Readers of Ipswich24 can get a taste of just how easy losing weight can be with this two day mini Extra Easy eating plan.

Local Slimming World Consultant Liz says: “Food Optimising has always been the most flexible and eating plan around. But this new choice offers so much more variety and freedom especially if you’re a busy mum with a family or always on the run.

“The members in the Pals, Chantry Clinc and Conservatuive Club groups are buzzing with excitement and we’re looking forward to getting the New Year off to a fantastic start and put our weight losses back on track.”

How the plan works
Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan is based on Free Foods – these are foods that you can eat in unlimited quantities like fruit, vegetables, lean meat, fish, eggs, pasta, potatoes and rice. Free Foods are the secret of success at Slimming World and allow you to eat to satisfy your appetite, and never feel hungry and still lose weight.

As well as Free Foods, members following a Slimming World eating plan are encouraged to eat measured amounts of Healthy Extras to give them plenty of calcium and dairy allowance – every day enjoy 350ml skimmed milk or 250ml semi-skimmed milk for hot drinks, cereals, as part of a meal or to drink on its own. Alternatively choose 1oz/28g of full-fat hard cheese or 11⁄2oz/42g of reduced-fat hard cheese, on its own or as part of a meal. This ensures you’re getting some calcium every day.
Treat yourself

At Slimming World you can also enjoy your favourite treats every day because we believe that a little of what you fancy really does do you good! We call them Syns, short for ‘synergy’, and they’re there so you never feel deprived or restricted. To keep the plan as simple as possible, we’ve built between 10 to 15 Syns in to each day’s plan – things like chocolate or biscuits, crisps and the occasional glass of wine or lager.

Tips for success
• Trim all visibile fat off meat and remove the skin from poultry. Cook it in any way as long as no fat is added.
• Use fat-free vinaigrette or French-style salad dressing, sweetener and all herbs and spices freely.
• When wholemeal bread is mentioned, use 2 slices from a 400g loaf or a 2oz/57g wholemeal roll.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables are healthy and filling, so we suggest you fill around a third of your plate with vegetables at each meal, and snack on fruit throughout the day.
To learn more about Slimming World’s new Extra Easy plan and the company’s 40th anniversary celebrations, call Liz Torrie on 01473 728380 or come along to one of the classes.

Day one
Breakfast
1oz/28g porridge oats made up with milk from your daily allowance topped with fresh mixed berries
Lunch
A large jacket potato filled with a delicious tuna medley: tuna (canned in water), chopped peppers, sweetcorn and chives mixed with very low fat yogurt and 1 level tbsp Hellmann’s Extra Light Mayonnaise. Serve with a large mixed salad.
Dinner
Mushroom risotto (see recipe below)
Ingredients
14g/ 1⁄2 oz dried mushrooms
852ml/11⁄2 pt boiling water
Fry Light
1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 garlic clove crushed
227g/8oz Arborio rice
113g/4oz mushrooms, sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 tsp thyme leaves
Salt and finely ground black pepper
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
28g/1oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Method
1. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl, pour the boiling water over and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the liquid but do not discard this liquid.
2. Spray a large saucepan with Fry Light and cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add boiling water to the reserved mushroom liquid until you have 852ml/1 1⁄2 pints of stock.
3. Put the rice into a pan and slowly add a little of the stock to the rice, stirring all the time. It is important that the stock is hot at all times throughout the process otherwise the rice will not cook properly. When you have used half of the stock, add the sliced mushrooms, soaked mushrooms, the leeks and the thyme. Continue adding the stock until the rice has become slightly soft, this will take about 25-30 minutes.
4. Season to taste, add the parsley and most of the Parmesan cheese and stir well. Pour the rice into a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining cheese and a little black pepper before serving.

Day two
Breakfast
Poached eggs, Quorn sausages and baked beans with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms
Lunch
Roast beef, rocket leaves and tomato slices in a sandwich made with 2 slices of wholemeal bread (400g loaf)
Dinner
Make a mountain of spaghetti bolognaise for a feast everyone will enjoy. To make the sauce fry chopped garlic and onion using Fry Light, until soft. Add extra lean minced beef (or Quorn if you want a vegetarian option) and brown. Then add chopped mushrooms, peppers, canned tomatoes or passata, oregano, thyme and a dash of balsamic vinegar. Simmer until sauce is rich and thickened. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with finely chopped red chilli and lots of spaghetti. Enjoy with a crisp green salad.
In between meals you can snack freely whenever you want on Free Food snacks like fresh or frozen fruit of your choice: from apples and bananas to grapes, pineapple and raspberries – it’s all Free.
Or stir fruit chunks into or smothered in any of the following:
very low fat natural fromage frais
very low fat natural yogurt
Danone Shape Feel Fuller for Longer Yogurt
Müllerlight Yogurt
Onken BioPot Fat Free Yogurt
Or enjoy vegetable crudités dipped into very low fat natural cottage cheese.