Welcome to Valley’s newest column, A Dash of Healthy! Columnists Carolyn and Corinne are two girls on a mission to reinvent what it means to be healthy in college, one meal at a time. We’re here to guide you through the kitchen, from the aisles of your grocery store to the finished plate. Catch us every week for a new healthy recipe, along with our favorite tips, tricks and advice for eating well on a college budget.
SPICED CHICKEN POWER BOWL
Clean, gluten-free, all natural
(Makes 2 servings)
Change how you see chicken with our Spiced Chicken Power Bowl. Each serving is a complete meal, packed with 35 grams of protein from whole grains and lean meat. Quinoa, one of the main ingredients, is a go-to power food. While it’s often labeled as a grain it’s actually a seed, made up of all 8 essential amino acids. In college-speak this means you can count on quinoa as a complete source of protein— it’s got your back.
The flavorful mix of spices and yogurt creates a bold marinade for the chicken, which can be a nice change from your typical college faire. With absolutely no setting time, it’s a quick and easy way to break out of a baked chicken rut—just pop it into the oven and go.
TIP: Replacing highly processed marinades like barbeque sauces and salad dressings with natural spices and non-fat yogurt saves you calories and money. As you start to cook, you’ll get a ton of use out of a well-stocked spice drawer and will never have to worry about it expiring.
What you need:
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or juice from 2 lemons)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, 3 oz each
6 oz, nonfat, plain Greek yogurt
2 cups frozen green beans
1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups water
Oven
Cooking sheet/glass baking dish
What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Add 1 cup of uncooked quinoa to a pan, filled with 1.5 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until quinoa is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 20-25 minutes.
3, Place 2 cups of frozen green beans into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 2-3 minutes on high.
4. Mix together 6 oz yogurt, 1.5 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt, and spices in a bowl.
5. Cover each chicken breast in the prepared mixture until well coated.
6. Place the chicken breasts on a cooking sheet/glass dish and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
7. In each bowl, combine ½ cup cooked quinoa, 1 cup cooked greenbeans and 4 oz chicken breast.
8. Season with additional spices to taste.
9. Store remaining quinoa in an airtight container for leftovers.
Nutrition (per serving): 385 cal, 26g carb, 15g fat, 35g protein, 4g sugar
