Chinese Food and Donuts

Ingredients:-
- 1 lb 8oz/681g lean fillet steak
- 2 onions
- 1 garlic clove
- 10oz/283g button mushrooms
- Fry Light
- A pinch of grated nutmeg
- 8 level tbsp reduced fat creme fraiche
- 8 tbsp very low fat natural yoghurt
- 2 tbsp chopped gerkins
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Freshly chopped parsley

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Method
1. Prepare the ingredients: place the steak between two sheets of cling film, flatten with a rolling pin and cut into thin strips; finely chop the onions; crush the garlic and halve the mushrooms.

2. Heat a frying pan sprayed with Fry Light, add the onions and garlic and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, nutmeg and steak and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the steak is cooked to your liking.

3. Mix the creme fraiche with the yoghurt and stir into the beef mixture along with the gherkins and heat through (do not boil). Season well and serve immediately sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley.

Serves 4.
Syns per serving:
Original 2
Green 8 (add 6 if not using steak as H/E)

Well, it didnt take long to happen. I shouldnt joke about the wheels falling off, cos they have and I dont know what to do about it anymore. I am so tired of thinking about food choices, lack of food choices, the gym, not doing enough in the gym, my posture, my lack of flattering clothes, the impending holidays, the impending lack of bikinis on those holidays.....aaaaaaaaargggggggghhhh

Its too much.

I need help if I want to totally overhaul myself. I take on too much and cant do this all on my own. I went out on Sunday night with my boyfriend for food and a few pints and when we went to a busy bar I felt so middle aged and flabby amongst all the hip young things. I dont like how I feel, and I dont feel like I am being true to myself by continuing to feel this way. I have to be brave enough to ask for help and accept it when it comes.

First thing I am going back to my sisters group on Wednesday, and signing up. Not sure if I can stay to class but I know from previous experience (at least for a few weeks) it will act as an incentive.

Next, I need to start chucking things out of my wardrobe that I have bought because they were cheap, "fun" or easy to wear. I want some grown up clothes, I want what I wear to say something about my mindset. I want to be taken seriously.

Then, I need to quit my job. But thats for another blog, another day.

Coo, rant over. I feel marginally better for that.

Well, I didnt even manage to keep my promise to myself to keep a log of everything I ate for a week. How rubbish is that? I mean it wouldnt have taken long! Anyway. Thats the BAD news out of the way.... The good news is I must have been doing something right as I have lost 5lbs! *Does happy dance*

I went out Saturday night and was careful until I did, and yesterday (in recovery mode) I was careful but not following a particular SW day. Now today its all systems go. Its a hard lesson but I have to learn I can occasionally have "off" days and not treat them as excuses to give up completely.

Aiming for two more pounds this week, the mighty half stone beckons! Off to the gym tonight, food today as follows:

BREAKFAST
Quorn Burger (0.5 Syns) Baked Beans 1/2 Pint Skimmed Milk
LUNCH
Pasta, Quorn Chunks, 1/2 Tin Tesco Spicy Mixed Beans, Salad Veg
SNACKS
Muller Light, Apple, Ryvita Minis
DINNER
Risotto made with Roast Chicken left overs from last night, Onions, Mushrooms.

Here's to a good day and a great week for all the reducers of the world

Went to the cinema last night so missed out on updating my food for the day - tried to do an Original Day yesterday, thought it would be easier than it used to be (used to struggle with the whole "not necessarily having lots of pasta/rice with meat thing")

Well, it wasnt easier, but that was just down to my apathy - if I cant gear myself up to cook on a Sunday I am not sure how I will manage in the week, after being in work all day. Anyway, this is what I ate.

Breakfast
2 x (heavily trimmed) rashers of streaky bacon (it was all I had in) 2 x slices of wholemeal bread from a 400g loaf. Teaspoonful of ketchup. Skimmed Milk for my coffee.
Lunch
Jacket Potato, Chilli Con Carne, side order of three largish mushrooms (fried, grilled, eek, not sure!) (went to pub for lunch after gym. Again. Not ideal, lazy!)
Snack
Apple, Ryvita Minis
Dinner
Omelette with mushrooms sauteed in Fry Light, Two Bowyers 95% Fat Free Sausages (this should have been a scrummy Chicken Curry. And wasnt )

Today (Monday) is Green
Breakfast - 1/2 tin Spaghetti Hoops, 2 Slices Wholemeal
Lunch - Rocket Salad, Tomatoes, Onions, Olives, Peppers, Feta Cheese
Snack - Muller light, Apple, Ryvita Minis
Dinner - Cous cous, chicken, tomatoes, Garlic, Stock, Harrisa. Will post recipe if I cook it!

Wish me luck. Wish I didnt think I needed it.

Well, after ages (at least two years) I have started doing Food Optimising again. I was at my mothers and found a Slimming World magazine, and its so bright and jolly....and the sample menu's are just so damn easy compared to some of the food plans I have been following.

That said, I was attracted back to it because I wanted the structure of some rules - I have just abandoned "India and Nerys Idiot Proof Diet" because one day of eating unlimited meat, with no caffeine or fruit was more than enough for me, thank you.

My sister is a SW consultant. She may feature heavily on this blog soon - see how my trial week goes first, before I even consider going back to her class. Its just so Marjorie Dawes , I am not sure I can face it.

Today I have had:
Breakfast
1/2 tin Baked Beans, 1 egg scrambled with a little skimmed milk, Marmite. Skimmed milk in my coffee.
Lunch
6 inch Wheat Chicken Breast Subway, salad with olives, no cheese, no sauces. Box of Pineapple Slices.

Cup of coffee, skimmed milk.

Planning Quorn Chilli with oven baked potato wedges for tea.
(note to self!)Got to keep up my water intake too

12st 5. Lets see if I cant make this the last diet I ever go on *crosses fingers*

Ingredients:
100g (3 1/2oz) Couscous
150ml Boiling Vegetable Stock
Salmon Fillet (Skin On)
2 tsp Olive Oil
8 Halved Cherry Tomatoes
2 tbsp Chopped Coriander
1 Chopped Red Chilli
Lemon Juice or Grated Lemon Zest

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Put the couscous into a heatproof bowl and pour over the vegetable stock. Stir, then cover with clingfilm and leave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan over a high heat and cook a salmon fillet, skin side down, for 3 minutes. Then, turn over and cook the other side for 2 minutes.

Stir the remaining ingredients into the couscous, season well and serve with the salmon.

Ingredients:
750g Beef or Turkey Mince
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 x 350g (11oz) tin French Onion Soup
1 tbsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 x 400g (13oz) tin chopped or crushed Tomatoes
1 x 150g (5oz) tin Tomato Puree
200g (6 1/2oz) Passata
2 x 400g (13oz) tins undrained Red Kidney Beans
Grated cheddar cheese, guacamole, sour cream and tortillas, to serve.

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- Brown the mince in the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, breaking up any large lumps.
- Add the French Onion Soup and continue to cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in all the remaining ingredients, and cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve with the cheese, guacamole, sour cream and tortillas.

Ingredients :
- 12 uncooked large king prawns
- 900ml fish stock
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped
- 275g Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 75g shelled fresh or frozen peas
- finely grated rind of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

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- Peel and de-vein prawns. Put shells in a pan with the stock, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain stock into a jug and add enough water to make 900ml; return to pan. Boil and return to a simmer.
- In a seperate pan, heat the oil, add fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add rice and a ladleful of stock and simmer gently, stirring, until the stock has been completely absorbed. Add another ladleful and continue stirring, add the remaining stock in stages until the rice is creamy and tender, adding the peas with the last ladleful.
- Remove from the heat, add grated lemon rind and extra virgin olive oil and stir. Cover and leave to stand for 1 minute.
- Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and coat with 1 tsp oil. Add the prawns and garlic and stir fry for 2 minutes until the prawns turn pink. Stir into the risotto with the lemon juice.

INGREDIENTS:
1lb skinless chicken
3/4 pint chicken stock made with Bovril
227g baby spinach leaves
4 tbsp freshly chopped tarragon
Salt and Pepper
150g pot very low fat natural fromage frais
400g cooked pasta (tagliatelle is nice)

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Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a pan with the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the baby spinach leaves and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until wilted. Add the freshly chopped tarragon and seasoning to taste.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the very low fat natural fromage frais. Gently reheat until just hot (do not boil) Divide the cooked pasta between four warmed serving bowls, top with the chicken and tarragon sauce and serve immediately.

Serves 4.
Free on Green and Red SW Day (use pasta as H/E on Red and Chicken as H/E on Green, otherwise count 6 Syns)

Mix together 2 tbsp very low fat natural yoghurt, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1/2 chopped and deseeded red chilli (or 1/2 tea spoon "lazy" chilli), 1/2 tsp each of turmeric, cumin and ground coriander seeds. Put a chicken breast into this marinade and leave for at least 30 minutes. Griddle or pan fry chicken, shread and serve mixed with chopped tomato and fresh coriander.

Free on SW Red Day.