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.

The New Year is the perfect time to start afresh, especially with your eating habits that may have gone slightly awry over the last few weeks.

It’s always such an excessive time isn’t? There’s no other season that makes it ok to stuff your face. But that’s life, and it’s always about balance, so I hope you’ve had a good time doing it!

That said, it’s always nice to get back on track as there’s only so much one can consume in those quantities, so if you’re feeling the after effects of the festive season (I know I am!) then a few simple changes can really help you to feel back to your perky best.

This isn’t about making drastic changes, although if that’s what you fancy, then go for it.  This is more of a quick way to help your body cut down on any excesses, aid detoxification, reduce any sluggishness and to give you more energy.

1. Sip smart

Swap your morning latte for a cup of antioxidant rich green tea, a cup of hot water with lemon or a green juice/smoothie.

Whilst caffeine can give you a superficial boost, it actually places a stress on your system leaving you feeling drained and craving more caffeine for another boost of energy.

It’s a vicious circle. Hot water and lemon is a common cleanser, and a green juice is packed full of nutritious vegetables, helping to restore diminished nutrient stores.

Dehydration is likely so remember to keep sipping on water throughout the day.

2.  Reduce your sugar intake

Alcohol, cakes, chocolate, mince pies…  December is packed full of them and eventually they will zap your energy (as well as becoming addictive).

You need to come off this sugar rollercoaster by cutting these out.  Your digestive system, skin and energy levels will thank you.

3. Think clean, lean and green

Tis the season of heavy, rich and unprocessed foods.  Give your body a break by avoiding these (including red meat and wheat) and stick to whole, natural and unprocessed foods.

Smoothies like this and soups are a great alternative to heavy meals and provide your body with a much needed nutritional boost.

Alternatively, lean meats, poultry, fish, leafy green vegetables, brown rice and quinoa are always a good bet.

4. Stick to 3 meals a day plus 1 snack

Eating constantly throughout the day with little break places a HUGE burden on the digestive system.

If you are constantly metabolising food it leaves little time for any other essential functions like detoxifying, cleansing, recovery and repair.

Sticking to a schedule of three meals plus a snack or two allows your body to be able to fully digest your food and concentrate on the other important functions as well as healing.

5. Move your body

This doesn’t have to be a super intense workout (although it won’t hurt if you’re up to it!), as your body might require something a bit more gentle, but anything to get the heart pumping, muscles moving and blood really circulating.

Sometimes moving in a restorative way like yoga, hiking or cycling means you’re able to release tension from your body in more restorative way, aiding recovery and repair.

6. Sleep well and often

It’s likely you’ve been burning the candle at both ends and the cost of this is always sleep.  Even if you have been sleeping longer hours, consuming alcohol means that the quality of your sleep is compromised.

Get to bed earlier, switch off from technology and get some much needed R&R.

The post 6 Quick Detox Tips appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.

January is the season of deprivation.  Everywhere I look someone has given up alcohol, or chocolate or heaven forbid, both! If you’re struggling with your resolutions, or haven’t made any goals or lists of what you would like to achieve this year, it really isn’t too late to start.

Think about making simple positive changes that will make you happy.

Here are 10 ideas to help you get started:

1. Start the day on a positive note

Life can be busy and it’s so easy to get wrapped up in our lives that we forget to just be thankful for each new day.  It’s incredible how much difference a little positivity can make to your mood and set the tone for the rest of the day. Make a conscious effort to start the day with a positive thought. It could be being thankful for all your blessings, or perhaps it’s just by watching a funny YouTube clip – anything to get you smiling and ready to begin your day.

2. Change the way you think about food

Too many of us have a complicated relationship with food but it doesn’t have to be that way.  Don’t look at food as being something to restrict, but as fuel to nourish you and provide you with energy, strength and vitality.

3. Be consistent, not excessive

This ties in nicely with my point above.  You don’t have to restrict your food intake to extremes or overeat to the point that you’re uncomfortable, nor do you have to exercise like a crazy person every day. Find a balance and as long you’re consistent with both you will see the results you’re after.

4. Switch off

We are so connected and available that most of us check our phone around 150 times day, and every 6 seconds in the evening! Unbelievable! I check my phone first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and I know it’s not good for me.  Not only do the bright lights at night affect your sleep inducing hormones, but also the information overload from emails (or whatever it is you’re doing) keeps your brain alert and wired – NOT a good way to wind down before bed.  So try to switch off from all gadgets, for at least an hour a day, preferably before bedtime.

5. Read for fun

There’s nothing like getting lost in a good book.  I love books, and I love reading, I just don’t do enough of it. Holidays are the only time where I seem to read consistently.  If you don’t feel like you have the time follow rule 4 above and switch off from all gadgets  (err, unless you’re reading on a kindle!) and dive into a good book before bed.  It’s so important to continue learning and being creative which reading provides. It can also help you to switch off and unwind from the day, great to help promote a restful sleep.

6. Get your beauty sleep

At least 8 hours.  Sleep earlier or wake up later, just do it.  When we rest our bodies are busy repairing, detoxifying and consolidating our memories. Inadequate sleep can lead to poor memory function, fatigue, inability to recover, low immune system, increased appetite and ageing! Phew! Go to bed already!

7. Have more me time

Take a bath, go for a walk, get to a yoga class, whatever makes you happy.  Work pressures and hectic social lives mean a constant demand on our time so we focus less on ourselves and the things we really enjoy doing.  Don’t be afraid to say no to friends, to indulge yourself.

8. Don’t take life so seriously

Yes life can be hard, we have responsibilities and pressures but doing it with a smile on your face makes it all the more worthwhile.  Don’t forget the bigger picture – this is your life, it’s a not dress rehearsal.

9. Gain some perspective

Things are rarely as bad as they seem, and there are a lot more people out there in a worse-off situation.  If you’re healthy, have a roof over your head, food on the table and clothes on your back, you’re doing good.  Some people aren’t granted that privilege, so it’s always important to take stock and remember just how blessed you really are.

10. Stop comparing yourself to others

Everyone else’s lives always seem to be better.  They are happier, healthier, shinier, have better relationships, jobs, etc, etc, etc. But remember, you’ll never really know what’s going on in someone else’s life, and constantly comparing yourself to a perceived reality is a recipe for making yourself feel completely inadequate. The storm of social media makes other people’s lives so accessible.  But in reality it’s just a snap shot of a moment in time (plus a lot of Photoshop!). Live your life for you.

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2014.  Make it count 🙂

The post 10 Simple positive life changes you can make today appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.