Iced tea time

Evening all

So while I was away I got into having iced tea quite a bit- when eating out it was more refreshing than hot tea! At one place they gave me a bottle of mint and honey tea (normally I was given brewed stuff) which was yummy, so I also bought a few ready made bottles when out and about. I tried a few different brands (I was really excited to find Tazo iced chai, but I didn’t like it, and I didn’t like the other Tazo one I tried- a mint one- they were sweetened with stevia and I think I do not like that taste as they tasted too sweet for me) but I was excited to try my own at home.

My first try was pretty good! I used Whitards black tea with mango- added an inch of hot water (to help release the flavour) and then topped up with cold. I think I left the teabag in a bit long though- next time I would make it weaker. It took ages to chill though! I added a couple of lemon slices to help the sweetness. It was good for a first try anyway. (Like my Stitch straw?). Alongside some Rude Health Multigrain thins it was the perfect after work snack. Yep, that is right, autumn term is here.

Yesterday after popping to work I went to the shops and could not resist this bargainous bag from accessorize. I wanted a bigger bag anyway to fit my diary in, and this one was only £8.40! Wow! Plus a cute gingerbread car air freshener that actually smells like gingerbread 🙂

To help me at work I also had a treat for in between meetings:

A Clif kids bar. These are yummy! More chewy than the normal Clif bars, and of course anything peanut butter flavoured must be good.

On Wednesday I felt bad (I still had a headache from the day before) and actually accidently fell back asleep in the morning, so I only had a little run before lunch (just under 4 miles) which again I had a walk a little. I was quite stiff again after that, so Thursday morning I did some yoga before breakfast.

This was a pear and a nectarine, with some soya yoghurt and rude health crispy muesli. Feeling better! I then popped to work and on my way home (as well as the bag, gosh I am jumping all over the place today) I got a new purchase! Any guesses????

Here is a clue:

Sabre Hummus!!!!! I like hummus sometimes when it is in a sandwich, but whenever I have bought it from a shop I find it a bit gritty and a bit garlicky. After reading that Ffion found it too smooth, I decided to try. I went for the piquant one which was topped with spicy roasted red peppers (but it is really not too spicy). I love it!!! 🙂  I was wanting to give up cheese for a bit after this holiday (mainly because I always feel in the USA I have too much cheese) but I love my red pepper and cream cheese sandwiches at lunch. Well I have found something even better! Andy got the sandwich thins free, and the pitta chips (which we never had in the end), so I had that with hummus and lettuce, and a red pepper to dip in more hummus. Hummus crazy! I had some more today at lunch (and some on top of my lunch salad!).

I also went to body pump last night. I was actually really really nervous about going, silly me. I did go lighter than usual for squats and lunges, as my legs were still stiff from my first runs back (although the yoga did help). At one point in the chest track I did think I was going to drop the bar, and my arms were so so tired today. Oh, and I had to go back to the old dumbells for the shoulders track. Plus I realised that I might miss it next week as I have a parent talk that evening- not sure if it is worth the stress to try and make it. Anyway, post body pump I wanted a snack.

Yep, that is what happens when you leave your cereal bars in that back of a car when it is 94F outside. It is (was?) a chocolate dipped coconut luna bar, and it was yummy- in fact I think the squashiness made it even tastier. And mint tea which does not look nice but was delish.

Right, I think that is quite enough. So, anyone out there a fan of iced tea? And do you like it sweetened or un-sweetened? I am in the unsweetened camp all the way. And if you make it, how do you make it at home? Do I really need the ice ?(you may have noticed although it was called iced tea, it only included tea and no actual ice in my recipe, hmm).   🙂