{Recipe} Diet Cola Chicken

I'm very pleased to say, this week I lost a whopping (for me!) 3lbs!

I put on 2lbs last week so I was happy I'd lost that and a bit more. It restores my faith in myself that I can do it! To be honest, its not even that difficult, I don't feel deprived at all. My consultant asked me what I'd done this week and, I had to be honest, I just followed the plan...to the letter! Funny enough, it really does work, now just to keep on doing what I've been doing!

So, I've been trying some new recipes this week (I'm a MASSIVE recipe book hoarder) and my favourite new to me recipe has to be the Diet Cola Chicken. I initially thought "eww" but I know lots of people love it so thought I'd give it a go and I'm pleased to report its delish!

So, thought I'd share the recipe....

Ingredients 

Serves 4

4 chicken breasts
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
1 onion, finely chopped
330ml can diet cola
200ml boiling chicken stock
120g pasata
4tbsp tomato puree
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2tsp Worcestershire sauce
1tbsp dark soy sauce
1tsp dried mixed herbs
200g sugar snap peas

What you need to do...

• Spray a non stick pan (I use my wok) with fry light, add the chicken, peppers and onion and fry for five minutes until the chicken is brown.
• Mix together the rest of the ingredients in a jug and add to the chicken and peppers.
• Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure it doesnt' catch.
• Add the sugar snap peas and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the veg is tender.
• Serve with mash or rice or cauliflower rice for an SP meal.

Completely syn free and can be frozen (without the mash or rice) for another day, or reheated for lunch the following day!

I usually make four portions and freeze two as its my favourite!!

Enjoy :)

Mrs B xx

{Recipe} Baked Oats For Breakfast

Oats are oats right?  Kinda boring but necessary when you're eating well as they fill you up.  Aha....think again my friend!

Over on Instagram I've been coming across all these amazing ways to have your Healthy Extra B choice!  Baked oats is my new favourite one and will be a lovely alternative to porridge when it gets a bit colder (which I hope it does...really soon!)

So what are these baked oats I hear you ask?  They're so easy to do! 

All you need is your 35g porridge oats (healthy extra B choice) 2 eggs, 50ml milk (from your healthy extra A choice) OR 2 heaped tbsp fat free yoghurt, few drops vanilla, tbsp sweetener.  

Whisk it all up and put it in an oven proof dish, I have two small heart shaped cake moulds, and bake for 22 minutes. Serve with yoghurt and your favourite berries for some extra speedy food. They're so filling and warm, they really are delicious and you can play around with the flavours. 

I added a sachet of Cadburys Options (2syns) for Chocolate Baked Oats, I've also seen people adding cinnamon, mixed spice and baking the fruit in the oats (although this has syns).

I did find they weren't great cold, but thats just my preference. Plus I'm a greedy guts once they're out the oven I want to eat them hot!

Until next time...

Love from Mrs B xx

Back At It

Like a bad penny or a slightly annoying stray cat, Im back!  I rejoined Slimming World on the 17th August (right in the middle of the summer holidays...was I mad??) for the last time!  My actual words to my consultant were "I'm tired of starting again", which she then wrote down and promised to quote me if she didn't see me at class one week!  I'm glad because sometimes I need to be bullied.

These words were so true though, I am tired of starting again, making the resolution and never ever flippin' sticking to it.  I've become the queen of excuses, waiting to start the next healthy eating plan on a Monday that never comes, so this is it, I'm done. I've made my choice of eating plan and I'm sticking to it!! (you can quote me on that one too if anyones reading - haha!)

I've looked at a few plans over the last few months, there are so many out there at the moment and so many mixed messages - high fat, low carb; low fat, high carb; high protein; its soooooooo confusing but I think I've tried most of them recently, only to fall off the wagon and be back to square one.  I've not found anything that fits around me, my husband and my girls, that doesn't mean all day prepping food on a Sunday (although I'm not totally against that now and again) and that means I can't eat out or have treats or my beloved sugar in my coffee first thing!

Favourite breakfast at the moment!

Slimming World seems to be the only thing that fits...and to be honest, I'm not really sure why I quit last time.  I love the plan, I love the recipes, I love that I can still have chocolate every flippin day if I want it!  I don't have to have a ratio of fats to protein, I don't have to eat 4kgs spinach a day, where I can have sugar in my coffee and not feel like I need to spend the next five days at the gym!

Don't get me wrong, every diet plan has it's limitations otherwise we could all eat chocolate all day every day and it would have no effect at all.  Slimming World though is the only one that lets me eat "normal" food...

AND I LOVE IT!

So this is me, my last Slimming World journey...and not because I think it's going to end as such but its the last time I'm going to start again.

Lots of love,

Mrs B xx

{Recipe} Pancakes Slimming World Style

Hello My Friends and Happy Shrove Tuesday!

Hasn't that come around quickly!  Or is it particularly early this year?  Either way, we love a pancake in this house!  Girls love pancakes with Nutella, I love pancakes with ANYTHING on them!!  I love them so much, when I was in Paris (many) years ago for a weekend I ate FOURTEEN crepes....a fact I'm quite proud of :) haha!  Maybe its this lack of an off switch which is why I'm overweight and the size I am today.....haha!  However, I digress...

A you may know I'm following Slimming World this year to lose at least two and a half stone. So, I've been doing my research, practiced a few recipes and I think this one is a winner.  Its a syn free pancake, which I was so happy with because it meant I could sit and have pancakes with my girlies before school this morning!  So, here's what I did....

Slimming World Syn Free Pancakes

2 eggs

2 tbsp fat free yogurt

2 tbsp sweetener

2 or 3 drops vanilla essence

• Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl
• Heat a little fry light in a frying pan
• Put a little of the mixture into the frying pan over a medium heat, to form a small round pancake shape
• Flip (with a spatula!) the pancake after a few minutes and fry the other side
• Serve with fresh fruit or a little more fat free yoghurt

Et voila! Thats it.  A little tip - I would say keep the pancakes small ish as they can be quite difficult to turn over.  You wont be able to make any crepe sized ones with this mixture!  That suited me fine though and I thoroughly enjoyed my pancake breakfast!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!

Love Mrs B x x

slimming world update and a recipe

Hello Lovelies!

It's been a few weeks since I started back at Slimming World and so far I've lost 6.5lbs!  I've tried some lovely recipes this week.  Now, if you're like me and the idea of going without chocolate is unthinkable, you need to get quite creative in the kitchen.  Friday night I needed something cakey.  I wanted a big chocolate fudge cake.  Luckily for me there was no such thing in the house (or I quite possibly would have eaten the lot!)  So I did a little research and looked at what I had in and came up with this!!

So simple for this you will need:

1 sachet Cadburys chocolate options (2 syns)

1 egg

2 tbsps sweetener

2 or 3 drops of vanilla essence

Put all the ingredients in a medium size mug and whisk well with a fork.

Put into the microwave for two minutes  

Put in a bowl and enjoy with fruit, yoghurt or both!!

Its that simple and it really got rid of those cakey cravings I was having Sunday night!  Its for this reason I love Slimming World so much!!

As I mentioned its been a few weeks since I rejoined Slimming World and considering I've had my nieces birthday in London, my birthday weekend and a meal out with my mummy friends, I think I'm doing pretty well!

I'm currently 6.5lbs down in four weeks which is amazing considering all I've eaten.  I do so well during the week but the weekends let me down, especially when I'm away!  I was a little bit gutted I didn't get a shiny last week, I only needed half a pound to get a shiny (a sticker you get every time you lost half a stone) but I'm hopeful for this week.  Its one of my February goals to get a shiny!

Thanks to the weather I've not been out running as much as I would have hoped.  Im very much a fair weather runner and take no enjoyment in running in the rain!  Some people feel a bigger sense of achievement after completing a run in the rain.  Not me....I'm a wuss :)

Would love to know if you try this recipe or if you have any other Slimming World cake recipes!  I found a Banoffee Pie I might try soon....looks amazing!

Thanks for reading!

Love Mrs B xx

my birthday weekend at the cotswolds

Hello lovely friends!

We had THE best weekend at the lovely Bourton-on-the-Water.  I've wanted to go to The Cotswolds for as long as I can remember.  From pictures I've seen the villages look beautiful, the cottages so cozy and I just think its an amazing place to go and visit.

Knowing this, my lovely husband booked us a weekend away for my birthday and gave it to me, in a cracker at Christmas (making me wait until dinner and everything!).  We were staying in an apartment called The Lake House, which, as the name suggests is situated on a lake!  Not just any lake, its own private late, which you can walk around and fish on should you so wish.  It was a bit cold for sitting by a lake, it being January and all, so we just admired the lake from the warmth of our lovely apartment.

The view I woke up to on my birthday!  Not at all bad :)

One of the first stops we made after checking into The Lake House was for afternoon tea of course!

I love a good afternoon tea!  I did forget any kind of Slimming World rules this weekend :) It was quite drizzly the afternoon we arrived so we decided to get supplies (mainly wine and nibbles) and head back to The Lake House for a film.

Next day was glorious though (if  a little cold) and I really wanted to head into the village and go to the Model Village and then over to the next village which I've heard so much about.

The model village is exactly that, I miniature of the actual village of Bourton-on-the-Water!  Its a massive tourist attraction (as is the whole village) and got quite busy but we took some lovely photos and got our bearings of where we were and where we needed to go.  It was as pretty as the really thing!

Bourton-on-the-Waters Model Village is so pretty! 

After that, we put out walking boots on and headed on a five mile round trip over to Lower Slaughter. It was as beautiful and picturesque as I'd hoped.  I'm sure people thought I was weird taking pictures of their front doors but I figured they're probably used to it by now!

On the trek back we decided we'd earned a pub lunch so stopped off in a pub back in Bourton-on-the-Water to warm up by the log fire and have something decent to eat.

I'm ashamed to say that, because I'm old, I was done by the time we got back to The Lake House so we grabbed a couple of pizzas to heat up and snuggled down for a night of films.  This might sound boring to some but when you normally cant watch a film without getting interrupted by a small person, a night on your own is heaven! 

Me and my lovely handsome hubby

I thoroughly enjoyed our whistle-stop tour of a small part of The Cotswolds!  I can't wait to go back! In fact, its only an hour and a half away so I may even get my hubby to take me on a day trip one day as they do an amazing afternoon tea....definitely worth the travel :)

Thanks for reading!

Love Mrs B xx

january round up

January is very much the Monday of the Months isnt it?  Kind of a "grit your teeth and get on with it" month.  Typically its when healthy eating plans start after the over eating of Christmas, the weather is dark, cold and rubbish and Spring still seems so far away!  Its not nice but you know you have to get through it and hopefully, be rewarded with maybe a nicer February.

Speaking of weather, I can honestly say I've never seen so much rain in all my life.  I don't ever remember there being rainy day after rainy day after rainy day plus infinity!!  I'm very much a sunny day, blue sky kinda gal (who isn't?!) and all this dark grey cloudy stuff makes me want to hibernate.

If only January looked this pretty!

So what have I been up to this month?

Been busy booking shows and stalls at lots of local dog shows and farmers markets for Little Paws Dogs Bakery.  The summer will be very busy for me and my little business partner! 

I joined Slimming World and started running again.  I've not been out as much as I'd like but have managed at least two runs a week which is a start!  I've had two weekends away in January though so my weight loss on the scales isn't as much as I'd hoped.  However, I'm happy with the way its going and feel better which in my opinion, is more important that the figure on the old sad step!

Been doing lots of planning for my allotment.  Not much else I can do at the moment because its just too wet to do anything else.  I'm sure the weeds are probably knee high by now but I'll be doing more damage than good by treading all over soaking wet soil so for now, I'm enjoying looking through my seed catalouges and planning what I'm going to be doing.  Lets not forget, I'm a complete novice at this so in my mind, I can't do enough planning and research.  I'm part of quite a few allotment groups on Facebook too which have been very useful in the learning process!

I've also been doing some research ready for the end of the month when I go away for my birthday!! With my birthday the last day of the month, it seems only right to celebrate getting through a horrible month and my birthday!  Mr B has excelled himself this year and for my birthday we are going here....

Bourton on the Water in the beautiful Cotswolds.  Have you ever seen such a perfect looking village??  I'm so excited, two nights in The Lake House, just me and Mr B.  As much as I love my little B's even this momma needs some time away to eat a meal/drink coffee/walk around without someone whinging/crying/asking for something!  Will update when we're back with some lovely photos.

So, that was my January!  I'm hoping, with fingers and toes crossed, that February will at least be drier, that's all I ask.

Thanks for reading!  I hope January was good to you :)

Love Mrs B xx

and so it begins.....

I've done it again.  I've become a member of Slimming World....not for the first time, I hasten to add!

Love food?  Yup thats me!

I joined Slimming World back last year (maybe October time) but for one reason and another didn't stick to it.  I think I might have been a bear in a former life, or some sort of hibernating animal, because I firmly believe my body goes into some kind of survival mode when the nights get darker and all I want to do is eat!  My will power is set to zero and inevitably the pounds pile on.  I get more and more tired and my motivation to exercise is severely lacking and generally I'm an unhealthy mess.

Always my go to meal, a good old grill up!

Another thing that made me want to join a Slimming World group was that I want to make time for myself!  I spend all day cleaning, thinking, doing for other people (not that I begrudge this....its my job as mummy and homemaker after all!) maybe taking an hour out to concentrate on myself is not a bad thing.  The group is a lovely group full of enthusiasm and good ideas as well as recipes that I cant wait to try!  

You can eat all that....every single scrap!

So, turns out I've put on nearly a stone since my wedding last year....which, without going into the finer details, means I have a good three stone to lose.  My first target though is to get back under the stone bracket I'm in right now, which means losing 6lb.  I can so do it!!  I've a few obstacles coming up, my nieces birthday party this weekend, my birthday weekend away the following weekend, meal out with the mums the weekend after....its going to be tough!  Tough, but not impossible so.....wish me luck!!

I'd love to know your favourite Slimming World recipe.  I know lots of you have them!  I'm hoping to share a few on my lil' old blog in the near future as and when I come across them.

Thanks for reading! 

Love Mrs B xx

ten things that make me happy

Hello Blog Friends!

So apparently, today is the most depressing day of the year according to the wonderful media here in the UK (I'd actually love to know when the happiest day of the year is, but I don't remember that being reported!)  I can understand it though, the weathers crap, has been for ages and looks like its going to be for the forseeable.  Moneys tight, Christmas takes its toll and January always seems to be a really long month wage wise (especially so here in the Bowler Household!).  A lot of people are also either drying out from Christmas or starting new healthy eating plans in January too, which can only add to the doom and gloom of the month!  

However, I decided not to go with the (downward) flow today and focus on the good points, of which there are many!  So, here are my ten reasons to be happy, when everyone's trying to make you blue!!

1. My Girls

The main reason I function every day is so they are happy and healthy, and guess what? They are exactly that!  Yes they have tantrums and can test my patience to the very last thread but they're clean, healthy, well fed, have everything they want (within my power, I'm working on the pony!)   

2. My Home

Ok so this one may be a given but I watched/read a few things about homeless people living on the streets over the Christmas holidays.  Apparently you're only three paychecks away from being homeless.  I'm lucky I'd never be in that situation as I have family I've no doubt would take me in, but what if I didn't?  There were many families facing doubt over their homes and I'm so so lucky Mr B works so hard to keep the roof over our heads.

Flowers from my wonderful husband always cheer me up

3. My Husband
That leads me nicely onto number three, my husband.  He works so hard for this family, gives us everything we want/need and I'm so so grateful.  Because he works so hard I'm able to stay at home with my girls and be a stay at home mum, look after our home and I consider myself so lucky to be able to do that.

4. My Fur Baby
If ever I'm having a bad day, or I'm finding it hard to get out of a funky mood, you know whats best for that??!  Coming home and being greeted by a waggy tail!  He's my shadow (asleep on my feet as I type) and I love him so much!

Who wouldn't love that face!??

5. My Hobbies

Whilst I've not actually started planting yet, I'm really enjoying planning what I'm going to grow this year, learning about how to grow stuff, I'm almost enjoying it almost as much as 

6. This......

Waking up in the morning and seeing this.....love a sunset, love a sunrise, love seeing the sun and the blue sky.  Never fails to cheer me up.

And if all else fails.....

Chocolate and lots of it!!  I take no shame in resorting to a bar of Dairy Milk or two to get me through a particularly bad day :-)

So, if you were feeling blue, I hope a little insight into what makes me happy has made you think maybe there's a lot to be happy about!

Thanks for reading!

Love Mrs B xx

happy new year & my goals for the year

Hello and Happy New Year!  

We've had a wonderful New Year in London with my family.  No mad parties and drinking, just games with the kids and a few (slightly competitive!) adult ones! 

Some people love resolutions, some people loathe them.   Some people think you should strive towards goals all year round and not just make them at new year, which I guess is partly true!  I like to make goals, I like to think about the year ahead and how I want it to look.  So whilst I dont make resolutions as such (although lose a few pounds should probably be one!) I do like to have a plan and more importantly, make a list, if only for the simple reason of being able to check things off that list at the end of the year!

1. Make more time for my crafty hobbies

I've got so many projects I started last year but didn't finish because the dishes needed doing, or the hoovering needed to be done or I felt like I should be doing something more important.  Well guess what, the dishes still need doing, the hoovering gets done every day regardless and I still haven't got any time for my crafty projects!!  So I'm going to set aside maybe one day a week where I will have a few hours craft time.  I've bought a Christmas cross stitch I never started, maybe I'll get it done in time for next Christmas.

2. Be better with cards and birthdays

It's a really bad habit of mine.  I buy cards, sometimes I'll even write them, then they stay on my worktop in the kitchen.  I don't know what happens but something in my brain fails to register that they need to go in the post box!  So I'm making it a goal that I send all cards, on time this year!

3. Grow all my own veg for Christmas

You might have read that I recently got the keys to my own allotment plot.  Its long been a goal of mine to grow my own veg and have dabble with a few strawberry plants, some tomatoes and herbs in my own garden.  I now have a whole half a plot and my aim is to plan and grow enough veg for my Christmas dinner next year for me and my family.  I'd better get planning!

4. Start a small business

I'm a bit of a serial small business starter!  I've had quite a few small businesses over the last five years or so including an online fabric shop and an ironing business which for one reason or another I don't do anymore.  However I miss having a focus and the drive that a small business gives you.  I miss the planning and organising.  My oldest little one has come up with a good idea we're looking into a bit more so watch this space I guess!

5. Grow my own peonies and David Austin Roses
Ok so similar to the grow my own veg one, but I am so bad at growing flowers!  I don't know what I do to them, they just don't like me!  I'm hoping I'll have more luck when I start a small flower patch at the allotment but peonies are my favourite of all time and David Austin roses are so beautiful, I have to give them a go.  I may fail, but I'm going to try!!

If my peonies are half as pretty as this I'll be happy! 

I think that's a reasonable number of goals for one year, I may add to them as the year goes on but those are the things I would definitely like to achieve in 2016.  Do you have any goals?  Or are you more a resolution maker?

Thanks for reading!

Love Mrs B xx