Fresh start for 2022 with Slimming World.

FrankieM

I'm back!

New Year's Day was spent eating the leftover beige and snacks and drinking the leftover wine, there's now nothing left in the house

Back on it proper yesterday and determined to stick with it, I'll also be making sure I drink plenty of water and get in my 10k steps a day.

Food for today
B: Scrambled eggs, ham & mushrooms on toast (HEB)
L: Soup - think it's veg and lentil
T: Beefy mince (think you guys call it savoury mince), potato and veg

I'll be using milk for my HEA and there are some syns in the mince because I used cornflour to thicken it.

I'm using up batch cooked meals from the freezer and they are pretty SW  friendly. 

Does anyone have a savoury mince recipe that is free or very low syn? I'd like to try it and see if I can swap out my recipe so I don't have the corn flour...though I don't mind using the syns if I have to.

I also 'bank' my syns...usually allowing myself about 5 a day and then the rest for the weekend. It's meant that my weekend food and drink feels all very normal.

joedenise

@FrankieM - welcome back and well done on getting straight back on plan.  If you don't want to use cornflour to thicken you can use some potatoes as they'll break down and thicken the stock.  Alternatively you can use a gluten free product called zanthum gum but you'll need to take out some of the stock in a pan and add it very slowly whilst it's simmering on the hob - no more than 1/4 tsp at a time (I just sprinkle a little at a time) and then whisk like mad as it can go lumpy very quickly!  Must admit I tend to use a little bit of cornflour if I want to thicken a stock or gravy.  Alternatively just use less stock or even just reduce most of it on the hob although that takes some time I find.

I think lots of us use the syn bank rather than the 5-15 a day which SW recommends, although as far as I can see it's because they think people will miss having "treats" every day.  I didn't have "treats" every day before SW so why would I miss them now!

joedenise

Slight change of plan for dinner!  DH doesn't want roast potatoes and veg!  So it'll be mash, cabbage & swede.  Suits me won't take as long and everything is all prepped so just needs to be cooked.

maman

@FrankieM, I don't add cornflour to my mince at all. I suppose it depends how 'gloopy' you like your gravy. As @joedenise said, adding some cubed potato would thicken it a bit but cornflour is only 1 syn per tablespoon so it won't make that much difference by the time it's portioned up if you really like a thicker gravy. I make my savoury mince with just meat and Speed veg from habit. I used to use it to make cottage pie with a swede & carrot topping for SP days but I don't think they worked for me so haven't done that for a while. 

I use a recipe for savoury mince that I got on here when @Top_Girl used to post. Basically it's mince, onion, carrots, mushrooms, tomato puree with lots of Oxo cubes. Its the only thing I use Oxo for but it gives the mince a distinctive taste, very different from Bolognese. I can look up quantities if you need them. 

Today will be my first syn free day for probably a fortnight! I'm pleased to be back in a routine. 

Today's EE plan-
B- baked beans (F), bacon, fried egg (P), HEB toast, HEA milk
L- ham (P), LO fried veg and pickles (S), potato (F)
D- baked cod (F), roast potato cubes, mushy peas (F), TS broccoli, carrots (S)
Syns- 0

Its_time

I am going to go back and have a read later of all the posts tonight but just for now I am wondering, are pickled onions free or speed? Also what veg can I put in my spag bol, carrot and cauliflower I was thinking but I am not a cook, a Baker yes but not a cook

FrankieM

Its_time said:

I am going to go back and have a read later of all the posts tonight but just for now I am wondering, are pickled onions free or speed? Also what veg can I put in my spag bol, carrot and cauliflower I was thinking but I am not a cook, a Baker yes but not a cook

I always bulk my spag bol with onions, mushrooms, peppers and courgettes.

You could also put aubergine in it? Any kind of Mediterranean type veg would work 

joedenise

@Its_time - pickled onions are Speed - a lot of us, particularly @maman use loads of pickles for this reason to up the Speed content of our plates.  Other pickles which are Speed are red cabbage, beetroot, cornichons, gherkins all of which are good to add to salads or with cold meats & LO fried up potatoes!

As for your spag bol you can put in any veg you like - I generally add loads of chopped peppers, mushrooms as well as carrots (I usually grate them as not keen on chunks in it!); grated courgettes,   You could also add red lentils which will bulk it up and also provide some additional Protein.  I assume you'll be adding onions, garlic & tinned tomatoes which are all Speed and I think essential with anything with mince.  A squirt of tomato puree would also add some additional Speed.  So as you can see you can add whatever veg you like.  The only veg I can think of offhand which are Free not Speed are parsnips, peas, sweetcorn and corn on the cob, potatoes & sweet potatoes.  For some unknown reason Baby corn is Speed!

I've never used Cauliflower but no reason why you can't add it if you want to; or alternatively you could have it on the side of your plate in the same way you might have a salad.

Hope that helps.

Its_time

@FrankieM and @joedenise yes that helps loads, thank you.  I usually out onions, mushrooms and tin tomatoes so its good to know that's all speed.  I've only got carots in the freezer so will buy some peppers as I like those.  I've just had tuna salad with pickled onions and beetroot with melon for afters, I am now full for a bit 

joedenise

Glad it was useful @Its_time.  I don't know if it would be possible for you to attend a group and just get the books and the new member talk?  You might find that really helpful and there are new books out at the moment which I haven't seen yet so don't know if there are any changes involved!

Just had a thought.  Have you seen the SW Blog?  At least I think it's available to non members as I don't have to log in to see it!  https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/blog/?fbclid=IwAR3CqNJK92gwZwZOfRaPPo_O4bOrzeQpxOnXcF9ImunD-zzDTMMdUWdhu0M.  Might be worth a look.  It's only updated once a week - usually on a Monday I think although not today probably because of the bank holiday.

Abbafan1972

@joedenise Thank you for posting a link to the blog, have had a look.

I will try calling the number for SW, to see if I can get a referral code.

My biggest downfall is working from home and having snacks pretty much on tap and I just can't stop eating some days!

Don't know if anyone has any advice regarding this.  Am back working tomorrow. 

Weighed myself yesterday and had the shock of my life, I am 5 stone over what my target was. 

I do feel really ashamed, I have to say!

Have a good evening all.