2-in-1 Banana Breakfast

Ever feel like indulging upon a kingly guilt-free breakfast but simply don't have more than 20 minutes until you have to leave before the rush hour traffic or to that 9am lecture? Then this is the breakfast for you. The amazing thing about this breakfast is that you can use the same mixture for both the smoothie and pancakes! There's no need to worry about eating raw eggs in the smoothie because it's egg free and therefore vegan too.

 I love this breakfast because you can eat the pancakes with your friends or the family at the table then put the smoothie in a jam jar or sealed bottle to enjoy on-the-go. It will make all your work collegues or fellow students jealous, guaranteed. I really don't think anyone needs to worry about 'over eating' at breakfast because considering you're eating the right things, it's the only time of the day when you're allowed to eat like a king!

In my recent chai seed pudding post, I raved about the amazing properties of chai seeds, so guess what features in these beautiful breakfast? You guessed it - chai seeds. There is nothing different between the ingredients in the two mixtures apart from a little added dash of milk or water in the smoothie mixture to make it more drinkable. This breakfast truly is delicious and really worth giving a go! 

Makes 4 pancakes & 1 smoothie (serves 1 king) 

1 1/2 frozen bananas 

1/2 cup of rolled oats 

2 dessert spoons of chai seeds 

2 dessert spoons of milled flaxseed 

1/2 cup of water 

2 dessert spoons of natural yoghurt

1 tsp of cinnamon 

4 prunes 

a knob of butter or coconut oil to grease the pan

1 dessert spoon of pure maple syrup (smoothie addition) 

1/4 cup/a dash of water or milk (smoothie addition)

Method 

- Simply put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. 

- For the pancakes, put a large pan over high heat and add the butter or coconut oil to grease the pan. Turn down the temperature to a medium heat and add the mixture to the pan forming 4 pancake shapes using a dessert spoon. You may have to do this in two batches. 

- Flip after 1:30-2 minutes or until the side is golden and cooked. Turn off the heat and layer the pancakes with a fruit if your desired choice and serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt and a sprinkling of cinnamon or chai seeds (or both!). 

- Using the left over mixture, add the extra dash of water and some maple syrup of you have a sweet tooth! If you like your smoothies thick, then don't worry about the water addition. Pour the smoothie mixture into a drinks container of yor choice and sip away!

Enjoy!

Blueberry & Cinnamon Smoothie

This thick, creamy smoothie is fulfilling, satisfying and energising so therefore the perfect way to start the day. In about 5 minutes you will have a cup full of delicious goodness ready to sip on-the-go or to enjoy sat with your feet up reading The Sunday Telegraph. It really is that quick to make and will fill you up better than any bland bowl of plain porridge. All the ingredients I use should be available in your local supermarket as that's where I found mine, so there's no need to go to the local overpriced health shop. This smoothie is packed with goodness from the banana and blueberries. Blueberries are in fact the best foods to eat for good skin due to their high number of anti-oxidants! This smoothie contains no milk as I used my favourite alpro soya yoghurt and water instead. Surprisingly, I found that although I used water, the beautiful thick, creamy texture wasn't effected due to the natural sweetness of banana and the thickness of the oats. If you prefer your smoothies being slightly sweeter than this one, I recommend you either add 2 medjool dates or one dessert spoon of pure maple syrup. Ingredients to hand, blender at the ready, let's go!

Makes 1 large glass or 2 medium glasses

1 sliced frozen banana

2 oz. (about 1 handful) of blueberries 

3 dessert spoons of milled flaxseed

2 dessert spoons of fat free natural yoghurt

1 dessert spoon of cinnamon (I love cinnamon so put lots in!)

1 cup of water

1/2 cup of organic oats

2 medjool dates or 1 dessert spoon of pure maple syrup (optional)

Method

- Simply blend all the ingredients together until smooth. If you prefer your smoothies a little runnier, just add a dash of milk or water! 

Have a beautiful day.

Crispy Polenta Chicken with Sweet Potato Mash

Chicken is one of my favourite meats, and after the success of the crispy polenta chicken in my the caesar salad, I just had to make it again. I wanted to make a delicious post-workout meal that would satisfy my hunger cravings and be healthy and nutritious. This meal combines all of my favourite ingredients that I'm loving at the moment. It's full of incredibly nourishing ingredients that work together to boost your health. The creamy, smooth sweet potato mash blends perfectly with the steamed kale and courgettes. They all perfectly combine together to compliment the succulent chicken with a delicious polenta coated crispy outer that has a fantastic paprika kick. 

Serves 4 

4 organic chicken breasts

1 1/2 large sweet potatoes, peeled & diced

dash of milk

4 handfuls of kale

1 courgette, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp of polenta 

2 tsp paprika 

salt & pepper

2 spring onions

Method

- Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Boil a full kettle and cover the sweet potatoes with boiling water in a large pan.  Leave for about 7 minutes, then add the kale on top to steam. 

- Whilst the sweet potatoes are cooking, cover the chicken breast in the polenta and paprika and season well. You should add the kale to steam about now. Put the chicken into a frying pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil, turning after 4-5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 

- After you've turned the chicken, add the sliced courgettes to the kale and steam until the chicken is cooked. Take off the heat.

- Strain the sweet potatoes, add a dash of milk, season well and mash until smooth. Then add a drizzle of olive oil and seasoning to the kale and courgettes. Slice the spring onions. Put the mash, courgette & kale mix and spring onions onto a plate then add the chicken on top to serve. 

Top tip: To ensure the chicken is cooked properly, pierce a hole into the thickest part of one of the breasts and make sure it's white all the way through and any juices run clear. 

Enjoy!

Blueberry Pancakes

I think it's fair to say that I am a huge pancake lover. They are the perfect weekend guilt-free treat that will keep you going throughout the morning. I've been wanting to make blueberry pancakes for a while now, but every time I buy them, they're the first item I pick out of the shopping bag to snack on and before I know it, they're all gone. This week, I resisted the temptation and was able to make these little pancake beauties.  Blueberries  have one of the highest antioxidant levels of any food on the planet which are essential for good health and supporting your nervous system. They also have a low glycaemic index (G.I), which helps to maintain balanced blood sugar levels. They've also been proven to lower fat levels and just one serving contains 25% of your daily required vitamin C intake. 

The blend of the bananas with the oats and flax makes each pancake deliciously thick and squishy in the middle. Every now and then you'll get a blueberry explode with its juicy goodness in your mouth that combines beautifully with the warm cinnamon and the sweet maple syrup. They're quick and super easy to make and topped with a generous dollop of natural yoghurt, they'll be devoured in minutes.

Makes 1 batch of 5 pancakes

1/2 cup of organic oats

2 heaped dessert spoons of milled flaxseed

1 ripe banana

1 handful of blueberries

1/4 cup water 

1/4 cup milk 

1 dessert spoon of pure maple syrup 

1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon

small knob of butter (or coconut oil) for frying

Toppings

Natural yoghurt (I like alpro soya) 

Handful of blueberries

Pure maple syrup

Sliced strawberries

Sliced Banana

Method 

- Put all the ingredients apart from the blueberries into a blender and blend until smooth.

- Once the mixture is smooth, stir in the blueberries. The mixture should turn out thick, not too runny. Add a dash of water if it's too thick. 

- Place a large saucepan onto the heath for a minute of two until really hot then grease with the butter. 

- Then place 5 heaped dessert spoons of the mix into the pan in pancake shapes, using the spoon to shape them. After about a minute, check the bottom of the pancake, if it has turned brown, flip it over and allow the other side to cook for another minute. If your pan isn't large enough to do them all at once, just cook them separately.

- Stack the pancakes with some blueberries in between each layer.

Have a wonderful day!

Salmon with Summer Veg

Delicious simplicity. This salmon dish is just about as healthy as you're going to get and what's better, it only takes 15 minutes to make. I'm obsessed with kale and courgettes at the moment. I've had them nearly every day this week because they go so well together and are also quick to make as you can steam them together to save time. In my steamy salad recipe, I talked about the amazing health benefits of kale and it really does blow me away! It contains more iron than beef and more calcium than milk per calorie. Just one cup of kale gives more than 1,000% of your daily intake of vitamin K which supports good blood regulation. It also contains nearly four times your recommended intake of vitamin A and 100% of your vitamin C that together support bone and skin health and strengthen the immune system. Courgettes are also super healthy too! Not only are they low in calories, but they're rich in nutrients like magnesium and potassium which help to normalise blood pressure. The vitamin C content along with carotenoids stops the oxidation of bad cholesterol in the blood, thus preventing the occurrence of strokes and heart attacks. This is quick and cheap to make with a high nutritional value, so really is the perfect student meal to make. 

Serves 2

2 salmon fillets

1 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 pepper

1/2 tin chopped tomatoes

1 spring onion, finely chopped

2 handfuls of kale

1/2 a large courgette, sliced

1/2 onion, diced

salt & pepper to taste

Method

- Put a large frying pan on over a high heat and add the olive oil and the diced onion and fry for 6 minutes. 

- Put a pan on half filled with water and bring to the boil. Steam the kale for 5 minutes then add the sliced courgettes and steam for a further 3 minutes.

- Add the sliced pepper to the onions and fry for 3 minutes. Season the salmon and add to the same frying pan and fry for 2 minutes each side or until a pale pink throughout with a golden, crisp outer. Once the salmon is cooked remove from the pan. Add the chopped tomatoes and seasoning to the frying pan and stir for a couple of minutes until the tomato starts to boil. Then add the salmon again.

- Put the tomato sauce onto a plate then add the courgette and kale on top (as above) and season well. Place the salmon on top and scatter the chopped spring onions over the salmon. Drizzle with olive oil and enjoy!

The Ultimate Caesar Salad

I found this recipe in Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals book. Granted, it will not take you 15 minutes to make - I would say 30 minutes minimum but nevertheless, it's certainly worth it. The succulent chicken combined with the crispy bacon and the crunchy ciabatta croutons makes for the perfect Caesar salad. What makes this salad however, is the beautiful dressing. It's without a doubt the best salad dressing I've had in a long time and compliments the dish perfectly. If you have time, why not go all out and show off to your friends by making your own ciabatta bread?!

Ingredients

For the chicken

2x200g skinless chicken breasts

½ tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp polenta

Salt & pepper

olive oil

For the salad

1 loaf of bread ciabatta bread

4 slices bacon

Lettuce

10 cherry tomatoes

2 large jarred red peppers

Alfalfa sprouts

For the dressing

2 tsp garlic-infused olive oil or 1/4 clove of garlic, peeled

2 lemons

40g parmesan cheese

4 anchovy filets

4 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp red vinegar

1 tsp mustard

½ bunch fresh coriander

Method

For the chicken

- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally and coat with the other ingredients except the oil.

-Heat the oil in a pan and fry the breasts for 3-4 minutes on either side and remove from the heat.

For the dressing

Squeeze the juice from the lemons and place everything in a food processor and process.

For the salad

Wash and break up the lettuce and place on a large platter.
Halve the tomatoes and scatter on top.
Slice up the red peppers and layer on top.
Slice the chicken and spread about on the salad.
Fry the bacon and slice up and scatter on the salad.
Sprinkle the top with the sprouts.
Drizzle over the dressing.

Enjoy!

Ciabatta Bread

There's nothing more satisfying than walking into a house with the smell of freshly baked bread lingering in the air. Ciabatta bread is fantastic because it's hugely versatile. Whether you want to enjoy it with a Caesar salad, for a picnic lunch with a selection of meats or use it as a dipping devise to enjoy some homemade hummus, it is the bread to make. As a student, making my own bread isn't something I would normally consider doing when the local supermarket is just around the corner. However, this ciabatta bread is pretty much made for you before you've even started making it, and the sense of achievement when it's baked is certainly worth the wait! I chose to use Wrights ciabatta bread mix which can be found in your local supermarket because all you need to add are two ingredients: water and olive oil! It's so simple to make and only requires a little bit of patients for the bread to rise.

Makes 2 loaves 

1 pack of Wrights ciabatta bread mix

320ml lukewarm water

15ml (1tbsp) olive oil

Method

- Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F) or 210°C (410°F) for fan assisted ovens or Gas Mark 8.

- Place mix in a bowl or food mixer, Add water and mix together for 5 minutes to form a ball of dough. Add 15ml (1 tbsp) of olive oil and mix for 1 more minute. 

- Place the dough on a floured surface and press out to a 30 x 15cm (12 x 6") rectangle and leave to rest for 10 minutes. 

- Divide the dough into 2 length-ways and place on a greased baking tray. Dust the tops with flour and cover with damp cloth or clingfilm and leave to rise in warm place until the dough has doubled in size for 25-30 minutes. 

 - Uncover and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes for 2 loaves, until golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap the base. Turn out and cool on a wire rack. 

Enjoy!

Steamy Salad

I love a good salad. It fills you up the perfect amount without leaving you feeling stuffed and sleepy. Salads don't always have to be cold and consist of a handful lettuce leaves. There's nothing more annoying for me when I order a salad in a restaurant and all I get is a bowl full of salad, a few tomatoes, shredded chicken and croutons. Worst of all, it can set you back about £8 and really does not seem worth it when you can make something much more fulfilling and delicious at home. 

This steamy salad is quite literally completely steamed! It takes no longer than 15 minutes to make and it is so delicious simply served with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This salad is super healthy and packed with health benefits. Best of all, it contains two of my favourite ingredients: sweet potato and avocado. Absolute heaven. Sweet Potatoes are packed with vitamin A, which is essential for strengthening your bodies immunity against infection. By adding the extra virgin olive oil and avocado to the sweet potato, you can get the full health benefits of the antioxidant beta-carotene. I've talked a lot about avocados but they're one of the healthiest foods on the planet containing in excess of 25 nutrients.  Kale leaves are genuinely the kings of nutrition. Did you know it contains more iron than beef and more calcium than milk per calorie?! But it doesn't stop there. Just one cup of kale gives more than 1,000% of your daily intake of vitamin K which supports good blood regulation. It also contains nearly four times your recommended intake of vitamin A and 100% of your vitamin C that together support bone and skin health and strengthen the immune system. I could go on and on, but I wont. It's just amazing and one of the most underrated vegetables on our supermarket shelves today. 

Serves 2 

1 large sweet potato

2 large tomatoes 

1 spring onion

1/2 avocado

1 handfuls of kale

1/2 courgette 

1-2 tsp paprika (to taste)

salt & pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Method 

- Put a large pan of water onto boil then simmer over a medium-low heat. Peel and chop up the sweet potato into medium sized chunks. Steam the sweet potatoes for 7 minutes. Add the kale to the sweet potatoes and steam for a further 4 minutes. Slice the courgette and add to the kale and sweet potatoes steaming further two minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the paprika. 

- Slice the tomatoes, spring onion and avocado. Once the courgette is soft and ready, remove the pan from the heat. Add the tomatoes and spring onion and gently mix in. 

- To serve, add the sliced avocado and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Top tip: Add some feta cheese for added flavour. 

Enjoy! 

Poached Apricots

For me, these beautifully golden orange coloured fruits truly mark the start of summer. Walking into the supermarket or visiting the local market, I can't help but pick up a punnet of the golden orange delights, encasing a smooth and sweet flesh within their velvety outer body. I love them because they're so delicious and can provide numerous health benefits. They're also rich in many plant antioxidants and are extremely low in calories. Unfortunately, I haven't seen many recipes take advantage of these gorgeous fruits. They're great in a crumble or a tarte tatin, but I think they're delicious poached and served with some natural yoghurt for pudding or granola at breakfast. They're perfectly sweet and unbelieveably quick and simple to make. 

Makes 1 large bowl

640g of apricots (I used 2 punnets)

200ml of water 

1 dessert spoon of vanilla extract 

2 tbsp caster sugar or runny honey

Method

- De-stone the apricots by chopping them into halves. 

- Put the apricots, water, vanilla extract and caster sugar into a large pan and leave to simmer over a medium-low heat with the lid on for 8-10 minutes. 

- Put into a large serving bowl. Either serve hot or cover with cling film and put into the fridge once cooled. 

Top tip: If you want to make the apricots slightly 'posher,' add a small splash of Cointreau, the beautiful orange-flavoured liqueur whilst the apricots are simmering and serve with good quality vanilla ice cream. 

Enjoy!

The Best Paprika Hummus

My love for hummus is quite uncontrollable. I may go as far to say that I'm obsessed. It's the ultimate snacking saviour coupled with a crispy carrot or a warm wholemeal pitta. My friends and I discovered the ultimate pitta at our university gym. It consists of falafel, fresh rocket, cherry tomatoes and a overly generous dollop of hummus hidden at the bottom of the wholesome wholemeal pitta. It is simply the best. This pitta does come at a price though, so it's only ever a special treat after a morning of training and lectures. I've since decided to become more self-sufficient and tried making some hummus for myself. This paprika hummus really is the best. I absolutely adore the beautiful blend of the spicy cumin, punchy paprika, tangy lemon, sweet basil leaves and creamy tahini blended with chickpeas, olive oil and water until superbly smooth. As much as I love plain hummus, I think the punchy paprika kick just gives it the edge. 

Making your own hummus is not only a lot cheaper than going to your local supermarket, but it's a lot healthier too. Shop bought hummus is full of funny additives, vegetable oils and a few preservatives. Another great thing about hummus is that it's mainly made out of chickpeas, which are a great vegetarian protein meaning you'll get a lot of energy from it. It's also packed full of fibre which is essential for a healthy, efficient digestive system. Fibre is fantastic because it distends your stomach, making you feel fuller for longer. Why not try treating it as a creamy dressing to enjoy with my avocado chorizo and quinoa summer salad.

Makes 1 bowl

1 cup or 1 400g tin of soaked chickpeas

2.5 tablespoons of olive oil 

2 tablespoons of water

6 basil leaves

juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon of tahini

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

2 teaspoons of paprika (to taste)

2 generous pinches of salt

Method

- It's so simple! Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.

- Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Summer Spaghetti with Anchovies & Capers

I was shocked to read that in the UK, adult obesity levels have almost quadrupled in the last twenty five years. One excuse we've heard time and time again is that healthy foods are much more expensive than unhealthy foods. This excuse is completely wrong. You can make healthy meals as cheap as you want them to be! This summer spaghetti is a fantastic example of how you can eat healthy for less. I calculated that this delicious and nutritious meal pictured above costs £1.16 to make and if you have a very large appetite, £2.32. A singular Big Mac from McDonalds would set you back £2.59, not to mention the 24g of fat and 2.1g of salt. I know what I would rather have. I believe the real reason people would opt for the Big Mac is because of it's convenience. If you want to be healthy, it's as simple as having a positive attitude about healthy food and not being lazy. Meals like this take no more then 15 minutes to make and are a million times better for our waistlines. Now I know that my opinion is never going to solve the UK's obesity problems, but I'm just trying to put across my point that healthy eating is not expensive, just requires a tiny little bit more time and effort. 

Anchovies have many nutritional benefits. They're bursting full of vitamin A, which is essential for bone growth, reproduction and cell division. They're also a rich source of vitamin C, that vitamin we're all told about when we're younger that's important for the development of strong bones and teeth. 

Capers are also a great low calorie addition to a meal or dish. They're bursting with flavour and also give this dish a modest nutritional boost with no added fat. 

Serves 2

1 tin chopped tomatoes 

10 anchovy fillets

2 dessert spoons of drained capers

pepper to taste

150g wholeweat spaghetti

Method

- Put the spaghetti into a pan of boiling water and leave the pasta to simmer for 8-10 minutes. 

- Put the chopped tomatoes, pepper, anchovies and capers into a separate pan. Leave to simmer over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

- Drain the pasta and stir into the tomato sauce. 

Serve and enjoy! 

Savoury Pancakes with Avocado & Feta

Like a dog isn't just for Christmas, a pancake isn't just for pancake day. It was one of those days, when you look into the fridge and get that despaired feeling - how on earth am I going to make dinner with any of this? I always have plenty of eggs from my chickens and in the fridge I managed to find an avocado, one spring onion, some feta and a pint of milk. Great, so now what -  Scrambled egg? Omelette? In the larder, I found two more ingredients: flour and a large pot of sun dried tomatoes. Hey presto, savoury pancakes it is!

Savoury pancakes really are the ultimate dish to make when you look into an empty fridge or you simply just want to use up that last knob of cheese or that sad-looking spring onion. They're so fantastically simple and quick to make and best of all, they're so delicious. You can use the pancake mix as a base, then literally add any savoury topping you want. Whether it be ham and cheese, chorizo and onions or feta and avocado, I'll guarantee you it'll be delicious. 

This avocado and feta pancake is super healthy too! Avocados are one of the healthiest foods on the planet as they contain in excess of 25 essential nutrients. They also have some pretty awesome anti-inflammatory properties which have been well documented to help a range of illnesses caused by excess inflammation. On top of this, they help to increase nutrient absorption of other foods, they're high in fibre and provide a great dosage of vitamin K, essential for good blood sugar regulation. Needless to say, just the avocado alone makes these pancakes super heathy!

Feta is a healthy alternative to many other types of cheese, such as cheddar as it's lower in calories and fat. Spring onions naturally contain more plant-derived antioxidants and dietary fibre than onions and shallots. They also are packed with essential vitamins and are in fact one of the richest sources of vitamin K. I could go on for ever about the health benefits of these pancakes but I think it's about time we start cooking!

Makes 1 large pancake 

Pancake mix 

1 free range egg

15g wholemeal flour

15g plain flour 

100ml/3.5 fl.oz of milk

salt & pepper to taste

tiny knob of butter

Topping

50g of greek feta 

5 sun dried tomatoes, sliced

1/2 avocado

1 spring onion, finely sliced

Method

- In a large bowl, beat the egg. Add the flour and beat again. Then add milk and a light seasoning. 

- Put a large frying pan over high heat until very hot. Add the knob of butter and grease the pan to ensure the pancake doesn't stick. Then put the pan over a medium-low heat. Pour the batter mix into the pan and immediately tilt the pan side to side to get a thin, even layer of batter covering the base of the pan.

- Cook for about 30 seconds or until the underside is golden and flip with a palette knife. 

- Immediately add the toppings and fold the pancake in half, then half again. Slide the pancake onto a plate to serve. 

Top tip: If you have a very large pancake and struggle flipping it without breaking it, just leave it for 20-30 seconds longer, add the toppings, fold then serve. I had to do this and it still tasted great!

Enjoy!