Cannellini, Bacon & Veggie Soup (gluten free, dairy free)
I made this super yummy soup last night for dinner, and I thought I would take a photo of it and share the recipe before I polish off the leftovers for breakfast this morning (I'm eating as I write!). The boys and I met up with some friends at the beach yesterday while Ben stayed home for some downtime, and as we were driving home at 5 pm I had no idea what we were going to have for dinner. I remembered that I had recently bought a couple of cans of cannellini beans, and that we still had weekend bacon in the fridge plus leftover fresh rosemary from Thanksgiving, and a big mason jar of homemade chicken stock waiting to be used up. It seemed like the beginnings of a great soup, and since it's been "chilly" here lately, it just seemed appropriate to make something warm and comforting to eat. It's healthy, hearty, and full of that umami flavor that I just love. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did, and if you have any leftovers, it really is a delicious way to start the day.
INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
5 stalks organic celery, diced
3 medium organic carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 small orange flesh sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cups organic chicken stock
1 cup water
1 cup finely chopped organic Lacinato kale
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cans organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
6 slices thick nitrate-free bacon, cooked until crispy, then chopped
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1-2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium low heat and saute onions until they start to brown.
Add the celery, carrots, garlic, rosemary, and sweet potato and saute for another 5-7 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, water, kale, and dried thyme. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Stir in the cannellini beans, bacon, and Italian parsley. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are fork tender, but don't over cook. You don't want everything to end up super mushy.
Add 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt, and check for seasoning. Add more salt if needed. I used 2 tsp total, but it will depend on how salty your chicken broth is to begin with. Add a little black pepper at this point, if you'd like.
Ladle into soup bowls, and enjoy! This would be delicious with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese on top, if you eat dairy.
Spicy Turkey Boats (paleo)
We met some friends down at Waikiki a few weeks ago to share a dinner picnic and watch the Friday night fireworks, and these yummy, easy-to-pack turkey boats were my contribution to the spread. I gathered up ingredients from my fridge and spice cabinet that I thought would go well together, and I have to say that the mix I came up with turned out to be one of my favorite things I've ever made. Bold statement, but it's true! The citrusy notes of the lemon and coriander pairs nicely with the smokey cumin and bacon, and the ground turkey and kale provides a nutrient dense, mild background that really lets all of the flavors shine. A final touch of spicy sweet sriracha gives just the right amount of kick, and the whole thing is so tasty that I could eat this for days. We spooned generous portions onto crisp romaine "boats" for a high protein, low carb starter, but it would be equally delicious paired with roasted root vegetables, your favorite gluten free grain, or on top of a salad of leafy greens and chopped crunchy veggies.
INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp EVOO
1 pound organic ground turkey
1/2 large onion, diced
5 large cloves garlic
1.5 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
Zest of one lemon
1.5 tsp Himalayan salt
4 strips bacon cooked crisp then finely chopped
1 tbsp sriracha
Juice of 1.5 lemons (or 1 if it's very juicy)
4 large stalks of curly green kale, ribs removed and leaves chopped small
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Romaine heart leaves, washed and dried
DIRECTIONS
In a Dutch oven or large skillet, brown the onions in the olive oil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add the turkey and garlic and cook until the turkey is no longer pink, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon so that it crumbles. Add in the coriander, cumin, salt, lemon zest, bacon, and kale, and cook until the kale has completely wilted. Turn off the heat and stir in the Sriracha, lemon juice and cilantro. Check for seasoning and add more salt, lemon juice, or Sriracha if needed. Let the mixture cool a bit before spooning it onto the lettuce boats. Enjoy!
Wilted Kale with Orange & Ginger (paleo)
A dear friend of mine invited us over to her place yesterday for a lovely day-after-Thanksgiving get together. Nikhil and Felix are good buddies with her two girls, so it turned out to be a fun playdate for the kids, and a relaxing afternoon for us adults. I had bought kale at the farmers market on Tuesday knowing that I wanted to make a hearty green salad for Friday's meal, but I was undecided about the specifics. This warm, citrusy salad is what I threw together at the last minute as my offering to the table, and I thought that it turned out pretty tasty! Oranges are back in season again, and they come together nicely with fresh ginger, golden onions, and a sprinkling of crispy bacon to create a fragrant kale dish that is both a little sweet and a little savory.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large bunch of kale
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1/3 cup thinly sliced yellow or white onion (shallots would work well too)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (you can also use mandarins or clementines)
1 tsp orange zest
2 1/2 tsp crushed ginger
1/4 cup chopped crispy bacon
sea salt to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Start off by cooking your bacon. I already had some chopped bacon leftover from our Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, so I just threw that into my mix. If you are starting from scratch, you'll need about 3 strips of bacon. After the bacon is cooked, cooled, and chopped, prepare your kale by first washing it, then remove the tough stems from each stalk and roughly chop the leaves. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the onions to the pan. Add a pinch of of salt to the onions, then saute until they are lightly browned.
Place the kale in the skillet, and drizzle another tablespoon of coconut oil and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the top.
It'll seem cumbersome in the skillet at first, but as the kale starts to wilt down, it'll get easier to stir. Add in the fresh orange juice, orange zest, crushed ginger, and chopped bacon and give it a good stir. Once everything is incorporated and the kale is just wilted, remove it from the heat and do a taste test. You can add more salt and even more orange juice or ginger to your liking.
I hope you enjoy this warming, wintery dish!
Summertime Salmon Chowder (paleo, aip-friendly)
Despite our humid, 88 degree weather here, I found myself craving salmon chowder of all things the other afternoon. I did an online search for a Paleo version, and thought that the ingredient list of Sarah Fragoso's Scrumptious Salmon Chowder looked appealing. I had most of what I needed at home except for carrots, bacon, and leeks, so the boys and I took a trip to our well air conditioned grocery to get some stuff. It was a great excuse to get out of the house and cool off. Although Sarah's recipe doesn't call for it, I picked up some crisp celery at the store to add to my soup because I wanted that extra savory flavor in there. I also opted to cook the bacon in whole strips, and then poured off the bacon fat and replaced it with virgin coconut oil before sauteing my veggies. I know it's common in Paleo cooking to use a fair amount of bacon fat, but I'm just not a fan. I made a few more changes to the recipe, but mostly stuck to Sarah's ingredient list and I have to say that the result truly was scrumptious! Both of my boys enjoyed the dish, and I ate two large bowls at dinner, plus a bowl for lunch the next day. I shared it with a friend of mine, and her response to her first bite was "yes!" So, even though this is not my original recipe, I wanted to share it with you because it's just that good. And if you feel like checking out the Everyday Paleo website, be sure to look for Sarah's Puerto Rican Beef and Chocolate Custard recipes. They are two of my faves.
Adapted from Everyday Paleo
INGREDIENTS:
12 oz nitrate and nitrite free bacon, cooked until crispy
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 ½ cups leeks, sliced into thin rounds- about one medium sized leek*
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cups chicken stock- not reduced sodium**
1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 lb of wild salmon fillets (skin and bones removed)
10 turns of the pepper mill (omit for AIP)
*A tip about cooking with leeks: I was taught to use the white and light green portion of the leek, and not the darker green, tougher part. Leeks grow in sandy soil, so you want to be sure to properly rinse your leeks in a colander after slicing them. You can also soak the sliced leeks in a large bowl of water to let the heavier soil sink to the bottom, and then rinse several times to ensure that all debris has been removed. You don't want gritty soup!
**If you use reduced sodium stock, you may need to add salt at the end to achieve the right flavor.
DIRECTIONS:
First, cook the bacon in a large skillet until it's crispy, then transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels (to absorb the excess oil), and pour the bacon fat from the skillet into a disposable receptacle. You may need to cook the bacon in two batches. Add the coconut oil to the skillet (or a soup pot if your skillet is too shallow), then add in your leeks, carrots, and celery. Saute the veggies until they are tender- I cooked mine for about 7 minutes over medium heat. While your veggies are cooking, chop the crisped bacon into small bite sized pieces. Now add your coconut milk, chicken stock, bacon, black pepper, and dill to the pot and bring to a low simmer. Add in the whole salmon fillets and gently simmer until the fish starts to flake apart, which should take 5 minutes or so. Once the salmon has cooked through (but not overcooked!), and the carrots are tender, your chowder is ready. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a few sprigs of fresh dill if you'd like.
Enjoy!
Bacon, Squash & Sweet Potato Hash (paleo)
I usually wake up ravenous, and this past Saturday morning was no exception. I could have reached for gluten free toast slathered in almond butter, but I decided to scrounge through the fridge to see what kind of hearty paleo breakfast I could come up with. I had a container of leftover oven roasted butternut squash and sweet potatoes that I had used the day before to make a delicious soup, so I grabbed that plus some bacon, red onion, celery, and fresh thyme I had purchased from my local farmers market. When I start my day off with protein and vegetables, I find that it's much easier to stay on track for the rest of the day. Right now staying on track for me means eating mostly paleo. No grains, legumes, dairy, or refined sugar. This savory hash is what I came up with. Feel free to substitute whatever roasted veggies and fresh herbs you have on hand. If you want to make this dish, but don't have any roasted vegetables in your fridge and don't want to hassle with roasting them, an easy shortcut is to simply steam the squash and sweet potatoes until fork tender, then toss them in a bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper before adding them to the skillet. And if you don't have any bacon at home, your favorite sausage either crumbled or roughly chopped will do the trick. Omit the meat if you are vegetarian, or try this with veggie sausage. You can't really mess up a hash, so enjoy getting creative with your ingredients.
PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes SERVES: 1
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
3 strips nitrate free bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 pastured egg, cooked to your preference (I like over medium)
DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place red onion, celery, thyme, and a sprinkle of salt in the skillet and saute until the vegetables are tender. Add bacon and roasted squash and sweet potatoes and gently saute until the roasted vegetables are heated through. Stir in the parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, then top with a fried egg and dig in. I enjoyed my hash with a mug of hot chai.
I'd love to hear from you! What is YOUR favorite weekend breakfast?