Mindful Chef Food Box

Life has been busy recently. We're getting ever closer to our wedding day, work seems more hectic for both of us, our social calendar has been a little busier and training is ongoing. Both of us have been getting home later in the evening and so our Mindful Chef boxes have been a godsend, eliminating the need to think about what we're going to have for dinner and going shopping. We've had two boxes recently, with two meals in each, and they've been an absolute success!

Our first box arrived on Monday 4th September. We had chosen two vegetarian recipes for two people; Chipotle veggie kebabs with black beans and Lentil falafels with crispy polenta. By chance my mum had also ordered a box that happened to contain the same recipes, the idea being that Dad could cook the recipes while she was out at her gym classes two evenings a week.

What's in the box?

Each recipe came packaged separately, with all the ingredients in a paper bag within the box, and a sticker that corresponded to the colour on the appropriate recipe card. Handy! Dean was designated chef this week, nicknaming himself the "Hapless Chef", and pitted his skills against my dad, aka "Gormless Gourmet". Who would have greater success with the recipes? Whose would look most like the picture on the card? Ready, set, COOK!

First up, the veggie kebabs. They were pretty quick to make in our kitchen, and I didn't hear tales of anguish from Gormless Gourmet, so the "simple to make" box gets a big tick. I think Hapless Chef's efforts looked most like the picture, the kitchen wasn't a disaster zone afterwards and they tasted great. Big thumbs up from both parties on these ones.

Hapless Chef

Gormless Gourmet

The second recipe attempted was the lentil falafels... these were a little trickier and we had quite different results from Gormless Gourmet and Hapless Chef. These were messier to make (some fell apart), still relatively quick, but not as fast, and I think both parties went a little off-piste with the recipe. However still a really tasty dish and both said that they would make this again. In fact, Gormless Gourmet has already started to think of ways to make other "meatball" type things in the future... the creativity has been sparked!

Hapless Chef

Gormless Gourmet

Our second box contained recipes for Giant Celeriac and Herb Rosti, and Roasted Squash and Buckwheat Risotto. Hapless Chef made the risotto and I made the roost. Both, again, were excellent in the taste department and easy to make. Although we've paused the boxes for the moment, we will definitely be using them again soon. Having meals ready to cook waiting for us when we come home from our wedding and honeymoon will be so useful! At £28 for two meals for two, it may not seem cheap but you pay for the convenience, avoid impulse buys at the supermarket, and claim back some time - we think it's worth it.

If you've been inspired to give Mindful Chef a try but aren't sure about the cost, why not order your first box using this link to get £20 off your first delivery. Alternatively, if you'd like to get your hands on some Mindful Chef recipes without buying the book, enter my Mindful Chef apron and recipe card giveaway so you can try them out for yourself (you will have to buy the ingredients though). There's also a runners up prize of another apron (no recipe cards). All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

Mindful Chef

On August Bank Holiday Saturday, Dean, Mum and I spent the day at The Big Feastival, a food and music festival on Alex James' (he of Blur fame) farm in Oxfordshire. Mum and I went last year and enjoyed it so much that we got early bird tickets for this year and we're hoping to go for two days in 2018. It's a family-friendly event where you can attend cookery classes, watch top chefs in action, listen to great bands and DJs, buy from local producers and sample all sorts of delicious goodies.

Amongst the producers showing off their wares were Mindful Chef, a health-focused food box company set up by school friends Giles, Myles and Rob and funded by Sir Andy Murray and Victoria Pendleton CBE. They've been around since 2015 and have shipped over 500,000 healthy recipes from small farms in Devon where they grew up. Their USP is reducing your intake of refined carbs, so their boxes and recipes will never contain pasta, bread or white rice - instead all their recipes are based on innovative uses of fresh vegetables.

I was initially drawn to their stall because they were giving out free samples of two vegetarian recipes, a chilli and a smoky lentil and mushroom dish. Both were outstanding and I must confess to having more than one sample during the course of the day. We grabbed a few recipe cards and resolved to head back a bit later to sign up.

One of the smaller tents in the foodie area was hosting some Table Sessions, where some of the top chefs and producers put on some tasters, talks and demos, and I was delighted to see that Mindful Chef was doing one. We managed to get a spot near the demo counter for Myles' engaging talk about their origins whilst Giles whipped up one of their recipes. They claim that every recipe in their food boxes has 10 ingredients or fewer and should take no more than 30 minutes to prepare - the time element of that was certainly proven at the Table Session!

Myles, me and Giles

During the Table Session, Dean had snuck off to sign us up for a box containing two vegetarian meals for two, taking advantage of their 25% off two boxes plus free cookbook deal, which Myles and Giles and they very kindly signed after the demo. The book has sections about gut health, eating for training, stress and sleep as well as a stack of enticing recipes and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in to it!

Myles and Giles came across as really nice chaps, very engaging, passionate about what they do and with a genuine interest in helping people to have a healthier diet. I found out that Giles used to be a Personal Trainer and we talked about the virtues of different PT and Nutrition courses. We also met Louisa, their chef who develops all the recipes and walked away with yet more recipe cards.

There are lots of different meal box solutions around these days, from vegetable boxes, to spice packs and boxes containing all the ingredients you need to cook a meal for 2, 3 or 4 people. I've tried several in the past and they all have their merits. So what appealed about this one, apart from the delicious samples and the offer? Being able to talk to the producers definitely played a part. Finding out that there is a PT/Nutritionist approach to the recipes is also a draw. Half of their recipes are vegan and there appears to be a much bigger selection than many other companies, where I would come across the same meals too often for my liking. They are not the cheapest around, and certainly not as cheap as buying the ingredients yourself, but there's no temptation to impulse shop and there certainly won't be any food waste. It'll be perfect for when I'm working or training late and Dean is on dinner duty!

Keep your eyes pealed for a post in the next couple of weeks where we'll let you know how we get on with the boxes and a Mindful Chef competition.

Have you tried meal boxes? Which ones and what did you think of them? Do you think they are an indulgence or have they saved you money?
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Post-Workout Snacks

Food! My favourite subject. I run to eat and I eat to run (other exercises also feature). I have my tried-and-tested pre-long run or race breakfast of choice which consists of a coffee and either overnight oats or porridge with banana and nut butter. And as I've learnt through some rather scary, wobbly experiences, post-exercise fuelling is also vital.

My go-to replenisher for post long runs is a chocolate protein shake or milk. It's easy to consume if I can't face real food and has a great carbs to protein ratio. A ratio of 3:1 carb to protein ratio is favoured for lean muscle mass and endurance work and it's important to get this in fairly quickly to optimise recovery. I also turn to things like protein bars, nakd bars, nut butter on rice cakes and the odd cheese sandwich as sometimes I need something savoury after the sweetness of energy gels. 

American company Nuts.com have sent me this cute infographic with a few more suggestions for post-workout snacks. I think I may try edame beans sometime as a recovery snack as I love them anyway. Nuts have an overwhelming selection of foods including healthy snacks and high-protein snacks and do ship to the UK but it's worth checking out your local stores for interesting snacks too. Lidl and Aldi, for instance, often have good value nuts and seeds for making your own trail mix, and Holland & Barrett have some great new snack lines. Companies such as The Protein Works or MyProtein have great deals on whey protein, bars and nut butters. It's personal preference but great to get more inspiration than the standard post-race banana!

What's your post-workout snack of choice? 

Recipe: Mellow Okra and Chickpeas

Although I have a wealth of recipe books and try to base my meals on what I have in the house already, there are times when the yellow sticker section of the supermarket comes up trumps and I find some gems that are too good to resist. The latest example of this was a pack of okra for 20p. I rarely see okra, let alone buy it, but I've had enough good dishes in Indian restaurants to know I enjoy it. 

I'd remembered seeing a recipe in Plenty that featured okra but in the end I made up my own version of a dish that was colourful, different and satisfying. It has elements of curry recipes I've made in the past but is far gentler. 

Mellow Okra and Chickpeas

Ingredients

• 1 pack okra (~150g)
• 1 red pepper
• 400g chickpeas, drained
• 400g chopped toms
• 1 tbsp corriander seeds
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 80g quinoa, dry weight
• Fresh coriander, chopped

Method

1. Melt the coconut oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Cut the stalks from the okra, trying not to cut so low as to expose the seeds, and slice the red pepper into strips. Add to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes
3. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas and simmer until the okra is tender and the chickpeas are warmed through, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the instructions, this usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
5. When cooked, drain the quinoa and alongside the okra and chickpea mix. Serve with fresh chopped coriander or a little sour cream or yogurt if you like.

Have you been inspired by any unusual reduced items at the supermarket?

PURE Fast and Listen Food Coaching Course

Last year I was lucky enough to win a competition in Personal Trainer magazine for a place on a food coaching course run by dynamic American duo Robyn and Geoff Randolph from Pure Healthy Way. Robyn and Geoff have written a number of articles for PT magazine recently including this one on intermittent fasting, something I have learnt a lot about first hand recently.

The six-week ‘PURE Fast and Listen’ course was specifically targeted at professionals such as personal trainers, massage therapists, nutritionists and dieticians and was very much a "try it for yourself" approach. I'd been expecting it to be more of a book-based learning course but it was actually very hands-on, as you were expected to participate in changing your own approach to food and eating. The course provided information and tools on food coaching and education, increasing my awareness of subjects such as intermittent fasting and raw food cuisine, explaining how these food choices can impact on your lifestyles. It was delivered through a mix of videos, coaching and downloaded handouts which I found really easy to work through and revisit as and when needed.

Before the course started I had a phone call from Robyn to discuss the course, what I hoped to get out of it and whether I was right for it. Part of the course involves eating PURE for 21 days and a good two weeks were spent preparing us for those 21 days and what it would involve. In summary, for me, that meant no cow's dairy, refined sugar, gluten, caffeine, alcohol or grains (with some exceptions) and two days of fasting per week. I was particularly nervous about intermittent fasting at first, because I've suffered with sudden low blood sugar in the past and it's been quite scary but Robyn reassured me that she'd been through the same and that I had nothing to worry about.

Examples of meals I was eating and loving.

Spending so much time in preparation, changing my mindset from what I *couldn't* eat to focussing on what I *could* eat, and getting some strategies in place for socialising, meant that the 21 days were actually relatively easy. I built new habits, drinking lemon water first thing in the morning and barley grass shots three times a day. Small adjustments meant that I could still eat versions of my usual meals in most cases and I soon found that the sugar cravings, and in particular my cake habit, was no more.

A cake that was compliant, served with sheep's yogurt

I realised that a lot of the time I was eating "just in case"; having a snack in case I started to dip in the middle of a session or class at work, even though I wasn't hungry. I learnt to notice when I was sated and what sort of food my body actually needed. I was most surprised at how stable my blood sugar levels were but also how much speed and power I lost as my body adapted to burning fats for fuel rather than carbohydrates. Although I hadn't started this with any intention to lose weight I lost about 5kg and 2 inches from my waist. I felt brighter, looked leaner and wasn't thinking about food so much. I also no longer had my morning "sniffly nose" which has been a constant for months, which makes me think it is diet related. Indeed I didn't realise just how much better I felt eating this way until I stopped and reverted over Christmas!

Before

After: you can just see a bit more definition on my stomach.

The coaching I got from Robyn was a huge help. We also had a Facebook group where all participants on the course could share experiences and ask questions. I was dubious about the whole thing, I'll admit, and while I don't think I've necessarily learnt anything new about food itself, I have learnt about a new approach to eating, more about coaching, and that actually trying these things for yourself is absolutely key. This isn’t a one size fits all approach but it has the potential to make a difference to a lot of people and to instil healthy habits for life.

I mentioned that I didn't keep this way of eating up over Christmas but I fully intend to re-incorporate elements of eating PURE into my life now the last mince pies have been banished from the house; starting the day with lemon water, having fasting days, cutting out most grains and refined sugars. I will have the occasional tea or coffee, but I've a good stash of caffeine-free teas I love that I drink most of the time, and limiting alcoholic drinks to the occasional glass of wine over dinner with friends or family won't be difficult. I'm looking forward to feeling better in my body again.

Have you ever tried cutting things out of your diet and did it make any difference to you? Whole30, Lean In 15, paleo, vegan or some other approach. I'd love to know what way of eating makes you feel your best.

Review & Recipe : Indigo Herbs Organic Kick Ass Vegan Smoothie Mix

If you regularly use products like barley grass, spirulina and cacao nibs then you may already have heard of or ordered from Indigo Herbs. By it's own admission the company is on a mission to "empower optimum health by inspiring people to take responsibility for their own wellbeing by making excellent quality herbs and superfoods available and affordable". Certainly when I've been shopping around for supplements and powders they've often ranked up there as best value for money.

They are also sponsoring Veganuary.com, a campaign that is inspiring and supporting people trying vegan for January, whether that be for health, nutrition, animal welfare or environmental purposes. And in honour of this they've worked with Sam Taylor, an internationally competing martial artist, who also happens to be vegan, to develop the Organic Kick Ass Vegan Smoothie Mix.

It's a great addition to your smoothies, porridge and a multitude of other foodie things as this superfood mix is high in protein, dietary fibre, vitamins A, E, C & B2 as well as being high in calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. It won't add masses of calories either, unlike some protein powders, with just 28kcal per 15g. This list of ingredients is enough to make you feel healthier just by reading it!

Organic Spirulina Powder
Organic Maca Powder
Organic Banana Powder
Organic Moringa Powder
Organic Chlorella Powder
Organic Wheatgrass Powder
Organic Chia Seed Protein Powder
Organic Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder
Organic Barley Grass Powder
Organic Baobab Powder

I was very kindly sent a pouch of this mix to try for myself and I enjoyed coming up with a couple of recipes with it. I didn't venture far from the smoothie (mainly due to time constraints) but was really happy with the results. I also think this would be awesome added into granola before baking! A point of note... this mix is very green and so will affect the colour of your finished smoothie. If you're making something with a lot of light coloured fruit, for example, it may turn murky but it will still taste excellent. So without further ado, here are my two smoothie recipes. 

Banana Cardamom Milkshake

If you like the popular Indian spice, cardamom, you will LOVE this!

• Seeds of 3 crushed cardamom pods
• 1-2 cups coconut milk, almond milk or cashew milk
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp Organic Kick Ass Vegan Smoothie Mix

Simply put all the ingredients into your choice of blender (I currently use a Blend Active but a jug blender or hand blender will do) and blitz until smooth. 

Kick Ass Choconut Smoothie

This will really set you up for the day!

• 1-2 cups coconut milk, almond milk or cashew milk
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cocoa
• 1 tsp Organic Kick Ass Vegan Smoothie Mix
• 1 tbsp nut better of choice (I used the Supernut Butter mix from TheProteinWorks)

Again, this is simply a case of putting all the ingredients into your choice of blender and blitz until smooth. 

If you try either of these and enjoy them, I'd love to know. For further inspiration, check out more recipes here and stock up on Organic Kick Ass Vegan Smoothie Mix here.

The Early Bird Gets Better Snacks Than Worms

It's said that the early bird gets the worm... which is all well and good if you like worms but there is an alternative. Early Bird are a new snack box provider, delivering a selection of nutritious snacks to your door every Monday on a subscription basis. So far, nothing new. But there's a little more to this one.

Early Bird aim to bring together food, music and art into their boxes with the aim of it being a little festival in a box. Just add your own wellies, mud and wet wipes. Each box contains five snacks, tea and/or a dip, artwork inside the lid and a ticket with details of tour dates, links or a free download.

This week the box featured a cool gorilla sketch by Jessamy K, a really cool hour-long music mix, two teas (Bollywood Chai and Darjeeling Early Grey) and five snacks:
- Bakewell Tart (nuts and dried fruit mix)
- Berry Berry Nice (dried fruit mix)
- Corn Shot (chilli salted sweetcorn)
- Cheese on Toast (cheese cashews and bruschettas)
- White Maltese Me (white chocolate, peanuts, pumpkin seeds)

The box itself is really funky; no rectangular or square box here, hexagonal and funky is the way these guys roll. The snacks were all really tasty, although similar to those I've had in other snack boxes, and I especially enjoyed getting to listen to some new music. It was a really fun thing to arrive on my doormat on Monday morning and I'm going to continue with them for a little while as a treat. The art is the weak link for me at the moment but I'm basing that on one box only.

The boxes cost £4.50 each on a weekly or fortnightly basis which isn't bad value compared to other snack boxes I know of. You can rate your snacks and choose not to receive those that contain things you don't like and pause your subscription without question.

If you're an artist and want to get involved, email art@earlybird.fm or if you're a musician and want in on the action get in touch at support@earlybird.fm.

Want to try a box for free? Head on over to www.earlybird.fm and use the code chili-3986 to claim a free box!

Recipe : Quick & Easy Pizza

Last week, inspired by a recipe I found on the BBC website, I made pizza for dinner. From scratch. Although not particularly traditional in it's toppings it was absolutely delicious and on my plate in under 30 minutes. That's quicker than ordering in and much healthier! 

It got a good reaction on twitter so I thought I'd share the recipe with you. thanks to a clever trick involving yogurt, pizzas don't really get any easier than this one and of course you can use whatever toppings you want. Using yogurt to make a pizza base isn't an unfamiliar concept to me but it's a really useful one to remember. Making a whole pizza from scratch is so satisfying and means an impromptu pizza party with friends is only moments away!

Quick & Easy Pizza

Serves 4. Prep time 10 mins. Cooking time 10 mins. Approx 570 kcals per pizza.

Ingredients 

Base

300g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

300g plain yogurt

Toppings (per pizza)

2-3 tsp green pesto

40g feta

5-6 cherry tomatoes, sliced

5-6 black olives, halved

1 tsp fresh or dried herbs (I used marjoram but oregano or mixed herbs work just as well)

Black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. You'll need to preheat a tray per pizza. If you don't preheat them, the bases have a tendency to stick - you have been warned! If you've only got room for one or two, that's fine, these don't take long to cook. 
2. To make the base, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yogurt and mix with a fork to combine. When the mixture forms a rough dough, tip it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead to form a smooth ball. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll out into thin circles.
3. Remove the baking tray from the oven and place a pizza bases on each. Bake for 4-5 minutes until beginning to rise then remove from the oven.
4. Turn the pizza bases over and top with the pesto. Place the sliced tomatoes and olives on top, crumble the feta over the top, sprinkle over the herbs and season with black pepper.
5. Return to the oven for 5 minutes until the bases are crisp and the toppings hot.

If you don't want to make four pizzas in one evening the dough will keep, covered in the fridge, for a day or so, or you can freeze the bases after the first bake, ready for defrosting and topping another day.

Get creative with your toppings! I fancy trying wilted spinach, olives and a baked egg or maybe sliced boiled new potatoes, rocket and pine nuts.

Have you used yogurt to make pizza dough before? What are your favourite pizza toppings?

The Health Benefits of Eating Seasonally

As we head into Spring and the growing season we'll be starting to see early salads, rhubarb and other seasonal vegetables start to supplement the winter roots of leeks, parsnips and squashes and become more prominent in our supermarkets and on menus.

The idea of eating seasonally is becoming re-accepted into our society as the years go by and this is only a good thing. I say "re-accepted" because while it was only a couple of generations ago that people were more in touch with the seasons and the food it brought, as supermarkets made all manner of exotic fruits and vegetables available to us all year round and fewer people grew their own, the sense of when something was "in season" got a bit lost. So why should it matter what we eat when?

It's no news that the sooner that food is eaten after harvest the high it's nutritional content, reducing our need for supplements. But freezing, canning and other preserving methods help to combat this and I'm certainly not suggesting that those sorts of foods are bad for you. However there's a theory that we often prefer lighter, fresher foods in the hotter months and more substantial warming foods in cooler times because the body is more in need of and better at processing certain foods at certain times. The more efficient the body is at processing food the better.

My allotment

I'm fortunate enough to have a few pots outside the house and a half plot allotment that is mostly given over to things that can fend for themselves. The three rhubarb crowns I've got there are springing into life and I know I'll have a glut soon. Crumbles and compotes are the order of the day and I'll be able to ring the changes with my breakfast smoothies. Since I've been dabbling in growing my own I've noticed that fruit and veg eaten in season just tastes better. And knowing that something is at it's best for a limited period of time also encourages me to make the best of it. I use carrots all year round in soups, stews and curries but the ones I've grown myself, the first of the season, I eat with an uncomplicated dip or lightly cooked with herb butter so I can really taste them. I look forward to the summer and the strawberries that smell of strawberries rather than of nothing. I make hollandaise once a year specifically to dip asparagus into. It makes me happy, which is a huge health benefit in itself.

Growing tomatoes upside down - space saving!

Keeping chard fresh on the windowsill

But eating with the seasons also means that you get more variety in your diet which means you'll have a greater range of nutrients in the body. It's more beneficial than eating the same things all the time, reducing the likelihood of food allergies and intolerances.

Most supermarket magazines will have a feature on seasonal produce and accompanying recipe ideas but if you're in the UK this site is also quite handy. At the time of writing the following are among the things in season:

• cauliflower
• celeriac
• jerusalem artichoke
• kale
• leeks
• parsnips
• purple sprouting broccoli
• spinach
• spring onions
• swede
• wild nettles
• rhubarb

So next time you go food shopping, think about buying something that's in season and maybe try a new recipe that uses it as the star. Your body will benefit.

Wikd Bars

One of my Christmas presents was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Light & Easy cookbook. It's a fine book and I've made a few things from it already; the rhubarb and orange smoothie being a particular hit. One of the other recipes I was keen to try sooner rather than later was his Morning Tea Slice. These are essentially nakd bars; raw fruit and nuts blitzed together with some orange juice until they start to become friends.

My version with dates and cherries.

So I made some and declare that they are very good indeed. My version included some dried cherries because I didn't have enough apricots. My mum also made some, using prunes instead of dates because she accidentally gave all her dates to me. Both versions have been shared around friends and family, in person and by mail, and everyone has loved them. Even my dad. We've dubbed them "wikd bars". They make excellent snacks for work, solid substitute breakfasts and great post run fuel.

Mum's version, with prunes

You can find the recipe here, there's little point me reproducing it in this post. Points of note though, I used a square silicon "tin" and found I needed all the juice from the orange. You can get millet flakes from Holland & Barrett if nowhere else and you don't *need* to use unsulphered apricots if you don't want to fork out for them. I cut my batch into 12 squares but really they were a bit too big. These are pretty filling and next time I'll cut them into at least 16. The mixture only takes 10 minutes to put together and they keep really well too.

We've already started discussing variations for future batches. Perhaps subbing some apricots for cranberries and using cranberry juice instead of orange. Maybe replacing some of the millet flakes with ground almonds and apricots with cherries. A couple of spoons of cocoa and a few drops of mint extract.

I adore nakd bars and will still be buying them. the rhubarb and custard, cherry bakewell, gingerbread and banana bread ones are my faves, in case you ever want to buy me some, but I do enjoy making my own version too.

Vegetarian? Need a Quick Meal? Try Quorn.

Disclaimer: I was sent vouchers to try a selection of quorn products of my choosing for free in return for writing a review. All opinions are my own.

Much as I love cooking from scratch, which is what I do most nights even though it's just myself to feed, there are times when I need something quick. Something quick that isn't toast or cake or peanut butter from the jar. As a nice change from pasta and pesto I have found the Quorn Chef's Selection Thai Curry.

A pack claimed to serve two and take just eight minutes to cook from frozen. I was a bit dubious. How tasty would this really be? Surely it would be high cal? Half a pack contains just 253kcal and it really does take just eight minutes. All you need to add is a little water and fry it off on the hob. There was a good mix and amount of vegetables. A portion can be bulked out with some rice noodles or a microwavable pouch of rice for a decent size meal. 

Fresh from the packet

The end result looked perfectly appetising and yes it is very tasty. I've saved my other portion for lunch at work. I tried the Thai Green Curry but Quorn also do a Thai Red Curry. You'll find both in the freezer aisle of the bigger supermarkets and it's a better thing to have on stand by than a pizza.

I haven't used Quorn products regularly for a long time but I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the new products and ranges they have brought out recently.

Review : Juiven8 Protein Fruit Juice

I've recently been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to try a brand new protein drink that's coming to market. As you know I've tried many other protein products in the past including Natural Whey Company, MyProtein and Everything But The Cow to name a few. In a market crammed with products of this nature, Juiven8 has managed to differentiate itself.

What they say: Juiven8 is a delicious ready-to-drink protein fruit juice, which helps promote toned bodies, boost workout performance, support weight management and aid post-workout recovery. Blended with real fruit and coconut water, Juiven8 is packed full of antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins and amino acids. Available in two fantastic flavours, Juiven8 is available in packs of 250ml bottles - perfect for consuming in the gym, at work, or on the go.

What makes it different:  Out of existing products that I'm familiar with I would have to say that Juiven8 is most similar to Everything But The Cow. Both are ready mixed, fruit based protein drinks but Juiven8 contains coconut water, which EBTC doesn't, and has a higher protein content at 12g vs EBTC's 7g. 

What's in it: Lots of good things but predominately fruit juice, puree and coconut water with a little bit of stevia for natural sweetness. Coconut water is known for being naturally isotonic, rehydrating and rich with natural electrolytes, cholesterol free, 99% fat free, low in carbs and naturally occurring sugars. Depending on which variety you opt for you can also benefit from high fibre and antioxidant acai berry and vitamin C rich blackcurrants or digestion assisting pineapple and immune system-enhancing mangoes providing a hit of vitamins A, B6, C and E.

My verdict: I didn't expect to like these as much as I do. I found them to be delicious and refreshing without the slight heaviness you sometimes get from a protein drink. I thought it more like a smoothie than a whey drink and a great alternative to milk or milkshake based protein drinks. Because it's pre-mixed you don't risk lumps of powder spoiling an otherwise delicious drink.

These have been especially good for me post-workout in the evening. If I've eaten dinner before working out it's nice to have a protein drink afterwards to stave off midnight hunger pangs. My favourite is the Mango and Pineapple variety, not only because I'm a fan of mango but also because it was slightly smoother than the Blackcurrant ans Acai flavour, which have more noticeable bits in it, presumably from blackcurrant skins.

I can't comment on whether or not these live up to any claims about boosting performance and so on, but there are studies that support these claims for protein in general terms so I see no reason why these, in conjunction with a balanced diet and regular exercise wouldn't contribute to recovery, performance and weight management.

At £3.95 RRP these aren't cheap but if you use protein drinks, value natural ingredients and convenience then they might be for you. They are available to order online and will soon be coming to selected gyms and retailers.

If you fancy trying Juiven8 I'm delighted to be able to offer you a 10% discount on all orders until 1st December using code V9CRD4DM7LW1. This can also be used in conjunction with the free shipping that's being offered on packs of 12 or more so there are some good savings to be made. Enjoy!

Find out more about Juiven8 on Facebook and twitter.

Disclaimer: I was sent six bottle of Juiven8 for free in return for writing a review. Opinions are my own.

Vegetarian Cooking with Quorn

I've been a vegetarian, by choice, since the age of ten. Becoming vegetarian so young meant that I didn't learn how to cook with meat but started out by using meat replacement products like Sos-mix, TVP and Quorn. Choices were rather limited but I especially liked Quorn because it doesn't have a strong after taste and is great at absorbing flavours. Their mince and chicken pieces were a staple in my freezer. 

Over the years my style of cooking developed and the way I think about putting a meal together now differs from most of my meat-eating friends. I tend to make pulses and vegetables the stars rather than using meat substitute products. But there are a lot more choices these days and every now and then I will pay a visit to the vegetarian sections of the chiller and freezer aisles to see what's new. 

Supermarket own brand products are improving but Quorn are ahead of the game in my opinion. Not only are their products a good, lo-in-saturated-fat source of protein but their range is vast. I've tried many of their sandwich slices, burgers, sausages and fillets but I've also tried some of the more adventurous products such as "pork" pies, "pepperoni" (worked well on pizzas) and "scampi". All good. In fact the only product that I would never return to was their bacon. Most recently I've tried their chorizo sausages.

I can't recall ever eating real chorizo but often come across recipes that use it so was keen to try the vegetarian version. I rather struggled for ideas but hitting the cook books soon turned up a couple of recipes I fancied trying. First up a frittata inspired by a recipe from Jamie at Home. 

I fried half an onion, two sliced Quorn chorizo sausages, a handful of boiled and sliced potatoes and some fresh rosemary over a medium heat until the onion was soft and everything else a little crispy. To this I added four beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked it for a couple of minutes to set the bottom then popped it under a preheated grill until the top was puffed up and golden.

I used blue heritage potatoes for colour and served it with some roasted vegetables, peas, beans and a Leffe Ruby. The chorizo had a lovely smoky flavour and made for a very hearty meal. The frittata was equally tasty served cold with some salad for lunch the next day.

I still had a couple of sausages left so decided to make butter beans with tomato & chorizo. This was proper comfort food and so quick and easy to make! Despite being a small portion the chorizo made it really filling and I thought that the flavour and texture shone through a lot more here. Of course I don't know how the taste and texture compares to the real deal but it was much as I expected it to be, having watched many many cookery programmes. 

This is one of the most interesting Quorn products I've tried lately and I'm considering getting another pack of these sausages so that I can try these spanish rice and all day breakfast recipes. Quorn also do chorizo in slices which might be an interesting addition to a tapas board.

Although I don't expect to suddenly start using a lot more meat replacement products in my cooking it's nice to be able to ring the changes and have some more options available to me, especially when entertaining meat-eaters. I fancy trying the pork steaks, garlic sausage, turkey burgers and Chef's selection meals.

You certainly don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy Quorn. My dad, a dedicated meat-eater in a family of vegetarians, enjoys their pork pies and cooks something he calls gumbo (nothing like the authentic version) with the mince. If you are stuck for inspiration when faced with cooking for a vegetarian why not check out their recipes. Get inspiration for Meat Free Mondays from twitter and get involved on Facebook.

Are you a fan of Quorn? Could you be persuaded? If you're a vegetarian are there any other meat replacement products you'd recommend or do you prefer not to use them at all?

Disclaimer: I was sent vouchers to try a selection of quorn products of my choosing for free in return for writing a review. All opinions are my own.