Comfort Eating
A shorter blog today as am not in a good mood! Yesterday didn't do anything that I'd planned, as felt really tired, so rested most of the day. Woke late today and still feel tired, so probably need to take some iron pills to give me a boost.
No sailing yesterday due to high winds, so B arrived home clutching a pile of shopping. I had asked him to bring me a pack of the new Walker's Stars (star shaped crisps) as they were much lower in fat than their usual ones. If I liked them then would probably change. But, being B, he brought a six-pack of Star Sweet Chilli flavoured crisps, and a six-pack of Star salt and vinegar. Have to say one taste of the salt and vinegar and I didn't like them, as strangely they tasted greasier than the 'normal' ones. The Sweet Chilli were better, but in the end gave them all to B. He also brought me a big bar of chocolate. I was fed up as he brought in other things, the total cost being around £9 (expecting me to pay), the other purchases were things he felt he needed (not wanted), but these I already had anyway (or about to make). The chocolate I did eat to comfort me, then felt guilty as I was trying to cut calories that day. Fortunately today my weight has not risen, but then I haven't lost any either as hoped to do.
As B had also brought in two loaves of bread (Morrison's doing two big toasting loaves for £1 total), have to admit that WAS a good purchase, as these work out cheaper than home-made and I hadn't yet begun baking the bread as planned. One loaf has been put in the freezer.
As B had brought himself some fresh cooked prawns (we have plenty frozen in the freezer), he said he'd use these for his supper, but although he found a good recipe, he decided to alter it and just heat the prawns with some 2 minute microwave rice, leaving out all the other - much tastier - ingredients. He'll learn that it isn't always advisable to make short cuts if you are looking to eat a tasty meal.
Couldn't quite understand Les's comment on not altering recipes seen on TV as a 'meatloaf could end up like a burger'. Didn't think I had done that when giving the meat loaf recipe as this was not from a TV prog. but adapted from one printed. I always 'adapt' by either adjusting quantities to make a dish cheaper, or including different ingredients than those given, aiming to add to the flavour not decrease it without more expense. Hope I'm experienced enough to know what can be altered and what should stay the same. No point in giving any recipes if they are the same as those to be found elsewhere.
Dave is the shorter one of the two Hairy Bikers Campfire. Si is the one with more hair. Believe Si has three sons, know the chubby one you are referring to, he has very red hair. Possibly Si will get all his family eating more healthily.
A new name to this site, so welcome to Karen Lizzie who has given me good info regarding where to buy dried onions. Thanks for that. Have never heard of 'dry fired salad onions', but will look out for them. We don't seem to have any Asian supermarkets/shops in Morecambe and there is supposed to be one in Lancaster, but when we drove down the road it should be, all we could see were ordinary houses. There is a Thai mini-supermarket I've seen in Lancaster, so one day will browse round there. Am sure they will sell dried shrimps - these being something that could well be worth having as I love eating shrimps and prawns, and once soaked the dried might be quite good when making various Oriental dishes.
One thing about bad weather Jane, if we have it now the chances are it will change for the better over the following days, so let's hope you get some sun during your holiday in Scarborough. Am sure that even if you eat loads of 'naughties' while away, you will burn off the calories walking around and just enjoying yourself. Always worked for me.
Am pretty sure Morrison's (and even Tesco) sell dried onions if not onion powder, I've just never looked when in the store (or on their website). It's only very recently, seeing the constant use of onion power in the US cookery progs that I realise how useful it could be, so now want to want to try using it myself.
What began as a sunny day with lots of blue sky has now turned into yet another gloomy day with rain bearing clouds having obscured the sun and blue, and this has made me feel fed up even more. Wish I could pull myself out of this 'slough of despond', and hopefully a couple of days on iron pills will do the trick. It's worked before.
Believe next weekend is another sailing club 'gathering', so hopefully another 'bakeathon' that certainly will perk me up. Perhaps this is the problem, I love cooking (for others) SO much that these last months when cooking for the club has really lifted my spirits, but on weeks when there is no need, I then feel a bit lost and 'useless'.
Gill, when she phoned me today, said many people this year are feeling more weary than usual, and we think this is because of the bad weather we have had, no real 'summer' to speak of, and this added to the recession, the promise of increasing fuel prices and also food prices these next few months, nothing really to look forward to.
Yet 'coping in adversity' is normally something I enjoy doing, so perhaps I can swing the depression round to making life a bit more fun for not just me, but for everyone who reads this blog. We can always start thinking now about Christmas, hunting the charity shops, car boots, and jumble sales for gifts (or materials) that we KNOW someone would really like, rather than spend loads more on something that we THINK they would like (and probably they wouldn't). Do know that myself would much rather have something I can use (even if it cost only pennies)rather than something that would end up pushed to the back of a cupboard.
When more thought is given to seeking out and buying the perfect gift (or even better, making one), even if it costs very little, the time taken counts, and the recipient can feel the love and care that has gone into this, which is worth far more than any gift just purchased over the counter that may cost £££s.
As an example two gifts once given have come to mind. One being a cheap stamp album, some stamp hinges and two packs of used stamps (bought from a local post office), given to my young grandson for his birthday. I know my daughter thought I was being extremely mean, but it worked out as I hoped it would. Grandson just loved sticking the stamps into his album, we could look up the different countries of origin in an atlas, and he collected more stamps and eventually got his 'stamp collectors' badge at 'Cubs'. He kept on collecting stamps for several years I believe.
Another gift was a paper knife bought for 10p at a car-boot sale. This was for a gift for a good friend who collected paper knives, and this being particularly pretty, she was thrilled to bits with it. She didn't know the cost of course, but that wouldn't have mattered anyway, the gift was exactly what she wanted. And that's what matters most.
Time is getting on, and so far have not got back to my 'happy bunny' feeling that I wish to feel at the start of every day. Think it is better to sign off now and maybe try and do something that will be interesting to write about tomorrow. You may like to log on again and find out. If so, see you then.
No sailing yesterday due to high winds, so B arrived home clutching a pile of shopping. I had asked him to bring me a pack of the new Walker's Stars (star shaped crisps) as they were much lower in fat than their usual ones. If I liked them then would probably change. But, being B, he brought a six-pack of Star Sweet Chilli flavoured crisps, and a six-pack of Star salt and vinegar. Have to say one taste of the salt and vinegar and I didn't like them, as strangely they tasted greasier than the 'normal' ones. The Sweet Chilli were better, but in the end gave them all to B. He also brought me a big bar of chocolate. I was fed up as he brought in other things, the total cost being around £9 (expecting me to pay), the other purchases were things he felt he needed (not wanted), but these I already had anyway (or about to make). The chocolate I did eat to comfort me, then felt guilty as I was trying to cut calories that day. Fortunately today my weight has not risen, but then I haven't lost any either as hoped to do.
As B had also brought in two loaves of bread (Morrison's doing two big toasting loaves for £1 total), have to admit that WAS a good purchase, as these work out cheaper than home-made and I hadn't yet begun baking the bread as planned. One loaf has been put in the freezer.
As B had brought himself some fresh cooked prawns (we have plenty frozen in the freezer), he said he'd use these for his supper, but although he found a good recipe, he decided to alter it and just heat the prawns with some 2 minute microwave rice, leaving out all the other - much tastier - ingredients. He'll learn that it isn't always advisable to make short cuts if you are looking to eat a tasty meal.
Couldn't quite understand Les's comment on not altering recipes seen on TV as a 'meatloaf could end up like a burger'. Didn't think I had done that when giving the meat loaf recipe as this was not from a TV prog. but adapted from one printed. I always 'adapt' by either adjusting quantities to make a dish cheaper, or including different ingredients than those given, aiming to add to the flavour not decrease it without more expense. Hope I'm experienced enough to know what can be altered and what should stay the same. No point in giving any recipes if they are the same as those to be found elsewhere.
Dave is the shorter one of the two Hairy Bikers Campfire. Si is the one with more hair. Believe Si has three sons, know the chubby one you are referring to, he has very red hair. Possibly Si will get all his family eating more healthily.
A new name to this site, so welcome to Karen Lizzie who has given me good info regarding where to buy dried onions. Thanks for that. Have never heard of 'dry fired salad onions', but will look out for them. We don't seem to have any Asian supermarkets/shops in Morecambe and there is supposed to be one in Lancaster, but when we drove down the road it should be, all we could see were ordinary houses. There is a Thai mini-supermarket I've seen in Lancaster, so one day will browse round there. Am sure they will sell dried shrimps - these being something that could well be worth having as I love eating shrimps and prawns, and once soaked the dried might be quite good when making various Oriental dishes.
One thing about bad weather Jane, if we have it now the chances are it will change for the better over the following days, so let's hope you get some sun during your holiday in Scarborough. Am sure that even if you eat loads of 'naughties' while away, you will burn off the calories walking around and just enjoying yourself. Always worked for me.
Am pretty sure Morrison's (and even Tesco) sell dried onions if not onion powder, I've just never looked when in the store (or on their website). It's only very recently, seeing the constant use of onion power in the US cookery progs that I realise how useful it could be, so now want to want to try using it myself.
What began as a sunny day with lots of blue sky has now turned into yet another gloomy day with rain bearing clouds having obscured the sun and blue, and this has made me feel fed up even more. Wish I could pull myself out of this 'slough of despond', and hopefully a couple of days on iron pills will do the trick. It's worked before.
Believe next weekend is another sailing club 'gathering', so hopefully another 'bakeathon' that certainly will perk me up. Perhaps this is the problem, I love cooking (for others) SO much that these last months when cooking for the club has really lifted my spirits, but on weeks when there is no need, I then feel a bit lost and 'useless'.
Gill, when she phoned me today, said many people this year are feeling more weary than usual, and we think this is because of the bad weather we have had, no real 'summer' to speak of, and this added to the recession, the promise of increasing fuel prices and also food prices these next few months, nothing really to look forward to.
Yet 'coping in adversity' is normally something I enjoy doing, so perhaps I can swing the depression round to making life a bit more fun for not just me, but for everyone who reads this blog. We can always start thinking now about Christmas, hunting the charity shops, car boots, and jumble sales for gifts (or materials) that we KNOW someone would really like, rather than spend loads more on something that we THINK they would like (and probably they wouldn't). Do know that myself would much rather have something I can use (even if it cost only pennies)rather than something that would end up pushed to the back of a cupboard.
When more thought is given to seeking out and buying the perfect gift (or even better, making one), even if it costs very little, the time taken counts, and the recipient can feel the love and care that has gone into this, which is worth far more than any gift just purchased over the counter that may cost £££s.
As an example two gifts once given have come to mind. One being a cheap stamp album, some stamp hinges and two packs of used stamps (bought from a local post office), given to my young grandson for his birthday. I know my daughter thought I was being extremely mean, but it worked out as I hoped it would. Grandson just loved sticking the stamps into his album, we could look up the different countries of origin in an atlas, and he collected more stamps and eventually got his 'stamp collectors' badge at 'Cubs'. He kept on collecting stamps for several years I believe.
Another gift was a paper knife bought for 10p at a car-boot sale. This was for a gift for a good friend who collected paper knives, and this being particularly pretty, she was thrilled to bits with it. She didn't know the cost of course, but that wouldn't have mattered anyway, the gift was exactly what she wanted. And that's what matters most.
Time is getting on, and so far have not got back to my 'happy bunny' feeling that I wish to feel at the start of every day. Think it is better to sign off now and maybe try and do something that will be interesting to write about tomorrow. You may like to log on again and find out. If so, see you then.
posted by Shirley at 9:45 am
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