Marinated Chicken and Mushrooms on Cabbage Steaks

MARINATED CHICKEN:

I made this recipe up many years ago, I think--30 at least, so I could have forgotten where I got it!--and LOVED it.  I used white Worcestershire sauce (then called Marinade for Chicken, then discontinued!), then, and we've stopped using the commercial stuff at all, but I decided to try my new recipe for AIP Worcestershire in its place, and it was LUSCIOUS.

Here's how:

2-3 large chicken breasts or 7-8 boneless thighs, cut in cubes
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine (I used chardonnay)
3-4 sliced garlic cloves
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce, home made* (or commercial if you don't mind the weird ingredients)

1 cup of sliced mushrooms, more or less

Mix liquids and add chicken and garlic, marinate at least 6 hours, then cook in the same sauce till chicken bites are done. Remove chicken and quickly saute' mushrooms in the same pan.

Serve it all over cabbage steaks*, as we did here, or rice or potatoes (if you can do grains and nightshades) or cauliflower rice. Or put in a bowl and go for it!

---------------------

HOME MADE WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE

*I used this recipe for the Worcestershire sauce, and it's as good as the traditional stuff I grew up on! https://www.instinctualwellbeing.com/paleo-aip-worcestershire-sauce/ 

I wonder if I can figure out how to make a white version!  Or maybe I'll just try this one I just found: https://www.spicealley.com/blogs/recipes/white-wine-worcestershire-sauce
(Of course, without cornstarch...I'll bet tapioca starch would work just as well.  I'll use honey or maple syrup instead of white sugar, too...)

---------------------

*CABBAGE STEAKS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice cabbage from the head, about 1/2" thick slabs.  (If it's near the stem, core that out.) Place on a cookie sheet, coat well with olive oil on both sides, salt and pepper both sides, and roast for 15-17 minutes till edges are crispy.  (If you want more crisp, you can stir the steaks areound and put it back in the oven for a while.  YUM.)  We like this just as a simple side dish, as well...

AIP Moroccan-style Vegetables* (with reintroductions)

Whatever we had in the crisper, along with a few new purchases from today's grocery run...and YES there will be leftovers!

I've been making stir-fry vegetables but decided I was hungry for Moroccan-style again!  I had to make some adjustments to my original recipe to make it mostly AIP compliant, and used more and different vegetables since we just got back from our weekly grocery shopping and needed to get stuff out of the fridge, but YUM.

You can pretty much use whatever vegetables you have on hand, I did! These were in tonight's dish...

Cut up half an onion
2-3 radishes if you have them, sliced
2-3 large carrots
Several broccoli florets, cut bite size
Several cauliflower florets, ditto
1/2 zucchini cut in bite sizes
1 C. Cabbage, cut thin (not quite as thin as for slaw)
½ C. Mushrooms, if you have them.  (Or however many you want.)
2-3 cloves of garlic or a generous sprinkle of garlic powder
handful of raisins (that's the reintroduction, dried fruit is out, at first)

Saute' in olive oil till beginning to get tender, then add spices:

I used:

garlic powder

turmeric

cinnamon

ginger

powdered clove, just a bit for a kick

salt

cumin (whoops, another reintry--seeds) 

pepper  (ditto, one more)

(This is very much like my AIP curry powder, recipe here.)

Tonight we had the vegetables with Joseph's wonderful encrusted salmon filets...delicious!

Keep tasting till it has a nice complex taste with a bit of heat from the ginger and vegetables are tender, serve with a protein or whatever suits your fancy...and dig in!

* No nightshades for me on the autoimmune protocol, so no cayenne, oh well...the ginger gave it enough heat!

Cauliflower Naan--gluten free, AIP

Sometimes you just want something "bready" to dip into a dish a la' naan or other flatbread.  If you're off grains and gluten, this recipe is a decent substitute--PLUS you're getting more vegetables!

I got the basic recipe here, from the always helpful Louise Hendon: https://healingautoimmune.com/paleo-aip-bread-recipe--but as usual, I tweaked!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (yes, HOT.)

• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup arrowroot flour (see the last ingredient if needed)
• 1 Tablespooons garlic powder more or less
• 1/2 t. Salt or to taste
• You may need to add coconut or cassava flour, a tablespoon at a time--I'm trying cassava next time, we find it a one-to-one substitute for wheat.

Cook cauliflower florets till tender--I steam them, but you could use a microwave--and drain.  Use your blender or food processor to make a smooth paste--if that doesn't happen (and it didn't, for me), add the oil and blend.  Turn out into a bowl, flour, add salt and garlic.

This was supposed to make a malleable dough you could roll out without the additional flour but it didn't--it was more batterlike, so I added a couple of tablespoons of coconut flour till it thickened into a soft dough.

Remember, coconut flour is REALLY absorbent, so just add a bit at a time and it will thicken.

use a sheet of parchment paper on your baking sheet and plop about a third of your dough onto it...flatten with your palm or a big spatula to about 1/4" or less (I went for less!)
Bake for about 15 minutes, but keep an eye on it, oven temperatures vary and that parchment paper gets brown.

I used my toaster oven, but next time will try the oven in the stove, where there's more room...

This really was supposed to stay light colored, but I was pleased with the slight crispiness at the edges.

Let cool and enjoy...it's supposed to remain soft and even a bit stretchy inside--that's the arrowroot flour at work!  I used it as a dipper into a meat sauce, my husband used his as pizza crust.  Either way, it was GOOD, low carb, and gluten free.

AIP Curry Powder

The autoimmune protocol does away with nightshades, especially in the early elimination phase...so no tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc., and no seed spices--but there are almost always workarounds and substitutes to satisfy a taste for a bit of heat.

I use this one a lot, and not just for "curries."  It's good!  I can have seed spices with no problem now, so I'll be adding back a bit of cumin, but it really doesn't need it.

*AIP "Curry Powder" Recipe 

Ingredients

 

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. onion powder

1 T. turmeric

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. powdered ginger (or more for a bit more kick)

½ t. ground clove (again, I added a bit more)

 

Real Food & Love blog adds powdered lemongrass, but I was fresh out...

Grandma Kelley's Cornbread--AIP style!

Our Christmas dinner at the cabin...sausage with cabbage, apples and onions; cauliflower "potato salad," and Grandma's cornbread, reimagined.

AIP Cornbread (eggs reintroduced)

Wheat-free, corn-free, dairy-free but based on my grandmother Kelley’s version of the old standby...pretty darn good!

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350̊

2 Eggs (can substitute gelatin eggs, applesauce or your favorite if you're on the elimination phase of the autoimmune protocol)
2/3 C. Coconut flour (for that cornmealy granularity)
2/3 C. Cassava flour
1 C. Coconut milk w/ 1 T lemon juice or ACV for “buttermilky” flavor–add more milk as needed       to make a thick batter
2 T. Palm shortening (or bacon grease, to be more like grandma’s!)
1 T. Olive oil
1 t. Salt
2 t. Baking powder (2 t. cream of tartar, ½ t. baking soda)

Optionals:

bit of turmeric for color
1 T. Nutrutional yeast
garlic powder, optional but YUM!

Coconut flour is very thirsty, soaking up moisture, so you will probably need to add more milk.  Mix well, smooth into a greased 8" x 8" pan, bake for 25 minutes or until firm and brown on top.

Good hot from the oven or cold (I’m going to have to try the “cornbread” and milk I grew up on). We had it split and toasted with breakfast this morning–J. made a cornbread McMuffin with sausage.

Home made breakfast sausage

This recipe is definitely AIP compliant...you can even use black pepper if you're in the reintroduction phase and don't have a problem with it.  (Most people don't.)  It's a delicous and simple breakfast...

Good sausage needs to be about 20% fat to be tender...but most ground pork you can buy isn't--everybody got mistakenly wacko over "low fat."  (The brain NEEDS fats...you just don't want to use the bad stuff, margarine, corn oil, safflower oil, etc.)  So if it's too lean, I add a bit of ghee, coconut oil, lard (YES, HUSH) or pork fat.

You also need to add about 3 T. of cold water (YES), to keep your sausage from being dry...don't worry, it absorbs it!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. ground pork
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper unless you're in the introductory phase of AIP...if so, omit
1 tsp dried sage (I like a LOT, but you can cut this back if you like)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or more)
1/4 tsp onion powder
pinch of ground cloves
(+ 1 T. coconut oil, lard, or pork fat, if your pork isn't 20%)

HOW-TO

Put pork in large bowl, blend spices and water together and pour on the ground pork. Add fat if needed. Blend well...I use my hands to make sure everything is well blended, and yes, nitrile gloves are nice.

I always make a small test patty to see if the herbs and seasonings are sufficient and usually add more of something...even of the cloves.

Cook as usual and enjoy!

The original of this recipe was on the PhoenixHelix blog--she has a lot of wonderful ideas--but I've tweaked it rather a lot to suit my tastes!  You can do likewise, of course.  

New England Fish Chowdah! GOOOOoooood.

We had a lot of coconut cream that needed using up, and I was hungry for a hearty chowder. I made it at home and we took it out to our old cabin to heat up on the hot plate after J. finished fishing in our pond and I finished sketching!

Rich and tasty and I couldn't tell it from a more traditional bowl of chowdah!

I sketched the gorgeous woods and played one of my flutes, waiting for dinner...

Here are the basics, I didn't actually use a recipe...

Nice bite-size bits...

Ingredients

4-5 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled
1/2 to 1 sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 stalks celery, chopped--add celery leaves if you have them!
1 small carrot (my husband's not a carrot fan!, but more would be fine)
2-3 C. (at LEAST) of cauliflower cut into bite size chunks
2 fish filets, cut into bite size pieces (we had cod, but pretty much anything you prefer would be delicious. Maybe clams, shrimp, maybe salmon, whatever fishie!)
handful of parsley chopped (I'd just finished drying our garden parsley)
chicken broth
coconut cream or milk, full fat
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
black pepper if you're in reintroductory phase
1 t lemon juice or to taste (I do a lot of tasting)
a bit of turmeric (optional)

a splash of white wine, if desired (it seemed to add a lot!)
a little bit of ginger (I just used about 1/4 t. of my turmeric paste, which has ginger and turmeric in it)

Looks good, doesn't it?

 

I've cooked whole meals out here, but since we had Lady with us and she was soooo interested in everything I was doing, I was glad it was ready to warm up!

Yep, we both had a second bowl...same photo, though. :D

Instructions

Saute the onion and garlic in bacon grease.

Dump everything but the fish in the pan, cover with coconut milk and chicken (or fish) broth (I don't know how much I used. Cover so it's soup-like.)

Bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to simmer till vegetables are done, then add the fish. Continue cooking till the fish is done.

Some people cook the cauliflower separately, then put it through the blender to make the soup thicker...I didn't bother. Some use a thickener, I didn't bother...it was delicous as it was!

Bone Broth!

We've all read enough about how good bone broth is for us--for our ow strong bones, for skin, nails, hair, even arthritic or injured joints.  Lately, it's popped up in my reading about autoimmune syndromes...so yes, good stuff!

I've made it off and on for years, from whatever bones we have on hand--leftover turkey carcass, bones from a roast chicken, beef bones, you name it.  I've used it as is, as well as for the basis for some incredibly good soups and stews, even as an addition to sauces and gravies.

Let me tell you, the stuff you buy can't TOUCH home made.  It's thin and tasteless and not at all tempting, and yes, I've tried a lot of diffeent brands.  I add it to soup stock if I have it, but if you plan to drink it you pretty much need to add something to give it a bit of savor.

Enter home made.  Of course grandma used to keep a pot simmering on the back of her old woodstove, but these days the crock pot does a wonderful job!  (I'm sure an Instant Pot would too, but I don't have one.)

It really IS easy...all you need are bones (duh, right?) and whatever vegetables need to be used up in your crisper or garden, and a little salt and herbs for savor.

Get hold of the best bones you can...from grass-fed or free range critters is best.  I brown them or roast them before putting them in the crock pot.  (The last batch of beef bones I got, from Barham Cattle Company and Family Farms had SO much meat on them I ended up with a luscious beef stew instead of broth!  And of course they were marked soup bones!  I'm going to see if they'll save some bone broth bones for me...)

Cut up whatever vegetables you have on hand...I used enough to fill the crock pot.  Here are carrots, celery, onion, radishes, garlic and spinach, with a bit of chard and cabbage as well.  If you have other faves, add 'em.  If they're getting a bit long in the tooth, add 'em anyway.)

Add the bones....

Cover with water (or leftover broth), add salt and herbs, and you're done.  Turn on the crock pot, put on the lid, and walk away.  We do ours for at least 24 hours or more...a couple of days extracts more minerals.  (Sometimes I add a splash of apple cider vinegar to help liberate those minerals...but not enough to make the broth taste sour.)

That's a rich, delightful broth.  I love beef bone marrow, so I scoop it out and eat it when I discard the bones--it's full of nutrients!  Then you can enjoy this as is or strain out the vegetables, which is what we did.  That gave us two big quarts of luscious bone broth I'm enjoying a mug at a time, plus a container of vegetables to eat later or add to other dishes.  (They became part of a mixed vegetable side dish last night, and Lady enjoys the bones with our veterinarian's blessings...we don't waste much.)

As you can see, the hardest part of this is cutting up all those vegetables  A good cutting board and a good sharp knife makes that a pleasure, for me...I Zen out...

Auto-immune Style Stir Fry!

We are both pretty fond of stir fry, but we LOVE this version.  No soy, no wheat, no gluten, no nightshades, no legumes and all just delicious!  I did another version of this dish in THIS post, July 9, but I've branched out a bit.  The seasoning mixture is heavenly...so try them both!

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken breasts or thighs or the meat of your choice--beef or pork would be wonderful too, or you could even use tofu (not on the AIP diet, of course, because of the soy.)

A nice variety of vegetables--I like to use up what's on hand.  Here, that's carrots, celery, onions, garlic, cauliflower, zucchini, cabbage, spinach, chard, and even radishes that were getting a bit pithy.  Another time I might have broccoli, Brussels sprouts, squash or who knows what!  If I have those thick broccoli stems saved, I'll peel them to get all the stringy, tough part off and chop up the crispy center.  Mushrooms would be good, as well.  AND when I'm no longer on the introduction phase, I'll be adding snow peas.

Use what you like...and what you have on hand.

Coconut aminos
Olive or avocado oil
Red palm oil (optional, and make sure you get a brand that's harvested sustainably)
Apple cider or red wine vinegar
Red Boat sauce (adds that bit of umami, whatever that is...trust me, it's good!)
AIP "curry powder"  (recipe below)



PREPARATION  (From here the recipe is almost same, so to save typing that much I'm just editing to add the changes!)

Cut the meat into bite size pieces, and marinate in coconut aminos, oil, and vinegar (more aminos than vinegar) for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.  Overnight is fine, if you want.  I put the pieces in a bag or container and turn it this way and that to thoroughly coat everything.

Cut up the vegetables into bite size bits--I like to get fancier with the cutting, making carrots as diagonal slices and celery into decorative half moons, but they taste the same however you want to do it.  I like to keep all the vegetables separate and add them one at a time, slower cooking ones first--especially since J. likes carrots DONE.  No al dente for him, thank you!  I use whole baby spinach, but I cut or tear chard or similar greens into bite size pieces.

Add oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet and dump in the chicken and marinade; I just ued a bit of the red palm oil for rich color, but don't get carried away--it's ORANGE.  This will need to cook off and the marinade gets lovely and thick and browned a bit.

This time, I got the chicken just browned but not necessarily done through, and removed it so I could cook the vegetables in the same skillet--as noted, spinach or other greens last.  When they're close to done (we like ours softer than some traditional stir fries, and browned a bit), then splash with more coconut aminos and if you like, more vinegar, a few drops of Red Boat sauce (find it in an Asian market or online), salt and garlic powder.  (Coconut aminos aren't salty like soy or tamari sauce.)  Add a half teaspoon or more of the "curry powder"* for flavor...it really tastes more like Joseph's wonderful Chinese Five Spice mix, so it's perfect for stir fry!)


I had a LOT of juice left over this time, so I removed everything else from the pan and reduced the animos sauce till it was thickened, then added everything back to serve.  (If I'd cooked the chicken that much longer it would have been tough.)

As always, we look for organic, free range, antibiotic-free meats and organic vegetables if we can get them.  Farmers-market fresh is good, too!

----------------

*AIP "Curry Powder" Recipe  (no seeds or nightshades, in the early phases of the protocol)

Ingredients

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. onion powder

1 T. turmeric

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. powdered ginger (or more for a bit more kick)

½ t. ground clove (again, I added a bit more)

Real Food & Love blog adds powdered lemongrass, but I was fresh out...

If you're past the introduction phase (or AIP isn't an issue), you can add powdered mustard, cumin, and black pepper to taste, as well.

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together and use in any recipe calling for curry powder. Use this in place of traditional curry powder, which usually has coriander seed, cumin seed, cayenne, mustard seed, chili peppers and black pepper, all of which are off the plate for the introduction phase.  

Refreshing Cucumber-Orange Salad

Too bad I couldn't have gotten a more artful photo of this delicious, light salad, but I was anxious to dive into it...and OOOOHHH that marinated and grilled flank steak from Moink Meats...and of course the autoimmune style broccoli salad (no mayo, no seeds, but delicious...)

Fresh Cucumber Orange Salad–REFRESHING

1-2 cucumbers, sliced (peeled if necessary)
1 orange
1-2 green onions or diced sweet onions
Splash of ACV, red wine vinegar or kraut juice
sea salt
 
Cut orange in half, juice half for dressing and add to cucumbers
Remove orange segments from the other half, cut bite size and add to bowl
Zest the fresh orange, add as much or little as you like
Add onions cut into small slices
Add ACV or kraut juice
Salt to taste
Chill and serve
Add a spoonful of local honey if you’re in reintroduction phase.
A great cooling side dish!

Turkey Dinner "meat muffins" (mini-meatloaves)

These little "turkey dinner" flavored meat muffins are great for road food, breakfasts, picnics, or freezing for a later quick and easy meal when you're too tired to cook!  We LOVE them...I've taken them to potlucks and they made a big hit there, too.  I plan to try some other variations, with chicken, pork or beef, but so far I can't stop making these!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 large carrot, shredded
1/2 tart apple, diced
1 t. rubbed sage or more, to taste
1/2 t, dried thyme
1/2 t. garlic powder or to taste...I like garlic!
1/2 t. turmeric (optional)
1 t. sea salt, give or take
bacon grease or other oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, saute' vegetables in oil, let cool somewhat, mix well with other ingredients. Line a muffin tin with parchment cupcake papers, and bake 25 minutes.

I always saute' one tiny patty of whatever mix I'm making up to see if it's seasoned right--loved this! But of course you can vary to suite yourself...they'd fit the theme with dried cranberries, which aren't on my autoimmune protocol just now.

Yummy! (Joseph agreed...)

German "Potato" Salad (yep, made with cauliflower)

We often substitute cauliflower for foodstuffs that are off limits for us, on the Paleo diet and now the autoimmune protocol.  (Even as a pizza crust!) As a nightshade, potatoes are definitely up there on the "I don't think so" list.  But this dish is so delicious you don't miss them for a moment!

SOOO delicious!  A great way to get lots of veggies, too...

Give it a try, for a summer potluck or picnic--since it has no mayonnaise it doesn't have to be refrigerated immediately, and in fact it's wonderful hot.  (It tastes hearty enough for winter fare, too...)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 a large head of cauliflower, cut up into chunks (more if you want)
1/2 lb. bacon more or less--we get Pure, from Farmland, with no nitrates or nitrites, and delicous!
2 stalks of celery sliced thin
3-4 green onions or scallions
1/4c c. diced sweet onions if you need more
T. dried or fresh parsley
splash of red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar
1 t. coconut aminos or a bit more (can use honey or maple syrup)
sea salt to taste

Fry bacon till crispy, drain and reserve fat; slice scallions into small bits, green tops as well.  Don't ask me why, but I love the Zen of cutting vegetables with a good sharp knife.  Joseph made this one...

Steam cauliflower till tender

Yum!

I like the celery cut this fine...

Saute celery and onion, if you've cut up more, in the leftover bacon grease till onions are translucent.

Crumble bacon and add it and everything else to a large bowl.  Dump the onions and celery in, splash with vinegar, add sea salt to taste, and the parsley for a bit of color.  Traditional German potato salad is slightly sweet...that's what the teaspoon of coconut aminos does.  Mix well and serve warm or cold.

I added a bit of my home made nettle salt because nettles are SO good for you, but I don't expect most people have that on hand!

And of course you CAN use potatoes if they're not a problem for you.

Baked Pita Chips--or Crackers, or whatever you want to call them! (AIP-style)

 If you're like me, at all, salty-crispy is a HUGE deal.  For a while there, I was eating WAY too many potato chips and such...I'd been diagnosed as low-sodium, so in order to boost that, I got a little silly.  At first I'd only eat potato chips when we went to a restaurant or shop that made their own, fresh--and them I discovered "healthy," organic ones in the health food store.  Oooops.  Hooked!

So now that I'm using the autoimmune protocol, nightshades--as in potatoes, tomatoes, peppers--are right out. I already don't eat wheat or other grains...so what to do?

Enter AIP recipes for just about anything you'd want, including crackers and chips, this one basically--before my changes!--from healingautoimmune.com.

Our biggest problem is staying OUT of them!  They're delicious.  Great with dips, great on their own.  Serious yums.

So..here's my altered version of the recipe for all my salty-crispy-craving friends, suitable for Paleo, Primal, OR autoimmune protocol!


INGREDIENTS

1/2 C. arrowroot flour*

1/2 C. tapioca or cassava flour*

4 T. extra virgin olive oil

5 T. cold water

1 T. or more nutritional yeast (we use Bragg's)---it adds a cheesy flavor

1 t. sea salt

Medium-coarse sea salt for sprinkling on top, if you wish.

Garlic powder, onion powder, chives, herbs are optional and delicious...I used quite a bit of organic garlic powder and maybe a little turmeric for color.

These days I often add crushed chichiaronnes to cut the carb load, plus hemp seeds and poppy seeds.


INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (our toaster oven works just fine.

Mix everything together well with a strong wooden spoon, then finish mixing well with your hands.  It's a bit crumbly, like pie crust.

Put the ball of dough on a sheet of parchment paper and press flat with your hands.  Put another piece on top and roll to about 2 mm thick.

That's THIN, folks, but not too thin.  My second batch were too thick, like 2/8", and they got HARD.  We ate 'em anyway...

Score the dough into cracker-size squares...mine are about an inch.  Poke with a fork a couple of times on each one, sprinkle with medium-coarse sea salt, and slide the parchment paper and all onto a baking sheet and into your oven.

I didn't bother poking the third batch, here.

 Bake 15 - 20 minutes, but check to make sure they don't burn, ovens vary!  You can turn the baking sheet a time or two if your oven has a hot spot.  I like them golden brown like this so I gave them closer to 20 minutes, watching closely.

Remove and cool before breaking apart the crackers...and store in an airtight container to keep them crispy.  A mason jar works fine!

Enjoy with dips, spreads, AIP cheese, or all by their cute, crispy little selves!

In theory, the recipe serves two, but we spread it out over several days...hard as it may be to control ourselves.  I mean, warm, salty, crispy, garlicky...where's that mason jar!?

This is pretty quick and easy...maybe I'll make another batch today, with herbs...

* Arrowroot, tapioca, and cassava flours can all be bought in your favorite health food store or online.

Chicken Stir-fry, AIP style!

I made this for dinner last night, just altering my usual approach a bit for the new protocol, and it was so good J. has requested I make it again tonight!

Stir fry's been a favorite of mine since I first visited San Francisco when I was 18 (dinosaurs roamed the earth then, so you can tell it's been a while!)--I'm delighted to say my husband shares my enthusiam, with this version.  It's not only autoimmune-protocol, but fits our Primal Blueprint/Paleo habit perfectly.

I'm not big on measurements so it varies a bit each time, and we use whatever vegetables we have on hand.

So...here we go!

INCREDIENTS

Chicken--breasts or thighs

Vegetables--usually I use onion, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach or other greens, 2-4 garlic cloves, sliced, maybe celery--and in this case a few snow peas.  Experts don't entirely agree on those, since technically they ARE legumes and those can cause problems, but if you use the ones that are young and haven't developed the peas--crisp pods only--some sources say acceptable. (Same for green beans.)

Coconut aminos instead of soy-based products
Red wine vinegar
If you don't have garlic cloves, garlic powder will do
Olive oil

PREPARATION

Cut the chicken into bite size peices, and marinate in coconut aminos, oil, and vinegar (more aminos than vinegar) for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.  Overnight is fine, if you want.  I put the pieces in a bag or container and turn it this way and that to thoroughly coat everything.

Cut up the vegetables into bite size bits.  We thin-slice the carrots...and I like to keep all the vegetables separate and add them one at a time, slower cooking ones first.

Add oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet and dump in the chicken and marinade.  It will need to cook off and the marinade gets lovely and thick and browned a bit.

In a separate skillet, also oiled, add the vegetables in whatever order you want--spinach or other greens last.  When they're close to done (we like ours softer than some traditional stir fries, and browned a bit), then splash with more coconut aminos and if you like, salt and garlic powder.  (Coconut aminos aren't salty like soy or tamari sauce.)

Enjoy!  Just had cold stir-fry for breakfast again...

Zucchini...CHEESE???

Yes, it IS greenish...but it doesn't have to be.  My choice, leaving the peel on.

Some years ago, a young friend said she was making zucchini “cheese” and shared the recipe. (As I recall, the name of her Instagram account is something like "whatintheworldis***eatingnow?"  She's a hoot!) I never got around to making it, though I’ve remained curious all these years.  I just needed the proper incentive, and the autoimmune protocol was it!  My friends on the plan mentioned this substitute for dairy cheese, and it rang that curiosity bell, again.  I’m off dairy for the interim, but I miss the many things I can do with cheese, including just sit and eat it!

So, yesterday was “cheesemaking” day...for convenience in the post I’m going to knock off the quote marks though.

Ingredients are simple but versatile–you can add whatever herbs or vegetables or spices you like.  You can even start with a different main ingredient, like cauliflower or carrots instead of zucchini, or a combination of them if you want.  (Carrots will give it that cheesy yellow color...or add more turmeric than I did.)

My initial attempt was from the Sophie Van Tiggelen’s Squirrel in the Kitchen blog, but as usual I tweaked it here and there...

So with thanks to Sophie as well as apologies for the tweaks, here’s my version:


Ingredients

2 cups zucchini, cut up into cubes (I left the peel on, which made a very green cheese.  Must be from the moon...and Sophie says to peel it, which would take care of that if you consider it a problem.)
½  cup water
2 T. coconut oil, melted
4 T. gelatin (we have been using Vital Proteins brand, it’s pasture-raised, grass-fed and non-GMO)
½ t. turmeric for color and nutritional value (my addition)   
2 t. lemon juice
1 t. fine sea salt (more or less to taste)
2 T. nutritional yeast (it’s optional, but I like the somewhat cheesy flavor it adds)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (can use a t. or so of dried, and I did.)
1 t. dried or fresh chives (my addition)


Instructions

    Steam the zucchini for 5 minutes, until tender.  Drain.
    In a high speed blender, blend the zucchini with water, coconut oil, turmeric, lemon juice, and salt for 30 seconds or until smooth.  I suspect it's best to let it cool a little--some blenders don't like hot!
    Add the gelatin and the nutritional yeast. Blend for another 15 seconds.
    Pour in a bowl, add the parsley or other additives and mix well.
    Pour into a glass, plastic, or foil-lined loaf pan and refrigerate until set (at least 4 hours–YMMV).
We were amazed–it’s GOOD.  And it’s another way to get some veggies.

Slices like a dream, as you can see!

I used one of our old ubiquitous plastic storage containers we've had for ages...I suspect it would come out of about anything, though, with no problem.

Yes, it WILL melt or toast, and many people like the flavor better that way.

I discovered the original recipe didn’t have enough salt for me, so I added a bit, above.  The current batch I’m just sprinkling with sea salt as I use it.

And ooooh, sprinkled with a bit of AIP curry powder makes me want to make curry cheese!  Or sage. Or fresh chives, or roasted garlic.  Or maybe sun-dried tomato and fresh basil.  Or dill.  Lemon zest? Horseradish?  Bacon? Any combination of these?

In truth, I’m a particular fan of a good sharp cheddar, and I haven’t figured out how to make this have that lovely sharp bite...but if I do, I’ll let you know!

Autoimmune-style Broccoli Salad for Summer!

We've loved our friend Lola's broccoli salad and offered the recipe here: http://starvingartistscook.blogspot.com/2015/05/sort-of-lolas-broccoli-salad.html

But since starting autoimmune protocol*, for now dried fruits, sugar, and mayonnaise are off the plate until reintroduction, over 2 months from now.  I like to have a summer picnic-safe version anyway, and mayo-dressed salads aren't great for that!

So I decided to experiment to see if at least SOME of the ingredients would make the transition...and boy was it a success!  Here it is served with grilled tenderloin kabobs, grilled zucchini, sauteed onions and mushrooms...what a meal.



1 head of organic broccoli chopped bite size
1 C. cauliflower florets, chopped
1/2 to 1 onion
1 large shredded carrot
1 pkg. of nitrite and nitrate-free bacon (that's 12 oz., these days)  (Or however much bacon you have...)



Dress with:
splash of extra virgin olive oil to moisten
2 T. liquid coconut aminos for a touch of sweetness and a hint of Asian flavor
1 T. red wine vinegar or apple cider
sea salt to taste

(I'm not using pepper or Pepperman for now, but I didn't seem to miss it...add it if it's not a problem!)

Add other vegetables if you like...or some home made herb salt...

Mix it all up and let it chill so the flavors mellow into eachother...we loved it!

If you'd like to know more about the autoimmune protocol, here's a good place to start: The Paleo Mom's basic starter guide.  https://www.thepaleomom.com/start-here/the-autoimmune-protocol/  
It's all over the 'net, though, just Google it and the literally thousands of amazing recipes...