Quick Tomato Soup

I have been a little under the weather. Sore throat + rainy weather = craving for warm soup! But I needed a quick and easy recipe... Something that wouldn't take much time or energy!

And this is what I came up with... So delicious!! 

Ingredients: 

28 ounce can whole tomatoes 

2 T tomato paste 

1 cup beef or chicken broth 

1 can coconut milk (not the light version)

1-2 T minced garlic 

Italian seasoning

Adobo seasoning (mcCormicks)**

Salt and pepper 

1. Put all these ingredients in a pot and bring to a slight boil. Reduce to simmer. 

2. Use an immersion blender to blend.  Taste test and adjust seasoning as needed. 

** this is what I used. But you could substitute anything to give it a kick of flavor! (Copied from Google) 

Cauliflower Soup

This was delicious and filling-- tasted so similar to potato soup! 

Ingredients: 

2 T olive oil 

1 yellow onion, chopped 

2-3 T minced garlic 

1 head cauliflower, washed and chopped 

1.5 cups beef bone broth*

2.5 cups water*

1 T tahini 

1/2 avocado 

Salt + pepper 

Italian seasoning 

flavor god "everything seasoning"

1. Sauteed the onions and garlic until tender and browning. Add the cauliflower, broth, water, and tahini. Simmer on medium-low with the lid on the pot until cauliflower is tender (15-20 minutes) and pierces easily with a fork. 

2. Use and immersion blender to blend. Add avocado and seasonings! 

3. Taste-test and season some more! 

*I ordered Kettle & Fire grass-fed beef bone broth from Thrive Market. I drink it warm for the minerals, immunity boost, and anti-inflammation properties. It's very thick, which is why I needed the water. You can substitute 4 cups of regular canned beef broth instead of the bone broth + water mixture. 

Paleo Vegetable Beef Soup

I was never a huge fan of vegetable soup growing up. But this recipe is SO hearty and tasty. I love it! 

I have made this twice in 3 weeks-- once in the crockpot and once on the stovetop. 

Ingredients: 

2 lbs. lean ground beef 

1/2 white onion, chopped 

3-4 stalks of celery, chopped

3-4 large carrots, peeled and chopped 

2 white potatoes, peeled and chopped 

1 T. minced garlic 

2 cans of tomato sauce 

1 can Rotel 

1 can beef broth 

1 can green beans, drained 

1 T. Worcestershire

1 T. chili powder 

1 T. balsamic vinegar 

Italian seasoning 

salt 

pepper 

Cook this all on low in a crockpot for as many hours as you need to! I think mine cooked about 10-12 hours.  Add all ingredients raw, including beef! I love to cook it this way-- flavor is incredible! 

However if you need it done more quickly, use this stovetop method: 

1. Brown your beef

2. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, and garlic. Stir occasionally until they begin to soften. 

3. Add all canned goods and seasoning. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for a couple hours. Add broth as needed to thin! 

** You could also add corn or diced tomatoes if you want!

Paleo Seafood Stew

Billie and I were craving soup last weekend, when the weather was cold and rainy. This soup hit the SPOT. I can't wait to make it again! I really wish I would have doubled the batch!!

Original Recipe From: DrHyman.com 

As written, this recipe makes 2-3 servings. 

- INGREDIENTS -

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large leek, dark green leaves removed
• 2 bell peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 3 garlic cloves
• 16 ounces tomato puree
• 8 ounces full fat coconut milk

• ½ pound celery root
• 1 pound white fish (monkfish, haddock, sole, halibut, etc.)--
•  I used frozen cod, thawed 
• * I also added 6 ounces of thawed shrimp as well-- perfect addition! 
• 2 tablespoons of chopped thyme, oregano, rosemary, and or parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• sea salt, to taste

Step 1:

Gather all your vegetables and chop them into small pieces and set aside.  Then cut the fish into bite-size pieces and set aside.

Step 2: 

Heat the oil in a 2 quart sauce pan on medium-high heat then add the leeks, celery, and bell peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the garlic, cook for an additional minute, and then add the tomatoes and coconut milk. Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the fish.

Step 3: 

Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes before tasting, adding the lemon juice, salt to taste and stirring in the chopped herbs. Spoon into two soup bowls and serve immediately. Store any leftovers refrigerate, in a sealed glass container,  for up to 3 days.

Nutritional analysis per serving (Without shrimp) 

Calories 431 • Total fat 22 g • Protein 28 g • Fiber 3 g • Sugar 5 g • Sodium 186 mg

White Chicken Chili

Because cold weather. And comfort food.

Coped from: Design Wine Dine

Ingredients

 

Chili:
1 1/2  lbs uncooked chicken breast (can be frozen) cut into 1-2″ chunks
2 – 15 oz cans of white beans (drained)
1 – 15 oz can of white corn (drained)
1 onion chopped (sweet/Vidalia)

 1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 package taco seasoning (McCormick's makes a white chicken chili packet!)
1 – 7 oz can of chopped green chilies
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 – 14 oz can of chicken broth

Toppings:
1/2 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
2 tbls lime juice
Finely chopped cilantro
Fresh shredded cheese (I used Colby-Jack)
Corn tortilla chips (the authentic yellow kind)

*This is written as a cock pot recipe, however I didn't have time to cook this all day. So I chopped the chicken into bite-sized pieces, cooked them on medium high in some olive oil. Then added all the other ingredients, simmering for a couple hours. Perfecto.

 Directions

Place cut up chicken in the bottom of the Crock Pot.  Add beans, corn and onion.  Mix the next five ingredients and pour over the top.  Cover and cook on low in the Crock Pot for 8-10 hours.  (I was running low on time so I cooked mine on low for about 4 1/2 hours and then raised it to high for the last two hours).

Before serving use a potato masher to break up the chicken.  (Make sure you do this very quickly with pressure and alternating directions… the consistency should change from brothy with chunks of meat and beans to a very thick and even consistency.  If it is still brothy, keep mashing).

Add shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a splash of lime juice, cilantro and chips before serving.  YUM!

* Yield: 6-8

Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup

 

My friend Becca started a blog over at Play With Your Foodies. She is hilarious and insanely talented. As a New Orleans native, now living in DC where her husband is in residency, she's cooking up some pretty delicious recipes. 

 Over the weekend, I made her Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup (served with flax crackers I found at TJ Maxx.) Click here to visit her blog and get the recipe. And don't forget to check out the "about me" section-- it will be your laugh for the day.

Coconut Curry Soup

My friend Catherine shared this delicious recipe with me.

*no, I'm not being paid by Thai Kitchen, although maybe I should be? :) 

Makes: 4-5 servings

Coconut Curry Soup Base: 

2 cans full fat coconut milk 

1 can light coconut milk

1 small jar red curry paste 

3 Tablespoons of fish sauce 

Meat of choice (crockpot pork tenderloin in the pic) 

Vegetable of choice (kale in the pic)

1. Mix the coconut milk, paste, and fish sauce in a small pot over medium high. When all ingredients are blended and the soup is simmering, turn to low. Stir occasionally. 

2. Towards the end, add your finely chopped veggies. You may want to sautée your veggies first if they're crispy such as bell peppers or carrots.

3. Serve in a bowl topped with your meat of choice. Chicken would also be great! 

Paleo Zuppa Toscana

I will make this over and over! Billie loved it too. I highly recommend using an Immersion blender for this recipe. If you don't have one, I highly recommend them. $30-$40 on average. It was one of my favorite wedding gifts! I also use it often to make Roasted Red Pepper Soup.

Adapted from: Paleo Cupboard

Ingredients:
3 medium white potatoes*
28 ounces of chicken broth
2 cups water
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 tsp. minced garlic
Italian pork sausage, casings removed
3-4 kale leaves (stems removed)

1. Wash and chop white potatoes (I left the peel on!)
2. Add potatoes to large pot with all of the chicken broth and water.
3. Heat on high until boiling and potatoes pierce with a fork, about 15 mins.
4. Meanwhile, in a skillet, sautee the chopped onion with garlic in olive oil until translucent.  
5. Once potatoes are tender, add the onion/garlic mixture into the large pot.
6. Use an immersion blender to blend until the desired consistency. (I prefer thick and creamy soup, so I only left a few chunks of potato.)
7. Cook the Italian sausage, breaking into large chunks,  over med-high heat until fully cooked. (I used the same skillet as the onions/garlic)
8. Add sausage the soup (via spoon- don't pour because you don't want the extra grease in your soup)
9. Wash kale leaves and break apart. You can chop them if you'd like. Then add them to the soup. Stir over medium heat. Then serve!

*Some sources (such as Whole9life/Whole30) feel that white potatoes are paleo. Some don't. I figure they are from the ground, so we are good! :) You can get potato advice and nutrition breakdown from the experts here (from Mark Sisson) and here (a "no" from Dr. Cordain, the father of paleo.)

Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

This was delicious! It's nice to have a change from beef, and this dish is perfect for these chilly nights.

Ingredients:

2 lbs 93% fat free ground turkey 

1 T chili powder 

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 tsp paprika 

1 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper 

1 very large sweet potato or 2 small, peeled and chopped

1 14.5 oz can of beef broth 

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce 

1 14.5 oz diced fire roasted tomatoes 

1. Pour a small amount of oil in a large pot. Brown the turkey meat, stirring often so it won't stick.
2. Once it's cooked, add spices, sweet potato, and canned ingredients.
3. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 1-2 hours, until sweet potatoes pierce easily with a fork.

Roasted Carrot & Fennel Soup

My mom mentioned this dish from a restaurant, and I had never heard of it! So I did some google research to make the perfect (big) batch. 

Ingredients: 

Coconut oil 

6-7 cups veg broth 

2 fennel bulbs, chopped 

1 yellow onion, chopped 

2 lb bag carrots, peeled and sliced into planks

1 can coconut milk 

4 tsp ginger 

2 tsp coriander 

S &P to taste 

Pine nuts, toasted in the oven 

Pancetta or bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. Peel and slice carrots. Toss with 1-2 T. melted coconut oil and roast on 400* for 20-25 mins. 

2. Meanwhile, mix chopped onion and chopped fennel in a large pot with coconut oil. Cook on medium heat until transparent. 

3. Add spices, veg broth, and coconut milk. (You may omit coconut milk and use addition veg broth, but your texture won't be quite as creamy.) 

4. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer 20 mins. 

5. Blend with immersion blender. 

6. Top with toasted pine nuts and/or bacon/pancetta. 

Butternut Squash Soup

I bought a butternut squash last week to make my frittata. There was only one size for sale...  ginormous (see photo above.)

So I had plenty left over to do some experimenting in the kitchen!  I combined a few recipes, used what I had, and made this delicious soup!

Butternut Squash Soup: 
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
3 carrots, peeled and chopped (or a large handful of baby carrots)
2 T. EVOO or butter 
2 cups cooked, cubed butternut squash (1 small squash or 1/2 large)----- SEE NOTE BELOW
1 can vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste 
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. ginger 
1/2 tsp. cinnamon*
1/2 tsp. cloves*
1/2 tsp. nutmeg*
*Or use 1 1/2 tsp. Allspice, if ya have it!
* I also read about adding a chopped apple in the mix, but I didn't have one!

1. Saute the onion, garlic, carrots, and olive oil or butter.
2. When veggies are soft and cooked, add broth and squash. Simmer.
3. Add coconut milk and spices.
4. Use immersion blender to blend well.


To Cook Butternut Squash: 
1. Chop ends off. (No need to peel.)
2. Slice in half, from top to bottom. (If it's very thick, you may want to slice it into 3 parts lengthwise. The squash in the picture above, I sliced into 6 pieces.)
3. Place cut-side down in a 9 x13. Pour in a little water.
4. Cook on 350* for 60-90 minutes, until each piece pierces easily with a fork.
5. Remove from oven. Let cool then remove peeling and chop into cubes.

Creamy Bacon, Leek, and Cauliflower Soup

Soup. 

Another thing I'm making a LOT of while Billie is away. 

Billie isn't crazy about soup. 

(Something about not being filling or not enough protein...) 

Well, not for this girl! I love soup. Thick, creamy soup. Even when it's 97 degrees. 

Speaking of, can it please be Fall soon?

Recipe copied from: Apron Strings Blog 

 

BACON LEEK & CAULIFLOWER SOUP
5 slices bacon
2 large leeks, chopped and thoroughly cleaned
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
3 large shallots, minced
4 cups chicken stock
approx. ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
freshly ground black pepper to taste
sriracha sauce, at your discretion
*I added canned coconut milk, because I ran out of broth and the soup was SO thick. I also added thyme. Just because.

Place bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium high and cook until crispy and browned on both sides. Remove bacon, leaving the rendered fat in the pan, roughly chop and set it aside. Add leeks and shallots to pot and saute together for a good 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in cauliflower and cook for another 2-3 minutes before adding the chicken stock.   Bring mixture to a boil and then immediately reduce to simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes,until cauliflower starts to soften.

Add most of the bacon back in, reserving a little for garnishing purposes. Same goes for the parsley – add most of it, save a little for topping each bowl. Add salt, apple cider vinegar, and pepper, then purée either with an immersion blender or by batches in a regular blender. Seasonings adjusted to taste.

Garnish with reserved bacon and parsley, sriracha if desired.

Paleo Tomato Basil Soup

 

Last week, Billie left for training for a month.  I'm so thankful it won't be longer, but this gets me every time. The tears man. Sheesh. 

Anywho, I'm looking at the silver linings. One of which is cooking all the things I love that Billie doesn't, like tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms. 

I started with some sauteed mushrooms and asparagus to go with my proscuitto egg cups. 

Then I combined a few different paleo recipes for tomato basil soup and came up with this one! It feeds 6-8, which I didn't take into account. Therefore I will be eating this for an entire week and also sharing with all of my work friends. They aren't complainin'. :)

 

Feeds 6-8 

Ingredients: 

1 onion, chopped 

3 tsp. minced garlic

1-2 T. olive oil or coconut oil 

2, 28 oz cans crushed or stewed tomatoes 

1 small can tomato paste 

4 cups chicken broth or stock

2 packs of fresh basil, about 1 cup 

1 can full-fat coconut milk 

salt and pepper  

* You could also add thyme or crushed red pepper (for a kick!)

1.  Saute the onion in your oil of choice until translucent.

2. Add garlic towards the end. 

3. Add broth, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. 

4. Let this simmer for 30 minutes. 

5. Add basil and coconut milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Use blender, food processor, or immersion blender (my favorite) to fully blend. 

7. Serve!

Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Tomato Soup

*I recommend halving this recipe, because my crockpot couldn't fit it all! :) Or if you want to make this whole huge batch, then cook everything in the crockpot except for the canned coconut milk and the chicken broth. Then add those along with the crock pot ingredients into a BIGGER stock pot at the end!

 "Creamy" Crockpot Chicken and Tomato Soup
This recipe is from: River North Paleo Girl 

8 frozen skinless boneless chicken breast (Don't even have to thaw!)
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 14 oz. can of coconut milk (full fat), shake before opening can to avoid separation
2 14 oz. can diced tomatoes and juice
2 cups of chicken broth
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Put all the above ingredients into the crock-pot, cook for 9 hours on low. After 9 hours take two forks and shred the chicken, set the crock-pot on warm till ready to serve (making sure to taste it before serving to make sure there is enough salt and pepper)

We are in the middle of our move... more updates on that soon! But that is the reason for the not-so-pretty pictures and the plastic utensils. :) Here's to adventure!

Curried Carrot Bisque

My church friend, Meg, hooked me up with this recipe. And it. is. good. Sweet, thick, curry-ish, and bisque-y. You can almost taste it right? :)

 
Curried Carrot Bisque
Makes about 6 cups

8 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (I didn't peel)
1 onion, chopped
1 tart apple, peeled and chopped (Again, didn't peel)
1 tsp. curry poweder
1 garlic clove, crushed (used minced)
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk or cream (I used 1 can of coconut milk to make it paleo)
chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I topped mine with chopped cashews)

1. In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except for milk/cream. Cover and cook on love for 9-10 hours.
2. Puree, then gradually stir in the milk or cream. Top and serve!
* I added coconut milk in at the very beginning, not the end. And the recipe still turned out just dandy!

Creamy Leek & Cauliflower Soup

 

 Disclaimer: I am aware that this doesn't look very appetizing. But it was so good! We will definitely make this again. Trust me. :)

Creamy Leek and Cauliflower Soup
Adapted from: Stupid Easy Paleo 

1 large head cauliflower, chopped

3 leeks (stems removed), chopped (some people cut off the dark green part, but I used it)
1 yellow onion, chopped

5 cups chicken broth

1 can full fat coconut milk 

1 cup dry white wine

Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper

Few splashes of hot sauce 

*I highly recommend some bacon or polenta for topping... amazing.

1. After chopped the leeks and cauliflower, wash them very well.
2. Combine the leeks, cauliflower, onion, broth, coconut milk, and wine in a large soup pot.
3. Cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Then reduce to simmer for 20 mins.
4. Add all the seasonings. 
5. Puree until smooth with an immersion blender or in 2-3 batches in a food processor.



I had also baked some chicken legs for dinner, but we didn't even eat them! I feel like almost all the chicken I have baked in the last 6 months has turned out... well, just not appetizing. And I'm not really sure why. We are hoping to buy a grill when we get settled in Tennessee. Maybe that will change my chicken game.

Speaking of, we are leaving Arizona for good in less than 4 WEEKS! Crazy. Time has flown by. I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking of details we needed to take care of before we move... address changes, etc.  We are sad about leaving our friends here but SO excited about a new adventure. More on that to come!

Mom's Taco Soup

Disclaimer: this dish is NOT paleo. :) 

I mentioned yesterday that I made taco soup for our football party Saturday. I kept in warm in the crockpot all day, and almost the whole two batches were eaten! 

Of all the recipes I've shared, I have probably shared this one most. It is one of my favorite recipes that my Mom makes... I used to request it often when I was home from college.

It is SO easy to make! It is perfect for fall/winter and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Here is what ya need:

1 lb. ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

1 can black beans

2 cans kidney beans (I do 1 can of light and 1 can of dark)

1 can whole kernel corn

2 cans Rotel

1 can of stewed tomatoes

Cook the ground beef with the taco seasoning until brown. Add all of the ingredients in a large pot. (Do not drain any of the cans... add liquid and all.) Cook on med-high heat until heated through and bubbly. Turn the heat to low and simmer for an hour or more, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Serve over Frito scoops and top with cheese and sour cream. 

 

*Before adding them into the pot, I took the stewed tomatoes, one can of rotel, and 2 cans of beans and put them in a large bowl. I used my immersion blender to blend them up then added this thick mixture into the soup. For those of you who don't like chunks of tomato, I recommend this for sure! It also makes the whole soup thicker, which I love! 

Roasted Red Pepper and Avocado Soup

Please make this. Please make this. Please make this.

Get the point?? :)

This soup tastes so gourmet. I made it for a sick friend last week then made it again for Billie and me this week. I'm planning to make it AGAIN this weekend when our family comes in town! My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, niece, and our friend Jared will all fly into Tucson tonight! I can't wait until they get here. This will be their first time in Arizona visiting us (and our first time meeting our new niece, Olivia Kate!) We have some really fun things planned for the weekend, including a trip to Tombstone and going to dinner to celebrate Billie and his sister's upcoming birthdays.

I adore my Mother-in-law, and we are really close. But I told her that something about her coming makes me feel the need to organize my drawers and clean the floors with a toothbrush. Can anyone else relate?? (I even took a second stab at potted plants out front! I'll keep you posted. Let's hope this goes better than last time.)

Back to the soup.... It's thick and creamy, roasted red pepper-y goodness. Does this picture make you drool?

And I loved these meatballs!

Get any flavor/brand you'd like- just check the ingredient list to make sure you can pronounce everything :) I've used the Open Nature Brand before as well- the roasted red pepper sausages. 

 Here is the recipe:
From: Paleomg <---- She can do no wrong.

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  10 mins

Total time:  20 mins

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 3-4 roasted red peppers, roughly chopped (I used jarred in water kind. but you could roast your own)
• 1 avocado, pitted
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• ½ lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (i used half this and it was PLENTY spicy)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2-3 tablespoons fat of choice (I used olive oil)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ avocado, diced (to garnish)
• chopped cilantro (to garnish)
• 4-5 cooked sausage of choice (Such as sundried tomato chicken sausage)

Instructions

1. Place a saucepan over medium heat, add in your fat, garlic and onion. Cook up onions until they are translucent.
2. Then add in your roasted red peppers with broth and coconut milk along with your smoked paprika, paprika, red pepper flakes, oregano, and salt and pepper. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes.
3. While soup is simmering, slice up your sausages and cook on a skillet on both sides.
4. Once everything has simmered, scoop out your avocado and add to the saucepan along with your lime juice. Then use an immersion blender to mix until soup is smooth and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, add it to your food processor, like I did. I did it in two batches so my kitchen wouldn’t become messier than it already is.
5. Top soup with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and sausage.

Sweet Potato Soup and Stuffed Chicken

Both of these recipes were copied from PaleOmg! I added a little crumbled bacon to the soup- perfect addition. We loved the soup. But the chicken just didn't do it for us. Not sure why! Maybe it was a little plain? But the soup... make the soup. (Only if you reallllly like sweet potatoes.)

Crockpot Sweet Potato Basil Soup

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  3 hours

Total time:  3 hours 5 mins

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes or yams, diced
• ½ yellow onion, sliced
• 1 (14oz) can of coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in the crockpot.
2. Mix around.
3. Cook for 3 hours on high.
4. Use a hand blender, blender, or food processor and puree mixture until smooth. My 9 cup food processor fit it all just perfectly.
5. Eat up! If you have leftover meat, add it to your soup…obviously.

Simple Bacon and Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  35 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded flat
• 6-8 ounces of button mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 5 strips of bacon
• 4-5 cups fresh spinach
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butterfly your chicken. I’m not totally sure how to butterfly a chicken breast but I cut mine in half, then placed plastic wrap on top of the chicken and pounded it until it was flat. Do that, it works.
3. Then place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the five strips of bacon and cook on both sides until crispy, then place bacon on a paper towel to soak up the excess fat. When cooled, dice up the bacon.
5. Pour out the excess fat from the bacon, leaving behind about 3 tablespoons in the pan.
6. While the pan is still over medium-high, toss in the garlic cloves then add diced mushrooms.
7. Sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper on the mushrooms.
8. Once mushrooms have begun to soften, add the spinach and a bit more salt and pepper.
9. Cover and let steam until spinach has begun to wilt. When the spinach has wilted, remove the pan from heat and add in diced bacon. Mix with mushrooms and spinach until well combined.
10. Place mixture into the middle of your butterflied chicken, fold chicken over to make a little “pocket” and use a two toothpicks to keep it closed while cooking.
11. Place stuffed chicken breasts on a parchment lined baking sheet and put in oven to bake for 18-20 minutes or until there is no longer pink in the chicken. The time will range depending on how thin you pound the chicken. It may take a bit longer.

Chicken soup

Billie has been a little under-the-weather this weekend.

So I decided to make this chicken soup from "Paleo on a Budget."

I love this recipe, because it packs in so many veggies that we probably wouldn't eat alone. Plus chicken broth has healing powers, right??

 Ingredients:
• About 1/2 shredded chicken meat ( I used an entire rotisserie chicken, shredded)
• 1/2 batch of homemade chicken stock ( I used about 60 oz. of chicken broth)
• 1/4 of a big butternut squash, cubed (I used 1/2 a sweet potato)
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 carrots diced
• 1 lemon {juiced}
• 1/4 bunch parsley
• Salt + Pepper
• Butter {or some other kind of fat}

How to:
• In a soup pot get your butter heating, then add in your chopped onions, celery and carrots. Let those cook for a few minutes.
• While those are going, peel and chop up your butternut squash and add it into the pot.
• Add in your chicken meat, stock, lemon juice, parsley, salt + pepper.
• Cover and let simmer for at least an hour.

Now if the non-paleos in your family are wanting some extra carb action, have some rice on the side for them or even boil up some egg noodles to add in!