Prawn & Mushroom Stroganoff

Serves: 2
Calories: 271 Calories

Another Fast Day was upon us and I had started to get a bit bored of the delicious, but frequently consumed, stir fries and curries and fancied something different. Then I was reminded how ‘healthy’ stroganoff was for you. I didn’t have enough mushrooms to do mushrooms alone but we did have a bag of prawns in the freezer (another 5:2 staple!) and a bag of spinach in the fridge.

Rice uses up too many calories for us (we prefer quantity as we have big appetites). We have been substituting normal rice with cauliflower rice which works really well with a curry but worried it might over-power the stroganoff too much if used here so I just went with butternut squash chips instead!

It was a delicious and filling meal and all for much less than 300 kcal. I did say, if I was to do it again, I’d perhaps use either less spinach (and more mushrooms if I had them) or perhaps I’d use asparagus instead. Stuart said he’d prefer more squash. I’ll leave it to you to play with it.

Ingredients:

110g of Raw Jumbo King Prawns
150g of Spinach
1 Medium Onion (finely chopped)
300g Butternut Squash (314g)
150g Button Mushrooms (148g)
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
2 Garlic Cloves
3 Tbsp Sour Cream
150ml Knorr Chicken Stock (Gel Pot)
Salt & Pepper
13 Sprays of Sunflower Oil Spray

Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Peel and chop the butternut squash into large chips (discarding the seeds and fibres). Spray a baking tray with oil spray (I used 4 sprays spread across the tray), place the chips on top spread out and spray the chips with the oil (again I used 4 sprays). I forgot but would recommend seasoning with salt & pepper before then baking for 25 minutes turning once.

Meanwhile, in a non-stick frying pan or wok, spray the pan with 4 sprays of oil and heat gently. Fry the onion for about 5 minutes until starting to soften, add the garlic and paprika and fry for a minute more. Add the Mushrooms with another oil spray and fry on a high heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add the prawns, fry for 1 minute stirring then add the stock. Bring to boil then cook for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir in spinach and wilt. Take off the heat and stir in the sour cream.

Serve with the butternut squash chips.

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

After Eights

Having been doing 5:2 for 8 weeks now, I thought it was time for an update.

I’ve now lost 8lb (weighing in at 10st 4.2lb) and have lost an inch from around my chest, waist and hips (3” in total) with my thigh staying the same.

I’m still finding it easy enough to stick to. On the actual fast day I may occasionally think I could really do with eating more than 500 calories but then think, I can do that tomorrow – which is enough to keep me going.

The weeks I find the hardest, more in terms of mood and tiredness rather than feeling hungrier, is the week after my period. My periods, post Millie, are heavier than before so I imagine my grumps and tiredness are primarily linked to a lack of iron. Theoretically, I probably eat a higher quantity of iron since I’ve been doing the 5:2 so it’s probably doing me some good but it’s hard being tired & grumpy and not being able to fix it immediately with food! Although, typically, I’d be grabbing for the chocolate so not an ideal energy food.

My body fat on my scales does some weird things. As my weight goes down, my body fat goes up, although still hovers around the 16-17% mark. I’ve just looked at some charts and apparently I don’t have enough body fat!!! Odd – I can certainly see fat bits…I’m not sure I understand it…how can I tone, be healthy and have a healthy body fat level????  I need to investigate this more.

Overall, I’m excited that I have less than half a stone to lose to get to my intended goal (9st 12lb). This is my pre-Callum weight and I have been there once since having Callum. Its when I’ve felt most comfortable in my skin/bikini since having children. I am already starting to feel much better about my body and am liking more what I see in the mirror! I’m also starting to fit in clothes I couldn’t fit in before I started this and I have bought my first size 12 Jeans since forever a go! SIZE 12!!!!! I’ve been a 14 for a long time! The downside? I’ve lost my pregnancy/breastfeeding boobs!! Oh well, I was expecting it!

The health benefits I assume I’ll only really notice after more time.

Debbie’s Damn You Autocorrect for Red Nose Day

For a couple of years now, I’ve wanted to do a day for charity where, for the whole day, I do not correct when autocorrect changes  what I write or where I type incorrect words. You may have heard of ‘Damn You Autocorrect’? If not, you’ve got to take a look. I’ve spent many a spare 15 minutes cheering up a miserable day laughing my head off to other people’s autocorrect blunders – laughing until I cried! It’s great therapy. So this could go very badly…but hopefully will be very funny. So what other more suitable cause is there other than Red Nose Day?

Now the rules to this are going to be difficult to clarify but here goes:

1. This will take place on Red Nose Day, 15 March 2013
2. This will only cover tweets and texts
3. I must reply to every text or tweet I receive where that text or tweet requires a response.
4. If autocorrect changes a word automatically I must leave it.
5. If I notice during the word I have mistyped it, I can edit it but once I’ve ‘accepted’ the word by typing a space or clicking on a selection word, I must stick with it, no matter what.
6. If the correct word appears in a selection, I can choose it. If it doesn’t, I must select the first suggested word.

If you can think of any ‘loopholes’ that need closing or any further rules that should be applied, please comment and I’ll add them in.

In return, I would ask if you could please sponsor me on my Giving Page. No amount too small – every penny will make a difference to the people that Red Nose Day helps in the UK and in Africa.

Now, none of you will be sending me texts and tweets in an attempt to try to have a laugh at the expense of my poor typing skills would you?…would you?

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday, a photo by Deborabora on Flickr.

Silent Sunday