A quick and easy Slimming World #Recipe

• 1 X onion diced
• 200g mushrooms diced
• 500g extra lean minced beef
• 2 X teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 X teaspoon mixed herbs
• a small bag of frozen mixed vegetables
• 3 x beef stock cubes
• Frylight

1. Put the frozen vegetables in a a pan and boil them until soft and they are cooked.
2. Whilst the vegetables are boiling spray a large pan with fry light and placed on a medium to high heat
3. fry the mushrooms and onion for around five minutes
4. Add the mince, chopped garlic and mixed herbs fry until the mince is browned
5. Add the beef stock
6. Drain the water away from the frozen vegetables and add to the beef mixture leave to simmer for around 20 minutes so the flavours infuse, stirring occasionally
7. Serve with steamed broccoli or Brussels  

The meal is syn free and it makes quite a lot I usually freeze some down for later in the week its yummy not only that you can adapt the recipe to suit yourself why not try adding in some different vegetables or serving it with butternut squash instead of chips or the above vegetables!

Slimming world my favourite food staple

This week I maintained my weight loss journey, I'm glad I did I was expecting a gain, I don't know if you feel the same, but this week has been an emotional one, what is the one thing you do when you are emotional whether it be happy or sad I always find myself turning to food, but not vegetables or fruit I don't want healthy I want takeaways especially dominoes pizza its actually my favourite, of course not forgetting my love for chocolate, so I basically sabotaged my own journey, this week one of the meals I have cooked is cottage pie from Slimming worlds Food glorious food book, this is one of my favourite meals and the boys enjoy it too not only that there is enough left over to save some for the rest of the week either freezing or placing it in the fridge for the next day - so here is the recipe.

Free On Extra easy -
It is easy to make, just make sure you prepare everything before you start to make it.

• 1kg potatoes, peeled and chopped 
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• low calorie cooking spray
• 1 red onion finely chopped 
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• two celery stick's finely chopped
• two carrots peeled and chopped finely 
• 500g 5% fat lean minced beef 
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp vegetable stock
• 1 tsp sweetener
• 2 tsp dried oregano 

Cook the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for 12-15 minutes - or until tender mash until smooth season well and set aside.

meanwhile spray a large frying pan with the low calorie cooking spray on a high heat add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots and stir fry for five minutes then add the mince and stir fry for a further five minutes until brown.

Then add the tomatoes, stock, sweetener, and oregano bring to the boil and and then turn the heat down low let it simmer for 12-15 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180C/Gas 6.

Transfer the beef mixture to a large casserole dish and spread the mashed potatoes on the top, smoothing the surface with the fork bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling - don't forget to fill up the other half of your plate with super free vegetables!

  

Meal Replacement Powder from Superdrug #Review

With Summer nearly on our doorsteps and the summer clothes being dusted down ready to work everyone wants a quick fix when it comes to shedding a few of those extra pounds.

Meal replacement products offer a way to help us control our calorie intake, without having to worry about counting them for two meals a day. Ultimately, most plans provide around 1,200-1,400 calories each day.

Superdrugs own branded meal replacement powder contains 236 calories per serving - You simply make up and drink of the banana flavoured powder with semi-skimmed milk product twice a day and have this instead of your meal so you would have it for breakfast and Lunch - if you are hungry in between, you can snack on fruit.

For your third meal of the day, at teatime you need to eat a low calorie meal every day For the product to have any impact on weight loss. You also need to be drinking at least six to eight glasses of water or low-calorie drinks, including following guidelines for healthy weight loss, changing eating habits and becoming more active.

Superdrugs own branded powder comes in tubs that have enough powder for twelve replacement meals, which is just under a weeks worth of meals - the product comes in several different flavors, chocolate, strawberry and banana one tub is priced at just £4.99






How to prepare,

• stir in four level measuring spoons (32g)
• place into a glass with 250ml semi-skimmed milk
• cover and shake the drink for approximately 30 seconds
• your drink is then ready to serve

I haven't actually tried this out in terms of whether helps you to loose weight - purely because I am following another weight loss plan at the moment (It does have some great reviews on the website), however I did make up one of the drinks and tried it out from a flavour point of view, I found the drink quite mild in taste, I couldn't really taste the flavour of the banana, but you could really smell the aroma of bananas. Even though the meal replacement drink had a mild taste it was quite nice and felt quite filling I could imagine you wouldn't feel very hungry with these drinks, which is a good thing.

I think if I wasn't following another weight loss program, I would definitely try this for a quick fix before a holiday or a special occasion and with the price being as little as £4.99 and they are on offer at the moment 2 for £8 they are definitely worth giving a go! 

This Product is available to purchase from Superdrug along with the other flavors, to find out more you can visit the Superdrug website follow them on Twitter or Facebook

 

Fomoline L112 Offer and #competition

Before Christmas last year I held a competition with Formoline L112 giving away some of there slimming tablets well they're back - with a fabulous offer plus they have given me another ten boxes of Formoline to give away to you my readers.

If you’re looking to lose a few lbs for the bikini season, formoline L112 can lend a helping hand. It is, and has been since 2007, Germany’s number one slimming supplement and works by reducing the overall calorie intake from food – specifically from dietary fats - removing them safely from your body before they are digested. Results show a possible weight loss of up to 7kg over a 4-week period. formoline L112 usually costs £24.95 for 48 (currently on sale for £2.99 – best before date 05/14) tablets but we have 10 free boxes to give away as well as a £10.00 money-off voucher for every reader to spend on formoline online at www.healthstuff.co.uk. Simply type in SLIM112 when prompted at the checkout.

for your chance to win 1 of 10 boxes of formoline L112 just enter via the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Healthy lunch ideas from Ryvita #Ryvita31ways

As I mentioned in my previous post, Goals for 2014, one of my goals is to loose some more weight and I am determined I am going to do it! I am always looking for different food ideas breakfast and dinner I do seem to have a lot of variation in, but as for lunch this is something I do struggle with, I seem to have sandwiches as its quick and easy but it gets very monotonous which sometimes leads me to miss lunch - we are always rushing because in the week when Liam is at school lunch is served at 11.30 am because of getting him to school for just after 12.

This is where Ryvita come in I have always liked Ryvita but struggle with ideas of what to have on the crispbread, I didn't realise there is so many different choices of flavors available. Ryvita have sent me a lovely selection of there crispbreads to help kick start my weight loss and healthy eating for 2014 alongside a guide of 31 different and delicious ways to eat Ryvita.


So far I have been having these everyday for my lunch not always following what is on the list, as some of the foods on there are not my favourite's, but It has give me a huge inspiration of different ideas which is helping to keep me interested in what I am eating, not only that the ideas are all really quick and easy, so when you are in a hurry, on the go, or you are a busy mum with children, Ryvita is really easy to put together and eat making sure you don't slip into that grabbing something unhealthy for quickness routine which we all know is so easy to do.

This is the list of 31 delicious ways to eat Ryvita for lunch throughout January:

Week One


• 1st – New Year’s Day treat: Ryvita Mediterranean Herb Crispbread with Sardine Escabeche

• 2nd – Back to work reward: Ryvita Dark Rye Crispbread with Stilton cheese and sliced apple OR brie and cranberry jelly

•3rd – Fish Friday: Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon on Ryvita Dark Rye Crispbread

• 4th – Crunchy Saturday: Peanut Butter & Banana on Ryvita Original Crispbread

• 5th – Sunday treat day: Butternut Squash & Sage Soup with Ryvita Dark Rye Crispbread Croutons


Week Two


• 6th – Give soup some love: Tomato Soup with Ryvita Pumpkin Seeds and Oats Cripsbread Croutons

• 7th – Healthy Tuesday: Ryvita Sunflower Seed & Oat Crispbread with Hummous & Slices of Red Pepper

• 8th – Mid week warmth: Pumpkin Soup with Ryvita Dark Rye Croutons

• 9th – Fresh and crisp: Mini Caesar Salads with Parmesan, Anchovies and Ryvita Sweet Onion Crispbread

• 10th – Friday feeling: Ryvita Fruit Crunch with Sliced Banana, Cool Yoghurt, Basil, Passion fruit and Honey

• 11th – Weekend treat: New York Delhi with Ryvita Dark Rye Crispbread

• 12th – Fresh snacking: Ryvita Mediterranean Herb Crispbread with Parma Ham and Melon


Week Three


• 13th – Taste experience: Goats Cheese, Pear, Honey and Walnut on Ryvita Fruit Crunch

• 14th – French classic Tuesday: Tuna Nicoise on Ryvita Original Crispbread

• 15th – Indulge your taste buds: Prawn, Mango and Avacado with Ryvita Sesame Crispbread

• 16th – Delicious and Nutritious: Tuna Mayo with Cucumber on Ryvita Sunflower Seed & Oat Cripsbread

• 17th – Friday twist: Ryvita Sunflower Seeds & Oats Cripsbread with Waldorf Salad

• 18th – Sensual Saturday snacking: Ryvita Fruit Crunch with Greek Yoghurt, Berries and Honey

• 19th – Sunday morning warmth: Ryvita Pumpkin Seeds & Oats Crispbread soliders with a soft boiled egg OR topped with fresh berries and yoghurt


Week Four


• 20th: Blue Monday: Ryvita Chocolate Bombs

• 21st – Fruity snacking: Ryvita Fruit Crunch with Mashed Banana and Sliced Strawberry

• 22nd – Mid Week Hump: Tuna Pate with Ryvita Cracked Black Pepper Crispbread

• 23rd – Treat Thursday: Ryvita Fruit Crunch Crispbread with Chocolate Spread and Strawberries

• 24th – Indulgent Friday feeling: Ryvita Fruit Crunch topped with Goat’s Cheese, Pear, Honey & Walnuts

• 25th – Weekend lunchtime: Ryvita Sweet Onion Crispbread topped with Mango Chutney and Coronation Chicken

• 26th – Back to basics: Egg Mayo with Cress on Ryvita Dark Rye Crispbread


Week Five


• 27th – Victory Monday: Ryvita Dark Rye Cripbread with Salt Beef, Watercress and Dill Pickle

• 28th – Mini pizza time: Grilled Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil on Ryvita Multigrain Crispbread

• 29th – Mid week treat: Ryvita Hint of Chilli Crispbread with Spiced Potted Crayfish Tails and Watercress

• 30th – Scrumptious Thursday: Ryvita Cracked Black Pepper Crispbread with Parma Ham and Chutney

• 31st: End of the month with a bang: Chargrilled Chicken, Guacamole and Peppers on Ryvita Hint of Chilli


I hope you have enjoyed having a read through Ryvita's 31 days of lunch ideas and I hope they have given you as much inspiration as they did me I am intending on following this on throughout January and hopefully beyond, I would love to hear about your Ryvita thoughts? You can also keep up with what everyone else is doing by using and following the #Ryvita31ways hashtag on Twitter. You could also visit there website for more information on Ryvita 31 ways.

Goals for 2014

I am not a great personal achiever, I tend to set goals and not achieve them, well not all of them anyway Its because I think I set my sights to high in the first place and then get bored and don't end up achieving what I set out to in the first place - this in turn makes me feel like a failure but I have decided this year is going to be different I am going to set my goals as small steps which will hopefully help me achieve some great things in the first place!

Personal Goals

 

Days Out 

 

I have decided this year I want to do much more with the boys, I want them to see more experience more and most importantly have more fun of course the best way for them to learn at the ages they are, is through fun so that's my first plan of action I really want to take them to there first festival which will be in the summer visiting Lollibop, LolliBop remains the UK’s biggest ever festival for kids. It’s designed to delight mini festival goers, providing the best summer day out for under 10s and their families. fingers crossed we will get to do this one! and I want to take them to other fantastic days out to as well see places they and I have never seen before.

I am also determined I am going to make more of an effort to take them out whilst its wet and cold an hour isn't going to hurt them a brisk winter walk jumping in some muddy puddles is great fun we I tend to get in the habit of staying in a lot when the weathers bad sometimes its just great to get out for some fresh air!

Loose weight

I want to loose weight, when you say it like that it sounds so easy but keeping up motivation not only to loose it but to keep it off is really hard and requires some great inner strength to say no to the unhealthy foods and replace them with a healthier option but I would like to be 10st 7lb by the end march right now I weigh 11st 11lb so I thinkif I loose 2lb a week I will get there no problem I have given myself a bit of extra time for some slips, I know there will be parties ect in between but hopefully I wont slip too much watch this space! I might even post some before and after pictures of myself then I am really not a picture person.

New job

My last goal something I am yet to share with you is that I have a job!! its only part time and I am still waiting on references and my CRB check but I know there will be nothing un-toward on there so I think I will be starting in my new post in around a month from now, its an NHS post on an short stay unit which is brand new and just opened at one of the local hospitals, I am hoping that once in post I am going to be learning loads of new and exciting things, I especially am hoping I will become intravenous drug trained (putting bags of fluids and antibiotics in place on patients) I also cant wait to become up to date with all my other mandatory training, such as life support, moving and handling, vulnerable adults training etc I am so pleased with myself the opportunity is simply fantastic so hopefully this will open lots of new doors for me.

Big Blog plans 

 

My blog is really coming along, so a massive thank you to everyone who is supporting it and visiting it regularly when I started writing in August I wasn't sure many people would pop over but the support has been more than I could have imagined so again a massive thank you.
From my next year I want to continue to learn and gain more support and followers, I also intend on linking up with more blogs/bloggers in the blogging community as I know a few bloggers, but would love to know more, there is a great amount of support about so hopefully I can gain a few more friends along the way, I would also really like to attend one of the blog conferences there is Britmums and Blogfest, that I know about but I am sure there are some more meet ups that I don't know about, I am really going to try to attend something so I get out into the community of bloggers in person you can never have enough friends.