Spicy Black Bean Burgers with Butternut Squash Fries

prep time 15 mins      total time 35 mins      serves 4

Making small diet and lifestyle changes brings long-term benefits. Cutting down on meat can promote a more balanced way of eating. I find I’m not always in the mood for meat every meal time and have started to cut down on the amount I’m eating. Having meat-free days and living a more plant-based diet has its perks. There are the usual benefits, such as reducing heart disease, helping with weight loss and being better for the environment but there are other positives too.  It’s great for your bank balance. Meat is being more and more expensive but needing to buy less reduces the amount you’re spending.

The term flexitarian is now being used to describe someone who mainly eats a vegetarian diet but will occasionally have meat or fish. I’ve been trying out this concept. Eating vegetarian options is often considered boring but I’ve found the experience to be the complete opposite. It’s amazing how creative I’ve become with my food and these spicy bean burgers have become one of my favourite go to recipes that I love making over and over.

For the burgers:
1 tin black beans
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 red onion
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

For the fries:
1 large butternut squash (or 3 sweet potatoes)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Olive oil

For the burger sauce:
1 tsp mayonnaise
1 tsp ketchup
1/2 tsp English mustard
1/2 tsp paprika (optional)

Toppings:
Burger buns
Romaine lettuce
Cheese
Gherkins

1. Drain and rinse the beans and mash together in a bowl the rice with a hand blender.

2. Finely chop the red onion and add to the bowl with the breadcrumbs and remaining ingredients.  Mix thoroughly.

3. Mould the burgers into four patties and refrigerate for a minimum of 10 minutes until the patties are set.  Refrigerating them makes them easier to cook later.

4. Chop the butternut squash into slices and add to a baking tray.  Sprinkle with olive oil and the spices, then massage into the butternut squash.

5. Pop the butternut squash fries into the oven for 20 minutes, or until cooked.

6. Prep the burger sauce by mixing together the mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard, you can add a sprinkling of paprika too!

7. Heat some olive oil in a pan over a high heat.  Add the burgers and fry on either side for 5-10 minutes until browned.

8. When the burgers are almost done, add a slice of cheese on top each patty and cover with a lid until the cheese has melted.

9. Layer your burger buns up with the burger sauce, the burger, pickles and lettuce, adding some fries to your plate and you're done!

Notes:

* You can get really creative with your toppings.  Avocado, guacamole or hummus would go nicely with this burger.

* These burgers are perfect for making in batches then freezing for later. 

Let me know in the comments if you try these out and also what you think of them.  Would you like to see more vegetarian options here on my blog?  I'd love to hear from you!  Leave a comment down below!

Simple Morning Habits for a Better Day

Mornings can be hectic but starting off your morning properly sets you up for a productive day.  Beginning my mornings the 'right' way can be the difference between me having a good or a bad day.  Some of the most successful people in the world often develop health habits that set them up for the day.  It's said that it only takes 21 days to form a habit and I really believe this.  Over time I've implemented some quick, easy steps to my morning routine which have helped me feel more organised and ready for the day ahead.

These are my six habits that I include in my morning routine to ensure I have a productive day.  They're not things that you necessary have to do but they definitely make me feel better after I've done them.

Something that is crucial for me to have a better day is to get up early.  Usually, I wake up at 6am on weekdays.  It may seem a little obvious to say but waking up early gives me extra time which is invaluable.  Whether that's to exercise, have a longer breakfast or just enjoying a little quiet time before work, I can get so much more done and it feels great to make the most of the morning.

This can be tricky, particularly in our day and age but I make it a rule not to look at social media at least an hour after waking up.  I find it very distracting and makes me unproductive.  It's so easy to open Facebook, for example, a think "I'll just have a quick look on my news feed" but before you know it you've wasted longer than you wanted to.  I make it a point now to go on social media once I've been up for an hour or sometimes I will only allow myself to go on social media once I've completed the tasks I need to achieve that morning.  This way it allows me to be more productive in the morning and get more things done.

This one gets said a lot but it's one of my morning habits that I most enjoy doing.  It might seem like a small task but getting my bed made makes me feel like I've accomplished something.  Once I make my bed I feel more motivated and ready to take on bigger tasks.  Plus, it makes my room look much more tidy and organised, which then makes more feel more organised as well.

Whilst I'm doing bits and bobs in the morning I like to listen to some music or a podcast.  It's really uplifting and makes mindless chores, like washing the dishes, not feel so boring and mundane.  It also keeps me in a good more or if I'm having one of those days when I'm not feeling my best it can also change my mood, making me feel better.  I love to listen to self help podcasts.  There are some great ones you can download for free to your phone.

I don't know about you but when I was younger I often used to skip breakfast or have something small, like a slice of toast.  Taking the time to have a health breakfast in the morning has become a priority for me.  Getting something nutritious in my body first thing in the morning has really helped me lose weight.  Starting off your day on the right foot is so important.  Having breakfast means that I'm less likely to snack throughout the morning.  That then reduced any hunger or cravings throughout the day.

& finally......

The most important thing that has helped me become more organised and is a real game changer is to make a to do list.  I like to use a weekly planner to plan out my week.  Then, I'll often make a to do list the night before of all the things I want to achieve the next day.  I like to be realistic, so I normally write a list of 10 things maximum so that it's easy to get through in a day, whether that's paying some bills, food shopping, cleaning a junk pile, etc.  I write the list in order of importance starting with the most urgent things first.  It makes me feel great ticking things off my list and gives me a sense of achievement once I've completed all these tasks.

What are your habits that you like to do in the morning?  Are there any of my habits that you'll be trying out?  I'd love to hear from you!  Feel free to leave a comment down below!

How to Find Your Own Style

"Fashion is about dressing according to what’s fashionable. Style is more about being yourself." - Oscar de la Renta

"Style is more about being yourself" - I love this idea of what style is and it describes it perfectly.  For me, style isn't wearing something because the catwalks tell you it's fashionable.  It's about finding what works for you and showing off your personality through your own approach to fashion.  But how do you find your own style?  If we think back to style icons of the past; Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy Onassis (to name a few) to some of the modern style icons of today, such as, Sarah Jessica Parker and Blake Lively, the one thing they have in common is that they have or had identified their own style.  This is what finding your own style is about and what makes it different from fashion.  Fashion is about following trends, which changes from season to season.  Style is about expressing your personality.

To put it bluntly some people a just naturally able to put outfits together without having to think about it.  They know what's flatting on them and they know what they like.  For me, it didn't come easily and it's taken me a while to find my true style.  Looking back at photos of myself over the years I've noticed I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.  I had zero idea what my style was and went from season to season buying clothes that were on trend at the time but didn't suit me.  Not having a clue about what my style was also meant I fell into the habit of buying things that looked great on other people but weren't necessarily me.  I would see someone wearing a particular outfit and think it looked amazing on them so I would rush out and buy something similar regardless.  It reached the point were I didn't just want to copy others.  I was wasting so much money on clothes that would get little use before I got tired of it and donated it to charity.  I wanted to get out of this habit 1to save money and 2to dress more sustainably.

When understanding your style doesn't come naturally, how do you find it?  These are my 6 tips that helped me figure out what my style was and helped me save some pennies along the way.

"Style is something each of us already has, all we need to do is find it." - Diane von Furstenberg

I love creating mood boards on Pinterest because it gives me so much inspiration.  Making my own style board gave me lots of ideas.  I started off by pinning images of outfits I liked and eventually built up a collection of images that inspired me.  I noticed from these images what styles I liked, my favourite prints and colours, etc.  This helped define my style and made me more aware of what I wanted my wardrobe to look like.  To keep things new I'm continually adding to it and finding new ways to style up certain pieces in my wardrobe.  That's the beauty of mood boards, they're ongoing and a great way to help keep your wardrobe fresh and updated.

Maybe when you look at your board you may see a lot of boho styles or vintage styles.  This should start to give you an idea of what your style is.  Another way you could make a mood board is by cutting out outfits from magazines or online articles but I find Pinterest the easiest, less messy way to create one.

Once you know what look you want to achieve it's probably a good idea to go through your own wardrobe and take a look at everything you have already.  Creating a capsules wardrobe doesn't mean you have to throw everything out and start again from scratch, especially when you want to do it as sustainably as possible.  Go through everything piece by piece and try it on.  When you're trying things on, look in the mirror and think, Is this me?, Does it fit me properly?, Do I feel confident/comfortable in this?,  Is it flattering?, Have I worn this recently? and "Will I wear this again?".  If the answer to anyone any of these questions is 'no' then you need to think about if it's worth keeping or if it's one for the donation pile.

Sometimes it's tempting to keep hold of things just in case but if it doesn't make you feel great what's the point in keeping it?  This is a good indication of the things that don't work for you and why so it's worth keeping note of these things for the future.  An important part of finding your style is wearing clothes that are suitable for your body shape and knowing what silhouettes work best for your body.  Look at celebrities who have a similar figure to you.  Take note of what things suit them and how they hide their least flattering areas.  You don't want to fall back into buying clothes that aren't good for your body shape.

Recognise things you don’t like.  It’s important to focus on the things that don’t make you feel great too. Lets look at the dungarees trend that's been floating around for the past few years.  Personally, I hate dungarees and think they are the most unflattering thing I can wear for my body type so I didn’t invest in a pair, simple as that. I’m not saying they don't look great on others but we don’t all have to get on board with every trend that hits the high street.  Just because others are wearing the latest trend, doesn’t mean you have to as well.

Colours are just as important as silhouettes when it comes to finding one’s that suit you.  Don't be afraid to play around with colour too.  Capsule wardrobes don't mean everything has to be monotone but find colours that are right for your skin tone compared to one’s that make you look washed out. Orange on me is a huge no no and I avoid it at all costs. 

Once you have the things organised by what your keeping versus what your donating, it's now the perfect time to organise your wardrobe in a way that works for you.  I like to organise my wardrobe by clothing type, so all dresses together, skirts, trousers, etc.  You might rather organise it by season or type (formal, casual, workwear, etc) - whatever works for you.  It's good to have some sort of order to your wardrobe because this'll help you see what you do have and what you to buy.  Now when I'm shopping I'm more aware of the things I have already and I'm not buying like items that are pretty much doing the same job.

Part of the success of finding your signature style is that you build up a collection of items you’ll wear for years to come.  Now that you have cleared out your wardrobe and you have the foundations of your new capsule wardrobe there's no better time to start thinking about the pieces that are missing.  Go through your mood board as well as your newly organised wardrobe to decide what items you need.  This way next time you go shopping you'll be more mindful of the things you actually need rather than getting sucked into buying an item just because it looks nice in the shop.

In today’s society the amount of trends can be quiet overwhelming. Don't always focus on newness.  I find it helps to focus on classic wardrobe items that will last. Looking back at classic style icons visiting vintage shops will help give you some style inspiration.

When you find brands that make clothes that are great for your shape, stay loyal to them. After working in the fashion buying industry for many years I discovered how brands often make similar versions of certain styles season after season so once you find items that work for you, you can reinvest in other colours. I love doing this in particular with trousers.

As well as staying loyal to brands don’t be afraid to discover new brands. If you’re finding some brands are not working for you, find ones that are. I always had the hardest time finding jeans that fitted me perfectly. I was forever buying jeans that didn’t quite fit around my bum area and gaped at the back leaving nothing to the imagination when I bent down. Recently, I started branching out into new shops and found a particular brand that sell jeans that fit me correctly.  They were a little more than I would have usually paid for jeans and I never in a million years would have thought of shopping in that store but now I’ve found the right place for jeans.  Plus, sometimes with certain items it's worth paying a little extra to get what you want.  Jeans are always a staple piece in my wardrobe so I know it's worth paying for a decent pair that fit me properly.

Did you find my tips helpful?  Have you created a capsule wardrobe?  What tips would you recommend?  I'd love to here from you!  Leave a comment down below!