Sweet potato pancakes

The ultimate comfort food made healthy and satisfying! :) these pancakes are not too sweet, super squishy and fluffy AND 100% guilt free. Plus they're super easy to make from bog-standard cupboard ingredients. Yasssssss. Happy nomming...

You will need:
1 medium orange flesh sweet potato
2 eggs
1 tsp sweetener (I use Candarel powder)
1 small pot greek yogurt (I use 0% Total)
+ a banana, blueberries, nuts or any toppings of your choice

Preparation:
1. Chuck the sweet potatoes in the microwave for 2 minutes, or until they're squishy and the skin easily peels off. Peel the skin and mash.
2. Beat the eggs and add to the sweet potato mash.
3. Add the sweetener and mix.
4. Pour 1/3 of the batter into a frying pan over low heat and cook for approx 3 minutes, or until you see bubbles forming on the surface. Flip and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. Do the same for the rest of the mixture until you have 3 pancakes.
5. Arrange between sandwiches of greek yogurt and add the toppings of your choice.

London 2013.11.16

Hide and I decided we needed a little pick-me-up from the constant studying and long, dark winter nights that have come about recently, so we woke up early and hopped on a train to London for a day of shopping, wining and dining...

Jessica: Coat - Topshop // Shirt - Zara // Leather panel trousers - Rag&Bone // Bag - Givenchy // Boots - Topshop

Hide: Jacket - All Saints // Top - Neil Barrett // Jeans - Topman // Boots - Barneys NYC

Eating out on a diet

Everybody loves to have a foody splurge every once in a while. However that doesn't mean you have to come home feeling the size of a house. These are my best tips for eating out on a diet!

1. Think protein / salad rather than carbs
 Don't think it's your duty to eat pasta or a carb-heavy main course. Try switching up a few protein-based starter plates and a salad, or order extra vegetables with a meaty main course. Fill up on veg, not carbs! You don't need that random free bread, get cho' hands off it! You wouldn't sit around snacking on carby loaves of bread before a meal at home, so don't do it when you're out either.

2. Tap water is king
If you're taking step one, chances are your bill might have increased a bit by avoiding the typical main dish route. Save cash and calories, woohoooo. The average fizzy drink contains 9g of sugar, and fruit juices aren't much better either. Just save the fuss and go au natural.

3. 80% full rule
I always try to walk away from a meal when I'm 80% full. Chances are, if you wait for 20 minutes for your head to catch up with your stomach, you'll realise you're actually full. Don't be tempted by starters or desserts if you don't need them.

Restaurant examples...
Nandos
Everybody lurrrrvs a nandos! But come on, time to think logically. A carby main dish, plus two carby side dishes? Noooo! Opt for macho peas (only 3g saturated fat), corn on the cob or a simple side salad. I always get the beanie burger but leave the bread bun, plus macho peas. 

Pret
Recently Pret have started doing little protein pots, with a little salmon quinoa salad or some boiled eggs and spinach. I LOVE this idea! Pret is generally not too bad healthwise anyway, but thought I'd just include it.

Jamie's Italian
Jamie's actually do "healthy options" of all their main pasta dishes which puts them around 300kcal. I love the Crab Spaghettini. Since all their dishes are fresh too, it's easy to request specifics such as extra protein or salad with your order.

Pizza Express
Pizza Express have a fab range of 300kcal pizzas and healthy salads. The Leggera Superfood salad is super good - spinach, butternut squash, beetroot, avocado, lentils and mozzarella - tonnes of protein and healthy fats. Plus, it's possible to swap salad dressing to the "light" option, or opt for 0% fat balsamic dressing instead. You can also add chicken (extra protein!) and remove dough sticks or carby extras from your order. 

Substitute foods

When you're trying to be healthy, it's often easy to get sucked into the advertising hype of magical "low fat alternatives" or "guilt-free pleasures" to justify a little treat. I hate to break it to you, but in the food world, if something sounds too good to be true...well...it's because it is. Take, for example, your 'healthy option' Activia strawberry yogurt[1]. Only 2% fat? Great, you can feel good about yourself and that superb self-control, you skinny minnie. But oh wait. 17g of sugar? I bet you didn't see that one coming. Hi again, thigh fat. 

Basically, the replacement ingredients in "low fat" products are often more harmful than what was there in the first place. So back to square one. Instead of hap-hazard, chemical-filled duplicates of the same treat foods that you oh-so-love, I have my standard list of go-to substitutes that I use in everyday cooking, and have actually come to enjoy much more than the real, full-fat deal. Give them a try...

Butter substitute
Instead of low-fat margarine, which I find kind of weird and chemical-y, I use tomato puree. Sounds kind of odd at first, but hear me out. Tomatoes are super super good for you with lots of vitamins and minerals, contain no fat and barely any calories[2]. They're like the chia seed of the normal, non-celebrity superfood world. It may seem bizarre spreading this gloopy red stuff on bread, but in my opinion it often enhances the base of dishes - whether it be a little extra flavour in scrambled eggs on toast, a nice twang in a cottage cheese sandwich or enjoyed simply fab on its own as a topping with a little extra sprinkling of some herbs and pepper.

Granola substitute
The huge elephant in the room of all diet plans, the sugary fatty deliciousness that is granola is often mistaken for health food when actually secretly operating for the enemy. Instead of sprinkling this calorific explosion on your yogurt, why not try nuts? More specifically, walnuts. They basically look like granola. They have the basic texture of granola. They're delicious when paired with fruit or yogurt like granola. Except unlike granola, they have a huge amount of nutritional value, including better protein than that of which is found in most meats[3]. What is more, instead of the more-ish sweetness of granola that makes you want to keep picking at it until it's all gone and all that's left is your empty soul and full stomach, walnuts are choc-full of fibre which fills you up quickly, meaning you need to eat less to feel full. 

Chocolate substitute
I'm lucky in that I don't really like chocolate, but if you are a chocoholic, it's easy to lapse when you see a nice bar of Cadbury's. I suggest making chocolate porridge. Using plain oats and skimmed milk to make a normal porridge mix, spoon in 1 and a half tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 mashed very ripe banana and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. The ripe banana provides natural sweetness, and the cocoa powder supplies you with low calorie vitamins and minerals, as well as a chocolate kick[4]. With less than 1g of saturated fat per serving and the added healthy goodness of porridge complex carbs (I eat porridge religiously every morning!), this would be an ideal way to survive your chocolate cravings.

Pasta/rice substitute
Everyone loves a huge bowl of carby goodness every once in a while. But if you want to enjoy pasta dishes on a more regular basis without the starchy overload, try alternatives such as quinoa. An ex-hipster food, it's now more affordably sold for under £1 a packet in supermarkets like Sainsbury's and Asda. I use it with the same pasta sauces and toppings that I would normal pasta. Quinoa is rich in calcium, protein, fibre and other vitamins which absolutely dons your bog-standard strand of spaghetti[5]. 

Pizza substitute
I have a really big thing for Warburtons brown sandwich thins. They're already split in half, only 100 calories and really, really thin, so no stodginess here. Top them with tomato puree, a slice of mozarella or cottage cheese and any veg or protein that you want and pop them under the grill. 


Have any other treats that you want naturally substituting? Drop me a comment:)

     


References:
1) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2408916/Fat-free-How-misleading-food-labels-worsening-obesity-crisis.html

2) http://www.livestrong.com/article/458358-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-tomato-paste/

3) http://www.livestrong.com/article/345513-benefits-of-eating-walnuts/

4) http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/cocoa-powder-nutrition-information-2144.html

5) http://www.naturalnews.com/041553_quinoa_nutritional_benefits_health.html

Super protein baked avocado and egg salad

This salad packs a punch for healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals, keeps you super satisfied, takes minimal preparation and oh, not to mention tastes AMAZING. The baked eggs take on a kind of crusty outer layer, which when you cut into reveal a gorgeously oozing yolk combined with the creamy avocado - a match made in heaven. 
You will need:
1 ripe avocado
2 eggs
Salad bits and bobs (I used baby leaf spinach, cucumber and plum tomatoes)
Poached salmon fillet (I used the chilli ones from Tesco just because that's what I had in the fridge! Plain works well too though)
A twist of black pepper
Fresh chives (optional)

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to about 180C. Meanwhile, arrange the salad bits in a bowl, along with the poached salmon fillet.
2. Cut the avocado in half and scoop out about half of the flesh from each side. You can chop this up and add it to the salad.
3. Arrange the avocado halves in a small heatproof tray or muffin tin - something small enough so they're tightly packed but with a little room left around the edges for any extra egg spillage.
4. Crack the eggs into the avocado halves. Whack the tray in the oven for 15 minutes.
5. Remove, take out the avocado halves and any extra egg around the edges and add to the salad. Sprinkle black pepper and chives, tuck in and foodgasm!

Lazy stuffed sweet potatoes with chilli and coriander prawns

This is a really good lazy but super nutritious meal which doesn't require any fancy food shopping at all. Most of the ingredients are cupboard or freezer staples, so I always eat this when I'm feeling low on the cayshhh but don't wanna eat crap. Packed with iron and protein, this is perfect for the low budget food snob! 

You will need:
One large orange flesh sweet potato
A couple of handfuls of frozen spinach
A couple of handfuls of frozen soy beans 
Half a pack of chilli and coriander prawns (Tesco's do two packs for £5 - sounds expensive but that's 4 meals in total! Don't be a scrooge)
A twist of salt and pepper

Preparation:
1. Whack the soy beans in a microwave-proof bowl and add water until just covered. Microwave on full for 2 minutes. Remove and drain.
2. Whilst the soy beans are draining, put the frozen spinach into the microwave-proof bowl, cover with cling-film and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and drain.

3. Microwave the sweet potato for 2 and a half minutes or until soft. Cut in half, scoop out the flesh and add to the bowl with the spinach and soy beans. Add a twist of salt and pepper and stir until well combined.
4. Spoon into the sweet potato skins. Arrange the prawns on top and dig in!

Variations
- Instead of soy beans and spinach, peas and kale work well too. Pretty much any green, leafy vegetable you can find will be okay. 
- Instead of prawns, try a poached egg or salmon with some fresh chilli and ginger.

Diet tips

Rather than crash dieting or being forever hungry, I believe it's important to be able enjoy good, honest food yet still feel satisfied as well as healthy. To lose weight naturally and maintain a healthy body, I present to you my 5 best diet tips that I've acquired over the years (ooh that makes me sound so old and wise but no. I was just a super vain teenager)...

1. Drop that sandwich! Yes you.

After spending a year living in Japan where the only bread available was hideously thick, processed white sandwich loaves, bread has pretty much been cut out of my diet. Yeah, I missed it at first and spent most days craving sandwiches, but now my body has adjusted to the change I'm really thankful that it's been cut out from my diet. An 'empty carb', bread often leaves you unsatisfied and bloated compared to some of the much more fibrous, nutritious carbohydrates such as quinoa and bulgar wheat. By switching from sandwiches to grains, it gives you a chance to increase your protein and veg intake and reduce your carbs, meaning you're satisfied for longer and will lose those pounds. Yeah, it may take slightly more effort to knock something together than just grab a sandwich, but what would you prefer - 5 more minutes spent making your meal or 20 minutes extra working off that BLT flab in the gym? Thought soooo. 

2. Protein is your God

Make sure to always eat more protein and veg in your meal than carbs (my ratio is usually protein 50%, veg 30%, carbs 20%). Lots of fish, eggs and chicken breast if you eat meat. Protein fills the body up much quicker than carbs, meaning it's virtually impossible to overeat. Google the Leptin effect if you need more convincing - protein is rife with this fabulous 'fullness' hormone. Berries and bananas, green veg such as spinach, kale, broccoli etc are also great meal fillers - fibrous fruit and vegetables will keep you satisfied longer, plus the best bit; even if you eat an absolute sh*tload, it's pretty much calorie free. Less carbs, more protein and fibre and you're sorted. 

3. Go paleo!

The paleo diet - i.e. eating like a caveman - actually has some grounding to it. Although it may be costly and frankly ridiculous to get every single thing organic, have your own chicken and care for your own vegetable patch conditioned with your own excrement or whatever, by sticking to the simple rule of 'one ingredient' food, you can benefit your body, increase your metabolism and will have much more energy. For example, instead of eating those 'diet biscuits' which contain a huge amount of ingredients (most of which I'm often doubtful of being real words), have a handful of walnuts and a banana. They contain much more nutrients and none of the nasty additives which keep your body hooked to those processed treats, no matter how "healthy" they are marketed as. Think natural! Your body will thank you for it.

4. Don't be scared of natural fats

That brings me to my next point - don't shy away from natural fats! Fat has had a bad rep in the media in recent years, but actually "low fat" products often contain more sugar and chemicals, which in turn will increase your cravings and go straight to your thighs girlfriendddddd. What's more, foods like avocados, nuts and eggs contain 'good' fats which actually speed up metabolism and replenish your body with vital vitamins and nutrients. Just because something has a high saturated fat label, don't panic and run back to the low fat, sugary processed crap. Think logically - if it's a natural, one ingredient product, it's most likely to be good for you. Cavemen didn't have an obesity problem.

5. SUGAR = the enemy

Fat and calories have been marketed as the bad guys for a while now, but sugar has somehow escaped the media grasp...dunno why though, cos that stuff is EVIL. Ever since sugar imports began to Britain in the 18th Century, we were all hooked on the sweet stuff aaaand things have gone downhill ever since. Sugar is the reason that you diet yourself silly but still don't appear to lose any weight - it sticks to your wobbly bits like glue. It's everywhere - in those delicious "low fat" yogurts you think help fight fat cells in your tummy and will turn you into Beyonce, in those "vitamin water" drinks that you think will cleanse your system of impurities and give you skin like Gweneth Paltrow, even in your breakfast cereal just waiting to give you bingo wings and a muffin top. Although this is definitely the hardest tip, try to lose that sweet tooth! Gradually reduce your sugar intake and your sweet tooth should adjust to find things like fruit and nuts to be "sweet", and those processed things will soon become unpalatable and too sickly to you. Sugar is literally like a drug, but once you stick with it and ignore those cravings, your body will worship you.

Low fat, low sugar, super yummy vanilla cheesecake

Cheesecake is by far one of my favourite desserts, but the real deal can definitely make you feel more than a little guilty diet-wise. So you can imagine, when I found this quick and easy healthy version I was super excited because it means you can incorporate cheesecake into your diet as a more frequent treat, minus the extra calories and preparation time! To tell the truth, I actually prefer this version to 'real' cheesecake as it's SO YUMMY and sweet, but doesn't leave me with that horrible bloated feeling that heavy cream does. Trust me, this is genius!

You will need:
2 digestive biscuits
50g Total 0% Greek Yogurt
50g low fat soft cheese
A dash of vanilla extract
1 tsp sugar or sugar substitute (I use Candarel)
+ fruit of your choice (strawberries, raspberries and blueberries work a dream)


Preparation:
1. In a dessert tumbler, crumble the digestive biscuits.
2. Mix all other ingredients (if you are feeling less indulgent, add less cream cheese and more yogurt to make 100g - sometimes I use 30g cream cheese + 70g yogurt).
3. Spread over the biscuit base, add your fruit and enjoy!