The Green Hen Restaurant, Dublin

I along with several other food enthusiasts went for dinner here last week. I had never heard of The Green Hen, but once I knew where we were going I jumped online to check out the menu; eager to see what delights they had in store for us. Their website is classic, tasteful and easy to navigate, so within seconds I was glancing through the menu options. I clicked on the Early Bird option as I knew this was what we’d booked and was delighted to see the choices on the menu, 3 courses for €22.

 

I have walked down Exchequer Street hundreds of times and never noticed this beautiful restaurant, more the pity. I got there just on time and was pleasantly surprised by the warm reception of the staff and the chic décor. I felt a sudden sense of familiarity which reminded me of a Parisian café, nestled in a corner that I’d just happened upon. 

 The waitress led me upstairs to our table which was situated beside the bar. This space is a smaller, more intimate dining area but was perfect for our table of ten. 

The staff were so attentive and we had ordered in no time at all – I opted for the Goats Cheese & Beetroot Salad to Start, followed by the Pan Fried Fillet of Hake with white beans, Chorizo and Kale; and to Finish the most amazing dish of all, the Chocolate & Hazelnut Parfait. 

 

While I thought all the food was beautiful, I did feel the mains was lacking in Kale; apart from four tiny leaves and a few white beans there wasn’t much to accompany the Hake which was disappointing.

The Green Hen is ranked #223/ 1962 best restaurants in Dublin on Tripadvisor and I would highly recommend this restaurant if you fancy “French cuisine with an Irish Twist” (GH).

Angel Park Eatery, Deli and Restaurant

Dare I say it but the Angel Park Eatery is a little gem! It’s conveniently located near my office, so today knowing I would be working late, I took the plunge and ventured down for a hot lunch.

The interior is simple, yet tasteful with a vibrant staff and a buzzing atmosphere; a New York eatery in the heart of Dublin city, compounded by thick Dublin accents. It makes for a very warm feeling, topped with top quality wholesome food.

They had an array of hot boxes on offer including: Malaysian Chicken curry, Chicken Dippers, and Chilli Con Carne. They also had a large variety of salads and sides. I chose the Chilli Con Carne with steamed rice, mixed leaves and toasted seed & carrot salad, topped off with sour cream. It was utterly scrumptious.

I would highly recommend this little deli, located on Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Chow Down!

Juls x

Fitness Mission Update

Since my last fitness post, I have joined the gym and my fitness levels are almost back to what they were in 2010! I have completed several runs all 30 minutes at a pace of between 7 - 7.5km ph, at an incline of .5 - 2.

So this week I'm focusing on healthy eating and I've enlisted some recipes from Lauren Conrad's 7 days to skinny jeans re-boot plan 2014! You can also use the recipes from her original 2012 post. 

My goal with this plan is to have no processed foods, chocolate or crisps and no wine for 7 days.
This goal was not only inspired by my mini marathon goal and the fact that I need to stand beside my beautiful friend on her wedding day as maid of honour in June, but I am also a chronic IBD sufferer. I used to be able to munch whatever I fancied, now even a grain of white rice, particularly my favourite basmati, popcorn or red meat can have me in the foetal position within minutes of digesting. 

So I am on day two now and I'm feeling great. I prepared one of the busy girl dinners at the weekend so I would be ready for the week, Courgette (Zucchini) Lasagne. I also cooked a massive pot of Vegan Chilli last night, which contains 8 portions and is perfect for popping in the freezer! It was so quick and easy to prepare. Also, don't be afraid to sub some of the ingredients, I couldn't find black beans at the weekend, so I used 2 cans of Chickpeas, 1 can of Black Eyed Beans and a can of mixed beans.

You can check out my meal choices below for Day 1 and 2:

Day 1 - Monday

Breakfast
40g Porridge
10 Blueberries
1 tsp Honey
100ml of Aplro Soya Milk Light

Lunch
Spicy Tomato Soup
2x Bunalun Organic Corn Cakes

Dinner
Courgette lasagne
Little Gem Lettuce leaves, Mixed baby leaf spinach & rocket
Cucumber
Cherry Tomato

Day 2 - Tuesday

Breakfast 
150g Strained Greek Style Yoghurt 0%
1 tsp Honey
50g Strawberries

Lunch
Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
Ground Black Pepper
1 slice McCambridge Wholewheat Bread

Dinner
1/2 Medium carrot
Mashed Potato and Turnip
125g Grilled Cod Fillet

I have a feeling this is going to be a positive exercise!

Juls 
x

PS: If you're planning on taking the challenge, let me know how you're getting on!