Bannana, Mango Nut Oatmeal

Breakkkfassttting with Priyanka once again!

 

Oh yeah baby (I know you love it).

 

Life couldn't get better with a stack of mangos/ mango puree in my fridge. Literally, all week I have been jumping out of bed (which is very difficult since its pitch black every morning) excited to eat my mango filled breakfasts.

 

Here is a way I have been loving to incorporate my favourite fruit into my first meal.

 

Banana, Mango Nut Oatmeal:

 

-1 Tbsp. Oats (you can cook as much oats if you usually do)

-1 Tbsp. Chia Seeds

- 4-5 Chopped Slices of Mango

- 1 Small Handful of Blueberries

- 1/2 Banana

- 1 Tsp. Pumpkin Seeds

- 1 Tsp. chopped almonds

 

If you want to be really cheeky like I was this week add a heaped Tbs of CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER. I found one from Asda called The Wild Peanut Chocolatey which has honey and no added sugar so therefore is 'clean' to eat.

 

- Cook the oats with chia seeds in the microwave/ hob

- Place the chopped mangos in the centre of the oatmeal and coined banana slices around the edge

- Add you toppings; chocolate peanut butter/ chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds and blueberries on top.

 

There are so many variations of this breakfast you could try. I've had my mango oatmeal with healthy sweet potato brownie chunks on top and oh it's delishhh.....

 

Let me know how you like your morning oatmeal so I can test them out in my own kitchen.

 

Priyanka xx

Tips to Help Reduce Your Cold Symptoms

It's that time of the year again, autumn leaves falling, darker mornings, shorter days, thicker jumpers and of course, colds.

Everyone seems to be coughing, sneezing and complaining that they have a cold and I am someone who has been constantly shivering unless I wear 2 vests, a thermal top, a regular top and a thick jumper outside but have found some of these things useful in helping reduce my cold/flu-like symptoms.

 

1. Drink Hot Herbal Tea

I found that sipping on hot cups of ginger and lemon tea (Twinning's Settling Ginger and Revitalising Lemon & Ginger are two of my favourites) really helps my throat feel less sore and dry; it also helps making me feel a little more warm and cosy which is always really comforting.

 

2. Stay Hydrated

I know this may be one point you rather skip out off the list, but when you're ill having plenty of water for your body to take care of itself is definitely the wiser option. During the day, drinking water should help increase your energy levels too.

 

3. Take Multi Vitamins

 

Vitamins, vitamins, vitamins. Don't forget your vitamins. I regularly take multivitamins all year round and swap between Floradix Liquid Iron and Vitamin Formula and Metatone Tonic as well as Vitamin D and Iron tablets (since my GP has recommended this to me).  Especially when I feel like any sympotoms of a cold is arising or simply feel fatigue, I will take Vitamin C tablets to help my immune system keep up with everything that's going on.

 

4. Get Enough Sleep

 Tired all the time? Go to bed a little earlier because you owe yourself that much. After all, its probably not your fault you were infected by the coughing bus passenger next to you, right? A little more snooze ain't gonna hurt no body.

 

5. Eat Oranges

Now orange juice doesn't classify as fresh oranges, there is something very different about the two things I would have thought. Eating oranges and other citus fruits, berries and fresh vegetables also helps your body repair itself quicker and more easily due to the higher amounts of antioxidants your body receives.

 

6. Strepsils, Tissues and Paracetamol

My mother never let me leave the house without all of these things. Always keeping paracetamol handy means that you should be able to battle the day to the end like a hero...

 

Hopefully this has reminded you that nourishing your body with all that it deserves will help you feel energized much more faster than if you binged on junk foods and walked around the roads with a light shirt on!

 

Priyanka xx

 

Berry Belicious Breakfast Yogurt Parfait

 

 

BREAKFAST.

 

It is the most important meal of the day.

 

I'm not even going to let you try and argue.

 

Its a fact.

 

So don't skip it !

 

 

I bet you are all grabbed by my 'spur of the moment' title idea.

 

Because I'm pretty surprised by my own creativity :)

 

Its so important to kick start your day the right way and there is not better way to do it than a fully nutritious, filling, healthy meal to provide you with plenty of energy in the morning.

This is quick and easy, so as long as you have the ingredients you have no excuses.

You will need:

- Your favourite bowl

- 1 Banana Sliced into 'coins'

- A handful of Raspberries / Blueberries/ Blackberries/ Strawberries... (what I am trying to say is - any berry of your choice!)

-Fat Free Yogurt (I used Onken Strawberry)

- Granola - I would suggest Special K Granola because not only does it taste good but it is lower in calories, fat and is notorious :)

-Chia Seeds (Optional)

- A Spoon

- A Chair

- Yourself

- Your mouth

I think that covers pretty much everything.

Let me know what your all time favourite breakfast is and if you enjoyed this recipe!

Priyanka xx

Healthy and Filling Chocolate Breakfast Smoothie

Normally I'm not one for breakfast smoothies because they tend to lead me unsatisfied and hungry in the morning. One thing I've learnt is that I really don't like being hungry in the morning because I then go and snack on everything in my fridge. Not good.

When I came up with this, I chucked loads of random ingredients, that I would normally eat for breakfast, together and blended away... I don't know how but it came out much better than I expected.

So here is the recipe: (Serves 1)

- 1 cup of Hazelnut milk (sub any milk but this gives a different taste)
- 1 Banana
- 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Smooth Peanut Butter ...( I still can't believe I got through the hole tub in a month. That's some kind of record)
- 1 Pack of Quaker Instant Oats or 1/2 Rolled Oats
- 1 1/2 heaped tbs Cocoa ( depending on how chocolaty you'd like it)
- Handful of ice cubes (optional)

Throw all your ingredients into your blender and blend away!

This is probably my favourite smoothies at the moment and I love sippin' it with my smoothie straw! Maybe its just me.  Also, I have been using my blender a lot during the summer holiday for baking and smoothie-ing  - I love it.

I really hope that you enjoy this smoothie recipe! Let me know if you substituted or added anything that makes it taste  better.

Priyanka xx

Nutri - Bowls

I am pretty sure I stumbled across it somewhere on this world wide thing we call the internet because I'm not this cleaver and when I am its never this simple.

Nutri - Bowls (Cheering in the background 'YAY'), they are delicious, easy and quick to make and are packed full of nutritious, 'good for your body' foods. You can add anything to them and customize it to your own likes and add things that you have in your kitchen.

Today I made one for me and my mum and added (to each bowl):
- 1/2 tomato
- 1/2 large carrot
- 1/2 ripe avocado
 - 1/2 celery stick
- 1/4 cucumber
- 4 small cooked chicken breasts
- 1 heaped table spoon of hummus (lower fat is better)
- 1 egg (fried/ scrambled/ omelette or boiled... up to you!)

I chopped up all of the raw veggies into sticks to dip into the hummus and places them all into a manageable bowl so you can get straight into it, with feet and all.

I think this is a great healthy, lunch idea with all 5 of your 5 a day, healthy fats and protein that doesn't make you have to knock your head until you find a good recipe.

So, I can guess what your making for lunch tomorrow...NUTRI-BOWLS!

Enjoy.

Priyanka xx