I find that the recipes in the book are typical of recipes written by someone who a) lives in the south of England, b) already has a store of esoteric ingredients and c) is feeding an entire family the same menu. Cooking for 1 is a big problem when fresh ingredients cannot be frozen. when a recipe call for 1/4 tin cannellini beans or sprigs of this herb or that herb when you are not in a position to “eat things up before they go off”. I am sure that avoiding waste is a major contribution to overeating.
I have reconciled to the fact that it is not practical to do a varied menu, but eating the same meal for a recipe for 2 people twice a week on alternate days is doable. Breakfast – Yoghurt and frozen compote (different flavours), Lunch – Tuna and spiralized veg or hummus and crudités, – This means shopping 2x per week for 2 different evening meals and eating them A,B,A,B,C,D,C . This allows a different and possibly more experimental meal on Saturday. This avoids waste and minimises the ingredient list.
I remember once writing a shopping list for the Carol Vorderman detox diet. One quarter of the ingredients were unavailable and others used a teaspoonful of an expensive 500g pack which said “once opened keep in a dark place and consume within 2 weeks – Not suitable for freezing” . The book went to the charity shop the next day.
That said – I have had harissa chicken and Courgetti prawns (twice) without the added fresh herbs and both were delicious.
Just about to eat lunch on day 4 and this mornings weigh in shows an overall loss of 4.4lb (from 200). No hunger or serious cravings but I do have a spaced out headache today so replenishing fluids.