It is likely not a huge stretch to say we are all a tad politically fried right now, and it might not be over yet. So let’s focus on some fryin’ fun!

Frying has historically been considered the least healthy method to cook foods. Boiling chicken, fish, and potatoes in gobs of hot oil provided a crispy coat. This coat coated your food and your heart and stomach with the excess fat drippings. So, we moved on to pan frying and oven frying. Both methods involve using a nonstick cooking spray or olive oil from a plant spray or mister bottle to coat your food and cook until crispy in the pan or oven. They both remain excellent, lean methods for cooking, giving food crispiness without adding excess fat, yet not quite as crispy as deep frying.

Thankfully 💛, along came the air fryer…and suddenly frying is a healthy cooking method, bringing a fun, crispy, speedy, tasty crunch to your foods. Air fryers help create crispy, crunchy food on the outside and moist food on the inside without the oozing fat drippings from deep frying. Air fryers use hot air in combination with high-speed air circulation, cooking food from the bottom up—just a touch of oil spray and a couple of turns while frying, yummy and done.

You can take almost any recipe and experiment with the air fryer. A few of the most important tips:
​

• Single layer — though tempting, you cannot pile up your food in there, as it mainly cooks from the bottom up — just like the grill. As you finish with batches, put them in the warmer drawer or oven to keep them crispy and hot. Some suggest putting all back in the air fryer to crisp up in the end, but that seems like quite the additional hassle and time suck⌚︎ when part of the objective is speed and less hassle!
• Always remember to flip your food halfway through. Same reason as stated above⬆️. Opening and closing the air fryer frequently while cooking is necessary and safe.
• You must mist all food with oil but do not need to saturate💦. Hence, the point of the air fryer is to use less oil, less fat, fewer calories, and great taste.
• There are many varieties of air fryers, from the small mini-oven to the large toaster-oven style. They vary significantly in price and capacity. Do your research to see what model is best for you. If you’re looking for something fun and different from the usual oven and slow cooker, try it!
• Quick nuggets—whether you choose chicken, cauliflower, or shrimp, just mix panko bread crumbs (lower in fat, calories, and sodium than regular bread crumbs) with spices of your choice. Dip the chicken/shrimp/cauliflower in egg, followed by your breadcrumb mixture, mist with oil on all sides, air fry for 4–5 minutes, flip, and fry some more. It is really that simple!​

​

CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS

When you order Brussels sprouts at a restaurant, they are extra crispy and delicious, likely because they have been pan-fried in excess fat (from oils to bacon grease) to some extent. At home you can accomplish the same crispy, deliciousness by cooking them in the air fryer, hence using less fat. The key is to slide them out every 4–5 minutes for a good stir, to be sure they all reach desired crispiness.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, washed and quartered
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil from mister/plant spray bottle
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon balsamic glaze
salt and pepper to taste
​
PREPARATION
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes. While preheating, mix prepared Brussels sprouts with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a dash of salt and pepper. Slide out of the basket and spray with olive oil. Place Brussels sprouts in the basket and coat with a spray of olive oil. Push into the air fryer and place the timer on for 12 minutes. Slide the tray out every 4 minutes to stir the Brussels sprouts. Ensure all are browned and cooked to a desired consistency (taste one!). Place onto a serving dish. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with balsamic glaze. Makes 4 servings.

photo by airfried.com

CHICKEN CHEESESTEAK EGG ROLLS

I am a Philly girl, which sometimes shines through (especially if you are one of those people who makes fun of my accent ;)). Chicken cheesesteak is how I roll, but surely these could be made with any lean meat or a meat substitute of sorts like seitan…and dairy-free cheese if you choose.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups pre-cooked shredded chicken (or protein of choice). Leftovers are ideal.
1 medium onion, sliced into rings (optional additions: chopped mushrooms, peppers)
1 Tablespoon margarine
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
12 egg roll wrappers
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water
Nonstick cooking spray

PREPARATION
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. While the air fryer is preheating, place a medium skillet over high heat. Melt the margarine and add the onions. Stir frequently while the onions cook until they turn a caramel color (yes, caramelized :)), about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Place chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add onions and cheese and mix well.

Place an egg roll wrapper in a diamond shape on a plate, with a small bowl of water next to the plate. Spoon 1/4 cup of chicken mixture in the lower third of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up over the mixture, condensing the filling with a tighter fold (but do not rip the wrapper…). Dip your finger in the water bowl and spread the water on all remaining edges of the wrapper. Fold in the left and right corners snugly, forming an envelope. Roll up tightly to seal. Place on a separate platter. Repeat the steps with the remaining ingredients, placing all finished rolls on the platter.

Spray the tops of the rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Place 4–5 in the basket of the pre-heated air fryer, sprayed side down. Spray the tops of the egg rolls in the basket. Set the air fryer for 6 minutes, turning the rolls halfway until crisp and browned. Remove, place in the warmer, and repeat with the remaining egg rolls. Serve immediately with your favorite cheesesteak condiments (e.g., ketchup).
​

photo by kitchendivas.com

TEMPURA BANANAS (or AVOCADO 🙂

The typical tempura recipe calls for 3 cups of oil in a regular fryer. Hence, stick with your air fryer and enjoy the bananas as a healthy dessert. A fun alternative — follow the same recipe with fresh avocado slices (a most delightful option my daughter made for me for quarantine Mother’s Day💝). They make a delicious salad topping or on top of a fish, chicken, or veggie dish.

INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
3 bananas, peeled and sliced into thirds
1/2 cup corn starch
2 eggs or egg substitute equivalents
Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil from mister/plant spray bottle

PREPARATION
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees. While preheating, place a small skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and panko bread crumbs and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes to roast the bread crumbs slightly. Remove from heat and place in a small bowl.

Place cornstarch in a separate small bowl. Place eggs or egg substitute in a separate small bowl and beat with a fork. Place a dinner plate or sheet of parchment paper in a nearby workspace.

Start with one piece of the sliced banana and dip it into the cornstarch bowl, then the egg bowl, and end with roasted panko crumbs, turning to coat all sides of the banana. Place the banana on a plate or parchment paper. Repeat until all banana pieces are coated.

Slide the basket out of the preheated air fryer and coat it with spray. Place prepared bananas on a tray, leaving room in between each one. Depending on the side of your air fryer, you may have to do 2–3 batches. Spray the tops of the bananas and push the tray into the air fryer. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Slide out and turn bananas carefully. Spray tops and finish cooking for another 2 minutes. Remove from the basket. Repeat steps for additional batches. Serve and enjoy.
​

Photo by AdventureOnTheSide.com on Unsplash

POLITICAL PUNCH

#1132020 #isitover? #cocktailtime #reboot #refresh #antioxidantsunite Mixing blue and red and vodka and hope.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 small watermelon, rind removed
1/2 cup fresh blueberries plus a few extra
1 1/2 ounces vodka
2 slices fresh lime
1 cup ice

PREPARATION
Slice the watermelon into chunks and place it in a blender. Add the half cup of blueberries and blend into juice.

Fill the shaker with one cup of ice. Add one cup of liquid from the blender mix, 1 1/2 ounces vodka, and squeeze slices of lime. Shake it up. Pour into a martini glass. Garnish with watermelon, strawberry, and/or fresh blueberries. Sip. Enjoy. Breathe.
​

“Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it and to work for it and to fight for it.“

​For comments, thoughts, requests, or anything else you feel the need to share, please do: amy@rebelliousrd.com