What Came First The Chicken Or The Egg?

 

Easter means so much to so many people, especially Tesco and Sainsbury’s. And when we ask ourselves, what came first the chicken or the egg? it really doesn’t matter because, in our own little world we can celebrate Easter our way, after Easter I will then post diet after diet plus nutrition and healthy eating for all of us to get back on track. So for the time being lets enjoy Easter in our own way. I’ve got some Easter treats which are fun for kids plus other stuff you’ll have to get to the end of the blog for that.

 

Easter Fruit Cupcakes

Quicker and easier to make than traditional yeast buns, Dan Lepard’s Easter cupcakes have a rich ginger and spice flavour. Check out the link below for ingredients, great for Grandma, Nana and kids.

Easter fruit cupcakes recipe

 

Easter Cheesecake Bunnies

Check out the link below for ingredients, great for Grandma, Nana and the kids.

Quick Recipe

Easter Sunday marks the end of Lent, a period traditionally of 40 days of fasting, although today It is more common to give up a particular favourite food such as chocolate, confectionary or cakes. Eggs traditionally symbolise rebirth and new life. Chocolate is now commonly associated with Easter, the first chocolate egg dates back to the early 1800s.

• Don’t graze on chocolate all day as you will find it hard to keep track of how much you’ve eaten.
• Take time to enjoy your Easter eggs – remember they don’t all have to be eaten over the Easter weekend!
• Keep an eye on your portion sizes – opt for mini versions or share your normal sized eggs with family and friends.
• Opt for quality over quantity – Go for dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa. You may find that the strong flavour will mean that you will eat less.

 

Dark Chocolate is it good for you?

“The chocolate we typically buy contains small amounts of some minerals such as iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Cocoa flavanols (a compound found in dark chocolate and cocoa powder) can help to keep circulation in good working order, which can have a benefit to heart health. However, this benefit is only noted in dark chocolate or cocoa powder with a high level of flavanols and not in the more frequently consumed types of chocolate. It is also worth remembering that all types of chocolate are high in energy, saturated fat and free sugars, so can contribute to weight gain if eaten in large amounts, which is not good for your heart health!”

 

Hard Bolied Eggs

With the shops full of the chocolate variety at this time of year, it can be easy to forget about real eggs, which provide nutrients including zinc, selenium, vitamin D and protein.

“Try having boiled or poached eggs with wholegrain toast for breakfast, making your own egg mayonnaise with reduced-fat mayonnaise and cress to use in sandwiches or bagels, or as an omelette with plenty of vegetables and a salad.”

 

Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns are small spiced buns made with currants or raisins and sometimes other dried fruits, marked with a pastry cross on the top. They are traditionally eaten on Good Friday.

• Choose wholemeal versions which are now widely available in supermarkets, to help boost your fibre intake.
• Go easy on toppings – try using low-fat spread instead of butter.

 

Roast Lamb

Roast lamb is a popular choice for many people on Easter Sunday. The tradition of eating roast lamb at Easter comes from the Jewish celebration of Passover, which occurs at around the same time.

Lamb is a source of protein, vitamin B12 and zinc however it can be high in saturated fat. Too much saturated fat in the diet can raise your cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease.

• Larger chunks of potato absorb less fat so cut your potatoes into bigger pieces  before roasting them and use olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil to roast them in rather than or goose/duck fat (high in saturated fats).
• Include lots of fresh vegetables to help reach your 5 A DAY – cabbage and kale are both in season at this time of year – these vegetables are rich in vitamin C and a source of folic acid. Kale is also a source of calcium.
• Cut off any visible fat from the meat, and try not to add too much extra oil or fat –cook meat on a wire rack so that excess fat can run off.
• Use herbs and spices for flavour instead of butter and salt when serving and cooking vegetables.

Happy Easter.