Pay it forward day

28^th April 2018

Note to self: treat yourself the way you would treat a small child.  Feed yourself healthy food and make sure you spend time outside.  Put yourself to bed early.  Let yourself take naps.  Don’t say mean things to yourself, don’t put yourself in danger (remember your skull and your heart are still as fragile as eggshells. 

Morning, I’m happy this morning because I get to drive to work in my car, it’s all fixed and fit for service, so I’ll be able to drive to work today and won’t have to rely on the kindness of my bestie to get up at stupid o’clock.

I like the sound of this meal, thinking might do it next week.

Spring chicken pie

FEEDS 6 READY IN 1 HOUR 25 MINS 

33SP total, 6SP per serving, or 5SP if using spray light/

Freeze for up to 3 months

2 tbsp low fat spread (4SP) or use spray light plus 1tsp (1SP)

350g British leeks, halved lengthways and sliced

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp plain flour (4SP)

6 chicken breast fillets 

600ml hot chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube (1SP)

750g Jersey Royals, sliced (18SP)

3 tbsp reduced fat crème fraiche (5SP)

Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6. Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a large pan over a low heat. Stir in the leek and thyme, then cover and cook for 10 mins, until softened.

Stir through the flour, add the chicken and pour over the stock. Cover and simmer for 20 mins, or until the chicken is cooked through. 

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and simmer the potatoes for 5 mins. Drain and set aside. 

Remove the chicken and chop. Bring the stock to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins until reduced. Stir in the crème fraîche, most of the parsley and the chopped chicken. 

Tip into an ovenproof dish. Arrange the potato slices on top and dot over the extra spread. Bake for 25 mins, until the sauce is bubbling and the potatoes are golden. Serve scattered with the rest of the parsley.

To freeze: Assemble in the ovenproof dish and leave to cool completely. Wrap well in cling film and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Either defrost overnight and bake at 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6 for 40-45 mins or bake from frozen for 1 hour 15 mins until hot through. Cover with foil if the pie browns too much while baking.

Started my online food shop will sit in the morning and add to it whilst doing a meal planner, then I’ll be ready for , #MissionMe #MotivationMay #BevsWW #TheFlexEffect, oh yeah, psyching myself up, getting my momentum going, finding my cooking mojo.  I’m starting with being kind to myself though, I had a busy morning yesterday so once I’m done today, I’ll be resting, enjoying a few hours with friends and having some me time which is just as important as losing weight.

Because we were in Morrison’s promoting WW yesterday we had a mooch round the shop, their large frozen Yorkshires are 3 for £1 and 7SP each, the Brain’s faggots were on offer 6 box for £1 and only 5SP for 2.  I didn’t buy these because I hadn’t got the freezer space but for 8SP a meal, they’re worth a try, I’ve been told they are good too. 

 I did buy a Weight Watchers chicken tikka meal because everyone’s saying how good it is and it had a decent use by date on.

Today is national pay it forward day by the way, so why not make sure you do, if you’re stuck for ideas check out their website http://payitforwardday.co.uk/ideas-to-get-involved/ it doesn’t have to be anything huge, it could be something as simple as offering to walk someone’s dog, carry their shopping.  If you were paying it forward to me, it’d be to clean my floor, hoover, scrub, mop (Sis, if you’re ready this, wink, wink) Seriously though, buy a stranger a coffee, give an old lady a bunch of flowers, anything to make them smile. 

Right, I better go take care of mom, she’s just woke up.  Looking forward to catching up with my lovelies this morning.  Oh and if you’ve bought your June copy of the WW mag, there’s some delicious recipes in it, including a cracking chicken, cheese & marmite rolls recipe on page 51, anyone local could use the Penn Road butchers chicken sausages as they’re far superior to Heck ones.  Actually he does send them through the post if you’re not local, check him out https://www.facebook.com/Penn-Road-Butchers-1570997599797501/ he does lots of different flavours and lots of low pointed burgers and stuff.

Anyway, I need to go, catch ya tomo.