HELLO MAY, HELLO SPRING,

Today marks a new month, a new season and also my birthday! (Turning 24 is not a good look!)

During this bank holiday weekend I have had a few treats (half an Easter egg, chocolate and silly little syns that I shouldn't have eaten). Recently I just can't seem to stop picking at the stupidest things? So this month I've decided to focus on the right foods, use my syns properly and fill myself with plenty of speed food.

Since being at target I seem to care less of what goes into my mouth, which could have major consequences and sabotage my weight loss. My meals are always on plan but it's just my snacking that I need to control and that what May is going to be about!

At the beginning of each month I reflect on the goals set in the previous month and move forward with the new month in mind. Now I already know that this month is going to be hectic. It's my birthday, my partners birthday (which we are going to a holiday home for), and my parents going away at the end of the month.

I already know that on Thursday I'm going to be having a birthday treat (Dixy Chicken) so I will be using flexible syns for then. Starting tomorrow I'm back on plan 100% up until Thursday, on plan Friday, off plan on Saturday then back on plan until James birthday.

Now the holiday home we've booked for the weekend has a local Tesco and Heron which allows me to plan meals and snacks for throughout the holiday.

My goals for this month are as follows;

1. Increase my fitness levels
2. Maintain my weight or be at the bottom end of my target (without going under like before)
3. Use my syns wisely and fill up on speed food

What are your goals for this month? Are you looking forward to the month ahead?

Hayley xxx

0.5 SYN SESAME BEEF STIR FRY

This recipe is perfect for an EESP meal idea. The sesame beef stir fry is 0.5syn a serving but can be made syn free! This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients 
150g frying steak (cut into thin strips and fat removed)
200g carrots (cut into matchsticks)
1 red pepper (reseeded and thinly sliced)
4 spring onions (cut into thin strips lengthways)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce (check for a syn free variety)
2 tablespoons orange juice cordial (sugar free variety)
1 tbsp tomato ketchup (1syn - you could use tomato purée to save on syns)
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornflour (0.5syn)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (3syns - you can make this without sesame seeds for a lower syn alternative)

Recipe

1. Spray a pan with Fry Light and stir fry your beef, vegetables for 3-4 minutes.

2. Whilst the beef is cooking mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl.

3. Add to the pan, mix well and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Serve immediately! Its that simple!

You could mix this recipe up by replacing the beef for chicken or turkey, you could add a variety of stir fry vegetables to add more speed food to your plate!

You could also serve this with noodles. The possibilities are endless! Let me know what you think!

Hayley xxx

1.5 SYNS - CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Chicken Cacciatore
This recipe is filling, tasty and even low in syns! This is for 4 people but I had leftover sauce which will do perfect for freezing!

(Note - This can be made syn free by swapping the white wine for 150ml of water! It's up to you!)

Ingredients 

Fry Light
4 chicken breasts (skinless and on the bone. You could just do chicken breast pieces)
4 rashers of lean back bacon (cut into strips, fat removed)
2 onions (finely sliced)
2 garlic cloves (finely sliced)
150ml of dry white wine (6syns but this depends on the wine you use, syn accordingly)
2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried oregano
225g button mushrooms
1 red pepper (diced)
150g broccoli florets
100g baby sweetcorn
1 tsp sugar (1syn)
240g pasta ribbons
salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

1. Spray a large pan with the Fry Light and add your chicken. Cook on a high heat to brown all sides of the chicken and season. (Remove from the pan to a plate)

2. Reduce the heat and add your bacon, onions, garlic and stir fry for 4 minutes or until the onions are starting to soften.

3. Add your wine and increase to a high heat for 2 minutes whilst stirring continuously. Now add the rest of the ingredients (apart from the pasta) to the pan with the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes covered with a lid.

4. Uncover and simmer for a further 20minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Meanwhile cook your pasta according to the instructions and serve with your chicken and sauce.

Serve immediately! Let me know your thoughts!

Hayley xxx

4 SYN - BEEF TERIYAKI NOODLES

Hello guys!

Quick recipe here for you! This recipe is from a Weight Watchers book that my partners parents use often. This recipe is based on 4 servings and works at around 4syns per serving! 

Ingredients

400g rump steak (all fat trimmed and cut into thin strips)

For the Marinade
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine (0.5syn)
2 tbsp honey (5syns)

For the Stir Fry
FryLight
150g broccoli (cut into florets)
2 red peppers (sliced)
Pack of spring onions (cut diagonally into 2.5cm lengths)
200g of bean sprouts
1 fresh chilli (de-seeded and sliced)
250g of cooked noodles (I use the dry rice noodles and precook them)
4 tbsp of Teriyaki Sauce (ingredients below for this or you could buy a premade one and syn accordingly)
Salt and black pepper

For the Teriyaki Sauce (Mix these ingredients in a small bowl)
(You'll have some sauce left over so this reduces the syns)
1/2 cup of soy sauce
2 tbsp of water
2 tbsp of rice wine (0.5syn)
2 tbsp brown sugar (5syns)
3 tbsp of honey (7.5syns)
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

Recipe

1. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and add your beef (allow this to marinate in the fridge for up to 2 hours or 10 mins if your in a hurry)

2. Spray a large frying pan with the Fry Light and add your beef but keeping the marinade in the bowl. Stir fry your beef on a high heat until cooked then set aside on a plate and keep warm.

3. Now add your broccoli with 6 tbsp of water and stir fry for 5 minutes. Then add your pepper and onions and cook for a further 3 minutes. 

4. Add your teriyaki sauce and the remaining marinade you set aside earlier. Now add your beef, beansprouts, chilli and cooked noodles into the pan and cook on high heat for 2 minutes or until the beef is hot again. 

5. Check for seasoning and serve immediately!

This is such a quick and tasty recipe! I hope you enjoy!

Hayley xxxx