Chicken and Carrot Sticks
I took a few days break from this work because amongst all the obligations I've signed myself up with, I was starting to see burnout irk round the corner.
Starting multiple new chapters all at the same time is overachieving. Something that I tend to do when I got overwhelmed was to rush through the tasks, half-assing as I go. This is not a process I enjoyed at all. I am aware that I am blessed with the choice of work and I want to be more mindful in my choices.
In the past when I took breaks, I binge on pleasures. "Because you deserve it!" was the motto. However, I realized that the short lived hits of dopamine usually did not keep the burnout out, out. It might have even made it worse because of the unhealthy life habits. Without the proper nutrients and rest they needed, my mind and body will spiral into depressive states. So, this time, my break consisted of slowing down with day-to-day chores, spending more time cuddling Milky, reading, researching healthier recipes and actually making them. The result was a kitchen re-organization: the previous layout was so uncomfortable to cook in and left residual cooking smell in the rest of the house for days after that it prevented me to cook! With the new layout, I enjoyed cooking so much now that eating out seems like a chore. I count this break as a win-win-win for Tina.
This week, I learnt to make grilled chicken and carrot fries. Grilled chicken inspiration came from Jamie Oliver's youtube channel. I love how no fuss his cooking is.
Jamie Oliver's pounded chicken breast
- Room temperature chicken works best.
- Take the raw, thick chicken breast out of the packaging and straight onto a large piece of cooking paper that can be folded over to cover.
- Then, it's pretty much all goes: salt and pepper to liking, any kind of seasoning you can find sprinkled generously over the meat. This time, I used this new seasoning recommended to me by the supermarket lady: mélange pour poisson (mix for fish) coriander, dehydrated lemon zest, pink peppercorns, fennel, salt, parsley, basil, sugar.
- Once I was happy that the chicken was decorated with spices, I folded the paper over to cover the meat and pounded it hard so it flattened to half its size.
- Grill both sides with olive oil and let it rest. RESTING IS KEY. Also, I think I might have overcooked it, so next time I'd go with a higher heat on the pan for that crusty layer but inside is still tender.
- This time, I prepped a mixture of thick mushroom and bell peppers to soak up the chicken juice/oil right after.
Now, carrot fries. Surprise was the sugar! My oven could only for 215 degrees C but I think the fries would be much more crispy on the outside if I could do 220 degrees C. Any case, I love how moist and soft the carrots get but still held its shape.
Oven-Baked Carrot Fries (Tina v1)
- Pre-heat oven to 215C.
- Rough cut the carrot into fries. I like irreguar cuts - made it looks more rustic and homemade. Plus I felt free and zen when I was cutting it.
- Put the carrots in the baking tray, free style in olive oil, seasoning (I used the same mélange pour poisson seasoning, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Massage in with both hands until all are evenly coated. Also, I suspect more oil means crispier outside? I'd try it next time.
- Spreading sticks out as much as possible. Bake for 20 minutes, taking it out at 10 minutes to flip sides and turn the baking tray so that even cooking is attempted.