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Family Gatherings – BBQs, Weather, Social Distancing and Recipes…

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Yesterday (Sunday) we enjoyed a family gathering.

Even I was impressed how the offspring strictly adhered to social distancing rules.

We usually have BBQs during the summer months and this was no exception. There are six of us and we all thankfully get on extremely well and often socialise and holiday together.

My son and partner both arrived on bicycles thus avoiding the problem of not having their own car because they live/work near a town and don’t really need one.

My daughter and husband arrived by car and couldn’t offer lifts because of social distancing.

We decided to have a table for sauces, mats and now obligatory hand sanitiser but eat with plates on our laps rather than sit too near each other around the table. The children organised a strict one-way walking system and I found myself inadvertently avoiding my hubby as I obsessively joined in the avoidance scheme haha. (I told you they were strict.)

We gave out drinks with a somewhat laughable stretching process and chatted away. The weather has now turned cloudy and a bit sunny in England. This is because we can now meet up. Last weekend it was hot and sunny. Typical but never mind.

I cooked roast potatoes and made a BBQ sauce. I’d also prepared a Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding which was extremely well received.

Tip… I have discovered a new way of creating a crunchy roast potato. You boil them for about 10 minutes, remove from boiling water, shake as normal so as to start the fluffiness and lay the potatoes out separately. Meanwhile, pop some oil into a baking tin with pepper, rosemary and garlic for a couple of minutes to become very hot. When the potatoes have cooled obtain a fork and scrap the spuds with the fork to create even more jagged edges. Then place them into the hot oil and cook on a hot heat in the oven. They come out really crunchy.

We enjoyed our food. Burgers were made by my son and other half. Beef, coriander, herbs and pepper. We had pork steaks pre-sauced, sausages, chicken and lamb kababs.

We also love to pop some vegetables on the BBQ to roast. Peppers, mushrooms and courgettes. Very tasty.

After a brief rest from the food, we then stuffed our faces with the Sticky Toffee Apple pudding with Cornish ice cream. This went down very well too.

Of course, after we’d had our meal it started to rain. Well, this is England. The youngsters refused to come into the house (apart from the obvious) and so we proceeded to grab and move umbrellas and furniture and sat in the rain. Oh, the joy of an English summer.

“We can’t moan about people not social distancing, if we don’t adhere to the rules ourselves.”

We carried on having cups of tea whilst looking up to the sky.. “Oh, the sun’s come out!”

During the afternoon we dragged the chimenea out, filled it with wood and paper from our butchered garden shrubs and old magazines. My hubby used two blow torches to get the fire going. All of this activity kept the men entertained for hours as they had to keep the chimenea fire going.

The afternoon stretchesd out with intermittent rain and sun into the evening when it became somewhat chilly. We then covered ourselves with blankets and carried on chatting and drinking until dusk.

What a fabulous day.

 

Delia Smith’s BBQ Sauce Recipe…

5 tbsp dry white wine (or dry cider)
5 tbsp light soy sauce
1 heaped tsp ground ginger
1 heaped tsp mustard powder
1 heaped tsp tomato puree
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
Fresh thyme, to garnish

Pudding mentioned… Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sticky-toffee-apple-pudding

Being a foody and losing weight… Tips

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Well, the plan is to develop new recipes which fill  up the stomach without getting fat. Yes, the scales in the gym, record my fat content. Oh joy! No starving myself at the last minute, then.

At this time of year, it is easy to over eat and odd how simple it is to eat what you enjoy even though you feel so much better when you eat healthily and can fit into your clothes. Who doesn’t feel so tired when they eat well?

The plan is to consume more couscous, beans. sweet potatoes, swede, carrots with copious amounts of tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach and eggs. Eggs are so filling. Porridge is great for breakfast too. A few nuts are ok for a snack. 

My aim is to eat well, but similar to how I normally eat. Just not quite so much beer! Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables which will fill me up, so plenty of fibre and filling nutrients.

Extras like bread and wine will have to be eradicated or at least reduced, which is really hard. Portions need to be controlled and recorded if one can be bothered. Apparently, we are all eating far more than twenty years ago. Portion sizes in restaurants and ready meals have risen exponentially.

“Whether you’re eating at home or in a restaurant, your meal should include a mix of non-starchy veggies (like broccoli, spinach or courgette), lean protein (like chicken, fish, beans or lean red meat), complex carbohydrates (like whole grains, sweet potato or wholewheat pasta) and healthy fat (like olive oil, avocado or nuts).”

Read: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/how-to-eat-healthy-at-a-restaurant#ixzz4z3xE5A31

Ok, you may think, this is a bit boring but actually having these foods on your plate, often provides an interesting meal. For example, sea bass with fresh herbs, mushroom/onion, etc., tomato sauce is delicious rather than a calorie laden creamy, but bland sauce. Often, when I go for a so called healthier option, in a restaurant, I end up really enjoying it and do not feel like a blown up balloon afterwards! Recently, I eat a so called Hong Kong chicken meal with rice and salad. It was rubbish. I’m sure the sauce was ketchup with a bit of vinegar in it. Yuk! The rice was good though with prawns and peas. But it all felt rather insipid and crappy. Sometimes you feel places have not moved with the times and their choices.

Another top tip when cooking at home, is, cook enough to last for two days which saves time too. Today’s shepherd’s pie, will last for two days and will be a filling meal with lots of veggies.

To sum up, try to vary your food. Potatoes, pasta, rice or cous cous with a variety of veggies are all tasty if you add some herbs/spices. If you have some of the dried things in your pantry, you don’t have to think about it too much! Meals with pasta/rice are quick to prepare. Just throw together some ingredients into a pan (mushrooms, peppers, onion, chicken, fish, broccoli) with tomato puree (and even a splash of wine or a tiny bit of cream cheese) and it makes a super, delicious meal. Simple, quick and cheap.

Porridge is great for breakfast with some nuts and fruit. Eggs are filling and good for snacks as are nuts too. Make enough for two (or more days). I’ve been known to cook three casseroles, at a time. All were quick and cheap to prepare. See previous blog: Three Day Stews

Good luck everyone. It is not easy, especially when it is so cold and dark but it is worth the effort and doesn’t take much time.