The flu bug from hell

The kids and I are fighting the flu bug from hell. Miss K has been coughing for six long weeks (yes, six!), and J Bear isn't far behind. Poor kiddos. I feel so helpless! At least they're starting to feel better and sleeping through the night again, so there's hope...

Poor, sick Bear.

I'm going on four weeks of coughing, and I'm so over it. I haven't run in 3.5 weeks and missed the last three parkruns as a result. Three! My frustration levels are through the roof. Please send help - I need to run!

All this downtime from running has, however, given me the perfect excuse to spend more time in the kitchen and really focus on our family nutrition. As a mom I find few things as rewarding as nourishing my family with wholesome, hearty meals and snacks - I'm such a nerd, ha! But both kiddos also love cooking, baking and smoothie-making, so it's definitely about more than just food for us. We love making memories around good food.  

I recently read an article in Runner's World about the connection between gut health and running, and found it absolutely fascinating. It basically boils down to making each meal, snack and drink as nourishing as possible. And I love the concept. To me good, wholesome food is one of the simple joys of life - something to be enjoyed and relished. And a way to really honour and care for our bodies.   

So during the past four weeks or so I've been focusing on making every meal, snack and drink as nourishing as possible for both myself and the family. But without being a pain, and without making it a burden. It can be as simple as grating an extra courgette and carrot into a lasagne, adding a teaspoon of maca and a pinch of cacao nibs to a smoothie or switching up regular brownies for the black bean kind. And. It's. Been. GREAT! I'm having SO much fun. And except for a vegan chocolate cake with avo frosting that didn't go down too well, the family has been loving it too.  

Brownie of the year! Miss K and I went to the Little Bird Organics pop-up in Wellington and stood in line for 45 minutes (with our sick bodies) for these bad boys. And it was SO worth it. Wholesome, healthy goodness! I'm seriously considering buying the Little Bird Goodness cookbook just for this recipe.

And to make it even more fun, I'm trying to add as much nourishment as possible from our own garden. So far we're growing peaches, lemons, rhubarb, parsley, mint, strawberries and courgettes, and I hope to add more as time allows. Both kids love pottering about in the garden with me, and of course it's even more fun for them to pick stuff from the garden to add to our dishes/smoothies. Fingers crossed that the sun shows its face so that our new plants can grow!

So even though I haven't been able to run, it's been a good month. I can't wait to add running to the mix again...!