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Food: A Filling and Healthy Weekend

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I often get asked about Filling and Healthy on my Instagram, and as I know some people find it confusing, I thought I'd create a little menu for a Filling and Healthy weekend. I don't think any of the meals are over 1 pro point, leaving you plenty of weeklies for a little tipple or extra treat.

Friday night:


Starting off with a Friday night fakeaway. I highly recommend the Hairy Dieters books. They're super adaptable and the recipes are easy to follow and lead to tasty results.

ProPoints: 0

Saturday Morning:


Pancakes just make the weekend in my opinion. You can find the recipe for these ones here. 

ProPoints: 0

Saturday Lunch:


This sandwich looks truly decadent but is totally on plan, and will keep the hunger at bay till dinner. Grab 3 slices of Weight Watchers brown sliced bread, some lettuce and tomatoes and some bacon medallions and layer it all up.

ProPoints: 0

Saturday Night:


Nothing says a Saturday evening like good old steak and chips.

ProPoints: 0

Sunday Brunch:


After a nice lazy morning, treat yourself to this bad boy. Put some bacon medallions in the grill, scramble up some eggs, lightly cook some mushrooms and tomatoes in fry light (or pop them in the oven), add some beans and toast up a Warbutons thin. There my friends is the ultimate filling and healthy brunch.

ProPoints: 0

Sunday Dinner:


It's not Sunday without a roast in my opinion. The only thing I wish was that Lamb was classed as F&H as I miss it, but I can live without. If you didn't have gravy, it would be free (or you could make your own gravy with an oxo cube) however I can't be without gravy.

ProPoints: 1

I hope this has given you some ideas, and please let me know if you'd like to see other posts like this.

Food: Chicken a la Laura

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When I went on holiday last week everyone was having roasted duck and nibbles for tea, but I decided I wanted to stay Filling and Healthy so picked up a few things to make something for my dinner; this was the result, and it was amazing. I enjoyed it so much I decided to make it again and share my recipe with you.

What it is exactly I don't know, hence the chicken a la Laura name. It could be eaten like soup, used in enchiladas etc. It's just so damn tasty.

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Fry off the onions in some oil until they become pale, then sprinkle over your spices.

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Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil. Then put in a blender and blend till smooth.
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Here is where you can add to your sauce and make it your own with spices and sauces etc.
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Add your vegetables and chicken, then bring to the boil, reduce the heat and put a lid on it. Cook for around 20-30 mins depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
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Once the chicken is cooked it's time to shred. Then return to the pan along with the can of mixed beans.IMG_3547[1]

Cook for another 5 mins and serve. Enjoy.

This recipe really is so versatile, you can use whatever you want. For my main recipe I've just put cumin and chilli powder down as that's what I used on holiday (I couldn't afford to re-buy loads of spices) but here is what I used in this one.

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"Chicken A La Laura" servings="4" time="50mins" difficulty="easy"

Ingredients

 1 large onion

2 tsp of olive oil

Ground Cumin

Chili Powder

1 can of chopped tomatoes

Mushrooms

Pepper

Chilies (I used discovery chilies)

2 Chicken Breasts

1 can of mixed beans in a tomato sauce

Method

1) Fry the onions in the oil until soft

2) Sprinkle the spices over the onion and then add the chopped tomatoes

3) Blend the tomato and onion mixture together

4) Add the peppers, mushrooms and chicken breast. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer for around 30 minutes, until the chicken has been cooked.

5) Remove the chicken from the pan and shred

6) Add the can of mixed beans and return the chicken. Make sure it's heated through and serve.


Measuring Progress #4

6 months -49lbs Two months



As I'm writing this I have officially lost 51lbs!!! My new weigh day is a Tuesday (I've had to move meetings) so keep your fingers crossed for me as you read this.

I'm so pleased that I took these progress pictures as it really helps me see just how far I've come. Sometimes when I look in the mirror all I can see is the fact I'm not at goal yet, but what I need to remember is that I'm nowhere near the size of the girl who started this journey. Plus I also own this bad boy:

http://instagram.com/p/ysE84JjJlE/?modal=true

As always, here are my three non scale victories from my last progress update:

Fitting into a skirt I haven't worn for five years:

http://instagram.com/p/yuRi0YjJlj/?modal=true

I felt so fantastic wearing this outfit to dinner. It was a very nice feeling.

Running my first 10k:

http://instagram.com/p/ymI_1mjJl2/?modal=true

I still can't believe I've gone from not being able to run at all, to being able to do this!!! Bring on May for my official 10k run.

My ring fitting my middle finger:

http://instagram.com/p/yFbhuSjJlX/?modal=true

When my boyfriend got me this ring for V-day last year, it just fit on my ring finger; then it got too big for that finger, so I've been waiting to wear it on my middle one and now it fits!

Food: Mexican Beef

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If you follow me on Instagram (which is where I spend the majority of my day) you'll have noticed that each day this week I've indulged in some Mexican Beef for my lunch. Just in case you missed it, here's a quick catch up:





If this has tickled your pickle, then I hope this recipe helps!

"Mexican Beef" servings="4" time="4hr 30mins" difficulty="easy"

Ingredients: 

500g beef joint

2tbsp hot chilli powder

1tbsp smoked paprika

1tsp of cumin

1tbsp of Chipolte chilli bbq sauce

1 tsp of Sweet Freedom

1 beef oxo cube

1 chili (chopped)

1 garlic clove (crushed)

1 can of passatta

Method

1) Fry off your chili and garlic in a large pan or casserole dish

2) Pour over the passatta and add your spices

3) Add the sauce, and sweet freedom and bring the sauce to the boil

4) Sprinkle over the oxo cube

5) Add the beef and turn the temperature down to the lowest setting. Place a lid on top and let the beef cook slowly for around 4 hours, turning occasionally

6) Remove the beef from the pan, shred with two forks, then add back to the sauce and serve

Notes:

I also added a can of kidney beans and some sweetcorn, but you can add whatever you like!

Food: Cherry Bakewell Slices

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Can you tell I have a thing for Cherry Bakewell? Whilst these may not be exactly the same thing, they're pretty close and free on Filling and Healthy.

"Filling and Healthy Bakewell Slices" servings="4" time="30mins" difficulty="easy"

Ingredients

80g Oats

1 banana

2 eggs

Almond extract

120ml skimmed milk or unsweetened almond milk

A bowl full of cherries

3g of Icing Sugar

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 160 degrees

2) Place your oats in a blender and mix until they resemble flour.

3) Then add the banana, eggs & almond extract until it resembles a batter, then slowly add your milk.

4) Once all the milk has been added, pour the mixture into a square baking dish.

5) Put in the oven and bake for around 20-25 mins, until golden brown and springy to touch.

6) Cut your sponge into eight slices.

7) Squish your cherries into a spread and sandwich it between your sponge slices.

8) Sieve over your icing sugar and serve