Julia Speaks

August 01, 2020 No commentaires

You don't like to cook but you want to eat healthier? I've got you sorted.

Ever since I started looking after my health more conscientiously (i.e. working out, having an actual sleeping pattern and stopping to eat mindlessly) I've become much more aware of how much eating well is important. Over the last couple years, I've been improving my diet a lot, cutting out some things, adding in others, and I do think that today, I eat on the healthier side, and my body and mind definitely feel the difference.

However, if like me, you're not a fan of cooking, do not despair! Eating healthy without spending too much time in the kitchen or reading cookbooks is possible. I've gathered a few of my favourite easy (and cheap) light meals to share with you. These are perfect meal ideas for a quick lunch on a busy day, or as part of a bigger weekend brunch. Without further ado...

SCRAMBLED EGGS AND PULLED HAM SANDWICH (with rocket and tomatoes)

This is the only meal in this post that includes meat, as I simply couldn't resist when I saw the shredded ham in Lidl - it's the perfect summer time treat to have in your fridge whenever you feel like having a light meal. I love pairing it with the scrambled eggs and the rocket adds a little peppery taste that I really like. No need for mayonnaise or other fat fillings!

- a wholemeal bun, toasted in the oven

- two free-range eggs, scrambled (seasoned with black pepper)

- shredded ham (you can swap it for pulled pork too - yummy!)

- a few leaves of rocket in the sandwich

- a side of rocket and tomatoes

This sandwich literally feels like summer, and although it has both eggs and ham, it is not too filling at all - just the right quantity of protein to keep you full until your next meal.

VEGETARIAN 'BREAKFAST FOR LUNCH' (spinach, mushroom, veggie sausages)

As you will probably gather from this post, breakfast foods are my favourite. I could literally eat variations of breakfast foods all day every day. They also are really quick and easy to cook. This second meal is veggie and works for breakfast, lunch and dinner - so in my eyes, it is a winner!

- a slide of wholemeal bread, toasted

- two free range eggs, scrambled (seasoned with black pepper, thyme, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt)

- two vegetarian sausages (you can of course make this meal non-vegetarian)

- sauteed red onion, red pepper and spinach (seasoned with garlic)

In this meal, you've got a balanced plate of protein, greens/vegetables, and carbs. Veggie sausages have less fat than pork sausages and are a lot healthier, and of course spinach has so many amazing properties - you could never eat enough of it!

HUEVOS RANCHEROS (SORT OF) (tortilla, eggs, avocado, tomatoes)

(Don't pay attention to that annoying egg that decided to do its own thing and break in the pan. Urgh egg.)

There are a lot of variations of the huevos rancheros recipe - some of them use scrambled eggs, some of them have black beans, but I went for a simple version with the stuff I had in my fridge. I mashed the avocado with some red onion and red pepper flakes, although you can't see it in the picture - it's under the eggs, and is of course delicious!

- a tortilla wrap, warmed up

- mashed avocado with red onion, red pepper flakes and pepper

- two free-range eggs, fried (seasoned with salt and black pepper)

- a handful of chopped baby tomatoes

You could swap the tortilla wrap for romaine leaves, which would cut down the carbs - but unless you are on a special diet, have the carbs. They're good for you.

The avocado is the best bit of this meal, especially with the red onion. You could go full-on guacamole mode and add finely chopped tomatoes and lime, for a more Mexican (waiting for the few Mexicans I know to cry over what I just said) version.

All the ingredients for these recipes were bought in Lidl - they have really good-quality fresh produce (you have to be there at the right times though, at least that's what I've noticed in my local store.) Easy meals are made with only a few ingredients, and always with whole foods. Avoiding unnecessary sugars and processed products is the best thing you can do if you want to start a change right here and now. If you try out any of these recipes let me know in the comments below, it would be super fun!

What are your go-to meal recipes?

Lots of love,
Julia x

July 17, 2020 No commentaires

I put the tomato method to the test. Here are my thoughts and tips on how you can best use it yourself!

Before trying out the pomodoro technique for real, I had read about it a few times on blogs. This method is supposed to increase your productivity effectively. As a productivity queen (or so I humbly call myself sometimes) I really wanted to try out this technique and review it on my blog. I have tried the method over a few afternoons, and now I can properly give you my opinion on it, and how you can best use it. Let's ket-jump into it... (Lame joke, I know.)

WHAT IS THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE?

The pomodoro technique was invented by an Italian consultant based in Berlin, in the late 1980s. The technique takes its name from the timer he used to time himself for the purpose of using the method, his mother's tomato-shaped kitchen timer. Yes, sometimes, it's as simple as that. Cirillo devised a method that would maximise focus and attention for short amounts of time, leading to better productivity, than longer, more tedious work-sessions that would lead to a lack of focus and motivation. The pomodoro technique has been used by many, and was made for productivity in professional settings, however it can be used and adapted for many things, as you will see in this post. This method is now really famous and is deemed to work really well. Let's see if that is really the case...

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The pomodoro technique is very codified, and needs to be followed properly to work to its best ability. It is a cyclical method that relies on 25-minute work sessions, followed by 5min breaks. Let's dive right into it:

1. You note down the task you want to achieve.

2. You divide your task in three 25-minute sessions, and give yourself an objective for each session.

3. Between each 25-minute session, you will have a 5min break.

4. Once you start your timer, you need to work for the whole 25 minutes without a break.

5. Once your timer rings, you have a 5min break. While on this break, write down what you have done and tick it off your list. This is very important: seeing the tasks being ticked little by little will bring you gratification and motivation for the next step.

6. Once your 5 minutes are up, start a 25-minute timer again, and repeat the steps.

7. After three 25-minute sessions, take a longer break (about 10 to 15 minutes).

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE

Obviously, this method is best for a work environment in which you need to get things done. Absolutely done. I, however, have tried this method at home during the lockdown. I have used it for my daily jobs, from marking school work for my pupils to working on my blog. I have been using my phone timer to set my 25-minute pomodori. During each 25-minute sessions, I have given myself a task. A task could be "comment on all the new blog posts I want to read," "tweak the signature in my old blog posts", "edit an Instagram photo"... I try to always plan for tasks that will take me those 25 minutes, however I have also done it with bigger tasks, which I would just get back to after the 5-minute break. My approach to the method has been very flexible, which I think is essential: if you get too stressed about respecting the method carefully, it will probably take up more of your attention that your tasks themselves!

I have found that when I plan my tasks better, I get more out of this method. Planning so that you don't overwhelm yourself with hard tasks for the whole 75-minute "circuit" is crutial, because the 5-minute breaks are short and definitely not long enough for you to take a proper breather after working on a strenuous task.

In all honesty, I have not always enjoyed using the pomodoro technique. I have experimented with it on about six to seven different work afternoons, and some days the outcomes were more positive than others. I will tell you how specifically in the next section of this post:

MY *ULTIMATE* TIPS FOR YOU TO USE THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE REALISTICALLY

While I would not necessarily recommend to follow the pomodoro method to a T, there are ways in which you can use it to increase your productivity, by making little adjustments and changes to make it a more pleasant way of working. Here are my tips:

- While you have the timer on, put some uplifting or calming music to motivate you and make you feel relaxed. This way you will enjoy your work time a lot more.

- Use your five-minute break to do something that takes your mind off your tasks a little. I've really enjoyed reading during those five minutes, because I find it relaxing and it also really helps me getting in some reading during busy days. After a few days of reading during my five-minute pomodoro breaks, I finished off a book I'd started some time ago and never found the time to read otherwise!

- Adapt the timer method to suit your needs better. For example, you could use different time slots and plan them out on a 75-minute session: 20 minutes of photo editing | 5min break | 25 minutes of blogpost writing | 5min break | 10 minutes to wash all your dishes | 10min break. And repeat until you've ticked off all your tasks for the day! If you need advice to keep motivated, read this post next!

READ ALSO:
MY TIPS FOR A PRODUCTIVE WEEKEND!
THE PRODUCTIVITY TIPS THAT ACTUALLY WORK

What's your best method to spend a productive day? Would you try the pomodoro technique?

Lots of love,

Julia x

July 01, 2020 No commentaires

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