Food: Lactose-free AlproTops Breakfast Day 3 & 4

Hello there! I've been a little absent as it's Christmas, and the time to indulge in family, food and sleep...something I rarely get in the hustle and bustle of London town!

I just wanted to finish a little series of posts I have been doing, as part of my goal of finding healthy but delicious alternatives to gluten and dairy foods. 

Alpro challenged me to taste all of their Big Pot plant based yogurts - Simply Plain, Vanilla, Strawberry with Rhubarb and Lemon & Lime, so I experimented with different toppings every day to make my breakfast a little more adventurous.

They sent me a lovely hamper with every flavour, plus lots and lots of pots filled with different healthy but delicious toppings to choose from. You can check out my posts on Day 1 and Day 2 by clicking on each. 

Scroll down to see the rest...hope you like my topping combos!

By day 3 I started to get a little more adventurous and wasn't really thinking about the different combinations I put together...I wanted to see whether the yoghurt on it's own as a dominant flavour would be enough to be able to mix almost anything with it...and it did work as whatever I put in, it still tasted amazing!

Some of the ingredients like the chia seeds were a little chewy, but I really liked the big pieces of fruit which were quite filling.

The yoghurt was also a great snack or pudding alternative.

The doilies are hand made, vintage coasters I got at a small market in a church in Hackney. They were only £5 and look really pretty on the table even with no glasses on them :)

You can buy them on eBay (click to go through) or Etsy, too.

I can't actually remember where I found this beautiful faux lavender bunch, but it's been sitting on the shelf in my bathroom to brighten it up a little. The gorgeous framed pressed flowers are from an Etsy seller called Mingo Gardens, and make a great gift. Each is a one-off unique item, so I got really lucky with this stunning frame!

The bowl was a gift from Alpro, but you can find similar ones at Anthropologie.

All the Alpro flavours

The gorgeous framed pressed flowers are from an Etsy seller called Mingo Gardens.

Dark Chocolate - Powerful source of antioxidants (yes it's good for you, but only dark!)

Cinnamon - Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease

Dried Mango - Rich in Vitamin C which is 80% daily value. Vitamin C has an important role in boosting the body's immune system to prevent diseases. Also, it promotes faster healing of wounds

Dried Cranberry - Cranberry juice and cranberries are often recommended for the prevention and treatment of urinary tract and bladder infections. They are indeed highly calorific and sugary, so eat in small amounts

I really hope that my recommendations will inspire you to be more adventurous with your brekkies, or to just try using several different ingredients with one of the delicious Alpro yoghurts!

Everyone is different, and that means everyone's digestive system is very different...I can't possibly know what suits you best or what your tummy likes but it's always worth trying new things to figure that out...so good luck and I hope that I can help you find healthier, delicious alternatives to your favourite foods.

Food: Lactose-free AlproTops Breakfast Day 2

When Alpro got in touch and challenged me to taste all of their Big Pot plant based yogurts - Simply Plain, Vanilla, Strawberry with Rhubarb and Lemon & Lime, I couldn't wait to try them all and experiment with different toppings every day to make my breakfast a little more adventurous.

They sent me a lovely hamper with every flavour, plus lots and lots of pots filled with different healthy but delicious toppings to choose from...one of the things I received was this adorable little box alongside the various toppings in cute little labelled boxes which was really handy.

Alpro's soya alternative to yogurt, with it's mild taste and smooth texture, is delicious on its own or with fruit, granola, seeds, nuts, etc. It is 100% plant based and rich in plant protein, is naturally low in saturated fat and sugar, lactose and gluten-free, and contains calcium, vitamins B12 and D. 

The little pots Alpro sent me were all labelled and made mixing things up even easier and more fun...try separating all your toppings in small dishes or inside cups like these to make it quicker in the morning...so all you have to do is scoop with a spoon rather than opening up packets individually.

On day 2 of my adventurous breakfast experiment, I went a little lighter than I did on Day 1 (when I went a little crazy on the combos!). I used the Vanilla big pot flavour as a base (my favourite!) and added dark chocolate swirls, cinnamon powder, chia seeds, and goji berries.

Dark Chocolate - Powerful source of antioxidants (yes it's good for you, but only dark!)

Cinnamon - Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease

Chia Seeds - Among the most nutritious foods on the planet...they are full of finer, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and various antioxidants

Goji Berries - The real deal...A standard 100gm serving of goji berries fills your body with vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K along with various essential minerals. They also contain high concentrations of proteins and amino acids, and have been known to boost human’s immunity against various diseases, improve eye health, and protect liver and kidneys

Although some of the ingredients I chose in this combo were very simple and didn't necessarily add to the flavour, the Vanilla base provided what was missing and it was delicious. I always struggle to chew goji berries but try to eat them whoever I remember due to their many health benefits!

It's really easy to add little things to our daly meals such as these seeds, super foods and little extras...so we should always try to eat them. Keep pots of them on your desk at work and then just add whenever it feels right with your lunch!

Come back in a couple of days for a few more of my #AlproTops creations!

Food: Lactose-free AlproTops Breakfast Day 1

You may have seen my previous posts on gluten-free foods, as I am on a bit of a mission to try lots of new alternatives and make my daily diet healthy but fuss-free. It's been a bit of a challenge limiting myself, removing certain foods from my diet completely, and finding great tasting alternatives to gluten and dairy foods.

I found that I had tummy ache after eating creamy foods, and drinking anything with milk so I had to cut this out, too. I now drink Lacto-Free milk, but I had't tried any yogurts just yet.

When Alpro got in touch and challenged me to taste all of their Big Pot plant based yogurts - Simply Plain, Vanilla, Strawberry with Rhubarb and Lemon & Lime, I couldn't wait to try them all and experiment with different toppings every day to make my breakfast a little more adventurous.

They sent me a lovely hamper with every flavour, plus lots and lots of pots filled with different healthy but delicious toppings to choose from. I'm not much of a morning person and usually eat quickly, so the hamper and goodies made the experimenting all the more fun!

Alpro's soya alternative to yogurt, with it's mild taste and smooth texture, is delicious on its own or with fruit, granola, seeds, nuts, etc. It is 100% plant based and rich in plant protein, is naturally low in saturated fat and sugar, lactose and gluten-free, and contains calcium, vitamins B12 and D. 

Alpro sent me three beautiful bowls to match with my colourful toppings, and even a personalised silver spoon!

I went a little crazy with my first try, adding five different toppings to the Strawberry with Rhubarb yogurt - desiccated coconut, raspberries, dark chocolate flakes, flax seeds and muesli.

Desiccated coconut - Full of iron, healthy fats and dietary fiber. Dietary fiber bulks up your food, helping to stave off hunger between meals. It also helps prevent digestive disorders

Raspberries - Eating one cup of raw raspberries will provide 54% of your vitamin C needs, 12% of vitamin K, 6% of folate, 5% of vitamin E, iron, and potassium, and 41% of manganese needs for the day

Dark Chocolate - Powerful source of antioxidants

Flax seeds - Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. They are high in omega-3s and charged with fibre, and can really fire up your metabolism. (If you have IBS you need to be careful and consult your GP on how much to take)

Muesli - Muesli is also a good source of dietary finer, and a great healthy breakfast mix to give you energy for the day

I thought that after throwing in this crazy combination of toppings, that my meal would taste a little odd, but it was absolutely delicious. Every different topping gave something yummy to the mix, and the main yogurt flavour was so light but with great taste. I was comfortably full after eating it, and my tummy was very happy, too! :) 

Those who suffer from intolerances will really understand and appreciate this as it's a great feeling to find something that suits your diet,but that tastes amazing, too.

Come back in a couple of days for more of my #AlproTops creations!