Chicken Broccoli Braid

My client Laura wanted me to share her testimony:

"Before I met Maria, I felt lost when it came to food! I had read so many conflicting reports the only foods I felt ?healthy? eating fruits and 3 bananas a day! I was ALWAYS hungry within the hour of eating, so I was ALWAYS eating! I would ?crash? quickly and feel distracted and nervous until I could eat my next ?meal.? I allowed myself to eat only a few nuts and/or nut butter, a teeny tiny amount of cheese and a few bites of meat (I was terrified of all of the warnings of high fat and calories of these foods). FOOD WAS A MAJOR STRESS IN MY LIFE!!! After learning the facts about nutrition from Maria, my life has changed dramatically!!!!

1. I am so calm and happy!
2. I LOVE food and eating and preparing my food!
3. I always feel so satisfied and satiated after eating. I have no trouble going hours without food! (I never dreamed that to be a possibility)
4. I LOVE my body! I feel so good about myself and feel so healthy!
5. My periods are finally healthy and normal (a big change!).
6. My hair and nails grow so quickly! My hair also feels thicker.
7. My grocery bill has decreased dramatically! I used to spend $150.00 a week buying "healthy cereals" for my kids throughout the week. Now I don?t even need to go to the store! I buy my staples online and I buy my meats from the farmers. I?ve estimated an annual savings of at least $2,000 possibly more!
8. I am so happy not having to go to the store every week! It is so much less stressful!
9. My favorite preparation of meat are Maria "healthified" crock-pot ideas! Cannot get any easier than that!!!"
10. My triglycerides are 14!"



"HEALTHIFIED" Broccoli Braid
2 cups diced, cooked chicken meat
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove crushed garlic
1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup organic mayo
2 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 TBS slivered almonds
1/4 cup diced onion

BRAID:
3/4 cup coconut flour
2 TBSP psyllium husk powder
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter OR coconut oil, softened
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 egg white, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees F). In a large bowl, mix together chicken, broccoli, red bell pepper, garlic, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed, salt, almonds and onion. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together the coconut flour, psyllium husks, salt and spices. Add the butter or coconut oil. Stir continuously as you add the hot broth or water, it will melt the butter or oil. Combine until very smooth. Place the dough onto a piece of greased parchment paper (I used THIS coconut oil spray). Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out in a rectangle shape with even thickness throughout. Using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the chicken mixture along the center strip. Fold the side strips over chicken mixture, alternating strips from each side. Pinch or twist to seal. NOTE: Once you add the boiling water the dough will begin to cook so move quickly! Brush braided dough with the egg white. Bake in the preheated oven 28 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 8 servings. Option: Make in individual oven safe soup bowls (bake for 23 minutes).

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
"PAMPERED CHEF" Broccoli Braid = 247 calories, 13g fat, 12.5g protein, 17g carbs, trace fiber (17 effective carbs) AND TRANS FAT!
"Healthified" Broccoli Braid = 229 calories, 13g fat, 16.5g protein, 11.6 carbs, 5g fiber (6.6 effective carbs)


Pampered Chef's recipe calls for using Pillsbury Crescent Rolls...this is not a healthy way to make this recipe!

Ingredients in Crescent Rolls: Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Sugar, Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Contains 2% or Less of: Dextrose, Vital Wheat Gluten, Salt, DATEM, Potassium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Yellow 5, Red 40 and Other Color Added.

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