Banana and Cinnamon 'Zoats'

In case you're still wondering what 'Zoats' are exactly... It's basically a cross between oats and zucchini- or courgette as we call them in the UK! (So really we should technically call them 'Coats' over here... :-/). I love them for three main reasons 1. They're super healthy and packed with fiber and other great micronutrients 2. You get in a portion of veg without even realising! 3. The courgette adds loads of volume (big volume eater over here!) making it seem like you're eating more than you actually are - so they're great for when you're trying to controll portion sizes or 'dieting'! ;)

Ingredients:

100g grated courgette

40g jumbo whole rolled oats

1 scoop Reflex Natural Vanilla Whey*

1 scoop Reflex Baniffe Pie whey*

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping pictured: Nuts n' More cinnamon almond butter

1. Add the courgette and oats to a pan and pour in some cold water (around 1-2 cm above the mixture)

2. Bring to the boil then reduce down to a simmer, add cinnamon, then let the oats cook and courgette soften for a minute or so

3. Once oats have absorbed most of the water, take of the heat and briskly stir in the whey until thoroughly combined

4. Pour into a bowl and top with any nut butters/dried or fresh fruit/nuts/seeds you fancy! 

*As an optional replacement for the whey or of you want some extra fluffiness, you could use an egg or egg whites for an extra boost of protein. Just stir it in right at the end (as with the whey)- but do it really quickly so it doesnt turn into scramble! The egg will also make the oats super nice and fluffy!

Macros for everything (including the 16g of nuts n' more topping):

372 kcal

33 protein, 31g carb, 12g fat, 8g fiber

Quick Cauliflower-Quorn-and-Cheese

A delicious low-carb vegetarian meal for those lazy afternoon or evenings when you simply don't fancy spending hours in the kitchen! (Let's face it- that's practically everyday!)

A cool creamy layer on the bottom, with a warm, spicy, herby mixture on top makes this one hell of a comforting dish with little to no effort at all!

Ingredients:

150g Quorn chicken style pieces

200g chopped cauliflower

50g 0% Total greek yoghurt

50g low fat cottage cheese

25g greek feta cheese

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp dried garlic

1/4 tsp mixed dried herbs

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

1/4 tsp virgin organic coconut oil

1. Place a pan on medium heat with half the coconut oil, Quorn peices, turmeric, dried garlic, and a splash of water, and let it steam and cook with the lid on for around 5-7 mins

2. Mix greek yoghurt and cottage cheese together with black pepper and set aside

3. Add cauliflower to the quorn along with the mixed herbs and chilli flakes, place lid back on and steam for a further 5 mins

4. Finally, add the greek feta and the rest of the coconut oil, and stir through until melted and the quorn is evenly coated

5. Top the yoghurt/cottage cheese mixture with the cauliflower/quorn mixture and garnish with some more dried herbs and chilli flakes

High Protein Vegetarian/Vegan Foods

To the non-vegetarian Indians who have been training hard, or simply trying to stick to a healthier diet.. I can just feel that dread of turning meat/fish-free for the up-coming week of Navratri! For those who are unfamiliar with Hindu culture, there are times throughout the year which are considered to be important junctions of climatic and solar influences. These two periods are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of one of our goddesses - the Divine Mother Durga. We call it 'Navratri'. It usually lasts 9 nights/10 days, and out of respect we give up all non-vegetarian food sources. For regular meat, fish, egg-eaters like me, sticking to a high-protein diet during this period can prove rather difficult! Which is what inspired me to write this post.

Below I have listed a variety of healthy, natural, unprocessed/unrefined, high-protein vegetarian foods that I like to enjoy to ensure all my nutritional needs and physique goals are kept on track during my competition prep. You'll find my favourite lean sources of protein- so those with minimal fats and carbs added, a list of sources that tend to also be slightly higher in healthy-fats, and a list that tend to also be higher in carbohydrates.

Lean Protein:

Whey Protein - Reflex Nutrition is my favourite brand, it contains essential probiotics to keep your gut health in order!
Greek Yoghurt

Cottage Cheese
Quark
Quorn pieces/Quorn fillets
Low fat dairy

Higher in healthy fats:

Hemp seeds
Cheeses: greek/feta cheese, mozzarella, goats cheese, ricotta, paneer
Full fat dairy
Almonds/almond butter
Natural peanut butter
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds














Higher in carbohydrates:

Quinoa
Edamame beans
Chick peas/hummus
Lentils
Kidney beans
Pinto beans
Black beans
Cannelloni beans
Chia seeds
Vegetables
Cacao powder- My favourite is Creative Nature Superfoods brand! It's great quality, natural, organic, and jam-packed with healthy nutrients!
Quest bars (as a little high-protein treat!)

Other sources- Believe it or not, certain vegetables (leafy greens in particular) are a great source of protein and are high in fiber too- an essential nutrient vegetarians/vegans tend to lack when going low-carb! Here are some great fiber-rich, nutrient dense options:

Spinach
Kale
Asparagus
Peas
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Courgette
Sugarsnap Peas/Mangetout
Green beans
Brussel sprouts
Pak Choi
Leeks
Mushrooms
Aubergine
BASICALLY ALL LEAFY GREENS & CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES! - So go nuts with them! ;)
Chia seeds
Cacao powder

Hopefully this will have given you enough variety to play around with over the next week or so.. Be creative!
I thought I'd leave you with a few images of some tasty vegetarian food to help give you a little inspiration on a few yummy meal ideas! Happy Navratri/Veggie Week!

And just some almond butter.. Because I mean, just look- how dreamy does that look!!! <3

 

Avocado Banana & Blueberry Green Smoothie

Smoothies like this one are so great for getting a tonne of essential nutrients in, and the best part is- they take no time at all to make! They can even be prepped in advance and left in the fridge or freezer for those lazy days when you don't fancy cooking, or kept for those mornings you need to rush out the door to work... It's always nice to know you have something at hand that's going to give you all the nutrients and energy you need to either kick start you morning, or simply keep your health in-check! I've been having a variation of these 'green smoothies' almost every day now for the past few weeks, and they've not only kept me feeling full and energised, but also kept sugar cravings at bay and left my skin glowing! 

This smoothie is packed full of vitamins, and includes some of the best, yet easily accessible superfoods that will not only leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours on end, but will also leave you and your skin refreshed and glowing! High in iron, vitamins A, B, C, E, K, potassium, antioxidants, magnese, calcium, zinc, dietary fiber... The list goes on!

Avocados are well known for their great monounsaturated fats- in other words, heart healthy fats that promote your body to use them as fuel, as apposed to storing them as unwanted body fat. This along with the banana creates satiety, and gives you that great slow and sustained energy release to keep you fueled for a good few hours.

The combination of spinach (don't let this put you off, it barely adds any flavour, just simply creates nutritious volume!), avocado, and blueberries, make this an amazingly powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory rich, fat-fighting, healthy-heart boosting smoothie... AND it can be enjoyed at any time of the day!

Ingredients:

100g spinach (about 3 large handfuls)

75g banana (about 3/4 medium size)*

50g avocado (about 1/2 small)

50g blueberries (about 1 large hand full)

3 scoops Natural Reflex Vanilla Whey**

1/2 tsp cinnamon

250ml water/Alpro unsweetened almond milk /Alpro original coconut milk

Ice

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender until smooth with no lumps or clumps! 

Macros (using water):

359kcal - 35g Protein, 31g Carb, 10g Fat, 11g Fiber

*Tip- If you're like me and generally don't like to use ice, freeze some chopped bananas beforehand and use those to keep this smoothie nice and cold for a super refreshing drink!

**If you don't own whey, simply omit, however it's a great way of adding a quality boost of protein without the extra unwanted calories. Another option would be to sub the whey for 2-3 heaped tablespoons of Greek yoghurt for a lean protein kick!

Creamy Black Pepper & Lime Peas and Cheese

Finding healthy, lean vegetarian sources of protein can prove to be quite difficult at times, making sticking to healthy meat-free diet a bit of a challenge. However that's not to say it can be done. Dairy products are a common go-to for me on my veggie days, since you can find both low and high-fat versions. They also contain some great micronutrients such as calcium, omega 3-6-9s, CLAs (essential fatty acid) and MCTs (beneficial saturated fat metabolised in a similar way to carbohydrates to provide you with energy). 

Today I paired together some of my favourite vegetarian protein sources to make a delicious creamy bowl of goodness. It was super filling due to the great amounts of healthy fats, and protein, but also jam-packed with some greatly beneficial micronutrients such as iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, B, C, K, omega 3-6-9, soluble fiber, and many more! Overall - a keeper in my books.. ;)

The great thing about this dish is that it require minimal effort and is so simple to make, not to mention it still being packed with flavour. This makes it perfect to either be shared and enjoyed as a side to a main dish, or for you to enjoy the entire portion by itself as healthy balanced meal! I know which I'd prefer...

Ingredients:

200g low fat cottage cheese

100g defrosted petit pois peas

100g diced cucumber

20g greek feta cheese

10g Linwoods shelled organic hemp seeds

1/2 lime

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

Splash of apple cider vinegar

1. Mix the cucumber, petit pois, juice of the lime, apple cider vineger, and black pepper together in a bowl

2. Add the above mixture to the cottage cheese, then sprinkle on the hemp seeds and crumble on the feta from a height

340kcal - 34g Protein, 13g Fat, 17g Carb, 7g Fiber

Chocolate-centred Oaty Banana Cupcakes

I have to say these are probably one of my favourite, and tastiest healthy bakes thus far- my family who are some of the most skeptical people when it comes to 'healthy treats' will vouch for this too! Then again... Who wouldn't love a cupcake with a chocolately surprise in the middle?! 

A little family ritual that's developed over the past few years is sitting down together every Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea, and some tasty snacks or treats. So these little cupcakes were perfect for just that. 

The beauty of these sweet treats were not only were they naturally sweet and made using completely unrefined and unprocessed all natural ingredients, one or two was enough to leave you satisfied and keep you going for the next couple hours thanks to the healthy fats and complex carbohydrates used! They can also be made gluten-free for those with intolerances by simply subbing a couple of the gluten-containing ingredients for gluten-free ones. No guilt, no bloat - Win win!

So to summarise - A beautifully moist, oaty banana base with a deliciously creamy, nutty, chocolately centre, PLUS a healthy lasting energy-kick to go along with it... Erm- Yes please!

Makes 12 cupcakes:

Ingredients for the Oaty Banana base:

1 large free range egg

150g oats - use gluten-free if intolerant

100 ml unsweetened almond milk

1 large banana

1 tbsp (16g) honey

1 tbsp (16g) melted coconut oil

1 tsp baking powder - gluten-free if intolerant

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Ingredients for the Creamy Chocolate centre:

100g almond flour (almonds ground to a flour

1.5 tbsp Creative Nature's Oragnic Cacao Powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)

1/2 large banana (slice remainder of banana to decorate the muffins)

50ml unsweetened almond milk

1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (200 if not using a fan oven)

2. Start with the banana base- Whisk the egg with the unsweetened almond milk

3. Add, and mash in the banana, melted coconut oil, and honey

4. In a separate bowl, combine the 150g oats with the baking powder and cinnamon (make sure there are no clumps of baking powder!)

5. Thoroughly combine the two mixtures together and set aside whilst you prepare your chocolate centre filling

6. Mash the banana with the unsweetened almond milk and coconut oil

7. In a separate bowl, mix together the almond flour and cocoa powder

8. Thoroughly combine the mashed banana mixture (NOT the banana base mixture you previously made!) with the cocoa/almond flour mixture 

9. Line a cupcake tray with small cupcake cases and fill them with the banana base mixture up to 2/3 of the way

10. Pour the cocoa almond mixture into a  piping bag and place the nozzle deep into the centre of each cake and squeeze enough of the mixture whilst pulling the nozzle out, so that the cupcakes rises slightly and the chocolate fills to the top. If you do not own a piping bag & nozzle, simply make a well in the middle of each cupcake with a small spoon, and spoon the chocolate mixture in.

11. Place a banana slice in the middle of each cupcake then place in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the banana starts to caramelise and turn golden brown on top 

12. Place onto a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before tucking in.. If you can wait that long that is! ;)

CoCo-Nana Porridge

I absolutely love the combination of coconut and banana together, and with the additional sprinkling of Goji berries and Cacao powder- this bowl is made into a nutritional powerhouse! I enjoyed this after a nice heavy leg session, so the pairing of protein and carbohydrates were my main concern, with the aim to keep fats lower than usual. However a sprinkling of some crushed almonds or dark chocolate would have gone down a treat with this already delicious combination, so please feel free to add them in accordingly to fit your dietary needs and tastebuds! 

Ingredients:

50g Jordan's chunky traditional oats

250ml alpro original coconut milk

1 scoop Reflex Banoffee Pie Instant Whey Pro* (see below for possible substitutions)

10g goji berries

3g virgin organic coconut oil

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp Creative Nature Peruvian Cacao powder**

1. Add oats, coconut milk, cinnamon, and coconut oil to a saucepan and gently cook on a low heat stirring occasionally

2. When it starts to bubble, briskly stir in the banana whey then take it off the heat

3. Pour into a large, deep bowl (I find the bigger the bowl the more comforting the oats taste and feel!)

4. Top with gojji berries and cacao powder

Macro breakdown:

341kcal - 42g Carb, 7g Fiber, 11g Fat,18g Protein

*If you don't own whey, simply add 1/2 a mashed banana with all your ingredients in step 1.! However please note, this will of course increase the carbohydrate content of this dish!
**Cacao is basically raw cocoa- a great superfood and jam-packed with antioxidants and various nutritional health benefits so I would highly recommend it. However if you haven't had a chance to get your hands on it just yet, unsweetened cocoa powder will do the job!

Mediterranean style Quorn and Vegetable stir-fry

Being a frequent meat eater, I admittedly find it quite difficult at times to meet my dietary needs when I am required to be vegetarian for various religious days.

Once a week- every Tuesday, out of respect I am required to stick to a meat and fish-free diet. Eggs included, however I don't go as far as eliminating products containing egg such as Quorn, so this tends to be my main lean protein source on vegetarian days. 

When you're on a pretty restrictive diet, as with any foods you have to find ways of making them insteresting. Whether that be with changing flavours, changing the condiments you use, or even a simple thing like changing the types of vegetables you use! These little changes can make a huge difference, and can be a great way of keeping your diet on track and keeping your tastebuds happy!

Today, I really enjoyed my Mediterranean style stir-fry. I absolutely love stir fries. Most of my meals are stir friend because they're super quick, and can be so healthy and convenient when your short on time (provided you don't end up using a tonne of cooking oils and sauces!).

I found the salty crumbled feta and olive oil really complimented the warming tastes of ginger and garlic, but also tone down the little kick of chilli... Such a delicious dish!

Ingredients:

150g frozen Quorn pieces

100g chopped brussel sprouts

75g chopped mange tout

50g diced yellow bell pepper

5g virgin organic coconut oil

20g feta cheese

10ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp apple cider vingar

1 tsp fresh ginger

1 tsp ground garlic granules - or fresh minced

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli powder/chilli flakes

2 pinches sea salt

1. Pour Quorn into a large flat pan with a splash of boiling water, apple cider vinegar, ginger, 1/2 tsp garlic granules, turmeric, chilli, 1 pinch of sea salt, cover and leave on low heat to steam and cook.

2. Place your vegetables in a separate pan on a low-medium heat with half your coconut oil, 1/2 tsp garlic granules, black pepper, 1 pinch of sea salt, cover for 5 mins

3. Stir the Quorn, then cover again and allow to cook further until soft and juicey - you may need to add a splash more boiling water if the mixture looks to be dry!

4. Uncover your veg, turn the heat up to medium high, and briskly stir fry until the vegetables have softened slightly but still have a bite to them

5. Pour your vegetables into a bowl then check on the Quorn- it should be cooked by now

6. Stir the remaining coconut oil through the Quorn before transferring into the bowl and mixing with the vegetables

7. Crumble the feta cheese on top and gently fold it through, then drizzle the olive oil on top from a height.

Avocado & Blueberry Superfood Smoothie

This one is a big favourite in my household. It makes for the most delicious in-between meals snack or morning smoothie, and it's packed with some of the best superfoods we all know and love! 

The blueberries provide a great source of immune boosting antioxidants, whilst the avocado provides a great supply of fat-fighting, heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and anti-aging nutrients! 

Now, don't be put off by the addition of spinach and the bright green colour, you won't even taste it! It actually helps to give a bit of volume and smoothness to the smoothie.. Plus it's a great way of getting in an extra portion of those all essential detoxifying greens into your diet! The high iron content also makes this smoothie great for those who suffer from anaemia - an issue I used to suffer with prior to adopting a healthier 'greener' diet!

Apart from the amazing nutritional content of this smoothie, the best thing about it is that you probably wouldn't even think of marrying these ingredients together... But somehow they work in perfect harmony! It's thick, creamy, tastey, nutritious and just jam packed full of goodness

Ingredients:

50g avocado (about 1/2 medium sized) 

50g blueberries (about one large hand ful) 

50g spinach (about one large handful) 

200ml unsweetened almond milk 

1 serving Reflex natural vanilla whey* see below for possible substitutions

1/2 tsp cinnamon

10g honey or sweetner of choice (NB: you may need to omit if using a sweetened whey!)

Ice

Simply blend in a food processer or with a hand blender until smooth, and enjoy!

* You could just omit the protein powder, however it's a great way of making the smoothie more filling and adding sweetness without the added calories! Alternatively, you could a couple tbsp of Total greek yoghurt for that extra protein hit!

Single Serve Lemon & Pumpkin Seed Protein Cake

Everyone who knows me knows that I have a huge sweet tooth! However when dieting and preparing for photoshoots or competitions, cake is usually off the cards and you're sometimes forced to look for healthier alternatives to satisfy that sweet tooth! This one fit perfectly into my nutrition plan since it was grain-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, low carb, and of course, guilt-free! Given all of this, it makes as a great healthier alternative to regular cake for diabetics, as the healthy fats and protein help to provide a slow and sustained energy release whilst keeping blood sugar levels nice and stable.

Today I decided to combine a bit of sweetness with a little bit of tartness - and this cake was the perfect example of just that. With the smooth and subtle sweet notes of vanilla, the tartness and zing of lemon, and pumpkin seeds for that added textural bite, this mini cake was the perfect little tea-time treat!

Considering it was a very simple, quick bake, I was pretty surprised at how well it turned out - moist, fluffy, and full of flavour!

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites

20 g almond flour

1 scoop Reflex natural vanilla whey* (see below for protein-powderless substitution)

10 g pumpkin seeds

5g (1/2 tsp) virgin organic coconut oil

1 tsp stevia or sweetner of choice

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

2. Whisk egg wihites with the lemon juice until light and fluffy

3. In a separate bowl, mix together almond flour, whey, stevia, and cinnamon

4. Sift the dry ingredients into the egg whites, then stir and combine

5. Melt the coconut oil, and grate and stir in the zest of 1 lemon and half of the pumpkin seeds to the mixture

6. Grease a small oven proof dish or cake tin with virgin organic coconut oil or grass fed butter and pour in the cake batter

7. Top with the rest of your seeds & a little more lemon zest and bake for 5-7 minutes or until the top has just started to turn golden - be careful not to over bake or else it will turn out very dry! If this happens, just squeeze some more lemon juice on top and allow the cake to soak up the moisture before digging in... Alternatively, just top with some walden farms syrup, runny honey, or maple syrup!

 *Sub for 13g more almond flour

Miracle Matcha Health-bowl

I've been going out for walks first thing the mornings lately... Not only is it a great way to get the metabolism going, I've found it really helps to clear the mind - I feel so much more refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day after! The weather was so good I even got out some hill sprints today! Anyways, I refuelled with this delicious bowl of goodness... 

I used this health-mix in called Miracle Matcha which I bought at a health and fitness exhibition in London. It's made up of ground flax seeds, chia seeds, goji berries high grade white matcha (full of antioxidants!) and stevia. Definitely a great little superfood mix to invest in!

Ingredients:

2 scoops Reflex Natural Vanilla whey

1 scoop Reflex Banoffee Pie Instant whey Pro

150ml unsweetened almond milk

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

20g Miracle Matcha health- mix in 

10g pumpkin seeds

3g virgin organic coconut oil 

1. Mix your two whey's together with the cinnamon

2. Gradually stir in the almond milk

3. Melt your coconut oil and stir in

4. Top with miracle matcha health mix and pumpkin seeds

349 kcal Carb: 9g Fat: 17g Pro: 35g Fiber: 8g

Chocolate Protein Cannelloni's

When you're dieting, training hard, but have crazy chocolate cravings come the evening, yet all that's left in your macronutrient allowance is protein and a minimal amount of fats - chocolate casein is the biggest saviour known to man... So a good-quality, tastey one that's not only going to satisfy cravings, but be of a benefit rather than a hinderance to your progress is a must in my books!

Ingredients:

1/2 scoop Reflex Natural vanilla whey 

1 scoop chocolate casein

2 egg whites

150ml unsweetened almond milk 

5g virgin organic coconut oil 

1. Whisk the egg whites until light and fluffy

2. Thoroughly mix in the natural vanilla whey, 1/2 of your casein powder, and around 75ml of the almond milk - the batter should be smooth yet thick 

3. In a separate bowl, mix your remaining casein and almond milk to form your 'chocolate paste' filling and set aside 

4. Heat a little coconut oil in a pan on a low-medium heat

5. Pour 3-4 tbsp of the batter into the pan, then use the back of a metal spoon to spread and smooth the mixture into a nice round shape

6. When bubbles start to form, flip the 'cannelloni' and cook the other side for a minute or so, or until it starts to lightly brown

7. Plate up, then spread around 1-2 tbsp of the chocolate paste onto the cannelloni, then use your fingers to roll it up

Tip* if you're making a batch to set aside for later, use tooth picks to pierce through the middle of each roll to prevent them from opening up!