Breakfast Tuesday 2 August - Porage Oats & Nectarine

Had a bowl of Scott's Porage Oats with 30g dried strawberries, a nectarine & coffee

Dinner Wednesday 1 August - Late night post pub snack-ettes

The Narrowboat Public House
119 St. Peters St,
London, N1 8PZ

Went to Narrow Boat at met up with some mates before a late dinner of

Chips with Melted Cheese!
235g potatoes
85g half fat Red Leicester cheese
1 tomato

This is just the basic "healthy chips" recipe, with a rather unhealthy addition.

Cut the potato(es) into thick chips. Spray with a little olive oil and toss to coat well. Spread on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven (about Gas 7) until cooked and browned - about 20 minutes.

Top with grated red Leicester and return to oven until cheese melts.

Served with a sliced, grilled tomato to try to pretend that it is a bit healthier than it is...

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 395.5
Carbohydrate (g) 41.9
Protein (g) 27.9
Fat (g) 14.1
Fibre (g) 2.6

Lunch Wednesday 1 August - Carrot & Raisin Salad

Carrot Salad
40g raisins
3 carrots, grated (about 175g)
juice 1 lemon
60g light mayonnaise
4-5 large outer iceberg lettuce leaves

Grate carrots. Cover raisins in boiling water and leave to lump for a few minutes; drain well.

Combine lemon & mayonnaise. Add raisins & grated carrots and mix.

Serve in a "bowl" of lettuce leaves.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 233.4
Carbohydrate (g) 46.9
Protein (g) 3.2
Fat (g) 4.0
Fibre (g) 6.0

Breakfast Wednesday 1 August - Special K & Nectarine

Started August off with Special K cereal , a nectarine and coffee.

Dinner Tuesday 31 July - Thai Style Prawn Curry

Chapel Market Thai Curry
1 teaspoon sunflower oil
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 green chillis, chopped
1 stalk lemon grass
1 thumb galangal, trimmed & grated
4-5 kaffir lime leaves
1 sprig Thai basil
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
30mls water or vegetable stock (I used a Maggi cube!)
40g creamed coconut (block)
170g raw prawns
70g baby corn, sliced
50g sugar snap peas, sliced
3 spring onions, sliced
small handful fresh coriander

One of the guys in Chapel Market had little "curry kit" packs for 50p each and I could not resist, they were so attractive.

Anyway, I made a curry with one of them.

Saute shallots, garlic, chillies, lemon grass, galangal, & lime leaves in oil until shallots are softened but not browned.

Add the Thai basil, fish sauce, sugar, stock & creamed coconut and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the baby corn, sugar snaps, and raw prawns and simmer until prawns are cooked and veggies are tender-crisp (about 4-5 minutes).

Stir in the spring onions and coriander & serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 595.5
Carbohydrate (g) 26.8
Protein (g) 36.0
Fat (g) 38.9
Fibre (g) 7.7

Lunch Tuesday 31 July - Chick Pea and Spinach Soup

Chick Pea & Spinach Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 smallish onion, chopped (about 115g)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can chick peas (about 240g)
1 can peeled plum tomatoes in juice (about 400g)
750ml vegetable stock
50g fresh spinach
200g potatoes, chopped into chunks
large handful torn, fresh basil leaves
large handful torn, fresh mint leaves

Saute the onion & garlic in the oil until translucent. Add the chick peas, tomatoes, stock, spinach & potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Add the herbs, season with salt & pepper and serve.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 375.1
Carbohydrate (g) 51.4
Protein (g) 15.5
Fat (g) 12.7
Fibre (g) 8.2

Breakfast Tuesday 31 July - Oatbran and dried Strawberries

But it is the LAST of the oatbran.

So, back to the Special K, I guess.

Dinner Monday 30 July - Quorn Steak with Peppercorn Sauce

This is basically a repeat of last night's repast.

1 Quorn Peppered steak
Green Peppercorn Sauce
160g Vivaldi potatoes, boiled
125g runner beans, steamed
2 carrot, steamed

Nutrition Summary
Calories (kcal) 354.3
Protein (g) 17.3
Carbohydrate (g) 55.8
Fat (g) 8.1
Fibre (g) 11.3

Lunch Monday 30 July - "Chicken" & Orzo Soup

"Chicken" & Orzo Soup
1 small onion, chopped (about 100g)
1 teaspoon olive oil
fresh or dried thyme
2 carrots, chopped (about 150g)
1 pint vegetable stock
50g soya mince
50g orzo pasta

Saute the onion in the oil until translucent. Add the soya mince and thyme and season with salt & pepper. Cover and simmer until soya mince is rehydrated and tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the carrots and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add the orzo and more water (if required). Cover and cook until the orzo is done, about further 15 minutes.


Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 458.6
Carbohydrate (g) 75.4
Protein (g) 36.1
Fat (g) 3.7
Fibre (g) 14.1

Breakfast Monday 30 July - Oatbran & dried Strawberries

Yes, oatbran porridge again, this time with dried strawberries and a punnet of fresh raspberries.

Dinner Sunday 29 July - Quorn "Steak"with Peppercorn Sauce & Veggies

Quorn "Steak"with Peppercorn Sauce & Vegetables
1 Quorn peppered steak
160g Vivaldi potatoes
100g fine beans
2 carrots (about 150g)

Again, no real "recipe". I just sprayed the potato wedges with some olive oil and baked until browned and crisped. Served with the Quorn steak, veggies and sauce.

Green Peppercorn Sauce
200mls vegetable stock
20g cornflour
30mls single cream
25g green peppercorns, crushed

Mix together vegetable stock and cornflour, Cook over low heat, stirring regularly, until thickened. Stir in the cream and crushed peppercorns and heat through.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 376.1
Carbohydrate (g) 60.1
Protein (g) 17.9
Fat (g) 8.4
Fibre (g) 12.4

Lunch Sunday 29 July - Mushroom Stroganov (RUINED!)

Ruined Mushroom Stroganov
Leftover Mushroom Stroganov from Friday
95g assorted pasta bits
½ pack Quorn "chicken " slices

I heated up the other portion of Mushroom Stroganov with ½ pack of Quorn "chicken" slices and some various bits of leftover pasta.

I went to add a shake of Vegeta and the lid came off, dumping about 2 tablespoons of Vegeta into the sauce. I scraped out with I could and tried it, but it was unbelievably salty, so it got binned

I ended up eating then other ½ pack Quorn, some Roquefort & and apple, instead.

Nutrition Data for aborted lunch
Calories (kcal) 580.4
Carbohydrate (g) 83.1
Protein (g) 31.6
Fat (g) 13.3
Fibre (g) 10.5

Vegeta is an "all purpose" seasoning I picked up in the Turkish market near me. It is Polish and appealed to my love of seasoned salts.....

They have an English language website here:

Vegeta


Well, sort of English language. I love the "Potatoes from an Oven" recipe.

"You may prepare this simple dish from potatoes when you try to be on diet, when you are not “hungry” or you are changing residence – as a sole or side dish."

:-)

Don't get me wrong - it is lovely stuff. Just don't add 2 tablespoons to one portion of ANYTHING.

Breakfast Sunday 29 July - Oatbran

Well, almost out of dried blueberries (I bought them and the dried strawberries and the Christmas market in Bexleyheath!). So, today I had the last 10g of blueberries, plus 20g of strawberries and the oatbran.

And a box of fresh raspberries, too.

Dinner Saturday 28 July - Lentil Soup with Dumplings

Lentil Soup & Dumplings

2 onions, chopped (about 250g)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 ribs celery, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped (about 90g)
2 carrots, chopped
100g dried green or brown lentils
1.5 pints vegetable stock
handful fresh parsley

Er - dump in all in a pot and "cook until done", as my Nana would have said.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 231.7
Carbohydrate (g) 40.5
Protein (g) 15.1
Fat (g) 1.5
Fibre (g) 9.8


Dumplings
1 large free range organic egg
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
75g white flour

This is my grandmothers recipe and is the simplest dumplings going.

Beat the egg until very light & frothy. Add a good pinch of salt, "enough baking powder to cover the last inch of your index finger" and enough sifted flour to bind it all together into a soft dough.

Drop by tablespoonsful into simmering soup. Cover and cook for 20 minutes - no peeking! (or the will not rise). Makes about 8 dumplings (2 servings).

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 168.1
Carbohydrate (g) 26.4
Protein (g) 7.8
Fat (g) 3.6
Fibre (g) 1.2

Lunch Saturday 28 July - Tortilla Bowl with Tuna & Avocado

Tortilla Bowl with Tuna & Avocado
1 wholegrain tortilla
1 small avocado (about 90g)
1 can tuna
juice 1 lime
4 spring onions, sliced
small handful coriander leaves
150g Santini tomatoes
2-3 Romaine leaves, shredded

Make a Tortilla Bowl.

Mix the well drained tuna with juice ½ lime and some salt & pepper.

Mash the avocado with the other ½ lime, some seasoning and the spring onions.

Line tortilla bowl with shredded lettuce, fill with tuna and top with the mashed avocado.

Serve with Santini tomatoes.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 569.1
Carbohydrate (g) 41.6
Protein (g) 49.7
Fat (g) 23.4
Fibre (g) 7.8

Breakfast Saturday 28 July - Oatbran & blueberries

Yes, oatbran and dried blueberries again. With coffee and a nectarine.

Dinner Friday 27 July - Thai Style Prawn Curry

Thai Style Prawn Curry
1 teaspoon sunflower oil
2 shallots, chopped
3 garlic, crushed
2 green chillies, sliced
1 thumb galangal, peeled & grated
4-5 kaffir lime leaves, slivered
1 stalk lemon grass, tied in a knot and pounded with a hammer
30g coconut cream (block)
1 pint fish stock
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
170g raw prawns
70g baby corn
50g sugar snap peas
50g (dry weight) brown basmati rice, cooked
small handful fresh coriander leaves

Add the sunflower oil to a pan. Saute the shallots, garlic, chillies, grated galangal, lime leaves and lemon grass in the oil until the shallots are softened but not coloured.

Add the coconut cream, fish stock and sugar and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the raw prawns, baby corn & sugar snaps ad simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the prawns are cooked and the veggies are tender but crisp.

Stir in the coriander leaves and serve over the cooked rice.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 669.1
Carbohydrate (g) 61.5
Protein (g) 39.7
Fat (g) 30.1
Fibre (g) 7.7

Lunch Friday 27 July - Mushroom Stroganov

Mushroom Stroganov
350g mushrooms
1 onion, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
250ml white wine
10 g butter
1 pint vegetable stock
20g cornflour
45 ml single cream
small handful parsley

Saute the onions, mushrooms and garlic in a covered non-stick pan with the butter until softened.

Add the white wine and cook until liquid is evaporated out. Add the vegetable stock mixed with cornflour and simmer over low heat until thickened. Add the cream and finely minced parsley.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 149.0
Carbohydrate (g) 10.7
Protein (g) 6.3
Fat (g) 9.1
Fibre (g) 3.3

Served on 75g of mezzani pasta and 60g of Quorn "chicken" style pieces added in.

Nutrition for full meal:

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 537.1
Carbohydrate (g) 77.1
Protein (g) 30.1
Fat (g) 13.5
Fibre (g) 13.0
Alcohol (g) 0.0
Fruit & Veg 7.2

Breakfast Monday 27 August - Coffee!

Did not get up until 10:00, so just had coffee this morning.

Breakfast Friday 27 July - Oatbran and dried Blueberries

Well, only a few portions left! Added a nectarine this AM for a bit of variety.