Lizi's Low GL Granola - Product Review

Lizi's Low GL Granola - Product Review

You may remember Lizi's Granola from my Christmas Giveaway  .. well, here is their official, non-biased review! Lizi's granola is created by, you guessed it, Lizi.. who served her home baked granola to guests at her Oxfordshire B&B in the 1990's and has since developed an entire range (see the picture below!) after working as an organic farmer in Wales.

 

Lizi's Granola pride themselves on having a low glycaemic load (GL), which is worked out by taking into account the glycaemic index (GI: how quickly a food releases its energy) AND the carbohydrate load (i.e. the amount). The reason why GL is more important than GI is because it's the AMOUNT of carbohydrate eaten that has the biggest effect on our blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. So, this means that that Lizi's granola provides a steady release of energy and should keep you feeling fuller for longer.

 

A quick look at the ingredients list reveals a whole host of healthy things including fruit, nuts and seeds, with no added table sugar. You only have to look at the packets of other granolas in the shops to see that more often than not sugar is the second ingredient.. which means more calories but no more nutrients (table sugar, also known as sucrose provides 'empty' calories).

 

The pictures above show what the suggested serving is - 50g which is the equivalent of 1/2 a cup and ~240 kcal, 23g carbs, 5g protein, 13g fat (3g saturated) and 5g fibre. I personally like to enjoy this cereal for breakfast with either skimmed milk or fat-free plain yoghurt or for dessert as pictured below.. baked apple (chopped and heated in the microwave for around a minute), topped with a diet-fruit yoghurt, blueberries and 20g (heaped tablespoon) of granola.

Lizi's granola is available from selected Sainsbury's and Tesco's as well as online, and just so you know my two favourite flavours are the Belgian Chocolate flavour and Pink Apple & Cinnamon (pictured below).

I hope you've found this blog review useful. Don't forget to check-out my recipe page to make your very own granola from scratch!

 

Nic x 

Deskfest Day 5 - Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds

Deskfest Day 5 - Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds

Sunday.. the day of rest?! Today is day 5 & the final day of the #deskfest challenge and I really have loved every day of it.. from the Breakfast Cookies, to the Banana & Peanut Butter Smoothie, to the home-made granola with pouring yoghurt and finally the soya berry smoothie .. today though I bring you my all-time-fave breakfast.. and this time it's been jazzed up.. Over Night Oats with Chia Seeds.

This breakfast tastes good enough to be a dessert.. and it's so creamy that you would never guess that it's actually good for you!! Oats are a fantastic source of soluble fibre which helps lower cholesterol and they also have a low glyceamic index, which means that you will be left feeling fuller for longer :)

Now, this recipe does require a little bit of organisation but to be honest it's not an awful lot (it's just throwing together a load of ingredients in a bowl and popping them in a fridge!). Over-night oats are super versatile as you can add any topping of your choice.. any fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, or even coconut the choice is yours!

To make this delicious bowl of over-night oats you will need:

 

1/2 cup (40g) of Porridge Oats

1/2 cup (125ml) of Alpro Vanilla Pouring Yoghurt

2/3 cup (160ml) of (unsweetened) Almond milk

1 tablespoon of chia seeds (optional) - chia seeds are a fantastic source of protein, omega3 (for heart health), calcium and fibre, and they expand to create a deliciously creamy texture.. this also helps you to feel fuller for longer!

A pinch of cinnamon (optional)

 

At your desk.. add your chosen topping! Mine was blueberries and banana :)

 

The mixture 'thickens' over night!

And here is what to do:

1) The night before, mix your oats in a bowl with the pouring yoghurt, milk, chia seeds (optional) and cinnamon (optional)

2) Cover and pop in the fridge

3) The next day top with your chosen toppings and enjoy the creaminess!!

This #deskfest recipe was inspired by a post last summer that I wrote.. [click here] to see it!

 

Happy Sunday :)

 

Nic x

 

Specialist Dietitian

Deskfest Day 3 - HomeMade Fruity Granola & Alpro Pouring Yoghurt

Deskfest Day 3 - HomeMade Fruity Granola & Alpro Pouring Yoghurt

So, it's time for day 3 of #deskfest! So many of you loved day 2 (banana & peanut butter smoothie), so I hope you like this one just as much! Granola has got to be one of my all time favourite foods.. but more often than not, shop bought granola can be loaded with unwanted (and unnecessary) sugar and fat. I therefore wanted to blog a super healthy granola recipe that is bursting with low GI goodness: oats (to lower cholesterol), dried fruit (for extra soluble fibre & antioxidants) and seeds (healthy fats for skin and heart healthy!). It's also topped off with something equally as nutritious and super tasty... (cue the Alpro calcium boost!).

Granola makes the perfect 'breakfast at your desk' as it's super portable (I recommend a tiffin tin or plastic box) and is super tasty when mixed with either milk or yoghurt or a bit of both = pouring yoghurt (my choice!!). You can add what ever topping you like, and today I've chosen two of my favourite fruits - bananas & blueberries (think antioxidant, super fruits!!).

So, if you want to make your very own home-made granola then here is what you will need.. this mixture makes around 5 x 50g (1/3 cup) servings!

100g (~1 cup) of porridge oats

80g (1/2 cup) of dried fruit - I used juicy raisins and cranberries

25g (1/4 cup) of seed mix (optional - I used a sunflower seed & pumpkin seed mix)

1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 tablespoon of runny honey

 

To serve your deskfest: 50g of granola, 80ml (1/3 cup) of Alpro pouring yoghurt & your chosen fresh fruits (optional.. add to be extra healthy!).

And here is what to do..

1) Add your honey & oil to the oats & mix well.. very well (keep mixing!!)

2) Add your seed mix (optional)

3) Spread on a baking tray & bake at 180 degrees C (200 degrees C for non-fan ovens) for 7 minutes... stir then bake for another 7 minutes *warning* - the smells are amazing at this point!!
4) Allow the granola to cool & then mix in your dried fruit..

5) Store in a sealed container & scoop out 1/3 cup (50g) for your #deskfest!

At your desk add ~1/3 cup (80ml) of Alpro pouring yoghurt (I used the 'simply plain' as the granola is sweet enough already!) and fresh fruit (optional)..

 

Per 50g (minus the seed mix) this granola provides 165kcal :)

 

Look out for the next #deskfesk!!

 

Nic x

 

Specialist Dietitian

Deskfest Day 1 - Alpro Breakfast Cookies

Deskfest Day 1 - Alpro Breakfast Cookies

All too often I hear the words 'Oh, I just have no time for breakfast' or 'I'm just not ready to eat first thing on a morning' .. well, I have the answer to these problems... BREAKFAST AT YOUR DESK! Alpro have asked me to help people to enjoy a nutritious breakfast where-ever they are.. so here's to 'turning over a new leaf' and starting the day the right way.. with a healthy breakfast!

Breakfast is so important.. it provides vital nutrients such as calcium and B vitamins, it improves memory and performance, and breakfast eaters also tend to have lower levels of cholesterol and are less likely to be overweight.. meaning a reduced risk of heart disease.. need I say any more?! Ok, so you can read more about the benefits of breakfast [here].

Over the next couple of weeks I will be blogging my five favourite breakfast recipes that can be enjoyed at any desk.. and will be tweeting about them with the hashtag #deskfest - you can follow me on twitter/facebook/instagram/Pinterest. Today's inspiration is truly delicious.. I bring you breakfast cookies!

To make these cookies all you will need is..

1 cup (80g) of porridge oats

1/2 cup (125ml) of Almond or Hazel nut milk

~Heaped tablespoon (20g) of chopped almonds (or other nut)

~1/2 cup (50g) of dried fruit such as juicy raisins or cranberries

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger (which ever you like!)

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

2 teaspoons of Stevia/Truvia (natural sweetener)
Optional Extra - Dark chocolate chips!

And here's what to do!

 

1) Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees C / 375 degrees F

2) Mix together the dry ingredients (oats, dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon/ginger, baking powder, stevia)

3) Mix in the wet ingredients (milk, egg white, vanilla)

4) Spoon onto a baking tray & bake for 25-30 minutes

5) Allow to cool and pop 2-3 in your breakfast tin ready to take to work!

 

 

This recipe makes 7 cookies and each cookie provides just 90 calories!

You can also see me making these delicious cookies on YouTube where I explain the benefits of each ingredient too!

So what are you waiting for?! Get baking.. there's no excuse to miss tomorrow's breakfast :)

Nic x

 

Specialist Dietitian

Update... I've had such a big response on twitter about how you guys love to make these and I wanted to share this great 'adapted' breakfast cookie recipe to make breakfast flapjacks created my the lovely Paul Mumford - All he did was use honey instead of stevia and so needed less milk, baked in a tray and cut up like flapjack.. easy!!

And in case you wanted to see some of your creations.. here you go! - my chocolate brownies also make a sneaky entrance!

No Bake Pumpkin Bites!

No Bake Pumpkin Bites!

Ok, I have a confession. This recipe was created by accident!! I set out with every intention to create some lovely pumpkin granola (recipe for that one still to come), however added WAY too much pumpkin and ended up with these.. super yummy no bake bites!

These bites are crammed with fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are a great low GI energy snack (they release their energy slowwwwlllyy). They are a perfect snack to be kept in the fridge for post workout or after work munchies (or any kinda of munchies for that matter). You can also freeze them.

They are super quick to make, are really easy to put together and can be customised to your individual tastes.. do no bake bites get any better?! Following on from my pumpkin muffin recipe post I think I'll be posting a few more recipes using pumpkin.. it wasn't a cupboard staple for me but since discovering it in Waitrose a few weeks ago I really am hooked! If you haven't tried canned pumpkin then I strongly urge you to - it's super healthy, tastes amazing and can be turned into so many great recipes (it's also super low in calories.. only 40kcal per 100g!).

SO.. what do you need to make these delicious bites?! - This recipe makes 13 bites.. I did make a double batch to begin with (25-30 bites) but thought that half the mix makes ample!

65g (1 cup) of rolled oats, 55g (1/4 cup) of pumpkin, 1/4 tablespoon of vegetable oil,
30ml (1/8th cup) of agave nectar (or honey),
25g (heaped 1/4 cup) nuts/seeds/dried fruit - I used walnuts, cranberries & sultanas,
1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch salt (if desired!)

And here's what to do..

1) Mix together the pumpkin, oil, agave nectar, cinnamon & nutmeg...

2) Mix in the oats and then fold in your dried fruit/nuts/seeds (or chocolate chips!)

3) Scoop out a heaped teaspoon of the mixture and roll into balls (use clean hands for this!). I then placed them on to grease-proof paper on a plate.

4) Pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes... then enjoy!!

Yum!!

Nutritional Info Per Bite: 35 kcal, 7g carbs, 1g fat, 1g protein

Nutritional Benefits: High in soluble fibre, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals & antioxidants!

 

Have a great week.. and happy 'baking'!

 

Nic x

Healthy Breakfast Oat Cookie Recipe

Healthy Breakfast Oat Cookie Recipe

Breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day (for various reasons!!) but it is also my most favourite - which is why I love to share healthy recipes which can be enjoyed even by the people who need a 'breakfast on the go'.

These healthy breakfast cookies can actually be enjoyed at any time of day and are super healthy as they are based around oats, fruit and nuts - no flour, butter or sugar in site!

I hope you enjoy this recipe video - I'm moving my blog to my own website soon where I plan on featuring the details of all of my recipes as well as the videos - but for now you can subscribe to my YouTube video [here] :)

Happy baking - let me know if you bake these.. you can swap the dried fruit and nuts for other types as well as the milk and flavours so really the variations are endless!

Nic x

Bench Pressed Oats - Oomf! Product Review

Bench Pressed Oats - Oomf! Product Review

When I tweeted about these high protein oats earlier this week my twitter feed (@nicsnutrition) went crazy - everyone loved the idea and wanted to know where they could buy them and how they tasted.. which is what has prompted this blog post (they tasted amazing by the way!).

Oomf Bench Pressed Oats are a whey protein porridge which can be enjoyed either for breakfast or before a strength work-out (providing a steady release of energy and easy to absorb protein for muscle uptake). They are ideal for people who are looking to increase their protein intake and you can find out exactly how much protein YOU should be aiming for by watching my videos on You Tube [click here] or you can watch part 1 below. 

So - what's in them you ask?! Lets take my favourite flavour (apple, sultana and cinnamon)..

The ingredients are (main ingredient first)..

- Oat Flakes: Low GI source of carbohydrate and packed with soluble fibre and beta glucan to reduce cholesterol levels - they release their energy slowly.

- Skimmed Milk Powder: Low fat source of protein (keeping us fuller for longer) and calcium.

- Whey Protein Concentrate (15%): High quality, readily digested complete protein - this means it contains all of the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) that the body can't make for growth and recovery.

- Xylitol: Natural sweetener (low GI and promotes healthy teeth too).

- Sultanas (6%) & Chopped Apple (3%): Antioxidant packed source of fibre, vitamins and minerals (tasty too!).

- Cinnamon Powder (<1%): For natural flavour (and cinnamon has also been shown to stabilise blood sugar levels).

The pots are also low in sodium (salt) and free from artificial flavours - sounds good to me! 
  

And what about the nutrition stats? Per pot they contain (flavour dependent).. ~290 calories (kcal), ~43g carbohydrate, ~20g protein, 3g fat and ~5g fibre.

There's two different types of Oomf! oats on offer.. the instant oats (just add hot water) - perfect for 'on the go', and the breakfast oats (add milk and heat up). You can check out the flavours on offer on their shop [click here] or in store [where to buy].

Oomf! sent me these samples just to try however I chose to blog about them.. I love to share healthy products that are not only innovative but good for you too (all opinions are 100% my own). If you're looking to increase your protein intake/muscle mass then these oats may well be worth investing in however remember that you will NOT increase your muscle mass by eating alone - it's training that does that (the hard part!).

I hope you've enjoyed this product review - if you're looking for more info about protein and healthy recipes using both protein powder and foods naturally high in protein then check out these links:

Chocolate Protein Brownies

 

Rhubarb & Banana Protein Loaf

 

Oat & Blueberry Protein Pancakes

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Nic x

Oaty Berry Smoothie

Oaty Berry Smoothie

I am a big fan of smoothies! They are PACKED with nutritional goodness, are super fun to make and taste delicious. All you need is a blender (and it doesn't have to be an expensive one!). Smoothies make the perfect breakfast or pre-workout boost! - enjoy an hour before your work-out for maximum benefit.

You can easily create your own smoothie using some basic ingredients such as fruit and milk or why not have a go at my 'Get up & Go Smoothie' - The Oaty Berry, as vlogged by The Lean Machines ..Thanks boys!

 

 

 

Serves 2 people.. (or one 1 hungry person!)

Ingredients:

A quick note first... a cup is a 250ml measuring cup (the boys used ermm a massive mug!)

- Overnight Oats: 1/4 cup of rolled oats soaked over night in 1/4 cup of low-fat/fat-free natural yoghurt and 1/2 cup of milk (I used skimmed milk) .. check out my over-night oats recipe for more info [click here].

- 1/2 frozen banana (cut up into chunks first THEN freeze.. don't freeze in the skin!!)

- 1 cup of frozen berries (summer fruits or winter berries)

- 1/2 cup (125ml) 100% pure apple juice - to sweeten and make the mixture more 'runny'

- 2 tbsp (10g) of unsweetened desiccated coconut (optional)

- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- 4 ice-cubes - to make the mixture more 'runny'

How to Make:

1) The night before, soak your oats in the yoghurt and milk and then chop up ½ a banana and freeze (in a sandwich bag). 

2) The next morning simply add your overnight oats to your blender along with your frozen banana, frozen berries, apple juice, coconut, ice-cubes and vanilla.. whizz until smooth ... serve and enjoy!

 

 Nutrition Stats (x 2):190 kcal / 25g Carbs / 3g Protein

Nutritional Benefits: vitamin C, antioxidants, protein, soluble fibre, low GI carbs, potassium and healthy fats.

 I hope you have fun creating this smoothie - don't forget to subscribe to The Lean Machines to see my recovery smoothie being vlogged next week!

 

Nic x

 

P.s You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel [here]

 

Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats

If you've read my 'benefits of breakfast' post then you'll already know about the fantastic health benefits of a good breakfast.. my personal favourite is porridge (or oatmeal for you US readers!). In the summer though, I find hot milk too warm and so I turn to 'overnight oats' for my oat & fruit pick-me-up!

Overnight oats are 'oh so' simple to make .. you simply mix together milk, yoghurt and oats and leave the mixture overnight in a fridge. The oats soak up the moisture which makes them perfect to eat the next day. Why not try the following toppings (just add them in the morning!) ..

• Chopped banana & cinnamon
• Blueberries & poppy seeds
• Chopped peach & brown sugar
• Sliced strawberries & walnuts
• Grated apple (bircher style!)

Sound tempting? Here's what you will need and step-by-step what to do!

2/3 cup (160ml) Almond Milk (any milk will work though!)

1/2 cup (40g) Porridge Oats

1/2 cup (100g/125ml) Vanilla or Fat Free Greek Yogurt

A pinch of Cinnamon

1) The night before mix together the above ingredients - I mix mine in an air tight jar for ease!

I love measuring cups as they make measuring ingredients super quick - I got mine from eBay!

Mix !!

2) Refrigerate overnight... cover the mixture to make an air tight seal (you could use clingfilm)

Overnight oats with banana and cinnamon

The oats take a minimum or 3 hours before they're ready..

3) Wait for morning time, add your chosen ingredients and enjoy!

Cheesy Pic..

So there you have it, porridge in the winter and overnight oats in the summer.. I just can't get enough of those whole grains :)

Overnight oats with frozen blueberries & poppy seeds

Nutrition Per Serving: 244 Kcal, 16g Protein, 37g Carbs, 5g Fat*
(Above excludes toppings)

Nutritional Benefits: Rich in soluble fibre & beta-glucan (to lower LDL-cholesterol), high in protein (to help keep you fuller longer)

For other healthy breakfast ideas [click here] !

Nic x

 

*Nutritional information provided by Firecracker

Cholesterol Lowering Muffins

Cholesterol Lowering Muffins

You've probably heard of cholesterol before.. but do you know what it is? Cholesterol is a type of fat known as a 'lipid' and it is vital for bodily functions such as producing hormones and making vitamin D. Cholesterol is carried around the body as lipoproteins known as LDL (bad) and HDL (good).. too much LDL can lead to blocked arteries (with HDL helping to reduce this risk!).

So, enough science.. where do these muffins come in to play you ask?! Oats are fantastic for health and so when I came across this 'oat bran' muffin recipe I was more than pleased! Oats and oatbran are rich in beta-glucan soluble fibre which has been shower to lower blood cholesterol - which reduces risk of heart disease. To get your daily intake of oats you may like to try oat cakes, oat bran (in yoghurt, salads etc), 50:50 oatie bread or oat-based breakfast cereals or porridge oats.

Oats aren't the only thing you can eat though to reduce blood cholesterol.. the main thing you can do is to reduce the amount of saturated fat in the diet (found in fatty and processed meats, butter, whole milk, hard cheese, cakes, chocolates and pastries) and replace them with healthier options such as lean meats, oily fish, vegetables/olive oil based margarine/oils, low fat milk/yoghurt/soya alternatives, lower-fat cheese e.g. cream cheese or Edam etc and choose fruit/veg (5 a day!), nuts and seeds for snacks. Choosing wholegrain foods (oats are a wholegrain) is also recommended as well as having beans and pulses daily e.g. adding them to stews and spag bol!

And back to the muffins.. I saw the recipe for these oat bran muffins on the Mornflake website [click here].. they were extremely tasty.. and I nick-named them my 'cholesterol lowering muffins' !

So what do you need to make them?

250g / 9ozs Mornflake Oatbran

50g / 2ozs Raisins

50g / 2ozs Soft Brown Sugar

5 ml / 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

15ml / 1 tablespoon baking powder

290 ml / 10 fluid ozs Skimmed Milk

2 egg whites

30ml / 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil

And what do you need to do?

First, heat the oven to 220 degrees C / 425 degrees F / gas mark 7

1) Mix together the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, raisins and cinnamon..

2) Mix together the milk, oil and egg whites..

3) Pour the liquids in to the dry oat bran mix and leave for 5 minutes to absorb.. I then blended this mixture for a few moments with my hand blender.. however this step isn't essential!

4) Divide between 15 paper bun cases..

5) And pop in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes (or until pale brown)

6) Eat and enjoy!! Each muffin is just 106kcal and is packed with oaty-soluble fibre goodness!!

Nutrition Per Bun: 106 kcal

Nutritional Benefits: High in soluble fibre & antioxidants

Happy baking! - for more healthy recipes click here

Nic x