Lose Weight 20

10past6

beanielou wrote: »

Can we get some tips on stir frys for idiots?

Eh :eek:

What a good idea :rotfl:

beanielou

10past6 wrote: »

Eh :eek:

What a good idea :rotfl:

Dont mean you are an idiot~ I am when it comes to cooking
There~ my secret is out:o
Budget cooking please that dosent involve lots of standing & using lots of energy.
Theres a challange for you all.:rotfl:

10past6

beanielou wrote: »

Dont mean you are an idiot~ I am when it comes to cooking

OK beanie, but I feel an idiot when it comes to cooking

katiepoppycat

whew, lots of people wanting to talk about food, yay! Talking about food is what I do so be prepared for some purple prose. We're generally cash rich and time poor these days, and cooking skills are no longer transmitted the way they were. SO it's not unusual to not be turning out perfect pastry and roast dinners every night of the week. But it doesn't mean that we have to give up entirely - there's a whole load of shortcuts that you can take, the kind that Delia and Nigella have been raving about. Cooking really isn't difficult. Honestly, it's not. Baking takes a bit more effort, it's a bit more like chemistry as in if you get the ratio wrong stuff won't work. But believe me everything else is easy.

So before you start, think about the things you like to eat and want to achieve. What do you enjoy eating in a restaurant? Do you have a favourite cooking sauce that you enjoy? Don't get too ambitious to start with though. I decided to try and recreate a relatively posh chinese banquet once - home made dim sum, the lot. It took 3 days. Seeing as Beanie mentioned stir fries, lets start with those. You can put in as much or as little effort as you like with a stirfry which makes them great. Start with a tablespoon of sesame oil in the wok on a very high heat. Once it starts smoking, add a teaspoon of a lazy ginger and a teaspoon of lazy garlic(find them in jars with the spices in the supermarket). Then add your protein ( chopped chicken, strips of beef, raw prawns etc) keep moving it around the wok until it's well browned.Then scoop it on to a plate, and add a little more oil if necessary. Throw a pack of stir fry veg ( and when you're more confident you might want to choose and chop your own mix) and keep moving it around until the cabbagey bits are wilted. Test it by picking out some of the crunchier bits and seeing how you like them. Then throw the protein back in and tip in some sauce - soy sauce, oyster sauce, a jar of sauce, a sachet from the chiller cabinet( but soy is free on sw). Warm through and enjoy!

The key things to remember with stir fries are:

keep things small. Small things cook quicker
keep things moving. Otherwise they stick
DON'T LEAVE THE WOK TILL MORNING TO CLEAN

After you've eaten, wipe the wok out and scratch off any stuck bits. Then put it back on the heat and add some vegetable oil. USing a piece of kitchen in some tongs, wipe over your wok until the paper comes away clean. This will keep your wok nice for the next time you use it.

Beanie, not sure how this would work for you, but could you get one of those butane gas cartridge cookers? You could then have that on a lower surface - maybe a table and sit whilst you cooked.

Hope that helps a bit and isn't too patronising. 10past six, the chickpea cake on the recipe thread is good for snacking and feels very virtuous. I'll post another time on good equipment and ingredients to have. Just take it steady and i'm sure you'll enjoy it. It may seem expensive at first when you are buying jars and packets, but I'm sure in the long run it will be cheaper for you. I used to work shifts and when i did lived off scrambled eggs!

thanks all for your kind thoughts. it meant a lotxx

10past6

Hi katie

katiepoppycat wrote: »

Hope that helps a bit and isn't too patronising.

Wonderful, this is just what some of us are looking for, and when I get the funds, I'll purchase a wok.

katiepoppycat wrote: »

the chickpea cake on the recipe thread is good for snacking and feels very virtuous

There's many recipe threads on here it's difficult to know which is to follow.

katiepoppycat wrote: »

i'm sure you'll enjoy it.

I'm looking forward to the challenge.

katiepoppycat wrote: »

It may seem expensive at first when you are buying jars and packets, but I'm sure in the long run it will be cheaper for you.

I did spend quite a lot today buying ingredients and utensils, but I'm sure it will work out cheaper in the long run.

Thanks for your time and advice, I look forward to the next instalment.

Sue-UU

wendyw1947 wrote:

Sue-uu delighted to report got 6 .1/2 hours last night unheard of for me ,you were right about being overtired I,ve been fighting it ,but gave in and had a nap, hubby let me nap for an hour ,so thought i wouldn't sleep but went to bed a 12.30 and slept til 7 wonderful .Feel so much better .Have to say you sounded so poetic describing the beautiful thoughts ,that I read it 3 times in all .Just hope it keeps on working for me thanks so much xxx

Hi Wendy,

You've made my day just knowing that it seems to have done you so much good. I was delighted that giving in to the early evening tiredness did you so much good too, it always works for me. Me poetic?! Never, just wrote it as I 'saw it', but pleased you liked it and that it's working.

Thanks so much.

Sue

Lemon_Drop wrote: »

Hi all,

I manged an 18 mile bike ride in under 2 hours yesterday - I was really chuffed! Might have overdone it though because my right leg seized up before I got to toddler group today. I usually get 3/4 of the way home before that happens! Felt fine yesterday though so not sure whether the 2 are related.

Wonderful achievement Lemon Drop! Such a lot to hold your head up over. Best not go quite so far next time perhaps, but at least you're well on the way to getting really fit.

Sue

wendyw1947

sue-uu think you've cracked it for me had a sleep from 6.30 to 7.30 last night , I would never have allowed myself to sleep b4 ,went to bed at 12.30 and slept 6 hours solid , can't beleive it thought if I gave in and napped it would make things worse, can't thank you enough love wendy x

katiepoppycat

brilliant wendy! so pleased for you. it'll be good for your weightloss too - if you are sleeping properly your body is working better!

I don't know how to quote so i've copied the chickpea cake recipe and it's here . . . .

Not sure if you're going to like the ingredients but honestly, the cake is delicious....


a can chickpeas drained and blended
1.5 cups canderel
3 eggs
1tsp baking powder
1 lemon rind and juice
2 tbsp lemon curd

mix all ingredients place in small loaf tin and bake for 30-40 minutes at gas 4 180°C

I was v sceptical as diet cakes are generally quite rubbish but this one was yummy!

victory

Brighton_belle wrote: »

How it works really so I can pass it on as a useful tool: just seems a waste to throw it away. Would you PM the info?:A

PM you now:D

victory

stir frys on www.cookyourselfthin.co.uk they have recipes for less than 400 cals each dinner so low fat, low salt, sugar etc and very healthy and easy to prepare.
If I make a stir fry I always buy the cheap basic bags from Sainsburys or Tescos prob about 75/85p with the shredded carrots, cabbage, beansprouts etc in them and add a little soy sauce, chicken peppers whatever there is in really ,very quick very easy, quick whoosh in the pan and job done:D