Success I've 6lbs in 7 days.

So far, my paleo diet has been going very well (with the exception of a glass of wine here and there) I have lost 6lbs in 1 week. I thought that I would miss chocolate so much more than I have been... so I am a happy girly at the moment.

This diet does however make exercising harder. Eggs and bacon, although delicious don't seem to give me the same energy boost as some toast did in the morning. So I am working harder, which in turn should make me burn more fat... maybe?

And seeing as sweet potato is allowed, I am going to make a delicious spicy sweet potato cottage pie this evening. (I will be leaving out the butter and ketchup and normal potato as they aren't part of my plan.

Here is the recipe if anyone would like to join me:

Spicy cottage pie with sweet potato mash

• Preparation time:20 minutes
• Cooking time:60 minutes
• Total time:1 hour 20 minutes  

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced
450g Waitrose Aberdeen Angus Beef Lean Mince (10% fat)
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
4–5 tbsp chopped, flat-leaf parsley
500ml beef stock
750g floury potatoes, peeled and cubed
350g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
30g butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the onion, carrot and leek for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the mince, break up with a fork, and fry for a few minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the paprika, cumin, ketchup and parsley. Add the stock and seasoning and bring to the boil. Simmer, half covered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a 2-litre shallow ovenproof dish.
2. While the mince is cooking, put all of both types of potatoes in a pan with cold water to just cover. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly, then return them to the pan and mash with the butter and seasoning until smooth.
3. Spoon over the top of the mince mixture. Rough up the surface with a fork. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden. Great served with peas or broccoli.