Balsamic Slow Cooked Beef - low FODMAP

This Balsamic Roast Beef recipe is simple and delicious. You'll definitely want left overs for the next day. This serves 6-8 and is best served with mashed potatoes (so you can smother them in gravy) and vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1kg boneless roast beef (I ask for chuck from the butcher)
• 1 cup beef broth (I make up a cup of gravy with gravy mix and water)
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped (omit for low FODMAP recipe)

Method:

1. Place the roast into the slow cooker
2. In a 2 cup measuring jug - mix together all remaining ingredients
3. Pour over the roast
4. Cook on high for 4hrs or on low for 6-8hrs
5. Serve on a platter and pull it apart. It is so tender it shreds.

For the gravy: Just before serving I scoop out 2 ladles of the sauce and place in a small saucepan on the stove top. I add some corn flour to thicken. You won't need any gravy mix or other flavouring as the sauce is very flavoursome.  D-E-L-icious  XD

This is the beef before cooking

Pork Stew with Honey and Mustard

Considering I'm not a big pork eater - I really love this pork stew. It is moist, tasty and very easy. It's slow cooked, however best if you brown the pork first and fry the onions before loading everything into the slow cooker. This is great for winter and serves 4 generous serves.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1kg lean pork steak
• 1 tablespoon low-fat butter
• 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 250g button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 and half cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan and brown the pork on both sides on a high heat
2. Place the pork into the slow cooker
3. Add half the butter to the frying pan and cook onion until clear then add them to the slow cooker
4. Add mushrooms and remaining butter to the frying pan and cook for 1 minute
5. Stir in flour, cook 1 minute, then gradually add the lemon juice and stock while stirring to avoid lumps
6. Add the remaining ingredients to the frying pan, stir and warm through for only a couple of minutes
7. Pour everything into the slow cooker over the pork and mushrooms and cook on low for 6-7hrs.

Lovely served with pasta and vegetables covered in the juice from the slow cooker.

D-E-L-icious  XD

Chicken & Salad with Satay Sauce

I am eating very small portions at present during a major gall bladder attack!

This is a very quick and simple fresh and healthy meal suitable for lunch or dinner. You can use BBQ chicken from the supermarket (without the skin) or a chicken breast which you can pan fry in spray oil or steam. Steaming would certainly be the most healthy option, however I had some left over cooked chicken breast from the night before which had been pan-fried in spray oil and a drizzle of soy sauce - so I used that. This meal serves 4-5.

Ingredients:

• 2 cooked chicken breasts - without skin, thinly sliced
• Bag of mixed green leaves, washed and dried
• Half a telegraph cucumber, roughly chopped
• 4 sticks celery, thinly sliced
• 1/4 red capsicum, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Enough warm water to smooth to a slightly runny sauce

Method:

1. In a small saucepan place the peanut butter, honey and soy sauce. Add some warm water and whisk together on a low heat until the sauce is the consistency you prefer. Add as much or as little water as you want
2. Keep the sauce on a very low heat and go to step 3
3. Place a handful of mixed salad leaves on the plate
4. Add the chopped salad vegetables
5. Place the sliced chicken breast on top of salad
6. With a spoon drizzle the satay sauce over the chicken

D-E-L-icious  XD