Monday, 28 January 2013

Healthy Recipe: Goat Chilli Soup

Happy New Week!

I'm happy to report that The Get Trimmer Challenge has officially started. Unlike previous challenges, it won't be done on this blog, there's a separate (private) blog and also a closed Facebook Group.

If you're still interested make sure you register by Friday 1st February when entry officially closes --> http://gettrimmer3.eventbrite.co.uk

On to the RECIPE
The name is inspired by one of my favourite Nigerian dishes - PEPPERSOUP!

I didn't have any peppersoup spices at home so I used the next best thing - chilli. Thinking about it now, I could have used  finely chopped scotch bonnet or ground 'Naija pepper'.

It came out yummy with that little kick that chilli gives.

Ingredients
2 medium red onions
3 red bell peppers
1kg goat meat
Generous servings of mixed spice, mixed herbs (Read --> What's In My Seasoning)
2 heaped tablespoons of chilli
Salt to taste

1. Slice the onions and peppers
    Chunky slices


2. Clean the goat meat and add to the slow cooker. Add the spices, herbs, chilli and salt and rub into the meat. (I'd have preferred to marinade it for a few hours before cooking).

3. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to a heated frying pan and lightly brown the onions. Use a spatula to move the onion around so it browns evenly. This should take no more than 5 minutes.



4. Add the onions to the meat



5. Repeat the same for the peppers. Again, no more than 5 minutes.


6. Add to the meat and onions.

7. Add enough water to barely cover the contents of the slow cooker. Cover, set on low and leave too cook for 8 hours.

Ready to slow cook for 8 hours
It didn't look this grubby!!
8. If you're like me, wake up to the aroma of scrumptious goat meat cooked with sweet red peppers and onions. Of course, the seasoning played a huge part ;)




Enjoy!

PS If you don't own a slow cooker, cook this on low heat and check the tenderness of the meat every 30 minutes.

Friday, 25 January 2013

Braids and Food

What a clever title, right? I've had my braids hang into my food and that wasn't nice :/
I just couldn't think of an interesting title so this is going to have to do!

Anyway..... This is just a quick update on my hair (which is now in braids, as seen below) and food, I'm sure you had no idea!! :p

I got my braids done on Monday and after an early start (the lady rang my doorbell at 6am!), enduring a numb backside and trying to stay awake, she was done before 2pm :)


If you're wondering how I take care of my hair while it's in braids, watch the video below. Which reminds me, I need to make another bottle of my braid spray:



As usual, I'll keep the braids in for no more than 3 months.

I'm so happy it's Friday because I get done with work early so I get to relax and cook :) I bought some lambs' livers on Thursday night with the intention of making okra soup today. Well, I got home today and realised I forgot to get some!
There was no way I was going back out in the freezing cold for nonsense okra!
So I had to improvise and just pan fried the livers with red onions (seasoned with salt, paprika and mixed herbs) for about 10-12 minutes and added some spinach to cook with it for a few more minutes.
It doesn't look great but it tasted very good (I cooked it so of course it did!) and has many nutritional benefits :)
LUNCH
And then my dinner was YUMMY :) I recently purchased a slow cooker and I have tried out three meals in it so far. I think I got it a week and a half ago!

This was a simple stew: venison sausages, sweet potatoes (the Jamaican ones here, very similar to the ones in Nigeria), red onions and chopped tomatoes. I pan fried the sausages and onions for a couple of minutes before adding to the slow cooker and left everything to cook for a few hours.
And I finally bought courgettes (zucchinis) for the first time ever! Thanks to some tips from Ceri (of Cucina Ceri), I didn't add it to the stew, I sliced into large chunks, season with chilli, drizzled some olive oil on it and put it in the oven for 20 minutes.

The clean plate in the picture shows exactly how I felt about it ;)


So that's my Friday update done, I'm just finishing up some documents to send out for the Get Trimmer challenge now and then BED :) #TGIF

You can still sign up for the challenge by clicking on the image below:

FYI: In Naira, it's N5,000 if you prefer to do that. Just send me an email asking for a/c details. Once the Early Bird offer runs out, it will go up to £26.99 or N6,750. This will be available until Friday 1st February, when registration will be officially closed.

Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Countdown to the Challenge And A New Video.

Happy Hump Day!!!!

If you think you're the only one who has a mid-week slump, think again!

Tuesday is my most physically demanding day so every Wednesday morning, I struggle to get up and get ready to head to my 7am spin class. I have to be enthusiastic and alert (of course!) while instructing the class, when all I really want to do is curl up on the floor beside my spin bike and take a quick 2 hour nap ;) It was so bad today, I only realised I STILL had my headscarf on at the tube station!!!
Thankfully, I enjoy the class and I love the Fitter London members so I always leave the gym feeling great!


The countdown has officially begun, the Get Trimmer challenge starts in five days :)

I've had a couple of emails asking me about non-Paypal payments. It should work with most cards but if it doesn't, email me (info'at'adura-o.com) and I'll send you an alternative method of payment (N5,000).

It'd be great if everyone signed up before Monday so I can email necessary documents this weekend (Sunday). 
Also because spaces are limited and there's currently an early bird offer going on.

If you have any questions about this, comment here or send me an email.


FYI: Once the Early Bird offer runs out, the fee will be increased. This will be available until Friday 1st February, when registration will be officially closed.

Oh, and don't forget to share with friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and any other means :) The more, the merrier. (Please share the image above and share with this link --> http://gettrimmer3.eventbrite.co.uk)

As promised, I'm back to uploading videos weekly so here's the second video of the year. Yes, it's a bit different but I've been asked a few times where I get my gym wear. I'd like to do one with UK bought gym wear but I'm not sure when/if I'll buy anything anytime soon. Or else a company wants me to review their stuff ;) Hope you find this useful!
And don't forget to click right here ---> SUBSCRIBE



Enjoy your week and see you later!

PS I've had my lemon (or lime) and water every morning :) This morning I squeezed half a lime into my green drink :)

PPS And if anyone feels inclined to get me a couple more pairs of the Old Navy leggings I raved about in the video, don't hold back, ha! Colour: Black, Size: Small :p

Monday, 21 January 2013

The Benefits of Lemon & Water... and A Personal Challenge


Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend. I spent most of my Sunday in bed or on the sofa - my typical LAZY Sunday!.

Ever since I learned of the many benefits of drinking lemon and water, I've aimed to have a glass every morning. It's been relatively easy to stick to during the week, when I have a set routine, but I usually forget at the weekend!

I first tried lemon & water when it was a part of my daily Weight Watchers meal plan. Oh Lord, OVER ten years ago. Where did the years go???

Anyway, back to what I'm talking about here - I had a glass of warm/hot water and lemon (or lime!) every morning before breakfast. I didn't know what the reason behind it was but I felt if WW orders it, then I'm doing it.

It wasn't until years later, that I bothered to listen to a friend (Keris) and also read more about it on the internet. I also learned that it helped curved my cravings for chewing gum (which I am sometimes addicted to). As someone who's had a history of bloatedness and a sensitive tummy, this (and green tea) with the combination of a healthier, cleaner diet has made a huge difference to how my stomach feels.

Now that I'm more enlightened, I try to have it every day. Although it's advised to use warm water, which on its own has a nice effect on the stomach, I usually use room temperature water and have it at least an hour before eating breakfast.

A few benefits of lemon & water include:
  • It aids digestion and helps relieve the symptoms of indigestion and heartburn. This is because it is  has similar characteristics to our digestive juives eg saliva and bile. I can vouch for this!
  • It helps with efficiency of elimination from the bowels, to put it in a polite way ;) No need for TMI but this is one of the results I can vouch for. 
  • It helps cleanse the liver by helping liquefy bile and controlling its flow. It also helps with liver function as the liver produces more enzymes from lemon/lime water than any other food (according to A.F. Beddoe, author of Biological Ionization as Applied to Human Nutrition)
  • It helps balance pH as it's highly alkaline. Yes, it contains citric acid but when processed by the body, it has an alkalising effect. A lot of foods we eat have acidic effects on the body including meats, fish and grains which most people consume a lot of. Read this page on acid/alkaline forming foods --> http://rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm
  • It has anti-inflammatory properties: it  dissolves uric acid, which is usually responsible for pain and inflammation in the body and joints.
Although this has nothing to do with drinking it, when applied topically it's been known to gradually help fade blemishes and scars. I haven't tried this yet. Maybe I will soon, I could do with a couple of blemishes being cleared up.

It has a lot more benefits which can all be read about here: http://www.quantumbalancing.com/news/lemon%20water.htm

How and When Do I Have Mine?
Half a lemon squeezed into a pint glass of (filtered or spring) water. First thing in the morning, at least an hour before breakfast.

So what's my personal challenge? To continue this every single day this year but I'm going to start with this month. I will try to post on Twitter, Instagram, here or even on Facebook. Sometimes I will have it with my green drink to kill two birds with one stone, like I did today.

Feel free to join me on this little challenge :)

Note: As lemon is acidic in nature (before being processed by the body), it's been said that daily drinking of lemon & water could wear away teeth enamel. So it's been advised to drink with a straw, which I'm going to try to do more often than not. It's better to be safe than sorry!

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

Register For The *Get Trimmer* Challenge NOW!



What can you expect?

To help kickstart (or continue) your healthy journey and get steps closer to reaching your goals:
  • Weekly tips and guidelines. 
  • Weekly meal and fitness plans*
  • Exclusive access to a private forum**
  • And 100% dedication!
When does it start?
Monday 28th January is the official start date.

Is there a fee?
Yes, there's an early registration fee, contact me for details.

Where/How do I sign up?
I'm having trouble paying via PayPal, are there any other payment options?
Contact me for bank transfer details.

* Meal & Fitness plans won't be customised. They will serve as guidelines which will be easily adaptable. If you're interested in personalised & customised plans, they come at an extra cost. Contact me at info @ adura-o.com if interested
** Via a closed (private) Facebook group

If you have any injuries, allergies or health concerns, please contact me before signing up.

Monday, 14 January 2013

Dry Hair Remedy with Argan & Almond Oils

I neglected my hair ALL week. I got back from my Christmas break on Tuesday and after a 2 hour nap, went straight back to work!

I left my hair in a bun all week and only moisturised the exposed parts of my hair and my edges, of course!

So, it was no surprise that when I took it down from the bun, my hair felt like straw. Unfortunately, I had almost run out of my favourite conditioner (Organic Roots Salon Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner) so I had to make an impromptu concoction of ORS, Nexxus Humectress and I had no Olive Oil (which is my go-to conditioning oil), so I used Argan Oil and Almond Oil.
I'm actually working on a homemade conditioner mix but haven't gone back to it in a while... soon :)

Argan Oil is a great oil for the skin and hair (I use it for both). It's rich in vitamin E.
It contains high levels of essential fatty acids that help moisturise the hair and give it a natural shine. It also strengthens the hair and helps prevent (note I didn't say fix or seal!) split ends. Finally, it's a great remedy for dry scalp conditions including dandruff and resulting itching. What's not to like? I added a tablespoon of Argan oil to the mix.

Almond Oil is another good oil for hair AND skin. It helps retain moisture and restore shine to hair. I added this to the mix to help seal in the moisture from my conditioners. Like Argan oil, it's rich in vitamin E and also Vitamin D which nourish the hair by smoothening and strengthening. I added a very generous amount of almond oil as it's a carrier oil and is cheaper (very important, haha!)

I also use both oils in hot oil treatments or pre-poo (pre shampoo application a few hours before washing the hair.)

  • I applied this generously to my hair and covered with a shower cap. 
  • I went about my Sunday duties for a few hours (read: I went back to being lazy) and conditioner-washed my hair later. 
  • Applied my leave in conditioner, detangled and put my hair in 8 braids to dry overnight.
  • Today, I took each braid down, moisturised (with my shea butter cream) and re-braided to help stretch out my hair even more (that explains why my hair can lay so flat, it could be mistaken for relaxed from afar).
Today, my hair feels very soft and moisturised. It's currently in boring braids to help stretch it out so it's not worth taking a picture. I'll take one tomorrow and will try to remember to post here.

Friday, 11 January 2013

2013: New Year Updates (VIDEO)

I'm finally back recording & uploading videos. I didn't realise how much I missed it until I started editing the video below :)



Main highlights in this video:

- If you have any requests, let me know:

- Sign up for the Get Trimmer challenge is officially open. This will be the best yet! I can feel it in my bones ;)

- If you're interested in personalised fitness and/or meal plans, contact me for more information.

Don't forget to subscribe to my youtube channel if you haven't already!

Hope your year's off to a great start, see you very soon :)

Thursday, 10 January 2013

What Would You Like To See Next?



Your requests can be on anything healthy eating, fitness, skincare, haircare  and healthy living related. Basically, anything related to my current content.

I will be working on a few requests from last year and they will be up soon.

See ya! 

Monday, 7 January 2013

HEALTHY EATING OUT: California Pizza Kitchen

I'm going to make a huge effort to share any healthy meals I have when I eat out. It, of course, goes without saying that I will still share my home made meals ;)

I was at a mall with my sister in the US and she suggested California Pizza Kitchen. It has PIZZA in the name so of course I expected I wouldn't have much to choose from if I wanted to stick to healthy eating.

Thankfully, I was wrong :) They had a good range of salads and some other healthy (enough) items on the menu.

I had the Grilled Chicken Chimichurri with the chimichurri (finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white or red vinegar) with the dressing on the side. I ended up using less than half of the dressing so although it wasn't unhealthy, it's proof that restaurants tend to be a bit to generous with their dressings!




For a list of all the salads available in CPK, go to: http://www.cpk.com/menu/

Thursday, 3 January 2013

Goals!

I'm not one for New Year resolutions, yes I'm one of those rebels :p BUT I must admit to sometimes setting a few goals because everyone's resolutions kind of rub of on me!


Is anyone out there like me? Do you set goals every Sunday night, no matter how small they are? I have a small whiteboard I got from Ryman's Stationers (in London) and it's come in handy many times. I write down my mini and big goals and track my progress weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly.
I remember setting a goal of getting a 100 Facebook page 'likes', it was so rewarding seeing the date of when I set the goal and it coming to fruition :)

That board is going to be put to even better use, I might even get a bigger one.

So, what's the point of this post? I really don't know. It's just to say we all set goals, and one of the most common ones on January 1st is to lose weight, get healthy or something along the health and fitness line. Try not to be like majority of people who set these goals but don't follow them through.

Take advantage of the offers and massive discounts available to lure you in BUT put them to good use. I can't tell you how many times people have paid for PT sessions, classes and just never showed up. Of course, it's not the end of the world if you fall by the wayside a couple of times, the most important thing is to sit down, regroup and get back on track.

Ahhh, so there was a point to this post ;)

Set goals but giving up at the first hurdle shouldn't mean giving up completely. Get back to it.. sharpish!

Happy New Year :)

Tuesday, 1 January 2013

It's 2013... ALREADY!!!

Just a quick thank you for reading and sharing my posts and videos :) I promise to respond to emails and post more frequently this year!

Also, look out for some changes here... I'll share them as they happen (I've learned not to jump the gun).

Blogging and video uploads will return to normal from next week. Until then, make sure you check out and subscribe to/like/follow:

Here's to a healthy, successful, happy and wonderful 2013!!! :)