Caramel sweet potato fudge {London marathon fundraising}

It is with some trepidation that I write this post. There are now just 9 days to go until the London marathon, and this will be my final fundraising post for the event. It has come up so quickly! Whilst in many ways I feel prepared, it is also daunting to think that race day is so soon. I suspect that this week will be all about mental preparation as my physical activity tapers off and the 26th April draws steadily closer.

Fundraising recipes

Since my introductory fundraising post I have shared 12 further recipes for this series. I really hope that you have enjoyed them, and that they may prompt you to consider making a small contribution via my fundraising site. I am incredibly grateful to those of you who have already done so. If you had planned to contribute and are yet to do so, now is definitely the time! Donations of any size add up to make a difference and everything goes directly to Beat, the UK eating disorder charity. No amount is too small and anything and everything is greatly appreciated.

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Apple pie yoghurt breakfast parfaits {London marathon fundraising}

You may not know this about me, but I am an apple sauce fiend. It doesn't matter if it is commercial apple sauce, homemade apple puree, or even apple baby food, I love it. I could eat whole tubs. I was thus quite pleased with myself when I hit on this idea for apple pie yoghurt parfaits. The parfaits use apple sauce, but in respectable quantities; and unlike eating sauce from a jar, they are elegant and beautiful.

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Chocolate peanut butter brownies {London marathon fundraising}

These brownies are gooey, rich, decadent, and incredibly satisfying. They are crisp at the edges, chewy in the middle, and all around delicious. If you want a mid-afternoon pick me up, after dinner treat, or weekend indulgence...these have you covered.

I took a break from my marathon-focused posts last week, and so all of a sudden marathon day seems to be creeping up. There are just 58 days to go! I have now run 215 training miles since January the 1st, and they have taken in (quite literally) rain, snow, sleet and hail. The weather is starting to warm up now and with spring on the horizon, the hardest part of my training may be behind me.

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Vegan French toast, version 2 {London marathon fundraising}

This is one of those recipes that is so simple, it almost doesn't deserve to be posted (never mind posted as pasted of my fundraising efforts). At the same time, it is a recipe that is so simple it is rather amazing - especially when factoring in how good the dish tastes. Plus, simple at breakfast time isn't really a bad thing. All in all, it seemed worth sharing with you today.

Some of you may remember the vegan French toast I posted last year, for Vegan MoFo. That dish used chia seeds instead of egg. This version uses (wait for it!) custard powder. Whisked with almond milk and some vanilla essence, it does a remarkable job of producing an authentic French toast batter. I'm really very taken with it.

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Raw apple cheesecake puddings {London marathon fundraising}

Another Thursday and another fundraising recipe! This one is firmly in the dessert category, although I think these puddings could almost double up as breakfast. The ingredients are raw, vegan and entirely natural, even if the end result is rather decadent.

Raw apple cheesecake puddings

If you follow me on Facebook, you may have noticed that I've been rather obsessed with cashews. It's funny how tastes wax and wane over time. For the last two weeks, I have eaten more cashews than I would usually do in months. You see, I didn't use to like them much plain. With this turn around, there may be hope for me and avocados yet!

Given the cashew obsession, it isn't surprising that today's dessert is made with the nuts. However, don't worry if you aren't as fond of cashews as I currently am. They provide healthy creaminess but don't actually influence the pudding's flavour. That is firmly apple, with hints of maple syrup and vanilla. The final result is reminiscent of cheesecake without being exactly like it, which is why I have called these cheesecake puddings. They are a little softer than traditional cheesecake, and not as rich or as tart. They are, however, delicious.

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London marathon fundraising: Vegan banana-chia crepes (grain free) with an easy chocolate sauce

These banana-chia crepes provide my second London marathon fundraising recipe (you can read about my marathon plans here!). Ever since seeing recipes for raw banana crepes made in a dehydrator, I have wanted to master a cooked version that would work in my dehydrator-free kitchen.

My first attempt at these involved banana and almond milk and was far too runny, with the crepes refusing to set. My second attempt burnt and set off the smoke alarm. This third attempt, I am pleased to say, worked very well. The crepes themselves were sweet (thanks to the banana) and slightly doughy (thanks to the chia seeds) and more filling that you would expect from the ingredient list. The chocolate sauce rounded things off and the combination was utterly delicious.

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London Marathon plans and swoon-worthy, vegan, refined sugar free, orange coconut ice

When I posted my recap of 2014, I didn't share goals for 2015. The reason is that I have relatively few, but those I do have are relatively large. We want to look into moving somewhere bigger than our current 1-bedroom apartment, most likely in the commuter zone just outside of London. We may get a car to accompany that move. And...I have a charity place in the London Marathon.

Orange coconut ice

Running the London Marathon has been a goal for a while, but I didn't really think it would happen this year. I completely missed the ballot (it opens and shuts almost a year before the run) and when I applied for a charity place, I did so knowing there were more applicants than positions available. When I heard that I had a place, my reaction was equal parts amazement, excitement and apprehension. I am acutely aware that a marathon is twice as long as my longest runs to date.

Of course, the apprehension doesn't detract from my overall excitement at being able to participate in the race. My charity place is with Beat, which is the UK eating disorder charity. I'm usually quite cagey about personal information, but have previously mentioned my PhD in psychology and my work in the health and medical arena. To open up a little more, most of my work centres around eating disorders. It is an area where the statistics can be quite depressing: one in seven women are likely to experience an eating disorder in their life (and one in 35 men) and around 30% of those affected will never recover. Up to 10% will die. We need to do much more to help those affected by the conditions, and Beat works hard to do that.

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