Saturday, March 27, 2010

Creamy Lemon and Lime tart

While I usually don't indulge in treats, and promote clean eating I have been hunting for a special treat to take to a family gathering over the holidays. I gave this recipe from the WW site a trial run today, and OMGoodness it is sooooo yummy. I've found exactly what I have craved.


Creamy Lemon Tart

POINTS: Value: 3

Servings: 10

Ingredients
100 g ginger biscuit

25 g butter

400 g Nestle Skim Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 whole whole egg, lightly beaten

1 serve (s) egg white, (1 egg white)

1 medium lemon, rind finely grated, plus juice
1 medium lime, rind finely grated, plus juice



Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Place the biscuits in a food processor and pulse until fine. Alternatively, place them in a plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin. Transfer to a bowl.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the biscuit crumbs and carefully press the mixture into the base of a 23cm cake tin. Refrigerate until required.
Place the condensed milk and eggs in a bowl. Beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and juice and stir well. The mixture will begin to thicken. Pour into the prepared base.

Bake the tart for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until set.

Decorate with a slice of lemon just before serving.

Notes

This tart will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Hippty hop

 Hippty hop, hippty hop here comes the Easter Bunny. A friend shared the following list with me of points in Easter Eggs so thought I would post it here to help you with a special Easter treat in case you need to start banking points next week.


BUNNIES




cadbury 250g = 30pts

cadbury 100g = 13 pts

cadbury dream small 100g = 13 pts

cadbury dream lg 200g = 26 pts

cadbury deluxe sitting purple/ red = 12/13 pts

nestle milky bar 80g = 10 pts

lindt gold bunny small 100g = 12.5 pts

red tulip elegant rabbit 200g = 22.5 pts

lindt gold bunny lg 200g = 25 pts

red tulip happy rabbit 250g = 28 pts



EGGS BOXED



kit kat boxed 74g = 13 pts

pink smartie 120g = 16.5 pts

red tulip humpty dumpty 165g = 15 pts

dairy milk turkish delight 220g = 26 pts



EGGS NO PACKAGING



heritage smll hollow = 2pts

cadbury dairy milk 100g = 11 pts

malteser egg 75g= 9 pts

4pk lindt lindor eggs 1 egg = 3 pts

kinder surprise = 2.5 pts

m & m rattles egg 50g = 6pts

creme egg = 3.5 pts

red tulip egg 100g = 12 pts

red tulip egg 50 g = 6 pts

cherry ripe 110g= 13 pts

crunchie 110g = 13 pts

cadbury dream 100g =13 pts

old gold 100g = 12 pts

Thursday, March 18, 2010

What have I done?

We all love before and after photos don't we? Isn't this cute, I loved this cartoon when I came across it.
O'k, confession time! I've finally done it, I've made it to GOAL!!!!!!! Those final couple of kgs have finally whittled away. Boy were they hard. It was so much easier losing 41kg than it was to lose the last two.But I have done it, last Saturday to be exact. In a since its an anti-climatic, maybe I just need time to get used to the idea. Probably in the back of my mind is the fact that I still want to lose another four kgs to get to my personal goal, still I'm at WW goal. Also, because I am leader in training and it was my leaders last meeting and it was all about her, my LTM (return of LTM as I really made LTM in 1995) it wasn't acknowledged.
Anyway, last night the local paper did a photo shot of my leader and I for a two page spread in this Saturday's paper to let everyone know my leader was retiring and I was taking over. I am still very nervous having my photo taken, and it was very embarrasing in one of our main streets having a photo shot, with everyone leaving work, and coming out of a WW meeting. A lady came running over to me, hugged me, and starting raving on about how wonderful I looked and that I was her favourite and inspiration. Now picture this, I was just standing there talking to reporter and she came out of nowhere and I had never met her before in my life. Can you see shock on my face? The poor lady thought I was from the Biggest Loser, when I got home and shared story with my boys they said at the makeovers one of the contestants had her hair cut like mine. I've had a huge week and haven't seen TV so had no idea. Still very funny. Ok here goes an updated before and after. I cringe at this before shot. I love the dress I am wearing in this photo, one of my Townsville purchases from Cue. A size 10 Veronica Maine in my favourite colour.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Gorgeous Blogger award

Thank you so much Ellen of Weighing Around who has given me this beautiful award: my first! How exciting.
Rules of the award are I have to share 6 little known facts about myself, well here goes:
1. I was born in Penang, Malaysia. I began life as a RAAF brat :)
2. I suffer from chronic insomnia and often have only an hours sleep a night. This has improved heaps this year with change in professional roles.
3. My biggest ambition in life is to be a great mother. It is so difficult though with the challenges of teenage boys.
4. I became an aunt at 7 years of age. My sister became a mother at 18 and a grandmother at 36.
5. I have a passion for travel and look forward to a time when my husband and I can do more.
6. As a child I went to 5 different primary schools and three high schools as my parents were transfered frequently. I am thankful for this opportunity as I think I have developed skills to adapt easily, however think subconsciously this impacted upon my choice of marraige partner. He still lives in the town he was born and bred in and whose father still lives in the home he grew up in. My youngest son has lived in this home for his whole life, his brothers were 1 and 2 when we bought here.

I will now grant this gorgeous blog award to:
Christina at Rustic Tarts
Lesley at Lellyj


Prawn and scallop dumplings

In our My Week handout at WW meeting a few weeks ago we had this recipe for Prawn and Scallop dumplings. I had earmarked it before when I had first seen it in one of the recipe books, but thought it looked too hard and fiddly to make. How wrong! These are so delicious and taste better than in a restaurant. Do yourself a favour and make these.

Prawn and Scallop dumplings (I added chicken also)
1/2 points
Uncooked dumplings suitable to freeze

200g green peeled prawns, finely chopped
50g scallops, roe removed
2 green shallots, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 tbs cornflour
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp castor sugar
16 gow ghee wrappers
soy sauce or sweet chilli to serve

1. Combine the prawns, scallops, shallots, carrot, cornflour, oil and sugar in a medium bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Lay one wrapper on a workbench. Place one level tbs of filling in centre of the wrapper and bring up sides of the wrapper, pinching gently but leaving the top slightly open. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.

3. Place a baking paper lined bambo steamer over a wok of boiling water. Fill with a single layer of dumplings. Cover and steam dumplings for 5 minutes or until filling is cooked. Repeat with remaining dumplings in batches. Serve dumplings with soy or sweet chilli sauce for dipping.

:) YUM YUM YUM :)

Friday, March 5, 2010

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Golden arches

As I posted in the last blog entry I went away last weekend for an area Leaders meeting for WW. Wow, I had a fascinating weekend and have come home so inspired. We learnt a lot about nutrition and myth debunking which I will share over the next few blogs. One of the controversal announcements was that Weight Watchers signed a partnership deal with McDonalds in New Zealand to introduce three WW approved meals to help guide people in their selection of meal choices. I haven't posted prior to this as it was confidential however it was announced this morning on Sunrise and other media outlets so I can now share. WW is endorsing three meals: Fillet-o-fish with side salad and medium diet drink or water/ chicken nuggets with side salad and medium diet drink or water/ and sweet chilli seared chicken wrap with medium diet drink or water. Each of these meals has a points value of 6 1/2. It is a trial run on the South Island of New Zealand only, and if successful will be carried out everywhere. It was really interesting to hear the feedback from the Leaders which ranged from anger and shock to applause. The reaction on Sunrise this morning was similar. Basically it all comes down to choice and options. WW is promoting an endorsed by life philosophy where the eating plan fits in with todays lifestyles. As a WW member most of us already knew these options fitted in our points, but sometimes we may be caught out socially and find oursleves in Maccas without our points guide so its good to see the points up there to inform our choices. Personally I wouldn't use 61/2 points for a meal that I didn't love, however its nice to know I can be confident if I am at the Golden arches in my choices. I think its great that people can be guided in their lifestyle choices and not feel restricted. How do you feel about it?
Linda, you will be further infuriated after your last post when you hear the meals range in price from $6.50 for the fish and nugget meal combos to $5.90 for the wrap option. (This is for their lunch deals from 12.00-2.00 in NZ). They will be $8.70 and $6.50 respectively for the evening meal. Still it may be a more economical point and dollar option in the foodcourt choices?