3rd January 2017
If you are persistent, you will get there, if you are
consistent, you will stay there.
I had the tastiest beef slow cooker stew yesterday
afternoon, it was lush, I'd had it in there for hours and hours on low and
there always a bit too runny when done in the slow cooker so I added a couple
of teaspoons of bisto gravy granules and voila, perfect grub. So good that I had another bowl which became
my tea so I didn't have to eat anything else afterwards.
Today I'm focusing on what I can and will do, our brains
don't understand can't and won't or don't, it just hears what we're thinking, I
was reminded of that when listening to that book on Sunday. Think about it if I tell you not to think about
a pink elephant in a spotted tutu dancing round a room saying bubbles whilst
trying not to smile... What ya thinking? What colours the tutu?
Which means if I spend this morning thinking today I won't drink
wine when I've finished work tonight, all I'm thinking about is not drinking
the wine, all my brain hears is drinking the wine! Mmm that'll be why every day for the last 2
days when I've said that to myself, I've failed. Instead I'm going to try thinking when I've
finished work tonight I'm going to enjoy a nice hot drink in one of my nice new
mugs or a glass of pop in one of my nice new glasses. Let's see how that works out then shall we.
Let's focus on the 'can do' too, okay today I can have a
decent breakfast because I've got up early, I have the ingredients to make it
too, I'm thinking a repeat of yesterdays big English or something easier like a
BLT, ooo yeah I think so, then for lunch I can have egg, chips and peas, I know
mom will enjoy that too, then for my dinner when I get home, I can finish off
the stew - sorted. See I can do those
thinks. I can also take my bags of old
clothes somewhere at lunchtime once my cars empty. This afternoon I can do some computer work,
get on top of things and maybe I can have a little start to sorting my office,
today I can do the desk top.
Focusing on I can will get more done, if you want someone
else to do something for you whether it's one of your kids, a friend or
colleague or if you're the boss one of your employees you're not going to get
very far, telling them what not to do are you!
Of course it wouldn't, imagine saying to someone, I don't want you to go
to the shops for me, nor do I want you to clean my windows, or tidy the house
and then getting annoyed when they haven't walked your dog for you when that's
what you wanted them to do all along.
Ridiculous! Yeah?
I'm not interested in what you or I are giving up, I'm only
interested in what you're going to do, either changing to, continuing or taking
up. So another thing I'm going to do
today is go for a walk and get some fresh air, whether that be with Alfie
and/or on my own.
What are you going to do today? What will you do? What can you do? These are the questions I'm interested in
hearing the answers too. No matter how
small a step it is, make it one in the right direction, it might be as simple
as drinking a big glass of water, carrying a bottle of water round with you,
eating a piece of fruit, adding at least one vegetable to every meal. Ooo what else can you do? What of those can things will you do?
Instead of focusing on what you can cut out of your life,
focus on what you can have more of, what do you want or need more of?
More sleep
More tea
More time
More moments
More laughter
More long walks
More love
More sharing
More hugs
More gratitude
More sitting in front of open fires
Now to work on getting or doing more of those things. I'd add more cooking to my list, I do love to
cook and now my kitchens back to tidy after Christmas I can, so I'm going to
get the ingredients to make 40 clove of garlic chicken recipe, I really fancy
that, I did some roast garlic yesterday and mixed it with low fat yogurt and a
bit of salt to make a dressing to lubricate a sandwich, I didn't use it in the
end because I had the second bowl of stew but I will, it made me fancy making
the recipe though.
Yeah either tomorrow or Friday I will make it, nom nom, I'll
switch to a counting day then. Right I'm
off to get ready for my first meetings of 2017, here's to another year of
helping others get healthy & happy and celebrating success. Have a happy Tuesday BeYOUtiful, I intend
too, oh and here's the recipe if you fancy having a go too, it's heavy on the
points but can be tweaked to be less, lush served with lots of green veg, plus
mash if you have a few points left.
Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic Serves 4, 13sp each
2 tbsp regular olive oil (9sp) 8
chicken thighs (skin on, bone in) (42sp)
1 bunch (about 6) spring onions small
bunch fresh thyme
40 garlic cloves (approx 3-4 bulbs), unpeeled 2 tbsp vermouth or dry white wine (1sp)
1½ tsp sea salt flakes or ¾ tsp pouring salt Ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to
180C/350F/Gas 4. Heat the oil on the hob
over a high heat in a wide, shallow, ovenproof and flameproof casserole (that
will ultimately fit all the chicken in one layer, and that has a lid). Sear the
chicken, skin-side down. This may take two batches, so transfer the browned
pieces to a bowl as you go. Once the chicken pieces are seared, transfer them
all to the bowl.
Finely slice the spring
onions, put them into the casserole and quickly stir-fry them with the leaves
torn from a few sprigs of thyme. Put 20
of the unpeeled cloves of garlic (papery excess removed) into the casserole,
top with the chicken pieces, skin-side up, then cover with the remaining 20
cloves of garlic.
Add the vermouth (or
white wine) to any oily chicken juices left in the bowl. Swill it around and
pour this into the casserole. Sprinkle
with the salt, grind over the pepper, and add a few more sprigs of thyme. Put
on the lid and cook in the oven for 1½ hours.
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