A new challenge
Posted at 22:15 in Food, Personal, Product Reviews, Recipe
Thank goodness it’s Friday! This week seems to have dragged by so slowly! The last two hours at work today were just horrid, my colleague even asked had someone taken the batteries out of the clock as every minute felt like an hour! It hasn’t been helped by doing overtime for the last two weeks as our practice manager has been on holiday. I’m so looking forward to getting back to my regular hours on Monday!
Apart from the long day, it’s actually been a good one. I’m having a mad obsession on cook books at the moment and the book people came to deliver my order of 4 brand new cook books – hurrah! They are: A healthy Italian cook book by Gino D’ACampo, The Chilli Lovers Cookbook, Cook Express containing 700 recipes and a Comfort Food Recipe book. I’ve already book marked several dishes that I want to make over the coming week.
I also picked up at the shop a Men’s Health Special entitled “Fuel” all about nutrition. As you know, I’m not a big fan of Men’s Health but this actually didn’t look too bad. No doubt it won’t really tell me anything I don’t already know but there are some pretty cool recipes inside.
Speaking of new recipes, I made the most delicious chicken risotto last night in an attempt to get mini JAG eating more vegetables. He adores fruit but it’s such a struggle to get him to eat veggies and we sat and had a family discussion about it the other night and he promised to try and eat more vegetables. In the risotto, I added 2 very finely chopped red onions, a finely chopped sweet red pepper and some frozen peas. Result?
He loved it! Hurrah!
I got the recipe from CookUK and though it was quite calorific, I will definitely make it again.
Chicken Risotto
350g risotto rice
2 medium onions
450g chicken breast
100g peas (fresh or frozen)
40g fresh grated parmesan
1 sweet red pepper
1.5 pints chicken stock
1 glass white wine
25g butter
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon saffron
2 garlic cloves
Salt & Pepper to tastePREPARATION
Slice the chicken thinly
Finely chop the onion
Finely chop or crush the garlic
Finely grate the parmesan cheese
Wash the risotto rice in cold water
Cut red pepper in half, remove seeds and pith then chop
Method
Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a frying pan on medium heat, Fry the chicken on a medium heat for 3 minutes until cooked, turn the chicken as it’s cooking until the chicken is cooked through. This should take about 5 minutes.
Stir the chicken whilst cooking to ensure it’s evenly cooked. When done, place the chicken to one side. Add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and turn the heat to low. Add the onions, garlic and sweet peppers.Fry at a low heat for 10 minutes stirring the ingredients frequently. The idea is to soften the onions and peppers.
When the ingredients are softened, add the cooked chicken and fry for a further two minutes.Now add the risotto rice and fry for another two minutes stirring constantly. make sure the rice is coated with the olive oil. Add the saffron.
Add the wine and stir. When the wine has been absorbed by the rice add a ladleful of the chicken stock. Each time the stock is absorbed, add another ladleful. When all the stock has been added and absorbed, the rice should be moist but will “stack up” as shown in the picture.This process will take about 25 minutes.
Add the frozen peas and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
Now add the butter, parmesan cheese and peas. Add slat and pepper to taste and stir well for 30 seconds. Remove the risotto from the heat and leave it to stand (covered with a lid or plate).
I was so excited to receive a fabulous new gadget in the post today…
A new, wireless MP3 player by Sony that I will be testing out over the course of the next few weeks. I can’t wait to get my tunes on it and try it out on my run on Sunday. And they sent me a pink version – hurrah!
It’s also come at a perfect time as I am embarking on a new challenge starting on Monday which has been set up by three lovely dudes on WLR. It’s running for 7 weeks which will finish just in time for my holiday on 31st August and there are no set rules as such, you have to devise your own but you also have to stick to them over the next 7 weeks. For this reason, they have to be achievable goals – no point setting yourself up to fail!
Here are my goals:
(*) Set my calories to lose 0.5lb per week
(*) To weight train 3 times per week WITHOUT FAIL!
(*) One body attack class, one HIIT session and one run per week
(*) No alcohol whatsoever
(*) Minimum of 30% protein
I know all of the above goals are attainable and I also know that by sticking to them, I will lose the extra lbs that I gained whilst training for my half marathon. I will also of course be doing my daily 10 minutes of the air climber challenge :-D
So, I shall be drinking my last bottle of Koppaberg this evening and making the most of it!
Food has been lovely today. I started off with porridge made with semi skimmed milk, apple, cinnamon, Greek yoghurt, blackberries & pecans…
Mid morning was a skimmed latte and 2 satsumas…
Lunch was supposed to be an omelette but I wanted scrambled eggs and toast instead…
Mid afternoon, I snacked on a Virtue Bar but I forgot to snap it in my boredom at work.
Dinner was a home made lamb burger, made with lean minced lamb, red onions & fresh rosemary. I served it on a ciabatta bun with olives…
Can you see the fresh herbs in a little water? My lovely colleague Debbie picked them from her herb garden for me. Note for Loony – they have replaced the dead cactus!
I’m going to get my cider now and watch The Biggest Loser. I’m at work in the morning but only until 11am and then I shall be walking to the gym for my workout. I’m thinking of giving body pump a try as I’ve not done a class in AGES!
Have an awesome evening folks!
Hey! Thanks for reading my blog. Im gonna go to my 1st body pump class on sunday. Dont really know what to expect :s
I looked at your pictures. The transformation is amazing! Really well done to you!
Hope you enjoyed that cider! Sounds like some fantastic goals for your challenge x
Hey lovely, the cider was delicious – I do love Koppaberg, it’s so refreshing! The goals are really good and most importantly they are do-able. I know I will be back in shape by the end of it and I am really excited :D
That does sound like a good challenge! Will you post your before and after stats? I’ve spent a good 2 minutes looking at the picture of the MP3 player and I can’t work it out! I’m going to have to google it- is the long bit to go around your wrist? Looks pretty funky though! Have a great weekend Jo!
I am going to take before and after pics for sure. I hate how squishy I look at the moment so the pics won’t be published until the end :D
The MP3 player just fits around the head – I can’t wait to try it out :D
Have a fab weekend chick
x
Oooooh just googled it and that IS funky!
Isn’t it? I *heart* it :D
Enjoy pump. I went back on Monday & pushed it hard – but loved it – hope to make it a regular feature.
I’ve just started a wee challenge too – took my measurements this morning & planning 5 weeks of all out effort to look & feel amazing for my wee nieces christening & then have my first wedding anniversary a couple of weeks after that, as I haven’t been as strict with myself since the half marathon – need to get back to it!
I’m now off the drink too till after my 2 races Sept & Oct
It’s a great class isn’t it? Can’t wait to see your progress over the next 5 weeks!
I’m training for a marathon too, and I’m gaining weight! I can’t understand it. Why do you think that happened to you? I have no idea why it’s happening to me, other than exercise makes you hungry. And I have to up the carbs a tiny bit for extra energy, but I’m still burning 800-1300 calories each long run. I don’t get it. Any ideas?
I’m not sure why it happened to me. I calorie counted all the way through it though I stuck to maintenance calories. I was eating a lot more carbs than I am used to so that may have something to do with it but not sure. I’ve read lots of different articles about long distance running and how it can make you fat but never really believed it until it happened to me. This may shed some light for you:
http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/training/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin
Hi again, what is your day job?
I’m a medical secretary :)