DINE OUT, DISH UP
This month we've changed things up again. Yvette has delved into the World of meal boxes with discounts galore. And Dom has created the most mouth watering marmalade chicken. Let's get stuck in.
DINE OUT
By Yvette Thomson
Healthy and Hassle free
I’ve learnt a few things during 2020 so far:
Having a pet tiger is more efficient than divorce
People who quarantine in jeans are not my kind of people
One must under no circumstances ever eat bats
I need to find more hobbies beyond “going out to eat”
I’ve also discovered that I should probably stop ordering pizza four times a week. If I knew for a fact quarantine was going to last until autumn I wouldn’t bother, but seeing my friends are still very optimistic about our summer plans in Ibiza, something’s gotta give.
Let’s be realistic, I’m not actually going to start cooking. Have you seen the queues at Waitrose? Luckily for me there is an abundance of healthy food delivery options available, many of which omit the need to lift a finger at dinner time. I’ve road tested a few and present to you my four faves*, all of which deliver nationwide.
*not to be confused with Lisa’s five faves; we’re talking lasagna, not lipstick.
FIT CHEF
Founded by fit foodies Matt and Will, Fit Chef creates macro tailored meals that look and taste hella good. Their experience from training at Gordon Ramsay’s chef school (fancy) and Leith’s School of Food and Wine is put to deliciously good use, all by keeping the cals controlled. Their globe-trotting travels inspire the dishes – think Korean chicken with sweet and spicy egg noodle stir-fry, Coq au Vin and Vietnamese lamb shank curry. Fit Chef offers both men’s and women’s lifestyle packages as well as flexible “create your own” plans.
Dough: Prices range from £95 for weekly plans containing breakfast, lunch and dinner to a £30 minimum spend on “create your “own”
The showstopper: Raw peanut butter and chocolate balls
Lil gift from me to you: Use discount code LPD25 for 25% off your first order
Check out their Instagram here @fitchefuk and their website here https://fit-chef.co.uk/
BALANCE BOX
Winning Women’s Health Food Award for Best Diet Delivery Service is no mean feat and that is exactly what Balance Box did in 2018. Since then they have been praised by the likes of Glamour mag and Marie Claire for their healthy, tasty meals. There are two different plans available – The Lighter (1,200 cals) and Market Plan (1,800 cals) – and all meals are free from refined carbs, sugars and unnecessary bad stuff. That said, nothing takes away from the taste. From free-range eggs with homemade avocado butter and rye bread to Massaman chicken curry, there is something for even the demanding diner.
Bob: Prices start at £22.99 per day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. One-off deliveries and subscriptions are available.
Must try: Organic smoked salmon and tomato ceviche salad
Early Christmas present: Use LPD20 for £20 off your first order
Check out their Instagram here @balanceboxuk and their website here https://www.balancebox.com/
DIETS 2 GO
I’ve never been a big fan of anything that contains the word “diet” but don’t let the name put you off. There is nothing diet-ey about Diets 2 Go. They have a huge menu – I’m talking around 60 combos – ranging from waffles and smoothies to Jerk chicken and pulled beef noodles. The meals are sugar and gluten free and won’t set you back your entire RDA of calories. They are jam-packed full of flavour and as an added bonus, they Instagram beautifully. Just saying.
Dollabillz: Choose from 5, 6 or 7-day boxes, each containing between 2 and 5 meals per box. Prices start from £55 for 2 meals a day for 5 days.
Personal fave: The protein pancakes all day erry day
Belated Christmas present: The code LPD15 gives you 15% off your order
Check out their Instagram here @diets2go and their website here https://diets2go.co.uk/
PREP PERFECT
Prep Perfect has a story. The founder Jodie successfully overcame her fear of food – something so many people grapple with – to create a healthy, nutritious and delicious meal delivery service. She has firsthand experienced how eating well can work miracles for the body and mind. “Food is of huge importance in life,” she says. “It can be your greatest medicine or the worst poison.” Prep Perfect’s meal plans are suited to a variety of different goals and you can choose from 5, 7 or 28 days for muscle gain, weight loss or maintenance. There is also a super easy meal builder which you can use for tailor-made meals. A definite plus for me is the minimal packaging. We can’t all have a King of Cardboard recycler*.
*Theo Coyne
Moolah: Prices start at around £5 per meal with a minimum order of £20. Free delivery over £50.
Try this: Chicken sausage casserole with the fluffiest mashed potatoes
Because quarantine sucks and you deserve a treat: LISA15 gives you 15% off until the end of June.
Check out their Instagram here @prepperfectuk and their website here https://www.prepperfect.co.uk/
DISH UP
By Dominic Franks
The Recipe | Marmalade Spatchcock Chicken
Whilst we’re never 100% sure what the British weather will give us at any given moment, it’s definitely warmer than usual here in the UK, and I’m in no doubt that most of the male population of the country will be raring to stoke those barbecues and burn some meat.
If truth be told, I’m really not that bothered by the whole barbecue thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love some chargrilled cooking I just don’t like the faff, and it’s a UK-based, very biased faff that I can’t stand. I get it if you live in a country where the summer is guaranteed and outdoor living is a way of life with your outdoor grill a permanent fixture in your outdoor space but here in the UK, if you’re from my ‘pre-gas-grill’ generation then you’re talking crappy little rusting metal barbecues that get used once a year and need de-greasing and de-cobwebbing prior to use. Plus a trip to the local petrol station to pick up a bag of charcoal, then the hassle of lighting said charcoal followed by the long tedious wait for the coals to be ‘ready’ only for it to rain the moment you begin to cook whilst everyone else is drunk on Aperol Spritz and staring at you from the comfort of the kitchen door.
Of course I have friends who have constructed brilliant homes for their ‘ready-at-the-flick-of-a-switch’ barbecues and I envy them their outdoor dining ambience but I would much rather cook indoors, in the kitchen I paid a fucking fortune for and then, shock-horror, take the food outside to eat it!
This marmalade spatchcock chicken is great for that. It’s relatively quick to make and can be finished on the barbecue if you want that char-grilled flavour to come through. It’s sweet and sticky and packed with flavour and perfect for a warm early-summer evening al-fresco with a bottle of something suitably chilled. Unlike me.
1 free-range chicken – I used a 1.7kg chicken (i’d call this large – good for 4 humans)
1 bunch spring onions – roughly chopped
2 sticks celery – chopped
1 carrot – roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
7 stalks of asparagus
4 tablespoons of your favourite marmalade
seasoning
Pre-heat your oven to 180C – I’m using my shallow cast-iron casserole dish with a lid but a roasting tin or any large oven-proof dish will work.
Place all your prepared veg, along with some fresh spring herbs and a little olive oil and seasoning, into your cooking dish. Mix them around so they’re all coated with herbs and oil (your hands are the best utensil for this) and set aside.
Now spatchcock your the chicken… it’s very simple to do and if you haven’t done it before here’s an easy-to-follow video
Now place the spatchcocked chicken on top of your vegetables and rub the whole chicken with the marmalade, get into all the crevices, front and back, then place the chicken back on top of the vegetables, skin side up. Season well and drizzle with a little oil, place the lid on your pot if you have one or cover tightly with foil, then whack in the oven for 45 minutes.
After 45 mins, take the chicken out of the oven, remove the lid or foil, turn the chicken over and pop back in the oven for another 10 minutes, then turn the chicken back over to skin-side-up and roast for a final 10 mins to get the chicken skin golden – if you have a barbecue going then whack the chicken onto the Hot grill for 5 mins to get that perfect chargrilled look or if you don’t then turn the oven up to 200 for that final 10 mins to blacken the chicken slightly.
Eat and of course, enjoy!
Lis again. Well I don't know about you, bunny I'm off to order a weekly food box, and a pot of marmalade!
Loved this. Enjoy the #Delboypotter codes and don 't forget to tag me in your meals!
Love & lipstick,
Lisa xx