Paprika Chicken Skewers...

I'm mindful that barbeque season is fast approaching, so I know you'll appreciate some simple recipes to keep you on track. Going to a barbeque isn't the worst thing in the world when it comes to your nutrition goals, there's truck loads of meat, some salad, undoubtedly some cake and if you're inclined, a bottle of wine or ten...

The main problem with barbecues is that sometimes it's hard to know what you're eating. Let's face it, we all know sugar is bad for us... so we know munching 4 packs of jellies probably isn't the best idea in the world... The biggest challenge you'll face is when you're eating food that someone else has bought or prepared.... it's not always easy to know what hidden ingredients are in that burger or salad and that's when our nutrition can go a little off target..

So.... I'm thinking I'll post lots of ideas for marinated meats, salads and quick to prepare summer themed desserts. That way, you can bring some food to BBQs that you know is clean, and you'll seem like the nicest friend ever for bringing food! .. Sound good?

Ok.. so these Paprika Chicken Skewers are delish! Try and leave the meat to marinate overnight, or for at least 4 hours... it's really worth it. You'll end up with amazingly tender, juicy chicken with a crispy exterior...

For the paprika marinade: 

• 2 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. 

To marinade:

• chicken fillet, chopped in even sized chunks

Toss the chicken in the marinade until completely coated. 

Place in the fridge overnight (or for at least 4 hours). 

To assemble the skewers:

• 100g sweet potato, cubed
• 75g chorizo, sliced thinly

Simply slide the chicken, sweet potato and chorizo onto skewers. 

Grill for 8 minutes per side until cooked through and nicely browned. 

Serve with sweet potato fries & salad. 

Chicken Parmigiana...

Chicken is boring right? Tastes like chicken etc etc.... I hate bland food. Grilling a piece of chicken & serving it with lettuce is a sure fire way to make me not eat it, and eat crap instead. What can I say... my taste buds are stuck up b*tches...

Chicken is not boring. It's actually the perfect meat to cook with... you can basically flavour it any way you choose since it hasn't got a really strong flavour to begin with.

I prepared all the ingredients for this meal in less than ten minutes, and left it to cook while I showered & tidied up. Be smart with your time... don't just stand there staring at the oven for 20 minutes, and then moan about how long your dinner takes. I wipe down the kitchen counter tops, sweep & mop the kitchen floor every evening as my dinner cooks. Why??? Cos I'm clearly a clean freak, but also I know that coming home to a clean & tidy house the next day is a great feeling.

There's no feeling of dread about having to clean because someone is visiting, or cos there's an ant invasion on your counter tops... That's stress right there... Small stress admittedly (actually ant invasions are pretty nasty stress), BUT my point is that all those little stresses have a huge impact on your body without you even realising it.... and we know that stress is bad for our health, our nutrition habits & fat loss goals so..... clean the bloody kitchen! :)

Right... the chicken... it's delicious! Simple ingredients are the best.. Make this for dinner & it'll become an instant favourite :) (And no... it may not look amazing... but it tastes so good!)

Oh... and you get to bash the crap out of the chicken... there goes more stress!!

• 1 large chicken breast
• sea salt 
• paprika
• passata/chopped tomatoes
• grated cheese of your choice

Start by butterflying the chicken breast. (Using a sharp knife, cut a slit 3/4 way horizontally in to the breast)

Cover with a piece of cling film/tin foil, and using a rolling pin/saucepan or anything else heavy in your kitchen...whack the chicken repeated until it's well flattened... Great fun! 

Season with salt & paprika. Place in a heatproof dish, cover with tin foil & set aside while you prepare the vegetables. 

I'm addicted to roasting vegetables lately... they just taste so much nicer than stir frying them... and they're perfect lazy food ... all you've to do is chop them roughly & pop them in the oven. You can use any combination of vegetables you have, drizzle with a little melted coconut oil & season. Simple.... 

You can now put the chicken & vegetables into the oven. Cook for 12-15 minutes (the chicken will cook quickly since it's so thin). 

Once the chicken is cooked, remove the tin foil & add toppings... 

Add a generous amount of passata/canned chopped tomatoes/leftover home made tomato sauce....season well with chilli flakes & fresh herbs. If you're using canned tomatoes/passata, I'd suggest adding garlic powder too... just mix it all in a bowl before topping the chicken.

Top with 2 tbsp of grated cheese. You can use mozzarella, cheddar, goats cheese or whatever you feel like here. I used oak smoked cheddar. 

Place the chicken back in the oven for 5 minutes (uncovered) to allow the cheese to melt, and for it to warm through. 

Serve with your roasted vegetables. 

Wasn't that quick? 30 minutes after I started, I've got a delicious healthy dinner, I've showered & the kitchen is sparkling. Now what was that about it being difficult or too time consuming to cook????