A scary time of year for Weight Watchers

31^st October 2012

Happy Halloween!  Oh yeah it’s that day when if you do the Halloween thing you’re house is going to be full of goodies for the trick or treaters, and even if you don’t the supermarkets are full of the stuff anyway, so be extra careful if they reduce it all tomorrow not to be tempted to buy a pile of junk you don’t need and didn’t plan on buying!

 

I don’t actually do ‘Halloween’ but I’m very aware that it’s a scary time of year for Weight Watcher members, it’s cold and dark outside and we’re starting to wrap up with bulky clothes that make us not realise our size quite so much as we maybe normally do.  All we want to do is hibernate but we must remember why we joined Weight Watchers in the first place, why do we want to lose weight and change our eating habits!  It was 8 weeks Monday gone till Christmas, so if we stay focused with can lose another half stone easily, if however we let the diet demons will we could start 2013 almost a stone heavier – it’s easily done.

 

So this week think about that, why did you join Weight Watchers, why do you want to eat healthy and lose some weight?  What’s in it for you?  For me I want to feel well now and in the future, I want to be able to be fit enough to be the best me I can possibly be and I don’t just mean the way I look, I’m actually not that bothered about my image, I want to be sharp of mind, healthy of body to be able to make a difference in this world, I want to be remembered for things I’ve done and said, not for the size label in my jeans!  I want to be strong enough mentally and physically to take care of my mom, to be there for my mates and their children as they grow up, yep I want to be and do so many things that will be easier if I’m fit and well. So what’s in it for you?  What’s more important that eating that extra piece of candy today, or that extra glass of Bailey’s this Christmas.  Weight Loss and Healthy Eating is so much more than numbers on a scale.

 

Yesterday I realised I have been omitting the vegetables from my diet the last few days, don’t get me wrong I’ve had some but I really need more, so I’ve just taken some beef and chicken out of the freezer and will be making a beef casserole and a chicken hotpot I thinks, that’ll use carrots and onions.  I can serve with extra veggies, cauliflower, broccoli, green cabbage maybe.  Yes I feel the need for vegetables, they fill me up too, if I don’t include them I tend to eat more of my other foods which are higher in ProPoints. 

 

I need to look at maybe making some soups also, I’m not a massive lover of soup as a meal because I always feel ripped off, so I need some that’s less than 2pp a portion which can be used in addition too, zero ProPoints soup would be best.  If anyone has any fabulous recipes for this, sent them to me please at info@happyowls.co.uk, thanks in advance, here’s on I’ve found that I may try when I’ve got the ingredients;

Zero ProPoint Pumpkin Soup. Serves 4.

Flesh of a large pumpkin

Large onion, chopped

2 vegetable stock cubes dissolved in 850ml hot water

Salt and pepper

 

Bring all the ingredients to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 mins until the pumpkin is tender. Transfer to a liquidiser and blend until smooth. Season and serve.

 

No Point Roasted Tomato and Red Onion Soup. Serves 4.

450g ripe tomatoes

2 red onions

½ pack fresh sage

Low fat cooking spray

1½  litres hot vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 200C/390F/Gas 6. Place the tomatoes and onions in a roasting tray, coat in low fat cooking spray and season well. Roast for about 20 mins. Pour over the vegetable stock and roast for a further 20 mins, then liquidise and serve.

Zero ProPoint Roasted Pumpkin Soup. Serves 4.

Low fat cooking spray

6 shallots, not peeled and cut in half

2 cloves garlic, not peeled and squashed

750g pumpkin, peeled deseeded and chopped roughly

2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

1.2 litres vegetable stock, made from 2 stock cubes

Salt and pepper

Fresh chives for garnish

 

Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas 7. Spray a large roasting tray with the low fat cooking spray. Add the shallots, garlic and pumpkin. Toss with the seasoning and five spice. Roast for about 30 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly charred. When cool enough to handle, peel the skins from the shallots and garlic then transfer everything to a large pan and add the stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 mins. Liquidise and check the seasoning. Garnish with chopped chives.

 

On that note, I’m off to get ready for the scary day ahead ;-) Have a good one.