Greetings Beautiful, Radiant Readers,

Hope everyone is great. This year Make & Bake From Scratch has made it onto the Blog Awards Ireland 2015 – Long-list! I am very excited to receive recognition for two categories in the Blog Awards 2015.

Greetings,

“Make & Bake From Scratch” has made it onto the Blog Awards Ireland 2015 – Shortlist (Personal/Individual)!!! The blog has been shortlisted in two categories –  Best Diaspora and Best Health and Wellbeing Blog !!!

Don’t forget the public vote will open on 7th September 2015 and stay open for 2 weeks. The Blog Awards Ireland – Finalists will be reduced from the shortlist via public voting.

Everytime I make a trip back to Ireland, I love planning a day in the big schmoke. Of recent I have become particularly fond of Staple Foods, Dublin. It is a chilled out spot that offers decadent salads and coffee. I know chocolate cake is decadent but so are the salads created in Staple Foods. These salads are shredded with roast chicken, homemade pesto , toasted hazelnuts and celeriac. Back in Abu Dhabi, I am yet to root out any salad that matches the abundant flavours present in the Staple Food salads. So , I decided to construct my own and I present “Thai Green Curry Chicken Salad”.

Recipe

(Serves 2)

2 Free Range Chicken Breast

Thai Choice Green Curry Paste

1 Garlic Glove

Giant handful of Spinach Leaves

1 Carrot 

Fresh Pineapple Chunks (I bought pre-chopped pineapple from the supermarket)

Handful Fresh Basil 

Handful Fresh Coriander

Avocado

Squeeze lime juice.

Make from Scratch 

• Poach chicken breasts with one garlic clove – allow to cook through. Once this is done, pop the chicken fillets in the food processor , one garlic glove and 1/2 tsp. green curry paste (add more if you want spicey).
• Wash all veggies. Peel and grate carrot. Cut the pineapple into chunks. Add fresh spinach to the food processor and shred , be careful not to overdo it. Tear the fresh herbs into small pieces. In a large mixing bowl add shredded spinach, grated carrots, and freshly torn herbs. Mix together with hands.
• In a separate bowl add chopped avocado, squeeze of lime juice and pinch of salt.
• Layer up. Get your plate and layer up the all the salad. Add chicken, avocado and pineapple. Toasted nuts would be nice on top too for extra flavour. I sprinkled blue cheese on top!

Be sure to keep me posted if you try and test these recipes by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

Eat the rainbow, don’t chase it x

Greetings Folks,

Pretty please with cacao nibs and peanut butter sprinkled on top to vote for me or my blog “Make & Bake From Scratch”, in the Irish Blog Awards 2015. It has been nominated in two categories. See below. Click the link and select “Make & Bake From Scratch”, then hit the “done”, button. It is as simple as that. Thank you in advance.

1.  Best Diaspora: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PP7NDYC
2.  Best Health and Wellbeing Blog: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PPBJNMZ

Lynne x

Last week I got my paws on Quest Protein Powder – peanut butter flavour, my kryptonite. My source is Sporter.Com. Personally, I find Sporter great. It saves so much time going to the store, delivery is fast and their prices are reasonable. I am not getting paid or sponsored to write this either, they provide a good service.

Moving on, I decided to whip up some protein bites after a gruelling leg session to munch on over the course of the weekend or evening as they don’t last long!

Bake from Scratch Recipe

3 Bananas

2 eggs whites

2 scoops Quest Peanut Butter Protein

1 tsp. Cinnamon

3 tbsp. Biona Coconut Flour

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tbsp. Koko Coconut Milk

Handful of Frozen Blueberries – you can use other berries if you fancy.

Make from Scratch

• Preheat oven 180 degrees.
• Food processor: add bananas and whip them to mush. Add peanut butter protein powder, egg whites, cinnamon – blitz until well combined.
• Mixing bowl: pour mixture into large mixing bowl. Add coconut flour, baking soda and coconut milk. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Next fold in the frozen blueberries to the batter.
• Baking tray: I used a square baking tray (8×8). Grease with kerrygold butter. Pour in the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes , ovens will vary. I left them till they were golden brown, use a toothpick to poke the centre and check if the centre has set and the bites are ready to come out of the oven.

Be sure to keep me posted if you try and test these recipes by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

Eat the rainbow, don’t chase it x

Athleisure, sportsluxe, activewear – if you are like me, you have your gym uniform which is for working-out but you also have your “Sunday best” uniform. The word athleisure stems from athletic and leisure. I have become rather fond of the athleisure uniform for shopping , coffee, catch ups and travel. Pair the uniform with a crisp white tee and sneakers.

(Wearing – Dark Lily Yoga Pants by The Upside, H&M White Basic Tee and Princess Reebok Classics)

What are your favourite apparel brands?

By combining Flapjacked protein pancake baking mix, Buff Bake white chocolate peanut butter, Sweet Spreads peanut butter powder, Total Fage greek yogurt, berries, Walden Farms chocolate sauce and toasted almonds, I crafted the perfect friday morning feast after a gruelling Ultimate Circuit class in Haddins, Abu Dhabi.

All ingredients are available from my trusty source Sporter.com. I have been using Flapjacked protein pancake baking mix for a while and they are delicious. Nice consistency and fluffy texture. My favourite is the buttermilk baking mix. You simply add water to the mix and leave it to thicken for three minutes. For Irish followers Bodyfirst Nutrition sell Flapjacked protein pancake baking mix online.

Make from Scratch

• Flapjacked Protein Pancake Baking Mix – follow instructions on the packet;
• Buff Bake White Chocolate Peanut Butter;
• Sweet Spreads Peanut Butter Powder;
• Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries);
• Walden Farms Chocolate Sauce;
• Total Fage 0% Greek Yogurt;
• Toasted Almonds.

Be sure to keep me posted if you try and test these recipes by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

Eat the rainbow, don’t chase it x

Man flu is described as illness that causes the male species to become helpless and sicker than any other family member. In females; it is described as cold. Therefore, I concocted this “Man Flu” soup recipe to rescue the male of the house from his man flu death bed.

The Christmas holidays have come and gone. It is a time of year when us humans are suppose to chill out and relax. However, we burn the candle at both ends; throughout the festive season trying to meet family and friends far and wide discussing the world at length. By the time New Years swings around we have head colds, snuffles, sinus, sore throats and coughs. I am guilty too. So whether you are male or female, this recipe will provide you with an abundance of nutrients to rock in 2016!

Grotto (2007) discusses the benefits of the ingredients:

Carrots – fibre, manganese, niacin, beta-carotene, potassium, Vitamin B6 & C.

Peppers – Vitamin C, beta-carotene and inflammation reducing phytochemicals.

Pumpkin – fibre, potassium, selenium, Vitamin A, beta-carotene and lutein.

Sweet Potatoe – Vitamin A,C, B6, manganese, potassium and fibre.

Garlic – Bacteria killer properties known as “Allicin”.

Turmeric – Anti-inflammatory properties.

Made From Scratch

4 carrots

1 large red pepper

200grams Pumpkin

1 large sweet potatoe

4-5 garlic cloves

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1 stock cube or 1.5 litres fresh stock.

Made:

1. Chop (wash first) all the vegetables. I leave skin on carrots and sweet potato for extra fibre. Remove the skin if it is bad.
2. Add 1tsp. grapeseed oil to large saucepan. Saute all vegetables.
3. Add stock cube and 1.5 water. Bring to the boil. Simmer.
4. Once all veg is soft , blitz.
5. I added 0% fat greek yogurt , lemon zest and toasted chickpeas on top.
6. Serve, enjoy and take some time to reflect.

Be sure to keep me posted if you try and test these recipes by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

Eat the rainbow, don’t chase it x

References

• Grotto. D, RD, LDN. (2007) 101 Foods that could save your life. Bantam Books. New York.

I would like to thank my Mammy for introducing the M&B Kitchen, to this delicious creation over the festive season in Ireland. I have created my own recipe calling it “Three Seeded Porridge Bread”. Over the weekend I got my bake on and the bread was devoured. In my strongest Midlands accent “there was a grand smell wafting throughout the house”.

Grotto (2007) discusses the health benefits present in the ingredients:

• Oats – Vitamin E, B vitamins, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium, Copper, Zinc, Iron and Manganese. Oats contain both soluble and insoluble fibre which have digestive benefits.
• Natural Yogurt – calcium source and contain probiotics. Research suggests that probiotics contain immune boosting properties and enhance intestinal tract health (Grotto, 2007:353)
• Flaxseed – Omega 3 source and contains both soluble and insoluble fibre.
• Pumpkin Seeds – Omega 3 source and phytosterols.
• Sesame Seeds – contain phytosterols research suggests that phytosterols might fight heart disease.

Made From Scratch

*10-12 Slices (this will vary depending on the size of the slice you cut)

360g Organic Oats

500ml/450g Tub Non Fat Yogurt (I used Glenisk Non Fat Yogurt)

2tsp. Baking Soda

Pinch of Salt

3 Tbsp. Flaxseed

2 Tbsp. Pumpkin Seeds

2 Tbsp. Sesame Seeds

3-4 Tbsp. Almond Milk or Milk

Made

1. Preheat oven 180 and grease the loaf tin. I used grapes oil to grease the tin.
2. Weigh out oat mix and pop in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and seed mixture. Gently mix together.
3. In a separate bowl pour in yogurt and add baking soda. Allow to sit for a few minutes. It will fizz up! Add 3-4 Tbsp. almond milk.
4. Next add yogurt mixture to oats and mix until well blended and a dough like consistency is formed. Make sure the oats are well blended with the yogurt mixture.
5. Pour porridge bread mix into the loaf tin. Pop in oven for 60 minutes. Remove from tin at 60 minutes and pop back in the oven for another 10 minutes to make it crispy. Bread cooking time 70 minutes in total.
6. Allow to cool or not and lather with kerry gold butter.

Be sure to keep me posted if you try and test these recipes by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

Eat the rainbow, don’t chase it x

References

• Grotto. D, RD, LDN. (2007) 101 Foods that could save your life. Bantam Books. New York.

The novel “On the Road”, by Jack Kerouac instills a personal belief that life is an adventure on the road, throwing caution to the wind, visiting and embracing new cultures across the world. Each adventure is wild, it casts light on different perspectives of how people live and that is an invaluable life experience.

On a recent trip to Vietnam I visited Ho Chi Minh City and Dalat City. As a Wellness Enthusiast, I research health & wellness places prior to travelling. Back in 2009, I would have been hanging from the rafters in Gullivers Tavern in a sea of sam song on Khao San Road, Bangkok. Things change, people change-that is life.

The best way for me to describe Vietnam is colourful. I rooted out  healthy food places in Ho Chi Minh and completed a 70km cycle in Dalat to Nha Thrang. Below I discuss healthy hotspots in HCMC and Phat Tires Bike Trip.

Healthy Hot Spots in Ho Chi Minh City 

The Kafe

The Kafe is a socially conscious, community-oriented company with a “people first” mentality. The Kafe envisions a world where every person has a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle, with food being a primary foundation to help them achieve that lifestyle goal.

Tropic land Coffee & Juice Bar

Tropicland serves a chilled Coconut & Aloe Vera juice. Nice pit stop whilst exploring the city.

L’Usine

The food philosophy is simple, good food, done well. L’Usine offers healthy salad options, Vietnamese coffee and all food is locally sourced.

HUM Vegetarian Cafe

HUM offers a wide range of vegetarian options to satisfy your hunger. I recommend the banana lotus salad and rice paper rolls with chilli sauce.

Baba’s Kitchen

Baba brings India to HCMC. Located on the bustling Bui Vien Street and worth the visit if you are fond of Indian cuisine.

Dolphy Cafe

Dolphy Cafe is a quirky coffee shop offering free wifi, coffee and fresh juices.

Kokois.Cafe.Bistro.Lounge.Store

The venue is a renovated warehouse, bright and spacious with a nice and busy cafe at the front and a cosy and quiet lounge in the backyard garden.

The food is simple, modern and inspired. The store features a selection of tasteful and quality fashion, accessories, gifts and home deco.

Street Food Tours

Most hotels/hostels have street food tours held in the evening time. Street food tours are a great way to explore the city , walk through various districts and taste vietnamese cuisine.

Dalat City 

Quote from Lonely Planet “You would almost be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled into the French Alps in springtime”, Read more here: Dalat City by Lonely Planet .

This was the mind blowing view from the bike trip with Phat Tire, Vietnam. The cycling trip was from Dalat to Nha Trang which averaged at 70km. It was a fun way to experience  rural villages,cycle through a rain forest and inhale the fresh air. There is a break mid way which includes lunch in a local restaurant.

Mountain Top View – Xa Son Thai, Khanh Vinh, Vietnam.

A village along the route from Dalat to Nha Thrang.

How do you like to keep stay healthy on holidays?

I recently had the pleasure of travelling to Melbourne for a week. On my trip I discovered many scrumptious health food cafes and shops in the Prahran and Brunswick area.

A good place to lie your head

For accommodation I sourced it on Air B&B , it was very central perched in the middle of Chapel Street, perfect location.

St George Accommodation –  the ultimate cosmopolitan lifestyle is right outside the door on the vibrant Chapel Street in the heart of stunning South Yarra.

Chow Down

Top Paddock – this place is packed on Sunday morning , bit a waiting time but worth it.

Isit Cafe 

Quinoa Bircher or Porridge are delicious and almost too pretty to eat.

Tall Timber

Good food. Good coffee. Good people. That simple!

The Kettle Black

Seatrout Salad with Poached Eggs.

Mr. Miyagi

Walk in restaurant and the waiting list can be at least two hours – worth the wait , Nori Taco’s are a must try.

Tokyo Tina nice place to chill on a Sunday evening whilst devouring this deconstructed Nori Roll.

Smith & Daughters

Delectable vegan food bursting with flavours.

Stores

The Source Bulk Foods

♻️ Zero waste grocery shopping!! ♻️ 26 amazing bulk wholefood stores all around Australia.

Here I picked up freshly made grain free cacao granola, peanut squares and cacao nibs covered in dark chocolate for the flight back to Abu Dhabi.

Prahran Markets

Prahran Market is proud to be Australia’s premier food market, famous for fine fresh produce, hard to find specialty items and good old fashioned service sealed with expert advice.

Break a Sweat

Goodlife Health Club

Gold Dust

Mister Nice Guy’s Bakeshop

Melbourne’s first vegan bakery. Est 2010. Specialising in vegan, kosher, sugar + gluten free baked goods, shakes + deli sandwiches. I got this delicious vegan chocolate cake, smile on my face says it all and we celebrated in Brother Wolf Barber & Shaving Parlour.

Journeyman

|| Speciality Coffee || Breakfast || Brunch  || Lunch ||

Enough said, double drool.

Butterbing™ Cookie Sandwiches

Melbourne’s OG brownie cookie sandwich. Est. 2014 in our little home kitchen. This is a gluten free chocolate cookie sandwich with peanut butter. No words are needed to describe this, the picture says enough.

Sold in Darling Cafe 

Be sure to keep me posted if you check out any of these places  by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

Eat the rainbow, don’t chase it x

At the moment I am loving black beans in savoury and sweet formats. They are versatile little bundles and great in your lunch box or dessert. At the beginning of the week I make a black bean salad – 2 tins (rinsed), tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 1  tamari sauce, tbsp. garlic & chilli flakes, lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper. Add avocado or roasted cube sweet potato to the mix to hit them macronutrients.

Today, I am writing about the sweet side of black beans and a creation called “Salted Caramel BB Brownie”.

To make these delectable BB brownies from scratch you will need to acquire the following:

Recipe

2 tins Black Beans – ( rinse and dry) – I used Epicure brand from Lulu’s Hypermarket they have no added salt.

14-15 Dates (these are used to sweeten and added for caramel texture)

2 Tbsp. Instant Coffee

1 Tbsp. Almond Milk or milk of choice

1/4 cup Stevia

1/3 Cacao Powder

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Sea Salt, will sprinkle more on top at the end.

2 Eggs ( use 2 Tbsp. flax or chia seed for egg substitute mixed with water prior to baking)

2 Tbsp. Rice Malt Syrup/Honey

• add chopped nuts, raisin, orange peel, coconut nut, cherries for extra texture.

Make from Scratch

• Preheat oven , 170 degrees , fan oven. 8×8 baking tray lined with greaseproof paper (handy stuff , saves on washing time in the kitchen).
• Blitz black beans in food processor till smooth mixture. Add 2 eggs, stevia, cacao powder, baking soda, salt. Mix in processor until combined.
• In separate bowl add 10 dates, 2 Tbsp. instant coffee, almond milk, rice malt syrup/honey – use hand blender to create a smoothie like texture, it will be thick. This is used to sweeten the brownie mix. Chop the remaining dates into small pieces add some to the bb brownie mix and leave some to sprinkle on top.
• Pour the black bean brownie mix into a large mixing bowl followed by the date & coffee mixture. Combine and fold the mixture.
• Pop into lined baking tray. Sprinkle dates and coarse sea salt flakes on top.
• Allow to bake for 45 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Drizzle honey or dark chocolate for richness on top at the end before devouring. Store in fridge once cool and if there is any leftover.
• Enjoy with homemade protein ice-cream and peanut butter.

Be sure to keep me posted if you try and test these recipes by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

Eat the rainbow, don’t chase it x

“People who love to eat are always the best people. – Julia Child”

After a gruelling Ultimate Circuit class in Haddins on a Friday morning or any work out in any country this little number can be celebrated. Enjoy a slice or three and kick back in a leisurely fashion.

The recipe is similar to the Porridge Bread recipe I posted a few weeks ago. It is simple to make and even simpler to eat!

Make From Scratch

10-12 slices (depending how you slice)

• 4 large Ripe Bananas (3 to sweeten, 1 to decorate)
• 360 grams Oats
• 1/4 cup Buckwheat Flour ( if you don’t have it handy, you can omit)
• 1 large tub 0% fat Greek Yogurt – I went for Glenisk
• 1/3 Stevia ( I picked up Canderel brand in Spinneys)
• 1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. All Spice
• 1 tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 2 tbsp. Shredded Coconut
• 100% Unsweetened Hersey Cacao (purchase in Spinneys)
• I added a mix of sunflower, pumpkin seeds to the mix for texture, you could try dried fruits like raisins or cherries.

Bake From Scratch 

1. Preheat oven 170 degrees (fan oven), 1 hrs baking time for a nice crust.
2. Mash three bananas.
3. Pop yogurt in a mixing bowl add bicarb and baking soda. Allow it to fizz for a few minutes. Add the mashed banana and blend together.
4. For the oats I added 50% to the food processor, blitzed until it resembled a flour consistency. If this is too much hassle, then you can just add all the oats to a large mixing bowl.
5. Pop oat flour and oats in large mixing bowl – add buckwheat flour, stevia, cinnamon, all spice, shredded coconut, nut and seed mix. Mix until combined.
6. Add the yogurt and banana mixture to the dry mixture and give it a good stir. If mixture has a dry appearance add 1-2 tbsp. liquid (I used almond milk).
7. Pour the bread mix into a greased loaf tin. Get the fourth banana and cut in half. Press into the top of the bread. I grated 100% unsweetened cacao on top.
8. Allow to cool before slicing and slather on the kerrygold butter like me or your favourite toppings.

Be sure to keep me posted if you try and test these recipes by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

Filed under: Afternoon Tea, Breakfast Recipes, Brunch, Lunch Ideas, Post Workout Nutrition, Snacks, Treats Tagged: Banana, Banana Loaf, Eat Real Wholesome Food, food styling, Glenisk, Haddins Fitness, Kerrygold Butter, Nutrition, Porridge Bread

Sun is shining, cool breeze blowing through the palm trees, glass is frosted ready to sip a passionfruit mojito, you can hear the laughter from tables as the band “Cuba Libre”, play music on the terrace. This enchanting place allows one to unwind and escape the madness of a busy week, “Chino Latino“, brunch by the ocean at Asia De Cuba and you can even have cake, just like the song!

The dishes are cuban flavours with an asian twist. There is ceviche,  shrimp salad , BBQ meats, fresh seafood , tropical fruit and cheesecake lollipops. Feast your eyes on the mouth watering dishes.

“Cake by the Ocean“

Choose from three different packages: the cleanser at 325 AED, the live mojito at 425 AED or the Champagne brunch priced at 525 AED. For more details visit Asia De Cuba

Eat the rainbow, don’t chase it.

Arcopolis, Athens

“Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don’t be sorry.” 
― Jack Kerouac

Last week I travelled to Athens and Santorini. I had heard mixed reviews about Athens but Santorini boasts a glowing report. Why wouldn’t it, have you seen the pictures? I put the opinions of others to the back of my mind regarding Athens and decided I would make up my mind after my adventure. Needless to say, I appreciated Athens for all that it offers. It is a diamond in the rough. Santorini will be discussed in Part 2.

However, the only downfall is the challenge of procuring a nice healthy breakfast in the Plaka district at 9am on the weekend because nowhere opens till 11am. What the Greeks do well is an espresso freddo , of course they do other things well but I loved an  espresso freddo or three on the regular. So much so, I am trying to re-create it now I am back in Abu Dhabi. A friend recommended places in Athens too, that appeal to the health and fitness fanatic in me.

Accommodation

For accommodation in Athens I used booking.com and stayed in the Plaka District. This was central and it was convenient for walking all around the city.

What to do

The city is huge and you can wander around all day admiring the architecture  of Athens, there are many cafes and bars throughout the city and the more you explore the more intriguing Athens becomes.

Derelict buildings, there is many thoughout the city

Strolling through the National Park, Athens

Watch the Sunset at Parko Thiseio. As you can see numerous gather with wine, guitars and food to watch the sunset over Athens on a giant marble rock, do not wear heels, I wore trainers.

View from Parko Thiseio, Athens

Walking Tour

Athens Free Walking Tour : This tour was brilliant it lasted about 2.5 hours which takes you to all the main areas around the city – see images below. The tour is free but you can tip. Entrance to Acropolis is not provided with the walking tour because it is free. I emailed a few days before arriving to secure places on the tour as spaces are limited. You will learn about the history of Greece.

The Temple of ZeusStreet View, AthensStreet Graffiti , this is prevalent throughout AthensPalm Trees in National Garden, AthensFlags at the Panathenaic Stadium, Athens

Panathenaic Stadium, seats 75,000 peopleStreet Art in the Plaka District, Athens

The last three images are of front doors or gates to houses in the Plaka DistrictWhere is my mind? Plaka District

Food, Fun & Frolics

Athens is jam packed with restaurants. It is a late city and there is a great buzz about the place from 8pm onwards. Strolling the streets and from recommendations I discovered these little gems which will appease the taste buds of meat eaters and vegans.

Avocado, Plaka District- delicious salads

Evgenia, Athens, Plaka – Dakos Greek Salad

Nolan, Plaka District. Greek food with pan asian twist

Ipitou the Bar – this bar is cool and plays good tunes, it is close to Nolan restaurant and surrounded by other chilled out bars.

Other restaurants not pictured, I recommend include Koi which serves sushi at a great price and Pure Bliss which serves local produce and delicious salads, it is very laid vibe where you could sit for hours drinking espresso freddo, sampling local wine and eating scrumptious food. Located in the same area as Pure Bliss, there are countless bars and cafes.

Fitness

No trip is complete without a gym session. Whilst in Athens I got a chance to to break a sweat in Planet Fitness, they offer a pay as you service which is handy and the gym is  central. See Planet Fitness for more information.

Concluding, Athens was fantastic trip filled with history , long walks,  traditional greek food and wine, chilled out bars, street graffiti, espresso freddos,a few gym sessions and a new passion for front doors.

“Suppose we suddenly wake up and see that what we thought to be this and that, ain’t this and that at all?” , Dharma Bums – Jack Kerouac.

Better late than never Santorini part two. Santorini, one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. It boasts spectacular views, sunsets, colourful doors, white washed walls, beaches, cliff hikes, boat rides and vibrant flowers. You can walk for hours through the little streets browsing through the boutiques and sipping an espresso freddo whilst watching the day pass soaking up the ambience.

Accommodation

For accommodation booking.com offers a wide range based on budgets.

Below is a series of images taken in Santorini between Fira and Oia.

Have you been to Santorini? What is your favourite memory?

Tegallalang Rice Terrace

After travelling for over thirteen hours from Abu Dhabi to Denpasar Airport, Bali one cannot contain the excitement of reaching the final destination, Ubud (pronounced “oobod”). Stepping outside the airport there is a sea of people waiting in arrivals to collect tourists, its mayhem. Organised mayhem.

I had organised a driver prior to leaving, Mr Bedu’s Private Tours.  On the road to Ubud, Bali’s craft capital, the colours of Bali come alive. The sky is blue complimented by green terraced rice paddy fields, tropical flowers and mopeds are zipping everywhere. The travel time to Ubud is about two hours, depending on traffic. The streets of Ubud are bustling with locals and travelers filled with an abundance of craft shops, tattoo parlours, temples, museums, restaurants and located in the centre is the market. Ubud is peaceful and serene, life floats by freely and time was of the essence. There are so many things to do and places to eat but with only four days, I had to pick and choose wisely. Below is a list of activities and places to eat.

Accommodation

Booking.com offers accommodation options for all budgets.

Sunset from Bliss Spa, Ubud

Get Around

Hire a moped – most accommodation has this on offer.

Morning Traffic in Ubud

Activities

Yoga Barn  An oasis of calm in the centre of Ubud , there is also a cafe and juice bar on the premises.

Tropical Fruit Bowl Post Yoga

Green Bike Tours – Excellent tour and the ride is down hill with the offer of an off road track and cycling through rice paddy fields.

Below is a series of images I took over the duration of the cycle in the countryside of Ubud.

Campuhan Ridge Walk, Ubud – free and easy trek with beautiful views.

Below is a collection of images taken along the ridge trail.

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Places to Eat

Clear Café Vegetarian Cafe with a delicious breakfast menu.

Buckwheat Pancakes with Strawberries

Alchemy Raw. Vegan. Organic.

Salad BowlSmoothie Bowl

La Pacha Mama Plant-based Cantina Mexicana & Cocktails

Live Music in La Pacha Mama, Ubud

The Elephant Cafe  100% VEGETARIAN 110% AWESOME

Japanesey Salad

Kafe Great Music, Healthy Foods, Yummy Desserts & True Espresso. I came across Kafe walking home from yoga. It has lovely salad options and sells local beer and wine.

Room 4dessert offers handmade desserts, cocktails and wine.

Have you travelled to Ubud? What is your favourite memory?

Straight up, Seminyak cafes know good food and coffee. Going out for breakfast has moved going out for dinner into second place. There was an abundance of cafes dotted around Seminyak and each had a leisurely vibe. Once you had one meal finished, the research was underway as to where to eat the next meal. Although, to be honest I was stalking all these cafes on instagram before I travelled.

Below is a collection of images from my four favourite cafes in Seminyak, check them out on instagram by clicking on the cafe names.

Cafe Organic, Bali

The Spicy Coconut 

Shelter Cafe, Bali

Revolver Espresso Boutique Coffee House

Have you been to Seminyak? Where was your favourite place to eat and drink coffee?

Recently, I was researching almond flour recipes and came across a recipe for Blondies. A Blondie is essentially a Blonde Brownie. The recipe I had found online called for ½ cup of coconut oil and 1 cup of sugar. According to myfitnesspal.com a ½ cup coconut = 960 calories and 1 cup of sugar = 720 calories. I challenged myself to re-create the recipe omitting the above and decreasing the overall calorie content whilst keeping the delicious gooey Blondie consistency and texture. Baking with almond flour creates a dense, moreish Blondie, as you can see from the image. Allow them to cool before cutting into bite size pieces, this allows the mixture to set and easier to cut.

The Blondie recipe I re-created used fruit puree as an alternative to coconut oil and natvia stevia as an alternative to sugar. This reduced calories per serving from 205 to 128, however, this is not a reason to over indulge. Moderation is key however; it can be hard to exercise this mindset when presented with these tasty creations. Below is the nutritional breakdown from myfitnesspal.com:

Bite Size Blondies

(Bite size – 20 pieces)

2 cups Almond Flour

6 tsp. Natvia Stevia

1 tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Salt

100g Chocolate Chips

100g White Chocolate Chips

200g Clear Spring Apple & Mango Puree

2 Eggs (2 egg whites, one egg yolk)

Made from Scratch:

•  Preheat the oven 170, fan oven and grease an 8” square baking tray or line with grease proof paper.
• In a large mixing bowl add almond flour,  natvia stevia, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips and mix well.
• In a separate bowl add eggs and fruit puree, combine well and fold into the dry mixture. Mix until combined well.
• Pour the blondie mixture into the baking tray and level it off with a wooden spoon or fork.
• Pop in the oven, bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting or it will crumble.

*All ingredients are available in Spinneys or your local supermarket. To read more about Natvia, click here.

Be sure to keep me posted if you try and test these recipes by posting on Twitter: @WhelehanLynne or Instagram @makeandbakefromscratch #makeandbakefromscratch and Facebook: Make & Bake From Scratch

On a recent adventure to Sri Lanka I had an extremely fun week staying in Soul and Surf. In the beginning there was 24 strangers from all corners of the earth, all under the one roof participating in daily yoga, eating all meals and surfing together. By the end of the week we were no longer strangers and I was lucky enough to have this lovely bunch along with all the crew at Soul and Surf sing “Happy Birthday”, to me with a freshly made Banana cake.

Kabalana Beach at Sunset, Sri Lanka.

“the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”, (Jack Keroauc, On the Road).

The Activities

Soul & Surf Daily Activity Board

Each day commences with a 6:45am Vinyasa Flow Yoga session, followed by a light snack. Surfers head off to catch some waves whilst Non Surfers (Me) visited tea plantations, had one to one private yoga session tailored for pregnancy, learned how to cook delicious Sri Lankan food and relaxed with pregnancy tailored massages. These Non Surfer activities were spread throughout the 7 day trip over the course of the day.

View from the Yoga Studio.

Handunugoda Tea Plantation

Once all the Surfers returned there was a communal area for breakfast and it was served at 11:30am. This was a nice time to catch up with the group. Lunch was served around 2:00pm. There was time to chill out, soak up the vitamin D or read a book when the rain showers appeared.

Lounging Area to chill out and catch up.

In the evening around 4:30pm Surfers would head off for an evening surf and upon return snacks were provided followed by dinner at 7:30-8:00pm. As a Non Surfer I was able to chill out on the beach, dip my toes in the sea and take some snaps.

Fisherman at Kabalana Beach, Sri Lanka.

Stilt Fishermen, Sri Lanka.

Evening Sunset and Surf, Kabalana Beach.

Another magnificent Sunset, Kabalana Beach, Sri Lanka.

Local Woman in Sri Lanka.

The Fuel 

Below are a colourful display of the delicious food served at Soul and Surf, Sri Lanka. If you have special dietary requirements, email beforehand and they will accommodate meal requirements. There was a mix a vegetarian and meat based options mainly chicken and fish.

Art work in the Dinner Lounge.

Coconut Porridge.Breakfast Fruit Platter.

Lunch Salad usually served with Chickpea Burgers or Wraps.

Dinner and the Sri Lankan Cookery Class included Sri Lankan Dahl Curry, Coconut Sambol and Tempered Potatoes. There was fresh prawns served too.

Coconut Sambol is a traditional Sri Lankan dish made with coconut and spices.

How to get to Soul and Surf?

Airport pick up is organised with Soul & Surf Head of Vibes prior to departure. The drive is between 2.5hr -3hrs depending on weather conditions.

The Packages

Being six months pregnant I opted for the Non Surfer Package. There was ample activity planned throughout the day and massages and yoga session were tailored for pregnancy, I found this extremely helpful.

There’s plenty of surf, yoga, and activities for everyone.

Our Non Surfer Package is specifically designed for and only available to someone who is sharing a room with a standard package guest.

The Day Off

On Wednesday you are free agent and you can plan your own activities. We headed to Galle Fort in a tuk tuk, the drive took about 40 minutes. Galle Fort has hotels, restaurants, boutiques and jewellery shops. Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. You can arrange your travels plans with the Head of Vibes.

Mode of Transport in Sri Lanka a Tuk Tuk.

Galle Fort Lighthouse.

School Children in the rain, Galle Fort.

Art work in Galle, Fort.

To eat in Galle Fort, visit Poonies Kitchen and try the infamous Salad Thali:

On the final day the group heads to the beach to surf, watch the sunset and enjoy a beer. Followed by this there is a BBQ back at the Villa. Throughout the day you will need to settle any outstanding bills. This can be done with the Head of Vibes.

One leaves Soul and Surf refreshed and revitalised to take on the next challenge life presents. For further information regarding prices, please visit the Soul and Surf website