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Braised chicken with spinach and lentils

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 x 170g chicken breast fillets, cut into 3cm cubes
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
  • 1 cup (250ml) salt-reduced chicken stock
  • 120g baby spinach leaves
  • 2 x 400g cans brown lentils, rinsed, drained

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a deep frypan over medium-high heat. In 2 batches, add chicken and brown all over for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

  2. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, celery stalk, garlic and thyme, then season. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until vegetables soften. Return chicken to pan with stock, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

  3. Stir in spinach, celery leaves and lentils, then cook for 3-4 minutes until spinach is wilted and lentils are warmed through. Serve with crusty bread

Zucchini noodles with leek-tomato sauce

Ingredients: (2 servings) (316 calories)

  • 1 large zucchini
  • 1/2 white onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup tomato purée
  • Herbs for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Slice zucchini into ribbons or spiral noodles. You can do this a few ways: a mandoline, a spiral peeler, or simply julienne cut the zucchini into noodle-like strips. Set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the onion and leek. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is translucent.
  4. Add the tomato purée to the saucepan and mix.
  5. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens to your liking.
  6. Pour the leek marinara sauce over the zucchini and dig in! Garnish with the herbs. The warmth of the sauce will soften the zucchini.

Zesty shrimp and quinoa

Ingredients: (2 servings)

  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 2-4 dashes hot sauce (optional)
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup raw shrimp (fresh or frozen and defrosted)

Instructions:

  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, pepper, garlic, and hot sauce (if using). Stir until well blended and set aside.
  2. Combine quinoa and 1 3/4 cups water in a pot. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. While quinoa is cooking, begin cooking shrimp: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and onions. When shrimp begin to turn pink, add sauce and continue to cook, stirring frequently.
  4. When shrimp is cooked through, add quinoa, and stir until well combined. Top with a drizzle of soy sauce or a squeeze of lime.

Lemon cod with basil bean mash

Ingredients: (2 servings) (372 calories)

  • 2 small bunches cherry tomatoes, on the vine
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Chunks skinless cod or other white fish fillet
  • Zest 1 lemon, plus juice of ½
  • 240 g pack frozen soya beans
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Bunch basil, leaves and stalks separated
  • 100 ml chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the tomatoes onto a baking tray, rub with a little oil and some seasoning, then roast for 5 mins until the skins are starting to split. Add the fish to the tray, top with most of the lemon zest and some more seasoning, then drizzle with a little more oil. Roast for 8-10 mins until the fish flakes easily.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the beans in a pan of boiling water for 3 mins until just tender. Drain, then tip into a food processor with the rest of the oil, garlic, basil stalks, lemon juice and stock, then pulse to a thick, slightly rough purée. Season to taste.
  3. Divide the tomatoes and mash between two plates, top with the cod, then scatter with basil leaves and the remaining lemon zest to serve.

Thay-style steamed fish

Ingredients: (199 caloríes) (2 servings)

  • 2 trout fillets, each weighing about 140g/5oz
  • A small knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 small garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 small red chilli (not bird’s eye), seeded and finely chopped
  • Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 3 baby pak choi, each quartered lengthways
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions:

  1. Nestle the fish fillets side by side on a large square of foil and scatter the ginger, garlic, chilli and lime zest over them. Drizzle the lime juice on top and then scatter the pieces of pak choi around and on top of the fish. Pour the soy sauce over the pak choi and loosely seal the foil to make a package, making sure you leave space at the top for the steam to circulate as the fish cooks.
  2. Steam for 15 minutes. (If you haven’t got a steamer, put the parcel on a heatproof plate over a pan of gently simmering water, cover with a lid and steam.)

Crab ceviche

Ingredients: (8 servings) (62 calories)

  • 1 (8 ounce) package imitation crabmeat, flaked
  • 2 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 3 serrano peppers, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Place the shredded imitation crab into a glass or porcelain bowl. Plastic or metal are not recommended. Stir olive oil into the crabmeat until well coated, then stir in the cilantro, onion, tomato and serrano peppers. Squeeze the lime juice over everything, and mix well. Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.

Spicy chicken breasts

BLOG 149Ingredients: (4 servings) (173 calories)

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, and ground black pepper. Set aside about 3 tablespoons of this seasoning mixture for the chicken; store the remainder in an airtight container for later use (for seasoning fish, meats, or vegetables).
  2. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Rub some of the reserved 3 tablespoons of seasoning onto both sides of the chicken breasts.
  3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the grill, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.

Braised balsamin chicken

Instructions:

  1. Season both sides of chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook seasoned chicken breasts until chicken is browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add onion; cook and stir until onion is browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Pour diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken; season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Lemon-garlic shrimp and vegetables

Ingredients (4 servings) (225 calories)

  • 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 large red bell peppers, diced
  • 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound raw shrimp, (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

  1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, asparagus, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl; cover to keep warm.
  2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth and add to the pan along with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the vegetables.