Tag: coconut

#5/52 Butternut Squash Chicken Chili

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We tried a new soup this week, Butternut squash chicken chili, recipe from paleo running momma

The flavors were pretty great, although I’m not sure how I felt about the Butternut squash. Knowing what I am eating is fairly healthy helps me just eat it, but I think in the future I would replace the squash with white beans. Or I would make sure the squash was peeled and cut into much smaller cubes and I wouldn’t use a whole one.

After we ate dinner, I went back through the soup and picked out all the squash and added half a can of great northern beans and froze it like that. The flavors and spices were amazing, but it will not be in our soup rotation. If you try it, drop a comment on your take of the butternut squash

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded*
  • 2 Tbsp ghee or avocado oil
  • 1 medium butternut squash cut into 3/4” cubes (about 4 cups)
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh jalapeños finely chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 3/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 4 oz can diced green chiles
  • 3 cups chicken bone broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh minced cilantro
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast optional
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • Garnish: “sour cream” coconut cream see notes** avocado slices, cilantro

Instructions

  1. If your chicken needs to be cooked and shredded, do this first* and set aside. Prepare all ingredients before beginning.
  2. Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the ghee or oil. Add the butternut squash and sprinkle all over with sea salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until just beginning to brown and soften.
  3. Add in the diced onion and sauté for about a minute until translucent. Then, add in the garlic, peppers, jalapeño and spices, stir and sauté for 3 minutes, until fragrant and softened.
  4. Add in the green chilis, and broth , stir and bring to a boil. Stir in the shredded chicken, nutritional yeast cilantro and lime juice and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve with coconut “sour cream” (see notes) sliced avocado, additional cilantro and sliced jalapeño if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Notes:

*if you don’t already have cooked chicken, season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until cooked through, then shred before using. You can also use a rotisserie chicken, just check ingredients for Whole30 compliance if needed.

** To make Whole30 compliant sour cream with coconut cream, mix 1/2 cup of thick, cold coconut cream with 2 tsp lemon or lime juice and 1/8 tsp fine sea salt. I like to use the 365 brand (Whole Foods) for this as it’s very thick and creamy. Feel free to adjust the salt and lemon to taste.

Week 37

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Week 37 inspired by my Dole Plantation visit last year when we were living in Hawaii,

Virgin Piña Coladas!

  • 3/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 3/4 cup cream of coconut
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or rum extract
  • 3 cups of ice

Blend all ingredient; garnish with pineapple wedges or maraschino cherries.

Pineapple is the only edible fruit of its kind, the bromeliads, and produces one fruit at a time. They are all hand planted and picked, and grow in bushes pretty low to the ground. Pineapples contain fiber, vitamin c, manganese, vitamin b6, copper, thiamin, folate, potassium, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and iron.

Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream are essentially the same; milk just has a higher water to coconut ratio compared to the cream. Because coconut cream is higher in fat than coconut milk, it’s important to use it in moderation. Though the fatty acids in coconut milk are medium-chain triglycerides that have been shown to have some health benefits, too much fat from coconuts or other sources will cause weight gain.

Coconut cream has a relatively high fiber content in a small serving size, and it’s also a rich source of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E and the essential minerals iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

I opted to use vanilla extract…I’ve never actually tried rum extract before, but as someone in recovery I decided I wasn’t super in to trying it either. However! If you don’t have any issues with alcohol, that is potentially a better option than vanilla for a more traditional flavor? Just my guess 🙂

EnjoY!

I spy somewhere in this picture a pineapple plant!

Week 15

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Continuing with the Coronavirus miniseries of shelf stable snacks, and in honor of Easter I made Chocolate Coconut Eggs.

I have to admit, they taste so better than a Cadbury Creme Egg! You have to eat them quick since the chocolate melts in your hands…..awe shucks

Recipe

  • 75 g shredded coconut
  • 70 g coconut oil melted
  • 3 tbsp. coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp. sugar ( I opted for brown sugar)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

  • 60 g coconut oil
  • 6 tsp. cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
  1. Mix shredded coconut, oil, milk, sugar and vanilla.
  2. Refrigerate until solid enough to roll into egg shapes.
  3. Roll small amounts into egg shapes and place in the fridge again to set completely.
  1. Mix coconut oil. cocoa powder, and powdered sugar together in a bowl.
  2. Place 1 Easter egg in the chocolate coating at a time. Using a spoon, turn the egg until completely covered.
  3. Place the chocolate coated eggs on a plate.
  4. Refrigerate until chocolate coating is set.