Irish Pork Stew with Cider (Serves 6 at 9 propoints each)

500g lean pork loin, cut into chunks
8 rashers of lean smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 turnip, peeled & cut into small chunks
4 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into small chunks
1/2 cabbage, shredded
200ml cider
400ml pork or chicken stock
1 bay leaf

Fry the bacon in a little fry light and then add the pork loin, once they are a little coloured add the cider and the pork stock.

Add the remaining vegetables and the bay leaf and allow to simmer for about an hour.

Add salt to taste - we added more stock to make sure all the veg were covered and cooked properly.

New Year, New Me - 2012 is going to be a good year !

OK, I have been weighed and today is the first day of really sticking to the plan for the last 6 months really.  I am totally switched on, had a good morning already and have been for a good walk with my friend.  Feeling good.  Chicken Madras for tea (5 propoints), I have already earnt 4 bonus points using my pedometer, so hoping to up that a couple by tonight.  My kind friend also gave me a couple of WW recipe books (one that I have been toying with buying for the last 6 months so I'm going to have a good look through them this afternoon and plan a few more meals as I have already planned the meals up to next Tuesday. 

At the weigh in I put 7 lbs on since the beginning of December which is not so bad as I have had my 40th birthday, Christmas and New Year and had a fantastic time too.  But because of that I now have 25 lbs to lose to get back to my goal weight.  I will also be doing this on my own with the fantastic support of my friends and a facebook group, but not attending meetings anymore as I am fed up of being a clerk in a meeting and not getting any support or being appreciated so I have decided to stop attending.  I am feeling very good about the decision though and positive about the future.

Stayed the same again !

Oops !  Mind you, better than putting on I suppose.  And I thought I had put on so it was OK really.  However after managing one session on the Wii fit this week and then being crippled so badly not being able to do another one I am determined this week to do 2 sessions before Friday's weigh in :-)  So come on - will me on !

Stayed the same this week

Thinking positively about this one - at least I didn't put on any weight and so that is good :-)  Had a good walk round town this morning and only bought some nuts for the birds !  How restrained was I !  Will try and have a good loss next week :-)

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.