Consolidation Anjuschka's journey through Conso (closed)

[Maintainer]

That's certainly one solution but, of course - from a purist perspective (there where I used to be!) - strictly speaking, biscuits aren't ok in Conso... I mean, they're not bread, fruit or cheese, or starchy carb... and hardly a "dessert" for a gala meal.

So... by eating biscuits in Conso, we (and that is the Royal WE... ALL OF US!!) are really making things potentially harder for us by reintroducing the nibbling habit that we might have cured in Cruise.

<but at this time of year, and with Anja's amazing restraint at baking those lovely things and not eating them, I take it all back!!>

 

[robinhood]

Those biscuits look lovely, Anja. My baking projects have (yet again) been put on hold as we had to look after a friend's daughter this morning and since it's mild out, they've been in the garden for most of the day.

Next week... All the ingredients are ready and waiting.

I know biscuits aren't allowed but I'm having one or two a couple of times a week. As long as it's not one or two packets...

 

[anjuschka]

Oh absolutely Jo, no biscuits allowed in Conso. I was just also contemplating the 'rest of my life' (errrrrrr) and my need to still unlearn my bad habits... Resistance was so easy in cruise....

Now I wonder if it is not a little bit a good thing that I been tempted / given in to temptation already and find how much I am struggling at times and working out my coping strategies / training my resistance now. because coming to face the problem in Stab when in theory I am allowed everything I like but IN MODERATION is no doubt going to be harder?

As for setting aside an allowance, that's nearly fine but of course there is the general tin / packet sitting there waiting for my moment of weakness . Right now it's the special foodstuffs that mean a lot to me at X-M and will be gone for the rest of the year.

Anyway one more baking session tonight an then I can pack the baggies and be done with it!

 

[Maintainer]

I think you're right Anja. I'm enjoying seeing you not struggle no... but compensate for any extras immediately which has given me for one some ideas how to better cope with my extras during this season of goodwill.

Always one with a tendency to try for the impossible, lose the plot, then consider the ENTIRE VACATION a dead loss, this time I'm looking at compensating; much the way I've seen you do.

That is real life.

Strict dieting is not.

I say "chapeau"!

 

[anjuschka]

Thanks - just been reading a bit on dukan&nous about Conso too. Lots of people putting on 1+ kg in the first couple of week and then they come off within the month if you stick with the conso.
One of the crucial points also is to STICK with the WHOLE conso plan, not to think - "oh no overdid the weekend must do two PP now". That would ruin the whole process and never get your body back to 'normal'...
So I can report I have been eating my fruit bread and cheese, including last Monday. When I forget the cheese I have a babybel snack when I remember. I think I probably accidentally had some full fat milk in my coffee yesterday too...

Anyway food today:

B: Oatbran porridge, stewed apple
S: satsuma
L: Beef stew, curried veg (picked out of the chicken curry portion I saved for tomorrows PP). WM tortilla wrap with tuna 'mayo'. yoghurt.
D (gala): Chicken Kiev and baked potato with cheese - my first baked potato in a long time! Carrots. chocolate pudding.
S (probably if baking); 1 home made biscuit.

I am slowly starting to draw up my food plan for the festive season - for example next week - gala meals placed on the social events (Weds and Fri)... Now I saw refs in the other site to people always following a gala with a PP. that's not compulsory is it? For example Christmas weekend will probably look more like (starting Friday 24) PVC Gala PV PVC PV Gala PP depending on when our visitors come and go.

Arrgh need to go, I'm on foot today DH still using my bike - his broke.

 

[Maintainer]

It's not at all compulsory to follow a gala with a PP but most (all?) of us did it in Conso and Stab. Gala, PP, weigh in. In that order! For obvious reasons. At Christmas, with it falling on a Saturday, I plan a PP on Boxing Day, for instance. T'will be easy peasy with loads of turkey (and an eggless day for once on 25th will allow me an omelette!!)...

 

[anjuschka]

Yes, obviously, but not 2 PP in a week? When you might be having 2 Gala? PV yes, of course...

My Christmas is not so easy, will have to buy in some extra Turkey / chicken whatever is cheap as we're having Goose and then the leftovers on Boxing day.

 

[Maintainer]

Oh I see what you mean. No not 2 x PPs in a week, no. Although I probably did as I saw the numbers on the scales go up and up... The first time I did Dukan, going 1.5 stone below my "true weight", while I got there quickly, I stayed there but 1 day I think then up up up and away... I guess that's also why I've learned to listen to the whole true weight idea cos getting below is feasible in Cruise, but staying there? Not so easy!

I'm invited out for Christmas lunch, and hate turkey crown - finding it too dry - so will get some chicken in for Boxing Day in case I'm not gifted any leftovers from my vegetarian sister!

 

[anjuschka]

Yes I must admit I am no great die-hard fan of roast turkey either - I can see why you need 'all the trimmings' with it (**ducks and runs**). Anyway I'll enjoy the Goose on Christmas day, and then leave it to the others while I hopefully return to 'safer' fare!! We've only got a small 4gk one, with 4 adults and 2 kids there should not be masses left over to tempt me anyhow. I'll make some dukan friendly veg with it to start with so I can carry on eating those! So no bacon bits in the red cabbage or the sprouts, no chestnuts either!

Asked DH what he wants for his birthday on the 24th, hopefully I'll be able to 'dukanise' it in some way or other. He does like steak.... Maybe I can steer him towards that.

Anyway- food today:

Last night as part of my Gala meal I cooked Puy lentils with sundried tomatoes as I fancied a change in my veg and I can have carrots any day... And DH had picked up a couple of pastries on the way home so we had those for dessert. I didn't get round to the baking so must do that tonight let's see if I can manage to stick to PP today!

Food today:

B: oatbran porridge, cinnamon yoghurt. Two sips of orange juice before I realised my error!
S: coffee
L: Chicken curry, 'Tuna Mayo', egg. Cottage cheese and yoghurt
S (if needed, dinner is late today): baked custard
D: Roast beef with mustard sauce, cottage cheese. yoghurt.

 

[Maintainer]

Much as I love turkey Anja, part of the fun (for me) is the bread sauce, bacon rolls and little sausages (let's be honest here!). I don't voluntarily eat turkey any other time of the year!!

As for sprouts, my sister tells me that there's a shortage of them over your way? Horror of horrors if this means a Christmas meal without sprouts! I'm reliably informed that M&S are selling "delux frozen" (oxymoron if you ask me) sprouts and they're selling like hot cakes!

I hope you spat that orange juice out Anja

 

[anjuschka]

Much as I love turkey Anja, part of the fun (for me) is the bread sauce, bacon rolls and little sausages (let's be honest here!). I don't voluntarily eat turkey any other time of the year!!

Yes I get that absolutely. Bread sauce mmmhhhh I have only ever had that at Christmas at my MIL. It likely came out of a packet but I like it and the idea of what it's make of - aarrgh carb addict strikes again.....

As for sprouts, my sister tells me that there's a shortage of them over your way? Horror of horrors if this means a Christmas meal without sprouts! I'm reliably informed that M&S are selling "delux frozen" (oxymoron if you ask me) sprouts and they're selling like hot cakes!

Oh REALLY? Plenty of fresh ones in Sainsbury last night and some lined up in our Veg box too. M&S Food always strikes me as a different universe...
Anyway I'm not bothered I'm sure we'll survive without. My kids very much prefer cauli and broccoli anyway so not sure if I should get any.

I hope you spat that orange juice out Anja

what? No, but I didn't drink it up which is an achievement in my book

I can report the biscuits are made and I have:

• not licked the spoon
• not licked my fingers
• not tasted the dough
• not tasted the finished product (I bet they're horrid...)

I had to have a SF jelly to recover afterwards
I will have to test one tomorrow though .

 

[robinhood]

I have never had bread sauce. I'm guessing my parents weren't fans.

I made biscotti yesterday (and did taste one!) but the others made their way into bags which are now sealed and ready for sale.

I love sprouts, best winter veg without a doubt. Frozen sprouts are awful though and are soggy no matter how they are cooked, I'd rather do without if that was the only choice and have green and white 'trees' as substitutes - broccoli and cauli to you and I.

 

[Maintainer]

I cannot resist posting my bread sauce recipe, but I will pick your brains too. White ready for use breadcrumbs don't exist, I don't believe? Just that it's soooo hard these days to get a loaf to go properly stale... it goes from too fresh to "crumb" to being rock hard. Advice?

Bread Sauce​

1 pint of milk (skimmed, why not!)
4oz breadcrumbs (ok I'm wondering ref oatbran but not sure it'll be textured enough)
one large onion
12 cloves / 12 peppercorns
3oz butter (hmm... t'is nice)

On 24th evening, poke holes in onion with skewer and pop cloves in holes.
In saucepan, bring milk to simmering point, take off heat, pop clovey onion in and your peppercorns too. Leave covered somewhere until cool, then pop in fridge overnight.

25th morning when convenient, warm up in saucepan again, add salt and pepper, remove onion, cloves and peppercorns (count them, so that no one gets one in their mouth!), stir in breadcrumbs and butter... [and here you can put it in a jug and it can be microwaved hot at serving time.] Serve.

 

[jaqys]

lightly toast or grate (or food process) frozen.

 

[Maintainer]

I don't have access to a food processor at my Dad's... so I buy a loaf, take the crusts off, freeze it, and then grate it? Sounds doable! Thanks! Last year I got really cross with the pappy bread not going stale (and it put me off eating it wondering what was in it to keep it like that eternally!)

 

[anjuschka]

Ahh thanks! I might have to introduce a non-traditional accompaniment to the goose this year and then find I'm the only one who likes it so end up chucking out the leftovers. I HATE when that happens.

Well my home made white bread (with added oats in it by default) normally seems to go stale sufficiently for crumbs, using the toast or food processor method.

If you want to freeze & grate it make sure it's not sliced, or at least thick sliced or better doorstop chunks.

I suppose I could experiment with WM bread too? you've given me carby ideas Jo

For ref - the traditional accompaniment for a German Christmas goose is just red cabbage and steamed / boiled potatoes. And Gravy.

 

[anjuschka]

Ah forgot the most important bit: STS still at 62.

And I tried my home made biscuit today and was a bit surprised how much it was the same as the broken batch despite me 'improving' the recipe!

So today's food:

B: oatbran porridge, yoghurt, orange juice
S: home made nutty biscuit
L: Coleslaw with quark sauce, roast beef, Cheese and tomato sandwich. Apple
S: yoghurt
D (carbs): Chicken and Chinese veg stir fry with noodles.

 

[Maintainer]

Excellent re STS... we had goose but once in our household about 15 years ago and, fearful of all the fat coming out and being unsure whether it was actually cooked, we carbonised it to make sure! dreadful! never dared try again!!

Never any leftovers with my bread sauce (cos there's always the cold meat + bubble and squeak the next time to use it up!)

 

[anjuschka]

Phew, busy day today. My choir's big Christmas concert, we did pieces by Walton, Bruckner, Verdi, Dvorak, Kellam and Stanford. Home now, still on a high and with voice nearly gone!

I set off early this morning as I had a haircut - the only appt I could get was at 9.30. Then I had some shopping time and I made good use of it! 3 'day' dresses and some other bits an bobs later... Am I glad we get paid next week ;-)... Oh and I also swooped and bought two sets of 38AA bras in M&S as they are quite rare to find. It's in their teen range, but under-wired, and they fit me well & definitely improve my silhouette. So the lady at the till said 'Ah so you've got your daughter's shopping sorted' - and I said ,'oh no they're for me...'

I also had to buy a new printer, ours died a couple of days ago, so quickly picked one up without the usual research, and didn't search for the best price on line either we just need one right now... Hope I can make it work tomorrow!

Food wise I packed a huge bag and made my oatbran into muffins, as I had to cover lunch and dinner, and I was also concerned about potential weakness if other people offered me something (like mince pies):

B: eggs and turkey rashers (had to try them one day), cinnamon yoghurt
S: apple
L: roast beef, coleslaw, tomatoes, cottage chees with pineapple (treat)
S before rehearsal: muffins
S after rehearsal: muffins
D: Ham Omelette, carrots, coleslaw, cheese sandwich and yoghurt
At home: lebkuchen biscuit.

And now I just have to calm down and stop singing in my head so I can go to sleep!

 

[alottolose]

hey Anja

Just caught up with your diary...so only just "heard" about the stolen veg box....

personally I'd stick a camera up to see who enters the garden on a Thursday (or any other day for that matter).....at least then you can see who's knocking around...or who fancies their chances

would also report it to the police incase anyone else has had similar problems....then your photo footage could help them x