A Lighter Life

Phew, well January is nearly over and it was far from jovial. Those of you who have managed to stick to your healthy New Years Resolutions are probably seeking a tasty (and sociable) treat to make things a little more bearable in February. A good option would be an evening at Pizza Express. They have a wonderful range of low-cal meal options, going by the name of ‘Leggera’ which, seductively, means ‘light’ in Italian. Myself and a few other lucky gourmand bloggers were invited to Pizza Express’ Bruton Place branch where we supped the low-cal, low alcohol wine and learned how to make fantastic Leggera pizzas. If you have ever toyed between getting a salad or a pizza, this is the best option for you as it includes both in quite a novel way. It was really fun getting down and dirty with the dough (a secret formulation, alas) and, after emerging from the clouds of flour, we all had a good laugh at each other’s pizzas (top marks to my Jeanie from www.fatfashionassistant.blogspot.com for creating mini pizzas from the centre of hers – wish I had thought to do the same!) and got to eat them later too. Consulting a nutritionist about the least fatty cheese options and seeing a life coach were also fun experiences.

I will certainly go back to Pizza Express soon and, while I may not be able to resist a big old cheesy pizza, perhaps I could replace my usual garlic-butter-soaked dough balls with some crunchy Leggera crostini?

There were some lovely fellow bloggers at this event and these two sites are just two of which I was introduced to; definitely worth a look:

www.andreemarie86.blogspot.com
www.henessy85.blogspot.com

My creation

Sarah from www.orfalseglitter.blogspot.com garnishing like a pro

The crostini starter option

Carlos and Jeanie share a laugh

Sarah and I show off our Leggeras (I look embarassed about mine but actually felt rather proud!)