Plumfoodie's diary and ramblings

[CaliSweden]

They don't have meatloaf in the UK? We have meatloaf here in Sweden. It's really nice and yummy, it's a comfort food. I usually put carrots, onions and garlic (sometimes even bell peppers) in the food processor, and mix it into the meatloaf to make it soft and moist.

 

[Plumfoodie]

The one tonight was this one:

Homestyle Turkey Meatloaf with Mushrooms and White Beans

Really moist and tasty! Next time I think we might add a bit more garlic (because we like loads) and maybe add some fresh thyme or something if we have it. It would also be interesting to mash the beans roughly rather than having them whole. But I'd also make it again just as it stands, it was good! (lucky, as we've 2 more dinners worth left over!)

 

[Plumfoodie]

They don't have meatloaf in the UK? We have meatloaf here in Sweden. It's really nice and yummy, it's a comfort food. I usually put carrots, onions and garlic (sometimes even bell peppers) in the food processor, and mix it into the meatloaf to make it soft and moist.

I've seen meatloaf recipes here but only in very recent years, I think Jamie Oliver has one and possibly also Nigella, but it's not a traditional family food like it is in the States, more of a new thing (and the ones the celeb chefs make are what I'd consider fancier, with boiled eggs in them, bacon strips on the outside, etc). A bit like the trend for gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. (which I'm all in favour of!)

 

[Plumfoodie]

Stressful day at work today (I read that stress makes you fat! ) and sniffles and sore throat this morning - there's a cold doing the rounds in my office and I think it caught me while my defences were down from the tonsillitis. I've hit the miracle tea hard and it seems to have gone away again. Fingers crossed it will stay there! Must not be ill for my flight on Sunday.

Breakfast: porridge with pear, dried cranberries and toasted hazelnuts

Lunch: multigrain wrap with sweet chilli Philly light, turkey and tomato. Plus some olives

Snack: Nakd bar

Snack: ryvitas with more Philly light

Dinner: chicken topped with pesto, ricotta, tomatoes and mozzarella, plus roasted carrots, garlic spinach and steamed leeks

I was going to have a small red wine after dinner, but might swap it for a tiny chocolate bar. I think alcohol isn't great for the immune system.

 

[CaliSweden]

Bad cold season. I hope you're feeling better today. That's good that the tea is helping

Food sounds really good, and dinner sounded yummy.

 

[Plumfoodie]

Today has not been a great day foodwise, and I'm paying for it! We were in town shopping and were going to get lunch at one of the restaurants but they all had 40 minute waits and I got fed up! (I am not a big one for crowds or busy city centres) So we went to Waitrose and I grabbed a big sushi pack, a pack of Sunbites (multigrain crisp things) and some granola nibbles. There was a definite element of 'I should have eaten 2 hours ago and I'm hungry and cranky and ready to gnaw my own arm off' to my choices. So I ate the sushi (normally I just have a small pack of sushi along with something more GI friendly), the snacks and about 1/4 of the granola - I was full so stopped (which I'm pleased about, in the past I would have mindlessly chomped through the whole pack).

Now I'm having a major carb slump and am sooooo sleepy. I was trying to make some phone calls and kept yawning and yawning. I'm even feeling a bit too tired to take my husband out to dinner (it will be his birthday while I'm away) but hoping an hourlong nap will sort me out. I was tired already as we stayed up late last night to watch a film (stupid as we have it on DVD and have seen it a billion times) and the cats took this to mean we were staying up ALL NIGHT and spent the next couple of hours jumping on our heads while we tried to sleep. Zzzzz OI! Zzz OI!!! Etc.

This will probably be my final post until I come back from Cyprus, I still have to get organised and packed and run around like a headless chicken looking for lost items like my passport and nifty travel toothbrush. I hope you all have a lovely week.

So:

Breakfast: turkey/tomato scrambled eggs in a wholegrain wrap (we were running late for an appointment so I made it into a burrito to eat in the car while my husband was driving)

Lunch: sushi, multigrain crisps, a little granola

Dinner: will be out at our local place, they usually have plenty of low GI choices and will happily swap the potatoes for extra veggies on the side. I always succumb and have some bread, though, because they tend to have a nice wholemeal/seeded choice in addition to the other stuff and I can't resist as it's all freshly baked.

 

[Plumfoodie]

By the way, don't laugh, I'm taking some Nakd bars and low GI granola in my suitcase with me!!

 

[babliboobabu]

Have a wonderful time, Plum. What is it that they say? Missing you already.

 

[CaliSweden]

I think your food choices today were really great. I know for me when it comes to sushi I have a huge weakness for, and will eat majority on my plate >_<

Dinner sounds like it's going to be really yummy too Will be missing you while you're away. I hope that you have a great vacation and enjoy the sun for me I think it's a great idea that you're taking Nakd bars and low gi bars with you. It's a great way to stick to eating low GI when out at the airport.

 

[irish molly]

Oh Plum, sorry I've missed you before you go on hols. Have a great time. Snap with bringing the bars. I always bring some bars with me too. They really come in handy at times and can save you going off track completely.

 

[Plumfoodie]

Thanks Molly.

Just hitting the internet briefly while my Mom is across the kitchen trimming aubergines for dinner. This week will be a real test for me; I'm adhering to GI principles but not actually measuring or counting food/calories. In the past this hasn't worked out very well for me personally but we'll see! I don't mind if I have a gain afterwards (the food is so delicious it's totally worth it) but it will be interesting to see whether I do or not - if not then I will consider stopping the counting at home as well and just follow the principles.

So far there's been lots of yummy food, last night we went to a traditional family-style restaurant which cooks lots of nice veggie dishes instead of the meze you get in some places which can be full of meat and bread and very little veg. It's such an unassuming little place, in fact it's nestled beside a petrol station and it would be easy to miss it entirely. I always like to go there every visit and tuck in! In addition to a couple of traditional sausage varieties, traditional village bread and a big Greek salad, we had rocket cooked with scrambled eggs (unusual but delicious), long pointed peppers stuffed with herby cheese, cured ham with halloumi and olives, a spinach and feta crepe, and squid cooked in wine. Actually reading it back we didn't have as many veggie dishes as we usually do but the salad was enormous and the quantities of meat were pretty small.

 

[Plumfoodie]

Actually I forgot to mention the biggest challenge when I come to visit. My parents keep a food schedule that works for them but doesn't work for me! They may eat breakfast at 11am or later, then have a coffee and biscuit around 4pm, then dinner at 10pm or later. Food during the day is really light and sporadic. Fortunately because I'm visiting family I can make myself snacks throughout the day, but just the thought of the spreadout meals actually makes me feel hungrier, quite ravenous actually, and when we do sit down for a meal I find myself almost unconciously filling up so that it will last me for awhile. It's difficult for me to force myself to eat less when I feel soooo hungry, and remind myself that I can have a little snack any time. But I'm trying!

 

[CaliSweden]

Ohhh this is a nice surprise to hear from you on your vacation!!!

The food sounds so lovely there, it must be really wonderful. I think you're doing really well for being away from home, and the food sounds really healthy so I wouldn't worry too much.

It is very difficult to eat on someone else's timing, especially while dieting. Are you able to eat snacks inbetween the meals?

How long will you be on vacation for? I'm sure you'll do great not counting calories or weighing the food. I always keep an eye on the portion sizes that seems to be the most important thing for me at least

 

[Plumfoodie]

Well, I am back, sort of. I got home at 5:30 a.m. and as I can't sleep on planes am feeling pretty zombified! Managed a few hours this morning but didn't dare to sleep too long as I've got to go to bed on time tonight for work tomorrow.

I weigh 3.2lb more than I did when I left last Sunday, but my scale confirms that I'm retaining water from the flight (it shows the % in the body) so hopefully at least some of this will shift before Thursday. Too tired to face calorie tracking at the mo! And I ate so much food that if I'm left with a 'real' gain it will be what I deserve!

Whenever I return from Cyprus I'm inspired to cook more Greek and Cypriot foods at home. Unfortunately at this time of year it becomes difficult to get good ripe veggies that are often the stars of these dishes. So we'll see!

 

[CaliSweden]

Welcome home Plum It's never comfortable or easy to sleep on the plane. I always feel zombified too after a long flight.

I wouldn't worry about the weight gain too much Plum, as I'm sure most or all will go away by Thursday I so dislike retaining water

The Greek and Cypriot inspired foods sounds yummy! MMMM mmm I hope your holiday was wonderful!

 

[Plumfoodie]

Thanks Cali. it's always nice to visit my mom/stepdad and see the sunshine (and eat and eat - LOL!) but I'm always a bit melancholy when I have to leave them again. It would be nice to live more closely and be able to see them more often than a couple of times a year. But ho hum, I guess that's the life of a family of expats.

 

[CaliSweden]

It's the same way with me. Too bad they haven't invented a faster and cheaper travel yet. So we can see our families much more often

 

[irish molly]

Welcome back Plum. It sounds like you had a really nice time despite the bittersweet sense of leaving everyone behind .
Like Cali says the gain may not be too bad come weigh in day. In any event, you have to allow for occasional gains. It's getting back on the wagon that counts. On such occasions, I do a strict five days of no wheat, potato rice or pasta to get back on track. For me, that kicks any sugar cravings etc and gets me nicely on the GL road again.
Have a good rest before getting back to work.

 

[babliboobabu]

Welcome back Plum. You must be in shock after the warm sunshine of the Med to come back to this horribly cold weather!

Don't worry to much about the weight gain - I'm sure by Thursday most of that would have dropped off.

 

[Plumfoodie]

Thanks all for the nice comments. We'll see what tomorrow morning brings. I'm not holding my breath, the water weight has been dropping off but it's totm and I'm too busy at work and my husband is away on business and the days are getting shorter and so I've been eating everything within reach today (and some things that I had to stand on a stool to get, too).