Aromatic Chicken Curry (Serves 4 at 4 propoints each)

I have just found this on the WW website as we had some half fat creme fraiche in the fridge which I needed to use.

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
1/2 tsp turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander
1/4 tsp chilli powder & garam masala
200g chopped tomatoes
500g skinless chicken breast, chopped into chunks
150ml chicken stock
2 tbsp creme fraiche

1. Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic & ginger until softened.  Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli powder & garam masala, and fry for a few mins.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes and stock, and then the chicken pieces.  Leave to simmer for about 20 mins, or until cooked.

3. Take off the heat and stir in the creme fraiche.

1.5 lbs down - 12.5 lbs to go for my target !!!

Very pleased with my weigh in today, the week didn't go so bad but I didn't feel like I had lost anything so I was pleased :-)  I set myself the target of 1 lb a week till Christmas so I have exceeded that this week (allowing myself a loss of only 1/2 lb on 1 week  ;-)  Claire did well too, having lost 2 lbs, and she went out last night which never helps !  Had a lovely chicken tikka masala (homemade) tonight for tea with a nan bread, was shocked to discover the whole nan bread was 10 propoints, I 'thought' they were around about 6 !!  Oops !

Beef Biryani (Serves 4 at 12 Propoints Per Serving)

1 tsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g lean braising steak, cut into small cubes
3 tbsp curry paste
400g can chopped tomatoes
150ml beef stock
1 potato (200g), peeled and cubed
8 whole baby carrots or 2 medium sized carrots, peeled and sliced
175g cauliflower, cut into florets
150g basmati rice
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1. In a large saucepan heat oil, add the onions and garlic and cook until softened.  Add the beef and cook until browned.  Stir in the curry paste, tomatoes and stock.  Transfer to a casserole dish.  Cover and cook in the oven at Gas Mark 3 / 170C / Fan Oven 150C for 1 hour.  Add vegetables, cover and cook for a further hour.  Continue to cook for a further 30 mins if the meat isn't tender enough.

2. Meanwhile cook the rice with the turmeric, until tender, drain.

3. Sprinkle rice onto curry and lightly stir through, then serve.

Weigh In has happened and was much better than I thought !

I had actually lost 1.5 lbs since I last weighed in about 3 weeks ago !  I thought I would definitely be up into the next stone but I'm not - hooray !  I bought a Track book to keep me on track for the next 12 weeks (which will take us nicely up to just before Christmas :-))  Claire (my friend) came with me and we shall spur each other on to lose each week hopefully.  I've set myself a target of 14 lbs by Christmas which would be lovely ! 

I have just taken all my measurements too and put them in my track and so I'll repeat that for the first time on Week 4.  OK, here we go !

Mango Cake (Serves 12 at 2 Propoints each)

125g Bertolli Light
15g Splenda Granulated
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 mango, pulped
120g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp fruit juice

1. Put oven on to 180C
2. Mix sweetener and Bertolli Light together.  Add the egg and vanilla extract.  Mix in the mango.
3. Mix the flour and baking powder and then add it slowly to the mango mix.
4. Stir in the juice, pour into a tin and bake in the oven for 30-40 mins.

Back to school - back to Propoints ;-)

Well, my son has gone back to school today and I am all geared up to start again in earnest.  I will go and get weighed on Friday as usual and also have a friend coming with me - we should be able to encourage each other and maybe that'll help too !  I've just made a lovely mango cake (recipe to follow) and am just off to have a seafood salad for lunch shortly.  Here is to getting rid of the Summer holiday weight !

Back to it, the tracker is next to me and I'm feeling good ;-)

OK, I have not been well recently and had a real worrying time, however now after being fully checked over and I'm now on medication for stomach ulcers and a hiatus hernia I am feeling back to normal and ready to get back to tracking again.  So far today it is going OK, I have 13 propoints left for the day (my curry has already been counted), so depending on what I have with it I should have some propoints for a spot of Philly and crackers later tonight ;-)