Fruity Chia lollies

Do you remember this chia pudding?

Do you remember I was curious as to whether it could be turned into chia fruit lollies... Well I just couldn't resist giving it a go, so here we are! They are pretty good!

The recipe is pretty much identical to the pudding but to add a slight twist and colour pop I added some crushed raspberries to the mix to give a pretty colour contrast  :-)  I always use frozen fruits for things like this purely on a practical level as there is so much less colour bleed and crushing the raspberries is so easy when solid, however I do appreciate that frozen fruit has less chance of being seasonal and organic- unless of course you buy fresh and freeze them yourself- that would be best!

I doubled up the original recipe to make approx. 6 lollies. I tried to find some silicone lolly moulds but to no avail so my mould consisted of a hard plastic shell that needs running under hot water to loosen the lolly to eat. Not the easiest way to go about things and the tops did begin to go a little melty in places for the photoshoot...but no major drama!

I served up my lollies with some of my watermelon cooler....no way I was going to be dehydrating anytime soon ;-)

Recipe:  Fruity Chia lollies

Makes 6 lollies


Ingredients:


3 tbs white chia seeds (dark will work fine too but won’t look so pretty!)
2 bananas- mashed well
1 tbs maca powder (optional)
1 cup fresh pineapple
1/2 cup broken rasberry pieces- frozen works best
1/2 cup coconut water (or substitute regular filtered water)


Method:


Blend all ingredients together until smooth, stirring through the raspberry pieces last.

Spoon the mixture into lolly moulds and freeze.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Hot chocolate 'power' pudding.... power for body and mind!

Ok, so I reeled you in with the title of this post...chocolate! That'll make anyone glance twice ;-)

Don't worry I will give you a chocolate fix, but first a little post-training debrief and review of the foodie variety!

As many of you now (I promise this is the last time I talk about it to any degree!) I completed Tough Mudder last weekend and so therefore in the month or so leading up the event my meals and snacks had been more carefully thought out than usual, with higher protein and hydrating foods featuring more heavily, also higher on the complex carbs in the few days prior. I have a backlog of recipes to share so the posts over the coming weeks will showcase some of these- great for the active and non-active people alike since good hydration is great for summer recipes and my protein focussed meals and snacks were based around whole foods and not protein supplements, equally important for everybody following a predominantly plant based lifestyle. Saying that, I do have some protein cookie coming tomorrow that utilise protein powders- but that's all :-)

To keep it brief and not bore or overwhelm you, here is a little overview summary of my food profile for last week in the final run up to the event. Obviously this was a balance of food that worked well for me but every body is different, for example I know I don't react well to high quantities of dried fruits and nuts (bloat inducing) so beans and quinoa took centre stage. Many of the recipes quoted below (and shown in the montage) will feature over the next few days.

Typical Daily Food Dairy (approximated for the entire week)

Food:

• Green Smoothie upon waking- between 6-9am

• Quinoa oatmeal power bowl (similar to below but typically without choc)- between 9am-11am

• Protein cookies (tomorrow's post) after workouts, or choc protein mousse plus banana- whatever time during the day

• Quinoa salad/veg bowl, or lentil chilli soup with quinoa. Typically I made a large batch and had some for lunch/snack and then the rest for dinner. Depending on if/when I was working out that day depended on whether I had the larger portion for lunch or for dinner. 

• Tropical chia pudding prior to workouts of as dessert/snack. I made a enough to last me a couple of days and grabbed a spoonful whenever I fancied it. (I also ate this approx. 1 hour prior to the event happening- totally fuelled me up- quickly digested carbs and mega hydrating!)

Drinks:

I made up a litre of the watermelon coconut cooler which lasted me a couple of days at a time.  I also drank a lot of green tea (tropical green tea as I can't get my taste buds around the plain stuff) I drank 2-3 mugs a day, this was instead of the usual mint tea I drink. I also drank at least another 2 ltrs plain filtered water. In total a minimum of 3 ltrs fluids. I don't drink coffee or regular tea anyway so that didn't come into the equation for me.

I found the balance worked really well to hydrate and sustain me without bloating me out as a lot of seeds/nuts tend to.

So, now i'd like to hear from you- what are your favourite 'fit foods', and ways you find best hydrate and sustain you?

Oh yes, I promised you a recipe!  

Here you go...as ever a super versatile, breakfast, brunch, snack...whatever (omit the choc and add other flavours if you feel choc is a bit much for an everyday breakfast ;-)  This totally set me up for the day. Fitness, motivation, endurance and focus is as much built in the mind as it is in the body... I promise this 'power' bowl will kick both into touch!

Recipe: Hot choc power pudding:

Serves 2 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa (I have precooked portions in the freezer at all times for speed)
2 cups non-dairy milk of choice
2 tbs peanut butter (or other- hazlenut butter is fab!!)
4 tbs chia seeds
a few drops vanilla stevia to taste (or maple syrup)
2 tsp maca powder
2 tbs raw cacao or carob (note carob is slightly sweeter)
2 tsp cinnamon
Toppings of choice (I used a handful of goji berries and mixed red/black currants plus extra chia)

Note: you could sub some of the quinoa with part oats.

Method:

Prepare the quinoa if uncooked.

Add the quinoa, milk, nut butter, chia and sweetener to a pan and simmer on the stove for a few minutes until well mixed and warmed through. Turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients, stir to mix well.

Spoon into bowls and add the toppings of choice. Eat immediately or chill half for eating later!

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Cucumber and watermelon coconut coolers

These coolers are just as perfect for sipping on a hot summers days as they are for replenishing electrolytes after a strenuous bout of exercise.

Good for everybody and every body ;-)

For any fitness foodies out there, or in fact any one into plant based health... if you haven’t already checked it out then Thrive Forward by Brendan Brazier is well worth a look. It’s a fairly new newsletter subscription but so far (a few months in) i’ve been pretty impressed and it’s given me lots of useful info and tips...including inspiration for today’s post.

As ever I made a few tweaks to simplify things (mainly because I didn’t want to wait overnight for the tea to seep) but Brendan’s method probably has the nutritional edge in this respect so I’ve linked it here if you’d prefer to follow it. There are some other recipes and info in his recipe article too.

Out of the two I preferred the watermelon version but both are super refreshing and hydrating- perfect prep for any endurance race!  I will definitely be making them again throughout the summer for sipping in the sun or post workout. (note: I've since made these again and fused the two options by basing the cooler on the watermelon recipe but adding cucumber to sub some watermelon and a few raspberries to maintain the lovely pink colour)

Dress with a straw and a slice of fruit and you can sit by the poolside and smile in the knowledge that good taste need not come with a sugar overload and a mouthful of additives!

Recipe: Watermelon coconut cooler

Serves 2-3 (depending on size of glass)

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups plain coconut water (equivalent to 1 can)

1 cup berry flavoured herbal tea of choice

½ tsp fresh grated ginger

½ tsp coconut sugar (or a couple stevia drops)

Pinch sea salt

1 cup watermelon chunks (unpacked)

Recipe: Cucumber coconut cooler

Serves 2-3 (depending on size of glass)

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups plain coconut water (equivalent to 1 can)

1 cup mint tea

1 tsp lemon or lime juice

½ tsp coconut sugar (or a couple stevia drops)

Pinch sea salt

Approx. 10cm chunk of cucumber- chopped

Method:

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Strain into glasses.

Best consumed within 24 hours. Store in the fridge if not using straight away and shake before drinking.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Tropical chia summer pudding

More coconut and pineapple!

This recipe is a keeper for hot summer afternoons!  I’m planning on making this a few more times in the final lead up to my Tough Mudder event as it was so hydrating and refreshing and I’m in full on hydration mode... irrespective of the fact that the weather in England is still dull and cold most days!

This keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days so make a double batch if you’ve got a hot spell on... and  grab a big spoonful whenever you pass the fridge!

I’m also now wondering whether this mixture could be frozen into ice lollies...that thought literally just popped into my head so I have not yet had a chance try it out....sounds like it could work?

I added a tsp of maca powder as I often try to add it into my ‘fitfood’ recipes for an extra boost and to assist adrenal recovery, but that is totally optional and won’t affect the taste or texture.

Recipe: Tropical chia summer pudding

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 heaped tbs white chia seeds (dark will work fine too but won’t look so pretty!)

1 banana- mashed well

1 tsp maca powder (optional)

½ cup fresh pineapple

¼ cup coconut water (or substitute regular filtered water)

Coconut sprinkles and mint to decorate (optional)

Method:

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Or if you prefer a chunkier consists you could whip everything together lightly with a fork. (I whipped mine until almost smooth)

Allow to chill and thicken in the fridge for at least an hour before consuming.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Choc chip chunks- no bake!

This recipe originally formed the basis for one of the Wholeplus Energy range, but then my flavours changed tack and this got nudged out. They are delicious though so they couldn’t be sidelined without a big shout out on here!

So simply- just three key ingredients. I use cocoa nibs which are amazing in these bars, they give a harder crunch and a bitter chocolate taste, but of course if your prefer to swap in dark chocolate chips then feel free to do so.

I used a little vanilla bean powder in this recipe, I sometimes find that liquid extracts made with an alcohol base have a slightly bitter aftertaste in no bake treats- use the oil based versions if you can. Some people also find that a touch of  almond extract gives more of a cookie like flavour.  Don’t skip the salt as it really makes the flavour come together and pop!

For more no bake treats and bars, you’ll find them here.

Recipe: Choc chip chunks

Ingredients:

50g cashews or almond (use blanched for a lighter colour)

100g dates ( I use deglet noor)

20g cacoa nibs

Up to 10g ground oatmeal (only if mixture is too sticky)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder (or almond extract if referred)

Pinch sea salt

1 tbs maca powder (optional-gives a slightly ‘malty’ flavour)

Method:

Coarsely process the nuts and set aside.

Blend the dates until they form a paste. Add all the remaining ingredients and pulse to fully combine whilst keeping coarse chunks. The mixture should be slightly sticky.

Form bars by pressing the mixture into the bottom of a lined mini loaf pan, and allowing to chill to firm up before slicing. I then chopped the bars into cubes.

 
For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.