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I’m writing this post a very happy girl as my working week is finished! I have tomorrow off and I’m really looking forward to it.

I’ve had a good couple of days including tasty breakfasts:

Warm left over 5 grain mix with hazelnut and almond rice milk, chopped pear, raisins and cinnamon

Creamy orange, cranberry and macadamia porridge with added egg whites.

Yummy lunches:

Left over 5 grain mix with leek, carrot, mushroom, butternut squash and seeds with romaine and radcchio salad

Lentil and root vegetable stew with steamed savoy cabbage

Lots of yoghurty snacks:

2% greek with dried pineapple

2% greek with satsuma and Tropical Crunch Bear granola

For dinner with my cousin last night I made a veggie packed stir fry containing romanesco cauliflower, savoy cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, diakon, soya beans and cashew nuts topped with soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce.

For Catherine I made the same but added some turkey and noodles. We were both stuffed! I have to say I love a big plate of veggies – so good for you! For desert I fished out a couple of brownies from the freezer that I had made a few weeks ago. I didn’t share the recipe at the time as they were experimental but my word these tasted divine! I think freezing them and then thawing them improved their texture and made them more brownie like:

Sinless Chocolate Brownies (makes 9)

• 50ml sunflower oil
• 150g of Xylitol or caster sugar
• 3 egg whites beaten
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 50g cocoa powder
• 80g of spelt flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Begin by pre heating the oven to 175 deg. Mix together the oil, sugar, egg whites and vanilla. Then add the cocoa powder, spelt flour and baking powder and combine well. Pour the mixture into a greased baking tray approx 9x9 inches and bake for 15 minutes until mixture has become firm. Allow to cool a little and cut into squares. Enjoy immediately or can be successfully frozen if wrapped in foil.

Apologies for the rubbish pic, I had already taken a bite when I remembered to take a photo, plus I didn’t have time to make it look that pretty, but believe me when I say these taste good! When these are fresh they have a more cakey, spongy texture but after freezing they become firmer and more brownie like. You could easily play around with this recipe and add walnuts, chocolate chips, replace oil with apple sauce etc.

I’ve just came home from Yoga which was quite challenging tonight. We did a few seated twists that pushed my flexibility to the max! I’ve just enjoyed this huge bowl of Dorset cereal Fruit and Fibre with three small chopped organic apples and hazelnut and almond rice milk.

Sometimes I love having cereal on an evening – especially when its too late for a proper meal, delicious! I’m also currently inhaling a russet apple, so hungry tonight!

Yesterday I did my usual 5k treadmill run at the gym. I was suffering from some serious DOMS after the Davina Bottom Fit DVD and for the first time in a while I really had to drag my self to the gym. I made a deal with myself – go and do my run but instead of doing speed intervals (which really take it out of me) do hill / incline intervals instead. I ran for 30 minutes at a 6.5 mph pace with 0.5 mile 2% incline intervals. It ended up being a great workout. I also did my usual abs and core exercises. This morning I got on with Davina Fit, Top fit DVD which I enjoyed as it gave my legs and butt a rest!

Do you ever ‘do a deal’ with yourself when it comes to exercising? I quite like using this approach to keep me motivated – I hate missing workouts so coming up with a compromise that still gets me working out rather than throwing in the towel all together is great.

Tomorrow I have a fun day planned starting with a gym workout then heading to the monthly farmers market in Newcastle and checking out some shops to start thinking about Christmas shopping. I’m also looking forward to watching some fireworks (Its Guy Falkes night here in the UK for any international readers) Usually we would attend the big fireworks display in Gateshead but we are very fortunate that the big display in Durham can be viewed from our living room window – I plan on watching it all cosy and warm with a cup of tea! Do you have any plans for Bonfire Night?