The FastDay Forum

Today so far has been a Ciabata roll with cheese, lettuce and Branston pickle. Dinner tonight will be Spicey Sausage and Bean Casserole with rice.

Fry onions and lightly fry your sausage (to give it some colour. We have normal British sausage, some Polish Garlic sausage and some bits of Chorizo. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tin of baked beans, a squirt of tomato puree, half a teaspoon or more of sugar a small amount of mixed herbs, two beef stock cubes and chilli to taste. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes, or bung in the slow cooker for a few hours. Season to taste, serve with rice. I normal do this amount for 4 to 6 large portions, using the equivalent of 2 or 3 sausages per person.

Snacks will be fruit, or some left over cake.

This is a favourite of mine. Especially as its a one pot dish. It also comes in at under 400kcals per portion.

2 tbs lemon juice
1 (14 oz) chicken stock (cubes are fine, make up according to packet)
2 tbs honey
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion - chopped
1 cup long grain rice - uncooked
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbs parsley
8 skinless chicken thighs or 2 skinless boneless chicken breast, diced

In a large frying pan with tight fitting lid heat olive oil and brown chicken thighs (lightly brown diced chicken).
Remove chicken when browned and add onion to the pan.
Saute until onion is soft.
Add lemon juice, chicken stock, honey, soy sauce, black pepper, parsley, and rice. Stir to combine.
Add browned chicken thighs on top or stir in diced chicken.
Cover and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done and liquid is absorbed.

Low Fat and low calorie with thighs, even lower with chicken breast.

If doubling up the recipe, don't double up the black pepper, it really does get overpowering.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 399.9
Total Fat: 6.6 g
Cholesterol: 114.5 mg
Sodium: 821.9 mg
Total Carbs: 49.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
Protein: 32.3 g

Yesterday i had macaroni cheese and mashed potatoes with a little cheese sprinkled over the top and melted over it and i enjoyed every mouthful tho i felt rather bloated afterwards. So after that carb overload it will be a simple tuna warbartons thin 50/50 toasted for lunch and grilled chicken salad for dinner and i must say im looking forward to that just as much.

I am with you babyfish all these meals sounds so delightful but i am a hopeless cook and grilled chicken is about my specialty. I wish i married a chief lol

It sounds really good, Julie. I can see that with oven roasted mushrooms with garlic and parlsley. Yummmmm

I forgot this morning slow cooked porridge. I found the recipe on BBC Good Food magazine. Easy, the slow cooker does all the work and it's really filling. A really good surprise

In my case it sounds fancier than it is. The pear crumble, for example. I took canned pears, pour a tiny bit of caramel sauce and made the topping with speculooq biscuits, cornstarch and a bit of butter.

Oh and, girls, you're welcome anytime

I was a chef, but only in local country pubs, nothing special. My son, who is living back home again is a fantastic fully qualified chef and makes some amazing stuff. The only problem he see's is that the food budget doesn't allow the kind of cooking he would like to do. Last nights meal was boned breast of lamb, smeared with a rosemary, sea salt and black pepper paste (mortar and pestle) then tightly rolled up and tied with string. Slow cooked, then served slices in thin rounds with a mint and honey gravy.

Today not a fast day, nor a 16:8 thanks to FatDog and the canteen! I Don't usually have breakfast but made some of FatDogs OLS bread last night and finished it off with some (OK lots) of butter with a mug of tea this morning. Then a warm fruit scone (without butter) from our canteen as they really are irresistable to me - note to self don't look in the canteen in a morning!
Lunch was salad in one box with tofu marinated in marmite from another box mixed into it. Followed by full fat Greek yoghurt into which I mixed defrosted raspberries.
Tonight is going to be meatballs with herbs & garlic in a tomato and garlic sauce with lots if veg. Family will have spaghetti but I'll have courgette spaghetti as I prefer that now. Lemon cheesecake may, or may not feature, depending on how many meatballs are eaten.

@Julieathomethat chicken dish looks wonderful - that will definitely be on the menu sometime very soon!

I have a question, can you put an instant soup (let's say, onion instant soup) in a dish to replace some stock ? I was thinking about doing chicken leg with lentils and carrots in the slow cooker tomorrow and I have to finish the instant soup as the date is near

[wildmissus]

A normal 16:8 day today. So just having lunch at the moment - caramelised onion hummous with oatcakes and a bowl of strawberries and blueberries with greek yogurt, a splash of cream and 2 teaspoons of flax seeds. Dinner will be Hairy Dieters spaghetti bolognese with a piece of garlic bread.

Yes, you can @Manderley I would think you may need tolook at how much liquid you put in to get right consistency but it should be fine.
fine.

Feed day today. Had a late breakfast of crumpets and milky coffee. Going out later, so will probably have a toasted sandwich and cake at Costas.

[carorees]

Breakfast: black coffee
Lunch: Home made leek and potato soup made with leeks from the garden with home made seeded wholemeal bread, followed by a home made chocolate brownie made with eggs from our chickens.
Dinner: pan fried pork medallions in red wine, mustard, garlic and sage sauce served with leek, bacon and haricot beans and a glass of red wine, followed by a compote of mixed berries and fruits from our garden that we had frozen (blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, plums, cherries and apples) with double cream.

An above average day food-wise and I think I just squeaked in below TDEE! Better have a low cal day tomorrow or there's no chance of making the Valentine's day challenge. Not that I think I've much hope of meeting it anyway!

@AnnieW Thankts. It was made for a big mug which worked fine as I am cooking for one today.So, the carrots, lentils, chicken leg without skin and onion soup is in the slow cooker on low until tonight.

No breakfast or lunch as I have a stomach bug

Will try braised chorizo Saturday as it could go great with the cauli soup I'll make

Hi everyone. Today's a fast day. I had a tiny plain salad at work for lunch - just lettuce,grape tomatoes and cucumber with fig balsamic vinegar. For dinner I had a thin crispy skin salmon fillet with an Asian salad.
Xxx

On my second fast day today
Had a berry yoghurt mid morning
A small tinned soup and about 10 grapes for lunch
Couple of hydralyte icypoles during the afternoon. ( strangely a bit addicted to these!)
A light babybel whilst I was making dinner
A large serve of butternut squash and cauliflower curry for tea
Followed by half a square of my Hubby's dairy milk because I couldn't resist

Change of plan, the lovely smell of the chicken and lentils cooking got me hungry so I had it as a late lunch so, tonight, it will be a bouillabaisse which is that
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouillabaisse

It is presented as a stew but it's more a chunky soup. We'll have the rouille and everything as it is a traditional one. No idea the calories in that but, to tell you the truth, I don't care