Here are a few things that we discovered this year, or brought us joy over 2022.
We hope you like them. If you try any of them out please let us know!
Also known as "custard apple", Cherimoya is a delicious fruit. It's like eating a dessert. The flesh is sweet and soft, the name "custard apple" is an apt description
We found these at our local grocers, so you might have luck in your area. Or they're available online, such as Exotic Fruits.
Also keep a look out at your local supermarket, we found some at Sainsbury's!
Don't eat the seeds as they are poisonous! They are also very big and hard to miss, so no chance of accidental swallowing.
Despite the ingredients, this smoothie is absolutely one of the best tasting things on the planet. It tastes like fudge, not cauliflower, and the cacao nibs add a delightful crunch.
Chop up the cauliflower and boil for 10 minutes, then put it in a bag in the freezer overnight.
Put everything but the cacao nibs in a blender and blend until completely mixed and smooth.
Serve into glasses and sprinkle cacao nibs on top.
Since wanting to reduce added sugar, Chris has been searching for an alternative to store-bought cookies.
Here is Chris' recipe for very quick, easy, and delicious (sugar-free) cookies.
This year we've put a lot of focus on our health and fitness. We wanted to share a few of the things that we've found and that make us feel really good. Have no fear, a marathon is not on this list.
We started doing yoga over 3 years ago and it's become really important to us when things are tough and we need to regroup and relax. Not to mention that it's great for mobility, strength, and just all around feeling good The best resource we've found is a YouTube channel called Boho Beautiful. Don't let the name put you off. This channel is run by a couple who have a huge variety of very high quality yoga and fitness videos for any situation and focus. Their style and language does take a bit of getting used to, but their content is always just what we need. We have warmed up to them and have nothing but admiration for their skills and dedication.
The sunny beautiful settings in the videos also transport you to cool places and away from the grey skies and rain.
Here is a small selection of short videos that are perfect for getting started and feeling the benefits of yoga straight away.
If you want more recommendations of different styles, let us know.
We do workouts at home to support our fitness and health goals.
Here's a selection of channels and videos that we've enjoyed.
Juice and Toya produce really good workout videos. They are simple and easy to follow with no distractions, so you can set them going and listen or watch something else while you do it.
Madfit is a good channel for all sorts of workout videos both with and without equipment. She has very good advice and often gives helpful tips for keeping good form.
The workouts done by Boho Beautiful are very creative and very engaging. These are tough workouts but they challenge you in a good way. Most of the workouts require no equipment. Chris likes to do this one when we are on holiday.
Maria really likes the pilates videos because they are creative, interesting, and it feels really good to see progress over time.
We've been using protein powder for a while now and it's worked great for recovery, balancing our macros, and building muscle. Chris likes to have it with his granola every morning and Maria uses all sorts of different protein powders in her recipes. However it is very difficult to find the right one. We've tried several different brands and they've all either had a weird texture, not mixed well, had an aftertaste, etc. This year Chris finally found the perfect one, at least as a shake (or to have with granola). Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein Powder is the best Chris has tried. It mixes super easily, has a great taste, and it comes in a bunch of flavours. If you're on the lookout for some protein powder, we recommend you try this. #NotSponsored #Gainz
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A gritty fantasy steampunk show loosely based on the video game League of Legends. This show has a really engaging story and beautiful art style.
Warning: Fantasy violence and dark themes. It can get brutal. Really brutal.
Even if you're not a Star Trek fan, this show is packed with loveable characters and fun light-hearted humour.
Warning: Occasional animated violence and "mature" humour. It's also ridiculous.
We cannot help but mention tennis. The Australian Open, one of the biggest tennis tournaments, took place at the start of 2022. Two top players, Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal, played in the finals. It proved to be one of the most gruelling and entertaining matches of the year. We don't want to spoil it if you haven't seen it, but at one point the player who ended up winning was given a 4% chance of winning. It was as much a mental game as a physical one, and at 5 hours long, was it ever a physical game! We come back to this match and the winner's mindset when things seem stacked against us. If he could do it with a 4% win prediction, so can we, so can you.
Warning: Risk of elevated heartrate, and desire to play tennis.
We both really enjoy listening to podcasts. Here is an episode that really impacted us this year.
We both love music and we've discovered a few new bands and songs that we fell in love with this year. Here is a small selection, though it was very difficult to narrow it down.
We've really enjoyed finding new and interesting things to do this year. Here are a few ideas for days out that we loved.
These parks are everywhere and full of beautiful (and creepy) sculptures.
Do a search for "sculpture park" in Google Maps to find some close to you.
With plants from all over the world you can really feel like you're being transported to all sorts of tropical paradises. We both absolutely love nature, and having the opportunity to see so many rare and unique plants (and in some cases animals) in one place is very very special.
Often these gardens will put on events throughout the year which can be so incredibly beautiful.
We have a shared love of stand up comedy and can't recommend it enough. Take a look at your local theatre and see who's touring. It's worth it to book well in advanced, both for the excitement and the guaranteed good seats. At least in our area, they sell out fast.
Some comedians we've seen this year and hope to see again:
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Lots of Love Chris and Maria
