Chicken, Artichoke & Kalamata Casserole (low carb, gluten free)

Happy new year!  I hope you enjoyed the holidays and that you're off to a healthy 2017.  We stayed home over the boys' winter break, just relaxing, playing, and Ben and I even got to sleep in a few times!

Although the holidays often go hand in hand with overindulgence, I thought I had been pretty good about not veering too far off of my usual eating plan.  Then last week I realized that I was always craving carbs, and my belly just looked and felt way bigger than it should.  Why? Because I had been eating more starches and sugar than usual, which make me so bloated that sometimes I look 5 months pregnant by the end of the day.  This is not normal!

I've been working with a functional diagnostic nutritionist for the last 6 months, and various testing revealed several gut abnormalities, which was not surprising at all.  I have struggled with digestion since I was 9 years old (I'm 40 now), and even though I know how to keep my stomach problems at bay, I've yet to fully heal my gut.  I've made major strides in the last 6 months, though, so I've been able to be a little more liberal with what I eat. Rice, brown rice noodles, gluten free pizza, chocolate Kind bars... these are all yummy treats for me, and once in a while is okay, but I had gotten to the point where I was eating one of them almost every day over the holidays.   And that resulted in a big old bloated belly.

So last week I decided it was time to make a change and kick my carb cravings to the curb.  I committed to doing a very low carb diet for 2 weeks to get rid of the bloat, cravings, and maybe even burn some belly fat (that's where it loves to accumulate on my body). The first 3 or 4 days were not that fun, but now on day 7 I'm feeling pretty good.  I've figured out how much healthy fat, protein, and veggies I need to feel satiated, and unlike the more extreme low carb diets, I am still eating organic berries and a little banana here and there, to keep my energy levels balanced.  I was amazed to see that after a couple of days, my bloating reduced by 50%, and by day 5, my carb cravings had really subsided.  I'm not saying that this is going to be my long term food plan, or that it'll heal my gut, but it's helping me get back to a healthier way of eating.  When the two weeks are up, I'll add in more fruit, low starch veggies like carrots, beets and winter squash, and some high quality extra dark chocolate as a treat.

It has also provided some insight into the extent of my starch intolerance.  I've discovered that I can tolerate moderate amounts of dairy in the form of organic butter and full fat cheese better than I can handle starches like rice and sweet potatoes. This validates my suspicion that I might have SIBO- Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth, which is what makes me so darn bloated when I eat starches.  A healthy small intestine doesn't have a lot of bacteria, but in the case of SIBO, the overgrown bacteria go haywire when you eat starches, and other fermentable carbohydrates.  They start digesting the food before your body gets a chance to, which can result in abdominal bloating, distention, gas, pain, belching, and other IBS symptoms.  I won't know for sure if I have SIBO until I do the testing for it in a month or so, which is my next and possibly most important step in healing my gut.  Is it weird that I can't wait to find out?  I'll keep you posted!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this absolutely delicious chicken and veggie casserole.  It's creamy and comforting with a little kick, and I could eat it all day long.  I hope you enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS

serves 6

1 medium onion, diced

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 cups finely chopped cauliflower (about half a medium head)

3 tbsp Irish butter

2 small zucchini, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

2 cups cooked chicken thighs, chopped or shredded into bite size pieces

1 cup chopped artichoke hearts, about 8 (I used canned, but frozen works too)

2 cups grated organic white cheddar (I used Kingdom cheddar from Costco)

1/2 cup organic crème fraiche

2 tsp sea salt, more or less to taste

Black pepper to taste

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

3/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

10-20 dashes of Tabasco, more or less to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium low heat, then add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add in the garlic and cauliflower, and 1/2 tsp salt, and continue to sauté until the cauliflower is just fork tender.  Add the zucchini and sauté for another 3 minutes or so.  Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.  Give it a taste to check for seasonings, and make any necessary adjustments.  Grease a large casserole dish with butter (ceramic or Pyrex works best), then pour in the chicken and vegetable mixture.  Smooth out the top, then bake for about 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly.  To keep this dish low carb, serve with a green salad or sauteed greens.  

To make the kale and carrot salad in the photo, follow the recipe for my Lemony Kale & Apple Salad, but use one grated large carrot instead of the apple.  Bon apetit!

Aromatic Chicken & Carrots (paleo, AIP)

Dinner just doesn't get easier than this when you're in the mood for a hearty, made-from-scratch meal.  Five main ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time will give you a mouth-watering, healthy supper that is kid friendly and perfect for any time of the year.  At 4 pm today, I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner, but luckily both my fridge and freezer are well stocked thanks to last week's trip to Costco, and today's jaunt to the grocery store and farmers market.  For tonight's meal I was inspired by the gorgeous, vibrant organic rainbow carrots that I got from the store. They must be in season right now because they are so crisp and fresh, despite having been flown (or shipped!) over from California.  I always have organic chicken thighs in the freezer, and lemons in the produce drawer, so I pulled out some shallots that I got from the farmers market, and tied it all together with the aromatic rosemary that grows so eagerly in our backyard.  After simmering on the stove top for about an hour, the result was a yummy, comforting dish that was perfect for this cool and rainy Sunday evening.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp ghee, divided

5 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into quarters

1 lb rainbow carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary

zest of a large lemon

1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

freshly ground pepper, to taste (omit for AIP)

1 tbsp lemon juice, set aside

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium heat in a large Dutch oven, or heavy enameled pot with a tight fitting lid.

Add the shallots and sautee over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until they are just golden brown, being careful to not let them burn.

Add in the chicken, carrots, rosemary, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper.  Give everything a good stir, bring to a strong simmer, tuck the rosemary sprigs under the chicken and carrots, then cover and turn the heat down to the lowest setting.

Let simmer for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender, and the chicken starts to fall apart.  Remove the tough rosemary stems.

Right before serving, stir in the remaining tablespoon of ghee, the lemon juice, and add more salt and/or pepper if needed.  Garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry (paleo)

It's almost Thanksgiving!

I love this time of year. The weather in my neighborhood cools down to a perfect 78 degrees, and everyone starts to get super festive with get togethers, holiday activities, and lots of yummy food.  I had my girlfriends over on Saturday evening for a potluck and jewelry party (you can check out my friend Chun's dainty pieces here), and my contribution to the dinner table was this Slow Cooker Chicken Curry that turned out to be a hit.  I make this dish probably 2-3 times a month, and I almost always put it on the menu if we are entertaining guests.  Aside from being a crowd pleaser (it's even kid-approved), it's an easy, fool-proof recipe that requires little prep time, and then the slow cooker does the majority of the work for you.

I used to make my curry with a can of organic diced tomatoes and a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, but last week I started on a modified version of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet, which sadly does not include tomatoes or any of the nightshade vegetables.  It may sound like an extreme way of eating, especially since I don't actually have autoimmune disease, but this anti-inflammatory diet has already improved my digestion and lessened my fatigue symptoms in just 6 days, so it's 100% worth it to me to stick with this eating plan for now.

To make my Slow Cooker Chicken Curry nightshade free, I used puréed pumpkin in place of the tomato, and it turned out wonderfully!  I thought that the pumpkin would be a perfect substitute for the tomato because of it's slightly tart flavor, and because it goes so well with spices such as cinnamon, clove, and cardamom.  You can't taste the pumpkin in the curry, but it gives the dish a beautiful color, a boost of fiber and nutrients such as beta carotene, and it blends with the coconut milk and spices to create a deeply flavorful sauce.  If anyone in your family is finicky about eating their vegetables, this is a fantastic way to sneak some veggies into their diets.  I'm sharing a batch of this at Nikhil's Thanksgiving celebration tomorrow at school, and I am curious to see how the parents and kids like it!

Whether you are looking for a seasonal alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, or wanting to add a hearty slow cooker meal into your weekly rotation, I hope you try this out and enjoy it as much as we do!

Prep time: about 25 minutes  Cook time: 5-6 hours  Servings: 10-12 (you'll have leftovers for sure)

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 cup pure pumpkin purée (canned or homemade)

1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into large chunks

5 cloves garlic, peeled

2 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks

1 cinnamon stick

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1.5 tsp ground turmeric

6 whole cardamom pods

6 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

15 turns of the pepper mill

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Note: If you would like to try my original recipe that calls for tomato, simply replace the pumpkin purée with one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, plus 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, and omit the cinnamon stick.  Add the diced tomatoes to the blender with the coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and onion, and purée until smooth, then add this sauce to the chicken and dry spices. The rest of the recipe remains the same.  If you'd like to make the pumpkin recipe, but can tolerate tomatoes, I highly recommend adding a tablespoon or two of tomato paste to your curry.  It gives the dish a beautiful depth and really brings everything together. If you are sticking to the pumpkin recipe, be sure to add lots of lemon juice to taste, as it will brighten the curry and tie the flavors together.

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse your chicken under cold water, and shake off as much water as possible.  Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs, and cut the meat into large chunks.  Place the chicken in the pot of your slow cooker, and get started on the sauce.  Place the coconut milk, onion, garlic, and ginger into a high speed blender or food processor, and blend on high until smooth.  Pour this mixture over the chicken, then add the pumpkin, and all of the spices- cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, salt, and pepper- and give it a good stir.  Cover the pot, and turn your slow cooker to the low setting.  Let it do its job for 4 or 5 hours, then turn the setting to high, and crack the lid so that the steam can escape and the sauce can reduce, stirring occasionally.  I usually do this in the last hour or 2.  Alternatively, you can leave it on low for 8 hours overnight, or while you're gone during the day, and you most likely won't need to let the sauce reduce.  When you are ready to serve, stir in the lemon and cilantro, and do a taste test.  Add more salt and/or lemon if necessary, to taste.  Serve with rice, quinoa, or chapati.  I like to eat mine drizzled with virgin coconut oil and a squeeze of lemon, with a side of roasted sweet potatoes and a dollop of green chutney. For a little kick, I suggest adding some Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with love, gratitude, and good food.  I am certainly grateful for all of you.

With Aloha,

Fauzia

Cilantro Lime Chicken (paleo)

I absolutely love the fragrant, tart flavor of limes- especially in the summertime.  As you may have noticed in my last post, I have been on a lime kick recently, and I've been using every opportunity possible to incorporate these citrusy gems into my cooking.  A few weekends ago, we went on a family hike to a waterfall that is just a few miles from our house.  The boys were so tired when we got home that they all took an afternoon nap (Ben included), so I decided to get creative in the kitchen and make a yummy dinner from the stuff that I already had in my fridge.  The result was this savory and tangy Cilantro & Lime Chicken, which I served alongside an easy vegetable curry that I made up that afternoon as well (I'll post that recipe soon).  It was a hearty and satisfying dinner that is both kid and grown-up friendly.  Although the chicken was tasty for dinner that night, it was 100% better the next day for lunch after a couple of leftover breasts had a chance to marinate in the fridge overnight.   So, I highly recommend marinating your chicken for at least 8 hours before cooking it, which tenderizes the meat and infuses it with the intense flavors of the lime, cilantro, garlic, and cumin.  I promise it'll be worth the wait.  One of the best things about this juicy chicken is that it's super versatile.  It would be delicious on top of a crunchy romaine salad, inside of a sandwich, with sauteed greens and jasmine rice... feel free to get creative and pair it with some of your family's favorite sides.

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, excess fat trimmed

MARINADE:

Juice of 2 limes

Zest of 2 limes

5 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tsp sea salt

20 turns of the pepper mill

1 tsp ground cumin

DIRECTIONS:

First, mix all of your marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.  Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish, then pour the marinade over the chicken and quickly massage the mixture into the meat to make sure it's evenly coated.  Cover the dish and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for 8-24 hours.

When you are ready to cook your chicken, remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature before cooking (this is one way to help prevent the meat from drying out during the cooking process).  In a large, heavy skillet with a lid, heat 3 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.  Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture, then place your chicken in the hot skillet, ensuring that the chicken is not too crowded (too much meat in the pan will result in the chicken steaming instead of searing).  You may need to cook the chicken in a couple of batches.

Cook each side for 3-4 minutes, allowing a nice crust to form on each side.  After you've cooked the second side, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let it cook for another 3-5 minutes.  You want your chicken to be cooked through (no longer pink inside), but still tender and moist.  Be careful to not overcook your meat, as it will continue to cook a bit even after you remove it from the heat.

Remove the chicken onto a cutting board and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes.  You can cover it with foil to keep it warm, if you wish.  This step allows all of the juices to reabsorb back into the meat so that you're left with moist, juicy chicken when you cut into it.  After it's had a chance to rest, cut your chicken on an angle and against the grain.

Enjoy!