Lemon Thyme Chicken (Whole 30)

There has been a major shift happening in my household lately. My entire life I was all about eating and cooking with white meat chicken breasts. Not anymore, when cooked correctly, chicken thighs are so succulent and juicy and never dry. They are smaller in size and perfect for portion control as well. I found this recipe from the blog Kitchn and it is incredibly easy. One pan, 5 ingredients and so flavorful.  

I love this recipe, because the cooking and the cleanup is easy. Place the chicken thighs in the cast iron skillet skin side down and leave in place for 15 minutes to crisp and brown. Easy, right? After that, add some sliced lemon, thyme sprigs and throw in the oven to finish cooking for another 15 minutes! 

I can't say enough about this easy Whole 30 approved recipe. Its also easy to get creative with this dish and add additional herbs and spices. Enjoy immediately and at work throughout the week! 

 

Lemon Thyme Chicken Thighs

Serves 4

2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on (about 4 to 6 thighs)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 lemon, sliced thin
5 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400° F. Drizzle the chicken thighs with olive oil and season them well with pinches of salt and pepper.

Place the thighs in a large, cold cast iron skillet, skin-side down. Place the skillet on a burner over medium heat. Let them cook, undisturbed, for 14 to 15 minutes.

When a lot of the fat has rendered out and the skin is crispy and brown, flip the thighs so the crispy skin is up. Dot the cast iron skillet with lemon slices and thyme sprigs and stick it in the hot oven. Let the thighs finish cooking in the oven for 13 to 15 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 165° F. If you're in doubt, leave them in for another few minutes.

Coconut Milk Meatballs (Whole 30)

Hello Motivation Mondays! We are back on after this extended quiet period while I've been busy with school and out of town traveling. But, don't worry, because this week's Motivation Monday recipe is back and with a bang!

Over a week ago, I decided to start the Whole 30 challenge for the second time and have been constantly searching for flavorful, creative and healthy meals to make. I then came across these Coconut Milk Meatballs from the blog I Heart Umami, and had been craving them for days! I have always loved all types of curry dishes and this recipe is the perfect combination of East and West cuisine.  Yesterday, I finally got around to making them and am still dreaming about the creamy, decadent, flavorful taste of these coconut curry meatballs. Like me, you guys will never look at meatballs the same way again. They are amaze-balls!!! :) 

This recipe is also easy to double and take the additional leftovers (if there's any) with you to work throughout the week and reheat. 

This kind of recipe makes the Whole 30 challenge a breeze. I can't wait for you all to try them and make sure to share some love and tag me on Instagram @oliviasobjectionsofobsession and follow me live on snapchat @oliviajoan21

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground chicken (50 % breast, 50% thigh) or turkey, lamb, veal
• Lime juice
• Cilantro for garnish

Meatball seasonings:

• ¾ cup cilantro
• 2 small shallots
• ¾ cup diced carrots
• ¼ cup basil leaves
• ½ tbsp ginger
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp coconut cream

Sauce:

• 14 oz full-fat coconut milk 1 can
• 1 tbsp red curry paste I use Thai Kitchen (sub green curry paste) 
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste no sugar added (sub 2-3 tsp of marinara sauce) 
• ¼ tsp ground coriander powder (cilantro) 
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder (combination of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper) 

Instructions

1. Combine and blend the first 5 ingredients listed under "meatball seasonings" in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the rest of meatball seasonings and blend well.

2. Pre-heat oven to 410/420 F. LIne a non-stick aluminum foil over a large sheet pan. Mix ground meat with the seasonings from Step 1. Mix well and form golf ball size meatballs (about 20 meatballs). Bake first side 20 minutes and flip side 15 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked through.

3. While the meatballs are cooking, mix ingredients under “sauce”. Slow simmer over medium-low heat. Keep stirring the sauce until everything is combined and reduced to a thicker sauce (similar to tomato soup texture). Taste and see if more salt, tomato paste, or red curry paste is needed. * keep stirring the sauce to prevent it from burning in the bottom.

4. Once the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thickened, add the meatballs back to the sauce. Simmer for another 3 minutes. Coat the sauce over meatballs. Drizzle with lime juice and garnish with cilantro leaves before serving.

Whole30 Challenge

Ok, so my most recent OBSESSION is, the Whole30 Challenge!

At first, I was really unsure about doing this. How could I give up drinking, sweets AND going out to eat for 30 days!? Oh and not to mention, all grains, dairy and snacking throughout the day! So, you're now thinking, I'm pretty much going to be eating nothing/like a rabbit, right? Well, yes AND no. But let's get to that later. So, the day arrived and I started on my Whole3o challenge journey.

Before this, I made sure to clear out the fridge, cupboards, created a meal plan and meal prepped for the week ahead. This was crucial for me to successfully follow the Whole3o challenge rules! At first, it was quite easy, eating leans meats, veggies, fruits, etc. It was great, until I realized how challenging it was to "not snack." I didn't know how I was going to make it! SO, the first couple days went by and I consciously challenged myself to make filling meals, so I wouldn't snack. Since the average person is so used to snacking throughout the day, this was quite a challenge, but it allowed my body to really rely on the nutrients I was eating during meal time and adjust to not relying on a boost of sugar or energy in between meals. As the days went on, I learned how to plan ahead better, prep more efficiently and slowly my food cravings and hunger in between meals started to disappear. The book provided me with fantastic recipes that I enjoyed eating more and more at every meal. Furthermore, not only did my love for cooking grow, but I started sleeping better at night, my energy levels went up and I wasn't getting tired during the middle of the day anymore and my nails and hair started to become stronger!! Score!! I was really starting to love this challenge and was feeling great. The last couple of weeks went by and I was nearing Day 30. At this point, I was not only feeling amazing physically, but I was feeling amazing mentally and emotionally as I was so proud of my dedication to finish 30 days, my willpower to not go out to eat or drink and to prove to myself that I could change the way I thought about and relied on food.

For anyone curious and wondering about this program or interested in taking the challenge, I can easily say, that I am OBSESSED with it and it will definitely be worth your while! Challenge yourself and try out this program! Click here to see what it is all about as well as the program rules!