Chicken Tenders Recipe Roundup

Photo credit from the talented Sweet Treats: Food, Photography, Life

As parents,  we have many responsibilities in guiding our next generation to make their own decisions as they grown up; making healthy food choices is one of them.  Sometimes children are reluctant with trying new foods because of sensory sensitivity.  Some kids are sensitive to certain texture in their meals, others maybe be put off by the visuals on their plate, smell also plays an important role in appealing to the little ones' interest in their food.

When I came across this article I shared on my Facebook about a 17 years old girl who only ate chicken nuggets ( Yes ONLY) since she was 2, I struck up a few conversations with parents about their experience on the topic.  With this inspiration, I decided to do a recipe round up for AIP chicken tenders you can make at home for the little one.  I agree, chicken fingers/ tender are yummy and easy to eat, especially for young ones, but you don't have to rely on the fast food industry.

Thank you to all the contributors for this recipe round up.

http://www.thebaconmum.com/orangechickentenders/

http://www.grazedandenthused.com/#!Crispy-CarrotChicken-Tenders-AIPFriendly/cu6k/68D92AD2-4BC4-499B-8921-7E0062A3E250

http://www.beyondthebite4life.com/2014/11/kid-friendly-meal-part-1-chicken-tenders-aip.html

https://salixisme.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/bacon-wrapped-chicken-fingers/

http://sweet-treats-baking.blogspot.ca/2015/02/plantain-chip-chicken-aip-paleo.html?m=1

Clean

Besides food, a holistic lifestyle need to supported by ways like removing as much harmful chemicals as possible out of our every day lives.

In the past two years, I have gradually switched over household cleaning products through trail and error. Some natural cleaning products don't work very well and others are just not economical.

I thought I would share the safe cleaners I have found that works for me and are affordable.
Pink Solution - I use Pink Solution ( a Canadian product ) in my laundry and as an all purpose cleaner.  I make the heavy mix as suggested on their packaging and add 30 drops of my favorite essential oils to the 4 Galloon bottle.  I use 1/2 c of the heavy mix per load of laundry. For the all purpose cleaner, I dilute the heavy mix with water  ( 1 part mix to 4 parts water ) and use in a pump bottle for all purpose cleaning. For a spray bottle I dilute it more ( 1 part heavy mix to 6 part water)  I found this to be the best degreaser and soap scum remover. It really shines up my kitchen and bathrooms. I also use Mother's Choice  ( made by the same company as Pink Solution )to clean non-porous surfaces that may need little elbow grease.

I use Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile soup in several ways, we bath with it, use it as dish soup ( hand washing) and I like to mop with it. There was a recently change in their formula to include non-GMO corn in their product so if you are sensitive to corn, please take note. 

For dishwasher detergent, I was still searching high and low for a recipe that cleans well until Christina from A Clean Plate gave me her recipe here I still need to source out citric acid to see how that affect the cleaning power but so far her recipe is pretty good. Thank you
Below are a few more resources on  products I mentioned above and some extra cleaning recipes for you to try.

https://pinksolution.ca
https://www.drbronner.com
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/downloads/2011/QueenOfGreen-Green-cleaning-recipes.pdf
http://food52.com/blog/13568-the-6-all-natural-cleaning-products-you-should-be-making-at-home

What do you use to clean? Do you have a favorite natural cleaning product recipe you would like to share?

Oven slow roasted tamarind rhubarb lamb shank

My AIP adventures with new fruits and vegetables continues. This time it is rhubarb. I have enjoyed rhubarb in pies or crumbles but I found that this interestingly tart vegetable always need the company of lots of sweetener to make it palatable. This gave me the idea to take advantage of the natural sourness of rhubarb and use it to cook a fatty meat. That is how this recipe came about. Inside of adding more sweetener, I added tamarind to add a little sweetness but still playing up the tart of both these main ingredients. This make an easy AIP/ FODMAP ( easy modification included ) high fibre and hearty meal.  I really enjoyed it with Paleo Cajun Lady's cauliflower grit which one of my favorite side dishes in her latest creation - AIP Cajun Paleo Cookbook.  Check out her book for more tasty recipes. 

Serves 4   Prep time 15 mins    Cook time 4 hours 

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. lamb shank 
• 1 tbsp fat ( I used pastured lard) 
• 2 stalks rhubarb ( chopped into 3/4" pieces)
• 2 tamarind pods
• 1 stalk leek ( cut into 2-3 " pieces ) use only green part for low FODMAP
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 c kombucha or 1/2 c apple cider vinegar + 1/2 c water

• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300F
2. Sprinkle cinnamon and salt over lamb shank.
3. In a dutch oven or an oven proof pot with lid ( I used my cast iron one ), brown lamb shank over medium heat for about 5 mins each side.
4. Remove lamb from dutch oven/pot and set aside
5. Melt fat in same dutch over/pot and saute chopped rhubarb and leek over medium heat for about 10 mins
6. Place lamb shank back in dutch oven/pot, add tamarind and cooking liquids ( either kombucha or diluted apple cider vinegar). Cover with lid and place into preheated oven
7. Cook for 4 hours and baste at half time. 

AIP Hainanese Chicken

When I first starting focusing on healing my gut, I toyed around with different ways of eating to aid my digestion. I dug through my childhood food vault and remembered this long time favorite - Hainanese Chicken. I used think it must be difficult to make because it is so tasty.  Upon a little research, I realized that it is pretty easy and simple to make although does take a few extra steps. I assure you that the added effort is well worth it! The traditional recipe uses the whole chicken and is served with rice, but substitute with cauliflower rice or just eat it with a whole lot of steamed Asian greens like choy sum or Gai lan and you have an AIP and low FODMAP meal.

Serves 4 Prep time 15 mins Cook time 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 whole non medicated chicken 
• 2 -4 stalks of green onions
• 2-3" ginger root
• 2-3 tbsp sea salt
• 1-2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil or melted lard
• coconut aminos

(Optional) Ginger Sauce

• 2-3" peel ginger root ( grated)
• 1 stalk green onion ( finely minced)
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt

Mix all ingredients together and store in fridge

Instructions

1. Prepare chicken by rinsing your chicken in water and pad dry with paper towel.
2. (Photo 1) Scrub the skin smooth with sea salt. Yes exfoliate your chicken! 
3. Stuff the chicken with ginger slices and green onion sections and tie off with legs to keep the herbs inside.
4. Prepping an ice water bath by fill a second pot ( same size as cooking one) with ice and water. This is an important step to shrink the skin and stops the cooking to make the skin springy and chicken juicy.
5. Bring a big pot of water to boil ( keep in mind if you are cooking the whole chicken that your pot has to be big enough to fit the chicken in with water covering)
6. add 1 tsp sea salt and 2" of ginger root in water  
7. ( Photo 2 ) put chicken in rumbled salted water now on med heat for 20 min. 
8. When the chicken is cooked (No more pink liquid running out), take it out of hot water and dunk into ice water bath.  This stops the cooking and shrinks the skin to make it springy. 
9. ( Photo 3 ) Let it sit for a few minutes.
10. The cooking water becomes the beginning of a broth. It's not the same as long simmer bone broth but add some sliced mushrooms and more fresh green onion  and you have quick tasty clear soup to go with your chicken.
11. Serve with Cauliflower rice, poached kale, pickled cucumbers and ginger sauce

AIP Iced "americano" - cool refreshing anemia buster drink

I have a strong likes for bitters,  perhaps it is from childhood training of drinking Chinese medicine. Somehow that piece of dried plum the herbalist offers as an after treat made it all worthwhile. 

As I continue to search for more ways to improve my iron levels, I turn to my herbalist for advice. I have been drinking nettle tea with molasses but find that body still needs more iron. My herbalist ran down the list of suggestions like nutrient dense diet,  probiotics, fermented vegetables... which I am already complying with, then she suggested yellow dock.  Besides being rich in iron, yellow dock is known for it's liver detoxing properties. I asked what it taste like and she said "bitter" and let me smell it. She was probably a bit surprised when I said that I liked the smell which is a good sign. I believe our senses guide us to what are body needs. I bought a little to try. 

When I got home, I decided to play up the bitterness of the herbs and after a few tries I created this AIP version of iced coffee. I find it to be a refreshing drink with a sweet bitter kick, with the coconut milk, it makes a treat on a hot day. Because I am naturally drawn to bitter flavors, I am very interested to hear what other people think. Is it too bitter? Does it remind you of an iced americano? Please let me know. 

Makes 2 cups     Prep time 5 mins      Cook time 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp nettle leaves
• 1 tsp yellow dock root
• 1 tsp dandelion root
• 1 tsp honey ( optional but recommended unless you really like bitters) 
• 1 tsp molasses
• 2 cups water
• 1/8 - 1/4 c coconut milk

Instructions:

1. In a small pot, add all ingredients except sweeteners, bring to boil then simmer uncovered for 20 mins
2. Strain out roots and leaves and pour liquid into a mason jar, add sweeteners, 
3. Let cool and store in fridge until ready to use
4. Fill a tall glass with ice, pour 3/4 c cooled "tea" in, add desired amount of coconut milk and serve