Garlic Parsley Chicken

It is unbelievable that October is here, and already three days in. Where does the time go? That's rhetorical by the way...lol.

So yes here comes October and so far I have been spending more time in the kitchen. I credit that to me reading all these paleo blogs and recipe websites of late. They are so inspiring and better yet provide me with ideas for alternative ingredients for some of the foods, which I love but couldn't or chose not to have, and for which I just couldn't think of substitutes for. Suffice it to say, my love of food, or rather, creating good food, just TUN UP!! (For the non-Jamaicans that means 'turn up'). Don't mistake me though for wanting to spend hours in the kitchen...hells no! I still can be a lazy ass woman when it comes to anything domestic, including cooking, so I am sure as heck going to find an easier way or shorter way to get food off the stove/out the oven and unto the table. 

And so came about this recipe. Unique by any means? Heck no! Easy as 123? Definitely!

So here's what you need:

4 skinless chicken breasts (bone in)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt
1 tbsp evoo
Cooking spray

Sauce:
Fish and meat sauce

How to prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, coat 9x13 glass dish or roaster pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Wash chicken breasts with juice from a lime, pat dry with a paper towel and place on a board, sheet or in a bowl.
3. Mix garlic, parsley and salt in a separate bowl then rub all over chicken.
4. Pour evoo and rub into chicken breasts just enough to lightly coat them.
5. Place chicken into lightly greased glass baking dish or roaster pan, bone side down, and place uncovered in oven for 10 minutes.
6. Turn breasts over and cover dish/pan after 10 minutes and roast for an additional 12-15 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Serve over cauliflower and pumpkin mash with a side of roasted/sautéed vegetables (in pic is zucchini). Sauce is optional.

Cauliflower Fried Rice & Pizza a la Cauliflower

You know when a bill comes in the mail, and you quickly put it down without opening because you want to delay the misery you expect to feel from seeing it?  Well, I wasn't spared that with my electricity bill since it came straight to my phone/email (smarty pants requested this service to avoid any delays the postal service may have)! The balance is displayed for all and sundry to see and oh what a balance it was! And even though I expected the change, reflecting my exuberance in the kitchen the past month, I didn't think it was going to be as high as it was! It was so high (for me) that I quickly got over my aversion to gas cooking! Courts....here I come!

But before the nasty email, I did in fact enjoy making two new meals this past weekend. With no one showing up for Bootcamp on Saturday am (need to revisit the sense in doing this) I took the time to visit good ole Coro for some farm fresh goodies. In a addition to the usual staples, I bought a bit more cauliflower instead of buying broccoli since it lasts longer. And when Saturday rolled around I wanted something easy but fun to eat but didn't want to go out to get it. I also wasn't in the mood for cooking anything grand either because homegirl was tired after spending all day on her feet in cooking class. But hunger really took over and I ended up in front of my fridge (and I wonder why my light bill was so high this month) trying to come up with something. What I came up with was deeeeeelish to say the least and involved much of that cauliflower I bought. I can't be given credit for this recipe though since I got the idea from a recipe blog I visit quite often. Check her out here.

Pizza a la Cauliflower

Makes 1 8" pizza pie

Ingredients:

1.5 cups cauliflower rice (pulse raw cauliflower florets in a food processor to a rice like consistency)
2 tbsp almond meal
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
Tomato basil mrs dash
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 tbsp red onions chopped
1/4 cup zucchini (or any kind of vegetable of your choice), chopped or sliced into mini half moons
1/4 cup chicken, cooked and chopped (I used left over chicken)

Direction:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, mix cauliflower, almond meal, egg white, mrs dash, salt and pepper until combined.
3. Press mixture into a greased pie pan/dish or unto a greased cookie sheet into a round disc
4. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes
5. Remove crust from oven, spread tomato sauce on top then sprinkle remaining toppings.
6. Return to oven for another 8 minutes or until veggies are heated through and crust edges are golden brown.

Combine all ingredients for crust

Press mixture into pie pan/dish

Let cool before slicing up and sharing it, if its too much for one. Or, you could go ahead and eat it all...I DID! And I have no shame about it...absolutely NONE! :)

Cauliflower Pizza with chicken, red onions and zucchini

Now for meal 2.

So our cooking instructor (yes I am doing a short cooking course) insisted that we go home and practice some of the dishes we learnt in class on Saturday. Right off the bat I knew it would be the fried rice, minus the rice of course. So again, using said cauliflower (was I ever happy I bought more than usual) I  ventured into my version of fried rice. And let me tell you, I would be fresh out of luck if there ever is a shortage of cauliflower because it is certainly going to be a must have in my refrigerator!

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tbsp scallions, chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chicken, chopped (I used leftovers)
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
3 cups of cauliflower rice (pulse raw cauliflower florets in a food processor to a rice like consistency)
salt & pepper
mrs dash
worcestershire sauce (or liquid aminos or soy sauce)

Directions:
1. Heat 2 tbsp of evoo in a large skillet and saute garlic and onion for 20 seconds then add scallions
2. Add chicken then egg into the seasonings and continue mixing until eggs are set but still slightly runny.
3. Add remaining 1tbsp of evoo then mix in rice until combined, seasoning with salt, pepper and mrs dash to your liking.
4. Turn heat down low then add as much worcestershire sauce to the rice, mixing it well until rice is brown. Cover skillet, turn heat off and let sit for a minute.

Combined fried ice with worcestershire sauce

Enjoy with a glass of your favourite drink. I had with a glass of moscato....yumminess in my tummy!!!

Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice

 Who says veggies aren't fun to eat! You just have to get creative with it! And it doesn't take much time.

Zucchini Pasta Chicken

I am a huuuuge pasta fan. Did I say HUGE??? Yep I sure did. I love me some pasta whether by itself or mixed in marinara sauce, it really doesn't matter. What matters however is my stomach no longer liking it. I refuse to think its anything more than my gut just saying, "give me a damn break from the pasta dude!" So I decided to do so.

But what do ya know, I still want me some spaghetti, though I resigned myself to not having it. Like anybody Jamaican, especially one who loves their food, toying with the idea of eating it anyway and contending with consequences later, did cross my mind. But thankfully, common sense prevailed and I went in search of an alternative.

And how happy I am to have found not only a substitute but a fat free, super low carb, eat all you can option! Two in fact! Thanks to paleo blogs like Paleomg, Nomnompaleo, Livinpaleo and others for opening up my eyes to the possibilities...they are ENDLESS!

So, what are these substitutes I am apparently so excited about (I can see you rolling your eyes at me)? Spaghetti squash and zucchini(cucumber cousin). Well, zucchini was obviously the first thing I was going to use, since I didn't have (the time) to go hunting for it. It was already in my fridge.

So how to make zucchini spaghetti? You can use a julienne peeler or a mandoline to slice up your zucchini and in seconds you've got even strips ready to cook up. If you have neither then it will take just a little bit if effort.

To make you'll need:
1 large zucchini, washed and end cut off
Vegetable peeler and kitchen knife and cutting board.

On the cutting board, hold zucchini upright, so it's standing in the flat, cut off end. With the vegetable peeler, or knife, slice down the whole length of the zucchini into pasta thin (think lasagna thick) strips. Then turning strips horizontally onto board, cut along length into 1/4" thick pieces.

Toss with salt and pepper and sauté in olive oil or cooking spray until slightly tender, 1 minute before serving.

To make sauce, you'll need:
1 small red onion (I love red onions)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp dried or fresh herbs (basil/oregano)
1 tsp honey (optional)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 cup cooked chicken (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat evoo in a skillet on med- high. Add onions and saute until slightly soft.
2. Add chicken to onions, let warm through.
3. While sautéing chicken, mix honey, vinegar, herbs and tomato sauce in a small bowl.
3. Add sauce to chicken and onions, turn heat down to medium, and mix until chicken is coated and sauce us heated through.

Prepare zucchini as directed above and serve with chicken.

Enjoy!

I will go in search of spaghetti squash...eventually. Stay tuned!