Healthy lifestyle plus a recipe for you

If you follow me on social media you will already know that I've embarked on a healthier lifestyle. It has been just over 2 weeks and I feel like I'm adjusting - it was very hard initially! 

I'm not the sort who copes well with small changes - I'm more of an "all in" kinda girl, so it was important for me to make major changes.

Although I'd like to share my thoughts in more detail with you as I go along, for now I'll just show some examples of what I've been eating. It's actually been pretty easy to put together healthy meals for myself, even though this seemed daunting at first. I thought it would be too difficult and too expensive to not always eat what the family was eating. It turns out that this was just one of many excuses I'd been storing up in my head!

I have lost a little weight, which has been encouraging.

So, here is a snapshot of what my healthy eating has been looking like. Most of these are pretty simple, throw together, low cook dishes without a real recipe. Just how I like it.



Lets start with sweets. (Also just how I like it!) Chia vanilla pudding with peanut butter banana. It looks sloppy and not all that appetising but as an afternoon snack, it is THE BOMB!



I can't take credit for the delicious Quinoa and corn salad, my husband made that (he is an awesome cook). Thrown together with some chopped raw zucchini and tomato and voila! Lunch!


Baby spinach and chickpea salad with lemon and yoghurt dressing. Another light and easy lunch.


There is a bed of brown rice under the tomato, spinach leaves, red salmon and walnuts. Topped with low fat yoghurt and low fat mayonnaise. 


Salmon and salad pita wrap.


Half a chicken breast, drizzled with sesame oil, seasoned and baked in foil in the oven and served with a bulgur wheat, tomato and cucumber salad. Squeeze of lemon juice and done.

OK, here comes the recipe, because, if you're like me, one of your biggest challenges is your sweeter than sweet tooth.

Lets call them my

Rustic Banana Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats, blitzed in a food processor
2/3 of a cup of rolled oats extra
2 large, very ripe bananas
1 small egg
1 tablespoon peanut butter
50grams dark chocolate, chopped into chunks



Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (350 F). Blitz your 2 cups of rolled oats in the food processor until fairly smooth.


Mash your bananas, stir in the peanut butter. Whisk in egg with a fork. Add both batches of oats and mix well. Add the chocolate, mixing all ingredients together.


Place scant dessertspoon full of mixture in blobs on a tray lined with baking paper. Press tops lightly with a fork.


Bake for 12 minutes or until browning. Cool on a baking rack.


Perfect for a healthy afternoon snack with a hot cup of tea.

Bon appetit!

I have made a Facebook group so that I have a place to share information and support others (as well as get some much needed support myself!) Please join if you would like to be involved! 

Did you like this post? Would you like me to share more of my healthy journey? Let me know by leaving a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts!







10 comments:

Unknown said...

I enjoy your weaving blog, but I am also excited to hear about your healthy lifestyle changes. I, too, am trying to eat better, exercise, etc. Reading about what you are doing encourages me as well. I appreciate your sharing your meals as it gives me ideas for other foods, as I seem to always eat the same thing. Thank you for sharing!

Juliet B said...

I think your journey to a healthier you is very commendable Kelly, as a vegetarian I eat many of the foods that you have shown with your blog and you are definitely on the right track. Thank you for sharing I will follow with interest. 😊

Yarn Cloud said...

I'm sure this is just a country to country thing but what is "rolled oats extra"? Love the recipe and can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing your journey with us!

Unknown said...

Hi Kelly I enjoy your weaving courses and will enjoy reading your blog as well always looking for new ideas for meals Thanks

Terri Bryson said...

Hi Kelly,

I enjoy your weaving posts and would like to follow along with your healthy changes. An inspiration to all of us so we can stay healthy and weave!
Thank you.

DoubleD said...

Hi Kelly,
Thanks for the recipe! I'll give it a shot.
Best of luck with your healthy eating regimen.
Overall success in many things has been found living by the old saying: "Moderation in all things". I should add, "most of the time." Our lifestyle includes lots of grazing so it becomes easy to get required daily amounts of fiber and still enjoy the occasional burger and/or pizza. Here's a great article you may be interested to read. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods
As for weight control, if eating properly it is a simple formula of calories in minus calories burned equals weight gain or loss. Long distance cycling melts the weight away and is low impact. It strengthens the back muscles and may help with your back problems. It certainly helped me with mine. 30 minutes 3 times a week. Your body will tell you when its ready to increase time and/or distance.
Thanks for all you do.





Kelly Casanova said...

Yarn Cloud, by "rolled oats, extra" I just mean that you leave them as whole rolled oats instead of blitzing them in the food processor like the other oats. Hope that makes sense!

Kelly Casanova said...

That is very interesting about the cycling, I don't have a bike but I do enjoy riding.

Anne C. said...

Hi Kelly, thanks for this. But why not use oatmeal instead of blitzing? What size are Australian cups, are they the same as US cups? And I don’t like chocolate! As for the cycling, I have a turbo trainer that I attach my bike to and cycle on that no matter the weather, no danger from idiot drivers, and saves a lot of time. Having it set up in the bedroom means I can watch tv or YouTube vids from some Aussie lady who knows a lot about weaving. Makes time go faster lol.

Kelly Casanova said...

Hi Anne,
Apparently the Aussie cup is ever so slightly smaller than the US, but for a recipe like this it won't make a huge difference. It is fine to use oatmeal, I just usually have rolled oats in the pantry. Instead of chocolate you could use sultanas or other chopped, dried fruit?
Thanks for watching my Youtube videos, I appreciate your support!

This blog is closing!

All posts will now be found at my new site.  Click here to go the the new site.