Sticky Chilli Chicken, Pizza Fries & Lentil & Sea Bass Curry…the Fab Fakeaways that will help you beat diet cravings

BUSY mum Laura Meyer, who shed 4st in eight months and has kept it off ever since, knows all about the struggle of ­sticking to a healthy diet.

And she says the secret to ­getting — and staying — in shape is enjoying delicious food while avoiding the temptation of ­takeaways.

When Laura, 35, and husband Michael, 36, feel the urge to order a cheeky kebab after a long day, they reach for her satisfying alternatives instead.

Laura’s easy to follow fakeaway ­recipes are home-cooked meals that will taste just as good as your favourite Saturday night delivery.

The tasty recipes in her new cookbook — serialised exclusively in The Sun — allow you to enjoy all your faves without skimping on the great taste.

She says: “There’ll be no need for cheat days or fad diets ever again as, if you make my recipes, you’ll never feel like you are missing out on ­eating the food you love.

“I know more than anyone how much of a challenge it is to want to lose weight, be consistent and achieve your goals.

“That’s what my recipes are all about — flavour and satisfaction without the sacrifice.”

Today, Laura shares delicious her fakeaways suggestions to help you beat the ­cravings.

•  Slimming Kitchen Secrets: Good Food Without Sacrifice, by Laura Meyer, is out now (Michael Joseph, £22)

HOISIN DUCK STIR-FRY

(Serves 4)

YOU NEED:

For the duck:

• 400g duck breasts fillets, skin removed
• 1 tsp Chinese 5-spice
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• Salt and black pepper

For the stir-fry:

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
• 1 pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• ¼ white cabbage, finely sliced
• 2 large handfuls of beansprouts
• 2 tsps each of Chinese 5-spice and chilli powder
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 chilli, finely sliced (deseeded if you don’t like things too spicy)
• 400g fresh egg noodles
• Juice of 1 lime

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan). Spray a baking dish with low-calorie cooking spray and add the duck breasts.
2. Season with salt and pepper and the 5-spice, spray the duck again with low-calorie cooking spray then roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until cooked through. Remove the duck from the oven, rest for 10 minutes, then shred with two forks.
3. While the duck is cooking, you can prepare the rest of the stir-fry. Take a wok or large frying pan, pour in the ­sesame oil and bring to a medium/high heat.
4. Add the carrot, pepper, spring onion, white cabbage and beansprouts. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until the carrot starts to soften. Add the 5-spice and chilli powder, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey and rice wine vinegar. Pour in a splash of cold water and toss everything together, continuing to fry on a medium/high heat.
5. Add the shredded duck, coriander and chilli to the pan, toss everything together again, and check for seasoning. Season with salt and pepper if required.
6. Add the egg noodles to the pan with a splash of water, toss to combine, and fry on a medium heat until everything is piping hot.
7. Finally, remove the stir-fry from the heat and squeeze in the lime juice. Serve in nice, big bowls.

THAI BASIL CHICKEN

(Serves 2)

YOU NEED:

For the sauce:

• ½ chicken stock cube made up with 100ml boiling water
• 2 tbsp each of oyster sauce and light soy sauce
• 1 tsp each of dark soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar

For the stir-fry and rice:

• 120g basmati or jasmine rice
• 400g chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 200g green beans, trimmed
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
• 15g fresh Thai basil (or normal basil if you can’t get Thai), roughly shredded
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• Salt and black pepper

METHOD:

1. Pop all of the sauce ingredients into a jug, stir and set to one side.
2. Pop the rice on and cook to the packet instructions.
3. Put the chicken in a large frying pan or wok, season with salt and black pepper, spray with low-calorie cooking spray then fry for 7-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
4. While the chicken is cooking, pop the trimmed green beans in a pan of salted boiling water and simmer for 4 minutes until al dente. Drain and set to one side.
5. Next, add the spring onions, garlic, chilli and green beans to the wok with the chicken and the sauce. Simmer on a medium/high heat until the sauce thickens and the meat is nicely glazed in the sauce.
6. Finally, remove from the heat and toss through the shredded basil. Serve with rice and enjoy.

STICKY CHILLI CHICKEN

(Serves 2)

YOU NEED:

For the chicken:

• 2 tbsp cornflour
• ½ tsp each of salt, black pepper, garlic powder and chilli powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 300g chicken breast, diced into small/ medium-sized chunks (so the chicken cooks faster)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Low-calorie cooking spray

For the sauce:

• 3 cloves of garlic, grated
• Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp chilli jam or sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tbsp reduced-sugar-and-salt ketchup
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• ½ tbsp honey
• Juice of 1 lime

For the stir-fry:

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 peppers, deseeded and diced
• 2 chillies, sliced (or one if you don’t like things too hot), reserving a little for garnish
• 4 spring onions, sliced, reserving a few for garnish
• To serve
• 100g basmati rice
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

METHOD:

1. To begin, put the cornflour, salt, ­pepper, garlic powder, chilli powder and paprika in a large bowl. Mix to ­combine then add the diced chicken. Toss the chicken in the flour mixture until it is well covered.
2. Take a large wok, pour in the sesame oil, pop the heat on and add the chicken. Fry for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add a little low-calorie cooking spray to the pan if needed to stop the pan going dry (don’t add water as this will stop the chicken crisping).
3. While the chicken is cooking, you can get on with making the rest of the dish. Pop the rice on to cook by following the packet instructions. Add all the sauce ingredients to a small bowl with 50ml of cold water, stir then pop to one side.
4. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and store to one side in a bowl.
5. Pour the sesame oil for the stir-fry into the same pan and then add the ­peppers, chilli and spring onion. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the peppers start to soften then remove the veg from the pan into the same bowl as the cooked chicken.
6. Pour the sauce into the pan and bring to a simmer, then add the cooked ­veggies and chicken back to the pan. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes. This will give the sauce a chance to thicken and stick to the chicken nicely.
7. Pop the rice into bowls and then add the sticky chilli chicken. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and the reserved chilli and spring onion.

CRISPY CHILLI BEEF

(Serves 4)

YOU NEED:

For the sauce:

• 2 cloves of garlic, very finely minced
• 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sriracha (or less if you don’t like it too spicy)
• ½ tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Chinese 5-spice
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• For the beef and rice
• 400g lean beef strips
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tsp Chinese 5-spice
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 240g basmati rice

For the stir-fry:

1 onion, finely sliced
1 pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
1 chilli, sliced (if you like it hot – if not, feel free to omit)
¼ tsp ground ginger
2 limes
2 spring onions, finely chopped

METHOD:

1. Begin by making the sauce. Pop all the ingredients into a mixing jug with 2 tablespoons water, give it a good stir and then leave to one side.
2. Next, put a couple of pieces of kitchen paper on to a plate, pop the beef on to the paper and dab away any of the excess water from the surface. Put the beef in a large bowl, add the cornflour and 5-spice and mix everything together until the beef is well coated.
3. If you are having rice with this, pop it on now and cook by following the packet instructions.
4. Take a large wok, heat to high and pour in ¼ teaspoon of the sesame oil. Once hot, add about a third of the beef in one layer and fry for a few minutes until you see one side starting to go nice and crispy. Turn the beef and let it crisp up on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Repeat until you have cooked all the beef.
5. Once all the beef is cooked and on a plate, pour in the final ¼ teaspoon of sesame oil to the now empty pan/wok and add the onion, pepper and chilli. Fry for 5-6 minutes until the onion has gone soft and translucent. Remove the onion, pepper and chilli from the pan, popping to one side on another plate.
6. Finally, add the stir-fry sauce to the pan, simmer for a couple of minutes to allow it to reduce and thicken a little, and then add all of the beef back to the pan, coating well in the sauce. Once coated, add the cooked onion, pepper and chilli to the pan.
7. Add ground ginger and the juice of 1 lime, toss everything together, and then, once everything is coated nicely in the sauce and piping hot, remove from the heat.
8. Put the rice in a bowl, top with the crispy chilli beef and finish with a sprinkle of spring onion. Serve with a small slice of lime per person

BBQ PULLED CHICKEN BURGERS

(Serves 4)

YOU NEED:

For the burgers and fries:

• 2 x 150g sweet potatoes, unpeeled and cut into chips
• Good pinch of smoked paprika
• 400g roast chicken (white meat only), shredded
• 4 sandwich thins
• 2 tbsp light sour cream mixed with ¼ tsp chipotle paste
• ¼ head of iceberg lettuce
• 1 red onion, sliced into rounds
• 40g light Cheddar cheese, sliced
• Handful of jalapenos
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• Salt and black pepper

For the BBQ sauce:

• 100g reduced sugar and salt ketchup
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• ½ tsp each of smoked paprika and ground cumin
• ¼ tsp each of mustard powder and salt
• ½ tsp chipotle paste
• Few drops of Tabasco or a pinch of chilli powder (if you like it spicy)

METHOD:

1. Put the sweet potato chips in a microwaveable bowl, splash in 100ml water, cover with cling film and pop in the microwave for 4–5 minutes until the wedges soften.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan) and put in a large baking tray so it warms while the wedges are in the microwave.
3. After 5 minutes, drain the sweet potato and arrange evenly on your baking tray. Spray with low-calorie cooking spray and season well with salt and pepper and a good pinch of smoked paprika. Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until the wedges start to crisp up.
4. While the wedges are cooking, make the BBQ sauce. Pop all the ingredients in a pan with around 50–100ml water and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down and cook for a few minutes, then turn off the heat and let it cool down.
5. Pop the shredded chicken in the cooled BBQ sauce, mix and simmer over a low heat so the chicken and sauce become piping hot.
6. Now to assemble the burger! Pop the sandwich thin bases on a plate, add a dollop of the chipotle sour cream on the bottom and spread, then top with a lettuce leaf. Pile on the pulled chicken and top with red onion, cheese and jalapenos. Finish with a blob of the chipotle sour cream and pop the lid of the burgers on. Take the fries out of the oven and serve with the burgers.

PIZZA FRIES

(Serves 4)

YOU NEED:

• 360g frozen French fries (I like McCain’s Crispy French Fries)
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes (I like Mutti)
• 1 tsp each of garlic powder and paprika
• 2 tsp mixed herbs
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• ¼ tsp sugar
• Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
• 60g pepperoni slices
• 180g grated light mature Cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• Salt and black pepper

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C (fan).
2. Spread a single layer of fries on to a baking tray, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and pop into the top of the oven. Bake for 14-16 minutes, turning them every now and again, until the fries are crisp and a light, golden colour.
3. Meanwhile, put the chopped tomatoes, garlic powder, paprika, mixed herbs, balsamic, sugar and chilli flakes (if you are having these) in a small saucepan with 100ml water, season with salt and pepper and cook over a high heat until piping hot. Then reduce to a simmer for 5–10 minutes until the sauce has thickened a little.
4. Once the fries are ready, take a medium baking dish, spread the fries in the bottom and season with salt and pepper. Top with the pizza sauce, the pepperoni, Cheddar and the Parmesan.
5. Pop back in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted.

LENTIL CURRY WITH SEA BASS

(Serves 4)

YOU NEED:

For the curry:

• 1 tbsp each of cumin seeds and coriander seeds
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2-3cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp each of ground turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt
• ½ tsp each of ground cinnamon and chilli flakes
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 200g dried red lentils
• 1 vegetable stock cube made up with 1 litre boiling water
• 200ml light coconut milk
• 200g fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon
• 15g fresh coriander, roughly chopped Low-calorie cooking spray
• Salt and black pepper

For the fish:

• 1½ teaspoons light butter
• ½ teaspoon ground  turmeric
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
• 4 x 90g sea bass fillets, with skin on

METHOD:

1. Put a large saucepan on the heat and dry toast the cumin and coriander seeds for a minute or two until you can smell the gorgeous aromas coming off them. Pop them in a pestle and mortar and grind to a powder. Leave to one side.
2. Spray the now empty pan with low-calorie cooking spray, add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for 5–6 minutes until the onion is soft, adding a little water if the pan gets too dry. Next, add the crushed cumin and coriander seeds, the curry powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, cinnamon and chilli flakes. Fry for another minute and then add the tomatoes, lentils and vegetable stock.
3. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils are cooked and nice and soft, stirring throughout (otherwise the lentils tend to stick). Add a splash of water if required to stop the sauce drying out.
4. Once reduced and thickened a little, pour in the coconut milk, add the spinach and keep simmering until the spinach is wilted. Season to taste and then keep the sauce warm whilst you cook the fish.
5. For the fish, take a small bowl and mix together the butter, turmeric, garlic and coriander until well combined and soft. Rub the mix over the flesh side of your fish fillets (not on the skin side). Season the fish with salt and pepper.
6. Add some low-calorie spray to a large frying pan, spray and bring to a medium heat. Add the fish to the pan, skin-side down, and fry for 4–5 minutes. Turn over and cook for a few more minutes until cooked through or to your liking. This should give you a nice crispy skin and lovely, tender fish flesh.
7. To finish the curry, squeeze over the juice of half the lemon, sprinkle in the coriander and stir. Top with the fish and serve with a small slice of lemon