Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup (SCD, GFCF)

Soup season is coming! I love soup. This one is almost a stew, but not quite. I used "beef" in the title but almost any ground meat will do. This batch was made with deer meat. I prefer to use a leaner ground meat so there's little fat to drain off. Ingredients are approximate.

Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup

1 lb Lean Ground Meat such as Beef, Turkey, Deer, or Bison
Small amount of Olive Oil if needed
1 Onion, diced fine
1 Tomato, seeded and diced fine
3 cups Tomato Juice
2 cups Water
1 teas. Dried Basil
1 teas. Dried Oregano
Dash of Celery Seed (optional, early SCD'ers omit)
1 cup Carrots, diced fine
2 small Zucchini, diced fine
1 cup Frozen Cut Green Beans
Salt to taste

Brown meat in a large pot. Drain off excess fat if needed. Add onions and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are tender. (If meat is very lean you may need a little olive oil). Add tomato juice, water, and herbs. Bring to a simmering boil. Add the other vegetables and simmer to desired tenderness. Season with salt to taste. Serves 6.

This post is linked to Fightback Friday.

My Crockpot is My Stockpot - Homemade Beef Broth and Consomme (SCD, GFCF)

I've finally had success making beef broth in the crockpot. The secret, besides roasting bones with a little meat on them, is a low setting for 24 hours. Roasting them first removes fat and browns the bones for better flavor. I used soup bones that were about 3 to 4 inches in diameter, cut about an inch thick, and still had a few chunks of meat on them. This recipe made about 7-8 cups of broth. This broth had a good flavor and made a nice consomme too.

Stephanie of a Year of SlowCooking recommends adding cider vinegar about half way through to bring out the flavor. I forgot to do this, but will try next time.

Homemade Beef Broth

3 lbs (approx) Beef Soup Bones
10 cups (approx) Water
Veggies on hand such as onions, celery, and/or carrots (I used 6 Green Onions)
2 or 3 Bay Leaves
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put bones in a single layer on a roasting pan, and roast about 40 minutes, until browned. Place browned bones in crock pot, adding water and other ingredients. Cook for 24 hours on low setting. Note: make sure your low setting is able to bring it to a simmering boil, if not use higher setting.

Cool cooked broth to room temperature, pour into a pitcher, and refridgerate overnight. When chilled, scoop off layer of fat, if you're avoiding fat then discard, if you're embracing fat reserve it in the fridge for future use. Use broth within three days of put in freezer safe containers and freeze.

To make consomme, put broth in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil until it is reduced by half. This will have a nice "beefy" flavor that is good in recipes. You can also freeze consomme for future use.

This post is linked to Fresh Bite Fridays,a whole foods carnival, Fightback Friday, and Traditional Tuesdays.

Artichoke Bisque (SCD)

A creamy soup with artichokes, Parmesan cheese and garlic...how could you go wrong? This was adapted from the "New England Soup Factory Cookbook" by Marjorie Druker. Instead of using cream, I use yogurt cream, homemade yogurt made from half and half and when processed for 24 hours it is virtually lactose-free. I also use canned artichokes, but you could use frozen ones as well.
This is my submission for this months "Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free". Linda of The Gluten-free Homemaker is hosting and the theme is "Seasonal Soups". Funny, artichokes are always in season in my pantry, so this was a natural choice. It it also quick and easy, another seasonal favorite!

This post is also linked to "Grain-Free Tuesdays" at Hella Delicious, and "Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays" at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

Artichoke Bisque (SCD)
4 cups Chicken Stock
2 (14 oz) cans Artichoke Hearts (check for illegal ingredients)
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 heaping cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 teas. Nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup Yogurt Cream, or a very thick yogurt
Parsley or Chives for garnish (optional)

In a large pot simmer chicken stock, artichokes and garlic a few minutes, until artichokes are fork tender. Use an immersion blender to puree or use a regular blender and puree small batches at a time. Return to pot. Add nutmeg and cheese. Stir until cheese is incorporated. Season. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt cream. Garnish and serve.

Creamy Shrimp Bisque (SCD)

Did you know that January is National Soup Month? Lauren of Celiac Teen is hosting this months Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten Free. The theme is "Follow the Calendar" and January has more food holidays than you can beat with a stick. Soup is my favorite one, especially creamy bisques and chowders.

The idea for this soup came from Raman Prasad's "Red Pepper and Tomato Soup" in Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I love this cookbook! If you are on the SCD, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, or just very serious about a whole foods diet, it's worth checking out.

Today's batch I made with creepy store bought wintertime tomatoes, not the best for flavor. For those of you not on the SCD, you may opt for a large can of whole tomatoes. For those of you on the SCD, this soup is a good inspiration to freeze those fabulous summer garden ones for winter recipes.

The creaminess comes from yogurt. Homemade yogurt that has been fermented for 24 hours has almost no lactose in it, the bacteria breaks it down. Many Celiacs also have lactose intolerance. Oh, I forgot to mention, this recipe makes a lot.

Creamy Shrimp Bisque (SCD)

2 Red Bell Peppers
7 Roma Tomatoes
1 cup Carrots
1 Onion
2 TBSP Butter
2 Cups Chicken Stock
Salt to taste
1 pound Cooked Shrimp, peeled and tails off
1 to 2 cups Yogurt or Yogurt Cream

To roast and skin peppers: Rinse and slice peppers lengthwise into quarters. Remove seeds. Place on an oiled baking sheet, skin sides up and place under broiler until skin is bubbly and has black spots. Turn oven off and let peppers sit in warm oven awhile.

To skin tomatoes: Boil a large pot of water. Drop in tomatoes. When skin splits, remove and add to a bowl of cold water. Skin should come right off.

Pull out peppers and let cool. Peel of the papery skins.

Add carrots and onion to a food processor. Pulse just until finely minced. Heat butter in a large pot, add carrots and onion and saute until tender. Add tomatoes and bell pepper to food processor and puree. Run through a sieve and pour strained mixture into carrots and onions. Add chicken stock and heat to boiling. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Salt to taste.

Put shrimp into food processor and pulse until finely minced. Add to pot and heat through. Stir in yogurt and heat about 1 minute. Serve.

Avgolemono Soup - For What Ails You (SCD, GFCF)

It was bound to happen. An occupational hazard of my new career change has just caught up with me. I think I might have the flu. Since October I have been a rural convenience store clerk. I really enjoy my job.  I also get the local scoop on what's going on in our little town. This scoop always includes what bugs are going around as well.  I see lots of stuffed-up folks and parents who have been up all night with a sick kid (some of them in my son's class) come in for Gatorade, seven-up, over the medicines, and of course, cans of chicken noodle soup. It was only a matter of time for it to arrive in our household. We've done well so far, which I suspect the extra vitamin C, elderberry and junk free diet has helped. Now that it's here, I want to find the best ways to get rid of it. There's much to be said for age old remedies, especially the one about chicken soup. It's even been dubbed "Jewish Penicillin". As usual, science eventually catches up with what grandmothers have known all along (here, here, here, and here).

However, Greek folks will tell you that it's not just any chicken soup that can do this. They will say it is their mother's avgolemono soup that can cure anything. I have had the honor of watching a greek friend's mother prepare this soup. Traditionally it contains orzo, a small gluten pasta. For those of you who consume gluten, you can cook the orzo in the broth before adding the egg mixture. For those of you who eat rice (non SCD legal), you can add a cup of cooked rice to the soup.

Avgolemono Soup

4 cups Chicken Broth
3 Large Eggs
Juice of one Lemon

In a tall stock pot, heat both to a boil. In a small bowl, using a hand mixer, mix eggs until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and blend another 30 seconds. Then, with and oven mitt, slightly rock stock pot back and forth, without sloshing to broth out of the pot. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pot while rocking it. The goal is to combine the egg and the broth without separating the egg. Heat for about one minute. Enjoy.

My Crock Pot is My Stock Pot - Homemade Chicken Broth (SCD, GFCF)

Canned chicken broth can have hidden sources of allergens, especially yeast extract. Plus, some brands can really be expensive as well. Using a crock pot to make homemade broth is a cinch!

I actually have two ways I do it, depending on what I'm making it from. Plan A is for when I am making broth from chicken parts. Our grocer often has chicken necks for very cheap, which are ideal. Plan B is for when I'm cooking a whole chicken. I have a crock pot that does a little over two quarts, if your crock pot is a different size you may need to adjust.


Homemade Chicken Broth Plan A

1 to 2 Pounds of Chicken Parts (Necks work well)
About 2 quarts of water
1 TBSP Herbs de Provence (I use Morten & Bassett brand)
Sea Salt to taste
A few dashes of Turmeric (this will give it a golden color)
1/2 of a Yellow Onion, roughly chopped
Two handfuls fresh Parsely

Other options to add:
Two sticks celery
Celery Leaves
One or two Carrots
A couple large slices of Zucchini

Add all to crock pot, cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 12 hours. Chill, strain and then place overnight in a pitcher in the fridge. The next day you can remove the fat and use. You can freeze the broth in various sizes to have on hand. I like to do one and two cup portions, plus have some frozen in ice cubes.

Homemade Chicken Broth Plan B

This is how I make the most of a whole chicken, I use my crock pot two days in a row.

One small whole Chicken
Water
Salt to taste
A few dashes of Turmeric
A few dashes of Herbs de Provence

Remove any parts that are placed in the cavity of the chicken, place them in the fridge and save for round 2 (except for the liver, use that for pate or something else). Remove flaps of skin and fat (if you want to render it for later use see links below). Rinse chicken and place in crock pot. Add water to fill just about 2 inches below lid. Add seasonings. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 12 hours.

Remove chicken from crock pot and remove meat from chicken and use. Save carcass, bones and parts (put them in the fridge to use for round two the next day). Pour the broth into a pitcher and refrigerate. The next day remove chilled layer of fat on the top of broth. This batch of broth is what most cooks will refer to as "rich or strong" chicken broth. Use or freeze for later.

Now take the carcass and parts and follow directions for Plan A. This will make a light chicken broth.

Other SCD/GAPS chicken stock and soup recipes:

Not a recipe, just a great post from the Food Renegade: America Needs More Brothels

Homemade Chicken Stock from Amy of Simply Gluten and Sugar Free

Another broth recipe from Karen of Heal-Balance-Live. Her link to the fabulous Weston Price article "Broth is Beautiful" is updated here.

Kat of Kat's Food Blog also has one for the crock pot, How to Make Chicken Soup in a Slow-Cooker

Mmmm...Chicken and Dumpling Soup from Erica at Comfy Belly

Exotic Egg Flower Soup from Grain-Free Foodies

Comfy Tummy has Basic SCD Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken "Noodle" Soup from Elana's Pantry

Here's some more helpful links to make the most of your chicken:

The Whole Bird

The Whole Bird - From the Weston Price Foundation

Roast Chicken Made Better, Start to Finish

Fat and Schmaltz

Chicken Fat--Some Interesting Facts

Mike Wolfberg's Recipe for Rendered Chicken Fat

Schmaltz & Grieven at FoodMayhem (recipes)

Schmaltz Recipe at Recipes Zaar

Adopt a GF Blogger: Flip Cookbook & Sunset Gazpacho (SCD, GFCF)

Shirley of Gluten-Free Easily is hosting "Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger" this month. It's a cool web carnival idea. You "adopt" a gluten-free blogger, then make and post one of their recipes. It's a great way to stop stalking some of these wonderful gf websites, and actually make the recipes.

My adoptees' are Raj and Sonia of Flip Cookbook. I was first aware of their site in May when I was hosting "Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free". Raj submitted Mango Kulfi. I was thrilled to know there was a GF and SCD blog with an Indian flair. I adore Indian food. And the recipes and photos are absolutely gorgeous. Everything looks so crisp and flavorful. It was so hard deciding which recipe to make!

I couldn't resist this recipe for Sunset Gazpacho. I've been wanting to try a gazpacho and this one was so colorful, and mango is a favorite flavor in our home.

The ingredients were mango, orange juice, extra-virgin olive oil, cucumber, bell pepper (I used a red one), onion (I used green onion), garlic, jalapeno (optional), lime juice, basil or cilantro, salt and pepper.

I was surprised how easy it was to make...no cooking! This will be a great recipes to impress company as well, they'll never know you didn't slave over a hot stove. This gazpacho would also be a good first course to a grilled meat or seafood meal.

I'm a big fan of Flip Cookbook. I can't wait to try more recipes. Thanks Raj and Sonia.

Spinach Egg Soup (SCD)

The other day I had a cooked chicken in the fridge and planned on using it in a salad. The weather changed to cold and rainy and I found myself going through Barbara Kafka's "Soup A Way of Life", looking for something warming and homey. I found this lovely recipe, called "brodo con straciatella". It makes "strings" of eggs using a combination of eggs, flour and Parmesan cheese allowed to drip through a strainer into hot broth. I tried it, minus the flour, and found it much easier to just drip it off a spoon. I've altered the recipe by adding chicken and using frozen spinach.

2 Eggs
3 TBSP Parmesan Cheese, very finely grated
Dash of salt
4 cups Rich Chicken Broth, salted to taste
10 oz Frozen Spinach, chopped very fine (no need to thaw)
1 or 1 1/2 cups Chicken, cooked and diced fine

Combine eggs, cheese and a dash of salt in a cup. In a large pot heat broth to boiling, add spinach and heat through. Drizzle egg mixture in with a spoon. Add chicken and heat through, about one minute.

Serves 3 or 4.

Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free...Creamy Creamless New England Clam Chowder (SCD, GFCF)

Here's an interesting soup article that was posted on Yahoo News today

Fellow SCD blogger Penny of Elysium Eatery gave this wonderful tip for making creamy soups with frozen cauliflower. I have found it works great. Here's my dairy-free, potato-free version of New England Clam Chowder, nice and creamy. It's for this months "Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free! Laura of Mouthgasmic is the hostess and the theme is International Stews. Since I can't imagine that anyone in the world would not love New England Clam Chowder, that would make it "international" right?

3 strips of Bacon
1 small Onion, diced
1 or 2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Carrot, diced
1 (8 oz) bottle Clam Juice
1 or 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
1 (16 oz) Bag Frozen Cauliflower
2 (6.5 oz) cans Clams (packed in water), do not drain
Minced Green Onion or Parsley for Garnish (optional)
Salt and Cracked Pepper to taste

In a tall soup kettle cook bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside. Add diced onions, celery and carrot to pot and saute until tender. If you want these veggies pureed, leave them in the pot. If you don't, remove them now and you will add them back later.

Add clam juice, broth and cauliflower. Simmer until cauliflower is tender. Remove from heat. Puree in a blender or use and immersion blender. Add back to soup pot and heat. Add clams with their juice and cooked minced veggies and heat through. Crumble bacon and add to soup. Serve.

Curried Spinach Coconut Soup (SCD, GFCF)

What does good in bed mean to me? When I'm sick and I stay home from school propped up with lots of pillows watching TV and my mom brings me soup - that's good in bed.
Brooke Shields

Soup is the best comfort food there is. This is one of my favorites. I love the combination of curry and coconut. This was adapted from "Fields of Greens" by Annie Somerville

1/2 small Onion, chopped
1 or 2 Garlic Cloves, minced (optional)
1 TBSP Oil, a light kind such as Grapeseed
2 teas. Madras Style Curry Powder
1 (9oz) bag of Spinach Leaves, or one box of frozen
3 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 teas. Sea Salt (omit if your broth is salty)
12- 16 oz Coconut Milk
1 TBSP Lemon Juice
about 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut, unsweetened

In a stock pot heat oil over medium heat and saute onions just until tender. Stir in garlic and curry powder. Add spinach. If you are using a box of frozen spinach then cook until spinach is thawed and heated. Add chicken stock and salt and simmer, uncovered until spinach is tender. Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Return to heat and add coconut milk, cook for about 10 more minutes. Add lemon juice. Garnish with toasted coconut.

There are two ways to toast coconut. You can put it under your oven broiler and watch it constantly. You can also use a small dry skillet, cast iron works well, and saute over medium heat until toasted.

Here's a link for a Madras Curry Powder recipe.

Creamy Curried Zucchini Soup (SCD)

Soup is the ultimate comfort food when the weather is chilly. I've adapted this recipe from a great little book called "Recipes from the Night Kitchen" by Sally Nirenberg. It's a great addition to any soup lovers library. I have found many of the recipes to be easily adapted to SCD and gluten free diets.

2 TBSP. Butter
1/4 cup Onion, finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, pressed
1 TBSP Curry Powder (Madras style)
1 teas. Ginger, finely minced or grated
2 Zucchini, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup Celery, chopped fine
1/4 to 1/2 cup Carrots chopped fine
4 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup Yogurt Cream
Minced Green Onions and Cilantro for Garnish

Melt butter in a saucepan or stockpot. Saute onions, garlic, curry powder, ginger, zucchini, celery and carrots until tender. Add chicken stock and cook to a slight boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in yogurt and heat through. Serve with garnish.

Here's a link for a Madras Curry Powder recipe.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup (SCD) & Loaded Fake Potato Soup (SCD)

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

This recipe is quick and easy. I get lots of ideas from Low-Carb cookbooks and I've adapted this one from "Low-Carb Quick and Easy" by Frances Towner Giedt. I like my soups very creamy so I use yogurt made with half and half or cream. Yogurt made this way is also an excellent substitute for sour cream.

4 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Head of Cauliflower
1/4 teas. Dried Thyme
1 1/2 Cups SCD Yogurt!
Salt and Pepper to taste

Add chicken broth and cauliflower to a large pot. Cover and cook over a medium heat until cauliflower is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. In small batches, puree in a blender until smooth (you may even need to let it cool a bit first). Return to pot and heat through. Add seasonings. Whisk in yogurt right before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Loaded Fake Potato Soup

Prepare one batch of Cream of Cauliflower Soup (recipe above). Serve with your favorite baked potato fixings: Grated Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Scallions or Chives.