2nd October 2015
Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself
from the unacceptable.
I had the most lovely card from one of my BeYOUtiful members
yesterday too, really made me tearful but happy tears, it's so nice to be
appreciated but it's even better to see the proof that Weight Watchers really
does make a difference to people's lives, that focusing on the healthy and
happy really is important and that I have the best job in the world!
I won't share the contents of the card with you because it
was personal from Gemma but I can share that she was a very poorly lady earlier
in the year because that isn't any secret, the one line from the card says,
"I strongly believe that coming to your meetings and the healthy eating
you promote have stabilised my condition and I can live life without the
steroids now" now that's what it's all about, that's why it's important to
eat well. I've just read the card again
and there are more happy tears in my eyes now which makes it difficult to see
through these new reading glasses you know.
They're taking some getting used to!
They're constantly smudged because I'm a toucher and a messer. I laughed when they steamed up when I opened
the oven the other day, it made me giggle so much I went and did it again
- yeah still a big kid!
So today I'm off to a training day, they're gonna teach me
to be a leader ;) not really, well actually a little, we get continually topped
up with knowledge to improve our skills and make us better leaders, I really
enjoy them, plus I get to spend the day with my bestie and catch up with
colleagues I don't get to see that often.
I'm looking forward to my weekend I have to admit, after all
that gardening last week, I'm just planning to chill this weekend, I fancy
cooking something with lamb, because I keep seeing it everywhere and I haven't
had it in forever, might just have me a couple of chops with a dinner.
Now I'm a huge Nigella fan and she's got a new book coming
out this month, although I'll wait for the price to drop, she also has a TV
series starting in November which I'll enjoy.
My helper has bought me the You magazine the last couple of weeks and
there's a lovely lamb recipe in there, but there's also this macaroni cheese
one that I think I need to try. As you
know she's incredibly indulgent with her dishes and now and again that's okay
in our eating plan. The recipe serves 4 at
22pp but I'm sure I could stretch it to more portions, if I had 1/6th of it for 15pp
we could have a huge side salad to fill us up.
It's gotta be done....
SWEET POTATO MACARONI
CHEESE
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
500g sweet potatoes (13pp)
300g pennette or other small short
pasta (28pp)
4 x 15ml tablespoons (60g) soft
unsalted butter (13pp)
3 x 15ml tablespoons plain flour
(6pp)
500ml full-fat milk (9pp)
1 teaspoon English mustard
¼ teaspoon paprika, plus ¼ teaspoon
to sprinkle on top
75g feta cheese (5pp)
125g mature Cheddar, grated, plus
25g to sprinkle on top (14pp)
4 fresh sage leaves
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark
6. Put on a large-ish pan of water to boil, with the lid on to make it come to
the boil faster.
2 Peel the sweet potatoes and cut
them roughly into 2-3cm pieces. When the water’s boiling, add salt to taste,
and then the sweet potato pieces, and cook them for about 10 minutes or until
they are soft. Scoop them out of the water into a bowl – using a ‘spider’ or
slotted spoon – and lightly mash with a fork, without turning them into a purée.
Don’t get rid of this water, as you will need it to cook your pasta in later.
3 In another saucepan, gently melt
the butter and add the flour, whisking to form a roux, then take the pan of the
heat, slowly whisk in the milk and, when it’s all combined and smooth, put back
on the heat. Exchange your whisk for a wooden spoon, and continue to stir until
your gently bubbling sauce has lost any floury taste and has thickened. Add the
mustard and the ¼ teaspoon of paprika. Season to taste, but do remember that
you will be adding Cheddar and salty feta later, so underdo it for now.
4 Cook the pennette in the
sweet-potato water, starting to check 2 minutes earlier than packet
instructions dictate, as you want to make sure it doesn’t lose its bite
entirely. Drain (reserving some of the pasta cooking water first) and then add
the pennette to the mashed sweet potato, and fold in to combine; the heat of
the pasta will make the mash easier to mix in.
5 Add the feta cheese to the sweet
potato and pasta mixture, crumbling it in so that it is easier to disperse
evenly, then fold in the white sauce, adding the 125g grated Cheddar as you go.
Add some of the pasta cooking water, should you feel it needs loosening up at
all.
6 Check for seasoning again, then,
when you’re happy, spoon the brightly sauced macaroni cheese into 4 small
ovenproof dishes of approx 375-425ml capacity (or 1 large rectangular dish
measuring approx 30 x 20 x 5cm deep and 1.6 litre capacity). Sprinkle the remaining
Cheddar over each one, dust with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of paprika, then
shred the sage leaves and scatter the skinny green ribbons over the top, too.
7 Put the pots on a baking tray,
pop into the oven and bake for 20 minutes (or, if you’re making this in a
larger dish, bake for 30-35 minutes), by which time they will be piping hot and
bubbling, and begging you to eat them.
Right I'm off to get ready for my day, big mug of tea needed
first and a bit of paperwork before I can leave the house. Ma'an I love this rock and roll lifestyle!
Have a great day BeYOUtiful.
No comments:
Post a Comment