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Sushi...

I know chinese new year is over and technically Sushi is a japanese thing… but here's the PP for those still counting! These are freshly made with no additives and won't last in our cupboard till 2015! If you like sushi you'll love them… and if you don't try the veggie box to start you off you'll be hooked before you know it … DELISH! 




Hoisin Duck Sushi - 200g pack of 8 its 6 PP
Includes 8 duck maki with carrot, cucumber & hoisin sauce… 
comes with a very cute little bottle of soy sauce & some wasabi… 


Chicken Teriyaki Sushi - 200g pack of 8 its 6 PP
8 chicken maki marinated in Oishii Teriyaki sauce with red pepper & chives… 
again with a very cute little bottle of soy sauce & some wasabi… 


Sushi salad bento box 230g  - 10 PP
Includes 2 fresh salmon nigiri, 3 smoked salmon maki, vermicelli noodle salad… 
soy & sweet chill sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger… very filling for lunch!


Sakana fish sushi box 205g  - 6 PP
Includes 1 salmon nigiri, 1 crabstick nigiri, 2 inside-out smoked salmon maki,
2 inside-out tuna maki with carrot & mayo … 
soy sauce, wasabi & pickled ginger…


Vietnamese Springrolls 140g  - 9 PP
2 cooked prawn & pork spring rolls with ponzo sauce … 
Note: one spring roll is 4 PP but it rounds up to 9 PP if you have em both! 
ggrrrrrrrr!



Yasai Vegetarian Sushi 180g  - 6 PP
1 tamago nigiri, 1 sweet tofu nigiri, 1 red pepper nigiri, 
4 tofu maki with carrot & wakame, Soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi too! 


Happy new year…





I know it's only Tuesday and the weekend seems like AAAAAAGGGGGGGGEEEEEEESSSS away… but who here loves they're weekly take out?!? go on… fess up! Big friends of Mao and the local Chinese in Casa Doll! 

Friday is Chinese New Year… the year of the horse… and funnily enough that's how I eat my chinese… I horse it down! Chopsticks are the best way of eating and probably the most frustrating for ambidextrous people! But chasing a pepper around your plate will give your stomach time to digest what you've eaten and for your brain to realize you're actually full!

Portion control is the one to watch as every Chinese is different… but with a little common sense and you can have your favs without the guilt… 

More noodles and Asian foods coming this week!

so, here's what you're looking at for those of you pointing…   



Chinese...
Beef with green pepper in black bean sauce = 12 pp
Boiled rice = 12 pp
Char Sui Pork = 11 pp
Chicken chow mein = 9 pp
Chicken & cashew nuts = 9 pp
Chicken in black bean Sauce = 11 pp
Chicken with mushroom = 8 pp
Chicken and sweetcorn soup = 6 pp
Chicken Balls (portion of 8) = 13 pp
Chips - half bag (210g) = 14 pp
Chips point at 24pp for a whole bag, 
I weigh mine out 210g = 14 pp, 400/420g = 26/27 pp
Curry Sauce (per tub) = 8 pp
Egg fried rice = 16 pp
Fortune Cookies (per cookie) = 2 pp
Hot and Sour Soup = 4 pp
Lemon chicken = 10 pp
Lychees (6) = 0 pp
Mushroom Chow Mein = 6 pp
Mushroom Foo Yung = 6 pp
Mixed veg in oyster sauce = 6 pp
Prawn crackers = 9 pp (average portion)
Roast Pork Cantonese Style = 10 pp
Seaweed (deep fried) = 9 pp
Sesame prawn toasts = 3 pp (each)
Special chow mein = 9 pp
Special fried rice = 23 pp
Spring rolls = 9 pp (each) 
Sweet and sour chicken (balls or peking style) = 13 pp
Szechuan Prawn with Vegetables = 12 pp
Toffee Banana = 15 pp (I KNOW!!!!)
Vegetable Curry = 8 pp

Be very careful with Chinese values, do not treat them like Mcdonalds points which are standard sizes. e.g. in my local Chinese I would get 10 chicken balls, each at least twice the size as a Mcdonalds chicken nugget, and then with sweet and sour sauce on top there is no way they are 13pp if 9 nuggets are 11pp.

A special chow mein in one chinese could be approx 850g and serve 2, so it can't be the same value as a single spring roll! let common sense prevail!!



Thai...

Starters
Chicken Satay - Satah Gai = 8 pp
Fried spicy Fish cake, each - Tod man Pla = 5 pp
Fried Spring Roll, each = Popia Tod = 4 pp
Fried Won Ton, each - Keau Krob = 2 pp
Glass Noodle Soup = 8 pp
Hot & Sour Chicken Soup - Tom Yam Gai = 7 pp
Mussels with coriander & bean sprouts - Hoi Tord = 5 pp
Prawn crackers, 30g =  pp
Prawn Satay - Goong Sateh = 8 pp
Red radish soup = 2 pp
Steamed watercress & beansprouts = 0 pp
Sweet chill dipping sauce, 30g = 2 pp
Thai Dumpling, each - Ka-Nom-Jeeb = 1 pp
Thai Noodle soup - Gange Chud Woon Sen = 8 pp


Main Courses
BBQ Pork Spareribs - Sikrong Mu Ping = 22 pp
Beef, chicken or pork Green Curry - Gaeng Keo Wan = 20 pp
Beef, chicken or pork Red Curry - Gaeng Phed = 23 pp
Beef with oyster sauce - Neau Pad Namman Hoi = 14 pp
Chicken with cashews - Gai pad Med Ma-Muang = 15 pp
Chicken with mushrooms - Gai pad Hed Sod = 12 pp
Duck with tamarind & honey - Ped Makham = 20 pp
Garlic fried prawns - Goong Tod Gratiem Prik Thai = 9 pp
Steamed Fish Curry - How Mok = 12 pp
Stir fried vegetables in oyster sauce - Pahd Pak Namman Hoi = 11 pp
Sweet & Sour Beef - Priaw Wahn Nuer = 15 pp
Sweet & Sour Chicken - Priaw Wahn Gai = 12 pp
Sweet & Sour Fish - Priaw Wahn Pla = 11 pp
Sweet & Sour Pork - Priaw Wahn Moo = 13 pp
Sweet & Sour Prawns - Priaw Whan Goong = 11 pp
Vegetable green curry - Gaeng Keo Wan pan = 12 pp
Green Papaya Salad = 9 pp
Curry Puff = 6 pp


RICE & NOODLES
Crispy Fried Egg Noodles with Thai sauce - Ba-Mee grob ranah = 24 pp
Egg Fried Rice - Kow Pahd = 19 pp
Egg Fried Rice with cucumber, coriander & lemon - Kow Pahd Khai = 23 pp
Egg Fried Rice with Pork - Kow Pahd Moo = 23 pp
Egg Fried Rice with Prawns = Kow Pahd Goong = 23 pp
Fried Egg Noodles - Goi See Mee = 15 pp
Pad Thai with Chicken = 24 pp
Pad Thai with Prawns = 21 pp
Prawn or crab fried rice - Khao Pad Goong, Pu = 21 pp
Steamed rice - Khao Suay = 12 pp
Stir fried Rice Noodles with chicken - Phad See Lew Gai = 15 pp
Stir fried Rice Noodles with pork - Phad See Lew Moo = 20 pp
Thai Fried Noodles - Kuaytio Pad Thai - 20 pp


DESSERTS
Lemon sorbet (1 scoop) = 2 pp
Sweet sticky rice with banana = 14 pp

It's not what you see…. Motivation Monday!




You know when I'm ranting on about fat v muscle? You hop up on the scales and you've ONLY lost a half a pound…. or stayed the same… or gained… but your jeans are falling down or you've got to pin yourself into something to stop flashing the world! 

Your journey belongs to you! Your body is your business… don't compare yourself to ANYONE else! You are fabulous! 

Here's to a great week! 


This one JUST right…

"Ahhh, this porridge is just right,"

Goldilocks





Fed up of porridge yet? Well I spotted this way of making porridge on Instagram last summer, and loved it… it was only last week my leader reminded me when  she told us she eats her porridge like this with yoghurt and fruit! if you fancy a change and want to feel full … give it a go… plus if you get yourself a fancy jar you can make enough for two days and it'll keep in the fridge… oh and you don't need to use natural yoghurt if you don't like it… try something fruity! 

30g/40g of porridge - 3/4PP
3/4 tbsp of fat free natural yoghurt - 2PP
Fruit - 0PP
A big spoon! 




Wash your fruit….



layer it in the jar with yoghurt and porridge …


Repeat the layers until you've used up everything …


Seal it and pop it into the fridge overnight …


Et voila.. breakfast is ready when you get up!!! 

Don't knock it till you've tried it… and mix it up with different fruits and yoghurts to get a bit of variety… you'll be full till lunch! 



Use your noodle...

'All the dreamers in the world are dizzy in the noodle...'
Edie Adams


Caught on the hop during the week I ended up in Dunnes looking for something other than soup to warm me up and keep me going till I got home… Standing at the 'ready-made-microwave-me' lunch section I came across these… I love Asian spices and flavors and you all know I'm a 'cook it yourself' kinda gals… additives and E numbers scare me… But the Chicken Curry Ramen I had from Oishii was absolutely yummy! Oishii are also an Irish company and you all know how I feel about buying local! At 8 PP not actually too bad for the 400g serving… if you had did a wok full of stir fry veg at home with it you'd have a pretty good dinner for 8 PP … 

Note the Rustlers are only 300g and the additives on the back seems endless! As for the Zugo Cabonara… 15PP for 300g… FIFTEEN! You heard me!!! Remember the creamier the sauce is.. the higher it's going to be.. aim for tomato based sauces if you can… or better still don't get caught out! Plan! 



Oishii - Malay Chicken Laska Noodles - 400g - 8 PP



Oishii - Chicken Curry Ramen Noodles - 400g - 8 PP



Oishii - Spiced Chicken Ramen Noodles - 400g - 8 PP



Rustlers Noodles - Oriental Pork - 300g - 10 PP



Rustlers Noodles - Chicken & Mushroon - 300g - 8 PP



Zugo's Deli Cafe - Pasta Cabonara - 300g - 15 PP



Zugo's Deli Cafe - Pasta Bolognese - 300g - 9 PP



Hello… My names Doll…


*stands up*  
'Hello… My names Doll and I'm a big fat doubter…'



I know I'm always banging on about my Propoints and how many points are this, that and the other… but to be honest… that's what works for me… Weight watchers isn'tt for everyone… some people count calories, for don't  eat carbs… some love slimming world and once you find what you love its make such a difference…  this week, not tracking, nearly killed me… but even as I rolled my eyes stepping on the scales… proof of the pudding or lack of puddings even… -3 lbs! It only feckin' works Ted! 




I did have to think a lot more about what I was eating and I probably could have planned it a bit better from the first night, when I'm doing it again I'll be sitting down to do a weekly planner first…  but it really wasn't hard to do! I felt full and because I'm off drinkies till my birthday, there was no Saturday night 'How the hell am I going to have a G&T when Weetabix is a treat?!?!' drama… It was restrictive when it came to the two daily treats, I'm really not OK with the whole Weetabix thing clearly, but this week the reliable old 49 weeklies are back.. praise the lord.. hallelujah!

Its called 'FLEX' and its the middle man between the die hard 'trackers' amongst us *raises paw* and 'filling and healthy only' people.. this allows you to eat all the foods from the filling and healthy and rather than have two daily treats, you get your 49 back to use as you please… if you listen carefully this Saturday night you'll hear the sound of all those wine corks! 



Its called 'FLEX' and its the middle man between the 'trackers' amongst us and 'filling and healthy only' people.. this allowed you to eat all the foods from the filling and healthy and rather than have two daily treats, you get your 49 back to use as you please… if you listen carefully this Saturday night you'll hear the sound of all those wine corks! 




Top Tips… 
Pick all Filling and Healthy foods from the list… 
Use your 49 weeklies for treats
Include healthy oils and dairy in your diet… 
Earn some Activity Points… 
Track your 49! 





Next week … Its back to basics with Full Flexibility and I can pro point like a crazy woman if I want to! 

So there's essentially 3 plans to choose from… Simple Start, Flex and Full flexibility!  




Here's to another good week!


Monday motivation…



Lets face it coming from a hottie like Marilyn … she's not wrong… No one is perfect.. no one! Don't let all the images you are deluged with make you think you're not already beautiful… even super models are insecure about their looks … Heads high today… You're gorgeous!


'Even don't wake up looking like Cindy Crawford' 
Cindy Crawford… 








Overhaul…




Ok... 3 weeks into 2014 … spring will be here before you know it and nothing like a good spring clean to clear the cobwebs and get focussed! 




Over haul your wardrobe!

I did this before christmas and my GOD did it feel good.. you've got to be ruthless… try everything on (yes thats a bit of a pain…) … and ask yourself these questions… Does it fit me PROPERLY? PROPERLY is the key word there! none of this I'll let it in/out, fix the button/zip/hem … Will I wear it out in public? Will I wear it in the next 6 months? Once you've done that 3 or 4 times… its SO easy… you can tell by just looking at somethings that you'd be mortified to give them to the charity shops! When you lose a bit of weight you change shape.. my friends will testify I am literally pinned into some of my clothes at the moment and they're giving me the nod when I'm flashing people! Rethinking your look make you feel better, stand taller and look less dowdy! Get me! I'm thinking of running for office in the Fashion Police, what with the Oscars coming up! Another thing… don't be going crazy in the sales buying clothes that you 'might' fit into… they'll hang there taunting you… pick something 1 size down and that you can squeeze into… as you lose weight it'll loosen up and THAT feels good! 





Over haul your fridge! 

Get right in there… that cheese lurking in the back that's in date till 2015… bin it or give it to someone who can enjoy it… if you're the type *puts up paw* that will peep in the fridge in the wee small hours and know its in there waiting to me melted on a bit of toast… get rid of it… Stock up on fresh veg, fruit and seasonings… ginger, garlic, lemon.. lime.. go through your cupboard, Christmas and New Year are gone… and if anything is lurking its just temptation… and if you know its there, it will scream your name in the middle of the night! 





Overhaul your 'me' time… 

Taking an hour, half an hour to yourself is NECESSARY! Go out the door and walk for 15 minutes and turn around and come back! You'll be surprised how just listening to your music and pacing can just give you that little bit of breathing space… Go somewhere you love, at the weekend go to the beach and just have a stroll… even in this crazy weather it will clear the cobwebs and get you focussed on what you really want, before you have to face a house full of kids / husbands / boyfriend / family! If people get used to taking your time, they'll just keep doing it… and if you're not there they will find a solution to their first world problem… guarantee they'll be alive and kicking when you get back!





Over haul your body..

Over done it at christmas? Broke? Give yourself a home spa.. a mini makeover! Set aside an hour when you won't be interrupted, make sure all big and little people are entertained... grab some fluffy towels, your bath robe, lock the door and light a few smelly tea lights.. start with a 10 minute body brush to clear the dead skin away and get the circulation going… it'll open the pores so toxins can escape.. Natural brushes are best… and work the strokes towards your heart… make a salt scrub... mix sea salt with olive or almond oil into a paste and massage gently all over..again strokes towards the heart… rinse off and lash on your fav body lotion.. a thick layer of E45 will do wonders for your skin… but if you've got some fancy new stuff from santa lash it on…  next… wrap up… and hop under the duvet for half and hour, you'll probably drift off to sleep but when you wake up be sure to drink a large glass of warm water with a slice of lemon to rehydrate and get out in the fresh air… and make that date with yourself often! There's loads of homemade DIY spa lotions and potions you can make too.. cheap and effective and probably the stuff our grannies had to make do with! I'll post some  homemade DIY goodies tomorrow! 





Over haul your hobbies…

Try something new! Always wanted to try photography.. quit talking about it and get googling! Knitting? Check out stitch and bitch classes in your area… not only will you get a hand with creating something yourself but you can catch up on the gossip too! There's lots of stuff going on in the evenings and even when you're knackered, once you get there you really get into it and it becomes another skill you have. Plus you're making new pals and you're not stuck watching the box on your bum! 







ONLY!?


There's no such thing as ONLY!


Losing 1 - 2 lbs a week is the healthy way to lose weight.. 

it didn't go on over night its not coming off overnight either!



0.5 lb a week = 26 lbs a year / 1st 12lbs

1 lb a week = 52 lbs a year / 3st 10lbs

1.5 lbs a week = 78 lbs / 5st 8lbs

2 lbs a week = 104 lbs / 7st 6lbs 



Just think where you can be in a year!




Old dog... New tricks!


 You can't teach an old dog new tricks… 



Firstly… NOBODY PANIC!!! ProPoints haven't gone and left us… Those of us brainwashed to know every point of every food group *raises paw*, can relax, safe in the knowledge that they're still on the scene… 



Simple Start is essentially the Filling & Healthy plan, and for the weight watcher die-hards the old Core plan… This week to kick start everyone back into the swing of things they're getting everyone to give it a go… It's detoxing apparently … ahem … 

Personally I've tried Filling & Healthy and as my class buddies said, we're here BECAUSE we ate as much as we liked! Pasta is free… not weighed… as are potatoes… this scares the bejesus outta me! Irish blood, and clearly some italian blood, means I could eat all the mash potatoes in the land and still have room for an apple tart after… My mother would insist on it! Sure aren't we wasting away! 


This program will suit some people… and many are having great success on it but its not for everyone… some people like to count calories.. or do other low carb diets… there's no wrong plan… its just finding the plan for you… there's no tracking or weighing and for some that's a bonus and there are some great recipes too... I'll be trying some out for you… 


One thing I will say is Simple Start is very healthy… its full of most things you would have in your cupboards but just eating them in a different way… All the foods are low in saturated fat, low in sugar and salt and have fibre.. so you will feel fuller for longer.. the clues in the name eh?

Next week its all about adding some flexibility to the plan… This means you can have a bottle of wine or your takeaway at the weekend… aaaaaannnnnnndddddddd BREATHE!

So, one week only I'm giving it a go… cause my leader asked us so nicely... and I'm going to TRY to not point things or track them… my poor online tracker will think I've deserted it! 



Here's the basic bits…. 



There's the main Filling & Healthy food list… 
which you can eat as much as you want from…  




...you have unlimited boosters  (that's herbs and seasoning to you and me).. 
as well as drinks (not the fun ones!)






…and you get 2 treats a day… this is your choccie fix… a glass of wine.. 
and scarily weetabix! (not really a treat in Dolltown!) 


Let me know what you think… I'd be interested to see how you all get on… I might surprise myself this week! 




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