Enter, KIN. KIN add probiotics (good gut bacteria) and fibre to their WHEY-LESS protein powder range which makes it much gentler on the stomach, and thus easier to digest. It’s rare that I am truly taken by a product but I have been genuinely impressed by their product range.

Taste and Texture

I have been through my fair share of powdery and gritty protein powders that were full of artificial sweeteners and tasted nothing like they said they would. It is therefore SO refreshing to find a product that delivers on both taste and texture. When it comes to mixing protein powders with just water, texture is right up there on my importance list and I doubt you will find a smoother blend than this one (I’ve mixed with water in a shaker bottle, and with my nutribullet).

My personal favourite is the WHEY-LESS Choc Mint because it actually tastes like mint choc chip ice cream, which is pure heaven. Not only that, it contains 125 calories, 23g of protein and only 4.7g of carbohydrates (of which 0.2 g are sugars). This is perfect to hit your protein requirements without adding excessive carbohydrates.

If you’re on the hunt for a new protein powder, especially if you have struggled to digest one before, I couldn’t recommend KIN enough.

The post Product Review – KIN WHEY-LESS Protein Powder appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.

Whenever I’m making it, I think ‘why don’t I make this more often?’. And then I remember. Making pancakes is a messy job. 5 minutes to whizz up all the ingredients. And then somehow in the making process I seem to get the batter EVERYWHERE. All over the kitchen, the walls, the surfaces, me.

No fun.

I am in awe of American families who make 10,000 of these for breakfast and make it look so easy. How do they do that? It takes me about 5000 hours hours to cook the entire lot.  If you have any tips for me please do share!

Moving on. These are my favourite pancakes to date. I used my standard recipe and added some peanut butter to the mix – DIVINE! I hope your pancake flipping skills are much better than mine.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten free oats
• 2 medium sized ripe bananas
• 2 medium eggs
• 240g cottage cheese
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• Oat milk to thin to desired consistency

Directions:

1. Blitz all the ingredients together (I used my NutriBullet)
2. Melt butter/coconut oil over a medium flame
3. Spoon two tablespoons of batter onto the pan (I use food rings to keep the pancakes contained)
4. Cook for a few minutes then flip over and cook until done.
5. Serve with whatever takes your fancy – bananas and berries work really well or some dark chocolate chips if you’re feeling fancy!

Disclaimer: That makes it sounds SO easy! Don’t be disheartened if yours end up a bit crap, or a bit burnt, or not round. I always ruin the first few until I get into a bit of a groove (yes I still ate them). The main thing is that they will still taste amazing, are full of protein, have no refined sugar and are gluten free. Winner.

The post Peanut Butter Pancakes appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.

This is a great post workout smoothie as the banana (carbohydrate) helps the body to absorb the protein powder more efficiently.

Having protein with every meal and snack is really important to help balance blood sugar levels, manage energy levels and balance hormones.

Serves one.

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 scoop Vega Sport Performance protein powder in vanilla
• 1/2 frozen banana
• Handful raspberries
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds

Method

Mix all together in a nutribullet or blender and voila.  Add more almond milk accordingly if you like your smoothies thinner (I prefer mine on the thicker side).

The post Raspberry Protein Smoothie appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.

I always find butternut squash to be slightly underrated as vegetables go, and it baffles me somewhat considering it’s so rich in antioxidants such as Vitamins and A and C. The texture is great and holds a sauce really well.

Who needs pasta eh?

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Noodles

• 1 large butternut squash, spiralised (you can only spiralise the straighter top bits – use the bottom to make soup to avoid waste), or for ease buy the prepared shop bought ones
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 large red pepper, sliced
• Handful of kale, prepared and cut into 2 inch slices OR handful of spinach

Pesto:

• 1 large handful of spinach
• 1 large bunch of basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (plus a few extra to serve
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Pinch of sea salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
2. Toss the noodles in the olive oil, herbs and season accordingly. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper
3. Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until soft
4. Whilst the noodles are cooking, blitz together all the ingredients for the pesto, adding a little water if it gets too thick
5. Mix together the pesto, noodles, tomatoes, peppers and kale/spinach, top with toasted pine nuts and serve                                               

The post Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles With Pesto appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.

They are SO tasty and can be thrown together in less than 10 minutes. The best bit – guilt free snacking!

Oh, and they also make a great pre-workout snack as they give the right boost of energy and have a great balance of protein and complex carbohydrates.

Even kids love them too.

So what are you waiting you? Go forth and make.

Makes 16 small balls

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 banana, mashed with a fork
• 1/2 cup peanut/almond butter (if you have a peanut allergy feel free to substitute with other butters as as sunflower or pumpkin seed butter)
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut (optional)
• Healthy sprinkling of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon agave (optional)

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and using a fork mix together gently until all the ingredients have been combined well.  You can add more oats if the mixture feels too sticky.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 30 mins.
3. Remove the bowl and roll the mixture into 2 inch ball shapes.
4. Keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks (if they last that long – ours went in 3 days!).  I layered the balls on parchment paper in some Tupperware and this worked well.  You can also freeze them.

The post Peanut Butter Banana Oat No-Bake Energy Balls appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.

1. Best for digestion: Probiotics

A personal favourite of mine. These help to boost the beneficial bacteria in your gut which in turn helps the digestive process (this is really great especially if you suffer from bloating) and also boosts the immune system (70% of the immune system is in the gut)

Ditch: The yoghurt drinks (full of sugar)

Go for: At least 4 billion live bacteria (these tablets will need to be kept in the fridge).

Top tip: Best taken first thing in the morning about 30 minutes before breakfast.

2. Best for clear skin: Zinc

Zinc supports the liver, helping it to process and clear out excess toxins and hormones – both of which contribute to spotty skin. Zinc is also a great wound healer, helping to clear old scars and speeding up the life of existing spots.

Top tip: Best taken in the evening after your evening meal (taking zinc on an empty stomach can make you feel queazy).

3. Best for brain power and skin: Fish oils 

Natures brain food. Omega 3’s help to boost brain power, reduce inflammation, and support the nervous system.

Ditch: synthetic sources of fish oils

Go for: Oils derived from fresh cold water fish. Look for a ratio of 3:1 omega 3:omega 6 (at least 200-300mg DHA).

Top tip: when you open the capsules they shouldn’t smell fishy – this means they are rancid. Keep tablets in the fridge to keep them fresh.

4. Best for sleep: Magnesium

Magnesium is a natural relaxant, and deficiencies are known to affect sleep quality. Our bodies cannot store this mineral, and it gets depleted at times of stress, intensive exercise and as a result of a poor diet (sugar and caffeine) so it’s important to consume sources throughout the day.

Top Tip: Take 1-2 hours before bed.

5. Best for Energy: Spirulina

This seaweed is packed full of nutrients to help boost flow and increase our red blood cell count (the more blood cells, the more oxygen and nutrients we have, thus more energy).

Top tip: Powders are more readily digestible and you can add it to smoothies and juices. If you can’t stomach the taste capsules are also available.

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