Hi Tasty.  Absolutely.  When I started using Cyndi's principles I was the same weight as I am now.  My weight only fluctuates in winter when I eat lots of stews and winter warming foods.  As soon as summer starts it comes off again - through not extra effort, just a change in my eating habbits.  I find my immunine system (and that of my families) are very strong now and mostly my energy levels are great.  I find that having the barley grass most days really helps.  I don't take the colliodal minerals all the time though.

Not sure if I should be posting this recipe, not even sure how I came to have it!  It's by Josie Pino and I haven't tried it myself, but it may give you something to try.

Angel Cake

Ingredients                           
8 Eggs
300g Plain Flour
300g Caster Sugar
200ml Vegetable Oil Frisco
200ml Warm Water
30g Baking Powder
30ml Lemon Essence (if wanted)

Method                              
Separate egg white and yolk.
Mix the egg yolk and sugar for 10 minutes on speed 4. Set aside.
clean and dry bowl.
Mix the egg white for 8 minutes on speed 4 with butterfly in place.
When you do this set oven to 170°C.
Do not turn on any earlier or later.
With the yolk mixture add oil, water, baking powder, lemon essence and flour. Mix for 30 seconds on speed 4.
Remove from the bowl and add in the egg white mixture.
Beat together with wooden spoon until smooth then pour into dish and place in oven and cook for 55 minutes. Once cooked put dish upside down so it doesn’t collapse.

Recipe by Josie Pino

Dear vanillabean. 

My family and I have been following Cyndi's principles for the last 3 years.  I think it depends on what kind of habit base you are coming from as to how hard it will be to maintain.  If you can get her Changing Habits, Changing lives book to go with her 21 day program it gives you a deeper understanding of her principles and how to go about making further changes once you have finished the 21 days.  The thing I love about Cyndi's stuff is it's logical and once you are in the habit, easy.  You become more in tune with your body and your taste buds and will get to a point where the things you used to love you just can't bear anymore.  I can now taste fake flavours, hydroginated oils and other nasties when they have been added to food.  I think a major mindset change for me was realising how much potential damage the frankenstein foods can do.  You know all those things we label as 'treats'.  Well I just don't think they are a treat if they are doing me or my family harm.  That thought alone is enough to make me just say no to the processed rubbish I used to eat.  The wonderful news for you is that having a thermomix makes life so much easier when you are cooking most of your food from scratch.  Most people are sold on their Tm by the sorbet - for me it was the veg stock concentrate and being back in control of what goes into the food I eat.  There are a few of her principles that I struggle with and still are working towards - personal products - finding something that is close to nature and that works for me has been very challenging, bread - trying to make my own is something I don't always have time for so I have to compromise here sometimes (still I try for a great quality no additives organic bread where I can, nuts - can't get them in the shell in the quantities that my family eats, eating for my blood group - just too restrictive for me and eating salads in winter.  A couple of things that are really important in staying on track.  Menu plan, even your snacks if need be, this really, really helps.  Become a complusive label reader - even products that we think tick the boxes can suddenly change their ingredients. Seek like minded people who can help you source the foods you want and finally beware of the creep factor - sometimes when we begin to feel great we can fall back into old habits.  They can creep in slowly so we don't notice them.   

Hope this helps

I was just saying to my mum that you have't been around for a long time.  It's wonderful to have you back.  Mum will be happy too  .

On cold days I boil the kettle and half fill my thermoserver with it.  I then make my bread dough.  Once the dough is done I empty and dry my Thermoserver and oil it lightly.  I put my dough in here with the lid on to prove and that usually is enough. If it's really cold I'll pre heat my oven to 50oc, turn it off and then put the thermoserver with a damp tea towel instead of the lid over the top.  This seems to work best for me.  I have tried various different yeasts too and have found that the individual packets - even though they are more expensive - sem to give a better result.  I also use a good quality organic bread making flour.  I have tried using just plain flour and it failed every time.
 

Just wonderding are red pepper flakes chilli flakes (do they add spicy heat to the pasta sauce)?  Might give this a wirls this week.  Thanks

Hi Txiki

I have found a pure cream that is 35% fat and it has a pouring cream.  Are you in Australia?  If you are it comes in a little carton, like a minature milk carton (cardboard - not plastic) and the brand is Medowvale. I've used this brand in panacottas before and it works beautifully. Hope this helps