Healthy Chicken Cassoulet, just 400 calories per serving

Coming home on a cold winters day can make it hard to eat healthly.  I cook ahead or use the slow cooker alot during the colder months, but it is tempting to always go to the old stodgy faithfuls like Sheppards Pie, Lasagne or Chilli.  This dish will give you the same comfort factor, half the calories and all your healthy vegetables in one pot.  It has very quickly become my favourite, go to, one pot, cook ahead or slow cooker receipe.   It is filling enough to serve on its own, but for those extra hungry peeps, serve with a slice of crusty bread or a portion of wholemeal rice on the side.

This receipe should feed 3/4 people at around 400 calories per serving.

Ingrediants:

• 1 tsp olive oil1 onion peeled and chopped

• 2 sticks of celery chopped1 clove of garlic chopped

• 2 medium carrots 

• 1 large parsnip

• 1 medium sweet potato

• 1/2 small butter nut squash

• 2 chicken thighs

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes 400g

• 1 tin of butter beans 400g

• 4/5 cups of kale or green cabbage

• splash of red wine (optional - but it does lift the dish)

• chicken stock made with a stock cube and 200 ml of boiling water

• 1tsp of dried thyme

• 1 tsp of brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp on chilli powder (I use hot)

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• salt and pepper to taste

How to:

Peel and chop all your vegetables, make up the chicken stock and get out all the herbs and spices and set to the side.

Add olive oil, onion, garlic and celery to a pan, stir, replace the lid and cook gently for about 5 mins until soft.

Add the chicken, stir and cook for about 5 mins.

Add the red wine, tomatoes, thyme, brown sugar, chilli powder and smoked paprika and give it all a good stir.

Add the chopped vegetables and poor over the chicken stock and give it another good stir.

At this point bring to the boil and then either:

• set to simmer on a low heat on top of the stove for about 45/60 mins or until the chicken and chopped vegetables are cooked.

• pop in the slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 hours or high for 2/3 hours.

About 30/45 mins before you are going to serve add the butter beans and kale.