The weekend is over and I'm back with more. I hope a pleasant few days was enjoyed by all. If you live in my neck of the woods, you too would have been melting. I know some odd people actually enjoy melting. I personally do not. Even the poor portable air con nearly packed it in yesterday trying to cool a 30+ degree celsius upstairs, setting sun facing bedroom. The hot air coming from the air-con motor was actually blowing out in waves, negating the cooling effect. The room actually felt cooler when I turned it off, and considering it was oppressively hot anyway, that is saying something. Tonight, as I type, it is a beautifully cool 23.2 degrees celcius. Heaven! My sweet bubby is actually wearing more than just a nappy to bed. This is the perk of summer rain and storms :)
Despite the heat, hubby and I are determined to make the most of the day- where possible of course. Look below...
When the sun disappears behind the buildings, it means it's the perfect time to go for an evening walk, even though the humidity made it feel several degrees hotter than the hot it already was.
The rewards of getting out are so worth it. The creek was stunning at this time of the evening. Heat or not, I'm glad we went out to walk. My teen even came too- amazing!
Now, onto today. I didn't get my big cook up done due to needing supplies for the garden reno's. I did manage to cook a fair bit though, including some kangaroo I began marinating last night.
I figured $7.95 was a reasonable amount to spend for 3 adults at family dinner night. I know my teen won't eat it, but me, hubby and my non teen will. Sadly, popularity has sent the price soaring, but it's still a beautiful, tasty, lean game meat which is super high in iron.
I placed the roo steak on a plate, covered it with a reasonable amount of olive oil, tamari and some pepper. I covered it and put it in the fridge to marinate, turning only once several hours later. You can use whatever seasoning you like. As I am avoiding sugar, I didn't add anything sweet, but I do admit, that makes the strong meat taste divine. Maybe some rice malt syrup or honey next time :)
Now, I am just a bit excited to reveal this- my most recent weigh in- this morning's weigh in actually. Check it out!
Read it people- 60kg's! Two kg's down since Christmas and only two off my goal weight. Yay! Seriously though, if this extreme heat doesn't motivate me to change, what will? I am using it as my motivation. I am definitely hungry between meals, but I am eating nutritious meals and losing weight. Motivation to continue is once again high!
A plug to my awesome rels and amazing hubby coming up right now. My brother-in-law came out yesterday and dug a post hole for us, and he, along with Poppy, Hubby's father, took a heap of junk that was cluttering the yard. Can't express how grateful I am. Then today, hubby set to work digging out the fence to level it with the gate, filled the hole after putting in a large post, nailed, bolted, dug, lifted, sweated, shopped...just for me. I wanted the gate for ease of access. I am feeling pretty special. And grateful.
Hubby at work bright an early this morning. He never wastes time getting a job done. Once he had progressed as far as he could, we went to Bunnings to buy paver bricks to create a solid path to walk on, not dirt. I can't wait to see the result- the garden is already looking so much better. Once the paving is done, my job comes in- leveling the dirt, packing it behind the round edging logs, and mulching. I heart gardening so much. And considering how much hubby hates it, I'm extra grateful.
After our hardware store visit, we headed into Tweed to grocery shop, but not until we had eaten. Being faced with the smell of food courts while extremely hungry can spell a recipe for disaster. Instead, hubby and I headed into Woolworth's supermarket to grab a cheaper, healthier option.
I grabbed a container of greek salad. I gave hubby half of my fetta and used only half of the dressing. Hubby got a sun dried tomato, pasta and salad meal in a bowl that was supposed to be shaken to mix. Lucky him, it came without a fork. We shared a 100gm packet of smoked trout, and the fork that came with my salad :)
Reading the product information is vital. The sugar content was quite low. I gave half of my fetta away, and yes, it was salty, and had a bit of conola oil in it, but over all, I know I made a healthy choice. It was delish and satisfying.
Now, more cooking. This is my latest spin on the zucchini slice. I wanted something a little different for breakfasts and lunches. Maybe even dinner too :) I know I need to eat more omega 3's, so this slice works well. It's low carb, high in calcium (chia seeds, cottage cheese and salmon bones), not too high in fats, high in omega 3's (both from the salmon and chia seeds) and high in fibre (chia seeds again, and zucchini). It's a win win meal really.
Zucchini, salmon and cottage cheese slice.
Ingredients:
1 415 gram tin of salmon, drained, skin and bones included
2 medium zucchini's, finely grated
1/4 red onion
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
3/4's cup of cottage cheese
2 heaped tablespoons of chia seeds
1/4 cup of coconut flour
5 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
Method:
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
It may be a little moist- the chia seeds should absorb any extra moisture during cooking.
Place in a lightly greased baking dish.
Cook in a 180 degree celcius pre-heated oven for approximately 30-40 mins or until set and golden.
Alternatively, grill the top for a few minutes to firm the middle if needed.
Allow to cool.
Cut into 8 slices and freeze until needed, or eat fresh with a salad. Unlike the zucchini slice, this will only store for 2 days in the fridge due to the salmon.
And at last, here we have the finished roo product. I will help you guys out by explaining the cooking method.
Marinated Kangaroo Steak
Tonight's dinner: marinated roo steak strips, zucchini slice with pesto and salad with home made mustard/ olive oil dressing.
Method:
Place a generous splash of olive oil in a pan and heat to medium.
When hot, place kangaroo steak evenly around the pan. Sear for around 4-5 minutes.
Turn and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat off and let sit for several more minutes.
The meat should be red inside, which is important as roo can be tough if overcooked due to it's low fat content.
Slice after resting and serve.
I must say, it's been a productive, wonderful day. I am so glad I started off with my yoghurt, spinach and barley green smoothy :)
I hope this has left you feeling inspired! There will be plenty more to come, dear readers. And please feel free to comment. I know some of you are cooking my meals- I would love to see pictures or hear any questions.
Until next time, thanks for reading :)
No comments:
Post a Comment