Healthy meals the slow cooker way

Tags

B vitamins, beef, Broccoli, brown off, carrots, cayenne pepper, celery, cheese board, cheese sauce, chickpeas, Cinnamon, coconut milk, cool kids on the block, copper, cost-effective, creamy, crusty bread, culinary beauties, cumin, curry paste, delicious lasagne, diced tofu, fridge, frozen peas, garlic, garlic bread, ginger, green beans, green salad, healthy, herbs, hunger, iron, kitchen, layer, leeks, leftovers, Lentil soup, lentils, light supper, low heat, lunch, meatballs, mince, mushroom soup, mushrooms, old-fashioned, onions, parmesan, pasta, pasta sheet, peppers, plant based diet, plates, potassium, protein, red lentils, rice, salt and pepper, sandwiches, slave, slow cookers, soups and stews, spices, to casseroles and curries, tomato purée, tomato sauce, totally tasty meal, turkey, turmeric, two tins of tomatoes, vegans, vegetable stock, water, wholesome food, wonderful meal, Worcestershire sauce

Far from being old-fashioned, slow cookers are the cool kids on the block when it comes to making healthy, wholesome food, The brilliant thing about these culinary beauties is that you don’t have to slave in the kitchen for hours to make a wonderful meal for all to enjoy.

From soups and stews, to casseroles and curries, we have a feeling that if you make the move to the slow side, there will be no looking back.

Bolognaise
The days of splashing tomato sauce everywhere when you make a bolognaise are over, because the slow cooker will keep it all contained. You might want to brown off your mince and onions first, then you can add this mix to your pot, together with two tins of tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, mushrooms, tomato purée and herbs. Put the lid on and let it cook for around six hours and the magic will get to work. When meal time comes around, cook up some pasta, pile onto plates, add some parmesan and enjoy.

Tofu curry
With more and more people choosing a plant-based diet, the slow cooker is a ‘must have’ for vegans. Put some diced tofu, a blend of spices, curry paste, some peppers, green beans, and diced onions together with coconut milk and a little water, into the pot and leave to slowly simmer. In just a few hours you will have a healthy, totally tasty meal that you can eat for dinner, and pack for lunch the next day. Just add rice, and you are good to go.

Spicy sweet potato and lentil stew
Lentils are a really great source of healthy protein and are also cost-effective when it comes to cooking. Mix a few tablespoons of red lentils, with diced sweet potatoes, sliced carrots, and celery as well as peeled leeks, a thumb of crushed ginger, and a small teaspoon of curry powder. Place it all in your slow cooker with a cup or so of water, put on a low heat for around six hours and you will have a delicious, nutritious meal waiting for you when hunger strikes.

Mean meatballs
You might not have thought about the slow cooker for meatballs, but this dish is perfect for exactly that. Either buy pre-made beef or turkey meatballs, or you can make them yourself, and as with bolognaise, brown the meat and onions before adding them to the pot with tinned tomatoes, tomato purée as well as frozen peas and mushrooms. Put the lid on, press go and let the flavour of the ingredients get to work as you get on with your day. This dish is perfect with rice or pasta and a side of broccoli, and the leftovers are great cold in sandwiches the next day!

Mushroom soup
Mushrooms are jam-packed with B vitamins, potassium, iron and copper, and make a brilliant slow cooker soup. Slice a good-sized pack of mushrooms and put them in your slow cooker together with vegetable stock, browned onions, garlic plus salt and pepper, and cook on high for about three hours. If you want the soup to be thick and full, add some cream, then serve with crusty bread and a cheese board.

Lasagne
You heard it right here, you can totally make a delicious lasagne in a slow cooker. Once the meat and onions have been browned, mix with a couple of cans of tomatoes, tomato purée and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, then layer this with your pasta sheets and cheese sauce. Put the lid on and cook for around six hours on low. Once piping hot, serve with a green salad and garlic bread and we think you will be pleasantly surprised at how good it tastes.

Lentil soup
There is nothing boring about lentil soup if you add in chickpeas, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper as well as any veg you have kicking around in the fridge. Cook on slow for a few hours and you will have a filling lunch or late supper waiting for you when you are feeling peckish.

If you have got a recipe you think we would like, drop us a line as we would love to know what it is.

Team Pure Beauty

What to do with the leftovers

Tags

almond milk, beansprouts, beef, bin, blender, bowl, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cashew nuts, chicken, chopped, clementine, comfort food, cook, cranberry sauce, cups of spinach, dark brown sugar, favourite movie, Festive Bubble and Squeak, Festive Smoothie, festivities, food, fresh, Frozen, fruit bowl, garlic, golden brown, grate, gravy, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, hot, ice cubes, ingredients, leftovers, limes, liquid, mayonnaise, money, olive oil, parsnip, paste, plates, potato, red chilli, salt and pepper, serve, sieve, soft fruit, soy sauce, Spicy Noodles, spring onions, squeeze, supper, tofu, toss, tummy, turkey, vitamin, washed, waste, wok

With a tummy full of food and drink, you might be tempted to just chuck away the leftovers from the festivities, but don’t. It’s a massive bin and there is no reason to throw it in the bin.

We have had a look at how to get the most out of your festive feasts and hard-earned cash.

Spicy Noodles
Whether you have a plate of leftover chicken, beef, turkey or tofu, noodles are the perfect way to use them up.

For a fast and easy lunch or supper, you will need:

250g medium egg noodles
500g cooked meat or other protein
2 spring onions, peeled chopped
1 red pepper, chopped and seeded
One bag of prepared bean sprouts, washed and drained
The juice of two fresh limes
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of dark brown sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 red chilli, thinly sliced

First things first, cook the noodles, then drain and rinse with boiling water and leave to cool. Mix the soy sauce, lime juice and sugar into a thin paste.

Next heat the oil in a wok and when hot add the garlic, chilli, meat and spring onions, gently fry for a couple of minute then add the noodles and the bean sprouts into the pan and cook for another minute or two.

Next add your sauce to the mix, toss everything together well and once all ingredients are piping hot, serve and add extra soy sauce if needed.

Festive Bubble and Squeak
This is the ultimate in post-Christmas comfort food and is great eaten in bowls watching your favourite movie.

To make four servings you will need:

1 medium parsnip
1 potato
Leftover Brussel sprouts and/or cabbage
1 garlic clove, crushed
Leftover turkey or chicken
A little gravy – around 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large egg (free range)
Leftover cranberry sauce or mayonnaise

Peel the potato and parsnip, and then grate both into a bowl and spread the cabbage and sprouts.

Put the veg in a sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, then put back into the bowl and beat in the egg as well as seasoning with the garlic, plus salt and pepper.

Once you have a sticky mess, shape into four small balls. Put the leftover meat into a pan and cook with the gravy over a low heat and gently cook until the turkey is warm. Next cook the balls for 3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown then add the cranberry or mayo and enjoy.

Festive Smoothie

As well as being left with plates of meat and veg, you will probably also find your fruit bowl is still full as people tend to opt for the chocolates over the apples and pears.

Don’t throw any of it away, instead use it to make a vitamin packed festive smoothie. For two delicious smoothies you will need:

2 apples, cored but with the peel left on
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 clementine
Small handful of cashew nuts
2 cups of spinach (fresh or frozen)
1 cup of almond milk
Ice cubes

Start by adding the liquid to your blender, followed by the soft fruit. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy, then add the remaining ingredients and ice. Blast until smooth and drink.

Team Pure-Beauty

Keep calm and actually enjoy Christmas

Tags

3am, basket, beef, best friend, breathing space, cake, celebrate, champagne, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas list, content, cup of coffee, decorate the tree, delegate, dominate, feel good, festive period, flatmates, friend, gift, good, hair, happiness, hot, hug, in the moment, in-laws, keep calm, kids, last minute, laugh, life, lifted, lunch, masses, meditate, moaning, mood, mum, negatives, online, panic buying, Pat on the Back, perspective, plan ahead, pressure, putting up the decorations, recipe for disaster, Relax, Secret Santa, serious, shopping, slow down, stock of presents, Sugar Plum Fairy, take a break, The Holiday, time off, time out, turkey, wake up, wrapping paper, yoga

Don’t laugh, we are being serious here, you can keep calm this Christmas.

Yes, there’s the shopping to do, presents to wrap and don’t even start us on the table plan for the big day, but Christmas is meant to be a happy time when you can celebrate the good in life and spend time with those you love.

Instead of being annoyed you got the rubbish Secret Santa present (again) and laying awake at 3am worrying about whether to cook turkey or beef, keep calm with our easy to follow tips and you’ll feel like the Sugar Plum Fairy all the way to 2018.

Calm Time
Think about the times in the day when you feel calm and content and go back to those moments when you feel your stress levels rising. This could be when you wake up, sip your first hot cup of coffee of the day, you get a hug from your best friend for showing up to her work drinks or when you sit watching The Holiday for the 100th time – whenever it is, go back to that point and count to ten.

Feel Good
Don’t focus on the negatives and stop yourself from moaning, about everything that needs to be done. Yes, there will things you don’t like doing over the festive period, but why don’t let those awkward in-laws dominate your thoughts and instead think of the great stuff that is happening and your mood will be lifted.

Plan Ahead
Leaving everything to the last-minute is a recipe for disaster. If you can, start early, plan your Christmas list and every-time you are out shopping, add a gift in the basket. Before you know it, you’ve got a stock of presents, and there will be no need for panic buying amongst the masses on Christmas Eve.

Be a Kid
Christmas is all about the children and because they naturally seek out fun and happiness, we think you should do the same and are pretty sure you will feel so much better for it.

Take a Break
Rather than filling every moment of every day with jobs, take time out for you too. Whether it is lunch with a friend, having your hair done or going to a yoga class, putting up the decorations and delivering cards can wait, but your happiness can’t.

Pat on the Back
Remember what you have done already. Yes, you might not have the turkey yet and Aunt Betty might not have a present under the tree, but things will get done so just remember how much you have already achieved and give yourself a pat on the back.

Delegate
You don’t have to run the Christmas show alone. Getting flatmates to decorate the tree, asking your boyfriend to buy presents for his family, asking your mum to make the cake and buying presents online, will all take the pressure off you and give you some breathing space.

Meditate
Take ten minutes out to meditate. If things are getting too much, find a quite spot, concentrate on your breathing and slow down. By being in the moment you can take back control and look at your to do list with fresh eyes and a new perspective.

Stop and Think
Think about why you love Christmas, and the good things that happen over that special time. Christmas often passes in a blur of wrapping paper and champagne corks, but if you stop, savour the moment and cherish those you love, you will realise it is all worth it.

Set a Deadline
Put a date in your diary when you stop doing things for everyone else and start enjoying yourself. We all need to take time off and relax, and that includes you.

Whatever you do this Christmas, keep calm, be grateful for what you have in your life and be happy.

Team Pure-Beauty

National Vegetarian Week

Tags

beans, beef, chicken, cookbooks, eggs, fats, healthy, kale, kidney beans, mince, National Vegetarian Week., nuts, oil, organic, pasta, pulses, rice, sauce, supermarket, supplements, Swiss chard, switch, tofu, tomato, Wholegrain bread

Did you know 16th – 22nd May is National Vegetarian Week 2016?

Whilst we often hear the word ‘vegetarian’ being used, what does it really mean?

Well, a true vegetarian is someone who doesn’t eat meat, poultry, game, fish or shellfish and instead eat a diet based on grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits.

Some people follow a ‘semi-vegetarian’ diet, which is primarily plant-based diet but includes dairy, eggs and fish on occasion, or in small quantities.

There are various reasons why people choose to be a vegetarian from animal rights and environmental concerns to religious beliefs and health issues.

Vegetarian diets tend to be naturally lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher in plant nutrients than most meat-based diets and include:

• At least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, more if possible.
• Wholegrain bread, rice and pasta, organic options are always preferable.
• Beans, pulses and other proteins.
• Dairy alternative products such as almond soya and rice milks.
• Unsaturated oils and spreads.
• At least eight glasses of water a day.

By understanding what makes up a healthy, balanced vegetarian diet, it is possible for your to get all the nutrients the body needs without adding in supplements.

Vegetarians can be low in iron, which isn’t great as this can cause anaemia and a weak nervous system. To get enough iron you need to eat a variety of:

• beans, lentils and peas
• nuts
• dried fruits such as apricots and raisins
• dark-green vegetables, such as broccoli, kale and spring greens
• whole grains, such as brown rice and brown bread
• cereals fortified with iron

Vitamin B-12 is also needed to produce red blood cells and prevent anaemia but is almost exclusively found in fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. Fortified breakfast cereals are a readily available source of vitamin B12 and this is where taking supplements might be considered a good idea.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for heart health, but are mainly found in eggs and fish so add vegetable oils, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, and walnuts into your diet mix mix.

Getting started can be daunting but we have some tips to help you:

• Each week cut the number of meat meals you eat so you slowly move over to being a vegetarian. You might find before long you don’t miss meat and it is an easy switch.
• Add greens, such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard into your diet by adding into soups, salads, stir-fries and smoothies.
• Try your favourite recipes without meat. Make a vegetarian chilli by swapping the mince for extra kidney beans. Make fajitas using tofu rather than chicken and go for pasta with a thick organic tomato sauce packed with peppers rather than beef.
• Scan the Internet and library for vegetarian cookbooks and recipes.
• Check out ethnic restaurants and look in your supermarket for new ideas on what to cook and eat.

Regardless of whether you choose to be vegetarian, it’s always good to eat a variety of foods so why not cut out meat this National Vegetarian Week and see how you get on?