Hello squash!

If it comes to food choices, go for seasonal vegetables and fruits. Late autumn is perfect time for wonderful squashes and tasty brussels sprouts.

my little squash collection ;)

For recent weeks I try different types of winter squashes. Rich in beta caroten, vitamins and minerals, squashes are perfect way to add some variation for your diet. 

My personal favourite is kabocha squash which I chop and boil. The great thing about kabocha is that you can eat it with the skin, so it means less work for you. 35kcal per 100g and  8.2g carbs makes kabocha a perfect source of carbohydrates :)
Another favourite is butternut squash, but its preparation takes a little more time.
I can wait to check out spaghetti squash!

an inside of spaghetti squash

Diet savers

I've just got a pack from Gymgrossisten.no with Walden Farm's product:
* peanut butter spread
* chocolate syrup
* bluberry syrup
* creamy itialian salad dressing

This products are calories, carbs, fat free. 
I have to be honest - these are artificial products which can't replace healthy, balance eating. BUT if you're on diet, counting and sparing your calories a little amount of these can make your life more tastier ;) My diet is 90% clean and this 10% lefgt is dedicated to products like these or Cola Zero ;)

I have already tried Whipped Peanut Spread since I am a big fan of peanut butter itself. It is not as tasty ans Powdered Peanut Butter (check my post about it here), but it is ok on a wasa sandwich ;)

Hardangervidda/Flåm/Jotunheimen trip

As I promised, I am coming back with little update about my recent weekend trip.

As 17th of May is Norwegian national day and it is free, as well as 20th of May, we had all 4 days for ourselves! :)

the beginning of Hardangervidda - national tourist road

We started our trip from passing Hardangervidda - mountain plateau, which - on this time of the year - is still covered in snow and ice. 

Hardangervidda in the mid of may ;)

 Hardangervidda is an extraordinary place, which will be ever more special for me now <3

Stalheim hotel and mountains around it. Photo from visitnorway.com

Stalheim hotel was another destination on our trip. The view from hotels terrace is amazing, as well as the route down (Stelheimskleiva) - the steepest route in Europe!

view from Stalheim's hotel

grill on our way to next trip destination

 

marinated chicken was on the menu ;)

grilled chicken sandwich

Next 2 days we spend in wonderful small city Flåm, which is a Norway in a nutshell for me. 

 

Flåm in the evening

It has fiord, beautiful and high mountains around, little wooden houses and many mountain pathways for hiking, cycling and skiing. 

Up in the mountains with the view on Nærfiord

 We managed to take a proper mountain trip which took us few hours and was approximately 10km long. And found local brewery very welcoming the same evening :) 
We felt so good in Flåm and the weather was so amazing that we had to force ourselves to leave this hospitable place... :)

beautiful view from Stegastein

 Aurland's viewpoint (Stegastein) was the next on our tour. The weather was perfect for climbing up in the hills (with car this time) and admire Nærfiord from above.

grilled salmon - yummy!

grilled salmon menu :)

mighty Jotunheimen Mountains

Last, but not least, we crossed Jotunheimen - the highest mountain range in Norway. This was spectacular! But, I have to admit, very scary at the same time! We were there almost alone and the scope of mountains was even overwhelming! On passing mountain shelters, we met professional Alpinists who were discovering Jotunheimen Mountains by foot (and skies).

waterfall in Jotunheimen mountains

Despite it were only 4 days, I totally relaxed, charged my batteries and had a wonderful, and very emotional :), time. It was all about relax, chill, love, celebration and splurging! Like a proper vacations should be :)

first ice creams this year ;)

"Nordic's kitchen" ;)

Chicken wrapped in bacon with parmesan filling

chicken wrapped in bacon with parmesan cheese filling

Yeah, to name is looong and seems complicated but it describe everything it was, in fact.

For dinner with our friends, I made a chicken. But I really didn't wanted to serve dry diet-style meat. I was inspired by Kristine Weber's recipe.

chicken already filled with parmesan, seasoned and wrapped in bacon, ready to roast

I sliced chicken breast into smaller long pieces and then filled them with parmesan*. It is a really dirty job, you wouldn't like to see it on the picture ;) But it is all about doing some whole with knife into the chicken fillet and then putting a slice of parmesan there. 

*Parmesan cheese is best here becouse it has a hard, spoiled texture.

I covered chicken into bacon. I found bacon which has little fat and more meat and that is the kindo of bacon you should look after in shop.Then I seasoned it with salt and garlic pepper.

I used picks to hold chicken and bacon together

I roasted it for about 40 minutes (in 200 degrees) covered with aluminium foil. If you don't covered the meat, it will be dry in the end.

The chicken came aromatic, soft and juicy. It was served together with green long bean served with butter, garlic and almonds and with salad :)

I fried chopped garlic in a butter (with a drop of oil) first, then add green beans, fry for about 2 minutes and then covered it with sliced almonds

I took ready salad mix, made my dressing from sesame oil  and soya souse, put some cherry tomatoen and lots of parmesan that salad will compose with main dish

Party food 3

Ready to rock! ;)

Today maybe not the healthiest, but definitely very tasty party food - taco and blue cheese&parma ham salad.

Taco is quite easy dish for parties where there is a lot of people and food have to be filling. And that is what today's party will be :)

I prepare taco from soft tortillas, minced meat with hot spices and corn and lots of cheese. Cheese is an ingredient which will combine tortilla and meat together. I put tacos to the oven for about 10 minutes, to let the cheese melt. This tacos will be served chilled, but they will be even better when served hot. 

Today's salad will be very simple one. Mix of salads, ruccola and baby spinat with blue cheese, fired parma ham and self made croutons. I did also add peanut and a little bit of walnuts oil. I will mixed all salad just after coming to the party place.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Shots of London - day three

Trying Diet Cherry Coke

Shopping in Organic Shop

Pimm's for the first time

A glass of Pimm's

Cesar salad

Wonderfull place for lunch and drinks!

Cheese time!

Dinner salad

I just have to share this beautiful meal with you guys. Variety of colours, veggies, ham and cottage cheese together. Simple and filling!

Don't cheat with diet, cheat with volume. Eat with your eyes and enjoy the process :)