King of Kettlebells – 14 Day Challenge

Welcome world 

So on my quest to get fitter this year I've been searching through pinterest for inspiration and one thing that keeps cropping up is Kettlebell workouts. Having read what felt like hundreds of articles on kettlebells, the benefits of them, how easy they are to use and their magical calorie burning power I've decided to put together my own kettlebell workout combining the most popular moves and seeing how much difference swinging a kettlebell will make to my waistline. 

I'm going to try this workout for 2 weeks going through the 20 minute circuit every other day. To get an idea of how well its working, if it works at all, I'm going to take my measurements on day 1 and then again on day 15. I'm going to weigh myself on these days too but I am far more interested in measurements than the number on the scales.  

I've designed the workout in the style of Kayle Itsine's 28 Day Bikini Body Guide workouts in the sense that it's broken down into 2 mini circuits, do the first 4 exercises for 1 minute each then take a 30 second break before starting on the second circuit. Do each circuit twice with a 30 second rest between rounds. My plan is to do 2 rounds of these exercises for the first week and increase to 3 rounds for week 2. A 20 minute kettlebell workout supposedly burns 400kcal so I have pretty high hopes for this challenge. 

King of Kettlebells Challenge 

Circuit one: 

• Bent over Row 
• Sumo Squat and curl 
• Russian twists 
• Kettlebell Snatch 

Circuit two: 

• Windmills 
• Swing through Lunges 
• Kettlebell single leg dead lifts (12 per side) 
• Kettlebell Swings 
• Halo 

I'm going to accompany these circuits with a 10 minute hula hoop session on either end to warm up and cool down as well as 5 minutes of stretching. 

Lets see how this goes 

Until next time 

Ellie x 

Lets try this 'Accountability' thing again

Welcome World

So it's been almost exactly a year since last I actually remembered to post here (though I did write a couple of times they just never quite made it to the blog...) and unfortunately my aims haven't changed all that much. I've still go quite a bit of weight to shift (35lbs :S) I still cook enough to feed a small army and have yet to master this whole being an adult thing. BUT I have started exercising, its almost become a regular thing, having discovered the joys of Salsa. A couple of hours a week of being twirled around a dance floor really helps work up a swear and the weight did start coming off!

Then Christmas happened. No dancing and far too much food means that everything I managed to lose came back with interest. So now we start again. This time the plan is to stick to it (isn't that always the plan?) Tonight I am getting back on the dance floor for my first class since Christmas and this week the workouts begin in earnest. I had a bit of a rude awakening over the weekend when I accidentally stood on the scales in my boyfriends flat (they live in front of the bathroom sink) and realised that not only has all the weight id lost come back but that it was exactly a month until I was due to leave on a holiday to Spain with Latin, Ballroom and Salsa Society (LBSS) and the idea of getting into a bikini with a group of girls with enviably flat stomachs and far better will power than I have was horrifying.

So, starting yesterday (22nd feb) I have started working out in earnest to see how much of a difference I can make in a month. This blog is where I am going to try and keep track of my progress. I will take pictures, post measurements, try out new workouts and all that fun stuff over the next few weeks and post them here and hopefully actually manage to stay accountable. I took all my measurements yesterday and recorded them in my super snazzy new health and fitness tracker which I downloaded and have ordered myself a couple of adorable stamps to mark off workouts as I do them.

My plan is to try a new workout/exercise/sport/dance party every week and post a reviewlet of them on here and try and find something new that I love, that way it stops feeling like a chore. This week kettlebells.

Until next time
Ellie xXx

Becoming Accountable

Welcome world

So, when I got back into blogging back in November I had this image of spending my evenings tapping away at my keyboard with a cup of tea, or quite possibly a glass of wine, and writing a new post every day full of beautiful pictures, intriguing recipes and witty stories from my day.

Well as we can all see that most certainly didn't happen. I found myself remaking the same recipes that I had already written about, losing and then breaking my camera, electronica have an alarmingly short life span around me, and having few if any amusing anectdotes to write about. Since this is more or les just me rambling to myself I had no one to hold me accountable for my extreme lack of posting and yet again this blog slipped into the background. Sure I posted the odd recipe but those were mainly ones I had written up ahead of time and just forgotten to post. This last week however I've been trying to become a bit more organised in my life in general and hold myself a bit more accountable for my actions. This started, as most things in my life do, in the kitchen when I realised just how much money I spend on food and how much of it seems to not get eaten.

I hate wasting food and as a student I really can't afford to so this week I decided to actually plan my meals ahead of time and only order exactly what I needed for the next week and a bits worth of meals. This also seemed like the perfect time to tackle my unfortunate tendancy to cook enough for a small army and then eat all of it. I mentioned in an early post that I was trying to lose some weight and get into shape  however I've now accepted that this is never going to happen if i carry on eating for a team rather than a person. This being the case I headed to the internet to find out a) how much I should be eating a day for someone of my size and b) what food keeps well in the freezer (leaving enough to freeze has been a somewhat novel experience or me).

So last thursday (the 19th) a sat down and planned out all of my meals for the week working out exactly how much of each thing I needed to order and how long they would keep in the fridge. Unsurprisingly my shop was quite a bit cheaper than it is and surprisingly I've found that I've not been left feeling hungry when following the suggest serving sizes.

So here's the plan. I'm going to aim to put a short post up each day for the rest of this meal planning challenge including the recipes and portion sizes in an effort to try and make myself stick to it and in case any of the recipes are things you want to try. Each days worth of food comes in at or under 1500 calories (who knew calorie counting was still a thing) not that I count calories but I initially started logging my meals on MyFitnessPal which gives you all the nutritional information about your food.

So theres the plan. I'm also going to put up the recipes from earlier in the week, I've tried not to repeat anything during the week though I haven't been 100% succesful.

Until next time
Ellie xXx

P.S. whilst pictures do make everything more exciting I am currently without camera and the camera on my phone has a bit of a mind of its own so pictures will have to come later I'm afraid

E x

Halloumi and Red Onion salad #StudentsCanCook

Welcome World

I live with two guys and have spent the last few months being told that a salad is not a meal. Now by salad I think they mean lettuce with some dressing and if you're hungry that probably wouldn't fill you up. When I thin salad though I tend to go Ceasar Salad or Pasta salad or my current favourite, Halloumi and Red Onion. It filling and flavoursome and requires negligible amounts of actual cooking, all you need to do is grill the slices of halloumi. I will quite often have this as a quick lunch if I pop home between lectures.

Ingredients:

• Baby leaf salad
• Red Pepper, sliced into batons
• Red Onion, sliced
• Garlic Croutons - I like to make my own and keep them in a bag in the cupboard for using on salads
• Halloumi cheese
• lemon juice
• olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Slice the halloumi into slices about 1/2cm thick and drizzle the halloumi with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper on both sides and stick the halloumi under the grill allowing it to brown on each side, flip it over half way through so both sides cook evenly. The second side will cook much faster than the first.
2. Chop the halloumi into cubes and put to one side. On a plate/in a bowl put your salad leaves, red onion and red pepper and drizzle them with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. toss the salad so it is evenly dressed
3. Put the croutons and halloumi on top of your salad  

Ta Da you have a quick and healthy lunch. If you want to take this with you as a lunch to have on the go mix the oil and lemon dressing in a small pot and put it on just before you eat to stop your salad going soggy.


 Until next time
Ellie x

Spanikopita #StudentsCanCook

 Welcome World

Spanikopita, or as we call it at home Greek pie, is made with spinach and soft cheese. It’s a big hit in my student house as we can feel healthy whilst still eating pastry, a win win by any account. Its also pretty quick and easy to make and is just as good cold for lunch the next day as when its just come out of the oven. The whole thing only takes about half an hour and 20 minutes of that is oven time!

All you need in terms of equipment is a saucepan, a cake tin, though anything of about the same size works as long as it’s over safe, and a large bowl.

Ingredients:                

·         500g of spinach

·         250g of ricotta cheese, though most soft cheeses will work

·         1 large egg

·         2 cloves of garlic

·         ½ a pack of feta cheese (optional but I like the saltiness and texture it adds)

·         3 sheets of filo pastry

·         Melted butter, enough to brush over the top of the pie to help it crisp

·         Salt and pepper

·         Nutmeg

1.       Stick you oven on to about 180 before you start so it’s ready to stick your pie in.

2.       Either finely chop or crush your garlic and put it in a sauce pan with some butter and let the butter melt, make sure your garlic doesn’t burn because it’ll go bitter. Stick your spinach into the pan with the butter and garlic and pop the lid on stirring every now and again until your spinach has wilted, you might need to add the spinach gradually as it’s a pretty big bag but when wilted is next to nothing. Once its wilted pour the spinach into a sieve and let the excess liquid drain out, if you don’t it will make your pastry soggy and the pie will tear.

3.       While your spinach strains put your soft cheese in a large bowl with the broken up feta and the egg. Season generously with salt and pepper, add the nutmeg is you’re using it, and mix. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste.

4.       Once you’re spinach has cooled enough to touch squeeze out any excess moisture and chop it up small with a pair of scissors. Mixed the cooled spinach into the cheese mixture and put it to one side.

5.       In a plastic jug put a small amount of butter, a tea spoon is normally about right, a melt it in the microwave. Take your filo pastry and layer it inside the cake tin making sure it is at least 3 layers thick on the bottom and there is enough left over either side to fold up over the filling. I put it in in alternating directions. Fill the tin with your spinach and cheese mixture and fold up the edges of the pastry to cover. Lightly brush the top of the pastry in the melted butter and stick your parcel in the over.

6.       In my over it takes about 20-25 minutes but it will vary depending on your over so keep an eye on it. When the pastry is golden brown and crisp then it’s ready.

I like to eat it with a plate of salad with a lemon and garlic dressing. It’s the perfect summer lunch but also makes an excellent quick dinner when you’re pressed for time or just generally lacking inspiration.

Kitchen Cupboard Essentials #StudentsCanCook

Welcome World

 Before I start posting recipes for people to try I thought it could be worth putting together a list of kitchen cupboard essentials.

Whilst everyone has different ideas of what is essential for cooking these are things that I like to make sure I always have in. They’re all things that keep for ages and you only use a little bit of at a time. When first stocking your cupboard it can feel like a bit of an investment but on the whole they’re not things you’ll need to replace all that often but will use a lot. 

Herbs and Spices

While my spice draw is by many accounts a little excessive there are a few things which are entirely essential and I use all the time

·         Chilli powder – I tend to have hot chilli powder but it’s a matter of personal taste and mild chilli powder will work just as well if you’re not a fan of spicy food but still want that little bit of warmth from the chilli

·         Paprika -  I love the warm and slightly spicy taste of paprika as well as its versatility.

·         Turmeric – Turmeric is a key ingredient in lots of curries as well as in quite a few Spanish dishes, its used both for its flavour and its gorgeous colour, but it does stain most things it touches particularly if wet so be careful.

·         Nutmeg – I am a big fan of nutmeg particularly for adding a kick to roasted root vegetables and for adding a bit more depth to creamy sauces.

·         Oregano – The quintessential Italian herb and a brilliant addition to any tomato sauce

·         Cumin – a warm and earthy spice which makes a huge difference in a chilli or lasagne

·         Marjoram – a dried herb used a lot in Italian food it can also be used to make a tea which whilst not the greatest tasting thing in the world works wonders on a soar throat.

Tins and Sauces

Tins and sauces make up a good basic pantry and can form the basis for a lot of meals whilst also being cheap and tasty. But just to be clear when I say tins I mean tinned tomatoes or tinned tuna, not spaghetti hoops or baked beans.

·         Tinned Tomatoes – One of the most versatile and economical of all store cup board ingredients I would recommend going for the ones which are chopped and in juice.

·         Tinned tune – a quick and easy way to make a healthy and substantial lunch.

·         Tinned sweetcorn – sweet and crunchy and can be eaten straight out of the tin

·         Tomato Puree - makes tinned tomatoes even more tomatoey

·         Soya Sauce - A true essential if you want to make almost any Asian inspired dish, I would recommend light Soya as it is more versatile and also if you can I'd get it from an Asian supermarket, its much better value

h     Tinned peaches - I just have a soft spot for them

hThese are the essentials that I've come up with off the top of my head based on the food I cook alot, let me know if you think I've missed anything that should be on here.

Until next time

Ellie x