Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Hanging on to the Bandwagon

I trust and respect myself and deserve to satisfy my inner needs!
(Thank you to Clemma for this cute pic that made my day)
The last couple of weeks have been interesting, between going to the DRC for work, getting ill and eating big doses of antibiotics (dear Augmentin manufacturer, please make your pills smaller so that they are easier to swallow), and starting my first project managing role.
I have managed to lose some more weight and cms since my last weigh in 3 weeks ago, so I’m definitely getting my carb / protein ratio right. I will not pretend that it has been easy. Being ill made it even harder to be disciplined. The last thing I’ve wanted to do is cook. I did manage to make myself some soup for lunches last week, but suppers have been opportunistic and far from being a healthy choice at the best of times. I’ve also not been to gym for 2 weeks and I’m craving it! My lungs are finally clearing up so I should be able to slowly get going again.
I realise that I need to make a bigger effort to have home-cooked supper meals readily available. As my housemate is only home 2 or 3 nights a week, cooking for one is rather tricky. And I’m utterly not in the mood for cooking these days. There are some unidentified frozen dishes lurking in the freezer. I think it’s time to investigate them. Toss out what shouldn’t even be in the fridge. The sad thing is that there seems to me more condiments in that fridge than anything else (mostly my housemate’s. Do we really need that many? There are many variations on the chilli theme. I think she forgets she has that stuff and I don’t go near it, I like my taste buds). Once I’ve done that I need to be really prepared and disciplined.
It’s very hard to do this solo. Last year I did a challenge with Sean and it worked well until he bailed out on me. I need to find someone who is determined to get healthy, who will not sabotage the process, and who will rise to the challenge.
On the positive side of things, I am making more time for me. I have stopped accepting every invite that is being sent out. I am getting back in contact with my dear friends with whom I feel I have not been communicating enough. I’ve realised how much I miss them. I’m watching less TV, reading more and spending time in my garden. I’m also trying to look after my skin better: no more skipping on cleansing my face at night; I make sure that I treat my nails and cuticles every night; applying hand cream after every time I wash my hands; moisturising! This is all part of the Looking After Gerlinde Plan: pampering (without breaking the bank) and giving me some much needed love.
So here is the plan for the coming weeks:
1.       Find a health and fitness buddy who will not bail out on me.
2.       Make more time to see close friends.
3.       Sort out the fridge and toss anything unhealthy / old and manky / mysterious.
4.       BE DISCIPLINED AND PREPARED!
5.       Plan weekly meals.
6.       Get back to gym (at least 3 times a week) and start training for the 15km 702 Walk the Talk.
7.       Eat out not more than once a week, preferably not more than twice a month (my finances will be grateful too).
8.       No take-outs or convenience meals (happy waist and wallet).
9.       NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Banana Cupcakes



I had some very mushy bananas and what better idea than to make banana cupcakes on a glorious Sunday? This recipe makes 12 muffins.


Ingredients
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour sifted
4 eggs
1/4 tsp nutmeg
225g mashed bananas
100g chocolate chips

Icing
200g cream cheese / mascarpone
175g icing sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
edible glitter, and decorations

How to:
1. Pre-heat an oven to 180C. Place baking cases in muffin tins.
2. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar , flour, eggs and nutmeg and beat until smooth.
3. Add the mashed bananas and chocolate chips.
4. Spoon the batter in the cases and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the muffins when cooked and allow to cool down.
5. To make the icing, slowly beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla essence together.
6. Swil or pipe the icing onto the cooled muffins and decorate with edible glitter and decorations.
7. EAT!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

WARNING: May contain garlic

Yesterday I decided to harvest some of my home grown herbs and make my very own basil pesto. It was a huge success. I believe that had any vampires decided to have a go at me they would have disintegrated into sparkly dust.




Ingredients


Approx 50g basil (or rocket or both)


Crushed garlic (the quantity will depend if you are vampire hunting or having to go to work the next day)


Grated Parmesan (again, quantities at your discretion)


Pine nuts (or walnuts or pecan nuts)


Olive oil




Food blender is a must, be it a handheld one, or a snazzy one. Otherwise you can use a mortar and pestle and be at it for years. Your choice really.




Method


Whizz up the greens. Add the garlic, Parmesan and nuts. Whizz whizz whizz until you have a paste. Slowly add olive oil until you have the consistency you want.




That's it




Make pasta. Add pesto. Eat! OM NOM! NOM!




HEY PESTO!