Back to Simplicity

Christmas has been strange.  

Lots of food, lots of television, some dog walking, a couple of short visits, one of which actually took us two days to achieve!!

I loved my simple Christmas dinner, it might not look much but this was on one of our 'big plates' and I usually eat off our small ones.  You can see the size difference in the photo at the bottom of this post.  Alan had the same as me but with the addition of a few slices of his Turkey and Duck Crown with Cranberry Stuffing and of course his absolute favourite things in the world ... pigs in blankets.

The next day I used some of the leftovers to make Boxing Day Pasties.  Using ready-rolled bought pastry to keep things hasslefree and simple.  They simply contain everything but the meat, chopped a bit more finely and moistened with a bit of leftover gravy.

They are different shapes because ...

... I had used the other piece of the pastry in the box to make four little pastry cases ready to be turned into banoffee pies.  Another of Alan's favourite things.  

I had cut out four circles to fit my little four-compartment quiche tray and then re-rolled the cutaway edges to make my half-circle pasty, using the final strip of pastry in the box to make Alan's more rectangular one.

Our finished meals on Boxing Day.  

No other veggies needed as the pasties were stuffed full of them, just a few slices of tomato for freshness and Alan had his sliced meat and leftover pigs in blankets on the side.

So why have I called this post 'Back to Simplicity'?  

Well because after a few days that have been so food focussed, here in the house, in the shops, on the television, etc, we have both decided quite independently that we need to go right back to basics with what we eat in the New Year.  I am completely dairy-intolerant, with increasing severity of symptoms if I slip up, to be honest, I would describe myself up to now as a slapdash plant-based eater, and Alan is a Type 2 Diabetic and on the verge of needing full-time tablets if he doesn't change his ways now.  It's been hard to avoid 'treats' at this time of year, but after a few, you begin to realise that if 'treats' are actually doing you harm they must no longer be considered treats!!  

So ... all the foods that we have been gifted over the Christmas period that is unsuitable for either or both of us are going to be bagged up and dropped off for the local Foodbank next time we are passing one of the supermarkets with a Foodbank trolley, where I am in no doubt that they will be happily received.  

We both have plans for the New Year, mine is to fully embrace Veganuary and Alan's is to once again do his Michael Mosely 800 calories a day diet for a couple of weeks.  Then hopefully we should both be fully back on track and raring to go.

Sue xx