Friday, 13-01-23: Low spend/no spend January

Good morning, everyone.

I know SW insists that you only have to measure your healthy extras and syns but I find that I'm happier weighing certain things that it's all too easy to go over on.  After all, SW 'free' doesn't mean there are no calories!

These are usually . . .

Greek yogurt (around 150g)

rice (about 40g)

pasta (around 50g)

not potatoes because they usually come portion controlled anyway, don't they?

I think it's making best use of the best from the whole calorie counting thing for me because, let's face it, weighing absolutely everything is a total bore and a bind, especially when you cook from scratch almost all the time, but just weighing certain things (for me it's the 'free' carbs really) to stop the portions from creeping up is really helpful and takes minimal effort.

What things do you weigh?

And while on the subject - it's weigh-in time this morning, of course.  It's Friday 13th so who knows, eh?  :-)

Yesterday's meals:

All the fruit was from the freezer but the strawberries and the raspberries were some of what I picked at Lathcoat's early last summer.  Delicious!

Lunch was the broccoli and butter bean soup I described yesterday and wowee.  I don't know whether it was using the aquafaba or the lemon zest or what but this was so, so delicious.
I am very glad there's another portion for today.

I had an apple afterwards.

Dinner was the second portion of the Simply Cook stroganoff that I made a while ago and popped into the freezer.  I must get that kit again - it was so tasty.
I decided against cooking some rice too because I've had rice two days on the trot and, to be honest, I didn't really miss it at all.

I was too full for any dessert.

Today's plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

I'm enjoying using the frozen fruit for these breakfasts.  Not only are they already cut up, when they thaw, they have a nice little bit of juice to flavour the yogurt too.

SW:  syn free as I have some 0% Greek yogurt to use up

L: soup as yesterday, cheesy croutons; fruit

There's several soup portions to choose from in the freezer, all pretty much syn free.  However, I think I will have the second half of yesterday's though as it's not been frozen yet and there's no point taking one out and putting one in.

SW:  one healthy extra A for cheese and a B for the bread

D:  steak, chips, salad; banana ice cream

Self explanatory really.  I'll do the chips in Nellie and while they are air frying, I can cook and rest the steak.  I think I will spray fry some mushrooms and black pepper in the same pan while the steak is resting and perhaps add a bit of crème fraiche to make a sauce.

The banana ice cream is just some frozen banana blended and mixed with some yogurt and skinny syrup flavouring.  It's surprisingly nice.

SW:  lighter crème fraiche is one syn per level tbsp and I'll probably use three.  I am not synning the banana!

E:  Shimmy Snippet.  It's a fifteen minute live Energise session but I can't do it live because of Slimming World so I will catch up with it later on.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

three syns

What is low spend, no spend?

All I will buy through January is essentials - and by that I mean food such as fresh fruit, veg and dairy/eggs.  All other foods will come out of my existing supplies and, to be honest, that may not be much of a challenge.  Also included in any low spend essentials are cleaning products and toiletries although I think I am fine for the latter.  
Also anything else essential that I won't think of until it lands!
That is the low spend part.

Everything else, unless it is either a regular bill/payment/commitment, will not happen.  No sneaky little Amazon purchases, no 'bargains' from the supermarket, certainly no clothes . . .
That's the no spend part.