If you are looking for a Paleo friendly and kid friendly football game day treat look no further.  These coconut chicken nuggets are my families new favorite bite size treat.  I actually had to contain myself from popping them in my mouth as I was cooking them.  And what is a chicken nugget without something to dip it in?  My favorite dipping sauce before going Paleo was BBQ sauce.  As a southern girl I love BBQ sauce, but it’s not exactly Paleo friendly.  I came across this recipe by Whole9 for the Whole30 plan.  It’s not exactly like my beloved BBQ sauce but it’s pretty darn close and pretty darn good. 

Now just a warning these chicken nuggets may not last too long so if you want you can double the recipe.  They are great as a game day snack or even for the kids dinner or to pack away in their lunch box. 

Sorry to keep this short but it’s been a crazy week and next week will be even crazier.  Enjoy these nuggets and have a great weekend!

Coconut Chicken Nuggets with Paleo “BBQ” Sauce

 Print Recipe

1 pound ground chicken

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup + ½ cup almond flour

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

½ cup coconut oil

Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 In a bowl combine ¼ cup almond flour, ½ cup coconut and salt & pepper.  Mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine the ground chicken, ½ cup almond flour, onion powder, garlic powder, egg yolk and salt & pepper.  Mix well until everything is incorporated. 

In a sauté pan, melt coconut oil on medium heat.  Take about 2 tablespoons worth of the chicken mixture and roll into a ball and then coat with the coconut and almond mixture.  Repeat with the remaining chicken.  You should make about 15 to 18 chicken nugget/balls.

In small batches place nuggets into heated coconut oil and cook on each side for about 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer balls to a parchment lined bake pan and place in oven for 4 to 5 minutes to allow the chicken to cook through.  Repeat with the remaining chicken nuggets.

 Allow nuggets to cool and serve with Paleo “BBQ” Sauce (recipe follows). 

 Paleo “BBQ” Sauce

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

10 tablespoons tomato paste

4 tablespoons shallots, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions:

Heat coconut oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Place minced shallots and garlic in sauce pan until soft.  Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes.

I have another Paleo treat for you and this is another quick and easy recipe.  It only takes minutes to put together but you do have to wait while these little muffins cook up in the oven.  The little ones can help in making these in the kitchen too.  My girls got in the kitchen and helped me with these.  They have become mommy’s little helper in the kitchen lately.  For this recipe they helped peel the bananas and had a great time mashing them up.  They added all the dry ingredients to the bowl and soon afterwards we were filling the muffin tin.  And the sprinkling of the additional chocolate chips on top of the muffins made these even more fun to make.  Once these little treats were done it wasn’t too far afterwards the little ones had chocolate faces and chocolate hands and with big smiles on their faces.  Which meant they were a success.  Especially when they ask if they could have them “all” week in their lunch boxes.  I don’t feel too bad putting these Paleo muffins in their lunch box either.  And just between you and I, I also snuck one in my lunch box one day too.  They are definitely a treat, but a very much needed treat every now and then.  Especially after a hard workout….ha!  Kidding….well sort of!  But best of all in my book, the kids love them!

 Enjoy!

Almond Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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3/4 cup almond butter

1 cup almond flour

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional – I love cinnamon)

1/3 cup plus more for topping muffins Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (Dairy-Free, Soy Free, Gluten-Free) – I find mine at Whole Foods

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a muffin pan with coconut spray (found at Whole Foods – love).

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and mix everything is incorporated.  Now stir chocolate chips into batter.  Pour batter into prepared muffin tin filling all 12 cups evenly.  Top muffins with a few additional chocolate chips.

 Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let the muffins cool and remove from pan.  And enjoy!!

Makes 12 muffins, you could also make this into a loaf of bread too.  I’m sure it would be just as yummy.  Mini muffins would work too.  Of course, you would have to adjust the bake time accordingly.

This post is for waffles but I’m not going to spend much time talking about waffles. There is something more important I would like to share with you.  Earlier this month, food writer and blogger Jennifer Perillo of In Jennie’s Kitchen lost her husband suddenly to a heart attack. Though I don’t know her, I have been so moved by her story.  Last week I sat in front of my computer and cried so hard for Jennie and her two little girls (ages 3 and 8).  I can’t even imagine the loss they all must be feeling at this time.  And many have felt the same way.  Many people wanted to do something but didn’t know what to do.  It was then that Jennie said the best way they could show support was to make her husband Mikey’s favorite thing, Peanut Butter Pie.  The food blogging community is an amazing community!  Last week, thousands of bloggers shared Peanut Butter Pies for Jennifer and her daughters through a series of blog posts.  This event made the front page of CNN.com and Food Network. Submissions were flooding in so quickly that Tastespotting and Foodgawker dedicated entire pages to Mikey’s Peanut Butter Pie. And Todd and Diane made a beautiful video that made this a movement.  Now I hope we can all come together again and support Jennifer and her daughters in this very difficult time, both emotionally and financially.  A fund has been started so that we may all easily donate directly to Jennifer. Called #afundforjennie, it’s being organized, maintained and facilitated by Shauna James Ahern of Gluten Free Girl and Maggy Keet of Three Many Cooks. Maggy launched Bloggers Without Borders, a non-profit organization of bloggers for bloggers. Bloggers Without Borders is now collecting money for Jennie’s family and have made it super easy to donate. Also various auctions are being held by bloggers to raise money for Jennie and her family.  If you can give just a little it will help her and her family in more ways than one.

Thanks for listening and please give the ones you love a hug and kiss and tell them how much you value them because you never know what life may bring.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the waffles….trust me…they are yummy!

 

Apple Coconut Waffles

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2 eggs

1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ cup water

1 ½ cups almond flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

½ apple, peeled and grated

¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and water until smooth.

Add the almond flour, salt, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and cinnamon and mix thoroughly.  Add apples and coconut and mix to combine.

In a preheated and greased waffle iron, scoop batter onto iron and cook until golden brown or as your waffle irons instructions.

 Top waffle with additional coconut, toasted pecans, and apple and serve along with maple syrup.  A real treat!

Since going Paleo 3 weeks ago I have been looking for a go-to quick and easy snack for after my CrossFit workouts, but I also wanted to find something my kids could enjoy and I could add to their lunch box that was a healthy protein packed bar.  After playing around in the kitchen I think I found the perfect little bar.  And these bars are totally grain free.  The bars are made up of nuts and dried fruit and because I couldn’t resist, a little dark chocolate.  The fruits are mostly what makes these bars sweet, but I did add a little honey but you could leave out if you want.  Of course when you are first starting out on a Paleo lifestyle diet nuts and dried fruit should be limited so these are truly are a treat for me, like one of those things I only have once or twice a week.  However, for the kids they are a great lunchbox add on.  I have slowly tried to switch their diet to at least being gluten-free and as much organic as I can.  Not that they didn’t have a pretty much all organic diet from birth, but trying to make changes.  Especially after reading several things in regards to gluten in a child’s diet.  The switch to gluten-free hasn’t been a huge deal for my kids especially with more things on the market these days that are gluten-free friendly.  Vegetables on the other hand are still a battle in my house.  Hopefully one of these days that battle won’t be a battle at all.  Wishful thinking on my part!  Any ways, these bars have been a hit in my house and have been asked for in their lunch boxes all week.  I take that as a sign that they like them.  And as for me, they are a great little treat especially after a workout or even in the afternoon when I’m looking for an afternoon pick me up.  It’s a quick grab and go bar.      

 Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Fruity Chocolate Protein (Paleo) Bars

 Print Recipe

1 ½ cups slivered almonds (unbalanced)

1 cup pecans, lightly toasted

1/3 cup ground flax meal

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

7 large medjool dates, pits removed

1/3 cup dried unsweetened blueberries

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ tablespoon honey

4-5 tablespoons water

1/3 cup Enjoy Life (Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free) chocolate chips

 

Instructions:

Place almonds, pecans, flax meal, cinnamon, cranberries, dates, blueberries, vanilla in a food processor and process until well ground.  Then pulse in honey and 3 tablespoons of water.  You want the mixture to form into a ball.  If it’s not after the 3 tablespoons of water add in additional water and process until the mixture begins to form a ball. 

Remove from food processor and stir in chocolate chips.  Then press into a 8×8 inch baking dish. 

Place bars in refrigerator for an hour and then slice into bars and serve.

Bars are best kept in the refrigerator.  Bars can also be wrapped individually and placed in an airtight container in the freezer.

Busy mornings are quickly approaching my house since the girls are heading back to school (preschool!).  Mornings are already a little busy around here, and thats just with me trying to get myself out the door for work.  Then you add the factor of getting two little girls dressed, teeth brushed, breakfast ready, and lunches packed ….it basically equals to a CRAZY house!  And lets face it, the first week of a new school year always has an adjustment period. 

The past few weeks with my new change to a Paleo “diet” (lifestyle) I have been working to plan meals ahead.  And this change is actually great because it helps me to plan the whole families meals ahead of time, including the most important meal of the day…breakfast.  These muffins are my new go-to recipe and the perfect recipe for the upcoming busy mornings.  These muffins are delicious, family-friendly, and fast and easy!  All things that make my mornings a little easier.  The best part is you can make a big batch of egg muffins and have breakfast already prepared for the entire week.  Once they are baked all you have to do is store them in refrigerator and in the morning reheat and go.  Like I said, fast and easy!  And they are packed with protein, which will get everyone in the house off to a good start.  They definitely beat having a cereal bar, bagel, or other other gluten filled product.  Those just leave you with no energy and hungry only an hour later.    Eggs are a great way to jump start the whole families day and it also helps that they leave you energized and off to a productive day.  Enjoy!   

Egg Muffins

Print Recipe

2 mild chicken sausages, removed from casing

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup carrots, grated

1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh basil, diced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

10 – 12 omega 3 eggs (cage-free)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray muffin pan with coconut cooking spray and grease with coconut oil.

In a skillet, cook sausage until cooked through and no longer pink.  Make sure to break the sausage up into “crumb” size pieces. 

In a medium bowl, combine cooked sausage, red bell pepper, shredded carrots, spinach, and basil.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, salt and pepper.  Add egg mixture to the sausage and veggie mixture and stir to combine. 

Using a measuring cup or a ice cream scoop fill muffin cups with egg mixture being sure not to fill cups to the rim.  I used about 1/4 to 1/3 cup in each cup.

Bake the egg muffins for 20 to 25 minutes or until eggs are set in the middle. 

Makes about 12 to 16 muffins.  Muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. 

In a

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