I love spices, as anyone who has read my recipes on the BTD forums will tell you. Anything with robust flavours appeals to me. I think in some way it makes up for having to remove sugar from my diet. I know that eating sweets will make me put on massive amounts of weight and could cause diabetes or worse, so I avoid them, but what to have instead?

I've tried to develop a savoury tooth instead of a sweet one. I really do notice even a small amount of sugar in a dish these days as it seems to spike my blood sugar almost instantly lol.

Each week I make a batch of my mock Chana Daal (see message boards for recipe), which is basically made with yellow or green split peas and indian spices, a bit of cilantro (coriander) leaf, ghee, water and salt. It's delicious hot or cold, or even as a dip and is a wonderful side dish to a tasty lamb curry. It contains garlic (a favourite!), sometimes coriander (a black dot but hey it's sooooo tasty I'll risk it), cumin, mustard seeds and is packed with taste, a real 'knock your socks off' flavour. Perfect for a Gatherer non taster

Sometimes I make a millet roti bread (a flat pancake-ish thing) to dip in and give me that kind of wheat type texture which I do miss.

I made the lamb (greek style) the other day and it was so good I had it warmed up the next day with spring greens (collards), onions, mushrooms and wolfed it down for my breakfast. Lots of lovely protein, a garlic kick, oregano (to die for.... mmm) and still screamingly tasty even when cold. I guess it would be good with a salad or even in an omelette.

This weekend presents a sugary challenge, the BF (as lovely as he is) is still struggling to give up sweet things, wheat and potatoes. I've planned our eating to make sure he still gets some (albeit a smaller portion) of his favourites and tried to keep desserts to diamonds and/or superfoods for both of us.

The blood test kit for my son (aged 7 going on a 100) should be here Monday, then we can ascertain his blood type although I expect he'll either be an O like me, or an A like his father. Then the fun begins, BF is AB- Explorer, I'm O+ Gatherer and son could be anything lol.

I'm looking forward to the new challenges, increasing the diamonds/supers in our eating, gradually reducing the avoids. First thing tomorrow I'll be searching for fruits, spices and herbs which excite our tastebuds and help to replace the wheat/sugar fest which seems so popular with the masses? Perhaps I'll try my indian style rice pudding, with basmati for me and brown rice for BF, though I may have to play with the spices to suit each of our plans.

The new Gatherer supplements are available here, so I've ordered a set, can't wait to try them and see what difference they make. I know that when I take deflect I feel better on the occasions I can't avoid an avoid (does that makes sense?).

Next week my LegMagic should arrive, not sure how I'll get on with it, but I do need the exercise so I'm going to stick with it I'm a typical pear shape so it's an area I'd like to target and get moving.

Well, back to packing the car and then on the road. Enjoy your weekend everyone. I know we will.