Planning to cure my cold with comfort food!

12^th December 2014

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”—John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Glad I haven’t got to go anywhere today, I’ve been awake since 3ish thanks to this head cold, I’m glad I’ve got the weekend to shake it off and recover, I was going to catch the Hobbit today but I’m not sitting there feeling like this so hope to go Monday!  Hey ho, it’s my body’s way of telling me after the last two busy weekends I need a very relaxing one, so I will listen to it for sure!

I hate the best bacon sarnie for my tea last night, I’d fancied one for at least a week now, so on the way home I stopped and bought the makings of one, 10pp of absolute perfection on a plate, white bread too, check me out!  That’s the beauty of the plan with Weight Watchers you can! 

 My soup never happened either, I forgot to get it on way from work lunchtime so we ended up with salmon, I cooked it in the oven in a cook bag, threw in the broccoli that was dying in the fridge and mushrooms, then added an oxo roasted garlic stock pot my mate had given me to try, very nice it was too, served with a bit of mashed potato, mmm mashed potato – true comfort food that is.

Yes I can see this weekend being full of comfort food, I think I’ll go a little F&H so that I can have big food, mash potato with roast chicken, egg and chips, soup.  I may ProPoint though, I’ll decide when I pick the meals, oh I do love that I can swap and change. 

And I do plan to make this steak and ginger wine hot pot at some point, here’s the yummy recipe.

Total propoints = 35pp, 8pp per serving

250g shallots

½ kettle boiling water, to cover shallots

1 tablespoon plain flour (1pp)

500g (1lb 2oz) lean stewing beef, cut into large cubes (15pp)

Low fat cooking spray

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large cubes

325g swede, peeled and cut into thick batons

300ml ginger wine (15pp)

300ml beef stock (1pp)

2 tablespoons tomato puree (1pp)

2 bay leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to gas mark 4 / 180o / fan oven 160o.  put the shallots in a bowl and cover with the boiling water (this makes them easier to peel).  Set aside.  Meanwhile, put the flour on to a plate and dust the beef in it, shaking off the excess.  Heat a lidded flame and ovenproof casserole dish and spray with the cooking spray.  Cook the beef for 5 minutes, turning until brown all over.  You may need to do this in batches.  Remove and set aside.

Drain the shallots and then peel and trim.  Heat the casserole pan again and add the shallots, garlic, carrots and swede.  Cook gently for 5-8 minutes until starting to brown.  Return the beef to the pan and pour in the ginger wine, beef stock, tomato puree and bay leaves.  Bring to the boil, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours until tender and the juices have reduced and thickened.  Remove the bay leave, check the seasoning and serve.

Nice served with mash potato for extra propoints and maybe some broccoli, mmm.  Someone make it for me now please and drop it round :)

Right I’m off, gonna get paperwork done, conference call at 12 then it’s an afternoon of gift wrapping whilst enjoying a glass or two of wine – I’d say purely medicinal but I’d be lying!

Have a fabulous Friday BeYOUtiful!