I'll start again in the New Year!

Wednesday 11th November 2015

Healthy is an outfit that looks good (& different) on everybody!

I'll start again in the New Year!  That's the daftest sentence I've heard this year, it's two months away, yeah 8 weeks!  Behave folks, I've said it before and I'll say it again, this healthy lark shouldn't be a ON/OFF thing, you're not a light switch!

Imagine the damage you could do in just over 8 weeks, that's one hell of a holiday ain't it, especially when the gift shops (supermarkets) are full of so many treats and goodies, they're not just selling chocolate in bars, they're in great big tubs and oh don't even get me started on the cakes and snacks, we don't just have Vienesse Whirls at the moment, they're Christmas Whirls, then there's mince pies etc, etc, etc.

Most people gain a few pounds when they go on holiday, the average person gains 5lb over Christmas, but that's when Christmas is a few days, not a few months!  My members lost over 300lb last week, they're still focusing on getting some weight off before Christmas, they're still planning to have a cracking good time too, because you can, it's all about the balance, not the sod it!  We can still enjoy the Christmas niceness but without making it a 2 month sabbatical, so come on BEHAVE!  I've actually still got members joining to lose a few pounds before Christmas so they can enjoy it.  There's still 6 weeks to go, you could lose anything up to a stone in that time if you put your mind to it. 

Well you wouldn't know this because you weren't here, but I've just spent 5 minutes wiping up a pint of water, I knocked over my keyboard!  My morning meditation must be working because I don't think my heart rate even raised, I did utter one swear word but calmly ;), keyboard seems okay even if it is still crying a little bit, it's working for now anyways.

So I've got a cauliflower in the fridge, thinking that'll go in a soup, possibly this one but I will just throw it all in soup maker and have smooth.

Cauliflower cheese soup, serves 4, 3pp each.

  1 medium Onion(s)   

  1 clove(s) Garlic   

  200 g Potato(es), Raw   

  20 floret(s) Cauliflower, Raw   

900 ml Fresh Vegetable Stock   

100 g Low Fat Soft Cheese   

1 g Ground Nutmeg   

1 g Black pepper   

1 pinch Salt   

40 g Cheddar cheese   

·         Put the onion, garlic, potato and HALF the cauliflower florets into a large saucepan. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

·         Meanwhile, cook the remaining cauliflower florets in boiling water until just tender – about 4-5 minutes. Drain well in a colander and rinse with cold water.

·         Add the soft cheese to the soup and puree with a hand-held stick blender until smooth. Alternatively, puree in a food processor or blender. Season with nutmeg (if using), salt and black pepper.

·         Add the cooked cauliflower to the blended soup and heat until almost boiling.

·         Ladle the soup into 4 warmed bowls and sprinkle an equal amount of cheese over the surface.

OR

Spicy cauliflower soup

cauliflowers (1 head)

1 large onion (or 2 medium)

butter (a knob of) (1tsp =1pp)

1 teaspoon turmeric (heaped)

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander (heaped)

½ teaspoon ground cumin (heaped)

1.5 litres chicken stock (hot)

·         Chop the onion roughly and break the cauliflower into florettes.

·         Melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan over a lowish heat and add the onion and cauliflower, allowing them to soften for a minute or two.

·         Add the turmeric, ground coriander and cumin and stir, cooking for a further minute or two.

·         Pour in the hot stock and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.

·         Blitz with a stick blender or food processor and serve

So now I've got the cauliflower soup sorted, it's time to get up and go pour me another pint of water before getting on with my day.

Here's to a wonderful Wednesday, what do you say BeYOUtiful - you in?