I could call it “my secret weapon”  to  counteract usual over-indulgences. Back in June, I bought  the  book   “The Dukan Diet” and tried that nutritional system for a while. I found out that I really like his oatmeal galette, a nice source of protein and complex carbs that became part of my weekday lunches.  The galette can also be adapted for breakfast by omitting the salt, pepper and spices, and adding a little Splenda or the sweetener of your choice.

HIGH PROTEIN LUNCH
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for Dukan-type pancake
1 egg white
2 Tbs non-fat yogurt
2 Tbs oatmeal
salt and pepper
pinch of dried thyme

for chicken
chicken breasts, boneless
water to cover
splash of soy sauce
1 Tbs green tea
2 star anise
a few peppercorns
piece of ginger
salt
squeeze of lemon juice

Poach the chicken by bringing all ingredients to a gentle boil in a saucepan, cover the pan, turn the heat off, and allow the meat to sit in the liquid for 25 minutes.  Remove from the pan, and keep in the fridge until needed (I usually cook 3 chicken breasts on the weekend, and save for lunches the following week).

Make the pancake by beating the egg white in  a small bowl.  In another bowl, mix the yogurt with the oat bran, salt, pepper, and thyme.  Add the beaten egg white to the yogurt, and mix gently with a silicone spatula.   Spray a very light coating of olive oil on a non-stick frying pan, heat the pan over medium heat, and pour the pancake batter on it.  Fry the first side until the top seems to be getting dry, then carefully flip the pancake over. Cook the second side for a couple of minutes, and slide the pancake on a plate.

Cut the chicken breast in slices, add to the same pan you cooked the pancake, adding just a little more oil if necessary.   Saute the chicken slices briefly just to warm them up and get some color.  A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens up the flavor. Serve it with the pancake and a small bowl of non-fat cottage cheese, seasoned with salt and pepper.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I love poaching chicken in green tea and soy sauce.  The  meat gets a delicate hint of color, and the addition of ginger and star anise imparts nice flavor.   You can use chicken poached this way in other recipes, of course.  Shredded for salads, filling of fajitas, or even incorporated in a sauce for pasta.   As to non-fat cottage cheese,  I admit it’s not very gourmet…  The low-fat version is better,  the full-fat truly delicious, but when I’m on my protein-only mission, I stick with the zero fat, and use it to build not only muscle, but character.   😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Festivus Dinner Rolls

TWO YEARS AGO:  New York Deli Rye