Mighty meatballs

Hello friends,

I want to share a quick meatball recipe with you.  I love making these and freezing them in the correct portion sizes.

You will need:
1 kg extra lean ground beef
3 eggs
3 medium sized grated carrots
1 medium sized chopped onion
1 medium sized chopped bell pepper
For seasoning I use:
Fresh garlic
Salt and pepper
Worcester sauce
(You can spice how you like it)

Mix everything together very well and divide into 12 portions.  This will give you a 75g serving of lean beef.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 180deg

 
Enjoy!  :)

Crunchy summer salad with JOYA apples

These JOYA apples makes a lovely contribution to any summer salad due to his tarty sweetness.  I just love the added crunch!

All you need to make this super easy salad:
2-3 cups shredded cabbage and carrots
2 tablespoons dried cranberries or goji berries.  ( I used a combination)
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

Layer your ingredients.

For the dressing mix the following:

60 g light mayonnaise
15 g honey
dash of milk
squeeze of lemon juice.

Simply pour over your salad and enjoy as a side to your BBQ.

Hello friends, 

You know I like to share with you all the amazing little things that I find and enjoy everyday.   The newest little gem on my list is JOYA.  You've probably seen me posting about this apple. 

I found JOYA in store inside Woolworths.  You can only get these delicious, crunchy, red apples from selected Woolworths stores. 

Why do I love them?  They are sweet, yet tart, juicy with an amazing crunch.  They make out to be a great eating apple.   As you can see, I am not the only one in my family who enjoys them.  :)

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is an old Welsh proverb that most of us are familiar with, but what makes this fruit so special? 

What health benefits are associated with eating apples?

Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavanoids, and dietary fiber.

Apples contain almost no fat, sodium or cholesterol.

Apples deserve to be called "nutritional powerhouses". 

They contain the following important nutrients:

• Vitamin C - a powerful natural antioxidant capable of blocking some of the damage caused by free radicals, as well as boosting the body's resistance against infectious agents.
• B-complex vitamins (riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B-6) - these vitamins are key in maintaining red blood cells and the nervous system in good health.
• Dietary fiber - a diet high in fiber can help prevent the development of certain diseases and may help prevent the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood from rising.

• Phytonutrients - apples are rich in polyphenolic compounds". These phytonutrients help protect the body from the  effects of free radicals.
• Minerals such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. 

So go on, get you daily energy boost now! 

http://joyaapples.co.za/

Titan whey choc chip cookies

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I posted a recipe, but I must say things have been hectic.  We are also expecting our second baby.  Very very excited to share with you this news!

If you are looking for something for the sweet tooth, this protein cookie is it!

Ingredients:
1 can drained chickpeas
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
2 scoops Titan whey protein
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt


I always start by blending my chickpeas in the food processor , than adding the egg.  Add the rest of the ingredients.

Blend everything together VERY well  until the mixture is smooth.  Make sure there is no more little chickpeas floating around. 

Add your choc chips when everything is done and stir through your batter. 

Line a baking tray with baking paper and scoop tablespoons of batter on the tray.

Baking 15-20 minutes (or as needed) in a 200 deg oven.  I almost burned mine!

Makes 12 cookies

Bon Ap!

Butternut and Cauliflower Cottage Pie

Hello Friends,

Today I'm sharing a delicious recipe with you that I threw together in no time at all.  This was so fast and easy and I think it has more flavor than the real deal.

You will need 1kg butternut and 1 large head of cauliflower.  Steam or cook them together until soft

In a pan grill together 1 large onion and 1 teaspoon of fresh garlic. Add 1kg extra lean beef mince and spices to taste.  I added 1 packet of savoury mince sauce (optional) .  When the mince is slightly cooked, add to oven dish.  I love to use the red braai spice from Ina paarman on my red meat. 

Blend your steamed butternut and cauliflower until smooth.   Salt and pepper to taste.  I added freshly chopped chives for extra flavour.

 If the consistency is too thick to spread, add a little bit of the water you steamed your veggies in.  Just be careful to not add too much, as  you don't want the mixture to run.












Now you spread the butternut mixture evenly over your mince in the oven dish.

Oven bake for about 30minutes at 200deg.

There you go.  You can thank me later :)

Bon appetite!

What does it take?

I've been contemplating to write this blog for so long, just decided to jump at it. 

I receive so many messages/emails of people who say they will do ANYTHING to lose weight.  They even list what they have done and what they are willing to do on top of that. 

Client buys a plan, 1st week great, 2nd week good... 3rd week.... diet is not working. Client is done. 

Let's paint a bigger picture. When you have alot of weight to lose, you can easily drop n few kg by simply making better food choices.  When you reach the stage where you have plateaued, it is not that simple anymore. You need to be much more meticulous about what goes into your mouth.  You need to be moving more and burn calories to burn fat. 

The question you should be asking yourself, is this worth it for you? Is this a lifestyle that you do want to pursue? By simply following a plan I give you , here and there, it's not going to happen for you. If you do not adhere to your given macros, how would we know to make adaptions to your plan?  Calories also need to be adjusted monthly to progress towards your goal. 

I'm writing from my own experience and 10 years of settling into this type of lifestyle. It took me YEARS to find the balance.  Sometimes I still battle. 

1. You NEED to stick to your diet. 

2. What you eat determines 80% of how you look. 

3. You cannot sneak a glass of wine, spill on your macros and think your body will not pick up on it. Everything counts. 

4. Condiments adds calories, which means your weigh loss deficit is no longer a deficit.  This includes the honey you put into your tea! 

5. WEEKENDS are the silent death. Why does everyone spoil their diet on a weekend? They are out of routine and goes into relaxing mode. This is when you should be more focused on staying on track, just because this is what makes the difference between success and failure. 

6. You cannot fix food binges with more cardio.  You cannot out train a bad diet! 

7. You cannot TONE and not build muscle. Toning is building muscle. You need muscle to have shape when your bodyfat comes down, otherwise there will only be skin and bone. 

8. If you want to get stage lean, you need to follow the rules 95% of the time. 

9. Sneaking cookies and chocolate IS going stall your progress. 

10. MINDSET is everything. a Positive mindset will get you further than any great genetics would! 

Next time you say you will do anything, think about what you are willing to sacrifice to get there. 

Being lean or thin isn't everything, being happy is.  If you enjoy a glass of wine with friends, think about whether you are prepared to give that up to go do your cardio.

Sweet potato and chicken gratin

Hello Everyone,

This month I wanted to go for something salty, since we have been doing sweet recipes 2 months in a row now.  The  most questions I get, by far, is how to make chicken interesting.   Well, you will love this one.

Pre-heat your oven to 200deg.

Start by peeling and chopping 600g sweet potatoes very thin.  Lay them out on a lined baking tray and oven bake until soft.

I added some salt and pepper to taste.  I know I eat way too much salt, but luckily my blood pressure is good.  :)

The rest of your ingredients:

450g cooked chicken.  (chopped)
Half a red onion (chopped,  you will lightly fry with with a clove of garlic and  some fresh herbs of choice)

2 whole eggs
180g egg whites OR 3 more whole eggs
150g cottage cheese
60g grated medium fat Gouda ( or cheese of choice)
Few sprinkles Parmesan (grated)
1 chopped tomato
200g fresh spinach

Add the eggs and cottage cheese to a blender and mix well.  Add the chicken and pulse just 2-3 times.  You don't want your chicken too fine.

Now you will begin the layering.  First add an layer of sweet potato.  Followed by a layer of spinach, then chicken, then a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Repeat this.

On the top layer, add the tomatoes and grated cheese.

Reduce your oven to 175 degrees for baking your gratin slowly.

When it is done, put in the oven for 45 minutes.  Check with a toothpick when it is cooked on the inside.

To remove your gratin, hold a plate over the pan and flip.  Add another plate over the gratin and flip him right side up.

I got 4 very big servings out of mine.  I am sure you can get away with 6-8 servings if you serve with vegetables

Bon Ap :)

Macros for 4 servings . Calories 380 /  Protein  43 / Fat 7.4 / Carb 31.4