Late Night EASY Chicken Noodle Soup

Last night around 8:30 pm I came home from a super busy day where I was IN the home maybe a total of one hour! Running around, working out, football practice, martial arts, etc... I was literally STARVING! I ate clean all day, but came home STARVING! Thank GOD (yes, I am one of THOSE people too!) I had thawed a big container of homemade bone broth the day before. 

One of the things about being "Poor Man Paleo" is that I buy a majority of my food at...GASP...the box store!! Yes, that means Costco, people. I know that this goes against the Paleo purist's mantra of buying/eating local. I buy and eat local as much as I can, but we are feeding a family of 6 on a little tiny income. So we do what we have to! Don't be a hater! 🙋

So here is the recipe for the soup I made last night, which literally took about 20 mins.

4-5 cups bone broth

2 Kirkland (gasp) thin cut chicken breast fillets, frozen

1 carrot, cut in julienned sticks

2 celery stalks, sliced thin

1 garlic clove, chopped fine

1 tsp crushed ginger

1/2 a can of coconut milk

1Tbsp soy sauce or aminos

Thai rice noodles (one handful)

2 leaves Swiss chard or kale, rib out, chopped coarsely

Put the broth in a large saucepan and heat to boiling. Add the frozen chicken breasts and continue to boil over medium high heat for about 10 mins. Remove the chicken breasts and set aside. Add the carrot, celery, garlic & ginger  and boil for 5 more minutes. Meanwhile chop the chicken into small chunks. Add to the soup,a long with the coconut milk, soy sauce and rice noodles. Boil for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and toss in the chard/kale. Season to taste and chow down!

Hey, I could be on 30 Minute Meals!

Dark Chocolate Paleo Brownies

My friend makes a "healthy cake" in which he puts tons of fruits and veggies. But the end result is a chocolatey fudgey deliciously moist cake with no identifiable fruits or veggies.. It's a FREAK OF NATURE! The only problem is there is AP flour in it! He has made it gluten free, and is promising me the recipe soon. But I MUST have some chocolate NOW! So I experimented with some recipes and put together one of my own. It is super rich, chocolatey, and moist! Try it out!

Preheat your oven to 325. Grease or spray a 9x13 baking pan & set aside.

8 oz dark bakers chocolate (organic is best, but any semi-sweet bakers choc will work)

2 Tbsp coconut oil

3 large or 4 medium ripe avocados

6 medium eggs

1 cup honey (I may try maple syrup next time)

2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder

2 Tbsp (for fudgier brownies) or 4 Tbsp (for cakey brownies) almond or coconut flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In the bottom of a double boiler boil 3 cups of water. In the top of the double boiler melt the coconut oil. Then add the bakers chocolate. While it's melting, begin the next step. 

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Place the avocado meat in a blender with 6 eggs. Blend until smooth. Add the honey and vanilla extract and blend again.

In a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and mix on medium until combined. Pour in wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into the greased pan and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let it sit for 15 minutes before cutting. So tasty! Serve it with some Paleo ice cream, which I will be posting soon!

Simple Poultry Stock

The basis of all good soup is a good stock. I get practically giddy when I purchase a whole chicken or turkey because when the carcass has been picked clean, the broth begins!

There are many reasons to make your own broth. The foremost for me is that I get to control what goes into it! Cans and boxes of chicken broth are LOADED with sodium, not to mention preservatives and additives (in some cases). Homemade broth, specifically from bones and organs, is LOADED with power packed nutrients, and you only eat/drink what YOU put into it. I'm all for that!

 

A tip for the pre-broth preparation: don't toss those veggie trimmings! Celery, carrot & onion ends as well as bell pepper stems and innards, and other veggie "cast-offs" can be used to make an outstanding broth. Just save them in a bag or container in your fridge until it is broth making time.

Another tip...save the organs/innards! If (like me) you don't like to EAT organs (ie: liver, heat, etc.) and you are afraid you will taste the organs, I can assure you, YOU WON'T. They make your broth especially rich and tasty.

Finally, once you have an empty/semi empty carcass or meatbones, don't toss the juices or scrape the pan. Just put it all into the stockpot! You will be straining the broth, so chunks are ok. 

So here is my recipe for a tasty poultry broth. You will need a large stockpot with a lid, a fine sieve or colander with cheesecloth, and a stove that you can safely leave on for 4-24 hrs.

Poultry Bone Broth

1 poultry carcass (chicken or turkey)

Ends and pieces of your choice of veggies (I recommend celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper)***

Your choice of herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage are all tasty for this broth)

3 whole crushed garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

To be added during last 60 mins

1/2 - 1 Tbsp sea salt to taste (optional)

Place the carcass in a large stockpot. Mine has a colander insert, which I love for making broth. Add veggies, herbs, garlic, bay leaves and vinegar. Fill the pot with water up to cover the bones. You may have to break the carcass apart to fit it in for larger birds or turkeys. You can also add any organs at this time. 

Bring the water to a boil over ALMOST high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover and let simmer for 30 mins, stirring occasionally. 

Your cook time can and will vary, depending on how much time you have. The minimum cook time for chicken stock is 4 hrs. I have oftentimes left my broth on low for up to 24 hours. Be sure to add water as it simmers, making sure the bones are always covered. Add sea salt during the last 60 mins of cooking, if desired.

Remove the broth from heat. Using a fine sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth, carefully strain the broth. Immediately separate the broth into smaller containers - I recommend 4 cups per container - and refrigerate (good for one week) or freeze (good for 6 months). If freezing, be sure to leave about an inch below the lid space as it will expand as it freezes.

***add these during the last 60 minutes if you are planning on a cook time longer than 4 hrs.

Some people like to remove fat from the top of the broth before freezing it. I don't. But YOU can if you'd like. This broth is great as a base for soups, or as a simple savory beverage. It contains tons of nutrients and is perfect for a detox regimen, a Paleo or whole food eating plan, or a sick tummy. 

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***add these during the last 60 minutes if you are planning on a cook time longer than 4 hrs.

Gluten Free Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

After eating brownies in celebration of my husbands birthday, then spaghetti last night, I suffered a gluten-assault breakdown! I got home from church today and took a 4 hr nap, after which I promptly brewed some detox tea and put this soup together.

This soup starts with homemade chicken stock. If you don't have any, using boxed or canned broth will suffice, but try to use free range and/or low sodium broth. I always try to have a big batch of poultry stock in my freezer in 4 cup portions. If you haven't made it before, MAKE IT! You won't regret it. There is just no equal when it comes to making great soups and sauces. I will post a recipe for that soon.

This makes A LOT of soup! Which is great when you have a big family like mine! You can cut the recipe in half if necessary. Or you can separate the leftovers into single serving containers for lunch the next day! Enjoy!


4 cups prepared chicken stock, pref. homemade
1 whole yellow onion, sliced thinly in 1 inch pieces
5 celery ribs, sliced thinly
2 carrots, sliced into 2 inch long juliennes
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thinly in 1 inch pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thinly in 1 inch pieces
1/2 Tbsp fresh or jarred grated ginger
1 cup fresh green beans, angle sliced in 1 inch pieces
1 cup snap peas, angle sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
3 thin cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can light coconut milk
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp red or green curry powder
1/2 cup natural chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or aminos
1/2 16 oz. pkg Thai Rice Noodles
Juice from 1/2 a lime
Sea salt to tast
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
(Optional) thin chopped jalapeño for garnish
(Optional) 6 fresh basil leaves


Chop all veggies ahead of time and place in separate bowls to be used later. Place chicken stock in a stock pot over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and carrot. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Next add the peppers, ginger, green beans and peas. Let simmer another 5 mins. Place the chicken in the pot, add the coconut milk, oil, curry, peanut butter and soy sauce, cover the pot and let simmer for 8-10 mins, or until chicken is completely cooked. Remove chicken and chop coarsely. Stir the soup to make sure the peanut butter has been completely incorporated. Add the chicken and the rice noodles and simmer for 5 more minutes, covered. Add hot water as needed if the broth gets too thick. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

You can use any vegetables you would like, keeping in mind that most veggies cook quickly, so add most closer to the end of cook time. I have used bok choy, sliced thinly, bean sprouts (add at the end), zucchini (julienned) and Napa cabbage. This is a great recipe to experiment with veggies.

Welcome to the Tiny Plate!

After posting many photos of my "Poor Man Paleo" meals on Instagram (singingsteph1972) and Facebook, I ended up generating so much interest and gained so many followers that I thought it would be the perfect time to start a blog with my recipes for everyone to enjoy.

I use the #tinyplatechronicles hashtag because I have lost 50 lbs over the past 6 months using a frequent meals/smaller portions method. The #poormanpaleo hashtag is to indicate that I have also been following a quasi-Paleo plan as well. But because our family has a limited income, I cannot afford to purchase the high end items required on a strict Paleo plan. So I make my food as healthy as I can with everyday store bought items. I try to incorporate as many Paleo guideline foods as I can, when I can.

I want people to know that the idea of being too poor, busy or tired to eat healthy is just a myth. We can make a CHOICE to eat healthy at almost any income level. Join me on my journey, and enjoy the delicious foods I enjoy as I lose weight and eat great!