Welcome to the newest incarnation of my blog: Barefoot in MA. Moving from Vermont back into civilization to the outskirts of Boston makes it harder to stick to that healthy diet I was used to when I was surrounded by farms instead of fast food. Thankfully, the area I moved to boasts several local (albeit pricey) farms and I’m lucky enough to have a friend in Western MA who can hook me up with fresh grass-fed beef and all-natural pork. It also helps to live right down the street from Whole Foods. All of these things make it much easier to drive on by the chain restaurants and head home to cook a healthy meal. It also doesn’t hurt that we managed to move to possibly the only town within 40 minutes of Boston that only has one restaurant that delivers…and it’s our general store which is just kind of “meh”.

I’ve been experimenting with some new recipes and wanted to share those with you. These are not original recipes but I made some  tweaks. For today, let’s start with Quick Indian Spiced Chicken and Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Macadamia Nuts. Both of these recipes are taken from Real Food Whole Health which I was recently turned onto by my friend, Kym. Most of the recipes on the site are gluten free and paleo. I also made the chicken recipe dairy-free.

Quick Indian Spiced Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (preferably free-range organic, local where available)
• 1 cup So Delicious plain greek-style coconut yogurt
• 1 lime, zested (preferably organic)
• 2 tbsp garam masala or vindaloo spice blend
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix salt, pepper, 1 tbsp garam masala or vindaloo blend and 1 tbsp of the curry powder. Use as a dry-rub on the chicken.
2. In a separate large bowl, mix yogurt, zest and the remaining spices. Add chicken and coat thoroughly.
3. Let chicken marinate at least 15 minutes but you can place in fridge and marinate all day if you’d like (note: I don’t like things too spicy so 15 minutes for me was plenty and it had a good heat to it).
4. Preheat oven to 500ºF.
5. Lay chicken on a greased broiler pan, or cookie sheet with a wire rack, and roast for ~15-20 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned outside.
6. Note: The original recipe mentioned cutting the thighs into chunks and/or skewering them. I personally preferred to do this with the whole thighs but the option is yours.

I was a HUGE fan of this recipe. The coconut yogurt was a perfect replacement for full-fat greek yogurt. The spice was nice and warm but not over the top. It was also super easy to make (hence “quick”) and will definitely become a staple in my home. It also went perfectly with the next recipe…

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Macadamia Nuts

Ingredients:

• 1 lb brussels sprouts
• Fat of your choice (I used garlic ghee, the recipe also mentioned coconut oil, butter, or your own favorite)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice brussels sprouts in half lengthwise and shred with your knife into smaller pieces.
2. Heat oil/fat of your choice over medium in a skillet.
3. Add sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly browned/caramelized. You want them to be almost to your liking.
4. Add garlic and macadamia nuts, sauté until the nuts warm through and become fragrant.
5. Enjoy!

As this blog progresses, look forward to more healthy recipes, workouts and possibly some yoga videos coming soon! If you’re in the Winchester area, check out my new massage and yoga practice, Innovative Bodywork & Yoga. 🙂

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