Virtuelicious
By Virtuelicious
After years of working long hours and not having time to cook, I felt unhealthy, lethargic and fed up. I needed to make a change. Over the years I learnt how to cut corners without compromising on great taste and healthy options. And now I'm going to share everything I have learnt with YOU.
I'll share my quick cook tips so that you can spend more of your time doing what you want.
We'll cover meal planning, food prep, time saving gadgets, batch cooking, even dinner parties!
Come, join us :) x
VirtueliciousMar 03, 2022
41. Fuss Free Cooking whilst Camping with Tentshare's Rebecca Heaps
I'm joined by the fabulous Rebecca Heap for a good old chinwag about fuss free cooking whilst camping. We come up with a brilliant menu for a weekend away which makes it easy to cook. No more slaving away over the bbq and certainly no more charred sausages. We're talking healthy, tasty, filling food without the hassle. Sounds good right? And if you like the menu you can purchase the kit here: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/product/camping-kit/
Whilst we're at it we put the world to rights - did you know 250,000 tents were left at festivals last year? Crazy! Well Rebecca is doing amazing things to help reduce this waste. She has created a wonderful tent marketplace where you can rent out or rent a tent. I love this idea! So no need to buy new tents for one off trips. It's a great way to make some money if you own your own tent too. Definitely check it out: https://www.tentshare.co.uk
40. How to Make Pancakes with a Twist Including Sweet, Savoury, Gluten Free, Lactose Free, Vegan, Indian
Are you looking for inspiration to make this pancake day a bit different? If you love pancake day as much as I do then you'll love this video!
I'm joined by Ankita Stopa of One Girl and her Thermie to have chinwag about our favourite pancake recipes including Indian and Japanese pancakes.
We discuss how to make pancakes that are suitable for different occasions and food intolerances.
See my blog on pancakes here: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/pancake-day-recipe-ideas/
See Ankita's Japanese okonomiyaki pancake recipe here: https://onegirlandherthermie.co.uk/okonomiyaki/
For more quick recipe inspiration: https://www.facebook.com/Virtuelicious and https://www.instagram.com/virtuelicious/
And here's the peri peri seasoning I mentioned: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/product/peri-peri-kit/
39. Veganuary Tips 10: Final Episode
Want to win the meal planner journal? To be in with a chance all you have to do is sign up to my newsletter and when you receive any newsletter from Virtuelicious just reply saying you want to win. That's it! You can sign up from the blog post, just scroll to the bottom of the page to get to the sign up form. Here's the link: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips
Good luck! xx
38. Veganuary Tips 9: How To Add Va Va Voom To Your Meals
Read the blog: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips and listen to the last episode to find out how to win the mean planner journal.
Add the va va voom factor- always have onions, garlic, ginger and chillies to hand
- pre-prepare then and either refrigerate or freeze
- don’t be afraid of using ready made blends - just check the label for nasties. Here are mine: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/shop/
- keep the water from steaming or boiling veg - it can make a tasty hot drink or use it to add flavour to sauces
- add texture with seeds, nuts, croutons or raw diced veg e.g. peppers
- make your plate visually appealing with colour and garnishes
37. Veganuary Tips 8: How To Eat More Veg
Read the blog: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips and listen to the last episode to find out how to win the mean planner journal.
Eat more veg- again, batch cooking is key. Roast or steam a load of veg when you get it home from the supermarket. Then store in a large container ready to pick on and add to dishes whenever you want it.
- hide veg in dishes e.g. add pureed veg to pasta sauce, grate parsnip into rice
- sub carbs for veg e.g. cauliflower rice
36. Veganuary Tips 7: How To Keep Your Carbs In Check
Read the blog: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips and listen to the last episode to find out how to win the mean planner journal.
Keep your carbs in check- eat a variety of grains
- choose wholegrains where possible to keep yourself fuller for longer
- batch cook, portion up and freeze so that they are ready whenever you want them
- substitute some of your carbs for pulses e.g. reduce the amount of pasta on your plate and replace some of it with butter beans; likewise, add beans or vegetables to rice.
- try not to have carbs with carbs e.g. potato curry with rice or a chip butty
- replace breakfast with a non-carb/low-carb alternative e.g. smoothie, rosti, fry up etc.
35. Veganuary Tips 6: How To Eat More Protein
Read the blog: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips and listen to the last episode to find out how to win the mean planner journal.
Eat More Protein- eat more protein by eating more pulses
- make your own hummus (you can get my recipe blend here: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/product/hummus-recipe-kit/)
- sprout your own beans (so much cheaper than buying then sprouted)
- batch cook pulses - a slow cooker works wonders for this
- add nuts and seeds to meals e.g. cashew nuts in your curries, seeds on your porridge
34. Veganuary Tips 5: How To Have A Balanced Diet
Whatever type of vegan you decide to be, ensuring you eat a balanced diet is a must. All too often turning vegetarian or vegan results in a carb heavy, low protein diet. It’s just so much easier to put on a pan of pasta and top with pasta sauce than it is to bake a lasagna packed with lentils and vegetables - that’s just one example. But that lasagna can be portioned up and frozen so you have a nutritious ready meal whenever you want it. It just takes planning.
Make sure that each meals contains protein, carbs, vegetables and what I like to call va va voom.
33. Veganuary Tips 4: Be Prepared
Read the blog: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips and listen to the last episode to find out how to win the mean planner journal.
Be preparedGoing vegan is a big change. It requires planning. If you want to eat a balanced diet of largely unprocessed foods then you can do that but it takes a bit of work upfront. My 3-Hour Cooking Week e-book can help with this. It’s a vegetarian plan but with a few swaps the meals can be turned into vegan ones. Get it here: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/product/3-hour-cooking-week-e-book/
Set aside some time to do your meal planning. Get your diary out and work out when you’ll be home and when you’ll need food to take with you on the go, especially when a vegan meal may not be an option.
Work out what meals you want and when you will have time to prepare them. And make sure you set aside time to do the shopping.
Batch cook so that you have some to eat now, leftovers in the fridge and portions in the freezer for another day. Don’t forget to portion up the food so that you can defrost one portion at a time.
Make sure you always have something ready to eat for when you get home ravenous. And don’t forget the snacks!
My meal planner journal covers all this and more: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/product/meal-planner-journal/
32. Veganuary Tips 3: What type of foods do you want to eat?
Read the blog: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips and listen to the last episode to find out how to win the mean planner journal.
What’s your motivations for going vegan? Is it to save the planet or is it for health reasons? Do you want to eat more “clean” foods? Do you want to focus on upping your cooking skills? Do you want to loose weight? Or are you just trying to prove to yourself that you can do it?
Whatever your reason, it is worth spending a bit of time thinking about what you want your diet to look like. Changing your diet can mean spending a lot more time in the kitchen. But it doesn’t have to mean that at all.
It is possible to eat largely the same as you did before (depending on how you ate before, of course) by swapping out foods for their vegan alternatives. You can get a lot of vegan look-a-likes e.g. bacon, sausages, meatloaf, beef, charcuterie, tuna, black pudding, haggis, fish, milk, cheese, spread…nearly everything. Eating like this will save lots of time and effort. It will also be expensive and if your goal is to eat foods that look like what they are made of then this may not be for you. Check out this shop for vegan alternatives: https://thevegankind.com
31. Veganuary Tips 2: How Vegan Do You Want To Be?
Read the blog: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips and listen to the last episode to find out how to win the mean planner journal.
On the face of it going vegan is an easy decision - and it can be if you want it to be. It’s simply giving up meat, fish, eggs and dairy products right? Well, yes it can be that if you want it to be.
Or you might want to go the extra mile and give up honey too. Or start checking labels to ensure that foods don’t contain ingredients that are derived from animals - eggs and gelatine are the obvious ones. But what about the not so obvious? Some alcohols use animal products in the production process. The wax on may well be shellac (E904) which is a resin secreted by the female lac bug.
And then there’s the clothes - should you give up your favourite leather shoes? Or keep wearing what you have but not buy new ones? Or only buy second-hand?
These are all things to think about. There is no right or wrong answer. Just what feels right for you!
30. Veganuary Tips 1: Introduction
Read the blog: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/veganuary-tips and listen to the last episode to find out how to win the mean planner journal.
On the face of it going vegan is an easy decision - and it can be if you want it to be. It’s simply giving up meat, fish, eggs and dairy products right? Well, yes it can be that if you want it to be. But there's a lot to think about. There is no right or wrong answer. Just what feels right for you!
What’s your motivations for going vegan? Is it to save the planet or is it for health reasons? Do you want to eat more “clean” foods? Do you want to focus on upping your cooking skills? Do you want to loose weight? Or are you just trying to prove to yourself that you can do it?
Read on to find out how to get prepared and eat a balanced diet.
29. My Year in Food and What's Coming up in 2022
It’s been a funny old year but there is so much I have learned and embraced about food. In this episode I share my food ups and downs.
Cooking obstacles: developing a chronic illness
Best dinner out: Laksha Bay in Wapping, London https://www.laksha-bay.co.uk
Best breakfast out: https://www.littlefarthingloefarm.co.uk
Best dish I have made: Malai Kofta
See the recipe video here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CXEazEqo2-X/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Gurka Palace: https://gurkhapalace.co.uk
Holy Pundit: http://theholypundit.co.uk
New products: BBQ sauce, Veg stock, meal planning course, meal planning journal, 3 hour cooking week: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/shop/
New thing I have learnt to make: bread
Most proud of: being stocked in four zero waste shops
New foods: Eczema Detox by Karen Fischer https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eczema-Detox-low-chemical-eliminating-inflammation/dp/1925335534
Kitchen gadgets that have upped my game: air fryer, slow cooker
Coming up next year:
- Veganuary
- Weight-loss special
- Best kitchen gadgets
- Thermomix series
- Airfryer tips
- meal planning series
- quick cook tips
- how I learnt to make to bread
- what to expect when you shop in zero waste shops
- recipes
Happy Cooking x
28. Bread Sauce Recipe Easy Peasy
Apparently Christmas isn't Christmas without bread sauce! But who's got time to make bread sauce from scratch? You do, of course :-)
In this episode I'm going to tell you exactly how I make bread sauce from scratch in minutes. How do I do it? Well, you know me…always love a cooking hack. And lucky for you I'm going to share it :-)
In the recipe on my website I compare the cost of making bread sauce from scratch with buying it in a packet (where you still have to add the milk yourself) and buying a premium ready-made version. It's it's an eye-opener to see the difference in price.
Here's the recipe: bread sauce recipe easy
Here's the Instagram reel so you can see the video: Instagram reel
Hit subscribe to hear more Christmas recipes.
Happy cooking :) x
27. Quick Christmas Cake That You Actually Want To Eat (Even if You Don't Like Christmas Cake)
Do you dream of making your own Christmas cake but never get round to it? Why is that? Could it be because it takes so long and it's a bit of a faff? Well if that's you then don't worry, I've got your back.
Or are you one of those people that just don't like Christmas cake? Neither did I until I developed my amazing recipe tailored to my taste.
In this episode I'm going to go over how I made my Christmas cake into a quick and easy affair and how I tweaked the recipe so that I actually enjoyed eating it! In fact, I actually look forward to it and can't resist a nibble when no one's looking!!
After listening to this episode you will be fully armed with everything you need to make a Christmas cake you and your family will enjoy with just a few minutes of your time in the kitchen.
Fancy trying my Christmas Cake Kit?
Get it here (UK only): https://virtuelicious.co.uk/product/christmas-cake-kit/
See pictures and videos of my Christmas Cake here and let me know how yours goes:
Instagram: http://instagram.com/virtuelicious/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/Virtuelicious
Pinterest: http://pinterest.co.uk/virtuelicious_/
26. Diwali Dinner without the Drama!
Today’s episode is about how to make a quick and simple Diwali dinner. If you’d like to have an Indian themed lunch or dinner to celebrate but can’t face spending all day in the kitchen then fear not, I’ve got your back. I’ver got some amazingly quick tips to help you celebrate Diwali dinner without the drama!
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a full on traditional spread, this is a fantastic three course meal made quickly but with all the flavour that will leave you satisfied....you may even go back for seconds!And because it's simple and easy, you'll have the energy to enjoy it.
I'll talk you through how to make the yummy lassi drink we all love, pakora, curry, roti, rice and even a beautiful yogurt dessert.
So if you want to make a meal you can be proud of, you won't want to miss this episode.
If you want to make an Indian Feast using my ten minute meal kits you can check them out here: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/product/indian-feast-kit/
Happy eating :) x
25. It's BBQ season! Tips and tricks for an easy, tasty BBQ that won’t leave you frazzled
In this episode I share with you my tips and tricks for an easy but tasty bbq.
I'm still writing up the full article but I'll send it to my email subscribers when it's ready and will be offering a discount on my new BBQ sauce pack. You can sign up here: Sign Up
Listen now to hear how I make have a bbq a doddle. I'll cover:
Key principles:
keep prep easy and limit the number items that you make
make it easy for people to help themselves to the food
Mains:
choose just a couple of mains.
shop bought it fine
if making it yourself then choose low prep meat or fish and a marinade
the veg option should be a course in its own right - swap meat for tofu (tofoo is my favourite brand), veg sausages and burgers, bean burgers, halloumi or paneer
Salads:
make as easy as poss, use a processor - salsa and coleslaw are great for this
potato and pasta salad are good make-ahead options
Veg:
corn on the cob, roasted veg, portobello mushrooms
Carbs:
warm bread on the coals, it makes it taste like fresh bread
buns - brioche are all the rage at the moment
other options include rice (great with kebabs), cous cous, bugler wheat and potato - baked or wedges.
Sauces:
make your own if you like or buy it:
options include: bbq sauce, peri peri, chilli sauce, ketchup, mayo, yogurt with herbs and other flavours mixed in, mustard
Sides:
fired onions
cheese
pickles
crudités - use veg that requires very little prep e.g. baby vegetable, sugar snaps, veg that is easy to chop e.g. cucumber and peppers
Dessert
choose desserts that don’t require a lot of effort to serve up e.g.
homemade ice lollies
juice and water
milk and chocolate/strawberry/rose syrup, milkshake powder?
milk and fruit
fruit salad
grilled fruit - sliced pineapple or peaches charred on the bbq
ice cream
Drinks
punch - both non alcoholic and alcoholic
beer
water
ice
glass identifiers (permeant marker for disposable glasses, stem rings for wine glasses, liquid chalk markers for glasses
Don't forget to sign up to get the full guide: Sign Up
24. How to Cook When You Have a Chronic Illness or long COVID
Before I start, I just want to let you know about my FREE Meal Planning Checklist. It's full of tips to help you stick to your plan: mailchi.mp/7ba3e8b8584f/fjki0gt351
Want to cook but finding it hard due to lack of energy albeit physical or mental? Food is the very thing that to make us feel better, it gives us energy and strength to carry on. But how do you do that when you're suffering from a chronic illness which leaves you depleted? In this podcast I'm giving some of my favourite tips. It's a very long episode but I wanted to cover quite a lot of stuff to give you as much value as possible. Hope it helps :-) Here are the broad section headings:
Plan, plan, plan
Cooking hacks
Batch cooking
Organisation
Equipment
Cleaning
Check out my other videos and podcasts for more tips on meal planning and cutting corners in the kitchen without compromising on quality.
Don't forget my FREE Meal Planning Checklist: mailchi.mp/7ba3e8b8584f/fjki0gt351
Happy Cooking :) x
23. How to Cook Breakfasts, Lunches and Dinners for a Whole Week with Just 3 Hours in the Kitchen
Link to three hour cooking week: virtuelicious.co.uk/product/3-hour-cooking-week-e-book/
In this episode I chat about how I managed to cook three meals a day for seven days in just three hours!!
I had no idea that I could spend such little time cooking….and in the episode I give away nuggets from my 3 Hour Cooking Week Plan including how to save time by:
cooking different components of each meal at the most efficient times
batch cooking where poss
using different components in different ways to optimise my time spent in the kitchen
For example:
I make pancake batter ahead of time when I am free
I make extra batter and keep keep it in the fridge in a jam jar so that it is ready for the next time I want pancakes
I make sweet and savoury pancakes
I also chat about how the basis of my 3 Hour Cooking Week Plan revolves around the meal plan, shopping list, prep plan and instructions.
I know you’ll love this episode…I certainly enjoyed recording it :)
Happy Cooking :)
Avni x
P.S. don't forget to get your FREE meal planning checklist: click here
22. Following a Recipe vs Cooking without a Recipe
FREEBIE!!! meal planning checklist: https://mailchi.mp/7ba3e8b8584f/fjki0gt351
In this episode of the podcast we are talking about when I thought I recipe compared to when I don't follow a recipe and also when I'll take the middleground and take inspiration from a recipe but go off on my own tangent :-)
I might follow a recipe when I want to learn new techniques, experiment with new cuisines or flavours, or I just want to indulge in the joy of cooking.
But then there are times when I might not want to follow recipe, or I might want to tweak a recipe. I might do that when I am limited by the type of ingredients I have, for example by what's in season or what needs using up in the fridge. I may also tweak a recipe to cater to my own taste, or to make it suitable to a particular diet e.g. vegetarian or to make it healthy.
Here's the recipe for the orange cake we will be discussing in the Clubhouse chat on Tuesday at 6pm (send me a message through any of the Virtuelicious social media channels and I'll send you the link): https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/sep/28/claudia-rodens-orange-and-almond-cake
I hope you enjoy this episode, I'd love to hear from you.
Happy Eating :) x
P.S. don't forget to download the meal planning checklist: https://mailchi.mp/7ba3e8b8584f/fjki0gt351
21. Pancake Recipes for Shrove Tuesday
I love pancakes!!!! Love love love!!! I get so excited about pancake day. But given that they are so easy to make I have no idea why I don't eat them more often.
In this episode I'll share a recipe to make it super easy to make pancakes without a measuring jug or weighing scales! Yep, you heard that right. It will blow your mind how easy it is.
So make sure you have flour, eggs, milk and butter. A jug, a decent pan and a spatula (just in case you can't flip it) are all the equipment you need. And as for the fillings...where do I start? In this podcast I share some of my favourite fillings - savoury and sweet...even my breakfast version.
Click the link below to check out my Instagram and Facebook channels to see my recipes and videos. There's also a link to my meal planner journal.
20. Meal Planning Part 1: Shopping List Tips To Save You Time
More freebies, fb, Insta, website etc: linktr.ee/virtuelicious
So you want to meal plan? If you're anything like me it goes well for a couple of days and then it goes to pot! Following my framework saves me so much time and energy and I eat much better food as a result.
In this episode I'm doing a deep dive into shopping lists. I share my top tips on how to organise your shopping list to make grocery shopping as efficient as possible. You'll never forget that essential ingredient again!
This is the first in my mail planning series to accompany my meal planning journal that you can get here: Meal Planner Journal
19. Healthy Eating Habits
It's that time of year...let's make some healthy eating resolutions. In this episode I share my resolutions...ones I have achieved in past years, ones I have failed to achieve and my new ones for this year. Click the link below for your FREE habit tracker.
Get the meal planner here: meal planner
Get your FREE habit tracker here: habit tracker
[18] Christmas Dinner for Cheats!!
Wow, what a year!
It's being doing my nut...
I'm hoping to spread a little Christmas cheer
Gyms are shut
We can't flex our muscles
But we can still have a small Christmas
Not forgetting the Brussels
Wow, what a year!
Usually tonight I'd be sipping on beer!
Hope you liked my little poem :)
In this short episode I reveal how we cheat at Christmas....yep I know I'm the cook from scratch queen but sometimes we just need to do what feels right. And right now is one of those times. After all, I'm not perfect, I'm human. So join me to hear what Christmas dinner is like in our house. Believe me, you will feel like a domestic god(dess) when you hear about my cheats. And listen to the end to hear about my quick and easy cranberry sauce made from juice. Oh and it's healthy too!
It's been a crazy year so I am wishing you the Merriest of Christmases. Stay safe xx
[17] Eco-Friendly Christmas Market
Here's a list of the sellers along with the timestamp:
4.10 Reverse the tide, eco friendly shop and community with Sally
13.20 One Girl and Her Thermie with Ankita
19.40 Betty and Bill's homemade note cards and Paper with Samantha
26.20 Tentshare: tent marketplace with Rebecca Heaps
30.45 The Scenic Route organic and recycled clothing with Amber
38.55 CoCo Nation coconut cups with Chanaka
41.25 Rewind Glass bottles turned into glasses and clocks with Fiona
47.15 Tattymoo repurposing clothes with Julia
51.15 Kindpreneur eco-friendly marketplace with Karen
55.05 FrigginWell mindfulness shower pack, Klaudia
62.05 Juice Plus+ with Nicky
Get all the details of the sellers here: mailchi.mp/caec3a34a050/3nl9w9d9ny
[16] My Dad got Coronavirus
This is a personal one - I share my experience of my Dad getting Coronavirus.
In this episode I talk about how it affected me emotionally and physically as well as the practical steps that we took to deal with it and the support that we got.
I know this podcast is meant to be about food but I thought it was important to share this story in case it helps you, or a loved one, deal with this difficult situation.
Please share this with anyone that you think might benefit. The reason for recording this podcast is because it would have helped me a lot if I could have listened to someone else's story whilst I was going though it.
[15] Stir Up Sunday Special: Christmas Cake-Off
We are having a cake-off! #nervous! Check out the links below!
Paul Couchman is a Regency Cook - he specialises in cooking in the style of the regency period. Seeing as his Christmas Cake is made using a time old recipe and my Christmas Cake Kit is a modern version that takes 10 minutes to prepare (it even has chocolate in it and is more akin to a brownie than a cake) we thought it would be fun to compare and contrast the two approaches.
Here are some nuggets from the episode:
The Christmas Cake was originally eaten on the 12th night of Christmas, which is 5 January. In those days Christmas Day wasn’t the main event, rather, there were celebrations on each of the 12th night. As you may already know, Christmas was originally a Pagan festival. It was only later that it was nominated as the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The Christmas pudding is the same this as a plum pudding - the word plum refers to the dried fruit rather than the fresh fruit we think of now. And plum pudding was originally served at harvest time. So interestingly we have moved the Christmas pudding forward to Christmas Day and the Christmas cake back to Christmas Day and now we tend to eat whichever we prefer on the day.
Christmas Puddings have similar ingredients to Christmas Cakes but have less flour and more suet. The Christmas pudding, however, originated much earlier. In fact, the first puddings were meat-based, for example using sausage, intestines and blood – that's where we get black pudding from. The meats and cereal would be bound in the intestines and cooked with water. In the 17th century cloth became used instead of the intestines. As time went by, the amount of meat reduced until it became non-existent. And as sugar became more accessible, it became cheaper and Christmas pudding and cake no longer became the preserve of the wealthy.
Interestingly, the distinction between sweet and savoury food being served as different dishes and at different courses is a recent one. The concept of desserts only came about in the 19th century, around about the 1830s.
Paul’s Christmas Cake:
The recipe comes from The Modern Cook, a book written by Charles Elmé Francatelli who was chief cook to Queen Victoria. The recipe is featured a book by Annie Gray called How to Cook the Victorian Way. You can find the recipe, along with Paul’s pudding making course here.
Paul’s is a definitely a traditional Christmas Cake, cooked for six hours in a low oven. And as if that isn’t long enough, he spends days on the marzipan and icing to cover it….worth a listen to hear about how he goes about that.
My Recipe:
I made my Christmas Cake using my Christmas Cake Kit, the recipe for which has a special place in my heart. Mine would more appropriately be called a Christmas Brownie - it’s laced with chocolate and and has a squidge to it.
Now, I generally don't like Christmas cake but Aunty Ann's Christmas cake is something else! Aunty Ann was my neighbour when I was growing up - she's from Granada in the West Indies so her cake was deliciously moist, spicy and very boozy :-) when I was young one stir up Sunday she invited us over to teach us how to make her version of the Christmas cake. Even after all those years I still remember that day, it was such a special day. Unfortunately we lost touch with Aunty Ann and lost the recipe. But, as with all hand me down recipes, I recreated my own version of it from memory and adapted it to my taste. Whether or not she would approve of my version, I may never know.
You can get your hands on my Christmas cake kit here.
And here’s the video of me making my Christmas Cake kit.
Here's my Meal Planner waitlist.
[14] Coaching Cami to Calm Cooking
Hey Hey Hey!
In today's episode I speak with the wonderful Cami Layne...fellow podcaster whose voice I am just a little envious of ;)
Cami is a busy mumpreneur of two - to be honest I don't know how she does it! But she did confide in me that she could do with a hand when it comes to bringing calm to mealtimes. So.....I put on my coaching hat and helped her out :)
Fast forward to the end of the show to hear how much my cook coaching session helped Cami to tap into her cooking zen.
Before we get to that, let me tell you about my Meal Planner Journal - it will help you serve up amazing healthy food without the stress and energy depletion. It’s so much more than just a schedule to list what meals you’re having. It’s a simple yet effective framework with tools to help you use up what you have, plan when you’re going to cook, manage batch cooking, write your shopping list, track your key stats and even reflect. Honestly, it’s a game changer. Get on the waiting list here: https://mailchi.mp/b7caa2ef4fd7/pc75sfnd1y
Back to Cami....we talked about the obstacles holding Cami back when it came to cooking and found ways to work around them including my roasting veg hack, how to batch cook meat and carbs so mealtimes are just an assembly job and that it's ok to use ready made sauces and spice mixes to save time - yes, that includes my own spice mixes that you can get on my website if you're in the UK: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/shop/
And if you want to find Cami's podcast you can do so here: www.momstartabusiness.com
I hope you enjoy the episode....if you did then hit subscribe and tell a friend!
Happy cooking :) x
Trailer: Welcome to the Virtuelicious Podcast
After years of working long hours and not having time to cook, I felt unhealthy, lethargic and fed up. I needed to make a change. Over the years I learnt how to cut corners without compromising on great taste and healthy options. And now I'm going to share everything I have learnt.
In this podcast I'll share my quick cook tips so that you can spend more of your time doing what you want to do. I'll talk about meal planning, food prep and the gadgets I use. And I'll share my quick cook recipes that mean no matter how little time I have, I can always whip up a healthy and tasty dish.
My new meal planner journal will be out soon and I just know you’re going to love it. I’ve been trialling it out and it’s saving me loads of time. Sign up here and I’ll let you know when it’s ready: mailchi.mp/690a91ed13a7/mealplannerpodcast10
And do hit subscribe to join me on my next episode!
Happy cooking :) x
[13] Easy Bread Recipes with Rhiannon
As usual, we have a good old chinwag and I randomly share my top tip for calming the fire in your mouth when you eat too much chilli....and we get carried away coming up with new recipes - how about a chocolate version? And we talk about how flatbreads are great to get kids interested in cooking and trying new foods.
Links are at the bottom of the show notes - including how to get on the waitlist for my brand spanking new meal planner journal that will save you tons of time in the kitchen and how to get your hands on my ten minute Christmas Cake Kit…as well as a sneak into what’s coming up in the next episode.
After listening to this show you won’t have to look at a recipe book again to make flatbread. You’ll know
the basic recipe
different ways you can use flatbread
how to change the recipe to make the flat bread flat or fluffy - Rhiannon explains the chemistry behind what makes it fluffy
how to add different flavours to the flatbread to make it your own
how to save time by batch cooking and refreshing it so that it tastes like fridge
what types of dough can be made ahead of time and what needs to be used straight away
Want to try my flatbread kit? Click here: virtuelicious.co.uk/product/flatbread-fast/
Here’s a video of Rhiannon making flatbread on her facebook page: fb.watch/1upwilT6i1/ and here’s her website where you can book her online baking classes: theepsombakehouse.co.uk
My new meal planner journal will be out soon and I just know you’re going to love it. I’ve been trialling it out and it’s saving me loads of time. Sign up here and I’ll let you know when it’s ready: mailchi.mp/690a91ed13a7/mealplannerpodcast10
And, as stir up Sunday is fast approaching I must get my Christmas Cake Kit’s ready. They take just ten minutes of your time in the kitchen and then the over does the work. Sign up here to get an email when they go on sale (oh, and did I say that you’ll get a cheeky 10% off just for registering interest): mailchi.mp/e151ba156b0c/lx746ujww4. Oh and coming up in the next episode is a cake-off with Paul Couchman why specialises in traditional cooking from the 1800s. We’re going to compare my modern Christmas Cake with Paul’s traditional one. Let’s just say I am super nervous about this one!
[12] Slow Cooker Cooking with Pinky Ghadiali
Pinky is a busy entrepreneur and single mother who just doesn’t have time to cook….until she fell in love with her slow cooker.
Slow cooking isn’t something that I have done a lot before so I couldn’t wait to get her on my show…not just because I knew that she would make a great guest but also so that I could pick her brains. And now I can’t wait to get mu slow cooker out!!
On the menu for today in Pinky’s house is butternut squash, chick pea and spinach curry so I asked her to go through the process step by step so that we can cook it ourselves. Guess what? She was right, it is really easy.
Pinky’s other favourites includes bolognese, stews and soups and her tips on making these are real game changers.
And Pinky just happens to be a fan of cooking with alcohol…both putting it in the dish and consuming it whilst cooking. A girl after my own heart :)
If you’d like to get in touch with Pinky you can do so here: www.netwomen.co
Last week I talked about my new meal planner journal. I’ll be publishing it soon and I just know you’re going to love it. Sing up here and I’ll let you know when it’s ready: https://mailchi.mp/690a91ed13a7/mealplannerpodcast10
And, as stir up Sunday is fast approaching I must get my Christmas Cake Kit’s ready. They take just ten minutes of your time in the kitchen and then the over does the work. Sign up here to get an email when they go on sale(oh, and did I say that you’ll get a cheeky 10% off just for registering interest): https://mailchi.mp/e151ba156b0c/lx746ujww4
Happy Cooking :) x
[11] Washing Up Sucks!
Can washing up every be a joy? I think not! BUT there are things that I have learnt along the way that makes it easier.
And that’s how I managed to talk about washing up for nearly half an hour!
Here’s some of the stuff I talk about:
pros and cons of different sizes of dishwashers
my favourite pans
may favourite make of utensils www.josephjoseph.com
what I put in the dishwasher and what I will NEVER put into the dishwasher!
my favourite dishwasher tablets
how I save time hand washing my pans
my favourite scourer and why I think it’s worth investing: www.homebargains.co.uk/products/18302-elbow-grease-scrubbing-pad.aspx
the best washing up gloves I have found. I got them cheaper elsewhere: www.amazon.co.uk/Elbow-Grease-Household-Medium-Rubber/dp/B084D76GNB
Harriet Holme left a cooking hack: such a good hack that I love…worth a listen to the episode just for that. Harriet is a nutritionist with loads of experience specialising in pregnancy..she’s even written books on the subject! I’m sure she won’t mind if I include a link to here freebies: linktr.ee/healthyeatingdr
I have created a meal planner journal...well I have almost created it. But I couldn't wait to tell you all about it because I think it's going to be sooooo helpful. If you're interested and would like to know when it goes live just click the link below...no obligation....just window shopping :) mailchi.mp/690a91ed13a7/mealplannerpodcast10
Lastly, here's the link to get to know when the Christmas Cake Kit is ready and get your 10% discount just for registering :) mailchi.mp/e151ba156b0c/lx746ujww4
Happy Cooking :) x
Kitchen Organisation Hacks
Love cooking but find you can never find that knife, saucepan or lid you need? Is cooking becoming a chore?
I hear you...I've been there. And I've picked up a few nuggets along the way that may help you if you feel that your kitchen cupboards are in need of some TLC.
In this episode I chat about some of the considerations I think are important when deciding on what containers to buy or how to organise the containers in your cupboard...and don't get me started on that messy utensil drawer. I also share with you my longing for more pans and how I think it's worth having less to experience that sense of inner calm.
And...towards the end I unveil my new project - I have created a meal planner journal...well I have almost created it. But I couldn't wait to tell you all about it because I think it's going to be sooooo helpful. If you're interested and would like to know when it goes live just click the link below...no obligation....just window shopping :)
https://mailchi.mp/690a91ed13a7/mealplannerpodcast10
I hoe you enjoy the episode.
Happy Cooking :) x
Food and Fashion: a conversation with Lisa Gillbe
The fabulous Lisa Gillbe joins me to chat food and fashion…and believe me, this episode has had a hugely positive impact on me.
We thought it would be nice to kick back and have a chat about how food and fashion are important in making us feel good, something that’s especially important right now.
Lisa shares top tips for dressing in lockdown, how food and fashion provide us with the comfort we need right now. We even chat about how food and fashion move in cycles, reminiscing Angel Delight and 70’s orange.
Lisa is a fantastic stylist….since this chat I have been inspired to dress better and in fact I have completely rehauled my wardrobe..not by buying new clothes but by taking out the stuff that was no longer serving me well. And I’ve been making the effort to do my hair and make up…not much but just enough.
Grab a cuppa and join in the natter :)
You’ve got to check out her Instagram and Pinterest accounts and don’t miss Lisa’s style guide which is great for figuring out what body shape you are.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisegillbestylist/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaGillbestyle
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/lisegillbe/_created/
Get the style guide here: https://www.lisagillbestyle.com
This busy mumpreneur has mealtimes under control
Busy mum and entrepreneur Wendy joins me to chat food hacks! And who better to share hacks than Wendy - she’s helps busy mums create positive lifestyle habits so they can feel more energised and fulfilled…how cool is that?!
We both love food and, as you will find out, we both love a natter, so we got together for a chinwag.
I love Wendy’s “just change one thing” mantra….which creates a domino effect.
Wendy shares her hacks for filling breakfasts, delicious lunches and fast dinners. She’s nailed cooking wholesome tasty food for the family even when she’s knackered and rushed off her feet.
This podcast is full of nuggets of good advice: when to have breakfast, how to add more protein to your breakfast, how to stay fuller for longer, lunches from leftovers, batch cook Sundays and how to deal with a lack of freezer space!
Check out Wendy’s “What type of busy mum are you?” quiz on her website - see the links below.
Happy Cooking :) x
Wendy Griffith’s website: www.wendygriffith.co.uk
Instagram: wendygriffith_livehealthy
Free Facebook Group: https://m.facebook.com/groups/betterhabitsforbusymums/
Student Cooking Hacks: Batch cooking and transforming leftovers
So many people I have spoken to love the idea of batch cooking but in practice it rarely works out. After all, who wants to spend half a day slaving over a hot stove only to eat the same meals over and over?
Well, here's a different approach to batch cooking. I'll show you how to make it less daunting - by not aiming too high and only batch cooking for a few days we give ourselves the feeling of triumph so that we'll do it again and again. And by learning how to repurpose our meals we keep it interesting.
Who said batch cooking was boring?
Happy cooking :) x
Student Cooking Hacks: How to make a balanced, but not boring, meal
Hey hey hey!
So today I'm talking about how to keep your meals interesting...how to add that va-va-voom to your dinners, how to switch up the same ingredients so you don't get bored and how to make balanced meals.
And don't worry, you don't have to spend ages in the kitchen!!
Happy cooking :) x
P.S. Here's the blog I mentioned in the podcast: https://virtuelicious.co.uk/student-cooking-hacks/
Student Cooking Hacks: breakfast and lunch
It’s that time of year…students about to embark on adulting…which means cooking for themselves. So I thought I’d do a mini series on cooking hacks aimed at students…except that as I was editing the series I realised that these hacks are good for anyone :)
Today I’m covering breakfast and lunch: quick and easy ideas that are perfect to grab and go when you’re in a hurry.
Listen out for the tip on how to remember to take it with you and how to keep hot food hotter for longer.
Check out the cereal container I refer to in the podcast and the cooking hacks workshop.
Happy cooking :) x
Mum Cooking Hacks
I take my hat off to Nicola...mum of three with another one on the way but she makes it look sooooo easy! Here are her tips to staying sane when it comes to feeding her family. And a few giggles along the way. Oh, and I'm stealing her freezer hack!
Happy cooking :) x
Food prep hack: roasting veg
Hey hey hey, today we're roasting veg....when we talk about meal prep quite often we think about batch cooking a main meal like a roast or lasagne...but what about the sides?
Building on the last episode about food prep, in this episode we deep dive into prepping veg. We're talking specifically about roasting veg in this episode. I'm talking about how I prep different type of vegetables for roasting.
Listen to find out how I make this meal prep a breeze...,you'll see that I am a lazy cook underneath it all :)
Happy cooking :) x
Food prep hack: multitasking after shopping
Hey hey hey, this hack is a game changer! This is all about the food prep you can do when you get your shopping home from the supermarket to make your life super easy later on. This is not about batch cooking....that's for another episode :)
I'm sharing ways to make food prep quick and easy so it doesn't feel like a chore...we're going over how to set yourself up to succeed when it comes to meal prep.
I've also got a few quick and easy recipes you can make with the prepped food.
Happy cooking :) x
Introduction
Hey, and welcome to the first episode of the brand spanking new Virtuelicious podcast: all about cooking fresh food...fast.
After years of working long hours and not having time to cook, I felt unhealthy, lethargic and fed up. I needed to make a change. Over the years I learnt how to cut corners without compromising on great taste and healthy options. And now I'm going to share everything I have learnt.
In this podcast I'll share my quick cook tips so that you can spend more of your time doing what you want to do. I'll talk about meal planning, food prep and the gadgets I use. And I'll share my quick cook recipes that mean no matter how little time I have, I can always whip up a healthy and tasty dish.
To grab a link to my 30 days of cookery classes sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/6797174b847e/30-days-of-recipes
Hit subscribe to join me on my next episode.