I love this quote. I find Autumn not only a sad time as we bid farewell to the long evenings spent as we wish but also a time for reflection and new beginnings. There is something about getting back into routines that awakens the need for something new in most of us.
Whilst the threat of baring all in a bikini has faded with the glorious red August sunsets, so has my motivation to actually do ANYTHING other than eat stew, nachos and basically anything sugar laden. Its a difficult time of year to negotiate as it is not near enough to Christmas to feel the threat of the LBD and we are still recovering from the summer holiday poolside fear.
So Inspiration is needed.
There you go – no excuses needed. Currently the only 6 pack in my life arrives on a Friday after kids bedtime and is accompanied by a lime! Apparently we just need to get in the kitchen and cook up some darn abs for ourselves.
I’m always looking for easy, healthy sides to serve with my steaks, fish or chicken dishes. Eating the same stuff as the kids ALL the time can get tedious. (there is only so much mash or spaghetti hoops my stomach will tolerate).
Here is my favourite quick fix healthy side that anyone can make in no time at all. And it only has 3 ingredients – Sweet Potato, Chilli and Coconut Oil!!!
Firstly Sweet potato is my friend. 3rd born (aka Ollie) has a slight orange hue to his skin in some lights due to the copious amounts of it he is fed. And so does my floor! Alongside tasting great the average-size serving of sweet potatoes has fewer calories than an average-size serving of white potatoes. They also are unlikely to cause blood sugar levels to spike which discourages belly fat.
I’m notorious for coating everything in chilli (a year spent living in Bangkok will do that to you). Chilli contains capsaicin. This wonder stuff is good for your heart, can promote weight loss and is even being tested as a cancer treatment. So start slow. Pick a milder Chilli if you like or leave out the seeds but work your way up.
And the health benefits of Coconut Oil are endless but it is widely believed to have benefits for you hair, skin, heart, stomach and may aid weight loss. In short it’s a fat – but the right type of fat. And you’ll smell like a summer holiday when you do as I do and end up wiping the remnants of it from your fingers and onto your hair and my jeans!
Sizzling Sweet Potato Chunks
Ingredients – serves 2
1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Tablespoon of Raw (Virgin) Coconut Oil ( I buy in either Tesco Douglas, Holland & Barrett or Horan’s Health)
1 Birds eye chilli, finely sliced – seeds in or out
Method – and this could not be easier!!
Preheat oven to 200C.
- Put Coconut oil and sliced Birds eye chilli into oven on baking tray so oil will melt and begin to fuse with the chilli.
2. Peel the Sweet Potato and cut into 2 – 3 inch cubes.
3. Put the cubes onto hot baking try and coat with chilli oil mixture.
4. Bake for 35 mins – shaking once or twice during cooking time. (tip: I often prep the potato in the morning or the night before and leave the cubes in a bowl of water ready to use when I get home)
I serve with whatever meat I fancy (roast chicken, steak, pulled pork – anything at all!) and a veg of choice.
It literally could not be any easier – could it?
Let me know what you think or if you have any ideas for me to try!
Cli x
P.S. Beer is a well known cure for dreaded over spicy tongue!!! Just in case you need an excuse – hey, it’s happy hour somewhere in the world right now!
