Wednesday, 30-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day nine

 Good morning.

I thought it was time to be a Very Brave Girl and show a before and after photo collage.  Please be kind and excuse the mess in the background of the right hand photo as well as the very poor quality!!

The first was taken in October 2017 so pretty much three years ago.  The other was taken yesterday. 
I don't photograph well and hate having my photo taken so this is a big leap of faith for me.

Yesterday's photos:

Yum.  Breakfast was lovely and made up for the rain tipping down the other side of the glass.  :-)

A most colourful lunch!  The soup was tomato and red pepper.
Tomatoes, roasted red pepper (in brine, from a jar), bit of onion, bit of carrot, garlic granules, bit of chicken stock powder and that was that.  Boil it up, zizz it up and push it through a sieve.

Dinner was OK.  It would have been a lot nicer had I not caught the chicken.  Because the marinade had honey in it, the burnt flavour was a bit pervasive.  It was still OK, just not as nice as maybe I should have been.  The beans, picked an hour earlier, were delicious!  :-)

Today's meal plans:

B:  bacon, tomato and cheese toastie

OK, so yesterday I was bad and bought a Lekue microwave grill and I MUST try it out.  I'll need to cook the bacon first but that will take no time at all.  
As far as I can tell, I preheat the grill in the microwave for three minutes and while that is heating I construct the toastie, then put it into the grill and mic rowave it for - er - < checks instructions > - five minutes, it says.  I can but try!
SW:  one healthy extra A for the cheese and one B for the bread

L:  broccoli and stilton soup; fruit
This sounds a lot more lavish than it really is.  Here's the recipe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LOIWlKUWvY

It's a video but the recipe is under the video.
I have a couple of broccoli stalks (no point using the florets that can be used as a vegetable as the stalk is very flavoursome and would otherwise be thrown away) and the 'stilton' part is some Laughing Cow blue cheese triangles which I have in.  I also have thyme in the garden so will use some of that.
I won't want all of it so I will make it up to adding the cheese triangles, blend it down, remove what I don't need (to freeze - oh, dear) and finish off the last bit just before lunch by reheating and adding the cheese
SW:  The triangles will come to about a third of an A so two syns.  The rest appears to be free

D:  fish cake, green beans and broccoli; yogurt or kvarg

This is one of those fishcakes I bought from Morrisons that are, surprisingly, just two syns.  No idea how but I've checked them again and that's right.  Far be it from me to argue and the calories are OK too.

SW:  two syns for the fishcake and I may spend a few more syns on some seafood sauce as well.  Half a syn for dessert

Body Magic:  it's an hour of personal training today

Summary:  one healthy extra A, one B and up to seven syns

Tuesday, 29-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day eight

 Good morning!
Another NSV yesterday.  I was in town and bought a few things size ten!!  It still feels slightly 'wrong', if you know what I mean.  Naughty but nice!

Yesterday's photos:

Perfect post retail therapy breakfast and much more economical than Debenhams or M&S, not to mention nicer and more SW friendly!!

Yes, I was tempted but didn't fall.

A very simple lunch of scrambled egg on toast.  I had the other half slice of bread for breakfast; it's under the egg!

You can hardly see them but there's six meatballs in that bowl, plus a rich tomato and veg sauce. 

The red Leicester cheese makes it look nuked - I got it instead of cheddar because it is supposed to be a good melting cheese, which it is.

I used a whole pack of <5% mince to make a batch of meatballs and have several more portions now bagged and in the freezer.

I zizzed a couple of small onions and some small allotment courgettes in Thermione, then added the mince, some garlic granules, quite a lot of ras el hanout spice to make them vaguely Moroccan and seven syns-worth of breadcrumbs and gave it all a good mix on reverse (so it used the flat of the blades, not the knife side). 

It didn't take long to shape it all into meatballs - I used six and froze the rest.  OK, so it's more in the freezer but it's closed to the point of using than a big pack of mince and, actually, those meatballs were really rather delicious!

Today's food plans:

B:  bacon and egg muffin
, tomatoes on the side
SW:  one healthy extra B for the wholewheat muffin and half an A for some spready cheese on the muffin

L:  tomato and either red pepper or sweet potato soup; fruit
I will make the soup from a batch of tomatoes that are being Thermionated into passata as I type and have ingredients for both so decisions, decisions!
SW:  all free

D:  Jen's sticky chicken, protein noodles or rice, green beans; yogurt or kvarg
This is a recipe our SW group leader posted the other day.  It's soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey and garlic.  You marinate some chicken chunks and then spray fry it all until the sauce has thickened.  To it, I will add some roasted red pepper and some mushrooms, just because!
SW:  honey is three syns per tbsp, agave nectar is one and a half, so I may very well have a half and half mix.  The protein rice/noodles will be one syn.  I'm pretty sure the rest is free.  Half a syn for dessert

Body Magic:  Tuesday is aquarobics day - yay!

Summary:
half a healthy extra A and one B
up to six syns

Monday 28-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day eight

 Morning!

Yesterday's food photos

These are always nice, especially just after a swim.

I must definitely have corned beef hash again soon.  So satisfying.

Next time I will maybe add some mushrooms to the mix and, perhaps, some spice of some kind.

That's the last of the M&S mixed pizza slices in the freezer but I am sure they will jump into my trolley again.  They were really nice and very filling.

Not until I've manahed a defrost though and that means using up much of what's still in there - that should buy me some time.  :-)

Today's plans:

B:  a cooked breakfast
Bacon, sausage, egg, tomato, mushroom and one slice spray fried bread.  A proper cooked breakfast!  I think I'll be ready for it as I plan an earlier trip into town.
SW:  half a healthy extra B for the bread and half a syn for the sausage

L:  one slice toast with scrambled egg and cheese; fruit
It's that sort of weather at the moment!  Toasty comfort stuff.  Beans on toast yesterday and egg on toast today.
SW:  half a healthy extra B, one healthy extra A

D:  skinny mince meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce, protein noodles, more tomatoes, some sort of veg, cheese; yogurt or kvarg
Just what it says really.  I will add some grated courgette and onion to the meatball mix and, possibly, some breadcrumbs too as I have some that I made from crusts and dried in the oven the other day.  Not pure Slimming World, but never mind.
SW:  one healthy extra A, one syn for the noodles and half a syn for the dessert, perhaps one or two syns for some breadcrumbs

BM:  a walk around town

Summary:
two healthy extra As, one B
two to four syns

Sunday, 27-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day seven

Morning
In SW circles, there was quite a flutter of excitement when it was discovered that Tesco had brought out an 800g (bigger slices) wholemeal loaf where you could have two slices for one healthy extra B.  Nevell's. it's called, and I think I mentioned it a few weeks ago.  Great for toasties, sandwiches, etc, as the 400g loaf slices are just a bit too small.

I'm delighted to say that now Aldi and Morrisons also have a similar sized wholemeal loaf that SW has designated a healthy extra B for two slices.  Very handy for me with Morrisons more or less just around the corner.
Just thought I'd share that.

Yesterday's photos:

Breakfast bake:  very tasty and very filling!

Good, old fashioned cheesy beans on toast.  It looks like loads of cheese but it's just 30g, very finely grated.  

I went for more veg with the lamb shank.  It was very nice.

A bit of a browny orange day yesterday but all very satisfying.

Today's meal plans:

B:  pancakes or waffles, fruit
The usual although I might add a caramel style skinny syrup rather than a fruity one.  It depends on the mood when I mix up the batter!  The fruit will be from the freezer - I nearly bought some fresh raspberries the other day and then thought 'No, don't be stupid, you have loads in the freezer'.  See, I really am trying!
SW:  one healthy extra B.  The syrups are zero calories (or so it says) so I don't syn them at all, whatever SW says!

L:  corned beef hash, spray fried tomatoes, broccoli; fruit
There are as many recipes for this as there are people who make it, I suspect.  The way Mum made it when we were little was to use left over mashed potato and fry it up with some onion and some corned beef until the edges were crispy and crunchy and serve it with peas and ketchup or brown sauce.  A real family favourite.
I might do the same or I might make patties instead.  I'll use the 'lean' corned beef which is lower in fat.  It's not frugal; a small tin is expensive for what you get but it is just three syns, a price I am happy to pay.  Either way, it will be chopped onion, mash and corned beef with spray oil.  Plus the tomatoes and some broccoli left from yesterday
SW:  three syns for the corned beef

D:  M&S pizza slices, salad; yogurt or kvarg
I bought a box of mixed pizza slices from M&S several weeks ago, had three and froze the other three.  I can't discover the syns (it's bound to be high) but three slices is just under 400 calories, which works in my book so, with a simple salad, they will make a very acceptable meal.
SW:  I really can't say for the pizza, if I have mayo on the salad it will be one syn and the dessert will be half a syn

Body Magic:  I have a swim booked for nine today

Summary:
one healthy extra B and the cheese on the pizza slices will account for at least one A
no idea about the syns - I probably wouldn't want to know anyway but knowing about the calories means that I am confident that it will be OK.

Saturday, 26-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day six

 Morning!
As you might have noticed, I have stopped giving calories for now.  It's impossible at the moment while I am eating old home made 'ready' meals from the freezer as I really can't remember what I put in them and how much.  Just about everything is labelled with the SW values and that's really what I need.

What have I learnt/gained? 
Well, in one way, not much, because I don't think I experienced anything really new.  It was the uncertainty about how many actual calories I was consuming in a 'free food' system that started me counting and it has certainly helped me to get a more sensible balance into my day's eating.  It reinforced that when I have the classic 'carbs' (rice, bread, pasta, etc), I really ought to measure out small portions and to have the wholemeal/grain versions.  The calories aren't that different but I feel I am gaining some kind of nutritional value from them.  Also, I like them better - they're more satisfying and more filling so I don't need as much before I feel I have had enough.
Fats, the other higher calorie thing, are already self limiting for health reasons so, thankfully, they are not the ongoing 'problem' nowadays that they have been in the past.

I'm really glad I went into calories in more detail for a time.  The specific knowledge gained is helping me a lot now and I do still check things in WLR, I just don't report them in here very much.

So for now the focus seems to be on lean protein, lots of fruit and veg and smaller, sensible amounts of more healthy carbs and fats which I measure out very carefully.  I prefer to use any syns on protein snacks or healthy extras, not chocolate and crisps, which can only be a Good Thing.  Almost always, that is - there will be times . . . 

Yesterday's meal photos:

Fluffy wholewheat pancakes with some 'breakfast fruit' from the freezer and no syrup/nectar added.  Lovely and filling.

I changed lunch slightly.  I was going to have a fish finger salad wrap but I remembered I had some chargrilled chicken in the fridge that needed using, so I did!

I can have fish fingers another day.

Dinner.  The steak wasn't as big as it looks because I battered it out to thin (cooks faster for a start) but it was the perfect amount really.  The salad was naked and I thing the naughtiest thing in the whole meal was the burger sauce at two and a half syns!

Today's meal plans:

B:  breakfast bake
This is sausage, bacon, beans, mushrooms and tomatoes, all cooked and mixed together, with actifried potato cubes on top, popped in the oven to finish and heat to piping hot.  SP it ain't!
SW:  half a syn for the Aldi skinny sausage and two syns for one tsp of oil for the actifry

L:  cheesy beans on toast; fruit
This is partly to use up the beans and partly because I can feel the 'need' for more comforting meals as the days get shorter, the nights get longer and, generally, the temperatures drop.
SW:  one healthy extra A for 30g grated cheese, half of another A for two wedges of Laughing Cow light to spread on the toast and one B for 2 slices of wholemeal bread

D:  an Aldi lamb shank, new potatoes, broccoli, sprouts, maybe some green beans; yogurt or kvarg
I do love the Aldi lamb shanks, cooked from frozen and giving not only a very decent portion of lamb (remove all the fat though) but also a tasty gravy to pour over the veg for no more syns.
SW:  two and a half syns for the lamb shank and half a syn for the dessert.  The rest is speed or free

BM:  not sure, maybe just a little walk.

Summary:
one and a half healthy extra As and one B
five syns

Friday, 25-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day five

 Good morning.
One pound on at weigh in and not in the least surprising.  However, I've gone from half a pound below target to half a pound above, which is nothing really, so I'm happy.

Yesterday's photos.

I totally forgot about breakfast as I was busy doing this, that and the other and didn't realise until nearly twelve.  By that time and with a friend arriving soon, I decided to wait until lunch.  The friend stayed for lunch so no photo, but . . .

. . . I would like to recommend this if you happen to be in Morrisons.  It is really very nice indeed and is just one syn for the whole bottle.  Jackie and I both liked it very much.

This was dinner.  It looks a bit dull but it wasn't, it was tasty.  Not fancy in any way but the flavours were good.

Today's plans:

B:  fruity pancakes or waffles
It's pretty much the same batter so I don't have to decide until just before making them.  I think I'll use some of the bag of mixed 'breakfast fruit' from the freezer and I might add a few frozen raspberries as well.
SW:  one healthy extra B for the fruit and one syn for a splash of milk if the mixture is too thick

L:  fish finger salad wrap with extra salad on the side; fruit
I so enjoyed this several days ago!  The wrap will have mayo spread over it, with shredded lettuce and  the cooked fish fingers before rolling it all up.
SW:  six syns for the fish fingers, one healthy extra B for the wrap (or maybe a pitta), two syns for mayo in the wrap and on the salad 

Afternoon snack:  three babybel lights
If I have a snack, that is.
SW:  one healthy extra A

D:  steak with burger sauce, actifried SW-friendly chips and, probably, a salad; kvarg or yogurt
The sauce is one tbsp each of tomato puree, mayo and mustard ketchup.  It's delicious
SW:  two and a half syns for the sauce, two for one tsp oil for the actifry and half a syn for the dessert

Body Magic:  another rest day - I'm feeling very tired today.  I might go for a walk later on

Summary:
one healthy extra A and two Bs
fourteen syns

Thursday, 24-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day four

 Good morning
It's Thursday so weigh day!  Last weekend was a bit 'naughty' but overall I am reasonably confident that I'm still hovering around the target range.  I'll let you know tomorrow.

I follow several vlogs on YouTube now and one of the vloggers, Tracey Mouse, often refers to her planning file, showing the day's record.  I've admired the record sheet, it's simple and complete and works so well with the Slimming World structure so I've been looking out for it on places like Amazon with no luck.
The other day she referred to it and it appeared that she and her husband designed and made the sheets so small wonder I couldn't find it.  I'm obviously not the only one to have admired it so she showed a full page so that people who were interested could design their own.  So that's what I've done and I've treated myself to an A5 file and plastic pockets to store everything.

Here it is, in case anyone is interested - you might have to reduce the page margins down to nothing so it sits properly on the page.  I just fold in half rather than cutting.

I hope the quality is OK - it was a screen shot 

Yesterday's photos.

Always a nice breakfast, this one, and the tomatoes are so tasty!  They're the ones from the seeds I won in the SW raffle and I must see if I can track down some more seeds for next year.

Lunch.  Very tasty but next time I will add some onion chutney or similar for extra ooomph.

Dinner:  chick pea and veg curry with green beans.  More filling than it looks and very flavoursome although not particularly hot.

Today's meals:

B:  fruit and yogurt
The usual weighday breakfast - nothing too 'heavy'
SW:  half a syn for the yogurt, if I have Mullerlight

L:  tomato and sweet potato soup; fruit
I have a friend round for lunch so I've made this soup.  It's the same as the one I made for Dad last weekend and its lovely (I think).
SW:  I believe this is all  SW free

D:  fish, new potatoes, a couple of vegetables, most likely green beans and sprouts; kvarg or yogurt
I have a small selection of breaded fish in the freezer - I'll probably go for my favourite, plaice, either for celebration or consolation!
SW:  the fish is eight and a half syns.  The dessert will be half a syn.

Body Magic:  a rest day today because although it's a pleasant day, it's going to be a busy day with not much spare time.

Summary:
ooops - no healthy extras
nine and a half syns

Wednesday, 23-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day three

 Good morning.
It's early days, I know, but already there are a few satisfying gaps in the chest freezer.  There's a way to go but it's a good start!
Over the weekend, I need to brave to icy depths and rootle right down to the bottom to see what emerges!  I have totally forgotten what's down there - shocking!

Yesterday's meal photos:

The egg and bacon muffin for breakfast set me up for swimming very nicely!

Lunch was pizza topped chicken - delicious!

I decided not to have any rice with the chilli; it was lovely with beans instead.

I will need to go down and pick some more today - there will be plenty ready.

Today's meal plans:

B:  mushroom omelette, spray fried tomatoes on the side

. . . using my trusty omelette maker!  I might add 15g not-Parmesan for extra flavour.  The one meal today that has nothing from the freezer, ooops!

SW:  half a healthy extra A

L:  BLT sandwich or roll, side salad; apples

Got to love a BLT!  I'll probably spread the bread with some Primula light before making the sandwich up.  The bread is from the freezer - when I buy loaves, I separate them into two slice portions before freezing.  

SW:  one healthy extra B, half an A and a couple of syns for some super light mayo

D:  some sort of curry, chickpea dahl, green beans; yogurt or kvarg

I have several portions of curry in the freezer so I'll probably play lucky dip and see what comes up.  The dahl is canned and there will likely be some left over but never mind.  The green beans just go on and on and are so delicious.  No complaints here and, of course, they're very frugal, especially when you consider what they change in M&S or Waitrose for 'fine beans'!

SW:  the curry is probably free, the dhal definitely is and the beans too.  Half a syn for the dessert!

Body Magic:  Wednesday is personal training day!  Looking forward to it.

Summary:
one healthy extra A and one B - perfect!

two and a half syns, possibly a bit more, depending on which curry I use.

Tuesday, 22-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer day two

 Morning.
That title makes the week look as if it's something special - it really isn't, it's just that I have to free up some freezer space and it will remind me to plan in as much freezer food as I can.

Yesterday's photos:

This was gorgeous (as it almost always is)  I used unicorn skinny syrup for the pancakes (a citrus flavour) and treated myself to a tbsp of agave nectar (two syns) as a treat.  I'm glad I did!

The tuna salad wrap went down a real treat!  Simply a can of tuna, 30g super light mayo and some lettuce, spread over the wrap which was then rolled up, wrapped and chilled until lunch time.

One could put all sorts of bits and bobs in it - I chose to have it simple.

And dinner, while I wouldn't call it a sweet and sour in the traditional sense, is something I will make again for sure; it was very tasty indeed.  I added some courgettes slices and found some cooked basmati rice in the freezer - two pots, in fact, so the other will do today with the chilli.

The recipe was adapted so no skewers!

Here's the link to the recipe again.  It's a YouTube video

Today's meal plans:

B:  bacon and egg muffin with tomatoes on the side
I noticed, while rootling in the freezer for the thins last week, that I had a couple of wholemeal muffins from goodness knows when so they need using up.  As for the tomatoes - well, I stopped off at the allotment on the way home yesterday and picked loads and then I picked a big bowlful when I got home from the garden.  The more I use fresh, the less I will need to freeze.  Yes, I want to freeze some, but it's space!

SW:  one healthy extra B for the muffin and I might have a tbsp Crucials barbecue sauce for half a syn

L:  pizza topped chicken, lots more tomatoes on the side; apples

If you have access to Lifeline Online (the SW site), here is the recipe.  Basically it is hunter's chicken under a different name and the sauce is not so spicy.  It's one of those where I can get everything ready in advance and pop it in t'oven half an hour before needed.

SW:  one heathy extra A

D:  chilli con carne, basmati rice, green beans; kvarg or yogurt

I made the chilli last week and froze four portions, taking the rest over to Dad's.  The rice is also from the freezer and the green beans are what the allotment is so generously providing in abundance at the moment.

SW:  one syn for the chilli and half for the dessert.

Body Magic:  it's Tuesday so it has to be aquarobics!

Summary:

one healthy extra A and one B

three syns

I'm not worrying about calories just now.  Not everything in the freezer has calories values written on the container but they do pretty much have SW values.  I can't remember how I made much of what's in there now so it's just SW during Eat From The Freezer week.

Monday, 21-09-20 - Eat From The Freezer

 Good morning

After a bit more indulgence yesterday, it's back on the wagon today, good and proper.

This week (and maybe next week as well) is going to have an Eat From The Freezer theme.  I have so much in the freezers and, because of all the tomato harvesting, I'm running out of space.  Also, thye need defrosting and it's a lot easier when there's less food in them.

Today's plans are:
B:  fruity pancakes
As always, same recipe, using fruit from the freezer
SW:  one healthy extra B and half a syn if I use a Mullerlight

L:  tuna salad wrap with finger salad; apples

I ummed and ahed about making an egg wrap but decided to stick with the eat from the freezer where there are way too many wraps for comfort.  Yes, it's another healthy extra B but the calories are about the same.

SW:  one B, one syn for super light mayo

D:  sweet and sour chicken, protein rice, green beans; kvarg

This is a recipe I found on You Tube, here.  Eat Skinny Live is quite a useful channel with SW friendly recipes that are not too complicated, don't use too many ingredients, are generally likeable and pretty adaptable.

I will adapt this as I don't want skewers, spray frying the onion and the red pepper and having it with some protein rice and some dwarf green beans from the allotment where they are growing very well at present.  The chicken and the pineapple are both from the freezer and I will eat the picking of beans so they don't need to go in the freezer!

SW:  the protein rice is one syn and the rest of the main appears to be free.  Half a syn for the kvarg

Body Magic:  I'm not sure as when I get home, I will be quite busy.  I do need to plant out some bulbs so maybe that will have to be it.

Summary:

no healthy extra As but two Bs

three syns

Sunday, 20-09-20

 Morning!

I don't have any photos but the meals yesterday worked out fine. 

For the lunchtime soup. I used all the split tomatoes from the allotment and Dad's garden, a leek and some rather sad little carrots, also from Dad's garden and a can of chopped tomatoes plus some chunks of butternut squash from the freezer.  I boiled it all up with a stock pot, some garlic, a few herbs,  seasonings, tomato puree, chilli puree, some soy sauce and some lea and perrins.  It sounds more complicated than it really was;  I just used what I saw really.  I blended it and pushed it through a sieve and it was really lovely.  Even on warmer days, once the leaves start falling soup feels 'right', doesn't it? 

Dinner ended up as breaded plaice, a potato waffle and some peas and I ended up within syns.  A good day yesterday.

Today's food plans:

B:  two apples and some kvarg
The apples are allotment apples which are now sweet and juicy!

SW:  half a syn for the kvarg

L:  probably cold meat and salad; fruit

There wasn't enough soup left to carry over to today, sadly.  He likes salads though - it's a good excuse to load up with all the pickles he loves so much!

SW:  probably a healthy extra A for some cheese and a B for either bread or crackers plus a syn for some mayo.  

Afternoon snack:  two babybel lights and an apple or other piece of fruit

I wish they sold babybels in sixes, not fives!

SW:  two thirds of a healthy extra A!

D:  roast chicken dinner with sprouts, green beans, roasties and stuffing

When it's just Dad and me, I don't roast a whole chicken, I use a good sized chicken breast, wrap bacon around it and roast it like that.  I have bought some stuffing mix with me and will add to it some chopped onion and the contents of one sausage.  I would normally do roasties in the actifry but this time they will go in the oven with the chicken and the stuffing.  The beans are dwarf beans from the allotment and the sprouts are from a bag from Morrisons!  :-)

SW:  now there's a question.  The chicken and the vegetables are free but I have no idea of the sausage as it's from the local butcher who makes his own and isn't happy if you mention the C word.  However, they are high meat sausages, great quality, so won't be all that bad.  I think I will say five syns for the stuffing which is probably a bit high but, to be on the safe side. . .

Body Magic:  I didn't go out yesterday so I really ought to today!

Summary:  (a very rough estimation today)
under two healthy extra As and one B
six and a half syns

Saturday, 19-09-20

 Good morning!

Yesterday's meal photos:

Breakfast was lovely.  The ingredients were 40g wholemeal SR flour, one egg, a toffee Mullerlight, two capfuls of chocolate caramel skinny syrup, a quarter tsp of baking powder, one kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced, one orange, peeled and segmented and a drizzle of choc shot.

Mix the flour, egg, half the Mullerlight, the syrup and the baking powder and 'waffleate' it however you usually make waffles (or make pancakes instead).  Serve with the rest of the yogurt, the orange, kiwi and choc shot.

Simply delicious.

This was also so good.  Fish finger salad wrap with some nibbly salad on the side.

How could I have gone so long without making this?

No explanation/recipe needed and I simply cooked the fish fingers in the oven.

Dinner was the chilli con carne, eaten with Dad and very much enjoyed.  There's now four portions, two with rice and two without, in his freezer as well as the four portions at home - it certainly made 500g mince go a long way!

Today's meal plans:
B:  fruit and yogurt or kvarg

I brought several apples from the allotment with me and Dad has fruit too so I am spoilt for choice
SW:  half a syn for the yogurt or kvarg

L:  home made tomato soup, bread to dunk; fruit

I popped into the allotment on the way over to Dad's and came out with a bagful of tomatoes among other things so I will use that to make some tomato soup for me and Dad for lunch.

SW:  one healthy extra B for the bread.  I think the rest will be free or speed/free

Afternoon snack:  three mini babybel lights

I don't usually now but I will probably need a shack between lunch and dinner as I'm not keeping to restricted eating times this weekend.

SW:  one healthy extra A

D:  fish, chips and peas; kvarg or yogurt

I know I had this two nights ago but Dad requested it and I'm always happy to have it.

SW:  the fish will be around eight syns and I'm not sure about whatever chips Dad has in the freezer.  Mayo will be around one syn and half a syn for the dessert.

Body Magic:  probably a walk - I might take a trip to the garden centre to see what, if anything, they've got.

There's no point in doing a summary as there's too many variables but, even if the evening chips are a bit synful, I should be OK today.

Friday, 18-09-20

 Good morning!
After shoving some portions of chilli con carne in the freezer yesterday, I realised that it's getting rather full again so net week is going to be an 'eat from my freezer' week as much as possible.
I also seem to have rather too many wraps so . . .

I gained half a pound at yesterday's weigh in.  That's fine, I'm still below target and that's how it's going to be and why SW 'allows' 3 lbs either side of target.  More than that and you have to start painting for sessions again.  That's pretty much a leeway of half a stone which, to me, seems sensible.
I haven't abandoned my plan to lose more by Christmas.  There's pretty much thirteen weeks left so, at half a pound a week off, I'll still be there with time to spare and anyway, if I don't, no stress.  Still being able to go to group, weigh and take part is very helpful.

For those who are interested, the kiwi cure worked, thankfully.  However, unlike the last time which is decades ago now, there were no - er - explosions or discomfort so I reckon my system now tolerates them much more happily and therefore kiwis are back on the menu again.  They are delicious so I'm glad.

Yesterday's food
Breakfast was just some natural yogurt with some raspberry flavour plus fruit.  No photo.

As you can see, adding Primula light to the lunchtime soup still produced a split effect although nowhere near as much as the Laughing Cow triangles.

There's one portion of soup left so next time I will try Philly light and see.

It doesn't spoil the taste at all, just looks slightly odd.

Lovely plaice and chips for dinner!  Where's the speed?  Well, I spent quite a lot of the day processing tomatoes and a fair number found their way into my mouth so I didn't feel like any more.

Today's food plans:

B:  pancakes or waffles with fruit and yogurt
A favourite breakfast and I am going to enjoy this very much.  I think I will use a toffee mullerlight and also something caramelly in the skinny syrup line to make the pancakes/waffles.
SW:  half a syn for the mullerlight and one healthy extra B for the flour 

L:  fish finger salad wrap; fruit
I haven't had this for ages and ages but I remember how lovely it tasted.  It's basically a couple of fish fingers, some choppy salad, mayo and a wrap and you cook the fish fingers, spread mayo the wrap, load it with the salad and fish fingers and roll it up.  Tasty!
SW:  four syns for two fish fingers and one syn for 30g super light mayo, one healthy extra B for the wrap

D:  chilli con carne, rice; fruit
I'll be at dad's and am taking some of the chilli with me, some for our dinner and some to go into his freezer
SW:  half a syn for some oil I used, one healthy extra A for some grated cheese and the rest is all free

Body Magic:  An early swim

Summary:
One healthy extra A and two Bs
six syns

I'll be eating this weekend's meals with my Dad so, most likely, no photos.  I'll try to post about what I have but, if not, I'll definitely be back on Monday.

Thursday, 17-09-20

 Good morning.
It's SW meeting this evening.  I hesitate to say much because whenever I say I know I've gained I seem to maintain or lose but after Monday's alcohol fest . . .  well, we will see.

Yesterday's food photos are . . .

I love a good old egg and bacon sandwich and this went down a real treat!

Apologies for the odd light - there were very strong shadows.

The spicy chicken meatballs were really tasty and very filling with a drizzle of mayo over.

Basically, they are chicken mince, a spicy mix of some kind and some grated/finely chopped veg, as simple as that.  I spray and bake them.

The 'carbonara' worked out very nicely although, of course, I adapted.  Instead of triangles and fromage frais, I used bits and bobs that needed using up - a tiny bit of philly light, some primula light and some quark with grared Italian hard cheese from the freezer and I also added green beans and courgette slices.  I used protein noodles instead of spaghetti too

It really was tasty, whatever it sounds and looks like.  Very enjoyable.

Today's plans:

B:  yogurt and fruit

Nice and light on weigh in day.  One of the pieces of fruit may well be a medicinal kiwi!  :-)

SW:  half a syn for the mullerlight yogurt

200 calories, more or less

L:  tomato and red pepper soup; apple and pear

This is from the freezer and this time I will try adding some primula light instead and see if that is more stable.

The allotment pears are now pretty much ready to eat and are very tasty indeed.

SW:  half a healthy extra A for the soft cheese

around 300 calories

D:  breaded plaice fillet, SW friendly chips, tomatoes (probably); kvarg or yogurt

Just what it says on the label really.  Plaice is a great favourite and I haven't had it for simply ages.

SW:  eight syns for the fish, two syns for a tsp oil and half a syn for the dessert

around 640 calories

Body Magic:  an early swim

Summary:

half a healthy extra A

11 syns (the fish carries a shedload of them)

around 1140 calories