''Hey, you're just too funky for me'' or rainbow baby blanket.

Finally finished, started as baby blanket but my baby became a toddler while waiting for it.

It was love from the first sight when I saw that blanket  here

But I think I've made bad colour choices.

Hmmm... 

Work in progress.

Here it is, bit too funky for me, but my daughter loves it!

My little helper.

What's for dinner? - weekly meal planner part 4.

Image from Google.

This is fourth (and last) part of weekly meal planner for my family dinners.

Next week I will go from the beginning (weekly meal planner part 1) as that meals are what my family has accepted (my husband and my son are very very fussy eaters - they will eat only things they have accepted before - very small room for experiments). That's why if I only have some spare time I like to experiment with my only clean eating food :)))

Monday:

Chinese style chicken stir fry with noodles (will cook quinoa for me)

Tuesday:

homemade fish cakes (will make them as clean as possible - recipe to come), mashed potatoes (sweet potato for me), salad (red onions, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley)

Wednesday:
vegetables and chick peas curry, brown rice, green leaves salad, natural yoghurt

Thursday:
coconut chicken curry, basmati rice, salad (will make salad from vegetables I have at home or will buy something seasonal)

Friday:
lentil soup with beef mince, bread, baked aubergine and garlic salad

Saturday:
grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes, pineapple salsa (recipe to come)

Sunday:
chilli con carne, brown rice, avocado salsa


Last time I found out there is also some kind of meal planning on Sainsbury's website. Need to admit some meals are interesting and easy to make them ''clean'' :) so maybe it's worthy to have a look:

Sainsbury's meal planning

What's for dinner? - weekly meal planner part 3.

Image from Google

So here's third part of ours weekly dinners menu, starting from Monday.

Monday:
spaghetti bolognese with lean beef meat, regular pasta for my family, quinoa for me.
(I will probably do juicy Monday or all day fast so won't eat dinner anyway). Plus baby leaves salad.

Tuesday:
beef tajine with sweet potatoes and vegs, couscous, cooked beetroots salad.

Wednesday:
grilled salmon, mashed potatoes (mashed sweet potatoes for me), steamed baby carrots or other veg

Thursday:
chicken skewers with courgette and other veg (can be mushrooms, peppers, onions, aubergine), basmati or brown rice, tzatziki

Friday:
carrot and pumpkin soup with lentils, bread

Saturday:
grilled salmon, roasted veg (can be ready shop bought or I will roast aubergine with garlic and make salad), couscous

Sunday:
beef burgers, baked potato wedges (sweet potato for me), salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, onion)

Moroccan style fish.

I got that recipe from one of my favorite cook books - ''Greedy girls diet'' by Nadia Sawalha.
I would highly recommend this book as it contains hearty, honest and almost 100% clean recipes with a Middle East touch, which I love.

I've changed the recipe a little bit to suit my skills ;) Nadia recommends to cook the fish in the oven but I cannot really trust my oven, even when it's fish baking.

It's easy, cheap, quick and delicious. And clean eating approved :)

Ingredients:

white fish fillets (I use pre-packed frozen fish fillets from Asda or Sainsbury's)
olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbsp ground sweet paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp of Harrissa
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 red pepper, cut into strips (I use frozen mixed peppers)
zest of 1 unwaxed lemon (I use lemon pepper instead)
 1 can of chick peas (drained) or 1-2 cups of cooked chickpeas
fresh coriander or parsley
black pepper
salt (if used)

Method:

First thing is to defrost the fish (if you use frozen). I used to leave frozen fish in a fridge overnight and use it in a morning - I always cook dinner early in a morning as my daughter got only one nap daily.
Start from frying lightly onion and garlic on a 1 tbsp of olive oil in a big pan. Add spices and Harrissa and stir well until combined. Add pepper, tomatoes and lemon zest. Bring it to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 min. Add chick peas and fish. Cover the pan and simmer for about 10 min when fish is cooked.

Serve with brown rice, sprinkled with chopped coriander or parsley.

10 (11) golden rules of my weight loss journey - according to clean eating.

I'm not a skinny type person. I was always a little bit too big. On the beginning of 2010 I've managed to loose 25 kilos through hard exercises regime but not a good diet. I've reached my ultimate goal weight which was 70 kilos.
I've managed also to sort out my levothyroxine dose as I'm diagnosed with Hashimoto disease which causes everything related with under active thyroid problems. Problems with loosing weight, mood changes, skin imperfections, hair loss, tiredness and anxiety. I've sorted everything out.

Later on miscarriage, pregnancy and all that hormones - I would like to blame them for me being overweight. But the truth is I didn't pay attention for what I was eating. All days alone, with oversensitive baby and demanding teenager, affected by the worst kind of postnatal depression I just eaten my emotions.

I've started my own experience with clean eating on 18/02/2013. I remember that day - 2 months just before my 40th birthday. I don't like the look of myself so I'm trying to avoid mirrors. This one in my bathroom is rather hard to avoid. Blah. Didn't recognize that girl that I used to be. I've checked my weight for the first time since I gave birth to my daughter in June 2012. 96,5 kilos. Shocking.

Clean eating is simple: eat lots of vegetables, mostly raw, some fruits - in moderation, lean meat like chicken breast, turkey breast, beef, fish, whole grains and pulses, eat fewer ingredients (simple food is the best) - read labels, lots of protein and the most important for me - have 5 small meals a day. Lots of water and green tea. No sugar, salt, alcohol, saturated fat. Sounds easy, just plain, simple food.

Clean 15 - the best fruits and vegetables for your diet.

So I've started. Got some ideas from some amazing Instagram accounts but mostly started to plan my meals according to clean eating rules.
From the date 18/02/2013 I've made a picture of every single thing I eat. I did it for 111 days. Lost 9,5 kilos so far and counting.

Through that journey I've learnt some things and I would like to share it here. I would like to notice that this is my own personal experience and works well for me. I'm not a dietician or nutritionist. Before you start any weight loss journey think what works well for you.

Rule no.1. Eat as clean as possible. But remember - 90% clean eating is still clean eating. Don't blame yourself for eating something not clean. It happens. But don't let it become a habit.

Rule no.2. Eat 5 meals a day. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. Don't skip meals - it's not a good idea when you want to lose weight.

Rule no.3. Don't buy unhealthy food. Be proud of your shopping basket. Plan your shopping ahead and always have this little helper with you (I have it as a picture in my phone). No unhealthy things at home - no unhealthy snacks.

Rule no.4. Always take a little snack with you when on the go. It's the best way to avoid buying something naughty (or expensive!) when hunger strikes.

Rule no.5. Fill at least half of your plate with salad or vegetables. Leave the rest quarter for protein and good fats. Fiber in vegetables will fill your stomach and you will eat less calories.

Rule no.6. Try to cut down on gluten. You will probably feel less bloated and your mood will improve. Choose naturally gluten free foods or search for ''gluten free'' or ''free from'' range when shopping.

Rule no.7. If you are lucky enough and can find time to go to the gym or do any kind of activity - excellent! Do your best workouts as often as you want to. If you are not lucky enough (like me) - include walking to your daily routine. Walking has as many benefits as running and burns lots of calories too.

Rule no.8. Cut down on salt. Food itself contains some amount of salt and it's probably enough to our body to get daily intake of sodium. Use sea salt if you need to. Food tastes different (better) without adding salt. Just need to use to it.

Rule no.9. If you are really determined to loose weight try to replace one meal daily (I recommend dinner) by freshly squeezed vegetable juice. Try to do one day on juices only. It will improve your digestion, clear your organs and you will notice some weight loss next morning. It's not that hard as you think it is. I'm actually thinking of trying one day of fasting (only water and I consider one protein shake in the morning to avoid dizziness).

Rule no.10. Don't eat at least 4 hours before you go to bed. There's nothing worst than go to bed with full stomach.

There's rule no.11 - to mums only :) 
NEVER eat your kids leftovers. Whatever you feel about throwing away food to the bin - this is where it should end up. Your stomach is not a waste food container.

Please, feel free to comment and share your own experiences. Together we are strong :)

What's for dinner? - weekly meal planner part 2.

Image from Google

Here's our weekly meal planner for next week, starting Monday.

This one should work really well as it includes most of our favourites and it's 90% clean so I can eat it without guilt. And I'm going to cook the same dish for all of us, which makes everything easier.

Monday:

chilli con carne, brown rice, avocado salsa

Tuesday:

chicken skewers, mashed potatoes, cabbage salad

Wednesday:

Moroccan style fish, brown rice, baby leaves salad

Thursday:

grilled chicken breast, basmati rice cooked with tomato puree and veggies

Friday:

leek and potato soup with beans, garlic baguette (not for me though)

Saturday:

grilled salmon fillets, cucumber salad with dill, potato wedges or boiled baby potatoes

Sunday:

oven baked chicken tighs, beetroot and potato salad

Little things in life.

Sometimes all you need is one little thing.

Made by me last Sunday.

Chickpeas and vegetable curry.

This dish is my own interpretation of a vegetable curry. I rarely use ready recipes, I rather create everything what can make quick and tasty meal.
This one is one of my favourites. You can use any vegetables you want and any spices you fancy.
It's quick, healthy, clean and filling too. Served with basmati or brown rice - makes an easy and delicious dinner.

2 cups of boiled chickpeas ( or 2 tins - drained )
1 large sweet potato
1 large or a few small potatoes
1 large onion
2-3 cloves of garlic ( or more if you want to )
2 tbsp of tomato paste ( I use 1 tbsp of Harissa sometimes )
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tin of coconut milk or 1 sachet of creamed coconut

Spices:
you can use whatever you want to, my basic is always ground corriander, paprika and cumin. I like Ras-El-Hanout as well. I don't use salt but you can use it, of course.

This is the base of curry.

Next thing is vegetables - the choice is yours. Sometimes I just leave it plain, like the base. When I add vegetables, my favourites are: pumpkin or buttersquash, courgette, mixed peppers and mushrooms. I like baby carrots in it too. Choice is big and all depends of what you got at home and what is in season.

Preparation:
Light fry chopped onion and garlic on olive oil, when it changes colour add spices and tomato paste. Stir all the times, otherwise it will burn. Add about a cup and half of water. Mix it well to combine spices with liquid.
Add potatoes - cubed, stir, cover the pan and cook until potatoes are half soft (it doesn't take long as they are cubed). After that time add the rest of vegetables (if you use them). After about 5 min add coconut milk and curry is ready when potatoes and vegetables are soft and sauce became a little thick. 
To make sauce more thick, cook curry without cover or blend some of the vegetables and put them back to the pan.

Another version of this curry is prawn curry - just add prawns at the time of adding spices.

It's an example of a quick, easy and very tasty meal. And it's clean eating too :)

What's for dinner? - weekly meal planner part 1.

Image found in Google.

I've been always struggling with cooking and shopping until I started to plan our meals weekly.
My daughter as every 1 year old challenges me every day. I need to be prepared as I'm coping with all housework by myself. I'm cooking all our meals from scratch as well.
My husband is a big meat eater but we agreed for two meat free days in a week. It's more cheap and healthy option for all of us.
I'm trying to plan our meals on Saturday and I order shopping online. I would never think I will make it.
 I've been doing all my shopping by myself for nearly one year with a baby but now it's simply impossible.      I live quite far from the shopping center and it was really time consuming and stressful too. My daughter never sleeps outside which makes things more difficult. She takes also only one 1 hour nap in the morning so I have 1 hour to prepare everything for the day. Shower, breakfast, meal preparing, cleaning, washing. Difficult but possible. I have no other option, though. So here's our dinners for this week.


Monday:
grilled chicken breast, beetroot salad, mash potatoes ( I will only eat chicken and salad). I marinate the meat on Sunday evening so on Monday I only peel potatoes and make salad. Quick :)

Tuesday:
bolognese sauce (mince beef, frozen mixed veg, tomato passatta) and wholewheat pasta

Wednesday:
vegetable, chickpea and prawns curry, rice, salad (some leaves, tomato, cucumber or just what I have at home). No rice for me or I will cook brown rice for everyone.

Thursday:
grilled salmon fillets, roasted veg with couscous. To make roasted veg I used ready pack from Iceland plus what I have at home and mix it with couscous, veg only for me.

Friday:
lentil soup, cooked eggs, baked aubergine salad with bread. I will eat only soup and egg whites.

Saturday:
oven baked chicken tights ( I will bake it in a bag and will prepare it on Friday night ). tzatziki, potatoes. Maybe some salad if I will fancy.

Sunday:
fish curry, rice, steamed veg ( I have always frozen in case ).

That's it.
I'm doing my shopping list just looking at the menu. During the week I'm trying to write what is finished as well.
On everyday basics I'm just buying milk, bread and some fresh fruits and seasonal vegetables. My husband buys meat once a week at halal butcher shop.

I was thinking about if I'm going to write this post as everyone's family routine is different. But maybe someone will find it useful and easy too. It's a low budget meal planner too.


I will be happy with any comment or suggestions.

Homemade hummus.

Once you've made the hummus by yourself, you will never buy it.  I guarantee.  All you need is a food processor and a few ingredients.

Main ingredients: chickpeas, lime, Tahini paste,  extra virgin olive oil,  lemon pepper.

The main ingredient is chickpeas. I used to buy tinned but since I've discovered dried chickpeas I just cook them at home. They taste better and it's cheaper, too. I got that idea from Ayten and I love it. Hope she won't mind if I share it here :)

So wash the dried chickpeas, put them into a large pan (they will grow) and pour warm water on them. Leave them for about 3 hours or overnight. They will become soft and will visibly bigger. Wash them again, put them into pan again, pour hot water on them and leave them to boil until soft. Drain them and leave to cool. Use them straight away or divide them into freezer bags to freeze. If you want to use them, just defrost  for about 1 hour before using.

Dried chickpeas soaked in a pan.

Homemade hummus.

2 cups of cooked chickpeas (or 2 tins - drained)
2 tbsp of Tahini paste
1 lemon or lime
1 clove of garlic or dried garlic powder
extra virgin olive oil
salt (if used) - I don't use salt

Put chickpeas, garlic and Tahini paste into food processor. Squeeze some lemon/lime juice - the amount depends how sharp you like your hummus. Just try, you can always add more. Turn the food processor on. Pour some olive oil but be careful again - you can always add more. To cut down the calories I like to add just a splash of warm water if I'm not happy with the consistency. Blend until you are happy with the consistency. I like my hummus crunchy.
That's all. Add a pinch of salt if you use it. Done :)

This is a recipe for a plain hummus. By adding some more ingredient you ca n make different flavour every time. Here are some ideas:

• sundried tomatoes 
• garden peas and fresh mint
• cooked beetroot
• fresh herbs: basil, corriander, chive, parsley, dill - anything you like
• chopped onion
• fried (caramelised) onion
• sweet paprika powder
• chilli powder or black pepper

Tea, my love.

I am an incorrigible tea lover. I don't have favourite brand, I don't have knowledge how to make propper cup of tea. I mix them, I pour milk in it (even to my peppermint tea, yes yes), honey, lemon, wedges of lime, oranges, even apple slices. I like black tea, green tea (sometimes), red tea, even white. I have unconditional love to all types of chai tea. I even used to work in a tea shop and it was my dream work. But it's a different story.
So when I discovered an oportunity to try some of the tea types for free I was like kid in a candy shop!  

Twinings free sample

Redbushtea free sample

Easy like that! I've waited about one week for both of them.
My opinion? I love Twinings. I have always few boxes of different types of Twinings tea in my cupboard.

I chose Assam and Earl Grey samples. Love them both, although Earl Grey is amazing! And it comes with 50p discount for any box of Twinings tea.

Redbush didn't steal my heart but it's only my opinion.

Would you like to share your tea stories? How do you like your tea, what is your favourite flavour? What tea would you like to recommend? Please, feel free to write your comments :)

Let's get started.

My first post. Excited.  I love blogs. Love the fact that people share their pieces of life. And now I have my own blog.

So here is my story too.

I've reached everything in my thirties. Wonderful son, good job, prestige, independence. I felt like a goddess. 

Suddenly I've decided to change my life completely. Don't ask me why. I don't know.

Found myself in a strange country, language, relationship. Long story.

But I liked it. 

Got pregnant, I found myself on the top of the world. 

31/05/2010 my world collapsed.

After a late miscarriage, high risk pregnancy few months after and traumatic birth I got trapped in a scary spiral of postnatal depression. I felt worthless, useless, invisible. My biggest dream was to go to sleep and never wake up.
 I hide myself in a cage of comfort and emotional eating. Gained enormous amount of weight.

 But I've raised. I get incredible support from amazing people on Instagram where I started my food diary as myeatsmartproject  

 Here's the way to new me. Here's the way to find goddess lost inside me. 

If you want to share the journey with me, feel free to be an important part of this blog.

English is not my first language. Please, be understanding. I will try my best.