Health

  • Holistic Wellbeing

    Unleashing the Deliciousness: The Power of Homemade Healthy Gummies for All Ages

    A blog post about the benefits of homemade gummies. Whether you want to make them for your nutritional daily vitamins, or just as a healthy snack for your and/or the kids, then read on. This simple recipe will help you create tasty gummies that you’ll want to make again and again.

    Gummies, those delightful, chewy treats loved by kids and adults alike, have long been a popular choice. However, the store-bought varieties often come with a laundry list of artificial ingredients, excessive sugars, and little nutritional value. But fear not! The solution lies in creating your own homemade healthy gummies. Join us as we explore the benefits of crafting these delectable treats in your very own kitchen and discover why they surpass their store-bought counterparts in every way.

    Nutritional Control

    One of the most significant advantages of making your own gummies is having complete control over the ingredients. By using high-quality, wholesome components such as fruit juices, natural sweeteners (like honey or maple syrup), and nutrient-rich gelatin or plant-based alternatives, you can create a snack that nourishes and energizes. Say goodbye to artificial colors, flavours, and preservatives that often dominate store-bought gummies and are no good for our health.

    Customisation and Flavour Variety

    Homemade gummies offer endless possibilities when it comes to flavours and combinations. From classic fruity delights like strawberry, orange, or raspberry to more exotic blends like mango-lime or blueberry-pomegranate, you have the freedom to tailor the taste to your liking. Our favourite at the moment (and particularly through the winter months of cold and flu season) are elderberry and honey, to help our immunity naturally. You can also experiment with adding extra nutritional boosts such as vitamin C, probiotics, or even sneaking in some vegetable purees for added nutrients.

    Portion and Sugar Control

    Commercial gummies are notorious for their high sugar content, which can contribute to health concerns, as well as being filled with ingredients that maybe aren’t the best for us, making them somewhat counterproductive. By making your own gummies, you have the power to control the amount of sugar added as well as the ingredients you use, allowing for healthier alternatives. Plus, with the ability to customise portion sizes, you can promote mindful snacking habits and avoid excessive consumption.

    Sneaking in Nutrients

    Homemade gummies present an excellent opportunity to sneak in additional nutrients that benefit both kids and adults. You can incorporate ingredients like freshly squeezed fruit juices, pureed vegetables, or even superfood powders to elevate the gummies nutritional profile.

    Fun and Educational Activity

    Engaging in the process of making homemade gummies can be a wonderful bonding experience for families. Involving kids in measuring ingredients, mixing flavors, and pouring the mixture into molds can cultivate a sense of curiosity and excitement about healthy eating. As they witness the transformation from liquid to chewy treats, they become more aware of what goes into their food and develop a deeper appreciation for wholesome choices.

    Cost-Effective and Eco-Friendly

    Crafting your own gummies can be a cost-effective alternative to store-bought options. Purchasing bulk ingredients and reusable silicone molds can save money in the long run, while reducing packaging waste associated with single-use commercial packages. Embracing homemade gummies not only benefits your wallet but also contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle.

    How to make your own healthy gummies

    Indulge in a guilt-free treat with our delightful and nutritious homemade gummies recipe. Get ready to satisfy your sweet tooth while nourishing your body with this easy and fun recipe.

    Healthy Homemade Gummies

    Healthy Homemade Gummies

    Prep Time: 1 minute
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Additional Time: 6 hours
    Total Time: 6 hours 6 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 200ml of fresh juice⁣
    • 2 tbsp of manuka honey⁣
    • 2 tbsp of gelatin⁣

    Instructions

    1. Simply heat your favorite juice (avoid boiling) in a saucepan
    2. Add your honey and stir until perfectly combined.
    3. Remove the pan from heat, sprinkle in the gelatin, and stir until dissolved.
    4. Then, pour the liquid into moulds.
    5. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, and voila! You have your very own stash of deliciously nutritious gummies. ⁣⁣

    Notes

    Gummies are fresh and will store, in the fridge for around a week - 10 days.

    Category: Snack

    By choosing homemade healthy gummies over their store-bought counterparts, you unlock a world of benefits. From nutritional control and flavor variety to portion management and sneaking in extra nutrients, creating your own gummies puts you in the driver’s seat of your snacking choices. So, embark on this delicious journey, gather your loved ones, and unleash your creativity in the kitchen. Indulge in the wholesome delight of homemade gummies that nourish your body and soul, and redefine the way you snack for both kids and adults.

  • Holistic Wellbeing

    Living a more natural way of life with Roseanne

    This is a recap of my amazing podcast chat with Roseanne from @home.ed.hopes. We were able to chat about everything natural living.

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify Podcasts

    Have you ever considered how the products and foods we use on a daily basis can impact our overall well-being? Studies show that our exposure to harmful chemicals can have a significant impact on our physical and mental health. But what if we could improve our well-being simply by approaching things more naturally? We’re going to explore the benefits of embracing natural products and foods, reducing exposure to harmful chemicals, and practicing mindfulness. Join Roseanne and myself as we dive into how embracing a more natural way of living can transform your well-being and how you can get started.

    Chatting about living naturally with Roseanne

    To delve deeper into the topic of living naturally, I had the pleasure of chatting with Roseanne, a friend of mine I met through Instagram, who is known for her dedication to all things natural. Roseanne has been living naturally for years and swears by its benefits accrediting it with so much, including improving her overall well-being. She shared how she had experienced an improvement in her physical health and mental well-being since making the switch. Roseanne believes that natural living is a lifestyle that anyone can adopt and shared practical tips on how to get started and recommended some natural products that have worked for her. Talking to Roseanne was a reminder that living naturally is not only beneficial for the environment but can also have a positive impact on our health and well-being.

    The Benefits of Natural Products

    Using natural products has numerous benefits for both our health and the environment. Unlike synthetic products, natural products are free from harmful chemicals and toxins that can cause long-term health problems. They are made using natural ingredients such as herbs and essential oils, which have healing properties that can improve our overall well-being. Moreover, natural products are gentle on the skin and do not cause any irritation or allergic reactions.

    In addition, using natural products is a great way to support eco-friendly and sustainable practices. Many natural products are packaged using eco-friendly materials that are biodegradable and can be recycled. By choosing natural products over synthetic ones, we are contributing towards a cleaner and healthier planet.

    Reducing Exposure to Harmful Chemicals

    By opting for natural products, we can significantly reduce our exposure to harmful chemicals. These chemicals are present in everything from our food to the skincare products we use every day. Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to these chemicals can lead to various health issues such as allergies, hormone disruption, and even cancer. Making a switch to natural and organic products can mitigate the risks associated with exposure to these chemicals and pave the way for a healthier, happier life.

    Embracing Your Diet

    Embracing a natural diet is another way to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. Filling our plates with fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole foods instead of processed and packaged foods can help us avoid artificial additives, preservatives, and other harmful chemicals.

    Embracing a natural diet is another way to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. Filling our plates with fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole foods instead of processed and packaged foods can help us avoid artificial additives, preservatives, and other harmful chemicals. Not only does a natural diet reduce our exposure to toxins, but it can also provide numerous benefits for our overall well-being. Natural foods are rich in essential nutrients and antioxidants that can boost our immune system, improve digestion, and promote healthy weight management.

    Incorporating natural foods into our diet can also have positive effects on our mental health. A diet high in processed foods and sugar has been linked to depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. On the other hand, a natural diet that is rich in whole foods can help to stabilize our moods, improve cognitive function, and increase our energy levels. By embracing a natural diet, we can improve our physical and mental health, and ultimately live a more fulfilling life.

    Mindfulness and Well-being

    Mindfulness and well-being go hand in hand, and our diet plays a crucial role in achieving both. When we are mindful, we are fully present in the moment, aware of our thoughts and emotions without judgment. This state of mind allows us to recognize negative patterns and replace them with positive ones, leading to a greater sense of peace and contentment.

    Incorporating mindfulness into our daily routine can have a profound impact on our mental and physical health. Meditation, yoga, and other mindfulness practices can help to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep quality. By focusing on the present moment and cultivating a sense of gratitude, we can enhance our overall well-being and live a more fulfilling life.

    One easy way to incorporate mindfulness into our diet is to practice mindful eating. This involves paying attention to the texture, taste, and aroma of our food, and savoring each bite without distraction. By eating more slowly and mindfully, we can better appreciate the nourishment our food provides and avoid overeating.

    By embracing natural foods and practicing mindfulness, we can improve our physical and mental health and ultimately live a more fulfilling life. Taking small steps towards a healthier lifestyle can have a significant impact on our well-being, and the benefits are well worth the effort.

    Incorporating natural products, reducing exposure to harmful chemicals, rethinking your diet, and practicing mindfulness are all powerful ways to improve your well-being. By taking small steps towards a more natural lifestyle, you can experience the countless benefits that come with it. As you swap out conventional products for natural alternatives, pay attention to how your body responds. You’ll likely be pleasantly surprised. So go ahead, make the switch to natural living. Your body will thank you for it.

    You can find Roseanne on Instagram @home.ed.hopes – be sure to check her out!

  • Gardening & Growing

    5 simple things you can grow on a balcony (or any other small space)

    I’m going into my sixth season of growing on our balcony and today I wanted to share with you some of the tips and tricks I have learned over that time. We’ve been so lucky to be slowly developing our own allotment this year, but that doesn’t render my balcony useless, the opposite in fact. This year I plan to utilise both the balcony and the allotment to grow a whole host of fruit and veggies to hopefully help us become a little more self-sustainable. 

    grow tomatoes

    It’s not about the space but the way you use it to grow!

    I often hear from people that they don’t have a lot of space so they think that they can’t really do much growing, and trust me, I felt like that the first year I thought about growing on my balcony too. However, it turns out a 1m x 4m balcony is just perfect for growing a whole host of different fruits and veggies. You really don’t need to have a big garden to delve into growing a whole host of things, especially if you think that most people aren’t using the entirety of their gardens for growing like you would an allotment anyway. I’ve put together this fun list of 5 simple things you can grow on your balcony or in a small space this spring/summer season.

    Tomatoes

    Tomatoes are a firm favourite in our house to be grown in pots, and there are so many different varieties that we like to try a few different things. Tomatoes work great in pots that you can stand on balconies, patios, in gardens and allotments. They also do great hanging too.

    This coming season I plan to do almost all of my tomatoes in pots, both on the balcony, hanging on the balcony and also in pots at the allotment.

    Strawberries

    Strawberries are one of those fruits that I find so versatile, come back year after year (with the right care) and at the end of their fruiting life give you runners to help your strawberries live on. We bought a few strawberry plants in our first year living here and they have given us an abundance of fruit every year. Last year they lost their steam when it came to fruiting and we were able to get 5 wonderful runners to keep them going. I find them extremely easy to look after, grow and overwinter ahead of next year. We live high up on a hill where the balcony can get particularly weather-beaten but the strawberries always do great. I overwinter my plants just outside as normal and they always come back year after year. This winter I am overwintering my runners in an unheated greenhouse.

    You can grow from seed, purchase strawberry plants or find someone giving away runners to start your own little strawberry crop.

    This year I am going to be growing strawberries on the balcony in hanging pots, in the ground at the allotment, and also in pots at the allotment. I cannot wait to see what abundance of fruit we can get this year.

    Beetroot

    You might think this is a weird one to try and grow on a balcony but wait, hear me out. While beetroot probably does better in the ground by its very nature, and you’ll obviously be limited by the amount you can grow on a balcony, beetroot does surprisingly well in pots. In the 2021 growing season, we went all out with our balcony and beetroot was something we really enjoyed growing. The seeds were really easy to raise up, they grew wonderfully out in our little unheated greenhouse and we grew a number of them on in hanging pots.

    Peppers

    We have grown all kinds of peppers on the balcony over the last 5+ years: Sweet Peppers, Chilli Peppers and Banana peppers being some of our favourites.

    (FYI, don’t ever cut a banana pepper and then touch your eye, trust me on that one).

    Some you can also overwinter in a greenhouse (not something I have tried yet) to keep your plants going year after year.

    Herbs

    Herbs are a quick win for me and I love having access to home grown herbs for fun dinners and salads throughout the spring, summer and early autumn. With most herbs you can just cut off what you need and carry on growing the rest to ensure you have ample access to herbs as you need them. I like to grow my herbs outside but you can also grow them on sunny window ledges inside too.

    Try anything once

    I find growing in a small space such a thrill, it is great to see what works (almost everything) and what doesn’t (carrots and parsnips are a hard one in pots). Above everything else, just check when your seeds can be planted outside to protect from frosts and have fun!

  • Food

    Living with Lactose Intolerance

    What it is like to live with lactose intolerance…

    Today I want to talk to you about my experience with lactose intolerance. For the longest time I have suffered with what we turned in our house as ” a dodgy stomach”. IBS is prevalent in pretty much all of our family, and is something I have suffered with as well. It is because of this, the symptoms of IBS being similar to that of lactose intolerance that for the longest time I didn’t realise that I was experiencing anything more than IBS. I had seen the doctor many times over the year with my IBS but I started to notice a difference. You don’t need me to tell you the symptoms of lactose intolerance, you can look them up here on the NHS website. For me I absolutely lived for dairy. I am/was a huge cheese lover, I loved milkshakes (although I never could stand milk by itself) and I didn’t mind dairy chocolate from time to time. I just couldn’t imagine and not being able to eat cheese ever again.
     

    Changing you life?

    When you find out that you have an intolerance or an allergy is really difficult to imagine adapt your life. I really couldn’t imagine not having the things that I loved. I loved cheese, I loved creamy curries and at the time I was also becoming partial to a pudding as well (despite always loving savoury food much more than sweet). For the longest time I tried to cheat, I put up with the side effects in order to eat the things that I loved but that can get you down, especially when you have unpleasant side effects, and I soon realised that I really did need to be sensible about it. A good friend of mine who has also suffered from food allergies gave me some great advice and said that soon enough I will just find I am used to it, and she was right.
     
    lactose
     

    What is lactose intolerance?

    Lactose intolerance isn’t the same as an allergy. When you are lactose intolerant it means that your body is unable to digest lactose, which is a type of sugar found in dairy products.  It was because my personal symptoms of lactose intolerance, although sometimes severe, were never life-threatening that is was sometimes easy to cheat to still be able to enjoy the things I loved. At first it seemed like a huge change. Milk was a huge part of my diet how milk is in so many things that you can purchase from the supermarket. Becoming lactose intolerant men I started to look into my food and what I am consuming. One of the things I came across in my research was obviously that of the dairy industry, well for me milk is a huge no no I’ve come to realise that this is not a big loss, I could drink cows milk again I definitely would not. For me cheese is also off there are many great alternatives in the supermarket for people who cannot have cheese use not to have cheese, is definitely satisfy the cheese need.
     
     

    How easy is it to be dairy free?

    When I first became lactose intolerant over six years ago it was incredibly difficult to find anything that was dairy free. As time goes on more and more dairy free options are becoming available, however compared to other food allergies and intolerances I still feel that dairy free options have a long way to go. For example, when you go out to eat there are many many options now for wheat and gluten free alternatives, however it is rare to find dairy free alternatives when eating out. In my everyday life I drink non-dairy milk, I eat special cheese, I stick to dairy-free yogurts (coconut milk yogurts are the bomb) and puddings and even throughout the summer months I can have dairy free ice creams and lollies. The supermarkets are getting there with their dairy free options as well, things have definitely vastly improved over the past six years. When we have shopped in Sainsbury’s I have been very pleased with their variety of dairy free food items and the same with Morrisons. We haven’t shopped in Tesco’s at all but I recently shopped in ASDA and was disappointed to find that they had no dairy free yogurt range. I think as time goes on this will change more and more but I still feel that lactose intolerance and dairy allergies are being left behind compared to other allergies and intolerances, which as you can imagine is frustrating when you don’t have a choice in what you can and can’t eat.
     
     

    What if I think I might be lactose intolerant?

     
    Lactose intolerance can come in many forms and is certainly thick to each individual person. I find I am able to tolerate goat’s milk and ewes milk in small doses, where is cows milk is completely off. I don’t often eat products with Coates or use milk in it however sometimes when I have a salad I do have a little bit of goats cheese. Finding out of suspecting you have lactose intolerance and be a shock and a potential huge change to your diet. As more and more people are finding out that they have issues such as these you will be able to find comparable products in many supermarkets, making that transition much easier. Giving up your favourite foods can be tough but when you realise how much better you feel for it you won’t want to go back and will wonder why you never did this sooner. Education is so important in lactose intolerance so read up about it find a way through it that works for you. If you suspect you have lactose intolerance or problem with dairy make sure you go and visit your GP and don’t just diagnose yourself online. You may just have an issue with IBS, have another kind of digestive issue or you may be lactose intolerant. It is always important seek medical advice and get the right advice before removing any products from your diet. A GP will be able to tell you the best ways to get all the nutrients you need in your diet previously got from dairy. Exclusion diets should never be done alone without being seen by a GP or a nutritionist.
     

    It doesn’t have to be scary!

    I am a firm Believer that a dairy free diet can be better than a dairy diet. You just need to know the ins and outs nutritional aspects you need to cover to live a healthy life. These days I don’t really miss anything. As with anything it is a big change and it seems like you will never get used to it, do and one day you will realise you no longer miss the things you once thought you would never be able to live without.

    The most important thing is to maintain contact with your GP for as long as an intolerance or any digestive issue is presenting you with problems. This means that you should make an appointment any time you’re about to embark on a new diet, and also see your GP if your symptoms don’t improve after treatment, because sometimes you’ll need to rule out other issues before confirming a full diagnosis.

  • Food

    Why you should add grass fed butter into your diet today!

    Why grass fed butter is one of the healthiest fats on the planet you need to add it to your diet today

    For years the health industry has sold us the common misconception that fat is bad and low fat and low sugar items are the way to go. For our family we have not personally believed that this is the case, realising more often than not that low fat and low sugar (or sugar free or fat free) often means that the food has been heavily processed or contains a number of alarming chemicals. We have been sold the common misconception, as mentioned above, that low fat and low sugar is what a body needs to stay healthy and also to lose weight, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is now a number of high profile studies which are showing that there is no link between fat and heart disease (which we have previously been told was the case), so what does this mean for our diets? Today we’re taking it back to butter, delving into why grass fed butter is back on the menu and why you should consider adding it to your daily diet.

    The truth about low fat

    For many years we have been told that for optimum heart health you need to opt for the low fat options, but these foods are now not as good as we originally thought. However, that isn’t to say that now fat is back on the menu we can eat what we like, the real truth of the matter is being able to differentiate between good fats and bad fats and incorporating those good fats back into our diets. We know that we need some fat in our diet, in fact it is essential for our bodies. Fats found in foods such as nuts, seeds, oily fish and avocado, to name but a few, include essential fatty acids (including omega-3) which are essential for maintaining healthy blood vessels, heart health, hormone control, brain health the normal functioning of our nervous system. Fat can also help us absorb vitamins including A, D, E and K.

    So why grass fed butter?

    Butter is one of the healthiest fats there is and includes important nutrients that nourish our bodies. Until recently butter was being considered unhealthy due to accelerated fat content, however this myth has been thoroughly debunked in a number of high profile studies in recent years, suggesting that there is no link between saturated fat and heart disease. In fact, butter could even goes as far as to actually lower your risk of heart disease. When it comes to dairy there are two options grass fed and grain fed, which I think speak for themselves.

    So why would you pick grass fed over grain fed?

    Because it’s a completely different kind of butter. Feeding cattle grains is the equivalent of feeding them junk food and essentially pumps them full the wrong kind of fatty acids, including obesity causing hormones. If you feed junk food you will get junk byproducts. Grain fed animals also contain dangerous mycotoxins (which disgustingly are formed by mould in the cattle food and meat processing) which could be detrimental to our health. Butter from grass fed cows is much higher in the omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamins, nutrients and other healthy fats. It is also natural for these animals to eat grass and not grains and therefore provides a number of health benefits. Grass fed butter is packed full of nutrition while grain fed butter also contains hormones, antibiotics and a number of other awful chemicals.
    There have been a number of studies to backup this theory and in countries where cows are largely grass fed the people who have been eating the butter have a reduced risk of heart disease. In fact in one study the more full fat dairy, such as butter, that people ate, lower the risk of heart attack. This proves author is not the antichrist. However there isn’t just one study there is a number of studies, several across Europe in fact, where cows have been grass fed and the results of the studies show that dairy fat is linked to a reduced amount of heart attacks and strokes.
    grass fed butter

    Where should I start?

    By all means use this blog post as a starting point. As always anything you have read on this blog is opinion only and should not be used instead of medical opinion. There are a huge number of articles, studies and information this subject, so use what you have read here as a leaping off point and do your own research on why grass fed butter, and grass fed dairy products in general, could be beneficial for your health.
    If you are looking for a grass fed butter – try Kerrygold!
  • Food

    Essential fats and the Vegetarian/Vegan

    Before reading this article, please understand I am not medically trained and these are just conclusions I have come to with my experience of being a vegetarian.

     

    Essential fats and the Vegetarian/Vegan

    In this article, I want to discuss how I add the essential fats Omega 3, 6 and 9 to my diet. Primarily my focus is on Omega 3 and the ratio between Omega 3 and Omega 6.

    The essential fats, benefical for brain and heart health are not produced by the human body and therefore require consumption from supplementation or food sources. Omega 3 is mainly found in the form of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA).
    EPA and DHA are readily used by the body and ALA is converted by the body to produce EPA and DHA. Vegetarians or vegans cannot get EPA and DHA via their diet directly and are required to convert ALA to EPA and DHA. From what I have read, the conversion rate of ALA to EPA can be between 8% to 20% and ALA to DHA 1% to 9%. This may or may not be true. Omega 3 and Omega 6 compete for absorbtion therefore I want the ratio of Omega6:Omega3 to be 3:1. It is also worth noting that this ratio may not be significant.

    essential fats

    Natural Omega 3

    Before I discuss the source of Omega 3 I use, I want to rule out supplements as a source of essential fats as I look to get the nutrients my body needs from food. In most articles I read flaxseed seems to be championed as a great source. However I am hesitant to use it for a couple of reasons.
    Firstly, flaxseed oil is unstable and can spoil easily which can be inflamatory and secondly the ratio is 0:2. This doesn’t mean my assumption is correct. Hemp seed is my favourite source, it matches the ratio and is largely unprocessed (the seeds are dehulled).

    I use 60g Braham And Murray Natural Hemp Protein Powder in a drink every morning (I will discuss the protein benefits and the drink in another post)
    The breakdown of Omega 3, 6 and 9 looks like the following:
    30g    60g
    Omega 9  500mg 1000mg
    Omega 6 2200mg 4400mg
    Omega 3  700mg 1400mg

    Using the conversion rates given above and the Omega 3 breakdown:

    Omega 3    | EPA 8% | EPA 20% | DHA 1% | DHA 9% | Total Worst Case | Total Best Case
    700mg      56mg    140mg      7mg       63mg     63mg                203mg
    1400mg       112mg      280mg        14mg      126mg    126mg                406mg

    The worst case scenario is I get 126mg of usable Omega 3s and the best case scenario is 406mg of usable Omega 3s daily.

    essential fats

  • Breakfast, Food

    Strawberry & Vanilla Cupcake Protein Shake

    Who loves Strawberry & Vanilla Cupcakes?

    If you like your morning shake with a little bit of yumminess then look no further, today I have a really tasty strawberry and vanilla cupcake protein shake recipe to share with you. This is one you definitely will not want to live without. Like Strawberries? Like Cupcakes? Then keep on reading!

    Nutrition and what I put into my body is hugely important to me and being lactose intolerant pretty much excludes me from a lot (although in hindsight I am glad because I don’t really want to be putting much dairy into my body anyway.

     

    Why protein?

    Protein is an extremely important nutrient to have in our diets and many of us are not taking on enough protein daily. Protein is vital component for every single cell in your body, it helps to build and repair tissue, you need it to make hormones and enzymes and it it is important for building bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. You body needs protein in relatively large amounts to stay healthy because unlike carbohydrates and fat, protein is a macronutrient and you body has no reserves to pull from when you are running low. This is why a daily protein shake can be so beneficial to your health.

    When protein is digested it leaves behind amino acids which are essential for your body and a complete protein will provide your body will all the amino acids your body needs. A protein rich diet comes with a whole raft of health benefits including curbing hunger by making you feel full, building lean muscle and helping you to maintain a healthy weight.

     

    Protein shakes & me

    I try to stay consistent and have a protein shake every day, usually with or after my breakfast and it helps to keep me full all day long. My usual favourite is a chocolate peanut butter cup or my cherry bakewell inspired shake. For todays recipe I stepped a little outside my comfort zone (because that is where the magic happens) and created this yummy strawberry vanilla cupcake flavoured protein shake.

     

    shake

     

     

     

    Strawberry Vanilla Protein Shake Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1 handful of strawberries, either fresh or frozen.
    • 1 handful of banana.
    • 250ml of coconut almond milk (or any non dairy milk of your choosing).
    • 1 scoop of It Works vanilla protein shake powder.
    • 1 tsp of agave nectar (or Manuka honey for any non-vegans).

     

    Method

    The method is simple – throw it all into your blender and blend until smooth. We used to use a Nutribullet but we are now big fans of the Blend Active.

     

    This shake is absolutely amazing and here is why:
    • Tastes just like a strawberry cupcake.
    • A complete protein so it nourishes you body with 9 branch chain amino acids.
    •  Dairy Free.
    • Gluten Free.
    • Soy Free.
    • Vegan.
    • Plant based.
    • Non-GMO (Meaning no ingredients are genetically modified).
    • 15g of organic plant based protein (Sprouted brown rice & yellow pea).
    • Only sugar is the naturally occurring sugar in the fruit.
    • 5g of Carbohydrates.

    It is clean, healthy and everything your body needs. Stay tuned for my Peanut Butter Cup and Cherry Bakewell inspired shakes coming soon!