Food, glorious food!
Asian Chicken Salad
Asian Chicken Salad
We love this quick and nutritious midweek salad recipe that is easily modified to cater for the veg and salad ingredients you have available.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 Chicken Breast
A little Olive Oil
1 Medium Carrot
Cucumber about 3 inches long
4 spring onions
Enough salad leaves or shredded lettuce for two (such as Chinese leaves or hearts of romaine)
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1-2 Tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
3-5 Tbsp Sweet Fruit Juice (such as pineapple or apple)
Method
- Wash the chicken breast, rub lightly with olive oil and steam in a steamer (or on an upturned tea plate in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid and a small amount of water) for 10-15 minutes until gently cooked through.
- Allow the chicken to cool slightly then shred with two forks and set aside.
- Slice the carrot, cucumber & spring onions very finely into string-like, 3 inch pieces.
- Pile the salad leaves onto two plates and season with a little sea salt.
- Stack the vegetable strings into a pile in the middle of the salad.
- Now mix together the peanut butter, soy sauce and 1-2 Tbsp of the chilli sauce (depending on taste) in a small pan and slowly bring to a simmer mixing all the time. If it thickens too quickly add a Tbsp fruit juice.
- When just starting to bubble, add enough fruit juice to create a single cream consistency.
- Continue to heat until warmed through, don’t over heat and if it thickens too much add more fruit juice.
- Dribble the sauce over the vegetables and top with the shredded chicken.
- Serve with chopsticks and prawn crackers.
Chicken, Spinach & Ricotta Lasagne
Chicken Lasagne with Pesto, Spinach and Ricotta
Serves: 4
Ingredients
250g Baby Spinach
250g Ricotta
125g Green Basil Pesto
200g Cooked Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets, sliced thinly
Enough Fresh Lasagne Sheets to cover the base of your baking dish twice
or same amount of Dried Lasagne Sheets soaked in warm water for 15 mins
500g Napoletana Sauce (1 sautéed onion & 3 garlic cloves with 400g tin toms & seasoning)
150g Grated Mozzarella
25g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Good Quality Olive Oil
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Place the spinach in a colander over the sink, then pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt it. Leave to cool then squeeze out all the moisture with your hands. Chop roughly and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the ricotta with the pesto until combined then add the chopped spinach and mix again.
- Scatter the base of a baking tin or lasagne dish with half the chicken slices, top with half the ricotta, spinach and pesto mixture, and layer with half the lasagne sheets.
- Pour over a third of the tomato sauce, sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella, then add the remaining chicken and the ricotta mixture. Top with more lasagne sheets. Repeat with more tomato and mozzarella.
- Top with the rest of the tomato, and sprinkle with the last of the mozzarella, the Parmigiano, season & sprinkle with good olive oil.
- Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes until bubbling and golden.
- Serve with green salad leaves.
Jerk Pork or Chicken
Jerk Pork or Chicken
This flavour packed Caribbean favourite hits the mark whatever the weather. Deliciously warming in the Winter months and fabulously refreshing and perfect for BBQs in Summer. Inspired by Levi Roots’ recipe.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the jerk chicken
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 inch piece fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 cloves
½ tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp mild curry powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 boneless chicken thighs or 4 pork steaks
Directions
- Place all of the ingredients except for the meat into a food processor and pulse to a rough paste. Rub the paste all over the chicken thighs and leave for about 30 minutes to marinate.
- You can now griddle, fry, grill or BBQ the meat to your liking. Personally I find a health grill is fantastic for this.
Serve with steamed rice with some peas or beans mixed in with it and/or a green salad.
Italian Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
4 Skinless and Boneless Chicken Breasts
100ml Olive Oil
30ml White Wine or Cider vinegar
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Dried Oregano
½ tsp Dried Thyme
½ tsp Dried Parsley
¼ tsp Caster or White Sugar
Black Pepper & Salt to taste
80-100g Bread Crumbs
Fresh salad leaves and mixed olives to serve!
Directions
1. Wash the chicken breasts and partially slash the flesh with and put them into a close fitting bowl or dish.
2. Mix together all the other ingredients except the bread crumbs. I find it easiest to do this in a clean jam jar. The dressing should be herby and zesty.
3. Pour the dressing over the chicken so it is all covered. You don't need to use all the dressing it can be kept in the jar in the fridge for a couple of weeks and used to dress salad leaves.
4. Allow the chicken to marinade for at least ½ hour but an hour or more is best.
5. Heat the oven to about 180°.
6. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof tray or small roasting tin.
7. Mix the breadcrumbs with the residue of the dressing in the marinade bowl and then stack the breadcrumbs on top of the chicken breasts patting it down so it sticks to the meat.
8. Roast in the oven for 30-40 mins until the juices run clear when spiked with a fork.
9. Serve with fresh salad leaves and olives.
Chicken or Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
3-4 Chicken Breasts cut into small bite-sized pieces or…
400g Lean Steak Mince
1 Bell Pepper (green or red or half of each)
3 Fresh Tomatoes chopped
150g Sliced Mushrooms or 1 tin Red Kidney Beans
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1-2 tsp Hot Chilli Powder (check the heat before adding too much!)
2 tsp Dried Oregano
700g Bottle of Passata
8 Corn Tortilla (can use flour tortillas but corn are better)
Jar of Sliced Jalapeño Chillies (optional)
100g Cheddar Cheese (reduced fat is fine)
50g fresh breadcrumbs softened with a little olive oil
Directions
1. In a large saucepan or hob proof casserole heat 1.5 Tbsp olive oil over high heat.
2. Turn down the heat to moderate and add the onion and garlic, soften for 5 mins or so. Don’t let them colour.
3. Turn the heat up a bit and add the chicken or mince, just sealing the meat.
4. Add the pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms or beans, herbs and spices and sauté for a further 3 minutes stirring to combine the spices with the other ingredients.
5. Add the passata, turn down to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add salt & pepper to taste and adjust the heat with a little more chilli powder if needed…
7. Heat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4.
8. Prepare an oblong shaped oven proof dish (approx. 30cm x 20cm) by rubbing with the remainder of the oil to prevent sticking.
9. Now fill each of the tortillas with a large spoonful of the meat sauce, reserving some of the tomato base for covering later.
10. Roll the tortillas loosely as you go and place into the dish side by side until they are all snug in the dish.
11. Top with the tomato base and make sure every bit of the tortillas has been touched by the sauce even if they are not covered. This stops them burning.
12. Top with rows of sliced jalapeño chillies, you can leave some of the dish chilli free for those who prefer it less hot!
13. Top with cheese, breadcrumbs if using a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
14. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the crumbs are beginning to brown.
Serve straight from the casserole on the dining table with nachos and/or corn bread and a green salad. People will love to chisel the crispy bits from the dish as they go!
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