Purple Cabbage & Sunbutter Soup

Hey there. Meat Lover here. It was a Sunday and we felt very tired. Okay, I felt tired. I didn't want to cook or do anything. But I decided on cooking this recipe because the prep wasn't long and you leave it on the stove as it simmers. Kinda perfect for that kind of day.  I didn't include all the ingredients because I was afraid it would turn too spicy. Turns out my modification was just right. In the future, perhaps, I could add a bit more kick.

MEAT LOVER: sunbutter as broth? amazingly good.
GREENARIE: very good.

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

Purple Cabbage & Sunbutter Soup
serves 4

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon of Curry paste (i used powder. still as effective)
1 medium red onions, peeled and diced
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and diced
1/2 head of purple cabbage
1 cup of roasted green chilies or yellow peppers(ML: I didn't include any)
3 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 cup sunbutter (sunflower seed butter)(note: melt the sunbutter in 1/2 cup of broth until it is smooth)
14 oz can of coconut milk (ML: I put in almost 2 cups of regular coconut milk)
1/4-1/2 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes (ML: I didn't include any)
Juice from 1 fresh lime (ML: I didn't include any)
1 tablespoon of honey/agave/light brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
garnish: chopped cilantro (ML: didn't add this either)


1: Heat the olive oil in large soup pot. Add the curry until it is blended with the oil. Add the onions, garlic, sweet potato, cabbage, chilies or yellow pepper.
2: Stir and cook the veggies until soften, approximately 5-7 minutes.
3: Add the broth, sunbutter, coconut milk, red peppers flake and cilantro.
4: Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
5: Stir in lime juice and taste test. add honey/agave/brown sugar if needed to balance the heat. salt and pepper to taste. (ML: no sweeteners were needed because it wasn't spicy)

Breakfast Bread

No narrative needed here.

This bread is, egg-ish, but the bacon and jalapeno came out wonderful. Reminds me of my childhood in Colorado... mmm.

MEAT LOVER: It's OK.
GREENARIE: I love jalapenos.  Yes.

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

Breakfast Bread
serves 4

5 slices of thick-cut bacon
2 jalapenos, sliced
5 eggs
1/4 cup applesauce
1 drop maple syrup
1/2 cup ghee
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1: Preheat oven to 400*. On a pan, lay sliced jalapenos and bacon. Bake for 10 minutes, flip the peppers and bacon, then bake another 10 minutes. Let cool.
2:  In large bowl, mix together eggs, applesauce, ghee, flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3: slice up the cooked bacon, remove seeds from jalapeno. Toss in a blender or food processor and lightly pulse. Should not puree, but into small bits.
4: Pour the bacon mixture in bowl, mix until batter is ready
5: Pour in a bread pan and bake at 375* for 40-45 minutes.
6: Let cool and serve. Keep in refridgator for storage.  

Cream of Broccoli Soup

I love it when the autumn season rolls around. The crispy air, leaves, and refreshing rain (in the Northwest, anyway). Also, it's perfect time for the house to be warmed up with soup. mmmm.

I went ahead and made a plant-based soup, which is excellent!

Meat Lover: Good, love the cashews.
Greenarie: Soft, smooth, and a keeper.

-------------------------------------------------------
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Serves 4

8 cups vegetable broth (if heavy, use 4 cups with 4 cups water)
1 cup raw cashews (rinsed and dried)
1 white onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 white potatoes, peeled, sliced and quartered
2 heads broccoli, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme 
1 Tablespoon Marajoam 
Salt and Pepper to taste

1: Saute the onion, carrots, and pepper in a large pot with 1 cup of broth.
2: Chop and prepare garlic and potatoes, pour into the pot, save 1 cup of broth for later, add rest in pot.
3: Chop broccoli, add to the pot, set to simmer. Allow it to simmer for more than 10 minutes.
4: While waiting, pour in cashews and 1 cup of broth in blender. Blend until smooth.
5: When potatoes and broccoli are soft, turn off the heat, mix in the cashew-broth. 
6: Spoon out the soup in blender, puree. Then pour back in the pot, mix.
7: Let cool, enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Phff... I did not have enough patience to do a new recipe, so I decided to do an old fashioned soup. It works. I got high raves from the Meat Lover. Surprisingly, it turned out creamy. Who knew!?

MEAT LOVER: Oh, so good. I love this.
GREENARIE: Very good. Surprisingly good.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 4

Package of chicken breasts (two breasts), broiled and diced
1 Leek, chopped and halved
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 package of corn-quinoa pasta in pieces or preferred pasta
1 Tablespoon Basil
1 Tablespoon Marojam
Salt and Pepper to taste

1: Warm up the crockpot, put in all ingredients except for pasta and cover. Leave on "Warm" for 6 hours
2: Toss in small pieces of pasta and cover, leave on "Warm" for one more hour
3: Let cool slightly, then enjoy!

Leek Soup

hey there! Meat lover here. As Greenaire have mentioned in her posts, I certainly LOVE my meat. I eat meat at least once a day. It doesn't matter how small or big it is: beef jerky, small amount of breakfast sausage or a simple chicken breast.

Recently, we had a conversation about how I should try to go meat-less at least 1 time a week. I agreed and searched for recipes for meat-less recipes while at the same time, keeping it gluten-free. I found this and I wasn't sure if we would like it since cauliflower was used instead of potato. I've tried several different uses of cauliflower and often does not like the smell or its taste. This one, however, was a surprisingly good meal. I made buns to go with it.

Meat lover: pretty good. more filling than expected
Greenaire: yummy!

-------------------------------------------------------
Creamy Leek Soup
Serves 4

3 cups of leek (2 large leeks)
1 medium-sized cauliflower, chopped
1 1/2 cup of onion (1 medium)
4 cups of chicken broth (Meat lover here: I used vegetable broth instead)
1 cup coconut milk
1-2 Tablespoon Ghee (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste


1: Wash the leeks throughly (no one likes sandy soup). Remove the dark green ends and cut the leeks roughly. Add into a large soup pot.
2: Cut the core out of the cauliflower and remove any leaves. Cut up roughly and add to the pot.
3: Add the roughly cut onions, broth, coconut milk as well ghee into the pot.
4: Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.
5: After cooling, puree the ingredients in a blender.
6: Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
optional: You can top off with bacon bits, add garlic for flavor, lemon-avocado, etc.

Buns

I have been making crockpot soups, since the winter rain season started and the temperatures had been dropping. What should I make to soak up the broth?

Some paleo websites had been putting up bread recipes, but they did not "click" right. I tried this one, and modified it. It worked great! We gulped up all the buns in one seating.

MEAT LOVER: They're so good, I can't stop eating them.
GREENARIE:  Addicting!

------------------------------------------------------
Buns
makes 6 buns

3/4 cup tapioca flour (plus extra for rolling)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder
1-2 cups dry shredded parmesan (optional)
1 Tablespoon basil
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon Almond milk

1: Blend the flours, baking soda, powder, parmesan, and spices
2: Make a crater in middle of the dry ingredients, crack eggs, and stir. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients until well blended. Add milk and mix. 
3: If not formed in a dough, add little more almond flour until sticky dough forms.
4: Powder rolling area and hands with tapioca flour and knead the dough. Slightly sticky.
5: Form 6 big buns and place on baking sheet.
6: Bake for 20 minutes in 350* (to wait until golden brown is overcooking it. It should be ready when bottom starts to turn golden).
 
  

1 cup tapioca flour, plus extra for kneading
½ tsp cream of tartar
¼ tsp baking soda
2 cups mozzarella, finely grated
3 large egg yolks
2 to 3 tablespoons coconut milk

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan parchment paper. Set aside.Combine the tapioca flour cream of tartar, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese and egg yolks. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out. Knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth, even-textured, and not sticky. If the dough doesn’t come together or seems too stiff, then add coconut milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it comes together and feels supple.
Divide the dough into 9 even pieces and with your hands, roll each into a ball. Shape the balls into ovals and place them 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- See more at: http://lvlhealth.com/super-easy-cheesy-rolls/#sthash.hI2B7Q98.d

1 cup tapioca flour, plus extra for kneading
½ tsp cream of tartar
¼ tsp baking soda
2 cups mozzarella, finely grated
3 large egg yolks
2 to 3 tablespoons coconut milk

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan parchment paper. Set aside.Combine the tapioca flour cream of tartar, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese and egg yolks. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out. Knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth, even-textured, and not sticky. If the dough doesn’t come together or seems too stiff, then add coconut milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it comes together and feels supple.
Divide the dough into 9 even pieces and with your hands, roll each into a ball. Shape the balls into ovals and place them 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- See more at: http://lvlhealth.com/super-easy-cheesy-rolls/#sthash.hI2B7Q98.dpuf

1 cup tapioca flour, plus extra for kneading
½ tsp cream of tartar
¼ tsp baking soda
2 cups mozzarella, finely grated
3 large egg yolks
2 to 3 tablespoons coconut milk

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan parchment paper. Set aside.Combine the tapioca flour cream of tartar, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese and egg yolks. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out. Knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth, even-textured, and not sticky. If the dough doesn’t come together or seems too stiff, then add coconut milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it comes together and feels supple.
Divide the dough into 9 even pieces and with your hands, roll each into a ball. Shape the balls into ovals and place them 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- See more at: http://lvlhealth.com/super-easy-cheesy-rolls/#sthash.hI2B7Q98.dpuf