Lemon, Asparagus & Chilli Chicken Pasta

My body aches today, I have had a hell of a busy week, power-lifting, swimming, bikram yoga, CrossFit and tomorrow I have a mini CrossFit comp, 7km walk on Sunday and 4hrs worth of  Kayaking on monday and maybe some bush walking.

I'm psyched about the weekend but also want to stretch and wish I had been more committed to mobility. wah.

I'm enjoying more carbs in my diet - this week I've had 4 days over 2000 cals - such a win!

This pasta is adapted from smitten kitchen using up all my leftovers!

Makes about 4 serves

Ingredients:

• 250gm Orgran Chilli Pasta Spirals
• 600gm Chicken breast cut into small pieces
• 230gm (or one large bunch) of Asparagus cut into roughly 4 pieces each
• 70ml Coconut Milk
• 75gm Hass Avocado
• 110gm Cherry tomatoes - halved
• 10gm grated Parmesan
• Rind of 3 Lemons
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp Chilli Flakes
• 2 tsp ground fennel seed

Method

1. Cook your pasta till al dente (still a little firm), rinse and set aside
2. Put coconut milk, avocado, lemon rind, Parmesan and about 1/2 cup of water into a food processor or blender and whiz till smooth
3. In the same pot you cooked the pasta, rinse it out and add a little oil, once heated add your chicken and garlic, chilli and fennel and cook through
4. In a ceramic dish, place your asparagus and 3 tbsp of water and put in the microwave on high for 2 mins
5. Now add the slightly cooked asparagus, tomato and creamy sauce to the chicken, heat through for about 5-10 mins - you want the tomatoes and asparagus to keep their nice bright colours but you also want the sauce to reduce a little.
6. In a large bowl combine chicken & sauce with pasta and mix through
7. Enjoy - you can squeeze a little extra lemon juice on or grind some black pepper to taste!

Moroccan Pilaf

You know when you are having a poor week and you have to make do with whatever you have left - that's us last week.... and this week!

I've made:

- Fish cakes from 550gm leftover cooked & frozen portions of blue grenadier
- A chicken and pumpkin bake from 500gm leftover shredded chicken and half a pumpkin, 5 eggs, an eggplant and an onion AND
- a Pilaf
- We also had eggs on toast because I was determined to empty the fridge before we went shopping. Must. Buy. House.

I loved the pilaf, the other recipes are simply food to get by, and fairly uneventful and ugly.

I hate fish cakes.

Thank goodness for flexible macros hey! Also nothing is wrong with rice at night. There are no carb fairies who arrive at 6pm and convert those carbs into hip and thigh fat.

http://www.biolayne.com/ is an excellent website to check out if you are anti carb.

I had 500gm of beef left in the freezer and other random ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 brown onion - chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 tsp tumeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 4 tsp Moroccan seasoning
• pinch saffron
• 60gm sultanas
• 40 gm dried dates, chopped
• Fresh coriander 1/4 cup copped
• 2 tbsp oil
• 500ml real beef stock
• 2 carrots grated
• 2 heads of broccoli chopped up
• 2 green capsicum chopped up
• 360gm rump beef thinly sliced (this is all I had left after trimming 500gm of beef - feel free to add more and I'd probably prefer more meat !)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy based saucepan, add onion, garlic and cook until the onion softens; Add all the spices but no the fresh coriander or saffron just yet; cook until fragrant (about 30secs - 1 min)
2. Add in your vegetables and cook for about 5 mins, then add your meat and about 1/2 cup of the stock - if the pan ever gets dry just add in stock or water as you see fit - cook the meat about 80%
3. Now add the rice and dried fruit and 3/4 cup of the stock, reduce heat and cover and let simmer for about 10-15 mins (Mix everything up well)
4. Add in the saffron, and the rest of your stock, more water if you head and continue to stir and cook until the pilaf has thickened a little. 
5. It should be shiny like and delicious, stir through the fresh coriander and sprinkle with pine nuts to serve. 

Yum! 

#foreverbulking & easy portion frittata

If you follow my blog or any of my social media you will know I am trying to increase my macros.

Why do I want to eat more?

1. Food is delicious
2. My metabolism adapted to a low number and now I gain weight very easily
3. I would one day perhaps like children, my body doesn't like making eggs any more after my comps / many years of the pill / other contributing factors
4. I want to compete again one day but not have to do a ridiculous amount of cardio and diet crazily

Anyway - reverse dieting takes for-freaking-ever and I feel like I am #foreverbulking I feel enormous (I know I'm technically not), I am the heaviest I've ever been and I just want to lose some weight & lean up, however my calories are relatively low so it's not wise to do that. So I am stuck in a limbo of not eating a great deal, training hard and having nothing to show for it! 

I want to stay positive, and cheer myself on, getting stronger and what not but this week is crap, totally crapola. I apologise to anyone who comes into contact with me, I am not positive nor bubbly. I'm just pissed off and feel like Shamu in a weightlifting belt.

Anyway back to food. 

This week has been such a leftover week - I bought 30 eggs from the butcher on Friday so I made a Frittata - why 16 eggs? - 8 slices - 2 eggs per portion - genius. 

Ingredients:

• 16 eggs
• 3 tomatos diced
• 1 cup of mushrooms diced
• 1 bunch of kale roughly chopped
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• Really you could used any veges you like / have left over

Method:

1. Heat a saucepan and add a little oil /butter, add mushrooms first then tomatoes and kale & spices - cook down until mushrooms are mostly cooked and kales is wilted. Let cool
2. Crack the eggs in a large bowl and mix well
3. Add cooked veges and combine well
4. Pour into a large shallow greased dish
5. Cook at 180 degrees for 45 mins or until the centre is set. 

Cut into 8 slices - perfect macro counting times ahead!