Healthy and humble honey and lemon chicken

This is a delicious meal that is not only cheap and yummy, wait for it.....it's healthy too! So if there are any of you wanting to lose pounds, not money, and you don't want to spend a lot, or sacrifice taste either, then this is for you. If you don't have fresh rosemary, use dried. If you don't have any dried rosemary, use thyme, if you don't have that then leave it out, it doesn't matter. I've tried all ways and all are as tasty. I serve this with garlic potatoes and salad (I know I said it's winter, however coupled with the warm honey and lemon sauce it's a must) I've always found when I eat this I'm full, even though it doesn't look a lot, as it takes longer to eat with having to pick at the chicken. The kids love it too...bonus!

1Kg chicken thighs

2 lemons

5 cloves of garlic

Rosemary

Tbsp honey

Baby potatoes

Bag of salad

Preheat the oven to 200

Place potatoes, unpeeled garlic cloves and some rosemary in a pan and cover with water

In an oven proof dish put the chicken and lemons and rosemary together

Pour over the honey and squeeze the juice out of the lemons (leaving the lemon in the dish to cook with the chicken)

Put the chicken in the oven for 50 minutes 

After the chicken has been in for 30 minutes baste with the juices and leave to cook for a further 20 minutes 

Turn the potatoes on to boil for 20 minutes

When the potatoes are soft and cooked drain off and remove the garlic

Gently squeeze the cloves and the garlic should easily pop out of it's skin

Season generously with salt and pepper and mash with a fork

Coat the potatoes with the garlic and some butter 

When the chicken is cooked drain off the juice into a small pan on a high heat and boil

Serve on the salad with the potatoes and pour over the sauce 

M&S veg on an Aldi budget

Let the crossing of the sprouts and par boiling of the roasties commence! Quite a lot of the prep work can be done in the week leading up to Christmas so you can relax a bit more on the day, enabling you to enjoy it with your family, heck you could even squeeze in a nap! I would like to share with you my tips on making the vegetables a bit special and I'm not talking carrot crush Royle family style (I loved that episode, they just don't make them like they used to). I have accomplished great things in my house, I have converted my husband into a vegetable lover (even cabbage!) and the children love it too! With these simple twists and methods, you need not fork out extra for prepared vegetables again. To give you even more time on the day you could even cook the vegetables and freeze them until you need them (it's good enough for Aunt Bessie!) Most of all I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and new year with your families, don't lose sight of what it's all about.

Swede puree

Peel and chop the swede into similar sized cubes and boil until soft.

Place in a food processor and blitz until smooth.

Spiced red cabbage

In a pan add 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp mixed spice

Finely shred the cabbage and add to the pan

Cook for 5 minutes on a high heat stirring occasionally then turn down low for 15 minutes until soft

If the liquid disappears just add a small amount of water to keep from drying

Sticky parsnips

Peel and half the parsnips and par boil for a couple of minutes.

Coat them in honey and place in an oven proof dish with a tbsp oil (if you like a kick use sweet chilli sauce too)

Roast for 15 minutes on high 

Roast potatoes

Peel and chop potatoes as large as you want your roasties to be

Boil for 5 minutes and drain the water

Shake the pan with the lid on vigorously to 'fluff' them up

Leave the lid off to allow steam to escape

Put 3 tbsp oil in a roasting tin and heat in a high oven for ten minutes

Carefully place the potatoes in the tin coating them in the hot fat and roast for 30-40 minutes on high until crispy