Getting Ready for INSANITY MAX:30!

How long until YOU Max Out?!

As many of you know Insanity was my first Beachbody workout dvd.  I had watched the infomercial on TV for roughly 2 years before I took the plunge and finally bought it!  And I fell in love!!  

I had never experienced a workout, that within 5 minutes of starting out, the sweat was dripping of my nose and I LOVED it!

It pushes your body and your mind to places you never thought you could go. Well Shaun T has went one step further and next week Insanity Max:30 is released!

The many faces of Insanity!!

The workouts are 30 minutes long and you go all out, push your hardest until you Max Out (take a break) You make a note of the time you maxed out, then try and go longer next time.  Getting stronger and increasing your endurance with every workout.

There are also 150 new moves too!!  Sounds crazy, right?!

Yep, I'm a little scared, but that's not going to stop me, NO WAY!!

So Santa if you're reading this I would love to see Insanity Max:30 in my stocking this Christmas!  (HoHoHo!)

I believe in at home workouts,  I believe they work especially if you have accountability and support and stay consistent.  I haven't been a gym member for nearly 9 years now and I'm in the best shape of my life (although I'm still a work in progress) and it's all down to at home workout dvds, eating clean and drinking plenty water.

That's it, that's all it takes, IF you stay consistent.  It's a lifestyle, not for the holidays, not to fit into a bikini, not for a special occasion, but for LIFE!  Life IS the special occasion!

Post workout and my baby abs are trying to pop through!

So my next workout program will be the new Insanity Max:30.  It will probably kill me, but I need a new challenge and what better way to go into the New Year than sweating out the mulled wine and the mince pies!!

I'll be really excited to see how this workout will change my body even more (come on little abs!)  

I'll keep you posted and if any of you guys will be doing Max:30 drop me a message or a comment, having others to keep you accountable is so much better than doing it on your own!

Have an amazing week.  I'm always over at Fit For Life for daily motivation!

Caroline xoxo 

Clean Hot Chocolate and Guilt Free Fudge!

Stay trim this Festive Season!

It's started!!  There's gorgeous, delicious food and dreamy, creamy drinks everywhere!  You can smell them in the air.  Ooh they smell so good but are laden with about a trillion calories and we don't want to ruin all the hard work we've put in all year in just a few weeks, right?!

So I searched for a hot chocolate recipe that was clean but also tasted delicious, I never want to skimp on flavour, who does?!  

It's so quick and easy, you can make it in less than 5 mins then curl up on the sofa and enjoy!

Clean Hot Chocolate

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp stevia or honey

Cinnamon stick

Warm up almond milk and cinnamon stick in a saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer.  Add the cocoa powder slowly stirring until completely dissolved.

Pour into a mug, (optional) sprinkle a little cocoa and cinnamon and garnish with the cinnamon stick!

Clean Hot Chocolate!

And of course you need a little sweet treat to go with your hot chocolate!  How about some slow cooker/crock pot chocolate fudge (guilt free!)

I was so excited when I discovered this recipe because, 1.  I loooovvvveee fudge and 2. I'm all about the slow cooker/crock pot.  It's one of the best things ever!  Throw everything in and just leave it to cook, I'm sold!!

Here it is......

Guilt Free Slow Cooker Chocolate Fudge

440 grams or 2 1/2 cups of good quality dark choc drops

125 ml or 1/2 cup canned coconut milk

4 tbsp or 1/4 cup honey

Pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Add chocolate chips, coconut milk, honey, salt and coconut oil to the slow cooker.  Stir until the ingredients are combined.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours WITHOUT stirring.

After 2 hours, allow to cool to room temp. then stir vigorously for 5 mins until the mixture loses some of it's shine.   (You can use an electric beater)

Lightly oil an 8" x 8" square pan and pour the mixture in.  Cover and refrigerate for around 4 hours. Cut into bite size pieces.  Keep the fudge stored in the fridge until you want to eat. (If you can make it last!)

Even though the fudge is clean, doesn't mean you would want to eat a lot in one go, it is very rich!!

Guilt Free Chocolate Fudge!

Get in the Christmas spirit, put on some Festive tunes, enjoy a hot chocolate and a little fudge without feeling guilty, I know I definitely am!!  

Have an amazing week!  Caroline xoxo

I'm always over on Fit For Life where I post daily, if you can't wait till next week!!

3 Day Detox Cleanse Meal Plan!

3 days to flush out the Nastys and lose a few unwanted lbs!!

UPON WAKING - LEMON AND GINGER WATER

Large mug of warm water.  Squeeze half a lemon and a pop a small piece of ginger into your mug.  Top with boiled water and add a little cold water to get a warm temp.  Feel free to have more than one mug.

BREAKFAST - FRESH JUICE

2 celery stalks

Half a cucumber

2 large kale leaves or a handful of spinach

Handful of fresh parsley

1/2 lemon (remove peel)

1 apple

1 raw beetroot (optional)

Juice all ingredients together.  If you don't have a juicer, you could use a blender and add a little water.  (with blending the consistency will be thicker)

MID MORNING SNACK - VEG STICKS

Makes enough for 3 days. Store in  tupperware.

3 cucumbers

3 celery stalks

3 carrots

Wash and cut into sticks, keep refrigerated until needed.

Veg sticks prepared and stored.

LUNCH - RESTORING BALANCE SOUP

Makes enough for 3 days.

1 1/2 litres of water

3 courgettes

3 celery stalks

1 large bunch green beans

1 large bunch fresh parsley

3 tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp sea or rock salt

2 tsp dried herbs

Chop all the veg and put all ingredients into a large pot.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 mins.  You can leave the soup chunky or blend if you prefer a smoother soup.

Divide into 3 portions and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

AFTERNOON SNACK - ALMONDS

Handful of almonds. Around 12 - 15.

DINNER - LARGE GREEN SALAD

Serves 1

1 ripe avocado, chopped

1/2 cucumber, chopped

1 carrot, grated

Large handful fresh watercress

Handful fresh coriander, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Few florets of raw broccoli (optional)

Salad Dressing: Mix 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. (optional - add chilli flakes to add extra favour)

DESSERT - CHIA SEED PUDDING

Makes 3 servings

300ml unsweetened almond milk

1 tbsp honey

4 tbsp chia seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a large jar a shake until combined.  Pour into 3 small bowls or glasses and refrigerate.  After around 30 mins, the mixture will have thickened to a pudding consistency.  Keep covered in the fridge until needed.

Alternatively, you can freeze until needed, then add a little more almond milk and blend for a frozen dessert.

3 chia seed puddings.

* REMEMBER TO DRINK PLENTY WATER. AIM FOR 2 LITRES PER DAY*

* NO COFFEE, BUT YOU CAN HAVE HERBAL TEAS e.g. CHAMOMILE, PEPPERMINT 

TEA
NO STRENUOUS EXERCISE IS RECOMMENDED DURING THE CLEANSE *

Prepare the soup and dessert ahead of time, divide up your snacks and you're good to go!

3 Day Detox Cleanse Results!

Crazy results in just 3 days!!

So last weekend was Halloween, and the chocolate got to me!  Usually I'm sooo good and can resist or only have 1 piece, well not last weekend, the sugar monster came out to play!!

Chocolate is my BIG weakness, once it takes hold, I'm gone.  It's like crack cocaine to me, seriously.  I say this as a joke, but sugar is highly addictive, it's a drug and most people ARE addicted!

See my before picture, this is the morning after my chocolate binge.  Look how bloated and puffy my stomach is, my face slightly too.  Sugar is the devil!!

So I just wanted a quick, healthy way to cleanse my body of all the crap I'd put into it over the weekend,  I did the 3 day cleanse detox.

Making lunch for the next 3 days.

Soup on the cleanse, tasted really nice!

I didn't want to do a juice fast or just a liquid cleanse as I like to eat, and I would find it hard to stick to, if I couldn't actually chew anything.  So I did my research and found a 3 day cleanse that included juices, soup, salad, snacks and dessert (yes dessert!)  I tweaked it a little to suit me, without changing it up too much.

The result was a 3 day detox cleanse that felt doable.  It's all natural with lots of veg, lots of water and I never felt hungry.  I did have a slight headache one evening and felt tired earlier in the nighttime, but that was expected. It's a cleanse and that was my body's natural response while flushing out all the nasty toxins and restoring balance.

3 day detox cleanse

I was really happy with my end results.  As you can see from the after photo, all the bloat has gone.  I feel lighter and leaner and an added bonus I lost 3 lbs! 

Down 3lbs in 3 days, not from starving or doing a liquid fast, but by restoring my body with whole natural healthy food!

I've opened up a private group on Facebook for anyone who would like to do this cleanse next week.  It starts Tuesday through Thursday,  I provide a shopping list and a meal guide and you'll get lots of support from others doing the cleanse with you.

If you or anyone you know would like to join in comment below or send me a message through my Facebook page Fit For Life.  I'd love to have you join our group!

The more the merrier, spreading the healthy love!!

Have an awesome week, stay happy, stay grateful!

Caroline xoxo

Leftover Halloween Pumpkin? Slow Cooker Lentil and Vegetable Soup.

Halloween wine and goodies!

Did you have a Happy Halloween?  I love this time of year, it's the run up to Christmas, my all time favourite holiday!!  I'm getting in the festive spirit already, yes I've been playing Christmas songs at home and in my car!!

But with that comes all the goodies, oh and I love them all!  Mince pies and mulled wine, yes please!  I will be enjoying some treats but I will not be stuffing my face, I WILL have self control!!!

After 12 hours... delicious!!

Divided into individual portions.

My slow cooker/crockpot lentil and vegetable soup is going to keep you on track.  I make this and divide it up into individual portions and refrigerate or freeze until I need them.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups dried red lentils

1 litre vegetable stock

1/2 pumpkin or butternut squash, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 potatoes, chopped

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp dried herbs

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

METHOD

Throw everything into the slow cooker/crockpot and cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 5 hours.

After cooking I blended half the mixture to make it thicker but still leaving some chunky veg!

This soup is going to be a staple throughout the winter months in our house.  What could be easier than putting all the ingredients into one pot and turning it on?  I love it, foolproof!  Enjoy.

Pop over to Fit For Life where I post everyday.

Have a happy, healthy week.  Stay grateful.

Caroline xoxo

Staying Healthy in The Highlands!

Meeting a few Highland cows!

This week I drove up north to spend a few nights in The Highlands.  I love it up there, really getting away from it all and just relaxing.  I really should go more often, it only took me  1 1/2 hours drive! Why when it's literally on our doorstep don't we go more?  This is probably the first time I've visited in nearly 15 years!

Traditional log fireplace,

We stayed in a traditional little Scottish hotel that had 3 roaring fireplaces.  You can't beat sitting in front of the fire after a long walk in the countryside.  I immersed myself totally and enjoyed every second of it.

A small dry sherry by the fire.

So, did I stay healthy for those few days?  Well, kinda...

I took a lemon with me as I need my warm water and lemon first thing in the morning, that's a given. I also took some unsalted nuts, raisins and apples, just so I had some healthy snack options ready to hand.

For the 2 nights I was there I chose whatever I wanted to eat at dinner and I had a few glasses of wine too. ( I was on a little break after all!)

I also bought some homemade macaroon, I used to love this as a child, it tasted sooo good and brought back some memories...

Mmmm homemade macaroon!

So today I'm back on it, back to my clean eating until next Saturday ( my treat meal night) and my workouts. ( No workouts on my 2 nights away)

Because I eat clean and workout consistently I don't worry about those few days away, I just jump straight back in.  I would never allow myself to fall back into my old ways, that's never going to happen!

So I just finished Piyo drench, now I'm going old school and pushing play on some P90X legs and back. Ooh may have trouble with the stairs tomorrow!!

Consistency Is Key

Have a great week, stay healthy, stay happy and pop over to my Facebook Page Fit For Life where I post everyday.

Caroline xoxo

Update on Beachbodys Piyo workout with added slides!

Homemade slides on my feet!!

Yes I'm still doing the Piyo workout everyday (well 6 out of 7 days!)  I'm still totally in love with this workout which is a blend of Piyo and Pilates at a pace which flows.  

I bought the extended version which includes the use of slides.  I made my own version, just disposable plastic plates and boy do they make a difference!

These slides MAKE you use correct form, and that makes the workout more challenging which is a fantastic bonus in my opinion!

Look at that stomach!!

I'm into my 3rd month doing Piyo and I really have noticed a difference everywhere!  I'm noticing more muscle definition, I'm feeling stronger and much more flexible ( I could barely touch my toes before starting Piyo)  

Whatever workout I choose to do next I'll definitely incorporate Piyo, as I want to stay flexible, those hamstrings need to stay subtle!

Day 1:  My heels are quite high, super tight hamstrings.
Day 64:  Heels on the floor, so much more flexible, Thank You Piyo!!

I still have nearly 3 weeks to go until I finish month 3 and I'm super excited to see my results when I'm done. 

Although I love working out, it is a huge part of who I am, also remember it's ALL about the nutrition, they both go hand in hand.  If you're not eating right you're not going to get the results you want.  So get your workouts in and eat right, you're going to look amazing AND feel amazing, promise!

Working out in my PJ bottoms (loving it!)

Have an awesome week, keep smiling, stay grateful and pop over to my Facebook page Fit For Life where I post daily.

Caroline xoxo

Live Your Life Unapologetically!

Just be you, everyone else is already taken!

Do you sometimes change who you are to fit in, or maybe wonder what other people will think of you?  Today I was thinking about just that.  

I have my health and fitness page Fit For Life where I post everyday, sometimes video clips of me exercising, new healthy recipes or motivational quotes but on my own personal Facebook page Caroline Glen I don't often post much about it.  Why? 

Well today I was really thinking about it and to be totally honest it's because I was a little worried about what people would think.  On my fitness page you expect the posts and photos of working out or my latest juice recipe but on my personal page I didn't want people thinking "Oh there she goes again  Miss Health & Fitness"

Always Be Yourself!

So today I'm turning a corner, being healthy and working out is such a huge part of who I am, I shouldn't worry about what people will think or say.  So I'm not going to shy away and put everything on my fitness page. I'm going to embrace who I am, sweaty workout pics and all, along with all the photos and posts of myself and my son. 

 

Post workout fresh beet juice!

I hope maybe this helps someone else who struggles with what other people think, remember this:

You may be the ripest juiciest peach, but there's always going to be someone who doesn't like peaches.

JUST BE YOU and LIVE YOUR LIFE UNAPOLOGETICALLY!!

Have an awesome week and stay healthy.

Caroline xoxo

Clean Slow Cooker Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal!

Slow cooker apple and cinnamon oatmeal with
 figs, almonds and extra cinnamon!!

I love Autumn.  The weather is changing, the nights are drawing in, out come the socks and boots, snuggling with blankets, having cosy nights in and heart warming food! And apple everything!

Apples on their own are fab, but cook them down, add some cinnamon (I'm a bit of a cinnamon addict, I shake it on everything!) and I'm in heaven.  

I wanted to do a slow cooker/crock pot recipe, so when I came down in the morning my breakfast was there and ready to eat. 

 

Here's my Slow Cooker Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal recipe.

Makes 4 servings.

• butter or coconut oil (for coating the slow cooker)
• 2 cup oats
• 1 cups water
• 2 cups unsweetened almond/coconut/soya milk
• 1 cup chopped apple pieces
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• chopped nuts, nut butter and/or dried fruit for serving

Instructions

1. Coat your slow cooker with butter or coconut oil. Add all the ingredients into slow cooker and mix well. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Place in a bowl to serve and top with nuts, dried fruit, nut butter and more cinnamon.

Before cooking 

After cooking

When you walk down the stairs in the morning the smell is amazing!!  I separated this into 4 portions, stored them in the fridge and I had a readymade breakfast for the rest of the week. 

I'm also loving all the Autumn candles around and I have this burning at the mo...

Yankee Candle Wax Melt

Ok, so maybe I have a slight apple/cinnamon addiction going on, but there's really no better smell at this time of year.  

Try out my Slow Cooker Oatmeal recipe, and let me know how it turns out.  Head over to my Facebook Page Fit For Life for more recipe ideas and have a great week!

Thanks, Caroline xoxo

 

Live Well - Feel Amazing!

Treat your body well, it's the only place you have to live.

I've had a pretty busy week.  Between working, being a mum, teaching my Insanity classes and studying for my Nutritional Therapy diploma, I've been kept on my toes!  

I'm really enjoying my course, I'm sometimes a bit mind blown by all the information that I have to take in but truly fascinated too!  At the moment I'm learning all about how the choices you make, not only what you eat and drink but also how your environment and your stress levels can affect the cells in your body.  You CAN control most of these things, you CAN decide between living healthy or not.  Why wouldn't you want to give yourself the best chance at living a long, healthy life?

This film really hits home, you truly are what you eat.

I'm beginning to see that people are wanting to eat better for their health and not just to lose weight and that makes me really happy.  It's not all about diet drinks and sugar free yogurts.  Ok so you might lose the weight, but for how long and it's not doing your insides any good either.  

All calories are not created equal!  Oh believe me when I was younger I did not know this.  

On some days I would have pick n mix sweets for my lunch (remember those?) I would think to myself "Ok that's about 300 cals, that's the same as a sandwich"  WHAT!!!  Not even considering the amount of sugar and highly processed crap I was putting into my body everyday.  

Not all calories are created equal.

If you follow my Facebook page Fit For Life, you'll know I preach clean eating and drinking lots of water daily. Sure I have some wine and chocolate on a Saturday night, with the occasional pizza thrown in, but 90% of the time I'm a clean eater all the way.  I really believe this way of eating has transformed my body inside and out, and that I'll live to be a ripe old age, enjoying life to the full!

You know what else is great about this? My son knows this is how we eat and we really only drink water at home.  Teaching the next generation it's all about being HEALTHY and not being SKINNY.

My son Ollie's breakfast - wholegrain toast with fruit
(he seems slightly happy with that choice!)

Thanks for reading, have a fab week and remember to work out and eat clean!

Caroline xoxo

NEW BEACHBODY WORKOUTS.... AND A FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM.... GOT ME ALL EXCITED!!

30 MINS OF MAX INSANITY!

TAKING THE 21 DAY FIX TO THE EXTREME!

OMG...... I just found out on Friday that Beachbody are launching these two new workouts..... This makes me SO excited as Insanity is my first love and the workouts are no longer than 30 minutes long BUT they are all maxed out!!  Talk about pushing your body to the limit, and they have a modifier this time (unlike the original Insanity dvds) so everyone can do this, even if you're modifying as long as you're pushing yourself to YOUR limit!

Beachbody already has the 21 day fix, but now they're launching the 21 day fix extreme, taking it up to the next level.  No weighing or measuring your food, as long as the correct food fits into the correct tubs, put it on your plate and eat up!  These workouts are also no longer than 30 minutes! I'm loving these shorter workouts, NO EXCUSES, everyone has time to exercise for 30 minutes in their own home. This version also has a bikini competition prep diet plan, which I would love to try out. (Who doesn't want abs like Autumn Calabrese?! - girl in the pic -)

TRYING OUT VEGAN CHOC SHAKEOLOGY

So at the moment in the UK you can't get Shakeology through Beachbody. For those of you that don't know,  Shakeology is a meal replacement or a snack that is all natural with over 70 superfoods in each serving.  This is the ONLY shake I would ever take, no added junk, no artificial garbage and it tastes so gooood.  When I was in Florida earlier this year I got a months supply delivered to my villa, but now I've ran out so I ordered some single serving packets from Ebay.  

I put this photo on Instagram with the hashtag #beachbody and #carldaikeler (CEO of Beachbody) and the caption "Bring Shakeology to the UK".  On Friday I'm scrolling through my Instagram and I see "Carl Daikeler is now following you".  Aarrgghh.... ok so in my cryptic mind, does this mean they are closer to bringing all that is Beachbody and Shakeology to the UK?  I hope so, I really do.  Anything that is going to help people lose weight and get healthier can only be a good thing, and the sooner the better.

In the meantime keep eating clean and working out! 

Thanks for reading and remember to visit my Facebook page Fit For Life where I post daily.

Have a fabulous week....

Caroline xoxo

Saying Goodbye..... and Looking Forward to New Beginnings.

My son Ollie and my cat Harley

On Tuesday this week, my beloved cat Harley died. She nearly made it to her 20th birthday, so she had a good long life.  I knew she didn't have long to go, as she had kidney disease and it was progressively getting worse.  On Monday evening her back legs gave way, I just sat with her that night knowing the end was near.  By Tuesday morning she had passed.  In a way I'm grateful she went on her own as I couldn't imagine taking her to the vet to get her put to sleep.

It's really strange her not being around, as she was such a homely cat, never wandering far. It's going to take some time to get used to.  I have her name tag on my key chain and I'm getting a plaque engraved and put on my bench in the garden.  

She'll always be remembered, she was a big part of the family. I'm getting her ashes back on Thursday and I'm going to scatter them beside where my Mum's ashes were scattered.  

RIP Harley, I hope you're up there running around in fields with the sun shining down on you.

Grateful for the 20 years we got with Harley

So after all that happening, I saw an opportunity to study online to become a Nutritional Therapist and gain a diploma through the Health Sciences Academy.  Now this IS my passion, but I thought I was going to have to wait until my son Ollie was older, never realising I could gain a diploma online. After all the tears this week, this is my rainbow.  

I'm so excited to get started and learn more about nutrition, what it does to us and how important it is in our lives.  This is where my future lies, helping others live a full healthy life through the knowledge of good nutrition, combined with exercise.  

Nutrition IS the key!

As one door closes and I say goodbye to Harley another one opens and I look forward to new beginnings.

Thanks for reading guys, I appreciate and I'm grateful for everyone of you that takes the time to read my weekly blogs.  

Remember to head over to Fit For Life, my Facebook page where I post daily.

Have a lovely week, Caroline xoxo

Clean Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes? Yes Please!!

Kid Approved!!

I have such a sweet tooth, sometimes the craving for sugar really gets to me! I'll be standing in my kitchen opening every cupboard and raiding the fridge looking for something sweet.  The thing is I know there's nothing there ( I deliberately don't buy chocolate for this reason, I have no self control when chocolate is involved! ) but I keep checking in case something might miraculously appear!! Does anyone else do this?!  Crazy lady...

So I searched for a clean recipe that would satisfy my sugar craving and I found this amazing recipe for Clean Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes.  I was sceptical at first but thought I'd give them a try and test the outcome.  

And the result? OMG! For a clean chocolate cake they are pretty awesome.  They are delicious, moist, chocolatey, and guilt free, Hallelujah!!  Did I mention they are made with chickpeas? Yes, chickpeas, no flour, so they are gluten free too. Yey!!

Yes, I liked the bowl, sooo good!

Just out the oven, smell delicious!

Last night (Saturday night) is when I allow myself a little wine and a little ice cream.  My son Ollie chose the ice cream, Haagen Dazs Cookie Dough, he has excellent taste!  I warmed up one of my chocolate cupcakes for 30 seconds in the microwave and spooned the cookie dough ice cream on top.  I was one happy lady, savouring and smiling with each and every bite.  I think this is definitely going to be my Saturday night treat from now on.  

Heaven on a plate.....

Here is the recipe, I hope you try it and love them as much as I do:

Clean Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 large eggs
• 6oz honey
• 40g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3 Tbsp. virgin/unrefined coconut oil 
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 25g dark choc chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350f, 180c , gas mark 4

2. Prepare 12 muffin cups by lining with cupcake liners or coating with nonstick spray.

3. Placed chickpeas (drained and rinsed) into food processor. Process until smooth. Add all other ingredients except chocolate chips. Process until well-blended.

4. Divide batter among 12 prepared muffin cups.

5. Top each cupcake with 4 - 5 chocolate chips; push the chips into the batter slightly.

6. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

7. Cool completely and enjoy!

The recipe states 12, but I got 9 cupcakes, I like a bigger cupcake, who doesn't?!

I have a few leftover that I'll pop in the freezer until next Saturday.

Happy baking and remember to visit my Facebook page Fit For Life where I post everyday.

Thanks for reading and have a fabulous week.

Caroline xoxo