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The Hairy Bikers have travelled the world showing us how to make tasty meals at home. Like many people they reached the point where they were no longer happy with how they looked. They made the show The Hairy Dieters to document their journey on losing weight but still eating the food that they love. The Hairy Dieters book then came out so that everyone can share their experience.
I am also at the stage of my life where I am unhappy with how I look and don’t feel my best. I love food and I am around food a lot so it’s easy for me to eat quite unhealthily. I was encouraged by their success so I bought their book and wanted to see how good their meals really were.
The first recipe that we tried was roasted cod with parma ham and peppers. It was a nice meal however I altered it slightly. I left out the bread crumbs and added a roasted Mediterranean veg selection. It was still very low in calories but quite filling and tasty. The sweetness of the veg was brought into balance with the cod which had baked well in the parma ham. The ham had created a crunchy layer too which was needed with the soft fish and veg. Next time I would like to try the breadcrumbs for that extra bit of bite. Sadly I forgot to take a picture, we were too hungry.
The Hairy Bikers make lasagne skinny by using slices of leek instead of pasta which I didn’t like the sound of but it actually works really well. I wouldn’t of thought of this, which is why they are the chefs and I am just a novice. The leek sheets held well and you can double up if you have an extra thin slice. You still get your layers and on first look you wouldn’t know there wasn’t pasta in it. They even have a lighter version of the cheese sauce, which isn’t great to be honest but you could always adapt it to your taste.
I made their low-fat minced beef and potato pies for my boyfriends lunches and I enjoyed them but at first he didn’t think they tasted right. It didn’t taste bad it just wasn’t the pie he was expecting. These pies won’t fool a pie lover, you can tell these are not your standard pie. I didn’t have any foil pie cases so made my own out of tin foil but they were still very easy to make and do make good lunches as they don’t fall apart.
I am only just beginning to like curries. I am not a fan of saucy dishes, but my boyfriend loves them so I needed to try the chicken korma. The korma was nice, it had a lovely creamy texture but don’t expect a creamy flavour. If you like your curry to be creamy this may not be for you but if it’s just the texture you like give this a try. It does have a little kick of spiciness to it due to the chilli powder. This recipe does not include the rice in the calorie count, so if you are using this book to lose weight remember to track all the extras.
There is also a paprika chicken recipe and I have used this a few times now as it is so easy to throw it all in the slow cooker and forget about it. The Hairy Bikers method is easy too. All there recipes are easy to follow and a lot of what you’ll need is most likely already in your kitchen.
This is a great book for those just starting out with losing weight and want to get ideas of alternative ways of still eating your favourite foods. This is also a great book for those who want to try making their favourite takeout meals healthier and at home. This is the only Hairy Dieters book that I own but I would look into getting the others at some point.
For more information on The Hairy Bikers and their books check out their site or to purchase it from amazon click *here.