G&T on Insta!

Gym & Tonic is finally on Instagram! I'm posting everyday things from my new maintenance lifestyle - quick recipes, meal ideas, smoothies, and some fitspiration. 

Insta handle: @gym.and.tonic.blog

Recipe: Lighter Chicken Stroganoff

Looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal? Try this delicious creamy stroganoff (minus all the wine and sour cream)

Lighter Chicken Stroganoff 
Serves 2 

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs*
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 punnet button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 garlic gloves, crushed
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbs yogurt
• 1 tsp worcester sauce
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• Cayenne pepper or paprika 
• Salt and pepper

For serving:

• lemon wedge
• fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Place the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and brown for 2 minutes on each side.
2. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook until translucent in colour.
3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as you go.
4. Add the chicken stock to the pan and bring to the boil. 
5. Once boiling, add the mustard, worcester, and tomato paste. Put your chicken back in the pan and bring down to a simmer. 
6. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika for extra heat if desired.
7. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the yogurt.
8. Serve with zoodles or brown rice. Top with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh parsley.

Notes:
* You could use 2 chicken breasts instead - I just happened to have these on hand

Frankenstein food

Today is a public holiday and I'm currently sitting at the office, working on projects due tomorrow. In what could only have been a self-loathing, self-pitying fury, I ate an entire large packet of chips. They're called Chipi Multigrain Chips (basically a rip-off of Pringles) and they are - what Weight Watchers would call - my frankenstein food. 

Frankenstein foods are those terrible snacky-type foods that are impossible to stop eating at just one. We all have a particular weakness... and mine happens to be bizarre discount chips from Dischem.

Needless to say... I feel quite ill now.

Soy Milk and Whole Wheat Pasta

Last week I made a creamy mushroom pasta with...

Soy milk
Whole wheat pasta
NO butter

Who am I even?!

I never ever thought I'd be that person. I used to love that incredible velvety richness of full fat cream. Recently I've noticed that dairy products aren't agreeing with my body. Maybe they never did. Maybe I'm only noticing now because I'm more aware of what I put in my body.

When I first tasted whole wheat pasta, I loooaaathed the taste. In my eyes, nothing could replace that soft, delicate white linguine. However, in an effort to eat cleaner this year, I decided to ween myself off the white stuff. When I made pasta, I mixed a little whole wheat in with the white noodles. Each time, I added more and more whole wheat... and now I barely notice the difference. For anyone trying to get more fibre in your diet, this is the way to do it. Don't go cold turkey - make the change slowly and it'll stick.

I've never been a fan of brown rice either... challenge accepted :)

Maintenance Update

Since reaching my weight goal almost two months ago, I've put on almost two kilos.
I'm not trying to make excuses, but I believe this weight gain can be attributed to two major changes in my life:

1. I changed jobs

The new job is very demanding. Long hours, tight deadlines. I've been eating a LOT of snacks and especially sugary foods to pick me up at 5pm.

I only get home at 6.30 (at best). This means I cook late, eat late, and then sleep on a full stomach. It's the WORST thing you can do for weight maintenance - or even your health in general.

2. I've been doing weight training 5 days a week

This isn't permanent, thank god. Since January, my trainer has wanted us to get our strength back (post-festive season) and move up a level (get off the plateau). This means I've been getting up at 5 almost every single day to do strength training... and THAT means no time or energy for cardio.

I'm sad that I haven't quite managed to maintain my goal weight, but I'm happy I've recognized and addressed my issues before it can get any worse. By the end of March I'll be back to my evening cardio routine, and I plan to stop eating carbs past 5pm.

I've discovered how hard it can be to maintain your weight when you're super stressed - I get out of a 3 hour meeting and just want to stuff my face with all the carby sugary cheesy goodness this universe has to offer. You forget all your goals, you forget you're trying to stay healthy - all that your heart desires is to drown your problems in decadent indulgence. I have a long journey ahead of me and a LOT of learning to do.

What's your name again?

So there I am walking through the camp site of a local trance festival...

Me: Hey!! Devon! How are you??

Devon: Oh hey... I'm good, how are you?

Me: I'm great! *goes in for the hug*

[mid hug]

Devon: Sorry, what's your name again?

Me: Nikita

Devon: Nikita... OH! Craig's room mate Nikita! You look amazing! I didn't recognize you at all! I just thought you were one of those festival chicks!

Recipe: Skinny Chocolate Banana Pancakes

One of my favourite things to do while cooking is using up leftovers or food that's 5 to death. This recipe uses bananas - I hate it when they're old and bruised, but they work perfectly for pancakes! This clean eating breakfast treat is gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free, and the baking powder makes them super light and fluffy! :)

Skinny Chocolate Banana Pancakes
Makes: 7 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 tbs raw cacao powder
• 1 or 2 tbs maple syrup*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil for frying

Optional extras:
Cinnamon
Raisins
Nuts
Dark chocolate chunks
Raspberries

Method:

1. Cut your banana into slices and add to a medium-sized bowl. Mash the pieces with the back of a fork until there are no big pieces left.
2. Add the egg, peanut butter, cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and baking powder to the bowl and whisk everything together. 
3. Stir in any optional extras (I added cinnamon, chopped pecan nuts, and dark chocolate chunks - yum!)
4. Add the coconut oil to a large frying pan on medium heat. Spoon a heaped tablespoon of batter onto your pan (mine fit three at once)
5. Cook for two minutes on each side or, flip over once little bubbles start to form on the surface of the batter.

Notes:
*This depends on how sweet you want your pancakes. I like mine sweet so I used two teaspoons.