Buffalo Chicken Strips!

Hey everybody,

I'm sure that most people have tried one form or another of the traditional buffalo chicken wings with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing. The thing is, the level of typical spiciness from the buffalo sauce has never really appealed to my taste buds.

So I decided to make a version that was more in tune with how my ideal buffalo wings would taste. I brought the spiciness down and added a little bit of sweetness. I also made some sweet potato fries to accompany the dish and provide some starch to temper the heat of the chicken strips.

These are so delicious, and healthy, and I promise you won't be disappointed!

 Ingredients (buffalo sauce):

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 - 1 tsp sea salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Method (buffalo sauce):

1. Simmer all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minutes. I omitted the cayenne because I didn't want the sauce to be too spicy.
2. Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator.

Ingredients (chicken strips):

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (organic), cut into strips
• 1 cup of ground toasted almonds
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method (chicken strips):

1.  Whisk together the ground almonds, arrowroot powder, salt and pepper. Toss the chicken strips in the breading until fully coated. Let stand for 30 minutes to allow the breading to adhere to the chicken.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. Lay the chicken strips evenly on a lightly greased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through a golden brown.
5. Let the chicken cool for 5-10 minutes and then toss in a bowl with 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the buffalo sauce until well coated.
6. Serve with sweet potato fries, avocado, and some homemade blue cheese dressing (for a primal option).

Until next time!...

Paleo Crabcakes!

Hey guys!

Sorry I've been a bit AWOL for a while. I found that during the last few weeks while my hubby was away, it was harder to be inspired to cook new things for one person. But he's back! Finally! So I've been cooking up a storm this past week and have come up with a couple of new ideas I'd like to share with everybody.

The first recipe I want to share is a little indulgent due to the fact that it's a bit more expensive than I usually prefer. However, I wanted to try something special in honor of my hubby's return.

So I invented a paleo-friendly recipe for crabcakes! I served them with a yummy guacamole, and a primal option of lemon sour cream; they were so good!

Ingredients:

• 2 13 oz cans of lump crab meat, drained well
• 1/4 cup of ground almonds
• 1-2 tbsp coconut flour
• 3 eggs, beaten well
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1-2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• oil for frying

Method:

1.  Dump the crab meat into a big glass bowl. Add the ground almonds, coconut flour, and eggs and mix with a fork or your hands.
2. Grind the spices in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle (which is what I did!) and add to the crab meat mixture and incorporate fully.
3. Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add either extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan, and heat through.
4. Form the crab meat mixture into patties 3 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Fry in the pan in batches of 4 for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown.
5. Drain on a cooling rack and serve with salad, sweet potato fries, lemon wedges, and guacamole!

Until next time!...