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I was recently invited to take part in the ‘teapigs matcha challenge‘ in which you consume matcha everyday for 14 days and see how great you feel! There are so many different ways to consume matcha, such as in a smoothie, porridge, latte, cocktail or shot. Scroll down through the pictures to see how creative I got with mine!

Benefits of drinking matcha
* Matcha is the highest quality green tea powder – 15 times stronger than regular green tea
* It contains huge amounts of antioxidants which prevent disease, including catechin which is known for its cancer fighting properties
* It creates a calm buzz, gently waking you up so you are less likely to have a caffeine crash
* It can help to boost memory, concentration and happiness because of the production of dopamine and serotonin
* It increases your metabolism so aids in weight loss
* It removes toxins from the body and is high in chlorophyll
* It can help to lower cholesterol levels
* It promotes a healthy immunw system thanks to vitamins A & C, iron, calcium and potassium
How to make your own matcha latte at home
1. Boil the kettle and pour about a centimetre of hot water into a mug.
2. Heat up some almond milk in a pan on the stove
3. Whilst the milk is being heated, whisk up 1/4 teaspoon of matcha powder with the centimetre of hot water in the mug until all the lumps are gone and it’s starting to get frothy.
4. Once the milk is warmed, pour it into the mug, whisk again, and enjoy!

I hope you are inspired to give this wonderful green powder a go – tag me on Instagram @cerealandpeanutbutter to show me your matcha creations and let me know how your matcha latte turns out!






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Yesterday was spent at Good Roots – an urban wellness and street food festival in Dalston. I got to meet and chat to some of my greatest inspirations such as Madeleine Shaw (pictured below with me) and Hemsley & Hemsley, and watched Ella Woodward (Deliciously Ella) and Olivia Wollenberg (Livia’s Kitchen) interviewing each other. 
There were a whole host of stalls from all the biggest brands in the healthy food industry, such as The Mae Deli, 26 Grains, Clean & Lean, Qnola and Nama Raw Foods, and the atmosphere was buzzing with like-minded friendly individuals with a passion for delicious nourishing food and a healthy lifestyle.
I don’t know about you but I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a sunny Saturday than consuming my bodyweight in gluten-free cookies, raw brownies, superfood smoothies and other sugar-free treats! 
 


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I’m so excited to share this post with you today, because the recipe is incredibly straightforward and creates the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. It’s perfect to munch on when those chocolate cravings strike, or can be used in baking to replace of traditional sweetened chocolate.
All you need to do is melt some coconut oil, add cacao powder, maple syrup, an optional dash of vanilla extract and sprinkle of salt, and whisk.
Once you’ve poured into lined tray, feel free to decorate with toppings before leaving it to set in the fridge. Then break it into chunks and devour!
Warning: this chocolate bark is ADDICTIVE – one piece just isn’t enough!
Chocolate ingredients:
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup raw cacao powder (can replace with regular cocoa)
1/3 cup maple syrup (can replace with honey)
Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + pinch of salt
Topping ideas:
Goji berries + flaked almonds
Sultanas + chopped pecans
Cranberries + dried coconut

Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together by hand until thoroughly combined and pour into a lined baking tray.
2. Decorate with toppings of choice.
3. Place in the fridge for 2 hours – or if you’re impatient like me, simply freeze for half an hour to enjoy it sooner! Once hardened, break into slabs and enjoy!

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These blondies taste like the most indulgent and decadent dessert but the truth is they are made from healthy natural ingredients that won’t give you a sugar crash later. Like all my recipes, they are free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar. These also have no eggs making them suitable for vegans – as well as those who like to lick the bowl! In fact, the raw mixture tastes just as good as the baked blondies in my opinion!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter  (can replace with cashew butter or almond butter)
1 ripe banana (the browner the sweeter)
1 can of chickpeas
4 tbsp date syrup/maple syrup
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Optional: 1/4 cup rolled oats or 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Method: 
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Mash the banana.
3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas
4. Add all ingredients, except chocolate chips, to a food processor.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand
6. Pour the mixture into tray and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before slicing into about 12 brownies.
 
 

 

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For those of you who, like myself, enjoy regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle, what better way to supplement your workouts and help your muscles recover than with a delicious and natural source of protein in the form of my all-time favourite spread: peanut butter!

Hi-PRO Nutrition has released both crunchy and smooth varieties, which have the perfect creamy consistency and endless nutritional benefits. First of all, every 2-tablespoon serving boasts 10g of protein – that’s 25% more than most peanut butters – all of which comes exclusively from natural peanut ingredients, making it suitable for anyone lactose-intolerant or vegans since it does not contain whey.

Whilst it is calorie dense, coming in at 203 cals per serving, this combination of healthy fats and protein will keep you feeling full. Despite no added sugar or salt, Hi-PRO remains incredibly flavoursome, whilst offering a generous dose of fibre (2.4g) and a whole range of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, folate, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B3, B6 and E.

It is also really versatile – it can work well as a spread on toast, as a dip for apple slices or medjool dates (my favourite!), whisked into pancake batter, blended into smoothies, stirred into porridge or overnight oats, or used in baking for cookies and other sweet treats.

The only downside is that it can be dangerously addictive and I have found myself on more than a few occasions simply eating it straight out of the jar with a spoon!

Check out their website, pick up a jar in your local Sainsbury’s for £2.70 or order it on Amazon.
Below are a few of my recipes using Hi-PRO, and I have also incorporated Hi-PRO peanut butter into my recipe for Açai Chia Overnight Oats (click here) – or head over to @cerealandpeanutbutter on Instagram for many more! 
 
Post-workout chocolate milkshake
1 frozen banana
½ avocado
1 tbsp Hi-PRO crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp cacao nibs
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (optional)
2 chopped medjool dates
1 cup almond milk
Whizz up all ingredients in a blender, pour into a bowl and top with fruit, seeds and granola.

Açai Smoothie Bowl
1 frozen banana
2 tbsp acai powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp Hi-PRO smooth peanut butter
1 cup brown rice milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
Handful of blackberries
Handful of blueberries
Whizz up all ingredients in a blender, pour into a bowl and top with fresh fruit, nuts and granola.





PB&B Toast
1 banana, mashed
2 tbsp Hi-PRO smooth peanut butter
2 pieces rye bread, toasted
Handful of berries

Mix the banana and peanut butter together, spread over toast and decorate with berries.





























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