Chicken Dhansak (Serves 6 at 4 pro-points per serving)

100g red lentils
500g butternut squash, peeled & chopped into chunks
2 onions, peeled & roughly chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp turmeric
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1.5 tsp ground coriander
4 squashed cardamom pods
low fat spray
500g skinless chicken breasts, chopped
thumb sized piece of root ginger, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2-3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp garam masala

1. Put the lentils, squash, onion and tomatoes in a pan with the turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Add water just to cover then simmer gently for about 20 mins until lentils are tender.

2. Add the other spices, ginger, garlic & chillies, chicken and 200ml water. Cover and simmer for an hour. Season and serve

Chilli Con Carne (Serves 6 at 6 propoints each or 4 at 9 propoints each)

500g extra lean minced beef
30g sachet chilli con carne spice mix (we use Schwartz)
1 onion, finely chopped
low fat cooking spray
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
150ml beef stock
400g can black beans (or mixed beans) in water, drained
Salt & pepper

1. Spray the pan and cook the onions until soft, adding a splash of water if too dry. Add the chilli, tomato puree, spice mix and minced beef.

2. When the minced beef has turned brown pour in the tomatoes and beef stock. Simmer for 10 mins and then add the beans. Cook for a further 10 mins, season & serve.

Friday Weigh-in

Pleased this week as I managed to lose 1.5 lbs. That puts me exactly 7 lbs off getting in my goal weight again :-) I am even more pleased as we had the take-away this week too ! My other great news to share here is that Sara, my long life best friend has started at WW with me this week and seems raring to go - I hope she finds it as brilliant as I have. My task this afternoon (once i've changed the cat litter !) is to go through my recipe books and to come up with a starter and main course for tomorrow's dinner - will post recipes up as soon as I decide.

Spicy Citrus Prawns (Serves 2 at 3 propoints each)

De-vein 150g shelled raw king prawns. Place in a bowl and mix in 2 tsp Thai Red Curry paste, 2 cloves garlic (crushed), and the zest and juice of 1 lime. Mist a frying pan with low fat cooking spray and fry the prawn mixture for 1-2 mins, turning until they turn pink. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, and 1 tsp caster sugar. Simmer for 5 mins. Stir in 100g tenderstem broccoli, chopped, simmer for 2 mins, then stir in 1 tbsp half fat creme fraiche, and put the prawns back in.

NB. I cooked the broccoli first and then added it to the sauce once cooked and we had it with 60g rice (for an extra 6 propoints).

Thursday 17th February

Well, the weigh in went OK last week - I suprised myself really and managed to lose half a pound :-) Very pleased ! This week has not gone too bad although we did have an Indian take-away on Friday. We were really good though and we shared a starter (chicken chat), shared a main course (Chicken Tikka Madras) and shared half the chilli fried rice (we saved the other half for Saturday night's meal). I don't know what to feel about this week though as I feel I didn't know the po points value of the Indian, and I know I went upto the 49 and possibly over again this week. Will just have to wait and see I suppose ! This week we have been mainly using up meals from the freezer that I've previously cooked but we did have a new one last night that was lovely so I'll put up the recipe now ! And for the rest of the day I'll cross my fingers for the weigh in tomorrow morning !

Weightwatchers Blueberry Muffins - Yum !

I found these this week in Tesco and tried them (4 propoints per muffin) and they were lovely ! My son ate the other 3 so they must've been good :-)

Weigh In Looms Ahead !

Well, the week started out very well and then went very pear shaped at the weekend after some upsetting news on Friday. I kind of did a 'life's too short not to enjoy yourself' over the weekend and although I did use my tracker (my leader would be so proud of me ;-)) I somehow managed to use my daily propoints, and my weekly 49 and possibly somebody elses weekly 49 too ! But I pulled myself back into line by Monday and have been extra good since then and so we'll just have to wait and see what the scales say !

Fish Soup Pie (Serves 4 at 7 propoints per serving)

500g potatoes, roughly chopped
Large pinch saffron (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 fennel bulb, chopped
400g celeriac, finely chopped
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
Chilli powder (to taste)
2 bay leaves
300ml fish stock
500g Mixed Fish & Seafood
Large handful of fresh parsley

1. Put the potatoes into a pan and cover with cold water. Add the saffron (if using) and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-12 mins until potatoes are just tender. Drain and leave to steam in a colander until needed.

2. Meanwhile heat half the oil in a large pan and cook the fennel and celeriac for 10 mins. Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, bay leaves, stock and lots of seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 mins or until the vegetables are tender.

3. Preheat grill to medium. Roughly cube fish and stir fish and seafood into the tomato mixture. Heat for 3-5 mins until just cooked. Stir in the parsley and check seasoning.

4. Tip tomato mixture into heatproof serving dish and remove the bay leaves. Using your hands lightly crush the potatoes and use to cover the top of the pie mixture. Brush potatoes with remaining oil. Grill for 5-10 mins until golden and bubbling round the edges.

Superhealthy Singapore Noodles (Serves 4 at 10 propoints per serving)

4 nests of egg noodles
1 tbsp sunflower oil
100g tenderstem broccoli, sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
85g baby corn, quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded & chopped
thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled & finely chopped
2 skinless chicken breasts, sliced
100g shelled raw prawns
1 heaped tbsp Madras curry paste
2 tsp soy sauce
100g beansprouts
15g pack coriander, chopped
4 spring onions, shredded
Lime wedges (for serving)

1. Pour boiling water over the noodles and leave to soften. Heat the oil in a non stick wok and stir-fry all the vegetables, except the beansprouts and onions, with the garlic, ginger and chilli until softened. Remove from the wok.

2. Stirfry the chicken and prawns until just cooked, set aside with the vegetables. Add the curry paste to the pan. Stir fry for a few seconds then add 150ml water and the soy sauce. Allow to bubble, then add the drained softened noodles and beansprouts and toss together to coat.

3. Return the vegetables, chicken and prawns to the wok with coriander and spring onions. Toss well over the heat and serve with lime wedges.

Weigh in Day !

Well, not as bad as I had thought - I put on 1.5 lbs which for what I've eaten this week was OK ! I feel totally refocussed now though and have been really good today despite meeting a friend in Chester and going to Starbucks for coffee (refused the cake !) and a cafe for lunch (I had turkey salad with olives and couscous). I feel very pleased with myself. Singapore Noodles for tea (recipe to follow when I get round to it).

Classic Minestrone Soup (Serves 6 at 3 Propoints per serving)

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large carrot, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
200g swede, chopped
1 courgette, chopped
850ml (1.5 pints) vegetable stock
2 x 400ml cans chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp Italian dried mixed herbs
50g dried pasta shapes
200g canned borlotti or cannellini beans (I used 100g dried borlotti)

1. Heat a large sauccepan and spray with low fat spray. Gently fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 mins until softened. Add the carrot, celery, swede and courgette. Pour in the stock and then stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree and herbs.

2. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 mins or until the vegetables are tender. Add the pasta and beans and cook for a further 8-10 mins. Season and serve.

NB. I also added some shredded cabbage to mine as well.

Having a Hungry Week !!!

This week is not going to be good at the weigh-in. For some reason unbeknown to myself I seem to have given myself the week off !!! I have had some worries - Henry has not been sleeping well firstly with a cold, then with toothache and then had a tooth extracted yesterday. But I haven't counted any points all week. I'm only hoping it isn't too bad and I can get back into it again from Friday. I have already planned the weeks food and have decided on a nice filling winter soup to make (with our own dried borlotti beans from last year at the allotment). So hopefully there will be some new recipes and me feeling more lively and not so tired soon !!