Not broken yet!

Sunday 24th November 2019
Be enough for yourself first, the rest of the world can wait.

Dementia won the day yesterday unfortunately, well not the entire day, all was calm and good until the afternoon, then it went downhill very, very fast.  Let's talk about the earlier part of the day instead then shall we, not give Alzheimers the power to ruin this morning as well ay!

An amazing workshop, so many members, lots of weight loss, a good couple of hours for sure, so busy and buzzing, at this time of year, that's just brilliant, shows we're realising being healthy is a year round thing, not just a New Year / New You kind of thing.  

When I got home, Alfie didn't want to walk so I went to make a cottage pie instead, thought I'd actually do something (I think this was the start of triggering moms mood swing, she expects 100% complete attention and in her eyes, I'm not making dinner, I'm ignoring her but a girls gotta eat.) 

I'd bought some reduced 5% beef mince from Tesco, gave my sister one, froze 2 and cooked 2, Alfie got some of that, so he was happy enough.    I realised my cupboards are a lot emptier these days, for the first time ever I didn't have any chopped tomatoes, I'd used the last in the gnocchi bake yesterday, I don't have any hoisin sauce and I wanted to make beef larb but I can get some and add it to my 'To Eat' list, here's the recipe for those who asked what we were talking about yesterday; 

Beef larb

Serves 1, 6sp, takes 20 minutes

oil spray 
185g extra lean 5% beef mince (4SP)
½ crumbled beef stock cube 
1 small red chilli, de-seeded and diced
1 ½ tsp diced ginger 
1 garlic clove, diced 
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (2SP)
a handful of fresh coriander leaves
4 or 5 small lettuce leaves or use spinach instead and throw it in just before end to wilt a little)
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin sticks
2 spring onions, sliced
4 fresh mint leaves shredded (optional)

Spray a non stick frying pan with the cooking spray and heat until hot. Add the beef and stir fry over a high heat for 5 minutes until browned and cooked through. Add the stock cube with 2 tablespoons of water, chilli, ginger and garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the hoisin sauce and half the coriander leaves.

Arrange the lettuce leaves and carrot sticks on a plate, top with the mince and garnish with the spring onions, mint and remaining coriander. Serve immediately.  

Anyway I ended up with Cottage pie as I had beef mince, carrots, onions, oxo and spuds and to be honest that you really need, yeah you can add lots of other stuff and fancy it up but this was good enough for me.  I fried the onions and carrots, then added the mince (750g = 17SP, Tesco British lean beef steak 5% mince is 100g for 2SP) and once browned poured on stock made with oxo's and topped with mash - 24SP for the potatoes and 6SP for the parmesan I found in the fridge I added to it.  The entire thing worked out to 47SP total but there was a lot of food there! On purple it’s 23SP total.  

Easily serves 6 at 8SP each or 4SP on purple, bargain food, I'll be eating it again with peas and I may even make a little gravy to go with it and heck possibly a Yorkshire pudding.  Food is my friend right now for sure, it was one of the only nice things in this hour yesterday and that included Alfie, he wasn't helpful I have to say. 

I asked my members what I could cook with my beef mince and there were so many suggestions, plus don't forgot to lower points you can use chicken or turkey breast mince or quorn mince for the veggies, some of the other suggestions were;

spaghetti bolognese 
lasagne
chilli
Doner kebab meat 
burgers 
meatballs
curry
hotpot 

So many meals from one simple ingredient, Bobotie is another one, there's a recipe on the WW app for that, it's good. 

I'm up at this silly O'clock time because Alfie and mom woke me, then she wanted a drink, then they both went back to sleep, thanks for that.  She insisted on a cup of hot chocolate and something to eat at midnight last night, no concept of time at all and if I refuse I'm the devil lol

Anyway here's 5 things to quit right now...
Overthinking, worrying, trying to make everyone happy, living in the past, doubting yourself. 

That's for me and anyone else (you know who you are) who is doing any of that right now and here's some things to always remember...

1. You can't change the past.
2. What other people think of you is none of your business. Their opinions don't define your reality. 
3. Everyone's journey is different - don't compare yourself to them.
4. Overthinking never ends well.
5. You only fail when you quit.

And if you're struggling with your journey right now, remind yourself. 

1. You don't have to be perfect.
2. Having a bad day is ok
3. Small steps are also progress
4. Tomorrow is a new day
5. You don't have to be happy all the time. 

Oh and YOU'RE AMAZING JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! 

I've just read this on another website "According to the great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, everything happens for a reason, always. Every experience in your life is designed to shape you and help you grow into the highest and mightiest version of yourself."  Well personally I don't agree with that, what a crock of crap, if there was a reason for what happened in this house yesterday, I'd like to know what it was, Aristotle obviously never experience Alzheimers, just saying, or cancer or any other horrid disease.  Meh, philosophers, what do they know lol.

My brother asked if I wanted to walk today, not sure it's worth the hassle with mom, especially as the weather ain't that nice to start with.  I'm hoping she's better this morning, I wanted to get us doing that BeYOUtiful book together, thought some positivity in her head might make her feel and behave better.    Anyway, we'll see what it's like when the sun rises.   Everything's better in the cold light of day apparently. 

Here's to making the most of whatever today brings, mwah, luv ya x

Love me