I can pretty much guarantee that I always have a box of granola in my kitchen cupboard, it’s pretty versatile and I use it for quite a few things! It’s a great addition to yogurt, I love a bowl with almond milk, I add it to protein balls & smoothies and yes I even just love to snack on it!

I have never thought about making my own granola because I thought it might be really time consuming, and to be honest buying it from a supermarket was just a whole lot easier!!

But I stumbled across this recipe by chance on instagram, and thought I’d give it a go, and I have to say it turned out pretty well, it’s super easy and it’s healthier than shop bought granola, oh and you only need 4 ingredients!

Want to give it a try? Here’s the easy recipe for healthy(ish) granola

Ingredients – 1 cup of oats, 1/4 cup of peanut butter (any will do), 1/4 maple syrup (golden will work just fine) 1/2 cup of mixed nuts

In a large mixing add all the ingredients and combine well so that everything is evenly mixed. I know, it is literally that easy!

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes (or 20 minutes for that extra crunch) on 175C.

Once done, take out and let it cool before serving. Once cool it’s ready to enjoy!

It’s so simple to make and I’m wondering if it’s more cost effective to make my own. I know it’s definitely healthier as it doesn’t have all the additives in. And I can safely say it’s tastier than shop bought!

Give it a try!!

The post Homemade Healthy Granola appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

Okay, let’s get cooking!!

Raita ingredients & method – 1/2 Cup of plain yogurt, 1/2 cup of chopped cucumber, handful of fresh coriander, 3 chopped spring onions, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon of lazy garlic

Method – Throw everything into your blender and blend well!! Yes it’s really that simple!!

Now for the delicious vegetable curry Ingredients & method – First the spices 1 large onion, 1 teaspoon of lazy garlic, 1 tablespoon of lazy ginger, 1 tablespoon of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon of ground turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 2 cups of vegetable stock, 1 cup of light coconut milk, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, salt & pepper to taste. Now for the vegetables- 1 broccoli head chopped into florets, 3 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced, 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 1 cup of frozen peas, 1 punnet of mushrooms, handful of spinach, 1 whole lime juiced and zested.

Method – In a large pan start by adding your onions, now I don’t use oil, but instead cook everything in vegetable stock as not only is it healthier, but it’s also tastier, but obviously if you prefer to you can use oil. Once the onions have softened, I then add the mushrooms and wait until they have cooked, before adding the broccoli. From here it gets really easy because I then add absolutely everything else to my pan, give it a good stir, and let it simmer away just doing it’s thing, until the vegetables are cooked to perfection! To finish the dish off add some chopped coriander for a pretty garnish & serve with jasmine rice.

Easy, delicious & healthy

The post Delicious homemade vegetable curry appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

With my honeymoon just weeks away (5 and a bit but who’s counting) I am desperately trying to find healthy recipes that I can stock up on for when snackcident’s happen. Because hey I’m only human after all and the odd snackcident does unfortunately occur!

So today I thought I’d share a short, easy and let’s say semi healthy recipe for PB & J oat muffins or as I call them for short “muff cups”

Before I start can we just take a moment to appreciate oats! I mean they are so versatile and I nearly always include oats in my baking! I literally just love oats!

Okay appreciation post over, it’s time for that recipe! And just to clarify this is not my recipe, this is a Instagram gem by healthyeatgram, I’ve just tweaked it in places!

Okay, here we go

Ingredients

3 banana’s

1/2 cup of peanut butter

4tbs of jam (jelly) of choice, I used grape jelly as it’s my favourite!

1/2 cup of oat milk (or milk of choice)

1/2 cup of maple syrup

2 cups of rolled oats

2 cups of musli

2 cups of granola

2tsp of baking powder

1tsp of cinnamon

Method

In a large mixing bowl mash bananas until smooth(ish) then add in all the other ingredients and mix together well! Obviously a taste test as you go is obligatory of course, so you can decide if it needs a little more of any of the above ingredients!

Once all ingredients are mixed well together distribute the mixture evenly into muffin cups.

Preheat the over to 140 degrees and bake for 25 minutes.

Let them cool (unless you are like Luke and can’t wait) and absolutely enjoy (with a cup of tea!)

They may not look worthy of a bake off Paul Hollywood hand shake, but let me tell you they taste amazing!!

The post Healthy(ish) PB & J Oat Muffins appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

Hello, and happy Tuesday, and hello short 4 day week!

Today I’m back and wanted to share another food blog post that I have recently discovered, tried and tested.

This mini food recipe is for something that I personally love to eat (and can eat a lot of) – Focaccia bread!

Now to be honest, this isn’t the healthiest of recipes, but seriously does it hurt to have a little of what you fancy occasionally?

This recipe is probably super easy to most people but I’m no Mary Berry so I found this slightly more difficult than most of the recipes I try, but at least I tried and the turn out was amazing (if I do say so myself)

Oh and the smell of fresh bread filing the house – is there anything better?

Of course this is NOT my recipe, I found this on a website called Bon Appetite (credit where credit is due)

This Recipe for 10/12 servings

Ingredients

1 envelope active dry yeast – (I used a Sainsbury’s brand)

2tsp. honey

5cups (625 g) all-purpose flour

5tsp Sea salt

6Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4Tbsp. unsalted butter

Flaky sea salt

Step 1 – Whisk one ¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast(about 2¼ tsp.), 2 tsp. honey, and 2½ cups lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit 5 minutes (it should foam or at least get creamy)

Step 2 – Add 5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour and 1 tbsp sea salt & mix with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 3 – Pour 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil into a big bowl that will fit in your refrigerator (I actually put mine next to a warm radiator which worked) as the dough is going to rise! Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with a silicone lid or plastic wrap (I used cling film) and chill until dough is doubled in size (it should look very bubbly and alive), at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Step 4 – Generously butter a baking pan, Pour 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil into center of pan. Keeping the dough in the bowl and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into center of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat process. Do this 2 more times; Transfer dough to prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over and turn dough to coat it in oil. Let it rise, uncovered, in a dry, warm spot (like near a radiator or airing cupboard) until doubled in size, at least 1½ hours and up to 4 hours. I used my airing cupboard.

Step 5 – Place on a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 230 degrees. To see if the dough is ready, poke it with your finger. It should spring back slowly, leaving a small visible indentation. If it springs back quickly, the dough isn’t ready. Lightly oil your hands. Dimple focaccia all over with your fingers, like you’re aggressively playing the piano, creating very deep impressions in the dough. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake focaccia until puffed and golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes.

Step 6 – Remove from oven, let it cool, eat and ENJOY!

I have made this recipe 3 times now, first time went really well and I was super proud of my myself, second time I left it to sit for too long and it ended up being too crunchy, and the third time went like a dream.

Oh and my top tip – you should DEFINITELY accompany this with home made pesto – check out the recipe I tried out here. Once you try both of these I guarantee you won’t be going back to shop bought anytime soon.

@thelifestylelisa

https://lifestylelisa.com/

The post Easy Focaccia appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

It just so happens that I love pesto, and would usually buy shop bought, except 2022 is my year for trying to make more food from scratch! Which means it’s goodbye to the store bought jar and hello fresh homemade!

This is quite literally the easiest recipe ever!!! And as you all know by now, I like to keep things easy with very little hassle!!

Recipe

1 30g packet of basil (you only need the leaves)

64g grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup of olive oil

43g pine nuts (can be substituted for walnuts- I use a mixture of both)

3 cloves garlic

Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Throw everything into your food mixer and mix until everything is blended and you have something that resembles pesto!! Taste and add more seasoning if required. Garnish with pine nuts and serve!!

HOW simple is this, to be honest I won’t buy store bought again, as this is far tastier in my opinion.

It’s so quick to do, I think it literally took me 15 minutes! It’s a huge hit in my household, and with summer fast approaching this is perfect to rustle up for a picnic, or bbq, or just to enjoy sitting outside with some fresh crusty bread and a chilled glass of Prosecco!!

The post Hey Pesto! appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

Continuing my new found love of finding recipes and getting busy in the kitchen, I found a hummus recipe on Instagram and was super keen to give it a go! It’s a little a different as instead of chickpeas this is made from garden peas…… trust me it really works, as I have made this dip 3 times now, and it’s a complete hit!

This is not my recipe but here is the Instagram link to Purely Kaylie who does some fantastic recipes including this one!! link here

Recipe

2 cups of thawed frozen garden peas

1/4 cup of tahini

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 cloves of garlic (or if your like me and love garlic just add a bit more!)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

Black pepper

Splash of water as needed (depending on the consistency you want, use less water for a thick hummus and more water for a runny hummus)

Method – Throw everything into the blender and mix, mix, mix until you get the desired taste and consistency! The key is to keep on tasting, and then adding more of something if you feel it needs it.

Garnish with some olive oil and fresh peas.

This is literally like the quickest most simplest recipe EVER!

The post Green pea hummus appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

I now love finding new recipes to try out, my only stipulation is they have to be EASY!!

Since getting married in January of this year, Luke and I alternate Saturdays in the kitchen and make a meal of choice from scratch. Its a fun idea and actually Luke is like a really good cook (annoyingly).

So since adding yet another new category to Lifestyle Lisa – Food & Drink I can now share all of my easy recipes – YAY! BTW none of them are mine – Instagram and Google are my go too!

So let’s go

Prawn, sweet potato & butternut squash curry (recipe from This Morning website)

Ingredients

2tbsp of olive oil

1 heaped tsp fenugreek powder (which is now my new favourite spice!)

400g of butternut squash & 400g of sweet potato peeled and cut into 1.5 cm chunks OR you can totally do what I did and buy this prepared from the supermarket, I found this in the frozen section at sainsbury’s

300g of cooked prawns (I guess you could use raw? But I used cooked)

¼ tsp ground turmeric

1/4tsp chilli powder (or more if you like it quite spicy)

1½ tsp salt

1½ sugar

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp lazy ginger (you can use fresh, but hey I’m lazy)

Juice of 1 small lemon

1 cup of vegetable stock

My easy method –

1. Put the vegetable oil in a large nonstick frying pan set over a medium hugh heat.

2. In a bowl with some water, microwave the cubed butternut squash until soft, usually around 12 minutes. Although if using frozen definitely check timings.

5. Add the softened butternut with a splash of vegetable stock water, ground turmeric, chilli powder, salt and sugar and stir until everything is mixed. NOTE – The consistency is quite dry so keep adding water to stop it from sticking.

6. Add the prawns and stir amongst the butternut squash and cook for 5 mins to heat through thoroughly.

7. When the pumpkin and prawns are cooked through, add the garam masala and grated ginger and continue to cook for a further 8-10 minutes or until slightly broken up.

8. Finish with the fresh lemon juice and garnish with pom, serve in a warm chapati or tortilla wrap or with rice. I served mine with wild rice which I cooked with a vegetable stock cube, I did finish with pomegranate seeds which I really liked, Luke was not a fan so much.

This recipe really was Quick, simple & really DELICIOUS.

The post Prawn, sweet potato & butternut curry appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

YES I’m back with another food related post, because I love food, love experimenting and love sharing recipes that I find on Instagram and Pinterest!

This is actually quite an exciting food post because this is my OWN RECIPE! It was trial and error on an overcast Thursday afternoon and one that actually worked and turned out really rather well, so of course I’m sharing the easy recipe with you in the hope that maybe you’ll make them and enjoy them as much as I do!!

So firstly before I share, this is a simple, no fuss recipe, and it’s also pretty healthy too, winner all round!!

The ingredients list – 40g coconut flour, 40g oats, 60g of peanut butter or nut butter of your choice, 1 banana (I only had 1 left so next time I may use 2), 50g of coco powder (I was going to use cocoa powder but wanted something sweeter but still healthy so I actually used 50g of options hot chocolate powder) 2tsp agave nectar, 1 level tsp baking powder.

Method – Add the flour, oats and baking soda into a bowl and mix together. Blend together the banana, peanut butter, agave and chocolate powder until a smooth consistency forms, then add in the remaining mixture and mix until you have a doughy consistency. Then simply mould into little round bites place in the oven on 170 degrees for 15 minutes.

The end is result is pretty satisfyingly tasty! Its kind of like a mini chocolate muffin with a hint of banana!! It’s a healthy treat and perfect for those evening cravings with a cup of coffee!!

Let me know if you try this recipe and like it, or if you have something I could try next time, leave me a comment below.

The post Chocolate Oat Bites appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

With the weather being as warm as it has been and at time’s uncomfortable, I haven’t wanted to spend ages in the kitchen cooking dinner for Luke and I, actually if I’m honest I haven’t had much of an appetite in this heat, preferring a nice big salad for lunch and something smaller quick and easy for dinner.

As you may well know ever since lockdown descended upon us I have found a new love for cooking, something I never thought that I would come to enjoy! And whilst I am certainly no Gordon Ramsay, I really am enjoying cooking up new simple recipes for Luke and I to try.

The other day I stumbled by chance across a recipe on Instagram by @plantbasedrd for a smoky chickpea salad with homemade dressing, both healthy and really very simple to do. Doing a quick check to make sure I had all the ingredients needed (which I did) it was time to put together and delicious chickpea salad!

And OF COURSE I’m going to share the recipe with you guys!!

Recipe

Salad – Chopped lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, half a chopped red onion, cucumber, chopped coriander, tsp salt, tsp oregano, tsp garlic powder, tsp black pepper.

Smoky chickpeas – 1 can chickpeas drained and roughly dried, 1 tsp tahini, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1tsp cumin. Method – I used the smallest amount of olive oil in a frying pan before adding the chickpeas and ingredients making sure all the chickpeas are coated, then cook through on a low heat until done.

Dressing – 2tbsp tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 1tsp agave (can be substantiated for maple syrup) 2 tsp soy sauce, 1tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp mustard, 2-3 tbsp water. Method – Literally super easy, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well before adding the water and mixing until you get the desired consistency.

When it’s all done add the smoky chickpeas to the prepared salad and drizzle the delicious dressing over the top. It’s delicious and perfect!!!!

The post Smoky Chickpea Salad appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.

And Happy Wednesday! It’s a hot one here in Essex, which means all the plans that I had today (cleaning and course work, don’t get excited) has gone out the window, it’s far too nice to be stuck indoors!!

Sitting outside in the sunshine I thought about what I could share with you today, SO is there anything better than a Wednesday food post? I think not!!!!!!

I have been mentioning in my recent blog posts that I have been in the kitchen a lot since lockdown, making delicious recipes that I have come across on Pinterest!

I am especially loving making homemade protein balls to keep in the fridge as an everyday healthy(ish) snack. Whilst lifestylelisa isn’t a food blog, and I am definitely no Gordon Ramsey, I thought I’d share two of my favourite Pinterest recipes for easy protein bites!

As always I do like to point out before I start that these are not my recipes, I just saw them on Pinterest and really wanted to give them a go.

Okay let’s start –

Cinnamon Crunch Protein Balls

96g of oats, 34g of vanilla protein powder (I didn’t have protein powder it wasn’t available in the supermarket so I improvised and used vanilla shake powder! It worked perfectly fine) 64g of almond, oat or coconut flour, 1tbsp of cinnamon, 34 to 45g of nut butter of choice, 1tsp of vanilla extract, 34g of maple syrup or honey. All the ingredients go into your blender/mixer and is mixed until you have a doughy consistency that holds together, if you find its too runny you can add more oats or nut butter to bind it. Roll into bite size balls and place on baking paper and into the freezer they go for around 30 minutes!

Peanut Butter protein Balls

68g of peanut butter (crunchy or smooth works fine) 68g of oats, 34g of honey, 4tbsp of vanilla protein powder (or in my case vanilla shake powder) 1tsp of vanilla extract, 68g of chopped nuts. Same as above, into the blender, roll into balls, place on baking paper and freeze for 30 minutes.

These last for a week or 2 as long as you keep them in an air tight container in the fridge. I just love them for something quick simple and kind of healthy. I’m back to experimenting with different ingredients so I’m sure I’ll have some recipes of my own soon enough!!

The post Healthy Protein Balls appeared first on Lifestyle Lisa.