The Next Step & Wedding Planning

Our visa petition has been approved!! YAY! As you know Patrick and I got engaged in November and he immediately petitioned for my fiancé visa which has now been approved! I've spent the last few weeks gathering the paperwork (copies of passport, birth certificate, passport sized photos, police certificate, application form) and I have my medical exam lined up this week and after that it's interview time. I have to say I'm a little nervous as to what the medical will be like and the interview process itself as there is very little information online but that's been the same for most of this process! We have had very little information on what happens next until that step is required and so many things hinge on other processes it's quite frustrating, but! We are nearly there!!

In fact it's less than three months until our English wedding celebration (yes we are having two! A symbolic wedding with friends and family in the UK and then a trip to the courthouse followed by a party in America) and I couldn't be more excited! We went back to England from Norway for a weekend a few weeks ago and picked out our rings and I can't wait to exchange our vows and give Patrick his ring to wear forever. We've asked our close friend and person who brought us together, Louise, to lead the English ceremony for us and we've written the working for it ourselves so it's completely personal to us. It's going to be such a wonderful day and sometimes I just wish it was tomorrow!

However once I go home to England for the six weeks before the wedding there are lots of little things to prepare to keep me occupied! My dress will be arriving into the store the week I return and then I have my fittings - pretty sure I'm not going to want to take it off!! And then I'm meeting with our photographers, having our menu tasting, arranging our seating plan and planning a sample playlist for the DJ! Plus buying some presents for special people and some finishing touches to the decorations. I heard a lot about how stressful planning a wedding can be and I think the level of stress is totally about your attitude. It's easy to get bogged down in little things that at the end of it all, aren't going to ruin your day. If you remember that the point of it all is about you and your partner joining your lives together forever and as long as you both show up on the day it's going to be perfect! Everything else is just icing on the cake - beautiful, fantastic icing of course, but icing none the less. I have to say that I honestly know our wedding is going to be the best day ever and I can not wait to spend the rest of my life with Patrick!

Protein Packed Power Porridge

Breakfast is fast becoming one of my favourite meals to have. From smoothies to porridge to pancakes and everything in between I can't get enough of it! Before I was vegan it was easily my least favourite to the point where most days I skipped it. I didn't like milk so never had cereal, I had yet to discovered I loved peanut butter and that avocado on toast is delicious, so often just settled for a banana and powered through to lunch with coffee. These days I feel like I could eat breakfast foods for every meal and I have so much more energy in the morning!

Porridge is a great option for breakfast as it's quick to make and this version is full of amazing energy boosting foods that are great for your body. The 'protein question' is something vegans or people who follow a plant based diet can find themselves faced with quite often and it's the first thing people think you're missing out on when they realise you don't eat any animal products. However, there are so so many foods that contain protein that are purely plant based its easy to get everything you need without coming close to an animal so it's not something I ever worry about! This recipe is packed full of it without even trying and it's totally delicious.

Oats themselves are a powerhouse of nutrition containing a decent amount of protein (13g per half cup), vitamins, minerals, fibre and of course a great source of slow releasing carbohydrates to keep you feeling full and fuelled throughout the morning - I never run a race without a bowl of porridge in my stomach! They are also said to regulate blood sugar levels and help to prevent heart disease and other health issues which is pretty impressive! The toppings I add to my porridge are also a big hit of protein. My favourites are pumpkin and chia seeds, particularly chia seeds as they are the most protein dense seed and also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, but all are excellent sources of protein so whichever toppers you choose you can't go wrong! The below recipe has just under 20g of protein in just one bowl - plant based protein couldn't be any easier!

The recipe:

1/2 cup oats* (I used rolled or old fashioned oats - not quick cook)

1 cup oat milk (or any non-dairy milk)

1-2 tsp cinnamon

1 banana, sliced (keep half for topping)

1/2-1 cup frozen raspberries (fresh are also great, and I often sub these for blueberries!)

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds**

1 tsp chia seeds**

Add all ingredients to a small pan except the seeds and half the banana and heat over a low heat. Stir mixture often, I like to mash up my fruit a little, until you reach the desired consistency for your porridge - for me that's about 10 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and top with sliced banana and a sprinkle of seeds. Grab a spoon and enjoy! 

*If this is too much or not enough just amend the quantity of oats but keep the oats:liquid ratio at 1:2 and your porridge will always be perfect!

**Other great topping options include sunflower seeds, flax seed, nut butters, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, more fruit...basically anything you like!