Sunday, 20-02-22

Good morning!

I made that campfire stew from Rachel's blog and it was so easy and very delicious but, if you make it, do remember to soak the ham for twenty four hours before hand or it will come out very salty indeed.  As it was, I didn't need to add any salt.
And it makes LOADS!

This recipe wasn't Rachel's own, I need to emphasise, it was adapted from one from the Pinch of Nom site/book and, to be fair, that wasn't original either; it's a very old recipe.

This whole thing about being 'original' is exercising my brain somewhat at the moment as SW are running a Free Food recipe competition and one of the things on the sheet that you fill in is a box to tick saying it's an original recipe.
But where does 'adapting' stop and 'original' start?  I can't honestly say that many of the recipes/ideas I use are original - they have all come from somewhere and been adapted, 'optimised' as SW calls it.

What do you think.  At what point does a recipe become more 'original' than 'adapted'?

Yesterday's meals:

Breakfast was choccy weetabix minis with oat drink and some defrosted fruit from the freezer - raspberries (from garden and allotment and so yummy) and black cherries.

On the YouTube SW and calorie counting vlogs I follow, it is becoming quite a 'thing' to have what they call 'overnight weetabix' - like overnight oats but with weetabix although, to be honest, it could quite as easily be called 'quarter of an hour weetabix' seeing how quickly it mushes!  Anyway - I have a lot of weetabix crumbs in the container so I suspect this will be featuring at some point soon.

Sushi, coleslaw and tomatoes for lunch and very nice too.

I also had a couple of easy peelers and later on in the afternoon I had some cooked chicken (SW free/protein)

The campfire stew, described on her blog by Rachel.

It's really, really nice although next time I will leave out the smoked paprika (or add a lot less).  I had it as it came out of the pot, given that it has some speed veg in it already and it was filling.  I suppose it would be with ham and beans in it.

Today's plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt, oat drink
I'm not feeling particularly hungry this morning so just a lighter breakfast
SW:  half a healthy extra A for the oat drink

L:  roast pork with apple and onion, various veg; fruit

I treated myself to a proper pork tenderloin (or fillet) from Aldi and realised that . . .
a)  they are not terribly expensive (£3.65) and

b)  it's a very good way of getting a roast pork dinner when you just cook for yourself with just enough leftovers for the next few days
I'll do the same as before and just add some lighter crème fraiche at the end.
Here's the recipe I used and adapted:  https://www.inspiredtaste.net/21117/perfect-roasted-pork-tenderloin-recipe-with-apples/

SW:  I will use spray oil, one syn for two tsps Dijon mustard, up to three syns for two tbsp lighter crème fraiche and I will miss out the butter completely

D:  campfire stew (again); yogurt

This time, I am adding some orzo to the mix as it reheats.  I think pasta texture will go well with it.

I'd love to also add some broad beans or edamame beans but I need speed veg, not starchy veg, so it will be a choice from cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts or carrots, left over from lunch (no point cooking twice when once will do!).
The rest is going into the freezer for now.

SW:  half a syn for the yogurt

E:  Kettle exercises and Lindsey's homework

Summary:

half a healthy extra A

no B (but there's plenty of fibre in the plans)

five syns

From the freezer:

nothing from the freezer today and rather a lot of campfire stew going in.  Oh, dear!