The Recovering Diet Addict

I am a firm believer that if you can't chew it, it isn't a meal. That being said, I fail spectacularly at the mid-week lunch: I don't like sandwiches and no mater how much time and effort I put into preparation, lunch always looks a little unappetising when it has been sat in tupperwear all morning. I am also lazy and, with a pretty good school canteen, recently my mid-week lunches have been focusing a little more on convenience rather than nutrition. In a bid to overcome my big lunch problem, last week I embarked on a week of liquid lunches (non-alcoholic...unfortunately) to see if I could finally get organised and stop overspending on pre-prepared stodge. The rules were simple: each smoothie must include a portion of veg, I could bring fruit for break-time and one savoury snack such as oatcakes (I meant it when I said that I had to chew)! I researched some recipes and stocked up on smoothie ingredients. Mission Do Not Eat out of Polystyrene Trays was a go: My favour...

Two weeks ago, disaster struck: there was an avocado SHORTAGE in my local area! I desperately searched the shelves of our local shops every day for a week but nada! I was furious. My husband was furious. It was then that I knew we had a problem (a first world problem at that). You see, the humble avocado (along with almond milk) is the staple of our daily smoothies. They have become so ingrained in our day to day lives that it has taken "The Great Avocado Shortage of '16" (I'm sure that it will catch on) to make me realise that, perhaps, it is time to shake things up a bit. But, hey, let's share a few of my favourites first: Nourishing Chocolate Milk Adapted from Deliciously Ella Every Day This recipe goes down well with everyone in my house! Throw all of the ingredients in and blitz until smooth (Frozen princess cups are optional): 1 banana 1/2 avocado 1 heaped tsp of cocoa powder A good squeeze/heaped tsp honey Top up with almond milk ...

Chicken is fantastic source of protein and has lots of health benefits. It is also incredibly versatile, making it a staple for dinnertime. However, chicken can get a bit boring after a while as we tend to cook the same dishes time and time again. So this week I have been experimenting with some new, filling (always important for me), healthy and, importantly, tasty chicken dishes to liven up dinner time! Moroccan Chicken with Sweet Potato Mash (serves 4) This tasty dish is surprisingly quick and easy to cook, injecting a taste of Morocco into you mid-week meals! Tonight we fancied a lighter dinner so had it alone; bulk it up by serving with a big helping of green beans (or alternative). Adapted from BBC Good Food! 1. Peel and boil 1kg of sweet potatoes in a pan of salted water for 15 minutes (or until soft). 2. While the potatoes boil, take four chicken breasts and coat in a spice mix (1tsp cinnamon, 1tsp cumin, salt and pepper). Heat up a pan with 1tbsp of olive oil (or p...