Cayley Boylan

Banana Blueberry Smoothie Bowl

Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Yoghurt

Yoghurt is one of my all time favourite foods to eat, however, I am beginning to steer away from consuming dairy as i'm finding my body does not tolerate it very well anymore.

I love having yoghurt with my breakfast so I did some research on yoghurt alternatives and came across coconut yoghurt. I am obsessed with anything coconut so I thought coconut yoghurt would be perfect, until I went to purchase some from the shops and saw the hefty price tag that came along with it. Being on a student budget there is just no way I can afford to purchase it regularly so I researched further into making my own and found that it is actually quite easy to do so.

I decided to follow the recipe from The Kitchn (she has a variety of other recipes available that I definitely recommend checking out).

I'll share my experience making the yoghurt but offer all credit for the recipe to The Kitchn.

Recipe

2 Cans of coconut milk (I opted for a good quality one as it is still only $1.80/can)

2 Tbsp Tapioca Starch

4 Probiotic Capsules

2 Tbsp Raw sugar or maple syrup (Optional)

Begin by shaking the cans and then emptying them into a medium sized pot and give it a whisk.

Remove abut 1/3rd of this mixture and place it into a separate bowl with the tapioca starch. Whisk this together until is all combined and thickened and place back into the pot.

Heat the mixture on a medium heat until it begins to simmer. Continue whisking for another 5-10 minutes and turn it down to low heat until the mixture has thickened.

Leave the milk to cool now until it is just warm to touch.

Add the probiotics by opening the capsules and pouring the contents into the mixture, throwing away the capsules and whisk to combine.

Add the sugar or maple syrup and whisk well.

Pour the contents into jars and secure with the lid. Place it into the oven with the light on to keep it warm, in a yoghurt maker or in a dehydrator at 110 F for 12-24 hours.

Place the set yoghurt into the fridge, leaving to chill for about 6 hours as the yoghurt will thicken up now too. If the mixture has separated, stir together or scoop off the top layer for a thicker mixture.

Keep the yoghurt refrigerated.

I wasn't entirely happy with the consistency of my yoghurt once it had fermented so I decided to put a teaspoon of psyllium husks in and stir and a teaspoon of chia seeds to thicken it up. It still tastes delicious and is probably better with these added foods.

Next time I think i'd try to use the yoghurt maker rather than the oven to see what consistency that creates.

This recipe, however, is super easy and tasty and is a great alternative to high sugar, dairy yoghurts that are purchased in stores.

No comments

, by Cayley Boylan

Food

Tips to Maintain Healthy Eating

Journey Called Life

You may have seen the quote floating around the web that it takes just 21 days to make (or break) a habit.

I believe the hardest part about healthy eating is getting into the habit of not reaching for that biscuit or not eating when you are bored, not hungry.

Once you acknowledge that you want to make the transition to a healthy lifestyle, the first few weeks will be the hardest but it is sooo worth it!

You have to make the commitment to yourself that you will stick with it for 3 weeks to form that habit.

I no longer crave cakes, biscuits, cereals, white breads, muesli bars...any of the nasty foods I used to eat as it is no longer a habit for me. My new habit is to snack on fruit and veggies, to drink as much water as I possibly can each day and to exercise every single day if I can.

Below I have compiled an assortment of tips that aided me in my transition to a healthy lifestyle and allowed me to form new, healthy habits.

Healthy Eating Tips

Be realistic- Eating healthy is initially quite hard and you will slip up. Don’t beat yourself up if you have to much chocolate or if you had an off day because this will happen and it is ok! Just remind yourself why you are doing this and get back on track with the next meal, there's no point giving up so just plan an extra healthy dinner or a lighter lunch.

Control your portions- This is crucial. Listen to your body, if you feel full don’t force down that extra serve because I guarantee you won't need it. Put the fork down and let your food settle before opting for that second serve but by all means if you still feel hungry then eat something. It is all about listening to what your body needs.

Read the ingredients list- Some foods contain up to 20 ingredients that you can’t even pronounce so why would you put this into your body? You have no idea what they are or what they do so avoid eating these foods. Reading the facts will put you off, I promise!

Slowly eliminate things from your diet- You will never stay on track by waking up one day and cutting every single bad food out of your diet because you will crave these foods instantly. Cut out bad foods slowly and you will stay on track. It took me awhile to completely cut out cakes, muesli bars, biscuits, slices and muffins etc. but now I quite honestly never ever crave these foods. You learn to realize how much your body does not need them and you find other foods that your body loves and thrives off instead.

Experiment with various yummy healthy recipes (healthy doesn’t mean restrictive)- I love finding new delicious healthy foods. My latest obsession is coconut milk so I have found countless stirfrys, chia puddings and smoothie recipes that I can’t wait to try. Keeping yourself inspired with new recipes will make you excited to try them so you won’t be thinking about having that ham and cheese sandwich for lunch instead.

Treat yourself (ironic but crucial so you don’t binge)- I always feel much better about treating myself when I know I deserve it. Once you are on top of this healthy lifestyle, you start to enjoy treats a lot more than what you did when they were a part of your everyday diet. I find treating myself fun because I have worked out really hard and eaten healthy all day so I know I deserve that square of chocolate. Just don’t go over the top- a treat does not mean having a milkshake a day or 7 scoops of ice cream. Treating also maintains your sanity because after all, we are humans and we can’t deny ourselves the pleasure of ice-cream and chocolate goodies!

Listen to your body- If you really listen to your body, you will learn how to work together as a team. If the thought of a green smoothie is repulsing you one lunch then don’t force it because you will just turn to something else (probably unhealthy) instead. Think about what you feel like, maybe a fruit smoothie or some rice crackers with almond butter and coconut sprinkled on top and eat that instead because you will be left feeling full and satisfied rather than sad and hungry.

Eat lots of fruit and vegetables- It may sound like something your Grandma says but its true. Learn to love fruit and veges, experiment with them and eat a lot of them. My favourite lunch lately is mixing a bunch of fruit and veggies with some almond milk to make a delicious smoothie. You will learn to love the taste of fruit and veg and how it makes your body feel.

Drink lots of water- You have probably heard this a million and one times but I cant stress it enough. I drink at least 2 litres of water a day. You must stay hydrated, plus it will keep your skin fresh and your mind active.

Don’t snack if you aren’t hungry- We all get bored sometimes and the first thing that will pop into out mind is FOOD. Ask yourself, am I really hungry or am I just bored? By all means, if you are hungry eat something! But learn to recognize when your body is just looking for something to do. If I am not sure, I like to have a cup of tea as the warmness fills me up a bit and then if I really feel hungry after that, I will snack on some fruit or vege sticks.

Keep in mind that transitioning to a healthy lifestyle is going to be hard but I urge you to stick with it. It is so worth it! You will see improvements in every aspect of your life from studies, to family life, to self love to relationships and friendships.

Also remember that you will slip up but that's ok. Get back on track, persevere and reap the benefits of health.

No comments

, by Cayley Boylan

Pages

Deliciously Ella Oat Banana Biscuits

Banana Blueberry Smoothie Bowl

Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Yoghurt

Tips to Maintain Healthy Eating

Follow Me

Popular Posts

Blog Archive

Search This Blog

Labels

Contact Form

Pages

Deliciously Ella Oat Banana Biscuits

Banana Blueberry Smoothie Bowl

Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Yoghurt

Tips to Maintain Healthy Eating

Follow Me

Subscribe To Me

Popular Posts

Blog Archive

Search This Blog

Labels

Contact Form

Subscribe