Spanish-Moroccan Chicken Tagine

My own unique twist of the traditional Moroccan dish influenced by the cultural cuisine of Spain.

Vegetarians and Vegans remove the Chicken (can replace with Tofu if you want) and use Vegetable Stock.

Serves 4 - but also great as frozen leftovers or can be whizzed up into a tasty soup!

Ingredients
2 Chicken Breasts - cut into chunks
2 Sweet Potatoes - peeled and cut into chunks
2 Handfuls of (prepared) Kale
1 Tin of Plum Tomatoes
1/2 Red Pepper - cut into strips
10 Green Seedless Olives
10 Black Seedless Olives
500ml Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Tomato Puree
1 Tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
1 Tablespoons Chutney (Mango)
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
Salt
Pepper


Method
k hgfd\  In a large frying pan and on a low heat pour and mix in your Stock and add in the Cumin. Add in the chicken and Sweet Potato and leave to cook through.

Meanwhile empty your tinned tomatoes into a bowl and roughly cut up into a pulp (or make your life easier and buy already chopped up tomatoes). Add in the Tomato Puree and Ketchup and mix together. (After tasting you may want to season with Salt and Pepper or even add a pinch of Sugar)

Once the Potatoes are soft and the chicken is cooked through add in your tomato base and stir. Now add in the Kale and Peppers, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Remove lid and add in the Chutney and Olives gently stirring together.

After about 5 minutes over a low heat season to your preference.

Serve with rice, chickpeas, cous cous or simply on it's own!

5 Tips for Being Healthy

One - Eat Slowly! By chewing your food properly and taking longer to eat a meal you are much more likely to become full on a smaller amount of food than you'd think! Also it doesn't help to have some table etiquette!

Two - Don't be scared of Fat!! Eating fat does not make you fat. Most body fat gained comes from unused carbohydrates (grains, legumes, sugars) which are high-calorie and slow-release foods. (Great if your Paula Radcliffe.. not if you sit behind a desk all day).  Focus more on getting some Fat on your plate than Carbohydrate (it's less inflammatory and just as fulfilling). For 1 meal a day try replacing any grains (rice, bread, pasta, cous cous) or legumes (peas, beans, lentils) with healthy FATS:
                                            - Avocado
                                            - Olives
                                            - Nuts
                                            - Seeds
                                            - Eggs

Three - Use healthy oils like Olive oil or Coconut oil when cooking. Stay away from any kind of Vegetable oil (they're very deceptive). Also when you buy semi-processed healthy foods like nut butter ALWAYS check the ingredients. Most peanut butters and even ol' Quaker Oats are full of sugar. Your much better off with simple, organic foods.

Four - Get in the Kitchen and start cooking!! By baking all your own cakes, biscuits, cookies etc.. you are much more aware how much butter, sugar, chocolate you are eating. (It's easier to ignore the nutritional value label on the back of the packet that it is seeing 300g of sugar being weighed into a bowl!!). Also home cooking provides a much greater sense of achievement!

Five - Drink lots and lots and lots of water. With every meal, in-between meals, when you wake up, when you're going to bed ... just don't stop! Drinking water helps flush your food down and keeps everything going through your digestive system. It's good for your skin too!

Sweet Potato, Green Bean and Sundried Tomato Frittata (Vegetarian)

 

Ingredients
3 Eggs
11-12 Green Beans
1 Sweet Potato
4 Sundried Tomatoes
Salt
Pepper

 

Method
Firstly preheat a grill to medium heat.

Peel your sweet potato and cut up into little cubes. Wash your green beans and slice finely. Add them to a saucepan of boiling water and leave to soften for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper and drop in the sundried tomatoes (leave the sunflower oil on them - it makes the frittata crispy!)

Once the tats and beans are soft, drain in a colander and throw them onto a pre-heated pre-(olive) oiled frying pan on a medium heat. Allow them to sizzle for a few seconds.

Pour over the egg mixture and leave to sit for 4 minutes. Once the bottom appears to be solidifying (as if you were cooking an omelette and can lift up the sides with the edge of your spatula) transfer the pan to the pre-heated grill.

Grill for 10-12 minutes until the top has browned and you can see no liquid egg floating on the top.

Remove from the grill and leave to cool (this way it will hold together much better)

Once cool remove from the pan by sliding a butter knife around the edges. Cut into pizza-like slices. You can serve it straight away cold or reheat it.

Frittatas can be eaten as breakfast, lunch or dinner (with a leafy salad) or act as perfect lunch box material! 

Lime Chicken Pot & Sweet Potato Mash

 

Ingredients
3 Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Sweet Potatoes
1 Lime
2 Tomatoes
4 Mini Courgettes
Sundried Tomatoes
 Pumpkin Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper

 

 

Method
In a saucepan bring some water to the boil. Meanwhile peel your sweet potatoes and cut into cubes. Add to the boiling water, cover and allow to cook until soft (around 20 mins)

 

Cut up your chicken, tomatoes, limes (quarters) and courgettes and place on an oven dish with olive oil, salt and pepper and either BBQ or grill for 20-25 mins until the chicken is cooked. Remember to keep returning to the grill/BBQ and stir the chicken in with the veg to allow the meat to soak all the juices.

 

When your potatoes are ready, drain the saucepan of water and with the back of a fork mash together. You may want to add a bit of butter or milk (I used 2 tablespoons of almond milk) to get that creamy mash consistency.

 

Pile your cooked chicken and veg into the serving pot, drizzle over some balsamic vinegar and squeeze what is left of the cooked lime. Now simply add a few seeds and season to your preference.

 

Voila!

3 Ingredient Breakfast Muffins

Dairy-Free    Gluten-Free   Vegetarian     Wholefood

 

This easy 3-ingredient recipe provides the bust student with a 'grab-and-go' alternative to the standard omelette. Nutritional and simple, this is a useful trick of the kitchen.

 

 

Ingredients:

4 eggs (roughly 1 egg per muffin)

Veg variety (I used 1 large tomato, 1/4 yellow pepper and 1/4 green pepper)
Salt
Pepper

 

 

Method:

Firstly gather all your ingredients. For these muffins I have gone for Tomato and Pepper but you can out whatever you like in it! I used Kale before and it worked really well!

 

 

Now in one bowl finely chop your vegetables and season with salt and pepper. I am aiming for medium sized muffins so I use 1 large tomato and 1/4 of a yellow pepper and 1/4 of a green pepper. Obviously if your using a bigger muffin tray to make your muffins the more veg you use.

 

In another bowl crack the eggs and whisk together.

 



 

Once the eggs are whisked, pour in the veg and mix together gently.

 

Using a ladle, pour a portion of the mixture into each muffin tray compartment so each is about 3/4 full. (It should work out as 1 egg per muffin so 4 egg = 4 muffins but sometimes you might have bit left over to make a 5th)

 

 

Place your muffin tray in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees and leave to bake for 30 mins!

 

Enjoy!  

 

 

Low Calorie Easy Banana Pancakes

 

 

Ingredients

1 medium banana

1 medium egg

honey

flaxseed (optional)

 

 

Method

Peel and mash 3/4 of the banana in a bowl. Use the remaining 1/4 to cut into 1cm  chunks (to put on top of pancake)

 

Once your banana is properly mashed add in the egg and mix until as smooth as possible.

 

Now simply heat a little oil (I use spray - it works better) in a frying pan and ladle the egg/banana mixture into the pan to make as many mini pancakes as possible.

 

Pile them up onto a plate and add the chopped banana pieces on top.

 

Drizzle some honey and sprinkle some flaxseed (can use coco powder for a chocolate-y taste).



Healthy Desserts - Fruit Pots

You fancy something sweet after your meal, or perhaps your food wasn't sufficient?

Here are two ways to feed your sweet tooth and leave you satisfied!

Blacker the Berry, the Sweeter the Juice 

 

 

Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Red Grapes and Raisins

 

 

Feeling Nutty?

 

 

Green Grapes, Kiwi, Orange, Raisins, Cashews, Pistachios 

Super Easy South Asian Soup (great for using leftovers!)

 

 

Ingredients

Cabbage
Green Beans
Celery
Tomato Paste
300ml Stock Cube
1/2 Orange
Mango Chutney

 

Method
Roughly chop up the vegetables and add to the stock. Place in a blender and blend until pulp.

 

Next pour your soup into a saucepan over a low heat and season to your preference. When hot serve with a dollop or two of mango chutney.

 

Enjoy!


Easy Tuna Nicoise

Ingredients
1/2 Tin of Tuna
1 Egg
Iceberg Lettuce
Cucumber
Cherry Tomatoes
Red Pepper
Black Olives (optional)

Method
Boil some water and carefully place the egg and leave to cook for 8-10 minutes.

In the meantime arrange the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber and pepper on a plate. Add 1/2 a can of Tuna (can be done with Salmon or substituted with new potatoes).

Once the egg is boiled take it out the water and place on the side to cool. Carefully peel off the egg shell (by dipping your finger tips in water when doing this will make it a lot easier!). Once all the shell has been taken off slice the egg long ways making sure the yolk isn't runny. 

Add egg into the salad. If desired black or green olives can also be added.

Grilled Sardines (BBQ optional)

 

 

Ingredients

Tinned Sardines (in Sunflower Oil)
Chilli Flakes
Classic Vinegarette (I use Farringstons Mellow Yellow)
1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper

 

Method
Place your sardines on some tin foil. They are already covered in enough oil so simply add 1 teaspoon of Vinegarette over each fish for seasoning. 

 

Add a dash of chilli flakes, salt, pepper and the juice of half a lemon over the sardines and season to your preference.

 

On a medium heat grill the sardines for 10 minutes (or if on BBQ for 15 minutes).

 

Serve with new potatoes, avocado slices and simple mixed salad.


Raw Autumn Salad

Ingredients
1/4 sweetheart cabbage
Baby Spinach
Wild Rocket
Red Chard
Ruby Red Chard Leaves
3 Closed Cup White Mushrooms
1/5 Cucumber
1 tbsp. Pomegranate Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Red Wine Vinegar

Method
Tear some of the outer large cabbage leaves and line salad bowl. Next slice four 1cm chunks of the cabbage and with fingers open up into strips.

In another bowl mix together the spinach, rocket and chard leaves with the sliced cabbage before placing on top of the large cabbage leaves.

Slice up the mushrooms into medium sized chunks and place above the leaves.

Take 1/4 of a cucumber and cut up into cubes and add in with the mushrooms.

Lastly, take 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds and 1 tablespoon of trail mix (sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds) and sprinkle over the leaves and veg.

To finish pour a generous amount of red wine vinegar over the salad as a dressing.