Wheat Germ Chicken Tenders

Everyone loves chicken tenders or nuggets, not just kids. While it’s easy to just heat up some frozen ones in the oven or microwave, or even pick some up from a fast food restaurant, I would rather make them myself. You never know what they put in those pre-made frozen things. Yes, I know that making them yourself takes more time than just heating some up; but at least this way you know what you’re eating.

What You’ll Need…

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Cup Wheat Germ

1 Tablespoon Herbes de Provence

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Pepper

2 Eggs

Pre-heat your oven to 400.

Start out by combining the wheat germ and spices in a dish large enough to bread the chicken in. Also, crack the two eggs in a separate dish, also large enough to fit the chicken in. Lastly, before we move on to the chicken, place a cooling rack onto a sheet pan and grease the rack generously.

Now, while you don’t want your chicken to be completely frozen, it is easier to cut slightly frozen chicken than it is to cut completely defrosted chicken. So, take the chicken and cut it into tenders.

Once the chicken is cut we move onto the breading. Place the tenders a few at a time into the egg to coat. Let the excess egg drip off before placing the chicken into the wheat germ. Coat the tenders generously in wheat germ and then move to the greased rack.

Bake the tenders at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy with your choice of dipping sauces!

Zesty Horseradish Ketchup:

½ Cup Ketchup

½ Tablespoon Horseradish

2 Teaspoons Chili Powder

2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Combine and enjoy!

Spicy Honey Mustard:

¼ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Spicy Brown Mustard (You could also use Dijon.)

¼ Cup Honey

Combine and enjoy!

Smoked Sausage and Potato Saute

This meal has everything; vegetables, sausage, and potatoes! While it isn’t exactly a one pot meal, it is one that can be served right from the skillet. It is absolutely delicious. So, if you try this one out, let me know what you think.

What You’ll Need…

1 Smoked Sausage (The horseshoe looking type.)

3-4 Medium Potatoes (Any kind you like.)

1 Bell Pepper (Cut into strips)

1 Medium Onion (Cut into strips)

3-4 Large Button Mushrooms (Cut into large pieces)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Herbes de Provence

Salt (To taste)

Pepper (To taste)

Start out by pre-heating your oven to 350. Next slice the potatoes into fairly large slices. Cut them as if you were going to make potato chips, but instead of cutting them thin make the slices about ¼ inch thick. Cut each of the rounds in half so that there can be a potato in every bite.

Once the potatoes have been cut place them in a skillet and toss them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Starting out on the stove allow the outsides of the potatoes to brown slightly before placing the skillet into the oven so that the potatoes cook through completely. This should take about 30 minutes.

After placing the potatoes in the oven move on to the vegetables. Cut the pepper and onion into thin strips and the mushrooms into large thin slices. Toss the peppers and onions in a skillet with olive oil and allow them to sauté until almost soft. About 10-15 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces and allow the slices to warm up in another small skillet. This shouldn’t take long, 5 minutes at most.

When the vegetables are almost done add the mushrooms and spices. Allow the vegetables to sauté for 2-3 more minutes. At this point add the potatoes and sausage to the skillet with the vegetables and combine.

Enjoy plain or topped with ketchup.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Wrap

I know, this isn’t much of a recipe; but that’s one of the things that make it great! There’s no cooking involved! I eat

this wrap for lunch every day during the week, and I have for months, and I haven’t gotten tired of it. It’s that good.

So if you’re looking for something simple, delicious, and semi-good for you for lunch; try this wrap out. I’m sure

that you have a lot of the ingredients in your house already and wheat germ is worth the investment.

What You’ll Need…

1 Flour Tortilla (It doesn’t work as well with corn tortillas.)

1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter

1 Tablespoon Nutella

1 Whole Banana

½ Tablespoon Wheat Germ

Cinnamon (To taste)

Start out by laying the tortilla flat on the counter and then dolloping the peanut butter on one end. Spread the peanut

butter in a thin layer, keeping it on one side of the tortilla. Dollop the nutella directly on top of the peanut butter and

spread it thin.

Now, lay a whole peeled banana on top of the peanut butter and nutella. Lastly sprinkle the wheat germ and cinnamon on top of the nutella. 

Roll the tortilla around the banana starting on the end with all of the ingredients. 
(The wrap is just as good without the banana, just a little different.)


Enjoy!

Crock-pot Baked Beans

I personally am I huge fan of baked beans; however I always find myself having to “doctor up” the canned beans, no matter what seasoning they already have. To solve this problem I decided to make my own beans at home. I was able to season them to my liking, and they turned out absolutely amazing. I think that the greatest part of this recipe is that it is really simple to make.

If you decided to make these beans, you can obviously use whatever spices that you like, but this is just my base recipe.

What You’ll Need…

1lb Dried Beans (Pinto, Kidney, Black, Red… any kind you like.)

6-8 Cups Water

1 Bell Pepper (Chopped)

½ Large Onion (Chopped)

½ Cup Ketchup

2Tablespoons Mustard (Any kind you like; stone ground works well.)

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce  

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Dried Basil

1 Tablespoon Herbes de Provence

4-6 Slices Bacon (I personally use turkey bacon.)

Start out by sorting and rinsing 1lb (about two cups) of beans. To do this use a mesh strainer. Once the beans have been drained place them in a large stock pot with 6-8 cups of water and allow it to come to a boil. Allow the water to boil for 2 minutes and then turn the heat off. Cover the pot and allow the beans to soak for 1 hour. Once the beans have soaked for an hour drain them and move them to your crock-pot. (For those of you that would rather soak the beans overnight: place the sorted and rinsed beans in a pot with 6-8 cups of water. Allow the beans to soak overnight or for at least 8 hours before draining them.)

While the beans are finishing their soak you can move onto the vegetables. Chop the pepper and onion to whatever size you like; I personally like a smaller dice so that there is a possibility of veggies in every bite.

When the beans are finished soaking and have been moved to the crock-pot add the veggies, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and spices. Top the mixture with bacon.

Allow the beans to cook on low for at least 6 hours, stirring every hour.

Once the beans are done enjoy as a side to just about anything.  Careful, they’re hot.