Dear Britain, please stop raining. It messes with everything. The commute is longer and more dangerous…
[Took photo while in stand-still traffic!]
…choosing an outfit (and shoes!) requires more thought [real-world issues here], Alfie has to stay in the kitchen longer after going outside… It makes for a very grumpy Anna. I wouldn’t mind if it’s really cold and dry. Rain is just so miserable. We don’t have it nearly as badly as others around the UK but it still sucks.
It also makes for very wet and muddy runs! I ummed and arr’ed about going for a run at lunchtime on Monday. I had brought in my stuff but I kept looking anxiously out of the window and watching the on-and-off rain. Also I knew the woman who had originally invited me to run with her group wasn’t in the office. So it would mean running with a bunch of guys I didn’t know as well…
In the end I sucked it up and went. The guys were still up for running despite the weather and sheer amount of rain we’d had over the weekend (“Rain? Pah! We are men!”). This time I’d decided to wear my shorts rather than leggings because my leggings just got covered in so much mud that it made more sense that my legs just got covered in mud instead and that I could wash them in the shower.
It began with a lot of slipping and sliding in lots of mud, then sploshing through fields with lots of surface water…and then we got to the path that runs parallel to the local canal. Well, where it should have been. Normal people would have seen the sheer amount of water and flooding and would have turned around. Nope. We continued on – thigh deep in freezing water. Still running!
To be honest, it was good fun. It made for a rather interesting (albeit wet) run. My feet and legs were numb, very pink, wet and muddy by the end.
But it was great! And 6 miles, which I was so chuffed with as I haven’t run that distance in a while. My Garmin died of battery though which really annoyed me.
But all the guys had their Garmins on so at least I knew in the end it was about 6 miles (we were all beeping away on the run it was quite funny).
Anyway, it’s Wednesday! So here’s my WIAW (thanks, Jenn. Check out her blog to see what it’s all about).
I’ve got a bit of a mix of meals from different days as I’ve been changing things up a bit lately.
Breakfast: On Saturday I tried my hand at some coconut and oat pancakes. *Sighs* Disaster. My first one was promising…
But then it got progressively worse. They just all crumbled. So I just gave up and threw it all into a bowl.
Despite how it looks, it tasted pretty good once I’d jazzed it up with some toppings:
I added some frozen berries that I’d microwaved with some cinnamon and then a dollop of Greek yogurt. Not too shabby for a disaster! If anyone has tips for coconut flour pancakes, please let me know! I used 1 tbs. oats, 3 tbs. coconut flour, 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree and a splash of almond milk.
I also made some rather delicious coffee that we haven’t been able to try until now. We got it in America but thought it was just instant rather than ‘proper coffee’. And we didn’t have a coffee machine or a cafetiere so we couldn’t try it when we got home! But we got one the other weekend purely to try this coffee.
French Vanilla…and it tasted fabulous. Not like donuts as I think Ben was secretly hoping 
Lunch: I loved the sound of Laura’s cauliflower coconut soup so I made a variation for lunch for Saturday and Sunday.
I fried a diced white onion in coconut oil, then added some diced garlic and then several large florets of cauliflower. Once that had cooked for about 5 mins, I added 1.5 cups veg stock, mixed herbs, then 1 cup full-fat coconut milk and 3 tbs. Greek yogurt. I cooked it for 5-6 mins and then whizzed it up using a hand blender. Really yummy!
Alongside this on Saturday I made some cornbread using Kelly’s recipe.
A really quick recipe using the microwave. It was lovely and light and great for dunking. I used a funny mug hence the weird shape.
And then Sunday I had the soup with some butternut squash roasted in coconut oil on the side.
These were great to dunk into the soup. Nom nom nom.
Dinner: I’ve still be clinging to my salads despite the weather, but I’ve been adding in some ‘warmer’ ingredients.
With our usual feta salad, I added more of the roasted butternut squash.
And added some roasted sweet potato to our halloumi salad…
And then a range of roasted veggies to it another night…
One night I also had some smoked mackerel that had been sat in the freezer for too long. So I added some Greek yogurt, some spices, garlic, lemon juice and whizzed it up to make a very yummy pate:
Absolutely heavenly! And so easy 
Snacks: well, obviously banana bread from the weekend has been picked at…
Very yummy. Definitely need to make more breads I think. Devine.
And more of these very nice yogurts:
Basically, I’ve really had some great days of nice food (perhaps not the best looking food: pancakes, I’m looking at you) but food nonetheless.
Fitness: obviously my off-road runs have been great! And what perfect timing with the weather haha. I hope to do three of those a week with the group but it really depends on how busy work is. And Pilates on Saturday was brilliant. I’ve also switched up my strength training a bit so I’ll do an update on that soon!
Do you enjoy running off-road?
What’s your favourite pancake variation? Have you tried coconut flour?
Have a lovely Wednesday
It all looks good! I can’t believe that you went running in that rain! Be careful, you won’t be able to see an holes that might appear in the ground! My tip with coconut flour pancakes is to beat the eggs for quite awhile beforehand to get a lot of air in, and then cook them very slowly on a low heat. I love them but it takes bloody ages!
Yeah holes were a very real worry! Luckily we were all OK, just fairly stupid I guess hehe.
Ahh OK because I just pretty much threw it all together and cooked quite quickly. Thanks for the advice! I won’t give up on them just yet, even as the mess in the bowl they tasted really good.
Everything looks tasty! I have trouble getting pancakes to cooperate, too!
Pancakes can be quite temperamental, but I think they’re worth it.
Toppings can make any disaster look and taste much better 🙂
Definitely! Sometimes they can be the main event hehe.
That sounds like quite the fun, but muddy run. Glad you decided to go. Totally worth it.
I love that you added some squash to your salad. I’ve just been topping mine with grapes and cucumbers. I haven’t had any squash on my salads in awhile, and I think that would be a great way to change things up!
That’s too funny about the coffee. Dunkin Donuts is notorious for their coffee, but sadly it doesn’t taste like donuts. I’ve heard it pairs well “with” donuts though 😛
Hehe yeah it made the run quite fun!
Ahh I’ve been meaning to add grapes to my salad, such a nice addition.
Hehe yes it would be great with donuts! I wish we had one nearby, actually maybe that’s not such a good idea hehe…
Oh the rain has been shocking up here, awful! Glad you liked that soup! I do need to try a full fat coconut milk version and I love the idea of dunking squash in it 🙂
It made the soup really thick and creamy – the best kind of soups in my opinion 🙂
amen to this rain/wind combo. It’s turning into snow (boo) up here. I’m not a snow fan at all LOL. All your food looks good. I could def go for some of any of it. Especially the pancakes!
Ahh see I’d much prefer snow to rain, but Britain would go into panic move with snow. We just can’t handle it. Everything stops.
Gorgeous eats! The weather has been awful!
Thanks 🙂 Yep it sucks!
Thigh deep?! That’s mental, much respeck to you for that!
I’d like to add to your plea and say PLEASE can this howling wind drop too! It’s so horrible, it makes cold colder, rain more miserable – and the horses more, er, interesting to ride outside 🙂
If you go to a blog called Heather Eats Almond Butter (on my blogroll), she’s got a great recipe for coconut flour pancakes, I think they’re called “pop tart pancakes” of you can’t find them – and the coconut “cream” she makes for them with coconut flour is also lovely.
Hehe yeah it was quite surreal, and cold!!
The wind is a nightmare 🙁 I couldn’t imagine riding a horse in this weather – kudos to you!
Oooh I’ll check that recipe out, I’m determined to master these pancakes!
The mud is like a badge of honour for your shoes!
I have tried cooking with coconut flour, but it seems to soak up so much liquid and go all puffy- I still have some in the cupboard but I have given up with it at the moment!
Hehe yes I like that idea – the muddier my shoes the better the run!
Yeah coconut flour is like a sponge. I add it to my porridge and have to add a lot more water and milk to it than usual. It’s a tricky flour to master!
Huge props to you for braving the rain and not fearing the mud! I bet those guys get a thrill running with a girl, too! 😉 I’m a complete chicken when it comes to working out in crummy weather; if I didn’t have a gym membership, I’d probably only be fit half the year. :-p
It took me quite some time to find a coconut flour pancake recipe that I love, but then I discovered these: http://www.nourishingdays.com/2011/11/grain-free-and-dairy-free-fluffy-coconut-flour-pancakes-revisited/. They’re decadent and delicious–definitely best for an occasional treat, but that said, I highly suggest you try them!
There was a lot of guy banter which is always funny. I hate running when it’s cold but I don’t mind rain so much as long as I can wash my hair. I hate having cold hands! And the first part of the run is always horrible as you’re just warming up.
Ooh I’ll definitely check that recipe out; I will not be defeated! Hehe.
Looove roasted butternut squash in just about anything. Your salads look excellent!! Also, I have always wanted to try haloumi cheese! What does it taste like?
I love haloumi. It’s a strange texture – kind of rubbery. When you grill it though it goes softer and more ‘melty’. It’s a little bit like feta in that it’s quite mild and salty. That’s all I can think to describe it hehe 🙂