What makes Pussy Fat

Hi My Faithful Followers,
I have had a few emails from friends that are asking about what sugars they can and cannot have, are artificial sugars okay instead etc etc. 

So this post is an education on some facts about sugar and what makes pussy fat. I have taken quite a bit of the info directly from David Gillespie's second book Sweet Poison Quit Plan and hope it helps those of you wanting answers to questions. 


First let's look at food labels. All of the following ingredients seen on food labels contain sugar (or are converted to sugar once consumed) and must be avoided:

• agave syrup (90% fructose)
• corn syrup (55% fructose)
• fructose 
• honey (usually 40% fructose)
• maltitol (converted to fructose by your body)
• mannitol (converted to fructose by your body)
• maple syrup (up to 40% fructose)
• mollasses (usually 40% fructose)
• polydextrose (90% dextrose, 10% sorbitol)
• sorbitol (converted to fructose by your body)
• sucrose (50% fructose)
• golden syrup (usually 40% fructose)

So throw them out if in your cupboard or don't buy if you see on a food ingredient label. You will become a staunch label reader very quickly looking for the added sugars, percentage of sugar etc.

Now not all news is bad. These ingredients when listed are allowed:

• dextrose (another name for glucose)
• glucose
• lactose (converted to galactose and glucose by your body)
• malt (converted to glucose by your body)
• maltose (converted to glucose by your body)

So what is the difference I hear you ask? (Told you I had perfect hearing even if the sight is questionable). Let's go back to basics here....a very simple law of nature. Carbohydrates (complex sugars) are broken down into simple sugars by our digestive system - metabolism. There are only ever three important simple sugars:

• glucose
• fructose
• galactose   

All of the other sugars you are likely to encounter (as above for example) are simply combinations of these three simple sugars.

Glucose is by far the most plentiful of the simple sugars. Pretty much every food (except meat) contains significant quantities of glucose. Even meat (protein) is eventually converted to glucose by your digestive system. Glucose is our primary fuel - no glucose means no us. We need glucose to survive.

Galactose is present in our environment in only very small quantities and is found mainly in dairy products in the form of lactose (where it is joined to a glucose molecule i.e. glucose + galactose = lactose).

Fructose is also relatively rare in nature. It is found primarily in ripe fruits, which is why it is sometimes called 'fruit sugar'. It is usually found together with glucose and it is what makes food taste sweet. As well as fruit, it is naturally present in honey (40%), maple syrup (35%), and agave syrup (90%).

So these are the building blocks of all the sugars in the above lists in different combinations and percentages.

So what exactly is sucrose then? Sucrose (sugar) is what we think of when someone says table sugar. It is composed of 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Brown sugar, caster sugar, raw sugar and low GI sugar are all sucrose.

Let's take this one step further and include another dirty word on everyones lips - carbohydrates. How do they fit into this picture. All carbohydrates (and this includes the glucose part of sugars) except fibre and fructose are converted into glucose by your body. Glucose is the body's primary source of energy. Fibre is not normally digested at all; we need it to help mitigate the damage being done by fructose.  So carbohydrates are good for the body as they provide the fuel to keep us going - as long as they do not a large amount of fructose. Remember what I have said in earlier posts. Fructose is converted into circulating fat, so it is the only sugar you really need to worry about.  

So if you look at the above "not allowed's" and the "allowed's" you can see that the not allowed's contain somewhere in their composition fructose or are converted to fructose, and the allowed's contain only glucose or are converted to glucose only. This means we basically have to throw out all processed foods (bottled, tinned, and packeted) as most contain sugar (50% fructose). Yes. I hear you say but sugar is also 50% glucose. I agree. But we have no way of extracting the glucose out of the sugar without also taking in the fructose. And that is why sugar and its many forms is a no-no. 

Fructose ingested predominately makes fat. Immediate conversion to circulating fat would not be such a big deal it we didn't eat much fructose. 1 or 2 pieces of whole fruit per day is allowable; our bodies can cope easily with this as long as it is whole fruit (meaning plus fibre) and not just fruit juice (meaning sugar only and no fibre). But we now eat an awful lot of fructose every day. In 1810, the average Australian's primary source of fructose was the occasional piece of ripe fruit. And you could only get the fruit when it grew; there were no refrigerated aircraft flying bananas from Brazil to Australia in the middle of winter. The fruit, plus the bit of honey amounted to, at most, 1 kg of fructose per person per year.

Thanks to World War 11 and the introduction of fruit juices, cereals and soft drinks consumed by the bucket full, saw the 1960's figures rise to 24 kg of fructose per person per year. And by 2000, that figure had risen to 33kg .... Holy shoot!!!! And this is really damaging our bodies. I bet none of you knew that we had increased our sugar/ fructose annual consumption that much!!! Scary isn't it.

And as for artificial sweeteners, they may help some of you when going through the withdrawal of sugar (if you ignore the risk of any potential side effects) so that you can break the habits built around consuming sugar. But at least 8 recent studies conducted (1989 - 2002) have shown that people who ate and drank low-calorie foods were no thinner over time than the rest of the population. So it is advised that if you don't think you can go cold-turkey off the sugars, then use the artificial sweeteners for 3 to 4 weeks weaning yourself slowly over this time. But don't take them long term. They are the 'methadone' of the sugar drug world.

Well I hope this has cleared up some of the questions and confusion. Once again I thank David Gillespie's book 'Sweet Poison Quit Plan' for the facts and research.

Night all...sweet dreams, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite.....Noels 

Chicken Stir Fry with Brown Rice

Hi Everyone,
Well..... Ralphy and I have had a plateau week....meaning treading water - no weight loss. Blast! But this is to be expected every now and then...let's just hope it isn't long in the 'happening' and things begin to move again very soon.


But as I said in my last blog, I also half expected it. And this is because during the second half of the week, I found myself eating allowable foods but it was when I WASN"T HUNGRY. Yep. Several times there was a meal break at work and because I had brought something to have meal wise, sat down and ate it when I wasn't hungry. My body didn't need it...it still had calories to burn from an earlier meal. But I didn't listen and sat down and dined when I shouldn't have. I didn't listen to my appetite control centre....and paid the price accordingly. I didn't gain weight...but I didn't lose any either even though the beginning of the week had sooooooo much potential. (Sorry Princess Bec... haven't lived up to your expectations this week).


And this weekend hasn't been too great either. I went to visit my mum who lives out of town, and for reasons I won't go into here, found myself eating more than my body wanted. It was all allowable food...it was just that there was just too much of it. So the remainder of this week is going to be a lean week for me with a lot of reconnecting with my appetite centre and getting back in the 'loop'.


As for Ralphy, I think he has done the same sort of thing eating my yummy Lemon Cheesecake Dream desserts when he wasn't hungry etc. But the main thing is we haven't sinned badly and certainly not had any sugar...so it shouldn't be too hard to get back into the swing of things.


But it does prove a point that weight issues etc can be influenced by many things including boredom, over indulgence, routines, and habits. What I will try and remember this week is for instance, if it is lunch time and I am not hungry...go without....there is always afternoon tea...and if still not hungry, go without again - there is always dinner. Don't be scared to miss a meal or two. It won't kill you if you are not hungry. It just means your body still has calories and energy to burn and doesn't need a top up at this stage.


The recipe for today is for a quick lunch or main meal and involves brown rice. I actually often cook up a quantity of brown rice part of which I use immediately with the remainder to be frozen into little containers to quickly thaw out for a quick work lunch some future time. So here is todays recipe aimed for the day when you want a quick meal after doing the weeks shopping. The ingredients suggested make this meal a quickie, but you can adapt it accordingly.


Chicken Stir Fry with Brown Rice
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons of oil (preferably avocado or coconut) or lard
1 diced onion
2 cloves crushed fresh garlic
1/3 cup finely diced red capsicum
1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes optional
1/2 cup finely sliced mushrooms (I like to use swiss brown mushrooms if the budget allows it)
1 bunches of choy sum (or other asian greens) finely sliced
1/2 cup sliced french beans
1 1/2 cups cooked  and thawed brown rice (already cooked in the freezer)
1/2 cup steamed/ microwaved quartered brussel sprouts or brocollini (or whatever other vegetable you prefer)
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (I get this from the deli/supermarket)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup coconut milk
salt (and pepper) to taste
Parmesan cheese shaved to dress the dish


Method
Heat oil or lard in a fry pan. Toss in onion, garlic, capsicum and chilli flakes and cook until the onion is transparent.
Add the mushrooms, french beans and asian greens (choy sum) and keep tossing until the mushrooms and beans are cooked through and the greens wilted.
Next add the chicken and when heated through, add the brown rice and toss well.
Finally add the coconut milk and lemon juice a little at a time until you get the flavour you like. I usually add all the lemon as above, but you may prefer a little more or less.
Season with salt and pepper...I only use salt as I am not a lover of pepper but do love the chilli flakes that are optional.


And voila!!!  Your lunch/ dinner is ready.


I hope you enjoy this recipe. It is very tasty and satisfying with a shaving of parmesan cheese on the top.


And that is your blimin' lot for the week!!!


 Oops...meant to say "Sleep tight cherubs and don't let the bed bugs bite".....Noels 

Lemon Cheesecake Dream Dessert

Hello My Followers,
I simply cannot believe how quickly this week is passing us by....Friday already. Weather wise it has been crappy weather for a couple of weeks now...pouring rain, gale force winds and a tornado!!!! (Still cannot believe that Townsville got a tornado). I am sorry for those who were in the firing line, and pray that they will get their lives back into line sooner rather than later...thank heavens it wasn't anyone I know. And.....I cannot believe I haven't dipped into the chocolate vat or ice-cream bucket in my bad-weather depression...... or boredom......which ever came first. I have a history for being very vunerable in these sort of conditions and many a diet has gone south as a result. Cyclone Yasi had me out the back door, what with no power for a week and having to make do with whatever we could find/ cook on our little primus stove.


So this time we are patting ourselves on the back...we have passed the 'fructose free test' with flying colours..... not one slip up. I cannot wait to see the results of my discipline at my weigh in on Saturday morning although I feel I have plateaued this week.


Before I go on with my rant for today, I have to give a very special thanks to Princess Bec...she is giving me such encouragement with sticking to my program by commenting regularly on how I look like I have lost so much weight. How can I not love her. So thank you Princess Bec......just wait until my scales say I have reached my goal weight!!! Yahoo!!!!


As many of you know, I am a follower of the Sweet Poison facebook page and am constantly amazed at some of the success stories posted especially the ones where there was no weight loss to start with for two or three months and then it began. This is my story also. Ralphy and I actually started our 'diet' a few days into the New Year (see my first blog 'In the Beginning'). Ralphy started to slowly lose weight after a couple of weeks but it took around 6 weeks before I started the slide south on the scales. Why I am saying this is that I have had a few people personally email me lately that they have started the sugar/ fructose free diet thanks to the added motivation from my blog, and nothing has happened weight loss wise to date. Here is my advice......be patient AND DON"T GIVE UP!!!!! It will happen. Some lose weight quickly, others take awhile. I don't really know the reason why except to say that we are all different.


And it is this difference as to why some of us can eat bucket loads of sugar our whole life and never put on any weight or develop health problems, and others have only to smell it and put on a kilo (or two). I am sure you know HORRIBLE people like this!!! I was actually reading a report last night following research conducted that has found our bodies produce two types of enzymes for handling fructose digestion.....and it all depends on which one you have the more of as to whether sugar affects you or not. One stores fructose as fat (Fatty Liver, Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes) and the other protects the body from these diseases. So.......it is all genetics again!!!!! Anyone interested, here is the story:
http://www.wellbeing.com.au/newsdetail/This-fructose-is-making-me-fatty_000623#.T2f9f3mRXWg.twitter


Okay....recipe time. Today we are making a yummy dessert....yes a dessert again!!!!!! And it is really, truly, moorish.


Lemon Cheesecake Dream


Serves 6

Ingredients
Bottom layer

• 250g cream cheese
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon rind
• 3/4 cup dextrose
• 3 teaspoons powdered gelatine
• 250mls cream

Middle Layer

• 2 nectarines or can use other fruits in season
• 1/3 cup dextrose or to taste
• squeeze lemon and a few thin slivers of lemon rind
• 3/4 level teaspoon cornflour

Top Layer

• 200 mls whipping cream
• 1/2 cup dextrose
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• toasted almond flakes

Method

Place 4 tablespoons hot boiling water in a cup and sprinkle over the gelatine powder to dissolve it. Let cool.

Beat cream cheese, lemon juice, rind and dextrose for 4-5 minutes. Add cooled gelatine. 

Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.

Spoon mixture evenly into 6 wine glasses.

Place in fridge to set.

For fruit layer

Thinly slice the fruits and place in a saucepan with a 1/4 cup of water and the dextrose and lemon juice and rind. Cook over a medium heat until the fruits are cooked and the fluid reduced slightly. 

Dissolve the cornflour in a tiny amount of water and add to the saucepan a little at a time until the fluid has thickened a little - enough to coat the spoon.

Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Top Layer

Whip cream until soft peaks form. Add dextrose and vanilla - make sure not to overwhip the cream.

Assembly

Spoon fruit on to top of cheese mixture and then drizzle over the sauce.

Place a spoon or two of flavoured cream on top of this layer and then psrinkle with the toasted almond flakes.

And that is it. Ready to go....and sooooo yummy.

It is a treat not to be had every day as there are calories in it. But the body will recognise all of the dextrose and produce insulin to metabolise it into energy, and not fat as would happen if we used sugar.... and you will still be fructose free and in control of your appetite.

And the big thing to remember is (especially if you are wanting to not put weight on and are sugar/fructose free)... don't eat until you again feel hungry and all this energy has been used up. Listen to your body. Of course if you still consume sugar, be prepared to be hungry in a few hours when your body is wanting another sugar fix. Is a light turning on yet?

Well that is it for today.

And you just know what I am going to say..... sleep tight cherubs and don't let the bed-bugs bite.....Noels

Cherry and Blueberry Tart Recipe

Hi My Followers,
What a week....I am exhausted totally. After our visitor left Monday morning, I had a worsening of my head cold Tuesday although I managed to remain at work for the week. But looking back now, it would have been wiser to have had a day or two off work to give myself a chance to get over it. Never mind. I am finally on the mend and almost back to my "old self".


Ralphy and I had our weekly weigh-in this morning and it is all good news. Ralphy lost .4kg and I lost .6kg. Considering that Ralphy slowly over the week entirely demolished the remains of the Cherry and Blueberry Tart that I had made for our weekend guest, he still did quite well. I actually was never hungry enough to want a piece....can you believe this... although I did have a battle with my eyes!!!!! Which is what I would like to expand on today before I give you the recipe to the tart.

Refresher : As I mentioned in an earlier post, being sugar free gives you back your appetite control centre. When I say sugar free, I am really referring to fructose free (although two pieces of whole fruit is allowed per day but no more, and it must be the whole fruits, not just the juice). And remember from one of my earlier posts, my explaining that sugar is made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructose. The glucose is not harmful to the body but the fructose is. In order to get rid of the fructose from your diet, you therefore have to give up sugar. 

Back to my story for today. What I have noticed lately is that I cannot consume as big a meal as I once did before I start to feel very satisfied. In fact, my meals have probably halved in size and that is no exaggeration. And Ralphy is finding the same thing. If we tried to eat the same quantity of food now that we ate pre the sugar/ fructose-free diet, we would most likely make ourselves well and truly sick. And this is one of the positive 'side effects' claimed again and again by many who follow this sugar/ fructose free diet.


Conclusion..... this is probably the main reason we lose weight...we now are in touch with what our bodies really require/ need. For example, if Ralphy and I have a roast lamb meal for Sunday lunch, our appetite is still fairly suppressed by dinner time that night and usually easily satisfied with something like a boiled egg on a piece of toast. Nothing more. And we remain not hungry for the rest of the evening. Our body now is telling us when it needs nourishment and when it doesn't.


Research by 'experts' have found that sugar ingestion makes you indeed want to eat more and more. It actually produces a hormone that says you are hungry, your blood sugar is low, eat more NOW!!! So you eat more than you need, and if it contains sugar, your body produces more of the same hormones. And so the vicious cycle continues.


As evidence of this, I actually went out to dinner with two girlfriends from work last night. For drinks I had two mineral waters (my girlfriends had champagne). I could have had a wine but was the driver (and it was pouring rain at the time and dangerous driving on the roads), and besides, I was not really in the mood for wine still suffering blocked nasal passages. Food wise I had a boneless lamb shank on a bed of potato mash with steamed beans and a grilled tomato. It had a somewhat more ornate description of the meal than this, but basically this was what it was. There was also supposed to be the addition somewhere of some onion jam which I presumed was a caramelised onion mixture full of sugar, so asked if this could not be added. One bite of the meal and I hit SWEET, and I mean SWEET, presumably onion jam. It was on the top of the medallion of lamb, so I scraped it off and put it to one side...... I really didn't have it in me to complain to the waiter. The rest of the meal was very enjoyable and I believe, being a french restaurant, the chef would have used lots of butter which I am allowed.  And that was it for the night. I had no desire or room for anything else (could have had a cheese platter) although the girls polished off a cream brulee each.


Truth be known, I actually struggled to eat the entire lamb meal although it wasn't that big. I really probably should have listened to what my body was telling me and not devoured the lot. But it was sooooo delicious. I didn't taste 'sweet' anywhere else in the meal but suspect that there were 'hidden' sugars elsewhere. And this is because today I have hunger pangs, a rarity for me now on this diet. I have found that the few times I have 'accidentally' ingested sugar over the past few weeks, the following day I have had hunger pangs throughout the day. I shouldn't be hungry a couple of hours after breakfast, but I am....and this goes on for the rest of the day.


Other dieters have reported experiencing similar repercussions of ingesting sugar. Even having a little sugar totally influences my appetite control button until I get it out of my system. And this is exactly what I am experiencing today. So there had to have been hidden sugars somewhere in my meal last night apart from that first mouthful of the main meal. Just imagine if I had had a dessert!!!!


It is indeed hard to dine out and decide on a course that doesn't contain sugar. Even if the chef hasn't physically added sugar, it could be an ingredient in a sauce, or a condiment, or...... Try and find a bottle of olives that doesn't have sugar as one of the ingredients. I kid you not. It is a long and hard search and only after much disappointment did I find a small bottle on the bottom shelf of my supermarket that only had brine in it......and they tasted really bitter/ horrible!!!!


So that is my little rant for today. Sugar makes you want more and more and more.....


But glucose is another story. Your body recognises glucose and produces enough insulin to metabolise all of it. And it doesn't make you want to eat any more than is necessary. If you eat more it is your own doing and probably because it is just so delicious you just have to try and force it in!!!!


So on that happy note, lets get into the recipe for the tart I made for our visitor last weekend.... an adaptation of David Gillespie's Royal Raspberry Tart Recipe from his second book 'Sweet Poison Quit Plan'.


Cherry and Blueberry Tart

Ingredients:

1 punnet of blueberries

200g of cherries

or may use frozen fruits as desired.

Coconut Pastry

1 cup plain flour (scant)

1 cup shredded coconut (scant)

90g butter

1/4 cup dextrose powder (purchase from home brewing section of supermarket)

1 egg yolk

Filling

3/4 cup dextrose powder

2 tablespoons cornflour

1 tablespoon powdered gelatine

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

350 ml milk

vanilla essence

150 mls thickened cream

Method:

Prepare Coconut Pastry

Preheat oven to 180º (350º F). 

Combine all pastry ingredients, mixing with fingertips until just blended (I used a food processor). If mixture is really dry, add a tiny amount of cold water until you can just combine it all together. 

Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 25cm flan tin (or springform pan).

Prick pastry base with a fork in several places to prevent shrinkage and puffing during baking. 

Blind bake for 10 minutes (line pastry shell with baking paper, then rice, dried beans or baking weights to stop pastry from lifting as it cooks). 

Remove paper and weights and cook, uncovered, for a further 5 - 10 minutes until pastry begins to colour. 

Cool on a wire rack while still in tin.

Prepare Filling

Combine dextrose, cornflour and gelatine in medium saucepan. 

Whisk together egg, egg yolk and milk. 

Stir egg mix into gelatine mix. Allow to stand for 5 minutes (to let gelatine soften). 

Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens (this will happen suddenly). Stir through vanilla essence. 

Once thickened, pour filling into a large bowl and refrigerate. Stir the filing occasionally, waiting for it to cool and mound slightly when dropped from a spoon. 

Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Whisk of fold the cream into the filling.

Assembly

Carefully lift cooled coconut pastry case onto a serving platter.

Spoon or gently pour filling into case.

Top with cherries and blueberries.

Refrigerate until filling is completely set (about 1 hour).

*Serve with a scoop of home made vanilla ice-cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream (using dextrose of course). We had the tart on it's own and it was very enjoyable considering we are on a 'diet'. And Ralphy polished the remainder off over the week and still lost .4kg.....so we are loving this diet.


Hope you enjoy the tart....bon appetit.


...and then with a very happy tummy, sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite my cherubs.....Noels

Noels Signature Roast Chicken Recipe

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all having a great week and showing those you truly love just how much they really mean to you. Sorry...just had a wake up call this week as to how fragile our life can be and sometimes how those we love can be taken from us with a click of the fingers. So....finish reading my blog and then go and just give someone you love a hug, or a phone call, or a kiss, or..... just do it. Of course this does not mean going out and buying them a box of chocolates.....CHOCOLATES ARE FULL OF SUGAR!!!!!!!!


Talkin' about sugar, I just finished watching two Sunday night TV shows that I recorded (remember Ralphy and I went out to dinner with our visitor on Sunday night). One was on "Sweet Poison" (about the evils of sugar) and the following program was "My Kitchen Rules" based in Ingham (North Queensland), the centre of the sugar industry. What a stuff up by the station. One show was saying how bad sugar is for us and our children with our health and weight. And the other is a cooking show where everything the contestants cooked had to contain sugar...this had to be the main ingredient!!!! Was this intentional planned???? Talk about a contradiction in terms. Never mind. Ralphy and I are happy to continue on our sugar-free journey.


Now, before I have a riot on my hands again!!!.... or death threats made against moi, I better get into Noels Signature Roast Chicken recipe. By the way I just used a slice of the left-overs on a couple of slices of sour dough bread for Ralphy's lunch tomorrow (it's almost all gone sob.....). For how to bone a chicken, there are plenty of good video's to watch on the net, much better than I can explain. So I will miss these steps in the method. Or you can be as bold as Judi from Just-Judes Cheese Spread fame (earlier blog) who intends asking Leonards Chicken to do her boning for her ... good luck Judi). Ha!!


Noels Signature Chicken Roast

Ingredients: 
1 whole chicken boned
5 full bacon rashers
2 bunches of bok chop finely chopped, steamed, and drained
    or 1 packet frozen spinach
300 grams lamb mince
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/3 cup pistacchio nuts (shelled)
6 freshly steamed asparagus stems (optional)
1 egg
bunch of fresh rosemary
paprika
olive oil
salt and pepper


Method:

• Pre-heat oven to 180º. 
• Open out  the boned chicken on a board. Line the chicken with the de-rind bacon pieces (trim to fit chicken shape).
• Next cover the bacon with a layer of the cooked, drained bok choy or spinach.
• In a bowl, place the minced lamb, cooked brown rice, egg, pistacchio nuts, some of the rosemary finely chopped up, salt and pepper and mix to combine well.
• Place the mixture down the chicken (from head to butt) on top of the bok choy/ spinach layer and spread out a little to about 1" from the sides of the chicken...makes it easier to roll up the chicken if you do this.
• Using your creative genius push the stems of steamed asparagus into the mince layer....I did 3 spaced rows of two stems... gone on use your imagination!
• Now comes the fun part. With a needle and cotton thread preferably in a dark colour (makes life a lot easier later when you have to remove the thread), you now have to roll up the chicken and stitch it together. Come on how hard can it be....doctors have to do it all the time and their patients must live preferably!!!! Make sure there are no gaps or visible bacon etc.

• On a board place a large piece of alfoil paper (aluminium paper) and line this on top with bakewell paper (this is non-stick paper for those unfamiliar with this paper).
• Drizzle olive oil lightly over this, sprinkle over rosemary pieces, and paprika.
• Place stitched up chicken on the prepared paper and once again drizzle a little olive oil, rosemary, and paprika over the chicken and rub together with your hand.
• Fold up the chicken in the bakewell paper to fully enclose. Repeat then with the alfoil.
• Place in a dry deep baking tray and put in the oven to cook for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, open the foil and bakewell paper. 
• Baste the chicken with the juices and put back in the oven.
• Repeat this every 10 - 15 minutes for 1 hour. Test the chicken with a skewer after this time... the juices that come out of the chicken should be clear and not pinkish.
• Remove the chicken to a warmed dish and cover with a piece of alfoil and let rest for about 1/2 hour on the top of the stove. 
• For a delightful gravy, remove the papers from the baking dish making sure to leave behind all the lovely juices. Skim off most of the oil/ fat and then add a heaped teaspoon of plain flour to the dish and stir around until all incorporated into the juices (may add slightly more if there is a lot of liquid).  Slowly add a cup of water into the dish a little at a time until the gravy forms to the consistency you want. Season with salt and pepper. If you only want a glace, then omit the flour from the above and once all the water is in, let it reduce slightly to slightly thicken.

And that is it....Noels Signature Roast Chicken. Not too technical especially if Leonards Chickens bones your chicken!!!

Hope you enjoy this celebration chicken dish...it is really very mourish and a delight with every bite.

Talkin' about bites,

Good night cherubs. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite..............Noels

What a Successful Weekend....

Hi Followers,
Well....what can I say except YAHOO!!!!!!! What a great weekend we have had. To get the ball rolling Ralphy and I had out weekly weigh in Saturday morning and we have lost exactly 1kg each for the week. So... we are dancing around the maypole, screaming, laughing, crying...... life is sometimes just so sweet ain't it (excuse the pun). A bit of an over-reaction granted, but we have been treading water for a few weeks now....well I have. So this little dive south on the bathroom scales is a very welcome loss to say the least.

In saying that, I am just pleased that the weigh-in was Saturday morning as with us entertaining our visitor for the weekend I don't think the scales would be as kind right now. Not that we have eaten anything we shouldn't have, although I did have a rather sweet riesling tonight that I am sure was full of sugar!!!! But that was truly the only cheat. And it went sooooo well with the Indian Saag Gosh and Vegi Paratha that we noshed on at the Masala Restaurant in Palmer Street.... all sugar free I was informed. Actually I must tell you a side-line positive of being on a sugar free diet. When I asked the waiter what was sugar free, the above and the Palak Paneer (a vegetarian pureed spinach and ricotta cheese concoction) were the only sugar free items on the whole menu. Can I say that it took a lot of stress out of wondering what to order from the three pages of mouth watering delights when you only have two dishes to select from.

So why then the concern about the scales not being kind to us. Dear blogg followers...it all has to do with volume control. We are supposed to only eat when hungry and then only until the appetite is satisfied....and no more. Well my eyes proved this weekend that they are indeed bigger than my belly as I went past stop a few times. But who could blame me especially when it concerned a certain cherry, blueberry cream tart that I made yesterday instead of the planned pancakes with blueberries and yoghurt for our Saturday night dinner.

Cherry and Blueberry Cream Tart

This tart I adapted from a recipe in David Gillsepie's second book "Sweet Poison Quit Plan". It has a really delicious creamy custard base and compliments the shredded coconut flavoured pastry so well. 

Our guest, who still hasn't jumped on the sugar free bandwagon (although I am working on it HA!!), really enjoyed it....so that was saying something as I thought it may have been too bland. But the dextrose instead of the sugar really worked very well. It is certainly different to working with sugar and I think I was really brave (or stupid depending on where you stand) trying this new way of cooking with a visitor.... but it worked in my favour.... the Gods love me this time.... so I cannot complain. 

And my Saturday night dinner Signature Roast Chicken course worked really well despite the fact I totally forgot about layering the bok choy between the bacon and savour lamb mince layers until I had stitched the chicken up. Dahhhh!!!! Glad I'm a nurse and not a surgeon. "Oh sorry Mrs. Smith. Here is your ovary...I forgot to put in back in when I stitched you up. OOPS!!!"

 Hey, remember I was sick and dying at home on Friday with a head cold (yeah.... the home remedies didn't really work that well over night, although the sore throat had eased up).  So the fact I was able to debone the chicken and not slice my fingers off thanks to watery eyes and poor vision OR massacre the poor thing was a miracle in itself. So here is the finished product.

Noel's Signature Roast Chicken

I was going to give you all the recipe for this tonight but I think I need to go to bed instead and try and gather my strength for work tomorrow. Be patient...especially you Judi.... there is still enough time to get the ingredients for next weekend.

Hope you all watched the segment on channel 7 tonight at 6.30pm titled Sweet Poison. How Ralphy and I wish one day to see the scales read 20 kgs lighter!!!! Especially Ralphy...........

Well my cherubs...it is nighty-night from one very happy weekend camper.

Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite.................... Noels

A Visitor is Coming for the Weekend....

Hi everyone,
This weekend Ralphy and I have a visitor staying with us (and I have a head cold!!!) Hence our new way of cooking and eating is going to be tested well and truly. The BIG question is "How do I cater for someone who is reasonably fussy in what they eat and yet stick to what we now put in our mouths"? And NO!!! We are not dining out!!! And NO!!!! I have no intention of racing off to the supermarket and purchasing sugared items just after I threw them all out!!! Uhmmmmm....better put on my thinking cap ......


Two hours later, and I have a plan at last and it still keeps us within the 'program'. Yepee!!!  So I have just sent Ralphy to the supermarket (hey! I'm sick and dying here okay!!!) for a few supplies like sugar, margarine, jam, ice cream......only joking. But on the shopping list I do have wonderful....hopefully fresh.... ingredients like a whole chicken, some bacon, lamb mince, bok choy, atlantic salmon, mushrooms etc........ One of the dishes I plan to make is my boned signature chicken roast for dinner Saturday night and which I will give you the recipe and photos of in a later blog once the deed is done. Provided the roast is not so delicious that everyone will want seconds and thirds, I intend having the left-overs sliced cold with a salad for lunch on Sunday. Well... this is my plan so far.

A boned, stuffed, roasted chicken.

For nibbles, I intend making one of my cheese spreads, and a fresh basil pesto to have with olives and freshly toasted thin slices of rye bread or sticks of fresh vegetables. And dessert will be my version of pancakes with blueberries, greek yoghurt, toasted almond flakes and dextrose.


Now don't go screaming at me "Hey, you're having sugar". Lesson time here people for those of you who want to hear my response to your dextrose scream. If you are not interested, then skip the next paragraph now okay.....

For the rest of you gluttons for punishment here goes: When we eat sugar, what we are really eating is 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Our body has no problem with the glucose part. It produces insulin and breaks it down into energy. What it does have a problem with is the 50% fructose. The body does not recognise fructose as far as insulin production goes  and so it is carted off to the liver and stored as body fat. And this my body (and mind) does have a problem with. However when I use dextrose, it is 100% glucose, so the body says "Hello I recognise all of you and here is your serving of insulin".....and all is well. Don't get me wrong. Eating lots of dextrose will put on weight also, as if all that energy produced by the insulin isn't used, it will be stored as fat. But here is the cherry on the cake. In being fructose free, I now have my appetite control centre back....meaning that my body tells me when it is low in energy and when it isn't..... when I am hungry and when I am not. So, I can have a pancake with all the trimmings and enjoy. And when the energy (calories) are burnt up and I am out of puff, then I will feel hungry and this is when I will eat again. Fructose ingestion will not do this...it hides the true story as explained above and truly stuffs up our appetite control centre......sugar, in particular fructose, makes us nearly always hungry or ready to eat more. So this is the lesson in a nut shell.

Welcome back everyone. I also intend making for dinner on Sunday night crusted sesame seed  atlantic salmon with a potato bake, and lemon buttered beans. I think I will leave the brussel sprouts off the menu as Ralphy and I seem to be the only ones who enjoy these little delights from some of the feedback I have received. And sometime tomorrow I have to knock up my rendition of muesli. But all of this for future blogs.

Crusted Sesame Seed Atlantic Salmon

For now, I am getting a glass of water and two Ease-A-Cold tablets and after downing them I am hopping back into bed and praying for a miracle cure. Oh....and yes...I am having a spoon of honey. As full of fructose as it is, I still believe it has great medicinal properties and will sacrifice myself for this reason.


Night my cherubs. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite.........Noels

Just-Judes Cheese Spread.....

Well the time has come to deliver as promised. Actually, it has become a DO or DIE situation. If I don't deliver my cheese spread recipe as promised by tomorrow, there is a follower of my blog who just may have me taken out veeeeery soon. I am serious. This has never happened to me before!!!! But I have heard she is following a certain "other" diet plan and is a little bit testy lately, so not to add to her misery, I am not only going to deliver the recipe as promised now but I have decided to re-name it in her honour.  So here goes, and don't forget that in my new eating plan, I have to use all full creamed products, i.e. nothing low fat or trim as it is not healthy for you (yes my head is struggling with this, but I am getting there).

Just-Jude's Cheese Spread on Toasted Turkish Bread with
Sauted Mushroom and Vegetable Topping

Just-Jude's Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

200g Ricotta Cheese

100g Feta Cheese

100g Philadelphia Cheese

1/2 cup diced sweet potato

1/2 cup roughly chopped capsicum

1/2 cup chopped mixed herbs (e.g. spring onions, basil, parsley, garlic chives)

pinch chilli flakes (optional)

1/3 cup almonds

squeeze lemon juice to taste

salt and pepper

Method:

Steam sweet potato until just cooked (or microwave if you prefer).

Place all ingredients in a food processor and whiz until blended. I prefer not to vitamize the mixture but leave little chunks in it like they do in chunky peanut paste. This is your choice.

And that is basically it. If you prefer you can hand mix the lemon juice in at the end until you get the flavour you like.

N.B. This recipe's 'wetness' will depend on which cheese brands you use. I vary mine from one week to the next (hey I'm a gemini and get bored easily.... what can I say???), and sometimes add  greek yoghurt to it if it is too dry. I encourage you to experiment, but take little steps.

The other thing I was going to say is that I never go out most times and buy ingredients especially for a recipe....I am never that organised. I use what I have in my fridge/ pantry. If I don't have it, then too bad. I guess living on a farm as a child miles away from a supermarket and often with no transport taught me how to cook with what we had. Thanks mum xxx.

So I made another batch tonight with roasted pumpkin and finely diced fried bacon, and paprika instead of the sweet potato and chilli flakes. Uhmmmmmm..... so are you getting the picture.....just use what you have and you will have 200 different spreads in no time at all...... and you can name them Just-Anything-You-Like Spreads!!!!

Roasted Pumpkin, Bacon and Paprika Cheese Spread

For all my avid foodie followers who would love to know the recipe for the topping in the first photograph, here goes....and remember you can add or leave out certain vegetables if you prefer (as hard as I find this to believe, I know that brussel sprouts isn't everyones cup of tea). Ralphy and I had this for brunch on Sunday, and I hate to sound like Nigella but uhmmmmmm....... simply delicious........ (I hope you said that with a very sexy voice and a wicked look from the corner of your eyes)!!!!

Sautéed Mushroom and Vegetable Topping

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced brown flat mushrooms

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon butter or lard

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup diced red capsicum

6 brussel sprouts quartered and steamed 

   (can use instead asparagus/ broccolini/zucchini/french beans/ snow peas)

1/4 cup roughly chopped italian parsley

squeeze of lemon juice

salt and pepper to tast

Method:

Place butter/ lard and olive oil in a sautée pan and melt on high heat.

Add garlic, mushrooms and capsicum and stir for a minute or two until well combined.

Continue cooking for a further 5 minutes until cooked through.

Then add the remaining ingredients, seasoning with the lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Toss until well combined.

I toasted up a couple of turkish rolls on the sandwich griller, split them open, "buttered" them with some of my Just-Jude's Cheese Spread and then heaped on ladles of the mushroom mix. To finish I grated a little parmesan cheese on top.

N.B. I have also made this recipe and alas, not having Just-Jude's Cheese Spread, used soft goats cheese spread instead and it was very moorish. 

So readers, I hope this entices you to try a few of your very own ideas and create some very easy and tasty dishes. With this fructose/ sugar/ polyunsaturated oil free diet Ralphy and I are following, much of what we eat we have to make from scratch....no sauces, bottled, tinned, dried foods. Basically if it wasn't in the supermarket when my grandmother was a young girl, then forget it. So my recipes consist mainly of meats, fish, chicken, pork, lamb, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole milk and cheeses, rye and sourdough breads.... and the butters and oils as mentioned in the previous blog. It sounds difficult but isn't once you throw out all the sugared, convenient temptations from your fridge and cupboard and get imaginative. And another bonus..........Wow!!!! I now have space!!!! I really don't need any more cupboard space now as I thought I did...although a bigger fridge would be handy......(hint Ralphy).

Well that's it for this blog my cherubs.

Sleep tight and don't let the bed-bugs bite...........Noels

P.S. Hey Jude......call off the hit-men will ya'!!!!!