Clean, clear, starch-free meals are pretty much the one thing that makes my gut swoon with happy. Since I totally caved to the CarbMonster with my last post on Vegan Mac&Cheese, I figure’d I’d get back on the train and be a little nicer to my gizards :D
I’ve been experimenting with different nuts in salads lately and I really, really like this combination. At the last minute I threw in some grapefruit sections but honestly, you don’t even need those. The roasty, almost smokey sweet flavour of the hazelnuts is perked up by the cranberry and balanced by the radicchio. In fact, I’m surprised at how well the flavours mix, because the normally bitter flavour of the radicchio is totally gone in this combination. The chicken is fancied up with a bit of thyme, and everything is dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil. Super lunch.
MyRealFoodLife.com
Hazelnut Cranberry Chicken Salad
Ingredients
-
1/3 cup hazelnuts
-
1/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries, or fresh cranberries chopped
-
1 chicken breast
-
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
-
2 tbsp olive oil
-
1/2 head radicchio, roughy torn
-
1-2 cups salad greens of your choice
-
juice of 1/2 lemon (citrus free: use vitamin C crystals dissolved in some water instead)
-
olive oil and salt to taste
-
sections of 1/2 grapefruit or 1 tangerine, optional
Directions
-
Roast the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet at 350 for 7-10 min or until they are fragrant and toasty. Let cool, and put in a plastic bag, and smash with a mallet or blunt object.
-
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat and lay down half the thyme, with the chicken breast on top. Turn it over to finish cooking and add new thyme sprigs, only when the first side is golden. Let cool, and slice.
-
Toss everything together and serve. Happy times :D
thank you so much heather- thats so encouraging of you. :) your thoughtful words are so kind. xo
I’m a gluten-intolerant group fitness instructor, and I’m so proud of you for committing to a gym membership! Check out the group fitness schedule at your gym. An accountability partner is great for getting you to the gym. A room filled with women to work out with and an instructor that wants the best for YOU is even more motivating. Best wishes on your new endeavor, and I know you’ll be feeling better soon!