Food and Mood.

It's pretty well documented that the food we put in our bodies has an impact on our physical health, be it positively or negatively. But what about our mental health? The impact of diet on our mental health is something that I personally find to be a really interesting topic, and so when I saw that Healthy Food Guide had produced an article in this months magazine, I knew it would be a must-read.

Indigo Herbs Kick Ass Vegan Smoothie Mix*

Indigo Herbs are one of the proud supporters of Veganuary 2016, a campaign that encourages people to go vegan for the month of January. I feel like there's now so much more awareness of a vegan lifestyle and it seems to me that more and more people are choosing a cruelty free lifestyle and opting to go vegan.

Walk This Way.

Walking is, I feel, an underrated form of exercise. We all do some form of walking on a daily basis, be is walking to the fridge, walking to the office or getting the dog out for a stroll. I think so much focus is put on intense exercise such as running, HIIT, Crossfit etc, but it's easy to forget about the simplest form of exercise that the majority of us have right at our feet.

The #BeYou Project.

The #BeYou project is an initiative run in partnership with treaclemoon and Bullies Out aiming to encourage individuals to embrace themselves and raise awareness of how wonderful it is to just #BeYou. In the modern world, with scrutiny and judgement around every corner it can be really difficult to truly feel able to be ourselves, to embrace our strengths and quirks and put them out there for the world to see.

Source

Winter Warmers - Porridge Recipe Ideas.

It's official, the clocks have now gone back which means Winter's edging ever closer. In Winter I'm all about warm, comforting foods and porridge (or oatmeal depending on where you're from in the world) has to be one of my all time favourites. You can't beat getting up on a cold morning and giving your belly a hug with some oats. So today I thought I'd share a few winter inspired porridge recipes that I'll certainly be test driving over the Winter months

VEGETARIANISM/VEGANISM & IODINE - What's the Deal?

Whilst perusing the latest issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine (October issue), I camw across their article on Iodine and why we all need it in our diets. Iodine is not a nutrient I've ever really paid any attention to and the only thought that springs to mind when I think of Iodine is that delightful brown stuff that they coat you in if you have an operation. So I read on and noted that the majority of the top 20 foods high in Iodine listed in the article where mainly fish, dairy, egg or meat based. I'm vegetarianbut I also try to limit the amount of dairy I consume (for intolerance reasons), along with the amount of eggs, so where does that leave me?

Kenwood kMix - My Thoughts and a Sweet Treat.

You may have seen that a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a bloggers baking event in collaboration with Kenwood (you can read my post on the event here!) Following the event, Kenwood very kindly let me borrow a Kenwood kMix Stand Mixer to test drive so today I'm sharing my thoughts.

CAFFEINE - How Much is Too Much?

In the latest issues of Healthy Food Guide (HFG - September), there was an interesting little feature on caffeine. This definitely got me thinking about caffeine, what it does, how much we can have and if it's even good for us.

Living Well One Line A Day.

I'm a big advocate of positive thinking and it's something I really try my best to incorporate into my daily life and mindset. I believe that in most instances we have the choice and ability to take hold of our thoughts and see the positive in our lives and choices. Obviously this is something that can be much easier said than done, and I'm not saying that I don't have times where I moan or think negatively, but I also like to try and counteract negatives with a positive.

Recipe | Vegan 'Cheese' Sauce.

I love cheese, but given that dairy isn't my friend and I'm trying to lean more towards a dairy free lifestyle as much as I possibly can, eating a huge bowl of traditional mac and cheese is kind of off the cards. But fear not, you can create a delicious 'cheese' sauce alternative with no dairy in sight. So technically it's not really a cheese sauce at all, but we'll call it that just to keep things simple.

The Great Blogger Bake Off and A Cheeky Recipe/Surprise!!

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you may have noticed me getting far too excited a couple of Sundays back at the prospect of going to my very first blogger event! The event was run in collaboration with Joe Blogs Blogger Network, Currys PC World, Kenwood and The Wilmslow Kitchen Cookery School and I must say, it was a corker of an afternoon. So today I'm going to share with you some thoughts and photos from the day. Also....keep reading until the very end as I have a My General Life first that I'm very excited to share with you all!!

Ways To Cheer Yourself Up, Right NOW!

Do you ever have days when you just feel a bit glum/under the weather/not your usual chipper self? I know I do. So, in a bid for us all to be as happy and cheery as possible, as much as possible, I've compiled a list of things that might just cheer you up right NOW!

Recipe | Vegan Protein Bites feat. MyProtein*.

"But how do you get enough protein?" is a question I have frequently been asked since going veggie. In all honesty it's really not that hard and there are plenty of plant based protein sources out there, including, pulses, nuts, seeds, soy and leafy greens. I'm not a huge lover of protein shakes and I do try my very best to get all the protein I need from food sources, however, it is handy to have a stash of protein powder knocking about for occasions when I fancy doing a bit of protein baking.

Ways to Live a More Positive Life.

Today I wanted to share some thoughts on how we can all go about living a more positive life. I personally think positivity is so important for getting the most out of your day and it's something I'm keen to ensure is an integral part of my life.

Top Tips for Going Veggie.

If you're a regular reader or follow any of my social media accounts, then you may well have noticed that I recently took the plunge and switched to a vegetarian diet. I've posted a couple of updates on my blog which you can read here and here. I'm genuinely really enjoying my new veggie diet, I don't miss meat at all and I'm kind of wondering why I didn't make the switch sooner, in fact I'm even considering veganism. So if you're thinking of making the switch, here's some of my top tips to make the transition a little easier. 

Original photo from here

Recipe | Kale Pesto.

Let me let you all into a little secret....I am crap at keeping plants alive. I just can't seem to manage it. So anyway, this is relevant because although I've tried to grow my own basil so that I can make reams of homemade pesto, I've failed far too many times. So that led me to a bit of experimentation to whip up my own pesto with something that is more readily available in my fridge....good ol' kale.

Pink Hair, Don't Care.

If you follow my Instagram, then you may have noticed that my hair has taken on a pretty pink hue of late. After months of deliberating I finally decided to take the plunge and create a pink ombre on my locks and I bloody love it. So I thought I'd share how I got there (although it's certainly not rocket science).

DIY | Dry Shampoo.

Dry shampoo is a staple part of my personal care routine to keep my hair looking clean and fresh inbetween washes. I try to only wash my hair every 2-3 days and so for me a bit of dry shampoo is definitely needed on day 2/3. Although recently I've been noticing that I'm getting quite painful spots around the front of my hair line. So after a bit of thought I've concluded that this is quite likely being caused by my dry shampoo as this is the only product that generally only makes contact with that area. So I've decided to shun shop bought dry shampoo and whip up my own with just 2 cheap as chips ingredients.

Ways To Improve Your Wellbeing NOW!

Physical and mental well-being is something that's really important to me and something that I'm always striving to nourish and improve. Today I thought I'd share the 'Five Ways To Wellbeing', a public health initiative focused at providing individuals the means to improve their own health and wellbeing in 5 simple, achievable steps.

DIY | Sugar-free Soy Caramel Latte.

I've recently discovered (and become rather addicted to) Costa's sugar free soy caramel lattes. I'm sure I'm probably the last person to jump on this bandwagon, but I am not usually one for taking coffee related risks, especially as coffee from places like Costa and Starbucks can be quite expensive. However, a few weeks ago I decided to throw caution to the wind and just try it...and as I'm sure you've already guess I bloody loved it! As I've already touched on, although delicious, these snazzy coffees can be a little pricey, so I set about making my own at home for a fraction of the cost.

Hooping Around.

If you follow me on any of my social media outlets, then you may have noticed that I've recently taken up aerial hoop (I haven't stopped wittering on about it/positing videos and photos). So , having now had 3 lessons, I decided it's high time to tell you what I think so far. 

Recipe: Mushroom Stew.

I love a good stew and it's something that I knew I would miss now that I've made the transition to being a veggie. To me, stews and casseroles are comfort food and something I love to eat when the weather is a little bit rubbish. So after seeking a little bit of inspiration from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'Veg' cookbook, I've concocted a delicious mushroom stew recipe, which is so bloody yummy and tastes super rich and almost meaty, but obviously without the meat. And what's even better, is that it's so simple and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.

5 Tips for Keeping Active.

My health and fitness routine has definitely evolved a lot over recent years. I've gone through periods where I've trained very little and other times when I've been in the gym 3-4 times per week. More recently I've decided to branch out a little a try different activities in order to help  improve my overall health and well-being. So today, I thought I'd share 5 tips for keeping active in everyday life. 

A Vegetarian Update.

It's now been 5 weeks since I made the switch to a vegetarian diet, so I thought I'd give you a little update on how I've found the transition and what my thoughts are now.

Try Something New...

Let me tell you a little fact about me...I'm a bit of a creature of habit. I like my predictable, familiar routine where I like to do things in my own little way and sit, quite happily, in my comfort zone. But this year I've set a little challenge to myself to try things that are new and different - to me anyway. I guess this is a way of my pushing myself out of my comfort zone, finding new loves and adventures and increasing my social contact - something that since moving to a brand new place last year has been somewhat lacking.

Are You Having A Fa-LAUGH-el?

Since making the transition to a veggie diet, I've definitely found I've needed to get a little more creative in the kitchen. I'd never tried falafel before, but on a quest to make sure I'm still getting plenty of protein I decided to give them a try. Seeing as this week is National Vegetarian Week, I thought it was about time I got my recipe up so you can all make some delicious veggie treats!

A Vegetarian Revelation...

Last Friday I watched the documentary 'Vegucated' on Netflix. I guess I was just stuck for something to do and thought it might make for interesting viewing. Well, it certainly was and in the process totally put me off eating meat. For real. It really did break my little heart and really truly opened my eyes to the whole process of rearing and killing animals for meat. 

source

I feel like prior to this, I had some level of awareness of what happens, but I really wasn't allowing myself to acknowledge this awareness or connect what goes on with what ends up on my dinner plate. The documentary made everything feel so very real. And I guess that's what it was made to do, it was made to get people talking and thinking about vegetarianism.

Needless to say, I haven't eaten meat since watching Vegucated, and what I find most alarming about this is that I don't even miss it. Not even a little bit. Now I know it's only been 4 days, but thinking about it, never in my 'proper food eating' life (i.e. not counting being a wee babe) have I ever gone that long without eating meat. In fact, my typical diet generally had 2 meals a day containing meat. So for me, this is a huge step. 

After having a little chat with myself (like you do), I've decided to try out a vegetarian diet (with milk and eggs allowed - purely so I can make sure I'm having sufficient protein and I'm not ready to give up milk in tea just yet) for a whole month. Now prior to this week, that would have sounded like an impossible challenge to my carnivorous side, but actually, I'm quite excited! I'm looking forward to experimenting in the kitchen and whipping up some delicious veggies treats. I'm also intrigued to see the impact (if any) it has on my body (if you're a regular reader you will know I have the joys of IBS) and just how I feel in general. Thus far, the IBS might pose an issue towards longer term vegetarianism, however, I'm willing to give it a trial and see if all that extra fibre makes a difference - I've never eaten so many veggies! I've also recently discovered vegan baking which I'm loving and what better excuse to get in the kitchen and cook up some more vegan friendly sweet treats!

I'm not going to put any pressure on myself, I just want to see how the next month goes and take it from there. I feel that even if this 'experiment' (which is what it is really) results in me eating less meat in the future, that would still be a fantastic outcome for not only myself and my overall health, but for the environment and the gorgeous little animals. But anyway, I'm going to get rid of any expectation and just go with it :)

Would you ever consider trialling a vegetarian diet for either health or ethical reasons? Or have you recently made the switch to vegetarianism? I'd love for you to share your thoughts either in the comments below, or you could tweet me @mygenerallife!

Also if anyone has any delicious veggie recipes, please do send them my way!

While you're here, why not check out my previous post: RECIPE: Banana and Date Loaf.

Instagram/Pinterest/Email Sign Up/Facebook

RECIPE | Banana and Date Loaf.

Since getting the Ms Cupcake vegan recipe book as leaving gift recently I have got so very into vegan baking. I find it so much easier than 'regular' baking, there's no creaming of butter and sugar and gradually beating your eggs and flour in, it's literally bish, bash, bosh and your done! So today I thought I'd share the recipe for a super tasty banana and date loaf that I whipped up last week. The recipe is slightly adapted from the Ms Cupcake book, so all credit for the basics of this recipe go to her...it's just so good I had to share and if you don't have her book, you are totally missing out!

Self Acceptance, Happiness and Being YOU!

So as I'm sure you're all aware, on Sunday it was International Women's Day (8th March). All the empowering tweets and Instagram posts sparked a little bit of reflection time, which in turn has led to me sitting down to write this post. Over the last few years I feel that I've been on a fairly significant journey of personal acceptance. I feel like I've gone from an awkward young girl who tried to be something she isn't to fit in, to a strong, independent woman who is becoming more and more content to just be me.

Image from Pinterest

Healthy, Happy Life Thoughts.

I don't know about you, but I'm on a quest to live as healthy and happy life as possible. I'm no expert, I don't think anyone is, but I thought I would share some little thoughts that I feel have had a positive impact on my overall health and well-being, in the hope that it might help or inspire others to make positive changes too.