Day 59

Weight: 13 stone 3 lb

Lost: 1 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 12 lb

Smoothie Feast: Day 5 of 60

I've lost 5 lb in 5 days, which is great going but I have been paying for it with headaches. Again today I woke up with a headache so this would have been 3 days in a row. I decided that I would have my morning smoothie and then for lunch I had some cooked rice. After I'd eaten the rice, guess what? The headache left!

Mid afternoon I had a large glass of orange juice and for dinner I made myself a big salad with cous cous mixed in. My head feels so much better now, as I was detoxing far too quickly and I had to slow the process down.

I'll be back on just smoothies tomorrow, omitting cooked food again...let's see what happens.

I'm ecstatic about the weight loss but I also have to be sensible and kind to my body (or my head at least!)

So, Smoothie of the Day:

Handful of spinach, 6 medium carrots, put through the juicer, 2 apples, 2 bananas, 1 inch fresh ginger

Rating: 3 out of 5

Fresh Ginger Root

This was a real zinger of a smoothie and you could definitely taste the ginger in it, because unfortunately I put far too much ginger in, more like 4 inches! So an inch would be plenty, which I will do next time to see if it improves the taste.

Couldn't go off to the gym today because it was día de Andalucía (Andalucia day) so the gym was closed...but, it will be open tomorrow and as long as I'm feeling as good as I feel now, I will take my booty down there!

Now we've come to the last day in February, my total weight loss is: 8 lb, and works out at a healthy  2 lb a week...which is the norm.

The main thing is I'm heading in the right direction. This week has taught me that I need to be sensible with this smoothie feast, definitely listen to my body and adjust when and where it's needed. 

Felt a bit weird to eat solid food again so I'm looking forward to getting back on my all-day smoothies, which I'm really enjoying them much more than solid food at the moment, funnily enough - and that's weird in itself!

Hasta pronto

Day 58

Weight: 13 stone 4 lb

Lost: 2 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 11 lb

Smoothie Feast: Day 4 of 60

I'm very happy with what the scales had to tell me this morning...I could not believe that I lost 2 lb, just like that, which takes me down to 13 stone 4 lb and I'm very excited that I will soon be sailing into the '12 Stone Zone' (and back into my Esprit jeans). Happy days!

Green smoothie of the day:

2 bananas, 1 apple, 1 plum, 2 tsp ground chia seeds, 1 tsp spirulina powder and water

Rating: 5 out of 5

Looks very green (therefore, pre-judgement of 'this will taste a bit too healthy') but no, a lovely surprise when chugged down, sweet, filling and satisfying taste.

Chia seeds are native to Central and Southern Mexico and Guatemala. The Chia plant was cultivated by the Aztecs as a staple food that was as widely used as maize.
The seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, anti-oxidants and minerals.

Loving chia seeds

Spirulina is a blue-green algae that was also harvested by the Aztecs and used as a food source until the 16th century. It is high in protein, it's well known for its anti-inflammatory properties, contains omega 3, 6 and 9, it's high in chlorophyll which helps remove toxins and it's high in iron. Spirulina is also high in calcium with over 26 times the calcium of milk.

I also drank a green smoothie for lunch, containing banana, pineapple, spinach and water...but the smoothie that I'm really into at the moment is 2 bananas and 2 sticks of celery, which I had for dinner. It may sound a bit gross but don't knock it until you've tried it!

So, how have I been feeling? Woke up with a headache this morning, but the rest of my body feels great. Had the headache all day and even had 3 hours sleep in the afternoon. It's now 11 p.m. and my headache has gone, so hopefully I'll have a good nights sleep and wake up refreshed...and I may even trot off to the gym!

Hasta pronto

Day 57

Weight: 13 stone 6 lb (on the dot)

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 9 lb

Smoothie Feast: Day 3 of 60

Day 57 since my change in lifestyle...and 57 days remaining of my smoothie feast!

Woke with a slight headache this morning but after being out with the dogs in the fresh air and sunshine, it lifted.

Had a busy morning as I had to deal with funcionarios again and the frustrating, corrupt bureaucracy of the Spanish governmental system. Anyway I got through the morning. but after this week I totally understand why expats get fed up with Spain and go back to their own countries.

I do like living in Spain most of the time, but sometimes I do want to pack it all in and move somewhere else...and one day I will but not back to the UK.

So...smoothie of the day: 2 bananas, 2 oranges, a tsp carob powder and water.

Rating: 5 out of 5

The bananas give this smoothie a real creamy texture, whilst the combination of orange and carob gives it that 'chocolate-orange' taste and a real lift for the morning...and I needed it today!

Laura also enjoying the smoothie of the day 

My partner Laura's gotten involved in my smoothie feast and has noticed amazing results already...she teaches English at a local school and has a high level of energy throughout the lessons...when the adult classes go on until 9 pm, the students are pepped up by Laura who still has plenty of energy to go around!

At the end of day 3, I'm feeling a bit detoxy, have a slight headache again and a bit snively, like I've got a cold coming, but my body feels good...I just need to exchange my head!

So far this smoothie feast has given me so much energy and I've got more time to do things which is great.

Coming up to the weekend will be my first test...but my resolve won't give, after all, I've only got another 57 days to go!

Hasta pronto

Day 56

Weight: 13 stone 6 lb

Lost: 2 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 9 lb

Smoothie Feast: Day 2 of 60

Fantastic! The smoothie feast has got off to a great start with me losing 2 lb. Lets hope I lose another pound tomorrow so that I'm down to 13 stone 5 lb and that will be the lightest I've been for several years.

So far I haven't made it to the gym this week as I wasn't feeling great on Monday so I gave it a miss and today I was just too busy, dealing with funcionarios (Spanish Civil Servants...not my favourite people).

Green smoothie of the day:

2 bananas, handful of chard, 2 oranges, 2 dates and water.

Rating: 5 out of 5

This was a really tasty smoothie...the oranges made it.

Force it down, love!

Here's me sat on the terrace, supping on a lovely green smoothie. I was squinting a bit as I had the sun in my eyes, it's not the taste of the smoothie!

Feeling much lighter in myself today, head feels clearer, slept better last night and at the moment, even though it's only day 2, I have to admit that I'm enjoying this new lifestyle and not missing solid food!

Hasta pronto

Day 55

Weight: 13 stone 8 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 7 lb

Smoothie Feast: Day 1 of 60

Started my smoothie feast today but the first thing I had to do was go off to the supermarket and stock up for the week. I've made myself a 7 day smoothie menu where I can have a different smoothie every day for the forthcoming week.

Today I made myself half a piel de sapo melon with a bunch of fresh parsley, chucked into the Blendtec and whizzed up. This tasted refreshing, it quenched my thirst and made my mouth taste clean and fresh. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

Piel de sapo melon and parsley smoothie

The piel de sapo melon originated in Spain where it is widely grown. It is similar to a cantaloupe melon on the inside and it's a source of vitamin C and dietary fibre, it's low in calories and sodium...and  contains neither fat nor cholesterol.

Parsley is a source of flavanoid, antioxidant, apigenin, folic acid, vitamins K, C and A.

For lunch I had a banana and carob powder smoothie and for dinner I had a smoothie consisting of 2 bananas, 2 apples, 4 dates and a couple of chard leaves. This dinner smoothie was very filling and satisfying. 

I'm only going to rate one smoothie and they are going to be ones that I haven't made before, as all of my smoothies tend to consist of bananas and some sort of green...so I'm trying to be more adventuresome and make totally different smoothies.

I've been feeling a little bit wiped out today and I have a slight headache now. I've also been feeling a bit mucousy so I hope I'll have a good night's sleep and wake up feeling better.

Day 1 went well...it's amazing how much more time I have for myself without having to think about what I'm going to prepare for meals. I've got my menu for the week so I just bung the ingredients into the blender and I'm done...life made simple (and it saves on the washing up!)

Hasta pronto

Day 54

Weight: 13 stone 8 lb

Added: 1 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 7 lb

Today I decided to not focus on my eating but got stuck into building a frame to protect one of my raised beds with my lettuce, spinach and chard growing in them. Having cats, dogs and chickens like I do, any veg that I have growing needs to be protected, as the cats like to use the raise beds as a toilet, the dogs will just run all over it and the chickens will eat all the new leaves coming through. Plus, I forgot to tell you, we also have wild rabbits in the garden. 

When we first moved in, the garden was teeming with rabbits but having 6 cats, the rabbit population soon decreased... along with the mouse and rat population according to my landlord, who lives opposite (my cats are always in his garden). 

Ok, back to the frame I was building. I could have gone the easy route and bought all the correct material, but no, I thought I would use what I had in the store room. The main part of the frame is made out of cane (which grows in my garden) which I fixed together with wire. Then I went ahead and used some metal polls which had holes in the side that made it easier to fix to the cane which gave me a nice box frame. I also used the greatest invention in the whole world…duct tape which helped give the frame extra support. 

I covered it with chicken wire (I have loads of that stuff) and tied it on with snappy ties or twisters, you know that white thing you twist to stop your bread falling out of the packet... and they tend to breed because you always find one on the kitchen floor or behind something on the kitchen surface or in your kitchen drawer because you picked one up and you didn’t know what to do with the little blighter so you just threw it in there...well I have stacks so I put them to good use. 
I will have to make another frame for the other bed but next time I'll go out and buy the proper wood and nails… a lot easier believe me! 

I admit I ate cooked for today (all vegan if that helps) as I will be starting my smoothie feast tomorrow. I need to get organised if I'm going to do this and I just was not organised enough or had enough of the correct ingredients to start. I have written out a smoothie menu for the next 7 days and I will source all the ingredients tomorrow so I'm all set for the week. I have a different smoothie for every day as to keep things interesting. I will take a photo of each smoothie (some will be more interesting than others, I hope) and give you a list of ingredients with ratio. I will rate them 1 to 5, with a score of 5 being the best and 1 being “I need to hold my nose and try not to gag for this one.” Well I'm sure there wont be too many of no.1's! 

I'm looking forward to starting as this will open up a whole new world of experiences for me. For the next 60 days my mantra will be “for Christ sake Shell just stick to the bloody smoothies”. I know I can do it...

Hasta pronto.

Day 53

Weight: 13 stone 7 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 8 lb

Ok so there's one more week left in February and I have to admit that this month has been tough for me to stay raw.

I haven't been strict enough with myself and I've sort of lost my way a bit. Staying raw completely is very difficult for somebody who loves her food. I am such a big fan of cooked food...and I love cooking, which I've really missed doing over the past 2 months. The salads are good and doing the raw crackers and cakes have been fun, but I have to admit I'm not a big fan of raw food.

Cooked food is a massive addiction, worse than alcohol, cigarettes and drugs...and it's just so hard to kick,because it's EVERYWHERE and deemed normal in our society! However, cooked food doesn't make me feel good - physically, mentally, emotionally...

Yes, emotionally at the time, it tastes bloody good, but when I see what it does to my body and how I feel...emotionally it's not good for me. But with raw food, all of this is turned around with the highs of weight loss, energy, the whole 'feel-good factor' that it brings to me.

So, this food stuff's a real double-edged sword. I've always been an all or nothing girl, so...I either do it or I don't, there just can't be an 'in between' with me. 

On the positive side, I have really grown to love green smoothies (or any smoothies) far more than all of the other raw stuff that I've been putting in my system. 

I made a promise to myself on the first of January that I would lose 4 stone in 6 months and I am going to fulfill that promise because I'm not one who gives up easily...especially after 2 months!

So, as of tomorrow, I am going to do 60 solid days of raw, vegan, organic green and fruit smoothies.

This will be the biggest challenge I have ever faced in my life and I really need to do this for myself and I know that it's going to be a Hell of an experience...and you all have front row seats.

Wish me luck...actually I don't need it, just determination!

Hasta pronto

Day 52

Weight: 13 stone 7 lb

Lost: 2 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 8 lb

Just think how much weight I could've lost so far this month if I had stayed totally raw...my weight has been going up and down like a yo-yo this week!

After my fast yesterday I woke up feeling full of energy, so I went off to the gym and had a fantastic workout. After I got back home I made myself a green smoothie of banana, mango and chard. That took me through to dinnertime where I made a very yummy salad, containing lettuce, chopped tomatoes and I did a mixture in a separate bowl of grated carrot, raisins, pineapple and cucumber. I then made up a mango dressing to pour all over it...then mixed it in with the rest of the salad, which made for an extremely luscious, tasty and tropical meal.

I want to talk about vitamin B12... 

Did you know that vitamin B12 deficiency is not limited to vegetarians and vegans...it is common among meat-eaters as well? Not because they don't consume enough B12, but because they don't properly produce and absorb it.

First,vitamin B12 is a waste product of a bacteria that can be found in and on the foods we eat (of both animal and plant origin). Second, B12 is also produced in the intestine and the mucosa of healthy humans.

Plants do not make a lot of vitamins, rather they soak them up from the soil through their roots. Most of our vitamins are made by bacteria in the soil. Since the use of pesticides and fertilisers, farmers have inadvertently sterilized the bacteria out of our soil.

It is easy to understand why nutritional researchers generally encounter no vitamin B12 in plant food, since they take their samples from among products grown in dead soil. 

However, organically-grown plants specifically cultivated in highly composted soils rich with organic matter, can contain plenty of B12 and a host of other nutrients not found (or found in short supply) in industrially-grown produce.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is usually only a problem if you lack a chemical called the "intrinsic factor", which causes people to be unable to absorb B12. It seems that intrinsic factor production is reduced as dietary fat increases. This is by far the most common cause of B12 deficiency.

Doctors can easily test whether a person has a normal ability to absorb B12. Thus, all of us, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.

My source of information comes from Dr. Douglas N. Graham, author of The 80/10/10 diet.

So as I see it, it's best to be on a low-fat diet eating organically grown fruit and vegetables to give your body the best chance of assimilating vitamin B12. I hope this has helped shed a bit more light on the complexity of vitamin B12.

So tomorrow, picking up my organic veg in the morning, and taking my parents and partner out for lunch at La Plaza in Malaga. Lots of pictures to follow.

On a more lighter note, my cat, Paz, has found a new way of sleeping on the back of my couch...bless him, the little sod!

If only he would clean up all of the white hairs that he leaves behind on the cushions!

Hasta pronto

Day 51

Weight: 13 stone 9 lb

Added: 3 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 6 lb

Today I got back on track as I've been really slack with myself recently...but I'm determined to put things right. At the start of the month I had the target of losing another stone but that's not going to happen now...so, come the 1st March I will be doing a 60 day smoothie feast and I will stick to it, 100%...and I don't care who's birthday it is or even Easter, with all it's chocolate eggs, isn't going to divert me from my goal.

My stomach's been feeling rotten today, so I've been good to myself and fasted...with just a glass of orange juice, a cup of herbal tea and 2 litres of water.

Had a terrible night's sleep as I was really, really hot and very uncomfortable. I used to get like this a lot after eating a heavy meal at night, but since being raw, those symptoms have gone away and my body temperature has been normal, I've been very comfortable at night and sleeping well. So, yet again another reminder to be kind to myself and eat what is good for me and not what tastes really good at the time because in the long run it just causes Merry Hell with my system. 

I think I'm just going to drink green smoothies tomorrow as I'm taking the parents and partner out for lunch on Saturday as an extended birthday treat for my mum, but I will be taking it easy!

Got myself back in the gym today and it was hard work and I didn't have the energy that I normally have...so let's see how the gym goes tomorrow after my fast today.

Ordered a couple of books today from Amazon which were recommended in my Raw Food magazine. One was called Eat Smart, Eat Raw by Kate Magic (New Edition) and the other was Superfood Smoothies by Julie Morris, so I look forward to receiving them and having a good read...and yes I must get myself a Kindle one day - my mum got one for her birthday and she loves it!

My friend came round with her dog, Samba, today (who we will be fostering) and we all went out for a walk as it was a lovely warm sunny day. I think my friend's dog will settle in just fine...though my dog Tilly insists on barking her head off at her, but she should calm down after a couple of days once Samba has moved in!

Will be interesting to see how my weight goes tomorrow...no doubt I would've lost a couple of pounds.

Hasta pronto

Day 50

Weight: 13 stone 6 lb

Lost: 2 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 9 lb

Today I was NOT on a diet and my raw way of life went totally out of the window...I have to admit that I now have bellyache as I'm not used to feeling this full and heavy with the cooked food that I've eaten today. I hope I don't have too much of a cooked food hangover tomorrow!

It was my mum's 71st birthday and our friend had made her a lovely vanilla sponge cake with gorgeous vanilla frosting on top! So for lunch at our friend's house we all had vegetable and pasta soup, yummy bread with butter and afterwards, some cheese. Oh...my...God...did I really eat all of that?! And of course, a big slice of cake, washed down with 2 glasses of cava.

My mum & dad...dad may have hold of the cake but it's my mum's birthday!

Then when I got home, this evening I made my famous nut roast which I can pass the recipe onto you now:

1 chopped onion
4 small tomatoes (skinned and chopped)
1/2 cup flour
4 slices bread (chopped into breadcrumbs)
100g cashew nuts
100g macadamia nuts
sprinkle of dried herbs of your choice
couple dashes of tamari

Pour olive oil into frying pan, heat then throw onion in, fry for a couple of minutes. 
Add the tomatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat.
Sprinkle the flour in and stir at the same time. Add a little water so that its not too sticky then combine the remaining ingredients and mix together.
Grease a bread tin, place the mixture into the tin. Make sure you run a knife around the sides so that it comes out of the tin easily when done.
Cook for 50 mins on 220º.

I cook this nut roast every Christmas and for people's birthdays...everybody seems to enjoy it. Of course, I made crispy roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, broccoli, cauliflower and thick gravy. It was all extremely yummy.

For dessert - Strawberry Cheesecake, which was shop bought, but if I had a bit more time I would've made a fresh one.

So tomorrow, I am going to fast for 2 reasons; to give my body a rest from all of the cooked food it's having to deal with right now and to shed a couple of pounds which has no doubt gone on today.

It did make a nice change eating what I wanted today, but this was a treat and I don't want to eat regularly like this anymore because my body doesn't react very well to it.

Back in the gym tomorrow...can't wait (not!)

Hasta pronto

Day 49

Weight: 13 stone 8 lb

Added: 8 oz

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 7 lb

At certain times of the month us girls experience a little weight gain and now this is my time to experience that, because for the past 2 days I have been 100% raw but I won't be saying that tomorrow as it's my Mum's birthday and she wants me to cook her a nut roast with all the trimmings...and I can't just cook the bloomin' thing and not eat it, so I will be indulging - just to be sociable of course!

Today I made myself Raw vegan cheesy almond rosemary crackers and here's how it all came together:

2 cups almonds soaked overnight and drained (or leftover almond pulp works just as well).
4 tbspn ground flax meal
4 tbspn nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper to taste
1/2 - 1 cup water, adjust as needed
3 tbspn fresh rosemary, chopped

Place almonds, flax meal, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and rosemary in a food processor. Pulse to combine.
Turn the motor on and drizzle in 1/2 cup water. Process for a minute or two, stopping to scrape the bowl down.
Add more water as needed until the mixture is spreadable (not liquidy, but not at all pasty).
Spread mixture onto a single Teflex-lined dehydrator sheet. Score into cracker shapes. Dehydrate at 115º for 12 hours. Remember to flip over after 8 hours and remove Teflex sheet.

Raw vegan cheesy almond rosemary crackers

After coming back from the gym I made myself a delicious smoothie of banana, strawberry and spinach.

For lunch I had olives and 1 avocado. During the afternoon I snacked on 4 mandarins. For dinner I put together a yummy large salad consisting of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes chopped up into small pieces, carrot, olives, sunflower seeds, raisins and I made a Dijon mustard dressing.

Tomorrow I will just have to scrub that day out for any chance of losing weight or staying raw as my friend is making me a vegan lunch and I have the special birthday dinner to cook in the evening.

Thursday will be a fasting day to lose those few pounds that I may put on tomorrow!

On the positive side...I am feeling really good, the new gym workout is getting easier (but not too easy!), I do feel fitter, the flabby bits are starting to tighten and my mood is positive...so 'chocolate balls' to the excess weight that just wants to cling on...your days are numbered!

Hasta pronto

Day 48

Weight: 13 stone 7 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 8 lb

Woke up this morning feeling really good after a lovely nights sleep. I weighed exactly the same as yesterday so hopefully, being good today, I can drop a pound for tomorrow.

After walking the dogs I took myself off to the gym for my 'poor legs' workout. But it wasn't as hard as last Monday, so things are improving!

As the day went on the weather gradually got worse until it became a typical winter day with heavy cloud, drizzle and cold. So, I decided to make a raw soup. Now I know it doesn't sound very appealing on a cold wintry day...but when you're raw, this is probably the best thing you can come up with...along with raw chocolate cake (which I didn't make...but I will be making a scrummy dessert during the week.)

So here is the recipe for my rather tasty carrot soup (Courtesy of Beautiful Vegan)

Spicy Raw Vegan Carrot Soup

2 1/2 cups carrots (chopped) 
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp masala
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbspn apple cider vinegar
3 tbspn tahini
3 cups water

Blend together then gently warm on the stove. (Sorry I was a numpty and forgot to take a photo).

On the animal front, I've had another cat turn up in my garden...it's a full male tabby, but he must only be about 1 year old as he's very cute and friendly! I've got no idea who he belongs to but he must be getting fed as he's not skinny. As it was raining today, he decided to sleep on one of the comfy chairs on the covered terrace to keep warm and dry. I'm not going to feed him because I have 6 cats and I don't want 7. Of course, if he was a stray and in distress I would probably rescue him...but I'm sure he's not! (Though I will keep an eye on him.)

You may remember that I now have acquired my friend's couch and 3 of my cats have decided to remodel the look of it by highlighting the most comfiest points (The other 3 were on my bed!):

Cats and cushions...can you tell them apart?

I got a prompt response from El Piano restaurant defending their restaurant and food, but also apologising for my disappointment in their food and they offered me vouchers for their Granada or York restaurants.

I may take them up on their Granada offer to compare the food against the Malaga restaurant.

Hasta pronto

Day 47

Weight: 13 stone 7 lb

Added: 1 lb

Total weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 8 lb

Well after the weekend I'm not surprised that I put on a pound but at least the damage was minimal and it can be easily reversed. 

I will carry on the story from yesterday...

We set out in the evening to Malaga's oldest bar called Antigua Casa de la Guardia on the Alameda Principal. It's the first time I've been there and I don't think it's had a refurb since it opened in 1840! The only thing they sell to drink in there is sweet Malaga wine. My partner tried their Moscatel from the red grape and I had the Pedro Ximen from the white grape.

Inside Antigua Casa de la Guardia, Alameda Principal, Malaga

You don't pay at the time of receiving the drinks.  Instead, the barman writes in chalk the amount that's owed on the wooden counter in front of you.

2 sweet Malaga wines for 2,45€

Unfortunately from this angle, it looks like the '2,45€' is spelling the word 'shit', but I assure you it's correct from the barman's angle! The wine was sweet and very easy to drink, but one was enough for me.

After our experience there we walked up to Plaza Merced to the 100% vegan El Piano restaurant for dinner.

For El Piano to call itself a 'restaurant' is a bit misleading as I would class it under a 'take away/café' as it has a couple of tables and chairs outside, as you walk in on the left, a breakfast bar with 3 stools and on the right, a large chilled cabinet with drinks in and near to the counter 2 small tables on either side of the narrow rooms with chairs. Luckily the clients who were dining there were sat outside so we grabbed a table inside. 

They work on a basis of you ordering tapas dishes and prices vary on the amount of dishes you order. That night they did a special Valentines deal at 8,95€ which included a soup, 4 tapas dishes, dessert and a glass of wine. 

You could see all of the food in front of you in a glass cabinet, so you choose exactly which tapas dishes you want to order. I have to say on first inspection it didn't look that fresh, but then I thought to myself, 'It'll probably taste good'.

Food counter at El Piano, C/San Juan de Letran,  Malaga

We ordered a very tasty cream of vegetable soup and was looking forward to the mains tasting as delicious. 

Vegan Cream of Vegetable Soup

However, when our 4 tapas selections came, 2 of the dishes (banana curry and dhal) tasted exactly the same...bland. I couldn't even eat the rice of the day because it tasted so disgusting. My partner's 'Pestolito' wasn't cooked all the way through, which she showed to the waitress who then tasted it to check, pulled a face and just said, 'that's the way it tastes'. (Not correct as mine was fine!) The waitress offered to substitute it for an onion bhaji...also bland!

4 tapas dishes of bland food

Then it came to dessert and we decided to take the cakes away with us. When we got home we tried the cakes and they were stale and inedible...but they didn't go to waste as my chicken's thoroughly enjoyed them, so what do I know about food!

For me it's very important that veggie and vegan restaurants do well and have high standards with their food, because if the chef isn't passionate about the food then there'll be no return customers, no recommendations and the veggie/vegan community will lose out.

I have sent an email to El Piano explaining my disappointment about the food and hopefully they will get back to me soon. I'll let you know the outcome.

Tomorrow I'm back in the gym, oh my God my poor muscles! Let's see how much weight I can lose this week. I'm going to pencil in my fasting day for Thursday as I have a lunch date on Wednesday. 

After watching an inspiring film called, 'Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead' I'm toying with the idea of doing a 60 day smoothie-feast with no intake of solid food, so I can experience and document what happens to me during that period. 

The reason why I'm thinking of doing a smoothie-feast and not a juice-feast is because in my Green Smoothie Revolution book, by Victoria Boutenko, she states that juices are:

a 'fractured food', missing the essential component of fibre along with its anti-oxidants. When we consume enough fibre, we take a load of our bodies by improving our elimination. Toxins often build up in the colon and fibres cleans them out. When most toxins have been removed by fibre, the body has a greater ability to absorb nutrients, thus improving digestion. Humans cannot live on juices alone, whereas green smoothies are a complete food.

So, I'm going down the smoothie route, as this makes more sense than just juices alone.

YouTube link to the movie. It really is an eye-opener and worth watching: Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead Full Movie

Hasta pronto

Day 46

Weight: 13 stone 6 lb

Lost: 1 lb

Weight loss since day 1: 1 stone 9 lb

Fantastic! I lost another pound today...so that's 3 lb in total this week...though I may quite possibly sneak on another pound after my eating exploits in Malaga today.

First port of call was Fitovitalia, which I have to say is probably the best health food store for picking up superfoods and raw food items in Malaga province. Inma, the owner, who speaks good English as she lived in Bristol for 11 years is very knowledgeable about all of her products and she eats a lot of raw food at home after trying to reverse her son's diabetes condition on this diet. The shops been open for nearly 3 years and let's hope it continues to be a success. Please go and visit Inma or check out her online shop: www.fitovitalia.com

Calle Marmoles 23, Malaga

In Fitovitalia we found some really 'naughty' chocolate bars, though luckily they were raw! We purchased one mint and one orange bar...and I have to say that they are delicious! Ingredients for the After Dinner organic mint bar: Cacao paste; cacao butter; coconut palm sugar; lucuma; carob; mint oil and vanilla.

 Raw, organic, dairy free chocolate bars

I really only went in there for nutritional yeast which is gluten free and I have found it impossible to source here until now There are loads of raw food recipes that I can make with the nutritional yeast flakes that gives the food a cheesy flavour. 

I also found hemp seeds which come in an economical 1 kg bag so I can make hemp seed milk, or grind them down to put into smoothies or even just sprinkle on salads. 
Hemp seeds are an easily digested vegan protein. 3 tbspn of seeds = 11 grams protein and contain all 10 essential amino acids. They are also a great anti-inflammatory.

In addition, I bought some organic coconut sugar, which I will use to make raw desserts. Coconut sugar has been used as a traditional sweetener for thousands of years in South-East Asian regions. It has a high mineral content, being a rich source of potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. It also contains Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6. It can be used as a sugar substitute and is considered safe for diabetics.

I also bought some more flax seeds to make more crackers. Flax seeds contain high levels of dietary fibre and omega-3 fatty acids.

My last purchase was a box of my favourite Yogi tea, Himalaya. The tea has a blend of 5 Ayurvedic spices which have unique healthful properties. 
For more information please visit the Yogi Tea website: Yogi Tea

Here are just some of the items in Fitovitalia...

I could've spent a fortune in there but my new state of discipline stopped me thank goodness!

More raw bars to be had...

On the way to the smoothie bar, our attention was caught by a speciality store selling products from Andalucia. We took a little peek and it was so inviting our curiosity took the better of us and we had a wander round. They sold organic olive oil, local wines, chocolates, cheeses, conserves and other goodies that Andalucia is known for. 
Here's their website: El Almacén del Indiano

El Almacén del Indiano. Calle Cisneros 7, Malaga

So after our little detour we nearly headed straight to the smoothie bar, but I couldn't help but loiter outside a shoe shop which conveyed my sentiments exactly...

Couldn't have expressed it better myself

So finally onto my favourite smoothie bar, El Último Mono. I ordered an orange, mango and pineapple smoothie. My partner ordered the apple, mango and ginger smoothie...and they were delish! It was also nice to see that they were very busy. 

Long live 'The Last Monkey'!

"2 Smoothies Shell" inside El Último Mono

The story continues...

A little wander around the shops was in order before heading off for lunch at La Plaza in Plaza Merced. Website: La Plaza Restaurant

They have an array of vegetarian and some vegan dishes and we ordered the Aubergine caviar; Hummus with crispy tortilla chips and Falafel with cumin and honey yoghurt...all washed down with a bottle of water.

The sun was shining on a lovely warm Malaga day and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful...I would thoroughly recommend a visit.

Lovely tapas at La Plaza, Plaza Merced, Malaga

Later on this evening we will be paying a visit to El Piano, the vegan restaurant just off Plaza Merced. Website: El Piano  

I will be sharing with you the food and the experience in tomorrow's blog.

Hasta pronto