Filo Pastry - 31 days to go!

I haven't written in nearly a week how remiss of me!!   Not sure where this last week has gone, I know it's gone quickly!  My parents arrived back from the UK so I have been spending lots of time with them, just enjoying having them back and before you know it's the weekend again!

I did well at weight watchers again this week with a 1.1 Kg loss.  With 31 days left before I go and another 7.1 kg to get to my goal weight I am pushing my luck I think! I would need to lose nearly 2 Kg a week but I will give it my all even if I get close I would be ecstatic.

I have had a fabulous week this week and I am on top of my game.  Exercise is coming much easier now especially since I discovered that if I watch television on my laptop whilst I exercise then instead of a measly 20 minutes on my cross trainer (which used to kill me) I can power through and do at least 40 minutes a session.  The other day I managed to do 60 minutes, I was so proud of myself.  My legs however weren't too sure as I climbed off the trainer they were like jelly!!  I am living proof as the worlds biggest exercise hater that it is possible to exercise and get better at it if you just stick to it. (Something I am not usually very good at doing!!)

When I started out on this weight loss journey I wanted to lose 22 kg and it seemed totally unattainable and the thought of having to do exercise actually made me feel angry because I hated it that much.  I couldn't believe that I had let my weight get so out of hand over the years and was now having to do a full on lifestyle change before my misery took over my life and engulfed me.

You know what it is worth every bead of sweat and I wish at the beginning I could have known how I would have been feeling now it would have given me so much motivation to achieve my goal in half the time!  I look at myself in the mirror and the reflection has changed so much, my clothes fits, my nails are growing and I feel like a beautiful person inside and out for the first time in a very long, long time.  It is achievable, it is but only with help and I am so pleased I decided to give WW another go and this time it is a change for life.

This last week I have been experiementing with filo pastry after discovering it's only 1 point a sheet!!! (woohoo)  having never really used it before I have been having great fun filling it with all sorts!

Thought I would share my favourite invented recipe -

Morrocan Chicken Filo Parcels

50g Chicken (know it seems small but promise it's enough)
20g Sweet potato
20g Pumpkin
20g Carrot
1 red onion
30g Feta cheese (light if you can get it)
2 sheets of filo
1 block of frozen spinach (or fresh)
salt & pepper
Masterfoods Morrocan spices
Spray oil
Herbamare (available from health food shops - absolutely gorgeous)

1.  Chop up the sweet potato, pumpkin and carrot in very small pieces and spray lightly with oil and a generous sprinkling of Moroccan seasoning and bake in oven on 180c for 20 minutes or until soft and roasted and put aside when done.

2.  Spray frying pan lightly (2 second spray) add onion and sweat off for a couple of minutes before adding chicken and spinach cube and cook through until spinach has broken up and chicken is cooked.  Season with salt & pepper or herbamare (if you have any)

3.  Add the two mixtures together and add feta cheese.  Next lightly crush together with either  a masher or the back of a spoon.

4.  Lightly spray one sheet of filo and fold in half.  Add half the mixture and fold ends in before rolling into a sausage shape.  You can used two sheets if you want more pastry at 1 point a time it's not a big deal!!  Repeat so that you have two rolls.

5.  Bake in oven on about 180c until they are golden in colour maybe 15 minutes.


6.  If my calculations are right for both rolls if you use just two sheets of filo it works out at 6 points for a very filling main course.  That's if you eat both of them!!!  So only 3 points for each and they are mega filling!!

7.  I like to serve it with stirfried beansprouts and cabbage but would be yum with a salad too.

Enjoy!!




For those of you with a sweet tooth try wrapping a banana with 4 marshmallows, 15g chocolate buttons in filo pastry for what tastes like a truly decadent treat but is only  6 points a wrap, they are gorgeous!!  My kids really love these treats, if you want to do them without the pastry you can always chop up the banana and put marshmallows and buttons in a bowl and heat up in a micro for 10 seconds or if you don't like using microwaves then wrap in baking paper and either put of the bbq on in the over for 5 - 10 minutes.



Have a great week!

Kate

P.s My nails are doings so well I actually have white bits!!! Typing is interesting though it click clacks now as I type!!!