Cauliflower, Curry, Candida and Canada!

Oh Canada, you need some of this Clean Curried Cauliflower Soup................its Candida Friendly. Now that's a mouthful. Ha, ha!

This is one of my favorite cauliflower recipes yet. And my new favorite soup. My old favorite was Butternut Squash Soup. But I can't have that anymore. And another favorite was the Carrot Ginger. But I can't have that anymore either.

But this one is totally Candida diet friendly. Yay. I can have as much as I want. The curry gives it a bit of bite and the pureed cauliflower makes it nice and creamy. A great combination.

So I hope you have a Happy Canada Day! Make some soup. And say Thanks for living in such a great country. Where cauliflower is plentiful.

Curried Cauliflower Soup - Low Carb, Paleo and Candida Diet Friendly

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes from roasting cauli

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: blender simmer soup/stew candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo sugar-free vegan wheat belly canned coconut milk cauliflower curry

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Ingredients (Serves 4 - 6)

• 4 cups chicken stock (I made mine from scratch using a rotisserie chicken)
• 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
• 6 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• dash of pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder (or more to taste)
• 4 cups roasted cauliflower (you can use leftovers or roast cauliflower florets in the oven for 45 minutes drizzled with butter and/or organic extra virgin olive oil)
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley

Instructions

Bring cauliflower, chicken stock, garlic, salt, pepper and curry to a boil in a saucepan.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender.

Let cool until safe to handle. Add 1 Tbsp fresh parsley.

Fully puree with immersion blender (be careful if soup is still hot).

Put back on stovetop.

Add coconut milk and roasted cauliflower.

Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

Serve garnished with remaining parsley.

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Paleo Turkey Chipolte Soup - Candida Diet Friendly

If you follow me on Pinterest (upper left hand corner) you might have noticed I'm trying to improve my white blood count. Apparently turkey, salmon, oranges and garlic are good for that. 

Since hubby roasted a gigantic turkey for Mother's Day and we have tons of leftovers it has worked out perfectly. So I have been busy experimenting making leftover turkey recipes......that are of course   Candida diet friendly (no sugar, dairy, chemicals, etc). 

I've pretty much completed 2 weeks of my diet and have to say that I felt better yesterday than I have in some time. My energy levels aren't what they were a couple months ago but my moods are getting much better and my sugar cravings are WAY down. I still want a piece of cake but its not making me crazy.

And I really enjoyed this taco"less" chipolte soup. Its very clean and comforting. You can find chipolte spice at Bulk Barn - a little goes a long way so you don't need to buy much. If you want it a little thicker you can always add some guar gum to thicken it up a bit near the end. I also threw in some pumpkin puree just because I needed to use it up. I didn't include it in the recipe since it was only a 1/2 cup afterthought. 

The point is this can be a kitchen sink soup - just throw whatever you've got in there and enjoy. Just make sure its clean. And try the avocado garnish. I wouldn't think it would be good on soup - but it really is. 

Paleo Turkey Chipolte Soup with Spinach and Tomato

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp chipolte seasoning

Dash of paprika, salt and pepper (to taste)

2 cups cooked roast turkey (or chicken) - leftover roasted works great

2 cups fresh spinach

4 cups turkey or chicken broth - I used home-made

1 large can diced tomatos - no sugar added

1 fresh avocado, chopped - for garnish

Fry onion and garlic in coconut in oil on stove-top over medium heat until softened - about 2 minutes. Add celery, turkey and spices. Fry, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes to let the spices wake up. Add spinach. Fry for an additional minute until spinach is wilted. Add broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer on a gentle boil for about 45 minutes.  

Serve topped with fresh avocado. 

Simple Butternut Squash Soup with Curry and ways to banish the need to NAP

We are having quite a week. Baby got a helmet (for his odd-shaped melon), a stomach flu and is getting a tooth. Needless to say there have been a few stressful moments - like when we thought the helmet was too tight and causing brain swelling and vomiting. A lot of laundry. And a fair bit of carrying a baby around. And he hasn't been sleeping so good. 

What amazes me is that through it all I am not tired and we have actually been having lots of fun with the kids. It is crazy. With my first two kids I woke up (i.e. was woken up as I never felt rested enough to wake up on my own) and my first thought was always, always, always "what do I have to make happen so that there is even a slight possibility that I might be able to take a nap today". Obviously it rarely happened and then I would be so tired and so frustrated that I wasn't napping. But I don't even think about having a nap now. I don't want a nap. I don't NEED a nap.

I always just thought I was a napper - like I must have been genetically programmed to nap. I could not understand people who said they couldn't, didn't, wouldn't nap. I thought "what the h is wrong with you people". 

But now I understand. Its like I'm in a new club. I don't think about having a nap all day because I'm not tired. I feel rested when I wake up. I sleep at night (well in between wake ups which are still numerous).

If you need to nap all the time your body is trying to tell you something. Its tired. Maybe from lack of sleep but maybe not. Maybe its your digestion, blood glucose swings (from carbs), caffeine intolerance, iron levels, B12, whatever. But you shouldn't feel like napping all the time. Go figure. Waking up in the morning and already looking forward to your nap is no way to live. 

I missed lots of "moments" with my kids by being in this state. I can't get them back now but I can make sure that I'm awake and alert for all the many moments to come. Because I have adorable kids (challenging and hard-work but adorable) - there are moments happening all the time if I pay attention. 

I don't know for sure if it is just one of these things or the combination of all of them but I don't nap anymore. In case it can help someone else out there, here is what I have changed:

• I gave up caffeine (this is key)
• I go to bed by 10
• I limit my carbohydrates - especially early in the day
• I eat clean (no processed foods, low sugar, no grains/beans/potatoes/rice - as organic as possible) 
• I get protein at each meal and snack
• I eat within an hour of waking up
• I take supplements (adrenal support, vitamin D, vitamin C, iron, acid pills)
• I have pretty low stress (on maternity leave)

So in an attempt to clean up your diet why don't you try making this soup. It is really simple and always turns out delicious. You can actually buy butternut squash already peeled and cubed at various major grocery stores (I just saw it at Costco today) so you can make it in a hurry. I actually like a bit of sweet potato in there for depth of flavor but it works either way. This soup is delicious - you won't be disappointed.

Simple Butternut Squash Soup with Curry

2 Tbsp coconut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup white onion, chopped

6 cups butternut squash (or 4 cups squash and 2 cups sweet potatoes), peeled and diced

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp fine sea salt (adjust up depending on how much sodium is in your chicken stock)

1 tsp curry (this is a minimum - add more if you like curry - it can handle another 1/2 tsp at least)

3 cups organic chicken stock

Parsley Flakes

Melt coconut oil on stove top. Saute garlic and onion until softened. Add squash and/or sweet potatoes and all spices. Fry it up over medium heat for about 5 minutes to let the spices "wake-up". Add chicken stock and let simmer on a low boil for 20 - 25 minutes. Until squash is softened. Remove from heat and let cool. Puree with an emulsion blender. I do this directly in the pot. Or transfer to a blender or food processor. I blend it until its about 80% pureed. I like to leave a few chunks.  Warm and serve with some plain Greek yogurt and sprinkle with parsley flakes.

In case you don't know what a butternut squash looks like - this is it!

Healthy, Wheat-free, Low-carb, Paleo Ham and Cabbage Soup

Healthy nitrate-free ham and cabbage soup! Wheat-free, paleo friendly, clean, quick and cheap. Now that's my kind of soup. 

We eat this soup at least every week or two. My husband has always loved a
basic cabbage soup - even before we went clean. It is packed with
vegetables that are packed with nutrients so I'm happy to oblige. What's
nice about it is that 1) cabbage is cheap (and I am cheap) and 2) cabbage has a long shelf life so you can throw this together quickly when your supply of fresh
vegetables is getting low.

I try and always have a head of cabbage in the fridge for soup, coleslaw or
even just fried up with some butter and spices for a side dish. Maybe its
the Ukrainian in me but I think its just delicious.

I made this broth from the chicken bones left over from a rotisserie
chicken but you can easily substitute organic chicken or vegetable stock.
And leftover chicken can also be used in place of ham. I usually dice and
freeze ham to have on hand for soups, pizza and omelets because my girls love it. 

This is a very basic soup. A basic soup that will help you get to that
sometimes elusive 5 cups of vegetable quota for the day. To jazz it up you
can throw some pumpkin seeds and/or diced avocado on top before serving.
And if your meal is lacking in protein sprinkle some hemp seeds on top to give it a boost.

Healthy Wheat-free, Low-carb, Paleo Ham and Cabbage Soup

1 tbsp organic coconut oil
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup onion, finely minced
5 cups cabbage, chopped
2/3 cup carrot, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1 cup ham (nitrate free), diced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth - I made my own by boiling the bones/skin from a rotisseirie chicken with some carrot and celery tops for 1/2 hour
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 tbsp dried or fresh parsley
1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
Dash of celery seed

In a soup pot, melt coconut oil and saute the garlic and onion until softened. Add in cabbage and carrot. Cook on medium heat until cabbage and carrot are softened. About 10 minutes. Stir often. Add celery and ham. Continue to fry for about 5 minutes. Add broth, spices and tomato paste. Reduce heat to a low simmer for about 1/2 an hour. Serve

I topped with some pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds) before serving. You could also throw some hemp in to add some protein. 

Creamy Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Soup with Garlic Cilantro topping and a little Bite

I was feeling low earlier in the week - after burning out my adrenal gland from years of abuse I now have a really low tolerance for any kind of stress. I used to be the girl you want on your team in a crisis - I thrived on stress! Now I thrive for a very short time and then I feel like crap for days. So a minor stressful event was enough to throw me into the cortisol roller-coaster which always ends up in hunger, irritability and low-energy. I used to keep the roller-coaster going by fueling it with caffeine, Chinese food and chocolate. But luckily, after 36 years, I have finally learned to pay attention to my body. So I fed my hunger with clean foods (I still overate but at least not on junk), forced myself to exercise when I just wanted to lay down and headed to my Naturopath's office for a shot of B12 and some adrenal support pills. By the next day I felt better and my energy was back. I can't always control stress but I can fight back - so take that cortisol!

Seriously good sweet potato soup with coconut milk and some heat. Topped with a dollop of garlic and cilantro high protein Greek yogurt!

And with my energy back on track I created a really awesome new clean, wheat-free soup recipe for my lunch date with my very sophisticated world travelling friend. It was awesome (the soup and the lunch date) - definitely a new favorite of mine. I added the topper to give it a little protein boost and make it more of a meal.  Try this recipe - you won't be disappointed! Next time I will be making a double batch because I could have eaten this for a couple of meals.

Roasted Sweet Potato's - can be eaten as is or used in soup
2 large sweet potato/yams, peeled and cubed (I used organic - they were only $.10 more a lb)
2 tbsp olive oil or melted coconut oil
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder (adjust if you want more heat)
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To roast the sweet potato's I put them in a 9 x 13 glass pan and combined them with oil and spices. I roasted for 45 minutes turning once about half way.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes!

Soup
1/2 tbsp organic coconut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you want it spicier)
2 cups organic, low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup full fat canned coconut milk

In a medium saucepan melt the coconut oil and add garlic and onion. Cook over medium heat until onion is softened. Add cayenne pepper and roasted sweet potato's and fry for a couple of minutes to "wake up" the pepper. Add chicken stock and coconut milk and stir until combined. Remove from heat and puree the mixture until its as smooth as you want it - I used a hand blender but a food processor or blender would also work. I actually left a few chunks in to give it some texture. Be careful if your mixture is hot or let cool before pureeing. Put mixture back in pot and heat before serving.

Topping (Optional - I made this to add a bit of protein and because I was having a guest so wanted to jazz it up a bit but its fine without it)

3/4 cup plain high protein Greek Yogurt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
3 drops liquid Stevia (optional - my yogurt is a bit too tart for my liking)
1 tbsp Cilantro - I used frozen but dried, fresh or paste would work
Dash of salt

Combine all the ingredients and use as a topper on soup. I would have added some lime if I had any - next time.

A delicious dollop of garlic cilantro high protein yogurt!!

Carrot Ginger Soup and Food for Thought

When I first read this I was shocked, upset and frankly a little sad...........ready for it.................between 70%-80% of our ability to lose excess fat is based on our diet and only 20-30% is determined by exercise, lifestyle and genetics. Shit. Shit. Shit.* That threw my whole plan out the window. The plan: rely on good genes/high metabolism from my Dad and start exercising again when my kids get a bit older and I have "more time". No problem - keep eating whatever I want because I LOVE eating and I'll be skinny again as soon as I have the time and energy to exercise.

Well, with one short sentence and a very stretched out belly that really didn't give a damn about how many crunches I was doing (thanks baby #3) and my whole plan was out the window. But guess what...its okay - I still get to eat awesome (different) food and I feel better, I have energy and I do like my kids. There was a bit of a grieving process but I am over it now and can move on. Exercise is a huge part of a healthy lifestyle but unfortunately ladies (and maybe a couple gents) we have to deal with this food thing..................sigh.

So here is another clean recipe for you that tastes so yummy delicious you won't realize your whole life has been derailed. Clean eating doesn't have to feel like deprivation. This is an easy-peasy recipe, for some reason its really filling and really good if you like ginger. I love ginger and it has huge health benefits - too many to mention. Chinese medicine has been using it for over 2000 years for all sorts of ailments - and those dudes know what they are doing. But given the time of year and the outbreak of influenza I think the fact that it can be used to prevent and treat flu's and colds and it strengthens immunity should be reason enough to try this.

Pureed carrot and ginger soup - it will help fight that cold and/or flu.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tbps coconut oil or butter (don't be scared of good fat)

3 cups chopped carrots

1 1/2 tbsps finely chopped fresh ginger (adjust to your preference)

fine sea salt and pepper to taste

1 cup full fat coconut milk (Again - don't be scared of good fat - it will fill you up)

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (organic/gluten-free if possible)

A little dried parsley for colour (if you blog or want to impress someone)

In a heavy pot, fry the garlic and onion over medium heat in the oil or butter until softened. Add the carrots, ginger, salt and pepper. Let it cook for about 3 to 5 minutes (b/c I like it better when the ginger is cooked a bit). Add the coconut milk and stock and let it simmer on a low boil until the carrots are softened - about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool or if you are crazy and don't mind the risk of 2nd degree burns go ahead and puree it with a hand blender. Warm and serve! 

* I don't normally swear but seriously this was really upsetting to me. Plus, my Baba Teenie taught me that shit is not actually a swear so it doesn't really count anyway.

Creative Creamy Carrot and Sausage Soup

Kitchen sink soup............

With a little cheese!