What I eat in a week

This week marks the last in our home in Surrey. We’ve had a great two years in the house, during which time we have completely transformed the kitchen and the bathroom. Having a beautiful, perfectly functional kitchen is the one of the reasons why my love of cooking and baking has grown so much over recent months. Our oven is a dream!

Monday 28th November

As well as being the last week in our current home, this week also marked the last of Mr Denham’s work trips to Europe – this week he is in Paris for 4 nights. I started my Monday morning with a slightly messy bowl of Porridge topped with Pears cooked with Cinnamon, Greek Yoghurt, Blueberries and Peanut Butter.

I had Autumn Parsnip Soup for lunch and then headed along the south coast to Bournemouth after work to my Grandad’s house. For supper we had Salmon en Croute served with New Potatoes, Asparagus and Sweetcorn.

Tuesday 29th November

The main purpose of being at my Grandad’s was to take him to hospital for an operation this morning, so woke early and had a bowl of Porridge topped with Melon and Grapes. Once I had dropped him off, I headed to the beach and ran 14 miles along the seafront and beach.

It was a simple operation and before we knew it we back at home having Soup and Petit Pain for lunch. Late afternoon, I headed back up the M3 and spent the evening packing up more boxes ready for our house move on Friday.

Wednesday 30th November

I started my morning with a 4 mile run and then had a bowl of Almond Milk Porridge topped with Raspberries, Pear cooked in Cinnamon, Pumpkin Seeds, a spoonful of crunchy Peanut Butter and a sprinkling of Dark Chocolate curls.

For lunch I had Autumn Parsnip Soup and my late night dinner at work was Pumpkin and Sage filled Pasta (I cooked this in the morning and then reheated it at work) with grated Parmesan and freshly cracked Black Pepper.

Thursday 1st December

This afternoon the Removal’s Company arrive to transport all of our possessions and belongings down the A3 to our new life adventure in Southsea. With a full on day ahead, I fuelled myself with Almond Milk Porridge topped with Pears cooked in Cinnamon, Raspberries, Greek Yoghurt, Pumpkin Seeds and a spoonful of Crunchy Peanut Butter (my mother in-law definitely had food envy!)

Mr Denham arrived home from Paris early afternoon and we had a quick lunch of Chicken Cup a Soup and leftover Pumpkin and Sage filled Pasta.

In the afternoon, once the Removal’s Company had finished for the day, we headed to Barossa Common for our last trail run. The sunset was incredible and will last in our memories for a long time. Once we were showered and changed, we went to our next door neighbour’s for tea and cake.

For dinner on our last night in Surrey, we headed to our favourite local restaurant, Kingfisher on the Quay at Mytchett. We have been several times whilst we’ve lived in this area and always have the Sharing Bundles as they are super delicious and great value. Tonight we had Pork and Chorizo Sausages, Queenie Scallops, Italian Antipasto and Grilled Halloumi with a side of Peas and Bacon.

When we got home, I made Winter Pavlova – Meringue pieces layered with extra thick Double Cream, Berries, Mango Coulis and Dark Chocolate curls.

Friday 2nd December

Moving day.

As the Removal’s Company arrived at 7.30am, we were tucking into bowls of Almond Milk Porridge topped with Pears cooked with Cinnamon, Berries, Greek Yoghurt, Crunchy Peanut Butter, Pumpkin Seeds and Dark Chocolate curls.

At 9.30am, the doors were shut on the two lorries and our belongings began their journey to our new home. We said our final goodbyes to our house, put the two cats in their travel carriers and headed to the Estate Agents to drop off our keys. As we drove down the A3, I was filled with a real sense of loss as a big chapter in our loves came to an end.

We had Chicken Soup and French Baguette for lunch in our new home as the Removal’s Company unloaded all of our worldly possessions.

After a full on afternoon of unpacking, neither of us had any energy to cook so I headed to our local convenience shop and grabbed a Pizza and some Salad for the first dinner in our new house.

Saturday 3rd December

In true Denham tradition, we started our Saturday morning with bowls of Porridge – today it was made with Almond Milk and topped with Melon and Grapes – and then headed to one of the local Parkrun (we tried Portsmouth Lakeside today).

My in-laws arrived mid-morning and we spent the rest of the day unpacking more boxes. For lunch we had homemade Vegetable Soup with Rustic Bread, followed by Apple Cake and a pot of tea.

Two friends joined us for dinner and I made a Lentil, Cauliflower and Coconut Curry served with steamed Basmati Rice and Naan Bread.

Sunday 4th December

I started my day with the most beautiful 5 mile run along Southsea beach as the sun rose out of the ocean.

After eating a super quick bowl of Granola, whilst drying my hair, I headed to the morning service at Harbour Church, Portsmouth, It was such a joy to be able to get there in less than 10 minutes rather than the 55 mile journey we’ve been doing each week since September.

Our best friends came round for Sunday lunch and we ate slow cooked Red Wine and Mushroom Chicken Casserole served with Baked Charlotte Potatoes and Tenderstem Broccoli.

As the sun set on our first weekend in Southsea, Mr Denham and I headed to the beach for a quick walk before he headed back to Church and I headed east for my work Christmas Party (Quiz and Hog Roast).

And so an amazing adventure-filled week comes to an end. Our new life in Southsea has begun and we are super excited about exploring our new home.

Enjoy your week. And remember…

Eat Better. Not Less.

 

What I eat in a week

Monday 21st November

I started my week with some motivation in the form of breakfast! This morning I made Porridge using 1/2 Coconut Milk and 1/2 water and topped it with Apple and Raspberries cooked in Date Nectar along with a spoonful of Meridian Crunchy Peanut Butter.

For lunch I had a bowl of Squash Soup. Dinner was a combination of vegetables that I found in the fridge, all thrown together in a frying pan with some soy sauce.

Tuesday 22nd November

I slept terribly last night and getting up this morning was a really struggle. I had every intention of going for a run…instead I tucked into this delicious bowl of Porridge topped with Sliced Apple cooked with Date Nectar and Cinnamon, Greek Yoghurt and Blueberries.

Lunch at work was another bowl of Squash Soup. Mr Denham arrived back from Munich this afternoon and was home when I got in from work.

For supper, we had baked Plaice, Tenderstem Broccoli and Red Pepper with Sesame Seeds and Blackbean Sauce served with a pouch of Tilda steamed Coconut, Chilli and Lemongrass Basmati Rice. Pudding was a Chocolate and Raspberry Brownie with Kelly’s Honeycomb Crunch Ice Cream.

Wednesday 23rd November

This morning we headed down the A3 to Southsea to find a home for the next step on our adventure together. We fuelled our search with Porridge topped with Apples caramelised in Date Nectar, Raspberries, Greek Yoghurt and Pumpkin Seeds.

Our search was successful! We viewed 6 potential properties and narrowed it down to two that we really liked. After a quick coffee stop in Coffee#1 (during which we saw one of our best friend’s and her baby boy – such a delight!), we made our decision and got straight on the phone to the agent to start all the boring administration that goes with renting a property.

We headed to Southsea seafront for lunch and tucked into Taiko Salmon Sushi Wrap’s and then went to The Tenth Hole for celebratory tea and cake. I love this tea rooms and will definitely need to be disciplined to make sure I don’t visit it every week (at least once)!

After our delicious trio of cakes, I headed west along the A27 to work and the late shift! For dinner, I had a bowl of Squash Soup.

Thursday 24th November

Late night into an early shift is never good, however this morning was a little better as Mr Denham was on hand to make me a cup of tea whilst I hauled myself into the shower at 5.30am! Breakfast was Porridge made with 1/2 Coconut Milk 1/2 Water, topped with Apples caramelised in Date Nectar, Blueberries, Greek Yoghurt and Pumpkin Seeds.

Lunch was the last bowl of my Squash Soup. Our rather late supper was Grilled Veal Burgers topped with melted Parmesan, Caramelised Onion Chutney and Salad on a Pain Rustica roll. Tonight I was definitely feeling grateful that it was Thursday night and I only had one more working day until the weekend!

Friday 25th November

Thank goodness it’s Friday! Another early morning started with delicious bowls of Porridge topped with Apple, Berries, Pumpkin Seeds and a spoonful of Peanut Butter.

For lunch I had 1/2 pot of Waitrose Green Thai Chicken Soup. In the afternoon, I drove over to one of our local Branches to have coffee with my Branch Manager colleague and to have a look around (he is retiring in the New Year and his job has been advertised).

For dinner, I made Sweet Potato and Butter Bean Curry from Madeleine Shaw’s website. I added some Coconut Milk to it and served it with a pack of Waitrose Sweet Potato and Spinach Bhajis and Naan Breads. To top it all off, we had homemade Apple Cake and extra thick Double Cream for pudding!

Saturday 26th November

This morning we ran our last Parkrun – it was my 40th, having started on Boxing Day 2015 and Mr Denham’s 22nd. We ran together for the first time and Mr Denham took another 10 seconds of his PB. Before we headed out, we tucked into delicious bowls of Porridge made with 1/2 Coconut Milk 1/2 Water, topped with Pear cooked with Cinnamon, Raspberries, Pumpkin Seeds and a spoonful of Meridian Crunchy Peanut Butter.

We had every intention of having a productive morning, however we were both absolutely exhausted at the end of busy weeks and so napped till early afternoon. When we finally stirred, we had Autumn Parsnip Soup with Olive Ciabatta topped with Cheddar and Caramelised Onion Chutney and Smoked Salmon and Hollandaise.

We spent the afternoon packing and didn’t stop until about 8pm. For dinner, we cooked Sweet Potato and Chicken Fajitas. The Sweet Potato was delicious and added a great texture to the mix.

Sunday 27th November

We desperately needed a super productive day as today was our last day off together before moving house at the end of next week. We started our day with Porridge made with 1/2 Almond Milk 1/2 Water topped with Pear cooked with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Greek Yoghurt and Pumpkin Seeds.

After a morning of packing, we headed out for a 5.5km trail run on Barossa Common. Our late lunch was Pork Spare Ribs marinated in Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce, grilled for 40 minutes, served with baked Sweet Potato, roast Parsnips and steamed Tenderstem Broccoli (the Spare Ribs tasted much better than they looked – the BBQ sauce just kept catching under the grill!)

In the evening, Mr Denham headed out on his last European work trip (this week he is in Paris from Sunday night to Thursday). I had a relaxing evening in front of the TV and then had an early night before another full on week at work.

Enjoy your week. And remember….

Eat Better. Not Less.

What I eat in a week

To move or not to move. That is the biggest question we have to answer this week. Mr Denham is away in Barcelona and I have another busy week at work.

Monday 14th November

I started my morning with a delicious bowl of Porridge topped with Berries, Coconut and Peanut Butter and a sprinkling of Pumpkin Seeds.

Despite working in Food Retail, I often run out of core ingredients or simply forget to buy them! This morning was no exception as I had run out of any dairy-free milk so my Porridge was made with water. It was much better than I expected and I will certainly be doing it again in the future – this time intentionally!

For lunch, I had a bowl of Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup with some leftover Topside of Beef. Dinner was a late one when I eventually got in from work. I rustled up a quick Beef Stir fry using 1/2 a bag of Waitrose Vegetable Ribbon Stir Fry, some leftover Topside of Beef thinly sliced, Soy Sauce and some Sweet Chilli Sauce.

Tuesday 15th November

Another early start. Another bowl of Porridge. This morning’s Porridge was made with Alpro roasted unsweetened Almond Milk and topped with Pear and Plum cooked in Date Nectar, Natural Yoghurt and a sprinkling of Pumpkin Seeds.

Lunch was another bowl of warming Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup. When I got home from work, I went for a 4 mile run and then made some more Beef Stir fry using the rest of the Waitrose Stir Fry pack and more Beef leftovers.

For pudding, I treated myself to two scoops of Kelly’s Honeycomb Crunch Ice Cream with some frozen Berries. Then had a lovely bubble bath and a mug of Earl Grey Tea.

Wednesday 16th November

Today I had my monthly regional manager’s meeting so was in the car by 6.20am. Before heading out of the door, I had Porridge made with Almond Milk topped with warmed Berries, Yoghurt, Pumpkin Seeds and a drizzle of Date Nectar.

For lunch, I had Vegetable Chow Mein followed by a bowl of Fruit Salad. Mr Denham was back from his travels when I got home and we told stories of our week’s whilst we cooked dinner.

We grilled Chicken Breasts and made a Tarragon sauce, using Tarragon Paste, Almond Milk and Natural Yoghurt, and served it with steamed Tenderstem Broccoli, Green Beans and Carrots.

Thursday 17th November

This morning I made our Porridge using Almond Milk and cooked some Redcurrants through it. I topped with more Redcurrants, Natural Yoghurt, a sprinkling of Pumpkin Seeds and a drizzle of Date Nectar.

Lunch was another bowl of homemade Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup.

We have had a really frustrating week with our house move, resulting in us not moving tomorrow as originally planned. This evening, we needed to marinate on some thoughts and make a really important decision.

We do this best whilst out running together.

Once home, we set out on a 7 mile run to chew the cud. Our post-run supper was Cod cooked with Sweet Potato, Green Beans, Red Onion and Carrots.

Friday 18th November

Friday’s off are a complete luxury when you work in Retail. I feel very blessed to have had the last two off. Today was even more of a luxury as Mr Denham was off with me.

We started our day with warming bowls of Porridge made with Almond Milk and Vanilla Extract topped with Pear, Plum and mixed Berries cooked with Date Nectar and Cinnamon and a sprinkling of Pumpkin Seeds. I added a spoonful of Natural Yoghurt and more Cinnamon to mine!

Our boiler decided to have a tantrum this morning and so we headed over to my in-laws for a shower. I ran 9 miles along the Basingstoke Canal in the most beautiful Autumn sunshine, whilst Mr Denham did some jobs and then drove over to meet me.

For lunch, we had homemade soup (I had Butternut Squash and Mr Denham had Broccoli and Stilton) with Grand Rustic Bread.

For dinner, I made Salmon Carbonara using Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon and Kiln Roasted Salmon Flakes. I  managed to scramble the eggs slightly although it still tasted great!

Saturday 19th November

What a beautiful morning! We started our day with a bowl of Porridge made with 1/2 Coconut Milk and 1/2 water, topped with Pear and Plum cooked in Date Nectar, a sprinkling of Pumpkin Seeds and a dusting of Cinnamon.

After a cold, frosty Parkrun, we headed home to continue making plans for our next adventure together in Southsea. Yesterday, we made the decision to pull out of the purchase of our new home. We both feel really comfortable about this and know that it is the right decision for us, however it now leaves us homeless in 13 days time. This morning, Mr Denham rang lots of Letting Agents and organised 7 house viewings for Wednesday. We’ve made the decision to go into rented accommodation for 6/12 months whilst we wait for our dream house to come onto the market.

Exciting times ahead!

For lunch, we had Waitrose Pork, Kale and Lentil Soup and Olive Ciabatta – topped with the final slice of leftover Topside of Beef with Caramelised Onion Chutney and Smoked Salmon and Hollandaise Sauce.

After a cup of tea and a few Minstrels, we headed out the door and went our separate ways again – me down to West Sussex for week and Mr Denham back to Heathrow for his penultimate European trip, this time to Salzburg via Munich airport.

It was Sushi for Supper after an awful drive home in the wind and rain as Storm Angus began to hit the South East of the UK.

Sunday 20th November

Today, I have a day off on my own and have a day of housework, baking, catching up with friends and Church ahead of me. I might also do some more packing although if I pack anything more there really won’t be anything left!

I’m starting the day with a bowl of Plum Bakewell Porridge – Porridge made with water and ground Almonds, topped with Plums cooked in Date Nectar, Natural Yoghurt and Flaked Almonds.

I spent the afternoon baking for the evening service at Harbour Church, Portsmouth. I made Double Chocolate and Raspberry brownies and Apple and Cinnamon Cake. Whilst the Apple Cakes were in the oven, I went for a quick 4.5 mile run around town.

Once everything was baked, I headed down the A3 to Portsmouth for Church. It was a great service and I ran the cafe and bar with one of my best friends (great time of catching up and socialising). After the service, I headed home and had some Chorizo and Bean Chilli for supper.

Next week, we have some big decisions to make. Where to live. Whether or not to apply for jobs. Just another week in the life of The Denham’s.

Enjoy your week. And remember…

Eat Better. Not Less.

What I eat in a week

Since running my marathon 5 weeks ago, I’ve found motivation and purpose seriously hard to come by and put this completely down to not having a goal. I need to be intentional about my running. So starting this week, I’m going to run a marathon each week over the course of 4 or 5 days.

This week, Mr Denham was in Lisbon, Portugal for 3 nights and I was away at a Women and Leadership Conference for 2 nights.

Monday 7th November

It was such a beautiful, sunny winter’s morning today. We started our day with my Apple Crumble Porridge – Porridge made with Alpro Cashew Milk topped with chopped Apples cooked in Date Nectar, Cinnamon and Ground Cloves, Sultanas, chopped Almonds and Pumpkin Seeds.

For lunch I had a bowl of my Roasted Carrot Soup. I got home from work at about 8pm and popped the remaining half of an Aubergine in the oven with a little Olive Oil and Ground Cumin. I roasted it for about 20 minutes and then added two boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs to the roasting tin to warm (they had already been cooked.) I served them both with some steamed Green Kale and Broccoli and two mini Mozzarella balls.

Tuesday 8th November

8 miles on a beautifully cold winters morning was the perfect start to my new running intention. My breakfast was almost as perfect! Porridge made with Cashew Milk topped with warmed Berries, Coconut and Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Seeds.

Lunch was a bowl of soup and dinner was some of my Bean and Chorizo Chilli with some steamed Kale and Broccoli, warmed up in the microwave at work.

Wednesday 9th November

My morning started with another great breakfast – Porridge made with Alpro Cashew Milk, topped with chopped Apple and Plum cooked in Date Nectar with Greek Yoghurt and Pumpkin Seeds.

Lunch was more soup and dinner was another portion of Bean and Chorizo Chilli.

Recipe for my Bean and Chorizo Chilli

Serves 4

• 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 2 Red Onions, sliced
• 100g Chorizo, sliced
• 2 cloves of Garlic, crushed
• 2 x 400g tinned Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 tin Butter Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tin Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tin Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Cook the onions in the coconut oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until soft. Add the chopped chorizo and garlic and fry for another 4 minutes. Add all the other ingredients, turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring often. Serve with steamed vegetables and rice (optional).

Thursday 10th November

Another gorgeous winter’s morning was great motivation to get my trainers on and get out running again. I did 7 miles before heading home and packing for two nights away. As it was already late morning, I skipped breakfast for the first time in months, going straight for an early lunch.

I had a bowl of Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup and a toasted Wholemeal Pitta Bread stuffed with Chicken Thigh and Mozzarella and some Sweet Cos Lettuce.

After lunch, I drove up the M40 to the Jury’s Inn Hotel, Hinckley Island in Leicestershire for a two day Women and Leadership Conference.

Dinner was a three course affair – starter of Rocket, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad; main course of Roast Chicken, Dauphinoise Potatoes and Vegetables; Lemon Posset with Raspberries for pudding.

Friday 11th November

After a tedious 2 mile run on a treadmill in the hotel’s gym, I had Porridge topped with mixed Berries and Natural Yoghurt for breakfast.

For lunch, I had a bowl of Broccoli and Stilton soup with a plate of various salads and cooked meats.

Dinner was once again 3 courses – Ham hock terrine and Piccalilli, Salmon Fillet with mashed Potato and Vegetables, and Pear Bakewell Tart with Cream.

Saturday 12th November

Even a treadmill can’t stop me running! 3 miles this morning, whilst watching Wednesday night’s episode of Masterchef. Breakfast was Porridge again, this time topped with dried Apricots and Dates and a handful of Granola.

After a morning of seminars, I had a bowl of Vegetable Soup and a plate of various salads for lunch and then headed back down the M40 to home.

This evening was mine and Mr Denham’s only night together this week. He flew home from Lisbon on Thursday after I had left for the conference and then flies out to Barcelona tomorrow.

For dinner, we had a Waitrose 1 Beef Ritolo with some steamed Tenderstem Broccoli. For pudding, we had our favourite Toffee Apple Pudding with Kelly’s Salted Caramel Ice Cream.

Sunday 13th November

This morning’s Porridge was made with Alpro Cashew Milk and topped with warmed Berries, Pip and Nut Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter, Almonds and Pumpkin Seeds.

We spent the day packing our home into boxes, ready for moving in the next few weeks, and watching rugby. For lunch, I roasted a Topside of Beef, made a massive Yorkshire Pudding and served them both with some Broad Beans, Tenderstem Broccoli and a big helping of Gravy.

Mr Denham left just after 3.30pm and I went out for my final run of the week. Setting my new running goal has been brilliant and I have run 27.6 miles this week.

After getting home and having a bath, I made myself Poached Eggs on toasted Rye Bread for supper. I then made a big pan of Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup – this week I have used Carrots, Parsnips, Sweet Potatoes and Red Onions as this is what was leftover in the fridge!

November is flying past! Mr Denham is in Barcelona this week and we maybe moving house – fingers crossed! Having packed lots of our belongings into boxes ready for the move, the house feels very empty and soulless and I am definitely ready to start our new adventure in Southsea.

Enjoy your week. And remember…

Eat Better. Not Less.

What I eat in a week

This week, Mr Denham is away enjoying the warmth of Autumn in Madrid whilst I am at home trying to get used to having to layer up, always wear a coat and have the heating on in the house!

Monday 31st October

We started our morning with Porridge made with Coconut and Almond Milk and frozen Blueberries cooked through it. It was topped with fresh Kiwi, Greek Yoghurt and Pumpkin Seeds. The colours were incredible on a cold, dark winter’s morning.

For lunch, I had a hearty bowl of Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup. Once home, Mr Denham and I went for an evening run (our main motivation, if I’m being really honest, was to avoid answering the door to all the local children trick or treating!) and cooked Fish Pie topped with Sweet Potato Mash for dinner.

I have made this a few times recently, and really like the sweetness of the potatoes combined with the smokiness of the fish – I use the Waitrose Cod and Salmon mix, which contains Cod, Salmon and Smoked Cod and make a sauce using Almond Milk.

Tuesday 1st November

I was up early again this morning and before heading to work made Porridge with Coconut and Almond Milk and topped it with Kiwi, Banana, Blueberries and Pumpkin Seeds with a drizzle of Date Nectar for some added sweetness.

Mr Denham flew to Madrid this afternoon, and so I was left to fend for myself for another three nights. We are moving house in a matter of days and so my mission over recent weeks has been to empty the freezer!

This evening’s ‘using something up’ dinner was a grilled Venison Burger with half an Aubergine and some Cherry Tomatoes, oven cooked with some Ground Cumin and a little Olive Oil, served with some steamed Green Kale and Broccoli.

Simple but delicious.

Wednesday 2nd November

Another cold winter’s morning. Another warming bowl of porridge. This morning it was made with Almond Milk and topped with Pears, cooked with a drizzle of Date Nectar and some mixed Dried Fruit, and some Pumpkin Seeds.

I spent every hour or daylight at work and eventually dragged myself away from my desk well into the evening. Both lunch and dinner were various items selected and grabbed from the vending machine at work!

Thursday 3rd November

After three 5.30am alarms in a row, I really appreciated a slight lie-in this morning. I was still out of the house at 7.15am and managed a 6.5km run before my breakfast of Porridge made with Almond Milk topped with Pear and Plum cooked with Date Nectar, a sprinkling of Pumpkin Seeds and a drizzle of Greek Yoghurt.

For lunch, I had a bowl of Vegetable and Pearly Barley Soup. Dinner was some leftover Vegetables and the other grilled Venison Burger, all warmed up in the microwave at work!

Friday 4th November

This week’s breakfasts have all been very similar and this morning was no different! With Mr Denham away so much, I find things I buy last so much longer than usual and therefore can’t mix things up as much as I would like.

Lunch was my last bowl of Vegetable and Pearly Barley Soup. Mr Denham flew home from Madrid this afternoon and we both arrived home at about 6pm.

For dinner, we had Pork Mince Taco’s using an Old El Paso Stand n Stuff Soft Taco Kit. We added Soured Cream, Guacamole with added Green Chilli and Sweet Cos Lettuce.

With our meal, we shared a bottle of Innis & Gunn Original Oak Aged Beer, which I heard recommended on a recent issue of the Jess Lively show. She describes it as a smooth Scottish beer with hints of toffee, vanilla and oak. It was really easy to drink and tasted great.

For pudding, we tucked into our favourite Kelly’s Salted Caramel Ice Cream with fresh Raspberries.

Saturday 5th November

After a week off, we were back at our local Parkrun on a very cold, slightly damp under foot morning.

Once we were home, showered and had warmed up, we tucked into perfectly Poached Eggs on toasted Rye Bread.

Having both had really full on weeks, we spent the rest of the morning relaxing and catching up with each other’s adventures.

For lunch, we had toasted Grand Rustic bread topped with Guacamole and Mozzarella and Raspberry Jam and fresh Raspberries.

In the evening, we drove into South London to see some dear friends and their two-year daughter. After sparklers in the back garden and double story-time, we tucked into a wonderful feast of Beef Massaman served with Basmati Rice and a selection of Indian Snacks.

For pudding, I made Toffee Apple Pudding again, this time with the Pecan nuts, and served it with Extra Thick Double Cream.

Sunday 6th November

Mr Denham was serving on the Production Team at both services at Church today and left home at 7.15am. I went out at the same time and had a great 7 mile run in the fresh, cold, winter’s air. Before heading down the A3 to join Mr Denham at Church, I had Porridge made with Cashew Milk and topped with Pear and Plums cooked in Date Nectar with some Pumpkin Seeds.

After Church, we headed to Pie and Vinyl in Southsea with four friends for lunch. We hadn’t been here before but had heard some great things. We weren’t disappointed! I had the Porksea Islander (British Pulled Pork with Fennel Seeds and a Caramelised Onion Chutney topped with double crispy Crackling) and Mr Denham had the Daily Pie Special, which had Pork Ribs, Sweetcorn and Coleslaw in it! We both had our pies with mash and minted peas. I highly recommend this place!

After lunch, we went for a brisk walk along Southsea Beach and then I headed home whilst Mr Denham went to the Evening Service.

In the evening, I made Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup from Eat Smart by Niomi Smart for my lunches and a big pan of Chorizo and Bean Chilli for dinners.

I can’t believe it is November already. October was full of delicious food and adventure. We have some great plans for the coming month including seeing dear friends and of course moving to Southsea. We are super excited about our move and are looking forward to making new friends, exploring new places and having new adventures!

Enjoy your week. And remember…

Eat Better. Not Less.

 

What I eat in a week

Another full on week filled with work, running, great friends and delicious food.

Monday 24th October

This morning was a cold, damp and misty affair. After a 5.30am alarm, the only way I know how to motivate myself is with a big steaming bowl of porridge.

I made the porridge using Alpro Cashew Milk, a little Cinnamon and some Sultanas, and topped it with chopped Banana, Greek Yoghurt, Pumpkin Seeds and a spoonful of Pip and Nut Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter.

For lunch, I had a bowl of the Farmhouse Vegetable Soup I made yesterday. It was absolutely delicious and so nourishing. The combination of Root Vegetables and Pearl Barley kept me full all afternoon.

After a long day at work, I had a quick, yet delicious, dinner of grilled Pork Loin Steak with a Chilli glaze with a pouch of Tilda Coconut and Jerk Rice.

Tuesday 25th October

Another cold morning. Another dreamy bowl of Porridge. This morning’s was made with Alpro Cashew Milk and had Greek Yoghurt swirled through it. I then cooked some chopped Plum and Apple in Date Nectar with a teaspoon of Cinnamon and topped my Porridge with this and a sprinkling of Pumpkin Seeds.

Lunch was another bowl of delicious Farmhouse Vegetable Soup. As soon as I got in from work, I went for a quick run before one of my best friends came for dinner.

Having marinated a Pork Rack of Ribs in Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce overnight, I cooked  it in the oven for 40 minutes along with some homemade Sweet Potato Wedges and served it with a big portion of Sweetcorn. For pudding, we had Chocolate Fondant Puddings.

Wednesday 26th October

I started my morning with a quick 6km run and then made this delicious breakfast to fuel myself for the day. The Porridge was made with 100ml Alpro Coconut and Almond Milk and 100ml Alpro Cashew Milk and topped with half an Apple cooked in Date Nectar.

For lunch, I had half a pouch of Jamie’s Tomato and Olive Quinoa with Brown Rice, Kibbles Wheat and Fennel with some homemade Ratatouille I found in the freezer.

For dinner, I had a bowl of my Farmhouse Vegetable Soup.

Thursday 27th October

With a really long day ahead of me, I started with a great looking breakfast! Porridge made with Alpro Coconut and Almond Milk topped with Kiwi, Plum, desiccated Coconut and Pumpkin Seeds.

Lunch was Farmhouse Soup (I will definitely be making this again!) Early evening, I headed over to another Branch for a meeting (sadly 20 miles in the opposite direction to home!)

After a 65 mile commute home, along my favourite road the M25(!), I just about managed to warm up some more homemade Ratatouille and topped it with some grated Cheddar Cheese (we really like Collier’s Cheddar as it is super creamy and a really great strength.)

Friday 28th October

I love breakfast! I can’t believe I used to miss this vital meal so frequently. My relationship with food continues to develop, but breakfast is now a must and sets me up so well for whatever the day will throw at me.

This morning’s breakfast was Coconut and Almond Milk Porridge cooked with Blueberries, swirled with Greek Yoghurt and topped with Kiwi, Pumpkin Seeds and homemade Apple Sauce.

With Mr Denham away all week (Prague then Rome), I worked six days rather than my usual five, and so was super grateful for an earlier finish today (I managed to leave work around 3pm!) I spent my evening making our Christmas Cake (separate blog post to follow with my recipe) and realised at about 8pm that I didn’t have anything in the house for dinner.

A quick dash down the road to my local Waitrose resulted in a dinner of Chicken and Chorizo Soup with a toasted Wholemeal Pitta Bread (in the freezer) with some Babaganoush! Random but just what I fancied.

Saturday 29th October

I woke feeling exhausted but knew I could get through day six of six at work as Mr Denham would be home when I got back this evening!

For breakfast I had Apples and Sultanas cooked in Date Nectar on creamy Porridge made with Coconut and Almond milk and swirled with Greek Yoghurt and homemade Apple Sauce, sprinkled with Pumpkin Seeds.

I had my last portion of Farmhouse Vegetable Soup for lunch and then for dinner we had a ‘throw it all together and hope for the best’ kinda meal!

Having not seen each other for 7 days, Mr Denham and I got distracted my catching up and hearing all about each other’s week and so our food was a little charred! We had roasted Butternut Squash stuffed with Bulgar Wheat and Quinoa, Black Olives, Red Peppers and Tomatoes.

Sunday 30th October

I was up early again this morning and made another batch of Farmhouse Vegetable Soup before breakfast. When I was grabbing a few bits last night in Waitrose, I forgot that the recipe included Broccoli so used some Butternut Squash instead.

For breakfast, I made one of our favourite’s – Porridge made with Coconut and Almond Milk, swirled with Greek Yoghurt and topped with Plum’s cooked in Date Nectar and sprinkled with Pumpkin Seeds and some leftover Crumble topping.

After breakfast we headed down the A3 for the morning service at Harbour Church, Portsmouth and then had lunch with our best friends at their home in Southsea.

We were on pudding duty and I made a Toffee Apple Pudding using a recipe from BBC Goodfood (my current favourite recipe inspiration go-to). It was absolutely delicious and I will definitely be making it again. We served it with hot Vanilla Custard!

After lunch, we went for a walk along the beach and then Mr Denham and I went for a 9km run around the city as the sunset.

For dinner, I roasted some Chickpeas, Butternut Squash and Chorizo and served it with Sundried Tomatoes and Mozzarella. Chickpeas are brilliant as a snack when roasted with Paprika or Cumin and are a great source of protein.

And so another week draws to an end. This was Mr Denham’s longest stint away from home and I’m really looking forward to having him around a bit more. He has five trips left to go before Christmas (Madrid, Lisbon, Munich, Barcelona and finally Paris.) Bring on December 1st when he will be home!

Enjoy your week. And remember…

Eat Better. Not Less.

 

What I eat in a week

This week I have another 2-day course, 2 days in Branch and a second 3 day weekend in a row!

With Mr Denham in Berlin, I set about fending for myself for a couple of days.

The weather has definitely turned cold in England now as we head rapidly towards winter, however we are still being blessed with some sunshine most days.

Monday 17th October

I started my week with a bowl of Porridge topped with some of my favourites – Berries, Banana, Greek Yoghurt and Pumpkin Seeds.

After a really long day at work (I was out of the house 12 and a half hours), the last thing I wanted to do was cook for myself. However, I’m really glad I did! This Lemon, Broccoli and Sesame Seed Roast Chicken was absolutely delicious and super simple to make. I had half this evening and left half for Mr Denham’s lunch later on in the week.

Tuesday 18th October

This morning was another early start and before heading off to my course, I had a bowl of Porridge made with Alpro Coconut Milk, Mixed Spice and Sultanas topped with homemade Apple Sauce, Greek Yoghurt and Pumpkin Seeds.

Lunch was a selection of salads at the conference centre and dinner was a ‘throw it all in a wok’ kind of stir fry.

Wednesday 19th October

Another cold, autumn morning began with my go-to breakfast. Porridge! This morning I made it with Alpro Coconut Milk and Flaked Almonds and topped it with Kiwi, Sultanas, Greek Yoghurt, homemade Apple Sauce and Pumpkin Seeds.

Lunch was once again a selection of salads, including Tuna Nicoise and Tomato and Mozzarella.

Mr Denham was home by the time I got back from my post-work run. For supper we had Steamed Fish and Pak Choi Parcels with Jasmine Rice, made with slightly smoked Salmon fillets.

Thursday 20th October

Breakfast was Porridge made with Alpro Oat Milk topped with this week’s favourite toppings and a cheeky spoonful of Pip and Nut Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter.

Lunch was a bowl of Waitrose Love Life Tomato and Basil Soup, eaten very quickly during a ridiculously busy day at work.

We were at friend’s for dinner, in Portsmouth, and I was on pudding duty.

I made a baked Blueberry and Lime Cheesecake. It was a combination of various recipes and I will do a separate post with my recipe. This tasted as good as it looked and served 10 people really easily.

I think baked Cheesecake could become my signature dessert!

Friday 21st October

Mr Denham and I were both off today and we started our morning with the perfect breakfast for a chilly, autumnal day – Porridge made with Alpro Oat Milk topped with chopped Apple cooked with Sultanas and Mixed Spice and a handful of Pecan Nuts.

We spent the day exploring Winchester and found an amazing place for lunch. Rawberry Juice Bar and Cafe serves a great selection of Juices, Salads, Wraps and Soups. All of the food is Vegetarian and many of the options are Vegan and Paleo.

We shared a Halloumi, Spinach and Beetroot Hummus Wrap and a bowl of Green Vegetable Soup and had a decaffeinated Cappuccino and Earl Grey Tea to drink. The food was absolutely delicious and so delicately flavoured. This place is definitely worth a visit if you are in Winchester.

For dinner, we had Mexican Rice with Chipotle Pork and Avocado Salsa. We used Pork Shoulder Steaks and baked them whole before cutting them into slices once they were cooked (this ensured the meat stayed moist). For pudding, we had some leftover Blueberry Cheesecake topped with grated Dark Chocolate and Double Cream!

Saturday 22nd October

It was a really misty morning when we got up and we fuelled ourselves for Parkrun with a hearty bowl of Porridge made with Alpro Oat Milk and topped with Kiwi, Blueberries, homemade Apple Sauce, Greek Yoghurt and Pumpkin Seeds.

We had a very relaxing morning and then headed to Waitrose early afternoon to do the weekly food shop. Having not eaten lunch, we had mini Hot Cross Buns and a pot of tea about 4pm before Mr Denham headed back to Heathrow for the next leg on his European Tour. For dinner, I had Pork Loin Steak stir fry whilst watching Strictly Come Dancing.

Sunday 23rd October

Despite having a relatively late night (for me!) and no specific reason to get up early, I was still awake at 7am and began my morning cooking. I made a batch of Farmhouse Vegetable Soup from Niomi Smart’s new recipe book Eat Smart for this week’s lunches at work.

For breakfast, I had Porridge made with Alpro Cashew Milk topped with Kiwi, Blueberries, Greek Yoghurt and Coconut and Peanut Butter.

Lunch was a very late affair, as I had been down to Portsmouth for the morning service at Harbour Church, and consisted of a Taiko Simple Sushi pack and a Feta and Lemon Quinoa Salad, both from Waitrose.

After a quick evening run, I threw a Waitrose Sweet Baby Vegetable Stir Fry pack into a wok with some mini Chicken Breast Fillets, a splash of Soy Sauce,a  sprinkle of Sesame Seeds and a teaspoon of Peanut Butter.

And so another week draws to an end. I have a really busy week at work ahead of me and Mr Denham is out of the country all week. I really feel like I’ve lost my running mojo this week. I’m determined to get it back next week!

Enjoy your week. And remember…

Eat Better. Not Less.

What I eat in a week

Another week, another European City. This week Mr Denham is in Stockholm with work. My quest to continue running four to five times a week continues and I am trying my best to cook properly when I’m on my own. This week I am away with work for a night and then we are away for 2 nights at the end of the week.

Monday 10th October

This morning’s post-run, pre-work breakfast was a warming bowl of Porridge made with Oats, Chia Seeds and Oat Milk topped with Peach, Blueberries and flaked Almonds.

For lunch, I had my last portion of Warming Squash Soup from the batch I made last week. Dinner at work was also a last, this time it was the Slow Cooked Beef Chilli I made using the recipe from Eat Well, Move Better and Feel Awesome by the Lean Machines.

Tuesday 11th October

I began the chilly, autumnal morning with a warming bowl of Porridge. Today’s toppings were Blueberries, Nectarine and Pumpkin Seeds with a cheeky spoonful of Peanut Butter.

I had a 2-day regional manager’s meeting at a Conference Centre and Hotel in Cookham, Berkshire and lunch was a selection of salads.

Dinner was a delicious 3 course meal of a Smoked Salmon starter, Tandoori spiced Cod Fillet with Vegetable Rice followed by Autumn Fruit Crumble with Vanilla Ice-cream.

Wednesday 12th October

I started my morning with a 6km run along the Thames as the sun rose and the riverside wildlife woke up, stretched and began searching for their first meal of the day. My first meal of the day was two perfectly Poached Eggs on Wholemeal Toast.

Lunch was another selection of salads at the Conference Centre. Mr Denham arrived back into the country this afternoon and having picked him up from Heathrow, we headed to my in-laws for a family Roast Dinner -my mother-in-law does them so well!

Pudding was Apple Cake, Autumnal Fruit and thick Vanilla Custard.

Thursday 13th October

We had a very early start as I needed to be at work for 7.30am. Lunch was a bowl of hearty Pearl Barley soup.

After a ridiculously busy day, it was a pleasure to have Mr Denham pick me up from work and we headed back up through the Surrey Hills to home.

For dinner we had Chicken Katsu Curry with lots of Vegetables that needed eating up (Corn, Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas, Green Beans, Red Onion and Green Pepper), followed by homemade Double Chocolate Cookie with Kelly’s Praline Caramel and Honeycomb Crunch Ice cream.

Friday 14th October

Breakfast was a colourful bowl of Porridge made with Coconut and Oat Milk topped with cooked Apple, fresh Raspberries, Pumpkin Seeds, Greek Yoghurt and Peanut Butter.

We were spending the weekend in Bath with my parents and headed along the M4 mid-morning. For lunch, we had burritos from Mission Burrito followed by a sweet treat from Ben’s Cookies.

We had pre-booked a table at Thaikhun – a brand new restaurant in the newly renovated Little Southgate of Bath. I had read a number of great reviews about other Thaikhun restaurants and so our expectations were high.

We were not disappointed!

We began our Thai Feast with the Sukumvit 38 Platter for 2 people and the Bangkok Street Platter for 2. We all had a bit of everything and it was all totally delicious!

For main course, we had the ‘Make Your Own Pinto’ for 4 people. We had a portion of:

• Chicken Massaman Curry
• Thai Green Chicken Curry
• Gai Phad Med (Chicken with Cashew Nut)
• Nua Phad Kra Prao (Beef with Chilli and Thai Basil)
• Moo Prik King (Pork Belly in Red Curry)
• Pad Thai Chicken
• Jasmine Rice
• Sticky Rice

It was an incredible array of dishes, each one tasting really authentic and delicious. Needless to say we didn’t have room for pudding, although we did manage to all have a Almond Magnum on the walk back to our apartment!

Saturday 15th October

We started our morning with a tourist run at Bath Skyline Parkrun and then had yummy bowls of Porridge made with Oatly Milk topped with Berries and Greek Yoghurt.

For lunch we had bagels from Whole Bagel. Mr Denham and I opted for a Spanish Club on a Multiseed Bagel, which included Chicken, Chorizo, Roasted Peppers, Mayonnaise and Mixed Leaves. My parents had a Multiseed Bagel filled with French Brie, Pear, Italian Proscuitto, Rocket, Roasted Walnuts and Balsamic Dressing.

Having bought a box of cookies from Ben’s Cookies, we each had one with a cup of tea after a busy day of exploring the city. We shared one each of the following flavours:

• White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut
• Triple Chocolate Chunk
• Cranberry and White Chocolate
• Ginger

They were the best cookies I’ve tasted (apart from my own homemade owns)!

In the evening, we went to Green Park Brasserie for dinner. I chose this restaurant because of the live jazz. There was a great atmosphere and the food was really nice.

We shared a Baked Camembert with French Bread, Crudités and Shallot Marmalade and my parents had a Mediterranean Mezze Sharing Board. For main course, I had the Grilled Sweet Chilli Chicken, Roasted Roquito Pepper, Sugar Snap and Peashoot Salad. Mr Denham had Pork Cutlet, Tender Stem Broccoli with Apple and Vanilla Ketchup and we shared some Sweet Potato Fries.

Sunday 16th October

As usual, breakfast was a warming bowl of Porridge – this morning’s was made with Oatly Milk and topped with Berries, sliced Banana and Greek Yoghurt.

We loved our lunch so much yesterday that we opted for bagels again today! Between us we had two Avocado and Smoked Salmon bagels, a Smoked Bacon and Brie on a Sundried Tomato and Olive Bagel and a Pulled Pork one. They were as good if not better than yesterday’s! We enjoyed them sitting on fallen tree trunks overlooking the city from Claverton Down.

On our way home, we stopped in Chippenham and had Tea and Scones at Patisserie Valerie before making our separate ways to Surrey and Cheshire.

Once home, having dropped Mr Denham off at Heathrow for another flight to Europe (this time to Berlin), I did a 10km run and then made myself Roasted Butternut Squash stuffed with Chorizo, Shallot, Cherry Tomatoes, Jalapeno Peppers, Sundried Tomatoes and Garden Peas.

And so another week draws to an end. It has been full of adventure and delicious food. A perfect week.

Enjoy your week and remember…

Eat Better, Not Less

What I eat in a week

Last week was an absolute whirlwind. For seven months I trained four to five times a week, thought about everything I ate, and didn’t drink alcohol.

All for 3 hours and 51 minutes of running.

And now what happens…

I definitely have a sense of loss and need to work out how I will fill this and what goal I am going to aim for next.

Monday 3rd October

The morning after the marathon…….apart from ridiculously achey knees, I felt great and tucked into a delicious bowl of Porridge made with Alpro Coconut Almond Milk with a teaspoon of honey topped with Banana, Blackforest Berries and a spoonful of Pip and Nut Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter.

For dinner, I had roasted some Butternut Squash and then stirfried it with a sliced Chicken Breast, some chopped Cherry Tomatoes and sliced Green Peppers. I topped the bowl with half a sliced Avocado and some crumbled Feta Cheese. A bowl of absolute goodness!

Tuesday 4th October

Forty-two hours after finishing my first marathon, the trainers were laced up again and I ran 4.8km on a beautiful, crisp autumnal morning. I then tucked into a big bowl of Porridge and Chia Pudding with fresh Nectarines, Kiwi and Pumpkin Seeds.

For lunch, I had a Two-Egg Omelette made with Feta Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes and a spoonful of Hot Chilli Sauce.

Supper was Chicken Breast, Red Pepper and Red Onion, stirfried with Paprika and Chilli Flakes served in a Corn Tortilla Wrap with homemade Guacamole, Salsa and Sourcream followed by Sticky Toffee Pudding served with Salted Caramel Icecream.

Delicious!

Wednesday 5th October

I started my morning by making a batch of Warming Squash Soup from Eat Smart by Niomi Smart. It was really simple to make (only using one pan!), super convenient to take to work for lunches and tasted great!

My lunch at work looked a little something like this…

With Mr Denham home from Amsterdam, normal cooking habits resumed – I prepare the ingredients and he cooks. Tonight’s dinner was Vegetable Laksa from Niomi Smart’s book Eat Smart. These had just the right amount of spice and were perfect bowls of goodness for an autumnal evening.

Thursday 6th October

I started my morning with a bowl of Porridge (it can’t have looked very good as I didn’t take a photo of it!) and then headed to a Conference Centre near Maidenhead, Berkshire for a work course.

Lunches there are always great and today was no exception. I had a great selection of cold salads followed by some granola, greek yoghurt and fruit compote.

Once home, Mr Denham and I went for a run and then cooked this Chicken and Quinoa Stirfry from Lean in 15 by Joe Wicks. Instead of a pre-cooked pouch of Quinoa, we used Waitrose Love Life Quinoa with Bulgar Wheat (approx 60g uncooked per person), which only takes 10-12 minutes to cook in boiling water. This was a perfect post-workout dinner and tasted really good.

Friday 7th October

Growing up, breakfast was only ever a weekend meal. Now it’s my favourite meal of the day. This morning we had Porridge made with Almond and Coconut Milk topped with Banana, fresh Figs, Nectarine, a sprinkle of Pumpkin Seeds and a spoonful of Pip and Nut crunchy Maple Peanut Butter.

My course was two days, so lunch was another plateful of delicious salad’s. Today’s included various Charcuterie Meat, Mozzarella and Sundried Tomato Salad, Quinoa Salad and Couscous Salad.

Tomorrow marks 9 years since Mr Denham took me on our First Date. We went to the Trafford Centre near Manchester, did some shopping, and then went to Pizza Hut for dinner. With him flying off to Sweden tomorrow afternoon, we decided to celebrate this evening.

We ordered Pizza Hut takeaway (one large Super Supreme Italian base), drank Champagne (my first drink since completing the marathon!) and watched Friday night rugby. Such a perfect way to celebrate the last 9 years together.

Saturday 8th October

Our pre-Parkrun breakfast was a bowl of Porridge made with Alpro Oat Milk topped with Kiwi, Apricot and Berries with a spoonful of Alpro Vanilla Yoghurt and a sprinkling of Pumpkin Seeds. It must have been the perfect fuel as I took another 25 seconds of my Personal Best and went under 21 minutes for the first time (20 mins 42 secs).

Mr Denham left shortly after we got home from Parkrun – this time flying to Stockholm for 4 nights.

Lunch was a bowl of Warming Squash Soup and dinner was a portion of the Slow Cooked Beef Chilli from Eat Well, Move Better and Feel Awesome by the Lean Machines, I made a couple of weeks ago and had frozen for such occasions as late night Saturday shifts at work!

Sunday 9th October

As normal, I woke around 6.20am (even on a Sunday!) and by 6.30am was in my kitchen baking.

Since deciding to move to Southsea, Portsmouth, we have joined Harbour Church and now, whenever we can, drive the 50 miles down the A3 to be at one of the services. With Mr Denham away, I had decided to try out the evening service and has been asked if I would like to bake for approx 50 people for the pre-service Coffee and Cake time.

Of course my answer was yes! Why would I miss an opportunity to spend time in my beautiful kitchen, making delicious cakes that I could take Instagram-worthy photos of?

I made Peach and Blueberry Crumble Cake, two Caramel Apple Loaf Cakes (one with Walnuts and one without) and 24 double Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies.  ***I will do a separate post with each of the recipes.***

Having baked for a number of hours(!), I went for a quick run and then had a ‘what have I got in my fridge’ kind of lunch.

I had a bowl of Kale and Quinoa topped with Feta Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes, followed by some tinned Peach Halves (leftover from baking) with Greek Yoghurt, Granola and grated Dark Chocolate.

My baking went down really well at Church – I was a little nervous as I hadn’t baked for a number of years – and I have now been asked to do it in on a regular basis. Just got to work out how I balance baking, a long-run and Church on a Sunday now!

This week has been a great mix of adventure and delicious food. One of my main goals that I set out at the beginning of the year, was to run more. Running a marathon was just a consequence of this. I am so pleased I have run 5 times this week and have truly discovered a love for it.

Enjoy your week and remember…

Eat Better, not Less

 

What I eat in a week

This week is the second of twelve that Mr Denham is away in Europe for 3 or 4 nights. I think I’m bored of him being away already!

I’ve tried to mix my meals up as much as possible whilst he’s been away but don’t feel like I’ve transitioned into Autumn very well. I’m still clinging on to salad at lunchtime with the addition of warming bowls of soup. I’ll definitely be making some more of my Butternut Squash, Chorizo, Feta and Quinoa Salad for next week’s lunches.

As this week progresses, my carb intake increases as I get closer to running my marathon on Sunday morning.

***I have been picking and choosing meals from this Marathon Meal Plan I found on the BBC Goodfood Website.***

Monday 26th September

I can honestly say I’ve never had an omelette for breakfast before, although I am a massive fan of poached or boiled eggs.

This morning, I had a delicious Feta and Sundried Tomato Omelette from the BBC Goodfood Website. It was so tasty and filling, and I genuinely didn’t feel hungry until lunchtime.

Lunch was a Tuna and Avocado Salad and for dinner I had a portion of Slow Cooked Beef Chilli from Eat Well, Move Better and Feel Awesome by the Lean Machines, served with a pouch of  Tilda Pulses and Rice Edamame, Spring Onion and Wasabi.

Tuesday 27th September

Having loved it so much yesterday, I had the same omelette for breakfast this morning with my usual cup of PG Tips and a big glass of water. A friend gave me a bottle of Forever Freedom Orange Flavoured Aloe Vera Juice as it’s meant to be great for maintaining healthy joints (perfect for my running) and so I also had a 60ml of this.

For lunch, I had a Pesto Chicken and Courgetti Salad that I picked up from the Coop very late on Monday evening having discovered I needed some milk.

After a relatively easy paced evening run, dinner was a baked Sweet Potato topped with a Tomato, Red Onion, Carrot and Chorizo sauce and a big handful of Green Salad and Cucumbers. Not the most ‘Instagramable’ meal but delicious nonetheless!

For pudding, I had a some Greek Yoghurt topped with Berries, Apricots, Kiwi, a sprinkling of Porridge Oats and a spoonful of Pip and Nut Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter. Beautiful!

Wednesday 28th September

I started my day with my penultimate run before my marathon and then had this beautiful bowl of goodness for breakfast.

This morning’s Porridge Recipe

• 50g Essential Waitrose Porridge Oats with Wheatbran
• 200ml Alpro Coconut and Almond Milk
• 1 Banana, chopped
• 50g Essential Waitrose Frozen Berries
• Handful of Pumpkin Seeds

For lunch I had a hearty bowl of Tomato and Basil Soup and salad with cucumber. Working a mid-shift (10am-7pm) means having a late supper when I get home, so something nice and easy is always welcome. This evening I had another portion of Slow Cooked Beef Chilli with a pouch of Green Giant Express Sweetcorn and some Greek Yoghurt to cool it all down.

Thursday 29th September

This morning was just ‘one of those’. I snoozed my alarm for 15 minutes and then managed to turn it off completely, meaning I only had 30 minutes to get ready for work. Easy said than done at 6am, especially when the shower then decides to be luke warm!

This bowl of Porridge made with Coconut and Almond Milk topped with Essential Waitrose Frozen Blackforest Fruits, fresh Kiwi and Apricots and a sprinkle of Pumpkin Seeds did manage to put a little smile on my face. However pushed for time I am, I always make time for breakfast and making it look delicious (something that I have only done in recent months but it makes such a difference to my day!)

Lunch was another bowl of soup – today’s was Broccoli and Lancashire Cheese – with a big serving of salad.

Mr Denham was home when I got back from work. It was so nice to not come home to an empty (apart from two hungry cats) house.

For dinner, we had Mexican Chicken Stew with Quinoa and Beans from the BBC Goodfood Website. We used a pouch of Tilda Quinoa, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds and Chickpeas instead of Pinto Beans because that’s what we had in the cupboard!

Friday 30th September

How can it possibly be the last day of September already? Where has the month gone? Autumn is well and truly upon us. The leaves are turning beautiful shades of red and brown and it is very definitely dark when the alarm goes off in the morning.

I started this morning with a trusty bowl of Porridge topped with my usual frozen Berries, Banana and a spoonful of Pip and Nut Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter.

Lunch was the beginning of my carb-loading – a baked Sweet Potato with Tuna and Feta Cheese. I am finding this week really challenging with my increased food/calorie consumption and minimal running. Every muscle in my body just wants to go out and run!

For supper, we made Chicken Pad Thai using a Thai Taste kit and added some Chickpeas and Curly Kale we had in the fridge.

Super easy. Super tasty.

Pudding was some muesli with Alpro Soya Vanilla yoghurt and fresh Kiwi and Apricot. And a square (or two) of Lindt Chocolate!

Saturday 1st October

As the sun rose, I went for my final run before the big day tomorrow. Once we got home from Parkrun (Mr Denham ran and I volunteered as Backup Timer), I made warming bowls of Autumnal Porridge made with Almond Milk topped with Apples, Black forest Berries and Apricots cooked with Cinnamon and Ground Cloves.

For lunch, we had Rice and Bean Enchiladas as I continued to carb-load, followed by a yoghurt topped with granola.

In the afternoon we headed down the M3 to Wimborne, Dorset to stay with my Grandad overnight. My Grandad and husband shared a Charlie Bigham’s Fish Pie, whilst I had a big bowl of Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms. For pudding we had Pear and Blackberry Crumble with creamy custard.

Sunday 2nd October

The big day!

I can’t quite believe this day is finally here. I have been training for the last 7 months for today and am ready to smash it.

I started my day with a big bowl of Porridge made with Almond Milk topped with Pear and Black forest Berries and as Mr Denham and I made our way to the starting area of the Bournemouth Marathon, I ate half a banana!

During the race, I had half a Nakd Apricot Crunch, lots of water, a couple of energy gels and 8-10 Jelly Babies!

I wasn’t well after the run and wasn’t able to eat anything till 8 in the evening. When my appetite did come back (and boy did it come back!), I had a Tilda Sundried Tomato Rice pouch with Avocado and Feta Cheese followed by 2 Waitrose Mini Hot Cross Buns, which had been in our freezer for months, if not years!

Completing a marathon was the greatest achievement of my life so far! I have never felt so many different emotions in such a short space of time – exhilaration, excitement, nervousness, frustration, determination, exhaustion, pride and many more!

I am looking forward to continuing my running journey and seeing where it takes me next. My relationship with food has improved immensely and I don’t want to lose this and I am looking forward to maintaining a great balance between food and exercise.

But having not had a ‘proper’ drink in months, I am really excited to have a glass of ice cold Prosecco!

Enjoy your week.

 

 

What I eat in a week

This was the first week Mr Denham was out of the country for 3 nights and I had to fend for myself! I re-logged everything we had in the freezer, planned the weeks meal, did the food shop and got cooking.

Monday 19th September

I started the day with a bowl of Porridge made with Alpro Coconut Milk and topped with Essential Waitrose Frozen Black forest Berries and some Pumpkin Seeds. A great start to the week!

The weather seems to have decided it’s Autumn, so for lunch I had a steaming bowl of Glorious Singapore Crushed Tomato Skinnylicious Soup followed by some Itsu Dark Chocolate Rice Cakes and an Apple.

For dinner, we had pan fried Sea Bass Fillet with stir fried Yellow and Red Peppers, Pak Choi, Beansprouts and Carrot.

Tuesday 20th September

I started my morning with a quick 5km run around town and then had Porridge made with Alpro Almond Dark Chocolate Milk topped with frozen Berries.

I was on a course at Head Office today, so lunch was a mixture of salads followed by some fresh Fruit Salad.

Once home, I had a throw it all in the pan kind of dinner! Chicken and loads of Vegetables stir fried in Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil with some cheeky Peanut Butter.

Wednesday 21st September

After another morning run, I had a bowl of sunshine for breakfast! Greek Yoghurt topped with fresh Fig, Apricot and Kiwi with some Porridge Oats for texture (added post-photo.)

For lunch, I had Raw Pad Thai with a grilled Chicken Breast. This was really delicious, super easy to make and surprisingly filling.

Dinner was Fish Pie topped with Sweet Potato Mash that I had found in the freezer and warmed up in the microwave at work.

Thursday 22nd September

Another day. Another morning run. It was a bit cooler this morning, so I made some Porridge with Alpro Coconut and Almond Milk and topped it with some beautifully colourful fresh Fruit.

Lunch was a portion of Turkey Moussaka from Lean in 15 by Joe Wicks served with a pouch of Green Giant Express Sweetcorn.

Dinner was another bowl of Raw Pad Thai with a cup of Twinings Buttermint Tea in the Dining Room at work.

Friday 23rd September

Breakfast was two perfectly poached Eggs on toasted Rye Bread. A wonderful start to the day!

For lunch, I had more Raw Pad Thai followed by some Fresh Fruit with Yoghurt.

Mr Denham arrived home this evening!

For dinner, we cooked Cod Parcels (although we used Haddock) from Eat Well, Move Better and Feel Awesome by The Lean Machines. These were absolutely delicious and we will definitely be having these again. Next time, I think I will add some chorizo to them for a smokey paprika flavour. For pudding, we had Sticky Cinnamon Figs with Greek Yoghurt.

Saturday 24th September

Our post-Parkrun breakfast was Warming Apple Crumble Porridge from The Body Bible by Alice Liveing. This is Mr Denham’s favourite and was a great start to a cold Autumnal morning.

We spent the day wondering round Farnham Food Festival, eating as many different samples as possible and trying to make a meal out of nibbles! We treated ourselves to a Cranberry, Apricot and Seeds Flapjack from a stand run by a local Women’s Group. It felt almost healthy!

For dinner, we had Turkey Burgers with homemade Salsa and Guacamole served with some Sweet Potato Fries from The Body Bible. For pudding we had Salted Praline ice cream. Lots of it!

Whilst we were making dinner, we also made a batch of Slow Cooked Beef Chilli ,from Eat Well, Move Better and Feel Awesome by the Lean Machines, for me to have next week whilst Mr Denham is away.

Sunday 25th September

We were up early again this morning and by 9am were heading down the A3 to Portsmouth. We had the most amazing Cinnamon Rolls before the service at Harbour Church and afterwards headed into Southsea to grab a bite to eat.

We had Honey Roast Ham and Cheese Sandwiches sat watching hundreds of boats passing along the Solent into Portsmouth and Southampton Harbour’s and then had a New Forest Banoffee Ice cream because it would be rude not to!

Once home, Mr Denham packed ready for his next trip (this time to Frankfurt for 4 nights) and I got ready to do my last long run before my marathon.

My supper, after 22km at race pace, was the last portion of Raw Pad Thai with some stir fried Turkey Thigh Mince with extra Carrot and Yellow Pepper.

And so another week comes to an end. With Mr Denham being away so much, our time together is so precious and we are loving making amazing memories and going on adventures.

Next week is my build up towards running my marathon on Sunday, so you will see more carbohydrates and generally more calories in my meals over the coming days.

Enjoy your week.

 

Our Week in Meals

We got back from our incredible 10 day Italian Adventure late on Friday evening. We explored the most beautiful cities, discovered lots about ourselves, ate some amazing food and fell more in love with each other.

Saturday morning brought us back down to earth, with my hubby getting up for work and me heading to Parkrun.

Mr Denham will be out of the country with work for 3-5 nights each week from now until the beginning of December so my meals will be slightly different (lots of making meals ahead of time and then warming them up at work!) Cooking for one just doesn’t have the same appeal as cooking for two.

Saturday 10th September

Last Saturday morning just didn’t feel the same without a Parkrun, but I was back out in our local park this morning with 400 others in the drizzle! The rest of my day was spent doing washing, ploughing through the 150+ work emails in my inbox and doing the food shopping at Waitrose.

I honestly have no idea what I had for breakfast or lunch!

For dinner I had a baked Sweet Potato topped with lightly fried Chorizo and Cherry Tomatoes served with a Tenderstem Broccoli, Kale and Quinoa Salad.

For pudding, I had a Fruyo Peach Yoghurt with frozen Berries and slices of fresh Fig.

Sunday 11th September

We started our day with an early morning run on Barossa Common and then had poached Egg on toasted Rye Bread with grilled Cherry Tomatoes on the side for breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed down the A3 to Portsmouth and went to the Morning Service at Harbour Church.

**We are moving to Southsea in the next few months and this will be our home church. Blog post to follow about why, when, where? **

For lunch, we grabbed some bits from Tesco and had a picnic on Southsea beach in the beautiful sunshine.

Another wonderful day in the place we will soon call home!

Monday 12th September

Back to work!

We definitely had that back to school feeling this morning so I made bowls of yummy Apple Crumble Porridge from The Body Bible by Clean Eating Alice to get us going.

Lunch was a bowl of my favourite salad that I made on Saturday ready for the week ahead (will pop the recipe up in the next week or so.)

For dinner, we had a grilled Pork Loin Steak topped with melted Feta Cheese on a roasted Butternut Squash disc and bed of lightly fried Kale with Red Onions and Garlic. Delicious!

Tuesday 13th September

Another early start was made easier by a bowl of Porridge made with Coconut and Almond Milk topped with sliced Banana and fresh Fig.

It reached 27oC again today so my evening run was very sweaty and really hard work! My post-run dinner was a grilled Chicken Breast on a bed of Kale and Red Onions with a side of Sweet Potato Wedges. A fairly complex dinner considering I am now on my own till Friday night!

Wednesday 14th September

Last night, I made my first ever Chia Pudding for this morning’s breakfast. The results were definitely mixed! I followed a recipe and it tasted good but the texture wasn’t right (half of it looked like frogspawn and half didn’t – I’m sure it’s meant to all look like frogspawn!)

For dinner, having been out of the house for 12 hours and on the M25 for nearly 3 of those hours(!), I had pan fried Sea Bass with Tilda Steamed Garden Vegetable Rice and Quinoa and a big portion of Sweetcorn!

Beige but delicious.

Thursday 15th September

Another busy day of meetings and commuting round the M25.

After a quick run as the sunset, I had a baked Sweet Potato with Tuna Mayo and Salad.

Friday 16th September

Mr Denham gets home tonight!

For breakfast this morning, I had my second attempt at Chia Pudding. This time I used less Almond Milk and added some Berries and Greek Yoghurt to it. Still not quite there but a definite improvement.

Dinner was bright and colourful after a cold, wet, miserable day at work. Butternut Squash, Aubergine, Kale, Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, Yellow Peppers and Chorizo.

Saturday 17th September

Parkrun was very cold and wet this morning and it was a real effort dragging myself! After an unexpected morning at work for Mr Denham, we decided it was definitely a Brunch kind of day and made poached Eggs on toasted Rye Bread with a helping of grilled Tomatoes.

Mid-afternoon, we headed down the M3 to spend some time with my Grandad in Dorset. We sat and chatted about our holiday, our imminent house move and all our exciting dreams!

Supper was a light Fish Supper (a real Family tradition) followed by a Gu Key Lime Pie with fresh Raspberries.

Sunday 18th September

We got up early and headed over to Portsmouth for the Morning Service at Harbour Church again. Each week they have the most amazing Pastries served with Tea and Coffee – the perfect start to a Sunday morning. I had a really sticky Cinnamon one and Mr Denham had a Pain au Chocolat.

We had lunch with our best friend’s at their house in Southsea (a clue as to why we are moving!) sat in the warm afternoon sunshine (a complete contrast to yesterday’s weather!) Why can’t England just make up it’s mind?

In the evening, I did the penultimate long run before my marathon in a couple of weeks and we had a Waitrose 1 Wood-fired Hot Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Sourdough Pizza followed by some Kelly’s Honeycomb Crunch Ice cream.

And so another busy week comes to a close. Mr Denham is in Paris for 3 nights next week and I am working two late nights so the freezer and microwave combo will definitely be brought into action!

Until next week……