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I don't know what it is, but today has just been one of those great days. I've felt so happy and contented. Great eats, a great run, sorting out my clothes and plenty of chill time. Just perfect!

I started the day with a little fruit and oat bar for some running fuel. Thanks to the fabulous Neenie for blogging about these, they are lovely and only contain dried fruit and oats.


I headed out on my run and it was great. I'm still feeling a few twinges in my knee but its so much better. My times have even improved this week since last week, I'm starting to feel more like my old 'running' self! I did just over 4 miles in 40.15 with an average pace of 9.58. Still no where near my best but considering the knee injury I'm very happy. I think I'm looking at one distance run a week, adding an extra mile on the distance each week until the Great North Run. This way my knee gets a full week of rest between runs. Not going to get a great time, but I'm only concerned with finishing it now!

After my run I stretched and used my new foam roller, it was excellent and I could really feel it easing my muscles. I then made an amazing breakfast.

I used the sachet of Cookies and Cream Spirutein that the lovely Sarah sent me to try.


Cookies and Cream Protein Pancakes with Strawberries and Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce

For the pancakes:
1 serving of cookies and cream spirutein
3 large egg whites
1 tablespoon of apple sauce
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

For the chocolate peanut butter sauce:
1 teaspoon smooth peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of milk (I used coconut milk)

To make the pancakes mix all ingredients together well, then fry on a medium high heat (should make 3 medium sized pancakes). When bubbles appear on the surface flip over. Keep warm until the strawberries and sauce is ready. To make the sauce mix the peanut butter, cocoa powder and milk in a little bowl and microwave for a few seconds (keep an eye on it as it doesn't take long). Make sure all the ingredients have combined. Top each pancake with some chopped strawberries then drizzle the chocolate peanut butter sauce over them. Tuck in!


These tasted amazing! Just what I needed after my run.

After I'd had breakfast I had a mini pamper shower (face mask, hair mask, exfloliation and coconut scented body butter) then I headed into Newcastle. It's been a gorgeous day and Newcastle was buzzing. Theres so many new cafe's and everyone was sitting out on the street enjoying the sunshine. I managed to avoid the high street shops mostly (I was dying to look at the French Connection, Warehouse and All Saints sales) and headed into the Grainger Market instead. I went and picked up the Tea Pigs tea I had on my wishlist from a wonderful deli which stocks the full range. I had taken £20 cash out and I got all of this stuff from the market:


Aubergine, 2 courgettes, large cucumber, spring onions, bag of carrots, bag of spinach, mint, jacket potatoes, 2 large grapefruit, 6 nectarines, 2 punnets of strawberries, 2 small punnets of blackberries, 4 bananas, 4 chicken breast fillets, block of feta cheese. I don't think thats too bad! I really enjoyed looking around the market, theres so many great shops, including specialist food shops, oriental food shops, deli's, butchers, fruit and veg stalls, cheese counters, basically my idea of heaven!

For lunch I made a turkey salad with some home made coleslaw. The coleslaw was really tasty and so easy to make:

Carrot and Green Apple Coleslaw (two servings)

1 carrot grated
1 small crunchy green apple grated (I used a granny smith)
2 spring onions chopped
1 small red onion chopped

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons of low fat fromage frais
1 tablespoon of garlic infused olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of english mustard
1 crushed garlic clove
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and taste then season with salt / pepper / more garlic / vinegar as desired. Mix the dressing with the chopped and grated veggies and serve.


I ended up eating almost two servings! Look at this huge pile on my plate, it was delicious and very filling. I was disapointed I couldn't eat it all! I also had some mixed salad leaves on the side and some cucumber.

Mid afternoon I snacked on a big apple and had a cup of my new Rooibos Creme Caramel Tea Pigs Tea while sorting out my wardrobe, check out my last post for my summer wardrobe review and summer essentials.


For dinner I steamed a salmon fillet and served it with steamed brocolli and some of this amazing minted pea and spring onion salsa. I saw the recipe for this in Health and Fitness magazine:

Minted Pea and Spring Onion Salsa (serves 2 or 1 hungry person!)

About a cup of defrosted frozen peas (or fresh)
1 sprig of mint
1 tablespoon of fromage frais
Juice of 1 lemon
1 chopped spring onion

Remove the leaves from the mint sprig and add them along with the peas, fromage frais and lemon juice to a food processor. Blend to desired consistancy. I left mine chunky so it still had some texture. Chop the spring onion and mix into the salsa.


Not the most attractive looking food, but really tasty. Again, I ate a huge portion of this (the hubby doesn't like peas so I didn't want to waste any ;-)

Desert is going to be these dark chocolate covered strawberries I made earlier.


Yum! I'm eating loads of strawberries at the moment but they are just so sweet and cheap right now!

I'm going to spend the rest of the evening watching a movie. We have rented a few to watch over the weekend for a couple of cheap nights in. We have Alice in Wonderland, Green Zone and 500 Days of Summer. Lovely end to a lovely day! Hope you are all having a wonderful day too x