Onwards and Downwards Continues in October

[AB Editor]

Hello all,

Onwards and Downwards welcomes any new members serious about losing weight and having some fun along the way. Please share your high and lows with us and we will support you.

Well, even though it is only just October, isn't it really cold? Recipes for healthy winter warmers please so we can share some good ideas about good food.

Don't forget your weekly weigh on Wednesday and remember we don't judge!

Here is last months thread

[wendilla]

Thank you Ab Editor.

[xstitcher]

Thanks Ed.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah a clear fresh one from our thoughtful Ed :-)

Only wish I'd had a light weekend to start the month as I mean to go on. Sadly quite a bit over both days. Still new month, new start eh ?

[xstitcher]

Sunday was a hungry day for me and I succumed so we might be joining each other on that step OG

[Kacee]

Happy October everyone! Hope we all manage to lose a few extra pounds this month. I think salad days are over, need to look for healthy alternatives. Good luck to us all. :)

[Maydup]

Today was the day when I bought myself some new clothes. I still have a long way to go but since my jeans and work trousers are hanging off me now I needed to buy a few new bits and pieces. I was delighted to be a couple of sizes lower than I was in the spring and although I'll never be a "skinny jeans" girl (!), I did feel confident enough to try a few new colours and styles.

After a long day shopping I made a bean and vegetable stew and celebrated the autumn flavours. Soups and stews will be the order of the day for this month, so onwards and downwards in October everyone and here's to another size smaller by Christmas!

[xstitcher]

Isn't it wonderful to go down in sizers Maidup. I congratulate you. That bean and veg. stew sounds tempting. Could you give us the recipe please?

[Maydup]

Bean, Lentil and Vegetable Stew - unsophisticated comfort food!
Serves 4 (or served us two for two nights running) and at a guess, about 500 kcals per portion. Reduce the potatoes if you're short on calories.

50g rice 180 kcals
50g red lentils 175 kcals
5 potatoes 1100 kcals (don't panic it'll serve 4 but you can reduce)
1 swede 25 kcals
2 parsnips 80 kcals
2 onions 120 kcals
2 carrots 35 kcals
1 leek 30 kcals
2 courgettes
or any other selection of veg to suit your taste
1 tin butter beans (or chick peas or other beans if you prefer) 180 kcals
1 tin tomatoes 100 kcals
1 tablespoon tomato puree 14 kcals
2 Knorr Herb infusion pots 40 kcals
1 heaped teaspoon marmite 10 kcals

Put the rice and lentils in a your biggest saucepan and half fill with water. Bring to the boil and add the swede (diced) the onions (quartered) and the leek (sliced). Once reboiled, give it a good stir and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Next add the potatoes (diced) the carrots (diced) and the parsnips. Bring back to the boil and simmer. Keep striring and add more water if necessary to make a regular stew consistency. Once all veg is cooked add the tin of beans (drained) the courgettes and the tin of tomatoes. keep sirring.

Once the last ingredients are heated through add the tomatoe puree, the herb infusion (or your own fresh herbs to taste but this is my secret ingredient) and the marmite - keep stirring until all blended in. Serve.

[Maydup]

Here's another favourite autumn recipe of mine. I make batches of this and freeze in portions for microwaving on a mid week evening. Good on a small jacket potatoe or with a couple of new potatoes and green veg.

Lentil Bake

2 onions (or leeks)
1 carrot chopped
1 courgette chopped (and/or anything you have such as mushrooms, yellow pepper)
Light cooking oil spray
225g red lentils
Tin of tomatoes
Tom puree
Knorr stock pot (or similar)
teaspoon basil
Sprinkling of grated cheese (optional and not if freezing)

Peel and chop the onions, add the chopped carrots, spray with light cooking oil and cook gently in a pan for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Meantime, cook the lentils in enough water to cover them well and until soft. About 15 minutes.

Add the chopped courgette, mushrooms whatever else you have, to the onions and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in a tin of chopped tomatoes, heat through. Add a squirt of tomato puree and a Knorr vegetable stock pot.

Drain the lentils and stir them into the tomato/veg mix. Taste it and season if necessary.

At this stage you can pour it into plastic containers to cool and freeze. Otherwise pour it into an ovenproof dish and top with a little cheese and a few breadcrumbs. Pop it under the grill to brown while you cook some side veg.

Or add mashed potato on top for a shepherdess pie.

I haven't done the calories for this but it'll serve 4 again and is probably about 250 kcals per portion before potatoe is added.

[xstitcher]

Good Morning All, I'm down by 2 lbs. I don't deserve it but there you go. I would love to hear menu ideas. I am really running out of them.

[xstitcher]

Thanks for the recipes Maidup. I like the sound of them. I can't get marmite in Denmark so will have to dream up something else instead.

[Old_Geezer]

Up ⅛ lbs :-(

[Sheenamf]

Definitely soup season Maidup, love the recipes too! I have resurrected the soup maker I got last Christmas so all set for some interesting experiments! One or two health issues at the moment, so I am not at all sure what SW wll show tonight, but still feeling positive.

[Sheenamf]

Xstitcher there's a blog or something like, called diet momma with lots of recipes

[xstitcher]

Thanks for the input Sheenamf. I don't know if I found the exact one but I did find a lot of good recipes.

[wendilla]

Certainly don't deserve to lose a pound this week. MAIDUP don't you notice that when you start to lose and have to buy clothes you buy lighter colours and more stylish and not baggy tops to cover the spare tyre.
Well done Xstitcher.

[Jan1957]

Well done xstitcher and wendilla. 1lb on for me which I am disappointed with as had been really good this week. Not going to stress though and am going out tonight for a curry with friends so going to have to be good for the rest of next week. Going through my low fat cookbook sorting out some nice soups.

[Maydup]

Well done xstitcher and wendilla, you're on the move downwards again.

Despite all my efforts I was still no change this morning. Stuck again for another week, but at least no gain I suppose. I'm off to stay with family for several days soon and really needed a few pounds in hand! Its hard to refuse good food when you're the guest isn't it? I'll just have to try hard with the portion control. Its not for long so I'll make sure I enjoy myself too!

[Marijn]

Well done to the losers! I stayed the same, but don't mind as I have eaten rather a lot this week.

[Sheenamf]

Another 1lb off so moving in the right direction. I agree Wendi about the clothes, in fact baggy tops now make me look bigger, and though there's still a way to go yet, I find more fitted clothes are more flattering, provided they're not at full stretch of course!