Caitríona Redmond: How to make my grilled chicken caesar salad
Caitríona Redmond's grilled chicken caesar salad
I’ve been trying to find balance to what I eat and drink.
I gave up alcohol a couple of years ago. Yes, I still cook and create with it, and I do still like the taste.
I found that I was not enjoying how it made me feel for a few days after having a drink, even though I rarely drank more than one glass in a night.
I used to get low moods and feel off (not just the morning after) so I gave up alcohol. I haven’t missed it too much.
There have been times when I’ve been celebrating something and my instinct has been to drink a glass of bubbly or go out, but it quickly passes, and I feel so much better the following morning.
I’m noticing how food and drink makes me feel and becoming more mindful of what I put on the table.
Not that my body is a temple, far from it, but more that if I’m going to spend money on food then I want to be sure that it’s the best I can afford.
When it comes to chicken, I no longer buy farmed chicken and opt for free range. To keep this protein choice on budget I buy lesser used cuts such as thighs and legs.
Chicken breasts are horrendously expensive on their own, if I do want them, it works out better overall to buy a full chicken which I can use for 3 whole family meals.
The cost is spread, and I know that the quality and welfare rating is higher.
I’m considering how and why I shop in certain ways. There is a psychology behind how supermarkets are laid out and I have managed to hack it.
With the schools being fully back in routine now I am enjoying a little bit of time to myself to practise that mindfulness.
I consider what I need, not want when planning my weekly meal plan and shopping list. I can take the time in the supermarket to read the labels on tins and packaging to see that it has the ingredients I want to serve up to the family and enjoy together.
It’s a much more relaxing experience compared to haring around the supermarket throwing items into the trolley.
We all need a little something for ourselves after a successful shopping trip.
I enjoy quiet cups of tea with a small treat from a hidden stash that the kids will never find.
For anybody wondering where the perfect hiding place for sweet treats is, it’s inside of a bag of frozen cabbage in the top drawer of the freezer.
We may never eat the frozen cabbage, but the bag has been upcycled many times over making it great value on a cost per use basis.
If you don’t like cold chocolate I can recommend leaving the goodies at the bottom of a box of bran.
And please, if you see my kids, let’s keep this secret between us? All in the spirit of mindfulness, you understand.
Now the gloss is gone from the kids’ lunchboxes. It didn’t take that long, did it?
We are all realistically providing food to our children that they will eat, aren’t we? Not food that looks beautiful and we would like them to eat. Food is fuel after all.
If my kids decide that a cheese sandwich with the same bread every day for a month is what they want for school then that’s what they are getting, providing they eat it.
You can nudge or entice your lunchbox carriers to select and fill their own receptacles by setting aside a platter or a box in the fridge that’s designed for lunches only.
My option is a large deep box which contains fruit, protein, and yoghurts. In the evening, I pop the box onto the counter and the boys assemble their breaks and lunches from the contents.
I vary it up with seasonal items and different foods but overall, they make their own food for the following day. They choose what they want to eat, and I am forever grateful for handing off this responsibility.
Remember, if a child is fed, they are fuelled for school. This will limit lunch refusal and consequent food waste.
It’s a win-win for everyone so long as you check the bottom of the schoolbag for hidden bananas.
This recipe is designed to use up lettuce that might be a little bit wilted and unappealing until it’s charred on the grill beside the chicken. It introduces loads of umami and is very moreish. Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Ingredients 1 breast chicken 1 tsp paprika Salt & Pepper 3 tbsp olive oil 2 small heads of little gem lettuce 2 slices stale bread or some crusty leftover loaf Plenty of grated parmesan For the dressing 1 clove garlic, crushed 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp white vinegar 20g parmesan 2 anchovies (in oil) Method Slice the chicken breast in half on the flat so that you double the surface area. Sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper and a little olive oil. Heat up a griddle pan or even a barbecue grill to a medium high heat. Slice the baby gem in half lengthways and then into quarters. Rinse well and then drizzle the quartered lettuce and slices of bread with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the chicken onto the grill for 4 minutes on each side and use a temperature probe to make sure it’s cooked through. Set the chicken to one side on a plate to rest. Turn the heat on the grill up a little and char the baby gem lettuce by grilling for just a few seconds on each side. You want to retain that crunchy texture. Do the same with the bread. Slice the cooked chicken, lettuce and bread, then toss together in a bowl with some grated parmesan. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small blender and blitz until smooth. Taste and season as required. I like a decent crack of black pepper in mine. Put the dressing to one side. This allows people to dress their salad as they like.Grilled-chicken caesar salad
