Spicy Veggies

No weighing and measuring tonight, we're free styling!

1) Partially cook broccoli and cauliflower, about 5 mins or so. I prefer to steam rather than boil as retains more nutrients and doesn't get soggy.
2) Meanwhile pre heat oven. Drain veg and chuck in a baking dish with a glug of olive oil, a few sliced garlic cloves, generous helping of dried chilli flakes and cumin seeds (probably about a Tsp each) and some ground black pepper.
3) Bake until soft and slightly charred, about 15 mins. With 5 mins to go I added some kalamata olives...yum.

Zoney Chicken Soup

Makes: 3 blocks protein, 3 blocks carb, 3 blocks fat

Ingredients
500 mls chicken stock, homemade if you can
Fresh chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
3oz / 85g chicken breast (3 protein)
1/2 cup / 45g spring onions, sliced (1 carb)
1/2 cup / 140g chickpeas (2 carb)
3 Tbsp avocado (3 fat)
Black pepper

1) Put chicken stock and chilli in a pan (add as much or as little chilli as you like) and bring to the boil. Add the whole chicken breast , lower the heat and simmer for about 10 mins, or until chicken is cooked through.
2) Remove chicken from pan and leave to cool for a min. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken. I find it easiest using two forks to pull the meat apart.
3) Meanwhile chuck the chickpeas, avocado and spring onions into the pan and simmer for 3-4 mins. Return the shredded chicken and warm through for a further min. Season generously with black pepper and serve.

TIP: This soup only has a handful of ingredients and so if you can use organic, free range chicken and home made stock, as this will give the best taste.

Mmmm Moroccan Marinade

Makes enough marinade for 340g / 12oz of chicken breast (12 blocks protein)

Ingredients
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 Tsp dried chilli flakes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp jumbo sultanas / raisins
2 Tbsp pine nuts
Handful fresh mint, roughly chopped

1) Mix everything together apart from the mint and pour over chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces. Make sure chicken is well coated.
2) Leave to marinade for an hour or so (although on occasions I have left it much longer and also barely 15 mins and it still works).
3) Remove the chicken and cook in a shallow pan until golden brown (you may need to add a splash more oil for this). Just before it's done chuck in the marinade and let it sizzle until pine nuts are slightly toasted. Turn off the heat, season with black pepper and add the mint.

Go Green!

Veggies with Tarragon
Makes: 8 blocks carb, 18 blocks fat

Ingredients
1/2 cup / 6 spring onions (1 carb)
12 asparagus spears (1 carb)
1 1/2 cups / approx 150g mangetout (2 carb)
1 cup / approx 160g broad beans (3 carb)
2 little gem lettuces (less than 1 carb)
2 Tbsp / 30ml olive oil (18 fat)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Handful fresh tarragon, chopped
Black pepper

The veggies are lightly cooked (part sauteed, part steamed) which really brings out their different flavours. Here's how...

1) Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Cut spring onions into quarters and add to pan with the garlic. Really gently fry over a low heat for a few mins until softened.
2) Cut asparagus spears into quarters and add to the pan along with mangetout and broad beans. Mix well and make sure everything is coated with the oil.
3) Add 3-4 Tbsp of water to the pan, season with black pepper and cover. Allow to gently simmer / steam for a few mins. You want veg to be cooked but still retain nice crunch.
4) Cut gem lettuces into quarters (removing hard woody core) and chuck in to pan with a couple of mins to go. Don't let this get soggy!
5) Take pan off the heat, serve up the veggies and generously sprinkle with the fresh chopped tarragon.

Pink Paleo Salad with lemon dressing

Makes: 3 1/2 carb blocks, 19 fat blocks

For the salad
1 pink lady apple, finely sliced (2 carb)
2 1/4 cups / approx 170g raw red cabbage, finely sliced (1 carb)
5 black olives, pitted and halved (1 fat)

For the dressing
2 Tbsp / 30ml extra virgin olive oil (18 fat)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (1/2 carb)
1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 Tbsp flat lead parsley, chopped
Black pepper

1) Cut cabbage into quarters, discard outer leaves and remove the core. Shred as finely as you can. The slice / grate function on a food processor achieves best results...lovin' my new Magimix (other brands are available!)
2) Combine shredded cabbage with the apple and olives.
3) Make the dressing by whisking everything together until well blended.
4) Pour dressing over salad and toss until everything is evenly coated and the cabbage has 'stained' the apple pink.

TIP: Scale amounts up (we like a bit of crossfit scaling) to make a big salad for BBQ at the weekend..yay!