Dark out there, light in here though!

29th September 2015

Be happy - do your best - say yes - speak kindly - play nice - be honest - be nice - be proud of yourself - say I love you - say thank you - remember your dreams - tell the truth - help, help & help - keep your promises - be grateful.

Good morning, it's dark outside, the moon was equally incredible last night as it was the night before, to me a full moon is always amazing, with or without a lunar eclipse.

I've been up since 4.41am and have already done my 15 minute meditation, it's setting me up for the day lovely, it really is, plus I've realised it'll encourage me to go to bed that bit early at night, especially now the nights are dark and the tele is rubbish, so going to bed earlier will stop me eating/drinking for the sake of it at night! Bonus!

I made a delicious beef stew yesterday which means I'm sorted for a few dinners this week, just need to stay away from the bread and butter to go with it!

I enjoyed some time sitting in my garden yesterday, chatting with mom and reading a Sainsbury's magazine I'd picked up when out doing a bit of shopping.  I like the sound of this lamb tagine with dates and tomatoes, think I need to cook it.  We haven't had lamb in such a long time.

Lamb tagine with dates and tomatoes (58pp total for tagine) serves 6, 10pp each

A careful blend of spices and slow cooking are the secrets to a proper Moroccan tagine.  The all-in-one method used here is hte most authentic and fuss-free way to make one. 

Hands-on time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 2 hrs

2 medium onions, coarsely grated or finely chopped

1 rounded tbsp ras el hanout, or other tagine spice blend

1 x boneless leg lamb (about 800g) (39pp) trimmed of fat and cut into 4cm cubes

Juice of 1/2 lemon

250-300g plum tomatoes, skinned and chopped

75g Medjool dates, pitted and halved lengthways, plus (25g) extra to serve (8pp)

4 tbsp roughly chopped coriander

25g unsalted butter (5pp)

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed (8pp)

1 x 200g bag young leaf spinach

To serve

1-2tsp toasted sesame seeds (1pp)

6 flatbreads, (ProPoints will vary and need adding to the meal total)

6 chopped fresh tomatoes optional

1) Combine the onions and ras el hanout in a medium casserole dish, mixing well.  Add the lamb, lemon juice, tomatoes, dates, coriander, butter, 500ml cold water and a pinch of salt.  Bring to the boil, skim off the foam, then cover and cook over a low head for 1 1/2 hours until the lamb in tender.

2) To finish the tagine, stir in the chickpeas, scatter over the spinach, then cover and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring once.  Season; serve in bowls with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, and torn flatbreads, chopped tomatoes and dates, if you like.

I'd personally serve it with mash potato rather than flat breads.

Right I'm ready for my day, moms just woke up so I'm off to make her a cuppa, the tagine will have to wait till the weekend at least, as I have plenty of food to be going at till then.

Here's to a tremendous Tuesday, it's Michaelmas day today did you know, no neither did I but they just said it on the radio!  Anyway, whatever day it is, make sure it's a good one in your world BeYOUtiful.