Easy and fool-proof recipe alert!

Compatible with: Attack & Maintenance Phases of LeBootCamp as well as my Keto Smart approach (50% fat, 35% protein, 15% carbs).

I am just back from Belize, a fabulous country where the national language is neither Spanish nor Portuguese but English thanks to Belize being a former British colony (British Honduras).

Belize is truly a patchwork of different cultures all linked by a vernacular tongue (English). It was a true pleasure to be able to meet people who share a country, but not a way of eating. Indeed, a Maya definitely doesn’t eat like a Creole, a Creole does not eat like a Garifuna, and a Garifuna most definitely does not eat like a Mennonite. They don’t really mix either: a village is either Maya, Creole, Garifuna or Mennonite. A few people from other cultures can live in these villages, but not a lot, and no non-Mennonite can live in a Mennonite settlement.

Garifuna, also known as Garinagu, are the descendants of an Afro-indigenous population (a mix of Amerindian Arawak and Carib or Kalinapo from the Kalinago and African people) from the Caribbean island of St Vincent who were exiled to the Honduran coast in the eighteenth century and subsequently moved to Belize. Garifuna mainly live on the coast but are also very present in towns and villages.

I had the privilege to meet Jaunelle, a great lady with a heart of gold who opened her culture to me and answered my almost non-stop questions. We spent quite some time together: in the kitchen, on the beach, drumming, in a car, eating out and having fun. Cannot wait to see her again (very soon, that’s a hint!). You can meet her at Fred’s Lime Tree restaurant in Hopkins (which even serves vegan fare) – to eat a local dish, ask for the dish of the day which is usually fish, often snapper.

I loved discovering how to play the drums (I am not really gifted on that front but I will practice), how to dance (I loved it), and of course, the yummy yet simple Garifuna dishes.

I am delighted to share one of my fave recipes with you: Ariran Guisou.

Ingredients: Serves 4

• 2 lb. skinless chicken legs and thighs
• ¹⁄₄ cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. dry mustard powder
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• ¹⁄₂ tsp. ground cumin
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, sliced
• 1 cup chicken stock

Steps

1. Combine chicken, juice, Worcestershire, sugar, mustard, pepper, turmeric, cumin, garlic, onion, and salt in large bowl; cover with wrap or aluminum, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The longer you let marinate, the better, so don’t panic if you forget it in the fridge for a day before cooking!
2. Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add chicken; cook, turning once, until browned – about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
4. Add onions from the marinade and the bell pepper to the skillet; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add reserved chicken and stock; boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium; cook covered until chicken is cooked through – about 15 minutes.
6. Enjoy with a large salad and avoid the typical Garifuna rice and beans (too much carbs!).
7. You can freeze this in individual portions so that you always have a healthy choice at the ready.

Bon appetit!

Don’t hesitate to share this recipe around to spread the word on healthy and yummy eating!

Valérie Orsoni

Your LeBootCamp Healthy Living and Weight Loss Coach