Shredded Crockpot Chicken

I’m a little embarrassed to post this. It is SO EASY! But, it’s SO awesome and a staple in my kitchen, so…. here it is:

6-8 thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt

1 tablespoon Red Rocks seasoning (Savory Spice Shop) or sub smoked paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. ancho chili powder

Optional: 1-2 cloves minced garlic

1 medium onion, chopped

If using the optional aromatic veggies, place them into your slow cooker first. Then, layer the chicken breasts on top and season.

Then, turn it on and leave it alone! Really! Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-12 hours. My preference is to put it on in the evening and let it go overnight. Then, in the morning, shred and store. Use 2 forks and pull in opposing directions to shred. This will evenly distribute the spices, too.

This chicken is just perfect for chicken salad, enchiladas, chicken soup, nachos, burrito stuffings or a deconstructed “bowl” with black beans, guac’, rice and salsa. We use it for all kinds of things. Of course, you can use any seasoning you prefer but this one is a winner e’ry time!

Asparagus Frittata

Oh Man! I love a good frittata! Some sweet friends showed up with a lovely batch of asparagus fresh from their family garden and I knew immediately what would be happening. A frittata! Thank you, Brian & Karen!

Although it sounds fancy, a frittata is just a baked omelet. Your frittata will only be as good as your eggs, so choose wisely. Connect with sources at your local farmers market or by asking around – you will be surprised how easy it is to find free pastured, local and sustainable eggs – and they have the most gorgeous orange yolks to boot!

To create:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bunch asparagus (12-15 medium stalks or 20+ pencil stalks), chopped in 1 inch pieces

1 Tbsp bacon fat (or other natural fat like butter or coconut oil)

3-4 sliced bacon, crispy cooked, chopped fine

10-12 eggs, beaten

1/2 – 1 cup finely shredded Colby jack cheese

good salt and fresh ground black pepper

Place an ovenproof skillet on medium low heat and add 1 Tbsp. bacon fat. When it’s loose enough to coat the pan, add chopped onion. Cook until soft and translucent. Add asparagus and enough salt and fresh ground black pepper for the veggies in the pan. Cook and stir until the asparagus turns bright green. Add the bacon pieces and reduce heat to low.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While veggies have been softening, crack eggs into mixing bowl. Add 1 tsp. Himalayan or Celtic salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper and whisk into eggs. Pour eggs into pan. Gently cook eggs until about half-set. Add desired amount of grated cheese and top with whole asparagus, if desired.

Place pan into oven and watch closely. Once the eggs are almost set (maybe 3-5 minutes) switch the broiler on. Broil until lightly brown. Remove immediately. Allow to set for at least 5 minutes before slicing into pie shaped wedges. Give Thanks for Good Friends who share and ENJOY!

Chicken Salad

I LOVE chicken salad. We eat it regularly in warmer weather as part of a bigger salad like this:

In cooler months, I will split sourdough rolls and top the same recipe with avocado slices and cheese, melting it under the broiler for chicken salad melts. However we eat it, we never tire of this. And, it is SO EASY to make with staples we keep on hand. Try it – and you will LOVE it, too!

For chicken salad, you obviously need chicken. You can use a ready-made rotisserie chicken (skin and bones removed). You can slow cook one that you then skin, bone and shred. I like to do this for special guests – and that’s my husband’s favorite version. For ease, purchase the large canned white meat chicken at your local grocer or big box store.

12.5 oz can chicken, drained

3-4 stalks of celery, diced fine

1/3 medium red onion, diced fine

1 apple (Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or other firm, crisp variety), diced fine

1 Tbsp. real mayo

1 Tbsp. good olive oil

1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

zest and juice of 1 small lemon (optional, but really freshens up the flavor)

1 cup chopped pecans (or other nuts, if preferred)

Into a medium mixing bowl, zest and juice lemon, add mayo, EVOO and black pepper. Stir to combine.

Add in finely chopped celery, onion and apple, (I chop mine in a salsa maker) mixing well.

Flake in chicken and stir gently to combine. Add pecans last, right before serving so they don’t lose their crunch.

Crazy Good!

Salmon Patties on Pink Lentils

…with a garnish of bacon and a side of oven-roasted broccolini. Oh, my! What are we celebrating??

LIFE! And, protein! Sometimes an ordinary day can be made special with a special meal. This looks swanky, but is simple to make and surprisingly inexpensive. Let’s get the lentils going and then start the salmon patties, er… “croquettes” if you want to sound fancy.

1 cup of pink lentils – sorted, debris removed – get them ready and set aside

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

Into a medium saucepan over medium heat, place the onion and red pepper. Drizzle enough olive oil onto the veggies so they don’t stick and cook for 3-4 minutes. Once the veggies are soft, add the pink lentils and 2 cups of chicken broth. You may need more liquid later, but wait and see. We want a nice, thick base for the salmon patties so the lentils do not need to be wet and soupy. When the lentils come to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and place a lid on the pan. Keep an eye on them, but let them go a little longer than usual – about 25 minutes. Make sure you have enough liquid so the lentils don’t stick to the bottom. Add either water or chicken broth, as needed, up to 1 more cup total.

For the salmon patties:

1 can salmon (15 oz), drained but not squeezed – just pour off extra liquid

1 Tbsp. spicy whole-grain mustard

3 Tbsp. minced onion

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

zest of one lemon

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

3-4 Tbsp. flour or finely ground oats – this will be more or less, depending on how much moisture is in mixture

2 eggs

Put everything except eggs into a bowl and mix together. Add eggs and stir gently. It should be moist and workable. If it seems too wet, add some additional flour. This is the most important part of making the patties. If they are too wet, they will spread and break apart. If they are too dry, they won’t adhere. Once you get the salmon mixture *right*, heat a skillet to medium low. You will need some fat (butter, olive oil, bacon drippings, coconut oil, whatEV) Add enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan. Using your hands and a spoon, scoop out and shape each patty, gently laying it in the hot oil. Leave space between each, cooking 3 at a time to total 6 patties in two batches.

Hopefully, your lentils have softened up nicely in the meantime. If they are too wet, take the lid off and let the extra liquid bubble off. Stir and break them up to form a nice very-thick-soup-like consistency.

To serve: spoon out about a half cup of pink lentils into a bowl. Place 1-2 salmon patties artistically on one side. Crumble 2 slices of extra-crisp bacon in a small bowl and sprinkle on top. (See: BACON post) Place oven-roasted broccolini on the side (See: Oven Roasted Veggies post) and you are there.

Baby Lima Bean and Chorizo Casserole

ok – I’ll admit this one seems a bit weird. It came about years ago and has evolved into its current and *most delicious* incarnation. I think of this as a spicy white-bean-dip-you-can-eat-for-supper. And, it’s pretty perfect for these really cold nights. We will get back to salads and lighter fare once the weather warms up past freezing!

To begin, sort and rinse 1lb of baby lima beans. Soak for 6 hours (or overnight).

Drain. Place beans into a sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and allow to cook until tender, about 2 hours. You can cook the beans a day or two before you put this together, if you prefer. Once the beans are tender, add 1tsp. Celtic or Himalayan pink salt. Please use good salt – that white, bleached stuff has been stripped of micronutrients and is nothing but trouble!

When you are ready to assemble, sauté your veggies. I used:

1 Poblano pepper, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 sweet red pepper, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

Place the chopped aromatics into a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of fat (going with the pork theme, I used bacon drippings). Cook til tender, about 5-7 minutes. Slide the veggies to one side of the pan and add 1lb chorizo.

Brown and break up the chorizo, mixing with veggies as you go.

By now, the baby lima beans are tender and mushable. I like them to be about the texture of refried beans. One thing that’s helpful is to cook them in just enough water to do the job – then, you don’t have to drain and the starchy liquid left in the beans helps to pull it all together. It’s going to work, either way!

Once the meat is done (no pink remaining), add the baby lima beans to the skillet. If your beans are wet and soupy, drain them first. Be sure to reserve some of the starchy cooking liquid in case you need to add a little liquid back.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Dig out your favorite casserole pan (9×13 or a round one deep enough to hold everything). Add the cooked beans to the skillet and stir well. Taste it and correct any seasoning issues. Now, carefully pour the chorizo/bean/veggie mixture into the casserole pan, adding in a handful of grated cheddar cheese.

If it seems too wet, bake uncovered. If you feel like the moisture level is right, cover with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes or until it’s all bubbly and the eaters start to assemble. Serve with a big chopped salad and lots of fresh toppings and tortilla chips for scooping. We had:

diced avocado

finely diced red pepper

finely chopped red onion

sour cream

and I WISH I’d had some cilantro – would’ve been even better!

Seriously GOOD eating.

Broiled Salmon Fillet

How have I not posted about salmon before? It’s a definite favorite. My Dad spent a summer working on a fishing boat in Alaska and we got hooked (sorry!) off his surplus of line-caught salmon. The secret for perfectly cooked fish is having it completely thawed before it goes into the oven and not overcooking. TIME in the heat is the process that develops the “fishiness factor” so, cook it fast and hot. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees, lay the fillet on parchment paper (skin-side down) and prepare the glaze.

In a small bowl mix:

1 Tbsp. spicy, whole-grain mustard

1 Tbsp. molasses

Stir together and smear over the top of the salmon. Season with a nice sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper.

Place your pan into the oven on a middle rack and turn the broiler on. Allow to broil for 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Turn the pan around for even browning and watch closely. You want color and sizzle but not blackening. Ideally, there’s some degree of gradation toward the middle of the salmon but it takes a bit of finesse to pull this off. It’s gonna be delicious, either way! Oh, the tender flesh, the sweet from the molasses and the spiciness of the mustard! Bliss, pure bliss.

This recipe is so simple and delightful I hope you will try it – even if you “think you don’t like fish”.

Saturday Eggs

Oh, how I LOVE weekends! We eat breakfast daily but, on weekends, it can be a little later, a little more relaxed and even a little tastier! We call these Saturday eggs but they can be enjoyed on any day of the week. Customize this to suit your families preferences – this is just a process. If you want potatoes, add potatoes. For more heat, use jalapenos. Got some mushrooms that need to be used up? Chop them and toss them in. You get the idea. You can expand this to feed a crowd. For today, I am feeding 2, and we’ll have no trouble eating all this! I just so happened to have red pepper, purple onion and bacon on hand and that’s how these evolved.

Heat your skillet to low-medium. To the hot skillet, spoon in 1-2 Tbsp. bacon grease. Then, add your chopped veggies. I used about 1/3 cup of each. Add a little salt and pepper and let them go, stirring occasionally. Cook 10-15 minutes until the water is released from the veggies and they are soft – can’t have crunchy bites in your eggs, now can we? The lower and slower these cook, the sweeter the onions and peppers will get. When the veggies are “there” with maybe some browning to the edges, add your pre-cooked bacon* {see previous post BACON}. Again, I used about 1/3 cup, chopped fine.

Now, the eggs. Add salt and pepper and whip them up!

And, into the pan they go!

When the eggs are about half-set, add in a handful of grated cheese.

Continue cooking and stirring gently, bringing cooked parts up and letting egg liquid get to the heat at the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and serve!

*Note: If your bacon is raw, simply cook it in the same skillet at the start. It will render the fat needed for the veggies. Once the bacon is done, remove it from the pan. Allow to cool and chop. Return it to the same pan as described above.

Sauteed Kale and Eggs

Meet my new favorite breakfast!

Kale and eggs – if you haven’t eaten greens for this most important meal of the day… Well, what are you waiting for? They are freaking delicious. The first time I had cooked greens for breakfast was in Jamaica – I found out it’s OK. Other cultures *apparently* do this, so don’t be afraid of a little out-of-the-ordinary culinary excursion.

Besides being my favorite breakfast food, eggs are nutritional powerhouses. Out-dated nutritional advice shuns eggs. Jump into the new millennium and experiment with all the fabulous superfoods – starting with eggs!

Recipe: with so few ingredients, it’s really important to not skimp on quality here!

eggs, 1-2 per person (free pastured, local eggs are best)

kale, 1 big handful per person (organic, pre-chopped in the bag is a major time-saver)

fat, 1 tsp. (bacon grease, butter, coconut oil or a combo of these)

salt (Himalayan pink salt, sea salt)

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium low for 5 minutes.

To the hot pan, add your choice of fat. I use about 1 teaspoon bacon grease. Add 1 big handful of chopped kale and salt.

It will spit and sputter from the moisture on the greens and that’s OK. Saute the kale 2-3 minutes or until you get a deepening in color and they wilt reducing the volume by about half. You may get some “cooked” spots on the kale, that is just fine, as well. Remove the kale to serving plate.

If the greens have absorbed all the fat, add a bit more. Gently crack 1-2 eggs into same skillet.

Don’t move ’em, don’t touch ’em at all! Add salt (and pepper, if desired). When cooked to your preference, gently slide a spatula under the eggs and place right on top of the kale. Beautiful! Delicious! Nutritious! Bon Appetit!

That’s it! How simple and way faster than driving through some scary clown establishment. Feed yourself, feed your kids and enjoy!

A final word about salt: If you don’t think you like greens, try adding some salt. Go easy – it’s way easier to add than it is to take out. Remember your greens will shrink by about half, so when you salt, salt for about half the amount you normally would. Very often there is a bitterness associated with greens, like kale. Salt will reduce the bitterness. So, get high-quality, natural salt (not bleached and processed) and use it to enhance your greens!

Green Eggs and Ham Fritatta

Move over, Dr. Suess! This is what I’m talking about:

What you have here is a protein-packed powerhouse of nutrition using a ton of kale, farm-fresh eggs, ham and cheddar cheese. A fritatta is an Italian baked omelet. It is easy and delicious. Let’s make one!!

Start by packing your blender full of kale greens,

about 8 oz.

You will need to add liquid (water or milk) to liquify the kale. Start with 1/4 cup of liquid and add more as needed.

Now, add in the eggs. For this big ole fritatta, you need a full dozen farm fresh eggs. Look at the color of those yokes! You don’t find that at the grocery store!! Add the eggs to your blender along with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tps. black pepper and pulse a few times to incorporate.

Meanwhile, finely chop 1.5 cup of ham and a red onion. Cook this over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet with a tsp. of butter to brown the ham and soften the onions. This will take about 7 minutes. Now would be a good time to pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the meat is browned to your liking turn the heat to low, add the green eggs to the pan.

As the eggs begin to set, gently stir and let the all the ingredients become friends. Because you have added more liquid (from the kale and water/milk) it will be a little looser than “just eggs” so let it go til you think it’s about half-way set.

Top this with 1 cup (or more, I won’t tell!) of grated cheddar cheese and slide the whole thing into your preheated oven.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the center is mostly set and the cheese is melty. Now, switch your oven to broiler and brown the top. Don’t let it burn! Just let it take on some broiler action loving! Remove from heat and let it sit out for 10 minutes. This allows any moisture to draw back into the fritatta and makes for beautiful slices.

Down Dog, Salty Dog

Peace, Love and Astaxanthin

Tag Archives: high protein