Boiled Chicken with Bok Choy and Ginger Broth

Advanced Plan

Serves 4-6 depending on serving size.

Cooking a whole chicken gives soups/stews incredible flavor and added nutrition.  This is a simple dish that is packed with nutrition and incredible, pleasant flavor.

1 whole organic whole chicken
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 small dried Thai chili pepper (also called a red bird’s eye chili)  If you buy fresh- stem it, seed it, and split it in half lengthwise
1 stalk lemongrass, outer layer removed, and pounded with a meat mallet
1 4inch piece peeled ginger root, cut into slices
4 kaffir lime leaves, optional
filtered water
6 heads baby bok choy rinsed and cut in half lengthwise or 1/2 bunch regular bok choy

Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Season it inside and out with salt and pepper to taste and place in a large dutch oven or stock pot along with the chili pepper, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and ginger.  Cover the chicken with filtered water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook on medium-low for about an hour. As it simmers, skim off any foam or fat on the surface.

Check chicken for doneness (it should be falling off the bone) and turn off the heat.  Let sit for 30 minutes then transfer the chicken to a large strainer.  Discard the solids.

When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove all of the meat from the bones trying to keep the pieces in large chunks.  Add back in with the broth and re-heat at medium-high heat until it begins to boil.  Add in the bok choy and cook for 5-6 minutes.  Add more sea salt and pepper if desired.  Serve.

NOTE:  Lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves sometimes require a trip to an Asian market or specialty store.  Buy extra and freeze!  They are great for adding to curries and soups.

CORE PLAN OPTION:  Serve over cooked brown rice

 

Chicken Pad Thai

Advanced & Core Plan

Serves: 4 (we served a family of 5)

This is a favorite restaurant dish that is typically loaded up with sugar and starchy noodles.  Here is an advanced plan version using zucchini sliced and cut into strips for “noodles”.

Although it looks like a lot of ingredients and steps, it if very easy.  The ingredients are all “staple” items you should have on hand.  The stir fry portion is very quick and easy and the sauce just requires adding and stirring.  This one is worth it and is great for leftovers.

 
Zucchini Ribbons
Slice zucchini longways with a mandolin or thin slicer.  Stack 2-3 strips at a time and slice into “ribbons”.  Put in a bowl and set aside.  (NOTE:  save the end pieces that couldn’t be sliced for another use)

 

 

Peanut Sauce
3 garlic cloves, grated
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1-2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce (check ingredients – look for ones made with anchovies)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup organic peanut butter OR freshly ground roasted peanuts
1/2 cup liquid aminos or tamari
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1/2 to 1 cup whole coconut milk
Optional:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice or 2-3 kaffir lime leaves (to be discarded before serving)

Mix all ingredients except stock/coconut milk and transfer to a saucepan. Gradually mix in coconut milk, whisking thoroughly.  Heat on low-medium until warm and keep simmering, stirring frequently.

NOTE:  For a peanut soup, the mixture can be thinned with more coconut milk or a little organic chicken stock.

Chicken & Vegetable Mixture

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 pound organic chicken, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup liquid aminos or tamari
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 organic red bell pepper cut into strips
1 head broccoli florets, chopped

Optional:

handful fresh cilantro
Lime wedges for garnish
3 green onions, thinly sliced
6 ounces fresh bean sprouts (about 2 cups), rinsed and drained
Substitute any vegetables you want instead of the broccoli

PAD THAI PREPARATION

In a large non-toxic skillet, heat oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper; cook, without stirring for 3-5 minutes or until underside of chicken is browned.  Stir and continue cooking until chicken is almost done. Move chicken to the edge of the pan and add the eggs and cook, stirring, until just set, about 20 seconds. Add broccoli and red peppers, cover and let vegetables cook.  Keep warm.

Pour the peanut sauce over the zucchini ribbons.  (this can be a meal on it’s own)  Add the zucchini/peanut mixture to the pan with the chicken and vegetables and serve immediately.  Garnish as desired.  

 

Grass Fed Beef Jerky

Here is a terrific snack idea that is loaded with protein, easily transported, and packed with nutrition.  Keep it on hand for a quick energy boost.

This doesn’t stay around long so make an extra big batch!

 

• 1 1/2 pounds grass fed beef (round steak, or sirloin steak works great)
• 1/4 cup liquid aminos or tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or crushed red pepper (if you like it spicy)
• Optional spices:  Italian Seasoning, cayenne pepper, dried mustard

1. Trim and discard all fat from meat. Cut meat into thin strips. (TIP:  put the meat in the freezer for 20-30 minutes which makes it easier to slice thinly).   In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; add meat and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2. OVEN METHOD:  Place wire racks on foil-lined baking sheets. Drain and discard marinade. Place meat strips 1/4 in. apart on racks. Bake, uncovered, at 200 degrees F for 6-7 hours or until meat is dry and leathery. (TIP:  Put it in right before you go to bed and turn it off when you wake up.)   Remove from the oven; cool completely. Refrigerate or freeze in an airtight container.
3. DEHYDRATOR METHOD (PREFERRED):  Place meat strips 1/4 in. apart on dehydrator trays.  Dehydrate at 155 degrees for 6-8 hours or until meat is dry and leathery.  Remove from dehydrator and store in an airtight container.

Homemade Enchiladas

I had an idea to make the kids beef enchiladas today but know I’d be in trouble if I went to get enchilada sauce because they would contain sugar, damaged fats, or additives.  So, I decided to just make my own.  To my surprise, with just a few ingredients, I had what I thought was a good sauce for my enchiladas.  It was a family hit for sure.  (you’ll notice that my picture is only of half of the tray because the first half disappeared before I could get a shot)

CORE PLAN
Serves 4-6

Enchilada Sauce:

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 cups organic chicken stock
6 ounces organic tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

In a medium saucepan heat oiland chili powder for about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes. Adjust the seasonings as desired.

Enchiladas:

2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup organic (sugar free) salsa or 2 tablespoons tomato paste + 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup chopped black olives, drained and divided
2 cups organic shredded Cheddar cheese
1 package sprouted grain tortillas

Optional Toppings:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 avocado, chopped.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Spread a thin layer of the enchilada sauce into a 13×9 baking dish
In a skillet over medium heat, saute ground beef, onions, garlic, salt, cumin, olives, and green chile peppers.   Continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink. Pour in the salsa or tomato sauce and chili powder. Mix thoroughly and heat through.
Spoon a little of the meat mixture into a sprouted grain tortilla.  Roll the tortilla up and place in the prepared casserole dish (seam down). Repeat for the remaining tortillas using up all of the meat mixture.   You may have some left which you can save for a taco salad
Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas, sprinkle with remaining olives and top with cheese .
Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until hot and bubbly.
Top with organic sour cream, green onions, and chopped avocado.

Swedish Meatballs (Breadless)

This is a recipe that I remember all the way back to my kid years.  These are great for kids and for a crowd.  They are also a terrific make-ahead meal – the taste great reheated and even frozen for later use.  Make a double batch and freeze half.  (NOTE:  to freeze, line a large ziploc bag with parchment paper and place meatballs inside.  To re-heat, let thaw slightly and transfer to a skillet to reheat.  You can add additional organic stock if it is not “saucy” enough or to keep the meatballs from drying out.)

2 pounds grass fed ground beef
1 organic egg + 1 organic egg yolk
1/4 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 large onion, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (hint:  keep them in the freezer and grate them with a microplane)

Mix all ingredients well and shape into 1″ balls.  Fry in batches (don’t crowd the pan) in a non-toxic skillet until almost cooked through.  After all batches are browned, transfer them all back into the skillet.  Add 1 cup (or more if desired) of organic chicken broth.   Finish cooking and serve warm.

Oven Baked Pesto Chicken

photo by Kimberly Roberto

This is a recipe I have been making since my early married life.  It was one that was quick and easy, yet has tremendous flavor.  It is great for the whole family but also has an elegant flair that can be used for dinner parties.   Surely one of my favorites.

 

1 pound organic chicken breasts
1-2 tablespoons of pesto sauce per breast (homemade (see below) or storebought but check ingredients!!! Look for olive oil NOT damaged oils)
4 roma tomatoes, sliced
sea salt and ground black pepper
shaved parmesan cheese, optional
sliced black olives, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Trim any excess fat from the chicken and place between pieces of parchment paper.  Pound chicken to even thickness (approximately 1/2 inch) with a meat mallet.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and transfer to a baking dish.  (General cooking hint:  you want the chicken to fit snugly for best cooking – you do not want a lot of extra space in the pan)

Spread pesto sauce over the top of the chicken breasts and cook for about 20 minutes than add the sliced tomatoes and parmesan cheese if desired.  Continue cooking until chicken is cooked through (about 15-20 additional minutes).  Add slices olives as garnish if desired, and serve.

Pesto Sauce

3 cups fresh basil
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup  pine nuts or walnuts ground fine
2/3 cup grated parmesan
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, optional

Place the basil in a blender.  Pour in about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and blend the basil into a paste.  Gradually add pine nuts or walnuts, cheese, garlic, chili powder, if desired, and drizzle in remaining oil.  Continue to blend until smooth.
Extra pesto sauce can be used on eggs, on cauliflower or other steamed vegetables, over spiral sliced zucchini, or as a dip.  Extra can also be frozen in ice cube trays for use later.

Grass Fed NY Strip with Chimichurri Sauce

When you are switching from conventional beef to grass-fed beef, there are a couple of cooking secrets you need to know.  Since grass-fed beef is much lower in total fat, it can become tough if not cooked properly.

Here are the basic tricks:

• Never over-cook!  Grass fed beef is best cooked to medium-rare to medium.
• Use a tenderizing tool like the Jaccard Tenderizer.  This does wonders for tenderizing grass fed steaks.
• Marinate the beef for at least 30 minutes with olive oil, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and spices.
• Cook on high only to sear then cook on low-med heat.  Never cook on high heat.
• Never cut or puncture the beef while cooking – it lets all of the juices run out.

For the steaks, follow the above steps and cook to desired doneness.  Let the steaks sit for about 5 minutes before serving to seal in the juices.  Serve with Chimichurri Sauce (recipe in the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans book)

Lime Marinated Grilled Free Range Chicken with Kale Salad

Remember, if you are going to grill your food, you should marinate it first.  (See prior post about the dangers of grilling) This is a simple, tasty marinade that everyone will love.

Summer Dinner Menu: Grilled Chicken with "Fresh from the Garden" Green Beans, Kale, Lettuce, and Tomatoes

Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken

4 boneless organic chicken breasts
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Let marinate at least 30 minutes but the longer the better.  Grill on medium heat, flipping frequently.

Marinated Kale Salad

1 bunch raw kale, chopped and de-stemmed
1/4 cup flax seed oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons liquid aminos or tamari
sea salt and pepper to taste

Massage the liquid ingredients into the kale.

Grilled Grass Fed Sirloin with Caprese Salad

Nothing beats grilling out in the summer.  However, grilling can add unwanted carcinogens to your meal.  Smoke from the grill contains carcinogenic substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which can coat your food.  In addition, heterocyclic amines(HCAs), can develop in meat that is cooked over high heat.  However, there are ways to mitigate these dangers.  The best way is to marinate your meat.  In fact, the American Institute of Cancer Research says marinating can reduce carcinogenic activity by 92-99%.

Some other tips are to cook at lower temperatures, flip often, never char your meat, and keep away from direct flame.

Marinating grass fed beef also makes it much more tender (as it is not as marbled) and gives it much more flavor.

Basic Grass Fed Beef Grilling Marinade 

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Let marinate for at least 30 minutes but the longer the better.

This is one of my favorite summer salads.  These tomatoes and basil came fresh from my garden which made them even more delightful.

Caprese Salad

Fresh garden roma tomatoes
1 bunch fresh basil
Fresh, raw mozzerella
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Pepper

Slice the tomatoes and mozzerella.  Stack a tomato slice, a basil leaf, and a mozzerella slice.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Boneless Buffalo Tenders (w/ Flourless Breading)

I love taking American favorites and upgrading them to a healthier version.  Typically these are fried in damaged oils (bad fats), loaded with refined flours, additives, and of course conventionally raised chicken.  This recipe actually has organic chicken, good fats, extra nutrients in the breading and nothing artificial!

2 packages organic chicken tenderloins
2 organic eggs
1/2 cup finely ground almond meal
1/4 cup coconut flour
sea salt
pepper
granulated garlic
hot sauce (check ingredients- no MSG, no sugar, no additives)
coconut oil (about 1/2 jar)

sprinkle chicken tenderloins with salt and pepper.  Dip into egg and then almond / coconut flour mixture.  For best results, refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat coconut oil to medium/high heat in a non-teflon pan (stainless steel, cast iron or thermalon).  Gently place chicken tenders in the pan in batches, doing only 4-5 at a time.  Do not crowd the pan.  When brown around the edges, flip and brown the other side.  (Breading will be very fragile to be careful).  Transfer to a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until no longer pink in the middle.

When done, they can be eaten plain or made into buffalo tenders.  Simply sprinkle with garlic powder and drizzle with hot sauce on both sides.

Here is the plain chicken finger version – great for kids or on a salad.