Sweet Beets and Plantain burger patty

Restaurants usually add a lot of sugar in their food to improve taste and make them addictive. Here I am using naturally sweet vegetables like beets and ripe plantain to make these AIP low FODMAP burger patty as irresistible as the ones in dining out meals. Hope you like it!

Makes 12 patties  Prep time 15 mins  Cook time 10 mins

Ingredient

• 2 lbs ground pork ( pastured raised are best ) 
• 3/4 lbs ground beef ( pastured raised are best ) 
• 1 small beet root ( golf ball size ), peeled and cut into quarters
• 1 medium ripe plantain, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 leek ( greens only for lowFODMAP), clean and cut into 1" sections
• 1 tsp sea salt ( I used pink himalayan salt)
• 1/4 tsp AIP 4 spice mix or cinnamon
• Frying fat of your choice ( I used coconut oil here) 

Method

1. Put all cut vegetable ( except plantain )  into food processor and pulse into ( roughly rice size ) small pieces,  add plantain last, ripe plantain will make mixture into a paste. 
2. Mix in salt and spice/ cinnamon
3. Empty mixture into large bowl and hand mix in ground meats, you can also stir with wooden spoon or use a masher
4. Heat frying pan on medium heat, add fat
5. Form mixture into 2-3" patty size and fry until cook ( 3 - 5 mins each side) Keep in mind that the Beets will make it more reddish so it might be safer to cook longer. The vegetable keeps it moist and tender. 
6. Serve with your favorite sides or double portion and freeze exta. 

Oven slow roasted tamarind rhubarb lamb shank

My AIP adventures with new fruits and vegetables continues. This time it is rhubarb. I have enjoyed rhubarb in pies or crumbles but I found that this interestingly tart vegetable always need the company of lots of sweetener to make it palatable. This gave me the idea to take advantage of the natural sourness of rhubarb and use it to cook a fatty meat. That is how this recipe came about. Inside of adding more sweetener, I added tamarind to add a little sweetness but still playing up the tart of both these main ingredients. This make an easy AIP/ FODMAP ( easy modification included ) high fibre and hearty meal.  I really enjoyed it with Paleo Cajun Lady's cauliflower grit which one of my favorite side dishes in her latest creation - AIP Cajun Paleo Cookbook.  Check out her book for more tasty recipes. 

Serves 4   Prep time 15 mins    Cook time 4 hours 

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. lamb shank 
• 1 tbsp fat ( I used pastured lard) 
• 2 stalks rhubarb ( chopped into 3/4" pieces)
• 2 tamarind pods
• 1 stalk leek ( cut into 2-3 " pieces ) use only green part for low FODMAP
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 c kombucha or 1/2 c apple cider vinegar + 1/2 c water

• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300F
2. Sprinkle cinnamon and salt over lamb shank.
3. In a dutch oven or an oven proof pot with lid ( I used my cast iron one ), brown lamb shank over medium heat for about 5 mins each side.
4. Remove lamb from dutch oven/pot and set aside
5. Melt fat in same dutch over/pot and saute chopped rhubarb and leek over medium heat for about 10 mins
6. Place lamb shank back in dutch oven/pot, add tamarind and cooking liquids ( either kombucha or diluted apple cider vinegar). Cover with lid and place into preheated oven
7. Cook for 4 hours and baste at half time. 

AIP Hainanese Chicken

When I first starting focusing on healing my gut, I toyed around with different ways of eating to aid my digestion. I dug through my childhood food vault and remembered this long time favorite - Hainanese Chicken. I used think it must be difficult to make because it is so tasty.  Upon a little research, I realized that it is pretty easy and simple to make although does take a few extra steps. I assure you that the added effort is well worth it! The traditional recipe uses the whole chicken and is served with rice, but substitute with cauliflower rice or just eat it with a whole lot of steamed Asian greens like choy sum or Gai lan and you have an AIP and low FODMAP meal.

Serves 4 Prep time 15 mins Cook time 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 whole non medicated chicken 
• 2 -4 stalks of green onions
• 2-3" ginger root
• 2-3 tbsp sea salt
• 1-2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil or melted lard
• coconut aminos

(Optional) Ginger Sauce

• 2-3" peel ginger root ( grated)
• 1 stalk green onion ( finely minced)
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt

Mix all ingredients together and store in fridge

Instructions

1. Prepare chicken by rinsing your chicken in water and pad dry with paper towel.
2. (Photo 1) Scrub the skin smooth with sea salt. Yes exfoliate your chicken! 
3. Stuff the chicken with ginger slices and green onion sections and tie off with legs to keep the herbs inside.
4. Prepping an ice water bath by fill a second pot ( same size as cooking one) with ice and water. This is an important step to shrink the skin and stops the cooking to make the skin springy and chicken juicy.
5. Bring a big pot of water to boil ( keep in mind if you are cooking the whole chicken that your pot has to be big enough to fit the chicken in with water covering)
6. add 1 tsp sea salt and 2" of ginger root in water  
7. ( Photo 2 ) put chicken in rumbled salted water now on med heat for 20 min. 
8. When the chicken is cooked (No more pink liquid running out), take it out of hot water and dunk into ice water bath.  This stops the cooking and shrinks the skin to make it springy. 
9. ( Photo 3 ) Let it sit for a few minutes.
10. The cooking water becomes the beginning of a broth. It's not the same as long simmer bone broth but add some sliced mushrooms and more fresh green onion  and you have quick tasty clear soup to go with your chicken.
11. Serve with Cauliflower rice, poached kale, pickled cucumbers and ginger sauce

How to steam a whole fish

Serves 4      Prep time 10 mins     Cook time 15 mins

Ingredient

• 1 Tilapia fish (1.5 lbs) gutted and descaled 
• 2 stalks green onions ( cut into 3" length)
• 1" ginger root - 1/2" peeled and matchsticked + 1/2" thickly sliced and smashed 
• 2 stalks cilantro ( cut into 3 " length)
• 3 tbsp fat ( I used pastured lard ) 
• 2 tsp coconut aminos
• himalayan pink salt
• 1 tbsp tapioca starch
• Optional: (reintroduction only) sesame oil 

Instructions

Prepare steam bath: 

1. Put steaming wire rack stand inside dutch oven 
2. Fill with 2-3" high water or 1/2" below top of stand
3. Bring water to boil

Prepare fish for steaming:

1. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towel
2. Chop herbs ( Photo 1 )
3. Lay fish in an oval dish which fits into dutch oven ( Photo 2 )
4. Lightly salt inside and out of fish, both sides
5. Stuff inside of fish with thick sliced ginger pieces and few cuts of green onion ( Photo 3)
6. Lightly dust outside of fish with tapioca flour
7. Carefully place dish with fish into rumbling steam bath ( Photo 4 ). Try using these plate retriever tongs. 
8. Steam for 15 mins or until thickest part of fish easily separates from bones. 
9. Remove as much fish broth around fish as possible with turkey baster and keep for other uses* The drier you can get the fish, the less oil splatter will happen in the next steps
10. Melt fat until lightly smoking
11. Lay remaining chopped herbs onto fish and pour hot oil all over fish and herbs, watch for splatters. ( Photo 5 ) 
12. Drizzle with coconut aminos ( optional reintroduction only: sesame oil)
13. To serve I set the oval dish into a slightly larger oval dish as they do in Chinese restaurants ( Photo 6 ) 

* This fish broth is very tasty and so make sure you drink it or save to add into soups. 

AIP no soy chicken wings

I have to admit that cooking Asian food without soy sauce was one of the biggest challenge when I started AIP.  Coconut Amino is an options but I find it a bit sweet depending on the brand. Fish sauce is very tasty but has a distinct flavor all of its own. My 10yo's comment when he saw these were " They look amazing!" I have to agree I am quite proud my AIP 4 spice seasoning combined with kombucha vinegar and molasses could give such a beautiful " soy sauce" effect and flavor. I use the whole chicken wings but you can choose the wingette or drummer as your please. This recipe makes a great appetizer or a dish on it's own and they will go fast.  

Serves 4      Prep time 10 mins + at least 30 mins marinade time     Cook time 2 hours 5 mins

Ingredients

• 3 lbs whole chicken wings 
• 1 c water

Marinade

• 1 c Kombucha vinegar or ACV
• 1 tsp molasses
• 2 tsp himalayan pink salt
• 1 tsp AIP 4 spice seasoning
• 10-20 stalk flowering chives ( or chives), chopped 

Instructions:

1. Mix marinade ingredients together and put into a zip lock bag with chicken wings. Squeeze as much air out of bag before closing it. This ensures all surface on chicken wings are in contact with marinade.
2. Marinade for at least 30 mins in fridge
3. Preheat oven to 275F 
4. Place chicken wings on wire rack and pour marinade in the bottom of pan along with one cup of water
5. Bake for 2 hours flipping over once at an hour time
6. Pour drippings out and brush over chicken wings
7. Broil for 5 mins

Squash pork sausage with AIP " 4 spices " seasoning salt

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This recipe post is a two parter; 

1. How to use your leftover cooked squash or yam to make a complete AIP protein and starch anytime snack 
2. My AIP version of " 4 spices " seasoning to jazz up your dishes with an Asian flare. 

I have been playing around to find an AIP version of 5 spice seasoning and it is hard to mimic the non-AIP spices like Star Anise and fennel. I have come up with this combination of AIP compliant spices that makes my meat dishes delicious and certainly add an Asian flare. The key spice is Cekur aka Sand Ginger commonly used in Malaysian dishes. Cekur, Kencur, Galanga, 沙姜 in Chinese, is a cousin of ginger root we normally use but is more fragrant. Look for this powdered spice in your local Asian markets or you can get it here. Sometimes they are marked as ginger powder in English so look for the Chinese characters above on the packaging. I keep a batch mixed up and use them in my dry rubs, marinades, seasoning and finishing salt. I know this spice mix is what gives this tender leftover Squash Pork Sausage a special kick in the flavour department. I hope you like it cause my kids certainly didn't leave me any from my first batch. Their respond was " Oh, sorry mom, we ate them all because we thought you couldn't eat it." 

Nice one kids!

Makes 12 patties        Prep time 10 mins        Cook time 15 mins ( 10 to cook squash if you don't have any leftover and 5 mins to cook up the sausage ) 

Ingredients

• 1lb. Ground pasture or Organic pork
• 1/2 c cooked and mashed kobucha squash or peeled yam
• 2 - 3 tbsp of minced fresh herbs of your choice, I used green onions, parsley and thyme here
• 1-2 mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tsp himalayan pink salt or AIP " 4 spice" seasoning salt (see recipe below)
• cooking fat of you choice ( I used my Pasture Lard from Big Bear Ranch) 

AIP " 4 spices " seasoning salt

• 1 part ground cinnamon
• 1 part ground ginger powder
• 1 part cekur ( aka. galangal) powder, check your local Asian stores or order here
• 1 part ground clove 
• 1 part himalayan pink sea salt
• ( Optional ) Black pepper if you are not in AIP elimination phase

Instructions

1. Heat cooking fat in frying pan on medium heat
2. Saute chopped mushroom 1-2 mins to get most of the moisture out
3. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well mixed
4. Form meat mix into large meatballs and place them into pan
5. Cook for 1 min before flattening with fork, cook for 2-3 mins
6. Flip over patties and cook, another 2-3 mins, until inside is not pink

My kids ate them wrapped up in butter lettuce leaves from the garden!

Not just another salad round up

I recently went on a road trip with the family. There is always a bit of anxiety for AIPers especially IBDers when traveling as we are away of our comfort zone - our kitchen.

Even when we are not in a flare, unknown ingredients in prepared "eating out" food can trigger symptoms.

I wasn't feeling that great as we left, but I no longer let the " not feeling perfect"  prevent me from enjoying time with my family.

I did my research for where to eat in the city and quickly honed the art of ordering out on AIP. I ended up eating a lot of salads with oil and vinegar and a piece of simply cooked protein.

I made a few trips to Wholefood and gathered my supplies to make my salads in the hotel. Having a fridge in your room is so important and pack some canned fish or smoked oysters as your just in case protein.

Since our returned I realized I have become hooked on these wonderful salad. The extra fiber ( which can irritate an inflamed gut of an IBDer ) didn't bother me as it has before. I credit it to my body has become stronger and my gut has continued to heal nicely. I am now eating 2-3 full meals of salad with protein and my family seem to be catching on too.

I decided to jot down a few notes on how one can make a salad meal exciting.

Protein

• Batch bake chicken breast and freeze. Defrost and eat as needed. I have been batch baking chicken breast ( about 8- 10 lbs a week for the whole family) 
• Seafood - fresh, seared, baked or canned are convenience.

Keep your greens fresh

• learn how to store your greens to keep them fresh longer here  and here

Very your oils/ fat

• Coconut milk, coconut oil, Extra virgin oliver oil, avocado oil.

Add a splash of cold bone broth for more flavor

Eat your rainbow, as the Sesame Street gang says,  make your salad as colorful as possible, here is just a sample of your palate;  red beets, orange carrots, yellow mango, Green Kale, light green cucumbers, blueberries, purple cabbage.

Try new herbs and vegetables - my favorites are radicchio, endives and watercress.

I love playing around with my salad dressings but here is one of my favorite recipe at the moment

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c full fat organic coconut milk
• 1/4 c Kombucha Vinegar  or Apple Cider Vinegar 
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c finely chopped or minced herbs of your choice or add equivalent whole herbs to a blender
• These are the herbs I have been using
• 2 stalks of garlic greens ( LowFODMAP) or 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 tbsp minced parsley
• 1/2 tbsp minced cilantro
• optional 1/2 tsp bone broth

Instructions:

        Add all ingredients to blender and blend until your preferred consistency



Need more ideas? Here are a couple salad links from some AIP bloggers, Thanks Sweet Treats and Petra8paleo

Grapefruit avocado kale salad by Sweet Treats
Mason jar salad dressing by Petra8paleo

 And if you haven't read my review of Meatified latest cookbook Nourish, you should check out her sneak peek Preview recipe of another awesome salad here.

So next time you think having a salad as a meal is boring... think again and refer to these recipes. Your body and your mind will thank you.

Coconut kefir yam ginger smoothie

Serves 2   Prep time 10 mins ( plus cooling time for cooked yam )

Ingredients 

• 1 small white yam, peeled and sliced into 1/2" slices
• 1 c. water to cook yam with
• 1/4 c coconut milk kefir or coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp ( or more if you like it spicy like me) peeled and grated ginger
• optional: 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• optional: freeze dried strawberries to garnish

Instruction

1. In a small pot, cook yam slices in 1 c of water until soft
2. Cool in fridge 
3. Put all ingredients accept of garnish in blender and blend until smooth
4. Garnish with freeze dried strawberries.

Enjoy

Better Consommé

When I was little,  my mother used to make me this clear soup with ground beef, it's so simple and yet so tasty. Even though it does not compare with a long and slower simmer of bone broth, it is a quick and nutritious way to an easy bowl of soup. 

Better "Consommé"

Ingredient

• 1/2 lbs grass fed ground beef
• 3 c cold water
• 1/4" slice ginger, smashed
• sea salt to taste
• garnish with chopped green onions and parsley ( optional)

Instruction

1. In a small pot, add all ingredients and give it a stir
2. soak for 20 mins until the blood has been drown out of the ground meat
3. Bring mixture to boil uncovered for 2-3 mins
4. Cover and turn heat off and let sit for 5-10 mins
5. Laddle into bowl and garnish with chopped green onions and  parsley

You can serve only the broth or with the ground meat. If you want to enjoy the traditional style of consume, you can strain through a sieve. 

This make a super quick broth to serve with meal or as a stand alone snack. 

Book Review: 28 days of Low FODMAP AIP by Christina Feindel

Low FODMAP AIP Sherpherd's Pie

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through the product links, I’ll receive a small commission to support my time in reviewing the product, although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own. 

When I first learned about the e-book 28 days of Low FODMAP AIP by Christina Feindel,  I was super excited that I am not alone eating off of this seemingly limited menu. For the past few months, I have been stumbling along the AIP ( autoimmune protocol ) path, looking for low FODMAP friendly recipes and it hasn't been easy. Like Christina says in the introduction of her book " As if no grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nightshades, nuts, seeds, or alcohol wasn’t daunting enough, you’ve also decided to try eliminating FODMAPs from your autoimmune protocol diet. " I did feel like I was crazy trying to embark on a more limiting diet than AIP, but I started to feel the difference after only a few days eliminating the high FODMAP foods like garlic and onions out of my diet. So the low FODMAP journey here I come! 

Instead of only telling you how delicious the recipes are in this book ( that will come later) I want to outline what I have learned about how to enjoy AIP low FODMAP cooking. 

• Use new herbs, garlic greens might not be as easy to find but are worth the search, no garlic? no problem, use the greens
• Explore and combine more vegetables; parsnip can beat potato hands down, it is our new stable root vegetables in the house
• Plan your meals; improving time management means less stress and more satisfied taste buds and happy bellies.

The more I learn about tweaking my healing diet, the more I have to be open to trying new things in the kitchen. As much as I am pretty open to new cooking ideas, I have my comfort zone that is sometimes hard to break out of... who doesn't? In the book, Christina showed me how to uses herbs and spices that are compliant and compliments each other very well. 

The recipe I chose to try in the book is from the "One Pot Meal" section. Running a family is busy business and as much as I am all about starting my healing in the kitchen, it is nice not to be tied to it all the time. Christina talks about batch cooking and meal planning which are key factors in making a busy family run smoothly.

 Sherpherd's pies is a fond childhood dish of mine. This was my go to family meal but as my healing diet changed, more foods had to be eliminated. Glutens was easy to replace, I used tapioca starch instead of corn starch or flour to thicken the mix, then with AIP, I replaced Worcestershire sauce with Apple cider and balsamic vinegar, but when FODMAP came into the picture, I was starting to loose my enthusiasm moving forward with my cooking. After all, how can I make anything tasty without garlics and onions on top of the void of nightshades.

Enters Christina's 28 days of Low FODMAP AIP book.

In Christina's ebook, a wide variety of root vegetables like turnips, parsnips and taro are used to create interesting textures and flavours. Using the greens of garlic, leek, green onions and more herbs means there is no shortage in flavor in these truly flavourful dishes.

Now comes the part that I tell you how delicious the Sherpherd's pie turned out.

Before dinner, my son asked me whether this Sherpherd's pie was sweet or savory, "... is it a dinner or dessert?" I answered that it is savory, but by the time I was trying not to finish the whole pan at the dinner table, I realized this recipe created the effect of a dessert sweet pie. I think the magic comes from the carrots, parsnip and turnip combination. These root vegetables are naturally sweet and pair with my himalayan pink salt flavored grass fed ground beef from my favourite biodiverse farm, the result is almost addictive. I had to remind myself that I wasn't having an off rail ( food cheating ) moment when trying not to polish the whole pan. I was also pleasantly surprised that no thickener was used and the dish did not get soupy. The one thing about the recipe that confused me a little was the topping, I almost missed the part that the cooked turnips were to be food processed smooth and used as the top layer.

I wish I had found this book earlier when I started my FODMAP journey, but then I might not appreciate it as much. I probably would have taken for granted all the hard work Christina had done with organizing the shopping list and meal planning for 28 days. If you are interested in watching out for FODMAP foods to help heal your gut and rest of your body, I highly recommend this book. It will make your life easier. Here is the link for your copy of the ebook.

Mexican comfort

I went out for Mexican food with my family last night. I watched them, as I sipped my thermos of bone broth from home,  enjoy their carne asada burrito and chicken flauta and to top it all... with rice and beans. I miss Mexican food, all I want sometimes are some rice and beans, but they kill me. So here is my safe version made with taro root for the consistency and purple carrot for the black bean coloring. I am continuing with my ginger train to add some kick in my dishes. 

AIP low FODMAP "rice and beans"

Ingredients

• 4c peeled and cubed taro root
• 1 small fennel bulb, chopped
• 2 stalk celery
• 1 small purple carrot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 large sliced onions
• 2 tbsp fat
• 1/2 - 1c bone broth
• juice of 2" ginger root

Instructions

To make garlic and onion infused oil

1. Melt fat in med heat pan
2. Add garlic and onion
3. Let cook for 5 mins
4. Remove and discard garlic and onions

Now you have infused oil

1. Sauté celery, fennel and carrots for 5 mins at med heat in infused oil
2. add taro and sauté for 5 mins 
3. add bone broth
4. simmer for 10-15 mins until all vegetables are soft.
5. Mash with masher, add more bone broth if the consistency is too thick
6. Stir in ginger juice for an extra kick

Serve with cauliflower rice and garnish with cilantro, green onions and lime juice

Soupaholic

I am a bonebrothaholic and soupaholic, there is always bone broth at hand in my house. If my slow cooker is not simmering, I have a surplus bone broth ice cubes in the freezer.

To me, making bone broth is like second nature, but when a friend asked me how I make it, I realize everyone has their own way of doing it and here is mine. If you want to learn more about amazing health benefits of bone broth, here is a great link for you.

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Easy Slow Cooker Bone Broth

Ingredients

Paleo
Enough Bones to fill 2/3 of cooker, freeze leftover bones from dinners until you have enough or specially prepared knuckle, ribs, or bird carcasses bones just for the broth.
Filtered water add up to 3/4 of cooker
2 tsp sea salt ( I use Pink Himalayan Sea salt because it offers more minerals )
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2-3 stalks celery
1 small onion cut in quarters
2-3 peeled carrots
3- 4 cloves garlic
1 tsp peppercorn

AIP
Same as Paleo but omit peppercorn, and choose to add the following other AIP safe herbs
like 2" ginger root, rosemary, thyme, cloves, cinnamon

Low FODMAP
Same as AIP but replace onions with green onion or leek ( just the greens )

Instructions

Bones preparation options

• Slow roasting them for 30 mins at 350F
• Blanching them in boiling hot water to remove impurities to give you a clear broth.
• Rinse the raw bones under tap water and add them directly in the cooker. 

You should try all thress methods of bone preparations to see which one you prefer when it comes to taste and convenience. 

Instructions

1. Put bones in cooker first
2. Add water to 3/4 full of cooker
3. Add vegetables. herbs and spices
4. Cook at low for at least 10 hrs, the longer the better. 
5. Remove bones, vegetables, herbs and spices
6. Strain over strainer into mason jars and place in fridge until fat forms solid on top. 
7. You can either discard fat, save fat to use in cooker.
8. Freeze in ice cube trays and put into freezer bags for future use. 

I try to wait until around 18 hrs and have left it until 36 hrs. 
You may need to add more water at a longer cook time from evaporation

Bone broths are great for cooking with in sauces, making quick soups with blended cooked vegetables and drink as is.

AIP Spicy Ginger Turmeric Turkey

My wheels are always turning when it comes to AIP-fying my favorite recipes. Since going AIP with a lowFODMAP watch, I haven't had any spicy food with the removal of nightshades. I knew I need to find a way to add some spice back on my plate. In this recipe, I am using ginger to add the kick, it is more like a zing with a little slow burn. If you want more heat, just add more ginger. The slow baking method makes the turkey nice and tender. The turmeric and acorn squash can almost convince me to be enjoying a mild curry. 

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AIP Spicy Ginger Turmeric Turkey

Serves 4                      Prep time 30-60 mins                  Cook time 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs boneless turkey breast with skin on

For marinade:

• 2 green onions
• 3" ginger root
• 1" fresh turmeric root or 1 tbsp  turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Apple Cider vinegar ( I use Bragg's brand)
• 1 c water
• 1 tsp sea salt 

For sauce:

• left over marinade
• 1/2 cooked acorn squash
• 1/2 c bone broth ( 

Instructions

1. Put all marinade ingredients in blender and blend until smooth
2. Put turkey breast in plastic bag and pour marinade to cover
3. Squeeze all air out of bag and knot bag
4. Let marinade 30 to 60 mins
5. Set over to broil 
6. Take marinaded turkey out of bag and keep remaining marinade to make sauce with
7. Broil turkey in pan for 10 mins
8. Turn temperature down to 275 F and slow bake until cooked, about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs

To make the sauce:

1. Heat leftover marinade and bone broth at medium heat in a small pan until boiling 
2. Add acorn squash and cook for 5 mins
3. Remove from heat and use hand blender to blend until smooth

For serving, slice turkey into pieces, pour sauce over and garnish with cilantro or parsley

White soup

Serves 4                      Prep time 10 mins                  Cook time 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 a celery root ( about 4 inches in diameter ), peeled
• 1/2 head of cauliflower
• 1/2 purple skin yam, peeled
• 1 tbsp bacon fat ( or fat of your choice )
• 2 whole cloves of peeled garlic ( don't smash it if you are on low FODMAP)
• 2 c. bone broth
• sea salt to taste

Optional: 1 tsp nettle tea leaves

daikon cabbage slaw or sauerkraut as garnish

Instructions:

1. Melt fat in large deep pan over medium heat
2. add garlic and turn heat down to low for 5 mins
3. You are making garlic infused fat for the flavour here
4. Remove garlic and discard let someone else in the family use it
5. Add coarsely chopped peeled vegetables, sautée on medium heat for 10 mins, add 1/4 c water to prevent it from scorching
6. Add broth and cook on low heat until the vegetables are soft
7. Blend with hand blender, add hot water to get the consistency you like
8. Stir in nettle tea leave for some extra iron, I garnished mine with daikon cabbage slaw.

My husband was craving for a white bean soup for days, so I whipped up this AIP low FODMAP version of a white soup. I am starting to infuse some higher FODMAP foods like garlic and onions in my cooking fat to add some flavor. I think it is better than the bean version, try it and tell me what do you think?

Chinese bunless burger in broth

>This blog post contains affiliate links. Click here to learn more what it means. 

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb ground meat of your choice
• I used grass fed beef here
• 1 tbsp tapioca starch
• 1/4 c. chopped vegetables of your choice
• here I used beets with the greens and shredded zucchini
• 1/2 tsp  or more minced ginger
• a bunch chopped parsley
• 1 stalk of chopped green onion
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Optional: vary the flavor with you own tolerable herbs and spices. Rosemary, oregano and cilantro are great choices. 

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together 
2. Spread mixture on a shallow dish with a lip to catch the juice from steaming
3. Steam for 15 minutes
4. The meat will shrink up floating in a delicious bath of broth

My steaming set up 

I use a large pot that will fit the size of my dish, with a little extra room to get my plate retriever tongs in while placing or removing the dish. I place a steaming wire rack like this one inside the pot, and fill water up to the height of the rack. I love the plate retriever tongs because I love steaming my food. After the water comes to a boil, I use my plate retriever tongs and place the dish into the rumbling water, I put on the lid and let it steam. 

Last month was extremely busy, I was starting to feel better and managed to keep up with the added demand and switch in gears.

Despite feeling a sense of accomplishment I was really looking forward to this month.  December is usually not a month I look forward to in the past. The weather changes to more grey and wet days but this year I feel different about it. 

This morning I found new perspective, it's only been a few days into the new month and I expected that I can adjust to the changes with the snap of my fingers?  I have decide to regroup, reset and focus on my yoga practice again. Yoga has always led me back to a place where I want to be. With gentle restorative yoga back on my plate, I can get back to more mindful meal planning. The busy month did rekindle an childhood comfort food that has served me well. I stopped making it when I cut out eggs in my diet but figured that using tapioca starch in place of gives a smoother texture. Here is my go to one dish comfort meal - steamed meat cake which I am calling it Chinese unless burger in broth. You can vary the herbs and vegetables to your liking as my recipe is AIP low FODMAP.

Hot pot express

Ingredients

• 1 pack frozen thinly sliced hot pot meat of your choice, I chose Lamb
• Enough bone broth to cook the meat in around 3-4 c

For Paleo Flavouring:

• 1 -2 tsp sunflower butter
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar 
• sea salt to taste

For AIP Flavouring:

• 1 - 2 EVOO
• 1/2 tsp coconut aminos or to taste
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar 
• other tolerated spices 

Instructions

1. Bring bone broth to boil
2. Flash cook each slice of meat a few seconds in the boiling hot liquid
3. Remove quickly to prevent over cooking and rest in a bowl or plate. 
4. Add your choice of flavouring according to dietary needs. The cooking broth is now extra tasty with the flavours of the meat. 
5. Serve as a side soup along with your choice of vegetables.

Thinly slices lamb for hot pot

mixing in the sauce

If you have an Asian supermarket in your neighborhood where you can get thinly sliced meats prepared for hotpot cooking at home, here is a quick protein for the "feed the kids, feed myself and pick up baby sitter in 35 mins" kinda night.

Here, I porched some baby spinach and served my meat with carrots and green turnip.

  

Pork and chicken liver meatballs

On the path to include organ meats into our meals, I decided to add a few chicken livers into meatballs to hide the distinct texture of liver that most people cannot stomach. This was also a good opportunity for me to try out a jar of salted baby shrimps I bought from the store the other day.


Pork and chicken liver meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground pork
• 4 chicken livers
• 3-4 chives or green onions, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 3 tbsp salted shrimp/ 1 tbsp soaked and drained dried shrimp
• 1/2 tsp grated or minced ginger root

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Blend chicken livers in a small chopper or blender until smooth
3. Mix all ingredients together
4. Shape meatball with soup spoon or you can roll them out the old fashion way with the palm of your hands.  
5. Bake at 350F for 30 mins or until brown on top. 

I also broiled it 2-3 mins to dry up the extra liquid from the carrots. 

Enjoy.

blend up chicken liver

These shrimps are really tiny

Mix them all up

Tender slow cooker pigs tongue

Now and then, my children will request this somewhat usual dish for dinner. I find pig's tongue less gamey then cow's tongue and easier to handle. If the meat is cut up and no one mentions it is what it is, I believe more people will be in love with this dish. The texture of the meat is very tender and this slow cooking method make it an easy plan ahead flavorful main dish favored in our household.


Tender slow cooker pigs tongue

remove to tough layer on skin with a spoon

Ingredients

• 6 pigs tongue
• 2 c bone broth 
• 1 cinnamon stick 
• 2 stocks of garlic greens chopped
• 2 stocks of celery
• 1 small orange sliced
• 1 branch of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 branch of fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
• 1 tbsp pink sea salt 
• 3 tbsp ACV
• Coconut aminos optional
• Fish sauce optional 

Instructions

1. Rinse pig's tongue and pat dry. 
2. Add all ingredients in slow cooker, set at low and cook for 6-8 hours.
3. Remove tough layer of skin off tongue with a spoon. Discard. 
4. Cut and serve with vegetable side dish.

You can simmer down the liquid into a sauce or thicken with tapioca starch

Nutrient dense offal

Turmeric coconut milk chicken stew

A couple of days ago, I picked up some organic turmeric powder at my herbal dispensary Gaia Gardens, more for anti-inflammatory purposes. I asked the sale clerk how is it different from the ones from the grocery store, she said "it's organic!" and let me smell the jar of spice. The aroma was intense and spoke for itself. I bought a small amount, enough to fill an old store bought spice bottle. A coconut milk turmeric stew came in mind for dinner so I gather my ingredients and put my food obsessed mind to work. I was happy with the finished meal but my family repeatedly complimented me for it. My husband said "This was the best meal you have made in a while." I don't blame him, since I am always tweaking my diet and the recent FODMAP watch list has really limited ingredients I can use to make the same flavorful meals I used to cook. Well, I am glad I have transitioned well into the AIP and low FODMAP way of cooking.

Tumeric Coconut Milk Chicken stew

Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken drumsticks
• 3 stock Green onions, chopped ( option: you can use onions or garlic if you are not watching for FODMAPS)
• 1 stock celery, chopped  
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into round 
• 6 white mushrooms, quartered 
• 2" peeled ginger root, smashed and thickly sliced
• Sea salt to taste 
• 3 tbsp EVOO 
• 2 tsp organic turmeric powder
• 1/2 can coconut cream  ( I uses the SAVOY brand)
• Optional you can add hot peppers in the slow bake time if you aren't on AIP and love some heat 

Instructions

1. Rinses and dry chicken, add vegetables 
2. Toss to coat with salt, pepper, turmeric and EVOO. 
3. Baked in preheat oven 425F 30 mins. 
4. Flip chicken half way of cooking time 
5. Drop oven temperature to 325F, transfer chicken, vegetables and juice from cooking to Dutch oven, Stir in coconut milk and bake covered for 1 1/2 hrs. 

Gaia Garden 

Law Bak Go (daikon steamed savory cake)

Fall is a time when I miss my Chinese comfort food most. My latest adaptation is Law Bak Go. My mother used to make countless batches around Chinese New Years to give away. She would buy pounds and pounds of daikon ( she insisted the long and skinny Japanese daikon is better ) then grate, chop and steam in her annual all day and night cooking affair. I remember falling asleep smelling the sautéing of meats and dried seafood then waking up smelling the steaming of daikon. It wasn't pleasant to sleep surrounded by the strong smell of food cooking, but eating her painstaking creations was worth it.

Now that I am on AIP low FODMAP, my focus is naturally to recreate my childhood meals compliant to my new eating direction. The traditional recipe calls for Chinese preserved meats and chicken bouillon cubes. Both of these have unknown ingredients and definitely MSG. I substitute these with compliant nitrates free bacon and used homemake bone broth to replace the water and bouillon cubes. I also used tapioca starch instead of the wheat starch. The result is more chewing then the traditional recipe but I am happy with the taste. You can also play around with the daikon vs. starch ratio to get the consistency you like best. I was out of a few ingredients when I make this but dried shrimps, presoaked like the dried scallop and some thinly sliced presoaked Chinese mushrooms will add more flavor to this dish. This make a great hearty snack or even breakfast.

Law Bak Go (daikon steamed savory cake)

Pan fried and ready to get in my belly

Ingredients

• 1 grated daikon ( about 1 lb)
• 1c tapioca starch mix with 1c cold bone broth  
• 3 tbsp Dried scallop presoaked and drained 
• 3 thick slices nitrates free bacon, chopper 
• Chopped green onion 
• I tsp salt 

Optional: chopped cilantro for garnish 

Instructions

1. Sautéed chopped bacon in hot pan for 3 mins, add dried presoaked scallop and green onions, cook for another 5 mins
2. Add shredded daikon, cook for 5 mins 
3. Mix in starch paste - tapioca starch and bone broth, add to pan and lower heat to low cook 20 mins
4. The mixture will become really thick
5. Put mixture in oiled pan and steam for 1/2 hr until cooked 
6. Cool in frig 
7. Cut into slices and pan fry to gold brown goodness.

You can garnish it with chopped cilantro and green onions.

clockwise left to right
grated daikon
 soaked dried scallop
chopped green onions
tapioca starch mixed with bone broth

cooking "dry" ingredients

After steam cooked