You can have your cake, just make it a Smart one!

12th April 2016

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plan.  Robert Louis Stevenson

Well got a busy day today, going paperless with my Willenhall Wonders, handing out those shiny new cards, looking forward to not having to carry round huge boxes of cards (and forgetting them) and not having to store them all in my house, who knows I might get a little tidier!  I won't hold my breath though.

Yesterday was mostly spent at my desk with just two breaks, one to go to the vets the other the dentist.  I did cook though, Malay Laksa, it had quite a kick! Got 3 decent portions out of the recipe 17sp each, high because of the coconut milk, if I'd used chicken breast it would be 14sp but I think it would make a delicious vegetarian meal with more butternut squash and no chicken in.  I'm going to use the rest of the butternut squash today in a risotto, haven't made one for a long time so looking forward to it.

Fancy getting your first pack for a £1, use this link.
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But first a morning of meetings and sharing success, the kids are back at school too, so moms can get their routine back, it does make a difference when they're off.  We all like routine, it helps us.  I like mine, it keeps me focused, just the way I start my day is my morning routine, I wake up at 4.30am (ridiculous I know), meditate for 20 minutes, then pour a pint of water and write my blog before starting my day.  It's my me time and puts me in the right frame of mind to cope with whatever the day has to throw my way and it also leaves me with time to make myself something delicious for breakfast.  Now my evening routine isn't so helpful and needs changing!  I get home from work, grab some tea, then pour a glass of wine and veg in front of the tv, sometimes I'm tempted by another glass or something to eat.  This is the routine I'm working on changing or at least tweaking.  Do you have a routine that could do with a tweak?

I'll leave you with that thought, let's have a tremendous Tuesday, it's gonna be a lovely day, trust me BeYOUtiful, make your own sunshine.

Today's Smart Point recipe proves you can have your cake and eat it!

Chocolate & Strawberry Ricotta Cake

SERVES 8 ~ Prep time 15 mins + freezing and chilling ~ Cook time 1 hour ~ SmartPoints 6 per serving

Calorie controlled cooking spray

12 Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

25g low-fat spread

250g ricotta

150g Weight Watchers Quark

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp artificial sweetener

1 tbsp icing sugar

300g strawberries, hulled

Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas mark 5. Mist a 15cm, deep, loose-bottomed cake tin

with cooking spray. Crush the cookies into fine crumbs using a pestle and mortar or the end of a rolling pin

and a small bowl. Transfer to a larger bowl.

Melt the spread and stir into the cookie crumbs. Press into the base of the prepared tin.  Freeze for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat together the ricotta, quark, eggs, vanilla extract, sweetener and icing sugar until smooth. Roughly crush two-thirds of the strawberries and stir into the ricotta mixture.

Pour over the biscuit base and bake for 1 hour, or until just set. Leave to cool, then chill overnight in the fridge (don’t worry if the surface cracks).

Run a knife around the edge of the tin to release the cheesecake.  Decorate with the reserved strawberries, sliced, and serve.