Picnic at Avington

This was a week ago, when we knew nothing about the diet we were going to start...

Cinnamon, do you remember ? ;D

Pimms and cakes while chatting and enjoying the view on Avington House.

I can fit that house in my glass ;D

Pimms. delicious drink, full of goodness, was very welcomed and enjoyed.

      

                                                     Cheers !

 Always fun to be catching up .... Cinnamon is back from her holiday now.

 Isn't English country site just wonderful ? I love this spot. The pond is full of life. There is always something going on. And it is so relaxing to watch nature around us...Specially when sun is shining.

We had some other friends come to join us later on. Pimms was enjoyed by all of us, but this four legged friend couldn't take his eyes of my cakes. Poor thing. Look at him...
After the picnic, we went for a girls walk around Avington. Boys of course just stayed chatting...apparently , someone had to stay watching the food and Pimms ;) ha ha...
It was fine, as girls needed some girls time and boys needed some boys time...
We were all happy.
Vanilla xx

The first week without sugar - how is it going?

My first Sunday without sugar, nothing sweet at all. I am a bit proud of myself today :-).

So I was asking myself why I'm actually trying Madeleine's six weeks?! I think the idea of feeling better in your skin just through changing what you're eating sounds so nice and easy. I really like my skin to glow, feel more energetic and have no (or at least less!) cravings for sweets. But I have to admit that I like the challenge as well lol. So to answer Vanilla's question what this week is all about here are a few facts:

- live without sugar as it affects your hormones, it can make you fat, it can mask the taste of other foods

- sugar is everywhere, be aware of the hidden ones (low-fat and diet products, bread, cereals, mustard and other sauces, commercial soups, processed food, soft drinks)

- benefits of giving up sugar: glowing skin, no more food addiction, feeling happier, losing weight

(All the details can be found in Madeleine's book: get the glow, p. 13-19)

And Vanilla I'm happy to share the recipes from the book with you but I'm pretty sure you'll find them on Madeleine's webpage. Go on www.madeleineshaw.com and have a look :-). The beetroot soup you found in my book sounds really yummy, I think I have to try that one too. My hubby wasn't too thrilled though but he'll try it. And my little one seems to like what I have cooked so far. 

And this is what we had for dinner today: beef steak with parsnip chips.

I just realised now that by serving it with a bit of mustard I actually consumed sugar today as its possibly hidden in that condiment. Not happy! But it was very nice still :-).

We'll see what tomorrow brings... 

Cinnamon x

Holiday :))

Hello all, it is my holiday time now. So see you soon on the other site of the ocean.

Have fun but not to much without me :)))

Pepper xxx

Getting the Glow - not easily

Today was my fourth day of Madeleine's six week program that I'm going to try out. So this week is all about Ditch The Junk which means no more sugar. I thought it would be challenging but it actually seems rather impossible. There's sugar everywhere! This afternoon we went to a birthday BBQ. Before we left I told myself to stay away from the cake - which I did :-). But first question of my friend: what would you like to drink, we've got juices, lemonade, coke, wine, beer. Well I chose water - nice, my usual drink anyway. Then there were salads, all homemade but guess what the dressings contained sugar. Of course the meat was fine as it was not marinated. So in order to follow the program I should have chosen water and meat, a bit boring don't you think? I decided to go for a bit of salad with the meat and a very small glass of wine instead. Not bad I think but also not perfect either.. How can you manage to live completely without sugar?

Madeleine's idea is to reward yourself with something other than a sweet. That way you get rid of the habit of sugar being your reward. So because I resisted the really yummy looking birthday cake today I decided to treat myself with something nice in the evening. I sat outside - was rather chilly but it smelled of summer, a summer evening after a rain shower - and I allowed myself to relax, to enjoy some pictures I've taken the previous day's - I'm playing with my camera again ;-). There was no more wine or chocolate anywhere near me! My mini flavour was sleeping so the perfect time just to myself. 

And I really like this pic, I can actually still hear the bumble bees...

Cinnamon x

Cinnamon and Vanilla - Get the glow ;D

...started with the cuppa and the scone !! Sharing, so not a bad start ;D

Exact the opposite of what we are hoping for the next 6 weeks...

Well, long time no see, so we had sooo much to catch up on... wow, you could never believe, how much girls can talk ;D or? Maybe you could, when you find your soul mate, than really, you know it is not that difficult.

We shared a scone, Cinnamon had it Devon's way and Vanilla likes it Cornwall's way ;D

We were still thirsty, so we went for these drinks...Hmmm, as much as they look healthy, you can probably tell, there is a lot of sugar in them...

We went outside to discuss this inspiring book, sun was shining and it was so lovely being surrounded by flowers. Cinnamon was telling me all about it... she is very excited and wants to GLOW and so do I. We decided to TRY to do this challenge. At the end of it, we will be glowing like Disco glow sticks ;D ha ha. Well, we might really look like sticks... Of course, if it goes well, we will be glowing too. Am already thinking to myself? Why do I actually want to do it, as I do not believe in depriving myself much from anything, but being yo-yoing between size 12 and 14 you would probably guess that anyway... I do like bit of everything.

I love eating healthy, but I also like to treat myself and everyone around me, quite often. Baking... I love baking and only a few days ago I bought myself a book MUG CAKES which I will probably have to put away for a while... Hmm... am thinking out loud here...

My main worry is... that if we cut down on sugar and fat too much, our body will get used to it, and we will train it to store everything we were cutting down on as soon as 6 weeks are over!! And I do not want that! I feel like if we do this, it almost has to be a life style change, not a 6 weeks thing! But are you really up to changing your life completely? No more sugar in your drinks? No more cakes or fatty foods? Can you really keep this up for ever?

We already thought it is such an unsocial thing to do, to eat so healthy.

Imagine! No, we don't even have to imagine. The reality is, if you like to go out, Cafes, Garden Centers, shops are full of sugary foods. Today was an exact example of it! The only cold drink that was not too calorific was water. There wasn't any gluten free option or any cake or treat made with honey of stevia instead of sugar! Here we go, and here we go again!!! How impressive is that! Hardly impressive!

So we need to not visit Garden Centers or Cafes any more?

Shall we just always be busy preparing what ever we want to eat? And always have a picnic, so we don't get tempted by anyone or anything??

That is what I mean, by it being unsocial ...

Well I will try, to support Cinnamon for 3 weeks, that suits me, as am going on holiday, and being a glow stick would attract people, because people love being around happy, relaxed and glowing personalities... we will be feeling great in ourselves. Also, good figure will be a nicely tasting cherry on top of that cake we can't have any more :(. Lets see how we go.....!? Hopefully I can do it, and can tell all these people around me, how easy it is, how happy I am I did it, and how rewarding it is to be glowing and being the super size healthy 10 or 12 because I am not going any further than that!! You have to keep bit of this and bit of that !! Ha ha...

So when cravings come, I will make something Sweet and Healthy or call Cinnamon to tell me off, before I bite into that cake ;) that will be somewhere in the shop waiting for me and even 5 km will not seem like a distance for me to go to get it... That is actually a good idea! Let's keep cakes in the shop...

Please keep fingers crossed for me and come to see how am I doing.. and if you are doing challenge too, let us know, how is it going at your end.

Vanilla xx

Hi.

Yes Vanilla, it was such a lovely afternoon! And I am excited that you would like to challenge yourself together with me. But I already agree with you that eating healthy can make you unsocial... But I also think this six week program is actually not just for those one and a half months it is actually just the beginning of your change of life style so there shouldn't be a yo-yo effect as you give up those habits for good. For me today was my third day but I failed today. I have to try again tomorrow, and the day after...

Cinnamon x

Have you heard of....

Madeleine Shaw?

No? 

Well, get to know her - or shall I say her program - together with me! The journey begins tomorrow :-). I'm ready to start and as you can see I got some lovely ingrediens for even better recipes I hope...

So find out more over the next six weeks!

Cinnamon x

Look what I've got ;D

I was so excited when I found these books. 

Have you ever hear about MUG CAKES ??

How amazing is that !!

 I was looking for some nice presents and I think ...hmmm being honest, I couldn't resist and bought 3 cocktail books, one for myself :D too. I can't wait to try to make these cakes ! So pretty! So sweet ! Can't stop looking at them. That is another present to myself...Not bad, I just feel very creative at the moment ;D so here is something new to try...

The Sainsbury's Cocktail book impressed me. I was looking through and I felt like it is really easy to make these Cocktails not complicated at all...so I am tempted to enjoy some of these this Summer :) What a great idea ;)

 Wow , that is instant Summer in your living room or in your garden, when you make one of these....Also, instant craving for holiday...Tequila Sunrise sounds good to me :D

Tropical paradise...well well well...

Cheers Pepper , Cinnamon and Ginger...you should pop in one evening for some cocktails.

Love Vanilla xx