Friday, 30-06-23

   Good morning, everybody!

No SW this week because I'm off on a coach trip today.  In fact, I am writing this Thursday evening and will schedule it to post on Friday but let's just pretend it is a Friday anyway, OK?

Knowing I wouldn't be at group, last Friday I did a weigh at home and will do the same today under similar conditions, just to measure any movement on the scales.  It's just a check really.  I'll be back at group next week.

Yesterday's photos:

No broken yolk this time and it was scrummy!

First of all, the fritters - they were so good.  I used:

20g SR wholemeal flour

one medium egg

a little bit of yogurt

some sweetcorn

45g finely grated cheddar

seasonings (garlic and onion granules, chilli flakes, salt and pepper)

and some spray oil

Mix all but the last together, heat up a non stick pan to a medium heat and dollop in spoonfuls, giving each side about three minutes (or until they look done).

This made eight (I test tasted one).

I had planned salad and brown sauce but it was colder and damp this morning so I changed and used my speed food to make a tomato and (slightly) roasted red pepper soup.

For that, I used some frozen base mix (just onion, carrot and celery, found in Morrisons and very useful), a can of chopped tomatoes, some Marigold veg bouillon powder, a bit of roasted red pepper from a jar (there wasn't much left), a bit of water and a couple of sundried tomatoes with all the oil washed and then patted off.  Seasoning was salt and pepper.
I just boiled it all up and then blended it, pushing it through a sieve to make it super-smooth.
It was lovely and made enough for two portions.  There's no meat in it so it should be fine for a few days in the fridge.

It was a lovely lunch!

Just a reheat of leftovers for dinner and very nice it was too.

A had the last little bit of some 0% Greek yogurt for afters and that was that!

Today's plans:

B:  fruit

L:  no idea at present but we will be eating at their cafe rather than taking a picnic.  It was my friend's birthday this week so I'm treating her.

D:  Something from the freezer, I think.  It really depends when I get home and how I feel

Exercise:  a whole lot of walking!

Summary:  off plan today

Thursday, 29-06-23

  Good morning, everybody!

Yesterday's photos:

A really tasty start to the day's eating window.  Oat bran pancakes are quite different to wholemeal flour pancakes - different texture and more 'solid' - but they are really very nice in their own way and I ought to ring the changes a bit more, I think.

The fruit was just strawberries and raspberries from the PYO.

Lunch and I did have some marmite under the cheese.  SUch a good umami flavour there.

Afters was pineapple and, later on, I was feeling peckish so finished off the little bit of turkey left over from Sunday which was unfortunate because . . .

. . . dinner was lovely and I didn't have room for all of it.
The positive side is that now I have today's dinner to simply reheat!

I made the sauce/chicken part of the recipe early morning because flavours developing, etc and oh, my goodness!  Until I blended the sauce part, the overwhelming aroma was paprika which rather dismayed me because I had only added a small pinch but, after blending, a wonderful smoky sweetness came to the fore and it was so, so delicious.  I was also dismayed by the fact the my lighter soft cheese had gone over and had to hit the bin but I added some Seriously Lighter cheddar spread and it was so good.  Maybe not so 'creamy' in either texture or look but an excellent substitute.

Today's plans:

B:  crumpet thin with avocado and egg, tomatoes on the side

I just wonder what avocado on a crumpet is like.  I know it's lovely on wholemeal toast but we will see - well, I will.  And perhaps, this time, I won't break the egg yolk.

SW:  three syns for a crumpet thin and 40g frozen avocado chunks is three syns too

L:  cheesy sweet corn fritters, salad; fruit

I have sweetcorn left over from Tuesday's risotto so why not.   I plan to use flour, egg, plain yogurt, some seasonings (not sure what yet), garlic and onion granules and some grated cheddar plus brown sauce for dipping and a mixed salad.  A runny egg would be nice on top but I'm already having an egg for breakfast and one in the batter so best not.  

SW:  one B for some wholemeal SR flour (I count this as a B choice but it is not SW canon) and one, maybe more healthy extra As on the cheese.  One syn for some Crucials brown sauce

D:  creamy roasted red pepper and chicken pasta, possibly a salad; fruit/yogurt

Leftovers from yesterday.  The bag of mixed leaves I am currently working through has quite a lot of spinach and I might add some of that spinach to the mix plus a few shavings of parmesan might go down well

SW:  one syn for a bit of spready cheese and a bit of one of my healthy A on some parmesan shavings

Exercise:  rest day

Summary:

up to two healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

nine syns - blame the breakfast!

Wednesday, 28-06-23

  Good morning, everybody!

I'm getting on with planning for a week on Pinch of Nom recipes - the meals are all planned in  The calories, as stated on the recipes, are all over the place but I guess by the time I have added extra veg, fruit, desserts, etc, they will be OK.  I'll probably do it the week beginning July 15th as Lindsey's away again that week so there's no classes and the extra time that gives me will compensate for the extra cooking time needed.

That will be the week working out the values according to SW guidelines, so the calories don't really matter - well, they do, but they are not what I will be counting.  Once that's done, I will have a better idea of how it all works, time wise.  At the moment, my planning takes into account the times I will be out with, maybe, easier meals or something from the freezer.  We all do it, don't we.  Know we will get back tired and hungry so have something ready and waiting and, most important, quick!

MInd you - I will add a disclaimer (is that the right word?) here and that is that if I have leftovers to use up, etc, then, just as now, I will change the plans in order to work them in without waste.  That is always a given.

Yesterday's photos:

Breakfast was just a plum, a peach and a nectarine.  All three were a bit wrinkled, not at all photogenic - so I didn't.  However, they were sweet and juicy and absolutely delicious.

Bacon goes so well with cheese, doesn't it?  I really enjoyed my toastie and salad.  I had some strawberries afterwards, just strawberries, no yogurt or anything. So good

Risotto is brilliant for using up bits and bobs and I really think you don't need wine to make a risotto nice.  What you do need is a half decent stock and I used some home made fresh chicken stock from the freezer.

What's in it was onion, leek, yellow pepper, mushrooms, garlic, peas, sweetcorn, chicken and the stock.  And arborio rice, of course.  Seasoning was just salt and pepper.

It was so good and so filling.  

Must have risotto more often!

I finished off with a lovely, crunchy apple.

Today's plans:

B:  pancakes, fruit and yogurt

Yummy.  I think I will go for oat bran (or oats, if I can't find my oat bran), just to do a flavour/texture comparison with using wholemeal flour

SW:  half healthy extra B for 20g oats or oat bran

L:  cheese on toast, tomatoes, mushrooms

 - using one slice of bread.  Possibly, I will spread some marmite on the toast, under the cheese; I'll see how I feel when I make it.

SW:  half a healthy extra B, one healthy extra A

D:  creamy roasted red pepper and chicken pasta; yogurt and strawberries

(PoN Comfort Food p 100)
I have cooked chicken that must be used today and, while the Week On doesn't start for over a fortnight,  see no reason why I can't start using the PoN recipes more in normal circumstances.  😀

SW:  2 syns for 25g lighter soft cheese

Exercise:  a Lindsey recording

Summary:

up to two healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

two syns

Tuesday, 27-06-23

  Good morning, everybody!

Well, I made that loaf and . . .

. . . it was just exactly what I wanted. 
I had to sample it, of course (so delicious) so that was my healthy extra B for yesterday.  I really ought to have taken a photo of the inside crumb.

The rest is now sliced into nice ovals and in the freezer.  To my delight, I can legitimately and without bending the 'rules' or my conscience (such as it is) have two slices as my healthy extra B.  They are thin but that's OK.

Quite apart from the fact that home made bread jut tastes so very good, when I actually look at the label and see what's in the kind of wholemeal that gives you two slices for a B, the more determined I am to continue making my own bread in future.

Must look up how to make pitta bread.  😇

Yesterday's photos:

Breakfast was lovely.  Afterwards I enjoyed some freshly picked strawberries and raspberries

More leftovers gone!  It filled me up nicely, especially when followed by some raspberries with Greek yogurt.

As you may imagine, this went down a real treat.  The garlic and herb crumb was much stronger in flavour than the lemon one was but that's OK.  The fish was lovely and tender and who doesn't like home made wedges?

Must look for 'naked' yellowfin sole fillets so I can do my own crumbing.  Iceland, maybe?  Anyone know?

Today's plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

Nice and clean and fresh - I love this!  Also, I have a friend round for coffee at my usual breakfast time so want something quick, easy, light but filling that I can have just before she arrives.

SW:  syn free

L:  cheese and bacon toastie, side salad; fruit (probably pineapple as I have a very ripe one that needs eating)

Simply a favourite!  Does a week go by without me having a toastie?  I don't think so.  :-)
I have loads of tomatoes in the fridge so the salad might morph into a tomato salad or salsa type thing.

SW:  one healthy extra A (maybe one and a half), one healthy extra B

D:  mushroom and turkey risotto, side salad; fruit and yogurt

This is to use up the last bits of turkey from Sunday and I have real chicken stock to use too.  No wine though!  I will add extra veg - like red pepper, peas and corn

SW:  half a healthy extra A for some Parmesan and the rest is syn free as I will use 0% yogurt

Exercise:  a Lindsey clip and some gardening

Summary:

two healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

this might possibly be a syn free day

Monday, 26-06-23

 Good morning, everybody!

I'm making another loaf today.  I already have plenty left from the last loaf but I baked it in a tin so it's that shape.  I rather fancy having the choice of oval slices too - they can look great on the plate (as well as tasting brilliant!

It's cooler, thankfully, and I'm feeling so much better.  Such a relief.  Back to proper meals again today.

Yesterday's photos:

This was very nice but, oh my goodness, it was HUGE.  One portion had three eggs (three!!!), two chicken chipolatas, two bacon medallions plus the veg - I could only manage half so that's today's breakfast sorted out.

It was nice but nothing unusual really, basically just a frittata/crustless quiche kind of thing without cheese.  And I need to brown the sausages more!

Definitely not as planned.

I was feeling quite flaky yesterday anyway and it was so, so hot that the thought of even the most simple roast dinner was too daunting.  This was my healthy B, half a healthy A (cheese spread) and some of the turkey I roasted earlier, before the heat built up too much.

I had some fresh pineapple and some strawberries that had been cooling in the fridge and they were lovely.

When it came to dinner, I still wasn't hungry so I just had a banana, some grapes and an apple.

Nothing heavy and nothing cooked!

 Hopefully it will be cooler today.

Today's plans:

B:  the other half of the breakfast bake

Seeing as I will have just been strawberry picking, I might have some fruit too - but not together!

SW:  half a syn for the sausage

L:  chicken tikka masala, veg; fruit

This is the other half of Saturday's curry and I will probably add some of the turkey from, yesterday.  I prepped some cauliflower and broccoli for steaming but, obviously, didn't have it, so I need to use that up too.

SW:  I believe it is all syn free

D:  fish, chips, salad; yogurt and fruit

Today, I am remembering my lovely Dad as it is the second anniversary of his passing.  His big favourite was steak and chips/wedges but he also loved fish and chips, not the chippy shop kind, the bake in the oven kind.  I'm going to enjoy one of those breaded yellowfin sole fillets, the garlic and herb one.
I'm low on healthy extras so I will make cheesy chips, I think, and maybe have a slice of bread and make a cheesy chip butty.  I'll see how hungry I feel when it comes to it.

SW:  four syns for the fish and, perhaps, one A and one B.  The yogurt is 0% Greek so syn free

Exercise:  Lindsey is away this week so I will have to be motivated enough to access the videos she has left for us.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

(perhaps)

four and a half syns

Sunday, 25-06-23

 Good morning, everybody!

I spend a fair time yesterday gathering Pinch of Nom recipes for this 'week on' I am planning.  There's loads of lunches and dinner, bot so many breakfasts as many of them use bread and, if I am to marry it with Slimming World (which I want to do), I need to keep B choices for lunch some of the time.

I can repeat breakfasts though, that's no problem.

I might very well do a SW week on Pinch of Nom and then a calorie counted week on PoN which gives me greater scope.  I'll ponder on that.

I won't be doing it this week though . . .

Yesterday's photos:

This really was very good indeed.  A shame I made a right dog's dinner of the egg, breaking it as it went into the pan.  Oh, well, it tasted just as good, I am sure.

Definitely one to do again and I have a few more ideas for those crumpets too.

OK, so this was in no way an 'authentic' caesar salad, whatever that may be, but it was absolutely scrummy and miles nicer than the abomination that was served to me in a well known pizza chain a month or so ago - and many times cheaper.

Probably loads healthier too with plenty of speed salad, lean chicken, lighter feta, Healthy B croutons, healthy oils in some olives and the lighter dressing.
The only thing I forgot to syn in yesterday's planning was one syn for the olives.

I had an orange for afters.

Dinner was the chicken tikka masala made with the JD seasoning and it was really very good.  In the end, I used half the tub of spice with one large chicken breast, adding some mushrooms, and it's made enough for two.
The little tubs have lids so I've tucked the other half, plus the recipe, in my spice cupboard so I won't forget about it!

I use the absorption method when cooking rice - works every time.

Afters, as you can see, was some grapes.

Today's plans:

B:  epic brekkie bake

This is from the new SW book, 'Tray-mendous' - lots of SW friendly tray bakes in it, some of which look amazing.
I will be subbing - of course.  I will use Heck chicken sausages instead of the SW pork sausages which I refuse to use, they are vile (I think), and no spinach as I'm not that fond of it, but I will add some leaves to the plate to compensate.
Basically, it's a baked omelette, I guess, but it looks really nice.

SW:  one syn for two chicken Italia chipolatas

L:   roast turkey, chutney, roasties, roasted veg and other veg; fruit

. . . and that's the last of my rolled turkey breasts (from Kelly's - a big one cut into small portions).  I won't be buying a turkey this Christmas but I might get another rolled breast to cut up in the same way - it has been extremely useful.  

SW:  one and a half syns for chutney and I think the rest is SW free

D:  shredded turkey bbq burger, salad; yogurt

I'm not quite sure what to call this.  Basically, I found a little pot of BBQ sauce in the freezer, labelled 'free' which I will taste and pep up, if necessary and I will have turkey left over from lunch so I plan to shred the turkey, mix in the sauce and bung it on a toasted (home made - yum) roll with salad, etc.
SW:  one healthy extra B and maybe one syn for some salad cream on the salad.  Also half a syn for the yogurt

Exercise:  rest day

Summary:

no healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

four syns

A week of meals on Slimming World

        These photos are a resume of most of the meals I have had over the last week, excluding desserts, snacks, naughty things, etc. It starts on Saturday and goes through to the following Friday because our group meets on Friday mornings.

Slimming World - restricting?  Few choices?  Going without?   Absolutely no way!

For details of syns, healthy extras, etc, see the individual posts.

Saturday, 17-06-23

Brunch:  crustless ham quiche, baked beans

D:  chilli chicken, rice

Sunday, 18-06-23

B:  fruit platter (and yogurt)

L:  toastie and salad

D:  steak, wedges and peas

Monday, 19-06-23

B:  sweet omelette with strawberries and yogurt

L:  ham salad roll, salad

D:  Vietnamese pork, broccoli

Tuesday, 20-06-23

B:  smoked salmon, scrambled egg, tomatoes and mushrooms

L:  chicken teriyaki skewer, coleslaw, salad

D:  chicken and veg in peshwari sauce, rice

Wednesday, 21-06-23

B:  avocado toast with a poached egg

L:  crustless quiche, coleslaw and a small salad

D:  cheesy pasta bake and mixed veg

Thursday, 22-06-23

B:  fruit and yogurt

L:  egg salad wrap, pickles

Friday, 23-06-23

B:  pancakes with yogurt and strawberries

L:  cheese sandwich

D:  disaster - no photo.  😈

And that was the week.  It didn't end well but the rest of it was fine.  A new week starts now.

Saturday, 24-06-23

Good morning, everybody!

It was a maintain yesterday - thanks to all who inquired.

I'm very happy with that - I'm in the healthy BMI range, I fit into (most of) my size tens and I accept that some of my bulges will never go because they are stretched skin, not fat.  More importantly, I am working to keep myself fit and developing strength - so important as one gets older.

I'm still going for that last half stone but, more than that, I am continuing to focus on the journey, to make it as healthy and as good for me as it possibly can.  After all, there's always something to work on, isn't there?

(apologies if that sounds smug - I don't feel smug, just aiming to focus on the good things as well as changing what still needs to be changed)

Yesterday's photos:

I enjoyed this very much.  That's the last of the Lathcoats strawberries now.  Time to get some more, perhaps.

I had already had an apple after weigh in.

Not quite what I planned although the constituent parts are similar.

I just fancied a basic cheese sandwich rather than on toast so that is what I had and very nice it was too.

Afters was another apple

Sadly, the rest of the day was a bit of disaster so we will draw a veil of oblivion over it (as Anne Shirley said) and move on into a new week!

Today's plans:

B:  crumpet thin with egg and tomatoes on the side

These are quite new, I believe, but I have always loved a toasted crumpet.  Admittedly, in the past they would have been dripping with melting butter which ain't going to happen nowadays, but I reckon an egg yolk will be just as nice.  If it's good, it may become a regular.

SW:  three syns for the crumpet - they don't count as a healthy extra A

L:  sort of chicken caesar salad; fruit

In no way will this be authentic!  I have some cooked chicken, some M&S lighter 'creamy Caesar dressing' which is quite nice and plenty of simple salad veg, enough to knock up a half decent salad.

No hard Italian cheese, sadly, but I think a little crumble of feta will be nice.

SW:  three syns for some dressing, one healthy extra A for feta and one B for croutons

D:  chicken tikka masala, rice; yogurt

I meant to have this yesterday but, well, veil of oblivion, you know so tonight's the night!

SW:  I intend to have 0% Greek yogurt so it should all be syn free

Exercise:  SET online

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

six and a half syns

Friday, 23-06-23

Good morning, everybody!

Today, being Friday,.is weigh day and, as usual, I have absolutely no idea whatsoever . . .

I'm also weighing at home before I set off, something I rarely do.  The reason is that next week I am not able to go so I want something to measure loss/gain next week.  I know I can't compare that with the SW scales weigh in but it will provide a baseline.

Yesterday's photos:

Fruit and yogurt and very nice too.  I also munched on an apple.

I decided to have a boiled egg in my wrap and I'm glad I did - it was lovely!

Afters was two easy peelers.

I decided to splash out on some toasted sesame oil to roast the veg in - for flavour and also no as not to use the spray oil which I'm going to try to cut down on a bit as it's ultra processed.

It imparted a lovely flavour to the veg.

Afters was a yogurt (I'm not going to waste them)..

Today's plans:

B:  pancakes, fruit and yogurt

The usual Friday breakfast after SW and very yum too.

SW:  half a healthy extra B, half a syn for yogurt

L:  cheese on toast, brown sauce; fruit

SW:  the other half B and one A plus up to one syn for brown sauce

D:  chicken tikka masala, rice; fruit and yogurt

I will use the first of the JD seasoning kits I have and I know this will be delicious.

SW:  the curry, etc, is syn free and half a syn for yogurt

Exercise:  rest day

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

two syns

Thursday, 22-06-23

Good morning, everybody!

Two books!

This is the first one.  The author is well known for his TV work and this book is fascinating.
It's quite heavy in content, although written in a very readable and anecdotal way with technical vocabulary either explained or stated more accessibly); my usual habit of skim reading isn't helping and I have to keep stopping and re-reading because I have lost the thread but it's worth it.

I haven't got very far with it yet; I only bought it yesterday (for my Kindle) but I keep picking it up and reading on.

What it's about is on the front cover and, while I'm not going to turn all evangelical about the issue, I will just say that it seems to answer a lot of my personal 'food' focused 'why?' thoughts and concerns and makes me extremely glad that I have the time, the means, the skills and the desire to cook pretty much all my meals from scratch each day.

If you are concerned about what you're putting into your body and want to eat healthily and well, you might appreciate this book.  I certainly am.

Here's the other.

Pre ordered ages ago and arriving at some point today, the very latest Pinch of Nom book focuses on budget meals and I can't wait to get my mitts on it.  This is a 'proper' book and I do like their recipes.  A lot of what I cook is derived from PoN ideas and I feel a 'Week on Pinch of Nom' coming on.

Yesterday's photos:

I enjoyed this so much and it felt so 'healthy'.  Home made bread and no processed stuff.  So delicious!

I planned to have mushrooms on the side but decided it was enough as it was.

Lovely lunch.  I just had beetroot rather than a full salad and I was full.  I do like beetroot.

The quiche has two eggs, ham, onion, mushroom, seasonings and finely grated cheese.

I had a banana later on, just before I went off to Personal Training, for a bit extra energy.

Just a bog standard pasta bake but it is easy to forget just how tasty these basic recipes can be.
For dessert I had strawberries and 2% yogurt and this time that really was it for the day.

Today's plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

A banana before the online SET class and I have loadsa fruit to use up.

SW:  syn free

L:  salad wrap and pickles; fruit

Sometimes it is nice to just have something basic and today I really fancy just a salad wrap made with salad cream.  Nice and crunchy!

SW:  one healthy extra B and up to two syns worth of salad cream

D:  salmon, roasted veg; yogurt

I seem to be having a 'plain' day today.  That's OK.  Plain is good!

SW:  half a syn for yogurt

Exercise:  online SET class

Summary:

no healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

two and a half syns