Lighter

Other than a trip to the football on Saturday we were at home this weekend, and it was a lazy productive time, if that's a thing. 

Dan filled up the green bin, ready for collection this week, we took stuff to the tip and the charity shop, tidied the understairs cupboard, which was not nearly as scary as we thought, and generally had a putter around sorting things out - just what I wanted to do before I start to get stressed about that December event I'd rather just avoid. Maybe stressed isn't the word, frustrated is more the word, I can't stand to feel obliged to do things and we have to spend time with people who are all about tradition. Enough said about that, I'm not going to mention it again. 

One thing I struggle with is my breakfast, I can't cope with anything milky like cereal or porridge first thing, and having nothing for me to eat is a concern to Dan, so we seem to constantly on the hunt for something for me. Yesterday I was sick of thinking about it (for anyone who doesn't know if I could do away with eating altogether I would, it's a necessary faff to me) at the same time we turned to each other and said "breakfast bars". So I made some. 

I used the Morning Oat Jacks recipe from Keep It Vegan, although I couldn't bring myself to use 100ml each of agave nectar and maple syrup, so I used about 75ml of agave which is plenty sweet enough for me, and as the bars also contain coconut, raisins and dates there was extra oomph anyway. Of course I didn't have the right size tin so my bars were a bit (a lot) crumbly, but they are delicious and the extra bits are in a tub as granola-style sprinkles for Dan's porridge. 

Very tasty and one did actually fill me up which is unusual for a breakfast thing. I will try to get hold of a smaller tin and will make these often. I also got ahead of myself in terms of lunch, I will avoid lunch or grab the easiest thing, I want to avoid too much bread for a while as I do suffer from the aches and pains of "bread belly" so I made a massive bowl of veggie cous cous and washed and chopped lots of salad. Which we then ate so I have to chop some more!

It feels so good to eat lighter foods at the moment, I don't know if it's because it's getting colder and everywhere feels more stuffy with thicker coats, heating on etc, but it's something, as I am somewhat of a salad dodger. 

I also swapped a few decorative bits around to make things a little more wintery. I can't remember why I posted a picture up, probably of one of the buns, but I was ridiculed for having decorative logs in the hole where a fire would normally be. We don't have a fire, and the space behind is not very attractive, so what's the problem? We went from our usual look 

To something more... whatever the word is.

I've just found out that my youngest niece is coming to visit today so I can imagine there will be pinecones all over the floor rather than decorating the fireplace in the next few hours! A brilliant way to lighten up a dark Monday morning.