Spaghetti & Meatballs

So if Slimming World has taught me anything about food, it's that I don't need to rely on a jar of sauce to make something tasty. It is actually possible for me to just experiment and such and get a lovely outcome. The first picture here was Spaghetti & Meatballs made in about 15 minutes. I put the meatballs in a pan and I fried off some onions, added passata and a bit of tomato puree. Added seasoning and some chopped tomatoes and just let simmer whilst the spaghetti cooked.

This second one was actually done in the slow cooker, I spent the day wrapping presents and doing bits round the house so didn't want to have to stand around cooking. I simply added the meatballs to the slow cooker with passata, chopped tomatoes, soy sauce, oregano and 100ml of beef stock and left on high for about 90 mins then added the dry pasta for the last 30 minutes which helped soak up the extra stock etc. i was actually really impressed with the outcome it had loads of taste (despite sounding a little dodgy going off the ingredients) and was dead easy to do. I actually wish i'd made more!

Christmas Party & Weigh Day

So Monday was our annual Christmas Party in London and safe to say I was completely off plan. I haven't been on plan all week and weighed in today with a 6lb gain. I was devastated in all honesty but going off everything i've consumed this week it should have been a lot worse. I'm now 12.5lbs from my target which I know I won't get before xmas now but I'm still going to try my best to get as much as possible off again! I'm so close now and i'm determined not to sabotage it! This photo is from my Christmas Party (left) and the right hand one is one time hop kindly decided to show me from several years ago. I never remember actually being that big to be honest, I think I was in denial. I know a xmas party or a few days off with most likely end in a gain but I also know I will never be back at the weight I was on the right. This has been more about finding a love for myself rather than losing weight. I am finally getting happy with how I look and it definitely isn't about the number on the scales anymore it's more about how I feel in myself and when I can look in the mirror and know that i'm happy that's when I will know to call target; for the sake of SW I have set a target but this could change depending on the above.

Weigh Day

I'll be honest and say I wanted more, I always do. But I feel this was a fair representation of the effort I put in this week. It's scary to think I only have 6.5lbs to go until I reach my target.
I do think I will lower my target at some point, but not by much. I want to concentrate on maintaining it as I feel that's where I went wrong last time I got close to target.
I'd like to get to target before Christmas (3 weigh ins) but I know I have a few events coming up that may stop that... but I also know its possible so we will see!
5 weigh ins left of my 12 week countdown so it would be amazing to go into 2017 a target member. Fingers crossed! Hope everyone else has a good weigh in this week!

Christmas Cake

I have always been a firm believer that I wasn't a fan of Christmas Cake, but the cake in the new Festive Feasts book from group looked really good... so I gave it a go! And it was amazing! I have had cake for breakfast everyday this week... So I'm not holding out hope for a loss tomorrow! I would recommend this AND I think its worth the 5.5 syns per slice! I've had half a dozen taste testers so far and every single one of them has approved! (I have brutally honest friends so I know they're being honest) I need to make another one already and I only made it on Monday Night!!! Taking the rest of this for group to sample tomorrow and then need to look at making another this weekend, there will definitely be a few of these consumed over the festive season!

Mayflower Curry - Weigh Day

So tonight at group I had an unjustified gain of 1.5lb! I say unjustified... it probably was justified in some way I just refuse to believe it! I had a week off work which meant a week where I should have been planning meals and eating well which transpired to eating cake and living off service station coffee. Oh well! Hoping for a loss bigger than 1.5lb next week to balance it out! Here's my weigh day treat this week, no chippy or takeaway...a FAKEAWAY. It's the Mayflower Curry with some Egg Fried Rice. I really need to make this more! It was 4 syns worth because I used ALL the sauce but its a damn sight better than my other options!

Sensible Snacking

Sometimes I find it really hard to snack wisely when you aren't really hungry. When soup doesn't fill you but a meal would be overkill, so I think it's a great idea using chicken pieces etc to enjoy with some soup, it fills you without making you stuffed. I simple chopped my chicken up and cooked with some soy sauce and garlic and it was so nice! The soup is simple the 'Heinz' imitation soup which I actually prefer now to the real thing!!! Shocking I know, but it's syn free so it saves me a hefty chunk of syns!

Miss Slinky 2016

So now that I've got over the shock... I won this at group tonight.
I genuinely couldn't stop shaking I was so amazed to have gotten it. So many incredible people at my group tonight that inspire each other week in, week out. I've had a bit of a wobble recently I'll be the first to admit that so I didn't think I would even be nominated let alone win this.
An amazing taster full of low syn and syn free treats too, loads I want to remake, and my heads back in the game! 8lbs to go to target! Let's do this!

Half A Syn Sausage Rolls!

I am far too excited to devour a plate full of these at Taster tonight, and the best thing...
THEY'RE HALF A SYN EACH!!!

They are beautiful and will definitely be made again, in massive batches so I can live off them over the Christmas period and not feel guilty!

They are from the new Festive Feasts book that is available in groups this week, I got mine free with the Countdown Offer last month at group. I can't wait to try some other recipes from this book especially if they are as good as these!!

Slimming World Xmas Party

A couple of pics from our celebratory party! The first is a very synful cake made by one of the guys in our group. Incredible!

The second is my Xmas jumper, a SIZE 12! My target size, now just need my target weight!

And the third is a comparison photo to remind myself just how far i've come. Last Thursday I knew I was going to gain, and I was fine, but then I started kicking myself about how I had sabotaged getting my target in time for xmas. And then timehop threw up the picture on the right. And it instantly made me realise how far i've come since that picture was taken. No matter how off plan I will be over Christmas, I know I won't get back to that, and whatever the damage is will be gone in January!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Heres to an amazing 2016!

X

Christmas Parties

So recently, I haven't stuck to plan as much as I could have, I had a works xmas partys and our Slimming World christmas party at a masquerade ball.

I would be annoyed with myself, but these pictures make me so happy.

I managed to get into two amazing dresses and felt incredible on both nights, they are both dresses I would never have considered wearing back at the start of my journey.

I'm trying to stick to plan as much as I can but after last week and my 4.5lb gain, I know it won't be easy!

The first picture has two of my closest friends in it that both do SW with me, the third picture is my amazing consultant! I couldn't ask for a better consultant, she's more of a friend than anything and I know she will be there for me whenever I need her. The final one is the dress I wore in London last week on my works do. I felt awesome and loved every second of it! It was totally worth the 4.5lb gain!

Transformation Tuesday

Approx 3.5 stone difference. And 3 dress sizes. 2st 2.5lbs is with SW. 

Need to get my head back on track! Been slacking the past 2 weeks now! 7.5lbs till target!

X

Miss Slinky 2015

Completely gobsmacked to get this last night! Congratulations to all the nominees and winners in all the other groups! My head is back in the game!

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. 

None Scale Victory

I finally treated myself to some new clothes yesterday. My target is to be a comfortable 12. This top is a 12, the pants were a 14 but they had no give and were very fitted. So I'm super happy right now that I'm in this position already. 2 sizes smaller than this time last year and feeling so much more confident in myself. I love Slimming World.

Salt & Pepper Chicken

This was amazing.

Ingredients

Chicken breast, cut into chunks
Plain flour (25g is 4 syns)
Salt & Pepper
Garlic granules
One egg, whisked
Fry Light

A pepper, thinly sliced
An onion, thinly sliced
A chilli, thinly sliced
Soy sauce
White wine vinegar
Sweetener

Method

Preheat oven to approx 180 degrees.
Combine Four tablespoons of flour in a bowl (25g is 4 syns), with half a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper, along with half a teaspoon of garlic granules.
In another bowl, whisk your egg and add a splash of soy sauce to season.
Pop your chicken chunks in the egg and then in the flour mix.
Once this is all done, arrange on a nonstick baking tray, sprayed with some Fry Light first.
Then spray the chicken with Fry Light - this will help it to brown.
If you're using the oven, leave the chicken for 15 minutes, and turn over, and then give it another spray of Fry Light and then give it another 10 minutes, or until golden.
When the chicken is on the second round of cooking, in a non-stick pan, gently soften your peppers and onion.
I'd add a splash of soy sauce for extra flavour.
Once everything is soft, toss in your sliced chilli and add your cooked chicken from the oven.
Mix together two teaspoons of sweetener with two tablespoons of white wine vinegar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add this to the pan and stir on a gentle heat.
This will be quite dry, as Salt & Pepper chicken is, but that vinegar/sugar mixture really makes the dish.
Taste and add some further salt and pepper if it needs it.


The only syns are for the flour - I used 25g so 4 syns and 2 of us had it so was only 2 syns each! could easily divide between 4 and make it 1 syn per portion!

2 Stone Award!

Finally! It might have taken me 33 weigh ins and the most scenic route ever. But I got it. I finally hit 2 stone loss with SW. So happy today! Now to stay on track for next week! 

Also, I didn't expect 2 stone to look so different but the left pic is from when I started, the right is from Monday. I love my whole stance, I can tell I am finally learning to love myself again and it's an amazing feeling. Here's to a good week everyone!

   

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!

Happy Halloween

Was anyone else dreading all the sweets this weekend? I got home and my mum text me to say she'd bought us some Halloween Treats, I panicked thinking i'd have to give them all to my other half and not enjoy any but I was so happy when she gave me these. I have such a sweet tooth at night so glad I've found some good ways to use my syns!

Weigh Day

I am ecstatic that I managed to lose 4.5lbs this week. Determination paid off! But also a little gutted it wasn't 1 extra lb so i'd get my 2 stone! Ah well, next week!!!