Last week I blogged about supplements and promised recipes this week, recipes which I make and eat and have been a factor in my weight loss…
This week I have mislaid another 0.5 kilos or 1.1 lbs which I think on its own doesn’t sound very much but if you take that over a month or a year it makes a huge difference and it is done by eating moderately whatever I fancy nothing is banned, I exercise every day by walking and I ensure I get enough sleep…
It also doesn’t cost me a fortune in specialised food or tablets and is an eating plan for life and one I can stick to…No one waved a magic wand… some weeks I lose nothing just stay the same that is when if it runs into two weeks then I up my walking and check my eating normally it is because I have got lazy and maybe had a little more of what I fancy but which truly I don’t need,,, empty calories…usually it is ice cream…
Of course, if you want a quick fix and want to believe what all these celebrity doctors endorse then go ahead because I defy anyone who says long term they are happy with the outcome, never feel hungry and are healthy…At the end of every post each week I will have a silly diet corner…Some are actually quite laughable…and dangerous…
What do I eat and drink throughout the day ...There are quite a few drinks in my list and in any one day, I might just have two of those plus water…I like to change it up as to what I fancy…
There is nothing like a healthy drink of Coconut juice fresh from the fruit.
- Green Tea…I have tried a few different teas but in all honesty, it is all in the brewing as even now if I take my eye off the ball and go do something and forget to take out my little strainer I get bitter tea and do I kick myself because it isn’t pleasant…My favourite is Oolong tea and by buying the leaves(little) pearls I only use a tsp and can reuse that over the day which means it is very cost effective.
- Rosella Tea…Is a beautiful red colour slightly tart which suits my palate but if your taste wants a little sweeter add a little honey… I use 10 buds which last me the day..topping up…Rosella is if you can find it fresh lovely for making jam..
- Butterfly Pea Shoots..This can be drunk either hot or cold it has a mild flavour is a very pretty blue colour naturally which doesn’t stain…
- Ginger tea…I drink this about twice a week as when I go to market there is a young man who makes this it is very strong ginger tea and when I get home I add a tsp of honey.
- Fresh Coconut Juice… One of my favourites very good for you and I drink nearly every day…
- Passionfruit Juice…One of my favourite fruits and a drink I love again I probably treat myself once or twice a week…
- Beetroot and Orange Juice…Is my new favourite drink and when I go shopping I buy 2 bottles all freshly juiced while I watch…
- Water…Is not at number eight on the list for any reason as I drink water all the time more than any other drink…Living here it is important to keep hydrated as it is also very warm or hot all the time…
- Apple Cider, Honey and Ginger… A drink I love I don’t drink it daily just sometimes and especially if I get a hint of a sore throat…
I would say Green tea and water are my main drinks and the others fit in between when I am thirsty or fancy a change…
Carbs…
Rice is my main carb and I don’t advocate cutting out carbs although when my son was doing Keto I did look at what else had carbs and that is why I wouldn’t try the Keto diet it is too high in fat and much which has carbs is food I like to eat as part of my healthy balanced diet. I wasn’t prepared to not eat what I deem as healthy. Although many people swear and rave about the inches they lose there are no long term trials which would give an accurate picture as to what it does to your body long term.
Potatoes and Pasta I eat maybe once a week…Not because I don’t like potatoes or pasta I just prefer my rice and chillies…My son bought me back some Jersey Royal from the Uk…Trust me I will be eating them with butter and mint and a joyous look on my face…I can taste them now…
Bread…I love good bread and unless I make it then it is not available here…If I make sourdough or soda bread then I have a slice…Just not regularly …I don’t compromise on food I like good food and food which is not processed and which I make myself most of the time…
Vegetables…We all love veg even the kids and Thais eat a lot of veg raw and cooked but it is served at every meal… I am lucky in that we grow some vegetables and herbs and the rest I buy fresh from the market as and when I need them…Most vegetables that I could buy in the UK are grown or available here with just a few exceptions but that is the same wherever you live…
Most eaten by me…Kale. Carrots. broccoli, cauliflower, long green beans( snake) beans, sugar snap peas, baby corn, white cabbage, green onions, shallots, asparagus, sprouts, water spinach, water chestnuts and chillies…I love and miss swede, parsnips and celeriac …Parsnips my son bought back from the Uk so they will be a treat this week…I cook either steamed or in a stir fry/curry or raw…
Herbs...we eat with every meal all fresh some we grow or again I buy fresh from the market…Again Thais use and eat raw herbs daily…
Fruit…Mangoes, bananas, jack fruit, passion fruits and papaya we grow and I just eat whatever fruit is in season…Apples I can get here and mandarin oranges …Navel oranges are imported so I only buy occasionally…
I always have a bowl of fruit daily with some greek yoghurt or with a small piece of cheese…I have found a source of greek yoghurt and cheese is imported although I have found some lovely feta which is made here also goats cheese as we have a micro-dairy. here…Feta is my favourite…I love the saltiness and the fact it is said to be the healthiest of cheeses…I try to eat a piece of cheese as I don’t drink milk except for coconut milk.
The meat I either buy from a family farm (Beef/Pork) so I know they are grass-fed and no hormones…We have our own turkeys and chooks including black chickens…
So overall I am pretty lucky as I know the source of most of my food…I also keep my carbon footprint to a minimum…
On a daily basis, I generally have two main meals one of fruit and one of a stir fry/curry with rice…If I snack I have either fruit, some dates and the other day I had a doughnut…Why? Because I could…I did tell you nothing was banned just eaten in moderation…
Pork/Chicken and Basil.
Ingredients:
For 1 serving.
- 100 gm pork loin/chicken sliced finely
- 2/3 birds eye chillies. cut in small slices.
- 2/3 cloves garlic finely sliced.
- 2 long beans( snake beans) chopped in small pieces.
- 2 stems Thai Sweet Basil called Horapa in Thai
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce.
- Shake or 2 of Maggi ( seasoning sauce)
- 1/2 tsp black soy.
Let’s Cook!
Put a tiny bit oil in a small frying pan.
Add Oyster Sauce, Maggi and Black Soy stir to combine.
Add chillies and garlic and cook for 1 minute then add your finely sliced pork loin-stirring until cooked about 2- 3 mins. Add Green Beans and Thai Holy Basil cook for further 2 mins.
In the picture, I have served it with cauliflower rice but I also serve with steamed rice it depends just how I feel…
Enjoy!
This is one of my favourite dishes…Holy basil is also used when making Thai Green Curry and also Thai pork salad… Called Larb here……Holy basil is truly a lovely herb….
Yesterday was one of my favourite fish dinners… Fried Fish with peppercorns in black bean sauce.
Serves 1.
125 gm white fish cut into smallish pieces and rolled in rice flour.
Small onion roughly cut
2 spring onion sliced
1-2 chillies sliced diagonally
1 stem of fresh peppercorns
1 tbsp black bean sauce
1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
Sm piece fresh ginger minced or finely julienned
Fish sauce to taste.
Lets Cook!
Heat up oil in a wok and shallow fry fish quickly on each side until it becomes golden brown, it will take around 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
In the same wok where fish is fried sauté garlic, chilli, onion and ginger.
Add green onion and peppercorns then stir fry for a minute. Then add fish.
Add splash water, black bean sauce bring to a rolling boil, add fish and turn over once to coat with the sauce and simmer for 2 mins. If the sauce is thin you can add a bit of cornstarch slurry to thicken it.
Flavour with fish sauce and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Serve with steamed rice and a chilli dip( optional)
I hope you enjoy recipes which are all tried, tested and authentic….I also don’t count calories or carbs I just have a moderate portion suited to my needs and enjoy it…Over the last seven years, I have lost a total of 7 stone (44kg) I have 8 kg still to lose which takes me to my ideal weight NOT the weight which I weighed at 20 years old and was the weight for my height but the weight I have deemed I think to be correct for my age…I don’t conform to stereotypes and I don’t listen to what others think I should be I already feel much healthier for my weight loss I don’t do fads and I eat what I fancy and when…It works for me…
Processed foods …Mainly are my Thai cooking sauces I buy naturally fermented soy and other sauces like fish sauce. My coconut milk I buy freshly made at the market.
Cakes and biscuits are an occasional buy if I have been lazy or busy and hubby likes a bit of cake many of the cakes here are Thai Style Soft Cake (Pui Fai Cake) which are very soft fatless sponges which are steamed not baked then topped with fruit or cream/chocolate. It is like eating air …
Wacky Diet Corner…Week 1…
I mean would any sane person do this???
IV weight loss therapy combines lipotropic, hydrating fluids, and a special formulation of vitamins to help boost your metabolism.
Now excuse me if I am a little puzzled here but how hard is it to make sure you drink enough in a day and how hard is it to make sure that your diet contains the nutrients that your body needs???
Why would you voluntarily pay to have a needle and a drip to aid your weight loss…?
I mean the advice given with this is that you have to eat a healthy diet take regular exercise and it states it doesn’t replace exercise or act as a nutritional substitute or fix metabolic issues which make my question even more pertinent,,, WHY?
Answers on a postage stamp……
I hope that you have enjoyed reading this and that it proves helpful to you in your healthy eating journey xx
About Carol Taylor:
Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.
I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.
Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.
The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year
Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!
Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a creative week ahead xx
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Retired? No one told me! 