Pumpkin pie slices

So, at this time of year I love to make a pumpkin pie. But I am not much of a pastry fan, so I sometimes make one with a sort of cheesecake base instead. On Friday evening I decided to get baking, and this was what I made:

For the base I crushed about 150g digestive biscuits and melted 75g butter- I added some cinnamon to give it some flavour, pressed it into pie dishes (and mini loaf pans) and baked for about 5 minutes.

Then for the filling. This is super easy. And to be honest if I was making it just for me I would just make the filling and bake it as it is so good, like a thick spiced baked custard.

Mix together 1 tin (425g) pumpkin puree (on offer on Ocado at the moment), 1 egg, a little tin of evaporated milk (200ml), 200g coconut sugar, 1 tbs plain flour, 1 tbs peanut butter, and a tsp of cinnamon, ginger, a little ground cloves, and lots of grated nutmeg. (I also added a little orange extract as I thought it would go well, but this is not essential). Pour this onto the bases and bake at 170C for around 30 minutes.

Then it will be dark and smelling amazing, plus it won’t have much wobble left.

As I made lots of little ones we gave them away at the weekend- one to my parents (dropped it off after Parkrun) and one to Andy’s parents.

On Sunday I went on a run in the morning, and then spent a lot of the day working. We went to the cinema late Sunday afternoon (to see Philomena, which was so good but also emotional) and then we came home to soup, sourdough bread, and then pumpkin pie slices. Delicious.

Now on to my woes. On Monday my leg was feeling a bit stiff, but I had planned a rest day anyway. I popped to town after work to do some shopping, and then to the supermarket, and I was fine walking around. However I woke up at 4am this morning in a lot of pain- my hip! It feels (yet again) like it has popped out slightly. I have been on google- possibly I have a groin strain? Or it might be something to do with the joint- I think this is more likely as it seems to come and go. Anyhow, I could not get back to sleep, or get comfy, and I was hobbling about in the morning barely able to put any weight on that leg. Luckily there is a sports clinic near me (the place I went to for my sports massages all those years ago) so I gave in and rang them up today, and I have a physio appointment for Friday. I was chatting to Andy about it, as it has happened on and off for a while now- in fact the first time I can remember was before the Olympics as we went to Derbyshire for the weekend and stopped to see the torch relay, but I was having trouble walking through the town to see it.

But it meant of course I didn’t get on my planned run today, and will be giving Sweatshop a miss tomorrow too. Although as the day has worn on I have felt better and can move about more, so I might manage a walk tomorrow if it feels better than today. Grrr.

On the plus side, yesterday I managed quite a bit of Christmas shopping, so I feel pretty pleased to have begun that, seeing as about 5 people told me it was only a month to go. I might even attempt some honeycomb as I have always wanted to try and make it, and the last Waitrose magazine I picked up had a pretty simple looking recipe in there.

Are you a pie / pastry fan? Anyone feeling Christmassy yet? December is fast approaching!

Back running!

Hey peeps, I hope you have all had a lovely weekend. After a chilled out Friday listening to the film podcast and watching a film, I was up bright and early to pick up my Dad and brother on the way to Parkrun.

I wasn’t sure how I would go seeing as the last time I had run was last Sunday- I thought I would just see how I felt. I did have a quick google to see what my pace should be to beat my pb, but when I saw it was 8 something I decided to ignore that.

It was a frosty morning- the car park was a little slippery in places, and I kept on a long sleeved top over my t-shirt, and gloves. The sun was so low and at the start we were running right towards it; the park looked beautiful in the sunshine.

The run starts off on a path, but a lot of people start on the grass as it narrows later on, past a fenced off park. My Dad and brother were ahead of me right at the start as I felt quite unsteady on the grass as the mud was thick (and the people ahead had sort of broken the light frost so it was not stiff) but I kept on overtaking people. I glanced at my watch a few times and always saw 8 something, but didn’t want to think about it too much. I felt like I was pushing hard, but seeing as I had rested pretty much all week and had no ache in my hip I kept on pushing. With the finish in sight I saw that my watch said 25 something- then I was trying to judge if I could get there in a minute so just started counting in my head and went for it.  It was a fast finish and I felt a bit sick (but by now I know I won’t be, it is just that feeling of really pushing hard that I am starting to get used to)- my Dad and brother were waiting for me so we quickly queued up for scanning before we got too cold (especially my Dad who finished about 6 minutes ahead of me).

I remembered to stop my watch on the finish chute, so I had an inkling that I had a new pb, and was so pleased when the text came- 26.29! 20 seconds off my last pb!  Despite being number 145 I was only the 21st female, and third in my age group- the highest ever I think!

I popped in to see my Mum when dropping my Dad and brother off (my brother also got a pb) and she made me some tea and insisted on giving me the last slice of her homemade ginger cake- a lovely breakfast.

After a shower at home I had some vanilla scented rooibos tea (more from Teaple)- to warm up again, before rushing about to get ready as we were going for lunch at The Grove with Andy’s family. I have never been before but it was amazing (and so pretty with pumpkins decorating the room)- the lunch was a buffet and we took our time- I enjoyed so much delicious food; chickpea and roasted pepper salad, gorgeous fresh hummus with crispy flatbread, char-grilled vegetables, tomato basil and mozzarella salad, sweet potatoes with chilli (not too spicy), pumpkin cake, blackberry and apple crumble and apple cinnamon popcorn.  Late in the afternoon we headed back, the brothers picked up their dogs and we put on wellies and coats and had a lovely hours walk through some field, before heading back for hot tea and an evening of games. It felt like an early Christmas.

This morning I was not that hungry, despite not having dinner, so I had a few dates and then headed out on a run. In the end I did 6.7 miles- I didn’t look at my Garmin at all so I have no idea how long it took, but I felt good

On Friday night I soaked some fruit in brandy and spices, as I was sent some ingredients from Sainsbury’s, for Stir up Sunday. So today I have been baking some cakes using their recipe- smelling good so far.

More on that another day!

Anyone else doing a Stir up Sunday? The recipe from Sainsbury’s is the easiest one I have tried as it is brownie style- you melt the butter and sugar in a pan, and then add everything else in- so much easier than creaming the butter for ages. The recipe is here if anyone fancies having a go.

Resting and working

So hooray for Friday! It has been a long week. On Monday and Tuesday I had a sore hip- I think I slept funny or something, but it meant I was limping about a bit, so I didn’t go for a run on either of those days. I ended up getting back late both nights (Tuesday I didn’t get home ’til 7pm) with work to mark, so it wasn’t as if I was sat about twiddling my thumbs.

On Tuesday I had got out something from the freezer to defrost, I thought it was going to be a pumpkin/quinoa risotto thing, but it turned out to be a chickpea stew.

Andy made dinner on Monday- lovely sweet potato chilli:

I had one slice of goats cheese left so I added that as he uses real chillies and it is often very spicy.

I was planning on going to the Sweatshop run on Wednesday, but then as my hip was only just getting better I changed that to going out on my own for a gentle run. But I had such an awful headache so I just came home and rested some more.

I have been enjoying the Teaple tea- the peppermint one is the best I have ever tasted, and I have had a lot of mint tea!

As I had some time on Wednesday I made a double batch of brownies.

One half is orange and ginger (I added some orange extract, 2 tbs marmalade and some chopped crystallised ginger) and the other half is almond and marzipan- I was going to add in cherries but I didn’t have any.

I have taken them to work and asked people to donate some money to the typhoon rescue effort (a good idea from Anna, thanks).

Yesterday my hip was totally back to normal- I think I could have managed a run on Wednesday but there is no point wondering about that now. I booked on to pump but had slightly lower weights for the squats and lunges as those are the ones I was worried about.

Recently we have been having loads of new people coming to the pump class, and I have said it before and I will say it again- why don’t they come to the class on time? When you book on it asks you to turn up before the class starts, but we keep getting people coming in either dead on the time it starts, or later, so then we all put down our bars and rush about trying to get them their steps, bars, mats and dumbbells.

Also, why don’t they listen to the recommendations from the instructor (or the other class members)? The person behind me last week was the worst for this- we kept saying to her “that might be a bit heavy/ you can always add more weight on the outside” (as the weights pretty much stay on the bar without clips)- would she listen? No. So about a minute in to each track she would put the bar down and hardly join in for the rest. It was not until the penultimate track that she actually paid attention and put on her bar what was sensible.

What are your plans for the weekend? I am going to Parkrun tomorrow, hooray! Then we are going out for lunch and a walk with Andy’s family- the weather looks good too.

The In Thing (raising money for Cancer Research)

Hey peeps, I have some information for you today about raising money for Cancer Research UK:

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN, IT’S THE IN THING

A night in with the girls. For Cancer Research UK

 

Forget fighting your way to the dance floor, queuing for the toilet, or standing in the cold waiting for the bus home. This November, thousands of women across the country will be saying ‘I’m In’ as they get together for ‘The IN Thing’, Cancer Research UK’s new fundraising initiative that combines a great night in with the girls with a great cause.

Cancer Research UK has teamed up with some of the UK’s best talent including TV and radio broadcaster Edith Bowman, model and designer Twiggy and actress and dancer Camilla Dallerup to help you organise your ultimate night in, with inspirational ideas, party planning guides, delicious recipes and playlists. So whether you’re catching up on the couch, hosting a dinner party, or dusting off that old karaoke machine, you’ll have all the support you need to create an unforgettable night for all your friends.

The IN Thing is the perfect excuse to get together while raising money for Cancer Research UK’s life saving work.  Hosts can set a fundraising target for their group and collect donations upfront or on the night. Invite friends, family, neighbours and colleagues and indulge in a fun event at home to help  beat cancer sooner.

Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages for more information, inspiration, top tips, and exclusive offers.

Three reasons why in is the new out this November:

  • Life is busy, so this is the perfect excuse to make time for you and your besties!
  • It’s pre-Christmas party season so make the most of staying in while you can
  • Strictly Come Dancing and X-Factor are both on TV providing the perfect background to any girlie catch up

Cancer Research UK’s The IN Thing runs from 1st – 30th November.  Be part of The IN Thing along with thousands of women across the UK, and help beat cancer sooner.  Find out more at theinthing.org.uk.

 

This got me thinking about what I would like to do.

I love the idea of doing something like this to raise money- I am thinking an afternoon tea with the girls would be very civilised, and a wonderful way to spend a chilly autumnal Saturday afternoon. Ages ago I made some lovely pumpkin scones (I found the recipe on the internet) and I am thinking they would go perfectly with a cup of chai- I have not made them for years but they are just right for this time of year. Another girly baking project is macaroons as they are just so pretty and delicate. What would you do as a night/ day in to raise money?

Brighton 10K recap!!! PB alert!

So, as you may have seen on facebook, I managed to get a pb for the Brighton 10K this weekend. I am still so excited by it! But I shall rewind for a little first.

On Saturday morning we got the train down to Brighton (well the train, then a rail replacement bus)- the bus was stuck in loads of traffic, and so by the time we arrived it was lunch time. I was very hot and feeling a bit rubbish, so we went to M&S and I ended up with carrot sticks and hummus- not the best lunch but I didn’t feel great. We dropped our cases off at the hotel, and then wandered around the shops. I do love the shops in Brighton- such a fab mix of “normal” shops and then little quirky ones. One shop had a giant Miffy lamp (anyone else remember Miffy?) but it would not fit in my case…

I did pick up a few bits:

A cardi on sale in Fat Face, and a chocolate/ marzipan stollen from Montezuma’s, plus some coconut and lime chocolate, and cherry and marzipan chocolate. There were free samples of dry shampoo being given out in the town too.

The shops were so hot- I hate it when they blast out their heating as you have to wrap up so warm for outside, but then get way too hot each time you go in a shop.  We bought a big chai latte to share, and had a walk up and down the seafront. To warm up again we stopped for tea and a slice of carrot cake to share from Cafe Coho (we were going to the Naked Tea and Coffee company, but it has shut down). Then we wandered around the shops some more- by this time it was dark so we enjoyed all the Christmas lights, even though I feel they were on a little early! Then we went to Bill’s for dinner before heading back to the hotel.

Sunday morning we didn’t have to get up very early as our hotel was around a k from the starting line. At about half 8 we were up, had some malt loaf and got changed. I went for running tights and a t-shirt (and gloves) as I didn’t want to be too warm. We got down to the start with about 15 mins to go- it was all very low key with a cardboard box with “60” on it marking the pen we chose. Andy was going to run with me and help me get my pb, so it was lovely as we both waited together (usually he goes closer to the front) and could chat. I had written down the timings I needed for a 59 min 10K (9.29 pace) and knew I could not go under 9.39, so I was going to keep an eye on that, and Andy prefers K’s so knew we had to stay under 6 min K’s- simple.

The start was very prompt (always good) and a bit congested, but we managed to pick out the spaces and kept on overtaking people. We crossed the start line at around 2 mins on the clock, and I think we were around half way along. I kept glancing at my watch but we were always way ahead of the time we needed. The course was lovely and flat- it started near the pier, went East along the seafront for 1.5K, then turned and went back past the pier and out in the other direction. Each time my watch beeped I would check the last mile time, and each time we got to a K marker Andy would check his. I was feeling really strong, and although it felt like I was working hard I never felt like I was struggling- I really enjoyed it. The weather was overcast and breezy, and as we turned at the far end (I think the turn was at 7.5K) the breeze was blowing in our faces and seemed a bit stronger, but nothing tough. I had to take my gloves off after a few miles so I was very glad I didn’t go for a long sleeved top. Near the end Andy started asking me how I was feeling, and we started to pick up the pace a bit- I noticed 8’s in front of my mile times. My running maths is never good (never better than when at the GNR I thought that 7 miles would be the half way point) but I knew that with 2 K to go we had plenty of time to get in under the hour! The adrenaline started to go, but in fact having Andy there really helped. Running along the final part you can see the pier, and you know the finish line is close, but it seems to never get any nearer! We picked up a bit more, and the final stretch was flat and then downhill so I felt like I was flying. Andy then got rather alarmed at my heavy breathing and kept asking if I was OK and saying we could slow down if I wanted to. I did try to say (between breaths) that this was what I sounded like at Parkrun!

In the finish tunnel he tried to grab my hand so we could cross the line together, but I found it so hard to run like that so we had to let go- a sweet gesture anyway! The tannoy announcer was saying “well done all you guys coming in now, under the hour mark, great job”- I was really giving it all I had at that point and was so relieved to cross the finish line! My watch said 56.12, and Andy’s said 56.13, so whatever the chip timer said I knew I had a great new pb!

We picked up our medals, water, and then I saw loads of people with bananas (my fave post race food- they seem to be less “trendy” at races now but I love them)- so we hung around until a new crate was opened up. By then it was really damp and misty, so after taking a photo we headed back to the hotel before we got too cold.

This was right where I had that photo- it is a sculpture of Steve Ovett- apparently the original one in Preston Park was stolen, so for the Olympics last summer they made a new one.

We didn’t have to check out until 12, so we managed showers and I (mostly) dried my hair before we went out for some lunch. We ended up going to Iydea, which is a fab veggie cafe (you can choose a main, two salad items and 2 toppings, plus they had lovely veggie and vegan cakes, and loads of drinks, smoothies etc)- I had a lovely vegan sweet potato lasagne, with some pesto salad, hummus and seeds, and Andy had a veggie burrito thing with potatoes, beetroot mash, hummus and something else. Alongside it I had a beautiful soya almond hot chocolate, which was like drinking chocolate marzipan- I fancied some sugar after that run! I was too hungry to take a photo but I wish I had, it was so pretty.

We bought cakes to go, and then headed up to the train station. The Sunday rail replacement bus went further and there was a long wait at the station too, so we didn’t get home until nearly 5pm. We made a big pot of tea and vegged in front of the TV for a bit, and then had a speedy tea of tomato and basil soup and sourdough toast. We looked up our results and we both got an identical time of 56.14, which is a pb for me by nearly 4 minutes! Granted all my other 10K’s have been off road but I am so pleased to have finally cracked the hour mark.

A little later we shared a hazelnut brownie (from Iydea). It was jam packed with nuts- so good.

And then we put on the Grand Prix and I came on to write this mammoth blog post- phew!

I shall leave you with my splits- I was so pleased to see that I managed to speed up for each mile (I am calling this the Royal Flush negative split and hoping it will catch on)- with a strong finish.

Split
Time
Distance
Avg Pace
Summary 56:12.0 6.23 9:01
1 9:23.2 1.00 9:23
2 9:11.5 1.00 9:12
3 9:10.7 1.00 9:11
4 9:06.6 1.00 9:07
5 8:57.8 1.00 8:58
6 8:34.7 1.00 8:35
7 1:47.5 0.23 7:41