Coconut Crazy: The World's Healthiest Chocolate Bounty

I've always been a fan of the humble Bounty bar and if you don't know what one is, where have you been? A bounty is a coconut filling enrobed in chocolate and comes in 2 pieces should you need to half your time or temporarily half your guilt. (You may spot the Bounty, keeping the Topic coming, come Christmas at the bottom of the Celebrations box.) Now despite coconut being one of my favourite fruits and native Pacific Islanders believing the humble coconut a "cure for all illnesses" (let's face it who'd argue with them?) the Mars company and more recently Nigella Lawson have done little to help publicise their immune boosting health benefits (In case you missed it Nigella recently deep fried the Bounty bar, liberally buttered up with double cream and ate from her fridge and did little to advocate its anti-oxidant profile, high fibre, vitamin, mineral and amino acid content.) So quite the little power house coconuts can actually extend your life (not to mention substantially shorten it should you be caught under a coconut tree in monsoon weather or when a nut decides to accompany gravity to the ground). 

So anyway more uplifting news about the Coconut and my aim to find ways to get more of it into my diet. Let's crack on with one fun way I've found....introducing the Bounty bomb….tiny clusters of chaos that explode in your mouth and take you to the shores of the Caribbean in a mouthful (too much?)

Ingredients

•       1/3 cup natural sweetener/sugar 

•       1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

•       1/2 cup almond milk or skimmed (fat free) milk (I use Blue Diamond)

•       1/4 cup Choc coconut protein powder (I use Myprotein's)

•       3 Tbsp peanut butter – 250 cals (I used Bulk Powders for value)

•       1 banana, mashed or 2 tbsp apple sauce 

•       A few splashes of Myprotein flavdrops to taste

•       1/2 tsp espresso or coffee powder

•       2 1/2 cup instant oats

•       1 1/2 cups Desiccated coconut

(if you haven't got a cup measurement device then go nuts and get one...it's not a threat of going all-American I promise but it does help speed things up)

Instructions

1.      Grab a saucepan and heat natural sweetener/sugar, cocoa, milk and protein powder over medium heat. Be careful to heat continuously to stop catching the bottom but until mixture starts to bubble slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, banana/apple, espresso powder and star of the show Coconut. Fold in oats until fully combined and looking yummy. Add a few flav drops to taste.

2.      Spoon onto parchment paper using a scoop. Using bottom of scoop (or spoon) make a small indentation and sprinkle a few choc chips on top if feeling naughty, pressing lightly with fingertips. Should make around 24. Allow cookies to set, about 30 minutes.

3.      Store clusters in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week….if they last that long.

Time to go COCONUT CRAZY? (What? All the cool cats use large font for Emphasis) 

Whether you’re eating the meat, drinking the juice, or consuming it as oil, coconuts are a delicious and nutritious source of fibre, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It has loads of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as plenty of electrolytes. In fact, coconut water is known to have the same electrolyte levels as human plasma, and has even been used for plasma transfusions!
The oil is excellent for keeping one young and beautiful. Its antioxidant properties slow down the ageing process by protecting the body from harmful free radicals (little blighters). I like to put a little bit of coconut oil on my skin every day to keep it nice and smooth, as well as free from dryness. I apply it onto my skin before showering. The hot water opens my pores, allowing the oil to absorb through my skin more efficiently.
Coconut oil is also great to cook with and definitely something trendy to adorn any larder/pantry or store cupboard (more recipes with coconut oil to come.)

Enjoy! Live healthy, love life! x

Stack 'em up: Make every day Pancake Day!

Of all the foods, pancakes may not be the first thing that springs to the nutritiously conscious mind. But they deliver a blend of slow-release carbs and protein, which means active people should consider them more than a one-Tuesday-a-year treat. Especially if garnished with some nutritionally-savvy preparation tweaks below.

Pancakes go way back. In fact the word originates from an ancient Greek flat cake called plakous. Different cultures have different takes; the typical French paper-thin crispy crepes; Russian blinis, Americans thick and fluffy. All around the world athletes have reclaimed the traditional comfort food as an approved option to really "hit the spot" post workout.

So are you flippin' ready? Here is a super-charged lower carb and high protein option on the original...

• Heat a large non-stick fan over a low heat.
• Mix a cup of Oats, half a cup of Protein powder (optional), 1 tablespoon sugar, or sweetener, a pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl.
• Whisk an Egg (or 2 egg whites), 3/4 cup of milk (almond or skimmed milk), and splash of vanilla extract.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and continue to whisk until fully combined.
• Turn the heat up to medium and brush the pain with oil (I use coconut oil). When the oil starts to spread or spider, pour in the batter in small circles. 
• When the pancake bottoms are golden brown and the tops start to bubble (usually 2 - 3 mins) flip the pancakes over...and catch! then cook until golden brown. Repeat, brushing the pan with a little oil each time, until you are out of batter and it's time to get creative with your toppings!

(all of the above are general guidelines and I use a cup just for ease; the recipe is versatile and can be easily modified easily so a great one for having a play with)

Top of the toppings:

Honey is good for those with a sweet tooth and delivers vitamin C and immunity-boosting antioxidants

Lemon Juice contains vitamin B and C plus flavanoid antioxidants and always goes well with a little sugar or sweetener.

Blueberries or any fresh fruit is a good addition but these are a popular superfood (in the picture below I used strawberries and cream protein powder and added fresh blueberries to the mixture).

Peanut Butter is packed full of protein and amino acids needed for muscle repair.

Banana is a popular choice and aids recovery with fast release of energy. 

Cinnamon and nutmeg or other sweet spices are said to reduce inflammation.

For savoury options low fat cheese and spinach provide a good dose of Vitamin K for bone health.

Figs, pears and walnuts pack in the fibre and a few spoons of protein-rich Greek yoghurt top this off.

Jalapeños, guacamole and chilli flakes raise the metabolism and avocado contains good fats that lower the naughty cholesterol.

Live healthy, Love Life x

Funspiration: Trim and Toned

Lacing up for a run or getting into the gym takes a bit more effort than simply cutting down on your food, but the trade-off can be well worth it. Apparently people who lose weight through dieting alone, lose 65% of this through through body fat (hurrah!) with the remaining 35% coming from lean body mass (ahhhhhh). If you exercise as well then you can expect to keep hold of far more of that precious lean muscle while shifting the same amount of blubber, muffin tops, bingo wings etc.

Result: a more toned torso, a stronger, faster metabolism, and a better stamina to take on the day plus a general feel good factor post-workout. (as well as a great excuse to try a few recipes for rewarding yourself)

Putting it into practice: Researchers say that moderate changes are key to striking the right balance; so a 20% cut in calories plus 20 mins of exercise a day hits the sweet spot.

Ideas to get started: Power walking is a great way to start and get you up to running at intervals after just a few weeks, Pilates, Yoga, Swimming, Cycling, are all ways to incorporate easy exercise into your routine. Fun with friends or a partner is great and if you are interested in a short blast of toning try the 7- minute workout.

More exercises and reviews of exercises to come (from Power plates to Hell Runner we're throwing ourselves into it)

Live Healthy, Love Life x