EYES, HEALTH AND BEAUTY

It’s Pancake Day and why should vegans miss out.  Pancake Day is the day before Lent begins. Lent is traditionally a time of abstinence and Pancake Day was a way of using up any eggs and milk.  Try these easy to make vegan pancakes ! Recipe-' It's Pancake Day!! '- Gluten free, vegan, no added sugar Recipe-' Healthy start 3-Choc chip and banana vegan pancakes ' Happy Pancake Day!!

Last week I visited a local market where they were selling a box of big tomatoes for only 50p!! I used them in this recipe for vegan Moroccan stuffed tomatoes - a light but satisfying lunch with warming spice to keep out the cold wind and rain of late winter (Ras el hanout is a spice mix containing black pepper, cardamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger). Moroccan stuffed tomatoes  Serves 2  You will need 6 large tomatoes 75g dried couscous 2 tsp Ras el hanout 2 dried apricots, chopped (optional) 1 small courgette, chopped 1/4 red onion, finely chopped 1 can chickpeas, drained Olive oil cooking spray Place the couscous in a bowl and just cover with water from a recently boiled kettle - leave for a few minutes until the water is absorbed.  Slice the tops of the tomatoes off and remove the seeds. Mix the Ras el hanout, courgette, red onion, chickpeas and apricot if using into the couscous. Stuff the tomatoes with the mixture.  Spray a baking tray with o...

Without stability in our lives we do not feel balanced. In this #yoga video we focus on the root chakra to gain stability in our yoga practice and our lives. Please see my 'sister' blog-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/rebalance-stability.html Skin on homemade chips!!! Approx 200 calories per portion! Recipe- Cut potato into wedges. Allow 200 grams of potato per person. Spray with olive oil spray and bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 mins. Sprinkle with salt. Go on treat yourself! #Nationalchipweek #chips The brain is greedy for oxygen and glucose- it consumes around 20% of the body's oxygen and glucose.It is therefore important for optimal brain function to have a good circulation to the brain and optimise the entry of oxygen into our bodies.  This yoga sequence opens up the chest with back bends to ensure a good supply of oxygen to the body and inversions bring oxygen to the brain. Please see my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017...

Spring is on the way but while we still have these stormy days of February (we have just been battered by storm Doris) comfort food is still very welcome. Fruit slumps have their origins in America and is similar to a fruit cobbler but a fruit slump is usually cooked on the hob.  It is called 'slump' because of the topping slumps together as it cooks. My fruit slump is rhubarb which is just coming into season so you should be able to find some at your local supermarket . I am using some we have frozen which we grew on the allotment last year. Nice served with banana 'nice cream'  or a dollop of coconut cream. The dessert is also dairy free, gluten free and has no added sugar. Rhubarb and orange fruit slump Serves 4  For the base 800g rhubarb cut into chunks  5g stevia (or to taste) juice one orange For the topping  100g rice flour 2 tsp baking powder  20g dairy free spread  5g stevia  (or to taste) zest  one orange 100ml almond or soy milk (a...

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that I believe inflammation is the underlying cause of most of what ails us.  So where does all this inflammation come from?  Acute inflammation is a protective mechanism and is a very necessary response to pathogens, irritants and injury.  It is when inflammation becomes chronic that problems manifest.  Chronic inflammation can be the result of environmental pollution, food sensitivities, stress or diet (inflammatory foods include sugar, transfats, dairy, refined grains etc).  Over time such chronic inflammation can lead to a variety of diseases in the body including asthma, chronic pain, skin problems such as roseacea, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, wrinkles and even cancer. When I started seeing a Chinese doctor for acupuncture, as a compliment to my yoga, she recommended serrapeptase which is often described as the 'miracle' enzyme. The more I learned about serraepeptase, the more smitten I was by i...

This week's Meatless Monday is healthy and quick to make but tasty.  Just remember to soak the tofu ahead of time - you could do this in the morning before you go to work. Make life easier for yourself and use frozen stir fry vegetables which are usually frozen straight after harvest and so have more nutrients than ones that have been hanging around your fridge.  The mix I used had sugar-snap peas, bean sprouts, julienne carrots, red pepper, broccoli and squash.   Serves 2  You will need 1 x 400g firm tofu 2 - 3 tbsp tamari  olive oil spray 2 tbsp sesame oil 1 small onion, peeled and chopped   2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced 1 red chilli, de-seeded and chopped 600g stir fried vegetables 1 tbsp lime juice 1/2 tsp stevia pinch powdered ginger 1 tbsp curry powder 2 portions rice noodles cooked according to directions.  Drain well. Drain the tofu well and squeeze gently between kitchen paper to remove any remaining water. Dice into small squar...

It's Valentines Day - it is equally important to receive as well as give love. In this yoga video the intention is to open our hearts to give love and to reach out to receive love. In this week's meditation we will be working with the breath to give and receive love. Please see my 'sister' blog-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/rebalance-giving-and-receiving-love.html Stress negatively affects the brain but this forward bending yoga sequence on my 'sister' blog will help-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/yoga-for-brain-part-1-stress.html Earlier this week we talked about the detrimental effects stress has on the brain. Today, we are practicing some mudras to help reduce stress in your life. Please see my 'sister' blog-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/mudras-to-help-reduce-stress.html