i love repurposing leftovers.  i feel so smug when i find a way to clean out the fridge and use every bit of food until it’s gone.  i really feel like a self-proclaimed queen of yummy leftovers.  but that probably should go to my mom.  okay i’m the princess, at least.

and while i’m not a huge fan of chicken, this WHOLE 30 diet thing allows it.  and since there’s so much else you can’t eat, i’ve added it.  also, my 6’4″ viking-for-a-husband has requested it.

so i made a whole roasted chicken, and sauerkraut.  and a delicious green salad.

if you’re bored already by this meal, scroll down to meal #2 ~ it was outstanding!

MEAL #1: it’s an all-white entree ~ it really needed steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus ~ something with green on that plate.  but the salad was gorgeous.

and the sauerkraut was amazing.

the chicken ~ it was a roasted chicken.  i’m just not over the moon.  but i did search for a great recipe to find a super crispy skin.  my oven didn’t really want to crisp it up like the recipe promised, but that’s just my oven.

here’s the recipe from a blog called GIMME SOME OVEN.  she’s from KC!!!!  i really like her blog…

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/crispy-roasted-garlic-chicken/

i think this is the best new recipe out there for crispy roasted chicken.  also, i’ve always used INA GARTEN’S, because i adore her and everything she does, and it’s also really good…

https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/perfect-roast-chicken

i’ll let you decide what you want to do.

by the way ~ does anyone out there want to buy me a new oven?  ha ha ha

here’s my sauerkraut recipe, created by moi!!!

BEST SAUERKRAUT EVER

‘gredients:

1. one bag or jar of your favorite sauerkraut (i had some from the mennonite community in southern missouri, but i also love frank’s)
2. 1 yellow onion (preferably vidalia)
3. stone ground mustard
4. coconut oil
5. caraway seeds
6. celery seeds
7. salt and pepper

‘structions:

this is such a clean dish ~ the probiotics you are getting from the sauerkraut are off the chart!  and there are hardly any calories at all.

step 1: thinly slice the onion and drop into a hot frying pan with 1 tablespoon coconut oil.  stir and let it start to brown a little, then turn the heat down to medium.  allow to continue to caramelize and build flavor for another 5 minutes.

step 2: drop in the sauerkraut, some of its juice, and 2 rounded tablespoons stone ground mustard.  stir and put the lid on.  (there would normally be a pinch of sugar added, but we’re going without any sugar this month, remember?)

step 3:  this step is not necessary if you’re in a hurry, but if you toast your spices, they have so much more flavor.  i toasted about 1 tablespoon each celery seed and caraway seed in a dry pan, then ground it up in a spice grinder (which is really just a small coffee grinder).  you don’t have to do any of that, but don’t leave out these fragrant, amazing seeds!!!

step 4: drop in the seasonings and stir.  leave on the stove on low heat until your chicken is ready.  if it starts to get dry, add a little more sauerkraut juice, or chicken stock…

too close for sauerkraut?  it’s so good ~ it’s not too close for me!

here’s that green salad, in case you need a little motivation to make your salad dressings at home.  i tried something new this time ~ toasted, ground fennel ~ it turned my salad into an afternoon walk in paris!  i will do it forever!

that’s just chopped fresh lettuce (i don’t like to fight with the leaves and stems), green onions, farmers market fresh summer tomatoes, and sliced raw almonds.

dressing:

1. stone ground mustard
2. olive oil
3. juice of a lemon (or splash of your favorite vinegar)
4. 1 teaspoon ground fennel (AMAZING ~ MUST TRY!!!)
5. kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

that’s all it takes to send your taste buds on a trip to france ~ seriously.

i may have to sell that dressing some day.

MEAL #2!!!!

don’t forget there’s another meal that will knock your socks off!

this sounds weird to eat on a hot summer day, but…

CHICKEN/SAUERKRAUT SOUP w/MUSHROOMS

i cannot even describe how tangy and satisfying this flavor-filled soup is.  i should have gotten a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and made this the first night.  i’ll be eating this again as well.

‘gredients:

1. one box of sliced portobello mushrooms (or other)
2. coconut oil or ghee (allowed on the WHOLE 30)
3. leftover chicken, pulled or diced into cubes
4. leftover sauerkraut
5. chicken stock
6. large handful of chopped kale (no stems ~ ewwww)

‘structions:

• in a dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of ghee or coconut oil.  the ghee creates a toasted buttery flavor, so use it if you can.
• drop in your mushrooms, sliced or chopped, and cook for a few minutes.
• add in the chicken, the sauerkraut, and enough chicken stock to cover it all.
• bring it all to a boil and add salt and pepper.
• add the chopped kale for the last few minutes, just to soften.
• take it down to a simmer and serve whenever your husband starts getting cranky.

this soup might actually end up at a dinner party.  i loved it that much.

i hope you’ll step out on a limb and try it some day in the fall, when it’s raining outside and you need some comfort.