Relationship with food…

My relationship with food is one of comfort and as a result I now find myself going to Weight Watchers (WW), not that this will in anyway stop me from posting recipes. I am also trying a bit of an experiment this month where I will go mostly vegetarian (one day a week allowing me something else; be it meat or fish).

It is going to be interesting living off a point system for food again. I did quite well on WW a few years ago, although I stopped attending for two reasons, one being the person I went with stopped going and the other that I hit a few weeks in a row where I stayed the same weight. Since going to my last WW session the points system has changed dramatically which to be honest feels good as I feel like I am learning a whole new way of eating.

I have always struggled with what is a portion, in my life a portion is just the quantity I cook divided up by however many people are about at the time. I am fighting this by being more realistic about what feels comfortable and that feeling when you just don’t want to move because you ate too much.

In the last 3 days I made four soups (roasted red pepper and tomato, pumpkin and cauliflower, Leek and potato and curried vegetable), to help me along with this process, one of which is below, I am starting to plan my meals a bit better. Knowing that I will be having Leek and Potato soup tomorrow for dinner is pleasing as it will stop me ‘stocking up’ on food on the way home, when I really don’t need to.

Leek and Potato – serves a greedy 4

2 tsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves of Garlic
2 Medium Leeks Sliced
1 Medium Onion Chopped
3 Medium potatoes chopped (I like King Edwards)
1 medium Carrot chopped
2 Vegetable Stock cubes
1.2lt Water (boiling)
Pinch dried Thyme

1. In a large pan add the oil, onions, carrot and garlic. Allow to simmer for 5 min then add thyme and leeks, cook for a further 5 min.
2. Add the potato and stock cubes and mix for 3 min.
3. Cover with freshly boiled water and allow to simmer for 20-25 min.
4. I whizz it up at this point with a hand blender.
5. Eat/Freeze, it is good with crusty bread (and if you are feeling a bit extravagant add a little grated cheese to the top).

There ain’t a body, be it mouse or man, that ain’t made better by a little soup.
― Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux