CHOCOLATE BEETROOT TRAYBAKE

OK So it was Easter Sunday and not an Easter Egg was to be seen in the house...Sad state of affairs, so I found this healthy recipe and tried it out... Its Fabulous!!!

I found it in a cancer care cookbook which I love because there is always a good reason for the ingredients in all of the recipes.


60g / 1/4 cup of coconut oil
250g / dark chocolate (85% if Possible)
3 tbsp of Agave Syrup
4 Free Range Eggs
1 Large cooked beetroot roughly chopped (150g)
100g /1 cup ground almonds
A pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
60g / 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
30g / 1/3 cup flaked almonds


1. Preheat the oven to 180C 350F gas mark 4
Grease a shallow 8X12in / 20X30 cm traybake tin and line with baking parchment.
Put the Chocolate, agave,and coconut oil into a saucepan and heat gently to melt the chocolate.
Put the eggs and cooked beetroot into a blender or processor and process till smooth.

2. Tip the ground almonds into a large bowl. Add the melted chocolate mixture, the beetroot mixture and the remaining ingredients except the flaked almonds. Mix well.

3. Pour the batter into the tin, then scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm and the almonds are golden.  Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack, then cut into bars and serve. 
Enjoy!!!

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS LINKED TO OBESITY

Artificial sweeteners contain no calories.  Diet drinks are around for about 50 years and yet obesity rates have exploded in that time.  A study on mice in Oita University in Japan showed that consuming sugar sweetened water increased blood sugar levels in animals, while consuming water containing non-nutritive sweeteners triggered reduced blood sugar levels. 
However the animals consuming the artificial sweeteners gained body fat and increased leptin and triglyceride levels.  These animals also experienced decreases in uncoupling proteins in brown fat which decreased metabolic rate and promoted fat deposition. 

This study provided some insight into the reason that chronic consumption of diet drinks actually promotes weight gain.

But we must look further to the thousands of products out there which contain non-nutritive sweeteners, from Yogurts to chewing gum.
Anywhere the word Diet is used there is usually an artificial sweetener and also when the words 'low sugar' or 'no added sugar' are used they are there too.

READ THE LABEL AND LOOK OUT FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS WHICH I TOOK FROM THESSAURUS

Synonyms for artificial sweetener

noun sugar substitute

• aspartamestar
• 
  star
• cyclamatesstar

• saccharinstar
• 
  star
• sucralosestar

• sweetening agentstar
• Equal [tm]star
• Nutrasweet [tm]star

• Splenda [tm]star
• Sweet'n Low [tm]star

MY NAME IS SUE AND I AM A COFFEE LOVER

As a coffee lover, I felt I had to share this little snippet I spotted recently.

Free radicals are highly reactive chemical that are produced naturally during metabolism.  High levels of free radicals are linked to cell membrane and DNA damage, premature aging and depressed immunity. 
A study found that coffee consumption increased antioxidant levels. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and promote cell health. this and other studies show that coffee has many health benefits. (FITNESS Rx 4/2014)

The study was carried out by Brazilian scientists,(Brazil produces one third of worlds coffee), and it was on rats. I am just pleased to read anything that supports my love of the dark stuff. 

IMPROVE CYCLING PERFORMANCE WITH BEETROOT JUICE

In a recent survey, British researchers from Cardiff university School of Medicine, found that a single dose of beetroot juice improved exercise performance at a simulated altitude of 2500 meters and also improved cycling efficiency. 
Beetroot is high in nitrates that stimulate the inner lining of blood vessels to secrete nitric oxide, a chemical that controls blood flow. The survey concluded that the root is an effective performance-enhancing supplement that would be helpful for endurance athletes during practice or competition.

So.....if you havn't already done so, it might be time to try out this delicious 'Purple' Juice.




'Purple' Juice: 1 medium beetroot

                1/2 head of celery

                1 apple

                1 pear

                1 inch ginger

                1 lemon (without rind) 

Sticky Cod with Celeriac Mash

This is a gourmet healthy meal, full of goodness and LOW CARB!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 X 120g pieces of Cod
pinch of flour for dusting
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
lemon wedges, to squeeze over
handful of flaked almonds

For the mash:
1 large head celeriac, peeled and cubed (around 500g)
1 tsp butter
big handful parsley, finely chopped

1: For the mash, boil the celeriac in water for 10 minutes until soft. Drain, put back in pan and steam for a few minutes. Mash with the teaspoon of butter and parsley and season. 
2: For the fish, heat the oil in the pan, dust the fish in flour, season on both sides, and fry for about 4 minutes adding the garlic and chili. When cooked through add the vinegar and sugar and flaked almonds, allow to sizzle on the pan for a minute. 
3: Serve one piece of cod on a plate with a small serving of mash and a lemon wedge to squeeze over. 

Enjoy!


PER SERVING: 259 kcals, 25g protein, 10g carbs, 13g fat, 4g sat fat, 7g fibre, 5g sugar, 0.6g salt. 

Alternative:Also try an alternative to the mash. I used chopped and seasoned carrots and a healthy handful of spinach! Any veg will do lovely with this meal! 

HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT)

I am sure you have by now heard of HIIT, the abbreviation for High Intensity Interval Training.  But What is it and why does it work?

HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a training technique in which you give your all, one hundred percent,no effort spared, for short periods of time and follow these phases up with active rest periods. Working at a high-intensity increases the body’s need for oxygen during the effort and creates an oxygen shortage, causing your body to ask for more oxygen during recovery.
EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption) Is the reason why this intense exercise will help burn more fat and calories than regular aerobic and steady workouts.

A little more information needed?
Well here are a few more reasons why it works....

1. Increases Metabolism

Combing high intensity with interval training results in EPOC, which speeds your metabolic rate and therefore boosts your metaboism, something we all want.... This means you’ll still be burning fat even after you’ve left the gym. 

2. Its Quick, 20mins will do it.

A HIIT workout can be done on your bike, on foot, in the gym, in the pool or at home.  The time needed would average around 20 minutes.

3. No Equipment Necessary

Whilst you can to a HIIT workout on a TRX or with weights it is probably more often done without any equipment which make life very easy if you need to do a quick effective training session with calorie burning results. A timer is the only thing you will need.  There are some great free apps out there so download a timer before you start.

I will give you some examples of workouts for running, cycling and swimming but as with all types of training you must remember that our extremely clever bodies adapt very quickly to new methods and so change is always necessary. Never stick to any regime for more than 6 weeks and I would recommend changing more frequently.

In my mind the easiest way to start is with a 5 minute warm up, followed by 8 sections of 30 seconds max intensity and then 1 minute of low intensity. That's 17 minutes now finish with a 3 minute cool down...Total 20 minutes!!

When you're first starting out, depending on your level of fitness, you may only be able to do two or three repetitions of Max intensity. That's okay! As you get fitter, just keep adding repetitions until you're doing eight. And if six is what your body is telling you, then stop there. If you have a history of heart disease or any medical concern please get clearance from your Doctor to start this.

Getting Started: Running or Cycling

Run or Cycle as normal for the first 5 Minutes then push yourself to the Max for 30 Seconds, its amazing how long 30 seconds can feel at max exertion.  Come back down to low intensity for 1 Minute and then back up to max again for 30 .... repeat as many times as you feel good to do so and then take it back to low intensity for 3 minutes.  Feel free to jog on or cycle if you have time but it is not necessary... your work is done!!

Swimming 

In the pool it is easier to count lengths rather than time.So, if you warm up with 4-6 lengths then Max intensity for one length returning to low intensity for 2, and repeat 8 times then cool down for 4-6 lengths this should have the same affect on your body.

Now Go Try It Out!! 

HEALTHY MEAL

Lean Tip.... to cook steak simply brush a little oil over the pan and fry, the oil should only be visible as a sheen.

110g fillet or lean sirloin steak (no visible fat) 225 Cals, 24g Protein, 9g Fat, 0 Carbs

In the same pan, when Steak is cooked,  cook veg.

1 Fennel head
1 Small onion
250g Spinach leaves...or more. See notes below

2 tsps Low salt soya sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
In the oil and soya saute the fennel and onion. 2 mins from end add the spinach, it should fill the pan but will wilt down to nothing.

Health benefits of Spinach

• Spinach is store house for many phyto-nutrients that have health promotional and disease prevention properties.
• Very low in calories and fats (100 g of raw leaves provide just 23 calories). It contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber; no wonder green spinach is one of the finest vegetable sources recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs!
• Fresh 100 g of spinach contains about 25% of daily intake of iron; one of the richest among green leafy vegetables. Iron is an important trace element required by the body for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for oxidation-reduction enzyme, cytochrome-oxidase during the cellular metabolism.
• Fresh leaves are rich source of several vital anti-oxidant vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, and flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin and beta-carotene. Together these compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a healing role in aging and various disease processes.
• Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It thus helps protect from "age-related macular related macular disease" (ARMD), especially in the elderly.
• In addition, vitamin A is required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for normal eye-sight. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin A and flavonoids also known to help the body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Spinach leaves are an excellent source of vitamin K. 100 g of fresh greens provides 402% of daily vitamin-K requirements. Vitamin K plays a vital role in strengthening the bone mass by promoting osteotrophic (bone building) activity in the bone. Additionally, it also has established role in patients withAlzheimer's disease by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.
• This green leafy vegetable also contains good amounts of many B-complex vitamins such as vitamin-B6(pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), riboflavin, folates and niacin. Folates help prevent neural tube defects in the offspring.
• 100 g of farm fresh spinach has 47% of daily recommended levels of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, which helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Its leaves also contain a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme,superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis.
• It is also rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Regular consumption of spinach in the diet helps prevent osteoporosis (weakness of bones), iron-deficiency anemia. Besides, it is believed to protect the body from cardiovascular diseases and cancers of colon and prostate.