WIAW-The cycling addition

Hello blogging world, first please check out jenns blog and all the other posts for some foodie inspiration. I know its the green addition this month, but unforgivably their is nothing green. This was what I consumed on my 50 mile cycle ride yesterday. But before that I have to share with you, my latest purchase:

Giant Avail Advanced 2

Isn't it pretty???

I had the pink bar tape added as extra, to make it my bike. Full carbon frame, shimano ultegra groupset. 

I brought it from a local bike shop you were really so helpful, well for the money I paid for it that had good reason to be hehe. 

I went for a short 20 minute ride, mainly around my village lol, as wanted to get used to the new gears, and pedals. As although I have ridden clipless for quite a while, these ones you can only clip in on one side so is taking a while to clip in and out. So excited to take it out properly tomorrow, I'm gonna go so fast. Is so lush to ride, not gonna be able to sleep tonight with excitement!!!

Anyway on to my eats:

Breakfast: 

I needed carbs and more carbs to fuel my ride, so had 60g of oats cooked with some natural yogurt, chopped banana, and topped with granola and loads of maple syrup

I had some fruit before I set of, and on the ride consumed soreen banana malt loaf, torq energy bar, dried mango, alpen cereal bar, and this bad boy:

I swear this powered me up the hill, and it was banoffee flavour and tasted so nice

When I came back, I downed some alpro soya chocolate milk

I still prefer the strawberry flavoured milk though. 

Shortly after I had one of my staple recovery meals:

Poached egg, beans, rye bread with almond butter, and some mushrooms.

 I was actually still hungry after this!!!, and hunger has been something I find difficult to admit too, and can rarely say when I am hungry. But as I am trying to listen to my body more, I made myself a sort of dessert. I had some cottage cheese, yogurt, chopped apple and granola, I forget to take a picture though. This seem to fill the spot, and held me over for a few hours until dinner where I was too tired to cook so microwaved a lentil curry with brown rice that I had previously made and froze

Favourite thing you ate? mine has to be my breakfast granola on porridge is so nice!!

Bought anything nice?

WIAW-Lasagne baby!!

So my second week doing this.. I actually didn't get to bed till 2.30am last night! I managed to get a lift back with someone and we were chatted to one of the guys on and had a drink and I was up at 8am! I have just had this for brekkie:

old picture sorry but oats with a chopped banana, peanut butter and chocolate powder. My new brekkie staple. 

Lunch will be a goats cheese and ja sandwich bt my dinner will be a creation I made a few days ago when I had more spare time...

 I was actually proud of myself for making this lasagne. It is one of my favourite meals but I have never had it out because its usually made with meat and ladden with lots of cheese. But this one is really healthy made with linda Mcartney veggie mince with lots of vegetables. 

The mince mixture, then of course I have to add marmite to it: (marmite is amazing in tomato based dishes)

Now the finished piece:

Vegetable Lasagne

• Wholewheat lasagne sheets I used about 10
• 200g veggie mince
• vegetables-courgette, onion, carrot, and mushrooms
• 600ml soya milk
• 3tbsp cornflour
• 100g cheese
• can of chopped tomatoes
• 600 ml veggie stock
• marmite-add to desire
• herbs-mixed herbs, parsley, and basil
• 1 tsp oil
• 2tsp tomato puree
• freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

1. I firstly heated the oil and fried of the onion for 5 minutes, I then added the carrots cooked for a further two minutes.

2. Turn up the heat a little then add the veggie  mince. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, puree, and dried herbs (I also added marmite at this point). Bring to the boil, then cover and gently simmer for 45 minutes. 

3. To make the white sauce-mix the cornflour to a smooth paste with a little of the milk. Heat the remaining milk to boiling point, then pour some of it onto the cornflour mixture, stirring. Return this to the milk in the saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sauce thickens, then simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and season to taste. 

4. Spoon half the mince mixture over the base of an oven proof dish, cover with a layer of lasagne, then spoon over the remaining meat sauce and cover with another later of pasta then pour over the white sauce to cover the lasagne completely. Finally scatter over the grated cheese and bake in a pre heated oven until the lasagne is bubbling and the top is lightly browned it took about 40 minutes.  

Have another busy day today I have to take my bike in to the repair shop as my chain happened to break! Not good as I had to walk 2 miles with it and will do similar today to take it to the bike shop. 

action packed day

So yesterday I didn't have time to update as it was my first shift at wetherspoons. So in the am I went on one of my long rides....

It was ace, felt so goood whilst \I was out cycling 25 mph on the flat and feeling stronger on the hills defintly noticing that I am improving. Exercise has helped me so much cause I know when I struggle with my eating my time on the bike is awful. My average speed was 15mph and their was some hills to contend with so I was really pleased with that I was out for about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Breakfast was my usual oats with chopped banana and yogurt, but this time I added some milled flaxseed, cocoa, stawberries and berries. They are really great as are a great source of iron and zinc, and contain healthy fats and fibre so great for the digestive system they are also chocolatly so added bonus!

During my ride I munched some nakd lemon raisins and a high 5 energy gel okay so these aren't the most natural products to use but they sure give you a much needed sugar boost and are easy to digest on the bike. 

When I came back I had a quick shower a re-go shake and then it was ;lunch time which was a simple bowl of pasta with veggies and chicken:

 I have added a giveaway at celery and cupcakes blog I urge you to check it out has some great recipes and is a lovely person. 

Wetherspoons

Before my shift started at 6pm I was in a bit of a rush as I had my psychologist appointment in town and didn't get back till about 4.30 pm so I asked my Mum to make me a sandwich of cashew butter... This is the first time EVER I have let other people make food for me especially something like a sandwich with a filling but I knew that missing food before I started was not an option and it meant I could get ready and not stressed. I need to try and think of new ideas for sandwich fillings as I prefer to eat just before I start so I have something to keep me going for 4 hours.

The shift well I made a few mistakes which I am trying to not dwindle on but the guy said I did really well and they kept asking me if I was okay. 

Their is just so much to learn so any different rums, spirits, lagers, ciders, beers and I am not really a big drinker I don't know a rum from a vodka... and especially when they have big rounds I can never remember what they ordered. But the customers were actually mostly really nice very patient and friendly towards me and the staff were all lovely helping me out and I did sort of enjoy it apart from being knackered and some drunken lads. From being sober you realise how idiotic people can be. 

I need some ideas of quick to prepare meals that I can take. Preferably things that you can eat cold..

So favourite sandwich filling? Meals to prepare ahead? 

chickpea and vegetable stew

So the other day I cooked something. I found it quite theraputic. I used to struggle majorly with cooking for myself and would live of tinned soups I felt that I didn't deserve to eat or cook for myself as I was allowing myself nice things.

HOWEVER now things are changing and I am enjoying feeding myself with healthy foods I no longer live of crap food and give my body the nourshiment it deserves because I do deserve it:)

Chickpea and Vegetable Stew

1 red onion , sliced

1 tsp olive oil

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1tsp mixed spice

300g mushrooms , quartered

400g can chopped tomatoes

410g can chickpeas

1 tsp clear honey

175g couscous

50g soft dried apricots , diced

handful flat-leaf parsley , roughly chopped

vegetable stock (I used kallo organic cube)

1. It was really easy to do I firstly fried the onion with some of the oil, then added the spices and after 1 minute added the mushrooms and then cooked for another 2 minutes and put in the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, honey, and chopped apricots. Leave to simmer for about 7-10 minutes.
2. While this was cooking I prepared the cous cous by adding some vegetable stock and the spices with some parsley stirred in left to stand for 5 minutes then added it to the dish.

This recipe was adapted from the good food one http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/234607/moroccan-mushrooms-with-couscous

It did speculate its serves 4 but the portions were quite small for the actual mixture so I would have added some extra beans or chickpeas or some tofu to up the protein levels.

I am of on a bike ride later I hope the rain holds out.