Well I had a productive morning yesterday 2hr walk with Alfie, followed by all my ironing done and enough clothes for a month ;), then I sat on my backside for the rest of the day and chilled out, which is more or less what I think I’ll do today too, might be a little productive this morning, then relaxation later. Mom’s on the mend which is great news but she’s not well enough to take anywhere so I’ll hang round here with her.
Looks like it’s going to be a fabulous Bank Holiday weekend and one thing that’s bound to be popular this weekend is having a BBQ! For some it’s great to get outside and eat up the garden in the sunshine, maybe invite a few friends round. Don’t worry, you can still stay on track and enjoy yourself, whether you’re the one hosting or the guest.
If you’re the host you can be more in control of what you cook, remember it’s not just burgers that cook well on the barbeque, meat, poultry and fish all taste fabulous and all the fat drips off as they’re cooking. Why not make a healthy marinade to get juicy results, here’s one you could use on chicken or fish;
2 tsp olive oil (2pp)
juice of ½ a lime
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp water
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp coriander
1tsp salt
2tsp ground cumin
1 small onion chopped
Just puree all ingredients until smooth, pour over 4 servings of meat and let marinade for 20 minutes. There are many healthy marinades and dry rubs available in shops too, just have a look at the labels to make sure you're making wise choices.
Barbeques make veggies taste great too, make your own mushroom burgers. Simply brush a large, open mushroom with a teaspoon of olive oil (1pp), rub it with rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes, turning half way through and serve just like a burger with your favourite toppings - very satisfying! Or put a selection of vegetables on a skewer like butternut squash cubes, courgette, red onion, cherry tomatoes, potato chunks. The natural juices will keep them moist, but you can always brush them with oyster sauce or a mixture of soy sauce, ginger and garlic for a tasty marinade.
Then there’s corn on the cob which is perfect on the barbeque and here are a couple of ways for you to try. Firstly, boil the cleaned cobs for five minutes in salted water, then place directly on the rack, turning regularly, for another five minutes until they're tender and browned. Another method is to wrap them tightly in foil then put on the barbeque. Try rubbing them lightly with a low calorie spread, or marinade them in a soy sauce, chilli and ginger mixture before sealing the foil for a lovely, steamed result.
Don’t forget the salad either, and if you’re the guest take some with you. If you’re buying burgers, look for low ProPointed ones, there’s always a lower choice if you take your calculator with you.
Let’s not forget pudding, of course my idea of pudding is a glass of red wine, but for others why this, take a medium banana (unpeeled) and make a slit down the length. Fill the split with two squares of chocolate cut into small pieces, push the banana back together and then wrap the whole thing in foil. Leave it on the barbeque rack for 20-30 minutes (depending on the heat), unwrap and enjoy! Even the simplest of fruit will give you a great result. Try halving a pear, peach, nectarine or plum and cut out the pip or core. Brush the halves lightly with a mixture of demerara sugar and juice or with runny honey. Barbeque until tender and tuck in.
We’ve even barbequed pink & whites in the past, take one of the wafers off and bbq that side.
As for booze, be careful as too much in the sunshine not only makes you dehydrated and poorly, but also makes you forget what you’re eating!
ProPoints in booze
250ml wine = 6pp (the bottle 19pp)
½ lager = 3pp (3 pints = 18pp)
½ cider = 4pp (3 pints = 21pp)
Jacques Fruit Des Bois Cider 250ml glass = 5pp (750ml bottle = 14pp)
Vintage cider = 20pp per pint!!!!!!
Spirits vary 2-3pp per 25ml
Whatever you’re doing today, enjoy yourself and the sunshine.
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