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 Three & Four : Smoothies & Snooker

OK so I'm doing another double blog now - I fell behind a bit last week but after today I'll be back on track ... and ready to tell some VERY exciting news in tomorrows blog! You'll have to wait and see for now!!

Date : Tuesday 4th March 2014

Time : 19.43

Location : Riley's Snooker Club, Birmingham

147?

A friend and I like to go to Riley's and pretend we're good at snooker. I suppose it's like anything really, professionals make things look easy ... That's why they're professionals, right? 

We hadn't been for a while, so decided to rekindle our love for the sport on Tuesday night. We played 4 frames in 3 hours. Professionals would probably play 4 frames in 1 hour! 

It took us about an hour to get back into it, as we hadn't been since the turn of the year, and my god we were bad! The problem that I have with snooker is that I actually enjoy it. It's similar to my ukulele. I'm not very good, but really enjoy doing it! 

I managed to destroy the highest break of the day (and equal my highest ever break) by scoring a rather pitiful 9. Ronnie O'Sullivan, watch out! 

We used to be OK (and when I say OK ... I still mean dreadful!) ... we would sometimes go after work when we worked at a city centre bar together. Yes, after work ... I think once or twice we left in broad daylight the next morning! 

It's great fun though, and I think with practise we might get a bit better (like I said - we'll still be dreadful!).

Ah well - it's sport ... it's the taking part that counts, right? 

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

Date : Wednesday 5th March 2014

Time : 08.54

Location : Wyatt International, Birmingham

Rhubarb and Custard Smoothie! Should be AMAZING!

OK, this needs some backstory. When I was younger (and I have no idea how old) I remember having this rhubarb and custard sweet. But it was different to normal ones you get in shops. This one had, kind of a fondant inside which you could suck out. It was the best thing in the world. To this day I have no idea where to get them from, or if they even exist, but Rhubarb and Custard sweets are still my ultimate fave. 

So imagine my excitement when I saw this in Tesco on Tuesday morning. Yup. R&C smoothie. I picked up my standard apple juice and trundled on to work. 

I think I may have built it up a bit too much. I didn't actually read the ingredients, I just assumed it would taste like my favourite sweeties! I was in for a bit of a surprise! 

What it actually tasted like was a strong overtone of bananas, my LEAST favourite fruit!! That was enough to kill the dream for me. I had a few sips, got some large chunks of banana in my mouth which put me off, and threw the smoothie away. Massive disappointment. 

This got me thinking about weight, and more importantly my BMI. I have lost 1st this year. That's not bad going I guess. 

At the turn of the year, my BMI (Body Mass Index) was up at 24.9. I was 0.1 point away from being classified as overweight for my age / height. I've managed to get my score down to a respectable 22.1. 

Great result - and it just makes me want to work harder to achieve the goals I want! 

Onwards and upwards! 

Lesson of the day - If you have fun doing something, just do it! And also read the ingredients when purchasing smoothies! 

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! 

Weekend Catch Up!!

OK so I had an incredibly busy weekend! So I sort of knew I wouldn't be able to blog much - so instead, I'll just give you a bite-size weekend review! 

Formalities over, lets get on it! 

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

Date : Thursday 27th February 2014

Time : 21.23

Location : Millennium Apartments, Birmingham

THIS IS SPARTA!

300 is an amazing film! There's a second one coming out at the end of this week (I think) so I may well have to check it out (though I haven't actually seen the trailer!) 

I'm not really into action / fighting films, but 300 is different. It tells the story of 300 Spartan soldiers in a battle against millions of Persians. I would probably read that plot and think BOOORRRIIINNNGGG, but honestly. It's Fab! 

Something that made me laugh about this film is all the continuity errors. There are quite a few that I notice - it might be because I smashed media studies when I was at school - but I just pick up on little details. IMDB was a great help in spotting more! 

And of course, the famous This Is Sparta cry! Gerard Butler, take a bow!

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

Date : Friday 28th February 2014

Time : 13.35

Location : Wyatt International, Birmingham

Running With The Bulls

Ever since I saw Richard Hammond do it on Top Gear a few years ago, I've been a little bit obsessed with the Pamplona Bull Run. 

Each year, in Pamplona - a town in north Spain (closest city is Bilbao) - there is a week long street festival which includes a number of tomato fights, and each morning, the running of the bulls. 

The streets are lined with cheering crowds, as the mad / insane / adreneline junkies run 800m amongst massive scary bulls. I'm positive people have been significantly injured doing this - but what an experience?

What's even better, is that in Bilbao, there is a music festival where Foster The People are playing - and I've developed into a bit of a fan! 

The ultimate adreneline rush, I just need to find people who are stupid enough to want to do it with me! 

Any of my friends reading this, are you keen for a little bull run? 

To put pictures to my words, here's a video of someone getting absolutely destroyed by a bull! 

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

Date : Saturday 1st March 2014

Time : 23.58

Location :The Queen of Hoxton, London

Bit of a dump

OK so on Saturday I had to go to synagogue for the first time in about 10 years! We were attending a service for my future brother in law called an "auf ruf" (pronounced oof ruff). 

Without going into too much detail, there was some dancing involved infront of the congregation, some awkward carrying of the scrolls, and lots and lots and lots of lovely food! 

Considering I haven't been to synagogue in a long time, it wasn't too bad! 

On Saturday night myself and a couple of friends went to a bar in Shoreditch called the Queen of Hoxton. I think we drastically mis-judged the dress code! We rolled up in our nice shoes, shirts and blazers, whilst everyone else was in their pumps and hoodies! Better to be overdressed than underdressed, right? Perhaps not in this place! 

Nevertheless, we had a good laugh - despite the terrible music and price it cost us to get home (£70 taxi!). 

Also, it's worth noting. Who knew there were so many New Zealanders / Kiwi's / Kiwinese people in London! 

I do now! 

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

Date : Sunday 2nd March 2014

Time : 20.21

Location : Pizza Express, Stanmore

Pollo ad Astra Leggera

Delicious! 

Sunday was all about seeing old friends, and making people smile! I met a friend of mine who I haven't seen in a while for breakfast. I had poached eggs, asparagus and parma ham, dear lord was so damn good!!

She had been complaining that she wasn't feeling too well, so I picked her up a small bunch of flowers. It's amazing what a small gesture can do for someone. She seemed really happy, and taken aback. It gave me a nice feeling! 

In the afternoon I went to my cousins to watch the football, and in the evening, went to Pizza Express for some beaut dinner! 

Leggera's are my new favourite thing. A healthy (ish) pizza! Could anyone ask for anything better? 

It's a normal pizza, with the inner circle missing and replaced with a salad! It sounds random (and to be honest, it is a little bit!) but it is so nice!! And it's served with a pizza cutter!! 

To start, we did have dough balls - naughty! But I did go with my friend / personal trainer ... so if he said it's OK then I won't argue! Back on the football / gym this week though!!

Lesson of the DAYS -

GET BETTER AT BLOGGING!  

Day Fifty Seven : My Favourite Thing In The World!

Date : Wednesday 27th February 2014

Time : 04.49

Location : Millennium Apartments, Birmingham - Half Asleep!

The Best Thing Ever!

Hump day couldn't have started better! You know, when you wake up in the middle of the night, and you're absolutely gutted because you have to get up for work, then you realise its only 4.49am and you can have another 2 and a half hours in bed! Absolutely Bliss!!!

This phenomenon doesn't happen to often, but my god, when it happens it just makes me so happy! 

You see, I'm not really a morning person! If I start work at 9, and it takes me 25 minutes to walk to work ... I'll roll out of bed at half 8! It's all about maximising your comfort levels! 

It's quite bad! I have to set myself 3 alarms, and I still struggle! First one goes off at 7.30, second at 7.45 then my final alarm goes off at 8. And I still find myself in a rush to get to work. Bad. 

As this this picture isn't the most exciting, I might as well talk through the home screen on my phone - because that's clearly even more exciting, right?

I like to have my favourite apps on my home screen, and just before Christmas it really annoyed me, because I had to factory reset my phone (so lost all my apps) and couldn't remember what went where!! 

I've landed on this layout though! 

Everything above the Google search bar is a MUST! My most frequently used apps!

I'm on Twitter way too much! Just flicking, even if I've just refreshed my feed, I'll just do it again seconds later incase somethings happened. Weird. 

Facebook I don't use too much, thought I am starting to use it a bit more as I post my blog on there every day! 

Spotify and Netflix are pretty big. Spotify I use every day walking to and from work, and when in the gym. I just love how easy it is to download albums, and get into new bands (or just listen to old albums). It's brilliant! I've just downloaded the Bastille, Imagine Dragons and The 1975 albums, so look forward to giving them a listen! Netflix I just love. No more words needed. 

The YouTube which I watch frequently too. There's nothing better than getting home from work, throwing yourself on the bed and watching YouTube! Does anyone else do this? Or just me?

Everything else is stuff that I use quite a lot - on the left is my abs excercises (which, admittedly I haven't used much recently!) and other bits and bobs. Photoeditor is what I use to filter all my photo's and Livescore to keep up to date with all the football scores! 

Let me know what apps you guys love at the moment! I always love to discover new ones! I wish I had an iPhone so I could download the Pointless app. Gutted. 

Until next time! 

Lesson of the day : GET UP WHEN MY ALARM'S GO OFF!! 

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 Fifty Five : Graduation (FINALLY!)

Date : Monday 24th February 2014

Time : 10.06

Location : Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Gap 'n Gowned!

So it finally came. 4 and a half years after starting Business Studies at Birmingham City University, and about 8 months after actually finishing, I finally graduated yesterday! 

The ceremony was held at Symphony Hall in Birmingham and was definitely nothing like I've ever experienced! 

I was really nervous, I don't really know why, I guess it was because for that 5 second period, hundreds of pairs of eyes were on you, walking across the stage. I'm not sure, it was just an odd feeling. 

I think the waiting, and the rituals / traditions of the ceremony was what made me more nervous. An 8-piece mini orchestra played atmospheric music before the ceremony actually started - that didn't help! 

When the ceremony eventually started, it all got a bit weird! A selection of lecturers and university managerial staff made a slow walk to the stage. It reminded me of the Olympic torch relay, as the chap at the front of the congregation held a massive silver stick that resembled an Olympic torch! 

Once the ceremony started, students were honoured, from members of staff, masters, postgraduates and finally us lowly graduates. There was a lot of clapping. A LOT. And I felt bad. I felt like I had to clap for every single person that walked across the stage, as I would have wanted everyone to clap for me. 

Something that slightly disappointed me was that I didn't really get to see my friends walk across the stage, as I was in the back corridors queuing for my moment! Never mind. 

And then, in the blink of an eye, it was over! Mark Gary Stern one of our senior lecturers read, as I walked across the stage to shake a couple of gowned men - one of whom was dressed like a pirate, it should be noted. 

Apparently my friends and family all cheered and 'whooped' for me, but I didn't really hear - I was too busy concentrating on not tripping over, not having my hat fall off (and it was already a little bit too big for me), maintaining the appearance of my gown AND not ballsing up the two handshakes - which I nailed spot on, athank you!

Mum videoed me walking across the stage, at which time I discovered how poor my walk / posture is. Must address NOW. I did get to relive the two greatest handshakes ever delivered, which was better than receiving my degree (well, not really, but they were damn good!).

And that was pretty much it! I was expecting the ceremony to be a lot worse than it was. I thought it would be really boring, and I guess it was still boring, just not really boring! 

Afterwards we went out for lunch to a gastropub outside the city centre, by which point I hadn't eaten all day so I had a bit of a headache! Then all my family went home and I celebrated my graduation with a quick pint with a friend, before a nice game of football! 

Until tomorrow! 

Lesson of the day - Believe In Your Dreams (As read from my graduation card from work) 

Note. There was no cap throwing - I thought that was a bit of a cringe and more of an American thing! 

Pointless Note - The tassels on a graduation cap should ALWAYS go on the LEFT. I didn't ask why and can't be bothered to Google! If anyone knows, do tell!!