Nutritional Balancing

Seven Spices Chicken Wings/ Drumsticks recipe

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Chicken is a rich protein source and should form a significant part of your diet. It contains many vitamins and minerals such as B12, B6, B3 (niacin), riboflavin, thiamine, choline, biotin, Iron, Zinc, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper. It also contains the amino acid tryptophan which raises your serotonin levels in the brain. This hormone is key to stablising your mood.

 

Of course, all chicken is NOT created equal! Processed chicken contains lots of unhealthy fats, high sodium, preservatives and nitrites. Fried or breaded chicken such as chicken nuggets and  chicken popcorn contain unhealthy fats and unhealthy refined carbohydrates .These can all contribute to causing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and various cancers.

Choose to purchase and enjoy eating organic, free range and ethically raised chicken.

This Seven Spice Chicken Wings/ Drumsticks recipe is quick to prepare, and a very healthy addition to your weekly diet. Give it a try… you’ll love it.

This recipe is adapted from the Carb Manager.

Ingredients

  • Up to 1kg chicken wings or drumsticks
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream

Method

  1. Mix all ingredients except the chicken, together in a big bowl.
  2. Next, using your hands, massage the marinade mix into the chicken pieces and leave all together in the bowl to marinade.
  3. Marinade in the fridge for up to 1 hour.
  4. Now put the chicken with the marinade mix into a glass oven dish.
  5. Bake the chicken in the oven at 190C for 50-60 minutes
  6. Meanwhile, pressure cook, steam or bake accompanied vegetables of your choosing. Carrots, onions, broccoli, green beans etc all fill up the plate nicely.
  7. Enjoy this easy to prepare, yummy and healthy meal.

TIPS: I never seem to remember to marinade ahead of time, and this is delicious even with NO marinade time!

For a printable version: Seven spices chicken wings drumsticks recipe

Chicken and cauliflower vegetable curry

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Cauliflower is rich is antioxidants and anti-cancer properties, vitamins and minerals, as well as glucosinolates. Cauliflower is such a delicious and important vegetable to eat on a regular basis to prevent many health illnesses later in life, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and immune dysfunction.

This Chicken and Cauliflower Vegetable Curry has no inflammatory foods such as tomatoes either! Give it a try… you’ll love it.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 4 cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3cm cube of fresh ginger root, chopped finely
  • 2 onions
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric/ 1cm cube fresh turmeric, chopped finely
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 500g organic, free range chicken (you can use the bone in, or chopped breast)
  • 1 small/ or half large cauliflower head
  • 1kg chopped carrots
  • 1 small broccoli head
  • 1 Daikon radish
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 1x 400g can coconut cream
  • Garnish with fresh coriander

Method

  1. Melt butter in deep large saucepan. Add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves with the garlic and ginger. Saute for one minute.
  2. Next add chopped onions and cook until translucent.
  3. Add 1/3 of the can of coconut cream and stir and heat through.
  4. Put in all the spice powders- paprika, coriander, turmeric and a little salt. Mix well.
  5. Next add the chicken. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
  6. Now add all of the vegetables and remaining coconut cream. Stir. Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked. (You may need to add a little water).
  7. If the curry is too runny, add an arrowroot slurry.
  8. For the Arrowroot Slurry: 2 tbsp arrowroot powder added to 4 tbsp COLD water. Mix to dissolve. Add to curry and stir it though to thicken it.
  9. Garnish with the fresh coriander.

TIPS: You can use any vegetables you like to replace the carrots, broccoli, cauli and daikon. I like using bokchoy, beans, snow peas, zucchini etc- depending on what is in season!

For a printable version: Chicken and cauliflower vegetable curry

Bone broth: your quick and easy guide

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Bone broth is exceptionally good for you. It is great for healing and soothing the irritated or leaky gut mucosa and wonderful for speeding up healing from a respiratory tract infection. Bone broth helps improve skin, your sleep and your joints and bones.

Ingredients

  • Chicken or lamb bones, left over from the Slow Cooked Lamb with Pressure Cooked Veggie Stew, roasts, or baked chicken wings etc.
  • Fresh herbs and 3 Bay leaves
  • Rain or spring water
  • 3 tbsp Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Any vegetables that you like can also be added, though I do not routinely do this.

Method

  1. Place chicken or lamb bones into the slow cooker with enough water to cover them all comfortably.
  2. Add whatever fresh herbs you have on hand (or dried ones if not!)
  3. Add 2-3 bay leaves
  4. Add 3 tbsp of organic apple cider vinegar. I do not measure this. Just pour in a few ‘glugs’!
  5. Turn your slow cooker on to low and cook for 8-12 hours. Let it cool down for a while.
  6. Strain the fluid into glass containers and place in the fridge for the next few days use, and/ or freeze so it is ready to use when you need it.

TIPS: Use this delicious and nurturing bone broth in any soups, stews, casseroles, sauces or gravies you make. Drink it straight if you like too!

Slow cooked lamb with pressure cooked veggie stew

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Slow cooked lamb falls of the bones and melts in your mouth. Couple it with fast pressure- cooked vegetables and a nutritious arrowroot sauce, and you have yourself an incredibly delicious, nutritious meal with little preparation time required.

Ingredients

  • 1-1.5kg Forequarter Lamb chops
  • Fresh herbs
  • Bay leaf
  • 2 medium onions
  • 6 -12 carrots, depending on size
  • ½ head cauliflower
  • 2 celery stalks
  • Head of broccoli
  • 6 silver-beat leaves
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2-3 tbsp Arrowroot or tapioca flour
  • 2-3 tbsp of cold water

 

Methods

  1. Place lamb chops into slow cooker with salt and pepper, and whatever fresh herbs you have on hand (rosemary is great, parsley, marjoram, whatever!) and the bay leaf. Cover the meat with water. Cook on high for 5 hrs.
  2. Once the lamb has finished cooking, take the lid off and let it cool down.
  3. Next chop all the vegetables into chunks or slices.
  4. Place all the vegetables into a pressure cooker. Take 2 cups of meat juice from the slow cooker and put into the pressure cooker with your veggies. Put the lid on and bring it up to pressure. Cook for 4 minutes. Release the steam.
  5. Once meat has cooled down a little, remove the bones and gristle carefully.
  6. Next add the cooked meat to the pressure cooked veggies and stir through.
  7. Lastly, place the arrowroot or tapioca flour into a mug. Add the cold water and stir to dissolve it. Add it to the pressure cooker and stir through. This will thicken the sauce in the stew.

Enjoy your Slow Cooked lamb with pressure cooked veggie stew!

NOTE: Use whatever vegetables that are in season. I use daikon radish, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, beetroot, spinach, beans, peas, turnips, celariac, leek, bok choy, kale and sweet potato etc.

Printable version: Slow cooked lamb with pressure cooked veggie stew

Sari’s Vegetable Taco recipe

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Serves 6 without meat. Serves 10 with meat.

Ingredients:

1-2tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 sticks celery, sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1-2 cm piece ginger, finely chopped (use dried ground ginger if you need)

6 medium carrots

2 large beetroots

500g beef, chicken and lamb mince (optional)

2 tsp coriander ground

1 tsp ground turmeric

Pinch ground fennel

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chilli powder (optional)

Pinch ground fenugreek

Salt and black pepper to taste

(Instead of all these spices, you can just use a premade spice mix if you prefer)

1 cup boiled water

Taco shells

Method:

  1. Heat pressure cooker on stove top. Add butter and melt.
  2. Add onions and celery. Gently fry til somewhat soft.
  3. Add mince meat if you are using it. Gently brown the meat and break it up.
  4. Use a food processor to ‘whizz’ up the garlic, fresh ginger, carrots and beetroot. Whiz it until they are very small – 5mm pieces or less.
  5. Add all the spices, stir well, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Add the food processed veggies.
  7. Add the water. Stir. Put on high.
  8. Put the pressure cooker lid on and seal it. Bring it up to pressure.
  9. Once it has reached high pressure, cook for 4 minutes.
  10. Release steam carefully.
  11. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C and cook taco shells for 5 minutes, or as per instructions on the package.
  12. Place the slightly cooled taco mixture into the cooked shells and serve with a little grated cheese on top if desired.

This is a wonderful recipe to transition adults and kids into eating more vegetables! You can cook a big batch like I do, have it for dinner, then have left over taco veggie mix for breaky or lunch the next day. You can just make smaller quantities too. I sometimes cook the vegetarian version if we’ve had enough protein for the day already.

Use whatever vegetables that are in season to your liking, I always use onions, garlic and carrots, then change the others around.  Green leafy’s can be added, or bok choy, corn, green beans, kohlrabi etc.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, just cook the vegetables in the saucepan/ large frying pan. It will just take longer. This is how I used to do it!