well done, amazing – the way you are going you will be shrinking before you know it.

What a lovely man your father sounds.

Have offered to make lunch for a friend tomorrow so have planned a salad with hot chicken and bacon lardons on top. Can’t wait! Might try to squeeze a few parmesan shavings on it too. Friend is planning to start BSD800 on Monday so I’m hoping to give her a good example of how delicious it can be.

Waffling here is really helping me keep my focus so am going to keep doing it!

Chuffed to bits with myself! Made the cake, went out for lunch, handed out the cake and stuck to plan completely!

The salad was delicious but the fish fillets were absolutely tiny. I had accounted for 200g just in case but I reckon they were less than 100g. So i had a tiny spoonful of mayo with it. Yum.

The waitress looked at me when she handed me my plate and asked if I was sure it was enough. I just smiled and said ‘it looks lovely thank you’ and nobody else said a word. Except my Dad who took me to one side later and said I was looking slimmer already and glowing (love that man).

I didn’t have my breakfast until 11.45 so I wasn’t ravenous when we arrived and I took a bag of emergency almonds for when the others were eating cake. Planning is key! So proud of myself and starting to believe in myself a bit…

FFBB, the rain was vile in my area too, actually kept me awake despite Sinus headache. Well done on keeping within your chosen limits. I think this way of life, gets easier the longer you do it. Having said that, I also believe that every so often we deserve to have something we really like. Like Liz’s Steak and Ale pie. I am going over 1000 calories today and I know it. In the week, I struggled one day to get as much as 500…like you I think it evens out in the big scheme.

Hope you feel better soon (tired and angsty) I hate feeling like that.

Lots of love,
Nonna Mary
xxx

Day 28 in the BSD.

Not much to report, I am still on track for a daily average of under 900 calories, which is absolutely fine by me. I know it is supposed to be 800 calories daily average but I doubt it will make much difference in the big scheme of things. I am consciously eating and drinking so I am more aware….basically, no distractions whilst eating.

Got woken up by heavy rain at 6 am so I feel tired and angst-y but I will have a hot shower and read in bed to relax.

FFBB X

Hi everyone

Well I’m home now after a few days away when I ate a cookie, a scone, a tiny apple tart with a couple of spoons of blackberry ice cream and a few bites of a lemon tart. So a lot of carbs in a short space of time. I have now had my fill and am ready to resume. I have followed your advice Marsie and set out a plan between now and my birthday a week before Christmas. I think for my first week I will follow 1000/50 to get myself back on track. I hope to average that over the week with maybe a 2:5 balance. I’m not absolutely certain yet. I really need to see what damage I’ve done over the last few days first. So I will decide tomorrow when I get weighed.

I have discovered Hellman’s Salad Cream which I use now on salads instead of mayo mainly because it’s tart and is very satisfying. It’s got 2.4g of carbs in a 16g serving and I can stop at that but it wouldn’t be advisable to use if one tablespoon isn’t enough.

The first of the new to me recipes on here that I’m going to try is the cheese but I need to get some cheese cloth first. Then it may be one of the pesto recipes. Anyway I’m all set to start anew from tomorrow.

Have a good weekend.

Hi, Thanks California Girl and Theodora,

It does sound like low blood sugar doesnt it? Luckily it only happens sometimes, like when people don’t give me time to have breakfast or I am so busy another meal is delayed. Mostly though it is the delayed breakfast, rarely happens at other times.

Given these episodes – I love the idea of fasting for 16hours plus but just don’t think my body would allow it.

On the carb note, yes, restrict carbs and don’t eat the baddies except on one occasion when I was hijacked by a potato demon. However, I will restrict further and see how that goes.

I think though, the simple solution is to eat breakfast in a timely manner or tell those breakfast interruptors to go away!

All the best
Bigeater

Thanks for your usual excellent advice, Marsie. Enjoy your low cal/carb day tomorrow – personally, after a few days of planned over-indulgence – which I thoroughly enjoy – I always find it a relief to return to a more abstemious way of eating for a day or two. Now THAT is a real non-scale victory in my book!😃

As I just posted on another thread, our guests arrived, Jen armed with a hamper full of her homebaked pies, bread and cakes. I hadn’t seen her since last October and she had no idea I was following a low carb WOE. She was gobsmacked by my weight loss, and told me I look “totally fab” and has promised that she won’t take offence if I don’t touch any of her goodies. In fact as they are all sitting down to tea and cakes atm, I have snuck away to my study and come on here by way of distraction. They also brought an entire case of wine, and I shall certainly be sharing in that delight😜

I have had nothing at all today other than 125g fage yoghurt with 50g blueberries (149cals) and water and black coffee so, as we are going out to dinner this evening, I shall eat and drink whatever I like, whilst eschewing refined carbs, and hope for the best.

I do so agree, this WOE is not sustainable if we are not allowed to go out and enjoy ourselves – I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again – life is for living. We only get one, so it’s important to enjoy it.😛

Bigeater, I have no personal experience of diabetes or low blood sugar, but what Californiagirl says makes a lot of sense. I agree, try lowering your carb intake – it’s not too difficult to stay around 20g a day if you are careful and it might sort the problem out. Anyway, just wanted to say that I hope you feel better soon, it must be miserable feeling like that every morning, so good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Aim to make judicious choices, Theodora, knowing this will leave you free to think of your guests and be a wonderful hostess. And, after all, I’m sure your friends wouldn’t want you to be unhappy on their account. Above all, relax and enjoy your friends’ company. You’ve worked very hard to get to where you are, and where you are is not in a cave living the life of a hermit. So, choices, with no regrets.

Speaking to myself as much as you Theodora, as I’ve had “party food” 2 nights in a row. No regrets. Low cal/carb day tomorrow.

Hi Bigeater — I’m thinking you might be going too many hours without eating — if you skip breakfast, you will be up to fifteen or more hours between meals and maybe that is too much for your body (everyone is different). Shaky and stomach-sick are classic low-blood sugar responses.
You may also still be eating too many or too many of the wrong kind of carbohydrate which is interfering with your body’s ability to mobilize and use your fat stores. That can also lead to low blood sugar episodes.
Most of us who are fat have over-excited insulin responses or high background insulin — insulin is your “storage hormone” and locks away your calories in your fat cells — when insulin is high, you cannot access the stored fat and low blood sugar results.
To lower insulin, you must cut your carb intake to a very low level — 20 grams or less per day. Try that for a week or two and see what effect that has on these episodes. Then you can play around with adding in more carbs until you work out for yourself where your “sweet spot” lies. Everyone is different — don’t use a general guideline, use your own body!
And, I always also counsel, when really really hungry….EAT something (fat and protein) because we should honor true hunger in our wonderful, hard working, ever faithful bodies.

Hughsey34, well done on the 2lb loss despite the carb frenzy. We all fall by the wayside sometimes, the trick is just to get back on track, as I am sure you have done.

Dnmore, sometimes I think the non-scale victories are even better than the scale ones😀 Though of course it’s always good to see them move in the right direction, no matter how slowly.

After another really strict day yesterday, I have got another 1lb of my wriggle room back which, in view of the weekend we have planned, is just as well. Now got 3lbs wriggle room (would prefer my usual 5lbs) but I suspect it will all be gone again over the weekend as we have 5 very hungry and boozy(and THIN) houseguests staying so there will be food and wine aplenty. One of them is a professional artisan baker and she has brought a selection of her wonderful pies, breads and cakes which I am trying desperately hard to resist. To be fair, I haven’t seen Jen since last October and she didn’t know that I’m on a low carb WOE (she was gobsmacked at my weight loss, but told me I look fab 😋) and she has promised she won’t take offence if I don’t touch the goodies she brought, bless her – but they are very tempting! Everyone else is now having afternoon tea and cakes – hence I have shut myself away in my study and come on here to distract myself. They also brought an entire case of wine – and THAT I will partake of😜 Out to dinner this evening though, so will eat and drink whatever I like, but no refined carbs, and just hope for the best.🙂

Hope everyone else is having a good weekend, both activity and bsd wise.

hi everyone, i am still on the bsd. been a pretty good girl haha. my question is this….. I have found that if my breakfast is delayed by a few hours or more I feel quite ill. I become weak, shaky and sick to the stomach. I am not on insulin or other diabetic drugs. Do you think it is possible to have a hypo or low blood sugar when a diet controlled diabetic?

Thanks for your help

Bigeater

Hi Jan – my weigh day today. Started 1st July. I’ve lost 6 pounds exactly in 3 weeks. Disappointing, as I lost 7 pounds in 1 week last year. To be fair I’m still eating fruit and about 1000cals daily. See how it goes – might have to drop to 800 cals if the loss halts which it definitely will at some point. Meantime I’m happy with this – I’m aiming for an average of 1.5 pounds per week. Nonscale victories – my nails do not chip and break -full set of nails in a very long time, have completely stopped sweeteners in all food and drink – this has been gradual process and ditching it in tea coffee has been really hard. Down to one coffee a day and trying to enjoy it. Hope it lasts. Low mood last couple days not wanting to do anything, procrastinating big time. Still not been for my walk – but I’m encouraging myself to ‘just do it.’
Hope you have a bit more energy by now – stick in there!

Hi Hughsey – it’s a learning curve – my new saying is ‘2 steps forward-1 step back.’ Don’t know if this helps but before I go on a carbfest, I try and remind myself that I will also have to go through carb withdrawal again which includes severe headaches. Sometimes it works, sometimes I go ahead anyway 😀 Aaaah – being human ain’t easy!

Hi Verano – thinking about you. Wishing you a brilliant healthy eating day.

Good luck everybody, keep going!
Stillgoing(slowly)dumpty.

Pleased to report today the scales tell me I have one extra pound of wriggle room to face the weekend’s probable excesses with. So 3lbs in all. Not as much as I’d have liked – would have preferred to have my whole 5lbs to play with but will happily settle for the 3 (don’t have much choice really)

Our 5 very hungry, boozy (and slim😛) house guests are due to arrive any minute – they always arrive with baked goodies (Jen is a professional artisan baker) and a case of wine so the weekend will be fraught with temptation 😈.

Have a good weekend everyone 😊

Oh Lee, how lovely! I can’t wait to wear lovely clothes again. I usually slob around in T shirts and leggings. As Theodora says, you have saved on the booze so why not indulge in a different way? Just enjoy.

Love,

Nonna Mary xxx

Mixnmatch can you give me the basics of the carb addicts diet of having one carb rich meal a day? Does it work? Has anyone else tried it?

Haha LLCC – been there, done that😜 That secret label cutting goblin frequently visits this house too since I lost weight. It is SUCH a good feeling when all these lovely clothes look good on our svelte new figures. Used to hate shopping for new clothes, now I have bought far more than I could ever need, but have justified buying them (to myself, not my bank manager😜) by working out how much I have saved on alcohol in the past 6 months😊

Enjoy looking and feeling good in your new size 14s.

Morning all.

Ummmm forget battling with the carb, booze or sugar demons. I think I may have to do battle with my bank manager…

I took your advice and decided to purchase some new work clothes. I’ve found that expensive tailoring is what I need to suit my shape. So I ordered 4 dresses with a view to keeping 1 or max 2. But they all looked amazing and to be able to fit into a size 14 in Boden and Hobbs overwhelmed me and I appear to have cut off the tags on each and every one….😱👗👗👗👠

L xx

Good for you jughsey34, are you sure the migraines are not caused by carb intake. Just a thought.

As you are not diabetic and seriously want carbs try using alternative – and I dont mean cauli rice or spiralized courgette. There are certain carbs that dont add to your craving like chickpea flour tortillas, wild or brown rice (check labels carefully) seed biscuits or oat biscuits etc. You will get feeling of having carbs but none of the high sugar rush and quick drop which is what causes the cravings. Plenty of recipes using chickpea flour, almond flour, coconut flour or I am sure in the UK there are plenty of alternatives on the supermarket shelves.

Thanks.I know there are no easy ways and can’t believe how ill I felt 2 days back into the diet. Felt like I had the flu.. I’m not sure why I crave chocolate when I could completely take it or leave it before the BAD. 🙄

Lovely ladies I am ashamed to say that I went on a carb frenzy after my migraine and to get me through the last days of term (I’m a teacher) back on it again today and have still lost 2lbs 😊 Happy weighing

Morning all, looks like I didn’t win the lottery but neither did anyone else and the top payout was just over £1000. Sorry onetowatch but I noticed my spell checker split your name into one to watch. Hope it doesn’t do it again but at least you will know whats happening.

Down another quarter pound so 2.5lbs in total, completely back to what I lost in the first 3 weeks then regained. Hey ho. BG still good around 5.0 so no complaints here.

Husband cooked dinner last night, god he takes so long and asks me questions every step of the way. How big do I cut the carrots, do you want them round or batons. We dont have mixed herbs what should I use instead. Then when I answer him he argues with me. Like I say use some oregano, basil and bay. Ho no he says I’m using thyme and parsley. Well why ask me. I know some will say I am lucky to have a husband who can cook but he makes such a song and dance about it. Anyway, why should I do it all, i’m not his servant.

Enjoy your holiday MnM and pop back to join us when you get back. Have a good weekend everyone.

There isn’t an easy way to do it, white carbs feed the craving cycle and make it seductively easy to fall back into bad habits. I have been trying to follow the carb addict diets suggestions of keeping intake of white processed carbs to within only one hour a day, and that mostly seems to be working, but when I relaxed even more over my birthday I needed a really quite extreme ‘reboot’ week afterwards to feel back in control again. My advice would be try a two week period of low carb, 800 calories to reset the cravings and then maybe try the once a day strategy.

I had been following the BSD and lost nearly a stone. Felt healthier than I have for a long time. Unfortunately I am a sociable creature who eats out often. I’ve found it increasingly difficult to get back on the wagon and I’ve gained three quarters of the weight.
How do I keep focused on the weekends when I’m not a diabetic and love carbs?
Grabbing a sandwich for lunch is so much easier than preparing a salad.
Then there are the diet wreckers who tempt you with chocolates and biscuits and things I’d never been bothered about before..

Any words of wisdom out there?

Don’t panic! I meant being fat. I refer to it as having fat now because I am not it and it’s not me! It’s a temporary thing I have. Thank you for your kind comment though.

Another pound off. Now 14 stone 10. Will be great to get below that 10lb mark as it feels like a significant move towards the next stone.

Today is going to be tough but I feel well prepared and determined.

Back into my comfort zone this morning and feeling oddly relieved. I guess I really do have a new ‘normal’. Keep on keeping on folks, and thanks for letting me gatecrash for a week. Holiday now and will try not to go too mad.

SunnyB, silken tofu is available in the regular supermarkets in the US as well, but you usually find a greater selection at health food stores. I tried several brands for the mayo before settling on my favorite (Nasoya Organic). The other brands didn’t have so custardy a texture and it’s the lowest in carbs to boot.

Jules, sumac is a brilliant addition. This mayo really is a blank state that you can easily change acording to what you’re eating. I’m fond of adding fresh tarragon, minced green onion and dill pickle juice for serving with fish. It’s like a not-really-tartar sauce. 😀

Marsie, I was never much of a mayo afficionado myself. I used it in egg/chicken/tuna salads, just enough to keep everything together. Since it’s really the texture I need for those jobs, and since I prefer bolder, more savory flavors anyway, the tofu mayo is the perfect solution. I get to make it as smokey, garlicky and lemony as I want, with the consolidating texture of mayonnaise minus the high calories. Real mayonnaise is low in carbs, but tofu is too and a pound block makes 30 15-gram (1 tblsp) servings of the mayo. That’s why it’s so incredibly cheap in calories and carbs.

Oh, and go crazy with the pesto. Use your favorite greens, raw or cooked, as the starting point. The only other requirements are fresh garlic, some kind of hard cheese and a nut or two. (Never let the nuts get away from you. They can blow your totals so easily.) In the rapini pesto I used two Brazil nuts that I had toasted and seasoned myself and they were spicy and delicious. I also added a half a roasted spring onion for a little natural sweetness. Something like that would be fantastic on baked, grilled or broiled fish.

I’m so glad your brilliant thread idea paid off for you, Verano. It’s only fair! 😀

Hello Amazing
I hope you won’t mind me butting in.
It sounds like you’re doing well, congratulations on your loss so far – but your last comment concerns me a tad. Fat is not your enemy here. If you don’t have fat or carbohydrate, you’ll have no energy. Avoid simple carbohydrates, but have a nice oily dressing on your salad and a bit of cream sauce on your fish, and enjoy them. They’re good for you.
Keep going and enjoy your long holiday!

It’s certainly helped me too. It’s really been interesting reading what others are doing and that sends one off in new directions.

I am keeping the faith Mary. Morrison’s do the nicest pickled silver skin onions, Lidl sell the worst.

It was Liz’s mention of sauerkraut that made me think and they are better than pickled onion monster munch and there is no way I can, or would want to, binge on either of my pickled products.

FFBB X

Just want to say thank you for all these amazing recipes. When I start back on track on Sunday I will be so spoilt for choice. I will have a proper read through the posts over the weekend. But thanks for renewing my enthusiasm and giving me my motivation back.

Hi Narnea

I have no problems at all, in fact if anything, I think a vegan diet works very well with this approach as veggies & tofu are low calorie and pulses, though a bit higher, are very filling. I’ve been vegan for over a year, and with the exception of one year, was lacto-ovo vegetarian for 20+yrs so I am used to not using meat and to a lesser extent dairy. Curries, stews, soups, stir fries, etc are all good. I’m currently doing 3 days at 800cals and mostly low carb med. For breakfast I typically have 20g oats, 20g crunchy natural peanut butter, 100g soya yoghurt, 50g strawberries. Lunch is usually a homemade soup, salad with pulses/hummus, or tofu scramble. Dinner is often a Socca pizza (from the book I mentioned) & salad, pulses curry or stir fry with tofu/tempeh. And I still have calories for my cocoa with a little oat milk in the evening. It is worth noting though that because I have chronic fatigue and can’t work, my activity levels are low. For someone who is much more active it might be harder.

You could always try swapping one meal per fast day or having one fast day each week as vegan and see if you can adapt over time.

Hope that helps.

I agree about regifting – gave one box of chocs to the kitchen staff and one to the office staff yesterday! They were very appreciative. My sons are currently ‘helpfully’ eating my chocolate biscuits for me. I think working in education has to be one of the hardest jobs for dieting. Our staff room is constantly stuffed with ‘treats’ and lunch breaks are so short you have to be really organised. Still, six weeks off now!

I’ve just gone back through my MFP diary for the week as realised I had forgotten to add a couple of things. I have now been 100% accurate although it’s not a comfortable feeling. 5 cals here and there really add up. It was mostly milk for tea etc. So turns out I have gone over 800 every day but have lost 5lb and it is my time of the month so doubly amazed!

Trying to plan tomorrow very carefully as we are out for a birthday lunch – luckily I was feeling strong when we had to do our menu choices. I’m having grilled fish and undressed salad, no fries and no sauce. Hopefully no-one will notice. I’m going for a ‘never explain, never apologise’ strategy. I shall smile and say ‘I’m fine thank you’ to all queries 🙂

I’m baking the enormous, chocolate birthday cake in the morning so have planned a slightly treaty breakfast of Greek yoghurt, strawberries, sliced apple and a drizzle of honey. Hopefully I won’t then lick the bowl! Was hoping my sister would ask for coffee cake as I hate it 😉

I think my day was mostly a struggle because I weighed this morning and had stayed the same. It then became a mental battle. And ffs 5lb in 5 days is LOADS. Having fat has made me lose all perspective.

Hi, just rejoining the kraut and kimchi discussion, glad you enjoyed them KrysiaD, SunnyB.

SB, you mentioned your kimchi was spiced bit not fiery and I suppose it does depend on the added ingredients. I’m working my way through the 5 varieties from the local brand I’ve found, and checking the ingredients lists on their website it seems neither the 5 kimchis nor the 2 saurkrauts include sugar, and when I think about it I don’t see why they would.

Esnecca, thanks so much for your interesting recipes. I’ll definitely be trying your mayo. Regular mayo is not something I’ve ever really been fond of but this sounds worth trying, along with your pesto ideas. Might help me enjoy the fish meals I have because I should😐

Hi, this is my very first post on here (or on any forum for that matter!) but I often read the posts and find them incredibly valuable. Your comment about gifts from children resonated with me as I am also a teacher who has struggled with weight. One thing that gets me through the staff room temptations and generous edible gifts is that I tell myself that they are not foods I have chosen for myself to eat. This sometimes helps… but not all the time! I then try and regift everything as soon as I can. Good luck on your journey.

Thank you, a great link. Having a real 3rd week struggle and finding reading these post helpful.

Struggled today – I work in a school and came home with four large bags of presents from the lovely kids. Most of them food or alcohol based. I had two squares of dark chocolate as thought that would be better than an entire box of heroes. As a result I am 60 calories over today. I should have had none though.

I can feel that I am making a choice and I think in the past I would have chosen to binge. I am so scared this won’t work and I will eat myself to death.

I am weepy and hormonal today though!

I just can’t imagine myself managing this or treating myself well enough to allow myself to lose weight.

Bit rambling but hopefully makes sense.

Hey FFBB, staying the same is the norm for me. I love pickles especially beetroot, but you know what happens when you eat too much lol
Keep the faith.

Nonna Mary xxx

Hi Esnecca

Just made the mayo but used sumac instead of paprika. Add a quick taste and it’s lovely. Just cooking off a bit of halibut and greens to have with it. The rest of the family are having pizza…..

Hi Mary
Take a look at the “Anyone taking steroids and doing BSD” topic.
I am still off the steroids and feel great though I have to confess that I haven’t lost any more weight but am hard at it again now.
Good luck
X B

Thanks for the tofu mayo recipe, Esnecca, shall be giving that a try for sure. I’m guessing I can get the silken tofu at our local health food shop, but won’t get there for a few days. Will let you know when I manage to give it a go.

Hi. Sorry to sound like a smug arse but this seems to work for me & my wife. I was a stone & a half overweight to start with. I’m a 53 year old man 6ft tall, (bald & occasionally bearded in case that is relevant!) not fat to look at but my trousers were too tight round the waist & I felt really heavy.
I think it just suits us, ostrich steak tonight with a huge quantity of broccoli, asparagus & yellow courgette finished in a pan with a chilli & a garlic clove fried in olive oil & 1 glass of red.
We have done the bolognese and chilli from the book with quorn & 5% beef mince & many of the other recipes.
The main changes to diet are 1 glass of red not a bottle!
No biscuits,cakes, sneaky toast & marmalade
No beer “sad face”
BASICALLY I CAN’T EAT RUBBISH ON THIS DIET & IT IS EASY
MFP says carbs are averaging 100g per day for me so plenty of energy. Jogging and cycling plus the usual golf and daily dog walks help.
Fasting blood thingy down from 6.3 to 5.5
Weight down from 13st 5.8 to 12st 7.5
BP down from 145/90 to 117/67
I’m sleeping better
Every toilet sit down is great – sparing the detail but awesome.
MFP to track calories.

Hoping everyone else has such good results

Hi Mel, Good luck. I’m so glad my post has been of benefit. I had a mega fruit craving yesterday which resulted in my also eating chocolate! I was so annoyed with myself. I’ve been busy today and very focussed, so all good. However I also think that this way of eating should be for life and therefore realistic. So I will have a glass of wine or two at weekends. My blood sugar is staying in the healthy range after only a few days of reducing carbs. I know the weight loss will slow, especially as I take thyroxin and immunosuppressant as well as prednisone. However I can accept the slowness knowing that it’s fat loss. Best Wishes.

Day 27 in the BSD house.

Hunger wasn’t too bad today, I did get peckish but I necked 500 ml of water and waited it out.

I have just rediscovered my liking for pickled onions and pickled beetroot, which might help with snack attacks.

Kept to WOE, didn’t give in to temptation.

HAVEN’T LOST ANY WEIGHT THIS WEEK………BUT I HAVEN’T GAINED EITHER.

FFBB X

Dear pharma, give it up, no one is interested.

KrysiaD, they have been on about 5 different threads and I have reported them on all of them, hopefully the team will get rid.

Esnecca – it was difficult to open the first time and I was so pleased when I realised that it had been properly fermented. For lunch I had sea bream with a salad and the sauerkraut – absolutely delicious. Definitely a delicious and healthy addition to my diet.

Krysia, the build up of gas is an unmistakable sign of real fermentation. Did you have a hard time opening the jar when you first got it? I always have to wrestle with the lid the first time, and even a few times afterwards because the fermentation continues. It just slows down in the fridge. I’m glad it was tasty. 🙂

SunnyB, my tofu mayo is the easiest thing in the world to make. The ingredients are a one-pound block of silken tofu, a clove of garlic, a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a half teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon on smoked paprika. Drain the tofu in a mesh strainer over the sink for 10 minutes or so to get rid of the sloshiest of the liquid. In a food processor or blender, mince the garlic clove with the lemon juice and mustard. Add the tofu and process until it’s smooth. Add the salt and paprika and process some more. Taste and adjust the spices. I like it rather salty and smoky, so I usually end up increasing both.

The end product has the texture of mayo and a lovely aioli sort of flavor to it. I use it in so many things now it has become a staple. Unlike mayo, it is shelf stable so you can make, say, shrimp and dill salad and not have to worry about refrigeration. It can also be heated without breaking and acts as a creamy element in anything you need it for. I’ve made tzatziki with it, blue cheese dip/dressing, guacamole, dredged chicken breasts and fish fillets in it before coating them in almond flour or sunflower seeds, and as I mentioned above, added it to pulsed greens, garlic and parm to change them from mashed up veggies to a smooth and emulsified pesto.