Tag: high protein

Honey, Dijon and Pecan Crusted Chicken with Cauliflower Bacon “Mashed Potatoes”

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*Primal *Gluten free *Low Carb *Grain-free

Fall is a time that makes us all crave something warm and comforting. But we don’t want to throw our healthy way of eating out the window in favor of big sweaters and au gratin potatoes…well sometimes we do. But for the rest of the time, when we want to have our comfort food and fit in our skinny jeans too, this recipe for pecan crusted chicken breast and cauliflower mashed potatoes should come in handy. It is a recipe that is bursting with flavor. The pecans toast in the oven, lending more depth and texture to the sweet and zingy flavors hiding underneath. The cauliflower mashed potatoes are creamy and have a smoky flavor from the bacon while staying lower in carbs and fat than typical mashed potatoes. I hope these dishes will become a fall favorite for you this year as they have for me and my family!

4 Chicken breasts
1 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp Honey
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, rosemary)
Red pepper flakes to taste

For “Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes”:

1 head cauliflower steamed
2 strips if bacon cooked and crumbled
2/3 cup chopped Red onion
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp Kerry gold butter, or other quality grassfed butter
Sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350
. Steam cauliflower 25 minutes
. Began cooking bacon and set aside
. Cook red onion in left over bacon fat until browned and soft
. While cauliflower is steaming, chop pecans in a food professor and in a bowl add the chopper pecans, garlic, onion powder and Italian seasonings.
. In a separate bowl combine honey and Dijon mustard. Stir well.
. Take each chicken breast and coat in honey Dijon mixture and then in the nut mixture.
. Set onto a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes

. When cauliflower is cooked, use a potato masher to mash until smooth and no chunks are left.
. Once mashed, add butter and Greek yogurt and stir
. Next add bacon and onions. Stir again and salt to taste.

Cauliflower mash makes approximately 4- 1 cup servings.

Honey Dijon Chicken Macro Breakdown- per chicken breast
350 Kcal
21g Fat
13g Carbs
30g Protein

Cauliflower Mash Macro Breakdown- per 1 cup serving

146 Kcal
9g Fat
10g Carbs
8g Protein

Mediterranea Zucchini “Pasta Noodles”

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Since eliminating most grains and wheat from my diet, I have been struggling with substitutions for pasta. I like using spaghetti squash, but it can be hard to find in the spring and summer months. Then I came across zucchini noodles- which are basically just zucchini sliced with a julienne slicer. Now I am hooked. I enjoy the consistency of zucchini “pasta” more than I did spaghetti squash, as it has a consistency much closer to pasta. No matter what sort of diet you follow, an abundance of vegetables are always encouraged. This recipe for Zucchini noodles replaces the starchy pasta noodles, that would normally spike blood sugar and be stored as fat, with fiber rich zucchini that pairs well with just about anything you top it with. The entire recipe can be made in 20 minutes from start to finish. The best thing about zucchini noodles is you can eat a larger portion for very little calories, around 320 for half the recipe. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Large Zucchini

1 Can White Albacore Tuna (you can substitute chicken breast or ground grass-fed beef also)

1/3 Cup Chopped Red Onion

1/3 Cup Sliced Sun-dried Tomatoes

1/3 Cup Sliced Kalamata Olives

1/4 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese

1 Tbsp Oregano

1 Tbsp Basil

1 Tbsp Fresh Minced Garlic

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Sea Salt to taste

Cayenne Pepper flakes to taste.

RECIPE:

Using a julienne peeler, julienne all zucchini lengthwise. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan or skillet, Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.

Add red onion, saute til slightly softened- About 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sun-dried tomato. Cook 2 minutes.

Add zucchini, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes

Add Tuna, Oregano, Basil and Olives. Stir all ingredients together. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Zucchini should be softened but not mushy.

Next add crumbled goat cheese and stir. Cook until it softens if you prefer a creamy sauce consistency.

Top with sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Dig in!

Makes Two Servings (use one large zucchini per person to increase recipe. ex: 4 People=4 Zucchini)