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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Peach Crisp Skillet For One

Peach Crisp Skillet For One - Healthy peach crisp that is easy, gluten-free and no leftovers!

Summertime = peach season, here in Georgia and I am HERE. FOR. IT! 

My favorite thing to do is turn on the grill to make my favorite go-to summer salad Grilled Peach and Steak Salad and with the leftover peaches, make this single serve peach crisp skillet! 

With that being said, this recipe is flexible as you can cook the peach crisp on the grill or in the oven, up to you! 

Individually portioned desserts have been my new favorite - especially during the summer time when I don’t want an entire tray of brownies staring me down, begging to be eaten! 

If you would like to share this recipe with friends and family, then simply double, triple, etc the recipe ingredients and use a bigger skillet or dish! 

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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Peach Crisp Skillet For One - Healthy peach crisp that is easy, gluten-free and no leftovers!

Serving: 1 | Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• 1 fresh peach, sliced and peeled (optional)

• 3 Tbsp gluten free oat flour

• 1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil

• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp vanilla

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

• 1 Tbsp chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Spray cast iron skillet or small ramekin with cooking spray oil and lay peaches in a spiral. Dust peaches with cinnamon and coconut sugar and set skillet or ramekin aside. 

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients until fully incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. 

4. Cover peaches with the crumble topping and bake for 18-24 minutes or until topping is golden brown and juices are bubbling. 

5. Top with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with chopped pecans (optional) and enjoy!

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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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