Healthy Cooking and Eating.

If you are anything like me, a big problem is keeping off weight. I love chips and all foods that are supposed to be bad for you.

Do you have to give these up, or is there a healthier alternative?

On this page I will put some recipes that are healthier and where you can add your favourites.

The most important meal of the day is breakfast. in the UK nearly a third of adults, skip their breakfast. This is a big mistake as hunger will cause, snacking and probably account for more calories, fats, sugars and weight gain than actually eating your breakfast.

I have found it best to have a cereal for breakfast, my main meal for lunch and someting lighter in the evening. It is thought to be unhealthy to go to bed after a heavy meal. I try not to eat after about 8.00pm.

If you start to feel hungry, in between meals, try a glass of water, hunger is often just dehydration. I drink at least 2 litres of water a day.

Recipes:

1. Chicken and Chips with vegetables. Serves 1.

a. Chips: Select a medium sized potato, wash, leave the skin on and cut into chunky chips ( most of the vitamins are just below the shin). Blanch in boiling water. Pour into a seive and allow to drain. Tip into a glass mixing bowl and sprinkle with soy sauce. Break a vegetable stock cube over the chips and carefully mix around until each chip is coated. Add 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin, Olive Oil and again mix until all are coated. Tip onto a non-stick oven dish and place into a pre-heated oven at 200C, about gas mark 6. Cook until browned, about 20 minutes. Delicious.

b. Chicken Breasts: Select a medium sized, skinless chicken breast, season to taste (try the same coating as the chips or dust with curry), coat in Extra Virgin, Olive Oil and roast in a pre-heated oven at 200C, about gas mark 6. Cook until browned, about 25 minutes. Prick with a sharp knife to ensure juices run clear.

Most meats can be cooked using the same method but select meat that has little fat or cut the fat off. Allow meat to rest for a few minutes after cooking.

c. Vegetables: can be cooked in the microwave with a small amount of salt and the natural moisture in the vegetable. Cover dish with cling film to keep in the moisture. Prick a couple of small holes. Unlike boiling, cooking by this method retains most of the vitamins. Cooking time, a couple of minutes. Shake half way through and allow to stand for 2 minutes at the end of cooking time.

2. Wedged Potatoes with Sliced Beef Steak (serves 3- 4).

Calling all meat and potatoes lovers-food the way your Mother used to make it! In this hearty, mouth-watering dinner, tender beef is slow-cooked with thick potato wedges in a rich, savoury gravy accented with a hint of wine and flavourful spices. Mushrooms, mixed vegetables and pearl barley round out the flavours of this satisfying entrée. This is comfort food with definite home-style flair.

 

Cut 400 grams braising steak into slices, after removing as much fat as possible. Put into an oven proof dish with a lid. Break 1 vegetable and 1 beef stock cube, over it and cover with water and 125ml of red or white wine. Add 2 tablespoons full of pearl barley and mixed spices to taste. Put into a pre-heated oven, 120 centigrade and slow pot roast for 2 hours. Take out of the oven and add 400 grams of wedged potatoes, still with the skins on. Put back in the oven for a further 20 minutes.

 

Take out and stir in 400 grams of mixed vegetables, including, peas, diced carrots, sliced green beans, diced swede, sweetcorn and mushrooms.

 

Top up with a drop of boiling water, if stock is starting to dry out. The stock should have reduced and thickened.

 

Put back into the oven for a further half hour, until the vegetables have softened.

 

Serve onto warmed plates; Delicious.

 

3. Roast Potatoes.

Recipe Key Facts

• Prep time: 10mins
• Cooking time: 50mins

Serves: 6
Calories: 232 Kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 1.5kg (3¼lb) King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes, peeled
• 3 tbsp vegetable or extra virgin olive oil, if preferred
• Sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C, 400˚F, gas mark 6.
2. Pour the vegetable oil into a large roasting tin and place in the oven to heat up.
3. Cut the potatoes into even-sized chunks. Cook in a large pan of salted boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and return to the pan. Shake the potatoes to dry and to roughen the edges to give them a crispy coating.
4. When the oil is sizzling, add the potatoes. Spoon the fat over. Return to the oven for 45-50 minutes, basting and turning once or twice during cooking time or until golden and crispy.

4. Greek Beef Stew with Dumplings

 

Serves: 6
Calories: 456 Kcal per serving

 

Recipe Key Facts.

• Prep time: 6mins
• Cooking time: 36mins

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 350g (12oz) shallots
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
• 600g (1lb 5oz) lean diced stewing steak
• 3 whole cloves
• ½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• ½ tsp black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 750ml red wine
• 600ml (20fl oz) beef stock
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, diced
• For the dumplings:
• 115g (4oz) self-raising flour
• 55g (2oz) shredded suet
• 2 tbsp mixed spice

 Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large casserole dish and cook the shallots and peppers for 4-5 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
2. Add the remaining oil and cook the beef until evenly browned. Add the spices and cook for 30 seconds. Add the raisins, return the shallots and pepper, stock, wine and season. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Sift the flour into a bowl with some salt. Mix in the suet and mixed spice followed by enough cold water – about 125ml (4½fl oz) – to form a dough.
4. Add the butternut squash to the stew. Break the dumplings into small balls and drop into the hot stew. Cover, increase the heat so that it’s boiling and cook for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

5. Normandy Chicken

 

Recipe Key Facts

Prep time: 6mins

Cooking time: 28mins

 

Serves: 4
Calories: 372 Kcal per serving

 

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• Salt and black pepper
• Knob of butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 pears, quartered, cored and sliced thickly
• 150g (5½oz) chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 90ml (3fl oz) Calvados or brandy
• 5 tbsp crème fraîche

Method

1. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat the butter and half the oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes over a high heat until browned all over and partly cooked.
2. Remove and put to the side on a plate.
3. Heat the remaining oil, add the pears and cook for 1-2 minutes until browned. Remove and add to the plate with the chicken.
4. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, stirring well until lightly browned and slightly softened. Return the chicken and pears to the pan.
5. Pour in the Calvados or brandy, ignite using a long match. When the flames have gone, add the crème fraîche, and stir until smooth and bubbling. Cook for a further 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Serve with a vegetable of your choice.