La Chatte Gitane (or The Gypsy Cat) was the name we chose for our cottage in France at the time. We chose it while on the road, moving house the first time round, from Ireland to France with 2 dogs and 7 cats in the car.
This blog began its insignificant life as a recipe book for friends and family who would ask me repeatedly for a recipe of this, that and the other.
Since then it has taken many different directions, like we did and like gypsies tend to do. Sometimes making a U-turn and revisiting familiar roads and taking a break when necessary.
You'll find recipes here, but also musings about the places we've called home, the gardens that we've established, not always successfully, the homes we've improved and the environments we've lived in. Currently, after yet another stint in Ireland, we're back in France @ Le Mas d'Ayen

Monday, August 27, 2012

Intermittent Fasting - 5:2 - Part 3


Another week, another story.
Last fast went really well with the halloumi salad on Monday with fruit pickings during the day and on Tuesday we had tofu stir fry , again with some fruit and low fat yoghurt to fill some big holes.

One of the problems that occur in my case is to pick up the next day and add enough calories to get to a normal target again. Once in a certain mindset it is hard for me to change that at the drop of a hat, so extra care needs to be taken to eat enough the next day.
That goes for anyone doing this intermittent fasting malarkey. You NEED to eat sufficient calories for you as an individual (age/height/lifestyle/gender...) each day of your 'eat days'.

This Saturday the family on my mother's side had organised a get together with food, lots of it.
My mum is one of 9 children (8 girls and 1 boy) and since my grandmother passed away in 1992, the aunties and the uncles (that were still with us) they would come together on the last Sunday of each month.  I would also go, except for the time I lived abroad, so would some of my cousins and sometimes their children. 
Quite a few of my aunts and all the uncles have passed away now, but those that are still around and are able to make it to the monthly get togethers do so.  Being mainly women at the meetings , you can imagine the noice levels. You'd think you had arrived in a hen house where every hen had just lain an egg.
So, this time we rented a venue to try and get as many of the extended family together where every household would bring some food to make up a buffet.
Unfortunately many did not come, other priorities like holidays, work etc, etc got in the way. Nevertheless all the family members that were present did have a great time.

To take with us I started cooking  Friday morning.
  • Sushi - vegetarian and with salmon
  • Buffalo wings (7 kg !) with blue cheese dip and celery sticks
  • Turkey korma, naan, chutneys, raita, poppadoms
I made sure to be at the pedicure's at 3.30 pm, only to realise when I arrived that the appointment was for the previous day ! All that calorie counting doesn't leave room for much else. Luckily the pedicure forgave me and a new appointment has been made.

As I am the Hyacinth Bucket of the family, I was going to bring paper table cloth for the buffet table, serviettes (paper obviously) and bring some flowers for the table.
It was 2 in the morning when I finished the posies for the tables. Mad or what ?
Not mad enough, because I also made prints from old wedding photographs of the aunties and uncle, selected 5 hours + of easy listening music and 5 hours + dance music.  For the latter Bert had to dismantle the amplifier and sound boxes to take with.

The Buffet Table
 


It was a succes, but something to bear in mind is the day and date we will organise the next 'big' gettogether, so more people can be present.




The weather was great and the kids played outside on the green (and later on with their cars on the table)

Cousins I hadn't seen in yonks

Sunday was another affair. Unloading the car, tidying up the mess that we brought back.
Eating some of the leftovers and NOT counting calories, but didn't really eat in excess.  I was afraid I wouldn't make a great start on the Fast this Monday.  But Monday, another day, everything cleared in the kitchen and off we went. Back to calorie boredom.

Hope I haven't bored you to sleep.

Patricia xxx...x


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