Oh hey, 2014!
How’s week one of the new year going for everyone? We are in hibernation mode here in Ohio, which has given me lots of time to reflect on what to do with my time in the next 12 months (or rather the next 5 months, since new babies have a way of shifting your priorities).
To help me get my head on straight, I have been going through Lara Casey‘s Make It Happen series; it’s a goal-setting series that I absolutely recommend. Especially if you’re like me, AKA you have a huge desire to get your act together for the new year but have no idea where to start. I’ve got a lot of ideas swimming around in this head and Make It Happen has helped me to organize it all. So, yay, new year! And hooray for a new recipe today! Finally got off my duff and picked up my camera.
This soup was inspired by a lovely lunch I had with my friend Jillian (see how awesome she is below) at Wheat Penny here in Dayton. We sampled a little cup of their curried carrot soup to start our meal; it was grand. I love that curry powder gives such a distinct, comforting taste but doesn’t make things too spicy. For my at-home version, I used all the orange veggies we had on hand- carrots, butternut squash and sweet potato. Pumpkin would also work well; you can use what you have in any combination.
This soup works for a whole variety of diets and is almost impossible to mess up. It would be great with some crumbled bacon on top, or even some homemade croutons. You could kick up the spice by adding some thai red curry paste, too.
And beyond tasting good, this soup has great nutritional benefits:
- Healthy, filling fats
- Cold/Flu-fighting onions, garlic and turmeric
- Orange veggies filled with Vitamin A to boost the immune system
- Bone broth; rich in gelatin, vitamins and minerals and anti-inflammatory
A special thanks to my sweet friends Jillian and Megan for making this post happen- they came over to my house today and did all my dishes PLUS cleaned my fridge! It was amazing, and it motivated me to pull out the camera and get this post up. A clean kitchen = no excuses for this lady. Thanks, girls- you are such a blessing to me! I am ready to re-pay you in soup. 
- a few tablespoons quality fat (grass-fed butter, ghee, coconut oil, lard, tallow)
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½-1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 tablespoon turmeric (optional)
- 6-8 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 large butternut squash; peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped (you can substitute more carrots or squash if you’re on GAPS or avoiding starches)
- 4-6 cups of bone broth (enough to cover the veggies in the pot)
- plain whole milk yogurt, for serving (optional, you can substitute full-fat coconut milk if you’re dairy-free)
- In a large stockpot or dutch oven, melt down the fat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until they begin to soften. Add the spices and let cook a few more minutes.
- Add the carrots, squash and sweet potato to the pot, followed by the bone broth. Add enough broth to cover all of the vegetables. Bring it all to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are fork-tender, about 20-30 minutes. When the veggies are soft, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
- Serve warm with a generous drizzle of yogurt.
I’m pretty much on a diet of chopped vegetable dishes. Every meal I’ve eaten in the past two weeks has either consisted solely of a) potato salad, b) green bean salad with basil, sautéed radishes, and hunks of mozzarella, c) citrusy coleslaw, or a hearty helping of one of those next to some protein that I was mostly eating just to stave off devouring a giant bowlful of one of those salads. Now that tomatoes are starting to come in? Oh boy. Watch out. Is it possible to eat all of your daily calories from tomatoes? Can I try? No? Okay, I’ll throw in some grilled corn on the cob slathered with homemade lime mayonnaise and queso añejo. And some peaches and cherries. That’s fine. God I love summer.
Gazpacho is a little difficult for me. On the one hand, it’s probably one of the best soups you can eat. On the other hand, it seems a little shameful to purée fresh, ripe, local (expensive) heirloom tomatoes. Maybe that’s because I don’t have any of my own in a garden in my back yard. I kind of feel that they’re like precious gems and to adulterate them with anything more than some coarse sea salt and a basil leaf is to somehow cheapen them. But when it’s terrible and hot and gross out, gazpacho is something to live for.
Since there’s not much to gazpacho, you must use good tomatoes. Don’t put off this recipe until the winter or something. Go out and splurge on some beautiful tomatoes. And if you have them in your garden, you are lucky and please send some to me. And as with most traditional and iconic recipes, there are a hundred versions, all hotly contested as being the one perfect one I’m sure. I don’t have too many strong opinions on what vegetables should or not should be included in gazpacho and what the levels of vinegar and oil should be. I do strongly feel, though, that using tomato juice is a no-no. I mean, you’re trying to celebrate gorgeous summer tomatoes. Why would you mix them with bottled tomato juice? Gah. But if you want to leave out the cucumber and red pepper, or add in some parsley, go for it. Topping gazpacho with a hard boiled egg is also extremely acceptable.
That’s it. That’s my gazpacho. It’s wonderful. You can certainly chill it if you need some extra cooling off, but I think room temperature allows the flavors to be their best. Unless room temperature means boiling, which it would be here if my air conditioner ever stopped working. Some garnishes you could use if you haven’t already started to dig in, are finely chopped cucumbers and red peppers, parsley, toasted almonds, and crumbled/chopped hard boiled egg.
Seriously gardeners, send me your tomatoes. I hear that you have wayyy too many to eat. Pretty sure.
- 2.5 lbs heirloom tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded (cut in half width-wise then in quarters length-wise and seeds cut off) and chopped
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, seeded, deveined, and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- Mix together the vegetables in a large bowl.
- In a blender, purée garlic, salt, olive oil, and vinegar. Scoop about half of the vegetable mixture into the blender. Blend until smooth, in batches if necessary.
- Pour blended veggies back into the bowl of chopped vegetables and mix.
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Last week, I shared my favorite summer chicken recipes. Today, I’m back with 16 ways to use the humble sweet potato. (I’m actually not eating sweet potatoes right now, but for some reason, I am still craving them and hoarding sweet potato recipes like it’s the end of the internet. It’s only a little heartbreaking to look at those gorgeous photos. Some day..)
Lots of great options here- fries, chips, soup, stuffed potatoes, and BROWNIES. Get to pinning!
Row 1: Thai Sweet Potato Stacks, Sweet Potato Almond Butter Muffins, Slow Cooker Beer Pulled Pork-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Cherry Salsa
Row 2: Sweet Potato Breakfast Biscuits, Brown Butter Sweet Potato Doughnuts, Paleo Sweet Potato Brownies, Garlic Butter Sweet Potato Fries with Creamy Feta Dip
Row 3: Roasted Grape, Goat Cheese and Honey-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potato and Pineapple Salad, Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Red Quinoa Soup, Sweet Potato Pulled Pork Sliders
Row 4: Homemade BBQ Sweet Potato Chips, Baked Sweet Potato Falafel, Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup, Loaded Black Bean Sweet Potato Boats
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What did I eat on Stage 4?
With Stage 4, I added olive oil, fresh juice, bread made with almond flour and roasted/grilled meats.
- Scrambled Eggs in Tallow with Avocado and Sauerkraut (my typical breakfast.)
- Poached Salmon and Chicken
- Carrot and Squash Soup with poached eggs and avocado (you might have seen this one on Instagram)
- Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
- Squash and Almond Flour Bread (you can see one of the muffins in the photo above)
- New Cooked Vegetables- spaghetti squash, tomatoes, green peppers
- Fresh Juice- plain carrot or a mixture of carrot/apple/celery
- Chicken Vegetable Soup with Turnips
- Butternut Squash Fries (so good to have roasted squash again!)
- High Protein Chili (pictured above, recipe below)
- Avocado Chicken Salad (just mashed avocado mixed with garlic, salt and cooked chicken)
- Lots of Bone Broth and Tallow and Salt and Garlic and Sauerkraut and Olive Oil
Did I see any changes or patterns in my symptoms?
For the most part, this stage went much better than expected. I have been fearful about trying new vegetables, but it seems to be going well. I did see a bit of a flare-up with my symptoms when I tried the almond flour bread. I tried a little bit at the beginning of the day and it went well, so then I had more later on.. but I think I overdid it. I’ll have to be careful about how much almond flour I take in.
I also feel like I am getting some real energy back- I actually thought about going out and exercising, which I haven’t felt like doing in quite some time. I’m looking forward to some exercise again after Intro is done- I don’t want to push it and start before my body is ready, since working out puts your body in fight-or-flight mode which interferes with proper digestion. And ya’ll know I don’t have time for that. 
Any practical advice from Stage 4?
Don’t assume that your body can handle any amount of new food, even if it tolerates a little bit. This was my lesson from the almond flour bread. It is just not worth it to overdo it and experience your symptoms again. Really try to savor the little bits of these foods that you do get to try, even if you end up deciding to leave it out of your diet for a while. You can always try it again later.
I wanted to note here that I did take some liberties with spices in Stage 4. In the recipe for chili posted below, I added some chili powder and paprika, which are not legal until Full GAPS. I was so excited to make chili with tomatoes that I couldn’t resist throwing the spices in. My advice here is that you know your body best. If you get to this point in the diet and you feel you can add in a few ingredients here or there that are allowed on Full GAPS, try it out. But use your judgement- if you have any symptoms, slow down.
Also, don’t quit your detox baths. They are worth doing! (I have been slacking a big- this is mainly a reminder for me.)
Any encouragement for people in Stage 4?
Don’t stop observing and listening to your body. Now that you are adding new foods so often, you want to be careful about recording your symptoms, looking for patterns and making changes accordingly. Hopefully you’ve gotten into a groove with the GAPS lifestyle and you’re making it work for you. But remember, this is a process. Every day will not be better than the last. Sometimes there are bumps in the road. Sometimes we mess up. Keep trying and don’t despair! You are on your way to better health and learning self-discipline along the way. (And don’t quit now- you’ll be able to eat fruit and honey in Stage 5!)
- 1 pound grass-fed beef liver (pre-soaked the night before in the juice of one lemon and then covered with filtered water; cover and keep in the fridge)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground venison, ground pork or other ground meat/sausage
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes (preferably homemade or not from a can with BPA)
- water or beef broth to cover
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- cracked black pepper to taste
- 4 cups winter squash (optional)
- Drain the beef liver.
- In a blender or food processor, process the liver until it’s broken down (I like it pretty broken down, right before it reaches a paste. If you like it chopped, you can do that, too. I find it’s practically undetectable if you break it down in the blender first.)
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, cook the liver and ground meats until they are browned.
- Add onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes and mix. Add spices, if using. Cover with beef broth or water if necessary, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- If you are adding the squash (or any other uncooked vegetable), you can add it to the chili about 30 minutes before you plan to serve it.
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What did I eat on Stage 1?
(Soup, soup and more soup.)
- Carrot Soup (I made a huge batch and fear I may soon turn orange.)
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Onion Soup with Meatballs (pictured above and my favorite- almost like French Onion Soup, recipe below)
- Boiled Hamburgers (not as terrible as they sound)
- Chicken Soup with Squash and Carrots
- Boiled Chicken or Beef with Vegetables
- Lots of Bone Broth and Tallow and Salt and Garlic and a little Sauerkraut Juice
Did I see any changes or patterns in my symptoms?
My stomach pain was still present at times, but a lot less than normal. I was actually more concerned about my blood sugar than the pain this week because I experience a lot of tiredness, irritability (especially before meal time), and some fogginess. I think (I hope!) my body is normalizing its blood sugar after relying on carbohydrates like potatoes, sweet potatoes and rice to keep me going the past few months. Despite being worn out, I didn’t sleep too well this week; so I’ve started supplementing with Magnesium in the evenings to help me sleep.
Any practical advice from Stage 1?
Be prepared to do a ton of dishes- try to get in the habit of rinsing out your most-used pots and pans and putting them right back on the stove instead of letting them pile up in the sink. You’ll need them to heat up everything since microwaves are a no-no. My most used items were mugs, bowls, small saucepans, small spatula, spoons, garlic press/microplane (I like the microplane better because you can easily rinse it), large Mason jars and my crockpot.
Also, just a note: the seaweed powder detox bath is strange and messy. It was my least favorite (I am partial to Epsom salts). The smell reminded me of fish food/an aquarium and the powder never really dissolves like the other bath items. Make sure you are able to easily rinse your tub (and yourself) after that bath.
Any encouragement for people in Stage 1?
Try to reach out for support daily during this first stage. I contemplated quitting (i.e. spending the afternoon in the local frozen yogurt shop) multiple times during my irritable moods, but I am blessed to have great support from my family and friends and lots of people who are just a text away. You’ll need those people to talk you off the ledge when you go crazy for a minute and convince yourself that you are ruining the whole diet by eating too many carrots.
I spent most of my detox bath time in prayer, which was a great encouragement to my spirit. I also had a comforting old hymn stuck in my head for most of the week; Before the Throne of God Above. I was singing this verse over and over again:
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
- 3 cups beef broth
- 6 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 lb ground beef, formed into meatballs
- sea salt
- fresh garlic
- tallow, grass-fed butter/ghee or coconut oil
- Combine the beef broth and onions in the crockpot and simmer on low for 4-6 hours or until onions are soft.
- About 30 minutes before you’d like to serve, add the meatballs gently into the simmering soup. Cover and let simmer until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Add sea salt, fresh grated garlic and a bit of fat to each bowl and serve warm.
As you probably know, I’ve been working on healing some stomach problems (are you tired of hearing about it yet? haha). The first time I read about the healing power of bone broth was through the Weston A. Price Foundation. It made a lot of sense to me- finally I understood why homemade chicken soup was said to be such a good remedy! Then I did more research and found the GAPS diet, which is big on bone broth and affirmed everything else I had read. I won’t go into detail about all of the benefits here (check out the links at the end of the post), but I did want to explain my broth routine and what I’ve learned along the way.
When I drink broth:
- With most meals, to help with digestion.
- In the morning before breakfast (if I’m not ready to eat yet).
- When I go out and I’m not sure if there will be any food that I can eat, but don’t have time to pack food.
- When I have stomach pain.
Really, I could drink it anytime. I usually sip it from a mug like I would drink tea. I drink it plain, with sea salt, or sometimes I stir in a spoonful of coconut oil or grass-fed butter (sounds weird, but it tastes really good and helps keep me feeling full. Just stir it around with a spoon as you’re drinking it so your lips don’t get oily!)
How I make broth:
- For chicken: I typically cook a whole chicken (roast or boil), pick off most of the meat and then put the bones and skin in the crockpot. I cover the bones with filtered water and cook on low for a day or two. Sometimes I add salt, sometimes I forget. Sometimes I add peppercorns or a few bay leaves or vegetable peelings, but usually I keep it simple. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar, as well (to help get even more nutrients out of the bones). Don’t be alarmed if the vinegar makes the broth a bit cloudy.
- For beef: I usually get beef bones that are meant specifically for broth/soup, so I’ll just throw them in the slow cooker or a pot, remove any meat and add it to a soup (since it’s not a a lot of meat) and then return the bones and continue cooking the broth.
- For fish: I can’t get sustainable whole fish around here, so I haven’t done this myself, but if I did, I would stick the bones and the head in a pot/crock pot with the same method. (I don’t think I would really drink this one on it’s own- probably just use it for soups).
My Broth Tips:
- I never throw away bones- I store them in the freezer along with vegetable clippings (onions, carrot and celery) if I’m not making broth right away or if I only have a few bones.
- Try to include some skin (for the fat) and the joints of the animal if you can- the joints help to create gelatin (especially wing tips/knuckle bones, etc).
- Don’t be afraid if your broth looks like jelly after it cools down. That’s a good thing! Gelatin is very nourishing and it will return to liquid state when you heat it.
- You can roast the bones before you use them for stock if you want deeper flavor or a darker broth.
- Store broth in the refrigerator (it will keep for a few weeks) or freezer. I like to use glass jars.
- Reheat broth on the stove so you don’t kill the nutrients (as opposed to the microwave). It’s a pain when you’re in a hurry, but I do it in a small saucepan or in a tea kettle.
- There will be a layer of fat at the top of your broth (see above)- this is a good thing! It is full of good nutrition, don’t throw it away! It will melt down into the broth when you heat it up.
- Be careful not to burn your mouth on hot broth. Broth smells so good cooking in my house and I like to scoop cups of it right out of the slow cooker, but it is REALLY HOT. Wait for fresh broth to cool down a bit.
Anyone else out there drinking broth? I can’t be the only one! Are you intimidated by the process! Please feel free to comment with your questions and I’ll gladly answer. If you’re interested in learning more about bone broth, here are some links I’ve found helpful:
Bone Broth: 12 Days of Gelatin
Perpetual Soup: The Easiest Bone Broth You’ll Make
Traditional Foods 101: Bone broth, Broth and Stocks
How to Make Health Boosting Bone Broth
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- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper cut into ½ inch dice
- 1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chili, finely chopped, including seeds (I used just ½ to keep the spice down)
- 1 tablespoon fresh peeled and minced/grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped/grated
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas (or about 2 cups pre-soaked)
- 2 cups lentils (preferably red; I used green, which is what I had on hand)
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving
- Heat the coconut oil in a dutch oven or large soup pan and add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened and start to take on some color.
- Add the garlic, ginger, spices and tomato paste and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes until the mixture is toasty and fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, chicken, lentils and chickpeas and cook uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how soft you like your lentils.
- At the end of cooking, add the lime juice to taste and adjust with more salt if desired. Serve the soup topped with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and some extra limes on the side.
This soup is exceptional.
It’s so good that every fall for the last four years, we’ve remembered it and had to have it again. You know how rare it is for me to make a recipe twice.. so I think this is going to be a Herr family favorite.
There is nothing more satisfying than a creamy soup on a cool night, am I right? The roasted garlic in this thing is no joke- so, so good- do not skip that step! If it weren’t for the garlic breath, I would eat a head of roasted garlic every. single. day. (TMI?)
The soup is filling as a meal all it’s own, but makes a great starter for a holiday spread as well. And I just love the roasted cauliflower florets on top with their cheesy, herbaceous flavor. Great presentation for company, but also a perfect supper to share with your family.
- 3 heads garlic
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 white onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 heads cauliflower, 3 cored and thinly sliced and 1 broken into florets
- 8 sprigs thyme, tied with twine, plus one tablespoon chopped (you can sub. 1T dried thyme)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups chicken stock, plus more to thin, if desired
- 2 cups heavy cream, plus more to thin, if desired
- 2½ cups plus 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut off the tops of garlic heads. Place each on a piece of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in foil, and bake until garlic is very soft, about an hour. Let cool. Squeeze garlic from peel; set aside. Increase oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft but not browned. Stir in sliced cauliflower, thyme and wine. Simmer until wine is reduced by half. Add stock, bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove cover and simmer until cauliflower is soft, about 15 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
- Remove thyme bundle and stir in cream and 2½ cups Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic. Puree with a stick blender or in batches until smooth. Thin with more stock or cream, if desired. Return to pot; keep warm on low heat.
- Heat remaining ¼ cup olive oil over high heat in a saute pan until almost smoking. Add cauliflower florets, stirring until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pan to oven and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in thyme, parsley and remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan. To serve; ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cauliflower florets.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 medium/large turnips, peeled and cubed
- 3 medium/large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
- a few sprigs fresh thyme
- a few sprigs fresh rosemary
- 5 cups chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- In a stockpot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, 1-2 minutes. Add turnips, potatoes, thyme, rosemary (tie them together with twine if you want the removal to be easier) and stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until vegetables are tender, 20-30 minutes. Remove the thyme and rosemary stalks. Turn off the heat and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Season well with salt and pepper and serve warm.
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ cup gruyere cheese, shredded
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- Turn the broiler on high. Mix butter, cheese, paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Spread the butter mixture onto the bread. Broil for 2-4 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Serve warm.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or a few sprigs fresh)
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 2 medium turnips, peeled and chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 3-4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can garbanzo beans or white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1-2 cups fresh spinach
- grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread, for serving
- In a large sauce pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste. Next, add the squash, turnips, tomatoes and broth (use as much liquid as you see fit) and bring to a boil. Return the soup to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the squash and turnips are fork tender. Add the beans and spinach and let simmer another 5-10 minutes. Serve hot with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.