Add in some Indian inspiration!

Alight, we’re almost 20 pounds down in our weight loss journey and loving it.

I’m still figuring out ways to ensure I get veggies worked in but so far so good. I’m not at the full recommended but I’ve doubled my veggie intake!

Looking for inspiration I turned to my favorite haunt, Penzey’s Spice store (there are several in the metro area and online).  They are the only place I’ve found a great Balti seasoning mix.

Balti is a unique Indian dish in that it doesn’t seem to actually be from India, but instead the Indian population of Birmingham, England.  I was lucky enough to spend some time in Birmingham visiting my sister while she studied there in college. I never forgot the awesome flavors and richness of the dish.  

If you aren’t interested in Balti investigate your curry choices. These add a ton of flavor to low fat meals and spicy foods are reported to help increase your metabolism (increasing the rate you burn calories). Most of all, have fun experimenting!!

Butternut Squash and Chicken Balti

Here’s what you’ll need:

Penzey’s Balti Spice blend

Package of precooked (and seasoned) chickpeas in the Indian foods section.

Package of Naan bread (usually in the bakery section of most grocery stores)

Small Butternut Squash

Small can of tomato paste

Clove of garlic

Chicken Breasts

Olive Oil

Cut up the chicken breast (3 large or 5 small) into bite sized pieces and brown it in 1 Tbl of olive oil. While that browns, dice up the butternut squash (approximately 2 1/2 cups uncooked). Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the oil and any juices in the pan to help brown the squash. Add a minced or pressed clove of garlic to the pan and the squash. Cook the squash for about 10 minutes until it is just a bit underdone. Add the chicken back to the pan, ½ can of tomato paste and 2 TSP of Balti seasoning.  Stir frequently and let the spices and paste “roast” (but not burn) for about 3 minutes. Add approximately 1 ½ - 2 cups of water (depending on how thick you want your final sauce) to the pan and scrape up all the residue from the bottom of the pan.  Add the chickpeas and simmer for about 10 minutes to ensure flavors all sunk in.

Serve warm and eat with Naan bread.

This made plenty for dinner and lunch the next day!