Leftover Turkey Tacos with Citrus Slaw

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Happy Thanksgiving! I am so excited. A holiday all about food is my kind of holiday.

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Now, if only there was a widely-recognized holiday (as in, no work) that was just all about tacos. THAT would be my kind of holiday.

I’ve never been a huge Thanksgiving leftover person. Don’t get me wrong, I love to smash turkey smothered in cranberry sauce between two pieces of bread and chow down, but I’m not really about stuffing or mashed potatoes. It seems like all the sides disappear rather quickly and what’s left are all the extra pounds of turkey you ordered for the big crowd of people that a) didn’t end up being as big as you imagined in your mind and b) really just came for the sides, anyway.

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Once you reach the point where you can even think about ever eating another turkey sandwich again (or until next year, you know, whatever), whip up this batch of Citrus Slaw to give your turkey new life. It’s so easy, fast and full of veggies and healthy fats. Shredded colorful cabbages mix with crisp radishes and bright cilantro all tossed in an avocado bended smooth with lime juice to give this crunchy slaw a lush creaminess. I piled the slaw with leftover turkey breast that I shredded up inside a taco with all the trimmings, but it also works great as a sort of salsa or bed for a big ole’ turkey thigh or leg.

leftover_turkey_tacos_citrus_slaw

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Citrus Slaw
Author: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • For the Slaw:
  • 1 cup shredded green cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 5 chopped or sliced radishes
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • ½ avocado
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the Tacos:
  • 3 cups shredded leftover turkey breast, warmed
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • Optional toppings: Crema, avocado, cilantro, pico de gallo
Instructions
  1. For the slaw: In a medium bowl, toss the cabbages, radishes and cilantro. Set aside. Place the avocado, lime juice, vinegar, spices and salt in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.Toss the avocado mixture with the cabbage mixture. Serve immediately or place covered in the fridge for one hour to let the flavors meld.
  2. For the tacos: Warm the corn tortillas in the microwave for about 1 minute. Top each tortilla with a scant ¼ cup of the citrus slaw, top with about ¼ cup turkey followed by any desired toppings. Serve immediately while warm.

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I’m off to the Northern tundra to freeze my buns off for the weekend (that’s why I have to eat so much on Thanksgiving, I have to find a way to stay warm you know)! I hope you and your loved ones all have a very full Thanksgiving and a very fun leftovers weekend! See you on the other, chubbier side.

Southwest Breakfast Scramble

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southwestern_breakfast_scramble

Happy Thanksgiving week! The holiday season has officially arrived and I am so excited because that means I get to visit with tons of friends and family over great food and copious amount of wine. Aw, yeah.

It also means I have to go brave the cold weather, and dare I say, snow. I can’t talk about it, it’s making me shiver. Moving along.

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I haven’t quite reached that point in my life where I have enough square footage to entertain, but I love helping my family do it. Making large breakfasts every morning (sometimes—most of the time—accompanied by a mimosa bar), doing crafts with the kids, picking out the best movie to go with our popcorn and of course eating all the gluten free desserts in sight. OK, so maybe that last one doesn’t help too much, but someone’s got to do it.

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What I’m trying to say is, I guess I can’t fully relate to the stress of having a full house to feed, but with what experience I do have, breakfast has always been the hardest meal to cook for a large group. The standard in my family has become French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon. While this is one of the best breakfasts that exists, it’s also a lot of work (which is why I usually let my brother do all the cooking—thanks bro!). This Southwestern take on an egg and potato scramble whips up fast and stays warm without getting too soggy, too dry or just too gross making it perfect for entertaining a large group of family who are rolling out of bed at all different times of the morning.

Colorful bell peppers and tender onions grace soft, fluffy eggs and crispy potatoes. Topped with a little shredded cheese or sliced avocado this one-dish meal makes a light, yet flavorful and filling breakfast before the main event later in the day.

southwestern_breakfast_scramble

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Southwest Breakfast Scramble
Author: 
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • ½ frozen breakfast potatoes/hash browns (cubed potatoes)
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ⅓ cup chopped bell pepper (whichever colors you like)
  • ¼ cup diced onion
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Optional toppings: Cilantro, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, salsa
  • NOTE: This recipe makes one serving, multiply the ingredients by the number of people you have to serve to make a larger batch for entertaining.
Instructions
  1. In a small skillet, heat the canola oil on high. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Salt and pepper to taste, dump on a plate and set aside.
  2. Return the pan to the stove and lower the heat to medium-high. Add the olive oil, peppers and onion, cook until tender.
  3. Meanwhile lightly beat the eggs and milk. Add to the pan with the veggies and reduce to medium-low. As the eggs start to set up, drag a wooden spoon through them, pulling the cooked eggs to the center. Do this until the eggs are completely cooked. Place on top of the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Top with any desired toppings and serve.
  5. NOTE: This recipe makes one serving, multiply the ingredients by the number of people you have to serve to make a larger batch for entertaining.

southwestern_breakfast_scramble

This recipe, like most of my recipe, only makes one serving (it’s great for every day, not just entertaining!). To make enough for a houseful of people, just multiply the ingredients by the number of people you have to serve for a big batch.

Oat and Herb Chicken Tenders

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After graduation I traveled every chance I had. I was in that lost-and-looking-for-a-job phase of life and as part of that decided I needed to visit as many cities as possible to start dreaming up what life could look like.

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One of those summer trips took me to Austin to visit a friend who was interning there for the summer. There’s a good story that involves a bag of almond M&Ms, a can of Diet Coke and an airplane, but in order to maintain your appetite I’m going to skip to the part where I wake up in Austin the day after that fiasco. We had a blast, well I mean she had to work for a good chunk of it, but when she didn’t we explored, ate guac, took insta-worthy photos and of course, tried to fit in on 6th Street. I also rocked all that alone time with a kayaking adventure, walks to places I didn’t know and eating all the foods.

Austin’s this gluten free mecca compared to Des Moines, where I was living at the time. This was the first time I ever visited an entirely gluten free restaurant. Every single thing on the menu was gluten free, and what did I order? Chicken fingers. What? I know.

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But listen, I hadn’t had a restaurant chicken finger since I was diagnosed and we all know restaurant chicken fingers are the best. Perfectly fried in a vat of grease and served to you on top of a wilted piece of lettuce. So delicious, so unhealthful. Those crispy, little, easy-to-hold beauties always remind me of my picky childhood days when people still smoked cigarettes inside restaurants. The smell of cigarette smoke still makes me think of going to a restaurant, being asked if we wanted smoking or non smoking and then ordering and eating chicken fingers.

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I’m not doing myself any justice right now except to say that while I love restaurant chicken fingers, I’ve finally found one to make that’s just as good at home, baked in your oven. The best. They may be a (way) healthier option, but watch out, because they’re hard to put down once you start gobbling them down.

Made with gluten free oats and oat flour, these Oat and Herb Chicken Tenders whip up in your oven, skipping the greasy, fatty fryer, but preserving and adding flavor with Italian style herbs. They’re crisp yet juicy, kid-friendly with adult flair and completely and totally dippable. My sauce of choice: Curry Ketchup (the story of that addiction lies in another travel story for another day).

oat_herb_chicken_fingers

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Oat and Herb Chicken Tenders
Author: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • ½ pound chicken tenders
  • ½ cup oats
  • ¼ cup oat flour
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 egg
  • Salt
  • Olive or Canola Oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the oat flour with the garlic, basil and oregano in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Put the oats in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl.
  3. Rinse the chicken tenders, pat them dry with a paper towel, then dip in the egg, coat with the flour combination, dip in the egg again, cover with oats and lay on the cookie sheet. Do this until each chicken finger is coated.
  4. Sprinkle salt over the tops of the chicken tenders and bake for 15 minutes on each side. Then, brush a little oil on top of the chicken and broil on high for two minutes. Flip, oil the other side and broil on high for two minutes.
  5. If serving with curry ketchup, mix ¼ cup ketchup with ½ teaspoon curry powder, dip and enjoy!

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