Weekend

This weekend my mum came to stay, and there was much shopping and walking around and wailing at the injustice of clothes designers who do not cater for the shape of the average 62 year old woman.

I think I've managed to stay fairly on track with CRON, but of course that wine crept in again. I need to recover the iron discipline of early January in that respect, and FAST! I think I've gained a little back of what I lost; I feel heavier.

I made breakfasts for us both on all three mornings (she just left this morning), with mine carefully measured and hers not so. Berries, and nuts, and seeds, and yoghurt. Two of the mornings we shared a 60g slice of rye bread.

Lunches were tricky. Mum suffers from terrible migraines, and has cut out a load of foods that she believes to be triggers - and they may be, but she still gets the headaches. So she doesn't eat anything with cheese or chocolate in, or chilli. She doesn't like fish, or shellfish, or "meaty meats" like game. She doesn't really eat many eggs either. And there's me, who doesn't eat pasta or rice if she can help it, nor cheese (not now, though I adore it), nor meat nor fish. Try finding a decent place that serves a menu to suit both of us! It was hard. On both days we went to pubs that I know do good food - well sourced, well cooked, usually delicious. Even then, it was so difficult to find something that we could / wanted to eat, despite the wonderful dishes available.

I did compromise on both occasions. Saturday lunch I ate some goat's cheese on "wafer thin pizza" (essentially crisp filo-like pastry, which I left) with roasted peppers and salad leaves. An oil and basil dressing. Sausage and mash for mum. Saturday evening I made her soup, and a spinach, rocket and watercress salad for me with steamed asparagus and hardboiled eggwhites. I also managed to find time to steam some broccoli and eat some raw mushrooms mid-afternoon, so I got close to good nutrition when I entered it all in CoM. I had no idea what to estimate for the dressing on my salad, but was surprised that the total, even being generous with th goat's cheese and adding in a couple of slices of baguette, was so low. I think I am over-estimating how many calories I consume in food when I eat out again. Note the "in food" part of that sentence!

Yesterday (Sunday) we grabbed soup in one of my favourite pubs in Bath. Mine was chilled beetroot with sour cream / yoghurt and dill. Yum! Large slice of bread. Oh dear. In the evening, I cooked a tofu, spinach, mushroom bake. 1 packet of tofu blended with 500g spinach (raw weight, didn't measure it cooked); mushrooms cooked in a little red wine; tomatoes and onions cooked with garlic. All layered with courgette, and topped with cherry tomatoes. It looked extremely 70's vegetarian, but tasted alright. And if I did the cals correctly in CoM, just over 300 cals a portion.

I want to start making pretty food again though, food that looks good on the plate and will be delicious and CR friendly. I love my piles of veggies and my salads but there are times when I look at the greens that need to be consumed and just wilt in the face of them.

I read the online article that featured Mary and was linked to in her blog and once again I just don't understand how people think CRON involves so little food! Eat the mountain of kale if you want it and the vat of soup; I do!

Nigel Slater in yesterday's Observer has some totally yummy kale suggestions... I love Nigel Slater's food writing; reading his recipes is almost better than eating the results... I need to get some miso; that kale and chilli soup sounds just right for me at the moment; it is a totally foul, wet and windy February day.

Wedding... well, obviously I am hoping that CRON will transform me into a stunning bride! So it's sort of connected to this blog. But I won't go all Bridezilla and keep going on about it. I might post some pictures of the venue though, if anyone is interested; it is so pretty! And on this horrible cold day, I need a summer party to look forward to.