Paleo At It's Best

Low Carb Veggie Soup

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 celery stick, finely chopped 

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth (I usually use a mixture of low-sodium chicken broth and broth made with chicken soup base because it gives it such nice flavor)

1 medium turnip cut in to four chunks

      Once soft, mash outside of soup pot and add back in

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup cream 

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and turnip, bring to a boil, and cook until turnip is tender.  In place of flour I took the cooked turnip out and mashed it up. Then I add the mash, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  Add cream and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

Servings 1 1/2 Cup, Recipe makes 6 servings

Calories 220 Carb 4g -Fiber 2g Fat 6g 

Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps

2-3 lbs of pork shoulder or any type of pork roast (you could use chicken)
Salt and Pepper it up, add some garlic powder or crushed garlic, doesn't have to be fancy.

Mix all of the following:
4 TBS Coconut Aminos (find at Whole Foods or Sprouts) (or Soy Sauce if you aren't counting carb)
2 TBS Almond Butter  (Peanut Butter would be fine too)
1 TBS Honey or Agave (I eyeball it)
2 TBS Vinegar (I’ve used a bunch of different ones, just to get some acid in there)
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 TBS Sriracha (or more if you are real spicy)
1/2 tsp of Black Pepper
1 TBS minced ginger  (jarred is just fine, I admit I do it too!)

Method
1.  Put prepared chunk of meat in crock-pot
2.  Pour sauce over it
3.  Resist the urge to add more liquid (you will want to, don’t you worry you don’t have to)
4.  Set and forget  (well for about 4-6 hours at least on your low setting)

When it is done cooking shred with a fork and serve atop your favorite lettuce and add the garnish of your choice.  I like to add pre-shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw and I love to add orange bell pepper thinly sliced.  

Try — chopped peanuts, jicama, cilantro, shredded carrots. (If you're really counting carbs, don't do the carrots) If you're not low carbing, then add a little bit of steamed rice dressed with some lemon juice and salt. Before I was paleo, this is what I did, but add an additional 54g carb to your dinner per 1 cup rice. 

Servings 3 Lettuce Wraps Recipe makes 8-10 servings

Calories 330 Carb 0g -Fiber 10g Fat 12.3g Protein 19g

Pesto Pecan Chicken recipe is per chicken breast

1/4 c. pecans, chopped

1 T. Pesto

1 chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper

Flatten chicken breast as best as you can by placing it between two pieces of plastic wrap. You can use a can of soup to flatten the chicken evenly. Salt and pepper chicken on each side, spear on pesto and top with pecans. Bake 425o on top of a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with a little bit of olive oil. Bake covered for 15 minutes and then an additional 15 minutes uncovered so it browns slightly. Watch to make sure the nuts don't burn. 

                                                                             My Pesto Recipe + food processor

1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts/pecans
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
4 cups fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup + 2 T. Light olive oil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Servings 1 chicken breast w/pesto and pecans

Calories 462 Carb 5g -Fiber 3g Fat 21g Protein 43.4g

I like to make 2 chicken breasts, enjoy one for dinner and then save one for lunch the next day. I cut the chicken breast up and put it over a salad with half an avocado and crumble 1 T. goat cheese over it with a lemon and olive oil dressing. 

Lemon Olive Oil Dressing: enough for 1 large salad

1/2 Lemon juices

kosher salt and pepper

1 1/2 Tbsp. Light Olive Oil

Shake it up and serve. If you like a little more body, add a smidge of dijon and a tiny splash of vinegar.