Grilled Archives • Mushroompride

Grilled Maple Chicken on Quinoa Salad – Delishar

Trying to think up healthy yet appealing dishes to entice the kids can be quite challenging. My girls are pretty good eaters, given that they were brought up with the rule of “always try before saying I don’t like it”. So they are quite good about trying food that are new to them. However, when I introduce food that’s unfamiliar to them I try my best to make sure that it will appeal to their taste-buds.

Using their favourite vegetables, I toss up this quinoa salad that is not only appealing to their taste-buds, but also the pop of colours was enticing as well. Paired it with a fragrant and slightly caramelized grilled maple chicken, and their favourite baby beans. I knew I’m going to win their hearts that evening.

Did you know that quinoa has many proven health benefits? It is one of the world’s most popular super food that is

very nutrious
high in protein
gluten-free
loaded with fiber
contains all 9 essential amino acids
has low glycemic index
rice in zinc, iron, magnesium, and many vitamins
supports weight loss
high in anti-oxidant
prevents heat disease
has anti-inflammatory properties
improves digestion

and many more. If you are interested to find out more, check out this link for more information. Quinoa can be found at health food store, NTUC finest, cold storage, marketplace, and Jason’s. Check out my other quinoa recipe, Salmon with Mango Avocado Salsa on Quinoa. Don’t forget to participate in the Tefal Advance Rice Cooker giveaway that is ending today.

Note: The grilled chicken is paleo approved but not quinoa. Substitute with cauliflower rice for a full paleo meal.

Grilled Maple Chicken on Quinoa Salad

delishar

Serves 4-6

Grilled Maple Chicken

3 chicken breast split into half width/thickness wise
4 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut amino or soy sauce if not going paleo
2 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic grated
Black pepper to taste
Oil for cooking

Dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp applecider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and black pepper to taste

Quinoa Salad

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cup 360ml water
Pinch of salt
1 Japanese cucumber seeded and diced
1/2 red pepper diced
1/2 yellow pepper diced
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped spring onions / scallions

Garnish

Lemon zest
Chopped cilantro

Blanched beans

300 g baby french beans
Salt to taste

Grilled Maple Chicken

Place all the ingredients except oil into a zip lock bag. Seal, and mix to combine.
Allow chicken to marinate for at least 1 to 24 hours in the chiller.
When ready to cook, heat a grill pan on medium high heat and grease with oil.
Allow excess marinade to drip off chicken then place on grill pan.
Lower heat to medium, and allow to grill for about 2 minutes each side. Remove chicken from pan, and allow it to rest loosely tented with tin foil to keep warm for about 5-10 minutes.

Quinoa

Rinse quinoa and drain.
Place quinoa into a pot over medium heat and toast until no longer wet and smells nutty. About 5-8 minutes.
Pour in water, season with salt, and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and let the quinoa cook in a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn off heat and allow to sit with lid on for another 5 minutes. Do not open or peek!
Then fluff with fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool.
When quinoa is cooled, toss together the rest of the ingredients and prepared dressing.

Blanch baby beans

Bring a pot of water to boil, then season water generously with salt.
Blanch green beans for 2 minutes.
Then remove and transfer to a bowl of cold or ice water to stop cooking process.

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Grilled Vegetable Skewers (Whole 30, Paleo, Vegan) – Delishar

We completed out Whole 30 program! Woot woot! *dance around the room like one crazy woman*. Thanks for following me through the whole journey. It was an uphill climb but one that is worth the while. And to those who are inspired to do so, and those who are already planning, good on you! I’m sure you’ll benefit from the program. Either way, it’s an accomplishment when you complete the 30 days!

I’ll be writing a post to reflect on our Whole 30 experience, as well as share some resources. I’ll compile a list of where to shop for compliant produce. Don’t worry, I’ll continue to share compliant recipes that I’ve made during the program. I realised that I do not have any breakfast recipes as well. Mornings are a mad rush for all of us. I have about 20 minutes to get breakfast ready, 5 minutes to eat, then another 15 minutes to get the girls ready for school. I’m thinking of recreating, we’ll see. I’m sure it’ll be helpful for those who want to go on the program.

In my next post, I’ll share a before and after picture of myself. Day 1 vs Day 30. Don’t expect big changes though. haha! My intention for going on this program was not about losing weight, but to try to see if it will get rid of my daily hives, and lessen the severity of my morning sinus. Which it did! I read somewhere that more than 90% of the people that went on the program lost weight as well. And we happen to be one of those 90%.

I was quite surprised that I did, because of my hypothyroidism, it has been really tough for me to shed the pounds. I started off at 55.8kg and bmi of 20.2, which is also my heaviest. And ended day 30 at 53kg and bmi of 19.2. The husband started at 78kg, and ended at 72kg. He lost 6kg in 30 days! Not bad at all, and we ate well to lose. Both of us pretty much lost a lot of our butt. lol!

This vegetable skewer recipe is one that I’m super excited to share with you. Because it is so simple to put together, taste great, and looks amazing! Great way to eat the colours of the rainbow! It’ll make a great pot luck dish as well. Skewer on some chicken thighs or sausages for protein. Enough of my yakking, I’ll leave you with what my husband said about his insight of Whole 30, “I found out that sugar is what puts the junk in the trunks.”