Monday's Moiderings

Yesterday I made these little beauties for our Sunday dinner! Mini Shepherd's Pies in Old El Paso Stand and Stuff Tortilla Shells.

At only 3.5 syns, these were a nice little treat, and very filling. I don't think there's an 'official' recipe for these, I've seen them on one of the SW groups that I follow. It's just common sense really, your own preferred Shepherd's Pie filling, in a tortilla boat, topped with however you do your mash. We're all different. I can't abide tomato in a Shepherd's Pie, I like a rich, beefy gravy in mine. I also don't eat butter, I've never eaten buttery mash, so I don't miss it. My filling was syn free, and I mashed my potatoes with a little skimmed milk from my HexA, so each boat was 3.5 syns made my way.

Served with baby carrots, green beans and garden peas, the whole family really enjoyed them.

So, the big question. How did weigh in go today? Well. I needed 3 lb off for my 3 and a half stone, I lost 2.5 lb. Mr G, however, needed 2.5 lb off for his 3 and a half stone, and he lost 4. Of course he did. Then he also won Slimmer of the Week and the raffle. Really chuffed for him, though, and I only need half a pound to get mine next week. Watch as it all goes horribly wrong for me this week. Again. Like it did for my three stone award...

As I sat yesterday morning, trying to work out a meal plan for the week ahead, I was having a good long think about food. To be fair, I think of very little else. Some people eat to live, and me? I live to eat. And for the problems it has caused me with my weight over the last 27 years? I wouldn't change it for the world. I really wouldn't. I can't think of anything worse than not being inspired, thrilled or excited by food. I'd rather be fat, if I'm honest?

Anyway. If I had a pound for every time I've started a diet and said 'This is it! This is the one! I'm never putting it back on again!' - I would be a rich woman. Weight Watchers, from Points, to Propoints, to Core, to Flex. I've done Alternate Day Fasting. I've tried Atkins. I've done Blood Sugar Diet. I've tried Paleo. I even dabbled once, very briefly, in the Slimming World of old. You know, the old red/green days? But I could never get my head around this. Either a load of carbs and a tiny amount of protein, or loads of protein and a tiny amount of carbs. Didn't suit me. The only thing that these diets have been successful at is that I've put all the weight back on. And some.

But this Slimming World Extra Easy, it seems different. I think that they've hit the nail on the head with this one, and if they have any sense, they'll stop meddling with it. It's a really odd one, because, you genuinely don't feel like you're on a diet. Not once have I sat and looked down at my plate and thought 'Meh. Rabbit food.' You could, of course, if you insisted on eating a salad every day. But why would you when there's so many different things you could cook?

I personally have two main problems that cause me to go 'off plan'.

The first is... 'I can do this myself now, at home. Why am I paying a fiver a week to go to club? It's like buying a dog and barking myself. That fiver could buy me my fruit and veg for the week'.
The reality is... do you know how many pies and doughnuts you can buy from Morrisons with a fiver? And the support, not just from your consultant, but your peers, is invaluable. You cannot put a price on that.

And the second is boredom. Feeling like I'm missing out on something. Now, so far, touch wood, 21 weeks in to the plan, this hasn't happened. Yet. But I know that inevitably, it will. At some point. It's just taken a little longer to kick in, that's all.

Junk food. I was and still am a bugger for junk food. But this is more than catered for, in my daily syn allowance. How can you be on a diet when you are eating a bloody Solero and chocolate or crisps every day and still losing weight? A nice juicy burger once a week? Sorted. Pizza? Easy. Use a tortilla wrap to make a pizza or calzone. And for how much I love pizza, it's actually surprised me as to how successful these have been in satisfying my pizza cravings. Fish and Chips? Sourced a very low syn alternative that hits the mark.

Sweet things such as cakes and desserts really haven't bothered me this time around. I have my Solero or other low syn ice cream at night. The occasional sugar free jelly. I've made baked oats. But those stodgy, calorific desserts that I used to make? Not been remotely bothered by those so far.

So I was racking my brains. If this is a true lifestyle change, one that I will have to adhere to for the rest of my life... what else do I need to cater for? What is going to be the thing that sends me off kilter, when the urge becomes too much? What we used to eat, but no longer do?

And the two things that sprung to mind immediately were pastry, and curry. You have to remember that I am married to a Wiganer. A pie eater. How he has gone 21 weeks without pastry is beyond amazing.

And curry. I've tried these WW/SW curry recipes before in the past, and they are mediocre to say the least. I'd rather do without curry for the rest of my life than ever eat one of those again.

So, this week I have tasked myself with those two jobs. SW friendly curries and SW friendly pies and pasties. And by 'friendly' I mean low syn, not syn free. Syns - not just for Curly Wurlys ;-) It makes me laugh when I see people horrified online at a SW follower eating avocado 'Ooh hun, they're so high in syns!' and you know, you just know, they're caning the gin every night and have a freezer full of Freddos. You do you, Janice. I'll enjoy my avocado toast, thanks...

Therefore! The meal plan for this week is as follows:

Monday - Pulled Pork with salad and syn free savoury rice

Tuesday - *drum roll* Steak and mushroom pie with vegetables (please God, let it work!)

Wednesday - Low Syn 'Fry up'

Thursday - Goan style Pork Vindaloo with basmati rice

Friday - Battered Cod, new potatoes and mushy peas

Saturday - Chicken Saagwala with pilau rice

Sunday - Seekh Kebabs with Salad and a Wrap

Quite a bit of 'proper' cooking involved for me this week, then...