My New Favorite Chicken

Sorry I haven't posted a lot lately. Cooking paleo-style for two is much harder than I'd anticipated. I feel like I'm running the dishwasher every night, and I've made 3 trips to various grocery stores (2x to COSTCO!!) in the last 2 weeks. Sheesh! But, if nothing else, my husband has been well-fed.

I've been trying to come up with delicious and easy recipes that we both enjoy. It's been a challenge, but I'm persistent. Chicken is something that we often tire of, as we eat it frequently, and I usually make it one of two or three boring ways. Well, no more! The funny thing is, I was going to post a different chicken recipe that I found, and liked...but it has been sent to the back burner tonight. I've also got a couple more treat recipes to share soon.

I was a bit skeptical of this recipe at Everyday Paleo at first. Yes, easy and amazing are both words in the title. But I was still apprehensive. Could it really be that easy? Plus, as I've mentioned before, I have this squeamishly irrational fear of bones, skins and tendons in meat. Yes, it's cheaper to buy those cuts. But it's also grosssssss!

However, in the name of all things paleo, I was determined to try this recipe. With my beautiful, new 5 lb organic, free-range bird. I knew I had to do something great with it!

So worth it! And it really is that simple. 3 ingredients. 1 hour. Incredible results! I really did not stop talking about this chicken at dinner. I am pretty sure I ate a whole pound of meat tonight. It was amazing! I'm already planning my next trip to costco, where I can grab two birds at once for a better price! Seriously, this recipe is a must-try!

Easy and Amazing Roast Chicken
(adapted from this recipe at Everyday Paleo)

1 4-5 lb chicken
salt (I am gonna guess and say I used almost a tbsp)
1 tbsp butter, if desired

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse and dry the chicken w/ paper towels. Place, breast down, in a roasting pan (I just used a 9x13 glass baking dish). Sprinkle with salt all over the outside and inside. Smear the butter around the surface of the bird as well. Bake for 1 hour (mine was just right after exactly 1 hour). Chicken is done when the outside is golden and crispy. I didn't even cut into mine to check it. I just pulled it out of the oven, and let it sit for 15 minutes, then carved. It was perfect! Very tender and juicy on the inside.

Also, the drippings were to-die-for! The flavor reminded me of KFC dinners from my childhood. I think it was the butter :) I kept taking a spoon to the baking dish, and drizzling more juice over my chicken. I was literally tempted to get out a straw...lol.

I am planning on saving the bones, and any leftover drippings, and making stock as soon as we've eaten all the meat off the bird. I bet the flavor is going to be delicious!

The oven did get a bit splattered, just for the record. I don't really mind, it was already dirty. But if you care about the inside of your oven, this may be something you want to be aware of prior to making this recipe.

Hope you will try this soon! Let me know how much you love it too!

Paleo update and this week's favorite links

No recipe post tonight, just saying hi, and spreading the blogworld love. I will, however, share what I ate for dinner, because it rocked!

Scrumptious Slow Cooker Chicken...and indeed it was! I followed the recipe as posted by Sarah, only I subbed 2 large chicken breasts for the thighs. Oh, and olive oil for the coconut. It was amazing! And my husband liked it too! I picked the onions out of his, of course ;) Next time, I am adding TWICE as many carrots and parsnips though. I seriously felt like I was cheating and eating real potatoes. An awesome dinner to come home to after a long day at work. Ate it w/ some salad fixin's fresh from my garden. Yum!

If you want to know details on what I've been up to over the past week as far as my 30 day paleo challenge goes, head over to Wellness Mama's forum, where I've started a wellness journal. I'm posting my food log, thoughts, plans, workouts, etc. I'm having loads of fun exploring her site, and am excited about some great giveaways too!

You can't fix a body you hate: This is the post I wish I could send to my past self (anytime 2-6 years ago), and to all my beautiful friends who don't feel comfortable in their own skin. Thanks Sarah and Jason for sharing it! It makes me appreciate who I am today even more, flaws and all! Thanks also to my amazing, supportive husband who has always praised my body, even when I felt I was at my worst. Jason has some great points to make. I'm excited to read more from him on his blog, plus he's already super cool in my book, being a fellow Oregonian (can I still count myself as one, even though the last third of my life has been lived in Utah?). Anyway, read the post!

Need more motivation to go paleo/grain-free/eat bacon? Primal Toad's got you covered with his 11 tips to living an awesome life. It really is an awesome way to live your life. I agree wholeheartedly with this post, but my favorite tips would have to be #2 and #9 ;)

Speaking of the good life, the hubby and I are taking the day off tomorrow for some R&R. He's taking the GMAT on Saturday, and we're using tomorrow to charge the batteries. I'm so excited! Massages, movies, lunch, and hopefully some time in the sun. I'm even more excited to have the whole thing behind us, and finally see my husband again (I feel like it's been months!!). Maybe we'll even get to go on a hike together before the summer is over!

Me and Grok on top of the world.

It's taken me almost a year, but I'm finally living this paleo/primal life...

and I LOVE IT!

Week three has been a tough one, in ways other than the diet mostly, but I have had some discouraging days where I'm unprepared to eat. I've found that I'm eating more at the beginning of the day, and not as hungry in the evenings, which helps. I've made some incredible food, which I'm so excited to share (at a later date). Well, it's almost 9:00...which means bedtime (for two more nights)!

Later!

Paleo Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado "Sandwich" - 2 ways

Ok, it's recipe time!

I have always been a fan of the BLTA/turkey club sandwich combo, so I had to try both of the paleo recipes I came across. I couldn't decide which variation of my paleo club sandwich I liked better, so I will share both with you!

First up, we have the Portobello Sandwich. This sandwich was inspired by Sarah @ Everyday Paleo's Chicken Sandwich (doesn't that look delicious?!).

Paleo Turkey BLTA Sandwich #1

2 portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed

A few slices quality turkey lunch meat

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

A handful spinach or lettuce

Half a tomato, thinly sliced

2-3 pieces bacon, cooked

1 tbsp mayo (I know there are some paleo recipes out there, but I haven't delved that deeply into the lifestyle yet. Still using up the ol' Best Foods)

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, and add mushrooms, cap side up. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook 5 minutes more. The tops will turn a golden brownish color. Remove from pan.

My mushrooms decided to sweat, and so I put them on a plate w/ paper towels to soak up the excess liquid for a couple minutes.

Spread the mayo on underside of the mushrooms. Pile the remaining ingredients on top of one of the mushrooms, then top w/ the other.

Enjoy, and try not to freak out!

The next variation of my sandwich comes from Mark Sisson's cookbook, Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals. This was the first recipe I bookmarked when flipping through the book. Great foresight!

Paleo Chicken BLTA Sandwich #2

1 chicken breast (1/4-1/3 of the top cut off)

1 tbsp mayo

2 slices bacon, cooked

A handful of arugula or spinach

Half a tomato, thinly sliced

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Butterfly the chicken breast (cut lengthwise through it so it can be opened up like a book).

Heat a little butter in a pan, and cook the chicken, opened up, for 4-6 minutes, or until browned. Flip chicken over and cook, covered, for an additional 5-10 minutes (depending on the thickness). Don't overcook the chicken, or it will be dry!

Remove from pan, and spread the mayo on the inside. Add the rest of the ingredients, and "close" the chicken breast. Dig in, and revel!

Notes: The original recipe called for a whole chicken breast, but I had a larger-sized piece of meat, so I decided to trim it a bit. I probably cut of about 1/4 of the breast, and may even take off more next time. Keep an eye on your cooking times if reducing the meat.

This one was pretty messy, and the hinge broke, so everything slid out a few times. No biggie. It was good and messy fun!

The cookbook suggests eating either warm or cold. I have only had this warm, but I bet it would make an amazing lunch and plan on trying it cold soon!

This sandwich was much more filling, thanks to the massive amounts of protein, I'm sure. I didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day (5-6 hours).

*

I ended up with less than half of an avocado leftover w/ both of these recipes, not really enough to save. So I made some Avocado Goodness to go along with each sandwich. I would highly suggest you do the same. You won't regret it!!

*

Also, if for some reason you need any encouragement to enjoy either of these sandwiches, head over to Primal Toad's blog for 5 Reasons Why Loving Bacon May Be The Healthiest Thing In The World ;) Then you can enjoy your bacon without feeling guilty!

Paleo Breakfast Pizza

I know I've mentioned my interest in following a paleo/primal lifestyle on this blog before. It's still an idea that frequently visits my mind. And occasionally I'll pick up and peruse my copy of The Primal Blueprint, which resides in the magazine pile in our bathroom. Mostly I've been too busy to try and change things up lately.

The other day, however, I stumbled across this great blog, and it renewed my interest in paleo/primal eating. The following evening, as I was driving home from a long day at work, doing a mental inventory of edible food in my fridge/pantry, I remembered I had all the ingredients to whip up this quick and easy breakfast pizza. I may have driven a little bit faster in my desire to give this recipe a try.

My version turned out really well! I overcooked my "crust" a bit, I think, but it was still delicious. I would also suggest adding bacon or ham, to give the pizza another dimension of flavor. I think this meal was a bit confusing to my taste buds, as I couldn't decide if it was more "breakfast-y" or more "pizza-ish." In my opinion, bacon would have married the two nicely, as it is a flavor that compliments both dishes.

This is definitely going to be a repeat recipe in my book.

Paleo Breakfast Pizza

Adapted from this recipe

8 eggs, whisked

1/2 tsp (ish) garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp dried basil

A few shakes salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c marinara/pizza sauce

1/2 lb Italian ground sausage (I used basil chicken sausage)

add BACON here. Lots and lots of bacon!

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 c sliced black olives

2+ tbsp nutritional yeast or nooch-eez

Other toppings of your choice

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet (my pan is cheap and sucks, so I coated it with pan spray, and added a little less oil).

Combine eggs and seasonings, mixing well. Pour mixture into skillet, cover, and turn heat down to medium. Cook for about 3 minutes. Eggs will be firm on the bottom. Do not stir!

After 3 minutes, remove the lid, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Turn on the broiler, and let broil for about 3 minutes, until the top firms up.

Remove from the oven, and spread the pizza sauce over the surface. Pile on the rest of the toppings, and sprinkle on the nooch.

Return pan to the oven, and broil for an additional 5 minutes.

Slice and serve immediately.

Note: Be sure and use an oven-safe skillet. I don't think mine was. The handle swelled a bit, and it started to smell a little funny in the kitchen.

Also, I don't know how many servings this makes, but I managed to eat half of it in one sitting. Oops ;)

I've shared this recipe over at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free, The Gluten Free Homemaker, and The WHOLE Gang. Check out some great carnivals, filled with amazing recipes!

Grilled Lemon Chicken w/ Peanut Sauce

I ate this salad every day last week! It's so good! I bookmarked it on Elana's blog a few months ago, and have been meaning to try it. So glad I finally did!!
The recipe originates from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. She is amazing! I love watching her work in the kitchen. I followed the recipe for the chicken pretty exact, so I'll just link you over to it.


Ina's Grilled Lemon Chicken
Tangy Peanut Sauce
The only change I made was grilling the chicken in my George Foreman grill, which worked great. The chicken was very tender and flavorful.
For the peanut sauce, I used red wine vinegar instead of the plum vinegar, but other than that, I followed the recipe as posted by Elana.

I also experimented with the sauce, serving it with the chicken over rice. I didn't like that as much. Maybe I used too much sauce, but it wasn't as good. So, I just went back to eating it as a salad, with some toast or crackers on the side.

Enjoy :)

Cranberry Chicken

Sorry, my husband says this picture looks disgusting. It's the only one I have, so I'm still using it. I've decided that *when* I write a cookbook, I'm definitely going to put pictures in it for each recipe. Once I learn how to better photograph food, that is. All in due time...

I've had this recipe bookmarked for a couple months, but only recently decided to give it a go. Wish I had tried it sooner, cuz I loved it! Except for the part where the carrots weren't cooked enough and I hurt my already-sensitive-newly-braces-covered teeth. I ended up picking them out.
This recipe is great! Seriously! Good, autumn recipe :)

Adapted from "Fix It and Forget It" slow cooker cookbook. I decided I didn't want to wait all day to try this recipe, so I made it work in the oven. The measurements and times are all approximate. Will post the crock pot variation once I try it.

Cranberry Chicken

2 lb chicken pieces (I used a couple of breasts)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 c diced celery
1/4 c diced carrots (original recipe called for onions, I didn't have any though)
1/4 onion powder
1 c whole cranberries (original recipe called for cranberry sauce)
1/2 c bbq sauce (I made my own from a BHG cookbook recipe)

Combine cranberries and bbq sauce. Simmer in a saucepan for at least 15 minutes, until the berries burst. Mash the berries with a potato smasher or fork. Add veggies and seasonings, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until veggies are soft.
Place chicken in a baking dish, and drizzle sauce over it. Cover with tinfoil, and bake at 375 for about half an hour, until chicken is cooked.
This is great served over rice. I loved the extra sauce on the rice. Might make a little more next time.

Chicken Salad Over Avocado

This is a really simple meal, a good gluten free alternative to your average sandwich. My aunt made this for us at a family reunion campout this summer. I loved it!
I've tried to recreate it without a real recipe, so these are all just approximations. Sorry, I'm usually a recipe follower, and I hate improvising, but I was hungry, and wanted to have this. Couldn't get a hold of my aunt for the recipe...I still thought it was great :)

Chicken Salad Over Avocado

Cooked chicken meat, chopped/shredded (a breast works great here, as does canned chicken)
Grapes, halved
Celery, chopped
Walnuts, chopped
Mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Avocado, peeled, halved, pit removed

Mix all ingredients except avocado. Taste. Add anything that may be lacking. Serve over avocado. Corn tortilla chips work great as a side.
In the picture, I chopped up the avocado and ate it like a salad. But it also works great to use the avocado as a "shell" for the salad. Yum!

Really Good Noodles and Chicken

I am so excited about this recipe! It is REALLY good! I don't eat a lot of red meat, or pork, or eggs. Mostly I eat chicken, fish, and turkey. This is great, since it keeps my gut happier. But my taste buds aren't always as excited by this. I easily fall into a rut, where I get bored making the same things over and over again for meals. This happens especially with chicken. I get SO tired of chicken! This recipe is the cure for that! The noodles are good, but the chicken is amazing!!! Even Luke enjoyed it...and he's the dip-everything-in-ranch kind of guy. Granted, he ate his with plain, glutenous noodles and butter. I didn't think he would enjoy venturing this far from the normal, plain foods he enjoys. But seriously, he liked it! That makes it a double winner in my book!

I can't wait until lunch tomorrow so I can enjoy it again. I'm gonna make some more of the chicken next week, and try it on a salad!



Really Good Noodles and Chicken
Gluten/Dairy Free Version

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced as desired (I cut my breasts in half, then in half again)
salt and pepper
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 tbsp honey
8 ounces spaghetti (I used Tinkyada GF fettuccine)
2 tbsp butter/substitute (I used Earth Balance spread)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup bacon/real bacon bits
1/2 cup cream/milk sub (I used soy milk, and it seemed okay)
3 roma tomatoes, seeds and core removed, diced
Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to directions, then drain and set aside.
Spray BBQ grill rack (or George Foreman Grill!!) with pan spray, and preheat. In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp of the lemon juice and the honey together, then add the salt, pepper, and rosemary. Toss in the chicken pieces, and allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook chicken until no longer pink. Mine got a little burned, but I think that it was from using EVOO to oil the pan. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
In a large skillet, melt butter, then add garlic. Saute and stir for 2-3 minutes, then add bacon and cook for another minute. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream/substitute. Stir in the noodles. Add a little more milk if sauce is too thick. Stir in tomatoes and parmesan cheese.
Serve immediately with a portion of chicken on top of pasta.

*To be honest, I wasn't completely sold by the pasta. It was good enough, but was just a little weird. May have been the soy milk sauce, the lack of Parmesan cheese, the use of real bacon instead of bacon bits. I also felt it had too much lemon zest. I'm not a huge fan of lemon zest, unless I can't really sense it. I would recommend trying the sauce as close to the original recipe as possible. Or, maybe just serve the chicken on some pasta tossed with EVOO, tomatoes, and wilted spinach. That was what I wished I'd had after eating the pasta. Just my two cents :)

Original recipe here.