Paleo Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders

This is a quickie, because you need only 4 things: chicken tenders, eggs, crushed almonds, and almond meal/flour. Nick originally made these, and they were just delicious. We've made them many times since then, and they're just perfect every time. I love them on top of salads too - they're great for leftover lunches!

One note about this recipe: it doesn't matter whether you use almond meal or almond flour. As for the crushed almonds, I threw whole raw almonds in a food processor and ran it until they we're ground up. You may possibly be able to make these with JUST almond meal, but I like the extra crispiness on the outside of the tenders. Also, the ingredient measurements below are just estimates - I usually set up 3 bowls with the eggs in one, almond flour in another, and ground almonds in the third. Then you have a little assembly line to make your tenders!

Ingredients:

• 1 package of chicken tenders (or chicken breasts cut into thin strips)
• 2-3 eggs
• 1 cup (+ or -) almond meal
• 1 cup (+ or -) finely ground/crushed almonds
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Get out 3 medium sized bowls and preheat the over to 450 degrees F.
2. Put the almonds in a food processor and process until they are finely ground. Pour them into 1 of the 3 bowls.
3. Crack the eggs into one of the empty bowls and whisk until they are well blended.
4. Pour the almond flour into the last of the 3 bowls and mix all the spices in with the flour. Now you have a little assembly station to dip the tenders!
5. Rinse the chicken tenders in cold water and pat dry.
6. First, dip them in the almond flour - make sure you cover both sides with a thin layer of flour. Next, submerge the flour covered tender in the egg mixture. Finally, dip into the bowl of crushed almonds. Make sure the tender is coated evenly with the almonds.
7. Do this with all the tenders. If you need to add more eggs or flour to the bowls, do so!
8. Throw the tenders on a greased baking pan, sprinkle a tiny bit more salt and pepper over top of them, and put in the over for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on the outsides and cooked through in the middle.

The Deliciously Ella Sweet Potato Brownies

I finally hopped on the bandwagon and tried the famous Deliciously Ella sweet potato brownies that everyone seems to rave about. Honest opinion? I wasn't obsessed with the flavor and texture of them, but these are almost completely added sweetener free and pretty darn healthy. That is the appeal of them though, right? Eating dessert without actually getting the bad side effects of it? I just think they taste a little more like a Luna bar then a brownie, but I'd make them again. That icing though... I'm planning on making just that and eating spoonfuls of it. It was AMAZINGGG. 

Sweet potatoes are the star of this recipe as they are the base of the brownie. Nothing like mixing some healthy starch and fiber into dessert right? This recipe also calls for almonds and coconut oil, so they're also a very good source of healthy fats. They're super simple to make and full of good for you ingredients... Read on for the recipe if you're willing to give them a try.

Ingredients:

• Brownies:
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 12 medjool dates
  • 6 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup ground almonds
  • 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup ground oats
  • 6 tbsp cacao powder
  • a pinch of salt
• Icing:
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp cacao powder

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into chunks and steam them until they are soft. I believe you could also boil them in water until soft too if you'd like.
3. Place cooked sweet potato and pitted dates in a food processor together and blend until well mixed.
4. Mix remaining brownie ingredients in a bowl together and stir.
5. Next, pour the sweet potato/date combo into the bowl with the remaining brownie ingredients and mix well. 
6. Grease or line a brownie pan with parchment paper, and pour the brownie mix into the pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until you can pierce the brownies with a toothpick and it comes out dry.
8. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 10-20 minutes - do not touch it! It is important for them to cool down before you cut them up.
9. To make the icing, simply put all the ingredients into a bowl and melt them in the microwave (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Stir well and place in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes to harden it up a bit so you can spread it! 
10. Allow the brownies to cool before icing, otherwise it will melt fast! Or just eat the icing on it's own like I plan to do. :) 

Zoodle Bolognese

Two posts in one week!? I'm on a role lately! Meat sauce is one our go-to recipes because you can throw it on top of so many different things - zucchini noodles (aka zoodles), spaghetti squash, gluten free pasta, grains, or just eat it by itself. Zoodles are another favorite of mine because they're an amazing pasta substitution - they have a great texture, flavor, and I actually like them more than pasta honestly. 

You will need a spiralizer for this recipe if you plan to make the zoodles, or you could just sub a different type of pasta. This recipe is mainly for the bolognese anyway, so pick whatever base you'd like! This meat sauce is seriously good for you. It has a little health and anti-inflammatory boost with the turmeric, coconut oil, ghee and kale additions (I know, you wouldn't even know it was in there, and you can't taste it!). It's definitely a recipe you won't feel guilty eating! The recipe is really pretty large, so you can throw the leftovers in the freezer and enjoy at a later time.

Ingredients:

• 1 24oz jar or 2 12oz jars of crushed tomatoes
• 1 package (1 lb) of organic beef, turkey, or bison (whatever you prefer)
• 4 large carrots
• 2 bunches of curly kale
• 1 red onion
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil (or half and half)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• Salt & pepper
• 1 12oz can of tomato sauce (optional. I add this sometimes because I like mine a little "saucier" - the recipe is decently chunky without)
• Touch of parmesan (optional to sprinkle on top if desired)

Directions:

1. Chop the carrots, onion, and kale, or even blend in a food processor (you want them to be chopped very fine). Mince all the garlic cloves too.
2. Melt the coconut oil, olive oil, and ghee in a larger pot over medium heat.
3. Add chopped vegetables and garlic to the pot and cook for a few minutes until onions are translucent. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper on top.
4. Add the meat, break it up a bit so there are no large chunks, and cook until it is brown/cooked through.
5. Top with the crushed tomatoes, turmeric, salt and pepper, and stir well so everything is mixed.
6. Simmer for about a half hour (and by simmer, I mean that the sauce will have little tiny bubbles coming up through it, so that could be low/medium heat actually).
7. Top the zoodles, noodles, spaghetti squash or whatever you choose as a base with the meat sauce, and you're good to go!