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Hi everyone, happy Friday! Hope you have had a great week. I’m so glad the weekend has finally arrived.

Here’s some of my favourite eats from the last couple of days:

Delicious vanilla matcha protein porridge with chia seeds and berries (1/2 cup of Rude Health Fruity Date Porridge, 1 cup of water, scoop of vanilla whey, 1/2 tablespoon of chia seeds, 1/4 teaspoon of matcha green tea powder and defrosted frozen berries)

This mornings breakie: fruit salad of orange, kiwi and blueberry topped with 2% Greek yoghurt, teaspoon of Rude Health granola, cinnamon and hazelnut coffee and a home made oaty, banana and cinnamon muffin.

So tasty!

To use up some of my food coop veggies I made a big root vegetable and lentil stew:

Root Vegetable and Lentil Stew

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 parsnip, chopped
• 1 large swede, chopped and sliced
• 1 cup of red lentils
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree (I used some left over pasta sauce that needed using up)
• Vegetable stock
• Handful of spinach

Begin by frying the onion in a little oil in a big pan over a medium heat. When the onion has softened add the carrot, parsnip and swede. Then add enough vegetable stock to just cover the veggies (not too much or you’ll end up with more of a soup than a stew) then add the lentils and tomato puree. Allow to simmer for around 40 minutes until the veggies are tender and the lentils are cooked. Then add the spinach and stir into the stew. This would also work very well in a slow cooker.

I had a large portion for my lunch yesterday and then for dinner this evening with two tofu sausages and some chipotle ketchup.

This tasted great! The tofu sausages were delicious and the spicy, smokey chipotle ketchup went perfectly with both the sausages and stew, yum!

Yesterday I attended my first yoga class: a beginners Ashtanga Yoga course at the Newcastle Buddhist Centre. Before I left work for the class I fueled up with a 9 Bar Nutty.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the class at all but I wasn’t disappointed. The Buddhist centre has the most amazingly relaxed atmosphere. There were about 15 of us in the class. We started with some deep breathing and sitting stretches before doing some forward bends and going over the basic standing stances for many common yoga postures such as triangle. I found it really useful as when I have done my Yoga for Runners download I have often been unsure if my position has been correct. This class really helped me understand the positioning of the postures better. It wasn’t a sweaty class, but I can feel my muscles have been worked really hard. We finished the class in savanasa with the lights out, I just felt so chilled! I can not wait for next weeks class, I’m completely hooked. After yoga I headed to Starbucks to treat myself to a Chai Soy Latte alongside some other post yoga fuel: a Gingerbread Nakd Bar and an apple.

Other exercise this last couple of days has included Level 3 of the 30 Day Shred (how tough?) and tonight I hit the gym for 45 mins of HIITs as usual followed by some work on the stability ball and with the free weights.

Today I also got my weekly food co op box. I opted for the premium vegetable box and just the standard fruit bag.

Butternut squash (yey, more smoothies!), courgettes, mushrooms, lettuce, giant sweet potato, celeriac, tomatoes, avocados, red onions, apples, bananas, oranges, pears, plums.

Anyone know what I can do with a celeriac? I was just planning on roasting it then pureeing it into a soup with some other root veg but I’m open to suggestions!

Any other yoga lovers out there? Well I already know that a few of you definitely are! I’m excited for next weeks class already. What do you enjoy most about yoga?

What’s everyone got planned for the weekend? I have a lovely weekend planned, run in the morning followed by a little bit of grocery shopping then cleaning the flat and chilling out with the hubby. On Sunday I’ll be enjoying some baking as I make my goodies for Tam’s cookie exchange, I can’t wait to share the recipes with you!

I’m now off to enjoy a big bowl of double chocolate protein ice cream, while I watch River Cottage Everyday on 4OD, here’s a old photo to demonstrate its lusciousness!

Protein ice cream is my Friday night desert of choice :-)

Don’t forget you only have until 10pm tonight (GMT) to enter my big GIVEAWAY to have the chance to win lots of goodies, check it out if you haven’t already done so! The winners will be announced tomorrow so don’t forget to check back :-) Have a great weekend everyone!