27th October 2010 facebook email

If you think education is expensive - try ignorance. Derek Bok

I’m finding it hard to contain myself now;

It’s new, it’s breakthrough, it’s coming soon.

The biggest innovation from Weight Watchers in 15 years!

I’m so excited about it because it’s so liveable, I can’t wait to share it with you in November, I’ve been following it for about a month and have lost the same amount in that month that it’s took me all year to lose on the discover plan. I think I was just ready for a change, something new to get my teeth into. It’s lovely to feel like a new member with a fresh programme. I can’t tell you anymore because it’s a secret, and I probably shouldn’t have told you this much, so ssshhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone else, just subtly suggest it’s a good time to get back to their meetings ;-) I could do with a few more members, it’s coming up to Christmas and I’ve got to take mom on her annual trip to the seaside, Devon this year, we’ve been to the same place in Wales for a few years now so we thought we’d get cold and wet in a different part of Britain!

Don’t forget to buy your poppy this year, I’ve got a lady selling them in my meeting this week, she’s got some other lovely stuff too, like a poppy bag, armbands etc. Again not sharing too much information but the new programme material will fit in those poppy bags lovely! So get one now. Also can I just tell everyone that although help for heroes is a good charity, it isn’t the same thing as the poppy appeal which has been doing amazing work for 90 years! And the money we’re raising in my meetings will be used around this area too.

Anyway onto food ;-) how do you fancy a fruity breakfast for a change to ensure your hitting some of your 5 a day, I’ve just found this delicious smoothie;

Cranberry, blueberry and cherry smoothie (3pts)

100ml cranberry juice
75g cherries, (defrosted if frozen)
75g blueberries, defrosted if frozen)
1 small banana

Blend all ingredients until smooth and serve immediately.

Aldi sell frozen fruit berries 500g for £1.29, which is a lot cheaper than fresh and ideal for smoothies.

Or if you fancy cake for breakfast, how about a bit of baking –

banana muffins 4 pts per serving, 10 mins to prepare, 30 mins to cook

2 bananas
1tbsp clear honey
100g low fat spread
150g brown sugar
2 eggs
175g self raising flour
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180oC. Prepare a muffin tin by lining it with paper muffin cases. In a small bowl, mash the banana and the honey with a fork. In a large bowl, cream the low fat spread with the sugar until light and fluffy with an electric hand whisk or in a food mixer. Next, add the eggs and continue to beat for a few minutes.

Fold in the mashed banana mixture. Sieve the flour, nutmeg and baking powder into the bowl and fold through with a large spoon until all the ingredients are combined.

Pour the mixture into the muffin cases and then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes. Once cooked leave to cool on a wire rack. Store the muffins in a cake tin to keep them fresh.

I’ve had a request for the Weetabix cake again too.

Weetabix pudding 1pt per slice (12 slices)

2 Weetabix
100g sultanas
150 ml skimmed milk
150 ml water
1 quantity self raising flour
1 teaspoon Mixed Spice,
1 teaspoon artificial sweetener, (optional)
1 medium egg, beaten (or use a banana instead for 1 of your 5 a day)

Preheat oven to 180c, 350f or gas mark 4. Put Weetabix and sultanas in bowl, pour milk and water over the top and soak up all the liquid. Stir in flour, mixed spice, sweetener and beaten egg. Spoon mixture into (1lb) lined / non-stick loaf tin and bake for 1hr 15m until cooked. Cool on a wire rack before serving, and then cut into slices.

It has the texture of bread pudding. Delicious, and for a desert why not add a bit of custard for extra points treat.
Remember life starts now?
Are you living yet?
You’re not alive unless you’re living!