Try again Tuesday!

 Here we go after another couple of weeks away from the healthy stuff. Shrugged me shoulders and lets plan again! 

My friend and I are going to photograph every morsel of food that goes in our mouths this week. There'll be a daily montage. Because it's Half Term I may be blogging a bit more. 

TTBLF TAT !

Taster

 Last night’s results were triumphant, both on the scales ( another 3.5lbs off - helped by my stomach bug over the weekend no doubt ) and my curry went down a storm. I use the pon butternut and butterbean tikka masala recipe for the base sauce and I sub chicken for the veggies - only bc I’ve no butternut squash in - served with 0% Yeo valley Greek yog with coriander stirred through. I took the mutti tomato purée tin to share the brand I rave about but only buy if on offer as it is more expensive than the others but the flavour is worth it. I’m not opposed to using smart price basics Tom purée at all but I am worth the extra cost for a better taste experience because that is important to me! 

Here is it on the table.

 In my little Christmassy festive book I wrote ‘do not go mad at taster’ and I didn’t! Here’s the full table! Lots of things still covered up to keep warm. 

 There were two different crustless quiches, both delicious. Salmon pate and veggie sticks - I wish I wish I liked salmon because everyone else liked it! My curry which was very popular. There was a South African spiced stew, baby bel stuffed jacket potatoes made by homity pie man ha ha so you bake your potato in the slow cooker or oven, when half done, slit it and slide in a baby bel, wrap in foil and finish baking. Really lovely it was, quite different to a traditional Jacket potato and cheese! A huge colourful tuna salad, flasks of soup - one was the pretend Heinz tomato SW recipe which is revolting! I’ve made it and thought yuk, I must have done something wrong but no, I tasted a spoon of the one at group - identical to mine, yak!!! It’s tinned tomatoes, carrots, baked beans and pickled onions. Does not do it for me I’m afraid! The other soup was a very thick chicken and vegetable broth - very good. There were lots of different Taoist and people brought low sun crisps and snacks to try - I didn’t - remembered by mantra! Usually there’s more sweet things but the group went savoury. Someone made the sw Ferraro rochers which are GOOD , there were the ‘pink and white’ marshmallow biscuits which you microwave to get the middle gooey, someone brought some chicken tikka pieces from Iceland which I’ve had and are lovely. Someone made spicy carrots and Bombay potatoes, SW samosas and oh yes someone made the SW weetabix cake that was lovely and some cinnamon swirls - low synned SW recipes. 

It was a good group - lots of people there. I was spurred on with my 3.5lbs however it happened and now I go on! 

It’s very early Wednesday morning and I’m sat here in the dark, with the dog on my knee thinking about the day ahead and how I’m going to enjoy the food I plan to have. I will fast until lunch and then will have something very quick because I’ll be walking madam - think I’ll make some overnight oats with some frozen berries and yogurt and chia seeds I think before I go to work. Yea- I’m going to have a Julia Childs omelette - I think it tastes different to me because it uses butter and maybe how it’s cooked? I may do two for the blog and show one how I used to always do them and now my new way!  and side salad. I was a little off plan at teatime yesterday because I got in from work and made some pastry for using up the leftover brisket from Sunday. 

I only had a smallish piece and my pastry is very thin and lovely! So synned the pastry and called it 10 and then the beef is free, potatoes, free, gravy 4syns and I had it with mushy peas, leftover cabbage from Sunday and some pickled red cabbage and pickled beetroot so lots of speed ( and pink wee this morning ) ! I’d had a light lunch of cottage cheese, fresh tomatoes and my homemade tomatoes, a slice of ham and a little roast beef. Delicious and filling!

 

Feeling successful and seeing the numbers going down is a feeling I like as opposed to the stuffed to the gills uncomfortable feeling after over eating the wrong things. I’ve so many clothes I could be wearing - so I will keep on keeping on it! For today at least, that’s the plan! 

R x 

Tomatoes

So my father in law did an experiment- he squashed a shop bought posh cherry tomato and saved and dried the seeds on a bit of kitchen roll. 

He then planted the seeds and then potted on the seedlings. He nurtured them and then distributed the baby plants. I had 7 plants. He kept 10 and gave another 10 away. I gave 4 plants away and kept 3. I really really looked after 1 of them - it’s own tub, in the sunshine, staked up and pruned properly. The others I’m afraid I gave them sunburn and nearly killed them off through lack of water. I shoved them among the plants in the border and left them to it. They all thrived and went about their business of producing 26780000000 tomatoes! 

About to go in the oven

Bluebell photobombing Grandad’s fine tomato plants

Erm believe it or not, this is the plant that O was making an effort with! All that scrap metal in the background has now been weighed in and the last of the rhubarb harvested today. 

Father in laws amazing tomato plants! 

Erm …spot mine that I shoved in the border!!! 

Me in the shadow! 

Oooooo

The very first ripe tomato! 

They are so delicious! 

I’ve just harvested the red ones that were on the plants and am leaving the rest another week but then they will probably end up on the compost! 

Todays harvest was halved, sprayed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sprinkled liberally with onion and garlic granules, salt and pepper and herbs de Provence and then shoved in the oven because it’s on low and left for about 40 mins. 

They are done and are absolutely delicious. They were destined to be added to a pasta sauce but I think I’ll pop them in a tub and have them sprinkled on my meals this week!! 

I went to class last Monday and saw half a pound shaved off my total! A smidge. But that’s ok. Me and my friend are starting a savings club for from October 1st so every pound off is a pound coin in a jar. If it’s another smidge tomorrow night, then that’s 50p in the jar! It’s taster, so I am going all out and am making a really delicious tikka masala from one of the Pinch of N books - their recipe is for a butternut squash and butterbean curry but I’m making it with boneless and skinless chicken thighs instead. It really is a lovely flavoured tasty dish. I’m going to double up on the make so I’ve some sauce for my freezer and will save a couple of the  chicken curry portions for myself too. It’s a really good group for taster and it’s a generous group too - need to make sure I try everything within reason!!!! One man always makes his famous homity pie and I’m really looking forward to eating that tomorrow hahaha! 

Right best get chopping me onions! 

Trying to be less fat with the help of tomato power!