Personal Training
"Paleo" Coconut Ginger Poached Chicken
So, unless you have your head under a rock, I am sure most of you have heard about the trendy “Paleo Diet” that is taking the world by storm. I am also sure many of you are wondering what the heck it is (I was too before writing this post and doing my own research) I had just kept seeing the concept and recipes pop up all over the web and also in conversations with trainers and fitness professionals in my field, that I figured it was time for me to figure out what the heck it is!
In basic terms, the Paleo diet is built from modern foods that emulate foods that were available to our pre agricultural ancestors; meat (including organs and fat), fish, fowl, fruits, vegetables, nuts, fats with the omission of grains, dairy and legumes. Another way people categorize the food in the paleo diet is “anything that can be hunted or gathered” To those following this Paleo diet, they do not see it as a diet but more a lifestyle of living in harmony with nature and in our food to achieve the utmost best health, the way our ancestors did thousands of years ago. (for more info, check out this website)
Over time, there have been many changes in the food industry and seeing more and more processed foods. The problem with this is that through all these changes that have occurred, we’ve degraded the nutrition content of our daily diet and have moved further and further away from eating as Mother Nature intended. The Paleo diet tries to eliminate foods such as grains, dairy, excess sugarm legumes and vegetable oils
Like any other ‘diet’ there are pros and cons which must be addressed.
PROS
- This diet, due to clean nature and foods being their most ‘natural’ state with no added chemicals, additives, flavors or preservatives will definitely help to control ones blood sugar levels and ensure stability
- This diet can also help to control cholesterol levels due to the intake of healthy fats, yet low in saturated fats.
- High in protein, you will not be shy on the protein intake with this diet which will still support lean muscle and fat loss. With the high fat content of this diet, your energy levels will remain high as well. If you are looking to build muscle, you can add in more fats to help with caloric intake
CONS
- With this diet, there is something to be said about serious meal prep and being prepared. Complex carbs and other grains can be very easily prepared and also readily available to grab and go (if you wanted lunch out for instance) On this diet, it can be bit more time consuming
- For the active individual looking to get in carbs around their workouts to support muscle growth and recovery, this could be a bit more tricky. On this diet, most of the carbs will come from fruits and vegetables. Post workout, the Paleo diet recommends fruits that are the highest in sugar and carbs (banana, pineapple, grapes, cherries)
- This diet can also add up quite fast on the wallet.
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As with any diet or ‘food following’, it is beneficial for you to do your own research.
Diets and new ‘trends’ in the nutrition industry come and go faster than Kim Kardashian’s marriage, but it is of utmost importance that you DO THE WORK to find out if this is something you truly want to follow or something you are following because every body else is. If you are doing it because you see those around you doing it…well thats just irrisposible and not intelligent. Do your own research, people!
So I bet you are wondering why I am bringing up the Paleo diet, right? Am I following this diet. HECK no. And I say “Heck” because I just don’t think this diet is for me. I have complete respect for those that DO follow it to a “T” but its just not for me. With that said, I am extremely intrigued by some of the recipes I have been coming across that are “Paleo friendly” I do love many of the ingredients that are found in a majory of Paleo Dishes, so I am attracted by some of the recipes, but no, I do not follow this diet. Lets be real here–I love a good sandwich; with cheese.
SO…like I mentioned I had come across some pretty phenomenal looking “Paleo Friendly” recipes that I cannot wait to make!
Paleo Pumpkin cream chicken cassarole <--- TOP OF MY LIST!
In my attempt to make my own recipe (I wanted to keep it simple!) I picked up some coconut milk at Trader Joes this past weekend. Many of the Paleo recipes call for coconut milk and I am very unfarmiliar with it, so like I said, I wanted to keep my first recipe SUPER simple.
What is coconut milk?
Coconut milk is basically made the the meat of the mature coconut. There are two different types; thick and thin. THICK coconut milk is the liquid that is taken by squeezing the coconut meat through a cheesecloth. THIN coconut milk is squeezed but then soaked in warm water, squeezed a 2nd and 3rd time until it is considered thin coconut milk
Coconut milk is high in saturated fatty acids and Medium chain triglycerides (MCT), which are both easily burned as fuel by the body. The body utilizes this fat and converts it to energy instead of storing it as fat. Medium Chain Triglycerides also help to lower the risk of both atherosclerosis and heart disease. Another great benefit of coconut milk is that it stays good for a long time; well past the due date of cows milk. An unopened can of coconut milk will stay good for months at a time; moreover it also stays good once opened as well.
Coconut milk can be a great subsitute for those with a lactose intolerance because it contains no dairy whatsoever. It is high in calcium and also has a light flavor that goes well in many recipes!
Back to my recipe utilizing coconut milk. This is so simple, I don’t even know why I am posting it, but when it came to my mind, it excited me, so maybe it will excite you too!
So I picked up this can of light coconut milk (which may not even be considered ‘true Paleo’ but like I said, I do not follow this diet at all, I am just very attracted to some of the recipes) therefore this is my version of a Paleo friendly dish. My blog. My rules, ok? 🙂
Along with the coconut milk, I picked up a beautiful piece of fresh ginger. I absolutely love the spicy and fresh flavor of fresh ginger. (Can we talk about this ginger sugar that I found while scowering the internet?) None of this ‘powdered’ stuff. Whenever a recipe calls for ginger, I always go for the real thing
I know some people get crazy about the skin and how to peel the ginger, but ya know what? I just go for it and grate the whole piece over a microplane. I never have any problem doing it this way; it grates up perfectly!
I grated about 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, but looking back on the recipe, I should have done 2 full tablespoons
I added 1/2 of the can of coconut milk along with 2 C water to a pot along with the fresh ginger. After letting the liquid get very hot, almost boiling, I added 2 big chicken breasts.
Chicken + coconut milk + fresh ginger + salt + pepper.
Coconut Ginger Poached Chicken Breast
Ingredients:
- 1/2 can of coconut milk (low fat or full fat)
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1-2 C water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 T fresh ginger
Method:
- Place coconut milk, water, ginger and spices in a pot (big enough to hold the liquid + the chicken)
- Place over medium-high heat and let mixture get very hot (almost boiling)
- Place chicken breasts in liquid and after the mixture comes to a boil, let the chicken stay in there for about 5 minutes.
- After about 5 minutes, cover the pot, turn off the heat and let the chicken sit for an additional 10 minutes in the hot coconut milk bath.
- Take out and tear chicken breasts apart with a fork to shred or served as is
I took the chicken right out because I didn’t want it to overcook (which I usually do with poached chicken because I get nervous that I don’t let it sit long enough!)
It was really delicious but like I mentioned earlier, I certainly needed some more ginger for an extra kick. Feel free to add in different spices as well such as curry which would be fantastic!
I served the chicken over a large salad with some roasted veggies and roasted chickpeas
What else did I do?
While the pot was boiling, I snuck in some frozen shrimp! They only needed a few minutes because they are previously cooked ‘frozen’ Literally they took about 2 minutes in the hot coconut bath. They were tender and flavorful!
***Notes on the recipe…
- I really liked it but use more ginger next time
- Get creative with more spices
- Don’t be afraid to take the chicken out sooner than you think to avoid overcooking
- Throw in some shrimp at the end 🙂
- When everything is all cooked, you can save the coconut milk mixture for the base of a soup!
Ah, I love Boston.
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT!!
Questions:
Have you ever tried recipes from a specific “diet” or “lifestyle” that you do not follow but still intrigued to sometimes cook that way?
What is your favorite time of day? Mine is the morning right before the sun comes up/is coming up. It is peaceful, beautiful and so calming
