5th Birthday Guest Post: Nutritionally Challenged?
This week's guest blog comes from the lovely Jacqui Malpass. Jacqui works as a writing and personal branding coach, helping others to get the words out of their heads and onto paper. She offers 1-2-1 coaching, workshops and writing coaching holidays in Spain.
The time has come for me to acknowledge menopause and all it has to offer. Over the last seven months I have radically changed my diet in order to manage the inevitable symptoms that come with being just that little bit older and female. To the point that two weeks ago my nutritionist nudged me over the remaining hurdle, dairy, processed sugar and gluten-free.
Eating at home has not been a challenge; indeed it has been a delight to try new recipes and to discover what delicious substitutes there are to the things we accept as normal. I have become quite addicted to raw chocolate on my breakfast.
Monday was an altogether different story, a group of friends were meeting for lunch to celebrate a birthday at Cote in Cardiff Bay. I had meant to call ahead and forgot, but I needn’t have worried, when I arrived not only was I welcomed warmly, they said that they would find something that I could eat. All images of stirring some inedible vegetarian concoction around a plain white plate left my mind as I scanned the menu. With a few adjustments I could eat quite of lot of delicious sounding dishes.
As I still ate fish I opted for the hake fillet after asking what ingredients came in sauce vierge, everything sounded perfect, so playing safe, I swapped the potato puree for fries, well they are a gluten and dairy free vegetable. The tomato soup that was served first was amazing, hot, thick roughly sieved tomatoes. After the first spoonful I didn’t care that I had forgotten to ask what it comprised of. For dessert I opted for a plain and unimaginative fruit salad whilst I watched others spooning in crème brulee whilst sighing loudly.
There were moments when my will power nearly deserted me as the girls stuffed their faces with crispy slices of fresh bread smothered in pale lemony butter. Even crueler was when the kir royales appeared and I had to sick to the free, very cold mineral water served until we burst. If you like water and I do, it was fab.
All of this was on the daily special menu for £11.90 and for my money well worth it.
The other bonus was the gorgeous young waiter, if only I was a tad younger.
Having had this experience I have no hesitation in going to Cote again. I heartily recommend anyone making lifestyle changes to go with an open mind and ask for something not quite on the menu. Perhaps ringing first to check might be a good idea though.
The time has come for me to acknowledge menopause and all it has to offer. Over the last seven months I have radically changed my diet in order to manage the inevitable symptoms that come with being just that little bit older and female. To the point that two weeks ago my nutritionist nudged me over the remaining hurdle, dairy, processed sugar and gluten-free.
Eating at home has not been a challenge; indeed it has been a delight to try new recipes and to discover what delicious substitutes there are to the things we accept as normal. I have become quite addicted to raw chocolate on my breakfast.
Monday was an altogether different story, a group of friends were meeting for lunch to celebrate a birthday at Cote in Cardiff Bay. I had meant to call ahead and forgot, but I needn’t have worried, when I arrived not only was I welcomed warmly, they said that they would find something that I could eat. All images of stirring some inedible vegetarian concoction around a plain white plate left my mind as I scanned the menu. With a few adjustments I could eat quite of lot of delicious sounding dishes.
As I still ate fish I opted for the hake fillet after asking what ingredients came in sauce vierge, everything sounded perfect, so playing safe, I swapped the potato puree for fries, well they are a gluten and dairy free vegetable. The tomato soup that was served first was amazing, hot, thick roughly sieved tomatoes. After the first spoonful I didn’t care that I had forgotten to ask what it comprised of. For dessert I opted for a plain and unimaginative fruit salad whilst I watched others spooning in crème brulee whilst sighing loudly.
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| Jacqui (centre right, with water) and friends. Photo supplied by Jacqui. |
There were moments when my will power nearly deserted me as the girls stuffed their faces with crispy slices of fresh bread smothered in pale lemony butter. Even crueler was when the kir royales appeared and I had to sick to the free, very cold mineral water served until we burst. If you like water and I do, it was fab.
All of this was on the daily special menu for £11.90 and for my money well worth it.
The other bonus was the gorgeous young waiter, if only I was a tad younger.
Having had this experience I have no hesitation in going to Cote again. I heartily recommend anyone making lifestyle changes to go with an open mind and ask for something not quite on the menu. Perhaps ringing first to check might be a good idea though.
Comments
Thanks!
Karen
Changing your diet is amazing. There are some brilliant alternatives, I have a fantastic diet. Instead of sugar I use Sweet Freedom. I make my own chocolates with raw chocolate - yum yum. I am also dairy free so have rice milk. Instead of coffee I have chicory. And drink lots of water.
Good luck
Jacqui