PASCAL'S PASTA CARBONARA

Pascal's pasta carbonara is Arabella's favourite - she would eat it all day everyday if she could and as would Pascal to be honest! So when Pascal suggested he cook it tonight, I didn't really have a choice….not that I minded too much as it is delicious.

Pascal's eyes are far bigger than his stomach and so he always overcooks  - we cooked the below for 3, we all had seconds and we have two portions left over to freeze for Arabella! Therefore I would say this amount would easily feed a family of 5.

Ingredients for around 5 people (depending how piglet you are):

500g pasta (whatever shape you prefer - Pascal likes big shapes, I prefer spaghetti, Arabella always wants fusilli - guess who won?!)
600g lardons
400g-500g creme fraiche (I buy half fat, Pascal doesn't like too much cream so he adds it bit by bit)
Parmesan / Grated Cheese
5 egg yolks (depending on how many you are cooking for)

First things first, boil some water for the pasta as this always seems to take the longest and don't forget to salt the water (it makes the pasta taste so much better). If you are using dried pasta it will take longer, about 10 minutes to be al dente, whereas fresh only takes about 4 minutes. I used dried so I put this on first and then started frying the lardons.

Pour the creme fraiche into a saucepan and add a generous amount of pepper, and then heat over a low heat.

I then used this time to separate the egg yolks and chop the Parmesan.

If you are using fresh pasta, put it on now.

Once everything has cooked, immediately drain the pasta and then mix it together in the pan with the lardons and creme fraiche.

Finally serve with an egg yolk mixed in and a sprinkling (or handful) of cheese - couldn't be simpler - and eat asap!!

As I mentioned earlier we all had seconds so it obviously went down extremely well. Arabella was even the dinner winner which never happens. Pascal has cooked this for us as a family and for friends as well and it always works very well and is absolutely delicious considering how simple it is. We often talk about adding mushrooms, but never do as it would break Arabella's heart, but I am sure it would be a delicious addition. 

FENG SUSHI, FULHAM ROAD

I said in a previous blog that I never order take aways and now I have had two in a month. My first Chosen Bun was delicious but this time I went for something a little healthier - sushi. We only have Yo Sushi in Fulham Broadway which I don't really rate and so if I have a craving I have to either nip up to Itsu or order in from Feng Sushi.

Feng Sushi has 8 sushi delivery branches across London serving delicious sushi rolls and Japanese food at good value and the ingredients are all incredibly fresh and MSC certified. You can eat inside their restaurant or they pretty much deliver all over London.

The menu is varied (Menu) - you can order starters such as edamame, soups and salads, maki rolls, hand rolls, nigiri, bento boxes and hot dishes such as tempura or katsu curry. The choice is immense.

Ordering is simple - you can do it over the phone or online and delivery is usually about 45 minutes. Pretty slow compared to some companies so you need to be organised!!

Being a creature of habit I always order my favourite - the tempura tuna rolls with tuna, spring onion, cream cheese and kimchee sauce. These are incredible - I eat them all and don't even want to share one - I wish they served these in all Japanese restaurants, I cannot recommend them enough!

I then vary what else I order - sometimes tuna tartar or black pepper and sesame tuna tataki and other times a Japanese bento box which is what I had here. It is a great selection so you get a little bit of everything - tuna and salmon sashimi, tuna and salmon nigiri, a couple of pieces of vegetable tempura and two nippon "mock duck" which is inari, spring onion, cucumber and hoisin sauce in pancakes.

It was all delicious and such fresh top quality ingredients. Even though I didn't need it, I also had a miso soup, it comes just as a paste in the cup and you add hot water.

It is a perfect accompaniment.

This really is fantastic take away sushi, great fresh ingredients, delicious combinations and plenty of choice. It is my number one take away, perfect for just you or for a group of friends. I want it again now!! Plus a little tip, sign up for their offers as they email great discounts on a Wednesday and a Sunday.

Feng Sushi

218 Fulham Road

London

SW10 9NB

Tel: 020 7795 1900

THE BROWN COW, FULHAM

As yoga takes up all my mornings I rarely have time to "do lunch" nowadays with my mummy friends. However body wise, it is probably for the best as I have enough trouble keeping my weight in check with my constant weekend indulgence (I outdid myself yesterday and Saturday)!

Although I did meet my friend Jamie for lunch at our local pub before school pick up recently and I have to say it was most enjoyable and I habit I could easily take up!

The Brown Cow is the sister pub to The Sand's End and it offers brunch, lunch, supper and incredible bar snacks as well as real ales, wines and drinks. Pascal could never understand why English people loved the pub so much however having frequented here regularly, he now understands! We often pop in on a Sunday for a bottle of wine and a scotch egg and sausage roll - Heaven! It is the perfect local, the staff are really easy going and friendly which contributes to a fantastic, relaxed atmosphere.

Jamie and I were torn when trying to decide what to eat so we decided to tuck into a scotch egg while we chose.

Totally delicious - I highly recommend it! They do other great bar snacks like chilli salt squid, honey and mustard chipolatas, radishes with salt, haddock beignets, chicken kiev….I could literally just have the snacks!

However we did order off the main menu - I decided to be adventurous and for once didn't have a burger! Shock horror!! Jamie did have the burger and to quote her "I really liked it and I am super hard to please with burgers and I am American"! I would take that as a huge compliment and so next time I will definitely be having the burger!!

It did look good - and was with cheese, pickles, salad and you could also have bacon (I am sure I would)!

I went for sausage and mash with onion gravy and a few very thin onion rings.

Even though I had huge food envy, I did really enjoy mine - great sausages, a proper onion gravy filled with onions and soft, creamy mash - all the ingredients tasted top quality. Amazing! Other choice on the menu included fish and chips, a pie, steak and chips.

We didn't have time for pudding but we have decided to make this lunch a regular thing and maybe dedicate it to finding the best burger in SW6!

Although I would be very happy to just regularly come here - great food, a fantastic atmosphere and I cannot sign off without complimenting the brilliantly helpful friendly staff. I feel very lucky to have such an excellent local pub but even if you are not from the area, it is definitely worth the effort!

The Brown Cow

676 Fulham Road
London
SW6 5SA
Tel: 020 7384 9559
Email: contact@thebrowncow.co.uk

MAKE YOUR OWN PIZZA

I needed to treat myself today after a week of dieting and lots of bikram - I am back to my "resting/normal" weight although obviously I still dream of being lighter!! 

That is not going to happen today though as I am thinking pizza pizza pizza. Rather than go to Gola, I decide it will be less calories if I make my own as I won't have all the add ons you normally have when you are out for supper like bread and butter, wine and maybe even a starter. I have never made a pizza before and so I did cheat and buy the base….next time I will try and make one but as Arabella had ballet this evening we did not have the time.

We used our favourite ingredients for the pizza - goats cheese, salami and olives (I sneaked in some red onion too) but it is totally up to you as to what you like - ham, rocket, artichokes, anchovies, capers, tuna, sweetcorn Gorgonzola, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes….the list is endless...

Ingredients for one pizza (Arabella and I shared, obviously just multiply the ingredients for more pizzas):

Half a 390g carton of Italian chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
Half a red onion
1 pizza base (I used a Napolina one but I know Sainsburys sell their own and I presume other supermarkets and brands do too)
Salami
1 ball of mozzarella
Olives
Goats Cheese log
A sprinkling of oregano

Preheat the oven depending on what pizza bases you use. I did mine to 220 C.

Pour the tomatoes into a sieve over a bowl or in the sink and let the watery juices drain away.

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for about 6 minutes until softened and then place to one side.

Spoon the tomatoes (without the drained juice) onto the pizza base - I was surprised how little juice there actually was!

Top with the salami or whatever meat you choose (if you do).

And then add the softened onions, mozzarella, goats cheese and olives. Top off with a sprinkling of oregano and black pepper.

Finally pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes (ours took 12).

Wow weezers - that was a success! The base was a bit crusty but it worked very well as the pizza did not fall apart and the toppings were spectacular together - much better than pizza express or similar pizzas you buy in the supermarket and I love that I know exactly what has gone into the pizza. I will definitely be doing this again for adults and kids. I know Pascal will adore it as he can then add exactly what he wants and I would also suggest doing this for kids and letting them decorate it themselves and add smiley faces. I might even do one near valentines with a olive heart!!

Another benefit is it was very very quick and easy - a successful supper and a real treat. If you want to lower the calories, use a low fat mozzarella and vegetable based toppings like aubergine, mushrooms and peppers! 

If you discover any great pizza combinations - let me know!

NOURISHED - A DIET DELIVERY SERVICE - DAYS 4, 5, 6 & 7

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, it is not the sugar I miss while on this diet, surprisingly it is the cheese….and er picking at crisps and hummus! I didn't think I ate that many crisps….obviously I do…

That said these final four days have not been too hard.

Day 4 included organic apple porridge with skimmed milk which I really enjoyed - I would happily buy this in the supermarket for Arabella and I, much healthier choice than the kids' sugary cereals on offer. Lunch was Nicci's Roasted Aubergine and Chestnut Mushroom soup. The soup was good - less thick than the others and not bitty like some mushroom ones can be - I am not a fan of Covent Garden's Mushroom soup!! As the soup is such a good-size portion, it takes longer to eat so you recognise you are full by the end which obviously doesn't happen when I shove a packet of crisps down me.

Supper was Lamb Fricassee which was my favourite of the whole week. Lamb, peas, broad beans, mint, carrots and celery with a delicious stock sauce. I really enjoyed it. I was feeling slightly annoyed as Arabella was tucking into Baked Eggs with Cheese & Ham and it looked so yum but in the end I was more than happy and satisfied with my meal.

At day 5, I had reached the weekend and was starting to find it more difficult. All I wanted was a glass of wine, crisps and hummus, saucisson, a wedge of Camembert.…but I was feeling good so was inspired to continue…the feeling of healthiness is quite addictive…I hope it lasts!! Plus Nicci is always there to talk to and spur you on if you feel like you are going to crack. This was an important day for me as it showed I could survive a weekend day with no naughtiness….something that never ever happens….and probably won't happen again!!

For lunch I had Spicy Vegetable and Noodle Soup - this was jam packed with red and green peppers, noodles, bean sprouts, green beans and onions all in a vegetable broth and obviously with a pinch of spice.

Supper was fillet of bream with tomatoes, olives and capers and this was delicious - much better than I expected. The capers really added to the flavour and the fish was perfect. I will try and recreate this recipe at home and I will be very very proud if I can….I think even Pascal (Mr Anti-Fish) would like it!

My jeans are starting to feel loser - my grey jeans that I have been struggling to squeeze into recently are much more comfortable so that puts a big smile on my face. My skinniest blue jeans can also do up but give me a massive muffin top so obviously more work to do! 

Breakfast on day 6 is the goji and cranberry with yoghurt again and then lunch is a Puy Lentil and Brown Rice Hotpot. This is not really a soup and is more of a meal and it is so full of lentils, rice and lots of veg - carrots, onion, celery - it was very filling and really hit the spot.

I ate Danny's Famous Catalan Chicken for supper which was chicken with walnuts and apricots in a thick tomatoey paprika sauce. I really adored the sauce, chicken and nuts but I have a phobia about fruit with food so left the apricots out (first time I left something on the diet)!!

The Spinach and Parmesan soup on the last day was not photogenic but it tasted delicious, you could really pick out the flavours and as before it tasted much better than the Covent Garden soups I tend to buy (I once read that soup eaters are thinner than non soup eaters so buy a load whenever I go to the supermarket)! 

The last supper - Vegetable Biryani - I felt like I was actually having a proper curry filled with an array of veg - it definitely rounded the diet off well. This time Arabella was most jealous and now she wants to go for an Indian!!

The diet is finally over and it was a success! I lost 4.5lbs in 7 days and the food was delicious, healthy and filling. Yes I craved wine, cheese, crisps and chocolate but it was pretty easy to ignore as you are not starving. It was very easy to follow and time efficient….no shopping for hard to find ingredients or cooking complex meals, and judging by the testimonials on the website I am not the only one who has benefited from the diet. 

I have also learnt that I certainly pick far too much between meals and I definitely need to watch my portion size for suppers especially….I seem to think I need to eat the same amount as a giant…

You do not lose the weight amount that you do in the previous diets I have posted but this is far easier, healthier and a more long term weight loss. I will definitely do this diet again in the future (preferably with Pascal on partner's suppers and Arabella on Nourished Nippers) and would recommend it to anyone who is serious about losing weight - a fool proof way to shed those unwanted pounds…and who doesn't want that?!

For further details:

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Tel: 01932 864226
Email: info@nourished.me