I've been dieting over the last few weeks and have managed to lose 1 stone 5 pounds so far so I was due a little treat. I've been really careful about what I've been eating, though I have been allowing myself treats, you can't go through life sticking rigidly to a diet, but I decided that I'd throw caution to the wind on Saturday and order exactly what I wanted.
I had exchanged some Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Bella Italia vouchers so we ate there. I chose the Cotto Pizza, smoked ham, mushroom and mozzarella.
Mick and Eleanor always choose a made to order pizza at Bella Italia with ragu and pepperoni. It's not on the menu but they're always happy to meet their requirements. Mick had a classic base but Eleanor chose the ripiena crust which is stuffed with mozzarella and garlic butter.
It's very rare that we have dessert when we eat out but we did on this occasion. Mick and I shared a chocolate orange brownie which was warm, topped with a rich chocolate ganache and served with vanilla gelato. I'm glad we'd decided to share it as it was really rich and neither of us would have managed a full portion.
Eleanor wanted the Cookie Dough Al Forno but it was off the menu, so instead she chose the Ultimate Framenti for one. Strips of warm crispy fried dough, dusted in icing sugar, with strawberries, marshmallows and brownie pieces, served with rich chocolate sauce. What a huge portion, she didn't manage to get through it all.
We all enjoyed our meal out. Eleanor went back to university yesterday morning ready for lectures in the afternoon and I'm now firmly back on the diet.
It is nice to treat youreslf after such a brilliant weight loss. Portion sizes can be too overwhelming for me when we eat out - I never get to desserts these days!
ReplyDeleteNo doubt your daughter had a good feast to last her a few more weeks at Uni!
It's rare that I have a dessert when we eat out and even rarer that I have a starter, the main event is usually enough for me. Eleanor's had some good meals whilst she's been home, I made roast chicken on Friday at her request as it's something she doesn't make for herself at uni.
DeleteSounds like you had a lovely time Jo. It's nice to treat yourself every now and then especially as you have done so well with loosing weight.
ReplyDeleteMitzi
You can still have treats and lose weight, it's all about moderation. I'm hoping to lose a few more pounds before Christmas is here as I'm sure I'll be having quite a few more treats then.
DeleteI love pizza and any Italian food. I'm not a pudding eater, so the pizza would have been enough for me. Best, Jane x
ReplyDeleteItalian food is Mick's favourite and I enjoy it too, we like eating at Bella Italia. I didn't eat all the pizza but that's usually enough for me, we don't often have dessert.
DeleteWe try not to diet, just eat sensible and watch our portion sizes, which always is the issue, as once food is on my plate, I don't like to leave any. But your treat sounds brill.
ReplyDeleteI shouldn't call it a diet really as I suppose it's just eating healthily. I don't cut anything out as I think it just makes you crave that particular food all the more, I just eat sensibly, cut down on portion sizes, stop snacking in between meals and stop eating after 6pm. I still allow myself treats, I'll have a couple of biscuits with a cup of tea or a chocolate bar every so often, just not all the time. It seems to work.
DeleteWell done on the weight loss.We eat very healthily so not much to cut out except the wine!It is lovely to have your children back home for the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a glass of wine sine last Christmas and I think I only had a glass or two then. I love having the family back home, it isn't often that we're all together anymore.
DeleteThat all looks and sounds delicious. xx
ReplyDeleteWe all enjoyed our meal. Going out for pizza is such a treat.
DeleteWell done on the weight loss, I certainly need to make more of an effort to lose some. Looks like a great meal out with generous portions.
ReplyDeleteI think you really have to be in the mindset to lose weight, I've been determined since I started but that doesn't mean I'm depriving myself, as you can see. Taking it off slow and steady will hopefully mean that it'll stay off. The portion size at Bella Italia was more than generous, I couldn't believe the size of Eleanor's dessert.
DeleteYour meal looks yummm! Well, I had to look up how much a "stone" was...you did so well! Congrats on your weight loss achievement!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the occasional treat - if you deprive yourself too much, that's when you end up over-indulging & then feeling guilty for doing so which can turn into a vicious cycle.
It was very tasty. I always forget when I'm writing a weight on the blog that many countries don't use stones as a measurement. I'm being really sensible with the weight loss, it's coming off slowly, I really don't want to deprive myself when I fancy something, life's too short and as you say, it ends up in a vicious cycle of over indulging.
DeleteA great achievement Jo just by making more sensible choices. Your treat from the weekend does look delicious especially Eleanors large dessert.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they must have mixed up Eleanor's dessert, they do am Ultimate Framenti for two and I wonder if she got that instead. She couldn't manage to eat it all.
DeleteI have given up ordering dessert when we eat out as it's usually disappointing but those sound delish! It's lovely to blow the diet and have a treat sometimes. I'm glad you had such a good weekend. x
ReplyDeleteI don't usually have room for dessert but I shared this with Mick and even then, it was very rich and neither of us would have managed a full portion. It tasted delicious though. We had a lovely weekend, Eleanor doesn't come home very often in between holidays so it was a real treat to spend some time with her.
DeleteWell done on the weight loss Jo. I got to target on 1st November after losing 63 pounds since mid January and have lost another 1.5 this week. I'd like to get another 1.5 off before Christmas so that I can enjoy the mince pies!
ReplyDeleteOur girls visited on Saturday as J's mum died in the early hours. It was good to be together for a while.
Well done, that's a huge weight loss, you must really feel the benefit now. I'm glad you got to be together with your girls at the weekend though it was under such sad circumstances. I remember you mentioning her breaking her thigh bone a couple of years ago, these things can really take a toll on an old person. I do hope she got to enjoy life again after that.
DeleteAbsolutely well done Jo on your weight loss, lovely to enjoy your special treat with the family. Like you I don´t do desserts but they certainly looked very yummy xcx
ReplyDeleteI never had a sweet tooth when I was younger, I'd always go for a starter rather than a dessert. Now it's rare I have either but I do enjoy sweet things more than I used to do.
DeleteWow, well done on the weight loss Jo, it's not easy, especially at this time of year with all the treats on offer.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a pizza fan, cake is my downfall every time, lol
I've still got more to lose but I've made a start. I was a picky eater as a child, now I eat anything on offer.
DeleteOh so true!!! We all need a treat day, or night, or whatever!!!!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd oh my, what a night you all had!!! Oh everything looks sooooooo yummy!!!! Sooooooo Veryyyyyyy Yummmmmmmy!!!! I have to get away from this post, or I will gain weight, just looking at the pics!!!! ,-))))
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Ha ha. I often start fancying a particular thing when I've seen it on a blog post.
DeleteBet I never told you, how cute your blog name is! "Through The Keyhole" is the sweetest.
ReplyDeleteIt says it perfectly... Our blogs are peeks into our lives. And the Keyhole image, is so cozy and warm and kind of old fashioned, in the most perfect of ways, of course.
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I used to have another blog about my allotment called The Good Life. It was named after a TV programme of the same name so when I started this blog I took the name of another TV programme. Through the Keyhole is a quiz show over here. Cameras are taken into a celebrity's home and then a panel have to try and guess who's house it is. You've summed it up perfectly though, I thought it was a good name for the blog as this is just a snippet of my life, the kind you'd see if you took a peek through the keyhole.
DeleteWow, well done you losing all that weight! Oh yes, we can't go through life without a few treats. I never manage desert but do cope with a starter and main.xxx
ReplyDeleteI would never manage to stick to any sort of diet without the odd treat thrown in, life's too short for that anyway.
DeleteYou are inspiring me . I am HUNGRY HUNGRY HUNGRY right now and it would be very easyfor me to down a gingerbread cookie, but I am gettng on the scale tomorrow and I dont want to cry! So I will drink my la croix water and eat a light dinner. I swear some nights I go to bed dreaming of food.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't help when you see blog posts filled with delicious looking meals, does it? I hope you managed to resist the gingerbread cookie, the scales will thank you today.
DeleteVery well done on your weight-loss.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound as if you had a wonderful weekend and meal out.
It must be so near the end of term for Eleanor, the weeks pass by so quickly.
All the best Jan
Eleanor's got just two weeks left of term after this week. It was a real treat seeing her for the weekend, she doesn't often come home mid term so it made it all the more special.
DeleteHoly moly that food looks utterly deeelish! Mostly all stuff I cannot eat regularly if at all but I think I would have maybe begged you for a weeny taste of your pizza.
ReplyDeleteWell done for the weight loss, I know it is not easy. Since M. retired he has joined me in Low Carb (although mine is enforced cos of health not a diet choice) and without really trying he's lost nearly 30kg. The great thing he is can have a treat when he wants and has never felt hungry.
What a great result for M, losing that weight without really trying. It must make things easy when preparing meals too if you're both eating the same things. Have you seen Jan's The Low Carb Diabetic blog? She shares some great low carb recipes on there and though I don't follow a low carb diet I do make some of the meals she shares.
Deletehttp://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/
Well done on your weight loss, that's excellent progress.
ReplyDeleteAll of those pizzas sound delicious and I love the look of Eleanor's dessert!
Lisa x
I had a little taste of Eleanor's dessert but I wasn't keen, I'm glad I went for what I did.
DeleteJust on catchup due to no i'net access whilst away for a few days. The food looks yummy, though very rich too. The socks on your last post too were very pretty. Have a lovely weekend & take care.
ReplyDeleteThe food was delicious, it made a nice change after the simple things I've been eating just lately.
DeleteYum! That looks delicious. Well done on your weight loss, it's not easy. x
ReplyDeleteIt's a struggle but will be worth it in the end.
DeleteThe food looks delicious! :)
ReplyDeleteIt was very tasty.
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