Juicy Marinated Chicken with Quinoa and a Matcha Green Tea Sauce

You might have heard about the popular matcha latte. You might even be a fan and make a cup of the delicious green stuff on the daily. A matcha dessert is a normal occurence, at least in our household. But this, my friends, is a savory dish with a matcha sauce!

Chicken and green tea might sound a bit weird, but worry not! The flavors flow beautifully together and make a refreshing and delicious lunch. Quinoa is mixed with vegetables, the chicken breast is marinated and is still super juicy once cooked, and the sauce brings it all together. I hope you'll try and enjoy this unusual flavor combo as much as I have!

Ingredients:

300 gr chicken breast

½ cup quinoa

1 tsp mayonnaise

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp red paprika

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp tamari sauce

1 tsp potato starch

100 gr asparagus

150 gr cherry tomatoes

2 handfuls of arugula

50 ml yogurt

1 tsp mayonnaise

1 tsp matcha

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp hemp seeds

Instructions:

1. Cut the chicken breast into smaller pieces, and prepare the marinade by mixing olive oil, mayonnaise, red paprika, thyme, tamari sauce and potato starch.

2. Cover all the pieces of chicken with the marinate, and let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

3. Wash and cook the quinoa.

4. Blanche the asparagus by placing them into boiling salted water for two to three minutes, and then submerge them into cold water to stop the cooking process. Cut them into smaller pieces.

5. Wash the arugula and cherry tomatoes, and slice the tomatoes.

6. Place the marinated chicken into a lightly oiled, and very hot pan. Let the meat caramelize on one side before turning it over to the other.

7. Prepare the sauce by mixing the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice and matcha. Mix well and season with salt to taste.

8. Drain the quinoa, and place it into a large bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, asparagus, arugula which you can cut into smaller bite sized pieces if you so wish. Mix well.

9. Serve the dish by placing the quinoa and vegetable base in a bowl or a plate. Place the chicken on top, and drizzle the sauce on top. Sprinkle with hemp seeds and serve immediately. Bon appetit!

Gluten Free Corn Fritters

Since it's the prime time for sweet corn, I have been using it in all kinds of recipes. Sometimes, I just love eating it straight from the cob, slathered in butter and with some salt. But sometimes, I like experimenting and creating different flavor combinations. One of my favorite corn recipes can be found in my Fish Taco recipe which you can find here, and I also do quite like it creamed.

Today I am sharing a very easy corn fritter recipe that is, of course, gluten free. I packed the patties with other veggies and they are delicious eaten still warm or once they've cooled down. You can make these ahead to take with you to work or to the beach, or save them as leftovers, if there are any left! :)

Ingredients:

2 eggs

140 gr red pepper

100 gr carrot

145 gr corn

30 gr gluten free oat flour

50 gr rice flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp red paprika, basil

feta cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Chop the pepper into fine small pieces, and grate the carrots finely. Take one cob of corn and use a sharp knife to slice the kernels.

2. In a bowl, mix two eggs and then add the chopped vegetables. Add the flours, baking powder, salt and seasonings and mix well.

3. Heat a pan with a bit of oil or ghee. While the pan is heating, use your hands to form patties.

4. Place the fritters on the pan and let them become golden brown one once side before carefully flipping them to the other.

5. Serve immediately. If you want, you can serve with some feta cheese on top or with sour cream. Bon appetit.

(you can also eat them once they cool down, so feel free to put away your leftover fritters in the fridge once they've cooled down for later)

Beef, Orange and Ginger Noodles

A super easy lunch option for those days that you just can't be bothered to cook elaborate meals. I love making rice noodles, some days I make them with just vegetables, and sometimes I add an animal protein to them. Today I'll show you how I make a very quick beef, orange and ginger noodle dish that is still loaded with seasonal veggies. If you wish, you can always make them spicy by adding chilli powder or a paste like sambal oelek, but I can't/don't eat spicy food so I omit that from my recipes.

Ingredients:

200 gr beef

100 gr asparagus

100 gr flat green beans

50 gr carrot

120 gr zucchini

50 gr scallions

1 orange

1 tbsp potato starch

1 cm fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic

rice noodles

Instructions:

1 Cut the vegetables: cut the asparagus and scallions into small circles, julenne the carrot, and cut the zucchini into smaller pieces. Finely chop the ginger and garlic. You can use your hands to snap the green beans into smaller, bite-sized, pieces.

2. Slice the meat into small, thin strips, and roll them into potato starch until completely covered.

3. Juice one orange and leave a handful of chopped green parts of the scallions aside.

4. Heat a pan with some oil, add the meat and lightly brown on all sides. Add the rest of the veggies and cook them on medium high heat while stirring constantly for a few minutes. Season.

5. Add the orange juice and cook it until the juice reduces to a thicker sauce.

6. Pour the rice noodles with hot water and leave them for a few minutes until they become soft.

7. Serve by placing the rice noodles in a bowl, and then place the veggie and meat mixture on top. Top with scallions and serve immediately. Bon appetit!