Lemon Chicken With Asparagus & Snap Peas

LEMON CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS & SNAP PEAS

 Printable Recipe

• All purpose flour or almond flour
• 10oz, Chicken tenders, cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 bunch asparagus 
• 1/2 lb. snap peas 
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

1. Cut chicken tenders in half crosswise.

2. Spread flour on a plate. 

3. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then dredge in flour. 

4. In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken & saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan & reduce heat to medium. Add asparagus & saute for 1 minute. Add sugar snap peas; raise the heat to medium-heat. Season the vegetables with salt & pepper & saute for 1 minute. Add the broth & bring to a boil, stirring up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan & boil until the vegetables are almost tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

6. Chop fresh thyme & chives.

7. Add the chicken to the pan of vegetables. Add the thyme, chives, & lemon juice. Summer uncovered until the sauce thickens & coats the chicken, stirring almost constantly, about 2 minutes. Taste & adjust the seasoning. 

Plate Finished Product 
Garnish with thyme, chives, & Lemon zest

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

I received a wonderful Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Cook Book as a gift & I just had to make this beautiful cover dish. Not only is it a fresh, fast, & colorful dish, it has two of my favorite veggies, asparagus & snap peas!

 

MODIFICATIONS/Whole30

  For Whole30 or Paleo approved use almond flour or skip the flour this will also make it gluten free. You can add any veggies to this dish, some good pairings would be broccoli, carrots, & green beans. You can also use some red pepper flakes to add heat to this dish.

Mini Apple Pies

MINI APPLE PIES

Printable Recipe

Ingredients For The Crust

• 1 cup flour
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
• 2 tablespoons ice water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Ingredients For The Filling

• 2 to 3 apples
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Crumb Topping 

• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces

 Making The Crust

1. In an electric mixer or using a mixing bowl & a fork mix butter then add  flour & mix well. Next, add salt & sugar. Then add your ice water and mix well until a dough forms. Start with the 2 tablespoons of ice water, & if it isn’t coming together like a dough, add a little more.

2. Wrap dough in saran wrap and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Remove dough from fridge. Save 1/4 of the dough to the side for the top crust. With a rolling pin, roll the rest of the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, roll out the dough fairly thin. Use a cup or small bowl with a larger diameter than the pan circles to cut out circles from the dough.

4. Place into an ungreased cupcake tin, removing any excess dough & even out the top.

Making The Filling

1. Peel, dice, core, & chop 2-3 apples. Using 3 apples makes a bit more than needed.

2. Mix together the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, flour, & vanilla extract. 

Then, mix in your chopped apples.

3. Poke the base of the dough with a fork once or twice. 

Then spoon in the apple filling to reach the top of the dough.

Option 1 The Crumb Topping

Combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, & cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the butter, & cut it into the flour mixture with a fork or your fingers, until they are small crumbs. 

Optional: Roll out the extra dough & use a mini cutter to cut out an apple or a leaf.

Option 2 The Lattice Topping

1. Using the remaining dough, roll out into a thin rectangle. Using a pizza cutter cut thin, 1/4 inch, stripes, the diameter of your mini pies. Then lay the lattice pieces in both directions over the pies.

Bake The Pies

1. Place the cupcake tin in the center rack & bake at 375 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, or until they start to brown on the top. Let cool for 5 minutes before your remove them from the tins, place on a cooling rack. Serve with some homemade whipped cream.

Plate Finished Product

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

I love baking for the holidays & apple pie is always a fall favorite! My Dad has always been the apple pie fan of the family, but as the years go by it's starting to win me over. This is no skinny dish, but everything is good in modification :)

MODIFICATIONS

  This is not really a flexible recipe but there are two options provided. One, a crumb topping which is more like a dutch apple pie & two a lattice topping which is more the American tradition. Personally I like the crumb best, but they are both delicious. You can also add a bit of fresh lemon juice or lemon peel in the mixture to a little zing. Or you can sweeten it up by adding some golden raisins.

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

SAUTEED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH BACON

Printable Recipe

• 1-2 pounds Brussels sprouts
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon sage or thyme, minced
• 2-3 bay leaves 
• 2-4 garlic cloves, sliced 
• 1 lemon, sliced 
• 1/2 tablespoon butter or ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper 
• 3-5 slices of bacon, cooked & chopped

1. Chop off & toss the ends of each brussel sprout. Then slice in half from top to bottom. 

Some leaves will fall off, it's okay, they will be the crispy part.

2. Place all chopped brussel sprouts in a bowl & toss with olive oils, salt pepper, & garlic. Pour out onto parchment paper or foil. Then top with some lemon slices, bay leaves, & herb of choice. I used thyme in this recipe. (If you are using parchment paper add a second layer of foil around the outside so the paper doesn't burn).

3. Close up the parchment paper & foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until brussel sprouts are cooked with a slight crunch. While brussel sprouts are cooking, cook bacon in a skillet & place cooked bacon on a plate with a paper towel to soak up the oils & to let cool. 

4. Remove bacon fat from the pan but do not wash, heat butter in the bacon pan. When brussel sprouts are out of the oven, discard lemon & leaves. Saute the sprouts in butter for 2-3 minutes or until they lightly brown. Keep turning every 30 seconds so they do not burn. 

5. Add bacon & saute together for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 

Plate Finished Product 

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

Brussel sprouts are usually not the side of choice for most guys. To make them more appealing I decided I had to add a key ingredient. Bacon, everything is better with bacon! I have made brussel sprouts many times in the past, even used pancetta, but for some reason good old bacon seems to do the trick. So after a experimenting over the past few months, I think I found the a perfect side dish that incorporates veggies in a satisfying way.

MODIFICATIONS/Whole30

  For whole30 or Paleo use sugar free & nitrate free bacon as well as ghee in place of the butter. You can also substitute pancetta for the bacon or remove the bacon all together. You can also add some red pepper flakes if you want to add some heat. This tasty side pairs well with any protein. Some suggestions Dr. Pepper Flank steak Balsamic Pork Tenderloin or Stonefire Lemon Garlic Chicken