Salted Caramel Baked Oats

An oldie but a goodie, baked oats made last night and then reheated at work this morning! Baked Oats are made by combining 40g of porridge oats with 1 egg, 1 vanilla muller and some salted caramel flavouring.
Baked in the oven for 25 minutes and then flipped and baked for another 10 mins as I don't like them soggy!

Overnight Oats

A lot of people seem to ask how to layer their oats so I took these step by step pictures to show how I do it. I do tend to find the more you layer the better it turns out the morning after, I tend to just make it up as I go along in all honesty. It just depends on how much fruit I have to add to it as i don't like putting in really thick layers of fruit as I find the yoghurt/oats don't really mix as well.

Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are always a winner, when I remember to prep them!

Health Extra for the oats, frozen fruit and a syn free muller - NO SYNS in sight and super filling!

Scan Bran Ginger Cake

I decided to give Scan Bran a go, I know a lot of people hate the stuff so thought I would try some recipes where the flavours seemed like they would help mask the taste.

This is a Ginger Scan Bran cake. I doubled up all of the following ingredients so I could make two days worth at once (or one for my friend to try if I didn't like it) :)

5 Scan Bran
2 large carrots, finely grated
3 or 4 tbsp artificial sweetener (or to taste)
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp of ground all-spice (or to taste)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten


Method
Pour boiling water over the Scan Bran and leave for 1 minute so that it softens, then drain and mash.
Blend the Scan Bran, carrot, sweetener, ground ginger, all-spice, and cinnamon, mixing very thoroughly.
Then add the beaten eggs and stir until completely mixed.
Transfer the mixture into a microwaveable dish – about 16cm in diameter.
Microwave on high for about 15 minutes, or until cooked.
The end product should be reasonably moist.

I actually really enjoyed it, it was a little dry (even though the cake itself was moist) so maybe some natural yoghurt/fruit on the side would help it go down easier but I did really enjoy it. Looking forward to trying some more recipes soon!

Half of this cake is your B choice for the day!

Overnight Oats

I think the thing with anything is that if you over do it and make it repeatedly you lose interest and it becomes boring. I haven't made Overnight Oats in ages! It's basically my hex b oats (35g) layered with frozen raspberries and a syn free yoghurt. So refreshing and keeps me full till lunch which is always a good thing!

Weigh Day

So weigh day wasn't kind to me last night I gained 3.5lbs and it was completely unjustified.

But if I keep that in my mind it will effect this week and I don't want that. So enough said on that matter. Line drawn and back on it today.

Breakfast was an Arla Protein Yoghurt for 1 syn, with strawberries and a crumbled up Alpen Light Bar for half my b choice. Also had a mint tea.

Pesto Pasta n Sauce for lunch (syn free) and undecided on my tea yet but going to be on plan as much as possible. Also aiming to drink my 8 glasses of water a day and try and mix up my A & B choices so I'm not having the same everyday.

Cupboard Staples... What Are Yours?

Since starting Slimming World I've picked up a lot of hints and tips and found myself picking up the same things in supermarkets just to make sure I have them in. Usually when they are on offer to be honest. Does anyone else do this? What are your cupboard staples?

Herbs & Spices - Since starting Slimming World my herbs and spices have grown massively as 99% of them are syn free.

Alpen Bars - I stock up when they are on offer. Alpen Light bars are 2 for your healthy B or usually 3 syns each.

Benefit Bars - these are the aldi version, and as far as I am aware, all varieties are 2 for your healthy B or 3 syns each.

Muller Lights - I love having some of these in. Syn values on these vary massively so always worth checking, but the majority of the ones you see on offer in supermarkets tend to be syn free. I also love the Cheesecake inspired ones, theres are lemon or strawberry, come in a 6 pack and are 1 syn each. I only buy these when theyre on offer too.

Pasta N Sauce - the new Pesto one is lovely and syn free, the spicy arribiata is also the same. The smoky pancetta one is 2 syns but so worth it for a quick and easy snack!

Mikado Sticks - usually 1/2 syn each for the choc/white choc/daim ones but depending on how recent this article is when you're reading it it's worth double checking!

Options sachets - these can range from 1.5 to 2 syns but are fab for hot chocolates or even to add to a massive tub of syn free yoghurt to give it some chocolatey flavour!

Passata, Chopped tomatoes, Stock cubes, Soy Sauce, Eggs, Worcestershire Sauce

You'll be amazed at how much you use some of these! I'd never used soy sauce before Slimming World and now I use it all the time! Especially to make Egg Fried Rice to go with my Salt & Pepper Chicken!

Trying new things.

I've always said I didn't like weetabix, but after enjoying the brownies I thought I'd give them a go and I was pleasantly surprised. Just shows how much your tastes change when on SW as I could quite happily have these everyday now! Easy breakfast using hex a and hex b. Would probably have them on an SP day though so I can still have another a and b choice!

Gingerbread Oat Cookies

I have made it my aim to mix up how I use my Hex B, so I'm not just having bread or hifi bars all of the time.

These Gingerbread Oat Cookies were super easy to make and just used my Hex B or 6 syns for the lot if you don't want to use your Hex B on them!

Recipe as follows:

35g Porridge Oats
1 egg
3 tbsp sweetener
1tsp mixed spice
1tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp ground cinnamon

Mix together and spoon into 5 portions - bake at 200 degrees for approx 25 mins - they are 1.2 syns each (I round up to 1.5 for ease, or free if using your HEX B)

DONE! Enjoy!

Alpen Bars

All of the Alpen Light bars are 2 for a Healthy B choice or 2.5/3 syns each. So had to indulge when Morrisons had them on offer this weekend at 50p a box. Bought 13 boxes! Whats your favourite?

Steak Bake!

Lots of people had been posting about these and I finally got round to trying them. Cannot fault them at all! One thin would be your Healthy B choice and the stewed steak is from ASDA and is SYN FREE! The syn free ones are currently from ASDA/Morrisons/LIDL, all the others carry some syns with them!
Simply spoon the stewed steak into the thin, dab with egg wash and pop in the oven for approx 15-18 mins until golden brown. So nice and feels like a treat!

Baked Oats

I get bored of overnight oats really easy, but this is a lovely alternative.
Basically just combined my 35g oats with a toffee muller light and baked in the oven for 20 mins, definately better enjoyed hot, I just had another toffee muller and sliced strawberries on top with a drizzle of honey for 2 syns.
YUM.

Weigh Day!

So last night I lost 1lb. I know some people would feel deflated after being on plan aaaaalllll week. But i'm not, and this is why...

I was using Kingsmill 400g wholemeal loaf as my he B choice most days as I would have soup or a sandwich at lunch, something made me check it yesterday and I found out it was no longer a B choice and they were 3 syns each, which meant I had been going WAY over on my syns! Was actually expecting a gain so I think to get a loss is a miracle! It's definately worth checking every so often guys even if just to protect your losses!
I also bought this new book for some new inspiration and ideas, hoping to batch cook some treats and soup this weekend to help me stay on track!

Breakfast

I don't always feel like having much for breakfast but I can never get bored of these.
Loads of sliced strawberries, yoghurt & an alepn bar broken up on top.
Absolutely yummy!

HeB choices!

I know a few people that can't justify spending £1.95 per box on the SW Hifi bars. 

I feel like that some weeks too. 

But these are amazing alternatives and only £1 a box at the moment too! 

I haven't tried the banoffee or Jaffa cake ones yet but I hear they are to die for

You can have 2 as your HeB or they are 3 syns each!

Biscuits!

I posted a recipe a few weeks ago about some biscuits I made. Here's my second attempt, I made them smaller which was a good idea!

Here's the recipe again for those who missed it!

Ingredients:

35g porridge oats
Sweetener (add depending on how sweet you like things, I used 2 tbsp)
Orange extract 1tsp
2 eggs
And grated chocolate on top (2 syns)

PLEASE NOTE: I made 3 x this amount as I was taking it to the taster session!

Method:
Add all ingredients to bowl and combine
Put in mold and cook until golden brown
Enjoy!

Will be taking them to our taster session later at 7pm! You can eat a 1/3 of these and if you use the porridge oats allowance it would only be TWO SYNS!!!
 

X

Breakfast. SW style.

Doing SW I have found I actually eat a lot more food now than I did before, I have more energy because I'm eating a lot better, and I'm actually enjoying exercise.

MADNESS!

I love having time to make things like this at the weekends, as during the week is usually Overnight Oats or something similar as I don't have time!

I know this isn't quite 1/3 speed food, but I don't mind as I also ended up having a bowl of strawberries not long after, and everyone deserves a treat right?!
all of this for about 1.5 syns, and that's just for the sauce! I can live with that!

x

Double Burger with Cheese & Bacon

I used my HE A for the cheese & HE B on the roll, and synned some extra cheese.
Basically, used 250g of the 5% fat mince, added a chopped up onion (can use shallots) and a clove of garlic chopped up.
I would advise adding some herbs/spices as it was a little bland, but it's as simple as that.
combine these ingredients in a bowl then split into two and make two burgers out of it.
season them both with salt and pepper.
spray with fry light and then grill for approx 5-6 mins on each side.
Added bacon with all fat removed & cheese, in whatever order you like.
It was a lovely burger but I definately feel like adding some chilli flakes or just some more seasoning would have helped massively.