Flash in the pan.

Contrary to my post of not two months ago, I have gone ahead and made some resolutions after all.  Well, one really: to stop being a lazy chubster.  More specifically, I have resolved to exercise more, eat crisps less and generally try to be a bit more healthy.  I have, therefore, pulled out my old Fat Club cookbooks and given a lot more thought to what I’m cooking.  We’ve got an amazing set of Tefal saucepans on a great deal at the moment (down from £199.99 to £74.99; I have justified the purchase by explaining to His Nibs that I have effectively saved more than I have spent) so I am the proud owner of – as yet – unburned pans.

The combination of new pans and new diet has led me to discover a few recipes that I would be remiss to not mention, because they are delicious.

• 4 x chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 x chopped onion (or a slack handful of frozen chopped onion)
• 1 x tsp Very Lazy garlic or 1 x clove of chopped garlic
• 2 x tsp Very Lazy ginger or 2″ root ginger, finely grated
• Juice & zest of a large lemon
• 2 x tbs soy sauce
• 1x can of Fanta Zero lemon

Fry chicken in a little oil (I used Fry Light because I am terribly wholesome / in the early throes of a diet regime, so a bit evangelical about it) with the onion, garlic, ginger & lemon zest until the chicken is nicely browned then bung in the other ingredients and simmer until the sauce thickens and the chicken is fully cooked through.  Serve with boiled rice or, if you’re as bad at cooking rice as I am, nuke a steamed bag o’ rice.  Delicious lemon chicken and proper healthy.  Unfortunately, this went down so very well (see also: quickly) that I didn’t get a picture.  I will definitely be making this again.

Next up, a slow-cooker recipe that is SO tasty that it has already been requested again:

• 2kg / 4lb 8oz pork shoulder, all fat removed
• 5 x tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 x tsp mustard powder
• 500g passata
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp sweetener
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a pan mix the passata, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, five spice, sweetener and seasoning. Transfer to a pan and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Meanwhile, trim and remove all visible fat from the pork and sear all the sides in a hot frying pan. Transfer to your slow cooker and pour the sauce over the pork making sure all the meat is covered. Cook for 6 – 8 hours on high or 8 – 10 hours on low.  Resist the temptation to sneak pieces out of the dish as soon as the smells develop.
Once cooked place on a chopping board to cool; again, do NOT start eating the delicious meaty goodness just yet.  After approximately 15 – 20 minutes use two forks to shred into bite-sized pieces.  Serve with a jacket potato and spicy coleslaw (red onion, white cabbage, carrot, chilli powder and fat free fromage frais).  View our full range of tabletop cookware here.

I’ll keep you posted on how I get on / how long my resolve lasts.