Tag Archives: Home Living

Grain-free Golden Chicken Tenders

For the summer, I’m really trying to limit my grain consumption, including rice and, tragically, scones.

I recently purchased chicken to begin re-introducing them to my diet. Since it’s also a day with a free afternoon, I decided to try grain-free fried chicken.

This recipe was quick, easy, and oh so good! Clean up is a breeze… unless turmeric gets on the counter. Don’t get turmeric on the counter.

Which brings me to my next point. Not only is this chicken grain, dairy, and egg free, it features the “Queen of Spices”: turmeric.

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And it’s tasty!

It makes everything yellow (including counters), hence the golden chicken.

This savory chicken would be great paired with asparagus, carrots, and lime cilantro rice… if you aren’t avoiding grains.

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Grain-free Golden Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

1/8 c. Coconut flour

1/4 c. Almond meal/flour

1-1 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp. Garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Onion powder

1- 1 1/2 tsp. Turmeric

Coconut oil (3 Tbs.)

1/2 cup almond milk

1 large raw chicken breast cut into 1/2 in. slices or 1 pound raw chicken tenders.

Directions:

  • Mix the flours and spices in a bowl and then pour onto a plate.
  • In a shallow bowl, pour almond milk.
  • Pour enough oil into a large skillet to cover the bottom. (Tip: Too much oil will make the chicken soggy, so watch for that. You can always add oil as you are cooking, if they start to stick.)
  • Heat skillet on med heat. Dip chicken tenders in milk, then in flour/spice mixture, coating on both sides. Place in skillet.

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Cook on medium to medium-high heat for about ten minutes on both sides, until the coating is crispy and internal temperature is 165 F. (Tip: if the chicken is cooked, but the coating isn’t crispy, increase heat to high to quickly get that crunch.)

Serve warm and enjoy!

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Monday Meals: Butternut Squash and Spinach Rice Bowl

This is a spin on last week’s Monday Meal (click here for Zucchini Noodles and Rice).

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. This is no less true than trying to cook for a road trip because of food intolerances. Happily, shredded butternut squash was on sale at Kroger last week, so I snagged a bowl, along with two pounds of beef and a bundle of spinach.

The following recipe makes 4 meals. I ate one as a freshly cooked dinner. The other 3 were simply 1/2 cup each of rice, beef, and shredded butternut squash layered and frozen for my on-the-road meals.

This recipe is great for making lunches or just having a homemade freezer meal to reheat on a busy night. The meals reheat beautifully without losing flavor or getting mushy.

*note: I do not use much added spices to flavor this meal. I relied on the caramelized flavor of the cooked squash and salt to round out the meal. The more I cook simply for my diet, the more I enjoy the distinct flavors of the food itself that can be otherwise masked with other flavors. The savory flavor of the beef with the hint of sweetness from the squash is a great combination.

1. Brown 2 lbs of lean hamburger meat, salted to taste. Save grease and set meat aside to drain/cool.

2. In the same skillet, sauté 2 cups shredded butternut squash in 2 Tbs. of hamburger grease. Season with salt (and ginger, if desired). Cook about 10 minutes on high heat so that the squash is cooked through (but not mushy), and getting some crispy-ness and caramelizad for extra flavor.

3. In a smaller skillet, sauté 1-2 cups of spinach on high heat with 1 Tbs. oil and some salt to taste. Cook about 2-3 minutes, or until desired done-ness.

4. Top 1/2 cup warm, cooked rice with desired amount of beef, squash, and spinach. Divide the remaining beef and squash with rice (see notes above) for freezer meals. Enjoy!

Monday Meal: Zucchini Noodles

1 cup zucchini noodles sautéed in 1tsp. grapeseed oil and 1-2 Tbs tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce). Allow noodles to caramelize a bit for extra flavor. (10-15 min)

Serve on top of 1/2 cup cooked white rice.

Delicious as a side dish or a quick lunch!

In bloom

Dark clouds are gathering to the north, the setting sun gleams golden to the west, and the first lily has bloomed in the back flower bed.

A reminder that God provides.

Matthew 6:25-34 Be not therefore anxious…