A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

scrabbles_2

lizzyb1812 wrote: »

Scrabbles - if you have a strong enough stick blender you can whip cold skimmed milk into a topping for desserts. But it needs to be a really quick blender. Rosemary Conley is good for low fat eating as well - she originally designed the diet to avoid surgery on her gall bladder.

Do you know, before my diagnosis I used to see Rosemary Conley books in the charity shops all the time? But none since I've been looking out. Typical. I'm too tight-fisted to order them online But I do have a couple of really good low-fat books by other authors. Plus, you just kind of get used to adapting recipes as best you can. It's just that every now and then I get into the idea of trying the crazier substitutes just to see if they're any good!

Would you believe that I don't own a stick blender either? I'm always meaning to get one, especially as it would save getting the food processor out every time I make soup!

GFN123

Am I the first up?! Morning

Scrabbles - I got a £5 Tesco stick blender years ago and it's been fine for soups and the like. It does occasionally sound like it may die when I really challenge it, but still it survives!

I actually had weird dreams about kitchens and cupboards last night :rotfl:When reality and the internet collide!

Haven't been sleeping well all this week and feel really shattered today. But, it's Friiiidaaaay!

It's definitely getting colder but I was very happy to have my replacement electric blanket (first one stopped working & I got round to getting it exchanged last week). After much glossing we retired to bed, watched Earthflight on iplayer and snuggled down. I was out like a light, shame I kept waking up and being haunted by images of extra storage :rotfl:

Am I the only one here without a TV? I never realised how liberating it was. When I moved into my flat (June last year) I didn't have the money but added it to The List. I met OH at the same time and he is not a telly watcher, so we never bothered to get one. I swear I get so much done in the evenings now, although am not adverse to just heading to bed with the laptop for an evening of 'brain drain'.

I was feeling a bit downhearted last night, but don't know why. I think it's just the various pressures and worries that linger at the back of my mind, I'm sure that's affecting my sleep as well.

I just wish lighter evenings would hurry up and it would stop being cold. OH and I like to go for evening walks (I've promised myself these will turn into runs one day... ) and it definitely helps rather than being stuck indoors all evening.

Still, it's really bright and sunny today, so I can't complain. Got an easy day at work, then off to Aldi with our voucher afterwards and home to make dinner, finish painting and do some organising and tidying. Oddly, I love doing that. I think I'm 32 going on 82 - my biggest joys are my slippers, electric blanket, preparing meals and cleaning the house so it's nice and sparkly. Simple pleasures eh

Hope everyone has a good day.

SDG31000

Good Morning everyone

I've been MIA for a few days as my personal black dog is sitting on my feet at the moment. I woke up on Tuesday and didn't want to get out of bed. That lead to not wanting to go out of the house and sleeping a lot. Yesterday DH sent me to bed at 5pm as I was falling asleep standing up. I woke up at 7.30pm and was still in bed before 11pm. I'm hoping this lifts soon as I have no idea what has triggered it. Apart from starting the weight management course nothing has changed. I don't know if it is a reaction to that, but I would quite like it to end now please. I know that many people on here have things much harder than I do and wish I could do more to help than virtual hugs.
Today I'm going to try to get out of the house to a Zumba class in the hope that will help.
At least I'm still cooking so the rest of the family is happy. The masses are coming for dinner on Saturday and I'm going to make ChocClare's chinese chicken.

I have quite a small kitchen, but it double the size of the one in our last house. I have a welsh dresser in the dining room that I use to store cake tins and things of that ilk. We had a new kitchen put in a few years ago and have much more cupboard space than before, but still not enough.
I think it was gailey that mentioned having a cupboard that you have to practically climb in to get to the back of. I have one of those as my food storage space and have everything in stacker boxes that I can pull out to get to the stuff at the back of the cupboard. I don't know if that's an option.

Time to see if DH is going to leave the house today as work has been very slow this week.

Take care everyone xxx

Mrs_Chip

Morning Peoples!

Got the yellow ball but it's blimmin freezing with it.

Right, is everyone ready? There have been some great unanswered questions over the years - crop circles, Shergar, Lord Lucan - none of which can hold a candle to that of the Great Stain Mystery.

I present, Ladies and Gentlemen, exhibit A - The Before picture:

Argh! for some reason I can't insert a picture! I'll have to do a linky

The after one is there too. Difference in colour is because I took one with the light on (before).

Does not look anything like Jesus, more like a slightly wonky map of Australia.

Anyway, it's now going in the wash. Watch this space!

elona

SDG

Maybe the weight management is looming over you a bit. Sometimes feeling you "have" to do stuff can drag you down and the weather does not help. Sending a virtual hug.

If it is going to get icy for the month ahead I should get things done like milk and bread in freezer and stock up on veg and eggs etc but need dh to drive me and he is waiting for dd to tell him when she needs a lift this morning. Hiding upstairs with pot of tea and laptop before hopefully springing - er shuffling into action later. Finally wearing my new coat is making me much warmer and less miserable.

Wish humans could hibernate and wake up in Spring all slim and bushy tailed!

meme30

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Morning Peoples!

Got the yellow ball but it's blimmin freezing with it.

Right, is everyone ready? There have been some great unanswered questions over the years - crop circles, Shergar, Lord Lucan - none of which can hold a candle to that of the Great Stain Mystery.

I present, Ladies and Gentlemen, exhibit A - The Before picture:

Argh! for some reason I can't insert a picture! I'll have to do a linky

The after one is there too. Difference in colour is because I took one with the light on (before).

Does not look anything like Jesus, more like a slightly wonky map of Australia.

Anyway, it's now going in the wash. Watch this space!

Yes it looks like Austrailia ....no money making there then

we have SNOW forecast here!! Am going for some 'snowed in' supplies..milk bread, potatoes and Chocolate! Might have to include some drink (for medicinal purposes!):rotfl:
DH and I could live on Eggs Chips and beans. It's our comfort food. Will not help with the diet tho. :eek:
Still have wedding to go to in April and need to shed a few pounds to get in to outfit in wardrobe. 'I will not buy a new outfit!...I will not buy a new outfit!':D

VJsmum

SDG31000 wrote: »

At least I'm still cooking so the rest of the family is happy. The masses are coming for dinner on Saturday and I'm going to make ChocClare's chinese chicken.

THANK YOU! I've been wondering what to have for tea and this is it. I've been meaning to do it for a while so tonight is the night. I will attempt the lamb kofta that someone else recommended next week sometime.

Just had to take DS to the dentist for the second time in a week to get his tooth repaired. He chipped half his front tooth off a while ago (whilst climbing up a water slide the wrong way, and slipped :insert tutting smilie: ). It was repaired but intermittently falls off. He was heard to mutter "I wish i'd never gone up that slide now.." one has to learn the hard way sometimes :rotfl:

Must get off to the shop so I can get back in time for my weekly lunch appointment at M&S, great excitement cos I think i've earned my free coffee! I do know how to live it up!!:p

Byatt

Morning all; I think I must be ill. I'm not cold, didn't have the heating on last night at all, even though temp was dropping, and windows this morning are covered in condensation. I am a little weird, some may say a lot, :rotfl:but I don't get obvious physical symptoms when poorly. Just feel ill...very odd.

SDG, my black dog is hovering too and wants to go for a long walk but I'm trying to ignore it. Easier said than done. I have so much to do too.

GQ well done on the win against the retailer. Sorry about the pension age.

I am thinking of doing without a tv, I have been practising with watching things on the laptop and listening to the radio.

Off to look at Mrs C's picture!

edit; it could be a map of England if you look at it sideways, without the South West!

Going back to bed with a couple of paracetemol. My DD is delighted as she gets to keep pooch for another week! Feel very wobbly.

[Deleted User]

Morning all, its a wonderful bright and sunny day down here and I've just put washing on the line outside. It is chilly though but, we have a little bit of breeze so it will dry a little and I can finish it in the downstairs loo where the boiler is. DH is on allottment getting some leeks so I can make leek and potato soup for the next few days lunches and potatoes will be some of our own home grown which tend to break down to mush if you try to boil them. Soup seems a good idea. It looks as if we might be getting a little spell of winter weather after all but, still a bit vague on the weather forecast as to what and where! Have a good day folks and hope all who are poorly feel better soon. Lyn.

the_cake

Hugs to all those feeling under the weather - maybe that is part of the problem, we are literally "under the weather"? I have been cosseting our beloved wood burning stove, the only heating we have on at the moment (can't afford the LPG for the central heating, only put it on for visitors!). The stove is the heart of the house, we are lucky enough to get free wood for it (OH doing some hedging ...), and I love it to bits. Anyone thinking of getting one - do, if you can get the wood cheapish. They are so efficient, and if you get one with a window in front it's almost as cosy as an open fire. BUT get a decent one: my sister got a cheap version, apparently the metal is inferior and hers gives out much less heat than ours. Ours is an Efel, if that helps anyone. I dry clothes near it, boil water and heat up stews etc. on the top, and generally love it, expecially on days like today - an intermittent yellow ball, but getting rather chilly.....
Also, a quick heads up that Approved Food have quite a lot of nice stuff on at the moment (sorry, don't know how to do links) - I have just ordered some coffee beans, Typhoo teabags, other stuff but am most looking forward to the two boxes of my favourite Eat Natural bars. Haven't seen them offered by AF before, and I love them, so yummy, and generally so expensive.
Anyway, better go and make some bread. Bought the BM in a charity shop last year (£5 !!), use it every other day, and never tire of the magic of it all. And the smell ..... mmmm.
Love all round, the cake