Doc V's Healthy Kitchen

I love the smell of barbecue, but I’m not so into barbecue-ing myself. Healthy, tasty, economic, creative,…., and also ‘safe’ cooking is one of my prefered adjectives. Only, if someone-experienced-and addictive would stand next to the barbecue I’m willing to prepare all the marinades, side dishes, sauces. Also for a group of 2p? Not really, then my dear oven has to do the job.

Turkish flatbread, oven baked chickpeas, caramalized carrots, marinated chicken and muhammara sauce, why not?

For the bread prepare the dough in the morning, mix 150 grams of selfraising flour with 90 grams of Greek yoghurt. Knead the dough and store at room temperature. Roll the dough on baking paper. Spread some salt, some spring onion and some olive oil. Bake in the oven at 200° for 15 mins.

For the muhammara (a typical sauce born in Aleppo), mix 1 can of drained grilled bell peppers with 1 garlic clove, 100 grams of walnuts, 1 table spoon of spicy paprika powder, 1 table spoon of grinded cumin, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 table spoon of pomegranate melasse of lemon juice, some Himalaya salt and olive oil to obtain a smooth texture. Store in the fridge.

Marinate the chicken filet in 1 table spoon of tandoori spices, 2 chopped garlic cloves, the zeste of 1 lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Store in the fridge. Put the chicken and the marinade in an oven dish. Bake in the oven at 200° for approx 30 mins. Stir now and again. Remove out of the oven after 30 mins, cover and allow to rest for approx 5-10 min.

Clean 600 grams of carrots. Cut the carrots in quarters. Put on baking paper. Mix with a mixture of 1 table spoon of honey, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds, pepper and salt. Bake in the oven at 200° for approx 40 mins. Stir halfway.

Oven baked chickpeas can be eaten as a snack, or even as a side dish, instead of the more common hummus. Drain a can of chickpeas. Dry carefully. Mix the chickpeas with 1 table spoon of turmeric, 1 table spoon of grinded cumin, some Himalaya salt, 1 teaspoon of spicy paprika powder, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Spread the chickpeas on baking paper. Bake in the oven at 200° for approx 40 mins. Stir now and again.

How to plan this meal : -marinate chicken in the morning

-prepare dough and muhammara in the morning

-drain and dry the chickpeas in the morning, prepare the herbal mixture

-1h before dinner : clean carrots and put on baking paper with honey mixture

-heat the oven at 200° : chickpeas with spices highest position, carrots in the middle, chicken lowest position

-after 30 mins, remove chicken and put the flatbread instead

Clean some radishes for extra color. Put everything on the table and enjoy the smell of the Middle- East!

PS Many thanks to ‘Libelle Lekker’ for the edition of june 2018!