Recipe: Protein Chocolate Brownies

No one ever said that eating healthy had to be bland and boring. Using the right ingredients, you can create the most flavoursome dishes.
I am a massive fan of cakes, buns and anything baking with chocolate, however the wheat content of cakes, pastries and other yummy bakes, leaves me feeling very bloated and ill. This is a very common trait amoung people these days, and it is becoming more known about the alternatives we can use to still enjoy those sweet treats we love.
The recipe below is for a clean eating chocolate and salted caramel protein brownie. I have used ground almonds as my alternative to wheat based flour.

Ingredients

Brownie
2 medium Bananas mashed
2 eggs
Half cup ground almonds / almond flour
Half cup cacao powder
1 scoop of chocolate/vanilla/caramel protein powder
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup runny honey
1/4 tbsp rock salt
1/3 cup greek yoghurt

Chocolate Topping
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 tbsp Cacao Powder
1 tbsp MyProtein Maple Syrup
Pinch of salt

What to do:

Brownie
Pre-heat oven at 180c. Line a small baking tray with a baking sheet and grease it.
With all the ingredients for the brownie simply add them all into a large mixing bowl.
Mix until it is a smooth consistency. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray and bake on the middle shelf for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.

Topping
Chuck all the ingredients into a new mixing bowl until all lumps have gone. Wait for the brownies too cool and then pour the chocolate over the top of the brownies and place in the fridge for 20 minuts or until chocolate hardens.

Then Enjoy!


Links for Ingredients
MyProtein Maple Syrup 
Cacao Powder
Coconut Oil
Caramel Protein Powder

Super Foods...Buzz Foods...The Low Down

January is a month that everyone begins fad diets to try and get back into shape ready for the Summer beach holidays...It is also a time when the words Super Food and Buzz Food pop up everywhere!

But what does "super food" mean?

I tend to use the phrase super food very loosely as I believe it is simply a marketing tool for the foods which come under this supposed umbrella. The foods are simply healthy and nutritious and can be used many different ways. 

What foods are "Super Foods"?

Chia Seeds

A member of the mint family and are the seeds of the Chia Plant. These seeds are a high source of fibre and protein, the contain omega-3 which is "super" for brain productivity. So for those of you with hard working jobs, or someone who is studying for exams then Chia Seeds could be the super food for you. 

How to use them: Chia seeds swell when soaked, so adding them into a pot with some coconut milk blended with a banana (leaving for 2 hours to soak) will give you a super tasty and healthy banana and coconut chia pudding.

Avocado

This is possibly my favourite of the lot. Avocados are great as they contain high amounts of Vitamin E which is good for keeping the skin healthy and glowing. This creamy fruit is also packed with essential fats that are important for our hearts. Eating Avocados can lower cholesterol, contributing to lowering the risk of developing heart disease. 

How to eat them: These can be eaten on toast with a poached egg, in salads or you could try making some homemade Guccamole.

Maca 

Maca is a root that belongs to the radish family and is avalible in powder form. Maca is rich in vitamins B, C and E and also provides plenty of Zinc, Calcium and Magnesium. Consuming Maca can increase energy levels and also stamina. Many athletes consume Maca as it has shown to improve overall performance. 

How to use: You can add Maca into a protein ball recipe or simply add a tea spoon into a smoothie.

Cacao Nibs

The middle part of the cocoa bean. Put simply Cacao is chocolate in its natural form, they contain no sugar ot preservatives and are high in antioxidants as well as fibre, magnesium and potassium all of which contribute to reducing the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. 

How to eat them: Raw with porridge or natural greek yoghurt or swap with chocolate chips in baking.

Quinoa

A wheat free alternative pronouced "keen-wa". With twice the protein content of rice or barley, quinoa is also a very good source of calcium, magnesium and manganese. It also possesses good levels of several B vitamins, vitamin E and dietary fibre. 
How to eat: Can be cooked similarly to rice but can also be toasted and used to make and incredible healthy and nutritious base to a salad.

You can get all of these products from most health stores or supermarkets, buywholefoods online is also a great website to order all from one place.

Been a While...

So it was brought to my attention that I havent blogged in a fair few months. Considering quite alot has been happening recently it seems like the perfect time to write about it, so here goes and enjoy :)


The Winter Months

Surfing is not the only sport I partake in, especially over the winter months. Netball is also a massive part of my life and is something I train hard for. Last season was my second year playing for my Universities 1st team and it will be a season never forgotten. With another unbeaten record in the league we were on top form leading up to our biggest game of the year against Plymouth University in Varisty. Its true what they say that hard work really does pay off! We got the win, for the first time in 7 years, with a convinving score of 35-28. It will be a game remembered by many for years to come.

Summer Time

As Uni had finished for the summer, it meant I could go back to Discovery Surf School working as a coach teaching complete beginners to those who are moving towards an intermidiate level of surfing. The South Coast of Devon is known for its lack of swell, so the summer is perfect for stand-up paddle (SUP) boarding along the coastline. I had the opportunity to become a SUP instructor allowing me to teach students from the ages of 14 and up. Being based at Bigbury-on-sea being able to take customers out to see the breath taking views shows them a side of Devon they wouldn't usually be able to see, with the crystal clear waters and iconic landmarks from the sea such as Burgh Island.

June, July and August absolutely flew by which meant it was time for me to take a trip to the South West of France to focus on my own surfing and spend some time with the family and friends. As always Seignosse did not let me down. Waking up, walking over the sand dune to check the surf, having crossiants and fresh fruit for breakfast and being able to surf in a bikini in the french shore breaks and sunshine was perfect and something I had missed alot.
Getting down to Seignosse at the end of August meant that I was able to watch the finals day of the Swatch Girls Pro. It was amazing to see the power in the girls manouvres on such small waves, it really was incredible.
We  also had a couple of smaller days whilst away which meant pulling out the longboard for change. Many people think its much cooler to ride shortboards, but in small conditions its just frustrating! My longboard surfs were some of the most fun surfs I have had in a long time, catching wave after wave and trying to perfect the cross step and hang 5. Overall it was a great trip, its like a home from home down there and I cant wait to get back!
Heres a short clip of my trip along with some pictures too :)

(If you can't see the video, please click this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DuheYQNUsk) 

Whats Next?

My final year of University starts at the end of Septemeber so its time to snap back to reality and get my head down. 

On the side of the studying, I will being playing netball again, focusing on surfing and also my fitness. I have chosen to focus on diet and fitness as it plays a massive part in what I do everyday. Im inspired by quite a few people who have changed their diet to clean eating and seen the results from their fitness regime and have decided thats what I want to do. So hopefully it all goes well and will be posting updates soon.

The Return to Bali Part III

So it was that time of year again...Uni was getting tiring and the weather was not improving. This was the indication that is was time for me to go to Bali again!

Based in Nusa Dua, it was the perfect get away to be able to relax, forget about all my uni work and surf world class waves for 2 weeks.

This time accompanied by some family friends, it allowed us to travel all around to show them the amazing sights of the Island.

As always a visit to Ulus was on the cards for many days of the trip, with its perfect left handers peeling along the reef, it would have been rude not to have spent endless hours in the water! Making sure I made good use of the GoPro whilst I was able to surf in a Bikini and clear blue water. Check out my video below!!!

On a day where the waves were lacking, it was an ideal opportunity to go inland and go to the monkey forest and the rice padi fields in Ubud. Lets just say the monkey's and I didnt get on too well...

However taking my mind off of the unfriendly creatures, the views of the rice padi's were simply breath taking, never had I seen anything quite so amazing!

Water Bom, the aqua park in Kuta is always great fun, whether it was to relax on the lazy river or to have a massive adrenaline rush of the most insane water slide ever! With a trap door releasing you into a vertical drop, then looping around exposing you to 2.5 G-force of speed...My god what a ride it was!

Unfortunatley 2 weeks went by far to quickly and it was soon time to return home to the endless amounts of assigments and the horrible grey weather. Back to training hard now though and getting in good shape ready for the summers adventures.

 Ulu's my favourite place

Vita Coco - Powered By Coconuts

Its been a while since I have posted on my blog, but I have some great news about a recent sponsor.

I have been lucky enough to gain the support of Vita Coco Coconut Water, to help me through all my training by helping to keep me hydrated.

Vita Coco Coconut water are the perfect drink to consume before, during and after exercise to replace the fluids being lost. As many athletes would know keeping hydrated is a vital part of a training regime and also to help reach optimal performance. 

Water can be really boring to drink, so what makes Vita Coco even more appealing is that the drinks come in a range of different flavours. My personal favourite is the coconut water with pineapple, tastes so refreshing on a lovely summers day! 

Check out their website and have a look at all of the amazing products! 

http://vitacoco.com/uk/

Bali Bound!

Easter holidays...finally a chance to have a break from A-levels and to get out of the cold weather, what better place to go than Bali!

Two weeks of pure sunshine and amazing waves were definitely the main things I was looking forward to as I set off on the 24 hour journey.

This was my second time of visiting Bali and was a chance for me to get some training done, visit temples taking in the different cultures and ways of life that the Balinese lead (crazy moped driving!!!) and also to be able to just chill out on the beach and not have to worry about revision or coursework deadlines!

A definite highlight of my trip was visiting the temple at Uluwatu, seeing the stunning views, they were simply breath taking, and also being climbed over by the monkeys!
Not only does Uluwatu have a temple but it is home to a world class wave, with long peeling left handers, perfect for practising my forehand surfing! It is safe to say Ulu's is definitely my favourite place to surf in Bali!

Here's a few pictures taken along my trip!

Maroc 'n' Roll!

Last week I returned from my first trip of 2012 to Morocco, training for a week with Joel Gray (coach) and getting some shots with Alex Williams.

Being able to surf in warm water 3 times a day and soak up the sun was definitely a highlight of the trip and I was not looking forward to coming home and having to wear endless amounts of rubber!
Other favourite parts about the trip has to be riding a camel, eatting amazing food and simply laughing non stop with the other girls.
Its safe to say this trip will be a topic of many conversations between us for a long time!

Make sure you check out Moroccan Surf Adventures for great accomodation, food and company!

Here's a few pictures from the trip!

New Year Madness!

Soo 2012 is here! And events for the year are already starting to appear on the cards, with a possible trip to Morocco in February and a trip to Bali in April!

But to start the year what better way to spend the 1st of January going for a bikini swim in the sea!
Around 200 swimmers all participated in the yearly event to raise money for the Shekinah Mission here in Plymouth, the thought of madness sprang to mind as my friend Emma and I prepared ourselves in the freezing cold and rain to take the plunge, but we did it and it was sooo worth it! Considering we were asked to do an interview for the news and also to have a photo shoot for national papers and magazines!

The event was absolutely amazing and we will definitely be heading down again next year to do the same again!

News Clip of the Swim and Our Interview!!

A Whole lot of Nudists With Some Nalu Bead Fun!

Chuck in a load of French nudists and 17 Janners and you have got yourself a lot of giggles and many strange faces....

Soulac sur Mer, a small french village in the south west of France, a place which seems to have many sights that you may not wish to see, and also some that are very artistic, such as the bunkers on Le Gurp, brightly graffitied with different images all shapes and sizes, as seen below on our mini photoshoot.

A group of 17 friends all from my home town Plymouth, got together for a much needed group holiday filled with sun, fun, surf and also as a surprise for the girls on the trip a Nalu Bead work shop which I was going to be running on day during our 2 weeks. 

The weather could not have been better there was sun everyday which meant it was perfect for hitting up the beaches, although these beaches did come to a bit of a shock when we turned up fully clothed as you do, although thats what we thought, sat in left, right and centre to us were naked bodies, we looked completely out of place! The sights we got to see were not to pleasurable especially the older men that casually wondered pass hanging loose, anyway this didn't stop us as there was some surf, only small but a really fun size, the picture below are of me and my friend Harry surfing Monitlivet.

Once the holiday was really getting going it was time for our Nalu Bead work shop, each of the girls got a kit consisting of the 3 beads, Coxos, Bali and Putsborough. I was there to teach them how to braid their own bracelet. Everyone constantly had a smile spread from cheek to cheek the whole time and where soo happy with what they had created, a quote from Tania who was taking part said " I have now got the bug for Nalu Beads I must go and buy some more to add to this they are amazing!". 

Hearing that makes doing workshops like this one so worth while, I have put together a short video of some pictures taken of the day.

Over all this holiday was so much fun and the company was amazing, it is definitely going to be the talk of our conversations for a long time.

Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters Festival Janner Style!

Relentless Boardmasters...THE biggest event that comes to Cornwall's North Coast all year, with a 6* WQS surfing competition at Newquay's Fistral Beach and a huge music festival set on the cliff top overlooking the beautiful Watergate Bay what more can I say...

As I have been living in Cornwall for the summer months I thought it would be time for my two best friends to come and see what exactly it is that I do when not going school and give them a taste of the surfing lifestyle and festival fun.

This week was all about giving Emma and Jess an experience that we were never going to forget and with what I had planned for them I think this was definielty going to be a week that will last forever.

Day 1

A private surf lesson at constantine from me and then some serious hair braiding...

So the girls first day was giving them the taste of surfing my local break Constantine, this was such a good way to start the week, we had so many laughs and both Emma and Jess by the end of the session were riding along the waves. In the evening we visited Hannah Harding at her caravan and she gave us a bit of festival flavour to our hair by putting in a braid which Jess was very excited about as it was her first one in many years!

Day 2

Another day of surfing and biting lips...

On wednesday I took the girls down to O'neill Surf Academy where I work for another surf lesson, this is where they met Luke and Dan, who they fell head over heals for. Jess was even biting her lip whilst being taught with out even realising it. The evening it was bike ride time and not forgetting of course the most important thing an ice cream!

Days 3 + 4

Surfers Village and Nalu Beads...

The first taste of the surf competiton atmosphere was had today, both the girls were so intrigued by everything that was going on around them, the first stop in the surfers village was the Nalu Beads stall where I was able to introduce Emma and Jess to the team riders and also the co owner, they were also treated to a free work shop to learn how to braid their new beads into a bracelet. Smiles were once again spread from one side of faces to the other.

Day 5

Wellies at the ready...

So Friday the first day of the music festival and it was going to be a wet one with thick drizzle coming down from all directions, but being girls we came very prepared with our wellies and bin bag ponchos. It has to be said the atmosphere from start to end never failed to be more than amazing especially when the Klaxons played. We danced, we sang and had many laughs along the way what a night!

Day 6

THE best of the best...

Saturday had to be the best day out of the whole week, back to the music festival the weather was dry and warm, the UV paint was on and tonight was the night Zane Lowe blew us all away! What a performance, I have never seen so many people do the running man when Party Rock Anthem came on, he got the crowd going in so many different ways it was amazing! One part of the night which was also great was when Jess won 3 dance offs with just one move...The worm! 

This day will be remembered forever and we are already BUZZING for next years.

Jess Sums up her week...

" Surfing in the "knarley waves", chinese takeaways, rocking out in bin bags and flowery head bands at festivals, bicycle rides, hair braids, Nalu Bead work shops, shuffling, trying to be as cool as Jess Henry, meeting beautiful pro surfers! But most of all lots and lots of snuggles with my very best friends...it was THE best and funniest week ever and cant wait for next year!"

Emma also sums up her week...
" Amazing week in Cornwall with the most amazing people. Learning how to surf was a definite highlight...helps having a pro surfer as a friend sometimes! Constantine is beautiful and I can't wait to go down again soon missing it already!"

These pictures also sum up how much fun we had!

At Long Last and A lot of Wipeouts!

Yesterday was a day filled with joy, happiness and a lot of laughter. It was a day where everything that I have been waiting for happened and boy how it was a good one.

It all started when I checked the daily updates on Facebook and saw that finally some pictures from our trip to Sri Lanka had been released, looking through them it brought back the memories of the warm weather, fun waves and the amazing company that I was in. The pictures show our yoga photo shoot, walking across the sharp reef, the surf break which was our favourite through out the trip and the whole group together at the resort.

Also there is a short video filmed by Corrine Evans of our underwater tea party.

As the day went on my excitment grew and grew, this was because after finishing work at O'Neill Surf Academy all the staff were heading to the Flow Rider at Retallack for a team evening (Ashliegh, Dan, Jesse, Loric, Luke and myself). I wasn't to sure what to expect when getting onto the flow as I had never been on one in my life so it was a completly new experience for me. 

To start with Luke (an instructor both at the surf school and at the flow rider) set us off on the body boards. From the moment I jumped on to the moment that I wiped out the smile on my face never left, it was brilliant! Although this was the easy part, the hard bit was yet to come when I attempted to stand up, it was the weirdest sensastion ever, to ride the flow it requires you to move your body in ways which does not feel natural. This is the part where I won the best facial expressions and the best wipeouts! Even though I found it very hard I managed to stand on my own for roughly two seconds so I was pleased with that.

Over all it was such a great experience which will never be forgotten, the laughs we all shared and the skills we learnt makes me want to get up there again and give it another go. 

Latest Coverage

Following my trip to France working with O'Neill Surf Affinity, Amy Carter from Flowatersports Magazine contacted me to ask a few questions and find out a little bit more about my background of how I got into surfing and surf coaching and where I am aiming to take it.

Check out the article through the link below:
http://www.flowindsurfing.com/node/1148 

Also earlier on this week a lifestyle picture of me was posted onto Magic Seaweed on the Constatine report page and reached the World Photo page within 75hrs of it being on there, it goes to show how many people visit the website with now over 10500 views.

The photo below is the one which was posted onto the website.

Back to the Cornish Coast

After an amazing trip to France I am now back on the Cornish coast working at the O'Neill Surf Academy, training and also a spot of wild swimming.
Dan one of the coach's at the surf academy invited Ashleigh (Head Coach) and myself to go along with him for a wild swim after work, the sun was shining and there was no wind so we couldn't refuse the offer, besides I had never done it before so wanted to give something new a try.
We drove to Porthcothan and walked about 5 minutes along the cliff path until we reached a little path which would take us half way down the cliff into a little cave, we got suited and booted and were ready to go.
It was so much fun jumping of the cliffs into clear blue water and swimming through all the different gully's, definitely will be doing this again!

There is a short video attached to the link below of our adventure below and also a picture of the group from Latymer Upper School who had a ball at the surf academy this week.

http://vimeo.com/25841253

Nalu Beads hit up the French Coast...

Nalu Beads are branching out there product into Europe!
To kick start this launch Nalu Beads kindly supplied the Surf Affinity Camp with a workshop where I was lucky enough to give the girls a helping hand and get involved by showing how to braid their bracelets and thread the beads to create beautiful uniquely styled pieces of jewellery with different beads representing different surf breaks from all around the World and also beads which are named after old school surfers.

Having been lucky enough to have received some Nalu Beads before, I was able to share my knowledge of how to make the bracelets with the girls. I was able to work my way round the group demonstrating all the possible knots that can be used, from the smiles across the group showed the huge success of the work shop. Some of them have even gone home and bought some more beads to add to their collection!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I think the ones below prove this statement.

Check out the Nalu Beads website to see all the different collections and see what you can create! www.nalubeads.co.uk 

Bonjour From Sunny France

So it's been a while since a last posted anything, this is because I am currently in the south west of France in Vieux-Boucau training for the summers contests and also helping at the O'Neill Surf Affinity Lifestyle Camp as an up and coming coach.
The camp consists of 8 eager girls all wanting to give the surfing life a go, with surf lessons, trips into Hossegor, Biarrtiz and a great Nalu Bead work shop what more isn't there to love.
Each and everyday has had perfect conditions for the girls to learn in and also for me to get in a train as well, by the end of the day everyone is so tired, it is great to relax with everyone finding out more about one another whilst eating our delicious well deserved dinners.

If you would like to try out the surfing lifestyle the check out the Surf Affinity girls in France on their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/surfaffinity or if you fancy giving it ago in North Cornwall then check out the deals with O'Neill Surf Academy at Watergate Bay on their website www.oneillsurfacademy.co.uk.

Below are  few pictures from the trip of the different activities we have been getting up to.

Stay tuned for a great video of some impressive skills coming soon....