Sumac and date chicken with browned asparagus, broccoli and sticky brown rice

I've been trying to eat healthier because I've been going to Bikram yoga classes and I want to look like Heidi Klum. I thought that three days of eating well and sweating like a concubine (during the Bikram yoga classes) would at least have me halfway there. But when I woke up this morning my cheeks were no higher and my buttocks no smaller. Damn it. But I won't give up! Which is why I made this dish for dinner tonight. It tastes amazing (if I'm honest, much better than I thought it would), is healthy and has a wonderful creamy texture that's quite similar to risotto. I hope you enjoy it!

What you need (makes 3 small servings)...

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped finely
• 2 pinches of dried thyme
• 120g long grain brown rice
• 1 litre of water
•  ½ chicken stock cube
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, roughly cubed
• 1 tsp sumac 
• 40g baby asparagus, ends trimmed, the remainder cut into one-inch pieces
• 40g Tenderstem broccoli, ends trimmed, the remainder cut vertically 
• 2 soft and sticky dried dates, pips removed, the remainder roughly chopped

What to do:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium pot and once it's hot, add the shallots
2. Add the thyme
3. Cook the shallots and thyme on a low heat, stirring gently until the onions are soft and translucent
4. Remove the onions and thyme from heat
5. Rinse the rice in cold water and drain
6. Add the rice to the onion and thyme mixture and put it back on the stove on a low heat
7. Stir gently until the rice becomes translucent
8. Add 550ml water and the stock cube to the rice and leave on low heat to cook down slowly
9. In a large pan add the remaining olive oil and warm on medium heat
10. Add the chicken cubes and cook the chicken until the cubes are white on the outside
11. Add the sumac and stir into the chicken. The chicken will turn a pale pink colour
12. Once the chicken is lightly browned on all sides, add the broccoli and asparagus and cook until the vegetables are lightly browned too. Let the moisture cook out of the chicken and vegetables. If the pan gets too dry add a splash of water
13. Keep an eye on the rice and if it has cooked down, add water
14. Once the vegetables and chicken are cooked, add the dates and stir so that they are partially dissolved into the mix
15. Once the water you have added to the pan has evaporated entirely, remove the pan from the heat
16. In the meantime the rice will be developing an almost risotto-like consistency. If it dries out add splashes of water and cook until soft and creamy
17. Once the rice is cooked add it to the chicken mixture and stir well