Low Carb Jalapeño Crusted Chicken Tenders

I LOVE spicy food. Now this recipe you can do plain or with a kick. I recommend a nice Chuck Norris version with plenty of hot peppers & spices :-) but to each his own. 

To make it low carb I substituted coconut flour for whole wheat or all purpose. It's lower in carbs but a bit trickier to use. It's also has a sweetness to it that other flours don't. I like that but if you don't I'd use whole wheat pastry flour instead. 

Also the breading was a little more dry than regular flour. I would either mist with olive oil or use a different flour if that's a problem for you. 

The best part about this recipe is how quick it is to make. It's only about 5-10 minutes to prepare & it's in the oven for 20-25. You can easily have dinner on the table in 30-35 minutes with this one.

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil (this keeps the meat moist)

2 tbsp lemon juice (this makes the meat tender)

1/4 c coconut flour

Paprika 

Cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Cumin

6 chicken tenderloins

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil & position a wire baking rack that can go in the oven on top. 

3. In a shallow dish whisk together the lemon juice & olive oil. It should be cloudy & thick. 

4. In another bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Start with small amounts of the spices, adding more according to your tastes. (Remember the cayenne is hot, so use with caution.)

5. Chop up a Jalopeno pepper - 1 or 2 according to your taste preference & the hotness of the peppers. Keep in mind this step is completely optional. However if you dare to light the fire - add these to the dry ingredients. 

6. Dredge the tenderloins in the oil & lemon juice. Then through the breading.  

7. Place on the wire rack & bake for 20-25 minutes. 

(Pictured here are both plain & fiery versions)

I added my salt at the end because I often serve people on a low sodium diet, but feel free to mix yours in with your breading. 

While this is in the oven, take time to whip your favorite veggies to go with - steaming is always quick & healthy :-)

Last step: Enjoy!

Wild Caught Pink Salmon

Over the last month, I haven't been watching a lot of what I've been eating. My dad went to the Dr for a routine diagnostic procedure & they found cancer in his colon. He had major surgery to remove the part of his colon which contained the tumor. Now he's recovering& he will soon begin chemo. My mom & I took turns sleeping at the hospital for the week he was in there. Given all the stress & hospital food, I haven't done a good job clean eating. Unfortunately I am a stress eater, & even though I know God is looking out for Dad, this has been a pretty overwhelming experience.

I still want to glorify God with what I eat. It's important that I nourish the body that He has given me, because I'm going to need to be healthy in the months to come. 

So one thing I'm doing is low carb cooking in combination with clean eating. 

Tonight I made salmon filets. This recipe  uses boneless skinless wild caught pink salmon. It's pretty fast to make, so it's great for a healthy quick meal.

Ingredients

Soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce

Kitchen bouquet browning sauce 

Extra virgin olive oil

Wild caught pink salmon filets

1. Begin by drizzling extra virgin olive oil into a pan on the stove 2-3 tbsp. 

2. Add the filets and add the other ingredients (to taste). 

Worcestershire sauce

Soy sauce

Kitchen bouquet browning sauce, after pouring a small amount over each filet, brush the browning sauce to evenly distribute it. 

3. Heat over medium heat, turning the filets once during cooking. The juice from the filets will combine with the other ingredients to make a delicious sauce. Bring it to a boil and then it reduce. Serve warm with your favorite vegetable. 

4. Enjoy!