Recipe: Baked chicken with lemon carrots

Baked Chicken with Lemony Carrots, Garlic and Potatoes
Serves 4
Per serving: 432 calories, 15.1g fat, 3.6g saturates, 11.1g sugars, 0.88g salt

Ingredients
1 kg chicken thighs, chicken breasts on the bone or drumsticks
500g carrots peeled and cut into batons
3 tbsp olive oil
A little soft butter
3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into slices
2 lemons
2-4 cloves of garlic peeled and finely sliced
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme or 1tsp mixed dried herbs
Sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400oF/Gas Mark 6. Smear an ovenproof dish liberally with the butter, layer the potatoes and garlic on the bottom of the dish and season well, then top with the carrots and slice one of the lemons in thin slices over the carrots. Add the herbs and drizzle with 2tbsp of olive oil and pour over 2tbsp of water.
2. Lay the chicken pieces skin-side down on top, squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for 20-25mins in the oven and then turn over the chicken, spoon a little of the pan juices over them.
3. Turn the oven down to 180DegC/370DegF/Gas Mark 4 and continue to cook for a further 25-30mins until the chicken is well browned and the potatoes cooked through.

Carrots are the most prolific vegetable source of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. This is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system and keeps the skin and cells that line the airways, digestive tract and urinary tract healthy.

Carrots are actually one of those vegetables that are better for you cooked than raw. Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that more beta-carotene was absorbed from cooked, pureed carrots than from raw ones. Carrots are also naturally low in calories, fat, salt and saturates and high in fibre. An 80g serving of carrots, or about half a medium sized carrot, counts as one of your 5-A-DAY.

Try mashing carrots with potato, grating into pasta sauces and curries, or whizzing into soups. If you’re serving them on the side, why not ring the changes with our delicious suggestions below:

• Caraway seeds: After cooking, toss carrots in a frying pan with butter and a sprinkle of caraway seeds for around 3mins.
• Citrus: Citrus really brings out the sweet flavour of carrots. Simmer carrots until tender then drain and toss in a pan with some butter, sugar to taste and lemon or orange juice for delicious citrus glazed carrots.
• Honey: Try tossing carrots in honey and oil before cooking for a delicious and healthy glaze.
• Maple syrup: Stir 1tbsp of maple syrup and 1tbsp of wholegrain mustard into melted butter and pour over cooked carrots.
• Sesame seeds: Their nutty flavour complements the sweetness of carrots. Toss cooked carrots into a frying pan with sugar, sesame oil and sesame seeds for 4mins before serving.

Here is the first of some delicious carrot recipes I will post over the next few weeks or log onto www.britishcarrots.co.uk for more ideas.

Honey and Thyme Roasted Carrots

When you’ve got the oven on for a roast, why not pop the carrots in too? Roasted they have a wonderfully sweet, dense flavour and smooth velvety texture. Kids will particularly love them!
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 4
Per serving: 76 calories, 3.1g fat, 0.4 saturates, 11.3g sugars, 0.07g salt
Price per portion: 16p

Ingredients
450g/1lb carrots, washed and trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp runny honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/400F/Gas 6. Cut the carrots into thick batons – try and make them similar sizes and then they will cook evenly. Place in a roasting tin, add the oil, honey and lemon juice and seasoning and toss well to mix.
2.  Roast the carrots for 20-25mins, stirring halfway through this time, until the carrots are golden and tender. Scatter over the herbs and serve warm.

Mushrooms Could Reduce Breast Cancer Risk by 64%

A study conducted jointly by the University of Western Australia and the Zhejiang University in China has found that eating mushrooms and drinking green tea could help protect against breast cancer.

The research team examined the mushroom and tea consumption of more than 2,000 women aged from 20 to 87 in relatively affluent south-east China. Half the women had confirmed breast cancer, and the others were healthy women recruited from outpatient clinics.

It was found that the the combination of dietary intake of mushrooms and green tea-drinking decreased breast cancer risk with an additional reduced effect on the malignance of cancer. The data were adjusted for other factors, such as physical activity, weight, menopause, alcohol consumption and smoking, including passive smoking.

If this research is confirmed in other studies there are implications for an inexpensive dietary chance to protect against breast cancer.

More information at www.mushroom-uk.com, where you’ll also find more great mushroom recipes like the one below.

Mushroom Recipe

Spicy Mushroom and Bean Chilli

Preparation: 10 mins
Cooking: 25-30 mins
Serves 4

Mushroom Recipe Ingredients
15ml/1tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 green pepper, roughly chopped
200g pack button mushrooms, halved
15ml/1tbsp ground paprika
10ml/2tsp ground cumin
5ml/1tsp chilli powder (more if liked)
1 (400g) can chopped tomatoes
15ml/1tbsp tomato puree
1 (400g) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
a pinch of sugar
salt and ground black pepper
brown rice to serve

Method
1. Heat the oil and sauté the onion for 3 mins until soft. Add the garlic, pepper and mushrooms and sauté for a further 3 mins until the mushrooms are tinged brown. Add the spices and cook, stirring for 30 secs.

2. Add the tomatoes, puree, beans and sugar, then bring to the boil. Season to taste, turn down to simmer and cook gently for 20 mins or until thickened and reduced. Serve hot with a 45-60ml/3-4tbs

Three of your “Five a Day”

Energy (kcal) : 165
Protein (g) 9.0
Fat (g) : 5.0  -  Of which saturates (g) : 0.6
Carbohydrate (g): 23.0   – Of which sugars (g): 9.0
Fibre (g) : 7.0
Salt (g) : 0.92

Study Reference:

Min Zhang, Jian Huang et al. Dietary Intakes of Mushrooms and Green Tea Combine to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer in Chinese Women. Int J Cancer: 124, 1404-1408 (2009)

Healthy Desserts

* Gourmet “chocolate mousse” – you’ll find this as a comment by Rafael, in response to Katie’s breakfast smoothie recipe on the linked website

* Fruit salad, an old classic, but don’t forget how enjoyable it can be

* Fruit smoothie – blend 135g frozen fruit with 12ml plain yoghurt

* Baked apple with yogurt

* Piece of fresh fruit

By the way – remember that “Stressed” spelled backwards is “Desserts”. Don’t fall into the stress-trap of comfort eating! More ideas welcome – please add a comment with your favorite healthy dessert idea!

Pizza as a main meal

• Home-made or Covent Garden soups
• Mackerel, herring or salmon – new potatoes and salad
• Whole meal pasta
• Ratatouille
• Couscous or whole grain rice
• Vegetable curry
• White fish
• Kedgeree
• Skinless chicken
• A lean pork chop – occasionally
• Pizza – halve the cheese and double the vegetable topping

As ever, more ideas are welcome – please add a comment with your favorite main meal idea!

• Cottage cheese and pineapple
• Rice salad
• Avocado with prawns inside
• Tinned wild salmon in sandwich
• Salad with avocado mashed with garlic and lemon juice
• Wholemeal chicken, tuna or turkey sandwiches – add humus instead of mayonnaise
• A little low fat grated cheese grilled on toast with a dash of soya sauce. (When you use grated cheese it looks more, but tastes just as good!)
  
• Tomato, olive and red onion salad
• Jacket potato – add tuna, humus or Whole Earth baked beans
• Sweet potatoes and hummus
• Marks & Spencer’s bean salad
• Humous with strips of pitta bread
• Tinned sardines on wholemeal toast
• Stir fry of any vegetables you have in the fridge

More ideas welcome – please add a comment with your favorite healthy lunch!

• Oat cake (NOT rice, they can raise your blood sugar too fast)
• Stick of celery or carrot
• A few sunflower seeds
• Five almonds, Brazils or walnuts (NOT peanuts)
• Piece of fruit – different each time – Sharon fruit, mangoes, kiwi, pineapple etc
• One or two dried apricots – no more.  Dried fruit raises your blood sugar too quickly

More ideas welcome – please add your favorite healthy snack idea!

Scrambled Egg

Many people are keen to improve their diet, but short on ideas of what to have for their meals. Over the next few posts, I’ll be sharing a few meal ideas, and hope you’ll comment with some of your own favorite healthy meal ideas.

• Porridge made with water, Rice Dream, soya or almond milk – add a little honey to sweeten, or a tablespoon of chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried or fresh fruit – for instance a mashed banana
• Organic muesli or sugar free cornflakes or rice crispies with Rice Dream, soya or almond milk
• Shredded wheat or puffed wheat if no intolerance suspected – not every day
• Live plain yoghurt with a teaspoon of sugar free jam, or nuts and fruit (look for Sojasun)
• Scrambled egg with smoked salmon
• If time is really short, a protein meal replacement drink
• Poached or boiled egg with rye toast
• Grilled tomatoes and mushrooms on rye toast
• Whole Earth baked beans on rye toast
• A tablespoon of Whole Earth peanut butter on rye toast
• Thanks to Katie Freiling for her Green Breakfast Smoothie recipe

More ideas welcome – please add a comment with your favorite healthy breakfast!