LF Herbed Chicken Salad

We love chicken salad. It’s a great way to utilize leftovers or the meat off a chicken you’re using to make bone broth. Sure, there are a lot of chicken salad recipes out there, and they’re all pretty much the same, but here’s where mine differs: I use LF mayonnaise. I use AnnMarie of CHEESESLAVE’s recipe…tweaked just a little bit. I like a bit more mustard, and a bit more lemon, but that’s just me. Use your favorite mayo recipe, but for goodness sake, don’t use commercially made mayonnaise! Homemade is super easy to make–all you need is a blender or a food processor and 5 minutes. I have it down to a science, LOL.

Fresh Basil

Please note that the I haven’t listed amounts really…this is deliberate. If you have only one chicken breast, that will work, as will the meat from a whole chicken. If you like it creamier, add more mayo or sour cream. Not so fond of lemon juice? Apple Cider Vinegar will do the trick. Don’t have basil on hand? Try fresh thyme, rosemary, or even italian parsley. You get the idea: get creative!

LF Herbed Chicken Salad

Leftover chicken, diced
Homemade LF mayo
Sour Cream or Creme Fraiche (I find this locally sold as “extra rich sour cream.”)
3 stalks celery, cleaned and diced
1/2 onion, peeled and finely diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
A bunch of fresh basil leaves, julienned
A bunch of fresh italian parsley leaves, julienned
Juice from 1/2 of an organic lemon
RealSalt to taste
Organic black pepper to taste

Combine the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl; set aside. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl; add dressing and fold together until well combined. Transfer salad to a serving bowl (I don’t know about you, but my mixing bowl is much too big for my fridge), cover with cheesecloth, and let rest at room temperature for about an hour before storing in the fridge. The resting at room temperature allows the lactobacilli to proliferate, increasing nutrients and digestibility. The overall flavor improves with time, as well–I try to make this at least one day ahead of when I want to eat it.

Enjoy and be well!

Twisting the Night Away

It’s Tuesday, and time for Gnowgflin’s Tuesday Twister Blog Carnival, where participants describe what’s been “twisting” in their kitchens! I haven’t participated in some time, but I’m getting back into the groove   So, what’s been twisting in my kitchen?

• Sourdough starter. I *love* my sourdough, and lately have been experimenting with whole wheat and rye flours. I’m not too thrilled with the results, but that may be because we’re just not used to heavier breads. I really need to invest in a grain mill and grind my own…I’m sure that will help!
• Kefir. This isn’t new of course! The kids love it, especially in smoothies. We’re currently on a blueberry kick–I froze a ton of them last summer and they blend up so nicely…YUM!
• Fermented veg: I have sauerkraut, ginger carrots (my personal fav) and pickles all going strong–I cannot wait until the farmer’s markets start up again….this spring I’m dying to try my hand at fermented green tomatoes, a la Bubbies.
• Kombucha. My first batch failed horribly–mold grew on the SCOBY and everything. I think it was in the wrong room, at the wrong temperature, and I have a suspicion that I didn’t let the water sit out long enough to let the chlorine dissipate before brewing the tea. I was so disappointed! I’ve ordered another SCOBY though, and hopefully the next batch will work. I’m crossing my fingers! If anyone has any suggestions, I’m all ears

So that’s it! That’s what’s twisting in my kitchen this week. What’s twisting in yours?