Week 6 achievement

Today I have shed 1/2 cm off my hips. I had a few drinks on the weekend, tolberone's (cream and Kahlua based) and thoroughly enjoyed chocolate covered blueberries. The most important thing is I didn't gain any weight. The most important thing is I am living 'life'. There is going to be times when I will be tempted by all those yummy foods, but I will learn to get back on track the next day. Which I have done by eating fruit and vegies. It has been really hot the last few days so exercise hasn't been regular, but I made sure I did something and not just sit around all weekend. And yesterday my son and I mowed the lawn.

Today I showed the girls the Wii Fit, well worth the money!! I was a bit hesitant at first when my daughter bought it, simply because I was embarassed in front of the kids, but now I love it, I get up at 6am, exercise for half an hour, then get the kids up for school. I do hula hoop, boxing and then 10 mins free step while watching TV, maybe some balance exercises. The Wii Fit keeps track of your weight, BMI, Wii Fit age, you can set yourself a weight loss goal, how often you exercised. So check it out, it is sooo much fun, and you really don't realise you're exercising!!

Low GI Chicken Fried Rice

Ingedients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 pinch salt
¾ cup brown rice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¾ cup sliced celery
1 cup mushrooms
2 carrots, diced
2 spring onions
¼ cup soy sauce
2 cups bean sprouts

Directions
Bring 1 ¼ cups of the chicken stock, rice and salt to boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Fluff with fork and set aside.
In a wok heat sesame oil over medium high heat and cook chicken and mushrooms for about 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
Add spring onions, carrot, celery, and cooked rice.
Cook, stirring for 2 minutes, to combine.
Add remaining chicken stock and soy sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
Add bean sprouts and toss to combine. Enjoy!

Chicken san choy bau

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
500g chicken mince
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup bean sprouts
½ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 iceberg lettuce

Method:
Prepare the lettuce by cutting out the stem and pulling off leaves. The outer ones are too big and soft, keep for a salad; use the lettuce cups closer to the heart of the lettuce. Wash gently and use a lettuce spinner to dry. You will need 2-3 cups per person.
Heat peanut oil in a hot frying pan and brown the chicken mince. Add fish sauce, soy sauce and lemon juice, cook for one minute.
Remove from heat and stir through bean sprouts and coriander leaves.
Spoon chicken mixture into lettuce cups and serve immediately.
Alternatively, if you don’t mind spillage, serve the chicken mixture in a large bowl on the centre of the table and let everyone fill their own lettuce cups.
Notes:
·Finely chopped water chestnuts also add a nice crunch to this dish.
· Fish sauce is, well, smelly like fish, but adds the lovely flavour to san choy bau and other Thai dressings.

Sweet Potato Salad

Here is my recipe for a Sweet Potato salad which is sure to be a favourite at BBQs. Its a much lower GI value than your normal potato salad and because there isn't any dressing - low in fat. This can be served as a meal in itself as the lentils and beans make it a very filling and healthy dish.

Variations include the addition of several handful of baby spinach and /or a block of creamy feta cheese cut up into tiny cubes. ( This is particularly nice as it serves as the 'mayonnaise' or dressing.)

I large sweet potato - cut into about 1 cm cubes ( smallest looks best - but big chuncky ones work too)
boil this until cooked but still firm - don't over cook or when its mixed up it goes mushy.
1 can of brown lentils - drained
1 can mixed beans - drained

4 onions - cut into rings - fry on BBQ so it is caramelised and brown. ( and has that gorgeous smell and taste)

leave all ingreditent to cool and then mix roughly.
Squeeze 1 lemon into mix and add a little salt and pepper to taste.

Yummo!!