I’M ONE month into my healthy-eating kick and things are getting dire.

his one has lasted roughly one month longer than my previous efforts, and it’s not hard to remember why I’ve given up in the past.

In fact, if I have to gnaw on another stick of celery I think I’ll weep into my cottage cheese.

But, as my friend reminded me as we sat down for dinner at The Wild Boar, we all need to treat ourselves once in a while.

And that’s just what I intended to do with my intriguing starter of popcorn shrimp (£2.49) – small lumps of prawn in a ginger, chilli and garlic batter with mayo for dipping.

The bite-size chunks were bursting with flavour and had a pleasant kick from the chilli.

My pal opted for the breaded mushrooms in herb and focaccia crumb (£2.49) – a bitter blow for me as I can’t stand the things and had to say no to the one she offered me.

She loved them, although the portion was too big for her to finish.

Her chicken, ham and leek pie (£5.65) was another huge affair, packed with meat smothered in a creamy sauce.

She thought the meal was hearty and packed with flavour, and the pie crust was buttery and crumbly.

My main course of surf and turf (£6.95) included an 8oz steak, prawns, fries and corn on the cob.

The juicy steak was complemented nicely by the plump prawns and the curly fries were a real guilty pleasure after my recent lettuce-bothering.

It was a real feast – and it certainly beat a salad...