You won't get a beach body scoffing sausage and egg mcmuffins

Or will you?

A lovely, greasy McDonalds sausage, egg and cheese McMuffin (sometimes even a double!) has long been one of my favourite ways to start the day. Don't get me wrong, I don't eat them all the time - hardly ever in fact - but they are still one of my absolute favourite breakfasts. Along with a greasy hash brown and Tropicana, of course.

However, being on a diet in the hope of rediscovering my 'pre-uni body' for my holidays this summer, the dreaded McMuffin has not passed my lips in quite some time. Until now. Well, I say now, what I actually mean is I have attempted to recreate a healthy one, that wouldn't see me put on about half a stone upon eating it.

My very own sausage and cheese mcmuffin!

I'm not going to lie, it turned out to be a sausage and cheese muffin, as the egg went horribly wrong as I turned my back to stick the telly on. Serves me right I guess. Nevertheless, it was amazing!!

What you need: serves 1!
1 or 2 low fat sausages (I used 1 Skinny Lizzie sausage, as they are quite big!)
1 wholemeal muffin
1 slice low fat cheese
Ketchup (if you're not a red sauce lover, then brown sauce - the devil's condiment!!)

What to do:
1. Make a slit down the length of the sausage/s. Peel the skin off and bin
2. Roll the sausage meat up (it's a bit sticky) and shape into a burger shape
3. Cut the muffin in half and put on to toast
4. Get a frying pan nice and hot and spray with FryLite
5. Fry the sausage/burger, turning occasionally until cooked - about 4 or 5 minutes depending on thickness
6. Remover muffin from the toaster
7. Place the sausage/burger on one side of the muffin
8. Place the slice of cheese and a squirt of ketchup on the other side
9. Put the two halves together and DIG IN!!

But how healthy is it really??

• Wholemeal muffin = 141 calories
• Skinny Lizzie sausage = 87 calories
• Kerry Low Low cheese slice = 36 calories
• Ketchup = 20 calories

Just in case your maths isn't quite up to scratch that lot comes to a 284 calories saving you 146 calories, as the McDonald's version comes in at 430 calories. That may not sound like a lot, but trust me, when you're on a diet, EVERY CALORIE COUNTS! And that saving of 146 calories means I can have 6 squares of Galaxy Cookie Crumble whilst I'm watching telly later.

RESULT.

A 2000-calorie binge, a horrendous run and an epic camping trip...

So a pretty uneventful weekend on all counts. Mainly due to the fact that I'm pretty skint and my car tax is due at the end of this month. So it's all save, save, save!

Went to Rob's Thursday afternoon after uni, and we went out to eat. Well, I say we went out to eat, actually we got in the car, drove around for the best part of 15 minutes unable to decide where to eat, before opting for a night in instead. Ventured to Morrisons on the way back and filled our basket with pizza, garlic bread, cookies, sweets, milkshake and pop. Always embarrassing when you see people you know in the supermarket, and upon peering into your basket this is what they see. Mind you, suppose it wouldn't be as bad as a bottle of wine and a cucumber..

Stuffed our faces to the point of true gluttony, before totting up all the calories we had devoured on the My Fitness Pal app. God know why we did this but Jesus Christ almighty. Mine came to over 2000. That's more than I'm allowed in a whole day! Went to bed feeling slightly sick, but smug with our full bellies.

Up bright and early the next morning and off for an hour and a half's run. Again, I say run. Mine was more like a crawl, whilst my boyfriend bounded along like some sort of spring chicken on crack. One word; gruelling. After staggering up hills and through muddy puddles - much to the disgust of my new fluorescent pink Nike trainers - I had to be practically carried home to quickly devour a big slice of lasagne. Equilibrium was restored.

Spending the afternoon on the sofa resting my aching muscles seemed the best option after my morning from hell. Made a beaut chilli con carne for tea before going to my Mum's for a bit whilst Rob was at work.

Saturday we slept in before Rob fed me his signature scrambled egg. Another lazy day ensued before heading to the gym around 4pm. Spent a few hours there then went home to get tea on. Garlic chicken and vegetable rice. Nothing worth shouting about but was yum nonetheless.

Woke this morning to being mauled by the cat. Perfect. Spent a few hours with my Mum before heading back to Lincoln around 4pm. Out for a Chinese with Rob, Aimee and Adam; we definitely shouldn't be allowed near all-you-can-eat restaurants, the pigs that we are. Profits were sure to have taken a dip last night. Oops.

Attempted to plan our epic summer camping trip, but only managed to agree on a date, between Aimee and I snorting with laughter (much to the disgust of the other customers).

Overall a pretty good weekend, considering I didn't spend a penny!

Absolutely pukka: Jamie's Italian

Lemon meatball carbonara at Jamie's Italian

Looking through my photos on my phone to find some inspiration as to what to write about today, and I came across this one. It's a dish from the restaurant Jamie's Italian. A lemon meatball carbonara to be exact - I never forget a meal!

Went there shortly before Christmas with my Dad, whilst doing bit of last minute shopping. We were a bit skeptical at first - the stubborn mules that we both are sort of wanted it to be crap, as we're not the biggest fans of Jamie Oliver - but have to say, it was fab!

You can't see much from outside so we wandered in and were quickly seated at a lovely little table near the chef's pass - no going back from here. We ordered an antipasti platter to share to start with. It came served on a long, wooden plank, which the waiter balanced on two tins of Italian chopped tomatoes. Thought that was a nice touch. It was complete with salami, chorizo, baby mozzarella, parmesan thins, bread sticks, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It was a delight, and felt really authentic; just picking bits at bits of bread and meat with our hands - could well have been sitting in a bar in southern Italy, basking in sunshine. That is, if we hadn't been sat in a shopping centre in Milton Keynes.

Our mains arrived soon after, and I tucked into my lemon meatball carbonara. I could smell it from the pass; gorgeous aromas of lemon and thyme. I finished it in what seemed like record time, and savored every mouthful. It was really unusual, and the strong lemon flavour replaced that of the traditional smoky bacon. All washed down with a lovely bottle of Italian white. It was lush. Have yet to recreate this one at home.

Another bit we liked was the napkins. My Dad is a sucker for anywhere with cloth napkins. As am I really, I think it says a lot about the standard of the restaurant. Anyway, the napkins here were traditional blue tea towels with "Jamie's Italian" printed on them. Recalling them now they don't sound that impressive, but we spent quite a while working out how we could smuggle a couple out for home.

When it came to looking at the dessert menu, we saw a list of prices printed at the bottom. Obviously with it being a celebrity-endorsed restaurant they were going to try and flog the punters as much shit as they could, and this was no exception. Books, olive oil, recipe cards, napkins. TWELVE QUID though. Twelve of your finest English pounds. Decided not to carry out operation napkin smuggle, as we didn't fancy forking out twenty-four quid upon being caught.

Looking forward to our next trip, and will be sure to take my biggest bag in case I fancy myself a few souvenirs.

Could well be separated at birth

Sometimes I think how alike we are. Sometimes I think what freaks we are. And other times I just think what good friends we are.

Nevertheless, the conversations of myself and Aimee Nash don't seem to get any more random. And today was no exception. Going round to her flat after my workshop, and we quickly got onto the subject of food (as we so very often do!) After I gave her a rundown of each of my meals from as far back as Thursday - much to both her shock and amazement - we soon decided we'd go out for tea. It's great that eating, cooking and baking are passions we both share, but at the same time, it isn't doing my waistline any favours; as we know how easily we can persuade the other off the diet and out for tea!

Photo: keepitsweet.co.uk

The Shed was the obvious choice, as it so very often is and we headed there about half three. After ploughing through lasagne, smothered chicken, curly fries, onion rings and mozzarella sticks (and that was just what Aimee ordered ;-) we were left hugging our food baby bellies, disappointed that we had no room for pud - a rare moment for us, we have to admit. Also feel I must mention that we spent the time waiting for our food to arrive, discussing all the gorgeous meals we're going to have when we move in together in August, from paellas to pizzas, steaks to salads. That last one was a joke, by the way, as if we'd ever touch a salad ;-)

Then went off to the Masterchef demonstration, after having purchased two choc dips each from the uni shop to kill the sweet craving.

Remember those?!

Anyway, after further disappointment upon hearing the news that we could not sample Tim Anderson's culinary creations, we headed home. The strange conversation ensued.

After the demo only went on for an hour (the Facebook event had said three) we were unsure about whether it'd be acceptable to have tea or not. After all, we did only eat an hour or so ago at half four, but knew we'd be hungry again by gone nine. The Shed wasn't quite lunch, more wasn't quite dinner. More like 'linner'. A creation of our strange, food-obsessed minds.

Somehow we got on to timings of meals, and what they should be called. Just so you know, the new regime is:

• Breakfast - 7:00am to 10:45am
• Elevensies - 11:00am to 11:45am
• Lunch - 12:00pm to 3:00pm
• The new creation of 'Linner' - 3:00pm to 6:00pm (not quite lunch, not quite dinner!)
• Dinner, the official one - 6:00pm to 9:00pm
• Supper - 9:00pm to 11:45pm
• 'Mignightsies' another new meal time, much like elevensies - 12:00am - 12:30am

Anything outside of these times is just classed as a snack (as if you'd need one!)

Can't wait for us to be living together in the summer, but can't help but feel we could be making appearances on the likes of The Biggest Loser, and Obese: A Year to Save My Life, before the year is out! Oh well, at least I can enjoy the ride with my foodie friend.