healthy Archives - Megan Taylor

Are You Giving Up Anything For Lent?

Lent may be a religious thing that you either ignore or don’t even know about and I am not about to get all religious on you because I’m no religious genius and that’s just not what my blog is about. This being said I am about to give you a little insight into my rather un-religious obsession with Lent which I have had since I was in Junior school.

RELIGIOUSLY GIVING UP

Pretty much every year since I can remember I have given up chocolate for 40 days and 40 nights. The reason I gave up chocolate for the first time was I believe because my school said we should all give lent a go. I then kept giving up chocolate because I am beyond obsessed with the sugary stuff. The only problem is that I just get more and more obsessed after the quitting stint.

DENY FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

I like to give up chocolate each year because it is something unhealthy that I have an “unhealthy” obsession with. I would really like to stop craving it but I’m not sure how. My aunty even tried a little bit of NLP on me but, nope, nothing can get between chocolate and I. If you are going to give up something for lent then it is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself to give up something that you know is bad for you. I strongly feel that there is no point in denying something from yourself just for the sake it but if you know in your heart that you should give something up then why not have a go until Easter.

(Chocolate Dipped Strawberries)

WHAT COULD I POSSIBLY GIVE UP?

There are so many things people have been known to give up, tangible or other ways. I feel that the best and most common are chocolate, sweets, crisps, cakes and biscuits. Yet there are some other clever ones such as giving up social media. This would be an amazing one for someone that is constantly on their phone logging into Facebook or Instagram but for me it is a huge part of my career so I couldn’t do that. That being said, I do think I should ease up and maybe have a night cap on my social media dependancy…I may have to discuss this in a future post.

WHEN TO GIVE IN

You are bound to have a celebratory event of some kind over the 40 days. Lent tends to fall over my dad and cousins’ birthdays and as I always give up chocolate or some kind of sweet treat this can sometimes be an issue with birthday cakes or parties. I am not one to miss out on a celebration so I always give an exception to birthdays and big celebrations because no one likes a party pooper.

I am already counting down the days to Easter. Giving up chocolate makes Easter Eggs that much more special.
Are you going to give up something this year?

Tried & Tested : Deliciously Ella Energy Balls

I have followed Deliciously Ella‘s work for a while and have been inspired add a little more vegan-ness into my life because of her (I have been a vegetarian since the age of 9). I love her books and have reviewed them both here:
Deliciously Ella
Deliciously Ella – Every Day
If you follow my Snapchat you are likely to know that I am a huge fan of Whole Foods and buy many yummy healthy goods from there whenever I pass by…thank goodness there isn’t one down my road, else I would be broke. So when I heard the Ella and her husband were selling their energy balls in Whole Foods I rushed there in a flash and bought one of each to try them all and review them for you. The balls sell for £1.99 and are rather generous in their size and really fill you up with their density.

Cashew & Ginger
Although I enjoyed this cashew and ginger flavour it was in fact my least favourite out of the three. I love cashew nuts and I adore ginger but this ginger felt a little too sweet and overpowering for me. That being said I still really liked the ball and feel like it would have many benefits to you if you were run down and would also be a fab morning breakfast pick me up.

Hazelnut & Raisin
The hazelnut and raisin flavour was my second favourite. There is a lovely hint of cinnamon in this flavour which makes me feel a teensy bit excited for Christmas. I also really enjoyed the crunch and density to this one. I feel like everyone should like this one because there’s nothing really to dislike 🙂

Cacao & Almond
This is by far my favourite of the three energy balls on offer. Imagine a chocolate brownie without the guilt and that is this ball. I have a very sweet tooth and my first downfall when I am trying to be healthy is my craving for chocolate. This cacao and almond ball is the perfect remedy for the mid afternoon sweet cravings.

Have you tried these yet? What do you think?

April 2016 Favourites

Welcome to May everyone.
I am back again with my Favourite items of the month. This month I have been loving some very old TV shows and of course I will tell you about my favourite healthy stuff that I have discovered.
The link to my latest YouTube video showing you everything is below, along with the links to see them a little closer and where to buy them. What have you been loving this month?

Products Mentioned
Bobble Bottle
Jax Coco Coconut Water
Lean Greens
Original Source Mint Shower Gel
Sally Henson Nail Polish Remover
Sex & The City Box Set
Absolutely Fabulous TV Series

6 Top Tips To Keep Motivated To Exercise And Be Healthy

We are already fast approaching April, the fourth chapter of the year and our “New Year, New Me” resolutions are likely to be waning. I often have days, sometimes weeks where I simply can not be bothered to exercise or eat healthily. Yet, after a binge heavy weekend I tend to be much more motivated come Monday morning. With my yo-yo in motivation over the years I have come to rely on these 6 Top Tips To Keep Motivated To Exercise And Be Healthy.

1. Inspiration Board
I am a strong believer in inspiration boards. A couple of years ago when transferring to a new laptop I stumbled across an old wish board with pictures of everything I desired in 2010. With a lot of wishing and mental desiring and hard work I managed to bag myself that Mini Cooper, Chihuahua and designer handbag. I believe the same could be done with your fitness goals. Whether you are trying to get more toned or more fit you can always make an inspiration board to remind you of why you are working out in the first place and to really hone your desires. For myself, I would like to get a bit more toned in certain areas. To keep me inspired I make a secret motivation board on Pinterest full of pictures of bodies I would quite like mine to be like and clothes I would like to wear when I have accomplished my goals. Bit weird and creepy but it definitely helps inspire you to remember why you are working out.

2. Healthy Competition
Are any of your friends or celebrities that you follow on social media constantly posting images or posts of their fitness successes? If you can’t beat them, join them. Use them as inspiration. Don’t feel defeated by their accomplishments, just feel inspired. Maybe, just maybe you could try and be even better and one up their fitness accomplishments. There is no need to brag about it, just keep it inside and feel fab-u-lous about your achievements, even if that was saying no to the last Rolo.

3. Clothes Shopping
There is no better feeling than heading off to an exercise class dressed up in new workout gear. Maybe spice up your outfit with some new bright tops. Sports bras are so pretty at the moment and it doesn’t matter that no one is going to see it, you know how pretty you look under your sports clothes and that feeling will shine from within. Check out my recent blog post on high street sports clothing or my SHOP where there are lots of gorgeous trainers that I am currently crushing on.

4. New Playlist
My favourite runs are when I have new music. I love to fill my iPod with a running playlist that is full of new uptempo pop music. If I want to stay out running for longer I listen to new music. I don’t care if people can see me but I often spend a forty minute run constantly singing along to Britney or Ellie Goulding. It lets your brain completely disconnect with your awareness to the duration or tiredness you may be feeling.

5. Buddy Up
For some people, working out with a friend or in a group of people can be more motivating and enjoyable for them. I personally don’t love the idea of relying on someone else to make sure I work out incase they can’t make a training session and then I may miss out as well, but I do sometimes quite like working out with others. I do love to go for a run by myself but if mine and my husbands diaries happen to coincide I love to run with my husband, but with this I just assume I am going running by myself and if he is free then that is an added bonus. I also go to my husbands bootcamp classes which I adore because it is a chance to be pushed by a teacher but also have fun with other friends and also make new friends whilst working out, yet not having to rely on someone else to make a certain class with me.

6. Mix It Up
As I mentioned above I love going for a run and to bootcamp classes. I find the best way to keep exercising regularly is to have lots of sports that you enjoy. When I go to a bootcamp class, the class is always different so my mental and fitness state is always challenged and excited. Try not to go for the same 5km run every time you exercise. Maybe mix it up with a different running route or even better, a twenty minute at home ab work out to some loud pop music or go and play a game of tennis with a friend, or go out for a bit of roller blading. Just try anything to prevent yourself from getting board.
I shared with you an example of the different types of exercises and why I do them in this blog post.

I hope my tips can help you keep motivated to keep fit and healthy. With even a little bit of exercise you will be pumping out those endorphins in no time and we all know what Elle Woods say’s about that..
“Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.” Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

Let me know of any other tips you can share with us all.

(Images: Tom Barnes)

Healthy Snacks Haul {Tried & Tested}

I have compiled a fair few sweet sugar free treats and tried them out for you. All the treats are available online and some are more affordable than others. I believe that for even the naughtiest of unhealthy snackers there would be something in this healthy snack haul that they would like. Keep reading to find your favourite yummy but healthy snack in my healthy snacks haul.

Squirrel Sisters Coconut Cashew
I had never heard of this brand before but after trying this bar I will definitely be back for more and would love to know what else they make. I hear they have a raspberry bar which is definitely on my shopping list. After one bite I realised they tasted exactly like my Sugar Free Nutty Biscuits before I cook them, honestly so similar. There are two bars within the packaging. They are very dense and filling which is a great. I was feeling rather hungry after a shoot the other day and had these in my bag, they were the perfect filling snack to keep me going for my journey home and until dinner. My mouth is watering just thinking about them, I think I need more of these in my life asap.

Raw Bite Peanut
I was drawn to the Raw Bite bars because of their eye catching design. They are so beautiful and I loved photographing them for this blogpost. This peanut bar tasted a lot like a Tracker bar that I used to have in my lunchbox as a child yet with no guilt of the excess amount of sugar. These bars have no refined sugar and use dates to make up their sweetness.

Raw Bite Prot ein
I bought this bar for my hubby simply because of it saying Protein on the packaging and I was bit jealous because I wanted the pink bar. It had the same squidgy dense texture as the protein bar but in my opinion was not as yummy. The added cacoa flavour made this bar a bit more dense and filling.

Ombar 72%
Ombar were featured in my recent Whole Foods Haul and as mentioned before I really enjoyed the Ombars that I tried. As with most healthy raw chocolate bars I feel you need to not eat them alongside any “real/standard” chocolate otherways you may be disappointed. Normal chocolate bars that we are used to are incredibly sweet, even dark chocolate bars. They give our sugar brains an instant hit and leave us needing more almost immediately. Raw chocolate bars like Ombar are much richer and have a fairly different taste. I found this 72% bar to be almost alcoholic in taste…and I loved it. You only need a couple of bites and you will be satisfied for a long time. Ombar are the perfect healthy “pick me up”.

iQ Superfood Chocolate Orange Raspberry
Although they are sugarfree, I find the iQ chocolate bars to much more like normal standard chocolate bars therefore a great first taste for those new to raw chocolate. The packaging is adorable with loads of fun information inside about how great the bars are for your health…better get nibbling then. The orange and raspberry bar is incredibly yummy with the perfect amount of sweetness.

iQ Superfood Chocolate Cocoa-Nib
I have to be honest I really need to learn what the difference is between cocoa and cacoa and what the different levels of processed and healthiness is between them. These bars say they have cocoa nibs in them and they taste exactly like bars I have tried that say cacoa-nibs…hmmm. I believe these bars are super healthy whether they are cocoa or cacoa nibs and I adore this bar, the texture of the crunchy nibs is perfect. This bar is basically a more healthy version of Montezuma’s Lordy Lord chocolate bar which I have always adored.

Raw Gorilla Munchies
I spotted these Raw Gorilla Munchies in this months Sourced Box and then again in Whole Foods. They seem to be following me around so I thought I had best give them a try. They are hard yet a little bit chewy. They are quite dense so you don’t feel like you need a lot of them. As an on-the-go snack they are great because they travel well and you only need to pop a couple in your mouth to sate your appetite.

Raw Chocolate Mulberries
You may have spotted these in my recent Whole Foods Haul Blog and Vlog. They were my favourite snack and after thinking I wouldn’t buy anymore because of the price, I have actually since bought four more bags…eeeeek the money! I simply can’t help myself they are incredibly yummy. Even my dad who is a through and through milk chocolate guy adores these Raw Chocolate Mulberries. The taste, the texture, they are simply wonderful and you must all try them, except you can’t try mine because I do not share these ☺ .

I hope you have enjoyed my healthy snack taste test. I certainly loved it and so did Liam. I can honestly say that I would definitely buy every single item again. If I were super rich I would buy these snacks regularly and not feel the need to snack on any unhealthy chocolates or crisps ever again.
Have you tried any sugar free yummy treats or wanted to try any that I should try for you?

Sugar Free Nutty Biscuits {recipe}

We are a week through the healthiest month of the year.
For some of us, our motivation may be waning.
I have come up with this sweet treat that has no sugar added whatsoever.
It way be hard to believe when you taste these cookies but the only sugar is that of the fruit.

Sugar Free Nutty Biscuits

Ingredients

30g sliced almonds
80g Coconut Flakes
125g Pitted Dates
50g Raisins
30g Pumpkin Seeds
Zest of 1 Lemon
3/4 tbsp Coconut Water
1/2 tbsp Apple Juice Syrup (I used this delicious Apple Syrup but you could use apple juice instead)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150°c
2. Throw all the ingredients into a food processor
3. Blend together for approximately 4 minutes, until they almost form into a ball (add more coconut water if needed)
4. Divide the mixture into 16 balls and lay on two lined baking trays
5. Flatten each ball with the back of a spatula
6. Cook for 15 minutes rotating the trays half way through

You can leave these biscuits to cool or eat them right away.
They are lovely warm but harden up when left out to cool.
They are incredibly filling and make the perfect breakfast on the go or snack when you fancy a sweet treat.
Let me know if you make them and tag me on Instagram @itmegantaylor

Tanya’s Cafe {Review}

After a long day of filming my husband came and met me for dinner in London.
He took me to Tanya’s Cafe.
I have been vegetarian since I was nine and always had an incling to try out being plant based but never thought it would be possible.
When I found out about Tanya’s Cafe I immediately put it on my list of places to go.
We have Tanya’s cook book and regularly follow the recipes.

We arrived at 7pm and it was fairly quiet, about 50% full.
The atmosphere was lovely and chilled.
The restaurant is set within My Hotel, nestled somewhere between the Kings Road and Fulham Road.
By the time we left at 9pm the restaurant was full and buzzing.
We could have stayed there all night drinking cocktails and nibbling on kale crisps.

While we decided what we were going to have for dinner we ordered a cocktail each.
They were the healthiest and freshest cocktails I have ever had. They were really delicious.

What we drank: Passionate Crush, Mango Mexicana, Sweet Burn and Top Gun.

We couldn’t decided what to order so we shared an array of random dishes.

What we ate: Pad Thai , falafels, kale crisps, carrot sticks with red pepper hummus and an aubergine dish.

The pudding (pictured above) was my favourite dish of the night. The cake was a chocolate and date puree slice. I would go back just for that slice alone. Tanya…please put the recipe for this in your next book.

I would highly recommend this restaurant. Everything is raw and vegan.
My husband thought he was going to be hungry after our meal but he was completely full.

Crunchy Cashew Kale Crisps

I had some kale that was almost out of date and only a handful of cashew nuts so I decided to create my own
Crunchy Cashew Kale Crisps.
They were really yummy but definitely gave the house a bit of a funky, yet healthy smell.
These kale chips are a healthier alternative to normal movie night snacks. They would be great for a Monday movie night when, let’s be honest, we are all at our healthiest.
These crisps were really easy to make and tasted really yummy. The chew of the cashew nuts is the best bit.

-Serves 1
-Prep time: 5 minutes
-Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Kale (two big leaves minus their stems)
Cashew nuts (1/4 cup)
Red chilli (personal preference, I used a whole chilli which was very hot!)
Salt (pinch)
Pepper (personal preference)
Olive oil (approx. 2 teaspoons)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170°

2. Blend the cashew nuts into tiny chunks in a blender. I use this one.

3. Cut the kale leaves off its stem. Leaving the stem behind cut the leaves into little shreds.

4. Cut up your chilli’s red skin into teensy little pieces, leaving the seeds behind.

5. Throw your cut up leaves, chilli and cashew nuts into a roasting tray. Add a glug of olive oil and mix everything together.

6. Cook for 15 minutes, turning every five minutes. 15 minutes allowed me to achieve a mixture of crunchy crisps and chewy crisps.
If you want a more crisp texture cook them for 20-30 minutes but making sure you check them regularly to not let them burn.

7. Either eat warm or let them cool for ten minutes to have slightly crispier crisps.

Hope you enjoy them.

If you make them, make sure you tag me in pictures on Instagram or Twitter @itsmegantaylor

Sugar Free Sweet Popcorn Recipe

Every week I have three and a half days where I eat very well and this includes being sugar free. My way of sugar free is vaguely strict. I do not eat any refined sugar, added sugar, any food that has a sugar listed in its ingredients. I do not include natural sugars such as honey, agave or fruits in these ‘sugars to avoid’ list.
Even though I am being healthy I still have a need for that afternoon sugar hit like anyone else. My Quinoa Goddess Balls are a fab sweet hit. Here is another recipe I love which is very low in calories and has a low Glycemic Index therefore making you feel full for longer.

This recipe will fill your house with a festive scent of cinnamon and you will have a huge bowl of sticky and chewy popcorn. Best of all at only 205 calories, you can eat a very large bowl guilt free…although you may not be able to finish it because it is so filling.
(Measurements and calories are approximated for serving two people)

What you will need

80g Popcorn maize (278cal)
2tsp Ground cinnamon (12cal)
2 tbsp Date syrup (128cal) or Honey (120cal) or Agave syrup (120cal)

Method

1. Pop some kernels the traditional way in a pan with a little oil.

2. Set your grill to low.

3. Lay out your popped corn on some grease proof paper on a baking tray.

4. Drizzle honey / agave syrup or date syrup over the popcorn.

5. Now your popcorn is sticky, sprinkle ground cinnamon over the popcorn.

6. Place in the grill for about 5 minutes, continuously checking that they are not burning.

A healthy hug in a mug: {Lemon and ginger tea}

It is widely publicised that we should start off our morning with a mug of warm water and lemon but how about adding some fresh ginger in there? I adore this drink and have a mug most mornings.

Growing up, my parents would always make me honey, lemon and ginger in hot water to drink whenever I was ill and I adored it. It is fine to add the honey or agave syrup but for that slightly healthier edge and a way to prevent spiking your blood sugar and insulin levels, why not just have lemon and ginger? I love that tiny heated burn that ginger gives you. I also feel a strong sense of satisfaction whenever I drink ginger because it really feels like it is doing you some good.

I like to buy a fresh ginger chunk from the supermarket. At about 40-50p for a large chunk, which will last you months, you may as well give this drink a go. I chop it up in to little pieces and store it in a Tupperware pot in my freezer. It will keep for a very long time.

Below is the recipe for how I make mine. Make sure you read to the end for the health benefits of lemon and ginger.

Method

1. Either chop up half a lemon or squeeze half a lemon into your mug.

2. Throw in a few chunks of your frozen ginger (fresh ginger is fine too).

3. Cover in hot water.

4. Et voila x

Lemon benefits

Clear skin- lemon helps prevent skin wrinkles and acne.

Immune system- lemon is known to help maintain your immune system and protect you from many illnesses. This is because of its high quantity of Vitamin C.

Flushes out toxins- lemon is great to drink at any time of the day. It aids digestion.

Ginger benefits

Gingerols- ginger is full of gingerols helping with muscle pain and soreness after injury or tough workouts.

Immune boosting- helps produce healthy sweating. In turn helping us naturally detox and great for when we have a cold or the flu.

Helps alleviate nausea- if you get travel sick or have an anxious belly it is great to consume some form of ginger. Having ginger in your hot drink can help calm your anxiousness. It can even help with those time of the month belly cramps.

Autumnal Granola Recipe

The nights are getting darker, the wind so much chillier and the autumn leaves are falling at a rapid speed. I personally love this time of year. We can layer up our clothes, put the fire on and have an excuse to hibernate at home with a great movie, hot water bottle and a cup of hot chocolate. That’s not to mention the great anticipation of the festive Christmas period.
The only downside to the chillier season is pushing myself out of the door in the morning. I have to eat breakfast before going to work otherwise my tummy rumbles like a mini earthquake. When I am cold I tend to crave a warm croissant or a fried egg sandwich sssh. I have come up with this granola recipe which is low in GI, super healthy and can be eaten warm or cold. Shop bought cereals, granola’s and muesli’s are full of unnatural sugars and ingredients that you would never find in your kitchen cupboards. My granola recipe is full of seeds and nuts and the only sugars are date syrup and honey…very natural and wonderfully sweet for that yummy sugar hit in the healthiest way possible. The great thing about this recipe is you can just use anything you have in your cupboard you don’t have to follow the recipe meticulously. You don’t need to go out shopping for any expensive ingredients…have fun experimenting.

Don’t forget to tag me in photos of your granola if you make it. @itsmegantaylor
Here is how to make my autumnal granola recipe.

Time

Prep: 5 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes

What you will need

Syrup:

1 tablespoon Coconut oil

1.5 tablespoon Date syrup

1 tablespoon Honey

Granola bulk:

1/4 cup Mixed seeds

{I used: flaxseeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds}

3/4 cup Mixed nuts

{I used: haselnuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts. If you want a mix of nuts but don’t fancy spending a fortune on bags of nuts, Waitrose do a great mixed nuts bag so you can get a good variety in your granola}

1 cup Jumbo oats

1 cup Coconut flakes

1 cup Quinoa pops

3/4 cup Raisins

2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 160°

2. Blend your mixed nuts in a blender until lightly mixed. Do not let them go to dust…unless you are aiming for more of a muesli texture.

3. Throw all dry ingredients into a baking tray (nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, quinoa pops, oats, raisins).

4. Melt the coconut oil, date syrup, honey and cinnamon in a pan on a low heat until mixed together.

5. Pour the syrup over the dry ingredients and mix together.

6. Place in the oven for ten minutes, mixing up the ingredients every few minutes.

7. Leave to stand until cool before storing to prevent the ingredients going soggy.
Enjoy with yoghurt, milk or even by itself as a healthy snack.

All Over Body Workout

Everyone knows that feeling of not having enough time to fit in a workout. Yet, we all know we will feel a lot better after a little bit of exercise.
Here is a quick and simple all over body workout you can do anywhere with no equipment or gym membership necessary.
In association with Elevate.

Warm Up:
Leisurely 5 minute run
Work Out:
x10 High Knee Step Ups
x10 Tricep Dips
x10 V-Sit Twists
(Make sure you stretch after your workout)

Thanks to Elevate for the workout routine
www.elevatesport.co.uk