Baked Turmeric + Coconut Chicken Tenders

Do you miss the good ol’ chicken “fingers” (what an awful name) of yesteryear, and when made right they’re human finger lickin’ good.

Well, here’s an alternative to the breaded and fried chicken of our youth that gives a much healthier and sophisticated update. The creamy dressing is also delicious and nutritious.

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb Organic Chicken Cutlets

• 1 cup of Organic Panko Bread Crumbs

• ½ cup of Organic Dried Coconut (chop fine)

• ½ cup of Organic Flour

• 1 tbs Dijon Mustard

• 1 tbs Worcestershire Sauce

• 1 tsp Turmeric

• 2 Organic Eggs

• ½ cup flour

• OO Spray

• S&P

Instructions:

* Pre-heat oven to 350

* Combine panko + coconut + Tumeric + S&P in a shallow bowl

* Whisk together eggs + worcestershire + dijon + splash of H20 in shallow bowl

* Sprinkle flour on plate 

* Arrange plates in order or dipping 1. Flour 2. Egg Mixture 3. Crumbs

* Lightly pound chicken

* Dip in flour, lightly,  then egg, then panko. Make sure panko mix coats the chicken fully.

* Place on baking rack, spray with OO and bake for 10 minutes till golden and crispy. Flip, re-spray and bake for another 10 minutes. 

* Serve with Tahini honey mustard, lemon, ketchup or special sauce

Celery and Mushroom Salad

Our friend, Judith, often sends along recipes she thinks will resonate with our style. We’re typically backlogged on stuff we want to try and make, it’s hard to keep up. But last week, the day I received this, we happened to have all the ingredients already handy and it sounded so easy and yummy… that it was… and is! I don’t know about you, but in our house, celery usually sits, straight chillin in an ice water tub in the back of the fridge. Often ignored until it's the last thing to snack on. And even then, it’s regrettable. But this is how to put it to good use (if not being used in a bone broth) This is the kind of salad you could imagine on a menu at a Nancy Silverton type restaurant and be intimidated to make, but it’s so simple. This salad is like a bird chirping springtime from atop an olive tree in Tuscany. Or maybe just our dog barking from Marina Del Rey. 

Ingredients:

• 8 ribs of Celery 

• 1 cup shaved Parmesan or even better Grana Padano

• 1 radish (preferably Weiser farms mild lavender)

• ¼ cup of flat leaf Parsley (torn or chopped) 

• ⅓ cup of fresh Mint (torn or chopped)  

• 1 cup of Mushrooms (preferably Pioppino, slightly chopped)

• 1 ½ lemon lemons

• 1 small scoop of labne 

• EVOO

• S&P 

• Shallot confit

Instructions: 

* Saute mushrooms in a small cast iron pan with enough oil or shallot confit to lubricate the pan. Cook until slightly crispy on the edges - put aside 

* Whisk EVOO, lemon a splash of confit, a pinch of S&P & a little bit of labne

* Slice the celery as thin as you possibly can (if you have a mandolin, this would be a great use for it)

* Combine the celery, herbs, cheese and cooled mushrooms together with dressing and voila!

** Herbs - use what you have, we almost always have dill so it goes into almost everything

** Labne is our everything, we use it as creme to add a little flough to vinaigrettes, creme to bolognese

** Shallot Confit is the best thing to add a little umami to your dressings or other dishes where olive oil is used. (see recipe)