Monday, 21 January 2013

Meal planning Monday the snow edition

Just in case you don't know its been snowing I have been snowbound for two days my school closed on Friday but is not closed today. Looks out side and readies huskies either that or I will have to get the cats to drag me to my work at a school on a sledge.





Monday : Moroccan Surprise

This quite frankly is something I thought up on the spot and to my surprise and that of my family it actually worked. Cooking doesn't have to be hard and sometimes the best dishes can be ones that are impromptu.  When you are forced to come up with culinary anything edible dishes you feel as if you are on a Master Chef show.

It started with a pack of rather unsuspecting Lamb chops no myself or  my husband would have ate this served with potatoes and vegetables but the teen might of raised a Elvis style lip at this.


So I slow baked the lamb in the oven.

While this was cooking I cooked some white rice enough for 4 though because I didn't weigh my quantities it was more like 6 a case of the magic cooking pot I think!

I took the lamb out of the oven and left it to cool.

I got my trusty frying pan out and put some olive oil in it .. and heated it up.

I add in the white rice which was of course drain not all of it just enough for the 3 of us . Don't worry I didn't waste the remaining rice I shall be using that tomorrow.

I shredded the lamb and added it to the rice and here's where I got creative.

I added some coconut milk probably a cup full will do it .

1 tea spoon poppy seeds.

1 tea spoon mustard seeds.

1 tea spoon ground  turmeric.

1 tea spoon garlic puree.

1/2 tea spoon chili powder.

Some squashed stem ginger.

You can adjust this recipe as you see fit.

Added 100g or so of sweetcorn.

I then added one of those stock cubes and a cup full of water and simmered it off.

The result was a Moroccan style sweetcorn dish I added some stuffing balls to it as well!










Tuesday Frugal Corn beef Hash

Wednesday Italian Rice with turkey


Thursday Delicious Shepherds pie.

Friday Fish and Chips

Saturday Toad in the hole

Sunday Roast dinner all the trimmings.






Carpet of snow

SSSSh I have a major  confession don't tell anyone ....

I didn't mean to do it.

It was all perfectly Innocent.

It just started one day.

You know how it is right ?

The flash of temptation.

Your eyes don't know where to look.

You just know you are going to do it.

You  just have to go and stroke it,

Your hands running up and down it.


In a fever of emotion.

"Yes, Yes " you moan with  delight.

A gentle hand touches .

"Would Madam like this carpet ?" enquires the bemused salesman.





You point at your phone which demands you have a piece of cut off carpet in your boot to aid your car journey.

( You are meant to out a square of carpet under you wheels to aid traction in this icy weather) so the tv said  ...

Sunday, 20 January 2013

Snow Bound 365

Its snowed ..  I know its the usual fuss transport grinds to a hold, we panic buy bread ,milk and Gin. We make snow men and snow ladies , we get cabin fever and contemplate chewing the leg off the cat because we have no food in the house.


I walked to work in the snow ....



The husband walked walk in the snow as the car was having its MOT done ...




The cat was  unimpressed with the state of snow in our garden.




And so went to look at the state of play in the neighbours garden as they say "The snow is whiter on the other side ".


And obvously it was much better in the neigbours garden so off he popped ...






TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

Friday, 18 January 2013

Zumba Fitness Core for the Wii review


Get ready to rock your core!
Zumba® Fitness Core is the latest release in the best-selling video game franchise so you can continue your Zumba® party at home.
As the only fitness game that targets your core, Zumba® Fitness Core focuses specifically on strengthening and sculpting your core, within an effective body workout to deliver the tight and toned abs for a sexy six pack.

Features:
  • Dance to 40 brand new songs across chart-topping hits, classics, exclusive re-records and contagious new Zumba® originals. New featured artists include Enrique Iglesias, LMFAO, Shakira, Bob Marley and more!
  • Hot new choreography specifically designed to sculpt stronger, sexier abs and provide a solid total body workout.
  • Workout your core by moving to 33 different dance styles - more than any other dance or fitness game!
Zuma at your pace with Zuma Fitness Core for the Wii least with this I am can build my way up to  60 minute workout instead of hiding at the back of the class. I  know how important it is too have a strong core as a previous cross country runner in my youth I was out of practise with following a heatlthy lifestyle. So doing Zumba in my home has given me my youth back in a sense though thankfully with the bad hair and clothing choices!

Though it is quite hardcore and if you are buying this no doubt you will already have some knowledge of Zumba and suitable fitness. That is something I have to say I am working on but I will get there I have nothing but determination.


  • New fitness features:
  • Set personal and shared community goals with friends on facebook.
  • Nutrition and lifestyle tips provide guidance on how to enhance your health, well-being and appearance.
  • Master three different game modes in the easy to use menu:
  • Tutorial: Learn at your own pace by breaking down the six core dance styles into the basics. Slow down or speed up each module to master each move and build confidence with per limb feedback.
  • Single Song: Dance a single core routine from your choice of all the 40 included in game appearance.
  • Classes: 20, 45 or 60 minute formats. Choose from 45 minute pre-set classes or custom your own Core workouts by saving a playlist of your favourite music.
  • Progress tracker tallies every workout statistic, including calories burned, achievements earned, overall rank and technique score.
  • Two player support on Kinect lets you party together
  • Dance hands-free towards that sexy six pack with full body motion tracking.
  • Voice control for Kinect menu navigation gets you dancing even faster.

Disclosure I was send a copy of this for review and all thought and opinions are my own.