Healthy Pancake Recipe

Hey everyone, I'm back with a healthy pancake recipe that tastes delicious.

Yields 6 pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp of greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp of wholemeal flour
• 4 tbsp of milk of your choice
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tbsp of sweetner of your choice

Recipe

• Mix all ingredients together using a fork and let it sit for 30 minutes/overnight. The batter becomes more thicker and flufflier.
• Pour onto medium heat saucepan and flip after a minute. 
• Top with your favourite toppings. 

Health and Fitness Book Haul

I never really use to enjoy reading. That was because I wasn't interested in the genre of the books at all. The only book I really loved in primary school was Holes by Louis Sachar. Finding out what sort of books your interested in makes the task less daunting. Reading plays a bigger role in our lives that you can imagine, in school, work even on social media!

A website that I love for purchasing books is called Book Depository. They cater for nearly all books of all genres for unbeatable prices and free shipping worldwide! I highly recommend browsing through their amazing selection. 

1. Greatest Guide to Green Living by Lynne Garner. This book aims to give you tips to live a greener lifestyle in your home, work and on holiday. I think it's crucial we take care of planet Earth as it's not ours. We are simply stewards trying to make it better for the next generation. 
2. Healthy Feasts by Joy Skipper. The author shares recipes ranging from seafood to snacks. Each dish is illustrated in three ways. You choose either a 30, 20 or 10 minute recipe. I love trying out new recipes so expect a lot of food posts on my blog and Instagram.
3. The China Study by Thomas M. and Colin Campbell. These doctors conducted a study on the relationship between diet and disease. It is one of the most comprehensive studies ever conducted on nutrition. It gives an insightful message to those suffering from cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes etc. 
4. Love Yourself and Heal Your Life by Louise Hay. This is a workbook about change in all areas of your life i.e health, fears, addictive behaviours etc. I'm a big believer in self reflection, if you cannot pinpoint the problem it cannot be solved! 
5. Food for Fitness: How to eat for maximum performance by Anita Bean. This nutrition guide and recipe book is designed to bust all of the food myths concerning working out. When it comes to performing in a sport it's crucial that you get the right information from the right source. 
6. Make your own rules diet by Tara Stiles. Tara hopes to bring easy ways to practice yoga, meditation and healthy food into our lives. I'm a student and I get stressed at times and I find it very hard to keep calm and carry on. Hopefully this book encourages me to adopt these healthy habits. 

P.S if you click on the titled books above it will link you to Book Depository where you can purchase it. 

Would you like me to review any of these books?
Have you heard of any of these books? 
What genre of books do you like? 

"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them" -Lemony Snicket

What I Ate Wednesday #6

Happy Wednesday! Hope you are having a great day. What did you eat today? 

Throughout the day I consumed water and tea!

***Breakfast*** 

 5 medium oat pancakes drizzled with agave nectar.

***Snack*** 

Green smoothie. (recipe)

***Lunch***

Chicken and Veg soup. (store bought) 

***Dinner***

Roast potatoes with stuffed turkey, brussel sprouts, parsnips drizzled with gravy.

"No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop eating after one peanut." -Channing Pollock

When is the Best Time to Workout?

Honestly, it depends when your able to give it your all. After school/ work might be your best time, but it's not mine. I prefer to train in the morning because;

1. It wakes me up better than any coffee. 
2. It releases endorphins that make you happy, thus lifting your mood.
3. Sets my day to aim to eat healthy because of the earlier workout. 
4. It gives me a burst of energy that I can use to travel the world on a carpet, Aladdin style.

It's not to shame afternoon/evening workouts but it's proven that those who train in the morning are more likely to stick to that routine. One of my clients said "I love going to your bootcamp in the morning because when I come home I've got my workout done before 10am." 

How do I find time to workout in the morning? 

Go to sleep earlier, having sleeping problems? I reviewed an all natural night time tea. Sleep is where all the magic happens. It's when your muscles rebuild and restore itself. I recommend 8-9 hours daily. If you make time to train harder, your body will find time to feel and look great.

When do you workout best? 

"Just finished my morning workout, feels good to start the day off right" 

The Best Headphones for Exercising

Have you ever gotten that feeling when you are really into your workout then suddenly, you are interrupted by the tangling up of a wire or the falling out of an ear bud? I don't know about you but music plays a huge part in the performance of my workouts. It takes my mind off of the challenging task at hand. I was in search for earphones designed for working out. I came across the Motorola S305. These are the best headphone for exercising! 

1. It's wireless, say bye bye to annoying chords.
2. It's extremely lightweight and comfortable.
3. The sound quality is on point.
4. It operates via bluetooth so you can make hands free calls.
5. It works with all devices containing bluetooth.
6. You can control your music from the headset e.g track and volume controls.
7. It's relatively affordable.

I started using this in November 2014 and my workouts have transformed dramatically. This is particularly useful during lifting as it's wireless. The only negative thing really is that it's not sweat proof so if you sweat a lot around your hairline it can get irritating but you just need to re adjust it. I also ordered it from the U.S so I had to get an adapter to charge it. 

I highly recommend investing in a decent pair or wireless headphones like these as it can change your workout for the better. I use Spotify during my workouts! 

Do you listen to music during your workout? What kind of music do you like?

"Music is the poetry of the air"-Richter

Smoothie Sunday #3

There's been so much hype lately over green smoothies and their benefits so I decided to share my favourite recipe with you.

You might find it quite bitter eaten raw which is why I use mango, kiwi and/or banana to sweeten.

Ingredients

1. Handful of kale.
2. Handful of frozen mangoes.
3. 1 pear.
4. 1 kiwi.
5. 1 banana.
6. 1 cup of coconut water/ regular H20.

Recipe

Chop up all ingredients and blend until desired consistency. Feel free to modify accordingly.

The reason why green smoothies are given so much hype is because of the green superfood. In this recipe it's kale, a green vegetable low in calories, high in fibre and zero fat. It contains more iron than beef. It can lower cholesterol levels. It is high in vitamin K thus protecting us from various cancers. It's a great detox food that's included in many juice cleanses. There are a lot of benefits to this superfood if it's eaten raw. 

Do you make green smoothies? Have you ever tried kale? Will you be trying this out?

"The more colorful the food, the better. I try to add color to my diet, which means vegetables and fruits."

Where is the Best Place to Work Out?

Many people think the gym is the only place to workout. You can work out anywhere anytime!

• Gym?
• Pool?
• Outside?
• In the comfort of your own home? 

It's a trick question really, Wherever you have access to! I like to train at home, gym, outside and on the basketball court. Home workouts work well on rainy days but I do enjoy my fresh air. 

Have you visited your local park?

The main reason I wrote this post was because there are a lot of people who are scared of exercising outside. The truth about it is that nobody really cares. When you see people running outside, you never really say "OMG who does she think she is exercising". Think of it this way, no matter how slow you think you are, you are always lapping the people on the couch!

There is also this awesome FREE app called PumpUp available on IOS and Android. You can devise a workout depending on how much time and what equipment you have. They also have an online community where you can track/share your progress and get motivated! Everyone is super supportive and it's such a welcoming environment. It's like a Fitness Instagram. Follow me @Jennooos. 

Hope this motivates you to jump start your New Years Resolution! Please go ahead and like my Facebook Page if you haven't already! 

"Excuses don't burn calories" 

Smoothie Sunday recipe #2

This is the time of year where the most road accidents occur, the days are shorter and it gets dark quite quickly. My sister is a great driver but her night time vision isn't great. I thought it would be a great idea to share this recipe with road drivers in particular. Carrots are high in beta carotene, our bodies process this into vitamin A which is good for eyesight especially night time vision.

 A lot of people consume carrots with their dinner in but in small quantities. This recipe will help to increase your carrot intake, improve your night time vision and possibly save lives! 

I shredded 2 carrots with a julienne peeler and I chopped up 2 apples.Add water, ice and honey to sweeten. 

Don't forget to thoroughly wash your fruit and veg especially if they aren't organic!

Carrots also prevent heart disease and help cleanse the body. Vitamin A assists the liver in flushing out the toxins from the body. It reduces the bile and fat in the liver. The fibres present in carrots help clean out the colon and hasten waste movement. This is why they are so popular in juice cleanses!


Go ahead and share this with a road driver! 

                      "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants" - Michael Pollan

How to Stay Healthy During the Winter

A lot of people associate being fit and healthy around Summer time. Taking care of your body during winter ensures you get a head-start on the best body ever! 

1. Set mini goals. "We don't get what we want because we don't know what we want" It's the little goals that make a big difference. Write down what you want, when you want it and why you want it. Always refer back to this!
2. Don't depend on the weather. There are plenty of effective free indoor workouts you can do in the comfort of your own home. It's only a YouTube search away. 
3. Try something new. Whether it be a new recipe or an additional workout eg. skipping. It's going to spice up the routine and get you pumped up. 
4. Don't settle. During winter it's cold and a lot of comfort foods are processed eg packaged soups. Try make things from scratch so you know what you're putting into your body. 
5. Increase your fibre. It increases your anti-inflammatory proteins. It helps fight off sickness as well as aids your digestive and immune system. For example whole grains, oats & chia seeds click here for the benefits.

"Summer bodies are made in Winter"

What I Ate Wednesday

What I eat in a day varies whether I've got school or if I'm training etc. On this particular day I stayed at home. 

Breakfast;

Every morning I drink water before eating, it's important to hydrate your body after sleep. It also can boost your metabolism by 24%! Click here for a review on my favourite water bottle tracker. Today I had oatmeal with sliced bananas, desiccated coconut, chia seeds and almonds. 

Pre-workout;

Three multigrain rice cakes with peanut butter and chia seeds.

Post-workout;

Chocolate protein powder, banana and almond milk smoothie.

Lunch;

Chicken and ham salad (lemon & honey as dressing) sprinkled with chia seeds.

Dinner;

Brown rice with soy sauce, salmon and vegetables.

Drinks;

Throughout the day I consumed water and green tea.

What did you eat today? Did you enjoy this post? 

"I like food. I like eating. And I don't want to deprive myself of good food."
- Sarah Michelle Gellar

Can Certain Foods Prevent Cancer?

I decided to take part in the Prostate Cancer Awareness Month (November) Campaign by informing you on the implications of the foods that we consume daily. I decided to interview an expert meet Megan Roosevelt, a Registered Dietitian.

• People say the foods we eat and how we cook them is linked to certain cancers, is that true?

According to the National Cancer Institute (also known as cancer.gov) cooking certain foods such as meat (beef, pork, fish, poultry) at high temperatures produces chemicals known as Heteroclycic Amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The National Cancer Institute states that, “HCAs and PAHs have been found to be mutagenic—that is, they cause changes in DNA that may increase the risk of cancer.”

• What are the foods we should be avoiding?

To start, I definitely recommend that we avoid all artificial ingredients for example, artificial sweeteners. Also eliminate and reduce the intake of processed foods and increase intake of real, whole & plant-based foods.

• What foods can we eat to prevent certain cancers?

According to research studies by Dr. T. Colin Campbell as found in his book "The China Study", eating a plant-based diet can help prevent the growth & development of cancer. Be sure to check out my interview with Megan on her plant- based diet here.

• With the change in weather, what should we be eating to prevent illness/flu?

Foods high in antioxidants will help boost the immune system so eating more fresh fruits and vegetables also reducing intake of foods made with added sugars and or foods lacking in nutritional value is smart. A few foods that contain antioxidants such as vitamin C include sweet potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, oranges & lemons.

• Do you have any further comments on this topic?

Eat real food and always be learning!


Thank you Megan for informative interviews! 

References:

http://nutritionstudies.org

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cooked-meats

www.healthygrocerygirl.com

BIO:

Megan Roosevelt is a plant-based Registered and Licensed Dietitian as well as the founder and CEO of healthygrocerygirl.com. She is an author, web TV host, producer and regular nutrition expert for magazines as well as local and national television. Healthy Grocery Girl® provides nutrition services and multi-media resources that help individuals and families shop, cook and eat healthy including the Healthy Grocery Girl® Nutrition Plan and Online Community and the "Healthy Grocery Girl® Show", a free weekly online cooking and healthy lifestyle show.

Megan Roosevelt, RD, LD

Founder l CEO at Healthy Grocery Girl LLC

w. healthygrocerygirl.com

NEW! Nutrition Plan and Online Community  

Social Media:

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Website

"The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago, the second best time to plant a tree is now" -Chinese Proverb

Healthy No-Bake Protein Balls Recipe

This ball of energy is the easiest recipe that is high in fibre and protein! It makes the perfect pre or post workout snack you can also have it on the go. 

I made five large sized protein balls.

You will need;

1. Oats
2. Peanut butter
3. 1 scoop of protein powder
4. Milk of your choice
5. Chia seeds click here for benefits
6. Dried fruit 
7. Nuts of your choice 
8. Desiccated coconut (for coating) 

Mix all the ingredients adding the milk slowly. If it's too wet add more dry ingredients and vice versa. Wet your hands to prevent sticking. Roll into a ball and coat with coconut. Refrigerate or freeze!  

                            "Eat clean to train mean to get lean" - Jenny Olatunji

The Liebster Award

So recently I got nominated for The Liebster Award. This German word means dearest, sweetest, kindest, beloved, lovely,valued, cute, endearing, welcome and sweetheart. This award was made to recognise new bloggers and welcome them to the blogosphere.

                                 

I got nominated by three amazing girls El, Scarlett and Jess. Thank You! 

Rules

1. Thank the blog that nominated you and link them.

2. Post eleven facts about yourself.

3. Answer the eleven questions provided by the person who nominated you and then create an           eleven-question set for the next group of nominees.

4. Choose  people to nominate and link them in the post.

5. Let your nominees know they've been tagged - and no tag-backs!

6. Nominate blogs under 200 followers.

11 Facts About Me

1. I'm going to be off to University in 2 years and I can't wait! 
2. My eyesight is relatively good yet I'm still so clumsy. 
3. I'm a Christian. 
4. I love being around people who are positive and passionate.
5. I hardly watch TV.
6. I'm honestly really lazy, like sometimes I sit down in the shower. 
7. I laugh a lot, even if your jokes suck like mine do.
8. Jenny is my name, but Bball is my game.
9. I'm nearly 6 feet tall. 
10. I have two passports. 
11. I wanna grow my hair out to a HUGE AFRO.. 

Questions I was nominated to answer (combo of 3)

Why I started blogging?

I wanted to reach out to people who were going through the same experiences as me ie. Health & Fitness.

What do you enjoy about blogging?

Talking to people with similar interests & people opening up and sharing.

Favourite food?

If I had to choose it'll be salmon. It tastes amazing & it's a superfood!

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?

Anywhere in South America.

Fashion inspiration?

From anywhere & anyone. I'll wear anything that makes me stand out.

If you had three wishes what would you wish for?

World Peace, An end to Natural & Unatural Disasters & People to stop judging others.

Your perfect way to spend a day?

Having a laugh with friends or family.

Summer Essentials?

Water, Sunglasses & cute Summer clothes.

Favourite Historical figure?

Martin Luther King Jr. He didn't care what people thought & he took a bullet for it.

Favourite flavour of ice-cream?

Cookies n' Cream, you get the best of both worlds babyyy.

Do you have a bucket list?

No, but I do like to be spontaneous & do random things in the moment.

Nomination Time! 

Dun dun duuuuuuuun... 

• Francesca from http://endlessly-ravaging.blogspot.ie/
• Precious from http://preciousamaka.blogspot.ie/
• Yemisi from http://yems-smoothies.blogspot.ie/
• Taylor from http://taylorsnaturallife.blogspot.ie/
• Caitlin from http://beinggirl96.blogspot.ie/
• Ellen from http://wanderingnot-lost.blogspot.ie/ 
• Harriet from http://hattiegraham.blogspot.co.uk/ 
• Missy from http://missymayification.blogspot.co.uk/

I give you two weeks girlos!  + If you have a blog with under 200 followers, I nominate you too.

Questions for the nominees

If you had to change one thing about blogging what would it be?

What makes a good blog post? 

If you could eat one thing forever without gaining a pound, what would it be?

Do you have a style icon? 

What super power do you wish you had + why? 

What was the most recent thing that made you happy?

Mention sports you'd like to try? 

What would you change about society?

Three things that you are thankful for?

A book/movie/tv-show that made you question life?

One thing you'd like to do before you get old? 

Hope you all have a beautiful day! 

- Jennos Health