I like to cook in batches so that each meal preparation is not too much work. One of my staples is fresh grilled chicken that I can mix and match for a couple days into different quick meals.
Grilled Chicken - easy meals for the week
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon seaweed flakes
Heat a grill pan while trimming the excess fat. I use kitchen shears. Combine spices and sift half of them over the chicken. Lay chicken spiced side down in the pan and cook until you begin to see white cooked chicken creeping up the sides. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until you see the juices bubbling up from the chicken. Thighs can take a long time to cook depending on the size and the heat – they’re better overcooked.
Remove from the pan, slice chicken into strips and remove excess fat. Store refrigerated and use within 3 days.
*Grill pan – this is the trick because the juices flow away and evaporate instead of poaching the chicken. I use a stove top grill pan, but electric versions are popular or you can use an outside barbecue, but I find that to be too much trouble for this weekly staple.
Greek Salad grain free, serves 2
1 cup of sliced chicken, ¼ cup Kalamata olives, fresh tomatoes, 1 sliced pear, 3 cups dark lettuces with radicchio, 1 small head of broccoli chopped well.
Balsamic Dressing – 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon miso, 1 cup olive oil and ½ cup of balsamic vinegar (real balsamic, check ingredients to make sure there isn’t caramel coloring or other additives in it)
Quick Chicken Tacos gluten free, serves 2
4 small organic corn tacos, 1 cup of grilled chicken, Avocado, salsa and chopped lettuce
Place corn tortillas on a pan and layer chicken on top. Heat in a toaster oven on high for about 10 minutes to heat and soften the chicken and tortillas in one easy step. Top with avocado, salsa and lettuce.
*To make these grain free serve the chicken tacos in lettuce boats and add sliced apple or cooked carrots for energy.
Chicken, Sweet Potatoes & Collards grain free
1 large sweet potato, 4 chopped collard leaves, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup grilled chicken, salt
Chop sweet potato, add 1 cup water and cook with the lid on for 20 minutes. Remove lid and add butter and grilled chicken until they simmer and most of the water evaporates. Remove and dish out the sweet potato, emptying the pan. Add kale or collard greens to the same pan and simmer another 5 minutes to heat. Salt the top of the potatoes and serve the greens on the side. The timing is perfect because cooking the collards allows the sweet potatoes to cool enough to eat and it only dirties one pan!
Each meal is gluten free and contains some good starch for energy and good greens for cleansing.