Make Your Own Nakd Bars

January brings with it good intentions and a mass of healthy food and new exercise regimes. For the ultimate healthy snack, I love a Nakd bar. Delicious, healthy, full of fruit and energy - I love snacking on them at work with a cup of tea or grabbing one an hour before I go running. I used to fill up on cereal or fruit bars but it is so difficult to find any without a ridiculous amount of sugar in them. 


While they taste fantastic and help me on my way to my five a day, they tend to leave a big dent in my purse. Thankfully, with a bit of initiative and a food processor, I have learnt to make my own. A firm favourite of mine is the Cashew Cookie bars. Sweet and tasty, they are very filling and the cashew nuts are great for a protein fix for a little pre-gym energy. Thankfully, these are just about the easiest to make. Check out the recipe below and don't eat them all at once!

On the shopping list: 
-Medjool dates - these are the sticky type and you can grab them from Tesco.
-30g unsalted cashew nuts- Try your local health food shop or supermarket for a big bag.
-Optional- 2 small drops of vanilla essence- (I tend to leave this out but if you feel you need a sugar fix, this will make them taste even more like sweets.)

How to make your own:
-Whizz the cashew nuts in your food processor. You're looking to get them small enough to sprinkle but not so much that they disappear into dust!
-Then, pit the medjool dates and place them in a large bowl.
-Mix the cashew nuts with the dates and squish them together. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to get a good texture, or even better- use your hands. The heat will make the mixture sticky and it will mould together easily.
-Roll the mixture into 'bar' sized portions and wrap them in cling-film. Stick them in the fridge to solidify a little.
-Enjoy your home made treat at a fraction of the cost! Feel free to experiment, too. For something a little more indulgent, you could add chocolate chips to the mix, or coat the bars in desiccated coconut. Yum.

The Breakfast Club

As the saying goes, 'Breakfast like a king'. It has always been my favourite meal of the day for some reason. A boiled egg and soldiers on a rainy Sunday morning, a hearty bowl of porridge before work or strong coffee and bagels in the city of New York. There is something about setting yourself up for the day in the best way possible- after all, make yourself a healthy breakfast and you are much more likely to continue eating healthily for the rest of the day.

Lately, I've become a huge fan of the breakfast smoothie. I was bought a mini-blender a few years ago and nowadays, it is never out of use. The beauty of a smoothie is the speed and simplicity on busy mornings. Grab a handful of your favourite fruit, some milk and a few oats and you have a perfectly healthy way to keep yourself nourished until lunch time.

They can also be surprisingly cheap. I tend to buy frozen fruit in bulk and keep it in the freezer to use in the morning and Alpro has a great range of dairy-free alternatives in their range, including Almond, Hazelnut and Coconut milks to name a few.

The great thing about making your own is not only that you will be saving your pennies from buying branded smoothies but also that you'll know exactly what is going into them. No juices from concentrate, added sugar or hidden flavourings- just natural and fresh fruit.

Here are a few of my own crafted favourites:


Berry Boost Smoothie:

This one is great before or after a run.

-1 ripe banana
-A small handful of frozen berries (try raspberries, blueberries or strawberries)
-A tablespoon of oats- (Buy a big bag of porridge oats and it will last you ages!)
-A tablespoon of low fat whey protein powder
-A teaspoon of Acai berry powder
-200ml of Almond milk

Mix it all up in the blender and drink it from a tall glass. Very refreshing and a great energy source.



Coco Loco:

This smoothie is a great weekend treat for the summer months and tastes like a holiday cocktail! Coconut milk is not only delicious but versatile too. Pour it over your cereal, use it in your cooking or mix it with pineapple juice for a virgin Pina Colada.

-A small handful of frozen pineapple and mango.
-A tablespoon of chia seeds.
-200ml of coconut milk

Blend until smooth and enjoy. For hotter days, add some ice cubes and a cheeky cocktail umbrella and pretend you're on your jollies.



Banana & Nutella Smoothie:

This smoothie is a little more indulgent and tastes great. It has a lot less sugar and nasties that shop-bought juices and milkshakes have, so it is worth a go if you want a chocolatey treat.

-1 ripe banana
-A tablespoon of raw Cacoa powder- (a little goes a very long way!)
-200ml of hazelnut milk 
-Low fat vanilla whey protein powder

Blend until smooth and serve in a tall glass.






The great thing about these smoothies is that you can pack so much goodness into one drink. Be creative- there are some great goodies in your local health shop and there are a wide variety of fruits to try!

Happy creating!