Quick & Easy Homemade Low Carb Chicken Nuggets

 

My family loves a good chicken nugget.  They happen to be one of the 7 things my picky 5 year old will actually eat, so I'm always looking for easy, quick, and healthy alternatives.  I've tried all kinds of low carb options such as almond flour and making my own breadcrumbs from low carb bread.  We stumbled across Porq Italian Herb Panko Crumbs at the store by accident and were intrigued.  Despite their name, they are not breadcrumbs at all - they're made from pork rinds!  We liked the fact that they have zero carbs per serving and are low in calories.  I was, however, hesitant that that they would have that weird pork rind aftertaste.  Even so, we decided to give them a try, and we are glad we did.  They have that lovely crispy panko consistency and great flavor.  You'd never know they were made with pork rinds.  Our chicken nuggets turned out delicious!  This is now my favorite way to make them.  Score!  These can be cooked in the air fryer if you'd prefer to use less oil.  375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 c Porq Italian Herb Panko Crumbs
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Avocado oil, for pan frying 

Directions:

Flatted the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into desired nugget sizes.  Combine the Italian crumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a gallon storage bag.  Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat evenly.  

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until cooked through and golden crispy.  

Drain on paper towels.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  

Enjoy!  

Breakfast Casserole with Sausage, Egg, Cheese & Veggies

Merry Christmas!  Among many other festivities, we enjoyed a lovely brunch with my family on Christmas Day.  I made an amazing French toast casserole that we gobbled up before I could snap a picture (recipe here), and I also made this delicious breakfast casserole with sausage, egg, cheese, and veggies.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones!   

Ingredients:

Recipe adapted from Tastes Better From Scratch

• 1 lb pork sausage 
• 12 eggs
• 1 c sour cream
• 1/4 c whole milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 green onions, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13" pan. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking into small pieces as it cooks.  Drain the grease.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Add the butter, peppers and onion to the same skillet.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.  

Add the cooked sausage and pepper and onion mixture to the bowl with the eggs and stir.  

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the edges are set, and the center is barely jiggly.  

Allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.  Cut into serving squares. 

Enjoy!  Leftover can be stored in the fridge for 4 days.  Reheat in the microwave covered with a paper towel.  

Homemade Ranch Dressing

This Homemade Ranch Dressing is creamy, tangy, and delicious.  You probably already have all of the ingredients in your home, and it's so easy to make.  It not only tastes better and fresher than the store-bought stuff, it's a healthier alternative because it doesn't include seed oils, added sugar, and MSG.  Simply whisk together the ingredients and enjoy right away or later.  This dressing tastes better the next day after the ingredients have had a chance to mingle.  Store it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  

Ingredients: 

Yields 12 oz dressing 

Serving size: 2 tbsp

(< 1 carb per serving)

• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 c full-fat plain Greek yogurt, or 1/2 c mayonnaise 
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 tbsp white vinegar, or 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, or 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh dill, or 1/2 tsp dried dill
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste

Directions:

Combine and whisk together all of the ingredients.  Chill in the refrigerator. 

Enjoy!

Baked Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese (Keto)

 

You won't miss the "mac" in this delicious cauliflower mac and cheese!  I love this version because of the Greek yogurt.  It gives this a wonderfully creamy texture, not to mention the health benefits.  Between the cauliflower and Greek yogurt, this is an excellent source of vitamins A and B12, calcium, potassium, iodine, protein, fiber, and probiotics.  

Everything Bagel Bites with Almond Flour & Greek Yogurt (Keto)

 

It took me an embarrassingly 45 minutes to remember my login information on blogger.  I blinked, and it's been 3 1/2 years since my last blog post.  Lots of life has happened between May 2021 and now.  My homeschooler has graduated high school and is about to get her Associates in Early Childhood Education this spring, and my son began kindergarten this year.  Through it all, my love of cooking hasn't faltered.  

My husband has recently joined me in my low carb, no processed foods eating habits, and it's been a lot of fun experimenting with and enjoying some pretty fabulous recipes together.  He recently stumbled across a recipe on Instagram, and we decided to give it a try this weekend.  This was my first time using almond flour.  While I wasn't a fan of the price, I am a fan of the nutritional information as well as the cooking results.  

These were not only simple and quick to whip up, but they were delicious!  Each bagel bite tastes like an everything bagel, has a lovely crunch on the outside, and is warm and crumbly on the inside.  The consistency isn't quite the same as a bagel - more like a crumbly cake.  Slather a smidgen of whipped cream cheese on top to take it to the next level.  

These can be stored in the refrigerator. 

Instant Pot Seafood Boil

 

Hey, guys!  It's been a minute since I've last shared a recipe.  Over two years to be exact!  It was never my intention to go so long... but life!  We've experienced a lot of life change between then and now.  What's new?  Well, our son, Lucas, was born (already 26 months old).  He's brought us so much joy.  I also accepted the full-time position of Director of my church's Children's Ministry and Preschool.  While lots of things are different, lots of things are the same.  We still homeschool my little sous chef, who isn't little anymore.  She's turning 17 this year!  Finding time to cook, plate, photograph, and edit dishes has proven to be difficult, but there is still plenty of cooking and good eating happening over here.  Another thing that hasn't changed is God's goodness.  Even in a pandemic, He has blessed us with so much.  

Now that I've shared a little update, I might as well share a recipe that we thoroughly enjoyed this weekend.  I've made seafood boils in the past, but this was the first time trying it in my Instant Pot.  After a few bites, I had to pull out my phone to take a few pictures to share with all of you lovely people!  While the photos don't do it justice, it was phenomenal.  I'll be dreaming of dipping my crusty bread into the savory seafood broth for a long, long time.  So.  Good.  

Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken

I've been busy recently preparing for when our little bundle of joy arrives.  I'm currently at 38 weeks and growing larger and larger more and more impatient to meet our little guy!  In the meantime, I've been making lots and lots of freezer meals (recipes to come) and have also been playing around a lot with my Instant Pot.  

Easy Homemade Yogurt - Instant Pot (Cold Start)

I'm here to profess my undying love for my Instant Pot.  I've made so many wonderful things with it, and it's hard to choose what has been my favorite so far.  Chicken that literally falls off the bone, pot roast that melts in your mouth, healthy bone broth, hearty soups, amazingly creamy yogurt... the list goes on and on.

Who knew homemade yogurt could be so easy and tasty to make!?  With the Instant Pot, there's no need to go through the tedious steps of heating the yogurt to 180, cooling it to 115 degrees, etc.  This is a cold start recipe, meaning you simply dump the cold ingredients into the pot, cover it, use the yogurt setting, and then chill it in the refrigerator!  I won't be using store-bought yogurt anymore!  I love the fact that I can control exactly what I put into my yogurt!

Crescent Breakfast Ring

Merry Christmas!!

This is a make-ahead breakfast that is just perfect for the holidays.  Think Thanksgiving morning, Christmas morning, New Year's morning, Easter morning, etc.  It's very versatile, so you can really add any ingredients that your family enjoys.  Assemble it the night before and pop it in the oven when you're ready to eat!  So simple and so tasty!  Oh, and the presentation isn't bad either, huh?!  Next time, I'll use ham or breakfast sausage in place of the bacon, as the bacon kind of gets lost in everything.

Zuppa Toscana (Instant Pot Recipe)

On Friday, I'll be 30 weeks pregnant!  There is 14 years' difference between my little sous chef and our little... oh!  I just realized that I never announced the baby's gender!  We're having a...