What began as a lockdown project in 2020, documenting the recipes that Nathan Anthony, a keen home cook who works as a project manager at a FTSE100 company in Belfast, was creating in his kitchen using a slow cooker and an air fryer, became an internet sensation and is now a publishing phenomenon.
His first book, Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Slow Cooker Book, published last week by Ebury, topped the UK and Ireland sales charts in its first week of publication. A second title, a collection of air fryer recipes, will be published in March.
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Anthony’s Instagram account, Bored of Lunch, which led to the publishing deal, now has a million followers (up from 782,000 when he spoke to The Irish Times in November).
What appeals about Anthony’s recipes is the simplicity of the methods, the easily accessible ingredients, and the skill he has developed in making slow cooker dishes that look bright, fresh and appetising. Each comes with a calorie count, useful for those who may be watching their diet, but it should be noted that an added side such as rice or flatbreads will increase the calories.
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He describes his recipes as being “accessible for all home cooks regardless of cooking experience”, with “cost-effective and calorie-counted recipes for people who are just too busy, whether that be a busy parent or for those who work long days and need quick easy recipes. Food on a budget is also a big focus; “I don’t want people searching in delis for niche ingredients.”
Recipe: Slow cooker garlic, Parmesan chicken and potatoes
Recipe: Slow cooker red lentil dhal
Recipe: Slow cooker Thai basil beef
Recipes from Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Slow Cooker Book by Nathan Anthony (Ebury Press, £18.99) Photography by Clare Wilkinson.
