Put down that takeaway menu!
Fancy a curry at the weekend?
Sick of paying out for takeaways?
Always feel like crap after you've eaten a takeaway?
Why not use fresh, tasty ingredients to create your own healthy treat?
Curry is a favourite of mine and I love to play about with recipes. If you enjoy the food you are eating, you are more likely to stick to a diet plan than if you are eating tasteless dry chicken and lettuce leaves!! Play about with herbs/spices to get your tummy excited, whack in some chilli to fire up your metabolism and enjoy getting healthy :-)
Below are a few of my favourite recipes, tried and tested x
RECIPES:
Chicken, sweet potato and spinach curry:
(Makes 5 meals)
3 chicken breasts, diced
3 large sweet potatoes, roughly chopped
8 juicy red tomatoes (de-seeded and skin removed)
About 15 mini red tomatoes, chopped
2 onions, Chopped
Bunch fresh basil, chopped
Black pepper
3 tsp tikka masala paste (got mine from Taj for £1.75 and there are no artificial or nasty additives)
2 bay leaves
1 chunk of carrot
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 Tbsp olive oil
Big handful baby spinach
(I also put a chilli in but my mouth is still on fire as I didn't realise the curry paste also had a little chilli in)
Method:
Cut an X shape on the big tomatoes and Put them in boiling hot water for about 10 mins, so that the skin comes off easily then chop, de-seed and place in a saucepan with 1 onion, mini toms, basil, garlic, bay leaves, carrot, curry paste and olive oil. Simmer for about 10-15mins, take out the carrot and bay leaves then blitz.
In a large separate pan cook the chicken with the onion and sweet potatoes. When the chicken is cooked, add the sauce and simmer on medium heat until the potatoes are soft! Add the spinach just before serving
Coconut and cashew curry with chicken and vegetables!
Love a curry I do and superrrrr easy to make!
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
2 diced chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
4 shallots (sliced)
3 carrots (chopped)
1 courgette (chopped)
1 tin coconut milk
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp tumeric
Crushed chillies(to taste)
1 handful unsalted cashews
1 tbsp dessicated coconut
Few stalks of broccoli
Method:
Literally just fry off the shallots, garlic, veggies (except broccoli) and chicken in a large pan with the coriander and coconut oil. Once chicken is cooked, add the coconut milk remaining spices, broccoli and nuts, season well and simmer for around 10min - BOOM SOOO MUCH FLAVOUR
Beefy curry with a side of veggies - simples
400g extra lean diced beef (I don't often eat red meat but fancied a change. Can use Turkey/chicken if your prefer)
1 medium sweet potato thinly sliced
1/2 courgette thinly sliced
1 onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped
Garlic clove chopped
Green beans (cut in half)
1 tin mixed beans in tomato sauce (reduced salt if possible)
400g chopped tomatoes
Spices:
3 heaped tsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garam masala
Handful fresh coriander
Cayenne pepper (to taste)
Black pepper
(This made enough for 4 dinners that I froze for during the week)
Fry off the vegetables, meat and garlic in a little coconut oil. Once the meat is browned, add the tomatoes, beans and spices and simmer on medium heat covered with some foil for about 15mins. Finish with some fresh spinach and enjoy. Can have with some brown rice :-)
