HEALTHY LOLLY POPS

What better way to cool down in the summer than having an ice cold lolly! These healthy lollies are made out of 4 simple ingredients, have no added sugar and are so nourishing! It's rather like slurping on a delicious, frozen smoothie and they've become by favourite summer snack (I even have them for breakfast).

The secret ingredient to giving these pops a delicious creamy texture (and to avoid a big block of frozen ice), is cashews! Cashews work so well in most desserts and sure enough they make great lollies too! For those of you that have nut allergies, try replacing soaked cashews for soaked sunflower seeds. I haven’t tested it out yet but I’m sure it would work just as well.


Don't worry if you don't have lolly moulds, you can still indulge in these nourishing pops - I'll explain how in the recipe!  

Ingredients:

2 mangos - peeled
1/4 pineapple - peeled
1/2 cup of cashews
1/2 cup of almond milk - or any other nut milk

Method:

Soak the cashews in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Once soaked, drain and rinse well with water.

Add the soaked cashews, mango, pineapple and nut milk into a blender and blend until smooth.

Transfer the mix into lolly moulds* and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.


*If you don't have moulds you can add the mix into a freezeable container instead. It will taste exactly the same! 

GRAIN FREE EDAMAME PASTA

Anyone else ever get that craving for a big bowl of carby pasta? So many people avoid pasta for a number of reasons, whether it's because it's too high in carbs or because it doesn't sit well. I'm not a carb counter but I fall into that category where it just doesn't agree with my tummy.

Brown rice pasta makes an amazing alternative for people who are unable to tolerate wheat and gluten as it's made out of nutritious brown rice only (and tastes just like pasta)! But if you're like me and struggle digesting grains, then this isn't an ideal option either!

So what about those who are unable to tolerate wheat, gluten and grains, what do we do when we want a big bowl of pasta? Well I've found the answer and it includes using a packet of edamame and mung bean fettuccine! I was sceptical when trying these for the first time as I didn't think noodles made out of beans could resemble pasta. However, I was wrong and once cooked and marinated in a delicious sauce, they taste and have the same texture as pasta (hoorahhh!).

Made out of two ingredients only; edamame and mung beans they are very nutritious and filling but leave me feeling very light afterwards so I avoid that heavy, bloated feeling.


You can order a packet on Amazon or purchase from some of the big health stores, I ordered mine from Planet Organic.

Do you have any great alternatives to pasta? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Ingredients:

1/2 packet of edamame and mung bean fettuccine
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup of garden peas
1 cup of spinach
1 red pepper - chopped
1 cup of mushrooms
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 onion - replace with spring onion for those following the Low FODMAP diet
1 tbsp. miso or 2 tbsp. of tamari (gf soy sauce)
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. mixed herbs
A dash of olive oil for cooking
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Add the olive oil, onion, mixed herbs and paprika into the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes, until the onion starts to cook.

Then add in the cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and sauté for a further 2 minutes.

Pour in the chopped tomatoes, miso / tamari and add in the peas, spinach salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes.

Whilst the above in simmering, boil the kettle, add the boiled water and edamame noodles into a pan then boil for approx. 5 minutes.

Drain the noodles through a sieve and transfer into your pan of veggies. Stir well and serve.

CELEBRATE YOUR BODY WITH THE RIGHT SWIMWEAR!

Summer is finally here which can only mean one thing - it's time to hit the beach!

I absolutely love the variety of beachwear available online! The choice is endless with all the different colours, styles and designers that I often lose hours scrolling through different sites trying to find the right one. Although, as with any online purchase it's difficult to asses whether the product fits or compliments your body and I don’t know about you guys but this is something I really struggle with when buying swimwear!

I rarely get it right with the correct size or style, so I often end up returning items on the basis that the swimsuit looks nothing like what is does on the model (anyone else have the same struggles?)!

I found out about this great new tool, ‘Swimseeker’ which was recently launched by Lyst. Swimseeker is designed to help women find the right swimwear for your body type by selecting the part of your body you want to emphasise i.e. chest, legs, hips, bum etc. along with the style of swimsuit you are looking for. I think the tool is fab as it’s given me a far better idea of what works for my body, so I feel more confident when hitting the beach. I came across this cute lemon swimsuit via Swimseeker and love it.

Buying swimwear just got so much easier (hoorahhh), check out the link below to find the right swimwear for you!

lyst.co.uk/guide/swimseeker

Happy sunbathing! xx

VEGAN CASHEW CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE

Who doesn't love chocolate milkshake? It's been a favourite of mine ever since I was little. Unfortunately most shop bought milkshakes are loaded with refined sugar, additives and preservatives so after changing my diet to a natural, whole-food diet I didn't think it would be something I would ever drink again. UNTIL, I was playing around with smoothie creations one day and I accidentally developed a chocolate milkshake - which turned out to be a VERY pleasant accident! :)  

This healthy version tastes just like a traditional milkshake and is made up of just a few natural ingredients. It's free from dairy and sweetened only with natural fruit that mother nature intended us to eat!

It's a really delicious, sustainable snack that you can take with you when on the go which will provide your body with plenty of fuel and unlike traditional milkshakes, it won't spike your blood sugar levels causing that sugar crash slump!

Leave a comment below if you enjoy the recipe! 

Have a wonderful day. xx

Ingredients:

1 cup of cashews

1 tbsp. raw cacao powder

4 medjool dates

1 tbsp. natural vanilla extract / vanilla powder

1/2 cup of cashew milk - I used Plenish

1 cup of water

Pinch of salt

2 ice cubes - optional

Method:

Soak the cashews in a bowl of water for at least 1 hour or overnight, drain the water and rinse well. 

Add the soaked cashews and all other ingredients, apart from the ice, into a blender and blend until smooth. 

Pour into a glass and add the ice to create a creamy, chocolate milkshake! 

Tip: Add a little more water or nut milk if you prefer your milkshake less thick. If you don't have any nut milk, this recipe will also work without it - just add a few more soaked cashews. 

TURMERIC MANGO AND PINEAPPLE SMOOTHIE BOWL

This is such a delicious smoothie bowl that can be made in 2 minutes! Just add all ingredients into a blender and sprinkle anything you fancy on top. 

Smoothies are a great way to ensure you get your daily fruit and veg intake and by adding a little turmeric in the mix gives an extra nutritional boost! Turmeric is an amazing little herb with powerful healing properties! It's full of antioxidants and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory in the body, which can help repair damage. It's also know to slow down ageing and age-related diseases! Wooahh. I'll have some more please!

If you enjoy smoothie bowls, check out my tasty acai smoothie bowl recipe, along with the wonderful benefits acai can do for your body! 

Ingredients:

1 frozen mango
1 frozen banana 
1/2 pineapple
1 cup of almond milk - I use Plenish nut milk
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. pea protein powder - optional

Toppings:

1 tbsp. raw cacao nibs
1 tbsp. goji berries
1 tbsp. almonds
1 tsp. pumpkin seeds
1 tsp. sunflower seeds
1 passionfruit 
2 small chunks of pineapple

Method:

Add all ingredients, apart from the toppings, into a blender and blend until smooth. 

Transfer the smoothie into a bowl and add any topping you like! 



Wishing you all a wonderful day! xx