Today I'm mostly going to be a good Weight Watcher!

4th January 2017

Stay afraid, but do it anyway.  What's important is the action.  You don't have to wait to be confident.  Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.  Carrie Fisher

You know you're a Weight Watcher when the first thing you think about when you wake up is food!  That was me this morning, thinking about what I'm going to cook, I'm definitely going to do the garlic chicken curry recipe on the free recipe cards that are now being handed out weekly in the Weight Watcher meetings.  I've also got a meatloaf recipe to try that my bestie says is delicious, I'll put it at the bottom of this blog.  I need to try a chicken tikka masala recipe also, apparently the Hairy Bikers is good, so I'll have a look at it and let you know.

We had the best egg, chips and peas yesterday, you can't beat simple food and I used my roasted garlic sauce that I'd made instead of tomato ketchup, I preferred it to be honest.   So easy too, get a bulb of garlic and drizzle 1tsp oil into the middle of it, then wrap in foil and roast in oven for about 20 minutes, leave to cool, then squeeze the middles out of each clove and mash up then stir into low fat greek or natural yogurt and add a bit of salt - voila, you have sauce, or add more yogurt and you have a dressing. 

I'm loving being back at work but need to get me a system again, especially as the meetings are busier, at least it gives me less time to think about food!   I actually might make both recipes today then I won't have to cook tomorrow just warm food up, which will be awesome as it's busy Thursday, 5 meetings, no problem.

I've realised you only need so much sleep and keeping busy works, I clocked up over 11,000 steps on my fitbit yesterday, managed to fit in two walks for Alfie, okay they weren't miles but they were out and fresh air, it's all better than being in and eating, sat in front of the tele. 

Today I will cook two meals, drink 3 pints of water and have fruit and or veg with every meal. There you go, that's called commitment, once it's written down I'm going to do it.  I wrote in my journal with pen yesterday on the morning so I had to eat those meals :).

Mmm, breakfast what shall it be, ham and eggs I think, ooo I don't know maybe crumpets and eggs, I'm back to counting today so there will be tomatoes and mushrooms involved to bulk out the plate, 1 egg (2sp), 1 crumpet (3sp), that'll do me as I'll be having a good meal at lunchtime.

Right I'm off to be a good Weight Watcher ;) I'm going to focus on the healthy and happy, move a little more than I did before & smile a lot because I want to be the best version of me.  What you going to do today BeYOUtiful?

Here's your recipe;

Meatloaf

Serves 6-8 Prep 20 minutes plus resting cook 1½ hours

Total Smart Points = 55sp, serves 6 - 9sp per serving, serves 8 - 7sp per serving

25g low fat spread (3sp)

1tbsp oil  (4sp)

3 garlic cloves, chopped

100g carrots, very finely diced

55g celery, very finely diced

1 onion, very finely diced

1 red pepper, deseeded and very finely diced

4 large white mushrooms, very finely diced

1 tsp dried thyme

2tsp finely chopped rosemary

1tsp Worcestershire sauce

6 tbsp tomato ketchup (6sp)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1.1kg fresh beef mince 5% fat, chilled (26sp)

2 eggs, beaten (4sp)

55g fresh breadcrumbs (4sp)

2 tbsp brown sugar (7sp)

1tbsp Dijon mustard (1sp)

Salt & pepper

1) Melt the butter with the oil and garlic in a large frying pan.  Add the vegetables and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated.

2) remove from the heat and stir in the herbs, Worcestershire sauce, 4 tablespoons of tomato ketchup and cayenne pepper.  Leave to cool.

3) Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3.  Brush a loaf tin with oil, or use grease proof paper.

4) put the beef into a large bowl and gently break it up with your fingertips.  Add the vegetable mixture, eggs and salt & pepper to taste and mix gently with your fingers.  Add the breadcrumbs and mix.

5) Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the loaf tin.  Smooth the surface and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.

6) Meanwhile, make a glaze by whisking together the sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup, mustard and a pinch of salt.

7) Remove the meatloaf from the oven (do not switch off) and spread the glaze evenly over the top.  Return to the oven and bake for a further 35-45 minutes.  To check the meatloaf is cooked through, cut into the middle to check that the meat is no longer pink.  Any juices that run out should be clear and piping hot with visible steam rising. 

8) Remove from the oven and leave to rest for at least 15 minutes.  Slice thickly to serve.