Lime and coconut macaroons...great treat and healthy to boot!

Wow, wow, wow. I'm going to keep this short and sweet (excuse the pun) I've only just made these but they were so great I had to post straight away. In the search for gf and dairy free treats I remembered the old fashioned coconut macaroons that my nan used to love and decided to give them a go with the updated twist of lime. They taste great, very pleased with the chewy but crisp texture and the lime zing lifts them perfectly. The best surprise though was that I checked the nutritional value and they're perfect for a healthy treat too! 80 cals, low in carb and high in protein and fibre with moderate healthy fat from the coconut. They'd make a great gift for a friend on a diet. Pile 5-6 up and tie with a pretty bow. 

So here goes:

Ingredients:

Makes 9

100g unsweetened shredded/desiccated dried coconut 

2 large egg whites 

1 tbsp coconut sugar or soft dark brown sugar or your choice of sweetener (the state are based on sugar) 

1 lime (or two if they aren't very juicy!) 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180C

1. Place the egg whites in a bowl and add the sugar. Beat well until incorporated. 

2. Add the coconut, zest and juice of the lime and stir until fully combined

3. Form the mixture into 9 rough balls and flatten onto a greased baking sheet 

4. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown

Enjoy! 

Budget Friendly Healthy Eggs in a Tomato Sauce

As part of the The Trussell Trust's Three Pound Challenge I was asked if I could create a meal for two for less than £3. This is the sort of challenge I love and as my goal is to eat clean, healthy food I jumped at the chance to prove this could be achieved on a relatively modest budget. Eggs are the cheapest source of good protein so seemed the obvious choice! 

This meal is ideal for a healthy, budget friendly supper when you're in a hurry, as it's quick and easy to make. 

Recipe 

2tsp oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tin supermarket economy chopped tomatoes
1 stock cube (I like beef best with tomatoes but chicken or vegetable work well too)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
1/2 bag spinach, shredded
6 free range eggs 
Salt and pepper to taste 
1/2 iceberg lettuce shredded 
One head of broccoli, cut into florets and boiled 

1. Start by gently sautéing the onion in a non stick frying pan in 1 tsp of oil. Once it starts to soften add the garlic. 
2. Add the tin of tomatoes, salt, pepper and stock cube and stir well. 
3. After a few minutes add the spinach and balsamic vinegar. Stir and allow the spinach to wilt. 
4. Once the spinach has wilted use the back of a spoon to make 6 wells in the sauce and gently break an egg into each well. Cover the frying pan with a lid or large plate until the egg white is cooked but the yolk is still runny (cook the yolk all the way through for anyone old, young, pregnant or sick). 
5. Serve with shredded iceberg lettuce coated with a little more oil and the cooked broccoli. 

Enjoy! 

Costing 

Tinned tomatoes 31p
Onion 13p
Garlic 5p
Oil 3p
Balsamic vinegar 3p
Stock cube 12.5p
Spinach 50p
Eggs 92p
Salt 1p 
Pepper 2p
Lettuce 25p
Broccoli 60p

Total: £2.96 

Prices correct as of 27th November based on actual amounts used

The Trussell Trust, a UK based food bank charity that is currently doing some incredible work in the community to help families who are on the bread line.  You can find a little bit more information about what they do here:http://www.trusselltrust.org/

One Week in Sarah's Diary: Sunday

I started the day with 20 mins of circuits before breakfast and also went for a nice, but bracing, walk. I was visiting my parents and they wanted roast lamb for dinner so I volunteered to cook it so I could make it as clean as possible.

Food and Drinks:
Breakfast: first thing I had lemon, ginger and hot water. I then had a variation on this Baker Boys recipe. I didn't have any bread so I layered up 2 rashers of lean dry cure bacon with a luscious tomato mixture (made from tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, balsamic vinegar black pepper, oatmeal and a tiny piece of beef stick cube), topped with a poached egg. Here is my version. It really was delicious. .




Lunch: I was out again but managed to eat relatively well. I had a ham ploughmans with no bread and extra salad and a few olives

Afternoon snack: a latte made with skimmed milk

Dinner: as mentioned my parents wanted a roast dinner. I'm glad I decided to cook so that the meal was cleaner than a full on traditional roast. We had a leg of lamb which they had bought from a local farm. The lambs graze on the salt marshes, eating samphire, which makes the lamb very tasty. They would normally want roast potatoes so I substituted these for roasted veg (onions, carrots and celeriac) and also cooked some shredded cabbage.




For pudding I made a pseudo fruit crumble based on my granola. The base was blackberry and apple with a fruit prunes chopped very finely and stirred through for sweetness topped with a mixture of oats, egg, flaked almond and cinnamon. We had it with 0% Greek Total yoghurt rather than custard or ice cream. You could also serve it with plain frozen yoghurt. Considering there was no added sugar it was very tasty.








Water: 1.5 litres
Other drinks: 5 mugs of decaf tea with skimmed milk, 1 latte
Organised for tomorrow: nothing for tomorrow but I have booked a massage later in the week to help with relaxation

Exercise and Walking

Walking: 45 mins
Exercise: 20 mins circuits (ten each of elevated rear leg lungs, jump squats, push ups and burpees repeated for 20 mins)

Relaxation and Sleep

Relaxation: spending time with family, going for a walk, early night
Meditation: 10 mins
Bed time: 9.30pm
Estimated hours of sleep: 7.5 hours

Before bed I always eat a few walnuts and take a magnesium supplement. I also sleep with a black out blind and sleep mask and use a pulse aromatherapy oil made of relaxing oils.

One Week in Sarah's Kitchen: Saturday

It was so lovely to wake up from a good nights sleep after a long week. I started the morning with some yoghurt and nuts before going to the gym as I was doing a weights class and struggle if I don't have anything to eat beforehand.

As I've mentioned I try and eat cleanly all week with the exception of 1 treat meal a week. Some people call this a cheat meal, but psychologically I prefer the idea of treating myself for eating well rather than seeing it as cheating. I also plan this meal as part of my weekly food planning and chose something I really want so I have something to look forwards to. I tend to have this at the weekend and typically cook something. I try and still keep it as natural and unprocessed as possible but don't worry about sugar, refined carbs or fat. This week I'd decided to have it on Saturday lunch time as I had my friend and her girls coming to visit and she wanted to go to a nice bakery for lunch.
I find this meal important for three main reasons:

1. I love cooking and baking so the idea of never being able to eat some things and try some recipes is not one I'm willing to consider.
2. By having a treat meal I have something help me resist temptation during the week. If I fancy a bar of chocolate I ask myself if I'd rather have that or the treat meal I've planned and am looking forwards to.
3. From what I've read this shakes up your body and helps prevent your metabolism from becoming too sluggish.

Food and Drinks:

Breakfast: first thing I had lemon, ginger and hot water. I then had a small amount of 0% Total Greek yoghurt with a few lightly roasted nuts

Morning snack: this was more breakfast than a snack as I had it when. Got back from the gym but I went for scrambled eggs with mushrooms and spinach and added some thyme and a splash of balsamic vinegar to the mushrooms for flavour before adding 1 egg and 2 egg whites.




Lunch: at the bakery I had a croissant filled with gruyere cheese and ham with grainy mustard and a side salad followed by a raspberry tart with a pot of tea and a small bar of dark chocolate with pink peppercorns (very unusual but quite tasty!).

Afternoon snack: as I had a big, late lunch I didn't have any snack.

Dinner: As I was home I wanted to cook something tasty but clean. I had some Tenderstem broccoli which needed using up so I decided to make a Thai green curry served with Tenderstem broccoli and asparagus dressed in a soy, chilli and lime dressing. The Thai curry was a recipe I picked up when I was on holiday in Kao Tao, Thailand. They used a bought curry paste so I did the same but do sometimes made my own and freeze it in small portions. You can find good recipes on google.








For pudding I had a foil baked orange



Water: 2 litres
Other drinks: 2 mugs of decaf tea with skimmed milk, 1 black decaf coffee, 1 regular tea
Organised for tomorrow: I am visiting my parents so packed my gym kit

Exercise and Walking

Walking: 30 mins
Exercise: 1 hr weights class - Body Pump

Relaxation and Sleep

Relaxation: I then listened to some music whilst cooking and watched a TV programme I'd missed in the week and then went to bed early
Meditation: none
Bed time: 9.15pm
Estimated hours of sleep: 8 hours

Before bed I always eat a few walnuts and take a magnesium supplement. I also sleep with a black out blind and sleep mask and use a pulse aromatherapy oil made of relaxing oils.

One Week in Sarah's Kitchen: Friday

Last day in the office of the week. I always forget how long these exercises are! As I travel most weeks for work it was lovely to sleep in my own bed every night for a week but 12-14 hours in the office each day in a high stress situation has taken it's toll. I'm very glad it's the weekend!

Food and Drinks:

Breakfast: first thing I had lemon, ginger and hot water. Followed a little later by Protein Pancakes. However unlike the recipe I had them plain with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top.




Morning snack: a healthy Eton Mess. Made my mixing 0% Total Greek Yoghurt with raspberries, blueberries, chopped dates, grated apple and vanilla. I normally top with a few flaked almonds or mixed seeds but I forgot. Yum!

Lunch: tomato and lentil soup


Afternoon snack: roasted nuts and a pear

Dinner: As I was home at a reasonable time I wanted to cook something but as I was feeling pretty tired it needed to be quick I went with this recipe. It is basically a tomato sauce with eggs cracked on top and allowed to cook. I added onion and plenty of spinach to the tomato sauce to increase the vegetables and served it with a green salad.




For pudding I followed this with a healthy version of chocolate mousse and I don't mean those awful low fat and low calorie pots you buy which I full of sweeteners and very little nutritional value.

Water: 1.5 litres
Other drinks: 2 mugs of decaf tea with skimmed milk
Organised for tomorrow: my gym kit

Exercise and Walking

Walking: 15 mins
Exercise: Rest day - I had wanted to do a weights session but after a long week I was too tired.

Relaxation and Sleep

Relaxation: turned off my phone all evening for Quiet Night Friday. I try and do this every Friday to have a break from everything. I then listened to some music whilst cooking and chose a nice classical album. I then had a bath soaking in Epsom salts. I then read a chapter of my book in bed. Both still listening to music.
Meditation: 10 mins
Bed time: 9pm
Estimated hours of sleep: 8.5 hours

Before bed I always eat a few walnuts and take a magnesium supplement. I also sleep with a black out blind and sleep mask and use a pulse aromatherapy oil made of relaxing oils.

One Week in Sarah's Kitchen: Monday

So it's the first day of posting what I eat. After a busy weekend, today is rest day (exercise wise) so no gym for me and just some walking.

I was in work early but started the day as I had intended, largely due to the fact I had everything I could ready the night before.

Food and Drinks:

Breakfast: first thing I had lemon, ginger and hot water followed a little later by scrambled eggs with mushrooms and spinach (2 eggs, 2 eggs whites, large handful of spinach and plenty of mushrooms).

Morning snack: a green smoothie with a teaspoon of spirulina powder added

Lunch: tomato and lentil soup and an apple



Afternoon snack: lightly roasted nuts and kale crisps



Dinner: bolognese made with a mixture lean beef and turkey mince and bulked with mushrooms and onion with some steamed cauliflower, broccoli and spinach. The Bolognese was similar to the one I used for my savoury pancake stack

Evening snack: frozen grapes - these are a fab as taste a bit like sorbet. I sometimes even blend them so they form a sorbet.



Water: 2 litres
Other drinks: 2 mugs of decaf tea with skimmed milk and 2 mugs of herbal tea
Organised for tomorrow: gym kit, soup for lunch and snacks

Exercise and Walking

Walking: 30 mins
Exercise: None, rest day

Relaxation and Sleep

Relaxation: 30 mins soaking in the bath
Meditation: none
Bed time: 10.15pm
Estimated hours of sleep: 7 hours

Before bed I always eat a few walnuts and take a magnesium supplement. I also sleep with a black out blind and sleep mask and use a pulse aromatherapy oil made of relaxing oils.

Overall I was quite pleased with the day. I would have preferred to have got to bed earlier and also made time for some meditation

Boiled eggs with asparagus 'soldiers'

This is great for a decadent Sunday breakfast (or any day you fancy a treat!)
Start by boiling your eggs to your personal taste. I like 5 minutes for a large egg so the white is set but the yolk is still runny.
Whilst the eggs cook blanch the asparagus by placing it in boiling water for a couple of minutes. You still want it to hold its shape and have a bit of crunch. Drain and wrap each spear in a slice of Parma or Serrano ham.
Serve with the top cut off the egg and the wrapped asparagus spears to dip in the yolk.
Yummy!

A green goddess (or monster!) smoothie

This smoothie looks frankly terrifying as its dark green, but it's extremely good for you and you can't taste the 'green' taste. In fact it tastes a bit like a non alcoholic mojito

Place the following ingredients in a blender
Serves 1
- a handful of mixed berries
- a couple of sprigs of mint
- a chunk of cucumber about 3 inches long
- a teaspoon of spirulina powder (you can buy this in health food shops or substitute with a handful of spinach leaves of just leave it out)
- juice of half a lime
- an egg white (optional if you want to up the protein, read why here)
Blend all of the ingredients until smooth, you could blend with ice if it was a warm day, and serve.

Healthier Cooked Breakfast

Being British, a decent cooked breakfast is a welcome treat on a Sunday, but we all know they aren't always the best for you. So I made this lower fat and sugar version, which was a great substitute.

I poached the egg and grilled the tomatoes and bacon to avoid adding any additional fat and removed as much of the fat from the bacon as I could. I did fry the slice of black pudding but in minimal oil and then added the mushrooms. Rather than use ketchup, which is full of sugar I made some from scratch. I started by cooking chopped cherry tomatoes with a little beef stock cube, some freshly ground pepper, a squeeze of tomato puree and a splash of balsamic vinegar, yummy!

Clean living

As I've mentioned before as much as I love cake I do try and balance it with clean eating. Last week, more as an experiment than anything else, I tried to have a wheat free, diary free, sugar free week (Mon to Fri).

Here is one of the days food...

I started the day with an egg white 'omelette'. The only reason it was egg white was because I had so many left over from making pasteis de nata. It wasn't a true omelette as I much prefer egg poached to fried so I tried poaching the egg white. I had it with tomatoes and mushrooms which I fried in a little rapeseed oil, added a bit of thyme, a splash of red wine vinegar and some seasoning.



For a morning snack I had some roasted mixed nuts and seeds.

For lunch I had a fab veggie salad. I started by 'roasting' some peppers. I did this by charring them directly onto the gas. Remove the metal pan stand, turn the gas on and rest the pepper against the flame. Keep a careful eye on it and turn it every so often until it the skin is blistered and black in places. Put them into a bowl and cover tightly with cling film. This will help the skin come off. Leave them for about 10mins and then peel them. This is easiest under running water. Chop into chunks.




I also had chunks of cucumber, sliced of tomato with basil, sautéed onions and mushrooms and mixed lettuce with some sprouting seeds. You can sprout seeds yourself but I bought these from @wfm_kensington






My afternoon snack was coconut yoghurt also from @wfm_kensington which is dairy free and would make a fantastic ice cream.

For dinner I had chicken which I marinated in oil, mint, chilli, ginger, lime zest and line juice. I pan fried it and then whilst it was resting I quickly fried off some rice noodles that I had pre-soaked in water. This is a trick I learnt in Thailand which means there is no news to boil them. In a separate pan I fried some broccoli and finished it with soy sauce and a little sesame oil.





For dessert I made a chia pudding. Chia seeds originate from Mexico and are great as they can soak up ~10 times their weight in liquid. This means they are fab for thickening and can be used in smoothies as well.

I put about 2 dessertspoons of chia seeds in a blender with 1 dessertspoons of cacoa nibs. I added a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a handful of raw porridge oats, a handful of mixed roaste nuts and about a cup of almond milk. I blended it until it was quite smooth and poured it into a bowl and chilled it until it thickened slightly. Now I wouldn't serve it at a dinner party but considering it is a pudding with no sugar in it was really quite tasty!