Author: julessmithie

Easy spring rolls

Well as with everything i do i always find an easier way that takes chunks of time out of cooking and this is no exception! Ok so its a bit of a cheat but thats the whole point of “relaxed cooking” making it easy and taking the pressure off.

You can use anything for the filling you like but a bag of stir fry veg works well in this, the trick is not to over cook the cannelloni tubes because if you do you wont be able to handle them to fill  – but you need to cook them enough so when you bring them out the oven they are crispy and not still firm in the middle (e.g. you can still taste the pasta)

Also once boiled run under cold water this will wash off all the starch and make them cool to handle straight away

Slimming world syns – zero best eaten when hot/warm

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

Ooooo yes! it can be done! and its so easy to make and once you have made it you will be making it in huge batches! The lovely thing about this is that you can add any flavours you want and any sweeteners you want.

My top tip is remove the cooked rice from the slow cooker once its cooked or the residual heat of the ceramic pot will carry on cooking the rice and turn it into “clag” and no one likes claggy rice! if it does get a little too thick just add a little more milk.

This recipe batch cooks well and it freezes well too its one recipe that when the colder months arrive is on my menu weekly.

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker juniper infused Lamb

Got to give it to the other half this was absolutely amazing! really loved the taste but watch how much salt you use in the rub or it will come through into the Lamb.  But another easy recipe for you to try it just needs marinating the night before and makes a lovely change for Sunday Lunch

My advice is to make sure you give yourself plenty of time to cook it i like to cook lamb long and low this joint i used was only a small leg of lamb ( i have a 3.5ltr slow cooker) so you should be able to judge the size i used the large cut of lamb you use i would add more juniper berries to help bring through the flavour into the cooked meat

Slimming world syns = Zero

by julessmithie

Slow cooker Chinese pulled pork

Because i love pulled pork i decided to try something new and create a “chinese” infused type pulled pork and to be honest it turned out a treat! I always cook my pork with the fat on then remove it once cooked i just find it easier that way as a lot of the internal hidden fat is cooked out during the process.  I know a lot of people like to cook their pork in sauces but for me when your doing a huge joint of pork i would rather do it this way then let everyone add their own dipping sauce, then if you have lots of leftovers you can be inventive of how you reuse them

This is basically the idea with this recipe infuse the pork with chinese flavours and add your own sauce, once cooked this will also freeze well should you have any leftovers

Slimming world syns = zero

by julessmithie

Slow cooker chicken & cabbage noodle soup

Ok i know this sounds like a bit of an odd combination but trust me it really worked made a lovely spicy soup packed full of lovely flavours

You can spice it up or down the choice is yours – add more or less chilli & ginger also if you want to make it vegetarian use quorn and it will still work

On slimming world this soup is syn free and will also freeze well for batch cooking

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

This works a treat and a lovely way of getting ahead of the game as you can do this in the morning pop it on low and walk away without worrying is it too hot or has it gone cold

My top tip here is only add 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar because it is going to depend on the wine you use as to how much sugar you really need and how sweet you like it….. you can always add but not take away so let the wine cook taste and gradually add more sugar if needed.

You will see in the video (a very old one lol) i will remake this at some point, i used all fresh fruits and spices but if you really do not want to bother with this you can always just use a Mulled Wine Kit from the supermarket i have done this many times and they are equally as good.

There is no right or wrong recipe for Mulled Wine its basically a case of adding whatever you like to get the taste you like, the recipe here is just a guide.

Sit back relax and enjoy your Christmas and your wine

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Pease Pudding

If your from “up North” then you probably know what this is but if not then its worth giving it a go Pease pudding is basically split yellow peas cooked and then blended, then once cooled served with cold meats or in my case a huge ham and pease pudding bap ……..hmmmm nom nom! (its a childhood thing lol)

I have added a carrot and shallot you really cant pick these out once cooked and blended they just add a little something to the flavour

This is syn free if following slimming world

by julessmithie

Winter Slaw

This makes a fantastic accompaniment to any dish and basically it will go with anything your eating you can used whatever veggies you like but if your adding tomatoes and cucumber add them before serving or the slaw will go soggy and there is nothing worse than a soggy slaw haha!

If following Slimming World this is a brilliant way to get speed veggies on your plate and its totally syn free!

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Another easy one my only trouble with this and slimming world is that im not sure of cooking a pork joint in their recommended syn free sauce i mean how much fat comes out of a pork joint??? loads! and thats even after you have removed as much as you can see.  However as always the choice is yours, i decided to do the pulled pork without the sauce and add it once cooked i did this mainly because Graeme doesn’t like BBQ sauce but done this way you can feed any army and let them add whatever they like

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Bacon Broth

This is a take on a childhood meal that my mum used to make but ive updated it slightly and of course in true Jules style simplified it – this makes about 4 big bowls and its really filling and again add whatever veggies you like! You will see i added turnip i know this seems weird but the sweetness from the turnip/swede really works well against the salty bacon.

On slimming world this is syn free when you remove all fat from lardons or bacon whichever you use the consistency can be quite thick and if your not keen on this add more water towards the end of cooking lentils do soak up lots of water.  This dish will also freeze well

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

This has got to be one of the easiest soups I have ever made, I made this when I was struggling to manage my pain flare ups basically just to get food on the table.

It’s another recipe that you can add any vegetables you like and especially those that need using up.

This makes 4 big bowls but will freeze well if you want to batch cook it, this is part of my “Fuller For Longer” soup recipes as it contains proteins and carbohydrates which will help with that midday snack attack.

by julessmithie

Baked Gingerbread Man

Another twist on baked oats and because we are coming up to Christmas i thought i would give them a seasonal flavour i love ginger and this gingerbread syrup is gorgeous

These are syn free if using porridge as HEb and a syn free yogurt – the yogurt i used is half a syn if i had more moulds i would have batch cooked and popped them in the freezer as they make a fab “grab and go” breakfast

by julessmithie

Slow cooker beef goulash

This is a perfect winter warmer and for me had the right amount of heat and spice if your not good with spicy foods then only add a small chilli and take the seeds out this dish makes 4 big portions but will freeze well

On slimming world this is completely syn free and if you dont sweat down the onions it really is a chop and chuck it in jobby. Once cooked stir through some fat free yogurt to get a really creamy sauce.

I softened off the onion but this is optional if you dont have time chop it and chuck it in the slow cooker, then add all the above ingredients, do not add any further liquid you can always add a splash at the end if it gets too thick. On low for approx 7 hours once cooked stir through some fat free yogurt which will give the sauce a lovely creamy taste.

by julessmithie

Diet Coke Chicken

Sounds like a strange one but this really does work but patience is key here as you need to let the liquid bubble away to reduce it down into a sticky consistency – it does reduce eventually but this can take anywhere from 10 to 20 mins

You can use any diet coke i used decaff but use what you like diet pepsi etc. add any vegetables you like i added ones that work well in a chinese meal as this is basically the flavour of this meal due to the 5 spice.

On the recipe card it says 2-3 teaspoon of 5 spice i actually added 3 for 4 portions as i really like the flavour but if your unsure then add 1 teaspoon and keep tasting the bubbling down liquid add more 5 spice if you like

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Pea and Ham Soup

Another soup from me yep i do love my soups especially in the winter and especially when they are easy to make as this one! This i guess is an old fashion way of making pea and ham soup using Chana Dal which is split yellow peas as you will see i added carrots and onions which add some veggies to the soup but they really do work well and no one will ever guess they are in there trust me this soup has past my Dads test

Top Tips – If you have not made pea and ham soup this way i would suggest you make it whilst you are at home the Chana Dal will absorb the water and you may need to add more depending on how hot your slow cooker works. You also need to ensure the Dal is cooked you want it soft and to be able to squash between your fingers.

As your taste buds are all different what i would suggest with this recipe is you watch the saltiness of the soup i added a ham stock cube to give the added “ham flavour” because in theory this soup should be made from bacon bones this is how my mum made it when we were little. Now i don’t add salt to my food once its served – it drives Graeme mad lol and i do not like over salty foods, so i would suggest if you are going to use a smoked gammon you use a vegetable stock pot as the last thing i would want is you making this and it too salty.

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Yep another curry from me as you can guess i do love a good curry and this was a good curry and so simple to do which makes it even more appealing for me! If you dont want to soften down the onions the choice is yours this literally then becomes a chop and chuck it in and walk away and let the slow cooker do its job.

My slow cooker can go on the hob and in the oven it has an aluminium non stick inner pot and they are the best slow cookers ever and so easy to clean so no need for plastic slow cooker bags. You can find the slow cooker i use on my Amazon Shop press the link it will take you there then look under kitchen gadgets https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

As you will see in more recent video’s and recipe cards i have switched over to using passata instead of tinned tomatoes i find passata does not give you a watery sauce, a tin of cheap tomatoes is more liquid than pulp so this will always give you more liquid than you need.

This recipe appears in my Cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS which is available on Amazon in paperback and kindle press here  https://amzn.eu/d/bxDzxmn

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Meatballs

Got to admit these were absolutely fab! i made my own meatballs to keep the dish syn free if your following slimming world but use whatever meatballs you want or make your own in batches and freeze until you need them again which is what i did – i basically made a huge batch of cooked meatballs and froze the leftovers. See the old Youtube video to see how i make my own homeade meatballs.

Since making this recipe way way back a lot has changed in the world of meatballs lol and lots of manufacturers have really upped their game and created lower fat lower calorie versions. In this updated recipe i used ready made meatballs from Asda and to be honest they were really good they weren’t fatty and held together well. So i guess the question is do you really need to make your own, to be honest i think i will save myself sometime and use ready made.

Italian herbs i use in the video are from Spicentice Use my discount code (affiliate) Jules 20 for 20% off any order https://www.spicentice.com/

In this version i used the meatballs to create a pasta bake but you can serve it with anything you like

I use the same recipe to make meatball subs from and these are amazing so easy to make.

You will see from the video i haven’t used an egg to bind the meatballs together this is because i use a cooked onion and find the moisture from the onion is enough to hold them together but if you want to used an egg please do – flavour the meatballs in anyway you like i used Spicentice Italian rub but any herbs will do even a bit of garlic would be nice, the choice as always is yours
by julessmithie

Pan Fried Duck Breast

I love duck but i can be really fatty which can put me off plus i dont like it pink in the middle which causes no end of trouble in our house lol……….so here is how i do mine, you will see if butterflied the breast to help it cook quicker this also ensures its not too pink inside for me!

Adding a teaspoon of marmalade may sound like a mad thing to do but it really adds to the flavour well worth trying if you’ve not done it before – i removed the fat layer on mine before eating

by julessmithie

Tandoori Chicken Kebabs

Quick simple but mega tasty love chicken kebabs and with a bit of planning you can prep them the day before and marinate in the fridge overnight if not then 1 hour will do. I used Spicentice tandoori spice but used whatever spice you like or have remember if following slimming world to syn anything that carries a value.

I used yogurt on this batch because it protects the chicken from burning and drying out – but add thats charred look and taste to the kebabs

Use my discount code Jules 20 for 20% off any order https://www.spicentice.com/

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Shepherds Pie

Who doesn’t love Shepherds Pie??? we do in our house! lovely warm winter food that never fails to hit the spot! I added split red lentils to make a thick gravy these disappear during the cooking so you wont see or taste them they just dissolve but its a fab way to thicken a sauce or gravy and if your following slimming world its syn free!

I added a mixed mash to the top of my shepherds pie but add any mash you want – one point to note is make sure your slow cooker inner can go in the oven or under the grill, mine is aluminum so is oven proof

In the video I have made 4 portions but foze 2 portions of the meat part and used 2 portions topped with mash. The reason I did freeze with the mashis because sometimes I like carrot as nd turnip mash to top the Shepherds Pie with.

This recipe appears in my cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS Press here for my cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS

https://amzn.eu/d/bxDzxmn

My Slow cooker and the chopper I use is on my Amazon Shop (AFFILIATE) press here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

by julessmithie