Spanish style Chicken, Chorizo and Butter Bean – 370 kcals

Over on the 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Recipes from Around the World group on Facebook, there is a Spanish theme going on. So this week I thought I would share one of my Spanish-inspired recipes.  

Chicken, Chorizo and Butter Bean

Key flavour ingredients are the lovely smoked paprika and a little robust flavoured chorizo. You can use other beans instead, but I am particularly fond of these, so big and soft and buttery. I buy them ready to use in glass jars. If using dried beans, you will need to soak them overnight, then drain and put in a pan, cover with fresh water, add some herbs like bay leaves and thyme. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

Chicken, Chorizo and Butter Bean

The addition of the beans and chorizo makes this a substantial dish with robust Spanish flavourings.

Serves 2

  • 300g chicken breast fillet 330 kcals
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 4 kcals
  • 30g chorizo 105 kcals
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 9 kcals
  • 150g courgettes, sliced 30 kcals
  • 200g tomatoes, peeled and chopped 76 kcals
  • 120g cooked butter beans 97 kcals
  • 2 tsp olive oil 84 kcals

To garnish

  • Some chopped coriander or flat parsley leaves

Trim the chicken breast and sprinkle all over with the smoked paprika.

Peel the skin off the chorizo and cut into slices.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and add the chicken and chorizo, turning and frying until the chicken is sealed on all sides and the chorizo is starting to release oil.

Add the garlic and courgettes and cook for a few more minutes.

Add the tomatoes, parsley and butter beans and add a couple of tablespoonfuls of water.

Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

Garnish with chopped coriander or parsley.

This looks good served in a cazuela, a flat earthenware dish used extensively in Spain.

Per serving: kcals 368
Carbs 19g Fat 11g Protein 45g

This is on Page 122 of 5:2 Healthy Eating for Life

Chicken, Chorizo and Butter Bean

Serve with Cauliflower and Caper Salad (page 42) 73 kcals Cauliflower and Caper Salad 
and Cabbage, Green Pepper and Raisin Salad (click on the link or look on page 50) 70 kcals 

Cabbage, Green Pepper and Caraway Saladwhich works out to just slightly over 500  (adjust portions slightly for 500/600), or simply with Cauliflower Rice (page 84) at only 25 kcals for 100 grams.

 

 

Something for the weekend – Baked Citrus Chicken

This is a super way of cooking chicken and a perfect winter warmer or family meal, that is low enough in calories to have on a Fast Day! All you need to add is some steamed green beans and carrots and some wilted spinach. This has become a firm favourite since I first cooked it last February and is now my preferred way of cooking a whole chicken. The citrus-flavoured gravy is delicious.

This is one of the recipes that I have included in 5:2 Healthy Eating for Life which is now available in print and kindle editions from Amazon.

Baked Citrus Chicken with Pumpkin, Parsnips and Peppers

Baked Citrus Chicken

The idea here is to have the enjoyment of a roast chicken, but by using citrus juice instead of fat, the whole meal is lighter and healthier. When there are just the 2 of us for lunch, I can get several meals from an average sized bird, and then there is the carcass to make stock with for a tasty soup and leftovers to have with salad. A great alternative to a traditional Sunday Roast!

Serves 4

  • 1 whole chicken (1.5kg) 917 kcals
  • 2 oranges 40 kcals
  • 1 lime 20 kcals
  • 500g pumpkin or butternut squash 170 kcals
  • 1 med-large (200g) parsnip 150 kcals
  • 1 red bell pepper 37 kcals
  • 1 red onion 44 kcals
  • 1 red chilli 6 kcals
  • 1 tbsp jerk seasoning
  • 1 tsp Bisto gravy powder (optional) 5 kcals
  • 300 ml vegetable stock or water

Heat the oven to 180C (fan).

Remove any visible fat from the chicken.

Peel the pumpkin or squash, the parsnip and the red onion. Trim the pepper and chilli and remove the seeds and pith. Cut all the veggies into wedges and put into a roasting tray.

Make slivers from some of the orange and lime peel (no pith) and reserve.

Lightly grate the remainder over the veggies.

Squeeze the juice of the fruits and pour half over the veggies.

Put the chicken on top and brush the remainder of the juice over, then rub in the jerk seasoning.

Bake for 1 to 1.5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through, basting regularly with the juice.

Put the chicken to rest on a warm serving plate and keep the veggies warm while you make the gravy.

If there is any visible fat in the pan juices, strain it off.

Add stock or water to the pan together with the orange and lime rind.

I like to use a little Bisto mixed with water to make the gravy a little thicker, but it will have a good colour anyway from the jerk spices.

Bring to the boil and simmer for few minutes whilst steaming other veggies to serve with it.

Serve slices or portions of meat without skin, the wonderful coloured vegetables alongside and gravy with some of the peel to bring the whole dish together.

You could use sweet potato or beetroot instead of parsnip.

Based on a recipe in an old Good Housekeeping cookery club book “Healthy Eating”, 1995.

Per serving: 349 kcals
Carbs 30g Fat 9g Protein 38g

Serve with steamed vegetables such as julienne carrots, broccoli spears and peas.

a great alternative to a Sunday Roast - Baked Orange Chicken with Pumpkin, Parsnip and Peppers

Baked Citrus Chicken with Pumpkin, Parsnip and Peppers

Fast Day Stuffed Chicken Breast Dinner <350 calories

Mushrooms, garlic and Serrano ham turn a simple chicken breast into a very tasty fast day dinner. 

Mushroom Stuffed Chicken

I usually aim for about 100g of chicken for me and a larger portion of about 140g for him.

I had thought of adding a light creamy sauce with chives, but it was pouring with rain and I didn’t want to go out into the garden to pick the chives, so I used a little pesto instead.

Wrapping the chicken in ham and then in foil helps to keep it nice and moist during cooking.

Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast
Serves 1
Mushrooms, Garlic and Serrano Ham transform a simple chicken breast into a tasty dinner for a 5:2 fast day
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 100g chicken breast
  2. 2 medium mushrooms, chopped small
  3. 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  4. 1 tsp olive oil
  5. pinch ground cumin
  6. 1 tsp chopped coriander leaves
  7. sea salt
  8. freshly ground black pepper
  9. 1 tsp pesto
  10. 1 slice Serrano Ham, trimmed of fat
To serve
  1. 4 asparagus spears
  2. 1/2 medium carrot
  3. A few broad beans, podded
  4. 50g cauliflower florets
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 180c
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently saute the garlic for a minute or so and then add the mushrooms.
  3. Stir fry until the mushrooms are just cooked and starting to release their moisture.
  4. Remove from the heat and season with cumin, coriander leaf and pepper to taste (I don't add any salt, but you might wish to).
  5. Trim the chicken breast to the required size and remove any fat.
  6. Cut a diagonal slice into the thickest part of the flesh, without cutting all the way through, to make a pocket.
  7. Stuff the mushroom filling into the pocket and then wrap the parma ham around the chicken to help hold it together.
  8. I used a little pesto underneath the ham as additional flavouring, but if you are going to have a sauce with it, you could go without that.
  9. Wrap in foil, place on a baking tray and cook for 30 minutes.
  10. Meanwhile, boil the broad beans and until tender, then drain and peel them, unless they are tiny.
  11. Boil the cauliflower until tender, steam the asparagus and carrots over the top, then mash the cauliflower (add a little fromage frais or milk powder to enrich it if you like, or butter on a non-fast day).
  12. Unwrap the chicken and serve. I made a little jus by adding some of the cauliflower water to the residue left in the foil.
Notes
  1. Adjust your chicken portion according to your available calories or appetite! With 140g of chicken, the meal comes to 412 calories.
  2. You can use Parma Ham or Bayonne Ham instead of Serrano.
Focus on Flavour https://www.focusonflavour.com/

Red Bean and Chocolate Chilli

I love Mexican flavours –  what an excellent excuse to add a good grating of dark chocolate to your food! 

Turkey Chilli

I used lean turkey, but you could use soya mince or quorn for a veggie version.

Serve with guacamole (1/2 serving – 43 kcals), low fat fromage frais or yogurt (1/4 pot -14 kcals), a little grated strong flavoured cheese – like Cheddar or Red Leicester (5g – 21 kcals), shredded lettuce , sliced spring onions , tomato salsa (1 tblsp – 5kcals) – and a few taco chips (20g – 100 kcals). Even with a small portion of brown rice (1/4 cup cooked, 54 kcals), this comes in at under 450 calories (as long as you stick to my portion sizes! Chaps can have more, of course). So this works for a Fast Day or any day of healthy eating to support weight loss.

I was lucky to be given a block of Willie’s 100% cocoa Venezuelan Black chocolate by some appreciative guests – a great ingredient and lasts for ages! A little dusting on a dessert is lovely but it is also very good in savoury dishes such as this. Just adds that little something, but hardly any calories. 

Red Bean and Chocolate Chilli
Serves 4
Spicy and delicious chilli
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Ingredients
  1. 1 tblsp olive oil
  2. 1 onion, chopped
  3. 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  4. 175g lean turkey (or soya mince or quorn)
  5. 1/2 tsp Mexican chilli powder
  6. 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  7. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, ground
  8. 200g peeled plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
  9. 400g can red kidney beans, drained
  10. 10g grated dark chocolate (100% cocoa if possible)
  11. 1 tblsp chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
  1. If using turkey, chop finely or mince in a food processor.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and gently sauté the onions and garlic until soft and golden.
  3. Add the turkey or vegetarian alternative and stir-fry until lightly coloured all over.
  4. Add the spices and mix well.
  5. Pour in the tomatoes and beans and bring to a simmer.
  6. Check the seasoning.
  7. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes, adding a little water if necessary to stop it getting too dry.
  8. Transfer to a serving dish and grate over the chocolate and garnish with chopped coriander.
Notes
  1. Serve with shredded lettuce, grated strong cheese, sliced spring onion, tomato salsa, guacamole, low fat fromage frais (or sour cream if you have calories to spare...) and a few taco chips.
Focus on Flavour https://www.focusonflavour.com/

5:2 Fast Day Dinner – Greek Night! Low Fat Hummus, Lean Lamb Stir-Fry with Feta

For a change I thought of having lamb for our last fast day dinner in February. One thing led to another, and our meal became greek inspired….

Low fat Hummus and Crudités

I’ve been making hummus since my sister showed me how when I was a teenager. Usually I would be more generous with the tahini paste and olive oil, but when it came to eating it, I don’t think either of us noticed anything missing! If you left out the tahini altogether, it would save 20kcals per serving – personally I love that sesame flavour that it adds, which sets apart home made from so many of the shop bought ones.

Low-fat Hummus

Makes 8 servings of 70kcals each. With crudités – 100kcals.

  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained (265g drained weight)
  • 25g tahini (about 2 level tblsp)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • cold water
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, plus a sprinkle to garnish
  • a drizzle of olive oil (1/2 tsp max)
  • optional garnish: finely chopped mint or coriander

Put the chick peas, lemon juice and garlic into a blender and process until almost smooth, adding water as necessary to keep the blender going and to get the consistency the way you like it – firm is good for scooping up with crudités, then you can make it slightly more sloppy for a normal day when you can dip toasted pita bread into it! Mix in the cayenne pepper and season to taste. I rarely use salt when cooking these days, but on a fast day it feels like a need a bit to help with hydration.

This amount makes 8 fast day sized helpings of 50grams weight (approx 2 tbsp).

Serve in individual dishes (to avoid fighting!) and sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper and a tiny drizzle of olive oil (remembering that 1 tsp of olive oil = 40 kcals….)

Serve with crudités. I used 100g celery, 50g carrot, 30g radish, 50g cucumber and 50g fennel between the 2 of us – 30kcal each.

(Leftovers will go with some wholewheat pitta bread tomorrow and be followed by lamb kebas…)

Lean Lamb Stir-Fry with Feta

I had 3 lean leg steaks in the freezer. After trimming them to remove all separable fat, I had enough meat for our main fast day dish, plus a slightly larger amount for kebabs the following day. (Saves £s as well as lbs, this way of eating!)

Lean Lamb Stir-Fry with Feta

Serves 2, His and Hers portions – 340/240 kcals

  • 165g lean leg of lamb, cubed
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground (I usually have a jar of these two spices mixed together, which I use often!)
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 50g carrots (3 small)
  • 100g celery (3 sticks)
  • 120g cauliflower florets
  • 180g tomatoes (2 large)
  • 80g mushrooms (2 large)
  • 135g spinach
  • 80g savoy cabbage (about a 1/4 of a whole head)
  • 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • seasoning to taste
  • 25g feta cheese

Rub the spices over the lamb and set aside while you prepare the vegetables.

If the spinach has large leaves, discard the stalks and tear the leaves into a few pieces. Halve the tomatoes and cut each half into 4. Slice the mushrooms. Slice the carrots diagonally. Cut the celery into diagonal chunks. Cut the cabbage into wide strips.Lean Lamb Stir-Fry with Feta

Heat half the olive oil in a wok over medium heat. Cook the lamb until nicely browned on all sides. Remove and set aside. Add the onions and garlic and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Next add the carrots, celery and cauliflower and cook a few more minutes. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Continue to stir fry as the tomatoes break down and start to release their liquid. You may need to add a little water if they are not particularly juicy, but try not to dilute the luscious flavours too much! Next add the cabbage and give that a minute or so before you add the spinach. Before the spinach has completely wilted down, return the lamb to the pan and mix together well.

Divide into two (unequal!) portions and add sliced or crumbled feta to the top. This makes such a difference to the overall enjoyment of the dish, don’t be tempted to omit it!

His portion

340 kcal portion

We would really have relished a bit more of the cheese on top, but no calories to spare, as we finished our meal with a small helping of 0% fat fromage blanc, topped with a sprinkling of toasted almonds. Maybe it was lacking a drizzle of honey, but hey, it’s a fast day, and you know what?

Her portion

240 kcal portion

We were both happily satiated by our greek inspired dinner.

After a breakfast of porridge with blackberries for me and porridge with prunes for him, that came in for the day just under our targets of 500/600 kcals.

These recipes can be used as part of any weight loss programme or as part of a normal healthy diet. A little carbohydrate in the form of pitta bread and rice, or even oven baked jacket fries, would go well with this meal on a non-fasting day.

These recipes use seasonal ingredients for Februrary :  Cauliflower,  Cabbage and Carrots

If you try these recipes and have any suggestions for improvements, or any comments, I’d love to hear from you.

5:2 Fast Day dinner: Asian Poached Chicken with Vegetable Salad and Vietnamese Dressing

Asian Poached Chicken

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Asian Poached Chicken with Vegetable Salad and Vietnamese Dressing

I discovered the joys of poached chicken when one of our Images of France photography course guests introduced me to the work of a New Zealand cook, Annabel Langbein. Her book, Cooking to Impress without Stress not only has a fabulous title, it also contains some excellent ideas, of which this is one.

I love the fact that this is an easy and low fat way to prepare chicken. The flesh is moist and full of flavour. Then there is the added bonus of having tasty stock made at the same time, which makes home made soups even better.

The slightly spicy aromatic flavour of this goes particularly well with Asian Vegetable Salad and a Vietnamese style dressing. Leftovers could be used for No-Carb Caesar Salad and a Chicken Noodle Soup.

You could use the same idea and cook just a single chicken breast, or a joint or two.

Calorie count for chicken poached in this way : 165kcals for 100 grams

  • 1 whole organic or free range chicken
  • 2 dried chillies
  • 3 star anise
  • 2.5cm of root ginger, cut into fine slices (no need to peel)
  • 2 or 3 spring onions, or leek trimmings
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 12 whole mixed peppercorns

Cold water, to cover.

Put the whole chicken into a large pan with the spices and flavourings and cover completely with cold water. Bring to the boil. Simmer very gently for 25 minutes, removing any scum that forms on the top. Then remove from the heat, cover with a lid and leave to cool in the liquid.

Lift out the chicken when completely cool and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Remove the flavourings from the stock with a slotted spoon and discard. Bring the stock to the boil and reduce to about half the volume. Then strain and refrigerate.

Use the stock for soups such as Piquant Leek Soup or Chicken Noodle Soup.

As an alternative to the Asian flavourings, you could poach the chicken with bay leaves, thyme, parsley, and onion.

Raw Vegetable Salad

Vegetable Salad with Vietnamese Dressing

Raw Vegetable Salad with Vietnamese Dressing

per person – 65 kcals

  • Handful of Rocket
  • 25g Celeriac, grated or cut in julienne strips
  • 1/4 Red sweet pepper, cut in strips
  • 1/4 Cucumber, sliced diagonally
  • 1 Celery stick, sliced diagonally
  • 1/2 Carrot, sliced into ribbons
  • 25g Broccoli, small florets
  • 1 tsp Sesame seeds, lightly toasted
  • Thai Basil or Coriander leaves, to garnish

Lay all the prepared vegetables on a platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serve with the white meat from Asian Poached Chicken, sliced.

Pour the dressing over the chicken and garnish with basil or coriander.

Other veggies you could use: bean shoots, finely sliced spring onions, raw beetroot strips, courgette ribbons, cauliflower florets, shredded cabbage.

Vietnamese Style Dressing

per person – 45 kcals

  • Juice and grated zest of 1/2 lime
  • a few drops of sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp Thai fish sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Tamari soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Chilli Dipping Sauce

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.

Total for this dish, with 80g chicken: 240 kcals, with 100g chicken : 290 kcals

Before the Chicken, we had Simple Vegetable Soup (67 kcals). For dessert we had 30g of fromage blanc with a few cherries and a fine dusting of 100% chocolate (40 kcals). Total meal count : 350kcals for me, 400 kcals for my husband.

These recipes are taken from my book “Focus on Flavour – recipes inspired by living in South West France”

This recipe submitted to At Home with Mrs M! Mrs M’s Recipe Linky Party

Roast Pork with Couscous and Ginger Yogurt, Baked Pear

Came across this interesting recipe on BBC Good Food

Roast Pork with Couscous and Ginger Yogurt

To go with it I made braised red cabbage with bacon, braised parsnips and steamed broccoli. Whole plateful < 350 kcals

Roast Pork with cous cous and ginger yogurt, served with braised red cabbage, parsnips and broccoli
All the flavours were lovely – but I couldn’t finish it!

I saved a bit of room for dessert :-

Easy Baked Pear with Amaretti. Half a pear each was plenty (100 kcals)

Pears with Amaretti

Pears with Amaretti

I replaced the ricotta cheese with a tablespoonful of fromage blanc (between two halves) and reduced the amount of honey to less than 1 teaspoonful in total.

5:2 Fast Day Dinner – Soup, Steak with Salad, Cherry Dessert

Simple Vegetable Soup

Simple Vegetable Soup

Simple Vegetable Soup

Per person:

  • 100g frozen veggies (not including potatoes)
  • 1 tsp marigold bouillon powder
  • 300ml water

Simmer 20 mins, blend a little if you like to vary the texture.

70 kcals per serving.

 

Rump Steak, Garlic Mushrooms, Light Coleslaw, Watercress and Blood Orange Salad

Rump Steak (100g) with garlic mushrooms, coleslaw and watercress salad

Rump Steak (100g) with garlic mushrooms, coleslaw and watercress salad

We don’t often eat red meat and I find even a small portion quite filling, so this seemed like it would be a good choice for a fast day, when it is helpful to eat protein, which the body cannot store – and it is especially needed if you are exercising.

I cooked the mushrooms (2 each, chopped) in a frying pan with the faintest hint of olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of water. The steak was dry-fried. The coleslaw was made with mayo and plain yogurt. With the watercress I added the segments from 1/2 a blood orange (between 2 people) and a few baby tomatoes (I know, not in season, but I like a bit of colour…) and dressed it with the orange juice.

210 kcals

5 Spice Cherry Compote with Fromage Frais

For dessert I got some stoned cherries out of the freezer and put 12 per person in a saucepan, with a pinch of 5 spice powder and about 100ml of water. Cook gently, shaking occasionally, until nicely warmed through. Serve with a little pot of plain 0% fat fromage frais. Note that no sugar was added, the cherries are quite sweet in themselves and the spice gives the whole dish a bit of a lift.

55 kcals

5 Spice Cherry Compote with Fromage Frais

5 Spice Cherry Compote with Fromage Frais

Total for the day for me – 475 kcals. With a breakfast of Smoked Trout and Scrambled Eggs, this was a day with plenty of protein and hardly any carbs.  I think we both felt like we could demolish several hot buttered crumpets and a slice of Christmas Cake somewhere in the middle of the afternoon, as we were feeling not only hungry, but cold as well – but honestly that soon passed with a cup of lime and ginger tea…..

I really feel as though I have had plenty to eat and will be happy to go to bed with just a cup of camomile tea!