avocado – #ThisGirlEats

RECIPE: Chicken Salad Wraps With Smashed Avocado | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1 per person.
What are the benefits? These wraps provide at least one of your five a day, as well as being high in fibre and vitamins from the avocado.

Guacamole is a b-e-a-utiful thing, but it can be tricky to create an absolutely perfect version of the quintessential Mexican dip. However, no fear; there is a shortcut – smashed avocado. It’s creamier than just chunks of avocado but not as much effort as full-on guac, which is the perfect middle ground for me. 🥑

This wrap is a great packed lunch idea because it’s so quick and easy to put together with only a few ingredients. If you wanted to make it more adventurous you could always adapt; add some sauce, onions and peppers, perhaps some bacon… I’ve kept things simple here, but that doesn’t mean you have to!

If you’re after feel-good food, look no further. Avocado is bursting with “good” fats and, along with the salad, this little wrap packs in a hell of a lot of healthy greens! Chicken provides the lean protein, and will leave you feeling full without being bloated on fatty, greasy meat. Perfect!

INGREDIENTS
1 Chicken Breast
1/2 Bag of Prepared Mixed Salad
1/2 Avocado
4 Cherry Tomatoes, Quartered
2 Tortilla Wraps

SEASONING
For the chicken, simply season with a touch of dried garlic, salt, pepper and a little olive oil. If possible, the smashed avocado could do with a dash of lime juice, coriander and chilli flakes to give it more of a “guacamole” taste, but if you can’t get your hands on them it’s not the end of the world – a sprinkle of salt and pepper will do.

So, this is how I did it…

1. Season the chicken and pop in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes (depending on size) on 200°C.

2. Remove the avocado half from its skin and, along with the chopped cherry tomatoes in a bowl, smush together with a fork until you’ve created a chunky paste.

3. Grab some tortilla wraps and lay out the mixed salad. Remove the chicken from the oven, slice, and arrange on top of the salad leaves. Spread a dollop of smashed avocado alongside.

4. Wrap and enjoy there and then, or pack for lunch the next day! 🌯

RECIPE: Avocado Topped Mexican Chicken with Rice and Spiced Peppers | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This cost me less than £1.50 per person.
What are the benefits? This recipe provides plenty of protein, fibre and at least two of your five a day.

Mexican food has this amazing ability to be undeniably bold while still tasting light, fresh and summery, not to mention a great level of zingy heat without burning, vindaloo-style. That’s why it’s one of my favourites to cook – and eat!

I’ve grabbed some pretty basic ingredients – couple of chicken breasts, a few veggies, some rice – and tried make them really pop, just like the Mexican food I know and love.

The recipe is packed with vegetables, protein, flavour and colour, checking every box on my tick list! Not to mention it cost me around £1.40 per person (but could easily be replicated with a cheaper veggie version).

INGREDIENTS
2 Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 tbsp of Tomato Purée
140g Brown Rice
1 Medium Onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 Avocado, Peeled, Pitted and Sliced
2 tbsp Low Fat Cheese, Grated
1/2 Bag of Prepared Salad Leaves

SEASONING
As always with Mexican food, finding a good level of spice is key. It’s really about what your tastebuds can handle, so think carefully! I used paprika, cumin, cinnamon, dried garlic and chilli flakes for the tomato paste, with a dash of salt and pepper for standard seasoning. In with the rice went some dried coriander, salt and pepper just to jazz things up a bit. And, finally, I added a touch of paprika, garlic, salt and pepper to cook the peppers and onion.

So, this is how I did it…

1. Make your own spiced tomato paste (it’s super easy) by mixing together tomato purée, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, dried garlic and chilli flakes with a tiny dash of water. Make it as hot or as mild as you like! 🌶️

2. Slice in several small cuts along the top of the chicken breast so the seasoning can really sink in, coat with the paste and cook in the oven on 200°C for around 25 minutes, until thoroughly cooked.

3. Cook the rice according to packet instructions.

4. Add the sliced onion and peppers to a hot frying pan along with a few spices and sizzle away for 5-10 minutes, until they soften a little.

5. Remove chicken from oven, top with a tiny sprinkle of low fat cheese and the sliced avocado and place on the bed of rice, served with the vibrant veggies and a crisp side salad. YUM.

RECIPE: Bacon, Pepper and Avocado Salad | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This cost me less than £1 per person
What are the benefits? This recipe is low in carbs, low in sugar and mounts up to 2 portions of your 5 a day

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really been a big salad person. I suppose it really depends on what else you put in with it, because I can’t imagine anyone loving just a few limp lettuce leaves!

So I’ve created one that’s brilliant for me and works with the things I love to eat, as well as still being quite healthy – who knows, it could be perfect for you too!

It’s a great low-carb lunch option, if that’s what you’re after. Not to mention, it also contributes to your five a day, and avocado is full of healthy fats to help keep you full all day long.

INGREDIENTS
4 Slices of Back Bacon, Chopped
1 Avocado, Peeled, Stone Removed and Chopped
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
Half a Bag of Pre-Prepared Salad

SEASONING
There wasn’t too much seasoning involved in this one, just some black pepper and garlic added to the frying pan last-minute. You don’t even need salt as the bacon does that for you, but you could add some salad dressing for extra flavour if you wish.

So, this is how I did it…

1. Firstly, spray a frying pan with cooking spray or a small drop of oil and allowed it to heat up before chucking in the chopped bacon and cooking for roughly 10 minutes, until the bacon is all lovely and crispy.

2. Add the peppers to the pan after about 5 minutes of cooking the bacon, just enough so they aren’t raw but still have a crunch, and cook for about 5 minutes.

3. The chunks of avocado go into the pan for the last minute or so of cooking – this is optional, but I prefer my avocado to be warm here, so I cooked it for just enough time to simply warm it through. At this point, also add some black pepper and dried garlic to the pan for flavour.

4. Take the ingredients from the pan and add to a bowl of salad, stir it all through and you’re done!

Tips & Tricks

You know what else would go great with this? Halloumi, of course. It’s great with everything, and could turn this into a veggie-friendly salad.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you don’t have to buy a pre-packaged salad – that’s just laziness on my part! Make your own up and create the absolutely perfect dish for you.

It makes a great lunch, but you could also shrink this down to a small side salad or bulk it up for a full dinner meal. The choice is yours!

RECIPE: Loaded Beef Burgers | #ThisGirlEats

Afternoon lovelies!

Today I’m giving you the recipe for some incredible beef burgers for a real mid-week feast, loaded with toppings and sauces made with low fat mince and plenty of vegetables to go along with this ultimate dirty burger.

I’m not saying a beefburger is ever going to be the epitome of health but, sometimes, you just bloody well fancy one! This homemade version is piled high with folic acid (onions), fibre (mushrooms) and healthy fats (avocado). Win-win, right?

After a light lunch and a lovely long walk beforehand, I definitely felt as though I’d earned this one – hell, I even had a glass of wine with mine!

INGREDIENTS
250g 12% Fat Beef Mince
1 Onion (half diced to go in with the mince, half sliced as a burger topping)
1/2 Avocado, Sliced
4 Mushrooms, Chopped
2 Wholemeal Burger Buns

SEASONING
I added garlic, mixed herbs, chilli flakes, salt and pepper to the burger, but this is totally up to you – use whatever seasoning you like. I also smothered mine with ketchup and mustard but, again, it’s really up to you!

So, this is how I did it…

1. In a bowl, squish together the mince, chopped onion and seasoning until well combined (this is a little messy so if raw meat makes you squeamish maybe someone can take over for this bit!) Split into two balls and shape into burgers.

2. Once they resemble a burger shape, add them to a hot frying pan with a teeny drop of oil or some cooking spray and cook for roughly 4 – 5 minutes on each side, depending on how rare you like it.

3. When you flip the burgers over, throw the sliced onion and mushrooms into the pan as well to cook alongside the burgers.

4. Now it’s just as simple as putting it all together! Place the burgers in the bun and top with mushroom, onion and avocado, and cram in any salad, sauces or other extras you feel like.

Tips & Tricks!

You could lower the fat content even further if you swap the beef mince for a leaner meat like turkey or pork. Or get rid of the meat altogether and use a meat-free alternative!

Trying to cut down on carbs? Throw out the bun and go for a naked burger! 😳

If you’re having trouble getting the mince to stick, you might want to add a beaten egg while shaping the burgers to help glue it all together – but I’ve always found they work just fine without.