Simple Cajun chicken or fish

This is gorgeous and super fast.  I love this on a weekday when I come in late, hungry and don’t feel like spending more than 15 minutes cooking dinner.  It works beautifully for small fillets/darnes of chicken, hake, salmon, or cod and I have used it for lamb chops too.  Yum!  Make up more then you need and store in an airtight jar somewhere dark, so it keeps its precious volatile oils and flavours.

For two:
1/2 tsp chilli powder (or a whole teaspoon if you use very mild chilli)
1 tsp Himalayan or Atlantic Sea Salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs each of:
Coarsely ground black pepper
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Ground coriander

2 x small (100g) chicken fillets, 130g-150g darnes/fillets of salmon/white fish or 4 lamb centre loin chops

For cooking:
Juice of 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon (or a little olive oil if you don’t have lemon)

1. Mix everything well and store in an airtight jar away from light and heat until ready to use.
2. When you want to cook the meat or fish, pour some of the spice blend onto a plate.  Rub with a little lemon juice on your meat/fish.  Dip/roll the meat or fish in the spice mix until totally coated on all sides.
3. Cook in the oven on an oaked baking sheet or under the grill.
   Oven: 1/2 an hour at 180C for small chicken fillets, 15 minutes for fish fillets
   Grill: Around 7 minutes each side for chicken or around 3-4 minutes each side for fillets or darnes of salmon, hake or cod.Serve with:
   2-3 cups steamed broccoli, green beans, runner beans or peas per person, dressed with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or a knob of coconut oil.
   A large mixed salad of green leaves, sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumber or courgettes, dressed with one of my salad dressings from this blog.

Why this is good for you:
Herbs and spices are a fantastic way to get even more taste and vitality into your day.  They are antioxidant, anti inflammatory, heal the digestive system (chillies can help heal ulcers!) and keep you younger longer by holding back the ageing process.   Many help alleviate skin conditions by supporting your liver function.  Black pepper contains piperine, a substance that increases your ability to absorb vitamins and minerals in the meal.  Herbs and spices contain tens or hundreds of times more antioxidants than fruit and vegetables, weight for weight.  Vegetables (and small amounts of fruit) are still a powerhouse for wellness but don’t forget the herbs and spices.