Come forward EatBetterers and unite - it's the second happy healthy eating thread!

[fuzzpig]

Here's the previous thread where it all began!

EatBetterers are trying to improve the diets of ourselves and our families. No weighing, restricting, calorie counting etc - just finding joy in nourishing ourselves by making positive changes one step at a time. All welcome! :)

Sounds great, Sleep! Sounds like the kind of thing I could benefit from! Would you mind if I PM you?

sleep I have a soup maker which is bloody brilliant for turning any old veg into lovely soup in 20 minutes. Brocolli is the toddlers favourite at the moment - thanks to veggie MIL who can persuade him to try just about anything.

I like the idea of avocados and cold cuts on toast. I had a Swedish ex and this was the kind of stuff he would have for breakfast, lots of salami, smoked salmon, cheeses etc on nice seeded or rye bread. Will pick some stuff up when I'm in lidl next week. Thanks

I'm not vegan/vegetarian, just allergic to eggs so that's the only thing I can't eat (in any form).

Of course not Agent

I think I've posted most of these before so sorry for boring you if you've seen them already

Here is the hot and sour soup recipe I use as the basis for mine. I try and use fresh stock whenever I can, so it usually follows on from a roast chicken meal. Sometimes I use leftover chicken or bake some salmon fillet with chilli and ginger/soy and pop it on top of the soup.

Another easy dinner is cod (or any white fish) with chorizo and chickpeas. Gently fry a chopped onion and clove or two of garlic in an oven proof pan until soft and starting to colour - add some sliced chorizo and fry for just 1-2 mins, then pop in a tin of chickpeas and a tin of chopped tomatoes, stir then add a bag of spinach for a minute or two until it wilts. Season two fish fillets and place them on the contents of the pan. Put in the oven at 180 for 15-20 mins and serve with some steamed green veg.

Similar to above is a low input fish pie - bake some sweet potatoes and a mixture of fish with some olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning and cook a pile of peas or steam a bag of spinach in the microwave. Chop up some onion/spring onions and fry gently then mix fish and veg in the pan with some creme fraiche. Top with the mashed sweet potato and bake for ten mins.

Even quicker and less carby, steam a bag of spinach and put in a baking dish. Place seasoned fish fillets (I love smoked haddock for this) on top and throw in a pile of cherry tomatoes. Chop up some spring onions and mix them with creme fraiche, grated cheese, lots of pepper and lemon juice and blob it over the fish and veg. Rip up a slice or two of wholegrainbread so you have crumbs and sprinkle over the top with a bit more grated cheese and bake for 20 mins. Nice with steamed broccoli and also lentils if you want something more substantial.

Agent I could've written your post word for word even down to the dog!
I am going to try this. I need to lose a stone, and I'm fairly sugar addicted. I'm at home all day & it's just too tempting to snack in the stuff that's meant for kids lunch boxes (wagon wheels / crisps).

Next week we're doing a sponsored live below the line where we only get £1 a day for all food and drink. It's going to be mostly rice & lentils. No sugar, no fuzzy drinks, no alcohol. I'm hoping as well as the fundraising thing it'll help me to realise that I don't need sugar and processed food.

Welcome poshme, sincity and enormouse! (Hope I haven't missed anyone, have a terrible memory!)

Sleep WELL DONE! That is fantastic news, congratulations :o

Lidl do a yoghurt called something like "luxury Greek"
A lot milder than total and I could eat it by the bucket (it comes in one with a handle on)

Thanks for that cod recipe, I'm planning on cooking cod in the week and wasn't sure what to do with it!

That soup looks great too!

Those recipes sound amazing, sleep!

what kind of dog do you have? (Totally irrelevant to thread!) I have a gorgeous rescue greyhound :)

I've eaten very indulgently today. My littlw brother is leaving home to join the forces so we're all back at my parents to see him off. I've tried to stick to damage limitation so have had small portions at meals and not snacked. I am still very full after a 3 course dinner rhough! But I could easily have had double the portions I did and been very uncomfortable! Trying to up my water intake as well as I very rarely drink 2l

Ooh - fish and chorizo is a combination I keep meaning to try. We are crap at buying fresh fish, partly because we mostly Internet shop, and partly because I worry about what white fish is sustainable...

Well done sleep, that sounds interesting. I've been blown off course recently with horrible home stuff but I'll be back soon.

Hi can I join this thread too? Two reasons I want to eat more healthily: Firstly I need to lose some weight - three children and over 40 and the weight has slowly crept on and I am just not happy about it. I know from past experience that I am not good at dieting - I just end up thinking about food all the time - I need a long-term sustainable change to my eating habits not an extreme diet where I will lose weight but put it back on again as soon as I stop (as I have seen happen to friends). In particular I would like a less bloated stomach. Also I don't want to feel guilty if I occasionally eat unhealthily e.g if out to dinner with friends. (There is nothing worse than meeting up with a friend who is on the 5:2 on their fasting day! It's so dull!)

Secondly, I have three lovely healthy children, and I want them to stay that way! They are all a healthy weight and fit, but like most children they do have a tendency towards sweet foods. Also my eldest is 8 and is starting to get body-conscious and I want her to grow up with a good relationship with food and her body. I try to avoid talking about dieting or losing weight in front of her.
With children the best way is to lead by example I think, so if they see me eating healthily every day then that will seem normal to them. Fortunately they do have quite good diets already but have various phases about what they will/won't eat which can make mealtimes a challenge at time!

So, I am trying to make meals which I can adapt to myself (smaller portions, fewer carbs, plus I don't like meat); husband (cycles a lot so needs bigger portions than me, eats meat); and the children. Not an easy task!

Anyway, small steps. My first goals are:

1. Reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates I eat (replacing with more vegetables, or healthier carbs. I like Ryvita. Or I will have a salad instead of a slice of bread.)
2. Reduce the amount of refined sugar
3. Making sure I am having protein with each meal - as I don't eat meat this is tricky but I do eat fish, eggs, nuts, pulses, cheese
4. I can't totally give up tea and coffee but I am replacing some cups with green tea
5. Less snacking on junk between meals

The refined carbs I am not finding too bad giving up. I know that my downfall is my sweet tooth though!

Does this all sound OK so far? Apologies for the long post. This has been a while coming!

Oh the other thing is to be more aware of whether I am actually hungry or not, not just eating for the sake of it.

Hello! We are big fans of mindful eating so that's a great way of getting in touch with your real appetite. It's also good to start learning why you are hungry - for example I've learned to recognise when I get the post-sugar/white carb slump, and the difference between that and the satisfied feeling I have all morning after an egg breakfast is keeping me motivated.

The way you describe your DCs' is similar to me - mostly a healthy diet (DD especially likes a wide range of fruit and veg - DS a bit narrower really but does like some so could be worse!) but big fans of snacky sweet stuff. Hard to find the balance in family life. The good thing about making small changes though is that the DCs barely notice the difference. The only thing I really mention is the positives of different foods, for example we talk about good fats and the fact that different colour fruit and veg have different nutrients. Don't really talk about 'bad' foods, if DD mentions something (yesterday she said "why do nanny and grandad drink wine when it's not good for you?"!) I'll remind her everything is ok now and then.

I achieved something yesterday, took the DCs by myself to an open day at the leisure centre across town. Quite rare that I manage to do stuff like that on my own (DH working).

Thinking of signing them up to a class each there but will have to plan food around it as the cafe food is not very good and ridulously expensive to boot.

I have a question- we grow quite a lot of fruit (blackcurrants, rhubarb, gooseberries etc) but if I'm trying to cut down refined sugar what should I sweeten them with ?
We tend to just have it as stewed fruit with plain yoghurt or ice cream but it does need done sugar otherwise it's too sharp.
I don't add as much as most people- my friends always add more to their bowl when eating at my house!
Any suggestions? Using the fruit is one of the ways I try and up the fruit intake for us all without the shopping bill going sky high.
Next week (after my £1 challenge) I'm going to try that cod recipe. Sounds yummy.

(I have a Labrador)

Fuzz, yes noticing how I feel after eating certain foods is motivating me too. Also it has quietened down my internal arguments about whether I should have something, is it really that bad, just this once etc etc etc!! Quite often that conversation does not even begin - that is quite a revelation!

Poshme, I use maple syrup or honey to sweeten, as they're the most natural, unprocessed things.

I would probably still use a little bit of sugar TBH. I also bought some stuff called Sweet Freedom which is supposed to be more natural.

Welcome donteat - your list sounds like exactly what this thread is about!

For anyone who likes green tea, twinings have done some new flavours. There's salted caramel and gingerbread which are a nice change

I'd use brown sugar with very sharp fruit.

Morning all, I am feeling positive today. Breakfast has been a smoothie (spinach, banana and orange juice), lunch will be scrambled egg with spinach and salad sticks and dinner will be tuna pasta bake with lots of veg in the sauce.

What's on the menu for everyone else?

Morning :)

I've had my eggs for breakfast as usual. I managed to get up before DH left today (this is a big achievement for me, due to my POTS I have to get up very slowly) and ate in plenty of time before needing to go on the school run. I really want to build on this - get up earlier and for DH and I to go to bed earlier, and then we can have more family time in the morning and all have a proper breakfast (DH and DCs are cereal addicts - as was I until joining this group!).

Lunch I'm planning on a quick cous cous with med veg and halloumi. Dinner will be jacket spuds with loads of broccoli and some mature cheddar :)