broccoli cheese soup

I received this recipe from a friend and mostly followed directions. Here is what I used and/or how I'd tweak it for next time. 

Ingredients:

3T butter

1 medium diced onion 

1tsp minced garlic 

2T gf flour blend 

2C milk (I used whole)

2c veg broth/chicken broth/water* See note 

1.5 pounds broccoli- diced

1C diced carrots (diced/bite size)

1tsp salt/pepper, Hungarian Paprika

1C American cheese block, cubed

1/2c sliced from block cheddar cheese (white cheddar)

*optional cubed ham, cubed chicken, Avocado

*[note] While we thought TheMike was reacting to Annato /orange coloring in cheese, it turned out he is reacting digestively to celery/celery seed/salt/coriander/cilantro/parsley (which are all part of celery family). 

As to this, I had crock pot cooked a chicken earlier this week using some seasonings *not celery*. 

I had leftover gelatin/stock from this and used it in the recipe for flavoring, and then used water.....as the chicken and veg broth I have on hand uses celery (as most will). 

Directions: 

In stock pot melt 3T butter.  

Add onion. Cook until almost translucent. Add garlic. Cook for a minute. 

Add flour and mix, stir, blend, and cook for 2 minutes. 

Add Vegetable/Chicken Broth/ *OR* water, add milk. Stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Add chopped broccoli and carrots. Use larger pieces if you want that. Use diced/bite size pieces if you want that-or don't want to use food processor /hand held blender to blend to a smoother consistency.  

[I had used larger pieces and then removed, let cool a bit, then blended to puree. Next time i will dice broccoli and carrots to small pieces in prep.]

Cook until veggies are tender, about 15 minutes. 

Add salt, pepper, paprika (and whatever seasonings you'd like- Thyme or Marjoram would be good). 

Add cubed  or sliced cheese.  Stir to blend. 

Top with cheese or avocado if desired. 

Would be good with precooked cubed chicken or diced ham after adding broccoli and carrots - or after pureeing the veggies. 

Enjoy!   Perfect for after a snowshoe hike on overcast day! 

*Denby blue bowls are perfect contrast to first eat with the eyes. 😊 

Chicken Soup

The Mike had asked if we had any soup in the cupboard and I hadn't bought any in sometime. I did head to the store on Sunday and bought some gluten free/organic soups that we can heat up (with ingredient lists that  are not scary).

Thursday night we had some ice and the weather turned cold (and frightful). . .
After the snow came on Saturday evening/Sunday morning we had about 4 inches of (delightful) fresh powder.  The Mike went out snow-biking (wide tire bike) and I baked away in the kitchen (banana bread, cookies, rice krispie treats--the box now says "gluten free made in dedicated facility!)

Three hours later The Mike came home from his bike ride, cold, but not frozen, and I whipped up some fresh Hershey hot chocolate to warm his body.  Then we had some of the soup I bought at the store with UDIs bread grilled cheese sandwiches.

Later, when the cookies were done baking, I made this chicken soup for Sunday evening.

Chicken cheese soup

I modified a recipe I had printed off the internet for Chicken Tortilla Soup and sadly, the page I had printed out didn't have the webpage/owner on it, so I cannot give credit. However, since I modified the recipe, I can say this one is my own.

I used three Just BARE Chicken breasts (14oz package), cooked those in the stockpot. When they were done, I removed them and --when cool--cut into small cube

To the hot pan I then added:
1 diced onion
 and heated until translucent.

Then I added:
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
2Tgarlic

When these were all in the pot and had been stirred/heated to let the flavors of the spices come out, I added a can of diced tomatoes, two small cans of diced green chiles. I added in the cut up chicken.  

I let that heat up/simmer while I made the 'roux'/thickening agent.  The recipe calls for 1 cup room temp milk, so I just microwaved it for 30 seconds or so and got it up to room temperature. [If you're doing a paleo version, you could use other milk, or just chicken broth at this point]

In a small pan, I melted 2T butter [or ghee, or coconut oil], added 2 T of tapioca flour, mixed that together until it thickened, then poured in and started whisking the milk into the flour mixture.  I added in a cup of shredded cheese at this point and whisked that until smooth. [you could leave out the cheese]

Then I poured all of this into the mixture of the chicken/tomatoes/onion and stirred well.  At this point I added in about 16 oz of chicken broth and then brought all of the soup up to a small boil and then simmered for about ten minutes.

I served with sliced avocado, crushed corn crackers ( Food Should Taste Good® is what we had on hand).

You can finish off with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced fresh tomatoes, diced cilantro, guacamole or whatever interests you!

I'd say it took about 40 minutes from start to finish, but I wasn't really watching the clock.

The soup would be fine without the cheese if you're doing a paleo recipe

Colorful chicken soup for the holiday season

 Ingredients/shopping list:

Chicken ( I used 14oz, you can use more or less)
1 diced onion ( I used white onion since it was a chicken dish)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
2Tgarlic
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 small cans of diced green chiles

1 cup room temp milk [other milk or extra chicken broth]
2T butter [ghee, or coconut oil]
2T of tapioca flour
1-2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)  [this could be omitted]
16 oz of chicken broth

Toppings:
sliced avocado
crushed corn crackers
sour cream
shredded cheese
diced fresh tomatoes
diced cilantro
guacamole

or whatever interests you!

Chicken, avocado/corn salad

A few months ago I had come across a recipe for Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad via Pinterest.   It sounded like a great side dish for the winter (it was) and I hoped to recreate it come warmer weather (I did). The original recipe is in the link above. However, I never make things exactly the same, often because I am missing an ingredient!   

The finished dish with my recipe, below.

From Sunday's lunch of roasted chicken, which was also used for mediterranean pizza Sunday evening  (Chebe brand pizza crust mixed per the box instructions, then topped with pizza sauce, then artichoke hearts, mushrooms, kalamata olives, chicken and sun dried tomato pieces, as well as mozzarella cheese and baked on a pizza stone brought to oven temperature).  With those two meals, I still had chicken left over!  

Yesterday I found Paleo Cupboard on Pinterest (I feel I'm rarely on that board, but when I am, I find great stuff!). I had first found a recipe for some beef meals, and then saw a photo of a fabulous looking salad. Interestingly, the photo of the salad was for the recipe of the dressing! However, I was inspired for our evening meal.  A salad with mixed greens, chicken, hard boiled egg (whites, I dislike the yolks on salads), the above Corn/Avocado salad and then topped with just a smidge of cheddar cheese. 

For the Avocado/Corn salad, I used: 
1 can of corn, drained, with 1T of cumin and 1/2 T of chili powder, sauteed in a skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil til warmed through and the spices are aromatically filling the kitchen. 

Then in a bowl, I mixed a T of apple cider vinegar, 1 T of olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt and about 1tsp of black pepper and whisked that in one a mixing bowl, which I could use to add the other ingredients to as well---I'm all for less cleanup on a work night!

I sliced the cherry tomatoes I had on hand, diced up the greens of some scallions sitting in the refrigerator, and two avocados I had purchased at lunch, before I even knew what dinner would be. [I figured we'd need them for the left over carrot/sweet potato chili from last week. Now I have to go buy more avocados!] I also diced up a small red onion I had on hand.

I added all the ingredients (except for the corn, it needed to cool some) and folded them together, being sure to get the Olive oil/vinegar dressing on all of the ingredients. 

I managed to snag a photo before I completely mixed the corn into the dish!

I chopped the rest of the chicken and heated it in a skillet with a smidge of oil on the bottom. I didn't add any spices to this, but I suppose I could have added cumin and chili powder to it as well, maybe some garlic or onion powder too.  

Nothing fancy, just some basic chicken on a board cut randomly . . . no perfection required. 

Then I washed and diced up spinach, romaine and leafy green lettuces, put that in the base of the bowls. I added the corn to the salsa mixture and put some of it on next in the bowls, then placed some chicken in the bowl, as well as the hard boiled egg whites.   

Completed meal

I was thinking that one could add more dressing (lubricant) to the dish if desired.  I think, equal parts olive oil, cider vinegar with a teaspoon of cumin and half a teaspoon of chili powder and salt would be just the thing.