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Crock Pot Paleo: Cilantro Chicken Curry

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Now that the weather is getting cooler, I am so into crock pot cooking!

Here is one of my favorite crockin’ recipes, paleo style. Organic ingredients of course!

 

Cilantro Chicken Curry

1-1/2 lb. of chicken- legs, thighs, breast cut up as desired

1 cup of chopped carrots

1 cup of chopped celery

2/3 cup diced onion

5 cloves garlic minced

1 cup of chopped cilantro

1 cup of diced japanese sweet potato or yam

chicken broth cover the ingredients

2 tsp of curry

salt as needed

ghee for coating the bottom of the ceramic crock pot

 

Lightly coat the bottom of the ceramic crock pot with ghee or healthy oil such as avocado or coconut oil.

First add the chicken, then all of the veggies on top of the chicken. Pour chicken broth on top until you cover the ingredients.

Turn on the crock pot at high level, then down to low after 1 hour. Add curry and cilantro. Continue on low until the chicken falls off the bone!

Enjoy!

BTW- you can add alternative flours such as brown rice or quinoa 15 minutes before serving to thicken the sauce as desired!

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HOLIDAY MEAL GUIDE

The most difficult part about getting through the holidays is staying on track with your dietary routine. Desserts, starchy foods and oversized portions are the main causes for concern. The good news is that there are alternative ingredients and foods that will allow you to modify some of your favorite traditional dishes and turn them into healthier eats. Here is a helpful recipe guide to use while mixing up nutritious, healthy dishes for Thanksgiving.

 

RECIPE GUIDE

 

  1. Potatoes – Use sweet potatoes instead of golden or russet potatoes. Eat them with cinnamon and clarified butter for a sweet treat.
  2. Milk/Cream – Use almond or coconut milk and coconut cream for your recipes. Using a dairy replacement can keep you from those uncomfortable side effects of the lactose and casein found in regular cows milk. Also, make sure that you choose an unsweetened version.
  3. Cheese – Instead of using cow or goats milk, try using a dairy free alternative like Daiya cheese. I have completely replaced all other cheese with this brand and I absolutely love it. It can be found at your local health store and even chain stores like Whole Foods.
  4. Gluten-free flour/ bread: Bread is usually on everyone’s table for the holidays and it is a staple in many recipes so I don’t want you to feel like you have to completely give it up. Try substituting your regular whole wheat bread for gluten free bread. You can even use gluten-free flour for baking.
  5. Alcohol – Try to stay away from alcohol as much as possible. I know it may be tempting but you will want to try and substitute alcoholic drinks with sparkling water and lime or even a sparkling cider.
  6. Rice – Use whole grain brown or wild rice. White rice and pasta is full of starch and sugar that can cause fluctuations in your blood sugar level. White pasta, white rice and flour all have a high glycemic index (GI) level, so using the low GI foods that are made from brown rice, legumes, sweet potato and vegetables will help to regulate the insulin levels in your body optimizing energy throughout the day.
  7. Sugar – Try adding flavor to your dishes naturally. Stay away from white cane sugar and replace it with xylitol, erythritol or stevia, natural sweeteners without the calories and free from chemicals.
  8. Desserts – Head over to your local health food store and look around for gluten and dairy free treats. If none are available, try going online for easy recipes.

 

MY HOLIDAY FAVORITES

  • Roasted Sweet Potato Salad:
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Dice two sweet potatoes and mix with half of a red onion, black pepper and a little bit of cinnamon.
  2. Cook for 45 minutes on a non-stick pan or one lined with parchment paper
  3. Whisk together ½ cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp molasses, cinnamon and chives
  4. In a separate bowl mix baby arugula and thinly sliced radishes
  5. Serve right out of the oven and prepare it all together on each individual plate to keep the arugula from wilting.
  • Chia Seed pudding: A great new homemade dessert for the whole family. Its quick and easy, just mix

1. Organic Sprouted Chia seeds (Available at my office- so delicious you can eat it out of the bag!)

2. Almond or coconut milk

3. A sweetener of your choice – xylitol (replacement sugar) with shredded coconut and cinnamon

4. Cover and refrigerate for 7 hours or overnight

5. Enjoy! – Your dessert should have the consistency of tapioca pudding. Makes for a great afternoon snack or a perfect dessert.

  • The Day- After Meal: One of my favorite parts of a Thanksgiving meal isn’t the Thanksgiving meal at all, its the “day after” meal. That Friday, I love to use all of my leftovers to make another great dish for the table: turkey and vegetable soup.

I always use seasonal vegetables from the farmers market and vegetable or chicken stock. Add your own spices and mix up the vegetables and you have a delicious, hearty, homemade meal.

I offer sprouted chia seeds and many other options for homemade recipes at the Wellness For Life Center. You can  contact Frank at the front desk at 310-315-1514 or wellnesshelp@live.com .

As always, be sure to eat in moderation no matter what ingredients the meal consists of. Use a glass to-go container and enjoy your leftovers as lunch or dinner the next day.

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POST HALLOWEEN BOOS: PART 2

Forget the tricks, its all about the treats but these treats don’t always have to be so sweet. Part of getting over the holiday hump is resisting all of those sugary snacks. We need real solutions to stopping those sticky fingers in the candy bowl or reaching for a second helping of pumpkin pie. Here are some easy tips to get you through those difficult times and onto enjoying a real meal.

 Stop the Sugar Takeover

  1. Eat Breakfast – eating a hearty breakfast in the morning full of protein can stop those sugar cravings throughout the day. A good breakfast keeps you fuller longer so that you avoid the daily sugary snack between meals. The protein also helps to reduce the sugar cravings in your body.
  2. Substitute your Drinks – Instead of sugary sodas, juices and sports drinks, provide filtered water for your children. These sweet treats are packed with sugar causing your body to crave more, substituting these drinks it is also one of the easiest ways to reduce the sugar intake for your children each day.
  3. Avoid canned food – canned vegetables are packed in salt water that can increase the sodium levels in your body causing your to bloat. Canned fruit is usually packed in a sugary syrup that takes away any nutrients from the food and only adds to the increased sugar levels in the body.
  4. Cook with your kids- cooking with the whole family makes it easier to avoid fast food and salty and sugary boxed meals. You have more creativity to change up meals and add fresh vegetables and fruits to each dish.
  5. Avoid artificial sweeteners – these fake sweets may seem like a good idea but in the end they actually make your body crave more sugar causing you to reach for the cake or candy after breakfast or dinner.

These changes are not huge but over time they can add up to a big difference in your bodies energy and mental alertness. It is just the beginning of the holiday season so be sure to watch those extra side dishes and super creamy and colorful desserts. Choose foods that will keep you fuller for longer and avoid the momentary satisfaction of a chocolate bar. Happy Holidays and Good Eats!

*freedigitalphotos.net

 

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