Snow Fungus Coconut milk papaya sweet soup

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Ingredients

• 2c. water
• 1/2" peeled and thinly sliced ginger root
• 2-3 dates
• 1/4 head ( 1/2c. after soaking ) snow fungus
• 1/4 c.  cut or balled ripe papaya
• 4 tbsp coconut milk ( I use AROY D organic kind )

Optional sweeten with maple syrup to taste

Instructions

1. Soak snow fungus in cold filtered water until soft, clean and remove any depris, cut into small pieces
2. Bring water to boil, add ginger root, dates and snow fungus, simmer for 30 mins
3. Add papaya balls right before serving. 

Since I have begun my healing food journey, my main focus was to learn how to cook and eat without foods that irritates my gut or triggers inflammatory responds in my system.

Most of the recipes I found were more Western approach, as much as I admit that I am a banana ( yellow outside and white inside ) I miss a lot of my childhood comfort foods. I was talking with my friend at www.provincialpaleo.com that our Asian AIP angle might not appeal to as wide an audience, but this is my lifestyle meets my cultural upbringing and that is all that matter. If you are interested in more Asian AIP recipes, please go check Provincial Paleo out. In fact this recipe was directly inspired by her. Thanks Dora!

My favorite and so very rare dessert soup is the bird's nest in coconut milk dessert soup. This is a very expensive dish as the bird's nest is very difficult to harvest. To be more blunt, it is actually the saliva of the bird in the dish, it is said to be nourishing, youth preserving as most Asian ladies will tell you about it. I think I just like a yummy bowl of warm coconut dessert soup. Here is my poor man's version using snow fungus  Snow fungus also has great health benefit including supporting my anti-inflammatory lifestyle focus.  I hope you enjoy this warming sweet AIP dessert as much as I do.

Added coconut milk and papaya balls

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.

  

Bulletproof Golden Anti-inflammatory tea

Bulletproof Anti-inflammatory tea

This recipe came about from the last cold that went around the house couple weeks ago. I started having a pot of ginger tea on hand at all times.  Eventually I brewed herbal teas ( this is my favorite one to use but you can use any tea of your choice ) with the ginger tea and have that concoction on hand. My children have accustomed to a cup of tea morning and night now. Then I took the brewed ginger herbal tea and played around with it to create my version of the bulletproof "coffee".

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Bulletproof Golden Anti-inflammatory Tea

Serves 1  Prep time 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1" thinly sliced ginger root
• 1 c water
• 1 tsp grass fed gelatin
• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup ( optional ) 
• 1 tsp organic turmeric powder or 1/2 " fresh turmeric root ( see quick method if using fresh turmeric and omit turmeric powder)
• 1/4 c. coconut cream
• 1 tbsp coconut oil or 1/2 tbsp coconut oil and 1/2 tbsp grass fed butter
• optional a sprinkle of black pepper

I omitted black pepper in mine because it makes me gassy. If you are fine with black pepper, you can add a dash as it is suppose to increase absorption of turmeric many folds.

Instruction

Prepare ginger tea

1. Put ginger slice and or fresh turmeric root in blender with cold water
2. Blend until roots are broken down into small bits
3. Put in pot and bring to boil
4. Let sit for 10 mins

Use the ginger tea to brew your Bulletproof Golden Anti-inflammatory tea as directed

Dissolve gelatin (I use this one) in hot brewed tea,

1. Stir in the rest of the ingredients 
2. Blend until oil is mixed in with a hand blended. 
3. Pour in cup and enjoy. 

This make a nourishing and satisfying breakfast or snack in a cup. The gelatin is also good source of easy to digestion protein and adds gut healing benefits to this warming drink. 

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

Bitterness is good?

Do you eat Bitter melons?  It has an acquired taste of bitterness but it is suppose to have health benefit that may out way its distinct flavor. The ones that caught my eyes were Intestinal disorders and ulcers, including ulcerative colitis.  I grew up learning to like this vegetable as it seems to be a right of passage to adulthood; my mother loved it. It took a bit of time and eventually I like it too.

Today I went to the market looking for banana burro, I have also recently fallen in love with this odd banana potato like food. I picked up the ugliest bunch of banana burro and decided to pick up some chicken liver for a quick snack.

When I got home, I found the bitter melon I bought a couple days ago and wanted to see how that would go with the rest of my healing food adventure.

I sliced the melon length wise in half, remove the seeds and thinly sliced it for easier cooking. I chopped up a couple pieces of bacon and a few green onions and stir fried everything in med heat until cooked. I sprinkled sea salt to taste.

In another pan, I sautéed the rinsed and cut in half chicken livers with some bacon fat and green onions. I added a splash of ACV and cook them on med to high heat until the liquids are evaporated and livers are cooked to tender.

I sliced open my super ripe banana burro and cooked them up in coconut oil.

Even I have to admit that this is the oddest snack idea but I loved it. It sure mixes thing up a bit. My kid smelled the bacon and came over for some liver, but no go on the bitter melon. I am glad to bring back this childhood food into the kitchen. It sure keeps the tastebuds working.


More about Bitter Melon

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