Wicks - Cooking for family & friends: 100 lean recipes to enjoy together

Contents Hello WELCOME TO COOKING FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS First, I would like to say thank you for choosing my new book. Im really excited to be sharing these new recipes with you. Since day one, its been my aim to get more people cooking healthy food at home, and I believe this book will do just that. The recipes are tasty and easy to make, and as Ive designed them to serve 46 people, you and the whole family can enjoy them and stay lean together! I havent included any workouts in the book, so this one is all about the food. There are some proper banging recipes in here, such as toad in the hole and beef stew with dumplings home-cooked classics that remind me of my Nanny Kath. I used to stay with her after school sometimes and she used to fatten me right up until I fell asleep on the carpet in front of the fire.

I love how food can bring you such good memories. Youll notice that some of the recipes, such as my pulled pork and Sunday roasts, take longer to make than my signature 15-minute meals, but I promise theyre worth the wait. Ive done my best to keep the prep times low, so once thats done you can bung them in the oven, put your feet up and relax or fit in a sneaky workout. Ive also thrown in a couple of my favourite naughty treats too. These pub classics, such as sticky toffee pudding and chocolate fondant, are so not lean. LOL! Oh well, guilty as charged.

I dont recommend eating them every day, but we all deserve a treat now and again. LETS GET EVERYBODY LEAN I think there is a big misconception that when you are trying to get lean and eat healthier, it isolates you from your friends and family. I think that could be the case for people following a really low-calorie restrictive diet but Im not about that life. Thats not enjoyable or sustainable. I dont believe in low-calorie diets and I dont believe you need to spend your day eating boring meals out of lunch boxes, cooking separate meals for yourself or avoiding meals out with friends and family altogether. START EM YOUNG I believe that kids should be involved in the food choices at home and educated as early as possible about good nutrition and exercise. START EM YOUNG I believe that kids should be involved in the food choices at home and educated as early as possible about good nutrition and exercise.

Its a really important time for them, and it will help shape their health and their future. When I was growing up, my mum didnt have a clue about nutrition and healthy cooking, and my cupboards were always full of junk food. We rarely sat together as a family and ate. I pretty much lived off sandwiches, pasta with tomato sauce, sweets and cereal. This seemed normal to me at the time but now I know there is a much healthier way to live. I think its never too early to get kids started in the kitchen.

To get the kids involved, you could get them to help you write shopping lists and fill the baskets at the supermarket. These may seem like small things but I think they could have a big impact. CAN I GET LEAN WITHOUT EXERCISING? Although I havent included workouts in this book, I wanted to talk briefly about the importance of exercise when trying to maintain a healthy body. If youre someone who struggles to stay active and cant bear the thought of going to the gym, then this message is for you. Im a big believer in doing home workouts and I also believe its never too late to get lean. You dont need a gym or lots of expensive equipment to get fit.

I have a YouTube channel called The Body Coach TV where I share free workouts, which you can do anywhere, at any time. To build strong lean muscle and have a fit healthy heart, you need to work for it, because it just wont come by itself. Plus, if you workout, you can enjoy more of the foods you love! Many of the meals in here are high in calories, and the reason I dont list them is because I dont think people should obsessively count calories. That said, in order to burn body fat you do need to be burning more calories than you are consuming, so if you want to actually see changes in your body, get moving and try to make exercise a part of your life. Theres no need to try to get by on a really low-calorie diet when, instead, you can exercise, feel good and eat the meals from this book knowing you are making progress. Exercise isnt just going to make you feel and look better.

Its also going to give you more energy and confidence. My advice is to aim for 25 minutes of exercise, four to five days per week. WHAT SHOULD I BE EATING & WHEN? The recipes in this book are broken down into five chapters: Reduced Carb, Post Workout, On the Side, Starters & Snacks and Smoothies & Sweet Treats.

Reduced-carbohydrate meals are higher in healthy fats and proteins. These types of meals are brilliant to have on rest or less active days. The post-workout meals contain protein and carbohydrates but are lower in fat.

These meals are ideally consumed after exercise or on more active days. I personally consume three reduced-carb meals on a rest day and two reduced-carb meals and one post-workout meal on a training day. I find this a really simple and effective way of staying lean, as I am fuelling my body with the right energy source at the right time. One thing to be aware of is your portion sizes. Everyone is different and will have different energy demands. For example, if you are an active twenty-year-old exercising five days per week, you will need more food than someone who is forty and doesnt exercise much.

The key here is to eat to feel energized so simply increase or decrease your portions accordingly. Once you get that bit right, youll find it very easy to sustain a healthy lifestyle and a lean body, all year round. Good luck! I hope you enjoy the recipes in this book. Im really proud of it and love seeing my little nephew Oscar making his debut appearance at just seven days old. I believe this book can help your whole family get leaner and healthier. STAY IN TOUCH