Bigger isn't always better...

I did warn you that I'll be posting snippets from my life, as well as my foodie posts. As a further disclaimer, I'm going to add that my life really isn't all that interesting, but I do think that through sharing some of what I've learned over the past few years will be useful to other people...

I mentioned before that I had lost a lot of weight, which was really kicked off by illness and the recommendation of my doctors. 

What I didn't mention was, that I was just over 24 stone...341 pounds... 154.6 kilos... BMI of 55

Yep, that's pretty big. 

So.. first things first...

How the hell did I get so big? I ate crap, lots of it, and didn't do any exercise.No excuses here... I can't blame a glandular condition, or the medication I was taking. I had been overweight for as long as I could remember, but during my late teens, my weight really became a problem. When I went to college, I had a terrible student diet of processed foods and too many cocktails. During college my weight rocketed. I was always the 'fat one', and I hated that. It really damaged my confidence. Hindsight is fabulous, I don't think I saw it like that at the time, or perhaps I just didn't admit it to myself. For me, I couldn't wear the clothes I wanted to wear, and I didn't like that feeling of being 'different'. 

That feeling continued after I graduated. Once I started working, the problem got worse. Instead of using my new found riches to buy better quality healthy food, and join a gym, I just bought a larger quantity of processed foods. I wanted to lose weight, and clearly I knew what I needed to do to make it happen, but I'm not quite sure why I wasn't prepared to commit. I guess there's always that fear of failure, and there was definitely a lack of confidence that I could do it. 

What changed? Why did I decide to change things? 

In January 2011, my hair started to fall out because of radiation therapy for a mass in my brain. I FREAKED out! Seriously, I was hysterical. I knew it would fall out, but no amount of knowing that prepares you for the moment that you're in the shower and clumps of hair start to fill the shower floor. I had quite long hair, but had cut it into a nice bob in preparation for the hair loss, but wow... there was so much hair. I remember wiping away the tears as I pulled my hair from the drain. That's really vain I know... but I loved my hair. I spent a lot of time looking after it, because it was probably my favourite thing about myself. Seeing it being washed away was horrendous. I'm not sure I've ever cried so much since.

Only the hair on the crown of my head had fallen out, so I looked like Andy from Little Britain. I decided to go to a hairdressers, and have my head shaved the following day after work. I had already picked a wig, so I was ready to go. I told a friend that I was dreading having it shaved in a hairdressers, but couldn't bear to do it myself, and I was also dreading people realising that I was bald. Today FM were organising a world record attempt for the most number of heads shave in one place as part of their Shave or Dye fundraising event for the Irish Cancer Society, so I decided to take part. It would be a bit of fun, I'd raise some money, it would make me feel better about shaving my head and everyone would know and the difficult questions would be avoided. 

Decision made... I had my head shaved on 18th February 2011. Ray D'Arcy chatted to me on the radio as they shaved it, and thankfully I managed not to cry! 

For the next few months, my focus was on treatment and still the poor food habits continued.. I could eat whatever I wanted cos I was sick right?? Wrong... 

Why did I decide to change? In late May 2011, a friend emailed me a link to photos of the Shave or Dye event. I always avoided cameras, but here was an unposed (clearly even more unflattering) photograph of me having my head shaved. Holy crap. Yes, it was bad. This combined with the knowledge that my weight may have been hindering my recovery was all I needed... 

I threw out all the processed foods in the house. I went and bought gym gear.... size 26. Yeah, I know alright?!

Getting started was the hardest... but it was the best decision that I've ever made. I've lost 13 stone, dropped 7 dress sizes, 2 shoe sizes (yes it is possible to have fat feet), and a serious number of bra cup sizes (plastic surgeons offering free boob jobs, leave your number below!) ... What I've gained is far more important so listen up.. 

I'm happy, healthier, more confident, fitter, can wear the clothes that I want to wear, and do the things I want to do..

I fully intend to keep you updated with how I did it, lessons I've learned, struggled I faced, the little victories, and how I'm pushing towards a new set of goals...

Oh and you know what.. I'd never have done this before, here's that photo!! 

And just for balance... 

Here's my totally posed Twitter (@gingerbreadmiss) pic! I'm blonde at the moment...feels a little weird!! 

Cottage Pie..

I've no idea if it's Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie if it's made with beef... No doubt a quick Google will tell me, but I'm too lazy to look right now!

The weather has changed a lot in the past week or so, and since I'm ridiculously cold blooded and felt the sudden onset of hypothermia (I'm not exaggerating even a little!), it was definitely a night for a warming, comforting dinner. There are few comforting 'Mammy Dinners' that taste as good as Shepherd's Pie, so it didn't take long to decide that's exactly what I needed.

Yes, I'm aware that it's ridiculously pedantic of me to have Googled it, but I had to know... turns out I had Cottage Pie for dinner... Shepherd's Pie is basically the same thing, but made with minced lamb... sounds good too, so I may have to make it soon..

A lot of Paleo-ized Shepherd's Cottage Pie recipes call for a topping of sweet potato instead of the standard mashed potato topping... You might be wondering why white potatoes aren't considered Paleo, and sweet potatoes are.. A few main things on this (I won't ramble for too long, I promise!)....

• Potatoes weren't eaten by our Paleolithic ancestors....for me, this isn't a reason not to eat them. I'm not all about sticking religiously to the 'Paleo' label. I'm not trying to minic the life of a cavewoman... I'm pretty sure they didn't blog and tweet for a start... 
• Potatoes are a nightshade, so those with an autoimmune disorder may want to consider excluding them from their diet. 

The last point is where I sit up and take notice. Since nightshades have been shown to contain inflammation inducing alkaloids, I decided to exclude them for 3 months and then make a decision on whether or not I felt my health had improved during this time. Whilst potatoes weren't really on my shopping list before, I loved tomatoes and capsicums so this would be a challenge. It would be worth it if it helped in slowing the progression of my MS. I reintroduced nightshades slowly into my diet after the 3 months, and didn't see any ill effects so for me, they're fine to eat. You need to listen to your body and make a choice based on your own reaction to different foods.

My reason for avoiding potatoes is solely because they're so starchy, and I'm simply not really a fan of how bloated I feel after eating them. It's a taste preference more than a Paleo stance... 

Ok I'm sorry... I did ramble a bit, but in fairness I do that in real life too! 

Back to dinner.. 

Whilst I love sweet potatoes, I felt that they have far too distinctive a flavour to be a suitable topping for Cottage Pie. I prefer to let the meat filling take over the flavour department, so chose a lightly seasoned, garlic vegetable mash to top the pie. 

Topping

• 1/2 head of cauliflower
• 1/2 turnip
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• salt, pepper and mixed herbs to taste

Steam vegetables until just cooked. 

Pulse in food processor until smooth and creamy. 

Season to taste. 

Meat filling

• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1lb round steak mince
• 2 carrots
• 50g celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 head brocolli
• 50g oyster mushrooms
• 50g frozen peas
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1 small can organic tomato paste 
• 200ml homemade vegetable stock (if you don't have homemade stock, add little boiling water and some extra seasoning before you throw in a stock cube)
• seasonings of your choice

Start by adding onions and garlic to preheated pan with 1/2 tsp of coconut oil (or butter if you're ok with dairy). 

Add mince to saucepan and cook until browned. 

Next add remaining ingredients, cover the saucepan and leave to simmer for 20 minutes over a low heat. This will allow the sauce to reduce and thicken, the flavours to develop, and the vegetables to cook. 

To make your Cottage Pie:

Place meat filling in base of oven proof casserole/pie dish. 

Top with a generous layer of your vegetable mash and swirl with a fork to even the topping out. 

If you're ok with nuts, sprinkle with a handful of flaked almonds. This gives a little extra flavour, and a really nice crunchy topping. The nuts will toast in the oven, and turn a rich golden brown which looks great....We start by eating with our eyes right? 

If you're ok with dairy, top with grated cheese instead. I tend not to buy grated cheese, cos I will honestly eat it all...

Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes until piping hot, golden brown and your kitchen smells fabulous... This is without a doubt, my go-to comfort food dinner. It's not pretty, but it tastes so good! 

Lemon Meringue Pie (Grain, dairy and refined sugar free)

The title is not a lie!

Seriously, for some reason I obsess over recreating classic dishes to fit in with my lifestyle. I really don't think it's healthy to live a life of deprivation... it's all about moderation, and when I make desserts like this, it's usually when I'm visiting someone, or when I'm cooking for a group. Basically what I'm trying to say, I make sure that there's no possible way I can sit down and eat it all myself with a giant spoon! Since I changed my eating habits, I don't crave sugar or sweet things anymore, so it's pretty easy for me to just have a tiny taste and settle for that.

And yeah, I do realise that by bringing friends cake that fits in with my lifestyle, I'm kind of pushing my views on them... but hey, I've never had any complaints yet, and it's good to help people realise that recipes don't actually need to be sugar laden to taste good. Mind you, I do know which friends I need to bring full blown sugar explosion desserts to, and that's ok too...not everyone has to eat the way I do.

So back to the Lemon Meringue pie..strange one really, it's not a dessert I'd go mad for, but for some reason I decided to recreate it at the weekend. Most likely because I had no idea how to manage pastry, custard and meringue without grains, dairy, and refined sugar... It seems I like a challenge!

Pastry crust

• 165g almond flour
• 80g coconut flour
• 80g tapioca flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs 
• 3 tbsp raw organic honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted 

Preheat oven to 160d (fan oven).

Sieve dry ingredients twice. (Don't be lazy, do it twice... it adds far more air to the mixture, and will make a lighter crust) 

Mix all the liquid ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until incorporated. 

Add 3/4 of the liquid to your flour mix, and using your hands mix well. 

At this stage, your pastry should still be crumbly. 

Add the remaining liquid in stages, a little at time. You're looking for a pliable dough, and don't want it too sticky or it'll be difficult to work with. It shouldn't be crumbly either though! (I really should have taken photos as I made it!) 

If it's too sticky, add a little more almond flour just to make it easier to work with. 

No need to roll the pastry out.. it's going to be a little more fragile than standard pastry so you can just press it evenly into your pie dish (use a 9" dish). Be patient, press it in well into the corners of the dish.. there's plenty of dough, just keep at it until you have an even crust. 

Next you need to place a circle of parchment paper onto the crust and weigh down using baking beans or even dry uncooked rice. (This is called baking 'blind'). This stops the crust rising too much, and browning too quickly. 

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove baking beans and parchment. Bake for a further 5 minutes until pale golden brown. 

Lemon filling

• 4 lemons, zest removed and juiced
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cans of full fat organic coconut milk refrigerated overnight (thick cream only..you can use the coconut water for smoothies later)
• 5 tbsp raw organic honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp arrowroot starch 
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• 2 gelatin leaves softened as per packet instructions

Add the first 5 ingredients to a saucepan, and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Keep stirring so it doesn't go lumpy and you don't end up with scrambled eggs! 

Mix arrowroot and boiling water to make a thick paste (if you add it to the custard as powder it will go lumpy)

Add your paste, and gelatin leaves (discard the water). 

Keep stirring until custard comes to just below a boil. Simmer until thick. 

You can check if it's going to set by dropping a teaspoon of the mixture onto a plate. If it forms a skin quickly, then your custard will set. 

Once ready, add to your pastry shell. 

Meringue topping

• 4 egg whites
• 4 tbsp raw organic honey
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until opaque and stiff. 

Add honey 1 tbsp at a time, whisking well in between additions. 

Whisk until you have glossy, stiff meringue. 

Pile onto your lemon filling, and swirl with a fork to create peaks. 

Bake at 170d (fan) for 10-15 minutes until golden. 

Allow to cool before serving. 

I have to say... I was thrilled nobody realised until after they had eaten it that it wasn't my normal recipe! Success!! As I said before, dessert isn't an every day thing.. and just because it has healthier ingredients, doesn't given you licence to go crazy eating it. Keep it as a treat... 

Chicken egg fried "rice"..

This is a really quick and easy variation of the cauliflower 'rice' that I posted as part of my Tikka Masala recipe. It's a great way to use to up leftover meat and vegetables instead of a boring stir fry dish.

• 2 cooked chicken breasts
• 50g chorizo
• 1 red pepper
• 3/4 brocolli florets
• 1 small carrot
• handful of mushrooms
• 1/4 head of cauliflower, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red onion
• 1 green chilli, seeds removed
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 50g frozen peas
• 2 large eggs
• coconut oil
• tumeric
• smoky paprika
• fresh coriander

Start by prepping all your meat and vegetables so everything is ready to just add in to the wok. Chop all your vegetables into similar sizes pieces, dice your cooked meat, and grate your cauliflower with the garlic and ginger. (Pulse it in the food processor to save time... if you don't have one, buy one... you'll wonder how you ever lived without it!) 

Firstly cook your veg until slightly softened in 1/2 tsp of coconut oil. It's a good idea to cook the vegetables in stages to retain their individual colours and flavours. Cook each vegetable over a moderate heat for 3/4 minutes until just about cooked, and remove from the wok while you cook the next vegetable. 

Leave cooked vegetables aside with your meat until needed. 

Next, add grated cauliflower, garlic, peas and 1 cup of water to the wok and cook for 6/7 minutes until soft but still with some texture... you don't want cauliflower mush!

Make a well in the centre of your 'rice', and crack the two eggs into the centre. Leave alone to set slightly. Once the eggs start to become opaque and scrambled, break them up and stir through the 'rice' 

Add in your cooked meat and vegetables, and season to taste with lots of your favourite spices. 

Continue to toss up until warmed through. 

This recipe serves 2, and is a cheap meal with lots of protein... an added bonus is that is actually tastes better than traditional egg fried rice! 

Paleo and I...

I've mentioned "Paleo" a lot in my previous posts, I'm a little surprised at that since I really don't like the label. When people realise you follow a Paleo lifestyle, a lot of people aren't really sure what it involves, and assume it's a fad diet that's trendy at the moment. For me, it's far more important that what I eat and drink doesn't harm my body, rather than obsessing over whether or not it comes under a strict Paleo protocol. For that reason, I'm flexible with my food, and will lean towards Primal sometimes... I like cheese sometimes ok???? It doesn't cause me any allergies etc, so I'm not going to live a life of deprivation! I do try to go for raw milk cheese where possible though... keep it as wholesome as possible :) 

I fell into this lifestyle accidently if I'm honest. I touched on my background briefly in my first post.. I've been through chemotherapy, radiation, countless surgeries (seriously, I have lost count), blood transfusions, hair loss, a bottomless bottle of tablets that just keeps on throwing more medication at me and  more needles than a needle exchange programme. Long story short, I've been pretty ill. There have been days where I've felt too sick to get up, to exhausted to carry on, and then the days where I physically haven't been able to stand up. Those days are the worst. My legs don't work sometimes. That's devastating, not just to me, but to those around me who have no idea how to help. Thankfully, those days are in the minority. 

25 May 2011 I decided that I was going to change things. I had been overweight for as long as I could remember, but things had gotten out of control. I'd love to blame the medication for weight gain, but in truth it was laziness and eating too much of the wrong food. I changed my diet, opting for animal protein, vegetables, naturally occurring high quality fat sources and some fruit. I didn't even realise I had switched to a Paleo lifestyle... to me, I was just eating good quality food. Keep it simple... eat meat, vegetables, nuts and fruit. That's not so hard right? 

I was amazed at the changes I saw in myself. 

Weight loss

Seeing the scales going down, and my clothes getting looser was a huge motivator to keep going. The best thing of all... there was no paying someone to weigh me, being told what to eat or calorie counting. Eating clean and sensibly, is never going to make you fat.

Increased energy levels

I had more energy, and I wasn't eating a carb loaded diet???? But doesn't the food pyramid say I should fill my body with bread and pasta?? Guess what, the food pyramid is WRONG. The human body doesn't need all those carbohydrates we've been told (by the food industry) that we need to survive. Lower carb intake means less glucose in our body, so guess what... our body burns fat for energy. How can that be a bad thing? AND you'll have sustained energy levels throughout the day, none of this 3pm carb crashing that has you reaching for a Mars bar...

Improved mood

I touched on this before... I was seriously depressed for a while. Don't ask if it was my weight, my illness or other stuff... it was most likely a combination of things. Clean food definitely helps your mood. I think I'm a far more pleasant person to be around these days.. (I can hear some people sniggering from here... shut up!) Don't forget the insane PMS behaviour.. sugar causes a spike in insulin levels, and then a sharp drop, this affects our mood and may turn us into scary scary hormonal people that nobody wants to be around... 

Better skin

I suffered with eczema and psoriasis from my mid teens (albeit mind cases of both). I'm not kidding... I don't even own any pots of potions for either skin condition these days. If you eat crap, you're never going to look great!

And the big one for me... 

Being sick was taking over my life, and it was taking away from my life. I couldn't do things I wanted to do because of a compromised immune system...going shopping would be taking a risk. I couldn't go out with friends because I was too exhausted.

None of that actually really matters when you're faced with far bigger struggles...These are the things that nobody ever wants to hear... 

• "Chemotherapy & radiation haven't worked as well as we hoped"
• "Surgery didn't get all the tumour because it was too risky" 
• "Your blood pressure is too low, it would be too dangerous to give you a general anaesthetic so we'll just give you a local anaesthetic instead"...Holy crap!!
• "Your hair is going to fall out" 
• "Let's try Cryotherapy on your brain"....ouchie!!!
• "I can't guarantee you'll get the use of your leg/arm back again"..

And the list goes on... I think the worst part of all of that, was the sound of them saying my weight may have been a factor in my illness. Had I brought this on myself??? If I had, I was going to do whatever it took to fix it... 

I now realise, that whilst my weight probably didn't help, it's all too easy for doctors to focus on one factor and place blame. I focussed on that for so long, and became so determined to lose weight, that when I did, and I wasn't miraculously cured, I was disappointed. I had set myself up for a fall.. "I lost all this weight, and it didn't make a difference... I'm still not well" was the overriding thought. 

I was wrong... 

• Eating whole foods boosted my immune system; I got far less infections and colds during my treatment than other people, and as a result, treatment didn't need to be interrupted to allow me build up my energy. 
• While I can't deny that my energy levels dipped during treatment cycles, I was always able to get up and do a little bit of activity to maintain my energy. Sounds mad right?? I still went to the gym, and I always felt better afterwards. My mood improved, energy levels improved, and I got out of the house.  
• My mood was so much better when I ate well, and as a result, I was far better equipped to deal with day to day struggles and keep focussed on what mattered. 
• I've lost half my body weight... that's incredible, and I am so proud of that achievement. 
• I'm almost done with all the horrible treatments *fingers crossed*

Did I mention that I was wrong?? 

Oh and did I mention that I've also got Multiple Sclerosis and a blood disorder that will never go away? Yeah that sucks... boo hoo etc etc 

I can't control them, I can however be as healthy and fit as possible to make sure I am better equipped to get over any of the barriers they put in my way. I have consistently ignored medical 'experts' and dieticians telling me to follow the food pyramid, and I've seen incredible results. These medical 'experts' have consistently refused to acknowledge that my nutrition and training are in any way linked to an improvement in my health. One doctor in particular told me (referring to Paleo) that "No amount of hippy fad diets will keep me from a wheelchair". You know what? Fuck him. I'm sorry, but that's as succinct as I can be when it comes to summing up my feelings towards him.   

Fitness is hugely important as a compliment to good nutrition for overall health. I'm fitter, and stronger than I could ever have imagined when I started training.... but I'll ramble more about that later, since it's become a huge part of my life. 

Long story short...stop eating crap! Give the Paleo lifestyle 30 days, and then make your own decision...

Orange "Nutella" cake

I felt a little guilty about my last post... a chicken salad... really Diane??? Seriously?? I'm afraid I was serious, but hey, now that we've had a wholesome (but yummy) salad, and we're feeling oh so healthy. .... let's have a treat. That's how this works right?

There's so many paleo friendly recipes out there, it's a little overwhelming when you go to choose just one. If you're going to go to the expense (lets face it, good food is more expensive), and the effort of baking a cake, you want to be sure that it's a good one. I mentioned before about not falling into the trap of thinking that just because it's paleo or primal etc, that it's an all you can eat buffet... Cake is still a treat.. Paleo cakes usually require nut flours which are pretty high calories, so just bear this in mind and maybe just have seconds, but not thirds! :) 

I was baking for a friend who adores Terrys Chocolate Orange bars and Ferrero Rocher chocolates, but has recently converted to eating a grain & refined sugar free diet. What better treat for her than to make a cake that tastes like both, but without all the processed ingredients.. 

I give you my delicious orange cake with hazelnut & chocolate icing... hmmm that's not even a little bit catchy! I promise I'll never work in marketing... let's just stick with calling it Orange "Nutella" cake.. 

Orange cake (inspired by 'Mummy Made It' Jaffa cake)

• 6 eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp agave syrup
• seeds from 1 organic vanilla pod
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 3 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 2 tbsp orange blossom extract
• 2 tsbp fresh orange juice
• zest of one large orange

Line 8x8 inch square cake tin with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 160d (fan). 

Add egg whites to bowl of stand mixer and whisk on high until stiff peaks form. Add agave and whisk until combined. 

Add egg yolks one at a time, followed by vanilla. 

(You need to do the rest gently by hand with a spatula or you'll knock out all that air and end up with a flat chewy cake)

Sieve the dry ingredients into your egg mixture, and fold very gently until just combined. 

Finally add zest, orange juice & extract.

Spoon into lined tin and place into preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden and firm. 

"Nutella" icing

This tastes just like the real thing... 

• 100g hazelnuts, toasted on dry frying pan for 5 mins to help bring out flavour
• 2 tbsp raw cocoa powder
• 5 tbsp almond milk
• 1 large avocado
• 1 tsp organic vanilla essence
• 1 tsp melted coconut oil

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until you have a shiny, smooth consistency. 

Refrigerate to allow it to firm up until you're ready to ice your cake. 

Orange syrup

• 5 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp Cointreau
• 1 tsp agave nectar/honey 

To assemble the cake

Slice cake horizontally in 3 equal pieces. 

Drizzle orange syrup over one layer of the cake. 

Spread a generous layer of icing on top, and layer cakes. 

Cover cake with icing, and sprinkle liberally with some toasted hazelnut pieces. 

And voilà, you have a gorgeous orange chocolate cake. This cake is really light in texture... that's down to whisking the egg whites separately, and folding the mixture... don't skip this step. It only takes a minute and really is the difference between a spongy and unpalatable, rubbery cake. 

Warm chicken salad with tahini dressing

Thursdays are always my stir fry or salad days... it's nearly the end of the week, and I've lots of leftover bits of everything. I hate throwing anything out, so always find a way of making them into a meal. It's a bit frustrating really, because Thursday always seems to be the day that I'm craving something really specific for dinner, but there's no point doing shopping since I'm rarely at home at the weekends. 

So today's craving is steak. The end. I don't want anything with it, just give me a lump of meat and I'll be happy.. Reality sucks sometimes, and I've only got chicken. Cue a very loud sigh... 

I needed to make something with lots of flavour to make up for the lack of dead cow on my plate. I'm quite sulky sometimes, if I don't really feel like eating something, it'll end up in the bin and I'll end up hungry and skulking around the kitchen at 10pm which can only end badly! 

I've had a jar of organic tahini paste waiting to be put to use for a while, so decided to make a warm garlic tahini chicken salad. This literally took 15 minutes to throw together, so no I don't expect a Michelin star for tonight's efforts, though it tasted pretty great.

Marinade 

• 2 tsp organic tahini paste
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• pinch of sea salt

Brush chicken breasts with marinade, place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through. 

While you're waiting, steam whatever vegetables you feel like, or make a quick salad. 

When your chicken is cooked, slice at an angle and serve with your salad/vegetables. Drizzle warm marinade sauce over chicken as a dressing. 

I did warn you that tonight's dinner was nothing fancy! Like I said, it tasted good and I forgot all about steak. You don't have to be a fantastic cook, but we all get bored if we eat the same things all the time so it's good to have a few simple recipe ideas to fall back on if you're in a hurry or just feeling lazy.