Late Night Snacking: A Healthy Option...

Sometimes, even after a good dinner, I can feel a bit peckish in the evening. It’s important not to eat anything too heavy or sweet so close to bedtime as it can affect your sleep, but I have found the perfect night time snack for me.

When I get a late night food craving I reach for a piece of whole wheat toast and spread it with some organic all natural peanut butter and a mashed up banana. It has that perfect salty sweet combination that I love and also has the added benefit of promoting a deep and restful sleep!

Bananas are known for being one of the top foods for helping you get a good nights sleep. They are rich in melatonin and serotonin which have soothing qualities. They also contain magnesium, which is a muscle relaxant.

Whole wheat bread is another good late night food choice as its great for balancing your blood sugar and it’s also rich in serotonin.

If you get a late night craving, try this healthy snack!

Fruit Smoothies: A great way to start the day...

One the best ways to start the day is with a healthy fruit smoothie. My husband has a very early start to his day and he struggles with his appetite so early in the morning. For awhile he was going to work without eating anything at all for breakfast. Skipping such an important meal is not good for your health or wellbeing – and he was beginning to suffer. Headaches, unhealthy weight loss, mood swings and tiredness were all results of him not having a good start to his day.

Fortunately we discovered the one thing he can stomach early in the morning: a smoothie.

We use plain organic yoghurt and also add about ½ a cup of semi skimmed organic milk. Then we add some fruit. You can really have fun and experiment with different fruit combinations. The great news is that you can easily get at least 1 portion of your 5 a day. Some fruits that work really well in smoothies are:

• Bananas
• Mangoes
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Apricots
• Melon
• Kiwi Fruit

If you really want to add an extra special dimension to your smoothie you can also try adding one or more of the following:

• Peanut Butter
• Runny Honey
• Cinnamon
• Porridge Oats

Here is one of our favourite recipes.

Combine the following in a blender.

¾ cup Organic Plain Yoghurt.

2 Bananas.

1 cup of Strawberries.

3 Tablespoons of Crunchy or Smooth Peanut Butter (depending on your preference)

½ cup of Semi Skimmed Milk

Sprinkling of Cinnamon

Have a go and see what amazing combinations you can up with. I would love to hear what you create so please feel free to share your recipes!