Motivation & Positivity Questionnaire Answers Features: Amanda Small x Plus Recipes x

Motivation & Positivity Questionnaire Answers Features: Amanda Small

Recipe Inspired by Amanda Small's Answers Below:
Raw Pineapple Cheesecake

Amanda Small is our new Yoga Journey inspirational blogger CLICK HERE to see her intro into Yoga experience and how you could get into it too, Here are her Motivational & Positive answers!

*what is your go to thing that will make you  instantly happy every single time you do/go to/have/are with it?

My boyfriend and Yoga!! I would love a dog but I am away from the house for too long most days. Maybe when I retire.

*Can you give me one positive thing/thought that having endo has given you?

I am far more spiritual these days since eating correctly and taking note of what's more important in life. Staying calm and stress free is so important to everyone, especially throughout ill health.

*What keeps you motivated?

Yoga has changed me. It keeps me calm & focused.  It has relieved my pelvic pain and helped my sex life tremendously.  As you are all aware, endo really does put the dampener on our sex lives.  

*What is your favourite excersize to do that you find eases your endo pain?

I do hot (Bikram) yoga classes 3 times a week & follow a dvd at home when I'm not feeling up to leaving the house.  My boyfriend does the dvd with me. I have to skip during my first couple of painful days of my period. The diet helps keep me energised & decreases my aches and pains.  A good detox like the 9 day detox by Patrick Holford or Beat candida through diet by Gill Jacobs helps kick me in to shape if anything bad for endo passes my lips by mistake or from when I've not wanting to offend.  I really notice the pelvic pain, nausea, headaches and fatigue when I've had something I shouldn't. It's been a process of elimination over the last 2.5 years. Endo has encouraged such a healthy life style I may not have entered without it. I used to be a party animal. I would binge drink, smoke & stay up late. I am far more wholesome now. 

*One thing/person that is inspirational to you and why?
I have a very lovely & supportive boyfriend who inspires me to do all the things that make me feel good.  He's encouraged and supported the diet and yoga and is always behind me 100 % in all I do to improve my healthy body and mind. I have started a nutrition online learning course which he is also learning from via my waffling's. I am really enjoying learning new stuff. 

My other inspirations are Josephine Eliza, Melissa Tuner (Endo Angels) and my Yoga instructor.

*If you could give advise/motivation to a fellow endo sister what would it be?
Yoga is definitely the one thing I would advise an endo sister to do, even if it's at home using a dvd. You can do it at your own pace and it really helps the aches, pains,  stress,  depression, mind  clarity....the list is endless.  I've done the relaxation part of the dvd when I've been too ill to do a full session. Its helped me switch off from the pain.  Me and my boyfriend have a giggle when doing this & is good bonding time for us. 

*And finally have you a favourite endo friendly recipe you'd like to share that makes you feel great?
I am loving smoothies right now. I mix all sorts in them from chia seeds or raw cacao nibs for antioxidants and protein and use coconut milk or hazelnut milk with a teaspoon of coconut oil for good fats. I also add a teaspoon of cinnamon if I fancy a bit of a kick. Pineapple is my fave fruit right now as it seems to help a lot with inflammation. Also, I've done some nice home made fish cakes and curries that have been mild and worked well. Food is getting fun again! Thank god for blenders!!

Recipe inspired by Amanda's Answers:

Raw Pineapple Cheesecake Chocolate Surprise

Makes 3 Little Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

Base:

7 Brazil Nuts

9 Dates

Moat Filling:

2.5oz Cashews

3 heaped Tbls Cold-pressed Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

5oz Pineapple

2 Tsp Vanilla Paste
Chocolate Filling:
2 Tsp Carob Powder
100ml coconut milk
Topping:
1 Refrigerated Tin of Coconut Milk ( The thick top)
1 Tsp Vanilla Paste
6 Pieces of Pineapple 

Pop your dates and brazil nuts into your vitamix.

Blend slowly and gradually pick up the pace to a higher speed.

Blitz until they stick together.

Line your chosen pots with baking paper.

Spoon equal amounts of the date and brazil nut mixture into your pots and spread them across the bottom to make the base.

To make the hole for the surprise chocolate inside i used a medicine pot covered in cling film you can use a bundle of straws covered in cling film if you haven't go a medicine pot or what ever you have to hand.  

Push your 'pots' gently into your base so they do not float around when you pour the cheesecake mixture into the moat around it.

Now to your vitamix add all of your moat filling ingredients. 

Blitz until smooth.

 

Pour half of the cheesecake mixture into the 'moat' around your chosen cling filmed middle.

Now pop them into the fridge for around 1-2 hours.

Now add your chocolate filling ingredients to your vitamix where the other half of the cheesecake mixture is and blend until combined. 

When your 'moats' have turned solid., pull out the cling filmed pots and pour the chocolate cheesecake mixture into the middle. 

Pop it back into the fridge to let the middle thicken a little.

Now scrape the thick cream topping from the coconut milk tin and stir in your vanilla paste. 

Once the chocolate has thickened a little your can spread your thick coconut cream on top of your cheesecake to hide the chocolate center.

Place your pineapple pieces onto the top, Dust with carob powder if you wish.

Now serve and eat.

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