Individual Shakshouka Eggs

When it comes to breakfast foods, eggs are one of the power houses of the protein world. However, if you're anything like me, one dodgy egg can put you off the things for weeks.  I've been struggling with what to have for breakie for a while now, until I saw my brother constructing a monster shakshouka over Snapchat.  

I was inspired to put my own spin on it (and reduce the portion size), and let me tell you, the result was awesome. Plus, it only took about 15 minutes to throw together! 

TIME: 15 minutes 

SERVES: 1

INGREDIENTS: 

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 red onion diced 

1 clove of garlic crushed

1/3 red capsicum diced 

1 stem of kale finely chopped 

1/2 cup tomato passata sauce

1 egg

1/4 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste 

rye bread for toasting

METHOD: 

Pre-heat the oven and grill to 180*C

On a medium heat, sauté the olive oil, onion, garlic, capsicum and kale to soften

Stir through the passata sauce and season with salt and pepper

Transfer into an oven proof dish, making a small well in the middle to crack the egg in to, season the egg with salt and pepper, and paprika

Bake/grill for roughly 10 minutes (or until the egg white has cooked but the yolk is still a little runny)

Serve with toasted rye and enjoy! 

Feel free to add cheese on top, I sprinkled mine with a little feta.

I guarantee this will satisfy you and fuel you for the whole morning! 

V x 

Goals.

Lately the word 'goals' has been circling social media. Whether it's 'relationship goals' or 'squad goals', it seems the internet is giving us all something to strive for.  

As you may have noticed, I've been a little slack on my posts lately. This last month has been a busy one; between work, visitors, my birthday and getting ill, I haven't been great to my body.  So I've decided that each week from now on, I'm going to set myself some small, simple goals, in order to get my body back to health and feeling fab! 

Setting (realistic) goals is essential to a healthy lifestyle.  Simple things, like drinking plenty of water, or getting to bed by 10pm are not only achievable, they will make you feel energised, healthy and happy.  

My advise would be keep it simple.  Try not to overload yourself with a long list of things to achieve during the week, after all we already lead busy lifestyles. Perhaps 2 or 3 goals per week, to keep you motivated.  

For example, my goals for the coming week include: 

1) Do two sessions of hot yoga this week 

2) Eat plenty of colourful, fresh food

3) Drink at least 3 litres of water a day

The aim of my goals are to get my body feeling flexible again, and to try and improve my skin (it's been playing up lately). 

It always helps to write your goals down, and put them somewhere that you will see them every day.  Perhaps on a sticky note on your bathroom mirror, or at your desk at work.  Once you've achieved your goals, not only do you feel accomplished, but your body will reap the benefits too. 

So lets be Goal Diggers together! 

Have a fab week. 

V x 

Where Does Time Go?

This isn't one of my usual posts. It's not about health or fitness or food or science. It's more nostalgic. More of an acknowledgment. 

Yesterday was my birthday, and it made me realise how fast this last year has gone, how fast every year has gone. 

We are all so busy working towards things, waiting for pages to turn, anticipating what's to come. The thing is, in all of this anticipation and all those countdowns, we miss out on what's happening right now. It sounds so cliché, but we all need to step back at times and just live in the moment.  

Wishing away time can make us miss out on the great everyday things that are happening right now. 

Yesterday was probably one of the best days I've ever had. I got to spend it with my boyfriend and my mum, doing all my favourite things. I didn't want the day to end. But it did, and though today I'm back at work and back to real life, at least I woke up this morning and everything was good. Everyone I care about is healthy and happy and life is pretty damn great. Sure, I'm not jetting through the Carribean on my yacht, or drinking wine all day in a vineyard somewhere in France, but life is pretty damn privileged for me. 

So before we start complaining about petty little things, remember that our right now is pretty awesome.  Let's stop wishing away work days and counting down till the holiday season.  If you're truly not happy with your right now, then do something about it. I've said it so many times before, but life is too bloody short. Our right now might just be our last right now, so make it worthwhile. 

Find the privilege in going into work every day - some people are jobless and homeless, at least we have a roof over our heads and can put food on the table. And for the same reason, make sure the food is delicious!! Remember that although we might not enjoy going to that aerobics class, at least our bodies are capable and healthy! 

It's one thing that I'm definitely trying to train myself to do - being thankful and being present. For the next 364 days I will try and stay positive, because I never know who could benefit from it, never mind myself.

So even if time does seem to pass quickly, at least I've embraced every second of it!

Happy Tuesday. 

V x