Essential Rules to Live Your Life By~Motivational Monday #5

1. If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it.

2. If you don't ask, you wont get.

3.If you do not step forward, you will always be in the same place. 

4. You are not the first and you certainly wont be the last.

Today I was having a conversation, and was reminded of a saying my Grandad has drilled into me from a young age 'if you dont ask you wont get.' Occasionally, when we get tired, have a bad day, or week, we begin to feel demotivated, and can loose sight of our end goal. I find that reminding myself of these motto's whenever I feel this way, helps to reassure me that I got this and that I should do what ever I can in my power to achieve the goals I have set myself. If you haven't set yourself goals then I highly recommend that you do, go for a variety of long and short term, it helps you to have motivation. Even if you dont succeed as quickly as you would like, if you keep focused, one day you will achieve them and when that day comes the sense of achievement and self-worth you will feel will be completely worth it. Not only by living by these rules will you feel content and have purpose in your life, you will also never have any regrets, and know that you are doing everything you can to be the best person that you can be. 

Motivational Monday #1

So for tonights post I decided I'm going to start a new series.

 I love scrolling through my pintrest and finding motivational quotes. They often get me thinking and give me the boost I need to keep going at life and giving it my all. Today I just wanted to share one quote with you all, its one that is particularly relevant in my life at the moment and I thought it was apt to share it.

At 21/22 myself and my friends are all at an age where we are just coming into adulthood, we have to adapt to new responsibilities, juggle work and socialising and find a successful relationship. Not only this but many of us also have other struggles in our lives that may be health/family or work related. To look at us no one would know that we were dealing with these but they affect us everyday and the way in which we cope with situations and our environment. Just because you cant see what a person is dealing with doesn't give you the right to loose patients with that person or judge them. Always treat people with compassion and kindness and never assume you know everything that is going on in a persons life, don't brandish someone with a label based on how they act as you dont know the reason why a person is acting that way. Instead I feel we should all offer kindness and try and support each other no matter how difficult that may be when a person isn't acting the way you would like or expect. I hope this quote makes you think, just as it made me think. 

Have an amazing week.

Emily 

Baked Gingerbread Doughnuts (Low Fat, Milk Free)-A Health Lovers Doughnut Dream

60g Mixed Fruit

30g Glace Cherries

1 tsp-Ginger

1/2 tsp-Mixed Spice 

1 tsp-Orange Extract

100g-Self raising flour 

2 tbsp-Almond Milk

1 egg 

1 tsp-Baking Powder 

1. Start by pre-heating the oven to 180c. 
2. Combine the mixed fruit, cherries, orange extract, almond milk and egg in a food processor/blender.
3. Mix together the flour, ginger, mixed spice and baking powder and add the wet ingredients.
4. Mix the ingredients until you have a thick but smooth batter, add more milk if it needs loosening slightly.
5. spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe into a silicone doughnut mold. 
6. Bake for ten minutes or until risen and browned. 
7. remove from the oven and enjoy!
8. They taste especially good with jam drizzled on top ;)

Low fat Vanilla and Maple Protein Pancakes (Milk and Lactose Free)

1 tbsp Vanilla Rice Protein Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 Large egg

1 Large banana (mashed)

Maple Syrup

• Mix the protein powder and Baking powder together. 
• Crack in your egg and stir well ensuring a smooth consistency.
• Mash half of the banana and add to the mix, getting the batter as smooth as possible.
• Heat a not stick pan on high and ladle in the mixture. 
• Once set all over, flip the pancake and cook on the other side for a further minute.
• Remove from pan using a spatula, and pour over your maple syrup.
• Enjoy!!

 (These can be easily made vegan by replacing the egg with a cup of aquafaba!) 

MY FAVOURITE HEALTHY VEGAN SNACKS

Protein:

• Pulsin Bars (I love the maple and peanut ones!)
• Crunch nkd Bars (Apricot are the newest of the Crunch variety and they are currently my faves however I am also a huge fan of the strawberry and banana crunch bars...lets face it they are the dream)
• Habas Fritas-Marks and Spencer 
• Banana Bliss Bars-Tesco
• Tru-Nut powdered peanut butter with chocolate- I sprinkle this over cereal, apples, bananas, and berries 

Carbs:

• BREAD BREAD AND MORE BREAD! 

I genuinely live off bread it is my favourite thing on the planet. I go to Sainsburys and but their freshly baked loafs, my healthy option is their sourdough rye bread, however I do also love a bit of their farmhouse loaf and their sourdough loaf. 

• Olive bread sticks-Marks and Spencer 
• Giant wholemeal Pretzels-Sainsburys 
• Salt and Vinegar Beetroot Crisps-Marks and Spencer
• Soreen Banana Lunchbox Loafs
• Berries, apples, and Bananas with powdered peanut butter 

Fats:

• Dairy free pots-Marks and Spencer (I love their apricot and strawberry pots, soooooo much!)
• Alpro plain soya yoghurt
• Pecans 
• Walnuts

Drinks:

• Soya/Almond milk hot chocolate with Dairy milk chocolate powder (Yes it is dairy free despite its name, which definitely confused my brother and cousin!)
• Soya/Almond Milk cappuccino
• Rebel Kitchen Coffee

As someone who is very allergic to milk I often have to look out for vegan snacks that I can easily Pick up on the go! I love reading what other people find so I thought I would join in the conversation and share mine :)

(Due to my exceedingly sensitive stomach all of these products will also be low Garlic, Onion, and oat free whilst also being low fat as my digestive system really struggles to digest these. I do see a dietitian to make sure my diet is as wholesome as it can be with my bowel not digesting certain foods efficiently at the moment.)