Hey folks! Please enjoy this guest post from my friend Cindy Sexton, author of Paleo Takes 5 or Fewer. – Diane
Sticking with a Paleo diet may seem daunting to many people, especiallymaking the time to cook. I believe cooking Paleo meals can not only be abreeze, but can often be done with 5 ingredients or less, therebysaving lots of time and energy in the kitchen. To that end, that’s why Icreated myminimal ingredient cookbook, that doesn’t require a millionand one ingredients for each recipe. This is the perfect cookbook foranyone who follows a Paleo Diet, or is simply looking for healthy recipesthat are delicious and hassle-free.
With a less is more mentality, these recipes will allow the true flavors ofthe ingredients to shine through. Each dish will leave you feelingaccomplished knowing how little it took to create something purelydelicious. My recipes are designed to complement each other, so homecooks can put together an entire meal from mains to accompanyingsides. The book is packed with mouthwatering three – to – fiveingredient Paleo recipes (of which, MANY are 21DSD friendly!):
- Chorizo and Kale with Sautéed Onions
- Lobster with Tarragon Parsnip Fries
- Herb Buttered Whole Chicken Stuffed With Sauerkraut
- Bacon-Crusted Chicken Strips (recipe below)
- Beet and Brussels Sprout Salad
- Zucchini Noodles With Sautéed Shrimp
- Lemon and Tomato Baked Halibut in Parchment Pouches
Throughout the book you will also find many ‘nutrient density facts.’ Iteamed up with Mathieu Lalonde PhD to highlight various nutrientdense foods and display their vitamin/mineral values accordingly. Wefeatured good to excellent sources of essential nutrients for theingredients of most recipes. The fraction of the RDA of each essentialnutrient is based on a 100 g serving of the food.
* Note – Cooking fats, vinegars and select dried herbs and spicesare not included in the ingredient count.
Depending on your preference and where you live, there are a variety ofways you can order/buy thebook.
Amazon (US),Amazon (CAN),Barnes & Noble,Chapters-Indigo (Canada)
Bacon-Crusted Chicken Strips
Enjoy these crispy chicken tenders, onyour 21-DSD journey, theywill most definitely hit the spot. A recipe your whole family with loveand devour!
As a former fast food eater who loved chicken nuggets, this main makesme smile with such pride and accomplishment. Relish the fact that thishomemade version of crunchy, crispy pleasures has been created withhealthier ingredients.
Feel free to cut them into long strips or intosmaller chunks for the kiddos. Served up as a yummy treat, this dish is aphenomenal option if you are hosting a party or making a big platter ofgoodies while watching sports. For extra bliss, dip these chicken chunksinto your favorite BBQ sauce. We found a super clean, store-bought oneat our local farmers market with pure ingredients. No added sugar orextra “junk.” Have a look around or make your own!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (454 g) bacon, crumbled (good quality, we use sugar free)
- 1 cup (90 g) almond flour
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (or a little more if you wish!)
- 1⁄2 tsp sea salt
- 1⁄2 tsp ground pepper
- 2 (11⁄2 lbs [680 g]) chicken breasts, flattened and sliced into strips
- 2 eggs whisked
Preparation:
- Makes 2 to 3 servings
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Start by lining a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange bacon strips bylaying them out flat on the sheet. Put in oven and bake for 20 minutes oruntil bacon is crispy. Reserve the fat.Using tongs, remove the slices of bacon from pan and set aside on a plate tocool. Once slightly cooled, put bacon slices into a small food processor andpulse until you reach a granular consistency. Pour ground bacon into aseparate glass bowl and add in almond flour and desired spices to create thecomplete “crust” mixture.
- Meanwhile, cover chicken breast in plastic wrap and flatten using a metalmeat mallet. Cut them into 1 inch (21⁄2 cm) strips. Whisk eggs in a smallglass bowl. In a large cast-iron skillet, add in some leftover bacon fat andheat on medium to high. Take each chicken strip and dip gently in egg washand then roll in the “crust” mixture to coat evenly while pressing it in andcovering with your hands. When cooking oil is hot, arrange “breaded” stripsin the frying pan and cook for about 3 minutes or so on each side. Usingtongs, flip when side looks crispy and repeat on other side. Do not turn tooearly, be patient. Keep a close eye, as you do not want to overcook! Whencooked, allow them to cool and continue crisping on wire rack.
- Nutrient Density Fact: Bacon is an excellent source of phosphorus and hasover 1x the RDA for selenium. Bacon is also a very good source zinc
- Notes: you can also cut the chicken into smaller chunks if you want toform them into nuggets. Dip in some homemade mayo, guacamole oryour favourite 21 DSD friendly sauce! ENJOY.
About the Author– Cindy Sexton, Author of Paleo Takes 5or Fewer
I am a small town gal at heart turned semi-city-slicker. I amcurrently acertified teacher in the Greater Toronto Area who adoresall thingsfitness, food and nutrition related. I am passionate about teaching, aswell as learning from others in this field, and is constantly strivingtoward being a little bit better every single day. My laid-back approachto eating “really real” (nutrient-dense) food is reasonable and realistic.
With a multi-faceted approach that focuses on returning to the simplerdays of living, I like to concentrate on making play, laughter, sleep andself-care a priority, which makes up my relaxed paleo lifestyle.
To readmore about how switching to a Paleo lifestyle has changed my life, checkout my storyright here!
