Mealtime Magic - Provençal Zoodles with Chicken

Try this low-carb recipe that can help reduce inflammation:

 

Inflammation is the body’s natural reaction to a stressor. Anything that puts stress on the body such as an injury, virus or bacterial infection, food sensitivity or allergy, or even a hard workout can cause acute inflammation which is helpful when it is short-lived, like fitness, and the body has time to rest and recover, creating strength. In a prolonged state of chronic inflammation, the body is continually in a state of stress which can lead to digestive problems, reduce the body’s ability to heal, lower immunity, and can lead to an imbalance throughout the body. 

Serves 2–4

 

Zoodles are “noodles” made from zucchini by cutting them into long spirals. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can grate the zucchini instead. Feel free to use peeled, deveined shrimp in place of the chicken. Zucchini contains cucurbitacin, an anti-inflammatory that may inhibit cancer cells. Using a vegetable in place of a carbohydrate (like pasta) provides fiber, a compound that supports the natural detoxification systems of the body. Zucchini also provides vitamin C, an antioxidant that aids tissue regeneration.

 

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil plus 1 tsp.

½ cup chopped shallot

3 large zucchinis, spiralized or grated into thin strips

2 tsp. Herbes de Provence spice mix plus ½ tsp. (see recipe below)

½ tsp. dried rosemary plus ½ tsp.

1 tsp. garlic salt plus ½ tsp.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken strips

 

1. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add the shallot and zucchini zoodles. Sprinkle with 2 tsp. Herbs de Provence, ½ tsp. rosemary, and 1 tsp. garlic salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the zucchini is a nice, dark green color.

 

2. Coat the chicken in a mixture of the remaining spices and oil. Grill for 10–20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, turning halfway through.

 

3. To serve, place the zoodles on each plate and top with the grilled chicken.

 

Herbes de Provence

Yields about 1/3 cup

 

This classic French spice mix is made from herbs that grow readily in the Provence region. Use it to season meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and egg dishes. Fennel seeds have a powerful anti-cancer compound called anethole. Rosemary contains eucalyptol, an anti-inflammatory compound that breaks down mucus, and helps support for lung function when used topically.

Ingredients
1 tsp. each:
Dried basil
Fennel seed
Dried marjoram
Dried oregano
Dried thyme
Dried lavender (optional)

1 Tbs. each:
Dried rosemary
Dried savory

 

Mix together and store in an airtight glass jar in a cool, dark place.

Chef and cookbook author Grace O has traveled the world in search of delicious, good-for-you foods that can help reduce inflammation and other symptoms of aging. Her passion for discovering food treasures from the Blue Zones and elsewhere, where people live longer, healthier lives, is the driving force behind her ground-breaking cookbook, Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World.  

 

In addition to 250 easy-to-make recipes using everyday favorites, exotic ingredients, and superfoods from around the world, Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World includes healthy resources, guides, and tips for improving your lifespan and health-span. Grace’s global approach to her healthy recipes is to ramp up the flavor profiles of each dish to entice food lovers everywhere.

Over a span of 30 years, Grace O has built an impressive record of business achievement, community building, philanthropy, and community service in California. Guided by her spirit of entrepreneurship and building on a model of generosity learned from her family, Grace has spent a lifetime helping people heal through food and medicine. When she moved from the Philippines to the U.S. in 1992, she began her impressive corporate ascent from employee to owner and operator of a number of skilled nursing facilities in California.

 

In 2011, Grace combined her entrepreneurial skills, her passion for the culinary arts, and her commitment to health by launching a new culinary brand, FoodTrients®, a non-profit website and cookbooks dedicated to the nutrients in foods that help prevent the diseases of aging. She is also the author of two other award-winning cookbooks—The Age GRACEfully Cookbook: The Power of FOODTRIENTS to Promote Health and Well-being for a Joyful and Sustainable Life and The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World.

 

To further understand and help prevent the diseases of aging, Grace launched the Grace O Foundation, which is dedicated to nutrition and longevity research, health education, food advocacy, and other charitable efforts. All proceeds from her cookbooks are contributed to the Foundation research and programs.

 

To learn more visit www.FoodTrients.com.