Morning all, hope you are enjoying your weekend! I think this has been a chocolate filled week for a lot of us, I’m certainly glad I had two weeks of green smoothies prior to it! Although to be fair I haven’t been too crazy on the chocolate. My parents got me a Green and Blacks egg and I didn’t finish that off until Thursday which is pretty decent for me! I have been enjoying healthier chocolate in the form of home made raw mint chocolate as pictured above. I like to keep it in the freezer so it stays nice and hard. With a few strawberries it makes a lovely dessert.
Eat
I feel like I’ve been doing loads of baking and cooking this week. I started with some I Quit Sugar granola:
I’m hopefully going to be chatting to Sarah Wilson author of I Quit Sugar for Life next week. I have to say, although I’m not quitting sugar, the recipes in her book are brilliant and this did not last long! I also made these popcorn bars:
My own recipe for these, make sure you are signed up for my newsletter to get the recipe next week! For one of my community projects I made some healthy flapjacks:
I have to say these went down an absolute treat! I’ll include the recipe on my Instagram and Facebook later and I’ll include it in the newsletter too. They are too good to miss! I also baked the most incredible grain, diary and refined sugar free banana blueberry bread. I’ll share that recipe soon too. I did enjoy a slice for breakfast with some coyo coconut yoghurt and strawberries:
Some other tasty meals from this week include:
lamb burger spread with some harissa on top of spinach and feta
sourdough with butter, hummus, olives and red pepper for dipping
crustless feta and red onion quiche with salad
beetroot, feta and pumpkin seed salad with balsamic
beef ragu with half a sweet potato and steamed kale
red lentil and new potato curry with steamed kale
toasted sourdough with hazelnut butter and strawberries
banana peanut butter home made froyo with chot shot sauce
I’m having a thing for bread, especially sourdough. I was never bothered about bread for such a long time but I’m loving it at the moment!
Move
Workouts this week
- Monday – Rest
- Tuesday – Rest
- Wednesday – gym – 10 minutes step machine, 10 minutes bike, lunges, bicep curls, tricep kick backs
- Thursday – yoga, just did 20 minutes of my own thing, it was blissful!
- Friday – walking round town / rest
- Saturday – gym – 10 minutes step machine, 10 minutes bike, squats, chest press with straight back, shoulder presses
- Sunday – Rest
Not a bad week, although I am looking forward to a few weeks time when I’m hoping I can establish more of a regular routine.
Wear
kimono jacket: H&M, black vest: H&M, jewelled necklace: H&M, clutch bag: Warehouse, Maternity jeggings: Primark, gold sandals: Primark
Last night I went out with one of my best friends for a meal so I enjoyed the opportunity to get dressed up! I bought the kimono top as I thought it would be quite nice to wear like this while I’m preggers.
Love
So yep, last night felt like the first proper night out I’ve had since finding out I was pregnant. My friend Charlie and I went to Electric East in Newcastle, I went for my 31st Birthday last year and loved it. We had a great selection of Asian tapas that included korean salad, beef noodle salad, lamb rendang curry, vegetarian sushi maki and a couple of others. Just delicious! It was really good to be able to have a proper catch up with her. Also…
hearing the baby’s heart beat at my midwife appointment! // the awesome wonderful people I have the honour of working with as customers and clients // a fantastic Easter lunch with my family // reading Jules Oliver’s minus nine to one book // coconut water in a wine glass // my neon scented candle // crystallised ginger // getting excited for next weeks holiday to Brighton // exciting stuff on the business front // getting a huge influx of new followers on my Tumblr!
Link
- Mindfulness v Management – some of my thoughts on intuitive eating and how to use management practices for health and well being. Great comments on this one!
- Pesto, Chickpea and Quinoa Salad recipe
- My current beauty routine and a recipe for a simple lemon olive oil body scrub
- Recap of the Green Smoothie Challenge!
- 17 Weeks Pregnant – recap of my natal hypnotherapy workshop and bump shots!
- The Oliver Bonas website – OMG total swoondom, I need everything on this site! I’ve just placed a cheeky order of some of their sale stuff.
- 76 genius ways to use coconut oil from Greatist
- Create the ultimate to do list from Stylist
- Chocolately Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie recipe from Mind Body Green
Next week is going to be all about getting my arse into gear and making sure that I’m prepared for having the time off for our hols. The week when we get back is going to be mental, I’ve got an event at Sunderland Uni, three new projects starting and our 20 week scan. All good stuff, but this is why I work hard at being organised!
How has your week been? Have you eaten all your Easter chocolate yet? What did you do on your last night out?
Busy week ahead for you Laura! The event at the Uni sounds exciting!
So cool that you heard baby’s heartbeat :-). I have complete food envy of all your lovely meals, they look delicious. You’re looking great too, love the kimono top!
Thanks Claire, I’m really looking forward to the event at the uni when I’m back off hols!
As always, just looking at your meals has made me hungry! That pb froyo caught my eye especially – is this recipe on KHGS? We’re definitely moving into froyo season (slowly!) now ;)
It’s not but it’s so simple, I just blended a huge pot of organic yoghurt with 4 ripe bananas and some pb flour then used my ice cream maker, so tasty!
That froyo sounds amazing! And that sourdough and hummus meal looks perfect (well I would leave the olives!).
I have been baking to use up some Easter egg chocolate, as my Mum gave us a couple of eggs, and I was given a few from work too, so we ended up with quite a bit.
Hope this week isn’t too manic for you!
Thanks Maria, I love melting down bits of chocolate egg but since I only got one this year I wanted to make the most of it!
I love your outfit! Is it a new H&M kimono? I also really appreciate the link to the ultimate to-do list – so helpful!
Thanks Rach, it is a new one! I love my to do lists – glad it helped!
Your baking looks amazing, that granola wouldn’t last long around me… Electric East looks so good, glad you had a fun night out! x
Thanks Lily, it was delicious!
Ahhaa, like you said – busy can be good, as long as there’s order! Lots of excitement by the sounds of it for you Laura :) .
I hadn’t ever bothered to give Sourdough more than a passing glance at the store, but you’ve got me craving a warm slice right.now. Crazy how that happens ;) !
Dressing up for a lovely dinner out with brilliant company does good, fuzzy things to the soul I’ve discovered recently.
Sourdough just seems to be nicer on my stomach than usual bread, I love the texture as well! Totally agree on your last point, it’s good to get dressed up and out!
I still have an Easter egg left. I daren’t open it because I know what will happen when I do! hehe.
I love your jacket – so stylish and what a lovely design. And the necklace is lovely too.
I haven’t been on a ‘proper’ night out in ages. I think the closest thing to that would be a pub quiz!! I did go to a wedding at the weekend though and that was great. Hadn’t drunk in ages so it was a nice change to have some G&Ts.
Haha I’m like that with big bars of chocolate! Weddings are lovely, I wish one of my friends or family would get hitched!
Everything looks SO GOOD!! Especially the baked goodies. I really need to try that Coyo stuff. I’ve seen it around for the past few years but the fat content has always put me off :/ Your banana peanut butter froyo sounds – and looks – absolutely incredible.
Oh you should definitely try the coyo, all good fats :-)
I have been making loads of raw chocolate recently – I can’t get enough of the stuff.
I do still have some leftover Easter eggs, but they will be spaced out over the rest of the year. Unless my husband gets to them first lol.
You have some good willpower there ;-) Haha my James would eat them first as well though!
That granola and the bars look amazing! I still have a bit of leftover easter chocolate, will be using it in some baking I think.
Love all of Sarah Wilsons recipes and everything you have made looks so good!
Laura, your meals always look so beautiful! There’s something about seeing bright red, fresh strawberries that always gives me a craving for some. :)