Thai Coconut Curry Soup with Chicken

I absolutely love this recipe, and there is nothing better than a thick and creamy healthy Thai soup on a hot or cold night. Most of these ingredients can be found at your local grocery store, but lime leaves are harder to find, so I opted to leave these out and the recipe still tasted great. Also to clarify what tender cilantro stems are; I took a handful of fresh cilantro with stems intact and threw them into my broth. This recipe is super tasty the next day, just remove noodles from your broth and store them separately so the noodles do not absorb any of the broth. 

Ingredients:

2 cans of premium coconut milk
1 heaping tablespoon of Thai curry paste
The tender stems of 1 bunch of cilantro, rinsed well 
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 cups of chicken broth
1 carrot, shredded
4 or 5 lime leaves (optional)
2 stalks of lemon grass, halved lengthwise, woody leaves removed
2 tablespoons of fish sauce
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Small knob frozen ginger
2 handfuls of bean sprouts (2 cups or so)
8 ounce package rice noodles or Gluten-free noodles (optional)
1 bunch of cilantro leaves, rinsed well
2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
Add a sprinkle or two of Celtic salt or Tamari (soy sauce)

Thai curry pastes get their heat from chili peppers, but they’re also loaded with other flavors. You may use as much or as little as you like. Yellow is the mildest; green the hottest. Try stirring in a head of chopped Asian greens or baby spinach with the bean sprouts. You may easily substitute beef or shrimp for the chicken.

Directions:

Scoop the thick coconut cream from the top of just one of the cans into a large stockpot set over a medium-high heat. Melt the cream, add the curry paste and stir for a few minutes until they begin to sizzle.

Add the cilantro roots and chicken and sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Add the coconut juice from the first can and all the contents of the second can along with the chicken broth, carrot, lime leaves, lemon grass, fish sauce and lime zest and juice. Grate the frozen ginger into the broth with a Microplane grater or standard box grater. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.

Stir in the bean sprouts. Add the rice noodles, gently pushing them beneath the surface of the broth. Turn off the heat and let stand until the noodles soften, about 5 minutes. Rice noodles don’t need to simmer like pasta to cook; they simply need to rehydrate in the hot liquid.

Stir in most of the cilantro leaves. Remove the lemon grass stalks. Taste and season with a touch more salt (Tamari or soy sauce) as needed. Ladle into large bowls and garnish with the green onions and remaining cilantro leaves.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

I found this awesome recipe for a low carb gluten-free pizza. I tweaked a few seasonings, and added a few toppings, but seriously the best cauliflower crust out there. 

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 small to medium sized head of cauliflower - should yield 2 to 3 cups once processed

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese¼ cup low moisture mozzarella cheese1 egg¼ teaspoon Celtic salt½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon dry basil ½ teaspoon dry oregano

Toppings:

1 cup marinara sauce (see recipe below)1-2 cups mozzarella cheese

Handful parmesan cheese

Optional:

Thinly sliced red and green peppers
Sliced black olives
Sliced white mushrooms
Salami
Broccoli tops (steamed)
Zucchini slices
Sliced red onion
Artichoke hearts



Marinara Sauce:

1 small mini can of tomato sauce. Add a hefty sprinkle of garlic powder. oregano, basil, and onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat. Spoon onto baked pizza crust.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

1. Remove the stems from the cauliflower and cut into chunks, Place the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse it until it resembles the texture of rice. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a cheese grater or chop it very finely.
   
   
2. Microwave the processed cauliflower uncovered in a microwave safe bowl for approximately 4-5 minutes on high. Remove it from the microwave and allow it to cool for at least 4-5 minutes. After the cauliflower is slightly cooled, place it in a kitchen towel and squeeze all the liquid out of it. Be sure to squeeze as much liquid as possible.
   
   
3. Combine the cooked cauliflower, egg, garlic, cheese, and seasonings. Stir until a dough texture forms. Spread the cauliflower mixture out onto lightly greased parchment paper or a pizza pan in the shape of a pizza crust. 
   
   
4. Bake the crust for approximately 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven), or until the crust is golden and crispy. I prefer my crust after 15 minutes. After the crust is golden remove it from the oven and add your toppings. (I always put way too many veggies on my pizza which makes it harder to eat with my hands)
   
   
5. 
   
6. Turn your oven to Broil on High. Place the pizza back in the oven and bake for about 2-5 minutes until the cheese melts. Watch your pizza carefully. You don't want to burn your toppings.

Easy Roasted Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

6-8 chicken thighs or drumsticks (or mixture of the two)
Salt Rub (see below for directions)
Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven 450 degrees

Rub chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle salt rub on both sides of chicken pieces. Lien baking pan with tin foil for easy cleanup. Bake for 35 minutes. Check for doneness. Chicken should read 160 degrees. Continue cooking in 5 minute increments until finished.

Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Salt Rub Directions:

1-2 Tb. Sea Salt or Celtic Salt (Small grind)
1Tb. chopped rosemary
1 tsp. Sugar (optional)
1 tsp. Powdered garlic or 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
Zest of 1 Lemon 
Sprinkle of hot pepper flakes

* This recipe is outstanding even with out this specific rub. Feel free to combine any of your favorite seasonings and bake as instructed above.

Paleo Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup melted clarified butter (unsalted)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup honey
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Celtic salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl, and set aside. Mix the bananas, pumpkin puree with clarified butter. Add honey and vanilla and eggs. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Add pecans and stir.

Grease a loaf pan and pour mixture into pan. This batter is thicker so just use your spatula to smooth out the top. Bake for 45 minutes. Test with a  toothpick for doneness.

How To Make Clarified Butter:

Place the un-salted butter in a heavy saucepan and melt slowly over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Skim the foam from the top, and slowly pour into a container, discarding the milky solids in the bottom of pan.

What makes clarified butter so great is its higher smoke point. This means you can cook meats and fish at a higher temperature than you can with regular butter, making it ideal for pan-frying. By clarifying the butter during a slow cooking process, you're able to strain out the milk solids that burn quickly as well as the water and salt. You'll lose about 1/4 of your original butter amount during the process, and the clarified butter will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator for about 1 month.

Floating Tacos

This recipe will blow your mind!
Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but the amount of flavor
packed into this meal is shocking, especially since there are so few ingredients. My dear friend Kyle was kind enough to let me share his floating taco recipe with all of you, and I am confident that this recipe will become a signature dish in your home. This meal has very little prep and cooking time, and perfect for entertaining.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1 pound ground turkey ( I use a higher fat content ground turkey)
1 red pepper chopped
1 red onion chopped (reserve 1/4 cup  or so for guacamole)
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons garlic powder or onion powder
1 bag gluten-free tortilla chips ( pick your favorite, and this is optional)
4 cups raw spinach
1 small package of grape or cherry tomatoes (slice)
3 avocados
1 package Greek yogurt
Shredded pepper jack cheese ( or your favorite kind)
1 lime
Hot sauce

Directions:

In a pan heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil and a splash of olive oil. Add rep pepper, onion and garlic to pan. Sautee for several minutes. Add turkey meat. Add spices. Break up turkey meat while cooking and incorporate pepper/onion/garlic into turkey. Once turkey is no longer pink turn off heat.

Plate prep:

Take a handful of corn chips and slightly break them into bite size pieces and create a bed for the spinach. Take an extra large handful of spinach and roughly cut into bite size pieces. Place the spinach over the bed of chips. Add 1/4 of the turkey mixture to the top of spinach. Garnish with shredded cheese, sliced tomatoes, guacamole, and Greek yogurt. Optional: sprinkle with ground pepper. Repeat these steps for all four servings.

Guacamole Recipe:

Mash up 3 avocados and add a sprinkle of chopped garlic and 1/4 cup chopped red onion. Add a handful of  chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle 1/2 lime. Mix all together.

Gluten-Free Coconut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thank you to my sweet friend Danielle, I now have my favorite cookie recipe at my disposal, and I
am so grateful that I can now share it with all of you (I  guarantee you will be hooked instantly just like I was.) On a side note, making coconut butter from scratch may seem intimidating, but I promise it is actually easier than you may think, and this extra step is well worth your while!!! Happy baking!

Ingredients:

2 cups of GF Oat Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup of coconut butter (see recipe below)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
11/2 cups Gluten Free Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Coconut Butter Recipe:

Place 1 bag ( 8 oz.  Brand is "Let's do Organic") of coconut flakes into food processor. Let the flakes process for 5-7 minutes or until flakes turn into a butter-like consistency. Scrape the edges down during this process. This will make a little less than 1 cup of coconut butter. Add 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil to a add a but of wetness to batter.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, beat brown and white sugar with the coconut butter and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time. After all wet ingredients are mixed together, slowly begin folding in dry ingredients. Once all ingredients are combined, add chocolate chips and nuts. Because these last two ingredients are optional, add as much as you like. Scoop the cookie on to a lined (parchment paper) cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cool and Serve!

Lasagna (Wheat and Grain Free)

Ingredients:

10 Wheat and Grain Free Crepes, cut into 2-inch strips like lasagna noodles
2 cups Marinara Sauce (recipe is below)
½ pound Italian Beef Sausage, casings removed
2 cups baby spinach, sautéed in ½ tablespoon olive oil until wilted
1 cup grated Mozarella cheese
2 cups Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese 

(substitute with Dry Curd Cottage Cheese)
3 tablespoons plain yogurt or almond milk*
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
-Crumble the sausage into a skillet and brown over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes until is cooked through. Pour in all but ⅛ cup of the marina sauce and simmer on low until you’re ready to assemble your lasagna.
-Mix the Ricotta cheese, yogurt, salt, pepper, parsley, and basil in a bowl.
-Lightly grease the sides of an 8×11 baking dish. Pour the reserved ⅛ cup of marina sauce into the bottom of the dish.
-Start by layering the strips of crepes on the bottom, overlapping them ever so slightly so the fillings don’t seep through the cracks. If they don’t quite reach the edges of the dish, you can fill in the open spots with the scraps leftover from cutting them into strips.
-Next, spoon in ⅓ of the “ricotta” cheese mixture and gently spread to cover the surface. Then put half of the spinach on top, then top that with a sprinkle of provolone, and lastly with ⅓ of the meat sauce.
-Repeat until you’ve run out of ingredients going in this order: Noodles, ricotta, spinach, provolone, meat sauce. Finish with the remaining provolone and 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese.
-Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and slightly browned on top and the corners are bubbling.
-Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

*Reheat in oven 350-375 degrees until cheese is bubbling

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1-2 Tablespoons Oil 

1 small onion chopped

1 29 oz can of Tomato Sauce

1 28 oz can of Special cut San Marzano Style 

2 garlic cloves

1/2 -1 Tablespoon Celtic Salt

1/2 Tablespoon black pepper

6 fresh basil leaves (julienned) 

Directions:

-Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat.
-Add the onions and saute until they are translucent.
-Add the remaining 6 ingredients and bring to boil.
-Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes.
-Adjust seasoning if necessary.