Top 5 Foods from Thailand

In case you didn't know, I went to Thailand a month ago. Whilst I'm not sorry for the magnitude of Instagram pics, I am sorry for the fact that it's taken me so long to write about the incredible food I gorged on for ten days. In a more general sense, it was nice to get away from macros, tracking foods and all that jazz, and just relax without worrying about what was going into my body (plus 'posh' cocktails are around £2 so I think MyFitnessPal would've had a melt down...)

Thai food is up there for me in ticking all the right boxes; saucy, spicy and so flavoursome. Here are the top five foods I lived on.

1) Fresh blended fruit smoothies

See above. Oh yes. These little babies were ideal in the midday heat, perfect to know you're getting a vitamin fix and tanning at the same time.

You bought these particular smoothies from a tiny little vendor shacked up on a track running into the village from the beach. Priced at 50 baht each (about £1), I couldn't just get one...

Mango & ice was my favourite of the holiday, but dragonfruit and ice was also a winner - I don't eat it often so I was glad to be able to try it so freely!

So simple, but so lovely.

Pad Thai on Koh San Road... the dream

2) Pad Thai

So I lost count of how many pad thai's I had, let's just say a lot. I absolutely love it. I love the peanuts and the chilli and the juicy prawns and the tamarind and fish sauce on the noodles... it's just amazing.

I've been looking out for tamarind sauce in the UK for weeks and can't find it anywhere. I really want to recreate it at home - so if you know where I can find it let me know!!

3) Warm, weird little coconut ball things

I don't know what these are called, or exactly what was in them but oh my god they made breakfast heaven. I'm guessing coconut milk, potentially a bit of rice? and then fried ever so lightly. They were gooey and sweet, but light enough that you could eat a plateful to yourself and not feel guilty.

Whilst we're on the subject of breakfast, this was the view each morning:

I know. Don't.

4. Chicken Satay 

Turning my nut butter obsession Thai... Chicken Satay skewers were my go-to starter. That peanut sauce. Juicy hot chicken. Enough said.

5. Thai red curry 

I couldn't miss this off the list could I?! We ate at the Jip Shop restaurant about four times; a really amazing beach hut style place in the village. The staff were lovely and friendly, there's a really chilled atmosphere and the food was bloody delicious.

This Thai Red was spicy but not mouth-numbingly so, brimming with chicken, peppers and local veg.

Are there any other Thai delicacies I need to try and recreate at home..? I've got withdrawal symptoms!

Supergreen Smoothie

After a superb curry at Kulsumah in Chorlton and too many g&t's along Beech Road last night, I definitely needed to get back on the health wagon today. 

Cue, a supergreen smoothie. Which, you'll be pleased to know, has knocked my hangover out of the park.

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1/2 avocado
• Bowl of spinach
• Small bowl of raspberries and / or blueberries
• 1 teaspoon of spirulina
• Sprinkling of cinnamon
• Honey

Chop it all up and put it in your food processor with 1/2 mug of water.

Boom, done!

I drizzled some lemon juice into my smoothie to neutralise the taste of the spirulina, plus it gives it a really fresh kick.

The health benefits of this little badboy are unrivalled:

The good fats in the avocado will help keep you full, the banana is packed with fibre and potassium (a mineral we lose when drinking alcohol, so it's a great hangover cure!), and you'll get loads of nutrients from the spinach, including iron and vitamin k.

Blueberries have long been known as an antioxidant, and there's plenty of vitamin C in the raspberries. Cinnamon is good for regulating your blood sugar - ideal to help stabilise your energy levels. Spirulina is a plant found at the bottom of salt water lakes. It contains loooads of amino acids and essential nutrients, but it's mainly known for its high protein content (it doesn't taste nice, hence the honey and lemon!)

The avocado and banana make the smoothie incredibly creamy, and the berries give it that juicy, zesty after taste. D-lish.

Have you got any recommendations about what else to include?

Really easy raspberry smoothie

This smoothie is WELL tasty. Plus you only need five ingredients so it's really simple too.

• 2 handfuls of frozen raspberries
• 1 handful fresh blackberries
• 1 1/2 bananas, chopped
• 1/2 mango
• Gurgle of  soya milk

Throw it all in to a food processor along with a splash of water (depending on how thick you want it) and whiz it up. 

Ta dah!

This particular combination gives a zingy, almost sour punch so the banana and soy milk balance it out perfectly.

I find that smoothies are a great way to use up over-ripe fruit and of course, you get about four portions of your five a day in one serving..

Today I swapped soya milk for some Greek yoghurt and some honey for a creamier, thicker and sweeter taste.