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.

Indian Takeaway!

Here's a couple of ideas for spicing up chicken breast. If you like Indian food it's worth stocking your store cupboard with a few staple spices. I got an Indian spice tin called a 'Masala Dabba' for Xmas this year..best pressie ever!

Both of these recipes make enough marinade for 4 chicken breasts.

Chicken Tikka
Juice 1/2 lemon
Handful fresh coriander, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp root ginger, peeled and grated
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
200ml low fat natural yogurt
1/4 Tsp grated nutmeg
1 Tbsp mild olive oil
1 Tsp chilli powder
1 Tsp ground cumin
1 Tsp garam masala
1 Tsp ground ginger
2 Tsp ground coriander

1) Put everything in a food processor except the lemon juice and blend until smooth.
2) Slash the chicken breasts, pour over lemon juice and then the marinade. Make sure all the chicken is well coated and leave to marinate, covered in the fridge, for as long as possible (ideally over night).
3) To cook, transfer chicken and most of the marinade to a baking dish, cover with foil and pop in the oven for 30 mins or so until chicken is cooked through. Towards the end of cooking time, remove the foil to colour the chicken.

Chicken Tandoor Kebabs
140ml low fat natural yogurt
1 Tbsp mild olive oil
60ml passata (sieved tomatoes)
1/2 Tbsp root ginger, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 Tsp garam masla
1/2 Tsp chilli powder
1/2 Tsp smoked paprika
1/2 Tsp turmeric

Mix everything together and marinade the chicken, covered in the fridge, for 2 to 3 hours. For this I chop the chicken into chunks and thread onto a skewer to make a kebab. To cook, I use a griddle pan (or frying pan) and cook for about 15mins turning the kebabs occasionally.

Perfectly Poached Paleo Chicken

Ingredients
1 medium whole chicken (free range, organic...the best you can afford)
2 carrots
2 onions
3 garlic cloves
1 leek
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
3 litres water

You will also need a large deep pan that can hold this volume of liquid plus a whole chicken.

Don't be afraid of this cooking method - poaching makes the chicken really tender and juicy and unlike roasting or pan frying you don't need to use any oil, leaving you to add your fat 'blocks' via other ingredients in your meal. This method also produces a great tasting stock which you can save for another recipe.

1) Peel the carrots, onions and garlic and roughly chop. Wash the leek and chop, using all of it including the dark green bit at the top.
2) Place the veg in a pan with 3 litres of water, thyme and bay leaves.
3) Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins. Skim any foam off the surface.
4) Then add the chicken and simmer for 75 mins. Cooking should be very gentle, do not boil!
5) If chicken is not submerged add a little more water.
6) When cooked remove the chicken and allow to rest (the chicken, not you!).
7) Strain the stock through a sieve and refrigerate or freeze as required.

TIP: We served our poached chicken with steamed winter greens.

TIP: If you don't have a big enough pan you could use chicken supremes (basically a chicken breast with skin on, bone in and with wing still attached ) and adjust the cooking time. I've never seen chicken supremes in supermarkets but your local butcher will be able to sort you out.

Ginger Cashew Chicken

Serves: 1 x 3 blocks protein, 3 blocks carb, 6 blocks fat

Ingredients
3oz / 85g chicken breast, cut into strips (3 protein)
1 yellow pepper, sliced (1/2 carb)
1 red pepper, sliced (1/2 carb)
1 cup / 100g fine green beans (1 carb)
1/4 cup / 90g black beans (1 carb)
1 Tsp sesame oil (3 fat)
9 cashew nuts (3 fat)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tsp ground ginger
1 Tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tsp dried chilli flakes
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce

1) In a bowl mix the ginger, cinnamon, chilli flakes, sesame oil and chicken. Leave to marinate for about 15 mins if you can.
2) Meanwhile, I find it easier to partially cook the green beans before stir frying. So, in your wok put a bit of boiling water and steam / boil the beans for a couple of mins until just about done. Drain the beans, wipe dry the wok and you're ready to go.
3) Heat the wok (or frying pan) and when hot add the chicken. Cook for about 5 mins and then add garlic, veggies, black beans and nuts. Cook for a further 5 mins or so. You gotta keep everything moving. Chicken should be cooked through, and peppers should be soft and slightly charred.
4) Add soy sauce and oyster sauce and cook for a further min or two.

Roast Fennel & Charred Pepper Salad with Chicken Kebabs

Serves: 2 x 3 block meals

6oz / 170g chicken breast, cubed (6 blocks protein)
1 Tbsp harissa paste
Juice of 1/2 lemon (1/2 block carb)
3 red peppers (1 1/2 blocks carb)
3 cups / approx 700g fennel bulbs (4 blocks carb)
15 olives (3 blocks fat)
1 Tsp (5ml) olive oil (3 blocks fat)

Optional salad dressing
1 Tbsp (15ml) cider vinegar
1 Tbsp (15ml) olive oil (9 blocks fat)

For the kebabs
1)Marinate chicken cubes in harissa paste and lemon juice for an hour or so. If using bamboo skewers soak them in water at the same time. This will stop them from burning when cooking.
2) Thread chicken onto skewers and cook under hot grill or in griddle pan for about 15 mins, turning occasionally, until cooked through.

For the salad
1) Cut fennel bulbs into quarters, removing the fronds (fluffy bits at the top) for garnish later. Place in baking tray with olive oil and roast in the oven for 30-40mins until fennel is soft and slightly caramelised.
2) Meanwhile, cut peppers in have, remove seeds and place under very hot grill, skin side up until skin is blistered and totally black. Usually 5-10 mins. Leave to cool for a couple of mins and then remove black skin (it should peel away easily!). Tear pepper into strips.
3) When fennel is cooked mix with peppers and olives. Sprinkle salad with lemon zest and fennel fronds. Drizzle with some of the salad dressing if using (remember this will increase the number of fat blocks per serving, but you probably won't need all of it).

TIP: If charring your own peppers sounds like a hassle, you can buy jars of roasted red pepper. If you do this, try to get vinegar rather than oil based.

Quick Miso Soup

Serves: 1 x 2 block meal

Ingredients
2oz / 57g cooked chicken, shredded (2 blocks protein)
1 cup / approx 115g green beans (1 block carb)
2 cups / approx 135g mushrooms, thickly sliced (1 block carb)
1/2 Tsp sunflower seeds (2 blocks fat)
1 Tbsp fresh miso paste
1 Tsp fresh grated ginger
Sesame seeds to garnish

1)Bring 500ml water to the boil in a pan and add green beans. Cook for 4-5 mins or until al dente. Add mushrooms and cook for a further 1-2 mins. Then stir in shredded chicken and ginger.
2) Take the pan off the heat, and then stir in miso paste.
3) It's ready to serve! Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.

TIP: Do not cook miso! It can destroy the nutritional properties.
TIP: Miso is listed as one of the Top 100 Zone foods. Source: The Top 100 Zone Foods, Barry Sears.
TIP: Other good things to chuck in a miso soup are shredded spinach, beansprouts, spring onions, tofu, shredded cabbage.

Chicken 'n' Slaw

Serves: 2 x 2 block meals

Ingredients

4oz / 113g Indian spiced chicken (4 blocks protein)

2 1/4 cups / approx 175g raw white cabbage, thinly sliced (1 block carb)
1 1/4 cups / approx 130g raw green pepper, thinly sliced (1 block carb)
1 cup / approx 110g raw celery, finely diced (1/2 block carb)
3/4 cup / approx 145g grapes, halved (1 1/2 blocks carb)
2 spring onions, for garnish

For the dressing

4 Tsp mayo light (4 blocks fat)
1/2 Tsp dijon mustard
1/2 Tsp creamed horseradish
1/4 Tsp Tabasco sauce
2 Tsp red wine vinegar
Pinch cayene pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
Salt & Pepper, to taste

1) Finely slice cabbage, pepper and spring onions. Chop celery and grapes.
2) Combine all dressing ingredients in a seperate bowl.
3) When ready to serve, mix dressing into veg. If you need to make the dressing go futher add a splash of olive oil (remember this will add to the number of fat blocks).
4) Garnish with spring onions and extra dill. Divide into 2 equal sized portions and serve with warm Indian spiced chicken or a protein of your choice.

TIP: This tangy dressing would work well on different salad combos. Let me know what you come up with.

Indian Spiced Chicken and Veg

Serves: 2 x 2 block meals

Ingredients

4oz / 113g Indian spiced chicken (4 blocks protein)

2 1/2 cups / approx 330g cooked cauliflower, small florets (2 blocks carb)

2 1/2 cups / approx 250g cooked broccoli, small florets (2 blocks carb)

1 1/3 Tsp groundnut oil (4 blocks fat)

2 Tsp cumin seeds

Hot chilli sauce, to taste

Fresh coriander

Salt & Pepper

For the veg

1) Steam or boil the veg until tender.

2) In a wok or frying pan heat the oil and cumin seeds until lightly toasted.

3) Add the drained veg and chilli sauce, stir fry for 1 min.

4) Season to taste and add handful of chopped coriander.

5) Divide into 2 equal sized portions.Serve hot.

For the chicken

1) See post dated Thurs 22 Oct 09 for Indian Spice Rub recipe.

TIP: Soggy veg sucks! When cooking cauliflower and broccoli don't overcook, they should still have some bite.

Crunchy Chicken Salad

Serves: 2 x 3 block meals

Ingredients
6oz / 170g cooked chicken breast (6 blocks protein)
1 cup / approx 170g grapes, halved (2 blocks carb)
2 granny smith apples, small cubes (2 blocks carb)
1 1/4 cups / approx 200g red and yellow peppers, finely diced (1 blocks carb)
2 cups / approx 225g celery, finely diced (1 block carb)
6 Tsp mayo light (6 blocks fat)
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Black Pepper

1) Chop, mix, sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper. That's it!

TIP: Don't throw the celery tops away, use the leaves for garnish and extra flavour.
TIP: You could reduce the mayo and replace with nuts for extra crunch.