Wedges & Weights Supper Club @ The Garden, Hale

If there's one thing I like, it's discovering healthy eateries. If there's another thing, it's spending a Thursday evening enjoying amazing food with a group of likeminded, lovely people (and it's always a bonus when the prosecco makes an appearance).

So when personal trainer, health coach and fitness blogger Hannah (aka Wedges and Weights) said she was hosting her supper club at The Garden, you could count me right in.

First thing's first. The food. Although the event was about more than 'just' food, I need to tell you about it because it was fan-bloody-tastic.

The menu theme was appropriately fitness related, and we started off with the 'Warm Up' course - the Power Plate - buckwheat tabbouleh with pomegranate, topped with falafel and beetroot hummus and a fresh lemon dressing. 

As you can see, a hearty portion size (girl after my own heart), and let me tell you - this was one of those dishes you didn't want to end. Perfect for a cold winter evening, the risotto like texture of the buckwheat was the perfect companion for a tangy beetroot hummus - the crispy outside of the falafel giving way to a fusion of warm spices (dramatic description, I'm aware, but it was so.good.).

Onto the main course - the 'Workout', if you will - Immunity Booster: chicken & sweet potato Thai yellow curry, served with cauliflower rice, spring greens & sauerkraut.

If you've read the post I wrote on my top five Thai dishes, you'll know that curry is one of my faves, so I was expecting great things. Needless to say I wasn't disappointed. The chicken was so succulent, and I would never have thought to put sauerkraut in a curry but it worked very well! The sauce was creamy and rich with a little kick, perfect for mopping up with cauli rice... and all of us round the table bonded over horror stories attempting to make cauliflower rice ourselves (I'd stunk my flat out for a weekend once using two tea towels to absorb the excess water.. and forgetting that they were sat soggy and unwashed in the washing machine - one of the worst smells imaginable...).

They say save the best till last and it was definitely the case for our 'Cool Down' course; Raw Indulgence - raw chocolate orange cheesecake topped with raspberries, drizzled in a homemade chocolate sauce (dairy and gluten free).

So everyone went absolutely crazy for this dish, you could see everyone's eyes lighting up as the staff teasingly brought each gigantic slab out one by one... politely smiling and chatting away as we patiently waited to start until all the table had had theirs, but inner monologues screaming 'PICK UP THAT SPOON AND GET IT IN YOUR MOUTH!'

I think that sums up how good it was. If not, just think rich, dense chocolate cream on a sweet, nutty base. God it was good.

Although the food was fantastic, we were also there to be wooed by words of wisdom from Hannah herself, who took us through her top tips on staying healthy over the festive period. It was refreshing, reassuring (and in my case, very realistic) to hear that balance and indulgence were two nuggets of advice, along with upping your daily water intake (especially with the extreme likelihood of a boozy month) and keeping to a routine as best you can; be it committing to a 20 minute home HIIT workout if you can't get to your gym over the holidays, or adapting to fit in with your surroundings, like getting out for long winter walks.

My favourite element of the evening though was being surrounded by a room full of funny, outgoing and really friendly girls - some I've known for a while now and others I'd only met that night, but regardless, the conversation flowed all night.

Vicki, Pam & I... Thanks for the pic Vic ;) (@vickimellard_pt)

There are loads of tweets, pictures and people's thoughts on the evening on the hashtag #WWGARDENSUPPER, so if you're a fan of screen-drooling over raw chocolate cheesecake, give it a click.

Massive thank you to Han for hosting such a fabulous evening (and for giving out an amazing goody bag!), to The Garden for having me, and to all the girls I chatted with - it was a pleasure!

Cinnamon & Nutmeg Protein Loaf

I'm not going to lie to you, I find baking with protein hard. Does anyone else think that it can make your tray bakes / cakes / loaves and cookies dry and a bit 'claggy' sometimes?

I've been wanting to post a protein bake recipe for a few weeks but the last two rounds haven't been up to scratch (apart from when smeared in butter.. oops!), however, I think I'm on the right tracks with this one though as I've added Greek yoghurt to make it more moist, and it definitely makes it taste a lot less dry, which is great!

The nutmeg, cinnamon and sweetness from the dates is 10 on 10 for flavour, and the size of these slices means you don't need too much before feeling satisfied.

This recipe makes 12 chunky loaf squares:

• 100g ground almonds
• 100g Impact whey vanilla (I'm using MyProtein)
• 60g chopped dates
• 30g coconut sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tea spoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 100g Total Greek yoghurt

Simply; combine all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, pour into a loaf tin and pop in the oven.

I'd initially set a timer for 15 minutes but it turns out this chunky loafer needed about 25 minutes, so keep your eye on it - if it looks soggy after fifteen minutes set another timer for 5 minutes and check it again, and so on.

They make a really good snack if you're craving something sweet in the evening or, (if you're anything like me) when you get home in the evening and *couldn't possibly* wait fifteen minutes for your tea to cook.

Macro wise, per loaf chunk:

131 calories
11g protein
8.2g carbs
5.8g fat

Smoked Salmon & Egg Skillet

This recipe is similar to the smoked shakshuka recipe I did a while back but it's a variation I just couldn't not share with you. 

The dish is ready in about 10 minutes making it a great option if you're absolutely ravenous or are short for time. 

To serve one, you'll need; 

2 free range eggs 

50g smoked salmon

1/2 pepper (whatever colour you fancy, wild)

1/2 red onion 

1 garlic clove 

1/4 tube tomato purée 

1 tablespoon paprika 

Handful cherry tomatoes 

Chop your onion and garlic and sauté in a pan (I used coconut oil to fry mine in). Once they've browned, add in your sliced pepper and tomatoes and stir to keep them from sticking to the pan. 

Next coat the veg in paprika and mix to ensure the spice is distributed evenly. Then add in your purée. I also added in some boiling water from the kettle to help it form more of a sauce based consistency, which I'd recommend. How much you add is up to you, I reckon I added about 1/4 small cup. 

After two minutes or so, make two holes in the pan and crack your eggs in. You might have to push the ingredients about a bit to let the white of the egg cook quicker, but be careful not to stab your yolk. 

Then top with smoked salmon whilst the eggs are cooking. 

Voila! I served mine with broccoli..

In Response to This Article

I came across this article on the Guardian this morning and it really struck a chord with me. I loved it, agreed with it, laughed with it, scoffed at it, had moments of cringing self-realisation, felt angry and sad and also empowered, all in the space of a few paragraphs.


The article raises important issues surrounding the 'eatclean' and 'healthy' 'fitspo' realm, and rather than me summarise it, I'd suggest you give it a read yourself.

What I want to do here is share what, for me, 'health' is about.

Health for me is standing up to the food giants and supermarkets with their misleading advertising and hoodwinking marketing campaigns we as consumers are bombarded with to make us eat shit. 

Health in my eyes doesn't dictate that a photo with over 100 likes on Instagram is the 'correct' way to eat, it isn't about being a size 8, being able to deadlift or sprint or curl. It isn't about calorie counting or fad diets or deprivation.

It is having faith and belief in ourselves that we can look after us, number one, from the inside out. 

It's teaching people that processed food is incredibly, horrendously bad for us and it's only looked upon as extreme if you don't eat it as processed foods have become so engrained in our lives. It's about educating people that food is fuel - not macros necessarily, although I do track these loosely in an attempt to get leaner; a personal choice and goal of mine. 

It isn't about being branded not 'clean' if you aren't a vegan. It isn't about pursing your lips if one of your 'healthy' Instagram buddies posts a picture of a bottle of prosecco and pizza...

Instagram, when used in the right way, can connect, strengthen and unite a community of people who want to live better and don't want to settle for what huge food companies stuff down our throats (literally). But when used in the wrong way it's a dangerous tool that's essentially a breeding ground for low self-esteem and disordered eating. It can mess up your relationship with food even more. 

Health is personal to everyone. Everyone has different goals, aspirations, medical conditions. But ultimately what the majority of people need, I think, are lessons in how to eat, what to eat, and why. Yep, back to school for all of us.

I'd suggest reading 'Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us' by Michael Moss, as a starting point- it's insightful and shocking and changed how I viewed food completely. Secondly, read Kris Carr's book Crazy Sexy Diet - it was the first health book I ever read and is one of my all time favourite books: truthful, inspirational, memorable. 

To me being healthy offers a sense of empowerment - choosing what to put in your body ("you're either feeding disease or fighting it.."), and that's what I love about the movement into mainstream.

Yes, I may be sipping on a vegan protein shake post-gym as we speak (pea protein, cacao powder, almond milk and date syrup FYI instagrammers), but I'm also heading out for Turkish food tomorrow and then have a long weekend in the South of France where I plan to drink lots of wine, eat cheese and be happy (and run the Nice 10k). For me, my health is all about balance. Namaste. 

[images: Shutterstock]

Lemon Quinoa

It's funny the effect two sunny days (read: not raining in Manchester) has on my recipe inspiration. Today's recipe is Lemon Vegetable Quinoa, which has a fresh spring time feel to it.

Pair it with a salmon fillet or just eat it on its own ala risotto... I made this batch and had it a few times during the week for my lunch. The ingredients keep well together and the lemon juice keeps all the flavours 'alive', so it's a great food prep idea.

To make roughly 4 servings (or 3 if you're having this as a main dish), you'll need:

1 courgette
1 red onion
1 green pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
100g quinoa
100g peas
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes
1 handful pumpkin seeds per portion (to sprinkle on top)
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon dried basil (or a few fresh leaves)

Cook your quinoa as you would rice, but add in three quarters of your lemon juice, so the 'zesty' flavour is absorbed by the seeds as they cook.

Whilst this is bubbling away, chop your veg and heat a large frying pan.

Add your onion, courgette and pepper. Mix in the cumin and basil and a few minutes before the quinoa is ready, add the tomatoes and peas along with your remaining lemon juice.

Stir the tahini through the quinoa before adding it to the saucepan and mixing well.

Either eat right away or allow it to cool before storing in the fridge - and don't forget to sprinkle your pumpkin seeds on top before you eat!

The dish has a really fresh, light appeal, and I can't wait to have it as a side at a BBQ!!

Meeting Deliciously Ella (& making her Nut-Ella)

Last Wednesday, Waterstones held a Q&A and book signing to celebrate the launch of Ella Woodward's first book, and I was there with bells on. I was lucky enough to snag myself a copy of the book, and have spent the last few nights pouring over the recipes and trying to put some sort of order on which concoctions I'm going to make first.

Listening to Ella's story was truly inspiring. She's got a great philosophy and her passion and genuine enthusiasm for eating right comes across in a chatty, lovely manner. Something I loved the most about the evening was throughout, Ella is constantly telling people to adapt recipes to suit them - if you want to add fish to a curry, great. A side of eggs, feta, chicken or beef, go wild... Just because she's a vegan, it doesn't mean your recipes have to go without, if that's what you fancy.

It was a great evening, and health blogger Pamela did a fantastic job interviewing Ella!

(Love my 'ohmygod it's ella' face)

I've made a few of her new recipes, but one of my favourite so far absolutely has to be her Cacao and Hazelnut butter (aka, Deliciously Nut-Ella).

I don't really know how to describe this other than saying it's fan-bloody-tastic. It (obviously) tastes like Nutella, but without that sticky, fake feeling.

I adapted her recipe to make a smaller batch.

I used;

200g hazelnuts
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
70ml 100% maple syrup.

Roast your hazelnuts in the oven for 10 minutes. The recipe said that you needed a really strong processor to blend the nuts, so I roasted mine for 20 minutes to soften them more, as I'm still playing around with my processor (is it lame to say best Christmas present ever?! Thanks M & D!) and didn't want to break it. It turns out I'm pretty crap at remembering to set timers, and circa 25 minutes later, I remembered they were still in the oven... the outer shell had burnt on loads of the nuts, and so for the next ten minutes, I de-shelled all of the nuts (yep, all of them) and discarded any burnt ones. Safe to say it was the most exciting ten minutes of my life.

Anyway. Blend for a few minutes, then add in your cacao and maple syrup. Once all three ingredients have blended, slowly pour in 100ml of water.

DEVOUR.

(Because I'd overcooked the hazelnuts, a slight bitter burnt taste did unfortunately come through on some mouthfuls, and reminded me a bit of coffee beans - it didn't ruin it, but it'll definitely taste so much better next time when I pay attention to oven timings!!)

I served mine on Biona rye bread, and I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't eating it right now out of the jar...

Chocolate Pancakes

These clean little babies are ideal to make for a leisurely weekend breakfast, or perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon. They're so indulgent and filling - and more importantly for us, really easy to make.

You'll need;

30g oats
1 mashed banana
1 tea spoon organic cacao powder
1 free range egg

Toppings;

Fage Greek Yoghurt
Blueberries
Meridian Almond Butter
Cinnamon

Method:

First, combine the oats, cacao and egg into a large bowl and stir. Mash the ripe banana and fold into the mixture.

Heat a pan with some coconut oil and when really hot, ladle your pancake mixture into the pan - it's up to you how big / thin / small you decide to make each pancake, I've gone for three scoops in this particular recipe, cooking one at a time.

Flip each pancake a couple of times to ensure the egg is cooked all the way through.

Top with whatever you fancy - I've gone for blueberries, nut butter, Greek yoghurt and a cinnamon dusting, but I also love adding raspberries, dessicated coconut and chia seeds.

My Week in Breakfast

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I have to say I completely agree. Without fail one of the first things I think about when I get up is what I'm going to eat, and there's nothing more indulgent than planning your weekend breakfast from the warmth of your duvet on a Saturday morning!

I try to vary my breakfasts as much as I can, to get a variety of nutrients from my first meal.

This is an average representation of what I eat - the key I find is in the preparation!

On a work day I'll eat my breakfast at my desk, so needs to be prepped the night before..

Monday - Overnight Oats - 8.30am

This is one of my favourite treat breakfasts and I find it keeps me really full until about 12. It's so sweet and creamy and feels like a treat, which is a good way to start the week!

Usually I'll have; 30g oats, topped with Fage Greek Yoghurt, frozen blueberries, cinnamon and chia seeds. Maybe some milled linseed or raspberries too, if I've got some in stock. 

#messyoatporn

Tuesday - Eggs & Avocado

If I'm off to the gym before work, I find this a really filling and satisfying breakfast. If you'd have told me a year ago that two boiled eggs is enough to sustain you all morning I'd have probably laughed in your face, but honestly, it does!

I hard boil 2 eggs and leave them to cool before placing them in tupperware with half an avocado and black pepper to season. If anyone has tips on how to not make the eggs smell as much.. pllleeease pass on your nugget of wisdom!!

Wednesday - Green Smoothie

I'll make a variation of my trusty green smoothie which usually includes; 

1 banana

2 large handfuls spinach

2 handfuls kale

1 heaped teaspoon spirulina

1 heaped teaspoon wheatgrass

100 ml of either; unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened soya milk, coconut milk or coconut water

1 handful frozen berries: blueberries and / or raspberries

1/2 avocado
Sprinkle of cinnamon

... if I've got fruit in like kiwi or mango I'll chuck some of them in too! 

This goes into a shaker and I'll drink with a straw.

Thursday - Eggs & Avocado 

Boom. Eggs again. 

Friday - Overnight Oats

Like Monday, this is a treat but to celebrate the weeeeekend.

Same combo as above pretty much!

In the summer I'll have green smoothies more than the oats, but I find that in the winter I need to physically eat something rather than just drink, in order to feel satisfied.

Weekends - 11am 

I'll usually have a big breakfast on the weekend, as if I'm getting up later my meal times tend to be a little bit skewed, so if I wake up later and eat breakfast later, I'll just have a light lunch and healthy snacks throughout the day before dinner.

Usually breakfast consists of poached eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach sauteed in coconut oil.

I'll also slice up 1/3 of a lemon and a few slices of fresh ginger and have this as my morning cup of tea. If I'm feeling like I need a nutrient boost I'll make myself a green smoothie to go along side it.

I'm also a massive porridge fan. If I'm having porridge I'll cook 30g oats and 2 cups of either coconut / unsweetened almond / soya milk on the hob, stirring in cinnamon and cacao powder. When it's just about cooked, I'll add some frozen blueberries and top with a chopped banana, chia seeds, dessicated coconut and Meridian almond butter.... which has made me reallllyyy hungry thinking about it! It's chocolatey, warming and deliciously filling.

I also looovee to make healthy pancakes, which I'm going to do a separate recipe post on.. so watch this space ;) 

Anyone have any other ideas I could incorporate? 

Smoked Shakshouka with Feta

I whipped this little baby up for lunch today and my god it is so so moreish. The smoked paprika gives it a hearty kick and the creamy feta and egg yolk work perfectly to blend in with the fresh sauce and crunchy veg.

To make one serving, you'll need:

• 2 free range eggs
• 1/2 courgette
• 1 small onion (or 1/2 a large one)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1/3 tub passata
• 2 tblspn smoked paprika
• 1 tblspn Moroccan spice
• 30g Feta 
• Black pepper to season

Chop your onion and garlic and begin to sautee in a pan. Add your chopped courgette and pepper along with your passata and let it simmer for five. Throw in your smoked paprika and Moroccan spice and cover for ten minutes on a medium heat. 

Then, make a dint in your sauce with a wooden spoon and drop your egg in. Do the same for the other egg. Let your eggs cook for about three to five minutes, until the clear substance is white. 

Use a spatula to lift your eggs out into a dish, and pour the remaining sauce in. Crumble your feta on top, sprinkle with black pepper and devour. 

Apparently Shakshouka is amazing at helping to cure a hangover - to all those not partaking in dry January, join me next Saturday in attempting to banish a red wine headache..!

Warm Beetroot & Feta Salad

This is the ideal meal for a light lunch or evening tea. Even though it's a salad, the roasted vegetables and creamy feta make it filling, hearty and warming... not to mention really healthy!

You can have it on its own or try it with a grilled salmon fillet or chicken breast.

You'll need;

2x handfuls spinach
2 beetroots
1 pepper
1x handful plum tomatoes
30g feta
2x gloves garlic
2 closed cup mushrooms
1 tbspn turmeric

Place your beetroot, pepper, tomatoes and garlic into a baking tray, and drizzle in a little olive oil. Sprinkle with turmeric (or a spice of your choice), and roast in the oven for 20 minutes on 180 degrees.

In the mean time, wash your spinach and mushrooms. Lay the spinach out on your plate and top with raw mushrooms. When your veggies are done, take them out of the oven and crumble half of your feta on top so that it starts to melt a little. Pop back in the oven for about three minutes until the feta is a bit goey.

Place your vegetables and feta on top of your spinach, finally finishing off by crumbling the remaining feta on top, and some black pepper to season.

If you're running low on feta, crumble some walnut halves on top instead.

YUM.

Innocent Mince Pies

I got fully into the Christmas spirit yesterday, tackling a load of Christmas shopping and making mince pies. I based the recipe on a post by the brilliant Little Green Spoon, who's recipes are always bookmarked for me to try out.

I didn't quite have all the ingredients, and will definitely invest in some vanilla for the next batch (as well as some festive pastry cutters!), but these little pies tasted lovely - definitely not a bad first attempt.

I used;

1 packet ground almonds

1 egg

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 oranges

1/2 lemon

2 whole pieces nutmeg, grated

1 packet mixed dried fruit (sultanas, cranberries, raisins)

2 tablespoons cinnamon

4 table spoons Agave syrup

This made 9 mince pies.

First up, the crust:

Mix together your ground almonds, egg, coconut oil and 2x table spoons of agave syrup. My poor old blender couldn't quite cope with the stickiness of this mixture, so I ended up taking it out and hand mixing it.

Roll the dough into two balls and cover them in cling film. The original recipe suggests putting the dough in the fridge, but I opted for the freezer. 

Make the mince whilst this is chilling. 

Chop your oranges in half and squeeze the juice into a saucepan. Then, finely grate the remains of the orange until it hurts your arm too much to carry on. Do the same with the lemon and nutmeg. Heat it up and add in your cinnamon, dried fruit and 2x table spoons of agave syrup (and vanilla, if you have it). Remember to keep stirring!

Once it’s been cooking about half an hour take the dough out of the freezer.

Roll one out until you reach your desired base level. I went for quite a thick base, as I wasn't sure that a thin base could hold the mince.

If you've got a cupcake tray then line these with coconut oil. I used cupcake cases and greased them with a little coconut oil, which is why they look more like mince cakes than pies…

Use the rim of a cup or a pastry cutter to make circles, and place these in their cases. Use a tablespoon to dollop the mince filling on top the base.

Roll out your second dough ball to make the lids. Please be more creative than me on this bit..

(If your dough starts to crumble, just use your hands.)

Once all your lids are on, pop them in the oven at 180 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes.

Definitely best eaten warm; mulled wine mandatory.