Healthier Bolognese Recipe

Spaghetti Bolognese is a weekly must in my household, it's just so tasty and the best news is that I've made it even healthier and it tastes even more delicious than before!

The idea of adding black olives came from Sainsbury's but all of the rest has come from years of me tweaking my own recipe.

It only takes around 30-40 minutes to cook and serves 6-8 people.

Enjoy!

 

 

Recipe:

 

Ingredients:

1 sliced onion

4 cloves of garlic

150g mushrooms

1/2 jar of black olives

1 tin green lentils

450g lean beef mince

2 tins chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp. Worcester sauce

1 beef stock cube

1 tbsp. tomato ketchup

as many peas as you would like

salt and pepper

 

Method:

1. In a large frying pan soften the onions, add the garlic and then brown the mince.

2. next add the sliced mushrooms and cook until softened.

3. Next add the tins of chopped tomatoes, lentils, beef stock cube, tomato ketchup and Worcester sauce and stir.

4. Finally add the olives, peas and seasoning and cook for a few minutes until piping hot throughout and the peas are cooked.

5. serve with spaghetti or baked potato

 

Love Charli x



Banana and blueberry cookies

I'm not sure whether I have already mentioned but my boyfriend and I have given up chocolate, cakes and sweets for lent. Neither of us are particularly religious but we chose to do it to challenge ourselves (and see who would crack first). At first I found myself craving sugar all the time but substituted these foods with naturally sweet foods such as berries, bananas and other unhealthier foods such as biscuits and cereal.
The one thing I am missing the most is not chocolate, but cake. I didn't particularly eat much cake before but I just really want some now! This is what inspired me to make these cookies, as a kind of substitute.
After making some alterations I came up with the perfect recipe for banana, blueberry and oat cookies. These are a much healthier alternative to chocolate chip cookies and are nice a sweet even though the only sweet ingredient added is golden syrup!

Makes about 8 cookies

Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 mashed banana
75g blueberries
100g oats
100g plain flour
1&1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp. golden syrup
1 egg
1tsp vanilla essence

Method:
1. preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease a baking sheet.
2.In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients together: oats, flour, cinnamon and baking powder
3. In a separate bowl whisk the egg, mashed banana, vanilla essence and golden syrup
4. tip the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon.
5. Finally, tip in the blueberries and gently stir into the mixture, place a spoonful of mixture for each cookie onto the greased baking sheet and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes depending on how soft you want them.

Easiest and tastiest omelette recipe EVER!

Okay, so the other day we had barely any food in and I needed to make myself a quick lunch so I decided to use the eggs we had and make myself an omelette as I haven't had one in about 2 years!

I thought I'd give it a try without using a recipe because I thought 'how hard can it be?' I'm glad I didn't because when I had a look after, I found all these recipes trying to turn something so simple into something that took longer than 1 hour in some cases!

This is my new go-to speedy lunch recipe:

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 tbsp. milk
handful of spinach
1 slice of ham
1 handful of grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
pepper to season

Method:
1. In a bowl lightly whisk the two eggs together and then whisk in the milk.
2. add a sprinkle of pepper and the mixed herbs and stir.
3. place a non-stick pan on a medium-high heat (about gas mark 4)
4. add the egg mixture to the pan and then place the spinach, broken up ham pieces and cheese on top.
5. wait a couple of minutes for it to cook and then season with some more pepper.
6. plate up and enjoy!

It really is that simple and is high in protein so would be a great lunch to have after a workout.

Love Charli x

Slow-cooked beef madras

 

Today I had a uni exam at 4 which meant I wouldn't get home until around 6:30 so I planned ahead as always...

I decided to get the slow cooker out as we had some low-fat diced beef that needed using up and it would mean that by the time I came through the door, dinner would be ready. It's so easy to use as well, you just bung in all the ingredients, wait a few hours et voila!

This curry was rather spicy so I ate it with some 0% fat natural yoghurt on the side.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 450 lean diced beef
• 1 tbsp. madras curry paste
• 300ml beef stock
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• large handful of spinach
• 200g mushrooms
• bulgur wheat and natural yogurt to serve

Method:
1. Set your slow cooker on a medium setting
2. Heat some flora cuisine in a pan, slice the onion and fry for a couple of minutes. Next add the garlic and beef to brown for a few minutes.
3. Once the beef has browned transfer the contents of the pan to your slow cooker and then add the ginger, chilli flakes, madras curry paste, beef stock, chopped tomatoes and mushrooms.
4. Stir and then place the lid on the slow cooker for about 8 hours, stirring every now and then.
5. 30 minutes before you serve add the spinach to the slow cooker pot and then once cooked, enjoy!

I served mine with bulgur wheat as it has fewer calories than rice, however feel free to serve with naan or rice :)

Time for an early night so I can wake up early for a 4 mile run tomorrow...
Have a good evening.

Love Charli x

Busy day!

Last night I made sure I went to bed by 9:30 so that I could get up at 7 this morning to fit in my workout. I usually find it so much harder to work out in the morning before I've had anything to eat, my blood sugar levels get quite low so last night I made myself a quick banana chia seed pudding that I could eat first thing when I woke up. It was so easy to make, I just mixed together 1 overripe mashed banana with 2 tbsp of natural yoghurt and 1 tbsp of chia seeds and then covered and put it in the fridge. This was ideal as it was really light and I didn't have to wait ages after consuming it to exercise.

I then commenced my 30 minutes workout. Recently I've been using the Nike workout app which I highly recommend! They have different workouts available depending on your level and no gym is required. I am definitely a fan of home workouts, as a student who can afford a gym membership right? I've been using it for a few weeks now and have definitely noticed how toned my legs are getting.

After getting showered and ready and having a bowl of porridge to refuel, I then commenced my hour and a half commute to uni in London, stayed for my seminar and then came home in time for work (I work from home). I needed to rustle up something quick for lunch so I made this:

This is now my new favourite lunch recipe, fried tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach on wholemeal toast. It's so easy to make and if you want you can even add an egg on top!

 

Time to finish off my work and then study for my upcoming exams.

Enjoy the rest of your day

 

Love Charli x

Date to Kew Gardens

I had recently mentioned to my boyfriend about the Orchid festival at Kew Gardens and guess what... this weekend he took me on a surprise trip there! I'd never been to Kew Gardens before and although it was really cold and it's still winter, the gardens were beautiful and the inside displays were memorizing! I didn't realise how big a place Kew Gardens was, it would be an amazing spot for a picnic in the summer. They also have aquariums too and the cafe's serve the best looking cakes.

The prices for the food were quite high though as it is all freshly made, and my boyfriend and I have given up chocolate, sweets and cake for lent (it's such a challenge) so cake was out of the question, which is why on the way back we decided to stop at Gail's Artisan Bakery in Dulwich for a late lunch. We'd previously been impressed with the one in Blackheath so were really looking forward to it as we were both starving. They are known for their freshly baked bread and cakes which are really yummy! However when we arrived there (around 3:30) there was barely anything left which was really disappointing. I chose the lemon chicken and bulgur salad which was pretty average but I can say that the coffee was really nice!

 

I gave myself a day off from working out, although we did a lot of walking around the gardens!

I hope you all had a great weekend!

 

Love Charli x



Spiced couscous for lunch

This morning the sun is out and it's getting me excited for summer! I'm finding it hard to focus on studying right now so I decided to cook of course...

In the fridge we had leftover chicken and peas, and I wanted to make something quick and easy (it literally took me 10 minutes) but also very nutritious. I don't cook couscous often so decided it was time for it to make an appearance.

So here is my quick and easy spiced couscous recipe:

 

Recipe:

 

Ingredients:

80g couscous

200ml chicken stock

1 garlic clove

1tsp turmeric

1tsp coriander powder

1tsp cumin

1tsp chilli flakes

1tbsp peas

1 small handful of plum tomatoes

As much leftover chicken as you would like

a handful of spinach

 

Method:

1. Boil the chicken stock and garlic. Take off the heat and add in the couscous

2. Add in all the herbs and spices and stir

3. Then and the spinach, peas, chicken and tomatoes and place on a low heat to ensure its nice and warm.

4. Enjoy! (told you it was easy)

 

 

 

 

Time to stop getting distracted and focus.

 

Love Charli x

Quick and healthy cheesy veg pasta

I secretly love it when the fridge is bare because it forces me to come up with new dishes using what ingredients we do have. Today I felt like pasta for lunch and I had to use the leftover veg (because I hate wasting food). The problem was coming up with a healthy sauce to go with it. Usually I'd opt for tomato using fresh tomatoes but we didn't have any...

So then my other option was a cheese based sauce as that's all we seemed to have. But how do you create a dish with a healthy cheese sauce? Here's the answer:

Serves 1

 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

75g wholewheat fusilli pasta

a handful of leftover veg (carrots, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower)

1 clove f garlic

1 egg

50ml milk

40g light philadelphia cream cheese

parmesan cheese to serve

 

Method:



1. Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the egg and milk together.

2. Drain the water from the pasta and then add the garlic and vegetables, keeping the pan on a low heat.

3. Next stir in the egg mixture, make sure the heat is low enough so the egg doesn't scramble.

4. Leave to cook for a few minutes, plate up, season, sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

 

Love Charli x

 

 

 

 

Dinner out: Cinnamon Culture

 

Just a quick post to share with you my delicious dinner out last night. My boyfriend and I were celebrating our year anniversary so he treated me to dinner at a local Indian restaurant. This is not your usual Indian restaurant, you will not find your standard chicken korma or lamb bhuna on the menu. The menu was comprised of an arrange of unusual but intriguing dishes such as chilli wild prawns and even a dish that contained wild boar!

 

I wasn't adventurous enough to try that but instead opted for chilli squid (below) for starter, chicken curry for main and coconut sorbet for dessert.



 

(I have been looking for coconut sorbet in supermarkets for ages but can't seem to find it, does anyone know where I can buy some?)

 

My boyfriend had mint and chilli lamb kofte kebab for starter and spiced lamb shank with sweet potato mash for main which looked so good!

 

 

No this food is not particularly healthy but it's fine to give yourself a night off every once in a while, you deserve it!

Now time for an extra long workout, wish me luck.

 

Love Charli x

 

 

Paella meal prep

Morning!

Seeing as I am eating out tonight (expect mouth-watering pictures) I still decided to make dinner for the rest of my family so they don't result to ordering a takeout or worry about dinner as they are all super busy. I cook most of the meals in my family as I'm the only one who has the time and I really enjoy it.

I decided to make paella as its super easy, anyone can cook it and we had seafood to use up in the freezer. Paella is the perfect dish to cook if you're having people round as its so simple yet so tasty and filling and you can always have it for lunch the next day if there is any leftover.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
400g Arborio rice
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp of chilli flakes
1 tsp thyme
1 large pinch of saffron
1 pint of chicken stock (made with 3 chicken stock cubes)
150ml white wine (optional)
400g mixed seafood
lemon wedges and parsley to serve

Method:
1. place one tbsp. of flora cuisine (or oil of your choice) in a frying (or paella if you have one) pan. Add the sliced onion and cook until softened.
2. Next add the garlic and fry for another minute or so before adding the thyme, paprika and chilli flakes. Fry for another minute and then add the rice, fully coating it in the oil and spices. Meanwhile make up the stock by boiling the water and then adding the 3 stock cubes and pinch of saffron.
3. Once the rice is fully coated, which won't take long, stir the chicken stock and then add it to the pan. Then add the wine (if using) and turn down the heat until it is just simmering.
4. After 5 minutes add in all the seafood and then let the paella simmer for another 20 minutes, adding more water to the pan if needed.
5. Serve with lemon wedges and parsley and enjoy!

optional add-ins:
Peas
chorizo
chicken

Enjoy!

Love Charli x

Study fuel

 

Good evening!

 



Today has been dedicated to studying accounting for one of my uni exams next week. I thought I would share with you what I had for lunch (yes you read that right) I am a bit obsessed with porridge at the moment because its so warming and filling! It's also super quick to make which is good for when you're in a rush, so why can't you have it for lunch?

 

The trick with porridge is choosing the right one. Some brands aren't that good for you as they contain quite a lot of sugar or calories. My favourite are Tesco's value porridge oats. with a suggested portion size of 50g and only 190 calories per serving you can actually have enough to fill you up.

 

I make mine with 3/4 water and 1/4 milk and just pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high and voila! I topped it with chia seeds, desiccated coconut and a banana.

 

I hope this inspires you to get on the porridge bandwagon.

 

Love Charli x

 

Dinner: Sweet Potato, Kale and Chickpea Curry

Today's mission was to find a dish that used kale and sweet potato as these needed using up. The easiest and tastiest thing I could think of was in a curry as I needed a comforting dish to warm me up in this cold weather :( I've made lots of curries before and decided to experiment with these ingredients to come up with a delicious and super healthy vegetarian curry. It was so easy to make and completely went in one sitting!

serves 6

time: 10 mins prep, 30 mins cooking

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 chopped onion

4 cloves of garlic

3 small sweet potatoes

1 packet of kale

1 tbsp medium chilli powder

1tsp cumin

1tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp chilli flakes

300ml vegetable stock

1 can coconut milk

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 can chickpeas

Method:

1. Heat some oil in a pan (I used flora cuisine) and soften the onions. Next add the chopped sweet potato chunks and crushed garlic an fry for a few minutes.

2. Next add the turmeric, curry powder, chilli powder, cumin and chilli flakes. cook for a minute and then add the kale.

3. When the kale has wilted, add the vegetable stock, tomatoes and coconut milk. Turn down to a medium heat and stir occasionally for about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile boil some rice or whatever you wish to serve with it and enjoy :)

Love Charli x

First post!

Hi guys!

Seeing as this is my first post I thought I would explain a bit about who I am and why I started this blog.

My name is Charli and I am currently in my first year of uni studying a degree in Business Management. Most of the time I can be found studying, working, at my boyfriends' or in the kitchen... and that's why I started this blog.

I have recently become really conscious about what I am eating and also about having a balanced diet. This has led me to designing healthier recipes which I want to share with you! I will occasionally also blog fitness posts as I am a bit fitness obsessed...

So enjoy reading, and hopefully you can gain some inspiration from it.

Love Charli x