Erm's Photo Diary

[ermintrude]

Sunday 20th - Green

Breakfast: Coffee & Toast 1 HEXA, 1 HEXB, 2 syns
Lunch: Jalapeno hummus with mixed veg and salad 3 syns for dressing
Tea: Mung bean dahl 1 syn for oil
Snacks: Pear, peach, apple, nectarines, Muller light


This was really bland I upped the spices etc cos it was a Canadian recipe and I find t'other side of the Atlantic can be a bit "scared" of spices (1/4 tsp of coriander powder? ) - but even so it tasted of pretty much naff all. Wont bother with the rest of the site

 

[craftylucyloo]

Is that the mung bean dahl? It looks nice! Not into game birds either but glad you enjoyed! x

 

[ermintrude]

Monday 21st - Green

Breakfast: Coffee 1 HEXA & mixed fruit bowl
Lunch: Jalapeno hummus with carrot sticks, mixed veg and salad 2 syns for dressing
Tea: Greens & lentil stew
Snacks: Pear, peach, apple, Finn Crisp with Laughing Cow 1 HEXA/B

Another bland bugger! Shoulda known not to make anything with c*bb*ge in the title And there's Loooooooaaaaads of leftovers Gonna have to sent the O/H to work with it for packup :giggle:

 

[ermintrude]

Is that the mung bean dahl? It looks nice! Not into game birds either but glad you enjoyed! x

The one in the bowl on the 20th is the dahl yeah, it was BLAND. So was my cabbage stew tonight! And I wasnt a great fan of the lentils with the partridge either. Boo! I give up on this other-people's-recipes lark, they clearly have no damn tastebuds! :sigh:

 

[Honeyoc]

Awww sorry about the disappointing lentil soups Erm, with recipes I usually just use them as inspiration and then do my thing. I can usually tell by reading a recipe weather it would be to my taste or not and I adjust accordingly. Recipes I come across are only a guide. Will you try the River cottage veg stew? I'm thinking of making it on Wednesday. Tomorrow is lamb stew night lol!

 

[BritMumInCanada]

Monday 21st - Green

Breakfast: Coffee 1 HEXA & mixed fruit bowl
Lunch: Jalapeno hummus with carrot sticks, mixed veg and salad 2 syns for dressing
Tea: Greens & lentil stew
Snacks: Pear, peach, apple, Finn Crisp with Laughing Cow 1 HEXA/B

Another bland bugger! Shoulda known not to make anything with c*bb*ge in the title And there's Loooooooaaaaads of leftovers Gonna have to sent the O/H to work with it for packup :giggle:

oh no what a shame, the last two recipes looked delicious. I normally find cabbage really adds flavour to soups and things.

Can I ask what the ingredients were in the recipe? Maybe we can help you make it more flavorsome.

 

[ermintrude]

@ Honey, yeah Im gonna put it on my list for this week, got to do that today or tomorrow as Tesco is booked for Thurs and currently has about sick squid in the basket

@ BritMum aw thanks that'd be cool! The cabbage stew was this one, just boiled lentils, broccoli, cabbage, red onion and stock with dried chillies in "to spice it up". I did wonder at stock cabbage with dried chillies but thought Id give it a go, wont bother again. It tasted ofd NOTHING except the heat of the chillies They werent over-hot, I only used three small ones. I did wonder as I was making it, no herbs? Not even a bay leaf? Boiling the lentils and THEN adding the stock cube rather than boiling them IN the stock? But Im trying to try out a few new things and when Itry to add my own, er, 'touch' to them it inevitably turns into an identical dish to the last six :sigh: Often something in marked resemblance to a curry :giggle:

Any advice welcome! Egyptian red lentil soup for tea tonight, yum yum! (Ive done this one before, its safe )

 

[ermintrude]

I was just adding up and found I've been doing this 40 weeks and lost just over 90lb - so in the time it takes to have a baby I've lost TEN babies!!! :8855:

 

[BritMumInCanada]

Wow what a weight loss erm well done

I had a look at the recipe and what a weird way of cooking it. It seems all back to front.

I would of fried off the onions, leek first and then added the rest of the stuff WITH the stock and simmered for quite a while to release all the flavour and reduce down. My soups are often simmering on the stove for the whole morning from when I get up until lunch so a good few hours lol and you are right it could of prob used some herbs like thyme or spices like cumin/coriander

Anyway you can def blame the recipe there.

 

[ermintrude]

Wow what a weight loss erm well done

I had a look at the recipe and what a weird way of cooking it. It seems all back to front.

I would of fried off the onions, leek first and then added the rest of the stuff WITH the stock and simmered for quite a while to release all the flavour and reduce down. My soups are often simmering on the stove for the whole morning from when I get up until lunch so a good few hours lol and you are right it could of prob used some herbs like thyme or spices like cumin/coriander

Anyway you can def blame the recipe there.

Ah yay cool I thought it was odd but it was just a quick one I picked up that looked superspeedy (it's nearly WI day ) and uktvfood is usually pretty reliable Thanks for that, good to know Im not going loopy

PS I did stick the dried chilli in at the add-veg stage (no way am I tossing *dried* chilli on at the end! ) and I left it on the lowest heat for a couple of hours, still nada

Just had some leftovers for lunch actually, tastes a lot better now its had the chance to marinade in the fridge for a good 12 hours or so

 

[ermintrude]

Tuesday 22nd - Green

Breakfast: Coffee 1 HEXA & mixed fruit
Lunch: Leftover green veg & lentil stew - WAY better marinated in the fridge overnight!
Tea: Egyptian red lentil curry with crispy tortilla, chips & dip 5 syns for tortilla
Snacks: Pear, peaches, apple, nectarines, Finn Crisp with Laughing Cow 1 HEXA/B

I've had this before as a plain old soup but this time I did it the 'proper' way with crispy tortilla chips (well, the proper 'proper' way is to use deep fried pitta, but hey ) and it was FABTASTIC!!! Loved it last time, lurrrrrved it this time :drool: Ommmm, it was fab fab fab scooped up with a crispy tortilla and a bit of lime & mint dip! (The swede chips were just cos I didn't really have enough for 2 of us otherwise). Definitely make double or quadruple next time! I think it's the cumin, makes it taste all BUTTERY!! :drool:

All gone so no leftovers for lunch today, HUMPH!!!

 

[ermintrude]

And for that, dear readers, I win:

Yup, 4lbs off this week!!! that came as a bit of a surprise, I was expecting about 1lb, but the last two nights Ive been peeing for Britain Think it's my period which is just finished, been storing up the ol' fluids for a coupla weeks now

Hope that's not TMI Yup, so my rolling total now stands at 6 st 9 ½ lbs off. Oh and buggeration! I just had to go and look that up as I've lost track and I remembered (it's my age... ) I'm below the big 2-1!!! (Just!) I am now 20st 13lb!!! (I can see all the ten-stoners gawping that I could *possibly* be proud of this... )

Woooo hooooo, new 20-stone room here I come!!!! See ya laterz 21-stonerz!!!!

 

[Loopeylou]

And for that, dear readers, I win:

Yup, 4lbs off this week!!! that came as a bit of a surprise, I was expecting about 1lb, but the last two nights Ive been peeing for Britain Think it's my period which is just finished, been storing up the ol' fluids for a coupla weeks now

Hope that's not TMI Yup, so my rolling total now stands at 6 st 9 ½ lbs off. Oh and buggeration! I just had to go and look that up as I've lost track and I remembered (it's my age... ) I'm below the big 2-1!!! (Just!) I am now 20st 13lb!!! (I can see all the ten-stoners gawping that I could *possibly* be proud of this... )

Woooo hooooo, new 20-stone room here I come!!!! See ya laterz 21-stonerz!!!!

Wow thats a fantastic result, well done and so you should be proud!!! xx

 

[Debridger]

Well done Erm, it's great to see all your hard work paying off!! You must feel proud of your determination

 

[tabu]

And for that, dear readers, I win:

Yup, 4lbs off this week!!! that came as a bit of a surprise, I was expecting about 1lb, but the last two nights Ive been peeing for Britain Think it's my period which is just finished, been storing up the ol' fluids for a coupla weeks now

Hope that's not TMI Yup, so my rolling total now stands at 6 st 9 ½ lbs off. Oh and buggeration! I just had to go and look that up as I've lost track and I remembered (it's my age... ) I'm below the big 2-1!!! (Just!) I am now 20st 13lb!!! (I can see all the ten-stoners gawping that I could *possibly* be proud of this... )

Woooo hooooo, new 20-stone room here I come!!!! See ya laterz 21-stonerz!!!!

Well done on ur achievement!...fantastic result.

Can I have the recipe for your Egyptian curry, it looks delish

Thank u

 

[ermintrude]

Egyptian red lentil curry

This serves two IF you do it with chips/have it on a plate with the tortilla etc - without all that there's only enough for one really. Also the lime & mint dip totally makes it, although it is yummy on its own.

It's not a 'hot' curry btw, it's quite sweet but 'buttery' and definitely suits dip & tortilla chips IYKWIM

Ingredients:

- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 medium/large carrot, coarsely grated
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp paprika
- 75g red split lentils
- 500ml chicken stock

- 1 tortilla (I used a Weight Watchers one, 5 syns - if you used a Co-op/Asda pitta isntead you could use it as a HEXB)

For the dip:
- 150g Total 2%
- 10-12 large leaves mint, finely chopped
- Juice of 1/2 a large lime

Method:

- Preheat oven to 180C

- Sweat onion and a pinch of salt in Fry Light for a few min
- Add garlic, ginger and carrot and cook gently for 2-3 min until softened
- Stir in cumin, turmeric and paprika for 1 min until aromatic
- Add lentils and stock and simmer until cooked (about 20 min)

Meanwhile prepare tortilla and dip:

- Bake tortilla for a couple of min until browning round edges and crispy (longer if you use pitta). Turn over and repeat
- Spray with Fry Light, sprinkle with salt and a little cumin and bake for another minute. Set aside
- In a small bowl, mix yogurt, mint, lime juice and S&P and set aside

When ready, serve curry with dip on the side and use broken up tortilla to scoop up the curry & dip. I served mine with swede chips too to bulk it out a bit.

 

[craftylucyloo]

Mmmm yum yum. xx

 

[tabu]

Egyptian red lentil curry

This serves two IF you do it with chips/have it on a plate with the tortilla etc - without all that there's only enough for one really. Also the lime & mint dip totally makes it, although it is yummy on its own.

It's not a 'hot' curry btw, it's quite sweet but 'buttery' and definitely suits dip & tortilla chips IYKWIM

Ingredients:

- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 medium/large carrot, coarsely grated
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp paprika
- 75g red split lentils
- 500ml chicken stock

- 1 tortilla (I used a Weight Watchers one, 5 syns - if you used a Co-op/Asda pitta isntead you could use it as a HEXB)

For the dip:
- 150g Total 2%
- 10-12 large leaves mint, finely chopped
- Juice of 1/2 a large lime

Method:

- Preheat oven to 180C

- Sweat onion and a pinch of salt in Fry Light for a few min
- Add garlic, ginger and carrot and cook gently for 2-3 min until softened
- Stir in cumin, turmeric and paprika for 1 min until aromatic
- Add lentils and stock and simmer until cooked (about 20 min)

Meanwhile prepare tortilla and dip:

- Bake tortilla for a couple of min until browning round edges and crispy (longer if you use pitta). Turn over and repeat
- Spray with Fry Light, sprinkle with salt and a little cumin and bake for another minute. Set aside
- In a small bowl, mix yogurt, mint, lime juice and S&P and set aside

When ready, serve curry with dip on the side and use broken up tortilla to scoop up the curry & dip. I served mine with swede chips too to bulk it out a bit.

thank u

 

[clarri]

A big congrats on the 4.8 off. Wow.
xx

 

[Tinnedtomato]

And for that, dear readers, I win:

Yup, 4lbs off this week!!! that came as a bit of a surprise, I was expecting about 1lb, but the last two nights Ive been peeing for Britain Think it's my period which is just finished, been storing up the ol' fluids for a coupla weeks now

Hope that's not TMI Yup, so my rolling total now stands at 6 st 9 ½ lbs off. Oh and buggeration! I just had to go and look that up as I've lost track and I remembered (it's my age... ) I'm below the big 2-1!!! (Just!) I am now 20st 13lb!!! (I can see all the ten-stoners gawping that I could *possibly* be proud of this... )

Woooo hooooo, new 20-stone room here I come!!!! See ya laterz 21-stonerz!!!!

Wow wee Erm!! That is amazing!! Well done!! :banana dancer: