Tag Archives: nutrition

banana pancakes | paleo style

Posted on May 13, 2013 | 4 Comments

IMG_20130512_184623

Remember when I wrote about becoming a cavewoman [this post]?  Well, it’s been three weeks living the paleo diet and I’m feeling fantastic. I’ve dropped a couple of kilograms as well!!!

I’m not a good baker on the best of days, so I’ve had a few kitchen fails with the paleo baking (burnt muffins, failed bread…) but these pancakes are awesome! I got the recipe from Ultimate Paleo Guide [here] but it’s not just for paleoists; they’re flour-free, gluten-free and tasty, so give them a try!

Paleo Banana Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 bananas, mashed
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup almond butter (like peanut butter but made from almonds)
  • butter for frying
  • toppings of your choice*

*if you’re paleo, keep it in the family. I topped mine with goats yoghurt, maple syrup & raspberries (but caramelized banana would have been awesome).

mixed ingredients

mixed ingredients

METHOD

  • mix ingredients together, fry in batches
  • serve with toppings
  • feeds two people
fry it up!

fry it up!

Yummo!!! Enjoy!

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cavewoman

Posted on April 15, 2013 | 5 Comments

I’m a cavewoman!!! 

Not in the scary, hairy, don’t-bathe, don’t-brush, get dragged off to bed by my hair (oooh kinky) kinda way….I’ve gone paleo! The paleolithic nutritional lifestyle also known as the caveman, or in my case cavewoman, diet.

It’s been a whole week since the Williams’ household has turned paleo. This next week is going to be challenging because we’re going away on holidays but as long as we can stick to mostly paleo eating I’ll be happy. I’m feeling really good and my skirts are starting to feel looser already!

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View this video to understanding the paleo lifestyle in a nutshell:

Breakfast

IMG_20130412_063002IMG_20130404_110533green smoothies

IMG_20130410_072312scrambled eggs & bacon with avocado, tomato & coriander salsaIMG_20130411_201925IMG_20130407_185646kale, bacon & scrambled eggs IMG_20130414_174219 cafe breakfast; poached eggs, mushroom, spinach, tomato bacon & goats halloumi IMG_20130414_101140 frittas made with coconut flour, zucchini, sweet potato, mint & chilli, with bacon & avocado/tomato salsa

Lunch

IMG_20130408_201353 salad with chicken & goats feta IMG_20130414_174134 mishmash salad; kale, carrot, beans, zucchini, tomato, avocado

Dinner

IMG_20130412_195223fennel, spinach, orange, asparagus & walnut salad with grass-fed beef rissoleIMG_20130411_221341chicken with roasted orange & white sweet potato, onion, cauliflower & broccoli IMG_20130407_185530 poached chicken with roasted veg (white & orange sweet potato, cauliflower, onion & zucchini)

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weekly fitness roundup | week 1 | 12wbt

Posted on February 18, 2013 | 10 Comments

You know that feeling of accomplishment you get from sticking to a punishing schedule? Yes?!!! Well that’s what I felt like this past week being back on Michelle Bridges’ 12 Week Body Transformation program.

My calorie intake is capped at 1200 per day
&
I am doing 6 days training per week.

Here’s my round up….

Monday:

Monday

Monday workout

6am outdoor training session; interval walk/run, running stairs, steps-ups & abs.

brekkie - banana bruschetta

brekkie – banana bruschetta

dinner - fish with chickpea, tomato & spinach salad

dinner – fish with chickpea, tomato & spinach salad

My BFF Gracie stayed the night & loved this dinner too! We’ve committed to doing the 5km Color Run in May in Newcastle! Isn’t she supportive?! Can’t wait!

dessert - fruit jelly

dessert – fruit jelly

Tuesday

Tuesday

Tuesday workout

6.15am Body Pump class at the gym.

brekkie - apple muesli

brekkie – apple muesli

steak with green beans & mushroom sauce

dinner – steak with green beans & mushroom sauce

This is one of my fave meals! The sauce looks creamy but it’s made of Philadelphia extra light cream cheese for cooking, dijon mustard & mushrooms – and only 283 calories – yum!!!

dessert - fruit salad

dessert – fruit salad

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday workout

6am outdoor interval walk/run & abs

brekkie, coffee, dinner & dessert

brekkie, coffee, dinner & dessert

brekkie – avocado & eggs on toast
dinner – potato, spinach & feta frittata
dessert – fruit jelly

Thursday

Thursday workout

Thursday workout

6.15am Pump class

macchiato & brekkie

macchiato & brekkie – avocado, beans & rocket on toast

dinner & Valentine's Day dessert

dinner – beef with avocado & corn salsa & mini-cheesecake bite for Valentine’s Day dessert

Friday

Exercise Rest Day!!!

brekkie, lunch & dinner

brekkie, lunch & dinner

brekkie – banana bruschetta
lunch – mushroom frittata & salad
dinner – pita pocket pizza

Saturday

Saturday workout

Saturday workout

The aim was to burn 1000 calories but this tough workout got interrupted by a thunderous storm that forced us shivering & completely drenched, in white t-shirts, running the 1.5kms back to the car!

brekkie

brekkie – eggs, ham, tomato, cottage cheese & spinach

lunch

lunch – pumpkin, avocado, chickpea salad

dinner - Japanese

dinner – Japanese

Sunday

Sunday workout

Sunday workout

Body Balance class. Jay even came with me & loved it!!!

brunch

brunch – coffee & pumpkin, walnut & chicken salad

dinner

dinner – homemade beef burger & wedges

♦

Keep training hard!!!

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activating almonds & a detox

Posted on January 5, 2013 | 15 Comments

On arrival home late Thursday night I took full advantage of Jay’s tiredness after a 12 hour road trip to announce that we’d be starting a 3 day detox!

No wheat, gluten, rice, dairy, meat, sugary or processed foods! Just fruit & veggies!

I awoke early Friday morning and went to procure all the goodness that we’ll be pumping our body full of over the next few days.

You can get all the recipes from Hungry For Change website [here]

AWAKEN with hot water infused with lemon & ginger:

ginger & lemon tea

ginger & lemon tea

BREAKFAST with the best superfoods:

green smoothie ingredients

green smoothie ingredients

green smoothie

green smoothie

LUNCH munchin’ with seaweed & sprouts:

salad ingredients

salad ingredients

super seaweed salad

super seaweed salad

SNACK on: activated almonds & veggie sticks

"activating" the almonds

“activating” the almonds

I am in complete hysterics every time we talk about the “activating almonds”! The pretentiousness! 

Apparently it’s all the rage. Read about the benefits [here].

some twitter #activatedalmonds hilarity!

some twitter #activatedalmonds hilarity!

activated almonds

activated almonds – just like regular almonds but plumper

carrot, celery, cucumber sticks

carrot, celery, cucumber sticks

Potassium Balance Soup for DINNER:

Balance soup ingredients

Balance soup ingredients

Potassium Balance Soup

Potassium Balance Soup

And for DESSERT: Chia Seed Pudding

Chia Seed & Coconut Milk Pudding with blueberries

Chia Seed & Coconut Milk Pudding with blueberries

♥

I have to tell you that I’m feeling pretty shitty. The detox is totally working and I must have had some serious toxins in my body (thanks to the month of December which included Christmas parties, dinners out, Christmas, NYE & holiday food!) so I’ve got a cranking headache (can’t take a Neurofen) and I feel lethargic. Last night I went to bed early with a cranking headache and body aches but this evening (day2) I’m not feeling too bad. Drinking a lot of water is essential to flush out the toxins.

After an afternoon nap peppered with dreams of juicy steak, you know what? The activated almonds are growing on me!

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thursday’s table

Posted on November 22, 2012 | 3 Comments

Get ready for some scrumptious seafood with this cracking recipe
from Michelle Bridges.

Perfect for the Aussie summer season!

Prawn, watercress and fennel salad

Serves 2

“This is one of my favourite recipes. It’s super nutritious and dead easy to make. Rocket is okay if you can’t get watercress.”

~ Mish Bridges

Ingredients

  • 750g cooked prawns
  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 220g watercress
  • 2 tbsp dill, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

  1. Peel and de-vein the prawns and place in a bowl of iced water.
  2. Slice the fennel finely, cutting out and discarding the hard part in the middle close to the root. Chop the watercress, discard the hard stalks and mix with the fennel, dill and parsley. Leave a few watercress stems for decoration.
  3. Finely chop the garlic and whisk it in a food processor with the oil, lemon juice and mustard.
  4. In a pasta bowl, mix the prawns with the salad, then pour over the dressing. Garnish with watercress stems and cracked black pepper.

♥

Recipe & photo [via]

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on my plate | sunday recipe

Posted on November 18, 2012 | 6 Comments

While Jay delighted in watching the ground & pound of UFC154, I created a simple healthy “super” salad; super because it contains the buzzworthy ingredients of quinoa, flaxseed, chia & lots of greens.

Quinoa, roast beetroot & rocket
with flax & chia seed

Ingredients

Super salad ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa; cooked to packet directions & cooled
  • small bunch of broccoli; blanched & cut into small florets
  • cup of cherry tomatoes; halved
  • 3 fresh beetroot; peeled, cut into cubes, roasted in the oven & cooled
  • 2 cups of baby rocket
  • handful of flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tsp flaxseed
  • 1 tsp chia seeds

Dressing ingredients

  • 2 tsp basil pesto
  • 1 tsp tahini
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • pepper to taste

Method

For the Salad – Wait til quinoa & beetroot are cool before mixing all ingredients together.

cooked quinoa

Combined salad ingredients

For the Dressing – Mix all ingredients together (I use a Jamie Oliver shaker).

tahini & pesto dressing

serve with your favorite protein (in my case chicken!)

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not quite waldorf | recipe

Posted on October 1, 2012 | 3 Comments

who says you don’t make friends with salad?!? 

 

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12wbt | week 3 in review

Posted on September 17, 2012 | 4 Comments

Hells to the yeah people! Week 3 done & dusted!

Monday (day15)

Monday workout calories burnt

5km walk/run with Harley & Jay.

Tuesday (day16)

Tuesday workout calories burnt

Uber workout at the gym:

  • 5 min warmup on the Xtrainer
  • 5 sets x 15 reps Legpress 60Kgs
  • 3 sets (per leg) single leg lunges x 15 reps holding 15kg barbell
  • 3 sets (per leg) single hamstring/glute extenders x 15 reps 25kgs
  • 3 sets x 15 reps chest press 20kgs
  • 3 sets x 15 reps overhead shoulder press 7.5kgs
  • 3 sets x 20 reps bicep curls 17.5kgs3 sets x 20 reps tricep dips
  • 3 sets x 15 reps back rows 25kgs
  • Abs
  • stretching & roller

Wednesday (day17)

Wednesday workout calories burnt

Boxing workout in the park with Jay as my trainer! (boxing drills, foot work, head movement, pyramid circuit, combos & sparring.)

our boxing tree

Thursday (day18)

Thursday workout calories burnt

I enjoyed our boxing workout from the day before so much I dragged Jay to the park to let me use him as a punching bag my boxing trainer again!

Friday (day19)

Friday workout calories burnt

Keeping it low-key before Sunday’s race day with a 5km walk with my buddy Harley.

Friday morning on the habour

Saturday (day20)

Rest day!

Sunday (day21)

Sunday workout calories burnt

Blackmores body+soul 9km Bridge Run was tough but so much fun!

   Monday (day15)

Monday food

Brekkie: cereal with peaches & skim milk
Lunch: chicken stirfry with rice & an apple
Dinner: BBQ chicken with veggies & salad

Tuesday (day16)

Tuesday food

Brekkie: quinoa & linseed sourdough with avocado
Lunch: salad
Dinner: BBQ chicken with salad & rye bread

Wednesday (day17)

Wednesday food

Brekkie: avocado, rocket & egg on toast
Lunch (not pictured): Cafe grilled chicken burger
Dinner: grilled chicken, corn & zucchini with lettuce

Thursday (day18)

Thursday food

Brekkie: the best protein smoothie with mango & banana
Lunch: wok noodles
Dinner (not pictured): homemade 12WBT spaghetti bolognese (beef & lentils) 

*regretting this carb overload!!!

Friday (day19)

Friday food

Brekkie: another awesome smoothie (whey protein, mango, banana & skim milk)
Lunch: salad & chicken
Dinner (not pictured): out with friends bar snack food + 3 glasses of wine

Saturday (day20)

Saturday food

Brekkie: rye bread with Promite & Laughing Cow cream cheese
Lunch: the awesomest vegan salads from Iku Wholefoods (obsessed!)
Dinner (not pictured): a little indulgent treat meal from Grill’d Burger

Sunday (day21)

Sunday food

Brekkie (not pictured): banana
Lunch: grilled chicken, veggies & salad
Dinner: low-calorie Tandoori pizza (looks good for 300 cals doesnt it!?!?)

*****

Looking forward to the upcoming Week4 fitness tests & measurements!

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the day before

Posted on September 15, 2012 | 5 Comments

My Saturday started with a 7am airport run to drop my BFF Gracie off for her trip to Yackandandah for her sister’s 30th/engagement party.

Jay continuously makes me laugh (lucky I married him)!

No husband, I didn’t pick these from ‘the side of the road’. We don’t live on the hillsides of Switzerland!

After brekkie we caught the light-rail into the city to pick up our event packs for the Bridge Run which is part of the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival.

I haven’t actually run a full 9kms (5.6 miles) without stopping before….and I’m nursing a foot/knee injury, so I’ll take it easy and see if I can jog the whole thing! 

event pack

Nothing too special in the event pack with the exception of the Mrs May’s Trio natural bars which are to die for! In Australia you can buy them from Coles, Woolworths & IGA. From the event stand I bought a deflatable water bottle and shoe money/key/ID holder which are totes awesome!

Run start (bottom of the grass area) at Milsons Point

[via]

the north side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (Sydney CBD in the distance)

[via]

the Bridge is closed down from 4am-11am for the runners

[via]

I’m excited about running tomorrow because it was one of my 12WBT 4 week goals; to do a fun run! Tick!

While we were in the city we did a bit of shopping in Pitt St Mall & had lunch in  Westfield. I blew invested my allowance at Sportsgirl, Forecast & Myer on some colour block pieces, before we had a delicious & nutritious lunch at Iku Wholefood which I am completely obsessed with!

shopping & tweeting isn’t recommended!

Cobalt Forecast Blazer, Chartreuse Sportsgirl Peplum Top & Trent Nathan Orange Enamel Cuff

Lunch – brown rice, pickled cabbage, leafy greens, white beans & Mediterranean couscous with tahini vinegarette (vegan)

It would appear I am also obsessed with Twitter…

I bought some extra brown rice & white bean salad to have with grilled chicken for dinner tonight. We’ve got a quiet night in with an early bedtime as it’s race day tomorrow!!!

Saturday 14th September 2012 sunset over Blackwattle Bay/ANZAC Bridge – view from my loungroom

Hope you’re all having a great weekend!

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12WBT | week 2 in review

Posted on September 10, 2012 | 12 Comments

I’m not particularly happy with my performance this past week.

I had great workouts but I slacked off with counting my calories half-way through the week and although I didn’t binge on bad food, I’m sure I did exceed my 1200 calories during a couple of days…I’ll have to see how it pans out on the scales on Weigh-in-Wednesday.

my Week2 workout summary

Monday (day8):

Monday workout calories burnt

5km jogging with Jay & Harley. I love love love my running track!

Pyrmont Bay 6.30am

Tuesday (day9):

Tuesday workout calories burnt

Strength workout at the gym:

  • 10 min warmup on the Xtrainer
  • 5 sets x 15 reps Legpress 60Kgs
  • 3 sets (per leg) single leg lunges x 15 reps holding 15kg barbell
  • 3 sets (per leg) single hamstring/glute extenders x 15 reps 25kgs
  • 3 sets x 15 reps chest press 20kgs
  • 3 sets x 15 reps overhead shoulder press 7.5kgs
  • 3 sets x 20 reps bicep curls 17.5kgs
  • 3 sets x 20 reps tricep dips
  • 3 sets x 15 reps back rows 25kgs
  • Abs
  • stretching & roller

Wednesday (day10):

Wednesday workout calories burnt

Boxing workout in the park with Jay as my trainer! (boxing drills, foot work, head movement, pyramid circuit, combos & sparring.)

Thursday (day11):

Thursday workout calories burnt

4km jog with Harley.

Friday (day12):

Friday workout calories burnt

A session with my Personal Trainer Joe at the gym. I recorded a lot less calories than usual because my Polar played up and stopped working for about 10 minutes…Joe smashes us (Jay works out with me) and we did a huge arm workout followed by the most awfully intense Ab workout. My abs are still sore…

Saturday (day13):

Saturday workout calories burnt

I wasn’t feeling well, so I didn’t achieve Super Saturday 1000 calorie burn….I just went for a long walk with Harley around the beautiful harbour. 

City views over Blackwattle Bay

 

Sunday (day14):

And on the seventh day, she rest!

Monday (day8):

Tuesday (day9): 

Wednesday (day10): 

Thursday (day11): 

Friday (day12): 

Saturday (day13): 

Sunday (day14): 

Harley & me waiting for Jay to come home from his camping trip…

Mel & Harls

Hope you all had a great week & are looking forward to achieving something awesome this week!

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