Cheeky chips - guilt free

Actually waiting for them to cook as I write this...I'm so hungry!

Anyway, I don't like sweet things, 10/10 a savoury girl here! Therefore, I'm a massive potato lover: chips, crisps, cheesy mash, dauphinoise, baked, jacket, whatever, you name it, I love potatoes *insert heart eyes emoji*.

So what's a great alternative to your typical white potato meals that are filling, AND guilt free?

Spicy parsnips and sweet potato chips (well more like wedges because I'm too lazy to chop them up finer. Brilliant).

Came home from the gym starving, and I've been craving parsnips for the past week or so (weird craving right?), and i just wanted something light to snack on whilst doing my dreaded uni work, so I decided to make this little guilt-free treat.

Ingredients:

-Parsnips

-Sweet potato

-Herbs & spices (I used paprika, basil, black pepper, cumin, dairy free cheese powder, garlic granules - but, each to their own! Maybe I'll make a post on my condiment cupboard...)

Prep time: 25mins

Method:

-Preheat your oven to 200 degrees for 10-15mins 

-Cut up your parsnips and sweet potato as chunky/small as you like them and put in a pot to simmer for about 7-10 minutes until they soften, but are still firm (keep checking them, as you might find that the parsnips soften quicker, and will therefore have to remove them from the pot earlier.

-Lightly grease or spray a tray with an oil of your choice, and transfer all the wedges to the tray.

-Lightly dust the herbs and spices over the wedges, and place them in the oven for approx. 15-20mins,

-Regularly check after 12mins to see whether any thinner slices are cooking quicker (or burning in my case...oops.)

-After the wedges have 'browned', take them out of the oven, and let them stand for 1-2mins.

-Dust with some salt, and enjoy!

How To: 10 minute banana cake!

Clean, easy, simple cake/muffin in only 10 minutes!

Ingredients:

'Cake mixture'

- Three heaped tablespoons of old fashioned rolled oats

- Three heaped tablespoons of cornmeal (or another two heaped tbsp of oats)

- Three medium bananas

- Eight dates

- Handful of sultanas (optional)

- One small/medium egg

- Cinammon and nutmeg

- 1tsp Vanilla bean paste 

- 100ml Almond/hazelnut/soya milk (or normal milk if you prefer)

- 50ml Water

- 1tsp Baking soda

'Frosting'

- Greek yogurt

- Honey/Maple syrup

Mix the dry ingredients and the sultanas together in a ramekin dish. Blend the bananas, dates, vanilla bean paste, egg and milk together and slowly add it to the dry ingredients. Add a level teaspoon of baking soda and water, then 'whisk' the mixture with a fork. (If you're a sweet tooth add a tablespoon of honey/maple syrup to the mixture)

Pop the mixture in the microwave for 2.5mins on the penultimate highest setting, then for another 2-2.5mins on the highest setting, keeping your eye on the mixture. Whilst its cooking, mix together Greek yogurt and honey to your level sweetness in a separate bowl.

You know it's cooked when the mixture starts to come away at the sides of the ramekin. Place a plate on top of the ramekin and flip it over so the cake is on the plate. 

Spoon the Greek yogurt and honey mixture on the top (plus any other toppings you wish to add too.) and you're done!

Enjoy!

Veggie roast!

I love roast dinners. Especially when it's cold, I always crave hot, crispy veggies to warm my stomach! Whatever the weather, roasted vegetables are easy to prepare, extremely filling and satisfying and can be used in so many ways!

-As a (small portion) starter/side dish to a main meal

-Part of your main meal which should consist of 50% vegetables 

-Leftovers for lunch

-A snack for when you're feeling peckish

Its also an easy way to get your 'five a day' of veg in!

Ingredients:

-Carrots

-Butternut squash

-Celery

-Leeks

-Sweet potato

-Red onion

-Herbs (ready to use) parsley, oregano and thyme

-Gluten free Couscous (or any other side such as quinoa for the carb conscious, rice, bulgar wheat, chickpeas, pasta...the list is endless!)

-Vegetable stock/salt/olive oil (optional)

Preparation: (preheat oven to 250F)

-Wash thoroughly and chop up the veggies as small or as chunky to your preference.

-Mix them together in a suitable oven dish and sprinkle the herbs over them.

(Optional) Drizzle/spray a bit of olive oil and a dash of salt on the top for that extra crisp.

-Cook for 15mins, mix/turn over the vegetables and cook for another 7-10mins.

-Whilst the vegetables are in the oven, cook the couscous with vegetable stock. Should take about 3-4mins. (I personally pour boiling water over couscous in a Pyrex glass dish)

Tip: If you're a bit lazy, supermarkets often sell frozen vegetables or fresh ones that already washed/cut up - less cost effective but an even quicker preparation process!

Serve and enjoy a quick, easy meal!

Fay xo

DETOX (Part One): The Master Cleanse

I don't believe in 'fad diets', however, I do believe in cleansing your body, getting rid of any unwanted toxins, and ensuring that your body is able to absorb all the key nutrients it requires which is what this 'cleanse' does when completed. 

After a week of indulging on pizza, chips and alcohol on holiday last summer, I decided (after a lot of research) to take part in this; I only managed it for 4 straight days but alongside light exercise and eating well afterwards I lost around 21lbs in six weeks and I was amazed! Compliments galore! Although I maintained this weight, due to many food allergies, stress and problems inhibiting me from exercise (and a little indulgence around Christmas) I quickly put on 15lbs in three weeks and I was gutted. So I recently decided to do it again, eight days straight and I lost it all! Plus my skin cleared up and I have lots of energy!

What you'll need:

Water

Lemon/lime 

100% maple syrup (Original/grade B or higher)

Cayenne pepper

Patience and resistance 

NB: you will need to research specific measurements of each ingredient (dependent on the individual, some may find it easy to make it in bulk rather than by the cupful. 

It is NOT easy. Challenging would be an understatement but the rewards are worth it. Consumption of anything other than this concoction (water, green tea and other herbal teas are allowed) will make the cleanse ineffective. It is essential that three days prior to this you reduce your food intake slowly to liquids/veg/fruit only, and slowly increase your food intake three days after. This speeds up your metabolism and should motivate you to kick start healthy eating. The usual time period for this is dependent on the individual - it can be 3, 5, 7, 10, 14days - some have even done up to 40! (Absurd!!) 

If your lifestyle is hectic I would suggest doing it for a shorter period or when you're not too busy, because it is a demanding process. If you have any qualms or concerns relating to this do comment below and be sure to check with a medical professional before partaking.

I'll be taking part in this again between 1st March-10th so feel free to ask me any questions below :)

Fay xo

First Post!

Hiya! I'm Fay and I'm currently in my 2nd year of university studying English and Creative Writing. I've been meaning to start a proper blog for a while now, I even made a Blogspot a few years back, and actively (obsessively ;)) used Tumblr, but didn't pursue with the blogging...so I thought I'd make a new blog being the new year and all!

If you follow me on Instagram you'll probably notice that I like to post a lot of '#OOTDs - outfit of the day' as well as various food&drink/meal ideas, random photography and daily lifestyle pictures. I've also realised that people often ask where I've bought something/how to eat 'healthier' etc.

So, instead of boring people with lengthy captions under pictures on Instagram, I thought it'd be a nice idea to fully expand and divulge information on things that I've found to be of use to me, and could be of interest to others!
~Hope you enjoy! xo

(Ps. All positive, constructive criticism is welcome, if you disagree with something/feel there is a way I could improve my blog, by all means, comment in the comments! Feel free to follow me on Twitter @londonsdiva for nonsensical tweets and rants!)