Let's Talk Dinner!

Reading through one of my many fitness magazines the other day I came across something interesting. Of course it involves food (of course..) and it gave me an idea. See I usually go the store every Sunday and buy a ridiculious amount of fresh chicken breast-ya know, the 8 pound costs you 13 dollar walmart fresh chicken breast. I would LIKE to buy the no hormones, no antibiotics, squeaky clean chicken breast but who can afford them when you eat chicken like I do?? Enter the article. Buy an entire chicken, 7-8 pound WHOLE chicken. Cook it all at one time for a couple hours (how genius is this??-no comments on my blondeness) like directed here and wa-la- you have chicken for the entire week! Eleviating the dreaded, "I have chicken breast in the fridge but I have to cook it and I'm so tired of chicken cooked the same way, blah blah blah" You know what I'm talking about. So I did exactly as this article suggested and guess what.. I was able to buy TWO small whole chickens, the GOOD kind-no antibiotics, vegetarian fed (makes you wonder what the other guys are eating...), no growth hormones, etc. for 9 dollars at 7.5lbs total. I followed the recipe, for the most part, I can't do everything I'm told-that's compliance- and I ended up with two of the juice-ist yummy, though flavor neutral, chickens I've ever had. What I mean by flavor neutral is that even though, yes they have a wonderful flavor, it is light and I will be able to customize it throughout the week, so I won't ever be eating it the same way...at least this week. The recipe is below.

Here is what you will  need (adapted from Women's Health May 2011):

• 7 lbs roasting chicken
• 1/2-1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp italian season (my addition)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 lemon, quartered (I used one whole lemon and split between the two chickens)
• 4 cloves garlic (I used 8 and split between the two again)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (this is my addition)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. stir all your seasoning into your olive oil in a bowl
3. baste the chicken with your seasons until it is all gone, both sides and inside if you can
4. squeeze all the juice from the lemon peices into the cavity and then stuff the cavity with the lemons and garlic cloves.
5. Then place chicken, breast up on a roasting pan
6. roast chicken at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
7. reduce heat to 350 and continue to cook for 2 hours
8. Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 15 minutes (let it rest-its had a hard day..)
9. pull off all the skin (so your not tempted to eat it later) and throw away.
10. debone all the chicken into a big storage bowl- one side dark meat one side white meat

Alright, you've got your meat for your dinner, now what are you going to have with it? Enter in my next discovery of the day (this is a big day!)

Ah... Polenta. I barely know you and I already love you. I had never heard about it until my mom brought it to my attention literally last week. What is it, you ask?  Technically is 100% corn meal and it's a great pasta substitute. You will find it at your health food store.
140 calories, fat free, 32g of carbs, 3g of protein and 4g of fiber per 40g serving

Here is what you will need to make it how I did (also adapted from Women's Health May 2011):

• 3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup unsweet almond milk (this is my addition the regular recipe calls for 1% milk)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup polenta

1. bring the first three to a boil
2. add polenta and mix well-reducing heat until its barely bubbling
3. continuously stir for 5-6 minutes

I chose to saute up some mushrooms with onion, garlic and a mix of chicken broth, 1 tsp worcestershire sauce and 1 tbsp tomato paste to put on top of the polenta and it was very good! Though I think you can get very creative with how you cook it and with different sauces. I will continue to mess with it myself and give you recipes as I come up with them!

Enjoy your dinner, I know I did!