Questions Answered: Grain Free Chicken Nuggets

Happy WEEKEND everyone!

Boy did I ever need this weekend to arrive.  It's been a long week with Austin, and I appreciate the few extra hours that I have my husband home to help me this weekend.  Austin is about 10.5 months now, and his mood swings are high and often lately.  From what I've read on some attachment parenting forums, this is about the age where he's developing a lot of new skills all at once (walking, talking more, expressing new emotions, eating new foods, more teeth, etc etc) and it can be overwhelming, so babies often release in this way.  What do you all think?  Experience the same moodiness with your little one(s) at this age?  Well it's been almost a week straight.  I'm fried.  And on top of it, I've worn myself down and come down with a cold.  I am in need of a momcation!!  :)

Now, while I sip on my Healing Cuisine Tincture Tea and think of all the ways today was a blessing and a gift, I'll answer a recipe question from Tyese P.:

"I wanted to know if you can help me come up with healthy versions of chicken nuggets and pizza. My kids love to eat them, but I don't like the unhealthy ones... If you could help me out I would appreciate it.  Thanks!"  - Tyese P., Illinois

These are two great recipe requests, and two that every mom should have up her sleeve.  You are right on, Tyese.  Chicken nuggets and pizza bought in the frozen food aisle, the deli section, or from a fast food restaurant are all extremely unhealthy and can be laden with chemicals, preservatives, and food dyes.  Grains and sugar can be the least of your worries when buying a manufactured chicken nugget or pizza!  Have you peeked at the ingredients list of one of those packages lately??

I'll be sharing my recipe for chicken nuggets today, and pizza tomorrow.  I looked up Tyson Chicken Nuggets.  That is the brand my mom fed us growing up.  This nutritional and ingredients info is direct from their website.  Check it out:

At first glance you might say, wow that's not so bad!  But let's remember where this chicken came from, how it was raised, and how it was butchered.  When you hear the brand name "Tyson," you may remember that they are known for loading their birds with chemicals BEFORE the butchering takes place...probably so they don't have to post the chemicals on the ingredients label since it's not added during the manufacturing process?  I remember news reports came out about that a few years back, also about the way they treat their animals....  Google it!

My point is, this meat is not coming from free range pastured chickens.  We don't know the chemical burden of the meat, which also means the fats are compromised.  If we continue to look at the ingredients list, you can see there is a lot of wheat going in (sugar), and corn (sugar), and vegetable oil (bad fat).  And look at all the salt!  Bad salt, too.  It's not our healthy Himalayan mineral sea salt.  And on a label when you see "spices" or sometimes it can read "other flavorings," that can mean MSG.  Who really knows what they are hiding by using a vague term like that.

Your kids deserve better!  Start with some free range organic chicken and make these nuggets with Advanced Plan ingredients!  My recipe is below.  I have decided to share this recipe which is originally found in my Kid's Birthday Party e-Book.  Inside, you'll also find easy Core and Advanced Plan menu options perfect to please your birthday boy or girl and their party guests!  The menu list includes: Almond Crusted Chicken Strips, Sweet Potato Fries, Caramel Apple Slices, Banana Nut Stacks, Chocolate Almond Snack Bars, Very Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Lemonade, Vegetable Art, Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting.

Grain Free Chicken Nuggets
Makes 24 Nuggets

1/2 cup almond flour, sifted
3 Tbsp coconut flour, sifted
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1 1/2 tsp olive oil 
3 free range eggs
1 lb free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx. 2 large breasts)
4 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1.)  Preheat oven to 475°F.  Set a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush with coconut oil. Wash and dry chicken breasts.  Cut each breast into 6 uniform strips, then cut each strip in half.  Use a meat mallet to pound out thick nuggets to each nugget is of uniform thickness.  Lay out on a plate and set aside.

2.)  Place almond flour, coconut flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, sea salt and pepper in a food processor.  Pulse until the the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute.  With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil.  Blend until just combined.  Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

3.)  Whisk eggs in a second shallow dish.  Add chicken nuggets to eggs and turn to coat.  Transfer each nugget to the almond mixture and dredge evenly on all sides.  Place the chicken nugget on the prepared rack.  Repeat until all chicken nuggets are dredged and on the prepared rack.

4.)  Brush each nugget with coconut oil.  Flip and coat the other side.  Bake the chicken nuggets until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve with organic ketchup and honey mustard.

TIP:  Prepare in advance:  Bake, cool and freeze in an airtight container.  Simply remove from freezer and pop, frozen, into oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through.  May need to cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning during reheat.

Tune in tomorrow for Advanced Plan PIZZA!