Ha ha, definitely not a saint! But not tempted to eat cake each time I see one! And not tempted to eat mass produced stuff which I know will be far too sugary and full of things that have no business to be in a cake…
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The thing I’ve been pleased to notice, recently, is that bread is rarely brought out as an automatic addition and most menus have dishes which are protein and salad, without the old half a plate of white carbs. Restaurants and cafes have been noticing the shift in customers’ eating habits. There is hope for the future 😊 P
Elizabeth David’s Spice Blend = 1 whole nutmeg, 1 Tbsp peppercorns or allspice berries, one 6″ cinnamon stick, 2 tsp whole cloves, 1.5 tsp ground ginger. All ground to a powder in a spice mill.
In the same cookbook [Great Breads by Martha Rose Shulman] is a recipe for Tara Brith, aka Welsh Spicy Fruit Bread. Never made that, but it looks to be very good. I know that many of you eat fewer braked goods these days, but I’m always on the look-out for a Sunday morning treat.
I have a great Scottish cookbook.
The crumpets are simply SR flour, baking powder, a little sugar, egg and milk. I cook them in large silicon egg rings pn my crepe maker.. no oil needed..they bubble beautifully and go light brown on the bottom. Perfect for butter and honey. 2 crumpets…380 cals!!! 🙄🙄
Fasting_me,
That Elizabeth David blend sounds similar to mixed spice, so should be OK.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/181605/mixed-spice
ccco,
The shocking thing is that we used to be really impatient for the pre-dinner bread, often scoffed the lot before the meal arrived, and sometimes asked for more!!
P,
Is that 380 cals before you slather on the butter and honey?!
Heavens! All this talk of regional delicacies is making me hungry — and it is only mid-morning on a Fast Day! One can always look forward to tomorrow…
Somehow I lost 0.9 pound [0.4 kg] yesterday, despite the wonderful roast lamb with red Bordeaux for dinner! Scales must be on drugs. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
Breakfast: Moussaka Baked Egg with melon
Dinner: Fish Roasted with Vegetables. Salmon for ODH, Cod for me I’m really getting into roasted vegetables, but not with the large amounts of olive oil usually called for.
Happy, thanks for checking on the spice blend for me.
Purple, I make an oatcake called “Scottish Bannocks” which are rolled and cut. Very good with applesauce.
It’s true about bread at dinner, Happy. I’m ok as long as I don’t start any – I’m the same with sweets and chocolate, too! Good bread with lovely salty butter – hmmmm!
I’ve just hidden a large box of chocolates brought by an ex-pupil. It was lovely to see him, but the chocolates are a bit OTT.
Ready for some poor eating tomorrow as we fly to Philadelphia. OH can’t resist a bacon butty at the airport, so I’ll have scrambled egg. Then I won’t be able to resist the wine on the plane. American Airlines are pretty generous. By the time we reach DS’ place, I’ll have to eat what daughter-in-law has made, Probably the only time she’ll cook, mind.
Pol. 🙋🏼
Yes, Polly, happy travelling! You’ve not been knitting this time though?
P, I haven’t made fish cakes for a while, thanks for reminding me! Having been meat-free for January, I am eating meat again but not often or much, and trying to wean OH off meat daily.
I WILL be fasting tomorrow. I have meetings, and will be in transit over lunchtime, so it should be easy….esp as the meeting rooms are always overheated!
I find Thai fishcakes an easy, tasty dish. I use flathead (do you call it that?) and I have lots of Asian herbs growing in the garden…Thai basil, coriander, Vietnamese mint, lemongrass, chives, garlic chives and lots of leafy greens. Can’t grow carrots or spuds for quids though 😶 and, as the lemon tree is so slow growing, I won’t try a lime as well.
I first ate the fishcakes in a floating restaurant beside the bridge over the River Kwai, many years ago when I was working in Thailand.
My fast yesterday, that wasn’t very strict as I have a bit of a cold, rewarded me with a .5kg drop. 🙄 Listen to your body maintainers, it should give you signals when you do need to eat.
As to chocolate…I don’t like it so gifted chocs go straight on the bin. I couldn’t justify regifting them 🙄😏
Happy fasting P
Have a good trip, Polly. You’ll be on the East Coast in time for our next Nor’Easter! It will remind you of snowy Wales. Do you prepare Welsh Cakes for your son?
coco, the baked eggs we have on Mondays are SO easy, you might want to give them a try. I prep the ingredients the night before and it takes no-time to throw together and bake. This is one of the easiest:
Parmesan-Chive Bake: 279 calories 7.5 g fat 3.7 g fiber 15 g protein 30 g carbs 275 mg Calcium PB GF While I was away for 10 days, Dear Husband invented this breakfast to take advantage of the fresh chives in the garden. Clever man.
One 2-oz egg 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated 1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped 1.5 tsp reduced-fat ricotta cheese 1 oz kiwi fruit 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water
First set the toaster oven to 350 degreese F. My Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Whisk the egg with the cheeses and chives and pour into the ramekin. Bake in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Prepare the kiwi fruit, pour the beverages and have an easy day
Purple, thanks for the food description and the travelogue: WOW. We enjoy good old Maritime-style fish cakes but the Thai flavors sound delicious.
Happy, hope your Fast Day is successful. How’s your weather?
Fasting_me,
The fast day is going well, thanks! 6.30pm, and looking forward to something to eat but only in a vague ‘it would be nice to eat something’ rather than an ‘I’m gnawing my own arm off’ kind of way!
We’ve still got snow hanging around, but it’s not subzero anymore. Yeay 😀
P,
I don’t call it flathead, I don’t call it anything, I don’t think we have it here!
Greetings, team. I have to support the majority re global warming. We have just had the warmest summer on record, interspersed with some severe storms. Just as predicted 🙁 A couple of days ago our over-night low was 17 – today’s high is 17 (and tomorrow’s, and Friday’s). The southerly has struck for autumn.
Goodness, P, you couldn’t call our version of gurnard flat – a rounded orange beastie with elegant fins, very tasty!
Kitchen nearly finished, still some tiling to be done (misunderstanding between me and builder – I thought the tiler would purchase the tiles). Also a bit of cabinetry and painting, but we are now in, enjoying the space, light and appliances.
I was back to the doctor this week, talking about my sleep patterns. She prescribed Nortriptyline, at very low doses. First night okay, last night back to being awake for hours 🙁 I will try again at the lowest dose this evening, then if no benefit will step it up.
Back in court today to support step-grandson, for another domestic with his latest. No bail as he cannot come back here as it’s too close to the complainant, so the police have to check out his cousin’s place to see if it’s suitable. So he’s in custody for at least a couple of nights, and probably the weekend too. I despair of the lad 🙁
Not that I know of, P. Our gurnard is an ocean fish, normal configuration. We have the flounder that lies low with eyes on lookout.
What a game! For cricket followers, we have just beaten England in the last over of the fourth ODI, with scoring totalling 674 between the teams! So best of five to be decided on Saturday.
Barata, good to hear from you again. Isn’t it nice when a kitchen project has an end in sight! Wish you could send photos. Hope the Nortryptyline works as promised. So sad about the travails of the step-grand. That’s enough to keep you awake. Courage. Enjoy the cricket.
Fasting tomorrow, as we dig out from the storm — supposed to continue all night.
ccco USA
Pollypenny, if it’s any consolation, we always say if March comes in like a lion, it should go out like a lamb. Let’s hope that holds true!:) Poor Happy! North Wales is under again, too. It really has been a very unusual Winter! I am so glad my daughter got married last year and not this year! 🙁
Funnily enough I suggested to OH that wevaskbteo teenage grandson if friends and neighbours if they’d like to earn dome money clearing our path if it should snow while we are away. That was to make it look as if we were there. He dismissed that idea! 🤨
Son cleared their huge drive, I cleared the path from the front door, as we don’t have a garage opener so use the door. Shattered now hopefully having burned off some calories.
Pol. 😀
It snowed ALL day! So pretty. Snow is vital at this time of year. [this is your Earth Science teacher speaking] It insulates the ground from thawing too early, which would be bad for the plants. It keeps the Sugar Maple trees cool, so the sap will continue to run. Also, many of our native plants, like the sugar maple, require cold weather and long winters. Otherwise they sicken. That’s why we have them and Maryland is not known for them. Also, we remember what happened to the fruit trees 2 years ago when it became very warm in March, the trees budded, it froze again, and voila: no peaches or apples. :((
Furthermore, the snow is good for resupplying the aquifer, which is valuable everywhere. Good snow cover also means a good crop of wild mushrooms. An early spring leaves the returning birds without the food they expect when they migrate North. All in all, I’ll take the snow now, and even in April, so we’ll have the benefits later. Kind of like Fasting.
Take care of yourself, Pol. Don’t overdo it, since you need energy to care for the children.
coco, how did the storm treat you this time? We have 12″ snow, but no problems here.
PVE, your smoked salmon egg dish sounds yummy.
We stayed home all day. The neighbor family comes over faithfully to shovel us out [we pay them]. Tomorrow I’ll thrash my way to the barn to visit the hens — that should burn some calories!!
Fasting today: Shakshuka Eggs for breakfast. A real flavor punch!
‘Therapeutic’ Chicken Soup for dinner. Very filling but only 180 calories!!
Cleaners are coming tomorrow to do a ‘whole house clean.’ Never had that done before. It will give us a base-line.
Ta-ta.
F_me,
It’s interesting reading about the effects of snow/timing in your part of the world. We don’t rely on snow as you appear to, but obviously winter needs to be sufficiently cold and at the right time! We (us and wildlife) are ready for spring here now!
Are your hens permanently in the barn, or free-range? Ours are free range, although they weren’t keen on being out when it was subzero.
Well yesterday’s fast and 10km walk did the trick. I’ve dropped back from 0.7kg over top weight to 0.6kg under 😀 I just need to NOT be greedy today (and it’s forecast to be a bit milder, so hopefully that should be doable)….
Well while you’re all shovelling snow I’m sitting in our house at the beach, listening to the sound of the waves, looking at the beautiful blue sea and the sun starting to set over the water. 35 degrees in town today, 29 degrees down here at the beach.
Love the idea of seeing some snow, but not the idea of clearing the driveway! We did see some in England one year when we were there on holiday but it had snowed overnight so just woke up to it, haven’t really experienced “snowing” 😊
Oh, Carol, I’m envying you! Your post paints an idyllic picture. Snow does look very picturesque through the window and we did have fun in it yesterday, me clad in DIL’s fleece and fantastic boots, which are something I covet!
As Happy said, we don’t normally have lots of snow in the UK, with the occasional year being snow-free. The big ones stand out, 1947, 1963 and 1982. Joys of a temperate climate.
Just tried scales and coming in just under bottom wriggle room. I’m usually ok here as we don’t cook what we like.
Take care everyone.
💁🏼
I lived in New Jersey most of my life and had my fill of snow. I like it here in Las Vegas and it did snow here briefly this year but not at my house. Precipitation here is very localized. I live on the east side of the valley and I have an unimpeded view of the city and the Spring mountains about 35 miles away. The peaks are snow covered from October to april. It’s beautiful and that’s about as close to it as I want to be! LOL
Snow is very important in the western US. The melting snow pack that can be as much as 20′ from the rocky mountains flushes out the rivers and recharges the reservoirs that provide irrigation, drinking water and hydroelectric power
Oh my: so many different locals and views out the window — I love it. From Carol’s beach to diver dog’s snow-capped peaks to a winter wonderland. Ain’t life grand?!
In a few months, Carol, we will be at the beach and you will be in the cold.
Cleaners came today!! I broke down and called a company to come out and do a ‘whole house deep clean’ and we are so happy. It took 2 of them 3 hrs 45 mins to clean the place. Looks great. Now if only we can keep from messing it up again. I told the ODH that maybe we should live in the closet so we don’t dirty the house… Batter-fried cold water shrimp for dinner. Very nice and something we prepare once a year or so. The scales will be groaning tomorrow!
Happy, the hens live in the barn yet have a yard. Access to the yard depends on my ability to get out to the barn to open their little door. Technically they are ‘free-range’, which means they have access to a yard. They do not like to go out in the snow, so I don’t bother letting them out when the snow is deep.
Polly, I would guess that the snow will melt pretty fast there in Princeton. How much did you get?
I’m also by the beach Carol. 24 deg here with a gentle sea breeze, perfect low tide for grandkids to play in rockpools and build castles, and a soft roar of the waves to dream by at night. And, sorry Fast Me, it doesn’t get particularly cold in winter here either. We’ve been known to swim mid winter. Now THAT’S what I call temperate 🙄 P
Morning, all. We had over a foot of snow in Princeton. I imagine it will go quickly in town, but it’s still deep in son’s enormous yard, with Sidney the snowman standing proudly. Yesterday, we had a bitter wind, which counteracted the sun.
I love the sound of the waves, you lucky things!
Glad I’m not the only one contemplating a cleaner. I will book a deep clean before the family come in June, as daughter-in-law is bit OCD and we will have to move furniture, electronics etc in the third bedroom, nowvstufy, for the boys.
OH and don watching Liverpool play Manchester United. I hope we can get the rugby tomorrow, today as well if possible.
Pol. 🏴
Hi, everyone. Obviously nothing to report, but I have! Since we’ve been here I’ve lost two pounds, without trying! Somehow, I just don’t get round to eating when in America. If we eat out, it’s a box of leftovers for the next day.
We have only been out twice, though. Son and wife are both on some complicated diet, involving lots of omelettes and use o the frying pan or else chicken. It’s so complicated that it’s not going to lead to easy maintenance, I can see.
Fasting-me, you were right about the weather, a Nor’ Easter expected today and tomorrow. We are unlikely to be able to use the I-95 to get back to Philadelphia. Need to return hire car before enjoying our city break! Not looking promising.
Pol. 🙋🏼
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