Fighting Fit and Getting Hit

I've recently taken a new and exciting venture into the world of martial arts. A few sessions at the local boxing club led me to discover a sport that I'd never even heard of before: Muay Thai.

Muay Thai sits somewhere in between kickboxing and mixed martial arts. They don't seem to be too worried about silly things like "rules"; hits can be landed anywhere and made with knees, elbows, fists and feet. Fights also include "clinching", which is where your opponent gets a hold of your head and does their best to keep you there whilst getting some good knee action into you.

Easy Peasy "Spaghetti Bolognese" ... raw

This is such a delicious alternative to traditional spaghetti bolognese; the flavours in the raw sauce are so much better when the ingredients aren't cooked!

Sushi with Mooli Rice

Rice isn't bad for you; there's nothing wrong with rice whatsoever in my opinion but in the spirit of all things raw, this is a great alternative. If we can make spaghetti with courgettes then why not make rice with mooli!?

Mooli, for those who are vegetably uninformed, is a type of radish. It looks a bit like a white carrot but is softer in texture. I've not seen them in the supermarkets but they're always in Asian food shops and they're cheap as chips.

Raw Cabbagey Slaw

Cabbage is super healthy and nearly always in season. This is a really simple, cheap, refreshing slaw recipe. Keep it in the fridge for a few days for snacking, make a salad sandwich with it or use it as a side dish.

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
1 small head green cabbage, shredded
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp agave nectar
2 tbsp olive oil (I actually used 1 tbsp flax oil and 1 tsp olive, but all olive is fine)
1/2 tsp salt

Blend or mix together the oil, vinegar, garlic, agave and salt. Add the mixture to a big bowl containing the veg and massage it in. You want to get the oil and salt mixed well into the raw cabbage.

Leave covered for at least 30 minutes and then, enjoy!

12 Week Challenge, Week 1, Day 1

I weighed in on day 1 at bang on 59kgs this morning. No wonder pull ups have been feeling harder. So, the goal for the 12 weeks is to lose 6kgs. Half a kilogram (around 1lb) each week, simple.

That is all!

Courgette Spaghetti with Cashew and Dill Dressing

This is a refreshing and super healthy alternative to a "ranch" style dressing. Lovely served on a bed of curly courgette! Serves 2.