Lunch time noodles!

The other week, Rob and I went into Newcastle and had the most amazing lunch at this place called Nudo Sushibox. I had the most delicious noodle box! It was quite large, and inside was noodle, vegetable gyoza (funny japanese dumplings - super yummy) and miso soup paste. They then added hot water, microwaved it for a time and that was it!!

Well it gave me an idea, because surely I could do something like that for my own lunch? And I totally can!!

Ingredients
Rice noodles
Mushrooms
Prawns
Miso paste
Hot water

So first I cooked my rice noodles (3 mins in hot water) then I drain, rinse and pop in my lunch pod. Then I slice my mushrooms and put them in and pop some cooked prawns in too. Or you could add in anything! Spring onions, dumplings, mussels, anything really. I shot in an unopened sachet of miso paste and I'm good to go to uni!!
When it comes to lunch, I buy a little thing of hot water, empty my miso sachet, pour over my hot water, and tada! Noodle miso soup :D

Nutritional Info: Calories: 293 Total Carbs: 47g Protein: 22g Fat: 2g

They're low calorie, but they totally fill me right up! Very yummy and perfect for cold days :)

Ratatouille Bake

I didn't take a photo! It looked amazing, you'll just have to believe me when I say this :).

So in my fridge I had 2 courgettes, an aubergine and Greek yogurt (among other things) but I kept thinking that I wanted to do something with them. First I found a recipe for ratatouille, but then I kept thinking about this aubergine bake I had a couple of weeks ago so I decided to mix the two!

Ingredients
1 Aubergine chopped
2 Courgettes chopped
2 Tins of tomatoes
200g Greek yogurt
50g Cheese grated
1/2 red onion chopped
Splash of ground nut oil

Fry the onion in the ground nut oil in a frying pan. Then add the courgette and the aubergine, sweat down before adding the two tins of tomatoes plus any spices (I added Worcestershire sauce and chili). Then place this into a baking dish and top with greek yogurt mixed with the grated cheese. Then bake in the oven at 200C for about 20 minutes.

I served mine with a sweet potato :) This also made enough for three meals :D

Nutritional Info
186 Calories
13g Protein
14g total Carbs

Low Calorie Vegetable Soup

This is a super yummy, very low calorie soup, that is perfect for me right now because I have a cold! But my diet-bet is starting tomorrow, so I need to be on the ball!

Ingredients are below. In a large saucepan fry the carrots, onion and leek, then add the tin of tomatoes, puree, stock and frozen peas. Bring to the boil then add the dried pasta shapes and simmer for a further 15 minutes :)



Ingredients (Makes 4)
2 chopped carrots
1 onion chopped
1 chopped leek
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1tsp tomato puree
1 litre vegetable stock
80g dried pasta
40g frozen peas
Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Nutritional Info
106 calories
0.8g fat
3.1g fibre
3.9g protein
94.2% vitamin A

Mmmm Snacks

I am a terrible snacker. I can admit it, and embrace it and try to change.

So today I came up with this little picture, which has four of my favourite good-for-me snacks on, which are what I try to reach for when I'm craving something naughty - like haribos or cheese on toast. Ugh, I have such a problem with melted cheese!


Anyway.

Here are four recipes. They aren't all under 100 calories, but they are all yummy and are a great substitute for that cake you're reaching for, stop it!

Some of them take a little more effort, but they are all cheap, because I am. I don't have money to spend on all these made-for-me ready-to-go healthy snacks, I have to make my own with what I have in the cupboard.

The one thing I will say is get yourself a popcorn maker. It has been such a revelation, and to know that a big bowl of it, to myself, is only like 100 calories is simply astonishing. I have to be honest, I haven't tried it with nutella on, I've been sticking to salt, but apparently it's to die for. So you'll have to let me know if you give it a go :)

Super Calorific Indian Takeway and Under 200 Calorie 'Fry Up'

The other night, me and Rob had an indian take away and it was soooo good. They weren't nearly as bad as I thought they would be, mine was about 750 calories in total.
That was mine. So yummy.
A dopiaza, half a thing of pilau rice, half a thing of chips and half a HUGE naan. It was just what I needed, and I need to look into a really low calorie curry, because I really do love them.

Then I went to the gym today. I forgot my bottle of water though, so I was bloody knackered at the end. Enjoy the sweaty pic of me.

I only spent 10 minutes on the treadmill, then did:

• 10 reps each leg elevated lunges
• 20 of those ab spike things on the exercise ball
• 10 weighted squats (10kg)
• 10 plie squats
• 10 reverse flies (3kg each hand)
• 20 chest press (10kg)

Today for lunch, I wanted something warm, because when I'm revising in the dining room I get really cold! But it's hard to have warm food without toast or something, and I'm trying not to eat too much bread. So I had a 'fry up', except none of it was fried, there was no oil involved and it came to only 196 calories!

2 slices of ham

1 tomato

hand full of mushrooms - quartered

and a poached egg 

Super yummy, nice and filling, and just what I needed to warm up :)

Cherry Apple Smoothie

Today may not be a diet day, but that doesn't mean that I'm still not going to eat healthy. I have a little bowl of Llamas (these amazing wheat chili snacks that are just so awesome) and my cherry smoothie :)

Ingredients (makes 2)
1.5 cups frozen cherries
1/2 banana
2 tablespoon natural yogurt
~200mL apple juice
~100mL water

Nutritional Info (per serving)
132 Calories
27.1g total carbs
1.3g fibre
3.6g protein

Low, low calorie smoothie

Today is diet day!

Which means I'm taking in no more than 700 calories, and you know what, it's not that hard. Like, 700 calories isn't much, but honestly, it's not that difficult to stay within that boundary and still feel full. But I haven't been to the gym yet, so we'll see how I go.

Ingredients (serves 2)
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 banana
2 tablespoons wheat bran
Squidge of honey
~200 mL apple juice

Nutritional Info
111 Calories
7.1g Dietary fibre
3.1g Protein
36.5% Vitamin C

Low Calorie Fried Eggy Bread

I'm in the middle of revising, and at this point I'm about ready to just give up, curl into a ball and cry until July. But I can't do that, I must keep going.

I had a smoothie for breakfast, however, it's snowing outside, and when I'm sat for a while in that room with all my notes trying to get everything typed up I get very cold. So I didn't fancy a smoothie for lunch.

Ingredients
1 slice bread - buttered
1 chopped tomato
1 egg
drizzle of oil

Butter your bread and cut a circle out the middle. Place it in a hot frying pan and toast one side, flip over and crack the egg into the centre and cook until done.
Chop your tomato and add to the pan about 30 seconds before the eggs done. Add the oil to the pan and flick onto the top of the egg to cook the top.

Nutritional Info
261 calories
14.6g fat
22.4g total carbs
3.6g fibre

Raspberry Smoothie

This was so yummy, but a bit seedy, good for brekkie though :)

Ingredients
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 tinned pear
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup raspberry/cranberry juice
1 tablespoon wheat bran
1 peach yogurt pot

Nutritional Info
219 calories
2.9g fat
37.4g total carbs
8.0g fibre
8.3g protein



For lunch I found this amazing recipe on the Be Food Smart app and made it for me and Rob.
2 slices of brown toast, 1 onion, green pepper and tomato chopped and grilled. Then top the toast with the grilled veg, add a little cheese and grill again :D. 207 calories per portion.

I also went to the gym today, cycled for 20 minutes, did some interval walking/running on the treadmill then did a ton of weights. Then me and Rob went for a 30 minute walk.

And I weighed myself. I've lost another 4lbs :)

Cleaning Out The Freezer

Weekends are for shopping, though I'm not sure when I'll manage to go this weekend, what with work and a wedding fair to go to. So I've been using up some of the left over portions of frozen fruit, so I have enough space to buy more punnets.

Forest Fruits smoothie

Raspberry, blueberry smoothie

 Yesterday I made a super purple, thick smoothie. It was really yummy!
Ingredients
Approx. 1 1/2 cups of frozen forest fruits
1 pot cherry yogurt
1 banana
1 tablespoon tinned peaches
squidge of honey
1 tablespoon wheat bran
~100mL cranberry/raspberry juice

And today I've made an equally delicious raspberry, blueberry smoothie.
Ingredients
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 raspberry yogurt pot
1/2 cup porridge oats
~100mL cranberry/raspberry juice

Sausage Casserole

I'm going to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight at Sunderland Empire, and I'm so excited! I have my costume - Columbia - which I made myself. Plus it's been cold lately, so me and Rob wanted something warm, but filling, so we wouldn't want to snack in the theater.

This recipe is something I've come up with myself, taking inspiration from a few recipes on the Be Food Smart website, but adjusting them accordingly for what we have in our cupboards and coming up with this :).

Ingredients for 2 people
4 reduced fat sausages
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion - chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
1 apple cored and chopped (keep the skin on)
Can of chopped tomatoes
Can of haricot beans
1 tablespoon tomato puree
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
pinch of black pepper

Cook your sausages under the grill, and in the meantime, heat up a pan with the oil in and fry the onion and garlic, until the onion is tender.
Then add all the other ingredients and cook through for about 15-20 minutes - or until the sausages are cooked under the grill.
Chop up the sausages into quarters then add to the pan and cook for a further few minutes.
We served ours with sweet potatoes.

Nutritional Info (per portion)
480 calories
12.6g total fat
65.4g total carbs
15.9g fibre
28.4g protein
438.9% vitamin A
48.4% vitamin C
6% calcium
7.4% iron

Mango Smoothie

This is basically a one fruit smoothie. It's not! But it might as well be. It was very liquidy, and I didn't blend it entirely so there were lumps of fruit it in, which isn't always pleasant. It was very tasty though :) and made for a good breakfast.

My lunch was comprised of sliced red pepper, a little tub of peanut butter, a handful of dried apricots and a banana :)

Ingredients
1 cup frozen mango
1 tinned pear
1 tablespoon yogurt
1 teaspoon peanut butter
squidge of honey
~200mL mango juice

Nutritional Info
284 calories
6.1g fat
51.5g total carbs
3.3g fibre
50% vitamin C

Sunshine Smoothie

The suns been out a lot here lately, makes me hopeful for spring :)

This morning I've made a rather yellow smoothie, made from yummy tropical fruits to get me through my morning lectures.

 Ingredients
1 banana
1 tinned pear
2 tablespoon tinned peaches
1 tablespoon low fat natural yogurt
1 tablespoon wheat bran
~200mL mango juice

To make it vegan, just take out the yogurt, up the amount of fruit, or reduce the amount of juice so it's not so runny.

Nutritional Info
265 calories
7g fibre
62g total carbs
4g protein
15% vitamin C                     6.9% iron

Yummy Smoothie!!

This was a brilliant smoothie! Tinned fruit makes smoothies so easy. When I buy my fruit, I go for the cheapest, simply because it's going to be mushed up, so who cares what it looks like?!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons tinned peach slices
1 tinned pear
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 teaspoon low fat smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon low fat natural yogurt
~200mL apple juice

Nutritional Info
183 calories               4.7g protein
6g fat                         5.8% vitamin C
1.8g fibre                   27.3g total carbs

Yummy Breakfast Smoothie

Oh wow, this smoothie was soooo thick! and perfect, because I drank a bottle of beer and half a bottle of wine last night and I haven't drank in like 6 weeks so when I woke up this morning I felt a bit like crap. This smoothie fixed me!!

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1 1/2 tinned pears
tablespoon full tinned peach slices
1 peach weight watchers yogurt
1 tablespoon wheat bran
1/2 cup juice from tinned pears

Nutritional Info
129 calories
23.8g total carbs
5.5g fibre
26% vitamin C

I couldn't believe how thick was, it was so yummy!! Can you see those straws just standing up in it!

Lunch Time!

Had another lie in this morning, it was heavenly! I really shouldn't be so excited about getting to sleep in, but I suppose that's what happens when you're an adult *sigh*.

Got friends coming over tonight to play board games and things, which will probably result in the ordering of a take away, more likely than not Indian or Pizza. So I walked to uni today, had a small bowl of cereal for my breakfast (no sugar) and now I'm having a super fruit packed lunch

Ingredients
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
1 raspberry yogurt pot
1 tinned pear & 4 tablespoons of juice
~100mL apple juice

Nutritional Info
256 calories
3.1g fibre
53.8g total carbs
57% vitamin C
26% calcium

Lunch Time!

Not having a smoothie for lunch, but having something equally as healthy to use up some of the shit in my fridge.

So it's lettuce, a tomato, half a tin of tuna, some tinned sweetcorn and mayonnaise :D


Nutritional Info
170 calories
16.8g total carbs
4.6g fibre
21.4g protein
20.5% vitamin A
26% vitamin C

Mango Berry Smoothie

I was really impressed with the smoothie I had yesterday, so I made a similar one today. T'was super yummy and kept me going all morning to lunch time.

 Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/3 cup frozen mango
1 tablespoon wheat bran
squidge of honey
~100mL apple juice
1 cup water

Nutritional Info
130 calories
28.1g total carbs
5.5g fibre
2.3g protein
33.7% vitamin C

Mango Raspberry Smoothie

This is such a super yummy smoothie! It ended up really thick too, which was lovely. I left the frozen raspberries and mango chunks out to defrost for about 30 minutes, just to make it easier to blend.

Ingredients
1/2 cup mango
1/2 cup raspberries
2 tinned pear halves
1 tablespoon wheat bran
~150mL apple juice

Nutritional Info
153 Calories
5.8g fibre
29.1g total carbs
55.8% vitamin C
5.9% iron

Yummy Breakfast Smoothie

This morning I am sick. I have a blocked nose, a headache and a slightly raised temperature. But I've got to go to uni. I wanted cereal this morning, but me and the fiance are lazy so there are no clean bowls - how lovely. I'm washing up this afternoon.

Ingredients
1/2 cup raspberries
1 whole banana
5 red grapes
3 tablespoons yogurt
1 tablespoon wheat bran
~200mL apple juice

Whiz it all together and voila, yummy breakkie smoothie. I only hope I can actually taste it!