If you’re wanting to indulge in your favorite Chinese food dish, but don’t want the junk and calories that come with it, try this Paleo General Tso’s Chicken! It can even be made in the Instant Pot!
Craving comfort food is something I always struggle with. I know that there are things I shouldn’t be eating, but at some point, my body always craves the very things I can’t have. I’ve always had comfort foods; you know- the foods that help your brain to produce serotonin, flooding your body with those feel-good hormones temporarily. All you know is they make you feel so good, right?
Chinese food is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to making your brain feel good. It’s not that it tastes good, it’s that it’s notorious for being loaded with MSG (monosodium glutamate). If you’re not sure what MSG is, it’s a chemical that is often added to junk foods to trick your brain into thinking they taste good.
That’s right- those foods don’t really taste good. Your brain is being fooled.
It works by overstimulating our nervous system, exciting it to make you feel good. Many of these brain cells get so excited, they die. This is why it’s called an “excitotoxin”. Chinese food may be adding pounds to the scale, but did you realize it was killing brain cells too?
It’s also never been tested for safety. How is all of this junk ending up in our food supply? The only way to avoid it is to make your own meals at home with real ingredients. Thankfully, this Paleo General Tso’s Chicken is delicious, and totally hits the spot!
Oh yeah- and in the event you think you’re safe from MSG because the label doesn’t show it, think again! There are over 40 different ingredients put into processed foods that contain MSG. That comfort food isn’t looking very comforting anymore, is it? 
A couple of months ago I lost both my grandparents around 3 weeks apart. It was a very hard time, and as grief goes, I have good days and I have days where I still feel really sad. We were so close with them growing up, so it’s been a really hard adjustment.
So much of my instinct tells me to default to comfort foods. “They’ll help you feel better“, my subconscious mind keeps attempting to rationalize. But the truth is, they don’t. Junk food ALWAYS makes you feel like junk.
I’m not going to backslide in my healing journey for the false promises of comfort.
Instant Pot Paleo General Tso’s Chicken
Instant Pot Paleo General Tso Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast cubed
- 2 bags stir fry veggies
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tsp ginger
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/2 cup chives sliced salt & pepper to taste
- 4 cup cauliflower rice frozen is fine
Instructions
- Add all ingredients (except cauliflower rice) to instant pot.
- Stir thoroughly, and cook on "POULTRY" for 6-8 minutes (depending on how thick they are cut).
- While that's cooking, steam the cauliflower rice. (You can add the cauli rice to the instant pot too, but it may get a little mushy.
- When the Instant Pot is finished, release pressure valve. Serve over cauliflower rice.
Alternatively, you can cook in the crockpot for 4-6 hours on high (or 8 hours on low). Then steam cauliflower rice and serve.
Nutrition
Isn’t it great to know that there is comfort food we can make that will not only taste good, but will nourish our body as well? For me, this Paleo General Tso’s Chicken hits the spot!
What’s your favorite go-to comfort food?
Leave a Reply