Run Stop Shop

Just popping in quickly to share with everyone one of my new favorite online websites,  Run Stop Shop

This site has quickly become my number one go-to for all fitness wear apparel and has been super handy on my busy days when I cant make it to the shops in time and need to purchase something(and lets face it, all I ever buy these days is gym wear stuff , I basically live in the stuff Lol!) . The website is easy to navigate, the quality of items are high, the prices are reasonable plus there are always discounts on and the postage is quick!

Just a few of my most recent and favorite purchases!

If you need new gym tights, a sports crop, bag, sports watch, heart rate monitor, runners or basically ANYTHING fitness related then Run Stop Shop will no doubt be able to help you out!

Love love love my sparkly new gym bag!

The site contains both female and male items so you are bound to find something for yourself, partner or friend. Have a looksie for yourself and see what i'm talking about... no doubt you will find something you love at a great price!
  

Wearing my Running Bare tights

Although the prices are already discounted and very affordable, they have been generous enough to allow all those affiliated with me a further 10% off their online order! Yahoo!!  Use the voucher code JESSICASTEVENS10 to claim your discount at the checkout page.

Enjoy shopping ladies ! ;) 
Jess x

Green Super Smoothie!

Fruit and vegetable smoothies would have be one of my  favorite summer time creations to make at home. It's literally as easy as putting your favorite combinations of fruits, vegetables and whatever else you want into a blender and blend away until it becomes a smooth goodness!

Recently I made this one particular smoothie which I would have to say has become my new favorite. When making smoothies I don't really measure the quantities, I just try and create some sort of tasty magic from what I put in the blender. 

Smoothies(and juices if you have a juicer) are also a great way to incorporate vegetables into your diet if you are struggling with your daily vegetable intake. Spinach and Kale are two stable vegetables which I am currently trying to  include in as many of my meals as possible throughout the day. Banana's are a great way to give the smoothie that 'creamy' texture without needing to add any dairy.

Green Super Smoothie in a German Stein(why not?)

My Favorite Green Super Smoothie(Pictured Above Recipe:

Handful of Kale, 

Handful of Spinach

1 Frozen Banana

Handful of Mango chunks

A few Strawberries

About 1/2 cup of  Coconut Water, 

1 Vanilla Protein Powder Scoop

Dash of Ground Cinnamon 

Ice Cubes

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend away! Add more coconut water if you are struggling to get the right consistency. 

Enjoy! :-)



What are some of your favorite smoothie combinations? I would love to hear them in the comment box below!

My Homemade Raw Choc Hazelnut Cheesecake

This Christmas I wanted to bring one of my healthier home made treats to the Christmas lunch to share with my family.  I decided to go with a  raw Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake with Coconut Ice-Cream & Fresh Strawberries and let me tell you now that it was honestly the most delicious cake I have ever tasted in my life. 

This was actually the first time I have even attempted to make a raw cake at home so i was little worried about the turn out. All ingredients were purchased from Flannerys Organic Supermarket and it was super easy to follow once you have all the stuff(and a food processor) This dairy-free, raw cake will be a hit for any ones tastes buds and will not leave anyone unsatisfied.. trust me!

Delicious Goodness!

Recipe:

Crust:

1 cup hazelnut meal 
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder 
3 Tablespoons agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch pink salt

Filing:

 2 cups raw cashews, soaked
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons hazelnut butter
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup agave syrup
½ cup cacao powder
½ cup water
½ teaspoon pink salt 

Choc Frosting:

⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
¼ cup agave syrup
¼ cup cacao powder
½ large avocado

1)Crust: Blend all ingredients together in a food processor . Press the crust into the bottom of desired pan, about ¼ inch thick. 

2)Filing: In a food processor mix together cashews, agave syrup, water and salt. Mix until smooth. Add cacao powder, hazelnut butter and coconut oil to the cashew mixture and blend them all together, scraping down again, until mixture is combined. 

3)Spoon the filling on top of the crust. Stick the cheesecake in the freezer until solid all the way through.

4)Once frozen, remove the cheesecake from the pan. 

5)Place the cake  in the refrigerator. Make the chocolate frosting by combining all ingredients in food processes and blend. 

Spread frosting over cake and sprinkle with crushed macadamia nuts
Serve with CoYo Natural Coconut Icecream  & Fresh Strawberries.

Enjoy!!

Co-Yo Coconut Ice-cream 
Organic, Dairy Free, Vegan, Coconut Milk Ice Cream Alternative

For those who aren't familiar with this amazing little heaven in a tub called Co-Yo, you MUST grab a tub next time you are in a health food shop. Absolutely perfect for any sweet  craving without the added sugar And did I mention it tastes amazing??

Please comment below with your feedback on the cake once you have made it! Would love to hear if you loved it as much as I did!!

Inspired from : Vegan Baking

Make 2014 Your Best Year Yet!

Be the fittest, healthiest & happiest you have ever been !

One of the most common New Years Resolutions made each and every year is to get fit, healthy and lose weight. Sound familiar..? I want you to ask yourself, how many times in your life has a health related goal been your New Years Resolution? Chances are, at least once and more than likely you have again revisited that same goal  later on in the year as well. How important was this goal to you at the time? Most people when asked this question will answer saying that its extremely important and that they are willing to do anything to achieve it. They are well aware of the damage that their current lifestyle is doing to their health and have made the conscious decision to finally do something about it. If you are like many, and I mean many, you did not achieve these goals which were so important to you at one point. 

Now I want you to ask yourself, what stopped you in the past from achieving this goal? Honestly though, what happened? What could have possibly came up that got in the way of you achieving something that was so important to you. Lack of motivation? Money? Time? All of these 'excuses' seem to be justified in our heads at the time but looking back now, did you really try everything possible to make your goal happen or did you simply give up because it was too hard? Well let me tell you now that in order to change, you must challenge yourself.  Success is what happens when you get out of your comfort zone. Don't make this year the same as every other year, its time to make your goal a reality! Stop making the same old excuses that you make every year because you know what.. your going to get the same result.

I know that sometimes it's hard to find the initial motivation to go to the gym and for most, this can the hardest step and a major challenge. As human beings we are creatures of habit and love the routine that we put have in place for ourselves(even if its bad for a health). We love to feel comfortable and rarely want to break away from our comfort zone. This is why we just keep on doing what we are doing but unfortunately this is why you will keep on getting the same results you have always gotten. Stepping out of your comfort zone and breaking the habits that are stopping you achieving your goals takes will power and determination. You need to want to make it happen, once you decide that your health is important to you, time shouldn't be an issue . We always find time for what is important to us!

Stop saying to yourself that you should get healthy and start telling yourself that you will get healthy! Small changes in your mind-set like this will give you that extra determination and motivation that will help you put your plans into action.  Once you decide that is important to you, you can and will make it happen! Just like a smoker trying to give up should tell themselves that they that are a non-smoker, not that are are a smoker trying to give up smoking. Picture the result that you want in your mind and create it. 

Strength, weight loss and good health doesn't magically over night (as much as we all wish!)  You need to live a healthy lifestyle that will in return give you more energy, clearer skin, better mood, reduced body fat, increased strength, a faster metabolism, that tight toned summer body plus many more health benefits.  Learn to love your body by moving daily and nourishing it with the food that will allow it to be best that it possibly can be. It won't be easy but it will definitely be worth it! Believe in yourself and know that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to! You can do anything you put your mind to!

If you have made the decision to make 2014 your healthiest and happiest year yet, I would absolutely love to hear from you! I love being able to share my passion for health and fitness with those around me and would love nothing more then to hear from you to! Email me at jess@jessicastevens.com.au and share with me your 2014 resolutions, goals ans aspirations so we can inspire eachother to be the best that we can be!