Lemon Chicken Tenders {Pressure Cooker/Slow Cooker}

These easy succulent Lemon Chicken Tenders are just like the Italian restaurant favorite, except these are healthy and gluten and grain-free! They can be made in the slow cooker too, so you can set it and forget it! The tenders are coated with a wonderful delicate breading that tastes just like the real deal (but gluten and grain-free), and it soaks up the flavorful sauce perfectly. This will surely be a new mealtime favorite in your household!These easy succulent Lemon Chicken Tenders are just like the Italian restaurant favorite, except these are healthy and gluten and grain-free! They can be made in the slow cooker too, so you can set it and forget it! The tenders are coated with a wonderful delicate breading that tastes just like the real deal (but gluten and grain-free), and it soaks up the flavorful sauce perfectly. This will surely be a new mealtime favorite in your household!

Chicken picatta, or lemon chicken, is one of my all time favorite dishes. I have a few go-to comfort foods, and this dish hits to spot. This healthy and grain-free version of the popular dish will leave you feeling full and satisfied. 🙂

These easy succulent Lemon Chicken Tenders are just like the Italian restaurant favorite, except these are healthy and gluten and grain-free! They can be made in the slow cooker too, so you can set it and forget it! The tenders are coated with a wonderful delicate breading that tastes just like the real deal (but gluten and grain-free), and it soaks up the flavorful sauce perfectly. This will surely be a new mealtime favorite in your household!Lately I have had absolutely no time to prepare dinner so I have been experimenting with making some of my favorite dishes in my pressure cooker. I’ve always been a bit intimidated by cooking dishes other than soups and stews in my pressure cooker (and slow cooker), but with a real lack of free time I decided to toss my fears aside and give it a try.

These easy succulent Lemon Chicken Tenders are just like the Italian restaurant favorite, except these are healthy and gluten and grain-free! They can be made in the slow cooker too, so you can set it and forget it! The tenders are coated with a wonderful delicate breading that tastes just like the real deal (but gluten and grain-free), and it soaks up the flavorful sauce perfectly. This will surely be a new mealtime favorite in your household!

I will not lie, I’ve had some pressure cooker failures! I tried a whole chicken and I must of misjudged the timing because when I attempted to extract it from the cooker it pretty much fell apart into pieces. The chicken tasted good, but it didn’t resemble the roasted whole chicken look I was hoping for. So I placed that recipe on the back burner, and decided to try something a bit more simple.

These easy succulent Lemon Chicken Tenders are just like the Italian restaurant favorite, except these are healthy and gluten and grain-free! They can be made in the slow cooker too, so you can set it and forget it! The tenders are coated with a wonderful delicate breading that tastes just like the real deal (but gluten and grain-free), and it soaks up the flavorful sauce perfectly. This will surely be a new mealtime favorite in your household!I had a hankering for chicken picatta the other day and with no extra time to spare I attempted the pressure cooker again. And it worked! They turned out perfect and I had this whole meal ready in under 30 minutes. Phew!  Everyone enjoyed the meal, including Cricket, who always gets a taste (or two or three:))! This tasty meal has now entered my weekly rotation thanks to the quick prep and easy clean up!

Lemon Chicken Tenders {Slow Cooker}

These easy succulent Lemon Chicken Tenders are just like the Italian restaurant favorite, except these are healthy and gluten and grain-free! They can be made in the slow cooker too, so you can set it and forget it! The tenders are coated with a wonderful delicate breading that tastes just like the real deal (but gluten and grain-free), and it soaks up the flavorful sauce perfectly. This will surely be a new mealtime favorite in your household!

  • 2 large chicken breasts cut into tenders (2 ½ lbs)
  • 1 pasture-raised egg
  • 2 ½ tablespoons tapioca flour
  • 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter (ghee, or oil for choice for pan frying)
  • 1 lemon (2 tablespoons lemon juice plus 4-5 lemon slices)
  • â…” cup broth
  • ¼ teaspoon + Himalayan or sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of parsley or thyme (optional, chopped for garnish)
  • 2 teaspoons capers (optional)
  1. In a bowl whisk the 2 eggs and tapioca flour until smooth.
  2. Heat the ghee or oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
  3. Dunk the chicken strips into the egg mixture then pan fry each piece 1-2 minutes each side, or until golden brown. (Not cooked through) Then place the strips into your slow cooker or pressure cooker.
  4. Add the broth, lemon juice and slices, and salt and pepper.
  5. If using the Instant, select the chicken button and make sure the setting are on high pressure and the timer is set for 15 minutes. Seal the lid.
  6. If using the slower cooker, set on high for 1 hour, then switch to the low setting for another 2 hours.
  7. Whisk the sauce in the cooker with the evoo and pour over the chicken tenders, top with capers and fresh parsley or time.

These easy succulent Lemon Chicken Tenders are just like the Italian restaurant favorite, except these are healthy and gluten and grain-free! They can be made in the slow cooker too, so you can set it and forget it! The tenders are coated with a wonderful delicate breading that tastes just like the real deal (but gluten and grain-free), and it soaks up the flavorful sauce perfectly. This will surely be a new mealtime favorite in your household!

 

Sonora Chicken Pasta {Ruby Tuesday’s Copycat, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo Option}

For all you comfort food lovers out there- this one is for you! This Sonora Chicken pasta is drenched in a creamy and spicy sauce, topped with tender chicken, black beans, tomatoes and cilantro. Best of all it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and there is a paleo version as well.For all you comfort food lovers out there- this one is for you! This Sonora Chicken pasta is drenched in a creamy and spicy sauce, topped with tender chicken, black beans, tomatoes and cilantro. Best of all it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and there is a paleo version as well.

For all you comfort food lovers out there- this one is for you! This Sonora Chicken pasta is drenched in a creamy and spicy sauce, topped with tender chicken, black beans, tomatoes and cilantro. Best of all it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and there is a paleo version as well.

The inspiration for this dish comes from my middle school years, which were awkward to say the least. And if I wasn’t awkward enough then at 13 I broke my ankle jumping on a trampoline. I broke it bad. Like, really bad.

It was a beautiful, warm, and sunny spring day and we were on the giant trampoline, giggling with joy, bounding into the air. We were playing “popcorn,” which involves alternating jumps, trying to send the other higher and higher. Sounds fun, right? Well, not so much! I’m not sure exactly what happened but as I was landing and bending my knees to take another death-defying leap, my ankle rolled and…..crunch!

It hurt like you know what. My mom took me for x-rays and I had broken both bones right above my ankle! Now I had to wobble around the school hallways, fumbling to open the classroom doors with crutches pinched under my arms, a brightly colored cast (which I thought was a good idea) adorned my leg, calling out for extra attention that I didn’t really want. Guess I didn’t think that one through! Lol.

Having a broken ankle definitely puts the damper on fun activities for a kid. No soccer, no riding horses, no running, definitely NO TRAMPOLINE-LIKE, EVER AGAIN! So my mom took me on little field trips and outings to keep me busy and prevent me from becoming bored-to-death. We would go to the mall often and eat lunch at Ruby Tuesday’s and I always ordered my favorite, Sonora Chicken Pasta. Good food always made me feel better, and this comforting dish was exactly that, comfort food. It tasted amazing going down and made me feel warm, fuzzy and full.

So now that it’s freezing cold, snowy and icy I had a hankering for some stick-to-the-ribs comfort food, but I’m not about to give up my grain-free diet because it keeps me feeling good, and not sluggish and weighed down. Here’s a look out my front door this week….. beautiful but cold! The perfect weather for some Sonora Chicken Pasta!

Icacles1For the pasta in this recipe you have many option depending upon your dietary preferences. I do eat beans, so I opted for Tolerant brand Rotini(TOLERANT Organic Non-GMO (RED LENTIL) Rotini 8oz 6-PACK-(affiliate link))that’s made out of LENTILS- that’s it, just lentils! It the best gluten-free pasta I’ve ever had because it’s just like the real thing. You can even cook it al dente! One work of caution, it does froth up and boil over very easily so make suer you use a very large pot and keep an eye on it!

If you are strict paleo than just use butternut squash or zucchini noodles made with the spiralizer.

The creamy and spicy sauce is my Spicy & Creamy Sonora Dip. The flavor is perfect, earthy tomato, savory cheese, and a hint of spice. Then the dish is topped off with some delicious chicken, black beans (omit of paleo), chopped fresh tomato, and aromatic cilantro. Yum!

Creamy Spicy Tomato Dip3

Creamy, spicy, fresh and bursting with flavor!For all you comfort food lovers out there- this one is for you! This Sonora Chicken pasta is drenched in a creamy and spicy sauce, topped with tender chicken, black beans, tomatoes and cilantro. Best of all it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and there is a paleo version as well.

Sonora Chicken Pasta {Ruby Tuesday’s Copycat, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo Option}

  • 4 cups of gluten-free and/or grain-free pasta such as Tolerant or spiralizedsquash noodles

For all you comfort food lovers out there- this one is for you! This Sonora Chicken pasta is drenched in a creamy and spicy sauce, topped with tender chicken, black beans, tomatoes and cilantro. Best of all it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and there is a paleo version as well.

Chipotle Bison Chili {Slow Cooker, Grain-Free}

Bison Chipotle Chili2Nothing warms you up on a cold winter day like a big bowl of chili! It’s also perfect for football Sunday! This hearty chili is made with ground bison, and has wonderful smokey and spicy flavors. Grass-fed bison is an excellent protein source that is high in protein, just like ground beef, but is lower in fat, making this chili a healthy alternative. It’s gluten free, grain-free and paleo as well.

Lately I’m into set-it-and-forget it meals. I’m sure many of you out there can relate to just not having enough time in the day, right? I mean, where does it go? I wake up and stumble over the coffee pot to push the “GO-aka COFFEE NOW!!” button (I make sure to set it up the night before because last time I didn’t I brewed some delicious water, sans coffee. I had left out the coffee grounds in my sleepy stupor, lol!). Before I know it it’s lunch time, baby goes down for a nap, dryer chimes indicating a mountain of laundry needs to be folded, sun is setting (ALREADY-GRRR!!!) and then it’s bedtime. Sleep, wake, repeat… You know the drill. So often I don’t have time to plan and cook dinner, nor do I want a load of dishes to scrub. So these days I’m a slow cooker and pressure cooker kinda gal.

I love stews, chilis and soups because they are a complete meal in one bowl. I make sure they are packed with protein, healthy fats and veggies providing a nice balance of nutrition. Better yet, they provide great leftovers, so I don’t have to scramble to make lunch the next day. As you may know, I make my pup Cricket her very own grub, and her chow is all made in the crock pot or pressure cooker as well. Be sure to check out my doggie recipes! Awww- she’s so cute posing with her brother’s safari animals!

Bison Chili Cricket

I chose to use bison in this particular chili because, first of all, I love the flavor and nutrition it provides, and secondly, I couldn’t find any grass-fed ground beef at the grocery store. I did, however, find grass-fed bison and it made the perfect substitute. You’d never know it’s not beef! It’s very important to consume pasture raised animals because their meat provides much better nutrition (such as more omega 3’s and is lower in fat) as compared to their conventionally-raised counterparts. You can read more about that HERE.

Bison Chipotle Chili 1

The whole family will love this chili, I promise!

Chipotle Bison Chili

  • 2 lbs grass fed ground bison
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes with chilis
  • 1 can whole tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons of chili in adobo (chilis and sauce or use about 2 teaspoons of chipotle chili spice, chopped)
  • 4 strips natural bacon (diced)
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 garlic cloves (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or Worcestershire sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon coriander
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  1. Mix the 2 tablespoons of water with the baking soda and mix well.
  2. Combine the meat with the baking soda water mixture and mix well; let stand 30 minutes. This will help the meat get brown and crispy when you cook it.
  3. In a large pot heat the oil and add the bacon, onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes over medium-high heat, then add all the spices and salt and pepper and cook for an additional minute.
  4. Next add the bison and continue to cook over rmedium-high heat, until the meat is deep brown and crispy.
  5. (NOTE: If you have a pressure cooker you can brown the meat along with the onions and garlic in the bottom of the pressure cooker, then add liquid ingredients and set to cook- easy and quick!)
  6. Place this meat mixture into the crockpot, along with the coconut amino, tomato paste, can of whole tomatoes, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, beef broth, and chilis in adobo.
  7. Set the slow cooker to high for 1 hour, then reduce to low and cook for an additional 2-3 hrs.
  8. Stir and mash up the tomatoes (once they are broken down from the heat) to blend and thicken the chili.

Bison Chipotle Collage

Sweet Potato and Beef Stew {Crock Pot, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo}

Beef and Sweet Potato Stew1

This Hearty Beef Stew is the perfect set it and forget it meal. It’s healthy, packed full of flavor, and takes less than 10 minutes to throw it all together in the crockpot.

My crockpot has been working overtime lately. Truthfully, up until my son Hunter was born, it was just a large bulky annoyance that seemed to take up an entire cabinet all on it own. Then, my life was flipped upside down, when I realized that making dinner became an insurmountable task with a colicky infant. I had these idealistic thoughts of cooking in the kitchen with Hunter, while he slept peacefully in the k’tan carrier, with a smile on his angelic face. Well, that’s not quite how it went down 😉 Even when I do get him into the carrier, while bouncing up and down and shhh-ing to keep him content, and trying to measure ingredients and they spill onto the floor- it’s truly a laughable sight!

Enter- crockpot. I opened the cabinet and dusted it off, and set it to work! I’ve made soups, chilis, stews, and even a turkey breast! I throw in the ingredients in the morning and dinner’s ready at 5. It makes my life SO MUCH EASIER!

So here is my first crockpot recipe- a delicious beef and sweet potato stew! It’s simple, easy, and the entire family will love it. This recipe makes a good amount, and I freeze half of it so I have something on hand when supplies are low and I just can’t make it to the store, or don’t have time.

Beef and Sweet Potato Stew2

I made my own beef bone broth (recipe HERE), but if you don’t want to take the time to do that I recommend you purchase a beef bone broth that is made with grass fed cattle, such as this one by Bone Broths Co. You can read more about the benefits of pasture-raised beef HERE.

So break out your slow cooker and get your stew on!

Beef and Sweet Potato Stew Collage

Sweet Potato and Beef Stew {Crock Pot, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo}

This Hearty Beef Stew is the perfect set it and forget it meal. It’s healthy, packed full of flavor, and takes less than 10 minutes to throw it all together in the crockpot.

  • 2 lbs beef stew meat (preferably grass fed, cubed)
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large sweet potato (sliced into cubes)
  • 1 medium white onion (diced)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 can of whole tomatoes (large)
  • 3 carrots (sliced)
  • 4 celery ribs (sliced)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. For additional flavor you can saute the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil first, then add the the crock pot.
  2. Add all the ingredients to the crock pot and set on high for 1 hours, then turn it down to low for an additional 4 hours.

 

Chicken, Zucchini and Corn Enchiladas {Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Option}

Chicken Zucchini Encaladas closeup

 

Wondering what to do with all that leftover chicken (and corn on the cob) from this weekend’s BBQ? Make some of these scrumptious enchiladas! Packed with sweet caramelized corn, black beans, and fresh summer zucchini, this meal is sure to please the entire family- including pooches who don’t mind a few chicken scraps while the enchiladas are “in the making.”

Chicken Zucchini Encalada tight crop

These enchiladas have so much flavor that they require very little cheese, and the fresh veggies, whole wheat tortillas, and chicken make them a super healthy and balanced meal. Aromatic spices, the perfect amount of heat, and a generous amount of fresh cilantro really make this dish pop!

I made my enchilada sauce from scratch (and the sauce recipe is included below) but you are welcome to purchase it pre-made at the grocery store if you are in a time crunch.

Chicken, Zucchini and Corn Enchiladas

Chicken, zucchini, caramelized corn, and black bean enchiladas

The Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons of oil (I used light olive oil)
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot or tapioca flour
  • 1 tablespoon chilis in adobo (chopped or blend, then add)
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 2-3 tablespoons of chili powder (I like my sauce very flavorful so I used 3T)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

The Enchiladas:

  • 8 gluten-free corn tortillas or grain-free tortillas (recipe from Against All Grain:http://againstallgrain.com/2011/05/04/grain-free-tortillas/)
  • 1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken breast
  • 1 cup corn (can use frozen corn as well)
  • 1 can black beans (omit for paleo, drained and rinsed)
  • 1 cup of diced zucchini
  • 1/4 cup diced white onion
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (mexican blend, omit if paleo)
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion for garnish (optional)
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
  1. To make the sauce- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add in the flour and stir for about 1 minute until thickened.
  2. Add in all the additional ingredients- stock, chilis, tomato paste and spices and mix well.
  3. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for around 15 minutes.
  4. To make the enchiladas-
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  6. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
  7. Add the onion and cook until translucent.
  8. Add the corn and cook until nicely caramelized.
  9. Add the zucchini, salt and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
  10. Remove from heat and mix in the shredded chicken and black beans.
  11. In a casserole dish evenly distribute 1 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom.
  12. Place a few tablespoons of the chicken/veggie mixture onto the end of each tortilla, add a sprinkle of cheese, then roll up.
  13. Place each enchilada seam-side down into the dish.
  14. Top with the remaining sauce, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
  15. Remove foil and add the remaining cheese on top and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
  16. Top with green onion and cilantro and serve.