Two Meals In One

I can't tell you how many times the kids want one thing for dinner and my husband and I want something else! I've never been one to pander to picky kids, but once in a while the kids do get to choose what it is we should eat. So what's a mom to do? Well, I simply get 2 different meals out of one!

This time the kids wanted chicken strips and fries...although I do like that occasionally I was not in the mood. So the kids had their pick and Mike and I had a lovely crunchy chicken spring salad (cut from my garden) spiked with dried cranberries, goats cheese, sunflower seeds and some local peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. Who would have thought a fast food-esque kind of meal could be made into something so healthy and sophisticated!

I can never understand why people fry french fries in oil when Oven Fries taste so good...here's how I do it:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

6                potatoes (any kind will work)

pinch of salt

drizzle of olive oil

I don't even peel the potatoes, I just scrub them well and cut them into thick wedges. The kids especially like it when I use purple potatoes from the farmers market. Spread them on a parchment lined cookie sheet...this allows you to use way less oil! Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with olive oil and toss them around a bit. Pop in the oven giving a toss every 10 minutes or so. They should be crisp and golden in about 30 minutes.

Chicken nuggets in a newspaper cone with dipping sauce.

                                                                                                                                                                          

I like to make my chicken strips with boneless skinless chicken thighs...I find them far more juicy. Here's the recipe:

6               boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into strips)

1c             buttermilk

2               garlic cloves

1/2tsp     salt and pepper (or to taste)

Toss everything into a bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes to overnight. The buttermilk will keep the chicken tender and moist and it seems to somehow allow the flavours to penetrate the meat better.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the following ingredients in a bowl:

2c              penko bread crumbs

2tbsp         ground and whole flax seed

2tbsp         chia seeds (optional but VERY good for you)

1                small handful of chopped parsley

pinch of salt

*To learn more about chia seeds check out this link http://www.mychiaseeds.com/Articles/Top10ChiaBenefits.html

Now remove a piece of chicken from the marinade and dip into the bread crumb mixture and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until you've used up all the marinated chicken. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

* My kids think it's fun when I serve this in a newspaper cone (like you sometimes get fish'n'chips in) I like it too because I have no dishes to do after dinner. Just a toss into the recycling bin and I'm done!

*Another great idea is to pack this for a school lunch or picnic. Just fold the top of the cone down and fasten with a sticker. The newspaper will keep it warm for a really long time.