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Sausages

I love sausages and the low fat ones are not all that good. The exception in my opinion is Bowyers Mediterranean ones. These are spicy and taste wonderful in casseroles or with a tomato based sauce and pasta. They remind me of Toulouse Sausage I had some grilled today for lunch with my home made ratatouille and a little basmati rice. They are less than 5% fat and work out at 1 point each.

Aaaargh!

Doing this for all of us


So I really fell off the wagon.

• Will I ever be thin?
  
• Will I ever be able to have the willpower not to binge on food I know full well is bad for me?
  
• Will I always be the fat mum and make my children embarrassed?
• Will I ever just be able to eat a simple balanced diet?

Honestly I have no idea but I am going to try again. I don't lack support, I don't lack incentive, I don't lack knowledge I just lack something.. here's hoping I find it

Summer Fruits

I love the summer. I love the variety of fruits available. I have eaten so much fruit today and although I have to count the points I really do not mind too much as the fruit is delicious and feels like a real treat.

I do try to eat seasonal and local produce whenever I can as it tastes so much better and I also feel bad about the environmental costs of eating fruit out of season (having to be airfreighted in etc).

So far today I have eaten, pineapple, strawberries, nectarines, raspberries apple and may have some melon later.

When fruit is so cheap and readily available it seems a waste not to eat it.

Grilled Meat and Salad

Further to my previous post this is what I am currently eating. In this case it was a rather nice ribeye steak seared and served medium rare with dry fried mushrooms, salad and a chunk of French bread. I added some very low fat mayo and a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar.

Sometimes I forget how tasty simple food can be.

Did you hear that thud?

That was the huge sound of me falling off the wagon. I could give you million excuses that I gave myself for falling off it, work pressure, time, stress, being on holiday etc but the fact of the matter is it really does not matter.

What does matter is that I've dusted myself off and climbed back on the darn thing. I've had a wonderful holiday eaten some wonderful food and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Thank goodness the fine weather has finally arrived as I need all the motivation I can get. Grilled meat and salad only really appeal when the sun is shining. I will make the most of it an get back on track.

BLT

The classic BLT has to be one of my all time favourite sandwiches. It is such a winning combination, the salty smokeyness of the bacon, the juicy sweetness of the tomato and the crunch of the lettuce. This all combines with the bread and creamy mayo to give a total taste and texture sensation.

I have switched from WW bread to the new crustless bread, it works out at 1.5 points for two slices but is much denser and it toasts very well.

Low Fat BLT
Serves 1 - 2.5 pts

2 slices of bread
2 bacon medallions
(I prefer smoked)
lettuce
(I use little gems)
Vine ripened tomato sliced
(you have to be able to TASTE it!)
Hellman's extra light mayo
(this has to be 5g or it's not free)

Cook the bacon, spread the bread with the mayo and make the sandwich.

Mushroom Risotto

This is a simple but very tasty dish and tastes as though it should have masses of points. It is a bit of a faff stirring it but worth it for the creamy texture.

Mushroom Risotto
Serves 2 - 7 points each (HUGE portions)

200g Arborio rice
200g sliced button mushrooms
10g dried porcini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 pt chicken or vegetable stock from a cube
20g fresh grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

First put the kettle on you will need it. The dried mushrooms should be soaked for at least 1/2 hour in hot water. You will need to keep the liquid they have soaked in as it is full of flavour.

In a large saucepan add oil from a mister and soften the garlic and both of the mushrooms. Add the rice and stir well making sure that the rice is well coated in the mixture. Pour in the water the mushroom soaked in and simmer, stirring, until the liquid has been absorbed. Add a ladleful of the stock and simmer, stirring again, until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock in this way, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is plump and tender.

Finally remove from the heat and add the parmesan - it will need yet another stir. Serve in bowls. You can add more cheese or a knob of butter but remember to add the points.

Toad-in-the-hole

We had toad-in-the-hole for dinner tonight. Not the most summery of dishes but then the weather is vile and I needed something warm and comforting. My lovely husband made these and they turned out to be real whoppers. The Yorkshire pudding was feather light and the sausages juicy. Served with mash, cabbage and onion gravy they were fantastic. The toads worked out at 2 pts each. Just follow my Yorkshire Pudding recipe and add a lowfat sausage as they go into the oven - you will need to use a bigger tin to cook them in though but the amount of batter used and therefore the points will stay the same.

Eating with the eyes

I always find that if food is presented well it tastes nicer, it can also fool you into thinking that you are eating more than you really are. Take the picture above it is just 2 tomatoes cut thinly and arranged on a plate with some shavings of lowfat cheese, I use a potato peeler to do this. The tomatoes are dressed with balsamic vinegar, sea salt, black pepper and a few flakes of dried chilli. The points value was low at 1 pt per serving but serving it this way meant that it seemed like a lot more. If I had grabbed a tomato and a chunk of cheese as I sometimes do it would not have felt as satisfying.

There is a lot to be said for the psychological effects of eating with a knife and fork. I really did feel that I'd had a meal rather than a snack.

Chocolate

Sometimes only chocolate will do so I wanted to give you all a list of low point chocolate treats. These are all 4 point and under.

Cadbury

Freddo - 2 pts

Crunchie - 3.5 pts

Flake - 4 pts

Chocolate Buttons - 3.5 pts

Fudge - 2 pts

Chomp - 2.5 pts

Taz - 2 pts

Spira - 4 pts

Ruffle - 2.5 pts

Time Out - 4 pts

Frys Chocolate Cream (all flavours)- 4 pts

Creme Egg 3.5 pts

Mars

Mars Egg - 4 pts

Flyte - 3.5 pts

Revels - 3.5 pts

Ripple - 3.5 pts

Minstrels - 4 pts

Tracker - 3.5 pts

Magic Stars - 4 pts

Harry Potter Honeydukes Best Chocolate - 2 pts

Milky Way - 2 pts

Nestle

Milkybar - 1.5 pts

Rolo Egg - 3.5 pts

Caramac - 4 pts

Milybar Buttons 3.5 pts

Mint Aero Egg - 3 pts
Walnut Whip - 3.5 pts
2 Finger Kit Kat - 2.5 pts
Nestle Double Cream Egg - 3.5 pts
Nestle White Chocolate Crunch Bar - 3.5 pts

Spring Vegetable Soup

It may seem odd to be posting about soup when the weather is so hot but after a day of salads, and using points up on ice cream ;) I wanted something substantial and savoury after the sun had set and my appetite had returned.

I had 2 leeks, 1 carrot, 2 sticks celery, 1 courgette and a handful of green beans all lurking in the fridge and doing nothing so they were quickly sliced, diced and chucked in a pan with 2 chicken stock cubes and a pinch of saffron (Not essential but I wanted to use some it's been taunting me since I got back from Tunisia.)

15 minutes later and the vegetables were soft and I could go to work with my stick blender. It was thoroughly blitzed until all lumps had gone and I was left with a thick golden/green soup with a creamy texture.

Delicious and really quick to make. I like making soup. It's quick, low in points (in this case free) and the chopping and dicing is a great way to relieve stress.

North African Spices

One of the most enjoyable experiences of my holiday was buying spices in the Medina. I can hardly wait to try then out. The aromas and colours of the spices in the shops have to be seen to be believed. You smell and sample the spices are are guarenteed that they have not spent months on a shelf gathering dust and losing their pungency.

I bought the following:

Ras el Hanout

It is a 'must have' blend of herbs and spices is used across North Africa and The Middle East. The name means "top of the shop" in Arabic, and refers to a mixture of the best spices a seller has to offer. There is no set combination of spices that makes up ras el hanout, but most versions contain over a dozen spices, including mace (spice), cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon and ground chill peppers.

Saffron

This is the most expensive of spices and is worth more than it's weight in gold but has a wonderful flavour and gives food a stunning colour. Store saffron in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to six months for maximum flavor. Saffron, like other herbs and spices, is sensitive to light, so wrap the packet in foil to protect it further. It will not spoil, but it will lose increasingly more and more of its flavor with age.

Cumin

Cumin can be used to season many dishes, as it draws out their natural sweetnesses. It is traditionally added to curries, enchiladas, tacos, and other Middle-eastern, Indian, Cuban and Mexican-style foods. It can also be added to salsa to give it extra flavour. Cumin has also been used on meat in addition to other common seasonings. In Tunisia ground cumin is also used as a condiment and traditionally appears in place of pepper on the table.

Harissa

Harissa is a Tunisian hot red spice mix made from chilli peppers (often smoked) and garlic flavoured with ground coriander, cumin and caraway. It is usually mixed with tomato puree and olive oil to form a paste. The paste can also be bought but I prefer the powder as I can control the heart as believe me this is spicy!

Simple home cooking

After spending time in Tunisia eating a lot of very rich and spicy food I have been craving plain and simple home cooking.

Today we had lamb chops cooked in the griddle pan served with garlic and rosemary dry roast potatoes and steamed green beans. It was just what I needed and the whole meal was just 5 points two for the chop and 3 for the potatoes. Thankfully the lashings of mint sauce I had was free LOL.

Pasta Salad

We arrived back from holiday on Sunday evening but I still had to work on Monday and that meant I had to prepare my packed lunch. After a week away the cupboards were bare. As we had only been away for a week I had some tomatoes and peppers in the fridge that were still OK and of course dried stuff in the larder.

Tuna and Pasta Salad
Serves 1 - 4 pts each

1 small can tuna in spring water
1/2 green pepper finely chopped
6 cherry tomatoes halved
6 silver skinned pickled onions halved
Balsamic vinegar
Black pepper
Sprinkle of paprika
1 tbsp extra light mayo
3pts (9 0unce cooked weight) pasta

The pasta should be cool. I cook mine with a vegetable stock cube and then plunge into ice cold water to speed up the process. In a large bowl mix together the tuna, mayo, seasonings and vinegar. Add the other ingredients and stir well until the tuna mixture has completely coated the pasta. This can be eaten straight away but it actually better if stored in the fridge to allow the pasta to absorb the flavours.

I always use pickled onions as I like the flavour and crunch but finely chopped red onion would do as well. Not bad for something thrown together at the last minute!

Home Sweet Home

Well back to Earth with a bump is an understatement. We had the most wonderful holiday in Tunisia. Port el Kantaoiu is a wonderful resort. Clean, spacious yet cosy and very child friendly. The Tunisian people we met could not have been more helpful or more friendly. Be warned though they adore children and you will be constantly stopped and your children admired, especially if they are boys. Imagine the fuss they made of my two rogues!

One of the best feelings was being confident enough to wear a swimsuit in public. I may not be at target but at least I felt that I could romp in the pool with my boys without feeling too self conscious. I even feel I can post a few pics (not full length yet though LOL)

Going on holiday

We're all going on a summer holiday! The boys and I are off to Tunisia for a week of fun in the sun. The hotel looks lovely and we have heard good things about the resort which pleases me as I was not keen on Tunisia the first time we went. Port el Kantaoui is a purpose built resort in a traditional Moorish style, not the most authentic and back to basics holiday but with small children you have to be careful.

See you after a week of over indulging as it is an all inclusive holiday.

I intend to bring back lots of spices including harissa and tabil to add more interest to my cooking.

Sheffield Children's Hospital

We had a wonderful family day out yesterday at Oakwell Football Stadium in Barnsley. A charity match had been arranged to support our local children's hospital charity and we went along with our friends and there children. That made no less than 4 over excited boys (6 counting the dads) and two mums enjoying every minute of it.

Even the rain could not spoil what was a thoroughly enjoyable day out and lots of money was raised for a cause very dear to my heart - without Sheffield Children's Hospital I would not have my second son Leo.

All the celebrities gave their time freely and spent ages signing autographs and chatting to the hoards of children that descended on them. It gave me a wonderful warm feeling and the atmosphere was unbelievable!

A sauce for steak

I love steak but I also love creamy sauces with them. This creamy mushroom sauce is a real cheats version and at 0.5 pts per serving is great value.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Serves 2 - 0.5 pts each

1/2 lb mushrooms sliced
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 light cheese triangles

Fry the mushrooms and garlic in oil from a mister. Add a little water and continue to cook until soft and reduced, there should still be a little liquid. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese triangles until they have melted and formed a smooth sauce.

I served this with steak and potato wedges but it would be lovely on toast or as a topping for a jacket potato or pasta.

Salmon and Curry

I wanted something to serve with the vegetable curry that I had made and left the choice up to my husband as he was cooking. The result was a bed of basmati rice, vegetable curry and griddled salmon on top. The curry was even better for being left for a day as the flavours really develop.

It tasted wonderful and brought back memories of a fish curries served in Goa, but not as fattening. I wouldn't do this with wild salmon but with farmed salmon which has less flavour it is ideal. The thick texture of the salmon can stand up to the curry spices very well.

This is a very low point meal considering the man sized portions, the rice was 3 points and the salmon 3.5 points. The curry was free. Imagine the portion size of a ready meal you would get for 6.5 points! Also the cooking time was 10 minutes as the curry had been prepared in advance.