Happy Monday! Oh, and Happy Valentines Day! I hope you ladies in love are being spoilt and if you are a single lady then spoil yourself-you deserve it! Before I begin I just want to point out that I was really sleepy when I wrote last nights post and I cannot hold the plank for 50 minutes! Ha!!! I think I would be super human if I could hold it for that long. Geez! Imagine those ab muscles. Obviously I meant 60 seconds, which is much more reasonable.
Just out of curiosity I scoured the internet looking for the longest held plank pose. I came across this site where they are competing for the longest plank hold. Currently there is a lady in 1st place with a hold for 13 minutes. Wow!!! How long can you hold the plank for?
It was so bright and sunny this morning, which I loved. The seasons are changing my friends and I cannot wait. As the sun rays were streaming through my bedroom window I decided to go for a run around the park. It was just a short run though just to test the waters. I managed 3.25 miles in 31 minutes with an average pace of 10.55 miles/minute. Not bad! My legs felt majorly heavy and a little seized up after all of those lunges and sumo squats at the weekend though. Afterwards I did so ab work and some serious leg stretches. To refuel I made a mega green smoothie:
This beast contained 1 celery stick, handfuls of spinach, one banana, frozen berries, 1 tsp of xanthan gum, 1 tbsp of ground flax and some hazelnut and almond rice milk. I topped it with some mixed seeds and chopped dates. This was delicious and the perfect way to start the week!
For lunch I had this:
Ingredients
-
400g of chickpeas
-
1 cup of kale
-
6 cherry tomatoes halved
-
half a small red onion
-
2 carrots diced
-
1 celery stick diced
-
half a diced leek
-
4 chopped chestnut mushrooms
-
vegetable stock
-
2 cloves of garlic
-
1 inch of fresh grated ginger
-
1 tsp of cumin
-
1 tsp of turmeric
-
1 tsp of cinnamon
-
4 cloves
-
1 tsp of paprika
-
1 whole lemon
-
1 tbsp of tobasco sauce (if you can stand the heat, otherwise just add a few drops :))
-
1 tbsp of tomato puree
-
seasonings
First fry the diced red onion in a little oil on a low heat until it has softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until aromatic. Next add all of the vegetables and cook them until tender. Pour in the stock and add the spices, tobasco and tomato puree. Place the lemon halves into the stock. Allow the soup to simmer for 8-10 minutes before adding the chick peas and kale. Season to taste.
Enjoy!
This soup is delicious with a lovely warmth from the spices. Please be wary of the cloves though as you don’t want to be eating them whole. I don’t think your taste buds would forgive you. I also snacked on a few a few dates and a pear later on in the day.
For dinner I had one of my Lemon and Herby Bean and Millet Burgers with some kale and hispi cabbage roasted in soy sauce and sesame seed oil, parsnip and carrot chips and ketchup.
Ketchup always reminds me of some of the weird things I used to eat as a kid, I used to put it on everything. My favourites were cheese and ketchup sandwiches and corned beef and ketchup sandwiches and the bread had to be white and fluffy, the cheap stuff! It also reminds me of the “Tuck Shop” that we had at school. It was open during break times and sold things like pizza, pasties, chocolate, crisps-nothing healthy as you can probably guess. I always had a chip cob with lots of ketchup that ooozed out of the sides.
Ha! Those were the days. 🙂
For dessert I had some pomegranate seeds, blueberries and strawberries in some warm hazelnut and almond rice milk topped with some granola:
I really love how some foods can conjure memories from the past, things that you thought you had forgotten. What was your favourite food when you was young? Anything weird? Is there any particular food/meal that brings back some memories?
Woah 13 mins for the plank is amazing! When I do it at aerobics I say the alphabet slowly in my head, and can normally do it for 2 lots before I have to stop, so I am guessing its around a minute?
I can only just about hold it for a minute, 13 minutes is crazy!!!
I’m going to assume you meant 60 seconds for holding the plank, not 60 minutes?! Unless you were just joking? Ah, ignore me I think I’m being weird! Nice looking eats. 🙂
Oh darn it I did it again. I meant 60 seconds. I’ve changed it now, thanks for pointing it out! 🙂
Good work on the run, especially after your crazy weekend antics! And you know I didn’t even notice the typo yesterday, I way obviously completely zoned out too!
Happy valentines day 🙂
I was very sleepy when I was writing that post-60 seconds is my limit at the moment. I hope you had a lovely Valentines Day!!!
I used to have cheese and ketchup sandwiches as well. The thing that makes me feel like a kid again is baked beans with those little sausages.
I’m really out of practise doing the plank so its about 30 seconds if I’m lucky!
The cheese and ketchup thing tasted so good at the time, I loved it! 🙂
your soup looks great! and wow 13 mins!!.. the longest ive ever done was 2.5 minutes..was rough!
I think the plank is rough for 10 seconds let alone 13 minutes. The soup was lovely!
13 minutes?! That’s insane! My best is 2 1/2 minutes! Ha, now I feel like I should be holding it way longer! But I think my core would explode 😉
that soup looks delish!
I know it is pretty crazy. I can barely manage 1 minute at the mo!
I think I could hold a plank for maybe 2 1/2 minutes!? Ok, I’m about to check now once I submit this comment! 😉 That kale chickpea soup looks SO amazing!! I want to make it pronttoooo, no joke! 🙂 Thanks for the recipe idea! Happy vday!
I don’t know why but your message was in my spam box. 2 1/2 minutes is awesome! I can only manage 1 minute at the moment. The soup was lovely.
Ooh, now that sounds like a challenge to me. I’m pretty sure I can do three minutes but 13? I sense some very tired abs coming in the future.
Before I was veggie I lived on tuna mayo sandwiches, on white bread. Then it graduated to Red Leicester cheese sarnies on the same stuff. I also had a penchant for a good old ketchup sandwich (on malted granary this time though!). Tuck-shops are filled with nostalgia for me. Yes, the food was junky but it was also eaten in a carefree and guilt-free manner, which is something I remember with fondness and treasure.
xxx
Wow 3 minutes that’s awesome!!! The tuck shop at school was loved by everyone. And yes I think everyone eats in a care free manner as youngsters, but it soon changes when we get older. Xxx
Soup look delicious – it has all my favourite things in it!
Ketchup reminds me of childhood too. I used to have it on everything – my healthy eating habits obviously started early 🙂
Plank-wise I can definitely hold it for 60 seconds. I’ve never timed my maximum, but that’s definitely a job for tomorrow.
Ketchup always made everything so much better as a kid. I couldn’t pour it o er everything now though.
13 minutes is insane! I have mine up to 90 secs now and it is so tough! I used to eat ketchup sandwiches with white bread, the thought turns my stomach now!
I know it’s crazy. Imagine the girls core muscles they must be rock solid!!
Love the soup recipe-I want to try that out asap…love Kale and Chicpeas!
I looooved liverwurst as a kid! and although I still think it’s awesome, I try to limit it since it’s not the healthiest thing for me to scarf down. 😉 people hafta give the ‘wurst a chance… it tastes like a better bologna!
I love all things chickpea! I can hold the plank for a 1.5 minutes … far shy of 13! That lady must have some abs.
My fave food as a child was macaroni cheese with brussel sprouts, yum!! I still love it now and every now and then make it! X