Good morning!
Today's happy is that I've lost another pound and a half as shown at yesterday's weigh-in which means that this month's loss is six pounds with a stead pound and a half off each week. While my target was eight pounds, I'm very happy with six.
Now for the challenges and traps of the Christmas period.
Today's plans
B: bacon and baked beans
More bacon because it needs eating up and I like it.
SW: free
L: some sort of home made soup, probably veg to use up bits and bobs, stewed apple and yogurt
I may very well add some milk to the soup to make it 'creamy'. None of the lunch will be too expensive and it will use up bits and bobs.
SW: the stewed apple will be my healthy extra B and the milk will be taken from my healthy extra A
D: salmon, peas and potato waffle
SW: two and a half syns for the potato waffle. If I have sauce with the salmon, it's about two and a half syns per tablespoon but I will check this later on.
Ss: apple, orange, milk (healthy extra A)
Friday, 30 November 2018
Thursday, 29 November 2018
Thursday, 29-11-18
Good morning!
Sometimes it's nice to have something simple amidst all there new SW friendly recipes I keep trying with varying degrees of liking. Yesterday I simply wrapped up some salmon in foil and baked it while boiling up some sprouts and spray toasting some tomatoes and the results were delicious!
Today, I am having . . .
B: bacon and tomato
As always, it's bacon medallions which is back bacon with all the fat cut off. Not cheap but I only have two at a time. The tomato will be canned chopped tomatoes (better flavour now) and I like to bubble them until they are thoick and gooey. Yum!
SW: free
L: apple, orange and Mullerlight
A light lunch on weighday!
SW: one syn for the yogurt
D: spiced orange chicken, pepper tomato and mushroom stir fry; stewed apple and natural yogurt
The chicken should really be turkey steak but I just have chicken.
SW: the stewed apple is my heB
Ss: fruit, hot milk (heA)
Weigh-in tonight. As far as I can tell, it will be small but steady. Fingers crossed.
Sometimes it's nice to have something simple amidst all there new SW friendly recipes I keep trying with varying degrees of liking. Yesterday I simply wrapped up some salmon in foil and baked it while boiling up some sprouts and spray toasting some tomatoes and the results were delicious!
Today, I am having . . .
B: bacon and tomato
As always, it's bacon medallions which is back bacon with all the fat cut off. Not cheap but I only have two at a time. The tomato will be canned chopped tomatoes (better flavour now) and I like to bubble them until they are thoick and gooey. Yum!
SW: free
L: apple, orange and Mullerlight
A light lunch on weighday!
SW: one syn for the yogurt
D: spiced orange chicken, pepper tomato and mushroom stir fry; stewed apple and natural yogurt
The chicken should really be turkey steak but I just have chicken.
SW: the stewed apple is my heB
Ss: fruit, hot milk (heA)
Weigh-in tonight. As far as I can tell, it will be small but steady. Fingers crossed.
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Wednesday, 28-11-18
Good morning.
I was sorely tempted yesterday. I set to and made our traditional vegetarian sausage rolls; they're really delicious and a family tradition. You can take or leave your normal ones but we MUST have the vegetarian ones.
The amount in the recipe plus one pack of puff pastry (not pre-rolled, that's way too expensive) made thirty two rolls. Beth had two - acting as quality control, you see - and the remaining thirty went straight in the freezer to open freeze before they went into a box for protection. The house smelled wonderful and I was, as I said, greatly tempted but no, I remained firm.
It helped that I need some for our girls' lunch, some for Mum and Dad's Christmas lunch, some for me and mine on Christmas day and a few leftover so I have just about enough really!
They're not that expensive either, compared with similar quality bought ones, if indeed you can find good vegetarian sausage rolls - I haven't yet.
The recipe is here:
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/vegetarian-food/vegetarian-sausage-rolls
I didn't make the pastry (I'm not that daft), I used dried herbs, more grated cheese than it says and philly light and a splash of milk instead of the cream (no way am I buying a carton of double cream for just three tbsps).
Dead easy! Good old Delia!
I feel the Christmas season has started now I've made these.
Today's plans are as follows:
B: fresh fruit and natural yogurt
Oddly enough, right at the moment I'm disinclined to eat much breakfast so I may as well go with the flow and eat light.
SW: free
L: the spicy lentil and tomato soup I made yesterday was really scrummy and I have a portion left for a trouble-free lunch today.
SW: free unless I have some dunking bread and if I do, that will be my healthy extra B
D: baked salmon, mushroom sauce, sprouts and runner beans
I will make the sauce as I did the other day - bit of onion, sliced mushroom and soft cheese. Apart from the salmon, it's all pretty good value and the runners were frozen in summer from the garden.
SW: the cheese will be half my heA and the rest is free
Ss: milk (the other half on my healthy extra A, fruit, maybe a Mullerlight as I stocked up again yesterday.
I was sorely tempted yesterday. I set to and made our traditional vegetarian sausage rolls; they're really delicious and a family tradition. You can take or leave your normal ones but we MUST have the vegetarian ones.
The amount in the recipe plus one pack of puff pastry (not pre-rolled, that's way too expensive) made thirty two rolls. Beth had two - acting as quality control, you see - and the remaining thirty went straight in the freezer to open freeze before they went into a box for protection. The house smelled wonderful and I was, as I said, greatly tempted but no, I remained firm.
It helped that I need some for our girls' lunch, some for Mum and Dad's Christmas lunch, some for me and mine on Christmas day and a few leftover so I have just about enough really!
They're not that expensive either, compared with similar quality bought ones, if indeed you can find good vegetarian sausage rolls - I haven't yet.
The recipe is here:
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/vegetarian-food/vegetarian-sausage-rolls
I didn't make the pastry (I'm not that daft), I used dried herbs, more grated cheese than it says and philly light and a splash of milk instead of the cream (no way am I buying a carton of double cream for just three tbsps).
Dead easy! Good old Delia!
I feel the Christmas season has started now I've made these.
Today's plans are as follows:
B: fresh fruit and natural yogurt
Oddly enough, right at the moment I'm disinclined to eat much breakfast so I may as well go with the flow and eat light.
SW: free
L: the spicy lentil and tomato soup I made yesterday was really scrummy and I have a portion left for a trouble-free lunch today.
SW: free unless I have some dunking bread and if I do, that will be my healthy extra B
D: baked salmon, mushroom sauce, sprouts and runner beans
I will make the sauce as I did the other day - bit of onion, sliced mushroom and soft cheese. Apart from the salmon, it's all pretty good value and the runners were frozen in summer from the garden.
SW: the cheese will be half my heA and the rest is free
Ss: milk (the other half on my healthy extra A, fruit, maybe a Mullerlight as I stocked up again yesterday.
Tuesday, 27 November 2018
Recipe: spicy red lentil soup
Filling, warming and a very festive colour. What's not to like, eh?
I have a feeling the original recipe comes from a book but I have no idea which book, sorry.
Ingredients to make a good portion for three
one medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
garlic (I used granules)
half tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
50g red lentils
850mls stock (I used water and added Marigold powder and then added some more near the end after tasting)
2 tbsp tomato puree
can chopped tomatoes
some dried mixed herbs
Method.
Put the whole lot in a pan, boil and simmer until everything is soft. Zizz well, then push through a sieve to get rid or any woody bits.
Taste, adjust seasoning if needed and reheat.
The chilli was just enought to tickle my tongue but add to your own taste.
I have a feeling the original recipe comes from a book but I have no idea which book, sorry.
Ingredients to make a good portion for three
one medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
garlic (I used granules)
half tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
50g red lentils
850mls stock (I used water and added Marigold powder and then added some more near the end after tasting)
2 tbsp tomato puree
can chopped tomatoes
some dried mixed herbs
Method.
Put the whole lot in a pan, boil and simmer until everything is soft. Zizz well, then push through a sieve to get rid or any woody bits.
Taste, adjust seasoning if needed and reheat.
The chilli was just enought to tickle my tongue but add to your own taste.
Tuesday, 27-11-18
Good morning!
Yesterday's curried chicken and cauliflower bake turned out very nice although a little bit dry. I think more tomatoes would have helped with that and have made a note on the recipe.
It's on the slimming world site, if you have access.
If not, basically, you make a mix of tikka spice and water, coat the chicken and the par cooked cauliflower (and I added sprouts too), spray with oil, bake for ten minutes, then add the tomatoes and spray again, mix and continue baking for 20 minutes or so, adding some thawed and heated frozen spinach before serving.
The cauliflower was still a bit firm and it was very tasty indeed.
If I wasn't doing SW, I'd use a curry paste.
Today's plans:
B: bacon and tomatoes
Probably chopped tomatoes rather than fresh as they are starting to be a little less flavoursome now - and much more expensive too.
SW: free
L: Spicy red lentil soup; croutons
This recipe was posted on our local SW Facebook group. It's basically the one I usually make but with added spice so I'll give it a go. The main ingredients are chopped tomatoes and lentils so it's got to be frugal!
SW: the croutons will be my healthy extra B
D: Caribbean turkey and veg bake, shredded cabbage
Made last week and frozen. I have some extra cooked turkey to add and the cabbage is to help up my veg intake.
SW: free
S: fruit, milk (healthy extra A), Mullerlight (1 syn)
I don't always have some or all of the snacks, it just depends how the day goes. It helps to have a few extras planned in. The only one today I must have is the milk.
Yesterday's curried chicken and cauliflower bake turned out very nice although a little bit dry. I think more tomatoes would have helped with that and have made a note on the recipe.
It's on the slimming world site, if you have access.
If not, basically, you make a mix of tikka spice and water, coat the chicken and the par cooked cauliflower (and I added sprouts too), spray with oil, bake for ten minutes, then add the tomatoes and spray again, mix and continue baking for 20 minutes or so, adding some thawed and heated frozen spinach before serving.
The cauliflower was still a bit firm and it was very tasty indeed.
If I wasn't doing SW, I'd use a curry paste.
Today's plans:
B: bacon and tomatoes
Probably chopped tomatoes rather than fresh as they are starting to be a little less flavoursome now - and much more expensive too.
SW: free
L: Spicy red lentil soup; croutons
This recipe was posted on our local SW Facebook group. It's basically the one I usually make but with added spice so I'll give it a go. The main ingredients are chopped tomatoes and lentils so it's got to be frugal!
SW: the croutons will be my healthy extra B
D: Caribbean turkey and veg bake, shredded cabbage
Made last week and frozen. I have some extra cooked turkey to add and the cabbage is to help up my veg intake.
SW: free
S: fruit, milk (healthy extra A), Mullerlight (1 syn)
I don't always have some or all of the snacks, it just depends how the day goes. It helps to have a few extras planned in. The only one today I must have is the milk.
Monday, 26 November 2018
Monday, 26-11-18
Good morning!
I was quite disappointed yesterday - I couldn't find the YS fillet steak in the freezer. Time for another tidy up at some point, I think, because I know it is there, somewhere.
Fortunately, I found some flat iron steak so I had that instead and, smothered with my mushroom sauce, it was very good indeed, much nicer than it looks in the photo.
Today's plans:
B: bacon, egg, tomatoes and mushroom
Not particularly frugal, not expensive, just middle of the road
SW: free
L: I made lots of bean and veg soup yesterday so it's more of that with some bread to dunk. Really great value and big flavour, even better second day.
SW: healthy extra B for the bread
D: curried chicken and cauliflower bake
Postponed from last week. I think I shall add some sprouts to the mix too as they are supposed to be delicious roasted.
SW: free
Ss: fruit, hot milk
SW: the milk will be my healthy extra A
I was quite disappointed yesterday - I couldn't find the YS fillet steak in the freezer. Time for another tidy up at some point, I think, because I know it is there, somewhere.
Fortunately, I found some flat iron steak so I had that instead and, smothered with my mushroom sauce, it was very good indeed, much nicer than it looks in the photo.
Today's plans:
B: bacon, egg, tomatoes and mushroom
Not particularly frugal, not expensive, just middle of the road
SW: free
L: I made lots of bean and veg soup yesterday so it's more of that with some bread to dunk. Really great value and big flavour, even better second day.
SW: healthy extra B for the bread
D: curried chicken and cauliflower bake
Postponed from last week. I think I shall add some sprouts to the mix too as they are supposed to be delicious roasted.
SW: free
Ss: fruit, hot milk
SW: the milk will be my healthy extra A
Sunday, 25 November 2018
Sunday, 25-1-18
Good morning.
Just a month to go now until the Big Day - the first of the Big Days anyway as I am cooking two Christmas dinners, one at my parents four weeks today and one at home on the 25th. In that time, all being well, I could lose another six pounds, realistically, as I seem to have settled to a pound and a half each week. That would be great!
Dinner was really nice but I couldn't finish the macaroni bake because I had loaded my dish with sprouts and cabbage as well. So breakfast will be pretty unusual!
Today's plans are:
B: the rest of the macaroni cheese bake; apple and/or orange
It's leftovers mostly so no waste.
SW: free because I counted the cheese yesterday
L: bean and veg soup
Using pulses from the freezer, this is frugal, filling and delicious!
SW: free
D: steak, chips, tomatoes, mushroom sauce
Obviously not frugal but not as bad as you would think as I was lucky enough to get the steak on YS. The rest is fine, especially as I was given the Philly light.
SW: the philly light for the cheese sauce will be my healthy extra A
S: fruit, mullerlight (1 syn)
Typing this up, I realise I have no healthy extra B because I've changed breakfast. Oh, well, tough!
I shall have to have pasta in December because look what I got in Lakeland. Christmas pasta. It's cute!
Just a month to go now until the Big Day - the first of the Big Days anyway as I am cooking two Christmas dinners, one at my parents four weeks today and one at home on the 25th. In that time, all being well, I could lose another six pounds, realistically, as I seem to have settled to a pound and a half each week. That would be great!
Dinner was really nice but I couldn't finish the macaroni bake because I had loaded my dish with sprouts and cabbage as well. So breakfast will be pretty unusual!
Today's plans are:
B: the rest of the macaroni cheese bake; apple and/or orange
It's leftovers mostly so no waste.
SW: free because I counted the cheese yesterday
L: bean and veg soup
Using pulses from the freezer, this is frugal, filling and delicious!
SW: free
D: steak, chips, tomatoes, mushroom sauce
Obviously not frugal but not as bad as you would think as I was lucky enough to get the steak on YS. The rest is fine, especially as I was given the Philly light.
SW: the philly light for the cheese sauce will be my healthy extra A
S: fruit, mullerlight (1 syn)
Typing this up, I realise I have no healthy extra B because I've changed breakfast. Oh, well, tough!
I shall have to have pasta in December because look what I got in Lakeland. Christmas pasta. It's cute!
Saturday, 24 November 2018
Saturday, 24-11-18
Good morning!
First of all, the dirty fries were delicious yesterday so here's the recipe. As always with this site, scroll down past the adverts.
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-dirty-fries-slimming-world/
I made the cajun seasoning from this recipe.
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cajun-seasoning/
I've taken to making my own spice mix as I have such a range of single spices that just don't get used. There's loads of recipes out there and it is so very easy to do.
The other day I bought a turkey leg/thigh joint for just £3 and I need to cook it today. I can see that turkey will be featuring in my recipes over the next days. Lean and tasty, it's a good SW choice, I think, as well as being great value. And all that good stock too!
It's great to have a weekend at home, knowing that I will be able to stay on plan more easily.
B: porridge with cinnamon, blueberries and apple
The blueberries are from a bag of frozen ones from Aldi - better value by far than fresh ones. I'll probably grate half the apple and have the other half as apple wedges. Nice!
SW: the oats will be my healthy extra B and 100mls of milk will be two and a half syns
L: turkey and veg soup
I've got into a pattern with these chunky soups. I use a bit of onion, carrot, celery, potato, sweet potato and squash (the last two from bags in the freezer) plus some stock and some protein (beans or meat) and seasonings. If I want a thicker base, I either zizz some of the veg or add a bit of orzo - the starch thickens it all up nicely.
It's very tasty and both warming and filling and it's a darn sight cheaper than those chunky soups you can buy in cans.
SW: free
D: I'm making a sort of macaroni cheese topping with turkey and veg (onion, pepper and muchroom) underneath and having that with sprouts and cabbage. I might finish the meal with a yogurt
SW: the dairylea for the sauce will be my healthy extra A and the yogurt 1 syn
I'm looking forward to today's food!
First of all, the dirty fries were delicious yesterday so here's the recipe. As always with this site, scroll down past the adverts.
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-dirty-fries-slimming-world/
I made the cajun seasoning from this recipe.
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cajun-seasoning/
I've taken to making my own spice mix as I have such a range of single spices that just don't get used. There's loads of recipes out there and it is so very easy to do.
The other day I bought a turkey leg/thigh joint for just £3 and I need to cook it today. I can see that turkey will be featuring in my recipes over the next days. Lean and tasty, it's a good SW choice, I think, as well as being great value. And all that good stock too!
It's great to have a weekend at home, knowing that I will be able to stay on plan more easily.
B: porridge with cinnamon, blueberries and apple
The blueberries are from a bag of frozen ones from Aldi - better value by far than fresh ones. I'll probably grate half the apple and have the other half as apple wedges. Nice!
SW: the oats will be my healthy extra B and 100mls of milk will be two and a half syns
L: turkey and veg soup
I've got into a pattern with these chunky soups. I use a bit of onion, carrot, celery, potato, sweet potato and squash (the last two from bags in the freezer) plus some stock and some protein (beans or meat) and seasonings. If I want a thicker base, I either zizz some of the veg or add a bit of orzo - the starch thickens it all up nicely.
It's very tasty and both warming and filling and it's a darn sight cheaper than those chunky soups you can buy in cans.
SW: free
D: I'm making a sort of macaroni cheese topping with turkey and veg (onion, pepper and muchroom) underneath and having that with sprouts and cabbage. I might finish the meal with a yogurt
SW: the dairylea for the sauce will be my healthy extra A and the yogurt 1 syn
I'm looking forward to today's food!
Friday, 23 November 2018
Friday, 23-11-18
Good morning.
I was very pleased to be told I'd lost another pound and a half yesterday at group and I was given my stone and a half off award. A great relief after such a naughty weekend. Also, my BMI is closer to the healthy bvanding than it is to the obese one now. All of that, plus having to buy smaller clothes this week, has made me very happy!
Today's plans:
B: overnight oats with vanilla, cinnamon, pineapple and mango
Should taste lovely as well as being filling. The fruit is - I mean was - frozen so quite economical as you don't need much and nothing is wasted. It's also a lot easier with less mess!
SW: half a healthy extra A
L: the rest of the chicken and veg soup/casserole thingy I had after group yesterday. It was really tasty for all it was so simple to make
Not all that expensive either, the chicken being the dearest part.
SW: free
D: Syn free dirty fries (a new one to try)
Sounds good, doesn't it. It's SW chips with bacon, seasonings, onion, Lea and Perrins, peppers and cheese. I think I will enjoy it.
SW: There are some syns for the cheese and I will have to look it up as I can't remember.
Ss: Mullerlight (one syn); fruit
This last week I was trying a mixed approach - Friday to Sunday on the normal programme and Monday to Thursday on the SP plan, slightly modified by yogurt (so I can't officially call it SP but never mind) and it's suited me very well so I will stick to it for a while.
I was very pleased to be told I'd lost another pound and a half yesterday at group and I was given my stone and a half off award. A great relief after such a naughty weekend. Also, my BMI is closer to the healthy bvanding than it is to the obese one now. All of that, plus having to buy smaller clothes this week, has made me very happy!
Today's plans:
B: overnight oats with vanilla, cinnamon, pineapple and mango
Should taste lovely as well as being filling. The fruit is - I mean was - frozen so quite economical as you don't need much and nothing is wasted. It's also a lot easier with less mess!
SW: half a healthy extra A
L: the rest of the chicken and veg soup/casserole thingy I had after group yesterday. It was really tasty for all it was so simple to make
Not all that expensive either, the chicken being the dearest part.
SW: free
D: Syn free dirty fries (a new one to try)
Sounds good, doesn't it. It's SW chips with bacon, seasonings, onion, Lea and Perrins, peppers and cheese. I think I will enjoy it.
SW: There are some syns for the cheese and I will have to look it up as I can't remember.
Ss: Mullerlight (one syn); fruit
This last week I was trying a mixed approach - Friday to Sunday on the normal programme and Monday to Thursday on the SP plan, slightly modified by yogurt (so I can't officially call it SP but never mind) and it's suited me very well so I will stick to it for a while.
Thursday, 22 November 2018
Thursday, 22-11-18
Good morning.
Yesterday was a bonkers day. First of all I totally forgot to have breakfast. Then I forgot that I wouldn't have time to prepare dinner before a meeting. By the time I got home, it was too late to cook so I had milk, apple and yogurt.
Now I have a defrosted chicken breast to use up today but am out midday and again in the evening (weigh-in - fingers crossed).
Oh, well, I got my healthy extras anyway - I had the bread as toast with the beans at lunchtime. I'm glad I had time to make the beans anyway.
And I will shelve what I had planned for dinner until next week.
Today's plans (fingers crossed)
B: bacon, beans, egg, tomatoes
The beans are left over from yesterday.
SW: free
L: apple, orange and yogurt.
I always have a light lunch on weighday (fngers crossed) anyway but I'm out so will take fruit with me and just buy a coffee!
SW: one syn for the yogurt which I will have when I get home.
D: chunky chicken and vegetable casserole - like a soup but more so and I can make it earlier! Bread for dunking.
That will use up the chicken I didn't use yesterday.
SW: the bread will be my healthy extra B
Ss: hot milk before bedtime (it's very warming and my healthy extra A); fruit
Yesterday was a bonkers day. First of all I totally forgot to have breakfast. Then I forgot that I wouldn't have time to prepare dinner before a meeting. By the time I got home, it was too late to cook so I had milk, apple and yogurt.
Now I have a defrosted chicken breast to use up today but am out midday and again in the evening (weigh-in - fingers crossed).
Oh, well, I got my healthy extras anyway - I had the bread as toast with the beans at lunchtime. I'm glad I had time to make the beans anyway.
And I will shelve what I had planned for dinner until next week.
Today's plans (fingers crossed)
B: bacon, beans, egg, tomatoes
The beans are left over from yesterday.
SW: free
L: apple, orange and yogurt.
I always have a light lunch on weighday (fngers crossed) anyway but I'm out so will take fruit with me and just buy a coffee!
SW: one syn for the yogurt which I will have when I get home.
D: chunky chicken and vegetable casserole - like a soup but more so and I can make it earlier! Bread for dunking.
That will use up the chicken I didn't use yesterday.
SW: the bread will be my healthy extra B
Ss: hot milk before bedtime (it's very warming and my healthy extra A); fruit
Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Recipe: SP friendly baked beans
At the moment, baked beans are allowed on SP days. However, after Christmas their P(rotein) tag is going so, while they are still 'free', they won't be part of the SP range any more.
So I thought 'go on, have a go'.
I made these today and they are really tasty. No, they don't have the convenience of opening a can and just heating them up but, personally, I think they taste nicer (but then maybe I would).
I thought I would make just one portion but actually it's enough for two (for me) so I'll have the rest with bacon and egg for breakfast.
Ingredients:
a small onion and half a pepper (red, yellow or orange), both prepped and finely chopped
2 bacon medallions (the lean part of back bacon), finely chopped
1/16tsp (in other words, a goodly pinch) each of ground ginger, tikka spice, cinnamon and garlic salt
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp vegetarian stock powder (Marigold, for me, is the best but you could use a crumbled cube)
100g cooked haricot beans
half a can of chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cans-worth of water
a good splash (to taste) of Lea and Parrins and soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
Method.
(If using the oven, preheat to 180C)
In a small saucepan that can go in the oven, spray some oil, add the onion, pepper and bacon, stir well, cover and let it gently soften, stirring occasionally.
Turn up the heat a bit, add the spices and stir well while it sizzles.
Add the beans, the chopped tomatoes, the water, the stock powder, the Lea and Perrins, the soy sauce and the tomato puree. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
Now you can either cover and keep it gently simmering for around 20 mins, stirring now and again and addind a bit more water if it seems to be drying out).
OR
pop on a lid (foil will do), bung it in the oven and let it bake for 20 mins.
Taste and season, if needed. I found it wasn't but I don't like a lot of salt.
Enjoy.
So I thought 'go on, have a go'.
I made these today and they are really tasty. No, they don't have the convenience of opening a can and just heating them up but, personally, I think they taste nicer (but then maybe I would).
I thought I would make just one portion but actually it's enough for two (for me) so I'll have the rest with bacon and egg for breakfast.
Ingredients:
a small onion and half a pepper (red, yellow or orange), both prepped and finely chopped
2 bacon medallions (the lean part of back bacon), finely chopped
1/16tsp (in other words, a goodly pinch) each of ground ginger, tikka spice, cinnamon and garlic salt
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp vegetarian stock powder (Marigold, for me, is the best but you could use a crumbled cube)
100g cooked haricot beans
half a can of chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cans-worth of water
a good splash (to taste) of Lea and Parrins and soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
Method.
(If using the oven, preheat to 180C)
In a small saucepan that can go in the oven, spray some oil, add the onion, pepper and bacon, stir well, cover and let it gently soften, stirring occasionally.
Turn up the heat a bit, add the spices and stir well while it sizzles.
Add the beans, the chopped tomatoes, the water, the stock powder, the Lea and Perrins, the soy sauce and the tomato puree. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
Now you can either cover and keep it gently simmering for around 20 mins, stirring now and again and addind a bit more water if it seems to be drying out).
OR
pop on a lid (foil will do), bung it in the oven and let it bake for 20 mins.
Taste and season, if needed. I found it wasn't but I don't like a lot of salt.
Enjoy.
Wednesday, 21-11-18
Good morning.
Yesterday was a very satisfying food day and the curry in a hurry was so delicious I've posted about it separately. I will definitely make it again! The tikka powder and ground ginger together were delicious.
Here's today's plans
B: boiled eggs and toast
A childhood favourite. Great value and very satisfying.
SW: the toast is my healthy extra B
L: home made baked beans with bacon
Having a go, using some chopped tomatoes left over from yesterday, other bits and bobs and some of the haricot beans I cooked last week. Also I have a little bit of the tikka and ground ginger seasoning so I may as well bung that in too.
SW: should be free
D: curried chicken and cauliflower bake
Another new recipe from the SW site which looks really good. I was able to open it without needing to log on so, hopefully, everyone can.
https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/curried-chicken-and-cauliflower.aspx
SW: free
Ss: fruit, hot milk just before bedtime
SW: the milk will be my healthy extra A
As always, fingers crossed.
Yesterday was a very satisfying food day and the curry in a hurry was so delicious I've posted about it separately. I will definitely make it again! The tikka powder and ground ginger together were delicious.
Here's today's plans
B: boiled eggs and toast
A childhood favourite. Great value and very satisfying.
SW: the toast is my healthy extra B
L: home made baked beans with bacon
Having a go, using some chopped tomatoes left over from yesterday, other bits and bobs and some of the haricot beans I cooked last week. Also I have a little bit of the tikka and ground ginger seasoning so I may as well bung that in too.
SW: should be free
D: curried chicken and cauliflower bake
Another new recipe from the SW site which looks really good. I was able to open it without needing to log on so, hopefully, everyone can.
https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/curried-chicken-and-cauliflower.aspx
SW: free
Ss: fruit, hot milk just before bedtime
SW: the milk will be my healthy extra A
As always, fingers crossed.
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Recipe: salmon curry in a hurry
I really wasn't sure about this one but, with the changes I had to make, it was absolutely scrumptious and I will definitely make it again, next time I want a treat meal
.
I can't give you the link to the original recipe - well, I can but unless you can log on, you won't get the recipe. However, I think I changed it enough to be able to give what I did.
Ingredients for a really good portion for one - no need for rice.
fry light or similar
1 smallish onion, peeled, halved and sliced
some red and/or yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
a good sized mushroom, sliced
a squidge of garlic puree
half tsp tikka seasoning
a grinding of black pepper
quarter tsp ground ginger
200g chopped tomatoes
a heaped tsp vegetable stock powder (I use Marigold)
250g piece of salmon fillet, skinned and cut into chunks
Method
Spray a wok with fry light - I used the butter version - and gently fry the onion until starting to soften. Add the pepper and mushroom and continue to fry gently.
Increase the heat, add the spices and the garlic and mix well.
Add the chopped tomatoes and the stock powder with a splash of boiling water. When it is simmering, add the chunks of salmon and gently simmer until the salmon is cooked and tender, adding a bit more water if it seems to be drying up.
Serve immediately.
If you had rice, it would serve two. Without rice, it's a very filling single portion.
Not cheap though!
.
I can't give you the link to the original recipe - well, I can but unless you can log on, you won't get the recipe. However, I think I changed it enough to be able to give what I did.
Ingredients for a really good portion for one - no need for rice.
fry light or similar
1 smallish onion, peeled, halved and sliced
some red and/or yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
a good sized mushroom, sliced
a squidge of garlic puree
half tsp tikka seasoning
a grinding of black pepper
quarter tsp ground ginger
200g chopped tomatoes
a heaped tsp vegetable stock powder (I use Marigold)
250g piece of salmon fillet, skinned and cut into chunks
Method
Spray a wok with fry light - I used the butter version - and gently fry the onion until starting to soften. Add the pepper and mushroom and continue to fry gently.
Increase the heat, add the spices and the garlic and mix well.
Add the chopped tomatoes and the stock powder with a splash of boiling water. When it is simmering, add the chunks of salmon and gently simmer until the salmon is cooked and tender, adding a bit more water if it seems to be drying up.
Serve immediately.
If you had rice, it would serve two. Without rice, it's a very filling single portion.
Not cheap though!
Tuesday, 20-11-18
Good morning.
Yesterday was a good day, food-wise. The speedy tomato soup was scrummy with some home made croutons (see separate post) and the turkey stew, cooked in the slow cooker, was filling and yummy. I made the full amount so now have pots of portions for other SP days in the freezer.
Here's a link (below) to the recipe which I more or less followed except for using a crock pot instead of the oven. I wanted to add some pineapple to yesterday's portion because it felt Caribbean-ish but I checked and pineapple is not a speed food, sadly. Another time . . .
I wouldn't recommend doing what I did, which was leave it in the slow cooker for too long, as the turkey disintegrated. Mind you, it made a lovely, meaty, spicy sauce that I used a spoon to enjoy. Also, if you do use a slow cooker, add less liquid than it says.
I hope you can access this link which is on the Slimming World site.
https://group.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/caribbean-turkey-and-vegetable-stew.aspx
Today's SP plans:
B: cooked breakfast - bacon, egg, fried bread, tomatoes and mushrooms
Not as frugal as porridge but just as filling and very satisfying.
SW: the bread will be half a healthy extra B
L: baked beans on toast, apple
I'm making the most of baked beans still being allowed on SP days today, but, for the future, I'm planning to make my own baked beans which will be 'allowed' although they'll nothing like the 'real' version from a tin!
Using Morrison's beans and some YS bread, this is a very frugal lunch.
SW: the bread is one healthy extra B
D: salmon curry in a hurry; fruit yogurt
Another new recipe and I'll let you know because I'm not really that sure and might change my mind at the last moment and have baked salmon with loads of nice veg instead.
SW: one syn for the yogurt
Ss: warm milk before bedtime, mullerlight
SW: the milk is my healthy extra A while the yogurt is one syn
It's nice to be on track again.
Yesterday was a good day, food-wise. The speedy tomato soup was scrummy with some home made croutons (see separate post) and the turkey stew, cooked in the slow cooker, was filling and yummy. I made the full amount so now have pots of portions for other SP days in the freezer.
Here's a link (below) to the recipe which I more or less followed except for using a crock pot instead of the oven. I wanted to add some pineapple to yesterday's portion because it felt Caribbean-ish but I checked and pineapple is not a speed food, sadly. Another time . . .
I wouldn't recommend doing what I did, which was leave it in the slow cooker for too long, as the turkey disintegrated. Mind you, it made a lovely, meaty, spicy sauce that I used a spoon to enjoy. Also, if you do use a slow cooker, add less liquid than it says.
I hope you can access this link which is on the Slimming World site.
https://group.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/caribbean-turkey-and-vegetable-stew.aspx
Today's SP plans:
B: cooked breakfast - bacon, egg, fried bread, tomatoes and mushrooms
Not as frugal as porridge but just as filling and very satisfying.
SW: the bread will be half a healthy extra B
L: baked beans on toast, apple
I'm making the most of baked beans still being allowed on SP days today, but, for the future, I'm planning to make my own baked beans which will be 'allowed' although they'll nothing like the 'real' version from a tin!
Using Morrison's beans and some YS bread, this is a very frugal lunch.
SW: the bread is one healthy extra B
D: salmon curry in a hurry; fruit yogurt
Another new recipe and I'll let you know because I'm not really that sure and might change my mind at the last moment and have baked salmon with loads of nice veg instead.
SW: one syn for the yogurt
Ss: warm milk before bedtime, mullerlight
SW: the milk is my healthy extra A while the yogurt is one syn
It's nice to be on track again.
Monday, 19 November 2018
Crispy, crunchy croutons
I fancied some and had a spare healthy extra so . . .
Dead easy.
Preheat the oven to about 100/150. Low enough that the croutons will dry out without burning. A real range would be perfect.
LIne a baking sheet/tray with parchment and spray it with fry light or similar.
Cut sliced bread into squares (I keep the crust on)
Tip them onto the sheet and spray again.
Pop them in the oven and leave them.
After a while, turn them over and maybe re-spray.
When they are lovely and crunchy, take them out, sprinkle them with a little salt and try not to eat them before adding them to your soup or whatever.
Dead easy.
Preheat the oven to about 100/150. Low enough that the croutons will dry out without burning. A real range would be perfect.
LIne a baking sheet/tray with parchment and spray it with fry light or similar.
Cut sliced bread into squares (I keep the crust on)
Tip them onto the sheet and spray again.
Pop them in the oven and leave them.
After a while, turn them over and maybe re-spray.
When they are lovely and crunchy, take them out, sprinkle them with a little salt and try not to eat them before adding them to your soup or whatever.
Monday, 19-11-18
Good morning!
The weekend is over, the damage has been done but is not
irredeemable and I'm moving on!
Today's plans:
B: porridge with
fruit and yogurt
Tasty and frugal. How
would I manage without my porridge!
SW: half my healthy extra A and one healthy extra B. I'm doing four days of SP modified by yogurt!
L: tomato and lentil
soup with home made croutons
Alas, the tomatoes are now out of a can again but the soup
is still delicious, still pretty frugal and I do love a few croutons. One of these days I will weigh out my soup
ingredients and produce some definitive recipes because they are tasty and work
well with SW.
SW: half a healthy
extra B for the croutons.
D: Caribbean turkey
and veg stew
A new one but not too costly as turkey is good value. I'll let you know.
SW: one syn for some
gravy granules (I may use thickening granules instead, depending on what it
turns out like)
Ss: the rest of the
milk (healthy extra A) and a Mullerlight (one syn), maybe an apple
On SP days, you can have any of the 'free ' foods that are
labelled as S (speed fruit and veg) or P (protein), plus one healthy extra A
and two healthy extra Bs. Also up to fifteen
syns. What you can't do is syn normally
free foods that don't have S or P labels.
I'm adding yogurt to this too because I NEED my yogurt.
Fingers crossed.
Sunday, 18 November 2018
Sunday, 18-11-18
Good morning.
I'm afraid I lost it again yesterday evenings. Snacks/nibblies really are my downfall here at my parents' and it's all a little bit discouraging but there you go!
Today (well, tomorrow really but we're celebrating it today) is my Dad's 90th birthday. He's asked for sirloin steak, so that's what he will have!
Today's plans, therefore, are -
B: porridge with fruit and yogurt
SW: healthy extra B and half a healthy extra A
L: butternut squash and lentil soup
Very easy to make and quite delicious. Butternut squash isn't cheap, of course, but neither is it shockingly expensive.
SW free
D: sirloin steak, as above, with veg. I have to ask Dad how he'd like his potatoes done.
Frugal it ain't!!!
SW: should be free as long as I pass on the sauce!
Ss: trying for none as it seems that as soon as I start, I just keep going - it's all too available here!
Please, send me strengthening vibes for today! I need them.
I'm afraid I lost it again yesterday evenings. Snacks/nibblies really are my downfall here at my parents' and it's all a little bit discouraging but there you go!
Today (well, tomorrow really but we're celebrating it today) is my Dad's 90th birthday. He's asked for sirloin steak, so that's what he will have!
Today's plans, therefore, are -
B: porridge with fruit and yogurt
SW: healthy extra B and half a healthy extra A
L: butternut squash and lentil soup
Very easy to make and quite delicious. Butternut squash isn't cheap, of course, but neither is it shockingly expensive.
SW free
D: sirloin steak, as above, with veg. I have to ask Dad how he'd like his potatoes done.
Frugal it ain't!!!
SW: should be free as long as I pass on the sauce!
Ss: trying for none as it seems that as soon as I start, I just keep going - it's all too available here!
Please, send me strengthening vibes for today! I need them.
Saturday, 17 November 2018
Saturday, 17-11-18
Good morning.
I've posted the recipe of the soup I made yesterday because it really was delicious. No fancy seasoning, very simple and very good.
Hope you enjoy it if you have a go.
Today's plans:
B: porridge with fruit and yogurt
The usual. I love it!
SW: using my healthy extra B and half my healthy extra A
L: bean and veg soup.
Yum!
Should be SW free and have plenty of speed veg
D: roast chicken, roasties, cabbage and sprouts. I'll have yogurt for dessert.
SW: just 1 syn for the yogurt
Ss: apple, orange.
I have to be strict today as yesterday evening was bad, bad, bad (and nice too!). No problems with frugality as I'm not paying.
I've posted the recipe of the soup I made yesterday because it really was delicious. No fancy seasoning, very simple and very good.
Hope you enjoy it if you have a go.
Today's plans:
B: porridge with fruit and yogurt
The usual. I love it!
SW: using my healthy extra B and half my healthy extra A
L: bean and veg soup.
Yum!
Should be SW free and have plenty of speed veg
D: roast chicken, roasties, cabbage and sprouts. I'll have yogurt for dessert.
SW: just 1 syn for the yogurt
Ss: apple, orange.
I have to be strict today as yesterday evening was bad, bad, bad (and nice too!). No problems with frugality as I'm not paying.
Recipe: roasted butternut squash and red lentil soup
Yesterday's soup was lovely.
I roasted some butternut squash (from a bag of frozen squash so dead easy) with a bit of frylight for about 30 to 40 mins until it developed that lovely 'roasty' aroma and then just boiled it up with a handful of red lentils, a bit of carrot and onion, a squidge of garlic, some veg stock and some black pepper (no salt because the stock is salty). Once it was all soft, I zizzed it to smooth, added a splash of milk from the day's heA, reheated it and it was gorgeous.
SW free apart from the milk, plenty of speed, very filling and it would fit into an SP day. Also dead easy!
No photo, I'm afraid - Beth and I scoffed the lot before I remembered.
I roasted some butternut squash (from a bag of frozen squash so dead easy) with a bit of frylight for about 30 to 40 mins until it developed that lovely 'roasty' aroma and then just boiled it up with a handful of red lentils, a bit of carrot and onion, a squidge of garlic, some veg stock and some black pepper (no salt because the stock is salty). Once it was all soft, I zizzed it to smooth, added a splash of milk from the day's heA, reheated it and it was gorgeous.
SW free apart from the milk, plenty of speed, very filling and it would fit into an SP day. Also dead easy!
No photo, I'm afraid - Beth and I scoffed the lot before I remembered.
Friday, 16 November 2018
Recipe: syn free dirty rice
Here's the link to this one.
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-dirty-fried-rice-slimming-world/
Ignore the ads and scroll down!
I won't reproduce the recipe but I will tell you what I changed as it was fairly significant and must have made a big difference in flavour.
It was still syn free though.
1. I used 500g lean beef mince as I didn't have any pork mince in the freezer.
2. I used frozen mixed peppers and also added good scoops of frozen peas and sweetcorn to up the veg content.
3, I didn't have any cajun seasoning but I did have some leftover home made jerk seasoning so used that instead - about two teaspoons of it
4. I added a can of chopped tomatoes and some tomato puree . . .
5. And another bay leaf that I added to the mince mixture as well as the one in the rice, both picked from the garden . . .
5. And I simmered it all for ages. I prefer my mince cooked long and slow. It would work well in a slow cooker.
So not all that different really, no??????
I'll make the proper version one of these days as I am sure pork mince would be lovely!
It was very, very nice and I have three substantial portions now shivering in the freezer for those days when quick and easy is needed.
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-dirty-fried-rice-slimming-world/
Ignore the ads and scroll down!
I won't reproduce the recipe but I will tell you what I changed as it was fairly significant and must have made a big difference in flavour.
It was still syn free though.
1. I used 500g lean beef mince as I didn't have any pork mince in the freezer.
2. I used frozen mixed peppers and also added good scoops of frozen peas and sweetcorn to up the veg content.
3, I didn't have any cajun seasoning but I did have some leftover home made jerk seasoning so used that instead - about two teaspoons of it
4. I added a can of chopped tomatoes and some tomato puree . . .
5. And another bay leaf that I added to the mince mixture as well as the one in the rice, both picked from the garden . . .
5. And I simmered it all for ages. I prefer my mince cooked long and slow. It would work well in a slow cooker.
So not all that different really, no??????
I'll make the proper version one of these days as I am sure pork mince would be lovely!
It was very, very nice and I have three substantial portions now shivering in the freezer for those days when quick and easy is needed.
Friday, 16-11-18
Good morning.
One and a half pounds off again this week so three cheers. If I lose the same this coming week I will hit my one and a half stone mark with SW. Can't complain.
The dirty rice was really delicious although I changed the recipe rather, so I will post about it separately.
The choccy drink was likewise. I bought some Sweet Freedom orange spice choc shot and used two tbsps of it (four syns) in 200mls milk, heated up. It may be more 'expensive' (in syn terms) than the low calories choccy drinks but it was so, so much nicer. I felt I'd had a real treat.
Today's plans:
B: porridge, yogurt and fruit
My good old frugal fall back. It feels chilly this morning so porridge is perfect.
SW: half my healthy extra A and all my healthy extra B
L: a home made soup
Probably roasted and spicy butternut squash but I just have to check the fridge to see what needs using up.
SW: free
D: not sure - probably something fishy. I have to see what Mum and Dad have in their freezer and fridge.
Ss: trying for none today.
And now I must plan the food for the coming week . . . I may be gone some time! :-)
One and a half pounds off again this week so three cheers. If I lose the same this coming week I will hit my one and a half stone mark with SW. Can't complain.
The dirty rice was really delicious although I changed the recipe rather, so I will post about it separately.
The choccy drink was likewise. I bought some Sweet Freedom orange spice choc shot and used two tbsps of it (four syns) in 200mls milk, heated up. It may be more 'expensive' (in syn terms) than the low calories choccy drinks but it was so, so much nicer. I felt I'd had a real treat.
Today's plans:
B: porridge, yogurt and fruit
My good old frugal fall back. It feels chilly this morning so porridge is perfect.
SW: half my healthy extra A and all my healthy extra B
L: a home made soup
Probably roasted and spicy butternut squash but I just have to check the fridge to see what needs using up.
SW: free
D: not sure - probably something fishy. I have to see what Mum and Dad have in their freezer and fridge.
Ss: trying for none today.
And now I must plan the food for the coming week . . . I may be gone some time! :-)
Thursday, 15 November 2018
Thursday, 15-11-18
Good morning. Back to normal again now - better, in fact as the new router is much faster.
It felt very odd not posting my meal plans so let's get straight to it.
B: bacon, egg, 'fried' bread and sausage
A favourite breakfast and all the protein makes it filling. I spray the slice of bread and then brown it in the pan - it crisps up like fried bread rather than like toast. And this might make devoted 'full English' fans wince, but I only fry one side - that's just a family thing that dates right back to childhood.
SW: half a healthy extra B
L: fruit and yogurt.
As it is weigh day, I try to keep the meals light without missing any out. Fruit and yogurt fitsthe bill nicely.
SW: free
D: I'll most likely make that 'dirty' rice earlier in the day so I can re-heat it after group, although I only have beef mince, not pork so it will taste a bit different, and I inted adding more vegetables than the recipe asks.
I'll let you know about the rice.
SW: free
Ss: I fancy splashing out on a hot choccy drink made using heated milk and Sweet Freedom liquid chocolate (a recent discovery) to enjoy after thr group this evening
SW: the milk is a healthy extra A and the Sweet Freedom will be 4 syns
There's some changes afoot in Slimming World, a result of developments in nutritional thinking and understanding. These were supposed to have been revealed in the New Year but I gather they were leaked (is nothing sacred nowadays? ) so SW decided to release some info about them now to slow down speculation and, maybe, worry.
Oh, my word, the fuss on Facebook!!! You'd have thought they had announced the end of the world! I know that, generally, change is not a popular thing but really!
I'll tell you about them when I make any necessary changes (from what I have seen, there will be hardly any) and that won't be until after the New Year when I get the new 'handbook' with full information. Until then, I will happily continue to plan and eat as I have been!
Fingers crossed for tonight.
It felt very odd not posting my meal plans so let's get straight to it.
B: bacon, egg, 'fried' bread and sausage
A favourite breakfast and all the protein makes it filling. I spray the slice of bread and then brown it in the pan - it crisps up like fried bread rather than like toast. And this might make devoted 'full English' fans wince, but I only fry one side - that's just a family thing that dates right back to childhood.
SW: half a healthy extra B
L: fruit and yogurt.
As it is weigh day, I try to keep the meals light without missing any out. Fruit and yogurt fitsthe bill nicely.
SW: free
D: I'll most likely make that 'dirty' rice earlier in the day so I can re-heat it after group, although I only have beef mince, not pork so it will taste a bit different, and I inted adding more vegetables than the recipe asks.
I'll let you know about the rice.
SW: free
Ss: I fancy splashing out on a hot choccy drink made using heated milk and Sweet Freedom liquid chocolate (a recent discovery) to enjoy after thr group this evening
SW: the milk is a healthy extra A and the Sweet Freedom will be 4 syns
There's some changes afoot in Slimming World, a result of developments in nutritional thinking and understanding. These were supposed to have been revealed in the New Year but I gather they were leaked (is nothing sacred nowadays? ) so SW decided to release some info about them now to slow down speculation and, maybe, worry.
Oh, my word, the fuss on Facebook!!! You'd have thought they had announced the end of the world! I know that, generally, change is not a popular thing but really!
I'll tell you about them when I make any necessary changes (from what I have seen, there will be hardly any) and that won't be until after the New Year when I get the new 'handbook' with full information. Until then, I will happily continue to plan and eat as I have been!
Fingers crossed for tonight.
Wednesday, 14 November 2018
Tuesday, 13-11-18 (now Wednesday, 14-11-18)
It's now Wednesday 14th. Router problems meant that I have not been able to access the internet for a day and a half and, oh my, how I have missed it.
Here's the post I was about to send yesterday when the router decided to be awkward and it's back to normal tomorrow!
Good morning.
This was the cheeseburger stuffed peppers I had for dinner yesterday - very, very nice indeed.
Here's the recipe although I used some pre-cooked turkey mince from the freezer.
https://katsdietkitchen.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_52.html
The rice pudding worked so I've posted about it.
https://my30-30challenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/recipe-aromatic-rice-pudding.html
And here's a random and terrified pepper half!
Today's food plans:
B: porridge made with the coconut drink, yogurt and fruit
L: leek and butterbean soup
D: syn free dirty rice
Here's the post I was about to send yesterday when the router decided to be awkward and it's back to normal tomorrow!
Good morning.
This was the cheeseburger stuffed peppers I had for dinner yesterday - very, very nice indeed.
Here's the recipe although I used some pre-cooked turkey mince from the freezer.
https://katsdietkitchen.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_52.html
The rice pudding worked so I've posted about it.
https://my30-30challenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/recipe-aromatic-rice-pudding.html
And here's a random and terrified pepper half!
Today's food plans:
B: porridge made with the coconut drink, yogurt and fruit
L: leek and butterbean soup
D: syn free dirty rice
Monday, 12 November 2018
Recipe: aromatic rice pudding
Made this evening as a way of using up some of the Alpro coconut drink. It's not like 'normal' rice pudding but it was really nice and I will make it again, for sure, maybe with different spices to ring the changes.
It is syn free (but if you use a tbsp or more of sweetner, call it one syn) but I think it would be considered a 'tweak' and I'd be careful only to have it if the main course had no rice, pasta, potato, etc, I think.
Ingredients to make one portion
1/4 cup (55g) short grain pudding rice
1 1/4 cups (265g) Alpro coconut drink
a scant 1/8 tsp each of cinnamon and ginger
a grating of nutmeg
1/2 tbsp stevia or other artificial sweetner
some mango and pineapple, fresh or frozen.
a dollop of natural yogurt
Method:
In the morning, mix together the rice, drink and spices, cover and pop in the fridge for the evening
(No idea if this was necessary but it's what I did!)
In the evening, preheat the oven to 160C
Place the mixture in an ovenproof dish and bake for about an hour, stirring now and again and covering with foil if it seems to be drying out.
Fifteen minutes before serving, add the fruit, cover and pop back in the oven.
Serve hot with a dollop of natural yogurt on top (or flavoured yogurt but you'd have to syn it)
It is syn free (but if you use a tbsp or more of sweetner, call it one syn) but I think it would be considered a 'tweak' and I'd be careful only to have it if the main course had no rice, pasta, potato, etc, I think.
Ingredients to make one portion
1/4 cup (55g) short grain pudding rice
1 1/4 cups (265g) Alpro coconut drink
a scant 1/8 tsp each of cinnamon and ginger
a grating of nutmeg
1/2 tbsp stevia or other artificial sweetner
some mango and pineapple, fresh or frozen.
a dollop of natural yogurt
Method:
In the morning, mix together the rice, drink and spices, cover and pop in the fridge for the evening
(No idea if this was necessary but it's what I did!)
In the evening, preheat the oven to 160C
Place the mixture in an ovenproof dish and bake for about an hour, stirring now and again and covering with foil if it seems to be drying out.
Fifteen minutes before serving, add the fruit, cover and pop back in the oven.
Serve hot with a dollop of natural yogurt on top (or flavoured yogurt but you'd have to syn it)
Monday, 12-11-18
Good morning.
It was really nice to have a more traditional meal yesterday - a roast with pulled pork (no sauce, just lean pork), roasties, sprouts and mixed roasted parsnip and butternut squash. No gravy but I've now found a syn free gravy recipe that sounds more than a little odd but - well, if you never try anything, you never learn, do you?
Today's plans:
B: breakfast roll - bacon, egg, home made sausage and a wholemeal roll - lovely!
SW: healthy extra B (the roll)
L: beans on potato waffle, apple or orange
Much more frugal than breakfast
SW: two syns for the waffle
D: a recipe I found on t'internet - cheeseburger stuffed pepper, sprouts, maybe runner beans; aromatic rice pudding
The main is a recipe I found online and it sounded good enough to want to try it. The dessert is something I am having a go at - a syn free rice pudding - because sometimes you need something like that in the dark evenings and I have that Alpro coconut drink to use up. It may work, it may be a disaster.
I'll get back to you on both!
SW: the cheese will be my healthy extra A and I might use a bit more for a few syns too, seeing as I have some spare. The coconut milk is part of my healthy extra A - just under half, in fact.
S: fruit, maybe a yogurt
I got lucky yesterday. I went to Morrison's for some dried kidney beans and a few other things and found some fillet steak very much reduced. That will make me a lovely dinner at some point with SW chips and a salad so it is now in the freezer. I'd have had it for dinner yesterday but I'd already thawed something else.
I had the first sprouts of the season yesterday - they were lovely! I do like sprouts!
And I now have a bad of dried kidney beans cooking in the slow cooker after overnight soaking and a good boil up on the hob (extremely important for kidney beans). I just have to do one more kind of bean now (haricot, maybe, or pinto) and I have a good selection in the freezer to mix and match for all sorts of dishes.
It's all go in my kitchen today!
It was really nice to have a more traditional meal yesterday - a roast with pulled pork (no sauce, just lean pork), roasties, sprouts and mixed roasted parsnip and butternut squash. No gravy but I've now found a syn free gravy recipe that sounds more than a little odd but - well, if you never try anything, you never learn, do you?
Today's plans:
B: breakfast roll - bacon, egg, home made sausage and a wholemeal roll - lovely!
SW: healthy extra B (the roll)
L: beans on potato waffle, apple or orange
Much more frugal than breakfast
SW: two syns for the waffle
D: a recipe I found on t'internet - cheeseburger stuffed pepper, sprouts, maybe runner beans; aromatic rice pudding
The main is a recipe I found online and it sounded good enough to want to try it. The dessert is something I am having a go at - a syn free rice pudding - because sometimes you need something like that in the dark evenings and I have that Alpro coconut drink to use up. It may work, it may be a disaster.
I'll get back to you on both!
SW: the cheese will be my healthy extra A and I might use a bit more for a few syns too, seeing as I have some spare. The coconut milk is part of my healthy extra A - just under half, in fact.
S: fruit, maybe a yogurt
I got lucky yesterday. I went to Morrison's for some dried kidney beans and a few other things and found some fillet steak very much reduced. That will make me a lovely dinner at some point with SW chips and a salad so it is now in the freezer. I'd have had it for dinner yesterday but I'd already thawed something else.
I had the first sprouts of the season yesterday - they were lovely! I do like sprouts!
And I now have a bad of dried kidney beans cooking in the slow cooker after overnight soaking and a good boil up on the hob (extremely important for kidney beans). I just have to do one more kind of bean now (haricot, maybe, or pinto) and I have a good selection in the freezer to mix and match for all sorts of dishes.
It's all go in my kitchen today!
Sunday, 11 November 2018
Sunday, 11-11-18
Good morning.
I discovered that the Alpro coconut drink IS a healthy extra - and you can have 600mls of it. I won't use that much in a day so it leaves room for a nibble of cheese as well.
The one pot Mediterranean chicken orzo was lovely and when I make it again I shall add extra veg - some pepper, leek and sweet potato would go really well with it, as would a scattering of olives, although they would need to be synned. Here's the link in case anyone is interested.
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-one-pot-mediterranean-chicken-orzo-slimming-world/
Today's plans
B: overnight oats using yogurt, some of that coconut drink and some mango and pineapple. I added a pinch of cinnamon too and am looking forward to it.
The fruit is from my collection of frozen fruits so not shockingly expensive and, of course, you can just take out what you want to use instead of chopping up a whole fruit. The coconut stuff was free and oats are the best frugal food!
SW: part of my healthy extra A and all of B
L: the last of that bean and vegetable soup. It was a most delicious batch. I'll add some grated cheese for extra yumminess as well as my calcium.
One large pot of soup has made seven good meals - and they were filling meals too what with all the veg plus the bean protein. Beth (daughter) said she was having the portion she took home with rice as a main meal.
SW: the rest of the healthy extra A
D: a nice traditional dinner. I'll see what I have in the freezer in the way of sliced meat and add to it roasties, roasted parsnip and squash and sprouts with a yogurt for dessert. In fact, I might zizz it with some frozen fruit to make a kind of icecream.
Frugally, the meat has been in the freezer for ages and ought to be used up while none of the vegetables are that costly.
Now and again you can get Mullerlight yogurts on special which is what I did the other day. I look out for this fairly regular offer
SW: one syn for the yogurt
Ss: fruit as always
I have another non-scale victory to share!
On Friday, I needed something that was smart but not posh for the do at school. I didn't think jeans really worked and didn't want to go the long skirt route.
On the offchance, I tried on my 'mini-target' black trousers and, lo and behold, they fitted perfectly. So yesterday I tried on the next-size-down jeans and they are no longer next size down either! Cheers!
(I wore the trousers with a nice top and the hooded knitted jacket I got at Center parcs, and felt like a million pounds, especially with all the nice comments!)
I discovered that the Alpro coconut drink IS a healthy extra - and you can have 600mls of it. I won't use that much in a day so it leaves room for a nibble of cheese as well.
The one pot Mediterranean chicken orzo was lovely and when I make it again I shall add extra veg - some pepper, leek and sweet potato would go really well with it, as would a scattering of olives, although they would need to be synned. Here's the link in case anyone is interested.
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-one-pot-mediterranean-chicken-orzo-slimming-world/
Today's plans
B: overnight oats using yogurt, some of that coconut drink and some mango and pineapple. I added a pinch of cinnamon too and am looking forward to it.
The fruit is from my collection of frozen fruits so not shockingly expensive and, of course, you can just take out what you want to use instead of chopping up a whole fruit. The coconut stuff was free and oats are the best frugal food!
SW: part of my healthy extra A and all of B
L: the last of that bean and vegetable soup. It was a most delicious batch. I'll add some grated cheese for extra yumminess as well as my calcium.
One large pot of soup has made seven good meals - and they were filling meals too what with all the veg plus the bean protein. Beth (daughter) said she was having the portion she took home with rice as a main meal.
SW: the rest of the healthy extra A
D: a nice traditional dinner. I'll see what I have in the freezer in the way of sliced meat and add to it roasties, roasted parsnip and squash and sprouts with a yogurt for dessert. In fact, I might zizz it with some frozen fruit to make a kind of icecream.
Frugally, the meat has been in the freezer for ages and ought to be used up while none of the vegetables are that costly.
Now and again you can get Mullerlight yogurts on special which is what I did the other day. I look out for this fairly regular offer
SW: one syn for the yogurt
Ss: fruit as always
I have another non-scale victory to share!
On Friday, I needed something that was smart but not posh for the do at school. I didn't think jeans really worked and didn't want to go the long skirt route.
On the offchance, I tried on my 'mini-target' black trousers and, lo and behold, they fitted perfectly. So yesterday I tried on the next-size-down jeans and they are no longer next size down either! Cheers!
(I wore the trousers with a nice top and the hooded knitted jacket I got at Center parcs, and felt like a million pounds, especially with all the nice comments!)
Saturday, 10 November 2018
Saturday, 10-11-18
Good morning
At the 'do' last night, there was hardly anything I could have and nothing really appealed either - that's a big step forward. So when I got home, I dug out some wholemeal bread and my light cheese and had that. It met my healthy extras and was satisfying! No problem!
Todays meal plans are . . .
B: porridge with fruit and yogurt
I'll probably use some of the coconut and rice drink from the raffle in this as it has to be used. I don't want to waste it.
SW: 2 syns for 200 mls, so not too bad. I am unsure if it counts as a healthy extra so I'm playing safe here.
L: bean and veg soup; orange
I made a nice big pot of soup yesterday. Beth and I had a good portion each and Beth had a second portion. She took one portion home, I saved two portions for today and there was one for the freezer. Great value.
SW: free
D: one pot chicken orzo
A new recipe that sounds both easy and tasty. Got to love something that only uses one pot. I might very well bung in some extra veg; I'll see how I feel.
SW: as far as I know, free
I have some healthy extras to fit in somehow, don't I?
At the 'do' last night, there was hardly anything I could have and nothing really appealed either - that's a big step forward. So when I got home, I dug out some wholemeal bread and my light cheese and had that. It met my healthy extras and was satisfying! No problem!
Todays meal plans are . . .
B: porridge with fruit and yogurt
I'll probably use some of the coconut and rice drink from the raffle in this as it has to be used. I don't want to waste it.
SW: 2 syns for 200 mls, so not too bad. I am unsure if it counts as a healthy extra so I'm playing safe here.
L: bean and veg soup; orange
I made a nice big pot of soup yesterday. Beth and I had a good portion each and Beth had a second portion. She took one portion home, I saved two portions for today and there was one for the freezer. Great value.
SW: free
D: one pot chicken orzo
A new recipe that sounds both easy and tasty. Got to love something that only uses one pot. I might very well bung in some extra veg; I'll see how I feel.
SW: as far as I know, free
I have some healthy extras to fit in somehow, don't I?
Friday, 9 November 2018
Friday, 09-11-18
Good morning!
Last night was better than last week. A pound and a half off, I got my Club Ten award (for losing 10% of body weight since starting there) and, just to cap it all, I won one of the raffles and came home with a collection of free and low syn goodies that will help with the frugality this week! I'm now three pounds off the next half stone certificate so that's the next target.
The chick peas are now done and ready to see the inside of the freezer! Kidney beans next and these will need some hard boiling, after soaking, before going into the slow cooker.
Today's plans:
B: bacon, egg and home made sausage; apple or orange
I would say this is a middle cost meal but all the protein will be very sustaining so I can live with that!
SW: free
L: I had planned yogurt and fruit but Beth (daughter) will be here so I might make a nice bean and veg soup instead.
This will be frugal. It doesn't take a huge amount of veg by the time it's all cubed up and the beans will be from a can of mixed beans I won last night! It's also dead easy.
SW: free unless I add some grated cheese; if I do that will be my healthy extra A
D: this is tricky as I am out for a 'do' at school and have no idea what sort of stuff they will have. I know it's not far to walk but I will drive as it will be dark and also it will keep me off the alcohol! If I don't have much there, there will be some bean soup waiting at home as I intend making a nice big pot of it.
SW: it might be free or it might not and I have no idea how it will work with the SW plan. Fingers crossed.
Last night was better than last week. A pound and a half off, I got my Club Ten award (for losing 10% of body weight since starting there) and, just to cap it all, I won one of the raffles and came home with a collection of free and low syn goodies that will help with the frugality this week! I'm now three pounds off the next half stone certificate so that's the next target.
The chick peas are now done and ready to see the inside of the freezer! Kidney beans next and these will need some hard boiling, after soaking, before going into the slow cooker.
Today's plans:
B: bacon, egg and home made sausage; apple or orange
I would say this is a middle cost meal but all the protein will be very sustaining so I can live with that!
SW: free
L: I had planned yogurt and fruit but Beth (daughter) will be here so I might make a nice bean and veg soup instead.
This will be frugal. It doesn't take a huge amount of veg by the time it's all cubed up and the beans will be from a can of mixed beans I won last night! It's also dead easy.
SW: free unless I add some grated cheese; if I do that will be my healthy extra A
D: this is tricky as I am out for a 'do' at school and have no idea what sort of stuff they will have. I know it's not far to walk but I will drive as it will be dark and also it will keep me off the alcohol! If I don't have much there, there will be some bean soup waiting at home as I intend making a nice big pot of it.
SW: it might be free or it might not and I have no idea how it will work with the SW plan. Fingers crossed.
Thursday, 8 November 2018
Thursday, 08-11-18
Good morning.
After Tuesday's success with the butter beans, I started another batch of pulses, this time chickpeas. I hate being out of chickpeas and have only one little pot left. I did the same thing, soaked them all yesterday and then forgot to slow cook them overnight. So they are now on and slowly bubbling away!
I forgot to mention something I saw regarding butter beans. As you boil them, even slowly, they are prone to 'explode' so that the skins split and the fluffy insides get mixed with the cooking water and drained away at the end. However, if you add just a bit of salt to the cooking water (which you're not really supposed to do as it toughens the skins), it seems to prevent this from happening so the beans stay whole, even if they cook to very soft. Useful to know.
I do like to have a supply of different pulses to hand.
Yesterday's dinner was tasty. . .
. . . so here's the recipe which I made with no changes apart from using dried parsley instead of fresh.
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-garlic-lemon-parsley-chicken-goujons-slimming-world/
Today's plans:
B: boiled eggs and toasty soldiers, maybe an apple too
I usually do two eggs and two small slices of toast. A pretty frugal breakfast really, certainly under 40p and the bread is YS
SW: the toast will be my healthy extra B
L: fruit and yogurt
Probably an apple and an orange and some natural yogurt with stevia and a few blueberries thrown in.
SW: free
D: This will be after SW group so needs to be light or I won't sleep well. I might as well finish off the leftovers from the chicken pasta I had last week as that will be quick and simple.
SW: free
S: none today
Weigh-in tonight!
After Tuesday's success with the butter beans, I started another batch of pulses, this time chickpeas. I hate being out of chickpeas and have only one little pot left. I did the same thing, soaked them all yesterday and then forgot to slow cook them overnight. So they are now on and slowly bubbling away!
I forgot to mention something I saw regarding butter beans. As you boil them, even slowly, they are prone to 'explode' so that the skins split and the fluffy insides get mixed with the cooking water and drained away at the end. However, if you add just a bit of salt to the cooking water (which you're not really supposed to do as it toughens the skins), it seems to prevent this from happening so the beans stay whole, even if they cook to very soft. Useful to know.
I do like to have a supply of different pulses to hand.
Yesterday's dinner was tasty. . .
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-garlic-lemon-parsley-chicken-goujons-slimming-world/
Today's plans:
B: boiled eggs and toasty soldiers, maybe an apple too
I usually do two eggs and two small slices of toast. A pretty frugal breakfast really, certainly under 40p and the bread is YS
SW: the toast will be my healthy extra B
L: fruit and yogurt
Probably an apple and an orange and some natural yogurt with stevia and a few blueberries thrown in.
SW: free
D: This will be after SW group so needs to be light or I won't sleep well. I might as well finish off the leftovers from the chicken pasta I had last week as that will be quick and simple.
SW: free
S: none today
Weigh-in tonight!
Wednesday, 7 November 2018
Wednesday, 07-11-18
Good morning. :-)
The cheesy broccoli soup yesterday was so very good, I have posted about it separately. It would also be nice using cauliflower or a mix of both and the cheesiness was satisfyingly pronounced. I definitely had my cheese hit!
Ditto for the Spanish cauliflower rice. I had not great expectations of this and it looked most unappealing as you can see from the photo on the recipe post but the flavour was great and I will make it again. Stir frying seems to minimise the strong cauliflower flavour and it takes on board other flavours you add. I am wondering about trying a Chinese based one next.
Today's plans:
B: bacon, egg, potato waffle and mushrooms
I will get back to the oat-based breakfasts soon but right now I find the bacon and egg really fills me up.
SW: one syn for the potato waffle
L: cheesy broccoli soup, apple
Leftovers from yesterday's lovely lunch.
SW: healthy extra A for the cheesy part and the added milk - it's not really as much as that but I think it totals more than half so let's call it the whole extra
D: garlic, lemon and parsley chicken goujons, SW chips, side salad
I will need to zizz some bread for breadcrumbs but I won't use the lot on this. I shall freeze the rest for another time.
SW half a healthy extra B for the breadcrumbs (if that) and I might have some mayo too - that will be one syn for two level tbsp of the lighter than light stuff.
S: trying for none
I was of butter beans so yesterday I soaked a pack and cooked them overnight in my slow cooker - they're really a bit too soft right now but will be fine for mushing into burgers or for soup and I must remember to set a shorter time next time. When they are cooled I will open freeze them before bagging them so they are free-flow. A few added to a soup ups the protein and the fibre and imparts a lovely creamy texture when you zizz the soup so I always like having some available. Making them from a pack of dried beans is by far the most frugal way to go.
Just remember that you can cook pulses in a slow cooker BUT kidney beans need ten or so minutes of hard boiling in a pan to destroy enzymes that could otherwise give you quite a sore tum.
Pulses are great on Slimming World. They are free food and so very good for you. It's worth keeping some supplies in.
The cheesy broccoli soup yesterday was so very good, I have posted about it separately. It would also be nice using cauliflower or a mix of both and the cheesiness was satisfyingly pronounced. I definitely had my cheese hit!
Ditto for the Spanish cauliflower rice. I had not great expectations of this and it looked most unappealing as you can see from the photo on the recipe post but the flavour was great and I will make it again. Stir frying seems to minimise the strong cauliflower flavour and it takes on board other flavours you add. I am wondering about trying a Chinese based one next.
Today's plans:
B: bacon, egg, potato waffle and mushrooms
I will get back to the oat-based breakfasts soon but right now I find the bacon and egg really fills me up.
SW: one syn for the potato waffle
L: cheesy broccoli soup, apple
Leftovers from yesterday's lovely lunch.
SW: healthy extra A for the cheesy part and the added milk - it's not really as much as that but I think it totals more than half so let's call it the whole extra
D: garlic, lemon and parsley chicken goujons, SW chips, side salad
I will need to zizz some bread for breadcrumbs but I won't use the lot on this. I shall freeze the rest for another time.
SW half a healthy extra B for the breadcrumbs (if that) and I might have some mayo too - that will be one syn for two level tbsp of the lighter than light stuff.
S: trying for none
I was of butter beans so yesterday I soaked a pack and cooked them overnight in my slow cooker - they're really a bit too soft right now but will be fine for mushing into burgers or for soup and I must remember to set a shorter time next time. When they are cooled I will open freeze them before bagging them so they are free-flow. A few added to a soup ups the protein and the fibre and imparts a lovely creamy texture when you zizz the soup so I always like having some available. Making them from a pack of dried beans is by far the most frugal way to go.
Just remember that you can cook pulses in a slow cooker BUT kidney beans need ten or so minutes of hard boiling in a pan to destroy enzymes that could otherwise give you quite a sore tum.
Pulses are great on Slimming World. They are free food and so very good for you. It's worth keeping some supplies in.
Tuesday, 6 November 2018
Recipe: Spanish cauliflower rice
I wasn't sure about this recipe which I found here. https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/quick-and-easy/spanish-cauli-rice/
It looked a likely one to make Slimming World friendly and this is what I did.
Ingredients to make enough for a dinner and a lunch
spray oil
4 Heck paprika sausages, each one cut into five bits
a small onion, peeled, halved and sliced
one roasted red pepper from a jar (not in oil), sliced
two mushrooms, halved and sliced
about 20 frozen prawns (defrosted)
200g cauliflower, zizzed into 'rice'
smoked paprika
salt and pepper
dried parsley
soy sauce
(yes, I know the last is somewhat incongruous but it works)
I used my wok but an ordinary pan would be fine.
Method:
Spray the wok with oil and heat.
Add the sausage bits and the sliced onion and stir fry, mixing to prevent them catching.
Add the pepper and the mushroom and a bit more spray oil if needed and continue cooking. Keep the heat quite high and keep stirring.
Add the prawns, a good pinch of smoked paprika (to own taste), a pinch of dried parsley, some salt and pepper and a squidge of garlic and continue to fry briefly.
Then add the cauliflower rice and stir fry the lot for three to five minutes, stirring, until the cauliflower rice is cooked. Check the seasoning and adjust (but be careful with the salt because of the soy sauce).
Finally, shake in some soy sauce, mix well and serve.
It doesn't look great, does it? Rather yurky, in fact! However, despite my reservations, it was surprisingly nice and very filling - I could only manage just over half so the rest in in the freezer for lunch another day. And I can envisage so many variations, it's bound to appear again in some form or another.
SW: free, loaded with speed veg what with the cauliflower, the onion, pepper and mushroom, and also low in fat.
It looked a likely one to make Slimming World friendly and this is what I did.
Ingredients to make enough for a dinner and a lunch
spray oil
4 Heck paprika sausages, each one cut into five bits
a small onion, peeled, halved and sliced
one roasted red pepper from a jar (not in oil), sliced
two mushrooms, halved and sliced
about 20 frozen prawns (defrosted)
200g cauliflower, zizzed into 'rice'
smoked paprika
salt and pepper
dried parsley
soy sauce
(yes, I know the last is somewhat incongruous but it works)
I used my wok but an ordinary pan would be fine.
Method:
Spray the wok with oil and heat.
Add the sausage bits and the sliced onion and stir fry, mixing to prevent them catching.
Add the pepper and the mushroom and a bit more spray oil if needed and continue cooking. Keep the heat quite high and keep stirring.
Add the prawns, a good pinch of smoked paprika (to own taste), a pinch of dried parsley, some salt and pepper and a squidge of garlic and continue to fry briefly.
Then add the cauliflower rice and stir fry the lot for three to five minutes, stirring, until the cauliflower rice is cooked. Check the seasoning and adjust (but be careful with the salt because of the soy sauce).
Finally, shake in some soy sauce, mix well and serve.
It doesn't look great, does it? Rather yurky, in fact! However, despite my reservations, it was surprisingly nice and very filling - I could only manage just over half so the rest in in the freezer for lunch another day. And I can envisage so many variations, it's bound to appear again in some form or another.
SW: free, loaded with speed veg what with the cauliflower, the onion, pepper and mushroom, and also low in fat.
Recipe: cheesy broccoli soup
This was so good.
Ingredients to make three bowlfuls (one for me, one fr my daughter and one for tomorrow)
two broccoli stalks (after the florets have been cut off, finely chopped or grated
bit of onion, carrot and celery, chopped small
a vegetable stock pot and heaped tsp of vegetable bouillon powder
a squidge of garlic
white pepper
water
milk
100g Dairylea light
Method.
Put the broccoli, the carrot, celery and onion, the stock and enough water to just cover with a shake of white pepper, bring to a boil, covered, and bubble it until the veg is all soft. If it seems to be boiling too dry, add a bit more water
Give it a good zizz until is is all smooth. It should be quite thick.
Slacken with milk to the consistency you want and add the Dairylea.
Gently reheat, being careful not to bring it to a boil. As it reheats, the cheese will melt into the soup.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
This makes a thick, rich, creamy soup that is filling and satisfying. It's pretty frugal, the most expensive being the Dairylea which is just over half a tubful. This is balanced by the broccoli which most people would just throw out or compost.
I had it as it was but it would be delicious with some crusty bread or some cooked pasta as it has quite a macaroni cheese sauce sort of flavour.
Ingredients to make three bowlfuls (one for me, one fr my daughter and one for tomorrow)
two broccoli stalks (after the florets have been cut off, finely chopped or grated
bit of onion, carrot and celery, chopped small
a vegetable stock pot and heaped tsp of vegetable bouillon powder
a squidge of garlic
white pepper
water
milk
100g Dairylea light
Method.
Put the broccoli, the carrot, celery and onion, the stock and enough water to just cover with a shake of white pepper, bring to a boil, covered, and bubble it until the veg is all soft. If it seems to be boiling too dry, add a bit more water
Give it a good zizz until is is all smooth. It should be quite thick.
Slacken with milk to the consistency you want and add the Dairylea.
Gently reheat, being careful not to bring it to a boil. As it reheats, the cheese will melt into the soup.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
This makes a thick, rich, creamy soup that is filling and satisfying. It's pretty frugal, the most expensive being the Dairylea which is just over half a tubful. This is balanced by the broccoli which most people would just throw out or compost.
I had it as it was but it would be delicious with some crusty bread or some cooked pasta as it has quite a macaroni cheese sauce sort of flavour.
Tuesday, 06-11-18
Good morning.
Yesterday's soup was gorgeous.In the end I used a starter of onion, celery and carrot plus some sweet potato, butternut squash and butterbeans with a little pot of chicken stock I found in the freezer, a stock pot and a bit of marigold bouillon powder (because I reckon the secret to a good soup is a tasty stock). Seasonings were black pepper, a squidge of garlic puree and some chicken tikka spice mix.
I added a bit of water, cooked it all until soft and then zizzed it smooth. Oh, my word!
For dinner, I used the Pinch of Nom recipe for salt and pepper chips and extended to to make salt and pepper chicken and chips (which also had sweet potato, pepper and onion). It was so good and there's a bit left over for a snack today.
http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-salt-and-pepper-chips-slimming-world/
Scroll down nearly to the bottom of the page for the actual recipe.
Today's totally-back-on-track plans are:
B: breakfast roll with tomatoes on the side
That is a wholemeal roll with bacon and egg plus some fried tomatoes . I will spray and fry the split roll because it's nicer that way, I think.
Would you believe the tomatoes are STILL from the garden and the bacon is, or was, reduced while the roll was YS, frozen straight away.
SW: healthy extra B for the roll
L: cheesy broccoli soup, apple
I shall make the soup with the usual soup starter and the stem of broccoli, diced, plus veg stock and the 'cheese' part will be up to 80g dairylea light
The dairylea will be the most expensive part of this soup and the broccoli stem is free.
SW: the dairylea will be my healthy extra A
D: Spanish cauliflower rice
A recipe I found and I have no idea how it will work out so fingers crossed, eh? As usual, dinner is the more expensive meal but this one won't be too bad really.
SW: 4 Heck paprika sausages (instead of fatty chorizo) for one syn
S: fresh or frozen fruit (of which I have loads now - yay), leftovers from yesterday's dinner.
Yesterday's soup was gorgeous.In the end I used a starter of onion, celery and carrot plus some sweet potato, butternut squash and butterbeans with a little pot of chicken stock I found in the freezer, a stock pot and a bit of marigold bouillon powder (because I reckon the secret to a good soup is a tasty stock). Seasonings were black pepper, a squidge of garlic puree and some chicken tikka spice mix.
I added a bit of water, cooked it all until soft and then zizzed it smooth. Oh, my word!
For dinner, I used the Pinch of Nom recipe for salt and pepper chips and extended to to make salt and pepper chicken and chips (which also had sweet potato, pepper and onion). It was so good and there's a bit left over for a snack today.
Scroll down nearly to the bottom of the page for the actual recipe.
Today's totally-back-on-track plans are:
B: breakfast roll with tomatoes on the side
That is a wholemeal roll with bacon and egg plus some fried tomatoes . I will spray and fry the split roll because it's nicer that way, I think.
Would you believe the tomatoes are STILL from the garden and the bacon is, or was, reduced while the roll was YS, frozen straight away.
SW: healthy extra B for the roll
L: cheesy broccoli soup, apple
I shall make the soup with the usual soup starter and the stem of broccoli, diced, plus veg stock and the 'cheese' part will be up to 80g dairylea light
The dairylea will be the most expensive part of this soup and the broccoli stem is free.
SW: the dairylea will be my healthy extra A
D: Spanish cauliflower rice
A recipe I found and I have no idea how it will work out so fingers crossed, eh? As usual, dinner is the more expensive meal but this one won't be too bad really.
SW: 4 Heck paprika sausages (instead of fatty chorizo) for one syn
S: fresh or frozen fruit (of which I have loads now - yay), leftovers from yesterday's dinner.
Monday, 5 November 2018
Monday, 05-11-18
Good morning!
For dinner in the end I made some chicken, veg and tomato mix and topped it with ,my cheesy pasta which might have been a bit cheesier than if I was making it just for me. It was jolly delicious. Mum and Dad loved it and, because I had made loads (as I do when I'm staying with them), there were three portions to pop in their freezer as well. Excellent!
My plans today are . . .
B: yogurt (because it needs using up) and fruit
Still visitor-frugal!
SW: one and a half syns for the yogurts
L: spicy sweet potato and butterbean soup
I have butterbeans in the freezer (must do some more) and some sweet potato that needs using up. I shall do my usual onion, celery and carrot soup starter and probably use chicken stock. I'll spice it up as without something it will probably taste a tad too sweet for me.
Most vegetables are not super-frugal but not costly either and this soup is no exception
SW: might add some cheese for my healthy extra A
D: salt and pepper chicken, broccoli; fruit
I made the salt and pepper chips a week or so ago (I thought I posted about it separately but it seems I didn't) and thought then that it would be lovely with some chicken too. I shall have to make up some more spice mix but that's OK, it's dead easy.
I'll let you know how it goes. The chicken wontt be cheap but the rest will be fine, cost-wise.
SW: I think it's free but the actual recipe is at home so I will edit this when I know.
S: aiming for none today
I see there's no healthy extra B - ooops!
Tomorrow the soup will be broccoli as I will be coming home with a stem. Mum and Dad just chuck out the stem so I will make good use of it! Really can't waste flavour like that, can I?
Thanks for the comments yesterday - do keep them rolling in. :-)
For dinner in the end I made some chicken, veg and tomato mix and topped it with ,my cheesy pasta which might have been a bit cheesier than if I was making it just for me. It was jolly delicious. Mum and Dad loved it and, because I had made loads (as I do when I'm staying with them), there were three portions to pop in their freezer as well. Excellent!
My plans today are . . .
B: yogurt (because it needs using up) and fruit
Still visitor-frugal!
SW: one and a half syns for the yogurts
L: spicy sweet potato and butterbean soup
I have butterbeans in the freezer (must do some more) and some sweet potato that needs using up. I shall do my usual onion, celery and carrot soup starter and probably use chicken stock. I'll spice it up as without something it will probably taste a tad too sweet for me.
Most vegetables are not super-frugal but not costly either and this soup is no exception
SW: might add some cheese for my healthy extra A
D: salt and pepper chicken, broccoli; fruit
I made the salt and pepper chips a week or so ago (I thought I posted about it separately but it seems I didn't) and thought then that it would be lovely with some chicken too. I shall have to make up some more spice mix but that's OK, it's dead easy.
I'll let you know how it goes. The chicken wontt be cheap but the rest will be fine, cost-wise.
SW: I think it's free but the actual recipe is at home so I will edit this when I know.
S: aiming for none today
I see there's no healthy extra B - ooops!
Tomorrow the soup will be broccoli as I will be coming home with a stem. Mum and Dad just chuck out the stem so I will make good use of it! Really can't waste flavour like that, can I?
Thanks for the comments yesterday - do keep them rolling in. :-)
Sunday, 4 November 2018
Sunday, 04-11-18
Good morning, everyone.
I was pleased with yesterday. Apart from a couple of handfuls of fruit and nuts (not the chocolate bar, just fruit and nuts), I stuck properly to plan despite being surrounded by food!!
In the end, I made a soup for lunch. Chunky ham and veg, pretty much SW free and containing (takes deep breath) onion, carrot, celery, butternut squash, sweet potato, potato, peas, sweetcorn, mushrooms, ham and orzo. Oh, it was delicious! I made a potful so it fed three of us yesterday and there's enough for another meal today which I shall certainly take advantage of!
Today's plans:
B: either porridge and fruit or beans on toast as Dad has half a can of beans in the fridge and doesn't seem inclined to use them up.
SW: either will use by healthy extra B, either the oats or the bread
L: more of that soup - yum
SW free and packed with veg!
D: I have leftover roast chicken so I'll do a chicken and veg mix and top it with cheesy pasta (made with Dairylea. I'll do some veg too
If it works, I will post the recipe.
SE: The cheese will be my healthy extra A
Ss: fruit. I will try to keep off the nuts today!
Please feel free to comment, advise, etc. I love to get constructive comments and will always reply.
I was pleased with yesterday. Apart from a couple of handfuls of fruit and nuts (not the chocolate bar, just fruit and nuts), I stuck properly to plan despite being surrounded by food!!
In the end, I made a soup for lunch. Chunky ham and veg, pretty much SW free and containing (takes deep breath) onion, carrot, celery, butternut squash, sweet potato, potato, peas, sweetcorn, mushrooms, ham and orzo. Oh, it was delicious! I made a potful so it fed three of us yesterday and there's enough for another meal today which I shall certainly take advantage of!
Today's plans:
B: either porridge and fruit or beans on toast as Dad has half a can of beans in the fridge and doesn't seem inclined to use them up.
SW: either will use by healthy extra B, either the oats or the bread
L: more of that soup - yum
SW free and packed with veg!
D: I have leftover roast chicken so I'll do a chicken and veg mix and top it with cheesy pasta (made with Dairylea. I'll do some veg too
If it works, I will post the recipe.
SE: The cheese will be my healthy extra A
Ss: fruit. I will try to keep off the nuts today!
Please feel free to comment, advise, etc. I love to get constructive comments and will always reply.
Saturday, 3 November 2018
Saturday, 03-11-18
Good morning!
Today's food plans are . . .
B: porridge with fruit, natural yogurt and stevia
the perfect frugal and healthy breakfast for a chilly morning.
SW: free
L: probably a fruit yogurt and some fruit
Not a usual lunch but I'm not sure what Dad has in that would work for me. I find lunches always take more thuinking about and Dad usually has something bread and buttery or tinned soup, neither of which really work all that well with SW.
SW: one syn for the fruit yogurt
D: roast chicken, roasties, stuffing, roast parsnips and runner beans (probably)
As there are four of us for dinner, I'm roasting a whole chicken which will give me plenty of options for dinner tomorrow and maybe a soup for lunch too.
SW: I'm calling the stuffing three syns. The rest is free because I will use spray oil.
Snacks will be fruit.
It's an awful lot easier at home! :-)
Today's food plans are . . .
B: porridge with fruit, natural yogurt and stevia
the perfect frugal and healthy breakfast for a chilly morning.
SW: free
L: probably a fruit yogurt and some fruit
Not a usual lunch but I'm not sure what Dad has in that would work for me. I find lunches always take more thuinking about and Dad usually has something bread and buttery or tinned soup, neither of which really work all that well with SW.
SW: one syn for the fruit yogurt
D: roast chicken, roasties, stuffing, roast parsnips and runner beans (probably)
As there are four of us for dinner, I'm roasting a whole chicken which will give me plenty of options for dinner tomorrow and maybe a soup for lunch too.
SW: I'm calling the stuffing three syns. The rest is free because I will use spray oil.
Snacks will be fruit.
It's an awful lot easier at home! :-)
Friday, 2 November 2018
Friday, 02-11-18
Good morning.
First the bad news . . . half a pound on. Ooooops!
And the good news . . . that'll be gone by next week for sure! I shall make sure of it.
As usual, it's the weekend that is the root cause. Weekends are tricky because I'm not at home one out of two. I should be OK at my parents' and that's the bit I need to work on because I get all nibbly and drinky. The occasional going away is just one of those things and that's what last weekend was - just one of those things.
The other good news is that on my own scales (I still do my Friday morning weight as I have done since this whole gall bladder/weight loss started) and comparing with last Friday morning, it shows a pound loss! So there you go! It will all even out in the longer term.
Today's plans
B: another cooked breakfast - bacon, egg, mushroom and tomato
The bacon was on offer and the tomatoes are from the garden.
SW: free
L: cheese and onion toastie and salad
I got some more wholemeal on YS so it's now in the freezer. As Tesco says, every little helps! How true. Whenever I go looking for yellow sticker bread, there's always some wholemeal there. Works for me!
SW: the cheese is my healthy extra A and the bread is my B. I'm synning 25g cheese spread (two syns) for the inside of the toastie and adding some brown sauce for half a syn.
D: salmon, potatoes and veg. I'm not sure exactly what veg yet.
Baked salmon is a favourite dinner. I just wrap the salmon up in foil, sometimes adding some citrus and some spices, and bake in the oven while the chips or whatever are finishing. It only takes 15 mins or so and comes out deliciously.
SW: I sometimes have a bit of seafood sauce to have with it but maybe not this evening.
Snacks will be fruit and maybe a fruit yogurt
I've set myself a target for this month. I want to lose eight pounds in November. There, I've declared it so I have to now < grin >.
First the bad news . . . half a pound on. Ooooops!
And the good news . . . that'll be gone by next week for sure! I shall make sure of it.
As usual, it's the weekend that is the root cause. Weekends are tricky because I'm not at home one out of two. I should be OK at my parents' and that's the bit I need to work on because I get all nibbly and drinky. The occasional going away is just one of those things and that's what last weekend was - just one of those things.
The other good news is that on my own scales (I still do my Friday morning weight as I have done since this whole gall bladder/weight loss started) and comparing with last Friday morning, it shows a pound loss! So there you go! It will all even out in the longer term.
Today's plans
B: another cooked breakfast - bacon, egg, mushroom and tomato
The bacon was on offer and the tomatoes are from the garden.
SW: free
L: cheese and onion toastie and salad
I got some more wholemeal on YS so it's now in the freezer. As Tesco says, every little helps! How true. Whenever I go looking for yellow sticker bread, there's always some wholemeal there. Works for me!
SW: the cheese is my healthy extra A and the bread is my B. I'm synning 25g cheese spread (two syns) for the inside of the toastie and adding some brown sauce for half a syn.
D: salmon, potatoes and veg. I'm not sure exactly what veg yet.
Baked salmon is a favourite dinner. I just wrap the salmon up in foil, sometimes adding some citrus and some spices, and bake in the oven while the chips or whatever are finishing. It only takes 15 mins or so and comes out deliciously.
SW: I sometimes have a bit of seafood sauce to have with it but maybe not this evening.
Snacks will be fruit and maybe a fruit yogurt
I've set myself a target for this month. I want to lose eight pounds in November. There, I've declared it so I have to now < grin >.
Thursday, 1 November 2018
Recipe: crunchy chickpeas
I produced these this for my offering on Taster Night at Slimming World. There's lots and lots of recipes out there and several different methods so I took a bit of this and a bit of that.
However, this recipe has fallen foul of something I didn't know about - the dreaded Slimming World 'tweak'. I'm trying to get my head round this now but the bottom line is that although this uses 'free' stuff (the chickpeas), if you have them as a snack (which it is really), you may eat too much and slow the weight loss.
So - these were lovely and I will definitely make some for Christmas as they have got to be healthier and much better for you than crisps or Bombay mix but they are not for constant scoffing. Be warned!
Having said that, here we go!
However, this recipe has fallen foul of something I didn't know about - the dreaded Slimming World 'tweak'. I'm trying to get my head round this now but the bottom line is that although this uses 'free' stuff (the chickpeas), if you have them as a snack (which it is really), you may eat too much and slow the weight loss.
So - these were lovely and I will definitely make some for Christmas as they have got to be healthier and much better for you than crisps or Bombay mix but they are not for constant scoffing. Be warned!
Having said that, here we go!
Crunchy chickpeas
Basic method
You need:
Basic method
You need:
300g can chickpeas, rinsed and dried – the dryer the
better. I used kitchen towel.
Seasoning of choice
Spray oil (or you can use ordinary oil but remember to
syn it)
Method
Heat the oven to 200C or the
equivalent gas, whatever that is.
Place parchment on a baking tray and
spread out the chickpeas as much as you can. Put them in the oven for ten
minutes, then get them out, jiggle them about a bit and give them another ten
minutes.
Mix your spices/flavourings if
necessary.
Take the chickpeas out of the oven
and pop them in a bowl. Add the seasonings and some spray oil and mix it
all well so that each chickpea is coated.
Spread them out on the baking tray
again and give them another fifteen minutes, watching them towards the end,
especially if you've used sugar in your mix.
When they're done, turn off the heat,
open the oven door slightly and leave them in to cool down slowly. It all
helps with the crunch.
Sprinkle over any added seasoning
(e.g. icing sugar, salt)
They're best eaten straight away but
will stay crunchy for a couple of days (maybe more, I haven't checked!).
Store in an airtight container.
Seasonings
Thai chickpeas: (quite spicy)
1 ½ tsp Schwartz Thai seven spice seasoning (or to
taste)
½ tsp salt
(SW free)
Sweet and spicy: (just what it says)
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar
(use about ¾ of this)
(6 syns for the sugar – I don’t know how artificial
sweetener would work)
Cinnamon-sugar: (makes the house
smell of Christmas!)
1½ tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
(use about 2/3 to ¾ of this)
plus 1 tsp icing sugar to add when finished and cooled
(6 syns for the sugar, as above)
Or make up your own, Google for ideas (there’s plenty
out there) or use a favourite commercial mix.
I think the spicy ones would be nice sprinkled over a salad for a bit of crunch, or as a soup topping, although the latter might go soggy fairly quickly.
Thursday, 1-11-18
Good morning!
Yesterday morning I did my occasional thing of forgetting breakfast, what with one thing and another, so I had the bread for lunch with the soup, the fruit and yogurt as a dessert and the eggs went back on the rack again!
Today's plans:
B: a cooked breakfast of bacon, sausage, egg, tomato and mushroom
Not as expensive as it looks - the bacon was on special and the sausage is home made.
SW: free
L: fruit and yogurt
I always have a light lunch on weigh day
SW: one syn for the fruit yogurt
D: It's taster evening at Slimming World this evening so that will be my dinner. If I'm peckish when I get home, I will have some toast or something.
Ss: none today
As I said, weigh day, and the repercussions of last weekend are still making their presence felt so I am bracing myself for a little gain. If so, I know why and I know what to do about it so no problem.
Yesterday morning I did my occasional thing of forgetting breakfast, what with one thing and another, so I had the bread for lunch with the soup, the fruit and yogurt as a dessert and the eggs went back on the rack again!
Today's plans:
B: a cooked breakfast of bacon, sausage, egg, tomato and mushroom
Not as expensive as it looks - the bacon was on special and the sausage is home made.
SW: free
L: fruit and yogurt
I always have a light lunch on weigh day
SW: one syn for the fruit yogurt
D: It's taster evening at Slimming World this evening so that will be my dinner. If I'm peckish when I get home, I will have some toast or something.
Ss: none today
As I said, weigh day, and the repercussions of last weekend are still making their presence felt so I am bracing myself for a little gain. If so, I know why and I know what to do about it so no problem.
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