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Saturday, August 25, 2012

New & Improved Chicken Nuggets & Fries

Baked Chicken Nuggets & Fries
One of my favorite things to do for our family once every couple of weeks is to have a healthy version of a classically unhealthy meal - chicken nuggets & fries. The big exception is that they are baked instead of fried. This makes a HUGE difference because it eliminates trans fat. The breading is also gluten-free! Blaise helped me put together these nuggets that we took pictures of for this blog, so it really is easy (he's only 4).

The chicken nuggets and fries do not have the greasy taste like they do after being deep fried and their flavors stand out much better by being baked. Below are the recipes. Hope you enjoy some healthy junk food.

Baked Chicken Nuggets Recipe (Gluten Free Bread Crumb Recipe Below)
Organic free-ranged chicken breast or boneless, skinless thighs
Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs
Unbleached Parchment Paper
Spray bottle with water or brush with grapeseed oil

Pre-heat over to 400° F. Cut chicken into nugget sized pieces (Caution! Do not cut them too small, if so it will be very difficult to prevent them from drying out too quickly.) Briefly whisk together eggs in a separate small bowl and set aside. 

Dip the chicken pieces in the eggs, coat well with bread crumbs and place on the parchment paper with a small amount of space between each nugget. Once you have finished coating all the chicken nuggets, the key to keeping these nuggets moist is to spray water on the top of them before they go into the oven and continue to spray throughout the baking process OR brush nuggets with grapeseed oil before baking. My preference is the grapeseed oil.

Bake nuggets in the oven until cooked through, usually start checking them around 15 minutes, depending on the size of your nuggets.

Gluten-free Bread Crumb Recipe
1/2 cup Gluten Free Oats
1 cup millet flour
3/4 cup shaved coconut
1 tbs ground cumin
1 tbs ground paprika
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1/2 tbs turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

French Bake Recipe
Slice russet, red or sweet potatoes
Toss with grapeseed or coconut oil
Raw Honey Mustard Sauce
Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Bake in oven at 400 degrees F, tossing every 10-15 minutes until brown and crispy (but not too crispy!)
 

Honey Mustard Recipe
2 tablespoons Raw Honey
1/4 cup Organic Mustard
Mix together well in bowl. Adjust according to your taste buds.

Broccoli Salad Recipe