Hi everyone, happy Friday! I’ve had a jam packed couple of days including some tasty eats and great workouts:

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I kicked off Thursday with a yoga flow from Slim Calm Sexy Yoga. I did the full body toning flow. It only took me 15 minutes and was a great way to start the day. After work I hit the gym for my upper body workout / intervals. I started with a 5 minute warm up on the cross trainer then did the following routine:

• Dumbbell pullover on stability ball x 8 reps with 9kg db
• Chest flye on stability ball x 8 reps with 2 x 6kg db
• Lower back raise on stability ball x 10 reps

x 3 sets

• shoulder press – 6 reps with 2 x 6kg db
• bicep curl – 6 reps with 2 x 6kg db
• lateral raise – 8 reps with x 4kg db

x 3 sets

• tricep dip x 15reps bw
• bent over row – 8 reps with 2 x 8kg db
• upright row – 8 reps with 2 x 6kg db

x 3 sets

• push up on bench x 10 reps bw
• dumbbell wood chop – 10 reps each side with 8kg db

x 3 sets

I finished off with 20 minutes (2 x 10 mins) of HIITs on the step machine and bike. This morning I was back at the gym for a quick 30 minutes of HIITs on the cross trainer, step machine and bike followed by my abs and core exercises.

Thursdays breakfast was some porridge topped with fresh pineapple and coconut flour sauce. I used 1/2 cup of Rude Health Fruity Date Porridge with 1 teaspoon of chia seeds, water and rice milk:

I love how much coconut sauce you can make from just one teaspoon of coconut flour, it just eats up water!

This mornings breakie was a delicious smoothie containing romaine lettuce, frozen banana, frozen peaches, vanilla sun warrior, spirulina, matcha green tea, mesquite and a generous amount of peanut butter, topped with gojis and cacao nibs:

This was another monster smoothie! I love adding lots and lots of greens (I used almost a full head of lettuce in this) to give plenty of bulk so that I get really filled up. This was the nicest tasting smoothie I’ve had in a while too, got to love that peanut butter!

Lunch has been the same the last two days – a big salad beasty containing lettuce, carrot, cucumber, red and yellow pepper, red onion, mixed beans, braggs seasoning and some nutritional yeast flakes:

Yesterday I also had some grapes and a nectarine and today I enjoyed a juicy pear and an orange.

Snackies have included the last of my leftover cookies and an apple:

I also tried another Total split pot today, this time the honey variety:

The honey was set which I wasn’t expecting but it still tasted lovely.

Yesterdays dinner was a serving of my Moroccan Tagine with mixed rice and steamed spring greens with shoyu, ume vinegar and mixed seeds:

Loved this! So glad I remembered I had some stashed in the freezer. Last nights dessert was some of my pumpkin protein pudding with graham cracker crumbs and when that didn’t satisfy me I also snacked on a couple of apples and a pear.

Tonight I had a grilled wild garlic tofu fillet in a wholemeal pitta with some of my high protein sundried tomato hummus, lettuce and alfalfa sprouts plus some raw carrot and a side of steamed kale with shoyu:

This was so satisfying, like eating a big burger! I made the hummus using my original high protein hummus recipe but with an added 1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes in oil drained and with the 2 tbsp of oil left out – I ended up with a huge portion – I’ll be eating hummus for the rest of the week :-) Dessert was two chopped apples and half a bar of conscious raw chocolate:

This variety contained lucuma and yacon root. It tasted ok but not as nice as the other varieties I have tried so far.

As I’ve been working from home today I took advantage of the opportunity to be near the kitchen and baked some bread for James and made some baked Seitan sausage for me! I’ll share the Seitan recipe soon, but wow it looks so good! Seitan is a meat alternative made some gluten flour in case you were wondering - I had no idea what it was when I first heard about it!

I also got my organic veg box delivery today as well as a trip to the farm shop and the supermarket. I think I may have gone a little overboard with the fresh produce yet again:

Includes: swiss chard, kale, cos lettuce, round lettuce, celery, courgettes, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, spinach, spring greens, bananas, apples, pears, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, lemons, broccoli, carrots, beetroot, butternut squash, parsnips, avocado, sugar snap peas.

Its a good job I love my fruits and veggies! I have to say nothing makes me happier than a fridge full of fresh mostly organic produce, I’ll enjoy eating my way through all this over the next week.

I have a very busy weekend ahead, I have to study for my course, catch up with some work, see friends and family, fit in a run and go on the hunt for a new car!

I’m searching for a new car to replace my little 8 year old Ford Ka, I’m just looking for another small, economical and environmentally friendly run around. Do you drive? What kind of car do you own? Any favourite models? I quite like the Peugeot 107:

Fingers crossed I find something that doesn’t cost a bomb!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend planned! :-)

Over the last few weeks I have been in total slob mode. Most weekends have been spent make up free in my leggings or baggy jeans not really giving a toss what I look like, hence why I’ve posted no Outfit of the Day for a while. Although there’s nothing wrong with that I do like to try and make an effort occasionally! Today I thought I’d give myself a kick up the bum and dress a little bit more smartly:

 Scarf: New Look, striped tunic dress: Warehouse, jeggings: Next, tan leather belt: Topshop, tan cross body bag: Mango, tan leather boots: ASOS

I liked the combo of the stripes and floral scarf, I think its quite nice to mix up prints sometimes. I threw my big warm parka coat with fur trimmed hood on top of this to keep warm. Its amazing how making a bit of an effort makes you feel!

I have also been busy baking. It was my Dad and Sisters birthdays last week and my Sister had requested butterfly cakes like we used to make when we were little:

I was so chuffed with how these turned out! I thought they looked really pretty. I used wholemeal flour, natural caster sugar, organic butter and free range eggs for these lovelies then topped them with vanilla butter cream icing and sugar stars. Unfortunately I didn’t get to sample the fruits of my labour as a) they aren’t vegan and b) I used big cases so only got 7 cakes out of the mix and I wanted to make sure everyone else got one. I’ll go and polish my halo now ;-)

While I was baking these cakes I spent a bit of time making a delicious breakfast:

Bejewelled blended quinoa porridge (serves 1, inspired by Choosing Raw)

• 1/2 cup of quinoa rinsed
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of non dairy milk (I used kara coconut)
• 1 tablespoon of agave or other sweetener (I used brown rice syrup)
• Blueberries and pomegranate seeds

In a pan, simmer the quinoa, water and milk for around 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Using a hand blender or food processor blend the cooked quinoa until creamy. Pop back on a low heat and stir in your sweetener of choice. Transfer to a bowl and top with the fruit and a little bit more milk or sweetener if desired:

This was lovely, a nice change to the usual porridge and great if you have a little more time to spend on making breakfast.

I had a beautiful but freezing cold walk into town:

I picked up these new ingredients from a little independent health shop:

Nutritional yeast flakes and herbamare seasoning. I was glad to have found the flakes as I love my nutritional yeast but the powder I have isn’t great for sprinkling on pasta or salads. I had thought I would need to order it online so I was chuffed I found it locally. The herbamare seasoning is various herbs and veggie extracts with sea salt and kelp. I also hit my favourite fruit and veg shop in Durham and wasn’t disappointed – I got a huge fresh head of lettuce, a cos lettuce, massive bag of kale, courgette, cucumber, mushrooms, carrots with their tops, russet apples and beautiful figs for £7. This shop has the best range of fruit and veggies – I really had to exercise a lot of restraint not to buy a lot more!

On the way home from town I snacked on one of the russet apples then I had the other one when I got home:

I adore russet apples!

Lunch was a big salad containing lettuce, carrot, red pepper, cucumber, red onion, sprouts, spouted lentils and beans, pumpkin seeds, herbamare seasoning, braggs seasoning and a small drizzle of cool oil:

I also had a nectarine and two clemintines:

After visiting my family and hanging out with my best friend I came home and made myself a big green juice:

This really did taste amazing. It contained two small apples, pear, cucumber, cos lettuce, celery, ginger, lemon, matcha green tea powder.

Dinner was left over Moroccan Butternut and Chickpea Tagine with steamed greens, shoyu and mixed seeds:

So delicious! The steamed greens tasted great too. Dessert was two amazing fresh figs with two booja booja raw chocolate truffles:

I bought these truffles when I went to Wholefoods in London and holy deliciousness these were good. I savoured each one taking little bites they are just absolutely divine! They are sugar, soy and dairy free and have a crunchy bitter dark chocolate coating with a smooth truffle filling that tastes like it has a hint of coconut. Utterly amazing I am well and truly sold on these! The figs were mighty fine too, perfect combo with the chocolate.

Glad I made a bit of an effort with myself today too, I’m sure it helps me be more productive! Does dressing up or down affect how you feel?

Are you all having a good weekend? I’ve had such a busy day I’m looking forward to chilling out for the rest of the evening. Catch you later!

I’m even more excited than usual about it being the weekend as next week I am off work! James starts his new job in a week so we though it would be nice to have a week together to relax and chill out. We’re having a short break to York mid week, and I’m looking forward to some new season clothes shopping, enjoying coffee again (my kick start plan finishes next week so coffee will be back in my life!) and yummy food. After next weeks planned spending I will be on a major austerity drive though, I have to regain some control of my finances!

Thursday morning I was up early to do my Yoga and core exercises. I warmed up with 5 minutes of jumping jacks and bum kicks then did the Yoga for Runners podcast followed by my v-ups, side planks, bridges, side to sides and donkey kicks. Breakfast was a bowl of 10 grain hot cereal made with water and oat milk, mixed berries, sweet freedom sweetener and pistachios:

I loved this! I must remember to eat pistachios more often. For lunch I had leftover Italian Leek Stew with some steamed savoy cabbage and two pears:

I should have mentioned in my last post how delicious this stew is! It was even better as leftovers. Mid afternoon snack was a raw cracker with high protein hummus and green pepper and carrot for dipping:

I had yet another late meeting so ‘dinner’ was a large green smoothie in a bowl containing spinach, cabbage, 2 nectarines, 1 small frozen banana, big tablespoon of almond butter, kara coconut milk, spirulina, mesquite, maca, matcha green tea and the usual tinctures:

I topped it with cacao nibs and flaked almonds. I put so much spinach and cabbage in this I ended up with an extra half a bowl full! I love to eat super thick smoothies in a bowl as they make them seem more meal like and filling, for me at least. I also snacked on a couple of delicious apples.

Friday’s breakfast was two slices of organic sprouted wheat bread with crunchy peanut butter and a chopped apple:

Lunch was Leek, Greens and White Bean soup with a pear and nectarine:

I finished work early and hit the gym for my strength and cardio workout. It went really well and I think next week I’ll be ready to up the weights and drop the reps! After wards I refuelled with a chocolate cherry protein shake containing a scoop of chocolate sun warrior, frozen cherries, ice cubes, kara coconut milk, matcha green tea, maca powder and tinctures. I chucked a few cacao nibs on top for added crunch:

This was so gorgeous, just like ice cream!

For dinner I made up a new recipe:

Moroccan Butternut and Chickpea Tagine (serves 3 - 4)

• 1 small butternut squash, chopped into chunks and roasted
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tin of chickpeas
• 1/2 cup of hot water or veg stock
• 8 chopped dried apricots (preferably un sulphured)

Begin by frying the onion and garlic in some olive oil on a medium heat. Add the spices and fry – taking care that they don’t burn – until they become fragrant. Add the pepper, roast squash, chickpeas, tomatoes and water. Gently simmer for 15 minutes until the veggies are tender. Add the chopped apricots and serve!

I served mine with a big pile of steamed greens. I just made this up based on a few different recipes I have came across. I’m not sure if its anything like a proper tagine but it tasted bloody lovely! You could make this without roasting the butternut first and just allowing it to simmer for longer, you could even just use cumin and not worry about the other spices if you wanted to keep it simpler.

Dessert was two oranges and some raw chocolate covered mulberries:

Still loving those mulberries! I’ve also been snacking on little apples and a clemintine throughout the afternoon and will probably continue to for the rest of the evening, I’ve been feeling especially snacky today!

This weekend I’m baking butterfly cakes for my Dad and Sister’s birthdays, visiting friends, having a trip into town and a night out for James leaving do so lots of fun stuff! I’ll also be sorting out my new make shift kitchen storage:

Yep, this is a wooden shoe rack that I plan to use as a counter top shelving unit! The storage crisis in my kitchen (due to my constant buying of foods) has lead me to try this out for size. I quite fancy painting it a funky colour and stacking it with more jars of pasta and grains and some storage tins for my crazy tea collection (anyone else have a tea collection?) I don’t think it looks too bad.

Well I hope everyone has a great weekend ahead, I’m off for a cuppa, catch you later!

Happy Friday! I’m ecstatic that it is the weekend and only 2 weeks till Christmas, bring it on! This week has been fairly quiet as things wind down at work for Christmas so not as many meetings to attend. Workouts have all been pretty great:

Monday – AM Gym, 5 min cross trainer warm up, 25 min strength training from Female Body Breakthrough, 20 min HIITs treadmill

Tuesday – AM Detox challenge flow 20 min Yoga Podcast, PM 10 min HIITs cross trainer, 10 min HIITs step machine, 10 min rowing, Body Pump Class

Wednesday – AM – Gym, 5k treadmill interval run, 10 min HIITs step machine, 10 min HIITs cross trainer, 10 min HIITs bike

Thursday – AM – 15 min freestyle yoga, PM 30 min random bike, 10 min HIITs step machine, 10 min rowing, 100 stability ball sit ups

Friday – AM Gym, 5 min treadmill warm up, 25 min strength training from Female Body Breakthrough, 20 min HIIT bike

I think the most exciting thing for me eats wise this week has been creating the perfect tofu cottage cheese! I had tried making it with crumbled firm tofu but it wasn’t that good. This week I gave it a try using silken tofu and it was perfect!

Tofu Cottage Cheese (vegan, makes 2 servings)

• 1 pack of mori nu silken tofu
• 1/2 tbsp of sweet white miso paste
• 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast flakes

Place the tofu in a bowl and scramble it using a spoon in a ‘chopping’ motion, mixing thoroughly until it resembles cottage cheese. Add the miso and nutritional yeast and stir through. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I had mine as a snack with some damson compote (that I’d made and frozen a couple of months ago) and pumpkin seeds. This is the bomb! The texture is really good, obviously its not exactly like cottage cheese, but for me I actually like the taste of this better, but I’m a real fan of the bland creaminess of tofu. It will be perfect mixed with red onion and cucumber as a baked potato topping or mixed with cereal, fruit and nut butter for a cottage cheese mess. Yum!

Other tasty eats from this week:

Raw breakfast: buckwheaties, plums, apple and spiced raw almond milk with a vanilla nut teeccino

Green smoothie containing spinach, frozen banana, vanilla sun warrior, midori greens, berries powder, maca powder, ice, water and gums and topped with home made mixed roasted maple nut butter and goji berries

One of Maria’s pumpkin spice cakes with plums, damson compote, peanut flour sauce and maple syrup 

Big salad with lettuce, finely shredded spring greens, carrots, red and green pepper, roast salted edamame, raisins and tahini miso dressing

Broth topped with raw aubergine ‘bacon’

My Moroccan Tagine with brown rice and quinoa and steamed spring greens 

Raw Cookies and Cream Tart

Just looking at all of that again is making me hungry! Actually I’ve just eaten the most amazing seasonal raw salad ever, I can’t wait to share the recipe but that will have to wait until my next post!

What is your favourite way to eat tofu? I’m thinking of stepping up my protein intake a bit and that easy to prepare tofu is going to be a great way to do that. I also love my tofu yoghurt, baked tofu, scrambled tofu, fried tofu, I think however it comes I love it!

Do you have a busy weekend planed? I’m going to be shopping, wrapping Christmas presents, seeing friends, running, cooking, eating lots of lovely food and depending on the weather, digging at the allotment!

Hope whatever your up to you have a great one!