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Better than a restaurant
Dine in on better, cheaper, healthier versions of some of your favourite dishes.
With a little planning and a few minutes in your kitchen, you can make your favourite restaurant foods taste better, cost less and be a lot healthier.
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Fried chicken
How to make your own
1. Brush chicken cutlets with honey mustard dressing, dip them in egg white, then coat with fresh bread crumbs (make your own with toasted bread — it's cheaper).
2. Spray a frying pan generously with cooking spray, add about 2 tsp olive oil, heat to medium-high (pan must be hot) and add chicken and 'fry' for about 5 minutes per side. There's just enough oil to make a crust.
Try these recipes for inspiration
Paprika chicken strips
Sesame chicken drumsticks
Burgers
How to make your own
1. Mix lean mince beef with lean mince turkey or chicken breast.
2. Grill your patties on a preheated rack so the fat drips away from the meat.
3. Top with reduced-fat bacon, low-fat cheese and plenty of salads.
Try these recipes for inspiration
Chicken burgers with crumbled blue cheese
Feta-stuffed lamb burgers
Healthy beef burger with cheese, tomato and onion
Fries
How to make your own
1. Parboil small, unpeeled potatoes until tender. Place dots of olive oil on a cookie sheet.
2. Smash each potato on a spot of oil. Drizzle with a little more oil on each potato and add salt (a little crushed rosemary is also great).
3. Roast the potatoes in the oven for about 45 minutes.
Try these recipes for inspiration
Cumin-spiced oven chips
Roasted sweet potato wedges
Zucchini fries
Pasta
How to make your own
Keep a large selection of wholemeal pasta and canned tomatoes in your pantry and you'll never be without the makings of a delicious meal. You can pay top dollar for spaghetti with tomato sauce at a restaurant or buy two boxes of dried pasta and a jar of sauce for the same price or less.
Try these recipes for inspiration
Pasta with broccolini and bolognese sauce
Spaghetti with chicken meatballs
Tomato and basil sauce with spaghetti
Pizza
How to make your own
Think tortillas, Lebanese bread or mini pitas. Lay flat and top with your favourite ingredients, like mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato and basil, or maybe low-fat pesto and crumbled feta. Bake in a hot oven for 10 or 15 minutes.
Try these recipes for inspiration
Grilled pizza with sausage, onion and capsicum
Prawn, feta and rocket pizza
Tuna, tomato and olive pizza
Asian cuisine
How to make your own
You only need a few kitchen basics to start: soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, peanut oil and sesame seeds. It also helps to know the technique, which you can read about in our article devoted to stir-frying.
1. Spray a wok with cooking spray and heat it up over high heat.
2. Stir-fry 2 cups of vegies (broccoli florets, diced zucchini, snow peas,
chopped bok choy or thinly sliced cabbage) for a few minutes until crisp tender.
3. Pour in 1/4 cups bottled black bean sauce and stir to coat.
Try these recipes for inspiration
Beef and black bean sauce
Chicken with cashew nuts
Lamb and hokkein noodle
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