I love using a smoothie as a way to get extra nutrients into my diet. They are great as a snack or main meal (depending on what’s in it) if you are on the go or just don’t have the time to prepare a meal. Try my greens smoothie for the extra vitamin/mineral nutrient kick. I much prefer smoothies to juices as you are not losing out on any of the fibre from the fruit or vegetable.
Ingredients
1 handful baby spinach
1 chunk of cucumber
1/2 avocado
1 kiwi fruit
1/2 apple
1 teaspoon barley grass powder
200ml coconut water (or water if you are trying to keep the sugar content down)
Iron is an essential mineral found in every cell of our body and is used in the production of red blood cells. It’s important in the formation of haemoglobin which is the part of the red blood cell responsible for carrying oxygen from our lungs to our brain, tissue and muscles and enables the oxygen to move freely between cells. This is why one of the symptoms of an iron deficiency is fatigue as our organs struggle to receive the oxygen required to function optimally. Iron deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies we know about. Thankfully this can be confirmed by a blood test where you red blood cell, haemoglobin and ferritin levels can be checked. Our bodies can store 25% of iron naturally which is stored as ferritin. Men can store ferritin in the body and for up to three years, but woman can only store it for one year making them more susceptible to anemia. Iron deficient anemia can be common amongst teenagers, young adults, during pregnancy and menstruation.
Chia pudding is an excellent breakfast option - especially with summer on the way and a cold breakfast becoming more appealing. They are a source of omega-3’s, fibre, antioxidants, protein and vitamins and minerals. The perfect nutritious breakfast or snack. Made the night before, all your need to do is add your favourite chopped fruit and seeds/nuts to give it even more of a nutrient kick.
As promised - a delicious soup recipe that is high in beta-carotene rich vegetables. Have a read of last weeks blog to learn about the benefits and why we should all be making an effort to include foods rich in beta-carotene in our diets.
2 x red peppers
1 x large orange sweet potato
100g cherry tomatoes
2 x carrots
1 x onion
1 x clove of garlic
400ml of vegetable stock
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 180degrees
Dice the carrots sweet potato and red pepper up into about 1cm size cubes. Leave the cherry tomatoes and garlic whole.
Add the vegetables (except the onion) to a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 30minutes
Following on from my post of FSC’s High Potency High Potency Whole Bulb Garlic I thought I would share a tasty way of including raw garlic into your diet. It’s such a quick and easy recipe to make, with the added benefit of knowing exactly what went into your pesto.
Remember one of the main compounds found in garlic is allicin. Allicin is produced when the garlic clove is chopped or crushed - it also gives garlic its strong smell. Allicin has been found to reduce inflammation and has antimicrobial properties. Unfortunately its destroyed when heated - so to get the full benefits from garlic we need to eat it raw and ideally leave it to rest for 10-15minutes or so after chopping/crushing.
I’m sure you would have heard the word superfood used many times. But did you know there is no specific criteria for a food being classed as a superfood, by definition a superfood should be ‘a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being.’
There are so many different superfoods out there, and they all come with slightly different benefits. To make the most of them I would recommend including a variety of different ones in your diet. You may already be getting a few without even knowing it! (Cinnamon, turmeric, eggs, ginger to name a few) You don’t need to be spending a fortune on exotic fruit and vegetables, You will easily be able to stock up on nutrient dense food from your supermarket. Plants make up majority of the superfoods, so if you eat a diet high in plants you will be getting a good dose of superfoods!
I have written about goal setting a few times now. But i’m writing again because it’s so important to learn how to set goals correctly. We all have hopes and dreams, but we need a plan if we want to achieve them otherwise that’s all they are - hopes and dreams.
Always use the acronym SMART when you are setting a goal
S - specific
M - measurable
A - achievable
R - realistic
T - timely
The first step is to write down your goal, and then check, is it SMART? Having these steps in place and written down is great as you can always come back to your plan and readjust if needed.
Avocados are known by most to be really healthy - but do you know why? Have a read below to learn why you should be adding this fruit to your diet!
Avocados can reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome, which is the name given a group of conditions that increase your risk of developing heart disease.
Avocados are rich in fat soluble vitamins and contain lutein which is a carotenoid that protects eye, skin and hair health. Avocados can even be used topically as face or hair masks!
Studies have shown avocados to have the ability to help fight off certain cancers thanks to the powerful phytochemicals they contain.
Excellent for digestive health - avocados can contain anywhere between 10-17g of fibre per a fruit! Fibre is important for our gut health as it helps increase the good bacteria and keep
Pancakes don’t just need to be saved for a weekend treat - these can be eaten daily. Batch cook them and keep a stash in the freezer. Just pop in the toaster for a quick nutritious breakfast!
Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1 cup plain flour
1 banana
1 tablespoon hemp hearts
1 teaspoon baking powder
250ml milk
Butter or coconut oil to grease the pan
Method
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until well mixed.
If the mixture is looking too thick add a bit more milk until you get the desired consistency.
Heat a pan and add a 1/2 teaspoon of butter or coconut oil
This delicious meal will warm you up from the inside out! It’s an excellent way to add lots of tasty nutrients to your diet.
Ingredients
2kgs stewing beef
2 brown onions diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots cut into coins
2 sweet potatoes chopped into 50p coin size
2 sticks of celery diced
500ml beef bone broth
1 tin of chopped tomato
1 tablespoon of marmalade
Method
If you have a slow cooker turn on to the sauté setting, if not you can use a stock pot. Add the olive oil and diced onion and cook for about 3-5minutes until the onion has softened.
