Here goes....time to get my groove back!

[missy1978]

It does get easier - I know it won't feel like that though. When we lost our little kitten paws it was just horrific and it took a while but now I can look at pictures and remember him in happy times without crying. You'll get there too and you'll be able to remember the good days without thinking of how you feel right now.

Be kind to yourself and I hope virtual hugs help a little bit *hugs* xxx

 

[Franalamadingdong]

Missy is right. We've always had pets, and when our last dog past it was heartbreaking, I was over in Norwich, he was like mum's 4th baby, a permanent toddler. But now we think of him and laugh at him trying to catch flies, and doing handstands. It does just take time. You look after yourself

 

[Alycyn1980]

Hi hun it was for the best. I was thinking of you today and remembering about my own (Shari) who we lost a year ago this coming saturday. I live in aberdeen and my mum told me it was time so I left that day and the vet came to the house the following day. We had her cremated and I am getting some of her ashes when my mum decides what she is wanting to do. Shari was like a little human and gave us so many happy memories.

It will get easier. I now have 2 cats and although they are only 4 I am dreading the day I have to make that decision.

Take care & cry all you need to xxx

 

[Texty_F]

Thinking of you Tooty xx

 

[Franalamadingdong]

Hope you are doing ok toots.

 

[Franalamadingdong]

Still thinking of you hun

 

[SallyVater]

Hope all is OK with you Tooty.

 

[MissPeriPeri]

Hope your well sweetie xx

 

[missy1978]

<3 xxx

 

[TootyFrooty]

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts. I'm okay. Well, getting there anyway. My other dog Oscar is totally lost without his brother.

I'm at work today. Will be back later with a proper update xx

 

[TootyFrooty]

Hi all,

Well I think i'm finally ready to start writing my diary again, although i'm not starting it off very well as I had a 2lb gain on the scales today. It's all my own fault as I've had way too many syns and have let old bad habits creep back in. Even today, after weigh in I ate sausage rolls and cakes and now feel totally disgusted with myself. We've booked a week away in May with my mil and sil so that's just 12 weeks away and i'd like to be 2 stone lighter by then.

I need to get myself organised and do some more batch cooking as i've been very lazy over the last few weeks with everything that's been going on. I'm going through a really tough time at work just now and finding it really hard and I need to learn to be strong and stay away from the naughty stuff when i'm feeling emotional. It's so hard though.

Hope everyone is well. xx

 

[SallyVater]

:bighug:

 

[Franalamadingdong]

Welcome back my lovely! So, what are you planning to batch cook? I'm just reading the latest mag (march/april issue) and there are some yummy recipes in there. not the 7 day planner one, those are a bit rubbish, but further back in the magazine are some yummo ones!

 

[TootyFrooty]

Thanks fran.

I'm thinking of doing a week of extra easy so that I can make meals that we'll all eat as I tend to eat veggie stuff at night but it'd be so much easier if I could bung a casserole in for us all to eat together.

Any ideas would be welcome. I find it hard getting my superfree in when I do EE.

 

[Franalamadingdong]

What veg do you/dont you like?

 

[SallyVater]

I found this recipe the other day - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow_cooker_split_pea_93320

Is that any good to you? (you can obviously leave out the oil to cut back on the syns)

Are you after meaty slow cooker stuff as well?

 

[TootyFrooty]

Thanks Sally. That dish looks really tasty. Will definitely give it a go. Yeah I'm looking for meat dishes too as my hubby likes his meat.

Fran I don't like cauliflower or cooked carrots but I'll eat most other veg.

 

[Franalamadingdong]

For most casseroles I chuck in onion (or shallots), celery, carrot (which you can easily leave out) button mushrooms (or regular ones halved) courgette, garlic, stock and meat. If it is red meat I might add aubergine and tinned chopped tomatoes. You could serve it with broccoli or cabbage and mash, or mashed swede is always good

 

[MissPeriPeri]

Welcome back toots! Hope your ok!

I always buy like 4 bags of salad leaves, and with my EE meals I shove a couple of massive handful of this with some cucumber and onion and bobs your wally your superfree!

 

[SallyVater]

I did a whole chicken in the slow cooker last weekend, and I've never got so much meat off a bird ever!

It's just a couple of onions cut in half, couple of carrots cut in half, don't bother peeling any of the veg, and bung them in the bottom of the slow cooker to make a "platform". Season the chicken and place it breast side down on the veggies. I cooked it on high for 1 hour and then low for 6 hours but I think it would work equally as well just on low for 8 hours. You don't eat the veggies obviously, and you do get a big old load of fat which runs out of the chicken. I strained it off in a gravy separator and froze the meat juices for stock, but it would make an amazing gravy. We had ours with chips and HM coleslaw, but you could serve it with salad, or veggies and mash or anything really.

I did a chickpea and squash tagine recently which was nice and dead easy. BBC - Food - Recipes : Slow cooker chickpea tagine It's only a four hour cooking time though, not sure if that's any good to you.

Curries are brilliant in the slow cooker as are the bog standards usuals of chilli con carne and ragu.

Lamb is also fab, you can either do it with a Moroccan feel Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Tagine Recipe something like this only tweaked to make it syn free (I wouldn't bother with the dried fruit as it mings) and then served with cous cous packed with tomatoes, cucumber and onions; or in a Greek style Lamb Kleftiko recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food like this, but I would only use 1 tbsp oil to make it just 1.5 syn per portion.

If you read all that you deserve a medal.