coconut chicken nuggets

“YUM!”  That will be the unanimous response from the family once you make these tasty chicken nuggets!  We got this gem of a recipe from Health Bent (a new favorite of ours!).  This recipe is super easy, family-friendly (even your pickiest little eater will munch away) and quick to come together.  Pair it with their Curry Mustard Sauce for more yumminess!

We modified the curry mustard sauce to be a little more kid-friendly for our two little nuggets.

1 pound organic ground chicken

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup + 1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup dessicated coconut*

1/2 cup coconut oil

salt & pepper, to taste

1.)  In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup dessicated coconut and salt & pepper.  Mix it with your hands.  In a seperate bowl, combine the ground chicken, 1/2 cup almond flour, onion and garlic powders, egg yolk and salt & pepper.  Mix with your hands until everything has been incorporated.

2.)  In a saute pan, melt the coconut oil on medium heat.

3.)  Take about 2 Tablespoons worth of chicken mixture and in the palm of your hand, roll it in a ball.  Drop it in the almond/coconut mixture and roll around until completely coated.  Repeat with the rest of the chicken.  Place in the saute pan and cook on each side until nice and brown.

Curry Mustard Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1-2 teaspoons mustard

couple dashes of curry powder

Stir all ingredients together and add more mustard and curry powder as desired.

* Dessicated coconut is dried, finely shredded, unsweetened meat of the coconut.  It's the perfect size to replicate a bread crumb. 

spaghetti casserole

Remember casseroles of the past… based from a can of soup and processed ingredients? This dish is fresh, updated comfort food with a family-friendly, healthy twist!  It’s loaded with veggies, protein and good carbs!   Tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic & ground beef top creamy Parmesan noodles.  If you want to make it vegetarian, omit the beef (you can replace with soy crumbles or sauté a cup of veggies).  

Most kids love spaghetti!  And almost every Mom (like me), loves a dinner recipe that is both delicious & nutritious (and makes enough for two nights… a definite bonus!).  This spaghetti casserole fits the dinner bill and will quickly become a family favorite.  Move on over processed casseroles and say hello to fresh, healthy and easier versions!

8-ounce box of wheat, vegetable or regular spaghetti noodles

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cups cottage cheese

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1.)  Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Toss spaghetti with Parmesan cheese, egg and olive oil.  Evenly place in a lightly greased (with olive oil) 13x9 glass baking dish.

2.)  Evenly spread cottage cheese over spaghetti mixture.

3.)  In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper and garlic over medium to medium-high heat until beef is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are tender.

4.)  Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and sugar.  Cook until thoroughly heated.

5.)  Evenly spoon over cottage cheese.  Evenly spread mozzarella cheese over dish.

6.)  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

What dinner dish would you like to see updated with a fresh, healthier twist?

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jamaican jerk chicken

Your family will catch island fever with this Caribbean rub! The blend of thyme, a little cayenne and garlic provides plenty of flavor. To  omit all heat, skip the black & cayenne pepper - the kiddies will love the flavor without spice.

Pair with our oven-baked sweet potato fries!  {click here for the recipe!}

1 1/2 pounds organic/free-range, skinless chicken
1/2 small sweet onion (Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla), chopped
1 scallions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil

(1.) In a food processor (or blender), combine all ingredients except the chicken. Pulse until combined.
(2.) Place the chicken breasts in a glass bowl and top with the jerk mixture. Make sure the chicken is completely coated with the seasoning. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate overnight or for several hours.
(3.) Heat a heavy 10-12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and arrange the chicken breasts in the pan and sauté for 5-10 minutes on each side until chicken is thoroughly cooked. To grill: place over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes, turning once.

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mango ice cream

I scream, you scream. We all scream for home-made ice cream!

This dessert is so refreshing, simple and healthy. It has the creamy goodness of ice cream & the refreshing taste of sherbet. Grab a spoon and dig in!

1 ½ cups mango, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
15-ounce can of sweetened cream of coconut
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
¾ cup water

(1.) Place the mango in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Push the mango through a sieve. Rinse out the blender to discard the mango fibers.
(2.) Pour the mango back into the blender or food processor. Add the cream of coconut, lime juice and water. Blend all of the ingredients and freeze in an ice-cream maker.

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cook with your kids!

Getting children into the kitchen and teaching them to cook is an excellent way to help them appreciate the foods they are eating and teach them an important skill that will last a lifetime. Not only are they able to learn about food, but also be taught the ins and outs of the kitchen.

Hot stoves, sharp knives and scalding water are just some of the dangers in the kitchen. Little cooks are eager to roll up their sleeves and get cooking, but not able to handle a lot of the tasks. Here are some ingredients to make cooking with kids a tasty experience:

• When you feel that your child is ready, get cooking! When you notice that your child is curious and showing some interest with meal preparations, it’s definitely time to work with them in the kitchen. If your child doesn’t show any interest but is 5+ years old, you may want to encourage their participation with a recipe.

• Picky eaters turn into adventurous diners when they prepare their own meal! Pull out some cookbooks and take your little chef to the store with you. Including them in the entire process will get your child excited about the end result and typically that includes happily eating the dish they helped to make.

• Today’s meal can also be part of today’s lesson plan. Cooking naturally integrates math and science and is a great way to talk to your tyke about numbers, fractions, sequencing and understanding how food changes while baking & cooking. Additionally, cooking also helps children with their fine motor skills and allows them to express their creativity!

• Expect excitement and a mess. A lot of children will be super enthusiastic sous-chef’s, but keep a close eye on them at all times and know their physical limitations. I allow my four year old to peel vegetables (because he is pushing the peeler away from him), but I watch him the whole time and know that what will start out as a beautiful carrot, will end up a mangled orange twig (with plenty of peel on the floor).

• What do you do when the only tasks are “big people” jobs? Keep them busy and contributing by allowing them to set the table, make place cards and pick music to accompany the meal. Just being together during food preparation is a wonderful way to expose them to the joys of cooking!

Little kids are typically capable of:
Whisking eggs
Sifting dry ingredients
Stirring
Kneading dough
Sprinkling cheese
Lining a muffin tin

Bigger kids are probably able to:
Crack open and whisk eggs
Measure & sift dry ingredients
Knead & shape dough
Line a muffin tin and fill the muffin cups with batter
Cut & grate vegetables
Ice a cake

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