Recipe - Delicious Chicken & Mango Stir Fry

I love making this to bring a hint of the tropics to a cold autumn evening - the mango gives it a juicy, sticky sweetness to counteract the heat of the chilli and ginger. Always a favourite in my household! I have calculated the Weight Watchers ProPoints values for the stir fry and my herby cous cous - you get plenty of eating for your buck!
I cook my stir fry using coconut oil which has huge health benefits and adds another tropical element to the mix. Mmm I'm feeling hungry now!

Chicken & Mango Stir Fry                                                    

                                                                                           4 pp per serving

                                                                                           Serves 2

225g skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 red chilli, de-seeded and chopped finely

1 inch fresh ginger, grated

175g broccoli, broken into florets

125g mange tout

125g baby sweetcorn, cut lengthways

225g mango, peeled & cubed

2 tbsp. tomato puree

2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tsp. corn flour (optional, to thicken)

 

Brown the chicken in a frying pan lightly coated with cooking spray or 1/2 tsp coconut oil. Add garlic, chilli, ginger, broccoli, mange tout and baby sweetcorn and stir fry for a further 5 minutes. Add mango and heat through for 2 minutes. Mix together the tomato puree, soy sauce and corn flour and add to the pan. Cook stirring until the sauce thickens.

Herby Couscous                                                                                        6 pp

60g (dry weight) Couscous per person

Half a stock cube (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

Mint, Coriander or preferred herbs (fresh is better)

Juice of one lemon

 

Pour boiling water over the couscous according to packet instructions. To the water add the stock cube, seasoning &lemon juice. Cover in cling film and leave to absorb water.

Once ready, fluff up the grains with a fork and stir in torn mint and coriander. This makes an excellent accompaniment to the Chicken & Mango Stir Fry above.

Style Files - Biker Cool

Fall has finally arrived and the streets are lined with orange and rust brown leaves, giving a satisfying crunch when you walk upon them. As much as I love summer, I do enjoy autumn dressing - cosy knits, faux furs, winter boots - I love them all!

My favourite cosy but super chic essential is my faux fur lined biker jacket from River Island. I've been counting down the days till I could wear this without looking crazy and the cold autumn breeze has finally made that possible! For a bank holiday weekend of kicking up the leaves with my hubby and west highland terrier, Abbie, my biker friend kept me looking cool but feeling toasty warm!

Now I'm back to burning cinnamon scented candles, making huge pots of butternut squash soup (recipe to follow!) and counting down the days till Christmas! I do love this time of year!

Bisous xx

Wedding Belles

When 2 become 1...

Two of my very favourite people tied the knot this weekend in a stylish ceremony in Greenock Town Hall. Roxanne was the stunning blushing bride and she finally hooked her Prince Charming in Graeme! Sarah and I were delighted to share their big day and perform the obligatory bridesmaid duties.

Raise your glasses to toast the newlyweds - to Mr & Mrs Bell! May God bless you with a lifetime of happiness together!

Our beautiful bridesmaid dresses are by Coast - I just adore the origamy detail. I may try to have the dress shortened at some point because it will be a fantastic Christmas party option!

The big day took place at the Greenock Town Hall which was beautifully decked out with twinkling lights and flowers. Only a dramatic venue would work with that beautiful wedding dress and Roxanne certainly made an entrance! A day of friends, fun and happiness to toast to a new and exciting journey - I just love a good wedding!

;)

Me, Roxanne and Sarah enjoy a glass of bubbly before heading to the Town Hall!

The blushing bride herself!

Recipe - Smoothie Sunday!

I am loving a breakfast smoothie these days - what better way to get a quick and easy boost of nutrients and fibre that will give you the get-up-and-go that you need on these darker mornings? And as if you needed another reason, nutritionists say that if you keep everything else equal but incorporate veggies into every meal you will lose weight! Why? Because veggies are calorie light but take effort from your digestive system to break down so you will feel fuller for longer whilst effortlessly burning fat! Score! AND might I say that whilst my loved ones are sniffling with the seasonal transition colds & chest infections, I am feeling rather full of health & vitality (and hence rather smug)! Are smoothies the key? Who knows! But it certainly doesn't hurt to supercharge your day with vitamins, minerals and powerhouse antioxidants!

So here are a couple of smoothie recipes to get you started. Experiment and mix in different fruits and veg that you enjoy. Never let veg go bad in your fridge-there's no excuse when you can throw it into your smoothie!

You can substitute the coconut water with unsweetened almond milk or plain water if you prefer. Spinach and kale are neutral tasting greens so they are good to start off with but you can swap them up for any green leafy vegetables. If you need a sweeter taste you can add a little trivia or stevia for a natural no calorie sweetness. You can also add a scoop of protein powder or some 0% fat Greek yogurt if you feel so inclined!

SUPERMODEL SMOOTHIE
250ml coconut water
Good handful frozen mixed berries
1 banana
Handful spinach
Handful kale
1/3 cucumber

GREEN GODDESS SMOOTHIE
250ml coconut water
1 green apple
1 pear
1 banana
Good handful spinach & kale (or any greens)
Ice

Whizz in the blender and enjoy! Your skin with be clear and glowing, your hair shiny and lustrous and you will feel a great overall sense of well being!

Style Files - Glasgow Safari

On a trip to Glasgow you can encounter quite the variety of 'animals'! But I was prepared in my safari style dress from H&M. Summer may be coming to an end but I am grasping onto every little beam and refusing to succumb to autumn just yet!

Dress - H&M
Shoes - Just Fab

Are you getting your 8 a day?

...glasses of water that is. Eight glasses of water a day roughly equates to the 2 litres recommended daily intake for adults. And fruit juice, most fizzy drinks, caffeine and alcohol don't count!

So why the sudden focus on hydration? I have just started a nutritionist course so look out for healthy hints and tips appearing on this blog from time to time. Properly fueling our bodies with the nutrients it needs will leave us healthy not just on the inside but glowing skin and shiny hair are high on my list of beauty must-haves!

Did you know that losing just 2% of your body weight can cause dehydration symptoms such as poor concentration, fatigue, headaches, inefficient kidney function and a deterioration of muscle function? And that losing from as little as 5% of your bodyweight in water can be fatal! Yikes!

When you first increase your water intake you should expect a few more trips to the ladies room but within a few weeks your body will regulate and you will notice that this returns to normal. On the upside, the benefits in sporting performance and concentration will be noticed almost immediately!

So get filling those water bottles ladies and make the most of the fact that most offices now provide chilled water coolers and machines free of charge. Keep a 2 litre bottle at your desk and refill it every day - like all nutrients, your body needs a steady flow of water throughout the day.

Start now and by Christmas everyone will be wondering how we look so darn glowy and amazing!

Drink up!

Bisous xx