Onwards And Downwards Continues In March 2014

[AB Editor]

Onwards and Downwards Continues in March 2014

Hello all,

Welcome to this month's Onwards & Downwards. We welcome anyone serious about losing weight and we offer support and kind thoughts - not magic fixes, just sensible help.

Let's have some really new ideas about seasonal produce. Had a look here to find out what we should be eating in UK at this time:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/seasonal-calendar/month/march

Then found this yummy looking recipe for a chicken caserole:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10052/spring-chicken-in-a-pot

So what else can you offer us to keep the hunger pangs at bay using seasonal veg?


Don't forget your weekly weigh on Wednesday and remember we don't judge!

Here is last months thread

[xstitcher]

Wow well done OG. May one ask, since you mentioned it, why you won't be at your own place soon? I have all sorts of answers to that running through my head.

[Old_Geezer]

I'm on leave for the week, I can't imagine not going to stay with my woman for as long as I can; usually it's just the weekend and the telephone/text. Trouble is I have so much still waiting do be done here I need to get done. It's never ending. I must go cut the grass for the first time this year now, before the overcast turns to rain.

[penelope2]

Gained another one pound this week, convinced it's due to interruption in exercise regime, still back to limited exercise programme next week so remaining hopeful. Well done to all that have continued the downward spiral and of course those that have remained stable.

[wendilla]

Hi Penelope not easy when you are not so mobile . You know what to do so just give it time till you are getting to feel more mobile .

[wendilla]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2584824/How-adding-spice-diet-reduce-intake-salt-cooking-lessons-lower-sodium-levels.html

When I cook mince I always season with mixed herbs.

[Old_Geezer]

I saw this report elsewhere on the net this morning. I'll check your link, but where I read it never really gave advice on which spices or herbs. One thing I'm not good at, unless the recipe is specific, is knowing what is supposed to go with what and why.

The bit I read though didn't say whether, once off the trial, those who were adding spice gradually went back to adding salt instead. It's expected that there may be a salt reduction when you are enjoying yourself experimenting with adding other stuff, but did the affect persist once that fun part was over and it was back to day-to-day meal preparation ?

Meanwhile the scales were not so kind to me today :-(

[Old_Geezer]

"At first, food without salt can taste bland, but don’t give up as it takes [b][u]a few weeks[u][b] for the taste buds to adjust."

Bet that doesn't work :-) But I'm not having misery at food time for weeks just for that. Now make it a couple of days and we may be talking.

[wendilla]

I still prefer salt on my boiled egg. Nothing can change that although I do use lo salt . I stopped having sugar in tea many years ago and yes your taste buds change as no way could I have sugar in my tea now .

[wendilla]

Also the mixed herbs is the one I use most in mince and sometimes soup .

[xstitcher]

This looks good and is easy and healthy.....good combination.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10052/spring-chicken-in-a-pot

[Old_Geezer]

For a year I tried to take my coffee with no sugar/sweetener. I was glad the experiment finally came to an end. Went straight back to putting the sweetener in. Change may be possible but isn't automatic.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah 'First Day of Spring Chicken' eh ? Trouble is I've counted and recounted how many I need it to serve, and every time I get just 1.

;-)

[Old_Geezer]

It seems nice reading through. Could do with some colour though, apart from white & green I mean. What should accompany it ? Tomato ketchup maybe ?

[xstitcher]

OG what about red bell peppers or roasted red bell peppers (Lidl) carrots, cooked beatroot?

[xstitcher]

Another way to add colour would be to use sweet potatoes instead of new potatoes

[wendilla]

OG I live on my own and I find if I buy a whole chicken lots of it gets wasted so I tend to buy chicken breasts . I know they are a bit more expensive but I have no waste with them and I stock up on them when they are on special offer.

[Old_Geezer]

When I buy food it tends not to get wasted :-) But sometimes it ruins the diet.

Hmm red peppers sounds good, carrots maybe too, not keen on beetroot though, don't want to spoil the taste of the dish.

[xstitcher]

I just made the Spring Chicken in a pot and it was quite a disappointment, we ate it but I won't be making it again. I'm sorry I posted it without trying it first.

[Old_Geezer]

Unfortunate. Probably should've left the skin on and browned it first ?

[xstitcher]

I think that my largest pot....soup pot..2 1/2 liters wasn't big enough. The chicken had a good flavour but all the veg at the end took up so much room and the broccoli wasn't even near al dente after 5 minutes.