One pot lentil chicken!

Apologies for the lack of posts.  It has been a busy few weeks, what with festivals, flu, work and Ibiza.  I'm now back, needing a bit of rest and relaxation.  And what a better way to do it with good food...

So during the week, I like to try and take food with me for lunch to work a few times a week.  It's mainly because deciding what to eat (and we have LOADS of choice around our new office) can be super time consuming, especially since I'm so picky.  I'm also trying to be healthy and I have a feeling the lovely wraps from Doughmasters or the massive portion of chicken chili fried rice from the Japanese Canteen is not exactly low in fat.

So I've come up with this lovely, filling and relatively healthy one pot chicken meal with lentils!  It's easy to cook, so great for making on a Sunday evening, and tastes even better after a day in the fridge.  You can add as many different types of vegetables to it, whatever you have in your fridge/freezer.  I like it both served hot or cold with a handful of baby spinach leaves.

One pot chicken

Serves 4-5

6 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried thyme
sprinkle of paprika
sprinkle of white pepper
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs olive oil
1 bay leaf
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
chillies (optional)
 150 ml red wine

6 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped

fresh or frozen vegetables (peas, carrots, spinach, broccoli, courgette, aubergine etc, chopped into rough cubes)

1 can chickpeas

3 handfuls of brown rice

3 handfuls of puy lentils

500 ml chicken stock

1.  Marinate the chicken thighs in the olive oil, soy sauce, spices, chillies, garlic and onion.  Leave in the fridge for at least an hour, but overnight if you have time.

2.  In a very hot pot, brown the chicken thighs then remove.

3.  Deglaze the pot with the red wine.  Add the remaining marinate plus the onions, garlic and sundried tomatoes.  Simmer for a few minutes

4.  Add the rice, lentils, chicken and stock to the pot and bring to a rolling boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 45 mins or until the lentils and rice are almost tender.  If the mixture becomes too dry, add a bit of water and stir.

5.  Add the chickpeas and any vegetables.  Cover and simmer for another 5 mins or until the vegetables are tender.

6.  Serve hot or cold with a handful of salad and chopped tomatoes and sprinkled with sliced fresh coriander.

Quiche - bake sale special!

So at work, we were asked to bake some items for a bake sale.  I have to say I was a bit nervous, especially after all my talk about loving cooking and food.  I'm also not a huge sweet fan, so when my colleague said she was making something savory, I just had to follow suit.  Decision decisions, cheese twists, cheese scones, tarts and quiche - my choice was made!  Quiche it will be.

To ensure that my quiche would be eaten by at least one person, I asked another colleague what type of quiche he would like.  Cheese, onion and spinach were the suggestions.  A sprinkle of sundried tomatoes and we are there!  And yes, I used pre-made pastry - sorry, I just did not have time to make my own...

Sundried tomato, cheese and spinach quiche

1 packet of rolled pastry

4 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped

2 eggs

250g low fat creme fresh
Cheese of your choice, grated
Spinach, chopped and wilted
Half an onion thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to season
Pinch of parsley

1.  Get the pastry out of the fridge and leave for approx half an hour to ensure that it is soft.
2.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Roll the pastry out so that it is an inch bigger on every side that your pan.
3.  Grease your pan with oil and then carefully put the pastry in the pan, ensuring the pastry reaches the edge of the whole pan.  Cut off any excess.  Layer with grease proof paper or foil and fill with baking beans.  Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes then leave to cool.
4.  In a bowl, mix the sundried tomatoes, eggs, creme fresh, grated cheese and onion.  Add the pinch of parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
5.  Pour the mixture into the pastry.  Cook in the oven for another 20-25 mins (or until set and golden brown on top)
6.  Serve hot or cold and with a side salad for a full meal!