New Year...New You?

Image courtesy of satit_srihin / Freedigitalphotos.net

With 2013 coming to a close its time to look back over the year and towards 2014. What have you achieved over the past year? Was it what you wanted? Are you disappointed or delighted? No matter how you feel about it, there is always something you can take from this year to the next to drive your future goals. Not just surrounding your weight loss journey, but all aspects of your year. We can draw motivation and goals from everywhere.

Santa Is On His Way!!

Well this past week has flown by and in a few short hours Santa will be visiting! I am so excited, I love Christmas more than anything! I am currently at home on the couch about to make myself a hot chocolate to have with a mince pie! It is my favourite way to spend Christmas eve. We spent the evening preparing all the vegetables and stuffing for dinner tomorrow to make the cooking as easy as possible. 

Only 9 Sleeps 'til Christmas!!

There is no denying that Christmas is in the air! Even the weather has turned and our lovely mild December has gone very cold and wet! Christmas cards are coming in the door and everywhere you turn the Christmas treats are out! 

Slim Tuna Pasta Bake!

I'm sure you have all seen this new product in the shops lately in a few different packages and under a few different names. They all have slightly different nutritional info, some working out at 0pp per serving and some as 1pp. I have used them before but had thought I preferred the courgette spaghetti that I tried a few months ago. The problem with the courgette spaghetti so you can't use it for a pasta bake and I LOVE a pasta bake.

Post Christmas Party Update

This week was my work Christmas party and we were lucky enough to be heading to London for it! And boy did I enjoy it, maybe a little too much. The food on saturday was actually very healthy and dinner was a japanese feast - the amount of alcohol I consumed was not so healthy. I couldn't even begin to count the propoints I consumed in alcohol. I had planned to have a weight watchers free day and if it had just been the one day I would have been fine...but I woke up with the worlds worst hangover (not surprising) and by the time I was actually able to eat anything that afternoon I just didn't stop: pringles, cookies, toasted cheese sandwich, pizza, wedges and garlic bread. 

Creamy Garlic Chicken & Leeks

Serves 2
Propoints per Serving: 8
Ingredients:
300g chicken breast
1 leek halved and sliced
1 small onion chopped very finely
3-5 garlic cloves crushed ( i like things really garlicky)
1 tsp oil (i used coconut)
100mls half fat creme fraiche
100mls white wine
salt & black pepper


For this I used mini chicken fillets as it was all I had, but you could cut whole chicken breasts into 3 even pieces for this too.

Heat the oil over a low/medium heat and add the onions, garlic and leeks. Cook very gently for 4-5 minutes until soft and remove from the pan. Add the chicken (use a little spray oil if necessary and cook turning regularly until slightly browned on the outside and cooked through. Turn the heat up a bit and add back in the leek mixture and then the white wine. Reduce the wine by half and then turn the heat down and stir in the creme fraiche. Add a little water if necessary to help loosen the sauce and season with a little salt and lots of fresh black pepper!

I served mine with a medium baked potato

Simple Carrot & Coriander Soup!

Carrots were never my favourite vegetable when cooked growing up and that included soup! I would eat raw carrots all day long (I used to make my mum put the raw ones on my plate when carrots were on the menu for dinner). But like most things your tastes change and carrot soup is def one of my favourites. This one is particularly easy and tasty and makes a fab packed lunch!

Silly Season Is Here!!

I love December! Each day makes Christmas feel more and more real, and I even don't mind the cold as much because it is again another sign that its Christmas. I have spent 2 Christmas' in warm climates and I have to say it is not the same. I almost feel like Christmas just didn't happen those years. All the decorations are up in the shops and there is a buzz in the air. Party's are happening and people are in a giving mood.