TGI Friday!

Hi guys, it's been really nice weather here for the past few days. October is looking better than our summer!!!! Hope it stays nice for the weekend :-) Planning to go chestnut picking with my sister and Connor to get our stash for christmas!!

Breaky this morning was a Breakfast cookie. Delish.

I then had a mooch round town, popped to see my Nan and then my sister. Nice to catch up with them.

For lunch I had some steamed dim sum as a treat ans then snacked on some spicy sea weed- love this stuff!!!

Dinner was a salad of chicken and bacon, so so yummy. I never buy croutons now, so easy to do your own. I just cut some granary bread in cubes, sprtiz with fry light and put in a medium over for 10 mins. Easy!!!

Plan on making my christmas cake this weekend. The dried fruits have been soaking in sherry the past 3 days so they are all ready to go. Also got a few other bits to do around the house but plan to have a pretty chilled weekend as I don't have a cupcake class to do.

I've just ordered 2 books from amazon. The Kind Diet and The Clean & Lean Diet. I'll let you know how they are. Anyone read them?

Bedtime reading: I've been try to eat a lot healthier and one thing I'm keen on is organic but in the UK organic means "push the price up" and with me and Phil struggling financially I have to buy as much as I can at the value end. But this article from ZEST gives some good info on what's worth buying organic.

Right I'm off to read a magazine before bed :-)

Jess xx

logs on the fire

Hi guys,

Posting from my blackberry again so sorry about the pics all being at the top!

As you know I had my breakfast cookie for breakie this morning. Missed those bad boys, so made another for tomorrow :-) Check out fitnessista.com for details on the breakfast cookie.

First this morning I chased another mouse round the house- 4 in 24 hours!!! Molly is bringing mice in but alive so the little things are running around! Nightmare. We now control the cats going in and out so they can have a "search" before they come in!!!

I had a reflexology session this morning which was nice a relaxing. I've never had it before so wasn't sure what to expect but I really enjoyed it.

Then I had cuppies to deliver then my mum came round for a cuppa and a chat. Nice :-)

For snackage I had a protein bar and lots of herbal tea- a moment of calm.

Lunch was long due and I hadn't sorted anything so grabbed some honey on granary toast. Sorry no pic.

Dinner was healthy but a nice treat- pork belly with balsamic onions and scallops. Yum!!! Pic came out too dark on the crapberry!

We lit the fire tonight and it was nice and toasty and I roasted some marshmallows too :-)

One of the other pics is my new snazzy lunch box.

I'm just planning next weeks meals then off to bed!!!


Jess xx
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Sorry for not posting

Guys, sorry i've not posted this week. With being ill well i was busy being ill!! Feeling loads better now and just left with a annoying cough! Nice

Today has been a good day as I've got lots done. After a nice little lay in I went to Lakeland to get some supplies to make my christmas hampers. As money is tight this year I'm making up big hampers with lots of homemade goodies. They will include: Cranberry & Orange Vodka (made today), Blackberry and Apple jam, spiced poached pears, cookies, red onion chutney, homemade chocolates, brownie mix jars and lots more! I'll post pics as I make them. I did the vodka today but it's stewing with the orange and cranberries for 2 weeks before I put it in bottles so i'll take a pic then.

I then had to do about 40 cupcakes for different orders and I had a couple round this evening to try sample cupcakes and to discuss designs for their wedding. All good fun!

Food wise for break fast I had the good old weetabix, lunch was tomato soup and a slice of granary bread and dinner is Lightened Up Chicken Parmasan alla How Sweet it is.

I've also made my breakfast cookie alla The Fitnessista for the morning. For my version I added oats, chocolate protein powder, peanut butter, mixed seeds, 1/2 mashed banana, few choc chips and a pinch of cinnamon- can't wait until morning!!!!

I lost another 2lbs this week. Really chuffed as I had to give up weight watchers as we can no longer afford it so doing it on my own!!! I want to lose another stone by xmas so need to kick it up. Not done any exercise with being ill so once this cough has gone i'll jump back on that horse.

Peridot mentions I need more pics of Poppy! I'll try and get some more up of the rascals soon. Only prob is with the move I can't find my camera charger so using my blackberry for pics and it's rubbish as it has no flash! Me and Phil really need to finish unpacking as i'm missing so much stuff!!!!

Here is a pic of our new house and our view! So nice living on a farm!

Right i'm offski.

Mucho Love

Jessxx

The sun has gone :-(

The sun has gone and the rain has come in it's place. So today I have pretty much stayed inside.


When I 1st woke up I had the breakfast cookie I made last night- yuuuuummmy! Will def be a regular thing for me now. Weight watcher wise it is quite pointy (6) but it's filling and very nutritious.




As it's Sunday that means I need to order the weekly shopping- I do it online as it just saves so much time and I can keep tabs of what i'm ordering and keep costs down where I need.

So this weeks meal plan is:

M- Lightened up chicken Parmesan- recipe from Jessica @ How Sweet It Is. Monday is my weigh in night so we have a treat meal when I get back.


T- Chilli ginger glazed cod with pak choi on quinoa


W- Spiced lean lamb steaks with salad and potatoes- had this last week but so yum want it again!


T- Turkey spaghetti bolognese


F- Teriyaki chicken with brown rice and peas

S- Spiced Prawn Quinoa


S- Tuna Fishcakes with salad


The plan can change around for various reason but I pretty much stick to it where I can.

Lunch today I made a healthier version of pad thai as I had some bits I needed to use up. Had a ginger tea with it and apple for after.




To make the pad thai I scrambled 1 egg white and set aside.

Then in a wok and some spray oil I'll cooked some carrots slice thinly and spring onions.

Then added a teaspoon of pad thai sauce, 8 king prawns and a pinch of sugar. After 2 mins I put in some Sharwoods Straight to Wok rice noodles (usually use pad thai noodles but wanted to use these up).

Add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce. Cook for 1 min then add the scrambled egg white and top with a few crushed peanuts. Yummy!



As the day went on and the weather looking a bit gloomy I needed something indulgent! So I decided to make a coconut hot chocolate. Yes not very good for points but a real treat.

120ml reduced fat coconut milk
120ml skim milk
6 small squares of dark chocolate

Put the milk and coconut milk into a pan and bring to boil. Then add the chocolate, turn off heat and continue to stir until the chocolate has melted. Then enjoy :-) Pure heaven.





For dinner another comfort food with a few tweaks. My version of cottage pie. I used quorn today as I had some in the freezer but to also keep the calories down. But you can obviously use beef mince.





200g quorn mince
1 onion finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
150ml hot beef stock
Few drops of worcestershire sauce
415g can baked beans
Freshley ground black pepper
400g potatoes
40g low fat mature cheese grated


Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190c/fan oven 170c.

First I cook the peeled potatoes in water for 20 mins, mash with a little milk if needed and set aside.

Then in pan I put some spray oil and fry off the chopped onion, carrot for a few mins. Then add the quorn mince and cook for 3 mins.

Then add the beef stock, worcestershire sauce and season with pepper. Simmer for 10 mins.

Add the baked beans and cook for 5 mins.

Add quorn mix into a oven proof dish and top with the mash potato and sprinlke with the low fat cheese.

Bake for 25 mins and then enjoy!





The other day I bought a new book (yes I am a total book slut). It's The Food Doctor Ultimate Diet- Changing the way you eat for good by Ian Marber. Not yet read it but it looks fab and is apparently a good collection of a lot of his other books. There is nutrition info in there and recipes and meal plans. So thinking it will be useful. So a little bedtime reading for me.




Exercise wise today I did 30 mins on the cross trainer doing an interval program and then 30 minutes of circuits/weights.

I really need to start running soon as I have the 5k i've signed up for in July but why do I find running so hard? I can really give it some on the cross trainer for well over an hours but running i feel like my lungs are going to burst! Anyone know why? I can prob do 2 mins running at the mo :-( But i'm determined to run the full 5k in July.

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do" Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A nice day but not gone to plan!

Today was a lovely sunny day. Started off with a bowl of oatbran. Delish! Loving it more than porridge at the mo. Think i'll add some sliced banana next time :-)



Then we went into town and met one of my best friends Lydia for a cup of tea and catch up. Then bought some fruit and flowers from the market then off to the supermarket for some bits for the BBQ later.

I've been craving seafood for the past few days so decided on a scallop salad for my lunch. Added a bit of soy sauce whilst they were in the pan. It was sooo yummy.




Phil did some bits in the garden and got the BBQ ready. I decided to make it a bit healthier and not have burgers but fish instead. So put some sea bass with sea salt and pepper on and also some chilli prawn skewers. I also did some minted lamb steaks as they are our absolute favourite! I also had 3 chicken wings though which i shouldn't have really had! Oops.




My sister, her other half Ryan and my nephew Connor popped round for a bit. Connor loves playing in the garden when he's here as at the moment they live in a flat and don't have a garden. Bless him.

I didn't do a workout today so i felt pretty bad so told Phil we'd walk to tesco so it wasn't a complete write off! Pic below of Phil on route!






On the way i got a bug stuck in my mouth! Yuk! And it wouldn't go!! I was freaking out so had to buy an apple to dislodge it! lol

Once back home i made a "breakfast cookie". These i found on a fab blog i follow The Fitnessista. They look so yummy i've made one ready for tomorrow and posted the recipe version i did with UK conversion.

45g oats
30 ml milk (i used rice milk)
1 heaped tbsp almond butter (or any nut butter)
1/2 scoop protein powder (i used choc maxitone sculptress or you could sub by putting some cocoa powder)

Mix all these into a bowl until a crumbley mix. Add the milk slowly until all mixed in.

Then you can add pretty much whatever you like. I added a pinch of cinnamon and half a mashed banana. But you could add seeds, nuts, raisins, choc chips etc

Put onto a plate and spread with back of spoon until even then put in fridge until morning. Then eat with a spoon. I know it says cookie but it's a bit softer than a cookie so spoon is needed!





So you'll prob thinking not a bad day food wise yet. Well after making the cookie i had a galaxy bubble (so good though) and then my downfall- Chilli Heatwave Doritos and Salsa! Phil wanted them and I couldn't not have them! Must try harder!


Couple of other pics. One is me and my best friend Cat (who i'm bridesmaid for in Sept) out last weekend (the sambuca night!) and the other is my nephew Connor with one of our cats Daisy.








Hope everyone is having a fab weekend.

Jess xoxo