spring time dinner party: Stuffed mushrooms, Crunchy cheesy chicken & Roasted asparagus

Sprint is here and who doesn't want to dig into a light and lovely spring meal!?
Seasonal vegetables and flavourful herbs are a must and will transform a regular dish into a mouth watering delight!!
Here is an impressive low carb spring menu that will have you extra excited about your next dinner party!

Bacon Feta & Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

16 medium sized button mushrooms
8 slices of bacon, chopped
2 Tbsp of butter
Half an onion, chopped finely
6 cups (handfuls) of raw baby spinach
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp almond flour*
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Add butter and onions, cooking until softened (3-5 mins) Add the spinach and cook for about 2 minutes, or until wilted.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the nutmeg, almond flour and feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool.

3. Spoon filling into mushroom caps and place on a sheet of baking paper. Bake for 15 mins at 180 degrees or until the mushrooms are tender. Alternatively, grill the mushrooms for about 6-8 mins over medium heat. Serve warm. 

*Coconut flour and Fibre X Cereal can also be used. Breadcrumbs will work too if you are not bothered by carb content.

http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2013/06/bacon-spinach-feta-stuffed-mushrooms-low-carb-gluten-free.html

Almond and Parmesan Crunchy Chicken

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

4 free range, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs
150g ground almonds
50g Parmesan
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 fresh lemon and/or sour cream to serve

*You may place whole almonds, parmesan, salt, pepper and parsley into a food processor and blitz until the almonds are finely ground.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°c.

2. With a meat mallet, thin out the chicken breasts slightly then slice into thin, long strips.

3. Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside.

4. Mix the almonds, parmesan, salt, pepper and parsley in a separate bowl and set aside.

5. Coat the chicken first in the egg and then in the almond mixture and make sure that each strip is well coated. (Traditionally you coat the chicken first in flour because this makes the coating stick better, if you want you can do this but this will result in it not being low-carb anymore or you could experiment with coconut flour.)

6. Place the chicken on a non-stick baking sheet. At this point you can spray/brush them a little with olive oil or butter but this is optional.

7. Place the chicken in the oven and allow to bake for 15-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is crisp and golden.

8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving with fresh lemon and sour cream or a dipping sauce of your choice.

http://simply-delicious-food.com/2014/01/24/almond-parmesan-crumbed-chicken/

Roasted Asparagus

Serves 4-6

Asparagus is a spring delicacy when roasted with olive oil until the stalks are tender and the spear tips are crisp. At 3 calories and less then 1g of carb per small spear, this side dish will become a springtime favourite!

Ingredients

2 handfuls of asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dried thyme
Thinly sliced lemon
 
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

2. Chop off the bottoms of the asparagus stalks, place asparagus in a single layer on a large baking sheet

3. Spray or brush asparagus with olive oil, turning stalks to coat them evenly. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Scatter a few lemon slices on and around the asparagus.

4. Roast for 15 mins or until asparagus is tender and the tips are slightly crisp.

Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the stalks. Serve with freshly cut lemon.

http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/813869/low-carb-spring-menu-1