Me too Janey, although I’d have had to have been a very young mum. Did you see that moth land on his face? My kids were in stitches. I think he’s very pleasing on the eye, but his Adam’s apple makes me cringe a bit. That would be a deal breaker for me.

Ah I forgot to tell you, I don’t think I’d be able to try squeaky cheese because it’s different milks isn’t it? And I’m a bit… nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh about that. Which is silly, I know, when I eat things made from cow’s milk, which should be no less odd than eating things made from any other animal’s milk… but I just can’t bring myself to #weirdo

Stick a willie on top of the cake. Best of both worlds.

Ughhh, those moths in the stadium. Anything in a swarm makes me shudder. As you said, poor R must’ve been in pain not to notice that brute on his eyebrow!!!

You could always adapt my quinoa salad (not cous cous, that was a hangover induced typo) and replace the squeaky cheese with chorizo! Yes! That’d definitely work! I’ve had the cake but left the Willie off. Best not to have too much of a good thing 😆 My boy has now decided he DOES like the cake so I lost the final piece.

I’m ok with most insects, but slugs and snails are my fear. I once lived in an awful rented place and I’d wake up in the morning and my sofa, carpets etc would be covered in trails. Made the error of getting up for a glass of water in the early hours and I saw them in my kitchen on the floor, and without sounding crude, they were like huge poos on the floor, I have never seen anything like it in my life, mutant slugs. I went to take a bin bag out this morning, lifted the lid up, two slugs fell out at my feet. I screeched and took the bag back in. If someone steps on a snail it makes me physically sick.

Yes, that sounds nice and do-able. I wish I could bring myself to try the cheese, I’ve been seeing it a lot in cookery mags and it looks nice, all golden and crispy on the outside, but I just don’t think I can bring myself to.

Good that it’s gone though, so you don’t have another slice tomorrow. Slippery slopes and all that!

Indeed. One treat a week. Altho.. The food processor turns up tomorrow and I did threaten to make the date and walnut bread. Does that count as a treat?

Nah. Bread. Savoury.

Hee hee I should get the little trampoleen out and get really into it😹👏 yes sad about poor Ronaldo though I do get the impression if he was a lollipop he’d lick himself as they say😹 Yes moth weird, didn’t flick it off or anything!

Yes they are the famous chickpea biscuits, kind of worth it I’ve decided. Not too sweet and not too chickpea like. Though maybe fage yoghurt is better desert really, with tiny bit of maple syrup yum! Cmon Portugal! 👏🏻👏🏻

evening ladies not missed so much today i see just going to look for a pedometer !!
i fancied some chocolate this afternoon first time i really craved anything but i resisted !!! had a pear instead !!!
made some stewd apple to have with yoghurt for breakfast tomoorow no sugar just apple and cinnamon have to say stacks better than the rhubard !!! so for me a bit of a winner !!
think i may find a cake to bake for next weekend as a bit of a treat !!

Omg Epspecially, I’ve never heard that saying before! Stealing that one!

The tension is high in the living room. Little one is on the edge of his seat, I don’t know what he thinks he’s going to win if Portugal win it, probably only be a box of sodding raisins or something. It’s bloody boiling in this room too, I’m sweating like Elvis in a greenhouse, and I can’t open the window as it’s gale force and raining 🙁

No, it’s been a quiet one tonight Tokyo, bit of a flat meh day all round I think what with back pain and hangovers etc. Well done on resisting the chocolate. Is it going to be a chickpea cake??? We haven’t exhausted the chickpea yet, surely? You and Epspecially have done the cookies, I’ve done the pastry, Janey, was your cake chickpea??? I can’t remember. Good luck tomorrow, will be thinking of you and missing your interaction. What will I do without my daily dose of Tokyo??? I’ll tell you what I’ll do. Some bloody housework for once!! 😉 haha

Yes, good luck for tomorrow Tokyo! Hopefully your colleagues will be amazed by how much weight you’ve lost since you’ve been away. And well done on sorting all your meals out too.

I must advise that no chickpea was harmed in the making of my cake. Although I did finally break out the COCONUT flour instead of almond. I think the bread uses coconut flour too..

Just want to football to finish now. It’s been on forever! I need me bed!

That settles it then. We need a chickpea cake to complete the trinity. The cookie, the cake and the pastry crust. Amen.

I know, I’m ready to go too… just hope France don’t score or we’ll have pens to sit through as well.

Yay. Thank God. I’m going now before I drop. See you all tomorrow 🙂

Well I was naughty yesterday (weekends are definitely my weak point!) and had some cheese and marmite on toast. Holy F S Balls I wish I hadn’t. I had stomach cramps all evening and through the night. I’m assuming it was the bread that did it.

On the plus side it’s put me off eating bread for a while! Absolute poison.

Morning Timmy, oh dear, lesson learned! Same with me and prosecco. BSD body does not tolerate alcohol well!! So looks like I will be a VERY light consumer in the future as don’t want to feel like that again 😩

My food processor has arrived! So I may attempt the Paleo walnut and date bread later. Wonder if that can be eaten with marmite??!!

Oh no, Timmy 🙁 Hope you’re feeling a bit better by this morning? Sometimes it takes things like that (or a shocking hangover… Janey lol) to put us off for a while. Unfortunately, I find it’s like childbirth, time lessens the horror of it and we indulge once again… 😉

I don’t want another child OR any more prosecco. BUT I would like marmite on toast!!

Who put that other loaf up a few days ago, the butternut squash one, was it Epspecially? With the seeds on top? I might have a crack at that one in a couple of days. Might be handy for summer to have a sandwich on a picnic.

I hear you Timmy – weekends definitely harder for me too! Least you know you wont want bread now though, that sounds painful 🙁 Maybe it’s the wheat? I love bread but don’t usually feel great after it either though haven’t had in… 8 weeks!:-) Toast is delicious, but sometimes I think it’s the butter I like more than the toast, and I can still have that! Ever tried Rivita with butter? Yum… and one piece isn’t bad, and only has rye which doesn’t irritate as many people. Also lvoely with marmite Janey! (well, I hear – I don’t like Marmite much but boyfriend eats with butter on Rivita)

Another 1kg this week and…. 8 weeks over today WAHOOOOOOOO…just over 10kg gone in total :-))))))) It was easy and hard I think, some days easy and some days not. And I guess if I hadn’t had the few squares of chocolate every now and again (and chickpea biscuits x3 last night!!) I might have lost more but am very happy with progress and not totally losing it yet as a bit of balancing out strictness so probably better in the long run. Also didn’t really change life and had a few weekends away during the time.

Have lost just over 10% of body weight and according to healthy weight charts online I should lose another 10kg though will see how that goes as that would put me thinner than I probably have ever been. Will continue as I’m doing I think, and maybe add in only good calories along the way if necessary. Feeling a bit tired the last two weeks and not as bright and healthy feeling as first 6 weeks so not sure do I need a few more carbs/food in general? (Or maybe that’s just all in my head and I just having a tired week). Also want to be careful with adding in sweet-ish stuff as definitely haven’t lost sweet tooth at all yet! I know some people seem to, but 8 weeks later I still like sweet things! Guess I want a lot less of them though so that’s good. But yes, will definitely keep this up for another 10kg – checking along the way how it’s going. Would also like to properly add in more meditation and different exercise as have mostly stuck to walking and cycling so far.

One massive thing I’ve learned is how when you leave out bread and empty calories you have so much more room for loads of amazing green veg and coloured veg and all kinds of good fats and that this just makes me feel so much better and healthier in the long run. No crashes after sugar and just balanced feeling most of the time. (even when feeling hungry, not crazy hungry I’d eat 10 buns, just oooo I’m hungry would love some salmon!! :-))))) Also I love the feeling of not feeling sick after eating – I seemed to get that a lot! Probably from eating too much of the wrong stuff (for me) even simple things like bread. Great to have an idea how much of things is a normal portion/enough too – especially with cheese – even when I move on to not weighing stuff, I know this will stick.

So yes, even aside from the weight loss, it has been brilliant really and I am going to keep it up, trying new recipes and new foods and not obsessing over my next bar of chocolate. Official healthy weight zone here I come – it’s totally in sight now. So grateful for finding a healthier feeling way of eating and thanks million for MM for such good research and plan!! And also the lovely forum chatters! xxx
(I’m not gone yet, but good to mark the first milestone!)

Yes Lucky ooo do try the butternut squash – was really soft and fluffy and tasty, worth a go. (Though I havent checked how much carbs per slice yet)

These look kind of nice too Lucky – if looking for picnic stuff: http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/vegetable-flatbreads/

Wow! Those veggie flat breads look amazing! Quite apart from being better for us, they would really liven up a dinner table and kids would like them too if we were creative! I’m adding them to the ‘must try ‘ list 👍🏼

Well done on your 8 week milestones Epspecially. It’s great to know you’ve gone the distance isn’t it? And then of course, we just keep on going anyway 😆 Fortunately my sweet tooth has receded to about 10% of what it was. I’m astounded when I see how people around me just plough through sweets, cakes, junk now. My son complained he was hungry about 15 mins after polishing off the remains of some ice cream in the freezer and I told him he was having a sugar spike/slump (at which point my OH rolled his eyes and said ‘you’ve started her off again now’!!).

Yay, such lovely colours aren’t they Janey – let me know if they’re nice, I suspect you’ll get around to them quicker than I will! From now on I’m only trying out interesting savoury recipes though so maybe I will soon :-))) True, sweet tooth has definitely weakened a bit so another few weeks will probably weaken it even more. I realise I don’t really like sweet stuff, just chocolate and only the very dark stuff! So now that I think about it I guess I have improved a lot. Maybe it’s magnesium I need – more green veg :-)))

hee hee about your OH – don’t get her started on the rant about sugar!! :-))) But it’s all true though and hard not to want to share new found knowledge! Especially to really young people who could avoid every having problems at all!

Epspecially! 😀 Massive, massive well done on completing the 8 weeks and your fantastic weight loss 😀 I agree that the lack of bread and wraps and potatoes and things does leave room for more good stuff, whether that’s a bit extra meat or veggies. I love vegetables so it’s a win for me. I loved my burger salad last night and I also loved my B.L.A.T salad the other day, but if I had a salad as a meal, like… meh… salad? I haven’t wanted it. I’m finding that it’s what I’d have enjoyed on bread, that I’m enjoying the tastes of on a plate, does that make sense?

Those breads look fab, I’m going to try too! Like the idea of the beetroot one. May be cheaper to make using the chickpea flour, and probably a tad more savoury too? The almond flour is so pricey that I think it lends itself more to sweet recipes if you can get away with using chickpea for savoury things.

In the last year and a half I’ve had allergies spring up overnight. At first I thought it was hayfever, and loratidine and cetirizine (i think!) combined used to work. Then winter came and I’m the same so it’s not exclusively hayfever, then wine started making me go the same way, and then the tablets stopped working. I had to try another called acrivastine which works in time, but takes a good couple of hours. I had a slice of toast a couple of months ago and waaaaaaaaah! Proper bakery bread too, wholemeal and I could have grated the insides of my nostrils. I did wonder whether it was gluten or wheat or whatever and was hoping this diet would end that bit but I’m 4 weeks plus now not eating it and I’m still the same.

Hubby asked me to buy avocados and raspberries today. He has been well and truly BSD’ed. Five weeks ago it would have been pork pie and roast pork and crusty rolls. Oh and I forgot to tell you, the little love is in another stone bracket, 16 stone 13lb. He’s like a dog with two er… dangly bits, today!

So we press on with the recipe finding, the sweet, the savoury, the chickpea, the creating, the weight loss, and most importantly – the banter. Agreed?

I’m missing Tokyo 🙁 Hurry home Tokyo…

Thanks Lucky! 🙂 Yep I get you on the stuff in the sandwich, which is now on a plate! Bread is filler anyway, who wants filler – lets have more of the good stuff!
Mind yourself with the allergies, that sounds annoying ;-( Wonder what it is… Hey dyou have candles on a lot? Flavoured ones? I know you said you bought a nice one recently (or I think you did?) – I find they make me sneeeeze loads. But anyway, that’s just a random theory because the vet said that to us about our cat when his eyes kept running – keep him away from candles or incense or that kind of cleaning product stuff. So I have jsut used amateur cat psychology on you :-))))) Dont be insulted though as our cat is lovely! 🙂 Hope it gets sorted soon anyway and your healthiness extends to your nose.

YAYYY to the recipe swapping and banter. And great about husband ordering the good stuff. Hee hee it’s funny how priorities change.

I do burn scented candles (Yankee addict…) and have reed things and plug ins… and I sneeze when I put perfume on… or my husband is wearing strong aftershave like Million or Eternity… oh bugger. So, I can’t eat bread, crisps, chocolate, pizza, pasta, rice, ice cream, cake, I can’t drink wine, I can’t wear perfume, and my house is going to stink. Thank God I’m married is all I’m going to say… because I’d be a crap date! Bwahahahahah 😉 Love the cat psychology, my best friend would love that!

I know, it’s brilliant. I think he’s really into it because he can see the results quickly. He hasn’t even had his once a week toast treat for the last two Saturdays because he can’t justify it. He has lost a lot of weight before on WW, put it all back on of course… but this has been like ‘WOW’ and in 4 weeks. Where he’s lost it from too, to look at him, he looks like he’s lost a lot more, it’s made such a difference to his body shape. Very soon, I’m going to be venturing into weights that I haven’t seen since the late 90’s. It’s very exciting but also sad that I’ve spent all of my twenties and my thirties obese. I wish I’d found this years ago.

I’m toying with the idea of making a small pumpkin bread loaf…

Ooh yes, chickpea flour could be a goer for the rainbow flatbreads as almond flour is the equivalent of a gold ingot to buy! I still can’t find enough recipes with coconut flour (which I bought a bigger bag of ‘because it’s cheaper’). WE should buy shares in chickpea plantations (or however they are grown!). Lucky – your hubby is a true convert to the BSD – what a star!

I just informed my dad that I am still on the BSD so that he doesn’t try and ply me with carb junk when I visit in a couple of weekends time. I get the feeling there was a bit of teeth sucking going on when I let him know.. but it’s not a big deal. I will just take quinoa with me and fill up on salads. The problem is that historically I was the girl who loved all the creamy cakes and biccies and fresh bread so I guess they aren’t prepared for a slimmer, cleaner living, borderline teetoal (after last weekend) daughter!

Hope Tokyo is getting on ok, first day back.

My food processor is looking at me from the other desk at work. I’m home alone in the office. I want to go home and try it out!

Lucky, one of my business is in the luxury fragrance market, and amongst us chandlers (people who make candles) we have a rhyming nickname for Yankee candles. All I’ll say is that it begins with a “W”.

I won’t let them near my house!

Omg, really Timmy? I love the smells on them. What is it that’s wrong with them exactly? I mean, they work as in they light and they smell… Is it that they’re overpriced for what they are or what? I’m guessing yes, have you got any suggestions for something better, and preferably cheaper?

And they’d be less sweet too Janey. I’m finding the almond very sweet lately, and to me a sweet bread is a cake lol. I wouldn’t put ham on a slice of carrot cake.

My mum is the same, she’s a bit of a feeder, bless her, she’ll turn up with goodies for the kids AND us, but I think she’s realised this time. I tend to use food emotionally, it’s how I show my appreciation for my friends and family. They’re going to hate the new me…

Wet spots, frosting, wrong wick size, cheap fragrance oil, paraffin wax, the list is endless!

That and they don’t really seem to test for the hot scent throw so long as the cold scent throw is strong!

If you want cheaper then you won’t like my candles. LOL. I’m just preparing a batch for Blenheim Palace right now in fact! I’m in the more pricey end of the market though!

If you want a reasonably inexpensive candle that is good quality then you would probably be better googling to see if there is a local small business to you that makes them. I know of a few good small candle makers in North Wales. Not sure how they’d compare to Yankee price wise, but one thing I do know is that they would have been fastidiously tested for scent throw, and would more likely than not use soy wax (which is cleaner and lasts longer) rather than stinky paraffin wax!

Timmy! You are the go-to expert for candles! Lucky – hang your head in Yankee induced shame! I don’t go in for all that stuff – my house smells of Febreeze or whatever foul thing one of the cats has brought in! But, our Timmy is chandler to Royalty! Love the developing characters on this feed 😀

I agree almond is a bit sickly. Need more testing on coconut flour, but there’s less in the recipe section worth trying. My kids hate the new me as I keep using them as guinea pigs for Elana’s creations. Muahahaha…

Lord Jesus no, I’m not royalty type income. Not to say I wouldn’t like them just… couldn’t afford them lol. Fair play though, you must be good!

I just liked this particular Christmas one because it smelled like a coal fire, just smelled of winter. And we don’t have a coal fire any more so maybe a smidge of nostalgia in there too! I suppose like anything else, if you know your onions about something you can see what’s wrong with it. The normal bloke/woman on the street wouldn’t pick up on any of what you’ve just said, would they? I buy curtains from department stores and my friend who makes bespoke curtains and cushions for posh people (a pair costs more than the cost of every single pair of curtains I have owned combined over the course of my life), she goes mad with me, takes them down, lines them and puts pinch pleats and all sorts in them. I just want to hang them at my window… 😉

Haha. That’s true. Before we started candle making all I would do was pick up a candle and sniff it. Now I can’t look at a candle in a shop without tutting and thinking how inferior they are to mine 😀

Saying that, mine aren’t as expensive as Jo Malone. I would say they are a similar quality, but mine are about half the price of hers!

I’ve just looked at how much Jo Malone candles cost. In fact, I uttered the words ‘HOW MUCH!’ as I looked. Jeez. How the other half live… £290 quid one of them was! I’ve broke out in a cold sweat!

What’s everyone having for tea? I’m having spice rubbed and then blackened pork steak with avocado salsa and salad.

Ha ha. The £290 one is absolutely massive. I don’t do those ones. I make 220ml ones. I think JM do 200ml ones for £42, my 220ml ones are £25.

I think the £290 has a burn time of 230 hours which is crazy. It would theoretically stay lit for 9.5 days straight!

Chicken curry for me. Off to the gym as soon as I’ve finished making this batch of candles, then picking up the ingredients on the way back.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh is it? Although I’d want 9.5 months continuously lit for £230. £25 isn’t bad at all.

I love curry, that is one meal that I’m really missing the extras with… I’m toying with the idea of making chickpea wraps, making lamb and mint samosa filling and baking them to see if they’ll go crispy.

I know, I need to get a grip…

oooo interesting Timmy – candle making sounds like a lovely job, I can imagine you’d get very fussy about ones you see in shops now too. I’m a bit like that with salads these days – tutting over wilted kale when we grow our own ;-0))

Bet you sorry you ever said you liked candles now though Lucky hee heeeee. That dinner sounds delicious – I’ll be over about 6:00 ;-)))

Janey, get working on that fancy desert for us now wont you! 😉

That has to be quote of the day… ‘tutting over wilted kale when we grow our own’ hahahaha. Love it.

I know, that’s me told innit? I’ll probably never buy one again now, thanks Timmy. Pffffffffft.

It is lovely, and it’s probably the simplest thing ever, a homemade spice rub of a tsp of paprika, tsp of cayenne (but I use more) 1/2 tsp each of cumin, mixed herbs, onion or garlic powder and salt and black pepper to preference. Coat the meat, heat a griddle pan to smoking and char the hell out of the chicken breast or pork on both sides. Finish in the oven. Never tried the salsa before, thought it would accompany it well and indulge the boss’s craving for avocado.

He is a dopey sod though, when he asked me this morning for avocado, he actually called it ‘Guantanamo’. Meaning ‘Guacamole’ – which, incidentally, he has never had. Just that his poor broken mind has equated avocado with guacamole… and come up with Guantanamo. Never a dull moment, folks. Never a dull moment. You couldn’t make this shiz up.

heee heeeee funny – he’s in for a treat so – delicious guacamole – wish I never had it and could start again having it the first time 🙂
Yuuuum definitely going to try that spice thing – sounds delicious, thanks!:-)

You’re welcome 🙂 Just chopping up salsa stuff now, I am quite hungry today, I don’t think this weather helps, it’s like Winter. At least when the sun is shining I feel like eating the right sort of stuff. Looking out at this grey, rainy misery of a day, I feel like I should have a beef stew and dumplings in the slow cooker?

Oh my God, I can’t have dumplings.

Note to self – Google chickpea dumplings later tonight.

Honestly I get on with work for an hour, and everyone is chatting without me!!

Lucky – tell your hubby he can only eat his ‘guantanamo’ if he is wearing an orange jumpsuit.. that’ll confuse him!

I think ‘Tutting over wilted kale’ may have to join the list of historic BSD quotes. Best served after a Pot of Hurrah, whilst wearing the cape and robes of smugness…

Hmm, what IS for tea. I made an impulse purchase of an aubergine at lunchtime (because they are purple and shiny and beautiful) so may do a version of Tokyo’s spicy lamb dish (without faffing, mind). If I crank the food processor up I could serve BREAD with it!! I’m not sure chickpea dumplings will work though – they’ll be like low carb canon balls!

By the way, I think burning a candle for 9.5 days contravenes health and safety. Almost 100% sure of it 😉

Yes! Yes! Yes! We could use it in so many contexts. For example:

‘No use in tutting over wilted kale’ etc for when we’ve buggered up diet wise or recipe wise.
‘Timmy, are you tutting over wilted kale, again?’ when he’s being a bitch about rival candle makers.

You know the sort of thing 😉 A pot of hurrah though, that’s going to take some bloody beating.

Low carb cannon balls. You obviously haven’t tried my dumplings then, little difference there would be except the amount of carbs 😀

Oh and don’t forget last night’s gem: If he was a lollipop he’d lick himself.. absolute classic!

I was going to say something there then but… best not.

Low sugar lollipop. Obviously

*Sits on hands so I cannot type*

hi ladies !! ( and timmy!!)
well finished work and i cant possibly catch up on all thats been said so just going to say to start i refused chocolates then ivrefused biscuits then finally ivrefused cookies and flapjacks and granola bars !!!!!!!
but bloody hell it was hard!!!!!
very tired but managed to wangle tomorrow off so only weds to work !!!!!
oh and i stuck to my yog and stewed apple for breakfast chicken salad for lunch ( small) and a litre of water !!!!
did you miss me??

Break open a pot of hurrah to welcome Tokyo back! You have advanced candle making and allergy prevention to catch up with, my dear!!

Tokyo!!!!!! Did we miss you? You have to read what you’ve missed out on! Of course we missed you!

A pot of hurrah, and a plateful of wilted kale for us all to tut at!

Epspecially, have you seen what you’ve started here???? 😉

Well done on sticking to it all day, go you! x