Sweet Potato Coconut Tuna Patties

So there comes a point where I would like to share with you my post pregnancy weight lost. I wrote about my struggles here and here. So right now, I have managed to shed 20 kgs post birth (I dropped 10 kgs after Asher was born) and is now slightly below my pre-pregnancy weight. It wasn't easy and that took me 6 months to achieve it.

 (yes me and my big tum tum and massive weight gain at 37 weeks pregnant)

I was glad though, that my focus wasn't about losing weight initially. It was about getting fitter and fuelling my body right. I started writing a food diary and eating well- like really well. I'm talking clean food 90% of the time and treats 10%. As you have read here, I love my food so it is impossible of to survive on a diet of lettuce leaves and chicken breasts. I eat beef, lamb, seafood, all kinds of vegetables and listened to my body. For snacks, I had eggs, nuts, chia pudding, cheese, home made granola bars and muesli, yogurt and bliss balls (and all the bakes I make!).

Exercise? I went slow. I went for daily walks, then pilates and mums and bubs swimming classes. I returned back to met con, konga and boxing- and here I am. In the process, I won a challenge set by my gym and is now fitter than ever before. I'm not stick thin and is actually the happiest I have been with the way I look. I don't judge myself as much as more importantly, I feel strong.  At the moment, I go to the gym 4x a week- twice met con and twice boxing. I walk with my husband and baby all other days and try to incorporate pilates stretches on other days. When I feel like it, I might throw in a home body workout here and there- but that's not often.

The other day, a good friend told me that she wants to practise clean eating too.  So she came over for lunch after her workout and we tucked into some healthy tuna and sweet potato patties. Oh, the kids loved it too! I feel proud when friends and family believed in what I am doing. Perhaps to the rest of the world, it may seem strange or obsess or I am not eaten "real food". Trust me, I am. When does eating non processed packaged stuff (including breakfast cereals) become real? We have become mesmerised by the media my friends. It's time to get down to the basics I reckon. And enjoy food the way it is supposed to be enjoyed.

Sweet Potato Coconut Tuna Patties (around 16 patties)
1 sweet potato steamed or roasted in oven. Mashed it.
2 cans of tuna
1 chilli chopped
handful of curry leaves chopped
1 tsp of turmeric
1 tablespoon of coconut flour
1 egg

Shredded coconut to coat
Coconut oil to fry

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a spoon or your hands. Shape into patties and fry them in a pan using coconut oil. Serve with a side salad.

Tuna Potato Cakes

We have been trying to incorporate more fish in our diet recently. I used to buy tins of tuna when they are on sale, as I like them in our sandwiches or pasta bake. Given that the weather was abit cold for the past few months, we neglected those tins that have been sitting in the pantry! So for dinner one evening, I took 2 tins out and made is tuna potato cakes. Tins of tuna is probably one of the cheapest way to add fish in diet without breaking the bank. Seafood is sooo expensive in Aus-and I wonder why since we are surrounded by water.

Mashed some potatoes, squeeze of lemon and added in the tins of tuna. I chopped some spring onions and fold them through- simply love the crunch of those spring onions not to mention texture!

I did add abit too much milk when mashing the potatoes. That was saved by adding in around 1/2 cup of flour. This also gave the cakes a firmer patty which resulted in a nicer flip in the pan (and u guys know my flipping woes...)

Tuna Potato Cakes (made enough for 2 meals for 2 people!)
3 tins of tuna (I used 1 tin in spring water and the other two are lemon pepper)
4 potatoes cooked in boiling water
around 2 tablespoons of  margarine or butter
1/2 to 1 cup of milk (I used soy)
around 1/2 up of plain flour
chopped spring onions-around 2-3 stalks of it
some pepper

Mash potato with milk and margarine. Fold in tuna, flour and spring onions. Season. Shape into patties and pan fry them around 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with green salad.

Garlic Cherry Tomato Tuna Pasta

I'm stuck at home feeling really ill. . The worse is that it is really difficult to arrange for a same day doctor's appointment as most clinics are fully booked! Finally we managed to squeeze an appointment in as a private patient. Doctor gave me 3 days MC. Hate feeling sick. Love being at home but just not the "can't be bothered to do anything" feeling. Reading and sleeping seem to be what I do the whole day yesterday.

*woah!-ATTITUDE CHECK! Daphne to use this time constructively and rest!



I made this pasta when I was feeling much much better and less miserable. Beautiful bursty cherry tomatoes were in season recently and I bought quite a few punnet of them- making salads or just eating them raw. This time round, I decided to cook cherry halfs in garlic and olive oil and then toss cooked pasta with tuna, mushrooms and peas. It was simple, quick and certainly a tasty meal!
Sharing this with my friends from Presto Pasta. Host this week is Pam from sidewalk shoes (love the name!)..This event was founded by Ruth from Once Upon A Feast.

9 Days to Christmas- Tuna and Egg Toasties with Muruku Salad

I like my carbs. Especially when they come in the form of fresh bread. Toasties are one of my favourite form of lunches-there is something heart warming about fresh bread and fillings that make brunches/lunches enjoyable. 

Looking back, egg sandwiches are what I know how to make first. I can still vividly recall the steps my mum taught me. This time round, I added some pistachio nuts for the added crunch. 

Growing up, I love Ayam brand chili tuna! In fact, I don't think I ate other forms of tuna than that for many years.. until I discover other brands of chili tuna that does not have added oil in it. Still, if you ask me what is the best can of tuna-I would have to say Ayam brand! It certainly gives you the kick of spicyness. 

My love for spinach leaves can be seen (again!) here! But I was really bored with my salads that day and then decided to add a handful of muruku!! Not the healthest decision (And probably show how much I like eating them!) but it is certainly a tasty one. LOL 

Tuna and Egg Toasties with Muruku Salad

Tuna Toasties

1 can of chili tuna

 handful of cashew nuts

cheese

Turkish Bread

Egg Toasties

1 egg boiled, mashed and mixed with dijon mayo, salt, pepper

handful of pistachios

Turkish bread

Asemble sandwiches and toast them! =) 

NB: The last weekend was my uncle's wedding.... hence the reason for the lack of posting! But to show how small Perth really is.. look who I bumped into that evening!!

That's right! He is Samuel from Yummy Dummy!!!