Recipe - Beef curry and riced cauliflower

So I tried cauliflower rice for the first time yesterday - AMAZING!! If you haven't tried it, I really recommend it, it reminds me of cous cous which I also love. 

I used this recipe from the paleo website and dukanised it: http://paleofood.com/beef.htm#primalbeefcurry

Beef curry and cauliflower rice

Minutes to Prepare: 20, Minutes to Cook: 60, Number of Servings: 2-4.

Frylight

1 chopped onion 

1 large celery stalk

3 cloves garlic 

450g diced beef 

400ml canned diced tomatoes 

250ml salsa (I made mine fresh by finely chopping 1 green peppers and 6 cherry tomatoes)

1 tsp cumin powder 

1 tbsp chilli powder 

1 tsp ground thyme 

1 large cauliflower

Heat frylight in a large frying pan, then sauté the celery, onion and garlic for 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add meat and spice, stirring well, and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and salsa, stir well, and then simmer for at least about 50 minutes.

While the curry is simmering, remove the leaves from the cauliflower head and break in to florets. Pulse in a blender until it resembles rice grains (I did it in small batches). Spray a wok or large pan with fry light and turn to a high heat, fry for 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, season with salt and pepper to taste and fry for a further 4 minutes until golden. Serve with the curry and enjoy! Mmmmm.

Sorry no photo yet! Xx

Attack (again)!

Oh hey! Happy 2014 to you. 

I am kicking the new year off by starting the Dukan diet once again. I have just completed a 7 day Attack and lost 5lbs which I am thrilled with.

AHEM...so...confession time... If I could sum up the last year in a montage it would involve me trying, and failing, to lose weight over and over, eating A LOT of very yummy food, paying for a gym membership and barely using it (and adjusting to life as the mum of a very adorable little boy). 

It fair to say that I have neglected my diet and fitness in a big way and have gained a lot off weight on top of not losing my pregnancy weight. In order to lose weight I think you have to be 100% committed to it and last year I really wasn't, but no excuses now! I am back and more determined than ever. 

Blogging was a very important part of my weight loss journey last time, it made me feel accountable to somebody - that's you reader - and very supported! So please stop by and say hello.

I have lots of new recipes to share, weekly dinner menu plans on Mondays and weigh ins will be every Friday, so join me for my next Dukan adventure! 

Carrie xx

Dukan do it again!

Hi there! Well after a looooong period of eating pretty much whatever I like, I'm back on the Dukan diet and back to this blog. Ummm, so what else is new? Oh yes, I have an adorable 6 month old son - he is awesome! I absolutely love being a Mum, but I don't love my Mummy tummy (or my mummy thighs and bingo wings for that matter). So here I am, on a mission to be a yummy mummy and look fabulous by the time I go back to work in July.

I've joined a swanky gym at the local golf club, but sometimes I struggle to find the time and energy to go. My aim is to go twice a week from now on and lots and lots of long walks with baby J.

Wish me luck!

Carrie xx

2012 Update - Happy New Year Everyone!

In case you're wondering where I've vanished to, I thought I better fess up to the reason for my absence. I stopped following the Dukan diet in November last year because I found out that I'm pregnant with my first child!

In the Dukan book it does mention that it's safe to follow the Cruise phase during pregnancy and this is what I intended to do, however mini me had other ideas. Morning sickness made it fairly impossible for me to eat anything other than toast, plain crisps and ginger biscuits - so not Dukan! My plan is to stick to a healthy balanced diet, once I'm feeling better, and try not gain any weight above what is generally expected during pregnancy. So far due to the morning sickness and lack of appetite I've actually lost weight since stopping Dukan!

So that's my news, providing all goes smoothly our baby will be arriving at the end of July and I'm super excited to become a Mum. You know exactly how I'll be planning to lose the baby weight, so I'll be back to my blog later in the year - you'll all be skinny minnies by then!

Goodluck everyone! xx

A good week - minus some cupcakes

On the whole, this week has gone well. I lost 2lbs and mainly stuck to my menu plan, I did heaps of Zumba and I'm definitely noticing that my body is toning up. Even my hubby commented that my arrms felt very toned the other day.

About those cupcakes.... well I was at a babyshower, it would have been rude not to! I seemed to be one of the only people without a baby or a bump - so I didn't want to single myself out any more by refusing a cupcake or two.

Anyways, here is my menu for the week ahead....

Monday (PV) - Thai Chicken Curry
Tuesday (PV) - Pizza Express - Pollo Vedure Salad
Wednesday - (PV) - Steak with mushroom sauce and vegetables
Thursday (PV) - Chicken with tomato salad
Friday (PV) - Bolognaise
Saturday (PP) - BBQ
Sunday (PP) - Ham omlette

Hope everyone has a good week xx

Menu plan Monday

At the start of the diet I always planned a menu for the week ahead and I think this is a big part of the reason for my success. I've got out of the habit of doing this, so I'm going to try and re-introduce it by posting each Monday on my blog. So here's my dinner menu plan for the week:
Monday (PV) - Mexican Chicken salad
Tuesday (PV) - Dinner out @ Pizza Express, Pollo Vedure Salad
Wednesday (PP) - Extra lean beef Meatballs in a creamy dukan sauce (gravy and 0% fat cream cheese)
Thursday (PP) - Chicken wrapped in prosciutto with cottage cheese and gherkins
Friday (PP) - All day breakfast (beef sausages, turkey bacon and scrambled eggs)
Saturday (PP) - Steak and eggs
Sunday (PP) - Garlic Roast chicken

Plus lots of water and my daily quota of oatbran (which I have also gone off track with)! I'm looking forward to a great Zumba workout tonight too. xx

One year on!

So it's been over a year now since I made one of the best decisions ever and started on the Dukan diet. I can't believe that this time last year I was carrying around 4 extra stone.

I have finally managed to implement a non-negotiable 3 days a week (at the very least) exercise plan and that seems to be really helping to keep the weight off. I bought Zumba for the Wii the other day and I am loving it, it's completely hilarious - the cats look at me in a confused manor whilst I jump around like a total loony.  

Despite the strict exercise regime, I'm not being as strict with the diet. It's naughty I know, but after a year sometimes you just need to mix things up a bit to avoid boredom. All I really want to lose is another stone, but I just can't seem to do it - the weight comes off so much slower than it did before, it's so frustrating. This weekend I vow to put together a menu plan for dinners next week and stick to it, I'll post it up here so there's no getting out of it!