Upper Fourth at Celery Towers - 10 / 10 club - All welcome

[FrannyandZooey]

For anyone who wants a boost to their general health. The suggested goals are:

EAT 10 PORTIONS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY - if you don't usually eat much fruit and veg I would build up gradually or you could upset your digestion.

DO (AT LEAST) 10 MINUTES OF EXERCISE EVERY DAY - can be yoga, stretching or something more energetic. The plan is that the idea of doing 10 minutes is not too daunting, and having started you may well find you want to do more.

There are no restrictions on what you eat so long as you get your 10 fruit and veg as well. The focus is not on weight loss but on improving our energy levels and hopefully our general mood and well-being. Sign up below and post here to tell us how you're getting on and how you are feeling.

Basic guidance on what constitutes a portion of fruit and veg here and you can download more detailed information by following the link at the very bottom of the page

24???????????????

oh, it's sunny now (east coast), but you know how it is at the moment, just as you hang out the washing lightening strikes, mind you, it might be nice on the beach in a storm. Well, in the car..

oh stop it, that sounds utterly delicious!! Pavlova, Yum!

wonder if oatly cream would make a good pavlova

aviatrix - meant to ask - what club were you catering for? [nosey]

avatrix you dineer sounds wonderful - couldn't even attempt that for my family let alone 24!

Had strawberries for breakfast and are off strawberry picking today so hopefully will do much better than of late.

Tell me all how much healthier you feel if you eat loads of fruit a nd vegetables.

(hi fmf)

That's better, I realised I've been wandering round with a nickname which should have been cast off days ago. How embarassing, it's like going on the school run with glitter still on your face from the night before...

BBB - I haven't had a cold since Feb [tempts fate] and I do feel much more energised! And my skin is better.

I'm not manic depressive, at least, I don't do the depressive end, just the manic. (I've never been diagnosed, it's not that severe, just irritating.)

Reasonable night's sleep, had decent breakfast, then big cup of gazpatcho, and a good croissant (yum). Did a big shopping run, and bought lots more veg and fruit. Will probably make fattoush this weekend, much to DH's delight, it's the only salad he really loves.

Other planned meals:

• mushroom and cheese tart
• normal salad, with grated beetroot
• pork, with savoy cabbage on the side
• oh, and I'll make a big batch of gazpatcho
• maybe do something with peaches and nectarines? they seem to be breeding.

ILs expected soon.

Had lots of cherries. And thinking about biking to the school fete, rather than taking the bus. I feel a bit guilty about avoiding ILs this way, but the bus really does make me nauseated.

I am sure caffeine makes it worse. I am sure sugar makes it worse. I can't stand the thought of having either of these, while I am manic, so I haven't tested this theory.

The aversion is really strong - we went to the lovely ice cream place. If I haven't had a lot of food in the day, I often think, oh, I don't need ice cream, I won't have one, but then I do, anyway. This time, I hadn't eaten much, but none of it looked ... I just couldn't ...

I don't know WTF I will do at this bloody school fair.

I suspect exercise helps. I certainly feel compelled to exercise. Knitting might help?

I suspect meditation and self-hypnosis and so on would help, but I don't think I could sit still long enough.

Oh, time off doesn't help. It is in fact one of the problems.

I am trying some new solutions at the moment - I am trying to get more domestic stuff done, which is what I feel driven to do. I think maybe this would help?

I am also trying to work out what sort of classes I should try to sign up for - I could do local vocational stuff (cooking or something?), I could take something at the nearest uni, which is very near, if they'd have me. Or I could do something at the Open University. My volunteer job is definately disappearing in September, so I will need to be doing something else then I think.

MrsC, have you tried the dairy-free squirty cream? It's SoyaToo! - made by a German company. Useful for occasions.

I am completely peeed off with the amount of time I spend in the kitchen. Would appreciate ideas for super-quick, child-friendly meals (vegan...).

Also, before I embark upon the exercise, does anybody have a really foolproof falafel recipe?

Have eaten grapefruit and apple.

Lullaby hooray! Here is the banana cake recipe (from Optimum Nutrition for Babies etc):

4 oz self raising wholemeal flour
half tsp mixed spice
2 oz butter
3 oz raisins
8 oz banana
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 180 / gm 4.

Mix flour and spice, rub in butter and stir in raisins. In a separate bowl, mash the banana and egg. Stir into the flour mixture and put into a well-greased tin (fills a small loaf tin I think or I usually double up the quantities and put it in an 8" circular cake tin). Turn oven down to GM 3 / 160 C and cook on the middle shelf for 1 hour or until cooked.

I usually cover it with a mixture of philadelphia cream cheese and fruit spread (about 2 parts cream cheese to one part fruit spread / jam). I blend them together in the liquidiser. However it is good just by itself as well. This recipe is pretty healthy as well as easy to make, but actually tastes very good. I've used it as a birthday cake before - it's lovely and sweet.

more in a bit, must eat before I fall over

Hey, no sugar! Great! I'll veganise it...

Works very well with ground linseed and water egg replacer, TooT

MrsC
what are acai berries? I keep hearing about them (from you?) but don't know what they look like or why they are good

Avi, eek @ cooking for 24. How did you fit them all in?

thanks franny....hurray to cake with no sugar!!!!!!!!

just been to local school fete....cake stall was v.disappointing...all shop produce...french fancies etc(bleuuuuugggghhhhhh)......dreams of country livingesque fairs with cream teas & plant stalls & pottery &&&&&&&...>>

had a lovely picnic in the park afterwards...cous cous & roasted veg, ...avocado ,mozzerella & sunblush tomato & basil salad ,rocket....blueberries,raspberries & ...strawberry muffins
ds tucked up for his nap now

Forgot to say, I have had peach, grapes, strawberries, plums, raisins

and lettuce, cuc, kidney beans, tomato, and carrot in a pitta for lunch