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Sweet Chilli Chicken (But Without the Sugar, Gluten, or Regret)

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There comes a point in every week when you stand in the kitchen, stare into the fridge, and think: “I want something tasty… but I also don’t want to feel like absolute rubbish afterwards. ” This is usually followed by you reaching for a takeaway menu, before remembering you’ve got a family, a conscience, and a vague desire to fit into your jeans. Enter: Sweet Chilli Chicken, Big H style. This version is gluten-free , sugar-free , and soy-free , but crucially still tastes like food, not punishment! It also comes with a cheat mode, because sometimes life is too short to shred chicken breast by hand like a Victorian orphan. The Chicken Situation You’ve got two options here: The virtuous option: fresh chicken breast, sliced thin, battered, fried. The realistic option – Rosie & Jim’s Crispy Shredded Chicken , straight from the freezer, minimal shame, maximum convenience. I use both, depending on my mood, the time available, and how much chopping I'm willing to do without sighing too...
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What am I supposed to do with a courgette? (or zucchini if you're from across the pond)

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Okay, leave the rude answers at the door folks! Seriously though, this is a recipe stolen from my Dad, who in turn probably read it in a Nigel Slater book (so please Nigel, don't sue me for copyright infringement or anything like that) after he'd grown far too many courgettes in his garden and got fed up with eating them boiled or roasted. I must confess I was more than a little skeptical when he served this up, but it's become a firm family favourite ever since. Okay, so courgettes, not the first vegetable that most of us have in the fridge/cupboard, but surprisingly pretty cheap and easy to get hold of. Mixed in with pasta, some bacon (if you like that sort of thing, personally I do), garlic and soft cheese it makes a great mid-week dinner. It's also pretty easy on the pocket too. So, what do you need - this will comfortably feed 3-4 people: 2-3 courgettes (about 10-12 inches long) 6-8 rashers of thick-cut smoked back bacon cut into thin strips 250g...
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Tomato pasta (also known as I've got nothing else in the fridge pasta)

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After arriving home Monday night I was faced with the conundrum that has plagued man since the stone age "What do I eat on the last night of the week before we do the shopping?" Okay so perhaps the question might have been slightly different in the stone age, and was more along the lines of "Ugg, ug ug!", but you know what I mean. Will it be the dreaded jacket potato of doom, or perhaps the fish fingers of disappointment (not that a fish finger sandwich is ever disappointing you understand)? So, upon opening the fridge I'm faced with not a lot of choice, but behold a punnet of tomatoes that haven't gone off yet, some garlic puree and a red onion. Hurrah, we're saved... So, what do you need - this will comfortably feed 3-4 people: 1-2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into small strips (optional) 2 tbsp of garlic puree 1 tbsp of dried oregano 1 tbsp of dried basil 2 tbsp of olive oil 1 red onion, roughly chopped 9-10 salad tomatoes, chopped ...
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Cooking doesn’t have to cost the earth you know

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As well as sharing some of my favourite recipes I really want to inspire others to ditch the ready meal and get in the kitchen. One of the things that puts a lot of people off can be the cost of the ingredients and all the kit that you seem to need in order to cook anything, so I wanted to write a post to dispel a few myths: Equipment: Obviously, you need a cooker and a hob. Whether its gas or electric isn't hugely important, but it can make a difference to how you cook. I prefer a gas hob and an electric oven, but that's just me. So what else do I use when I'm making a mess in the kitchen? Well, a lot of my recipes require only a few simple tools: a wok or large frying pan; a couple of saucepans; a wooden spoon and/or spatula; a decent chopping board; and at least one really sharp knife Sure, some of my recipes will need other things like ovenproof dishes and baking trays, and of course you're going to need some crockery and cutlery to devour your newly...
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Bolognese Pasta Bake (also sugar-free)

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Okay, so after my first two posts you might just be all Chinese food-ed out (if not I'll post some more soon, yum 😋 ) . After Chinese, Italian inspired food has to be another of my favourite cuisines. This particular recipe came about as a way to get as many of your daily veg portions into one meal without a picky 5 year old realising what she was eating (she's much older now, but still loves this recipe and even makes it herself) . Typically this isn't a recipe that I'd worry about anyone putting sugar into, but it you're more used to dumping a jar of Dolmio (other pasta sauces are available - Big H) into a pan of mince and onions then this is going to be a taste sensation for you, oh, and you get to feel good about eating it too (well, apart from the crispy cheesy topping, but I'm not forcing you to eat that, if you don't want it I'll eat it) ! So, what do you need - this will comfortably feed 3-4 people: 250g of lean minced beef 2 tbsp of gar...
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Sugar-Free Sweet & Sour Chicken

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Right, let me get one thing straight here, eating healthy food doesn't mean that you have to wave goodbye to tasty food. It is more than possible to eat delicious, nutritious foods without resorting to eating  "lettuce a la mode". Okay, equally I can't guarantee my recipes will help you to lose weight either, but at least you won't be pumping your system full of processed garbage! So, if like me you love chinese food, but are worried about it containing waayyyyyyyyyyy too much processed sugar , then continue reading here and allow me to rescue your taste buds... So, what do you need - this will comfortably feed 3-4 people: 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 2-3cm pieces ½ cup cornflour ½ cup of olive oil 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped into 2-3cm pieces 1 carrot, peeled and sliced thinly ½ brown onion, chopped into 2-3cm pieces ½ cup of honey ½ cup apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar) 1 tbsp of soy sauce 1 tbsp of garlic p...
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Sugar-Free Thai Sweet Chilli Chicken Noodles

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This is one of my favourite lazy, sugar-free recipes. Sure, you can pick up a bottle of sweet chilli sauce from most places, but it'll be packed with processed sugar and other artificial crap! My cooking is all about eliminating those processed nasties and replacing them with natural alternatives, all without taking half a day to prepare and cook. Most sugar-free sweet chilli sauce recipes will take over an hour of cooking just to prepare the sauce, and will stink out your kitchen! (this one won't) So, what do you need - this comfortably feeds 2 hungry adults: 2 tbsp of honey 2 tbsp of chilli puree 2 tbsp of white wine or cider vinegar 1 tbsp of garlic puree 1 tbsp of light olive oil 1 skinned boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced 1 small brown onion, thinly sliced (not chopped) 1 carrot, thinly sliced into rounds About a dozen cubes of pineapple 1/2 cup of cashew nuts 1 tbsp of cornflour mixed to a paste with cold water 1 cup of fresh apple or pineapple ...
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