Yay, it's Monday!

7th November 2016

If you stumble, make it part of the dance.

Here's to a Happy Monday, start of day 40 of my 12 week goal for me, I knew getting over that lurgy the other week was too good to be true, it appears the bad throat bit wants to hang round a little longer, it reared its ugly head again on Saturday morning, but we're just pretending it's not there, I got myself some Difflam oral rinse and that's easing it, so here's hoping it'll run its course, explains why I was so shattered Saturday though.  

After I did my walk, which was an hour long yesterday, we chilled all day, I love a do nowt day, although it means I have to do things today, shopping being number one, the kitchen fridge is starting to look a little space, we have no fruit besides a few satsumas and poor Alfie had to actually eat dog food yesterday, he wasn't impressed at all!

I think we may be living on the leftover chicken and ham pie today, at least it'll give me time to think about meals for the rest of the week.  I tried recipes last week that I wouldn't normally contemplate because of some of the ingredients and they have surprised me, aubergines in my Greek Meatballs, green olives in my stuff peppers, chick peas with my fish.  I enjoyed the dishes, the meatballs being my favourite, I will be having leftover meatballs for breakfast and I don't care if that's weird, I enjoyed them so much I'm not saving them till lunchtime!

I need to make that lamb tagine this week, that can go on my list, I fancy chicken breasts stuffed with something and wrapped in bacon or ham.  I keep printing off recipes and not making them so this week is the week I'll sort through them and make a few.  Yay, I've just found my kindle under all the piles of paper by my printer, I can read again now :)

If you have a recipe you think I absolutely must try, send it to me, I can Smart Point it if it isn't already. 

Oh I've got a lovely recipe for you, everyone knows I can live without the sweet stuff, but when I do have some I like it to be sweet!  That way I don't have to eat too much and this really is sweet.  It's an old recipe I came across the other day so I've Smart Pointed it and am thrilled to say it's only 8sp a slice, which isn't bad at all for what tastes of chocolate, it's perfect for a Sunday pudding after the roast dinner or for Christmas time.

Mocha Chestnut Tart

Total Smart Points value per recipe 79sp

Serves 10, 8sp a slice

Prepare 20m, cook 30 mins + 10 mins cooling + chilling

150g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken into squares (41sp)

75g low fat spread (10sp)

4tbsp strong black coffee, cooled

200g chestnut puree (8sp)

60g caster sugar (15sp)

2 eggs, separated, plus 2 egg whites (4sp)

1 tsp cocoa powder for dusting  (1sp)

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mar 5 / 190oC / fan oven 170oC. Line the base of a 20cm (8 inch) spring form tin with non-stick baking parchment.

2. Place the chocolate, low fat spread and coffee in a non-metallic bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute.  Stir and repeat in 30 second blasts on high for 1 minute.  Stir and repeat in 30 second blasts until the chocolate has melted.  Mix well.  Alternatively, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, being careful that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl and stir gently until the chocolate has melted.

3. Beat the chestnut puree in a bowl until smooth and then beat in the sugar and egg yolks.  Stir in the chocolate mixture to form a smooth paste.

4. in a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk all the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Carefully fold into the chocolate mixture.  Spoon into the tin and bake for 30 minutes until firm.  Cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then chill the tart completely before serving dusted with cocoa powder.

Cooks tip

Chestnut puree is a slightly sweet, smooth paste that is found in cans, usually among the stuffing ingredients in the supermarket

Serving suggestion. Serve with a 60g (2oz) scoop of low fat ice cream per person, for an extra 4sp per serving.

Mmm, well now I've made you all think about pudding at breakfast time, I'll wish you a good day, I'm off to make a mug of tea and write a shopping list.

Be good BeYOUtiful, you can add cake to your 'to eat' list, it'll keep and so will you!