Peanut & almond butter cups

Staring at gooey peanut butter, threatening to spill over the top of a newly opened jar must be what true love feels like.

I love peanut butter and these no bake treats are perfect for combining that love with one of my other true loves, chocolate.
But these treats are sugar free and are made with completely natural ingredients.

I was kindly sent some Meridian Foods crunchy almond butter and smooth peanut butter to sample. Meridian Foods peanut butter has long been my favourite PB brand; not only because it tastes amazing but also because it has nothing added to it.
I hadn’t tried the almond butter before so this gave me the perfect chance to experiment  and I couldn’t wait.

PB jars

Recipe makes 8-10 cups
You will need:
75g Meridian crunchy almond butter
75g Meridian smooth peanut butter
1 heaped tablespoon of honey
50g shredded coconut
25g sultanas

For the chocolate:
75g coconut oil
75g cacao powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Mix the almond butter, peanut butter, honey, coconut and sultanas until well combined.
Put a tablespoon full of the mixture in to cake cases before flattening down with the reverse side of the spoon to create an even finish.
Set these aside whilst you make the chocolate. To make the chocolate, melt the coconut oil in the microwave and then add the cacao powder, honey and vanilla extract and mix well.
Top the peanut and almond butter mixture with the melted chocolate and then pop in to the freezer for about 20 minutes until they are set.
Once they are set, they should be kept in the freezer to keep firm.  And there you have it, a simple and super quick way to rustle up some treats.

You can use just almond butter if you’d prefer or just peanut butter rather than combining them both and you can change the dried fruit depending on what you feel like. The almond butter was so tasty and the slightly nutty texture meant that these bites had a bit of a crunch to them as well – perfect!

 peanut butter and choc cups

The Liebster Award

A big thank you to Jess Wreford  of JCW Nutrition for the nomination for The Liebster Award, a fun way to get bloggers interacting and learn more about each other. It’s the perfect way to meet like minded people, even if it is virtually!

Thanks to Jess’ for outlining the rules for me because this was the first time I had heard of The Libester Award. The rules are simple:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to their site.
  • Post a total of 11 facts about yourself.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
  • Think of 11 questions to ask for your chosen nominees and link them in the post.

11 facts about me:
I recently wrote a 20 facts about me post which you can find here.

Questions Jess asked me:

1. If you are at University, what do you study and why? If not, what do you do for a living and why

I’m currently working as a trainee reporter for a local newspaper after studying journalism for three years at The University of Sheffield. Ever since I was little I have always loved writing and especially creative writing. One of the best things about my job is that every day is different and you get to meet so many different people from all walks of life. It’s also really exciting at times. 

2. If you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

Great question! This is so hard for me because I am literally such a foodie!! I’d have to say peanut butter. Or sausages. Can I have peanut butter and sausages please? And maybe bananas too!?

3. When it comes to your appearance, what is your least favourite and most favourite feature and why?

My least favourite is definitely my teeth. I’ve never really liked them because they’re so big and stick out so much, but I’ve learnt to love them…kind of. I’d say my favourite feature is either my legs or my tummy because my legs are quite long and I think I’ve just been lucky with my tummy. 

4. Have you ever broken a body part or injured yourself so you had to go to hospital? Explain your story! 

I’ve been really lucky actually because I’ve never broken anything before – touch wood! I did have a bad accident where my mum’s horse stood on my bottom when I was little though and now I’ve had a dent in it ever since. That’s a BIG confession for me because I never tell people that yet here I am declaring it to the bloggersphere! 

5. What is your favourite chocolate bar?

You can’t beat a classic Dairy Milk. 

6. Are you a coffee person or a tea person and what is your favourite kind of coffee or tea? And if you are neither, why?

As you may have read in my 20 facts about me post, I love coffee. I’m a big fan of a soy cappuccino with chocolate on but I also love instant coffee with a little bit of milk – boring I know. My fav is Nescafe Azera Americano. 

7. What would an ideal healthy day consist of for your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks?

Providing I stick to it, this is technically what most days are meant to be like for me. Breakfast will be eggs & mushrooms or eggs & tomatoes. Lunch would be a salad or chicken and veg. Dinner would be a salad if I hadn’t had one for lunch with sweet potato, rice or salmon, roast veg etc. Just general healthy, clean stuff. Snacks – nuts, banana, protein shake, carrots, beef jerky, anything like that – oh and peanut butter of course! It changes though depending on whether I’m running etc. 

8. What is your favourite treat meal/snack?

Thai food!  Although I don’t see it as a treat meal because I have it so often. For a proper treat meal I’d say pizza, I love a good pizza. Anything chocolatey always goes down well too of course. 

9. If you have a sport, what is it and why?

Running is my sport and has been for as long as I can remember. I’ve only started taking it seriously recently though and I’ve joined a running club to help build on my speed. My goals are to run a marathon in under four hours and a half in under 1.30 – 2015 here we come!

10. Do you have any piercings or tattoos? If so, where and why? 

I have my ears and my belly button pierced and I also have some tattoos but they’re staying secret I’m afraid!

11. Why did you decide to start blogging?

I started blogging because I wanted to document my training and healthy eating quest. I found that my friends and housemates were getting sick of me talking about my mile splits, how many miles I had to run that weekend and why I wasn’t eating certain foods that week. So I thought I’d blog about it instead and bore the rest of the world with it. I also find it really therapeutic and I love interacting with other bloggers and reading about their journey’s and any tips they have. 

Questions for my nominees:

1. If you had to sum yourself up in one sentence, what would it be?
2. What would you say your greatest achievement is so far?
3. If you were to host a dinner party, what would you cook for starter, main and dessert?
4. What is your favourite comfort food?
5. Do you have a favourite exercise to do at the gym/a favourite sport you always resort back to?
6. What are your three main goals/aims you are working towards at the moment or in the near future?
7. In your opinion, what is the best thing about blogging?
8. If you had to give three tips to someone who was thinking of starting a blog, what would they be and why?
9. Describe your “dream” holiday.
10. Are you more of a sweet or savoury person? Why?
11. What would be your ideal date?

Bloggers I nominate are:

londonveganbird.com

frugalcavegirl.wordpress.com

pressupsandprosecco.wordpress.com 

And @Elle_phanty as soon as she gets her blog up and running 🙂

Enjoy guys!

Vale of York half-marathon

When the race organisers said that the course for the Vale of York half-marathon  was flat, they weren’t joking. With just one slight incline across the entire 13.1 miles, this course is perfect for those looking to bag a PB or take on their first half-marathon.

Held yesterday for the first time, it was also perfectly timed for those running the Yorkshire Plusnet Marathon on Sunday, October 12.

The event was sold out and over 1,000 runners were expected to take part. I joined those runners along with my best friend and fitness pal Liana (follow our fitness journey on Instagram using #fabsfitness) as we headed to the start line at the Race HQ at Sherburn Aero Club.

The sun was shining and other than not enough toilets, I can’t fault the organisation of it. The two ladies working on the bag drop were very busy but as long as you’re patient that doesn’t matter.

As I am now well in to my training for the Yorkshire Marathon (last weekend I ran 20 miles!) Liana and I decided to enjoy the sunshine and run this at marathon pace, rather than race it at half-marathon pace. After the first two miles we had settled in to a comfortable pace, with our mile splits only differing by a couple of seconds either side.

So far my long runs haven’t always been at marathon pace, especially the much longer ones.  My coach told me that I need to be able to run some of my long runs comfortably at marathon pace so this was a great training run for me.

Although the route was made up of long, flat and often straight roads, it was made enjoyable by the attractive scenery. As we reached the finish line the crowds had picked up and really gave runners a boost as they crossed the finish line.

Once we had handed our timing chips in we were greeted with an energy gel, a technical t-shirt and a medal.

All in all, the route was great and both Liana and I said that it was one of the most enjoyable races we had ever run. I’ll definitely be back next year to try and secure a PB.

vale of york half mara

Liana and I celebrate with our medals after completing the first ever Vale of York half-marathon

20 facts about me

Time for some blogger loving!

This afternoon I was Tweeted by Jess Wreford (@jcwnutrition) who writes a fantastic blog documenting her fitness and nutrition journey. Jess encouraged myself and fellow bloggers @ashjvella @alexbakero @ThomasGudgeon @SpamellaB @BeiFit @hookedonhv @healthjenblog and @fabgiovanetti to write 20 facts about ourselves.

After reading Jess’ I wasted no time in starting mine and it felt quite therapeutic to write actually. So here goes…

 

20 facts about me :)

20 facts about me 🙂

1) I’m 22 and have been working as a trainee journalist for the past year after spending three years at the University of Sheffield studying journalism.

2) #poweredbypeanutbutter – I am ADDICTED to peanut butter, in particular Meridian Foods peanut butter and will put it on just about anything.

3) I once ate a kilo of peanut butter in just three days.

4) I’m a runner and have completed four half-marathons – my PB is 1 hour 39 and I’m hoping to get that down to 1.28 by early next year.

5) I am currently training for my first marathon – the Yorkshire Plusnet marathon on October 12 and I am hoping to run it in under four hours.

6) I recently joined a running club, the Knavesmire Harriers, to help work on m y speed and endurance and I love it.

7) I LOVE fun facts – if you’ve got any fun/quirky facts hit me up!

8) I’m a huge fan of adventures, so much so that I even have the word ‘adventure’ tattooed on me in Nepalese.

9) In 2011 I trekked to Everest Base Camp with a group of students from university for a charity called Childreach International.

10) I recently started CrossFit at CrossFit Jorvik and I’m already addicted to it. I’ve also seen the benefits of doing CrossFit in my running.

11) The majority of my wages goes on food for new recipes or trainers – I have lots of trainers both for working out and just for day wear– my Nike Airs are my babies!

12) Every morning when I get to work I drink two coffees, with a little bit of milk, no sugar, in quick succession.

13) My favourite time of day to run is either first thing in the morning before everyone else is awake or in the rain.

14) I love lazy mornings at the weekend before heading out on a long run and my ideal breakfast in bed would be smoked salmon, poached eggs, spinach, big mushrooms and really good brown toast.

15) I advocate a healthy, balanced lifestyle. My friend Liana has the motto of healthy body, healthy mind and I completely agree. I love treats and never deprive myself of anything.

16) Health and fitness wise I’m learning how to fuel my body properly and I’m on a mission to get stronger and faster. Strong is the new skinny after all.

17) I work-out about 5-6 times a week with a mixture of running and CrossFit.

18) I’m going to be an auntie next year and I’ve already told my sister that I’m going to teach the baby to run really fast.

19) I was a cheerleader for two years at university and took part in competitions alongside my friend Becca.

20) I run simply because I love it. I find running therapeutic and I have found that there’s not much that a good hill sprint session or a 10K can’t solve. For me it’s also about feeling healthy and full of energy and to know that you’re looking after your body to the best that you can.

Women’s Running take on the Adidas Thunder Run 24 Hour challenge

Running in a 24 hour ultra race was never in my race plan for this year.
When I saw a Tweet from Women’s Running Magazine saying they needed one more person to join their team for the Adidas Thunder Run 24 Hour I just knew I had to apply.
After a brief exchange of emails I was told that the place was mine and I went a bit mental in the office to say the least!
For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, the Adidas TR24 is a 24 hour race running laps of a 10k trail route at Catton Park, Derby. Runners can take part in teams of eight, six or five, and for the serious ultra runners  you can even opt to run it in a pair or as a solo runner (hats off to you guys – I don’t know how you do it!). As long as someone from the team is on the course at all times you’re still in the race. Everyone has to complete at least one lap but after that you can run as many laps as you want from 12pm Saturday to 12pm on Sunday.

Our team was made up of a variety of runners, some were seasoned marathon runners, others were novices but we all had one thing in common; we loved to run and that bonded us instantly. We also had Jon in our team of six, who had been swapped over from the Men’s Running team.

Team Women's Running (minus one) having a cuppa on Sunday morning

Team Women’s Running (minus one) having a cuppa on Sunday morning

I arrived on Friday night to set up camp and as we were an Adidas sponsored team we were shown to a pitch right near the start line – perfect. Not only that but Adidas were kind enough to kit us out in their latest sportswear and adizero trail shoes which are my new babies, I love them. A HUGE thank you to the Adidas team.

After a quick team talk on Saturday morning we decided the order we were running in, how many laps we ideally wanted to complete and most importantly, what snacks we had all brought to re-fuel with. I was first up and took the orange snap bracelet (our relay baton) to the start line with a mixture of enthusiasm and the usual pre-race nerves.

The route was undulating to say the least and had some killer climbs but the scenery was fantastic and all around an enjoyable route, which was a good job really as I was going to get pretty familiar with it over the next 24 hours! I completed my first lap in 56 minutes which is a good 10 minutes slower than my 10K road race PB but I was pleased and wanted to pace myself for the next several laps as I was hoping to run at least 40K.

My strategy after each lap was to stretch for 30 minutes to an hour and drink a Lucozade Sport Caribbean Burst (I could drink these all day they’re so good) and then eat something such as a banana before refueling properly with some pasta salad or couscous.

Taking the baton for the first lap

Taking the baton for the first lap

We all completed our first two laps in good times and before we knew it darkness fell and it was time to get the head torches out for the third lap. Having never run that late at night I wasn’t sure what to expect. So as I laced up my trainers for the 12.30am lap I went out at a more gentle pace. Running in the dark was strangely therapeutic though and it was fun jumping over tree trunks guided by just one beam of light from your head.

A couple of hours of interrupted sleep later and it was time to go again and I think it was this lap I found the hardest as fatigue, both mentally and in my muscles, was beginning to set in. But I can honestly say that once I was running I felt great again. It looked as though it would be our final round of laps as Jon, the last in the relay leg, went out at about 10.55am. Although 12pm is when the race officially  finishes, if a runner is on the course before then, even at 11.59.59am, then the lap still counts. The team said that it was up to me whether I decided to go for it and after some deliberation I decided that if Jon was back before 12pm I’d go for my fifth lap. He came in at about 11.52am and I decided to go for it, the adrenaline powering me through. Finishing that fifth lap was amazing and I was so proud to have completed 31 miles for the team.

Straight after completing my 31 miles for team Women's Running

Straight after completing my 31 miles for team Women’s Running

On my 31st mile and attempting a strong finish on the last hill

On my 31st mile and attempting a strong finish on the last hill

In total, team Women’s Running ran 23 laps. But for me, the best part of the weekend was being around like minded people who shared the same passion and genuinely making some fantastic friends and meeting amazing people. After one lap a lady came up to me to say thank you for powering her through a lap when she was at a low point – for me that was a priceless moment.

The atmosphere across the whole weekend was amazing and I can’t wait to go back and take on Thunder Run next year!

We did it!!

We did it!!

 

Never has the phrase ‘après mud party’ excited me more

Photo credit to Tough Mudder HQ.

Photo credit to Tough Mudder HQ.

Today I got overly excited at reading the phrase ‘après mud party.

Not just because I like to be muddy – although I do when it comes to running –  but because that phrase means that Tough Mudder Yorkshire is just over one week away.

When the Yorkshire Tough Mudder Volunteer Programme pinged in to my email inbox this afternoon I wasted no time in getting familiar with what I’d be doing on the day as a volunteer and reading all about the perks that come with it.

Running Tough Mudder is an experience in itself, as my best friend Liana who ran the course last year told me, but we’re getting the complete Tough Mudder experience over two days this year. On Saturday, August 2 we will be volunteering on the course, cheering people on and helping them along the way before running the course on Sunday. The gazebo has been purchased for maximum socialising on Saturday night and after much deliberation our outfits have been planned right down to the colour of our shoe laces – neon yellow for Liana and bright red for me.

We can’t wait to don our TM volunteer t-shirts and really get stuck in to help make the event a success and enjoyable for everyone. Not to mention we are so excited to run the course ourselves.

As Liana put it, it’s essentially a weekend away for us. It combines all of our favourite things as well; adventure, challenges, being outdoors, running, lifting, socialising and wearing gym clothes. Bring it on!

#Allin24 with my food prep

The most important part of my preparation for the Adidas UK Thunder Run 24 Hour got underway today….food shopping.

With two nights camping and a 24 hour run ahead of me I have been making extensive lists of the supplies I’ll need to take.

Top of the list is of course Lucozade Sport drinks to recover after each lap. I am obsessed with the Caribbean Burst flavour which is so good I could bathe in it. Next is Meridian Foods peanut butter which will no doubt get lathered on Soreen malt loaf which I tried for the first time today. I can only describe it as dangerous stuff as I ploughed through half a loaf before lunch.

Treats keep me going so I didn’t even hesitate in adding a multi-pack of caramel Freddo bars to my shopping basket today. I’ll no doubt be imagining the taste of it when I’m struggling (well, hopefully I won’t be struggling too much!) on one of the late night laps.

I will also be taking lots of water, bananas and porridge pots. Here’s my list so far:

-Lucozade Sport drinks
-Bottled water
-Coffee
-Peanut butter
-Soreen malt loaf
– Porridge
-Freddo bars
– Paleo granola (homemade)
– Flapjack (homemade)
– Peanut butter cookies (homemade)
– Banana and blueberry bread (homemade)
– Homemade peanut butter cups (homemade)

Obviously these aren’t my main meals, just staples to get me through the weekend. As I’m a newbie to trail running and events such as the Thunder Run I’d love to hear any suggestions of what snacks are good to take!
You can tweet me @HannahBryan91
Or comment on the box below.

Conquer the Forest No Ego Challenge

I am proud to say that I am one of the top 50 finishers in the first ever Dalby Forest No Ego Challenge!

As my first trail race I wasn’t sure what to expect but within the first half a mile I knew it wasn’t going to be like any other half-marathon I had experienced.

The hills were relentless and we grappled with loose rocks on steep descents and tired not to lose our trail shoes whilst wading through muddy bogs.

 

Before the madness got underway.

Before the madness got underway.

Jim and I all smiles before we headed to the start line.

Jim and I all smiles before we headed to the start line.

My friend Jim picked me up at about 8.30am and we made our way to the picturesque Dalby Forest which took us just over an hour. Registration was quick and easy and once we had our number it was time to get a few pictures before a brief warm up and a pre-race talk. We were told to let those who were “going big” to go first as after about 100m the path narrowed to single file.

Our strategy was to try and run nine minute miles which we worked out would get us in at 1 hour 57 minutes. However shortly after setting off we realised that it might be a struggle.

Within the first mile we hit the first climb which was almost impossible to run up. Small and steady steps Jim assured me, which actually turned out to be a pretty good strategy but I saw at least a couple of people walking up every hill we were faced with. Trying to make up time after the hills was almost impossible too as the flat stretch afterwards was used for recovery rather than for speed.

However the route itself was amazing. Flying down winding banks through the forest, navigating your way over fallen trees and through muddy bogs made this the best race I’ve ever been a part of.

That said though, it was one hell of a challenge and without Jim I definitely would’ve struggled a lot more. At times you’re running solo and as someone who is used to the cheering of crowds during a road race I can imagine that if you were running alone and were not a seasoned trail runner it could be quite lonely.

Another difference is that  you have to give the terrain your full concentration for the duration of the race. You can’t switch off the same way you might do on the roads. If you’re not paying attention to your footing one wrong move could see you coming down on your ankle.

Dalby Forest was the perfect setting for it though and like any other race, all of the runners were supporting each other which was fantastic. It was also interesting to know that even some of the seasoned trail runners taking part were not doing it for a time, something which took me a while to adjust to I must admit.

The muddier we got though the more fun I began to have and whizzing through the forests and breathing in that wonderful earthy smell was just fantastic.

The final hurdle was a killer hill before a sprint finish across the line to come in at just under two hours at 2hrs28mins and the 11th lady to finish. Not bad for my first trail half-marathon I’d say, especially considering that we stopped twice to try and get rid of my persistent pins and needles in my left foot/leg and stopped to drink at every water station.

The feeling in my legs afterwards was nothing like that after a half-marathon road race either and I definitely felt as though I had worked a lot harder. It was such a great feeling though and I am definitely going to sign up to another trail challenge in the future. But until then it’s time to soak the blisters in TCP and Savlon in the hope that they recover in time for this weekends Adidas Thunder Run!

Keep your eyes peeled for the official pictures as well which I will post on here when they’re out.

Celebrating with my No Ego Challenge t-shirt after the race

Celebrating with my No Ego Challenge t-shirt after the race

Don't even want to try and clean these yet...

Don’t even want to try and clean these yet…

Check out those blisters!

Check out those blisters!

 

Marathon training & some other challenges in between

After weeks of thinking about it I’ve finally devised myself a training plan for the Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon.
With just under three months to go I thought I’d share my training with you as I work up to running 26.2 miles and take on a few different challenges in between. 

Here’s a little about what I’ve got coming up:

Saturday, July 19: The No Ego Trail Challenge – Conquer the Forest half marathon at Dalby Forest
Just five days from now I’ll be running my first trail half-marathon. I’m not sure just how much of the stunning views of Dalby Forest I’ll be able to take in though as we battle through water, jump over fallen trees and tackle mud bogs and plenty of hills. As it’s my first one I’m not expecting a fantastic time but ideally I’d like to complete it in less than two hours.

Saturday, July 16: Adidas Thunder Run 24 Hour
For many people, the thought of running for 24 hours would sound like some form of extreme punishment. To me though, it sounds like one hell of an exciting challenge. I have been lucky enough to secure a place on the Women’s Running magazine team for this incredible challenge, organised by Adidas. The idea is that someone from the team has to be running the 10k trail route at all times across 24 hours. Each competitor must complete at least one lap but after that you can run as many as you want, or take it in turns. Hats off to those solo runners who do the full 24 hours by themselves! I don’t doubt that it’s going to be a huge test for me, both physically and mentally.

Saturday, August 2: Tough Mudder Yorkshire
My best friend and fitness fanatic Liana took on Tough Mudder last year and this year we’ve decided to do it together. We will be volunteering as course marshals on the Sunday after running the course on the Saturday as well. For those of you who don’t know what Tough Mudder is all about, it’s described as the toughest event on the planet. Over ten-12 miles we’ll tackle a range of obstacles from underwater tunnels to rope climbs and even fire to test our strength and all round physical (and mental) capabilities.

So that’s what I’m facing at the moment, a gruelling three weeks with plenty of recovery and mobility work in between and quite frankly I can’t wait!

Paleo chocolate chip cookies

cookies

Following a paleo plan doesn’t mean that you’re forbidden to eat treats and the things you love. In fact for me it has meant still eating those treats, but discovering new ingredients and getting my domestic goddess on in the kitchen to turn them in to clean treats.

The biggest bonus by far though is the fact that you can eat these cookies without that awful guilty training-down-the-drain feeling afterwards that so many of us fall victim to when we decide to treat ourselves.

My Instagram feed is full of fitness posts and for AGES now I have been on the hunt for cacao powder to make some of the treats I have seen posted on there. I stumbled across this organic bag in my local health food store near where I work (I’m in there most days so I’m not sure why I hadn’t spotted it until now).

IMG_3444

I decided to make cookies – although I use the term cookies very loosely as they turned out to be more like chocolate chip balls then cookies.
You will need:
– 300g almond butter (I use Meridian because those guys are just amazing in my opinion)
– 25g coconut oil
– 1 egg (whisked)
-200g cacao powder
-1 tsp baking powder
– 25g shredded unsweetened coconut (this is optional but good if you like your cookies with a bit of a crunch)
-1 tsp raw honey
– 200g dark chocolate chips (I used dairy free 80% dark choc chips – the higher the percentage the better)

What to do:
– Firstly, preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
– Next heat the coconut oil and honey in the microwave for about 30 seconds until they have melted together.
– Add the almond butter, coconut oil, honey and whisked egg in to a bowl and stir together until thoroughly combined.
– I used my hands for this next stage as it’s just easier for combining the ingredients. Add the baking powder, cacao and coconut gradually until it is all combined. The dough should be pretty thick at this point which is how we want it.
– Finally mix in the chocolate chips.
– Using a tablespoon heap the cookie dough on to the tray and flatten down each one with the back of a spoon. Don’t worry if they don’t look like the stereotypical cookie shapes though because if you flatten them too much they may become fragile and fall apart (I’m speaking from past experience here.)
– Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and then take out to cool. As tempting as it may be to tuck in to one whilst they’re still warm try and leave them until they have really cooled down as they will still be fragile.

I enjoyed mine warmed up with some blueberries and a banana. Happy paleo baking 🙂