Spicy Garlic Chicken Nachos

My husband and I used to eat out fairly often, and it made me so sick. (You can read more about my journey with IBS and food here) I would have unexplained (well, what I thought was unexplained) vomiting and diarrhea about two or three times a month, yet kept going back to the convenience of fast food and staying sick. Now that I avoid processed foods and eat cleaner, I hardly ever have any IBS symptoms! Feeling (and staying!) healthy and having plentiful energy is well worth the time I spend in the kitchen!

But let’s be honest…sometimes you just need a junk food fix. When we used to eat out, we would often go get chicken wings, and my favorite flavor was Spicy Garlic. Yum! One of my favorite things to do is re-make junk food classics into a healthier version – eating healthy doesn’t have to be tasteless and boring! So I created a spicy garlic chicken, decided to top some crispy potato rounds with it, and there you have it – Spicy Garlic Chicken Nachos! Serve these as an appetizer, or a big plate full for a delicious, albeit messy, dinner. Enjoy!

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 2 lbs of dark meat chicken, boneless and skinless
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 bulbs of garlic, roasted
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (get my homemade version here)

For the nachos:

• 4 medium potatoes (sweet, russet, or a combo) sliced into rounds
• 1/2 tsp of salt

Toppings:

• Salsa or hot sauce
• Guacamole
• Pickled banana peppers or jalapenos
• A drizzle of ranch (get my homemade version here)
• Chopped scallions or cilantro

Directions:

• Place chicken, seasonings, and apple cider vinegar in your slow cooker
• Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours
• While chicken is cooking, roast your garlic
  • Slice the end off of the garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil
  • Wrap in foil, then roast in a 425 F oven for 45 minutes
• During the last hour your chicken is cooking, bake your potato rounds
  • Simply lay the rounds out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet
  • Season with salt
  • Bake for 30 minutes in a 425 F oven
  • Broil for 1 to 2 minutes to get more crispiness
• Once chicken is done, shred the meat
• Add garlic (just squeeze it out) and mayonnaise
• Stir to combine
• Let the chicken mixture cook for about another 30 minutes on low
• Place “nachos” on a plate or tray, top with meat mixture, then desired toppings
• Store leftovers separate, covered, in the fridge
  • The leftover meat is also delicious stuffed in a baked potato, or with brown rice!

For more made-over junk food recipes, check out my Oven Baked Fries, BBQ Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Potatoes, or Slow Cooker Potato and Kale Soup. Pretty much all of my dessert recipes are healthier versions of classics – mama needs sweets – but my current favorites are my Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Wholesome Chocolate Chunk Cookies (my most viewed recipe!), and No Bake Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust. I also recently posted Flax and Oat Pancakes; a made-over breakfast staple. I am sure you can find something to help you get your junk food fix – whether it is sweet or savory! Eat healthy foods that taste good…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no cost to you, just a small commission for me to help me stock my pantry and keep the recipes coming. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

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Oven Baked Fries

Delicious AND Nutritious

It’s not often that the words “fries” and “nutritious” are used in the same sentence, but in this case, they are! These fries are baked, not fried (should I call them French Bakes?), and only have one tablespoon of olive oil used, so they aren’t dripping unhealthy grease everywhere. I have said before (here and here) that potatoes aren’t the villains they’re made out to be. No, in fact, they are the hero’s (the hero being vegetables, of course) side kick, a little quiet and plain, but with the right amount of healthy attention, flourishes and compliments the hero quite nicely!

Okay, weird super hero analogies aside, potatoes actually are good for you! They contain plenty of fiber and protein, and sweet potatoes have lots of vitamins A and C in them, which you can read about here. And, I mean, who wouldn’t want to eat a hot, salty, crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside french fry?! Dunk it in some homemade or store bought ranch or ketchup and you’ve got the perfect side dish or snack. Let me just wipe the drool off my keyboard and get to the recipe now…

Oven Baked Fries

Serves about 5, but could easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

• Two large potatoes, russet or sweet, or a combo, cut into fry shaped strips (quick tutorial on my Instagram)
• 1 tbsp of olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of dried parsley
• 1 tsp of nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper
• 1/4 tsp of paprika

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 F
• Prepare a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
• Place sliced potatoes on prepared baking sheet
• Drizzle with oil of choice
• Evenly sprinkle seasonings
• Using your hands, mix potato slices so they are all evenly coated with oil and seasonings
• Arrange the potatoes in an even layer, so that each slice is on the tray
• Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes
• Remove from oven and flip each fry
• Return to oven and bake for another 15-25 minutes, depending on your desired crispy-ness
• Eat hot with sauces
• Leftovers will keep covered in fridge for 5-7 days, I suggest reheating in the oven or in a hot skillet

For other potato sides, be sure to check out my Creamy Whole30 Mashed Potatoes, Mustard Potato Salad, or Roasted Potatoes, and for main dish potato recipes, I have Taco Stuffed Potatoes with Avocado Chipotle Ranch or Slow Cooker Potato and Kale Soup; all of which I’m sure you will love! After all, who doesn’t love a super hero sidekick?!

I hope your family, kiddos included, love these fries as much as mine does, and that they can become a weeknight staple for you. Fries that don’t leave you feeling greasy and regretful – woo! Go on, dunk away…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

ABC Brussels Sprouts

Easy as 1-2-3!

When you think of “Christmas food”, what do you think of? I usually think of ham, mashed potatoes, and green beans with pimentos…an easy side dish that is red and green for the holidays. I wanted to do a Christmas-y side dish, too! Something red and green, but I wanted to change it up, and, of course, keep it simple and healthy!

So here we have ABC Brussels Sprouts. The “A” stands for almonds, the “B” for balsamic glaze, and the “C” for cranberries. This simple side dish would compliment any main course, and would look so pretty on your Christmas dinner table! Brussels sprouts are high in vitamins (especially vitamin K), minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, so you will keep your family and friends healthy by serving these!

Unfortunately, my mom doesn’t like brussels sprouts, and since she’s hosting Christmas dinner, asked me not to bring them 😛 However, I think if she tried these, she might turn into a brussels lover, and you will, too!

ABC Brussels Sprouts

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of brussels sprouts, with the stem cut, and cut length-wise
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup of raw honey (or maple syrup if you follow a vegan diet)
• 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp of slivered or chopped almonds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 F
• Prepare large, rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or parchment paper
• Lay brussels sprouts halves in a single layer on baking sheet
• Drizzle with olive oil
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and honey until it is thickened and combined
• Pour half of the mixture on the brussels sprouts
• Using your hands or a large spoon, mix brussels sprouts until all are coated
• Bake for 20 minutes
• Remove from oven and add cranberries and almonds
• Stir to combine all ingredients
• Bake for another 15 minutes
• Toss with remaining balsamic glaze
• Top with extra cranberries, if desired
• Serve warm
• Leftovers will keep, covered, in the fridge for 5-7 days

I originally made these Christmas-y veggies to go with my Ghee, Garlic, and Herb Turkey with Gravy, and it was delicious! However, they would also be an excellent pairing with my Roasted Chicken with Carrots, or even my Barbecue Meatloaf, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, or Celebration Steaks with Pan Sauce! I am a brussie lover so I will eat them with almost anything! For more Christmas recipes, be sure to check out my holiday posts: No Bake Pumpkin Pie, Death by Hot Chocolate, Molasses Cookies, Two Layer Paleo Fudge, Slow Cooker Apple Cider, and, of course, the Ghee, Garlic, and Herb Turkey with Gravy. I hope you make some of these healthier holiday recipes, please be sure to “pin” them at the bottom of the post, and follow me on Instagram or Facebook to let me know what you think! You should definitely make these sweet and sour, red and green brussels sprouts, get your vitamin K in…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small pantry fund for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Cinnamon Applesauce

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you; just a small pantry fund for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Fall Traditions

I’ve just recently learned that going apple picking is a thing people do in the autumn months. I’ve never gone apple picking, but growing up we would pick pears off my grandparents’ trees; my grandpa would put us in the bucket of his tractor and lift us up high enough to pluck off the pears. It was always terrifyingly amazing, and my sisters and I would giggle and shriek as Pappy lifted us up into the trees. And every Father’s Day, as a gift for my dad, we would go berry picking in the hot Texas sun; running from bees and trying to not get jabbed by thorns. We complained a lot as kids, but, looking back now, we all enjoyed picking the sticky sweet berries in the hot morning sun, enjoying a shady picnic lunch before driving home, then eating berries and cream for dessert that night. So, based upon my fond memories of harvesting other fruits, I am thinking it’s time to instate a new family fall tradition- apple picking!

If you’ve gone apple picking this fall, I have the perfect dish to use up all those apples: Cinnamon Applesauce! Or if you’re like me and didn’t go apple picking, pick up a few extra apples at the grocery store, and it will be well worth it. Because whether you went apple picking or not, there is never a bad time for a warm bowl of homemade applesauce! Unlike many store bought versions, this applesauce is free of refined sugar, it is simple to make, it seriously tastes like the filling for an apple cobbler, and your house will smell amazing as it simmers on the stove. *drool* Not to mention, it is an enjoyable and healthy snack for your kiddos! I hope this sweet, spiced snack makes its way to your kitchen soon!

Cinnamon Applesauce

Serves 6-8, and could easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds of gala apples, diced, with or without skin (I left the skins on)
• 1/2-1 tbsp of ground cinnamon, depending on taste
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup of coconut sugar
• Enough water to cover the apples, about 4-5 cups

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a large pot
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover
• Let simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and water is reduced
• Carefully mash apples to desired consistency
• Serve warm (my favorite!) or cold
• Store covered in refrigerator for 2 weeks

If you love the welcoming smell of apples and cinnamon, you would like my Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Scent! And for more warm fall-y treats, be sure to check out my Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping and Banana Bread with Granola Crumble; both are delicious gluten free, refined sugar free breads, and are amazing served warm with butter. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, all these healthier treats will sure be nice to have on hand! I hope you bake something scrumptious for you and your family. Make some new fall traditions…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!