Chicken Fingers & French Fries

One of the tricks of successfully going gluten and dairy free is to be armed with tasty new recipes and snacks. By looking forward to your new meals, you won't even think about what you're giving up!

This is my twist on the classic 'Chicken Fingers & French Fries' that will leave you feeling satisfied but never bloated. I especially like making it when I have company over who are slightly nervous about my cooking. The look on their face after the first bite is priceless!

Instructions: 

1. Prep: The night before cooking, clean and marinate chicken. To marinate, I like to use a tablespoon of lemon juice, a pinch of Adobo seasoning, chopped onions, and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Let it sit overnight. 
2. French Fries: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil then lightly cover with olive oil. Cut up the sweet potato into thirds and cut vertically into fries. Spread fries over pan and lightly sprinkle salt (or seasoning of choice). Bake for 30 minutes until tender.
3. Chicken fingers: Scramble an egg in a wide bowl. Spread a thick layer of gluten free  flour on a plate. Dip marinated chicken into egg yolk completely then lay flat on flour and flip so chicken is completely white. Once all chicken is flowered. Heat frying pan with a thin layer of olive oil and let the pan heat for a full minute. Fry chicken until golden brown.

For dessert, chop up a Gala apple and sprinkle with cinnamon. This is also a great substitute for chips when you're watching television and just need something to munch on!

  

Images by Tiffany Chao & I.  

My Health Journey

A year ago, I started experiencing a series of health problems that I couldn’t quite diagnose. They varied from severe abdominal pains, migraines, brain fogginess, to stubborn acne. My doctor ran tests and determined I had a major hormonal imbalance, typically treated with a range of pills. The thought of depending medication to feel  "normal" made me pretty uncomfortable. Additionally, hormonal imbalances can lead to diabetes and infertility…yikes!

A few months later, my good friend Lauren, from Sprinkled with Love, suggested I try a gluten and dairy free diet.  It seemed impossible, considering my go-to foods were pasta and bread! With no other leads at the moment, I gave it a try and the results were tremendous. Within weeks, I lost almost 10 pounds and my weight has stabilized since (for the first time in years!). My skin cleared up dramatically and my energy is sky high (Went from 3 to 1 cup of coffee a day). As it turns out, my doctor confirmed that I am intolerant to both lactase and gluten! 

Excited about my results, I started doing more research and found The Hormone Cure, in which Dr.Sara Gottfried gives holistic solutions to female of hormone imbalances. This book is extremely thorough and suggested I practice yoga (in addition to my diet changes). I started taking Vinyasa classes, to supplement to my weekly cardio, and fell in love. My constant anxiety and mood swings subsided immediately.

For my final change, I increased my daily servings of fruits, veggies, and water.  Juicing made this really simple and tasty. I even use the pulp for cooking!

These major alterations made me feel in touch with my body for the first time in my life and eradicated most of my symptoms and cravings. The “Health” section on my blog will be dedicated to sharing my experiences, recipes, and advice for those going through similar experiences. Enjoy!

 

 All photos taken on my iPhone.