Lamb & Aubergine meatballs

Lamb & Aubergine Meatballs

Great served with some butternut spaghetti or regular pasta spaghetti. Alternatively serve with a green salad. 

Serves 4

1 aubergine, cut into large chunks
A small lug of olive oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning
A small bunch of chopped fresh parsley,to serve

For the meatballs

40 g bulgur wheat
350 g lean (less than 16% fat) lamb mince
½ diced onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
A handful of chopped fresh parsley

For the sauce

1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
400 g can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato purée
​250 ml vegetable stock 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200ºC/fan oven 180ºC. Put the aubergine on a baking tray and mist with the cooking spray. Roast for 20 minutes, or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, cover the bulgur wheat with boiling water and leave to absorb for 5 minutes. Put all the remaining meatball ingredients into a bowl, season and knead together. Drain the bulgur wheat, add to the bowl and mix well. Next, take golf ball-sized portions of the mixture and roll into 16 meatballs. Chill on a plate for 30 minutes.
3. To make the sauce, fry the onion in the oil until lightly coloured. Add the garlic and continue to fry. Next, add the herbs and tomatoes, followed by the tomato purée and vegetable stock. Bring the sauce to the boil and season.
4. Brown the meatballs in a frying pan misted with cooking spray before adding them to the sauce and simmering for 30 minutes. Stir in the aubergine 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Just before serving, add the chopped parsley.

This recipe has been adapted from a weight watchers recipe.

A sum up of 2015 and the year ahead...

"I don't want to blow it again..."

How many times have we though this when it comes to a new year?

So if you are anything like me, the thoughts you had at the end of 2015 were the same as at the end of 2014, and probably 2013, etc...  I'm really good at setting goals for myself and just not following through. But that's OK, we're all human after all.

This years seems to be the first Christmas where I have let myself take time off with the family and properly chilled out. Even if it has meant that the sofa now has an imprint of my bum in it and I now feel a little bit like I might develop agoraphobia. I've had a nice time, it's been relaxing.

But now it's time to wipe away the mince pie crumbs, find my running trainers and get back on it. Those miles aren't going to run themselves. Looking at my calendar I have at least 12 events planned and I am sure that will have doubled by the end of the year. This is what I do now. It's what defines me and at the start of this New Year I have to take a moment to reflect back.

2015 was a fantastic year for me, there were many mud races, half marathon's, marathons, many 10k's and one Ultra. But it wasn't without it's challenges. I learnt a lot last year...

My first proper break down mid-race.

Yorkshire Marathon this year for me was the toughest run I have ever faced. Full of a six week steaming cold, wiped out and under trained I was advised against it but stubbornness prevailed. Mile 5 saw me wanting to quit, and this was the theme for the rest of the race. If it wasn't for my super human most fabulous group of running friends formed from the York Rose Runners I would have bailed. But what did I learn; that I'm stronger than I think, and if others believe in you it's much easier to believe in yourself.

My first Ultra marathon

Well that was fun, no actually it was. 31.5 Walkers crisp munching, ice cream licking miles of the beautiful North Yorkshire coast line and all to support Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue - heros that they are! Yes it was hard. But it's another thing ticked off that ever growing bucket list and one more thing that I thought I would never achieve!

Two races in one day...

Vale of York Half marathon, a flat and fast paced half followed by what can only be descirbed as runnning insanity. After finishing the Half Marathon we hot footed it over to Huddersfield with an hour to spare where we changed at the side of the road into Wonder woman (appropriate!) to complete Wineathlon - a 9 mile wine fueled trail run, preferably in fancy dress. The four of us donned our mini skirts and tiara's and went for it. Never before have I been passed at mile 4 by a very inebriated Elvis in Nike running trainers. Lesson learnt - Running and Alcohol. Never one to mix, but hilarious fun and signed up again this year!

So from a few firsts to setting no firsts for 2016... I am setting myself no goals for 2016 apart from to enjoy my year of fitness. Every year since I lost the weight I've tried to achieve something new, and  in some respects, prove a point. This year is just about enjoying myself and the friends I have made through this fab sport. I'm sure at some point through the year I'll get bored and decide I need a challenge to sink my teeth into but for now I am just enjoying what the year has in store...

So see you in 2016, good luck with whatever your challenge may be...

Run Streak time!

Time to push myself with a run streak... 

218 days of running, can I do it?

Anyone who knows me that for all I appear to be quite driven, I'm actually quite lazy. Sometimes putting the minimal effort in to achieve something. So when I completed the 50 mile December challenge  it was a sure bet that my mileage would only just tip over the scales. And at roughly 53 miles, it did.

So this year I'm trying to be better. I'm not going to set myself unobtainable New Year resolutions like giving up alcohol, chocolate and coffee, with a small child and a busy lifestyle these are all things that help me get through the day. 

What I will do is commit to running at least 2 miles every day until August when we head to South Africa for three weeks. I'm 5 days into a streak and we head out on the 5th August. That's 213 days away and gives me a streak of 218. This kind of psychology works for me. I know if I don't do it every day I've failed, rather than cramming it all in at the end this makes me commit and works with my stubbornness... 

This Runners World article goes into the Run Streak in more detail. Not only is it good motivation, an average calorie burn of around 100 calories for me per mile would see me burning up at least an extra 43,600 calories. If I changed nothing else at all this could equate to a 12 pound weight loss for me, did I mention I like chocolate?

But it's not about the pounds, its about the commitment. I'm committing to a more dedicated me in 2016 and this is just the start.

Now the only logistic I have to overcome is our Half Term Ski holiday in France, our lodge is on a mountain surrounded by snow. There will be nowhere to run. So I'm thinking if I ski every day, it still counts? Doesn't it? or maybe laps up and down the stairs?

Wish me luck everyone! and if you fancy joining me on a run, please do. I'll need the company!

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