Quick bake paleo mix.

Quick

Easy

Paleo

Nutritious

Simple

I could go on.

This dish was all that I had the effort to make on Wednesday night when I got home from work early ill.

Whilst I cooked some sausages in the oven I also roasted in an oven dish;

•Butternut squash

•Leeks

•Sprouts

•Bacon

•Mushrooms

•Fresh chilli

•Drizzled with Olive oil 

•Seasoned with black pepper and chilli powder

•Cooked for 30 minutes

I had 2 helpings of this :)

Sofit xxxxxx

Beef and sausage casserole.

Ive been ill this week and had to take some time off work. Usually when I am ill I see it as an excuse to go crazy and eat whatever I want, and as much of it as I can. But this time I was good and fed my cold with healthy and nutritious food (not my usual Chinese takeaway special).

I had 2 nights ill and will show you both of my meals, they both had as many vegetables I could get my hands onto in them and some good quality grass fed/outdoor reared meat.

My favourite meal, and the tastiest, one was my beef and sausage casserole which the boyfriend also enjoyed a massive serving of. We had it with mashed potato and broccoli.

(Apologies in advance for the bad quality pictures- I was ill, and also hungry!)

RECIPE:

•Grass fed beef

•Outdoor reared sausages

•Sprouts

•2 x Carrots

•2 x Parsnip

•1 x Swede

•1 x Leek

•2 x White Onion

•Stock

•2 x Garlic Cloves

•Gravy granules

•Salt & Pepper

•Coconut Oil

•Potatoes and broccoli for sides

(Usually I would put all of the above into a casserole dish and cook it all together over a few hours - but this is how to do it in a 60 minute window)

•Preheat oven to 180c

•Fry chopped onions & diced garlic with coconut oil

•Add beef and sausage to pan

•Boil all chopped veg in a saucepan of stock, season to taste with salt & pepper

•When meat is cooked (10-15 minutes) transfer both into a casserole dish 

•Add some stock to the meat frying pan and pour into dish (to ensure you get all meat juices and flavour)

•Cook in the oven for as long as you want/have

•Add some gravy granules and cook for a further 10 minutes before serving

•Serve and enjoy

Sofit xxxxxxxxx

Chicken & Leek with garlic mushrooms.

I am really getting into this paleo approach to eating, and am still reading through my 'it starts with food' book all about the whole 30 approach. It's making me think harder about what I eat and why I eat it. 

I am really making the effort to avoid anything processed, anything not fresh and anything that doesn't serve me nutritional benefit. 

I struggled to get back into it yesterday after waking up feeling ill, but I am happy to say that I am back in my flow today and went to TWO gym classes tonight and cooked a paleo / whole30 friendly dinner for a friend and I.

Chicken & leek, Garlic Mushrooms, Roasted beetroot and squash with a side of runner beans, baby stem broccoli and baby corn.

RECIPE:

•Chicken Thighs

•5 Garlic Cloves

•1 White Onion

•1 large Leek

•Coconut/Olive oil

•Seasoning to taste- salt, pepper, chilli

•Preheat oven to 180c

•Cut onion and leeks

•Put all in casserole dish with whole garlic cloves

•Place chicken on top

•Add oil and seasoning

•Cover with foil and cook for 35 minutes

For the mushroom I dry fried them to start with diced garlic cloves, then added a table spoon of the juices from the casserole dish as I served the chicken.

I made a jus with the juices in the casserole dish by pressing down on the garlic cloves to remove all juice, and added it into a small amount of chicken stock through a sieve. 

Enjoy :)

Sofit xxxxxx

Paleo review time!

 It has been about 2 months since I returned to a meat eating diet with low carb intake and avoiding processed food; time for a reflect and review.

I feel so so SO much better since eating meat again. 

I feel like I have bags more energy, better mood, less cravings and I'm cheating half as much even on planned times. I'm exercising more, and recovering quicker, I'm have more motivation and my body has started improving in the last 2 weeks since going stricter. Even my skin and hair feel better!

I have been getting stricter with myself as the weeks have gone by, and plan to cut it even stricter from Monday. I've been doing a lot of reading and research into the paleo, primal and whole 30 diet approach and the results/evidence they provide. It's all making me even more motivated and inspired to cut back and get even stricter. Why not? I am honestly feeling better and better every day- so clearly it is working for me! 

'Abs are made in the kitchen',

'Weightloss = 20% exercise 80% diet',

'Food can help you or hinder you'....

Basically- it all starts with food!

If you're interested in reading more I would advise you to read the above book. I'm hooked! You can find me every day on the way to and from anywhere with my nose pressed against my iPad/iPhone reading this on kindle!

Have a great weekend- make healthy choices

Sofit xxxxxx

Sprouts and bacon!

I wrote this post a few years ago! This is still one of my favourite & most used recipes! Versatile- good as a main, or a side dish with just about anything!

Enjoy xxxxx

There are no words to describe just how well sprouts and bacon go togther.

You have to try for yourself!

Bacon & sprouts is a common go to for paleo diet followers. I love it. But this time I decided to throw in a load of garlic, chilli powder and sweet potato for the perfect dinner, breakfast and leftover lunch for work!

Quick! Easy! Cheap! Healthy! Nutritious!

It ticks all the right boxes!

RECIPE:

•Brussel sprouts

•Bacon

•Sweet potato

•4 Garlic cloves

•Chilli powder & flakes

•Salt & Pepper

•Coconut/Olive oil

•Preheat oven to 180c

•Cut bottom/stalk off sprouts & slice in half

•Cut bacon into mini strips

•Rough chop/Dice sweet potato into odd size pieces

•Dice garlic

•Throw in an oven dish and top with oil and seasoning to taste

•Cook for 45 minutes, stirring every 10

•Serve immediately and enjoy

•Box up left overs on a bed of curly kale and top with eggs for the perfect leftovers breakfast and/or lunch 

Sofit xxxxxx

The perfect frittata.

I love eggs.

But that's not new.

What is new to me, is chucking my left overs in a pan and making it into a frittata for breakfast and/or lunch the next day! Amazing!

Cost effective, quick, easy, simple and healthy!

RECIPE:

•5 eggs

•Olive oil 

•Almond milk

•Salt, Pepper and Chilli powder

•Leftover lamb & winter veggies

•Chop up left over meat and veggies and sauté in a saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil seasoned to taste

•Whisk eggs and milk and pour onto mix

•Cook on low and once bottom starts to harden, pop pan under the grill 

•Once cooked- serve and enjoy!

Or pop into a lunchbox for tomorrow! 

Sofit xxxxxx

Lamb Bake dinner.

The definition of a casserole is food cooked and served in an oven/casserole dish, in Australia it is called a casserole just for the dish and not based on the contents. Well this is pretty vague and covers a lot of dishes in vast variety.

In that case 'casserole' has to be the perfect quick fix meal. You just throw in your ingredients and let it cook. It is the perfect way of cooking for anyone that is on a time restraint, therefore not having time to prep and/or stand and cook. Just chuck it in a dish and pop it in the oven. Perfect.

On Wednesday night I made a lamb dinner in a casserole dish, served it with a baked butternut squash (see previous blog post) and a curly kale green side.

RECIPE:

•Lamb steak

•Baby corn

•Leek

•Carrot

•Babystem broccoli

•Sugar snap peas

•Chilli

•Salt & Pepper

•Rosemary

•Tiny amount of stock- literally a splash

(The beetroot in the picture was used for seperately roasting, I'm addicted to it)

•Preheat oven to 180c

•Place all veg cut as desired into casserole dish

•Place lamb steaks on top

•Season to taste & add rosemary

•Add your splash of stock water

•Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes

Serve and enjoy 

Sofit xxxxxxx

Jacket Squash.

Oh my..! I am a happy person right now. This week I have discovered something perfect for my healthy lifestyle- I LOVE BUTTERNUT SQUASH!

Yeh, so what?! You say. Well let me explain- it tastes and feels just like potato! I have found my potato swap fix! 

Let's think about this seriously, this week I bought one large squash and it has supplied 9 meals! I have cut and roast potato styled it, I have had it roasted with chilli in my winter veg mix and last night I not only made a jacket squash, I also put it into a frittata!! 

This little squash can feed an army! Everyone seriously needs to try this! I am going to be cooking with it all of the time now! 

Even better- the squash is filled with amazing anti oxidants, minerals, vitamins, protein, fibre and mono-unsaturated fatty acids that are good for heart health! - SO GET EATING IT! :)

Quick, easy, cheap, healthy, tasty, nutritious, child friendly etc etc!

RECIPE:

•Butternut squash 

•Olive Oil

•Salt & Pepper

•Chilli Powder optional

•Pre heat oven to 200c

•Score the surface of your sliced in half squash (remember to remove seeds/pulp with a spoon)

•Drizzle on Olive Oil

•Season to taste

•Pop onto a baking tray line with foil & cook for 60 minutes

Serve and enjoy!  

Sofit xxxxxx

Turkey Casserole / Bake.

Last night I made a quick and easy one pot bake / casserole. I am becoming a big fan of these simple dishes with small prep time that you can just throw in the oven and leave. 

I made turkey casserole. It wasn't strictly paleo as I used some stock and gravy- but it was still mega healthy and tasty.

Again this is another perfect dish for young professionals with limited time, families, mums with limited time, child friendly and perfect for lunch box leftovers.

RECIPE:

•4 Turkey steaks

•2 large white onions

•2 large Carrots

•Mushrooms

•Gravy powder/granules

•1.5 cups stock

•Fresh garden peas x 1 cup

•Salt and Pepper

•4 Garlic cloves

•Chilli powder

•Pre heat oven to 180c

•Slice your carrots and onions

•Cut mushrooms in half

•Cut Turkey steaks into roughly cut odd size pieces

•Dice Garlic cloves

•Throw in an oven dish and season to taste

•Pour in stock

•Cover with foil/lid and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally if desired

•Add peas and gravy granules

•Stir, cover and cook for a further 5-10 minutes

Serve and enjoy 

We had ours with the roasted veg mix from my previous post and some sweet corn. It got the thumbs up from the boyfriend- and that's not always easy.

Sofit xxxxxxx

Blueberry Paleo Muffins.

Whether it's for a desert, a snack or even breakfast- try my yummy Paleo style blueberry muffins.

They must be easy to make because even I can make them (and baking is not my strong point), so give them a go!

Cheap to make, quick prep time and child friendly.

RECIPE:

•Almond Flour x 2 cups

•Coconut flour/Desicated x 1/2 cup

•Baking powder x 1 tablespoon

•2 eggs

•Water x 1 cup

•Raw honey x 1 big tablespoon

•Mashed banana x 2

•Vanilla Extract

•Blueberries

•Preheat oven to 170c

•Combine dry ingredients

•Add wet ingredients and fold mix

•Add all other ingredients and fold

•Put muffin cases into a muffin tray

•1 heaped tablespoon of muffin mix into each muffin case

•Cook for 35-45 minutes (or until a knife comes out the centre clean), turning muffin tray 2-3 times

•Leave to stand on cooling rack for 15 minutes

•Enjoy

ALTERNATIVES:

Use coconut sugar or

Chopped dried apricots or

Sultanas 

Sofit xxxxxx

Sofit's indoor mini bootcamp.

Right! This is it. No more excuses of it being too cold or of having no time or anything else! This workout takes 15 minutes only and can be done in the living room or your bedroom. Trust me! We tested it last night!

This is the perfect workout for those days  when you can't make the gym, or only have a really small amount of time to workout. Literally- it only took 15 minutes and we probably could of finished it quicker.

•20 star jumps

•20 box squat jumps

•20 knee to elbow jumps

•30 second wall sit

•1 minute plank

•20 mountain climbers

•20 core leg throws (alone or +1)

•20 push ups

•1 min side plank- left & right

•20 star jumps

•1 minute wall sit

•20 lie to sit core sit ups

•20 box squat jumps

•20 tricep dips (off the sofa)

•20 on your back hip push ups

•20 lunges - left and right

Aaaaand that's it. 

A high intensity 15 minute workout, perfect for in the home.

Feeling brave/strong/fit?? 

Rest for 5 and REPEAT! 

Variations: 

I do my mountain climbers whilst seriously tensing my abs, or throw in diagonal mountain climbers. 

I do my hip push ups (also known as a bridge) with my feet up on the sofa so I have an incline/more work to do! 

This is a bridge/hip push up:

Enjoy

Sofit xxxxxx

Paleo Meatballs & Roasted Winter Veg.

I made some yummy meatballs to go with my roasted winter veg last night. 

Meatballs has to be one of the easiest meals to cook, literally just pop it in an oven dish with the other bits and cook! Quick, easy and healthy- perfect!

Last night was minimal effort night- I'm trying to make my meals as easy and as quick to make as possible so that anyone with any time constraint can make them at home.

RECIPE:

•3 x Big Tomatoes

•2 x White Onion

•4 x Garlic Cloves

•Preheat oven to 200c

•Dice garlic cloves

•Dice or chop 2 x white onion

•Chunky chop the tomatoes

•Put all on an oven dish

•Drizzle with olive oil

•Add salt & pepper and stir

•Cook for 35-40 mins, stirring 2-3 times throughout

Serve immediately and enjoy  

Sofit xxxxxxx

Roaster Winter Veg.

I'm sure by now you all know how much I love winter, and especially Christmas. I love the colours of winter, I love wrapping up in winter clothes, Christmas films are definitely the best films and everyone just seems so happy around Christmas!

Another great thing about the winter is the food! I love making hearty and healthy winter perfect filling meals, I love to cook through the winter. Warm meals are definitely my preferred choice- don't get me wrong I love a salad and a fruit juice, but if I had to choose- it would be warm food all the way!

This winter I will be trying new recipes every week for the blog, and expanding my cooking knowledge (hopefully by a lot) and sharing it with you all. I have been reading up on a few blogs and some recipe books and adapting them to be healthy and as I like them, so hopefully you will too. I have a massive list of meals to attempt and I'm looking forward to getting through it.

So, last night I had a friend to my house and we completed a quick high intensity mini bootcamp that I designed earlier in the day. Then we feasted on a warm paleo style meal of garlic meatballs and roasted winter veg. 

I always always keep my meals simple, so I like to think (I hope) that nobody feels that they can't attempt to make them at home by following my recipe.

Last night I roasted two new vegetables, I can't believe I have got to 25 and not tried them roasted to be honest! I had beetroot and butternut squash.... and I absolutely LOVED them. In fact I would go as far as saying that they were my favourite part of the meal. It got the thumbs up from my dinner guest too, who loved the taste that the seasoning have to the veg. 

RECIPE:

•Butternut squash 

•Beetroot 

•Asparagus 

•Courgette

•Sweet Potato

•Mushroom

•Preheat oven to 200c

•Peel squash and chop into chunks of varied sizes

•Slice beetroot slices, 2 cm thick

•Chop courgette and mushrooms into chunks

•Wash sweet potato and slice leaving skin on

•Put all veg into a baking tray and drizzle with Olive Oil/Coconut Oil

•Season with Salt, Pepper, Chilli Flakes and Chilli Powder

•Cook for 35-40 minutes, shaking/turning veg once or twice

Serve immediately and enjoy 

Sofit xxxxx

Friday & Saturday Diary entry.

Is everybody still keeping their food diaries? I really think that it helps me to stay on track and encourages me for the following day. I sometimes often write in the diary for a few days ahead also, this helps me to plan and again encourages me to stick to the plan.

I also pop down what exercise I have done that day.  Find that this helps when I am trawling back through my diary, feeling like I have lost the plot or gone off track. It's actually quite reassuring when you notice that actually- I didn't eat all that bad at all, AND I did 30 minutes exercise etc, and then that reassurance will encourage me to carry on! 

But of course, it works in the opposite situation also. I always put everything in my diary- even alcohol, even a bite of chocolate. Be honest. 

So if I have fallen off the wagon and had a bad day (or two) I will simply read back over my diary and use it as encouragement to stop and to contribute being clean and healthy. If I don't see any exercise written next to the entries then it gives me motivation to go do some! It really works for me. Give it a try! :)

Working breakfast on Friday was Salmon & Eggs with a peppermint tea. 

Lunch was leftover beef, carrot roasts and pancetta sprouts (see previous post).

From work I had my hair done, and didn't get home until 9.15! I grabbed a mixed bean salad & chorizo salad mini pot from M&S for dinner.

Breakfast on Saturday was this amazing saVse super red smoothie- literally crammed with raw goodness.

Brunch was a big breakfast and organic sourdough toast.

Dinner was a massive treat meal at Bar Baloud at the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge. An amazing treat! 

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Sofit xxxxxx

Winter dinner!

Dinner date with my boyfriend at my house tonight. I tried some new recipes for you all.

On the menu we had Winter Vege beef, rosemary roasted carrots and Pancetta wrapped sprouts. 

Amazing!

Vege Beef Recipe:

•Lean minced beef

•White Onions

•Mushrooms

•Carrots

•Swede

•Stock Cubes

•Salt and Pepper

•Brown off you mince- no oil required

•Add all veg chopped into square sizes

•Add beef stock and salt & pepper to taste

Serve! 

Pancetta Brussels Recipe:

•Brussell sprouts

•Pancetta

•Par boil sprouts in salted water for 3 minutes

•Wrap cooked sprouts in pancetta

•Fry in a pan without oil until desired crisp is achieved

Serve 

Rosemary roasted Carrot recipe:

•Carrots

•Rosemary

•Salt & Pepper

•Oil- coconut/olive/butter

•Par boil chunky chopped carrots in salted water for 3 minutes

•Put in a baking tray and add oil, salt & pepper and rosemary

•Cook on 180 for 20-30 minutes, shaking pan regularly

Serve 

Enjoy!

Sofit xxxxxx

Working out & Protein talk!

I need a massive, huge & gigantic fitness shake up! I have been seriously lazy, disheartened and over comfortable.

I am now back in my working out routine! My legs and butt are killing me- I am literally walking like my legs don't bend! It's so bad that when I dropped my pen in a patients house earlier, I 100% considered leaving it there because it hurts that much to bend!! I am even being a stander on the escalators in the tube stations- I'm not usually that person- I'm usually running up or down them!!

Protein is so important for muscle recovery and building, so I am back on the protein shakes, adding protein to my already high protein meals and even snacked on a protein bar earlier!

People ask me how I stay motivated? I don't. It's hard work! Especially with it now being dark on the way to & on te way home from work. It makes us lethargic and want to hibernate with stodgy winter food. Which of course we can do... To a point. 

We need to stay in control, and ensure we exercise minimum 3 times a week. 

Remember- any workout is a workout! Even from the comfort of your own home. I have devised a few work out plans for myself, friends and family tailored to the areas needing more work and the time restriction. Sophie's bootcamp is fun!! 

I really didn't want to walk out to the gym at 7pm last night- but then I reminded myself what I want. To be fit and healthy, energetic and proud of my body. That takes work!!! So I went.

The best thing about these episodes is- you never ever regret going. So just go!

I use sunwarrior raw protein, which is vegan therefore dairy free- paleo perfect! It's really tasty in a shake or for cooking with.

I also use Pulsin' raw pea protein to add to smoothies and meals. 

Double protein!!! 

Keep motivated and throw me any questions on here, Facebook or Instagram. 

Sofit xxxxxx

Spicy Paleo Beef!

Tonight I tried a new idea, I thought of it on the tube on the way home from work before the gym. I am so glad I tried it!

Big statement: this is my new FAVOURITE dish! 

•Paleo perfect!

•High protein!

•Low Carb!

•Filling!

•Seriously tasty!

Recipe:

•Lean beef mince

•1 large White onion 

•Mushrooms

•2 Fresh red chillies 

•1-2 Garlic cloves

•Beef stock

•Chilli powder

•Chilli Flakes

•Salt and Black Pepper

•2 eggs

•Protein powder (raw pea protein)

•Golden linseed (flaxseed)

•Brown your mince in a pan, no cooking oil needed, with chopped garlic and chilli.

•Add beef stock cube, small amount of salt and lots of black pepper

•Add mushroom and onions, cook until softened

•Shallow poach/fry 2 eggs 

•Add 1 heaped spoon of pea protein, chilli powder & chilli flakes and Golden Linseeds to beef mix and stir

•Serve with eggs on top, burst yolk into the mix

So there we have it. A paleo, primal and caveman style HIGH protein and low carb meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as me! :)

Sofit xxxxxxxx

Chorizo!!!

A waitrose special snack pack of chorizo today after realising that it is paleo/primal/caveman accepted!

I am absolutely loving the return to meat eating, avoiding processed/packaged food and low carb intake. I'm feeling really good for it, full of energy and healthy.

Moral of the story- I love meat! :)

Sofit xxxxx

Getting sweaty!!

It's get sweaty week here for me! I deserve to seriously punish my lazy (and definitely getting fat) ass!  

Last night was a 1 hour weighted Bums, Tums, Thighs and Abs class. Jeez, I am feeling it today! I am actually in agony- my legs and bum hurt with every step!

There is no feeling as good as a finished workout (kinda)... Even though I was actually hating my life throughout the whole class!!!  

I have booked into a BIG session tonight- heavy weights and a super strict instructor- wish me luck! I am going to need it!!

I hope you're all having a good, active and healthy week!

Sofit xxxxx

Breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Yeh, yeh, I do realise that practically all of my posts recently involve egg. But hey, I like eggs!

Breakfast today was a loaded 3 egg omelette, stuffed with ham, onion, mushroom and tomato.

The best thing about omelette is that you can have as many or as little fillings as you want, and generally anything goes. Omelette is the perfect way to use up all of the leftovers in your fridge & create a quick, simple and nutritious meal- breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Sofit xxxxxx