DIET - Nosh Detox Diary, Days 5 & 6

Read all about my 6 day diet plan using Nosh Detox each day... (more info here).

Eating:

Friday's breakfast was muesli but I added a few extra raisins... naughty me. On Saturday I had a chocolate cereal. I think it was the one I often buy actually, wheat-free and all natural.

About 11am on both days... superfood shot time.

Lunch on Friday was a Tuna Nicoise Salad with lovely potatoes and french beans. Saturday was Tofu and Broccoli salad. I need to buy broccoli every week, I've found some new uses for it and it's sooo good for you.

Friday's snack was portion of cashew nuts and on Saturday it was all about the rice cakes.

Dinner on Friday was a small, but really tasty, meal of salmon with marinated cabbage. The cabbage reminded me of something my mum makes at Christmas - not bad for detox food. Saturday's dinner was Daal and brown rice with raita... my boyfriend even helped me finish it off.

Cheating:

I worked late on Friday to meet a tough deadline... after that I gave into a glass of wine. Just the one mind you.

Today's tea:

Fennel tea was on the menu on Friday.

Scrubs:

Jasmine Flower Sea Salts for day 5 to soothe skin and day 6 gave me lavender ones. Lovely.

Overall mood:

Luckily with work being so busy I didn't have much time to think about food at all. The good thing is that by this point, I'm no longer craving caffeine or chocolate and I'm happier with smaller portions. I need to keep up the smaller meals if I'm to really take advantage of the kick start the detox has given me. It's so easy to fall into bad habits.

At the end of the 6 days I've lost a respectable 4lb. I reckon if I had stuck to everything 100% that would have been more like 5 or 6lb but everyone is different. Would I do it again? Yes probably, although I think I'd be more inclined to do the weekend detox every few months.

DIET - Nosh Detox Diary, Day 4

Read all about my 6 day diet plan using Nosh Detox each day... (more info here).

Eating:

Breakfast this morning was granola with soy milk. It was nice as it had fruit in, but not so sure about the seeds, I seem to only like them when covered with salty seasoning. Not good for me I know.

About 11am... superfood shot time.

Today's lunch was a lovely heap of quinoa mixed in with Mediterranean vegetables. It was filling enough for lunch and tasty too. Just like something I would bring to work myself, if I had the time to prepare it the night before.

My afternoon snack was not juice today, I had the pleasure of dried cranberries and raisins.

For dinner today I enjoyed a generous portion of Chicken and Chickpea Cassoulate with rice. This was completely satisfying. It didn't feel like detox food at all. I was worried that after working late I would be tempted to grab something on the way home, but I resisted and managed to wait till 7.30pm for my grub.

Cheating:

Nothing, absolutely nothing. Feeling positively saintly.

Today's tea:

An unusual one that I'd not heard of. Astragalus tea which is reported to be an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. That's gotta be good for you.

Today's scrub:

Jasmine Flower Sea Salts to soothe skin.

Overall mood:

Can you tell my mood's improved. Today didn't feel like a struggle at all. No headaches, no hunger pangs and no cravings for chocolate or diet coke. I'm even starting to think I'll give up caffeine entirely... 2 days ago I would have never said that. This food part of the diet is much easier to stick to the liquid part of the diet, and I'm really hoping my stomach is starting to shrink a bit.

DIET - Nosh Detox Diary, Day 3

Read all about my 6 day diet plan using Nosh Detox each day... (more info here).

Eating:

Breakfast this morning was a muesli shake. Full of seeds, coconut and some cranberries.

About 11am... superfood shot time.

Today's soup was Sweet potato, butternut squash and chilli. It was pretty tasty and had a nice kick of chilli to it. While eating I got a bit sidetracked and the rest ended up going cold. Tip people, don't eat lunch at your desk - you'll always have your mind elsewhere, rather than on the food you're eating and I'm as guilty as anyone of doing this.

My afternoon snack of fruit juice is still in the fridge... see my cheat below.

For dinner today I had Spicy Moroccan vegetable tagine with quinoa. I'd never had quinoa before but it was quite nice, not too dissimilar to cous cous but slightly lighter. The Moroccan sauce was lovely, with juicy peppers. Delish.

Cheating:

Big cheat today... after not finishing my soup because it got a bit cold, I went out later on to get another soup to keep me going. I had an event on after work which meant I was getting home late, so I substituted my afternoon snack for something a bit more substantial.

Today's tea:

Gorgeous mint tea, which I love.

Today's scrub:

My sesame oil sea salts were nice but to be honest I just like the idea of taking five minutes to concentrate on the outside of the body, not just the inside.

Overall mood:

Today I felt like I had a lot more energy than the first 2 days of the detox, I didn't end up having all of my breakfast again which led to me needing to cheat in the afternoon. I don't think there'll be any cheating tomorrow though as I've just seen the menu and it isn't liquid... hurrah! Lots of lovely grub tomorrow and I think my stomach isn't expecting as much food any more so hunger shouldn't be such a problem either. Oh an Geeta from Nosh has reminded me that she's there to help if I have any issues. Definitely no cheating tomorrow!

DIET - Nosh Detox Diary, Day 2

Read all about my 6 day diet plan using Nosh Detox each day... (more info here).

Eating:

Breakfast this morning was a granola shake. It had a slightly nutty flavour and was thick and filling. I drank some but didn't finish it this morning as I was out interviewing and was in a rush. This also stopped me from drinking quite as much water as I usually would.

About 11am I tried to drink my superfood shot while walking through London back to the office. Not ideal, as I'm sure I'm meant to sit and savour each sip. On today's schedule that just wasn't happening unfortunately.


Up to lunchtime I tried to make up some of the water that I had missed during the morning and then it was soup O'clock. Today I had Broccoli soup which was really yummy. I'd have it again, it had just the right amount of seasoning and felt much thicker and more satisfying than the carrot and ginger one I tried yesterday.

My afternoon snack of fruit juice went out the window as I was holed up in a couple of meetings and just didn't get the time.

For dinner I enjoyed lemon cod and vegetables. I really wished the portion had been slightly bigger to really satisfy me, but seeing as I'm trying to lose a few pounds I figured it wouldn't do me any harm.

Cheating:

After my dinner I was naughty and had a lemon ice lolly. Just enough to make me feel like I'd had a treat. It's hard to change your habits when you're so used to using food to make you feel good, rather than to fulfill your nutritional needs. Oh and does sugar-free gum count as a cheat... yeah I suppose it does.

Today's tea:

Olive tea, much better than yesterday's, this tea was drinkable and pleasant enough.

Today's scrub:

Lemon and ginger salt salts, which I thought were a fab idea. It's something you could recreate at home too. In fact, I might get some bath salts and add in my own natural ingredients in future.

Overall mood:

Today would have been fine if I was sat at my desk all day. The problem was I was dashing around and I don't think I really had enough calories to keep my energy levels up. It's definitely something to keep in mind when planning your detox. Saying that, I felt great all morning, it was in the afternoon when things started to dip... I should have had that afternoon snack.

DIET - Nosh Detox Diary, Day 1

Read all about my 6 day diet plan using Nosh Detox each day... (more info here).

I'd been quite looking forward to someone else preparing my meals all week and wondering what sorts of smoothies, soups and dinners to expect. My food arrived just when they said it would last night which gave me the chance to have a good rummage ahead of my first day's detox. As well as your food for day 1, you also get a box of extras with the aim of boosting the detox, including body scrubs, teas and supplements.

Eating:

Breakfast consisted of a fruit and oat smoothie. It was a really generous portion and I couldn't even manage the whole thing. It was quite plain tasting but stopped me feeling hungry which had been my biggest concern.

About 11am I had my morning snack, a superfood shot, which I thought wasn't going to taste nice, but it turns out I loved it. Really fresh, refreshing and easy to drink. I'd easily add one of these to my daily routine knowing how many vitamins are in there. Yum, yum.

Lunch was carrot and ginger soup which was pretty tasty, but again I struggled to finish it. I'm glad the portions are pretty big but there's only so much liquid food you can eat in one go.

Afternoon snack was a fruit smoothie, but with over 2 litres of water inside me, I wasn't really feeling the need for it.

Dinner was the highlight of the day. Salmon, vegetables and watercress with champ potatoes. I added some pepper but that was all, I really enjoyed it.

Cheating:

I added a chamomile tea and a peppermint tea to the plan to warm me up as I get really cold when I've not eaten much. I tried but couldn't manage much of the bee pollen diluted in water either. It's just so different to what I'm used to. I'll try harder tomorrow.

Today's tea:

Bark tea... a bitter tasting tonic that I was meant to sip on throughout the day. Unfortunately I couldn't even manage a couple of sips. It really did taste like nothing else I have ever tried, and not in a good way.

Today's scrub:

Marigold sea salts, said to soothe and heal damaged tissue. A lovely, invigorating boost to my day.

Overall mood:

Today has been OK for the first day and I've not had any major cravings or hunger pangs. The biggest issue has been the headache lasting most of the day which is no doubt due to the lack of caffeine and sugar. You don't realise quite how addicted you are to them until you try and go without. I'm out and about a bit tomorrow, so let's see how the detox copes with going on the road. The best news is, it's 8pm and I haven't had any major slip-ups today... my willpower is working so far.

PETS - Lily's Kitchen Pet Food

I was given an opportunity to review Lily's Kitchen Pet Food. The concept is fab... home-made, organic and with added nutritious herbs and vegetables. Sometimes pets can be treated as a dustbin for any food going spare including those things that aren't at all good for them. I think that's a real shame so anyone trying to keep our pets happy and healthy is good news in my books.

I may be a dedicated blogger but eating pet food isn't my thing, so I enlisted the help of my favourite Labrador, Rufus, to do the testing for me. See how good he was waiting patiently to devour his exciting new dinner. Usually Rufus isn't too bothered with his dog food and rarely eats it all in one go. He's quite partial to the leftovers of a roast dinner which he only gets once a week if he's been good. On a normal day he's particular about wanting a mix of dry and wet food, but in this case he was more than happy with just the wet food. My mum was pleased too. Her favourite selling point of Lily's Kitchen dog food over other brands is that it doesn't smell like dog food. In fact, Mum thought it smelled quite tasty.

Now Labradors are notoriously easy to please in the food department, so I thought I'd better try it out on a fussier candidate too. My nan's dog Jess is very highly strung. There isn't a dog food on the market that she will happily eat, she much prefers roast chicken every evening. You'll notice I don't have a picture of Jess trying out Lily's dog food, and that's because I didn't get a chance. She scoffed the lot so quickly there was no time to get snapping. Proof indeed that this pet food makes even the most difficult of dogs very happy.



Rufus chowed down on the Homestyle Chicken & Turkey Casserole which costs £2.10 a can. If you have a fussy dog, or one that is not as sprightly as it could be, then I suggest you give Lily's a try.

To find out more about varieties, ingredients and nutritional info visit the Lily's Kitchen website.

FRAGRANCE - Celebs Love Rituals

Celebrities are stocking up on the latest must-have item from cult brand Rituals. The Home Fragrance Sticks are housed in a beautiful clear holder, releasing a lovely scent for months. They create a comforting energy and a warm welcome to your home, and have been a huge hit with celebrities recently. Adele, Emilia Fox, Tina Hobly and even Dermot O'Leary have stocked up on these recently, wanting to give their homes a comforting, cosy aroma as winter draws in. Fragrances include:

Spice Trail
Created from classic spices from China, Japan, India and Indonesia, such as aromatic Cinnamon, spicy Ginger, fragrant Cardamom and sweet, comforting Star Anise.

Tea with Love
The fragrance begins with citrus, followed by a beautiful floral scent with Ylang Ylang. Musk and Wood form the closing accent. Green Tea is recognisable throughout the scent.

Sweet Sunrise
This alluring fragrance has a top note of sharp, citrusy Bergamot and sparkling, aromatic tones of White Pepper and Cardamom; this is gradually replaced by a floral note of Jasmine leaves and the freshness of White Tea. The scent is enveloped in a base note of Cedar, Nutmeg and Musk.

Under a Fig Tree
The fresh figs combined with a drop of creamy milk for tender warmth and care. In the East, the Fig is a symbol of fertility and reproduction. Fresh figs are known for their moisturising properties and earthy-sweet aroma.

Jasmine Dream
This scent has a dominant floral character created by a sensual blend of eastern flowers. Touches of fruit and wood complement the rich smell of Jasmine and the soft scent of Ylang Ylang.
To distil the fleeting scent of Jasmine, the Jasmine flowers are picked at night and processed before sunrise. The scent of Jasmine is refreshing and relaxing.

The Home Fragrance Sticks cost £19.90 and are available from Rituals stores nationwide and www.rituals.com.

BEDROOM - Debenhams Brings Back Dorma

The Montpellier range inspired by French Chateau style

Debenhams has brought back a customer favourite with the return of homeware brand Dorma. It’s been a well-loved label for years and investing in quality bed linen can make all the difference to your décor and to getting a good night’s sleep too. Dorma knows how everyone loves to get cosy and comfortable with seductively soft fabrics and this is reflected in the luxurious materials they use.

There's a good mix of dramatic styles, traditional patterns or designs with a masculine edge. There are also exclusive designs that you won’t find anywhere else? Here’s why Dorma is worth a look:

• Luxuriously high thread counts
• The finest fabrics
• Sophisticated designs

I remember the Dorma department being really popular back when I worked in a Debenhams store many moons ago. It's great that it's now available online.

Keep up with the latest Debenhams news at their blog.

CAKES - Lola's at Selfridges

I challenge you to find me someone who doesn't like to indulge in the occasional cupcake. I happened to be wandering in Selfridges one evening and the Lola's cupcakes were all reduced. Knowing that I had a hungry boyfriend waiting at home for me, I snapped some up.

We tried the carrot cake cupcake and also the Oreo one and it was funny because each of us preferred a different one. My boyfriend was all about the carrot cake and I was definitely into the Oreo, the frosting on which was sweet and delicious. Perhaps a little bit dry, but that may be owing to purchasing them last thing in the day. The cupcakes are made fresh each morning using the finest ingredients.

You can get packs of 4 decent sized cakes or a bumper box of smaller cupcakes to sample more of the yummy flavours. I'm desperate to try the coconut or red velvet varieties next time I can.

For more info on what Lola's have to offer, visit the Lola's website.

FOOD - Chicken and Mozzarella with Bacon

I had some friends over for dinner the other day. We're starting a little weekly 'come dine with me' without the score cards (or voice over). I didn't have much in the cupboard as I hadn't been shopping but threw together chicken with mozzarella, wrapped in bacon. It was super yummy! I served it up with some seasoned chips and honey roasted carrot, parsnip and red pepper. All washed down with a couple of glasses of wine of course.

If you love ogling pictures of delicious dishes, why not check out the Food Porn group over on Flickr. It's full of the most scrumptious plates of food and you might just get inspired by another Flickr user's food.

FOOD - Up the Apple and Pears

I just had to share these pics of my new glass bowl filled to brimming with autumnal toned apples and pears. The colours are just delicious. Oh and of course I opted for the fun-sized varieties. Smaller fruit is just cuter somehow...

FOOD - Chop'd Salad Contest

On Wednesday I was kindly invited along to an event with Chop'd, a fab salad bar chain with a concession in Selfridges Food Hall. Myself and 6 other lovely bloggers were asked to devise a salad recipe using ingredients available on the menu. The winning salad would go on sale in Chop'd... how cool! I was feeling a bit like the underdog, all the other lovely ladies are foodie bloggers where as I am generally more about the style, but I popped my ingredients on an email regardless and hoped for the best.

See below the ingredients for my salad, I went for the things I just love to eat...

Base
Deli leaves

House
Mixed peppers
Mushroom
Caramelised onions
Sun dried tomato

Deli
Goat's cheese

Garnish
chili

Dressing
Balsamic dressing

Mine may not have been successful, but I sure enjoyed eating it. And for the winner... The Om Nom Salad which will be sold in Chop'd for 2 weeks from 12 October 2009. You can read winner Melanie's blog over at Om Nom London and see her triumphant recipe below...

Base:
Deli leaves

House Items
Caramlised onions
Spiced chickpeas
Sundried tomatoes
Olives

Deli items
Chorizo

Garnish
Chilli

Dressing
Lemon juice

Eddie, MD of Chop'd, congratulates the winner, Melanie.

I'd better get my review up over on Qype too. I'm addicted to sharing my views on anything from my local pub to the latest restaurants in town not to mention my favourite shops! I've also decided I'm a fan of a few ingredients I didn't know I was. My future salads are going to contain spiced chickpeas, seeds and lemon juice. Give it a try...