Snack Happy Challenge with California Almonds

I need all the energy I can muster, looking after my Granny full time,with a family and just life.

I'm trying to eat and drink more healthily, my meals are pretty good, I recently took up the water challenge with Brita and that still is helping, as I lost weight with Slimming World I am also keen not to snack unhealthily but really do need a top up boost during the day. I need to eat more now to maintain my weight,lots of energy is used up for me now and I know that grabbing chocolate or biscuits may lead to weight gain and bad habits.

California Almonds invited me to take part in a healthy snacking campaign and I took them up on it, the aim is to encourage women to form a healthy snacking habit and feel the benefit in just three weeks. 

Three weeks later and I definitely feel the difference, I have more energy, my low time is about 4pm. I am usually flagging and this is the time I actually need to be moving, cooking meals, chatting to Granny to keep her motivated. Then the family come home from work and need to chat. So for me the almond snack packs were very beneficial. 

Just at the time I need energy they really did do just that. The handy size meant I had a pack on me most times. I could munch on them while doing something else.

The moment is all too familiar - your tummy rumbles, the pangs take over and you just have to eat something, anything.  Let’s face it, often in these situations, what we grab isn’t the most nutritious or satisfying and can even leave us feeling frustrated about the choice we’ve made.  There’s a really smart, simple solution: a handful (approximately 30g) of almonds, enjoyed as a snack, daily. Take the new Snack Happy Challenge with California Almonds to form a healthy snacking habit, and with the help of experts, discover just how easy it is to include naturally delicious, nutrient-packed almonds as a healthy snack option. 

A recent study[i] from Leatherhead Food Research reveals that a woman’s daily total energy intake is the same, whether or not almonds are consumed as a mid-morning snack.  This is because when women ate almonds as a mid-morning snack, they ate less at their next meal(s) compared to when they didn’t have a snack[ii].  What does this mean for busy women who are always on the go?  It means that they can enjoy naturally delicious and ultra-nutritious almonds as a snack, between meals, without worrying that they will consume more calories than if they had not snacked on almonds. In addition, it was demonstrated in the Leatherhead study that when women snacked on almonds mid-morning, they had significant reductions in cravings for salty, fatty, sweet or savoury foods at their next meal(s)[iii], indicating potentially healthier food selections at these meals!  

Armed with this research, California Almonds, along with personal trainer and author, Bridget Hunt, nutritionist Amanda Hamilton and psychologist Anjula Mutanda, have created the Snack Happy Challenge.  It encourages women to eat a tasty handful (30g) of nutrient-packed almonds every day for 21 days, the time it can take for a habit to form, without worrying about over-eating.

Try almonds as your daily snack or perhaps if you don’t normally snack, give it a go as the body of research on almonds continues to grow:

·         Researchers[iv] discovered that people who included 63g of almonds a part of their diet, did not gain weight and that whole almonds provided a daylong feeling of fullness[v].

·         An additional study[vi] published this year found more good news; almonds have approximately 20% fewer metabolisable calories than originally thought. Meaning a handful or a 30g serving has just 138 calories versus the 173 calories listed on labels.

The Snack Happy experts will be giving women a helping hand by sharing their advice on healthy snacking on-the-go, how to stay in shape and achieve a healthy body and mind. Information will be housed on the Almond Board of California’s website, where women can sign up and find ongoing tips from Bridget, Amanda and Mutanda. 

Personal trainer and author of Six Pack Chick, Bridget Hunt said: “Often people think that snacking isn’t good for them, but in my experience, it’s quite the opposite. Almonds pack the tasty, satisfying crunch and punch I need to keep me going whatever my day may bring, so it’s one less thing for me to worry about.  I am getting behind Snack Happy because it’s a simple habit that makes a real difference. I simply decant a handful of almonds every morning into a sandwich bag or tin and keep it in my handbag. It means I have a deliciously nutritious snack ready for when hunger strikes!”    

Almonds offer natural goodness in every bite. As a natural source of protein and fibre, almonds are high in nine essential nutrients, including vitamin E and calcium – making them the perfect, nutritious snack that women can take anywhere and eat at anytime.

For further information and to join the Snack Happy Challenge visit www.AlmondBoard.co.uk 

 California Almonds has asked me to take part in the Snack Happy Challenge. They have provided me with all I need to complete the challenge. For more information about healthy snacking please visit www.AlmondBoard.co.uk

Slimming World Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

Slimming World for me was a great way to lose weight, mainly as I could eat lots of food, no portion control, just ensuring I was eating my superfree third,which is a third of your plate filled with vegetables, salad of fruit, depending on the meal.

I dropped three dress sizes and am now maintaining my size 8 a year and a half later, I eat well and am able to have a takeaway or a splurge, knowing that my eating habits are good for the vast majority of my week.

Once I grasped the concepts of the SW healthy eating, I was able to adapt a few of my favourites,chilli, spag bol, stews to ensure it did not feel like I was deprived. Cutting fat off meat and cooking in frylight or extra virgin olive oil which is allowed as a healthy extra has become routine in the house. Adding lots of extra veg to a stew or curry is a norm now and though recipes may not be the original exact meal, as I now add extra peppers and onions, shun fat and replace cream with fat free yogurt, creme fraiche or light philly.

Some meals were trickier to adapt due to ingredients such as pastry, cream, sugars and fats.

I longed for my homemade quiche, pastry was totally out of the question unless I had saved up my syns,my curry's usually rich with ghee or oil with sides of bhaji, chapattis and nans were taboo.

I now add extra peppers and onions to chilli con carne and serve with a chilli spiced salad, curries too are packed with different veg.

I make quiche with cottage cheese to bulk out the custard mix and allow for it to be baked without pastry.

Now I think I can hear some of you cry out (as Chris did) "But its not the same!" However looking fit and feeling healthy outweighs this. Chris was gutted to lose the fat off bacon, he loves it all crispy, but  we still get to eat and savour the flavour, so it balances out!

So onto a low fat Spaghetti Carbonara, this was for some reason the meal I got fixated on having and adapting, there were a few, but this was the dream meal and I tried all the SW versions, with quark and found it bitter and nothing like what I wanted it to taste like.

I had been to a Philadelphia event a few months before my weight loss started and pleased that it was a healthy extra for Slimming World so took a look on their site and I found a recipe. I have adapted a good few Philly recipes, they give that extra creamy taste.

Its hard to see how something that tastes rich and creamy could possibly be anything to do with weight loss, but I ate lots and the weight came off each week.

Again mine is inspired by as I change ingredients and measurements to keep it SW friendly and feed an army, I tweak and adapt, no parsley, as I dislike it, herbs detract from it being a close relative of the real thing, so after trying chives I ditched trying others.

I use frylight as the bacon fries well in it.

I add mushrooms, one to add in some superfree and two to bulk it out,three as they do not take away from the taste.

I have added garlic and onion in the past, it works, but takes a completely different dish flavour.

I do stick with the bacon, it has to be smoked to lift the sauce. The stock turns the philly into a sauce that clings to the pasta, I use a healthy extra portion per person,

The amounts that Philadelphia state just don't quite work for a family of six, I use two packs of bacon, three to four eggs  and if I was not making it for Slimming world I would add way more philly. I do add a little fat free creme fraiche if I have any in.

I will not say its the same as the cream version, but if you are trying to cut out fat,on a low fat diet, Slimming World plan or need a yummy pasta fix with creamy based sauces,this is it.

Please note that Slimming World change the Healthy Extra quanties quite often due to manufacturers recipe changes, so if reading in the future, check amounts, it works with less,but nicer with more. At the moment it is 75g of Philly Light for a Healthy Extra A,  so you can use 225g philly and 42g of parmesan for the topping but I syn my Parmesan.

 

Ingredients

500g pack of spaghetti

Frylight

2 packs of smoked bacon,trimmed of all visible fat, cut into strips

Mushrooms as many as you fancy or none at all, finely sliced.

300g Philadelphia light ( 4 HexA's)

3-4 egg yolks

300ml vegetable stock

Parmesan shavings, to garnish

Cook the spaghetti according to the pack instructions.

While it is cooking, fry the bacon pieces in a large pan, add the mushrooms once the bacon has started to crisp. Keep stirring until the mushrooms are cooked.

Beat together the Philly and the egg yolks in a separate bowl.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it.

Add the stock to the bacon pan, then add the pasta and mix together.

Add the philly and egg mixture, and stir through well to combine everything.

Serve the pasta onto plates, scatter with  a few shavings of parmesan.

Aldi Specially Selected Active 10+ Manuka Honey

I have just been sent Aldi’s Specially Selected Active 10+ Manuka Honey which will is a great sweet way to combat the effects of the cold weather which has set in again.

I was so impressed by the price first. When jars  are in excess of £10 in supermarkets, I was surprised to read that the Aldi version is £3.99.

Now I have read up on Manuka Honey in the past, a lot of us know its a 'super' or good health product, but I read in a survey that people do not always know why.

Nearly all honey has an  active agent, which is believed to aid good health but is easily destroyed when exposed to heat or light. 

Manuka honey contains an extra, naturally occurring active ingredient, which makes it unique from other honeys. 

This additional component is stable and doesn't lose its strength  when exposed to heat, light or dilution. 

This  quality is known as UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) and the higher the UMF,  the more potent the honey and its powers (it is widely agreed that you need a UMF of 10 or higher for the honey to be properly effective). 

It has antiviral and antibacterial actions, which is a good excuse for reaching for a jar and having a spoonful or so neat at the first sign of a cold or sore throat.

Manuka honey can also help relieve allergies, improve skin care and has properties that can aid with a good night’s sleep, so it’s perfect to use all year round.

OK now I am thoroughly convinced as to Manuka Honey being a real super health food. But have to say, it tastes bloomin' lovely on a crumpet. Now that is another super food!!

Aldi’s Specially Selected Active 10+ Manuka Honey is fantastic value, and will help keep all the family fighting fit in 2013

http://www.aldi.co.uk/

Douwe Egberts The Flavour Collective Review

I am really pleased to be reviewing the Douwe Egbert Flavour Collective, as many of you know I have been on Slimming World, successfully reaching my goal and getting back into size 8's a drop of three dress sizes. I am on a maintenance eating plan now. I find I can relax and have the odd blow out, but try to eat healthily every day. My sweet tooth demands a fix every now and then and so as not to reach for biscuits and cakes, I try to eat sweet foods that have not got the killer fat in.

Hard to do but the new flavoured coffees from Douwe Egberts are really helping. On Slimming World they are free and certainly keep the sweet cravings away.

Just made up in a mug these are all delicious.I was pretty surprised to find Chris dipping in to the jars as he drinks his coffee strong and black and rarely goes for flavoured coffee.

My tips so far are try the hazelnut one with your healthy extra allowance of Alpro hazelnut milk to make a latte. The caramel flavour is lovely and though sweet its wort adding a little extra.  I drink normal coffee without sugar and my first cup of the Douwe Egberts Caramel I found a bit strong, the sweetness added really brings out the caramel flavour. 

The vanilla flavour is lovely with an options sachet of choice mixed in,it gives a real creamy taste.

These are my tips for keeping a sweet treat healthy, but as I said before I can also have the odd splurges now and Douwe Egberts have come up with a range of recipes using the Flavour Collective range. These are certainly a little more indulgent.

Baked Chocolate Coffee Fudge Loaf

 Serves 12 – 16 slices

Ingredients:

400g plain chocolate, broken into small pieces

120g unsalted butter

40g golden caster or soft brown sugar

100ml single or whipping cream

2 tbsp The Flavour Collective Smooth Caramel coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water

5 medium eggs, beaten

2 tbsp plain flour, sifted

To serve:

Cherries, raspberries or redcurrants

   

1.       Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Prepare a 7cm x 30cm oblong cake tin lined with non stick parchment paper.  

2.       Place the chocolate, butter and sugar in a large pan over a low heat and melt the mixture slowly until it is just smooth.

3.       Taking the pan off the heat whisk in the eggs into the chocolate mixture with the flour.

4.       Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and place into a roasting tin, half filled up with water before baking for  1 ½ hours.

5.       Leave to cool for 10 minutes before placing in the fridge to chill and cool completely.

6.       When cold, serve in slices with seasonal fruits like cherries, raspberry or redcurrants.

ICED COFFEE

Ingredients:

Cold water (dependent on glass size)

3 - 5 Ice cubes

Milk (to taste)

Sugar (to taste)

1 tsp of your favourite flavour of The Flavour Collective coffee

Preparation:

1. Put some cold water in a tall glass (about fifth of the capacity)

2. Add 1 teaspoon of your favoured The Flavour Collective coffee and 1 teaspoon of sugar (optional - you can vary the amount of sugar to taste) 

3. Use a milk frother to blend the mix for about one minute, until a rich and creamy foam is created. If you don't have a milk frother, try using a cocktail shaker instead to shake the mixture thoroughly.

4. Add ice cubes to the top of the glass and pour over cold milk.

5. Enjoy!

Sticky Toffee Squares with Toffee Sauce

Ingredients:

50g unsalted butter

175g light brown muscovado sugar

200g self raising flour, sifted

1 tbsp golden syrup

2 tbsp black treacle

2 medium eggs, beaten

1 tbsp The Flavour Collective Roasted Hazelnut coffee dissolved in 2 tsp hot water

225g pitted dates, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

For the sauce:

100g light brown muscovado sugar

100g unsalted butter

180ml double cream

1 tbsp The Flavour Collective Smooth Caramel coffee dissolved in 2tsp hot water

For the caramel shard:

100g caster sugar

1.       Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease and line a 23cm square tin with non stick parchment paper on the sides and base.

2.       For the caramel shard, heat the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and, without stirring, heat until the sugar dissolves. When the sugar darkens to a deep caramel colour, using an oiled spoon, drizzle the caramel onto a piece of non-stick baking paper and set aside to cool.

3.       For the cake mixture, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour, syrup, black treacle, eggs and coffee.

4.       Meanwhile, put the dates in a pan with 300ml water, bring to the boil then simmer for around 8 minutes until the dates are soft. Leave to cool for 10 minutes and then stir in bicarbonate of soda. Process the in a blender until smooth then carefully stir into the flour mixture.

More recipes to be found on the Douwe Egbert Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/DouweEgbertsUK

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Boursin Light Review

I was recently sent some Boursin products to try, the original Boursin with Garlic and herbs was a regular feature for Chris and I to snack on. Saturday nights, a dvd, a glass of wine and a tub or two of Boursin on Carrs water biscuits was a favourite. Since joining Slimming World, the full fat cheeses had to go on hold. Happily I am at my target weight, but I am still more careful about snacking.

Happy news when Boursin told me they now have a light version. I checked out the syn values so for the regular SW readers it works out at a great 1.5 syns per 25g, so perfect for popping on a ryvita for lunch. 

Since cutting down on fat,I have become a lot more inventive in cooking meals that are packed with taste, so the Boursin Light works well for me, it has another advantage over the original as it seems to be more spreadable so goes further.

I have tried melting it through tagliatelle and spinach for a healthy lunch and my aim is to stuff chicken, wrap in bacon and serve with a salad and hot new potatoes.

Its a great addition to a fab range especially for those of us who are eating healthily and the taste is as great as I hoped for.

Containing 78% less fat than Boursin original garlic & herbs, Boursin Light offers the same delicious taste and creamy, crumbly texture without the added calories, so you can indulge in your favourite soft cheese guilt-free; perfect enjoyed spread over crackers, warm bread, or stirred into pasta and served with fresh salad leaves for a light lunch.

Boursin Light, is available at Tesco, Waitrose and Ocado priced at £1.90 (125g)

Calorie Information: 139 per 100g serving

Typical values per 100g

Energy value 580 kJ / 139 kcal

Protein 12g

Carbohydrate 2.5g

Fat 9g

Alpro #Deskfest Challenge Smoothie

Never work before breakfast; if you have to work before breakfast, eat your breakfast first.  ~Josh Billings

I am making a real good start with my #deskfest challenge with Alpro  and loving the extra energy I seem to be getting. My brain seems to be functioning better and I also seem to have more energy at the end of the day.

I have to say the Smoothies have a keen edge on my favourite breakfasts, if your fruit is chopped up the day before, its a fast meal. Really filling and very good for you. I have tried this with the Almond Milk this morning. 

Oh and have you ever seen a mango this big, I have a really good Indian grocer just around the corner. £3 for a £1. Plenty of healthy smoothies coming up.

Healthy Breakfast Smoothie.

Place 1 small banana, a handful of raspberries and  a ripe mango in a blender. Whizz until smooth then stir in 
1 serving of Alpro Almond milk.

I like the liquid breakfast, this morning has been hectic and I had no time for a sit down breakfast, the smoothie was a great energy fix.while I blogged.

Alpro Ambassador #Deskfest

With on-the-go breakfasts increasing at the workplace, people are opting for expensive, unhealthy choices to eat at their desk in the mornings or just skipping breakfast completely. I work from home and with a busy life I also skipped breakfast a lot last year. I have made a resolution for 2013 to eat breakfast every day and as I am making it for my Granny who I care for full time, it will be easier (I hope) to keep to.

I was invited to be one of the Alpro ambassadors and take part in a 5 day #deskfest challenge for the start of 2013 I have been asked to create five simple breakfasts to enjoy at my desk incorporating an Alpro product.

The concept of #deskfest encourages people to put a creative, healthy spin on their morning routine – changing their dull, unhealthy breakfast into a delicious, simple start to the day.

My desk is a laptop, my lap, products I review and lots of brand release paperwork, all this is usually on my sofa, but it is still a work place so my #deskfest will be shots of this and around the kitchen. 

The idea is that you share your deskfest creations on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Pinterest including the hashtag #deskfest. I am documenting on the blog for others who may want to get involved too. Alpro are doing a wider competition to win breakfast in New York, so any pictures tweeted to the deskfest hashtag, will automatically be included.

So my first breakfast was rather good, I decided to have a tropical  theme.
The Alpro Pouring Yogurt with Vanilla,mixed with a little plain yogurt, then poured over, melon, pineapple and grapes, topped with a mix of oats, pumpkin seeds and raisins.
Very simple, very quick to make, incredibly tasty and gave me just the kickstart for my new decision.

http://www.alpro.com/uk/

Disclosure I was given  free products. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. 

Win a box of Yu! Healthy Snacks Fruit Bars - 2 prizes Ends 10th January

Win a box of Yu! Healthy Snacks Fruit Bars - 2 prizes

It's a brand new year, so why not make it a brand new healthy you to match? Yu! has a scrumptious range of guilt-free snacks to help you keep up with those New Year diet resolutions. With a whole host of treats made from real fruit and wholesome ingredients, Yu! makes it easy to indulge without compromising on taste – or health!

Have you tried Yu! Healthy Snacks before?  

Naturally sweet and tasty, Yu! offers a unique selection of products which include:

·         Just Fruit Chews – delicious bite-sized pieces of dried fruit which look and taste just like a sweet, but are 100% from fruit. One of your 5-a-day, less than 90 calories, fat free and no added sugar

·         Yogurt-Coated Fruit Pieces – tasty fruit bites covered in a creamy yogurt coating, containing real fruit and real yogurt

·         Yu! Bars (40% fruit) – packed with plump, juicy fruits with cereal in a gorgeously healthy yogurt-coating

Now you have a chance to win a box of Yu! Healthy Snacks Fruit Bars!!!  They are fruit bars made from real fruit and crunchy cereal covered in yogurt coating.

For your chance to win simply comment on the post below. You will need to follow Yu! on Twitter and like their page on Facebook. Enter and follow/like via the Rafflecopter below Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Laughing Cow Blue Cheese Review

IT MAY BE BLUE… BUT IT IS STILL LAUGHING!

The Laughing Cow launches NEW Light with Blue Cheese

I was pretty pleased with the launch of Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese. As you will know cheese is up in the top five products I review, I love it and blue cheese is a favourite.

 Regular Given To Distracting Others readers also will know that I successfully dropped three dress sizes with Slimming World over a year ago and happily I am still maintaining my target weight. 

Its thanks to the light versions of my favourites, I thought I would be failing when it came to cheese as I believed it would be the food I missed along with bread.

The great news is for my SW allowances I can have up to four triangles a day. I do actually eat a more varied diet and am able to add forbidden foods as I need to keep my weight up as well.

So I tried one on a crumpet firstly to see how good they were as a topping. There is a lovely blue cheese creamy taste, not too bitter and really no hint of it being a light version.

Laughing Cow have some great healthy swaps below, but I have a few of my own ideas as well.

I have decided to fill chicken breasts with the cheese and wrap in bacon, served with a salad it will be great.

It melts well so will be good for making a broccoli and blue cheese soup.

Also I want to try melted into pasta maybe with crispy bacon or pancetta.

Cheesy-peasy swaps:

• 1 small slice (25g) Stilton is equivalent to 4 The Laughing Cow Light with 

Blue Cheese triangles 

• 1 small slice (25g) Cheddar is equivalent to 4 The Laughing Cow Light 

with Blue Cheese triangles

• 1 small slice (25g) Brie is equivalent to 3 The Laughing Cow Light with 

Blue Cheese triangles

Why not try  two pieces of The Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese spread on two crackers 
for just 93 calories instead of…
• A plain bagel with Philadelphia Light with Garlic and Herb (322 calories) – SAVING 229 
calories
• Chicken and salad sandwich on white bread (297 calories per sandwich) – SAVING 204 
calories
• 1 piece of wholemeal bread toasted and served with a low-fat spread (131 calories) –
SAVING 38 calories

English muffin with The Laughing Cow light Blue Cheese and bacon
Slice one English muffin in half and lightly toast. Grill 2 rashers of lean back bacon until crispy, allow to cool then roughly chop. Mash 2 The Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese triangles and stir in the bacon bits. Spread over the muffins and 
serve with a tomato salad - 315cals/13g fat 

The Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese and celery on oatcakes 
Thinly slice 1 stick of celery and mash with 2 triangles of Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese spread over 2 oat 
cakes or half a toasted bagel - 122cals/7g fat 
The Laughing  Cow Light with Blue Cheese, Green Pepper, 
walnuts and celery
Mash 1 triangle Laughing Cow light blue cheese and mix with 
2 roughly walnuts spoon into middle of 2 sticks of celery -
125cals/11g fat 

Common associations with blue include feeling sad, the noughties boy band and perhaps something a little more risqué, but for the UK’s most popular cheese triangle, The Laughing Cow, blue cheese is the latest flavour to join its light range.

Made with real blue cheese and with just 25 calories per triangle, The Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese is a perfect way to enjoy the distinctive taste of blue but without the fat,   bringing an exciting new twist to a balanced diet.

There are many ways to enjoy the new cheese; it can be spread on a cracker, enjoyed on its own as a light snack, or used as a cooking ingredient for a main dish such as a blue cheese dressing or alternative blue mash.

The new round boxes of eight cheese triangles are available now in Tesco and Sainsbury’s and will be available in Morrisons from the end of September and Asda from the middle of October.

New Laughing Cow Light Cheese spread with real Blue
Cheese is available in packs with 8 cheese triangles.
Available now from larger stores of Morrisons, Tesco,  
Sainsbury’s and Asda. RSP: 1.25 
Visit www.thelaughingcow.com for more information