh-D3qfWZi_zE-sM8ATgkFGLRijHxxhBmpjWg2QPuHinsHwIrUC4L59uY-jn-RVqRvdI/s1600/IMG_4368.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpOSvHjzJfqbv6QtwcT0jRZ6x7WX-9-X-7Da47l9jTraI0Deak6d-ndx_mPJaYk19eivpQqVoh-D3qfWZi_zE-sM8ATgkFGLRijHxxhBmpjWg2QPuHinsHwIrUC4L59uY-jn-RVqRvdI/s1600/IMG_4368.JPG" /></a></span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>How does it work?</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The concept of the smoothie deliveries is super easy:</span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">sign up for your weekly delivery of 5 smoothies (you are not bound into a subscription)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">free delivery (they can be left in a safe place if you are out)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">each pack is super straight forward to prepare - place the contents into a blender, add the superfood sachet, pour in 250ml coconut water/water/almond milk (I did the latter for each one) and blend!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>My Experience </b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">I have the world's smallest freezer so have only tried 5 of their smoothies so far. My favourite was 'the cacaonut one', which has an amazing mix of sweet potato, courgette and banana as the base. The superfood sachet was a mix of cacao nibs, pumpkin seeds and hazelnuts and it makes for the most wonderful blend of flavours. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I loved every one of their smoothies that I tried and 'the Christmas one' got me so excited for, well, Christmas..! (Never too early IMO). I adore my green smoothies so next up I'll hopefully try 'the grass is greener', which contains loads of amazing green veg (obv) and the 'clean green protein'. The latter </span>includes tofu, green peas, protein power and spirulina. Sounds like the most crazy mix of flavours but judging from the 5 smoothies I've already tried, I trust this one will be just as good. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">For the variety of organic vegetables, fruit and superfood powders/nuts/seeds you receive, I think it's very reasonably priced at £27.50 a week. You would likely spend that on the ingredients anyway, yet it's all sustainably sourced and lovingly prepared for you so there's no need to do any of the work!</span></span><br />
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The only thing I would change is the incorporation of protein into the smoothie. If I had the smoothies as a snack, I didn't always feel the need to add a scoop of protein as I loved the flavour combinations as they were and didn't want to alter them. However, if I had a smoothie in the morning I would add in a scoop of protein to keep me fuller for longer and help power me through my usual morning training!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The company seem to have read my mind though as over the next few months they will be bringing out a new protein range, which I can't wait to try..! </span></span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The unexpected change..</b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you follow my instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesssriv/" target="_blank">@jesssriv</a>), you will know I love to start my mornings with my infamous <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2016/09/zoats.html" target="_blank">zoats</a>. This is because I've always needed morning carbs for satiety and like to incorporate vegetables into my breakfasts. <i>However</i>, after a few mornings of these smoothies and feeling lighter and more energised than I have done in a long time, going back to zoats was like having a dead weight in my stomach for hours on end..! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I literally could not believe the difference in how I felt resuming my normal routine. I was so much more lethargic, bloated and actually pretty nauseous!! I must have just become accustomed to this feeling but it was something I was now determined to change. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have since switched my morning carbs from oats to sweet potato in the form of smoothies like these or sweet potato bowls when it's just that little bit too cold to be starting the day with something frozen!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If it wasn't for <a href="https://www.honestly-good.co/" target="_blank">The Honestly Good Smoothie Company</a>, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't think I would ever have ever broken out of my zoat rut or even realised how good my body could feel and look being fuelled off such a variety of vegetables and fruit. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I can hand on heart say this was completely unexpected but has been <i>SUCH</i> a welcome change to my diet. My energy has improved, my digestion is better and as a byproduct of this, I feel and look leaner (which is likely just less bloating from the lack of oats and increased variety in my diet!) I'm not saying I will never have zoats again for breakfast, who are we kidding here..? But I'll be saving them for those mornings at home when I can afford to feel like a sloth and doss around in my PJs all day..!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a new start up company, it's great to see that Vikesh and the team have already received such positive and encouraging feedback across the board (not just from me!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My experience of The Honestly Good Smoothie Co has been faultless from start to finish. I envisage big things to come from these guys and I'm excited to see the company grow from strength to strength.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As always, any questions, either have a look at the FAQ page on their website or don't hesitate to ask me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">N.B. This is a sponsored post, however, as always all opinions are my own and 100% honest</span><br />
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-25654356810302479072017-07-06T11:24:00.000-07:002018-03-28T13:23:05.696-07:00Sweet Potato Protein Pudding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXs2rb7f65NZfpZWker33DQtHz8OC5by-fTea5Y2Qn0AL9wcmYB35nfLQNG_75seuEGzZUWidPw4wQ_ujObvHDZF3FO7ZJBTHPnO5ngjDoZTHoDQupA9f8fkSUt9iLZJYmm5dKKfCemk/s1600/IMG_2062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXs2rb7f65NZfpZWker33DQtHz8OC5by-fTea5Y2Qn0AL9wcmYB35nfLQNG_75seuEGzZUWidPw4wQ_ujObvHDZF3FO7ZJBTHPnO5ngjDoZTHoDQupA9f8fkSUt9iLZJYmm5dKKfCemk/s1600/IMG_2062.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've said it before and I'll say it again, I always prefer my evening carbs in the form of dessert! This is one of the easiest and most delicious ways to enjoy sweet potato IMO and I have it at least a few times a week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>INGREDIENTS:</b></span></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">cinnamon, to taste</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ground ginger, to taste</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tsp cacao powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tsp lucuma powder </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tsp coconut oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 scoop chocolate vegan protein (I've found Nutristrength 'roasted cocoa' to be the richest chocolate flavour, which works so well)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 scoop chocolate beef isolate protein (I get mine from Bulkpowders. Beef isolate gives the perfect blend of sweetness and most amazing consistency) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">almond milk (enough to make a thick mix)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: normal;"><b>METHOD:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: normal;">1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: normal;">2. Place in the microwave for about 40-60 seconds</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: normal;">3. Add toppings! I used frozen raspberries, blueberries, hemp hearts, cacao nibs and matcha & pistachio muesli</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As always, let me know what you think if you make it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17262547497944353778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-4982572737179542102017-06-16T12:31:00.000-07:002018-03-28T13:30:55.692-07:00What protein powders do I use?<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two things I get asked a lot:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">1. Do I take protein supplements and if so, when?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2. Which protein supplements do I use and why?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Simple answers to those questions:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. </span>Yes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you've seen my Instagram you'll know my favourite breakfast is protein zoats (the recipe is <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2016/09/zoats.html" target="_blank">here</a>). Breakfast and bed time oats are the only times I really use protein supplements.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I use it at breakfast because it's quick and if I'm running really late I can even just make it and put it in tupperware to eat on the way to work. Easier than trying to package up soft poached eggs with smashed avo on toast IMO.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After dinner I always have dessert and 9.5 times out of 10 it's a bowl of proats. The main reason I add protein to my oats on this occasion is for flavour and to help curb that late night sweet tooth. So usually it's only 1/2 a scoop of protein and 10 million toppings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will very rarely have a shake after training unless I can't have a meal for a few hours (e.g. when I've just finished a class in central and have some errands to run). If I can then I much prefer to eat within 30-45 mins of training. The general consensus is that it's ideal to consume some form of protein and carbs 30-90 minutes after training. However, my above time frame is mainly because I get extremely hangry if it's any longer than 45 mins..!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. </span>Below are my favourite protein supplements to take. They're all vegan because over time I have found that whey supplements not only make me slightly more bloated but moreover they make my skin breakout and become more oily. I also find that vegan protein keep me much fuller for longer. I am literally hungry again in 30 mins after whey!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I am not actually vegan, I will still have the odd protein bar containing whey just for convenience, as nearly all whey bars are higher in protein than vegan bars - very handy if you're on the go and really struggling to find a healthy-ish snack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The switch over to vegan was somewhat difficult as you have to retrain your tastebuds to adopt the earthier vegan taste. I now <i>love</i> vegan protein though and find whey protein SO sweet that it's almost unpalatable! Each to their own though and this is just my opinion of what works for me and a pick of the best!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><b><span style="font-size: large;">VIVO LIFE RAW PLANT PROTEIN & BCAA</span></b></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFBDCIEzoRdOfCeBCtzcebaxGdBZohj2xuKxZbpjUmdrZHPwnkGHmo-BR5eKyY1X7Dp1uA7jh8fR06Myed8F5Bl-JvilVZtoPCCEBCuzd9pLfRcnxm5-R-8WdbxaIklPk1-0osAywjL4/s1600/FullSizeRender+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="750" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFBDCIEzoRdOfCeBCtzcebaxGdBZohj2xuKxZbpjUmdrZHPwnkGHmo-BR5eKyY1X7Dp1uA7jh8fR06Myed8F5Bl-JvilVZtoPCCEBCuzd9pLfRcnxm5-R-8WdbxaIklPk1-0osAywjL4/s400/FullSizeRender+8.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FAV FLAVOURS:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Raw Cacao</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Salted Maca Caramel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Acai & Blueberry</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://bit.ly/2Gk1LCi" target="_blank">Vivo Life</a> was the first vegan protein I fell in love with when I first switched from whey to vegan. I absolutely adore Vivo Life as a company and cannot praise them enough for the work they put into their products.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every single ingredient has a positive impact on performance - from the anti-inflammatory turmeric to the rehydrating himalayan pink salt. Their proteins are not just vegan proteins but serious superfood products designed to enhance your performance and recovery to the max!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Their protein does have a slightly more earthy taste than other vegan brands. However, this is likely due to the superfood additions (such as chlorella and spirulina in the cacao flavour and maca in the salted caramel). For me, I love it. But if you're new to vegan protein you may notice it more!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">MISSFITS NUTRITION PEA PROTEIN </span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6Hmy-tQvFyHsHJ1zjDl7qN6ODPwOlEMgBh82hR5-DyFq15vYmUZp7_pKZaESstR-BpMYao3eCtq-zM4Q5q_D_pYqlU6Dl7BnWZYFUwy-P1SdMdJkO6-9evE3ELgX1HWsb2VB0QM_ldo/s1600/FullSizeRender+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6Hmy-tQvFyHsHJ1zjDl7qN6ODPwOlEMgBh82hR5-DyFq15vYmUZp7_pKZaESstR-BpMYao3eCtq-zM4Q5q_D_pYqlU6Dl7BnWZYFUwy-P1SdMdJkO6-9evE3ELgX1HWsb2VB0QM_ldo/s400/FullSizeRender+6.jpg" width="321" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FAV FLAVOUR:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://missfitsnutrition.com/pages/the-multitasker" target="_blank">MissFits Nutrition</a> have designed their range of protein specifically for women. However, of course men can use it too! I think their brand is a great concept to debunk the myth that women:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a) don't need protein</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">b) will get 'bulky' if they take it *eye roll emoji*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Again, they have some brilliant ingredients packed into there such as glutamine to reduce recovery time and zinc and bamboo extract to keep skin, hair and nails healthy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">MissFits started out having just pre portioned sachets but they now have larger bags of protein. I still do love their sachets for travelling though and have taken them on all my recent holidays - they're lifesavers post holiday workout or when protein is few and far between on aeroplanes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using code jesssriv5 will also get you £5 off your first order.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">PURE BLEND CO. WHITE HEMP PROTEIN </span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu5bnLqFfiRIoogg-vzy7X27nC0vhH_1QY99L7vjAwI4Qhi_3GCh3q5V7QKAObuv5Rqhu5NCkBdpU0S5NVDWUD4J9Sy3Yke6DbU6N98utC9rzZntOo3_B_XtjMH7n5LGI7ykeGMPPRak/s1600/pure+blend+zoats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu5bnLqFfiRIoogg-vzy7X27nC0vhH_1QY99L7vjAwI4Qhi_3GCh3q5V7QKAObuv5Rqhu5NCkBdpU0S5NVDWUD4J9Sy3Yke6DbU6N98utC9rzZntOo3_B_XtjMH7n5LGI7ykeGMPPRak/s400/pure+blend+zoats.jpg" width="377" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FAV FLAVOURS:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Raw Cacao</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Matcha & Madagascan Vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Needless to say that <a href="https://pureblendco.com/shop" target="_blank">Pure Blend Co</a> won me over straight away with their matcha flavour! I also love the creaminess of this protein.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They also do whey versions in the same flavours, which are delicious. I'd recommend these too if you take whey as its such high quality protein that it's actually lactose free. They produce their whey using double milk filtration at cold temperatures so it doesn't contain any of the cheese derived peptides or enzymes that many of us react to. This gives it a superior amino acid profile compared to so many other whey proteins and is what makes it lactose free.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So why don't I use this whey? All in all, I still prefer the taste, texture and satiety vegan protein provides. I also prefer my protein a little less sweet. If you don't though - this whey is the dream!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">NEAT NUTRITION VEGAN PROTEIN</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4wjqc0SPK-Ivnn5Cro533LVql_kiRG0gGaz0WmsBf-wjSREmxOljajIIHOsy4KZRiD1anZdH4aQoD57N-5NfQ4JVNNA_Z2dIT_oSA4OipVzixufVJikyBBT9cpVZOLqcGNc3YEE209Y/s1600/FullSizeRender+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4wjqc0SPK-Ivnn5Cro533LVql_kiRG0gGaz0WmsBf-wjSREmxOljajIIHOsy4KZRiD1anZdH4aQoD57N-5NfQ4JVNNA_Z2dIT_oSA4OipVzixufVJikyBBT9cpVZOLqcGNc3YEE209Y/s400/FullSizeRender+7.jpg" width="362" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FAV FLAVOUR:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Naked</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bizarre I know, but the naked flavour is genuinely my favourite from <a href="https://www.neat-nutrition.com/products/vegan-protein-hemp-pea" target="_blank">Neat Nutrition</a>. They use thaumantin to sweeten this protein and I think this and the xanthan gum addeded for thickness gives it such a great taste and texture!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The naked flavour also allows you to customise it as you wish - or just leave it naked as I prefer to do!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">VEGA CLEAN VEGAN PROTEIN AND VEGA ESSENTIALS</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5oeQGW8dGbvQMvcs7PBmYFoNdtrpmEbDn_El3YYW0HHChrZ095VmtebcJLGGyiZwmvvL_AzXX8F2ouj1w8svbU47CklZTpUPMmkZ4ppTsw4vpfpyDKUixOMh2sflqMmCb6iLqjt9-i0/s1600/IMG_1727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5oeQGW8dGbvQMvcs7PBmYFoNdtrpmEbDn_El3YYW0HHChrZ095VmtebcJLGGyiZwmvvL_AzXX8F2ouj1w8svbU47CklZTpUPMmkZ4ppTsw4vpfpyDKUixOMh2sflqMmCb6iLqjt9-i0/s400/IMG_1727.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FAV FLAVOUR:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chocolate </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vega protein has been my latest discovery and quite possibly one of the best! They do two types of protein - both of which I <i>adore</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The more 'complete' of the two is Vega Essentials, which is amazing in the morning and so delicious in oats or smoothies. It contains ingredients made from leafy veg and green algae too, which makes it higher in minerals and vitamins. The flaxseed also gives it a great boost of omega 3 and fibre. Moreover, it's one of the best proteins I've tasted!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The second of the two is Vega Clean Protein. This is lower in calories than the Vega Essentials but also contains BCAAs so is perfect as a post workout protein but can be used any time of the day as I do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I do also love the vanilla flavour in both the Essentials and the Clean Protein. Great products!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All opinions here are my own and are completely unsponsored. I hope you've found it somewhat useful and as always, if there's any questions I haven't answered, don't hesitate to ask in the comments or via email.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17262547497944353778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-26151582523569545032017-06-07T06:58:00.000-07:002017-06-07T06:58:16.949-07:00Reset Luxury Fitness Retreat, Marbella <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsDUnelOjstXqV0SCtRQ7P1Uw9WxIvXLgBKGs9AqH8nHJ-plxxguDuV8OV5Uo-_sXLSf5CSKClh9o8a9UafsAdZMIYi0BrYj3A9DtGFk97YZjQ7BQL9pRgXLrLr916mRx8CEtl3anxg69/s1600/2120-084_5_f0210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsDUnelOjstXqV0SCtRQ7P1Uw9WxIvXLgBKGs9AqH8nHJ-plxxguDuV8OV5Uo-_sXLSf5CSKClh9o8a9UafsAdZMIYi0BrYj3A9DtGFk97YZjQ7BQL9pRgXLrLr916mRx8CEtl3anxg69/s1600/2120-084_5_f0210.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This time last week I was experiencing my first ever fitness retreat with Reset Retreats in Marbella, Spain. I was so incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to travel somewhere like this as I actually won the trip via Lilly Sabri's 100k Instagram giveaway. I never win anything so the 3 days spent at the retreat were literally 'pinch me' moments!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I took one of my good friends, Max, and we arrived on the Wednesday evening so we were ready to start the day at 7am the next morning with some fasted cardio.. (I know, I was petrified/horrified at the thought of this too)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Arriving at the villa was literally like coming into a hotel as not only was it absolutely <i>beautiful </i>as you can see, but we were also warmly welcomed by Lilly and the two main hosts, Dean and Michael. We were then treated to some amazing refreshments and a light meal before bed, all cooked by the unbelievable domestic goddess, Mia. More to come about her wonderful culinary skills later!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAouwdWk5nDsGZ3NlBq-qUUqHRlHTyPQZe4aj3qtZ1XMZUCxWyj4yubihWhPtcEwUoEnVf-qilsrpwCXhEh1PD8WCGM2LGRorV8t7Me_yFxDwUlq7vC3q3mwVJ9A3M09phjG6K7qNbzWQ/s1600/IMG_1494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAouwdWk5nDsGZ3NlBq-qUUqHRlHTyPQZe4aj3qtZ1XMZUCxWyj4yubihWhPtcEwUoEnVf-qilsrpwCXhEh1PD8WCGM2LGRorV8t7Me_yFxDwUlq7vC3q3mwVJ9A3M09phjG6K7qNbzWQ/s1600/IMG_1494.JPG" /></a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Training </span></b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdCyafULXUcpfUAGiBV5BFjRX4we0658GwEM2HO9OAuKUDKISarNrlOAavh1nG9xP18OUtG3ObxzBQxJ0h1fDbgPD4U2xeA7-tPx1i0ZH00HHHgOUuKIdeT9VYr_P07kAT1b1qQnBX4E/s1600/IMG_1491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="714" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdCyafULXUcpfUAGiBV5BFjRX4we0658GwEM2HO9OAuKUDKISarNrlOAavh1nG9xP18OUtG3ObxzBQxJ0h1fDbgPD4U2xeA7-tPx1i0ZH00HHHgOUuKIdeT9VYr_P07kAT1b1qQnBX4E/s400/IMG_1491.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Post morning cardio endorphins kicking in!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">The day started with morning cardio at 7am with some pre workout and coffee ready and waiting for us. There was also some fruit or energy balls for those that wanted it but most of us just went for the pre workout to get us pumped and ready for the jog followed by hill sprints!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I'm not going to lie, as someone that doesn't run, the thought of this was HORRENDOUS, especially after a late flight. When that 6.30am alarm went off (equivalent of 5.30am UK time), I just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep more than anything! But I was only there for 3 days so I needed to get up and experience the retreat in full.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Boy am I glad that I did.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Watching that incredible sunrise at the top of the hill was just breathtaking. Combined with the sense of achievement from doing something I would <i>never</i> ever normally do with a group of people that were also in the same boat as me was just amazing. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching that sun rise after surviving the hill sprints - just unbeatable</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We jogged back to the retreat ready for a stretch session with Lilly followed by breakfast. Never has a breakfast felt so well earned as that one!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was then some time to yourself before lunch where we hung around the pool topping up the tan and listening to music through the multi room sound system in the villa. Epic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The next session of the day was weights based and was with one of the PTs you're assigned to before your stay at the retreat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was with Ingmar, which turned out to be the perfect match with my aim to strengthen my posterior chain and this being his speciality!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I learnt things I've never been taught before, which shows that even when you've been training for some time (including training with various PTs in London), there is <i>always</i> room to broaden your knowledge. I know my weaknesses in training but I've not always known how to improve them until Ingmar showed me. I got to sit down with him on the last day and write down everything we had done and everything I needed to work on. It completely inspired and motivated me to smash my training as soon as I got back to London - the learning never stops and this was great proof of that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The weights session was followed by 15 minutes of abs with the queen of ab work - Lilly Sabri. Lilly showed us how to properly activate our cores, which proved to be invaluable. Exercises that I have always done suddenly became 10x more difficult because I was now engaging the correct muscles rather than absentmindedly contracting my abs and hoping for the best! Lilly is in the process of getting together some incredible content for her new YouTube channel and website. I can't wait to follow it through after the taster I had at Reset Retreat!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After this session we then had more time to relax before dinner. The last session of the day was stretch and meditation at 9pm on the roof of the villa and it was literally the perfect end to the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each day followed a similar routine but I had an old hip flexor injury which prevented me from running (not really complaining..!) So in the mornings (to avoid FOMO) I still got up at 6.30am and got driven up in the car to the top of the hill to join in with the HIIT workout before driving back down. Slightly less energy expenditure but for someone that only trains 4-5 times a week, I think training more than once a day anyway was quite enough exercise for me!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Nutrition </span></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herby salmon and avocado lentils - UNREAL.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The meals at Reset were SO delicious I can't even begin to explain! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The chef, Mia, was amazing at catering to our dietary requirements and came up with the most magical meals. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Breakfasts ranged from overnight almond, coconut and chia oats with stewed fruit to eggs and the most incredible paprika roasted potatoes I have <i>ever</i> had.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An example lunch would be chicken and turmeric quinoa as shown below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dinners were also wonderfully varied. One of my favourites was this dish on the left - pan fried herby salmon with avocado lentils and asparagus. I took down the recipe and made it the day after I got back. It's just <i>dreamy</i>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was also healthy dessert made each evening - one of my favs was this dark chocolate rocky road.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better than your average: turmeric quinoa and chicken</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhimgu1xlMtADKFYWcENdyaVkf8W1czURQPOUSSNnnabqBzJ2Ryyu52TcQALJSbRfSXOGSXwiMtZR7tDKr_ZV_UXffH3sWj4Ca44S1KZsaKUEK-UorB0kgOB5_Q4XAO3wVMWH1zhF3yyYx/s1600/FullSizeRender-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1241" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhimgu1xlMtADKFYWcENdyaVkf8W1czURQPOUSSNnnabqBzJ2Ryyu52TcQALJSbRfSXOGSXwiMtZR7tDKr_ZV_UXffH3sWj4Ca44S1KZsaKUEK-UorB0kgOB5_Q4XAO3wVMWH1zhF3yyYx/s400/FullSizeRender-3.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steak, butternut squash mash and turmeric roasted cauliflower</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What did I gain?</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I went to the retreat expecting to just enjoy some sun and train more than I usually would!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, what I gained from the retreat was so much more than that. I have met some amazing people and shared experiences with them I never dreamed I would (yes, I'm still talking about that morning cardio!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have been completely and utterly inspired by Lilly and Ingmar especially, as they were the two people I spent the most time training with.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ingmar has given me tips and tricks to improve my form and technique in a way that will no doubt accelerate all my posterior chain work from here on out. Hellooo booty gainz *waving emoji* *peach emoji*</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZwIg79FNGTK6IemKThc1w447rxl7dyXe3jleNjPmOvKiK3CBSRlrP7Keu27X_Vwm5UrFf8ebSTLOa5oYhNIuKGpUjpW3EUpgnNSgvl4zImp8CIJYmgZE96OskqykOHO96hEo52gW7xWy/s1600/IMG_1490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZwIg79FNGTK6IemKThc1w447rxl7dyXe3jleNjPmOvKiK3CBSRlrP7Keu27X_Vwm5UrFf8ebSTLOa5oYhNIuKGpUjpW3EUpgnNSgvl4zImp8CIJYmgZE96OskqykOHO96hEo52gW7xWy/s400/IMG_1490.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stretching out those sore muscles whilst watching this sunrise - amazing</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lilly has taught me to activate my core in ways I haven't done once in 25 years! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Small, simple movements that okay, I still won't be looking like Lilly any time soon, but I can really feel the difference already. I know I will become so much more mindful of this in every day life, not just during training, which will hopefully pay off in the long run.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lastly, I am so grateful to Mia for giving me a huge passion for creativity in the kitchen again - I have already made that lentil and salmon dish twice and Ive only been home three days..!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I really can't put it into words how much I've loved and benefitted from this retreat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I said at the start, this post is obviously completely unsponsored and all opinions are 100% honest, as always. So when I say it's been good, it's been bloody good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Would I do it again?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In short - absolutely. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've seen numerous fitness and wellbeing retreats and heard lots of feedback from people that have been on them. However, with Reset, I feel like they're breaking the mould and completely stepping up the game when it comes to fitness escapes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I like a bit of luxury when I go away and this retreat was definitely that. I mean look at that villa! Michael and Dean really have put everything into it and considering it was their first ever retreat, it was brilliant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Going forward, Reset will be hosting retreats at different locations around Europe and I believe their next one is in September. To get in contact with the organisers, you can email Michael and Dean at info@resetyourself.co.uk or DM them on Instagram.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They can then sign you up to their mailing list for information and exclusive offers on the upcoming retreats - I know I will be..!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Any more questions about my experience then please don't hesitate to ask or use the contacts for Michael and Dean above.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0Marbella, Málaga, Spain36.510071 -4.882447400000046436.3058465 -5.2051709000000468 36.714295500000006 -4.559723900000046tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-35061951688537382922017-05-28T12:26:00.001-07:002017-05-31T00:08:53.522-07:00teapigs Matcha Terrace @ Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2L_8k4JZorpr_6dvIsNyoj5ivcSJ4PmvHYbpI2brngh_VMbZyzH0GV54Euvt8_MoOymsT1iIV4E6r-oJitAisrPgFh36uvmMtP7-ecSjzDts2l3ksMWZvG7xAP3v2jRm98-Yhu4aDEXi/s1600/IMG_1302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2L_8k4JZorpr_6dvIsNyoj5ivcSJ4PmvHYbpI2brngh_VMbZyzH0GV54Euvt8_MoOymsT1iIV4E6r-oJitAisrPgFh36uvmMtP7-ecSjzDts2l3ksMWZvG7xAP3v2jRm98-Yhu4aDEXi/s1600/IMG_1302.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yep, you heard right - a MATCHA TERRACE! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To celebrate teapigs' 10 year anniversary at Harvey Nichols, they have taken over the 5th floor of this flagship store and set up a gorgeous terrace to serve an all day matcha-inspired menu. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">teapigs have worked closely with the chefs at Harvey Nichols to create a menu designed to show people that matcha green tea is extremely diverse. There are so many ways it can be used - from your usual lattes to the more experimental eggs Florentine and matcha cheesecake!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Myself and one of my best friends, Max, headed down to the terrace on a gorgeous sunny afternoon and here was our verdict..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Atmosphere: </b>5/5</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Buzzy, cosy and an absolute sun trap! We absolutely loved the terrace transformation into a teapig matcha haven. The retractable roof was amazing - we enjoyed our lunch in the shade before the waiters withdrew the canopy for us to enjoy a couple of hours soaking up the sun! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Food:</b> 5/5</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the left: matcha mint iced tea, matcha latte, matcha energiser smoothie</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This really was dreamy - not just for a matcha lover like me, but even for people that are new to matcha as the flavours are so wonderfully subtle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I went for the matcha marinated chicken skewers to start followed by the pan fried salmon with matcha sauce and a matcha mint iced tea. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The chicken was deliciously tender and the salmon was cooked to perfection. We shared a matcha energiser smoothie (but I ended up finishing it myself as it was <i>so</i> damn delicious..!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Max had the sautéed prawns with a matcha mayo followed by the black quinoa and asparagus salad with a matcha dressing and an almond milk matcha latte. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I tried these dishes as well and they were all so yummy. The salad was very well balanced and the dressing brought everything together really well. I've had a lot of matcha lattes in my time but this has to rate as one of the BEST. The frothy cinnamon topping was to die for and it gave the latte a perfect sweetness without the need to add any sugar. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up: salmon on the left and sautéed prawns in the forefront</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">teapigs only use whole leaf, whole berries and whole herbs/flowers in their teas. Therefore, it doesn't come as a surpise that their matcha is made from 100% premium organic green tea leaves. This provided a great flavour to all the matcha dishes and ensures you don't get an overpowering bitter taste coming through, which you can often do from poorer quality matcha powder. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The only criticism I would have of the main dishes is that on their own they were slightly incomplete. My salmon just came with some seasoned cucumber shavings, which even though delicious, wouldn't have filled me up if I hadn't have had a starter and the drinks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As it was, I was very satisfied with the meal but if you're going just for one main dish, I would recommend ordering a side such as quinoa and of course, one (or more) of the amazing drinks they have on offer!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We were quite full after this little feast but had we have had room, the desserts also sounded amazing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Service: </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4.5</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">/5</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The staff were all extremely friendly and helpful as soon as we arrived. The service itself could be slightly quicker as I was so parched when I got there due to the hot weather that waiting 15 minutes for some water seemed like a lifetime. However, they were completely full and every table was occupied both inside and out, so I'll let them off this time..!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once this initial blip was over, it was onwards and upwards from there so a big thank you to the staff and manager for being so accommodating to us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The matcha terrace opened on the 3rd May and will close on 25th June so get yourselves down there to enjoy some of the amazing dishes they have on offer. The perfect accompaniment to this glorious weather! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, you can purchase teapigs matcha at Harvey Nichols but you can also do so directly from their site: <a href="https://www.teapigs.co.uk/matcha" target="_blank">https://www.teapigs.co.uk/matcha</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you do make it down to the terrace, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0Knightsbridge, London, UK51.4991195 -0.1644393999999920251.4892345 -0.184609399999992 51.509004499999996 -0.14426939999999203tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-56941853575606468832017-05-14T01:54:00.001-07:002017-05-28T12:27:06.962-07:00Timmy Green, Victoria <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For anyone that lives in London, it is likely you will have heard of the <a href="http://www.daisygreenfood.com/" target="_blank">Daisy Green</a> collection of restaurants. I mentioned this Australian brand in my <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2016/10/my-ultimate-guide-to-matcha-lattes-in.html" target="_blank">London Matcha Guide</a> back in October as they also do a mean matcha latte. But about a week ago I also got to experience the hype of their latest branch, Timmy Green in Victoria.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Atmosphere:</b> 5/5</span><br />
We went at 8.30am for one of my gorgeous friend's birthdays, but it was packed, even at that time. The restaurant is situated inside the newly developed Nova building, which is extremely striking in itself given that it is predominantly made of glass. There is an amazingly buzzy and vibrant atmosphere as soon as you walk into the restaurant.<br />
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Canvas fabrics, reclaimed oak and gorgeous white marble give this Aussie hangout an air of tranquility amongst the rush of city life. Quirky artwork dresses the walls on each floor. Look out for the two huge privately commissioned pieces - striking to say the least and well worth a visit just to get a glimpse of those.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Food: </b>5/5</span><br />
I went for the shakshuka with their infamous charcoal sourdough bread, a side of smoked salmon and a loose leaf white tea. We then all shared the warm banana bread sandwich and the coconut bread french toast - umm wow..!<br />
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Let's start with the savoury.<br />
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I am a huge shakshuka fan and I'll admit they did a good job with this one. The eggs were perfectly runny and the tomato base had a lovely smokey flavour to it. I've got to admit though, there's something I love about eating my baked eggs out of a cast iron skillet so if I'm being super fussy, that's one thing that I think could be improved. <br />
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The charcoal bread definitely lived up to its expectations - organic, cold fermented activated charcoal sourdough. For someone who friggin' loves good quality bread, this was an absolute DREAM.<br />
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Now onto the sweets.<br />
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It's safe to say that the award winning banana bread sandwich is award winning for a reason. Hands down the <i>BEST</i> banana bread I have ever tasted. Warm and gooey with chunks of sweet banana and crunchy nuts. Served alongside a mascarpone cream, fresh berries, flaked almonds and honey. If you were too full from the first course, you will without a doubt suddenly make some room for this. Trust me!<br />
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For those that prefer a gluten free option, the coconut bread french toast will save the day for you. Served with thick greek yoghurt, berries, mango, shaved coconut and pure Vermont maple. Again, a great variety of textures and flavours. Actually a brilliant example of how something gluten free can still taste so good. But for me, the banana bread sandwich just can't be topped.<br />
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What I love about this place is how fresh, healthy yet <i>delicious</i> it is. I feel like I could take my family (who are not health orientated at all) and they would equally love the food here. This is a big plus for me and so many others that I know, as it can sometimes be difficult to find a restaurant tailoring for both ends of the foodie spectrum.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Service:</b> 5/5</span><br />
As I previously mentioned, it was super busy when we went for breakfast and there was quite a big group of us. However, the service was brilliant. They catered for a few of my friends that had specific dietary requirements with no problems and the staff couldn't be more helpful.<br />
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The food all came out relatively quickly - a big plus when you have 8 food and fitness bloggers starting to get hangry whilst waiting for breakfast!<br />
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So as you can tell, I can't really fault Timmy Green from my experience. Without a doubt one of the best brunch/lunch spots in London and definitely worth a visit.<br />
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Jess x<br />
<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0Victoria, London51.4959804 -0.1419349999999894951.2734104 -0.46465849999998948 51.7185504 0.18078850000001051tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-46944963532327747782017-05-01T13:41:00.000-07:002017-05-12T05:56:03.771-07:00The National Café, Trafalgar Square<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tucked away off Trafalgar Square and only minutes from Embankment is the fairly recently opened National Cafe. It's a branch of Peyton & Byrne restaurants but being set in this gorgeous building makes for a much more enchanting experience.<br />
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They serve food all day, but of course, being the brunch addicts that myself and my good friend <a href="http://totallymae.com/" target="_blank">I-mae</a> are, it was a given that we had to head down for breakfast. They served a wide variety of items on the menu and it did take us a while to choose..!<br />
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I settled for the poached egg, with crushed avo, baby spinach, chilli & tomato salsa and toasted sunflower seeds on a spelt and quinoa pancake. I ordered a side of mushrooms and ofc I had to get extra eggs 'cause one egg just ain't enough for this growing gal - that's my excuse anyway..<br />
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Imae went for the buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and then we shared the beautiful pink grapefruit, blood orange and pomegranate salad.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Atmosphere:</b> 4/5</span><br />
It was fairly quiet throughout the whole time we were in the cafe. However, it was quite early on a Saturday morning so it could be somewhat expected, especially as it's newly opened. A quiet restaurant usually makes for an awkwardly silent meal and inevitable eavesdropping on the next tables conversation.. However, the tables were really well spaced out and the amazingly tall ceilings combined with the buzziness of the gallery next door, gave us a perfectly relaxing environment to enjoy breakfast and chat for hours.<br />
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The neutral colour scheme was so gorgeous and the huge canvas paintings take inspiration from the neighbouring National Gallery to offer the most breathtaking backdrops.<br />
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The one area where the atmosphere fell down for me was the slight damp smell, which was initially noticeable as I walked in. It felt like I was walking into a greenhouse.. Let's just say I was kind of glad to get some fresh air when we left.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Food:</b> 3/5</span><br />
As a big green tea and matcha fan - I can't fault their loose leaf. It really was delicious.<br />
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As for the food, what sounded like the most amazing dish actually left me slightly underwhelmed.<br />
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One of my yolks was completely cooked through - not ideal when the highlight of your brunch is usually reliant on some good <span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">#</span>yolkporn. The spelt and quinoa pancake was amazingly light and fluffy. However, the quinoa flour did give it quite an acquired taste, which can be fairly love or hate.<br />
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The salsa was not actually a salsa - more just some diced tomatoes. The sunflower seeds were sadly not toasted and the oil they used could have been of a much higher quality, which may have saved the dish somewhat.<br />
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<i>However</i>, the mushrooms were DIVINE! Slightly crispy, golden brown and doused in butter and olive oil - perfection. Hand me a bowl of mushrooms so buttery I look like I've just put lip balm on and I'm one happy gal!<br />
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The grapefruit, blood orange and pomegranate salad was so deliciously refreshing. The citrus notes provided the perfect finish to our much more indulgent first courses.<br />
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Looks like the green tea, buttered mushrooms and citrus salad saved the day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Service: </b>5/5</span><br />
This is one area where I really can't fault them. Amazingly helpful, wonderfully attentive (but not overly annoying) and fantastic attitude. Even when there was an element of slight hesitation with one of our meals, the manager was over in a flash in attempt to sort it out, which I thought was brilliant.<br />
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Good service is highly important to the enjoyment of my meal. Hats off to the National Cafe, we are ending on a high as I am pleased to say that they excelled on this front. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17262547497944353778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-7923092423399855042017-04-26T05:41:00.000-07:002017-05-17T23:40:04.806-07:00Another Diploma? Sano School of Culinary Medicine <br />
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For as long as I can remember I have wanted to combine my love of science with my passion for nutrition and health.<br />
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Studying dentistry is obviously a very demanding occupation. After qualifying a few years ago, I continued to further my education by completing several dental courses, a PG Cert last year, a diploma this year and now an MSc.<br />
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I therefore haven't really had the time, money or motivation to be studying anything else amongst working full time, trying to keep fit and eat well.. until now.<br />
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I have looked into studying nutrition and/or fitness for a couple of years, however, many courses required a lot of time to attend various lectures and seminars and were also extremely costly. Furthermore, I struggled to find a course that was completely suited to me and geared towards my learning goals.<br />
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I didn't want to be taught the basics of nutrition. I didn't even really want to be a nutritionist. I just wanted to get a greater understanding of how the science behind the food we put into our bodies can affect our health. And of course, in this day and age with so much litigation around, I wanted to have the peace of mind that any opinion I give will soon be backed up by a much greater understanding of nutrition. This is when I discovered the diploma in Applied Nutrition at <a href="https://www.sanoschoolofculinarymedicine.com/" target="_blank">Sano School of Culinary Medicine</a>.<br />
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Several aspects of this course were absolute musts for me:<br />
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ACCREDITED<br />
Sano is accredited by the FNTP and a member of the CMA. All modules you complete and all assignments submitted are marked by qualified nutritional therapists.<br />
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RELEVANT<br />
All the information provided by Sano is evidence based and up to date. They provide the latest research surrounding nutritional science, which prompts you to apply it to your day to day lifestyle in a bid to make healthier choices.<br />
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AFFORDABLE<br />
Having spent thousands on education over the last few years and knowing I have got another few thousand to spend on my masters, cost was a huge factor for me. IMO, Sano provides such an affordable diploma for what you get out of it.<br />
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ONLINE<br />
I don't have the time or want to put in the time travelling to study again. I have done that and am continuing to do that enough already! Online means it's there for you as and when you're ready to learn. Because it's something I'm so passionate about doing, I actually find myself wanting to sit down and do some studying in an evening. It's enjoyable to be able to dip in and out of it with no time frames or deadlines pressurising me to do so.<br />
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How am I finding it so far?<br />
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I've just completed the first module, which was Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. I won't lie, as someone who has studied science for a long time (I sometimes think too long), it does go back to the very basics. It's like being in a GCSE or A-Level biology class. Learning about cells and metabolic pathways again. Learning about the origins of different diseases.<br />
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However, it's actually things I haven't thought about for years! It's written in a very simplistic manner because it's designed for people of all backgrounds with varying levels of knowledge. So for me, it's really easy to breeze through and has proven to be very easy going, enjoyable learning! It's exactly the thing I was looking for - easily applicable science to every day nutritional problems and understanding what we can do about it through food.<br />
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At the end of the module you have to design menus specific to the module theory, detailing how it relates to the management and prevention of the particular disease discussed. I find this <i>so</i> enjoyable and interesting and it's amazing to finally be combining my two passions!<br />
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So in essence, I am loving my experience of the diploma in Applied Nutrition so far. Sano have been kind enough to allow my readers to receive a discount if they also sign up to the diploma by using the code <a href="https://www.sanoschoolofculinarymedicine.com/get-started/" target="_blank">jessstudent</a> at the checkout.<br />
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Once I've completed the diploma, I'll be sure to feed back to you on how I've found it. I can't promise time frames for this - as I said I'll be doing it as and when I can! But I'm excited to finally have a qualification in something I love doing and look forward to sharing the journey with you.<br />
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Jess x<br />
<br />Jessica Srivastavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16228501790438882415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-26998066532080731422017-04-07T12:49:00.000-07:002017-05-05T05:41:26.336-07:00What we've been waiting for - More Yoga hits south London<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYmzOoYhzjo4_Y6GYWy9weBdj7wfD1JJ1QqtbCUZbeWOLCHklgzuKfe4s-UyjNqXbuZg6y9xlQAoOYz2KfY2KfOlJ8NjJOx4QLlLVRbgs_0jnyBU1T9J5Zct-ApnwDW0dBSMlYFrQvvW2/s1600/MoreYoga12.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYmzOoYhzjo4_Y6GYWy9weBdj7wfD1JJ1QqtbCUZbeWOLCHklgzuKfe4s-UyjNqXbuZg6y9xlQAoOYz2KfY2KfOlJ8NjJOx4QLlLVRbgs_0jnyBU1T9J5Zct-ApnwDW0dBSMlYFrQvvW2/s1600/MoreYoga12.jpg" /></a><br />
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For all of us south London folk, we've got used to the trek to west or east London for fitness classes. So when <a href="http://www.morefit.co.uk/moreyoga/brixton/" target="_blank">More Yoga</a> hosted the opening of their new Brixton branch on 1st April I was <i>so</i> excited to check it out and finally not have to travel more than 15 minutes to get to it (vs an hour to get to east or west..!)<br />
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I first tried More Yoga at their Old Street branch and absolutely loved it. However, distance was such an issue so I knew it wouldn't be something I could routinely do. Now that they have a Brixton studio so close to me I don't really have an excuse not to go!<br />
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This is one of their biggest studios too (see last photo) so it'll be nice to practice in such an open area, rather than being crammed into a basement like lots of other smaller yoga studios I've tried.<br />
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The launch was amazing and a great opportunity to try out the new class and sample some of the goodies they had on offer, including delicious juices and vegan chickpea crisps - I am still waiting for the day that I am able to eat just one bag of Hippeas and one bag only! They're far too moreish..<br />
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Unfortunately, I couldn't partake in the yoga itself, but once I'm training again I'm excited to go back! I did come away with probably the most epic goodie bag of all time though.<br />
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This included some of the bits pictured below. Bar the edible items (which obviously I love - goes without saying really), I thought the block set was super cool. It contains a block, mini foam roller and trigger point massage ball all in one! The foam roller and massage ball fit inside the block itself and literally weigh nothing because it's all made of foam. I feel like I'll be packing this in my away bag on every holiday now! I'm such a cool kid..<br />
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The goodie bag also included a top and leggings from More Yoga's new sponsor, <a href="https://proskins.co/" target="_blank">Proskins</a>. They have several different ranges but we got to experience some of the 'Slim' range. I had not tried Proskins before but their Slim kit has some incredible benefits:<br />
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<li>It's all black - major plus for me..! There is some detailing down the side too, which is so beaut</li>
<li>Compression - improves circulation and muscle support</li>
<li>Regulates body temperature - keeps you at 37C (uhh literally sounds like MAGIC?!)</li>
<li>Antibacterial and moisture management - wicks sweat away to keep you cool and dry </li>
<li>Anti- cellulite - this is probably one of their best features. After all, what woman would say no to that?! The Proskins contain caffeine, vitamin E, ceramides, retinol and aloe vera. Combined with their compression technology, this has made them clinically proven to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Ah-mazing!</li>
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Basically, I'm going to start living in my Proskins and I'll be a cellulite free size 0 in no time. Jk jk. Defo jk. BUT I am stoked to try these out so <i>huge</i> thank you to More Yoga and Proskins for those.</div>
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I'm super excited to get back into yoga again and I know we all say <i>'must do more yoga'..</i> But somehow another year seems to pass where I'm yet to get into downward dog and still as flexible as a plank of wood. </div>
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More Yoga will also be opening a branch in Clapham Junction in July. I'm sure that'll be just as promising and again, so accessible for those living south of the river.<br />
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So any fellow south Londoners (or any Londoners!) that want to try More Yoga out - holla at me and we can start releasing our inner yogis together!</div>
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Jess x</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568838470944933594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-77345608903865130622017-03-21T04:42:00.001-07:002017-03-21T04:42:19.579-07:00Good Grain: 5 days, 5 ways<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As soon as I heard about this '5 days, 5 ways' challenge I was all over it. There's nothing I love more than adding toppings to my breakfast so this is one challenge definitely accepted!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The concept of <a href="http://www.thegoodgrainco.com/#about_a" target="_blank">Good Grain</a>'s challenge is to eliminate the perception that a healthy breakfast is boring by adding a variety of toppings to your breakfast bowl each day, or at least for 5 days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I love adding cereal or granola to my oats and although I don't track my macros, I am always aware the carbs are adding up and I end up consuming a hugely carb heavy meal as soon as I wake up just to sit down at work all day..! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, Good Grain uses puffed wheat, barley and rye to make up their super healthy sugar and salt free cereals, which gives the most AMAZING amount of volume for minimal calories - winning! So not only can you use the cereal as a base for your toppings, you can use it as a topping in itself, which is my favourite thing to do. This adds such a nice chewy texture as the puffed grains begin to warm up from the gooey oat base below. I'm literally addicted to this combo at the moment *drooling emoji*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the above photo I've used one of my favourite cereals by Good Grain, which is a mix of puffed wheat, barley and rye. I've added it as a topping to my zoats (recipe <a href="http://www.londonthefitway.co.uk/2016/09/zoats.html" target="_blank">here</a>) along with caramelised banana, plenty of creamy almond butter, cacao nibs, bee pollen and ground flaxseed. This flavour combo is the dream!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To make the caramelised banana: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Pre heat a pan on medium heat and add a tsp of coconut oil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Slice banana in half and dust it with ground cinnamon (can eliminate the cinnamon if you wish)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Once the oil is warm, place the banana in the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. Flip over the banana and fry for another few minutes </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. Place on top of your bowl, add the remaining toppings and serve immediately</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can join in with the 5 days, 5 ways challenge on Instagram by creating your bowl and using the hashtag #grainspiration, which gives you the chance to win some amazing prizes, such as a yoga retreat for two people or £100 Zara home vouchers, just to name a few. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Delicious breakfast bowls and incredible prizes. What's not to love?! Join me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesssriv/" target="_blank">@jesssriv</a> as we take on the challenge to up our breakfast bowl creativity. Can't wait to see your creations!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jess x</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">N.B. This is a sponsored post, however, as always, I never bullshit and all opinions are my own</span><br />
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<br />Jessica Srivastavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16228501790438882415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250529524161335703.post-24065611661938067182017-03-18T02:44:00.001-07:002017-07-02T00:18:05.673-07:00Spiced Mocha Proats <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRwdeo2CHUm9GfvCI2Xa46uXhdkDOmlEI0GC_o6uvXY_MO8JDvpPsxzDsbtkwl74ELER6Q0FPLD1vh7zf2lhK5QoDMZ8G73UCQusS56k4l7awyXNLI1T9q7kJpAncOLygVJAn-DtNzOE/s1600/FullSizeRender+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRwdeo2CHUm9GfvCI2Xa46uXhdkDOmlEI0GC_o6uvXY_MO8JDvpPsxzDsbtkwl74ELER6Q0FPLD1vh7zf2lhK5QoDMZ8G73UCQusS56k4l7awyXNLI1T9q7kJpAncOLygVJAn-DtNzOE/s1600/FullSizeRender+6.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I created this recipe for <a href="https://missfitsnutrition.com/" target="_blank">MissFits Nutrition</a> and loved it so much that I thought I'd put it on the blog. It's rich chocolatey goodness combined with my favourite warming spices - perfect for these chilly evenings we're still getting..! If you're not a fan of coffee, you can change the protein flavour to chocolate, which works equally well.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For new </span><a href="https://missfitsnutrition.com/" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">MissFits</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> customers, you can get £5 off your first online order with code <a href="https://missfitsnutrition.com/" target="_blank">jesssriv5</a> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">INGREDIENTS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(serves 1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">60g oats <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">¾ cup almond milk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 teaspoon coconut oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">½ teaspoon cinnamon <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">¼ teaspoon ground cardamom <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tablespoon raw cacao
powder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 teaspoon sweetener of
choice (honey, stevia, maple syrup etc)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">¼ cup egg whites <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 sachet of coffee
Multitasker <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">METHOD:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -18pt;">1. Place all ingredients bar the egg whites and protein
into a pan and bring to the boil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -18pt;">2. Reduce to a simmer and stir frequently for about 4
minutes until the oats have absorbed all the liquid</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -18pt;">3. Once cooked, turn off the heat and add the egg
whites. Stir these vigorously until they’re well combined to avoid them
scrambling</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -18pt;">4. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Add the protein powder and mix well (you may need to
add more liquid depending on your desired consistency)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -18pt;">5. Pour into a bowl and add toppings – here I have added
raw chocolate, cacao nibs and ground flaxseed but add whatever you fancy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Jess x</span></div>
Jessica Srivastavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16228501790438882415noreply@blogger.com0