All posts filed under: Breakfast

Lemon Balm & Blueberry Porridge for a Merry Heart

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So I have been experimenting with using my anti-anxiety holy trinity (passionflower, lemon balm, wood betony) outside of my regular tincture and herbal tea. This harmonising porridge bowl is one of the results of this ongoing experiment – and what a wonderful way to start the day it is. In traditional herbalism, lemon balm is used to induce a ‘merry heart’. How lovely is that? It has been used for centuries for it’s medicinal properties. It melts away your stress, irritation, calms those frazzled nerves and takes the edge off of your anxiety completely. Additionally, it’s an anti-inflammatory; it will provide relief from digestive issues and period pains. What better way than to have it in the morning with your breakfast, and set yourself up for a good day? You can grow your own lemon balm, or purchase the dried leaves. I buy my dried leaves from Indigo Herbs or Neals Yard Remedies. Once you have purchased the dried herbs you can use them to make tea or sprinkle in your soups, stews, salads, smoothies… …

‘All-Out’ Pink Power Pancakes

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Yep, I am not kidding. PINK PANCAKES! This is a gorgeously tasting mixture of  beetroot, creamy banana, nutty buckwheat with a kick of ginger and nutmeg. Did I mention this recipe comes with a sugar-free chocolate sauce, too? Oh, stop it. How do you feel after eating beetroot? If you haven’t yet asked yourself that question, I would suggest you do. Eating an abundance of beetroot, whether it’s in a soup, in my pancakes (!), or in a salad gives me increased energy, clarity and a clearer head. This is probably due to the fact that beetroots are a great source of vitamin C, widely known as a combatant against the common British snuffly nose. Vitamin C is uplifting and energizing. It’s a powerful antioxidant and it is also involved in the production of collagen – maintaining healthy cell reproduction. This is why you see so many anti-aging creams with vitamin C in it! You’ll notice that the healthier you eat, the more your skin will behave itself. Rich in iron, beetroots will be beneficial for …

Green Smoothie + Overnight Oats Breakfast Duo

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This is the breakfast I always reach for during my Mon-Fri job in school. Basically, I would eat this at 7.30, leave at 7.45, then work with the children solidly until lunch at 12.30 and I wouldn’t get a hungry rumbly tummy or blood sugar crash AT ALL. The filling, energy sustaining oats and chia seeds with the clarifying, energizing green smoothie is better than any Weetabix claim! Have you ever made overnight oats before? It’s really simple: Measure out 1 cup/50g of oats in a bowl Cover with milk of your choice Mix together Place bowl in fridge overnight … and that is literally it! They taste so, so creamy, they don’t feel as heavy in your stomach as a hot bowl of porridge, yet they’re super filling. Also, no fuss or mess in the morning. You can take your bowl out from the fridge and start eating. Perfect for anyone in a rush or wanting zero faffing. I mix in chia seeds with my oats. Why? First of all, chia seeds are like a binding agent, …

Fig, Turmeric and Banana Smoothie

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Turmeric?! In a smoothie?! I hear your doubtful cries, but I shall sit here smugly smirking and enjoying the deliciously creamy banana and fig combination and the multitude of anti-anxiety and depression benefits that turmeric has to offer. I literally sound as if I’m on a TV Channel selling watches. Oh well. As you may have read in my recent Butternut Stew Recipe, I’ve been experimenting with Ayurvedic spicing and it’s benefits for mental health. Ayurveda is a 5000 year old holistic system of natural healing originating from India. It stems from two words: ‘Aya‘ meaning ‘Life’ and ‘Veda‘ meaning ‘Study’ or ‘Knowledge of’.  The knowledge of life! It reminds us that health is a vital balance and integration of mind, body, spirit and environment (which is right up my street!). Turmeric is fast becoming recognized for it’s uses in treating depressive disorders. The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, has a huge range of medicinal benefits including being an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-oxidant. As well as this, curcumin is being looked into for alleviating the …

‘All-Out’ Wheatgrass Power Pancakes

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This recipe is for when you’ve got a Sunday morning all to yourself. Banana, spinach, buckwheat and wheatgrass pancakes perfectly paired with blueberries, goji berries and a peanut butter sauce. I look forward to my Sunday mornings all week thanks to this recipe – waking up, flannel to the face, clothes on, walk to the beach, come back and stuff myself with green pancakes and cuban coffee. Oh my lord.. it really doesn’t get much better. I’ve called them ‘All Out’ pancakes because I go all out on them. ‘Matilda’ sized pancakes, stacked in the most pretentiously Pinteresty way, and covered in all sorts of goodies like blueberries, banana, buckwheat groats, goji berries, peanut butter and date sauce… the list could go on. You could add your own toppings like desiccated coconut, nuts or seeds, frozen fruit, syrup… oh blimey, it’s really hard for me to write this in the evening just before dinner – I want to leap out of my seat and start making pancakes instead! So – why spinach and wheatgrass? Spinach is …

Carob and Coffee Hangover Cure

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Say hello to your new favorite grogginess-banisher. This is a bit of a spin-off of my Kick-Up-The-Arse Coffee. I say that because this kicks you right back into the realms of feeling human once again. The coffee gives you the much needed zing, the banana and stone fruit clears the head of brain fog, the ice cubes wake you up and the carob, cinnamon and nutmeg provide a sweet, nutty and decadent kiss. Carob is used as a chocolate substitute for people who are allergic to chocolate and dairy. I love it not only for it’s taste, but it’s gallic acid – beneficial as an antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial. It’s good for your insides. If you research the benefits of coffee, you’ll find that it’s becoming increasingly popular due to it’s numerous proven benefits. It pairs perfectly with the carob, nutmeg and cinnamon in this smoothie and gives it a smooth, nutty, caramel-y flavor. The caffeine increases your energy, cognitive function, reaction times and gives you a sense of euphoria. I mentioned in a previous post how I …

Chai Spelt Banana Bread (Vegan)

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Moist, delicious and aromatic banana bread subtly infused with cardomom, cloves, pepper and cinnamon with walnuts for the odd crunch. Also, it’s vegan. Sound good? YES. The riper your bananas, the sweeter the bread. I threw in some dates, too, for that extra sweetness. You will find out as I post more on this blog, that I am a bit of a chai nut. I really love chai. It transports me to festival world (where, no kidding, I would happily spend £10 a day solely on chai), where I am warm, happy, carefree and excitable. The aromatic spices used in this bread give it an incredible flavour whilst lending a whole heap of health benefits. Chai spices have been relied on by Ayurveda to soothe digestive problems and act as a revitaliser. Adding cardamom helps to reduce mood swings! I like to think of the spices as ‘soul soothing’ –  grounding, nourishing, warming and sweet. This is so delicious, and it can be eaten in a multitude of ways. You could have it for breakfast, …

Anxiety Taming Blueberry, Nutmeg and Cashew Smoothie Bowl

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I’m sorry I haven’t been posting regularly recently. Truth be told, I could string out a hundred different excuses; Monday-Friday job, busy weekends, drivel drivel e.t.c. I currently use the website Tumblr for some everyday mindless scrolling. I was scrolling through the Newsfeed last week and a thread hit home. it was about prioritising the important things and how we all have a bit of a tendency to procrastinate and to put things aside for later. It went along the lines of this: ‘Next time you tell yourself, ‘I’ll call Mum later’, ‘I’ll text my friend back tomorrow’, ‘I’ll start my assignment soon’, STOP your train of thought and replace it with, ‘Calling Mum is not a priority right now’. ‘My assignment is not a priority right now’. ‘Texting back my friend is not a priority right now’. Immediately my thoughts wandered to this blog of mine, which I had been putting off. When I looked at my procrastination from that perspective, I got a good kick up the bum. Of course this blog is a priority. Why …

Start your day with a breakfast high in serotonin

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Do you like the sound of a breakfast that’s healthy, filling, full of serotonin-inducing chemicals and tastes like coco pops? I do. Most mornings. This is a maca, cacao, banana, milk and buckwheat breakfast ‘parfait’. It’s filled with all of the good stuff: food that is full of tryptophan, flavanoids, lecithin and a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. I always recommend bananas as a happy food for those with a hangover, illness, anxiety or low mood. Whilst it doesn’t directly affect brain chemistry, the high levels of potassium, b6 and tryptophan helps to boost natural serotonin production, the happy chemical. Winner! In small doses, cacao is a natural aphrodisiac, heightening the feelings of euphoria and pleasure and reducing the stress hormone in your body. Maca root powder is a stimulant and has been widely used to treat anxiety and depression (however it is recommended only using maca up to 3x a week). Buckwheat may sound like a grain, but it is actually derived from rhubarb! it is ideal for those wanting to go gluten free as …