Yesterday was my high calorie day - or high carb day (as in carb cycling). Unfortunately I drank some champagne and then some wine. My body is not used to it any more and I was nodding off by 7.30...unheard of for me. On my way to bed I ate two cookies and didn't seem to care either. Not good. But it showed me that my system does not do well with wine anymore, and I guess that is something good. I actually love my bitters and sparkling water and I feel so good in the morning and I have found that I enjoy a party even more not drinking alcohol. I also get to be the designated driver quite often:)
Today I found a new low GI, low fat cookbook and it has some wonderful recipes in it. I am looking forward to trying out quite a few. There must be about 500 or more recipes in various books waiting to be tried out so I have a wonderful time ahead of me. Of course, I like to add my own touch to most recipes - that's half the fun.
Lunch yesterday started with a wonderful spicy cauliflower soup which my guests and I enjoyed immensely. The croutons were so good...1 slice of white bread (four servings) cut up in cubes and rolled in one tablespoon of olive oil mixed with a tablespoon of finely grated Parmesan cheese and fried in a non-stick pan with no extra oil. (You can also bake them in the oven until crispy, turning at least once.) They were delicious and could be used in many different soups. Speaking of soups, this is the season for them here in Africa and so many people just love soups. They are going on to my restaurant menu when we re-open on the first of July.
Today we made fresh tomato and basil soup which got the thumbs up from my strictest critic - my husband. To get on to the menu, a dish has to get at least seven and a half out of ten. Lately quite a few dishes have passed muster, and they have all been low fat low calorie low GI recipes. It just goes to show that one does not need to compromise on taste to make good healthy food.
I am sure I might have said this before - this is not a diet - this is a new and exciting way of life and I am loving it. Never thought I would ever say that about low fat food. I still use butter, but very little, often mixed with grapeseed oil, so my saturated fats have diminished but flavour has not. There is still cream in my dishes, but it is reduced fat cream or sometimes low fat evaporated milk. One doesn't need much to flavour the food. Herbs and spices are wonderful additions to so many dishes and this is where my herb garden comes into its own. Today I picked up my order of vegetable and herb seedlings and some large bags of organic compost to go in the new circular garden at the back of the restaurant. Tomorrow these babies get planted in their new home. We use no pesticides but concentrate on companion gardening so there is some planning to be done and it should all be in place by the end of the weekend. There is nothing like picking fresh organic produce from your own garden.
Lovely stuff! On to cooking!
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