One Handed Recipes for New Moms– A series of recipes for new moms and other busy folks trying to eat healthy without a lot of effort. Recipe: Easy Chicken Salad with Homemade Mayonnaise
Mama: Beth, mother of 7 year old twin boys
As a mother of twin boys, I can imagine cooking time can be slim while hunger high. Beth feeds her family wisely with lots fresh foods cooked in healthy fats. She has her tried and true staples like rotisserie chicken salads, egg bakes, soups and spaghetti, which she always makes big batches of and freezes a portion for later. Her two growing boys have it made when it comes to tasty food at home!
New Mom Recipe & Tip: ‘Use rotisserie chicken meat for chicken salad. It’s way cheaper that way and you can make a big batch. I also use a high quality canned salmon from Whole Foods to make a salmon salad version of this same chicken salad recipe. You can eat the salads with apple wedges, on greens or on a sandwich, or dip crackers into the salad for a quick an easy bite if you don’t have the time to make a sandwich.’
What she enjoys most about being a mom: ‘Getting to watch your kids develop and change over the years is truely miraculous! Having premature twins every milestone was challenging but exciting to come through.’
What surprised her most becoming a mother: ‘Coming into motherhood with twins was quite a shock. I was surprised at how angry I could get at times and had to really work on several things about myself. I realized that God gave me twins out of his mercy to free me from my issues with control. I could not possibly be the perfect mother but I had to give that up, ask for help, and just do my best. I also had to learn to be gracious with myself.’
An easy recipe for classic chicken salad with grapes, almonds and celery
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped (or 1 tablespoon onion flakes)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or chopped roasted garlic)
- 1 cup celery, chopped (2 stalks)
- 1/3 cup almond slices
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup grapes, sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Take meat off of a whole warm rotisserie chicken (easier to remove meat when it's warm)
- Using a kitchen aid mixer with the blade attachment, stir the meat to shred it. The chicken will shred easily on a low speed with the mixer.
- Add in all of the other ingredients except grapes. Stir in grapes at the end.
- Enjoy with crackers, over greens, with apples, or as a sandwich.
Notes
This will last about a week in the fridge or you can freeze for later use. For the salmon salad version, use two large cans (14.75 oz) of Wild Caught Alaskan Pink Salmon from Whole Foods, 365 brand (bone & skin included - they mix in fine to the salad). Use tarragon instead of basil in the salmon salad, a bit more balsamic and less mayo.
To quickly shred the chicken you can use your kitchen aid mixer with the blade attachment.
a recipe for homemade fermented mayonnaise.
Ingredients
- 2 organic eggs, separate yolks from whites
- 1 tablespoon whey (optional- use only if you're fermenting the mayo)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons raw coconut vinegar (you may use another vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 cup oil (you can use sunflower, olive oil, or a mixture of the healthy oils you see below)
Instructions
- set 1/2 cup whole milk in a jar on the counter covered for 4 days or until you see it separate. Skim the solid off the top and discard or set aside. Put a tea towel over a mesh strainer and drainer the liquid over a bowl. This liquid is your whey.
- In a blender or vitamix, process the egg yolks for 30 seconds, add in whey, vinegar, salt and mustard powder. Then slowly add in oil (so slow that it will take 3-5 minutes). Pour the oil in at a drizzle. You should hear a change in sound as the mixture becomes a solid, then it is done. Set out for 8 hours to ferment (if your using the whey), then refrigerate for 4 hours before consuming.
Beth uses some really healthy oils and vinegar to make her homemade mayonnaise. One she frequently has in the mix is this MCT oil, which is lower in calories, more quickly metabolized, and helpful with endurance (among other benefits). She also uses Essential Balance Oil and a Coconut Vinegar. You can find these cheaply online or at most health food store.
Balsamic and basil! Love it. Thanks for the chicken shredding tip.
Debra, it really is amazing that the kitchen aid can shred the chicken so easily!
Homemade mayonnaise is on my bucket list – this looks like the perfect way to use it!!
Deb, I was surprised at how easy homemade mayonnaise really is – they key is definitely pouring the oil in very slowly! You’ll have to give it a try!