Tuesday, 13-12-22: Christmas challenge day 13

    Good morning to you!

More healthy habits for Christmas

Don't be too kind to yourself
Time may be short, you're working hard, you think 'I've been busy, I deserve a treat' and bang goes the plan/calories/healthy eating.

Being 'kind' doesn't have to mean scoffing unhealthy, unplanned food that is good neither for your body or your mental health.   Be kind in a better way - treat your mind and body with kindness via good, well prepped, healthy, balanced food.  

Yesterday's meals:

Adding cheese definitely worked!  The texture was still a bit dry (really, a good dollop of butter added would solve that but this is Slimming World territory, OK) but the flavour - mush better.  One portion makes ten little blinis - three had cheese and nutmeg, three had cheese and chilli flakes and four were just cheese.
I used cheddar - hard Italian cheese might be better.
The nutmeg was quite subtle; eaten after one with chilli was not a good idea as the delayed chilli kick killed the nutmeg.  Once that had subsided, nutmeg was really rather good.

The chilli had some bite to it.  Very, very nice though.

And the cheese on its own was also lovely.

This opens many options.  Cheese and herb, for example, cheese and onion, cheese and garlic.  Or maybe skip the cheese and soften some finely chopped onion.
I made little blini sized patties.  Added to a pan and squashed into a larger patty, it would make a nice alternative to a pizza base.  Brown lightly on one side, then on the other (turning it over might be interesting), then add pizza sauce and toppings and pop under the grill to finish off.  I will be trying that.

However - warning - syn free or low on syns does not mean low in calories.  This wouldn't be low in calories and it would take both your healthy extras.  When I make it, I will have a go at working out those calories.

After circuits, I went out to clear some snow from the front while I was nicely warmed up.  When I got in, I had a hot chocolate (the parcel arrived) and it was lovely.  Well worth three and a half syns.  If I get squirty cream and marshmallows, it will be more costly, of course.

Ooops - I used a torch to provide more light and it's turned the lettuce a rather poisonous shade, don't you think?  

The food was lovely - I mixed together balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and soy sauce to make a sort of dressing and it worked rather well with the roasted veg.

 It filled me up and I didn't want anything to nibble until late afternoon when I had some easy peelers.

(Just a shame about the photo really.)

Dinner was just a freezer risotto with some veg and, after a lot of fancier stuff, it was really nice.  Uncomplicated.

I had a yogurt to finish the day's eating off.

Today's plans:

B:  banana, bacon, egg, potato waffle, mushrooms 

The banana is before Groove for energy and the rest is for when I get home afterwards.

SW:  two syns for the potato waffle

L:  cheese and chutney toastie, side salad; fruit

This will use up all my healthy extras but that's OK, no problem.  The chutney is my onion and cranberry (there's the festive link!).

SW:  up to two healthy extra As, one healthy extra B, one and a half syns for chutney

D:  a SW frozen ready meal; yogurt

I can't remember what it's called and it's too darn cold to venture out to the shed to check but I think it is Chinese type and it is SW free.  After the others, I don't have very high expectations but canm't waste it.
There's two reasons - I will be eating later after watching the Infant show at school so will want something quick and I need the freezer space.

Later on, I might indulge in a hot chocolate for three and a half syns.

SW:  half a syn for the yogurt and three and a half if I have a hot chocolate drink

E:  Groove class today

Summary:

up to two healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

up to seven and a half syns