Recipe: Sesame Chicken

As if you didn't guess from the title today, the sesame chicken was friggen awesome last night. I served it with gluten free spaghetti. If your pasta free, or even fake pasta free, you could certainly use it as a meat portion on a salad or even cold with a lettuce wrap. I like fake pasta with it since the pasta sucks up the sauce well. It would be a great carbo/protein load dinner if you need it.

Cold Sesame Noodles with Chicken
(modified from Cook's Illustrated)

What you need:
1/4 c toasted sesame seeds
1/4 c almond butter
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (or jarred works too)
5 tbsp aminos or tamari (whatever soy free seasoning you use)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or coconut vinegar)
1 tbsp hot sauce (or a shake of crushed reds) *most hot sauce has sugar if your strict paleo be warned
2 tbsp raw honey (or whatever sweetener you use)
water

2 chicken breasts
salt & pepper

noodles or gluten free noodles of your choice (or serve with salad greens, lettuce wraps etc)
sesame oil

3 small scallions - thin sliced
1 medium carrot - grated

How to do it:
Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat until light golden brown. About 4-5 minutes, but keep your eye on them. Remove 3 tbsp for sauce and the use the rest for sprinkling at the end.

Mix 3 tbsp of the sesame seeds, almond butter, garlic, ginger, aminos, vinegar, hot sauce and honey in a blender until smooth. With machine running add about 3 tbsp of hot water without splashing it all over your face.

Salt & pepper and cook chicken any way you like it then once it's cool to the touch, shred it.

Cook pasta if your using it, drain and put it back in the pot and add a splash of sesame oil. If you don't like sesame oil or don't have it, it's no big deal, but add a little butter or even coconut oil so the pasta doesn't get sticky.

Then throw the sauce, chicken and some grated carrot in the pot with the pasta and mix. Plate and sprinkle green onions and remaining sesame seeds on top. Done!

If you're not serving it with pasta just mix the sauce, chicken, carrots and green onions. Plate it on top of salad and sprinkle with remaining seeds. (I would probably use a little EVOO, s&p on the lettuce before hand)


Now on to our regularly scheduled programming.

WOD was an arm killer today. Max effort kb swings, pull ups, push ups, t2b... ugh. I must say I love my new kettlebell. My previous ME for 2 minutes was 38 using a dumbbell. Today I was able to get 41. Yeah, not a crazy increase but overall they felt much smoother and easier. Unfortunately I pulled something during my t2b warmup on my left side, between my armpit and my shoulder blade. Obviously it didn't hurt enough to not do the wod, but annoying like... playing Scrabble with a 5 year old who can't spell or putting pants on over your shoes. You know you can do it, it's just challenging. Oh well, no worries.

Rest day tomorrow since we're going out with friends to the Christmas tree farm to pick out our tree and then heading over to a great little pub/restaurant afterwards. After that I'm sure it will be lots of Christmas decorating and another round of family Monopoly. My daughter loves to play but cries when she owes more money than she has. Yes, I made my daughter cry playing Monopoly. Mother of the Year right here!