BBQ chicken and halloumi kebabs

Serves 4

400g chicken, diced

150g halloumi, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

Cherry tomatoes, halved

2 medium onions, chopped and cut into 8ths

Melted coconut oil

Soak the bamboo sticks in water for at least half an hour. This helps prevent them from burning.

Thread the ingredients on to the kebab sticks however you wish.

When the BBQ has cooled down enough that it's not blackening everything really quickly, cook the kebabs for approximately 10 minutes while turning occasionally.

Check the chicken is cooked throughout before serving.

Aubergine, courgette, fennel and sweetcorn bolognese

Serves 2

Calories 244 (doesn't include pasta)

Ingredients 

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1 courgette (zucchini), diced 

1 aubergine, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 fennel bulb, diced

1 small tin sweetcorn

400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 vegetable stock cube (I used knorr organic gluten free)

1 tablespoon tomato purée

1 teaspoon garlic purée 

Fry the courgette, fennel, aubergine and onion in the coconut oil until softened and slightly browned.

Add the sweetcorn, tin of chopped tomatoes, garlic purée, tomatoe purée, and stock cube.

Simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Serve with pasta of your choice.

Chicken and mushroom coconut curry

Serves 2

524 calories per serving (doesn't include rice or alternative)

400g chicken thigh, skin optional, diced

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

1 red onion, chopped

200g mushrooms

2 tablespoons curry powder

400g tin coconut milk

1 vegetable stock cube (I used knorr gluten free, organic)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan, gently fry the onion and the chicken in the coconut oil until chicken is cooked throughout and slightly browned.

Add the mushrooms and curry powder and fry for about a minute.

Add the coconut milk (don't worry if it's separated! It will stir back together!) and the stock cube and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste

Serve with rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or alternative of your choice.

Note: my 4 year old loved this so much that he ate the lot and then some of mine! :0)

Sweet Potato, tomato and sweetcorn quiche

Serves 8
374 calories per slice

You will need
Approx 8" by 2" round tin
Baking beans
Grease proof paper

For the pastry
100g butter, softened
225g plain flour
A pinch of salt

For the filling
One sweet potato, peeled and diced
One red onion, chopped
Small tin of sweetcorn
2 large tomatoes, diced
5 large eggs
375ml whole milk
100g mature cheddar, grated
50g Parmesan, grated
Ground nutmeg

For the pastry
Rub the butter and the flour together with your fingers until it all resembles fine bread crumbs, next add just enough water to turn it into a dough (approx 2 tablespoons) you will know when it is right as it won't be sticky and there won't be bits of flour not wanting to stick. Wrap the ball of dough in cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for around an hour (I'll be honest and say I've never bothered with the resting stage...)
Pre-heat oven to gas mark 4, or equivalent.
Roll out the pastry to the desired thickness and width. I decided to make a side less one, but you can add sides if you want! To make a side less one you just place the tin on top of the pastry and use it to cut around, then place the pastry into the already greased tin. Or you can just put the pastry in, mould it up the sides with your fingers, and then cut away any access.
Place great proof paper over the top, and then your baking beans on top of that, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove the baking beans and the grease proof paper and bake for another 15 minutes.

For the filling
Fry or bake the sweet potatoes and onion until softened and slightly browned.
Tip into ready prepared pastry case (still in the tin!) along with the sweetcorn, and tomatoes, and spread evenly.
Whisk the eggs with the milk, and then carefully pour over the top.
Sprinkle over the cheddar and Parmesan, and then sprinkle a bit of nutmeg over the top of it all.
Place in the oven until the egg has completely set. Takes around an hour, but you can check by wobbling the tin to see whether it has set completely or not.
Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving with a salad of your choice.

30th May 2015

Week 4

11 stone 11.8 pounds

2.8 pounds gain

Total weight loss 10.1 pounds

So this week wasn't so good, I have put weight on this week, but to be fair I am a woman, and sadly I have some which is often referred to as 'that time of month!'

Now I wasnt due it for another week, so I was a little surprised that it has come a week early, but I am also aware that it is a full moon tomorrow night, and I used to always have my cycles fitting in with the moon cycle, so hopefully this is a sign that things are returning to normal?!

As for my health wise, I have noticed a dramatic increase in my energy levels this week, and I have managed to get so much done! Not without suffering though, I have had to take some painkillers as sadly the extra weeks has caused my joints to flare up and become painful.

Hopefully I will reach a point when I can do things again without causing flare ups, as they can be quite upsetting and incredibly painful!

On to another week :0)

Courgette, fennel, aubergine and asparagus Thai green curry

Serves 4

1 courgette, halved and sliced

1 fennel bulb, diced

1 aubergine, diced

1 bunch asparagus, chopped

1 jar Thai green curry paste

1 400g tin coconut milk

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1) in a large frying pan, fry the veg in the coconut oil until just starting to go soft. 

2) add in the amount of curry paste as the instructions say on the jar and fry for about a minute. 

3) add in the coconut milk, and stir until melted and mixed in. 

4) simmer for approximately 20 minutes 

5) serve with rice or quinoa. 

Aubergine and mozzarella wraps

Makes 8

2 aubergines, thinly sliced lengthways 

4 tablespoons sundried tomato paste

2 teaspoons garlic paste

200g mozzarella, thinly sliced

2 beef tomatoes, cut into 8 slices

4 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1) carefully plunge the aubergines into a pan of boiling water for 4 minutes, then drain well. Lay them flat on a clean board or work surface. 

2) mix together the tomato paste and garlic paste and spread a little over each aubergine slice. 

3) top with mozzarella and tomato slices and fold over, securing each with a cocktail stick. 

4) brush wish the coconut oil and grill on a high heat for 2-4 minutes per side. 

5) serve with salad