Coconut Chicken Broth

Winter is coming and I can't lie, I'm dreading it! Every year I hope I'll wake up in some sunny location near the beach, wearing my sarong and tanga but nope, here I am again moaning about the cold. 

But, if there's anything I love about winter it's the food and training. There's nothing like finishing off a lifting session and knowing you have a warm hot pot or soup waiting for you. 

I initially made this dish out of pure boredom but it came out really yummy. Very autumnal and I tried to make it as lean and  healthy as possible. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did. 

INGREDIENTS:

2 corn fed chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1 medium onion, finely chopped 

2 cups green beans, sliced 

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small red chilli, finely chopped 

Crushed fresh ginger

1 cup coconut milk

2 cups chicken stock 

1 tsp coconut oil 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Add other spices if you like

Brown the chicken in the 1 teaspoon of coconut oil on a moderately high heat. Add onions, garlic  and chilli. Pour in chicken stock and coconut milk, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Switch off the the cooker completely and then add the green beans to the pot. Allow the vegetables to steam cook until you are ready to serve.

Serve with rice or black bean spaghetti but it can also be eaten on its own. 

How to start a fitness journey

We've all done it, suddenly got that urge to get fitter and have that amazing body for our summer holiday, wedding day, getting over an ex or just not liking what you see in the mirror.  Whatever the reason may be, being fit and healthy has become a part of most conversations these days, so where do you start?  Do you become vegan, do you cut out sugar, do you do the London marathon or do a cycling trek around Europe?  It can be extremely overwhelming with the amount of information around with all the social media, television, newspapers faffing on about what we should or shouldn't be doing health wise. 

So here are my top tips on how to get started if you're thinking of starting your own journey towards a fitness goal. 

1) Don't wait until Christmas or Monday to get started. I only say this because I was one of those that did exactly that and kept putting it off. Set a date/week when you know you can prepare yourself mentally to get up and do down thing. 

2) Start trying out different healthier foods. It could be leaner cuts of meat, , lower GI carbs or a deifferent vegetable. It's all trial and error and you won't get it right the first time but do stuck at it as that'll help greatly with weight loss and general well-being. 

3) Don't join the gym...well kind of join but not really.rather commit to a Bootcamp class say for about 6-8 weeks and see how you get on as you will all be beginners and won't feel so overwhelmed or silly if you can't do something. You'll also be taught proper form and your trainer will have the patience to know you're not Wonderwoman or Thor just yet. 

4) Drink more water. Drastically cut down on fizzy drinks and alcohol and resolve that with a minimum of 2 litres of water per day. Not infused water just good old plain water. You soon won't be able to do without it. 

5) Be patient with yourself. I know what it feels like to want to take a progress picture just two weeks after you've started training and see no change lol. Give yourself at least 3 months before taking your second picture from the time you started. It's far more satisfying and be proud of every small achievement.

6)  Learn how to cook. The kitchen is your best friend as this is where all your nutrition is coming from. It's so much easier to cook or prep tasty meals not only for you but also for your family. I highly recommend getting Joe Wicks: Lean in 15 or Low Carb Revolution by Annie Bell if you're just learning how to cook as his recipes are easy to follow, delicious and healthy. 

I'm a comfort eater and these books have definitely helped keep me away from eating all the crisps and cake!! 

7) Cut out the negativity. Whether it's coming from friends, family or yourself, just cut it right out!!! It's unnecessary energy and will only slow you down mentally and physically. Your hard work and the results you get should never be dictated by others, use your time in the gym to empower yourself in every way. 

8) Make a weekly shopping list. Know what you're buying and  try and only have healthy foods in your fridge/freezer. Healthy eating isn't expensive if you buy in the right places. Source out your local halaal shops, find the nearest LIDL or ALDI, go to your local markets and see what protein packs your butcher can do for you at a discounted price. 

9) Do what works for you. It's easy to go onto Instagram, watch a 1 minute video or see a physique you like and expect to look like that within minutes. The truth is, there's a lot of Photoshop going on these days and a few lies being told here and there in the fitness industry. Best thing to do is certainly look for inspiration on these platforms but use your own body as motivation. There's not one person on this planet with the exact same body as yours so make yours the best it can be. Also pick exercises that'll best suit you. It could be yoga, HIIT, weights, swimming. As long as it's working for your body stick at it and continue to be great. 

10) Lastly, learn to accept your body and appreciate the beautiful things about it. Work hard and know you're achieving something great just by choosing to change your body and mind. You may not have the biggest biceps or glutes but there's someone out there that wishes they were doing just half of what you're doing to achieve what you've achieved. You're beautiful and being your best self. Nothing is greater than that. 

I'll end this blog on that note and remember to always try your best and do everything with positivity. Your dreams are only achieved when you work hard towards them xx

Turkey mince and Butternut squash bake

If you're not sure what to do with your butternut squash, why not mash it up and make this delicious dish for family or friends. Super easy to prep and if you're not able to finish it all, just freeze the rest for later.

Do let me know if you try it  and happy cooking!! 

INGREDIENTS:

2 TABLESPOONS COCONUT OIL

1 MEDIUM BUTTERNUT SQUASH (peeled, de-seeded and diced)

1 LARGE ONION (diced)

400g TURKEY MINCE

1 SMALL PACKET CUBETTI DI PANCETTA

2 TABLESPOONS ORGANIC TOMATO PASTE

1 SMALL CUP OF WATER

SALT, PEPPER AND THYME TO TASTE

Add one tablespoon of the coconut oil into a large frying pan, add the mince and season with salt, pepper and thyme. Fry until brown. Add onions and sautée and add the two tablespoons of tomato paste. Simmer for 5 minutes and set aside. 

Add the other tablespoon of coconut oil to a large pot and lightly fry the butternut squash. Add the cup of water and simmer until soft enough to mash (about 15-20mins). 

Place the mince into a large oven dish then layer with the mashed butternut squash. Top with the cubetti di pancetta and grill at 200 degrees until the top is lightly crispy. 

Serves 4-6

Enjoy ❤️

Ibiza: La Isla Bonita

Well, It's been well over a year since I blogged, where does the time go??  But, I thought why not use my blog for everything instead of just fitness.  So, I've decided to bring in a bit of my travelling experiences as it's one of my great passions in life as well as a little bit of fashion/beauty every now and again. Of course the fitness posts will continue as it's now part of my everyday life but I do think Instagram has been an excellent platform for that so follow me there (@lilcherub3) for more of those posts.  This is my first travel blog so here goes nothing.

The summer holidays inspired me to get back into blogging as I like to share my experiences of places I've visited (and selfies). Just got back from the beautiful island of Ibiza and yes, it was a family holiday.  Ibiza is known as the party island. Every superstar DJ, Artist is due to be there in the high season which runs from April to November if I remember correctly.  The southern parts of the island are filled with revellers from all over the world ready to deal with constant hangovers for weeks. Some were a little worse for wear before we had even arrived there as the lad sitting next to me had to get up several times to go and be sick *cringe*. The Northern parts of the island however are much quieter, peaceful and are full of beautiful coves ready to be discovered and this time I wanted to make sure we visited as many as we could.

This was our second holiday to Ibiza so I've added some information on where to stay from our previous trip in 2013 as I got a lot of questions on where we were staying on that trip too.

We flew from Bristol airport on a 6am flight and arrived in Ibiza at about 10am as there was a slight delay when taking off. Luggage done, car collected and we are swiftly on our way towards Cala San Vincente. It's about a 1hr drive from the airport but that's fine as the scenery is absolutely breathtaking as you drive passed San Carlos, which is where we stayed on our previous holiday. The beauty of San Carlos is the convenience and access to shops, restaurants, beaches and of course the Las Dalias hippie market is located here also.  We stayed right next door to the market but didn't feel overcrowded at the same time. The market is great for children and adults alike and in the evening turns into somewhat of a mini music festival with live bands, DJ's and quaint bar setups serving the freshest cocktails and of course the most soothing deep house playing in the background. Definitely an area I would recommend to stay for a quieter Ibizan holiday.  I've added some photos below of our previous holiday in August of 2013 as we didn't visit the market this year.

Las Dalias market cocktail bar

I want to un-see it too!!!

August 2013 Villa can be found at ownersdirect.com

So back to this year, we finally arrive at Cala San Vincente at about 11am and have to wait until 1pm to get the keys to our villa. So we wait at our favourite beach front restaurant On The Beach and immediately settle down for some lunch and a cocktail.  The weather is surprisingly windy and slightly cloudy but the boys are already on the beach and in the water before we could even ask them what they wanted to eat.  The wind is getting worse so the beautiful owner of the restaurant (trust me, Jay is beautiful and so is his gorgeous girlfriend Anna, just a dreamy couple) comes over and puts up the windbreakers to stop the sand coming in.  We have our lunch and eventually get to 1pm to meet the agents with our keys. The villa is about a 10 minute drive from the beach which was a great relief as our eyes were really heavy at this point. 

The villa was situated up in the hills of Sant Joan de Labritja, nice and quiet except for the occasional cat fight and early morning wake up call from our resident cockerel.  It's set in several acres of land with it's own organic fruit/vegetable garden, chicken run so fresh eggs every morning were a nice treat. The minute we sat down to unpack it started raining heavily non-stop for two days, flash floods and all!!! Luckily we had done some grocery shopping on the way to the villa in Santa Eulalia which has your nearest supermarket.

The rains finally stopped and it was time to get to the beach immediately as the sun was ready to come out and play by 8am. My mission this time for the family was to find more beaches close by and explore the island a little bit more. We've taken on a healthier and fitter lifestyle so my main aim was to ensure we also ate well and kept fit in some way. Food was my main priority so here are a few places you can eat and shop for healthier meal choices.

SUPERMARKETS

There are a range of Supermarkets in this Santa Eulalia including LIDL, SPAR and Eroski.  The one we used mostly for large shopping trips was Eroski. It was about a 25 minute drive from the villa so that was not too bad to get to. You'll find this store on the road to Es Canar. They offer a wide range of products and also offer an organic range on most meat and chicken.  There is a fresh fish counter, fresh fruit and veg and great options on non-dairy milk, cheese, organic juice and everything else in between. There is also a SPAR in the centre of Santa Eulalia but it's more of a convenience store.

The SPAR in San Carlos is en route to Santa Eulalia and is situated right next to the Las Dalias hippie market which was very handy on our previous trip to the island.  Also great selection in there for dairy free milk and English delicacies if that's what you're looking for.  There is another SPAR closer to San Vincente and is situated just before the turn off to Aguas Blancas.

Cala San Vincente has about two small convenience stores on the beach front. Not the best food selection, you'll be able to get a few essentials and that's about it but it's great to get beach necessities for the kids to play with.  The boys managed to get themselves an inflatable boat which seemed to be the highlight of their entire trip, her name was HMS Bessie!! Other than that the shops don't provide much nutritional food.

FITNESS SHOP

I was so happy when I saw this shop.  It's got everything needed if you're a gym freak. I couldn't take any pictures inside as my phone battery had died by the time I came back to have a look inside. But if you're looking for a supplement shop in Santa Eulalia then here you go. It's around the corner from the Passion Restaurant.

BEACHES

This is my favourite part of all my holidays.  I am a beach bum to the core!! Sun worshipping in a bikini or tanga and relaxation are my favourite pass times in life.  I made sure this time we went to as many beaches and really got the most of our holiday in the sun.  As mentioned above, we were staying in Cala San Vincente so we had a beach right at our doorstep so this was our go-to beach to kill the boys boredom. I'll give you a quick run down of the of the beaches we visited.

CALA D'EN SERRA

This was by far my favourite beach out of all the ones we visited, it was just beautiful.  I like to call it The Lover's Beach as it's very quiet, secluded and you couldn't help but get a romantic aura once you had settled in. It was about a 25-30 minute drive from where we were living.  We drove towards San Joan direction of Portinatx and there were plenty signs directing us to this little treasure.  The views as you drive down are absolutely breathtaking, I honestly have not seen anything like it.  I've added some images to show what we saw but they don't do it justice at all.

It's quite daunting to drive down the cliffs but once you arrive, park as far down as you can in order to get as close as you can to the beach. Don't park beyond the hotel ruins or you'll get stuck and probably won't be able to get out without help from the recovery service. You'll have to walk down to get to the water but it's all worthwhile.

Hotel ruins

Once you get down to the beach, there's a little beach hut where you can get your freshly squeezed juice mixes, smoothies and every delicious cocktail imaginable. They also serve food there which is handy after that walk down. It's owned by a Dutch couple and they were kind enough to let me take pictures and a video of their business. The beach can get quite packed on weekends so it's best to go on a weekday to get the best out of this place. You can also hire sunloungers and parasols from them for about 8 Euros. The only downside was this seems to be a hotspot for the Pink Jellyfish so just make sure you get a good look in the water before diving in or you will get stung!!  Other than that it's time to get your tanning lotion out, swimwear on and enjoy this beautiful little cove with the house music playing in the background from the hut.

CALA DE BOIX

If you like big waves this is the beach to go to. The kids could play all day in them.  The tide came in about 3pm so we had to keep moving from to avoid getting absolutely soaked. There are various bars and restaurants surrounding this beach so food won't be a problem but good luck walking up the stairs to get to them!! There's a bar/mini restaurant on the beach as well so you can get your drinks and food from there too. 

CALA NOVA

This is my second favourite beach to visit. Beautiful clear water and you can swim out quite far as the water is shallow for miles.  Perfect for snorkelling and plenty of space to relax so doesn't feel overcrowded.  They also serve champagne and prosecco and that's always a good thing right? It also has quite a few secluded spots if you don't fancy doing your topless tanning with the masses. Stunning views.

AGUAS BLANCAS

This was a very chic beach, little St Tropez. It was yacht owners paradise as they all docked and all I could do was admire them as they were brought to shore by water taxi.  Meanwhile, I walked down to the beach and took in the stunning views. There's a car park as you drive in which will cost you about 6 Euros for the whole day. There's a beautiful bar/restaurant on your right as you go down the stairs towards the sand and gorgeous people of course. This place also has a mud bath if you turn left when you get onto the beach, you might find a few people covered in a red/grey clay from head to toe sun-bathing.  Apparently, the mud has detoxifying and healing properties, so I put some in a cup and had a try of it when I got back to our villa. It was quite good, anything natural is worth a try. Definitely worth a visit and only a 15 minute drive from San Vincente.

CALA SAN VINCENTE

This place is the reason why we came back to Ibiza and opted for a villa in this area.  The last villa we stayed in was in San Carlos so we asked the owner the best place to go so it's not too crowded, fun for children but will have a great restaurant as well. He recommended Cala San Vincente immediately. We drove down and were not disappointed at all. The first thing you get is the incredible views on the way down, which don't disappoint once you get there.  There's a beautiful bar called On the Beach which again has a great menu and they offer healthy options too from smoothies to super juices using fresh organic fruit.

Meal options are great too and I think there's a vegan or vegetarian menu as well but I can't quite remember if this is a fact.  Plenty of activities for the kids and a great place to relax as well.  It's even better when they have a DJ playing live house music or a live band which is great if you're tired of your holiday playlist.

CALA XARRACA

Went to this beach out of sheer frustration as the boys were in a mood for not having any battery life on their ipads as we drove from the grocery store and when we arrived there were no waves (because waves are literally life for them). It was a great mood killer as the place provided us with some much needed refreshments and a break from being in the car.  Another beautiful quaint beach, surrounded by some rather grand villas.This was yet another beach to have mud baths and some of the people covered themselves head to toe in the red clay to protect and detox their skin. Calm water and a few rather brave girls and guys jumping off the rock that can be seen in the video and photos below.

SHOPPING

I didn't really go shopping as much as I did the first time we visited but I did find a little store with some really great pieces.  Santa Eulalia is usually my go to place to clothes shop. You'll find the usual beauty shops, designer stores, high street stores and there's usually a market in the Town Hall Square. There are two ART shopping centres that do the most amazing bikini sets and tangas, I think I bought all of them on this trip!! I also decided to venture around the square a little more and ended up in Ibiza Music Collection (ibizamusic.es)

I was searching for a dress for the last dinner on our trip and I found the perfect silk dress in here. They sold music brands most true to the island such as Las Dalias, F**k Me I'm Famous and Flower Power from Pacha plus various others and it's also the hub for all your tickets to the hottest events in town.  The Las Dalias pure linen dresses are my must-buys for when I next visit. The gorgeous ladies helped me pick out my dresses and it seemed like a party in there with all the music playing. Even had my dress custom fitted by the ladies to make sure I was happy with my purchase. It's worth a look as they cater to ladies, men and children with all the brands.

The beautiful girls at the store

There are many other shops sprawled around the esplanade for all you shopping needs but these were a few I visited and got exactly what I needed.  You could also travel into main town Ibiza if you really want all the high street stores and high-end designer stores from Cavalli to Gucci to Versace and everything else in between.

RESTAURANTS

We visited many restaurants on this trip but decided to only blog about these two as they were the most memorable for all of us. When I travel, I like to try out as many different foods as possible and I like to change where I eat often because I'm just weird like that. But these places are my recommendations if you decide to visit this side of the island.

PASSION 

You can find this Vegan restaurant just around the corner from the fitness store I mentioned above in Santa Eularia. It's right at the end of the promenade at the water front but the view is worth the walk. If you're looking for healthy food options then this is definitely the place you want to visit.  You will find a variety of super juices, smoothies, protein shakes and various vegan and vegetarian meal options too.  Great place to relax and have a great meal after a workout or if you want to stay on track with your healthy eating.

They also sell a range of goods such as organic tea varieties from Teapigs, organic wines and juices and various other goods to buy and enjoy.

I had quite a big breakfast before coming to shop in Santa Eulalia so decided to enjoy a variety of super juices as the heat was crazy that day. Check out their website for more information and get a chance to look at their menu plus you can find their other locations too.

ES CAFE (Casa Pepe)

When I first saw the signs for Es Cafe, I remember thinking it was just a small local cafe where everyone gets together and has a coffee to discuss away the stresses of life. I could not have been more wrong!! It was at the bottom of the hill from our villa so you can walk  there if you decide to book a villa in the same area as we did. This is the perfect family restaurant and just had an atmosphere and nostalgia to die for.

We booked a table there but hadn't realised it was sushi night as they have different themes for almost every night.  They are essentially a Thai restaurant but still do a fabulous grill night and have delicious freshly made sushi, the head chef was kind enough to let me film him making the sushi and other delicacies, a skill I'd like to learn some day.

When we arrived we thought the place was going to be quiet but just an hour later, it was alive with mostly locals that all knew each other and it was buzzing with excitement and a thrilling Spanish ambiance.

Lucas Munoz making some of the best sushi I've ever tasted

Our server for the night was the gorgeous  Anna and she made sure we were taken care of throughout the evening, even giving us a brief history of the restaurant and the area. This is a place we will most definitely visit again simply because of the great service, hospitality, beautiful food atmosphere and it's variety of cultures and flavours.  If you're visiting San Joan or San Vincente, then I recommend booking a table at Es Cafe Casa Pepe (tel:0034 971 32 01 34)

GIRI CAFE

I've saved the best for last as this place absolutely blew all of us away and we are so glad we stumbled upon it.  We drove into San Joan and parked in the square to find somewhere to eat on the day we arrived as I was too tired to cook that day.  When we arrived there we looked around for a few restaurants but nothing caught our eye.  We crossed the road from the car park and at this point I was willing to just go home. We initially didn't think Giri Cafe was a restaurant as the outside is very understated.

We walked into what was one of the most chic and renowned restaurants on the island, yes, even recommended by Vogue Magazine.  The first thing you see is a large open plan dining area with plenty of seating with a modern contemporary design.  We thought that's where the restaurant ended but were soon offered seating in the the beautiful garden.  This space is fantastic for large groups or families and the kids could have a run around if they wished to do so.  This place was just beyond amazing and was perfect for our first outing on the island.  Everything was perfect from the menu, 5 star service and ambiance. What made it even better was the sunset we had on that first day, perfect Ibizan bliss.  We also had our last meal on the island there as we loved it so much, it was a great way to end our holiday and I'm glad I got to wear my dress from the Ibiza Music store

open plan dining area

I would highly recommend having a meal here if you are on the northern side of the island, you certainly won't regret it, bookings can be made via their website www.cafe.thegiri.com.  Not only do they have this amazing restaurant but they also have a boutique hotel and spa, The Giri Residence, that you can book here www.thegiri.com.

outdoor garden and lounge area

dress from ibizamusic.es

If relaxation is your thing, I hope I've given you some great ideas on places to visit and stay if you decide to visit the northern sides of the island.  If you need any more information or have any questions, feel free to email me thelivingcherub@gmail.com