Consolidation Anjuschka's journey through Conso (closed)

I wouldn't know a spaghetti squash if I were to meet one... (and I've googled it to see its face and I've definitely never seen one!)
 
All so seasonal :)

Ahh that extra bit you accidently ;) lost is a buffer for Christmas, excellent timing.

Yes, well I have a feeling I have undone some of that this week with 'phase 2'!!
 
I wouldn't know a spaghetti squash if I were to meet one... (and I've googled it to see its face and I've definitely never seen one!)

Neither had I, but I'm really into squash this year! We only managed to grow one of our own (the frost in May was a bitter blow!) but our box supplier has some at the moment so I bought lots of varieties for fun! And they're all yummy...
 
I've picked up a butternut squash on the way home. Excited to try it.
Not seen the spaghetti sort in years. But I don't get to grocers or bigger supermarkets often.
 
Ours came from our organic box supplier: Delicata, Turk's Turban, Harlequin, Lightning (looks like mini-Harlequin to me!), Spaghetti, Gem, and one more that I forgot the name of. Also found some in Sainsbury that looked like classic mini-Pumpkins and were called 'Munchkin'. Butternut of course too, that's always tasty and more widely available all year round.
Most of them, especially the smaller ones, I just cut a lid off, take the seeds out, season a bit (you *could* add butter, cheese etc) and bung into the oven for an hour. Big ones I halve or slice and give them the same treatment.

And next spring I'll not let my plants out until June, maybe we'll manage to grow more than one then!
 
I hope you get lovely praise from your parents anja, its great wearing your skinniest looking clothes when you havent seen people since you lost the weight lol. Hope your doing well
 
Thanks we'll see :) my mum has a way of turning a praise into a criticism. Esp when she comes to my choir's concerts (not that often). Now, we're an amateur community choir with no auditions, but we're 100+ strong and we do give outstanding large-scale concerts of major works with professional orchestra and top soloists (who all enjoy working with us and come back time and time again). So I come out of a concert that's going really well and we know it because we've worked hard all term, and rather than congratulating us my mum still finds the little bits to nit-pick :rolleyes::(

That's us: Collegium Laureatum

I've been a member since 2002 - both my babies have taken part in concerts at about 1 month before birth ;) and they definitely enjoyed it!! And now for my sins I am Treasurer since last year...
 
Anja! Where are you? I think I messed up the chutney!
 
Hi all,

I'm here, busy long weekend with my parents etc. Back to normal tomorrow (need to be strict had too much chocolate!).

Jo what happened? I had no problems but it was still a bit juicy when I put it in the jars, even though I cooked for quite a bit longer. Still tasted yum and 'works' fine - more like 'pickle' from a consistency point of view.

More tomorrow, hopefully ...
 
Smelled divine and tastes yum... BUT was I supposed to grind the mustard seeds? (And if so, why didn't the recipe say, grrrrr!). (nasty little hard balls!)
 
Smelled divine and tastes yum... BUT was I supposed to grind the mustard seeds? (And if so, why didn't the recipe say, grrrrr!). (nasty little hard balls!)

Hi just found that question in your diary now too. Those seeds available here feel hollow (I think they must have a soft-ish interior and a lightly crunchy shell) and soften more with cooking / time so I don't perceive them as a problem. The chutney is supposed to 'mature' which should help? I did not crush the mustard, only the coriander because that would have been nasty whole (in my opinioon!).
 
we crushed the cloves for the same reason you say, so could soooo easily have put the mustard and coriander seeds also... (thinking about it, the "balls" could be coriander... here's hoping they become more "tender" in time!!)
 
Hello I'm back after a long weekend with the house full of visitors.

My parents were suitably impressed by my results - my dad was astonished when he saw me. Also we went swimming on Monday with DD2 as usual, so they saw me in a swimsuit and said (and I agree) that I had never been this slim! My mum was already impressed when we saw each other in the summer and is planning to start Dukan herself in January - at the moment its just too tricky with too many social occasions etc.

We had some nice walks when the weather was good, the freezing rain did not come here till Monday.

We went to Angelsey abbey (NT) and stayed for lunch - I was able to grab a WM sandwich with 'cheese and pickle', which really was just that, no butter, and not vast amounts of pickle either etc... and just ate one slice of bread and the cheese filling, estimating that it was probably my 40g portion. the rest of the time we ate at home as I had planned and the fish Pie on Sat (non-Dukan!) was delicious even the kids emptied their plates!

Of course I have STRAYED. They brought me a box of Belgian chocolates. So I've had about 2 or 3 every day since Sat. DD2 made chocolate cripy cakes on sat so I had one of those too. And I've been having one biscuit a day.
I'll see what that did by Friday (the chocolates will be finished by then!), and then decide on a course of action... So far luckily no outwards signs of any increases.

So now I've sent them home with their Christmas presents which this year consist only of food: a selection of chutneys and jams and a pretty jar of 'Christmas muffin mix' (flour, spices, dried fruit & nuts) which you then make up yourself by adding eggs & milk & butter.

I have another friend who is now contemplating starting, but I advised her to wait till Jan, which she agreed with readily when she found out that it involves going teetotal if you want to do it properly! I do think starting *any* diet in November is setting yourself up to fail (feel free to shoot me down) - at least if you live in a West-european environment.

I might get round to some diary replies later...
 
Terrific your parents were impressed (as they should be).
Hope the choc hasnt done too much damage.

Totally agree about starting a diet now being hard, and all the media support is there in Jan. But its easy to put off and put off, if someone is motivated to try then they should harness that.
 
If the person has a lot of weight to lose, I'm with Anja on this one - wait until January. For a small loss though, why not but, as is being well illustrated in several "post holiday" diaries at the moment, it's very hard to get back in the saddle after a split up so best start when motivation is highest and likely to stay there for the foreseeable!

I admit that I also think people need to read the book first and get their menus sorted etc etc.

But I hear you Jacq... good to capture the feeling while it's there but use it perhaps to do a bit of healthy eating, while preparing Dukan perhaps...


Anja - it sounds as if you have had a great visit with your folk, and have enjoyed with some restraint some extras too. That's the best way to reintroduce. Slowly, with an eye on the scales, to find your limit.

I think if I start this whole thing again, I shall name you my coach...
 
hiya anju its good to know that ur parents are pleased with ur weight loss a great achievement !!!!!!
 
So glad your parents were impressed with your weight loss and your mum didnt say anything to upset you (mine is exactly like that too). Im sure having 2-3 chocolates a night wont have done you any harm :)
 
Glad the visit went well, well done for having some chocolate too!

(My Auntie noticed that I'd lost weight when I was back in the UK. I told her I was trying to avoid diabetes and she said "good for you". I don't think anyone else noticed though).
 
Glad the visit went well, well done for having some chocolate too!

(My Auntie noticed that I'd lost weight when I was back in the UK. I told her I was trying to avoid diabetes and she said "good for you". I don't think anyone else noticed though).

Ohh (((LAURA))) - shame on them, I guess they had other things on their mind and you might not have been wearing your slinkiest of Dresses. I'm sure you'll knock them for 6 next time you meet in happier circumstances!

My dad actually exclaimed 'oh wow', he was so surprised.

The chocolate - I have three more left - I managed to ration them to 3 a day... That was pretty hard and I had to resort to eating yoghurt and the odd bit of dried fruit :p I have currently - sort of - cut the cheese from by conso plan (though I had a little parmesan for flavour last night!) to compensate - ha ha !!
 
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