True story: I dabbled with vegetarianism for about 15 years. I knew about quinoa before it was a thing, and created delicious vegetarian chilis and soups and stews. But somewhere along the way, it wasn’t bacon or steak that called me back: it was chicken. Any health and fitness coach will tell you that chicken is a staple – high in protein, lower in calories, open up the freezer of any non-Vegan coach and they have at least two kinds of chicken in the freezer. I will never give up chicken -and of course, you should buy free-range or organic if you can afford it because the grocery-store chicken is pumped full of hormones. Your health tip #1 : Splurge on good meats and veggies, and go cheaper on staples like legumes and tinned tomatoes. Your health tip#2: When it is on sale, stock up and freezer the chicken – either freeze what you will use for a meal (usually one breast per person), or cook your meal and then pop into glass containers for the freezer.

This recipe is so brilliantly easy it will become a staple. I throw it onto a baking sheet with the broccoli and the lemon. And can we talk about lemons? Who doesn’t love lemons (get out of my recipe now). Lemons are detoxifying helps reduce bloating and are full of Vitamin C.

Pine nuts are optional but why wouldn’t you be a little extra?

Feel free to double up the recipe for a family of four.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken breast
• 2 lemons – 1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 gloves of garlic, sliced
• 2 tsp each dried basil, oregano.
• 1 tsp each garlic and onion powder
• 1 tsp grainy mustard
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Cracked pepper
• 1 head of broccoli, roughly chopped.,
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder and sea salt.
• 1/4 cup pinenuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat OVEN to 400 degrees

• Wash the chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towel. Score the chicken breasts by slicing them nearly down to the bottom – about five slices per chicken breast, Sprinkle with sea salt.
• Zest one lemon and juice it – add in the dried herbs ,mustard and olive oil.
• Slice the garlic, and place one slice in each score on the breast.
• Pour the lemon-mustard-herb sauce over top. Stop with sliced lemons
• Chop the broccoli and toss with the olive oil, garlic powder and sea salt
• Place chicken and broccoli on parchment lined baking sheet and place in oven 20-26 minutes until cooked through and juicy.
• Sprinkle with pinenuts, if using. They will get nice and toasty and add some beautiful flavour.
• You can also double this recipe and package half in freezer-safe containers with steamed veggies and place in freezer
• OR….eat immediately with a green salad