Vegie San Choy Bow (Lettuce Parcels)

Yum yum! is all I can say about this one. On Optifast I was missing eating parceled up food like sandwiches and I really like the crunch but without the carroty vegie taste so I invented this one, give it a try. Once again it complies with Optifast presurgery diet and is 0 points on Weight Watchers.

Spray a little olive oil spray or cooking spray or use non stick fry pan lightly fry some ginger, garlic and about 2 cups of shredded vegies perhaps:

Carrot

Cabbage

Onion

Fresh Beetroot

Zuchini (sic)

Bean shoots or whatever else you like from Opti list
I use woolworths pre packaged Rainbow Salad mix and coleslaw mix (no dressing) saves the time and work and makes it a no brainer and super quick for when you're starving. I like the vegies really thin as I am a bit sick of vegie tastes and really dont want to taste any one vegie in particular.

Just as vegies start to soften add about 1 tablespoon of soy and about 2 tablespoons water and fry it off
Take a big iceberg lettuce leaf

Put about 2-3 tablespoons of mix in and roll it up dont over fill as it falls apart and the taste ratios start to mess up.

This makes about 1 cooked cup of mix and with 2 lettuce leaves you're right on it babe!

Splash out: use a tiny bit of oyster sauce - you're upping your salt but increasing flavour by magnitudes. If you use it after cooking in the wrap you dont need as much maybe a tablespoon all up.

Now try that and tell me you feel deprived!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup Recipe

The creamy soup you're eating when you're not eating creamy soup its Shaggs' Cauliflower soup and its delicious!

It has no fat or sugar and minimal salt (optional). It is allowed on the Optifast presurgery diet, the mushy food diet post surgery (possibly even liquids depending on how thin you make it) and is 0 points on weight watchers


Approx 500grams cauliflower roughly chopped 4 Shallots roughly chopped
1 tsp chicken stock or any stock (yes I know its got salt but get over it think about how much salt is in KFC)
Enough water in your pot to cover the lot
Boil until its quite soft
At the last minute if you like add a tablespoon of curry powder (YUM)
Drain most of the water off but keep it in a pot on the side
Leave about a cup of water in the pot with the cauli's etc
Blend the lot it should be mushy beaware that if its hot it may splatter on you

Keep adding the reserved water until you have the right consistency that you like. You really want it smooth and creamy to trick your brain that you are eating a creamy soup.

Even if you splashed out and put a tablespoon of low fat sour cream or yoghurt on the top it wouldnt "break the bank" so enjoy!

I love exercise!! It lets me eat!!!!

Had some luke warm feet this week and been looking at myself as objectively as possible and thinking do I really need this and the overwhelming answer is ......... YES SIREEE! Monday is the big day - I'll know then how long this will all take. At the moment it is March at the earliest and May at the latest. I just cant wait! I want to wear mumu's all day long! I need to wear size 20 pants at least but they are too long in the crotch but fit good at the waist and the leg loses all shape when you take them up to 40% of their original length. I'm worried about starting on a health kick in case I go below BMI 40 (thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it) in case they knock me back which is my biggest fear at the moment. If i can just weigh in now and then straighten myself out for surgery for a little while I'll feel better. I just feel so out of control.

My good friend diet buddy is back on weight watchers this week and she's sweatin over the tiniest portions of food with a stomach that can hold and entire block of chocolate after a large main meal. How can you do that? Thats beyond me now. I cant engage with her cause I dont want to tell anyone about what I'm doing and I dont want to join her cause. I'm happy to exercise with her (i love exercise and I think I'll tell you that long story now) but I wont go down the food restriction side of things.

So, me and food and exercise....My problem is I over eat. I love savoury! Yum yum salt and cream and good big meals. Dont particularly like junk but I love to eat out and eat a big pub meal swimming in a creamy sauce...... oh yeah baby! Have you ever had a food gasm? The orgasm for the foodie? Oh yeah - changes who you are... very bad relationship with food - its the boy from the wrong side of the tracks... its the preachers son in Dustys famous song. Dont mind the odd dessert but give me a cheese plate any day! And wine wine wine wine. Hunter Valley was mine and food's honeymoon! Wine and great great food! I'm making myself hungry must stop!

I used to love cooking but now food is the enemy and I eat kids left overs and crusts and wipe out fry pans and saucepans. Wont cook for myself - dont deserve it.

So I learnt to exercise!

Always loved a bit of physical activity never been lazy always got something to do and I joined a gym and boy did I go for it! My entire 2007 was the gym! Loved it! but by the end of 2007 I had lost about 12kgs (6 pnds)  MAYBE on a great day. I had gone down about 3 sizes, did the city to surf at 7km per hour (thats great running/jogging) came 2nd in the very competitive survivor challenge at the gym. I was the fittest fat chick you'd ever meet. but I was still the fat chick! I was toned and tight and fit and a bit smaller but I was still fat.....can you believe it? I was doing at least 1 hour a day 6 days a week and I was fat!!!!!!! And my shit head husband just kept saying "why bother going when you just eat whatever you want when you get home" well why suffer from both ends I ask you? I exercise so I can eat!!! Duh! Anyway, I now weigh 12kgs more again after a year of very little exercise and let me tell thats why I would go to the gym shit head and anyway, its been worth it! I used to kill myself in that place for what.....12kgs!!!!!! Bugger that!

So now i cry that I am uncomfortable, awkward, I have reached my breaking point literally - my skin will split open if I keep this up. what to do!??? Not drinking for a while helps, but really, I am an addict and thats it! I cant give this up without serious intervention! How come its ok for drug addicts to go to rehab but I feel bad as a food addict going to surgery? Its still going to be hard work, its still food restriction, i still need to exercise but man, I feel like a cheater!!! Even though I know I'm not I think thats what others will think. That you go for the surgery and you wake up and you're size 8! Thats it, no input from you whatsoever! easy way out!!!!!! Wrong I know but will they know......