Batch-Cooked Chicken Breast Meals

Bone-in chicken breasts are not only an economical form in which to purchase breast meat, but they are also more moist and flavorful than the more commonly used boneless skinless chicken breasts. Here are instructions for preparing a pack with about two large split breasts (4 breast pieces) into three paleo, AIP-friendly meals for 2-4 people (depending on appetites!). A key ingredient is the salt - I nearly always use himalayan pink salt. When your flavor options are limited, a quality salt makes a big difference. It's healthier too!

Cook the chicken:
Place chicken pieces in a large pot and cover with 4-6 cups water. Add 1 tsp. salt, cover and bring to simmer on stove over medium heat. Check for doneness by pricking to see if juices run clear. When just done, remove from heat immediately. Let sit, covered for 10 minutes, then remove chicken to platter, reserving broth. When just cool enough to handle, but still warm, remove skin and bones. Place skin back into broth on stove. Discard bones (or add to your bag of bones for stock in the freezer).

Now you have 4 large, peeled chicken breasts. Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut each breast into 1/2 inch slices and sprinkle the cut surface with sea salt immediately. Put salted pieces into a covered dish. Spoon over a little broth, to moisten.

Meal #1: Creamy Broccoli Chicken Soup
Remove 2 cups of broth from the pot, and reserve for other use.
Return remaining broth with skins in it to medium-high heat.
Add 1 bag of frozen broccoli, 1 cup frozen peas (optional), 1-2 peeled and chopped turnips, and 1 Tbsp minced dry onion.
Cook until vegetables are tender.
Add a handful of fresh parsley or other herbs of choice.
Puree - an immersion blender is your best friend here, but adding to a regular blender by batches if you don't have one - until smooth. The fatty chicken skin is key to creating creaminess.
Take a third of the reserved chicken, chop into smaller pieces and add into pureed soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with butter, chopped walnuts, and fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Meal #2: Chicken Salad
While soup is cooking, take another third of the chicken, chop it finely and add in red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, dijon mustard and chopped fresh herbs. (Or your own home made vinaigrette recipe - enough to thoroughly moisten all the meat). Pack into a covered glass container tightly and refrigerate overnight. Serve on top of salad greens with tomatoes, grated carrot, olives or other favorite salad toppings and additional vinaigrette.

Meal #3: Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Place 1/4 cup of raw cashews into a blender jar. Cover with 1 1/4 cup of boiling water and let sit 20-30 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp salt, dash of pepper and 2 Tbsp. butter. Puree until smooth. This can be done ahead of time and refrigerated for a day or so.
Cook a spaghetti squash according to typical directions. Remove 'noodles' and toss with butter and salt and dried basil. Set aside.
Place leftover chopped chicken in pan coated with olive oil. Cook on medium heat til warm and sizzling. Add cashew cream sauce and cook til bubbly. Serve over spaghetti squash.
A side dish of spinach salad with vinaigrette or cooked green beans or asparagus rounds out the meal nicely.

No-Nightshade Marinara-Style Hamburger - or - Tomato-less Spaghetti Sauce

Brown in large skillet:
1 lb. ground beef
1 Tbsp. minced dry onion
Add:
1 tsp. salt
Dash black pepper
1 cup cooked red beans

For sauce, puree in blender:
1 cooked red beet, peeled and roughly chopped or sliced
1 1/2-2 cups cooked butternut squash or pumpkin
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley (I saved out some leaves to add chopped after blending and pureed the stems)
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (this balances out the pink color of the beets - not necessary for flavoring purposes)
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup liquid - broth, stock, water or combination of water and broth (I used 1/2 cup cold chicken broth and added 1/2 cup hot water for easier blending)
1 1/2 tsp. ume plum vinegar, if you have it, otherwise 1/2 tsp. salt

Pour blended sauce over meat. Add parsley leaves and stir. Heat till bubbly and colors meld and soften. Tastes great on its own in a bowl, no pasta needed. A romaine lettuce salad on the side is nice.

Fresh Marinated Red Beets

After living most of my life unacquainted with the beauties of raw beets, I finally discovered them last month and I'm hooked. Not only are they bursting with nutrition and enzymes when raw, but you are also saved the time and energy (and mess) of cooking them. If you've ever nibbled a bit of raw beet by itself, you might have thought what I did - This is rather unpleasant, and I'll have them boiled and buttered, thank you. However, marinating the fresh beets gives the starchy roots a great improvement and they are as good as your favorite pickle, so give it a try. Here's what's marinating in our fridge right now:

Marinated Fresh Beets:

Combine marinade in medium glass or metal mixing bowl:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp dry minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dry dill weed

Add to marinade and toss:

1 very large red beet (or 2 small) peeled, quartered and sliced as thinly as possible

When well combined, pack the beets and marinade into a quart mason jar or other glass storage container, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or 1 week. Serve as a side dish or mid-day snack.

Cuban-Style Casserole with Whole Grain Butter Biscuits

Lauren of Climbing Grier Mountain shared a fantastic recipe for Cuban Casserole which I made tonight for dinner. Well, sort of. I modified it so much for various health requirements that it was almost a different recipe. It was still so good with all the changes that I had to post my wheat-free, tomato-free re-fashion of the recipe here.

Cuban-Style Casserole with Whole Grain Butter Biscuits
Serves 4

NOTE: If making this for evening meal, prepare the first step of the biscuit dough in the morning, or the night before if desired.

Biscuits:

1 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp sea salt
¾ cup lukewarm water
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

In a glass mixing bowl, combine flours, salt, water and vinegar to form a ball of dough. Cover tightly and allow to sit for several hours (6-24 hrs - whatever works, I did about 8) to promote breakdown of anti-nutrients. When ready to add to casserole, knead or fold into dough the butter and baking powder till well combined. Sprinkle tapioca, potato or arrowroot starch on a work surface. Pat the dough into a 1/2 –inch thick circle and cut out 3" rounds with a biscuit cutter.

Casserole:

2 strips of nitrate-free bacon
1 lb lean ground beef
1 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 carrots, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded, diced
1/2 cup cooked (canned) kidney or red beans
1 cup fresh or frozen cut green beans
2 tsp. dry minced onion 
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp prepared mustard (any kind - I used spicy brown)
2 tsp. tamarind paste concentrate -or- 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
3/4 cup chicken broth
Dash of ground allspice

Fresh chopped parsley, garnish


Preheat a large Dutch oven or covered skillet to medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook till browned. Drain off most of the grease (save that good stuff for later recipes) reserving a 'coating' in the pan, snip the bacon and add back to pan. Crumble in ground beef and cook till brown, stirring to prevent sticking. Add salt, and other remaining ingredients Stir and continue to cook for another couple of minutes, then cover and continue to cook on low while preparing the biscuits (below). Add the biscuits rounds to the top, replace lid and cook covered on medium/low 20 to 25 minutes or biscuits are puffy and golden. (OR, bake in oven per original recipe: Pour the beef mixture into the casserole dish. Add the biscuits rounds to the top and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.) Garnish with fresh parsley and butter.

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili - Turkey Burger 7 Ways

This chili is easy, healthy, inexpensive and filling. Best of all, for those with allergies, it is tomato-free. It keeps well as leftovers. I like to make a big pot of it early in the afternoon and just let it sit on the stove till dinner time. Would probably be good in a slow-cooker too.

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

Brown in large pan or medium soup pot over medium high heat:
2 slices nitrate-free bacon

Remove bacon when crispy and set aside. Then add to bacon grease in pot:
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped
Saute for several minutes, then add:
1 lb. frozen turkey burger, thawed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

When meat is cooked, add:
1 cup/can cooked kidney beans
1 cup/can cooked white or pinto beans
the cooked bacon, snipped into small bits
1 large (or 2 small) sweet potato, peeled and cut to 1" cubes
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk (or 1/4 c coconut cream concentrate in 1 cup water - don't bother to dissolve separately since it will do that in the pot)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne powder, chili powder or dash or tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger

Turn to very low and cook for 1 hour. Before serving, stir in:
Handful of chopped fresh parsley