Tuesday 17 June 2014

Chicken Provençal | Our version of this classic French dish

Chicken Provençal


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Chicken Provençal used to be a really popular dish back in the 80's, along with Chicken Chasseur, with the taste and flavours all straight out of a packet. Follow our recipe for a tasty and healthy Provençal Chicken....the Meet2Veg way.


Stir Fried Chicken in a Garlic Vinegar Sauce | Fakeaway Recipe

Garlic Vinegar Chicken


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This is a Northern Chinese style dish, and usually involves using a whole bird and both steaming and deep frying! So, we've adapted the recipe to use chicken breast and no deep frying or steaming! This is a very flavoursome Chinese dish that you will want to repeat again and again!


Saturday 14 June 2014

Stir fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts | Fakeaway Recipe

Cashew Chicken



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Chicken cashew is probably up there in terms of popularity as Sweet & Sour Chicken. Very easy to make, just follow our recipe for a perfect Cashew Chicken every time.


Stir Fried Vegetables with Sesame Oil

Sesame Vegetable Stir Fry



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A simple recipe that you don't even have to prepare! We just bought a pack of stir fry vegetables and added a little sesame oil!


Thursday 12 June 2014

Chicken and Kidney Bean Paella

Chicken and Kidney Bean Paella



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Paella is so versatile you can use almost any ingredients.


Pan Fried Cod with Giant Couscous

Cod with Giant Couscous



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Pan fried Cod is a brilliant lunch idea as it is so easy to do and quick! And, talking of quick, we decided to give this Mediterranean Giant Couscous a try as well, which we saw in ASDA.


Wednesday 11 June 2014

Steak and Chips | A classic British dish

Steak & Chips


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There is nothing more British than Steak and Chips. Add a few vegetables, and you have a healthy nutritious dinner.

Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Number of Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Rump Steak (fat removed), 1 per person
500g Red potatoes, skins on, cut into chips
6 Shallots, peeled, left whole
Chestnut Mushrooms, peeled and left whole (amount is up to you)
BBQ Fry Light
Regular Fry Light
Salt & Pepper

Method:
  • Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 200 degrees Electric
  • Wash the potatoes, cut them into chips, rinse and par-boil in salted water for about 5 minutes
  • Lay the potato chips on a baking tray that has been sprayed with BBQ fry light and seasoned with salt and pepper.
  • Add a little more BBQ fry light to the chips, add the shallots to the tray and season it all with a little more salt and pepper, then place in the oven to cook for around 45 minutes.

  • When the chips are about 20 minutes or so from finishing, spray a frying pan with fry light and heat until hot.
  • Add the steaks, season with salt and pepper and cook according to preference (approx 5 minutes each side for rare, 7 minutes for medium, 12 minutes for well done). Season again when you turn the steaks over.
  • Add the mushrooms when you turn the steaks over and let them cook in any of the steak juices that are in the pan.
  • When the steaks are done to your liking, remove from the pan and let rest for about 3 to 4 minutes. Leave the mushrooms to carry on cooking.
  • Serve with your choice of vegetables, or, as we did, with some steamed pak choi and asparagus and some leftover vegetable chow mein that we warmed through.



Leftovers | Macaroni Bolognese Omelette

Macaroni Bolognese Omelette


Ingredients:

Leftover Macaroni Bolognese
5 eggs
Salt & Pepper
35g Grated cheddar (optional)
Fry light

Directions:
  • Heat a frying pan with fry light and add the leftover macaroni bolognese.
  • Beat 2 eggs and ad salt and pepper.
  • Stir well until heated through before adding the egg mix, then quickly tip in the eggs and stir thoroughly.
  • Whilst the omelette is cooking, prepare a salad with your choice of salad vegetables.
  • When the top of the omelette looks firm, either flip or fold the omelette, or, as we prefer, add cheese on the top and pop under the grill to finish.



Tuesday 10 June 2014

Cherry Clafoutis | A classic French Desert with a healthy twist

Cherry Clafoutis



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A classic French dessert that we have adapted
Prep time: Cook time:
Total time:
Size: 8 servings
Serving size: 1 medium slice

Ingredients:


4 eggs
6-7 tbsp artificial sweetener
0.5 tsp almond extract
0.5 tsp vanilla extract
500g fat-free fromage frais
400g fresh cherries ...

Directions:
  • Preheat the oven to gas mark 2 / 150 degrees electric.
  • Beat together the eggs, sweetener, almond and vanilla extract and fromage frais until well mixed.
  • Stone and cut the cherries in half then spread them over the base of a large flan dish.
  • Pour over the egg mixture and bake for about 50–60 minutes.
  • When the dish is cooked, it should feel springy and have started to brown at the edges.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing and eating. 

Leftovers | Cola Gammon with Scrambled Egg and Salad

Cola Gammon Salad



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A great way to use leftover meats from any Sunday roast.

Prep time: Cook time:
Total time:
Size: 2 servings
Serving size: 1 portion

Ingredients:

Leftover cola gammon
Salad of lettuce, cucumber, tomato and spring onion
Scrambled eggs using 2 eggs
Splash of milk
Salt & Pepper
Fry light


Directions:

  • Carve the gammon, prepare the salad ingredients and simply lay on a plate
  • Beat the two eggs, add a splash of milk and a little salt and pepper
  • Heat a frying pan with fry light, add the egg mix and stir continuously until the mixture is cooked to your liking.
  • Serve!



Monday 9 June 2014

Stir Fried Pork in Black Bean Sauce | Fakeaway Recipe

Pork in Black Bean Sauce, a classic Chinese dish served in Chinese restaurants and takeaways across the world! A simple and easy dish to make, and we show you how.


Ingredients:

800g diced pork
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp chopped black beans
1 tbsp dark say sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
200ml chicken stock
5 spring onions cut in 2 inch lengths
Garlic fry light

Method:
 Ken Hom Wok Starter Kit
Wok Starter Kit
  1. Marinade the pork for at least 30 minutes, longer if possible, in the light and dark soy sauces plus the rice vinegar
  2. Heat a wok and spray with plenty of garlic fry light. When really hot, add the pork and brown thoroughly. If the pork produces water, drain and put the pork back on the heat to brown.
  3. When the pan is almost drying out and the pork nicely browned, add the spring onions and stir through.
  4. Add the chopped black beans, and the liquid ingredients and stir thoroughly so that all the pork is well coated and the sauce nice and hot.
  5. Empty into a serving bowl for people to help themselves.
  6. Serve with rice or  noodles, or try our Vegetable Chow Mein!

Diet Cola Gammon with Mustard Soy Glaze

Diet Cola Gammon


Ingredients:

1 lean Gammon joint  (size according to numbers!)
1 red onion, peeled and quartered
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 carrot, cut into chunks
2l diet cola (we used Lidl Freeway)

For the Glaze (optional):

2 tsp Wholegrain mustard
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp artificial sweetener
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
6 or 7 cloves

Directions:
  • Soak the gammon overnight to get rid of as much salt as you can
  • In a suitable pot, place on hob, bring to a boil and then drain immediately
  • Place back on the hob, add the onion, celery and carrot and then the 2l of diet cola. Bring to a boil and reduce to a steady simmer for about 2 to 2.5 hours. Top up with water as needed to keep the joint covered.
    Glazed gammon joint
  • In a small dish, combine the Dijon and wholegrain mustard with the soy sauce and sweetener and leave until required.
  • When the gammon has had about 2 to 2.5 hours, remove from the cola and place in a roasting tray lined with silver foil.
  • Stud the gammon with the 6 or 7 cloves (more if you like them) and then spread the glaze over the gammon.
  • Heat an oven to gas mark 9 and then pop the gammon in to finish and cook the glaze.
  • Remove and let rest for a good 20 minutes before carving and serving.
  • Serve with roast potatoes and choice of vegetables.

Optional: If you wish, reduce the cola liquid and then blend the vegetables left and use as a sauce for the meat and vegetables. Add salt and pepper as it can be quite sweet.




Saturday 7 June 2014

Pan Fried Cod with Thai Fish Sauce

Pan Fried Cod is very quick and easy to do as an ideal lunch snack or even a main meal. We picked a small pack up from Lidl for just £2.49 making this lunch very economical!



Ingredients:


Cod Fillets (one pack from Lidl was enough for 2 people)
2 to 3 tspThai Fish Sauce
1 Garlic clove, finely sliced
Salt & pepper

Salad:


Shredded iceberg lettuce
Red grapes, quartered
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Cucumber, sliced and halved
Spring onions, chopped
Seafood sticks, chopped

Method:
  1. Spray a pan with fry light and heat until nice and hot. Add a little salt and pepper and place cod in pan (skin side down if not skinned fillets).
  2. Add a little extra salt and pepper to the visible side of the cod, reduce the heat a little and cook slowly.
  3. After about 3 or 4 minutes, add the garlic slices and then turn the cod so they cover the garlic to prevent burning.
  4. Add two or three teaspoons of thai fish sauce over the cod and move around the pan so you de-glaze it at the same time.
  5. After a further 3 or 4 minutes, remove the cod from the heat and serve immediately.
  6. All in all, a meal for two people for less than £2 a head!

Friday 6 June 2014

Vegetable Chow Mein | Fakeaway Recipe

We love Vegetable Chow Mein, a favourite of ours when we go out to eat Chinese food as it is a great accompaniment to any other main dish you choose. Really easy to cook as well.

Thursday 5 June 2014

Rice Pudding with Cream Soda

Rice Pudding with Cream soda is probably not everyone's first thought when it comes to making a dessert. We were told about this at a weigh-in, so thought it worth a go!


Wednesday 4 June 2014

Steamed Pak Choi with Asparagus

Asparagus and Pak Choi are two excellent vegetables, and dead easy to cook. This is a very quick and easy method for cooking two very delicate vegetables, and can be served with almost any meal, including the Minted Lamb Leg Steaks we served these with.


Minted Lamb Leg Steaks with Steamed Pak Choi and Asparagus

A Leg of Lamb is pretty expensive nowadays, so when we came across these Lamb Leg Steaks in Lidl for just over £3 a pack of two, we just had to grab them and see how we could do them justice. Lamb and mint go together like strawberries and cream. 


Carrot & Swede Soup (Using Soup Maker)

Carrot & Swede soup, using some pre-pared vegetables and a soup maker to show just how quick and easy it is to make a healthy lunch, or a starter to a main course! We used to make soups using a stock pot or large pan, but this is a lot easier.

Chicken Provençal

Chicken Provençal is a typical French home cooked dish enjoyed in the same way we enjoy our Sunday roast dinners. One pot cooking at its best.

Monday 2 June 2014

Pan Fried Salmon with Salad

Pan Fried Salmon, a great source of Omega 3 as well as a whole host of other vitamins and minerals. And also one of the easiest meals you will ever cook!