Life becomes simpler and lighter when you love yourself more then things simply become lighter and easier.

I would like to share some of the most powerful Self Love and Self are quotes.

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The Gin

Choosing the right gin brand is very important when making the perfect Martini. I personally prefer to use Sipsmith London Dry Gin for couple of reasons. Firstly, because I want to achieve that rich floral taste of summer meadow notes. And secondly, the mellow rounded juniper and zesty, citrus freshness, blends nicely and it makes the flavours just shire through.

The Vermouth

Perhaps the most important factor of all is the ratio of spirit to dry (white) vermouth. Order your Martini “Wet,” and you’ll receive a drink that matches equal parts vermouth to spirit. Opt for a “Dry” Martini, and you’ll sample something closer to the serve Winston Churchill enjoyed. (For the former British prime minister, the perfect Martini famously involved pouring a glass of ice cold gin while “glancing at a bottle of vermouth” across the room.)

In my Dirty Martini recipe I use Carpano Blanco vermouth. Caprano is aromatic and floral vermouth with bright citrus notes. The residual sugar in its bianco-style makes it a robust match for olive brine in a Dirty Martini.

The Brine

What’s the dirty little secret of a Dirty Martini? Well, brine, of course! But the worst thing is adding a low-quality olive brine to your Martini. Do not use the liquid from an olive jar. It will ruin your cocktail. Boscoli and Dirty Sue are the two olive juice brands that I would recommend you use.

Print

Dirty Martini

If you want to achieve that "James Bond" taste, don't forget: "Shaken, not stirred."

Course Cocktail

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 115kcal

Equipment

• Shaker

Ingredients

• 150 ml Sipsmith® London Dry Gin
• 25 ml Caprano Blanco Dry Vermouth
• 15 ml Boscoli Olive Juice (Brine)
• 4 pcs Green Olives (Pitted)

Instructions

• Put two martini glasses in the fridge to chill for 10-15 mins
• In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, the dry vermouth, the brine and ice
• Shake well and poor into the martini glasses
• Garnish with olives on stick
• Enjoy!

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CELEBRITY CRUISES

Le Petit Chef

Celebrity Cruises is known for fun yet classy innovations, and for instance, the Le Petit Chef dining experience found on several Celebrity ships falls squarely in line with that reputation.

Le Petit Chef (costs around $55 pp) – animated characters appear beside your plate and prepare each course. The first menu goes with the story line, but you can order off of each. Animation aside, the food was delicious. I recommend it! If you have kids, I think they would find it entertaining. Will they eat the food? That depends on your child. You can watch a short 5 minutes video on my YouTube.

Which Celebrity Ships Have Le Petit Chef?

• Eclipse
• Edge (Le Petit Chef and Friends)
• Equinox (Le Petit Chef and Le Petit Chef and Friends)
• Infinity
• Reflection
• Silhouette

Murano

Murano was by far my favourite of the specialty restaurants. This French Continental restaurant had me at the scallop wellington and the baked goat cheese appetizers.

Hubby and I immensely enjoyed our Chateaubriand for two and their speciality dish lobster Murano, both prepared tableside. The Grand Marnier soufflé was one of the best I’ve ever had. Moreover, if you decide not to order dessert, don’t worry they bring out a small assortment of fine chocolate. I highly enjoyed the wine recommended by the sommelier.

The service here is impeccable.

Moveable Feast

Celebrity Cruises do a culinary partnership with Fine Cooking magazine and its Emmy Award-nominated public television series Moveable Feast. The cruise line and the food magazine introduced Moveable Feast with Celebrity Cruises.

In order to celebrate the partnership, Celebrity has launched Moveable Feast Signature Sailings from 2017. Although I’ve never done one, the reviews highly recommend these sailings, because the voyages have a culinary angle and onboard guests can interact with some of Moveable Feast’s most talented celebrity chefs.

In addition, those onboard get the opportunity to meet Top Chef All-Stars winner chef Richard Blais and Top Chef finalist chef Bryan Voltaggio, dine on their impressive dishes, and even join them on a Chef’s Market Discoveries excursion, where they’ll assist guests in shopping for ingredients and preparing a private dinner on the ship.

If that’s not immersive enough, there are also cooking demos and private classes offered to help passengers hone their cooking skills throughout the journey.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

Wonderland Restaurant on Symphony of the Seas

Stepping into the Rabbit Hole to Explore the Whimsical Dining Experience at Wonderland. The experience at the two-storey topsy-turvy restaurant begins upstairs. From the entrance of a mystical tunnel with a door that does not appear to go anywhere, to a delightful seating arrangement of quirky decor with chairs that do not know them up from their down. For instance, everywhere you turn there is something curious such as chairs with rabbit ears or keys hanging from the ceiling. Unlock Wonderland for an intimate restaurant within an edgy and surreal dining experience.

Firstly, you will visit the bar with a menu that any mixologist would be proud of. Try the “Down the Rabbit Hole” or the “Cheshire Cat Cosmo” they are pretty spectacular.

Our “mad hatter” for the night in Wonderland was ‘”Marlon Brando”. In other words, a waiter dressed in an aubergine-coloured velveteen long-tailed coat. Juggling several busy tables, he relished his part in our dinner production show.

A five-course meal then followed (you certainly will not leave hungry!). Five core elements differentiate the dishes – sun, ice, fire, sea, and earth. Few pictures can be be found on my Instagram profile.

The restaurant is available on a few Royal Caribbean ships – The Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, and it is by far my favourite iconic food venue on the cruise line.

P&O CRUISES

The Epicurean Restaurant on Britannia

In the Epicurean restaurant you will be treated to a brand new multi-sensory cooking experience with touches of molecular gastronomy that complement the more classic British dishes, re-interpreted for today’s modern palates. In addition, the sophisticated setting features lots of gold and white decor and somewhat overly bright lighting.

The traditional English afternoon tea is served in the Epicurean restaurant on board and the whole experience is stunning from start to finish.  As you’re seated, you’re served a choice of tea and a sweet violet scent is sprayed across the table. From the classic afternoon sandwiches to the pistachio and strawberry tarts and lemon meringue trifle – the presentation is stunning. Above all, this one of the best iconic food venue on P&O’s Britannia.

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Banana and Peanut butter toast

Mushroom, avocado and feta cheese omelette

Poached eggs and avocado on toast with roasted cherry tomatoes

Peach granola bowl

Blueberry oat muffins

Chickpea pancakes with berries

The post Easy and healthy breakfast ideas appeared first on Sea Traveller.

Health insurance in the UK often refers to Private Medical Insurance, which offers paid-for healthcare treatment, as opposed to the NHS, which is free at the point of use. What’s more, you can access breakthrough treatments, including new cancer drugs, as soon as they’re licensed and proven to work (subject to medical history and cover options chosen. Out-patient drugs are not covered).

The health insurance has been designed to help people when they face major health issues like cancer, heart disease or stroke – as well as other medical conditions that can stop them getting on with their lives, such as joint pain and other musculoskeletal issues (subject to the cover chosen and medical history).

Pros:

• Speedy access to treatments – you can see a doctor more quickly instead of the long wait through NHS.
• Better privacy – you can often get a private room on a ward.
• Additional treatments – while most treatments and drugs are available on the NHS, if you have a particular need you may have to pay for private healthcare.
• Extras – firstly, some insurers offer a travel and/or income protection insurance free of charge as an addition to the policy. Secondly, you can get access to various health and wellness discounts and promotions, gym membership at low cost etc.

Cons:

• The insurance can be quite expensive and most likely the cost will increase as you get older.
• The pre-existing conditions and some chronic ones are not covered.

Is health insurance taxable?

Yes, if your employer pays for it. It is classified as benefit in kind and tax is paid on the taxable value of the benefit. HMRC defines this as the cash equivalent value. This is usually the amount it costs your employer to provide you with the benefit. However, if you personally cover the cost of the private health insurance, then it is a tax-free benefit to you.

What is income protection?

Income Protection is designed to pay a monthly benefit if you are unable to work due to illness or injury, which can be used to keep up to date with your rent / mortgage and other monthly costs.

However, given the very low level of state incapacity benefit, the first port of call is usually Income Protection so at least all your essential bills are paid for each month. After all, we’re fortunate in the UK to have the NHS which provides healthcare free at the point of use and so there’s generally less need for Private Medical Insurance than for Income Protection.

Pros:

• It will cover you if you are too injured or ill to work.
• If you are made unemployed without prior warning.

Cons:

• There is a deferred period – also known as an excess period or waiting period – is a length of time you need to wait while out of work before you are able to claim. These periods can range from the first day of absence to 60 days or more.
• In some cases, the insurance may cover only very small amount of your costs. Please make sure you read carefully the Terms & Conditions of the policy.

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Cut out sugar from your diet for just 6 weeks

Sugar add in a lot of calories you are not even aware of and you might be on track to be insulin resistant without you knowing. In other words, your body can’t burn fat at a normal rate. What usually happens with my clients when we remove sugar from their diet for just 6 weeks, we discover they were mostly running off sugar in the first place. Once you remove sugar, you can finally give your body a chance to detox, heal and switch up to fat for fuel. When I say sugar I mean really get in there and remove the sweets, the soft drinks, the alcohol, that pancake syrup or those fruits. Dieting shouldn’t be a temporarily or short term solution for you, it should be a lifetime change.

The first 3 days into this protocol will make you feel awful but on the 4th day I promise you things will quickly change in your favour and fat will start to fall of your body and your belly. Read more here about how to make the switch to a healthy diet

Only have 2 meals a day

It’s very important you stop snacking and eating at every hour of the day. Stick to a meal schedule and make sure you eat this particular time everyday. This will help you increase absorption of the nutrients and also help your body switch in and out of burning fat.

Make sure to have these 3 macro-nutrients at every meal:

A) Protein (meat: chicken, beef, salmon or vegan protein source).

B) Complex Carbohydrates: i.e Brown Rice (please avoid white rice, this thing is basically sugar once it enters your system)

C) A good fat source: Avocado, Eggs, nuts coconut oil perhaps on salad

Bonus on meal: Always include green veggies at every meal. It won’t make sense to you now but vegetable consumption has a compounding effect on fat loss.

Also don’t consume your Tea/Coffee along with your breakfast, consume it after 30 minutes from your breakfast. Eat everything but in moderation which is like eat 80–90% clean food and 10% whatever you like followed by a god exercise protocol.

Use your hands to measure your portions

It’s an odd technique but we found it to be very intuitive in terms of dietary control.

• 2 Palms of veggies
• 1 fist of Carbs
• A palm of Proteins ( I would 2 palms of protein actually, too many people don’t adsorb protein so well so a little more is better but limit red meat consumption due absorption issue but go all in other type of meat)
• 1 fist of Fruits (Forget this for now, no fruits for 6 weeks, No sugar: See above)
• A Thumb of Fat. (Go with 2–3 thumbs of fat. Note on fat: Avoid vegetable oil like the plague, use coconut oil or olive oil. Vegetable oil has other side effects beside adding calories.

I hope this was helpful. Keep my advice strictly on changes you can make to you diet, so you can achieve that desired flat stomach. Please take a few minutes to read my other post about Making the switch to a healthy diet. Thank you for reading!

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What is a healthy diet?

Eating a healthy diet is not about strict limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health, and boosting your mood.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be overly complicated and boring. If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you. You’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. The truth is that while some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a beneficial effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most important. The cornerstone of a healthy diet should be to replace processed food with real food whenever possible. Eating food that is as close as possible to the way nature made it can make a huge difference to the way you think, look, and feel.

By using these simple tips, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to create—and stick to—a tasty, varied, and nutritious diet that is as good for your mind as it is for your body.

The fundamentals of healthy eating

While some extreme diets may suggest otherwise, we all need a balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals in our diets to sustain a healthy body. You don’t need to eliminate certain categories of food from your diet, but rather select the healthiest options from each category.

Protein gives you the energy to get up and go—and keep going—while also supporting mood and cognitive function. Too much protein can be harmful to people with kidney disease, but the latest research suggests that many of us need more high-quality protein, especially as we age. That doesn’t mean you have to eat more animal products—a variety of plant-based sources of protein each day can ensure your body gets all the essential protein it needs.

Fat. Not all fat is the same. While bad fats can wreck your diet and increase your risk of certain diseases, good fats protect your brain and heart. In fact, healthy fats—such as omega-3s—are vital to your physical and emotional health. Including more healthy fat in your diet can help improve your mood, boost your well-being, and even trim your waistline.

Fiber. Eating foods high in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and beans) can help you stay regular and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also improve your skin and even help you to lose weight.

Calcium. As well as leading to osteoporosis, not getting enough calcium in your diet can also contribute to anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties. Whatever your age or gender, it’s vital to include calcium-rich foods in your diet, limit those that deplete calcium. Get enough magnesium and vitamins D and K to help calcium do its job.

Carbohydrates are one of your body’s main sources of energy. But most should come from complex, unrefined carbs (vegetables, whole grains, fruit) rather than sugars and refined carbs. Cutting back on white bread, pastries, starches, and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar, fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat, especially around your waistline.

Making the switch to a healthy diet

Switching to a healthy diet doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy and you don’t have to change everything all at once. That usually only leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan.

A better approach is to make a few small changes at a time. Keeping your goals modest can help you achieve more in the long term without feeling deprived or overwhelmed by a major diet overhaul. Think of planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps—like adding a salad to your diet once a day. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices.

Setting yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, try to keep things simple. Eating a healthier diet doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories, for example, think of your diet in terms of colour, variety, and freshness. Focus on avoiding packaged and processed foods and opting for more fresh ingredients whenever possible.

Prepare more of your own meals. Cooking more meals at home can help you take charge of what you’re eating and better monitor exactly what goes into your food. You’ll eat fewer calories and avoid the chemical additives and added sugar. The unhealthy fats of packaged and takeout foods can leave you feeling tired, bloated, and irritable, and exacerbate symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety.

Make the right changes. When cutting back on unhealthy foods in your diet, it’s important to replace them with healthy alternatives. Replacing dangerous trans fats with healthy fats (such as switching fried chicken for grilled salmon) will make a positive difference to your health. Switching animal fats for refined carbohydrates, though (such as switching your breakfast bacon for a donut), won’t lower your risk for heart disease or improve your mood.

Read the labels. It’s important to be aware of what’s in your food. The manufacturers often hide large amounts of sugar or unhealthy fats in packaged food, even food claiming to be healthy.

Focus on how you feel after eating. This will help foster healthy new habits and tastes. The healthier the food you eat, the better you’ll feel after a meal. The more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable, nauseous, or drained of energy.

Drink plenty of water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many of us go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger. So staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.

Moderation: important to any healthy diet

What is moderation? In essence, it means eating only as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed. For many of us, moderation means eating less than we do now. But it doesn’t mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation. Follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza.

Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods, it’s natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. Start by reducing portion sizes of unhealthy foods and not eating them as often. Reduce your intake of unhealthy foods. You may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.

Think smaller portions

Serving sizes have ballooned recently. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree. Or split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, visual cues can help with portion sizes. Your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. Half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb. By serving your meals on smaller plates or in bowls, you can trick your brain into thinking it’s a larger portion. If you don’t feel satisfied at the end of a meal, add more leafy greens or round off the meal with fruit.

Take your time. It’s important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food. So eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.

Eat with others whenever possible. Eating alone, especially in front of the TV or computer, often leads to mindless overeating.

Limit snack foods in the home. Be careful about the foods you keep at hand. It’s more challenging to eat in moderation if you have unhealthy snacks and treats at the ready. Instead, surround yourself with healthy choices and when you’re ready to reward yourself with a special treat, go out and get it then.

Control emotional eating. We don’t always eat just to satisfy hunger. Many of us also turn to food to relieve stress or cope with unpleasant emotions such as sadness, loneliness, or boredom. But by learning healthier ways to manage stress and emotions, you can regain control over the food you eat and your feelings.

Add more fruit and vegetables to your diet

Fruit and vegetables are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Focus on eating the recommended daily amount of at least five servings of fruit and vegetables. It will naturally fill you up and help you cut back on unhealthy foods. A serving is half a cup of raw fruit or veg or a small apple or banana, for example. Most of us need to double the amount we currently eat.

To increase your intake:

• Add antioxidant-rich berries to your favourite breakfast cereal
• Eat a medley of sweet fruit—oranges, mangos, pineapple, grapes—for dessert
• Swap your usual rice or pasta side dish for a colourful salad
• Instead of eating processed snack foods, snack on vegetables such as carrots, snow peas, or cherry tomatoes along with a spicy hummus dip or peanut butter

How to make vegetables tasty

While plain salads and steamed veggies can quickly become bland, there are plenty of ways to add taste to your vegetable dishes.

Add colour. Not only do brighter, deeper coloured vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but they can vary the flavour and make meals more visually appealing. Add colour using fresh or sundried tomatoes, glazed carrots or beets, roasted red cabbage wedges, yellow squash, or sweet, colourful peppers.

Liven up salad greens. Branch out beyond lettuce. Kale, arugula, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are all packed with nutrients. To add flavour to your salad greens, try drizzling with olive oil, adding a spicy dressing, or sprinkling with almond slices, chickpeas, a little bacon, Parmesan, or goat cheese.

Satisfy your sweet tooth. Naturally sweet vegetables—such as carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, bell peppers, and squash—add sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for added sugar. Add them to soups, stews, or pasta sauces for a satisfying sweet kick.

Cook green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus in new ways. Instead of boiling or steaming these healthy sides, try grilling, roasting, or pan frying them with chilli flakes, garlic, shallots, mushrooms, or onion. Or marinate in tangy lemon or lime before cooking.

Plan quick and easy meals ahead

Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.

Plan your meals by the week or even the month

One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store

In general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores, while the centre aisles are filled with processed and packaged foods that aren’t good for you. Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and visit the aisles for spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).

Cook when you can

Try to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.

Challenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer, and spice rack. A delicious dinner of whole grain pasta with a quick tomato sauce or a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat flour tortilla (among endless other recipes) could act as your go-to meal when you are just too busy to shop or cook.

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