Low-carb January - 11 days in

Recipe of the week...
...Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients: 200g spinach leaves (from fresh or frozen), 6 large eggs, 100-150g cheddar cheese, a pack of Quorn Spinach and Red Pepper Slices, and butter/marg for greasing

Time taken: 25 mins prep and 25 mins in the oven

Serves: Approx. 10 muffins

Hi readers,

How are you all today? Are you well, and getting on okay back at work? Surviving the January Blues, if you’ve come down with them? And whatever cold / flu you probably have, on top?

Hang in there, readers! That’s my main message in this post today. If you’re ill, if you’re dieting, if you’re sick of it being cold and dark, if you’re going through a break up or divorce (as it would seem most people are), if you’re eleven days into the new year and already fed up of your job / house / prospects… FEAR NOT.

Chill the F out, readers. There’s plenty of time for things to turn around. Just think – 354 days of 2018 to go! Who knows what could happen in that time! For sure, it won’t stay cold and dark for the entirety (though, maybe the majority). It’s unlikely you’ll feel ill on all of those days. The diet will break / work before you know it. And so on.

Plus, I have some GLORIOUS tips for those of you in the break up / divorce team, for how to engineer human contact. What do I mean? What does she mean??

Well. You know when you become single, readers, have you noticed how you stop making contact with other humans? You see humans, probably every day. Same as before. But you just never touch them. And nobody touches you. Like – all those humans could actually be holograms and you wouldn’t know.

It’s saddening. SO I’ve been brainstorming the rare instances in which I do actually make contact with other humans (please see below) and I’m thinking, if you’re feeling down about things, maybe it might cheer you up to sort of engineer one of these to happen? Human contact! Works wonders for the single soul, I hear.  

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Here we have it...

Ten instances of human contact for the single person (read: me) 

• If I accidentally bump into someone or someone accidentally bumps into me 

• If someone is handing me something and our hands brush

• The occasional handshake in a work meeting

• If I'm holding a baby or holding a child's hand near a road 

• If I'm sat very close to someone (e.g. theatre, public transport, footy game) and our sides are touching

• If I'm stepping up or down, or crossing a river? And a friend lends me a hand for safety

• If my yoga teacher is helping me correct a pose

• If I fall over in the street or in a nightclub and someone hoists me back up again

• If we line up for a night out pic at pre-drinks and my friends put their arms round me

• If a friend or relative gets drunk or emotional and hugs me (or vice versa, if I'm drunk/emotional and hug them)

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See! I bet there were a few in there you hadn’t thought of. I hope this comes in handy, readers, and you’re feeling better soon. Just think – this summer you’re going to be spending the money you would have spent on their birthday present, on fruity cocktails instead. To sip by the sea somewhere exotic. You’re winning, right? YES YOU ARE… you’re winning!

And it will feel like it very soon, I promise.

Also – in the spirit of cheering you up, if needed – I have a recipe of the week for you, readers! This one came recommended to me by one of the besties, who has been following my progress with low-carb eating in January and recommended me a recipe that she herself has been using for a spot of healthy January eating, as you do.

This recipe, readers, is for Breakfast Muffins. And really – there’s not much of a recipe to it! As you’ll see shortly, these muffins are very easy to prepare, in just a few simple steps. And you can chuck anything in them that you like really – there’s no need to stick with the ingredients I’ve used in my muffins. Free style to your heart’s desire!

I was only using Quorn Spinach and Red Pepper Slices because I found them on offer in the shop. Although they're very tasty - so I do recommend! Here’s a vague idea of the recipe in just ten simple steps…

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Recipe: Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients: 200g spinach leaves (from fresh or frozen), 6 large eggs, 100-150g cheddar cheese, a pack of Quorn Spinach and Red Pepper Slices, and butter/marg for greasing

1.     To start off, you need to prep your ingredients. I did this the night before to maximise my time in bed in the morning, but you could sprint out of bed and sort this in the morning no problem.

2.     First off, begin by finding a pan with a lid and heating it over a low temperature. Fill the pan with spinach leaves (just leaves - no water required), then keep checking back every few minutes to stir the leaves around and add more to the pan, as the leaves begin to wilt and reduce in size.

3.     While your spinach is wilting, grate your cheddar cheese and dice your slices of Quorn into small pieces.

4.     Once all your spinach has wilted, drain in a colander and then press between squares of kitchen roll, to remove moisture from the spinach – so you don’t end up with soggy muffins!

ChefBeHere Top Tip: If you’ve begun prepping the night before, you can leave it here. Store your cheese, Quorn and spinach in the fridge overnight, and pick this up in the morning.

5.     Next, heat your oven to 200C and get out a large mixing bowl.

6.     Crack six large eggs into the bowl and season with salt and pepper.

7.     Add your cheese, wilted spinach and Quorn to the bowl, and give everything a good stir together.

8.     Grease the holes of a muffin tray with butter or marg, and then spoon your eggy mix into the holes, filling them almost to the top.

ChefBeHere Top Tip: I filled ten muffins holes, but your mix might make more or less depending on how much you’ve made. Don’t fret! Just keep filling almost to the top.

9.     Carefully transport your tray into the oven, and leave the muffins to bake for around 25 minutes.

10.  Once your muffins are golden brown on top and firm to touch, you can safely remove them from the oven and switch this off. Your muffins should easily come out of their holes in the tray – leave to cool for a few minutes and then you can tuck in!

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What do you think, readers? Are you tempted by this recipe? Have you made similar breakfast muffins before? I must say – I have never tried anything of the kind, didn’t know this was a thing! And I’ve always been on the fence about whether or not I like egg and cheese paired together.

But, readers, these muffins came out well and they taste so good! I’m over the moon with them! Honestly, it’s been a good thing I’ve not been working from home today or I fear I would have snacked my way through the lot. I can confirm they can be eaten warm or cold, tasting just as good cold as warm, as there has been SOME snacking since I got home.

I originally made these muffins for breakfast this morning, before setting off to work, and they put me in such a good mood today! A warm, filling, tasty, low-carb breakfast – the dream! And a break from the monotony of yoghurt, seeds and berries, which has been my staple low-carb breakfast for ten or more days now. Far too long.

I shall be saying a BIG thank you to my friend when I see her this weekend, for recommending the recipe, and I’ll definitely be making these breakfast muffins again soon! How about you, readers? Do you think you might give these a go? Let me know what you think – I’m interested to see whether everyone raves about them as much as me! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Until next time, readers. Take care.

And wilt safely,

Hayley

Ten thing to be grateful for... and food to make you go PHWOAR!

Scrambled Eggs with Spinach
on Smoked Salmon Toast

Ingredients: 2 slices of bread, a pack of smoked salmon, 2 eggs, a large handful of fresh spinach leaves, a splash of milk, a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper to season.

Time taken: 15 mins max.

Hi readers,

How are you today? Are you having a cracking week so far?? Karate chopping your way towards the weekend? Dreams of bonfires and sparklers and fireworks? I hope everything is going wonderfully well for you, readers, and you have fun plans for Bonfire Night to look forward to.

And if you’re reading this, feeling stressy, thinking NO everything is not going wonderfully bloody well. I’m having a terribly day/week/life. Then, why not have a go at writing down the things you’re grateful for? To remind you? Sounds annoying. Is NOT annoying. I sat for half an hour this morning and found ten things in life right now to be happy about…

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Ten things I’m grateful for on Thursday 2^nd November 2017:

1.     Get togethers with friends. I think it’s easy nowadays, with social media, to feel connected with friends but not actually see each other. Which is a bit pants! You miss out on hugs and laughing together. It can be an effort to meet up with friends, really in real life, but I find it’s definitely worth it. I got to go to a Halloween party at a friend’s last weekend and have another friend visiting for tea tonight – winning!

2.     New possibilities. Readers, I’ve joined a new gym. Yes, I have and am in the I’m-so-excited-I’m-going-seven-times-a-week phase of a new gym membership. To clarify: I haven’t actually been yet. BUT I’m so excited I feel as if I could go every day. And this gym may be the best one yet because friends are members too – so hopefully we can hook up and make it to classes together – and because I’m going to ask them how then weight machines work. Then, use them. Prepare for impressive arm pics…

3.     A good book. Last weekend, readers, I sat down to read The Book of Dust, by Philip Pullman. Has anyone read it yet? What a brilliant read! For anyone who’s read the original His Dark Materials trilogy and fancies a return to the world of Lyra and Jordan College, the Rusakov field and Dust, Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel, witches and daemons… I do recommend. I’m now planning to re-read the original trilogy.

4.     My colleagues. This may sound random – but they’re the people I see more than any other people. And they’re a great bunch! Will after school club be on? Will the baby sitter show, so they can finally get a night out together? Will the shower head arrive or will she have to keep showering at work? Is he ever going to get that tattoo, or is it all talk? Is a hangover even worth it anymore? Might seem boring to some, but I think my colleagues are fab. And they’re very complementary about my baking.

5.     Interesting new interests. So, my knitting’s coming along well readers. I’ve maybe made around ten knitted squares now and still enjoy knitting away while I watch Scandi crime shows in an evening. Dreaming of the knitted blanket I will one day have made. It’s cosy. And ALSO randomly my work have a project to do with girls’ and women’s football, and so I went along to a WSL game last weekend for Sheffield FC Ladies “as research”… and got really into it. I think I’ll go along again to support!

6.     A return to enjoyable running. Finally, readers, after four weeks of shit runs following the 10K race in September – I seem to have recovered. Four weeks of being out of breath, having an outfit malfunction, being thirsty, an ankle popping mid-run, having to stop to walk sooner than I’d planned… I was about ready to throw in the towel and declare the 10K to be my peak as a runner. Just retire and live for the memories. But, then, I’ve had a few good runs! And all is well again, it’s a relief.

7.     CDs in the car. I accidentally pressed some button on my car radio a few weeks ago readers, meaning I tuned out of radio and onto some other planet wavelength. One without singalong tunes. SO I did what all technophobes would do – gave up on radio, resigned myself to a life without it, and bought a load of old CDs from a charity shop instead. I got Madonna, Stereophonics, Dido, Joss Stone, Scissor Sisters… it’s been a karaoke party in my car ever since. And my Father Bear’s just done me a copy of Jessie Ware’s latest album, Glasshouse, so the tuuuuunes are set to continue.

8.     Laughs! I went along to the Comedy Club at Leadmill last night and we got a good bunch of comedians. Tickets are only £6 and you really never know what you’re in for… could be good, could be diabolical. But this month it was good! We got Paul Tonkinson as the headliner and I laughed so much I did cry a little bit at one point. Hadn’t seen his comedy before, but I do recommend. He’s a funny chap.

9.     A holiday. That’s right, readers, I kid you not – for the first time in over two years I’m going away on a holiday. I head off to Spain on Sunday, for five nights in Barcelona, entirely on my own… and I can’t wait. It’s kind of scary, the prospect of going away on my own. But, mainly, it’s super exciting. I’ve never been to Barcelona before, and I’ve never been abroad in winter, and I’ve never gone on holiday just by myself. But I’m a grown up now and I’m pretty sure this is going to be incredibly fun. Wish me luck! And check the ChefBeHere insta feed over the next week for snaps of Spanish foods and drinks (hopefully, in the sunshine!).

10.  Tasty food and drink. Sounds a cop out writing this on a food blog? Well, I’m writing it anyway! As I’ve been eating and drinking some delightful things lately. And I so easily fall into ruts and unhappy times with food, so I’m really grateful for this. Like, pineapple seems to be really good right now. Maybe it’s in season somewhere in the world? And, an espresso martini… have you had one of these, readers? Because I had my first ever one last month and it tasted SO GOOD. My new favourite cocktail.

Then, there’s fish. Confession time: I recently started eating fish again for the first time in a decade, for a bit of a change and to introduce more variety to my diet, and I’m enjoying it. A lot. I hope it won’t put any of you off following this blog, readers, if I share the odd recipe involving fish. Maybe some of you eat fish, too? Hopefully, no one will be offended by my decision. And perhaps my newfound interest in fish dishes might inspire some fab new recipes on ChefBeHere – fingers crossed!

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How about that, readers? On a seemingly unremarkable mid-week morning, I have loads to be grateful for. And I bet you do, too! Maybe give this a go if you get a mo :)

AND, in the spirit of tasty food and drink, how about your Recipe of the Week, readers? Yeah! This week our recipe is inspired by a post from instagrammer @rhitrition, for Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, on Smoked Salmon Toast. Looked great on in Instagram… and tastes great in real life, too! Here’s the recipe in just ten simple steps…

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Recipe: Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, on Smoked Salmon Toast

@rhitrition

1.     Half an hour or so before you’d like to eat, take your smoked salmon out of the fridge and leave on the side to warm a little, so it will be around room temperature by the time you take to the kitchen.

ChefBeHere Top Tip: I took my salmon out the fridge, then went on a run and showered, before I started cooking. I was running and dreaming of a salmony tea – good motivator.

2.     When you’re ready to cook, pop your phone on flight mode. Set some calming music playing, and have a big stretch out towards the ceiling. Open a window for some fresh air, and pour yourself a large drink. Much better.

3.     Begin by cracking both your eggs into a mug and adding a splash of milk. Stir together using a fork.

4.     Then, heat some olive oil in a saucepan and add a handful of spinach leaves.

5.     As your spinach leaves begin to wilt, pop two slices of bread in the toaster to toast.

ChefBeHere Top Tip: If you’re preparing this for breakfast or lunch, or you’d simply like a slightly lighter meal, then stick with one slice of toast.

6.     Once your leaves have begun to wilt, add your egg mix to the pan.

7.     Stir the contents of your pan with a fork until your eggs are scrambled, with spinach mixed in.

8.     Once your toast pops, transfer onto a plate and drape your toast with smoked salmon.

9.     Spoon your spinachy scrambled eggs over the toast, and season with salt and pepper.

ChefBeHere Top Tip: Add a little warm water to your pan now and leave to soak while you have your tea, to stop the egg mix from sticking.

10.  Tuck in while it’s warm! Enjoy a tasty tea of Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, on Smoked Salmon Toast.

NOM

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That’s all there is to it, readers! Takes no time at all and you’ve put together a healthy, good tasting, colourful plateful of food. What do you think? I realise you have to be feeling a little loaded and reckless (I just got paid two days ago) to blow the budget on smoked salmon… but everyone deserves a treat once in a while and it’s still cheaper than eating out or ordering takeaway! I advocate a smoke salmon splurge every once in a while.

Because you're worth it!

Fifteen minutes of your time, a handful of ingredients, only one pan required… what’s not to love? What do you think, readers? Would you give this recipe a try? What do you make of the flavour combination? Would you see this maybe as more of a breakfast or lunch option, rather than a dish you’d prepare for dinner? Have you tried this recipe before?

Shout out! I’d love to hear all your thoughts on this recipe and, if you give it a try, do share how you get on in the kitchen. Otherwise, I’ll leave you to enjoy your Bonfire Night weekend, readers, and I’ll see you when I’m back from Spain. ¡Adiós!

Scramble safely,

Hayley