Wednesday. 31-07-19

Good morning!

Yesterday's food pictures.
No photos for breakfast as it was simply fruit and yogurt and none for lunch either because I was eating out.  I chose the 'lower calorie meal' of chicken and bacon salad.  It was a smaller portion and the dressing was a low or zero fat one but it was very tasty and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I also fell for four of Alex's onion rings but we won't talk about that!

Dinner was a new recipe from the SW 'SP Sensations' recipe book and I wasn't sure beforehand but (with a few modifications) it was really delicious.
The tomatoes and cucumber were from the garden so also tasted great.

So I think that even with the onion ring slip-up. I stayed on plan pretty well yesterday.

Today's plans are:
B:  banana oat pancakes with fruit and yogurt
I have half a beaten egg left over from yesterday's dinner so I will add that to the mix - waste not, want not, as the saying goes.  The banana stops it from being a complete SP day but not to worry.
SW:  one healthy extra B

L:  I was a bit puzzled because I had planned to make Nadiya's egg roll but then realised that I needed a healthy B and I've already used it up so I will have an egg wrap thingy instead - make a thin omelette to be the wrap and stuff it with a portion of my spicy turkey mince to which I will add some runner beans left over from Monday's dinner.  Then sprinkle over some grated cheese and melt in the oven for a short time.  As the oven is on, I might roast a few tomatoes to have with it rather than have them cold.
SW:  one or maybe one and a half healthy extra As

D:  treating myself to steak, cajun carrot wedges and coleslaw
I have quite a lot of carrots to use up before Tuesday so it's just as well I like them really.  The steak might be a sizzle steak or a hammered flat steak; either is something of a treat
SW:  one syn for the mayo in the coleslaw

Ss:  water, fresh fruit

Tuesday, 30-07-19

Good morning!

I didn't take any photos of breakfast - nothing special about two boiled eggs, is there?

Lunch was good and filling.  My own cucumber and tomatoes (some of them) and the whole thing was loaded with speed.  A good SW lunch.

Dinner was cheesy chicken with broccoli and runner beans and I have posted separately about it.
















Today's menu plans are:
B:  fruit and natural yogurt
SW: free

L:  Alex (grandson) is taking me to the Flyer (a local place that does Hungry Horse meals) so I will stick to something from the range that optimistically proclaims 'Under 600 calories' - probably something chicken-y.  If the Flyer is closed for food (it was last time), we'll go the The Hare instead and I will have a light something.  How I wish there was somewhere that did proper, healthy, calorie counted meals.  After all, there are plenty of things one can make.

D:  jumbo carrot patty with egg and salad or green veg
This is from the SW recipe book, SP sensations and I'll let you know.  I want it to be quite light because of lunch probably not being so.  I have some veg left over from yesterday so might use that or I might save it for a frittata and have a salad instead.  We will see.
SW:  free unless I have some mayo with the salad

Ss:  water, fruit


Blog news
I did a bit more work on this blog yesterday and have worked out how to have all the pages as tabs under the title as well as on the right hand side; like all these things, it was simple when you know how.  Today I'll finish adding any more SP recipes to the SP page and then it's just a question of keeping it all up each time I post a recipe.
So if you want to find a recipe, they should help.

Recipe: cheesy chicken

I've made this for ever although, admittedly, it used to be made with full fat philly or the equivalent.  It's dead easy and really nice.

Ingredients for one
spray oil
a small onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
half a red pepper, deseeded and sliced
a few mushrooms, thinly sliced
(or you could use any SW friendly veg really - thinly sliced courgettes are nice)
garlic granules
a chicken breast, sliced or chunked
75g primula light soft cheese (one heA)
(if you have a bit of real chicken stock in the fridge as I did, maybe drained off something previously cooked, you could use it here)
seasonings to own taste

Method.
Spray a non stick pan, toss in the onion, stir and fry until it is starting to soften.
Then add the red pepper, respray and continue frying.
Finally add the mushroom and garlic granules to taste.
When they are cooked, remove from the pan and keep warm.

Respray the pan and add the chicken.  Cook, stirring, until it is just cooked through and then add some garlic granules and give it another minute or so.  Then add the soft cheese (and a bit of nice jellied stock - optional but it is lovely) and stir it while it melts around the chicken.  Taste and season if needed (I just add a bit of black pepper).

On a warm plate, spread out the vegetables and then spoon over the chicken and sauce.  Serve with more veg (I like it with broccoli)

Mellollies

Daft name, isn't it, and a really simple idea but so nice.

You need a ripe melon and a sharp knife.
Cut the melon into quarters longways, remove the seeds and then cut each quarter sideways across into wedges.
On a baking sheet or tray that will fit into your freezer, open freeze the slices (I interleave with easyleave sheets so nothing sticks to anything else).
When the wedges are frozen hard, bag them.

What you have is something like lots of small melon ice lollies.  Hold each wedge by the rind and nibble away at the flesh.  Its sweet, cooling and very refreshing, the melon taste is not at all watery and one wedge takes long enough to eat to satisfy.

And - er - wash your fingers afterwards when you chuck away the rind!

Perfectly natural, no artificial ingredients and extremely SW friendly.

Monday, 29-07-19

Good morning!
Yesterday's photo diary:

Breakfast, and very nice it was too.  These oat waffles are filling and sarisfying.

Lunch (sticky chicken)  satisfied the old taste buds as well as filling me up for the afternoon.
I've now posted the recipe separately.

And I've also posted about the cajun steak sticky rice separately with a link to the original recipe as it was very, very good indeed.




In fact, the whole day's eating was great!








Today's plans and it's back on SP (more or less) for a few days.
B:  two boiled eggs and an apple
Just what it says and very nice too.
SW:  free

L:  tuna cheese mayo and a salad
Simple and quick.  I just drain a can of tuna, mash it with two tbsp superlight mayo and then stir in some grated cheese and I might also add a little bit of curry paste too.  I think I will pile it on lettuce 'cups'.   There will be plenty of cucumber in the salad as I have had to pick two more from the garden.  If you leave them on the plant, the seeds start to enlarge and and harden and I am not so keen on them like that.  They're OK but could be nicer!
SW:  one healthy extra A for the cheese and one syn for the mayo.

D:  cheesy chicken, side veg; fruit and natural yogurt
I will just stirfry onion, mushroom, pepper and chicken chunks and when they're all cooked I will add  and melt 75g Primula light and serve it with runner beans and broccoli.  Tasty and healthy, it's something I used to make anyway, well before gall bladder, Slimming World, rode over the horizon
SW:  one healthy extra A for the soft cheese

Ss:  Water

I have been working on the SP links (see the list of pages at the top right) and have more links added now.  I'm using it quite a lot myself when I go SP.  It's not totally completed but please do take a look.  For some reason, it's not showing as a tab which is a shame.

Recipe: Chubby Cubs inspired 'Cajun beef dirty rice'

I started with the recipe (link below) on their site (scroll down to find it) and adapted it to work with what I had to use/use up so it's not really theirs any more, nor is it mine, it is a collaboration!
http://twochubbycubs.com/2019/06/02/cajun-steak-dirty-rice/

I used:
one sizzle steak, cut into chunks
two bacon medallions, cut into chunks
nearly a whole medium onion, diced
half a thin leek, sliced across
one smallish carrot, peeled and grated (easier than dicing)
some green beans, topped, tailed and cut into small bits for quicker cooking
half a red pepper, deseeded and diced
a couple of baby corn, sliced across
3 mushrooms diced
some cooked edamame beans (from the freezer)
spray oil
2 tsp cajun spice mix
1 tsp Lea and Perrins
garlic granules
one red wine stock pot
200 mls water
one pouch of posh microwaveable rice (for convenience)

I sprayed a non stick wok and cooked the steak until it was just pink (very quick), then removed it to a bowl.
I resprayed the wok and added the onion and bacon.  When that was softening/cooked, I added  all the other veg plus some garlic granules and gave them a good stir before spooning in the cajun spice and the Lea and Perrins.
I fried all that on fairly high for a minute, stirring all the time, to 'cook out' the spices.
Then I added the red wine stock pot and 200 mls of water.  I mixed it well until it was boiling, reduced the heat, covered the pan and let it simmer for ten minutes.  Then I uncovered the pan, turned up the heat again and stirred while most of the remaining liquid boiled away.

I microwaved the pouch of rice according to the instructions, tipped it into the wok and mixed it in well.

And that was it.  Quick and easy, spicy and delicious

 I served it with some chopped spring onions sprinkled over.
It made enough for three of my portions with some green veg on the side.  One for now and two for the freezer!

Recipe: sticky chicken

You can find this on the Slimming World site but, as I was making my own version years and years before I discovered Slimming World, I have no guilty pangs about sharing it (my version) here.

Ingredients to serve one:  two and a half syns (that's for the honey)
one chicken breast, cut into chunks
one tbsp each of honey, soy sauce (I use the lower sodium version) and balsamic vinegar
between half to one tsp Lea and Perrins (to own taste)
a shake of garlic granules

Method.
A couple of hours before required, mix up the sauce ingredients in a non-metallic bowl, chuck in the chicken and mix well.  Cover and leave to marinate.

When it's time, heat up a non stick pan.
Tip in the lot - sauce and chicken.
Bring to a hard boil and allow it to boil away and thicken.  Keep stirring!  In the time it takes to thicken, the chicken will cook.
Don't leave it - the difference between dark, sticky and gorgeous and burnt/bitter is a fine one.

I had mine with salad but it would be nice with rice, with mash or couscous, pasta, veg, whatever really.  It's extremely tasty for such a simple thing.

I also used to do it this way.
Don't cut up the chicken.  Just marinade it in the sauce.  Tip it all onto some foil and wrap it into a parces.  Cook in a 180C oven for about half an hour, then turn up the oven to hot, unwrap the parcel and pop it back in the oven for about five minutes for the sauce to thicken.  As above, be careful it doesn't actually burn.

Sunday, 28-07-19

Morning!

Yesterday's photo diary.

A very tasty cooked breakfast!

Also a very nice lunch with a good selection of salad veg.






Hald way through the afternoon, I started feeling very bloated and uncomfortable and really didn't want any dinner so, as I'd already defrosted the steak, I bunged it in the fridge and I will have the dirty rice today instead.







Todays plans are:
B:  waffles with fruit and natural yogurt
Oat based breakfasts are my favourite and I've learned so many ways of preparing them since doing Slimming World.  There's porridge, baked oats, overnight oats, oat waffles, ordinary oat pancakes and banana oat pancakes, lots of different flavours, all of which I love.  Lucky me!  Apart from being very, very good for one, oats are also incredibly frugal, just about the best value breakfast there is so it's a win all the way to target!
SW:  one healthy extra B

L:  sticky chicken with salad; fresh fruit
I love the sticky chicken recipe, it's so very easy and I must post about it separately!
SW:  two and a half syns for the honey in the sticky sauce

D: Cajun steak dirty rice, fruit and natural yogurt
As yesterday and fingers crossed.
SW:  all the ingredients are SW free, which is great, although subbing the posh rice will add two syns (well worth it).

Ss:  water, fruit

BM:  not sure.  It's still pretty wet out there so I will see how it all goes.

Saturday, 27-07-19

Good morning.
I remembered to take a few photos yesterday.

Here's lunch; wrap pizza and salad and the drink is diet coke.  I haven't had a wrap pizza for ages and it was lovely.  The tomatoes and the cucumber in the salad were garden grown so, obviously, extra specially good for me!

Dinner was simple.  Salmon, chips and a sort of pickled salad.  I cut some tomatoes in half, thinly shredded a bit of carrot and finely sliced a bit of onion before mixing them with one tbsp each of balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.  It was really tasty and the residual vinegar liquid went surprisingly well with the salmon.

Additional to my plans, I also had wo Hi Fi bars for six syns.

Here's the SW friendly plans for today.
B:  a cooked breakfast . . .
. . . consisting of tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon, egg and a potato waffle.  I haven't had a SW cooked breakfast for ages and I'm really looking forward to it.
The bacon is part of a lot I got on special, brought home and de-fatted before freezing.  Sometimes it's cheaper to buy the medallions and sometimes to buy back bacon and trim.  This lot was particularly lean so there wasn't much fat to cut off, I remember.
SW:  the waffle is two syns and I will toast it so no added fat.

L:  tuna mayo salad wrap
Just what the label says, mix a small can of tuna with some mayo and make the wrap.  I'll have more salad on the side too
SW:  the wrap is a healthy extra B, the mayo will be a maximum of two syns and if I have cheese, that will be a healthy extra A

D:  Cajun steak dirty rice, fruit and natural yogurt
This is a Chubby Cubs recipe, found here.  I will use one of my sizzle steaks and one of my bags of posh rice (half a bag, I mean) to glam it up a bit and I have all the ingredients in the house already.  I do try to pick recipes for which there's no need to get anything (much) new or with easily substitutable items.
It should be nice.  If you've not come across their website, just to say it's somewhat 'earthy' in nature, they can be extremely funny and their recipes are great.  They take something of a pragmatic attitude to the SW regime with plenty of application of common sense and big flavours.  They have a successful history of weight loss with SW and were on 'This Time Next Year' when they lost a huge amount of weight in the year.
(and they're bringing out a cook book in the New Year)
SW:  all the ingredients are SW free, which is great, although subbing the posh rice will add two syns (well worth it).  If I add some grated cheese, that's my other heathy A.

Ss:  water, fruit and, after totting up my syns, maybe a couple of hi fi bars for six syns.

BM:  definitely a walk today.  I might take the car down to one of the parks in town and have a meander around there.  Weather permitting, of course - and it's looking very like rain right now.

Friday, 26-07-19

Good morning.
Thank goodness, the temperature has moderated and we have rain - actually right now as well as overnight.  It feels much fresher and more pleasant right now; a huge relief.

Today's plans are:
B:  banana oat pancakes, fruit and yogurt
My friend is going home today and, as she loved the banana pancakes, I'm making another batch for breakfast.
SW:  three and a half syns for the oats - I am synning them as I want my healthy extra B at lunch.

L:  wrap pizza, salad
I'll make the sauce with herbs and tomato puree and the topping will be bacon, onion, pepper, mushroom and baby corn
SW:  one healthy extra B (the wrap), and one or two As for the cheese on top.  If I have salad dressing, it will be one syn for two tbsps.

D:  salmon, chips, roasted tomatoes or tomato salad
I have a number of salad tomatoes that need using up so I will either roast them or I might make a tomato salad with finely sliced onion and balsamic vinegar.  The chips will be SW home made, of course.
SW:  free as I will lay off any dressing this meal

Ss:  water and fruit

BM:  It's cooler again so I might go for a walk - I'll see what it is like later on.  I can't this morning as my friend is not leaving until midday.

The weigh in yesterday was appalling.  However, I am not sure it was accurate as this morning I am four pounds less again which is more or less where I thought I should be.  I know - different scales, etc, but usually they are very close, mine and the ones at the group so . . . I don't know.
Four and a half pounds on.  Oh, my!  I've done nothing to support such a huge gain but maybe the extreme heat (at one point in the afternoon, Writtle was the hottest place in the country at just under 38C) caused some fluid retention.  I don't know, but I shall keep a close eye on things this week and I am sure I haven't really gained all that much so, although it was a shock, I'm not upset or downcast about it, just determined.

As I finish this, it is still raining and  - oh, there's a flash of lightning.  No wonder it feels fresher.  Good-oh - bring it on!

A recipe I'd like to try: tomato and red onion relish

In these days of cold things and salad, it's nice to have something to zing it all up a bit but most jarred chutneys are packed with naughties and comparatively high in syns.
So I was delighted to see this recipe, spotlighted in the blog owner's facebook page.

I was just wondering if anyone had tried it.  It looks easy, I have all the ingredients (or will have, once the tomatoes come in) and it looks pretty adaptable as well.

Here's the link?
http://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/tomato-and-red-onion-relish?fbclid=IwAR1A_8cZ7zbz11El2wmFzXxJNUw8vPijtPp-e-Ql1qnKLIunkZwoGz3eYSY
Any comments?
Do you know of any others?

Thursday: 25-07-19

Good morning!

Today's fairly provisional food plans (as my guest is still asleep and I haven't discussed it with her) are:
B:  Fruit and yogurt
SW:  free

L:  chicken salad for me; frittata and salad for her
I've taken a chicken breast from the freezer and I will bake it in foil and have it cold.  Much nicer than sliced cold meat from the deli and enough for two days/meals
SW:  two syns at the most for any mayo/salad dressing

D:  This I am really not sure about.  It might be tuna mayo jacket with yet more salad.  I will see what Al says so it might very well change.
SW:  syns for salad dressing, if that's what we have.

Ss:  cold water and lots of it.

Body Magic:  ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha . . .
Stay cool and as comfy as possible, everyone.

Meal planning will be back to normal tomorrow and, hopefully, it will be ditto for the weather.

Recipe: easier banana oat pancakes

I posted a recipe for banana oat pancakes here but today I made an easier version that needed an egg and they really delicious (not to mention more frugal with fewer ingredients) so . . . here we go.

Ingredients to make five little pancakes (American pancake sized)
40g oats
one egg
one banana
half to one tsp baking powder (how puffy do you want them?)

Method
Put everything together in a bowl and zizz with a hand blender (or do it in a food blender).  Or leave out the baking powder and make it earlier, then add the baking powder at the last minute.

Spray a non stick pan with oil and heat it.  When hot, pour in small ladlefuls of batter (my little ladle is about 50 mls) and cook on one side.  When they are turnable, flip them over and cook the other side.
Remove to a plate and keep warm, respray the pan and do the rest.

Serve with whatever you like.  I had berries and yogurt.  Maple syrup or honey would be nice too.

No photo but I will try to remember to take one next time I make them - no promises though.

Wednesday, 24-07-19

Good morning.

First of all, a recommendation.  It's Aldi's own brand - world wide foods quinoa. pumpkin and sunflower seed wholegrain rice, bought in sachets for microwave heating, two good portions per sachet, three if you're being a bit more frugal or careful, three and a half syns for the lot and, frankly, it is scrumptious.  I had some to accompany a home made vegetable curry and it was so good it's on the list for next time I go.
I can't find the price on My Supermarket but it can't be that expensive or I wouldn't buy it!
It was quite nice to not have to cook rice from scratch on such a hot evening and I'd never make such a tasty combination anyway.
If you like fancy rice, this is well worth giving a go.

The curry I made to go with the rice was lovely too but I didn't consider Slimming World while I was making it - after all, I have a guest this week.
It wasn't a recipe but this is what I did.
I softened onion, carrot, new potato and parsnip (all chunked) for a while, then added chunks of frozen butternut squash.  Then I spooned in some Patak korma paste with some cumin, coriander and garlic granules and cooked it out.  Then I added veg stock powder, black pepper and water and let it simmer.
Then in went some peas, broccoli bits, sweet corn and edamame beans plus some lentils and oats (for flavour and thickening) and some coconut milk powder.  I tasted and adjusted and let it all simmer down a bit until the vegetables were all soft and the sauce was thick.
It would be nice with chopped tomatoes but that's one of the things my friend can't have.
It was delicious and would be great for using up fridge rubble.  Really, you can add anything appropriate to it.

Today's plans:
B:  banana oat pancakes with fruit and yogurt
SW:  Half a healthy extra B for the oats (I'm sharing them with my friend).  It's only fair to say that the banana gets all mushed up and SW wisdom says that if fruit is pureed or mashed (or stewed) it should be synned.  Regular readers will know my opinion on that bit of  - er - well, yes - so no synning for me.  It's a measured amount after all.  No change of overdosing on banana!

L:   at the moment I'm thinking of frittata with onion, broccoli and smoked salmon - another useful recipe that accommodates all sorts of food limitations.  With a salad.
SW:  I won't be using cheese (another no-no) so just a few syns for any salad dressing.

D:  fish and chips
No batter on the fish (boooo) and the chips are home made.  With it, maybe peas, maybe coleslaw and maybe salad.
SW:  syns for any salad dressing

Ss:  lots of water

Body magic:  If it's as hot as they say it will be - as little as possible!

Really sorry it is all rather vague this week.  I know I'm not strictly following SW but there are reasons and it's got to work in the Real World where it's not always possible to have just what I want and when I want it.
I'm doing my best and I think it's OK.  :-)

Tuesday, 23-07-19

Good morning.  Apologies for yesterday's non-appearance.  I didn't have time first thing and then, once home, my guest and I went out and, one way and another, I just left it.

So - yesterday's food was
B:  fruit and natural yogurt
L:  tuna salad and an apple (a picnic)

D:  salmon, stirfry and new potatoes
And, as far as I can tell, the figures are:
about five syns for dressing
I nibbled on some cheese for a healthy extra A
no healthy extra B - bad me
Lots and lots of body magic as we walked around Hanningfield reservoir nature reserve.

Today's plans (which might very well change) are:
B:  waffles, fruit and yogurt
SW:  half a healthy extra B (sharing the waffles with my friend who is staying) for the oats

L:  egg mayo salad; fruit yogurt
As on the label
SW:  some syns for mayo, more if I make some coleslaw

D:  Maybe a veg curry with some fancy wholemeal rice/grains/whatever
There are a lot of food things my friend can't have so I'll have to use what she can have and maybe add a few more bits and bobs for me after hers has been decanted off.
The rice will make it non SP but that can't be helped
SW:  Free, I think.

Ss:  water, lots of cold water.

Body Magic.  I really don't know, it depends on the weather.

Sunday, 21-07-19

Good morning!

Yesterday's food was nice enough but I did lose it late afternoon and evening, sadly.  When will I learn?

One nice thing:  M (the teenager who is cultivating Dad's veg patch and sharing the produce with him) turned up the other day and proudly presented Dad with a round courgette, like this one. 

 I decided to halve it, slice and fry one half and leave the other half for another day.  I thought it was going to end up very watery and, indeed, a lot of liquid came out, but the flavour was actually very good.  I sprinkled grated cheddar over the slices and that worked well - so that was my healthy extra As!


Today's plans:
B:  overnight oats with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
SW:  one syn for the fruit yogurt

L:  salad and cold meat; apple
What with my cucumber and Dad's tomatoes, a few of which are ready to pick, it should be a delicious lunch.
SW:  one syn for some dressing

D:  corn on the cob; chicken, veg and, probably, some rice
It's one good sized chicken breast between the two of us - I roast it wrapped in bacon and then slice it and it does go a long way.  Dad is eager to finish off the last of the sliced yellow courgettes in his freezer as there's a couple of fresh ones that will be ready to pick in a few days so I will do them and add some grated cheese just because it's so very tasty!
The corn on the cob is also from last year's harvest.
SW:  one or two healthy extra As for the cheese

Ss:  water and fruit

Body Magic:  a walk

Saturday, 20-07-19

Good morning!

Yesterday turned out to be a really weird day, food wise.  I really didn't want breakfast at all and ended up too busy for lunch (and still wasn't hungry anyway).  I had great (and tasty) intentions for our meal out at the Millstream but on the specials menu I saw the words 'bacon', 'pineapple, and 'Hawaiian burger' and I just fell good and hard.  You know what - it was really delicious and I don't regret a single mouthful.  I had a black coffee while the others had dessert which was all I wanted.
It will have done a bit of damage, sure, but nowhere near as much as if I'd been eating through the day as well.

Today's plans:
Well, I'm at Dad's so there's a danger warning out!!
B:  fruit and natural yogurt
Dad always has a good selection of fruit in - we've always been a fruit and veg eating family and, with a few individual dislikes, none of us was a fussy veg eater.
SW:  free

L:  cold meat and salad
I brought over a cucumber from the garden and Dad has a good selection of other salad veg in so that will be fine.  I just have to check what dressings he has in.
SW:  probably free although maybe I will spend a couple of syns on some dressing.

D:  I have to see what meat Dad has in the freezer but, with it, we will have new potatoes, broad beans from Dad's garden (yum) and some other veg.  All pretty traditional really.
SW:  probably free.

Ss:  water

Body Magic:  A couple of walks, one to Tesco, probably, if there's any shopping to get, and the other, a bit longer, to the local garden centre to get some liquid tomato food.  If it's absolutely pouring, I will leave it until tomorrow but, if it's drizzling, I will dodge the raindrops!

Today's plan isn't really proper slimming world but it should be OK, calorie-wise.  Please cross your fingers for me.  :-)

Edit:  at Dad's request, it is lamb leg steaks for dinner.  Works for me!

Friday, 19-07-19

Good morning.
The bad news:  one and a half pounds on.
The good news:  I'm very relieved that it isn't more.  I'll accept that and move on.  Holidays with their related indulgence and a little weight gain are all part of real life and are pretty much bound to happen!
So on we go . . .

I ordered a fit bit thingy from Amazon which arrived yesterday morning.  While I can't use all its functions as I don't have an iPhone (yet), it does the basics of counting steps, which is what I want it for, and yesterday I managed over 7,000 steps without any extra effort - I was pleasantly surprised at that!
The main problem is that I can't set the clock/time on it so it is midnight at around seven o'clock, pm when it resets for the next day.  I'll have done most of my walking by them but as soon as I can, I will change it!

No photos from yesterday, just didn't get around to it but I will say that the cheese wedge inside the lamb burger was pretty amazing, adding juiciness and flavour.  I'm going to do the same with the rather dry turkey burgers in the freezer (when I use them, I mean) to deal with the not wonderful texture.

Today's plans:
B:  oat waffles with fruit and yogurt
Today I will try adding the cocoa and some coffee essence for perhaps a mocha flavour.  Might work!
SW:  one healthy extra B for the oats and one syn for the cocoa.

L:  while in Morrisons, I spied a pot of stirfry with edemame beans at 9p - yes, just 9p, so I will stir fry that in spray oil and then add some soy sauce or maybe some sweet chilli sauceand some 'salad' cheese (Morrisons lighter version of feta)
SW:  the feta is a healthy extra A and I'll look up the chilli sauce if I use it.

D:  Dad''s taking me out so no idea

Ss:  water

Body magic:  I will be rushing about rather today and  I'll have a walk as well.  Better than nowt!

Recipe: eggsagne

Ingredients for one:

250ml portion of spicy mince (any kind will work)
one egg
spray oil
two wedges of extra light cheese spread (I used Laughing Cow) - two syns or a third of a healthy extra A
40g light cheddar, grated (or 30g of the normal kind) - one healthy extra A

You also need a crumpet ring, lined with parchment

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C
Break the egg into a bowl and season.  Whisk well.  Using a mini egg pan and a few sprays of oil, make 5 omelettes, each using one tbsp of whisked egg.  Set them aside on something non stick.

Open the cheese wedges and cut each one in half.

Line the crumpet ring with parchment and place on a baking tray also covered with parchment.  Not a pretty sight but there's absolutely no sticking if you use the parchment.

Place one mini omelette in the bottom of the ring.

Then break one half cheese segment into small bits (about four bits) and dot them around the omelette.  Spoon over a quarter of the mince (it needs to be quite thick - if it's a bit watery, let it simmer until the extra liquid has evaporated or add some tomato puree).
Then continue layering with omelette, cheese spread, mince until there are four layers of each, finishing off with one last omelette.  Sprinkle the grated cheddar over the top.

Cover the eggsagne with foil or an oven-proof saucepan lid and bake for fifteen minutes covered and ten to fifteen minutes uncovered.  It's done when it's piping hot and the cheese has melted.

Carefully lift off the crumpet ring (it should just lift up easily but will be very hot) and slide the eggsagne off the parchment onto your plate.  Serve with whatever you fancy - I had coleslaw and tomatoes.

Spicy mince - I always make a big batch, loaded with veg, often with added lentils and some oats, always with canned chopped tomatoes, spice of some kind, herbs, stock, whatever I fancy really, as long as it is SW friendly.  My Instant Pot is great for this, using the slow cooked function.
I then cool it and decant it into some little pots I have that each hold 250mls which, for me is perfect for one portion.
Alternatively, you could use tinned mince or even pulses, chicken or beef in a sauce - just mush it down a bit.

This uses one and a third healthy extra As and is suitable if you are having an SP day - just don't have it with chips!

Thursday, 18-07-19

Good morning.

Yesterday's photo-diary.
Breakfast was overnight oats.  I don't fuss with it, no 'layering' for me, I just bung into a kilner jar (but a plastic pot or bowl would be fine) fruit, oats, yogurt and then give it a good stir before popping it in the fridge overnight.  It's lovely and refreshing the next morning but if you want to warm it up, it's good like that too.  It looks like I had loads but it's just that the bowl was really small - it's a  teaspoon in it, not a dessert spoon.  I had a bit of natural yogurt left after starting off my new batch of yogurt so I just plonked that on the top!  Waste not, want not!

Here's the sticky chicken for lunch.  It looks a bit as if it had 'caught' but it hadn't.  Another ten seconds or so and it would have though.  It really was very tasty and was under three syns including the salad dressing.

Dinner was the 'eggsagne' which was so very yum that I will do a separate post about it.  In the end I used one and a half healthy extra A's worth of cheese, half a syn for the mayo and the rest was all free.
Pretty filling too.

I also had some diet drinks, a nectarine, a satsuma and sparkly water plus some sucky sweets that cost me two and a half syns.



It was a great day's eating yesterday!


Today, being weigh day (I'm back to Thursdays now), is a lighter day.

B:  Scrambled eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms
SW:  free

L:  fresh fruit and natural yogurt
. . . as always on weighday
SW:  free

D:  lamb burger with coleslaw and salad
I found some 10% lamb on special so got it and froze it in 100g portions, 100g being an ideal amount for a nice, chunky burger.  When I shape it, I might try 'filling' it with a super light cheese wedge; I have heard that's quite nice.  I'll probably add a bit of garden mint to the mince before shaping.
SW:  the lamb is two syns, the roll will be my healthy extra B, the cheese wedge will be one syn (not enough to use it as an A) and the coleslaw mayo will be one syn.

Yes, I'm having quite a lot of coleslaw and salad right not - that's because I really like it!  So does Slimming World!

Ss:  water

Body Magic:  gardening, a walk

Wednesday, 16-07-19

Morning!

Yesterday's photo diary:

I tried adding cocoa and chocolate essence to my waffle mix rather than vanilla or almond essence and this is how it turned out . . .
It mde the kitchen smell wonderful.

So I shared it into two so I could have some later and had half with berries and natural yogurt.

It wasn't a huge chocolate hit, but one could always add more cocoa - at half a syn per level tsp, it wouldn't break the syn-bank and it was very, very nice.  So now I can make citrus waffles, almond ones, vanilla ones and chocolate ones!
It was very, very nice and I reckon some toffee yogurt on top would be fab.  Now I am wondering if I could add coffee essence instead of chocolate essence to make a sort of mocha flavour. Must give it a go!

Lunch was as Monday and dinner was also very nice but not photo worthy - slow cooked lamb, broccoli and green beans.

Today's plans:
B:  overnight oats
I used the usual strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with a cherry yogurt.
SW:  one healthy extra B for the oats and half a syn for the yogurt

L:  sticky chicken, salad
This is a SW recipe and it is dead easy.  Mix equal amounts of honey (two and a half syns per tbsp), soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, cut the chicken into chunks and marinate it in the sauce before dry frying in a non stick pan until the chicken is cooked and the liquid has gone, satirring often.  Someone made this for the last taster evening and it went down a real treat.
SW:  just two and a half syns for the honey and one for any salad dressing

D:  eggsagne with salad and coleslaw, yogurt and fruit
I will use a portion of spicy turkey mince, make some little omelettes, and layer them up with grated cheese on top.  Not exactly traditional but I reckon it will be jolly nice, all the same.
SW:  up to 80g light cheddar is two healthy extra As (but I won't have that much), light mayo is one syn for two level tbsp.

Ss:  water, sugar free drinks, fruit

Body magic:  a walk

I have ordered a pedometer.  Now that's a miracle, for sure.  The next miracle will be succeeding in working out how to use it!  I might be asking for help!

Tuesday, 16-07-19

Good morning!

Yesterday's photo diary:

Ooops - I forgot to take the breakfast photo until . . .

(it was nice though!)

Lunch was very satisfying  Those M&S skinnyburgers are nice (and, at zero syns, I thoroughly recommend them) and the bit of bacon and the mushrooms upped the flavour.  To get some 'substance' into the roll, I spray the cut edges with fry light and then pop them, cut side down in the pan at the end.  They crisp up nicely without using loads of extra oil and it stops the bun going soggy.

Dinner.
It's amazing how far two eggs, some cheese and a bit of veg can go.  I softened onion in spray oil, added yellow pepper, one chopped mushroom and ine slice of ham, cut into bits.  I whisked two eggs with a bit of quark, seasonings and 20g grated light cheddar.
The veg went into an oil sprayed ovenproof dish, then I poured in the egg/cheese mix and topped with another 20g of light cheddar before baking at 170C for about twenty minutes or so.
I had intended to have the lot but, what with the salad veg, coleslaw and potatoes, half was more than enough, so I'm having the other half for lunch today.  Dessert was a lemon and lime sugar free jelly with some yogurt sweetened with stevia and it was gorgeous.  It all was, in fact.
Just to cap it, the cucumber is my very first ever garden grown cucumber - mmmmmmmmm.
A very frugal meal really.

Today's plans are:
B:  chocolate waffles with fruit and yogurt
Yes, chocolate!  Morrisons cocoa powder is just half a syn per level tsp and I tracked down some chocolate essence which is free so I will give it a go and see.  I'll let you know - it might be nasty! 
(not my idea, I saw it on the Pinch of Nom Facebook group)
SW:  40g oats are one healthy extra B and two level tsps of cocoa is one syn

L:  quiche and salad.
As dinner yesterday.  In fact, I even have one cooked potato left so will have that too.
SW:  hmmm - one isn't supposed to carry syns over so I will say half a healthy extra A for the cheese and one syn for some salad dressing

D:  slow cooked lamb leg steak with a selection of vegetables (I have carrots, beans, broccoli and parsnips); jelly and yogurt
I just mix a bit of stock with a bit of water in a small roasting dish, lay in the leg steak, cover it with foil and let it roast for a couple of hours, quite low, checking now and again that it hasn't dried out.  It ends up melt in the mouth.  If I have mint sauce, I will make it with mint from the garden, balsamic vinegar and maybe a bit of stevia.  The dessert is the other half of the jelly I made yesterday.
The lamb makes it not a cheap meal but I used the left over holiday money to buy a bit of lamb because it really is a very costly meat, sadly.  I look upon it as an occasional treat.
SW:  three quarters of a syn for the jelly.

Ss:  fruit and water

Body Magic:  a walk.

Monday, 15-07-19

Morning!
Yesterday's 'back on track' had a few slip ups but nothing too demoralising, thankfully.

Lunch's  halloumi wrap was very tasty indeed.  I spread a bit of mayo over the wrap, then shredded lettuce, cucumber, tomato and dry fried strips of halloumi before rolling it up.  I shall definitely do that again - one portion of the cheese goes quite a long way when served in a wrap.

Dinner wasn't so fancy.  The tomatoey, fajita spiced, veg loaded splodge with some added haricot beans.  It was going to be some chickpeas but I forgot I had used them all up.  Must make some more.













I got on the scales this morning and yup, a bit of a gain but only three pounds which isn't nearly as bad as it might have been.  All that walking must have helped.

Today's plans:
B:  two boiled eggs; strawberries and yogurt
Can't 'afford' any toast as I need my healthy extra B for lunch and the SP rules don't allow you to syn any extra but that's OK.  Eggs are very filling.
SW:  free

L:  M&S skinny burger with salad; apple
I do like the M&S skinny burgers - they have a lot of flavour.  I might do a couple of bacon medallions as well - gotta love a baconburger!  And maybe a few slices of mushroom.  Mmmmmmm.
SW:  one healthy extra B for the wholemeal roll and a maximum of two syns for any mayo I have.

D:  bacon and mushroom crustless quiche, a few new potatoes, mixed salad, fruit yogurt
I'm going a bit off SP to have a few potatoes as I have some that need using up and anyway, they're lovely with quiche.
SW:  at least one healthy extra A, maybe a bit more, for the crustless quiche.  If I make coleslaw at lunch time, I will save some for dinner so that's no more syns.

Ss:  sparkly water, fruit

Body magic:  early morning swim, maybe another walk

Sunday, 14-07-19

Good morning.
Home, sweet home, and back on track!  I'm not even thinking of hopping on those scales until tomorrow.

Sometimes the simplest things are the best.  Lunch, tuna mayo with a plain salad, was very satisfying.













And here's dinner.  I made five tiny omelettes (with one egg, 15mls each mini-omelette) in my little egg pan, then I lined a crumpet ring with parchment to prevent any sticking and layered pancake, fajita mixture (left over from last week), finishing with one more layer of mix and topped with grated cheese before baking for about 30 mins.  It was really, really nice and I will use that idea again in different ways.

Today's plans are:
B:  bacon, egg, mushrooms and tomatoes
A jolly good SP breakfast and I'll ramp up the veg
SW:  free

L:  halloumi salad wrap
After last week's success, I stopped off at Sainsbury's on the way home to got a few bits and bobs and bought some of the lighter halloumi to give it a go.  I'll let you know.
SW:  at least one healthy extra A for the cheese, one B for the wrap and one syn for some mayo in home made coleslaw

D:  chicken fajita 'stew' (the last from last week) with assorted veg
It was a good and frugal thing to do - to use one chicken breast but loadsa veg and it has made enough for pretty much four meals.  I think I will up the protein in this last one with some chick peas from the freezer because I don't think it contains much, if any, chicken.
SW:  I might have some grated cheese over it for the other healthy extra A, it depends on how much I have for lunch

Ss:  fruit and sparkly water

Body Magic:  a good walk.  After last week's activity, I'd like to keep it going a bit.  We have country lanes around here and I could take note of where the roadside bramble patches are.

Last of all, I have notes of the planning until next hursday so I need to get them properly written up.  I'm pretty sure I have got in what I need so no need for much shopping.

Saturday, 13-07-19

Good morning!  I find I have time to write this up before getting on the road.

I have just one photo, that of lunch.  I made some oat-banana pancakes and had them with sugar free caramel syrup and some fruit.  They were lovely.  I'm glad I measured out the amounts I used and have posted the recipe as a separate entry.

Today's food plans:
B:  fruit and yogurt.
SW: free

L:  tuna salad
I have bits and bobs of salad left at the end of the week so I'll open a small tin of tuna.  An easy lunch for a busy day
SW:  up to two syns for some mayo (I love mixing tuna with mayo)

D:  chicken fajita wraps; yogurt ice
I had some of the chicken fajita mix that I made the other day.  It made such a lot because I loaded it with vegetables - onion, pepper, mushroom, courgette, baby corn and tomatoes.  I shall make a couple of egg wraps, strain the sauce off the mixture, wrap up the 'solids', pour over the sauce, add some grated cheese and bake until the cheese is melted.  Very nice.
The yogurt ice is the usual fruit from the freezer zizzed with some yogurt until blended and semi-frozen.
SW:  one healthy A for the cheese.  SW purists would say that I should syn the fruit because it has been blended.  I say not a chance!  It's a measured amount and there's no chance of overdoing it.  The yogurt might be half a syn if I use flavoured yogurt.

Finally, I saw this the other day.  Perfect for me as I go home after a week's holiday that started well, food wise, and ended up as a bit of a disaster (but a delicious disaster).  Back on the straight and narrow now.

Recipe: banana-oat pancakes

I made these because I fancied pancakes on holiday, had the oats but had run out of eggs.  I wasn't going to buy another half dozen eggs on the last dawa but one banana is a different matter.
It would be a great way to use up a banana (or part of one) gone mushy; in fact, the softer the better (within reason).

When you cook them, they're not like ordinary pancakes - fast and furious.  These need to be done slowly so that the batter cooks right through before the outside browns too much.  Before that happens, they are very difficult (impossible?) to flip over anyway!

Pancakes are frugal things anyway and these are about par for the course really.  They work with Slimming World and do make a tasty and filling meal.

Ingredients to make a good serving for one as in the photo:
40g oats, zizzed to flour
80g banana (I ate the rest but you could slice it to top the pancakes)
100g natural yogurt
10 mls stevia or other sweetener (or to taste)
a splash of milk if needed
half tsp baking powder
Fry light spray oil.  I used the butter version.
(you could also add some vanilla paste/essence for extra flavour)

Method:
Using a good, non stick frying pan, spray it lightly with Fry Light and place on a low to medium heat to warm thoroughly.
Place all the ingredients in a suitable container and blend together using a stick blender (or place in an electric blender).
When the pan is ready, pour in small ladlefuls of the batter (they should be about the size of a crumpet or Scotch pancake) and leave them to cook through for about five minutes.  You will know when they are ready to flip over because the top is setting.  Give them a shake - they should slide over a bit.  If not, give them a few more minutes and try again, maybe using a slice to help.
Flip the pancakes over carefully and leave for about three minutes for the other side to brown.
Carefully remove from the pan and keep them warm while you respray the pan and do the next lot.

One lot of batter as above made five pancakes for me and they were delicious with caramel syrup (Monin, sugar free), blueberries and raspberries.  They would also be nice with ice cream (syn it) or natural/flavoured yogurt.

SW info:
one healthy extra B for the oats (or seven syns)
semi skimmed is two and a half syns per 100mls - or use as part of a healthy extra A
all the other ingredients are 'free'
the banana makes this unsuitable for SP - use an egg instead

Friday, 12-07-19

Good morning.

Today, last day of my holiday, I had grandiose plans for going totally off Slimming World, just for one day, but now I am here I find that I don't really want to!! Interesting.

B:  I didn't want the breakfast I had planned yesterday so I will have it today instead - bacon, egg, mushrooms and tomatoes.
SW free

L:  I have some oats left over so I might make banana oat pancakes (without egg as I won't hgave any left) and have them with fruit, yogurt and a drizzle of caramel syrup.   Well, I'll give them a go and if they don't work, tough, but they should.  I've made them before
SW:  one heB for the oats (if it works) and if I have less than 1 tbsp of the syrup, I don't need to syn it.  Ditto with stevia.

D:  It HAS to be fish and chips, doesn't it?  Plus when I did an Adnams brewery tour earlier in the week, I came away with a voucher for a free beer or lager from their shop so I'll have that too, thank you very much.
SW:  haven't the foggiest and don't really care either! 
I read somewhere, someone gloating that you CAN have fish and chips on SW - all you need to do is swap the chips for mushy peas and take off (and throw away!!!!) all that golden, crunchy batter. 
Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!  That's not fish and chips!
Actually, you can.  Use breadcrumbs from your healthy extra B or syn them if you want white breadcrumbs and make chips the SW way.  It's nice but it's not the same as the chippy variety.

One of the effects of having a takeaway this evening is that I can get pretty much all the kitchen stuff/food packed and into the car at a leisurely pace this afternoon rather than either spoiling the evening or rushing tomorrow morning.

I'ver been thinking about the next six days.  Amazingly, I do have a bit of 'spending' money left over and, while I could pop it back into savings again, I thought I might treat myself to a few food treats - and by that I don't mean caviare and truffles, I mean, for example, a few lamb leg steaks.  I love them but they are terribly expensive.
It's been a great holiday but not a good week in SW terms, despite some good intentions.  It could have been worse though, had I not started with good intentions!
As from tomorrow, I am back on SP for six days and have started planning accordingly.  I find planning pretty good fun, especially as I have two aims - to be healthy within SW expectations and to keep it frugal (mostly!).  I like a challenge.
So, one more day of comparative indulgence and then back to normal again!

I may not post until tomorrow afternoon, just to let you know.

Thursday, 11-07-19

Good morning!

A few photos from yesterday's meals:

Breakfast - and it was, as always, delicious!

Lunch - salmon and rice salad and it was good too.




No dinner photo - I forgot!




Today's plans:
B:  bacon, egg, mushrooms and tomatoes, maybe an apple
That should finish off the bacon I brought with me and it's the last egg too.
SW:  free

L:  salmon salad roll, side salady things, yogurt and fruit
The other salmon fillet that I cooked yesterday.  I will mix it with some super-light mayo, season it and spread it on two halves of a roll with cucumber on top.  Lovely!
SW:  one healthy extra B for the roll and two syns max for the mayo

D:  Chicken fajita pasta
I have chicken left over so I will have that
SW:  a healthy extra A for 40g lighter cheddar cheese

Ss:  water and fruit

Body Magic:  lots more walking!  I will miss this in a few days' time

Wednesday, 10-07-19

Good morning.
Well, yesterday went a whole lot better in SW terms.

Breakfast.  The last of the fruit I brought with me.  I shall get a bit more today from the nice little greengrocers next door to the butcher's shop where you can buy most stuff singly and naked, not dressed up in plastic!

A chicken roll for lunch, accompanied by a selection of tomatoes.  Tomatoes are now beginning to taste of something again and these are lovely.  I might treat myself to another punnet to take home.  The chicken was tasty too, proper chicken cut from the breast rather than from bits stuck together.  I did enjoy it.

Dinner was lovely too!  I'd cooked the potatoes in the morning and decided to add a bit of crunch by cutting them, spraying them with fry light and giving them a bit of a bowning in t'oven.  It may be the first time I have cooked halloumi but it certainly won't be the last.






Today's plans are:
B:  waffles with fruit and yogurt
As before - and one of my favourites.
SW:  the oats are one healthy extra B and if I add some caramel syrup, it will be one syn max

L:  salmon and rice salad
I'm hoping that one of the little supermarkets will have a pack of salmon.  They usually sell in twos so I will have one for lunch today and have planned the other in for tomorrow.  If there's no fresh salmon, I will have to get tuna instead.
SW:  The rice may carry a few syns as it's a pre-cooked sachet, mixed rice and grains which are so delicious.  I might add olives and will need to syn them.  Any dressing will be at the most two syns.
I know it's all a bit vague - with three days to go and different plans for the last day, I'm looking to use up stuff as much as I can.

D:  chicken fajita pasta; jelly and yogurt
Another bit of a chuck it all in and see thing really.  I have some fajita spice mix and brought some dried pasta with me so it should work out fine.
SW:  should be free but we will see.

Ss:  sparkly water, fruit

Body Magic:  lots of walking, especially on the sand.  I shall miss this when I get home.  The streets of mid-Essex are nowhere near as inviting.

Tuesday, 09-07-19

Good morning!

Well, yesterday ended up a bit of a food disaster after a SW perfect breakfast and lunch.  Did I enjoy it?  Well, yes, at the time, but the enjoyment doesn't last and now I'm not feeling great about it. 
I am just ruling that line under it, I'm on holiday after all, today is another day and all that!

The breakfast bacon and egg roll was jolly tasty, I have to say, although yes, the roll is bigger than the statutory SW-permitted one, but I couldn't find any smaller ones and didn't want to get a whole loaf.

The crustless quiche was also very tasty (forgot to take another photo)
However, dinner didn't happen, not in any planned way, so I have that for today!

Here's today's plans.
B:  fresh fruit and a yogurt
. . . because that is what I have in this little appartment.
SW:  half a syn for the yogurt

L:  chicken salad roll
SW:  one healthy extra B for the roll and one syn for a laughing cow wedge instead of butter

D:  as yesterday - halloumi with salad and new potatoes
SW:  both healthy extra As for the cheese plus a few syns for the salad dressing

Ss:  water

Body Magic:  more walking.  I'm feeling a bit stiff with all the extra walking I'm doing this week which really has to be a Very Good Thing.

Timing is a bit iffy today as I have a booked tour thingy at twelve.  I'll have my breakfast later, maybe around ten, if I can wait that long, lunch around two thirty and then dinner maybe around seven-ish.  One thing I am determined on and that is NO NIBBLING and NO NAUGHTIES!  Yes, it feels worth it at the time but not afterwards!

Monday, 08-07-19

Good morning.

Half a portion of waffles with an overload of fruit (because it is holiday) and yogurt.

I saved the other half for a snack when I got back from my afternnon walk as I knew I'd feel hungry.  I had it, heated up in the toaster, with a Mullerlight for half a syn and a lemon and ginger tea and it was lovely.

I ate lunch on the beech:  this ham roll with some finger salad and then some blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.  I'm sure food tastes better eaten outdoors!

The perils of using an oven you're not used to - both chips and roasted veg were slightly overdone but not enough to spoil - those black bits on the veg are mushrooms which are dark anyway!  The steak was one of the nicest I have ever had, truly melt in the mouth, and I was too full for dessert, having eaten the lot rather than just half.











Today's holiday food:
B:  bacon and egg butty
I got some posh bacon at the butchers and intend to enjoy it  :-)
SW:  one healthy extra B for the roll.

L:  crustless quiche, tomatoes; fruit
While the oven was on for the SW chips yesterday, I knocked up a crustless quiche and will have it as a picnic with some mini tomatoes.  Looks nice, doesn't it?

SW:  one healthy extra A for the cheese in the quiche.

D:  halloumi cheese (fried but no added fat is needed) and salad, new potatoes; mullerlight
I've never cooked halloumi but it looks easy enough.  In SW it can be a healthy A, which is great.
SW:  one healthy A plus five and a half syns (because I intend to have more than just one As worth!) and two syns for salad dressing.

Ss:  fruit and water

Body Magic:  Yesterday's BM was three plus hours of walking, some on the sand, and after a rest the old legs had stiffened considerably so I must have been doing some good.  Today I want to go past the pier and up the coast for a while - that should unstiffen me!