Mushroom couscous

1 cup couscous (f)
1 tsp chopped dried mushrooms (f)
1 chicken stock cube (f)
1/2 tsp Lidl 'stirfry' seasoning (f) (or any flavouring you like)
1/2 tsp umami powder (f) (or worcester sauce)


7 large mushrooms (sf)
3 slices lean ham (f)
2 eggs (f)




Mix dry ingredients.
Add boiling water and mix. Wait 5 mins.

Chop mushrooms and fry/boil in a few tbsp water. Chop and add ham. Add to coucous.

Scramble eggs and add.

Yum. Dead quick (about 10 mins start to finish) and lovely.

Serves 2 normal people or one very hungry one.

Future me

Future me is the worst person at sticking to a diet. I can leave group all fired up, really enthusiastic - but a few days later, after work, tired, hungry, annoyed (after having one of 'those' days at work), motivation seems a forgotten dream and it's all too easy to say "F*ck it. Order a pizza."

How do I stop future me sabotaging weight loss?

Well, future me is lazy. Let's make it easier to stay on the plan than it is to wander off the path.

I keep a couple of tins of Sainsbury's beef ravioli (f), and a few free mugshots in a draw at work. We have a microwave, but it can be eaten straight out of the tin cold in an emergency. This is my emergency rations - this means that it's easier to eat the tin than 'have' to go out and get a sandwich as I've 'forgotten' my lunch.
This means that it becomes a choice between eating the tin (on plan) OR going to waitrose, buying a pack of ham or cooked chicken, and a bag of mixed salad (on plan) - and it still comes to about the same cost as a sandwich.

Actually going off plan would mean going to the shops - buying a sandwich - coming back - and eating it. This is more effort than the tin, so I can't use the excuse I'm tired. And, if I can go to the shops, chicken and salad is the same effort and cost as a sandwich, so no excuse there. Future me cannot think of any reason to justify my behaviour, so it becomes easier to stay on plan.

Beware future me... my own worst enemy.... :)

Macaroni cheese

At their request, I made the NonDieters some Macaroni Cheese. This used to be a meal I liked...

Until I had my SW Macaroni Cheese version!

Macaroni or Penne (wholewheat) (f)

35g fat reduced strong cheese (+7 syns OR HexA)
2 slices lean ham (f)

10 large mushrooms (f) chopped and cooked in 1/2 inch of water and a stock cube

Sauce:
1 cup cottage cheese (f)
1/4 tsp guar gum
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
large pinch salt
large pinch pepper
1 egg (f)

***This will look awful during the cooking process.
Add the cottage cheese to a saucepan and heat (med). The cottage cheese will separate into an awful watery substance and lumps of white - do not panic! Blitz with stick blender. This will form more watery, lumpy mess with smaller lumps.
Do not worry - we are going to add an emulsifier (Xanthan gum) that will fix the texture.
Remove from heat and add the Xanthan gum and guar gum. Blitz again with blender, until smooth.
Heat till boiling, applying the blender if needed.  This will allow the mixture to turn back into a sauce. You may find that it becomes far too thick - if so, add some boiling water and blitz. When boiling, remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then add one egg then blitz more until smooth. The egg will cook in the residual heat and thicken slightly.
Add salt and pepper generously (this will help reduce any overly acidic notes of the cottage cheese).

Drain the pasta and add a few large spoonfuls of sauce, mixing to cover the pasta.

Add about half a portion to a serving plate, then sprinkle on about half the cheese. Add the other half a portion on top. Roll the two ham slices (free!) and place on top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese and place under the grill.
Add 1/3 superfree mushrooms and serve! Mushrooms work really well, as they fit nicely with the ham to make a carbonara flavour. Other vegetables are also available :).

SW Yellow (saffron) Spaghetti

Based on a Yellow Spaghetti recipe by Nigella Lawson

Wholewheat spaghetti (f)
Saffron (1/2 tsp) - expensive! (f)
3 eggs (f)
1/2 stock cube (f)

Side veg:
Mushrooms (f)
leeks (sf)

(optional)
15 g or 30g of Grana padano cheese (3.5 or 7 syns)

Put pasta on to boil.
In a small pan, add half a cup of water and the saffron and stock cube.  gently boil.

when pasta is done, add a cup of the starchy pasta water to the sauce. * remove from heat / turn off*.  Crack eggs  and whisk into the yellow sauce. Drain the pasta and place back in the saucepan, and then pour in the sauce and mix thouroughly.

Although the eggs are raw, they will cook and thicken in the heat of the pasta. (if you're worried, warm a little on the stove - whisking hard).

Serve with an extra portion of veg (e.g. mushrooms and onions) and optionally mix in 15g or 30g strong cheese - either as syns or as a healthy extra A.

Basic sauce and pasta are free : made enough for 3 :)

Links - low carb bread?

http://whatsfordinner-momwhatsfordinner.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/gluten-free-grain-free-cloud-bread.html

http://www.beautyandthefoodie.com/sneaky-cheesy-garlic-bread-grain-free/

http://www.agirlworthsaving.net/2013/10/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-bread.html

http://withfoodandlove.com/breakfast-brunch/grain-free-lemon-poppy-seed-zucchini-bread/

SW NomNomNominoes Pizza

2 onions (sf)

1 tin tomatoes (sf)
Passata or 1 tube tomato puree (f)
2 tsp Basil (f)
1 tsp Oregano (f)
2 chopped garlic (f)
2 stock cubes (f)
(optional - add to taste :
     1tsp sweetener
     lemon juice
     salt
     pepper
     1 tsp chipotle paste (or chilli powder)

Base:
4 large potatoes (f)

Toppings:
Cooked chicken (f)
Mushrooms (f)
Sliced peppers (sf)

30g cheddar cheese (6 syns) per person, or less to taste.

Chop onions and cook until soft. Add tomatoes, passata and herbs/seasonings and cook on low to simmer and reduce down.

Peel and slice potatoes into 1cm slices. Boil until soft and then mash with 1 tsp salt, no milk or butter.

In a clean non-stick pan, spray with frylight and add a large spoonful of mash and flatten. Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes, then flip with a spatula. When lightly toasted on both sides, place on a small plate and add a couple of large spoonfuls of the tomato sauce. Top with chopped chicken, mushrooms, any other pizza-style topping.
Add a dusting of finely grated cheese - measure out 30g of grated for 6 syns, 20g for 4, or 10g for 2.
Place under the grill for a couple of minutes to gently brown the top.

Warning : plate may be very hot. Place on top of larger dinner plate to avoid burns.

Tastes pretty good. Rated 7/10 from the non-dieters - would have again.

Made enough for 4.

SW Chicken Tikka Masala

2 large onions (sf)
4 shallots (sf)
3 sticks celery (sf)
lots garlic (f)
1/2 tsp baking powder (0.5 syns)
1 stock cube (f)
1/2 tsp salt (f)
2 tsp sweetener (f)
1 tsp Cinnamon (f)
1 tsp Cumin (f)
2 tsp lemon juice (f)
1/2 tsp mild chilli powder (f)
5 tsp tikka spice mix (f)
1 box tomato passata (sf)
3-4 tbsp fat free fromage frais (f)
1 tsp Coriander (f)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum to stabilise and stop separation (f)

Cooked chicken (f) or cook the chicken separately

Chop onions, celery, shallots, garlic and add to a large non-stick pan. Add half a cup of water and the bicarbonate of soda, and cook for several minutes until very soft and mushy.
Add the salt, stock cube and spices and stir well.
Add the tomato passata and warm through. Add the fromage frais and coriander, and add the chopped chicken, warm through and keep hot.


Serve with rice and plenty of veg. Serves 4 at 0 syns (free)

Based on the original SW Tikka Recipe