Chicken Pot Pie (Paleo)

What?!  A Recipe?!  Kate gave up writing recipes, didn't she?  Well, I did.  But sometimes, you just stumble upon something so perfect and a recipe just appears.  Those times, it would simply be selfish not to share.  This time, it was pot pie.  I've been making pot pie fairly often since going paleo and I nailed the filling from the start.  It's perfectly creamy magic.  But, I've struggled finding the perfect paleo crust.

Cinnamon Carrot Soup (Paleo + AIP + Low-FODMAP + Whole30)

I eat a lot of carrots. It helps that I can get a 5lb organic bag at the store for 6 bucks. Plus, now that I am trying out being strict low-FODMAP AND low carb, my list of veggies has shrunk significantly. Carrots are a good compromise. They feel like a starchy vegetable, and are very versatile, as you may have noticed if you came to me from Instagram or TwoGrand and see carrots on my plate in some fashion many days. So, it makes sense that it was the ingredient I turned to when I was craving comfort food that met my current restrictions.

Don't forget your floor cleaner!

Browsing through some of my cookbooks, which I often do when needing inspiration (or gratuitous food porn), I saw a lot of soups made from starchy orange veggies. See where I'm going with this? 

Tada, carrot soup! I threw this together on a whim one night, knowing that cinnamon and carrots were a winning flavor combination.  Fortunately, with just a few, simple ingredients, it was easy to reproduce.  Cinnamon makes this soup extra warming and comforting, but so many flavors work with the sweetness of carrot. Try it with ginger or curry for something a little different. 

Cinnamon Carrot Soup (Paleo + AIP + Low-FODMAP + Whole30)

4 cups chopped carrots (or about 10 small-medium carrots... remember guys, I never deal in absolutes, so don't worry about this too much)
4 cups bone broth (I used beef, so if that works, anything will!)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or ghee
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

Chop your carrots, don't worry about peeling them, especially if they are organic, and cover with the broth in a pot on the stove.

Bring to a boil, then walk away to watch tv and forget what you're doing until the carrots are almost mush (or, well, not really, just boil them until soft).

Using either an immersion blender if your carrots are really soft or a food processor, puree the carrots and broth until smooth.

Add olive oil, cinnamon and salt and blend well.

Adjust thickness by adding more broth if you wish a thinner soup and adjust seasonings to taste.  The cinnamon flavor will be light, but I like to leave it so and then garnish with extra cinnamon, so you still get the full flavor, without losing the vibrant orange color!

Serve hot or cold, with lots of cinnamon!

Happy eats!

Pumpkin BBQ Sauce 2 ways (Paleo + AIP + Whole30)

Going AIP meant giving up a LOT of the sauces I am most used to: ketchup, mustard and mayo, to start, but then also tomato and barbecue sauce. Talk about rough, right?

Fortunately, pumpkin is kinda a miracle food. Once roasted and puréed, it has a texture similar to tomato sauce and it's light in flavor on its own, so it can be enhanced however you want. 

Through my Whole30, I played with a few variations of pumpkin BBQ sauce, and they were all tasty in their own right: pumpkiny and sweet and a little reminiscent of pumpkin, but I REALLY wanted something that would mimic tomato based sauce. Finally, after my Whole30, I found the missing ingredient. Molasses. It adds that depth that allows the flavor to caramelize and taste just like what I remember of sweet and tangy barbecue. 

Unfortunately, molasses isn't Whole30, but that's ok, my Whole30 modifications may not imitate tomato based BBQ, but the sauce is still a fun, pumpkiny flavor, which might be interesting and different for those of you who maybe CAN have tomatoes, but want to try new flavors!

Pumpkin BBQ Sauce (Whole30 friendly, AIP, no sugar added)

1 can pumpkin

1 cup apple juice
1/2-2/3 cup apple cider vinegar (ACV)
3 medjool dates (pitted and soaked in water for 1 hour)
2 tbsp coconut aminos
2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

First, pit and soak your dates. It's simple, cut out the pits by slicing down the side and pulling them out, then place in a bowl or cup and cover with cold water.  Ignore them for an hour (or forget like me and let them sit for 2-3, it's all good).
Add your dates and 1/4 cup of the soaking water to a blender or food processor (both will work, but a food processor may not get them as smooth).  Blend into as smooth a paste as you can.
Add the date paste and all remaining ingredients to a pot, cover loosely (do not seal, you water it to be able to reduce slightly, but pumpkin bubbles and POPS like crazy, so to spare a huge mess and burned skin, definitely cover).
Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat to simmer for up to one hour, stirring (carefully to avoid being splattered) occasionally.  Adjust seasoning (and vinegar) as needed as you go.  This will not get very dark and will look similar to plain pumpkin puree, but it should be tangy and mildly sweet.  If it reduces too much, add water.

I recommend letting it sit overnight in the fridge before using it to allow the flavors to meld further.

Molasses Pumpkin BBQ Sauce (AIP + Paleo)

1 can pumpkin
1 cup apple juice
2/3 cup ACV
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

Simply mix all ingredients in a pot, cover loosely.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat to simmer for up to an hour, carefully stirring occasionally.
Adjust seasoning as needed and add water if it reduces more than you like.

The molasses in this version balances out the vinegar nicely, which is why I use more ACV and adds depth and color.  It reminds me so much of regular BBQ, but slightly less acidic.  My boyfriend actually likes it better than the usual stuff.

Excuse the mostly empty one.  Girl's gotta eat!

Both work wonderfully for anything calling for BBQ sauce, but my particular favorite is baked BBQ chicken thighs.  I use this recipe by Ree Drummond to go with my sauce: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/06/oven-bbq-chicken/

Mmm, crispy, BBQy goodness

Horseradish Beef Stew (Paleo + AIP)

I am a terrible blogger.  I don't sit down and go "I have to come up with something amazing today to share with people, especially since I haven't blogged in a week (or two, or three)", I just occasionally make something I love SO much that I have to share.  Sometimes that takes a month or two.  Sorry, guys.  But guess what?  This is one of those occasions.
Ah man, stew.  I bloody love stew.  I grew up with my mom making typical beef stew.  Ya know, chunks of beef and potatoes and carrots in a thick gravy made with flour.  So simple, yet so delicious. Then she went vegetarian... so no more beef stew.  And it's really hard to find a good stew.  You see all these "stews" with a thin broth base.  That's not stew.  That's soup.  Like how Manhattan Clam Chowder isn't chowder.  I'm from New England, I know these things.
I learned how to recreate my mom's stew last year using cornstarch to thicken, so I could share with my gluten free roommate.  But now, with corn off limits, I haven't had much luck getting the right thickness with arrowroot.  It just wouldn't cooperate.
So, imagine my joy when I made this beauty.  I didn't really set out to make a stew like I remembered.  I just wanted a tasty combination of beef and horseradish.  Instead, I got magical stew.  Have I said stew enough yet today? Stew.  Stew.  STEW.

Anyway.  Yes, there are lots of ingredients, but I promise.  It's easy.  So easy, a caveman could do it (see what I did there?  PALEO).

Why is my stove always dirty?

Horseradish Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs stew beef/chuck roast
2 tbsp cooking fat
1 red onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine (broth works too, but won't be as rich)
4 cups broth (I used chicken, but I bet beef is rich and amazing)
3 medium carrots
1 large sweet potato
1 cup green beans
3-5 tbsp prepared horseradish*
S&P

*aim for one with no additives except vinegar and salt.  I used Boar's Head

Note:  stew is amazingly flexible.  Don't worry about exactness of the ingredients.  I'm an "approximate" kind of cook anyway.  Don't even worry about cooking time.  You could probably tack on another hour before you add the green beans and it'll just get more tender and amazing.


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and move top rack down to bottom 1/3 of oven
If using chuck roast, chop into 1 inch cubes.  Apply lots of salt and pepper to beef (seriously, don't be stingy)
Heat fat in dutch oven to medium high
Brown meat in batches, remove to a bowl and set aside
Add chopped onion to dutch oven to soften, then add garlic for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant
Pour in cup of wine (or broth), stirring to get bits from the bottom
Simmer to reduce for 5 minutes
Add broth and bring to a boil
Add back beef, including any juice in the bowl, and cover
Place in oven for one hour
Meantime, chop carrots and sweet potato into small cubes, cut green beans into 1/3s
After hour, add carrots and sweets, cook for another hour (you can go longer, don't worry about over cooking), still covered
Finally, mix in green beans.  The sweet potatoes will be a falling apart mess.  THIS IS GOOD!  Let them do their thing as you stir.
Cover and put back in the oven for another 20-30 minutes, depending how soft or crunchy you like your beans.
Stir in horseradish to taste.  You can even leave it out and let individuals add to their bowls if you've got someone who dislikes horseradish (weirdos).  Add s&p to taste, but between the seasoning from the beef and the horseradish, you might be good to go.


The miracle of this stew is that 1.5 hours is way too long for those small chunks of sweet potato and they start falling apart and blending into the broth.  Boom.  Your broth is now gravy.  Now go forth and enjoy this deliciousness.

I usually add more horseradish.  Cus, yum.

Blueberry "Yogurt" Bites (Paleo + AIP)

I discovered during my AIP Whole30 that the hardest thing to eat enough of was fat. I am a nut butter addict, so I had no problems beforehand because whenever I was a bit hungry, I'd pop a spoonful (or three...) of almond or cashew butter in my mouth and go on my merry way.  Don't ever expect me to do that with coconut butter.  Just... no.

Without nuts and seeds to munch for an easy fat source, I'm down to coconut (milk/oil/butter), olives, avocados, bacon and oils/fats.  However, I don't believe cooking my food in an oil/fat really does much and I'm not a huge salad person.  I can devour loads of olives and avocado, but I need some variety in my diet! Also, still not a fan of coconut.  I know, I'm working on it, but I don't think I will ever LOVE the stuff.  So, I disguise it.

Now that my Whole30 is over, I don't have to worry so much about SWYPO and can focus totally on nutrition, regardless of the vehicle.  Therefore, I came up with these little morsels.  All of the fats in coconut, almost none of the taste without a bunch of sugar.  Boom.



Blueberry "Yogurt" Fat Bomb Bites

3/4cup fresh blueberries
1/3cup coconut oil, melted
1/4cup coconut milk
1/4cup coconut butter, softened*

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse until well mixed. Do not worry about the blueberries being totally smooth, that's up to you.
Scoop dollops into a silicon ice cube or candy tray or a paper lined muffin tin.  I used a mini muffin tin for tiny bites.
Refrigerate 30 minutes or until solid.  Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
Keeps for at least 3-4 days, freeze any you don't expect to consume by then.

Try different fruits!  Almost any fresh fruits should work, though the tiny seeds in raspberries and the like may be obnoxious.

*I haven't made these without coconut butter yet, but you may be able to skip by increasing the coconut milk and oil.

AIP Whole30 Week 2

Whew. Fourteen days. I'm feeling good, but discovering a few things about myself: AIP is extra frustrating when I can't comfort myself with compliant treats (aka SWYPO). I think a regular protocol with treats, not even necessarily sugary ones, but something comforting that's not purely designed for sustenance (like a fruit sweetened cookie, perhaps or some kombucha gummies/jello) would make this process SO much easier. Regular paleo Whole30s are easy because I had nut butters and chocolate chili and COFFEE to fall back on when I needed comfort. Particularly approaching the holiday season, I find the call for treats to be more heavy.

I know that fighting the need for treats is a key part of Whole30, specifically not letting them control you. But, AIP is stressful and exhausting. Sometimes, you just want some banana ice cream. Instead, you apparently eat a banana drowning in coconut milk and wonder if that's crossing the SWYPO line. I said last week that I salute all you folks who are in the AIP for life, I'm understanding even more now. Many of you are low-FODMAP or low sugar. I find I'm becoming much more dependent on fruit for some tasty variety and I can't imagine giving that up too. You amaze and inspire me. 

Alright, enough of the grumbling, onto the good. Aside from the food grumpies I just described, I'm feeling pretty darn good. I'm currently unemployed and therefore sleeping a lot (7-9 hours a night), but I think my stable energy levels and moods can be credited more to my food. Dairy, in particular, contributes to terrible mood swings in me and I'd been rather lax about having just a taste here and there lately. Also, all the sugary, bready indulgences could not have been helping me any. Looking in the mirror, I'm feeling like I'm leaning out. The boy is too, his ab definition is coming back (ooh la la). 

My skin feels a little rough, particularly on my forehead, but it's not quite a new breakout, not sure if that's detox or something else my body isn't appreciating my consumption of. 

I don't like subsistence eating. I have lots of free time. That means lots of food experiments. This week, we've done chili and meatloaf and corned beef and curry, for a few examples. We also managed a successful restaurant adventure. It required just a touch of research for me to find a steak joint that offered sweet potatoes and steamed veggies as sides and the waitress paid close attention and didn't give me too many crazy looks when we asked for everything PLAIN. That led to a pretty damn satisfying meal, I must say, and it was nice to get out of the house for once (I was only stressing till I got to taste the food, I swear). 

As usual, this got wordy, sorry. Check out my Instagram (@better_than_bread) for pics of some of my best eats the past few weeks. I'll leave you with this tasty morsel:

Home cured AIP corned beef.  Don't let the lack of vibrant pink fool you, this was a delicious meal.

AIP Whole 30 Week 1

Hello, loves.

Months ago, I decided the next step in my health journey, primarily healing my dairy sensitivity and moderate-severe acne, required some more stringent measures.

I believe my dairy sensitivity (specifically the proteins whey and casein) to be caused by leaky gut, a condition that a fair number of people probably unknowingly have, where the gut lining is not able to prevent certain toxins from food leaking into the bloodstream (at which point even the good things can be seen as invaders and are attacked). Modern diets that are heavy in chemicals and frankenfoods are likely the culprits causing imbalances in gut flora (pretty way to say bacteria) and leading to this and many other issues.

October 21, just after completing my move (ouch)

November 5, Whole30 Day 3 (less stress = so much better!)

My acne problem, I have already primarily traced to severe hormonal imbalances, which may be exacerbated by food/leaky gut issues, but are definitely related to stress (work, life, etc).  I know I'm pretty sensitive to stress and, since up and leaving my job and home a month ago, my skin has made drastic strides towards improvement. The breakouts on my temples and forehead, however, seem to be directly related to food I consume as they are a different pattern and type of breakout than the chin and jaw hormonal acne.  I suspect primarily eggs; I believe over-consumption of eggs combined with my existing gut issues has led to an additional sensitivity.  Skin being the largest detox organ, it makes sense that it would manifest this way.


SO, all of this together made me decide that the next logical step was an Autoimmune Protocol.  AIP is a specific diet plan designed for sufferers of any number of autoimmune conditions.  The Paleo Mom has a very extensive list of her site. The protocol is a very strict form of Paleo designed to eliminate EVERY inflammatory food from one's diet to allow the body to heal without stress and with proper nourishment from health promoting, anti-inflammatory foods.  The basics to avoid during the protocol are: grains, dairy, legumes, alcohol, refined sugars, nuts, seeds, eggs and nightshades.  This still leaves a number of fruits and veggies and all kinds of meat and fish to still ensure a varied diet.  It's daunting, I know, but if AIP can help people manage and even eliminate symptoms of severe autoimmune conditions, I figure it can help with my acne and sensitivities.


I decided to take on another Whole30, this one with an AIP focus.  That means no honey, maple syrup or paleo-ified treats during the process for 30 days.  I've done my first week and I want to share with you what I've learned.

First and foremost, people who live an AIP life amaze me.  It's such a difficult way to be, especially in our world where everything is so fast paced and food is so social, it's incredibly difficult to imagine being able to partake in things like going out to eat with friends or just grabbing something on the go because your day is over scheduled. Since becoming paleo alone, I've discovered what terrible things could be lurking in a seemingly innocuous piece of food.  Steamed broccoli at a restaurant?  Probably still coated in soy and hydrogenated oil containing margarine.  And did you know that margarine also contains dairy?  I mean, really.  I am quite sure that after a strict month and a slow month or two of re-introductions (starting with the things I suspect to be the least issue), I will be able to return to eating more normally, with clear skin and possibly reduced or no dairy and egg issues.

After just a week, my body has settled into this new eating style.  I really really want a piece of chocolate or a cup of coffee (DESPERATELY) or, certainly, a glass of wine, but I feel good.  My moods are more stable, I'm feeling more energy and excitement about cooking fun things that are compliant.  I'm excited to see what the next month brings and am very hopeful for clear skin (seriously, it's been six years since the last time my skin was completely clear, I deserve it) and a healthy gut at the end.

To all you AIPers for life, I raise my bubbly glass of kombucha to you.