Recipe: SYN FREE Banana Pancakes

*** PLEASE READ: APOLOGIES! ***

I previously posted this saying it was syn free but have made a mistake because the banana is both mashed up AND cooked! Woopsie!
The syn value of a cooked banana is 5 syns unfortunately so these are NOT syn free but 5 syns for all of them (per banana). I am so, so sorry! They are still totally worth it, though.

(I would change the post title but the link wouldn't work anymore! Please make sure people know these aren't syn free, I don't want to be damaging or slowing down someone's weight loss!)


I was practically jumping around with joy (does that count towards my 'body magic'? Haha!) when I found out about this recipe. I've really missed pancakes and although I was a little sceptical at first, these do not dissapoint!

You will need:
* Frylight spray
* 1 or 2 ripe bananas
* 2 eggs

For the topping:
* Sweetener
* Fat free fromage frais (or yoghurt)
* Fruit of your choice - get some more superfree in there!

Step 1: Mash up the banana, beat the eggs and mix together. Add in a bit of sweetener if you wish.

Step 2: Spray pan with Frylight, pour in some of the mixture. (The mix should make about 3 medium pancakes) and leave on a moderate heat. Flip after 25-30 seconds.

Step 3: Repeat until you have used up all your mixture and serve. I sprinkled sweetener on top of mine and topped with fat free fromage frais, blueberries, raspberries and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

I had them for breakfast and they were SO yummy!
I hope you're as pleasantly surprised as I was.
This will also make a really nice dessert and I'm sure kids, partners etc will love them too. My boyfriend was drooling over them this morning! (If you fancy it, I'm sure you could add syrup or even mix in some chocolate spread as long as you syn it!)

(This is what they look like without the topping! Still pretty nice, eh?)

Feel free to share my blog around - this recipe is definitely going to be a new regular favourite of mine!
Enjoy!
x

Homemade burger & chips!

I've had a real craving for takeaway burger & chips all week so I thought i'd be a good girl and make my own! Unfortunately I already had my Healthy Extra B Choice for the day otherwise I would have had a 60g wholemeal roll!

Serves 1: Free on Extra Easy.

Ingredients:
* 1/2 450g pack of extra lean beef mince
* 3 or 4 medium Potatoes
* Frylight
* Schwartz Perfect Shake 'Classic BBQ'
* Salt & Pepper
* 1 large Courgette
* 1 large Red Onion
* Baby corn
* Crispy Salad
* Worcestershire Sauce
* 60g Wholemeal Roll (optional)
* Low fat cheese slices

Pre-heat your oven to 180°c or between gas mark 4 and 5.

1. Cut the potatoes in to chips/wedges (whichever you prefer, I also like to leave the skins on) and boil them in a saucepan along with the baby corn until potatoes are almost soft.

2. Thinly slice the courgette lengthways and chop the red onion in to quarters. Peel apart each layer and place them together in a roasting dish with the courgette and baby corn. Spray generously with FryLight. Set to one side.

3. Place chips/wedges in another roasting dish/tray and also spray generously with frylight. Season with salt & pepper and pop in the oven for 10 minutes.

4. After 10 minutes, turn the chips over and spray again with frylight. Also put the vegetables in the oven. Cook for a further 20-25 minutes or until crispy and golden.

5. Meanwhile, break up the beef mince in a mixing bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Season with Schwartz 'Perfect Shake Classic BBQ' and mix together. Shape them in to burgers and fry them slowly in a shallow pan until sealed and brown. They won't take long so do this at the last minute! Feel free to add a low fat cheese slice to melt on top towards the end (but syn it or use them as your healthy extra A Choice!)

6. Finally: Serve the chips, veggies and burgers with a crispy side salad to make sure you get as much superfree food as possible! You can have one 60g wholemeal roll as a healthy extra B choice option, too!

Scrumptious!

x

Free Download: Food Planner and Handy Healthy Extras!

From my own experience, keeping organised is the key to a good week. It helps if you can spend half an hour at most to plan your meals (and snacks!). Even if it's just a rough guide! It's also good to jot down meals you'll be eating out or parties you'll be going to - this way, you can see how it will affect your food intake for the day or week and you can do your best to work around it. I print out one of these every week, fill it in and pop it on my fridge as a reminder not to sway away from my planned meals! Another good reason for planning your week is that you can write out a shopping list of all the ingredients and food you'll need - this will hopefully stop you from buying treats you don't need and filling your trolley with food that will get wasted!

I've had a few people asking me for a print-out version of the planner chart that I use.

So, here it is!

Click on the photo to open it up. Right-Click and save it to your computer. Then, print it off and fill it in! Sorry if it comes out a little grey.
Alternatively, Click here to download the original file to print off. It will be much clearer!

Another thing I use which you may find helpful is a list of current 'Healthy Extras'. I made a list of all of the A and B choices that interested me. It's most of the list, but not the full one (sorry, they took so long to write out!) Go to your Food Diary on the Slimming World website
to take a look at the complete list of options available.

If you fancy it, take a look and print it out on A5 (or A4 - I keep one sellotaped on the inside one of my kitchen cupboard doors!)

Or make a list of your own! I keep this A5 list handy in my bag for when I do my food shop. It's good if there are deals on or you're interested in trying new foods etc.

Click here to download the Healthy Extras list.

I hope you find these tools helpful - I'll do another blog post very soon as I have some VERY exciting news!
Bye for now,
G
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How do you motivate yourself?

Lacking motivation? We've all been there.
Here are some of my top tips for keeping yourself motivated and staying on track!

Get organised! Planning:
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
At the start of the week, sit down and give yourself half an hour to write out a food plan... and do your best to follow it! I like using the SW online food diary when I have time but I much prefer writing things down in pen.
It can also be a good idea to write out a shopping list of all the ingredients you will need so you don't buy lots of food that will get wasted (or naughty snacks!).
If you do buy snacks, try and plan those out too.
Use your healthy extra B choice allowance on tasty cereal bars or research some low-syn chocolate/sweet options so you can stay within in your syn-limit!
ALWAYS try not to buy anything unless you have a good idea of how many syns are in it. Never guess, eat, and look it up later! Bad move!

"Fridge-spiration":
Keep your food plan and any awards you have in plain sight!
It will be a good reminder every time you go to open the cupboard or fridge (aimlessly..we all do it) and it will hopefully stop you from picking and snacking! I know somebody who used to keep a "fat photo" of herself on her fridge for this very reason.
An interesting method..not for me, but might work for you!

Keep yourself hydrated:
Hungry? Have a drink first! More often than not, we think we're hungry when we're actually dehydrated. A big glass of water will make us feel fuller in between meals. If you're still feeling hungry, then try and opt for a free or superfree snack. If this fails and you are still hungry after an hour, think about having a filling meal!

If you bite it, write it!:
Keep a food diary or at least try to log down any syns you've had as soon as possible, sometimes it's easy to forget everything you've eaten throughout the day! I keep a little notebook handy, but it's just as easy to log it down in your phone and pop it in the food diary later!

Get inspired:
Give yourself some alone time to read through the Slimming World magazine, browse the internet for new recipes or read some success stories on the SW website. Write down any good tips!
If you haven't used Pinterest before, I recommend giving it a try!
You can save any photos, links to articles or recipes from all over the internet to one place - on your own personal online 'inspiration board'.
I have one for Slimming recipes which you can see here: http://www.pinterest.com/georgievale/slim-friendly-food-recipes/


Set yourself little goals!:
“Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.”
― Margaret Lee Runbeck

Reaching target weight isn't the only thing you should be looking forward to. It can make your journey seem never-ending, especially if you have a lot to lose.
Sometimes it feels like there's no light at the end of the tunnel!
You can feel confident and happy in yourself even if you aren't a target member.
I think people presume they're going to feel instant happiness when they get to their end goal, but I believe you actually collect little sparks of encouragement and confidence with every smaller achievement along the way.

Make a list of the things you'd like to achieve on your slimming journey.
For example; fit a certain item of clothing better, drop a dress size, wear a bikini on holiday, feel confident at a friend's birthday party etc! Tick these off as you go along, remember to celebrate and recognise every achievement. It will make you feel good about yourself and the direction you are heading in!

Be adventurous: TRY NEW RECIPES!
Don't be scared to try out new meals. Variety is the spice of life!
Keep your menu interesting and you will look forward to your meals more.
Try using a new vegetable or spice you've never had before! You might like it!
I highly recommend browsing online
at www.slimmingeats.com for new recipe ideas!

Be PROUD of your meals:
Buy a nice plate and bowl set. Make your food look appetising - presentation is key! I always try and take a picture of my food, even if I don't share it with anyone. I like to keep a folder of all the new recipes I've tried and sometimes I post it on here with the recipe if someone in group has seen the photo online or heard me talking about it at club. Trust me, it does work!

Before and after photos:
Sometimes it can be encouraging (no matter how daunting!) to take a photo of yourself at every milestone you reach. Half a stone, stone etc.. it will be great to look back on your progress and see the difference in yourself!
It can also be incredibly motivating to see before and after photos of people who have lost weight on the same plan as you. It gives us hope when everything seems impossible! We all have to start somewhere!

Left: Probably me at my biggest, just before I started losing weight. It was this photo which was the final straw for me - this is when I knew it was time to start dieting. Right: A recent photo taken when I reached my 4 stone award.

I used to hate having my picture taken. Before I started dieting, I would cry for hours and delete every single photo of myself. I would keep myself logged in to Facebook constantly just incase someone tagged me in a photo I didn't like, so I would instantly be able to ask them to remove it before anyone else could see it. Now, 4 stone lighter, I feel so much more confident in front of a camera. More often than not, I'll try and get in to group photos with my family and friends when we go out instead of hiding behind someone or insisting that I don't want my photo taken. It's so much nicer to feel involved!

PICTURE yourself slimmer.:
Okay, so, to some people, this might seem a
little bit ridiculous but honestly it works!
We all have some sort of 'ideal body' in mind
when we start our slimming journey, don't we?
Along with the health benefits and other things,
Let's face it, our main reason for slimming is really for the body confidence!
Whether you want a figure like Marilyn Monroe, Kate Moss,
Scarlett Johansson (my personal goal), the Special K advert lady,
how you looked 10 years ago, your next-door-neighbour's dog walker..
we all have to be able to imagine ourselves in this way to keep the determined!

You could print off a few photos of celebrities or people with 'the ideal figure' and make an inspiration board. You could pop the photographs on the fridge to remind you where you want to be and how you want to look.
Or, you could go on to FaceInHole.com and literally paste your face on to other people's bodies. It can be hilarious and really motivating!

Here's my face on the body of Lady Gaga. I was pleasantly surprised!

Retail therapy: Clear out your wardrobe!:
When you drop a dress size, have a good rummage! You'll realise that your old clothes are fitting you differently - some things will drown you! It's very easy to feel attached to clothes but it can be quite motivating to spend the day sorting through your wardrobe and assessing which garments don't fit you anymore. Pass your bigger clothes on to friends, family, charity shops or sell them on eBay! Why are you keeping them if they don't fit anymore? And DO NOT use the "what if I put weight on again" excuse ;) That mindset won't get you anywhere! Make room for prettier, smaller clothes! Plus, it gives you a great excuse to save up and treat yourself - who doesn't love shopping? There's nothing more satisfying than discovering you have dropped a size! I am still terrified of buying jeans, but I'm sure the day will come where I don't cry in the dressing-room mirror, faced with the image of myself in these denim demons. I wait for that day eagerly, and it shall be glorious.

I do, however, recommend keeping one item of clothing from when you started your weight loss journey. When you have reached target, try it on and you will really notice the difference! It'll make for a great photograph.

Group support: attend your local club!:
I cannot stress enough just how essential the support at my Slimming World group has been to my weight loss. I really don't understand these "weigh and go" people. I honestly look forward to the one hour a week where I get to completely surround myself with other people who are following the plan. Outside of group, I do feel like I talk about it a lot with friends who probably aren't interested, but it does take over your life a bit and it's okay to be enthusiastic! But on a Monday evening I get to feel normal and I remember that I'm not doing this alone. I've made so many friends, we have a good laugh and share loads of great recipes and ideas. It's also good to stay to group especially if you've had a bad week, because you know everyone else has been in the same position at least once and they are all so supportive about it. No one judges you, everyone is in the same boat. It really puts me back on track and kicks me up the backside when I need it the most!

Last but not least: DON'T PANIC! Remember how far you've come:

Whether you've just started your journey or you're almost at target,
try not to let a bad day turn in to a bad week..
which can turn in to a bad fortnight or even a bad month!
It's very easy to put the weight back on but before you fall in to the trap of the downward spiral, think back to how you felt on your first weigh in and how far you've come since then. You made the brave decision to face the music, start a healthy eating plan and change the way you think about food forever. It's quite the commitment! You know it works, you know it's worth all the effort you put in to it because you've seen the results. It's easier to draw a line under a bad day and start a fresh tomorrow. Don't panic, don't be too hard on yourself and don't dwell on the slip-ups or the amount of syns you've had that day.
Do get back on track and go back to basics! We all feel deprived and go on a little binge every now and again. It's only human! But only you have the power to turn things around.

It can be a good idea to have a visual reminder of your progress.
For example, I have this chalkboard on my wall which acts as a bit of a 'countdown to target' and really keeps me in check. When I'm feeling low, deprived or like I am falling in to bad habits, I always look over at the board and the numbers make me feel really proud. It restores my faith in the plan and keeps me going!

If you've made it this far down, thank you so much for reading this massive post!
I hope you found this helpful. Please feel free to share my blog or leave a comment - I would love to talk to some more fellow SW members! There are so many of us around the world, it's kind of like being part of a community isn't it?

Apologies for not posting for a while, but I really did have a major set back and instead of writing a long 'sorry I've been in a rut' post, I thought I'd share some motivation tips with you! Now I'm back on track again and there's no looking back. I would very much like to be at target for Christmas! (but wouldn't we all?!)

Slow progress is better than no progress.
Nothing is impossible.
x

Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Creamy, Chunky Chicken Soup with Leek, Mushroom & Winter Vegetables.

Serves: 4 people
Approximate Cooking Time: 30 minutes
SYNS: 3.5 on extra easy plan for the lot! Probably 1 syn per portion.

Ingredients:
* 1 x Knorr Chicken Stock Pot
* 1 x Knorr Vegetable Stock Pot
* 2 x White Onions
* 1/2 x Washed Leeks
* 400g pack Diced Chicken (Skinless)
* Handful of Mushrooms (optional)
* Original Smash
* 600g pack Sainsbury's Winter Vegetable Soup Mix.
(Or similar - frozen stewing vegetables will work fine too!)
* Alternatively, prepare fresh winter vegetables; carrot, turnip, swede.
* 800ml boiling water
* 1tbsp Double Cream
* 60g any wholemeal roll
or bread from your Healthy Extra B Choice allowance
*Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

Spray a large saucepan with frylight and cook chicken until sealed. Add in leeks, diced onions and winter vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve both the chicken and vegetable stock pots in around 800ml of boiling water and then add in to the saucepan. Bring to the boil and then simmer on a low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

(If using mushrooms) In another pan, lightly fry a handful of whole mushrooms. I used mini portobello ones but any will do - (Feel free to chop them up instead if you wish) and then pop them in to the saucepan.

Mix in 1 tbsp of double cream. I got a little pot in Sainsbury's for 60p. An average tbsp of double cream is 3 and 1/2 syns so make sure you remember this if you use more!

To thicken, mix in about a handful of original smash. Add more depending on how thick you like your soups!
Stir for another 5-10 minutes on a low heat.

To serve, toast a wholemeal roll or use bread from your healthy extra B choice allowance. I only had Weight Watchers White Danish so I had 2 slices (2.5 syns each) and 'synned' them.

Enjoy!
(Freeze the rest or pop in the fridge for tomorrow's lunch!

Dinner for two: Lamb Shanks in Minted Gravy

Just a quick one!
I've been quite poorly this week and I've been trying really hard not to have syns.
I've had a real craving for hot meals and I remember my mum telling me about syn free lamb shanks from Iceland!

'Extra Large Lamb Shanks in Minted Gravy twin pack' from the chilled section (BEWARE, not the frozen ones!)
Just £6 from Iceland. They're completely syn free on extra easy and really really lovely!

They come in two separate pouches which you can either boil (I didn't have a saucepan big enough!) or microwave for 8 minutes each on full power.
I popped them in the microwave and then popped them in a roasting dish together for 10 minutes.

I also cooked spinach, peas and boiled potatoes, sprinkled with mixed herbs.

Delicious!

More low or syn-free Lamb Shanks (on Extra Easy):

* Co-op: Lamb Shanks in Minted Gravy, twin pack: FREE

* Morrisons: Signature Lamb Shanks with Redcurrant Gravy & Roasted Vegetables, twin pack: FREE

* Iceland: Extra Large Lamb Shanks in a Redcurrant & Rosemary Sauce, twin pack: FREE

* Iceland: Extra Large Lamb Shanks in a Mint Gravy Tendercooked, twin pack, frozen: 4.5 syns each

* Asda: Extra Special Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in a Redcurrant & Port Sauce, 740g pack, chilled: 5.5 syns each

* Asda: Extra Special Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in Garlic & Rosemary Gravy, 740g pack, chilled: FREE

* Asda: Chosen by You Lamb Shank in Minted Gravy, chilled: FREE

* Sainsbury's: TTD Bistro Lamb Shanks with Roasted Carrots & Parsnips, chilled: 3.5 syns (per 575g sevring)

* Sainsbury's: Just Cook Lamb Shanks with a Red Onion & Thyme Gravy, chilled: FREE

* Aldi Stores: Oakhurst Signature Lamb Shanks in Rosemary & Mint Sauce, twin pack, frozen: 3.5 syns each

* Tesco: Finest Restaurant Collection Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks & Roasted Vegetables: 4 syns per seving

Always check syn values before buying - especially frozen foods!

Recipe: Pasta 'n' Sauce Quiche!

That's right.
A quiche made with Batchelor's Pasta 'n' Sauce!
And boy, was it delicious.
Thank you to my mother for the recipe!
It seems only on Slimming World would we try something like this!

Ingredients:

* 1 x Packet Batchelor's Cheese & Broccoli flavour Pasta 'n' Sauce
* FryLight Sunflower Oil Spray
* 3 beaten eggs
* Bacon (visible fat trimmed off)
* 3 leeks, washed and sliced.
* Diced onions
* 300g tub Low Fat (or fat free, but i haven't found any yet!) cottage cheese
* Reduced fat grated cheddar
* A few slices of tomato and salad to serve.

Before you do anything, pre-heat your oven to 180°c (Gas Mark 4)

Slice and dice 3 medium/large leeks and a couple of white onions. Fry in a saucepan on a low heat and spray with FryLight Sunflower Oil until soft.

Add 400ml of boiling water and the sachet of Pasta 'n' Sauce in to the saucepan with the leeks and onions. Mix in and stir for 10 minutes. Simmer on a low heat.

Meanwhile, mix 3 beaten eggs with the tub of cottage cheese in a bowl. Whisk them together until the consistency is as smooth as possible (basically try to mix out the lumpy bits!)

After 10 minutes of cooking the leeks (although it will look a bit watery) add in the egg/cheese mixture. Mix together in the saucepan on a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Line your quiche dish with as much bacon as you like but make sure you trim off all visible fats first!

Spoon the mixture from the saucepan in to your dish. Try not to fill it exactly to the top because the quiche will bubble a bit and overflow in your oven. There was actually so much mixture that I ended up needing to use a second dish!

Sprinkle with reduced fat cheddar or any other cheese you wish.
Note that one average portion will be from your Healthy Extra allowance. So try to allow for syns depending on how much cheese you use! (You can find the cheese allowance list in your Food Optimising book or in the Slimming World Online Food Diary)

I decorated the top with a few slices of tomato before popping in the oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly brown on top.

I will leave my larger quiche to cool and pop in the fridge for tomorrow's lunch!
However, we were so hungry we decided to have a portion of the second quiche fresh from the oven for dinner (after cooling a litt1e!). Served with salad so there's even more Superfree on my plate!

There are a few different SW quiche recipes on the internet but this one was really yummy. Thanks mum!

Enjoy!
G
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