Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Breast!

This weekend while planning out Cain's menu for the week he happened to be sitting right next to me. Seeing what I was doing he said "You should make those chicken fingers again, I loved them" Smiling, loving the fact that so far everything I've made him he has loved I said "Of course babe" And seeing how I had not tried them yet it was the perfect meal to plan for when I would be there Sunday night! Before leaving the house I went ahead and used my mom's spices for the breading! Shhh! She'll never know ;)

Here is the "EASY Gluten Free Breading" mix!

1 cup Almond Meal

1 tbsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Back Pepper

You'll also need:

1 lb Organic Chicken Breast

2 Eggs light beaten

Olive Oil for cookie sheet

I doubled the breading mix so that Cain could have it ready for the next time he wanted to make the chicken fingers!


It's so easy to put together.

Cut the chicken breast into strips ....

What I did was pour the breading mix on a plate, dipped the chicken strips into the eggs and then laid the strips of chicken on the plate with the breading, covered put sides and put them straight on the cookie sheet. Don't forget to put a little olive oil down first so that the breading does not stick to the pan! This took about 5 minutes and it was ready for the oven!

I baked them for about 20 minutes give or take. 

And there you have it! Gluten Free chicken fingers! Now yes I had to put all the spices together, beat my eggs, cut my chicken and cover them with the breading myself... and yes buying pre breaded chicken fingers would be a little easier but here is way I will NEVER do that.

Tyson. Good old Tyson. Have you guys ever watched Food, Inc. ? It's a must watch. One thing you need to know about the Tyson Chicken is that they inject their chickens with antibiotics before they hatch to help speed up the process to make them grow bigger, faster. It's not natural in anyway. I believe God designed our animals a certain way for a good reason. And not just Tyson but a lot of factories are doing this... Not because it's better for Americans but because it brings in more money! 

They know what they are putting on the shelves is not good for your health. But that hasn't stopped them from doing what they do. So think about what you are putting in your body the next time you go buy any kind of meat. When choosing Chicken though go for the Antibiotic-Free Organic Chicken. 

Now, the breading.

WHEAT: Many know now I don't eat wheat anymore. It's not just the gluten in wheat that I don't eat. Once I knew that the wheat we eat today is not the wheat that you hear about in the bible. I knew it wasn't for me anymore. I do think though if it's spouted, like the Ezekiel bread I buy Cain that it's a better choice. But I do think it should be in moderation. 

BROWN SUGAR: Just like regular Sugar this stuff is so additive and so very bad on your health. 

VEGETABLE OIL: This oil are manufactured in a factory, usually from genetically modified crops that have been heavily treated with pesticides. It contains harmful chemicals, that have been linked to Liver/kidney damage, immune problems, infertility or sterility, high cholesterol, and behavioral problems in children! It's extremely damaging to the reproductive system and the developing bodies of unborn babies. 

Wanna eat Vegetable oil again? 

When I hear about these chemical infested food protects it makes me sick. I was eating this stuff and not even knowing it! That's why I now look at the back of EVERYTHING I buy. Even if I know I won't eat it, I won't get it for Cain... and for sure not our children. 

Why take the chance of these side effects when you can just eat real, whole, natural foods.

The reasoning I used Almond Meal in the breading mix is because Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, which have been associated with reducing the rick of heart disease. It lowers cholesterol and almonds ability to reduce heart disease rick may also be partly due to the antioxidant action of the vitamin E found in Almonds. 

I try and use coconut flour more then almond flour when baking, but I will explain that in another post :)

And I swear, it's some good stuff. 

 Be aware. Be smart. Be healthy.

Always with love,
Lanette

Spa day

Will the snow ever end?! I think we just go the last of it yesterday but this is Indiana and you never know what the weather will be like! I had taken my morning run, showered and was dressed ready to go to church when they decided to cancel church due to the icy roads. Cain took the morning to get Nova her monthly spa day which includes nails clipped, hair brushed and extra cuddle time ;)

Cain needed food for the week and because I am going to be gone all day today at a funeral I went with him to the apartment after we ate lunch. I put together the breading for the chicken fingers I was going to make for is that night!

This was what the cart looked like before leaving! I already had enough chicken breast for his meals for the week, along with the left over chilli my mom sent home for Cain :) 

While we walking out of Kroger I saw some things on sale and one of those things were banana chips... One of my FAVORITE snacks of all time! But these aren't all for me.. They are for our party coming up this weekend!

Like always I spend a ton of time in the kitchen while at the apartment perparing the weeks meals for the future hubby! But we did get to sit and watch "About time" which could be one of our favorite movies for both of us! 

On the way home move rested. The roads had cleared up a tom from earlier that day so I was thinkful for that!

Now I'm in the back of my parents van on the way to a viewing. I hope everyone has a great day! Be thinking of Cain today around 1:00 because he ha a test to take! That I'm sure he will so fine but he always is so good about studying extra for any test! 

Lanette 

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (with secret ingredient!)

My soon to be hubby happens to be a huge fan of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. You too? So am I!  Ice Cream is one of those things that make the world go round, would you agree? It's good any time of the year, it comes in a ton of flavors and even had a truck named after it! 

But let's say you want to better your health and eat "Real" food but don't wanna give up Ice Cream. You've come to the right place! Eating healthy doesn't have to mean eating green beans for every meal or downing a cup of kale juice! It means making the best choices you can make everyday to better your health. If that's eating an apple besides a bag of chips or sipping on water instead of pop. I'm proud of you. At least you're trying! 

Now let's say you already are eating right, but your kids just won't have that spinach salad for supper. Make them some Ice Cream, yup you heard me! Ice Cream!

WAIT! Hold up now... Drop the Edy's Ice cream and put your hands in the air where I can see them!

Phew! That was a close one! I wasn't talking about THAT Ice Cream. Silly you!

This brings you to "I knew there was a catch" , didn't it?  The Ice Cream in stores today are loaded with unhealthy ingredtients some that do damage to your body! Here is what the back of a Edy's Ice Cream looks like... 

So sure SKIM MILK: not going to kill you

CREAM: (Even though isn't organic) not going to kill you. 

SUGAR: Dr. David Reuben says "White refined sugar-is not a food. It is pure chemical extracted from plant sources, purer in fact than cocaine, which is resembles in many ways. It's true name is sucrose and its chemical formula is C12H22O11. It has 12 carbon atoms, chemical formula for cocaine is C17H21NO4. Surgar's formula again is C12H22O11. For all practical purposes, the difference is that sugar is missing the "N", or nitrogen atom"

What's he saying? Sugar is like cocaine. 

WATCH! (After you read post)

FRACTIONATED PALM KERNEL OIL: Processed crap!

SOY LECITHIN: That's a no go! 

NATURAL FLAVOR: Beaver BUTT. 

CORN SYRUP: Causes OBESITY, DIABETES, TOOTH INFECTIONS and DECAY! Increases risk of HEART ATTACK and HEART DISEASE. MOOD swings. AND SO MUCH MORE!

YELLOW 5: Hyperactivity in children, sign of ADHD

BLUE 1: It is suspected to cause cancer, and has also been linked to learning and behavioral problems. AND is banned in most European countries (But it's find to use in America because why??)

If that doesn't make you want to never eat that kind of ice cream again, I don't know what will!

So let's go back to the healthy part in all this! Here is the recipe for the Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (With a secret ingredient!)

1 can of Full Fat Coconut Milk

1/3 cup Organic sugar OR 1 Banana OR Honey

1/3 Enjoy Life Chocolate chips

2 teaspoon Peppermint extract 

hand full of SPINACH

Yes spinach!

Put all ingredients in a blender (beside chocolate chips), blend until smooth... 

Once smooth pour the mixture into the Ice Cream maker (Thanks mom for mine!)

Add chocolate chips.

Eat any chocolate chips that fall out .... 

Now wait 20 minutes, and come back to THIS! This is the real green too! 

I know what you're thinking "Gross, it probably tastes like spinach" Well I can tell you NO it doesn't! But I know how I am with things, I won't believe you until I try it. So, try it. Let your kids try it first! See what they say, swear to you... you can't taste the spinach. 

 I freeze the ice cream in these glass containers for when Cain is ready for some yummy treat at night, or afternoon... or whenever he decides. Because unlike the Edy's Ice Cream that has damaging affects on you. This one is more like a bonus on your body that you can enjoy eating without guilt.

COCONUT: Is a healthy fat, signs have shown to help you lose weight. Improves heart health. Rich in antioxidants, which prevents the development of many diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, alzheimer's disease and age-related dementia.

CANE SUGAR: Hear me out, sugar is sugar. I prefer using the Banana or Honey but this won't kill you to eat in moderation. Treat's are meant to be enjoyed, but choose your sweetener wisely and beware of the side effects of sugar.... it can be addicitve. Unrefined cane sugar contains 17 amino acids, 11 minerals, and 6 vitamins, including antioxidants that may help reverse oxidative damage.

ENJOY LIFE CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Gluten-Free, Dairy-free, Peanut-Free, Tree-nut free, Soy Free, Egg free and Casein-free.

SPINACH: Loaded with Vitamins: A, K, D and E. Source of Omega 2 fatty Acids (Good for you!) Anti-Cancer and anti-Inflammatory Antioxidants! Helps give you healthy bones! One of the best sources of dietary potassium. Great source of Iron. Helps with your hair and skin health! And SO MUCH MORE!

I'm bashing Edy's Ice Cream, not you. When I write about the side effects of the processed food in America I'm not calling you out saying "How dare you eat that!" I've ate that. But once I knew what was in it, I did stop. I'm trying to better myself, and learning these things for the benefits of our future children. They will make mistakes just like Cain and I did and do! But I'm not going to stand by and not teach them the benefits of healthy foods and the side effects of processed foods.

Be aware. Be smart. Be healthy.

:)

Lanette

Wrestling meet weekend

Wow look at me, writing a blog post in the middle of the weekend! Most weekends I'm either working while Cain works or Cain is working and I'm busy! So here Cain is working and I'm home alone with Nova Blu.

Right now as I write there is some yummy homemade Mint Ice Cream in the making down stairs! I can hear my ice cream maker at work. Cain is going to be pretty happy to come home to that tonight!

Friday's have turned into a real full out laziness day! Fridays is my day off and Cain normally doesn't work Friday's until after 3:00pm. So we both sleep in as long as we can. That means I wake up at 7:30am... Cain at like 9:30 ;) Actually Cain is waking up a lot earlier these days. He brought his laptop into my room to do his FASTA info and then played a game of Mario :) As I lay there with him I am counting my blessings for so many things. Life is so wonderful, even through the hard times. I can't thank God enough for what he has done in my life.

Cain was a huge help Friday with cleaning up our rooms. Since Cain moved out his and my room have been the trash zone of all our things. With still moving things over to the apartment and me trying to get rid of the things we don't need there was just a reck of everything in one place! We were able to back up some more things to take to the apartment and then clean the rest up!

Nothing is better then a clean room!

This morning we headed over to Huntington for a Jr. High wrestling meet. It was Sam's birthday today also so it was a bonus to get to wish him Happy Birthday and see him wrestle!

Wrestling meets are long and always early on the weekends. So you get up early, drive far, then sit and wait for your kid to wrestle. Sometimes the match only last a minute! And then you sit and wait again (sometimes an hour or more) to see him wrestle again! These parents are such great support and true fans I tell ya! One day it will be us as the parents, cheering on our little boys probably downing coffee to stay awake!! But we honestly can't wait for that! Cain will be one of those dad's yelling at the referee and getting asked to leave the building. Just wait, it will happen and I will laugh. 

Cain is my rock! I am so lucky to have him in my life!

While at the meet Cain's younger cousin was telling us about the guy who cheated on her (If I see that kid he will get a talking to from both Cain and I, by the way!) and how big of a jerk in the end he was. I looked at her and said "Honestly, you won't find anyone like your cousin Cain, no one is as great as him" We laughed and she knew I was joking, not about Cain being the best but that she wouldn't find a guy! I do believe there are great guys out there, but I know also that they are becoming fewer and fewer. One who is loyal, loving, not quick to anger, an leader and hard worker! Those are becoming rare. I treature Cain and all that he stands for.

That wonderful guy I was just talking about got called into work early tonight so we had to leave the meet early. We got home and he was able to sit down for a minute before having to leave.

Nova came up and sat down next to him. She's spoiled

That left me home alone! So I am going to get some work done here around the house and like I said before I am making the ice cream now and then going to prepare my supper!

What's your Saturday evening like tonight? Tell me all about it :)
Lanette