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
Simple Supper Friday: Garlic Butter Noodles with Turkey and Broccoli
Garlic butter noodles with turkey and broccoli.
I love when random, unplanned and experimental recipes turn into successes. That’s what happened with this dish. I needed to make a quick dinner because it was getting late, but wasn’t hungry for some of our go-to meals, like spaghetti. I only had ground meat in the fridge and had everything to make sauce, but really wasn’t in the mood for tomato flavors. Alternatively, butter and garlic sounded good, but then again, when does that combination not sound delicious? It’s a classic. Plus, I hadn’t eaten much butter on this particular day, so it was time to change that.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey thighs
- 2-3 Tbsp grass-fed butter
- *1 medium cooked spaghetti squash, scraped with a fork to make noodles
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cloves minced garlic cloves, separated
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
Directions:
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the ground turkey. If necessary, add a little fat to the pan. Break up the turkey with a spatula and let cook for a couple minutes.
- Next, add three of the minced garlic cloves and the broccoli. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Continue to cook for several minutes, until meat is browned. Once meat is cooked through, pour mixture into a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the one remaining clove of minced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Reduce heat to low, and add the spaghetti squash strands, tossing with the butter and garlic.
- Add the meat and broccoli mixture to the pan and toss with the squash. Season to taste with more sea salt and pepper, if needed. Add red pepper flakes, if using.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Yields: 4 servings
*If you’ve never cooked a spaghetti squash, it’s simple. I adhere to the following directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
- Place cut side down on a baking sheet or roasting pan, and fill with about 1/4-inch of water.
- Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or your strands will be mushy.
- Let cool and then scrape out the squash strands with a fork.
Garnish with extra red pepper flakes, if desired.
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.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Turkey tetrazzini.
One of the best things about Thanksgiving dinner is the leftovers, specifically, the leftover turkey. Jesse and I have done a damn good job plowing our 8.42 pounder down, but the other day I stopped him as he pulled it out of the refrigerator. I cut him off, so I could make this delicious recipe. Now, we pretty much only have the wings left and not enough that I can really make anything with. I will be making some turkey bone broth with the carcass though. I’m wishing I had a bit more turkey meat, so I could make soup, but ah well.
Have you made anything spectacular with your leftover turkey or other Thanksgiving dishes? If so, please share!
Ingredients:
- 2-1/2 cups leftover turkey meat, chopped
- 1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 Tbsp grass-fed butter
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chardonnay)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp coconut flour
- 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk, plus more if needed
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (I used Imagine Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth — no bone broth handy), plus more if needed
- Dash of nutmeg
- Pepper to taste
- 1-1/2 cups frozen green peas
- 2-1/2 cups cooked spaghetti squash strands (about 1/2 of a large squash)
- 2 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
- Fresh chives for garnish, optional
Adding the mushrooms and turkey to the sauce.
Mixing in the squash.
After baking, fresh out of the oven.
Directions:
- In a large pot or skillet, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and sea salt, then sauté for a couple minutes. Pour in the wine and allow it to cook with the mushrooms for several minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half. Once done, remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining butter (3 Tbsp) to the pan you cooked the mushrooms in, over medium heat. Once melted, add the coconut flour and whisk together with the butter for a couple minutes. Next, slowly add 3/4 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup broth. Bring to a simmer and continue to whisk for 5-8 minutes over medium-low heat, until mixture has thickened. Add the nutmeg.
- To the sauce, add the mushrooms, cooked turkey, chopped bacon and peas. Stir together and let cook for a couple minutes.
- Add the cooked spaghetti squash strands and season to taste with pepper and sea salt; stir to combine. Splash in more broth and/or coconut milk if needed; you want the mixture to have a little extra moisture since some of it will cook off in the oven. If it’s a little soupy, that’s okay — a lot of it will soak up, especially once it cools.
- Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Serve with fresh chives garnished on top, if using.
Pretty tetrazzini.
Tetrazzini closeup in the sunlight.
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.
Simple Supper Friday: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Chicken broccoli Alfredo.
Truthfully, I was never an Alfredo fan, but obviously, this is not your traditional Alfredo sauce. It’s actually a béchamel sauce (gluten/grain-free of course), but takes on the look of Alfredo and is also creamy like Alfredo. It isn’t too rich, but is chuck full of flavor, especially with the touch of nutmeg. It’s straight up wonderful and comes together quite quickly. Jesse and I loved this dish so much that we both went back for seconds. We couldn’t stop raving about how delicious it tasted either! It’s definitely a keeper and I will be making it again soon.
Ingredients:
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 2 tsp ghee
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium head of broccoli, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp grass-fed butter
- 1 Tbsp coconut flour
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (I used homemade)
- Pinch of nutmeg
Making the roux.
The sauce, once thickened and finished cooking.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place skin side up in baking pan and fill pan about 1/4-inch high with water. Place pan in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Now, whip up the sauce. Melt the grass-fed butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and then whisk in the coconut flour to make a roux. Whisk constantly for a couple minutes and then slowly add the almond milk. Continue to whisk the mixture for five minutes or until it has thickened. Add the nutmeg and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat ghee in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté briefly. Then, add the chicken pieces and season with sea salt and pepper. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the broccoli pieces and sauté with the chicken. Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to stir occasionally, until the chicken is done and the broccoli is tender. Once done, keep warm over low heat.
- Once spaghetti squash is done and cool enough to handle, scrape out the shreds (noodles) with a fork. Add the noodles to the pan with the chicken and broccoli, and then pour the sauce over top. Mix together until well incorporated, over low heat. Add more sea salt and pepper if necessary.
*Note: you may not need to use the entire spaghetti squash. I used half — maybe a little more — of the squash because otherwise it it was too much.
The final step, adding the sauce to the squash noodle, chicken, and broccoli mixture.
Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Chicken broccoli Alfredo, close up.
Isn’t it pretty?
