So last week I watched a documentary on Netflix called Hungry for Change.
It’s about healthy eating and it’s absolutely eye-opening. If you’ve not seen it, I really recommend you do! It is a little bit preachy, but it’s very well-researched and a really interesting look into the processed food industry.
The main takeaway I got from it (HAHA geddit? Takeaway? Processed foods? LOL I’M SO FUNNEH.) is that we all should be eating more natural foods.
The best way to do that? Don’t eliminate food groups or even food items – simply introduce more of the good stuff.
The more good stuff you’re eating, the better you’ll feel and the less you’ll WANT the bad stuff. This has been a massive game changer for me as I immediately feel like I’m not depriving myself. I know I can have that bowl of pasta, I just don’t want to. (Most of the time) I’d rather have courgetti. It makes me feel less bloated and look less like I’m about to give birth.
Which is always a nice feeling.
I’ve mainly just been adding extra veg to all my homecooking but I’ve also begun starting my day with a fruit smoothie to go alongside my breakfast. It helps fill me up and gets a bunch of vitamins and fibre inside me before I start my day which is never a bad thing.
Yay vitamins!
So this is my current go-to smoothie recipe.
It changes every few days, depending what reduced-price fruit I find in Sainsbury’s, but this past weekend I’ve been all over the apricots.
Holland and Barrett had also sent me a jar of Manuka to try, and I knew the sharp apricots would balance out the sweet honey perfectly. I added some orange chunks and lime juice, a bit of iced water to thin it out a bit… and BOOM BABY!
Delicious.
I have a thing for sharp drinks and this really is so beautifully fresh and colorful and yum. It totally perks me up in the morning!
Manuka honey is a “super-food” known for its extensive healing properties and nutritional goodness.
It’s made by bees that drink the nectar of Manuka flowers, which only grow in New Zealand. This makes it, understandably, WAY more expensive than the usual stuff you’d pick up from your local supermarket – but it’s got enough extra benefits that I think it’s worth the price hike.
I first discovered Manuka honey way back when I lived with my health conscious flatmate at uni. She used to eat a teaspoon of it every morning (literally just on its own!) and said she felt it really boosted her immune system and helped prevent colds and stuff.
I’m not entirely sure whether that’s true (I can’t find any scientific data to back it up), but it’s a fact that it has antibacterial properties. I always buy a jar in Winter time and it does really seem to help with my sore throats. I also seem to get over colds faster when I’m eating a spoonful of Manuka Honey a day.
(I have Mary Poppins’ A Spoonful of Sugar stuck in my head now. Anyone else?)
INGREDIENTS (ONE PERSON)
6 small apricots
1/2 an orange
1/2 a lime
3 tsp of Manuka honey
Iced water (or normal water and some ice cubes – whatevs)
METHOD
1. Cut your apricots in half and remove the stone. Chop into small pieces and put in a small bowl.
2. Squeeze the lime into the bowl (use your hand to catch any pips!)
3. Peel your orange half and chop the fruit into small pieces. Make sure you pour any juice left on your chopping board into the bowl as well!
4. Mix everything together then pour into a blender. Add the iced water and honey, and blend until smooth. Check the consistency and taste. Does it need more honey? More lime? More water? Fix accordingly.
5. Serve in a chilled glass (mine is from Primark!) and slurp away!
SO YUM. MUCH HEALTH.
The above makes more than enough for one person, and you can fiddle around with the quantities to make it as sweet or as sour as you want. My blender actually makes a lot more than just one glass, so I usually have leftovers that I stick in the fridge for a fruity treat later in the day.
(You didn’t hear it from me, but it works really well mixed with a shot of gin…)
*This post is sponsored by Holland & Barrett.
