Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 50 g oats
• Pinch sea salt
• Cinnamon (optional)

Beat eggs and add oats and salt.  Add berries for more nutrients.  Cook like pancakes.  Serve with low fat yoghurt.

Healthy Fish and Chips (serves 2)

Fish ingredients

• 50g stale wholemeal bread or gluten free bread, crusts removed
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 500g firm white fish fillets
• ¼ cup wholemeal flour or gluten-free bread
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Kumara ingredients

• 1 Kumara washed
• Olive oil
• Salt

Directions for the chips;

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C and boil a large pan of water with a little salt.

While the water is heating up, slice the kumara into fat chips and drizzle some olive oil into a large baking try or pan. (You can leave the skins for extra health benefits!)

Once the water is boiling, place the kumara gently in, bring back to the boil and cook for 10 minutes with a lid half covering the pan. Half way through cooking, place the baking tray in the oven to heat up the olive oil.

When the kumara are cooked, drain them, place the lid back on the pan and shake the kumara a little too rough up the edges. This is what will make them crispy. Tip them into the hot baking tray, give them a shake and spread them out evenly and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Turn once during cooking.

Directions for the fish;

Place bread into the bowl of a food processor and process until coarse breadcrumbs. Add lemon zest and herbs and pulse to combine. Transfer breadcrumbs to a plate. Place flour and egg into shallow bowls.

Slice fish into thin 10cm slices, dip into flour, then egg and finally herbed breadcrumbs and coat well. Fry in a large frying pan over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. Drain on absorbent paper.

Serve fish fingers with the kumara chips, green salad and a lemon wedge. Enjoy!

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients:

1 15oz can of chickpeas
1 + 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chocolate chips (of your choice, you could use carob chips for a vegan option)
3 Tbs almond butter
2 Tbsp rolled oats
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Remove pits from the dates and place in a bowl or jar with 1/2 cup of water.

Cover the bowl or jar and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (or overnight).

Strain and rinse the chickpeas.

After dates have soaked, combine the chickpeas, dates (including their soaking liquid), almond butter, oats, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a food processor, excluding the chocolate chips.

Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed. Remove dough from the processor and gently mix in the chocolate chips.

Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.

Scoop the dough into 1 inch balls and place on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until cookies are firm in the center.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Peak #34 was enjoyed with a VIP guest,
Scott’s Opa all the way from South Africa joined us on the local Devonport quest.
At age 92, he has many tales of walking adventures to tell,
I can only hope at 92 my body still works that well!
It was a Thomas family outing up the very local Mt Vic,
The accessibility of these great views means there are always people up this peak with cameras going click, click, click.
From one vantage point you can see Auckland city with buildings clawing the sky,
But the majestic Rangitoto Island also catches your eye.
As do many of the other islands sitting quietly in the Hauraki Gulf,
And then there are the vibrant green landscapes down below – evolving from a different type of golf.
It is always a bit of a challenge to find your way down on the same route you walk up,
The steep gradient and greasy grass provide another challenge- not to slide down on your but!
The islands gracing the view from Mt Vic are alluring that’s for sure,
So many more peaks are waving to me ‘ come over here and explore!’

Nā,

Reta

Mauri ora,

Peak #35 is our highest local peak,
From sea level to 919m, my mum and I are were transported by our feet.
Well fuelled by a rather stunning breakfast of homemade bread, mushrooms and spinach,
We only need one (maybe 3) licorice all sorts to power us to the finish (read nearly to the top).
There are so many routes to choose from to ascend this curve topped peak,
An unknown route through Orton Bradley Park was the pick this week.
Along the way we discovered a nice Mountain bike track to which I must return,
And some rather intrepid cows above 900m- to which we were of no concern.
When standing on looking down on the port hills, you get the feeling you are way up high,
Until the towering backdrop of the Southern Alps catches your eye.
Whilst it was a gloriously sunny Autumn day,
Atop Te Ahu Pātiki, the mighty Tāwhirimatea came out to play.
Refuelled by homemade bread Sammies, with carrot, beetroot and capsicum,
We only needed two licorice all sorts (maybe 3) to get all they way back down to the car- thanks for that mum.

It has truly been a great week this week. I have had a programme set by Richard that I have managed to keep to and I was awarded an amazing trophy at the end of season TeamCP event.

This week Our plan

was to ease back into it. So Tuesday, after receiving some reasonably positive results (minimal growth in the lungs) I went for a

 swim. Richard has introduced me to interval training and it is hard work. My main focus was to work on my breathing so I wasn’t having to breath every second stroke. I would say I did this successfully for maybe 1/3 of my strokes. Hmmm guess I may need more time in the pool.  Wednesday had me out on the bike. This was great and once again it reinforced all the reasons why I love cycling.  Thursday and I had a run. It is fair to say I was dreading this. Running has become quite a difficult task. I find I’m slow and heavy and everything hurts. I had spent the whole day finding excuses not to go. But out I went. Again I was introduced to a form of interval running and although I was slow I found this a lot more enjoyable.

Friday was rest day but also a night for an amazing surprise. Being awarded the True Grit award. This is awarded to the person who has achieved their goal against the odds. But I really wouldn’t have been able to do it without Mike or Richard so really the award goes to them as well.

Lastly Today and Mike and I ventured out for our first bike ride together since Coast to Coast. It was fun and felt natural. We cycled out to Sumner to enjoy a coffee in the sun.  Oh and I got to first place on Strava!

This has been a great week! Can’t wait to see what next week brings. Maybe more time in the pool with the weather the way it is.  Sorry for the short and sweet nature of the blog, but I’m tired. This daylight savings is really playing with the body clock.

Hooray! I am back into the swing of exercising. I think. After a week and a half off I have been itching to get back into cycling and after buying my first pair of practical, swimming togs, I’ve also been eager to get into the pool. Ok, so I should probably be a little more honest, the exercising didn’t really start until last night. I know I mentioned last week that I was going to do the City to Surf but, with a combination of laziness (wanting a sleep in) and work being a priority it didnt happen. So there is no race report this week and I’m a little disappointed in myself for not doing it. But lets not focus on the negative, especially being that I am meant to be on a break.

The first is I went for a swim last night and today. Yesterday I swam 750m and it felt good to be in the water, as well as good to be exercising again. today I kept going until I swam 1km, I really enjoyed my swim today and felt motivated to go. I didnt need to convince myself to go, which has been a nice change from having to force myself to go out over the past few weeks. I also biked to my scans today and man it felt great to be out on the bike again. I have forgotten how great and free I feel when Im out cycling. It’s time for me, time to process my thoughts. The headwind home was tiring but not awful.

I am looking forward to Wednesday when I get to catch up with Richard and put together a programme again. I have had a brief look for events to train for but I think the next thing will the Hanmer 10km.

Cant wait for my next blog update where I will have even more to share, hopefully.

Mauri ora,

Peak #33,

Enjoyed with the fine company of new ChCh resident; Mary.

This brought back memories of the good old days,

When Mary and I would road ride together in Dunedin;

Hills or hot pace, twas Mary you could never phase.

Very excited she once again lives near by,

And also that I can now adventure in many different forms,

Although Mary is also a swimmer….something I may not try!

The ‘Little’ River MTB trail took longer than expected and the gravel climb to Hilltop steeper than expected, (read: Reta would have liked!),

Was it really only last month over the Southern Alps I biked?!

One is usually disappointed when the planned destination (Mt Fitzgerald) is not reached,

But it all worked out well as we still ‘Peaked!’

And now I can return at a later date,

To conquer Mt Fitzgerald with my fine adventure mate.

(We may drive to Little River in stead of ride).

Til next week,

Reta

The bright company of Margo and Jamie made this so fun!

Twas rather a steep incline all the way to the top of Peak Hill,

Rather strong winds on the ridge line at times saw us come to a stand still.

This gem of a peak is just 1.5hrs drive from where I live,

The views a perfect advertisement of the scenery Aotearoa has to give!

The braided Rakaia river on one side and turquoise Lake Coleridge on the other,

And oh so many more peaks I have to discover!

Til next week,

Reta

This large ‘hill’ peaks at 1335meters,

Beautiful bush and a hut with a fire are two of it’s finest features.

The bush provided great shelter from the water constantly falling out of the sky,

And the beaut fire in Black Hill Hut allowed our boots, socks coats and hats to dry.

Again it must be said this lovely peak was so near,

A shade over an hour in the car and we were there.

We being Scott (a regular peak of the week goer), Rids (undeterred by the viewless Mt Thomas 2 weeks ago), Liv (first time Peak-of-the-weeker, but back for more no doubt) and Puke (the Pukeko),

Who despite having no raincoat, always comes back for more!

We are all quite excited to head back to the Hill named Black,

But upon two wheels on the Whardale Track- it looks rad!

Til next week,

Reta