Baby Charlie has arrived so lets get on with shedding the rest of this wobble!!!

[Monkey_Monkey_Underpants]

Hiya Capricorn. Your diary is looking good, as ever.

Any chance of sharing your baguette dough recipe? When I attempt baguettes, using my normal white bread recipe, they don't taste like baguettes! Do you use the specific French flour? It's so hard to get here, but might, I suppose be much more available in Germany.

 

[CAPRICORN]

Hi there "Jim",

No, there is no special flour .. here is the recipe....

They are a bit more faff than a standard loaf -but they are more than worth it

...

Apparently using less yeast and treble proving is the difference between these and normal bread

• blend 15g of fresh yeast with 550ml lukewarm water in a large bowl
• sift the flours(600g bread and 200g plain)and 2tsp salt together beat half of the flour mix into the yeast/water to form a batter
• cover with cling film/carrier bag and leave for about 3 hours or until about trebled in size
• add the remaining flour a little at a time -mixing in with your hand (now you may need more or less flour than listed depending on the flour)
• tip onto a floured worktop and knead for 8-10 mins ... or as long as you can be bothered
  
• place in a clean bowl and cover for 1hr until doubled
• knock back and turn out -cut into 3
• shape each into a ball and then roll out to about 3"x6"
• fold the bottom third up lengthways and the top third down and press down to seal the edges and roll out to 3"x6" again.. allow to rest whist you do the other 2 and then repeat each 2-3 times -ending up with an oblong
• stretch each piece of dough to approx 14" -mine didn't end up that long
  
  .. i shaped mine by rolling up like a swiss roll and tucking the ends under
• sprinkle flour on a tea towel and place 1 on... pinch the tea towel to make a wall -place the 2nd on and do the same
• cover and allow to prove for 45-60 mins
• pre-heat the oven to maximum
• place rolls on a baking sheet -slash diagonally
• place on the top shelf and spray the inside of the oven with water and bake for 20-25 mins (luckily i had a spare plant mister)
• you need to spray the oven twice more during the 1st 5 mins

Now then -it sounds faffy -but once you have done them a time or two it gets much quicker...

To me they are the only bread I have ever made where you get the old fashioned bakery smell
ooh and if Im making pizzas I do the 2nd proving and then make the pizzas and bake -I still mist the oven though and turn down the oven a little after 10 mins if need be,,,,,
I can't quite believe Im no longer tempted by these little beauties :happy036:
hope you enjoy them

 

[Monkey_Monkey_Underpants]

Thank you!

(It's mainly my daughter who will enjoy them. Although I may allow myself a tiny taste...!)

 

[CAPRICORN]

Thank you!

(It's mainly my daughter who will enjoy them. Although I may allow myself a tiny taste...!)

Im not responsible for them being in your house .

 

[Monkey_Monkey_Underpants]

I'm afraid the disclaimer would need to have been in advance of the information, to have any legal force.

 

[Ela ine]

All that planning, organising, shopping, digging (snow) AND you bake your own bread.

*in awe*

Have a great day!! x

 

[CloBow]

Capricorn you are an absolute inspiration!

With all your skills, dedication and motivation you deserve nothing but the success you've had and will continue to have!

Absolute fantastic job lady, you've done astoundingly well and I too am in awe!

Clo xxx

 

[sarah83]

Morning Capricorn - hope you're having a good day. Well done again for an amazing loss!!
Just wanted to tell you that I've just gone through your diary and copied all the recipes I fancy trying... so THANK YOU for putting that index on your first page... makes it sooo much easier!
Will let you know as and when I try them too

 

[CAPRICORN]

Good morning all

Jim -you will have to find me if you want to sue me :sign0151:... I can resist them now -having given up bread when I first started means I have lost the taste -but trust me I used to go face down in them -slathered in organic butter
Ela ine -I love cooking and baking -its just the eating bit I have given up when it comes to baking :giggle:
Thanks CloBow -hope you are having a good week!!
ooh and you look great in your latest photos :happy036:

Well folks I had my brekkie and did 30 mins (450cals) on the wii before 9:30 this morning so I thought I would post before I get off upstairs and fettle our room (didn't get it done yesterday :slap:

so then -its a green day today and looks like this:-

• 250ml semi (A)
• 1 banana
• 2 potato cakes (5)
• 1 apple
• home made vegetable soup
• frozen tropical fruit
• veggie pasta bake :-
• cauli
• broccoli
• leeks
• onions
• peas
• sweetcorn
• 50g dry weight pasta
• home made cheese sauce (A+1.5)
• frozen cherries
• activia (2.5)
• fibre plus bar (B)

Ok that should be 2A+1B and 9 syns accounted for - I have to say that I am sooooooo stuffed from the potato cakes that I doubt I will want lunch AND I may miss the pasta out from dinner for me and just have veggie cheese .
I wouldn't normaly buy potato cakes but these were whoopsed to 60c for 4 from €3.95 -so I have 4 packs . They aren't the thin pancake like ones they are more like bubble n squeak -they are mashed potato with cheese n spring onion in :-
Mash Direct - Delicious healthy natural mashed potato and vegetable products ready to heat and eat
but next time 1 will be plenty.. and rather good at 2.5 syns each on green I may use some with dinners -I could bash them up like bubble n squeak.....they are very tasty...
I have realised though that I now get full an awful lot quicker than I used to and also that I can't stand feeling over full or the feeling I get when I have had too much "stodge" -so those 2 potato cakes have sat a bit too heavy for me... still I will learn
anyway I had better get off and get our room done.. have a lovely day everyone and keep up the great work!!

 

[CAPRICORN]

Morning Capricorn - hope you're having a good day. Well done again for an amazing loss!!
Just wanted to tell you that I've just gone through your diary and copied all the recipes I fancy trying... so THANK YOU for putting that index on your first page... makes it sooo much easier!
Will let you know as and when I try them too

Thanks Sarah...
Hope you like them... I alway worry that folks will make things and not like them and have wasted food
If any of my rambles don't make sense just shout me and I will try and make them make sense
Hope you are having a great week!!

 

[sarah83]

They make perfect sense to me. TBH I tend to play around with any recipe when I make something - either to suit what I've got in, or because hubby doesn't like some of the things in it (fussy sod!)
But I'll let you know when I make it, if I tweaked it and if I liked it (which I'm sure I will as I wouldn't have copied it down otherwise!)

Having an ok week back on track after Christmas - don't feel quite as motivated as I did pre-December and I can't seem to get my planning head back on. Think I may still be off my food slightly since I had flu over Christmas. Never mind, I NEED to plan properly for next week, and I have told myself I must cook some new dishes to get my mojo back...
Am hoping for a 2lb loss after 5 days back on track, when I weigh on Saturday - will bring me back into the 13s then. Would LOVE a 4lb loss to give me my 2stone shiny back but I'm just not feeling as though I've lost tbh

Those potato cakes sound yummy btw - and would be pretty easy to make yourself. Might have to try for a weekend brekkie!

 

[CAPRICORN]

ooohhh thats OK then Sarah... if you are gonna test and adjust as you cook I can breath again
Think of spring arriving and being a few lbs lighter... that motivation is there somewhere ! isn't it odd that lots of people seem to lose motivation after xmas -when summer is coming and we have to start taking the layer off .... hope you find your mojo again soon :vibes:

Well folks as predicted I was still stuffed from brekkie -so didn't have any lunch and I have just had dinner BUT without the pasta.... I really can't believe how those potato cakes made me feel so fit to bust

I have started fettling our room and oh lordy do I need some more coathangers I didn't realise how many clothes I now have ... they are seperated into FIT and NOT QUITE THERE :giggle: although by late spring they had better all fit :cross:.... I have never seen so many pretty colours in my wardrobe ..actually I have never seen so many clothes in there fullstop
Anyway I had better get off and finish our room...
hope everyone has a good evening!!!

 

[Rick82]

Hey Capricorn happy new year!

Well fantastic going as always it really is a pleasure to read your diary, an inspiration for us all.

Keep up the good work!!!

Rick

 

[CAPRICORN]

Thanks Rick.... hope you are having a good week!!!

Goooooood Morning all

So then, I got our room fettled last night and attacked the stairs and landing with the hoover whilst I was at it -hopefully that burnt a few more cals :cross:. I "may" attack the spare bedroom later -not, I only say "may" .... it really wants doing -so we shall see


I have decided to get back to a red day again -yesterdays green day seemed to sit very heavy -even though I didn't have many carbs - in fact I only managed 1heB :slap:...so then my red day should look like this:-

• 250ml semi (A)
• 28g oats (B)
• banana
• home made vegetable soup
• tropical fruit
• activia (2.5)
• orange
• Goan pork curry (0.5)
• 1/4tsp oil (0.5) - to wedge:-
• 198g potato (B)
• frozen cherries
• activia (2.5)
• 250ml semi (A)

That covers 2A+Bs and 6 syns ..so I will try and use some more syns as I go -probably on more milk....
I have just stuck the pork curry in the slow cooker (had the meat marinading overnight) - Im really looking forward to it -it has become a fave, even though I don't usually like curry I think I may have to look at more recipes for curry to try out...

ooohh whilst I was fettling I dug out more of my crafting stuff *how much wool do I have* and some more x-stitch stuff now I KNOW I have masses of that :giggle: ... Im considering making cards, bookmarks etc to sell to raise funds towards the charity trek Im hoping to do (if they ever get it on the websit so I can register ) - I don't normally x-stitch small things, I do big doozies instead, but Im willing to put up with ickle things if it raises money. So hopefully by the time I have sorted the spare room I will be able to get myself organised and make a start...
Anyway thats enough waffle for now,,,, I will get off.. have a great day everyone!!!

 

[sarah83]

What a great plan to fundraise. Is there a church hall nearby you could hire to hold a 'shop'. You could sell your cross-stitch and maybe advertise other small craft shops to sell too (for a fee of course!).
Because it's for charity the church may let you hire for free... all helps!

I am going to have to try that curry out soon, sounds yum. Am toying with the idea of trying a week of reds next week. I did Extra Easy this week to ease me back in after Christmas but I may change depending on what the scales say tomorrow! And I do love having 2 HEX Bs as well as the excuse to eat more cheese...

 

[JoRoger]

I have realised though that I now get full an awful lot quicker than I used to and also that I can't stand feeling over full or the feeling I get when I have had too much "stodge" -so those 2 potato cakes have sat a bit too heavy for me... still I will learn
anyway I had better get off and get our room done.. have a lovely day everyone and keep up the great work!!

You've hit the nail on the head here as to how I've felt a lot of the time recently - tho I think I may have a slight winter bug as I'm very tired, cold, achey, headachey, and with not much appetite, but when I do eat something quite filling, even my morning muesli, I feel really uncomfortably full and bordering on sick for a good hour afterwards. Am considering going back to good old bran flakes in the morning as I think the bulk, sweetness and fruit of the muesli is getting a bit much. But thank you for putting my feelings into words.

Oh and just thought I would sympathise with your bedroom battle - I seem to be constantly making my bed and picking up clothes, taking out drinks glasses, washing and so on, all I might add the result of OH who I don't think has ever made the bed in the 2.5 years we've been together, constantly flings his clothes all around the room, and never brings glasses downstairs. I'd say that I need to send him back to training school but I think he's beyond that! Hope you had a good clean x

 

[CAPRICORN]

Good afternoon all.......got here eventually -we popped out for a ride to the naffi this morning since the roads are finally clear of snow ...

Sarah -Im a bit stuck at the moment with being out here in Germany -so church fetes etc can't be done -"but" hopefully during the summer the camp should have a couple of summer fetes etc that Im thinking of standing at, so I need to get cracking really... Im thinking:-

cross xtitch :-

• cards
• bookmarks
• xmas decorations
• mini scented cushions

using some of my left over jewellery making stuff to make some pieces

I also have loadssss of wool -so I could knit/crochet bits -although its not my strongest point

Whatever I do I need to get my backside into gear..not that I have even registered for the trek yet as its not online
Once we move back to the UK looking into the church fetes etc would be a great idea :clap:

Hi JoRoger... hope you are feeling better soon, my cold has all but gone now :happy036:...
I generally stick to porridge with banana for brekkie as I have become addicted and I find it lines my stomach but without that heavy stodged feeling. Its odd because feeling "overfull" used to be normal to me -I have always been able to eat a pea more than a pig - but now I really can't stand it and find that what would be considered an "average" sized portion of somethings are still too much for me (who'd have thought it ehh!!)
I have to confess that its me who was the "scruff bucket" in our bedroom -its me lying in bed reading magazines etc... although it is as shiny as a new pin now arty0011:.
Hope you have a good weekend!!!


So then -today is a bit messed up as of yet as we were out this morning and so brekkie was missed:copon:, and I got a pack of fridge raiders in the naffi as I was hungry -although at 3 syns I knew I was ok with them... so then my RED day looks -or should look like this:-

• 250ml semi (A)
• 1 pack fridge raiders (3)
• 4 plums
• apple
• activia (2.5)
• salmon fillet
• tickled cabbage
• tickled beetroot
• 4 plums
• grapefruit
• 250ml semi (A)
• fibre plus bar (B)

hmmmm now that doesn't really look as good as it should but uses 2A+1B and 5.5syns ... and I will see what to do with the other B+syns if I need them later.. might have some ryvitas to use my B and a bit of cheese to use some syns :hmm:. I will see if I have room for it later -the fridge raiders n plums have me filled up :faint2:
Hubby has requested lasagne tonight -I don't fancy it -but I will still make it SW as I do normally then I can freezer the other portions and know they are fine for me too....
right I will get off and settle down for a read -hubby is watching Leeds play on the TV so earplugs might be an idea
have a lovely day everyone...

 

[CAPRICORN]

Ahh well, my meal plan changed -

• 250ml semi (A)
• 1 pack fridge raiders (3)
• 4 plums
• apple
• activia (2.5)
• home made lasagne (1/2 A+4)
• 4 plums
• 125ml semi (1/2 A)
• grapefruit
• fibre plus bar (B)

The lasagne smelt soooooooo scrummy when it was done that I decided I couldn't be faffed doing my salmon -so lasagne it was -although I put half a portion in a soup plate and it was plenty .. hubby had the other half of my portion as 2nds -so I still have a half to split into 2 freezer portions for hubby to take for lunches some time
so my total for today will be 2A+1B and 9.5syns, I still have my fibre plus bar to eat later -and fruit and I doubt I will use the other B ...
Weigh in tomorrow :cross: although Im feeling a bit bloaty -so as usual I will just have to wait n see...
Right I will get off again..have a lovely night all

 

[CAPRICORN]

Gooooooood morning all :wavey:

Well, thats another 1lb dealt with arty0049:.... Im kind of suprised as I feel rather bloaty at the moment - so Im !!!!
I haven't settled on this weeks meal plan -so after I have done this I will settle down with a cuppa and get it done. I have 13 weeks of meal plans sorted but I just have to decide which I fancy AND which will require least shopping -whichever I pick I should have most of the ingredients in -just a fruit n veg top up required hopefully :cross:

Anyhoo -todays meal plan is RED and should look like this :-

• 250ml semi (A)
• apple
• grapefruit
• minted lamb casserole (1)
• 198g potato (B)
• cauli
• broccoli
• carrots
• nobbies
• frozen berries
• activia (2.5)
• salmon fillet
• tickled cabbage
• tomato
• pepper
• tropical fruit
• activia (2.5)
• 250ml semi (A)
• fibre plus (B)

So that covers 2A+Bs and 6syns so I will need to use some more syns as I go...
Right I will get off for now and sort out this weeks meals...
Have a lovely day everyone and keep up the great work!!!!

 

[ChicaConCurvas]

Morning Capricorn - just wanted to say well done on yet another lb off!
I'm hoping at weigh in tomorrow I'll have got rid of the naughty Xmas 6lb I put on although that's probably a bit over ambitious! If half of it is gone I'll be happy so fingers crossed!