Homemade Protein Shake

Taken from AH Nutritionist

Since, my brother has become more active; going to the gym regularly and been going to play football (a lot!!), he has been asking me to make him a protein shake for a while. I have made some before and have been experimenting but I think I have finally mastered it.

With people being more health conscious, going to the gym and being doing more exercise, the interest in protein shakes has grown so much over the last couple of years. But what does it actually do? 

Protein is a building block in our body. It helps to build muscle and tissue. Some people have it to boost their energy and fitness levels. Others use it as a means to lose weight by having it as a meal replacement. The reason why it is consumed before or after a workout is because it helps to repair and recover the muscles and tissues in our body, building strength and fitness.

The typical protein shakes require whey protein powder that you can buy from most health shops like Holland & Barret, which can cost from £20 to £40 a tub. You can now also buy ready-made protein shakes from some supermarket stores. However, I decided to make one without it, so a family friendly homemade protein shake without the pricey powder.

To do this I had to find out what actually makes a protein shake? So, if you want to try it and make your own here are the basic steps you need to follow:

• Base: Milk - choose from; almond, soya, or normal skimmed/semi-skimmed milk.
• Thickener: Plain or Greek yoghurt
• Protein: a protein rich ingredient; cottage cheese, peanut butter, raw egg, nuts & seeds.
• Flavour: add some flavour and nutrients; banana, berries, mango, apricot, watermelon, oranges, dates or apple. Or you could add some vanilla extract.
• Optional extras: Oats for more protein and fibre. For a sweeter taste add honey, agave nectar or stevia (natural sweetener). Cocoa powder for a chocolaty shake, or coffee for those coffee lovers (like me!), it will taste just like a frappe.

_______________________   Here’s my family friendly version:___________________

Serves 2

500ml Almond milk

2 tbsp Greek yoghurt

50g Oats

1 Banana

Handful of Berries

Drizzle of Honey

->>Simply mix it all together in a blender for a minute and serve in a nice tall glass. Enjoy!

(Protein shakes should be consumed immediately).

______________________________________________________________

Making it with the whey protein powder will have more protein in it as it is made for that purpose, but if you don’t have any this is a nice homemade version to try out, which will probably have half or ¾ of the protein. If you have any other recipes or ideas I would love to hear them.

www.ahnutritionist.co.uk

Easy tips on how to get a perfect body

Taken from Nida's beauty blog

Hey my lovely readers. I am in a phase where I want to get a perfect body.I am trying almost everything that I could do, to get the  faster results; but I think there is always something that I miss. My today’s post will definitely help me and you all.. Introducing Sophie Andersen and her some easy  tips to get a perfect body.

Before we proceed to the post let me introduce her and I want you all to welcome her on Nida’s Beauty Bag.

“Sophie is a designer and freelance writer based in Perth. She’s hooked on yoga and healthy living. Sophie writes forMedAesthetics, trying to educate people about cosmetic and beauty treatments. Check new Sophies updates on FB“.

Sophie’s word

Getting ready for summer? If you want to show off your amazing body on the beach or you just want to get in shape and lead a healthier life, here are some tips to help you get your body to perfection.

• Morning Workout

It only takes about 10 minutes to activate all the muscles in your body, increase metabolism and burn fat. So, start the day by training your muscles on strategic positions of your body. Strong abs will not only make your body more firm and stable, but also help you achieve that desired corset shape.

• Breakfast

A healthy breakfast is crucial for a good body. The first meal of the day increases metabolism and burns fat. It will also prevent some bad habits like eating a donut as a snack after lunch. If you feel bloated, the cause might be dairy products. You should either reduce or avoid them completely. Instead, you can eat some oatmeal, an almond cranberry muffin, or cinnamon pancakes.

• Food to Avoid

When planning your meals, you should avoid food that makes you bloated such as greasy and salty food, sodas, and even some types of fruits and vegetables. Instead, choose food that decreases our stomach size such as cucumber, asparagus and oats.

• Fewer Calories

Adjust your diet so that you aren’t left with extra calories and still have enough energy. Choose food that will make you full, but be careful not to overdo it and take unnecessary calories. Introduce nuts in your diet, as well as oatmeal, apples, green vegetables such as spinach, seeds, eggs, yogurt, water, salmon, lemon, soup and so on. Calorie counting tools such as Calorie King can help you to make your diet plan.

• Cardio

Any form of exercise is good and recommended. High intensity workout is most efficient as they burn the most calories in a short time period. Especially when done regularly. That is why you need to introduce high intensity cardio to your regular workout plan. Increase the slant and speed of your treadmill and try to run for 45 minutes. If you think it’s too much, adjust it to your current shape.

• Massage

If you’re fighting cellulite, then a good massage can do wonders. It’s best to massage your body when your muscles are relaxed, for example, after a warm bath. Pinch and squeeze the parts of your body with cellulite and finish off with smooth soft motions. Saunas are also helpful, as well as some products that sink quickly into your skin, such as clay and Botox.

• Coffee is great

Caffeine does wonders for fighting cellulite. It helps us get moving in the morning, wakes us up and can help move those fat cells in our body. But  it’s not just drinking coffee that helps fight cellulite. Use coffee to make a paste and gently scrub it into the parts of your body with cellulite. The paste will fall off quickly but it will be effective. To ensure that it doesn’t fall off too quick, cover it with sea weed used for detoxification. Leave it for  few minutes and then rinse. Check out this DIYscrubs and try to make them in your kitchen.

Food For Thought - Sweet Potatos

Taken from At Home With Asmaa

stockfreeimages

 

It's Friday, another week GONE and did i really appreciate the many blessings i have in my life?

Food is an absolute blessing Alhamduillah (All praise be to God), the fact we complain so much

about it, "there is nothing to eat" when your cupboards and fridge are half full, you have money in your purse, the thing is we are ever so picky, me included and for some nothing is every good enough INSTEAD we should think about the many people that have less than us both in terms of worldly and non worldly affairs i.e. religion.

A reminder to myself first and foremost: Give all thanks and praise to your creator more often and be content and satisfied with what you have and don't have because inshaAllah there is good in it.

I  wanted to start a weekly/monthly, depending how busy my stay at home days are, feature named food for thought friday i discuss and share health benefits of certain foods.

As i posted a sweet potatoe bread recipe recently, i found the following article fitting to start with.
 

Source : Healthy Muslim

The sweet potato is not actually a potato, or a yam. It is a nutritionally superior and versatile tuber that has a unique and distinctively sweet flavor. Here are some of the benefits of this delicious vegetable:

• High Nutritional Value Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of starch and therefore, energy. They provide some protein, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and a huge amount of carotenoids, including Beta-carotene. It is these and other phytochemicals in the tubers that make them such a powerful anti-cancer food. A mere 100g a day has been found to dramatically reduce the risk of lung cancer.
  
• Low glycemic index The glycemic index indicates the impact a food substance has on blood sugarlevels. A high glycemic index means blood sugar levels can spike. diabetes and others who monitor their blood sugar levels seek to avoid foods with a high glycemic index or load. Sweet potatoes have a glycemic load of only 17, in comparison to a white potato, which has an index of 29. Their high vitamin B6 content also helps to keep blood sugar levels steady, helping to prevent mood swings and relievedepression. Recent research indicates that steaming or boiling sweet potatoes rather than roasting them helps to preserve their low glycemic index.
  
• Good For Your skin Their high levels of Vitamin E means sweet potatoes are a skin superfood. Orange-skinned sweet potatoes are rich in the anti-aging, antioixidant Beta-carotene, which is stored in the fat layer of our skin and protects against the damage from the sun's ultraviolet rays.
  
• A Versatile Vegetable Sweet potatoes are extremely versatile and make a wonderful health food for both children and adults alike. They can be boiled and mashed, roasted, or even juiced.
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• I hope you will enjoy the upcoming posts on food for thought friday and find a way to incorporate this sweet vegetable into your diet. I like to grate into salad (raw), roast along with other vegetables such as butternut squash or even in soup it would be tasty. 

Do share with me your favourite sweet potatoe recipes in your comment.