Life Box Spring Cleanse

Sometimes, you've just got to treat yo'self. After I ran a PB in the Sheffield Half Marathon last weekend, I was definitely in the mood for some treating, and why the hell not. I earned it. 

Feeling all virtuous and totally kick ass, I ordered one of Life Box's food packages, crammed full of clean treats and much more. Life Box are a food subscription box service offering super good for you super foods delivered in a box of joy. Let's face it, we're all always hugely busy, so subscription services like this really hit the mark when it comes to trying to keep healthy on the go. Now, the boxes may be little pricey, but are a great way to introduce yourself to some things you might not have heard of (wtf is yacon?), whilst teaching you about the health benefits and encouraging to make treats for yourself out of the box contents.

I ordered the Vegan Spring Cleanse box - absolutely perfect for how I'm approaching food at the moment (ain't no dairy up in here).

I am so behind LB's ethos - they only source products from brands who share their same passion for health and wellbeing, and any product within an LB food box must comply with two of their rules: UK-based, refined sugar free, organic, GMO free, raw, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, wheat free and no preservatives or additives. So you know that anything in these boxes is going to be hella good for your health.

I'm not going to lie, I love getting parcels delivered (feels like Christmas, non?) and was actually surprised at how hefty the box was when it arrived, and now I know why. It contains a huge selection goodness; from Sister & Co's coconut oil (perfect for cooking, and hair, skin and nail treatments) to matcha green tea and raw cacao - brilliantly convenient bits and bobs for a hectic lifestyle. However, some of favourite components are LB's own pre-mixed packets, encouraging you to make-your-own and learn about the health benefits along the way. The Spring Cleanse box comes with mixes for Chia Seed Jam (already soaking ready for making up as I type), and Flaxseed Crackers, which may sound a little dull but the mix is crammed full of fibre-packed seeds - essential for good digestion.

I really can't recommend Life Box enough - sure it may be a little pricey for a subscription box but the lovingly sourced and selected goodies inside are 100% worth it and you'll discover some healthy gems you might not have heard of before. Win all round.

Have you tried Life Box before? 

Simple Weekday Breakfast #1

I had a day all to myself earlier this week and got to thinking about new breakfast ideas to try out.
I do love porridge, but it hasn't been top of my breakfast pops recently. I've been favouring anything savoury - it just feels like it's going to keep me fuller for longer, and usually always does.

Eggs are always a winner, yes, but I think I've done everything ever possible with eggs ever for breakfast in the past few months, so enter, toast. Yes, toast, but this ain't toast as you know it. This is all about some inspiring clean, gluten-free varieties that are perfect for that morning craving for something tasty with a bit of crunch.

I've been toasting slices of my paleo sweet potato bread and a homemade gluten-free cob I picked up at Tynemouth Market, topping these with tahini, sliced avocado, a squeeze of lime juice and salt and pepper. Seriously divine, brilliantly quick to rustle up on a busy morning and will definitely keep you going until lunchtime.

And to go with this? A mocha iced latte with loads of good stuff packed into it (and it's dairy-free!), to get you set for the day ahead. Wanna make this bad lad?

Cacao and Coconut Energy Bites

Picture the scene. It's around mid-afternoon, so naturally time for a big cup of something hot to keep you going for the last couple of hours of the working day. If you, like me, need a bit of sweetness with that 3pm cup of tea, I've got just the thing to stop you reaching for the custard creams.

These energy bites contain natural sweetness from organic dates and are packed with the supplement I've been having a total love-in with recently; maca powder. I can't stress enough the benefits of this malty goodness. It can reduce stress levels, regulate blood sugar levels, increase stamina and makes sure your hormones are in check.

I've adapted these from a recipe over on Laura's ever inspirational site, Wholeheartedly Healthy, but added some raw cacao powder into the mix for an extra bit of afternoon indulgence.

Post-Run Recovery Tips

So, as I shared in my April Goals post on Thursday, I ran a half marathon this weekend. And what a half marathon in turned out to be! I somehow (?) managed a new personal best of 1 hour and 57 minutes, which I could not be more over the moon with. All that leg strength work at the gym totally did the business, and I found the run more of a pleasure than a hard slog. Looking forward to taking this strength into the rest of my running and weight training. Happy face.

Now, I've got to say, my limbs are aching already (and I have a cracking blister. Lush.), so I've pulled together some handy tips for post-race recovery. It's one thing to train hard and run a good race, but recovery is a whole other ball game. I regularly follow these steps after a hard training session or race event, to keep my body in top form.

So, here we go - here's how I'll be helping to heal those aching muscles post-run.

Refuel
After 13.1 miles of running, refuelling in the right way is essential for muscle repair and restocking those energy stores.

Something with a high protein and carb content will be key for your first big meal after a race (steak and sweet potato chips, pls) but straight after the race, grabbing something quick like a banana and coconut water is ideal for a quick energy hit. I did this straight after my run and also followed it up with an energy boosting coconutty maca smoothie after my drive back from Sheffield. The maca powder totally hit the spot with it's energy raising properties and even a couple of hours after having this smoothie, I felt totally revitalised. Good old maca.

Stretch
To make sure those limbs don't stiffen up and you don't end up walking around like John Wayne for a week, stretch. Lie on the floor with your legs up the wall, crack out that foam roller! Stretching straight after running is something that I usually forget (tut), so when I've finish a race now, I do a really quick stretch off for 5-10 minutes, and then a more focused stretch about an hour afterwards. I'll also be limbering up with some yoga over the next few days, and in the spirit of my April Goals, stretching it alll out with Yoga with Adriene.

Soak
Get those sea salts to hand and liberally chuck them in a hot bath - the minerals in these guys help to sooth achey muscles and relax the body. I'll be doing the double after my run, and bringing out the Lush bath bombs for a super indulgent second soak. Definitely deserve a bit of indulgence after a long run, amirite?

Relax
My advice? Don't do any exercise the day after the run. Just chill the hell out. Your muscles have been through a lot and they need some time to get to know themselves again. I'll be chilling out, on the sofa and ploughing through my latest holy grail read, Amelia Freer's Eat. Nourish. Glow. This women seriously knows what she's talking about and her practises are helping me no end with my Nutrition Advisor course. Get this is your Amazon basket now, and see what all the hype is about.

How do you reboot after a run or fitness challenge?

Paleo Sweet Potato Bread

As part of my gluten-free, dairy-free, caffeine-free (fun-free?) diet, I've been experimenting with exciting and just-as-good-as substitutes for some everyday favourites.

We all love bread, right? So if bread doesn't like you, then this could be just the thing. Enter Paleo Sweet Potato Bread. Ground almonds? Good. Eggs? Good. Sweet potatoes? Gooood. This is based on food babe Madeleine Shaw's version, but with a couple of tweaks for a bit of a twist.

This bread is very light and almost soufflé-esque in consistency and manages to feel luxurious and super filling at the same time. All of the bready satisfaction with none of the bloat. And it's paleo and gluten-free to boot. Score.

This recipe calls for steamed sweet potatoes but I actually used some that we chucked on the barbecue over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and the flesh had such a lovely smokey quality to it that I knew it would add a fantastic richness to the bread.

A fuss-free recipe, all you literally need to do is to whack everything together in a food processor, pop it in the oven and 1.5 hours later, you a have some lovely, light and airy loaf.

What you'll need:

• 400g steamed and pureed sweet potatoes (or use barbecued like I did)
• 300g ground almonds (I used a mixture of dried and leftover pulp from homemade almond milk)
• 4 free range eggs
• Pinch of Himalayan pink sea salt
• 50g coconut oil, softened
• 1 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1. Whizz together the sweet potato puree, eggs and oil in a food processor.
2. Add in the ground almonds, baking powder and salt and mix until until thoroughly combined.
3. Line a loaf tin with baking parchment and pour in the potato mixture, topping with the pumpkin seeds.
4. Bake for between 1 hour 15 mins - 1 hour 30 mins.
5. When golden brown, remove from the oven and leave for an hour to cool before slicing.

A perfect loaf, packed full of goodness.

I'm always on the look for healthier versions of everyday staples, so hit me up with your favourite recipes.