Monday, June 17, 2013

Blergh

For the last few weeks, I've been doing really well keeping to my changed diet which has bumped up complex carbs (veggies and some fruit), protein and that kind of thing.  No simple carbs.  So today while doing chores, I got it in my head that I wanted some eggs, canadian bacon and toast as a late lunch.  So I made them the way I usually have since I was a kid.  Looked good and tasted fine.  But now, I just feel kinda blergh...  I guess that meal will suffice for lunch/dinner.  Maybe later tonight, I'll snack on some sliced cucumbers, hummus and a few olives. 


Sunday, June 02, 2013

My newer recipes for chickpeas and pan grilled chicken

So good!   

This was meant to be a semi-fast meal amid a needed dietary change up in our lives.  It proved tasty and delightful.

Chickpea salad

2 cans cooked, salt free chickpeas drained and rinsed.
8 cherry/grape tomatoes cut in half
1/4 fresh yellow onion, chopped fine
1/4 orange bell pepper
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Sea salt

Dressing
1/2 Tsp Tumeric
1./2 Tsp red pepper flakes
Juice of one lime
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
pinch of Cumin
1/8th Tsp of fresh ground black pepper


Mix the first five ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. 

Make the dressing:

Squeeze the juice of a lime into a bowl until you have about 2-3 tablespoons of liquid.  Add the olive oil, and whisk into the lime juice with a fork or whisk.  Add turmeric, cumin, the red and black peppers and whisk together til well blended.
 
Assemble:   Pour the dressing over the chickpea salad and stir to coat well.  Add a pinch* or two of sea salt to taste and stir again.  Cover with bowl with a tight lid or wrap and put in the fridge and let sit over night.  Stir or turn and shake intermittently to make sure the whole salad is nicely seasoned with the dressing.  (*I used a salt grinder and did three twists.)

Lime Grilled Chicken*

Juice of one lime
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
pinch Cumin
1/2 Tsp Durkee Roasted Garlic seasoning
1/2 Tsp red pepper flakes
two small chicken breasts.

Mix the first five ingredients in a shallow bowl or baking dish.  Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat well.   Cover and refrigerate for an hour. 

Heat up a grill pan and spray lightly with olive oil.  Grill chicken in the pan for about 4 to 5 minutes per side (remember, this recipe is using a small portion, so cooking time will be faster). 

Serve with a 50/50 salad mix of spring greens and spinach and little vinaigrette dressing.

*I deliberately made this with no extra salt and found that none was needed.  (The Durkee Roasted Garlic seasoning has some added salt and sugar, but very little (80mg) on a per serving basis.  See: http://www.spiceplace.com/durkee-roasted-garlic-seasoning.php for ingredient breakdown).