Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets

Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets - childhood nostalgia in every crispy gluten free, fish battered bite! 

One of my fondest food memories as a child during the summertime was fried catfish! My brothers and uncle would spend the day fishing out on the lake and come home with catfish up to their ears! My mom would deep fry catfish filets and homemade hushpuppies and have coleslaw and tartar sauce on the side. It truly didn’t get any better than that! 

My childhood years were really the only time I ate fried catfish. So when I moved back south this past year, not only was I craving fried catfish, but the exact preparation on how my mother used to make it. 

With that being said, I am so thankful that the air fryer was created in my adult years because I am not quite sure how my thirty one year old body would react to deep fried foods again! 

Now that I have a healthier way to prepare this dish, I need the catfish! 

After one night of nighttime fishing out on Lake Hartwell, I caught my first 15 pound blue catfish! 

We put that bad boy on ice for three days (to help draw the blood out / gives it a less “fishy” taste), filet it, brined it and here we are in the recipe storyline. 

Now if “lake to table” isn’t your journey and you want more “frozen fish to table”, then that is okay too! When choosing a fish, neutral flavored and lean fish is the best way to go like bass, trout, tilapia, Alaskan cod, and halibut.

I have also included a paleo, keto, sugar-free and Whole 30 approved tartar sauce recipe that pairs perfectly with the catfish nuggets. 

And I promise you, even though these catfish nuggets are gluten-free and air fried vs deep fried and tartar sauce is made with cleaner ingredients, you will not be able to tell the difference! It is truly childhood nostalgia in every crispy fish battered bite! 

Want more seafood recipes, here is a list to get you started: shrimp and grits, air fryer honey mustard salmon, fresh and easy ceviche 2-ways, smoked sardine toast with radicchio salad and pickled onions, ahi poke bowl & stack, healthy salmon patties with lemon dill potato salad, grilled shrimp summer salad, and pecan crusted spiced salmon

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets - childhood nostalgia in every crispy gluten free, fish battered bite! 

Servings: 9-12 | Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 7-10 min

Ingredients

• 3 lb prepared catfish filets

• 3 Tbsp creole seasoning

• 2 cups gluten free cornmeal

• 1 cup 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour

• ½ cup dijon mustard (or classic yellow mustard)

• Cooking oil spray (avocado, olive, or coconut)

Tartar Sauce

• ½ cup mayo (primal kitchen brand)

• 3 Tbsp dill relish or finely diced dill pickles

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp whole grain mustard

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Salt and pepper to flavor

Garnish

Hot sauce, lemon wedge, fresh parsley

Directions

1. Cut your catfish filets into 2” nuggets. Lightly season catfish nuggets with salt and transfer to a resealable bag with mustard. Fully coat nuggets with mustard and allow to sit in the fridge for at least one hour. 

2. To make the tartar sauce: combine all ingredients into a bowl and stir well. Add any salt and pepper as needed, or additional diced pickles for a chunkier tartar sauce. 

   1. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate at least a half hour prior to serving to allow flavors to meld together.

3. To another large resealable bag, add the flour, cornmeal, and creole seasoning and mix well. 

4. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.

5. In batches of about 10-12 pieces, add catfish nuggets to the flour mix and shake to coat the catfish well. 

6. Place 10-12 pieces onto the air fryer rack (don’t overcrowd!) and spray the tops with cooking oil spray. Air fry for about 7 minutes total, flipping nuggets halfway and adding another coat of cooking spray.

Notes

• Don’t add too many catfish nuggets to the flour mixture at one time, or the pieces will not get coated well. Do it in stages. 

• Once the fried catfish nuggets are cooled completely, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in a resealable bag in the freezer for up to a month. 

  • To reheat, pop them in the air fryer on 400 degrees F for 3-4 minutes.

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Air Fryer Honey Mustard Salmon

Air Fryer Honey Mustard Salmon - quick and flavorful healthy seafood dinner. 

Not sure what is wrong with me, but I am JUST now getting on the air fryer train! Maybe it’s because fried foods never did it for me, (hello sweet tooth) but now I am a changed woman. 

Veggies, desserts, meats, I put EVERYTHING in my air fryer now! 

And since air frying salmon has been the recent craze, I knew that was the first recipe I needed to post because it is quite literally the best cooking method for salmon. 

No need to worry about drying out your salmon or undercooking it, air frying is the foolproof method. Every time. And the best part - it only takes 8 minutes! 

So here is a great air fryer salmon recipe that requires 5 ingredients to make a sweet and tangy sauce and that tastes absolutely amazing! 

Pair it with some air fryer veggies like zucchini and asparagus, garden salad, starchy carbs like mashed or roasted potatoes, quinoa, or anything your heart desires for a well-balanced and delicious dinner. 

More salmon recipes? Check out these on the blog: Healthy Salmon Patties with Lemon Dill Potato Salad, Pecan Crusted Spiced Salmon, Everything Bagel & Lox Socca Pizza, Fresh and Easy Ceviche: 2-Ways

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Air Fryer Honey Mustard Salmon - quick and flavorful healthy seafood dinner. 

PREP TIME 5 MIN | COOK TIME 8 MIN | MAKES 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 salmon filets (4-8 oz each)

• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

• 1-2 clove garlic, minced

• ¼ tsp smoked paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: fresh chopped parsley, lemon wedge

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients (dijon and whole grain mustard, honey, garlic, paprika, and salt and pepper). 

2. Marinate the salmon in ⅔ of the sauce for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. 

3. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F and place the salmon filets in the air fryer. Air fry for 7-8 minutes, depending on the salmon’s thickness. 

4. When ready to eat, drizzle the remaining sauce over the cooked salmon and garnish with chopped parsley and juice from a lemon wedge. Enjoy! 

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Mexican Eggs Benedict

Mexican Eggs Benedict - A fun and healthy spin on the classic eggs Benedict - done 2-ways! 

If I am going out for breakfast or Sunday brunch, the first thing my eyes search for is the keyword: Benedict. I’m obsessed with the concept of having a carb, piece of meat, poached egg, creamy hollandaise sauce, and fun toppings all on one fork and for every bite. Talk about an explosion of flavors! 

So why wait for the next brunch invitation when you can make eggs Benedict at home! And sure, you can totally make the American classic eggs Benedict which consists of two halves of an English muffin, each topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce OR… you can make it my way = the spicy, healthy, and fun way! 

Mexican eggs Benedict done not one, but TWO ways! 

Components consist of: 

• Carbohydrate base: Roasted or grilled sweet potato slices

• Meat: Spicy chorizo

• Poached egg: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! 

• Hollandaise sauce: creamy chipotle hollandaise sauce

• Toppings: avocado, pickled onions, sliced peppers, lime wedge, cilantro

• Fresh fruit salad on the side

Now that you have the components, you know how Mexican dishes tend to have variations of the same thing i.e. burrito, taco, enchilada - same ingredients just done a different way?

That is what we are doing here! So you can prepare the ingredients in the classic eggs Benedict fashion OR you can throw everything in a bowl and call it Mexican eggs Benedict nachos or Mexican eggs Benedict nourish bowl… up to you! 

Before you start cooking, know that this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free friendly, Whole 30, nut-free, paleo, and grain-free. 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Mexican Eggs Benedict - A fun and healthy spin on the classic eggs Benedict - done 2-ways! 

Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 40 min Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato

• 1 Avocado

• 1 lb ground chorizo (removed from their casings if applicable)

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tsp white vinegar

Chipotle Hollandaise

• 2 egg yolks

• Juice of half lime

• 1-2 Tbsp chopped chipotle pepper in adobo (or 1 Tbsp chipotle powder)

• ¼ cup melted butter (or ghee for paleo/Whole30)

• ¼ tsp salt

Toppings 

• Fresh fruit (strawberry + mango + juice of half lime)

• 1 bundle fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 jalapeno, sliced

• Pickled onions

• Lime wedges

Directions

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into ½ in thick slices for rounds or cut sweet potatoes into cubes slices for nacho style. 

2. Brush or spray each slice or cubes with oil and grill or roast at 425 degrees for approx. 20 minutes per side or when the sweet potatoes are slightly tender. 

3. To make the hollandaise, in a small processor or tall container add the egg yolks, salt, lime juice and chipotle. Insert an immersion blender into the tall container or blend on high in the food processor for 30 seconds. Very slowly drizzle the melted butter/ghee into the vessel while blending. 

4. In a medium pan on medium-high heat, ground the chorizo meat until cooked and has a crumbly texture. 

5. To make the poached eggs, fill a medium pot with approximately ¾ of water and add in the vinegar. Bring water to a boil and reduce the heat to low-medium. Using a spoon, quickly move the spoon in a circular motion in the water to create a whirlpool and then crack an egg into the center of the whirlpool. Let sit for 4 minutes to cook before removing the egg from the water using a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining eggs. 

   1. Eggs Benedict way: place two sweet potato rounds on a plate and top each slice with avocado slices, chorizo meat, poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Garnish with toppings and create a fresh fruit salad on the side before serving. 

   2. Nacho way: place sweet potato cubes on a plate or bowl and layer with avocado slices or cubes, chorizo meat, poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Garnish with the toppings along with the fresh fruit before serving. 

Notes

• This meal is considered a six senses nourish meal! For more information - check out the Nourishment Program!

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Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Nice Cream Sandwiches

Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Nice Cream Sandwiches - Made with an easy homemade banana ice cream, sandwiched between two soft chewy cookies and half drenched in a salted dark chocolate shell. 

(Dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and grain-free)

Hands. Down. My favorite dessert on this blog! 

I feel like I always say that but as the stakes get higher, so does the quality of desserts and I’m telling you, this one will be hard to beat! 

Honestly, if you just read the tag line and see notes of homemade, soft and chewy, drenched, salted on top of the best dessert words like ice cream, cookie, dark chocolate shell - it’s like my taste buds are crying for joy! 

And my taste buds continue to cry as I make this dessert time and time again! 

It’s honestly a flawed system because my intentions are to make a big batch, store them in the freezer, so that I can have them longer. But since I know that I have the best dessert ever in my freezer just seconds away from my room, I can’t help but to run straight to the freezer and possibly (cough* eat all of them within days…). Again, as my taste buds scream in delight - sorry, not sorry! 

I would like to mention before you dive right into the recipe that this dessert recipe can be taken apart if you find yourself short for time, don’t have the patience to make banana nice cream, or just simply want to make one recipe over the other - completely up to you! Personally, the cookie recipe is hands down my favorite of them all! They really should have their own blog post on their own (make mental note). 

But if you really want to make this recipe and don’t have time, just simply cut corners by purchasing a good quality ice cream vs making homemade nice cream. This is also the right decision if you are allergic to bananas. Enough said.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Nice Cream Sandwiches - Made with an easy homemade banana ice cream, sandwiched between two soft chewy cookies and half drenched in a salted dark chocolate shell. 

(Dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and grain-free)

PREP TIME: 45 MIN | COOK TIME: 15 MIN | SERVINGS: 12 COOKIES

Cookies 

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup cashew or sunflower butter

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

• 1/2 cup cassava flour

• 1/4 cup coconut oil

• 2 Tbsp plant based milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Nice cream

• 2 cups frozen banana slices (1 large banana)

• 2-4 Tbsp milk of choice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• pinch of sea salt

Salted Dark Chocolate Shell

• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• Smoked (or regular) sea salt flakes

Directions

1. Prepare the cookie dough by combining the wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients minus chocolate chips until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and set cookie batter in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. 

2. While the dough is chilling, prepare the banana nice cream by combining all ingredients into a blender or processor until smooth and creamy. May adjust the liquid portion as you want a "soft serve" texture. Transfer ice cream to a bread pan to freeze. 

3. Freeze banana nice cream for 1-2 hours so that it hardens enough to scoop like ice cream, but isn't too hard where you can't scoop it. 

4. When you are ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

5. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out 1-2 Tbsp of cookie dough and roll into a ball (if 2 Tbsp will make 6 large cookies | 1 Tbsp 12 cookies) 

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes and let rest for 10 minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack. 

7. Top with smoky flaky sea salt and eat as is or wait oh so patiently so that you can make either ice cream sandwiches or crumble the cookies into the ice cream and make cookie dough ice cream! 

8. If you want to dip the ice cream sandwiches into chocolate, simply melt 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips with 1 tbsp coconut oil and dip premade sandwiches into the melted chocolate. Set sandwiches on a freezer safe plate and freeze for 5-10 min or longer until ready to eat! Sprinkle additional sea salt flakes on chocolate just before you put them in the freezer!

9. Eat immediately or store in the freezer in a freezer safe container for up to a month...if you can wait that long! 

Notes

• If you need a great dark chocolate recommendation, I highly recommend Hu Kitchen! Use code FROMTHEROOTS for 15% your first order!

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Apple Cider Churro Donuts

Apple Cider Churro Donuts - Apple cider meets churros - this healthier, baked not fried, donut is a delicious treat to bake during the fall season! Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, nut-free, and paleo friendly.

Last week, we had a local event in the area where business fronts downtown Hartwell would open their doors for women to shop, receive discounts in store all while enjoying delicious fall treats! In my office building, the chiropractor made warm apple cider, chocolate hummus, and goat cheese stuffed dates with chopped pistachios. So good! 

Running on the apple cider train, I decided in my dreams that I should make some sort of apple cider donut! Haha, I swear, pressure to recipe development is where it’s at for me! As you can tell in the pictures, I have cute mini donuts sprinkled in and that is because my initial thought was to use them as a garnish for the apple cider!

Now, if you decide to use the apple cider churro donuts as a garnish for your apple cider or apple cider mimosas, then please take pictures and share - It would just be the cutest thing! 

Okay, I digress again. The reason why I added churro to the recipe name is not because these are made in the traditional sense as they are baked, not fried, but the cinnamon sugar topping! And bonus, if you decide to use a piping bag to fill in the donut pans then they create a natural churro design which is super fun and holds more cinnamon sugar topping. And who doesn’t want more of that!?

If you would like to see the kitchen equipment and ingredients I used to make this recipe, then scroll down below for the links! 

So while it is still fall season and you have apple cider and all of your fall spices, then make a batch of these apple cider churro donuts! 

I think I will make these for my niece and nephews for Thanksgiving breakfast this year :)

And hey, if you want to get super creative, here are some fun ways you can pair your donut with, if eating them on their own is not enough! Seasonal drinks like adrenal cream cider, coffee, hot cocoa, apple cider, turmeric latte, and chai tea, milk, ice cream (stop it!), dipped in nut butters, jams or the traditional churro style with chocolate sauce. 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Apple Cider Churro Donuts - Apple cider meets churros - this healthier, baked not fried, donut is a delicious treat to bake during the fall season! Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, nut-free, and paleo friendly.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Servings: 12 large donuts

Ingredients

Donut Batter

• 2 cups gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour

• ¾ cup arrowroot flour

• ½ cup organic applesauce

• ⅓ cup coconut sugar

• ⅓ cup avocado or coconut oil

• ⅓ cup organic apple cider or apple juice

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)

• 1 Tbsp apple pie spice seasoning

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• Avocado/coconut oil spray for donut pans

Churro Topping

• 3 Tbsp melted grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil

• 3 Tbsp coconut sugar, maple sugar or date sugar

• 1 ½ tsp apple pie spice seasoning 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray silicone donut pans for easy removal. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (ie both flours, sugar, apple pie spice, baking powder and soda, and salt). Set aside. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, vanilla, applesauce, and apple cider/juice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir well until fully combined. The batter should be scoopable, not pourable. 

4. You can either spoon the batter or transfer batter into a piping bag and fill into the wells of the lightly greased donut pan to make 11-12 donuts - you might need to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of your donut pan. 

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until set and a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cook for about 5 minutes. Once cooled, remove donuts from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. 

6. While the donuts are cooling, make the churro topping. Melt fat of choice in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, stir the sugar and apple pie spice seasoning. Brush the cooled donuts with the fat and either sprinkle with or dip donuts in the sugar mixture. Serve right away or store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate or freeze to keep them longer. 

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