Appreciating what we've got

Feeling a bit glum about city living and the constant peoplebeingrightthereinyourface - ness of it I was stomping on my way to work when I looked and saw I was standing by a beautiful lake on a frosty morning and the sun was coming up.

I stopped from my life and bad mood for about 30 seconds and it was really nice. I'm not saying I suddenly felt like a new woman and skipped through the rest of my day, but it did make me think that there are little things you can appreciate everywhere and its important to take a moment out of your head and look around.

London may be stressful sometimes and the daily commute is not ideal but sometimes one needs to get over oneself a bit....although geese are not necessarily friendly so its best not to stand by lakes in awe for too long.

Branching out with salad

Sometimes when people say they eat alot of salad, fairly dire ideas of lettuce and not much else come to mind. But I have learnt that salad is and can be some much more than that. To me salad is anything that involves a collection of fresh ingredients put together that can be eaten with a fork, OFFICIAL DEFINITION. 

So in the spirit of this realisation i'd say that I tend to have 'a salad' in some shape or form for lunch most days and its always different and nearly always delicious ...apart from that time I accidentally used mouldy pesto in the dressing, that wasn't really delicious. Here is some saladspiration: 

Things to put in yummy salads:

• Sweet potato
• Roast carrots, onions, butternut squash etc...
• Chickpeas
• Any other kind of bean!
• Lentils
• Cheeses
• Eggs
• Left over roast chicken
• Green beans, brocoli, cauliflower
• Cous cous, bulgar wheat, quinoa, rice, pasta.
• The usual culprits - leaves, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, avocado etc...
• Tinned fishes

...the list goes on. 

Getting creative with dressings helps as well, i love: balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard, pesto, cumin and honey, curry powder, fresh herbs, lemon juice etc they all add tons on flavour to the dressing mixes. 

So get chopping thats what I say as its always exciting making a crunchy and fresh tasty lunch. Also brought salads are nearly always disappointing, even m&s lets you down there...

Yoga time

Much to my frustration my goddamknee (as it shall be known) injury is still not allowing me to run. I feel like i've been squatting more or less continuously for 3 months and doing all else I can think of to strengthen it up but this mornings attempt at a one-minute walking one-minute running session has resulted in a bit of a limp. I'm not sure if its a case of slightly pushing through the discomfort or more work and rest to sort it out. Anyway I'm not giving up and my little trip and spending spree in a run shop today has proved my optimism....

But I've had a bit of a revelation... hot yoga. 

I've done a little bit of bikram yoga before, yoga in a heated room, sweaty yoga, hot yoga - whatever its great. I'm kinda hoping this may be the miracle cure I need to stretch out and strengthen my injury. I'm pretty sure I know what the problem is and i'm pretty sure I am becoming a wise master of patience...not an easy thing my friends, not at all easy, particularly for someone like me.

I'll keep a bit of a yoga progress diary on here. I've signed up for a month deal so will try to cram as many sessions in as possible. I've always wanted to be a yogi - such nice outfits and all that inner calm business is most appealing. Anyway fingers crossed in a months time I can be a yogi and a runner.....

Don't go mental

Being in the early days of 2012 there is alot of concern about new years resolutions and starting out as a healthier, better fitter, thinner you... Everywhere you look is a new diet or a new exercise plan - gym memberships suddenly boom in early January. Its all a bit old though and taking on too much or starting some insane diet is never really the answer. How many people have forgotten about their gym membership or given up their diet by early February? Quite a few I rekon...  Thats why anything extreme and unattainable is just stupid!! I sometimes start to feel a bit crazy and google bikini body plans or something like that only to be advised to spend 3 weeks merely eating chicken breast and steamed vegetables to lean out. But what would be the point in losing 10lbs in a few weeks by eating in an insane/unhappy/abnormal way. Who would care and what would happen when I returned to eating pasta again, which I would, obviously, because the rest of my existence would be so miserable on such a controlled and boring regime. 

So my point really is that new years shouldn't symbolise the beginning of an extreme detox or diet but just a healthier lifestyle. Small changes and long term goals are what its all about. 

The best thing I did for myself - body and soul in 2011 was my half marathon. It sounded like a ridiculously massive task after my first 10minute run, which was pretty hideous to be honest but it just took small steps and some will power, also something I didn't really think I had... 

...But it was so worth it! I've never felt more smug (sorry to sound smug). So my ideas and intentions for 2012, although pretty optimistic, aren't about punishing myself and becoming a certain way. I want to get back to running and sort out my knee because I love running and not doing it makes me feel like i'm failing and those same 4 walls of the gym make me a little insane. I want to breathe fresh air and be on my own when I exercise. I'm going to try and make healthy choices and all that business because I feel better when I am. 

What I'm saying really is there is no need to go mental just because its January. So what if you ate too many mince pies and didn't do much other than lift mince pies to your mouth over Christmas. There is no need to take it out on yourself. Just relax a bit and find something that you love thats good for you, or not, just something that makes you feel good, then do it. 

Mmmm beans and lentils

Following the Christmas meat fest i've had a bit of a vegetarian revelation. I've always bean one of those lentil lover types and have never been a massive meat eater; a hunk of steak or a pork chop has just never really done it for me so I am comfortable in the bean and lentil field. However I know this is not a comfort shared by all and I am forever trying to persuade people to experiment with pulses. They are so cheap and versatile. My last 2 meals have proved this..

Dinner last night was homemade veggie burgers and lunch today was spicy beany soup. Both were lovely and I am going to pass on the pulse baton with some recipes:

Veggie burgers (for a shed load)...about 12

• 200g green lentils
• 3 carrots
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 slices of bread
• 2 eggs
• bit of flour
• any spice you like - I used: cumin, coriander and a bit of garam masala, plus fresh parsley and coriander.

Cook the lentils for about 15 mins (until soft), blitz the carrots, onion, garlic, bread and herbs and spices. When the lentils are cooked combine the 2 mixtures and add the eggs. Make mix into patties and dip both side in flour, you may find the cheeky rascals fall apart a bit but just pack them tightly together and they'll be fine. I found this bit mildly stressful... Pop under the grill for about 5 mins on each side.

Serve in buns with homemade sauces and salad (I made salsa and guacamole and it went down a dream!)

Spicy beany soup

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 celery sticks
• 2 carrots
• tin of chopped tomatoes 
• vegetable stock
• 1 cup of mixed pulses or soup mix (found in whole foody type shops.)
• Cayenne pepper and cumin, plus fresh parsley and coriander 

Fry up finely chopped onions, garlic, celery and carrots in some olive oil until nice and soft, add your spices and fry for another minute. Add your pulse mix and chopped tomatoes - fry a little longer. Cover mixture with vegetable stock and pop a lid on. Stirring every so often and adding any extra stock (depending how thick you like your soup), cook until pulses are soft. Serve with herb garnish and nice bread.

So there you go 2 yummy and easy and healthy lentil/bean recipes, are you converted? Or do you just fancy a beef burger...

In other news what ya'll doing for new years eve?! Such pressure to have the BEST NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE but such likely-hood that you probably wont. I still don't really have a plan as such, by this I mean I don't have a plan in any way shape or form... but what can you do. I would rather go to bed at 10 o'clock with the Sex and the City box-set than spend the night in some jammed club or pub spending obscene amounts of money. But kinda hoping I get invited to a cool party (theres still time...)

New Year's resolutions and stuff like that.

Its the 29th of December and its drizzling and windy outside. I always feel a bit blue at this time of year. After the fun of Christmas - when you feel like all you've got is at least 3 months of bleak winter to come with no light in sight. (I'm being dramatic but you get the idea.) But I'm trying not to wallow in self-pity and starting to think about the new year in that sort of everythingispossible way.

I am actually an optimistic person. My number one new years resolution is to become an internet sensation... I hear you laugh but it's always best to aim high and hang onto the dream.

My second one is to heal my god dam knee injury and run another half marathon. The last few months have been so frustrating and I've felt like my body is a bit against me.

I think thats enough to be getting on with but I am excited to be starting a new year and like most people i'm setting out with all those good intentions to just be generally better in 2012 in every way.