Recipe .. Fit Mum's Chocolate Fudgey Pieces ...

I know you are looking for yet chocolate slice recipe, right? 

This recipe is the one that I made for my clients this month as a little treat!  They loved it! Yes, they are taste testers!  The family taste testers rate this one pretty highly also!  It's a bit of a combination of various recipes that I have tried and I add in what I want and get rid of whatever I don't want.

It is perfect to keep in the fridge for when you need a quick sweet fix.  I usually save mine for dessert when the kids have gone to bed and I can finally have 5 minutes peace!

Fit Mum's Chocolate Fudgey Pieces

What you need ...  


250g medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup water
1 cup walnuts
1 cup oats
1/2 cup coconut
2 tbs chia seeds
2 tbs cacao powder
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted





What you do ...

Place dates and water in small saucepan over heat and cook until dates have absorbed all the water.  While this is cooking place whole walnuts in food processor and blitz them up a bit ... it is up to you how finely you want the walnut pieces.  I like to have it so that you can see the pieces and the slice is a bit crunchy.

Add all ingredients to food processor and process until all blended together.

Press mixture into small baking pan, depending on how thick you would like your pieces to be.  Place in fridge for a few hours until cooled. 

I then take mine out, slice up into smallish pieces and sprinkle with cacao powder.



They will store in the fridge for several days, if they last that long of course!

Enjoy!

My Top 11 Healthy Lifestyle Commandments ...

Do you sometimes get stuck in a rut?

When in doubt, follow the 10 11 commandments of a healthy lifestyle ...


This is your lifestyle .. not just an 8 week or 12 week challenge .. you are here for the long haul so don't over complicate it

Be consistent .. Never go more than 3 days without some form of activity.  Unless of course your are injured or so unwell you have been advised to take time off!

Plan and organise your week .. plan your menu in advance and make sure you have your healthy snacks on hand.  Schedule in your exercise and get it done!

Challenge yourself .. try something new, push that little bit harder, faster, further .. set a new goal!

Get yourself a support network .. find yourself like minded friends who will motivate, encourage and applaud you and your achievements.

Eat whole fresh, unprocessed foods as much as possible .. avoid processed foods, junk foods, fast foods .. they will only slow you down and make you feel terrible

Don't cut out food groups .. eat a variety of fresh, whole foods.  They all have amazing benefits for keeping your body and immune system healthy.

Don't deprive yourself .. allow yourself a treat .. not a treat day, not a weekend .. a little treat that you really enjoy!

Always eat breakfast .. it will kick start your body for the day and gives you energy to keep moving with everything you have to do!

Don't skip meals .. it leads to overeating later in the day

Allow yourself to be successful! No negative thoughts allowed!

Go forth and conquer your health and fitness lifestyle goals!



Recipe ... Chunky Italian Chicken Soup ...

Although you wouldn't know from today, there is still 25 days of winter left here.
Yes, I am counting.

Even though the days are just glorious, the mornings and evenings are still rather chilly. And what warms your tummy more than a yummy soup?

This Chunky Italian Chicken Soup is a bit of a throw together of another recipe and I've added or eliminated ingredients as I have them in the pantry but in general I have everything I need so it's easy to whip it up in a hurry.

What you need ...

800g - 1kg chicken thighs or breast, chopped .. if you want a lower fat version use the breast meat
3 - 4 tomatoes,chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
pepper
2l ( 8 cups ) salt reduced chicken stock
Jolly good slurp of white wine**
1/2 cup risoni
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and basil
1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano
Juice of 1/2 lemon
**yes, that is my exact measurement ...


What you do ...

Sauté onions, garlic and veggies for a few minutes until onion is soft.
Add chicken, tomatoes, stock, wine and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through.
Add risoni and cook until risoni is tender.

Finally, add the fresh herbs and lemon juice. Season if you feel it needs it and serve with some crusty bread!







If you are lucky, there will be enough for left overs for lunch the next day!