Lentil Moussaka

This week (May 20th to May 24th) is National Vegetarian Week. So, with that in mind each day I will be sharing with you some of my favourite vegetarian dishes for you to try at home. 

National Vegetarian Week is a great opportunity for you to get out of that food rut; experiment with new dishes and ingredients.Although there are a lot of people nowadays that do think outside of the 'meat-and-two-veg box' it is astonishing how many people still can not even imagine a meal without meat in it and, when they find out I'm a vegetarian, still respond with "but what do you eat?"

The following recipe is one of my favourite comfort foods; it's high in protein and you can make it healthier with a less cheesy sauce but that is also one of guilty pleasures! Unfortunately I wasn't able to make this in time for the blog so don't have any pictures; but will try and get some for you at a later date.

Lentil Moussaka

Ingredients
1 Aubergine
1 Sweet Potato
1 large white onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of lentils
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Milk
Cheddar Cheese
Flour
Parmesan
Butter

Method
1. Thinly slice the aubergine & let rest for 20mins in order for the sour juices to escape
2. Thinly slice the sweet potato & parboil for 5mins
3. Fry the chopped onions & garlic until golden then add the lentils and chopped tomatoes
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan & add the milk and flour; stir until smooth
5. Add the grated cheese, take off the heat & stir until smooth
6. Layer the lentils in a lasagne dish, alternating with the sweet potato & aubergine, finishing with a layer of lentils
7. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes
8. Pour the cheese sauce over the vegetables and bake for 20 minutes
9. Serve, Share and Enjoy!

Getting Stretchy in the Park

Okay so I remember a time not too long ago when I was actually quite flexible, I mean I couldn’t exactly put my ankles behind my head or anything but I certainly could rest my head on my knees comfortably.

This is when I used to do more exercise at home, now I’m more of a gym-bunny and I guess no-one really likes getting all bendy and stretchy in front of everyone right? But more than that, I have spoken to quite a few of my gym buddies and a lack of flexibility exercises and stretching seems to be a trend. 

Now I tested my flexibility this morning and erm..could only just touch my toes! Eek! Flexibility is really important as it keeps us agile, improves our sporting performance as well as our posture and protects against strains and injuries. 

So according to Ultra FIT Your Own Personal Trainer author John Shepherd you should do 5-10mins of cardio prior to stretching to warm up your muscles and prepare them for stretching so I took myself off to the park to get started!

I had a 15min jog around the park to warm up. Once my muscles were all warmed I began with stretching my legs; calves and hamstrings in both sitting and standing poses, holding each for 10-15 seconds. I hadn’t realized how tight I’d allowed my muscles to get! If holding a pose was difficult (which sadly I must admit they were) I took two deep breaths and, as I exhaled was able to push the stretch a bit further.

I then went on to stretch my inner thighs, hips, arms, back, chest, oblique muscles and neck. This was a quite a long session of mainly static stretches. Of course depending on your work out goals you should opt for different types of stretches. For example pre-cardio you should only undertake dynamic stretches such as high knees and heel flicks. However if pushing your flexibility is the goal it is important to include proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretches (to you and me this basically means assisted stretching) you can use a band or a partner to help push your stretch that little bit further than you could unaided.

As you can imagine all this stretching takes up a bit of time so I have decided to choose a few key poses every day to practice and enhance my flexibility. I'm also going to try and get into yoga; I must admit I don't find it as appealing as say, kick boxing, but for the sake of my goals I will be putting in the effort!

Summer Loving

The sun has finally come out! And what a difference it makes...

For me as with most people my mood completely lifts when the sun shines and I feel warm, everything seems a little bit more achievable, everybody seems to have a fresh vigour for life. Of course; it also reminds us that bikini season is almost upon us. 

So let's take advantage of this new energy we have for life, get outside and get in shape!

Here are my top 5 reasons to get outside:

1. It's a Mood Lifter! I guarantee that no matter how a bad a mood you may be in; if you take your workout outside it will put everything in perspective. Being out in nature makes me feel empowered.

2. An outdoor workout mixes it up. Often when we workout in a gym environment we can get stuck in a routine; when you take your workout outside it opens up a whole new playground which can change on a daily basis. Take a run off road for a stamina challenge, jump on and off of obstacles, do the monkey bars, climb some cliffs, swim in the sea. Not only will you challenge your body in new, different ways, it's enjoyable and time will fly!

3. Fresh air is good for you! Fresh air cleans our lungs; allowing us to breathe deeper and therefore take in more oxygen. Increased oxygen gives us more energy as well as reducing the build up of lactic acid and an increase in stamina. Our brains also use up 20% of the oxygen we take in so by increasing the amount of oxygen we take in allows our brains to function better and with greater clarity. So if you need to resolve a problem; get out for a walk or run!

4. The power of the Sun. For anyone who has ever suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) you will know just how important getting that dose of sunshine can be! Our body can also synthesize Vitamin D from cholesterol with adequate amounts of sunshine; Vitamin D is responsible for the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphate.

5. Get socialising :)  There are lots of exercises and activities that you take outside that can be super sociable such as team sports; boot camps, run clubs and climbing trips. Getting outside and socialising with like-minded, positive people can make you feel better about yourself on the inside and out. Remember health is not just physical; it's mental too!

Monday Madness

Happy Monday! It's a fresh new week and can be whatever you make of it...

If you're anything like me Monday is one non-stop crazy day that flies by and you don't have enough time to get anything and everything done. Work is rushed, the gym is packed and you need some quick fix energy to keep you going in between.

With that in mind I thought I'd share a delicous recipe with you this evening; my homemade chocolate and cranberry protein bars. They are absolutely delicous; high in protein and great for on the go in between work and the gym!

Chocolate & Cranberry Protein Bars

These are a great snack before or after the gym; you can adjust the recipe to add flavours that you like and are great on the go. The recipe makes 8-10 bars annd they keep in the fridge for about a week; I like to have them as my mid-afternoon chocolate fix as they soothe that sweet craving whilst providing the energy I need for my evening workout.

Ingredients:
1 cup of oats
1/4 cup of flaxseed ( I like Linwoods Flaxseed, Cocoa and berry mix)
2 scoops of chocolate flavoured soya protein powder
2 tsp cocoa powder (optional)
1/4 cup of peanuts (chopped)
1/4 cup of almonds (chopped)
1/4 cup of dried cranberries (chopped)
1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup of organic peanut butter
1/2 cup of almond milk

Preperation:
1. Add all your dry ingredients into a bowl; you can add more or less nuts, fruit or choclate dependent on your taste. This recipe is great with lots of other fruit too (so I'm told) but I'm not a big fan of dried fruits so cranberries were my limit!
2. Mix in the honey and the peanut butter
3. Slowly add the almond milk; you may need more or less than the recipe dictates. You want the mixture to be thick; kinda like the consistency of erm...mud!
4. Line a square dish or baking tin with greaseproof paper and fill with the mixture. Using a spatula spread the mixture evenly in the tray and push down so it is nice and compact
5. Put the mixture in the fridge for 20-30mins to set
6. Enjoy!