Sunday, 12-12-21; Festive challenge day 12

 Good morning!
Yesterday went much better, much to my relief.  One day at a time.  I do feel so much better after a sensible day's food and stronger to carry on and have a good SW week this week.  As regular readers will know, that doesn't mean scrimping and starving but it does mean lots of fruit and veg (what SW calls 'speed') and lean protein with less carb high food and minimal fats which would be my preferred way of eating regardless of SW.
I won't get back within my target range before Christmas now, but I can do my darndest to get as close as I can.

Changing the subject, my little slow cooker really came into its own yesterday, doing a great job, first with the steak casserole (the house smelled wonderful!) and then with the red cabbage.  Must use it more often!

And thirdly, the new Pinch of Nom book looks lovely at first flick through.  I'm looking forward to another, more in-depth explore today ready for using in the New Year, once the Festive Challenge is over.

Yesterday's meals:

I didn't photo breakfast as I didn't have the planned apple and wasn't going to photo the small prosecco and lebkuchen I had at Hazel's after making my wreath.  My hand did hover over the mince pies but moved on!

Making Christmas shaped croutons may not be the most economical way to use bread but - well, it's Christmas, isn't it!
I have two more portions of the soup now in the freezer.  I was expecting just one but, because I added some carrot as well and, I think, because I used better quality canned tomatoes (less watery), it just did make more.  Something to ponder over, I think - is cheapest always most economical.  I think the answer might be no, not always.

This might look a right mess but it was lovely.  The steak cooked beautifully in the slow cooker and in the afternoon I swapped the casserole to a saucepan for reheating later on and braised the red cabbage in the slow cooker as well.  The steak had fallen into melt in the mouth chunks and was delicious.
I used the braised red cabbage recipe from the SW site (if you have access, it's not hard to find) but added some balsamic vinegar.  I think it would be jolly nice with some of my festive spice mix added and I will do that next time - there has to be a next time as I have a big old red cabbage to use up!

The roasted root veg was frozen sweet potato and butternut squash chunks and a wizened parsnip from the fridge and they were really nice.

I have red cabbage, roasted root veg and gravy left over for today's dinner.  

Today's plans:

B:  Christmas mince pie pancakes
Another Slimming Eats recipe, found here . . .
https://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/christmas-mince-pie-pancakes
. . . although I will change it a bit.  I will use oat bran instead of oats (it counts as a healthy extra) and, as for the spices, instead of pinches of individual spices, I will use some of my Festive spice mix.
I might use maple syrup with the apple or I may use agave nectar.
SW:  the oats will be one healthy extra B, I'm counting half a syn for the baking powder (it's less than that really), the mincemeat is four syns and one tbsp maple syrup is two syns while agave nectar is one and a half so there's precious little difference

L:  I'm having another of the Oakhouse Foods mini meals from Dad's freezer - mini chicken supreme.
It's not on the SW site so I have no idea of syns but they can't be that bad at 250 calories per meal and containing rice and chicken.  I will do some fresh veg to have with it - I have cabbage, sprouts, carrots, broccoli . . . plenty of choice there.
SW:  unknown

D:  roasted Christmas chicken dinner, 
I will use a chicken sizzler, hammer it out, spread it with a LM red onion and rosemary sausage, crumble over a couple of chestnuts, roll it up, wrap it in bacon and roast it.  Yummy.
I have roasted root veg left over from yesterday and I'll do some sprouts and, maybe, some broccoli.  It's going to be a big old dinner, that's for sure, but very SW friendly.
SW:  two syns for chestnuts and one and a half for cranberry sauce and I suppose I had better cou7nd one syn for the left over gravy - I counted this yesterday but syns, unlike WW points, don't carry over from day to day

E:  Probably not very much today.  Yesterday morning was surprisingly active, what with the walk there and back and standing all the way through the wreath making.  I'm feeling quite weary this morning.

Summary:
no healthy extra As again - I'm getting quite lax with my A choices.  Perhaps I should make a choccy drink with milk this evening for another two syns, instead of the usual water.
one healthy extra B
twelve and a half syns plus whatever the ready meal is - that's a bit high for me, mainly because of breakfast, so perhaps it is just as well I'm cutting the healthy As

From the freezer:
yesterday's frozen veg
the mini ready meal
chicken sizzler
LM sausage
two chestnuts