ArcaMax

You’ve probably noticed that I'm regularly trying to convince you to eat whole, unprocessed foods. Every recipe I write uses what I consider unprocessed foods (with minor exceptions).

To keep it simple, let’s start off with some definitions:

What are processed foods? Processed foods are anything you buy in a package in a grocery store. Anything that has chemicals and preservatives as additives would fall into the processed foods category. By my definition, any bread in a store that has a preservative put into it would be processed food, so even if it doesn’t always come in a box, you can consider it processed. Processed foods encompass most of what’s in your grocery store.

What are unprocessed foods? Unprocessed foods are the things you find in the produce section, the fresh meat section, and limited parts of the dairy section. I say limited parts of the dairy section because we can’t all have a cow or goat in our backyard. We need to allow for some processed foods that are in packages or cartons. That being said, the fewer the ingredients that are there to keep them fresh for transport to the grocery store, the better. The closer your food comes to you from the farm, the better.

If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. Read a few product labels and you’ll see how challenging this can be...

Read the full column at PlanZDiet.com

Asian Chicken with Veggie Slaw

This is a fun, easy dish to serve in the summer or when you want something light. The veggies can be varied. I used red bell pepper and pea pods, but you could also use other colors of bell peppers, celery, cucumber, green onion, white onion, or even add a bit of jalapeno. You decide.

This looks like a lot of ingredients, but you’ll see it’s sort of a dump and cook recipe. Not difficult at all. If you love making Asian food you probably have many of these ingredients in the house.

Servings: Serves 2. Can be doubled easily.

Ingredients:

For the Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick strips
1/3 cup of water
¼ cup (or less) of brown sugar substitute. I use Swerve or ZSweet. You can order them online.
2 Tbl of orange juice squeezed from a fresh orange
1 Tbl of tamari or coconut aminos. Soy sauce can be subbed but the others are better for you.
2 tsp of ketchup
1 Tbl of rice wine vinegar
4 tsp of minced garlic (jar garlic can work)
¼ tsp of red pepper flakes (optional or to taste)
2 tsp of cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbl of water
olive oil spray

For the Slaw

4 cups of coleslaw mix
1 cup of pea pods (snow peas) cut up into chunks
1 cup of red pepper strips or chunks

Instructions:

Spray a large saute pan with olive oil. Let it heat up on medium-high and add the chicken pieces. Spread them out so they can cook without sticking together. Cook three to four minutes per side or until no pink remains. They will be tinged with a little bit of brown but not much.

While that’s cooking, in a small bowl, whisk the water, brown sugar substitute, orange juice, tamari, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, and pepper flakes.

Pour this mixture over the chicken and continue to cook on medium-low (just so it’s bubbling a bit) for three minutes more.

While this is happening take out a medium bowl and add your coleslaw, and your chosen veggies. Mix them up.

In another small bowl mix the cornstarch with water. Pour this into the pan and bring it to a low boil. That will thicken the sauce. This won’t take long so keep an eye on the pan. If it starts to get too thick you can pour in a bit more water and thin it out. This will only take a minute or two at most.

Next, take out the chicken and set it aside. Work fast so it doesn’t get cold -- although this dish would taste just fine if it’s totally cold. DO NOT throw out the sauce left in the pan.

Pour the sauce that’s in the bottom of the pan over the slaw mixture in the bowl and toss.

Get out your plates or dinner bowls. Divide the coleslaw mix amongst the bowls.

Add the chicken on top and serve. If you want more red pepper flakes to make it spicier this is the time to add them.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola