<3 new bike

Just back from a toddle around on my new bike and it's GORGEOUS!  14.2km including some hills (100m climb in total, roughly) and it felt nippy, zippy and tight.  Tiny bit tricky on the back brake and a bit too much play in the gear levers but all totally live-able-with.  Overall it feels absolutely lovely to ride and made Wimbledon Hill a buttload easier to get up!

We checked out the other Virgin Active near the house and the pool there is much much better than the other one.  They're almost equidistant, but the traffic can be worse on the way to and from the one we went to today.  Still, very nice to find a decent pool near here (yes there are a couple of municipal pools but they're not very nice and they don't even have swimming costume spinners in the changing rooms).

Lunchies today was one of my favourites; spiced butternut squash, carrot and orange soup:-

To make 2 portions:-

• 310g butternut squash
• 200g carrot, 10ml olive oil
• 1/4tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 50ml orange juice with bits
• 450ml boiling water.

Cube the butternut squash (don't peel it, but do de-seed it), chop the carrot into chunks.  Place squash cubes on a baking tray, drizzle with half the oil and season.  Place carrot in a pan with the rest of the oil and the spices.  Bake the squash for 25-30 minutes at 175C.  Sweat the carrots with the oil and spices, then add the stock (make up with the cube and 450ml water, then add to the carrot pan).  Cook the carrots until quite soft.  Once the squash is baked, add to the carrot pan and cook a little together.  Remove pan from the heat and blend it all together with a hand blender.  Add the orange juice once it's all smooth and blend a bit more.  Return to the pan and heat until bubbling (add more water if it's too thick).  Serve!

And now, after my ride, I'm having a slab of yesterday's banana and pecan cake with a mug of tea:-

NOM!

B - toasted, buttered Food Doctor wholemeal seeded bagel with Marmite and a poached egg
*swim*
S - 1 scoop MP Max in semi-skimmed milk
L - spiced butternut squash, carrot and orange soup with a chunk of buttered ciabatta-style baguette
*cycle*
S - banana and pecan honey cake
D - roast chicken with roasted parsnips, boiled potatoes, peas and gravy

Exercise: 30 minutes swim, 45 minutes bike

Calories (kcal) [kcals to maintain weight (inc. exercise)	1973 2449]
Protein (g)	104.5 (21.6%)
Carbohydrate (g)	203.8 (39.5%)
Fat (g)	83.9 (39%)
Fibre (g)	27.3
Fruit & Veg	6.0