Bulgar wheat salad - fresh and tasty

We loved the Ottolenghi bulgar wheat salad so much we just had to make it again!
The fresh flavours were bursting with energy.
Last time it adorned our spicy AUBERGINE recipe - this time we ate it as a side to our chicken salad.
Either way, it was delicious and would make a fabulous lunch box item.
Experimenting with food has its upside - enjoying new flavours. So why not try making this very simple yet oh so tasty salad. We think you'll be hooked. Like we were.
This zesty salad would be a good accompaniment for anything hot and spicy.

REMEMBER:  - Do you know how many calories you are allowed each day?

Here's a link to our very first blog post about our weight loss journey, which we began in January 2011. We started this blog as a way of recording what we ate while losing weight. The blog is a food diary, and contains lots of recipes, tips and ideas about losing weight.

You'll find our WEIGHT LOSS PLAN here. 

Copyright © forget dieting forever (2014), all rights reserved. Please do not copy any of this material without my express permission.

CHICKEN CURRY SOUP - 250 calories

CHICKEN CURRY SOUP - for when you fancy something light and spicy.
We ate this gorgeous soup again yesterday and it was a tasty as ever.
I've included the original recipe below (for those who haven't seen it before).
I had to make a few minor changes, based on what I had in the cupboard e.g. substitute the turnip with a parsnip. And today I topped it with toasted cumin seeds for a bit of crunch.
This is a different and very simple way to use up leftover chicken - while achieving your curry fix at the same time. You can make it with or without chicken - perhaps add butternut squash, or whatever you have to hand.
It's packed with blended vegetables and contains very little fat, so you get all the curry flavour for under 250 calories - depending on the amount of rice used. We found 15-20g of dried rice was plenty per portion.
There's a big debate at the moment over the best way to lose weight: FAT versus SUGAR. Well all I can say is we have successfully lost lots of weight eating a varied diet. Take a look at what we have eaten - it's all here on our blog. Why not see what we did with our CALORIES - to achieve such a fantastic weight loss result.
Here's our curry soup recipe - you can make double the quantity and freeze if you like.

Refreshingly CHOP'D

After losing so much weight, we are a little more picky about where we eat out. And when you're on-the-go, finding an establishment serving freshly prepared food can be a daunting task. Especially at lunchtime!

Our recent visit to Chop'd left us pleasantly surprised. Faced with an abundance of freshly prepared salads, soups, stews, wraps and even a 'create your own' salad bar - it was a joy to see an enormous array of ‘on-the-go’ wholesome, freshly cooked, healthy food. The food appealed exactly to our palate, delivered on taste, and came in some very exciting combos! 

We chose SICILIAN MEATBALLS and CHICKEN RAMEN SOUP.

The Sicilian meatballs with super grain cost £4.95 (and contained 468 cals and 9g saturated fat). In brief, it was delicious - and it tasted (and looked) entirely home made. The minced beef meatballs were lean and nicely seasoned (with paprika, cayenne pepper and rosemary)- and there were enough in the dish to satisfy a lunchtime hunger.  

The super grain comprised of quinoa, red rice and lentils - super delicious and an inventive alternative to pasta. Not only filling, it didn’t leave me bloated afterwards which was a bonus! It was topped with Parmesan shavings and also contained enough mozzarella to feel suitably 'treaty'. 

The (large) chicken ramen soup cost £5.50 (and contained 339 cals with 2g sat fat). Containing chicken, ramen noodles, spinach, sweet corn and edamame beans, you get a choice of broth to add to the soup mix and we opted for Thai broth (spicy coconut). These types of broths are proving extremely popular on the lunch run these days, however this version was extremely fresh, flavoursome - and suitably filling.

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There are nine Chop'd outlets in London, and our chosen venue was within the Selfridges store. Eat in (or takeaway if you're in a hurry), you can even order your food ahead with this nifty app. Displaying the nutritional content of all their products, seeing this really helps you make an informed choice about the foods you are consuming and where they fit into your daily allowance.

Now there's no excuse for giving up on weight loss! 

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We were invited to review these complimentary dishes at Chop'd.

REMEMBER:  - Do you know how many calories you are allowed each day?

Here's a link to our very first blog post about our weight loss journey, which we began in January 2011. We started this blog as a way of recording what we ate while losing weight. The blog is a food diary, and contains lots of recipes, tips and ideas about losing weight.

You'll find our WEIGHT LOSS PLAN here. 

Copyright © forget dieting forever (2014), all rights reserved. Please do not copy any of this material without my express permission.

How to cook crispy fried king prawns

We cooked one of our favourite starters - CRISPY FRIED KING PRAWNS. You can use either fresh or (defrosted) frozen king prawns. There is just a slight texture difference between the two, with the FRESH prawns being slightly softer. 

Why not try using PANKO breadcrumbs as we did here - the resulting prawns were so much crunchier than normal.  Despite being deep fried, these were quite low in calories. The Panko is so much crispier and seems to soak up less oil. Weight loss needn't be about depriving yourself, because once that starts happening, you invariably give up. So if you do fancy something, then include it and you'll feel a whole lot happier. These crispy prawns certainly made us smile. Take a look at our easy recipe:

SPICY AUBERGINE with bulgar wheat

This OTTOLENGHI recipe was absolutely lovely.
The aubergine was marinated with a classic CHERMOULA - a bold mix of spices - and topped with nutty and fragrant bulgar wheat. I can't find the words to express how incredibly tasty this was. The perfect vegetarian option - you'll find more delicious looking vegetarian recipes here.
If you're looking for weight loss, this dish works well. Did you know aubergines are extremely low in calories - just 25 calories per 100g - what a bonus. You could eat the whole aubergine!

The recipe was from the book Jerusalem although I made a couple of adjustments and the ingredients serves two.

PEA & SPINACH SOUP

WEIGHT LOSS can be so much easier when you are eating food you enjoy.
Here's a very tasty recipe - PEA AND SPINACH SOUP - one we've only just tried ourselves. I suppose you would class this as 'good food' or 'healthy food' - however, on our weight loss plan we only ever like to eat 'tasty food'. Nothing is banned. The soup was made from leftovers!
Millions of £s are spent on advertising diets - yet OBESITY is increasing. So why not take a completely different view - take a leap of faith and eat what you want? We did.
Our weight loss idea is easy and very simple to follow (see below). We have some fantastic recipes for you to try too.
Why not look through our blog and see what we were (and still are) eating and still managed to lose 7 stone - and keep it off.
This PEA & SPINACH SOUP is a quick and easy recipe.
I would estimate one portion at around 90 calories! As it is so low in calories, add some crusty bread and cheese for a light lunch.
We really loved the combination of herbs and spices which added a good depth of flavour. I must admit the thought of eating something this 'green' put me off, until that first taste.
If you have 25 minutes to spare then you must give this a try, not only because it's so easy, but it's freshness beats anything you can buy in a packet:

LEMON SOLE for WEIGHT LOSS

Worrying about weight gain after the festive season? Why not follow our unique weight loss system. Lose weight and never go hungry - this is weight loss that works.
We've shown you can lose weight easily eating a lot more than some well known diets would impose on you. In fact our weight loss system was so easy, we ended up losing 7 stone between us. Not bad when you consider the very high diet failure rate. Until I used this system I found it difficult to lose weight and keep it off.
Here's what we ate yesterday. We used normal cooking techniques too with butter and oil.
LEMON SOLE has such a delicate flavour you would think this powerful caper sauce would do it an injustice. In fact, the opposite was true.
When I tasted the caper sauce on its own, it was so acidic I thought I had better get the ketchup ready on standby. But… together they were divine. Like chalk and cheese - yet an unexpected perfect match.
Despite the butter, the dish came in under 450 calories. There was quite a bit of the sauce left in the pan - so it could stretch to serving four with less reduction. It was so much tastier than anticipated.
I had a jar of capers in the fridge - they've been haunting me for months, so I thought I'd better use them. (One of those purchases you make when you feel creative while shopping).
Our weight loss philosophy is to eat what you enjoy - nothing is banned. Live life to the full and savour your food. Forget about all that substitute low-fat food - just eat the real thing, and you will probably find you naturally eat less of it. As in this dish - we used full fat ingredients, yet there was plenty of sauce left in the frying pan. It's about not being afraid, and taking a leap of faith.
After enjoying such a wonderful treat, I can thoroughly recommend this dish. We were very surprised at just how balanced the fish was, and better still, you can prepare it within 30 minutes - the potatoes taking the longest! So why not experiment, try something new and enjoy this fabulous recipe:

TUSCAN STYLE SOUP

This TUSCAN STYLE SOUP recipe was bursting with flavour.
I roughly followed a recipe card I picked up in Waitrose. The herbs came through very nicely!
I didn't have all the ingredients, and had to use Cannellini beans rather than Borlotti. I also added some left over ham.
I can thoroughly recommend this, and loved the Savoy cabbage. I also grated lots of Parmesan over mine.
If you are looking for a gutsy soup then this is one to try. It will make a great lunch - just add a huge chunk of bread and dive in (not literally of course). If you are looking for more soup recipes and inspiration for all types of meals, why not take a look at my PINTEREST boards.
Now down to calories…. the WAITROSE recipe card Tuscan style soup is 267 cals per portion (serves 4). But - I managed to make six portions out of this with the added ham and extra stock/water. This bowlful weighed just under 400g (including ham) and is approx 220 calories.
Here's the ingredients for the Waitrose recipe along with my adaptations:

Ham hock salad

I've missed the crunch of a tasty salad, and this HAM HOCK SALAD with egg and cheese, went down a treat.
We bought a cooked ham hock from the supermarket and transformed it into ten whole meals.
Our tip for this salad

DIETING BY NUMBERS?

FED UP with the latest diet hype yet? If so, then why not take a look at how we lost 7 stone in weight with our own very simple eating plan.
With so many 'diets' grabbing the headlines at this time of year, the diet maze becomes all the more confusing.
Our weight loss idea involves intermittent eating - but (thankfully) it's unlike any of the 'numbers'  diets such as the 5:2.
The great thing about our idea is …. WE DO NOT FAST and there are NO RESTRICTIONS whatsoever on the food you eat. Yes, you can eat continue eating whatever food you prefer.
Both the 5:2 and more recently the 4:3 'Eat, fast and live longer' regime use FASTING to achieve weight loss. However, the original concept was not so much about dieting at all, but rather to prolong life. I doubt many could sustain a diet involving fasting over a long period.
Just focusing on the next crazy diet doesn't teach you anything about the food you are eating and the habits you've collected over the years. Yes you may lose weight for a short time, but what about afterwards?
Our SIMPLE method, eating real food has resulted in more weight loss than we ever imagined. Not only that but we've kept the weight off - for the last couple of years. How we did it surprised even ourselves - and keeping it off couldn't be easier.

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Why not take a look through our blog to see what we did eat (and continue to eat) - all the food has been cooked and eaten by us (including the chip shop fish and chips).
So if you're fed up with the whole diet maze - we hope we can help you to change your diet mindset, lose weight and keep it off too.

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Eat what you enjoy.

REMEMBER:  - Do you know how many calories you are allowed each day?

Here's a link to our very first blog post about our weight loss journey, which we began in January 2011 (way before the 5.2 diet hit the UK - in August 2012). We started this blog as a way of recording what we ate while losing weight. The blog is a food diary, and contains lots of recipes, tips and ideas about losing weight.

You'll find our WEIGHT LOSS PLAN here. 

Copyright © forget dieting forever (2014), all rights reserved. Please do not copy any of this material without my express permission.

BEEF STEW & DUMPLINGS

When the weather turns cold there's nothing more comforting than BEEF STEW & DUMPLINGS. This is a classic dish and despite the bit of stodge on the side - those fluffy herb dumplings - it's relatively low in calories.
Pick up any ready made stew and you might be surprised at how low in calories they contain. Better still, make your own as it's so easy.
It's hard to believe the stew is around 350 calories (that includes the dumplings) - your tastebuds may be forgiven for thinking otherwise.
This recipe makes 6-8 hearty portions - costing around £1.00 per portion. It's a great budget dish with so much flavour it would quickly fly off any gastro menu. The secret is really in the ingredients - and using the right cut of meat.
You can use whatever ingredients you like, but here's how I made this:

HOT OPEN BEEF SANDWICH

This HOT BEEF SANDWICH turned out so much better than I had anticipated.
My previous attempts at achieving tender roast beef, using the cheaper 'Silverside' or 'Topside' cuts were all pretty disastrous. A lot of websites will tell you these cuts of meat are better slow roasted. Yet I've also seen instructions for conventional roasting.
Today I thought I would experiment. Having been spurred on by the ever increasing cost of roast beef on the deli counter and my thrifty conscience.
There was a hint of where I had been going wrong after I tested out Michel Roux's method of roasting pork loin.
This fabulous open beef sandwich includes just a few of the deliciously sweet and sticky shallots which went into the roasting tin. The meal is under 400 calories - and very satisfying! If you don't have time - use some deli slices, but if you want to try this recipe - here's what I did:

SPICY PASTA - lunchbox idea

Here's a quick and easy recipe you can eat either hot or cold. SPICY PASTA. It will make an excellent lunchbox item, and goes great with s crunchy salad.
Use ingredients like chorizo so you don't have to use any further oil. Add your favourite extras such as sweetcorn.
When you're in a hurry, your diet can be the last thing on your mind. Here's a dish you can make ahead, enjoy hot then use later as a cold side, or reheat to enjoy again.
The great thing here is the cost - so much cheaper than you'll find on the high street. Why not take a look at just how easy this is to make:

Pork & cider with creamy mustard sauce

What a delicious dish (and very EASY recipe) this was… PORK & CIDER with creamy MUSTARD sauce.
Slow cooked, moist and meltingly tender. In fact this was SO easy to make, we quickly came to the conclusion that we will be making it again! It has to be one of the most tasty pork dishes we've eaten.
Despite using cream, the dish came to somewhere in the region of 650 calories.
We used loin of pork for the dish so there was very little fat on the surface. Skimming the casserole with a spoon took care of what little fat there was.
If you are looking for a bit of inspiration, this just might fit the bill. Serve the pork with rice if you like. Here's our fab recipe:

Steak and mushroom

We enjoyed a STEAK AND MUSHROOM dinner last night. The steak was marinated for a couple of hours beforehand. The mushrooms were cooked in the oven, resulting in a wonderful crunchy texture.
You might think this plateful of food is laden with calories? Brown food often gives that impression, yet this meal isn't quite as bad as you may think (see below).
Our philosophy is to eat whatever you want, and our varied diet means we eat really well. Conventional diets generally rely on the TYPE of food eaten for success. Yet we've found there is no need to eat 'special' or 'diet' food to achieve a great weight loss. Take a look at our weight loss system, it's simple to use and we've shown just how much weight you can lose (and keep off). Make your New Year a great one, by enjoying everything you eat.
Here's our steak recipe and the methods used:

Sausages

A sausage salad might sound odd, but when you're feeling indecisive - why not. I really felt the need for some green leaves, but also fancied sausages. A few good quality sausages with a high meat content, a few salad leaves etc and lunch was served at around 500 calories.
If your New Year's resolution is to lose weight, and you can't quite face giving up your usual food, then why not follow the principles of our idea? It's easier, you'll feel more relaxed and you won't have to eat any strange diet food. Your mind is a powerful tool - so why not let it help you to lose weight? Give yourself the freedom to eat whatever you want, make your own choices, pick the foods you love and before you know it, you'll be losing weight like us. Why deprive yourself?
Take a look at the method we followed to lose lots of weight and, even more importantly, improve our health and keep the weight off.
REMEMBER: We all have a calorie allowance - do you know yours?

We began our weight loss journey in January 2011 - and began our blog in June 2011. (here's the link) to our very first blog post. 

Read about this UNIQUE METHOD of weight loss and find out how you can lose weight eating the food you love.

Copyright © forget dieting forever, all rights reserved.

Hot chorizo pizza

We fancied something simple and tasty but less rich than some of the dishes in the previous week. Pizza seemed to be the obvious choice! So we made this HOT & SPICY CHORIZO PIZZA. Add your own toppings and create something you will enjoy!
It's strange - but making pizza at this time of year seems to be becoming a tradition! Take a look at our pizza recipes and you'll see we began making them this time last year.
Each time we make pizza we improve slightly - so why not start making your own? Here's an internal link to a  GREAT PIZZA recipe and tips on how we've achieved successful results.
Even this time around we found the pizza dough resulted in a lovely chewy texture. All we did was leave the dough to rise for even longer than last time - about 4 hours in total. We also believe part of the secret to a good pizza is using the correct flour - a very strong bread flour.
So HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN THIS PIZZA?
Well, the picture shows a whole 700 calorie pizza - which we shared…..
So each portion was around 350 calories - not bad for a great tasting meal.

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REMEMBER:  - Do you know how many calories you are allowed each day?

Here's a link to our very first blog post about our weight loss journey, which we began in January 2011. We started this blog as a way of recording what we ate while losing weight. The blog is a food diary, and contains lots of recipes, tips and ideas about losing weight.

You'll find our WEIGHT LOSS PLAN here. 

Copyright © forget dieting forever (2014), all rights reserved. Please do not copy any of this material without my express permission.