foodie – Jazzy B Fit

Foodie Finds – October 2018

November 10, 2018November 10, 2018 jazzybfit

These posts seem to be getting later and later :’) Since starting my third year of uni, I feel like my dissertation is taking over, but I know it will be so worth it in the end! Also, how is it Christmas next month?! Crazyy! I was only able to find a few things this month as most of my time was sat in front of my laptop, but here are the goodies!

1) Nature Valley Salted Caramel, Pretzel, and Almond Popcorn Bar

I thought this was quite different compared to your standard cereal bar. The texture is so light, and it tastes delish. Each bar has 89 calories which is so good for how yummy it tastes. Would recommend as a light pre-workout snack.

2) Asda Reduced Sugar Granola

I have been on the hunt for a low sugar granola forever! A lot of people think granola is healthy, and although what it’s composed of is (to some degree), the amount of sugar that gets added counteracts this. There is only 1.1g of sugar per 45g of this which is so good when considering other granolas can be around 10g of sugar! You get exactly what it says with this, a natural tasting, and low sugar, granola perfect for adding to greek yoghurt.

3) Engevita Yeast flakes, B12

Admittedly it does look and smell a bit like fish food, but I’ve been adding it to every dinner and I love it. The only way to describe the flavour is that is taste’s a bit like cheddar! I think it adds depth to any dish without being as calorie dense as cheese. Also, research suggests that it can lower your cholesterol and boost immunity, so it’s a good thing to be adding to your meals.

4) FibreOne Triple Chocolate Cake Bar

You know when Fibre One comes out with something new, it will be a winner. This is so chocolatey and delicious, that it tastes like it should be way more calories than what it actually is. How they managed to make it taste so good for only 89 calories is a mystery! It is like eating a chocolate brownie but with added crunchy bits…yum!

Thank you for reading,

Jazzy B ❤

Foodie Finds – September 2018

October 4, 2018October 7, 2018 jazzybfit

A little bit late with posting this, but better late than never! This shows what a busy month September was for me, but probably the best month of the year so far! I went to Egpyt for a holiday which was incredible, I turned 21, and to top it all off I also started my third year of uni!

But I’m officially back and full of blog ideas! Despite this busy month, I still managed to find some goodies…

1) Whey Box cookies & cream protein sachets

I wanted to include this mainly due to the convenience that this gives. I bought two sachets to take on holiday with me, as you never know where you are going to get your protein from when abroad :’) I rate the protein highly on taste, texture, and it also mixes well, so it’s a good option for if you want a quick protein hit on the go.

2) Fulfil chocolate hazelnut whip

One of the best protein bars I have had! I’m a big fan of the hazelnut and chocolate combo and this really does it justice, I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a more chocolatey protein bar than this. Whenever I see it when I’m out, I just have to buy it :’) Definitely would recommend if you’re a Nutella fan!

3) Minimoos vegan honeycomb chocolate bar

I was craving some chocci, and this somehow managed to find it’s way into my basket! This was my first time trying any vegan or gluten-free chocolate, and I certainly couldn’t taste any differences. I think the honeycomb is a great addition to this bar, it’s a yes from me! Also, I think it’s the perfect size as I realise with myself I can’t open a bar of chocolate and finish it all…so you’ll be safe with this if you’re like me!

4) Fulfil triple chocolate deluxe protein bar

Back at it again with another protein bar (help!). I’ve been looking out for this one for quite a long time, and it didn’t disappoint. I like fulfil bars because of the added vitamins that they include, which other bars often don’t. Very chocolatey, very delish = a chocoholics dream.

5) Candy Kittens Eton mess

Saving the naughtiest until last! Someone actually bought these for me, but when I tried them they just had to feature in the foodie finds! Eton mess is one of my favourite summer desserts and these sweets do it justice, for sure! Also, they are vegetarian and gluten-free.

Thank you for reading,

Jazzy B ❤

Blog, Treats

Vegan Biscoff Tiffin

September 9, 2018October 2, 2018 jazzybfit

OH. MY. probably the best tiffin I have ever tasted! First of all, I should really explain what Tiffin is, as I was unaware of how many people hadn’t heard of it before! It is a dessert typically made from crushed biscuits, golden syrup, raisins, and chocolate. I think the texture is what makes tiffin so unique as it melts in the mouth, but you also get a juicy burst of flavour from the raisins and a sweet crunch from the biscuits.

Tiffin is one of my favourite things to make because it is hassle-free, and doesn’t require lots of ingredients. It’s one of those desserts that you can guarantee will go down a treat!

I’m collaborating with the lovely Blogtastic food to vegan-ify some classic desserts and sweet treats, and so naturally I wanted to put a vegan spin on one of my favourites. This tiffin is made using Biscoff (yes, they’re actually vegan!), and I think it only adds to the flavour! Sometimes tiffin can be quite rich, but I find with the addition of biscoff biscuits it balances out the sweetness from the chocolate.

When I shared this with family and friends, I didn’t tell anyone that it was vegan. I think people always expect to taste a difference between vegan and non-vegan desserts, but with this tiffin, you really can’t! I was actually told it tasted better!

Ingredients:

(makes 9 squares)

4.5 tbsp of agave nectar
150g of unsalted butter (I used dairy free flora)
250g of vegan chocolate (put 50g aside)
50g of white chocolate
250g of biscoff biscuits, 100g put aside
150g rich tea biscuits

Method:

Measure out all your ingredients beforehand and line a square tin with greaseproof paper or cling film (I used clingfilm) with enough to overhang the tin.
Place a glass bowl over a barely simmering pan of hot water and add the 200g of chocolate, butter, and agave nectar until melted. Leave to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, crush the biscuits in a food bag until there are no large pieces of biscuits left.
In a separate bowl add all the dry ingredients (raisins, rich tea biscuits, biscoff, and remaining chocolate, broken into pieces) and mix.
Once the chocolate has cooled, gradually add the dry mix, until it starts to come together.
Spoon into a square tin, and pack the mixture down with the back of a spoon, then leave to chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
Melt the remaining milk chocolate to coat the top of the tiffin, then once completely set, repeat for the white chocolate and drizzle all over.

In terms of storing the Tiffin, this all comes down to preference! If you like a bit of bite to your tiffin store it in the fridge, but otherwise, it’s perfectly fine out of the fridge. To serve, I crumbled biscoff on top and topped with raspberries, but you could also serve with a scoop of ice cream.

I hope you like this recipe,

Jazzy B ❤

For more vegan dessert inspo be sure to check out this lemony goodness!

Below are the links to all of the delicious vegan desserts that are also part of this collaboration:

Julia from Julia Recipes who has made a coconut-lime vegan tart that looks incredible!

Sarah from Slice of Honey has made some vegan shortbread cookies with a dark chocolate drizzle

Ally from Allybakes has made a ginger coconut ALLY pear cake – I bet this tastes amazing!

Anthea from SaltyBiscotti has made a vegan chocolate salami

Winola from The foodscape has made this delicious vegan banoffee pie

Maya from Maya’s Beehive has made a blackberry pie with a walnut crumble

Teresa from Cupcakes and Couscous has made a chocolate caramel tart…how amazing does this look?!

Kathy has created something different with her berry and brie vegan strudel!

Reka from Holy Whisk Blog has made some beetroot brownies

Marie from Sugar Salt Magic has made a vegan lemon coconut frangipane tart

Blog

Foodie Finds – August 2018

August 31, 2018 jazzybfit

How are we at the end of August, already?! I feel like ever since uni ended for summer, that I haven’t actually stopped :’) Still, I’m feeling ready to go back and take on the third year! I’m also looking forward to September as it’s the start of new beggings (and my birthday! 😉 I Found lots of goodies this month (mainly grenade products because I’m well and truly obsessed!). Let’s get into ittt…

1) Grenade Carb Killa Shake

Despite my love for grenade bars, I had never tried their shakes until recently. I purchased the cookies and cream and the fudge brownie shake, and they basically taste like the bar! I personally wasn’t keen on the cookies and cream shake, as I found it far too sweet but the fudge brownie one, on the other hand, is delish! I would definitely choose the bars over the shakes, but I get that it’s a convenient way to get your protein in.

2) Sour Cream & onion Quinoa Bites

I love finding healthy alternatives to crisps, and these do not disappoint. They are only 85 calories per pack, and yet taste so amazing. Quinoa flour is the main ingredient in them, giving them a slightly different texture to normal crisps…I rate them!

3) Grenade Birthday Cake Carb Killa

This looks way better than it tastes! I don’t think I’ll be repurchasing this one as it was too sweet or me. The vanilla is very overpowering, making it very sickly to eat. Although the texture is a lot softer, compared to the others, the cookies and cream will always have my heart :’)

4) Tan Rosie – aubergine and mushroom spread

This stuff is so good! I first discovered Tan Rosie products at the Chilli Fiesta in August. I love how their products use such simple ingredients, yet the flavour is incredible. You can literally do anything with this product, I was having it on toast and mixing it through quinoa and spaghetti. I haven’t seen a foodie product like this, and I definitely think there is room for something like this on the market…good luck to the ladies who are running this!

5) Grenade Carb Killa Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Back at it again with another Grenade product :’). I had been wanting to try this bar for so long, and I wasn’t that pleased with it. I think the original grenade bars have set the standard so high that nothing can compare! It tastes very chocolatey, but I found it a bit too rich!

6) Nims Pineapple Fruit Crisps

I thought this was quite a novel way to get your five a day in, and so had to give them a go. The only ingredient is dried pineapple, that has been dried naturally. Although they are high in sugar (naturally occurring), with each bag containing 14g, they make a nice sweet snack that also counts towards one of your five-a-day.

Thank you for reading,

Jazzy B ❤

Blog, Treats

Greek Yoghurt Desserts

August 7, 2018 jazzybfit

We all know the feeling when you’ve had a lovely dinner, but you would love something sweet after, that won’t make you feel guilty. I’ve created my go-to greek yoghurt ‘desserts’ for when the sweet cravings are real! Also, they taste pretty similar to the actual desserts I’ve based the recipes off of, without all the sugar and saturated fat. If you are a vegan you can easily substitute the greek yoghurt for a vegan alternative such as Alpro. I have tried this myself, and the recipes still taste just as good. Let’s get into the desserty goodness…

1) Apple Crumble

If you love your traditional British desserts, then this is the one for you. I’ve added Myprotein toffee flavdrops which sweeten’s it up and adds something extra to this dessert. Also by using granola, it replaces the crumble without adding all the fat and sugar that would usually go into the traditional dessert.

Ingredients:

x1 apple, sliced (I used Gala apples)
Greek yoghurt
Toffee flavdrops (available from Bulkpowders or Myprotein)
Granola (Preferably reduced sugar)
A drizzle of honey
Chia seeds (optional)

2) Strawberry shortcake

SO good! The combinations of the crunchy shortcake biscuits and the fresh strawberries makes this taste so dreamy. To sweeten it, I drizzled some honey over and sprinkled some chia seeds to add in some healthy fats and omegas.

Ingredients:

x1 crumbled shortbread biscuit
Strawberries
A drizzle of honey
Greek yoghurt
Chia seeds

3) Banoffee pie

This one looks a lot unhealthier than what it actually is, as it uses sugar-free digestive biscuits (from a brand called Siro, which I purchased from Sainsbury’s ) and a grating of dark chocolate.

Ingredients:

Dark chocolate chips or grated dark chocolate
Toffee ‘flavdrops’ (Myprotein)
1/2 a banana, sliced
x1 digestive biscuit, crumbled
Greek yoghurt

4) Eton Mess

Saving the naughtiest one until last! This pretty much is the real thing except without the cream, making this one somewhat healthier without compromising the flavour. Also, this is definitely my favourite one of the bunch as Eton Mess is one of my favourite summer desserts. I found some tiny coconut meringues in M&S that make this taste so good.

Ingredients:

Mini meringues, whole or crumbled
Strawberries
Chia seeds
Greek yoghurt
Honey (optional)

I hope you try a few of these out as they are so delicious! Thank you for reading,

Jazzy B ❤

Blog

Foodie Finds – July 2018

August 1, 2018 jazzybfit

What a fab month July has been (although slightly worrying that I’m halfway through my uni summer break already). I wish this weather will never end, as everyone is in such high spirits for once (so long as you don’t mention the World cup!)

I found some different goodies this month, so I hope there is something here that takes your fancy.

1) Marmite Cashews

Don’t knock these before you’ve tried them! I personally am I marmite fan, however, I know you will either love it or hate it :’). I think the marmite goes so well with the cashews making them very moreish (marmite fans be warned). Whatsmore, they also have all the benefits of Marmite as it contains B12, folic acid, and niacin.

2) Kind Bar – Dark chocolate nuts and sea salt

I picked this up from Sainsbury’s as a pre-workout snack, and it was so good! What with all the protein and energy bars out there today, this one really stands out to me, due to it’s simple and raw ingredients. Each bar contains 5.6g of protein and over half the bar is made from nuts. I’ve tried the peanut butter one which is also just as good!

3) Deliciously Ella Energy balls

You can’t get more raw than this! These energy balls only contain six ingredients and with the most part being made from dates. They also claim to be a source of copper, which is good for energy levels and so they would make a perfect pre-workout snack. The pack consists of 5g of protein which isn’t much at all, but I think the main purpose is to provide you with energy as opposed to protein. In terms of taste, they are very rich and 6 is most definitely enough!

4) Women’s best protein bites

These remind me of mini grenade bites, and so I like them a lot! I haven’t actually tried any of the women’s best range, but these were so good! They are so chocolatey, so you can get away with having a few and still feeling satisfied. To me, these are a great alternative to chocolate as they are low in sugar and high in protein and plus the packaging is so pretty :’)

5) Ape coconut bites

These were purchased from Boots and they are unlike anything that I’ve tried before. The best way to describe them is like a crunchy, creamy crisp! In terms of ingredients they only contain coconut, tapioca starch, and sea salt, so no nasties lurking here!

Thank you for reading,

Jazzy B ❤

Blog

Foodie Finds – May 2018

May 31, 2018May 27, 2018 jazzybfit

Where is this year going?! It is crazy to think I have nearly finished my second year at uni! With that being said, I am more than ready to have a break! :’) I managed to find some unusual treats this month such as Mochi, cacao nibs, and edamame pasta. Here are my foodie finds for May;

1) Bulkpowders Chocolate Orange Cookie

Yum. This is a soft protein cookie, containing over 27g of protein, that tastes so good! I love the chocolate and orange combo so this was bound to be a winner for me, but if that’s not your thing they also do a white chocolate and raspberry cookie. If you like soft cookies, you will love this. It costs £2.49 for one cookie, and although this may seem a bit pricey you do get a lot of protein for that…think of the macros! 😉

2) Sunwave Mochi Assortment

I first had Mochi ay Yosushi! and I honestly loved it so much I had to get some more. I actually bought this from Amazon (Here is the link if you’re curious ;)). The flavours here were red bean, peanut, and sesame.

Although this isn’t as nice as fresh Mochi, it still resembles it very well. I think I like this so much because it is the weirdest food I have ever had as the texture is so strange and chewy! Mochi is a soft ball of ground rice which is typically filled with a red or black bean centre and dusted with either cocoa powder, matcha powder, or potato starch. It originates from Japan, where they value the texture just as much as the flavour, which is what makes it so unique!

3) Bulkpowders Wholemeal and Oat Bagel

I love this idea of a high-protein carb, as it makes post-workout snacks so much easier! You get four in a pack, which costs £3.49, and each bagel has over 21g of protein. However, they are quite dry if you were to eat them without toasting them and topping them with something tasty. Nonetheless, I would get them again just because it makes life easier! I topped my bagel with almond butter, banana slices, desiccated coconut and cacao nibs.

4) Livias Kitchen Raw Millionaire Bites

These are so dreamy! They are chocolate orange flavoured mini brownies, with an oat base, a date ‘caramel’ centre and are topped with a raw chocolate brownie. Healthy alternatives to unhealthy treats are the best, especially when they taste as good as this. You get three in a pack, and although they are quite small they are very rich and so this makes them perfect to satisfy your sweet cravings!

5) Edamame Pasta

I actually posted a recipe for this last week using mackerel, olives, tomatoes, and lots of others yummy ingredients. If you want to check that out, I’ll link it here. You can get this spaghetti virtually anywhere now such as Holland & Barrett, Tesco, and Aldi (where I get mine from costing £1.99). It’s so versatile you can literally sub it for pasta if you’re looking to up the protein and lower the carbs of any dish. Other kinds of spaghetti similar to this include soybean and black bean, which both taste equally as good!

6) Bulkpowders Organic Cacao Nibs

I promise this post isn’t sponsored by Bulkpowders…they just had a very good sale on at the time I placed my order :’). Although they do sound a lot like cow nips, these are actually a raw, chocolate superfood. They come from the seeds of the fruit of the cacao tree. In terms of antioxidants, they have more than green tea, blueberries, and goji berries also, they are rich in sulfur and magnesium. A lot of people get confused between cocoa and cacao, so to clarify cacao is a more natural form of the cacao bean, that undergoes less processing than cocoa which dramatically increases the nutritional benefits. So cacao nibs are just one form that cacao beans can take. I will top my porridge with them or add them to Greek yoghurt for an intense chocolate hit.

Thank you for reading,

Jazzy B ❤

Blog

My Weekly Food Shop

May 13, 2018 jazzybfit

As Sunday is my get-sh*t-done day, I thought I would share with you what my weekly food shop looks like, so if you follow my Instagram (@jazzy_b_fit) you’ll realise just how simple it is to make the meals that I cook. As I’m a student, I try to keep the cost of things fairly low, and I’ll spend anywhere between £18-£25 per week which covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and my snacks. Typically, I do my shop in places like Aldi or Asda as you get so much more for your money. My shop this week came to £25.65, which also included some extras that I don’t usually buy. I try to do a balanced and healthy food shop full of lots of fruit and veg, and a few yummy treats of course ;).

I always plan my meals from Sunday to Sunday, as I find meal planning reduces food waste and is cost effective. This is my meal plan for the coming week:

Dinners:
Monday – Corriander-lime grilled tuna steak with avo-cucumber salsa
Tuesday – Garlic mushroom chicken quinoa
Wednesday- Spicy chickpea and quinoa bowl
Thursday – Moroccan red lentil and tomato stew
Friday – Mackerel pasta
Saturday – Leftovers
Sunday – Cashew and Chicken Stir-fry

I’ve broken my shop down into protein, fruit & veg, snacks, and carbs.

Protein:

You won’t find any meat in this pesci’s trolley…only fish and vegan sources of protein here! The most expensive thing here is the tuna steaks at £2.99, but in comparison to meat this is so cheap, plus it contains a lot of protein. The mixed nuts are mainly for snacking on, as they are high in good fats and of course, protein.

Veggies:

As you can see, a majority of my food shop is fruit and veg! As well as using this for lunch and dinners I will tend to snack on things like avocado on toast with chili flakes, black pepper, and salt.

Fruit:

I think fruit is also great to snack on and makes a great addition to porridge. The lemon and limes are for flavoring up some of my mid-week dishes. This is typical of the fruit that I will buy on a weekly basis, as its relatively cheap and versatile.

Carbs:

I will only buy grains and carbs when I need them, and this week I didn’t really need much. Although I’m looking forward to trying the edamame spaghetti which has 22g of protein per serving! I’ll use the bread as a post-workout snack with peanut butter and banana or topped with smashed avocado.

Thank you for reading and happy Sunday-shopping,

Jazzy B ❤

Blog

Foodie Finds – April 2018

April 29, 2018April 29, 2018 jazzybfit

April saw sunny weather, my first cheerleading competition, and lots and lots of uni deadlines. But, I still managed to find lots of goodies for you this month…definitely, a chocolatey theme going on this month! ❤

1) Tesco Dark Chocolate and Peanut Bar

This makes the perfect on-the-go snack and is also a great post-workout snack due to the high-ish protein content from the peanuts. Compared to other cereal bars, this one is good in terms of sugar, containing less than 7g per bar. The flavour is really nice if you like that peanut and dark chocolate combo (which I definitely do), but it is very chewy.

2) Tetley Mango and Passion Fruit Green Tea

I love finding new summery flavours of green tea. I’ve tried so many but thought this flavour duo was quite novel. In all honesty, this just tastes like fruity green tea, nothing too special. However, it still makes a nice alternative to ordinary green tea.

3) Siro Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Amazing. I love that companies are coming out with more sugar-free alternatives, especially with things that you would least expect such as this! Considering they have no refined sugars in, I think they taste incredible. I love to crumble one on my porridge in the mornings as they are so good. I highly recommend these!

4) Rhythm 108 Praline Bar

I’m always on the lookout for healthier alternatives to chocolate, and this one certainly comes close. It contains 47% less sugar than your average chocolate, it’s also vegan, gluten-free, organic…basically everyone can eat this! I couldn’t taste the difference between this and a normal chocolate bar, seriously good!

5) Doisy & Dam Chocolate Snaps

Definitely saving the best for last. Wow. I know there has been a lot of hype about their chocolate, but I thought it was just another fancy dark chocolate brand filling the shelves. Most definitely not! I love their creative flavour combinations, this one was maple, pink salt, and toasted rice – honestly one of the best dark chocolates I’ve ever had. I will be getting another lot soon, as I ate this pretty quickly. Plus the packaging is so pretty too. Please give this a go!

Thank you for reading,

Jazzy B ❤

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The Impact of Diet on Mental Health

April 21, 2018 jazzybfit

Yes, food really does affect your mood.

When you think about what effects your mental health, the typical answers are stress, self-esteem, and relationship issues, to name but a few, however, we often underestimate the impact that food has on our mental health. When you consider the science behind it and the growing evidence that food has a greater effect on our mental health than we give credit for, I think we could all check what we are fuelling our bodies with.

There is no doubt that what we eat has an impact on our mental health, this link has been proven repeatedly. A review of studies looking into the issue of diet and mental health found that regular consumption of a Western diet (a diet consisting of highly processed and sugary foods) increased the risk of depression (O’Neil et al., 2014). Moreover, a poor diet is proven to impact biological mechanisms that are commonly associated with depression such as impacting the immune system and altering the levels of certain brain proteins potentially leading to depressive symptoms (O’Neil et al., 2014). This further strengthens the link between diet and mental health.

Moreover, some of the factors that contribute to poor mental health, such as stress, have been proven to influence food preferences. For example, a study by Kandiah, Yake, and Meyer (2006) found that when participants were not exposed to stress they made healthy dietary choices 80% of the time compared to when participants were exposed to stress, which they made healthy food choices only 33% of the time. This highlights an issue, the fact that something like stress can lead to poor mental health, yet when we experience stress we tend to eat unhealthier options, also negatively impacting our mental health. Therefore, healthier dietary choices could break this cycle as evidenced by Ansari, Adetunji, and Oskrochi (2014) who found that when fruit and vegetables weren’t consumed on a regular basis, there was a greater association with experiencing more depressive symptoms for both males and females.

Although there is little research on a diet that has been proven to reduce the likelihood of depressive symptoms and promote better mental health, there have been studies conducted on specific foods. For example, the following foods have all been linked to better mental health when in their raw form; carrots, bananas, apples, dark leafy greens like spinach, grapefruit, lettuce, citrus fruits, fresh berries, cucumber, and kiwifruit (Brookie, Best & Conner, 2018).

I hope you found this an interesting read,

Jazzy B ❤

References:

Kandiah, J., Yake, M., & Meyer, M. (2006). Stress influences appetite and comfort food preferences in college women. Nutrition Research, 28(1), 118-123. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2005.11.010

Ansari, W.E, Adetunji, H., Oskrochi, R. (2014). Food and mental health: Relationship between food and perceived stress and depressive symptoms among university students in the United Kingdom. Central European Journal of Public Health, 22(2), 90-97.

O’Neil, A., Quirk, S.E., Houseden, S., Brennan, S.L., Williams, L.J., Pasco, J.A., Berk, M., & Jacka, F.N.(2014). Relationship between diet and mental health in children and adolescents: A Systematic Review. The American Journal of Public Health, 104(10).

Brookie, K.L., Best, G.I., Conner, T.S. (2018). Intake of raw fruits and vegetables is associated with better mental health than intake of processed fruits and vegetables. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(1). doi: https://doaj.org/article/956172bb66c747b1a3efbf9a4a4d9023

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