Eatbetterers part 3 -gather around healthy people !

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Third thread of healthy eating, no calorie counting just good, healthy food for us and our families.

Hi Dame welcome back (thought we'd lost you completely to Duran Duran, which I would understand ). It sounds like you are doing just fine, ebbs and flows and all that. Just getting back into walking will probably make you feel more positive . Pumpkin soup sounds yummy.

Got the Anna Jones book - going to try the lentil and crunchy kale soup first!

Yay - ds (6) and dd (9)) made it through their first Parkrun! They had a great big cookie afterwards, and I managed to stick to a banana.

Yay Holmes well done to the dc doing their first park run ; thinking of doing mine next week. My 6 year old would prob love it too.

Sleep let us know if the lentil soup is good, I might try the walnut and miso udon soup next.

We went into Cardiff today shopping anyone else find it really hard to make good choices when you are eating out. Did not too bad today went to wagamamma as that's where dd wanted to go so had lobster super salad and some edamame beans rather than the chicken Katsu I would of had a year ago.

For some reason I'm nervous about park run- i think it's because i'd see people I know. I need a decent flat 5k though! I'm off for a run in a minute- I'm determined to train up to 10k but I do think it'd be easier if I wasn't so heavy. Later I'll work out the menu for the week. I've decided to try one new recipe every week to reboot my cooking!

Hi everyone.
I agree with others about us not being too hard on ourselves. We've made great progress and when I think back to all the processed stuff I ate every day last year I'm really quite shocked.
I have days that are better than others. It really is to do with how well-organised you are and, once I'm organised, I need to be busy so that I don't have time to deviate from the food I've organised or prowl through the cupboards. We have to remember that this isn't a diet in the slimming sense of the word, but a way of life. Part of the reason that "diets" fail is because they are not adaptable to real life and there is always a perceived end point. This is different and if you have a less than healthy weekend (looks at self) then you fill up the fruit bowl and vegetable rack and plan what you are going to eat for the next few days. I think women are too quite to rebuke ourselves.

I'm still looking for a good homemade oat/nut/cereal bar to have at break...

Well done to all the runners and hat's off to doing a park run with your kids. My hip has been really sore again this weekend so I'm concentrating on my physio stretches and resting a bit. Will see how I feel tonight.

Sun is shining here and we are off to a family fun swim soon- hydrotherapy for the hip .

Hi everyone! I wrote a long post earlier but I played too fast and loose with the battery life and my iPod died before I hit post. D'oh.

Anyway, happy the DCs are back in school (although so far DD has been having epic strops, I think due to overwhelm at new huge school, so swings and roundabouts really...) basically I have been craving the time to myself - lots of things I need - and WANT - to work on now, our food, the house, my mental and physical fitness.

DD having started juniors and no longer getting FSM (DS as in KS1 will get them for 2 more years) so in enjoying putting together naice lunches (ask me again in a month and I may change my mind!) - for example next week I've promised her a pot of stir fried bean sprouts as part of it :o

But the biggest thing is... WE HAVE DITCHED THE CEREAL!!!

The DCs have asked for it a couple of times but amazingly no stroppiness - not even from DH - we've just muddled through with other stuff. DS is still being picky but I've got yoghurt and cheese for him, and DD is really enjoying veg-filled scrambled eggs especially when I add chorizo and pine nuts. And gran padano :o

Today I tried pancakes - virtually no flour, mostly banana, egg and that meridian 100% peanut butter and a little baking powder. I put blueberries in too. They were nice but DS refused them (probably because they were a different colour due to peanut butter - even though he likes peanut butter...). But DS is always hard to feed. I'm so glad DD is through that picky phase, it was horrible when they were both fussy. I hope DS grows out of it too. In the meantime I've got a bit better at sneaking the odd thing in (for example he will eat any sauce at all if it's with pasta, I blend it a little so there's no huge chunks) to make sure he gets more variety.

He actually loves sweet potato (but DD doesn't, argh) any suggestions for that please? Oven is out of action so can't do them roasted or chipped. Can I grill them?

Ah Fuzz lovely to see you back here, it sounds like you are in a great place to prioritise taking good care of yourself again. Fantastic changes with the DC's too. Do you have pancake recipe please and how peanutty tasting were they? , mine aren't fans of PB but the pancakes sound good. I make pancakes with buckwheat flour and they go down ok ( tho the DCs can tell the difference and prefer white flour ).

I made the winter root veg panzanella from Anna Jones book this evening (with seared tuna steak). Delicious and very filling, but I will be cheating and buying ready peeled and cubed squash next time - life is too short and my hands too -clumsy precious to peel any more raw butternut squash

Oh-do you have a microwave Fuzz? Or you coul steam cubed sweet potato and mash it? Pretty sure that would work. Doubtful grilling would...

Squash is tricky isn't it! I must admit I usually roast it lightly in quarters first before I do anything with it!

Does anyone make jam? I haven't tried it before, but there are loads of blackberries, and the DDs get through such a lot of jam with god knows what in, that I'm thinking it can't be too difficult?!

Struggling to know what to eat tonight as there's not much meat in the freezer as we need to set up an online shop (not back into term-time routines yet!). My vegbox is due this morning though, so I will hope that gives me inspiration. We have chicken breasts, and that's got to be the basis for something hasn't it! We've all been eating together over the summer which has been really, really nice. DD2 (7) has tried lamb phall, sri lankan mackerel curry, thai green chicken curry etc!! Most of the time she's eaten a fair bit of it. DD1 (11) prefers those sorts of dinners now in any case, but time will tell if DH (who is the main evening cook) can continue to get home early enough to make eating together work.

Recently I have been converted to not peeling the squash and just eating the skin. Works well for butternut not so much for thicker skinned ones. I quite often roast them for soup and you cannot tell when blended in.

Blackberry jam is bit pippy I find, bramble jelly nicer but more of a faff to make.

Bram Hemsley & Hemsley has a great looking recipe for healthy 'jam' - it uses blueberries but I'm sure blackberries would work..do you have the book? If not I can post it, looks very easy and quick.

Ooh, Sleep - I don't have that book and would love the recipe if you have a chance.

Stilllearnin - Parkrun is so fab! It's pretty uncompetitive - you're only competing with yourself really (unless you're one of the speed demons at the front, I guess!)

There are (very) elderly runners, little kids, people with buggies or dogs, and runners of all shapes, sizes and abilities. It's impossible to feel out of place. In fact, even when I used to feel a bit self-conscious when I first started running, Parkrun was the one time I felt fine about it!

Have I convinced you yet ?

I am really pleased because, having just squeezed in my fiftieth Parkrun (to get my 50 t-shirt) before we move away to an area with no Parkrun... it turns out that there's going to be a new one 20 mins from our new home (in a beautiful park to the south of Lake Windermere). Hurrah!

How many runners were there at yours Holmes my nearest one is about 70 ish each week which is pretty small I think and the fastest guy does it in 16min!!!!!just worried I will be the slowest but I guess someone has to be. In May I couldn't run for 1min so must focus on that. Think I am going to give it a go in the next few weeks .

Hi Bram - the recipe is for 'Instant Blueberry Chia jam' - says it makes a 400g jar and will keep for at least a week (though they reckon it will easily be gone by then) but not as long as normal jam.

180g blueberries
2.5 tbsp chia seeds
1-2.5 tsp raw honey (depending on how sweet the fruit is)

optional - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice

1. Mash the berries or blend in a food processor

1. Mix in the chia seeds, 1 tbsp warm water and 1 tsp of honey (and vanilla and lemon juice if using). Stir well to stop clumps forming or make it straight in the jar and shake to mix

1. Keep the chia jam sealed in a jar in the fridge to set for at least an hour or until needed.

1. Taste and stir in a little more honey if needed.

Let us know how it turns out

Haywire - there are sometimes 200 at mine! It's a 2-lap course and the fastest sometimes lap the slowest! My dc took 48 mins to do their first one in Saturday, bless them. They took some walk breaks. There was one woman behind us though, run/walking with the tail-runner. Everyone cheered my dc through the finish line. They were soooo chuffed!

Holmes that sounds really great your Dc must have been buzzing; so nice to be able to share that with them.

I bought a few new things to try today chia seeds, almond milk and cashew butter. Only last tried so far delicious, not sure what I going to do with others yet.

You could mix them with some oats and yoghurt Haywire and leave in the fridge overnight. Enjoy with fruit and a drizzle of honey for breakfast.., like Ella's version but I think plain/Greek yoghurt will do...

Thanks Sleep! I don't have raw honey but I have some of that Sweet Freedom stuff which is fruit sugars so I think I'll try with that. I'll let you know how I get on.

Morning all, Holmes how are the hives?

Not eaten brilliantly last week as new workplace is in town and been making the most of socialising opportunities. Loving it but can't keep having burgers, pizzas and nachos all the time! This is a dilemma for me as I go out a lot but don't fancy paying restaurant prices for salad! Think the answer is to eat really well at home and have what I fancy when I'm out so I don't feel deprived. Need to shift some belly fat again so back to the gym this week and then just watching what I eat really. LOADS of healthy lentil soup in the freezer for work lunches and need to do a shop today for veg and bits.

Thanks for asking, shortaris1! Still there, I'm afraid. Not nearly as bad as they were when I was away in France. Giving up booze seems to have improved matters hugely, but not cured me totally.

I have decided to hold off on the Whole30 and commit myself to keeping a proper food diary for a while before I try any major changes to my diet. All the most sensible-looking sites I've been on recommend that above all else. It seems silly to put myself through a really restrictive diet without properly trying to establish a pattern first. I've been very unscientific about it so far - pretty much clutching at straws!

You're right - it's hard to eat healthily when socialising. I'm not going out much atm as dh is away. He's back this weekend for his birthday though and I'm wondering if I'll manage to resist a glass of the champagne that's in the fridge. Plus we are going out to lunch...

Long, rambly post - sorry!

holmes I shall take a sneaky peek at my parkrun soon I think, you know in a just passing fashion

Why not wear your running kit for your casual sneaky peek, stilllearnin - then you might get drawn in and think 'What the heck - I'm here, so I might as well join in!'

I'll say one thing for this allergy nonsense - cutting out all booze plus the more obvious triggers like cheese, processed food etc is making me lose weight without really having to think about it! I had definitely put on quite a bit over the holidays and it's all gone again.

Stilllearnin tried the chia overnight oat thing thanks, didn't love it, think it was a bit cold for me from the fridge, so am going to try again but take it out of fridge before my run so it will be room temp when I get back.

Holmes I think booze makes all the difference weight wise I always lost some when first preggo due to lack of alcohol and I am not a huge drinker, 4-5 glasses wine or beer over weekend.

Had lovely ratatouille yesterday with a fried egg on top yum.