So despite employing an army of helpers to prepare for my Mum's visit, I now know the following: ovens must be cleaned immediately after each use to prevent scandalous build up of toast crumbs; silver-plate cutlery does not belong in the dishwasher and even a large gin and tonic will not prevent the Kitchen Drawer of Doom being discovered and pronounced "extraordinary" within minutes of arrival.

It follows that I now have a toaster and super-shiny cutlery. I also have perfect, re-potted house plants, tidy cupboards, no laundry pile and enough home-made chicken soup to feed 5,000.

Sadly, Mum flies out tonight and although each visit does make me break into a mild sweat at the prospect of the domestic onslaught, I may well bar her from getting on the plane — I love the sense of order that has been restored to our slightly chaotic existence. (She's also a lot of fun by the way ¿ in the interest of fairness, I should mention that!)

But that's not all that has changed. It's been a momentous week and there are now officially two men in my life ¿ my husband (of course), but now also Rolf, the executive pastry chef from the Fairmont Southampton. This all started when the husband earned himself a million brownie points and organised a bit of a do for my 30th. Surpassing himself he organised dinner, decorations and the biggest, fattest gluten-free, dairy-free birthday cake I have ever seen.

Now you all should know my feelings about gluten and dairy-free cakes. Occasionally you find a gem, but otherwise it's like breathing in deeply over a large pile of dust. Aside from the mandarin recipe I gave you last week, the whole gluten-free cake quest has until now been a sad, empty experience.

Step in Rolf, however, and life has taken on a whole new meaning. He created a beautiful extravaganza of layered sponge and chocolate mousse that was so totally fabulous I just didn't believe it was possible. However, after quizzing Rolf the next day, I was finally convinced that eating his cake wouldn't lead to hours of bathroom turmoil ¿ and so far so good.

The only drawback to all this is that I have had to come to terms with the fact that I'm not allowed to eat chocolate cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's seems a little unfair — I do have a lot of catching up to do after all — but, on the other hand, I have an example to set and a job to keep. However, as Rolf went to so much effort, I think it's only polite to do it justice and polish it off — and this means working chocolate cake into a healthy diet for another week.

Therefore, whilst I spoil myself, I am pulling out all the stops when it comes to the rest of my diet. I'm often asked how to buffer the effects of a few inevitable treats — especially with Christmas on its way — so this question is well timed!

Question of the week

I just can't resist treating myself to chocolate. Is there anything I can eat to counteract it? — Chocoholic, Smith's

It's not really possible to counteract chocolate as such, but there are certainly a few things to note here. First, treating yourself to chocolate is OK so long as it is just a treat that you have once or twice a week. Second, the type of chocolate that you pick is important. Generally, the darker the better as dark chocolate contains less sugar and fat than milk varieties. I recommend the Lindt 70 percent or 85 percent chocolate — or for those of you that like something less bitter, try the Lindt Bittersweet. Bournville also do a good darker chocolate.

Quantity is also important — and a little dark chocolate, say one or two squares, is hardly harmful. In fact, dark chocolate does contain some antioxidants — just bear in mind that the sugar and fat will quickly outweigh any medicinal value if you overdo it.

If, however, you mean that you can't resist having a large bar of Dairy Milk every afternoon, and if I can't persuade you not to, then you need to seriously clean up your diet the rest of the time! What does this mean? Steering clear of saturated fat, added sugar sodium and artificial anything is key. This will give you some idea of what to avoid, but if you need more help figuring out what to actually eat — then try out the below!

Breakfast: Kashi Go Lean cereal with soy/skim milk and fresh berries.

Kashi Go Lean is rich in fibre, complex carbs and protein. This means it will keep you feeling full for longer, and it will help to cleanse and regulate the bowel. Fresh berries are little powerhouses of nutrients and fantastic for helping to boost the immune system.

Mid-morning snack: an apple and ten raw almonds

Apples contain lots of fibre, helping to remove toxins from your system. They also release their sugar fairly slowly when compared to high-sugar fruit such as grapes and bananas. Adding the almonds adds protein, which will help make your snack more satisfying. Raw, unsalted almonds are also a great source of good fat and vitamin E.

Lunch: Chicken salad

Mix fresh chicken with lots of leafy greens. Take your pick from cucumber, tomato, salad onions, broccoli, peppers, beans, sweet corn and mango as healthy add-ins. Avoid cheese, bacon bits and other more fatty options. Only have a little dressing. This gives you a tasty, low-cal lunch, rich in antioxidants from all the salad and veggies. It's easy to either make yourself or buy from any good salad bar.

Dinner: Baked tilapia with brown rice and green veggies

Try marinating the fish in Ginger People Lemongrass marinade — it's fabulous and lower in sugar than many other brands. Make sure that ¼ of your plate is the fish, ¼ brown rice and ½ green veggies — this will help to keep your portion sizes in check. Brown rice and green veggies are rich in B vitamins (important for energy). Baked tilapia provides a great source of protein and some good fat too!

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns.

Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist. She can be contacted at 291-4725 or clinicalnutrition[AT]gmail.com.