Tag Archives: protein

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup - low carb, gluten free, dairy free. Follow GuessWhosCooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

Ingredients

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil

1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

2 shallots, minced

2 carrots, diced (or more)

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2 medium-large), organic and free-range preferred

1 quart (4 cups) low sodium broth (chicken or vegetable) + 2 cups water (or more broth)

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

3-4 pieces baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons red curry paste

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons sriracha

1 15 ounce can full-fat coconut milk

1 lime, sliced into wedges

 

Directions

In a large stock pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, shallots, and carrots, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the chicken breasts and brown both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Be sure to stir the vegetables to prevent them from burning.

Add broth and water, bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 30 minutes (longer for more tender chicken).

Add mushrooms and bok choy and cook until they are almost tender. Add all remaining ingredients except sriracha and lime wedges, and heat thoroughly. Remove the chicken breasts from the soup and shred with two forks, then add back to the pot.

Serve with a squirt of sriracha and 1-2 lime wedges.

 

Notes

  • You can add whatever vegetables you like. In Thai food, carrots, mushrooms, and greens are great. However, you could add broccoli, bell peppers, celery, or other vegetables you like.
  • In this recipe, shallots and leeks were used, but onion and garlic would be fine too.
  • You can use different combinations of seasoning. For example, you can use extra curry powder and omit the curry paste if you don’t have it. You can also leave out the fish sauce and add tamari instead. Make this soup according to your tastes and what ingredients you are willing to buy.

Ginger Soy Baked Cod

Ginger Soy Baked Cod - Low carb, gluten free. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin. guesswhoscooking.com

Serves: 3

Time: 50 minutes

 

Ingredients

1 pound wild-caught cod

For marinade:

1/2 cup organic, low sodium tamari (soy-free option: coconut aminos)

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

For garnish:

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

2 stalks green onions, sliced

 

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Marinate cod in a zip-top bag or small shallow container for about 30 minutes. You could use this time to prepare my roasted carrots recipe (https://guesswhoscooking.com/2014/01/06/roasted-carrots/). You can add about 2 tablespoons of sugar (or honey or agave) to the marinade if you’d like the recipe to be sweeter and to achieve more browning, but I chose not to.

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place cod on a baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, or until almost flakes with a fork. Top with sesame seeds, then broil for 2-4 minutes. Garnish with green onions and serve with a vegetable side (other suggestions – steamed broccoli, salad, sautéed green beans with garlic). Although I did not add sugar to my marinade, the sesame seeds gave it a nice crust-like crunch.

Ginger Soy Baked Cod - Low carb, gluten free. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin. guesswhoscooking.com

Dijon Chicken Stew

Dijon Bacon Chicken Stew 1

Serves: 5-7

Time: 30 minutes active time; 2-2.5 hours total time

 

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 Whole Chicken or about 4 pounds, cut into parts, naturally-raised and/or organic if possible

4 Carrots, thick sliced

1 Yellow Onion, chopped into large chunks

10 Ounces Mushrooms, thick sliced

1/2 Cup Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

2 Tablespoons Organic Corn Starch

 

Directions

Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Melt the coconut oil, then add chicken, skin-side down to allow it to brown. Once chicken has browned on one side, flip it over and add carrots, onions, mushrooms, mustard, and garlic. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 2 hours.

Remove about 1 cup of liquid from the pot and let cool, then add corn starch and whisk. Remove chicken from the pot and place on a serving plate. Add corn starch mixture to the pot and stir constantly until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Pour sauce and vegetables over chicken and serve.

Cram it in there the best you can
Cram it in there the best you can
Veggies waiting to be added
Veggies waiting to be added
Just throw it all in there
Just throw it all in there
Sauce after thickening
Sauce after thickening

Dijon Bacon Chicken Stew 6

 

 

Creamy Crunchy Nutty Thai Stir Fry

Thai Stir FryIt tastes better than it looks.

 

Time: 45 Minutes

Serves: 4-5

 

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

1 Tablespoon Organic Corn Starch or Arrowroot Starch

1 Tablespoon Organic Tamari

1 to 1.25 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

6 Cups Vegetables of Choice

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil, Divided

2 Tablespoons Chopped Cashews, Almonds, or other nuts

Sauce:

1/4 Cup Almond Butter (or Cashew Butter or Sunflower Butter)

1 Teaspoon Garlic, Minced

2 Teaspoons Organic Tamari

2 Teaspoons Fish Sauce

1/3 Cup Coconut Cream

8 Drops Liquid Stevia

 

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk chicken broth corn starch, and tamari. Slice chicken breast into thin strips and place into chicken broth mixture. Chop vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Preheat a large pan on medium-high, then add 2 teaspoons coconut oil. Add chopped vegetables according to cooking time (see below). Preheat another large pan on medium-high and add 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Add chicken and stir occasionally until fully cooked and lightly browned. When vegetables and chicken are fully cooked, combine into one pan, add sauce, and stir. Top with chopped nuts and serve.

 

Some vegetables take longer to cook than others. Here is a list of vegetables, listed from taking a longer time to cook to a shorter time to cook, in my opinion. (Add vegetables at the top of the list first because they take longer to cook). Check out this link for a second opinion: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/how-to-cook-vegetables24.htm

  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Cauliflower
  • Eggplant
  • Celery
  • Broccoli
  • Mushrooms
  • Asparagus (depending on thickness)
  • Bell Peppers
  • Summer Squash (Zucchini, Yellow Crookneck)
  • Bok Choy
  • Leafy Greens

Thai Stir Fry 2

The beauty of stir fries is that you can use whatever vegetables you want, but here are the vegetables I used (also listed in the order I added them to the pan):

  • 1 Cup Carrots, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 1 Cup Broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 2 Cups Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Peppers, chopped into large chunks
  • 3 Cups Bok Choy, sliced horizontally (I added the white parts first, and saved the leafy tops for the last 2 minutes)

Mexican Taco Meatloaf

Taco Meatloaf

Serves: 4-5

Time: About 1 Hour

 

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Onion, Finely Diced

1/2 Cup Celery, Finely Diced (Optional)

1/2 Cup Bell Pepper, Finely Diced

1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil or cooking oil of choice

1 Egg (Free-Range and Organic if possible)

1 Pound Ground Beef (I used Organic Grass-Fed 85% Lean) – You could try ground chicken or turkey, but I haven’t tried it yet

1/2 Cup Almond or Cashew Meal

1/2 Cup Chunky Salsa

Seasoning Mix (If you don’t have all of these ingredients, you could probably use about 3 Tablespoons of taco seasoning, but I personally haven’t tried it):

1 Teaspoon Cumin

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano (or 1 Tablespoon Fresh)

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Toppings

2 Cups Lettuce, Shredded

1 Cup Tomato (or 2 tomatoes), Chopped

1 Medium Avocado, Chopped

Other Options: Sliced olives, cheese (not paleo), jalapenos, diced bell peppers, or anything else you’d put on a taco!)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Preheat a frying pan on medium high and add coconut oil. When the pan is hot, add the onions and bell peppers. Stir occasionally and cook until vegetables are lightly browned, about 7 minutes. In a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg, then add ground beef, almond or cashew flour, salsa, and seasoning mix. After allowing cooked vegetables to cool a bit, add them to the beef mixture. Form into a loaf and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165. Top with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and other desired toppings.

Taco Meatloaf 2

Taco Meatloaf 3

I served this with sauteed peppers, onions, and mushrooms.

 

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size 1/5 Recipe, includes meatloaf with toppings of lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Calories 370. Total Fat 26g, Saturated Fat 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat 2g, Monounsaturated Fat 9g. Total Carbs 11g, Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugar 4g. Protein 22g

Super Simple Garlicky Chicken & Broccoli

Garlicky Chicken and Broccoli

It’s not fancy or particularly beautiful, but it’s a simple recipe that requires as few as 5 ingredients. Add any kind of sauce you want to spice it up! Ideas: Curry sauce, marinara sauce, stir-fry sauce, teriyaki sauce, salsa,  chimichurri, etc.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Breast, Cubed

12 Oz. or 5 Cups Broccoli, Cut into Florets

1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

1/4 Cup Chicken Broth

1 Tablespoon Organic Tamari, or Coconut Aminos for Soy-Free Option (Optional)

Salt & Pepper to Taste

 

Directions

In a large pan, heat coconut oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook over high heat it until starts to turn golden brown. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute, then add broccoli, chicken broth, and tamari. Cover and cook until broccoli is fork tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cajun Meatloaf

Cajun Meatloaf - healthy, less fat, natural ingredients. GuessWhosCooking.com This recipe goes great with Cauliflower Mash!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup Bell Peppers, Finely Chopped

3/4 Cup Yellow Onion, Finely Chopped

1/2 Cup Celery, Finely Chopped

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp Hot Sauce (Tabasco preferred)

2 tsp Garlic, Minced

1/2 Tbsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Cayenne (Red) Pepper (less if you don’t want it to be spicy)

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 6-oz. Can Tomato Paste (5 Tbsp)

1/2 Cup Light Coconut Milk (or milk if you tolerate dairy)

1/2 Cup Almond Flour (most other flours would probably work too – wheat flour, cashew meal, etc.)

2 Organic Eggs, Lightly Beaten

2 lb. ground meat, organic preferred.

I’ve successfully tried the following combinations:

  • 1 lb ground beef (93% lean) + 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 1/2 lb ground beef (93% lean) + 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 lb ground pork + 1 lb ground turkey
  • 2 lb ground chicken – it is a little dry but still flavorful

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Preheat a frying pan on medium-high heat. Melt coconut oil in pan, then add bell peppers, onion, celery, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and garlic.

2. Add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, and nutmeg, and cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3. Add tomato paste and coconut milk, and cook for about 2 more minutes. Place mixture into a large bowl and let cool.

4. When vegetable/spice mixture has cooled, add almond flour, ground meat, and eggs. Mix well (go on, use your hands!).

5. Shape meat mixture into a large loaf on a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 350˚F, then 25-35 minutes at 400˚F, until meat is done (165˚F internal temperature). Cajun Meatloaf 1Cajun Meatloaf 2

Easy Miso Salmon

Miso Salmon 3

Ingredients

1 1/2 Lb Wild Alaskan Salmon

3 Tbsp Organic Miso

1 Tbsp Organic Low-Sodium Tamari

1 Tbsp Mirin or Rice Vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix miso, tamari, and mirin/rice vinegar. Place salmon on a baking sheet and spread miso mixture on top.

2. Bake salmon for about 10 minutes, or until it is almost fully cooked. Turn on broiler and place salmon closer to broiler for 2-4 minutes, or until topping begins to brown.

Serving idea: Serve with Cauliflower Fried “Rice” (see previous post)

Miso Salmon 1

Miso Salmon 2

 

Miso Salmon 4

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

 

Ingredients

2 Medium Yellow Onions, Sliced

1 Whole Chicken, or 3-4 Pounds Bone-In Chicken (Breasts, Drumsticks, whatever you like)

2 Tbsp Paprika

1 Tbsp Salt

1 Tbsp Mustard Powder

1 Tbsp Chili Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Lemon Pepper

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Directions

1. Add onions to slow cooker.

2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Do not rinse chicken – this just spreads bacteria in your kitchen.

3. Rub spice mixture over chicken and add to slow cooker. If you have leftover spice mixture that hasn’t been contaminated with raw chicken, save it for the next time you prepare this dish (there WILL be a next time). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Pizza Omelet

pizza omelet 1

Serves: 2

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

3 Eggs

4 Egg Whites

1/4 Cup Coconut Milk

1 tsp Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup Pizza Sauce

4 Oz. Goat Cheese (I used some soft goat cheese and some sliced goat cheese)

Vegetable Topping of Choice, Prepared (I sautéed white and baby bella mushrooms in a little coconut oil)

 

Directions

1. Whisk eggs and coconut milk. You can use 5 whole eggs, but your pizza “crust” will be more yellow.

2. Melt coconut oil in a medium oven-safe nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add eggs and cook until fully cooked. Flip the egg “crust” if you can, and like to show off (I can!). Turn off heat.

3. Spread pizza sauce over eggs, then vegetables toppings and cheese. You don’t have to use goat cheese if you’re not sensitive to cow dairy.

4. Place pizza under broiler until cheese starts to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Cut into 4 slices and serve.

pizza omelet 2