Chicken No-Noodle Soup (a/k/a Chicken Zoodle Soup)

What says "comfort food" when you're sick?  For me and mine, it's chicken noodle soup.  It has always been my children's favorite comfort food.

With our grain free lifestyle, noodles are out.  But, fear not!  They've been replaced by something healthier - something I call "zoodles" or zucchini noodles.  The first time I made them, my daughter happily exclaimed, "They don't even taste like zucchini!  They taste like real noodles!"

DOH!  No one around here appreciates whole foods cooking...nor my slaving in the kitchen.  Will someone please cue up the musical score from The Godfather while I wallow in self pity?

I first learned about these delicious "noodles" from one of my favorite bloggers, Lexie, from Lexie's Kitchen when I came across her recipe for Ginger Umeboshi Broth and Black Bean Noodles.

I've tried using spaghetti squash as a substitute for noodles.  However, though I adore squash in any and every variety, I prefer to grab zucchini when I want the taste of the sauce to shine through, not compete with the squashy flavor of "noodles".  (Example:  When I make my family's Italian meat sauce recipe - the real thang "meat swuace" - my daughter and I eat it atop zucchini "noodles".  Whoa Baby!)

I use this tool to make the noodles, but you can also use a vegetable peeler to make flat ribbons like fettuccini.  I personally prefer the spaghetti-like noodles because they don't stick together like the fettuccine kind, but that's just me. It's sooooo easy.  Enjoy! 

Chicken "Noodle" Soup or Chicken Zoodle Soup (grain free, gluten free, dairy free) 

Ingredients: 

1 recipe Delicious Chicken Stock (10-12 cups)

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

2 cups diced carrots

2 cups diced celery

4 medium to large zucchini, made into noodles

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups cooked shredded or cubed chicken

Instructions:
Prepare zucchini:  to make noodles - trim and wash zucchini.  Holding the zucchini firmly in one hand, use the julienne tool to slice noodles down the length of the zucchini.  Stop when you get to the seedy part.  For ribbons:  do the same as above, only use a vegetable peeler to slice ribbons down the length of the zucchini.

Heat a stockpot on medium to medium high.  Add olive oil and then onion, carrots and celery.  Saute until starting to become soft.  Remove pot from heat and add garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Add chicken stock and bring to simmer.  Add zucchini noodles and cook until tender.  Finally, add chicken and just heat through.

White Bean Soup with Chicken Sausage, Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini

 Zoup for You!

I'm a soup person.  It's healthy comfort food at its absolute best and quite simple to make.  In addition, soup has endless flavor combinations, so it works well for those of us who tire of the same thing over and over.  

My family (and an outside taste-tester) loved this soup.  I cooked the beans a day ahead and had them ready in my fridge, so it was easy to throw together for dinner. 

My kidlings do not prefer chunks of cooked tomato.  So, to please their picky palates I pureed the roasted tomatoes.  Feel free to chop them if you prefer.

We've hit a cold snap here in sunny Florida - a FRIGID 73F.  And so...it's time to make soup. 

White Bean Soup with Chicken Sausage, Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini 

Ingredients:

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 pound Italian chicken sausage, casing removed (I buy Greenwise from Publix)

1 recipe Roasted Tomatoes, pureed

4 cups soaked and cooked white navy beans

8 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade

2 medium to large zucchini, diced

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil

Pecorino Romano (optional) 

Instructions:

Heat a stockpot to medium high.  Once hot, add olive oil and then carrots, celery and onion.  Saute until starting to get soft.  Next, add sausage, breaking it apart with wooden spoon.  Cook, stirring until sausage is cooked through.  

Remove pot from heat source and add minced garlic.  Stir for a few seconds.  Return to heat and then add pureed roasted tomatoes, navy beans and chicken broth.  Bring to boil and then turn down to simmer for about 15 minutes.

Just before ready to serve, add zucchini and cook about 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve with ribbons of fresh basil and a spoonful of Pecorino and enjoy!  

(This soup is great leftover and can be frozen easily.)

Delicious Chicken Stock

I'd like to do a few soup recipes in the upcoming weeks, but wanted to begin by going back to the foundation of soup - the stock.

There was a time in my life when I thought chicken stock meant being armed with a sturdy can opener and a large quantity of cans labeled "chicken broth" neatly stacked in my pantry.  I had no idea people actually made their own "broth" or "stock" for chicken soup.  Well, I have seen the light!  

If you've never made your own chicken stock, and the thought of it makes you roll your eyes, please, PLEASE - try it.  Once you do, you will not be able to go back to the dark side.  Yes, I said it.  

Now listen, I'm not trying to be self righteous here.  I realize we're busy as moms.  But truly (would I lie to you?) chicken stock is so easy, requires little to no oversight as it cooks, and tastes delicious.  It's at least worth a try.  I usually make a batch or two of chicken stock and then freeze it so it's on hand any time I want to throw a quick soup together.

There IS a difference in the taste of things made from scratch and things poured out of a can.  It's true.  The last time I made chicken no-noodle soup, my son kept slurping up the broth and saying, "This broth tastes soooo good.  I just want to drink it."  Who needs more proof than that?

Delicious Chicken Stock 

Ingredients:

1 whole organic chicken (skin removed - at least most of it)

1-2 leeks, green and white parts

1 onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

4 carrots, peeled and cut in thirds or fourths

3-4 cloves garlic

5 bay leaves

small handful of fresh thyme, rinsed and left whole

5 whole peppercorns (optional)

Instructions:

Wash the leeks:  slice down the middle of the leeks lengthwise and cut into chunks.  Toss leeks in a clean bowl or sink of water and wash off the dirt.  

Smash garlic:  Take garlic cloves and smash with the flat side of a large knife.  This should break the skin off and make it easy to peel.  Leave whole.

In the largest stock pot you have, throw in the chicken, leeks, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns.  Fill pot with water to about an inch or two above the chicken.

Turn the heat on medium high.  You want to see about one or two bubbles breaking the surface and then turn the heat down to low.  You don't want to over boil this stock -   slow and steady is the way to a flavorful stock.  Turn the timer on for one hour.

Once the timer is up, carefully lift out the chicken and place in a bowl.  Keep pot on stove.  When cool enough to handle (I never let it cool) cut or pull the breast meat and big chunks of the dark meat off the bone and reserve to use in soup or another recipe.  Leave some of the meat on the bones.

Place the chicken bones back into the stock pot and continue cooking on low to medium low heat for another two to three hours.

What you're looking for:  The bones after the first hour will probably all still be intact.  Between the second and third hour of cooking, the bones should break apart.  This is what you want.  There's flavor in them bones!

Once the stock is finished cooking, over a large strainer or sieve placed into another pot or large bowl, strain the stock.  Press down on veggies to get as much of the goodness and flavor out of them as possible.  Discard veggies and bones.

Allow stock to cool and freeze, refrigerate, or use immediately in soup.

NOTE:  I use this same recipe for Turkey Soup the weekend after Thanksgiving.  We're having it for dinner tonight, in fact...

Black Bean Chili

This black bean chili is hearty and flavorful without being too spicy.  It's also easy to prepare and can be changed around to suit your tastes.  For instance, should you prefer a vegetarian version, just forgo the meat and, if you like, add chopped bell peppers, celery and carrots in its place.  Back in our pre-grain-free days, I sliced fresh corn off the cob and added it to this recipe.  Truth be told - this time around we didn't even miss it.  

Black beans are obviously the staple in this chili.  However, not everyone can digest this bean, especially during an episode of intestinal inflammation.  We have strictly been using white navy beans for the last 6-8 months, as they are easier to digest.  Since we have seen such an improvement in our daughter, I thought it time to venture out and try black beans.  She tolerated them beautifully but waiting until she was out of intestinal distress and then soaking the beans 24 hours was essential.  If you are unsure of your ability to handle them, just substitute cooked white navy beans for safety.

This past weekend this recipe won a chili cook off at our church's fall festival.  I had no idea it was a contest but just thought we were signing up to add a pot of chili to the dinner...true story!  And to our friend, Andy, who is "not competitive" - there's always next year.  ;^) 

I love this chili topped with scallions, chopped avocado and SCD yogurt.  Though SCD yogurt contains no lactose and the casein is denatured, not everyone can tolerate it, especially at first (my daughter) but if you can (I do fine on it), it's a delicious substitute for sour cream.  I hope you enjoy!

Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:

2 (14 oz.) packages black beans, picked over and rinsed
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peel removed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, diced
1 lb. ground beef (hormone free is always best)
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage, casing removed (I use Publix Greenwise brand) 

Spice Blend:
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 recipes roasted tomatoes, diced (optional but highly recommended)
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes (I love San Marzano if possible)
6-8 cups chicken broth (homemade or Imagine brand) or water

Instructions:

Prepare beans:  Soak beans 24 hours covered in water by a few inches.  Drain, then place in large pot and cover with fresh water by another few inches.  Drop in the smashed garlic.  Bring beans to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.  Cook 2-3 hours or until beans are soft.  Drain and set aside.

Heat the same stock pot the beans were cooked in (why wash another pot?), to medium.  Add olive oil, then saute diced onion until soft.  

Meanwhile, mix the spice blend together in a small bowl.

Add ground beef and sausage to the onion and stir, breaking sausage apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.  Add spice blend and stir for about 30 seconds.

Add cooked beans, roasted tomatoes, crushed toamtoes and chicken broth or water and stir to combine.  Simmer on low at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. 

Taste and adjust seasonings.  This chili freezes well.