Creamy Dijon Chicken

As usual, it's been way too long since I posted anything. It's still a little crazy around here and not a whole lot has changed. We are patiently waiting for the doctor to schedule a T&A (tonsil and adenoid) removal for our son Lucca. Patient is a loose term but I will use it for now. We have tried several antibiotics but some PANDAS symptoms just keep lingering. Lucca is manageable and is much better than last year but, we are still dealing with the PANDAS monster. Needless to say I've been a little consumed with other things and writing hasn't been the front runner in the race of crap going through my mind lately.  Does that even make sense? See what I mean???

Truth is I've been a little uninspired and tired!  I have tons of recipes written down but I never took pictures when I made them and obviously it becomes difficult to share recipes without pictures!! Plus, I like to make some recipes a couple of times to make sure I have measurements right and it actually tastes delicious. I do this some times...not all the time but some to most of the time. Because I've been tired, I've gone to the easiest and least creative foods that I have under my belt.  Things so easy, they are only a handful of ingredients.  Things I would never expect people to be interested in. 

Well, while taking Kaine, our youngest, to gymnastics a friend reminded me how much they enjoyed the dinner I had made a little while back.  While watching our little ones climb, jump, balance, and swing, she told me how much her and her husband loved the chicken I made while over at our house.  In fact they loved it so much they had already made the chicken dish several times since I had given her the recipe (which she hounded me for)! 

When we have friends over, I don't push paleo. I just cook some food and swap out some of the obvious no-no dishes.  Instead of dessert, we have fresh fruit.  Instead of cheese and crackers, we have some sweet potato/potato chips or fresh veggies. Instead of sandwiches or pizza, I grill some meat and make a salad. If the bread, cheese, sugar, dairy, and other stuff isn't in front of you it's easy to eat paleo and not even realize it.  The hardest part is when the food is staring you in the face, but it's extremely easy when the option isn't there. So, when our friends came over with their two little ones I made this chicken and the Kale "Krack" Salad.  

I went with the easiest dishes I could think of.  The kale salad I could make ahead of time and let sit in the fridge and the chicken, I just throw on the grill and I'm done. I like to talk and I get excited to speak with other adults. I work from home a lot so I don't get the office camaraderie anymore or adult conversations in general because I pretty much always have my kids around.  So when friends are coming over I want to be able to sit down, have a drink, and talk.  I don't want to be running around cooking.

After our conversation, I started to realize that maybe people would be interested in the quick meals that I typically just whip together.  But this meant I would need to make it again and take some pictures. Well, I finally got around to taking the pictures but of course that meant I still needed to find the time to sit down and write.  Of course it took longer than I had hoped but hopefully this recipe is worth the wait. If you don't count salt and pepper this dish is literally 3 ingredients added to chicken.  It's super simple and I have grilled and broiled the chicken with similar results.  My kids love chicken on the bone so we always have to get a couple of drumsticks but this works on chicken breasts, thighs, a whole rotisserie chicken or beer can chicken per my friends (not exactly paleo but oh well).  Typically the sauce will cover about 8 pieces of chicken and you may have a little left over to coat the meat while cooking or to add after it is off the grill.

Next time you can't think of something for dinner try this out and add in the Farm Salad for a super effortless dinner.
Enjoy! 
Happy Cooking and Eating!

Creamy Dijon Chicken

Prep Time:3 minutes

Cook Time:10-18 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked

Total Time:13-21 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 pieces of chicken, typically we do 6 drumsticks and 2 chicken breasts cut into strips (quicker to cook and stays juicy)
• 1/2 cup of Amazing Mayo or favorite mayo (I like Primal Kitchen or Sir Kensington, if you don't want to make your own)
• 3 TBSP dijon mustard
• 2 tsp of Herbs de Provence (you can find this in the spice aisle)
• Salt and Pepper (about 1/8 tsp of each, but I just sprinkle some on)

Instructions:

1. Turn grill on and get hot!
2. Mix mayo, mustard, and herbs together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. 
4. Coat chicken with the dijon sauce and rub into the chicken. 
5. Place chicken on the grill and cook for about 5-10 minutes (depending on your grill)and flip. Cook and continue to flip until chicken is fully cooked. If you have left over sauce you can baste the chicken while it is cooking or add a little after you take it off the grill. 

Chocolate Pancakes/Waffles

  Ever since December we have been having some rough patches at our house. We all got a little sick right before Christmas and haven't fully recovered from that yet.  It's frustrating and a lot to handle. Lucca is definitely much more functional than he was at his worst and I am thankful for our low inflammation diet.  Our paleo lifestyle has definitely made his symptoms less extreme, but he has stilled declined and it sucks after making so much progress.  It is a crappy situation to watch your child regress, have difficulty in school, have trouble sleeping, anxiety, and start to show ADHD symptoms again.  ADHD has always been Lucca's biggest symptom when it came to PANDAS, which is probably why it took years to get the PANDAS diagnosis. Lucca never presented the typical PANDAS way, he didn't have the tics or strong OCD tendencies like most studies show.  He pretty much just became a tornado one morning with no ability to focus.  He could no longer get dressed by himself, couldn't sleep by himself, and definitely was moving all the time with no rhyme or reason.  In hindsight we realize we missed a lot of other symptoms but so many symptoms would come and go that we never worried about it and thought it was just a phase.  His ADHD symptoms would wax and wane as well which made us believe that therapy was working.  Looking back at it all, when he was at his worst it always correlated to when he was sick and the time of year (winter and start of spring, being his worst). It truly makes me wonder how many kids are misdiagnosed and are on unnecessary meds when they really should be on some antibiotics. Which is where we are at again.

  We have been trying different antibiotics to knock out whatever is lingering in our son.  After 4 different antibiotics and several different doses  and combos we are hoping we finally found one that will work.  Either way we are on our way to tonsil and adenoid removal.  Infections can linger in the tonsils and adenoids and the doctor suspects those infections aren't fully going away, so we need to remove them. We will have them cultured as well to see what infections we are dealing with. Then maybe we will know what antibiotics will work best instead of the trial and error game we are playing now.  

  It's been a lot to take in over the past couple of weeks and I haven't been able to devote much time to the blog. With Lucca's sleep issues, I am exhausted and we have had so many doctor and teacher meetings/appointments that something was bound to get pushed to the side.  The blog is unfortunately the thing to suffer.  I am still cooking and creating dishes but I just haven't had a chance to sit down and actually write about any of it.  Lack of sleep can really play a number on you! 

  So here it is. A new favorite pancake recipe.  These are the perfect snack or quick breakfast.  I like to make double batches and freeze them.  It makes for a quick breakfast before school or snack after school.  The recipe is very similar to the Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes but with a big chocolate flavor that the kids really enjoy. You can make these in the waffle maker as well but it becomes too time consuming for me so I almost always opt for pancakes. These are perfect topped with fresh berries and a nice cup of coffee.  Or maybe I just need coffee so I don't fall asleep!
Hope you guys enjoy!
Happy Cooking and Eating!!

Banana Chocolate Pancakes/Waffles

Serves:Approx 40 mini pancakes 

Prep Time:5 minutes

Cook Time: 20-30 minutes, depending on size of pancakes and pan

Total Time:25-35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 3 bananas, cut into chunks
• 2/3 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 cups almond meal
• 4 TBSP cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 2 TBSP coconut flour
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• coconut oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. Combine all wet ingredients (except coconut oil) in a food processor and puree until well blended, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add remaining dry ingredients and blend until fully combined. 
3. Coat hot pan with a little coconut oil. Place a small amount of batter in the pan. 
4. Cook for a couple of minutes until browned/cooked.  Flip and cook for another couple of minutes. 
5. Repeat until batter is gone. 

To freeze - Let pancakes cool completely (very important)and place in freezer safe container. 

Elderberry - The Flu Fighting Fruit

Great article about the benefits of elderberry!!! We take 1 tsp everyday to boost our immune system and 3 times a day when we start to feel something come on. It has done wonders for us. I keep reading how so many people have been out with the flu lately and I felt this would be useful information to share. Elderberry "the flu fighting fruit" worked better than Tamiflu and Amantadine!!! www.drlisawatson.com/elderberry-flu-fighting-fruit

Happy New Year!! Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Sage

     

  First things first...Happy New Year!!!  It's been a month since my last post and I feel horrible that it has taken this long. So much has happened in the past month but it still doesn't make me feel better about not keeping up with the blog.  But it's a new year and I am looking forward to a better year than the last.  Not that last year was a complete bust. We had lots of ups and downs with our son's behavior but it did finally lead us to the PANDAS diagnosis.  The diagnosis has helped begin the healing of our son, Lucca.  It's been a long road but we ARE ON the road to recovery. 

  Unfortunately we have hit some bumps in the road, especially this past month.  We had a strep scare with a minor flare up.  So, we switched antibiotics and things seemed to be better.  Then right before Christmas, our whole house got sick.  We had in-laws in town, one person got sick and we all ended up catching some sort of virus.  PANDAS suck and the winter months are never fun because of so much sickness going around.   When  Lucca gets sick it sends his immune system into a tizzy and causes a flare up. PANDAS can quickly turn into PANS.  PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) is very similar to PANDAS except it doesn't stem from Strep. PANS is when any infection or environmental factor triggers and creates a misdirected immune response resulting in inflammation on a child's brain. Same symptoms just a different cause which all comes down to the immune system and how the immune system responds.  

  We are all finally feeling better.  I no longer have teeth pain and can breathe and hear normally again. Whhooo hoooo!!! We have seen several dr's in the past couple of weeks and both Lucca and myself are looking into getting T&A removal (Tonsil and Adenoid removal) to help prevent further strep and help my sinus issues.  We have officially added another dr into our line-up...an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat). I have always had sinus issues and constantly get sinus infections even with a simple cold. We have added homeopath and extra vitamins/supplements to our routine but I ran out of some things this last time and the sickness became a sinus infection.  Not as bad as it typically is but still bad enough that I just needed rest and had no motivation to do anything...including the blog.  Add with holidays, house guests, and holiday functions, well, this explains my absence for the month.  Because of all this Lucca had a flare up and his brain and behavior are still recovering from the sickness that spread throughout our house.  We of course had to get some blood work done and are patiently waiting the results to see what the next steps are.  

  Even though I was sick we still have to eat, so I have to cook. When we are sick I tend to turn to a lot of soups. One of my favorites is Butternut Squash. I sometimes make it into a Thai inspired dish but this time I wanted bacon.  So I sprinkled with bacon bits and fried sage leaves. This  soup is silky smooth, easy and delicious.  I use an emulsion blender to puree the soup but you can also use a food processor or blender as long as it can handle hot liquids. The fried sage leaves and bacon add a salty and savory note to the soup. If you want to make it a vegetarian option, just omit the bacon and sub out the chicken broth with veggie stock/broth.  I'm sure it will become one of your family favorites too.

Hope you enjoy!  Stay healthy out there!

Happy Cooking and Eating!! 

Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Sage

Serves:4-6

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:30 minutes

Total Time:45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
• 1 can coconut milk (14 oz, full fat)
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock 
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TBSP arrowroot powder (can be omitted, but won't be as thick)
• 2 TBSP coconut oil
• 10-12 pieces of bacon, chopped
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves
• salt and pepper, approx 1/4 tsp of each

Instructions:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper to the pot. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
2. Stir in arrowroot powder and cook for about 1 minute. 
3. Stir in butternut squash and cook another minute. 
4. Add coconut milk and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20-25 minutes until squash is fork tender. 
5. Use the emulsion blender (or preferred appliance) to puree the soup.

Topping:

1. While the soup is simmering, place chopped bacon in a pan and fry until crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel.  Or you can make in the oven like this (just be sure to reserve the bacon fat).
2. Add the fresh whole sage leaves to the hot bacon fat and fry over med-high heat until crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel to drain.
3. Ladle the soup in a bowl and top with bacon and sage bits.  Enjoy!