Recipe: The Master Mash-Up
Once upon a time, my nutrition coach Nick Tong put one of the most delicious meals that I have ever made on my “peak week” diet plan (for those of you who are new to the party, “peak week” is a term used by bodybuilders to denote the week leading up to competition). I have increased the ROM of my taste buds significantly since my childhood days of picky eating (annnnd the training/exercise science nerd puns begin), so this meal sounded phenomenal as soon as I read the description. But when I went to post the meal on my Instagram account, the feedback was mixed…
“OMG, this combo sounds amazing!”
“Wait… What did you just say you mixed together?”
“I’m all for crazy food combos, but idk if I could do this one…”
I shrugged it off and encouraged people to try it if they were feeling adventurous (apparently I’m a lot more adventurous than I thought I was). The more frequently I posted the meal, the more people caught on and began to try it. They began to “sip the Koolaid” as they would say. The tides turned, and slowly but surely, people got the picture that I was not crazy (okay, maybe a little), but rather quite genius. This meal quickly became one of my most frequently requested recipes, and it couldn’t be simpler! So, here it is:
The ever-requested sweet potato, chicken, banana, and peanut butter mashup! This combo is a sweet and savory masterpiece that satisfies literally whatever craving I’m having, since it addresses both the savory and the sweet sides of things. If you’re new to my life and shenanigans, this is your time to have your head-scratch “What is this chick saying” moment. Take a few deep breaths, process what you’re feeling, let the head-scratching occur. Go ahead, do it. Physically scratch that beautiful noggin of yours. Then, proceed to wash your hands, get into your kitchen, and prepare for your life to be changed.
“The Master Mash-Up” Recipe
Serves: 1
Cook time: depends on a lot of factors… I’m going to tell you the lazy-but-also-really-busy-and-don’t-have-a-ton-of-time girl version. Approximately 15-20 minutes total from start to fork-to-mouth.
– 3oz raw chicken breast tenderloins (vegans/vegetarians can sub in Beyond Meat Chicken-less Strips or something similar. I’ve used these and it tastes just as good!)
-200g cooked sweet potato, skinless (usually needs a medium sized raw sweet potato)
-75g fresh banana
-1TBSP creamy peanut butter or your nut butter of choice
-Cinnamon and sea salt to taste
-Sriracha (my favorite is the “Flying Squirrel” brand from Whole Foods)
-Liquid smoke
For the sweet potatoes, I save time if I’m in a pinch by microwaving them. Prick the potato in a few different spots, about halfway through the potato, to allow the steam to escape and for a slightly quicker cook time. Wrap the potato in a damp paper towel, or you could get one of those fancy microwave potato jackets… But again, I’m sticking with the lazy theme here. Pop your potato in the microwave for about 3 minutes or until slightly squishy. Carefully remove from the microwave and allow it to cool a bit before trying to scoop out the “meat” of the potato for your final dish.
To cook the chicken, I’m gonna keep things pretty simple again here. Start by cubing your chicken and tossing it in Liquid Smoke, aka one of the world’s best seasonings/flavorings. Spray a small pan with some non-stick spray and cook on medium heat until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
While the chicken is cooking, you can go ahead and chop up your banana coins. If you do have pickier taste buds, the banana is the ingredient that most people omit. I for one love bananas and would eat 7 at a time if I didn’t think I would pass out from a sugar coma.
Next, carefully slice open your sweet potato. Scoop the insides out to “de-skin” the potato, chop the potato meat, and plate it. Or, if you’re like me, toss it in the pan with the chicken and let them hang out in the hot spot together for a moment.
Next, all you have to do is plate it! Put all of your ingredients on a plate or in a bowl, drizzle the peanut butter on top, and top it with a few grinds of sea salt and some cinnamon. Add a drizzle of sriracha if you’re daring enough, or if you just like to party. Or if you aren’t typically daring but maybe just went to a party, had a few too many, and are now ready and willing to take some risks (this is a lot safer than getting up on the table in a bodycon dress and dancing while intoxicated).
If you’re making this recipe for multiple people, just use bigger pans, larger quantities, and you’re good to go! Also, if you have some more time, here are a few alternatives:
– For the chicken, I always favor the taste of grilled chicken. And summer is almost over, so capitalize on the end of summer while you can!
– For the sweet potatoes (also works well if you’re cooking them in bulk), you can cook them in the oven by pricking them with a fork in a few different spots, wrap them individually in foil, and baking at 425 Fahrenheit for 45-60 minutes, or until they have reached your desired tenderness.
-To add some spunk to your banana slices, toss them in a pan with some coconut oil spray until they slightly caramelize.
That’s all folks! Are you daring enough to try the Master Mash-Up? If you are, tweet me (@em_dunc), snapchat me (@em_dunc), or tag me in an Instagram photo of your creation (@em_dunc). Use the hashtag #EDFMasterMashup so I can see it! Happy eating, lovelies!
Nutrition Information:
404 Calories, 9g fat, 56g carbs, 26g protein
Nutrition Information using 1 serving Beyond Meat Chicken-less Strips:
434 Calories, 11g fat, 61g carbs, 26g protein