Grazing revisited

Back in September I told you about trying out "Graze", a company who provided you with healthy snacks to graze on. I tried it out for three weeks and ordered a total of 6 boxes. Overall the snacks were OK, some I wouldn't order again and some I loved! The list below contains the snacks I received and I've categorised them with my preferences. 

The snacks I received and loved were as follows:

• green olives with basil and garlic
• green olives with chilli and garlic
• sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds with chilli
• savoury roasted seeds
• black pepper pistachios
• lightly toasted pistachios

The snacks I received and liked were as follows:

• oriental cracker mix with peanut crackers
• smoked paprika, garlic and thyme rustic marble bread
• crunchini basilico
• tom yum yum
• tomato dipinetti

The snacks I received and weren't too keen on were as follows:

• oriental cracker mix with peanut crackers
• sweet goan curry crackers
• slightly sweet popping corn
• bollywood blend
• boston baguettes
• herby bread basket

The snacks I received and didn't like were as follows:

• tutti frutti (blueberry infused cranberries, pineapple, cherry infused sultanas and green raisins)
• my thai
• cracking black peppercorn
• fruity mango chutney

The problem was that I put on weight! Each snack is around 100 calories and I ate two snacks a day for four days each week, instead of my normal snacks I prepare at home. So I decided to give it a rest and cancelled. I think I will stick to my normal fruit snacks during the day, but I will be trying out other ideas so watch this space for snack ideas of 50-100 calories.

Long time no see!

Well I've been so busy since I last blogged!! Hubby and I have now got a puppy! He's a Blue Marl Border Collie and he's gorgeous! He's kept me so busy I think I've only turned on the computer four times in the 6 weeks we've had him. Let me introduce Marco.........



He's grown so much since we had him, and he's now 13 weeks and two days old. Isn't he adorable?



The toilet training through the night worked, it was exhausting but well worth it. I started with waking up every three hours to take him outside to go to the toilet and gradually built up the time over the last few weeks. I'm pleased to say that he can go all night now, bless him.

Well Marco, Hubby and I have just been out for our first walk and I forgot my camera!!! He was very good and loved all the leaves to play in. We met two other dog owners, the first was Betsy the Daschund and his owner. Marco was very excited and wee'd all over his shoes. The second was a Scotty dog but I didn't catch her name, Marco was really excited and wanted to play with her, but she wasn't that interested. Overall Marco behaved very well and sat at every road crossing before we checked for cars and crossed. OK I think the treats may have helped! We shall go out again later today and I'll remember to take some photos!

Grazing

Have you heard of a company called Graze?

After acknowledging the fact that I'm a grazer as well as a comfort eater I decided to try it out.

My first graze box included: 

• dried fruit (blueberry infused cranberries, pineapple, cherry infused sultanas and green raisins)
• oriental cracker mix with peanut crackers
• green olives with basil and garlic
• sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds with chilli

I loved the olives and the seed mix, but I wasn't to fussed about the dried fruit. I've never really been a fan of dried fruit, much prefer fresh fruit. The cracker mix was different and I would eat it again. The company send you four items in every box you order, my first and fifth boxes are free. Each box costs £3.89, which includes delivery, which could get expensive depending on how many boxes you order a week. 

Try it out. There are plenty of offers out there to get your free box to try. let me know what you like best................

I'm sure if you were organised you could easily put together some delicious snack foods of around 100 calories yourself. Watch this space for my suggestions.

Feeling good

After my success last week I knew this next week was going to be more difficult. I awoke to a sunny morning and I had a sudden urge to get outside. So I put on my running clothes, downloaded an app to my phone and chose the appropriate workout. I chose interval training as it was my first time out in almost two years. My shoulder injury had prevented me doing a lot of things but with all the physiotherapy and acupuncture I had received after the operation I didn't want to undo all the hard work I had put in. Time to use my head and be sensible. The interval training consisted of warm up stretches, a 3 minute warm up walk, followed by 5 lots of 2 minute jogging, 2 minute walking and finishing with a 3 minute warm down walk and warm down stretches. I managed to cover 2 miles which I figured wasn't that bad for my first attempt, considering my injury and not running for two years. I was rather pleased with myself!

After my run a made myself a smoothie with strawberries, banana, soy yoghurt and a little water to help blend.

It went down a treat! 

It was such a lovely day I decided that I needed to stay outside and as my garden needed some attention this was a perfect solution.

My herb garden needed weeding badly, my mange tout needed pulling up and I needed to harvest more courgettes, runner beans and lettuce.

Its truly amazing how quick time passes when you're working in the garden, before I knew it lunch time had crept up on me, and I was ravenous!



I wonder how many calories are burnt up gardening?

Here are a few garden shots: