Susie and Orbit's daily dribble

[Supersmileyme]

You will be very welcome to visit, but I'm a long way from Hastings, prob about 1.5 hours. The roads are rubbish on that coastal route, I think it's quicker driving to M25 and down! We are waaaay closer where you are now.
Well done on the weight loss, what an amazing amount to lose in a month.
Re the snow, it's almost nothing now.

 

[slaj]

Wow fantastic loss Susie, so pleased for you. How many cals are you eating a day? It is lovely to be able to eat and enjoy The variety of fruit and veg. A move to the coast has always seemed a lovely option to me

 

[coffeelover]

Oooh car sounds great, does that mean the commute will be even less?

I have a kindle keyboard, which they don't make in the uk anymore? They still make it in the us though. I love love it.

Yes I'll definitely come for a visit.

 

[ladyfelsham]

I don't think I'll drive the commute, Val, although it can always be an option once I'm sorted out. I do the like the idea of having two hours worktime on the way, deal with the gazillion emails and have time to type news stories up. But if the train gets annoying, the drive is about 1 1/2 hours My boss drives his commute now, and says it's fine until you hit London.

I've long wanted a car - supermarket trips, see friends, get to Ikea, get Orby to the vet - but because I was trying to buy in London I needed all my savings. Now I've decided on the coast, it frees up some money - and I will definitely need one down there.

So, will see how the AA report gets on - it's a really comprehensive204 point check, and they take it for a test drive. Brilliant

Been busy in the kitchen, and made miracle rice pudding with Da Vinci gingerbead syrup. It was too runny so I broke through my xantham gum fear, added a teaspoon and it's perfect! here's the recipe - low carb too

1 bag Miracle rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 egg
Sweetener - or Da Vinci syrup
1 tablespoon butter or oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp xantham gum.

Mix and put in a baking dish. Cook at 200 for 20 minutes.

Makes 2 servings, 93 cal each, almost zero carbs.

Can also add raisins or chocolate.

 

[ladyfelsham]

Also made a vegetable lasagna and just had some for dinner - LUSH! yell out if you want the recipe - it was easy peasy

 

[sammy1]

Hi, coast flat sounds wonderful, I have always wanted to live by the sea, I hope this move works out for you. Re the x gum, I have tried it in so many dishes and have hated it,it makes gag just to think about it...,enjoy your weekend.

 

[ladyfelsham]

Afternoon all

Up early today, pottering around the flat, then had a friend over for morning tea, and the potential house sitters due to visit in an hour

Time for lunch

 

[coffeelover]

Also made a vegetable lasagna and just had some for dinner - LUSH! yell out if you want the recipe - it was easy peasy

yelling out!

 

[ladyfelsham]

LOL - OK here it is, rather than the Recipe pages, so I don't confuse new low carbers

Susie's vegetable lasagna (serves 4)

Ingredients

500g tomatoes
3-4 courgettes
1 large pot (300g) low fat plain cottage cheese
100g low fat mozzarella ball
100g tomato puree
50g reduced fat grated mozzarella

Method

1. Slice toms in two and put on baking tray, flesh side up, sprinkle with basil and cracked black pepper. Cook at 200 degrees in the middle of the oven for about 40-60 mins, then leave to cool slightly. You could use bought pasta sauce - the M&S one is low carb (ish) - but there's nothing like your own

2. Top and tail the courgettes, and slice about 1cm thick longways.

3. Put the toms in a large plastic bowl (I used a plastic measurement jug) and blitz using a hand blender.

4. Add the cottage cheese to the toms and stir well.

5. Add puree (I used 80g double strength puree, 10g garlic puree, 10g chilli puree - a bit hot but lush) and stir well.

6. Coat your lasagna dish with EVOO (I used a spray so the oil used was negligible), then layer up - courgettes first, then cottage cheese/tom mix, then dot slices of the mozzarella ball. Repeat, then top with low fat grated mozzarella and cook for about 40 mins at 200 degrees.

7. Leave to sit for a minute before cutting and serving.

You could add aubergines as more 'pasta', and mushrooms are also lovely in the mixture, and for an added touch, try sprinkling 30g parmesan over the top.

Freezes well.

About 210 cals per serve (including the parmesan).

 

[moonlights]

Make all the cheese high fat and that's reasonably low carb, too I love a veggie lasagna.

 

[ladyfelsham]

It was really yummy - and oh the smell of that cheese while it was cooking....

Morning all

Not even going to mention the weather, am fed up even complaining about it!

All good eating wise, totm arrived so ate my head off yesterday but on all good stuff, so scales showed no change this morning, which is great. Friday is my official WI day but I am getting such a kick from checking it every day - I know I shouldn't but it is so brilliant to see it come down consistently almost every day!

The friend I'm going to Turkey with was over yesterday, and he said he can definitely see that I've lost weight, more shape to me (not sure how he could tell through my baggy t-shirt!), and also losing it round my neck and shoulders. I know that part's right because clothes seem easier to lift off over my head, iyswim?

Had more visitors after that - Rosie and Jake, the couple I've selected to house/Orbit sit for me in May - and they are lovely! I feel 110% confident that Orbs will be loved and well looked after, which is just so reassuring And ladies, you will love this - Jake is a cheesemonger! Bless him, he's going to find some yummy low fat cheese for me

Hope you're all well and hearty xxx

 

[Dietkitty]

Still going great guns there hon! This house sitting arrangement really seems to be working well for you. If you do end up on the coast I expect there will be plenty of volunteers there too! What sort of position are they usually in? Do they just want to spend some time in London? Can't see anyone wanting to spend time in my home town lol.

 

[ladyfelsham]

Morning lovely

The house sitters are mainly younger people who live in London but want to avoid paying high rents - some people just housesit all year round and stay with friends when they have gaps in jobs - or they are retired people who just fancy a change. I ended up getting 28 replies, and it was quite difficult whittling them down, a lot sounded perfect. Rosie and Jake are both art student graduates, but now need paying jobs )) so she's a nanny for a rich French family and he's a cheesemonger.

Hopefully, as you say, once I move, people will be attracted by being at the seaside

Got the afternoon off on Thursday and am heading down to have a look at the flat. Cross fingers that seven is my lucky number!

How's everything with you, Lisa? xxx

 

[Dietkitty]

Ooh good luck with the viewing. There wasn't a floor plan of that one was there? I always find floor plans really helpful lol. Not bad thanks but woke up with a cold which I can do without. Got a big job on at work so am sitting here waiting for it to hit the fan! Other than that it's dead quiet today. The funeral is next Tuesday so just waiting to hear what the travel plans are. I'll probably end up driving myself but I'm happy with that. Got my nails done last week at your suggestion lol. And hair is being done on Thursday. I ordered the top from ebay and it's being made for me this week so I'm super excited about that C5 Quirky Black Lagenlook Cowl Neck Tunic Top Drip Sides | eBay

 

[ladyfelsham]

Sadly, no floor plan - but I'll take lots of pics.

Glad you listen to Older Sister Susie about such important things as nails and hair Love that top - it's classy but casual at the same time, really like the cowl neck!

 

[moonlights]

Oooh. Id like to marry a cheesemonger or a butcher to keep me in the low carb lifestyle to which I have become accustomed! I think I'd eat him out of a business, though..,

All sounding good in the hood Susie!

 

[ladyfelsham]

Morning all

Very exciting evening (no, not that sort of excitement! ) - I've found a VW Beetle I love and have arranged an RAC inspection next Wednesday - so cross fingers the nice owner doesn't get an offer before then! It's gorgeous, a dark grey colour, convertible, and hardly any miles on the clock - the perfect seaside runabout for Orby and me

SWI (sneaky weigh in) this morning and despite totm I've hit 306 - which means that's my 1 1/2 stone woohoo. Am getting into a nice rhythym with it, helped no end by soups (homemade or Covent Garden - just discovered they don't add any nasties to their soups, yaye) and making up four meals at once. I'm more or less sticking to my calorie level Monday to Friday, then eating over on Sat/Sun if I want to, and I'm still losing, so am feeling very happy about this approach for me.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how much more I can lose by 14 May, which is when I fly to Turkey. I haven't been in a plane for nearly three years, so hopefully my loss by then will mean no belt extender!

 

[Dietkitty]

That's brilliant well done!!

 

[moonlights]

Fabulous! At the rate you're going belt extenders will be a thing of the past (have suffered that indignity myself - and also just pretended to belt was done up in order to avoid it). And I cannot tell you the joy of tray tables that go down properly!

 

[ladyfelsham]

also just pretended to belt was done up in order to avoid it!

Oh I've done that too - awful - but better than the humiliation of an air steward keeping me waiting until take off for one and then shouting "Who wanted the belt extender?!" and everyone craning their heads to get a good gawp at the fat lady, like last time!