WHAT I EAT IN A DAY

Hello everyone! So for today's post i am back with another what i eat in a day post and of course it is another healthy one, as i am still trying to stick to whole 80% good, 20% maybe not so good lifestyle. I am finding that this "diet" which i hate using the term diet (i would much prefer to use the work lifestyle because diets are classed as temporary), is working so well for me and i am finding myself not craving bad foods all of the time. Today's what i eat in a day is in the 80% section, that being said i would love to share at some point more of the 20% section too because we all have those days from time to time...

As i mentioned in my previous what i eat in day post, i usually switch between one of four different breakfast options and even though it is summer this day i went with porridge. This porridge i made 40g of oats, one scoop of chocolate brownie flavoured diet protein blend from MyProtein, 150ml of unsweetened almond milk and then i topped it with some mixed nuts and seeds, as well as a little bit of honey. 

Lunch time and i am actually having the same as i did in the last post ironically, all though i have also been obsessed with having hummus on toast or even hummus on the ryvita thins you can get. So of course this is another one of my favourite lunches, which is smashed peas on wholemeal seeded bread toasted and topped with dried crushed chilli.

Finally for dinner i am having one of my favourite "summer" dinner dishes, which is roasted veggies, bulgur wheat and halloumi. For the roasted vegetables it is basically just mixed peppers, squash or sweet potato, red onion, garlic and of course mixed in to the bulgur wheat and then topped with some pan done halloumi and some more crushed chilli because i just love anything including chilli.

This particular day for drinks i had around 3 litres of water, an unsweetened almond milk iced latte, a peppermint tea and a raspberry pepsi max.

Catch up on my previous what i eat in a day post: here

xo.

MOTIVATION MONDAY #3 | MY TEN GO-TO HEALTHY BREAKFASTS

Hello everyone and welcome back to the third instalment in my "Monday Motivation" series this month! When it comes to trying to stay on track/stay eating healthy, one of the key steps to maintaining this is to ALWAYS eat breakfast. By starting your day off eating breakfast, you are not only going to have more energy to stay motivated during the day but you are also going to less likely snack/eat foods that are not necessarily good for you. With that in mind for this weeks instalment, i thought i would share my ten go-to healthy breakfasts...

1. good grain puffed wheat or multigrain cheerios with almond milk

Cereal is such a quick and easy breakfast but a lot of cereals tend to have a ton of sugar in them, so if you are trying to be good make sure you check the sugar contents on the box before hand. Two of my go-to's are the Good Grain puffed wheat, which is high in fibre, low in sugar and calories. The other cereal i love is the plain multigrain cheerios, unlike the honey/chocolate ones, the multigrain ones are lower in sugar and are super high in fibre. I always have unsweetened almond milk with mine or sometimes coconut milk, as i don't have cows milk.

2. overnight oats

Overnight oats are another great quick and easy breakfast to have, as it literally takes five minutes if that to make the night before and leave it in the fridge until you are good to go. Oats are a really good fat burner, as well as keeping you fuller for longer. I actually have a full blog post on my blog already with lots of different overnight oats recipes/toppings, which you can catch here.

3. porridge

As well as overnight oats another oat-y breakfast i love is regular porridge, some people see porridge as boring but you can add so many different things to it and make it a lot more interesting/tasty. My current favourite is oats, unsweetened almond milk, a tablespoon of PB2, cinnamon and a tsp of organic honey.

4. yogurt and fruit

Another quick and easy breakfast, which i am all about in the morning is yogurt and fruit on top. My favourite is a fruit-y muller light yogurt with some peaches sliced up on top. You can do this with so many different fruits/flavoured yogurts, you can also add a drizzle of honey or agave nectar over the top if you wish. 

5. alpro plant yogurt with homemade/granola topping

Another great yogurt breakfast, this time completely vegan/dairy-free is some of the Alpro plant based yogurt, either the vanilla or almond flavour topped with some homemade granola. The homemade granola we have is literally just dates, dried fruit, different nuts and oats baked in the oven and it is delicious.

6. coffee protein smoothie

This particular breakfast is what i always tend to have if i am not feeling particular hungry when i get up, but i still have breakfast so you don't skip a meal. The smoothie couldn't be easier to make either as it is simply just four tablespoons of rolled oats, two tablespoons PB2 either plain or cocoa, one tablespoon coffee or espresso powder, almond milk and ice.

7. scrambled egg on toast

It is not often that i have toast for breakfast anymore but i do tend to more so on the weekend, yet unlike before i only ever have one slice and it is always wholegrain/seeded. Then to top it off i will have one large egg scrambled, with a splash of water added to it and this allows them to go super fluffy and then i always like to have a drizzle of chilli sauce over top.

8. homemade beans on toast

Another great weekend breakfast on toast is homemade baked beans, which is literally just any canned beans you want, onion, garlic, chilli and tinned chopped tomatoes cooked on the hob. Then just like the egg once cooked, i place some over top of one slice of wholegrain/seeded toast. I also don't have butter or butter substitute on the toast, as i just prefer it without but that is totally up to you.

9. smoothie bowl

Another smoothie one but this time in a bowl with toppings on top, when it comes to the smoothie itself i opt for frozen mixed berries mixed with almond milk and then topped with some nuts or the homemade granola. You could also top it off with some more fresh fruit, or even all of the above all depending how hungry you are.

10. homemade baked oatmeal/granola bars or squares

Finally this is definitely one of those good for both breakfasts or a snack when on the go, as you can make a tray up and keep them stored all week. You can pretty much make your oatmeal bars whatever flavour you want, a good one is blueberry and coconut. You can find a ton of different recipes on Pinterest.

Catch up on last week's instalment HERE...

xo.

OVERNIGHT OATS | PINTEREST INSPIRED RECIPES

Hello everyone! So ever since the start of this year i have become obsessed with having overnight oats for breakfast, probably around 2 or 3 times a week (because i like to switch things up everyday) and i know quite a few other people also love to have them for breakfast too. Ever since first giving them a try, i have found a ton of different flavours/toppings to make them in and a lot of those recipes have come from Pinterest. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would do something a little different, by sharing some of my personal favourite overnight oats recipes and they are all healthy/can be modified to your own diet preferences but the most important thing is they taste good/are super quick to throw together...

1. pumpkin spice

| 2 tbsp pumpkin puree | 1 tbsp maple syrup | 40 g oats | 1/2 tsp mixed spice | 1/8 tsp vanilla extract | 1/2 tbsp chia seeds | 1 tbsp granola or nuts | 100 ml almond milk | 2 tbsp yogurt (optional) |

2. pumpkin + vanilla (super quick)

| 40 g pumpkin spice quaker oats | 1 tbsp dried mixed fruit | 100 ml aplro vanilla soya milk |

3. coconut latte

| 40 g oats | 50 ml brewed coffee | 2 tbsp maple syrup/honey | 50 ml coconut milk | 

4. almond + honey

| 40 g oats | 1 tbsp honey | 100 ml almond milk | 2 tbsp alpro almond yogurt | 1 tbsp almonds |

5. peach cobbler 

| 40 g oats | 100 ml almond milk | 2 tbsp vanilla or peach yogurt (dairy or dairy free) | 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon | 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg | 80 g peach diced |

6. espresso + salted date caramel

| 40 g oats | 1 tbsp chia seeds | pinch salt | 50 ml almond milk | 50 ml brewed coffee | 2 tbsp maple syrup | 1 tsp vanilla extract | 4 medjool dates (puree with water + pinch of salt) |

7. carrot cake

| 40 g oats | grated carrot | 1 tsp ground cinnamon | 1/4 tsp all spice | 1 tbsp chia seeds (optional) | 2 tbsp raisins | 1 tsp vanilla | 100 ml almond milk |

8. peanut butter (you can also add banana)

40 g oats | 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter | 100 ml almond milk | 1 tbsp honey | 1 tbsp vanilla |

9. vanilla, almond + blueberry

| 40 g oats | 75 ml vanilla soya milk | 2 tbsp almond alpro | flaked almonds | blueberries |

10. gingerbread cookie

| 40 g oats | 1/4 tsp ground ginger | 100 ml almond milk | 1 tbsp maple syrup | 1 tsp cinnamon |

11. cinnamon chocolate

| 40 g oats | 1 tsp cocoa powder | 1 tsp cinnamon | 100 ml almond milk | 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey | 2 tbsp chocolate milk/dark or cocoa chips | 

12. cherry bakewell

| 40 g oats | 75 ml almond milk | 1 cherry bakewell muller light or cherry flavoured yogurt |

Catch up on my quick/easy Pinterest breakfasts post HERE...

xo.

QUICK, EASY + HEALTHY PINTEREST BREAKFAST IDEAS

Hello everyone! So it can be so easy to fall into a rut when it comes to deciding what to make/have for breakfast, especially if you are wanting something quick, easy and healthy. If you want to take all three of those things into consideration, it doesn't mean you have to opt for a boring bowl of cereal every single day (even though i do love a good bowl of "boring" plain wheat cereals like wheatabix or special k). That being said for today's post i thought i would share with you a selection of my favourite Pinterest approved breakfast ideas...

1. fluffy, gorgeous coconut yoghurt pancakes (a mummy too, blog)

If you are a pancake lover this simple yogurt based pancake recipe is going to be right up your street, as they are super simple to make and you only need seven ingredients in total to make them. I love pancakes when they are thick and fluffy, which is where the yogurt comes in with a helping hand and not to mention give that gorgeous coconut-y flavour. If dairy isn't your thing, which it isn't for me milk-wise anyway you can switch it out for the Alpro yogurt and milk (which both can be bought in coconut flavours).

2. carrot cake overnight oats (jar of lemons, blog)

I have mentioned a couple of times now how obsessed with overnight oats i am, as they are literally the quickest, tastiest breakfast and the perfect meal-prep breakfast food. This particular recipe is vegan but you can obviously adapt it to your liking by adding milk and yogurt, but i definitely prefer it the vegan way. Pinterest is full of different "fillings/flavours" for overnight oats but this carrot cake one, a mixed fruit and cinnamon one and the chai latte one hands down are my favourites out of all the ones i have tried.

3. vegan blended peanut butter chocolate porridge (my vibrant kitchen, blog)

I almost feel like this breakfast recipe could almost pass for looking like a delicious yet naughty dessert, but it isn't it is actually super good for you and if you are a fan of anything chocolate/peanut butter flavoured then you are going to love this. This is different to overnight oats, as you only soak the oats for ten minutes before blending and layering with the remaining ingredients.

4. smashed peas on toast (sainsbury's, magazine blog)

Smashed peas on toast is a favourite of mine for either breakfast or lunch, as it is the perfect alternative to having avocado on toast if you don't like avocado as i don't. Yet again this is another recipe that you can cater to your own topping preferences, as i like to skip on the mint and goats cheese and opt for garlic, chilli and sometimes a poached egg all depending on how hungry i am or how much time i have.

5. grilled peach breakfast parfait (kitchen sanctuary, blog)

To me this breakfast absolutely screams summer alfresco dining breakfast food, especially with the grilled peach. Yet again this is such a quick and easy throw together breakfast, that can be adapted to your diet by switching up the yogurt for a non-dairy yogurt as would. I love how many different textures and flavours this recipe has, from sweet to crunchy and then smooth. I also have to admit that this style of breakfast, is definitely one of those Instagram worthy breakfasts.

6. coffee chia pudding (the little blog of vegan, blog)

Finally we have something similar to overnight oats, but obviously instead of using oats you opt for some chia seeds instead and it is just as quick/easy to make. Just like overnight oats, there are so many different ways to have this for breakfast but i must say having a coffee flavoured one has to be a favourite of mine. This breakfast is a winner if you have a sweet tooth and would sooner have something sweet over savoury for breakfast.

Similar: the tips i swear by to save time in the morning

xo.

THE TIPS I SWEAR BY TO SAVE TIME IN THE MORNING | BEAUTY + LIFESTYLE

Hello everyone! So the majority of us as human beings (especially those of us who have to get up early in the morning) more often than none, struggle to get up and end up pressing snooze one too many times. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you another "tips i swear by" post, which if you didn't catch the first one it was all about self-love (post link). That being said this time i thought why not share my favourite tips to save time in the morning. By using these beauty and lifestyle hacks can save you so much time everyday/week, to either get more done in the day or if you simple want to hit that snooze button one more time...

1. prepare your breakfast the night before

The key step to saving time in the morning is by simply doing a lot of your prep the night before, including your breakfast. Breakfast is obviously one of the most important meals of the day, as it simply fuels you up and keeps your energy levels up to help you get things done. One of my personal favourites for this is overnight-oats. It is quick to make in the evening, nutritious/healthy, fills you up until lunch and most importantly tastes so good!

| my favourite overnight-oats recipe | 

mason jar with lid | 40 grams porridge oats | 80 millilitres unsweetened almond milk | 15 grams mixed dried fruit | 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon | yogurt (optional) i prefer it without |

2. pick out your outfit/s the night before or for the week

Another night before trick is to pick your outfit out ready including your shoes and accessories, making sure they are ironed/crease-free. By doing this it allows you to simply just put your clothes on and head out of the door, not be faffing around with the ironing board or not knowing what to wear. If you are feeling super organised, plan your outfits out for the week ahead on a Sunday evening (just make sure you check the weather forecast for the week ahead before and keep an umbrella or jacket always in your mind).

3. keep your beauty products down to the bare essentials

If you are just going about your day to day and aren't going to any special event, keep your makeup/beauty routine down to the bare essentials. This can cut at least 30-40 minutes off of your morning routine, especially if you have thoroughly cleansed/moisturised your face/body the night before. You can also use a product in a multi-purpose way, such as bronzer as an eyeshadow, a multi-purpose oil for face/body and hair or a lip tint as a blush.

 | my quick + easy everyday makeup for spring post is coming soon |

4. stay away from your phone

Always stay away from your phone whilst you are getting ready in the morning, i always leave mine on the other side of the room and have Spotify playing on my TV instead. By doing this you aren't tempted to keep picking your phone up and browsing through social media, emails and messages (also keep it on silent or do not disturb).

5. wash your hair/have a shower in the evening

Wash, dry/style your hair in the evenings this saves so much time, especially if you have long hair or it takes forever to dry. This can also allow you an extra 30+ minutes in the morning and you aren't left running around like an idiot because you are late, we have all been there right? If you were unable to wash your hair the night before, but it is in good need of a wash and you don't have the time then dry shampoo once again is going to be your BFF!

6. keep everything you need inside your bag

Finally, always keep everything you will need during the day or when you are out and about, inside your bag (with the exception of your phone of course). By doing this you aren't going to forget the things you need, especially money because there is no worse feeling than getting to the checkout in the shops and realising you have left your purse at home. I also like to keep duplicates of certain things in my bag never taking them out at the end of the day, such as headphones and duplicates of my favourite lip products. 

Catch up on my previous blog post HERE...
xo.

WHAT I ATE IN A DAY

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another "what i ate in a day" post and the second one i have done this month. I am so proud of myself for not forgetting to do updated versions of this type of post, also if you want to check out any of my other recent "what i ate in a day" posts i will link them at the end of this post.

So this particular day was definitely a breakfast on the go type of breakfast and i always opt for a similar type of thing to eat when i do. That being said rather than having some type of yogurt, i tried one of these new blueberry flavoured muller rice five grains pots and it was so yummy. I also had one of these graze protein bites, which i have had before but in the cocoa vanilla flavour and i actually ended up preferring this flavour over that one. Finally i also had a coffee from Starbucks, because i am completely obsessed with ordering either a soy toffee nut latte or a soy gingerbread latte.

Lunch time and i am still trying to switch things up now and again, instead of having the same thing every single day. This day i had one of my favourite flavoured soups, which is butternut squash soup and this one also had coriander, cumin and chilli. This type of lunch is definitely the perfect winter lunch.

Dinner time and for once on a "what i ate in a day" i am not having pasta. In fact i had veggie burger which i have featured in a what i ate post before, i love these particular ones as they have a bunch of different veggies inside like pepper, carrot, sweetcorn, onion, green beans and spices. This time as i had only had soup for lunch, i had some sweet potato fries baked in the oven and some garden peas on the side.

Catch up on my previous "what i ate in a day" posts here and here...

xo.

PINTEREST RECIPES I WANT TO TRY: AUTUMN BREAKFAST EDITION

Hello everyone! So when autumn comes around there is nothing nicer and warming than something hearty and delicious to eat, am i right? For me there is no better place than Pinterest to give you a helping hand on food inspiration and deciding what to eat, whether that be for breakfast, lunch or dinner but one of the most delicious recipe types perfect for autumn is breakfast. With that in mind for today's post, i thought i would share with you some of the Pinterest breakfast recipes i want to try is autumn.

quinoa bircher muesli with pistachios and blueberries

I am usually always down for anything nutty, but if it included pistachios i will not be able to resist because they are just simply heavenly. I don't think i have ever had quinoa muesli before (homemade) anyway but it sounds so delicious, especially with the added blueberry flavour.

baked peach almond oatmeal

Porridge (oatmeal) is an autumn/winter breakfast favourite of mine, it is just so filling/warming on those cooler weather days. That being said i also love peaches, so i bet adding the two together would be so tasty especially with the added nutty texture of the almonds.

chai spice gluten free granola

Sticking with the whole nutty texture theme, as you will know if you have seen any foodie post of mine in the past granola is another breakfast favourite of mine. So if you add the chai spice to the mix, is perfect for an autumn mornings breakfast with either cold or warm almond milk.

blueberry oatmeal pancakes
I mean who doesn't love a good stack of pancakes? this recipe seems like a great one for when you want a naughty but without being too naughty, as they are actually gluten free and vegan. I also think if you are having pancakes then blueberry is the way to go.

pumpkin spice granola
This particular granola recipe seems like the most perfect type of granola, because i am literally that girl who loves anything pumpkin spiced flavour. This recipe is slightly less healthy than some other recipes as it contains brown sugar, but for a treat now and then it won't hurt.

gingerbread cookie overnight oats
I have always wanted to give the whole overnight oats a try, but i have never got around to doing so. This particular recipe is not only healthy and tasty sounding, it also seems super effortless to make with only a handful of simple/tasty ingredients.

grilled asparagus and poached egg on toast
Finally moving on to two more "savoury" style breakfast recipes, that would be good for either a weekend breakfast or brunch. This is actually a Jamie Oliver recipe which looks super delicious, you really can't go wrong with eggs on toast but adding a different flavour with the grilled asparagus just switches things up.

smoky cannellini beans on garlic toast
This recipe is a great and delicious spin on a simple "beans on toast" recipe but with a lot more flavour and i have had something similar quite a few times before. I also think this could be made for more than just a breakfast meal, but maybe for lunch/light dinner.

Want to see a different food post from me? Catch my latest "what i ate" HERE...

xo.

PINTEREST RECIPES I WANT TO TRY

Hello everyone! When it comes down to looking for good food inspiration, what better place to go than Pinterest am i right? There are thousands of great recipes from easy lunch ideas, to healthy recipes and my personal favourite ironically the opposite of healthy, the dessert recipes that i drool over as i scroll through my app. For today's post i thought i would share with you some of the recipes i have discovered on Pinterest and want to try/make myself. Also it came to my attention that i haven't shared a "what i ate in a day" type post for the longest time, so i am thinking one might make an appearance in a post sometime soon.

blueberry and coconut baked oatmeal by loveandlemons

I love porridge or oatmeal whatever you prefer to call it and i have seen a few different recipes for baked porridge and to me it sounds amazing, so add blueberry and coconut into the mix and i am sold with this particular recipes (except i will probably skip adding the banana).

cajun shrimp with tomato alfredo pasta by jocooks

How could i not want to give this particular recipe a try, as it has two of my favourite things in the dish prawns (shrimp) and pasta, the two just go hand in hand for me. I actually have a pasta/linguine recipe post on my blog, which you can catch here and trust me it is yummy!

coconut fish curry by sainsbury's magazine

I love fish but i don't think i have actually ever had it in curry before, which is odd as i love both things separately. This seems like it could be one of those really yummy yet healthy and quick dinner recipes, as it only has four steps involved (that ticks all of the boxes for me).

italian baked eggs by damndelicious

We actually already gave this one a try out but we didn't have the smaller ramekins like the recipe suggests and we also added a couple of different ingredients to it, but i will definitely have to get some and give this recipe a go the exact way it is meant to me served.   

stuffed sweet potatoes by laurencariscooks

I love love love anything sweet potato, especially baked sweet potato and i always make this particular Jamie Oliver one with cheese, chilli and garlic that i am obsessed with. That being said it is always good to try some new toppings and this lentil stuffed sweet potato, sounds amazing!

peanut butter snickers cookies by wellplated

I couldn't not included at least one naughty dessert even though i am trying to not look, but this peanut butter snickers cookies recipe looks and sounds too good not to try out. Yet again another two things i love peanut butter and cookies, so why not mix the two together and be extra naughty, i mean if you are doing it you might as well go all out right?

thai coconut curry butternut squash soup by hoastthetoast

Another coconut curry recipe but this time in the form of a soup, with one of my favourite things butternut squash in fact i think it is my favourite flavour soup. So add coconut and some spice into the mix and i am completely sold, this one also looks super simple/quick to make.

grilled hassleback fajita stuffed chicken by thegirlonbloor

Finally besides pasta dishes, fajitas are one of my favourite dinners and whilst i was browsing one day for different fajita recipes i came across this one. I think is is such a cool/different way to have fajitas, as you could cut them up, serve with wraps or leave whole and serve with some roasted sweet potatoes like the recipe. I will definitely be trying this one out sooner, rather than later.

♥