Treat yourself!! Dessert time baby!!

Well I haven't got much of a sweet tooth myself... But I do however love the occasional treat!!

It's spring time well..it's meant to be and sometimes you just want a big old bowl of ice cream...or it's movie night and you want to stuff your face with some chocolate and cookies!!

I'm sorry to say that I can't find an alternative to stuffing your face but I can't find one for some healthy cookies and a frozen desert!!

So lets get deserting!

I'm gonna start off with a very simple..no need for the ingredients recipe!
Frozen yogurt and fresh fruit!
Now everything I eat has a story behind it lol...it was a Thursday night and I just came back from the gym. I wasn't working the following day and I never had any meetings or lectures so that night was my chill night...I had some women issues (use your imagination to guess what issues I am in about) and I was craving some ice cream!! Like really craving it!! Now my plan was to go to sleep and move on but of course that never happened!! So I jumped in my car and went to Sainsbury's with a plan!
#PlanGetAllTheHealthySnacksAndOverdose.... Well luckily I never did that..you know everything in moderation and all! 
Instead I walked straight to the freezer and picked up the 1% fat you moo frozen yogurt!(if you go to pinkberry you can get the fat free tub) It was £3.49 for a 750ml tub of guilt free pleasure. Picked up a banana to go with it and walaaaa

Flavours available - vanilla, strawberry, tropical and berry

(Btw I have decided to purchase my very own frozen yogurt maker. I will let you know what I think once the bad boy is in my arms)

Peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip Oatmeal cookies.

Now that is one long title!!....if you like cookies then this cookie it certainly something you should try! if however you are allergic to peanut butter or by some confusion in your taste buds just don't like it then I afraid this cookie is not an option for you.

Before I start let me shout out my mate Larry who I borrowed this recipe and the picture from! He baked it and Sarah ate it. Nom Nom Nom


Ingredients

• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips 

1.  Preheat the over gas mark 7
2. Mix baking soda and the oats in a bowl 
3. Beat the Peanut butter, Eggs, Vanilla and sugar until it is smooth. Add the chocolate chips
4. Mix all the ingredients together 
5. Roll the mix into a small ball and put it on you baking tray. 
6. Bake for 10 minutes 

Equipment - Baking tray, Mixing Bowls

Makes 20 Cookies.
And wallllaaa your flour-less, No butter Low in Fat, High in Protein and Fiber Tasty Cookies

Get Juiced Up!!

 New Detox Juice!!!

Last week I needed a Detox. I typically don't like Detox tea and I wasn't about to spend lots of money of Detox products. So instead I decided to make this Amazingly Yummy Detox Juice.

So here is the Ingredients....

130g of Spinach
1 red apple
1 frozen Banana
7 grapes
150ml of freshly squeezed Orange Juice
Fresh lemon

What makes this a detox is the Spinach, Orange Juice and Fresh Lemon. the rest of the ingredients are there for its natural sugars to give it a yummy taste.

Green Berry!!- YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!

This Juice right here was just DIVINE!!!!

I call it the Green Berry Juice because its but Full of Berrys.

Ingredients
130g Spinach
1 frozen Banana
3 Strawberrys
1 red apple
7 grapes

This has been Hands down my tastiest Juice. This and My detox Juice!! Try it out and let me know what you think!!

The fact is Juicing is good for your health. Packed with enzymes, vitamin E,  Iron, copper, potassium, calcium, sodium, iodine, and magnesium; whats not to love about a fresh fruit and Veg Juice. 

For the past 2 months I have been juicing away with my beautiful Andrew James Juicer (picture above). RRP price £99.95 but of course I got it brand new off Amazon for £31.99! 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-James-Professional-Juicer-Cleaning/dp/B003Q82Q3C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368780255&sr=8-2&keywords=juicer

If you do not have a juicer use a blender and sieve the juice into a cup ;)

I am going to share some of my favorite Juices with you.

Summer time Fly 

This Uber sweet and Tasty Juice is my Summer time fly Juice. Its refreshing, tasty and light and a great side to a lovely lunch.

I believe that every Juice should have some greens in it. But for those of you who do not like the look of greens and do not want to taste it this is a perfect Juice for you! with no added sugar but full of naturally sweet fruit, this is my sweetest Juice designed for all my sweet tooth Juicers.

Ingredients

1 orange
2 handfuls of frozen berrys
1 carrot
120g of spinach
50g of Kale
half of a banana (frozen or fresh)
1 handful of red seedless grapes.

Serves 1

All you have to do is put it into your juicer or blender and juice it until it is smooth!! Enjoy!!

                                                              Wake me Up Juice

Wake me Up Juice is the perfect Morning juice!! this green beauty is an iron Bursting explosion.
And oh if I may add it is very very tasty!!

Ingredients

2 table spoons of fat free yogurt 
2 carrots
100g of spinach
1 Banana
1 clementine
50g of Kale
1 Apple

Serves 1

This juice is nice and Thick and can be consumed as a mid morning Snack, Afternoon snack or Before a nice work out! But of course how or when you have it is up to you! (Although it is thick it's not suitable for a meal replacement. To make it a meal replacement add some oats to the mixture- Green Oats could be fun ey!)


                                                                     Berry Surprise

  This is another refreshing Juice! Taste and looks good! This Juice can also be made into an ice-lolly if you have a Popsicle maker. It's full of Vitamins and antioxidants. Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 handfuls of frozen berrys
3 strawberries
cranberries
1 handful of blackcurrants
50g Spinach
50g Kale
1/2 lemon 
Ice Cubes 
                                                                  Green Juice

Now these are two different green juices! both look pretty green but one is sweeter than the other. 

Both juices contain almost 200g of greens. Now as you can tell I love Spinach and Kale. I haven't explored adding any other greens just yet. 

Ingredients for Juice 1 (left hand side)

200g of Spinach 

1 green apple 

2 oranges 

2 strawberry's  

Serves 1

Ingredients for Juice 2 (Right hand side)- Sweeter Juice

150g of Spinach 

1 bannana

2 oranges 

1 carrot

handful of grapes 

Serves 1

Both Juices are equally high in Iron and Calcium. If you are lactose intolerant or cutting back on Dairy raw Spinach juices are an amazing way to boost you calcium up. 

 

FAQ!!! - when is the best time to have a juice? My answer is anytime of the day! 

As stated above, some juices are good before or after a work out. 

Green juices especially are good for the bones and blood flow. For extra goodness to the bones throw in one baby sweet potato in there! I find that after an intensive work out my body is still pumped up! To get the blood circulating the way it needs to be and also to avoid that dizzy feeling you get, it is important to COOL DOWN after a work out (cool down exercises include stretching and gentle low speed cardio) and I believe that a green juice is the extra boost needed to get your blood pumping right! oh and if I may add! Greens have been proven to help speed Weight Loss!
(Pic of me above is over 20lb lighter than I was on the 1st of March Before and after pictures will be up soon)

Wonderfully Made

So I know this blog is suppose to be me sharing with you some of the food I eat to help me stay healthy. And it is!! But food is not just the meal you prepare but the substance inside of you! So just as it is important to eat your five a day and drink plenty of water it is also Important to feed your self with healthy FACTS!
I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE! #Fact

For the past few days I have started a new regime! Every morning before I leave my house I look into the mirror and I say a scripture. Psalm 139v14. Now for those who may not know this scripture it says ' I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are your works and that my soul knows very well'

You see the fact is not everyone in this world would find you attractive! There are people in this world who you have looked at and though mate!! This guy or girl just ain't my cup of tea. After all the bible does say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And despite us knowing that what person A finds beautiful is not beautiful to person B, we still shape our perception of our-self around the views of others. I was having a conversation with my friends older sister BTW check out her website www.adenikebbade.com and we where discussing how many females have basically morphed themselves into something that they are not based on what they see or believe is right. I mean if you fail at being you chances are you are going to fail at being something else. a mango will always taste sweet because its natural to the mango but if a lemon tried it #Fail!
I've said it before and I will say it again. Tall, short, big, small, medium what ever you are GOD did not make a mistake making you!
Live a healthy life to perfect your body not to change Who you are! Lose weight cause you want to not cause that guy you like only likes slim girls or cause that girl wants a guy with moving and not jiggly pecks.

Now STOP right there if you think I am saying go to the drive through and get a Big Mac cause you are happy the way you are or have accepted the way you are. Your body is a temple. Treat it like your palace. Clean it, maintain it and listen to it. Don't over feed it or starve it to satisfy a desire that isn't really what you WANT to do. Do what you need to do!

On that note guy you are all fearfully and wonderfully made and the next time someone tells you that you aren't tell them to discuss that with God!!

Chicken Salad Fest

To some people it's like a bowl full of leaves...but it doesn't have to be!!
I mean salads where made to be fun, colorful and exciting! Well in my mind that's what's they are made to be and that's probably why I love them so much! I am going to share some of my favorite chicken salads with you guys! Hope u enjoy!!

Cajun chicken Salad. #Yum!

 

Ingredients
2 medium chicken breast.
Lettuce
Onions
Carrots
Tea spoon Olive oil
Half tea spoon Black pepper
Half a tea spoon Sea salt
Tea spoon Cajun seasoning
Half tea spoon Paprika
Half tea spoon Mixed herbs
1 clove Garlic
Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes

Equipment
Grill/George foreman
Bowl
Knife
Chopping board

So this is such an easy, low fat and tasty salad!!
1.After washing the chicken Marinate you chicken with the Cajun seasoning, paprika, and black pepper,garlic and mixed herbs
2. Leave to Marinate for min of 30minutes ( I leave mine in the fridge to marinate ver night)
3.Cut up your veg and (drizzle olive oil Add sea salt and black pepper low fat and tasty dressing)
4.Place the marinated chicken on the grill after 10 minutes cut the breast in half and turn the chicken - grill for another 10minutes
5. Take the chicken out of the grill and serve with salad.

 

Cajun Chicken, spinach, broccoli, sweetcorn and avocado salad.

( The chicken is made the same as the previous salad)

Ingredients

Chicken breast
Cajun seasoning
Garlic
Mixed herbs
Garlic
Paprika
Half of a large avocado
A bag of baby spinach
Half a tin of sweetcorn
7 Florets of Broccoli
Black pepper
Sea salt

1. Grill the chicken (follow guidelines for Cajun chicken above)
2. Steam the vegetables using a steamer. If you do not have a steamer add half a mug of water to a pot add broccoli first steam for 2 minutes then add the rest of the vegetables. Steam it with the lid on using a high temperature.
3. Once steamed chop your avocado up in the shape of your choice add it to the veg and add some sea salt and black pepper.
4. Serve the salad with the chicken and enjoy

Both Chicken Salads are quick and easy to make! And they make a good filling packed lunch Too.

90 day challenge

Hi guys those of you who know me will know that I have been doing a get clean look good 90 day challenge since the 1st of March 2013!! When I started this challenge I knew I would make it but I didn't know how fast it would go!!
With almost 2 stones dropped and baggy clothing later I can say I feel the best I have felt in a very long time!! Don't get me wrong it hasn't been the easiest things ever! Going out to eat was always the hardest! Checking the menu before I go and asking the waiter 100 questions is never the funniest thing to do!

So it's been over 60 days of no fried food, red meat ( well excluding 2 occasions), fizzy drink, milk chocolate, a very small dosage of white carbs, and lots of greens, juices and low fat food! So yeah I have made rather a few drastic but easy changes.

So I got a few messages asking me a bunch of questions! And although I VBlog I always forget to answer my questions!! So below are some FAQ!

What makes me so dedicated?

Well this question was a rather funny one as the person who asked me told me that they have tried a number of lose weight schemes but have yet to see any through! ...so I guess I could answer a series of questions from that one statement.
So what makes me dedicated is me! I love me so much (vain I know) that when I started to face abdominal health challenges I knew I had to change the way I thought about food! Food isn't there just to be eaten as most Nigerians mum say but to provide you with nutrients needed to survive. Now please don't get me wrong food should be enjoyed, But enjoying and indulging are two very different things.
Aside from health implications lets be real I personally believed that I would look better slimmer. I often pictured myself a size 12 and not the size 16 I was when I started the challenge or the size 18 I was a few years ago. With the picture in my mind, my health being a priority and God on my side I was determined to see and feel results!
So if I had to advise you on how to stay determined, I would say
1) Have a 'slimsparartion' (Sarah's dictionary- definition: a person who has lost weight and is roughly the size you are aiming to be)
2) you need to want it! I once said to my friend the reason you aren't where you want to be is because it's not that important. Think about it like this revision is not fun most of the time but you do it anyway because you want to pass and pass well! It is important to you! Going to the gym and eating clean isn't always fun but you do it cause you have to! Stop making it an option!
3) be accountable to someone. I did a video blog so everyone I know and their cousin knows I am eating clean n trying to lose weight! I mean let me not lie having all eyes on you is annoying! But it means I can be encouraged and chances are every time I eat someone I know is watching my plate. Now I'm not saying expose yourself on the Internet lol but tell at least one person or better yet get someone to join in to!

Do I work out?

Yes yes and yes!! Fact is if I didn't work out I would have probably fallen off the wagon! Some days I can't walk after the gym! Do you think after that I would pick up a chocolate bar or crack open my dearly beloved high in sugar ginger beer! Ain't no body gat time for that! And after a gym session ain't no body got time for FAT!
Aside from that Gym keeps you toned up! Saggy skin is not cute lol. A bit of cardio, weights, strength 3-4x a week and you are good to go!!

Have I wanted to quit?

The honest answer is no! Purely because I always think back to the 'Why'

What is my target size?

Ahhhh I do not know lol all I know is that I want to look and feel good. At the moment I am a size 14 I would love to lose about 2 more stones! (Hence why this wont be ending on the 1st of June lol) but as my friends sister said to me today the scales are not the best indicator of weight loss. Try on a pair of your jeans or trousers!! But yeah back to the question when I get to a size 12 I will see how I feel.

If you have any questions you would like me to answer comment below or email me sarahabimz@gmail.com

Sweet Potato dishes

Food for thought.

Did you know that even a small sweet potato will give you 284% of your RDA of antioxidant beta-carotene. I bet you didn't know that cause you don't know what beta-carotene is. Well neither did I. Beta -carotene is a non toxic form of vitamin A. Vitamin A is good for your bones which is no surprise why sweet potato is a good post work out meal.

Ingredients

One large or two small sweet potatoes
Two tea spoons of olive oil
Paprika
Black pepper


Equipment
One backing trey
Knife
Chopping board
Bowl

Sweet potato skins with chilli chicken winglets

Step one

Slice the potato (with the skin on )

Step two

Preheat the oven to 180c and grease your baking tray

Step three
slice the potato

Step 4
Put olive oil, paprika, and black pepper on the potato and mix it

Step 5

Put the potato on the tray and use a fork to pierce it. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake it for 40 minutes

Cooking time 40 minutes

Chicken winglets

Ingredients

Chicken wings, paprika, chilli sauce, sea salt, garlic, mixed herbs, extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, lemon juice

Equipment

1. Bowl, baking tray, knife, chopping board

Cooking time -40 mins

Step one
Wash the chicken with some lemon juice and preheat the oven to 180c and Grease your baking tray

Step two

Cut the chicken wings into winglets

Step three

Season the chicken with the sea salt, black pepper, paprika, mixed herbs and garlic

Step four

Put the seasoned chicken on the tray and bake for 20 minutes

After 20 minutes add the chilli sauce to the chicken and bake the chicken for an additional 20minutes

This dish is ideal for sharing and finger picking. Serve with cherry tomatoes and cucumber for a refreshing spring lunch

Sweet potato wedges

Step one
Skin the Potato and then rinse them two times over

Step two
Preheat the oven to 180c and grease your baking tray

Step three
slice the potato


Step 4
Put olive oil, paprika, and black pepper on the potato and mix it

Step 5

Put the potato on the tray and use a fork to pierce it. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake it for 40 minutes

Preparation time 40 minutes

For a quick and easy dish eat it with a low fat dip or serve with eggs and vegetables

Call me Alonge

Hi guys!! I am going to start off this post by introducing myself :)
My name is Sarah Alonge but you can call me Alonge and I am a female (I bet that's Obvious) I am in my early twenties (22 to be precise) trying to be the cleanest but the 'fun-nest' eater that london has seen! Bit of a long shot I know! but someone once said 'if you aren't afraid of your dreams then you are not dreaming big enough'...I wish I could verify the original source of that quote lol but like many of the wise words I come across this popped up on my twitter Time line.

This blog will share with you recipes (my own and borrowed) of healthy, fun and filling food!!! but also give you tips on how to make your favourite dishes with half the fat and calories!
Don't get me wrong I am not the Gok Wan of the Kitchen (yet) neither am I a nutritionist. But over 2 months into my 3 month healthy eating and weight loss challenge I am seeing great results! So great that I have decided to make this a lifestyle change.....So lets let go of the french fries and cruise along to the Mediterranean salads....So Without further ado this is me!

For one second I will be a make up and outfit blogger...Silk Shirt From Vera Moda, Waist Belt From Asos and Skirt From New Look..Oh and make up From Mac..well mostly (Nc50 Foundation, Rubywoo lippy, Nc40 pro longwear concealer) 

On the 90th day of my challenge i will put up a before and after picture. But just so you can see where i am coming from here is a progress picture that I instagramed a few weeks back.

As you can see I have trouser shopping to do! These where my favourite mid waist trousers from Zara in a size 16. 

One of the greatest things about clean eating is knowledge on what foods cause excess body fat! My stomach was always an issue..even when I gymed I would lose weight but my belly was always so hard to go. Now don't get me wrong there is still way more pop that needs to go!  But inches smaller, I can honestly say that changes to my food really had a dramatic effect on my stomach and waist.