Category: What I…Wednesday
WIAW: Snacks and Double-Runs
| April 5, 2012 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under What I...Wednesday, WIAW |
Helloooo, and happy Wednesday! I’ve missed joining Jenn’s WIAW party for the last couple of weeks, so I think it’s time to remedy that!
An extra cup of veggies? Well I love all veg so that sounds good to me, but an extra cupcake sounds even better, so that’s my suggestion for next month Jenn! 
I enjoyed those cupcakes (Golden Syrup and Triple Choc) after my race on Sunday. Ms Cupcake’s stuff is the best in the world. If you didn’t know, I have been observing Lent, but Sundays are an “off” day…just another reason why Sundays are my favourite day! 
Talking of that race, I know I still owe you a recap, but the photos and all the details still aren’t up online yet! But this is where I raced:
In a HUGE stadium ! This stuff is so new to me, and my teammates found my awe at it’s size really funny! Some of them have been running track since they were kids, so they’re used to it, unlike me who finds it all so new and scary! But I LOVED it, and can’t wait till my next track race! Which is less than a week away incidentally!
Post-race eats that I picked up with the cupcakes:
Yummy vegan-friendly sandwich and one of my fave flavours of Luna bar! I was so happy to find it!
Snack-wise I am loving mini snack plates. I have been stuck at home studying for the last few days, so I literally have a plate like this every hour to munch on.
I’m not kidding when I say every hour. Snacking is the love of my life.
A million coffees have been consumed. It is most definitely a full-blown addiction now. I need help.
P.S. Those are my new Kinvaras in the background! I love Saucony, and I <3 the Kinvaras! Normally I’m a bright colour shoe kinda gal but those were on sale for only £30, so I snatched them up!
My fave dinner recently is tofu stir-fry! !t only takes 5 minutes to make, gives you three portions of veg, and is perfect for a quick post-training meal!
And my extra veg for the day? I’ll take a cup of these please.
Because they have veggie in the name, that means they’re made from veggies, right?
After a week of pretty much PERFECT weather, yesterday I got caught out on my run in a sudden windy-rain downpour whilst wearing shorts and a tee. It made me feel like this:
Somehow people always manage capture my best moments on camera
My workout was done on the trails. 4×5 minutes at tempo pace with 2 min jog between each, plus a few miles warm-up and cool down. After racing just two days before, it was a shorter workout than normal so my legs didn’t hate me too much;) But trying to run fast on the trails with the wind and rain driving at you was not easy! So my tempo pace was slower than I would’ve expected it to be, but the effort was there, and my legs sure met that lactic in the last interval!
Busted out my fire shoes because I’ve been missing them! Have I mentioned yet that I love Saucony?
Oh, and I had my first ever DOUBLE-RUN day on Monday! So excited to make this a regular part of my training a couple of days a week! My legs definitely felt more tired by the end of my second run (didn’t help that I raced the day before!), and running first thing in the morning will take some getting used to for me, but getting to run twice= double the endorphins=twice as happy Emma:)
Anyway, I’ve just rented this movie, since I missed seeing it when it was out at the cinema, and my evening is going to be spent watching it and munching my way through as much popcorn I can.
Has anyone else seen the Help? I loved the book, so I hope the movie’s just as good!
Have you ever included double runs in your training? Not before Monday I didn’t! But I loved it!
How do you get in your veggies? Other than in sweet form, I usually include at least one portion at every meal, and for snacks too.
Have a great day! <3
WIAW: On The Run
| December 7, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under What I...Wednesday, WIAW |
Hey friends! I hope you’re having a good Wednesday! It’s time for the usual…
Love you Jenn for being such an awesome host! <3
What I Ate
Guess what I had for breakfast? …….OATMEAL! Surprise there huh? 
Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal with crunchy PB and raisins
I have to ‘fess up here. My eating has been pretty bad lately. Not nutrition-wise necessarily (excluding the amount of chocolate I’ve eaten this week haha), but quantity. This last week or two has been crazy busy for me (I have had a lot of work and gigs since it’s the run-up to Christmas!), and some days I have been unintentionally skipping meals, simply because I have not had the opportunity to get out and buy something to eat. And then the next day, I end up overeating to make up for it. Saturday was the worst day, when all I had to eat because of travelling around all day to various concerts was breakfast before the race, a snack bar, and a coffee. This is not healthy, and doesn’t leave me feeling good on either day, and it is certainly not the best way to fuel my running! I need to be prepared for days when I know I have things on that will prevent me from going out to grab food, and pack more food to eat instead. Trust me, this is not intentional restriction, and I doubt I am in any calorie deficit anyway, since I always seriously overeat the next day because my hunger is so out of whack! I am just being honest about my struggle here, because I know that it’s one many people will be able to relate to…but there’s no excuse, so I’m going to nip this bad habit in the bud and tackle this head-on! 
So Operation Get-My-Life-Organised-So-I-Don’t-Eat-My-Own-Arm-Off has commenced. I’ve been carrying around some energy-dense bars in my bag…
…giant bananas in my oh-so-cool Banana Guard…
….squeeze packs of crack nut butter…
…and packed sandwiches:
Ok, recycled photo, but this teriyaki tofu sandwich was the best sandwich I’ve ever had in my life!
Oh, and a foodie highlight was this raw vegan ganache slice that I picked up from Whole Foods:
This was SO rich and chocolatey! Delicious! I preferred the slice of chocolate peanut butter cream tart that I got last time, but it was a close call! And anything with PB as well as chocolate is obviously going to be better
What I Worked
The last couple of days, I’ve been sticking to ellipticalling and yoga, mostly because my legs hurt like CRAZY from the sports massage I got on Monday! I have bruises and everything! But apart from that they are feeling better for it! This is one video that I did after my massage on Monday to help loosen out, which I got from Katie:
I sure missed yoga, and I’ve gotten so much more inflexible since I’ve not been doing it! I’m determined to get back to doing it regularly!
I’m looking forward to running tomorrow! My shin is feeling fine at the mo (my physio is still currently allowing me to train within reason), and I think my coach is making me do a workout on grass tomorrow to be safe, and I can’t wait! I haven’t run since the 10 minutes I did on Saturday, and I’m getting seriously antsy!!
Aaaand I’ve got some new running shoes!
Ok, so it’s not those ones, but all will be revealed in the next few days! (P.S. I know I look really weird here…and please don’t scoff at my embarrassing lack of calf muscle- I’m working on it! 
)
What is the best thing you’ve eaten recently? Chocolate vegan ganache slice!
Have you ever struggled with eating at certain times, like when you are very busy? Normally I don’t have a problem, but this past week has been exceptionally crazy! I think I’ve just been doing too much at the moment…I need to learn to say no sometimes, even if it means turning down some mula!
Fill in: “If I had more time, I would do more…” Yoga! I seriously miss it, and my muscles are so much tighter since I stopped my regular practise! I am determined to find a way to make it a part of my schedule again!
Have a great day friends! <3
WIAW & Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
| November 30, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Recipes, What I...Wednesday, WIAW |
HEY friends, and welcome to another WIAW! Although for me, it’s What I…Tuesday, but all the same!
I love Wednesdays. Not only because it’s WIAW time (I love reading other people’s posts!) but because I get the day off this week! Gotta love strikes 
What I Ate
I promise this is the almost the last time you will see the muffin-oatmeal thing, because I am down to just ONE muffin now in my freezer! Well, the last time until I make more…which knowing me, will be very soon! 
Banana oatmeal with cashew butter stirred in (so amazingly creamy!) and a crumbled maple-pumpkin muffin on top
And now, finally, the recipe I’ve been promising for weeks! Ok, so it is NOT really a recipe, which is why I haven’t posted it before! It is simply something I throw together for a quick, healthy weekday meal. But, due to popular request, here it is!
Vegan Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
The perfect weekday meal. I make it the night before, and cover up, then the next evening when I get back from training, all it needs is a quick baking! A great high-protein option.
Vegan, gluten free, serves 2-4 people
- ~ 1kg of sweet/white potatoes (I use half and half)
- ~ 1/4 non-dairy milk, or to taste
- 2-3 T non-dairy spread, or to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 packet Mexican Chilli Beanfeast*, or four servings of prepared soya bolognese like Granose (I use this recipe when I have time, and add some kidney beans)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 onion
- Frozen carrot batons/peas, defrosted (optional)
- Non-dairy cheese, grated (optional- I often sprinkle nutritional yeast on instead)
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C.
- Peel the potatoes and put onto boil for 30 minutes. Once boiled, mash, adding the milk, margarine, and S&P to taste.
- Meanwhile, fry the garlic and onion until brown.
- Prepare the Beanfeast or soya mince of choice (follow packet instructions), and add the garlic, onion and carrots/peas (if using) to it.
- Pour the mince mixture into an ovenproof baking dish. Spoon the mash on top, and sprinkle cheese on top (if using).
- Place in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven.
* I use Beanfeast, which is freeze-dried soya mince, because it is the cheapest and quickest option, but any other soy mince works, or even tofu mince. Maybe crumbled tempeh might work too?
I usually make this ahead on Monday night, so it’s ready for me after Tuesday’s tough training session! It’s perfect recovery nutrition, and using a mix of sweet potatoes and white gives you the benefits of both (there’s an article on it from Men’s Health). Oh yeah, and it is delicious!!
Followed by a chocolate muffin that I found lurking in my freezer crumbled on top of caramel pudding:
Nothing like a sugar rush in the evening
What I Worked
Tuesday’s workout:
I was pretty cold when I got back from training last night! It was windy and rainy (although thankfully the rain stopped by they time I hit the track, but I got wet getting there), but it was nothing a good ol’ hot chocolate couldn’t fix 
Don’t laugh at my hair.
I also hit up Starbucks on my way home for a soy gingerbread latte. Addiction right there. I’m feeling so Christmassy right now! I can’t wait to start my advent calendar tomorrow…it’s been tempting me for weeks!
I’ve just got sent another Christmas candle to add to my collection from Becky, and it’s making my whole room smell like cinnamon mmm 
I have a really exciting delivery coming today or tomorrow that I can’t wait to share! We’re talking running shoes here, and I want to share my thoughts on a running topic that I’ve been thinking a lot about recently…you’ll soon see! 
What was the best thing you’ve eaten recently? Ask me tomorrow and the answer will be advent calender chocolate
What was your last workout? 5×600’s. 600’s are hard!!
Tell me: What shoes do you run in? I currently have five pairs, but my usual running shoes are Brooks Adrenalines.
Have a great Wednesday!!
WIAW: Lazy Edition
| November 9, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under What I...Wednesday, WIAW |
Hey friends! Sorry for the blog silence yesterday! Yesterday marked the one year anniversary since my uncle died, so instead of posting I spend time with family <3 Anyway, on to happier things, like Jenn’s WIAW shindig!
What I Ate
Today’s breakfast was a classic…
Banana oatmeal with PB&J 
I had a lazy leftover lunch. My fridge is always full of leftover food which is great for lazy meals or snacks!
Lentil stew, brown rice and mixed veggies.
I also rekindled my addiction to PB&J rice cake sandwiches today.
Pure heaven. I may have had five today… 
And the love of my life…
Medjool dates stuffed with crunchy PB and microwaved till warm
And my midnight snack was another lazy affair. Cereal straight from the box.
Staying classy 
What I Worked
An intense upper body workout:
Tried, and failed to cut that squash. But my muscles were ACHING afterwards, so that counts as a workout in my book!
Today was a rest day, even though I was supposed to go to team training in the evening, because it was my dad’s birthday (his 50th!) So I chose to spend time with my family and eat cake instead
Only thought to take a photo after half of it was eaten!
Yesterday though I had a great cross-training session on the elliptical!
Elliptical Interval Workout
This one is sure to make you sweat! I find it quite hard to get a good workout and get my heart rate up with anything other than running, but this one did the trick!
I kept my resistance low for the warm-up/recoveries, etc but put it high for the intervals! My legs felt like jelly afterwards!
I was a bit crazy high on endorphins afterwards and I think I scared everyone with this face:
I will be doing a solo hill workout tomorrow though to make up for the missed training session, and I’m looking forward to kicking my own butt! 
What was the best thing you’ve eaten recently?
What was your last workout?
What is your favourite type of birthday cake? My dad likes fruit ones, so I made him that. Personally, I’d rather have Babycakes Triple Chocolate Fat Pants cake, but each to their own!
Have a great Wednesday friends!!
P.S. Stay tuned for my next Journey to Health post tomorrow!
WIAW: Running Recovery
| November 1, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under What I...Wednesday |
Happy NOVEMBER friends! So close to my favourite time of year now!! And it’s also WIAW, so double celebrations!
Love Jenn for hosting this!!
What I Ate
I started my morning with a warming bowl of PB & J banana-cinnamon oatmeal:
Yesterday’s bowl was banana-cinnamon oatmeal with a crumbled apple crisp muffin on top:
Crumbled baked goods on oatmeal is seriously the best topping ever!! I’m so sad those muffins are gone though- they were definitely one of my all-time favourites!
I’ve been eating SO MUCH squash recently! I love it and all, but I hate preparing it! Totally failed at cutting it in half…
I used it to make Oh She Glows’ butternut squash mac ‘n cheese for dinner a couple of nights ago:
AMAZING! It was so delicious, and a huge hit all round! This will definitely become a staple meal I think 
I’ve been really bad at budgeting recently when it comes to food. I blame these packets of roasted chickpeas…
I am addicted.
The daily latte habit hasn’t been helping either. I managed to hold off my expensive addiction for so long, but as soon as they bring back the seasonal flavours, I can’t help myself! 
I had gingerbread again today. Worth every penny
Today when I got back from training, I went to my go-to quick dinner:
Sweet tater with almond butter and cinnamon (best combo EVER!), plus veggie sausages and peas
Followed by chocolate-chip banana bread from Mama Pea that I made yesterday:
The second slice I had slathered in crunchy PB and microwaved until warm, and I was in heaven
What I Worked
Running on the track today! I love the track
I always start out slow, and then build speed, which is the opposite to everyone else! They all shoot off like rockets, but burn out a bit later, and THAT is when I make my move hehe! I was on such a high after this workout! 
I have been really focusing on stretching/foam-rolling/recovery recently, and spent a good 15 minutes stretching after the workout.
With so many races and intense workouts at the moment (I am racing both Saturday AND Sunday next week!!), my body is feeling the strain more than ever before, so I am taking extra care to make sure it is recovering well. I took yesterday off, and did yoga on Sunday instead of another run, because my body was telling me to chill.
I am trying to focus on ALL aspects of recovery, from nutrition…
…to getting more sleep…
…to having ice baths…
…to wearing compression socks 24/7:
I swear by them- I think they work GREAT! Yes, it could totally be the placebo effect, but I believe they are really helping with my muscle recovery. I am thinking of getting a compression onesie 
What was the best thing you ate recently? Chocolate chip banana bread!
What was your last workout? 1000m track repeats!
What is your favourite way to recover? Napping on the couch whilst watching Gilmore Girls and drinking chocolate soy milk
Have a great day friends! <3
WIAW: A Day in the Life
| October 26, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under What I...Wednesday |
Good evening guys! How’s your day been? Mine has been completely exhausting, you’ll see why in a mo! Anyway, Happy WIAW!
I personally LOVE reading about what goes on in other blogger’s lives, so today I thought I’d give you a little look into my day!
6.45 am: Wake up. Get dressed and ready. Grab breakfast to eat on the train and GO!
CCK’s never-ending overnight oats in a raspberry preserves jar topped with crunchy PB. I couldn’t find a container OR an empty PB jar, so I used a mostly empty jam jar instead! Worked great!
8am: Arrive at the hospital where I am doing my work placement. Spent the morning doing rounds in the wards, and chatting for far too long to a runner who is having surgery for his compartment syndrome. Lend him the book Tara sent for a few hours whilst getting on with other things.
Come back to get the book, and then go again to get some tissues. This is one emotional book, especially for someone who can’t currently run! Bless him! 
12.30pm: Break for lunch! The cafeteria salad bar was my home.
Also downed some DELICIOUS sweet potato and parsnip soup! Also loved the staff discount there. Wished it was more than 5% though…! 
5pm: Commute home. Eat pre-run snack:
Note to self: pack more snacks! I’m used to being able to have my afternoon/pre-run snackage at home and have as much as I want, but by the time I arrived home it was too late to eat more! Lesson learned
6.15pm: Arrive home, and change quickly for running.
Sporting my new compression socks! Worn mainly for warmth (it was SO COLD this evening!) but I am still wearing them now and I have to say I think they are definitely helping with my recovery! My legs are feeling great! We’ll see tomorrow morning though I guess 
6.45-8.15 pm: Running time! Warm-up 1 mile, drills, workout, cooldown 2 miles and stretching. This was today’s workout, and it was a toughie!
8.30pm: Refuel at home with ice cream.
In defence of the hair, it was very windy outside.
8.45pm: Do a happy dance upon finding leftovers in the freezer. Eat dinner:
Leftover homemade vegan shepherd’s pie and broccoli
9pm: Make dessert! Chelsey’s pumpkin protein muffin and (more!) ice cream:
So so good!! Especially when paired with ice cream…mmm…! Next time, I am adding choc chips though to make it EVEN BETTER!
9.30pm+ : Chill. Read blogs. Write blog post. Sleep at some point. Yup, still working on the getting more sleep thing!
An exhausting day, and I am ready to crash now, but I am LOVING it! Life is good! 
What time did you wake up this morning? 6.45am for me! Earlier than I normally would, unless I’ve got early morning spin.
Do you ever cry at books or films? Books no, films yes! Weirdly, I’ve never cried at a book, and I am moved by these so much more than films! Titanic gets me every time.
What time do you typically go to bed? At the moment, between 12.30am and 1am. My target for this week is 11.30pm though, so I’ve got some work to do haha!
Have an AMAZING day friends!!
WIAW: Fuelling a Vegan Athlete
| October 18, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under What I...Wednesday |
Happy WIAW, thanks to the lovely Jenn!
The most common response I get from people upon hearing that not only I am I a vegan, but an athlete too, is one of shock and incredulity. I totally understand, because I remember thinking “what on earth do they EAT?!” when I first heard about veganism as a kid. When my running coach found out, he was actually worried. He is quite old-fashioned and “doesn’t understand this no-meat trend” (his words, not mine!), and asked me how can I fuel myself properly. Well let me show you! I have never had a problem, and always have TONS of energy! 
Today I had the best breakfast I have had in a long time. I can tell you now that I will have it tomorrow again for sure, and probably the day after that too! It was CCK’s Pumpkin Bread in a Bowl (photo courtesy of Chocolate Covered Katie- I blurred mine!)
Only I had mine topped with crunchy peanut butter (obviously!). I also used sultana bran cereal, which made it even MORE amazing!! LOVED IT!!
Mid-morning, I had a PB&J Larabar.
I wasn’t a huge fan of this flavour actually, which was weird because the PB&J combo is my favourite!!
Lunch. Was. Amazing. Usually, lunch is my least favourite meal of the day (breakfast is numero uno of course!) but today it was awesome!!
Two grilled WW wraps, filled with refried black beans + vegan cheese, plus broccoli on the side. I LOVE refried beans! I happily eat them straight from the can 
Followed by an apple dipped in The Best Nut Butter In The World:
Afternoon snack/pre-run fuel was a toasted banana-honey-PB sandwich:
Post-run, I had my usual chocolate soy milk (unpictured), and then dinner followed soon after:
Wholewheat giant couscous (love this stuff!), haricot beans in tomato-nooch sauce, and more broccoli! I don’t think I’ve quite conveyed enough my broccoli addiction on this blog…especially garlic-roasted…mmmm…
And of course, the BEST bit- dessert! 
Katie’s Chocolate Bar Pie is definitely one of my all-time top desserts! So rich and chocolately…I love it! With vanilla Freedom ‘ice cream’ on the side:
Love the taste, don’t love the price haha! I am campaigning for them to start selling a PB flavour
I find that is is perfectly possible, and easy (for me at least!) to fuel an athletic lifestyle on a vegan diet. It fuels me well for my workouts:
Aaah hills…such a love/hate relationship there! 
I’ve had tough running workouts two days running, so I think I’ll take the day off tomorrow, or at least have an easy day! Getting FOCUSED for some tough races coming up, including National XC Relays…bring it on I say!!
What was the best thing you ate today? Chocolate Bar Pie and ice cream for sure!
What was your last workout? Hill sprints. My quads and hamstrings are dead.
Do you follow a “special diet” (sorry, I hate that phrase!), or have you ever tried one out? Does it work well for you? I’ve been a vegetarian since I was about 8, and a vegan now for over a year, and I’ve always felt great!
Enjoy your day! <3
What I Ate (and worked) Wednesday!
| October 12, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under What I...Wednesday |
It’s that time of week again! WIAW time!!
What I Ate
Today I thought I’d share my meals of the day! I tend to show breakfasts, snacks and desserts because I love them most, so I thought I’d change things up a bit…
I started my day with my all-time FAVOURITE breakfast!
Oatmeal in a totally-not-very-empty peanut butter jar!! So sad to see my fave PB go, but it went out with a bang for sure!
Topped with granola of course 
I love OIAJ because you get PB with EVERY SPOONFUL and it is heaven!!
Lunch was a huge salad:
Broccoli, cucumber, tomato, romaine, and this amazing dip from WF:
I love this dip! I ended up putting about half of it on my salad 
Along with the salad, I had a PB&J and my fave bar:
This flavour is definitely one of my favourites! (And Brit friends they are now selling multipacks of this flavour in Tescos, so run there now and stock up!!)
Dinner was post-training. I get back from my team training at about 8.30pm, so I always try to make myself a quick dinner, and one that is good for recovery! Today’s took all of ten minutes to throw together:
The classic: jacket potato with beans and broccoli on the side. Did you know Runner’s World listed this as the best recovery meal? I know people are all about the sweet taters (me included!), but regular potatoes are actually better for post-exercise recovery 
No matter what Runner’s World says though, my optimal recovery foods are these two:
Mental recovery is just as important as physical in my book
What I Worked
Today’s run was awesome! We hit the roads (I checked first and was very cautious but had no pain!) and had such a great session! It was so hard though!
Plus 2.5 miles of warm-up/cool down and drills. By the last interval I felt SO nauseous (darn lactic acid!) but that was nothing some chocolate milk afterwards couldn’t cure!
Is there ANYTHING chocolate can’t cure?!
Best thing you’ve eaten recently? Definitely OIAJ!
What was your last workout? I love reading about other people’s workouts!
What are your best ‘mental’ recovery foods? Chocolate and PB. All baked goods. Pudding oatmeal…mmm…
HUGS and love! <3
WIAW & WIWW!
| October 5, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Recipes, What I...Wednesday |
As always, I’m posting my What I Ate Tuesday, so let’s roll!
What I Ate
Weirdly, this morning I was craving simplicity. Normally I LOVE having all sorts of awesome toppings, but today I was feeling like having something plain and simple. It hit the spot!
Vanilla Protein Oatmeal! 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup soy milk, 1 cup water, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, cinammon, and crunchy PB
For lunch, I met up with some family at an Indian buffet. Recently, I’ve been eating so much Indian food it’s practically coming out of my ears! Hey, I’m not complaining, especially when its in buffet form! 
There was PUMPKIN masala, which I OWNED!! I’m also a dal lover, so I went up about 10 more times for that 
Snack time included…
Cereal yoghurt messes with raspberry jam
A banana with Tara’s AMAZING chocolate walnut butter!
And THESE bad boys:
I love snack bars. I take them everywhere because I get hungry approximately every 10 minutes and they are healthy and convenient. Sadly, they are also expensive! So I made my own snack bars!
Protein Granola Bars
These make the perfect snack- high in protein, fibre and with the addition of chocolate chips, they’ll satisfy any sweet tooth!
- 1 cup vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 cup wholegrain spelt flour (any flour should work)
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup oat bran
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2-2/3 cup brown sugar/sweetener (I used 1/4 cup Stevia blend and 1/4 cup brown sugar)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup plain/vanilla soy yogurt
- 1 package silken tofu (mashed well or blended) , or an extra 1 cup of yogurt if preferred
- 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter, or nut butter/oil of choice
- Preheat oven to 350F/170C. Grease or line a 9×11 tin.
- In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together wet. Add the wet to dry, stirring until combined. It will be VERY thick, like dough, so feel free to use your hands!
- Press evenly with your hands into the pan, then bake for 15 minutes. Remove, cut into bars, place on a baking tray, then bake for a further 10-15 minutes until they reach desired texture. (For extra crispy bars, turn off the oven and leave in for up to 45 mins more).
- ENJOY!!
Nutritional Info per bar: 200 calories, 12g protein, 4g fibre
I love these bars!
They are addictive! I blame the chocolate chips 
What I Worked
Running with the team today!! I can still run on grass a couple of times a week at the moment with my injury, so I’m making the most of it! 
I refuelled as soon as I got home with two favourites- broccoli and chocolate soy milk!
They go together so well…
What is the best thing you’ve eaten recently? Yummy homemade protein bars!
What are your fave recovery foods? Broccoli and choc soy milk!
Do you have a fave snack bar? Clif bars and Luna bars I think! And the Organic Food Bar is my ultimate fave!!
Have a GREAT day friends!! <3
WIAW & WIWW!
| September 27, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Recipes, What I...Wednesday |
What I Ate
For the first time in TOO LONG, my day featured pudding oats! 
Oatmeal, peanut butter (buried under the pudding!) and caramel and dark choc puddings:
(P.S. I got a comment from someone who was overweight and trying to lose a few pounds, about my pudding oats. For those of you who are interested, they CAN have as little as 250 calories, with 1/2 cup oats+water+pudding, but I personally need more than this, so I add milk and nut butter 
)
And for the first time in a looong time, I was craving oats again for lunch! So I had banana oatbran pudding with nut butter and bloobs:
With a side of…
Mushrooms stuffed with Sabra hummus and tofu and grilled
Yesterday, I shared one of my current fave snacks, which I had again today:
PB&J rice cake sandwich, but with homemade cinnamon raisin PB!
The thing is, I love PB&Co’s Cinnamon Raisin Swirl PB…
…but I DON’T love the price, and all the sugar it contains! So once I ran out, I decided to make my OWN version. And I LOVE it!!
Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter
You would never guess this delicious, drippy peanut butter was sugar free, and that would take less than 10 minutes to make! Quick, simple, and totally addictive.
- 1.5 cups roasted peanuts (I used lightly salted, but unsalted would probably work best)
- ~2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8-1/4 tsp salt, if using unsalted peanuts
- Stevia, to taste*
- 1/4 cup raisins
*Everyone’s taste buds are different, so adjust to taste! I used quite a lot of stevia to balance out my salty peanuts, so I used 2 packets of NuNaturals stevia and about 15 drops of vanilla stevia, and this made it perfectly sweet
- Grind peanuts into peanut butter in a food processor. This should only take around 5 minutes or less to make a smooth, shiny PB.
- Add in cinnamon, salt (if using), and Stevia, and process until fully combined. Taste-test to see if more stevia is needed, and add more if desired.
- Stir in raisins, or give them a quick whizz in the processer until incorporated. Can be stored at room temperature.
- ENJOY!!
This is my favourite nut butter I’ve ever made! It’s so drippy and DELICIOUS!
Of course, it’s AWESOME stuffed in dates too!
I ran out of dates yesterday night, so I dashed out to the supermarket at 10pm to get more. Desperate times call for desperate measures! 
What I Worked
I GOT TO RUN/WALK TODAY!! And there was NO PAIN!! (From my Dailymile account):
I love running so much and I felt SO HAPPY to be back out there doing what I love!
I get to do it all over again on Thursday hopefully, and I can’t WAIT already!!
Best thing you’ve eaten recently? Cinnamon Raisin PB!
What was your last workout? Tomorrow I’m lifting! I love feeling strong!
Tell me one thing you LOVE and couldn’t live without! Running and the people I love. Ok, so that’s two haha!
HUGS and LOVE! <3
P.S. Thank y’all so much for the amazing comments on yesterday’s post! Honestly, I was expecting some negative comments/emails about having an eating disorder or something, but I got so much support and positive feedback!! THANK you friends, it means a lot!
