8. Lose 4 stones

2lb off this week and my first award! Woo!

22. Visit 5 different museums

Bolton Museum

It's half term, day 3. Three long days. We have a wobbly tooth so every other sentence is about the tooth fairy and when she's not talking about it she's wobbling it. Time to get out of the house! So off we went to Bolton.

First to the aquarium which has recently been made a bit more buggy friendly. It's only small but the girls enjoyed it, especially the exhibit about looking after the environment. Never has a retro crisp packet caused such excitement!


Lydia doing her best fish impression!

The upstairs to the museum. The local history exibit was closed (due to reopen tomorrow!) but we still managed to see the dinosaur, some (slightly horrific) mummies, and lots of other stuff. Best loved of all was the Noah's Ark. Lots of tantrums when it was time to move on!



It's a fabulous place and free! Much recommended by us.

7. Make a Christmas cake (part one!)

So I've started my christmas cake! I bought the fruit weeks ago but I've only just got round to acquiring some brandy (thanks MIL!) I'm following the recipe from Ruth Clemens' blog The Pink Whisk (she was a finalist on the BBC programme The Great British Bake Off)

I've been soaking it since the weekend and stiring it everyday. It's currently living in the cupboards wrapped up in cling film and a tea towel.

It smells lush!

16. Bake once a month

This month has been a quieter one, baking wise. I'm not really the kind of person who makes muffins with crushed up bran flakes, I'd rather do with out!
I got an urge to bake in saturday though, so I flicked through my new baking book and settled on lamingtons. And very good they are too (I've eaten several since weigh in!)

15. Cook 10 things from a recipe

Slimming World Lamb Dhansak (from SW magazine October 2010)



Serves 4

Fry Light
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2.5cm fresh root ginger (i used my namesake, lazy ginger!)
1tbsp tandoori spice mix
397g lamb, cubed
255g cherry tomatoes
400g can green lentils inc water (I did this in the slow cooker and it was too watery.would leave the water out next time)
284ml lamb stock
salt and pepper
basmati rice
fresh corriander (i left this out. fresh corriander has no place in my house. bleugh)

Spray a large, deep frying pan with fry light and place over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and red pepper and cook, uncovered for 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger and spice mix and cook for a further 2 minutes, stiring constantly.

Stir in the lamb, cherry tomatoes, lentils and lamb stock. Season well and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for 25 minutes until lamb is tender. Cook the rice in boiling water for 10 minutes and drain.

When the curry is ready, stir in most of the coriander and check the seasoning. Sprinkle the remaining corriander over the curry and serve with the rice (but no naan bread as a sharwoods plain naan is 16.5 syns!!)

8. Lose 4 stones

Half a pound. Half a measly pound.
I weighed at a different time of day so that'll be it won't it? It'll mean a better loss next week won't it? (the only acceptable answer is yes by the way!)

8. Lose 4 stones

2lb off this week. Treated myself to a stale cake from Greenhalghs. This town needs a Starbucks!

8. Lose 4 stones

So I've made a start on #8. I've joined Fat Fighters Slimming World.
First weigh in this week and I've lost 4lb.