healthy eating – Bangers & Mash

Healthy Halloween muffins

October 25, 2015October 26, 2015Posted in Recipes, VegetarianTagged beetroot, carrot, Cheddar, cheese, children, halloween, healthy eating, muffin, parmesan, spinach3 Comments

The Halloween frivolities have started a little early here. Last weekend we had an absolute ball at the Halloween-themed Reach for the Bubbles afternoon disco in Frome. We painted each others’ faces, scoffed West Indian style hot dogs, drank mulled cider (and hot apple juice), played drum and bass musical statues and took part in a Thriller line dance, all to an awesome soundtrack provided by the phenomenal Lionel Richtea on the decks.

We’ve also been experimenting with some gruesome bakes in the Bangers & Mash kitchen. The kids wanted to see if we could come up with some terrifying but tasty snacks ready for the Halloween party season. And I wanted to see if we could make them vaguely healthy rather than the sugar-fuelled treats we generally seem swamped by this time of year.

Our experiments resulted in these cheesy vegetable muffins, which the girls have delightfully called Fungus the Bogeyman Muffins (spinach and black olives) and Blood and Gore Muffins (beetroot and carrot). If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to tempt the little monsters at your Halloween party or to fend off the trick-or-treaters, then I definitely recommend you give these a go. I promise they’re much more delicious than they might look or their names might suggest. Continue reading “Healthy Halloween muffins” →

Healthy and delicious temple food

March 17, 2015Posted in Competitions and challenges, RecipesTagged healthy eating, the spice trail9 Comments

Temple food
Definition: food that does you good from the inside out;
restorative, refreshing, reassuring and revitalising;
virtuous and delicious;
as in ‘my body is a temple’

As you know, I’m on a mission to eat more healthily; not just by embarking on a silly fad diet, but by introducing better, more balanced food choices as part of my everyday lifestyle. And I am feeling so much better for it.

Thanks to my fellow bloggers who took part in the latest Spice Trail challenge, I now have an incredible menu of vibrantly virtuous (and of course beautifully spiced) dishes to test out in the weeks and months ahead. Take a look at the entries below – eating well never looked so tempting! Continue reading “Healthy and delicious temple food” →

Beetroot, orange, carrot and ginger juice

February 27, 2015February 27, 2015Posted in Drinks, Recipes, VegetarianTagged beetroot, carrot, ginger, healthy eating, juice, orange7 Comments

My health kick continues to go well. As well as feeling so much better in myself, I’m thrilled to report that I’m finally back to my pre-children weight and dress-size – my oldest is nearly 10, so it’s been some time coming. This feeling is really rather addictive and I can see how the changes I’m making to my lifestyle and eating habits will stay with me for the long-term.

In addition to doing the 5:2 diet and generally eating more healthily, I’ve also set myself targets of walking 10,000 steps a day, getting a good night’s sleep every night (I’m aiming for at least seven hours), and fitting in a short workout most days (even if it’s only 10 minutes of Pilates or cross-training), plus a least one run a week.

And I am really feeling the benefits. I have so much more energy, my brain feels more focussed and productive, my clothes fit well (the muffin top has been banished!) and I just feel good in my own skin. Continue reading “Beetroot, orange, carrot and ginger juice” →

The Spice Trail challenge: temple food

January 18, 2015March 9, 2015Posted in Competitions and challengesTagged healthy eating, M&S, temple food, the spice trail15 Comments

I’m on a bit of health kick these days. I assure you though, it’s not just another faddy new year’s resolution in reaction to an over-indulgence at Christmas. Since last autumn, I’ve been really trying to take a more healthy and positive approach to what I eat and how I exercise. Rather than counting the calories in absolutely everything I consume and sticking to a ridiculously restrictive diet, I’m focused on making better choices as part of my overall lifestyle and day-to-day routine, which I hope will be easier to keep up in the long run.

Being healthy shouldn’t be a chore or all about self-sacrifice and self-flagellation. I want to enjoy eating and enjoy exercise in the knowledge that I’m doing my body (and mind) some good.

So the theme for this latest Spice Trail challenge is Temple Food… as in my body is a temple. I’m looking to the food blogging community to help inspire me with their healthy, feel good recipes. Virtuous and delicious, that’s the order of the day. And, of course, nice and spicy too. So it’s not all about diet ‘rabbit food’. I’m simply after your dishes that do you good from the inside out: restorative, refreshing, reassuring and revitalising. Continue reading “The Spice Trail challenge: temple food” →