THE TWELVE: Week 1

Good evening everyone and welcome back to a much needed and anticipated series from CCC!

I took some time after my birthday this year (8th March if you were wondering as it's never too late to send gifts) and I was trying to decide what I wanted this next year of my life to look like. Taking a look and re-evaluating myself, I decided one of the things I want to do is get back to where I was and how I felt when I completed my 8 week Journey to the Summer series back in 2017. If you haven't had a chance to read through those please do, as it will give you a bit more background on my past. 

At present, I have gained weight since then, and whilst I will always maintain that I don't really care about how much I weigh as long as I look and feel good, stepping on the scale was a huge shock to me. If I want to look, and most importantly feel like I did previously, I'm going to have to make a drastic change not only to my diet and exercise but to my lifestyle as a whole. 

So here today I present to you Week 1 of THE TWELVE. Twelve weeks of conscious clean eating and exercise. I understand more than ever that without God my efforts are in vain, so I will also be taking this opportunity to explore some key spiritual points which have moved me each week. I am a Christian and so these scriptures and reflections are not just for those who may consider themselves spiritual or religious but also those who are just curious. CCC is an inclusive place for all and I think sometimes, it helps to motivate you when you're reminded that you are not alone in your journey. 

I'll be trying as much as possible to meal prep my breakfast, lunches and dinners so you may see a lot of repetition in what I am eating however each week will feature an in depth recipe called The Twelfth Star; a meal which you can all take home and try yourselves. 

Without further nattering, here's to Week 1! 

(Monday - Sunday)

Breakfast: 

Belvita Blueberry Soft Bake, Arla Skyr Yogurt, Tea with 1 Tsp. Honey & Soya Milk (343 calories)

1 Slice of Hovis Wholemeal Toast with a small egg (300 calories) 

1 Slice of Wholemeal Toast, 2 egg Tomato, Onion and Prawn Omelette and Tea with 1 Tsp. Honey & Soya Milk (360 calories)

Lunch: 

Coriander Chicken Salad (293 calories)

Tuna Sweetcorn Mayo Sandwich (306 calories)

Dinners: 

Beef and Vegetable Stew (660 calories)

Jungle Curry Salmon with Mixed Roast Vegetables (584 calories)

Chilli Garlic Chicken Breast with Boiled Sweet Potatoes and Sweetcorn (539 calories)

The Twelfth Star: 

Haddock Fillet with Sweet Potato Wedges and Spicy Kale Broccoli Stir Fry (506 calories)

Ingredients:

• 1 Haddock Fillet 
• 1 Small Sweet Potato 
• 1/3 a head of Broccoli 
• 1/2 Bag of Kale 
• 1 Large Chopped Onion
• 1 Tsp Soy Sauce 
• 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper (caution, very spicy leave out if sensitive to heat)
• 1 Green Chilli
• 1 Tsp Garlic Paste 
• 1 Tsp Ginger Paste 
• 2 Tbsp Rapeseed oil 
• Salt + Pepper to taste

Method: 

1. Place your Haddock Fillet into the oven and cook according to packaging instructions.
2. Peel and quarter your Sweet Potato and parboil for 5-6 mins until slightly softer. Once par boiled, Place along side your Haddock in the oven for 10-12 mins. 
3. Place Broccoli in the microwave for 3 mins to soften. 
4. On medium heat, brown your Onion, Garlic and Ginger in Rapeseed oil.
5. Once Softened, add finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper and chopped chilli.
6. Cook for 1 min, then add washed Broccoli and Kale. 
7. When your Kale has wilted, add salt, pepper and soy sauce. 
8. Cook for 2 mins then Enjoy! 

Today, my family and I went to Harvester (literally one of my favourite places to eat) to celebrate my mum's birthday (19th February) and mine (8th March). As you can see we are very late in celebrations but my mum was in Nigeria at the time and myself in Morocco. Just for accountability purposes, I had an Original Combo meal with salad and calamari as a starter (everything totalled 1453 calories). As I had not eaten any lunch and a very small breakfast I was able to indulge a bit whilst still making the more healthy choices. There wasn't much to choose from that was healthy but I think I did pretty well! 

Exercise

I successfully went to the gym 4 times this week, so honestly I’m proud of myself and off to a great start. I always do 10-15 mins of cardio on the treadmill to start off my workouts then focus on a particular part of my body. Tuesdays are Abs, Wednesdays Legs/Glutes, Fridays Arms and Sundays I tend to do a cross body workout. I’m using a much better gym now and am able to get there easier so bring on Week 2!

Spiritual Reflection of the Week

‭‭Luke‬ ‭13:6-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬ “Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ””

I found inspiration in the Gospel reading today from my church and I honestly thank God for presenting this scripture to me. When I first started CCC (if you’ve been here since day one you will know) it consisted of a few snapchats whenever I would cook. I was 17 years old and inexperienced in the kitchen, but cooking made me feel creative... a way to present my ideas and explore the countless possibilities.I planted the seed of CCC as a blog on 19 June 2016 and without hard work it would not be the tree it is today. 

In the parable, the fig tree did not bear fruit. The man who looked after the vineyard from my understanding, had not made any effort to support the growth of the tree and had neglected it. The tree needed fertilising and care and without that nourishment, it would never reach its full potential. I find that with my blog, CCC's fertilisation comes from my hard work but mainly the encouragement and support of my loved ones and even strangers. I plated the seed and the tree grew into a brand that I am proud of, but without fertilisation, I probably would have cut it down and given up as the owner wanted to in the parable. What seeds have you planted that are yet to grow? What trees stand in your garden but lack fertilisation to bear fruit? If you have an idea, consistently work on it. Sometimes the idea is planted and you work hard and eventually it grows into the tree, but has it reached its full potential? Are you happy with just a tree in your garden, or do you want it to bear fruit? I pray that God uses his word to fertilise our hearts this week so that we may bear the fruit of our purpose. 

Thank you for tuning in and have a blessed week ahead! 

CCC: Releasing your inner chef