Ooo Baileys - naughty but nice!

2^nd November 2011

Maxim for life: You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well yesterday was an improvement tracker wise, it couldn’t really get much worse could it :D

Breakfast

WW breakfast oats 3pp

Milk in drinks for day 3pp

Lunch

Corned beef hash (added courgettes, sweetcorn & peppers) 10pp

Cabbage & carrots

Dinner

Cheesy scrambled eggs (7pp)

2 slices toast (5pp)

Cherry tomatoes

Snack

Pear

Baileys Original 50ml = 5pp

Total for day = 33pp

Activity ProPoints on Pedometer = 5pp

So a much better day all round, managed to get more than my 5 a day in and wasn’t hungry at all.

The Baileys was a gift from a friend, she must be psychic because I’ve been thinking about buying a bottle for a few weeks, it’s one of those drinks that most people partake in at this time of year with the festive season around the corner so just to be prepared, the ProPoints are, 25ml = 2pp, 50ml = 5pp and the litre bottle is 98pp!

That’s a lot of ProPoints, so I’ll be having the odd glass poured over lots of ice I think not the entire bottle which is the equivalent of 5 bottles of good red wine!

Well I’m sad to say that next Monday will be my last Monday night meeting at Wednesfield, I’ve been told the new leader will be there with me to introduce herself, her names Sarah, so make sure you’re all there to say goodbye and hello.

On a positive it means I’ll have more time for my other meetings which can only be a good thing, and I’ll also be able to stick with my running which is keeping me fit and well enough to cope with everything else.  Although I’ve got a sore ankle at the minute from where I went over it on Monday whilst running on the chase – doh!

Halloween has passed and I know some of you would have do the pumpkin cutting but I bet not many of you ate it.  They’re related to the butternut squash which is a delicious zero ProPointed vegetable but some people seem unsure of how to prepare and cook it.  So this week why not give it a go. It has a sweet taste, but with fewer starchy carbs than sweet potato and about half the calories. (A cup of uncooked cubed squash has around 65 calories and 3g fiber.) Plus, it's PERFECT for making baked fries! That being said, it's also true that butternut squash can be a total pain to work with. It's worth the effort, though - promise! And once you've mastered the technique, it's really not bad at all.

First thing you want to do is pick out a long squash with a short round section. Cut off the ends with a sharp serrated knife, and slice the squash in half widthwise (just above the round part). If your squash is really firm and tough to slice, heat it in the microwave for about a minute -- that'll soften it up. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin until you get to the bright yellow-orange part. Then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Slice off or scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers and throw them away. (Or bake the seeds as a snack! A 1/4-cup serving has about 70 calories, 3g fat, and 3g fiber.) Then chop or slice the rest of the squash. For fries you could use a crinkle cutter with a handle. For shredding, a box grater. Otherwise, a serrated knife is the way to go.

Butternut squash can be used for many different recipes, google ideas or check out esource, I actually leave the peel on for quickness, cut in half and roast, it’s delicious.

Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries 2.0

PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe): PointsPlus® value 0
Getting baked butternut-squash spears crispy in the oven can be a bit of a challenge. This newly improved recipe will show you the way...

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds peeled & sliced)
1/8 tsp. coarse salt
Optional: additional coarse salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice the ends off the squash, and then cut it in half widthwise. Peel squash with a vegetable peeler or carefully with a knife. Cut the round bottom piece in half lengthwise and remove seeds.

Using a crinkle cutter or a knife, carefully cut squash into spears/French-fry shapes. Pat spears firmly with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Sprinkle evenly with salt.

Lay spears out on a layer of paper towels, and let stand for at least 5 minutes, to allow the salt to draw out any excess moisture. Then pat with paper towels again. If you like, sprinkle with additional salt.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, and then lay spears flat on it. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, and then carefully flip spears. Bake for about 20 minutes longer, until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Enjoy!

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

I’ve not tried these but they do sound good!  I think I’m going to try mashing some roasted squash with Phildelphia light see what that turns out like, maybe have a bit of grilled cheese on top, mmm. That’s lunch sorted!

Whatever you’ve got planned for lunch, enjoy it. xx