Green Soup

Inspired by: Recipe from Eating Well by Anna Thomas

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 large yellow onions, chopped

1 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons plus 6 cups water, divided

1/2 cup arborio rice

1 bunch green chard (about 1 pound)

1 bunch kale 

14 cups gently packed spinach (about 12 ounces) or another green of your choice (collards are great, but have a strong taste)

4 cups vegetable or water broth

Big pinch of cayenne pepper 

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
Olive oil drizzle for serving

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes. Add garlic and cook together for 3-5 minutes. 

2. Combine the remaining 6 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven; add rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Chop the chard greens and spinach.

3. When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, stir in the chard greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them; add them to the rice along with the spinach, broth and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more.

4. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth or in a regular blender in batches (return it to the pot). Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil.

To make ahead: Prepare through Step 4 (omitting the lemon), cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Curried Carrots, Broccoli and Kale

Ingredients
4-5 carrots, halved and cut into 2-3 inch sticks
1 broccoli crown, cut into bite sized pieces
1 onions, cut into thin slices
1 bunch of kale, cleaned and torn into pieces (remove tough rib down the middle)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 T fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp curry
salt and pepper to taste
coconut oil

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Melt about 1 T coconut oil. Place carrots and broccoli on a roasting pan. Drizzle with melted coconut oil. Sprinkle curry, add crushed garlic, grapted ginger, salt and pepper over veggies, mixed together. Roast for 20-30 minutes till veggies are tender and crispy.
3.  In a saute pan (cast iron if you have it). Melt 1 T coconut oil and saute the onion. (about 5-8 minutes). Add kale and continue to saute till soft.
4.  Once carrots and broccoli are finished in the oven, stir them into the kale and onion mixture.
5.  Add more curry, salt or pepper if desired. *Add a dash of Cayenne for more spice!

Enjoy! We often call any roasted vegetables "veggie fries" at our house. My little boys love anything that is called "fries."

Bullet-Proof Coffee

ingredients:
1 cup brewed coffee
1 Tb coconut oil
1 tsp unsalted grass fed butter
1/4 tsp vanilla (or peppermint or almond flavoring)
1-2 tsp maple syrup or honey

Blend it together on high for 20 seconds. Enjoy!

Original Recipe from: Wellness Mama

Moroccan Beef Chili

inspired by Clean Eating Magazine
ingredients:
2 T oil oil or coconut oil
1 lb beef (stew meat or sirloin) or Venison
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups beef stock (use homemade bone broth if you have it)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 or 2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
2 cups cooked chic peas
1/3 cups dried apricots
salt to taste
zest of one lemon
mint leaves for garnish

directions:
1.  Heat 1 T oil in large skillet, brown beef (about 3-5 minutes). Transfer meat and oil to a crock pot.
2.  Return skillet to medium heat. Add remaining oil, garlic, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper and cook stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup stock and stir scrapping up all of the spices. Transfer spice mix to crock pot.
3.  Stir in remaining stock, potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas and apricots to crock pot. Cook on high for 4 hours. Season with salt.
4.  Just before serving, combine lemon zest and mint leaves. Top the chili with the mint mixture.

*Add hot sauce if desired...such as Harissa

Asian Fusion Brussel Sprouts

My favorite way to prepare brussel sprouts.

ingredients:

1.5 lbs brussel sprouts, ends cut off and sliced in half

1 T coconut oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed
juice from half of one fresh lemon

salt and pepper to taste
1 T fish oil
1 T Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Toss together brussel sprouts, coconut oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on how tender you want the brussel sprouts. 

3. Then sprinkle with fish oil and Coconut Aminos.

options: add fresh spinach or slightly wilted kale to make a salad, add cashews or peanuts, mix in shredded carrots and cabbage to make a simple slaw

Spiced Butternut, Apple Soup

2 white or yellow onions, chopped
1 T coconut oil
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cardamon
1 butternut squash, seeded, peeled and cubed
3 apples, cored and cubed
1 cup chick peas, cooked
2 t salt
4 cups chicken stock, veggie stock or water (more or less depending on thickness preference)

1.  Heat oil. Saute onions on low till translucent.
2.  Add spices and cook for 2 minutes.
3.  Add squash, apples, and chick peas. Cook together in the spices for 10-15 minutes over medium heat till squash and apples begin to soften.
4.  Add stock/water and salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for 20 minutes. Then puree in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender.

Soup is always best when it has longer to simmer. Or make it a day ahead, stick it in the fridge and warm it up. Yum! Serve with a garnish or fresh spinach or arugula.

Chicken & Pesto Rice

Chicken & Pesto Rice - 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients:
5 or 6 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
salt and pepper
coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ground oregano
5 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 1/4 c. chicken or vegetable stock or water
3-4 fresh tomatoes, diced
1 cup pesto 
3 cups rice
fresh Italian parsley, minced  and Kalmata olives for garish

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2.  Make your own pesto: I do not use exact measurements, but just dump and pour till the texture is right. Start with: (food process together: 3-4 cups fresh basil, 2 T olive oil, juice of one lemon, 1/4 cup tahini, 1/2 t salt) Add more olive oil or tahini if it is not runny enough, taste if you need more salt)
3.  Season chicken with salt and pepper. Use Dutch oven, warm 1 Tb coconut oil. Brown chicken (7-8 minutes). Transfer chicken to a plate and wipe the pan.
4.  In the same Dutch oven or pot on medium heat, warm 1 Tb coconut oil. Cook onion, red bell pepper, oregano  red pepper flakes for about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cooking wine and cook together for 1 minute. Add browned chicken, stock/water, tomatoes and pesto. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, covered.
5.  Add rice, salt and pepper then bring to a simmer. Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Stirring halfway. (If you use brown rice it may take 40-50 minutes.) Let stand 10 minutes.
6.  Serve with parsley sprinkled on top. Garnish with Kalmata olives if desired.