Refreshing green smoothie and a bit of meal prep

After have a little (massive) slip up food-wise at the weekend, I think both CW and I dropped the ball a bit with our food planning, prepping and eating. Normally we would plan our food for the week on a Sunday but that defo did not happen since we were both hungover messes!
It's been a bit more of a struggle without everything ready to eat with work during the week but I caught up this evening and somehow created a yummy green smoothie that is really refreshing and filling too! Although I may have drunk a bit too much and now I feel sick...

Berry Nice Green Smoothie (see what I did there?)
I didn't use any measuring apparatus since I am a lazy fart so everything is approximated:


1 big handful of spinach
6 inch piece of cucumber
3 satsumas
1 large glug of almond milk
4 small strawberries
1 small handful of blueberries
1 tablespoon of flaxseeds

You could probably add some kale into this smoothie to make it even greener. I decided not to since I've one off kale following a bad smoothie that tasted like cumin when I didn't clean my blender out properly (whoops)!

Here are a couple of shots of the meal prep I managed to do this evening too

Chicken | cucumber and bell pepper / spinach and red pepper | baked sweet potato

Greek yogurt, strawberry, blueberry, cinnamon and flaxseeds | Berry nice green smoothie

I love the feeling of finishing off my meal prep for the week and that I don't need to think about cooking for a few days! Yay! I have been watching meal prep videos on YouTube and for some reason they are mesmerizing! I ended up watching about 5 of them back to back in bed last night at 11pm... I need a life! You can get some really good tips from them on shortening the amount of time you have to spend fannying around in the kitchen which is always a bonus!

----

CP

Breakfast Bonanza!

Sometimes it’s hard to begin the day eating well because you just can’t think of different things to have, so you end up having the same sugary cereals every day. CP and I have put together some breakfast options that we often have. We try to change what we have most days so we still get excited about getting out of bed (the only reason to get out of bed...food!)

Breakfast

• 2 boiled eggs on soya and linseed toast (or poached or scrambled, hard boiled is the best though). I also like to have marmite on my toast underneath the egg that I squish on... try it, it’s amaze.
• Overnight porridge (www.laurenconrad.com ) I like to add sliced almonds and dried cranberries on mine. Also sometimes if I’m feeling a bit crazy, almond butter mixed in too.
• Overnight chocolate porridge www.greatist.com (similar but with chocolate protein powder mixed in.)
• Granola, low fat greek yoghurt, fruit and flax seeds.
• Smoothie (see top 5 smoothies post...... http://healthandlurking.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/top-5-super-scrumptious-sexy-sometimes.html )
• Quinoa breakfast (I can’t remember where I got it from so sorry internet person that will be angry I stole their recipe):
• ½ a cup of cooked quinoa
• 1 tablespoon of sliced almonds
•  ¼ cup of raisins
• ½ banana mashed
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 cup almond  milk
•  1 table spoon maple syrup

• Almond butter on soya and linseed toast.
• Omelette, spinach, ham, mushroom, anything you can find.
• Yoghurt pancakes (from pinterest.) Makes 4 big/8small. Mix altogether, fry like pancake (surprisingly..)
• 6oz greek yoghurt (low fat)
• 1 egg
•   ½ cup of flour
•  1 tsp baking powder

• Chocolate peanut butter protein shake and hard boiled egg (separately...)  from www.muffintopless.com           
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 table spoon almond butter
• 1-2 stevia packets... (Think this is weird American uncalorifc sugar... That’s what I decided anyway so randomly added a bit of truvia (sounds the same so....)
•  4 ice cubes.

Also, my minimising hangover strategies did not take place this weekend for many reasons, so I’ll definitely do it this weekend on my next fancy dress outing... and hope it helps... watch this space.

Lunch and dinner options coming soon.....

CW. x

Top 5 Super Scrumptious Sexy (sometimes smelly) Smoothies

I LOVE a smoothie.  Especially in the morning as it is easy to take with you, which means more time in bed.  I always get 10 minutes extra on a smoothie morning, which is definitely worth it.... They are always packed with loads of fruit and/or veg which means you don't have to worry as much about getting your 5 a day as most of them are probably in your smoothie.

CP and I have tried a few and find that the recipe often makes 2 and then because it’s so yummy we often drink all of it, which I don’t think you’re supposed to do... So I halve the recipes so I can’t drink the world in smoothie. Also, depending on how thick/sloppy etc you like it, I always make it how it says then work out what I can do next time to make it nicer, eg add a few more oats for a more oaty/thicker texture. (Don’t forget to write it down otherwise you will probably forget, if you have a fish brain like me).

1. Almond Butter Smoothie (This is for 1glass)

Half a banana

3 ice cubes

74 mls (my stupid measuring jug is in US fluid ounces.... bought by my mum... I bet it was the cheapest. If it is, 2.5 US fluid ounces)

2 desert spoons of low fat greek yoghurt

About ½ cup of oats (I just pour it out of the packet until it looks right... not sure how accurate that is..)

Squirt of honey for sweetness

Half a table spoon of almond butter (myrotein.com)

Shove it all in and blend. Yum. It is also quite filling which is pleasing.

2. Kale and Spinach Smoothie.

It sounds disgusting but it is sooooo delicious! You can literally hardly even taste the veg, but it looks good because it’s green and is reallllly refreshing. If you are going out that night, have one. It’s so good for you it will practically counteract the alcohol...

Again this is for 1 glass:

1 cup of spinach

1 and a half cups of kale

½ cup strawberries (I use frozen ones so you can keep them for ages in the freezer)

½ cup of orange juice (I use Tropicana... maybe use an actual orange if you want to be super healthy)

½ cup of low fat greek yog.

I cup of ice.

I cut the stalks off the kale as you don’t want gross stalky bits floating around in your mouth.

3. Apple and Cinnamon Smoothie

(from pinterest, see post below...)

This is really delicious, think it may be CP’s fave.

4. Get Well Smoothie (www.toneitup.com)

Another one of CP’s favourite.

4 clementines

1 banana

1 cup of spinach

1 cup of kale (think CP leaves the kale out)

1/3 cup almond milk.

Similar to the other one (which I prefer).

5. Banana and Strawberry (Bawberry... Strawbana...) Smoothie

This one is from laurenconrad.com

Quite sweet and very fruity.

Half cup of ice (I use 3 ice cubes...)

½ cup of frozen strawberries

½ cup low fat greek yog

1 banana

½ cup oats

1 table spoon honey.

NB If there is a p missed out in any words it is because my silly computer has decided to not like the p key today...

Go and try a different one every day!

CW.