clean eating

Chicken and Spinach Curry

If you are looking for an alternative to an Indian treat, look no further. This curry is packed with flavour as well as protein and many other nutrients making it a total guilt free eat.

3 Garlic Cloves Chopped Roughly

1 Onion, Chopped

1 inch piece of Ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tsp Ground Coriander

1 Red Chilli, deseeded and chopped

1/2 tbsp Mild Curry Powder

1/2 tbsp Medium Curry Powder

1 kg Boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

Small Bag of Baby Leaf Spinach

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Water

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

3 tbsp 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt

Maldon Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Start by making a paste by whizzing up the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and spinach. Set aside.

Add a tsp of the coconut oil to a pot and heat until fairly hot, add the chicken and brown all over. Pour off any excess fat.

Now add the rest of the spices (Coriander and mixed Curry powders) cook on a medium heat for two minutes.

Now tip in the paste, cook gently for around ten minutes. Add the lemon juice, check the seasoning and add some salt and pepper if necessary. Cook for another ten minutes. You may need to add a dash or two of water depending on whether it is too thick.

Now add the Greek yoghurt. Combine well and cook for five minutes.

Serve with wholegrain rice, basmati rice or any variety of bread you fancy!

Lebanese Chicken

This lush Lebanese Chicken is wonderfully easy to make! Bursting full of flavour, it can be cooked on a Griddle pan or on the barbecue.

It goes wonderfully with other Lebanese accompaniments such as Tabbouleh and Baba Ganoush. I will add the recipes at a later date!

LEBANESE CHICKEN

1kg Skinless, boneless Chicken Thighs

2 tsp Ground Allspice

1 tsp Maldon Sea Salt

2 tsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

6 Cloves Garlic, Crushed

1 tsp Finely Grated Lemon Rind

1 tbsp Finely Chopped Mint Leaves

125 ml Olive Oil

125ml Lemon Juice

Trim any fatty bits off the chicken.

Combine all of the remaining ingredients. Add the chicken and mix really well.

Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.

Barbecue, brushing with remaining marinade until nicely browned and cooked through.

Total taste sensation.

Serve with a nice Lebanese salad such as Tabbouleh!

My Perfect Steak Tartar

I first had Steak Tartar in The Ivy, London. So from the outset, the benchmark was set pretty high!

I totally adore this dish and had to get it right, a lot of research went into it.

My weekend treat with a lush glass of Rioja! Lush!!

Serves 1

250g Piece of Fillet Steak, a nice aged one from a butcher is a must

4 Cornichons, finely chopped

2 tsp Capers, finely chopped

1/2 Banana Shallot, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp Ketchup

10 Drops of Tabasco

1/2 tbsp Truffle Oil

1 tbsp Parsley Leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp Dijon

1/4 of a Red Chilli, deseeded, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to season

To Serve

Slices of Crispy Toasted Sourdough

1 Egg Yolk

Finely Chopped Chives

Start by trimming the outsides of the steak. Also remove any obvious white and silvery pieces.

Wash the knife and chopping board.

Pop the steak into the freezer for around 20mins – half an hour to firm up, this makes it easier to cut.

While it is in the freezer, prepare the rest of the ingredients by adding them into a bowl and combining well. Taste and adjust if necessary.

When the steak is ready, take it out and on a chopping board, cut across the grain into slices. Then cut the slices into strips and then cut the strips into little cubes, roughly 2-3mm pieces.

This bit can be done in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic put in the fridge until ready to serve.

Once you are ready to serve, combine the meat and the dressing. Add half the dressing to begin with, add more if necessary. Shape into patties, place in a ring to give a nice shape.

Serve, topped with the egg yolk and the chives, accompanied by the toasted sourdough!

Tip: I toasted my sourdough then put it into the oven at 160c for 8 mins to really crisp it up.

Keralan King Prawn Coconut Curry

Serves 4

This is a wonderfully fresh, creamy and perfectly spicy. It tastes totally amazing, it is full of protein and low in fat because I used light coconut milk. The added bonus is, it is super fast!

Juice of 1 Fresh Lemon

500g Raw Tiger Prawns, shells off and de-veined

2 tbsp Ground Nut Oil

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Turmeric

6 Green Cardamom Pods, give them a wee bang to split slightly

1 tsp Chilli Powder

1 Cinnamon stick

3 Cloves Garlic, crushed

3cm Root Ginger, finely grated

Tin of Light Coconut Milk

Fresh Coriander

Maldon Sea Salt

Start by tossing the prawns in the lemon juice and set aside whilst you get on with the rest.

Heat a heavy based pan add a tablespoon of oil, add the onion and cook on a medium heat for around five mins, until softened but not coloured.

Add the Turmeric, cardamom pods and chilli powder. Cook for two mins until fragrant.

Add a dash more oil, throw in the Cinnamon, Ginger and garlic. Cook for a further 2 mins until cooked through.

Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil.

Season with salt.

At this point, throw in the prawns and cook for 2-3 mins until prawns are cooked through.

Serve with basmati rice and chopped fresh Coriander.

Boom! Lush!

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Make your start to the week super healthy with this tasty, high protein, low fat dish. As an added bonus, it is made in minutes!

Turkey Meatballs (around 12 make your own or buy them)

1 Onion, finely chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, crushed

Jar of Passata

Chopped Fresh Parsley

Parmesan to serve

Olive oil

Wholewheat Spaghetti

Malden Sea Salt and Black Pepper

In a sauté pan, add a dash of oil and when hot soften the onions for around 5 mins.

Add the meatballs and continue to cook until starting to brown all over. Ensure you do not burn the onion.

Add the garlic and cook for another few minutes.

Now throw in the passata and cover the pan, cook gently until meatballs are cooked through. Roughly 20 mins.

If necessary add a dash of water to loosen the sauce.

Cook the pasta and when done, drain and toss with the meatballs and sauce.

Serve in a pasta bowl with lots of fresh Parmesan and freshly chopped parsley.

A tasty guilt free start to the week.

Zingy Fresh Tuna and Herby Beans

This little number is packed full of healthy goodness and a tonne of protein. However, that is just a wee bonus for this delicious dish! It is so packed full of flavour it is restaurant worthy and so full of goodness! Guilt free decadence!!!

Ps if you don’t have tuna or don’t like it….i used salmon and it was gorg too!!

Serves 4

4 Tuna Steak

1 Small Red Onion, sliced finely

1 Red Chilli, chopped

2 Lemons

Few handfuls Mixed Herbs (basil, chives, parsley, mint) finely chopped

2 Tins beans, Cannellini or Borlotti

1 Red Chilli, finely sliced (optional)

Three Handfuls of Mixed Herbs, finely chopped

Maldon Sea Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Start with the beans. Drain and put them in a pot with a few glugs of the Olive Oil, don’t boil, just gently warm.

Once warm, add the chilli, red onions, lemon juice and season to taste.

Set aside and heat a hot Griddle pan, when super hot, add the fresh tuna to the pan and sear for a minute each side to ensure it is nice and pink in the middle. If you want it done more, you’re mad, but feel free! 😂

At this point, throw the wonderful herbs into the beans and adjust seasoning if need be.

Serve piled on a plate topped with the tuna! Total lushness!

Healthy Start to the New Year!

The New Year will see me up the ante with my fitness regime and this includes the food I eat! In a nutshell you will see a lot of healthy alternatives this year.

What I do promise is no compromise on taste. Bland steamed chicken and veg does not do it for me, but simple tweaks and boom, you can have you cake and eat it…so to speak!!

Tonight I was tight for time and this is what I rustled up….

Fillet Steak, Stir Fry Veg and Brown Rice

serves 1

I feel guilty putting down an ingredient list it is sooo simple!

1 Top Quality Fillet Steak

1 Bag of M&S Peashoot Stir Fry

1 Red Chilli Finely Sliced

1/2 tbsp Fish Sauce

1/2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

Juice 1/2 Lime

1/4 Pack of Microwave Brown Rice

Dash Rapeseed Oil

Simply add a dash of oil to a frying pan, heat until super hot, add the steak and cook both sides to your preference, in my case, rare.

Set aside, add a dash of oil to the frying pan and heat. Throw in the stir fry and the chilli, after a couple of mins, chuck in the soy, fish sauce and lime juice.

Serve with the rice!

Boom, too simple, full of flavour and beyond healthy!

Fabulous Fish Curry

I didn’t really know what to call this as I did not want to niche it! This white fish curry would appeal to those watching what they eat (clean/healthy eaters) as much as those who just love a really tasty curry.
The key here is the wondrous paste, fresh and bursting with flavour!
Serves 2 (double up if you want and use for lunch the next day!!)
300g Cod Loin

25g Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut

2 Garlic Cloves, Chopped

1 Large Onion, peeled and chopped

1/4 tbsp Coriander Seeds, crushed in a pestle and mortar

1 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Cumin powder

1 Fresh Red Chilli, finely Chopped

Fresh Red Chilli and Coriander leaves to serve
Serve with cooked brown rice.
Place the garlic, onion, Coriander seeds, Turmeric, Cumin and Chilli in a food processor and blend to a super fine, smooth paste.
Add the mixture to a heated frying pan. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Add around 225ml water and bring to the boil.
Add the fish and if necessary too up with a splash more water to ensure that the fish is covered.
Give it a bit of a stir and be very careful not to break up the fish.
Cook until fish is cooked through and serve with brown rice.
You could throw in some spinach or cauliflower..whatever you fancy towards the end of the cooking.
Enjoy your guilt free loveliness 😇

Skinny Pizza

Skinny Pizza Night

If you are craving pizza but don’t want the calories and fat, this is a very satisfying alternative that doesn’t leave you feeling sluggish.

I actually bought (shame on me!!) pizza bases and this kids used the pizza sauce to make their own pizzas too!

Serves 1

Heat oven to 200c

1 Wholegrain or White Tortilla
500g Passata
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
Olive Oil
Maldon Sea Salt and Black Pepper
1/2 Red Onion, finely sliced
2 Slices Parma Ham
Soft Goats Cheese
Rocket

Start by making your pizza sauce. Add a dash of oil to a saucepan and heat. Soften the onion for about 7 mins, add the garlic and cook for a further 3 mins.

Throw in the Passata into the saucepan along with the oregano. Cook on a low heat for about 10 mins to infuse.

Assembly time!

Place the tortilla on a pizza tray. Smooth over the pizza sauce.

Then add the Parma ham (rip it up a bit), goats cheese and red onion.

Stick it in the oven for 7-10 mins, keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t burn!

Take it out, place on a plate and top with rocket.

Easy, tasty, healthy…x

#skinnypizza #healthy #goatscheese #healthytakeaway

Super Healthy Thai Turkey Burgers

THAI TURKEY BURGERS

Clean eating, healthy, tasty and easy…..sums these babies up perfectly!!
These can be made ahead and could be made with chicken or prom too.

300g Turkey Breast Mince
1 Clove Garlic, Crushed
Lemon Grass Stalk, white bit only, finely chopped
Large handful Coriander leaves
3 Spring Onions, trimmed and white bit only, chopped
1 Red Chilli, chopped
1 inch Piece Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Maldon Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Coconut Oil

Place all of the prepared ingredients in a food processor and whizz to a paste. Add a couple of teaspoons of water if necessary.

Tip the paste into a bowl and add the turkey mince.

Using your hands, ensure it is thoroughly combined.

Make into burger shaped patties and place on a piece of grease proof paper on a large plate.

Refrigerate for 1/2 hour or until you are ready to eat.

Heat a large frying pan with some coconut oil, when nicely heated, add the burgers and cook for 4-5 mins each side or until thoroughly cooked depending on thickness.

Serve with a super salad with or without bap depending on your carb preference!

A Restaurant in my Kitchen

Create restaurant food easily at home!