Like many, at the start of the year I vowed to embark on a healthier lifestyle and shift some unwanted pounds in the process. I actually began two weeks ago and to my credit, on the whole I’ve stuck with it. I’ve swapped fizzy drinks for smoothies and green teas and chocolate biscuits for crackers and ! Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t transformed into Gwyneth Paltrow overnight, I’ve still had a few slip ups but after losing 4.5lbs in the first week, it spurred me to continue.
I’m really enjoying using my latest gadget, my Nutribullet and scour Pinterest for new smoothie recipes whenever I have a spare moment. To encourage me further on my weight loss crusade, has been the arrival of some healthy additions to incorporate into my new diet.
I’m sure many of you are familiar with Graze, for those who aren’t, its’s a subscription service which allows you to choose healthy snacks and have them delivered straight to your door. Here’s all the info which explains exactly how it works. I was sent three of the new snacks to try for when I’m tempted to reach for the chocolate biscuits!
Natural Energy Nuts – roasted hazlenuts, raw almonds, blanched almonds & walnuts
Cocoa & Vanilla Protein Flapjack – whole British oat flapjack with cocoa, vanilla &protein crispies
Seriously Spicy Thai Sriracha – Thai sriracha flavoured peas & half popped corn with jumbo salted corn
I was amazed to see just how wide a choice of snacks are actually available on the website. I’d assumed just plain nuts were available! Look how much is on offer to nibble on, the extensive list of fruit, pudding (wahey!) and savoury combos has actually encouraged me to set up a Graze account.
Wheatgrass and chia seeds often appear on ‘super food’ lists and are hailed by health gurus and nutritionists alike. Chia seeds can be added to cereal or granola, used as a thickener for smoothies or soups and substituted for eggs in baked foods. Wheatgrass, a type of cereal grass belonging to the wheat family, is typically mixed into smoothies or juice and is often commercially sold as a powder. Both can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
After reading that one scoop of wheatgrass contains 30 calories and zero fat, I’ve been using this a lot in my smoothies. I add chia seeds to my granola but opt to add it in my smoothies on the days when I perhaps haven’t eaten as much as I should have. When I want to add some sweetened flavour to my smoothies, honey is a great choice and lately I’ve using Steens Raw 10+ Manuka Honey. Honey has a wide range of health benefits and can be used for beauty (face masks/burns) and cooking. Stockist info here
Oh and for those wondering, just what is in the smoothie pictured. Here’s what I whizzed up:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 medium banana
- 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1-2 teaspoons Steens Raw 10+ Manuka Honey
*PR samples (The Nutribullet is my own purchase)
