HILARY DUFF IS A PILATES PRINCESS

New mum Hilary Duff is doing what hardly any celebrities do nowadays; losing her post-baby weight healthily and responsibly. Hilary gave birth to her first child, little Luca, earlier this year. She has been praised for her healthy approach to shedding her pregnancy pounds, as Hilary is gradually losing the weight she gained with diet and exercise. It is just so refreshing to finally see a celebrity lose baby weight this way, as the vast majority embark on extreme and dangerous diets and detoxes to get back to a size 0 a month or two after giving birth. 

The 24-year old has been spotted at her regular Pilates studio in Toluca Lake, California on several occasions since giving birth. Hilary has been a Pilates convert since 2008, when she started the exercise  regime and noticed how much more toned and trim her body became.  

Whilst staying healthy, Hilary is thoroughly enjoying motherhood and gushes about it whenever she gets the chance. "It's just fun. It's really the best ever. I'm so happy". 

So lovely to see a celeb who can balance motherhood, diet and exercise in a healthy way! 

Want to tone up to your pre-preganancy shape? Or keen to look as trim as Hilary does in a red dress? Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724 or email inquiries@premiumpilatesstudio.com to find out more! 

ADDITION TO THE FAMILY

I like to do things on impulse. I always have. Whenever something feels right in my gut, I just do it. This often landed me in quite a bit of trouble growing up, as my parents didn’t love the fact that I used to eat all the strawberries off my birthday cakes or that I cut and shorn my two-year old sister’s beautiful golden locks on a whim. But recently I have realised that following my heart, my gut and my instincts pays off in the most amazing and fulfilling ways. When I dreamed about owning a Pilates studio with my boyfriend Chris, we did so, and quite quickly. When I wanted to own a little puppy dog, I bought one. And when my heart cried out for a second puppy last Saturday, I bought another. See the thing is that I do not tell the people in my life my impulsive plans, I just do them. So when my friends hear that I bought yet another puppy or that I have already started renovating a Pilates studio, naturally they are a little shocked and surprised. But that’s just me. I dance to the beat of my own drum, I strum to the tune of my own guitar and I trust my instincts completely. And I couldn’t love my life more.

And the point of all this rambling is to introduce you to Bear, a beautiful Moodle cross Shitzu that is the newest addition to my family. 

x E

STRAWBERRY PUDDING

I have quite a sweet tooth. I have searched for low-fat recipes, light ingredients and creamy consistencies for the past few years. I found such a dessert in the September issue of ‘Recipes’, which contains only 132 calories and 0.2 grams of fat. Besides the 3 hour refrigeration time, this creamy, light, strawberry pudding is super simple to make and just as satisfying as rich, full-fat ice cream.

INGREDIENTS

• 250g fresh strawberries, halved
• 375g no-fat Greek style natural yoghurt
• 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine 
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup caster sugar 

COOKING 

1. Place gelatine in a heatproof jug with 3 tablespoons boiling hot water. Stand for 10-15 minutes to cool. 

2. Meanwhile, puree three-quarters the strawberries in a food processor / blender until as smooth as possible. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a dry bowl until soft peaks form. 

3. Mix strawberry puree, sugar and yoghurt in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the gelatine mixture until combined. Gently fold in the egg whites until just combined. Spoon into 4 x 1 cup serving glasses, cover with plastic food wrap and chill for 3 hours in the refrigerator or until softy set. Serve topped with the remaining strawberries. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 20-25 minutes (plus chilling time)

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HAM & VEGETABLE EGG CUPS

I was a bit skeptical of making this recipe at first, as the sheer amount of eggs (12) seems a little confronting. A version of these egg cups caught my eye in the September edition of ‘Recipes’ as the egg yolks seemed to be staring up at me. I decided to give it a go. You can add any filling you like to these ham and egg cups, such as ricotta, feta, red onion, green onion, parsley, capsicum…I opted for less cheese and more vegetables and herbs. The great thing about this recipe is that you put these little babies in the oven and your job is done- you just wait for the eggs to set and voila. Also transferring the egg cups from the muffin tin to a serving plate is much easier than I anticipated; every egg cup made it unscathed. To be totally honest, I only got one bite out of these egg ups as my boyfriend eat them all within the space of 24 hours! But I can vouch for the fact that that one bite was superb – packed with flavour, super cute and the egg taste was not overwhelming at all. I’m actually off to make them again right now. 

INGREDIENTS

• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon onion flakes
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil or chives, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 250g gluten-free ham
• 12 free range eggs
• 60g mozzarella, grated or cut into even cubes (to avoid dairy use buffalo mozzarella with no cow's milk)

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tray with oil (I used coconut oil). Put spinach in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Finely chop spinach and add to a bowl with tomato, onion flakes, basil/chives, mozzarella and a pinch of sea salt. 

2. Place 2 slices of ham into each prepared muffin hole, overlapping the ham slightly. Divide the spinach mixture evenly between with holes. Gently crack an egg over each individual muffin hole. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until egg is set and yolks are cooked to your liking. Stand for 10 minutes, then gently remove to a serving plate. Serve warm. 

Makes  / 12

Total Preparation time / 20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 12 minutes (plus 10 minutes to stand)

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TOMATO, BASIL & CHEESE PIZZA

Pre-made gluten-free pizza bases are just my version of a godsend. When I’ve had a long work day or just don’t feel like standing in the hot kitchen slaving away, I buy these from Coles or Woolworths, add whatever toppings I have on hand and the oven does the rest. When I am feeling enthusiastic I experiment with more ingredients, such as an Antipasto pizza or a Tandoori chicken pizza. Yesterday I just wanted simple, quick and damn tasty. I must admit, this is the best tasting pizza out of all the ones I have made, and it’s the humblest.  

INGREDIENTS

• 2 x Gluten-free pizza bases (available at all major supermarkets in the bread aisle)
• 6 tablespoons tomato paste or prepared pizza sauce
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3/4 bunch of basil, roughly chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced 
• 1/2 cup loosely packed light grated cheese

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. 

2. Spread 3 tablespoons of paste/sauce on each pizza base. Arrange tomato slices on top. Scatter 1/2 a clove of finely chopped garlic, 1/4 cup of cheese and 1/2 of the chopped basil on each pizza. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes or until base of the pizza is golden and no longer soft. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes

Total Cooking time / 23 minutes 

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OVER THE RAINBOW

What does one do when they have realised their dream, put determination into action and achieved their greatest aspiration? Work, of course.

This may sound rather like an anti-climax, but my partner Chris and I are finding working in our new Pilates studio anything but dull. In fact, it seems that when you attain your dream, work becomes extremely fulfilling, rewarding and dare I say it, FUN. You actually find yourself looking forward to work in the morning...what a crazy thought. 

 Ever since Chris & I received our Pilates accreditation, our big, hairy, audacious goal was to own our own studio and to instruct intimate, affordable and personalised Pilates classes. And through determination, motivation, skill and most importantly faith in ourselves we achieved this. I am not here to preach to anyone, however forgive me for expressing a few sentiments about my journey.

Aim high. Over the rainbow high.

Set frequent dreams, goals and aspirations for yourself, in your home and work life.

Listen to your gut, trust yourself and believe in your ability to be amazing and achieve remarkable things.

Be determined. Be passionate. Be courageous. Be fearless.

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