Yes, the AgeOld question…it’ll make sense later.
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Gawsh blimey, it’s been one of THOSE days – you know the ones – where your brain just won’t focus!? My head feels like it’s all over the place. It’s like it has too much whirling round in it, so nothing stays still enough for me to remember and retrieve (if you haven’t guessed, I’m talking about the dreaded revision….). You know what solves that problem? This little lady!!
Yes, Chika’s return! I woke up feeling refreshed from a solid 7.5hours sleep, so I quickly ate a cinnamon apple….:
….and then took Chika out for a quick hack 🙂 She was SO pleased to be out and about, even if it was just for 20minutes! Her little ears were jammed forwards and she was keen and strong. She did her ‘I’m a fancy dressage horse’ trot – ie, she pretended to move like this:
When really, she was moving like this:
But the intent was there 😀 Look how happy she looks!
SO adorable 🙂
When I got in, I made another Chocolate Banana Carrot Crunch Pudding for breakfast, sprinkled with Grape Nuts:
SO amazing!
Following breakfast – revision, driving Hannah to the train station, and watching 10 minutes of Wife Swap: USA while I did my abs/core work. Ok..now I hope I’m not being rude, but are all Americans as CRAZY as the people on that show!? When I was in America, everyone was lovely – but in the handful of times I’ve watched Wife Swap USA, the people have been so so SO weird….!! It’s so funny to watch 😛 Today there was some crazy bloke who felt his wife should be his Maid Slave or something, and he was unbelievably domineering with his children. I could never marry a man like that…he was quite foul! Has anyone else seen that show? Or am I the only one that likes proper good trash TV sometimes….:p
For lunch, I made another blended amazing-tasting, awful-looking dish – Peanut Butter Nut Squash Hummus! or Pea Butter Nut Squash Hummus – (I’m not sure which :p)
Oh yes.
I very simply blended together a 1/2 can of chickpeas, soya sauce, cinnamon, garlic, about 1tsp – 1/2 tbsp peanut butter, a tsp of cocoa powder and a glug of milk:
And some cooked butternut squash:
Til it was all smooth 🙂 Done! Could that be any more simple?
I served it with some roasted carrot and squash fries, as well as roasted broccoli and spinach:
Oh, suuuuch a good lunch! The peanut butter flavah was totally fabby, and went so well with the chickpeas. But then…you really can’t lose when it comes to peanut butter can you?
For a bit of added protein, I had a little handful of a roasted bean mix (peas, broad beans, soya nuts, a few other random things…):
I’d never had them before, but they were so good! Expect to see them appear again 🙂 I do have a whole jar to get through after all….
Post lunch, I had my first FULL MUG OF COFFEE!! Remember when I went to Bluewater the other week? Well, Starbucks were giving away free samples:
So I nabbed one, and had a sachet today:
Not bad! It was certainly drinkable. Maybe there is something to the legend that is Starbucks…
Other afternoon eats included a tiny apple, a hot chocolate and 1/2 cup soya yogurt with Bear Granola Apple Nibbles:
If you’ve never tried these Bear things before – DO! They are seriously good, and seriously healthy!
For mon dinnere, I cooked some red lentils in veg stock, thyme and garlic, and then stirred in cooked kabocha and parsnip, and served it with some garlic and herb flavour fried tempeh – what could be easier!?
Holy Guacamole Jasper – That was an amazing meal! One of those ones where you lick your plate and don’t give a darn who’s watching cos it was THAT good. I have to make this meal again 😀
Post-dinner, I had dessert – no need to guess what that was 😀
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I’ve just finished an amazing book, which I’ll have to tell you all about another time (it’s REALLY good!), but it made me think – have any of you ever read a life-changing book, or something that’s really hit a chord with you? What was it? Has a film or a person ever had the same effect? I think it’s so interesting, how sometimes just tiny little things can have a big impact 🙂 This book sure did.
But now that’s me done – work calls!
Love the photos of Chika! How do you make the Chocolate Banana Carrot Crunch Pudding?
Yesterday’s post says how 🙂 And hopefully in about 10minutes, my recipe section will say how too 😀
Its so great that you finally took Chika out for a hack. You are SO lucky to have her! Sounds like a great day!
Julia
p.s. my url has now changed – its http://www.britbride.com
Cheers! Oh and my future husband is NOTHING like the guys on wife swap thank god!!! ha ha
I always think that the american wife swap is much more crazier than the uk one. You’re right though, women shouldn’t be slaves, we are equal to men.
I’m glad you got back on chika today, she is beautiful!
Haha, Freya- feel no shame- I love wife-swap too 😀
I think the world needs silly shows. An hour of that makes us more motivated and prepared to tackle world issues.
Yes, this is words of wisdom from Hedda.
I have not read a book or seen a movie that has changed my life in a profound way. Yet.
But I do notice a very positive effect of studing Buddhism and the books by Dalai Lama. They give me a sense of peace which is very much needed.
I think it is very fascinating how books and movies can affect people. Through the authors words individuals all over the world can find meaning, comfort and motivation to carry on.
Chika is beautiful! (My fiance and I definitely would love to buy a horse or two) and I love your food photos…the tempeh reminds me of what shredded wheat looks like LOL. About Wife Swap…as an American, I watch it at times and agree that they pick the craziest families to be on there! They all just want attention anyways…I mean why else would they ask to be on tv then act how they do? It’s the same with Supernanny and such. 🙂 That banana crunch what have you looks awesome too! I’m so happy I’ve signed up for your blog…mine is on myspace so come check it out sometime! 🙂
Awh thankyou 🙂 You definetly should buy one! They’re like (very exspensive) fluffy therapy – just what everyone needs!!
Thanks for reading, and I’ll be sure to check your blog out too 🙂
Ooh, that hummus is crazy inventive!!! Yum!
Ahhh, that Chika IS adorable! Love how her personality shines through your pics and posts!
LOL, not all Americans are like the Wife Swap families:) If they filmed us normal (notice how I categorize myself here) people, there wouldn’t be much entertainment! I watch it too!
Haha!!
Apparently I heard USA Wife Swap is staged…that makes me sad 😦 In a way it’s quite nice to know that such freaks really do exist 😛
Wife swap, oh no, its terrible!! Jokes, quite entertaining really but the people, what are they like?? I’ve never seen the US one but going by the UK one which I thought was pretty extreme I can only imagine what it’s like. My ultimate trash tv is desperate housewives!! Love it.
That supper looks sooo good even though I’ve never tried tempeh, where do you find it? I miss kabocha though- being at uni means no waitrose which means no kabocha 😦
Love xxxxx
I am SO glad you were able to enjoy a nice ride on Chika. Just what the doctor ordered to clear your mind 🙂
Oh, gosh – wife swap…what an awful show, haha. My mom loves it…and I admit I also watch it in a “are people seriously this ridiculous?” sort of way, lol.
Your dinner looks beyond ridiculous!! (ridiculous meaning GOOD!)
Haha, your thoughts on Wife Swap are mine exactly when it comes to You Are What You Eat!!!
Good luck with the studying!
Oh yes, I’ve read some AMAZING books that truly do leave a lasting impact. Don’t laugh but the book “He’s Just Not That Into You” is really eye-opening!! I learned a lot.
No girl, all Americans are NOT that crazy. They pick the craziest of the crazies for reality TV. Most of us are pretty normal. Well, as normal as one can be I suppose.
Oh yes, Starbucks ROCKS! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise 😉
Have a great day tomorrow love!
So jealous of your beautiful horse! I rode multiple times a week, for hours, from age 5 through high school. It was the love of my life… but eventually my family couldn’t afford it anymore and I could never afford a horse of my own, heartbreaking. So I hope someday if I ever make some money that I will be able to own a horse, finally.
Your horse is beautiful!! 🙂
haha, as an American, Wife Swap is just a ‘reality’ television show out there for attention, and that’s it (like all other reality shows). Sure, there are crazy people out there, like everywhere in the world. But, rest assure, it’s all hype; all Americans are NOT like that. They pick the oddest and most extreme cases to make the show interesting. If they chose ‘normal’ people, the show would be boring!! 🙂
Hello! I just got back from the US (the end of my three month trip!) and can confirm, yes, they are a bit crazy, but any country which elevates peanut butter to gourmet level has to be doing something right… I am also VERY jealous of their Wholefoods supermarket chain, it is amazing, they even sell PB and Almond Butter in portable sachets, AND they sell a peanut butter and cinammon mix. Heaven. Jx
Peanut butter and cinnamon mix!? Good gracious, that’s a mouthgasm right there!
Your eats always look so good. I’m craving tempeh in a bad way for lunch, now ^~
Quick question: what are you putting in your GM bowls to make them so thick? Is there a link to your original recipe? I’d love to try and copy one of your breakfasts but my GM’s are much more drink-like than smoothie-y.
Thanks girl!
ps- Chika is ~so~ cute in those pictures!
The recipe is in the recipe page, unde ‘Epic Green Monster’ 🙂 but basically, it’s 1/2 milk, 1/2 yogurt, with a cup of cereal 🙂 simple!
As an anonymous reader I’d like to request more pictures of your sister’s horse, Tig I think he’s called, as he is clearly more beautiful and talented than Chika and I feel I could learn a lot about myself and my own riding from seeing pictures of your sister and her horse, since they are both clearly so exceptionally talented (more so than you and Chika).
Thanks,
anon
Ah – ‘anon’ – I believe there are so few photos of Tig on this site due to the fact that every time I point my camera at him, he crakcs the lens due to his sheer ugliness. I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with Chika!! 😀
Your food is always so creative, think I’m going to have to try making the hummus!
I suppose that a lot of books have been sort of life changing for me, even if it’s just one sentence that has stayed with me after…I recently finished one called ‘Indigo Adults’, which has definitely made me think xxx
Ohh I’ll have to google that book – I’m getting into more meaningful books now 🙂
Haha I love Wife Swap…but only because the people on it are certifiably insane!! There are definitely a lot of crazy people in the good ole U S of A, but I promise, we aren’t ALL that crazy!! I think they purposely find the most dramatic/dysfunctional people for that show in order to make “good television”
And yes, I’ve definitely read some books that I would classify as “life changing” or just really hitting home. For different reasons, I felt that way after I read “Eat, Pray, Love” and “In Defense of Food”
Oh my gosh. Your eats look amazing and your horse is so precious! I love!
The 9 Bar looks really natural, I am going to have to find one. Oh, and I also got some samples of Starbuck’s instant coffee but have been saving them for when I am in a pinch. Good to hear that they are pretty good. By the way, great job on all the miles you got in with your mom, I bet it was nice to wander with her.
I can’t get enough of you Chika pics! She is sooo gorgeous- and such a charakter by the sound of it 🙂 You must be such a good rider!
Is that Anky with Salinero? Every time I see those two (or Isabel Werth for that matter, especially old Gigolo clips) my eyes well up! Sooo beautiful!