How much is the fast food and restaurant industry losing because of their dismal (to non-exisent), food labelling and failure to offer options free of animal products? The saga of my shopping trip to Westfield's Garden City Shopping Centre at Mt. Gravatt

I went shopping yesterday at Westfield Garden City and spent just $2 on lunch, even though I would have happily forked out more (up to $15), in a decent eating venue for something that didn't include animal products and/or large amounts of added fats/oils, because of my health and weight issues.

As I go to a large shopping centre about once a fortnight, I'm saving over $330 a year and business is losing that amount.

Almost everything offered included meat and/or dairy which I don't eat (options containing neither were severely limited and very uninspiring) - and while some outlets provided calorie labelling for their food, there was zero information about the amount of fat in  anything (or info on any other ingredient for that matter). So even if something looked as if it didn't contain meat or dairy, chances were it was chock-full of added fats or oils, which I also refuse to consume.

As more and more people want to know what they're eating, the refusal of businesses to provide a breakdown of ingredients must be costing them a fortune.

I went into Coles, purchased one large wholemeal roll, plus one banana and two mandarins, then made myself comfortable on some shopper seating, popped the banana into the roll and followed up with the mandarins. Hence my $2 spend . . .

Chocolate date muffins: A really yummy recipe that's healthy too!

Just made some really healthy, low-calorie, low-fat choc & date muffins! They're really yummy (just had one with coffee), very moist, sweet and chocolatey . I worked out they have about 242 calories each, while shop/cafe muffins are about double that (according to my Google search). Here's the recipe (makes 14 muffins):

smile emoticoI worked out they have about 242 calories each, while shop/cafe muffins are about double that (according to my Google search). Here's the recipe (makes 14 muffins):

3 & a half cups of whole wheat flour
3 cups of chopped dates
7 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 cups of water, plus 2 thirds of a cup of water
4 teaspoons of baking powder
2 large mashed bannanas

Turn oven on to 180 degrees C

Throughly mix dry ingredients

Add water & mashed/pureed fruit & stir in

Distribute mixture into silicon muffin baking moulds (fill each one right to the top & no need to grease, the silicon baking moulds don't stick). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

They're also great for freezing . . . and they're made without added sugar, fats/oils and/or animal products