Recipe 4: Applesauce Mustard Chicken, Collard Greens, Coconut Rice

Recipe 4: Applesauce Mustard Chicken, Collard greens, and Coconut Rice

This meal will amaze you with all its health benefits!

(Serves 2) 656 calories for full meal per person

Ingredients:

(for chicken marinade)

1lb of sliced chicken breast

1 4oz container of applesauce

2 tablespoons of spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic

Salt and pepper

(for rice)

1 ½ cups of coconut milk (found unrefrigerated)

1 cup brown rice

1 cup water

Salt and pepper

(collard greens)

1 bunch of collard greens

1 small yellow onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions: 

(chicken)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Toss chicken in marinade and allow to sit in the refrigerator for (at least) 2 hours. Preheat pan over medium to medium high heat. Place chicken into pan and cook til white and beginning to brown. Depending on how thick your slices it may cook very quickly. The reason l cut the chicken breast into strips is so there is more surface area for the marinade to cling to. This marinade taste very similar to honey mustard chicken, just lighter.

(rice)

Add water and coconut milk to a saucepan and bring to boil. Add rice, stir, and reduce to simmer. Allow to simmer for 45-55 minutes. Do not lift the lid! If you release the steam your rice will be tough and undercooked. Check at the 45 minute point. The rice will be tender and a slight amount of liquid will be left in the pot. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes before serving so the rice can absorb the rest of the liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.

                Note: the coconut milk will not add much flavor to the rice. Its main purpose is to add creaminess (making its texture more like white rice) and to add more nutritional value.  If it is to plain for your palette add 1 tablespoon of butter or try adding nuts or dried cranberries for sweetness.

(collard greens)

Remove stems from greens and wash thoroughly. These greens can hold an amazing amount of sand so be sure to separate each leaf and rinse. Add olive oil to bottom of skillet and heat over medium. Add minced onions (you can slice to any thickness you prefer). Sautee until translucent. Add all of the greens. It will look like a lot but they wilt down very quickly. Add salt and pepper. Cook until wilted and serve.

All recipes are originals created by Brittney Owens and are not to be reprinted without permission

What will you gain by eating this meal? (sources http://www.webmd.com   and    www.livestrong.com) and “99  Superfoods” by Carrie May

Applesauce: Apples are high fiber, high antioxidants, and low calories. Apples contain both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fiber is what makes you feel full longer. It turns to a gel and absorbs cholesterol from your blood and can benefit those with diabetes. Insoluble fibers are those with the laxative type effect that help clean out the digestive tract.

Chicken: Provides protein and is lower in fat than red meat. Protein is needed to build (and rebuild) muscles. Contains selenium and b6. Selenium helps protect cells and to create white blood cells which are necessary to fight infection. People with Selenium deficiency have faster progressions of disease. Selenium deficiency has also been linked to cancer http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201110/selenium-and-the-brain.

Olive oil: Omega-9 fatty acid which helps reduce the risk of heart disease and promote heart health.

Garlic: Source of selenium, manganese, vitamin c, B6. Selenium is thought to protect cells from damage. Manganese is important for bone formation, connective tissue, and blood clotting. Manganese deficiency is linked to infertility, weakness, seizures, and bone malformation. B6 helps to realease energy your body stores.

Coconut milk: is an excellent source of fiber (for healthy bowel function and the removal of cholesterol), healthy fats, and contains electrolytes. Electrolytes are what provide cells with the ability to send electrical impulses to other cells. When you sweat or have diarrhea you lose electrolytes (mainly your sodium and potassium).   

Brown rice: The difference between Brown and white rice is that white rice has the hull, bran and germ removed. Brown is less processed. Both have fairly equivalent calorie and carbohydrate ratios, but brown rice has a higher fiber content and vitamins like magnesium and selenium. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to angina attacks and cardiovascular disease. It is also an effective for migraine http://www.secrets-about-vitamins.com/what-does-magnesium-do.html

Collard Greens: Dark leafy veggies contain beta carotene which is important for healthy vision. They contain Vitamin C  which boosts the body’s immune system and wards off cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and skin wrinkling. Also they contain folate, manganese, calcium, antioxidants, and alpha linolenic acid. Alpha linolenic acid is similar to Omega fatty acids found in fish and nuts. It helps to treat heart disease and prevent heart attack and stroke.

Onion: contain vitamin C, B6 and flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidants that are naturally occurring in plants. Flavonoids are being studied for their potential to prevent tooth decay, reduce common cold occurrence, and to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and degenerative disease (wisegeek.com).