Tuesday evening, 17-09-24 and a YouTube recommendation

Good evening, everyone!  

I set myself a bit of a challenge a few weeks ago which was to incorporate some seeds and grains into my meals.  Here's how it is going.
Chia seeds.  despite an initially - er - unfortunate response to them, I am now, as YouTubers say, 'obsessed'.  In other words they are now an integral part of my breakfast and will remain so.  There's a whole long list of health benefits - I will post that list below in The Extra Bits.

Bulgur wheat.  Yup - it's very like couscous, prepared in the same way and I love them.  Ditto regarding health benefits.  

Quinoa.  Only had it once but I found three colour quinoa on a market stall so I must look to include some in.  When I had it, it was fine, I didn't dislike it.

I also found some Amaranth on said market stall, another 'ancient grain' that is supposed to be really healthy.  Something else to try in the coming seven days or so.

You can't say I'm not trying anyway!  😄😇😋

What I ate today

I decided on a platter this morning rather than a bowl of chopped fruit.  Sticky fingers and chin but fun to eat!
Watermelon, pineapple and an apple with yogurt and chia seeds.

Half a syn for the chia seeds.

This was delicious.  

The salad was just a choppy salad with a simple dressing or raspberry vinegar, evoo and Dijon mustard.
The tomatoes were from the garden, skinned, cores cut out and gently fried in a spray of evoo.  The bread was pumpernickel and it's down on my shopping list as that was the last from the freezer.  I was going to poach the egg but my eggs are quite old that the white would spread out in the water and disintegrate so  I dry fried it instead in my little pan.

One and a half syns for the dressing, one syn for the spray oil and one healthy extra B.

Later on, I had a few mixed nuts for another healthy extra B

Jamie's asparagus carbonara.  Made with just five ingredients (plus oil and pepper), so very simple and yet utterly delicious.
The man's a genius, isn't he?

No need for a side salad.

One healthy extra A and two syns for spray evoo.  I used wholewheat pasta and the last bit of cooking bacon cubes from the freezer.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

two healthy extra Bs

five syns - ooops, not really enough although, to be fair I did count the nuts as a B (because I can have two Bs if I want)

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  as usual, fruit, yogurt and seeds - it almost doesn't feel 'right' to not have it now!

L: tortilla  frittata, side salad; fruit
Another Jamie recipe, I want to cut it down so will have to be rather creative with the cooking method as there is absolutely no way I am 'deep' frying the potatoes but I think it will be OK.
I'm not totally convinced about this one and it might change . . .

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/egg/tortilla-frittata/

D:  Greek-Cypriot pasta, salad; fruit

Another Jamie recipe, more easily cut down.  I may use some canned chopped tomatoes, reduced down a bit rather than fresh as my garden tomatoes are slowing down now (sob sob)

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta/greek-cypriot-pasta/

Exercise:   personal training.

The Extra Bit:

After the Slim Win chat yesterday evening, I found this in my YouTube recommendations.  It's really informative so I'm posting the link here for anyone who might be interested.

Health benefits of chia seeds
reducing blood pressure.
lowering cholesterol levels.
supporting digestive health.
aiding in weight management.
reducing inflammation.
helping to control diabetes.
protecting against chronic disease.
improving anxiety and depression.

Health benefits of bulgur wheat

Bulgur is a whole grain made from cracked wheat. It's packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fiber-rich foods like bulgur may reduce chronic disease risk, promote weight loss, and improve digestion and gut health. Plus, bulgur is easy to cook and can be added to many dishes, including salads, stews, and breads.