BBQ Friendly Food

Some of the easiest recipes can make such a difference. I used to spend loads on all these flavoured chicken drumsticks and thighs etc so I didn't have to do it myself. I made these syn free skewers to pop on my friends BBQ so we could both stay on plan, the burger is a SW one from iceland but you can easily make your own. 

I combined some syn free natural yoghurt with some tandoori powder and the juice of 1 lime, then cut up the chicken breasts and mixed together. Left to marinate for about an hour (the longer the better, overnight if possible) and then put them all on skewers. Normally I would add peppers/onions etc to the skewers but as it was last minute I hadn't been shopping. Then simply cooked on the BBQ and they were lovely, even my other half loves them!

Subway Salads

Subway salads have my approval. I've finally got round to trying one. I went for the chicken tikka one (doubled my meat) and didn't have sauce and it was completely syn free. I'm not a salad person so it was nice to be able to pick exactly what I liked instead of a load of salad that I wouldn't eat. 

4lb Challenge Result...

Stayed on plan. 

Used my syns wisely. 

Upped my water intake. 

Tried new recipes and was never hungry. Couldn't be happier! 

Here's to another fab week, aiming for 3lb next week!

I'd be totally honest and say I didn't deserve it, if I felt that way. But I've made such good decisions and worked really hard that if I hadn't have got it I would have been gutted! My aim for the week is to mix up my healthy extras again so I'm not having the same everday. I also want to keep up my increased water intake & try some new recipes. So hoping it all works in my favour and I can get the 3lb I want next week while will take me back to where I was a few weeks ago (I lost 8lb in 2 weeks and then gained 8lbs over 3).

I have 4 weigh ins left of my 6 week countdown and then I go to Frankfurt with work, I want to aim to be on the stone mark (or even into the next stone bracket) by then, so from now I need 6lbs. Meaning I need 1.5lbs per week for the next 4 weeks to get it or a little bit more if I'm honest. It's totally do able as I've shown myself this week, I'm just glad that it isn't more so I don't feel as pressured to get it.

Currently 13lbs from target!

Planning Ahead

So after me talking about our little competition in group for next week... see previous post.

I realised I needed a plan to get me that 4lb loss (minimum, I'd happily have more!) So I came into work this morning and got my food diaries out. Had a quick look at previous weeks when I've done a diary and got a good loss and will be planning my days to the best of my ability when I'm on my lunch later. Dug out some old books to get some new recipes to try!

I hadn't prepped any breakfast this morning so just brought two hifi bars to work to have with my water and my morning brew!

Lunch will be one of the SW Meals - Chicken & Chorizo Paella. And here's a picture to prove it!

I haven't decided what tea will be yet as I'm not sure how much time I will have as we might be off out. SO it will either be another SW Meal just to keep me on plan OR I'll knock something up and I WON'T be going to a takeaway!

Knowing theres a bit of healthy competition, and a prize from our consultant has really spurred me on to make sure I get that loss next week!

I had a 5lb loss a few weeks ago so I know it can be done. I'm over a year into my journey and to get a loss like that so far in is so refreshing. I'm used to a lb or so a week so it shows it obviously works if you put the prep time in and make wise decisions.

Feeling GOOD!

Time Management

I've been super busy this week so haven't had as much time to prep as I would like. Last night I had the Bolognese Ragu meal from Iceland and tonight I've just had the Chicken Pizzaiola Iceland meal. 

Would highly recommend having some in just in case you haven't got time to cook. It's an easy way to make sure to stay on plan as much as possible. 

I made pasta for my Ragu and Sweet Potato chips for my Pizzaiola.  Here's what they looked like:

Your always advised to add your own speed food to guarantee the 1/3 speed per meal but I didn't with these. Still, it was completely syn free and a lot better than a takeaway option!

These are great too because if you like them, they have the recipe on the back for you to make your own!

Will definitely be trying to do these soon!

200th post & a little about me.

So for my 200th post I thought I would do a little about me.

I've gained a lot of new followers on my Instagram (doylie_sw) and the views on my blog have rocketed recently and I can't thank you enough. 

I'm Alison and I'm 26 years old. I live with my other half and our two rabbits. I did Graphic Design at Uni and I love baking. I have a massive sweet tooth!

I've been following Slimming World a little over a year and I am so amazed with the results. 

I've lost 2.5 stone but more importantly I've not gone without.
I've enjoyed birthdays, Easter, Halloween and even Christmas (I somehow lost weight over Christmas).

I've had gains along the way believe me, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Taking progress pictures has really helped to keep me focused and has allowed me to see a change in myself that you don't really see day to day. 

I've gone from a size 14/16 to a size 10/12 and am oh so close to my target weight now. 

I'm part of the social team at my group too, which I find really rewarding. I've made so many friends via Slimming World that I probably wouldn't have met without.

I know I could have lost the weight a lot quicker if I had been more strict with my splurges but doing it slowly has given me the belief that I can keep it off. I lost 3 stone prior to Slimming World through basically not eating, so as soon as I went back to normal I piled 2 stone back on!

Here's some comparison photos to show what a difference 2.5 stone can make!

And here's some of my favourites things I've made, click the link to go through to the blog posts.

Salt & Pepper Chicken! - serves 2 (2syns each)
http://eatingyourselfslim.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/salt-chilli-chicken.html?view=classic
 

Lemon Loaf - 8 syns (1 syn per slice)

http://eatingyourselfslim.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/lemon-drizzle-cake-pops.html

Chocolate Weetabix Muffins
http://eatingyourselfslim.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/weetabix-brownies.html

Low Syn Chocolate Cake - 8 syns in total (1 syn per slice)
http://eatingyourselfslim.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/low-syn-chocolate-cake.html?view=classic

Cinnamon Swirls - 1 syn each
http://eatingyourselfslim.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/cinnamon-swirls-1-syn-treats.html

I would whole heartedly recommend Slimming World to anyone, if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment here or on my instagram and I'll get back to you!

x

Syn Free Pancakes

it's come to my attention that I don't seem to have ever posted the syn free pancake recipe that I use!

Here you go... I've also included some other recipes that seem to be popular!

 I use option one!

Option 1: Syn Free / No Healthy B usage

Recipe:
Makes 2 pancakes

6 tbsp sweetener
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
Fry Light

Method:
1. Whisk egg and sweetener in a bowl until you see soft peaks forming.
2. Stir in vanilla essence and mix well
3. Spray a pan with frylight
4. Pour half the mixture into a frying pan and fry for about 3 mins each side.
5. Serve with a topping of your choice



Option 2: Syn Free with Hex B usage

Recipe:
Makes 4 pancakes

35g porridge oats (organic are nicer in my opinion)
1/2 muller light yoghurt (vanilla or banana custard are the job!)
2 eggs
2 tbsp sweetener (candarel or such, granulated)
Frylight

1. Mix the porridge oats and frylight and leave in the fridge overnight. They need time to - quite literally - bond :)
2. The following day, whisk two eggs with the sweetener until you are seeing soft peaks forming. add to the oat mixture
3. Spray a pan with frylight, and pour about 1/2 of the mixture into the pan. Fry for 4-5 mins each side.



OPTION 3: 2.5 syns per pancake
Makes 2 pancakes:

1 banana
Pinch of cinnamon
2 eggs
Frylight


1. Mash the banana (5 syns as it is mashed)
2. Whisk two eggs until you are seeing soft peaks forming. Add your pinch of cinnamon
3. Spray a pan with frylight, and pour about 1/2 of the mixture into the pan. Fry for 1-2 mins each side. Repeat!
Anyone have any other tried and tested recipes?

X

Sunday Dinner for 5.5 syns!

1.5 syns for a little yorkshire pud, 2 syns for the roasties as couldn't be bothered making the SW roasties as well as these, and then 2 syns for gravy. Love it! Feeling a lot more positive this week just hoping I see it on the scales on Thursday!

Saturday Night Tea Time!

Used the chicken chow mein slimming world meal for tea just to make sure I stayed on plan and didn't get a takeaway last night!

Was actually really nice and would definitely recommend!

Game Day!

Last Saturday I went to watch the football and blew 60 syns on next to nothing. I got a pie peas and gravy and wasted at least 30 syns. Then 20.5 for a galaxy and God knows how many on the hot chocolate. So today I made this for 1.5 syns before the game, took a flask to the game using my hex a milk and took Hifi bars as my hex b. I'm so happy with myself today. Determined not to be beaten and I won't see a gain on those scales next week!

Food Diaries

So after our newbie talk at group last week I decided to treat this week as though it was my first week again and fill one of these in. Here's hoping it works and I see the results come Thursday!

Tuesday's Lunch

Seeing as I'm going to the Italian tonight for a belated Valentines meal with the boy, thought I'd limit my syns for the day! Speed soup and pesto chicken (recipe in the new mag) all Syn free!

Mmmmmm!

Monday Snacking

Half Syn jelly, 1 Syn yoghurt and a heap of strawberries to get me through this afternoon.

Portion size!

I get lazy and have to keep reminding myself of this. Do any of you find yourself doing the same?

Lunch Time

Lunch time!

Used the SW Tikka Sauce and some chicken in the slow cooker and then chucked in onions and peppers for the last hour, I was pleasantly suprised at how tasty and easy this was to make! Will definately be using my slow cooker a lot more to batch cook and stay on plan!

 

Apple Betty

• 1 large eating apple, peeled, cored and sliced
• 4 eggs
• 5 tbsp artificial sweetener
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 apple strudel muller light yoghurt
• Pinch of cinnamon, to dust
• Fat free natural fromage frais, sweetened to taste, to serve.

method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5.
2. Arrange the apple slices in a 20cm flan dish.
   
3. Beat the eggs with the sweetener and vanilla extract, then add the yogurt and beat again.
4. Pour the eggs over the apple and let them sink in the fruit, dust with cinnamon and bake for 30 minutes or until set.
5. Serve warm with fromage frais.

This is the modified recipe I used. The only syns is for the baked apple which was 5 syns for the size of Apple I used. (1.5 syns per 100g) so when you divide it into 6 it works out at less than 1 Syn per portion! Yum! 

Lemon Drizzle Cake Pops

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 5 eggs
• 45g granulated sweetener 
• 50g self raising flour
  
  
  8 syns for the recipe and it made 32 so I could have 4 for 1 syn/8 for 2 syns etc
  
  

Directions 

1. Add 30g of the sweetener and flour in a bowl 
2. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the mix 
3. Using a hand grater, zest both lemons and add the zest to the mix 
4. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Keep the whites aside, beat the yolks and add to the mixture
5. Whisk the egg whites until they are fluffy and form soft peaks. Fold into the mixture
6. Add to the cake tray 
7. Bake for 20-30 minutes on 180C until golden brown, allow to cool a little. 

Weight Gain

So tonight I gained 2lbs. I half expected it after the terrible week. Back on plan now and this photo has given me the boost I needed, took it earlier and its a dress I didnt wear for ages because I didn't feel comfortable in it. And now its almost too big! Feeling positive about the week ahead and going to be completely on plan!

Also NEW HIFI BARS ARE YUM!
Anyone else tried them yet?

Face To Face Friday!

#facetoface #facetofacefriday 3 stone difference in pictures.

I seem to lose weight from my face before anywhere else so I can't see a massive difference like I thought I would! Still, heading in the right direction!

Lunch time!

I made a soup using one of those prepped vegs packs from asda, and it was vile! would definately rather make my own! so having to use ALL my fruit, blancmange and yoghurt for my lunch today! Feeling good and staying on plan!