OXFORD: A LITTLE WALK AROUND TURL STREET

Easily one of the most scenic & goodness-filled streets in Oxford. And an excellent shortcut from High St to Broad St. I spend very large quantities of my free time happily existing somewhere along Turl Street. My top picks:

COFFEE: The Missing Bean for a mean flat white (or long black). They have almond milk (!), the staff are amazing souls, and the vibe is excellent.

EAT/DRINK: Turl Street Kitchen cosy up in front of their fires with a mug of peppermint tea (or WINE), the menu changes daily and it has a cosy, humming feel.

YOGA: just up the stairs from the main bar of Turl Street Kitchen, you'll find Yoga Quota, our home-away-from-home in Oxford. A kick-ass little studio that is also a charity: for every 50 students through the studio, a charity class is taught for an underprivileged group.

SHOP: Very beautiful, dangerous, lovely shops within 100 metres include Objects of Use, Oxfam Bookshop, and the Covered Markets.

PROTEIN-PACKED FLUFFY PANCAKES W CHOCOLATE + PEANUT BUTTER SAUCE, FOR ONE

FINALLY. Pancakes that suit my little celiac, insulin-resisting sensibilities (read: gluten-free, flour-free, dairy-free). It's been a saga. Failure, after failure. Now, nearly 2 years since my diagnosis of celiac, and nearly 5 (!) since my insulin resistance diagnosis, I have succeeded! Cue the fanfare and Hallelujah chorus.

Pancakes that suit my needs but also don't taste like cardboard and have the consistency of rubber. These babes make a fluffy stack of pancakes that are charmingly-golden spheres of joy and happiness.

Oh and there's topping. Because let's be real, gluten is so widespread because, you know, it's delicious. So these little ones here need a teensy bit of sprucing up. And really, you can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter, even before 8 am on a Sunday morning. (To be honest, a cashew cream and berry compote situation would be a close second. Suggestions below.)

Also, as their name suggests, these little pancakes pack a mean protein punch. Rounded out with all of the good fats from the almond meal and peanut butter, and you've got a balanced, hearty meal that will keep you going until mid-afternoon. Perfect post-yoga, post-gym, post-sleep (anytime?).

Now friends, prepare for some pancake porn.

PROTEIN-PACKED FLUFFY PANCAKES W CHOCOLATE + PEANUT BUTTER SAUCE
serves 1 person with 4 perfectly proportioned pancakes

Recipe Notes: these pancakes are fluffy like babes, but they do tend towards the drier side of things, which is why your chowing down on them with a delish chocolate + peanut butter sauce. If you're not into chocolate first thing in the morning (YOU CRAZY), may I suggest a berry chia jam? Or cashew cream? Or really, just go wild with the maple syrup (or honey). ALSO: this sauce is killer. Drizzle it over sliced banana or berries or nice-cream for a quick and wicked dessert.

2 eggs
1/4 c unsweetened protein powder (like sprouted brown rice)
1/4 c almond meal
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp bicarb soda
tiny pinch of salt
3 tsp neutral oil (like rapeseed or grapeseed)
1 tbsp unsweetened almond mylk

25 g dark chocolate (70%)
1 tbsp smooth, natural peanut butter
2-3 tbsp unsweetened almond mylk

banana slices, desiccated coconut

Place a fry-pan over medium heat with 1 tsp of the oil, and allow to slowly heat up while you make the batter. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, protein powder, almond meal, vanilla, bicarb, salt, almond mylk and remaining oil. Whisk until thoroughly combined and there are no lumps. Once the pan is hot, use a scant 1/4 cup measure of batter to form each pancake (I cook mine one at a time). Allow to cook until a few bubbles burst and hold their shape on the surface, then flip and cook for another 30-45 seconds. The pancakes should be golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter.

Either make the sauce while you're cooking the pancakes, or keep the pancakes covered with a clean tea towel to preserve their warmth while you finish the sauce.

To make the sauce, melt the chocolate and peanut butter in a small bowl in the microwave for 1 minute or so, or in a double boiler over low heat. Whisk them together to form a smooth liquid, then continue whisking as you add almond mylk 1 tbsp at a time. The mixture will seize up a little to begin with, but keep adding almond mylk 1 tbsp at a time until your reach your desire consistency. You may need to return it to the heat or microwave again for 30 seconds.

Arrange pancakes on a plate and top with banana slices. Pour over sauce and sprinkle with a little coconut. Enjoy!

RECENT HAPPENINGS

A great many things have been happening, and so many good things, that I thought these recent happenings deserved a round up.

That drool-worthy Lemon Almond Ricotta Cake? You can find the recipe here. A Hedy Journey is a kick-ass blog about women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Medicine) with a focus on Engineering. Co-run by one of my amazing past yoga students, Yvette.

I've been practicing at the most charming little yoga studio in Oxford, Yoga Quota. And a few weeks ago I joined there already stellar teaching team.

Yoga Quota is a charity that for every 50 students we have through the studio, a class is taught for an under-privileged group. I recently spent the afternoon with the amazing charity KEEN Oxford, and wrote about my experience here.

Speaking of lovely experiences, Adam and I spent out second Valentine's day in a row hosting a Partner Yoga Workshop.

And one of our lovely students wrote a review of my regular class.

There's also been lots of new winter experiences, curried-cauliflower salads, and PB+banana on toast.

Bliss, gratitude, and high fives all rounds folks! xx

PARIS GUIDE PART 2: SEE + DO

It's a cliche, but I'm pretty sure you could spend a decade in Paris and never run out of things to do or see.

So here's our highlight reel. An emphasis on art and old buildings and gardens, because they're our jam. Also sneaky hints and tips so that you can avoid the worst of the queues and largely just chill the fuck out a bit. There are things we missed like Versailles (thanks, striking workers - but seriously, good on you!) and the Sewer Museum (we confused the opening times) and things we'd like to do next time (like explore the Bois de Boulogne and Giverny).

We approached our time in Paris like we were living there for a month, rather than visiting. This attitude takes SO much pressure off the urge to push to see everything. Paris ain't going anywhere, folks. It's also an attitude that we really, gratefully achieved: establishing a favourite cafe, Adam buying a baguette everyday, finding a local health food store. Being able to walk to the Seine without a map (!).

PARIS GUIDE PART 1: COFFEE, EATS + TREATS

When your Paris notes become a four page, 2000+ word saga, you realise you need to split it across two posts. And we're starting with coffee, eats + treats. Because, PRIORITIES, ok?

We ate very very well in Paris. Nourishing ourselves with home-cooked goodness for most meals (exhibit A, exhibit B) and doing plenty (read: a shit tonne) of walking, leaves plenty of room in our bellies and our budgets.

A word here, on our preferences, and how they shape the list you see below. We ate out twice the entire time we were in Paris. Once for breakfast at Season (see below) to celebrate six years of being rad human beings together, and the second at the cafe in the Musee d'Orsay when I needed a glass of wine, and Adam needed a bowl of ice-cream. This might shock/confuse/amaze some people, but MEH, we know what we like. What we like is good coffee (often more than once a day), meals we make ourselves, and tasty treats that are high-quality and memorable. So in the list below you'll find plenty of coffee spots, treats and sweet spots, but not a lot of restaurants or 'dining' spots, because it's not how we roll. In Part 2 of the guide (coming very soon) I give some of the websites that were most useful to us during out stay, and I can assure that they have many, MANY delicious dining recommendations.

Part 2 covers things to see + do in Paris, if you can tear your eyes away from a delicious eclair long enough to gaze at some art. For now, onto the caffeine and sugar! X