Finding my mojo ready for March

24th February 2016

Where there is great love there are always miracles.  Willa Cather

Made it through another day, this was what it looked like;

Skimmed milk in drinks 2sp

Breakfast - 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, pepper, mushrooms, spring onions. 4sp

At work - 2 toast & spread 5sp

Lunch - Jamie Oliver black lentils 5sp & 1/2 Co-op lemon & garlic slow cooked half chicken 7sp, 1/2 red pepper, spinach

Because it was there - 2 sugar free biscuits 2sp

Tea - beef stew 4sp, glass wine 4sp

Total 33 Smart Points

Steps 7,000

Motivation levels 7/10

So I'm not 100% enthused by losing weight but after my meeting last night, I'm thinking today will go to a 8 or 9/10!  I've already thought about what I might eat and nipping to Asda on way to meeting for fresh supplies, the fridge is looking a little bare!  It's pay day tomorrow too so that'll pay for the trip!

It would've been so easy to write that tracker and pretend the two biscuits didn't happen, but then who am I fooling? Me!  That's who and I don't want to keep doing that, I'm okay with not losing again this week but I don't want to maintain through March, I want to find my mojo in March instead.  Spring starts March 20th so I wanna be in full flow and ready enjoying having more energy so I can get in that garden of mine and start getting it ready to look fabulous in the summer months, mmm I'd like that for me too!  Use the spring months to get me ready to look fabulous in the summer months - I like that idea a lot!

Okay then, what needs to happen NOW for that to become a reality;

1) I need to stop faffing around! Enjoy with the Annie impression - tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll diet tomorrow!

2) I seriously need to move a little more, just a short walk 1,000 steps / 1/2 mile a day is enough.  I'm going to do that today, either before or after my morning meeting, before I even go back home! 

3) I need to think about how I can get my 3 meals into my day for around 24 Smart Points leaving me a few to play with.

Three things are enough for starters!

Now I've given myself a pep talk, I can get ready to start my day

Do you need to do the same?

Here's your Smart Point recipe for today, I think I have everything needed to make this in my kitchen, would just need to defrost the duck, maybe at the weekend.

Hoisin Duck Stir Fry

Serves 2, 12 Smart Points per portion

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce (6sp)

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (2sp)

200g skinless boneless duck breasts, visible fat removed then cut into strips  (6sp)

125g small brocolli florets

100g frozen soya beans (edamame beans) (3sp)

Low fat cooking spray

1 spring onion, sliced diagonally

Freshly ground black pepper

6 Chinese pancakes (6sp)

Mix together the sauces in a shallow dish.  Add the duck and turn until coated then set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the broccoli for 2 minutes then add the soya beans and cook for another 1 minute.  Drain and refresh under cold running water.  Set aside.

Heat a wok or non stick frying pan until hot.  Remove the duck from the marinade, add to the wok or pan and spray with the cooking spray.  Stir fry for 3 minutes then add the broccoli, soya beans, sauce mixture and 2 tablespoons of water.  Stir fry for another minute, season with black pepper and serve in bowls with the spring onions scattered over the top.

Serve with three warmed Chinese pancakes per person. 

You could swap the duck for tofu (3sp) for a vegetarian version 10sp per portion.  User 200g Tofu patted dry and cut into squares.  Marinate and cook in the same way as the duck.