Chicken & Pasta Salad

It's been a while since I've put up a food pic ... here we go! Last night's supper and tonight's leftovers. Ask me if I mind :-)

Recipe and training update to come later ... Sure feels good to move every day again!

(added March 5)

Sorry for the delay, folks, I've been away! Here's the coveted and easy recipe.

Ingredients:
(makes 3-4 portions, depending on how hungry you are!)

1 onion, slivered
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 chicken breast, halved horizontally, then slivered
2-3 tbsp. pine nuts
about a dozen black sun-dried black olives (or other sort)
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup chopped portabello mushrooms
olive oil, lots of it!

454 g uncooked pasta (I like fusili or rotini, penne works well too but it's not my favourite)
baby spinach leaves

Seasoning:

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. chili flakes (depends on how spicy you like it!)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until the onion starts to brown.

2. Add chicken and stir quickly. When chicken is just about done, add all balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and chili flakes and stir some more. The sauce will caramelize and stick onto the chicken.

3. Add pine nuts and olives then stir. Finally, add the red peppers and mushrooms and keep stirring until everything is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste and also more olive oil as desired - this helps blend the flavours together. Don't be afraid to be generous with the oil ...

4. While sauteeing the chicken, cook the pasta as required. Time it so that the pasta is ready at the same time as the chicken. Drain the pasta immediately and dish a portion onto a heaping bed of spinach leaves. Top with chicken stir fry.

The heat of the pasta cooks the spinach slightly and the wonderfully tasty olive oil from the stir fry ends up coating the pasta and the spinach. Enjoy!