Life's too short to starve!

22^nd August 2013

“A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck.”  Nils Nilsons sister

Almost the weekend, and it’s a Bank Holiday one at that!  I’ve no plans so will mostly be hoping my neck hurts less so I can be in my garden doing all those little jobs that need doing.

Another on track day yesterday and because I’m focusing on the filling and healthy I found that food I didn’t really think about food most of the day other than meal times, oh yes and whilst having a walk around Morrisons.  I have to say I was extremely impressed with their fruit and vegetable section, I’ve always thought they had the best fruit and veg section of all the supermarkets when you compare quality and price, yet yesterday it’s been improved.  The have a couple of stand that have cold mist being pumped over the veggies to keep them fresh and lots of new different varieties, I bought yellow courgette, orange tomatoes, samphire, graffiti aubergine, smoked & rose garlic and Kohlrabi to try and I liked that the labels on the counter suggested how to cook them.  I also bought a couple of packets of microwave packets, “Quinoa & Wholegrain rice with a hint of garlic” 6pp in half packet and another one I can’t remember.  So my lunch yesterday was delicious, nutritious and colourful.

Here’s my tracker for yesterday, I was initially planning on a F&H day but as I had the packet rice, I went with ProPoints but using mainly F&H foods;

Breakfast

Scrambled egg (4pp), mushrooms, tomatoes and beans (2pp), oil (1pp) = 7pp

Lunch

12pp of EatGorgeous! Steamed trout fillet, with Quinoa & wholegrain rice, roasted smoked garlic, tomato, pepper, butternut squash, yellow courgette and samphire mmmmmm

 

Tea

Leftovers from yesterday – Wholegrain rice, butternut squash, chicken & the juices out the maggi cook bag – really tasty even if it didn’t look fab. 12pp

I earned 9pp on my pedometer and took 8 painkiller and 3 antibiotics J, I added the drugs bit because I’m sure they’re affecting my digestive system, I can tell my stomach feels differently, so today I shall be drinking lots of water to try and sort it out!

If you’re in my closed group which is for existing members in my meeting only and you can’t see me on Facebook this morning, I’ve changed the name to Bev’s Happy Owls, everything else is the same so don’t worry about it. xx My Weight Watcher page is still called Bev’s Weight Watchers and open to everyone.

So today’s my busy day and I have leftover goulash for tea, already prepared, lunch will be smoked haddock, I’m thinking with potatoes and veggies, mmm, what about breakfast? I’ll think about that one because at the moment that could be F&H or ProPoints, decisions decisions, I do have some Beetroot falafels in the fridge I want to eat though so if they’re ok till tomorrow they can wait and I’ll go with the F&H day.

I know I’ve shared this recipe before but my lunch yesterday reminded me of how good it is and I shall be making it again soon so thought I’d share;

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic Serves 4, 13pp each

 

2 tbsp regular olive oil                                                     8 chicken thighs (skin on, bone in)

1 bunch (about 6) spring onions                                       small bunch fresh thyme

40 garlic cloves (approx 3-4 bulbs), unpeeled                 2 tbsp dry white wine

1½ tsp sea salt flakes or ¾ tsp pouring salt                     Ground black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.  Heat the oil on the hob over a high heat in a wide, shallow, ovenproof and flameproof casserole (that will ultimately fit all the chicken in one layer, and that has a lid). Sear the chicken, skin-side down. This may take two batches, so transfer the browned pieces to a bowl as you go. Once the chicken pieces are seared, transfer them all to the bowl.

 

Finely slice the spring onions, put them into the casserole and quickly stir-fry them with the leaves torn from a few sprigs of thyme.  Put 20 of the unpeeled cloves of garlic (papery excess removed) into the casserole, top with the chicken pieces, skin-side up, then cover with the remaining 20 cloves of garlic.

 

Add the vermouth (or white wine) to any oily chicken juices left in the bowl. Swill it around and pour this into the casserole.  Sprinkle with the salt, grind over the pepper, and add a few more sprigs of thyme. Put on the lid and cook in the oven for 1½ hours.

 

My other favourite recipe is the chicken and bacon one pot casserole on the Weight Watchers poultry recipe cards, I’m thinking that’s on the two eat list for next week too.  Mmm.

Life really is too short to undereat and starve!  Healthy and happy all the way.

Here’s to another day of Eating Gorgeous.

BeYouTiful xx