Home-Made Chicken Goujons

Ingredients

3 Chicken Breasts
Breadcrumbs
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Flour
Salt & Pepper
2 Eggs
1kCal Cooking Spray

Method

Preheat oven to 200C. 
Cut the chicken breasts into long strips.
Prepare three plates:

1. Flour
2. Beaten Eggs
3. Mix of Breadcrumbs, Cheese, and Salt & Pepper.

Dip the chicken into the flour, shaking off the excess.  Dip into the Egg, then roll in the Breadcrumb mixture until coated.  Lay onto a baking sheet.

Once all the chicken is coated, spray lightly with cooking spray, then bake for 20mins (checking after 15min that it is not browning too much).

Enjoy.

I served these with a big bowl of mixed salad, and thousand island dressing that had been 'watered' down with a bit of white wine vinegar.

Watering down thick sauces is an easy way to encourage the sauces to coat all the food/salad, rather than remaining in a lump. This has the advantage of being able to taste the flavour every bite, without needing as much sauce as you would if it were thicker.

Sweet and Soy Garlic Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

4 Chicken Thighs
1/3 Cup Tomato Ketchup
1/2 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
2 crushed Garlic Cloves
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Rice Vinegar

Method

Put all the ingredients in the Slow cooker, mix thoroughly, and cook on high for 5-6 hours.
Serves 4.


When I did this, I actually only put 2 of thighs in the slow cooker.  I then mixed all the liquid ingredients in a bowl, poured half on the thighs and stirred before putting the slow cooker on.  The other two thighs, and the rest of the sauce, I put in a freezer bag, and placed in the freezer, so next time I only need to defrost before cooking.

I served the Sweet and Soy Garlic Chicken on a bed of mushrooms and pak choi that had been lightly fried in sesame oil.
Delicious!

Nutrition Project

It's the start of a new half term here, and bearing in mind that DD1 will be going to secondary school next year, I'm trying to get the girls do some "work" every day. 

When Home Educating, there is no requirement for formal work at all, let alone a number of hours that need to be complete each week.  There is no need to follow the National Curriculum (depending on the subject, it seems randomly too shallow or too narrow), but need to ensure that the education is suitable to the child's needs, age and ability.

So, yesterday DD1 asked me to set them a maths quiz.  I said I would, on the condition that I could teach them something new first, but wouldn't limit the quiz to that topic.  So I taught both girls about fractions, how to add and subtract them when the denominators are not the same, how to simplify and what mixed numbers are.  DD2 found it more difficult, as expected, and stopped halfway through the questions.  DD1 was determined to complete the set, even though she was frustrated at times for not remembering what she once knew (long multiplication and division).  With a bit of help, she completed it, and got them all correct.

Today, I have decided to set each girl a challenge.  And it will be a challenge, because my girls are very particular about what they will and won't eat!

DD2's Challenge:

• Find a recipe that all four of us will eat, that is at least 50% vegetables
• Write out the recipe (ingredients and method) very neatly
• Decorate with pictures if you want

DD1's Challenge:

• Find a recipe that 3 of us will eat (Mum, Dad and DD1), that is at least 50% vegetables and under 400kCals per portion.
• Write out the recipe (ingredients and method) very neatly
• Decorate with pictures if you want

This will be a challenge for each of the girls.  

DD1 eats a wider variety of foods and vegetables than DD2, so I didn't want her to be limited by what DD2 will eat, but as an added difficulty (and hopefully some hidden maths) of working out the calories within foods.  She has started by writing out a list of all the foods that she likes, and is watching YouTube videos to spark ideas as she thinks about creating a recipe.  I have mentioned to her that Recipe Finders do exist on the internet, where she can input ingredients and it will suggest recipes that fit, but for now, she wants to try and develop her own.

DD2 has started by making a list of all the vegetables she Likes; Don't Like but Will Eat; Don't Like; and Never Tried, using the list of vegetables on Wikipedia.  So far (she hasn't finished yet) there is a grand total of 1 vegetable in the Likes column, 4 in the Will Eat column (though one is potato, so not counted in this challenge), nearly an A4 page in the Don't Like column and almost a page and a half in the Never Tried one.  At the moment, it looks like DD2's suggestion might end up being something like Sausages with Sweetcorn and peas, though I'm hoping that she'll end up with something a bit more adventurous/tasty.

I have given both girls until the end of the week to develop their recipes and write them up, and then I plan to cook them for the family next week.

Exercise

I'm not a gym-bunny, but I am feeling the need to do a bit of exercise.  Not specifically for weightloss (though that would be a nice side effect!), but to build up strength as well as toning/defining muscles a bit more.  As I've had a hysterectomy, I am at risk of osteoporosis, so it is recommended that I do plenty of weight-bearing exercise, and I like the idea of using my body as resistance.

In the past, I read "Lose Weight: Without Dieting" by David Nordmark (because it was free on Kindle at the time, and I download almost every free book I come across...) and, from what I remember, it complements the 2B Mindset quite nicely.  The same author has also written a few exercise books, samples of which are also free on Kindle.  I have been reading his "Workout: Routines" sample book, and have decided to use it to do some strength-based exercises.

Because I am unfit, to say the least, I'm going to build up these exercises adding a new one each day, until I can do the whole routine which, according to Nordmark, should take no more than 30 minutes.  As this is just a sample from one of his other books, this series focuses on Dynamic Stretches, ie those that involve movement in the stretch to also build up flexibility.

Here is his list of stretches, with the number of reps (the names are the names used in his book; I know some of them by other names, but I refer you to his book if you wish to find out more detail):

• Sumo Squat Stretch - 10 reps
• Sumo Squat Kicks - 10 reps
• Ying Yang Squats - 10 reps
• Football Kicks - 10 reps each leg
• Ying Yang Bends - 10 reps
• Ying Yang Side Bends - 10 reps
• Tai Chi Waist Turner - 50-100 reps
• Gymnastic Shoulder Shrugs - 10-15 reps
• Gymnastic Shoulder Pull-ups - 10 reps
• Towel Pulls - 10 reps
• Side Towel Pulls - 10 reps
• Dynamic Calves Stretches - 10 reps
• Alternate Straddles - 5 reps each side
• Dynamic Lion Stretch - 10 reps
• Table Maker Strength - 10 reps
• Kneeling Back Bend - once, as far back as you can go
• Forward Rows - 10 reps
• Dynamic Bridge Stretch - 10 reps

So, this will take me nearly 3 weeks to learn the full routine, and hopefully by then the habit will be ingrained.  I'm only on day 2 today, so have done Sumo Squat Stretches and Kicks.

One month in...

...and I have not been managing to lose 2lbs/1kg a week.  In fact, from my 96kg start weight at the start of October, I have only lost 2kg (roughly half what I should have lost).
That said, everybody IS different, with different metabolisms, health conditions and lifestyles.  What works for one person, may not work for another.  The 2B Mindset is a lifestyle (not a diet!) and a change of mindset, where you will be more positive and lose weight happily and easily.

Does that mean the 2B Mindset is crap and not working?
Actually, no.  What it means is that I haven't been following the 2Bunnies properly, and if I had, then I would have lost even more. 

The 2Bunnies are Water First, Veggies Most, Use the Scale, and Track what you eat.

Do I drink Water First? Sometimes... Water is always the first thing to pass my lips in the morning, as I have a handful of tablets to take.  Sometimes I drink half a bottle before I eat breakfast, but I rarely specifically drink half a bottle before lunch or dinner. 
The recommended amount of water to drink is 1 fl oz / 2lbs (or 1 kilo) of weight - so for me, I should drink at least 90 fl oz, or 3 bottles, of water each day.  And I do drink that easily, sometimes more.  I drink a lot of water during the day, so though I may not be filling up on water just before eating, I know I am hydrated.

Do I eat Veggies Most? Occasionally.  This has been hard for me, because it has been dependant on my mental state and how busy I am.  If I am well, have planned ahead, and have plenty of time to prep/cook, then eating Veggies Most is easy.  When I am rushing around after the kids, and have to grab something to eat on the go, I try to choose Veggies Most, but if not taking a packed lunch (which requires planning/preparation) buying something Veggies Most is more difficult.  Add to that, poor mental health after a busy day and the kitchen isn't clean and the husband just wants to order a takeaway, it gets even more difficult to say no.  I am not blaming anyone - what I put in my mouth is up to me (ahem!); but my willpower is not as good as it could be, and I have not yet developed the habit of healthy eating.  For example, sometimes if the husband wants a kebab, I will order a Greek Salad, and have some of his meat (honestly, I'm not trying to come up with innuendo after innuendo!).  Or the other day at the dance festival, we went for a pub lunch, and I had a goats cheese salad with a tap water, and did not have dessert. But then, DD2 decided after ordering that she did not feel hungry, so I ended up eating her sausages and feeling overly full, when really I did not need that eating opportunity, an I should have said no.

Do I Use the Scale? Yes!  Daily.  This is a habit that I learned long before coming across the 2B Mindset for the same reasons.  My eating is under control when I can use the scale and see the information it is giving me as pure information, rather than as a scale of my value or worth.

Do I Track what I Eat?  Umm.... were you talking to me?  I track my weight, if that counts?  No? I thought not...

So, I am going to try and remember to track what I eat every day.  I am a member of a 2B Mindset group on Facebook that is really supportive, but even with their prompting I forget to track.  So, I am going to try to remember to track daily on my FB page: Musings of a Middle-aged Mum

Another weekend of Dance...

...and we have come home with more medals! 

DD1 came 4th place with her Song and Dance solo!  Her Tap solo didn't get placed, but two of her friends got Gold and Bronze in the same category, so she was happy for them.
And in the Cabaret Groups, the group with DD1 got Silver medal, and the other group (with both girls) didn't get placed.





That's the last festival for us until February Half Term.  I wish I could say things are now more relaxed for us (I wish this, the kids wish otherwise!), but DD1 is in a show in our local theatre in a fortnight's time, so lots of extra rehearsals for her.  Not to mention all the usual dance lessons they have going on.

Halloween and Gardening

Yesterday was Halloween, so we did the obligatory pumpkin carving.  We had left it quite late to buy pumpkins (the day before) because previously we've had carved ones go mouldy before Halloween!  This meant the ones that were left were fairly small, but the girls still had fun designing and carving.  Usually my husband carves the pumpkins, but I had to do it yesterday.  Carving - fine! Good fun and creative. Removing seeds and string - horrible! It was really hard (yes, I know pumpkin is a hard veg [pedant me: fruit], but I thought this was an activity kids were meant to do!) so the girls gave up, and left it for me to do.
But, we're happy with the results.

As it was Halloween, my church does a Light Event each year instead.  Rather than the usual party, they set up a table on the street and gave out "Bags of Hope" - party bags containing sweets, colouring pages, a leaflet about the church, and John's Gospel.  They also were doing hot dogs, and party games.  Despite having 100 bags (actually they had 200 in total, as this was set-up in two locations), they had run out after an hour, so had to pop to Tesco to buy even more sweets.  Hopefully the response they had is encouraging.

So today, we have the job of using up the rest of the pumpkin.  As the shells were on the floor outside last night, we're not going to use them, but I'm going to roast the seeds for a snack and use the flesh we did manage to retrieve to make pumpkin bread.  I'd like to make cornbread, but I'm not sure I have any cornmeal left, in which case I'll make a more normal loaf.

Also, some new plants that I had ordered arrived yesterday.  We got a knock at the front door last night, so the girls ran to the front to offer sweets to the trick or treaters, to discover a tall box standing alone on the doorstep, as the delivery driver drove away.  The box contained 2 standard patio roses, to replaces the ones that never grew last year; 40 plug pansies and some basket raisers.  I currently have the last of my dying cherry tomatoes in the baskets out the front of my house, so thought I would replace them with the pansies for some winter colour.  As the baskets are high up, and even on my kitchen steps I can barely reach them, I bought some basket raisers to make my job easier. Unfortunately, it's pouring with rain today, so I don't fancy doing the gardening now.  It's been very dry (but freezing) recently.  I was glad this morning when I awoke and it wasn't so cold, but I have a day free to do gardening and I don't want to miss it.

I'm sure the neighbours think I'm crazy though.  All summer, whilst other houses had beautiful flower displays hanging out the front, whilst I had mainly empty baskets.  When the tomato plugs arrived, they were half dead, so didn't grow as bushy as I hoped they would - not helped by there being a heatwave when we were on holiday for a fortnight so when we returned they were half dead, again!  The tomato plants were still fruiting until very recently, which is why I hadn't removed them sooner, but now I have baskets of dead/dying plants out the front - very in theme with Halloween!  The pansy plugs are tiny, though, so when I do plant them it will look, yet again, that I have empty baskets hanging out the front.  Oh well!  Hopefully they'll bloom.