This article was written by Stacey McBride-Wilson from The Healthy Happy Soul.
HEALTHY HACKS
1. RECIPE/SNACK – ‘Not quite apple crumble’
Ingredients:
- 1 X Apple (I like to use Pink Lady apples!)
- Natural Peanut Butter
- Cinnamon
Method:
- Cut apple into quarters
- Lather generously with peanut butter
- Sprinkle with cinnamon
- Enjoy!
This snack is quick, easy, wholesome, nourishing and tasty! Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, and dietary fibre plus may help reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Cinnamon is another power packed ingredient boasting such benefits as anti-inflammatory properties, protects heart health and fights infections and viruses. And Peanut Butter, what’s not to love about that?! Once you try it I guarantee it’ll become an afternoon favourite to curve those 3pm sugar cravings. Enjoy!
2. REMEMBER YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT NOT EVERYTHING!
YOU are amazing, so you can do anything. But if we try to be everything to everyone, we end up being nothing to no one. There is power in doing a few things well. So what will you unload off your plate, and what few things will you do well today? Trust me, less really is more.
3. MAKE TIME FOR FUN
Thought for today: What’s life without a little fun and adventure? Remember fun is absolutely key for health and happiness. Things don’t always need to be so serious! How will you factor in a little fun and adventure today? Trust me you’ll be glad you made room for fun!
*I’ve tied this in with the #mondaypunday meme ‘An adventure? Alpaca my bags!’ And it’s an alpaca with a helmet. Always love a Monday Pun!!
4. GET OUTSIDE IN THE SUNSHINE
Did you know that small doses of regular exposure to glorious sunshiney rays without sunscreen is essential for your health? Vitamin D, the ‘sunshine’ vitamin is produced by your skin in response to exposure to sunlight. In short, vitamin D:
• increases immunity
• reduces depression
• fights disease
• boosts weight loss
BOOM! What a great excuse to get outside into the sunshine? It’s a glorious day here today and I’m about to get outside and soak up just a little sunshiney goodness for myself, I encourage you to do the same!!
P.s. Let me stress that I’m not talking about the get outside and baking your skin kind, that kinda stuff does mega damage! Just 10-15mins will give you the dose you need. If you are planning on being out longer, choose a good quality non-toxic sunscreen to keep your skin safe (I like the one by @ecotan!).
5. THE PERFECT POACHED EGG
All LOVE all the fluro yellow runny goodness from perfectly poached eggs. Do you love poached eggs but got poaching problems? See below for my simple tips for creating the perfect poached egg.
PERFECT POACHED EGGS
Step 1. Fill a large shallow frying pan about 3/4 full of water.
Step 2. Heat water until boiling.
Step 3. Crack egg straight in slowly, take time to allow it to set slightly/not move around.
Step 4. Cook for 3-4mins until all uncooked clear white has changed to flat cooked white.
Step 5. Retrieve from pan and enjoy! |
*note* over the years I’ve tried many many times to achieve the perfect poached eggs without success. I’ve tried to swirl the water and add vinegar etc etc. with no joy. But this simple method works for me EVERY time! Good luck!
P.s. Did you know that the brighter and yellower the yolk of an egg is, the fresher the eggs and the healthier the chickens are? Go organic, go fresh and I promise you that you’ll see and taste the difference!
6. MONDAYS MATTER
I absolutely LOVE Mondays, because it means a whole week of possibility, potential and opportunity is just waiting to be adventured into. PLUS, Monday mornings are the best chance to set the tone for our whole week ahead. Cause when we set the tone early, the rest of the stuff flows later…..
So how do you feel about Mondays? No really! Do you see Mondays as the worst day of the week, or one that totally rocks? Because what you perceive determines the experience you receive peeps (eg. If you think Mondays suck, guess what….Mondays will suck!)
So what one practical thing will you do TODAY to set the tone and set yourself up well for the week? Mondays matter!
7. EASY PEASEY FANCY FRENCH TOAST
Why go out for a fancy brunch when you can make it yourself? This beauty took me 5mins to whip together plus looks and tasted AMAZING!!! Recipe below
5min Easy Peasey Fancy French toast
INGREDIENTS
• Your choice of good quality bread (this is a heavy rye loaf)
• An egg
• Cinnamon
METHOD
1. Whisk egg and cinnamon together
2. Dunk sliced bread in egg mix until fully coated
3. Cook in pan until golden each side
4. Serve with toppings of choice (I like plain yoghurt, blueberries, chopped hazelnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup)
5. ENJOY!
Food isn’t the enemy. Food is the tool to fuel all the good stuff you were created to do!
You can go to post here to steal the photo – it looks yummy!!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/BSZwYgEhJ0i/
8. THE BEST BLISS BALLS
What could be better than getting busy in the kitchen making up a humongous batch of bliss balls?! These bite sized sweet treats are the perfect thing to nail those mid afternoon sweet cravings. Recipe below…
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup cashews
• 1 cup coconut
• 3/4 cup dates
• 2 Tbsp cacao
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1-2 Tbsp water to make gooey and soft
• Drizzle of honey or maple syrup to bind if needed
• Extra coconut to roll in
– *you could add protein powder of choice if you wanted to take these from bliss to protein packed snack!*
METHOD
1. Place cashews in food processor and blitz until creamy
2. Add dates, coconut, chia seeds and cacao and blitz until combined.
3. Add water to make smooth and creamy (add honey/maple syrup if needed) and blitz
4. Roll into bite sized balls and coat in coconut
5. Enjoy!
I usually make a double batch of these babies which yields between 30-40 and pop in the freezer. They’ll keep up to a month in the freezer but they never seem to last that long in our household…. Enjoy!
9. ENJOY THE JOURNEY
Too often we can delay our enjoyment of life til we get to ‘there’ [holidays, retirement, when I lose X amount of weight etc. etc.] But life isn’t meant to be a destination, it’s a beautiful journey! The pursuit of perfection or getting to a certain destination is paralysing, BUT progress (no matter how small) along the way is a reason to celebrate – I know which one I’m choosing! Go for progress today and enjoy the journey each and every day!
10. LIVE LESS OUT OF HABIT AND MORE OUT OF INTENT
Living with intent takes more care, more energy and more focus yes, but you (and the world around you!) are so worth it! So today beautiful people, be international with your time, be intentional with your words, be intentional with your energy, be intentional with your thoughts, be intentional with your movement, be intentional with your finances, be intentional with your love, be intentional with your food, and most importantly be intentional with the peeps around you.
After all, this life ain’t no dress rehearsal! What one thing will you do with greater intention today?
