Thursday, 30-11-23: Christmas challenge minus1

 Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

Do you remember that for the past two years year I have had a Christmas Challenge where I challenged myself to make something with a festive vibe each day through December until Christmas Eve evening?

It did help, even though things went a bit haywire at the end so I'm going to do it again, working up to the 21st when I start my Festive Jolly.

What constitutes 'festive'? Well, I decided . . .
anything from a Christmas Special magazine
anything categorised as 'Christmas' on recipe sites
anything from a Christmas recipe book
anything 'party-ish' - canapés and the like
anything containing cranberries, chestnuts, turkey, ham, smoked salmon . . .

etc, etc, etc

Oh, you get the idea, I'm sure.  A very wide interpretation!

I'll still be relating everything to Slimming World.  That won't stop until much nearer to Christmas.

🎄🎅🤶🎅🎄

(I'm thinking I might use one of these cute 'special characters' to mark the festive bits)

I've already started using my Festive china, etc.  I mean, what's the point of having anything special if you only use them a couple of times each year.  I do have special tableware and I intend to get value from it all.
December can be very dull, dark, cold and gloomy so anything the brightens things up is a Very Good Thing.  

🎄🎅🤶🎅🎄

Yesterday's meal photos:

Very filling and delicious and the Just Spices scrambled egg and avocado seasonings (separate ones) are both lovely.

You can't beat a plate of cheesy beans on toast, can you?

Dinner didn't work out as planned.  No photo.

🎄🎅🤶🎅🎄

Today's meal plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

Something quick and simple

SW:  syn free

L:  all-day breakfast - bacon egg, hm hash brown, baked beans, tomatoes and mushrooms - and I might splash out on a sausage too!

I'll need something comforting after going to a funeral, I think.

SW  two syns for the sausage but the rest is, I think, free

D:  steak sandwich, salad; fruit

I defrosted a couple of thing steak sizzler thingies yesterday but never used them.  I can jazz them up with pickles, onion, etc.

SW:  one healthy extra B, one and a half syns for chutney

Exercise:  walking

Summary:

no healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

three and a half syns.

🎄🎅🤶🎅🎄

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Wednesday, 29-11-23

Good morning, everybody.   Welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

Yesterday's meal photos:

Real comfort food for breakfast.  Porridge with stewed plums and 0% yogurt

It worked - this kept me satisfied and I just had my usual fruit later in the afternoon.

Very tasty salmon for dinner.  

Still not feeling very well but I was 100% on plan yesterday, a great relief after several less than ideal days.

Today's plans:

B:  avocado bagel, scrambled eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms

A great favourite, especially with the Just Spices toppings.

SW:  one healthy extra B, three syns for 45g frozen avocado chunks

L:  cheesy beans on toast; fruit

Diving into my extra healthy extra for the toast.  Beans on toast is one of the world's great comfort foods, isn't it?

SW:  half a healthy extra B for one slice of bread (might have two), one healthy extra A for grated cheese and one syn for sauce in the baked beans

D:  Korean style beef noodles; fruit/yogurt

This is one of the very few commercial SW ready meals that I like but I am using the recipe that came with the ready meal I bought a while ago and making my own.

That is something I really like - all the Slimming World ready meals (from Iceland) come with the recipe on the box/sleeve/lid.  It really does encourage you to have a go at home - cheaper and also, I am sure, nicer too.  To be fair, generally, the SW ready meals are far less ultra processed than many ready meals, unlike the hi-fi bars which I stopped getting once I read the list of 'ingredients'.

Fingers crossed that home made is nice too.

SW:  syn free

Exercise:  another rest day

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one and a half (maybe two) healthy extra Bs

foursyns

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Tuesday, 28-11-23

Good morning, everybody.   Welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

Yesterday wasn't great - A coldy virus landed and I crashed, sleeping for a lot of the time in-between coughs and splutters.  Feed a cold, they say.
Oh, well, what goes up, must come down, as another saying goes.  But I think I might not weigh this week.  I don't have to.

Yesterday's meal photos:

I just took the one photo - the toastie for lunch.  

Today's plans:  

I was having a friend over for lunch but, obviously, that's been rearranged now.  

B:  porridge with plums and yogurt

I stewed the plums yesterday but didn't have them and no way am I wasting them - they're the last of the Lathcoats picked ones.
I don't syn stewed fruit.

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

L:  cottage pie and veg; fruit
I made this up yesterday but, again, didn't have it, so it must be used up today.  I'm hoping a more substantial lunch will keep me on track a bit better today.
The topping is rough mashed potato, parsnip and sweet potato and I'll probably sprinkle over half an As-worth of hard Italian grated.

SW:   half a healthy extra A

D:  salmon, chips, peas; fruit/yogurt

 I plan to drizzle some sweet chilli dipping sauce over salmon and bake in one side of Nellie while I cook chip-type potato pennies in the other side.  

SW:  two syns for the sweet chilli sauce

Exercise:  It was Groove but I have cancelled.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

two syns

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Monday, 27-11-23

 Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

What did I think of the Just Spices Mini-Advent Calendar?

Well, for a start, it wasn't that mini really, either in price or in content.  Twenty five different spice mixes, toppings, etc, is quite an achievement.  I got it on offer with the bigger one and with 'free' things - a nice recipe book and some other toppings in tubs but the spice if you just got that one isn't that cheap, not really.

There were some mixes that I thought really good.  The chicken seasoning, the avocado topping, the scrambled egg one, the oatmeal spice, the banana loaf mix and the roast potato seasoning, plus others, were jolly delicious and I'm hoping there will be full tubs of these in the larger calendar.

There were a few I really wouldn't bother with again - the rice all rounder and the oddly named bowl topping come directly to mind and there were a few others too.

I'm glad I gave it a go though - it was really good.  I wouldn't get it again as I reckon each year will me much the same.  But I will be keeping an eye on the site and, maybe, giving any new mixes a try.

Yesterday's meal photos:

Yummy waffles for breakfast.  I've got the timing right now - these look dark because I added coffee essence, not because they are scorched.  The 5% yogurt is nice enough but I think I prefer the 2% really.  Hopefully, Sainsbury's will start stocking it again soon.

This was really good!

After looking it up, I cooked the lamb chops in Nellie the Ninja, five minutes on each side at 180 and they were perfect for me as I like my lamb cooked through.  You know what lamb chops are like - lots of bone and fat, but two gave me enough meat to satisfy.  I have two more in the freezer that I need to have soon as they're quite 'old'.

Confession time:  I lost it late afternoon and the evening was well off plan.  All that beige food on Saturday has ignited my 'addictive' side so today needs to be super healthy and 'clean' but tasty enough to really, properly satisfy.

Was Saturday's food worth it?  Hmmm - ask me again later in the week and fingers crossed for today - please.

Today's meal plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

SW:  syn free

L:  cheese, bacon and cranberry toastie, salad; fruit

A bit of a festive vibe going on here with the cranberry sauce, home made and syn free because I don't syn cooked fruit and will use sweetener.  I might add some thinly sliced onion to the sauce too.
SW:  one and a half healthy extra As, one healthy extra B

D:  cottage pie, veg; frozen fruit foam

Yesterday, I made extra roasted parsnip and potato so I might have enough for a mash topping to the mince.  If not, I will soften some sweet potato from the freezer to top it up and I will add a bit of egg for richness.  That means I will have an egg white to use up so I can make some frozen fruit foam as well.

I have portions of savoury mince ready in the freezer.

SW:  I think this will be syn free.

Exercise:  small group circuits class today

Summary:

one and a half healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

syn free, I think

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Sunday, 26-11-23

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

So the spice sachet calendar is over and I have decided not to dive straight into the bigger one.  Too samey and I have a Body Shop calendar to start on the 1st December.  The big spice calendar will brighten up my January Days instead.

For the last couple of years, I have done a Festive Challenge through December which I rather enjoyed so I will do this until my Festive Jolly begins.  More in the next few days.

But for now - it's the Five Days of Nothing!  

(except for using my Christmas tableware - if it's out, I use it!  And it's out.)

Yesterday's meal photos:

Yes, I did remember to take a few.  Breakfast was an apple and some nibbles from the food prep.

Scrambled egg on toast for lunch.  Very simple and tasty too.

Our Christmas Tree buffet - plus alcohol.

I ate and drank WAY too much yesterday and now (Sunday morning), I am bloated and brain urgh.  You can always tell when you've not eaten healthily, can't you?  I certainly can and that's how I feel this morning.

Line drawn!  :-)

Back on it now.  No going short in any attempt to 'pay back the calories'; that never works for me.  So I have a proper Sunday menu worked out and I will enjoy it as things settle and get back to normal again.

Today's meal plans:

B:  waffles , fruit and yogurt
Haven't had this for a few days and it's a favourite.

When I did my shopping, I thought I would try some 5% Greek yogurt as I can't get the 2% round here at the moment.  200g is three and a half syns - that's OK

SW:  half a healthy extra B and three and a half syns for 200g yogurt (might be less)

L:  lamb chops, roasties, steamed veg

Another bag I found when sorting out part of the freezer was a bag with four lamb chops.  I know they tend to be fatty and I truly don't like meat fat (apart from pork crackling) but I can take all that off and enjoy the meat.  Not all four, obviously, but I will have two because by the time you've taken off the fat there's not a lot of meat.
I won't do a Yorkshire platter today because, after yesterday, I'm not terribly hungry

SW:  I'm counting the lamb as zero syns because I will be meticulous in removing the fat.  Two syns for gravy.

D:  baked salmon, salad; fruit/yogurt

I will do what I enjoyed before; open wrap the salmon, drizzle over a bit of sweet chilli sauce and bake in Nellie for around five to six minutes.  That's all it takes and it's lovely!

SW:  I have to decide between sweet chilli or mango and sweet chilli sauces but one and a half suns will cover the lot.

Exercise:  rest day

Summary:

no healthy extra As (not deliberate, it's just how it happened)

half a healthy extra B

six syns

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Saturday, 25-11-23

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

Yesterday's weigh in resulted in a gain of one and a half but that's OK, I'm still well within target range.  Once today is over it is straight back on plan again.

Today is Christmas Tree Day, a family tradition where Beth and Alex come over, we put up our Christmas Tree, have a nice buffet, festive drinks and watch Christmas movies.
It will definitively, beyond any shadow of doubt, be off plan as I've got stuff we all enjoy . . .

veggie not-sausage rolls, halloumi fries, mini spring rolls, tortilla chips with salsa, baked camembert, nibbles, stollen bites and mince pies.  Plus a few good things like carrot batons, salad and fruit.

And I'm going to enjoy it all.

I'm sure Alex will take away any leftovers so that's good.

I don't have any photos from yesterday but, hopefully, I can take some of the buffet today.

Today's meal plans:

B:  fruit

L:  scrambled egg on toast

Just a light lunch.  I don't think I can last on coffee and fruit until the buffet.

SW:  one healthy extra B

D:  buffet

Exercise: does decorating the Christmas tree count - round and round with the lights, up and down with the baubles?

Summary:

no idea, off plan and using flexi-syns today as much as I can

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Friday, 24-11-23: Mini Spicemas - the last day

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

The last spice sachet isn't a sachet, it's a tub and it's Avocado Topping.  Brilliant!  I love this - it's spicy, salty and really enhances avocado.  

Yesterday's meal photos:

 Cheesy marmite toast and an orange for breakfast.  I'd already had an apple before SET class

A tasty and filling lunch - avo toast, scrambled egg, tomatoes and mushrooms followed by a couple of easy peelers.

I had avocado topping (I already have some!)  on the avocado and scrambled egg topping in the scrambled egg.  They went well together.

Later on, I had some biscuits.  Not a horrendous amount, just more than I should have.  Oh, well. 

And here's the steak casserole.  I know it doesn't look particularly amazing but it tasted great!

More easy peelers for afters and that was it for the day.

Today's meal plans:

B:  just a piece of fruit because of lunch

SW:  syn free

L:  eating out with a friend
We're off to a local garden centre that has an online menu.  I've looked and there's a good choice of things around the 500 calories mark, including toasties (yum) and jacket potatoes.  I'll most likely go for a toastie unless they have any festive specials - which they probably will.  Turkey, brie and cranberry toastie, anyone?

SW:  syns unknown

D: dirty fries, maybe a side salad; fruit/yogurt

Yesterday, I made a batch of basic bolognaise in the slow cooker, some for the freezer and some for today.
I plan to jazz up a portion with spice and extra veg, top it with chips (done in Nellie) and grated cheese and finish it off under the grill.

SW:  one healthy extra A

Exercise:  walking

Summary:

one healthy extra A

no healthy extra B

syns unknown because of lunch but I reckon if I choose from the 500 to 600 calorie range (plenty of choice), it won't take me out of my calorie zone (which is around 1800)

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Thursday, 23-11-23: Mini Spicemas, day 23

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

Today's penultimate spice sachet is Tomato Mozzarella Seasoning.  I rarely eat mozzarella so am now sure about this one but it says:

Tomato and mozzarella just got even more delicious
Contains approx. 26 servings
Perfect for tomato salad, antipasti and bruschetta

and

The Tomato & Mozzarella Seasoning is, of course, perfectly designed for refining this simple Italian classic. But it goes just as well with all other antipasti dishes and Mediterranean recipes. Our tomato mozzarella spice is an absolute all-rounder and gives all kinds of salad dressings and tomato sauces a special taste. You should also try it as a caprese salad seasoning.

Add approx. 1.5 tsp of our Tomato & Mozzarella Seasoning to your portion or mix it together with a little olive oil as a marinade. The longer you soak the spice mixture in oil, the stronger the wonderful aromas of the spices and herbs develop.

We will see but I suspect this will live in the cupboard for quite a long time.

Yesterday's meal photos:

Breakfast was a few slices of pineapple that needed using up.  I really wasn't feeling very hungry at all.

Lunch was lovely.  The fish allrounder spice mix complemented the cod so well and really enhanced the flavour.
I also sprinkled some vegetable all rounder over the tomatoes and mushrooms while they were cooking and that was tasty too.

Later on, I had half a raw carrot.

It's funny how some days are hungry days and other days you really don't fancy very much at all.  I had planned vegetables to go with this carbonara but, when it came to it, nope.

I sprinkled in some Italian allrounder which was great and also added one syns-worth of mixed seeds.

And that was it for the day.

Today's meal plans:

B:  marmite toast with cheesy topping, fruit

I've been a bit naughty with my healthy Bs recently so making sure I have it today.
SW:  one healthy A and half a healthy B

L:  avocado toast with egg, mushroom and tomato

A great favourite!
SW:  half a healthy extra B for one slice of toast, two syns for 30g frozen avocado and the rest is speed/free

D:  beef casserole and assorted veg

When I was pondering fish yesterday, I sorted out the bag containing my frozen beef, lamb and fish and found, right at the bottom, several bags of lean casserole steak that was older than I care to admit.  I defrosted it all and, surprisingly, it was all fit to slow cook so I did a batch of slow cooker beef casserole; I now have four really delicious and winter warmer sized portions of comforting deliciousness.
I tried the ground beef spice mix and, yes, it worked so very well.

SW:  it's a bit hard to tell but I am going to say two syns for the flour I dusted the meat in.  That's it.

Exercise:  Lindsey's online SET class and personal training

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

four syns

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Wednesday, 22-11-23: Mini Spicemas day 22

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

Today's spice sachet is a Fish Allrounder.  Now, I always feel that I ought to eat way more fish than I actually do so this is a good one.

It says:

Make fish dishes a taste sensation
Perfect for marinated prawns
Delicious in curries too

And further down . . .

Add 1 tsp of the mix to 250 g of fish. Simply use it as a marinade for your fish. Whether grilling, frying or baking – this fish spice rounds off your fish dish perfectly.

Here's the link for more info:

https://www.justspices.co.uk/fish-allrounder.html

Sounds nice and simple to me.  Now, when can I fit fish into my current plans.  I think I will move today's planned lunch to tomorrow . . . I know I have fish in the freezer.

Yesterday's meal photos:

Not what I had planned!

When I got back from Groove (and the walk there and back), I was so hungry that I knew just fruit and yogurt wasn't going to hit the spot.  I hadn't planned any healthy extra Bs so I used a half B and an egg with yogurt and some plums and made pancakes.  And they were lovely!

Leftovers from last night with a salad for lunch.  Delish!  I sprinkled over a tsp of mixed seeds for one syn - I do love them and they're so good for us.

I had some grapes for afters and later on I had half a carrot (I'd used the first half in the lunchtime salad).

That kept me going until dinner time.

And that was bacon and mushroom risotto with broccoli and peas on the side.  I do like risotto; it's delicious although it takes a while to make as you have to keep stirring it.

I mixed in some of the Italian allrounder spice - I couldn't taste anything specific in terms of spices, my palate isn't that 'refined', but the whole thing certainly did taste good.
I also spend another syn on more mixed seeds.  

Dessert was some more grapes.  Nice.

Today's meal plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

SW:  syn free

L:  baked cod, mushrooms and tomatoes; fruit

Changed from the originally planned lunch because I want to try the fish seasoning.  I have white fish as well as salmon in the freezer so spoilt for choice.

I think I will open bake the fish in Nellie, with slices of lemon and some of the fish allrounder sprinkled over plus a few sprays of oil.  Five minutes should do it nicely!
SW:  syn free.  I don't know whether the spice has syns but it can't be much so I'm not stressing.

D:  chicken carbonara, broccoli; fruit/yogurt

I make the sauce using an egg yolk and some grated Italian cheese - whatever kind I have in the cheese box at the time - mixed well together and seasoned with black pepper and a bit of salt (the cheese will be salty so go carefully)
It's dead easy - I cook spaghetti, soften some chopped onion with some bacon and, perhaps, some chopped mushroom too because the flavour is great.  I add strips of chicken and continue cooking until they are done too, then I add it all to the cooked and drained spaghetti, take it off the heat but keep the ring on in case it is needed, pour over the seasoned sauce and keep stirring until the egg cooks, the cheese melts and the sauce is lovely and creamy.  As it's off the ring, the residual heat should be enough but if it needs a bit more, pop the pan back on the ring, keep stirring and watch it very carefully - we don't want scrambled eggs instead of a smooth sauce!

And it's very SW friendly.

SW:  one healthy extra A for cheese, maybe more, but the rest should be syn free

Exercise:  personal training and some walking.

Summary:

up to two healthy extra As

no healthy extra Bs

syn free - weird when you look at what I'm having but that is what it says.  I'm having what I want and not going short so there you go!  Maybe I could use real oil with the cod - yes, I'll do that.  So two syns for one tsp oil.

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Tuesday, 21-11-23: Mini Spicemas day 21

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

Today's spice sachet is Balsamic Dressing Mix.  Different!

It says:

Delicious dressing in seconds
Just mix with oil & vinegar
Wonderful with tomato & mozzarella too

It contains sea salt, tomato, yellow mustard seed, basil, garlic, oregano and black tellicherry pepper (whatever that is) an you are supposed to mix

1 teaspoon of the blend with 2 tablespoons of your choice of oil (e.g. olive oil or rapeseed oil) and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, then drizzle over your salad. If you like your dressings a touch sweeter, just add a little honey or agave syrup. 

Maybe - at some point over Christmas, I will splash out on calories and give this a go.

Yesterday's meal photos:

I nearly forgot to take a photo.  A nice, simple breakfast of melon and easy peelers.

When I got back from circuits, I had three biscuits (eeeek) but, big but, just three and then I stopped.  Maybe it's not too late to be developing some

control in this area.

This was good.  Beef cassoulet (and I added a bit of pasta to the pot too) with croutons.

I was going to have the other half today for lunch but it's going in the freezer for another time now.

Later on, I had three plums and about half a dozen grapes.

The cheeseburger pasta was delicious but I could only manage half so I will have the other half tomorrow.

This was because . . . 

. . . I wanted room for this.

I had an egg white left from making the rich shortcrust pastry for the mince pies so I made my frozen fruit foam.  It makes loads and loads (there was a bit left that wouldn't fit in the dish) but it was just 150g frozen cherries, one medium egg white and some skinny syrup.  Plus lots and lots and lots of air.

It was so nice but I was stuffed afterwards and rather burpy in the Purple Ronnie sense (if you will excuse the expression) for a while until it all settled!

It's a great way to use up an egg white though.

All you do is process some frozen cherries until they are all powdery (as they are still frozen), add the skinny syrup and the egg white and whisk it for ages until it turns into lovely, light foam - like when you make meringues.  I do it all it Thermione but it can be done with other equipment.

Today's meal plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

SW:  syn free

L:  the other half of the cheeseburger pasta, side salad; fruit

Yummy!

SW:  one healthy extra A for cheese.

D:  mushroom and bacon risotto, broccoli; fruit/yogurt

Made the usual way with a home made chicken stock.  Nice.  I might try out one of the Italian themed spice mixes

SW:  one healthy extra A for parmesan

Exercise:  Groove class today.  I'm looking forward to it as I missed last week's class.  Weather permitting, Chris and I will walk down rather than driving so that's extra steps.

Summary:

two healthy extra As

no healthy extra Bs

may be syn free

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.

Monday, 20-11-23: Mini-Spicemas day 20

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to my maintaining on Slimming World blog where I talk about the meals I enjoy while maintaining my target weight and keeping a healthy balanced diet.

Today's spice sachet is Chicken Curry Seasoning.  Now I will definitely use that one.

The site says:

Can be used as a dry rub or marinade
Delicious in creamy kormas and rice dishes
Makes vegetarian dishes currylicious

Nothing that other brands don't do but it will be useful and has a tasty looking list of ingredients

https://www.justspices.co.uk/chicken-curry-seasoning.html

Yesterday's meal photos:

Breakfast was fruit taken on the run.  An apple and a banana.  No photos :-)

Lunch was so-o-o-o good.  The beef was so tender it melted in the mouth (definitely using that recipe again) and I love a plateful of vegetables.  Again, the Yorkshire platter was delicious.

Soup and sandwich for dinner and it was luvverly!

Stayed on plan all day and felt happy about it.

Today's meal plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

SW:  syn free

L:  beef cassoulet, croutons

When I slow cooked the beef using the SW recipe, I ended up with a lovely sauce which contained little onions, tomatoes and pepper plus chopped tomato and beefy stock.
I syphoned off some of the liquid for yesterday's gravy but have quite a lot of soft deliciousness left so I'm going to add some shredded beef (leftovers) and some white beans and call it cassoulet!  Why not?

SW:  one healthy extra B for the croutons and the rest is syn free

D:  cheeseburger pasta

This is a Slimming Eats recipe.  Here's the link:

https://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/one-pot-cheeseburger-pasta

And there's a very handy 'jump to recipe' button so you don't have to trawl through all the adverts and bumph unless you really want to.  Good for Siobhan.

SW:  let's call it two healthy extra As for cheese (for convenience) but the rest looks to be syn free.

Exercise:  it's small group circuits today.

Summary:

two healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

this appears to be a syn free day

For information:

The Slimming World structure:

While following the plan, you can have . . .

Any amount of speed and free food - BUT try to have a third of your plate as speed food as a sub for free food, NOT as well as . . .  Eat to satisfaction, not to stuffed-ness!

Two healthy extra As (calcium) and one healthy extra B (fibre) - details in the SW pack and on the SW web site/app.

Between five and fifteen syns-worth of synned food - again, details in the pack, site and app.  They are a limit to stay within, not a target to hit.

As a target member, I can also have . . .

Another two healthy extras each day
Another fifteen syns up to three times each week

BUT - only if I need/want to.  It's a limit, not a target

. . . with the ultimate aim of not needing to count healthy extras, syns, etc at all but just knowing and eating well instinctively.