Monday, 29-08-22

  Good morning, everyone.

Yesterday's meals:

Breakfast

pork patty with tomatoes and mushrooms.

I added some fajita spice and black pepper to the mushrooms and tomatoes.  Nice.

Just one syn for the chutney - one dsp was just the right amount.

I have to say it again, guys, this pork and sausage mix is a real game changer for me.  The pork mellows the onion and rosemary sausages which can be quite 'strong', the sausages lighten the pork mince which can end up quite dense and the seasonings just work.  

Here it is again:

• 100g 5% pork mince (protein)
• two Aldi onion and rosemary sausages (free)
• 20 to 30g wholemeal breadcrumbs (30 g is half a healthy extra B or three syns but by the time you've sectioned it out, it hardly counts so call it half to one syn depending).  Don't try to leave them out, they matter to the overall texture.
• seasonings - I use black pepper (no salt), half tsp garlic granules, half tsp fajita spice mix and a good dollop of soy sauce

I also use a little plain flour for dusting my hands as the mixture can be quite sticky

Just throw everything but the flour into a bowl and squidge together - I use my hands.

Section and use.  So far I have made the egg and pork pies, meatballs and patties but I want to try scotch egg and to use for the base of a quiche like thing, burger, sort of kebab round a skewer (maybe with different spices), meat loaf and . .  whatever else comes to mind.
If I wasn't trying to reduce what's in the freezer a bit, I'd make a batch today but, as it is, I will wait until the next time I need it and then batch the leftovers.

Moving on . . .

Lunch

Just the leftover lasagne, the portion that didn't go in the freezer, with a simple side salad.  The perfect amount - I felt full without being stuffed and I left the fruit until later on.

I will do lasagne that way again (if I remember).

Dinner

And so to Itsu and it was simply delicious.  Clean, fresh, un-oily and so many flavours and textures.  I absolutely loved it.  Beth had a sushi platter and that, also, looks so good.

I'll definitely be going back there again soon - there are so many dishes I want to try.

When we got home, I made up a jug of my favourite not-Pimms and we enjoyed that while laughing ourselves silly over really old Morecambe and Wise Christmas Specials (Beth's request).

Today's plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

As always . . . a great favourite at this time of year.

SW:  speed and free

L:  Moroccan chicken pitta, salad; fruit

From the freezer, one of the portions of Moroccan chicken.  It's a bit of a hefty syn load but I can 'afford' it.  I can shred it, maybe add some pineapple or nectarine (yum) and stuff it into a pitta with lots of shredded leaves and some cucumber.  Nice.

SW:  one healthy extra B and four and a half syns for the chicken

D:  chicken and rice, broccoli; yogurt

I have the chicken I strained off the can of chicken in white sauce.  I think I will just add plenty of lovely veg and have it either on pasta or rice - perhaps I could do a sort of risotto type rice thingy, that might be nice.  I have broccoli to have with it.  Lovely stuff - and leftovers (sort of).

At the moment, I'm finding that the main is filling me up so the yogurt is optional!

SW:  I've already 'paid' the syns for the chicken but I think, maybe, I will say half a syn, just to be on the safe side.  One healthy extra A for some not-Parmesan if - IF - I do a risotto-ish style rice.  Half a syn if I have the yogurt.

E:  I was going to have a swim but remembered that it will probably be very busy because of Bank Holiday, so I'll do something at home, I think.

Summary:

up to two healthy extra As (depending on how many café au laits I have)

one healthy extra B

five and a half syns