Evening all!
Have you checked out my wishes post first of all- you never know some readers might get lucky!
Today was the Willow 10k- I kept calling it the Hatfield House one, as it is around the grounds.
We ended up parking in the wrong car park (as the written directions said to go there, and the map was of a different entrance) so had a bit of a walk to get to the start. I was hoping to run it all, and I was hoping for 66 mins, as I think that is the pace I am capable of at the moment. The run was lovely- gently undulating, through fields and on tracks- some lovely shaded parts (I wore a long sleeved top as it was so cold yesterday, and I was rather hot!). There were a couple of very steep hills- one at 5K where I really wanted to give up. There were very enthusiastic marshalls, which is always so fantastic as they give up their time to help out at these races. I didn’t take my mp3 player so it was just me and the sights, so I really felt I took it in more- although I was rather alarmed at my heavy breathing going up the steep hill! The final part was a killer too- you came out of the woods and into a strong headwind, up a hill and on long grass- the finish line in sight but 1k away! I wanted to stop and walk then (I felt a little sick and had real jelly legs), and the thought did pop into my head “if I am finding 10k hard, how am I going to manage 10 miles in 3 weeks time” but I pushed it away and tried for a strong finish. Even got to shake Bob Wilson’s hand (he set up the charity)- lucky him as I was sweaty haha!
This is me once I got home with my medal! I do love a good medal 🙂 Andy’s parents surprised us by coming down to see us (as it was almost a loop which you repeated I saw them just at the 5K mark) and so after we finished running we wandered around the lovely shops at Hatfield House before heading home.
The all important goody bag- including a £5 sweatshop voucher, kitkat and mikly way (no banana though), and a little Mr Benn pin.
I got a pirate one and Andy got a cowboy one! Pretty cool mementos I think.
Anyway, I was pleased because I ran all the way, and I think I came in at around 66 mins- the clock time said 67 but I was near the back and had to walk a bit before I went over the start line (the chip times are not available yet). So not my best 10k time, but not my worst either.
Onto the baking! I have been making some bribes for my colleagues- I often bake during the year for work anyway, so once a year asking for sponsorship I think it is ok.
Thanks Jess for the guess- but it was white chocolate (not cheese)- first up;
Pb and white chocolate blondies- these are always super popular at work 🙂
Using my new Lakeland baking trays!
I am so pleased at how they turned out! I keep saying to Andy I think they look like they could be on a market stall. He thinks this is me insulting my baking, but I mean on a nice farmers market stall or something. Like at the start of Rachel Allen’s Bake show. Do you know what I mean?
I also made some dark chocolate brownies- again these are always popular.
Yummy 🙂
I also made white chocolate fudge. Then I put them all into individual bags with a tie saying “in exchange for this blondie/brownie/fudge please sponsor Maria“- with the website and stuff. Fingers crossed it helps me raise some more. Fudge bags;
My table is covered in the little bags!
Blondie bags:
And brownie bags;
And one of each;
I think they look so pretty anyway! It was a lot of work to make them all, and bag them up and decorate them etc, but it is for a good cause and I am hoping people will see that.
Remember, if you sponsor me (see here for details) you can win some pretty awesome prizes, plus some of my baking too. 🙂
Anyone else racing this weekend? Hope you got on OK.
Oh and for fun, here is the first pic I took of myself;
I think I am looking a bit suspiciously at the camera! OK I have taken worse but it did make me laugh!
Night 🙂
First I browned a red onion and some butternut squash (I cheated – gasp– by using ready chopped stuff- it was about 2/3 of the bag I think)- I used a tsp coconut oil in the pan.
Then I put 4 wraps in a dish, and put the veggies in there, and then sprinkled with some goats cheese. This goats cheese was herby stuff from 
The folding is the hardest part!
Then covered them in tomato sauce- Lucy used passata I think, but I only had tinned tomatoes so I reduced it in a pan for a bit with some sundried tomato paste. Could have done with some more but I don’t like them too saucy.
I had one and a half with some salad, and they were lovely- a nice change from our usual bean wraps. If I made them again I probably would add some beans, or maybe some other veggies, but I loved the goats cheese and butternut combo. 🙂
Yum.
I used the recipe from 
(last series- I was inspired after watching the masterclass show this morning)- but it was way too wet and I had to add more flour. Anyway, they turned out pretty good. Also, what is the deal with Paul Hollywood? I just don’t get the attraction at all!
We walked up to the allotment (and my parents could not resist doing some weeding even though we were just going to look!)- and then came home to warm up- coffee for them and tea for me. My first “real” cup of tea for 4 weeks I think- ah teapot how I have missed you. My scone used up the last of my meridian raspberry spread- and it was delicious 🙂
I have also been baking (bribes for work)- but I will save that for tomorrow- this is just a hint- any guesses?
Yup! 6 jars of DCD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How exciting! I won a prize on the lovely 
After dinner me and Andy tried a booja booja truffle each. These were rum sultana ones-and I don’t like alchohol or drink, but I do add stuff like that to a Christmas cake -and these smelled like a Christmas cake. Or maybe just like rum- anyway they were super strong! But booja booja always make such amazing chocolate- the rest are safely in the fridge for another day. Thanks so much Rachel I am looking forward to trying every single item in the box 🙂
Warm butternut and goats cheese salad. This was spinach zapped in the microwave for half a min, topped with roasted butternut, herby goats cheese, caramelised onions, and quinoa cooked with beetroot, tomato, pepper, courgette. Yum.
Lemon slices (from Hummingbird)- I made some for my Nan 🙂
Yay my new bowl! With chocolate alpro and chocolate granola.
Alpro with coconut extract, and chocolate granola. More yumminess.
Date and cinnamon porridge (as part of my quest to pimp my porridge). Then I went on a run so this was also giving me some energy.
Chocolate cherry almond bar from my blog swap with Errign, and some peach and mango coconut water.
Cinnamon and raisin bread with organic crunchy pb, and lots of watermelon. Back on those summery fruits with this hot weather.
I only had one haha! One carrot and raisin cupcake 🙂 I had a friend over (was supposed to be friends but others were ill) which is why I put these out.
Ecomil chocolate almond dessert (amazing!!!!), cherries and a little granola dust (the end of the packet!).
They have kindly contributed some sets of Teapigs English Breakfast tea, Peppermint tea and a very very cool mug.
They are generously contributing some hampers of their entire range of cereals. They are on 
Some nice nakd cereal bars, some other things from the UK too (still getting these bits together) , and some home-made fudge too.