Year: 2014

healthy & yummy homemade green mash

HEALTHY & YUMMY HOMEMADE GREEN MASH

Each time I go to France, I love stocking up our fridge with frozen vegetable mash but I’ve never managed to find it in any supermarkets in London so I’ve started making my own. I usually double or triple the quantity to freeze several batches so I have plenty. If I have fell off the health wagon and feel tired or nutrient-deprived, I usually put myself back of track having my daily green smoothie in the morning and eating this with grilled chicken, steamed salmon or smoked salmon at lunch time or in the evening.

Things I've learnt in 2014

Things that I’ve learnt in 2014

I know the year is not finished but I thought it would be nice to take time to reflect on the past months and encourage our brains to focus on the good things for the year to come. Negative things happened, they always do…to everyone and the quicker we accept this, the quicker we can move on and be ready for the next things in our lives. Here are some of the things I’m glad to have learnt this year…. Sometimes, we fell off the health wagon but other times we succeed in giving up coke zero and smoking for good and that’s where our focus should be #nurtureyourachievements That a little ball of fur will bring you love and joy like you never expected it #LOuthebunny That it is possible to lose your mum in Ikea for over two hours and while searching for her, bumping 3 times into someone you only know from Instagram #gofigure Sometimes you find your mantra in the most “intellectual” movie :-) Mine is “Never give up, never surrounder” from Galaxy Quest  Like childbirth, you never quite forget …

LE WEEKEND pink bed linens

LE WEEKEND

First time in years I don’t finish the year as a wreck. Christmas shopping is done, pretty much everything is gift-wrapped and true to my words, I walked 45 min and went to a Bikram yoga class yesterday. I felt so good afterwards that I’m going back today. Why why why do we keep stopping doing the things that are good for us in the first place?? :-)

My daily green smoothie. Recipe on www.karinecandicekong.com

My daily green smoothie

Last year, I asked for a Nutribullet as a Mother’s Day gift. Since then, I’ve been making this healthy and delicious green smoothie which is very easy to make, very refreshing and packed with vitamins. One glass of this delicious green smoothie will give you the recommended daily fibre intake (25g of fibres/day for women) to favour a good transit. Update: I used to drink a large glass of this green smoothie for breakfast and take the left-over to work and often had the other half of the avocado for lunch in a salad. However, despite eating healthily, I was still bloating which I found hugely frustrating considering how many dietary changes I have made since 2013. That was until I had a consultation with a Nutritionist specialised in FODMAPs who explained to me that avocado was not FODMAPs friendly and should be restricted to 1/4 per day. There was also a few other “healthy” things I was regularly eating which are still healthy but just challenging for sensitive guts. Since then, I have reduced the …

5 THINGS I WANT RIGHT NOW! 18 December 2014

5 things I want right now!

There are some fab things in the sale at the moment like this nice embroidered heart t-shirt at only £9.99 or this blue cardigan that looks very comfy (also available in black or grey here). I also have a soft spot for this blue sweatshirt but it’s because I love sweatshirts. Since we are spending the holiday in London (first time in 15 years), beside playing tourists, I’m planning to spend one day, sorting out my wardrobe to start fresh with pieces I really like and get rid of the rest….new beginnings.   Here are 5 things that I could wear in and out… 1. This beautiful blazer by Isabel Marant (can’t wait to wear my watch in a few days!!). It’s a great investment piece, very versatile which you can wear in the evening or during daytime over a simple white t-shirt 2. this pair of boyfriend jeans from Current/Elliot. Massive fan of their collection! I also have my eyes on this sweatshirt and their denim jumpsuit 3.these beyond-this-world leopard print ankle boots from Miu-Miu  4. This facial cleanser from Aesop and I can’t get enough of their fragrances. 5. …

5 healthy habits you should pick up right now

Healthy habits tend to go through the window by the time Xmas comes. It is often a stressful and tiring period for everyone. We have to find the perfect gifts for everyone within the budget. We have to ship gifts we haven’t bought yet to relatives overseas. Pay for flight tickets that cost three times the normal cost, and we drink and at more than usual. During that time, our healthy habits go often through the window. So this year, let’s take 5 minutes to focus and pick up on 5 those wellness habits right now…not next month, not next year…but right now!! HEALTHY HABIT #1 Stop drinking coke, diet coke, or any soft drinks you are addicted to (yes if you need one a day to go through the day, it is an addiction). There is nothing worse for your health and well-being than drinking soft drinks. These soft drinks are designed to make you craving for more refined sugars. Forget about willpower, emotional eating. If you want to get out of this uncontrollable spiral that …

New-York print

How to use a paper bag as a planter

Since I came back from Amsterdam last October, I have been keen to add large plants in our home to use them as design pieces. I got the one above from Ikea six weeks ago and I’m glad to say it is still alive and looking very well. I love the tropical look of this plant. Some mornings, when the sun filters through the glass roof of the kitchen and the leaves cast a shade, I get the feeling that I’m in warm L.A. rather than in London in December. I brought back home a few of these Be-Poles paper bags with the intent to cut them in half and use them as placemats for our Christmas party but in the end, I went for something more soothing and natural. Since this bag is made of paper, the best thing to do is to add a plastic recipient within the bag so it doesn’t get soaked when you water your plant. It’s a great way to add modern, typography into your home and an affordable way to hide an ugly …