WHAT’S FOR LUNCH?

I’ve been trying to eat a little healthier, and lose a little weight, shooting for 25 lbs. So far I’ve lost 15lbs *yay me* but now the weight loss has slowed… or maybe it was that burger and animal fries and milkshake that I had at In n Out 😀 *shhhhh*

My friend and I are trying to cut out carbs, flour and rice, which makes meals a little difficult, since I am a bread fiend *sigh*. But I pulled out my trusty spiralizer and I was determined to make something healthy and delicious. I came up with Roasted lemon, garlic and herb chicken and a mushroom and veggie noodle stir fry.

It’s so much easier to eat veggies when they’re so bright and colorful and it feels like you’re eating pasta 😀 *and who doesn’t love guilt free veggie ‘pasta’*

What are you having for lunch today?

Santa Fe grilled chicken

The weekend is finally here and we’re supposed to have perfect 80F weather! So that means, pulling out the old grill and getting it ready for months of use! *someone get me a virgin piña colada* 🍹

I love making my own rubs, they’re so versatile and you can experiment so much! I’d like to share with you one of my favorite rubs! It’s spicy, sweet, smoky and just tastes delicious!

You can use the grilled chicken in tacos, or on top of your favorite salad! I love adding avocado, cilantro, chopped onions and tomatoes with sour cream and cheese to these tacos with a squeeze of lime! AMAZZZINGGGGGG!!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper *or less if you’re 🐣*

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded thin (about 4 large breasts)

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, red pepper, salt, pepper, cayenne and brown sugar. Stir in oil; mixture will be moistened but crumbly.

2. Generously rub chicken on all sides with chili mixture. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to marinate (or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day).

3. Preheat gas grill to medium, or preheat broiler to high and set rack 6 to 8 inches from source of heat. Grill or broil chicken until firm, about 5 minutes per side. Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into thin strips.

CURRIED CHICKEN

I’m just gonna leave this right here! No fancy camera and lighting… Just a pic from my phone and sheer hunger as I wait patiently for this large pot of curried chicken to finish so I can stuff my face and then take a nice nap! I deserve it!

Hope you’re having a great day! *secretly I hope I just made you ravenously hungry 😁😁😁*

OK so I’ve had my nap, here’s the recipe as promised! I’ve adapted this recipe from http://caribbeanpot.com/heavenly-curry-chicken-with-tender-potato

3 lbs chicken cut into pieces

2-3 tbsp curry powder (chief madras curry is my favorite)

1 tsp geera (ground cumin)

1/2 of a scotch bonnet or habanero  pepper (use more or less to your taste)

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp green seasoning mix.

3-4 leaves of shadow benny (chopped) or 3 chopped tablespoon of cilantro.

2 pimento peppers (chopped)

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 tomato (chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (chopped)

2 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

2 tablespoons of oil (vegetable)

2 medium potatoes (peeled / sliced into chunks)

2 cups water

Start by washing the chicken pieces with the lime or lemon juice and water (not the water mentioned in the recipe). Then start seasoning by adding all the ingredients mentioned above, except the oil, potato and water. Allow this to marinate for a couple hours for best results. Feel free to cook immediately if you’re in a rush.

On high heat, in a saucepan (with a lid) add the oil and wait until you start seeing gentle smoke. Try fishing out the pieces of onion and garlic from the marinated chicken and add to the now hot oil.

Allow this to cook for about 2-3 minutes (you’ll notice that other recipes will ask that you cook the curry powder – I don’t), then start adding the seasoned pieces of chicken. Move everything around so it gets in contact with the heated oil. Cover and let simmer for a few minutes. After about 8 minutes you’ll notice that the chicken released some natural juices – lets turn up the heat and get rid of that.

As you wait for the liquid to cook down, peel and dice the potatoes. Place it into the same bowl that the chicken was sitting in. When the liquid that was released is gone, add the potato pieces and stir around. Pour the 2 cups of water into the same bowl and try to get any remaining seasoning that was left behind.

After you’ve added and moved the pieces of potato around the pot a bit, add the water and bring back to a boil. Cover the pot and turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Allow this to cook for about 20 minutes or so. The goal is to have tender pieces of potato (melt and thicken the sauce) and a rich-thick sauce. If there’s still a lot of liquid left after the 20 minutes, using the back of your spoon, smash a few pieces of the potato. This will help thicken the gravy/sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper to your liking! Serve with rice or roti (flat bread).

Curried Chicken

Spicy Chipotle Shredded Chicken

Spicy Chipotle Shredded Chicken.

I’ve got to try this! Looks yummy!

JERK CHICKEN

Jerk chicken….Don’t mind if I do!  I absolutely love Jamaican food, but jerk chicken is easily my favorite, it’s so spicy, savory and slow cooked to perfection! If I had to eat this everyday for the rest of my life  I wouldn’t complain!… well maybe after a month I might get a little bothered 😉

The best part is how easy it is to make! My marinade of choice is Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning. I let my chicken marinate for a day or more, and then I toss it in the oven at 350 F for 45 mins, and then move the chicken to the grill over medium low heat. Baste with your favorite BBQ sauce and let the meat slowly cook and the sauce to caramelize beautifully. Let cool, then cut and serve with pasta salad, rice and peas, fried plantains and maybe even a couple of festivals! Which reminds me, I really want to eat a festival now… *drools*

INGREDIENTS

• Whole chicken quartered
• Jerk seasoning marinade *I prefer Walkerswood hot and spicy*
• Lime juice

DIRECTIONS

• Cut chicken into quarters and wash with lime juice.
• Add 2 oz of marinade  per pound of chicken.*I love Walkerswood jerk marinade but there are other brands*
• Massage marinade into meat as well as under the skin. *please wear gloves if you don’t want your hands to be on fire*
• Let chicken marinate for at least 2 hours or over night for intense heat and flavor.
• Bake chicken at 350F for 45 mins. Reserve about 1/4 cup of drippings.
• Add the drippings to 2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce and reduce.
• Put chicken on grill over medium to low heat and baste with your sauce.
• Cook until finished!