EYES, HEALTH AND BEAUTY

This vegan version of Mexican burritos will be a hit whether or not you are vegan.  With minimal cooking they are quick to prepare and yet filling.      Serves 2  You will need 2 flour tortillas 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 red pepper, diced 1 red chilli, seeds removed and sliced  1 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp salt 1 can black beans, drained Guacomole 1 avocado 1/4 red onion  1 cherry tomato 1/2 red chilli, deseeded 1 tsp coriander juice 1 lime Vegan cheese, grated Fresh coriander to garnish (optional) Heat the oil and cook the onion for 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic, chilli, red pepper, smoked paprika and salt and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.  Stir in the black beans and heat through. Meanwhile wrap the tortillas in foil and place in an oven for a few minutes. To make the guacomole whiz all the ingredients in a blender. Now it's just a matter of assembling the burrito.  Top each tortilla with the bean mixture, then the guacomole t

If you are celebrating Chinese New Year you may want to have a look at my recipe for 'Vegan Tofu Chow Mein'-  http://40plusandalliswell.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/meatless-monday-vegan-tofu-chow-mein.html

So many people do not have a good night's sleep and yet a good night's sleep is essential for physiological balance and wellbeing. This week's yoga video on my 'sister' blog may help if you have problems with sleep- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/rebalance-good-nights-sleep.html If you are struggling to calm your mind for meditation, this yoga sequence on my 'sister' blog may help- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/starting-meditation-practice-calming.html Having a friend to help you with some poses can help you move deeper into those poses, feel supported, help you trust others and bring a sense of fun into your yoga practice. With Valentine's Day coming up, it is the ideal time to introduce your partner to yoga - it can strengthen the bonds between you.  Please see my 'sister' blog-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/with-little-help-from-friend-boat-pose.html

I love giving desserts a healthy vegan makeover- and I find that with a little creativity, a few bananas and a pinch of fairy dust (well, stevia powder anyway), there aren't many desserts you can't give the healthy-vegan treatment. In this series of posts I'll show you how to make breakfast nice creams that taste so darn good you won't believe they are vegan friendly, dairy-free, gluten-free, and free from refined sugar. The first is my take on a classic ice cream flavour- mint choc chip. It's really easy to make and looks and tastes like the real thing. Even better, you get an antioxidant boost from the spinach that gives the nicecream its lovely green colour- no artificial colourings needed! This breakfast serves one generously- in the words of the fabulous Mae West, too much of a good thing can be wonderful! 😃 🍨 Mint Choc Chip Nicecream 🍨 3 1/2 ripe bananas Handful spinach 6 mint leaves (plus a sprig of mint to decorate) 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk of y

You have been dieting and exercising but the weight is not shifting - how frustrating is that!?  The first thing to do is get yourself checked out by a medical practitioner, as certain conditions such as underactive thyroid can get in the way of your efforts to lose weight.  If your doctor gives you the all clear, however, it's time to look at other factors that may have affected your weight. If you regularly do not have enough sleep, it may stop you losing weight.  There are several reasons for this.  If you do not have enough sleep, your energy levels will be low so preparing healthy food seems like too much effort and you are more likely to eat convenience (junk?) foods.  You may also not feel like exercising. In fact sleep deprivation dulls your pre-frontal cortex, the decision making part of your brain making it less likely you will make good food choices. Have you noticed too, the longer you stay up, the more appealing salty or sweet foods seem?    There is an effect at the c

It's Burns Night and here are two recipe ideas for your vegan celebrations. Recipe for ''Vegan 'Haggis' Patties'' - http://40plusandalliswell.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/burns-night-special-vegan-haggis-patties.html Recipe for ''Vegan 'Haggis' Pie'' -  http://40plusandalliswell.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/meatless-monday-vegan-haggis-pie.html

Chinese New Year is celebrated this year on Saturday 28th January.  This year is the year of the rooster which may be a sign of turbulent times ahead internationally. To celebrate the New Year I have made this Chow Mein dish.  Traditionally made with chicken, this vegan version is made with tofu but equally delicious. The crispy rice noodles make a great contrasting texture. Aside from the marinating time the dish can be made in a matter of minutes. Vegan Tofu Chow Mein Serves 2 You will need 1 tbsp sesame oil + extra to cook the rice noodles 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 6 tbsp frozen mixed vegetables 1 pack straight to wok noodles handful rice noodles 1 pack firm tofu For the marinade 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tsp Chinese five spice 1/2 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp stevia  Drain the tofu and press lightly between sheets of kitchen roll to remove all water.  Cut the tofu into small squares.  Place the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and mix well.

It's mid-January and for many of us, those well intentioned changes we promised ourselves we would make this year, may be starting to slide. Time to use our yoga practice to draw the strength and determination to continue to work towards making our intentions a reality. Blog post and yoga video on my 'sister' blog-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/rebalance-willpower.html When we start a meditation practice we often start by watching our breath as it moves in and out of our bodies. Let's face it - the breath is not the most riveting of subjects and if you are feeling tired, it can have a similar effect to 'counting sheep'.  In this blog post and yoga sequence on my 'sister' blog we look at some ways to help you stay awake in meditation-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/starting-meditation-practice-staying.html On my 'sister' blog we look at some Ayurveda tips for a healthy winter- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/ayur

We are always being told to 'eat a rainbow' that is different coloured fruit and vegetables and there is a good reason for this.  Different coloured fruit and vegetables have different antioxidants, vitamins and minerals so by eating a variety, you are taking steps to boost your wellbeing. In this occasional series 'Eat a rainbow', in which we look at fruit and vegetables in season, we are on the colour orange. Sweet potatoes are in season from October to March and it is their orange colour that can impart their health benefits.  The orange colour comes from beta-carotene which is the precursor to vitamin A.  Vitamin A keeps your mucus membranes healthy which is great at this time of year when viruses can take hold if muscus membranes are less than healthy - your mucus membranes are your first line of defense.  Vitamin A is also essential for healthy vision.   Sweet potato is a rich source of fibre as well as providing vitamin C, an antioxidant, B vitamins, magnesium wh

You have been dieting and exercising but the weight is not shifting - how frustrating is that!?  The first thing to do is get yourself checked out by a medical practitioner, as certain conditions such as underactive thyroid can get in the way of your efforts to lose weight.  If your doctor gives you the all clear, however, it's time to look at other factors that may have affected your weight. A major culprit causing weight gain is stress.  When you are stressed, your adrenal glands secrete 'fight or flight' hormones such as cortisol.  Way back in our evolution, we needed this response to help us run away from or fight a stressor- for instance, to give us the energy we would need to run away from a wild animal.  One of the effects of cortisol is to convert protein stores into glucose which enters the blood and is distributed to the muscles where it can be readily accessed- perfect for 'fight or flight'.  Nowadays, however, we don't often have the same kind outlet

First things first - I hope all my American friends have a great day as they celebrate Martin Luther King Day. Meanwhile here in Yorkshire, it is raining heavily and cold but today's Meatless Monday is just the thing to bring a touch of Mexican warmth to a cold winter's day. It's also Blue Monday today, supposedly the most depressing day of the year, but the chilli in this dish has been shown to improve mood. I have baked the tortilla strips rather than frying them, as is usual so that they are lower in fat. Vegan Mexican tortilla soup Serves 2 You will need 1 tbsp organic olive oil 1 onion, peeled and chopped 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced 1/2 red pepper, diced 1/2-1 tsp pink salt in 500ml hot water 6 tbsp sweetcorn kernals 6 cherry tomatoes, halved 6 tbsp tomato puree 1 can black beans To top 1 tortilla, cut into slices olive oil spray 1 avocado, diced (optional) Heat the oil and fry the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients in the order above and stir.

Your liver works very hard for you. In this yoga video and meditation we rebalance the liver meridian and stimulate the liver for complete wellbeing. Please see my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/rebalance-love-your-liver.html If you are thinking of starting a meditation but are concerned that you cannot get comfortable in a seated position to meditate, this blog post and yoga sequence may help. Please see my 'sister' blog-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/starting-meditation-practice-are-you.html And now for something a little different. Shake up your yoga practice with these Tibetan Rites. Please see my 'sister' blog-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/and-now-for-something-little-different.html