Back to Basics

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a great start to the week and a lovely weekend.

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Well September is now well underway and I have set some new goals for this new month:

• comprise a new strength workout plan using NROWL
• continue to make progress with writing my thesis- first results chapter finalised and rough draft for the second results chapter finished
• work on my professional CV and look at post doctoral research positions
• continue to eat healthy and nutritious foods
• save, save, save!

OOTD: black vest top, H&M, cream bat wing top, H&M, navy skinny trousers, H&M, flower ballerina pumps, Topshop, brown skinny belt, Zara, star fish earrings, French Connection, charm necklace, French Connection, Grecian bangle, Dorothy Perkins,

Recently I have been trying to simplify my eats a little as I’m a little aware that my body is feeling a little over loaded with peanut butter, sugar and just feeling generally a little crappy.  Although my eats haven’t been way off course I think my body is really appreciating the stripped back meals that I have been eating over the past few days.  A lot of my more “cleaner” meals have included a whole load of green smoothies:

Strawberries, a banana, spinach, chia seeds, hemp protein powder, maca powder, water, xanthan gum and guar gum topped with vanilla, agave and almond granola, dates, cacao nibs and omega mixed seeds, simple but so good!

I headed to the gym really early this morning and did one hour of intervals across the treadmill, cross trainer, bike and step machine plus my abs and core workout.  It was great getting back into the gym after the weekend break.  I was really tired after the amazing Mendhi party on Saturday night- I got in really late and didn’t get to bed till 2.30pm.  I haven’t done that in a while so I was like a zombie the next day- but it was all worth it!

This morning’s breakfast was another green smoothie and consisted of strawberries, a small raw beet root, spinach, an apple, double fudge crunch protein powder, water, xanthan and guar gums.  This bowl of heaven was topped with apricot kernel butter, sunflower seeds and peanut butter puffins.  I loved the creamy texture of the apricot kernel butter, it has a gorgeous nutty taste to it.  And the PB puffins…gorgeous as expected!

Now my green smoothie cravings aren’t just restricted to breakfast time, they also extend to lunch too.  Since I was working from home today I decided another green smoothie would be perfect:

This one consisted of blueberries, spinach, vanilla protein powder, water, acai berry juice, xanthan and guar gum.  To make it even more satisfying I blended in some cooked oats that I cooked in water to give it more volume and a creamy texture.  This was fab and I appreciate the warmth of the added oats as it’s so cold here now.  I topped it with buck wheaties, dried cranberries and cacao nibs.

Even my oats have become very basic too:

Simple banana oats made with water and topped with homemade plum compote, shredded coconut, raw chocolate covered mulberries and pecan nuts.

My organic vegetable box arrived the other day making my fridge stuffed to the brim of vegetables and leafy green so as well as green smoothies I have also been eating lots of huge salad plates to use them up.

One of my favourites was a salad made from curly lettuce, steamed broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, chilli and lime marinated olives, roasted soya nuts drenched in a tahini and sweet chilli dressing.  I do adore a delicious huge salad especially when the sun decides to come out and play.

After finally clearing out my health food cupboard- yes it was a shameful mess again!  Much worse than last time I had to tidy it.  I mean it’s like Mary Poppin’s bag in my cupboard, more stuff just keeps appearing- some of it I had forgotten I had even bought.  Whilst foraging through the depths of my scary health food stash I discovered a jar of miso paste that had been hiding right at the back. 

So, I cooked the brown rice udon noodles from my  Whole Foods stash in water, miso paste and fresh chopped garlic to create a broth.  I added steamed runner beans, red pepper, mushrooms and carrots to the noodles and served it with some tofu slices that I marinated in sweet chilli and soya sauce…yum!

I’ve also been enjoying lots of delicious fresh fruit, chopped apples and cinnamon and seeded 9 bars too:

Do you feel the need to go back to basics sometimes?

How is your cupboard full of your foodie stash looking? I don’t think any of your cupboards could beat the state of mine before I cleaned it up. :/

Tagged as: apples, goals, green smoothies, miso, september