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.

Because I taste food differently. None of my old favourites taste as good as they used to, which I understand is a really good thing. Unfortunately I have a tendency to keep trying them just in case, but I'm working on that. Old habits die hard.

Have spent most of the day hanging around like a spare part while the removal guys packed, and trying to resist eating too many any of the vast quantity of chocolate biscuits I bought for them!

Will copy and post it later - it's in his America book but no, not online. Irritatingly!

Neeko I know exactly what you mean. It's so odd isn't it? It's like your brain refuses to accept the fact. I think I read about this is the slow down diet so I'll have a check to see if there is any wisdom there.

I did exactly this last night. I came home from working away. I thought I'd fully accepted what foods made me feel better and what doesn't (healthy and not so all included on both lists). Dp had bought a family size chocolate bar and we all scoffed it- I didn't enjoy it and knew I wouldn't as it makes my teeth hurt and whilst I like choc, I know I enjoy certain types. But I still ate. I actually ate it quickly so I wouldn't notice myself not enjoying it! Is there any hope for me

Thanks Americas that would be great!

I let myself down yesterday with a packet of Walkers Steak Fajita crisps DH had left in the cupboard. I KNOW that processed food doesn't agree with me, but still found myself almost salivating at the idea of eating them, then spending the next several hours as a shaky wreck as they did weird things to my blood sugars! Still - a good lesson re-learned I hope...

Stilllearnin and Bramshott. I did the same with a box of malteasers that DH and I shared last night. Thought they'd be delicious. They weren't but I kept eating just in case!

I think I need a bank of easy and quick meals that I DO enjoy to stop me seeing processed food as an option on a stressful day. Any ideas?

Neeko how about those salmon fillets that come in the ready to steam pouches? Aldi do them and you just pop them in the microwave for 4 minutes. They do have flavourings added but it's still a bit of fish really. I do that with boiled potatoes but done in my Lakeland rice steamer so they only take about 8 minutes.

Wholemeal pasta and a HM sauce taken out of the freezer?

Steak and mushrooms take less than 10 minutes including chopping the mushrooms.

Anything with roasted veg. I know it takes a while but once it's in the oven you can leave it and come back in half an hour.

Apologies if these aren't your thing. Can't remember yet who has what allergies and who is veggie!

Good ideas from Shortaris, Neeko, things like fish fillets are handy as they cook so quickly, so you could use the ones ready wrapped or wrap salmon in Parma ham and bake. Keep sachets/tins of ready cooked lentils and beans or chickpeas handy. A bag of spinach takes a minute to steam, add to lentils with a dollop of seasoned yoghurt and serve with fish. Seared tuna and stir fried veg is super fast too. Roasted veg - Mediterranean style or winter roots like beetroot/carrot/sweet potato keeps in the fridge for a few days and can be reheated easily, so you could do that on a weekend or evening when you are actually eating something else. Lots of people swear by their slow cookers,...

On the eating things you know you don't react well to or even enjoy that much, I think it's true, it is a kind of 'refresher lesson' when we do it. It's hard to undo associations we have had in our mind for so many years. Eventually I think there does come a time when we truly go past a certain point...where that food is not just not as enjoyable as we remember but positively horrible. So each time we have the lesson we get closer to that I guess. I reached that with a McDonald's last year, didn't enjoy it in the slightest and felt so horrible afterwards that I said never again-it just tasted so artificial and greasy. I'm no angel, I still love a great takeaway curry or fish and chips, but for me, cheap burgers in plastic bread are just a waste of time and calories.

Thanks all- some really good ideas. It's really interesting isn't it? It's definitely all about changing what counts as food and processed stuff isn't it. Ive spent a lot of my adult life thinking about food an fits refreshing to be thinking of it in a more positive way.

Checking in

Still struggling but have been walking loads to try and compensate. Hope everyone is well.

Tonight's tea
Merchant gourmet mixed grains (ready cooked, eat straight from pack)
Spring onions, cucumber, sun dried tomatoes, mixed roast veg
Feta cheese
Red wine vinegar

Nice choice - good as it gets. I have lovely Camembert - any suggestions besides just eat it?

Hi Dame, good to see you - hang in there and walking is so good in many ways for me. It means getting outside, love getting places under my own steam, good for headspace, besides anything else.

Fuzzpig- how's things?

Ah goodas that sounds like my ideal bunged-together dinner

neeko I always have feta, presteamed lentils and fresh spinach in the fridge to throw together quickly and easily on their own or mixed up with whatever leftovers are lying around. Always cook double the amount of quinoa or bulgar wheat as they're great with say feta and defrosted frozen peas and chilli flakes

I'm not doing too badly but not doing too well at the moment either

I'm lazy and don't have much time so I go for easy
Generally things like roast chicken off the hot counter, steam veg packets, individual portions of seeds to snack on etc etc

For snacking my saviour is almonds. If I have a bag in the cupboard, from which I refill a little pot in my handbag then I can hopefully stay on the straight and narrow!

Hello, I'm checking back in
Been going throu a bit if a stressful time but my body is wanting good food again. Looking forward to catching up on the thread and checking out all the fab ideas :)

Like pp I keep having to check if I'm really off chocolate. I am, but keep going back!

Tonight's tea is a vague attempt at shakshuka
Chopped garlic and spring onions, canned tomatoes, smoked paprika. Cracked three eggs in and some goats cheese

how did the shakshuka turn out - i find with those dishes i end up doing some variation of the recipe! (problem is it eventually defaults to a tomatoey and pepper thingy when i cook). I think there is a recipe for this in the Plenty cookbook.

Horrible horrible day all round. I have been feeling sick since i passed out last weekend and i had a lot or running around today and not a lot of appreciation. I've had two beers and a fair amount of cheese. I plan to go for a run first thing - I'll follow a tried and tested 5k route but I'm not expecting much - just hoping that getting out will make me feel better even if I end up walking parts. I have decided to go back to my 'try one new recipe each week' plan. The kids are going through a moany patch about our meals which I have let get the better of me. However, the fish talk upthread made me realise I should try some simple fish for dd (the rest of us are veggie). I've never cooked meat or fish. Any tips on simple fish meals for 1?

It was nice but would use feta next time I think

Easy fish - ask at fish counter and they usually advertise parcels where they pack fish in a bag with butter and herb stuff and you just stick it in the oven
Less easy - do it yourself with a tinfoil bag, lemon, herbs
Or things like tuna fishcakes are nice

Hey hope no-one minds if I jump in. Have seen these threads in active convos and I need a serious kick up the bum with my diet in general. Loving reading your recipes on here.

Used to be fairly good with food until the past few years. Recently had a cholesterol test done and it's higher than they'd like it so it's time to face facts and get my diet under control.

Rummi! Lovely to see you

Still sorry you are having a rough time. Think of the run tomorrow as a bit of time for yourself, a nourishing process rather than anything else, it doesn't matter how much of it you walk or run, try and enjoy the fresh air and movement

Thanks sleep :)
I resisted the pizza and had an omelette instead :)

Oh and welcome Morrigu

I'm thinking of starting a regular 'change one thing this week' ideas for healthy swaps or additions to make to diet/activity on my blog, I could post it here as well...what do you think?