Bacon Wrapped Honey Dijon Chicken Breasts
I am on a serious Dijon mustard kick. It’s so low in calories but it ads so much zest to every bite…mix a little honey with it and you get that perfect sweet ‘n salty explosion for your taste buds. I think everyone can agree that you can wrap anything in bacon and it will be delicious. For that reason alone (and so many more), you’ll love this golden sweet tangy chicken wrapped in smoky thick bacon. The flavor of the bacon seeps into the chicken as it cooks. Amazing, right?
- 2 chicken breasts
- 6 slices of thick cut bacon
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Season chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
- Mix together Dijon mustard and honey in a small bowl.
- Coat each chicken breast with honey mustard mixture.
- Wrap slices of raw bacon around each chicken breast until entire breast is covered (approximately 3 slices for each breasts depending on size).
- Apply another layer of honey mustard mixture on top of bacon covered chicken breasts.
- Line an 8 x 13 baking pan with tinfoil and coat with olive oil spray to prevent chicken breasts from sticking.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Dijon Almond Crusted Tilapia
I wanted to make a healthy and delicious recipe last night but fish can sometimes taste too light and unsatisfying! Not to fear, this recipe has the perfect blend of saltiness and sweetness…all topped with a golden almond crunch. My favorite thing about cooking fish is that you can throw it in a baking dish, pop it in the oven and it’s cooked by the time you finish cleaning your prep dishes. You can use this recipe with pretty much any fish, I just prefer the mildness of tilapia. Enjoy!
- 2 or 3 fillets of tilapia (approximately 1 pound)
- 1/3 cup raw almonds
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
- Chopped cilantro to garnish
- 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and slightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Place almonds in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Mix in paprika and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine Dijon mustard with honey and mix.
- Rinse and pat the tilapia fillets dry.
- Sprinkle each side with garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
- Coat the bottom side of each fillet with mustard mixture.
- Sprinkle almond mix on top of mustard and press into the fish with fingers.
- Place each fillet into the baking dish with the coated side down.
- Repeat mustard coating and almond topping on the remaining top side of the fillet.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Combine and mix the Dijon mustard, honey, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and dried thyme together in a small bowl to make the Dijon sauce and set aside.
- Top with Dijon sauce & fresh cilantro and serve
Fourth of July Birthday in Hermosa Beach
I’ve finally recovered from the Fourth of July and therefore by association…my birthday! We packed up the dog and headed up to my old stomping grounds of Hermosa Beach to spend the day with friends, fireworks and fireball!
A few other highlights from the day (besides my paleo caramel apple pecan bars and Rachael’s tequila infused watermelon skewers)…
Fourth of July crew
Don’t be fooled by the sky…love these girls!
Thanks @danaworkman for the Hello Panda! Hello panda!
About to be patriotic at American Junkie
Someone did not enjoy the fireworks show
Happy birthday America!
Oh yeah, what did I do the next day on my actual birthday? Giant turkey leg at the fair, of course! Nom nom nom…
Paleo Caramel Apple Pecan Bars
Here’s an amazing recipe for you as you all head to your Fourth of July parties or are prepping some healthy yet delicious snacks to serve your guests at your own holiday party. These paleo caramel apple pecan bars are sure to be a sticky sweet hit…no one will even know they’re paleo!
I wasn’t sure how the caramel would turn out since there’s NO processed sugar in the recipe (and that’s what caramel is typically made with) so imagine my ecstasy when a golden thick and sinfully delicious sauce started forming in my saucepan. It looks, smells and tastes exactly like caramel! I definitely did my happy dance!
I made these for a Fourth of July party I am heading to today…I’ll let you know how they turn out! Happy Fourth of July everyone!
God bless America for paleo caramel apple bars 🙂
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup maple syrup (or 1/2 cup coconut sugar)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped apples, peeled
- 2 cups pecans (additional 1/2 cup for topping with 1/2 cup walnuts)
- 1 3/4 cup almond meal
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 egg
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- Mix the coconut milk, coconut oil, salt, water and vanilla together in a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then simmer for approximately 30 minutes, whisking occasionally in the beginning then with more frequency as it thickens until you are whisking constantly and the desired thickness is reached (until sauce slightly covers back of a spoon).
- Let caramel sauce cool.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place pecans in a food processor and blend.
- Combine processed pecans, coconut oil, honey, vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.
- Combine almond meal, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Add in egg and mix together.
- Fold in chopped apples and spoon batter into slightly greased 9 x 13 baking pan.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Combine 1/2 cup of chopped pecans and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts with 1 cup of caramel sauce and spread evenly over the bars.
- Broil for 2 minutes until topping is bubbling.
- Cool, cut and serve!
Chi-Chi-Chi-Chia seeds, the superfood!
I love tapioca pudding…and anything with that delicious chewy texture for that matter. Unfortunately tapioca isn’t too carb-friendly (or paleo). Chia seeds, on the other hand, are among the healthiest foods on the planet and are jam packed with nutrients that are great for your body and brain! In theory, chia seeds are supposed to control hunger while powering your diet with super-nutrients.
A true superfood, an 1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) serving of chia seeds contains approximately 11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat (5 are Omega-3s) and 18% of the recommended dietary allowance of calcium. They are “whole-grain”, non-GMO and naturally free of gluten.
The best part about chia seeds is that you can throw a handful in a cup of almond or coconut milk, cover and refrigerate and by morning you have delicious chia pudding! It doesn’t get any easier than that for a healthy yet delicious breakfast or snack.
A few additional highlights on the benefits of chia seeds include:
- Chia seeds are low calorie (approximately 137 calories in 1 ounce).
- Chia seeds are packed with antioxidants that fight the production of free radicals which can contribute to aging and diseases such as cancer.
- Chia seeds can help with weight loss due to their high fiber and protein content (when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle).
- Chia seeds can cause major improvements in Type 2 Diabetes and lower blood pressure and a marker for inflammation.
Check out my super easy and delicious chia pudding here!
Blueberry Chia Pudding
I love tapioca pudding…and anything with that deliciously chewy texture for that matter. Unfortunately, tapioca isn’t too carb-friendly (nor is it paleo). Chia seeds, on the other hand, are among the healthiest foods on the planet and are jam packed with nutrients that are great for your body and brain! In theory, they are supposed to control hunger while powering your diet with super-nutrients. They’re “whole-grain”, non-GMO and naturally free of gluten. The best part about these magical liquid-absorbing seeds is that you can throw a handful in a cup of almond or coconut milk, cover and refrigerate and by morning you have delicious chia pudding! It doesn’t get any easier than that for a healthy yet delicious breakfast or snack. Read more about the amazing benefits of chia seeds in my post here!
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 1 cup almond milk
- ½ tbsp honey
- ¼ cup blueberries (or any other fruit/nut)
- Mix chia seeds, almond milk and honey together in a small mason jar.
- Let pudding refrigerate overnight.
- Remove from the fridge and top with fresh fruit and/or nuts.
About Me
Hi, I'm the paleo panda! Join me on my journey for better and greater in eating, traveling and living. This is a collection of my life’s “musts”.
