Chicken & Asparagus Soup w/ Portabella Mushroom

 

During cold weather, there is nothing like a warm bowl of soup.  With that said, I'm a girl that loves to chew, so a hearty, thick soup is a must.  One of my "Paleo Pals" posted a great recipe for Asparagus Soup, but it was a smooth broth and I didn't think it would be a satisfying meal for me.  So here is my thick, hearty version!

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 cups bone broth or chicken broth
• 2 lbs. fresh asparagus (cut asparagus stalks into four pieces, cut and separate the tips first and reserve)
• 1 large onion cut into large chunks
• 4 Tbsp. Grass fed butter, coconut oil, or ghee
• 1 package of sliced Portabella mushrooms
• Shredded chicken from one rotisserie chicken or you can use cooked breast or thighs
• 1 tsp. Pink Himalayan salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Cajun Seasoning (see recipe below) to taste

Directions:

• Add bone broth to large stock/soup pot with cut asparagus (NOT THE TIPS), onion chunks, butter/oil, salt, black pepper (I used half tsp.), and Cajun Seasoning (I used 1 Tbsp., but you can add a little now and some to the finished product)
• Cook on med./high until asparagus and onion are tender (about 45 mins. to 1 hour).
• Use slotted spoon to remove all onions/asparagus into food processor.  Puree until smooth and pour back into pot with broth.
• Add asparagus tips and mushrooms.  Cook until both are soften and done to desired texture.
• Remove and shred chicken from rotisserie and add to pot.
• Cook until chicken is heated through and combined.
• ENJOY
• Note:  Chicken breast or thighs can be cooked in broth at the beginning if you are using raw chicken.

• Cajun Seasoning I used(from Emeril):
  
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • (Yields about 2/3 c.)

 

 

 

Mustard-Sage Glazed Chicken Thighs

This is a great quick and easy meal from Practical Paleo.  I did change the amounts of the ingredients a little, just to give it a little extra pop!  ;)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 melted grass fed butter (I used KerryGold) or coconut oil
• 2-3 Tbsp. grain-free mustard (check the ingredients)
• 1 tsp. Pink Himalayan Salt (Sea salt is fine too, but I love the Pink Himalayan)
• 1 Tbsp. dried Sage
• Black pepper to taste
• 12 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425.
• Whisk first 4 ingredients together in bowl.
• Lightly brush the back of each chicken thigh with sauce and place in baking dish.
• Once in baking dish, I personally sprinkled a little extra salt and pepper on the chicken skins.
• Next, brush the tops of the chickens with the remaining sauce.
• Bake about 45 to 1 hour.  I like the skin really crisp, so I baked for an hour.  Note that I used two pans and the glass dish took longer to crisp.

ENJOY!

Cajun Paleo "Unrolled" Cabbage Rolls

This recipe reminds me so much of my Granny's Cabbage Rolls.  I've never had the skill or the patience to make rolls like my sister and Granny, so I had to "unroll" them!  ;)  My Granny would be proud!  Hope you enjoy!

 

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 Tbsp. organic extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. grass fed ground beef
• 1 lb. med. gumbo size shrimp
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups trinity (chopped onion, bell peppers, celery)
• 2 cloves minced garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 head of green cabbage, washed and chopped
• 1 can of Rotel
• 1 cup tomato puree or sauce
• 1 head of grated cauliflower (To make cauliflower rice, just grate the top of cauliflower into skillet.)
• 1 Tbsp. Cajun Seasoning (see below)
• Pink Himalaya salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. On med. high heat, saute trinity in the coconut oil until soften and lightly golden.  Add Rotel with juice and continue to saute until softened.
2. Add ground meat to skillet and brown.
3. Add tomato puree, garlic/powder, chopped cabbage, cauliflower rice, Cajun seasoning, and salt/pepper.  Continue to saute mixture until cabbage softens and all ingredients are incorporated.
   
 

4. This is when you can continue to cook in skillet until done or add to Crockpot.  I cooked mine in Crockpot for 3 hours on high, b/c I've had a ton of stuff to do and don't feel like watching a skillet.
5. After cooking for 2 1/2 hours, I added my shrimp and cooked the last 30 mins. or until shrimp are just done.  (Cooking shrimp too long will make them tough.)
6. Serve and enjoy!

How to Make Your Own Cajun Seasoning (from Emeril):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• (Yields about 2/3 c.)

Paleo Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork

Ingredients

• 5 lb. boneless pork shoulder
• 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 3 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp. onion powder
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Pink Himalayan Salt
• 3 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 cup bone broth (chicken broth will work, but bone broth is so much better)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups Paleo BBQ Sauce (see below for recipe I used)

Directions

 

Using cold water, rinse pork and pat dry with paper towels.  Combine all dry seasonings and rub pork until completely covered. 

 

Place seasoned pork shoulder into the Crockpot with the fat side up (fat will drip into the meat this way). Pour in bone broth and add Apple Cider Vinegar.  I cooked on low for 10 hours.  Occasionally, when I passed the Crockpot, I would spoon the juices over the meat.  When done, my pork was extremely easy to shred with two forks. 

Once shredded, add BBQ sauce and pork back to the remaining juices in the Crockpot.  My Crockpot has a "Warm" feature, so I just let the meat and sauce warm together for a while, then served the family.

We served on large Romaine lettuce leaves and topped with purple onion and avocado slices.  YUM!

 

 

Easy Paleo BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce (no sugar added)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste (no sugar added )
• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons local honey
• 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

 

Direction

 

Whisk tomato sauce and paste together in bowl.  Continue to whisk in the remaining ingredients until well combined.  Use what you need and store the rest in a jar, in the fridge.  Enjoy!

Paleo Banana Nut Bread

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 4 extremely ripe bananas (mine were almost all brown)
• 4 duck eggs (trust me, they make a difference)
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 4 tablespoons melted grass-fed butter, plus one teaspoon to grease pan (I used KerryGold)
• 2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla
• 2 teaspoons local honey
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of Pink Himalayan salt
• 1 box of organic raisins
• 1/2 cup of cupped pecans

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine all wet ingredients: bananas, duck eggs, nut butter, melted grass-fed butter vanilla, honey, and maple syrup in a bowl and mix well with whisk or fork.  (Note: Small chunks of banana in the mix works well).  Next, whisk in dry/powdered ingredients: coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and Pink Himalayan salt. Once well mixed, stir in raisins and pecans.  Pour into a greased 9×5 loaf pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 50 mins.-1 hour (ovens will vary).  Remove from pan and cool.  Slice and serve.  My family loves to drizzle each slice with a little maple syrup and eat hot.

3.2.2029

Slices store well in Ziplock and taste great when reheated.

 

 

Cajun Seafood Bisque

Ingredients
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 cup Trinity (chopped onions, bell pepper, and celery~a lil parsley too)
2 cans tomato paste
2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. hot sauce
2 cans unsweetened coconut milk
2 cup chicken bone broth or chicken broth (if you don't have a fresh batch of bone broth)
2 bags frozen butternut squash chunks
2 bags frozen sweet potato chunks
3 lbs. med. shrimp (I used frozen b/c it was what I had)
2 packs frozen crawfish tails (Again, I used frozen b/c it was what I had)
15 oz. lump crab meat
Cajun Seasoning to taste (see recipe below)
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste
2 to 4 Tbsp. chives (I added to the pot during the last 5 mins. of cooking time and as garnish)

Directions
In large soup pot, saute the trinity in 2 Tbsp. coconut oil until the onions become translucent.

Whisk in tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, and salt.  Once combined, slowly whisk in coconut milk and broth.  Next add in butternut squash and sweet potato.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer until the veggies soften until desired consistency.  I simmered about 15 to 20 mins.  This is where you can adjust your seasoning.  Add, simmer, taste~~until you find your cajun spice level!  ;)

Finally add shrimp, crawfish tails, and crab meat and simmer until shrimp and crawfish are just cooked.  Note that overcooking will make your shrimp and crawfish tough and rubbery.

This makes a LARGE pot, but it is nice to freeze and have some another day!

Cajun Seasoning I used(from Emeril):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• (Yields about 2/3 c.)

 

Paleo Fried Backstrap (Venison) w/Cajun Dipping Sauce

Here is a southern favorite that has been Paleofied!  Deer meat is a staple here in the south and backstrap is almost every ones favorite hunk of meat!  This recipe has allowed me to enjoy the venison favorite, while still keeping it Paleo (healthy for me)!

 

Paleo Fried Backstrap

 



 

Ingredients:

 

   Backstrap

• Backstrap (will vary in size, but should be around 2 to 3 lbs.)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups arrowroot flour
• 1 Tbsp. sea salt
• 1 to 2 Tbsp. Cajun Seasoning (see recipe below)
• Coconut oil (Amount depends on if you are using skillet or deep fryer)  I used about 5 cups in a large skillet

   Cajun Dipping Sauce

• 1 cup Paleo mayo of choice
• 1 cup Paleo ketchup of choice
• 1 Tbsp. horseradish
• 1 Tbsp. hot sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• Sea salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to taste

Directions:

 

One thing my family has always done is soak deer meat in milk to remove the "wild game" taste.  I did not do that for the backstrap.  I do soak my deer roast in coconut milk however and it works great.  I sliced my backstrap into thin slices (about 1/2 inch or so). 

 

I then used a meat tenderizer to pound the meat into thin rounds.  Note that I placed plastic wrap over the meat before tenderizing to prevent splatter (works like a dream and helps with clean up of the kitchen).

 



Whisk eggs in a large bowl.  Slowly whisk in small amounts of the arrowroot, sea salt, and Cajun Seasoning until batter resembles the texture of household glue.  Important to work the dry ingredients into the eggs a little at a time.  Add each deer slice and coat completely.

 



Add coconut oil to skillet or deep fryer and heat to high temperature.  Test the meat to see if the oil is hot enough but dropping one piece and making sure it sizzles.  This is where I would suggest you test the seasoning by cooking one piece first and tasting to ensure you are happy with the seasoning.  Remember you can always add seasoning, but can't take it out.  You may want to add the smaller amount of seasoning suggested first, and then add after you taste!  Once you are happy with seasoning, frying the rest of the meat until crisp on each side.

 



For Dipping Sauce:

Mix together all ingredients well and serve.  Sauce can be store in refrigerator and used for dipping your boiled crawfish as well.

Cajun Seasoning I used(from Emeril):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• (Yields about 2/3 c.)

I make this and store in a shaker in my spice cabinet.  I use this on everything.  I love Cajun seasoning but can't use store bought variety due to MSG and other not so great ingredients.  So glad I found this one to use regularly.

Serve with Cajun Dipping Sauce and enjoy!