Tandoori Chicken Salad

Whilst becoming (yet again) excited about using my new camera, I prepared my super-healthy lunch for tomorrow. A rather large lunchbox filled with Tandoori Chicken Salad. My New Year Resolution was to lose weight, so I've been consuming much healthier food and therefore less kilojoules.

My days over the last few weeks have involved hitting the gym, and pavement, hard!! As a result I have lost just over 5kg, and very happy about it! I have a feeling this lunchbox meal is going to be a regular when I go back to work.

Serves 4

Ingredients
600g chicken, sliced
100g tandoori paste
400g natural yoghurt
1 Tbs mint sauce
250g mesclun or mixed salad
4 large tomatoes, chopped coarsely
2 small cucumbers halved lengthways, sliced to your liking

Combine chicken with paste and half the yogurt in medium bowl; toss to coat chicken all over. Cook chicken in large pan until cooked through.

Combine remaining yogurt in small bowl with mint sauce. Divide mesclun among serving plates (or in my case, lunchbox); top with tomato, cucumber, chicken and yoghurt mint sauce.

 600g chicken breast

This Tamar Valley natural yoghurt would have to be THE BEST yoghurt I have ever tasted. Ever. I couldn't believe it was 99% fat-free when I had my first spoonful. Unbelievable!

 

Another bonus? It's Australian!

300kj per 100grams. Not the best for those on a 'strict' diet, however there is very little fat and it's low in carbs. Oh, and it tastes SOOO good!!

Combining chicken, yoghurt.....

....and tandoori paste.

The outcome!

To make the sauce.....

...add the mint sauce (I used this small sachet I found in the pantry beause I'm not too keen on mint).....

....add to yoghurt, and you have your extremely simple Yoghurt and Mint Dressing.

Since I was only making one serving of alad for lunch tomorrow, I chopped up one tomato....

.....half a small cucumber.....

 ...and place both of these ingredients into my lunch container, topped with the yoghurt dressing.

I then added the mixed mesclun. I like to add the lettuce leaves on the top of my salad when packing my lunch the night before. This prevents the lettuce leaves from becoming squashed and flattened by all the other ingredients in the salad overnight. The result? A plump, airy, fresher salad the following day.

Now that you salad is assembled, fry your chicken....

 ...and place on top of your salad. Easy!

Move Today
90 minutes walking
30 minutes running
23 minutes cycling

Total Kilojoules Burnt = 5109kj

Saudi Baklava

I've tried a lot of Baklava in my time, but this was heaven!! Not too sweet, not oily at all, and NOT drowning in the sticky, honey mixture that you usually tend to find with some Baklava. This was a balance of those good things associated with this sweet pastry dessert / snack, as well as containing a mixture of pistachio and peanut pieces.

 Pistachio Baklava

 These ones were my fav!

Peanut Baklava

Creamy Smoked Salmon and Caper Fettucine

One of my all-time favourite meals, enjoyed with a glass of white wine. Rich and satisfying.

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients
500g fettucine (or any pasta you prefer)
1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red onion, halved and sliced finely
1 cup white wine
300g Tasmanian smoked salmon
300mL light cream
150g capers
1 Tbs sugar
salt and pepper, to season

In a large pot, boil the fettucine per packet instructions. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat oil. Add garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the onion and saute until just soft and transparent. Add wine and boil down for 4 - 5 minutes.

Add cream and bring to boil, stirring regularly. When sauce has thickened, add the ssugar and capers. Drain the pasta well, add to the sauce mixture and stir to combine. When heated through, add salmon and stir through. Season and serve.

Delicious smoked salmon!

Some local onlookers.

Added wine....

....wine reducing.

...in goes the cream.

Combine all ingredients.....

Absolutely delicious!!!

Mini Berry Pavlovas

This extremely quick and easy dessert will impress!

Serves 2

Ingredients
1/2 punnet strawberries, top trimmed, cut down middle into quarters (depending on size)
1/2 packet fresh blueberries, washed
1/2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs white wine vinegar (balsamic vinegar could also be used)
2 - 4 Coles Petite Meringue Nests (depending on single or double serving)
whipped cream (I used 'Ready Whipped Cream' in a can)

Combine strawberries, sugar and vinegar in a small bowl. Stir, cover and refridgerate overnight.
To assemble: Place meringue nest/s in centre of serving bowl. Place a dollop of cream beside nest/s, spoon over strawberries and blueberries and drizzle with strawberry syrup. Voila!!

Marinating strawberries.....



Oh, did I mention that whilst preparing this dish, it's imperative that you enjoy a 'Blueberry Float' sparkling wine??