Are you wondering where you will find the time this week to fit a workout into the Christmas shopping, turkey collecting, house decorating madness? Don’t panic – I have got you covered with a speedy 10 minute Christmas HIIT!

This is a great one as you don’t need any equipment and you can take it literally anywhere – even the garden (if you’re feeling brave) – minimal space needed! So, if you’re beginner level go for 10 reps of each, intermediate try 15 and if you’re really wanting to feel the burn go for 20!

7 exercises, 3 rounds – let me know how you get on! If you want any guidance on how to do the exercises, check out my Instagram post on it here.

1. Squats – remember to keep the core engaged, chest proud and weight in the heels.
2. Drop squats – strong core, strong legs and squeeze those glutes.
3. Mountain climbers – don’t forget to engage with the arms and core to prevent the body swinging from side to side.
4. Skaters – make sure you execute each rep fully and focus on that core and balance.
5. Jacks – get the heart rate up!
6. Forward lunges – drive through the front heel, keep the upper body upright and tall and keep that core engaged.
7. Plank taps – focus on not letting your body move from side to side as you do these, lift through the quads and engage your core!

And for anyone who might have issues with knees or need to avoid high impact you can substitute the drop squats for low impact high knee marches on the spot and you can also take out the forward lunges & do plain squats (not too low) or step ups on a stair/step.

Let me know how you get on! Have a fabulous Christmas! 

If you’re looking for a regular, quick class to fit into your busy week? Here’s a little info about Caroline’s Circuits – I have long since been an advocate of strength training, particularly for women, and with this in mind I built my platform – Caroline’s Circuits. My workouts are 3 times a week for just 30 minutes. They focus on strength-based circuits which work different muscle groups and challenge the body, keeping the heart rate moderate to high with passive or active rest – they give the perfect mix of strength and cardio for the best results.

The workouts are Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am (they are all recorded and available to you on demand within an hour of the session if you can’t make the live) and are available worldwide. Classes have been specifically designed to suit all fitness levels and create fitness habits which last & which produce results.

Intrigued to know more or have a go? Try a class for free here or read more about the platform here.

If you have any questions please do get in touch.

For more workout ideas and to find out more about me check out my Instagram or the website,

Caroline x

This week I would love to introduce you to the fabulous Lizzie King AKA Lizzie Loves Healthy – Nutritional Health Coach, Author, Business owner and Mother of three. She creates food to keep us well and I love her take on nutrition for being easy and effective.

She founded Lizzie Loves Healthy, her mega successful blog, to make eating nutrient dense food as delicious as possible for families. In 2017 she published her best-selling cookbook, Lizzie Loves Healthy Family Food. She has spent the last 10 years working with hundreds of families and companies sharing her knowledge and passion for food and nutrition, by teaching classes, holding workshops and creating recipes.

In 2020, she launched Lizzie Loves Inc. – A range of award-winning natural remedies born of her desire to keep children’s health at the optimum at all times. When she couldn’t find what she wanted, she made them herself, for everyone to be able to use and to make your children stay well.

During January we will be collaborating to bring both of our subscribers some bonus treats to get through the dark days of January. So to kick things off this week I have a few of my top picks of Lizzie’s delicious recipes for you to try. I have picked some proper winter warmers to warm you from the inside out on these very chilly winter days. 

First up is her warming chorizo, lentil, butter bean and red pepper hot pot – perfect for a weeknight supper. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 red pepper, sliced into 1 inch pieces
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Chorizo, sliced on the diagonal in 1 inch thicknesses
• 1 tin butter beans
• 200g red lentils
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 500 ml chicken stock
• Oil, salt and pepper.
• Fresh parsley, stalks removed and chopped chillies and baguette to serve

Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed casserole dish, add the garlic, onion, carrot, red pepper and 1 tbsp of parsley stalks, on a low heat for 5 minutes until softened. Turn the heat up, add the chorizo and fry for a further 5 minutes. Add the red lentils with the butterbeans, and their water, tomato purée plus 500 ml stock, stir to combine and bring to the boil. Turn down to a gentle simmer, partly covered until lentils are cooked through, approx. 15-20 minutes, adding more water if needed. Serve with warmed baguette and butter, chilli and parsley as required.

Next I have chosen her smoky 3 bean chilli 

Such a comforting bowl that happens to have 9 of the magical fibre rich plants. Three beans for a dual protein and fibre addition which is so key in a velvety bed of slow roasted red peppers, carrots and onions with some warmth but not too much heat from the cumin and chipotle.

Serve it with some fluffy brown basmati rice, a dollop of yoghurt and fresh coriander. Make more than you need. This keeps in the fridge for up to a week and freezes really well too. And can be reimagined loaded with cheese as a filling for tortillas and wraps later in the week.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 large Red onion
  
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  
• 2 carrots
  
• 1 celery stick
  
• 1 red pepper, de-seeded and diced into ½” pieces
  
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  
• ½ tsp chipotle paste
  
• 3 tins plum tomatoes
  
• 1 tin Red Kidney Beans (or 1 Cup dried, soaked for all the beans)
  
• 1 tin Black Beans
  
• 1 tin Pinto Beans
  
• 200 ml chicken or vegetable stock
  
• Few sprigs fresh coriander
  
• Dollop of Coconut Yoghurt to garnish
  
• Fresh red chilli for those in need

In a large cast-iron pan, heat the oil on a medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of the chopped vegetables. Carrots, celery and pepper should be stirred in, and the paprika and chipotle paste added as well, stirring now and again, let them soften for 10 minutes.
Tip in the tomatoes and break them up a bit with the back of your wooden spoon, adding in the stock once you’ve swirled it round the tins to get the last of the juices out.
Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. Once it is all bubbling, turn the heat back down to low and let it simmer gently for 45 minutes. Add in all the rinsed beans, with the coriander stalks, and bring to the boil. Season with some sea salt and black pepper to taste and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Add the tomato puree and another dash of stock if it is looking dry and continue bubbling for another 30 minutes, or until lentils and beans are soft. 

Spoon into bowls either as is, or on rice, with a blob of yoghurt and a scattering of torn coriander. 

Finally, I thought you would love Lizzie’s game pie with mustard crust – a real Sunday lunch favourite.

Pastry ingredients

• 200g gluten free flour
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 100 butter, cubed & cold
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 3 tbsp water

Filling ingredients

• 3 Tbsp of olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 250g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small squash, peeled and in 2 cm cubes
• 250ml chicken stock
• 250ml red wine
• 3 Tbsp corn flour
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• 500g game, mixed or plain venison

Peel and dice the butternut squash into 2cm pieces, tip into a lined baking tray. Drizzle over some olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 40 minutes at 180C. Add a slug of olive oil to a casserole dish on medium heat. Tip in the sliced onions, garlic, leeks, carrots, celery and heat for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring for another 5 minutes. Place the game meat in a bowl with the corn flour, salt and pepper and toss with your hands to coat. Turn the heat up, and push the veg to one side. Add the meat to the casserole dish and sizzle for 3 – 5 minutes, to brown. Pour in the red wine and chicken stock. Turn heat down to low, put the lid on, and simmer for 30-60 minutes until meat feels tender to the fork. Tip in the roasted squash and stir together. Meanwhile make the pastry. Pour the flour, egg, salt, xanthan gum, mustard and cold butter into a food processor. Pulse carefully until a sandy texture. Then carefully drizzle in the water, with the motor running, until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Place the pastry between two sheets of cling film ( gf pastry can be fragile, ignore if using regular flour) and roll out evenly into required shape to top your dish. Place over the top of your casserole and pinch at the edges. Brush with some milk or egg yolk. With extra pastry you can make a deer/cookie cutter decoration on top. Bake in the oven at 170c for approx 30 minutes until a beautiful golden colour with some juices bubbling up at the edges.

Check out all of Lizzie’s fab recipes here and don’t forget to use code caroline20 if you are browsing her brilliant items in the shop! Happy cooking!

Caroline x

This is an ad for Lizzie Loves

The festive period can be a challenging time for exercise and wellbeing but remember it is also a time of year when we can indulge a little and enjoy quality time with family and friends – life is all about balance after all! So ensure you get the rest you need, enjoy the festivities and here’s a few tips to ensure you keep on track with your fitness should you need them:

1. Set small, specific, achievable goals which boost morale – now isn’t the time to take up running or train for a marathon! Commit to things you know you can achieve if you put your mind to it and plan ahead – maybe it’s a yoga class, a quick hiit session/ 3 short classes per week or getting out for a walk and some fresh air? Now that sounds much more achievable. A great idea is to go with a friend too…
2. Stay hydrated! It will help with the digestion of the rich foods, as well as improving concentration, focus and performance. Drink that water!
3. Vary your workouts – your normal routine is probably hard to follow this month so why not mix up your training too?! Try that new class, do the free trial and see what you think. We are much more likely to stick with an exercise routine that we enjoy. Keep your workouts short when you are pushed for time in the busy period and try to get them done first thing in the morning before the busy day begins..
4. On that note, set an early alarm – it sounds mad, you’re probably out later than normal some nights but getting up early, getting out for a walk and seizing the day can massively help concentration and productivity and put you in the right mindset. A Christmas Day early walk is an amazing way to start the day!
5. Don’t forget to prioritise your sleep this month! SO SO KEY. Not only will you feel more inclined to work out but you will also make better food choices, be more focussed, boost your immune system etc etc to keep you going through December!
6. Remember finally it’s all about balance this month: try to keep your diet in check with vitamins and nutrients in your meals to replenish those energy stores! But also enjoy those festive treats!

So looking for a quick class to fit into your busy week? Here’s a little info about Caroline’s Circuits – I have long since been an advocate of strength training, particularly for women, and with this in mind I built my platform – Caroline’s Circuits. My workouts are 3 times a week for just 30 minutes. They focus on strength-based circuits which work different muscle groups and challenge the body, keeping the heart rate moderate to high with passive or active rest – they give the perfect mix of strength and cardio for the best results.

The workouts are Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am (they are all recorded and available to you on demand within an hour of the session if you can’t make the live) and are available worldwide. Classes have been specifically designed to suit all fitness levels and create fitness habits which last & which produce results.

Intrigued to know more or have a go? Try a class for free here or read more about the platform here.

If you have any questions please do get in touch.

For more workout ideas and to find out more about me check out my Instagram or the website,

Caroline x