Last week I started eating better as part of the changes I am making in 2013.  Before Christmas there was a point where I was living on peanut butter toast, gallons of Diet Coke and coffee, and far too many takeaways, which is crap whichever way you look at it.  Then, out of curiosity, I stepped on my scales and almost fell right off them again.  Despite the fact that, in my head, I hadn’t been eating that much, I’d managed to gain over a stone.

Time to deal with that.

For a bit of fun, I’ve been taking photos of my healthy meals and posting them on Instagram.  Here is a run down of some of my favourite meals I’ve munched on over the last week.  Since we currently have no internet, I’m at my friend’s house, borrowing her Wifi, and feeling sorry for myself.

Saturday morning: Pancakes with strawberries and blueberries.

Pancakes on a Saturday is one of my husbands favourite things.  I made these with self raising flour, and added a punch of baking powder so they were more like American style pancakes.  I macerated the fruit in water and a tablespoon of sugar, which I then simmered on the hob until it became syrupy.

Saturday evening: Home made pizza and salad.

I made the base in the breadmaker, and Roo and I topped the pizza with home made tomato sauce, ham, mushrooms, red onion, and my home made pesto.  We used low fat mozzarella, and whilst the pizza was baking, loads of water came out.  Basically, the pizza was swimming in a sea of mozzarella juice.  I had to take the pizzas out and drain off the baking trays.  I won’t be making that mistake again.  Once they were cooked, however, they tasted scrummy.

Sunday morning: A fruity brunch and a peruse of the latest trends.

Apple, pear, a handful of grapes, a few blueberries, a banana and the juice and pulp of an orange, low fat natural yoghurt and a few linseeds on top.

Sunday afternoon: Actually Mummy’s lentil curry, as seen on A Mummy Too, served with homemade flatbreads with mustard seeds.

I am a bit obsessed with my flatbreads.  They are about halfway between a pita bread and a naan.  I fold the dough over again and again as I’m rolling it out, which traps air bubbles. When baking, the breads puff up beautifully.

Monday lunchtime: another home made flatbread, this time with an epic salad, and a fillet of smoked mackerel.

Tuesday dinner: Pasta and pesto with salad.

There are pretty much no words to describe how much more delicious home made pesto is compared to jarred pesto.  If you can’t make it yourself, then please please try fresh pesto from the supermarket.  You’ll find it in a tub in the same aisle as the fresh pasta and pasta sauces.

Wednesday lunch: A salad and smoked mackerel open sandwich.

An open sandwich is great for a number of reasons: you’re cutting out the calories from the extra slice of bread (thus eliminating the bread bloat), and I was reliably informed today, that you can taste the filling (or topping) better when there isn’t another slice of bread on top.  A few years ago I went through a stage of making smörgås for lunch all the time.  I’d make up fancy little beetroot salads, boil an egg, and slice some ham and serve it on buttered rye bread.  So, so nice.  Something made me think of that at about eleven that morning, so this was what I whipped up.  Instead of rye bread, I used a slice of home made 50/50, and instead of butter, I spread low fat creme fraiche and hot sauce, topped with lettuce, spinach, and a fillet of smoked mackerel. It was so good, my greedy son (who had already demolished his own lunch) toddled over and ate most of the fish.

Thursday lunch: homemade houmous and crudités.

I adapted this recipe to my own personal taste, and made it into this recipe instead.  It went down a storm with my son, and I had plenty left for my girl to take some to school in her packed lunch the next day.

Lovely lovely! Here is to more scrummy meals this week!

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