Healthy Eating: Clean and Lean Style

I'm not really into dieting, quick fixes and fasts never seem to work for anyone long term. Since joining the gym in July it has really inspired me to eat healthier, so avoiding all fad diets I purchased the James Duigan Clean and Lean Cookbook, he is all about a lifestyle change, overhauling the way we think about what we are putting into our bodies. His ethos is 'if it didn't come out of the ground, fly or run' then it's not clean. I have to say I was a little shocked to see such yummy recipes in this book, traditionally I think of diets to be very restrictive and boring so this book is perfect if that is putting you off.

The Clean and Lean book helps to kick start your new way of eating with a detailed 14 day menu plan which has lots of variety so it isn't like your eating the same thing everyday. One of my favourite recipes is the Clean and Lean Porridge which has to be the nicest I have tasted, it is a combination of rolled oats, almond milk, orange zest, cinnamon and berries, it really is the perfect winter breakfast for those dark mornings.

James Duigan encourages healthy snacking which helps to keep your metabolism going, and one snack I have been loving recently are the Nakd bars, they are made from all natural products and they are cold pressed, the don't contain wheat or dairy and are perfect mid morning or afternoon, my favourites are Cocoa Loco which comes in at around 100 calories, the Banana Bread is also really tasty and again it is low calorie.

Have you tried any recipes from the Clean and Lean Cookbook? What are some of your favourite? 
 

Healthy Fruit Smoothie

Trying to get as much fruit and vegetables into your diet as possible can be difficult, and eating the same two pieces of fruit a day can get kinda boring. The easiest way i have found is to drink the stuff!! This year I bought myself my beloved juicer, you can put all sorts into this baby including spinach, beetroot, and celery (things I normally dislike) pop in a few oranges and apples and I promise you only ever taste the good stuff!

Another way of introducing more variety is smoothie making, who doesn't love smoothies! All you need is a cheap blender and your good to go. Here is a how to for a delicious, super healthy and easy smoothie:

This makes around four smoothies,
1 large handful of spinach leaves
2 handfuls of blueberries
300grms of strawberries
500ml of almond milk (unsweetened)
2 ripe bananas
8 ice cubes

Chop the bananas and take the tops of the strawberries, in the blender pour the almond milk then add the ice, followed by the berries, bananas and then spinach, pulse a few times and then turn the blender on to full power for about a minute. This results in a thick delicious smoothie that tastes divine... and it is packed full of goodness.

Give this a try!

Afternoon Tea with Graze Box

After being really impressed with my first graze box I was looking forward to opening my second one when it came on Monday. First things first I like to snack... and even though alot of people assume that to be a bad thing, snacking actually helps to keep your metabolism going in-between meal times. Where people go wrong is they choose bad types of food to snack on.

So.. in order to improve my snacking diet so to speak I signed up to Graze Box, the healthy snack brand that delivers a lovely little box right to your door as often as you like. I have opted for a once every two week box which costs £3.89 per box including delivery. Already I have found it to be a great way of introducing myself to healthier options.

This weeks box was just as good as the last, I received Billionaires shortbread - fudge pieces, blanched almonds, milk chocolate drops and cranberries, Tomato and Basil Pizza - basil crunchini, mini tomato breadsticks and cheese cashews, Tomato Dipinetti -  slow cooked cherry tomato relish with rosemary grissinetti and of course my favourite Banana cake with an afternoon infusion.... sound yummy?

This lovely Graze Box High Tea has a weeny 59 calories in! and for something that has been in the post it tasted like it was straight out of a bakery. I had this as a snack but it would also make a nice pudding. I really cannot wait for my next box!

If you think you would like to try your own Graze Box then here is a code for a free box: RZHR5DFD.
Check out www.graze.com/uk