After the Amsterdam marathon recently, my running buddies and I treated ourselves to dinner on the town. Well, it wasn’t quite on the town, as we were a) preserving our post-mara muscles by staying close to our hotel and b) skint. We found a great place with the use of my trusty 2008 guide book….
Celeriac and Sweet Potato Savoury Crumble
There are some vegetables that strike fear in my heart. Celeriac comes top of the list. I mean, it looks like an Ood (if you’re not a fan of Doctor Who, a) why not?! and b) this is an Ood). That is to say, it’s not an attractive vegetable and so gnarly and strange it’s…
Pistachio and Pinto Bean Casserole
Recently, we did a Listen To Your Body post on eating – you know, recognising your cravings and trying to understand why you’re getting them. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, it’s probably starting to feel pretty wintry for you. That means your body’s telling you to stay indoors and pile on a few pounds,…
Crispy Baked Cauliflower Cheese
Photo by Zsolt – www.zsoltsandor.com This recipe has been passed down through our family for generations. Not by my mother, who is a wonderful woman but – god love her – not what you’d call much of a cook. No, sorry, I malign her unfairly: she can knock up a 70s-style buffet from nowhere and…
Listen To Your Body: Eating
Picture the scene: It’s c1989, Bibi is 3 years old and is sitting at her little foldaway table, drawing (I use the term loosely). ‘Mummy,’ she says, ‘I need a biscuit.’ I look at her quizzically. ‘Please,’ she adds, for she is a polite child. I explain the difference between ‘want’ and ‘need.’ ‘Sweetheart,’ I…
Sweet Potato and Leek Pie with Goats Cheese Topping
I have, in my many years on this planet, learned that some people are good at some things and slightly rubbish at others. It’s a fact. I mean, I agree with Malcolm Gladwell that you have to put the hours in to achieve world class status but a core talent can be really useful. Sadly,…
26.2 Miles Wiser – Amsterdam marathon, race report
Given my advanced age (I am now approaching 142) and the fact that I’ve been running for decades, you’d think I’d have ran a squillion marathons, wouldn’t you? I’ve ran hundreds of races and done many, many very long runs (including my now infamous 96-mile run along the West Highland Way). My longest runs tend…
Running in Fuerteventura
Bibi recently wrote a great guest post for the Canadian blog Pathways to Life, called ‘Running, Away from Home’ (see what she did there?) The post was full of her top tips for getting in good runs while you’re travelling so I had a quick read before I went to do some warm weather training like…
Stilton, Spinach and Quinoa Risotto
I used to have a bit of a problem with quinoa, bothered its unfamiliarity (we didn’t have quinoa in Middlesbrough when I was a girl) and its stupid pronunciation (I say that not in a xenophobic way; I just didn’t get it! Or is that what a xenophobe would say…?) Anyway, quinoa – ‘keen-wah’ –…
Aubergine and Spinach Curry
I’ve heard people say they don’t like aubergines but, on closer investigation (just call me Ace Detective Janey Dodge), it’s rarely the taste that they object to. It’s the texture that generally seems to be the problem. They’re either not soft enough and have a kind of rubbery, teeth-on-edge consistency, or they’re too mushy and…
Listen To Your Body: Sleeping
This is the first post in our series Listen To Your Body. It’s about sleeping and how we can learn to do it well. Do you make a puzzled face at that, thinking ‘well, surely you’re either sleeping or you’re not’? That’s only partly true. Yes, your body will gain some benefits from getting your head on…
Savoury Breakfast Muffins – Two Recipes in One!
So, you need breakfast in a hurry. You don’t fancy cereal or porridge and you’re not quite in the mood for toast. Oh, noooooooo, whaddya gonna do?! ‘s ok, we’re here to save the day. Our marvellous breakfast muffins are that rare breakfast treat that you can make the night before. I took a basic…