Happy Meal for Adults

For the past few months I have been getting nostalgic about the food from my childhood and recreating it. This was all brought on by a quickly approaching, milestone birthday, which of course cannot be avoided... I guess I was just trying to go back in time through food. One of my favourite birthdays from my childhood was to have a birthday party at McDonald's....Happy Meals all around with that lovely florescent orange drink. I thought I would make a grown up version of that meal from past with some adult flavours and some healthier ingredients.

Orange Creamsicle Milkshake Float

Orange Sorbet

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1 cup water

1/4 cup honey

In a small saucepan, heat water and honey until simmering. Simmer for 20 mins stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool. Add orange juice and stir. Pour into glass loaf pan and freeze for several hours or overnight. Remove from freezer and place into blender. Blend on high to incorporate air and pour back into glass loaf pan and refreeze for several hours.

Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Pour into running ice cream machine and process for 20 mins. Remove to glass container and freeze for several hours.

In a frosted mug, place 2 scoops orange sorbet and 1 scoop coconut milk vanilla ice cream. Top with sparkling soda water and stir until smooth.

Baked Apple Hand Pies

Apple Pie Filling

2 Gala Apples, peeled and diced small

1/4 Cup Ghee

1/4 Cup Coconut Sugar

1/2 cup Water

2 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

2 tsp Apple Pie Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice

Melt ghee in and medium saute pan over medium heat. Add coconut sugar, maple syrup and spice to ghee and stir to combine. Add apples, stir to combine. Let mixture sauté on medium heat until apples soften. If filling starts to dry out or the sugar browns too fast, add water 1/4 cup at a time. Cool completely before using in pies.

Pastry

1 cup Rice Flour

3/4 cup Tapioca Flour

1/2 cup Ghee

1/4 tsp Salt

2 tsp Xanthan Gum

1 Large Egg, beaten

1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

3 to 4 Tbsp Ice Cold Water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flours, xanthan gum and salt in a medium bowl. Form the ghee into 1/2 tsp sized balls and drop into flour mixture. Cover the balls well with the flour mixture. Rub between your fingers to flatten into discs. Place bowl in fridge for ghee to firm up after squishing for about 5 mins. Add the vinegar to the beaten egg, add 3 Tbsp ice water and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix well until dough comes together and is not dry. Dump out onto a rice floured surface and knead lightly. Chill for 5 to 10 mins. Cut into 4 pieces. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness, not too thin as the pastry will crack. Cut 8, 5 x 3 inch rectangles. Loosen pastry from surface with offset spatula. Place 2 Tbsp of filling on each rectangle, leaving 1/4 inch all around. Do not overfill or the pastry will crack. Dab water around the edge of the pastry. Place a second rectangle, rolled slightly larger than the first, on top of filling. Press all around the edge with your finger. Crimp the edge with a fork. Cut small vent holes in the top, center with the tip of a knife. Brush with egg wash. If the pastry cracks, dip your finger in water and rub over the cracks gently until they seal back up. Repeat with the 6 other pieces of pastry. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 mins and turn to broil. Broil for 2-3 mins to lightly brown tops. Do not overbroil or the pastry will dry out.

Makes 4 (5" x 3") Hand Pies

Chicken "Nuggets"

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 2" x 2" Nuggets

3/4 cup full fat Coconut Milk

1/2 cup White Rice Flour

1/4 cup Tapioca Starch

1/4 cup Arrowroot

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika

2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp dried Thyme

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 Chili Powder

In a medium bowl add coconut milk and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 mins. Add chicken breast pieces and marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile in a another medium bowl, add all the remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine. Set up a baking pan with a rack on top. Take each piece of chicken and flour each piece thoroughly and then set on rack to dry a bit. Fry in small batches at 350 F for 6 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate to drain. Salt immediately.

Sriracha Maple Dipping Sauce

2 Tbsp Sriracha or alternate hot sauce

3 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

Stir together thoroughly. Serve alongside chicken nuggets.

Spicy Honey Mustard Sauce

3 Tbsp Mayo

2 tsp Dijon Musard

1 Tbsp Honey

Stir together thoroughly. Serve alongside chicken nuggets.