I'll never be perfect & that's okay!

Monday 19th October 2015

If another can easily anger you, is it because you are off balance with yourself.

Well I lost 1/2lb, I'll take that to be honest, I am over on my weeklies so any loss is a bonus.  Things to improve on this week, not skipping breakfast, I've done that 3 times this week, twice it's ended up in me having brunch out which has cost me loads of points and the other time, I was okay because I cooked something at home.  I also need to get my salad box made up too so it's there ready for tues/weds/thurs.  Need the green stuff prepared to encourage me to eat it!

Mom and I enjoyed a lovely day yesterday, we drove through the country lanes enjoying the lovely autumn leaves, then stopped at Ironbridge for a little..  Mom enjoyed a huge slice of coffee and walnut cake, I ordered scrambled egg and bacon, it came with 2 slices of wholewheat toast and 2 pats of butter, I only used 1/2 of one of the pats of butter before tasting the slice without butter on and realising I didn't need the butter, the toast tasted good without it.  The weight was written on them, 6.2g, which would be 1pp for 1, 3pp for the 2 patties, just shows how it's the little things that add on the ProPoints!

When we got home mom wanted egg and chips for her tea so that's what she had, I just opted for a egg and chip butty, cost me a few points but could've been a whole lot worse.  That's the most bread I've eaten in the last two weeks, 4 slices in a day, I don't think I've eaten 4 slices over the last fortnight!   I find it too moreish, I can eat too much of it, so I try to steer clear! 

My computer was playing up yesterday morning, I was having problems logging into the Weight Watcher site, so I turned to computer off, as I realised that for every minute you're angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.  It's just not worth it, far easier to walk away, so that's what I did.  It appears the problems still there this morning but I know longer care, I'll find a way round it or I won't use it but I won't let it wind me up at all.

So what to eat today, what to do.  Mom's got the doctors again this morning, I need to find the appointment card, it's on my desk somewhere! For some reason I haven't added into my phone calendar, if I can't find it, I'll run over at 9 and ask, because there's a lot of stuff on my desk.  Maybe this is a message to clear it off, yeah that's how I'll start my day, by clearing my desk.

I fancy cooking today, going to make a cottage pie, I've just found this recipe, although I'll have to use beef mince as that's what I've defrosted, unless I make this and something with the beef mice!

Squash and turkey bake

Serves 4, 11pp per serving

Less than 30 mins preparation time, 1 to 2 hours cooking time

Nigel Slater swaps traditional shepherd’s pie ingredients for turkey and butternut squash, with delicious results. (found on http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/squash_and_turkey_bake_56859)

This meal provides 406 kcal, 40g protein, 22g carbohydrate (of which 12g sugars), 10g fat (of which 3g saturates), 6g fibre and 0.5g salt per portion.

• a medium-sized butternut squash
• a little olive oil (4pp per tbsp)  He uses 3 = 12pp
• a large onion
• a large clove of garlic
• 15 chestnut mushrooms
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 500g/1lb 2oz minced turkey (17pp)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a little flour (2tbsp = 4pp)
• 400ml/14fl oz red wine (10pp)
• a little Worcestershire sauce
• a knob of butter (10g = 2pp)
• a little orange zest

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven at 200C/400F/Gas 6. Peel, seed and roughly chop the butternut squash. Put the pieces of squash in a steamer basket and place over boiling water. Steam for 20-30 minutes until fully tender. They must be soft enough to mash.
2. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Peel and finely slice the garlic. Warm a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan, then add the onion and garlic and cook until pale gold. Cut the mushrooms into thick slices or quarters and add to the pan with the leaves from the thyme sprigs. Fry until softened, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Add a further tablespoon of oil to the pan, then, as soon as it starts to sizzle, add the minced turkey. Season generously with salt and pepper and then stir in a couple of heaped tablespoons of flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then pour in the red wine and a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. Simmer at a low temperature for 5 minutes then add the mushrooms and onions. Continue cooking for 5 minutes then tip into a baking dish.
4. Mash the cooked squash with a potato masher then stir in a generous knob of butter and the grated orange zest, to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Pile the mash on top of the turkey, dot with more of the butter, then bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the mash is lightly browned and slightly crisp on top.

Right I'm off to google beef mince recipes now, already got my eye on one, will share tomorrow if I do it.  Here's to starting the week with passion, pride and persistence!

Let's do this BeYOUtiful x