Who needs Panda Express?

Okay, apparently it's been nearly a year since I posted last. Oops. It's not like I haven't cooked anything amazing since last September, I just haven't blogged about it. I will be trying to remedy that and post the delicious things I feed my family so that everyone can enjoy the goodness. (And tonight's dinner was especially good!)

 The majority of what you see me post now will be healthier. Low-carb, or at least low-er. Some will be gluten-free because those flours are higher in fiber than white flour, not because we are trying to be gluten-free. I like gluten, it does neat things to bread!


Without further ado, I bring you: Orange Chicken and Garlic Green Bean Stir Fry...

Chicken Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup coconut flour (feel free to sub in regular flour here, it won't affect the taste any.)
salt and pepper to taste3 Tbsp oil (I used coconut oil, but vegetable or canola or peanut wold work fine)

In a bowl, mix together the flour and cornstarch. Add salt and pepper. We're just making a simple flour dredging mixture for our chicken. Cut up the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, coat in the flour.

In small batches, cook the chicken in hot oil until golden brown and the meat is no longer pink. Set aside.


Sauce Ingredients:

 1 Tbsp chopped ginger (I used some jarred chopped ginger I had, worked great!)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp fish sauce (found in the Asian section in any supermarket.)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp orange extract
2 tsp splenda (or sugar, or stevia... whatever floats your boat.)
1 cup water

Throw this all in a blender and whiz it together. Pour into your skillet and simmer until it's reduced by half. Mine took maybe 4-5 minutes, depends on how hot you've got it. Add your chicken pieces back in and cook for 2 minutes. Then toss in:

1 Tbsp orange zest
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp sesame seeds (which I forgot but meant to add...)
2 Tbsp scallions (green onions), chopped

Cook another minute more and serve nice and hot. Great over rice if you'd like, or just as is for low-carb.


 There is none left. I did a little more than 2 lbs of chicken for 6 people, and it's gone. The coconut flour absorbs the liquid so it's not really saucy like normal orange chicken would be, but the flavor is there. And I actually liked it a little drier. It tasted amazing!

We served this with rice for the kiddos, and with some stir-fried green beans which were really simple and also delicious.

1 lb fresh green beans (If you can get the long skinny "french" beans that would be easiest. They come in a bag at Walmart and you don't have to trim the ends. )
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 large yellow onion, cut in half top-to-bottom and then into slivers the same size as the green beans
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp oyster sauce (also in the Asian section, came in spicy and Cantonese, which is what I went with.)

Trim ends of green beans and then cut into 2 inch pieces.

Heat a heavy frying pan, a non-stick thin thing won't work here, or a wok if you've got one. When it's screaming hot, add in the oil. Let heat another 30 seconds, and add the garlic and onion slivers. Cook for 20-30 seconds, stirring the whole time. (Watch for oil spatters!!!) Add beans and cook another 2 minutes or so, stirring several times. Add in about 1/2 the water and put a lid on your pan to steam the beans. Check if your pan is dry about halfway through and add the rest of the water if needed. Mine needed the full 1/4 cup. They should steam a good 5 minutes.

Uncover the pan and add the oyster sauce, then cook another 2 minutes, stirring so that all the beans are coated. Serve hot!

These had a nice flavor as well as a crisp-tender texture from the steaming.

Hopefully you will see more recipes, posted more than once a year... :-)