Photo's added

I thought it was about time I updated my blog with some photo's of myself. I really need to get into gear and take some more recent ones of myself. I keep meaning to and not getting round to it. I am the same weight as the ones on here but my hair is a bit longer now ! Will try and take some more and put them up when I do.

Salmon Kedgeree (Serves 4 at 12 propoints per serving)

1 tbsp vegetable oil
700g onions, sliced
2 tsp garam masala
1 garlic clove, crushed
75g split green lentils, soaked in 300ml boiling water for 15 mins, then drained
750ml hot vegetable stock
225g basmati rice
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
350g salmon fillet
salt & ground black pepper

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan, add the onions and cook for about 5 mins or until soft.

2. Add the garam masala and garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the drained lentils and stock, cover and cook for 15 mins. Add the rice and the chilli, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 mins.

3. Cook the salmon fillet in the oven, and when it is done flake it. Add it to the rice and fork through once the rice is cooked and has absorbed all the stock.

Wednesday 30th March

OK, I am feeling more like getting back into the whole swing of things again. Have actually used the WW website today to calculate the propoints in tea (recipe to follow), and have also eaten healthily so far today too. Hopefully this means a little of the weight I put on over the past couple of weeks will be off by Friday.

Summer feels like it is truly on its way as I have managed to get down to the allotment (link to the allotment blog is on the right of this page) twice over the past 2 days and have planted a few trays of things and now all the potatoes are in the ground. It was lovely to pick Henry up from school and go straight down there to potter around for an hour or so. I also did a fair bit of digging so hopefully that'll give me some bonus points !

Wayward again !

Why does it always happen every so often that things crop up and instead of dealing with them and getting back to the plan you give yourself a complete break from the plan - stupidity at it's best ! I will get weighed on Friday morning and then will get back to filling in my tracker again which has sat there on the bookcase for 2 weeks since the start of Henry's birthday - oops ! Only have 9 weeks to go now to France so I better start bucking my ideas up !

Henry's Birthday Week !

and we've had a fantastic time :-) Cake was consumed, alcohol was drunk, trip to Pizza Hut (although I was very virtuous and only had the Pasta Arrabiata (although ate some of Henry's Ice Cream Factory because he didn't finish it !!!). So this week won't be good, and as I won't be going to get weighed till next Friday I am at ease with the world !! The weather is gorgeous and really makes you think Summer is here. I've just enjoyed a lovely cheese and beetroot sandwich and now going to make myself a coffee ! I have a very heavy weekend coming up, my mum & dad on Friday night, Dave's mum & dad & brother on Sunday for dinner so have resigned myself to the fact I will have put weight on by next Friday but then things quieten down until we go to France at the end of May and so can put my heart and soul back into it from then !

Health Question and Answer Session

I have just found this on my computer at work - hilarious !

HEALTH QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION WITH THE DOCTOR.
Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... Don't waste them on exercise . Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an>efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: You're not listening....Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable. It's the best feel-good food around!!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape! !Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "WOO HOO, What A Ride!!!!Good health, good luck!

Tuesday morning - I'm having a hungry day !!

Well, the time is 09:08, I have been at work since 7:45. I have been up since 5:55, had a 40g bowl of cornflakes with skimmed milk (5 pp) at 6:30, and so far I have managed to eat my WW banana and chocolate brownie (1pp), my banana and my pineapple which I brought to work to nicely last me till lunchtime !!! Oops ! Have had to make another coffee to tide me over a little bit. Hope this doesn't continue - my other brownie is staring at me saying EAT ME !!! I was saving that till after lunch - fingers crossed it lasts that long :-)

Classic Chicken Madras (Serves 4 at 6 propoints per serving)

5 tbsp very low fat natural
450g chicken breast, skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 red chilli, split in half lengthways
300ml reduced fat coconut milk
chopped fresh coriander leaves to garnish
3 tbsp madras curry powder
low fat cooking spray
1 dried bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
4 cardamom pods, bruised
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp hot chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
200g tin chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp garam masala

1. To make the marinade, combine the yogurt and madras curry powder in a bowl. Stir in the chicken and season with salt. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, or at least 2 hours if time is short.

2. Heat the low fat spray in a pan and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom pods. Stir-fry for 1 min, then add the onion, cook for 4-5 mins. Add garlic, spices (except garam masala) and chicken. Str-fry for 10-15 mins.

3. Pour in the tomatoes and coconut milk and gently bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for about an hour. stirring occasionally.

4. Stir in the garam masala about 5 mins before the end of cooking, check the seasoning and serve garnished with the fresh coriander.

Mung Bean Curry (Serves 4 at 5 propoints per serving)

200g dried mung beans, soaked overnight
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1-2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped
1 tsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
chopped fresh coriander to serve

1. Rinse the mung beans and put in a pan. Cover with cold water and simmer, partially covered, for 25-30 mins or until tender.

2. Heat the oil in another pan, add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook until they pop - this will only take a moment.

3. Add the tomato, garlic, chilli and ginger and stir over a low heat for 1 min. Stir in the ground coriander, cumin and turmeric. Add the beans and 4 tbsp water, cover and simmer gently for 10 mins.

4. Add the garam masala, season with salt and stir. Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander.

Oriental/Indian Weekend I think !

We accidentally inherited 2 Ken Hom Sweet & Sour Chicken dishes with our on-line shopping this week (sorry if you are the person that was meant to receive them !). So this weekend is going to be an Indian feast for Saturday night and then Chinese (courtesy of Ken Hom !) on Sunday evening. They are Tesco's own Ken Hom ready meals and I thought they were going to be ridiculously high in propoints but they are only 9 pp each, so that isn't too bad really :-) Saturday night will be Paneer & Potato Bites with chilli dipping sauce, followed by Chicken Madras, Mung Bean Curry and Garlic & Coriander Nan Bread. Recipes all to follow !

Chicken Stir-fry with Ginger and Greens (Serves 4 at 4 Propoints each)

low fat cooking spray
450g chicken breasts, skinless, cut into thin strips
ginger, finely chopped to make 1 tbsp
red chilli, 1 sliced
spring onions, 6, sliced
pak choi 400g, sliced
soy sauce, 1 tsp
honey, 1 tbsp
oyster sauce, 2 tbsp
cornflour, 1 tsp

1. Get a wok really hot and spray with cooking spray. Tip in the chicken and stir-fry for 2 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon. Add some more spray and tip in the ginger, chilli, almost all the spring onions and the pak choi. Cook until the pak choi is just wilted.

2. Drizzle in the soy sauce, honey & oyster sauce and add the chicken back into the wok then bubble for a minute. Mix the cornflour with 2 tsp cold water and stir until smooth, add to the wok and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Sprinkle over the remaining spring onions before serving.

Weigh in - 1.5lbs off Hooray !

Very pleased with my weigh in today as it leaves me with exactly 7lbs to go to get back to goal. Achievable and maybe even achievable before we go to France at the end of May if I stick to it :-) In this morning's meeting Dawn cooked the Oriental Mushroom Risotto which is in the new Oriental cookbook. We all had a little try and it was really nice. I'll have to invest in that cookbook I think ! It's a lovely sunny day too and that's helping with positive thinking for Summer at goal weight ! This week could be a bit of a problem as it is Henry's 7th birthday and so there will be birthday cake around but it is my aim to have one piece and that is it - lets see how we get on with that !

Creamy Turkey & Pepper Fricasse (Serves 4 at 3 propoints per serving)

low fat cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, sliced finely
450g turkey breast fillet, cut into fine strips
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 chilli, de-seeded and sliced finely (optional)
2 red, yellow or orange peppers, de-seeded and sliced finely
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp low fat fromage frais

1. Heat a large non stick frying pan and spray with the low fat cooking spray. Stir fry the garlic for 1 min.

2. Add the turkey to the pan with the soy sauce. Stir fry quickly until browned all over.

3. Add the chilli, if using and the peppers to the pan. Stir fry for a couple of mins on a high heat, until the peppers are browned at the edges and just softening.

4. Sprinkle over the balsamic vinegar and remove from the heat. Allow to cool for a couple of mins and then add the fromage frais and stir through. Check seasoning and serve.

Feeling Positive

Well, I weighed in last week and as I now don't have a set of scales at home (Henry broke them !) I had no idea how much weight I had put on in the week of my Grandpa's funeral. I had been bad at the weekend, enjoyed the buffet food at the funeral and toasted a bottle of wine to him on the night of the funeral :-) I was expecting about 4lbs (which is what a bad week on the old points system would have been), and was pleasantly suprised to find it was only 1.5lbs. Really pleased and now that the funeral is over and Spring is coming (albeit a bit slowly !) I am feeling positive about losing a bit more weight ready for our France holiday at the end of May. I ordered a racing back floaty t-shirt from La Redoute (and some baseball boots for Henry) and got a coat free with the order. I tried them on today and they all fitted beautifully so I'm well pleased ! Just about to cook tea (Creamy Turkey & Pepper Fricasse) - recipe to follow.

Malaysian Chicken (Serves 4 at 4 propoints per serving)

4 small onions, sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
low fat cooking spray
500g chicken breast
4 tsp light brown soft sugar
8 tsp soy sauce
16 tbsp chicken stock
4 tsp rice vinegar or lime juice

1. In a non stick saucepan fry the onions and chilli in low fat cooking spray for 2 mins.

2. Add the chicken and stirfry for 1 min over a high heat, then sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 1 min more until caramelised.

3. Mix the soy sauce, stock and rice vinegar together. Pour over the chicken, cover the pan and simmer gently for 10 mins.

4. Remove the lid, increase the heat and bubble for 2 mins until slightly reduced, tossing the chicken in the sauce to coat.

Weigh In day !

Hooray, I am over the moon - I stayed the same. Having talked to Dawn I have decided not to replace my weighing scales at home and fight the urge to keep weighing myself at home - it is counterproductive :-) So I will get weighed once a week on a Friday morning properly !

Tonight for tea we are having Malaysian Chicken, rice and mange-tout/baby sweetcorn. Really looking forward to it as we've had it before and it was lovely !

Oaty Fruit Biscuits (Serves 12 at 2 propoint per serving)

120g dried pears (I substituted apricots and prunes)
gratet zest of 1 lemon
6 tbsp orange juice
150g rolled oats
low fat cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200C/fan oven 180C

2. Place the pears in a small pan with the lemon zest and orange juice. Bring to a gentle simmer for 8-10 mins until the pears have softened and have absorbed half the juice. Puree the pears and juice in a blender.

3. Mix the puree with the oats. Spray a 20cm loose bottomed tin with the cooking spray amd press the mixture into the bottom of the tin. Bake for 18-20 mins.

Remove from the oven and cut into 6 wedges. Leave to cool in the tin.

Wow !!! Ben & Jerry's Fudge Brownie Frozen Yogurt !

Well, utterly gobsmacked. I bought this as it was on offer from Ocado this week and I am so glad I did. 50g of it is 2 propoints and it is to die for !!!! Really very recommended !

Healthy Lemon & Almond Cake (Serves 16 at 4 propoints each)

2 lemons
3 medium eggs
200g fruit sugar (fructose)
55g plain flour
200g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder

1. Put the lemons in a small pan, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for about an hour.

2. Halve the lemon, remove the pips and puree in a blender (skin as well).

3. Preheat the oven to 170C. Oil a 20cm springform tin.

4. Beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and thick.

5. Fold in the flour, baking powder, almonds & lemon puree.

6. Pour into the tin and bake for an hour until the top is golden and a knife no longer comes out sticky.

7. Keep a close eye for the last 15 mins as fructose sugar is more likely to catch - the cake will be fairly dark though.

8. Leave to cool for about 10 mins then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Gone a little wayward recently

Things haven't been great recently - my Grandpa was very ill and died, and then my father in law has not been very well either and with everything else that had been going on I have to admit that WW has just slipped past me. I have tried to be reasonably good (which has been relatively easy in the week) but I have gone overboard more at weekends than I should have done. I feel like I've definitely put on weight since I last got weighed but I am hoping it is not too much. Unfortunately for me I cannot tell how much I have put on, as our own home scales broke as well. So, I am aiming to start again properly from Friday - I'll be weighed Friday morning and then I shall be using my tracker and e-source to do everything properly again. I am making a cake today (recipe to follow) mainly for my son and husband but it does work out at only 4 points per slice so that is quite good. I'm also going to make some oaty slices (recipe to follow) for me at only 1 point per slice.