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that is SO cool!

sorry to crash but Honey, you're no longer coming up in my subscribed threads and I got an error message when I tried to click on your food diary?? Help! so glad you're settling in Tracey. So exciting!!

Tuesday: All I can remember is syns and dinner argh! We had a lovely beef borscht style stew and a half tbsp lf Creme Fraiche so 1 Syn for that. Also eggs for brekkie, lunch was lf super noodles... 9 more syns in snacks! Wednesday: I had eggs for brekkie again, cous cous with leftover tikka...

RRH, could you fire me a link to Dylan's blog? I'd love to see it :-) How were the smash onion rings? Tracey enjoy your roast and tikka!

I'm also hankering after some really cheesy pasta so may make the above.... looks good.

thank you :-) enjoy your roast!

just to say I made your tikka last night, it was delish! :-)

good luck with helping your brother out hun - what a lovely thing to do :-)

Aw thank you RRH - that's so lovely! I think losing a bit of weight has made me in turn make a bit more of an effort with hair etc. I'm going to edit that post with the link to Vintagepockets' recipe :-)

Aw thank you Rosie :-) Monday 14th January Breakfast: a poached egg, hi fi lite (3 syns) Lunch: super low fat noodles, mullet lite Dinner: Vintage Pockets' chicken tikka, spiced onions and some lime pickle/mango chutney. (4 syns) it was absolutely delish and some for lunch tomorrow yay! Will...

thanks Vintage Pockets, it was good, nice and rare :-) RRH, thanks hun - she's always in the background bless her, so food oriented just like her Mum, oh dear! She made biscuits yesterday (with no input from me except to watch her when she put in/took out of oven) and her own packed lunch last...

thanks Rosie. And Joanne yep guilty! Kids were baking!!

Sunday 13th January Breakfast: half a biscuit 3 syns Lunch: beans on toast HEB plus 1 tsp butter 2 syns Dinner: roast beef with SW roasties, roast parsnips, green beans and mashed swede. Gravy 4 syns Pub: diet coke and 2 bags crisps 16 syns

Saturday 12th January Breakfast: smarties 8 syns Lunch: pasta with tomato sauce and Parmesan HEA Dinner: burger with salad and smash onion rings and SW chips plus sauces (4 syns)

my tweak is that I usually call 25g of ANY cheese a HEA, oops! Chickpea thing looks lovely, and for a fast fix did you know that Asda, Morrisons and Tesco chickpea dahl in a tin are all free?

Fingers crossed for you hun, I definitely think the meetings are a massive help. I really enjoy going to mine! Papers - only got one out there so far, hmmph - it's the main priority over next few months to get some more out, hope I hear soon if this one has been published or not though. thanks...

Aw hello lovie!!!! Fine thank you - are you doing SW too? I'm naughty, cos I don't count my milk as HEA - I don't have much and like to save my HEA for cheese which I don't have every day anyhow. I used the milk stated but between 4 people its not too bad. It might not go at all creamy with only...

Hi vintagepockets, thank you :-) its nice, but not the same as batter or breadcrumbs, gotta be honest! Nice enough though :-) Thursday 10th January: Breakfast - did the brown rice and barley in the slow cooker, added grated carrot and sugar free maple syrup in the morning. Nice but very...

Wednesday 9th January: Breakfast - some of the rice thing I made in slow cooker (argh, which means I was wrong about yesterday's brekkie which I now remember was fruit and muller lite!). Too sweet so trying again unsweetened. Lunch - smoked mackerel, pickled beetroot and cottage cheese (my...

Tuesday 8th Jan: Breakfast - made an overnight breakfast rice thing in slow cooker with brown rice. But put splenda in it at cooking stage as per recipe. We all found it way too sweet. Tonight it is brown rice and barley instead, no sweetener, milk and water and some cinnamon. Will see what...

hello hun long time no speak but happy new year! in a rush and no way I have time to read that long post haha! but I gather you lost weight AND got a new apartment? Fabby! have a great 2013 lovie.

thanks ladies :-) definitely hope to be back properly now - will update the last two days once kids in bed.

hello lovie, fab to lose 2.5lb in 5 days! that chickpea salad looks amazing :-)

HELLO! Happy New Year :-) I think you got engaged just before I went awol but if I haven't already said it, congrats! I have to say, that dinner looks amazing. Pretty please, can I have the dhansak recipe? Planning a dhansak for Friday night AND I also have a new slow cooker and I'm completely...

SO pleased - had weigh in last night at group - only 1.5lb on for the whole of Christmas/NY - I really enjoyed it too - booze, takeaways, puds, goose fat roast tatties, cheese etc etc. Perhaps I wasn't quite as unrestrained as normal but often I felt sore I was so full. Phew!

Aw ladies thank you! Here's me thinking I'd been away too long and you wouldn't remember me! I'm going to try to be back properly as I like chatting to you girls and it really helps to keep me on track. Hope you all had lovely Christmases and New Years :-) Monday 7th January Breakfast: two...

that is so lovely Charl, thank you!! I need to not get complacent though, get this last stone off.... will be around more soon :-)

Dawww! you guys are too nice. I think there's an angle thing going on here though - not sure my legs are *that* slim - yet!!! I'm getting lots of compliments, which is toooo lovely. What a boost. Honey I'm loving you right now!!! But you know you're already cute, ridiculously so right? I want to...

well done Tracey :-) you got your stone award on the same day as me, we're SW twins!! just popping on to say happy christmas as I'm prob busy now til the big day with the wee'uns. Santa has to be ready! Have a GREAT christmas - sounds like you're having the day off, just like me!

hi hun, just popping on after long absence to say hi and happy christmas, you look super stunning now, so slim, total inspiration for me! I've posted an update pic too - have a lovely time, don't worry too much on Christmas day as you've done so well :-)

sounds like you're doing great Joanne :-) I'll be on to see how you're doing more after NY so have a great Christmas!

hi ladies, and thank you! Rosie that's fab to hear, it's fun making an effort, isn't it! I'm living mostly in jeans tbh, but skinny ones and can get my boots over top of them... here's the pic.

hi ladies, sorry I've gone offline so to speak. I've been fine, just super busy and wanted to pop past and say hi so you don't all forget me! I very much intend to be back properly in the NY, as I put Minimims down to helping with my weight loss - well the support of you ladies on here anyway...

Thursday 6th December: Breakfast: scrambled eggs and mackarel Lunch: 2 slices w.m toast (HEB) 2 tsp butter light (1 syn) 2 tsp jam (2 syns) Dinner: sea bass, roast veg and potatoes extra syns sweets and choc = 4 Total syns = 7

Wednesday 5th December: choc stuffed into mouth plus kids' sweets: 10 syns guess Breakfast: biscuit Laura made me (couldn't not, adorable and she was so proud): 8 syns Lunch: baked potato with beans and HEA cheese Dinner: pork and veg Chinese hotpot with egg fried rice - 3 syns from sugar...

aw ladies!! thank you! I need to try and update it - lost track again! But not doing brill (but not awful either) as there are sweets and choc here for the kids. Oh dear! Anyway, onwards, and upwards!

Tuesday 4th November: Breakfast - scrambled egg, bacon (fat removed), beans, tomato, mushroom, fruit. Lunch - 2 slices normal size w/m bread (estimate 6 syn plus 1 HEB) with beetroot hummus and roast veggies (estimate 3 syn). Was very good and ignored crisps and all the cakes. Snack - oh...

Thanks Honey :-) have you seen my last could of days for syns? Oh dear!

Thanks Joanne :-)

Monday 3rd December: Breakfast: kipper with 3 tsp butter (3 syns). Scrambled eggs, tomato and mushroom. Fruit. Lunch: Best choice I could make from a buffet - pasta salad, yogurt/mayo dressed celery and cucumber, a few olives and tiny bit of feta dressed (2 syns oil or mayo): What I...

Sunday 2nd December: Breakfast 2 small pieces walnut bread (HEB tweak) and 2 tsp butter (2 syns). Lunch: big bowl pasta with cherry tomatoes and HEA Parmesan. Dinner: half bowl calamari 4 syns, mussels 3 syns, chips 8 syns and sauce 1 Syn, half pudding 4 syns, beer 4 syns and wine 10 syns...

Saturday 1st December Think this was also not great day... Breakfast was a dry fried egg and a toasted w m roll (HEB) with 2 tsp Lurpak light (1syn) and 1 tbsp ketchup (1syn). Lunch: I fancied chowder with our leftover chicken and made some but not enough potato so thickened it with a wee...

Wow that sounds lush. Was it cooked beetroot? Thinking of that for late on Christmas day :-)

Hi all, am in Cornwall and just downloaded the app for this so bear with me! Had a bad ish day yesterday but thought if I try and at least update on here... My consultant says even if you're bad you should count it! Will see if I can update from wherever I left off!

Joanne - is it the black-ish noodles? They're yummier than they look Did you get anything nice in the shops? :) Britmum, I have a confession - I threw the beetroot away :o I couldn't face trying to sort it out and also have something I didn't fancy for my lunch.... We've a few more meals worth...

Just bumping this - not getting many visitors today :cool: I won't be uploading dinner, as at a friend's house and don't want to start photographing what they cook for me ;-)

thanks Tracey :-)

hiya - no drinks perhaps, I'll drive. Maybe one glass of wine. It's just I'm off to Cornwall too on Sunday with work again - and that'll be syns... These friends are quite healthy as it happens - so I bet it'll be fine. I'll save my HEs though :-)

Fab, will look out for them next time I'm in Glasgow!

Really all sounds fine, sounds like you have it all worked out :-) Have a lovely weekend! We're going to a friend's tonight - first time eating at friend's house since diet, so not sure how that'll be. Looking forward to it though :-)

Friday 30th November: Breakfast: scrambled eggs (done really slowly so more like a sauce - I love them like this) with last night's crash hot potatoes, and last night's amazing sauce (I need to give it a name!): And I decided not to let this cold I can feel coming on get me - by making a...

noodles - yum. I've just had brekkie and still hungry!

Wow, that's lovely Vitagepockets! What a fab send off :) I think given you're at goal you can afford a wee splurge on those choccies. What IS this Wholefoods that peeps keep talking about? I don't think we have it here in Aberdeen.

Can I just share some amazing (non related) news?? John Lewis are going to (according to customer services on the phone) refund me (in vouchers) fully for an overlocker my hubby bought for me (accidentally instead of a sewing machine, I embarassingly never got round to taking it back, thought I...

I updated my earlier post with photos :)

thanks ladies. Vintage Pockets yeah but I get frustrated with how they're all so different. Many size 14s are fitting me now, but not the M&S skinnies (which turned out to be jeggings according to the label). They were uncomfy and just too tight around the middle. I've not shopped in M&S for...

thanks ladies - will check out Morrisons as I often pass one :) dinner looks good Joanne - v filling!

I see you had your burger night :D Looks awesome!

yes! I have plenty of those in the garden :-)

I wonder about making vine leaves... the ones you buy here are SO oily...

oooh yeah - all looks good - wonder how much halloumi you get for HEA? (let's face it this would be syns by the end of it). Another thing I love is feta baked in foil with honey and thyme. Nom.

Joanne, where do you get Low Low spread? I'm intrigued, don't think I've ever seen it...

Morning all Thursday 29th Nov: Breakfast - apple, orange, 2 scrambled eggs in 2 sprays olive oil (1/2 syn) and beans! Lunch - roast buttnernut with chilli, cherry tomatoes, mackerel, cottage cheese (2 syns for olive oil used to roast this): Snacks: banana, apple, orange, muller lite...

I can't see the attachment but it's not much booze really - very restrained I'd say :D

Oooh, what's inside those mushrooms??

maybe the trick is to prioritse which things are most important? To me, it'll be cooking potatoes and parsnips in goose fat (only do this once a year), having the bread sauce, as much gravy as I like and the cranberry sauce. I'll only manage a smidge of Christmas pud anyway! I'll go for...

I'm planning to not stick to plan, but not gorge either :-)

Potato, that sounds gorgeous! I'm going to do this with the roast butternut and brocolli I was planning to have with my chicken tonight :-)

Enjoy :D

I don't notice anything the others haven't pointed out, food diaries always look good IMO. I wouldn't worry about how many mullers you have - I was told at group that even 3 is fine, 4 or 5 might be pushing it... My real name is Leanne :D

Fingers crossed :D

thanks Joanne :-D Britmum thank you! Quite proud of her, we're quite a foodie family I guess :-)

Hi Tracey, great food, I'm going to try the bhajis :-) AND, you are soooo pretty!

AND even though my target says 10 and a half stone, you're exactly at my dream target weight. Well done!!!

I have an embarassing collection of clean tupperware in the cupboard at work - must take home! Chilli looks lovely :-)

Yum, yes chorizo is gorge. Patatas bravas - genius :D thanks Liberty.

Hey there! You look lovely in those pics! I bet you can get that 1.5 off quickly enough if you're good :-)

I've been hankering after a meal like this for aaaages, all spread out on the coffee table in front of a movie... So far for mezze I've thought of the following: Houmous (with a fraction of olive oil and tahini but would entail some syns) Felafels Smash coated chunks of aubergine and courgette...

Mackarel, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, cottage cheese and salsa (1 syn). Not my usual style, but nice!

Oooh forgot - got my 1/2 stone award at group :-D (9 lb off now, it's taken a while!). I've also realised you can get awards for exercise, so (I know it's silly but it would motivate me) I'm going to give that a try - will be taking Lennie for a walk before lunch today, make sure it's half an hour!

Yup - see below, My Little Big Girl's Blog :-) She's been poorly for days (finally better yesterday) so last weekend was a write-off. We may start some of the Christmas baking this weekend or food gift making - as long as I can work out what can be frozen succesfully (or gift-wise, what can...

hi guys and thank you all! Tracey, will def go and see your blog :-) Britmum, isn't there a link in my sig? Let's see, when I post this....

Tracy, Charlotte, thanks so much - I told her and she's delighted! Cheered her up a bit - she's really sick just now so no cooking this weekend. She's just curled up on the sofa looking grey :-( Here is a wee catch up: Thursday 22nd: Lunch = tuna, tomato and sweetcorn thing with rice (not so...

ah thanks Tracy :-) Charlotte, that's lovely, thank you so much! For the onion rings, just slice onions fairly thickly, dip in beaten egg, then in smash (flavoured with cajun spice is nice). I "double dip" - so I then dip in egg again then smash again to get extra crispiness - place them in a...

Aw, Digger is gorgeous! This is our Lennie! Tazzy, who we said goodbye to last week: The day they met!

hi Tracy, not at all, lovely to have you along to the thread :) Sorry to hear you had the same thing - I think it's worth it for all the pleasure they bring us, but it's so hard. My other dog was rehomed last year after we lost another of our treasured hounds. This one, Lennie is a gorgeous...

thanks Britmum :-D I live in rural Aberdeenshire - do you know it up here? I loooove Edinburgh, one of my favourite cities. Have you been to visit?

p.s. I didn't mean I was an actual 12 - just in that shop!

I didn't realise it goes strapless and I can get 20% off online. I won't be able to get to an instore sale, do you think they will do one online on those days? Ruched Corduroy Halter Dress | Anthropologie.eu No way of losing a stone by then though, it's taken me AGES to lose half a stone -...

ah thank you :-) the sizing in that shop is pretty generous and I reckon that another stone off and I'll be a 10 (this was a 12) - so I'm going to wait and aim to have lost that by the sale (not that I have a scoobie when that is!)

spooky, I was just telling you about this dress on your thread - thought you might like it. I am now officially hooked on Anthropologie and the website! Parliament was a bit of an anti-climax - hardly any MSPs there - just a workshop with a few presentations and group discussions. On my CV...

yeah, ta. Not bad. I've updated my food diary, and a bit of general waffle :-) Plus a photo I took trying on a dress in Anthropologie (I was in Edinburgh with my Mum for my birthday) which I have now fallen in love with - a beautiful vintagey raspberry pink dress - £97 though *sob* waiting for...

hi Tracey, well done on the amazing loss, that's fab! I haven't had time for a proper read through - what exercise are you doing?

woohoo congrats on the house - it all seems to be going quite well (although I haven't had time to read all the way through since I went AWOL). At target too - brilliant :-D

hi Joanne, just popping in - coca cola truck - fun!!!!

Thanks so much Joanne :-) x

Also thought I'd share this: I went into Anthropologie in Edinburgh (I love that shop/website SO much) and tried on this £97 dress, it's my perfect dress - just that little bit vintage, a gorgeous raspberry pink etc. I think I can see that half stone gone now :-) Just a bit more than a stone to...

thanks Peacelily :-) Ok, let's try again with keeping up to date with this. Thinking I'll post as I go, so there's less to update. I had a very bad day in Edinburgh but then turned it around yesterday, being in Edinburgh for a day's shopping and eating in Jamie's Italian without spending a...

thanks ladies, so kind of you. It was quite peaceful in the end, and I'm glad we did it now, rather than too late. Still a bit busy/mentally preoccupied to post pics etc. though just now, but if I keep talking on here, hopefully I won't lose the motivation to get back to it. Hope you're all well.

thanks Joanne - it was good :-) I've been absent for days and days, largely on plan though except for having my first Indian take out since the plan began - had chicken dhansak and boiled rice though, with half a poppodom and a tad raita - so not too bad. I've too little time to try and catch...

that is hilarious indeed! you seem to be doing really well - 2.5 loss is more than I've ever had (just had my first ever 2lb loss on tuesday whoop) so well done!

hi there - have been away and just checking in without time to read it all through, but hope it's all going well? What is magic porridge? I think I may have asked this before - you soak overnight in water then stir a muller in in the morning?

great news re the house - do keep us posted! Food looks awesome :)

thanks Rosie today we had a late brunch (tomato, fat free sausage, bacon, poached egg and half a slice of toast - HEB plus 1 syn for half fat butter) And we'll be having portuguese cod fish for dinner - already made: Also had a small piece of brownie: 5 syns and will be having a pint and...

Reasonably good today - one small glass of wine (4 syns) Breakfast - cream cheese pancakes (not the best effort this time) with bacon and sugar free maple syrup Lunch - all made by my lovely daughter! Baked potato with beans and coleslaw with one tbsp EL mayo (half a syn): Dinner - Laura...

thanks ladies :-D we need to plan our week largely around grains and the garden this week - so skint as we're having our bathroom done :-(

I'm also quite looking forward to weigh in on Tuesday. Very much fingers crossed, because I feel I've stuck quite well to plan. Looking forward to a few synned treats over the weekend but will try and keep them lower than I usually do.

Friday 9th November: Breakfast: inspired by other minimmers, I had French toast (made with the bread my daughter made which is only just still edible!) with bananas and my sugar free maple syrup (which is *ok* and does the job, but next time I'll get the real stuff and syn it): Lunch: I...

oooh yum - Chinese sounds divine :-D

Aw Joanne :( Hope you start to feel better soon. The numbness should hopefully be gone by this evening so you can have a nice dinner - take strong ibuprofen for when the numbness goes. I live in the countryside near Aberdeen now!

WELL DONE ON GETTING TO TARGET!!! that's around my target too, so you've totally inspired me :-)

Coconut sap? You have me intrigued - must check that out :D Like the idea of the mist sprayer, could be really good :-) thanks Britmum. Was fancying a kebab type lunch again, but used my HEB (or half of it at least) in my brekkie! As it's Friday I'd rather not accumulate many syns at...

Thursday 8th Nov: impromptu trip into town for new hair :-) - plus as it was TOTM, I really couldn't face much breakfast. Breakfast: muller lite Lunch: Boots seafood sushi (2 and a half syns) Snack: small piece of kids' low fat garlic bread - 3 syns Dinner: Wholemeal pitta (HEB) with pork...

Wednesday 7th Nov: Breakfast: porridge (first in ages!) - HEB with blueberries and sprinkled with a tsp sugar (1 syn). If the blueberries have to be synned for being cooked in the porridge I'm calling it a tweak - there weren't that many... Lunch: baked potato with beans and worcestershire...

well done on a great day Tracey - and the curry sounds fab - a must try :-D

Vintagepockets, I'm sure you'll find your way soon - you sound young and I'm 36 and it only really has come together for me in the last year or so! Sounds like there are opportunities out there for you - what about freelance media and writing for magazines? Anyway don't listen to me - I know...

Eldon Square! Metro Centre! My old stomping ground! Miss Newcastle, and Durham. Grew up in Durham aged 11 - 18 :-)

oh yum, I bet they're amazing, I love those cups and any mix of chocolate and peanut basically!

What are Reese's puffs?

thanks ladies - yes it's for life for sure. The only thing I DON'T want to do for life is eat so many dietty things like diet coke and muller lites - I'm getting a bit worried about the sweeteners. And perhaps I would switch from spray oil to the spray olive oil you can get (we have some and...

hi Joanne - that all sounds lovely!

Today - I'm feeling a bit blah - TOTM (I'm hoping that speaking in acronyms means I won't offend the people who find this TMI ;)). All bloaty and yucky and actually I can't face anything to eat right now - but later might want a big bowl of pasta or something... the chickens are all out of their...

Hi Charley - here to subscribe and follow your journey :D

19 syns is not all that bad - did you have a lovely night? Re. the temp thing - I just wanted to say there IS light at the end of the tunnel. I temped for years, after a few years of waitressing. I knew I had something else in me but wasn't focused or settled enough at that point to go to uni...

Britmum, a blank canvas is so very exciting! you can put things just exactly where you want. What kind of garden would you like? If you have the time, a largish veg plot will serve you well (do you plan to go back to work and if so, full time? this would be worth considering when you decide how...

not weird at all - one of my besties can't stand baked beans. That and cold tea bags, hehe!

thanks ladies :-) Tracy, more and more folk living in urban areas are growing veg now :D plus allotments have become the in thing! And - another growing trend - people keeping chickens in towns and cities! your own eggs - nothing is nicer in the morning. Our chickens aren't laying now though -...

:hug99:Tracy you are being so positive about everything, that is fantastic! I shall be following your journey every step of the way - you go! I haven't even tried red or green days, I just love EE! Hope you have a good day today :-)

DH just came in - he recommends the Expert Guides by Dr Hessian :-D

thanks Honey :) Let me ask my hubby for you - he's a professional gardener so I guess that has something to do with it :-) We met in town (Aberdeen) and always both wanted a country life. I had lived some of my childhood in the country, DH had grown up in London... After a few years we moved out...

I wanted to eat really well today, as I am losing my voice (well at least it's turning into a squeak!) and getting really sore tonsils :sigh: Tuesday 6th November: Breakfast - back bacon, potato rosti, tomatoes (finally the green ones we harvested have ripened inside!), mushrooms and beetroot...

must try some of that :-) thank you - need to go back and get some more tins of the chickpea dahl, too...

oooh, what's aromat?

The blog is great, I've just enjoyed having a look through :-) I'm going to try your chicken dhansak with cinnamon rice - just sounds and looks so good and rich. Someone had made smash bhajis at the SW taster night last night, really good. I'm thinking you could have a feast - you could make...

Yay! Fabulous news :-D well done! I saw you'd rec'd seasoning the smash mix with spices and salt and pepper etc. - great idea. We had chicken goujons made with smash and they were great but a little bland now you mention it. I can see how this would be a massive improvement.

Hi Vintagepockets, red onion sounds lovely! this one had courgette, mushroom, garlic, bacon in it, made by DH. The usual is minimum of garlic and courgette but nicer with a bit of bacon :-) Enjoy your carbonara if you have it :)

gorgeous looking paella - with the proper rice too by the looks of it. Now I want paella for tea and not the cowboy pie I've half made!

Britmum - what exactly IS a courgette spiralled? Intrigued! Do you add any of the egg white? I think opinion is a bit divided on this... I've always used a healthy blob of half fat creme fraiche - have to admit I love that too - makes it more creamy.... but this was so nice last night - also...

thanks Rosie :-)

Loving the sound of that supper! And bbq beans? Smash onion rings? Inspired!!

Joanne, I use two teaspoons - one to scoop mixture onto, the other to scrape off the first into the pasta shells - then just shove it in there as best you can :-) this would be impossible with normal sized pasta though. Really excited that someone is going to cook up my invention! Let me know...

hi ladies, SO glad you're liking the thread :D I don't have a recipe for that stuffed pasta, only made it up as I went along so here goes: - make a tomato sauce using onion, garlic, tinned tomatoes, fry lite, and whatever else you like to add - some herbs perhaps - meanwhile, roast butternut...

I remember seeing a blog somewhere (of course, I've lost the link) where someone was raving about sugar free maple syrup - it's made with splenda. Have just bought some online, will arrive within a week so will keep you posted on how it is. I'm looking forward to a pile of those cream cheese...

Hi Britmum and thanks :-) You could do what I do with my iPhone - take pic, then quickly email it to yourself (putting a .jpg on the end of file name). Upload to Photobucket or something then paste in IMG code. Seems a lot quicker than when I was using my big camera (which def takes better pics...

Aw thanks Honey! I don't see why both your children won't grow up loving to cook - IME kids seem to just love getting involved in the cooking. Laura is so self-sufficient now it's scary! Do you do any baking or anything with Rosie yet? Hope the bread turns out well :-) Joanne thank you! I...

hi Joanne, great diary and your chorizo stew looks gorgeous. I miss chorizo - may have to have some soon, I might try this!

Hi Vintage Pockets - along to subscribe after a rec by HoneyOC. Diary is looking good - look forward to seeing more of your meals!

Just subscribing after a rec from HoneyOC. I know you're not updating anymore but I'll enjoy looking through your ideas :-)

Hi Tracy lovely looking dishes, I will be keeping an eye on your thread :-)

thanks ladies :-D

Yesterday was a nice foodie day, being Sunday :-) I strayed badly from my syns, but probably had a good few saved up. Problem is I've lost track of them. This week will be different though because I'm basically keeping a track of them here now. 4th November: Breakfast: I made some flourless...

Hi CookiesnCream - thank you! Feeling a bit destressed already :-) We've been having bit of a foodie time here lately - my daughter has become obsessed with cooking (like mother like daughter!) and at 7 is now becoming massively proficient in the kitchen - am so proud! Yesterday we had friends...

thanks Britmum :-) see above - it was yummy! I prefer beef, so I loved this even more... No chance to think about food yet today - one of my cats is running around with serious ear damage :-( and won't let me catch her to take to vets.

Hi all - have been so, so busy. Mostly good busy but lots of anxiousness (seems less drastic than saying "anxiety") over various work events - travel, conferences, and I organised a workshop which went beautifully. Lots of great food too. At the end of it all I had lost 2 lb amazingly (over 3 or...

Hi Mumma, yes and in fact so busy I've failed to keep on top of this diary. There has been some minor slippage but nothing too disastrous - perhaps the worst has been that I've lost count of syns etc so no idea if I'm over or not.... and I've fallen behind with this. Not going to try and go over...

Hi Karensplan, thank you :-)

Around 64 syns over this week - still not up to the max of 105 that I could have - so not totally blown the diet yet! But this week is hard - away for another 3 days, then it's busy days ahead with people making cake, then on Saturday going off to Isles of Islay and Jura for work but taking...

Hi Rosie, no not rid of me yet :-) I like it a lot here! It is a struggle to keep up with the photos some days but it's extra motivation to be good when I know you guys are reading! 30 syns today though - that has to be a record for me! I'm usually way under.

Sunday 7th October: travelling all day to Cornwall with work - started out Aberdeen at 8.30am. Two planes, two trains, two taxis. Got here for 6pm, staying in lovely pub and here for 4 days oh dear. Bit of a blow out today as was so looking forward to it. Breakfast: leftover chicken pieces...

Saturday 6th October: Sorry - forgot to take pics today! Breakfast: beans, "fried" egg, tomato and mushroom with 2 slices back bacon with fat removed Snack: muller lite Lunch: veggie broth with veggies, peas, lentils, barley and bacon Snack: diet coke and bag crisps in pub (8.5 syns) Dinner...

Friday 5th October: I woke up with a v sore foot and went to A&E - plantar fasciitis :-( - scuppering my chance to exercise, for now. I'll start going swimming and more cycling when I get home. Can take a long time to go away apparently. Breakfast: beans, 1 rasher back bacon fat removed...

Thursday 4th October: Breakfast: Banana and not much else! Lunch: a pasta and sauce, with lots of veggies inside (cheat meal at work) Snack: muller lite Dinner: stovies (a Scottish dish with basically mince and tatties - hubby was trying out his new gravy browning and basically made the food...

Yay Honey! I'm going to live in there :-D Just about to try and catch this thread up - but it's been a busy few days, lots of out and about so it's all not-very-good iPhone pics. Bear with me!

thanks ladies. Mumma K, the plates are Sophie Conran for Port Meirion (if I've spelled it correctly) - my father in law got them for us a couple of Christmases ago and they're as good as new. Honey, I read somewhere that it's free and also on the SW site I'm fairly sure. Yeah the seafood ramen...

Wednesday 3rd October: had a day out with my 7 year old daughter today as she had a midday eye test in the hospital (a 45 minute drive from her school) - we usually have a girl's day if it's not realistic to go back to school :-) We had a great day, lots of shopping (some boots for me - and and...

thanks ladies. I now realise I should use a hosting site - let's try tinypic: Tuesday 2nd October: Breakfast: muller lites and lots of fruit - on the run! Snack: more muller lite... Lunch: leftover butternut squash stuffed pasta Snack: fruit Dinner: Baked potato, beans and cheese, tuna mayo...

yes, same here. HEB is for my sweet treat at bedtime (how sad is that!) - alpen or hi fi

thank you! I like gravy quite thick - so I think I'd need to blitz.

nasi goreng :-)

p.s. also thanks for the compliment re. the kids too - I don't love my kitchen more than my kids, honest :o

oh thanks ladies :D and thanks Honey for the compliment about my kitchen - I do love it! Honey, I noticed you are able to post nice large images - any tips on how to get mine a bit bigger? Peacelily good to know they look ok on iPad, they look tiny on my macbook...

thanks Peacelily! Can anyone tell me how to get larger images on here? Have I resized them too small?

Hi Mumma K :D Monday 1st October: Breakfast: green smoothie, coffee, small slice w/m toast with "fried" egg, spinach and cherry tomatoes (an iphone pic I had of my little boy with his green smoothie, as I forgot to photograph the smoothie when I'd made it!): Snack: muller lite, fruit...

thanks Peacelily :D

yes we are opposites! But having said that I'll tell you something quite funny - Michael Faber also wrote a book about a lady who gives lifts to male hitch hikers, and I won't say any more than that in case you want to read it, but let's just say that it's more along the lines of what I read...

Also, I went for a fun bike ride today. Got a bike a few weeks ago - the kids got new bikes too and hubby got a 2nd hand one until he gets his really good but broken one fixed up... it was just me and Lennie today (that's my saluki cross). We went along our track and up the track to the quarry...

oh how lovely, you're all here already even though I've not posted anything yet :D Honey, I have all kinds of favourites but my favourite author at the moment is Murakami. My first by him was "Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" - just amazing. A lot of the books I read are a bit...

thanks Rosielea :-) I'm already thinking about how I might make my pasta more exciting tonight for the photo, hehe :-)

Hi all, I'm starting a new food diary with photos, as I've found the other photo threads so useful and thought it might help others, as well as motivating me to make an effort. As long as I enjoy my food and find it exciting, this doesn't have to feel like a diet... Watch this space, as I'll...

Also, I'm now going to start a new food diary thread with photos :-)

SYNS FOR THE WEEK = 42. TOTAL SYNS ALLOWED IN A WEEK = 105 not bad, surely!

Sunday 30th September: Breakfast: muller lite, banana Snack: more muller lite greek yoghurt coconut flavour (1/2 syn) Lunch: Boots moroccan chicken and cous cous salad (2 syns - i didn't have the yoghurt sauce) Snack: diet coke and crisps in pub plus some of kids crisps (14 syns) Dinner: shin...

Saturday 29th September: Breakfast: back bacon, beans, "fried" egg, tomatoes and mushrooms Snack: Muller lite yoghurt Lunch: Pasta with sauce made from philadelphia and mozzarella, with smoked salmon and courgettes. Fruit Snack: pub, for half a pint of real ale (5 syns) and a bag of crisps (9...

thank you :-) I went and got some asda chickpea dahl. I also got a few tins of ratatouille, which am assuming is free but I'll check. Anything else like that, anyone? Soups? It's useful to have ideas for when I'm in a hurry at work. Also, I decided against savoury rice in the end, as I like...

do I detect a Scottish accent there?

Last night we had shin beef borscht which was slow cooked and served more like a casserole than a soup (it was quite thick). We had it with wm pitta (half for me, so half a HXB). Basically onions, celery, carrot and garlic fried off in some fry lite, then add the shin beef piece, grated beetroot...

Kwise, I'd love to know how you make syn free gravy pretty please?

Also probably much cheaper? I like the alpens but I also like the rocky road, yum. My new discovery is that I can have a small piece of toast for brekkie or lunch and still have one alpen or high fi lite bar at bedtime!

Interesting discussion about the deep fried tatties :D I'm thinking of trying out a pasta in sauce, with masses of spinach stirred in. I have a bag of spinach which needs to be used NOW, before it gets too slimy. I also had it in smoothie this morning, and with eggs at breakfast. I'll be...

thanks ladies - some excellent ideas :-)

I adore the rocky road, not too sure about cherry bakewell but will give it a go :-) I was disappointed with the peanut one actually.

Friday 28th September: Breakfast: pieces of fruit and yoghurt, small portion smoked salmon Snack: more yoghurt and fruit! Lunch: Leftover noodles and stir fry veg with egg scrambled in Snack: er - more yoghurt and fruit (oh dear) Dinner: Chicken breast stuffed with light cream cheese, black...

Hi I'm a newbie, slowly started posting and I've started a food diary on here. I'm into week 4 of SW and loving it so far. I love that it encourages real food, real home cooking. BUT sometimes I'm in a fix where I need to grab something ready made e.g. to eat quickly at work or on the run. I...

some delicious things here. Love the idea of the biryani with the sides. And using light philly in pasta is something I must try.

I'm at 20 posts but can't post an avatar! help...

hi there, I'm naturally a bit of a lush too - hubby doesn't help. But I've majorly cut down. I replace it with sugar free fizzy drinks - aiming for something a bit different at the weekend (e.g. sugar free ginger beer). I'm the same with only one glass - just makes me want more. And I'd rather...

I did it this morning actually - every time i try to do it though (i.e. consistently every day), I end up spraining something or coming down with a bug. I'm only 36 but think it must be too intensive for me.... I did level 2 this morning after months away from it, and now I'm feeling it, ouch!

I've got a veggie stir fry with softly scrambled eggs in there too, with chilli flakes (lots), and soy (lots) and noodles. yum.

I'm very excited about dinner tonight. We have been to Mexico twice and love Mexican food - we make our own tortillas from corn flour, our own refried beans etc. etc.... I'm not quite sure how to do it yet but going to attempt to make low syn corn tortillas (little ones) which I'll crisp up in...

I've found this too which is soul destroying but ultimately you'll start to see the benefits again. good luck.

great thanks for this, really useful. Hoping the water retention is why I had STS on week 3 despite suddenly upping my exercise.

Hello everyone! I'm into my 4th week of SW - lost the first two weeks then nothing on week three - perhaps due to sudden increase in exercise (I hope!). I'm going to a group and loving this diet more than any other I've done - it's so foodie friendly. I'm wanting to go from my current 12 st 1...

another one I have to try for a quick lunch - thank you :-)

this sounds delish, will be trying - thank you!

not sure if someone else said this, but salt! really helps to crisp things up nicely.

must try that mushy pea curry (but the recipe sounds really wrong...)

amazing idea!

sounds like perfect comfort food!

It's absolutely delicious in a very light hearted and kiddie friendly way. I could seriously have eaten three times the amount. But I'd recommend trying to up the gravy in it a bit.

Just thought I'd post a thread about eggs to share my ideas, and to get your ideas too. I have chickens and while they're not currently laying eggs, hopefully they'll start up in the Spring, so gathering ideas is a good thing! Apart from all the obvious uses of eggs, some I've liked recently...

Thursday 27th September: Breakfast - scrambled egg and smoked salmon Snack - apple and tangerine Lunch - Baked potato with chilli Snack - banana, orange, fat free yoghurt Dinner - Beef and veg stir fry with black bean sauce (2.5 syns), sesame oil (3 syns) and noodles HEA - milk HEB - two rocky...

Wednesday 26th September: Breakfast - banana, wafer thin ham Lunch - Aubergine and courgette in tomato sauce, with two eggs baked in it. A bit more ham. Snack - muller lite toffee x 2 Dinner - cowboy pie (SW recipe) with peas and cheese as my HEA HEB - hi fi lites x 2 (rocky road) Exercise...

WEIGH IN - MAINTAIN (but have lost 3.5 over previous two weeks - now been at this for three weeks) Tuesday 25th September: Breakfast - Banana Snack - Fat free yoghurt (fruit) Lunch - Leftover minestrone Snack - Fat free yoghurt (fruit) Dinner - Griddled pork steak (fat removed), aubergine and...

Hi all, Hello everyone, I'm a newbie here, looking to lose in total around 2 stone. I started SW almost three weeks ago and am down 3.5 lb. Thought I'd introduce myself a bit - live in Scotland, work in a university (research) and live in the countryside with my husband, 2 kids, 2 cats, 2 dogs...