Making the most of a winter cold + 3 natural ways to get better faster!

So the past few days I've had a terrible cold, and as much as I'm hoping it will be the last this winter, it probably won't! In the past I've usually been very miserable and have looked at being poorly as a bad thing, and although it is quite, I think everyday is precious and we should always try to make the best out of what we're given. And although we can't always control what happens to us, we can control how we deal with it. Here are some of the things that really helped me and I hope some of these ideas will help you to make the most out of the days when you're not 100%.

Be thankful

I put this one at the top of my list because I think when you have thankfulness you have happiness, and when you have happiness you have everything. It's not always easy to do but it can help you appreciate things so much more, even the little things. And I'm sure when you're happy your immune system will be much stronger too.

Cuddle up with your favourite blanket

When the cold weather rolls back around its lovely to get all cosy on the settee with your favourite blanket or jumper. I think its one of the best things about this season, and the perfect addition to the other things on my list.

Enjoy a mug of homemade soup

My mum absoloutely LOVES making homemade soups, especialy leek and potato and tomato and lentil, but on Tuesday she tried making roasted tomato and red pepper for the first time and it turned out really really nice. I don't usually like soup that much but this one was beautiful and so comforting. Making your own homemade soups and freezing them for later is so much better than bought ones as they have so much more goodness and you know whats gone into them. Some other seasonal soups you could try are butternut squash (another favourite of mine), carrot and coriander, and pumpkin.

Watch Disney movies

For me a cosy day in wouldn't be complete without a disney film to watch. For a lot of years I had missed out on watching many disney films and didn't really have the chance to enjoy and appreciate them, and in the past year I've been catching up on all those lost years! My heart always becomes full again after watching them and I don't think you're ever too old to enjoy one.

3 Natural Ways To Get Better Faster

1. Drink plenty of water- Drinking lots of water helps you stay hydrated and flushes out any bad toxins in the body.

2. Have lots of green juices- (For extra goodness to fight colds it's great to add a supplement. I love to add Organic Burst's Wheatgrass, Spirulina and Chlorella, you can get them from their website here http://www.organicburst.com/

3. Eat good food- (Tip:add turmeric to your food for an extra immunity boost. I like to have it in my omelettes and curries)

So there are my top tips for making the most of a winter cold! I hope these help and if there are any things that help you on the days when you're not so good feel free to comment below, I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions:) Have a blessed day!

Emily X

Apple and Cinnamon Crumble

There's really nothing like the smell of apple and cinnamon baking in the oven is there? I could make this dish a million times and never get tired of it. Okay, maybe I would, but its such a simple thing to make and always a classic that everyone will love. The brilliant thing about crumbles is you can make it so many ways. Apple crumble, plum crumble, rhubarb crumble, and even cherry. The options are endless. And you can make it as healthy or unhealthy as you like!

Today I made a basic apple crumble which I'm sure will be the first of many crumbles this season. I found myself making quite a few last year and I think I'll be making even more this year. If you fancy making some too here's the recipe I used today.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the crumble:
10 1/2oz plain flour
6oz brown sugar
7oz butter
For the filling:
2 large cooking apples
1/2oz brown sugar
A pinch of ground cinnamon (I use a little more because I really like cinnamon)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/350F/Gas4
2. Pour the flour and sugar into a large bowl and mix together. Cut the butter into cubes and using a bit of butter at a time, rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture becomes like breadcrumbs. Once done, put aside.
3. Peel the apples with a knife or peeler and cut into 1cm/1/2inch pieces. Place the apples in a baking dish and sprinkle over the brown sugar and cinnamon, finishing off with the breadcrumbs.
4. Place in the oven for 20-35 minutes, depending on your oven. Mine is very powerful so I left it in for 25 minutes and until golden brown. 

To make this recipe a little healthier, you could swap regular butter for vegan butter which works just the same and just reduce the amount of sugar used.

Enjoy! :)

Peach, grape, cashew and chia seed smoothie

 

 

 I've been making this smoothie for a couple of days now and thought it was a great addition to my list of favourite smoothies. This is lovely and refreshing on a morning as it sets you up well for the day. Peaches are a great source of vitamin C which helps fight cancer and is excellent for your skin, as it can help reduce wrinkles and improve texture, as well as fighting back against damage caused by the sun. Grapes are great for hydration and counter-acting free radicals in the body and cashews are an instant mood lifter which is great for the days when you're feeling a little down. You can leave the cashews out if you want but they are a great addition.

 

Chia seeds are one of the many super foods that I try to incorporate into my diet as they are extremely good for you. Although they are very small, they have endless nutritional benefits. A couple of which are that they are high in antioxidants and are full of omega 3 fatty acids which is important for a vegetarian diet. Chia seeds are a little strange to get used to at first but once you do its easy. To prepare them you'll need to soak them in water for a few minutes until they become almost like a jelly consistency. You can get these at your local health store, I get mine from Holland and Barrett and Ocado.

 

To make, you'll need:

 

1 ripe peach

A bunch of grapes

A handful of cashews

2 tbsp. chia seeds, black or white (to soak, use 3-5tbsp water, or until they're all covered)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (use as much as is preferred)

Optional: 1 tsp. Organic Burst baobab (baobab is an awesome super food that adds extra vitamin C to my smoothies)

 

To blend, I use my trusty Nutribullet and prefer it more thin than thick but you can do it however you like:) Enjoy!