Thursday 25 July 2013

Berry Mango Sorbet Whip

Last night I was s*** at squats. I felt like a may as well be s*** at life, it was really annoying. After completing the switching phase of Smolov I am now in the intense mesocycle and I feel like it is kicking my ass.

This is what the last 4 weeks will look like:

Week 9
  • Monday – 1 x 3@ 65%, 1 x 4@ 75%, 3 x 4@ 85%, 1 x 5@ 90%
  • Wednesday – 1 x 3@ 60%, 1 x 3@ 70%, 1 x 4@ 80%, 1 x 3@ 90%, 2 x 5@ 85%
  • Saturday – 1 x 4@ 65%, 1 x 4@ 70%, 5 x 4@ 80%
Week 10
  • Monday – 1 x 4@ 60%, 1 x 4@70%, 1 x 4@ 80%, 1 x 3@90%, 2 x 4@ 90%
  • Wednesday – 1 x 3@ 65%, 1 x 3@ 75%, 1 x 3@ 85%, 3 x 3@ 90%, 1 x 3@ 95%
  • Saturday – 1 x 3@ 65%, 1 x 3@ 75%, 1 x 4@ 85%, 4 x 5@ 90%
Week 11
  • Monday – 1 x 3@ 60%, 1 x 3@ 70%, 1 x 3@ 80%, 5 x 5@ 90%
  • Wednesday - 1 x 3@ 60%, 1 x 3@ 70%, 1 x 3@ 80%, 2 x 3@ 95%
  • Saturday - 1 x 3@ 65%, 1 x 3@ 75%, 1 x 3@ 85%, 4 x 3@ 95%
Week 12
  • Monday – 1 x 3@ 70%, 1 x 4@ 80%, 5 x 5@ 90%
  • Wednesday – 1 x 3@ 70%, 1 x 3@ 80%, 4 x 3@ 95%
  • Saturday – 1 x 3@ 75%, 1 x 4@ 90%, 3 x 4@ 80%
I am foam rolling like a dying moth on the floor my lower back is sore and I am just so cranky from Monday and Wednesday's effort. 

Anyway I'm telling myself GAINS and STRENGTH and even that failed me, I used the safety bars for my 90% lift last night and dropped it twice. 

I then got mad so I did FRAN and kicked my own butt and made my own sweat angel at fitness first. The pull up bars are like fat gripz though which was awkward - I almost fell off twice but did a weird spin jump to make it look intentional, like a midget ninja... or something.

So after dinner I wanted ice cream but we don't stock it because I would probably want it for breakfast and exhaust all macros everyday.

I made this little whip with just mango and full fat coconut milk the other day - awesome. 

Ingredients:
  • 60ml unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 80gm frozen mango
  • 60gm frozen blueberries
Method
  1. Blitz this all with a stick whiz - about 100 time better than store bought sorbet. 
  2. Yum
  3. If you have more fat macros use coconut milk - mmmmmmm


Monday 15 July 2013

Meal Planning for $200 + Banana Pikelet Recipe

So food shopping is all well and good but steamed vegetables and grilled meat is really not that appealing week in week out. I love bulk-ish type meals where you can cook a meat dish and just add veges later, you may not like curries, but I also love them and they are surprisingly healthy when cooked right.

Pea & Bacon Soup and Home-made Rye
Also you will notice a few coconut milk recipes, I use full fat but that is just my preference, fat does not make you fat ;-)

Most recipes are paleo / gluten free / sugar free for those with restrictions, I still eat some grains and sugar and ice-cream but all in moderation I say.

What I made this week:

Friday night (Date night meal):

Friday Night / Date Night Dinner
Special Sunday Dinner:
Sunday Special Dinner
Weekly Meals:
Weekly Meals
Treats:

Home-Made Rye Bread & pear and Hazelnut Scrolls
I also attempted garlic mayonnaise with my garlic shoots but over whipped it and it split - such a fail :-(

Failed Mayo
I'm away again for work this week, Tasmania won't let you take fresh fruit and vege but cooked meals are fine so I should have almost everything I need, I'm not preparing for a comp or anything I'm just sick of eating at restaurants for 11 days straight and want my own food! There is a Woolworths not far from where I am staying and I can buy extra vege if need be and have a small kitchenette in my hotel room.

This morning I cooked 4 batches/30 banana pikelets. Woo 7 1/2 pikelets for breakfast everyday! It also means that everyday I'm away I only have to zap my breakky in the microwave.

Pikelets: 4 serves, makes 30.
  • 2 bananas
  • 480ml Egg Whites
  • 60gm Quinoa Flakes
  • 2 tsp psyllium husks
Method:
  1. Mix it all about with a stick whiz
  2. Lightly grease a large skillet
  3. Use a 1/8 measuring cup to pour batter
  4. Flip when they look bubbly on top
  5. Enjoy

Friday 12 July 2013

Shopping on a Budget

Wah budget - what a crappy word.

I think I've said before I feed James and I for $200 per week, I have about 5 meals and James the same, so that's like $2.85 a meal; plus random snacks and desserts.

If you have just moved out of home the most expensive thing will be spices, cleaning things and what not to get you set up, once you have those things you kinda have the basics, (other things like oils, vinegars and Worcestershire sauce helps too.)

Anywho I got asked about what exactly you could buy for $200 a week.

So here it it is!

Meat - Peters Meats:

  • 1/2 grass fed beef rump @ $21.56 (around 3 kgs)
  • 2.054 kgs chicken @ $9.99/kg = $20.52
  • Special, leg of lamb was $30 but on special for $20 (around 2.5kg)

(+ for spending over $50 we got a dozen bonus eggs)
Total = $62.08
Chicken, lamb and beef (+ bonus eggs)

Coles

  • Fish & beef stock tetra packs 2 for $3
  • Coles cannellini beans 3 x 80c
  • Coles ginger crushed $2.49
  • Coles chilli crushed $2.49
  • Coles garlic minced $1.29
  • Coles crushed tomatoes 2 x 80c
  • Tcc coconut milk $1.45
  • 1kg brown onions $1.20
  • 1kg carrots $1.88
  • Dried split peas $1.51
  • Dried rosemary $1.26
  • Cardamom pods $2.40
  • Caraway seeds $1.39
  • Pears 1.78kg @ $3.50/kg = $6.24
  • Truss tomatoes 0.432kg @ $2.90/kg = $1.25
  • Green beans 0.457kg @ $3/kg = $1.37
  • Red capsicums 0.637kg @ $4.98/kg = $3.17
  • Sweet potato 1.527kg @ $3.98/kg = $6.08
  • Bananas 1.527kg @ $1.99/kg = $3.11
  • Mushrooms $4.50
  • Parsley bunch $2.98
  • Baby spinach $3
  • Birdseye chillis $0.94
  • Green tea organic 60 pack $3.99
  • Dry yeast $2.50
  • Sandwich bags 50pack $2
  • Frozen blueberries $5
  • Spring onion bunch $1
  • Fresh garlic $1.30
  • 3 lemons $2.40
  • Sugar free maple syrup (I know it's not good for me but I really like it !) $3.19
  • Nutella 220gm $3.29
  • Coles eggs 700gm x 2 $9
  • Diced bacon $3
  • Worcestershire Sauce $2

Less rewards points -$10 (using fly buys & coles credit card)
Total = $85.67
Pantry Things
Green Grocer

  • Butternut pumpkin 2.095kg @ $1.99/kg = $4.17
  • Cauliflower $2.99
  • Purple baby round eggplants 0.530kg @ $5.99/kg = $3.17
  • Kohlrabi $2.50
  • Garlic shoots $0.99
  • Spinach $1.49
  • Swiss brown mushrooms $2.24
  • Zucchini $2.99
  • Pasta $1.29

Total = $24.80

Veges
Seafood

  • Green banana prawns (Australian) 700gm @ $19.99/kg = $14.03
  • Sydney oyster 12 for $17.99

Total = $32.02
Oyster & Prawns

Alcohol

  • 1 x Pinot Gris
  • 1 x dessert Chardonnay

Total = $22

Pinot Grigio & Sticky Chardonnay
So all up I spent $226.59 but that includes a 'date night meal' seeing as though I've been away for work for 10 days tonight we are having Oysters Kilpatrick, Garlic Chilli Prawn Pasta & Homemade Nutella pizza with wine.... ( what macros!? :-p)

What will I make with my ingredients ?

  • 1 shredded lamb with ginger & prunes with the leg of lamb
  • 1 beef rendang & gobi masala with the cauliflower
  • 1 chicken & pumpkin curry
  • Mexican chicken for lunches
  • Steaks for dinner on Sunday
  • 1 beef casserole with loads of veges
  • 2 batches of wholemeal banana bread/cupcakes (no added sugar)
  • A sticky pear scroll if James wants later in the week
  • Maybe a frittata if we need it - can also use the lamb bones to make a soup in slow cooker if I want - James isn't a massive soup fan though !

& that should do us, obviously I spent almost $55 on our special date meal which you might not need but whilst we are saving for a home you won't get oysters kilpatrick, prawn pasta, dessert & wine for that amount at a restaurant & besides it's kind of nice to do it indoors!

You may notice I didn't buy bread or milk but I had 1kg of Greek yoghurt still in the fridge and a loaf of bread in the freezer, plus in winter oats are nice for breakky or quinoa porridge.

I don't buy coffee through the week, maybe once on the weekend out of my 'play' money, & once you get used to cooking a few things in bulk it's really quite easy. All recipes on my blog are super easy to follow and should help you get started. I work full time & train most days. Obviously some weeks you might need to go over the budget or buy household cleaning things in which case perhaps I wouldn't be splurging on Pinot ! ;-)


Shopping!