You can't hurry life, there's always 168hrs in a week!

12^th November 2011

Anything you have time to complain about – you have time to change!

I’m in a hurry (for a change) but I don’t mind because I have the best life, when I was driving to Burton-on-Trent yesterday for my area meeting I was thinking about this, how lucky I am. I’m only in such a rush because I have so many nice things to do and amazing people to spend time with. I have the bestest girlfriends, I got to have lunch with one yesterday, bless her she got ‘hyper’ Bev yesterday, it took me a good 40 minutes to relax but then we enjoyed the most delicious lunch and afterwards she helped me get up to date with some of my admin so that was a bonus. Today I’m being picked up by Sarah and we’re going to see Chantel, so I get to spend two days with two more fabulous people, Chantel lives too far away so I don’t get to see her anywhere near as often as I like, in my head I imagine living in a street with all my girls like on Desperate Housewives, although when I’ve discussed this with Lynne she thinks it’s not such a good idea because we’d all lead each other astray much to much! After my fantastic weekend, I get to do a 50 hour week doing a job I just adore and that gives me so much pleasure and next Friday I’m off to New York with two more amazing ladies V & Kt and we’re going to have a ball. How fortunate am I to be so rushed, if my only problem in life is I have too much to do then I consider myself blessed.

The fact that I manage to have all this fun and still maintain my weight is just a bonus, especially as I do overindulge but obviously I mush have the balance about right because I’m not gaining continually, if I have a crazy eating day, I counterbalance it with a more sensible day. I no longer eat the way I’m expected to by many, I don’t have cereal for breakfast if I don’t want them. Yesterday morning I had 2 egg custard tarts from Sainsbury’s (13pp), now we all know that is not a healthy balanced breakfast but I’d bought them the day before because I fancied them and I knew they were going to be eaten at sometime so rather than have breakfast cereal for 3pp or toast for 6pp then have the tarts a few hours later, I decided to save ProPoints and eat them for breakfast and get it out of my system! That makes sense in my mind!

We had lunch out which was delicious and again, for dessert we couldn’t decide on which to have, so we ordered the share plate where you got a bit of all five! And I’m quite pleased to say we didn’t eat them all, we both just had a taste of each and then we were satisfied. I’m so pleased I’ve lost that “I’ve paid for it so I’m going to eat it” mentality, you know the one don’t you because most of us at sometime have suffered from it, and it makes us fat – it’s not a good mindset to have at all.

The main course was to die for, Baked breast of corn chicken with wild mushroom, smoked bacon and spinach linguini, mascarpone and truffle oil, it was just delicious and I wanted more of the pasta, so next week I’m going to try and cook it myself, I’m not bothered about the chicken that was on the top I just want a big dish of the linguine, mmm creamy and scrumptious, but there has to be a way of making it lower ProPoints. Here’s one recipe I’ve just found from my files that would be similar and next week I will have a play around with it I think.

Linguine with Boursin & Parmesan

Serves 3 at 16pp or 4 at 12pp

300 g Pasta, White, Dried, linguine or spaghetti

50ml vermouth (or dry white wine)

1 small Onion, All Types, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 courgette, finely chopped

1 red pepper, finely chopped

50g Peas, frozen, or shelled fresh peas

100 g Fromage Frais, Low Fat, Plain

100 g Boursin herbs (or any soft cheese)

4 tablespoons Milk, Skimmed

finely grated rind of 1 medium Lemon,

2 tablespoons Cheese, Parmesan, finely grated

1 pinch Salt, and black pepper, freshly ground

Cook the linguine or spaghetti in plenty of boiling, lightly salted water for 10-12 minutes, or according to pack instructions, until just tender. Meanwhile, warm large frying pan and add finely chopped vegetables, peas and vermouth, heat until cooked, add water if necessary to stop drying out. When cooked stir in the fromage frais, soft cheese, milk, lemon rind and grated Parmesan. Heat gently, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Season. Drain the linguine or spaghetti well, then add to the sauce and stir gently. Transfer to four warmed plates and serve.

And if you really do fancy chicken too, here’s a nice recipe as well.

Chicken Schnitzel with bacon and white wine

Serves 4 = 5pp each

1 teaspoon garlic oil = 1pp

4 rashers streaky bacon = 6pp

4 chicken escalopes (breasts) approx 125g = 12pp

100ml white wine = 2pp

Put the oil in a frying pan and add the bacon.

Fry till the bacon is crisp and the pan is full of bacony juices. Remove the bacon to a piece of foil, wrap it and set is aside for a moment.

Fry the chicken for about 2 minutes a side, until there is no pinkness when you cut into a piece. Make sure the pan’s hot so that the escalopes catch a litt, turning beautifully bronze.

Remove the chicken to a serving plate and quickly crumble the bacon you’ve set aside into the pan, then pour in the wine, letting everything bubble up, and finally, pour over the chicken pieces.Serve with green beans and for an additional 4pp each have 200g mash potato

Well it may only be 6.30am but I’m ravenous already now! I could just eat that ;D

Right I’m off lots to do, enjoy your day, be thankful for you life and as twee as it may sound, count your blessing, I bet you have loads. xx