Spring is here which means summer is just around the corner! Let's get pumped this Monday morning and while we sort our emails let's try to go ahead and plan the rest of our day. I am trying to eat a bit healthier, as the snow melts and the cold cuddly days pass to sunny skies and walks through Central Park, I decided that I would start (even though I should have started awhile ago) to eat clean. Now to be honest, I am not that person who jumps up gives myself all sorts of restrictions and tells myself I will be in the gym for two hours everyday for the rest of the week! Meh...not me, some people can be so well discipline which is admirable but speaking for myself I do need to work on getting myself there.
Sundays I try to cook a rather larger meal so I can food prep for the week. So on the menu:
- Chicken tikka masala inspired (crock-pot style)
- Baked sweet potatoes
- Chickpeas
- Roasted veggies
- Arugula and spinach salad
As you can see it's quite a few things up there so to manage my time well I pulled out my handy crock-pot. I absolutely LOVE this thing and the really cool part is that it's three mini crock-pot and can serve as a mini buffet when guests come. It's the 3 X 2.5QT Triple Slow Cooker with Lid Rests (mine is just a different color) here's a photo:
I bought mine back in November and had gotten the greatest deal on it! I literally only paid $12.00 how could I possibly pass that up!? The best twelve bucks I've spent! I was a bit skeptical on leaving it on for so many hours as I've been accustomed to slaving it in the kitchen for hours, so tossing in the ingredients and switching it on high then walking away was definitely something new for me. I have not yet had the guts to leave it on and go to work (baby-steps).
~Let's begin~
Ingredients:
chicken thighs/drumsticks OR chicken breasts
garlic powder
salt and pepper
paprika
cumin
Greek yogurt
cherry tomatoes
tomato paste
onion and garlic-minced
coconut milk
curry powder
curry powder
- I had some chicken thighs and drumsticks in the freezer and thought it work better. I find that meat on the bone is tastier, but you can use chicken breasts if you like. I seasoned (eyeballing) it with about a tablespoon of garlic powder, curry, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and Greek yogurt. I left in the refrigerator for 2 hours before it was ready to go in the crock pot.
- I started mincing the onion an garlic and halved the cherry tomatoes. I sauteed the onions until they were translucent, tossed in the garlic and tomatoes allowing it to come together sprinkling in the cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. I then added a tablespoon of tomato paste mixing it well keeping the pan on medium low, continuously stirring.
- Once the ingredients loved each other so well that they all became one I shut off the pan, got the crock pot ready and pulled the chicken out the refrigerator. I put some of the tomato mixture in each of the pots covering the bottom, put a few pieces of chicken on top, placed the lids on, switched the turners on high and walked away.
- It takes about 4 1/2 hours to cook but I occasionally check on it stirring the chicken well, I even added some more cherry tomatoes (one of my favorite things to add in a dish, yummers). Taste your food and see if you need to add some more salt, pepper, etc..make it to your liking.
- 4 hours in I then poured in the coconut milk in each pot again, this was all eyeballing. It changes the super red color to a lighter shade, you can see a picture below
(--- that's the coconut milk I use not the drinking kind of coconut milk (I don't know if there would be a difference, just my preference). If you use a different kind please share it with me, I love cooking with coconut milk. 
This is it so far, almost done...Next up; Sweet Potatoes!
Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato
Cinnamon
salt
extra virgin olive oil
crushed red pepper flakes
2 cans of garbanzo beans-drained and washed
I peeled the potatoes and tried my best to cut them in wedges but it's so darn hard so please just ask the hubby for help. I laid them out on top of some aluminium foil on top of a tray drizzled some extra virgin olive oil, salt and cinnamon, I then took some rosemary sticks and put laid them on top. I popped it in the pre-heated at 350 degree oven for half an hour.
Once that was going I drained and washed some garbanzo beans allowing them to dry getting them ready to accompany the delish potatoes. When 30 minutes passed I pulled the tray out turning over the potatoes placing the garbanzos beans over drizzling some more extra virgin olive oil, some more cinnamon and then red pepper flakes. In for another 30 minutes but of course showing them some love by tossing the beans and potatoes around.
Whoa can I tell you, my new OBSESSION!!!
Roasted Veggies are next! These were simple and quick. I chopped up some red onions, mushrooms, red and green peppers squeezed a whole lemon, seasoned it with some salt and pepper, drizzled some extra virgin olive oil topping it with sage, thyme and rosemary. I had these in a sealed tight container in the refrigerator until it was ready to go in the oven.
Once everything was cooked it was just pulling it all together...
I grabbed some Arugula, fresh spinach and cucumbers and topped them with the the garbanzos and yams. Check it out!!!
By all means I am NOT a health expert in regards to what you should/shouldn't eat, I am just inching my way on trying to eat better on MY standards. I hope you get to try one of the above (if not all). If so please share your comments and photos with me as I would love to see your recreation.
~Happy Eats!~
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