Archive for the ‘ Chicken ’ Category

Its a noodle, its a pancake, its a tortilla

Egg White Crepe

OMG this was so easy I don’t know why I didn’t try it sooner. A week ago I noticed that Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint Cookbook had a recipe for Enchilada’s using egg white tortillas. I thought, “That looks good but a little labor intensive.” Then I was watching Psych and a short order cook was making egg white omelets on a huge flat cooktop, then I made creme brulee and had a bunch of egg whites sitting in the fridge, then Divine Health posted a link to a recipe for egg white pancakes. So I thought, “Okay universe, I’ll just do it already.”

Your initial thought might be that a substitute is not as good as the real thing. And you might be correct if you don’t normally eat this way. But I’ve had bread and pasta eliminated from my diet for awhile now. Honestly I don’t really even like the taste of it anymore. I can handle a bun on a really greasy cheeseburger though I pick most of it off. I’ve tried pasta and its really the creamy sauce, meat and veggies that I crave. I’ve tried a soft shell taco and I felt like I was eating wadded paper coated with glue. I do not at all miss wheat products-though I might try a sugar cookie if one crosses my path. It is so true that it becomes an addiction and doesn’t really appeal to actual hunger or cravings for a certain flavor.

I’ve made French Toastless and it satisfies  that sweet breakfast tooth. But the idea of being able to wrap some berries or jam with something actually nutritious appealed to my affinity for food presentation. I also thought it might provide the texture you just can’t get with scrambled eggs or coconut flour baked goods. And these egg white pancakes certainly fit the bill.

And its so much easier then I thought it would be.

THE RECIPE

8 egg whites-it turned out to be about 5 large pancakes

a dash of cream-though this can be eliminated

butter or coconut oil for frying

I whisked the ingredients together in my mixer til the eggs were frothy

Heat the skillet and the butter-I used non-stick because I haven’t completely gotten used to frying in cast iron and my other pans were dirty. I do like how easy non-stick is but I worry about the toxins that can be released-you make your own personal decision on the matter.

I scooped up the mixed egg white in a 1/3 cup (though I didn’t fill it full) and poured it in my skillet. The whites ran and made an uneven circular shape-our house isn’t very square-lol. I took my spatula and kind nudged the edge the sides toward the middle. It only took about 30 seconds for the egg whites to harden enough to flip them and even less for the the other side to harden.

I did re-butter the pan every time I made a new one.

There you  have your egg white whatever.

Egg White Tortilla Roll

Now you can use your Egg White Pancake for whatever you can think up. The Primal Blueprint Cookbook has a recipe for enchiladas. My husband suggested cutting them into strips and adding them to warmed chicken soup. This morning I added a little syrup and cut it into small bits for one tot and rolled it around a little raspberry jam and topped it with a little syrup and cinnamon for myself and the other tot. You could also add a little whipped cream cheese in the middle for a really rich crepe.  I used to make flour crepes all the time as a kid and I can honestly say this is so much tastier and filling. The texture is perfect and the taste is not funky at all.

What have/would you use your egg white whatever for?

 

2011
02/04
CATEGORY
Chicken
Egg
Fruit
Soup
Treat
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Curry Soup

Its easy. Its spicy. Its yellow.

Its also adjustable to your taste buds. And of course being the kind of dump-and-pour, eyeball-it, and sniff-it cook I am, I don’t use exact measurement or make it the same way every time.

The basic ingredients:

1 quart of homemade chicken broth

1 can of coconut milk—or make it yourself here

Curry powder–I used about 2 Tbs I think. You can buy it premade or a search online will bring up lots of options to make your own. I haven’t tried it yet but I do add more cinnamon to the blend I buy.

Chopped veggies – for the one pictured I used 2 sweet potatoes, 2 thick carrots, and three celery stalks. Use what you have and  like. You could even add lentils, beans, rice, or white potatoes if your tummy and waistline can handle those.

Chopped cooked meat– for the one pictured I used leftover chicken but you can use roasts from just about any animal or even shrimp.

The Secret Ingredient: about 3 Tbs. of cashew butter- I love the added complexity it adds.

Dump the broth, coconut milk, and curry powder in a pot. Chop up veggies and put them in the pot. I chop them all pretty small. Partly so they cook faster and partly because it means less cutting up for the toddlers to eat it after its cooked. Bring to a boil then simmer.

After the veggies are almost tender I throw the meat in to warm up.

I added the cashew butter last. There was no reason for it other then it was an afterthought. You could probably add it at the beginning.

Thankfully Curry is something everyone in this house actually enjoys-in fact after I made it I hardly had time to eat some myself because I was busy filling and re-filling my kids’ bowls and then cleaning them up. At least it gave my soup time to cool. 🙂

 

2011
01/11
CATEGORY
Chicken
Veggie
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fried cheese and chicken

fried cheese with poultry and veg

The perfect lunch to use up leftovers-especially those Thanksgiving leftovers.

Slice cheese, chunk up chicken or turkey, and portion out a few leftover cooked veggies.

Heat up skillet on medium.

Lay in the slices of cheese and pile on the meat and veggies. Let it sit til the cheese is melted. Once its melted, I turn up the heat to medium-high for about a minute because I like crisp cheese.

Flip it onto a plate and enjoy.

2010
11/28
CATEGORY
Chicken
Dairy
Veggie
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Creamy Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie Soup

Turkey Pot Pie Soup with peas, roasted sweets and carrots with thyme

 

Its the filling without the crust. Sometimes I like to add cheese you can also do a diary free version and omit the cream and cheese for Not-so-plain Chicken Soup.

Take that delicious chicken broth you made a few days ago and put it in  a pot. If my broth turns out gelatinous then I add water to the soup. Then chop up some veggies.

Throw in the ones that take longer to cook like:

sweet potatoes (I’ve been using Japanese yams because my local health food store had them)

carrots

turnips

parsnips

celery

mushrooms

Boil til soft and add the slower cook veggies like:

peas

green onion

Throw in some leftover chicken and bring it back to a boil.

Add some cream (or not) and any other seasonings you like-I like thyme. I add a little salt and a lot of pepper since I don’t use much when I make the broth. Cook til warm but not boiling.

I then ladle mine over a bowl of cheese and spinach (or other greens like kale and chard). Let it sit a few minutes to cool down and enjoy. I actually enjoy this just as much using only two of the veggies-whatever is in the house.

Sometimes I just use leftover veggies and throw them in after I’ve brought the broth to a boil.

2010
05/23
CATEGORY
Chicken
Dairy
Veggie
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Rotissierie Chicken

We rotisserie our chickens because we have the equipment. Also it creates a nice crispy skin and juicy meat every time. You can roast yours-directions follow.

This is enough rub for 2 tasty birds-preferably free range and organic

6 Tbs melted real butter (if using salted butter then decrease the amount of salt)

2 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper

2 1/2 tsp dry thyme or rosemary or both

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp paprika

about 1 tsp lemon zest

Rub the dry ingredients between the skin and the meat and drop a little in the cavity (I like to put fresh herbs in the cavity). Then rub on the butter on and under the skin. Rotisserie or roast according to directions.

I’ve not actually roasted one but here’s directions for one chicken. Roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, turn oven to 350 and roast about 60 more or until a meat thermometer registers 180 degrees.

-you can add your favorite veggies right to the roasting pan. Put the ones needing longer cooking times in right away and shorter ones in after you decrease the temp.

2010
05/03
CATEGORY
Chicken
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Crock Pot Chicken Stock

After we’ve stripped the two rotisserie or roasted chicken carcasses of their meat to eat, I put them in a large slow cooker.  I also throw in a bag of vegetable trimmings I’ve been saving in the freezer for two weeks. This means onion skins, carrot ends, celery leaves. Then I throw in a few fresh carrots and celery (or dried out or limp) and some more onion if need be and a whole garlic bulb(I smash each clove with large flat knife but also throw in the paper skin that comes off). I don’t use any seasonings because I use the broth for other meals and add the seasonings then. Then cover with fresh cold filtered water. Splash in a couple tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar -it coaxes the nutrients out of the bones. Let it sit for an hour and then turn the pot on low. I let mine go for about 24 hours. Then I use a large colander and a large bowl to first strain out the big chunks. Then I use a finer mesh strainer to strain it into jars. It makes approximately 3 quarts, usually more. I use them all within a couple weeks which is easy if you plan you menus.

 

This can also be done with leftover turkey bones.

2010
05/03
CATEGORY
Chicken
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