An update from me!

It's been a couple of years since I last updated this blog. I am still cooking and eating healthy where I can. I combine Weight Watcher and Slimming World friendly days with 5:2 which allows weekend indulgence! I try to stick to 600 cals on a Monday and Wednesday, healthy eating Tues, Thurs and Friday and eat and drink what I want on Saturdays and Sundays.

In December 2014 I turned 40 and was delighted to have finally reached a goal weight and shape. I exercise lots and have discovered I can jog, something I never thought I can do! I love Friday morning bootcamp sessions with other mums from school, mainly because I can combine exercise with a good old girly gossip.

Life is really busy for me with working virtually full time, managing the home and looking after 2 children, not to mention being heavily involved with my older child's school PTA. I'd love to blog again but there are just not enough hours in the day for me right now.

I still use my blog loads when I want to cook certain recipes. Searching for my lamb jalfrezi recipe brought me here today prompted me to write this post.

I'm on Twitter and Instagram if you want to follow me - expect lots of foodie tweets and posts! 

@juliaplatia

Ciao for now,

Julia
x

Veal Ragu

A whole number of celebrity chefs have done their best to change the country's opinion on eating veal. The latest of which was Jimmy Doherty with his series 'Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket'. Still, the British public think it's 'cruel to eat veal'. The truth is it's cruel not to eat it. If there was a thriving market for British rose veal, these poor veal calves would not be shot senselessly at birth but would be reared for purpose under much higher welfare standards then outside the UK. Read the facts from Jimmy here.

I have long been a fan of veal, especially as it favours very well on a low fat diet such as WeightWatchers. It's not cheap by any means, in fact veal escalopes are the same price £29.99) per kilo as fillet steak at my local butchers. I am beginning to find that it is becoming much more accessible in the supermaket. Shame Tesco did not see Jimmy's veal meatballs as a viable product for the mass market, but Waitrose and Sainsburys offer veal products at reasonable cost. In any case, I am always a sucker for a reduced item as in the freezer it goes till I am ready to knock something scrummy up with it!

You'll need for 5 adults or 4 adult portions and 2 kids:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 1 stick celery, finely diced
• 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 500g veal mince (always use British rose veal)
• 475g pasta, tagliatelle, fettucine or spaghetti (that's 95g per person)
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• Handful fresh basil
• Seasoning
• Pinch of sugar
• A chicken stock cube or liquid chicken stock

Method:

In a large non-stick frying pan add the olive oil and saute the onions on a low heat. Add the celery and carrots and continue to soften in the pan. Add some of the chicken stock if a little dry.

After a good 10 minutes or so when the vegetables are soft, turn up to a high heat and add the meat and brown all over. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree. Fill up the tin from the tomatoes with chicken stock or water. Slowly add half of this liquid with the stock cube or liquid concentrate.

Stir well, turn down to a simmer and allow to cook slowly for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a pinch of sugar.  Finish with the freshly chopped basil.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain and toss into the sauce. Serve in pasta bowls with plenty of parmesan cheese to serve.

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 13

Healthy Foods Make a Positive Impact on a Cancer Patient

Having lost my mother and my father-in-law to cancer in the last few months I feel it was fitting to blog a guest post from Jillian McKee on the health benefits of healthy eating with cancer patients. You can follow Jillian on Twitter @jillianmckee or connect via Facebook.


Cancer patients deal with many different issues. These can include, physical changes, weight loss, weight gain, loss of muscle tone, lack of energy, and severe mood swings. Dealing with these issues on top of cancer treatments, medication and treatment side effects, and financial issues can be absolutely draining. Incorporating a healthier diet and researching beneficial foods can play a large role in increasing energy as well as improving moods which can provide a lasting, positive result for many cancer patients.



Salad with egg

The National Cancer Institute recommends cancer patients try out foods such as whole grains, eggs, extra dairy foods, and foods that are low in fiber.  In addition to consuming more of these foods, increasing the intake of vegetables and fruits will also help to increase energy, add endurance, and improve the body’s immune system in many cases. Each person reacts and responds differently to both treatments and food. Trying out the recommended foods and discovering which ones work best is the best place to begin changing an old diet with a new diet.


One of the biggest benefits that whole foods, dairy, natural fruits, and vegetables can give to a cancer patient is the strength to continue through rounds of treatment. Side effects and the treatments themselves often prove to be very trying and draining on a person in both physical and mental ways. By increasing the amounts of healthy, whole foods, and foods rich in vitamins and proteins will help a person to be more physically prepared to deal with treatments, as well as cancer side effects and mesothelioma side effects.


If a cancer patient has a family living with him or her, getting the entire family on board with new eating changes will also benefit the other members in the family by giving them quality nutrition and wholesome foods to feel better and have more energy throughout their day. This also is a great way to form a support alliance for a person who is going through cancer treatments. Support groups, exercise, and healthy nutrition are vital for a person who is undergoing consistent rounds of treatment.



Colourful veggies, great for roasting
For healthy recipes containing roasted vegetables, click here

Because some foods can become boring to eat when they are consumed in the same way meal after meal, there are many creative ideas for menus and snack suggestions in which healthy foods can be prepared in fresh and appealing methods.  Blended fruit drinks, grilled vegetable kebabs, cheese and vegetable quiches, and homemade pizzas loaded with cheese and vegetables are simple meals to prepare that are also delicious and fun to eat.

Individual Guilt Free Pavlovas

This traditional dessert with a healthy makeover makes the perfect sweet ending to your meal when you don't want to bust the diet.  A typical pavlova uses a meringue base, whipped cream, topped with fruit.  By using 0% fat Greek yogurt as a replacement for double cream, a large individual pavlova totals just 4 WeightWatchers ProPoints which can easily be halved to 2 ProPoints by making smaller meringues.

If you don't want to make the meringues yourself you can of course get shop bought ones, but since I have discovered just how easy and how much better tasting home-made ones are, I don't think I'll ever buy them again. Oh and a good tip is when you are making something that uses a yolk, don't throw the white away, pop it into a freezer bag and freeze it. I hate wasting anything and all you need is a couple of egg whites in the freezer and you are on your way to a delicious, low fat pud. 

Part of my failure to make a good meringue previously was largely down to a very old handheld mixer. It was so old and slow that it actually left part of the egg whites runny in the bowl! I should have worked out that this was never going to result in stiff peaks. Earlier this year I became the proud owner of a beautiful KitchenAid. This coupled with a fool-proof meringue recipe (both courtesy of one of the best friend's a girl could wish for) I can finally add pavlova to my repertoire. This one's for you Lisa x

Makes 4 large ones or 8 mini ones:

• 2 large egg whites
• 110g golden caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 400g 0% fat Greek yogurt
• Selection of fruit

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C /160 fan °C / Gas mark 4
• In a spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites till stiff peaks form
• Slowly add the sugar followed by the vinegar and cornflour
• Whisk for another 2-3 minutes till stiff and glossy
• Lay a piece of paking parchment or a silicon baking mat on a large baking sheet
• Spoon out the meringue to the shape and size of your choice. This mix makes 4 large individual meringues or 8 small ones.
• Place into the oven and turn the oven down immediately to 130°C / 110°C fan / Gas mark 1
• Bake for 1 hour then turn the oven off and leave the meringues inside the oven to cool down completely. These keep nicely in an airtight container for a couple of days.
• When ready, top with the yogurt and fruit.

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 4 (large) 2 (mini)

Pan Fried Salmon in Creamy Vermouth Sauce

I am slowly finding the motivation to lose the whole stone I have gained in the last 3 months since losing my mum. Everyone keeps telling me that it's ok to put on weight during this time, but it doesn't make you feel any better about yourself and my back is giving me trouble because I am so unfit. So it's back to Zumba for me and eating healthy but tasty to shift these excess lbs. I hope to start adding some more really tasty recipes to my food blog over the next few weeks.

At the moment the eating tasty part is absolutely crucial. I need to re-realise that with my style of cooking, following Weightwatchers means you do not miss out. I cooked this dish for the first time a few weeks ago for my husband and my father-in-law. At this time, my Father-in-law was ill and was staying with us. His 'mmms' meant that my dinner met his seal of approval, despite the fact his favourite meal was a nice pork chop or sirloin steak with a nice bit of fat around the meat. Sadly he passed away shortly after this (just 2 months after my mum). I'll always think of him when I carefully remove any fat from my meat in future, sadly now it will stay on the side of my plate and won't be on his.

This meal is based on a classic dish of fish in a creamy herb sauce, but it really is so simple to make it lower fat and WeightWatcher friendly with my little adaptations.

You'll need for 2:

• 2 x 115g salmon fillets, skin on
• Fry light spray
• 400g new potatoes
• Green beans / spinach / asparagus / kale / greens of your choice
• 1 tbsp dry vermouth
• 2-3 tbsp half fat creme fraiche
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• Squeeze of lemon
• Small handful of chopped chives / parsley / tarragon
• 1 cup chicken stock (made using cube or stock pot or concentrate)
• Seasoning

Method:

• Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Boil until tender. This should take about 20 minutes once boiling.
• After about 15 minutes, heat a non-stick frying pan. Spray with fry light. Pat dry the salmon fillets with some kitchen towel and season. Place the fillets skin side down in the frying pan and cook for 5 - 8 minutes. Turn and reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook. I like my salmon pink in the middle so 8-10 minutes should do it depending on the thickness. You can finish the salmon off in a hot oven for a few minutes to ensure it is cooked through if you prefer.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander and allow to steam dry for a few minutes
• Remove the salmon and keep warm on warmed plates whilst you make the sauce
• In the frying pan add the vermouth and after a few seconds add the chicken stock and boil away to reduce slightly. If using fine green beans or fine asparagus you can add these into the stock to cook for a couple of minutes so they maintain their bite. They will absorb the lovely flavours from the stock too. 

Asparagus cooking in the stock

• Remove the veg to the plates and season the sauce with plenty of black pepper and add the freshly chopped herbs. Take off the heat and add a squeeze of lemon and the half fat creme fraiche. Stir well and pour over the salmon and vegetables.
• Serve with the new potatoes

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 12

Rosemarie's Recipes - A tribute to my wonderful mum

Rosemarie's Recipes - A tribute to my wonderful mum

I feel I should apologise and explain about the lack of posts recently. Those that follow me on twitter will know  this, but I lost my mum in April after a 2 1/2 year battle with bowel cancer. It has been a very difficult couple of months and my distinct lack of healthy eating during this time has shown on my hips with a weight gain of 10lb. I am trying to come to terms with such an enormous loss and trying to get back on track to shift these excess lb but I am not finding it easy.


I am going to make a conscious effort next week to start trying out some new recipes (as this is what I love doing) and hope I can make a start in eating better. After all, a healthy, balanced diet can go a long way to prevent bowel cancer. We are delighted to have raised £890 in lieu of flowers at mum's funeral for Bowel Cancer UK and hope they can continue to raise awareness and help others catch this disease early enough that it can prolong life expectancy.


I feel very lucky to have learnt some of my mum's recipes although I couldn't help but give them my healthy makeover to make them Weight Watcher friendly, and I have given a round up here. Mum's Anglo-Indian upbringing made her cooking very unique and I am so happy to have captured some of these on my food blog. Many of her other recipes exist and I hope to add these in time.  These, and other of mum's dishes will always be favourites of mine and will always continue to remind me how lucky I was to have the most wonderful mother for 37 and a half years. Sleep tight mum.

Chicken Biriyani

Marinated lamb chops / steaks

Devilled kidneys

Chicken and vegetable curry

Tandoori chicken and white bhaji

Flapjacks With Hidden Vegetables

My recent lack of blogging reflects my recent lack of healthy eating. I've not had the desire or inclination to really stick to a diet for longer than a few days so needless to say I've put on a few Easter lbs which I know are going to be a struggle to shift. It's a rubbish excuse and I should just stick to a blooming diet but I seem to be juggling way to many things right now.

One of my biggest concerns is about my 2 year old boy. He has for some time been behind his peers in terms of communication, speech and understanding. We are now beginning what looks to be a long process to understand his developmental delay. He does have some glue ear and hearing loss but it is my concern, and also the concern of the professionals, that they may also be an underlying problem. With an autistic nephew I cannot help but recognise many of the signs in my own little boy. I am trying to stay positive but a mothers gut feeling is most often the right one.

His eating has steadily got worse and worse. He refuses 'wet' foods, eats no meat, fish, eggs or cheese or any fresh fruit or vegetables at all. He is very picky about the texture of foods and lives off of toast, dried fruit, fruit smoothies & yogurts. He also loves those organic cereal bars which have proved to be life savers. When I looked carefully at the ingredients they are mostly a mix of oats and raisins. Since he loves raisins already I wanted to see if I could make my own bars filled with lots of other nutrients that he is currently missing out on. This is my first attempt to make some flapjacks / cereal bars and success was achieved with a cleared plate!

These flapjacks are moist which are perfect for kids. You can also replace the ground almonds and sesame seeds with pumpkin seeds for a more grown up texture.

Makes 16 bars

• 100g unsalted butter, diced
• 50g golden syrup
• 25g soft light brown sugar
• 150g porridge oats
• 1 large grated carrot
• 50g dried cranberries / apricots /  raisins or dried fruit of your choice
• 35g ground almonds
• 15g sesame seeds
• 1/2 a ripe banana, mashed
• Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

What to do:

• Pre-heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Grease and line a square 9cm tin
• Melt the butter, syrup and sugar in a large saucepan over a low heat
• Add the remaining ingredients and stir well together
• Press into lined tin
• Bake for 40-45 minutes
• Remove tin from oven and mark into bars with a sharp knife
• Allow to cool in the tin and then cut through with the knife again
• Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Bar: 3