Hey peeps! How are you all doing today? Having just returned from a snowy ride out to the North York Moors, I’ve settled down to feed my little one’s tum, with a very happy tummy of my own Thanks to all the hard work that goes on at Two Happy Vegans, this months UK Vegan Food Swap meant that I had some stellar additions to my vegan picnic today

I officially became the luckiest girl ever when I realised that I’d been paired with the lovely Hannah, from the magical Hannah Banana Bakery.Hannah’s baking talents won her the “Best Vegan Cake” category at the 2012 UK Vegan Awards so it’s no wonder I let out a little squeal when Hannah emailed me to ask if I wanted to try some of her latest creations…..errrr…YES PLEASE!

When my parcel arrived, I opened it up to find a special tag telling me what everything was, along with the beautifully packaged treats, all sealed in stripy paper bags with cute stickers (I loved the packaging!!).  Opening each bag was so special! Everything oozed delicious-ness, originality and was clearly made with love by a hugely talented lady! Hannah – thank you so much!

Vegan meringues….so pretty…..

Cookies and cream bread…..oh my! I haven’t tried this yet but it looks and smells devine. My favourite thing is the “oreo” detail on the top. I’ll be sure to let you know all about it when I have some I’m thinking afternoon tea tomorrow?

And these….butterscotch blondies…..TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS!

It was the blondies that made it into our picnic basket today. They made the perfect partner in crime for my “tea-in-a-flask”. Ok…Imagine the perfect chocolate brownie – gooey, soft and densely chocolatey. Now wave a magic wand over it and transform it into a blondie. Ta-dah!! What you’ll end up with is something a bit like these. Soft, perfectly spongey and with the just the right amount of butterscotch flavour. I might’ve had to eat two….well, blondies have more fun right?

After all the blondie action, I began daydreaming about creating such delights in my own kitchen and promptly asked Hannah if there were any recipe books in the pipeline…..and guess what? There IS!! In fact, it’s out at the end of the month – wohoo! – and all the profits go to Oakhaven Hospice In the meantime checking out all of Hannah’s new creations here will have to suffice  

Hummus salad sarnies, tea and blondies – YUM!! 

We managed to show Leo the “Quack quacks” too I don’t know about those little birds but I am certainly one lucky duck…not to mention a bit quackers!

Thank you again Hannah! <3

xoxo

“Quaker shaker mover maker who do ya think you are? Trust it use it prove it groove it show me how good you are!” Heeehee! God bless the Spice Girls

Soooo….what’s up ladies? Check out the snow outside my window!

And what’s better than a bowl of steaming porridge on a cold and snowy morning. Mmmmm!!I made my own almond milk to add to these oats – just blitz a handful of almonds with some water and then add to your oats before placing them in the microwave

These days my morning coffee comes with a side of my cutie pie

How are those New Years resolutions going? I received an email last week from a lovely lady who informed me that over a third of women break their resolutions during the second week of January. It’s this type of failure that steered me away from making resolutions this year – I knew that my current situation (i.e – no time, no sleep, new baby) would spell disaster in the resolution arena and I’d just feel rubbish! I came to the conclusion that making several general “Goals” would suit me more this time round

To help me with my “Stay active” goal,  I was kindly directed to the QuakerOatsUK YouTube channel, where you can now find a series of ten “Two Minute Movers” videos. Featuring Mr Motivator (legend!) and Denise Van Outen, these HIT (high intensity training) vids are short enough to squeeze in between feeds and nappy changes!

Pre-Leo, I was used to doing several hour-long workouts per week, however, research has shown that you can gain huge health benefits from cutting your workout time and using HIT training to satisfy your workout needs. Follow me over the next month and we’ll see where HIT training takes me. I plan to do a couple of the Quaker vids each day so I’ll let you know how it goes!

Further to the email, the lovely Faye, sent me a parcel full of oaty goodness. Yum! I love oats and seriously can’t wait to try each of these to go alongside my HIT workouts

So the plan tomorrow – oats for brekka with a side of the “Two Minute Movers” Maybe I’ll dig out my fluorescent pink cycle shorts too

For the rest of tonight….a little journal writing

And of course more of this….

xoxo

…….my womb infection has gone. Thank you God. Amen.

I finally feel like I can start to put the whole birth experience behind me and concentrate purely on living life to the full with my gorgeous family and friends.

Soooo…..what’s been happening around here? Well….I turned the big 3-0 on New Year’s Eve. Phil made me breakkie in bed to kickstart the day – toast, fancy jams (containing French vanilla and amaretto) and greek yoghurt, before heading to Newcastle for a brief visit. We spent some time at a friends old farmhouse before dashing back to see family as midnight struck. The farmhouse was amazing – like a museum- filled top to bottom with original paintings, books and antiques collected over a lifetime. Phil drank homemade ale and I rocked a champagne glass of non-alcoholic vino.

The following week brought with it a few green smoothies and some millet-socca sprinkled with the delicious “No Moo Melty” Vegusto cheese that Christina sent me. This is by far the best vegan cheese I’ve tried and bonus – it melts like a dream

And, as usual, lots of raw salads and open top sarnies as my go-to lunches. Since having Leo, I’ve been going through bags of spinach like nobody’s business! I can’t get enough of the stuff and might actually turn into Popeye!

Fitness-wise, I’ve been completely hindered by my pain. I’m not going to lie – it has been VERY TOUGH for me to go without running and dancing for such a long time, to the point where I’ve been in tears for several days in a row. I honestly thought that the pain I was feeling would never go away and that I’d never be able to enjoy a good workout again. To get through his, I simply set myself a little goal to get out and walk with Leo every day. And walk I did……mile after mile with Leo’s sleeping lashes resting upon his pillowy cheeks.  

We also went to see the fishies at the local garden centre…… 

I sit cross-legged on my bed, bedside light glowing and mug of bedtime tea steaming. Leo is asleep in the dip of my legs, acting as my little hot water bottle in his cute towel dressing gown.

You could say that I got outta bed from the wrong side today but the truth is, I didn’t get up til 1.30pm!!! Shock horror!!! With signs of my womb infection intensifying again (damn it!) and with no sleep in my sleep bank, today the exhaustion overcame me and I had to give in to it. I had a string of weird dreams after handing Leo over to his Dad for a while. It seriously felt like the extreme tiredness of the first trimester again!

We’d arranged to see two sets of friends today so I had to get up eventually. You’d have thought the extra sleep would’ve made me feel better but to be honest I still felt like a zombie! It was a good job we had plans or I think I’d have stayed in blummin bed all day!

Delicious raw truffles

We caught up with our friends, all of whom have had babies in the last year (and therefore understand the mad tiredness). We exchanged gifts, drank tea and ate cheese, crackers and olives. It was lovely

Then I came home and decided to go out for a power walk to blow the cobwebs off. I’m glad I went as it did me the world of good, although I was being constantly reminded of my battle wounds post C section.

And now I drink my Egyptian camomile and Madagascan vanilla tea whilst savouring the best raw chocolate truffle in the world. Reason number 24785932789643 that I love Phil – he buys me Tesco Finest tea bags and then brings a cup up to me at night

Mmmmm! My room smells like vanilla

Night night xoxo

I’m currently settled on the sofa, laptop on lap and tea in hand, having just dipped one of the yummiest of cookies into my steaming mug. Laura gave me the kindest of christmas gifts – homemade cherry and pistachio cookies. Grain free and full of good stuff, they smell and taste delish! Thank you Laura! I’ve also got a stack of raw nanaimo bars made by a particular fashionista tempting me- they look too good!

I’m feeling very festive right now. The tree is looking lovely and yesterday Phil and I picked up some christmas treats, including some Bucks Fizz to enjoy on christmas morning. 

Reason number 24556768778989 why I love Phil – he sneaks salted caramel truffles into the bottom of our shopping basket because he knows I’d love them

I just had a lovely lunch of fresh rye and linseed bread, slathered in hummus and topped with chunky tomatoes and salad leaves. I think M&S regular hummus is my current fave Next on my agenda….pressie wrapping!

Hold on……my little one has just woken up for cuddles…..I really am one lucky lady  

Are you feeling christmassy yet? I just wish the rain would go away!!!!!

xoxo

The things that made me smile today……

Playtime with Leo and hearing him do a proper little laugh for the first time. Reading him his favourite book and losing count of the number of smiles that lit up his gorgeous face. Getting the highlights done in my hair. Seeing my workmates. Picking up ingredients for some christmas baking. Cuddling up with Phil on the sofa whilst eating stollen. The camomile and madagascan vanilla tea that Phil bought me from the supermarket….mmmm! Knowing that I have the best friends a girl could wish for.

“WOW!” said the Owl as a beautiful rainbow filled the sky with colour

What made you smile today?

xoxo

I sit here with Leo making his little baby sleep noises to my left (my new favourite sounds), taking big slurps from my giant mug of English tea. The TV is off. Phil has popped to Sainsbury’s to pick up his foodie contribution for tomorrow’s staff party and I am enjoying the quiet time, lost in thought. 

I’ve just finished my tea of socca, cottage cheese and spinach, olives and SD tomatoes. Now my tummy is full and so is my heart – full of love and happiness from the day I have had.

I woke early to take Leo to the doctors for a general health check. The doctor, who I hadn’t seen before, was lovely – this was good thing number 1 today. I think Leo liked her too……yeah he sprayed her with wonderful things when his little nappy was removed!! Oops! That was good thing number two because it had me and Phil in stitches!

After that, my dad came round and the happy times just kept on coming. We had coffee and chatted as Leo smiled his gorgeous little face off, before heading to Newcastle to catch up with my favourite girlies and to finally meet one of my ultimate fave bloggers, Laura. I had such a lovely time and feel so blessed to have crossed paths with such wonderful people. Girls, I look forward to many more Starbucks dates in 2013!

In my last post, I did the typical thing that I tend to do when I’m in “Freak-out” mode. I set all these random goals to pick myself up and then feel like a pile of pants when I can’t meet them. It typically happens when I feel tired, out of control and fat. And I guess that’s what I felt like when I wrote the last post – fat, unfit and not in control of anything any more.  The truth is, I’ve just had a baby and my world has been turned upside down. I can’t exercise how I would like, I’m blummin knackered and whenever I eat something that doesn’t fit into the “Super healthy” category, I get a bit of guilt because I know I won’t be able to make myself feel better by going to the gym. Hmmmm……..

Even in writing this post now, I can see clearly through my own behaviour and I’m kicking myself at letting myself fall into old thinking patterns and habits. I don’t need to document everything as it’ll only make me obsessive. I don’t need to get to the gym a certain number of times a week. I just need to keep myself right by exercising when I can and eating healthily like I already do. And yes I’ve lost a lot of my core strength and a lot of my body confidence but I just need to be patient and things will improve with time.

Like Laura and I said today, there are more important things in life and although it is difficult to let go of certain things, like a strenuous workout routine, the things you gain in their place are worth so much more than time spent in the gym. And I’m not saying that it’s easy – some days I get really upset that I feel weak and slow in comparison to what I was…..but jeez, when I see my son smiling and kicking his little legs, I wouldn’t change it for the world…..

…..and on that note, here are my new goals:

- spend as much time with family and friends as possible

- exercise when I can and remember that a little bit is better than nothing

- have a green juice or smoothie whenever there are greens at hand

- drink lots of water..and then some more! (breast feeding makes you thirsty!)

- get the cookbooks out – now this goal I intend to keep!

- end each day by jotting down the things that made me smile

- get my core strength back -check out these lovely ladies for some serious plank action!

- relax with yoga – I plan to join a baby yoga class in the new year

Anyway…my baby needs cuddles and so does his mummy

much love,

xoxo

I write this post from my bed, feeling a little sorry for myself to be honest. Here we are, 12 weeks post C Section and I’m still feeling the remnants of the excruciating pain of a womb infection. Having finished another course of antibiotics, I’m praying that I’ll feel normal soon….but I’m actually doubting that very much.

I think Leo has been subject to the adverse effects of my medication, having had a couple of rough days. Thankfully he currently sleeps on my lap and must be having a nice dream because he keeps smiling  

I’m beyond exhausted right now. With Leo being somewhat out of sorts, I’ve had to provide  24/7 cuddles and comfort to calm his cries. Poor little mite.

As many first time mothers find out, being a mum comes with lots of sacrifice and many confusing emotions. I don’t feel like myself at all. At the age of 3 I started dance classes. I danced through the years up until uni, where my interest in running, yoga and all things fitness emerged and became great passions of mine for the next 12 years of my life. Like one of my besties, food wise, I struggled with a anorexia for around 10years. I recall my lowest BMI reaching around 11.8 before I took drastic action to recover. I would say that it took the best part of 6 years before I felt okay in my own skin…………yup……then I fell pregnant.

Of course, having children was something I always dreamed of, yet my history of anorexia, low self esteem and depression made the whole prospect SO scary!!

Anyway…..I made it. I made it over what I feel, is the last and ultimate hurdle in recovery. Pregnancy and childbirth. There is a post within that realm, waiting to be written so I’ll leave that topic for today. However, what I will say is that I have lost all my body confidence as a result of having a C section. The pain and after effects have been major and even as I type this post, my eyes are full as I recall everything my body has been through and the years of training that, I feel, have been lost to a surgical procedure. I love being a mother with all of my heart, yet I feel pretty down about my loss of function.

Needless to say, I don’t want to cry or fall into the trap of depression. I just want to set myself a few fitness and nutrition goals and crack on with them. To begin with I will use this blog as a bit of a dairy to keep me on track and remind myself where I’m  heading. Plans always make me feel better and I feel like I need one right now…to make sure that I get that bit of myself back before I relapse into old thinking patterns.

My Goals for now…..

1 – Go to the gym 3 times per week come rain or shine!

2- Do some yoga each day – even 5 minutes helps

3 – Record my meals and snacks on le blog!

4 – Get the cook books out and try one new recipe per week

5 – do some abdominal work every day – again, every little helps!

So…..I guess that’s it. Kind of like a health diary. To give me structure, keep me sane and let me get my mojo back!

I’ll start with today’s lunch – falafel wrap from M&S

And here’s a little gem of a mini muffin that I had a couple of days ago. I was experimenting in the kitchen and came up with a batch of these little tasty treats. They’re nutritious, high in protein and contain oats for slow energy release.

Oaty Apple and Almond Muffins

Makes 9 mini muffins

- 1 cup oats ground into a flour

- 2 pink lady apples

- 2 sachets stevia

- small handful crushed almonds

- 3 egg whites

I blitzed the ingredients in my Vitamix and shared the mixture between 9 mini cupcake cases. 30mins at 120deg C. Yummy!!!

Anyway…..the kettle and a cuppa are calling so I’ll se ya tomorrow!

xoxo