Tip Time: Eating Out

Eating out

I love going to different restaurants and trying new foods, however, pronokal does put a stop to that (at least it has for now). Sometimes though, eating out cannot be avoided.

When you can't avoid going out to eat make sure that you are the one who chooses where to go - just tell your friends/family that you have certain dietary restrictions and most will be happy to accommodate you.

• Look up different restaurants in the area before you go. 

• Choose a more mid-to-up-scale restaurant as you can ask to have the menu adapted there quite easily. 

• Steak and Italian places are usually a safe bet as are proper fish restaurants (no chippies), and check the menu online to make sure they have fish and meat. Know what you're going to order and how you want to adapt it before you arrive. 

• Always double check the ingredients with the waiter to make sure your meat is not breaded - this has  happened to me and I sent the dish straight back to the kitchen. It's better to appear somewhat fussy beforehand than need to order twice. 

• That being said, your diet and health are important - don't be afraid to be fussy and kick up a stink (politely) when your instructions are ignored. 

• Salad is usually a safe bet when asking to replace a side dish as long as you remember to ask what is in the salad and also for the dressing on the side. 

• Finally, use any allergies that you can. Some places wont take dietary restrictions seriously so tell them that it's an allergy. You want your food cooked in oil and not butter? Tell the waiter/tress that you're lactose intolerant. Nuts and seeds sprinkled on top of the salad - deathly allergic to nuts I'm afraid e.t.c. 

Good luck guys :)

Seared tuna

One of my favourite restaurants before I started pronokal was 'Hare and Tortoise' and a dish that I loved on their menu was their 'Maguro Tataki' described as 'Slightly fried tuna fillet wrapped in chopped nori and sesame with a light shoyu-based Japanese dressing.'

Obviously I can't go and eat theirs but what I discovered is that I can make my own version and instead of having 5 tiny pieces I have it as a main dish with the 200g I'm allowed of fish. It won't taste the same but it's still pretty good, even if I do say so myself.

You will need proper sushi/sashimi grade fish - do NOT just pick up a tuna steak from tesco and think that will do. This fish will still be raw on the inside so it needs to have been flash frozen. Look for a fishmongers near you that sells it, google is your friend.

Other ingredients are lemon, ginger spices, nori (dried seaweed), .5 - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, wasabi powder (optional) and Tamari soy sauce.

First cut the tuna into thick and quite long chunks, it's best if there will be a significant portion in the middle that will remain raw. Then cover with lemon and ginger to taste.

Grind the Nori and add it to your fish (use it as a B list vegetable - no more than 100g a day).

Place your frying pan on the hob but wait until it gets hot to add the oil and fish. You'll know that it's the right temp when the fish sizzles immediately when placed in the pan.

Whilst waiting for the pan to heat prepare the wasabi powder according to the instructions. mine says two parts wasabi to one part hot water. I added a little more water because there wasn't enough but it's all up to you.

(I know it's not pretty because I used a little too much water but it's still the same spicy, condiment that everyone loves)

Cook on the sides - no more than 30 seconds each and sometimes not even that depending on how big the pieces of fish you're using are. When you look at the fish you should see just a thinly cooked layer at the bottom, small but present.

When done cut into pieces (I actually prefer mine at room temp but this is a personal preference) then serve (with soy sauce and wasabi) and enjoy :)

Roasted Cauliflower Bites

I really like the recipe I'm sharing today, I make it all the time which my housemate, who despises the smell of cauliflower, does not seem to appreciate - he eats peanut butter though (blurgh!) so I consider us even .

As always it's very simple to make and I use this as my full 300g from my A list vegetables, all you need is cauliflower and salt and your full daily allowance of Olive oil; other spices are an option if you want, personalise everything to your own tastes - if you want it spicy add paprika, if you like garlic crisps add garlic, play around to find what you prefer.

First  pre-heat the oven to about 200

Line a baking tray with tin foil

Next remove the leaves from the cauliflower.

Then cut the florets into bite size pieces removing as much of the stem as you can. The smaller they are the quicker they'll cook but also the easier they'll burn so be careful.

Mix the oil and cauliflower on the baking tray and sprinkle a little bit of salt.

Just pop them in the oven. I cook mine for a good 45 minutes to an hour because I like them crispy But if you prefer yours less so then just check after a half hour and keep checking till they have the colour and consistency you desire.

                                                                         Finally enjoy :)

As an extra note - I sometimes make a tomato sauce with them that I like which I'll add at another time. A ketchup substitute that tastes nothing like ketchup ;)

Courgette crisps

A diet like pronokal can feel very limiting at times which is why I look for recipes with all the vegetables I'm allowed - even if I've never previously liked them. I hated courgette when I was younger and in lots of recipes I've been attempting I still REALLY don't like it, however, this recipe I love.

It's, as are all my recipes, pretty simple and it doesn't even require any of your daily olive oil allowance unless you want it to.

You will need: baking tray; foil/baking paper; salt and any other spices you want; up to 300g of courgette and finally oil - either the 1 cal spray or 1 tbs.

First pre-heat the oven at 250

Line the baking tray with foil.

Cut the courgette into thin rings, use a mandoline if you have one. It's not necessary I don't have one, I just use a knife but that can lead to some uneven cooking.

If using the spray, spray the foil then lay out the courgette on top and spray again. If using a tablespoon pop the courgette in the tray in a pile and pour the oil over it. For both sprinkle a little salt - I mean little! The courgette will shrink a lot and too much will leave you feeling like you just drank seawater. It's better to have too little than too much as you can always add more after it's been cooked if you'd like. If you want to add other spices go for it but again be careful of the amount. Once covered with oil and spices lay the courgettes on the tray nicely.

Put them in the oven for a half hour or so. Keep a close eye on them though - check after 15 minutes and keep checking. If you've cut with a knife like I have some will be brown and crispy while others still soft. I don't actually mind this, I like the mix but If you don't want this then a mandoline may be necessary for you.

(They didn't shrink that much - I ate a few before I took the picture. They smelled good, were warm, and I was hungry :P)

They make a great side to the meal, especially with winter coming and my craving for warm food growing - enjoy :)

Tip Time

Today I thought that I'd share a, purely motivational, tip that gets me through my diet and that is the internet - such a marvellous invention ;)

1) I online shop; I don't even need to buy anything (though sometimes I can't help myself). I go onto blackmilkclothing.com and realise that I can wear one of their bodycon dresses in a size medium and actually look good or I'll go onto net-a-porter and pick out an item that I'll treat myself with when I reach my final goal. I'll also pick out smaller (and cheaper) items from other stores that I'll treat myself with at smaller, but no less significant, goals i.e. when I loose another 13 pounds I'm going to buy myself a pair of knee high boots. I've never owned a pair before because my calves were too fat for me to get nice ones but now... I want to deserve them and I know how good I'll feel when I finally fit into them. Another 14 pounds after that I'm going to buy a pair of shorts - shorts! I've hated my legs since I can remember so this will be a HUGE step for me.

2) When I get bored of shopping , window or actual, Youtube becomes my friend. I watch programmes like: supersize Vs superskinny (the channel is ermm tv, this is my favourite of the programmes); my big fat diet show; secret eaters; the food doctor; 600lb life story; the biggest loser; fat doctor; and anything else to do with food and obesity that I can find. I'll look at those really overweight people, know that I was heading down the same path and know that I don't ever want to be that way again.

3) Once I understood more about nutrition from watching these shows I would start looking up nutritional information online. I would look at the calories, carbs, salt and fat content in my favourite foods and see what I was putting inside my body. I wouldn't stop there though, I'd go onto tesco.com or asda, sainsbury's or waitrose - look up food I used to eat and other foods that I liked but generally didn't eat very much of (too busy scoffing my face with carbs) and find foods that I consider to be acceptable now with the new knowledge that I've gained. I'm finally taking an interest at what I'm putting inside my body and I know that it's the right thing for me to do - both appearance and health wise.

Be intelligent and sensible, don't take this diet to extremes and if my motivational techniques don't work for you find some that do - let yourself learn that a treat doesn't need to mean food. It may be hard to relearn that kind of behaviour however, as I'm in the process of discovering, it'll be well worth it in the end. Good luck guys.