Clean & lean turkey burger stack

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

So…this just happened! This is my take on the classic burger and chips and to be honest it’s even better than the original.

For most people burger and chips is an indulgent meal and a treat to have once in a while but this meal is totally guilt free, not to mention filling and nutritious.

The bun has been replaced with portobello mushrooms and sweet potato whilst the chips are my ultimate favourites, roasted parsnip chips – I’m obsessed with them! You can easily make this more low carb as well if fat loss is your goal by leaving out the sweet potato and switching the parsnip chips for kale crisps.

This meal is also fairly cheap to rustle up, using ingredients and basic kitchen cupboard store items – you’ll only need to get the mince in and other fresh ingredients. These burgers were turkey and apricot spiced with cumin and coriander and the flavours are amazing. Apricot also works well with pork mince.

For speed I didn’t actually follow a strict recipe with specific quantities but I’ve added some quantities below if you do prefer following a strict recipe but honestly, it does just work if you throw it all in!

You will need:
For the burger
– 500g lean turkey mince
– 1 red onion, chopped
– 1 garlic clove, chopped
– Salt and pepper
– Sweet chilli sauce
– Coriander, chopped
– 2 tsp cumin
– 1 free range egg (to bind ingredients together)
– 1 tsp coconut oil
– 2 portobello mushrooms (more depending on how many people you’re feeding)
– 1 large sweet potato, chopped width ways
-1 medium avocado
-1 large beef tomato
-50g dried apricots, chopped

For the “chips”
– 4/5 parsnips, chopped
– 1 tsp coconut oil

For the slaw
– Red cabbage, chopped length ways
– Cabbage, chopped length ways
– 2 tsp Dijon mustard
– 2 tbsp balsamic glaze
– 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method:
– Start by pre-heating the oven to 180 degrees and put the chopped parsnips and sweet potato on a baking try and into the oven to roast.
– Put the turkey mince, chopped onion, garlic and seasoning in a large bowl before adding the chopped apricots, coriander, egg, sweet chilli sauce and the cumin. Stir together until well combined.
– Sprinkle a little flour on to a chopping board and shape the burgers (using your hands) on to the tray. Heat a little coconut oil in a frying pan and fry the burgers for about 15-20 minutes until thoroughly cooked.
– To make the slaw, add the chopped cabbage to a bowl and add the vinegar, mustard and balsamic glaze and stir well. I was in charge of the coleslaw and overdid it on the Dijon mustard, oops, so just stick to two tsp of that!
– When the sweet potato/parsnip chips are about 5-10 minutes from being done, add the mushrooms to the tray to roast slightly.
– Once everything is cooked, place one mushroom on a plate followed by a sweet potato circle, then the burger, tomato and avocado before topping with another sweet potato circle and finally the last mushroom top!

I am officially STUFFED now but thoroughly content – it’s all about fuelling your body right after all isn’t it! Enjoy 🙂

27Jan2015

Healthy date & banana flapjacks

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

Yes, you read that right, these are healthy, no added sugar banana flapjacks.

These flapjacks are made with dates, rather than sugar and coconut oil instead of butter to cut that calorie content and provide a more nutritious treat than the average flapjack.

Flapjacks are such a strong snack and are also ridiculously easy to make and these are no exception. They are perfect to take as an afternoon snack, post work-out treat or as a healthy pudding.

In reality though we know that no flapjack is entirely healthy but in my opinion these are as good as they get! They held their shape well and the ingredients bound the oats and banana together perfectly.

You will need:
– 300g oats
– 100g chopped dates
– 2 ripe bananas
– 50g sultanas
– 4 tbsp raw honey (I like the Groovy Food raw honey)
– 50g coconut oil (I use Lucy Bee extra virgin organic raw coconut oil)

Method:
– Melt the coconut oil in the microwave and then add to a large bowl containing the oats. Add the honey and stir well.
– Add the dates, sultanas and mashed banana and stir until well combined. The dates will help the oats to stick together.
– Line a baking tray with foil and spread the flapjack mixture on to the tray.
– Bake in the over for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees or until golden brown.
– Leave to cool before cutting in to squares and enjoying with a cup of tea.

Don’t be afraid to play around with the ingredients either. Why not try adding some nuts or pumpkin seeds or…dare I say it…a couple of spoonfuls of crunchy peanut butter! (Meridian’s is my drug!!)

26Jan2015

Eat your greens at breakfast!

Posted in Fitness & well-being, Nutrition, Recipes by hannahbryan91

To celebrate Breakfast Week I wanted to write a piece about how I believe breakfast should be done and share with you my most recent breakfast creation.

We’ve always been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and in my opinion it really is. Recently I’ve changed the way I do breakfast and I wanted to share these changes with you. This is just my opinion though and it’s what works for me, everyone will be different.

First things first, your breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day. Skipping breakfast is a big error as it takes a toll on your energy levels and will leave you reaching for the nearest/easiest snack possible when hunger hits which will most likely be something that’s not going to fuel your body or be the most nutritious start to the day.

Big meals don’t have to mean bad meals; it’s all about picking the right foods to make up that meal. A big breakfast will set you up for the rest of the day and if it’s healthy it will help you to make healthy choices for the rest of the day as well.

Not only that but instead of reaching for a snack when you get to work or when 11am hits, a big breakfast will keep hunger levels satisfied through to lunch time. If you get in to a habit of doing this you’re likely to consume fewer calories throughout the day as well which is good if your target is to lose some weight.

Ok, so what should you be having on your plate on a morning then? This will vary for different people depending on what your goals are. For example, when I’m training on a morning I like to have oats made with water and some nuts/seeds thrown in to add some healthy fats in there. Nuts also provide a reasonably high protein content too. I find that the carbs keep me full until lunch time especially after training. However on the days I’m not training or if I’m training on a weekend and I’ve got more time to make breakfast I’ll have scrambled eggs with veggies and some form of protein.

The ideal breakfast for me will consist of fats, protein and veggies on a plate and in my opinion everyone should try and have some vegetables at breakfast.

Those who start their day with greens on their plate have higher energy levels, improved concentration and don’t crave sugary/bad foods by 11am.

Add your veggies to an egg scramble or to an omelette for something quick on a morning. It’s also a great way to use leftover veg from the previous night’s dinner.

Now to address that dreaded word….fat. Without sounding like a total cliché, fats are your friends! I’m talking about good fats here such as coconut oil, avocados, nuts and nut butters rather than the bad, processed unhealthy fats.

Cooking your eggs in coconut oil or adding almonds or avocado slices are all great to add to your omelettes or shakes/smoothies.

Eating fats will give you energy, ward off hunger pangs for longer and let’s be honest, eating just veggies and meat (protein) does not fill you up!

Be careful though, although these are good fats it is still important to exercise portion control and adapt the amount you need depending on how much exercise you’re doing. Listen to your body and be mindful of when enough fat is enough. Believe me, I’ve been there and know all too well how easy it is to inhale a jar of peanut butter before you can blink.

Most importantly though, the concept is simple- eat real food! You’ve only got one body so why wouldn’t you want to fuel and feed it with the most nutritious foods possible? You’ll feel fuller for longer, have more energy, be alert throughout the day at work and generally just feel more healthy and positive in yourself.

Here’s a phenomenal (if I do say so myself!) breakfast recipe which I made at the weekend to fuel a day of work and training. It’s got some healthy carbs in there, fats from the avocado and protein from the eggs and smoked salmon. The smoked salmon is packed full of Omega-3 which is good for heart health and reducing high blood pressure. Rye bread also has a higher fibre and lower GI content compared to normal bread and so releases energy more slowly keeping you fuller for longer. It is also better for people who are sensitive to wheat or wheat intolerant.

Below is the recipe and nutritional breakdown.

You will need:
-Rye bread
– Eggs
– Avocado
– Smoked salmon
– Black pepper to season

Method:

– Put a small amount of coconut oil in a pan and heat before adding beaten eggs to the pan and stirring to scramble.
– Toast the rye bread and then mash the avocado on to the toast instead of butter.
– Top the avocado toast with eggs and the smoked salmon and voilà, a healthy and nutrient dense breakfast.

Check out my other breakfast recipes I’ve posted including these low carb burpee breakfast tarts.

What’s your go-to breakfast? Do you eat the same thing or do you change it depending on work or training schedules? Let me know 🙂

25Jan2015

Thai pork mince lettuce wraps

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

As you may have seen from some of my previous recipes I love Thai food.

This is a super easy dish to make and you’ll be surprised by just how much flavour it packs with just a few, simple ingredients.

Make this as a quick tea when you get in from work or during Sunday night meal prep to have for lunch or dinner for the rest of the week.

You can also use turkey or beef mince but these flavours work really well with pork. What’s more, it is low carb but you can also add brown rice to the lettuce wraps before adding the mince to get some healthy carbs in there if you want to.

You will need:
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce
Juice of two limes
1 red chilli, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
500g lean pork mince
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 tsp coconut oil
Handful of coriander, chopped
1 large Chinese lettuce

Method:
– Start by heating the coconut oil in a large frying pan before adding the garlic and the pork mince. Cook thoroughly until the pork mince is almost done and then add the chopped chilli, fish sauce and the chopped pepper.
– Cook on a high heat until the mince is thoroughly cooked then add the fresh lime juice and stir in some fresh coriander.
– To prepare the lettuce leaves simply peel them away and chop off the end before arranging artistically (we tried!) on a plate. If you’re having rice with your wraps then add that in to the lettuce leaf before adding the mince.
– Wrap up the leaves as you eat them (I’d suggest with your hands!) and there you have it, Thai pork mince lettuce wraps.

Serve them with a sprig of fresh coriander on top and a wedge of lime on the side. I guarantee these will go down a treat any night of the week and it is a perfect meal to make in bulk to keep you going for the rest of the week.

20Jan2015

Why everyone should do burpees

Posted in Fitness & well-being by hannahbryan91

It’s no secret that I love burpees!

I love the feeling I get after doing burpees as I feel as though my entire body has really worked hard and it’s because of this that I love incorporating them in to my training.

So what’s so good about burpees I hear you ask.

Well, burpees work your entire body unlike isolation exercises you might do at the gym. Ultimately this means that you will actually burn more calories at a quicker rate when doing burpees compared to other exercises.

Not only that but burpees will also help you to get stronger as every rep works your chest, glutes, hamstrings, core and arms. They are a great HIIT (high intensity interval training) exercise and with no equipment needed there’s no excuse not to do them as you can do them pretty much anywhere.

Doing burpees is a good way to get your heart rate up quickly which means they are a great conditioning exercise to do and they really do help to build endurance.

There are so many different types of burpee variations to try from the classic chest to floor burpee to burpee back flips for the more athletic amongst you.

Here’s a list of some of my favourite variations and a couple of videos:
-Chest to floor burpees
– Over the bar burpees
– Burpee box jumps
-Slam ball burpees
-Burpee pull-ups
– Lateral box jump burpees

If you’ve never incorporated burpees in to your training before then start by building them in to your warm up doing 5 or 10 at a time and then as you get better & more confident you can progress to some other variations.

8Jan2015

Refusing to let injury stand in my way

Posted in Running by hannahbryan91

“I don’t think there’s such a thing as the perfect marathon training plan.”

My physiotherapist said this to me at a recent session and I couldn’t agree more. We can spend time devising detailed training plans suitable to our goals – I’ve got a pretty good one drawn up for April’s Manchester marathon – but at the end of the day marathon training is really about taking it all in your stride, no pun intended.

Even if you’ve got the best plan drawn up, external factors can halt your plans such as work commitments or a niggling injury.

It’s the latter which has temporarily derailed my schedule but after a long awaited visit to the physiotherapist I’m here to tell you that if your marathon training is halted because of injury don’t panic, don’t hit the peanut butter and certainly don’t think that you’re out of the race. It can be quite the opposite in fact, unless your physio has advised against racing entirely obviously, but if your injury just requires rest for a couple of weeks then it’s still game on rather than game over.

Over the past couple of weeks I have experienced a pain in my knee similar to someone clamping it in a vice every time I’ve reached two miles on a run. It’s not a pain I have experienced from running before and it’s certainly not fun so I booked in to see Jeroen at Jorvik Physiotherapy who was fantastic.

I’ve got to rest for three weeks but luckily not entirely. I’m only allowed to do upper body weight training, cycle or go on the cross-trainer. I can also swim but no breaststroke. I can start running again after three weeks, or sooner if the swelling in my knee goes down before then, and I’ve been given some good stretches to do and told it needs massaging every day.

Jeroen was so positive which really kept me upbeat and he told me ways to keep my strength up without damaging my knee and was confident that I’d be back on track within a month or so. Personally I think that finding a good, positive physiotherapist makes a world of difference.

So even though I’ve been told to rest, I’m lucky enough that it’s not complete rest, which can often be the case with knee injuries. I plan on cycling a lot, getting my swim on (thanks Adidas for my new costume) and still bashing out pull-ups and what not at CrossFit, all the while keeping a mindful watch on my knee.

I’m also lucky enough to have been drawn up a prehab plan for my knee to hopefully prevent me from getting injured in the future. I’d definitely recommend having a coach draw one of these up for you too if you’re injured. It’s something you can incorporate in to a training plan and eventually doing the exercises will just become a habit.

Here’s a little snippet of what mine involves:

Single leg hip lifts
Seated leg lifts/L-sit progressions
Side plank with leg raise
3 point plank
Glute circuit of glute bridges, clam shells, fire hydrants and glute ham walks.
So, if it’s bad news from the physio don’t view it as bad news, view it as a new way to train. If you can’t run, yes it’s beyond frustrating, but look at what else you can do, talk it through with your physio and find new ways to keep strong, fit and healthy and I promise that when you get back to running it’ll all be worth it and you’ll still be feeling fit and ready to race.

🙂

Ps If anyone in York is in need of a physio visit Jorvik Physiotherapy in Fulford, Jeroen knows his stuff.

6Jan2015

10 ways to keep healthy with a busy lifestyle

Posted in Fitness & well-being, Nutrition by hannahbryan91

This morning as I opened up my emails an interesting messaged pinged into my inbox with the subject title “failed again.”

What I opened turned out to be one of the most entertaining emails I had ever received.

Here’s a little snippet from it:

“My willpower is zilch, I have had three chocolates. There are boxes up in the staff room with post-its saying “eat me”- leftovers from Christmas where staff are trying to save themselves – obviously they do not know that I am already sprinting up the stairs to help them out – waistband is tightening by the minute, but even that does not deter me – help…………!!!”

I wasn’t laughing at the fact that this person wanted help but if you knew her like I did you too would be amused at her sprinting up the stairs to help her colleagues out with left over Christmas chocolate. My response: well at least you’re getting some cardio in with those stair sprints- ha-ha.

In all seriousness though this got me thinking about the pressures we put on ourselves in January to eat clean, take up the gym or cut out sugar following the indulgent festive period. January is also a really busy month with people starting back at work, paying off Christmas bills and children heading back to school.

I’ve put together a list of 10 ways to help you stay healthy every month even when you’ve got a super hectic schedule.

Water – This is such a simple change to make but one which has major health benefits. Keep a jug or a bottle of water on your desk at work or in your car at all times. Having it there will remind you to drink plenty throughout the day. Drinking lots of water will also improve your skin, help your body to flush out toxins and keep you alert at work as it increases energy and fights fatigue.
Snacks – Make the fruit bowl your friend and keep it stocked full at all times. You can also buy nuts such as almonds and take a handful of those with you to work. That way if cakes or treats appear in the office you will have healthy snacks on hand to curb those cravings and satisfy you until lunch time. Eating better makes you feel better.
Read an actual book – Take time away from your computer to read a book or the newspaper. You’ll feel as if you’ve really had a break from work and will come back in the afternoon with your brain refreshed ready to take on the rest of the day.
Ban phones from the bedroom – This includes iPads and anything else electronic for that matter. Set aside some time each night to really relax and unwind before getting into bed. Read a book, meditate or just take some time without your phone to switch off. The bright lights will interfere with your sleep pattern and getting a good night’s sleep is so important. You will wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and energised.
Green tea – It’s absolutely fine if you love a caffeine boost in the morning but why not try and switch to green tea in the afternoon and limit your caffeine intake. Although green tea does still contain caffeine it doesn’t have as much caffeine as coffee. It also has amino acid L-theanine which works with the caffeine to improve brain function and concentration.
Eat your greens – as well as green tea make sure you eat your vegetables. Again, it’s such a simple thing and it’s not meant to sound patronising but vegetables are packed full of nutrients and antioxidants which are guaranteed to improve your mood and leave you feeling healthier and happier in general.
Get moving – Set your alarm ten minutes earlier and go for a walk or do some burpees before work. HIIT (high intensity interval training) is great if you are pushed for time and if you get it done in the morning you’ll feel the benefits of those endorphins for the rest of the day.
PMA – Positive mental attitude! Starting your day with positive thoughts and having a can do attitude will boost your mood and basically sets the standard for a good day ahead. Think positively when you’re faced with a challenge.
Write things down – Make yourself an achievable to–do list either on your phone or when you get to work each day. There’s something strangely satisfying about ticking something off your list and getting stuff done.
No pressure- leading a healthy lifestyle isn’t a diet; it’s a way of life. Don’t put extra pressure on yourself by stressing out if you have a chocolate or miss a workout, you’re only human! To get back on track forget about it and move on, health is about so much more than just a physical thing it’s about mental well-being as well.

What are your top tips for staying healthy and happy? Let me know!

You can also Tweet me at @hannahbryan91 or email me at hbryan91@gmail.com

4Jan2015

Super-fast Pad Thai

Posted in Recipes by hannahbryan91

Thai is one of my favourite cuisines. Its light, packed full of flavour and leaves you feeling full without feeling as though you’ve over indulged.

Training hard and working long hours can often leave you lacking in motivation when it comes to rustling up something for tea. It can be all too tempting to just grab something quick and probably something that’s not great for you, especially if you haven’t managed to make anything earlier that week.

This Pad Thai was rustled up in under 30 minutes after a tough day of training. I’d managed to get a swimming session in early doors before work then headed to CrossFit after work before completing my 200 burpees I had to do for Dane and I’s 100 burpees challenge. We got in quite late and this was the perfect meal to feed us and fill us up quickly after training.

There are no quantities in this recipe because I tend to just throw everything into a pan and after that training session Dane and I were HUNGRY so it was a case of the more food the better!

You will need:
Frozen peas Fresh coriander
King prawns (cooked) Small bunch spring onions
Roasted peanuts Sweet chilli sauce
Reduced salt soy sauce Sunflower oil
Onion Broccoli
Pak Choi 1 egg
Rice noodles Garlic
Method:

– Start by cooking your noodles and once they’re ready drain them and set to one side whilst you heat some oil in a frying pan.
– Chop the garlic and onion and add to the frying pan along with the peas, sliced spring onions, broccoli and pak choi.
-Add the prawns and the noodles before cracking the egg into the pan and mix everything together. Add the soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce for seasoning and then stir in plenty of chopped fresh coriander along with the roasted peanuts.
– Serve with a sprig of fresh coriander on top and a wedge of lime and voilà home-made Pad Thai.

Enjoy!

3Jan2015

Friends who train together, stay together

Posted in Fitness & well-being by hannahbryan91

Not every gym session has to be programmed and followed rigidly, sometimes it’s good to just hit the gym with your friends and do what you fancy. Not only is it fun but it also reminded me why I love training so much. I laughed whilst trying to hula-hoop, exhausted myself on the battle ropes and flipped a 60kg tyre around the gym floor with my best friend – what could be better than that!?

Kicking off 2015 with two training sessions on New Year’s Day my friend Liana and I headed to her gym (Virgin Active) for a training session where we pretty much spent an hour and a half working on technique and discovering new, fun ways to train. It had probably been a good six months since I had trained in a commercial gym so I was like a little kid in a sweet shop when I got there, jumping on boxes, checking out the free weights area and getting my feet all caught up in the TRX bands.

Laughing as we got caught up in the TRX bands

Liana and I started by going back to our primary school roots with a hula hoop session. The last time I picked up a hoop I was probably in Year 3 with my hair in a high pony tail and wearing ankle socks…not much has changed really! Although we were just having a laugh it is actually a really good workout. Hula hooping is great for your core as it requires you to keep your abs engaged at all times. It can also be used to help tone the rest of your body. For example try spinning the hoop on one arm held straight up above your head whilst keeping your abs engaged. To tone the lower half of your body try and spin the hoop around your knees whilst keeping the glutes and abs tight to reap the rewards of this fun exercise.

Next we headed for the battle ropes. This was the first time I had been able to try these and I was excited to do so after seeing lots of workout videos on Instagram of people using them, particularly ultra runner Bec Wilcock. Using battle ropes is a great low impact training method yet it can still yield big results. It puts less stress on your joints but still gives you a really good workout which builds muscle and burns fat simultaneously. Not only that but you can also take them outside and tie them anywhere which means that come summer time it’s the perfect excuse to ditch the gym and train in the park.

We also worked on our squat technique before moving on to one of my favourite exercises, pull ups. I’ll never forget the day I did my first pull up, mainly because it was on my birthday, but also because it was a goal of mine to do at least one before 2015. Liana also got her first one on New Year’s Day which was very exciting for both of us.

We finished our New Year’s Day workout with a three minute power plate blast with some running intervals in between which was a lot tougher than it sounds, trust me! Basically, we started 2015 as we mean to go on with plenty of training but also having lots of fun whilst working hard. Bring on the rest of the year 🙂

Hannah's Happy Pace

Monthly Archives: January 2015

Clean & lean turkey burger stack

Healthy date & banana flapjacks

Eat your greens at breakfast!

Thai pork mince lettuce wraps

Why everyone should do burpees

Refusing to let injury stand in my way

10 ways to keep healthy with a busy lifestyle

Super-fast Pad Thai

Friends who train together, stay together