My weekend starts today and I’m so pleased – I really feel like I need and extra couple of days off this week!

I started my Wednesday at the gym with an awesome treadmill workout. I’ve gradually been increasing my speeds each week so it now looks like this:

• 5 min – 6.0mph (warm up)
• 5 min – 6.6 mph
• 5 min – 7.1 mph
• 5 min – 6.8 mph
• 5 min – 7.3 mph
• 5 min – 30 second intervals 6.8/7.8mph

I was a sweaty mess after this! I then did 30 minutes of intervals on the cross trainer, step machine and bike followed by my abs and core – I’m still rocking that 2 minute plank!

Breakfast was wonderful! I made a delicious porridge with 1/4 cup of oat bran, 1/4 cup of viva pure raw chia super food porridge mix, 1 cup of home made sesame milk, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of blueberries then topped it with 2 tablespoons of cashew butter and a few fresh sliced strawberries:

This was so good, I loved the creamy texture of the porridge and the flavours from the super food mix tasted amazing.

Lunch was a bowl of my Pea, Broccoli and Pesto soup, a RAW Italian cracker, a pear and an orange:

Mid afternoon snackies were some hummus and carrot and cucumber for dipping. Dinner was last nights Tomato Pearl Barley Seitan Buddha bowl with spinach, raw carrot and basil:

Loving this Buddha bowl meal!

Dessert was two frozen chocolate peanut butter avocado cups and 2 chopped apples:

I added a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to the usual avocado, agave, raw cacao mix and these tasted divine!

I plan on enjoying my extra couple of days off this week getting caught up on a few things around the flat, doing a monster grocery shop, a big cook up and spending some time just relaxing and reading. I have quite a few books at the moment from the Library:

The China Study:

I’ve always wanted to read this as its been referred to on so many vegan blogs. I’ve started reading some of it and its so interesting. It basically discusses a large body of research that shows how eating a mainly plant based diet can help to prevent a range of illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Babycakes:

I’m in love with this book already! So many fantastic recipes for vegan baked goodies: cupcakes and brownies here I come!

The Everyday Vegan:

I love Dreena Burton’s Eat Drink and Be Vegan cookbook so fancied checking this out as well.

I also have a book on Vegetarian Sports Nutrition from the lovely Alison to read – I’ve had a quick flick through and know I’m going to find it very useful. I also have some reading to do for the next assignment for my course.

For some reason I tend to enjoy reading cookbooks and more factual books at the moment, I must get back into reading some good fiction!

What’s the last book you read? Have you read any of the books above? What did you think?

Hi everyone, hope you are all having a great week! Here’s a quick recap of my exercise and eats over the last couple of days:

I started my Tuesday with a Yoga for Runners 20 minute podcast – great way to get the blood pumping and get focused before work! Breakfast was another big smoothie containing kale, strawberries, frozen peaches, vanilla rice milk, vanilla hemp protein powder, spirulina, matcha, mesquite and ground flax. I topped it with some bear coco cherry pie granola and gojis:

Yummy! Although my smoothies have been turning out a pretty yukky sludge colour recently, just goes to show you shouldn’t judge on appearances!

Lunch was a mug of miso soup followed by a big sun dried tomato high protein hummus topped salad containing lettuce, spinach, carrot, alfalfa sprouts, beetroot and sugar snaps. I also had two big apples:

I watered the hummus down a bit and then mixed it all in like a thick salad dressing, yum!

Before I went to Body Pump I ate a mixed berry Trek bar. Body Pump was awesome again, I love doing the clean and press, I feel proper bad ass with those big weights!

Dinner was not pancakes, I just wasn’t in the mood for them despite it being pancake day. The way I look at it is I can have pancakes when ever I like, I think pancake day used to be more special when I never ate pancakes!

Instead I had peanut soba noodles with edamade and veggies. I cooked some soba noodles and made veggie noodles using two small courgettes and my spiraliser. I quickly stir fried some shredded bok choy and sugar snaps then added the soba noodles and veggie noodles and some frozen edamade. I made a lovely sauce using peanut butter, lime juice, fresh ginger and soy sauce:

This was delicious, the peanut sauce was really good!

Dessert was a rainbow Fruit-ein protein shake made with vanilla rice milk, ice cubes and xanthan and guar gums for thickness. I topped it with a few flaked almonds:

My stomach was a bottomless pit last night so I also snacked on a few of my favourite pink lady apples.

This morning I decided to start work a little later and get a gym workout in first thing. I did 30 minutes of speed intervals on the treadmill and managed to slightly increase my usual speed :-)

I also did 30 minutes total HIITs on the step machine, cross trainer and bike and then did my abs and core. I managed to hold another 2 minute plank, I had been worried that when I achieved this time on Monday it had been some kind of fluke so I was extra chuffed!

Breakfast was one of my gorgeous Almond Quinoa Muffins with a chopped pear, Total blueberry split pot yoghurt and pumpkin and sunflower seeds:

I love this combo! The split pot was also pretty tasty but I think the blueberry compote was a little bit artificial tasting for me.

Lunch was some Pea, Broccoli and Pesto Soup with some cherries:

Mid afternoon I just snacked on some of my high protein sun dried tomato hummus with cucumber and sugar snaps for dipping. Dinner was a lovely combo of quinoa with kidney beans, courgette, red pepper and parsley served on top of steamed swiss chard and kale with shoyu and ume vinegar:

This was so so satisfying and utterly delish! I made a big portion so I have tasty leftovers for tomorrow too.

To make dessert I wanted to try out a little experiment:

Instant Coconut Milk (makes 4 cups)

• 4 cups of water (I used bottled)
• 3 tablespoons of coconut flour (I used Tiara available from Goodness Direct)

Add both ingredients to a blender and blitz! This amount of flour produces a texture similar to kara coconut milk (although not quite as smooth). You could add an extra tablespoon if you prefer it more coconuty and creamy or you could also strain this through some muslin cloth if you wanted a smoother result. Adding some cocoa powder or raw cacao powder and agave would give you chocolate coconut milk! This could be a serious money saver!

I used some of my coconut milk with frozen raspberries for a quick dessert:

Simple and lovely!

I’ve had a real craving recently for simple meals like my quinoa, kidney bean and veggie dinner. Kris Carr from Crazy Sexy Life calls them Buddha Bowls, Carrie from Moves and Munchies recently described similar meals as Luscious Bowls and Matt from No Meat Athlete describes them as a Green, a Bean and Grain. 

The formula I like to keep in mind is:

• Whole grain or healthy carb - millet, brown rice, quinoa, buck wheat, couscous, barley etc or starchy veggie like sweet potato
• Protein - beans, lentils, tofu, or non vegan protein
• Veggies – raw or cooked, possibilities are endless, but I always try and include a leafy green!
• Healthy fat – could be in the form of a sauce or dressing like a coconut curry sauce or green goddess dressing or just some plain oil, avocado, nuts or seeds
• Seasonings - soy / shoyu, vinegar, braggs, nutritional yeast, herbamare, fresh or dried herbs, garlic, chilli, ginger etc

Actually so many good meals can be broken down into this formula!

Whatever you call them (I quite like the Buddha Bowl name myself) I think they are great: cheap to make, provide almost endless variety and are so healthy. I’ll definitely be playing about with this kind of meal more often especially while I’m trying to keep my grocery budget in check!

Do you eat ‘Buddha Bowl’ type meals? What’s your formula for a perfect meal?

Yey its Friday! I am now all officially registered on my Diet and Nutrition Advisor course and my camera and Garmin have been delivered so I’m buzzing!

Thursday morning I did 5 minutes cardio (jumping jacks, bum kicks etc) followed by a 20 minute Yoga for Runners podcast then some core and abs work. Breakfast was fantastic! I made up some porridge using 1/4 cup of oats, 2 tablespoons of oat bran and 1 1/2 cups of water on the stove. I then added 1 heaped tablespoon of my Viva Pure Chia Super food porridge mix and another tablespoon of my vanilla hemp protein powder. I also added some sweet freedom sweetener. I topped it with fresh blueberries, some of my tofu yoghurt, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and goji berries. I also had a maple walnut coffee with kara coconut milk:

Such a good breakfast, I love oaty yoghurty layer ups! I was very impressed with the chia porridge super food mix. I actually think its designed to be made into a porridge in itself but I really liked the taste it added to my oaty porridge – plus it will last longer being used this way!

Lunch was a bowl of heaven, i.e. the yummiest soup I’ve made in a while:

Pea, Broccoli and Pesto Soup (inspired by Nigella Lawson recipe, makes 4 portions)

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large head of broccoli, chopped into florets
• Hot veg stock or bouillon powder and hot water (I use marigold vegan vegetable bouillon whenever I make soup)
• 450g of frozen peas
• Half a small jar of basil pesto (I used la sacla organic vegetarian pesto)

Begin by gently frying the onion in a little oil until transparent. Add the broccoli and cover with hot vegetable stock. Allow to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Add the peas and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend the soup until smooth using a hand blender or regular blender. Add the pesto and either blend again or stir well.

This soup is the bomb! So simple and easy to make and really full of flavour. You could make a vegan version using vegan pesto if desired. It also freezes very well too.

I also had a kiwi and nectarine:

Mid afternoon I snacked on a dried apricot, dried fig and some brazil nuts and pistachios:

Last night we went out to see KT Tunstall play a gig in Newcastle. Before we went I had a quick dinner of a herbed socca wrap (usual socca recipe but with added chopped fresh basil and parsley) filled with roasted beets, carrot and broccoli and some organic feta. I also had raw carrot, cucumber and an apple and pear:

The wrap was delish! I loved the herbs in there, so tasty.

The gig was brilliant, I have a huge girl crush on KT Tunstall! Here’s a quick OOTD hastily shot in the loos at Cafe Nero ;-)

Jacket: H&M, floral jacket: River Island, grey vest top: Topshop, scarf: Dorothy Perkins, jeans: Next, Bag: H&M, cocktail ring: Topshop

This morning I had a big bowl of Dorset Cereal Tasty Toasted Spelt Muesli with blackberries and kara coconut milk. I also had a butterscotch coffee with sweet freedom:

Lunch was some of my super tasty Spicy Black Eye Bean Soup followed by plums and kiwi:

Mid afternoon I decided to treat myself to a 9 bar:

I haven’t had one of these in ages, so good!

I then hit the gym for my strength and HIIT workout. It was a bit of a half arsed workout to be honest, I did do mostly all I’d planned to but I know I could have put more effort in! I did my usual 5 minute treadmill run warm up followed by my usual full body strength workout and 30 minutes of HIITs on the cross trainer, step machine and bike.

Dinner was inspired by the Rainbow and Super food salads recipes in Leon: Ingredients and Recipes:

I mixed roasted broccoli, carrot and beetroot with some red cabbage, quinoa, alfalfa sprouts and feta then added some fresh chopped parsley, viva pure spicy pumpkin seeds and a quick squeeze of lemon juice. This was so so good! I loved this salad, so full of goodness and taste.

Dessert was double chocolate coconut protein ice cream! I blended up a scoop of chocolate sun warrior, tablespoon of raw cacao, tablespoon of coconut flour, kara coconut milk, ice cubes and xanthan and guar gums then topped with coconut and cacao nibs:

Awesome!

I really enjoyed the gig last night. James is a huge music fan so we like going to see live music when we can. Are you a fan of live music? What was the last gig you went to?

So happy its the weekend! I have another fun one planned including a trip to town so I can stock up on fruit and veggies at the market, catch up with the family and my gorgeous nephews, play with my new camera and Garmin, finish reading Crazy, Sexy, Diet (which I just can’t put down) and a run!

I also may be making an attempt to change up the blog a bit and move over to a new domain so if you visit and things look a little funky please bear with me.

Hope you have all had a great week and have a fab weekend planned! I’m off to play with my new toys, catch you later x

Happy Wednesday! Hope your having a great week. I’m back for WIAW as usual, interesting challenge this month although I think I get more than my fair share of veggies! I thought I’d give you my eats from last Sunday for a change, not loads of veggies but still a good few…

After a short lie in I got up and had the usual warm water with lemon then ate a lovely banana for some gym fuel:

I headed to the gym and did 4 miles on the treadmill (3 miles of my usual interval style workout and then 1 mile cool down) 20 minutes on the cross trainer and then my Kettlebell class. The class was an absolute killer! Our instructor usually gives us a couple of breaks but we had to go the whole way through and it was tough!

After the gym I fixed myself a little brunch starting with a vanilla protein frappuccino made with 1 scoop of vanilla sun warrior protein powder, instant coffee, water and ice:

It was delicious! I also had a couple of slices of my wholemeal bread toasted with cashew butter and fresh strawberries:

Love nut butter and strawberries on toast for a fresh twist on PB&J!

After that I just chilled out watching Dexter with James (we watched the whole of season 3 over the weekend!) then made myself my regular weekend green juice:

This was 1 cucumber, some celery, a pear and ginger with a little bit of raw apple cider vinegar added for good measure. I usually don’t add fruit to my green juices but I had some pears that were going bad and needed using up, it added a nice sweetness to the juice.

Then I decided to make one of my favourite ever soups, Pea, Broccoli and Pesto! I made a huge pan of it and had a big bowl for a late lunch alongside a pile of my raw juice and nut pulp crackers:

I just love how spring like that soup tastes and the raw crackers were delicious too. I’d flavoured them with dried rosemary again, so good.

A little later I felt a bit snacky so ate an apple:

Then I started to make my cookies for Tam’s Cookie Exchange! Cat, my exchange partner is gluten intolerant so I had to get my thinking cap on for what I could make her. I decided to go with one of my favourite flavour combinations – Banana, Coconut and Chocolate:

• 1 cup gluten free buckwheat and rice flakes (I used Sainsbury’s brand, you could sub with gluten free oats)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/3 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dark choc chips
• 1/4 cup rapeseed oil
• 2 large mashed bananas (equal to one cup once mashed)
• 1/4 cup apple sauce

Pre heat the oven to 180. Mix all the ingredients together in a big bowl then take heaped tablespoons of the dough, roll and press down on to a greased baking sheet (should make 12 – 14 cookies) Cook for 20-25 minutes until browned and firm to the touch. Leave to cool on a baking rack (they will firm up more as they cool). Devour! 

These taste awesome, dense sweet chewy goodness! I let them cool and then packaged up to send to Cat, along with a card and the recipe. Hope she enjoys them!

For dinner I steam fried some carrot, red pepper and spring greens and added a lazy peanut ginger garlic sauce (peanut flour, soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic granules) and topped with some pan fried tofu that I’d pressed and marinated earlier:

I just love crispy tofu! The lazy peanut sauce was excellent too, I called it lazy cause I just used the dry spices rather than preparing the fresh ones! For dessert I just had to have one of those cookies for taste testing purposes of course ;-) I also had some leftover strawberries and a pink lady apple:

So all in all a great day of eats!

I love that I have the time to make a fresh juice at the weekend, they are a great way to add extra veggies to your diet.

What’s your favourite way to sneak in additional veggies?