Sunday Lunch NO Roasties...Doing it the healthy way!!

We as responsible meat eaters opted for free range organic pricey chickens for our roast (I have a veggie boyf so feel the need...plus it's the right thing to do if you can!!)

Feeds: 8/10

Cooking Thyme: 1.40

Ingredients:

2 x free Range organic chickens

1 x bundle of fresh thyme

Salt & pepper

Fresh garlic- whole bulb

For the Salad-

2 x large handfuls of purple sprouting broccoli (chopped long ways and in half)

2 x courgettes -finely diced

1 Kilo of mixed beetroot- we went for red and yellow- peel and quarter before roasting

1 x sml bag of Californian wild rice -soak in water for 30 mins then cook in hot water for 10mins-drain

1x medium size bag of pearl barley- add to a dry pain and stir occasionally on a medium heat until you hear it pop then add water, that covers it by 2inches

1x pack of feta.

Yogurt Coriander and Lemon Dip-

1/2 tub of yogurt

1x handful of coriander- crushed/muddled or finely chopped

1/2 Lemon Zest

Salt & Pepper

For the Chicken Gravy-

2 x Chicken stock cubes

1 pint of water

Juice from roasted chickens

Roasted Chicken:

Prepare the chickens by stuffing each with and a good few garlic cloves and a handful of fresh thyme.

Salt, pepper and add more fresh thyme to the tops of the chickens plus a good glug of oil and get them in a pre heated oven on 190/200 for 1.20 depending on their size. Don't forget it's good to let the chickens rest after cooking- they can rest for up to 30/40mins- cover with tea town or foil -don;t completely block the air as you'll loose your crispy skin)

Instructions:

Roasted Beetroot:

Peel the beetroot, cut into quarters, cover in a small amount of oil, salt and pepper and get in the oven ASAP along with the chickens.

Instructions

Pearl Barley:

I used the whole packet, emptied it out into a hot pan and waited until i could hear the grains starting to pop- give it a stir if you've got quite a lot in one pan and wait for the next layer to pop. Then add 2 parts water to 1 part grain- I added water that covered the grain plus about an 1.5" once, the water had disappeared I then took it off the heat as instructed and put the lid on it and let it cook through for a further 10 mins. Then I added at least 1/3 of the gravy I'd made and gave it a good stir before mixing it all in with the other veg.

Instructions:

Californian Wild Rice:

Soak in water for 30 minutes then cook on a medium heat with water just covering the rice for 10 mins- drain the water and put to one side ready to mix into the salad.

For the Chicken Gravy-

2 x Chicken stock cubes

1 pint of water

Juice from roasted chickens

Take all the juice from the tray that the chickens were cooked in and add 2 chick stock cubes let it cook on the hob for 5 mins and add some more chopped fresh thyme.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli:

Cut in half then cut them longways in half again, stir fry or steam these for 3/4 mins so they're still crunch- Make sure you've cut enough of the ends off as they can be stringy. Put these to one size until ready to mix into the salad.

Instructions- 

Salad

Mix together the roasted beetroot, courgette, wild rice, pearl barley, feta, purple sprouting broccoli and add the 1/3 of the gravy, not so it's soaking but just so it glazes the grains and adds a bit of flavour. Trust me on this one it works. Taste for seasoning. Add salt, black and white pepper.

Look how good it looks!!