Sunday 31 July 2011

Digging for victory

I had intended to go for a swim this afternoon, but went to our outdoor gym instead!
We started digging this ditch (for some drainage we need for the new drive) at about 10 this morning. It's a meter deep, through stones, soil and sub-soil. Heavy going with a spade and a 15 lb wrecking bar. That's me weilding the wrecking bar - it feels really heavy, can't believe I've lost the equivalent of 3 of those in the last 3 months - what a weight to lug around!

David took this picture, and it's probably the first one of me working that I don't instantly want to throw in the bin - my bum doesn't look enormous!

So, after the full workout (not only digging, but also lumping all the bags of spoil to the tip, along with the old gates and gate posts) which didn't finish until half four, I had a lovely bath, and an extra sachet of food!

I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight

Fritters and salad


Here I go again with pictures of food - I suppose it's just to prove that this diet certainly isn't boring!
Today's lunch was cheesy fritters (left over from last night, I made 2 portions) with salad. The twist today is the tomato dressing on the salad - a packet of pizza topping mix, made up with some water as in the instructions, and then with some red wine vinegar (1/2 Tbsp) some chopped mint and some sweetener (1 tsp). All mixed together, it makes enough dressing for 2 salads, and means I'm not using any of my oil allowance for dressing.

Saturday 30 July 2011

Spicy Red Cabbage

Really had the urge for something spicy tonight, like a chinese. So I rustled up this spicy sweet and sour cabbage, and had it with cheesy fritters.

I stir fried the red cabbage in 1/2 Tbsp oil, with some fennel. I added 1 tsp of chinese 5 spice early during the cooking. When it was nearly done, I added 1 Tbsp sweetener and stired that in, then 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (this makes you cough if you're too close, so do it at arms length!).

Keep the heat on until all the liquid has evaporated, and job done - spicy sweet and sour cabbage. The cabbage stays a bit crunchy - if you don't like it like this, you can use partly cooked cabbage instead - just steam or boil it beforehand.

For an extra kick, add a few chilli flakes.
Enjoy!

Friday 29 July 2011

Rhubarb

Cooked up a big batch of rhubarb today - about 25 or 30 sticks. Topped and tailed, and then chopped into 1" pieces, into a pan with about 4 Tbsp sweetener and then simmered until they stewed down(I like mine with lumpy bits in). When it's cold, I'll put it in small plastic containers and freeze it.

I'll probably have it with vanilla dessert, which is like custard.

Yum!

Thursday 28 July 2011

Spurious Items in my Handbag

I've always joked with my mum that if I ever had an accident, they would have trouble identifying me by the contents of my handbag - because frankly, there are so many times that there are completely spurious items in my handbag.

The problem is, it's getting worse!

One night I went out (with mum) and apart from the usual girlie paraphenalia my bag contained:
- one purple court shoe
- one yoghurt pot lid, licked and washed clean
- 4 radishes

Another day, I turned up at mum's house to find she had company, and they were about to tuck into a lovely salad. "Help yourself" mum said - well it would be churlish not too, so I took the half eaten french stick out of my bag and made a sandwich!

Tonight I got home from work and unpacked from my bag:
- a small whisk
- a large bunch of fresh mint
- 3 gunpowder teabags

Now I know all these things have a place in my life, and in my handbag (and thank heavens for the current fashion for big bags!) but I really pity the poor guy in forensics trying to piece together my day should anything happen.

I'm sure tomorrow I'll be coming home with cat fur gloves and a better mousetrap.

More pictures of food

I bet you all think I'm obsessed with food don't you?

You'd be right of course! I made this for my tea tonight and it tasted lovely. Green veg (broccoli, asparagus and spinach) with a concasse of tomatoes, fennel, spring onion and fresh mint. The mint definitely made a difference - really lifted the tomatoes.

Yum!

Mind Games

Out for dinner last night with 4 other Alizonners, and the conversation turned to mind games that we play with ourselves.

It started when one of the group confessed that she'd been on a train last week, and was so surprised that she fit in the seat, that she stood up and sat down again, twice! Still not convinced that she had shrunk rather than train seats beeing unexplicably larger, she tried a different seat!

On the topic of temptation, one said her way of dealing with it was to imagine all the food she couldn't eat contained something toxic, like arsenic, so it would poison her to eat it.

And it transpires that the best time to start a diet is actually bedtime - that way the first 12 hours are easy - and when you get up you don't have to decide whether to start today or not, because you've already been dieting for 12 hours!

I find it helpful to imagine the weight I've lost as some solid object (or objects). I did tell someone this week I've lost a 10 year old, but it got misconstued and they thought I was a bad mother.

Dinner with friends - again!

Thought I'd share my dinner with you! This is what we had last night at Salute in Leeds - stuffed green peppers with spinach, green beans, asparagus and a little bit of aubergine!

It was very tasty, and although there doesn't look a lot, it was actually quite filling. Along with lots of water, plenty of giggles and some top company, it was a really lovely evening.

There were 5 of us altogether, all at different stages, all sizes, all ages. We each have very different reasons and triggers for wanting to lose weight, and we each have very different issues and challenges to overcome. But goodness me, what a great group of strong minded, positive people we are!

Getting together was a real boost, as this plan can sometimes be lonely (there are no group sessions), and it was lovely to chat to others who really know what you're talking about, experiencing and feeling.

Thanks again girls!

Playing Games

Had a bit of a trauma last night, thought I'd share...

Lovely night out in Leeds with some other Alizonne Ladies (who are just wonderful!) followed by a very pleasant drive back home over the pennines along the M62. The sun was setting, the stereo was turned up - you get the idea.

I got in the house about 10.30, elated, excited and generally a bit bubbly (my dad would have called it garrulous in his day!). Hubby was in the bath and the cat was lying full stretch on the living room floor.

But he wasn't moving

First I thought the worse, then I noticed he was breathing, but staring really strangely and the TV cupboard.

Then he dived under the cupboard!

Now you may have seen pictures of my 6.5kg cat - he's a big boy, and our cupboard is not so high off the floor. He flattened himself like a black furry pancake with legs.

Something was under the cupboard.
Something small and squeaky!

There then ensued an hour long game of cat and mouse, with me, hubby, cat and the tiniest mouse I've ever seen. I got a wooden sword from the hall (best place to keep them) and was poking about behind the cupboards. Hubby got out of the bath and came into the living room wearing a bathrobe and brandishing a wooden sabre (from the hall where the sword was of course). We kept driving the mouse out from behind furniture. The cat kept catching it, then letting it go again. He obviously had a differnt idea of the end game to me (in my version, the cat catches and then kills the mouse). Sometimes the mouse would run away again, sometimes he'd turn and face the cat, rear up on its hind legs and waggle it's paws in the air. I swear it was saying "Come on then you wuss"!

The cupboards got moved, the world's heaviest sofas got moved, the pewter fire fender under the sofa got moved (don't ask). Everything that was on the floor got put onto the sofas - we looked like we'd been done over. It's probably one of the best workouts I've had in ages.

Every now and then the mouse would run under the clock (as if he was aufait with children's nursery rhymes and felt this would save him). Every now and again my useless cat would flop down and stop playing.

I have a cat shaped door stop in the living room that made a better job of catching and keeping hold of the mouse that the whiskers muncher did.

In the end, we got a mousetrap out, baited it with peanut butter (mmmm... peanut butter) and went to bed (it was 11.30 by this time, and we were shattered).

The cat was put out in disgrace - we're not feeding him anymore to see if hunger improves his skills any.

This morning the trap was empty, no sign of mouse, and the cat was curled up asleep on the sofa.

What can you do?

So, I spend the hour before bedtime brandishing my wooden rapier at a teeny weeny mouse and trying not to fall over my idiot cat.

Have a good day everyone,

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Chilli Cheese Muffins

I didn't have time to make chilli cheese fritters last night (after being hoovered at clinic), so I made the same mixture into muffins and cooked them in the microwave at work for my lunch today. I combined them with a green salad made up for me by our lovely staff restaurant.

Not quite as crispy / chewy as when they're fried, but they tasted nice!

Support Team


I emailed a link to this blog to my "support team" at work - the lovely bunch that sit next to me at work and help keep me on the straight and narrow. They've been great whilst I've been doing this, showing lots of interest and encouragement (although I'm sure I bore them to death with it some days!).

They noticed that my portrait pictures were out of date though, and insited that I put up a more recent one. (The one with spiky hair is actually just pre-Alizonne, 4 months ago.

So one of my lovely colleagues took some new pics (including me wearing a dress today!) and I've added the new picture on the right.

Can't believe how like a baloon my face used to be!

Tuesday 26 July 2011

Reasons to be cheerful


I found a notebook the other day that contained a list I must have written years ago. It contains reasons to lose weight, so I thought I'd share them. Enjoy!

1. Feel better
2. Look better
3. Clothes will fit
4. Can buy clothes anywhere
5. Can borrow clothes
6. Can buy cheaper clothes
7. Legs won't rub together
8. Can wear tights
9. Feet won't hurt as much
10. Shoes will be comfier
11. Knee won't hurt as much (arthritis in left knee!)
12. Won't get out of puff
13. Can fit through small gaps
14. Can fit into aircraft seats
15. Can fit into train seats
16. Can fit into connected tables and chairs (in cafes etc)
17. Can slide over armrest in centre of seats
18. Can wear trousers with pockets
19. Pop socks won't fall down or cut off blood
20. Can wear sexy undies
21. Will use less talc
22. Can buy nicer swimwear
23. Underwired bras won't dig in
24. Can pass people in aisle of aircraft
25. Can pass people on stairs
26. Short necklaces won't choke
27. Can have better hugs
28. Mum will be pleased
29. Won't feel as though I might break chairs
30. Can put socks on easier
31. Won't take up as much room in bed
32. Will be able to sit on bus seats without hanging off edge
33. Smaller clothes take up less space in wardrobe...
34. ... and in suitcases
35. Won't look so short, especially in trousers
36. Will be able to walk faster and keep up
37. Arms of carvery dining chairs won't dig in my legs
38. Tummy will be under the water in the bath
39. Won't get sweaty heat rash
40. Won't get more stretch marks
41. Will be able to sit with legs crossed
42. Will be able to sit with feet curled up on chair
43. Will be able to paint toe nails
44. Will be able to cut toe nails
45. Normal sized towels will cover me up
46. Will be able to wear hotel bath robes
47. Will be covered up by hospital gowns
48. Will be able to wear husband's overalls
49. Will be able to wear husband's jumpers
50. Will be able to sit in banquette seating in restaurants without moving table
51. Smaller clothes are lighter - so luggage will be
52. Face will be smaller, so will use less make up
53. Cheeks won't be as fat, so will stop biting them by accident
54. Will be able to balance tray on knee
55. Back won't ache as much
56. Smaller chest means blouses won't pull open at the buttons
57. Will be able to wear bodies and T shirts
58. Won't feel so self concious at the baths
59. Won't have to worry that car seat belts won't fit
60. Will be able to use tray on plane without spilling coffee

And, dear reader, many of these have already come true!

weight

26/07/11 = 15 stone 2 lbs
5 lb gone this week - must be the swimming!
V happy!

Water, water everywhere!

I have to drink between 2 and 2 1/2 litres of water a day. Not that easy, but since I'm not drinking wine or beer or even as much tea or coffee, I'm managing to fit it in.

The tricky bit was always knowing how much water I'd actually had. I'd start counting glasses, but got distracted and then could never remember whether I'd had 5 or 7 etc.

So I bought myself 2 one litre jugs. I have one at work, and one at home. When I get to work in the morning, I fill up my jug whilst making my first cup of tea. I have to drink the jugfull before I leave the office (although I usually end up adding a bit more around 5ish, as I work 'till 6.

When I get home, I fill the other jug up and drink it all before I go to bed.

So that takes care of 2 ltrs. I also have a glass of water in the morning to take all my tablets, and other bits during the day.

It works really well for me when I'm in the office - I just need to find a good way to keep track at the weekend when I'm out. I've starting putting 4 500ml bottles on one shelf in the fridge and trying to clear them all before bedtime (taking one of them with me if I go out) - it works in the main, but sometimes I forget!

Still, at least I'm managing most of the time!

Monday 25 July 2011

Tubby Old Thing

Not me, the cat!
He weighs about 1 stone, so I reckon I've lost 6 of him now...

Ahh! Tea, best drink of the day

I've been drinking a lot of mint tea lately, since black tea is sometimes too strong. But mint tea sometimes doesn't have enough "oomph".

But I've recently discovered Gunpowder and Mint tea, and it's lovely!

It's like mint tea with more guts, or like black tea but more refreshing, depending on how you look at it.

The only place I've found it is Waitrose, and it's not particularly cheap - but then I'm saving a fortune on wine...

It comes in lovely little silky tea bags to make you feel special too!

Ahhh!

Me - in a SKIRT!

Look at that! It's me, only in a SKIRT! With tights!
This is a major first for me - normally if I wear a skirt it's virtually floor length and I wear pop-socks or boots.

But the time has come to start getting my legs out - and I can't tell you the number of people who have commented on this today. All good, positive re-inforcement, and I feel great!

Wonder what I'll find to wear tomorrow?

Sunday 24 July 2011

Rituals


It's Sunday night - and that means my weekly Alizonne rituals.

First of all, I sort out all my supplements for the week - putting them into 7 pots and checking that there's at least 7 left in the bottle. If there are fewer, I add it to the list to get when I go to clinic.

Then I count how many Quinton I've got left, and add that to the list if necessary.

Next, I go through my three boxes of sachets and order any of my favourites that are running low.

Finally, I read the whole list and add any I fancy trying, based on recipes or recommendations that I've read on the forum.

And then I'm all done for another week!

Sunday Brunch

Thought I'd have brunch for dinner (a bit backwards I know, but there you go). This is the closest I can get - smoked bacon pancakes, field mushrooms and tomatoes.

My husband walked in while I was cooking it and said it smelled like breakfast - so it must be good!

Tasted lovely, yum!

In the herb garden

Thought I'd share a picture of my herb garden. I use fresh herbs a lot - especially in green salad and with griddled veg (listed earlier).

From the left, I have lavendar (just out of shot), purple sage, thyme (creeping over the wall, oregano behind it, camomile behind that (you can just see the white flowers, lovely for tea), chives, rosemary, more oregano and mint (in the big tub) next to a tub of chocolate mint (which tastes just like after 8 mints). I also have basil on the kitchen windowsil, and lemon balm and bay in a corner of the garden - so that's me sorted!

I also grow some fruit - strawberries that I no longer eat, blackcurrants that I made into jam for everyone else, raspberries that the birds have eaten since I didn't pick them and damsons and blackberries that are ripening in the sun - ready for more jam that I won't eat!

Seems such a shame - but I've made an art of giving away food - especially homemade jams and chutneys - and my husband's enjoying having the fruits of my labour to himself!

Help... I'm sinking

I've just been for a swim (v. proud of myself, another 50 lengths!) but I found out something's changed.

It used to be that when I wanted a rest, I just stopped. I could hang vertically in the water, with my head above the surface, quite easily - just like a fishing float. BUT NOW I SINK! I had to paddle like mad to keep my head above the water and not drown today!

I'm going to call it progress, which sounds much better than "nearly drowning". Another little victory on my way to slimness.

Sunday lunch

Today was lovely and sunny, so I spent the morning outside gardening. But at lunchtime, the smell of next door's roast dinner began driving me insane. It's the first time since I started this that I was envious of someone else's food.

I came inside to get away from the smell, and to read some posts on the forum (to give me strength). I also looked up some recipes and decided to make something new for lunch - perhaps that would help.

So I made some chilli cheese fritters from the recipe book someone posted, and I had them with a green salad and some salad dressing I'd made (1/2 oil, 1/2 red wine vinegar, salt, pepper). It was lovely - I ate it outside and by then the smell of next door's dinner had gone.

Enjoy!

Saturday 23 July 2011

Friendly Forum


As you may know if you've been reading past posts, you'll know that I regularly use the on-line forum for Alizoners - I read the forum most days, and post as often as I can think of something relevant and helpful!

I just had a message from another forum user who added "By the way I love all your posts on the forum-you always give great advice."

How lovely is that?

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy

Griddled Veg and Foccacia

This is tonight's dinner!

Griddled vegetables (no oil, just straight on the griddle pan), aubergine dip (baked aubergine left over from last night, whizzed up with spices), fresh herbs and vinagrette dressing, and focaccia made from the bread mix.

Yum!

Friends for Dinner part 2

After the trio of veg, I had rhubarb and custard. I'd made a vanilla dessert in a tall glass earlier and left it in the fridge. I then topped it with some stewed rhubarb (made by me and then frozen in portions).
It looked really nice in this long glass, with a sundae spoon to eat it with.

The others had cakes from the supermarket - I'm not making them dessert when I can't have it!

Friends for Dinner


Had company for dinner this weekend. Fortunately, one was a vegetarian, so I didn't feel too left out.
I made a trio of stuffed veg using half an aubergine, piece of corguette and a field mushroom, stuffed with a mixture of corguette, fennel, red, green and yellow pepper, spring onion tops and beef tomato. I sweated this all down with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp sumac to give it a bit of a kick, and some salt and pepper. I'd baked the aubergine, corguette and mushrooms in the oven (aubergine for 30 mins, corguette for 15 and mushrooms for about 10) and then scooped out the middles and filled them up. I put Halloumi cheese on top of my friends (the kind of cheese I'm least likely to nibble. I served it with a bed of spinach, and some green veg.

For the others, I added little potatoes roasted with rosemary and a rack of lamb for the carnivores.

It was lovely, and looked delicious!

Thursday 21 July 2011

Swim, Swim, Swim

Decided that I should do more excercise (or at least some - I haven't done any for about 2 months, so "more" is perhaps over-egging it!). Thanks to all those on the Alizonne Forum who have planted the seed, watered it, given it growmore and can see it now fully germinate into a trip to the Sports Hall!

So, I've just been for a swim - about 50 lengths (50 mins). My swimsuit still fits (i.e. it's not too big yet) but it's so much easier to get on - hardly had to wiggle to get into it at all!

Took a bottle of orange and pineapple with me, and drank some every 10 lenths to keep me hydrated.

Felt a bit lightheaded at the end, but finished off with 2 lengths of full power backstroke, which might explain it.

Not sure if my hair is falling out, or if some got broken with my goggle straps - but there was definitely more on my comb than normal - will have to keep on eye on that.

Anyway, feeling great, not really tired but very pleased with myself!

Pat on the back

Feeling proud of myself today.

Went to a business conference this morning.

Managed to have black tea and no biscuits (they did look tempting!).

Took a drink with me in my handbag (thank heavens for the fashion for big bags!) and had it during the coffee break at 11ish.

Then at the lunchtime buffet, walked straight past the pizza, lasagne and meatballs, and had a big plate of salad. Not even tempted!

Finished off with a chocolate dessert from my capacious bag, and bingo - situation managed, diet not broken!
V proud of myself.

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Dinner with friends

Met up with some other Alizonne people tonight for dinner, at the Salute Leeds.

Had a lovely dinner (see pic) of stuffed veg. Some of the group use this restaurant regularly, and the staff clearly know them - they don't bring breadsticks or the dessert menu!

It was lovely to be with others doing this diet. There were 4 of us, one who'd finished (having lost 7 stone), 1 almost finished (having lost 10 stone) and two of us half way through our 7 stone target losses.

We talked about all sorts of things, mostly that you can't really discuss with people who aren't going through the same thing. It was a great moral boost, and I'm planning on going again next week!
Thanks to those that came - you all know who you are x x x

Tuesday 19 July 2011

weight

19/07/11 = 15 stone 7 lbs
Three stone lighter than 13 weeks ago - unbelievable!

Monday 18 July 2011

Lunch Out

Had lunch with work friends today in Albert's Shed. They made me a lovely stir fry, double checking all the ingredients with me beforehand. No pic of my lunch - was a bit too self concious to get my camera out.

As usual, the staff were just lovely and very accommodating - I love it here!

Sunday 17 July 2011

Sorting Out



Decided to sort out the kitchen cupboards today - partly to remove temptation and partly to make things easier to find.

Couldn't believe how much stuff we had that was out of date - especially when it seemed like we'd only bought them a few weeks ago!

Hey ho - I now have a lovely tidy cupboard with lots of room - and I can find everything.

Saturday 16 July 2011

Alizone Cupboard

This is my Alizonne cupboard - the place where I keep all the sachets and supplements for the diet I'm on.

On the top shelf there are two boxes, one for savoury and one for sweet things, and just next to them is my coffee frother which I use for mixing.

On the bottom shelf is a box for drinks, and a space for all my supplements - I keep the daily ones in a stack of 7 little boxes, one for each day. I sort them out on a Sunday afternoon, making a note of any I'm getting low on.

Stuck to the inside of the door are two sheets of paper - the top one is the list of sachets, which helps remind me which sachets are limited, and what I might like to order next.

At the bottom of the door is the list of veg I'm allowed to have. I don't really need this now, as I can remember them all, but sometimes it helps to review them.

So that's my food cupboard - I'm sure most people doing this diet have one!

Ringing the changes



Had to get a(nother) new engagement ring today - mine was getting too loose, and I was worried about losing it, and my wedding ring.

My wedding ring (and original engagement ring) is a size Q. My next replacement ring was an N, and now I've got an L! 5 sizes smaller!

The picture shows my wedding ring on the left, and my new ring on the right.

I'm not at my ideal weight yet, so I've gone for a fairly cheap stand in. When I get to my ideal weight I might be getting more expensive tastes though - better warn my husband!

Thursday 14 July 2011

Dinner Out - Albert's Shed


Went out to dinner with a friend tonight, to Albert's Shed in Castlefield, Manchester. Had been to Dukes (part of the same complex) a couple of weeks ago, and they catered for me wonderfully. I'd rung in advance to make the same arrangement for tonight.

A few questions from the restaurant manager to clarify a few bits for the kitchen, and my dinner arrived. It looked spectacular as you can see! Thought I'd take a photo so you could see what "diet food" looks like with a bit of effort. It tasted delicious too - can't wait to go again next Monday.

All credit to the kitchen and the staff at Alberts (and Dukes) they've been fab, nothing seems to be too much trouble, thoroughly recommend it - dieting or not!

Tuesday 12 July 2011

weight

12/07/11 = 15 stone 9 lbs
only 2 gone this week, but 2 stone 12 altogether - that's amazing!

Sunday 10 July 2011

Capuccino



Capuccino is probably one of my favourite sachets - I have one most days (when they haven't run out!).
I make mine in this huge mug (with all the shipping areas on it - I love the shipping forecast, it's like a poem, and I often listen to it as I'm falling asleep).

The mug is big enough to mix up the drink - I put in about 250 mls of water and then add the powder as I mix with my coffee frother. Then 1 min 10 in the microwave and yum... Have to remember to wash the mug out soon afterwards though, the dried stuff is difficult to remove if left!

Variety is the spice of life

Sorted out my wardrobe today. Since I've lost 2 stone 10, many of my trousers and jackets are getting baggy. It's funny that a lot of the next size down don't quite fit yet but the ones I have are baggy - but I think that could be the vagaries of British clothing sizes.

So, now I've been through the wardrobe, I've discovered 10 pairs of trousers that were too small that now fit, but need taking up! It's the sewing kit for me...

I've still been sticking to the plan rigidly, even on holiday - and I'm still finding plenty of variety. Each week I seem to find a new combination which becomes my new favourite. Last week it was griddled veg with focaccia, this week it's aubergine curry!

So here's to variety being the spice of life, and the next stone off!

Thursday 7 July 2011

Crying Game

Ever had one of those days?
I did today.

I went to the dentists this morning (new front teeth - they're a bit tight and make my nose hurt!). As I was driving back to the office I just got this weird feeling. Not quite dread, but certainly unease. I'd spent the previous 2 days worrying about my mum, who had to go to hospital for a scan - turns out everything is fine, but I think I'd been really worried about it, so had a bit of an emotional roller coaster. (My dad died quite suddently of cancer in September last year, and the whole going to hospital thing just bought it all back).

Anyway, by the time I got to the office I was in tears. I couldn't go into work, just sat in the car sobbing. Not like me at all.

Don't really know if it's just emotions running high or the huge release of oestrogen from breaking down fat (where oestrogen gets stored). Given how overweight I am, my body must be like a huge oestrogen warehouse having a closing down sale.

Went for a cup of tea and a chat with a friend, and was right as rain in an hour.

Definitely one of those days!

Tuesday 5 July 2011

weight

05/07/11 - 15 stone 11 lbs - yes, my weight now starts with 15!
so that's another 4 lb down

Sunday 3 July 2011

Focaccia

I recently discovered I could make passable focaccia from the bread mix.

1 Sachet plain bread mix
1 tsp italian herbs
salt & pepper
water
sea salt flakes

mix the bread sachet, herbs and seasoning (but not the sea salt) together. Add the water whilst mixing - until you get a wet dough. Beat this (with a spatula or something, going side to side) and it will get more doughy - kind of glutenous like when you kneed bread.

Plop onto a silicone mat on a baking tray (it should land in a flatish ball) sprinkle the sea salt on top and bake in a preheated oven for 12 - 14 mins at 190 - 200 (I use 190 with the oven on fan).

Take out and leave to cool slightly before cutting.

Be careful with the Italian herb mix - some ready made ones have sugar and flour in them! Check the ingredients. You can experiment by adding garlic powder, a little sweetener or other herbs.

Have fun with it!