So much love for half term!

Apologies for this slightly delayed post.  Saying I was off for the week, I should have had plenty of time to write my post, but I didn’t really know where the week went. Well actually, I do- it was a wonderful haze of nice food, catch up with friends, a hen do and wedding talk with one of my besties- plus I got to try on my bridesmaid dress!

I did, in the middle of all this fun, get time to try the odd new recipe and pack away some nice food.  I finally tried Wagyu beef burgers (£2.99 Aldi) and can safely say they are the BEST burgers I have ever tasted.  The meat is quite heavy and juicy, making it feel like the ultimate burger.  I had these with sweet potato wedges (recipe here) and sprinkled them with a bit of paprika for an extra kick. I actually think that burger and chips is my favourite meal of all time, but I won’t make a habit of eating it because I feel it’s a meal that should be thought of as a ‘treat’ rather than a daily food staple.  In fact, the Wagyu burger will be my last burger until my birthday night out…roll on June 21^st!

My exciting food-related Instagram news too was that THE Gizzi Erskine liked my photo of her Victoria sponge that I made last week when the in-laws came for dinner.

  I just love her and I was starstruck for the rest of Wednesday.  She noticed me and my Victoria Sponge!!!  Awesome recipe though and works every time (click here and scroll down to recipe) but not a dessert to cook if you’re on an eat clean or sugar free kick.  But again, if you see it as a treat and just make it for a special occasion, what’s the problem?

Wednesday afternoon was also pampering time and I went for my express facial- my regular treat to myself!  When it comes to preening, I don’t wear giant, plastic nails or have a spray tan every week- I tend to do it all myself and treat myself to my only beauty indulgence which is a facial.  It’s usually a well-earned treat too because it forces me to relax for an hour plus, with all the clean eating, makes me feel fresh and as though I’m glowing on the outside- which I suppose I am, thanks to healthy eating and a good bit of face scrub.  I was chatting to my beautician who was also telling me how coincidentally, she and her husband have started the whole ‘eat clean’ diet and introduced me to a brilliant website called ‘Kitchen Shed’ (link here).  I spent a lot of time over half term just reading the recipes and doing a list of all the things I want to cook.  I discovered a brilliant lunch on there which is a blessing because it’s so quick and makes 2 portions.  Basically you just need a tin of chickpeas; tuna in spring water; 2 tablespoons of humus; an avocado and some fresh basil.  You mix together the chickpeas, tuna and humus; top with some basil leaves and serve with the sliced avocado.  It’s a filling, fresh and perfectly clean lunch!

However, clean eating was officially called off on Friday night.  I curled up with this amazing dark chocolate and a book after getting set for the hen party weekend!  It involved a very beautiful and lovely bunch of ladies, fish and chips on the beach and ready-mixed cans of Malibu with diet coke (which remember, isn’t an overly bad drink because Malibu contains NO added sugar unlike everything else).

Fish and chip lunch was burned off by a dance class and then we stocked up on wine and three courses at Frankie and Benny’s that evening.  Did I feel bloated and guilty after eating so much food?  Nope.  Because as I said in my very first post that if you eat well the majority of the time, there is opportunity for a blow out like the one I had this weekend.  When I tried on my bridesmaid dress (photos to follow in August after the wedding, obvs) and had my showgirl fancy dress on, I felt trim, fit, healthy and full of energy and that is what motivates me to keep on the good stuff. 

Granted, on Sunday and Monday, I had a proper stomach ache and bloating, but I find that this happens when I indulge in the bad food that I don’t make the habit of eating in the week.  It goes to show how your body responds to junk and if you’re eating this sort of stuff all the time, then it certainly isn’t good.

Also read this article (click here) the other day too- it kind of sums up everything that I believe about eating and explains why processed food gives us such stomach aches if it’s responsible for causing inflammation in our bodies which, in turn, leads to high cholesterol and heart problems.  Scary stuff and again makes me feel really positive and happy with my food choices.