Tag Archives: Dinner

Chicken in Paper Baked with Peppers, Tomatoes, Herbs and Cheese

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Excuse the late blog but I was just flicking through all the recipes I have to pick out one to use in this week’s recipe of the week at my Shape Up Challenge and Nutrition Class when I found this recipe stashed away in my recipe book 🙂

About 2 years ago, I really started to experiment with healthy recipes and this was one of the first healthy recipes I tried out for a healthy dinner idea. I was in college at the time so it’s budget and time friendly 😀

I went through a phase of making this recipe constantly for my dinner so no wonder I had forgotten about it because I haven’t made it in so long now but I can’t wait to try it again soon because it really is delicious!!

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Photo credit is by the original recipe because I couldn’t get a good snap! Here’s the link to the original recipe – http://www.foodista.com/blog/2013/10/24/chicken-in-paper-baked-with-peppers-tomatoes-herbs-and-cheese

But in my own words.. here it is..

Ingredients (Serves 4)

  • 2 chicken fillets
  • 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil/ rapeseed oil/ coconut oil (better to cook with rapeseed or coconut oil because unlike olive oil these oils do not turn into a bad fat when heated up to high temperatures!)
  • 1 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into rings or slices
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into rings or slices
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. dried organo
  • 250g feta cheese cut into cubes
  • salt & pepper to taste

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Cut the chicken fillets into large cubes and toss with oil, salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet and brown the chicken lightly. Remove and set aside.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and sauté the onions, celery, peppers and garlic until softened but not mushy. Remove.
  4. Divide the chicken and vegetables evenly into 4 portions. Place the chicken first on a piece of parchment paper about 12” square. Sprinkle with oregano and top with the vegetables and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Bring two sides of the paper together and fold over in 3-4 pleats. Fold the sides in to create 4 small (yet not too tight!) packages.
  5. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 45 minutes.
  6. To serve, place each package on a plate and carefully open the top of each.

Enjoy 🙂

Tee. X

Quinoa, Turkey & Veggie Bowl

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • chicken/veg stock cube
  • 250g ground turkey
  • 1tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1/3 cup grated carrot
  • 1/3 cup sliced red pepper
  • 1 cup broccoli
  • black pepper
  • garlic powder

Method

  1. Place water, quinoa and stock cube in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
  2. In a saucepan at medium heat, add the rapeseed oil and ground turkey, stir to separate the turkey while cooking. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the red pepper, carrots, broccoli, pepper and garlic powder. Cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat, add the quinoa. Mix together.

Serve in a bowl and enjoy 🙂

Tee x

Quinoa Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes

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Ingredients

  • 6/8 medium ripe tomatoes
  • salt, to taste
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • chicken/veg stock cube
  • rapeseed oil
  • 2/3 handfuls of fresh spinach
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
  • ground pepper, to taste
  • parmesan/mozzarella/goats shredded cheese

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Slice off the stem end of the tomatoes and hollow out the inside. Slice just a small section off of the bottom of the tomatoes just so that they will sit flat on your baking tray. Sprinkle a pinch of salt in the hollow portion of each tomato and place tomatoes, hollow side up on a baking tray. Set aside.
  2. Place water, stock cube and quinoa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
  3. Heat oil in a frying pan and add spinach. Season with pepper, and cook until wilted. Mix in the parsley.
  4. Remove from heat, add in the cooked quinoa and mix well.
  5. Evenly divide the filling among the tomatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove foil, sprinkle tops with preferred choice of cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve and enjoy 🙂

Tee x

Turkey Steaks with a Ginger Lemon Honey Sauce, Steamed Broccoli & Sweet Potato Mash

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Had this dinner one evening I was fighting off a flu as it’s the perfect dinner to fight off a flu and help your immune system. This meal is a great source of antioxidants, vitamin A and C from the sweet potato, broccoli, lemon and honey. The honey and ginger also provide antibacterial, anti inflammatory and antiviral properities 😉 Ok enough nutrition facts – now go make it! 😛

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Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • rapeseed oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 4 turkey breast steaks
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
  • 125ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp cold water
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • steamed broccoli, to serve

Method (Serves 4)

  1. Place sweet potato in a saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Heat the pan over medium heat. Spray with oil. Add cumin. Cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Add the sweet potato. Use a fork to mash.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray with oil. Cook turkey for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Spray with oil. Add ginger and lemon rind. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add stock, lemon juice and honey. Combine water and cornflour in a bowl. Stir into stock mixture. Bring to boil. Simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes or until reduces slightly. Add turkey. Cook for 1 minute or until heated through.
  3. Divide mash, turkey and broccoli among serving plates. Top with sauce.

Enjoy 🙂

Tee x

Turkey Meatballs

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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1.5 lbs ground chicken (or turkey)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Method

  1. Heat the rapeseed oil on high in a large skillet. When oil gets hot, toss in the zucchini, peppers, garlic, red pepper flakes and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes, transfer to a dish and allow to cool.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, cooled veggies, parsley, egg, breadcrumbs and cheese (Add some extra red pepper flakes if you like it spicy).
  3. Place some baking parchment/tin foil on a baking tray.
  4. Form your meatballs and place on the tray. If mixture is too sticky to handle, coat your hands with rapeseed oil.
  5. Lightly drizzle a large pan with rapeseed oil and cook the meatballs in batches – for about 5 minutes per side, on medium low heat. You can crack one open to make sure they are cooked through. You may also bake them at 200°C for 20 minutes.

Makes between 20-30 meatballs depending on the size you make them!

Serve with tomato sauce/spaggetti/quinoa/spinach/salad/sweet potato fries and sweet’n sour sauce goes well with them too 😀

Enjoy 🙂

Tee x

Egg Fried .. Quinoa!

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I didn’t think you could get any better than egg fried rice but then I found this recipe 😀 It’s absolutely delicious!! Like your own healthy Chinese at home 🙂 This recipe serves 4 but you can just divide the recipe down to serve 1 or 2.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • vegetable/chicken stock cube
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
  • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • sea salt
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Method

  1. Boil the quinoa in water and stock, once it comes to a boil, simmer for 15 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet.
  3. Saute the carrots, shallots, spring onions until soft and beginning to brown.
  4. Season with salt. Add the garlic, ginger and stir fry for another 2 mins.
  5. Fold in the cooked quinoa and stir everything together.
  6. Stir in the soy sauce.
  7. Push the quinoa to the side of the pan to create a well. Pour the eggs into the well and cook, stirring gently, until nearly set.
  8. Toss the fried quinoa with the eggs.
  9. Transfer the quinoa to plate/bowls and serve.

Enjoy 😀

Tee x

Low Carb Zucchini Lasagne

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A healthy alternative to the traditional lasagne – Yum!

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Ingredients

  • 4 oz lean ground turkey breast
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 can of chopped tomatoes/jar of tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1/2 chopped onion
  • salt, pepper, oregano to taste
  • 1/4 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 cup mozzarella/goats cheese

Method

  1. Start by slicing the zucchini into 1/8 thick slices, sprinkle lightly with salt, set aside to drain in colander.
  2. After a few minutes blot excess moisture with a paper towel.
  3. In a medium saucepan, heat the rapeseed oil and cook the onion until translucent.
  4. Add in the turkey and cook until turkey has browned slightly.
  5. Add in tomatoes, tomato puree, onion, salt, pepper and oregano. Stir and let simmer.
  6. Meanwhile in a bowl stir cottage cheese, parmesan and egg white until well combined.
  7. To assemble spread 1/2 the meat sauce into the bottom of a prepared dish.
  8. Next layer a few zucchini slices, cheese mixture, more zucchini slices, meat sauce and top with mozzarella or goats cheese.
  9. Bake at 190°C for 35-40 minutes.

Delicious 🙂 Serves between 2-4.

Serve with whatever you like, salad, sweet potato fries, spinach leaves etc.

Enjoy 😀

Tee x

Quinoa Pizza

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…Who said pizza can’t be healthy?

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Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cup water (for cooking the quinoa)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

For the Topping – this is just an example of my favourite topping but the great thing about pizza is that you can really experiment with it and put whatever topping you like!

  • 4 tbsp tomato based pizza sauce
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella/ goats/ feta cheese (whatever is preferred)
  • handful of spinach leaves
  • few slices of cajun seasoned chicken
  • chopped spring onions
  • diced red, yellow pepper

Directions

  1.  Add quinoa to water, bring the pan to a boil, cover and cook till all the water is absorbed and the quinoa becomes fluffy.
  2. Beat the whole egg. Add the dried herbs and shredded cheese. Add this mix to the quinoa and mix together well.
  3. Line a baking tray with some parchment paper/foil and spray some cooking oil on it.
  4. Take the quinoa mixture and spread the mixture onto the sheet. Spread the quinoa in whatever shape you would like for a good pizza base. As thick or thin as you like!
  5. Place the pan in a preheated oven for 8 – 10 minutes at 350°F/180°C.
  6. Take it out of the oven and let it cool for a minute.
  7. Spread the pizza sauce on top. Layer the cheese and toppings on top of the pizza sauce.
  8. Bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese melts and the sides start to turn golden/ brown.
  9. Let it cool for a minute so that the crust holds together.
  10. Carefully cut out slices and serve.

Just a few Quinoa Facts:

  • Quinoa is a grain just like wheat or rice but what makes it different from these other grains is that it is a complete protein – containing all eight of the essential amino acids! Which makes quinoa a great source of protein so it will keep you fuller for longer!
  • Quinoa is a SUPERFOOD! Packed with dietary fibre, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten-free and easy to digest.
  • You can get quinoa in any supermarket or health food shop, you just need to have a look around. Here is an example of the packaging of the quinoa I usually buy to help you find it..

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Enjoy & let me know about the different creations you come up with for your Quinoa Pizza! 🙂

Tee x