‘I should go on a diet but I can’t be bothered’ recipe

Don’t fret guys this isn’t a 20 calorie meal. Or a less than 200 meal (unless you eat just a spoonful). This is a salad of substance. It’s a colourful plate of balanced flavours and textures.

We bring you the BBC’s Sweet Potato and Spring Onion salad.

You have the sweet and smoky starchiness of the sweet potato (I roasted them with a little sea salt, olive oil and smoked paprika. You have the salty crumbled feta. And there’s the delicious crunch from the toasted pine nuts and the sweet sharpness from the honey and vinegar dressing and finely sliced spring onion and parsley.

If Mr. L & M wasn’t about to make an honest woman of me, you might find me married to this plate of gorgeousness.

So yes, we’re getting wed (in less than 10 days now. YIKES!). And I did consider going on a diet (a very fleeting thought admittedly). But of course my love for food quickly led me from that notion. The word diet isn’t particularly pleasing on the ear, or on the mind: it belongs in the same stinky bin as the terrible terms ‘beach ready’ or ‘ bikini boot camp’.

It suggests denying your body of important food groups, and denying your body of gaining any joy from your plate. Good meals (normally healthy balanced ones for me) bring a smile to my face. I know how food affects my mood and what happens to my body if I don’t feed it well.

My plan to be ‘Wedding ready’ has involved ensuring that the gym (and any form of exercise) becomes a regular habit, and also making a few wiser food choices. A savoury sandwich over that flaky croissant. Almond butter over peanut butter. Good fats over fried foods… you get the picture. I don’t believe I’ve lost much in terms of weight, I probably don’t look any different either. But I do feel like I’m in control, which is a huge plus, especially when dealing with all the stress that comes with organising a wedding (oh how I wish I was one of those girls who enjoyed the task).

So here’s to a healthy and tasty recipe that manages to make you look like a pro and keep the healthy (me) and hearty (him) happy. It’s going to become a much loved addition to the new L&M household.

Please note: I added some frisee salad leaves for some extra greens, and roasted the sweet potato with a good dusting of smoked paprika (available in M&S if you’re a Doha resident like me).