Goal Catch Up

Posted on June 9, 2012 by nicdempsey

I’m really good at setting the monthly goals but over the past couple of months the achieving and monitoring them has slipped a bit. So every Saturday, I’m going to look at how I’m doing and what needs to change, stay the same and what the plan is for the next week.

First a confession, no sooner did I set June’s Goals, than I changed them.

I re-assessed the running three times a week goal. Instead,  over the next 16 weeks, I’m going to train to walk a marathon. Why, well because I love to walk and if I’m totally honest, I’m a self concious runner, I don’t feel strong when I run and it’s hard to improve. A bonus point is that walking is lower impact and I can handle the pain in my knees when I’m walking.  This makes my exercise goals more achievable and my more inclined to fulfil them.

Exercise

So far so good, I’ve covered 10km since Monday. I’ve done my physio and pyramids 4 times out of 8 so there’s room for improvement, I’ve still got an issue with my right wrist that is making press up’s hurty (beyond the usual ‘oh my God, I hate these things and my arms have gone all bendy’) so I’m going to stick to last week’s and change it up next week

Plan for next week

Today – 5km, pyramid

Sunday -7km, pyramid

Monday – 5km, pyramid

Tuesday – Rest

Wednesday – 5km, pyramid

Thursday – Cross train

Friday – pyramid

Diet

After the excess of the Bank Holiday weekend, on Wednesday I got back on track.

My two vegetarian days were Wednesday and Thursday and there has been no drinking.  I tried and changed one new recipe (more on that on Tuesday) and I’ve sat down and worked out next week food plan and shopping. I’ve even found 2 sweet treats that are working for me, who knew that a rice cake covered in dark chocolate would taste so good an I’ve rediscovered my love of jelly!

 

 

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Friday Night Cocktail

Posted on June 8, 2012 by nicdempsey

Cherry Beer

I blame this cocktail on Maxanne and Hawksmoor at Home.

The book has a cocktail called ‘Shaky Pete’s’ Ginger Brew, it sounded good. I didn’t have any of the ingredients. I did have a bottle of Blue Moon (Max’s fault!) and some Blossom Cottage Morello Cherry Cordial. It seemed like the right thing to do. I swapped out the gin in the original recipe for white rum.

This is a lovely drink for the summer.

What

50ml cherry cordial

50ml lime juice

30ml white rum

100ml blue moon

ice

How

Throw a handful of ice, the orange juice, the cordial and the rum into a blender

Blend until the ice is chopped up and the mix is pink and frothy

Pour all of it into a glass and top up with the beer

Enjoy

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Foodie Penpals – June

Posted on June 7, 2012 by nicdempsey

My parcel arrived from Dan, delayed slightly by the long weekend.

So what was in it?

Dan believes that “in order to make great food, you need to start with the basics” and sent his favourite Maldon Sea Salt. I love sea salt and use the Cornish Sea Salt Co as a general rule. The Maldon is flakier and tastes lighter than the Cornish, I look forward to seeing the difference it will make to my usual cooking.

In my parcel was tahini, garlic and dried chickpeas for making one of his favourite foods, houmous. I love houmous and it is better if you make it with dried chickpeas, I forgot to get tahini this weekend so bonus all around.

A jar of Ras el Hanout, which I had never heard of, Dan says that he thinks that this with lamb is heaven. It’s got rose petals, cinnamon, lavender and cloves, which are not flavours I’d usually put anywhere near meat so I’m really looking forward to trying this one out.

Two of Dan’s favourite things, Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon in the vegan organic version and a carton of Rubicon watermelon juice. I’m a big fan of the non organic version and of the Rubicon mango juice, the watermelon is full of Vitamin C and lycopene which is a bonus.

Last but not least, Sheffield’s World Famous Henderson’s Relish. I have heard of this and have been reading up on how best to try this, although I’m pretty sure that I won’t be putting it on my fish and chips!!

So thank you Dan for such a thoughtful parcel, it’s given me a mixture of new experiences and renewed my love of some old favourites.

Foodie Penpals is a brilliant idea run in the UK by the lovely Carol Anne at This is Rock Salt and in the US by The Lean Green Bean. If you’re thinking about it, sign up, you don’t have to have a blog to do it!

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Anchovy Roast Lamb

Posted on June 6, 2012 by nicdempsey

Anchovies are one of my favourite things. I love them on pizza, I love them in the leek, anchovy and goats cheese tart (I will post that recipe at some point), I love them in pasta and I eat them straight out the jar. So when I saw this recipe in Roast Chicken and Other Stories by Simon Hopkinson and Lindsey Bareham, I knew I was going to try it and this is how I roast lamb now and I’m now at the stage where I don’t refer to the recipe.

For those of you who hate anchovies, fear not, this isn’t overwhelmingly fishy. The anchovies dissolve and add a salty, savoury note. The lamb makes it’s own winey, lemony gravy and is just out of this world.

A leg of lamb is a big (and if you’re buying locally sourced, ethically reared lamb*, in fact even if you’re not) and expensive slab of meat and I would love to tell you that you can use the leftovers elsewhere. However, I’ve never, never had any leftovers even when I’ve served this to anchovy haters…the Easter before last, 2 legs of lamb, 6 people, no leftovers!

The only adaption I’ve made to this recipe is that I often use a 1.2kg leg of lamb and I rarely garnish with watercress. Therefore, I can’t in all good conscience, post it here. I know not many people read this blog but copyright is still copyright. Roast Chicken and Other Stories is still in print and it’s a beautiful book, Simon Hopkinson writes beautifully and the book is divided into sections on food, in each, he writes about the food and gives you a couple of recipes. It’s more like a story book, no pictures and fantastic bedtime and/or stuck in a food rut reading.

Go check it out or send me an email and I’ll send it to you, that comes under sharing with friends I reckon..

*this one cost about £35!

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Sunday Music

Posted on June 3, 2012 by nicdempsey

This Sunday, I admit I may have lost the fight against ‘country’ music years ago.

The Jayhawks

No long story, I’ve had ‘Hollywood Town Hall’ for years and I love it…

Crowded in the Wings

Take Me With You When You Go

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June Goals

Posted on June 2, 2012 by nicdempsey

This month I’m going to borrow steal an idea from Back to Her Roots, I’m going to give myself £30 and for each day I complete the allotted exercise goal, I get £1 to spend on whatever I like, for each day I don’t, the money goes to Shelter.

So what are the goals?

Exercise

  • 15 minutes every day devoted to the dreaded pyramid. Three times through.  The pyramid will change every week, this week it’s squats, sit ups, plank and the leg raises that are good for my knees.
  • Run three times a week
  • Get two long walks in this month

Money

I’m finding the money goal is really useful, so more of the same this month

  • £200 out of the bank account and that’s it.

Food

I want to think a bit more about my eating, I eat pretty much the same thing each week so in an attempt to mix it up

  • 2 days eat week will be vegetarian
  • 1 new recipe from the amazing amount of cookbooks I own

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Friday Night Cocktail

Posted on June 1, 2012 by nicdempsey

Pimms O’Clock!

(It’s worth pointing out that when I was thinking about Friday Night Cocktail and when I took the pictures, it was last weekend and it was beautifully sunny and more hot than usual for an English May, if the weather has changed, I’m sorry, it’s England, you can’t rely on the weather!)

Before I get into the specifics of how I drink Pimms, I think we should have a little education. Pimms is a fruit cup or summer cup.  It doesn’t just come in Pimms, Plymouth used to make one (I’m sad that they don’t anymore) and Sipsmith do one that I’ve yet to try. Pimms No 1 Cup is the gin based one that’s well known (and the one I use generally) but there are others.

That’s enough education. Pimms is usually served with cucumber and lemonade (what we call lemonade in the UK is what Americans would call Sprite or Seven Up). I don’t drink it quite like that. I drink Pimms the way that Stef’s dad, Michael and Tina’s dad, Bill taught me. Bill and Michael both spent years in the Foreign Office and that’s why I call it ‘Foreign Office Pimms’, however, my friend Jo currently works in the Foreign Office and she doesn’t make it like this….what can you do?

Despite that, Stef made Pimms like this, I make Pimms like this, if Helene and Luc like Pimms when they grow up, they will I hope, make it like this. Little things like this, it’s how we live through others..

There are things to note, the maraschino syrup and cherries are key so please make sure you use them!!

What (for a large jug)

1/2 pint of Pimms

2 fl oz gin (if you are using vodka cup, use vodka)

1 orange

1 half a lemon

a jar of maraschino cherries (you won’t need them all)

lemonade or ginger ale (I favour the ginger ale)

mint (which I forgot – so it’s not vital if you really, really need a Pimms)

ice

How

Pour the Pimms and gin into your jug

Cut the orange into eight slices and add to the jug

Cut the lemon into 4 slices and add to the jug

Fill the jug with ice

Add eight cherries and a large splash of maraschino syrup to the jug

Add a handful of mint

Fill the rest of the jug with lemonade or ginger ale.

Stir well

Pour into glasses and enjoy

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Foodie Penpals

Posted on May 31, 2012 by nicdempsey

I wasn’t supposed to be taking part this month. 

However, when I was on holiday Carol Ann asked if anyone would send a parcel as otherwise someone would be without a parcel. So I volunteered and sent a parcel to Christine. Christine doesn’t have a blog so I asked her if she wanted to write a post for me! So my first ever guest post!

Nicola saved me from being a foodie penpal orphan this month. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness (and deliciousness!) that went into her parcel, especially since it can be challenging dealing with people with dietary restrictions – veganism in my case. The box contained:

– apple-cinnamon granola bars:

I was impressed with the texture of these as my granola bars always fall apart immediately. Nic’s seem like they would withstand a hike into a volcano. They’re also very filling, which would be useful on a volcano hike. The bars were satisfying on their own as well as mixed into a breakfast mixture of soya yogurt, shredded courgette and diced apple.

– lemon roasted almonds/corn kernels

This nibble mix was crunchy and addictive. It turns out lemon is a good flavouring for almonds, who knew?

– blueberry YoYos

These are as fun as fruit gets, with bright blue chewy coils and a blue bear on the package.

– cocoa orange Nakd bar

An old favourite!

– lemon ginger ginseng tea

Just the thing for my boyfriend and officemates, who seem to have the same type of cold this week.

 – bread mix

Given the very un-English heat we’ve been experiencing, it’s a testament to how good this bread sounded that I dared to turn on the oven to bake it. It turned out perfectly, with a browned and crunchy crust and a chewy interior. The pumpkin seeds and pine nuts really made the bread for me. I love pine nuts but never buy them as they’re more expensive than other nuts.

Many many thanks to Nic – everyone should be so lucky as to get a food package from her!

If you want to get involved with foodie penpals, go and visit Carol Ann, here and sign up

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May Goals – How I did

Posted on May 30, 2012 by nicdempsey

It’s been a mixed bag this month. The holiday was amazing and I just what I needed. Northumbria is beautiful and full of ruined things…

1) Exercise – three times a week + physio stuff every day. I will be on holiday for a week during May but we plan to be pretty active so should be alright, what I really need to focus on is strength work, I’m fine with cardio but need to do more sit ups – Again was great before the holiday, pretty good during the holiday, rubbish for the last couple of weeks.I’m gonna have to call it a fail.

2) Money – £200 for the month. That’s for haircuts, dry cleaning, foodie pen pals, vitamins (which cost a packet), groceries and everything else! – Pass

3) Sleep – I have to get to bed no later than 10pm on a school night – Pass for the first part of the month, after the holiday, I’ve struggled a bit more..

4) Drink – still on this one. Nothing until my holiday and after my holiday once (already a planned date with Maggie and Ma at Gilbert Scott). Not drinking helps me accomplish other goals namely the exercise and getting to sleep ones better, so until I feel that they stop being goals and start being habits, I want to really slow down on the drinking. (Listen to me, I sound like I normally down a bottle a night!) – Pretty much a pass. I was strong until the holiday. Had a 2 gin and tonics and a bottle of wine over 3 days that were days I shouldn’t have been drinking.

5) I eat a lot of fruit – which is no bad thing, but I’ll like to swap 1 or 2 of the 4+ pieces of fruit I eat in an average day with something else, carrots and hummus, cornichons, something with a bit less sugar. – Pass-ish, I’ve done better but not as well as I’d like

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Apple Granola Squares

Posted on May 29, 2012 by nicdempsey

Last week I sent my Foodie Penpals parcels to Christine.  Christine is a vegan and I am so far away from being a vegan that it required some thought. I like to put some form of baked thing in my parcels.  Enter The Intolerant Gourmet by Pippa Kendrick. The book is full of recipes without egg, dairy or gluten so if I avoided a recipe with sausages, I’d be ok.

The recipe for Apple and Cinnamon Granola Bars seemed to fit the bill. I had a go and they were, I sent some to Christine and ate the rest over the course of the week. For breakfast with raspberries and one after lunch as a treat.  So I made them again and of course they got some adjustment. I upped the amount of apple from one to two, added more cinnamon and a little bit of ginger. As I was making them, I ran out of agave  (the recipe called for 150ml), so I used what I had and subbed with honey.

I like these ones even more…

Apple and Granola Squares

Adapted from The Intolerant Gourmet

What

For the apple pieces

2 eating apples

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

The rest

100g jumbo oats

240g mixed dried fruit and nuts

2 tbsps flaxseeds

2tbsps peanut butter

100ml agave syrup

1 tbsp honey

How

Heat the oven to 170oC, line a baking tray

Peel and core the apples, then chop into largish chunks

Add lime juice, cinnamon and ginger and make sure that they’re coated.

Spread in single layer on baking tray and bake for 25 minutes

Set aside and allow to cool

Turn the oven up to 180oC

Put all the remaining ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture pulls together.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl and stir in the cooked apple pieces.

Once combined tip the mixture into an 8in square baking tin and smooth it into the corners of the tin, ensuring the top is even.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove and cut the mixture into 16 pieces.

Return to the oven for another 10 minutes or until golden.

Take out of the oven and leave to cool.

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