I am so happy with myself for hitting the gym again (after so many years). Since I started my exercise regimen 3 weeks ago, I managed to shed those extra kilos that I had put on during Chinese New Year period. While it is so easy to pile on the pounds, it is just hard work to lose them but I’m taking a sensible approach towards this so I can still have fun while working out and enjoy a good variety of food by substituting ingredients with healthier alternatives when I cook. I used to cook and eat potatoes a lot, be it mashed, steamed or baked. But now, I try to eat less of them because they are not great carbs (except for new potatoes). At home, I now replace potatoes with sweet potatoes in my cooking which are low-GI and thus fill me up for a longer time. Since I started going for low-GI foods, I felt less lethargic because I could control my blood sugar level better.
This is one healthy recipe you could try. Just go easy on the seasonings.
Braised Miso Chicken with Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2-3)
1/2 chicken, skin removed & cut into pieces
300g sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into bite size cubes
1 1/2 tbsp mild white miso paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sugar
250ml water
Marinate:
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tbsp chinese cooking wine
dash of white pepper
Instructions
1. Marinate chicken and chill in fridge for an hour.
2. Heat a little oil in pan. Saute garlic and miso paste till fragrant.
3. Add chicken and stir fry till meat is no longer pink.
4. Add water, sugar and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or till potatoes are soft and chicken is cooked through.
The gravy in this dish is savoury and sweet. I really like the sweet potatoes because they are naturally sweet-flavoured so if you’re going for no carbs without rice, you can just enjoy this on its own. Bon appetit!