Dinner Friday 15 June - Just aimless grazing...

Did not really eat a meal in the evening - just sort of grazed. I had a herb salad and a "Primal Strips" Texas BBQ veggie jerky strip, plus a few Brazil nuts. Surprisingly not very hungry, despite dismal lunch.

The veggie jerky is some I brought back from California - really tasty stuff. Wish I had bought more. Oh well, will have to have a go an make some!

Lunch Friday 15 June - The Albion Public House

Met up with Lisa at the gym and we headed out to for lunch after working up a good sweat and having a loll about in the spa.

Decided to try The Albion on Thornhill Road - another Islington institution that I have been frequenting off and on for years. Always has has the most incredible garden (and great old fashioned Sani-flo loos!) Food used to be your standard British pub grub - fish & chips, burgers, lasagna, roasts etc. Always reliable and used to be a favourite Sunday lunch hangout.

Well, sad to report the The Albion has had a make over. It looks very nice - all the horse brasses are gone and it has gone very minimal & trendy, which I don't mind especially. The garden has also had a revamp and looks lovely - and the Sani-flos are intact.

The menu, sadly, has fared rather worse! I had Grilled Halloumi & Roasted Red Pepper on a toasted roll. The roll was one of those airy, nothing-to-it bits of bread - dry, tasteless and just a mere puff of white flour. The halloumi was grilled and warm, but the peppers were cold and clearly from a jar. Very disappointing.

Lisa had a roast belly of pork which was massive, but had about an inch of fat on top of it - not crackling, just plain old fat. It came with a few spuds and not much else. I did not try it (of course) but Lisa did not have anything very nice to say about it - except that there was a lot of it, even if you would not want to eat the thick layer of fat.

The one exception was the chips, which were lovely! Big, fat chips; light and fluffy inside, cripsy and brown outside. But hideously expensive! They were something like £3 a portion and a portion comprised about 8 chips.

Beer is still good here - had a decent pint of London Pride and a refreshing white beer, but I won't be hurrying back for the food any time soon.

The Albion, 10 Thornhill Road, N1 1HW

Breakfast Friday 15 June - "I been working on the cereal hoard....

I've been working on the cereal hoard
All the livelong day
I've been working on the cereal hoard
Just to pass the time away



Yes, more All Bran and Horlicks...

Dinner Thursday 14 June - Le Mercury Restaurant

Met up with Marcel at the Piano & Pitcher for a few drinks, before we wandered off in search of dinner. Ended up eating at Le Mercury Restaurant on Upper Street.

Haven't been to Le Mercury for ages, so decided to give it a try tonight. I found it very good - reasonably priced, good food, nice atmosphere - just as I remembered it. It seems to get mixed reviews at various online review sites, but every time I have been here it has always been decent quality food and a reasonable price - not bad for oh-so-trendy Upper Street.

I started off with a pear, blue cheese and walnut salad. For main course, I had grilled trout fillet with pumpkin puree and steamed mixed vegetables. For afters, we shared a cheese plate which came with celery & apple (my preference) along with the usual biscuits.

Le Mercury
140a Upper Street
London N1 1NY

Lunch Thursday 14 June - Veggie Sausages & Onion Gravy

Veggie Sausages, New Potatoes, Dwarf Beans & Carrots with Onion Gravy

2 Cauldron Foods Cherry Tomato & Basil vegetarian sausages
200g Jersey Royal new potatoes
2 carrots (about 150g)
125g dwarf beans
1 serving onion gravy

Again, no recipe here. Just parboiled the potatoes sprayed with olive oil and roasted in a hot oven along with the veggie sausages.

Served up with onion gravy and steamed veggies.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 447.2
Carbohydrate (g) 71.0
Protein (g) 16.9
Fat (g) 11.5
Fibre (g) 12.6

Breakfast Thursday 14 June - Cereal and raspberries

More All Bran, more Horlicks and some raspberries.

Dinner Wednesday 13 June Grilled Mahi Mahi with Soba Noodles

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Soba Noodles

100g mahi mahi, marinated and grilled (as per 12 June)

100g sugar snap peas, blanched
100g baby corn, steamed
40g soba noodles, cooked
4 spring onions, shredded
1 carrot sliced thinly
1 tablespoons ponzu sauce
1 teaspoon gomasio, to serve

Toss together the noodles and vegetables with the ponzu sauce. Arrange on a plate and top with the marinated and grilled mahi mahi. Sprinkle a little gomsaio on the side and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 404.2
Carbohydrate (g) 54.6
Protein (g) 36.9
Fat (g) 3.8
Fibre (g) 7.6


Ponzu Sauce
120ml good quality soy sauce
45ml mirin
120ml lemon juice
120ml rice vinegar (I used a combination of plain rice vinegar and seasoned rice vinegar)

Combine all ingredients. Store in a jar in the fridge.

Makes about 400ml

Nutrition Summary Total Recipe
Calories (kcal) 319.4
Protein (g) 13.0
Carbohydrate (g)56.6
Fat (g) 0.0
Fibre(g) 0.1

Lunch Wednesday 13 June - Composed Salad

65g smoked rainbow trout
100g pickled beet root
100g dwarf beans
1 fat tomato
1 small avocado (about 100g)
4 quails eggs, hard boiled
1 homemade dill pickle

Prettify it on a plate and consume...

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 439.7
Carbohydrate (g) 19.1
Protein (g) 25.5
Fat (g) 29.2
Fibre (g) 9.0

Breakfast Wednesday 13 June - All Bran

Yes, more All Bran, more Horlicks, more coffee. No fruit today.

When will I run out of All Bran and Horlicks?

Still, on the plus side, when the All Bran is gone the cereal hoard will be VANQUISHED and I will only have Mornflake Oat Bran and a recently acquired box of Scott's Porrage Oats in the house. It has taken me since August of last year to work through them, but I have killed most of the hoard.



Why on Earth did one person have som many types of cereal at one time? Jerry Seinfeld syndrome?

Dinner Tuesday 12 June - Thai Marinated Mahi Mahi with wild rice salad

Thai Marinated Mahi Mahi with wild rice salad

Make a marinade of:
Juice 1 lime
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 chilli, sliced fine

Add
200g mahi mahi filet
and leave to marinate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Pre-heat the grill. Place the the mahi mahi on a lightly oil non-stick tray and grill until just done, according to the thickness of your fish. Baste generously with the marinade during cooking. Keep the heat high and the marinade should be reduced to nothing by the time the fish is cooked.

Make a salad by combining

200g wild rice, cooked (about 50g dry weight)
juice ½ lime
25g Thai oyster sauce
1 clove garlic
2-3 chillis
100g sugar snap peas, blanched
½ yellow pepper, slice thinly (about 75g)
2-3 spring onions, sliced thinly (about 25g)

Line a plate with a salad made up of:

75g shredded Romaine
large handful fresh coriander leaves
large handful fresh mint leaves
1 carrot, sliced thinly

Arrange half the mahi mahi (100g) and wild rice salad on top. Garnish with a thinly slice carrot (for some extra crunch) and serve.

Nutrition Data
Nutrition Summary
Calories (kcal) 448.5
Protein (g) 37.7
Carbohydrate (g) 70.1
Fat (g) 2.3
Fibre (g) 6.9

Lunch Tuesday 12 June - Mushroom Pate in a Markouk Wrap

Mushroom Pate in a Markouk Wrap
1 Markouk wrap
1 portion Mushroom Pate
2 spring onions, shredded
1 Romaine heart, shredded
5 cherry tomatoes
20g pickled jalapeno peppers

Spread the wrap with the pate. Sprinkle on the lettuce and spring onions and wrap/roll/spindle & mutilate.

Garnish with tommies and peppers and eat.

Nutrition Summary for meal
Calories (kcal) 465.7
Protein (g) 27.1
Carbohydrate (g) 85.9
Fat (g) 1.8
Fibre (g) 9.4

Mushroom Pate
165 mushrooms
1 shallot
2 gloves garlic
100ml vegetable stock
1 200g tub low fat soft cheese

Chop mushrooms, shallot and garlic. Add to a non stick pan with the stock and simmer, covered until well cooked. Remove cover and continue to cook until all liquid is evaporated and mixture is fairly dry.

Add to the soft cheese and season highly with pepper and salt.

Makes 2 generous servings.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 76.7
Carbohydrate (g) 4.8
Protein (g) 13.2
Fat (g) 0.6
Fibre (g) 2.5

Breakfast Tuesday 12 June - More of the same...

++ =

breakfast

Dinner Monday 11 June - Asparagus Schioppi

Asparagus Schioppi
150g asparagus, steamed
70g Schioppi pasta tubes, boiled
100ml asparagus or veggie stock
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 tablespoon single cream

15g grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the asparagus stock & cornflour and cook over low heat until thickened. Season well and add the cream.

Combine the sauce with the hot, steamed asparagus and freshly boiled pasta. Sprinkle over the Parmesan and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 375.6
Carbohydrate (g) 62.4
Protein (g) 16.6
Fat (g) 6.7
Fibre (g) 5.8

Lunch Monday 11 June - Blue Brie Markouk Wrap

Blue Brie Markouk Wrap
1 Markouk wrap
50g blue brie
2 tablespoons mango chutney (30g)
100d shredded Romaine lettuce
1 spring onion, shredded
160g cherry tomatoes

I had some Dina Food Ltd Markouk Village Wraps that I had picked up in Waitrose - they are pretty massive and I probably could have made 2 or 3 wraps with one, but I was feeling greedy so I ate the whole thing.

Spread the wrap with the chutney, add the grated, thinly sliced or chopped brie and the lettuce. Roll and/or fold as is your wont.

Consume with tomatoes!

Dina Foods

Breakfast Monday 11 June - You will never guess...

That's right - All Bran, Horlicks and - SATSUMAS!

Dinner Sunday 10 June - Leftover Quorn "Beef" Stew (and I made some crisprolls)

Dinner was just some leftover Quorn "beef" Stew and 80g peas.

Being a Sunday, I decided to do a spot of baking and I made some coarse bran rolls to be made into crisprolls

Crisprolls
10g dried yeast
1 tablespoon (20g) golden syrup
200ml tap water
250g very strong white bread flour
1 large free range organic egg
50g coarse wheat bran
1 tsp salt

Combine yeast with warm water & golden syrup and leave to bloom.

Add 150g flour, the egg, salt and bran. Mix well and add as much of the remaining flour as required to get a soft dough. Knead lightly and leave to rise until double in bulk.

Knock back and knead with the rest of the flour until smooth and elastic. Shape into 15 rolls and arrange on baking trays. Leave to rise until doubled in bulk, then bake in a hot oven for about 15 minutes.

Allow to cool, then split each roll lengthwise into two halves. Arrange on a baking tray at dry in a low oven until perfectly crisp, an hour or more.

Makes 15 rolls/30 Crisprolls

Nutrition Data per crisproll
Calories (kcal) 36.7
Carbohydrate (g) 6.3
Protein (g) 1.8
Fat (g) 0.5
Fibre (g) 1.1

Lunch Sunday 10 June - Composed Salad with Herb Mayonnaise

Composed Salad with Herb Mayonnaise
65g smoked rainbow trout
½ jar marinated artichoke hearts (100g)
10 cherry tomatoes (about 100g)
1 homemade dill pickle
150g new potatoes
small handful fresh dill
few sprigs tarragon
2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
lime juice

Make a sauce by combining the mayonnaise with some fresh chopped dill & tarragon and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Boil the new potatoes and toss them with some fresh chopped dill while hot. Allow to cool, then arrange on a plate with the other ingredients and scoff at will.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 494.5
Carbohydrate (g) 39.2
Protein (g) 35.7
Fat (g) 23.1
Fibre (g) 12.5

Breakfast Sunday 10 June - All Bran blah-de-blah...

Another Taylor's Gold pear relieved the tedious brekkie.

Actually, I quite enjoy Horlicks on cereal; I am just tired of posting about it and I am sure you are pretty bored of reading about it, too.

Dinner Saturday 9 June - A Composed Salad

Composed Salad
115g hot smoked salmon flakes
100g pickled beet root
100f fine beans, steamed
100g cherry tomatoes
3 quails eggs, hard boiled

Slap it on a plate and eat!

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 323.8
Carbohydrate (g) 15.7
Protein (g) 37.7
Fat (g) 12.4
Fibre (g) 5.5

Lunch Saturday 9 June - Bean Salad with Artichoke Hearts

Bean Salad with Artichoke Hearts
20g Manuka honey
juice ½ lemon
10ml macadamia nut oil

1/2 can butter beans (about 112g)
160g cherry tomatoes
100g fine beans
½ jar marinated artichoke hearts (about 100g)
1 rib celery (about 30 g)
2 spring onions, sliced
80g Romaine lettuce, shredded

This is basically a repeat of Thursday's lunch...

Make a dressing of the honey. lemon juice & oil. Season well with salt & pepper.

Combine butter beans, fine beans, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, spring onions, & celery. Pour over the dressing. Combine gently, but thoroughly.

Line a plate with the shredded lettuce, pile the salad on top and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 458.1
Carbohydrate (g) 47.9
Protein (g) 14.4
Fat (g) 23.3
Fibre (g) 15.9

Breakfast Saturday 9 June - All Bran and zzzzzzzz

Yes, more All Bran, more Horlicks and another dragon fruit...



This wild looking guy is a dragon fruit cactus, Hylocereus undatus.

Serves me right for "bulk buying".

Dinner Friday 8 June - Wild Rice & Veggies with Cheese Sauce

Wild Rice & Veggies with Cheese Sauce

One of my favourite meals....
50g wild rice, cooked (50g dry yields about 200g cooked)
150g asparagus
100g tenderstem broccoli (broccoli rabe)
1 serving Cheese Veloute

Cheese Veloute
200ml vegetable stock
10g cornflour
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon single cream
50g reduced fat cheddar cheese (I had some LesKol)

Combine veggie stock with cornflour, mustard & worcestershire sauce and cook over low heat until thickened. Add the cream and the cheese and stir until cheese melts. Season with salt & pepper and serve.

Nutrition Data for full meal
Calories (kcal) 473.2
Carbohydrate (g) 55.6
Protein (g) 30.5
Fat (g) 13.8
Fibre (g) 5.1

Lunch Friday 8 June - Celeriac & Apple Soup with Toasted Almonds

Celeriac & Apple Soup with Toasted Almonds
240g celeriac, peeled and cut into cubes
1 Red Delicious apple, cored but not peeled (about 240g)
90g celery, chopped
400ml vegetable stock
few sprigs parsley, chopped
45ml single cream
25g flaked almonds

Combine celeriac, apple & celery in a pot. Cover with vegetable stock and simmer until tender.

Blitz everything together with a hand blender or in a blender jar. Add salt & pepper to taste (be sparing). Add 30mls cream and the chopped parsley.

Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan until golden and crisp; careful as they burn easily. Garnish the soup with the reserved tablespoon of cream and the toasted almonds.

Makes 1 large serving
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 454.1
Carbohydrate (g) 54.8
Protein (g) 11.6
Fat (g) 22.9
Fibre (g) 12.0

Breakfast Friday 8 June - All Bran, Horlicks & Dragon Fruit

That's a whole mess'o'dragons


Another bowl of All Bran, another 2 scoops of Horlicks and a dragon fruit, for a change.

Dinner Thursday 7 June - Veggie Sausages with Celeriac Chips

2 Cauldron Foods Cherry Tomato & Basil vegetarian sausages
150g celeriac
160g runner beans
80g tenderstem broccoli (broccoli rabe)
1 serving Onion Gravy

No real recipe here; just cut the celeriac into "chips", sprayed them with olive oil and roasted them with the sausages.

Served up with the steamed veggies and onion gravy.


Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 353.8
Carbohydrate (g) 45.9
Protein (g) 18.5
Fat (g) 11.3
Fibre (g) 10.8

Lunch Thursday 7 June - Bean & Avocado Salad

Bean & Avocado Salad

20g honey
juice ½ lemon
10ml macadamia nut oil

½ can butter beans (about 112g)
100g fine beans, cooked
1/2 red pepper, sliced (abut 80g)
2 spring onions, sliced (about 30g)
1 small avocado, cut into chunks
1 fat tomato, cut into chunks
1 rib celery, sliced (about 30g)
small handful fresh basil
80g Romaine, shredded

Make a dressing of the honey. lemon juice & oil. Season well with salt & pepper.

Combine butter beans, fine beans, red pepper, spring onions, avocado , tomato & celery. Pour over the dressing and add the basil leaves. Combine gently, but thoroughly.

Line a plate with the shredded lettuce, pile the salad on top and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 513.6
Carbohydrate (g) 49.6
Protein (g) 15.1
Fat (g) 28.1
Fibre (g) 14.9

Breakfast Thursday 7 June - All Bran & Horlicks

So here is a picture or the Horlicks factory in Slough. It is, according to Wikipedia, a local landmark!

Breakfasted in All Bran flakes, Horlicks light, strawberries & coffee.

Dinner Wednesday 6 June - Quorn "Beef" Stew

Quorn "Beef" Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 shallots, peeled and quartered (about 150g)
225g mushrooms, wiped and quartered
20g sauce flour (or plain flour will do)
400ml vegetable stock (homemade or made from cube etc)
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry, powdered mustard
1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins Tomato & Worcester Table Sauce (or Worcestershire sauce)
2 carrots, scrubbed & trimmed and cut into large chunks
350g new potatoes, halved or quartered if large
1 pack Quorn Beef Style Pieces (150g)
small handful fresh flat leafed parsley
salt & pepper

Add the oil to a large, heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Add the garlic, shallots and mushrooms and saute until the shallots are starting to soften and are lightly browned.

Add the flour and stir will. The flour should bind with the oil and coat the vegetables. Cook over low heat for a few minutes, being careful to break up any lumps of flour and making sure that all the flour is incorporated in the oil and juices from the vegetables. The combined oil & flour is what will thicken the sauce.

Gradually add the vegetable stock, and stir to incorporate it into the oil/flour mixture, The add the bay leaf, thyme, mustard powder & Worcestershire sauce. Stir well, then add the carrots, potatoes and Quorn pieces. Stir again, cover and simmer over low heat until the potatoes and carrots are tender and the sauce is thickened, about 30 mins.

Alternatively, you can pop it into the oven to finish cooking; allow about 45 mins at a moderate temperature.

Stir in the fresh chopped parsley, check the seasonings and serve.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 376.1
Carbohydrate (g) 52.0
Protein (g) 18.5
Fat (g) 11.3
Fibre (g) 10.8

Lunch Wednesday 6 June - Radish, Avocado & Prawn Salad

Radish, Avocado & Prawn Salad

Leaves from 1 bunch radishes (about 60g)
1 bunch radishes, sliced (about 125g)
1 small avocado, cut into cubes (about 90g)
1 ribs celery, sliced (about 60 g)
75g cucumber, quartered lengthwise & sliced
125g cooked prawns

32g Kraft Light Garlic & Herb dressing
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
fresh dill sprigs
juice 1/2 lemon

Decided to kill off some Kraft Low Fat Garlic & Herb Salad Dressing I had picked up BOGOF in Sainsbury's. It had been lurking in the back of the fridge for a bit, so its time was UP.

Make a dressing of the Kraft dressing, mayonnaise, lemon juice & dill.

Line a plate with the radish leaves CAREFULLY washed & picked over - they can be very gritty, but make nice (FREE!) salad leaves.

Combine the ½ the radishes, avocado, celery, cucumber & prawns and toss with the dressing. Mound on the radish leaves and serve garnished with the rest of the sliced radishes.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 350.5
Carbohydrate (g) 14.1
Protein (g) 25.0
Fat (g) 21.6
Fibre (g) 7.6

Breakfast Wednesday 6 June - All Bran & Horlicks (again)

More Horlicks & All Bran flakes, plus a punnet of raspberries & coffee. Found this old ad on line - Horlicks guards against "night starvation" - it's a hoot! Click on the picture for full size so you can read the "story"....

Dinner Tuesday 5 June - Thai Fish Cakes & Fresh Pickles

Thai Fish Cakes & Fresh Pickles
130g cod fillet, chopped fine
120g prawns, chopped fine
2-3 chillis, chopped fine
1 shallot, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, crushed
small handful coriander leaves, chopped fine
one thumb ginger, grated
1 few lime leaves, sliced finely (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons fish sauce
30 g fine green beans, sliced very thinly

Combine all ingredients except the fine beans and either process in a food processor or by hand until well mixed. It should hold together into a fairly coarse paste. Add the fine beans and mix well.

Shape into 8 small cakes. Spray a non-stick skillet with a little sunflower oil and fry cakes on either side until browned, about 10 minutes all in.

Serve with fresh pickles & chilli sauce.

Nutrition Data per cake
Calories (kcal) 28.0
Carbohydrate (g) 0.9
Protein (g) 5.4
Fat (g) 0.3
Fibre (g) 0.2


Thai Fresh Pickles
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
100 g Cucumber
200g carrots
100g radishes
small handful coriander
small handful mint
Dissolve sugar in the rice vinegar. Combine all ingredients and serve.

Makes 2 serving
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 80.6
Carbohydrate (g) 17.0
Protein (g) 1.9
Fat (g) 0.4
Fibre (g) 2.2

Lunch Tuesday 5 June Broccoli & Blue Brie Soup

Broccoli & Blue Brie Soup
90g broccoli
1 shallot, chopped
250ml vegetable stock
50g blue Brie
30 ml single cream

Chop broccoli & shallot. Reserve a few florets as garnish. Cover with stock and simmer until tender.

Blitz in a blender or with a hand blender and then add the brie and cream and reserved broccoli florets for garnish.

Heat through until cheese is melted into the soup.

Makes 1 serving
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 319.8
Carbohydrate (g) 6.1
Protein (g) 12.9
Fat (g) 27.2
Fibre (g) 2.4

Breakfast Tuesday 5 June - Back on the cereal chain gang

Right, well I am back to working on the food hoard. Found ANOTHER box of Horlicks Light leftover from a phase when I was having a hard time getting to sleep, so back to using it up in lieu of milk with breakfast cereal.

I was doing this in August of last year! Just when I think the coast is clear, anther box of Horlicks turns up in the back of the cupboard!

Oh well, back to cereal for a while... today's brekker was

30g Kellogg's All Bran Flakes with 32g Horlicks Light

plus a Taylor's Gold pear from M&S and some coffee.

Dinner Monday 4 June - Red Thai Style Prawns and Vegetable with Rice Noodle Salad

Red Thai Style Prawns and Vegetable with Rice Noodle Salad
1 teaspoon macadamia nut oil
170g raw prawns
1 rounded tablespoon Thai Red Curry Paste

1 clove garlic, crushed
2-3 green chillis, to taste
50g Thai oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

1 sweet red pointed pepper, cut in ribbons (about 70g)
60g mange tout, cut in ribbons & blanched
65g baby corn, cut in slivers & blanched
1 carrot (about 75g) cut in ribbons
4 spring onions, sliced (about 40g)
50g rice noodles, soaked in water until soft
handful fresh coriander leaves


Combine the oil and curry paste and add the prawns. Massage the seasoning into the prawns and leave them to marinate for an hour or so. While the prawns are marinating, soak some bamboo skewers in water (so they will not burn). Thread the prawns on skewers and pop under the grill while you assemble the salad.

Make a dressing of the oyster sauce, fish sauce, garlic, chilli & sugar. Toss together the blanched & raw veggies and the noodles and coat with the dressing. Finally, add the coriander.

Arrange salad on a serving plate and top with the grilled prawn skewers.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 563.9
Carbohydrate (g) 83.0
Protein (g) 40.4
Fat (g) 8.6
Fibre (g) 11.1

Lunch Monday 4 June - Steamed Cod & Vegetables with Tarragon Veloute

Steamed Cod & Vegetables with Tarragon Veloute
130g cod fillet, steamed
85g asparagus, steamed
85g broccoli, steamed
90g carrots, steamed
175 Jersey Royal new potatoes, boiled or steamed

Duh, this is just steamed fish and veggies with a tarragon veloute....

Tarragon Veloute
20g cornflour
handful fresh chopped tarragon leaves
200ml vegetable stock

Mix the cornflour and cold vegetable stock together. Cook over low heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tarragon and serve over fish.

Nutrition Summary for meal
Calories (kcal) 407.2
Protein (g) 34.1
Carbohydrate (g) 62.4
Fat (g) 4.6
Fibre (g) 7.9

Breakfast Monday 4 June - Pomegranate

Breakfast was a pomegranate, some plain yoghurt and coffee.

Here are some pomegranate flowers - pretty, eh?

Dinner Sunday 3 June- Bean & Pepper Soup

Bean & Pepper Soup

1 onion, chopped (140g)
4 ribs celery, chopped (200g)
3 carrots, chopped (225g)
750 ml vegetable stock
few sprigs thyme
1 can borlotti beans (235g)
1 tomato, deseeded & chopped finely
½ red pepper, chopped finely

Chop onions, celery & carrot. Cover with water, add the stock cube and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Puree and return to the pan. Add the chopped red pepper, the deseeded & chopped tomato, the beans and the thyme. Season to taste with salt & plenty of fresh black pepper. Simmer for a further 10 minutes and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 221.9
Carbohydrate (g) 38.4
Protein (g) 12.4
Fat (g) 2.6
Fibre (g) 12.0

Lunch Sunday 3 June - Cous Cous with Pomegranate, Brazil & Prawns

Cous Cous with Pomegranate, Brazil & Prawns
10ml macadamia nut oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100g cous cous
200 ml boiling vegetable stock
juice 1 lime
handful mint leaves, torn into small pieces
handful coriander leaves, separated
1 green chilli, sliced finely (or to taste)
2 spring onions, sliced finely (about 50g)
50g Brazil nuts, chopped coarsely
100g pomegranate kernels
220g prawns
salt (abt ½ tsp)
white pepper (abt ¼ tsp)

Place crushed garlic, oil & cous cous in a bowl. Add the boiling water and cover. Allow to stand for 15 minutes until cous cous absorbs the water.

Add the mint leaves, coriander, lime juice & chilli and mix well. Season to taste with salt & white pepper. Then add the spring onions, Brazils, pomegranate kernels and prawns.
Toss together and serve.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 515.6
Carbohydrate (g) 48.0
Protein (g) 29.4
Fat (g) 23.6
Fibre (g) 3.9

Lisa came round for lunch (hence all the cleaning yesterday!) and we had this salad, then went to see "28 Weeks Later" at the cinema and had a couple pints at The Crown in Cloudsley Road (one of my favourite pubs - nice one, Fuller's!)


The Crown

116 Cloudesley Road, London, N1 OEB

Breakfast Sunday 3 June - Pineapple!

Breakfast was a tin of pineapple, some plain yoghurt and coffee.

Dinner Saturday 2 June - Prawn Methi

Prawn Methi
10g ghee
80g shallots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon chilli powder
small handful curry leaves
1 fresh tomato, deseeded & chopped
100g fresh methi leaves
170g raw prawns
juice ½ lemon
handful fresh coriander

Heat the ghee in a heavy skillet and saute the garlic & shallots until starting to soften. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, chilli and curry leaves and cook until fragrant and the mustard seeds start to pop.

Add 250ml water and cook until the shallot are very soft; about 15 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Finally, add the prawns and methi leaves and heat just until the prawns are cooked through and the methi is wilted. Stir in the lemon & coriander and serve.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 387.0
Carbohydrate (g) 23.0
Protein (g) 36.2
Fat (g) 16.7
Fibre (g) 5.5

Methi are also known as fenugreek leaves.

Lunch Saturday 2 June - More Tofu spread...

Spent most of AM cleaning and "excavating" the flat, so just a quick lunch of 1 few Ryvitas and the other portion of Millennium Tofu Spread from yesterday.

You will be relieved the hear that I did not bother photographing my quick repast, but here is a picture of a possum eating Ryvita:

Ain't the internet grand?

Breakfast Saturday 2 June - Coffee & blueberries

Started the day off with 150g blueberries, 100g plain yoghurt, a glass of pomegranate juice and the usual coffee.

I am all "superberry-ed" up, me!

Dinner Friday 1 June - Thai Style Scallops

Thai Style Scallops

220g scallops
1 teaspoon macadamia nut oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 green chillis
1 red chillis
1 shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
juice ½ lime
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons vegetable or fish stock
Add the oil to a non-stock skillet and brig to high heat. Sear the scallops on either side for about one minute and remove them from the pan.
Add the garlic, shallot & chillis to the pan and stir fry for 2-3 minutes, until the shallots are ligtly coloured. Add the stock, fish sauce and sugar and bubble together for a minute or two, scraping down the pan to deglaze and catch any tasty bits into the sauce.
Return the scallops to the pan and toss them in the sauce. Finally, add the lime juice and serve on a bed of:

100g romaine lettuce, shredded
handful fresh mint leaves
handful fresh coriander leaves
2-3 spring onions, finely sliced

Served with Thai Fresh Pickles

Thai Fresh Pickles
100g cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced fine
75g shallot, sliced fine
100g carrots, quartered lengthwise and sliced fine
100g radishes, sliced fine
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
small handful fresh coriander
small handful fresh mint

Combine the vegetables. Make a dressing of the sugar, nam pla & vingegar and pour over the vegetables. Mix well and allow to stand for at least 1 hour. Add the herbs just before serving

Makes 2 servings
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 80.6
Carbohydrate (g) 17.0
Protein (g) 1.9
Fat (g) 0.4
Fibre (g) 2.2


Nutrition Data for full meal
Calories (kcal) 370.8
Carbohydrate (g) 38.1
Protein (g) 39.8
Fat (g) 6.0
Fibre (g) 7.2

Lunch Friday 1 June - Millennium Tofu Spread

Lunch comprised some

• Molasses Rye Bread
• Millennium Tofu Spread
• Radishes
• Santini Tomatoes

I am sure I have posted the tofu spread recipe before, but here it is again, just in case (as I cannot be bothered to link to it!)

Millennium Tofu Spread
1 onion, chopped (about 180g)
2 fluid ounces white wine
4 fluid ounces vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, crushed
few sprig fresh thyme
sprig rosemary
½ teaspoon marjoram
½ teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
200g tofu
55g miso
½ teaspoon salt
handful fresh basil

In a large saute pan or skillet, cook the onions, garlic, salt and wine over medium heat until the onions just start to soften, about five minutes. Add the herbs and vegetable stock. Cover and cook until the liquid evaporates and the onion and garlic are very soft and light brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Crumble the tofu into a medium bowl. Add the miso and the onion mixture and blend well. In a food processor, process this mixture, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 4 servings
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 105.0
Carbohydrate (g) 7.9
Protein (g) 8.9
Fat (g) 4.1
Fibre (g) 1.0

Breakfast Friday 1 June - Coffee & raspberries

Started the day with a nice punnet of raspberries and the usual litre of coffee...