Banana and vanilla protein flapjacks

Healthy snacking is hard, especially when you are working in an office, where it is the norm for colleagues to bring in tasty and tempting treats. 

Whilst everyone is tucking into the biccies and pastries, sometimes you fruit slices and ryvita just doesn't seem to be fulfilling your snacking needs! 

Homemade flapjacks do make a great snack, and are so easy, so if you are looking for a great snack recipe, try these banana and vanilla protein flapjacks. 

Cherry and coconut protein healthy oat flapjacks

I must admit it has been a while since I did any healthy baking, probably because the Boy has been on deployment and he is the main consumer of my healthy treats. But I had a new man in town staying with me on his trip from Cambodia, my dad. And like the Boy, he likes his food.

I whipped up a batch of flapjacks, experimenting with a new flavour combo. I have experimented with flavours before and the basic mixture of oats, a bit of butter, a bit of milk and an egg. Once you have that you are free to experiment with all sorts of flavours.

Spinach, flaxseeds and fruity protein smoothie

It's that time of the year... we're slowly working our way through the leftover Christmas nibbles (I reckon that tub of twiglets will still be knocking around in July though) and thinking about our January detox. 

Along with a detox, most of us will be hitting the gym and I know for me, that I'll be trying to fuel my body right... including with post workout protein snacks to aid recovery and repair! 

My latest snack is this spinach and blueberry one! 

No bake, raw, almond butter flapjack bites

I'm a serial grazer - I snack all throughout the day. Like a sheep. 

Whilst snacking keeps you topped up and going until your next meal, it is important to snack right! That means no to sugary biscuits. Instead, say yes to homemade snacks. Like these....

No bake, raw, almond butter flapjack bites :-) 

Super tasty super-green smoothie

Regular blog readers will know that I love a smoothie, but I hadn't been having them very often - now I am back to being addicted to them!!! My latest creation is my super-green smoothie, bursting full of goodness!!! 

 This one has wheat grass and moringa in it, as well as Popeye's favourite - spinach!!!! Don't turn your nose up to it just yet - veggies in a smoothie is a sneaky way to add in one of your five a day and it bulks it out to a thicker consistency! 

moringa my new fav superfood 

So what else is in this super-green smoothie?...

half a frozen banana
250ml light almond milk
1 scoop of protein powder
1 teaspoon of wheatgrass
1 teaspoon of moringa
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
1 tablespoon of cacao nibs
handful of spinach 

tasty and creamy 

Spinach is one of my favourite veggies. This nutrient dense food is a great source of vitamins such as vitamin K and A, as well as folate and antioxidants*. 

Wheatgrass has long been on the scene as a health food and when you look at the health benefits, you can see why. Wheatgrass contains chlorophyll which helps neutralize toxins in the blood, can help with digestion and can help reduce high blood pressure**. 

Quick and easy no-bake flapjack protein bars

It is the new year and I am on a health kick! One thing that is important when you are doing your best to be good, is ensure that you have lots of healthy snacks laying around so you won't be tempted by the sugar devil. 

I know that snacks can be the clean eating down fall, as they are often eaten on the go and need to be quick and fuss free. Carrots and hummus is all well and good, but there isn't always the time and place for that. 

delicious and healthy 

Beetroot and raspberry smoothie recipe

I am a massive fan of veggie smoothies since a trip where my lovely aunt Miriam where she gave me my first kale smoothie. Since then I have been on a quest to discover more great flavours. There’s been some great ones, like my avocado creation, but there has also been some disasters, like my spinach and cucumber pond like mess.

I topped mine with cocoa nibs 

But this experimental one turned out pretty well! It’s quite a thick one, which is how I like my smoothies, as I feel like I am really consuming my vitamins!!

Avocado and spinach superfood smoothie (with date, banana and cocoa nibs)

Avocado is one of my favourite veggies (ok ok I know, it is really a fruit, cos of the stone blah blah blah) but I normally reserve the nutritious creamy green thing for salads and guacamole. 

But when I was in Dubai last week, I had a smoothie with avocado as the main ingredient. Admittedly it was a little too much for me, and on top of The Cheesecake Factory monster slice of red velvet cheesecake I had, it was all a bit too sickly.

creamy yet not sickly! 

But since returning, I have searched the web for an avocado smoothie to make! And this one from Mind Body Green is perfect! I have slightly adapted it for my taste.

Purple powerhouse smoothie – beetroot and carrot

As you have probably seen from previous entries about smoothies, I am trying all sorts of weird and wonderful creations. What sounds a terrible clash that even Heston Blumenthal wouldn’t even have put together, often turns out to be a delicious concoction of nutrients and vitamins!

I have previously blogged about a tasty kale and broccoli smoothie and a very fruity post-workout one.

creamy and healthy

Today I want to share with you my beetroot and carrot delight...

Home-made vanilla and date protein flapjacks

The other day I was flicking through an old copy of “muscle and fitness” that the Boy had left laying around and stumbled across a “protein flapjack” recipe.

We have tried making flapjacks once but it was a disaster (not as bad as the infamous “salmon cookies”) as they had no ‘stick’ to them and crumbled into a thousand pieces so resembled a granola rather than a flapjack.  Tasty but it weren’t a flapjack.

serve with tea 

Rapid recovery smoothie – great for a post workout vitamin hit

As you may have seen, I have decided to start experimenting with making my own vegetable and fruit smoothies lately after my lovey Miriam introduced me to the world of kale smoothies! They provide such a good way of getting your five a day in one simple hit!

My latest creation is this tasty “rapid recovery” smoothie, based on the juice in ‘the juice master’ Jason Vale recipe book. 

get this down you after a workout! 

This one is full of natural sugars, sodium, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and anti oxidants!