Green Juice Smoothie

I love to start my days with my basic Green Juice Smoothie. It makes me feel so good and refreshed until lunch time. I usually like to have the green juice if i am in a rush or i know i will be eating somewhere outside that night with not many healthy choices.

This is what I put in my green juice:
Celery
Cucumber
Parsley
Spinach (I like to freeze mine)
a lemon
Apple
Blue Berries (just a few frozen ones)
Chlorella, Spirulina and Vitamin C powder. 
Ice Cubes
Water (just a little bit to get everything going in the blender)

This time I added fresh coconut water instead of water since i had it available :)

It literally takes less than five minutes from start to finish!  I sometimes add other vegetables such as an avocado, broccoli, ginger, lettuce, kale. I also sometimes add other super foods such as Wheatgrass, Acaai powder, Maca powder, Flaxseeds and/or Chia seeds. As for the fruits keeping it minimal is key to get the maximum benefits of all the vegetables. I like to stick to an apple and a few blueberries to all my green juices. 

My favorite blender for making any of my smoothies has to be the NutriBullet :D I have been using it for years and anytime i try another blender i always go back to my NutriBullet, it is so simple and easy to use!

What is your favorite Green Juice? :)

Dal (Lentils)

Dal has always been one of my favorite dishes since I was a child. It still continues to be one of my favorite dishes. I try to incorporate it at least once a week. It's my comfort food :)
Not only does it taste good and is so fast and easy to make, but it has so many nutritional benefits!

Lentils are an excellent source of protein that is low in fat. It lowers cholesterol, reduces heart diseases and is a great source of magnesium and folate. Lentils are one of the most alkaline proteins which makes it excellent for the digestive system. It is also a good source of carbohydrates which stabilizes the blood sugar and therefore makes it great for diabetics.

Recipe (3-4 people)
Ingredients:
2 cups of orange lentils - wash and rinse a few times with a strainer to make sure its clean. 
1 tomato
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 potato
1/4tsp of turmeric, coriander, cumin. (or any other mix seasonings you prefer)
pinch of salt
6 cups of water

Method:
-Fry the onion, tomato and garlic
-Add seasonings and salt
-Add water
-After water boils, Add the lentils
-After 10 minutes add the Potato
-Cover and leave for around 30 minutes or until it reaches the consistence that you desire

Today I had it with brown rice and salad :) So yummy!

London Eats

I noticed that during travel times many people go crazy with eating all the unhealthy foods where in fact the choices for healthy foods are endless! Of course you are on vacation and it is nice to indulge here and there but balance is key :)

Our favorite healthy spots in London this time were Planet Organic, The Mae's Deli, Whole Foods, The Good Life Eatery, Busaba Eathai, Yorica and the Juice Smith at Harrods food hall. I will also add my favorite fast food (wok to walk) to this list. There are many other places on my list to try but unfortunately we only had 10 days so we could not fit in anymore. 

Planet Organic
This was my "almost" every morning stop for breakfast! I would start my day with their Green Machine Smoothie which consists of apple, banana, broccoli, spinach, parsley, mint, ginger, spirulina, wheatgrass, barley grass and chlorella. It was so good and fresh that i could not wait to have it the next morning! It gave me so much energy until lunch time, it was definitely the perfect start to my days!

I would sometimes have it with a chocolate and Brazil nut muffin by crayve's handmade and organic foods. Their muffins are made a of a few healthy ingredients that are free from wheat, gluten, egg, dairy, soya, yeast and has no added sugar!

Planet Organic also also has an amazing healthy lunch option where you can choose anything on their lunch menu until there is no space on your plate so you get to try many of their healthy and delicious items!

I tried their zoodle salad, squash and lentil roast cauliflower & chickpeas, sprouted brown rice, cauliflower curry, vegetable stir fry and some sweet potato wedges. It was so flavorful and very filling.

As for snacks I tried Lily & Hanna's raw food ice cream that they store in their freezer and I must say it was delicious! They have only a few ingredients and many different flavors, i got the chocolate love energy to satisfy my chocolate needs :D

I also did some shopping there. They have a huge selection of healthy EVERYTHING! I went there almost daily if not for breakfast, lunch or snack I would buy some of their healthy amazing stuff to bring back home with me. I must say that it was a two minute walk from our apartment which made it very easy to access :)

The Mae's Deli
I can't say enough about Mae's Deli!! Perfection is what this deli is. The food there is so clean, healthy and delicious. The ambience is very relaxed and chilled out. The owner of this Deli is a famous blogger who has been one of my inspirations so i felt blessed to get a chance to try out her Deli (and also meet her at wholefoods!).

My family and I came here for breakfast a few times and once for lunch. Every visit met our satisfaction. 
My husband enjoyed their Porridge with some mixed seeds, Mae's granola and maple syrup. It was made to perfection. He also loved their Tropical Berry smoothie and their Matcha Latte.
My son's favorites were the smashed Avocado on rye Toast with rocket, chili, lemon and also their Peanut Butter on Toast.
My daughter had the banana & coconut pancakes with berry and apple compote, maple syrup and coconut chips. My favorite was the Acai bowl topped with their Mae Granola, Peanut Butter and banana slices. It was so delicious that it inspired me to try making my own Acai bowl as soon as i got back to Oman (I will share the recipe soon). The Avocado on toast was also one of my favorites and of course their famous pecan brownie!

 

For lunch they had a cool option where you can choose any four items on their menu. I got their brown rice with coconut and cauliflower curry, falafels and two types of salad. It was very yummy!

Whole Foods 

Whole foods has always been my favorite place to buy groceries from when we lived in the states a few years back. So when we go to London I love to visit Whole Foods at Kensington so i can buy all my favorite items to take back home with me. The healthy food items there has no limit! I stocked my self with healthy pastas made from one ingredient such as lentil, black bean, Mung. I also got some snacks, teas, healthy chocolates and a bunch of superfoods such as Acai powder, Chlorella, Spirulina, Maca powder, Cacao nibs, Gogi berries, Hemp seeds, Flax seeds and Chia seeds to add into my morning smoothies and oatmeal bowls :D I also got some probiotics and vitamins.

We spent a few hours there and when we got hungry we went upstairs where they have their healthy food court. I ordered an Edamame burger (gluten/wheat/dairy and egg free bun) with roasted sweet potatoes.

The Good Life Eatery

The good life eatery has a really big menu with so many options to try from. My husband enjoyed their Granola bowl and I enjoyed their coconut chia pudding from the fridge. 

Busaba Eatthai

Busaba Eatthai is a modern Thai restaurant with 12 locations in London. We just happened to enter this restaurant by chance because by the time we left the Lion King show near Covent Garden it was late, we were so hungry and it happened to be right near the Covent Garden Tube Station.

I am so glad that we came here because their food was so delicious! They even had healthy options for me which made me so happy! I had the brown rice noodles with fresh vegetables and Tofu. It was made to perfection and I enjoyed every single bite of it so had to include it on my list :)

Yorica
Yorica is known for their healthy and clean ingredients that are free from allergens such as dairy,nuts and refined sugar. I got the chocolate frozen yogurt with some mangoes. It was pretty good :)

Juice Smith

I was very excited to find this place at Harrods food court. They have an amazing selection of very healthy juices, deserts and snacks. Their Matcha Green Juice and their chocolate ganache were yummy!

  

Wok to Walk 

Wok to walk is a fast food (Asian food) where they stir fry and wok to cook. It is one of the yummiest "healthier than most other fast foods" I've had! They have a huge variety for vegans.

Step 1: is to choose one of their bases. They have jasmin rice, whole grain rice, egg noodles, rice noodles, udon noodles or a vegeterian dish. They then add a large variety of fresh vegetables and egg if you like.

Step 2: is to choose a type of their big selection of protein which includes steaks, duck, chicken, seafood and tofu.

Step 3: is to choose one of their sauces.

I love how they meet the needs of every individual's needs with their variety of selections!

We were at a fast food place to not spend too much time and we ended up spending a long time because my son was determined to eat with chopsticks (he's still learning) :D

Everywhere you go in London it is easy to find healthy/vegan options. What is you favorite healthy spots to eat in London? :)