I have been asked to help a group that is on a weight loss journey and needed help with meal planning. I am more than happy to help because even as a personal chef, I struggle personally with my weight and strive every day to keep it in check. So I know the hardship, thus here is your first meal idea.
Apple and onion baked chicken with herbed tricolor quinoa and sautéed sugar snap peas.
I choose to bake this chicken instead of cooking it nor the stove, because a lot of people are not comfortable with stove top cooking meat, this way you prep it, stick it in the oven and let it do its thing.
So here is what you will need for the chicken.
-your preferred cut of chicken, mine is a quarter
– a small onion, diced
-the apple of your choice, mine is a golden delicious, diced
-seasoning salt and black pepper
-3 cloves of garlic diced roughly
-allspice
-olive oil
– cup of water
For the Quinoa you can use regular or tri-color, you need, kosher salt, dried parsley, dried basil, dried diced onions, and touch chopped garlic
For the sugar snap peas, just a handful of them, roughly chopped garlic, olive oil, and a little kosher salt.
The first thing you want to do is put your quinoa on because it will take about as long as your chicken. The package says 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water; let it come to a rolling boil then lower the temp and let it simmer until done. Here are a few tips to cooking an making quinoa taste great.
Follow the instruction above, but before you boil it, add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) of kosher salt, basil, parsley and onion and a teaspoon of olive oil.
Let boil then simmer until water is consumed, with the top on.
Then add another 2 cups of water and let it do the same and you should end up with quinoa that looks like spirals are coming from them.
Now that you have that started, in a pan place your chicken and rub both sides with a little olive oil.
FYI: Seasoning is not a bad thing if you use it while you are cooking. The issue happens when you start adding salt when the food is on your plate. Season both side of the chicken with a little seasoning salt and black pepper.
Dice your apple with skin on and your onion and your garlic and add it to the pan with the chicken along with two cups of water. And sprinkle allspice on top of everything, then bake in a 380-degree oven for about 45 minutes or so. (Each oven is different)
When it is finished mix the apple in the pan and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
While the chicken is resting, it is time to make the peas which take about 3 minutes.
In a pan add 3 tsp of olive oil and heat.
Add the garlic and peas and a dash of kosher salt and black pepper and let it sauté until the garlic starts to brown
Add a little red wine vinegar to the pan to give you peas a little bite. Cook for another 30 seconds then remove from heat
And now everything is done, plate your food and remember your portions. A portion is about the size of your fist. Although an extra helping of veggies instead of a starch is always welcome.
Until next time, Cook, Eat and Enjoy!
