MISS HOLLY P
A BIT OF ME . A BIT OF FOOD . A BIT OF WINE
health

Mahi Fine Foods Hot Sauce and Marinades

Anyone that knows me or follows my eating habits will know that I have a real thing for making EVERYTHING spicy so when Mahi Fine Foods offered to send me over some samples of their products I was buzzing to try and I told them the hotter the better! Mahi really appealed to me which is why I got in touch with them as all their products are made without any artificial ingredients and preservatives which so many of my beloved are packed with, their packaging is all 100% recyclable, they are going carbon neutral, have a commitment to make all their practices as environmentally friendly as possible and strive for sustainability plus its all made right here in the UK and they have great respect and relationships with the farmers that provide produce. So thats a little background check done and its all sounding great but does it taste good?

They sent me 2 marinades and a hot sauce called Bhut Jolokia, this one was my absolute favorite so it seems like a good place to start.

This little firecracker has already won a good taste gold award and it is HOT! I love it! the heat is intense but not so much that you can’t taste your food and it has a really nice flavour. I have added it into stir fries, chilli con carne, on burgers, used it as a dipping sauce, used it in the base of tacos, put it over my eggs for a little punch, you name it! If you’re a hot head like me just add it into anything! This sauce is an absolute cupboard essential for the chilli lover and now its available in Sainbury’s its accessible for anyone!

I was sent 2 marinades too, one Peri Peri rub and one wing marinade. The Peri Peri Rub is lovely, think Nandos sauces but without half the sweeteners etc they have in theirs, they recommended to marinate before cooking so I marinated my chicken thighs for about 6 hours before I cooked them.

I used an Alice Liveing recipe from one of her books slightly adapted it and I did spicy Mahi chicken thighs with sweet potato wedges and cherry tomatoes. It’s actually really really spicy, but it was delicious! Marinating it slowly really let the flavour soak into the meat and softened the intensity but another time when I coated the meat in the sauce and cooked it straight away with a thick glaze the flavour intensified so theres options.

For my tray bake you need- 1kg of chicken thighs marinated in the sauce, 2 sweet potatoes cut in to wedges, 1 red onion cut into wedges and half a pack of cherry tomatoes, literally lay it all out in an oven proof tray or dish, lightly season and a tiny drizzle of olive oil and bang it in the oven for 45 mins to 1 hr on about 180 degrees. It could not be more simple to cook. Easy, nutritious, delicious and theres usually enough left for lunch so meal prep done for a couple of days!

Then I had the wings marinade which is from the BBQ range and is a medium heat, this still packed a punch but the flavour was much sweeter and lighter than the other one. Im not a huge fan of wings so I went rogue and marinated some turkey breast strips in it and made some wholemeal turkey salad wraps with it and it was lovely. I’ve used all the sauces with turkey as an alternative and it still works just as well. I would love to try them on the BBQ to add that chargrilled sexiness but until we see some sun that will not be happening so watch this space for that follow up!

So all in all, if you are trying to stamp out all those hidden extras you didn’t order from our condiments Mahi is a lovely product from a company with a heart who have complete sustainability engrained into their ethos and now it available in mainstream supermarkets such as Sainbury’s there is no reason to not give it a bash! Especially that Bhut Jolokia sauce, I sprinkle that shizzle on eeeeeeeeverything, seriously get yourself involved in that!

Let me know how you get on!

H x

girl talk

Is Your Pill Working For You? Hormonal identity crisis no more!

Hi all,

I just wanted to revisit a topic I shared some struggles with last year and update you all on some changes I’ve made and what a life change it has been for me.

So, I’m 29, 30 next month, I was put on the pill at 15 to reduce my PMS and calm down my skin, heavy periods etc. I’ve always been on the 21 day pill and have tried a few different brands but predominantly containing the same hormones. Anyway, not sure if you read or not but last year I really hit an all time low with my mental health, I was seriously questioning if I had some far more serious issues and if I could I have an underlying, undiagnosed condition. I was convinced there was something wrong with me. I was peaking from highs to major lows, when I was around my period I would see blind red rage, if I drank around those times I became a spiteful drunk, I lacked motivation and energy, I felt self loathing. It was just so so awful and I needed to do something about it. I went to go and visit my GP and explained how I had been feeling and she said that it was not uncommon and that my pill was no longer a good fit for me and my hormones and suggested I go on the progesterone only pill which you have no break with, I’m on Cerelle.

It has absolutely changed my life, no exaggeration. I have been on it 6 months now and my mood and attitude has been consistently good pretty much solidly and if something makes me mad I no longer feel that stomach turning red bubble of rage, I am motivated all the time (within normal reason) and since changing pill and my hormones being better and having energy 4 weeks a month rather than 2 I have lost over a stone, me and my boyfriend barely argue anymore, I’m a nicer manager at work and all in all my quality of life is so much better. I just feel like a genuinely different person and like I am my best self.

After thinking properly of course my hormones at 15 wouldn’t be the same at 30 but no one GP or family planning had ever urged me to have a review! All women are different so not necessarily this pill or contraception will be right for you but if you are finding any of my struggles sounding familiar please visit your doctor and have a chat because from that day my live changed for the better.

Thanks for reading guys, any questions just ask, H x

health

PONO Superfood Bar

Today I visited the much anticipated PONO Superfood Bar on St Giles in Norwich! I had heard lots about it and been following the lead up on Instagram (@norwichpono)

PONO meaning “living in a state of happiness, harmony and balance” and that mantra is exactly what this place promotes and exudes and very well too I might add.

The vibe is minimal and clean looking decor with an inviting air of natural light and scattered pops of green plants PONO not only will fulfill your clean eating goals but is also extremely easy on the eyes and was a pleasure to photograph.

 

The menu isn’t huge but what is on there is of quality and has been designed with clear thought and direction. They are one of very few places in Norwich to serve smoothie bowls in a range of varieties, served in coconut bowls and I spied one which looked spot on! They also do salads which you choose the combo, avocado toast, smoothies and their signature dish a poke bowl. Along with a selection of hot and cold drinks and a selection of superfood sweet treats. Prices for food vary from £4-£8.50.

 

So now to the important bit! What did we eat and was it good? I visited with my mum and we tried a few different things, we went for a cappuccino, a green tea, a salmon poke bowl, smashed avo on toast and shared a coconut slice covered in dark chocolate which FYI was like a posh healthy bounty and was epic.

 

 

The food we ate was just amazing, packed with beautiful, colourful, fresh, delicious ingredients which were all of such quality. My poke bowl was insanely good, it was filled with heaps of raw marinated salmon, avocado, sweetcorn, mango salsa, brown rice, coriander, carrot, spinach, peppers and pickled ginger. It left me feeling really full but so nourished and satisfied with the cleanest taste in my mouth, this dish I can’t recommend enough, they also do the same dish with raw tuna which I’ll try next! Worth every penny.

Mum had the avo on toasted which again looked just perfect and for just £4 who doesn’t love avo on toast? Anyone? Served on toasted sour dough with a sprinkling or super seeds and fresh herbs it has has that little additional health kick to push you through the day!

 

 

So all in all as you can probably tell… I LOVE THIS PLACE! It’s going to be a danger working just down the road as I want to work my way through the menu! Next thing I’m trying will be the cacao and hazelnut dream smoothie bowl…mmmmm. I’m just so delighted to have somewhere that feeds so perfectly into my passion for clean and healthy eating and to have those little differences we haven’t quite had yet here in Norwich. They are open 6 days a week 8-4 Mon-Fri and 9-4 Saturday and they do takeout too! Plus they take card!

Please go visit these lovely guys and support our independent talent. You won’t be disappointed.

 

So who’s been? Or who’s dying to go?

Thanks for reading! H x

anxiety

Gym-timidaton- Some top tips on beating the fitness fear!

Gym success! Top tips to squash intimidation, help you not quit and have a quick reality check!

I thought I just made this word up but clearly not, Urban Dictionary sums it up quite well!

“gymtimidation
The fear of working out at a gym because everything from the crazy contraptions to the seriously ripped bodies is extraordinarily intimidating.
Jack got gymtimidation from all the muscleheads at the gym”

So you may have come across this post because you’re thinking of joining a gym for the first time and feel edgy AF about it or you’ve already joined a gym and get the fear every time you’re there so I’ve put together some little tips to help and some little truths to help you through the period until you feel like part of the furniture!

  • First and foremost! Do not worry about what other people are doing, they aren’t worrying what you’re doing, trust me!
  • And on that point also, no one is looking at you and for those who really have it bad no one is laughing at you either!
  • If you’re offered a gym induction take it! It’ll teach you the ropes, help you settle into a new space and some gyms may offer to write to a programme included which will help you be in the know!
  • Struggling to stay motivated? Maybe join a class where the shame of leaving half way through is greater than the pain of the exercise or if you can afford it get a PT to push you.
  • Don’t know what to do? Get some fitspo and do some research, use Instagram, Pinterest, you tube, books there’s loads of moves and ideas on there or actual workouts just to follow! Structure really helps!
  • Buddy up! Take a friend cause hey misery loves company *jokes* but seriously stats have shown that individuals that work out with a partner have a higher probability of reaching their goals
  • Have a plan of what you want to achieve but set realistic goals so you aren’t disappointed and want to quit because you aren’t Kayla Itsines after the first week. Results take time and effort but don’t be disheartened it’ll be worth it!
  • Try not to weigh yourself too much, max once a week! Weight loss/gain can depend on many things so don’t be too hard on yourself and remember the number on the scale isn’t everything!
  • Don’t have all the gear no idea but I do recommend feeling equipped, comfortable and confident in your clothes! So you can strut like a boss to your next exercise!
  • If you think you don’t really know what you’re doing, don’t worry, half of the rest of those people are just pretending they know what’s going on too!
health

Eating a healthy diet: A beginners guide

So on my journey of weight loss and wellbeing one thing which I get asked all the time from people is “how do you afford to eat so healthily, its so expensive”, or “how do you have the time to always make something for lunch, I’m too busy to eat healthy” or “I would eat more healthy but I don’t like….. “  So I thought I would share some top tips for anyone out there who’s bank statement alternates Prep, M&S, Boots, Nandos etc like mine used to or anyone who’s just looking to change their eating habits and doesn’t know where to start. I’ve now lost 4 stone thanks to a healthy diet and exercise. Determination and organization has paid off and at almost 30 I’m the healthiest I’ve ever felt.

A big chunk of eating healthily is in the planning and the prep. Even the prep of what your budget is for the weeks shop, when you are making time to go to the supermarket and what are you going to buy once you get there. I found it really useful to plan out the weeks meals in advance day by day and then writing a shopping list based on what is actually going to get eaten. If you  are smart too try to have crossover ingredients so you don’t buy something use a tiny bit and then the rest goes to waste. Then it’s making sure you have the discipline and motivation to do something with all the produce once you’ve bought it.

But first! Choose where you shop wisely. Doing a proper shop is vital to success and not getting things in drips and drabs and you’ll have more of what you need and aren’t topping up randomly from the more expensive quick express convenience stores. I personally choose to shop at Aldi or Lidl (I’m a real Aldi girl at heart though I could literally be their ambassador I love it so much) They have such a great selection of everything I need for for myself and Jamie to eat well, we are two people with a passion for a good diet and are very active in terms of exercise and for £50 I could feed us well for at least a week and I’m talking 3 meals a day.

Now, I’m no nutritionist or anything like that and the human diet from person to person is the most complex science but there are certain things I know personally you can’t go too wrong with. A well balanced diet will consist of a variety of different foods which will hit different nutritional goals.

I will always grab a protein to build each evening meal around so that would be for us some meat, fish or even eggs or if you’re veggie or vegan you could go meat free a substitute or legume. So chicken breasts, turkey mince, pork, chicken sausages, steaks, seabass, salmon fillets, cod loins, king prawns the options are endless and at their prices you can’t go wrong.

Then I try to eat as much fruit and veg as possible particularly those leafy greens so with my evening meal I will have a good portion of at least 2 different vegetables. Always check the super 6 too if you’re on a budget and want to load up on the veg. Essentials always in my fridge are kale, spinach, tomatoes, courgettes, cucumber, beetroot.

Then you have your carbs, sometimes if I have had a carb heavy lunch I might go for a lighter carb option but if not this will take the shape of either like a quinoa, wholegrain rice, wholewheat pasta, sweet potato or new potatoes, wholewheat pitta, bread or wrap. A personal fave is the little microwave pouches of wholegrain rice with quinoa and bulgar wheat. I think they’re about 69p and one will do me 3 lunches. I try to keep to a minimum what white carbs I eat. The prepped vegetable rices and noodles are great too if you are doing lower carbs and ares still really filling.

Then in there I’ll add my extras like making sure I’m getting my good fats so for me that would be raw nuts like almonds or cashews which are great for snacking, avocados, olive oil, eggs, seeds. (Try to remember when you’re cooking too that there is 119 calories in a tablespoon of olive oil!)

You can still snack or a healthy diet just keep away from the crisps, chocolate bars and cakes. If I need a snack or I’m having a sweet tooth moment I like to go for some fruit- berries are particularly good (try not too go too OTT with the fruit as even though it’s natural sugar you don’t wanna over do it), natural yoghurt (lush with a drizzle of honey), a square of dark chocolate. Their paleo, raw fruit and quinoa bars are great too for a snack which is just what it says on the pack with no hidden nasties. That kinda thing!

A big tip is don’t forget those pantry essentials which are always handy to knock up some delicious and healthy meals are…I can’t be without- tinned tomatoes, passatta, tomato puree, onions, frozen peas, tinned sweetcorn, tinned chickpeas, kidney beans, salad beans etc. These are all great things to have on standby! And lots of herbs and spices so you can really variate your flavours to keep it interesting.

Once you have planned and done your super healthy weekly shop you can get it home and organize your fridge with all your lovely healthy food and grab your favourite tupperware and start prepping like a boss!

One big tip with having a really healthy diet whatever your motivation- is try to make everything from scratch and do not cut corners. If you make it yourself from scratch you know just what is going into it and theres no hidden nasties that you can’t control. If you buy pre prepped meals out it can sound healthy but it can have all sorts in it if you aren’t analyzing the ingredients.

If you’re making lunches and food to take on your day to day I find it easier and time saving to do a few days at a time so you’re only doing it twice a week! Whether this is mixing it up a bit or eating the same day to day! Big batches of things that keep well are good to do this with! If you want some meal prep ideas for lunches let me know!

Do get creative!

Do snack healthy to keep the machine that is your body fueled!

Do enjoy what you’re eating and making!

Don’t deprive your body of what it needs but be smart!

Don’t be hungry! Eating healthy doesn’t mean being hungry.

Do remember that water is your best friend and make sure you’re drinking a lot of it!

I hope these tips help! When I first started out I wish someone would have written me a shopping list of sorts to point me in the right direction so I hope this does just that. Any questions just ask!

Thanks so much for reading!

H x