Recipe: Mango Chicken Pasta Salad

Everyone loves convenience meals (especially from Woolworths) but they are DAMN pricey and full of hidden fats and sugar. One of my favs is their mango chicken pasta so I've re-created a (slightly) healthier version at home. This recipe makes one perfect single serving, enjoy! :)

Woolies Copycat Mango Chicken Pasta Salad with sweet curry dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw wholewheat pasta
• 1/2 cup cooked chicken, diced
• 1/2 cup mango, diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 1 tbs pumpkin seeds

For the dressing:

• 2 tbs fat free yogurt
• 1 tbs mayonnaise
• 1 tsp apricot jam
• 1/2 tsp garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• salt and pepper
• squeeze of lemon juice
  
  
  Method:

1. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions then set aside.
2. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and mix with pasta once cooled.
3. Mix in remaining ingredients. I served mine alongside rocket and broccoli.

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Recipe: Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

These pancakes are light and fluffy, healthy, and gluten-free. I topped mine with cashew cream, maple syrup, nuts and strawberries :)

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes with Cashew Cream

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup cooked pumpkin
• 1/4 cup applesauce*
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Method:

1. Put the oats in a blender and whizz until you get a powdery consistency
2. Add the rest of your ingredients and blend until combined
3. In a non-stick pan, cook your pancakes over medium heat
4. Once little bubbles start to form, flip and cook the other side

*You can buy pre-made applesauce but I think it's easy and cleaner to make your own. You simply peel an apple, cut into pieces and boil with a little water. Once the apple is soft, blitz in a blender. 

How to make Cashew Cream:

1. Soak 1 cup raw cashews in water for 3 - 8 hours (I just soaked mine overnight)
2. Drain the cashews and put in a blender
3. Add 1/3 cup to 3/4 cup water (depending on how thick you want your cream)
4. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally

You can add sweetener and vanilla to your cashew cream mixture, but I prefer to leave it plain so that I can use it sweet or savoury.

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Recipe: Veggie-packed Chicken Chili

Healthy Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chili powder (or more if you like it hot)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 x 400g cans diced tomato
• 1 x 400g can cooked black beans
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 250g mushrooms, chopped (I used portabellini)
• Half an onion, diced
• 1 small potato, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
• 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded*
• Fresh parsley and coriander
• Salt and pepper 

*Check the recipe below for perfectly cooked chicken breasts

Method:

1. In a large pot, add 1 tbs olive oil, onions, and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent. 
2. Add the potato, cumin, coriander powder, chili powder, and garlic. (At this stage you can throw in any other root veg you like. I had a bag of carrot and butternut lying around so I threw that in too)
3. Add the tomato, sugar, as well as 1 can full of water. (The sugar helps to round out the acidity of the tomato) 
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until root veg is cooked through (about an hour)
5. In the meantime, clean and dice your mushroom and peppers. Never rinse mushrooms - they absorb water. Simply brush off the dirt using a paper towel.
6. In a saucepan, cook the mushrooms with 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
7. Once your root veg is cooked, add in the diced peppers and beans. If the chili has reduced too much, add a bit more water. Simmer for another 20 mins. 
8. Almost there! Mix in the cooked mushrooms and chicken and take the pot off the heat.
9. Finally, add the baby spinach and a handful of chopped parsley and coriander. 

To serve:
You can add any traditional chili toppings you like (avo, salsa, grated cheese). I've topped mine with a dollop of greek yogurt as a healthier alternative to sour cream.

Ina Garten's perfectly cooked chicken breasts:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Rub the chicken breasts (bone in, skin on) with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. 
3. Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked.
4. Once cool, discard the skin and shred the meat.
   

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Eat More Food

Can you believe that two years ago I didn't like avo? Now I literally can't live without it. If there was an apocalypse that wiped out all the avocados on earth... and I was forced to have dry avo-less toast in the mornings... I would probably give up my body to science rather than live an existence without that green goodness. Probably.

My point is... I gave avo another shot. When I was younger I think I didn't like the texture of it - I found it a little slimy. Now I try new produce all the time, and I try preparing foods I don't like in a different way. If you restrict your diet and eat the same thing all the time, you stand the risk of getting bored and eventually giving up. By eating a variety of different foods and experimenting with them, you have a higher chance of successfully changing your lifestyle and eating habits :)

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Recipe: Lighter Chicken Stroganoff

Looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal? Try this delicious creamy stroganoff (minus all the wine and sour cream)

Lighter Chicken Stroganoff 
Serves 2 

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs*
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 punnet button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 garlic gloves, crushed
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbs yogurt
• 1 tsp worcester sauce
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• Cayenne pepper or paprika 
• Salt and pepper

For serving:

• lemon wedge
• fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Place the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and brown for 2 minutes on each side.
2. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook until translucent in colour.
3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as you go.
4. Add the chicken stock to the pan and bring to the boil. 
5. Once boiling, add the mustard, worcester, and tomato paste. Put your chicken back in the pan and bring down to a simmer. 
6. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika for extra heat if desired.
7. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the yogurt.
8. Serve with zoodles or brown rice. Top with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh parsley.

Notes:
* You could use 2 chicken breasts instead - I just happened to have these on hand

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Soy Milk and Whole Wheat Pasta

Last week I made a creamy mushroom pasta with...

Soy milk
Whole wheat pasta
NO butter

Who am I even?!

I never ever thought I'd be that person. I used to love that incredible velvety richness of full fat cream. Recently I've noticed that dairy products aren't agreeing with my body. Maybe they never did. Maybe I'm only noticing now because I'm more aware of what I put in my body.

When I first tasted whole wheat pasta, I loooaaathed the taste. In my eyes, nothing could replace that soft, delicate white linguine. However, in an effort to eat cleaner this year, I decided to ween myself off the white stuff. When I made pasta, I mixed a little whole wheat in with the white noodles. Each time, I added more and more whole wheat... and now I barely notice the difference. For anyone trying to get more fibre in your diet, this is the way to do it. Don't go cold turkey - make the change slowly and it'll stick.

I've never been a fan of brown rice either... challenge accepted :)

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Recipe: Skinny Chocolate Banana Pancakes

One of my favourite things to do while cooking is using up leftovers or food that's 5 to death. This recipe uses bananas - I hate it when they're old and bruised, but they work perfectly for pancakes! This clean eating breakfast treat is gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free, and the baking powder makes them super light and fluffy! :)

Skinny Chocolate Banana Pancakes
Makes: 7 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 tbs raw cacao powder
• 1 or 2 tbs maple syrup*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil for frying

Optional extras:
Cinnamon
Raisins
Nuts
Dark chocolate chunks
Raspberries

Method:

1. Cut your banana into slices and add to a medium-sized bowl. Mash the pieces with the back of a fork until there are no big pieces left.
2. Add the egg, peanut butter, cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and baking powder to the bowl and whisk everything together. 
3. Stir in any optional extras (I added cinnamon, chopped pecan nuts, and dark chocolate chunks - yum!)
4. Add the coconut oil to a large frying pan on medium heat. Spoon a heaped tablespoon of batter onto your pan (mine fit three at once)
5. Cook for two minutes on each side or, flip over once little bubbles start to form on the surface of the batter.

Notes:
*This depends on how sweet you want your pancakes. I like mine sweet so I used two teaspoons.

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New Year Resolutions

This week was my very last day at Weight Watchers. After you've reached your goal weight, you have to maintain it for 6 weeks to become a lifetime member. By some miracle, I have managed to maintain 54.8kg through a holiday of hotel buffets, very little exercise, and New Year's indulgence.

 

What better way to kick off the new year? Starting the year at a happy, healthy goal weight...
My immediate feeling, however, was not one of elation, but rather of fear. I've spent exactly two years of my life on Weight Watchers. Every Monday afternoon I would attend a weigh-in wearing the lightest clothing I could find and get on the scale with fingers crossed. What do I do now? How do I proceed to live a normal life?

I'm not usually one for new year's resolutions, but this year I'm making an exception. To help maintain my weight (and keep my sanity) I'm setting new goals to work towards. For starters, I want to change my habits at the gym. When I was still trying to lose, I would compulsively get on the scale every single day. I would get on pre-workout, post-workout, post-pee... I tried desperately to change the numbers flashing at me. So this year I'm only stepping on the scale on Fridays.

I'm also endeavouring to put more effort into my appearance. What's the use in losing all this weight but still keep my outdated baggy clothing? I'm trying to make calculated decisions when it comes to clothing purchases - no more baggy dresses, no more lace, no more drab colours. I'm trying to start a whole new wardrobe of mature, well-fitted clothing that will make me feel as different as I look.

My journey to clean eating has been a slow but steady process. Every now and then I'll stuff my face with oily, salty goodness (often referred to as chips), but for the most part I eat pretty well. Clean eating means avoiding refined, processed foods and rather eating real whole foods like lean proteins, whole grains, and plenty fruit and veg. This wonderful woman Shira Bocar is the goddess of delicious clean recipes and I hope to cook more like her this year.

Lastly, I have two main fitness goals:
1. To do a full wide-armed pull up without assistance.
2. To do a free handstand without the wall.
Seems easy enough? Well, it's not. You go try that handstand. It's a bitch.

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The Best Breakfast Toasts

As I said in 5 tips to stick to your eating plan, my ideal breakfast is low GI seed bread with some form of delicious topping. Check out these tried-and-tested yummy combinations :)

PS: How to make basil mayo? Mix up mayo with strips of fresh basil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. For a lighter version, swap out half the mayo for yogurt.

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