Let's try this again, but this time with Slimmingworld!!!!!!!

At the start of September I got married and the last month I've been eating and drinking like Marie Antoinette. So now the honeymoon is over it's back to my healthy eating and getting my weight loss back in track!

The last few months I've been hearing a lot of great things about the slimmingworld programme, so I've decided to give it a go. So far I absolutely love it! 

The basics of the slimmingworld programme are "free foods", "healthy extras" and "syns". All lean meat, fish, vegetable, pulses and beans and fruit is free, so you can eat as much as you want of these.

You have 2 lists of healthy extras (healthy a and healthy b) one is dairy and one is bread and cereals. 

You also have your syns, 15 a day. 1 syn is 20 calories. You can have 15 a day or carry them over to the next day or have all your weekly syns in one day.

Most of the "low calorie" meals I cook are slimmingworld friendly which is brilliant. Things like my Chilli, Paprika Chicken, Shepards Pie and my absolute favourite Spaghetti  Bolognese.  

 

Here is a fantastic recipe for carrot cake. You can get slimmingworld scran bran at Holland and Barrett. 

Slimmingworld Scran Bran Carrot Cake

Serves 8 

2.5 syns per cake

CAKE:

Splash of Boiling water

10 Scan Bran

2tbsp Golden syrup

2 large carrots, grated

14tbspn SYN free granulated sweetener

1tsp ground ginger

1tsp ground cinnamon

1tsp ground nutmeg

6 Eggs, beaten

1tsp of vanilla essence

 

TOPPING:

1 tub Light Philadelphia 

1tsp of vanilla essence

2tbsp SYN free granulated sweetener

Juice of 1 lemon

 

Soak Scan Bran in boiling water until soft. Drain then mash. 

Add syrup, carrot, sweetener and spices and mix well.

Add eggs and vanilla, stirring thouroughly. 

Pour into microwaveable dish (such as a silicone cake tin) and cook in microwave for 10 mins (it should start to shrink from sides a little).

For the topping, mix all ingredients together then spread over the cooled cake.

Healthy healthy healthy!

Its been a while since I last posted, so I thought it was time for an update.

Update on weight loss I've reached 13 stone, that's 3 & a half stone in total. I have I admit, I've had a few ups and down the last few weeks, staying the same or gaining a pound, but these things will happen. It's important to stay on track and keep doing what your doing, even though at the time I've wanted to give up. 

Here are some of the new things I've been eating. 

Breakfasts I've been eating porridge with fruits, bananas, blueberries and raspberries, sometimes on there own, sometimes all together. Really filling and a really good way of getting in your 5 a day. 

I've started going to the gym 4-5 times a week, on the days I go, for lunch I make myself a jacket potato, usually with tuna and light mayo, or my light coronations chicken. I always have a side salad aswell. In the night I'll have one of my lower calorie teas.

On a none gym day (or if I'm going to have a high calorie tea) I'll have a salad with the filling. 

Recipes : 

Quick Coronation chicken

Serves 1 

Calories : 232

Ingredients :

100g chicken

3 tablespoon light mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon of curry powder

Method:

Dy fry your chicken, once cooked leave to cool. Whilst the chicken is cooling, mix the mayonnaise with the curry powder. Once the chicken has cooled, chopped into small pieces and mix in the coronation sauce mix. 

Side salad

Serves 1

Calories : 107

Ingredients :

1 carrot 

4 small radish's 

70g sweetcorn

4 cherry tomatoes

40g baby spinach 

Method :

Place the baby's spinach on the bottom. Shred the carrot using a grater. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the radishes into cubes and arrange all of these on top of the baby spinach. Spinkle the sweetcorn on top. 

I then make a hole in the middle for my filling.

I've discovered a few more fantastic low calorie products that I can't live without.

Boots shapers range is great. They do some really good low calorie crisp. My favourites are Onion rings 68 calories and Vegetable crisps 100 calories 

They also do a range of popcorn and chocolate bars. My favourite is the mint chocolate nougat bar 98 calories.

They also do a range of drinks. My favourite is the ginger beer at 13 calories a bottle.

As you know I'm a big fan of the hairy bikers "hairy dieters" recipes. I've just purchased there new book, I've been reading it today and picking out recipes for next weeks dinners. So later on in the week I will be serving up some of their delicious new creations and I will be posting pictures and reviews.

For tonight's Tea I made "guilt free sausage casserole". I always feel Sunday should be classic with good hearty food. I love a good casserole and sausage casserole is one of my favourites. I've not really made it for a while, mainly as sausages are so high calorie. In the past I have followed the weight watchers plan and remembered the sausages, so I went on the hunt to find some. There are 60 calories per weight watchers sausage. I would highly recommend them.

Sometimes I will serve this with mash potato. When doing this I use half as much sausage. 

Serves 2

Calories per serving : 425

Ingredients:

1 tsp oil

8 weight watchers sausages

1 onions

3 peppers 

10 mushrooms

Sausage casserole packets

Method :

Heat the oil in the pan, Chop the onion and add them along with the sausages to the pan and brown. Whilst they are browning chop the peppers and mushrooms and add to the pan. Follow the instructions on the sausage casserole packet for mixing instructions and add to the pan. Stir the mix and bring to the boil. Once boiling bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 hours. 

I hope you have enjoyed my update.

Check out my blog later this week for a further update and my take on the hairy bikers new recipes!

Lots of love

S

X

Day 14

Very very happy with my healthy eating regime, especially when I got on the scales yesterday and I've lost 7lb! That's 11lb so far! 

The last week I've been implementing exercise into my daily routine and instead of eating the extra calories I've earned I've been sticking to my daily calorie amount of 1200 so burning them off. I've joined a Pilates class, a yoga class, a Zumba class and I've been walking and doing home exercise videos. 

It's been hard, but looking at the scales and seeing 13st 10lb I was ecstatic!

Today started the day with a smoothie 308 calories. For lunch I had minestrone soup and a packet of crisps 172 calories.

For tea I had 100g sirloin steak with butternut squash chips, mushrooms, 1/2 a courgette, 1/2 an onion, mixed leaves and mustard. Chris mad a lovely sauce for the salad using low fat mayonnaise, a teaspoon of hint and teaspoon of whole grain mustard. Total calories 424.

To make butternut squash chips, I use the top of a butternut squash, chop them into wedge shapes. Toss them in a bowl  with a little oil and spices of your choice. I use cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for around 25 mins!

That's all for today! 

Day 5

Start of a new week and as it's Monday it's weighing day. I've lost 4 lb! Yay!!!!!!!!

Today was my day off from work, so kept myself busy as I don't want to get bored an snack. 

Took all my christmas decorations down and got on with lots of household jobs.

Started off the day with a peach yogurt smoothie, (same as the other smoothie I made but with a peach yogurt instead) only 296 calories.

Something really exciting happened today aswell, my Holland and Barrett order came! All my slim pastas, rice and noodles came! Very excited to try the  pastas and the rice.

Went on a walk to the shops to get some bits and bobs and burnt 451 calories!

For lunch I had my minestrone soup 58 calories (recipe on day 2 blog) and a packet of space raider 64 calories.

For tea I had "chicken and cider casserole" a recipe inspired by the hairy dieters.

Ingredients: 

Aldi frozen chicken piece 200g

4 carrots

Half a large tin of aldi sweetcorn

300g Maris piper potatoes 

1 leek

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

Mixed herbs (use how much you want)

10g flour

1 aldi chicken stock cube with around 500ml of water

25g chicken gravy 

Method: I use a large pot that I can use on the stove. Chop the onion and brown, add the garlic to the pot then add the chicken. Peel the carrots, chop and to the pot. Cut the top and bottom off the leek, slice and add the the pan. Peel and chop the potatoes and add them to the pot, add the sweetcorn. In a measuring jug add the gravy, stock cube and flour add the boiling water and whisk unroll dissolved. Cover vegetables, add the cider and more water if needed. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and cover. Cook for around 2 hours.

Serves : 4 calories : 293 per serving 

That's all for today!

S

X

Day 3

This morning to my happiness I didn't wake up like I wanted to eat a walrus, just grumpy as I had to leave Chris and Tilly in bed. 

Started the day off with another forest fruits smoothie 262 calories (recipe on first day blog) and drank it on the way to work, it's really filling!

I had a half day in work today, so left at 1pm. Needed to go to my mums to drop something off and I have to admit I was starting to feel woozy. Withdrawing from sugar is the worst thing ever!

To bring up my energy I had one of my flapjacks 151 calorie (for recipe go to my day 2 blog).

When I got home I finally had lunch. I had my "minestrone soup" 58 calories (recipe on my day 2 blog) followed by a packet of space raider 64 calories.

For dinner I had "sweet and sour chicken"

Ingredients:

1/2 bag Morrisons frozen chicken pieces

1 jar aldi's sweet and sour sauce

1 tin of biona black beans

2 small tins of blue dragon water chestnuts & bamboo shoots

3 peppers 

1 onion

1 packet if slim noodles (you can buy these low calorie noodles from holland an Barrett)

Method: chop the onions and fry in a pan until lightly brown, add the chicken pieces, chop the peppers whilst they are cooking and add them to the pan. Wait until chicken is  cooked then add the water chestnuts & bamboo shoots and the black beans. Cover with the sweet and sour sauce, add a bit of water if needed. To prep the slim noodles, remove from packet, rinse and cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Serves: 2 calories: 572 per portion

So I've now tried Slim Noodle, they were kind of rubbery but nice! Work really well in a sauce, not sure if they would be good on there own, but went online and I've bought there rice, fettuccine, penne and spaghetti. More reviews to follow!

That's all for today, going to finish it off with a trancetto cake, you can get them from home bargains only 109 calories!!

Love

S

X

Day 2

Woke up hungry, back in work today so in true girl guide fashion I had prepared my food for today last night. 

For my breakfast I had my forest fruits yogurt smoothie 261 cals, (see "first post" for recipe).

If it's really early morning usually I don't want to eat so had to force it down. I put it in my travel cup and drank it on the way to work. 

It's really important to eat breakfast in the morning to start your metabolism. I try to eat my breakfast within 30 mins of waking .

Lunchtime, I had my "carrot and coriander soup" 65 calories and a packet of "space raiders" 61 calories. 

I went on a walk to Holland and Barrett, not only did I burn 126 calories (which is 3 calories off my lunch) but I found the most amazing noodles! 

There called "slim noodles" there is 7.5 calories in a portion! I'll be trying these on Saturday with my sweet and sour chicken.

For dinner I had Rump Steak with butternut squash chips, mixed leaf salad and mushrooms. 

For my butternut squash chips I chop off the top (I save the bottom for other things like soups or stews), peel it then cut into wedges. I then part boil them so they still firm, once boiled I coat them in spices, I use a fantastic Cajun spice from aldi. Cumin works really well to.

Tonight I made "minestrone soup"

Ingredients :

Mixed bag of Savoy cabbage, carrots, turnips and celery ( they sell this at most green grocers)

1 large onion

2 large cloves of garlic

Mixed herbs 

2 vegetable stock cubes

2 cartons of Passata 

1 tsp of chilli (opinional)

Method :-

Chop onion and garlic, put in large pan, add the mixed vegetables, and mixed herbs, add the passata, top up with vegetable stock, add chilli (optional) bring to the boil then reduce to simmer for 1 -2 hour. 

Serves: 12 calories : 58 per serving 

I also made "flap jacks"

Ingredients: 

150g porridge oats

3 tablespoon honey

100g neals yard wholefoods breakfast sprinkle dried fruits and seeds (you can buy this from holland and Barrett)

150g aldi light beautifully butterly spread 

50g sugar

Method : place the butter, sugar and honey in a pan and melt on a low heat. Put the oats and breakfast sprinkle in a large bowl and cover with melted ingredients, mix well. Pour into a tray and cook for 20 - 25 mins on 180. Once cooked slice into 12 equal pieces.

I used a cup cake tray to divide the pieces. 

 

That's all for tonight! 

More interesting recipes tomorrow.

S

Xxx

First Day!!!

The day is finally here healthy eating starts now! The last moments of 2013 where spent stuffing my face with blue cheese and crackers.

Got on the scales this morning and I'm back at 14 and a half stone. Not so bad as the start of the month I was only 14 and 4lb, 3lb gain over christmas I can live with. My first mini goal is to make it to 13stone so that's 21lb to lose. 

In the past I have focused on giant weight loss goals, this time I have focused on mini goals, when I reach that weight I reassess where I am and decide where to go from there.  

I updated "My Fitness Pal" and my total daily calories if I want to lose 2lb a week is 1230. 

One thing I wanted to make sure of is that I am getting my 5 a day. I'm not terrific with fruit, so I've decided to start off each day with a smoothie.  By using 3 portions of fruit I only have to worry about using 2 more throughout the day. 

(If your wondering about 5 a day portions the NHS website has a fab PDF you can download telling you all the portion sizes here's the link http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Pages/Portionsizes.aspx) 

My Breakfast Smoothie Recipe:

All my breakfast smoothies are very simple. I use a yogurt, 3 types of fruit, wheatgrass and ice. 

Today I used:

Aldi Active fat free probiotic Forest fruits yogurt 52 cal

1 banana 89 cal

2 Tinned Pineapple rings 35cal

1 apple 65cal

10g wheatgrass 20cal

Ice 

Total calories : 261

I put all of the ingredients in a blender and use water to get it to the preferable consistency. 

I use wheatgrass in my smoothies. Wheatgrass contains vital enzymes that we destroy during cooking. 

There are many benefits of using wheatgrass from stimulating the thyroid to lowering blood pressure. I use powdered wheatgrass, you can buy this at holland and Barrett by following this link http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=3741&cpid=4329

Another way of getting in your 5 a day is soups. 

Today I made 3 different types of soup for my lunches for the up coming weeks. I freeze them in individual portions, that way they don't go off and your not eating the same thing day after day. I find that It's definitely important to keep variety. 

The first soup I made was "Carrot and Coriander"

Ingredients :

750kg of carrots 410cal

1 Large onions 63cal

2 Vegetable stock cubes 14cal

2 Tsp cumin 16cal

Fresh Coriander 5cal

Method : Peel and chop the carrots, chop the onions and put them both in a pot, preferably one that comes with a lid, pour over the vegetable stock, make sure there is enough to cover the vegetables, add 2 tsp of cumin. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook the vegetables until soft. Once vegetables are soft remove from heat. Using a hand blender, blend until smooth, once the soup is smooth add the fresh coriander am blend again, add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves : 8 Total: 65 calories per serving

The second soup I cooked was "Split Pea Soup" 

500g Split Pea Soup 650cal

250g Carrot 85cal

Onion 46cal

Head of Celery 40cal

Garlic 8cal

Vegetable stock cube 58cal

Mixed herbs 20cal 

Method : Soak the peas over night (as per instruction on packet). Slice and chop the carrots, chop the celery, onions, garlic and put all ingredients in a pot preferably one that comes with a lid. Add the stock enough to cover the vegetables and add the herbs. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook till vegetable are soft the use hand blender and blend till smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 10 Total : 91 calories per serving 

A good way of portioning soup for freezing is using freezer bags, I place them in cups and ladle equal amounts into them. Once cooled I remove the bags from the cups and seel them. This way they can be stored in the freezer taking up minimal space. 

For Dinner I made one of my favourite dishes, Chilli Con Carne.

Ingredient : 

Beef mince

Onion

Chilli powder (add to own taste)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

3 peppers

1 carton of Passata

3 Garlic cloves 

Tomato purée

Beef stock cube

1 tsp Oil

1 tin if kidney beans

Method: Chop onions and garlic, fry in the oil until brown. Add the beef mince to the pan and brown, add the chilli powder, cumin and paprika, stir so beef mince is coated. While the mince is cooking chop the peppers into chunks, (I like to chop mine quite big around 2cm by 3cm) add the peppers to the pan. After cooking the peppers for around 1-2 minutes add the passata, kidney bean, tomato purée and stir. Crumble over the beef stock cube and stir, bring to the boil the leave to simmer for around 20 - 30 minutes.

 

Serves : 2 Total : 472 calories per serving

(remember to add on additional calories for cheese) 

That's all for today. Today has been a great start to 2014.

More recipes tomorrow !

Steph

Xxx