We know how food blogging can be a little dangerous to the figure, with all the gorgeous photos to gorge on, and tempting recipes to try! Cakes, ice-cream and above all Chocolate – those are my pleasures and my tortures – my nemeses! Wouldn’t it be great if there there was a place you could go to to find a variety of healthy, tasty recipes? Ok, ok, many of you have your favourite resources. Great – share them with everyone! In that spirit, Robin from Clumsy Cook is starting an event called Blog or Bust. Check her blog on 18 July for round-up and lots of delicious, guilt-free treats! Here is what Robin says:
“This blogging event will feature healthyish foods that won’t bust the measurement tape. There are no rules about low-carb or low-fat (though I’d love some recipes), but all entries should have good health in mind—be it the inclusion of whole grains, nutrient rich ingredients, etc. A dish that you won’t regret cleaning your plate for! You don’t have to include a calorie count, but you can if you want, and the calorie count doesn’t have to be low as long as the recipe is nutritious. Feel free to add any weight loss tips or tidbits in your post! If you have any concerns about whether your recipe is nutritious, send it anyway! I’ll post and we can all discuss what we think.”
The theme for the first event is Party Food. Appropriately, I got this excellent recipe – at a party, or a picnic-lunch, to be more precise. After lots of lip-smacking and contented sighs, it was given to me (and a few others!) by a wonderful lady called Joan. It’s called Fiesta Chicken and Black Bean Salad, but, I’m afraid it’s going to be Joan’s Salad for me from now on! – Thank you, Joan!
In terms of both health and taste, this salad has lots of going for it. Just look at the ingredients list! I love the dressing, with the warmth of cumin, and a citrus hint from the freshly squeezed lime juice!
As well as being both very healthy and very tasty, this salad is extremely convenient, and easy to make! It contains no easily-spoiled ingredients (eggs, mayonnaise, potatoes), so it’s very convenient for transport and storing. It makes a great lunch, too! It’s very adaptable: omit chicken to make it vegetarian, and use different vegetables. See ‘Verdict’ for more tips!
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Fiesta Chicken and Black Bean Salad/ aka Joan’s Salad
SOURCE: Joan! (hip hip hoorayyyy for Joan!)
PREPARATION TIME: about 15 min
COOKING TIME: 10 min for the rice (basmati), plus more for the chicken
Ingredients:
SALAD INGREDIENTS:
3 cups cooked rice
4 cups shredded chicken (poached/grilled)
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans (or red beans)
11 0z corn
6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 bunch spring onions
DRESSING:
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped, or crushed
3/4 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
METHOD:
1. Poach or grill the chicken. Meanwhile, you can also put the corn, beans and rice to cook. While they are cooking, chop the tomatoes and the spring onions.
2. Make the dressing.
3. Assemble all the ingredients. TADAAAAAAH! Done! It’s as easy as that!
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Verdict:
Very very tasty, and very healthy! I will make it again and again and again!
The best of all, the possibilities to play around are plenty! Here are a few suggestions:
- top tip: instead of using ground cumin, gently toast cumin seeds in a pan, grind, and add to the dressing.
- vary the vegetables you use
- omit chicken to make it vegetarian
- use prawn instead of chicken
- use brown rice to make it even healthier
- use quinoa!
- add chilies to the dressing! – crushed or fresh, according to your palate. I think great chilies would go really well with the dressing. Think of your guests though! Do they like it as hot as you do? (I try to do this, but often fail in my judgement!)
- perhaps sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves on top! yum!
As you can see, there are many possibilities! Experiment, Create, and (above all) Enjoy it!
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Blackberries and I 
Robin
/ 15 July, 2007Thank you for this post! I’m so excited to include it in Blog or Bust!! I love your tip of grinding toasted cumin seeds—I’ve never done it but it sounds so easy and delicious, that I will have to try. See you on the 18th! 😀
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Maninas
/ 18 July, 2007Hi Robin!
Toasted & freshly ground cumin seeds are one of my favourite flavours!
Can’t wait to see others’ recipes!
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