CUMIN CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SPICY PISTACHIO QUINOA

August 22, 2021 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments

serves 2 only – I thought to cube chicken (cook breasts in oven – see Easy Orange Chicken recipe)
and precook and maybe double the quinoa recipe or use couscous for a Breakup contribution

Ingredients

  • 300g chicken thighs
  • ¼ Tab cumin, ground
  • ¼ Tab coriander, ground
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • ¼ cup Greek yoghurt
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Pistachio quinoa

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 2 Tab pistachio
  • 2 Tab pomegranate seeds*
  • 1 Tab currants
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 Tab lemon juice
  • 2 Tab extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp sea salt

    Step 1.
    In a large mixing bowl add all of the chicken ingredients and combine until chicken is well coated. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes.

    Step 2.
    In another mixing bowl combine all of the quinoa ingredients and leave to marinate.

    Step 3.
    Heat a large griddle or fry pan to a medium/high heat and cook the chicken thighs for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

    Step 4.
    Serve the chicken on a bed of spicy quinoa, topped with a spoonful of yoghurt and a sprinkle of coriander and pomegranate seeds.

    NOTE:  *  If you cannot find fresh pomegranates, use dried seeds or cranberries for the same Christmas feel.

ALFREDO SAUCE WITH GREEK YOGHURT

July 26, 2020 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments

Super creamy and rich, this protein-packed Greek Yogurt Alfredo Sauce is so amazing you’ll ditch store-bought versions for good!

In a medium saucepan, first melt the butter over medium heat. Then stir in the garlic powder, then add milk or water and stir again. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then whisk in the Greek yogurt a little bit at a time until it’s fully incorporated.

Next, add the parmesan cheese into the sauce and stir until that’s all melted and the sauce if smooth and creamy. (If it needs to be heated up a bit for all the cheese to melt, it’s okay to put the pan back on the stove on low until it’s all melted.)

Add salt and pepper to taste and add on top of your favourite cooked pasta noodles. That’s really all there is to it!

Prep Time: 5 MINUTES  Cook Time: 5 MINUTES  Total Time: 10 MINUTES  Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup milk or water (I used fat free half & half)
  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yoghurt (I used 0% fat)
  • 1/2 – 2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • optional: 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
  • 8 ounces pasta noodles, cooked

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic powder. Stir in milk (or water). Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Gradually whisk in Greek yoghurt.
  • Add parmesan cheese to sauce and stir until melted. (If the cheese doesn’t melt completely because the sauce is too cool, return to stove on low for a couple of minutes) Add salt and pepper to taste and toss with your favourite cooked pasta noodles.

NOTES

*Store any leftover sauce in the fridge in an airtight container such as a jar. The sauce tends to get very thick – almost solid – after being chilled, just add 1 tablespoon of water or milk and heat it up in the microwave, then stir til smooth and serve!

HOW DO YOU STORE GREEK YOGURT ALFREDO SAUCE?

As I mentioned, I like to keep a jar of this sauce in the fridge just in case an alfredo craving hits. I store mine in an airtight jar, but any airtight container will do. The sauce will thicken as it sits in the fridge, but you can add a tablespoon of water or milk and microwave it to heat/thin it back out before pouring over pasta.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGULAR AND GREEK YOGURT?

While both kinds of yogurt start out the same (using milk and bacteria cultures), there are a couple key differences between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt.

When making Greek yogurt, after the milk and bacteria ferment, the liquid whey is drained off the solid yogurt three times, which is why it’s so much thicker than regular yogurt.

The straining process for regular yogurt is much less frequent — only one or two strainings there which is why it’s more creamy and less thick. The more concentrated the yogurt is, the more protein it contains, which is why Greek yogurt is such a great source of protein.

IDEAS FOR USING ALFREDO SAUCE

Alfredo sauce goes great over pasta, and so many other things, too, like:

  • Stuffed pasta like tortellini or ravioli.
  • Cooked veggies like broccoli or cauliflower.
  • As a base for pizza instead of pizza sauce.
  • As a sauce in casseroles.
  • Use it warm as a dip for chips.
  • Add it to Italian soups to make it more creamy and rich.
  • Top off baked potatoes with some of the garlicky sauce.
  • Add it as a sauce in lasagne instead of (or in addition to) marinara.
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