Healthy Eating, Choose Chicken

I love chicken and eat at least one chicken a week, I don’t have to watch my weight but I do have to watch my cholesterol so I like to eat more white meat than red but because I’m not dieting then I don’t mind to much how I cook it or what sauces I have with it.

Chicken is high in protein depending on what cut you use.

It is often recommended that dieters don’t eat the dark meat because it usually contains more calories than the white meat. But the dark meat is rich in myoglobin which is packed with iron contained in the muscle cells it also contains more vitamin B which is essential for the breakdown of fats and proteins, and zinc in fact it’s up in the top ten providers of zinc, number one being oysters.

 The dark meat contains more calories than the white meat and has more nutritional value, so if you are dieting don’t stay away from the dark meat altogether but be proportionate eat more of the white meat.

If you remove the skin from the breast you will be removing around 75% of the fat content, on an average size chicken breast that’s about 100 calories.

Chicken is a really healthy food option; it contains potassium, which is crucial to heart function, calcium which is best known for maintaining the strength and density of bones, and no carbohydrates.

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River Cobbler

River Cobbler or to give it its correct name Pangasius

Cobbler in Fennel & Garlic Sauce

is farmed in Vietnam, I found it about 5 years ago in 

my local supermarket and bought it as a cheaper 

alternative to smoked haddock. I found it tasted nicer 

and had no bones and I've been buying it on a weekly 

basis ever since.

I have River Cobbler at least twice a week and I love it, 

Roasted River Cobbler 

Sunday mornings wouldn't be the same without

my smoked River Cobbler and scrambled eggs.

At present I am finding it more and more difficult 
to find the smoked variety, if anyone out there can 
throw any light on the reason why I would love to 
hear from you.

Smoked River Cobbler Salad

If you are having unsmoked the best way to cook it is in a pan with some melted butter on a medium heat for about 5 minutes each side, before turning it over grind some black pepper and sea salt over it, turn it over and do the same on the cooked side.

If you are having  smoked River Cobbler for your breakfast cook in the same way without the seasoning, then set it aside somewhere to keep warm. Put some milk and 2 eggs into the butter and fish juices and gently whisk, place back on the heat and cook as in normal scrambled egg.

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The Artist Tony Rose

Mexican Chicken

Two points I’d like to make about this dish, one is that if you cook the butterflyed chicken breasts whole before you cut them into strips they turn out a lot more tender, and the other is, I always add chilli powder as well as chilli’s because chilli powder usually contains other herbs and spices to add more flavour to the dish.

 So, here we go : -

Chicken

2 chicken breasts butterflyed and skinned

Sauce

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp coriander

1 tsp tomato ketchup

100 gm tomato paste

Salt to taste

2 red chillies

1 green pepper

1 handful of cherry tomatoes

1 onion

1 handful closed cup mushrooms

1 glass red wine

Some veg stock

A little olive oil

Fry the chicken in a little olive oil gently on a low to medium heat for about 5 minutes each side and set it aside.

Finely chop the onion, chillies and green pepper and put them into the pan of juices and fry until softened.

Add the garlic (crushed), chilli powder coriander, ketchup and tomato paste and stir into a paste then add the wine and stir well then add the finely chopped mushrooms and tomatoes.

If the sauce is to thick then add some veg stock.

Cut the chicken into strips and add to the sauce, then simmer for about 15 minutes while you cook the rice.

Use long grain white rice

Enjoy.

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Chicken Breast in a Tomato and Red Wine Sauce on Red Pepper Rice

This is a delightful dish, another one out of my head and experimented to perfection. It doesn’t take very long to complete but you should cook it nice and slowly and the sauce will become quite rich and very tasty.

 The Rice

1 red pepper (chopped finely)

Vegetable stock

1 Veg stock cube

2 cups of long grain rice

A little olive oil

Fry the pepper gently in a saucepan with the olive oil until soft, add the rice and vegetable stock to cover. Bring to the boil and stir in the veg stock cube then turn to the lowest heat and steam with the lid on for 20 minutes, add more vegetable stock during the process if required.

 The Chicken

Butterfly the chicken breast and gently fry in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes each side and then take it out of the pan and set it aside.

 The Sauce

1 Can of chopped tomatoes

½ glass of red wine

50 grams of tomato paste

A palm full of finely chopped Basil

1 tsp dried sage

1 tsp tomato ketchup

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pour the can of tomatoes into the frying pan of chicken juices on a medium heat and add the red wine basil and sage. Leave to bubble for about 5 minutes then add the tomato paste, ketchup, salt and pepper. Give a good stir and re-introduce the chicken, leave to simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes.

 Serve and enjoy.

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Itlalian Chicken

As promised Italian Chicken. I made this up as I went along a few years ago, all the family enjoyed it so it became a weekly thing.

 So for two medium size meals you will need : -

1 large Chicken breast skinned.

1 Onion

1 Red Pepper

About 10 -15 Cherry Tomatoes

A handful of closed cup mushrooms

100 gm Tomato Paste

2 tsp Tomato Ketchup

2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning

½ tsp dried Oregano

½ tsp dried Coriander

3 cloves Garlic (crushed)

A Splash of Olive Oil

A Large Glass of Red Wine

Salt

Ground Black Pepper

150gm Penne (or any other pasta you prefer)

 Cut the chicken into strips and place in a pan with the olive oil, cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes each side, take the chicken out and put to one side. Chop the onion and pepper very finely and put into the pan with the oil and chicken juices and cook until softened, add all the herbs, garlic and the red wine give it a good stir and simmer for five minutes.

 Add the tomato paste and ketchup and stir until nice and thick then re-introduce the chicken and add the tomatoes, mushrooms, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

 Bring some salted water to the boil add the pasta to it and simmer for 12 minutes keeping the sauce simmering on a low heat for this time.

 When the pasta is done plate up and enjoy.

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Gammon Steak with Crushed New potatoes in Rosemery and Garlic

I had this for dinner tonight..............It was gorgeous.

 All you need is enough baby new potatoes according to how many people you are going to cook for, 1 gammon steak each, and : -

Rosemary

Garlic

Black pepper

Olive oil

 Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes, about 12 minutes in put a little olive oil in a wok on about 75% heat, heat up a griddle or frying pan whichever you’ve got or prefer.

 Grind some black pepper on the steaks and pat it in and place them pepper side down on the griddle, drain the potatoes and press them down with a masher just so they break a little, add the rosemary and crushed garlic give them a good toss and throw them in the wok.

 Pepper the other side of the steaks and turn them over, keep the potatoes moving in the wok.

 By the time the potatoes are done so will the steaks be done.

 Serve and enjoy.

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