Rapid Roast

A lot of people don't think they can cook a roast dinner...all the timing and checking...getting everything cooked to just the right texture etc just puts them off. People also assume that a roast dinner equals indulgence but all readers of The Low Fat Foodie, by this stage must know that isn't entirely true.  Depending on your family's roast dinner traditions the calories can range from about 600 to well over a 1000 and thats only if you have one course! Most roasts are followed up by some custardy, yummy dessert! This version is an unbelievable 350 calories...less than half of the average roast dinner! Granted it's not a big fancy roast with aaaaallll the trimmings but what it lacks in trimmings it makes up for in flavour and I know a 30 year old foodie who can't say no to his mother's roast, who agrees with me. :)

Nutritional Facts:
Calories: 330 - 350 depending on size of chicken leg
Fat: 10g
WWPP: 8
Serves: 2


Ingredients:

• 2 small chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)
• 8-10 new/salad potatoes (Tesco have an offer on at the moment 49c per 1kg bag)
• 1 sprig of rosemary - leaves removed and chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic - chopped
• salt and pepper to season
• 100g of baby carrots
• tsp dried rosemary
• 100g of tender stem broccoli
• 80g of baby leeks (if you can get them)
• 1tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp bisto chicken gravy granules

Method:

1.  Preheat your oven to 250c. Remove excess skin and fat from chicken legs but leave majority of skin on for roasting as this will keep the chicken moist.
2. Place the chicken legs and potatoes in a small roasting dish and pour over the oil. Coat everything with the oil. Use your hands to make sure that there is a film of oil on everything.
3. Add the rosemary and garlic and season then coat everything in this, again, using your hands.
4. cover your tray in tin foil and place in the oven.The tin foil will ensure that it doesn't burn or dry out in such a hot oven. You will be removing the skin later so it doesn't need to crisp up. This will need to cook for 45 minutes but set your timer for 30 minutes so you know when to start the veg.
5. I like to boil my carrots and steam my brocolli and leeks as the carrots take so long to cook through. Put the carrots in boiling water and sprinkle  in the dried rosemary and a pinch of salt. Put the lid on and leave to boil. Check after 10 minutes and if they are nearly soft enough (you want them soft enough to get a fork through with ease without them breaking but you don't want them soggy) put your brocolli and leeks on to steam.  Check after about 5 minutes...they should be done. If you don't have a steamer then just boil them but keep an eye on them so they don't overcook.  Again you want your brocolli stems soft enough to get a fork through with ease and still a nice bright green colour...not faded and wilting off the end of your fork. 
6. Remove the tray from the oven.To make the gravy simply add the bisto to a small gravy boat, jug, mug...whatever you have. Pour in the juices and oil at the bottom of the roasting tray and immediately add water stirring constantly to prevent lumps until the gravy is at a consistency that is to your liking. Just don't have it too thick as gravy can be calorific. 
7. Remove the skin from the chicken and serve it all up. It will fill an average size dinner plate and leave you feeling satisfied. The chicken will be juicy and flavoursome and the potatoes will be soft and tasty with glistening skins that are slightly crispy in places. If you like a bit of a flourish garnish with a little sprig of rosemary.

 All it takes is 45 minutes and the clean up is much quicker as there was no need to boil potatoes or have more than one roasting tray or sauce pans etc.  This is so straight forward...a kitchen novice couldn't mess it up. Not even my little brother and that's saying something! ;)

Because there are so few calories in this you could follow this up with a Low Fat Foodie Cheesecake and still be below 600 calories, 16g of fat and 14.2 WWPP.  Go on....spoil yourself!