Clean Eating with MuscleFood's Live Clean Meals

You may have read that I am currently on a weight loss journey with Slimming World. But this time I am not seeing it as a diet, it is a lifestyle change that is for good. Starting my journey has made me evaluate what I eat, how I prepare food and ensuring that my meals are full of goodness. As much as I love to cook all of our meals from scratch sometimes life takes over and all I want is a healthy meal that is already prepared for me. This leads me to the next problem, finding a ready meal that is nutritious and wholesome. This is where MuscleFood's Live Clean meals come in!

If you have not heard of MuscleFood before let me tell you a little about them.

MuscleFood is an online food and nutrition supplier. They specialise in foods that are not only a high quality but also contain the necessary nutrients and proteins that you need whether you are a keen sports and fitness person or if you, like me, want to eat as healthily as possible with the aim to get to a healthy weight and maintain it. All of their meats are of the highest quality and all carry quality stamps such as the red tractor, RSPCA assured, free range, Organic Association to name but a few. So you know that you are getting exactly what you want. MuscleFood is tried and trusted by professional athletes, they are suppliers to some of the top British restaurants and deliver straight to your door without adding any water or salt to their products. Their meat has never been frozen and is even classically butchered on the day that it is dispatched to you.

With this ethos in mind MuscleFood have developed their new range of meals, Live Clean. The meals are nutritionally balanced, full of clean ingredients and will never contain added sugars or anything artificial! The Live Clean meals have been hand cooked by a Michelin star trained chef and are ready in minutes!

Naturally Tasty with Knorr

Last week I was invited to an event in the Kings Cross area of London. Before I went I did not know a great deal about the event. I knew that it was being hosted by Knorr and that it was being held at a venue called the Skip Garden. Before I left home I did have a look online to have a look at what the Skip Gardens were and I was astounded to read that it was literally gardens in skips. Also as the event was being held by Knorr I had a sneaky suspicion that were going to reveal a new range of herbs.

When I arrived I was amazed by how the Skip Garden was such a little oasis of natural calm in the midst of all of the construction chaos of central London. There were numerous skips that had been transformed into mini gardens, a man made greenhouse, a glass house made with reclaimed glass panels, a kitchen and even a cafe! While we waited for everyone to arrive we were treated to cocktails that use fresh herbs. We could have either a Gin and Basil Smash or a Vodka and Rosemary Highball. I went for the Gin and Basil Smash which adds fresh basil before shaking to release the maximum amount of flavour. The cocktail was the perfect mixture of gin with the sour from lemon juice combined with the sweetness from some sugar water and finished with the fresh basil. It was heavenly!

 

The Gruffalo Lunch - Favourite Television Programmes

When I was asked which television show was our favourites a lot sprang to mind. I always love it when The Great British Bake Off returns and I can bake along with them and the baking bug returns. When I asked the hubby he said that his favourite was Peaky Blinders which is another great show which I also loved!

I thought that I would ask the twins what their favourite programme was. As they are only 3 quite a few choices can out as you can imagine. But one that they certainly do love has to be The Gruffalo. I know that technically it is a film but for the twins it is on television so it counts!

With this in mind and after the twins asking for a Gruffalo lunch I thought that I would make them a Gruffalo lunch and combine it with a few results that have been given to me about the best show of 2015.

Recently Slotfruit asked 1600 people what their favourite show of 2015 was. From the data that they received they have listed the top 15 shows of 2015. I will admit that I was a bit surprised by some of the results but others I was not.

But before I tell you the results let me tell you all about the twins Gruffalo lunches...

Ginger and Lemongrass Chicken - Family Favourites

When I attended the Unilever Kitchen bloggers event Marco Pierre White told us about why he uses Knorr. We were lucky to receive some Knorr products to try at home.



After listening to Marco telling us how great the Knorr products are I couldn't wait to try them for myself and I have got to say that I was impressed.

This recipe uses the Knorr Flavour Pot Ginger and Lemongrass. It adds so much flavour to a dish and is so easy to use. This is such a simple and easy recipe which is so flavoursome. With just chicken and a Knorr Flavour Pot you can create great, tasty meals.



Here is this weeks Family Favourites recipe...

Ginger and Lemongrass Chicken

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs
2 pots of Knorr Ginger and Lemongrass

Method

1 - Rub in the contents of the Flavour Pots into the chicken, place in a roasting tin, cover and leave for an hour. This will allow the chicken to absorb the flavours.

2 - Pre heat the oven to 200C

3 - Score the chicken skin three times and place in the centre of the pre heated oven and roast for 30 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, half way through baste the chicken with the juices.

Serve with potatoes and vegetables.

Enjoy x

I am sharing this weeks Family Favourites recipes with:

Honest Mum - Tasty Tuesdays
A Mummy Too - Recipe of the Week

Slow Cooked Lamb Stew

The one thing that I love about the change in weather is the change in food that we all crave.

In the summer light meals are fantastic. However as the cooler weather draws in our need for hot, comfort food increases. In autumn and winter there is no better comfort food than a great home cooked stew. My slow cooker has been dug out of the cupboard and will be used so much more than through the summer time.

This week I am sharing with you an easy lamb stew. The beauty of using a slow cooker is that all of the ingredients are added and left to gradually cook while you get on with your day.

This is my lamb stew...

Slow Cooked Lamb Stew

Ingredients

500g diced lamb

4 carrots, cut into chunks

1 large onion

Cauliflower

500g potatoes, cubed

Lamb stock cubes

Lamb gravy granules

Method

1 - Seal the diced lamb gently in a frying pan before placing in the slow cooker

2 - Add the onion, carrots and potatoes

3 - Pour over about 1 litre of lamb stock to cover

4 - Cook on a high heat for one hour and then reduce to a low heat for 2 hours

5 - About an hour before serving add the cauliflower and more stock if required

6 - Before serving thicken the stock with some lamb gravy granules

This stew can be served with dumplings or with some lovely fresh, crispy bread.

This meal is a great dish to warm up with on the cold evenings. It is also great served the following day. I particularly enjoy making a pastry topped pie with the leftovers!

Enjoy x

Mushroom Risotto - Family Favourites

This really is a winner in our house.

For me, who cooks, it is a great, easy, quick meal. For everyone else who eats it, the meal is delicious!

This is a flavoursome meal that will please even the biggest of meat eaters!

Here is this weeks Family Favourites recipe...

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

1 cup of arborio rice (long grain will also work) per person (I used 5)

1 lg onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

500g chestnut mushrooms, halved and sliced

1 - 1 1/2 ltr chicken stock

Butter

Vegetable oil

4 tbsp grated Parmesan

Black pepper

Shaved Parmesan to serve

Method

1 - Gently fry the copped onions and crushed garlic in a little vegetable oil

2 - Once the onions have softened add the rice and fry for a couple of minutes

3 - Placed the stock in a pan and leave over a medium heat to keep warm

4 - Gradually add the chicken stock, a ladle full at a time, until the rice has soaked up the liquid and your rice is cooked to al dente

5 - While the rice is cooking melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a pan and gently fry the mushrooms over a medium heat

6 - Once the rice is cooked remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mushrooms, adding any juices that are in the pan

7 - Add 4 teaspoons of butter in 4 lumps and sprinkle over the grated Parmesan

8 - Place the lid on the pan and leave for 5 minutes

9 - Stir in all of the ingredients before serving and add a little black pepper to taste

This risotto is perfect with some garlic bread or garlic dough balls and some shavings of Parmesan cheese. It is such a simple meal and is my "fall back" meal. This is the one that I rely on if I forget to take anything out of the freezer or if I need to cook a quick meal. This really is a good all rounder!

Enjoy x

I am sharing this weeks Family Favourites recipe with A Mummy Too - Recipe of the Week

Lemon and Thyme Chicken Skewers

We all love chicken so I enjoy finding new ways to serve chicken so that it is a bit different.

This week I have made lemon and thyme chicken skewers. They are not only a fun way to eat chicken (for older children and adults) but they are full of flavour. This dish is also a versatile meal that can be served with potatoes and vegetables, rice or couscous. Best of all they are quick and easy to make and cook.

This is what I did...

Lemon and Thyme Chicken Skewers

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1 lemon, juice and zest
Fresh thyme
1tbsp olive oil
4 skewers

Method

1 - Slice the chicken breast into chunks and divided between the skewers

2 - Place the lemon juice, zest, olive oil and a handful of fresh thyme leaves into a container which will hold the skewers

3 - Roll the chicken skewers in the juice, cover and leave to marinade for 2 hours

4 - To cook place the skewers under a high grill and cook on each side for 10 minutes or until browned off and fully cooked

I served the chicken skewers with cubed herbed potatoes and vegetables. They were a huge success with all of the family. I will definitely be trying these on the barbecue next year!

Enjoy x

Garlic and Rosemary Butter Chicken

I was recently sent some Kerrygold Spreadable butter to try.

Kerrygold Spreadable butter spreads straight from the fridge, is free from additives, artificial colours, flavours or preservatives which makes it a versatile butter to keep in the fridge. It is suitable for both cooking and baking. Which makes it a great all round spread to keep in the fridge!

Normally I would bake a cake but as it contains salt I decided to use it to cook a meal. I have used this lovely butter in a dish that is quick and easy for any busy parent to make. It is not only a quick and easy meal but is also full of flavour.

This is what I did...

Garlic and Rosemary Butter Chicken

Ingredients (served 2 adults and 2 children)

3 chicken breasts, sliced

5 garlic cloves

Fresh rosemary, chopped

Kerrygold Spreadable

Method

1 - Melt 2 tsp of Kerrygold Spreadable in a frying pan over a medium heat

2 - Crush 3 garlic cloves and place in the melted butter

3 - Place the slices of chicken in the garlic butter, sprinkle over 1 tsp of chopped fresh rosemary and cook over a low to medium heat

4 - After 5 minutes turn the chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes before turning again

5 - After 15 minutes the chicken should be thoroughly cooked

6 - Once the chicken is ready remove from the pan and place in a warm oven to prevent cooling

7 - To make the garlic and rosemary drizzle place 2 tsp Kerrygold Spreadable in the pan that was used to cook the chicken

8 - Once the butter has melted add 2 crushed garlic cloves and 1 tsp fresh rosemary

9 - Heat over a low heat for 5 minutes stirring regularly before serving

Serve with potatoes and vegetables of your choice. Once the chicken has been plated up drizzle over some of the garlic and rosemary butter. Using the butter to cook the chicken keeps the meat lovely and moist. The buttery flavours go perfectly with the garlic and rosemary. This meal shows you that it is possible to cook a delicious, flavoursome meal, from scratch, when tight on time.

Enjoy x

Disclosure: I was sent vouchers to purchase Kerrygold Spreadable for the purpose of this post. No payment was received. All views and opinions are my own and 100% honest.

Cheap Budget Meals - Full of Veg Cottage Pie

This is a family favourite of ours!

As well as a good value meal to make it is also a great way to get more vegetables into the children.

Again, I have used meat that was bought from the market.

I have listed the vegetables that I use to make this delicious, healthy meal, but you can add your vegetables according to taste or to what you need to use. This dish is a great way to use up any vegetables that may be getting past their best. So don't throw them away, they go well in a dish like this!

Here is this weeks cheap budget meal recipe...

Full of Veg Cottage Pie

Ingredients

300g lean mince beef (£1.50)
1 red onion, chopped (19p)
100g mushrooms, chopped (40p)
1 broccoli (49p)
2 carrots, halved and sliced (16p)
3 cabbage leaves, shredded (80p - whole cabbage)  
1/2 swede, chopped (50p)
700g white potatoes, chopped (45p)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes (34p)
600mls beef stock
Worcestershire sauce
1tspn sage
2 bay leaves
Gravy granules
Cheese, grated (optional)
Milk
Butter

Method

1 - Dry fry the beef with the onions until starting to brown

2 - Add the mushrooms and fry until the onions and mushrooms are soft

3 - Pour in the chopped tomatoes then add the carrots, broccoli, cabbage, beef stock, sage and bay leaves

4 - Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 20 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are thoroughly cooked

5 - While the meat sauce is cooking place the potatoes and swede in a pan of water and bring to the boil, leave to simmer until both are soft

6 - Sprinkle into the meat some gravy granules until the sauce thickens

7 - Place the meat and vegetable sauce into a deep oven proof dish

8 - Mash the potatoes and swede and add milk and butter

9 - Spoon on the potato and swede mash on top of the mince and cover with grated cheese if using

10 - Place under a grill until the cheese has melted and browned off. I the dish has been made in advance place the dish in a pre heated oven of 200C of 15 - 20 minutes

This meal is a winner every time and contain plenty of vegetables.

I got 3 large portions and 2 small portions for the twins and still have leftovers. If you do not use all of the meat and vegetable sauce it can be frozen for another time or even used to make a pie the following day. With our leftovers Joseph has asked if I can keep it for his meal today and the twins will also be enjoying this meal again.

That another large portion and 2 more small portions!

That's a total of 6 servings! (counting the twins serving as 1)

This meal cost me £4.83 to make as I used items out of my store cupboard. That is only 81p per serving and you will have a tasty meal using 8 vegetables (including the tomatoes!).

Enjoy x

 

 

Weekly Meal Plan - Week Commencing 13th January 2014

After Christmas and a huge car repairs bill we really are tightening our belts.

This means that I have not got as much as I usually have to spend on our weekly shopping.

I cook our meals from scratch so it is not too hard to cut back here and there.

One way that I have always found I can save money is by meal planning for the week.

I look at what I have in my freezer and work meals around what I have in and buy what I need as opposed to buying willy nilly. I also love looking on the reduced meat and fish section in the supermarket. Most, if not all, of the meat and fish that is on offer can be frozen so if they have any good offers I stock up my freezer for a cut of the regular price!
 

So here is my first weeks meal plan for 2014!
 

My meal plans will not be restricted to certain days. I will be listing 6 meals that I will be cooking over the week. I'll only be listing 6 as we go to my mum and dads for our Sunday dinner!

 

Week Commencing 13th January 2014

 

* Beef and Chunky Vegetable Pasta

I make this with steak mince, red onion, garlic, courgettes and peppers in a herby tomato sauce. I find that this is a really versatile meal so I always make more than I need so that I can make an easy alternative meal the following day!

* Italian Style Cottage Pie

With the left over beef and chunky vegetable sauce I will give it a twist and create a new, different tasting meal. I will use the sauce as I would a cottage pie and top with creamy mashed potatoes. I always give the top a generous sprinkling of grated cheese that go lovely and crispy under the grill!

* Creamy Chicken and Tarragon Pie

I love making a good, hearty pie during the winter months. I always find pies to be warming, comfort foods. I am also taking part in Keynko's 52 Cook Books so this is going to be this weeks recipe!

* Toad in the Hole

When I looked in my freezer I found that I still have sausages left from Christmas so I thought I'd make a family inner this week and do a toad in the hole with roasted carrots. I love to add not just sausages to my toad in the hole and will be adding some roasted carrots to the mix this week!

* Beef Stew

I also found in my freezer some lovely casserole steak. So one day I am going to put a stew in my slow cooker and leave it to tenderise for the day! Dumplings will be added to this dish of course!

* Tuna Couscous

This week I bought a bag of couscous for a change. This week I plan to make a tuna couscous dish with mushrooms, red onions, diced peppers and garlic. This will be my easy meal for the week. This one will be saved for a day when time has not been on my side!

I am linking up my weekly meal plan with At Home With Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday. Take at look at some other meal plan here...
http://athomewithmrsm.blogspot.co.uk/