Finally we had a day that feels as if Spring has arrived 🙂  It was so lovely to wake up to sunshine and a hint of warmth.  It definitely put a spring in my step and before I had even thought about breakfast I was in sorting mode, again.  Having recently done Harvey’s room and the study I tackled the utility room and porch today.  In the utility room I found a seed growing kit my sister gave me which had become buried under the family detritus that tends to collect in the less used parts of the house.  Having unearthed them  I planted the seeds and placed them, as directed, on a sunny windowsill.  Literally 🙂

For breakfast I had 100g natural yogurt with 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 pink grapefruit and a handful of blueberries.

The grapefruit was so juicy it made a delicious breakfast.  285 calories.

I was really happy to spend about an hour and a half in the spring sunshine with Annette, walking in the woods over the road.  It was cooler out than the sunshine may have suggested but nevertheless it was a wonderful way to get some exercise.

Finally the crocuses are out 🙂

And the primroses but the daffodils remain wrapped up.

We were having our main meal at lunch time today.  I made a large salad with red pepper, button mushrooms and celery.  I also added lettuce and served cucumber separately as one of us despises it!

We had sauteed potatoes.

Plus steak.  James had been to the local butchers and chosen huge slabs of meat but I was meaner/economical/fat conscious and cut them in half.  Each piece of sirloin steak weighed about 125 g which was plenty.  Cooked, just how I like it, pink but not bloody.

The salad was dressed in a simple French Dressing and I added nothing else to the meal.  This lunch was 651 calories.  The steak was 298 and the potatoes (which is one potato cut in to 4) nearly 250.  I heroically resisted the chocolate brownies and ice-cream the others enjoyed for dessert and managed to forego the customary Sunday lunch time glass of vino.

I made such a delicious supper I am going to share it as a recipe.

Thai Style Vegetables and Rice

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 head of broccoli
• Small green pepper
• Large handful of kale
• Handful of brussel sprouts
• Handful of button mushrooms
• 100 g cooked brown basmati rice
• Half a sachet of “Sweet and Fragrant Thai Stir Fry Sauce” (from Waitrose)
• Soy Sauce

Method

1. Chop all vegetables in to bite sized pieces
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan
3. Add vegetables and fry for about 2 minutes, stirring regularly
4. If the vegetables begin to stick, add a splash of water
5. Add a splash of soy sauce (I probably added 1 tbsp)
6. Add the rice and stir to mix in with the vegetables
7. Add half a sachet of the sauce
8. Stir fry for 1 – 2 minutes and serve

This was absolutely delicious.  I enjoyed every mouthful and can’t wait to make it again.  This bowlful was 457 calories.

I needed nothing else with it because I had eaten sufficient protein at lunch time for the remainder of the day and it certainly was not lacking in flavour.  Yum, yum, yum!

So another successful day of counting calories and eating healthily.  My daily calorie intake was 1491.  That makes my average over the week 1,466 per day so I am on target.  I am actually below target because I do not take in to account the extra calories I earn each day by exercising so I am very pleased with this weeks efforts.

I am also very pleased with myself for having absolutely no alcohol all week, despite 3 evenings out 🙂 .  I have my diet mojo back and am beginning to feel much healthier and definitely happier for it.  Here’s hoping next week is as good as this one was!