Evening my lovemuffins!
I’ve had a good day today – kinda made up for the ticket I got yesterday (hurrumph. I shall forever grudge against ALL car parks, ticket machines, small change and ticket masters).
My day began the way all fab days do – with some (unphotographed) Bear granola nibbles and a Coco Loco Nakd bar, & 2 tsp wheatgerm. PERFECT fuel for a 9mile run 😀
As y’all know, recently I’ve been walking about 30 seconds or so in most miles, cos my legs have been a pain in the ass and so on. However, I think today, I’ve finally started to feel the benefit of having regular days off! Yes, I woke up today with fresh legs, and I did my full nine miles with ZERO WALKING. Hurrah! I had good splits too:
- 8.27
- 8.31
- 8.19 (what goes down……
- 8.24
- 8.20
- 8.31
- 8.46….must go up! Hills…)
- 8.37
- 8.51
Total: 1hr 16, average speed – 11.3km/7.02mph
I was soo pleased – I’ve been SO down about my running recently, it’s great to feel good again 🙂 But I think the weather made a big difference today – it was COLD, BREEZY AND RAINY! I was soaked to the skin when I got back (weirdly, the last time I did this route I got drenched as well…):
My hair was a mess 😛
Breakfast was a super welcome EGM:
I worked out how to make it SUPER thick – beet leaves! I forgot to say I added some yesterday, but I did, and I did today too. They’re much tougher than spinach and I think it made all the difference. L<3VE!
After breakfast it was still raining real hard, so I postponed working Chika for a bit, and instead made some Mama Pea muffins.
She described them on her blog as the best she’d ever done – and you know what? I AGREE! They were SO delicious!! The millet (yes, there is millet in them :)) gave them the most fabby texture, totally different from any other muffin I’ve made 🙂 The only changed I made to the recipe were using dates instead of chocolate chips, and half wholemeal, half white flour [instead of whole wheat pastry]. You know whole wheat pastry flour doesn’t actually exist in England??? Tres frustrating. I think my flour mix worked well though 🙂
Anyway, after baking, I rode Chika. Poor thing, she was having major nose issues again. It was so bad today I’ve got the vet coming out next week to stick a camera or something up her nose, have a dig around and see what’s going on….
Lunch came really late today (I didn’t finish it til gone 3!), but it was super-duper 🙂 I had a bowl of white veggies to start, covered in mixed spice:
That would be turnip, parsnip and celeriac 😀 My 3 favourite boys!
For the calorie dense bit, I had a wholemeal English muffin, spread with my three favourite ladies:
Peanut butter, chocolate peanut butter and cashew butter <- SO creamy and delicious!!
I also had some grapes and one of those millet muffins:
Perfect lunch 🙂
The rest of the arvo involved a reading walk (Fairytale of New York, by Miranda Dickinson – I LOVE IT!), mucking out, making my mum’s lunch etc. Nothing amazing sadly 😦 I did have an apple though! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY. I live my life by that logic 🙂
Dinner was Veganomicon inspired though! I used their recipe for smoky grilled tempeh (p130, if you have the book :)). The only change I made was using smoked paprika and smoked garlic instead of liquid smoke – anyone care to enlighten me on what liquid smoke is??! It sounds scary 😛
I served it with agave/cinnamon coated celeriac, parsnip, and kabocha and maple syrup/cinnamon sweet potato fries:
Verdict? The best dinner EVER!! The tempeh was SO full of flavour and wonderful and the veggies were soft and sweet….serious mouthgasm!
I have a wonderful dessert waiting for me in the fridge too 🙂 But you’ll have to wait til tomorrow to see what…….
Question: Best holiday you’ve ever had? Mine is coming up….!
——
Horsey Humpday!
I thought I’d tell y’all about my one and only trip to the USA for today’s instalment 🙂
Let me set the scene….my best friend is very international – she’s half Chinese, half Canadian, but with family scattered in Hong Kong, England, Africa (occasionally…her dad used to be a game ranger!) and Washington DC. During school, she’d go and spend a summer in each place. Summer 2007 – she was off to DC. Here’s the cool bit – her aunt who lives there is mega horsey, and has a big barn – training, liveries etc. So, I went with her! Not for the whole summer, but for 10days during August. I can honestly say it was one of the best 2 weeks of my entire life 🙂 Bar the heat (40 degrees on the day we went sight seeing….I have never sweated so much!), I had SO much fun living with my best friend and her aunt 🙂 And I got to ride loads of the horses, and even had a few lessons from a big-name trainer, I did piaffe and passage (VERY fancy moves!) on a schoolmaster….all in all, it was immense! Enough talk, here are some photos 🙂
(Random side note – this was pre-ED days…! It’s strange to see myself before I knew what was to come :s)
The barn:
Me on the last day:
My best friend (Jenny), me, two girls who rode at the barn (Erica and Allie…?) – on a day trip to a water theme park!!
The guy I did piaffe on:
The first day I rode Chika after I got back – terrible quality! But they’re stills from the video camera :p:
(I had to get Chika in there somewhere :p)
So there you have it 😀
OH! Almost forgot – cute Carter pics!!
QUESTION: Best holiday you’ve ever had?
Congrats on your 9 miles! Your food looks as tasty as ever!
Freya you look fab in those photos. It makes me quite sad actually to think you then went on to have an ED, but I’m so glad you are recovering now.
I actually love the look of your dinner, I’ve never had tempeh but I might have to try it now!!
I know, I find it sad to look at too!
Oh girl you’re missing out by not having tempeh! It’s to die for 🙂
It’s always weird to look back on yourself in an ‘innocent’ time…looks like you had a fabulous trip, though 🙂
My best trip was my three months travelling this year – AMAZING. The best thing is when little moments and memories from it just pop into my head – things I will remember forever. Peru was a real highlight, I HAVE to go back. Sigh 😉
Addicted to Bear Granola by the way – discovered the Tropical flavour yesterday. Love! Jx
ooh Peru – that must’ve been amazing! I’d love to go travelling…road trip across the USA would be top of my list 😛
Congrats on the 9 mile run!
The wholewheat pastry flour – I buy plain wholemeal flour which says it is for using in pastries and cakes, and it works fine. Just thought you might like to know. 😀
Love the horsey humpday photos – sounds like you had a fantastic time!
Yeah I normally use wholewheat flour – but I’ve read in a lot of books that they are different; wholewheat pastry flour is more finely milled than regular wholemeal flour, so it gives a fluffier, less dense texture 🙂
Congrats on your awesome splits! I’m jealous of your nut butter extravaganza 🙂
ahhh amazing muffins! i love millet (it’s my favorite grain) and millet bread is also my fave, so i don’t see how i couldnt POSSIBLY LOVE millet muffins. definitely on my to-bake list.
that dinner also looks amazing.. i haven’t really had much tempeh, but it looks great!! and root veggies/squashes are my FAVE… and you seem to have an abundance of them – looks like heaven to me!!! washington dc is so fun! looks like such a fun time that you had! how many years ago was that?
2007, so 3 years this august 🙂 it’s been TOO long – I can’t wait to go back!
Oh yes, I always make sure I’m well stocked in my root veg 😛
Hello, Carter! 🙂
And holy moly – so much good food in this post! Loving the turnips, sweet potato fries, and the tempeh. Wanna come cook for me?!?!?! 😉
The 2 tsp of wheatgerm that you mentioned ~ do you just put on a spoon and swallow? What benefits do you think your body is getting from adding this supplement? Thanks your horse is beautiful, cat cute too.
Yep, just eat it straight off – I LOVE the taste! Benefits wise – it is considered one of the top 10 healthiest foods (http://www.wheatgermbenefits.com/is-wheat-germ-good-for-you/), with 23 essential nutrients, and it’s agood source of…
B vitamins such as folate, niacin, thiamin, and vitamin B6 * Calcium * Complex carbs * Fiber * Iron * Magnesium * Manganese * Omega-3 fatty acids * Phosphorous * Potassium * Protein * Selenium * Vitamin E * Zinc
It also has good omega-3s, and a trillion other things 🙂 There’s SO much on google if you want to learn more 🙂
oooh! where was the barn? i was a working student in middleburg, VA for jimmy wofford for several summers a few years ago! it’s gorgeous out there. so many priceless memories and such an invaluable opportunity. and of course, chika and carter are adorable as always :). your recipes look great! love the idea of using dates in mama pea’s muffins!
It was in Maryland 🙂 You’re right – tons of priceless memories! 🙂
Congrats on the 9 miles! I’m not a runner by any means so 9 miles of running to me would be a marathon!
I’m an apple a day girl, too. What’s your fave kind?
My fave holiday was Christmas 2001-it was the first Christmas as a married couple and it was so fun and exciting. We got up at 4am and just opened gifts and watched movies 🙂
FUJI!!! I adore them! I have a secret love affair with Fuji apples 😛
Awwh that sounds like a lovely christmas!
Northern VA has the best barns in the region, if I do say so myself! Granted, I’m no rider but I have many friends who are…so I’ll trust their judgment 🙂 Although I may be biased because I live here.
My favorite trip ever was last summer when I took a 3 week study abroad trip to Scotland! We stayed in St. Andrews, Edinburgh and the Isle of Skye—it was the best experience of my life! I want to move there some day, haha.
Also, I randomly bought a bag of millet flour a few days ago. Looks like I have some mamapea muffins in my future!
Ohh my friend goes to Uni at St Andrews! Small world 🙂
Sounds like I picked the right kind of area for barns then 😛
I am always so jealous at your tempeh meals! :))
you look wonderful on those photos 🙂
My favorite holiday…hm. That Christmas when I was decorating the tree with my folks, and suddenly, my boyfriend appeared and surprised me. It was a wonderful christmas indeed
Definitely my trip to Ireland, for SURE!
Sounds like you had a great day! And congrats on the 9 miles! woohoo!
And those muffins sound delicious!
Love you!
Ohh, Freya. Have I ever told you how much I love your blog? Because I do – but I don’t think I’ve really said so. You are so creative and inspiring.
And besides that, I can’t even think of running a mile without walking, let alone nine 😉 Glad you had a great run this morning! And those muffins look delicious. I only have ONE muffin left, and it’s been far too hot to bake more. I think you’re the only person who might feel my pain on this situation 😉
Love the pics from your trip — that must have been amazing to get to ride a schoolmaster. I’d have died of joy!
Awwh thank you so much!! However much love you have for my blog, double it and that’s my opinion of yours 😛 (cheesy much!?)
Oh I really really do feel your pain with the one muffin situation!! When it’s next below 100degrees, you should try Mama Pea’s ones for sure – they are SO good!
Hi Freya,
I’ve been reading your blog for a couple months now but I never commented because I was shy but I must say I LOVE your blog. I’m an equestrian aswell, and love that I found a blogger with horses aswell! 🙂
Loved your photos from your vacation – it sounds like a perfect vacation to me! Chika is absolutely adorable.
I just started my blog but if you would like to check it out, I’ll be posting photos of my horses often!
Have a good one , and I think I will be commenting more often 🙂
– Jenn
Hey! Thanks for coming out of the woodwork 🙂 it’s lovely to hear from readers! Especially when they have lots of compliments :p
I’ll definetly check out your blog 🙂
Wow, nine miles, that’s fantastic! Congrats 🙂
Best vacation for me was Disney World a few weeks ago…I’m a major homebody, so I usually always get homesick during any vacation, but not at Disney! I was actually sad to leave! I still miss it, actually haha
You should totally do a Caturday Saturday post, simply because they are too cute.
Question: When did you start taking wheatgerm? And what prompted you to?
Thanks.
Haha that’s a good idea!!
I don’t remember when I started eating it, but I did so cos it’s packed with good vitamins and minerals 🙂 I think I’ve said what in a reply to another comment on this post?
Beautiful eats! Congrats on the 9 miles, that’s so crazy (good)!! One day… I will stop being too afraid to go over 6mi, and I will hit 9. At least one day, right?
PS: cutest cat picture EVA.
One day is a start 😀 the thought has been planted!
I’m the same way about my toppings. I have so many that I have to divide it all up so I can put a little bit of everything 🙂
i havent had a great holiday yet! Hoping to in the future, or very soon! Lol! That tempeh actually looks yum! x
Wow 9 miles! And so fast!! Good job! 🙂
Congrats on the nine miles!! That’s awesome. 🙂
You definitely have some great looking food in this post. Wow! I especially love the sound of smoky grilled tempeh. I’ve never tried grilling it, but I think I’ve got to before the summer’s over!!
And I love the picture of Carter. He’s so cute!
It sure was a WIN of a recipe 😀
That’ so awesome you never stopped to walk!! I’m impressed 🙂
Sorry to hear about the ticket, but I’m glad it didn’t ruin your day!