Wednesday, 24 October 2012

#wwback2best weeks 3 & 4...

Firstly i'd like to apologise as It's been a really busy few weeks I'm just catching up with updating you about my weight loss journey! After a fairly good start I was a little disappointed at the numbers on the scales these last two Fridays  only 1lb off each time. This will be partly due to  a few indulgences and meals out with wine! At least it's going down , but considering my original rather ambitious target and the amount of weight I actually need to lose it's not looking promising for me to achieve a loss of 2 stone by Christmas...

However I need to be realistic and honest with myself. I need to admit that I am still doing well by continuing to lose each week and by counting my points each day I have seen my diet become much healthier, my portion sizes have reduced significantly and I have cut down a lot on snacking. But it doesn't feel like I've been on a 'diet' for the last month and I think that is partly due to way that the Pro Points plan works...

Rather than cutting out all treats and living on lettuce leaves it's all about balance and knowing that I can have occasional treat as long as I budget for it points wise. The other thing that keeps me going is the yummy recipes in the cook books that I was sent to help me with the challenge. I was sent  Weight Watchers Member's Favourites and Weight Watchers The Complete Kitchen . I was really surprised at the variety of recipes in these books, especially the vegetarian sections and have really enjoyed trying some of them. So I thought I would share one of my favourites with you....



Weight Watchers Spring Vegetable Risotto - I love risotto, it's one of my favourite meals however the way I usually make it isn't exactly low fat, so I was delighted to find this recipe for a version that is just 9 Pro Points per  portion! I have made this a few times and included different vegetables each time dependent on what we had in the fridge, I think my favourite has to be butternut squash and asparagus, yummy!

What you will need...

2 teaspoons low fat spread
1 leek sliced
2 carrots peeled and diced (I like to swap this for 1/2 a butternut sqaush)
400ml vegetable stock
125g dried arborio rice
100ml dry white wine
100g asparagus tips chopped roughly
75g frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
15g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

What to do...

1 Melt the low fat spread in a large lidded saucepan or frying pan. Add the leek, carrot and two tablespoons of the stock. Cover the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes.
2 Remove the id, stir the rice in with the softened vegetables and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the rice starts to look translucent.
3 Add the wine to the pan and allow it to bubble until it is absorbed. Place a small lidded saucepan over a low heat, pour in the rest of the stock, cover and keep hot (barely simmering) while  you make the risotto.
4 Add a third of the hot stock  to the rice and vegetables and simmer gently until all the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat this process twice more until the rice is swollen, slightly stick and tender, but still has a bite to it.
5 When the last of the stock has been added, fill the same pan with boiling water and return to the boil. Add the asparagus tips and peas and cook for 3 more minutes until tender. Drain and refresh briefly by running under cold water.
6 Stir the asparagus, peas, basil and Parmesan into the finished risotto and serve in warmed bowls, sprinked with freshly cracked black pepper..

Top tip - I find eating meals like this from bowls rather than large plates can help with portion sizes. 

This recipe was taken from Weight Watchers The Complete Kitchen, published by Simon & Schuster 2012, pg 176

1 comment:

  1. I LOVE risotto and it's so versatile, you can make it with practically any ingredients.
    Keep on going and you'll reach your goal sooner or later

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