Skinny Chicken & Stuffin' Salad

This just so happens to be the Little Black Dress of the salad world.

It's also an ideal place to start if you're trying to shimmy back into your actual LBD.



Allow me to cast your mind back a couple of weeks. Remember hungrily browsing the sandwich aisle at lunch and locking eyes with the all exclusive, sparkly red festive range? (I'm going to assume you just nodded and drooled simultaneously.)

Well, I had a particular penchant for the chicken, stuffing and cranberry variety.



My Skinny Chicken & Stuffin' Salad is essentially just that with a low carb January twist. First thing first. Whack these on the shopping list:

For the salad (to feed two people)
1 pack leafy salad (spinach, rocket, lamb's lettuce all work well)
1/2 an iceberg lettuce
1/2 a cucumber
3 x skinless, free range chicken breasts
1 cup 'just add water' sage and onion based stuffing mixture

For the dressing
3 tbsp cranberry sauce (you'll find this in exile at the back of your fridge)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 x lemon

Start by seasoning your breasts and stop being so naughty, you filthy animal!



Pop them in a pre-heated oven at around 200°c until cooked through and crisp on the outside. Depending on the thickness of your chicken they can take between 20-30 minutes. If  in doubt, slice one open and take a peek. If it's pink, it's not done yet.

In the meantime, prepare your stuffing according to the instructions on the packet. Crisp it up under the grill if you have the time, otherwise just pop it in the microwave for around three minutes and enjoy its natural gooey deliciousness.



Feel free to make your mixture from scratch if you'd rather. I'm only leaving it to Sainsbury's because, well, who the heck has the time to make homemade stuffing?!

Chop your iceberg lettuce into strips and throw it into a bowl with the rest of your leaves. Dice your cucumber and toss it all together good 'n' proper.

Whilst your stuffing is cooking, knock together your dressing. In a bowl, add your cranberry sauce, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar before giving it a stir and crushing in your garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

At this point, your roast chicken should be ready. Remove it from the oven and squeeze over the lemon juice. I like mine really lemony, so I use a whole half.

When it has cooled, chop it up into bite size chunks and season.

Divide your salad between two large bowls (you should have enough left over for tomorrow's lunch, you lucky devil) and scatter your chicken pieces on top.

When the microwave pings, take out your stuffing and break it into little pieces. Pop them on top of your salad and whatever you do, make sure you lick the spoon.

That, my friend, is a vital step.

Drizzle over your homemade cranberry dressing and dive in totally guilt free.

Ridiculously delicious and totally acceptable in January, much like the the following joke:

What do you do with epileptic lettuce?

You make a seizure salad! 

Granny's Low Carb Chicken Hotpot

With just two weeks to go before the big day, we're officially smack bang in the middle of Sniffle Season. Now I don't know about you, but I've spent many a Christmas unwrapping presents in quarantine.

Eleven months of the year, I'm the picture of health. I take my vitamins, work out bi-weekly and eat at least four of my five a day. But when it comes to December, a time for parties, get togethers and festive earings, I'm a certified snotty mess.

If like me you're prone to the Christmas Plague (medical term), I come bearing a fool proof solution which can be whipped up in under half an hour. It's a hand-me-down from J's Grandma and the only reason I'm able to write this post without readjusting the tissues which are usually lodged up my nostrils at this time of year. 

Grandma's recipe has been curing coughs and splutters for years. It's a traditional war time supper made from the most simple ingredients and one big pot can feed up to eight people, in true Grandma style. To make yours, you'll need:

2 x large onions

5 x large carrots

3 x chicken breasts (use leftover roast chicken and boil the carcass to make the broth if you have the time)

1 tin of sweetcorn

A handful of wholegrain rice

A kettle of boiling water

A few handfuls of chicken gravy granules

Pop the kettle on and grab your chopping board. In a large pan, fry your chicken in a little olive oil and seasoning until cooked through but not crispy, you want it as succulent as possible for your hotpot.

Slice your onions into fine strips and roughly peel and chop your carrots.

Add your onions to the cooked chicken and pour over your boiling water. Use however much you see fit, around 3/4 of a kettle full or so. You can always add more later on. Leave it to bubble away for a few minutes.

Throw in your chopped carrots, rice and gravy granules. You want the broth to be nice and thin, so be careful here. The granules help to bring out that deep chickeny flavour, so keep tasting as you go.

Add your sweetcorn. Frozen corn works just fine in this, so don't fret if the cupboards are bare. This is a wartime meal after all, so making do with what you've got is all part of the fun!

Season, give it a twirl and pop the lid on. Leave it alone for 15 minutes and go distract yourself by laying the table. If you've already been struck down with the Christmas Plague, take this opportunity to replace earlier mentioned nostril blockers and/or beg loved ones for cuddles on the sofa. I'd suggest a combination of puppy dog eyes and threatening to wipe snot on their arm should do the trick nicely.

Once times up have a taste, add a big knob of butter and grab your ladle. It's hotpot o'clock, baby.

Serve in deep bowls with crusty french bread. I like to add an extra dollop of butter and a sprinkle of salt in my bowl when nobodies watching. I wont tell if you don't.

A cold busting winter warmer that is totally delicious and ridiculously low in carbs. If you're planning on cutting back in the New Year, a batch of Granny's Hotpot can be frozen for up to three months in an air tight container. Enjoy!

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Con Charlotte

I've always liked the sound of 'quinoa' but never really known what it was.
 

After tonights supper, I now know that it's a delicious bowl of stuff which makes my mouth salivate involuntarily and my tummy grumble for another serving.
 

That's if you follow my fool-proof 'Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Con Charlotte' recipe, of course.

This serves dinner for 3 to 4 people or 2 with a yummy packed lunch for the following day.

For the stuffed peppers you'll need:

1 x 250g pack of quinoa. You can pick this up from most supermarkets, I recommend Merchant Gourmet Red & White quinoa. You can eat it hot or cold and the colours are delicious.

4 x large peppers in a variety of colours

1 x large white onion

3 x red tomatoes

1 1/2 x green chillies (depending on how spicy you're feeling)

1 x cup of black beans

1 x good sized bunch of coriander (cilantro for those of you across the pond)

1 x medium sized pot of salsa

1 x bag of grated cheddar cheese

And if you're feelin' like chicken tonight

2 x chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 x crushed garlic clove

1 x fajita spice mix (or anything mexican related which tickles your pickle. I went for Old El Paso Original Smoky BBQ seasoning)

First things first, pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees. Then, bathe your chicken strips in the seasoning mixture and pop to one side to marinate. Thirdly, grab those peppers.

I'm a sucker for a splash of colour, so I got myself one of each variety. 

Next things next, sweat some finely chopped onions and get your quinoa cooking. The brand I used is easy peasy - just pop it in a pan of water and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Whilst things are getting hot, get achoppin' your other fillings.

Put your coriander, tomatoes and black beans in a mixing bowl. Throw in the quinoa and onion mixture and add a generous dash of salt and pepper.

The end result should look a little something like this. Stir in a quarter of your salsa - this is optional, but I think it gives the peppers a bit more moisture and tomatoey zing. That done, it's stuffin' time.

If you want your peppers less crunchy, give them 3 to 4 minutes in the microwave beforehand.

Then, fill a baking tray with the remainder of your salsa and a dash of water. Think of it like a tomatoey paddling pool for your peppers, it keeps them nice and hydrated whilst they're roasting.

Pop your stuffed peppers on top and throw on a sprinkling of cheese. This recipe is gluten and wheat free, and for the most part, it's pretty darn good for you. The cheese is its one downfall, but if you're feeling particularly naughty, a little extra monterey jack would work wonders, cheese it up, baby.

Chuck them in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is nice and bronzed.
By now your chicken breasts should be good and marinated, so warm a glug of olive oil, toss in your chicken and scatter over your crushed garlic clove and coriander leaves.

Leave them to cook for around 3-4 minutes on each side until sticky and delicious. Don't be fooled by the charred bits, it adds depth to the flavour and looks incredible on the plate.

Take your peppers out of the oven and plate up with your chicken. Dollop a little soured cream and guacamole on the side for dipping and scatter the rest of your coriander leaves over the top.

You, my friend, are in for a treat. Grab a napkin, perch yourself at the kitchen table and pour a glass bottle or two of ice cold white wine. I promise you won't regret it. 

There you have it, a totally under-rated super food made into a super-duper dinner.