Lunch Tuesday 17 July - Aubergine Pepperonata

Aubergine Pepperonata
1 small aubergine (about 250g)
1 serving Pepperonata
50g half fat cheese
small handful shredded basil

Slice the aubergine into steaks. Sprinkle with salt and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture from the steaks and saute in a non-stick pan sprayed with olive oil.

Layer the aubergine into a small casserole dish with the pepperonata. Top with grated cheese and bake in a moderate oven until lightly browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Top with the shredded basil and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 273.4
Carbohydrate (g) 16.7
Protein (g) 21.4
Fat (g) 14.1
Fibre (g) 8.7

Breakfast Tuesday 17 July - Special K and coffee

I will get through this box of Special K..... if it weren't for the excessive packaging, I would consider buying cereal variety packs!

Anyway, more Special K with coffee.

Dinner Monday 16 July - - White Radish Cake with Oriental Vegetables

1 portion White Radish Cake
1 clove garlic
2-3 chillis
3 tsp sugar
juice 1 lime
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
200ml vegetable or fish stock
1 tablespoon cornflour

200g bean sprouts, blanched
100g sugar snap peas, sliced & blanched
½ yellow pepper, sliced thinly
4 spring onions, sliced thinly

Cut the radish cake into cubes and pan fry until golden brown in a non stick skillet sprayed with a little oil.

Combine the garlic, chillis, sugar, fish sauce, stock & cornflour and simmer over low heat until thickened. Add salt & pepper if you think it needs it.

Combine blanched vegetables and mound on a serving plate. Turn the fried white radish cake in the sauce to coat and add to the plate, drizzling any extra sauce over the veggies. Serve garnished with a few slivers of spring onions and extra chillies, if liked.


Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 457.6
Carbohydrate (g) 86.6
Protein (g) 19.4
Fat (g) 5.5
Fibre (g) 8.3

Lunch Monday 16 July - Hake with vegetables

Hake with Vegetables

Well, this was another exercise in using up stuff in the freezer. I had some Young's Breaded Hake Fillets in the freezer, so decided the give them a go.

Baked them according to pack instructions and had them with

• 185g Vivaldi salad potatoes, steamed
• 1 carrot, steamed
• 125g broccoli, steamed
• 80g broad beans, steamed
• 1 tomato, halved & grilled

Got to say, the fish was NOT very nice - I ended up throwing it away and the texture was awful; dry & chewy.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 511.8
Carbohydrate (g) 72.9
Protein (g) 32.6
Fat (g) 11.7
Fibre (g) 16.2

Breakfast Monday 16 July - Special K and Peaches

Started the day off with a bowl of Special K, coffee and three peaches.

Dinner Sunday 15 July - Chips & Beans!

OK, so I was a bit newt-like on the way home and made less than great food choices. I had some French fries at the Burger King in London Bridge Station on the way home. And when I got in, I ate a tin of Heinz Baked Beans.

At least I did not attempt to cook while intoxicated and end up torching myself or the flat.

Lunch Sunday 15 July - Blackheath Tapas Bar

Well, Lisa and I walked Race for Life in Blackheath. We made pretty good time, and after a pint at the The Hare and Billet, went on for lunch at El Pirata Tapas Bar, 15-16 Royal Parade.

We shared a jug or two of sangria and had some (largely pretty indifferent) tapas. The restaurant was SWELTERINGLY hot.

Anyway, we tried
Mushrooms in Tomato Sauce
Monkfish in Tomato Sauce
Patatas Bravas
Tortilla
Prawns in Garlic Oil
Russian Salad
Grilled Halloumi

We then moved on to the same wine bar we went to last year (Cave Austin, 7-9 Montpelier Vale) and consumed a bottle of rose & a bottle of white wine.

Oh dear, rather pished...

Breakfast Sunday 15 July - Cereal & Peaches and Race for Life!

Started off the day with Special K (again), coffee and a couple of peaches before heading out the Blackheath for my third annual Race for Life.

Dinner Saturday 14 July - Thai Style Marinated Prawn Skewers with Salad

Asian Style Marinated Prawn Skewers with Salad
170g raw prawns
handful fresh coriander
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 stem lemon grass, finely shredded
2-3 green chillies, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce


3 tablespoon Thai oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
juice ½ lime
1 teaspoon sugar

200g bean sprouts, blanched
½ sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips (about 40g)
¼ yellow pepper, cut into thin strips (about 40g)
100g sugar snap peas, blanched & sliced
50g baby corn, blanched & sliced into strips
4 spring onions, sliced


Make a marinade for the prawns by pounding together the coriander, garlic, lemon grass, chillis, shallot and fish sauce. I use a mortar and pestle, but you could also use a blender or food processor.

Add the prawns and massage the marinade into them with your fingers. Leave to marinate for an hour or more while you soak some bamboo skewers in water (to prevent them burning).

While the prawns are marinating and the skewers are soaking, make the salad.

Make a dressing by combining the oyster sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Add the prepared vegetables and toss well to combine.

Thread the marinated prawns on skewers and grill until cooked. serve with the salad.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 392.2
Carbohydrate (g) 53.2
Protein (g) 42.7
Fat (g) 2.8
Fibre (g) 9.7

Lunch Saturday 14 July - Prawn and Vegetable Egg Drop Soup

Prawn and Vegetable Egg Drop Soup
3 tablespoons shao shing
1 tablespoon soy sauce
400ml vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sugar
chilli flakes, to taste
100g enoki mushrooms
1 carrot, sliced thinly
50g mange tout, halved lengthwise
100g cooked prawns
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 free range, organic egg
2 spring onions
handful fresh coriander

Simmer together the stock, sugar, soy, chilli and Shao Shing for 5 minutes. Add the prepared vegetables and simmer until tender, about another 2-3 minutes.

Add the prawns and bring back to a simmer. Beat together the egg and the sesame oil. Drizzle the egg into the soup, cover and turn off the heat. Leave to stand for 2-3 minutes, until the egg has set into "flowers". Stir in the coriander leaves and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 306.7
Carbohydrate (g) 23.3
Protein (g) 30.5
Fat (g) 10.2
Fibre (g) 5.8

Happy One Year Anniversary to my Blog

"Good Spirits" by John Lund

Well it has been one year ago today since I started keeping what is arguably the most boring blog on Blogger.

So,

On July 14, 1789, during the French Revolution, citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille .

On July 14, 1798, the American Congress passed the Sedition Act, making it a federal crime to publish false, scandalous or malicious writing about the United States government.

On July 14 1881, outlaw William H. Bonney Jr., alias "Billy the Kid," was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, N.M.

On July 14 1933, all German political parties, except the Nazi Party, were outlawed.

On July 14 1965, the American space probe Mariner 4 flew by Mars, sending back photographs of the Red Planet.

On July 14 1966, eight student nurses were murdered by Richard Speck in a Chicago dormitory.

On July 14 2007, I had Special K, Blueberries and coffee for breakfast ( does not seem quite so momentous).

Today's Birthdays:
Ingmar Bergman
Harry Dean Stanton
William Hanna (of Hanna Barbera)
Woody Guthrie
SpongeBob SquarePants
My Blog

Dinner Friday 13 July - Pastitio

Pastitio
75g macaroni (dry weight)
¼ pack Quorn mince (87g)
¼ red pepper, chopped
small handful fresh basil
1 serving Marinara Sauce
1 serving Veloute for Pastitio

Combine Quorn mince, marinara sauce, cooked macaroni, basil and chopped red pepper. Season to taste and turn into a small casserole dish.

Top with the veloute sauce and bake in a moderate oven until golden and bubbling, about 40 minutes

Makes 1 LARGE (that is, piggy) serving

Nutrition Summary for meal
Calories (kcal) 661.7
Protein (g) 43.3
Carbohydrate (g) 81.5
Fat (g) 18.3
Fibre (g) 8.9

Veloute for Pastitio
200ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoon cornflour
30ml single cream
50g reduced fat Edam cheese, grated

Combine cold vegetable stock and cornflour in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened. Add the cream and cheese and continue cooking until cheese is melted.

Makes 1 serving

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 224.9
Carbohydrate (g) 12.3
Protein (g) 18.6
Fat (g) 11.3
Fibre (g) 0.2

Lunch Friday 13 July - Hake with Broad Bean & Tomato Salad

Hake with Broad Bean & Tomato Salad
1 Young's breaded hake fillet

2 teaspoons macadamia nut oil
juice ½ lemon
10g mustard
20g Manuka honey

2 spring onions, sliced
150g Santini tomatoes, halved or quartered
80g broad beans, cooked
handful fresh basil leaves, torn up
1 rib celery, sliced finely
¼ red pepper, cut into strips
1 bag mixed leaves (120g)

Make a dressing of the oil, honey, lemon & mustard & season to taste.

Combine the onions, tomatoes, broad beans, basil, celery & red pepper and pour over the dressing. Serve on a bed of mixed leaves with the hake fillet.

Combine the
Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 454.8
Carbohydrate (g) 46.8
Protein (g) 25.5
Fat (g) 19.2
Fibre (g) 10.8

Breakfast Friday 13 July - Cereal & Coffee

Special K and coffee, yet again

Dinner Thursday 12 July - Fettuccine with Samphire & Prawns

Fettuccine with Samphire & Prawns
80g samphire grass
110g cooked prawns
1 pat herb butter
70g fettuccine

Boil the fettuccine in plenty of salted water. Steam the samphire until tender, about 5 minutes.

Melt the herb butter in a skillet and add the prawns, samphire and cooked fettuccine. Toss everything together and warm through the prawns. When piping hot, serve.


Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 514.8
Carbohydrate (g) 71.9
Protein (g) 33.5
Fat (g) 10.5
Fibre (g) 5.2

Lunch Thursday 12 July - Quorn "Ham" & Cheese Wrap

Quorn "Ham" & Cheese Wrap
1 multiseeded tortilla wrap
2 light cheese triangles
½ pack Quorn "ham" slices
50g Shredded Romaine lettuce
1 fat vine tomato

1 homemade dill pickle
handful pepperoncini

Well, no recipe needed - this is just a tortilla, spread with a

couple of those Laughing Cow low fat cheese spread triangles, some

slices of Quorn "ham", tomato and lettuce.

Lunch is ready!


Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 394.8
Carbohydrate (g) 55.7
Protein (g) 28.2
Fat (g) 7.4
Fibre (g) 13.4

Breakfast Thursday 12 July - Cereal & coffee

An awe-inspiring start to the day - Special K, milk, coffee.

Dinner Wednesday 11 July - Stir Steamed Vegetables & Prawns

Stir Steam
Today's selection:

125g broccoli
¼ enoki mushrooms (about 35g)
75g mange tout
75g baby corn
1 carrot
3 spring onions
110g prawns

Basic Stir Steam Recipe

Nutrition Summary
Calories (kcal) 315.8
Protein (g) 36.8
Carbohydrate (g) 30.5
Fat (g) 5.4
Fibre (g) 9.2

Lunch Wednesday 11 July - Pizza

Haven't had pizza in ages and I fancied some, so I made one. Next time, I will just go the whole hog and have normal, full-fat cheese. Pizza really needs decent cheese and the half-fat stuff just ain't got the "melt-osity".


Pizza
1 pizza base (see below)
½ portion Marinara Sauce
125 reduced fat mozzarella cheese
few fresh basil leaves

Dough
100g strong white flour
1 teaspoon sugar
5 g yeast
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Mix together the yeast with a bit of hand warm water and 1 tsp sugar. Allow to stand until foaming (about 10 mins). Add the flour and olive oil along with sufficient water to make a stiff dough. Knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic. Place in a bowl covered with cling film and stand in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk (about 45 mins). Knock back and shape into a round. Top with sauce and cheese and bake in a hot oven (Gas 8).

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 672.2
Carbohydrate (g) 79.2
Protein (g) 41.9
Fat (g) 21.0
Fibre (g) 4.0

Breakfast Wednesday 11 July - Cereal!

Well, back to the salt mines on the breakfast from - more Special K, this time with a serving of Horlicks Light in lieu of milk.

(I will use this stuff up, I will use this stuff up...)




As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.
== Henry David Thoreau

Dinner Tuesday 10 July - Crab with Samphire & Parmesan

I LOVE samphire grass (seaweed) and it is in season. tried to get some for the Tour de France BBQ, but Steve Hatt did not have any at the time. But, he had some yesterday! So I decided to make this.

Crab with Samphire & Parmesan
75g samphire grass
1 can white crab meat (120g)
10g butter
1 clove garlic
juice ½ lime
handful fresh parsley
20g shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

100g fine beans

Steam samphire until tender; about 5 minutes.

Melt butter in a skillet and add crushed garlic. Cook over low heat for a couple minutes until garlic is soft & fragrant. Add the crab and samphire and warm through.

Stir in the lime juice and parsley, season to taste with salt (won't need much, if any) and plenty of black pepper. Garnish with the Parmesan shavings & serve with 100g steamed fine beans.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 392.0
Carbohydrate (g) 27.9
Protein (g) 36.2
Fat (g) 15.1
Fibre (g) 5.2

Samphire Grass

Lunch Tuesday 10 July - Spinach & Bacon Salad and Pea, Mint & Quark Soup

Spinach & "Bacon" Salad
1 clove garlic, crushed
juice ½ lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
20 g Manuka honey

100g Santini tomatoes
4 spring onions
small handful fresh basil
½ pack Quorn "bacon" strips
100g fresh spinach leaves
Make a dressing of the garlic, lemon juice, oil & honey. Season with salt & plenty of fresh black pepper.

Add the spring onions, basil & tomatoes to the dressing and combine. pile to spinach leaves in a serving bowl, add the tomato & dressing mixture and garnish with the Quorn "bacon".


Chilled Pea Soup with Mint Quark
100g mange tout
80g petit pois
400ml vegetable stock
1 clove garlic
handful fresh mint
125g quark

Cover the, garlic, mange tout and petit pois with vegetable stock and simmer until tender. Allow to cool.

Whizz the cooked peas in a blender or with a hand blender. Add the mint & quark and blend again.

Serve chilled with a sprig of fresh mint

Makes 1 Serving
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 174.6
Carbohydrate (g) 16.7
Protein (g) 24.3
Fat (g) 1.3
Fibre (g) 4.8


Nutrition Data for meal (soup & Salad)
Calories (kcal) 482.1
Carbohydrate (g) 41.8
Protein (g) 37.4
Fat (g) 18.8
Fibre (g) 12.4

Breakfast Tuesday 10 July - Cereal & apple

Just a bowl of Special K and another Pink Lady apple. They are BOGOF at Sainsbury's at the moment, so it is something like 16 apples for £2.00 - not bad.

Don't recall having seen Pink Lady apples until recently - apparently they are an Australian hybrid from Lady Williams and Golden Delicious apples. Pretty nice, anyway, although if they came from Oz, too many air miles!

Dinner Monday 9 July - Salmon with Vegetables

Salmon with Vegetables

1 salmon fillet (140g)
80g broad beans
2 carrots
200g Vivaldi potatoes

200g spinach
30ml single cream
nutmeg & black pepper

No real recipe; just parboiled and roasted the spuds with a little spray oil. The salmon is roasted with some Montreal Steak Seasoning. The broad beans and carrots are just steamed and the spinach is sauteed then creamed with 30ml single cream and some nutmeg & black pepper.

Calories (kcal) 540.6
Carbohydrate (g) 54.6
Protein (g) 50.8
Fat (g) 15.0
Fibre (g) 14.4

Lunch Monday 9 July - Leftover Mushroom Stroganov

Leftover Mushroom Stroganov
75g Mezzani pasta


Nutrition Summary
Calories (kcal) 641.2
Protein (g) 27.1
Carbohydrate (g) 89.6
Fat (g) 19.6
Fibre (g) 7.2

Breakfast Monday 9 July - Special K and Apple

Well, moving on in the cereal hoard, I now turn my attention to a box of Special K. So, I had a bowl of Special K with milk and a Pink Lady Apple.

Lunch Sunday 8 July - Tour de France Barbecue

Went to Welling and we walked through Bostall Woods to see Tour de France!

Afterwards, had a big BBQ at Lisa's. I brought a bunch of marinated veggie kebabs, some Green Goddess dip & Roasted Aubergine Dip. And I got to be "BBQ Chef" for the day - a smoky job!

We had:

• Marinated Veggie Skewers
• Marinated Salmon & Veggie Skewers
• Barbecued corn
• Crudite with Green Goddess Dip And Roasted Aubergine Dip
• Artichoke hearts
• Cheeses
• Lisa's Pear, Walnut & Gorgonzola Salad

Lisa has also made some marinated chicken (which I cooked but did not eat, of course)

plus various other nibbles and bits plus wine and glorious weather on the patio.

I ate loads and we had a very pleasant afternoon.

Did not bother with any dinner as stuffed full of BBQ.

Breakfast Sunday 8 July - Raspberries and Tour de France!

Had a quick breakfast of raspberries and cottage cheese before heading off to Kent to visit Lisa and watch the Tour de France pass through!

Started in London and now heading through Kent on it's way to France. I have been a fan for years, so had to go and have a look, despite all the doping scandals etc that make it less than it was in the days of "The Badger" Bernard Hinault & Greg LeMond.

Dinner Saturday 7 July - Wild Rice Salad with Tofu & Black Bean Dressing

Wild Rice Salad with Tofu & Black Bean Dressing
1 thumb ginger, pared & grated
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2-3 green chillis
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons black bean sauce (about 50g)

50g (dry weight) wild rice, cooked
160g tofu
80g broccoli, separated into florets and lightly steamed
½ red pepper, cut into strips
100g sugar snap peas, blanched
2 spring onions, sliced

Wrap the tofu in paper towels and place between two plates. Weight the top plate with cans or something else moderately heavy and leave for 30-40 minutes. The idea is to gently press the moisture out of the tofu and firm it up, not to squash it!

Slice the tofu into slabs and fry in a non-stick pan sprayed with a little oil until golden brown on either side. Cut into cubes.

Make a dressing of the ginger, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, chillis and black bean sauce.

Combine the cooked rice, prepared tofu, broccoli, red pepper and spring onions. Add the dressing at toss to combine. Garnish with the sliced spring onions and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 528.2
Carbohydrate (g) 68.3
Protein (g) 37.3
Fat (g) 12.1
Fibre (g) 7.3

Lunch Saturday 7 July - New Potato & Bean Salad

New Potato & Bean Salad
10g mustard
2 teaspoons macadamia oil
juice 1 lemon
10g Manuka honey

150g courgette
100g fine beans
80g broad beans
150g new potatoes

50g romaine lettuce, shredded
100g cherry tomatoes

Make a dressing of the mustard, oil, honey & lemon juice.

Cut the potato into bite sized chunks. Cut the beans into bite sized lengths. Steam the green beans, potatoes and broad beans until tender and combine them with the dressing while still warm.

Cut the courgette into disks and fry in a non-stick pan sprayed with a little oil. When they are lightly coloured on either side and tender, add them to the potato mixture and combine.

Line a plate with the shredded lettuce and mound the potato & bean salad on top. Garnish with sliced cherry tomatoes and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 336.8
Carbohydrate (g) 46.4
Protein (g) 12.3
Fat (g) 11.8
Fibre (g) 12.0

Breakfast Saturday 7 July - Raspberries & cottage cheese

Continuing a theme of fruit & cottage cheese, but this time raspberries.

Dinner Friday 6 July - Asian Style Rice Salad with Chestnuts & Broad Beans

Asian Style Rice Salad with Chestnuts & Broad Beans
50g dry weight wild rice, cooked
80g broad beans
80g chestnuts, cooked & peeled
2 spring onions
25g leeks, sliced finely
2 ribs celery, cut into thin slices (about 60g)
½ red pepper, cut into strip (about 60g)
3 tablespoons hoi sin sauce (about 50g)
juice 1 lime
small handful fresh parsley

Toss the rice and vegetables together until well mixed. Add the hoi sin sauce, lime juice and parsley and mix gently, until the sauce is evenly distributed through the salad.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 460.1
Carbohydrate (g) 94.7
Protein (g) 15.8
Fat (g) 18.1
Fibre (g) 14.0

Lunch Friday 6 July - Vegetable Miso Soup

Vegetable Miso Soup
1 pint dashi
1 tablespoon soy sauce
10g dried wakame
25g leeks, sliced
1 carrot, sliced thinly
50g baby corn
50g mange tout
60g tofu
50g white miso
1 spring onion

Cut the dried wakame into small pieces and add to the dashi with the soy sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the wakame is tender.

Add the leeks, carrots, baby corn, tofu and mange tout to the stock and simmer for a few minutes, until the vegetables are just tender crisp & the tofu is warmed through.

Mix the miso paste with a ladleful of the hot dashi and form a smooth paste. Turn off the heat and stir the miso mixture into the soup. Do not boil or you will kill the miso.

Add the spring onion slivers and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 261.0
Carbohydrate (g) 28.9
Protein (g) 19.7
Fat (g) 6.6
Fibre (g) 9.6

Breakfast Friday 6 July - Blueberries

Same as yesterday - 150g each blueberries and plain cottage cheese with coffee.

Dinner Thursday 5 July - Gumbo

Gumbo
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 onions, chopped (about 300g)
3 ribs celery
1 green pepper, chopped (about 180g)
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
200g okra
65g dry rice (I used brown basmati)
100g crayfish tails, cooked

Place the oil, onions, peppers, & celery in a heavy saucepan and sweat until soft. Add the bay leaf, thyme, tomatoes, rice and about 400ml, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until rice is barely cooked.

Add the okra and cook for a further 10 minutes or so, until the okra tender. Add 100g crayfish tails and heat through.


Makes 2 servings
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 293.1
Carbohydrate (g) 43.3
Protein (g) 10.0
Fat (g) 9.5
Fibre (g) 8.6

Lunch Thursday 5 July - Pasta with Quark & Asparagus

Pasta with Quark & Asparagus
70g Schioppi pasta
125g quark
150g asparagus, cooked and cut into bite sized lengths
20g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1 teaspoon concentrated vegetable Bouillon (like Knorr "Touch of Taste")

This is REALLY simple - it is basically just pasta & quark, but the "trick" is to warm the quark without splitting it. What I do is oil the pasta and drain it but not really well; leave some of the pasta water (a couple of tablespoons) in the pot.

Add the quark and asparagus and warm through over VERY low heat. Add the concentrated veggie stock and salt & pepper to taste, top with the Parmesan and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 449.5
Carbohydrate (g) 61.2
Protein (g) 34.6
Fat (g) 7.1
Fibre (g) 5.7

Breakfast Thursday 5 July - Blueberries & cottage cheese

Started my day with 150g each of blueberries and plain low fat cottage cheese, plus the requisite coffee, of course.

Dinner Wednesday 4 July - Avocado and New Potato Salad with "Bacon"

Avocado and New Potato Salad with "Bacon"
2 teaspoons macadamia nut oil
10g mustard
juice 1 lemon
20g Manuka honey

150g new potatoes
½ pack Quorn bacon style strips
1 small avocado (about 100g)
½ red onion, sliced finely
100g cherry tomatoes
10g spinach


Make a dressing of the oil, mustard, honey & lemon juice.

Cut the new potatoes into bite sized chunks and steam until just tender. Turn them into the dressing while still hot (so they absorb some of the flavour) and leave to cool.

While they cool, strip or grill the "bacon strips", peel and cube the avocado and halve the cherry tomatoes.

Add the sliced red onion, avocado and cherry tomatoes to the potatoes and combine.

Live a plate with the spinach and pile to potato & avocado salad on top. Garnish with the "bacon", crumbed or cut into small strips.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 667.1
Carbohydrate (g) 55.9
Protein (g) 17.5
Fat (g) 42.2
Fibre (g) 13.3

Lunch Wednesday 4 July - Thai Style Mango & Prawn Salad

Thai Mango & Crayfish Salad
1 mango (330g)
1 fat vine ripe tomatoes (about 300g)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
juice 1 lime
2-3 green chillis, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 spring onions, sliced
90g crayfish tails
handful coriander leaves

Haven't had this for a while, but got some mangoes in Chapel Market recently and had the crayfish, so decided to relieve the old Thai style mango salad.

Make a dressing of the sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic & chillis. Add the mango and tomato (cut into bite sized chunks) and the crayfish (or prawns). Combine then add the spring onions & coriander leaves and combine again.

Serve on a bed of mixed leaves (I had pea shoots here)

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 380.7
Carbohydrate (g) 76.3
Protein (g) 21.3
Fat (g) 2.5
Fibre (g) 10.6

Breakfast Wednesday 4 July - Kiwis and coffee

Happy Independence Day, America

I started my day with some kiwis and coffee.

Dinner Tuesday 3 July - Mushroom Stroganov

Mushroom Stroganov
15g butter
350g mushrooms, sliced
250g onions, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, crushed
20g sauce flour
1 pint vegetable or mushroom stock
100g vegetarian meat alternative (I had Fry's Chunky Wok & Stew Strips)
60ml single cream
small handful parsley

Melt butter in a heavy sauce pan and add the garlic, onions and mushrooms. Sweat over a low heat until the onions are soft & translucent and the mushrooms are well cooked.

Sprinkle in the sauce flour and stir to combine it with the butter and pan juices. Add the vegetable stock and simmer until thickened, then add the veggie "meat" and heat through.

Finally stir in the cream and chopped parsley, check the seasoning and serve with rice or noodles.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 384.7
Carbohydrate (g) 34.1
Protein (g) 17.9
Fat (g) 18.5
Fibre (g) 4.8


I had one portion with 50g of the Black Japonica rice I brought back from California.

Lunch Tuesday 3 July - Grilled Halloumi Salad

Grilled Halloumi Salad
2 teaspoon olive oil
juice 1 lime
10g Manuka honey
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses

120g halloumi cheese
150g asparagus
100g fine beans
100g Santini tomatoes
50g pea shoots
2 spring onions, sliced



Make a dressing of the oil, lime juice, honey & pomegranate molasses.

Slice the halloumi and grill until golden brown. Allow to cool and tear into bite sized pieces. Combine the cheese, fine beans, tomatoes and asparagus with the dressing and mix thoroughly.

Line a plate with the pea shoots & shredded spring onions and pile the cheese salad on top.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 618.5
Carbohydrate (g) 27.5
Protein (g) 36.4
Fat (g) 40.5
Fibre (g) 7.3

Breakfast Monday 3 July - Mango & yoghurt

Started the day with a mango, some plain yoghurt and coffee

Dinner Monday 2 July - Veggie Sausages

2 Cauldron Foods Cherry Tomato & Basil vegetarian sausages
200g new potatoes
100g mushrooms
1 pat butter (7g)
100g fine beans

Another standard. The potatoes are just parboiled and spritzed with olive oil, before being roasted with the sausages.

Had these with some mushrooms sauteed in a little butter and a serving of fine beans.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 354.2
Carbohydrate (g) 49.7
Protein (g) 14.6
Fat (g) 11.8
Fibre (g) 7.4

Lunch Monday 2 July - Greek Style Courgette, Chick Pea and Avocado Salad with Halloumi

Greek Style Courgette, Chick Pea and Avocado Salad with Halloumi
2 teaspoons olive oil
juice 1 lemon
grated peel of ½ lemon
½ tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon sumac
small handful fresh mint, chopped

1 red onion, thinly slice (about 115g)
100g Santini tomatoes, halved
a small avocado, cut into bite sized chunks (about 70g)
200g courgette, grilled and sliced into bite sized pieces
120g chick peas
50g halloumi cheese, cut into small cubes
100g spinach

Make a dressing of the olive oil, lemon juice & peel, cinnamon, sumac powder and mint.
Combine the onions, tomatoes, avocado, courgette pieces, chick peas & halloumi. Toss gently in the dressing.

Line a plate with the spinach leaves and pile the salad on top.

You can buy powdered sumac in Middle Eastern stores - it has a sour, astringent taste, sort of like tamarind in Asian cooking and it imparts a reddish colour, like paprika.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 639.3
Carbohydrate (g) 39.9
Protein (g) 30.1
Fat (g) 40.7
Fibre (g) 14.3

Breakfast Monday 2 July- Fresh Pineapple

Had half a fresh pineapple and some coffee.

Dinner Sunday 1 July - Asparagus Risotto

Asparagus Risotto
70g onion, chopped finely
2 clove garlic, crushed
10g butter
70g arborio rice
1 pint asparagus stock
80g asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
30 ml single cream
20g Parmesan cheese


Melt the butter in a heavy sauce pan. Add the rice and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Keep the asparagus stick hot and add it, a ladleful at a time, to the pan with the rice. Cook & stir, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next.

When the stock is all used and the rice is cooked and creamy (about 20 minutes), add the cream, the asparagus and half the cheese. stir through. Turn out onto a serving plate and top with the remaining cheese.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 513.3
Carbohydrate (g) 64.9
Protein (g) 17.5
Fat (g) 20.6
Fibre (g) 3.1

Lunch Sunday 1 July - Blini & "Caviar"

Blini & "Caviar" (well, lumpfish roe)
8 blini
100g lumpfish caviar
150g asparagus
3 quails eggs, hard boiled

Had this with a large Herb Salad

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 395.7
Carbohydrate (g) 40.1
Protein (g) 31.0
Fat (g) 12.5
Fibre (g) 7.3

Breakfast Sunday 1 July - Kiwis

Had 4 kiwis and some coffee for breakfast.

Today's trivia; kiwi is called Actinidia Sinensis.