Day Sixty Five ; Quinoa Salad Recipe!

Date : Thursday 6th March 2014

Time : 19.27

Location : Millennium Apartments, Birmingham

Quinoa Salad - Delicious!

I've been told by a number of people, that quinoa is REALLY good for you, and I need to start eating it!

On Wednesday I actually went to Tesco to ask where quinoa was - because I had a vague idea what it was, but no idea where to find it. 

For anyone who doesn't know, quinoa (pronounce keen-wah) is a type of grain which is FULL of protein! 

After consulting a colleague at work, I was told to look down the 'whole foods' section, which I did, and low and behold, there it was! 

So last night I made the above salad. Wow. It was amazing. Here is the recipe. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

150g x Quinoa

4 x Spring Onions

1 x Green Pepper

Cucumber

Baby Sweetcorn

Sugarsnap Peas

Avocado

Chicken breast chunks

Olive Oil

Paprika (and other various spices)

So the quinoa takes about 30 minutes to cook, you need to boil about 400ml of water, and let the quinoa simmer until it all the water is absorbs. It's great, you can just let it do it's own thing! 

Whilst this is going on, I prepped my veg by chopping my cucumber, green peppers and avocado into small chunks, and throwing it into a mixing bowl with the sugarsnap peas and baby sweetcorn. I like to get my hands dirty, so I just mixed everything together with some oil and a pinch of salt / pepper.

I then began frying my chicken, which takes about 15 minutes(ish), so after about 8 minutes I started to grill my vegetables. I grilled the spring onions whole, then chopped them afterwards ... not sure why, that's just what the recipe said to do! 

Once all my quinoa had absorbed the water, my chicken was cooked and my vegetables were grilled, I threw it all in a mixing bowl, tossed it all together and dug in! 

It was so good. I threw some paprika on just for a bit of extra flavour but it didn't really need it. The quinoa has quite a nutty taste, but it just went really well with all the veg and chicken. 

I would definitely recommend this to everyone, it only took about 30 minutes to prepare, and I had plenty leftover for lunch on Friday! 

So good and SO healthy! 

Something else VERY exciting that happened today was that I won a trip to Milan. So next weekend me and a friend are jetting off on Saturday, going to have a look round the city, then on Sunday we're going to an AC Milan game then flying home. Very exciting! I can't wait! 

March is a good month! 

Lesson of the day - Quinoa is the ONE!! 

Day Sixty Two : Battered Mars Bars!!

Date : Monday 3rd March 2014

Time : 21.32

Location : Chip Show, Edgbaston, Birmingham

This is a thing!!

I can't believe this is an actual thing! 

I didn't mention this in Day One, but as I was in Scotland, I kept going on about battered Mars bars. It was weird because no I've spoken to has ever had one, and nowhere in Scotland seemed to sell them. 

So on Monday I dropped my friend off at the chip shop after football (I may have been a bit naughty in my dinner selection ....) and saw this poster on the wall. I couldn't believe it. 

Maybe it's a common misconception, and actually battered Mars bars originated in Birmingham?! I somehow doubt it. 

I didn't have one because I'm attempting to be healthy now, but the more I imagine what it tastes like (you know when you can literally taste something in your mouth) the more I want one! And now I know where they sell them am I better off just going tomorrow and putting my craving to bed?!

Hmmm.

Has anyone reading this actually ever had one? And if so, please put me out my misery - is it absolutely amazing in a this is terribly wrong sort of way? 

Lesson of the day - Anything in batter is probably so wrong it's right!

Exciting news! My favourite band Coldplay announced their new album on Monday. I instantly pre-ordered Ghost Stories as soon as I found out ... Only have to wait another 2 and a half months for it now! 

Day Fifty Six : Eager Eater!

Date : Tuesday 26th February 2014

Time : 13.54

Location : Wyatt International, Birmingham

Too much, too soon!!

Whoops! On more than on occasion, I've been told I've got "a peculiar crisp eating method". Yesterdays lunch probably takes the biscuit! 

Pretty much everyday, for lunch, I eat an Uncle Ben's microwave rice, and a buttered roll. Cheap and cheerful - and REALLY yummy! Unfortunately, as you may tell from the time, I had to take a bit of a late lunch yesterday, so when I got back from Morrison's, my bread roll supplier (Philpott's) had run out.

Devastated. 

I had to improvise with a bag of crisps I had in my draw (popped, not fried - because popped crisps are amazing - and slightly healthier). So I preceded to scoop some rice, onto my crisps and eat. 

This process was going well, and it was really tasty. Until I decided to throw rice all over my keyboard. It was much worse than the picture suggests, I had rice wedged under my laptop, all over my legs (then the floor - poor cleaners) and even over some of my work - excellent! 

My peculiar crisp eating method went a notch higher yesterday! I am slightly embarrassed! Oh well, you live and learn. 

I suppose I'll just have to get to Philpott's earlier, so they don't run out of bread roles! There's a lesson I've learnt from today;s story! 

Until tomorrow! 

Day Sixteen : FRUIT

Date : Thursday 16th January 2014

Time : 11.50

Location :Wyatt International, Birmingham

Good times at work today! 

Just take a look at that fruit basket. It's a thing of beauty, isn't it? 

It got delivered at work today by a local photography company who I suspect is after some business. The good news for me is that most people either

(a) have given up on their new years resolutions

or

(b) prefer the cream cakes and chocolate on offer for a colleagues birthday. 

Either way, there was only one winner here. I think today, I actually had 5 pieces of fruit, quite possibly for the first time ever! 

I actually forgot how nice some fruit is! Satsuma's. Who knew they were so nice and juicy!  I must point out - I was slightly disappointed with the plum and apple. I thought plums were much nicer! For future reference, avoid. 

Fruits consumed today - 

2 x apple
1 x plum
2 x satsuma's
1 x bunch of grapes

Lesson of the day - Eat more fruit - (most of it) tastes so good! 

Day Fifteen : #Winning

Date : Wednesday 15th January 2014

Time : 16.31

Location :Wyatt International, Birmingham

#Winning

Isn't it funny how one small thing can change a day from being largely forgettable, to memorable. 

Today I got this email, from my insurance company, telling me I'd won a competition (that I didn't recall entering ... I did ... It is legit!). 

£50 fuel voucher. That'll go far, especially in a really long January where I may have some top secret travelling to do. Watch this space. 

The funny thing is, I was about to delete the email. It looked like junk, and I get so much of that (I've become a bit of an expert!). The only thing that stopped me was that the email address was an actual person, rather than 'hello@blabla.com' - Good job I didn't!

Today was pretty unspectacular. I woke up a little bit late so didn't have time to eat breakfast, so found myself snacking all day. Still 'healthy' (low fat, wholegrain crisps) snacks, but not good. I did have a lovely tuna salad for lunch though. I'm really impressed by Tesco's 'Healthy Eating' range at the moment, their lunch salads are so nice - and actually filling! 

This evening? Laundry and tidying the flat. Joy.

Lesson of the day - You can't win anything if you don't enter. I should play the lottery more - in it to win it, right? 

Day Twelve : Sunday Lunch

Date : Sunday 12th January 2014

Time : 14.12

Location : Millennium Apartments, Birmingham

Oh Damn! That's good!! 

Sundays. They're made for straight chillin', right? WRONG. 

They're made for cooking lovely food, and going to the gym ... At least, that's what I did today! 

Not your traditional Sunday lunch my any means, but wow. Just wow. This to me is heaven. The steak I only cooked for about 6 minutes (still too long IMO!) and the potatoes I boiled, with mint and basil.

I've never been the best cook .... Though to be honest I've never really cooked full stop! In my old, rotten days it was freezer food all the way. Now it's all about eating fresh. 

I can't lie - I had a bit of a lazy afternoon, slumped in front of the telly watching the football. Until I decided, 'No, I'm a changed man!'

I drafted up my 3rd gym plan, and descended on the basement gym for the 3rd time in 5 days. I've said it before and I'll say it again ... What is happening to me?! 

After today's session I can all but confirm that the dreaded burpee will almost certainly be the death of me!! 

Heck, I feel much better for it now though! (Come back and ask me how I feel tomorrow morning though - It'll be a different story!) 

And just like that ... The weekends gone. Here's to another long week of work, eh? 

Lesson of the day - pushing through the pain barrier always has benefits

Day Eight : Breakfast?!

Date : Wednesday 8th January 2014

Time : 08.00

Location : Millennium Apartments, Birmingham

What is this?!

I have been reliably informed that in my quest to live a happy, healthy life - I need to start eating three, solid meals a day, starting - of course - with breakfast. 

I can't recall ever really eating breakfast (apart from a beautifully mastered Sunday fry-up from time to time - these are a thing of the past!) - so deciding on a cereal of choice wasn't an easy task! I went for Sultana Bran (not really sure why), but hell, it tastes so good! 

Also note, I would NORMALLY still be in bed at the time this picture was taken! But this morning, I'd already accomplished a shower, and shave. That's impressive for me - I've never claimed to be a morning person!

In my past - non breakfast eating - life, I could quite easily go through the morning without eating, and have my first food of the day at 1pm. Today, however, after eating breakfast, I felt quite peckish at around 11am! That's weird. Can someone explain?

I'm finding my new quest to be healthy easier than I thought - I'm enjoying cooking food and going to the gym and really want to see progress. We'll see if I feel the same 2 months down the line!

Lesson of the day - The word 'Breakfast' is used because you're 'breaking' the evenings 'fast'. Breakfast .

Day Six : NOSH!

Date : Monday 6th January 2014

Time : 19.50

Location : Millennium Apartments, Birmingham (home)

Treats!

Is it actually possible to eat healthily? I think not - but with some willpower, it is possible!

Well, at least I hope so! 

Today's picture shows all the treats my girlfriend ended up with after the Christmas break (apart from the Rhubarb and Custards .... They're all mine!). It's just not possible to stay healthy with this much lovely goodness lounging around the flat (the picture doesn't even show the cheesy bites and chocolate biscuits that are stocked in the bedroom)!

Is it worth holding off my diet plans until this food is all gone? I can't possibly just let it sit there and get cold in the harsh, unforgiving Birmingham winter - why not give it a nice warm home, inside my tummy? 

NO. MUST ... RESIST .... TEMPTATION!!

Even as I write this, I just received an email entitled "SWEETS FOR FREE". It must be a sign, right? 

So how can I eat healthily, without compromising on lovely taste and burning a massive hole in my pocket? 

Lesson of the day - Resist temptation, eat an apple (pink ladies, of course) 

Day Five : New Years Resolutions

Date : Sunday 5th Janurary 2014

Time : 18.39

Location : Millennium Apartments Gym, Birmingham

I've never really been into the whole 'new years resolution' thing. I've always just seen it as a massive waste of time, and something noone actually commits to!

This year is different. I've gone and challenged myself to keep up not one, but two new years resolutions!

The first, to be more committed, and the second, to learn new things.

Today, after what can really only be described as a 'lazy day', I mustered up the courage to don the workout gear and venture down the 9 stories to the basement gym in my city centre apartment complex.

I've tried to commit to serious workouts in the past, magnificently failing after a couple of visits. To ensure I stick at it, I won't hit it too hard, 3 times a week to start with, alternating between cardio and weight training.

Tonight, I stuck to a warm-up on the rowing machine, 30 minutes on the treadmill and 25 minutes on the exercise bike (from which I was rudely interrupted by a chap who didn't know how to open the apartments' garage!).

I always feel good after a workout! Not sure if my muscles will agree with me tomorrow morning though! We'll see!

Lesson of the day - push yourself and you will soon see the benefits. - At least, I hope so, does anyone actually enjoy going to the gym?!

Dinner - Chicken Salad, of course! Health kick.