Well it is true to say that I have failed to eat raw, failed to eat vegan (on day 3) and failed to eat in the 801010 ratio.  This is a tough diet to follow, especially at Easter when people invite me out for irresistible suppers, come visiting and temptation lurks round every corner when you go shopping.

I picked this pretty bunch of flowers from the garden.  Did you know there were so many different types of daffodil? They made a pretty and bright display on the kitchen window sill but daffs are not my favourite spring flowers. I think these are much prettier and tulips are some of my favourites. But the blue hyacinths are probably my favourite for their beautiful colour and their heavenly scent.

Yesterday was Good Friday and the day started very well.  I made another citrus salad because I enjoyed the one I had the other day so much. 1 pink grapefruit, 1 orange and 2 mandarins. Harvey wanted pancakes and I followed a classic pancake recipe (from Hugh F-W’s Family cookbook) but substituted the plain flour for gram flour and the dairy milk for coconut milk. It looked ok and the verdict from the Little Fella was that these were better than usual as they were “lighter”.  So that was a substitution worth trying and to be repeated.I did quite a lot of driving during the morning and kept hunger at bay by munching 3 apples while I drove along.  That is one huge advantage of this diet – it is so easy to find something to eat when you are hungry.

For lunch I made a smoothie with a punnett of fresh blackberries and 4 frozen bananas which was amazing.  I love blackberries and they feel so full of vitamins.  I know they, and other fruits are, but they seem to really zing with goodness.  I made enough for 2 portions this size and I ate it all with great relish.I was invited to Jane’s for supper during the day.  Having set myself a target of sticking to 801010 for 4 weeks, I was meant to refuse invitations out but I didn’t want to and I am happy I didn’t.  I had a really lovely evening and Jane kindly cooked me a vegetarian alternative to everyone else’s meal of stuffed aubergine with sweet potato and parmesan.  It was delicious.  So were the puddings!!  An amazing panettone with ice-cream covered in a rich chocolate sauce and also frozen berries with a white chocolate and limoncello sauce over them.  Oh my, that was sensational and I am making that for my sister tomorrow!  I also had bread and red wine.  So a diet disaster for me but it was vegetarian and all so yummy it was worth every calorie and I really enjoyed catching up with some of my lovely local friends.

I don’t even know where to begin tracking what I ate yesterday so no stats to report but the numbers would not have been good!

On to today, day 4 of 801010 rv.  I went shopping on just a cup of tea and an apple and was then tempted in Hartley Dyke to eat the fudge samples they had out.  I tried all 3 😦

For lunch we had some vegetable soup I made with the veggies I had leftover from a recent Able & Cole delivery: carrots, romaesque cauliflower, sweet potatoes, green pepper, fennel and onions.  I literally chopped them up, cooked them in water with some salt and pepper and blended until completely smooth.

We had the soup with chia wraps, houmous and rocket. It was nourishing and tasted good enough.  Lara, Harvey and I ate it all up.  I must make soup more often as it is such a good way to use up veggies that are slightly past their best or, as in this case, needing to be eaten but not in the next couple of days meal plans. For supper I made us a large green leafy salad with tomatoes and celery. I was inspired by @MGLASO , an Instagram account I enjoy from a vegan family in Norway, to make a salad dressing with mango, lime and chilli.  It worked very well and I will be making this again.I bought some vegan burgers recently from Abel & Cole to have in the freezer for occasions when I need to grab something quickly.  I could have cooked from scratch today as I had plenty of time but I wanted to try them.  These burgers tasted really good.  I had mine with just salad but Harvey had his in a wholemeal bap with ketchup and a large salad.  Harvey even asked what the special occasion was because I cooked a burger for him !!  I told him it was a vegan burger and he said he preferred it to the meat ones so that is fantastic.  These are made with soya beans, brown rice, onion, carrot, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, salt and pepper.  They held their shape well and cooked very easily – 3 minutes on each side in a frying pan.   Supper was a huge pile of mixed green leaves, celery, tomatoes and a huge portion of the mango, lime and chilli dressing.  Added fat free and also no added salt. Plus a country vegetable burger.  So not all raw but it was all vegan.  I enjoyed this meal very much.

Daily numbers.

Total calories = 1,892 which is 392 over my target of 1500.  A lot of that came from 4 dates I snacked on while preparing supper (264 calories in 4 Medjool dates!).

% of calories from:
Carbohydrates = 67 %
Fat = 24 %
Protein = 9 %

Most of that fat came from the houmous.

I also failed with exercise.  I have hurt a toe on my left foot which is making walking very painful and when I do walk, the way I shuffle along makes my leg hurt.  So very frustrating, especially this afternoon which was sunny and I would have liked to go outside so I hope it heals itself quickly.

I think it is safe to say that tomorrow will not be the best diet day either as it is Easter Sunday !