[Kizzy]

Cold weather coming now brrrrr!
Don't want salads I want something hot and hearty but still low cal and healthy.
Anyone got any faves or ideas?

[Ninastar]

soup

[Kizzy]

I like soup, but was thinking of like family meals.
Pork shoulder is only £2.50 per kg atm so made a massive pork and lentil stew that was lovely.
Started to buy dried beans and pulses too instead of tins, much cheaper.

[mizzy25]

I was going to say soup too
shepards pie homemade of course

[Cherie]

My slow cooker comes into its own this time of year. Google some slo cooker receipes Kizzy, you can usually cook enough for two days so can freeze one and have it later in the week. I do all sorts, chilli, curry, stews, bolognaise, soups etc.

[Kizzy]

Can I tell you a secret?....
I have NEVER used my slow cooker
But I promise I will!

[Mrluvaluva]

A nice bowl of home made chilli.

[smudgie]

Home made soups and stews....or casseroles. Yummy.
Much prefer cooking winter food.

[Josy]

I always have something cooking in my slow cooker during the colder months atm it's chicken legs/thighs, I will remove the meat from the bones and use it for tomorrows dinner with some veg then use the rest for a curry, soup and sandwiches, so probably for 3 or 4 different things and I think they were only about 4 quid from co-op.

I add lentils and broth mix to allsorts of things in the winter too like stew, goulash, hotpots etc and we always eat things like that with side veg as well as having chopped veg in them.

Our favourite slow cooker meal is bbq pulled pork.

Other healthy stuff we eat in winter for dinners is stir fry, pasta bakes, and tons of home made soups, omelettes, I will probably think of more..

[Kate!]

I want a slow cooker.

[Ninastar]

I would definitely advise the slow cooker. its how we get through winter.

you can make all sorts with it.

we cook a roast overnight and have it the next day and its soooo nice

[MTVN]

First time I've even heard of a slow cooker

[Josy]

Originally Posted by *Kate*

I want a slow cooker.

You can pick them up quite cheap now Kate, Tesco do 3L ones for £15

[Kizzy]

I got one and then got paranoid about having it switched on while we were asleep :/
I get a turkey thigh and drumstick they are £4.50 (sometimes £3) and there's loads of meat on them easy enough for 2-3 meals and sandwiches.
I had no idea turkey was a lot lower in fat than chicken until recently, bonus
Will have a go at that bbq pork, my lad will love that!

[Ammi]

..soups definitely, I could live off homemade vegetable soups in the winter ...also any curry is lovely in the slow cooker, I like anything that you can just throw spices and pulses into it and be inventive....

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Kizzy;6421151[B

]I got one and then got paranoid about having it switched on while we were asleep :/[/B]
I get a turkey thigh and drumstick they are £4.50 (sometimes £3) and there's loads of meat on them easy enough for 2-3 meals and sandwiches.
I had no idea turkey was a lot lower in fat than chicken until recently, bonus
Will have a go at that bbq pork, my lad will love that!

I never cook overnight, usually 6/7 hours is enough, so you can start it about 9/10 ish in the morning and the food is ready by dinner time (evening dinner!)

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Josy

I always have something cooking in my slow cooker during the colder months atm it's chicken legs/thighs, I will remove the meat from the bones and use it for tomorrows dinner with some veg then use the rest for a curry, soup and sandwiches, so probably for 3 or 4 different things and I think they were only about 4 quid from co-op.

I add lentils and broth mix to allsorts of things in the winter too like stew, goulash, hotpots etc and we always eat things like that with side veg as well as having chopped veg in them.

Our favourite slow cooker meal is bbq pulled pork.

Other healthy stuff we eat in winter for dinners is stir fry, pasta bakes, and tons of home made soups, omelettes, I will probably think of more..

reading this makes me hungry.

[Josy]

Another one of our easy winter go to's is Smothered Pork Chops, this was the first meal I ever made in our own house when I was 16 years old and I think I phoned my mum every two minutes to double check everything she told me

4 pork chops (bone in or out is up to you)
2 large onions
2 beef oxo cubes

I add some extras sometimes like mushrooms or carrots.

Place your chops in a casserole dish (you can brown them before hand if that's what you prefer)
Chop the onions and place on the top (as well as any extras)
Mix the 2 beef cubes with enough water to cover everything

Cover with foil then place in a preheated oven and leave to cook for about 40minutes, I then remove the foil and turn the chops so the top doesn't dry out then put them back in the oven for another 20/30 minutes without the foil.


You can buy a 4 pack of frozen boneless pork chops from Morrisons for £2 and they work well with this, just remember to defrost them first.

Edit - I forgot to add this serves 4 of us and we have it with mashed turnip

[Vicky.]

Pfft. Healthy? Winter is the perfect excuse to eat a load of junk and blame it on comfort eating

[Josy]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Pfft. Healthy? Winter is the perfect excuse to eat a load of junk and blame it on comfort eating

[AnnieK]

I love winter - we hardly ever waste food in the winter as we turn all leftovers into soups etc. I always boil chicken bones to make stock and then chuck in loads of whatever veg I have left over, pulses, lentils etc etc. and make chicken broth etc...we always have a pan of something on the hob and freeze the rest....

[Josy]

We freeze a lot too Annie it's so easy just to grab something from the freezer to heat up rather than standing around the kitchen for hours making it.

I don't freeze soups or anything like that with potatoes in it though, I think they taste weird when they are defrosted/reheated

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Pfft. Healthy? Winter is the perfect excuse to eat a load of junk and blame it on comfort eating

Exactly!


Kizzy, a real hearty soup again make it in your unused slow cooker, is Ministrone, you can lob in loads of cannellini beans and pasta to bulk it out, and just do a few meatballs for the boy if he needs his meat. You should get 3/4 meals out of one slo cook if it is just 2 of you.

[Kizzy]

I'm a bit weird with frozen meat and bones haha, I do drain the cooking juices from a chicken let it settle and skim off the oil to get stock, but not boil bones.
I wish I liked curry more, we are right wusses chip shop stylee is as hot as we go
Lad loves pork and braised steak, but you hear stuff about red meat and it puts you off

[arista]

Originally Posted by MTVN

First time I've even heard of a slow cooker

Cost effective
and you leave it on while you go to Work.


Pro People use them