Some may remember that I am actually on a diet. Difficult to believe given the amount of food I cook (and now eat – I tried not eating stuff I make but that’s actually more difficult than I thought it would be).
However I do still try to create things that are low fat and low carbs – here’s one such creation:
This is my standard fare – chicken cooked with veg and a sprinkle of pearl barley – believe it or not if you eat this, together with low fat soup for lunch and yoghurt or cereal for breakfast, the pounds fall off (and you can still drink wine). Last year I lost about 28lbs in 3 months doing this (and in 2010 I lost more like 42 lbs doing it for 4 months – obviously i put it all back on again, I mean if I’d lost 70lbs in total I’d be thinner than Michael Jackson, who’s dead thin) – it’s boring but it works.
Ingredients for Low-Cal Chicken
- 4 super-quality chicken breast (skinless, obviously)
- 1 red pepper
- 5 mushrooms
- a handful pearl barley (half the calories of rice BTW)
For the marinade and sauce
- Half a glass white wine (weight watching does not mean no wine – it’s low in fat and if you cut out the fat you cut down the weight)
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp chopped ginger
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp honey
- Chilli sauce (a dash)
- Big dash soy sauce
Step 1
Score the chicken and place in a baking dish. Mix the marinade and pour over the chicken. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for a half hour:
Step 2
Heat up a griddle and brown the chicken for a couple of mins (just to give it some colour)
Put back in the oven dish. Slice the mushrooms and peppers and layer over the chicken. Sprinkle the pearl barley on top:
Now heat the marinade in a pan and pour over the dish:
Cover with foil and pop in the oven for about a half hour to make sure the chicken is cooked. Serve with leaves and tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Voila! 50 calories a serving I’d swear…
omg, im gona try that recipe!
is it all right if i post it on my blog, if i leave a link to you?
go ahead be my guest, glad you like it!
Making diet food tasty and nicely presented is the only way to go! Seems like you’re doing that well
This is a delicious way to diet; love it!!
Yeah shame I cant seem to stick to it
This looks so flavorful. Going to make this in the coming days for sure!
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Not a bad way to diet at all! Looks great.
And so does the blog redesign. Bravo!
Yes thanks Its much cleaner looking I think!
This is beautiful & I’m glad you didn’t go the Michael Jackson route. I don’t know how you cook this food without over indulging but please don’t start with greens, yogurt & sprout recipes.
Green smoothies won’t appear here thats for sure
Wow pics are excellent. Anything with barley catches my attention. I’m on the road at the moment but will give this a run around the pan when I get home for sure.
Good luck with your travels
I agree that the photos are great! Also, I didn’t know the pearl barley/rice fact. My kiddos eat both, so I might switch over for a meal now and then.
All proper ingredients included. Great food styling for the photo! The cooked marinade appears thick – did you boil to reduce sauce volume?
Yes boiled it up – with the honey it went quite gooey
This looks great – I have to lose some weight this year, so it’s on the list. I especially like using barley instead of rice.
Yes barley really bulks up, acts like a thickener almost and def less carby than rice
After weeks of gorging myself that looks pretty appetizing right now!
Yes It is very virtuous!
Great great pictures!
Many thanks!
Looks delicious. Just don’t abandon the wine.
Never. Will never abandon the wine
Nice looking dish indeed. Lovely presentation.
Best,
Conor
Cheers – randmoness in my presentation I should try being a bit more consistent
Progress rather than randomness, we both hope.
Sounds delicious!
yes it was cheers!
Looks fantastic! I will cycle it into the weekly schedule ASAP. Thanks!
Good luck but go for normal braising steak that skirt stuff needs all day at 10 degrees or something daft to stop it being tough
In 2004 I went from 100 kg to 71 kg taking on a low carbohydrate life style. I’m now sitting at around 80 kg feeling a little blergh, but much better than 100 kg.
And I got through Christmas without gaining. But I’m back on it!
I love pearl barley. Your recipe looks delish, for sure. I lost kilos just looking at it! xo
Yes its almost a reverse calories dish honest
nudge nudge wink wink.