Doesn't everything look happy together?
I hate letting veggies rot in the fridge when I've paid perfectly good money for them. I'm always determined to use them and not freeze them because 1) some veggies are just not quite the same after being frozen, like onions, and 2) because if I eat it, that means I'm filling myself up with something healthy rather than something more "convenient" and from a can or a restaurant.
That being said, every so often...about one every two weeks or so, I end up making some sort of dinner where I just throw all the veggies that have been there the longest together into some sort of meal. This week, I ended up with the meal in the picture on the right~~~chicken breasts with "sauteed" veggies! I put the "sauteed" in quotes because normally sauteing involves using a lot of oil to help cook your veggies. Going down the healthier path of cooking means using oil to cook = bad! On the other hand, some oils are better than others and actually have health benefits, and using those healthier oils in small controlled amounts won't kill you. "Everything in moderation!" and so I used some coconut oil, but only a one teaspoon, which is WAY less than the normal 2 tablespoons of other unhealthier oils that lots of recipes call for.
That being said, every so often...about one every two weeks or so, I end up making some sort of dinner where I just throw all the veggies that have been there the longest together into some sort of meal. This week, I ended up with the meal in the picture on the right~~~chicken breasts with "sauteed" veggies! I put the "sauteed" in quotes because normally sauteing involves using a lot of oil to help cook your veggies. Going down the healthier path of cooking means using oil to cook = bad! On the other hand, some oils are better than others and actually have health benefits, and using those healthier oils in small controlled amounts won't kill you. "Everything in moderation!" and so I used some coconut oil, but only a one teaspoon, which is WAY less than the normal 2 tablespoons of other unhealthier oils that lots of recipes call for.
Paprika Chicken & Sauteed Veggies
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
- 1 1/2 C kale, rough chopped (stems included) (approx. 100g)
- 1/4-1/2 of a medium onion, sliced (approx. 120g)
- 1/2 C carrots, sliced (I used baby carrots) (approx. 3oz.)
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1 tsp coconut oil
Directions:
- Trim any excess fat off the chicken breasts, then rub all the spices on both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Heat a medium sized pan over medium heat and spray with non stick spray. Cook the chicken breasts about 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken breasts and place aside. (Note: they won't be completely cooked through yet, don't worry about it).
- Increase heat to medium-high and melt coconut oil in the same pan. Add onions and carrots and saute until onions are tender and translucent, stirring occasionally so they don't burn/char.
- Add in kale and mix with onions and carrots. Let the veggies cook together 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce heat again to medium heat. Put chicken breasts back into the pan, clearing the veggies aside and making sure that one side of each chicken breast is touching the bottom of the pan (to finish cooking it off; it should look something like the picture at the top of the post). Cover the pan and let it them steam themselves about 10 minutes. Check chicken for doneness by cutting into the thickest part. If it's still pink in the center, cover and continue to steam another 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink.
- Divide the veggies between two plates and serve the chicken over them. Enjoy!