Pumpkin-kissed chicken nuggets

I should be cleaning my house. Seriously. Both kids are asleep, the husband is out of town, and I didn't quite get through the normal "drill" this evening. (And there is those five loads of laundry I did this weekend which I have yet to fold.) But who wants to clean when one can be blogging about food? Not this lady. (Besides, I've accepted that my house will be partially disastrous for the next 20 years.)

On to said food...

A friend bought a book for me called "The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet...," from which I I modified (significantly) a recipe for "chicken nuggets." Perhaps what I should say is that I referred to that recipe simply to discern the temperature at which the nuggets were baked.

Instead of using chunks of chicken breast, I used a combination of ground turkey and chicken breast meat, simply because the ground meat is super moist, and I intended to skip the traditional four-part breading process (milk, flour, egg, breadcrumbs), and use shredded coconut only. This was inspired by an experience making paleo fish sticks (that required a three-step process: coconut flour, then egg, then shredded coconut). As it turned out, the egg wasn't working (maybe because coconut flour is SUPER absorbant), so I quit and just dipped the fish in water before rolling in shredded coconut. They turned out marvelously. The lazy chicken-nugget-breading process was born!

Without further adieu, here is the recipe.

Ingredients
1 pound ground meat (turkey, chicken, beef...)
1/2 C pumpkin puree
1/4 C blanched almond flour or almond meal
garlic and sea salt to taste
1 C shredded coconut (you may need a bit more, so keep the bag out until you complete the breading process)
1-2 C coconut oil (this can vary a lot -- if you observe the medium-heat frying requirement, and your pan isn't too large, then 1 C should be sufficient)

*you could omit the garlic and use cinnamon for a sweet version

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Place 1 or 2 baking sheets out.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients except shredded coconut and coconut oil. Mix thoroughly. A mixer will do the job more quickly than your wrist/spoon.
4. Place shredded coconut in a bowl or on a plate.
5. Scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture and flatten it a bit.
6. Roll the flattened "ball" into the shredded coconut, and smush it down (to encourage the coconut to stick to the mixture). Repeat this until all of the mixture has been used. (I like to lay them out on a plate to carry over to the stove for frying -- stacking them works fine.)
7. Place 1 cup of coconut oil into a frying pan, and heat on medium for a few minutes. Then add the "nuggets" (as many as will fit, still leaving enough space to get a utensil in for flipping -- I use a small turner).
8. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side (careful not to burn them), then remove them to the baking sheets you set out previously. (As the coconut falls off in the oil, it may burn over time -- you can scoop it out if you wish -- I keep a bowl near my frying pan for collecting the stray coconut.) You may wish to place them onto a paper-towel-lined plate before putting them on the baking sheet:



I tend to use parchment paper because I'm REALLY lazy when it comes to cleaning baking sheets.





















I think this is about 2 pounds worth.



















9. After all nuggets have been fried and placed on the baking sheets, pop them into the oven for 15-30 minutes (until golden brown and/or until internal temperature is at least 160F). 

These nuggets freeze well. If you freeze them, don't defrost them prior to re-heating. Simply place the frozen nuggets on a plate, and microwave on high power for about 4 minutes (time may vary depending on size of the nuggets -- too long and they will get hard, not long enough and they will be too cold).

If you are reading this blog and have advice for the perfect combination of fry-time and cook-time to acquire excellent crispiness, please advise!  I found a variation in crispiness nugget-to-nugget.

Oh, and this recipe is easy to double (or quadruple) the recipe, as I did here:

Yes, that's quite a stack! Four pounds of ground turkey and chicken breast.

Lazy-ass applesauce

I buy produce from door to door organics on a weekly basis, except in the summer when my garden is producing. One of my latest favorites is their ten-pound box of imperfect apples for $6.99 - what a steal! This week I bought two boxes (ahem, twenty pounds of apples)! I picked the worst twenty apples (which weren't really even that bad, perhaps one to two bruises each, and/or a mark or two) of the two boxes to use for applesauce. I have about forty apples remaining, and will make at least one more batch of applesauce, perhaps two.

I have two wee guys at home, and hence don't have time to hang out with a double broiler all day making applesauce. When I bought a ten pound box of apples a few weeks ago, I asked some ladies from a parenting forum to share the quickest way to make applesauce. One person replied with a crock pot recipe, and I was sold!

Ingredients
20 apples, minus bruises, cores and nibbles (be sure to remove all seeds)
1/2-1 C water
2 tbsp cinnamon

The carnage. I use that nifty little gadget there to core and slice the apples in one step. I leave the skins on, because it provides a nice color for the applesauce (pinkish). My mother-in-law strains her applesauce to remove the skins once it is finished cooking, but I don't mind the skins in my applesauce, and hence I leave them in. Feel free to strain as a last step if you wish, or peel prior to coring/slicing if you prefer.

Instructions

1. Add enough water to the crock pot that you have about a quarter-inch of water (to protect the apples from burning until they start to produce liquid)
2. Add those apples (minus cores and bruises, of course)
3. Add cinnamon (I used about 2 tablespoons - use as much or as little as you wish - you can always add more at serving time)
4. Put the lid on, cook on low for 6-8 hours. I stir them periodically (once every hour or two, if I'm around)

The finished product

Storage

I keep some in a pint or quart sized canning jar in the fridge, and also freeze some (in individual six-ounce-glass containers). I pull the frozen ones into the fridge the night before consuming - the applesauce freezes wonderfully!

Turkey loaf

I never really made meatloaf prior to our Paleo conversion. My husband thumbed through the newest cookbook gracing my shelf, "OMG. That's Paleo." a few weeks ago, and flagged the chicken basil meatloaf recipe. Since then I've concocted various versions of meatloaf or meatballs, inspired by the recipe he saw, but I have not following it exactly. My recipes have varied based on what I have in my fridge, or what I want to sneak into my two-year-old's tummy.

Today it was turkey loaf (or turkey meatloaf, or turkeyloaf - whatever you want to call it), with carrots, onion and chard!

Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey (or meat of choice)
1/4 cup steamed carrots, chopped
1 chard leaf, chopped or minced
1/3 of a small red onion, chopped
1 tbsp flax seed meal* + 3 tbsp water (OR 1 egg, whisked)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp fat (coconut oil, bacon fat, etc.), melted + more for greasing the baking dish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. If using flax meal in place of an egg, place 1 tbsp flax meal into 3 tbsp of water, mix and allow to set for 5 minutes
3. Combine all ingredients except for turkey (meat)
4. Add the meat, and mix thoroughly (wooden spoon or your hand)
5. Grease a small baking dish - I used a Pyrex bread dish (see below)
6. Place mixture into dish, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or so. Remove foil, and bake until golden brown and cooked through (about 15 more minutes)

Chopped veggies

Flax meal setting in water

Turkey loaf prior to baking - sorry, I didn't get an after photo - we ate it all up!

*Depending on who's Paleo rules you may follow, flax seed meal is either OK or a no-no. According to the Whole30 program from "It Starts With Food," flax seed meal is permitted in small quantities on the Paleo diet. I use it once or twice per week at most.

Simple breakfasts

Photos and descriptions of a few recent simple breakfasts:

This one was fast and simple. I fried some bacon, used the fat to cook swiss chard, cut up a bell pepper and threw on a slice of cantaloupe.  Perfect. Delicious. Healthy!

This morning's breakfasts for my son and I included a combination of my pork sausage, veggies, eggs, nuts and soup.

My plate: 1/2 of a red bell pepper, 1/4 C raw cashews, 4-6 ounces of my pork sausage, and a delicious sliced tomato with a bit of salt.

Breakfast for my two-year old: 1 egg scrambled in a bit of clarified butter, 1 piece of pork sausage, vegetable soup in a cup with straw (he had actual water for drinking, but enjoys consuming soup via straw), and about 1/2 an avocado.

granola

i checked out the recipes at allrecipes.com and reduced a few of them to the one i am about to share with you.  my son woke up from his nap a bit early today, so he helped me with the preparation!

dry ingredients
10 C rolled oats
2 C walnuts (as large or as fine as you wish)
1 C flax
1 C oat bran
1 C raw sunflower seeds
1.5 tsp sea salt

wet ingredients + cinnamon
1/2 C olive oil
1 C local honey
1/2 C maple syrup
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla extract

instructions

1. combine all dry ingredients together in a large bowl, and mix thoroughly
2. preheat oven to 325 F
3. combine all wet ingredients together in a sauce pan, and heat on medium heat, mixing until everything is well mixed
4. add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and mix thoroughly in the large bowl
5. spray two large baking sheets (with edges) with olive oil
6. divide contents of bowl between the two sheets
7. bake for 15-20 minutes      
8. 
9. remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes or so
10. leave chunky or break it up 
11. it fits nicely into a tupperware "super cereal storer" 20 C volume container
12. 

we eat granola with yogurt, or simply as "cereal" with cold milk.  however you choose to eat yours, i hope you'll enjoy!!

*pardon the strange numbering with the pictures - there is a new posting configuration in blogger, and i am still figuring things out.

stuffed mushroom appetizer

my roommate from grad school made these once, using greek dressing, and oregano straight from greece :) i have modified the recipe slightly, and regardless of how many variations of this recipe i have made, it's always awesome!!

ingredients:
6 portobello mushroom caps (medium sized), cleaned, stems removed
1/4-1/2 C grape tomatoes, diced
1-2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp fresh garlic, pressed
olive oil
balsamic vinegar

instructions:
1. preheat oven to 375F

2. place a small amount of olive oil in bottom of small baking dish

3. place mushroom caps in baking dish

4. fill each cap with diced tomatoes

5. sprinkle basil and garlic on top of tomatoes

6. drizzle olive oil & balsamic on top

7. bake for 30 minutes

8. serve hot!

*variations
a. sprinkle feta cheese (and/or parmesan) after removing from oven (not vegan friendly, of course)
b. use greek dressing or other vinaigrette of choice, in lieu of balsamic/oil
c. use oregano in place of, or in addition to, basil
d. easy to double, triple, etc. this recipe to serve a dinner party!

stuffed peppers

ingredients:
32 oz organic beef broth
6 large sweet peppers (all colors), tops removed, cleaned
2 lbs free range ground beef
4 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 red onion, chopped

instructions:
1. add broth to crock pot, arrange peppers "standing up," ladle some broth into each pepper, cover, and turn on high.

2. heat olive oil on medium-high heat, saute garlic and onions

3. brown the beef, along with the onions/garlic

4. fill each pepper with the hot beef/onion/garlic mixture. baste with broth. cover and continue to cook on high.

5. bast with broth 1-2 times per hour, for 3-4 hours.

6. serve and enjoy :)

soupy beef stew

i enjoy making soups quite a bit (and will try to do better at sharing those recipes here)! as for my beef "stew," the ingredients are all stew, but i have yet to deal with thickening the broth, and hence it ends up a bit soupy!

CROCK POT version.

ingredients:
32 ounces of beef broth
2 lbs stewing beef (browned, if you prefer - i don't bother)
6 parsnips, peeled and cubed
6 turnips, peeled and cubed
2 cups of carrots (peeled and cubed)

instructions:
1. place broth, beef, and vegetables into the crock pot on "high"

2. once at a boil, allow to boil for 30 minutes

3. reduce to "low" for an hour or two

*usually takes 4-5 hours total. i suppose you could leave it on low all day while you go to work so that you have an instant dinner when you return home, but i have yet to verify that!

*vatiations:
a. add (cooked) noodles (brown rice noodles are gluten free) at the end.
b. add a cooked grain (millet, brown rice, quinoa)

seared salmon in a luffa gourd sauce reduction

this blog is eons overdue!! i made this dish (and took photos) back in august (2010) - it was while cooking this awesome meal that i, while washing the knife, sliced my thumb and ended up in the ER, 8 months pregnant, for stitches!! disclosing that antic may not be the most appetizing way to start a food blog, but all devoted cooking lovers experience disasters at one point or another, so i figured i'd share that little tidbit!

i was inspired to cook this meal because my boss offered me some fresh luffa gourd from her garden.
i had no idea what it was, but was intrigued and am always happy to try something new! i asked her for tips on preparation, and she suggested this salmon dish!

on with the recipe!!

ingredients:
1 luffa gourd
3 cloves of garlic, freshly chopped/pressed
1-1.5 pounds of salmon
olive oil
basil

instructions:
1. peel and chop luffa gourd 2. heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium high heat

3. saute garlic

4. sear salmon on both sides 5. place salmon with skin facing down, reduce the heat to low/med-low, and distribute the luffa on top of the salmon. add a bit of olive oil and basil.6. simmer until the luffa looks translucent

7. serve and enjoy :)

unfortunately, i cannot provide a photo of the finished product. i had to stop cooking in the middle of reducing the luffa, cover it, and go to the hospital for stitches!!! i left it on the stove, and when my husband and i returned home, i heated it up until the luffa cooked down quite a bit, and then we ate and went straight to bed. i failed to take a picture! the luffa provides a mild but sweet flavor. it was delectable!

roast chicken

bake yourself a little roaster chicken, and you can easily add a little protein to your meals all week long :) i buy free range roaster chickens, about 6-8 pounds, and use them as a great addition to salads, or even as the main protein component of a quick dinner. the prep is easy, as the oven does most of the work for you!!

ingredients:
1 roaster chicken (6-8 pounds)
3 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed through garlic press
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 C free range chicken broth

instructions:
1. pre-heat oven to 350F

2. remove neck and organs from chicken (they are stuffed inside). i toss the neck, but cook the organs for my dog - see the end of the blog for details.

3. rinse chicken (inside and out) with warm water

4. place chicken in small roasting pan, or a 9x13 baking dish (i use 9x13 stoneware)

5. pour chicken broth over chicken

6. sprinkle pepper and garlic over chicken (and some into broth surrounding chicken) 7. bake approximately 20 minutes per pound. (for my 6-8 pounders, 2 to 2.5 hours is sufficient).

8. remove from oven. remove wings, legs, and pick the rest. i recommend doing so while hot because the task is faster than waiting until it cools. store in a closed container in refrigerator, or freeze for later use! (personally, i enjoy eating a wing or leg immediately, you know, for energy while picking the chicken)!!

for your canine:
1. place the organs in a small baking dish 2. do NOT season with garlic, as garlic is toxic to canines, but add a little pepper if you care to

3. bake alongside the roaster chicken, but only for 20-30 minutes, or until "done" (use your discretion)

4. let cool before treating your furry friend :-)