Creamy Chicken Dijon
Creamy Chicken Dijon.
I am relieved to say that my exercise science midterm is over! It is such a relief to have that thing off my mind or at least not to have to study for it anymore. I admit that it is still on my mind a little bit. I can’t help but wonder how I did and have gone over some of the questions in my head (and even checked an answer in my book…don’t let me do that anymore. It made me upset!). I realized I made a couple dumb mistakes, but in the moment, I took a chance because I was unsure. Whatever. I know I passed and I studied my buns off, so hopefully it paid off and at least scored me a B. I’m pretty confident that I got at least that, but who knows, maybe I did even better!
Studying for that blasted exam is what the majority of my weekend consisted of. The weather was so nice and sunny, which made it challenging, but I took advantage of studying outside on the patio. Really, I just wanted to hang out outdoors, bum around on my bike and drink wine. I got the outdoors, did ride some on my bike (commuting), but didn’t drink wine. I needed clarity, so I stuck with kombucha and memory boost tea. As you probably know by now, I very rarely drink, but there’s something about warm weather that makes me want to, particularly when the weather first starts turning summery.
Jason’s event at Whole Foods on Saturday was a lot of fun and a nice break from studying. There ended up being a smaller group than expected because a couple people cancelled last minute and some didn’t show up, which I attribute to the warm weather, but it was a success among those there and nice to have a small group. Naturally, it ran over because there was a lot of questions and much to talk about in only one hour’s time. Everyone was very engaged and Jason was entertaining and brilliant, as always. Honestly, that guy cracks me up, but man he knows his stuff! It’s always a pleasure to listen to him speak. To all my readers and followers who have not bought his book, The Paleo Coach, I strongly encourage you to do so. His message and information is too valuable not to share.
Here are a couple pictures from the event. Ashley, Whole Foods Pearl District’s Healthy Eating Specialist and blogger at Craving4more, also put together a neat picture from the talk on her Instagram, which you can check out here.
The spread of paleo food that Ashley, the Healthy Foods Specialist made for the event (with the exception of the date and honey-sweetened Stirs the Soul raw chocolate — my favorite!). She also blogs over at Craving4more.
Jason, doing what he does.
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Meanwhile, I’m still really loving mustard, particularly Dijon. It makes a difference in so many recipes and is often the missing flavor I’m looking for. It tantalized my taste buds once again, in this recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp US Wellness Meats grass-fed beef tallow
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 1.5 cups chopped broccoli
- 1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsp bone broth or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
Directions:
- Melt tallow in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for a minute. Then, add the chicken and season with a bit of sea salt and pepper.
- Continue to cook for about 5-6 minutes, and then add the spices, carrots, broccoli and a bit more sea salt and pepper. Stir well and continue to saute.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, broth and Dijon. Add mixture to the chicken and vegetables; stir.
- Continue to cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. The sauce will thicken up a bit as well.
- Serve as is or with steamed leafy greens, cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
Yields: 3 servings
Turkey Sausage Veggie Hash
Before I rant about this recipe, I want to announce an exciting event coming up in Portland this Saturday. Some of you may have seen it on my Facebook page, but I want to share it again! Anyway, Jason Seib, author of The Paleo Coach, is giving a FREE talk at the Pearl District Whole Foods from 12-1 p.m, this Saturday, May 4th. There will be copies of Jason’s book available for purchase and he will also be available for signing. In addition, there will be some delicious paleo recipes to try made by the lovely, Ashley Kipp, the pearl store’s Healthy Foods Specialist and blogger behind Craving4more. Space is limited and an RSVP is required, so if you want to sign up, please email Ashley at ashley.kipp@wholefoods.com. It’s only two days away, so make sure you reserve your spot now! The presentation will be held upstairs in Salud, the demo kitchen next to The Mezz.
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Meanwhile, this simple and tasty dish is versatile and pretty much foolproof — at least in my opinion. Honestly, I don’t have too much to say about it, other than the fact that it’s just plain good. Eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’d also be great mixed with some scrambled eggs, but a runny egg on top is lovely too. Can you believe that I used to detest runny yolks? Up until a couple years ago, I only ate my yolks cooked through. That’s just blasphemy!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey thighs
- 1 Tbsp US Wellness Meats grass-fed beef tallow
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 bunch radishes, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 3 cups fresh spinach, torn into pieces
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Dash of nutmeg
- 3 Tbsp bone broth or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp grass-fed butter
- Sunny side-up pastured egg for serving, optional
Directions:
- Melt tallow in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and break up with a spatula. Then, add the chopped garlic. Season with a little sea salt and pepper, and continue to cook.
- Next, add the radishes, carrots, spices, bone broth, and a bit more sea salt and pepper; stir. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until meat is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender. Then, add the torn spinach leaves and butter. Cook another couple minutes, until spinach softens a bit. Adjust seasonings as needed.
- Optional to serve with a sunny-side up egg and let the yolk ooze all over.
Yields: 3 servings
Slow Cooked Shredded Pork with Creamy Applesauce
Slow cooked shredded pork with creamy applesauce.
Props to me … I had success with another pork recipe. Slow cooked, well seasoned and shredded is the way to go, otherwise, I don’t care for it. Bacon is the exception.
My main inspiration for this recipe? The Brady Bunch. Anyone remember the, “pork chops and applesauce” episode? Peter was the one who coined the phrase, but he was trying to mock someone’s voice. I don’t remember whose though. Anyone remember? I was a big Brady Bunch fan growing up and always watched it after school on TBS. It was The Brady Bunch followed by Saved by the Bell, which I also loved. Oh, the good ol’ days. Funny, but I still enjoy both of these shows today and occasionally watch an episode on Hulu or Netflix.
Ingredients:
- 2.5 lb pork shoulder roast
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 Tbsp grass-fed butter
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1/4 cup bone broth
Directions:
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, and saute a few minutes, until the onion begins to turn translucent. Mix in the tomato paste and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Cook for another minute or so, and then add to your slow cooker.
- Use the same pan, over medium heat, to brown the roast. First, season it with sea salt and pepper on both sides. Then, add to the pan and sear for 4 minutes per side. Next, add the roast to the slow cooker and sprinkle the ground sage all over. Pour in the bone broth and cover the slow cooker with the lid.
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 6-7. Once done, shred the meat with two forks and stir. Serve with creamy applesauce (recipe below) and a green veggie of your choosing (I recommend kale or broccoli).
For the creamy applesauce:
- 4 organic braeburn apples, cored and chopped (skins on)
- 1 Tbsp grass-fed butter
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, plus extra if needed
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the apples and water, and stir.
- After a few minutes, add the coconut milk and stir. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little more coconut milk if necessary.
- Once apples have softened into applesauce (chunks are fine and welcomed), remove from heat and serve with the pork.
Yields: 4-5 servings
Simple Supper Friday: Chicken Spaghetti Soup
Chicken spaghetti soup.
The night I made this soup, I asked Jesse what he wanted for dinner. He suggested spaghetti squash with meat sauce, but I told him I didn’t feel like spaghetti. We’d been having it for dinner quite a bit and I felt like I needed a break. What’s funny, is that the recipe I whipped up is basically a thinner and soupier spaghetti sauce with squash noodles mixed in. Hence the name, spaghetti soup. So, I ended up eating a variation of spaghetti anyway. I guess I must have wanted it unconsciously.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 Tbsp grass-fed ghee
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 1.5 cups frozen kale
- 2 cups no-sugar added marinara sauce (I used Monte Bene Spicy Marinara)
- 1 26.4 oz box Pomi chopped tomatoes (or a 28 oz can)
- 2-3 cups bone broth (or decent store bought broth/stock)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- Red pepper flakes to taste, optional
- 1/2 large cooked spaghetti squash, scraped into strands with fork
- Italian herb-infused olive oil for drizzling, optional, but highly recommended
Directions:
- Melt the ghee in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and ground chicken. Saute a few minutes, breaking up the ground chicken with a spatula. Then, add the celery and mushrooms and continue to cook, until the meat is fully browned.
- Add the marinara sauce, tomatoes, frozen kale, grated carrots, broth and seasonings, and mix well. Bring soup to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and let cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cooked spaghetti squash strands and adjust seasonings if need be. Serve with Italian herb-infused olive oil drizzled on top, if desired.
Yields: 5-6 servings
Natural Cold Remedies
(Photo credit: anna gutermuth)
I woke up with a hoarse/sore throat the other morning. I thought it’d maybe go away, like it was dry from sleeping or something, but it didn’t. Now, it’s all tickley, and triggers dry coughing bouts every now and then. Luckily, I’m not stuffed up, nor am I coughing up mucus, although my head felt a little heavy on Tuesday (I think because I was tired). My voice is all raspy and I truly thought I was going to lose it completely. I have it in the meantime, but it’s still hoarse. It’s funny, because I’ve actually had people tell me that they like my voice like this, but the same cannot be said when I’m stuffed up. That just doesn’t sound good on anyone! I’m glad my body is rocking the sexy voice and not the stuffy, mouth-breather voice though. Hopefully, it doesn’t get to that point. Fortunately, I rarely get sick anymore and when I do come down with something — usually a cold — it doesn’t last very long.
By the way, I’m pretty sure I picked this up at school. It’s my second week back after nearly three weeks off, so I’m coming into contact with a lot more people and germs. It’s also just the nature of things this time of year.
Anyway, I definitely have some go-to remedies when it comes to colds. Here’s what I rely on, in addition to a healthy, nutrient-dense diet:
- Lots of water and hot tea, especially ginger and green tea: we all know the importance of fluids when we’re sick, so drink up! A little raw honey mixed in the tea can also help soothe the throat. If you have time, you can even make homemade lemon ginger tea. Click the image below for a simple recipe.
(Photo credit: edilbleharmony.com)
- Bone broth: loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals, this traditional elixir has even been referred to as, “Jewish Penicillin.” For more info on bone broth and a simple recipe, click here. Also, if you don’t want to drink the broth straight up, make a pot of chicken soup to ward off your cold or flu. Add extra garlic too, which strengthens the immune system. Cayenne is another great addition because it can help move congested mucus.
- Gargling with salt water: I always use this tactic at the onset of a sore throat. It’s known to draw excess fluid from inflamed tissues in the throat, which makes it hurt less. It’s also beneficial during a full-blown cold because it helps break up mucus. Be sure to use warm filtered water and sea salt, not iodized table salt.
- Coconut water: more fluid with a generous dose of electrolytes! Plus, it tastes good too.
My favorite coconut water brand. I also love Amy & Brian’s Coconut Juice. (Photo credit: amazon.com)
- Neti pot with goldenseal: I’ve been using a neti pot with sea salt for several years now, but it wasn’t until last winter that my naturopath told me about adding goldenseal to the solution. You don’t need to add much, just 2-4 drops. Goldenseal is a natural antimicrobial, so it helps kill off bugs, while treating irritated and inflamed mucous membranes. You can find goldenseal tincture at Whole Foods, natural health stores, New Seasons, etc. I bought mine from my naturopath’s clinic in Portland. Also, be sure to use warm, filtered water in your neti pot and always sea salt, not iodized table salt!
Dwight attempts to neti with a tea pot in an episode of The Office. Make sure you use an actual neti pot when you do this! (Photo credit: gobblegreen.com)
- Homeopathic medicine: I like Hyland’s Sinus or Boiron’s Coldcalm tablets. Both of these tablets dissolve under your tongue and are completely natural, safe, and don’t contain any harmful additives or ingredients. They both contain a tiny amount of lactose, but I’ve never had a problem with either because it’s such a minute amount. These are even recommended as a cold remedy for those complying to the SCD (specific carbohydrate diet), which as you may know, is a variation of paleo.
- Kombucha: fermented foods help boost the immune system by supplying beneficial organisms, which promotes the growth of healthy flora. Other fermented food sources include pickles, sauerkraut, kimchee, etc.
Trilogy kombucha, my favorite flavor from GT’s. (Photo credit: fresh.amazon.com)
- Rest: give your body what it needs, slow down and take it easy. I don’t think I need to elaborate here.
What are some natural or homemade remedies that you turn to when you have a cold? Do you eat or drink anything special?
Simple Supper Friday: Chicken Turkey “Noodle” Soup
Chicken turkey “noodle” soup.
It turns out, I had a little more leftover Thanksgiving turkey than I thought (yay!), and since I wanted to make soup with it, that’s what I did. I added chicken as well to make the soup go further. I had half of a spaghetti squash leftover in the fridge and thought I’d see how it’d fare as noodles in the soup. I was hesitant because I didn’t want a bunch of soggy squash stands, but it worked great. Actually, this turned out to be the best variation of a chicken soup I have ever made. Seriously. I didn’t want to stop eating it because it tasted so satisfying, flavorful and delicious. I admit though, making soup with bone broth makes it that much richer and more flavorful, and makes a huge difference.
In fact, this soup is so delicious, I couldn’t stop thinking about it in yoga the next morning and made up my mind right then and there that I was having it for breakfast. And I did. And then I had some again at dinner. It is that good. I would’ve eaten up the rest this morning, but I told Jesse I’d save it for him.
- 2 cups leftover Thanksgiving turkey meat, chopped
- 1 lb cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
- 8 cups broth (I used a combo of bone broth & Imagine Organics Low Sodium Chicken Broth)
- 2 Tbsp grass-fed ghee or fat of choice
- 1 leek, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 large carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped (add the leaves too!)
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Pepper to taste
- Pinch of cayenne
- 2 cups cooked spaghetti squash strands (about 1/2 of a large squash)
- Chives for garnish, optional
The soup is ready for the “noodles!”
Directions:
- In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the ghee. Add the chopped leek, celery and garlic, and sauté for a few minutes. Then, add the chopped carrots.
- Mix in the spices, sea salt, pepper, turkey, chicken and broth (note, if you need more broth than the recommended 8 cups, feel free to add a bit more). Bring to a simmer. Then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and continue to simmer for at least 20 minutes or longer if you have the time (up to 60 minutes). This allows the flavors to meld together.
- Finally, add in the spaghetti squash strands and mix until heated through.
- Serve with chopped fresh chives, if using.
Yields: 5-6 servings
The best medicine.
Curried Chicken Soup
Curried chicken soup.
This is a recipe that I previously made as a vegetarian and really enjoyed. Surprisingly though, I think I only made it a total of one time. I feel like I have a lot of recipes like that, actually — I make something, am totally into it, and then forget about it somehow. Regardless, I’m glad I remembered it because it has fantastic flavors and a nice little kick. It’s no longer vegetarian because I added chicken to it to beef it up, but if you are a veggie and read my blog, just omit the chicken. Side note here, but this soup warms me up so much that I have to turn the heat off when I eat it (no exaggeration). It’s either that or shed layers, and I prefer to eat with my clothes on.
- 1 lb cooked chicken breasts, shredded
- 1 Tbsp grass-fed butter or other fat of choice
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups of chopped cauliflower florets
- 2 cups of chopped bok choy
- 2 cups homemade bone broth (or decent store-bought chicken broth)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond butter
- 1-1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk
- 1-1/2 Tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp cayenne (or more if you want it spicier)
- Cilantro for garnishing, optional
Directions:
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and sauté a few minutes, until onion is translucent.
- Mix in the curry, allspice, sea salt, cumin, cauliflower and bok choy, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
- In a separate small saucepan, mix the almond butter and 3/4 cup of broth together over medium heat. Once the mixture is smooth, add it to the vegetables and stir for a couple minutes.
- Add the shredded chicken, remaining broth, coconut milk and cayenne. Heat for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.
- Serve with cilantro garnished on top, if using.
Mmm…creamy and nutty, not to mention filling.
Up close and personal.
Simple Supper Friday: Cincinnati-Style Chili
Cincinnati-style chili.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about Cincinnati chili. I’m not really sure why or how it popped into my head, but it did. I recall really liking it in my younger years, and remember first trying it when I was in elementary school — probably third or fourth grade. My mom went through a phase of making it for a while, but then it kind of fizzled out and we stuck with standard spaghetti and standard chili. I think part of why I liked it as a kid was because it involved two certain foods (that kids often love): 1. spaghetti noodles and 2. cheddar cheese. As you can guess, this version doesn’t include either of those things, though traditionally, both foods are involved in Cincinnati-style chili. Instead, I use spaghetti squash strands as noodles and garnish with chopped kale instead of cheddar cheese. In this regard, it’s not traditional midwestern-style at all, but I like to think it’s way better!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 1 tsp grass-fed tallow (or fat of choice)
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- 1-1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup bone broth (or decent store bought)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp raw honey, optional
- 1-15 oz can of no salt added tomato sauce (I like Muir Glen Organic brand)
- 1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
- Raw, stemmed kale leaves, chopped for garnish, optional
The chili mixture.
Directions:
- Melt the tallow in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion and garlic. Break up the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon and cook until the most of the meat is browned, about 7 minutes.
- Stir in the sea salt, spices and cocoa powder, and cook about 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add the apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, bone broth and raw honey, if using (I recommend it). Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- While chili is simmering, bake the spaghetti squash. Add about 1/4-inch of water to a pan and place squash halves skin side up in the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees F. If the squash cooks any longer than this, it often makes the strands mushy (unless you have a really big squash).
- Once the squash is done, scrape out strands for noodles and serve with the chili mixture on top. I like to mix a little dab of grass-fed butter and sea salt into my squash before scooping the chili on top, but that’s totally optional. Garnish with chopped kale, if using.
Sweet and Smokey Beef Stew
Sweet and smokey beef stew.
Meanwhile, go make this stew! I can’t tell you how amazing this concoction tastes. I threw ingredients in the pot that I thought would work well together, and the result kind of blew my mind. My only regret is that I didn’t make a bigger batch. Jesse and I gobbled it all up and didn’t have any leftovers. It is SO good!
Ingredients:
- 4 pieces bacon, chopped (I used US Wellness Meats’s sugar-free beef bacon)
- 1/2 lb grass-fed beef stew meat
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 stalks celery, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup bone broth
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable mixture.
Directions:
- Heat large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and stew meat (no need for oil b/c of the bacon) and allow to cook and brown, stirring frequently.
- Once meat is done, remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside (if don’t have a slotted spoon, use a regular spoon and try to keep the bacon grease in the pan for sautéing the vegetables).
- Add the onion, celery, and garlic to the pan and stir. After a couple minutes, add the carrots and mushrooms.
- Stir frequently until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Then, add the tomato paste, bone broth, apple cider vinegar, spices, and sea salt and pepper. Add the stew meat back to the pot. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
- Turn heat to low and cover the pot with a lid (may need to tilt lid slightly, so it’s not sealed). Let simmer for 2-3 hours. Enjoy!
Hearty (from everything!), sweet (from the tomato paste), smokey (from the bacon).
Simple Supper Friday: Whole Roasted Chicken, Homemade Biscuits and Veggies
Hooray, ‘Simple Supper Friday’ is back after a brief two-week hiatus! Vacation and life happens sometimes, you know? Anyway, this is one of the best kind of meals because it’s simple (duh) and a handy dandy slow cooker does most of the work for you. Just be sure to plan accordingly because the chicken will need to cook for several hours.
Chicken ready and raring to go in the slow cooker.
This is only the second time I’ve made a whole chicken in my Crock Pot. It was awesome the first time, but probably even better this time around. The chicken came out fall-apart tender, juicy, and oh-so flavorful. Additionally, it creates a delicious broth inside the slow cooker (without having to add any liquid!), and you can save the bones and parts to make bone broth afterward. No waste! Here’s a few different recipes for bone broth:
Chicken bone broth (revisited) from The Paleo Mom
Mineral-rich bone broth from Balanced Bites
Chicken broth from Stacey’s Paleo Kitchen
Making fresh bone stock from the Paleo Diet Lifestyle
Several hours later, the chicken is done! Look at all that delicious liquid that accumulated!
I followed a recipe from the blog, Our Family Eats for the chicken and made a half batch of my almond flour biscuits, along with roasted carrots and steamed broccoli to pair with it. Comfort meal at its finest. Plus, stellar leftovers and as I already mentioned, bone broth! Seriously, do not compost or throw away the bones — they are very valuable!
Please know, the chicken pairs well with any kind of vegetable, really, so just choose what you like and keep it simple. That’s the whole idea here.
A fresh batch of almond flour biscuits.
Yum, a delicious chicken dinner — complete with roasted carrots, steamed broccoli and an almond flour biscuit smeared with grass-fed butter. Butter on the broccoli too!
