Just a little video of some of the things i bought on my Tesco Food Shop that may help if you want to try some new foods.
All prices correct as of 12th September 2019
Author: julessmithie
Slow Cooker Loaded Potatoes
I will admit these are 1) gorgeous 2) highly addictive lol 🙈
This is the 3rd or 4th time i have made these now and they are perfect for a weekend and i think the kids will love them.
You will see in the video I used my small slow cooker but the recipe is for a slow cooker of 3.5ltr which will make 4 potions
I used baking potatoes in this batch and they worked perfectly I have also used salad / new potatoes which whilst they work because they are small they allow the filling to drop between the gaps during cooking.
Feel free to add any other flavours to this garlic and a dash of Paprika would work lovely in this recipe.
Sticky Chilli & Garlic Chicken
I saw a recipe similar to this on a vegan facebook page but the list of ingredients was a mile long and some of them weren’t very “diet” friendly – so i decided to try and make it with less ingredients and less calories and it worked so well.
It definitely ticked all the boxes what a fab recipe it turned out to be and so easy to make very quick to cook but so tasty and one i know you will love. A perfect fakeaway recipe for those following Slimming World or Calorie Counting to keep you on track over the weekend.
My top tip is to have a little patience to reduce the sauce because the sauce has honey in you need to keep taking the pan on and off the heat to allow the honey to solidify this way you can gauge how much sauce has reduced.
Pasta Quiche
A fantastic recipe for lunches or to snack on and it keeps really well in the fridge!
Use any flavour of pasta and sauce and as you will see in the video i made it up using water only and to be honest i think it works well.
You dont need to top it with cheese – but as you know i love cheese.
This is a fantastic recipe for using up all those bits of vegetables looking really sad in the fridge, also if you have chicken or ham leftover from Sunday dinner add that too.
When I have made this recipe in the past I have used Quark but this time (16th June 2021) I decided to use Greek Yogurt and it worked well or you can use half yogurt half primula cheese this also works.
Healthy Chips & Wedges
One of the most asked questions i get is how do you cook your chips/ wedges??? over the years i have tried many many methods and they are ok but i find most of the methods have led to a very dry chip which to be honest isnt great.
This is the method i have used for many years now and it gives a crunch to the outside but a soft fluffy inner – which is just how i like my chips. The pre soaking removes some of the starch which helps to chips to cook quicker and it also means you dont have to soak them in oil it really does help reduce the amount you use.
I have also used every potato under the sun and again they all work so no need to spend a fortune on what other people think are the best potatoes use whichever ones you like.
Slow Cooker Fajitas
I have tried and tested this recipe several times now and it works perfectly more importantly no water logged fajitas!! For the chicken stick to thigh or breast and if using breast leave it whole until its cooked it will stop it drying out.
Use whichever fajita seasoning you like and add any vegetables you like the key is not to add any liquid and cook on low, i think this setting is best to ensure the onions are cooked or you can run the risk of having crunchy onions.
I know you can easily cook fajitas in a pan on the hob but this recipe really comes from when the kids were little they loved fajitas on a Saturday night but after a long day out coming home then having to start cooking just seemed like such a chore plus they were always starving 😂😂
I use the basic fajita recipe to make many different types of meals below are just 2 one of fajita boats which are the Old El Paso Stand and Stuff Boats or i make a pasta bake which is the video below.
The base recipe for slow cooker fajitas appears in my cookbook My Slow Cooker Meals which is available on Amazon in Paperback & Kindle  https://amzn.eu/d/bxDzxmn
Flatbreads
Well after nearly 2 years 😂😂 I have finally made the video that you all wanted and hopefully the one that answers all your questions 👌
These are really simple to make and once you get the technique right you will be making them all the time.
You can make these as big or as small as you like it really depends on if you are following a diet plan and if so remember to calculate the flour and baking powder used.
I have made these using 30g, 35g and 50g of flour all with 2 Tablespoons of Fat Free Yogurt the trick is only add more yogurt if you are absolutely sure the dough won’t keep pulling away cleanly from the sides of the bowl and the I would only add small amounts at a time. If the dough is too wet you will end up using lots more flour to roll it to stop it sticking to the worktops and rolling pin.
Below is the 1 minute quick video for flatbread which i made in 2017 it has the ingredient list and step by step method, however the live video above goes into the how to in more detail
Chinese Lemon Chicken
I love this recipe but have not made it for ages and its such a shame as it really does help when you hit the weekend and want a takeaway but don’t want to undo all your hard work. However you need to think ahead as the chicken needs marinating in a sauce and the longer you leave it the better it will taste.
This is a really simple recipe once you get the basics under your belt and that really means taking time with the sauce which takes time to reduce and thicken so have patience. Or you could cheat and add 1 teaspoon of cornflour with cold water and add that to the sauce and it will thicken quickly.
The other top tip is not the crush the cornflakes to dust leave some big bits and smaller bits as this really helps the cornflakes stick to the chicken or you can use breadcrumbs if you wish.
Lemons can be really sharp and tart so member to taste them as this will really determine how the lemon sauce tastes – once the sauce is reduced taste and adjust as needed. I would suggest if its too tart add more honey or small amounts of lemon curd until you get the sweetness you like.
The pans i use are on my Amazon Shop press the link it will take you there then look under KITCHEN GADGETS https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook
Slow Cooker Sausage & Gnocchi Bake
Another fantastic 5 min prep meal that can be made into so many different dishes.
I have wanted to create a basic sausage casserole recipe for ages that can be served with anything you fancy but also one that is not tinned tomato based as i know lots of people are not overly keen on this kind of sauce including me at times.
In this recipe you can add anything you like any vegetable any beans use any sausages it really is a forgiving base to add too, and for me a fantastic family meal.
In this updated version i turned the recipe into a bake by adding it to an ovenproof dish and topping it with cheese then melting the cheese under the grill, verdict?? was really good!
Slow Cooker Doner Kebab
Another one ticked off my “to cook list” in my head this has always just felt like cooking a giant beefburger which has always put me off making it, because in my eyes a kebab is chicken or lamb.
However, i had minced beef that needed using up and needed a quick recipe so decided to bite the bullet and make a Doner Kebab but as always taking the easy route and popping it in the slow cooker.
This recipe is so easy and will make a fantastic family weekend meal for me what made it even easier is is that it can sit in the fridge once made and still be perfectly fine – i made mine on Friday and didn’t get around to eating it until Monday.
Easiest way to reheat the doner meat is to slice it and then heat on low in a frying pan – i used a grill pan but use whatever is easy for you.
This recipe appears in my cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS Press here for my cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS
https://amzn.eu/d/bxDzxmn
Sweet Chilli Prawn Stir Fry
Another fantastic quick lunch idea or evening meal this can be on the plate in under 5 mins and is really tasty.
Use whichever sweet chilli sauce you like
I didn’t use noodles in this stir fry but i have added a little top tip in the video which stops the noodles from breaking up in the pan plus they cook much quicker this way – just make sure when you take them out of the microwave they are warm and you can easily pull them apart if not microwave for longer.
Cheats Curry
I think lunch ideas are always a difficult one especially if you are on a diet it can turn into salad everyday if you are not careful.
My facebook page tasked me with coming up with some quick and easy ideas hence all these “cheats” that are appearing on my website – usually from packets and store cupboard staples that are quickly brought together.
This one is could actually be a fantastic start to the basis of a good fakeaway, add some naan bread, some cooked meats etc and you have an effortless curry without the standing in the kitchen for 4 hours lol.
Cheats Stir Fry
This is a meal i made up very early on in my dieting life 😉 but to be honest its a quick easy meal that really helps use up all those bits at the bottom of the fridge and its really tasty as the little packet of “stuff” that comes with the supernoodles does most of the magic when it comes to packing in flavour.Â
It works well as a vegetable dish or you can add any cooked meat you wish or cooked prawns, and if you want to be adventurous you could add more spices a splash of soy sauce….the world is your oyster.
Top tip….try and leave enough sauce when cooking the supernoodles to coat the whole meal if you can.Â
Slow Cooker Easy Chicken Curry (Schwartz)
This is the easiest curry you will ever make and it can take only 3 minutes to prep and throw it into the slow cooker, obviously if you want to soften down the onions then its going to take longer.
Add whatever vegetables you like fresh or frozen add fresh at the beginning of cooking and frozen last 15 minutes of cooking. This is a versatile curry that works well with anything so play around with it and add whatever you family enjoys.
Sometimes i like to add a tin of chickpeas as they are relatively inexpensive and really help to bulk out the meal especially if you are trying to lower your food costs. A lot of my followers add potatoes during the cooking which then means they don’t need to serve it with rice.
This recipe batch cooks well and freezes well i have made it many many times and it never disappoints.
The slow cooker i use is on my Amazon Shop press here it will take you there then look under kitchen gadgets https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook
Banana Loaf / Cake
This is such a winner of a cake and a fantastic way to use up bananas that are going past their best its also very versatile so you can add any flavours you like ….vanilla, chocolate chips etc just remember to add them into your diet plan calculations.
In the recipe below you will see i have said 2-4 Tablespoons of sweetener this is because it will depend on how sweet your bananas are for this recipe the ones that are going black are the best as that’s when they are at their sweetest.
We love this cake and when you need something sweet but want to remain on plan it works so well. However this brings me on to the million dollar question if you are following Slimming World or Calorie Counting … Calories and Syns.
The calories are the easiest just add the recipe below into your calorie counting app but the problem with this is how many slices you cut the cake into to give you the cals per slice – this cake can be cut into 16 but let’s be realistic that isn’t going to happen.
Slimming world – this is where you need to decide what is best for you and your diet – mashed cooked banana is synned so you will need to decide what’s best for you. Personally I don’t syn it but that’s just me and its the same with sweetener this should be synned, again you need to do what’s best for you. You also need to decide how many slices you are going to cut the cake into .
Garlic & Rosemary Saute Potatoes
I love these little potatoes they really do go with anything and you can change the flavour to suit what you and your family enjoy.
Top tip leave them in cold water as long as possible overnight if you want as this will remove some of the starch making it easier to cook them without using loads of spray oil.
I have also cooked these in an oven/ halogen especially if I’m short on time as standing stirring pans is one of my pet hates 😂😂🙈 it works exactly the same just fry off the garlic and rosemary in a pan then stir it through the potatoes.
If you make too many dont worry add them to an omelette for lunch.
How To Make Creamy Mash
This seems like a really easy question to answer but if you are following slimming world everyone is looking for the holy grail of how to make it syn free and this is the method i use.
I know i really sounds crazy to add an egg but trust me it works – if you have not tried it yet please do.
Amazon Shop
I have toyed with this idea for weeks now and finally decided to set up my own Jules The Lazy Cook Amazon Shop which will showcase all the products i use in my kitchen.
As with everything in life time is precious and im trying to streamline everything across all my social media accounts Instagram, Facebook & Youtube and when you are answering the same question over and over that time ticks away quickly and on top of trying to manage my pain the day can run away with me quickly.
Each product i select will have a little side note against it to explain a little more about why i have selected it for my shop so please click the little “speech bubble” against each item.
Here is the link to my Amazon Store https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook
feel free to have a look around and if you have any questions please shout up.
I do receive a commission from anything that is purchased from my shop and will be using this to invest back into to my Social Media Platforms and promoting my pages.
Very Shortly i will be adding to this page with some of my favourite gadgets and giving a full review of them (11.10.19)
Read my review on this https://julesthelazycook.co.uk/2019/10/28/brieftons-food-chopper-product-review/
Baked Oat Donuts
Its not often i need something sweet to eat but today i really needed it, so decided to use my silicone donut mould again and make donuts which i have wanted to make for a while now.
These are super simple to make but really help when craving something sweet, plus they are really filling which is always good in my book.
I added vanilla extract and a Tablespoon of apple sauce which add a lovely sweetness. You will see i cooked mine in the air fryer but you can cook these in the oven too.
The mould I use is on my Amazon Shop press the link it will take you there then look under kitchen gadgets https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook
Roast Potatoes
This is always one of the questions i get asked “how do you make your roast potatoes” and i feel its always easier to show you rather than answer the question so i have made a little video going through how i do it.
In here you will see i do not use the traditional method of par boiling (in a pan on the hob) i just find that too fussy so i use a microwave and this works for anything you want to par boil.
I also dont use Frylite…..i know dont shoot me!! but i feel you just have to use way too much to get anything cooked and for me that is not healthy regardless of what anyone says, however if you remove some of the starch from the potatoes you may find you use less and lets face it that cant be a bad thing can it?
Use any potatoes you like I’ve used them all and they all work perfectly so just use whichever ones you and your family like.
Jules The Lazy Cook 