Pancakes that are good for you? Oh, yes!

I'm definitely one of those fit-girls that tries to fit delicious treats into my everyday routine. If I can find a way to make it healthy, it's guaranteed to become a regular part of my diet. I've seen some impressive protein pancake stacks on Instagram and a few companies that make their own mixes. Since New Zealand is always a step behind, we don't have any of these mixtures available yet. So, to avoid expensive shipping and any nasty preservatives found in ready-made products, I set out to make my own!

I made up this recipe myself and have been making it again and again for months. It's amazing no matter what flavor protein you put with it, so feel free to use whichever one is your favorite (just imagine the possibilities!) Personally I like to stick to vanilla. That way I can add tonnes of fruit and even some yogurt on top. 

It's also another one of my easy blender recipes, where you just have to chuck all of the ingredients together and blitz them while your pan is heating. Super-quick to make, but you don't lose out on any nutrition.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 banana

2 eggs

2 scoops protein powder

2 tbsp gluten-free flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup oats

 1/3 cup almond milk

Get a large pan heating on medium-high with a tsp of coconut or canola oil. 

Place everything into a blender, starting with the banana to stop the flour from sticking to the bottom. 

Blend until you have nice consistency, usually one that resembles custard. You don't want it to be thin. Pour medium sized servings into the pan and flip when the bottom is brown and you begin to see bubbles on top. 

To serve, add your fruit of choice and maple syrup drizzled on top (make sure it's the pure kind, not maple-flavored!) 

And enjoy!

These are perfect after a workout, on a Sunday morning, or even as an afternoon protein fix!

What would be your ultimate pancake flavor? I'm toying around with the idea of an Oreo one!
Steph x.

Blueberry & Oat Protein Pikelets!

Seeing as breakfast is my favorite part of the day, I'm always looking to try and create new recipes. My morning staples are always blueberries, almond milk, and oats, so finding different variations can be fun. These pikelets are a new favorite of mine and I can't get enough of them. This is a recipe that I've adapted from my favorite Auzzie cook, Lola Berry, who I have mentioned a million times before. Her cookbooks are always full of healthy recipes and tips for general well-being too. I can't recommend her enough if you are looking for clean-eating ideas, or if you have food allergies.

This recipe is super-quick to make, I will quite often come home from the gym and whip some of these up in about twenty minutes. This recipe will make one large serving or two smaller serves, but I'm always up for devouring quite a few, so this is one serving for me. They're super-filling and have such a lovely texture thanks to the oats.

Ingredients: (8 Pikelets)

60g (Just over a 1/2 cup) Oat Bran or Oat Flour

1/2 cup Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Almond Milk

1 Egg

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder

1/2 Cup Blueberries (fresh or frozen) 

Coconut Oil for cooking 

 Maple Syrup for serving

Method:

Simply combine all of the ingredients into a medium sized bowl and whisk together until smooth. 

Heat a fry-pan over a medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of coconut oil. 

Once the oil has melted, use a 1/4 cup scoop to spoon four serves of the mixture into the pan. 

Cook well on eat side until golden, about 3-5 minutes to ensure it's cooked all the way through. 

To serve, drizzle the pikelets in maple syrup or natural yogurt and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! I've been obsessed with making these lately, and the best part is that they're super-healthy for you too. Such a great way to start your day.

Steph x.

Blog Collab: My Top 5 Excercises At the Gym

Hello Everyone! Today's post is a collab with the amazing girls from sweetisalwaysinstyle blog, Lucy and Kelly, who are two of my favorite bloggers. Among our mutual loves, which also includes Chris Evans & Chuck, is all things fitness. There is nothing better than having blog friends cheer you on with your training and these girls are always amazing and keep me inspired. We thought it would be fun to share our favorite exercises to do at the gym and really emphasize how everyone is different in what they like to do, but we are all awesome for working hard for the same goal. Make sure you head over to see what Lucy's favorite exercises are!

My gym favorites have definitely evolved since I have been working out. I meet with my trainer once a month to update whatever routines I'm doing, so he's always teaching me new things to try. I seem to have gravitated more towards weights, rather than cardio-based workouts. There's something so satisfying about lifting and building your strength. I'm at the gym five days a week, so I have to make sure to find exercises that are just as fun as they are effective.

Squats

I think we all know why this one is an amazing exercise to do. Nothing boosts your self-esteem quite like having a booty that looks great in jeans! By adding weights, it's a really great strength challenge that will leave you sore for days on end. I was embarrassingly excited the day my trainer first showed me how to use the bar (I wanted to look tough, like those fit chicks on Instagram.) My best weight is about 65kgs so far, but I'm currently focusing on my depth and building my weight back up.
I'm a very happy girl if I walk into the gym on leg day and the squat rack is free!

Deadlifts

My trainer introduced me to this a while ago and I fell in love with it quickly. It's great for an all-over body workout that you can throw into any routine at the gym, especially of you are low on time. I find it's a really fun way to build your strength and stamina whilst getting your sweat on. It's also great if the gym if full of guys and you wanna look as tough as them while you work out ; )

Tricep dips

This is something I've been working on a lot lately and it's been a really fun challenge. I started out using a thin band to help me at first, but I built my strength up after a week or so. It's perfect for toning under the arms, which is a MAJOR target area for me. It's more of a challenge than you think when you just use your body weight. Make sure your arm hits a 90* angle! 

Bicep Curls 

 Now, this one makes me feel like a bit of a super hero. It's by far my favorite part of arm day and even though I'm only pulling about 18kgs so far, I know I'm getting stronger. I love that feeling of how much it's toning your biceps too, like "Hell yeah! new muscles!" Gotta make arm day fun.

Boxing 

  I'll be honest, this is probably my ultimate love when it comes to fitness. It's pretty high-intensity and tests your endurance like nothing else, but it's the most satisfying workout for me. I do this once a week with my trainer as a way of having a bit of fun doing something different in my routine. He mixes it up for me each week, but it almost always includes crunches and general HIIT moves. I let him be tough on me in exchange for a flat stomach. It's a fair trade, really. Plus, if any boys are mean to me I'll know how to throw a good punch! (essential life-skill.)

Photo credit goes to my awesome trainer, Josh. I wouldn't look half as good without you pushing me and kicking my ass every week. And there's not many people who would climb on top of the squat rack just to help me get a good pic. You're even cooler than Aquaman and Deadpool combined!


I want to thank Lucy for coming up with the idea for our collab. Make sure you go and check out what her favorite exercises are and have a look around her and Kelly's blog! It's one of my favorites :)
I really wish I didn't live so far away from these girls, so that we could hang out properly! They also have a great YouTube channel that I have been watching a lot lately.


What are your favorite exercises to do? Either at the gym or at home.
Steph x.

American-style Pancakes!

 

I've been searching for years to find a fuss-free recipe for fluffy American pancakes, and with a bit of experimentation I have finally put together a no-fail mix that will satisfy your pancake cravings!

Whenever I think of making pancakes it's always a simple task. I don't need more than a bowl, a whisk and pan. I've come across a tonne of recipes that involve using an electric mixer and having to set your pancake mix aside for a while before you can start cooking. But have no fear! This recipe is simple and so easy to make.

They're light, fluffy and will satisfy every time!

Makes 9 medium pancakes

Ingredients: 

300ml milk

2 medium eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

30g melted butter (Plus extra to melt in the pan)

1 3/4 cups plain flour

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon caster sugar

pinch of salt

(Note: feel free to add chocolate chips or your favorite berries as well!)

Method:

In a large bowl, mix all of your dry ingredients with a whisk (I forgot the larger bowl when I made them this time, oops!)

In another bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter

Pour the wet mix into the larger bowl with your dry mix and whisk until combined, and there are no lumps (always wet to dry!)

Heat a pan on a medium to high heat and melt a teaspoon of butter

Once it's hot enough and the butter has melted, pour in a 1/4 cup of your pancake mix (or as much as you want)

Flip the pancake over when bubbles appear on top, or the bottom is nice and golden. They will thicken and rise when you turn them. They will take about one minute on each side to cook.

Handy tips:

- Always mix wet to dry

-If you do get lumps in your mix, just whisk it good!

-You can also use gluten free or wholemeal flour to suit your dietary needs

Enjoy! x. 

 What are your favorite pancake toppings? 

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