What will you do with your leftover turkey? Let me know...

22^nd December 2017

The perosn who doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything…

Morning all, well after not sleeping the best last night, I resorted to Night Nurse again, I do feel better but the lurgy is 100% gone and it always gets a little worse at night doesn’t it, so it’s kept me asleep till Alfie just woke me up at 6.45am, he didn’t want to go out, no he just wanted to let me know I’d slept in later than usual, isn’t he kind.

I’m gonna go and do my food shop again this morning as the dates weren’t any good on Wednesday so I didn’t bother, I’m not going to go crazy, I really don’t want a big weight gain, I don’t mind a few pounds but the more I gain the more I’ve got to lose and I’ve got enough to lose in 2018 already.  I’ll be having my official Pre-Christmas weigh-in tomorrow morning then getting straight back on them scales next Saturday to check the damage.  I’m looking forward to the rest more than the overindulging if I’m honest.

And getting a weigh-in before the start of 2018 does help, Sam proved that yesterday, she joined on 31^st December and got to her goal yesterday in time for Christmas and returning to work after maternity leave.  I even had a new member yesterday who’s going to enjoy the break but spend some of the time getting her head around the plan before starting – I love that.

Yeah, a good rest, I’ve got loads of Christmas films to watch, my crochet to keep me occupied, my book and my new kitchen to play in, what more can I want.  Mom and me are gonna have some quality time together doing nothing – perfect.

But first a busy day today, shopping, then Yum Tums lunch club, my meeting later, last but one, then tomorrow morning my last meeting and I’m done for Christmas.  Having my first massage for weeks and it’s new management at the Chi Rooms so it’ll be a different lady, she won’t be Karen but hopefully she’ll be good.

Just thinking about leftover turkey, if you’ve still got shopping to do, buy a can of Bachelors condensed mushroom soup and fry some onions and mushrooms throw in the turkey, add the soup and you’ve got turkey in a creamy mushroom sauce, be lovely with some rice or some pasta.

What about a turkey and sweetcorn soup, throw it in some chicken stock, add some spring onions, sorted soup in mugs for after your boxing day walk.   Yeah you should go for a walk on boxing day, you know it makes sense.

What about turkey chow mein

Turkey Chow Mein

Serves 4, 7 Smart Points per serving 29sp total

150g (5oz) cooked turkey (cut into thin strips)
1 tbsp oil (4sp)
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp chopped garlic
240g dried egg noodles (22sp)
Bean sprouts (1 handful)
½ small onion (sliced)
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (1sp)
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil (2sp)

Cook noodles by soaking in boiling water for 5-10 minutes or until soft to touch. Clean wok, heat wok until hot and slightly smoky. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chicken and onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Turn to low heat and add the garlic and stir-fry for another 15 seconds.

Now add the bean sprouts and noodles. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until the noodles are soft. Add the salt, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce.

Stir-fry for another minute. Finally add the pepper and sesame oil and stir in.

The following recipe is one of my favs and I’m posting it in here for a member I was telling about it last night, Michelle, this is the business.  As its Christmas I’d be tempted to use thighs because it is amazing with them, it’s good with breast but incredible with thigh.  I think I’ll be doing this for sure over the next week.  If I do it Sunday, I can use the leftover white wine for bucks fizz ;)

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

Serves 4
13sp per serving using thighs,
3sp per serving using breasts,
9sp per serving using legs
2 tbsp regular olive oil (9sp)
Either
Use 8 chicken thighs (skin on, bone in) (42sp) or
use 8 skinless breasts for 0sp or
use 4 skinless legs for 27sp or
1 bunch (about 6) spring onions
small bunch fresh thyme
40 garlic cloves (approx 3-4 bulbs), unpeeled
2 tbsp dry white wine (1sp)
1½ tsp sea salt flakes or ¾ tsp pouring salt
Ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Heat the oil on the hob over a high heat in a wide, shallow, ovenproof and flameproof casserole (that will ultimately fit all the chicken in one layer, and that has a lid). Sear the chicken, skin-side down. This may take two batches, so transfer the browned pieces to a bowl as you go. Once the chicken pieces are seared, transfer them all to the bowl.
Finely slice the spring onions, put them into the casserole and quickly stir-fry them with the leaves torn from a few sprigs of thyme. Put 20 of the unpeeled cloves of garlic (papery excess removed) into the casserole, top with the chicken pieces, skin-side up, then cover with the remaining 20 cloves of garlic.
Add the vermouth (or white wine) to any oily chicken juices left in the bowl. Swill it around and pour this into the casserole. Sprinkle with the salt, grind over the pepper, and add a few more sprigs of thyme. Put on the lid and cook in the oven for 1½ hours.

Right I need to go, I’ve got an appointment with M&S this morning, want to get it done out the way.

Have a fab Friday BeYOUtiful, 3 more sleeps, it’s not Christmas yet and if you haven’t been weighed, go face the scales and get that pre-Christmas weigh-in, I had quite a few yesterday that were dreading it, but pleasantly surprised.