Best Paleo Chicken Soup... So Far

The original recipe came from a magazine that’s long gone.  I start the recipe the same way each time with the olive oil, onion, garlic, rosemary, chicken and sweet potatoes. Those ingredients give the basic flavor palette. I add other vegetables based on who's coming for dinner, what's in the fridge, the quantity I want, how much time I want to put into prep, and if I have a taste for something. Basically, it’s rarely the same twice, and it’s always good.  I always add a dark green leafy vegetable like spinach just before serving company, not only for the nutrients, but for the color contrast as well. It just looks more appetizing with bright green against the orange and browns. If you want this vegetarian, omit the chicken and chicken stock, vegetable broth or water instead.)

 

Ingredients: 

2 T olive oil

1 Large or 2 med onions

4 -6 Garlic cloves

2 T Rosemary -  Minced - fresh is best

2 chicken breasts or 4 thighs cut into bite size pieces – no knives needed

3 stalks of celery chopped into half inch pieces

2 large or 5 small Parsnips – peeled and chopped into half inch pieces (they are the vegetables that look like albino carrots)

1 large or 2 small Turnips - peeled, chopped into half inch pieces (its a round white snowball with purple icing)

2 Sweet Potatoes - 1 of them peeled and chopped into  1/2" pieces. The second Sweet potato peeled, chopped into 1 1/2" pieces  

1 Can White beans - Northern (black beans are good too) 

2 C Mushrooms

1 Zuchini - chopped into 1/2" pieces or green beans 

2 C Broccoli chopped bite size

2 C Spinach chopped

Salt and Pepper

32 ounces chicken broth (Strengthens the flavor)

2 Cups water 

 

Instructions

 

·      Saute the onions in the olive oil, once they are translucent,

·      Add the garlic, and rosemary, then add and brown the chicken.

·      Pour in a bit of the chicken broth into the pan to make sure you get all the onion, garlic and chicken. This will be transferred to a pot.

·      Pour the remaining liquid into the soup pot and add the sweet potatoes, celery, parsnips, turnips, then add in the ingredients from the sauté pan. The ingredients call for a generous amount of liquid. Start with the chicken broth and add some of the water here.

·      When the large sweet potato chunks are soft, mash them with a fork or a wand, they will blend and thicken the broth. Mashing the sweet potatoes thickens almost creams the soup. Leave the little sweet potato chunks for texture.

·      Toss in the mushrooms and beans– which basically soak up the flavor and stretch the soup, not really add much flavor. Good for if you want to make a large batch. Add more of the water if it seems to thick. This is not a clear broth soup, so don’t add much, but it will cook down. Let it simmer about 20 minutes.

·      Ten minutes out from serving add the broccoli.

·      Taste it (no double dips with same spoon.) Add salt or pepper. It often doesn’t need it.

·      Call people to the table (Someone always has to “wash their hands.”

·      Toss in the spinach, have someone pour the wine and serve the bowls. The spinach should look bright green contrasting against the orange.

·      WINE: If it’s lunch or warm out, I like serving a Portuguese Vino Verde – it’s crisp and just this side of sparkling – a great contrast to the potatoes. Or I serve a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

·      SIDES: For texture and for contrast in flavors, I usually serve this with rustic bread, fruit bread or vegetable chips and sliced apples or small bunches of grapes.  I like that there is finger food along with using the spoon.

 

 

Cauliflower Wraps - A Paleo Adjustment for Brain Health

Since June of 2013, I have rarely swerved from regularly eating a paleo diet. In the first month, the hand and foot pain I'd endured stopped. I realized it as I unpacked for my writing workshop in Taos and saw that I didn't pack Advil. I haven't needed it since. During that time since, I lost more than 60 pounds and I have energy... every day. And, every day I am grateful that my chiropractor, who'd just completed a six month nutrition education program recommended that I try an anti-inflammatory diet. She told me, if you need a name for it, call it Paleo with no dairy, grain, sugar or legumes. A week or so later, still aching every day and every night, I committed to a week of cold turkey (so to speak) Paleo. Three years later... why would I go back?

I won't but I have made an adjustment recently. Do you have word-fiinding issues? Do you forget names of people and things that you've always known? Do you ever forget something that happened the day before? Ok, I know it's only me that this happens to, so when I learned about North Shore University Health System's Center for the Brain headed (so to speak) by Demetrius Maragonore, MD, located at Glenbrook Hospital, I made an appointment.

Fortunately, I learned after a rigorous assessment that even though this memory stuff only happens to me, it's normal and not dementia or Alzheimers or Parkinsons. Part of the process included a discussion of my exercise and nutrition. I learned I woefully under exercise, they recommend 7 days, 30 minutes of sweat. And, they increased my intake of B and D vitamins.

As for my diet, Dr. Maraganore said he only needed me to adjust a couple things. Ominously he said, "Are you willing to make a change?" I nodded yes and might have said, "sure," I don't remember. "Ok, can you drink red wine instead of white?" I love this man!!!

All other adjustments pale (so to speak) to that one, but he told me I should drink more water, three times a week, eat a combo of garlic, tomato, onion and basil for the lycopene, and add legumes. That's been the most difficult, knowing that they also have an inflammatory aspect to them.  I'm compliant, but I eat them sparingly. edamame here and there and hummus.

This recipe was created in view of Necessity is the Mother of Invention. I needed to eat the cauliflower noodles I'd made for another dish that didn't get made.

The noodles take ten minutes to prepare and an hour to bake. Once they are made and cooled, the wraps take as long as you need to slice avocado and assemble the other ingredients... a couple minutes.

Cauliflower Wraps

Cauliflower Noodles
1 Head of cauliflower shredded or chopped fine
3t Herbs - Italian seasoning
1 t salt
2 eggs

Steam the cauliflower to soft but not mushy, squeeze out any liquid. Add seasonings and eggs. If it's too hot you'll have scrambled eggs so let the cauliflower cool a bit.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. I used a slotted spoon and scooped the cauliflower mix onto the mat. Working to reduce the amount of liquid, I kept the container of cauliflower mix on an angle to let the moisture run down and I squashed the mash on the spoon to get the last drops out. Spread the mix evenly on the pan and cut dividing lines every two and a half to three inches to make lasagna-like noodles. Bake 350 degrees, 55-60 minutes. They should be browned and still soft.

I wrapped mine in the parchment paper and stored them in the fridge for a day before using them.

The Wrappings
Lemon Hummus
Avocado
Spinach
Sprouts

Spread the hummus, add three slices of avocado at one end, sprinkle sprouts on top and spinach have way down the noodle. Roll the noodle starting at the end with the avocado. I cut them in have so I had  two rolls from each noodle.

Anyone eating Paleo learns quickly that when you don't eat crackers, chips and breads, you have fewer vehicles to get other foods like guacamole, salsa and almond butter into your mouth. I get tired of eating a pile of vegetables with some meat on top. The Cauliflower Noodles make a tasty vehicle for sandwich fixings, whether hummus is schmeered or not.

Orange Soup - To Please a Paleo Palette (or should I use Palate?)

Orange Soup Paleo

No orange fruit is used to make this soup. You will use orange colored vegetables and seasonings. I threw in white onion, garlic, apple and red-brown bacon to give it some depth of flavor and hue. The color is significant only in that I had them on hand and the combo of ingredients sounded bright against the grey and snowy day… sweet, savory, salty and spicy. 

Ingredients

• ·      1 T Olive oil (or cook the bacon first and use the bacon grease - it would  work)
• ·      ¼ cup Onion (small) minced
• ·      2 Garlic cloves minced
• ·      1 Sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1” pieces
• ·      5 Carrots, peeled and chopped into 1” pieces
• ·      1 lb. Butternut Squash, chopped, 1” pieces (I bought it chopped)
• ·      1 Apple, chopped, 1” pieces
• ·      6 Bacon pieces, cooked crispy and chopped
• ·      2 t Black pepper
• ·      2-3 t Cayenne Pepper
• ·      1/2  t Ginger 
• ·      ¼ t Turmeric
• ·      32oz Chicken broth (I bought a carton of organic, but one could make it, or use water enough to cover the vegetables.

Equipment:

• ·      Stove
• ·      3 Qt. Pan/pot
• ·      Small frying pan
• ·      Soup wand (little weed wacker)
• ·      Vegetable peeler
• ·      Sharp knife
• ·      Cutting board
• ·      Measuring spoons
• ·      Paper towel
• ·      Bowls and spoons

Directions:

Heat the oil on medium and sauté the onion till translucent, add garlic making sure it doesn’t brown. Once it is translucent, add potato, carrots, squash and apple then add pepper, ginger and turmeric. Toss all in the onion and garlic and let the flavors begin to combine. In the meantime, separately cook bacon to crispy and degrease on the paper towel. Chop four pieces and add them to vegetable mix. Chop the other two and put aside. Pour in the chicken broth (or barely cover the vegetables with water.) Bring it to bubbly, turn the heat down a notch and all but cover it, leaving room for steam to escape. Stir the pot every few minutes to make sure nothing is sticking and burning on the bottom. Set the table, uncork the wine and light the candle. After 20 minutes, test the pieces of vegetable with a fork for softness.  Once you can easily push a fork through, use the soup wand, potato masher or fork to make the ingredients smooth and creamy. Pour into bowls and gussy it up with the rest of the bacon. Or, apple shreds, a teaspoon or so of orange zest or parsley would look nice and taste good too rather than more bacon (in case in the meantime it disappeared… speaking from experience.) Put salt on the table, it may or may not be needed depending on those eating and the flavor freshness of the ingredients.

From first chop to first spoon lifted -  50 minutes. Faster if you buy all the veggies chopped. 

Paleo Cinnamon Raisin Rolls

These cinnamon rolls make a Paleo Sunday breakfast special or with a bowl of fruit make a hearty meal.  They are tasty and filling. My experience shows most people are good for two at a sitting.

The first time I made them, it took about thirty five minutes to get the assembly right. The second time, only twenty.

My eating is 90-95% Paleo. I just can't bring myself to going back after nearly three years without a head ache or feeling arthritic. In that time, I've stopped craving sweets, but, I still need to watch my calorie intake. I sometimes substitute apple sauce for some oils or minimize honey or syrup for sweetness. This recipe reflects those preferences.

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350⁰
• Cover the raisins with water to plump them while completing other steps.
• Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Helpful Equipment:

• Food processor
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cookie sheet
• Knife
• Spatula
• Glass or cup for water
• Parchment paper
• Bowl or basket and cloth napkin or clean dish towel (thin)

Ingredients Rolls:

• ¼ - 1/2 C Raisins
• 1/2 C water
• 1 Ripe banana
• 1T Apple sauce
• 1T Coconut oil
• 1 t Vanilla
• 1 t Baking Soda
• ½ Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 C Almond Flour
• ¾ C Coconut Flour
• 3T Honey
• Cinnamon

Ingredients Topping

• 2 T Honey

Mash the banana with the apple sauce, coconut oil and vanilla, I use a food processor. Add the eggs, flours and cinnamon. Mix but don't over beat.

The dough should be a bit sticky, but it can and should be picked up and made into two balls. The dough is easier to work with when its chilled. Place the balls in the freezer for ten minutes. Leave one  while you work with the other.

On parchment paper roll the first ball into a rectangle.

Drizzle half of the honey across and up and down the rectangle of dough and sprinkle dough with cinnamon, score the rectangle in 1-inch strips.

Drain the raisins which should now be plumped and place them every inch or so on each strip of dough. (You could add walnut chips at this point too.)  The dough may be dry, so it helps to use a knife as a guide to roll each strip. If a roll breaks apart, use your fingers to press and paste it together.  I like consistent sized rolls and some stretched in the making, which i cut in half or patted down before baking.

Repeat these steps with the second ball placing all rolls on the one tray.

 

Bake 24 minutes, till golden brown. Don’t expect them to rise or expand like yeast rolls.

Drizzle with honey when they come out of the oven. Some people like more of an icing, but my need for sweetness has changed since with eating Paleo for two years. You can find Paleo icing recipes on other sites.

Drape a cloth napkin over a bowl and place the rolls inside and wrap up to keep rolls warm.

Impress and enjoy!

Longe Life Lesson 87,493 Vitamin Mod Podge

Longe Life Lesson 87,493: Do not mindlessly open and pour the weekly vitamin dosages with the Mod Podge next to the pill case.


p.s., I have two NewYears resolutions. The first is to take my reusable bags INTO the grocery store. The other is to read the direction on labels, even though I know them. So, for example, in just the few short days since the beginning of the year, I realized I make oatmeal wrong. Plus, I use toilet-bowl cleaner wrong too. 10 minute waiting period... who knew? Basically for both of them. 

I like my way... the special fast, fruity, nutty special Mary Longe oatmeal process.And, as for the toilet cleaning,   I usually come back hours later. And, by the way, did YOU know the brand is actually Mod Podge, not Modge Podge?  Since the 70s I've called it that. I guess it's another "undertoad" moment from John Irving's The World According to Garp. Anyway, my point is... read the labels and wait ten minutes. 

Best Paleo Bread... So far

Finally! I've now tried at least 15 different recipes for bread with combinations of fruits and nuts.  This one turned out to be the tastiest as well as the best texture and it's the simplest to make. From the original recipe  it took my oven a little longer to bake, but that could be due to the ripeness (runniness) of the  bananas, the size of the eggs or my oven thermostat.  

I served this with a frittata (Alton Brown's Italian omelet), citrus fruit salad and champagne for a quick Christmas Eve brunch.. Easy, festive and tasty. I put honey and grass-fed cow butter (Kerrygold) on the table and noticed that guests tried both, but it doesn't need anything to sweeten or en-fatten it.

Directions, Preheat the oven at 350, line a loaf pan with parchment paper and schmear with coconut oil. 

2 Ripe bananas- ( Mine were yellow with some softening, but not blackening)

2 Eggs (I used large organic)

1/4 C Coconut Oil

2 C Almond flour

1 t Baking Powder

1/4 t salt

2 C Mix of dried fruits chopped I used (dried blueberries, cranberries, cherries and dates, all came from Trader Joes except the cherries that came from Door County, WI) BTW, Fresh fruit will not work.

2 C Mix of nuts (I used 1 C chopped walnuts, and mixed the second with pistachios, almond slices and pecans

2 T Flax seeds

Puree the bananas, add in the eggs (I used a food processor and swished the eggs a couple times and add coconut oil.  Switch to a bowl if you're using the food processor and mix in almond flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in the fruits, nuts and seeds to distribute throughout. 

Once you mix the ingredients pour into the prepared loaf pan and push into corners. It doesn't rise, so what you see is what you'll get. Bake for 40 minutes. Test with 3/4 into it with a knife to see if cooked through, it;s not if ingredients stick to the blade. If so, put in for a few more minutes. 

After cooling it, wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Cut with a serrated (rippled) knife. 

In several other recipes that I've tried, at this point the bread crumbles. Not this recipe. The consistency is firm and chewy, and not dry or a mouth workout. 

If you make it, let me know the combo of fruit and nuts you used and if you'd recommend them. 

Thanks. 

Extraordinary Thanksgiving Leftover Cauliflower Soup

Thanksgiving Leftover Cauliflower Soup

I've revised this because I buried the lead i(n all the directions for the stock), as  journalists say.

I found this super easy way to make a great soup by mashing together  in equal amounts the left over cauliflower and the turkey stock I had made from the giblets, carcass and drippings. That's how simple. Below, in the rest of this posting, is just how I made the stock and some of the other ingredients I added to brighten the flavor of the cauliflower soup.  

We celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday when the whole family could gather together. For the most part I cooked a Paleo friendly meal using sweet potatoes and mashing cauliflower as another vehicle for an amazing mashed vegetable/turkey drippings gravy, I found when I looked up Paleo Gravy. 

Turns out, the recipe for the brined turkey in the article was already Paleo hacked from Epicurious, basically using ghee instead of butter for basting. Epicurious and the hacked one, didn't include bread stuffing, only veggies and lemon in the cavity and around the bottom of the pan. 

That recipe instructs you to gather the veggies and blend them for gravy adding some of the drippings.  No flow. It was thick and good.

So now It's Wednesday and I'm at that point of dreading another bite of turkey, and I still have a few leftovers and ingredients I didn't use up in the last couple days.  I don't like to waste food. Here's a really simple soup I made from the leftovers. t

First I made a turkey stock 

I turkey carcass in a big pot with enough water to cover it.
I added the following:

• The contents of the little bag i took out of the turkey cavity. 
• The other half of an onion used in the turkey brine
• Carrots cut up and left over from the crudite' tray about 3 whole or a hand full of baby nibs
• Celery cut up and left over from the crudite' tray
• Stem of rosemary chopped fine - that I didn't use in the turkey
• Stem of thyme chopped fine, also that I didn't use in my turkey
• 1 lemon cut in half I took the seeds that were visible out (I threw a lemon stabbed into the cavity of my turkey with the same veggies and herbs listed above - it was a huge help in keeping the meat moist)
• Black pepper (my turkey was brined and already was well salted)

I brought it to a slow boil and simmered it till rest of turkey fell off. I let it cool and spooned off the fat. 

Cauliflower soup

Put left over mashed cauliflower in a sauce pan. I had about 3 cups. Because I had some, I added a stem of thyme, a stem of chopped rosemary, a couple shakes of nutmeg and a few twists of pepper. If I hadn't brined the turkey, I would salt it too.

Pour an equal amount of the stock only into the cauliflower (no veggies or meat). You could use store bought stock. You won't know the difference.

Stir while it's heating till it blups and bubbles  Voila'! Really good, satisfying soup. 

6 cups 2 or 3 servings (it's really good, it's barely any calories. Don't judge)

Caveman Makes Gift for Paleo People

Paleo Man - A Gift for Paleo People

 Watch the 59-second Video