When I’m trying to eat well, I often find myself craving a takeaway… especially Chinese! When I started watching my food intake, I would often get a takeaway on the day that I weighed, which was greatly known in my house as ‘cheat day’. But now I’ve found a way of ‘cheating’ and staying on plan Chinese fakeaway! Remember – No food is cheat food!
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Having a takeaway was probably one of my favourite meals of the week. I used to follow pages on Instagram that were showing meals which were described as ‘fakeaways’. Was there really much difference in the calories? What made doing it at home better than ordering in?
In the past, my excuse would have always have been along the lines of the fact that I ‘didn’t have time’ or that I created a delusion for myself that there probably wasn’t that much difference. After all, it’s just noodles, rice and chips right?
Having worked out the calories for the Chinese fakeaway, it sits at approximately 880 calories and 7.2g of saturated fat, where as your average Chinese takeaway is up to 2200 calories and 14g of saturated fat!
I can no longer hide behind my denial of ‘what’s the difference’. I now realise that there is a HUGE difference.
Other fakeaways
Chips
Of course, making my own chips has been one of the main things I do differently when cooking my meals? Since learning that simply adding the right seasoning to my chips can make so much difference, I haven’t bought ready made chips since! I personally use JD Seasonings Chips & Wedges seasoning. You can use the code JESSGETS20 for 20% off your order at JD Seasonings! It makes them tastes so much better, and I only need one pot, rather than mixing lots of other seasonings together!
Curry Sauce
So often I’d see recipes for making your own curry sauce, and the list of ingredients was endless! Other than the fact that my kitchen isn’t big enough to include a pantry, I don’t see the point in buying hundreds of herbs and spices that i’ll probably only use once or twice. Not to mention that it would then sit in the cupboard for years to come. I have been using Mayflower Curry Sauce for a few years now, as it is so easy and quick to make. It is probably the only sauce I’ve found that actually tastes like what you get from the takeaway!
Rice
When making and adapting this recipe, I could never quite get the rice right. It always just tasted like normal rice with a bit of soy sauce on, not like what you would get from a takeaway. My recipe includes the VeeTee sticky rice. And as much as in some ways I feel like i’m admitting defeat by using a branded rice that’s ‘already done’, but realistically, using this rice has made the process so much easier, and tastes delicious!
All I do for the rice is microwave it per the packet instructions, then empty it into a frying pan and fry it off with soy sauce.
No meat?
This recipe is so adaptable. Simply switch to Quorn pieces for diced chicken and you still have the same meal!
More delicious fakeaways:
If you make this, be sure to let me know how it turns out in the comments below. If you are on Instagram, take a snap and tag me in it! @thesliceofjess
*Calorific value may change depending on brand of food used*
Details
1 serving
10 minutes
30 minutes
511
Print
Ingredients
1 Chicken breast, diced
Noodles (I used Blue Dragon Medium Egg Noodles)
Veg (I use Birds Eye Steamfresh)
2 Mini Veg Spring rolls
30g Mayflower Curry Sauce powder
1tbsp Soy sauce
Low calorie spray oil
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.
- Pop your spring rolls in the oven for about 15 minutes.
- To make the noodles, bring a pan of water to boil and add 1 nest of noodles. These take about 4 minutes to cook and drain once done.
- Meanwhile, cook your chicken in a frying pan with fry light, and put your steamed veg in the microwave for 3 minutes. Once the chicken pieces are cooked, add the noodles, chicken and veg into one pan and mix together with enough soy sauce to give it a light coating.
- Mix your Mayflower Curry Sauce as per the instructions. I worked out that for 1 portion you need 130ml water. It is up to you whether you microwave or pan cook this.
- Remove your spring rolls from the oven.
- Put all your food onto a plate – and enjoy!
Last updated: 20th October 2021
