Wednesday, 31-03-21

 Good morning, everyone.

Yesterday's meals:

I don't usually photo fruit meals but I did yesterday.  I never had the orange; I was full up after the apple and pear so I set it aside and never went back to it.

The mango and sweet chilli sauce is very nice; it definitely added to this lunch.
Again, I didn't have the planned fruit afterwards.

The curry didn't look amazing but it tasted good and finished off the rest of the chicken.  For dessert, I stewed some allotment rhubarb in skinny syrup and a splash of water and then folded it into natural yogurt.  I'll definitely do that again, it was delicious.

Today's meals:

B:  fruit and yogurt
In this sunny weather, this is perfect.  Today, all being well, I will get out my garden chair and have it al fresco
SW:  half a syn for the yogurt

L:  sushi and salad; fruit
The sushi is Aldi's Eat and Go Sushi Selection and is three and a half syns the lot.  I'll probably have half for today's lunch and the rest as a late afternoon snack, if needed.

SW:  three and a half syns for all the sushi, one syn for some mayo

D:  keema curry, assorted veg; yogurt

The curry is from the freezer - that's all there is to say really.  :-)

SW:  half a syn for the yogurt

Body Magic.  Day 60 of the 100 day challenge:  mowing/strimming the grass at the allotment and personal training

Summary:
bit lacking in healthy extras again - ooops, must do better
five and a half syns

Tuesday, 30-03-21

 Good morning!
You can tell I'm feeling much improved - I've picked up the camera again!
Unfortunately, the last week and a half has not been great for the old weight but there you go - feed a cold, they say, and indeed I did!!
Some damage done but nothing that cannot be repaired.  :-)

Yesterday's food photos.

Breakfast was an apple and an orange, just as they come, no fruit salad type chopping up, no photo.

Two photos of lunch as I couldn't decide which to use!

You can tell the the sun was shining so salad was the name of the side.  The pitta had a bit of cranberry jelly, a stack of chicken and some sliced cheddar, toasted in my lovely microwave toastie maker.  It was delicious.

I only used 45g cheddar, not the planned 60, so that left 15g to go over the dinner rather than paying three syns.  

Dinner was really nice too.  In the end I cooked 50g pasta, described on Nutracheck as a 'small portion' and it was plenty.

Today's plans:

B:  apple, pear and orange
As the weather gets better, fruit for breakfast is more enticing again.
SW:  speedy fruit

L:  chicken salad with mango and sweet chilli dipping sauce; fruit
I fell for the sauce at M&S yesterday.  Few of these sauces are too high in syns as long as you measure them; better than an oily dressing, for sure.  The chicken is Sunday leftovers.
SW:  one syn for some mayo in the home made coleslaw and one syn for the sauce

D:  chicken and chickpea curry, broccoli, sprouts, spray roasted parsnips, yogurt

I found a chickpea curry in the freezer and I will add the last of the Sunday chicken to it.

SW:  one syn for the curry (the container was labelled and I'm assuming the syn is for oil used in the cooking) and half a syn for the yogurt

Body Magic:  Day 59 of the 100 day challenge:  work down the allotment.
I've looked back and my last exercise was last Tuesday, so I'm taking it from there.  I did allotment yesterday so today is day 59.

Summary:

no healthy extras - I'm not fussed for just one day.  I rather overdid it with a lump of leftover cheese yesterday so it's a pay back.  I know DSW  doesn't 'do' paybacks and normally I don't, but there's a time and a place . . .

three and a half syns

Monday, 29-03-21

 Good morning.  Sorry this is late; I woke late and had planned an early morning shop.

Today's plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt
Probably an apple and an orange
SW:  half a syn for the yogurt

L:  toasted cheese and chicken pitta/sandwich, salad; fruit
After stripping yesterday's chicken, I have lots of lovely, lean chicken to use and, seeing as yesterday's toastie was so delicious, I am having it again today.
SW:  one healthy extra B, two healthy extra As, one syn for some home made cranberry jelly and one syn for some mayo.

D:  chicken and ratatouille pasta, broccoli; strawberry foam
The ratatouille (minus aubergine because I didn't have any) went a long way; I have a portion for today and another now in the freezer.  To it, I will add some of the chicken and 40g (uncooked) of wholewheat pasta with 15g grated cheese on top and broccoli on the side.  Nice.
SW:  one syn for the oil I used in the ratatouille and three syns for 15g grated cheese.  The foam is free for me because I don't syn blended fruit - not when it is the whole fruit.

Body Magic:  I've already had a good walk around some shops and I will be doing some gardening at the allotment.

Summary:
two healthy extra As
one healthy extra B
six and a half syns

Sunday, 28-03-21

 Good morning, everyone.
You may have noticed I've stopped calories.  The fact is, it was getting rather frustrating as so often I didn't actually know how much in weight I was going to have and you can't always prep everything first thing in the morning.    However, I am going to keep checking the calories of things like rice, pasta, bread, higher fat things like cheese, just to keep an eye on it and make sure I'm not having too much.  A form of portion control really.
The reason for this, apart from the frustration, is that at our Zoom meeting, Jen went all over the SW basics, encouraging us to go right back to scratch and really apply the SW principles to our meals.  SO that's what I'm doing (even Sunday lunch, while off plan, isn't going to be too far away from basics).

My plans for today are:

B:  fruit and yogurt
Probably an orange and an apple
SW:  speed fruit and half a syn

L:  roast chicken, stuffing, cranberry sauce, roasties, parsnips, sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and a sort of ratatouille thing.
I have (or had) a lot of bits and bobs in the fridge, all needing using up before they went too far, so there's a real mix of veg today.  In the ratatouille I have some onion, one leek, a red pepper, a courgette and chopped tomatoes and at the moment the first four are simmering gently away in one tbsp oil, gradually softening and caramelising just a little bit.  To that I will add garlic granules, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and some seasonings and let it summer until it's all thick and 'unctious'.
SW:  I don't really know but I'm calling it all my remaining syns

D:  cheesy chicken toastie with salad; yogurt
Using up some of the leftover chicken and a bit of the cranberry sauce.
SW:  two healthy extra As for cheese, one healthy extra B for bread, half a syn for yogurt plus the cranberry sauce

Body Magic:  hopefully some allotment work.  I can't remember what day of the challenge it is - I'll go back and check for tomorrow.

Summary:
A bit off plan because of the support bubble dinner but . . .
two healthy extra As
one healthy extra B
most likely fifteen syns although I will only have a wee taste of stuffing and cranberry sauce.

Saturday, 27-03-21

 Good morning.  The sun is shining and doesn't it cheer us all up!!!  I'm not well prepared for today but this is what I've got sorted.

My plans for today are:

B:  fruit and yogurt
As usual.  Probably an apple, a pear and a couple of plums
SW:  speed fruit and half a syn for the yogurt

L:  egg and cress sarnie with tomatoes on the side
I hard boil an egg and mash it with a bit of mayo and, perhaps, some grated cheddar.
SW:  one B for the bread, half an A if I have cheese, one syn for mayo and two syns for half fat butter

D:  really not sure yet but I'll do my darndest to make it SW friendly.

Have a great day.  xx

Friday, 26-03-21

 Good morning.  Back to it today!

My plans for today are:

B:  fresh fruit and a yogurt
Probably an apple, a pear and a couple of plums.  I'm a bit short on fruit and need to stock up.
SW:  the fruit is all speed fruit and the yogurt is half a syn
255 calories

L:  scrambled eggs/baked beans on toast
I have half a can of baked beans left and Beth is over for lunch so I'll give her the choice.  My guess is she'll have a bit of both
SW:  two slices bread for one heathy extra B and the rest is free/protein
370 calories

D:  Pizza and salad; 
That poor pizza!  Planned for three days.  I HAVE to have it this time as it has thawed in my fridge and must be consumed today.
SW:  too many  syns to mention!  
1187 calories

Body Magic:  I'll see how I feel today (still not totally 100%) and start the challenge again from when I do start proper BM once more.

Summary:
one healthy extra A (for cups of tea and the cheese on the pizza)
one healthy extra B
far too many syns to count . . . but . . .
1245 calories

Thursday, 25-03-21

 Good morning. 
Not being well has played havoc with my food plans so we will draw a veil of oblivion over yesterday and start afresh.  I'm not going to have a weigh in this week; it wouldn't be a fair reflection.  Also, I really can't be bothered with counting anything today, either syns or calories.  I'll get back to that tomorrow

Today's plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

L:  beans on toast

D:  pizza, as per yesterday's plans

Back to the usual format soon!

Wednesday, 24-03-21

 Good morning!
Look what arrived in the post yesterday.  I had no idea Jen was posting things out; last lockdown we were given them at the first meeting back - and it took for ever so I guess that's why!

I'm running out of shiny sticker space!

Yesterday's photos:

Breakfast; a nice, old fashioned boiled eggs and dippers.  Toasty soldiers, we used to call them.  It makes a very filling breakfast, perfect for just after a stint at the allotment.

The last of the freezer quiche for lunch with a salad.

The leftovers curry was amazing and the cabbage worked.  I spray fried some onion, added some garlic and ginger puree and some veg curry spice mix plus the dregs of a jar of wholegrain mustard, a splash of water and the cooked cabbage.  Not bad.
I didn't bother with the lo dough 'bowl'.

Today's plans:

B:  just fruit
Not feeling 100% so sticking to cold and simple today

SW: speed/free

L:  beans on toast
SW:  one healthy extra B, two syns for spread

D:  a Sainsbury's pizza, salad

. . . one of the thin crust, low calorie (for a pizza) kind with some lettuce and tomato

SW:  would you believe twenty four and a half syns for the pizza - 482 calories - so that's ridiculous as around 500 calories for a dinner is perfectly reasonable.

502 calories

Body Magic:  taking a rest day today because of not feeling great.  I've cancelled PT.

Summary: 

one healthy extra A (cheese on the pizza and milk for cuppas)

one healthy extra B

26 1/2 syns

around 1100 calories

Tuesday, 23-03-21

 Good morning

Yesterday's meal photos:

Well - photo. 

Breakfast was just an apple so no photo.  :-)
Lunch was with Beth here and we were so busy chatting I totally forgot.  However, it went according to plan and was very nice.  I didn't have the planned dessert, neither of us did because I didn't make it!

Dinner was delicious although I have to say a swede and butternut squash mash doesn't quite have the oral satisfaction of a proper potato mash.  I really enjoyed it, all the same.

Today's meal plans:

B:  boiled eggs and cheesy marmite toast dippers
A favourite and so very easy!
SW:  one healthy extra A for cheese triangles, one healthy extra B, three syns for spread
377 calories

L:  asparagus and salmon quiche, salad; fruit
The last of the lo dough quiche and I must set to and make another of some kind as it's been a great standby to have in the freezer.
As usual, I'll probably have the fruit at around four-ish as an afternoon snack.
SW:  four and a half syns for the quiche, maybe one syn for some mayo
383 calories

D:  leftover lamb rogan josh; shredded cabbage; strawberry foam

I saw a recipe on one of my favourite vlogger's channel on YouTube and adapted it a bit.  The vlogger is Tracy Mouse and she's doing Slimming World, losing eight stone as she did so.  She's a lovely, practical, down to earth northern lady, full of the joys of life and always ready to have a chat via her vlog.

Here's the link:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYa_2qGXJzMktDnbW8b62hQ

Anyway - this recipe uses leftover lamb, which I have, and I made half quantities but added extra veg and a home made tomato and veg sauce I had in the freezer from when I had hunter's chicken and made too much sauce.
I made it yesterday because I really think curries are better second day; the spices and flavours mature so much.
Instead of rice, I will make a lo dough bowl using one of my taco moulds.  You just push the lo dough into the mould and leave it in a warmish oven to bake hard.  It's a nice way of serving it.
I have the last of the Sunday roast cabbage so I guess I need to have that on the side too.  I wonder if I could spice it up a bit - maybe I'll do a search.  Or do you have any ideas?
SW:  two syns for the lo dough and I'm pretty sure the rest is free
321 calories which seems remarkably low but I didn't count all the spices which might add another 40 onto the total.  It is packed with veg . . .

Body Magic:  Day 58 of the 100 day challenge; more allotment work - moving and spreading bark chippings!

Summary:
one healthy extra A
one healthy extra B
ten and a half syns
1159 calories (again, rather low - I'll have a think about how I can add calories but not syns!  :-) )

Monday, 22-03-21

 Good morning.
That veg box was a great purchase.  I've cooked the swede (see below) and have some left for another day or to add to something else.  Or does cooked swede freeze?  I must check that one out.
Beth has taken some and the rest is earmarked for meals this week.

Yesterday's meal photos:

It's amazing how delicious a few simple fruits can be - apple, pear and orange with some natural yogurt and a bit of skinny syrup.   Mmmmmmm.

This was off plan because of the dessert but I dearly love slow roast lamb and this was absolutely delicious.  It's was the last of last year's runner bean harvest and every last bean got eaten.  I have carrot, broccoli and cabbage left over for dinner today - I quick five minutes in the steamer or even less in the microwave.

There's also some left over lamb - I have something planned for Tuesday!

I over-whipped the cream for the fool, silly me, but it was gorgeous all the same.  Lesson learned!  I will try to make a less calorific version with yogurt, quark and skinny syrup which sounds a bit of an abomination but might work quite well, especially as the rhubarb is so very delicious..

I forgot to take a photo of the evening meal, ooops.

Today's plans:

B:  an apple

It's all change with timings today.  Beth is round at 12:30 for lunch which is a fair bit earlier than I usually eat so I'm just having an apple.  I find apples quite filling.

SW:  speed

51 calories

L:  a mixed platter of spicy mixed beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried egg, toast; strawberry foam
The spicy beans are leftovers and the resat is what I would likely have had for breakfast.  The strawberry foam is a bit of nostalgia - when I had my Thermomix demo, one of the things Leonie made was this - with real sugar and other bits and bobs, a posher version, but essentially the same dish and we both loved it.
SW:  one healthy extra B and two syns for spread.  The rest is free or speed

405 calories

D:  cottage pie with cheesy swede and butternut squash topping, assorted veg; yogurt

The other half of the chilli I had on Saturday with a not-potato topping.  I did a singing swede thing in the microwave to cook the swede.  I've heard of this before but never done it before; I will again though as it was so easy and the swede flavour was lovely.  I've weighed 100g of the cooked swede, cooked 125g frozen butternut squash (in the microwave again) and mashed the two together.  I've added the egg yolk left over from making the rhubarb fool yesterday, added sundry seasonings and topped the chilli mixture with it.  A topping of grated cheese and half an hour warming in the oven and bob's your uncle, a very easy, tasty and healthy dish.  There's cabbage, carrot and broccoli left over from yesterday so it really is the easiest dinner in the world. 

SW:  all free/speed apart from a healthy extra A for grated cheese and half a syn for yogurt

614 calories

Body Magic:  Day 57 of the 100 day challenge:  core exercises this morning and this afternoon Beth and I are round the allotment (which is why she's round for lunch first)

Summary:
one healthy extra A
one healthy extra B
two and a half syns
1070 calories, but I will probably have some fruit when I get home from the allotment because it will be way too early for dinner.

Sunday, 21-03-21

 Good morning:
Morrisons had some of their 'wonky veg' boxes for £3.00.  It contained several veg I was looking for so I got one and here's the contents.
The parsnips have been prepped for today's lunch, as have some of the carrots and half of the cabbage.  I will use one of the courgettes and pretty much all of the swede during the week, the onions are a perfect size for someone who usually cooks for one and The rest I am sure Beth will be happy top use up - carrots, a courgette and the potatoes.
I had to compost one carrot but everything else is lovely and sound.

Yesterday's meals

A cooked breakfast.

Free, speed and 173 calories

A ham salad sandwich and I added some caramelised onion chutney for extra flavour.

I had the fruit late afternoon.

Healthy extra B, four syns and 485 calories

A very tasty beef chilli with double A choice cheese for dinner.

2 x healthy extra A, one syn and 523 calories

Today's plans:  No calories because I just can't be bothered today and it would be an incomplete picture anyway without lunch.

B:  fresh fruit salad and yogurt

SW:  speed fruit and the yogurt is protein

L:  Roast lamb, roasties, loads of veg, etc; rhubarb fool
Definitely off plan, just for the one meal.  I slow roast the lamb and take of all the fat, the roasties are always done in the actifry and the veg will be carrots, parsnips, cabbage, broccoli and peas.  No skimping on the Sunday veg!
The rhubarb fool is the really naughty part - whipped cream, folded with whipped egg white, with the stewed rhubarb folded in, layered with crushed gingernuts and the cooking syrup drizzled over the top.  Mmmmmmm.
As there will be more rhubarb week after week, I might try a SW friendly equivalent using whipped quark (to make it really smooth) instead of cream and stew the rhubarb in skinny syrup/sweetener.  Not as totally delicious but I bet it will still taste good all the same and an awful lot better for me.  And no way am I synning the rhubarb just because it is cooked - does one ever have rhubarb uncooked?  It's hardly a choice, is it?

No SW values or calories - I wouldn't know where to start.

The good thing is that Beth and Alex will take pretty much all the leftovers home with them.

D:  lo dough pizza and salad; yogurt

I will have shredded roast lamb left over from lunch to go onto the pizza plus all the usual culprits.

SW:  two healthy extra As for grated cheese, two syns for the lo dough base, half a syn for yogurt

Body Magic:  Probably an online walk at some point in the morning.

Summary:

Absolutely no idea because of lunch but it should keep me in calorie deficit (just)

Saturday, 20-03-21

 Good morning.  I have no photos or anything for yesterday so it's straight on to . . .

Today's plans:

B:  bacon, egg, mushroom and tomato
SW: speed and free
173 calories

L:  ham salad sandwich; fruit
SW:  one healthy extra B, two syns for spread, one syn for mayo
457 calories plus whatever salad I add

D:  spag bol, not-rice; yogurt
I've just made the chilli.  It's loaded with veg - carrots, onion, pepper, mushroom, butternut squash and tomato plus the kidney beans and the mince and it's looking and smelling great as it simmers slowly on the hob.
SW:  one healthy extra A for 30g grated cheese, one syn for the not-rice, nothing for the yogurt as it's natural yogurt with some skinny syrup flavouring
456 calories

Body Magic: Day 55 of the 100 day challenge:  allotment work and core

Summary:
one healthy extra A
one healthy extra B
four syns
1068 calories plus salad calories.  Rather low so I have a bit of room for manoeuvre - maybe more cheese on the chilli or a cheese and ham sandwich for lunch.

Back to normal tomorrow.

Friday, 19-03-21

 Good morning, everyone.
It was a maintain yesterday so I stay in my target zone, which I am really happy with.  I'd like to get a bit lower, obviously, but a maintain is fine after an indulgent weekend.

I couldn't find my camera yesterday (it was in my bag, doh!) and never though to use my phone!  Today, I have decided to take a day off from counting and synning and so on and just have what comes to hand.  It may be 'good', it may be 'bad', I'm not worried.

Tomorrow I will be right back on track again so see you then!  xx

Thursday, 18-03-21

 Good morning.
Weigh day today so fingers firmly crossed for good news after rather a naughty weekend.  :-)

Yesterday's photos:

A nice, simple favourite and, for once, the eggs were cooked just right.  Not too runny and not too hard.

I do love a good choppy salad!

One of the nicer sweet and sour ready meals, I think!  I 'ribboned' a carrot and it didn't really go.  I'd have done better to cook it or to cook some pepper and mushroom.

I'll get this one again.

Today's meal plans:

B:  yogurt

I really don't feel like very much breakfast so I'll just have a yogurt
SW:  half a syn
85 calories

L:  tomato and red pepper soup; cheese on toast; fruit
The second portion of the lovely soup I made the other day using tomatoes from last year's garden produce.
I really could have murdered some cheese on toast yesterday so I've built it in for today.  Maybe I'll have it, maybe not.  I'll see how I feel when the time comes.
SW:  one healthy extra A and one B

566 calories

D:  salmon, peas and chips; yogurt

A treat after weigh in and Zoom meeting.  I'll probably bake the salmon in some sweet chilli sauce as that gives it a lovely flavour.
SW:  half a syn for a tbsp Crucials sweet chilli sauce, two syns for oil for the chips, two syns for mayo for dunking and half a syn for the yogurt

621 calories

Body Magic:  Day 53 of the 100 day challenge:  core exercises, allotment work, an online walk

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

five and a half syns

1272 calories

Wednesday, 17-03-21

 Good morning!
As the days get lighter and longer and warmer, thoughts turn to summer vegetables in the garden and allotment.  Lovely, home grown speed food!
Yesterday, I started the process off (apart from the broad beans which are already in the ground) by planting courgette and cucumber seeds in seed trays.  A promise of deliciousness to come.
One reason for finishing off last year's frozen produce in soup, etc, is to make the space for new.  :-)

Yesterday's meals:

Oh, how I enjoyed this bacon sandwich!  Spray frying the bread makes such a difference!  To be honest, I could cheerfully have had double the amount, not because I felt hungry but because it was so good!

Here's lunch, the tomato and red pepper soup.
I hadn't rinsed out the pan in which I spray fried the bacon and there was some bacony flavour (if you know what I mean) in the pan; I reheated the soup in the same pan so as not to waste any of the flavour.  Very nice.
The photo doesn't show the grated cheese I sprinkled over the soup.

I'm glad there are three more helpings.

I had an apple, a pear and three easy peelers at around four thirty.

I was looking forward to this all day and I did enjoy it.  Yes, I ate the last two slices!  :-)  No, I have no regrets about the twenty and a half syns.

Today's plans:

B:  boiled eggs and marmite dippers

A favourite (I do seem to have a lot of favourites) and it will be perfect to keep me going through personal training.
SW:  one healthy extra B for the toast and two syns for 10g of spread

375 calories

L:  asparagus and salmon quiche, salad; fruit

This is the third of four portions and when that's gone I will definitely have to make another lo dough quiche - I've really enjoyed this one no end.
SW:  four and a half syns for the quiche
411 calories plus whatever the salad costs.

D: Count on Us sweet and sour chicken, salad leaves; yogurt
I'm hoping this is one of the nicer sweet and sours - ready meal ones can be quite 'nasty', I find.  The meal has what looks like a reasonable amount of chicken and also some rice so I thought some salad leaves on the side would go well.
SW:  two and a half syns for the meal and half a syn for the dessert
449 calories plus the leaves

Body Magic:  day 52 of the 100 day challenge:  an hour of personal training plus the daily core exercises.  
On YouTube yesterday there was a video about how to do these basic core exercises properly and to the four I am doing, she added lunges.  They're not my favourite but I can see the point of them so I have added them.  At the moment, the plank and the press ups are knee based and the press ups are against the sofa.  I will get better!!

Summary:
no healthy extra As but there's some synned cheese in the quiche

one healthy extra B

nine and a half syns
1235 calories plus whatever the salads will be

Tuesday, 16-03-21

 Good morning!
Checking the calories is helping quite a lot.   I would never be able to have the dinner I plan today if I wasn't checking the calories as well - or, rather, I would but I'd think I was way off track for the day.  In SW terms, I suppose I am, but not in calories.  We won't think about healthy balance!  :-)

Yesterday's photos:

 Breakfast - a two egg mushroom omelette and very welcome it was too after ninety minutes down the allotment.

I added a cooked chicken fillet to the day's foods and that has taken my calories up to a more sensible level.  It was really nice in this toastie for lunch.

I had an apple, orange and pear later on in the afternoon.

The curry for dinner doesn't look much but it was very nice with just enough heat to create a pleasant tingle on the taste buds.

Today's plans:

B:  bacon sandwich
. . . made with four bacon medallions and two slices of breads, spray fried crisp.
SW:  one healthy extra B and half a syn for a tbsp bbq sauce
280 calories

L:  tomato and red pepper soup, one slice bread, 30g grated cheddar; fruit
Yesterday I got two pots of peeled fresh tomatoes, garden produce from last year.  This morning I added some onion, carrot and celery, some roasted red peppers, some stock, seasonings, tomato puree and water and boiled it all up before zizzing it down and pushing it through a sieve.  It has made the most delicious tomato and red pepper soup, at least four portions and the flavour is fantastic - which it would be, made with home grown produce.
I will have a portion with 30g grated cheddar and a slice of bread with 5g half fat butter
SW:  the soup is speed and free, three syns for the bread and one for the half fat butter
472 calories (the soup itself is 80 calories per portion)

D:  pizza and salad; yogurt
I'm treating myself to a Sainsbury's stonebaked chargrilled vegetables and olive thin and crispy pizza (quite a mouthful in more than one way!) which is a calorie snip at 402 calories, about half of what other pizzas cost.  I've had it before and it's really very tasty so I'm looking forward to dinner.
SW:  This is where calories and Slimming world totally crash.  SW says it is twenty and a half syns - but I really can't see how that can be.  Both Nutracheck and the packaging say 402 calories.  Oh, well, not to worry, this is one reason why I am doing both!  Oh, and half a syn for the dessert!
485 calories plus whatever the salad amounts to.

Body Magic:  day 51 of the 100 day challenge:  a Leslie Sansone walk online and my daily core exercises to which I am adding a plank.  I can't do a plank for long so I can but get better.
I'm going to start back at ten:
ten sit ups
ten squats
ten knee press ups (if I can)
ten second plank (if I can)
I know none of that sounds much but I must start somewhere and maybe I could do two sets?

Summary:
one healthy extra A (plus there will be a bit of cheese on the pizza)
one healthy extra B
twenty five and a half syns - oh my - BUT . . .
1237 calories plus whatever the evening salad comes to.

Interesting . . .

Monday, 15-03-21

 Good morning.
After what has turned out to be a very naughty weekend, I am 100% back on track today.

No photos so it's straight on to . . .

Today's plans:

B:  mushroom omelette with tomatoes on the side
Just what it says.
SW:  free and speed
203 calories

L:  cheese and onion toastie, salad; fruit
SW:  one healthy extra A, one B
509 calories

D:  mince and veg keema curry, veg rice; frozen fruit foam
From the freezer
SW:  half a syn for the veg-rice, the rest is free and speed
443 calories (estimated as the curry was in the freezer)

Body Magic:  day 50 of the 100 day challenge:  allotment work
I've also started doing some core exercises.  I'm starting with ten of each where I can and increasing by one every two days or so.  At the moment it's sir ups, squats and knee press-ups (which I can't do terribly well so they might increase rather more slowly.  I'll add more as we go along.

Summary:
one healthy extra A
one healthy extra B
half a syn
around 1155 calories (so far but I'll probably add more in the form of fruit or veg)

Recipe: frozen fruit foam

A really light, tasty dessert that is easy to make, costs zero syns* on Slimming world and contains around 35 calories per portion, depending on which fruit you use.

You need:
150g of frozen fruit
one and a half tbsp skinny syrup (the 0 calories kind) of own choice
one egg white**

The Thermomix method:
Weigh in the frozen fruit and chop at speed 6 for 20 to 30 seconds until fruit is like fine breadcrumbs.  It won't mush or release juice as it's frozen.
Use the spatula to push down the side.
Attach the whisk.
Add the skinny syrup (or it can be two tsp icing sugar or sweetener, if you wish - change the calories/syns accordingly) and one egg white.
Whisk for three minutes at speed 3.5.

And that's it - done.  Take off the lid and admire.  It's even more dramatic if you use double amounts!

This is enough for two.

This was made using frozen peach and nectarine slices.

Method by hand:

Chop the fruit in whatever blender you have.  I used my mini chopper in two goes.  A bigger machine would do it all at once.  My stick blender didn't work at all.

This is how it should look.

Add the skinny syrup (see above for other options) and one egg white.

Using an electric hand whisk, whip it all up for around three minutes or so until it is light and fluffy - like this. 

Again, it's enough for two and I used peach and nectarine slices and topped the amount up with strawberries, hence the slightly pink tinge.

You can eat it straight off or keep it in the fridge for half an hour or so.  After that, I believe it starts separating although I've never left it long enough to check.  Perhaps I should!

Or you can pile it into a freezer-proof container and pop it in the freezer to make a frozen dessert.  Just take it out ten minutes before you need it and scoop it into a bowl, as in the photo at the top.  I freeze it in single portions and that works well for me.

It would go further if it served four as a topping for a fruit salad or similar.

I have made this with frozen black cherries and a chocolate caramel skinny syrup and it was gorgeous!!  I think pretty much any frozen fruit will work although I've not tried it with pineapple which is more fibrous and I do wonder whether water melon would be just too watery.  One of these days, I will try.

* Slimming World has this rather silly (in my opinion) rule about synning things like skinny syrups/sweeteners, etc, if you have more than a certain amount.  Skinny syrups are 0 calories so I really don't see why.
They also say you should syn blended fruit.  I don't - again, it's silly (again, in my opinion)!

**This is more important.  This recipe contains uncooked egg so please, if you are pregnant or in any other way vulnerable to uncooked egg, don't eat this.

Sunday, 14-03-21

 Good morning.

Yesterday's meal photos.

I decided to layer up the veg, haddock and egg and it was really nice with all the flavours mingling.  Definitely one to do again.

A fairly small slice of quiche and a big, big salad.  Lovely.

I forgot to take a photo of the curry but it was really delicious.

Today's plans:  definitely off plan!

B:  I'm really not hungry this morning and, as Beth is making a Mothers Day lunch, I think I will skip it entirely.

L:  No idea.  I have made a rhubarb (first pickings from the allotment) and strawberry crumble and am taking it, plus some cream, over to Beth's.

D:  This really depends on how full I feel after the lunch.  I have a cooked chicken fillet so may have that in a cheese toastie or something similar.

There's no doubt that today will be off plan and out of calories; that's real life.  Back on it 100% again tomorrow.

Saturday

 Morning.  
Yesterday was proper back on track after Thursday evening's little blow out.  Today will be the same!

Yesterday's photos:

No photo of breakfast - it was just an apple.

Lunch was a bit breakfast-y.  I must do this more often - it was delicious!

570 calories, including the fruit I had later on

The steak was worth the wait!

520 calories

As was the dessert.  Frozen fruit foam is not only quick and easy to make, it is also low in calories at just 33 for one portion.

I'm going to make more of this to keep in the freezer.  It's brilliant.  I must try making it with a hand held whisk and see if it works as well as in Thermione.

Today's plans:

B:  smoked haddock, poached or fried egg, mushrooms and tomatoes

I'll probably poach the haddock in milk.

SW:  all free and speed except for a bit of a healthy extra A for the poaching liquor
217 calories

L:  a portion of asparagus and salmon tart, salad; apple, pear and orange

The tart is the one I made using a lo dough crust.  I froze the other three portions at the time.  As usual, I will keep the fruit until later on in the afternoon
SW:  four and a half syns for the tart (it contains light crème fraiche) and a bit of a healthy extra A

506 calories plus salad - fruit carries more of a calorie load than one thinks.

D:  chicken and veg curry, protein rice; frozen fruit foam

Earlier in the week I made a veg and bean curry with various leftover and bits and bobs.  I should have had it yesterday but didn't, as I was going to the dentist and - you know, spicy breath.
So I will add some chicken to this and it should make a substantial but healthy dinner.

SW:  one syn for the not-rice and I think the rest will be SW free

351 calories 

Body Magic:  Day 48 of the 100 day challenge:  some allotment work

Summary:

one healthy extra A (I will use the rest in cuppas)

no Bs today

five and a half syns

1074 calories plus salad

Friday, 12-03-21

 Good morning.

I'm so pleased.  It takes me back into my zone again!  All the counting has definitely helped even though it is rather a pain.
And, to cap it all, I was Slimmer of the Week.  I was sure at least one other had a bigger loss but maybe they gained last week.  The rule is that if you miss a week, gain the previous week or this is your first week weigh-in, you can't be slimmer of the week which is fair enough, I guess.

I think if I ate mostly packaged meals, etc, calorie counting would be a lot easier but, when you cook from scratch mostly, logging everything is boring, frankly.  However, it is obviously helping in the short term  so I will carry on for another week or so.

Yesterday's meal photos:

A nice, simple breakfast of strawberries and vanilla yogurt.

144 calories

The asparagus and pea soup was lovely.  It was the cut off asparagus stems (I did discard a few bits that looked woody and were thicker than my little finger), some frozen peas, chicken stock powder, one shallot, water and seasoning, all boiled up together and blended down.  Then I added some milk to slacken it.  Some cream would have been nice but I didn't - I forgot I have some crème fraiche.

Fruit was an apple, a pear and easy peelers.

440 calories

I didn't have the planned dinner.  I'm afraid I 'celebrated' a bit.  It's weird that one calls overeating on rubbish a 'celebration' but not to worry.

Today's meal plans - straight back on the straight and narrow.

B:  an apple

Yes, just an apple.  Meal times are a bit wonky today so lunch will be earlier. 

SW:  speed

51 calories

L:  bacon and egg muffin with mushrooms and tomatoes on the side; apple, pear, easy peelers

I'll have the fruit later on in the afternoon to keep me going until dinner time.

SW:  one healthy extra B

551 calories

 D:  steak, cheesy chips, salad; iced fruit foam

I have yesterday's dinner to eat.  The chips are all prepped and the dessert is in the freezer.  Minimum effort!

SW  one healthy extra A for 30g cheese, two syns for oil, one syn for dijon or grain mustard

520 calories plus whatever I have for salad.

Body Magic:  day 47 of the 100 day challenge:  either allotment work or a walk

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

three syns