I would be a liar if I said I never craved junk food. The foods from days of yore, before I knew better, before my health declined, before I gained weight. Thankfully logic and common sense (and the threat of a super unhappy gut) keeps me from running out and eating the junkiest junk foods ever created, but this doesn’t mean that now and again I don’t think of it. Every so often I find myself fondly dreaming of those foods I used to indulge in.

The good news is, from these random cravings oftentimes I am inspired to create a healthier version of those old dishes.

Around here I find myself far more inclined to create dishes using seasonal produce. I want to inspire you to get creative, to find ways to introduce more healthy vegetables and fruit, to possibly look to foods you wouldn’t otherwise, inspiring meals you maybe wouldn’t have thought of. Nothing makes me happier. But on the rare occasions I recreate these old foods, I feel like it’s just as important to share these. If I am craving these flavors, surely I am not alone.

I grew up in Buffalo, NY. Special occasions, birthdays, graduations, Christmas eve, even visits to the hospitals, funerals, and the like – these are often celebrated (or not) with pizza and wings. It’s a Buffalo staple. It’s been a long time since I could just bust into the box of sheet pizza and go to town. Buffalo wings, oftentimes are likely gluten-free, but sometimes breaded or coatedthey are also just so loaded with grease, tons of butter (or butter-like flavor) and who knows what else. Beyond that, chicken fingers, which used to be my junk food jam, those are just as bad, if not worse. Oh by the way, speaking of foods I will never, ever, eat again, if you haven’t had a chicken finger sub in Buffalo, you haven’t lived.

Randomly last week I was craving Buffalo food. I was dreaming of Buffalo chicken anything, with just a smidgen of good blue cheese dressing. I wanted a sandwich and  it was all I could think about. To know me, is to know how ridiculous this is. I don’t eat chicken that often and most days you’ll find me craving a huge salad or a big green smoothie. So, naturally I went with it. I thought about how I could recreate these flavors in a way that wouldn’t make me feel terrible. Something light, easy, grain-free and with dairy-free options.

Considering I can tolerate a small amount of goat’s and sheep’s milk dairy, I opted to make a quick blue cheese dressing myself. You drizzle a scant teaspoon on each little slider, if that, so it’s not all that bad. If you can’t tolerate dairy at all, I share several links at the bottom of this post for non-dairy ranch dressings, that would also be great.

Additionally, these sliders can be made with store-bought gluten-free sweet potato waffle fries OR simply sweet potato rounds. I opted for the waffle fries for fancier photos, but to be honest, I just as well prefer the rounds. Simple and I know what’s in them.

These tiny little bites have all the delicious Buffalo chicken flavors I remember from where I grew up, you get a crispy little sandwich without grains or other junk and the homemade blue cheese is top notch.

[print_this]Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Sliders
{grain-free / gluten-free with dairy-free options}
serves 4-6 (depends on how large you make them and if they are a snack or a meal)

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless organic (pasture-raised) chicken breasts (3-4 breasts)
• 1 cup Frank’s original hot sauce (or other hot sauce of your choice)
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or about 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter (optional)

Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker. Dump the hot sauce over top, add the celery, carrots and garlic. Give it a stir. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.

Shred the chicken, add back to the slow cooker and if adding butter, add it now. Give it a good stir. Let cook another 20-30 minutes or so, while you prep the sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Sliders:

• 1 bag store-bought gluten-free sweet potato fries

OR

• 2-3 large sweet potatoes, cut into rounds or waffle cut, using a mandoline slicer
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

If using store-bought sweet potato waffle fries, cook according to package directions. If making your own sweet potato rounds, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Slice the sweet potatoes into 1/4 – 1/2-inch thick rounds. Lightly grease with olive oil on both sides. Season with a little salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, roast for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Roast for less time if they are waffle cut. Cook until tender and slightly crispy on the edges.

To Assemble:

Top each sweet potato round or fry with a small spoonful of the shredded Buffalo Chicken. Top with a light drizzle of blue cheese or ranch dressing (see below). Top with another sweet potato round or fry. Take a toothpick and stick it down the center. Voila!

Blue Cheese Dressing

• 2-3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (I used sheep’s milk Roquefort)
• 1/4 cup yogurt (I used goat’s milk)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I went with homemade)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl, stir well to combine. Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.

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For Dairy-free/Egg-free Dressing Options Try One of These:

Vegan Raw Ranch Dressing from The Blender Girl

Green Goddess Ranch Dressing from Nosh and Nourish

Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream from With Food + Love

NOTES: I used Alexia Sweet Potato Waffle Fries for these photos. While they are non-GMO, I don’t personally love the ingredient list, so I wouldn’t run around promoting them. I like fresh sweet potato rounds, myself. That said, for a once in a while treat, these work quite great. (Thanks to Alex Thomopoulos for the idea)

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