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.

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!

Almond Curried Chicken

See what happens when you stay home all day without sleeping? You think about food! Unfortunately (or fortunately depending how you look at it), I don't have snacks so I couldn't past the time munching and watching tv. So I think about ways to create food said food. But again, my refrigerator looks like it went on strike...its empty or rather has the bare minimum to get me through the week (water, lettuce, green beans, those onions I spoke about earlier and eggs), so there went that plan.

BUT....I did get to thinking about dinner and somehow became fixated on curried chicken. Of course I've never made curried chicken and it come out cool or tasty so I decided to do a little research to see if I could find one SIMPLE enough for me. I did see a few but for what I had in my fridge, would not cut it. So once again, I winged it! And let me tell you, it came out better than I expected and totally deeeeee-lish!!! The curry sauce/liquid is so tasty you absolutely need something on your plate to soak it up. If you don't have any such thing, you can do like me and lick the plate! lolol! *licking the plate in front of guests is not suggested, they will certainly think you uncouth and without etiquette!

Chicken Patty and Fries you say??

Who doesn't want a scrumptious meal that can be done in 20 minutes or less? I know I do. Contrary to popular belief, I do not spend hours in the kitchen making my meals. In fact THAT is the every reason why I like this lifestyle. Not much preparation but with just the right ingredients you can produce meals that are flavourful and delightful to the palette.

So here I've taken chicken mince, tomatoe sauce and sweet potatoes to make a meal that even my 4 year old niece would love. 

Chicken Patty with Sweet Potatoe Fries

Ingredients:

1lb sweet potato cut in 1/4" strips

splenda

cinnamon

1lb chicken mince

1/4 cup chopped onions

1tsp seasoning

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs or ground oatmeal

1 whole egg

1/2 cup tomatoe sauce

1/4 cup chopped red and green tomatoes

1 tbsp tomatoe paste, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sweetener or sugar

seasoning of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray, set aside. Place sweet potato strips on baking sheet, mix splenda/stevia and cinnamon in a bowl, sprinkle over potatoes and bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked.

While fries are being done, grease another baking sheet or glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Combine chicken mince, onions, salt, breadcrumbs, seasoning and egg in a mixing bowl. Form into round patties (to the size of palm), place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until patty is cooked through. Mix tomatoes, sauce and seasoning in a bowl, set aside. 

Remove patties and top with salsa and serve with potato fries.

The Chicken & The Egg

Which one came first? To be honest, I have absolutely no idea nor am I even attempting to explore it. What I am attempting however is how to use BOTH of these clean protein sources to create a very simple yet tasty Frittata.

What is a frittata you ask? Well simply put, it is an open faced omelette. However, unlike making an omelette with the additional ingredients added to the already 'cooked' egg mixture, the frittata egg mixture includes all the necessary toppings before it is cooked. In addition, the frittata is cooked on stove top low heat only until the bottom is set (top remains runny) and then placed into an oven to be bake until completely cooked through. Another major difference: while an omelette is usually best served immediately and to 1 person per 2-3 eggs, a frittata can be made and served hot or cold to more than 1 person as slices much the same way a pizza is.

So technically a frittata is an Egg Pizza and with the most important base ingredient in hand, you can make this into a pizza you'll fight to share.

Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1/4 cup chicken (i used tuna but you can substitute with meat of choice)
1/4 cup cooked green beans & carrots chopped (substitute with veggies of choice)
1 tbsp red or yellow onions (diced)
2 tbsp tomatoes (diced)
1/2 tsp garlic
 1 tbsp evoo i.e extra virgin olive oil (olive/canola oil can be used )

Method;
In a skillet that can be used in the oven, heat evoo and add garlic and onions and cook for 1-2 mins. Heat oven 325 degrees F. Mix egg whites, tuna and all other ingredients and pour over onions until it covers base of skillet completely. Turn heat to med and let egg mixture cook by checking (with a spatula) the bottom for being 'set/firm'. Once it is set, transfer skillet to pre-heated oven for 3-5 minutes until top is set, making sure edges do not burn.

Remove from oven, let cool slightly. With a plate face down on to top of the skillet, flip to turn out frittata unto plate. Slice up and serve with your favourite salad, piece of whole grain toast or have by itself!

My very own Egg Pizza

Patties for Breakfast anyone?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day we've heard for as long as we can remember! Yet so many people I've come to realise don't indulge in this as they should sighting many reasons as not being able to eat so early or don't have the time to get up and do it and blah blah blah, it goes on! I am however a firm believer in breakfast, and while it must be the most important, it doesn't have to be the large fare so many think it is. Filling and effective fuel is what breakfast should be. You wouldn't put inferior fuel into your car and expect it to run properly would you? So why do that to your body?

For those without the time or want something simple, here's a quick and easy 'all-in-one' Patty, packed with all the good foods your body deserves to start the day. Caveat - assumes you have left over sweet potato or pumpkin from last night's dinner in your fridge or you can cook 2 medium sweet potatoes.

Ingredients;

1 can tuna, small onion (diced), 2 plummy tomatoes (chopped), 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (either use leftover or cook potatoes and then mash), 1 egg white

Preheat oven 350F, lightly spray baking dish/sheet/pan,

Combine onions, tomatoes, tuna. Mix in mashed potato until fully combined. Add egg whites and combine ensuring all is mixed in. Using hands, form balls of mixture, and place in baking dish flattening either using bottom of glass or with/in hands before placing in dish.

Bake in oven for 12 mins or until edges get slightly browned.

Serves 1 - 2 people.