Today I would like to share with you my favourite, easy to make, recipes.

Most of the time I like cooking, when I am feeling inspired the food, I cook is simple but tasty. Yet there are days when I just hate being in the kitchen and the ideas do not flow as usual.

And those are the days when good recipe is the biggest treasure!

CURRIED COCONUT CHICKEN WITH CUCUMBER MANGO SALAD (from the book “Clean Eats” by Alejandro Junger, M.D.)

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 10 min

Cooking time: 15 min

You must try this dish! The salad is so fresh and delicious. You will satisfy all your senses with this meal and you will not spend too much time preparing it

Ingredients: 

Chicken

½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 tablespoons curry powder

2 teaspoons sea salt

¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk

2 120g-170g free range chicken breasts

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 lime, cut into wedges

Salad:

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into large chunks

1 medium cucumber, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick

¼ red onion, thinly sliced

1 red chilli pepper, minced

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint

Sprinkle of sea salt

Juice of 1 lime

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Combine the coconut, curry powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set the mixture aside. Pour the coconut milk in a separate small bowl. One by one, dip each chicken breast into the coconut milk, coating int evenly and shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the coconut-curry mixture, pressing the coating onto the chicken evenly.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, and when the oil is hot, carefully place the chicken into the pan. Cook the breasts for about 2 to 3 minutes, until they are lightly browned on one side, the flip them and transfer the skillet to the oven for another 5 minutes.

While the chicken cooks in the oven, in a medium bowl toss together all the ingredients for the mango salad until everything is well combined. Set the bowl aside.

Remove the chicken from the oven and squeeze some lime juice over the top. Allow the breasts to rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving them with a good size portion of the mango salad.

THE CLEAN NICOISE (from the book “Clean Eats” by Alejandro Junger, M.D.)

Serves: 2

Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

½ pound red potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled, and cut into chunks

4 cups water

2 teaspoons sea salt, plus a pinch for the asparagus

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped, washed and spun dry

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and each egg cut in half

1 85g-170g can sardines, kippers or wild salmon

About 20 Kalamata olives, pitted

¼ cup thinly sliced red onions

1 large scoop sauerkraut

Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped herbs, such as tarragon, thyme, oregano, parsley, marjoram

Method:

Place the potato chunks in a pot with ware and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Bring them to boil, then lower the heat and gently simmer them until they are fork-tender. Drain, and run cold water over them until they have cooled.

While the potatoes cook, prepare the asparagus. Place them in a baking dish or cast – iron pan and coat them with the olive oil and the pinch of salt. Set them in a broiler for 5 to 8 minutes, until they are lightly brown and tender. Remove them and let them cook.

Arrange the romaine leaves on a large serving platter. Top the leaves with the egg halves, fish, olives, red onions, sauerkraut, potatoes, and asparagus.

Place all ingredients for the vinaigrette into a pint-size jar. Secure the jar’s lid and shake the mixture until it’s evenly combined. Drizzle the Vinaigrette over the salad and enjoy!

CHICKEN SATAY SALAD (https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chicken-satay-salad)

SERVES 2

PREP: 15 MINS

COOK: 5 MINS - 10 MINS

Ingredients:

1 tbsp tamari

1 tsp medium curry powder

¼ tsp ground cumin

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 tsp clear honey

2 skinless chicken breast fillets (or use turkey breast)

1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter (choose a sugar-free version with no palm oil, if possible)

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

a little sunflower oil, for wiping the pan

2 Little Gem lettuces hearts, cut into wedges

¼ cucumber, halved and sliced

1 banana shallot, halved and thinly sliced

generous handful coriander, chopped

seeds from ½ pomegranate

Method:

Pour the tamari into a large dish and stir in the curry powder, cumin, garlic and honey. Mix well. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 fillets in total, then add to the marinade and mix well to coat. Set aside in the fridge for at least 1 hr, or overnight, to allow the flavours to penetrate the chicken.

Meanwhile, mix the peanut butter with the chilli sauce, lime juice, and 1 tbsp water to make a spoonable sauce. When ready to cook the chicken, wipe a large non-stick frying pan with a little oil. Add the chicken and cook, covered with a lid, for 5-6 mins on a medium heat, turning the fillets over for the last min, until cooked but still moist. Set aside, covered, to rest for a few mins.

While the chicken rests, toss the lettuce wedges with the cucumber, shallot, coriander and pomegranate, and pile onto plates. Spoon over a little sauce. Slice the chicken, pile on top of the salad and spoon over the remaining sauce. Eat while the chicken is still warm.

CLEAN AND LEAN SUPER SALAD WITH SMOKEY SALMON (from the book “Clean & Lean Diet” by James Duigan)

SERVES: 2

Ingredients:

100g baby spinach leaves

8-10 ripe cherry tomatoes

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

½ cucumber, diced

1 red pepper, deseeded and diced

100g organic mung bean or mixed sprouts

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon sunflower seed

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Extra virgin olive oil

50g smoked salmon

Method:

Divide the spinach, tomatoes and avocado between two plates, sprinkle over the diced cucumber, red pepper, sprouts, seeds and pine nuts, and drizzle over the olive oil.

Serve the smoked salmon alongside.

CASHEW NO-BAKE COOKIES

Make about 20 cookies

Prep time: 15-20 min

Ingredients:

4 cups raw cashew

¼ cup soft dates (pitted)

1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder

3 tablespoons coconut oil melted

4 drops lemon extract

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut butter (manna, not oil)

Pinch of sea salt

2-4 drops liquid stevia or 2 tablespoons coconut nectar

Method:

In a food processor combine all the ingredients until the mixture forms a ball. Test its consistency by squeezing a pinch of the cashew mixture. It should hold together.

Using a spoon, scoop approximately 20 equal portions of the dough and form each other into cookie shapes in your hand. Place the cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then chill in the fridge or freezer until they harden.