I honestly can't decide whether I'm a sweet or a savoury kind of girl, but I think it's fair to say when it comes to sweet treats I'm a sucker for dark chocolate. I thought I'd share with you a little recipe I've created after doing some research into Agave syrup as an alternative to honey or Golden Syrup.
Agave syrup is super sweet, and comes from the Agave plant. It works really well in Vegan recipe's as it's very similar to Honey, but obviously plant based. As I've been seeing it pop up all over the health blogs of the world, I thought I would give it a go. This recipe is really simple, easy to prepare and is perfect for the grazers of the world who fancy a sweet, healthy treat from time to time.
Ingredients:
350g Protein Granola (or a granola of your choice)
5tbsp Agave Nectar
A handful of Dark Chocolate Chips
150g Trail Mix
What you'll need
1 x Large Baking Tray (lined with greaseproof paper)
Pre-heated oven to 200 degrees
1 x Mixing Bowl
1 x Mixing Spoon
A fridge
Once you've got all your ingredients together, and measured out add your granola, trail mix and plain chocolate chips to your mixing bowl and mix together. Once you're satisfied it's all mixed up, add your Agave Nectar and stir again. Once your ingredients are completely covered (feel free to add a bit more Agave if you need it - cheeky) place your mix flat onto your lined baking tray.
Give the mixture a good press down so that it's tightly packed, then pop in the oven for 10 minutes. Keep checking to make sure you don't go beyond 'golden brown' then bring it out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Now for the waiting game! Place the baking tray in the fridge for approximately 2 hours so that it can set. If you like your granola really tough, then leave it in over night.
Take the tray out of the fridge once it's set, and cut into however many pieces you need. They won't be perfect slices, but they'll look pretty darn good anyway. I managed to get 18 slices from mine which is perfect if you want to share your creation with your team at work.. or if you're not into sharing at all, that's okay too.
You can pretty much try this simply recipe with loads of other dried fruits, or maybe even some popcorn too. Super quick, tasty and great for a healthy boost with your cuppa.
One of the most exiting things about heading to Italy this summer is the prospect of spending our mornings enjoying proper coffee, in quaint coffee shops or deli's in Florence and Siena (or wherever we land in between). We thought we'd give ourselves a head start and pop into Covent Garden for some coffee over the bank holiday weekend, and found ourselves a small 'Delicaffe' nestled just of Monmouth Street.
In terms of Location it's pretty perfect, sitting slightly in the shadow of your standard (but always trusty) Cafe Nero, it may go unrecognised to many Covent Garden go-ers. There's seating outside, and just around the corner if basking in the sun is your ideal coffee break, and a handful of seats inside. It's small enough to feel authentic given its location, but clearly big enough to keep a regular flow of customers.
We visited mid-morning just as Covent Garden started to get a little busy, and were greeted by some super friendly baristas (I'm never sure if that's the right phrase..) who made a real effort to strike up a conversation with us when they brought our drinks over. We're not locals, certainly not regulars but it was nice to be welcomed like that, especially considering how impersonal we've found a few places we've visited in the City before. 10 points for friendliness guys!
La Bottega has a 'Little Italy in the City' feel, which has been designed incredibly well, from the mismatched signs, brightly coloured ceramics, forest hued tiles and traditional meats in the window. Nicely complimented by the great coffee they serve; not too bitter, and certainly not too sweet. Perfect for a little Bank Holiday pick me up!
Overall this place had a great feel to it and would be perfect for shoppers looking to take a little break from the madness of Covent Garden. If you appreciate a good coffee, served well, in a charming setting then this is definitely worth a try. Thanks for having us :)
It's fair to say that cooking isn't really my favourite thing to do. Not because I don't enjoy it, but because I find putting together a 'creative' meal rather time consuming and quite frankly pretty expensive. I've got my fair share of recipe books that really do go to town on a huge list of spices and herbs, that sound incredible, but generally aren't that readily available in your average supermarket.
Around January time this year, I saw an advert pop up on my Facebook newsfeed for 'Simply Cook' a new 100% natural recipe mail order box that comes in the post each month, offering 4 unique recipes and all the spices you need to give them a go.. Masterchef problem solved. The Simply Cook website describes the emergence of Simply Cook essentially as a way to overcome the lack of time and resource issue most of us have when it comes to balancing dinner and a hectic schedule. Founder Oli Ashness first envisaged the Simply Cook box whilst living in London, living a busy life with little time to spare when it came to evening meals. Like many of us, he experienced the struggle of time and expense when it came to cooking and eating well. Along with a team of great chefs, these little boxes make their way to homes all over the UK each month, including my own.
The recipes and quantities are great for us as a couple, and all the meals I've tried so far have received the seal of approval from Mr Smith (which is amazing, considering how fussy he can be with food). Not only that, they're super easy to make, normally under half an hour and the ingredients required aren't that extensive. Then once you've finished with your box, you can recycle the packaging too (enviro perks). I just take the little 'tear me and take me' ingredients list from the recipe card with me on my weekly shop and I'm ready to go. You can also grab yourself a Gluten Free box if needed.
These boxes have made a great addition to our weekly meals, and I look forward to trying them all out and maybe even repeating my favourites if I'm feeling brave. I've stored the recipes I'm yet to try in my Kitchen with the recipe cards too (picture below) so they're on hand when I need them. Highly recommended, super convenient and perfect for couples and small families.
If you fancy trying out Simply Cook, you can get it direct from the website Simply Cook for £10 a month, including P&P. Enjoy, and let me know how you find it!
If someone had told me I'd enjoy running this time last year, I'm sure I would have died of laughter. 'I can't even run up the stairs' and 'nah not for me, thanks' were about the only response I had when it came to running. In fact, when it came to any form of exercise.
I signed myself up to the Portsmouth Coastal Half just before Christmas, in a bid to give myself a little bit of a push into actually doing something post Christmas food coma. I bought a cheap pair of Asics, threw on a pair of leggings and got out there for my first run. I won't pretend for the sake of this post that I was hooked at that point, because I really wasn't. It was awful, uncomfortable, sore and I felt like I'd gathered an audience for my 'jiggling' around the village. But I kept going with the help of my loyal running partner and some discipline.
After a few runs, I hooked on to the Nike+ app to get me prepped for the race, which is great for new runners as it's inexpensive and easy to use. Next thing I knew, I was waiting at the start line in Portsmouth. It was my first experience of a race, and the first time I felt a real sense of community with other runners (professional and newbies like me!). Adrenaline really pushed me throughout the race, and the satisfaction of crossing the finishing line and feeling like I could probably carry on running was enough to get me hooked. I think at that point I caught what some may call 'the running bug'.
Having continued to pursue it as a 'hobby' if you like and being in my 6th month of training in total, I really wanted to share my top 10 tips for the novice runner. As a quick disclaimer, I am not a professional runner, fitness professional or a doctor.. so please take this post lightly, and as advice from one newbie to another. These are the things I wish I'd of known or considered before I started out. They're in no particular order, but I hope you find them really useful! Good Luck!
1. Yes, it's actually a good idea to get all the gear.
I've heard it a million times 'all the gear, no idea'. If you're motivated by having a fresh pair of trainers, or a wardrobe of neon dri-fit.. do it! I found nothing has helped me more in getting motivated to get out there than knowing I get to sport my new trainers, or at least knowing what I'm wearing is fit for purpose. Of course, I wouldn't go breaking the bank before you even give it a go.. unless you keep the tags on (kidding!).
2. Know your knees
After your first few 'longer' runs, you'll get a feel of what your body can take or not. Be careful not to push yourself too soon, or to write off your knee pain as 'just getting used to it'. Your joints are key to making running something long term, so look after them and always give yourself a day or two to rest after a tough run. Trust me, your knees will really thank you for it.
3. Take it easy & stretch it out
I guess 2 and 3 go hand in hand, but I felt this one deserved it's own spot on the list. For me, I struggled to remain realistic in my capability when I picked up some momentum with my training. This caused all sorts of issues for me when it came to injuries and bruising because I just kept on hammering it if you like. If you're just starting out, don't feel like you have to follow the training plans like they're gospel. Take it easy, and listen to your body when it's sore and take a break. A day or two out won't impact your fitness levels.
4. Keeping hydrated
An obvious one for most, but this is so so important. When you're on your runs, be sure to take some water with you and keep hydrated. Little and often worked for me, and I regulated it by taking a sip every half kilometre to make sure I wasn't overdooing it or missing out on the water I needed. Hydration is also key on the days you don't run. I found that upping my water intake made me feel a whole lot healthier and able to run without feeling the drowsiness that dehydration often brings. Grab yourself a new water bottle and make that your bff.
5. Get yourself a gait analysis
Okay, this one isn't the most important to begin with, but I found it really useful a month or so in when my aches and pains just weren't shifting. I took a trip to an independent running shop and had a gait analysis done to see what trainers were right for me. Thanks to my overly bendy bones, I had some serious bend in my left ankle and over extension in my right leg. After the analysis, I got myself some Asics designed more for support and I've loved them ever since. Considering that most trainers are a bit of an investment piece, I'd say definitely give this a go before you dive in to the expensive footwear.
6. It's okay to have a few days off
Maybe I struggled with this a little more than normal because I'm actually a really competitive person (yes, I've admitted it Husband). I'd feel guilty if I missed more than a couple of days off training if life was busy, and this took some work on getting over. If you're like me, I'd suggest getting connected to an online running community to keep you feeling like you're training even when you can't be out there. #UKRunChat is a great one to get you started.
This Girl Can: http://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk
7. Get inspired
Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest are packed full of great content and conversations for runners of all levels, shapes and sizes. Sharing your runs on twitter, or following a training hashtag (#thisgirlcan) is a great way of seeing how others are training and get some ideas on how to improve your running through others experiences. It's invaluable, and a great way to procrastinate if that's your thing.
8. Mixing it up
I've learnt that I'm definitely built for endurance over speed, but the two really do go hand in hand. Mix in a couple of shorter, faster runs in your week to see the benefit on your long runs. Maybe try a 2km and 3km at a fast pace in between your longer runs to get you going. It's tough, sweaty and just awful but the benefits on your average pace and stamina are amazing.
9. Pair up
This works really well if you're not too keen on going out on your own, or need someone to give you a little push to keep going. Not only will it make your runs a little more interesting, but you'll also find you keep each other on track with your progress (and tend to skip less runs too).
10. The wall will come to get you, keep going!
Every runner is different, and some may find it tougher than others to get going. I certaintly hit the wall, and continue to now even after 6 months. I'm not just talking about the stitch pains or exhaustion at mile 7, but more the temptation to stop even before you get out there because it's 'easier'. Keep disciplined, and do whatever works for you to keep you running. Every mile counts :)
I hope you find this blog post useful, and it would be great to hear from you if you're starting out or getting into the swing of things so feel free to tweet me @itssashasmith_
