Mexican Pumpkin and Turkey Sausage and Shredded Chicken Stew [Low Carb][Paleo]

Cindalou's is hitting the road (hoping it isn't still iced over on our killer mountain driveway!) with a spicy low carb stew to warm even the coldest of frozen toes and fingers. It's Mexican theme at girls' night this weekend and I wanted to bring something with a little variety. For a small handful of ladies, there are enough Mexican dishes already there to feed a small Army... or a large one. All the classic Mex entrees and sides are already taken- beans, guacamole, taco salad, chalupas, quesadillas, flan, dips, and chips galore! I thought something a little different would be nice. Well, that and the fact that the hubby just bought a case of organic canned plain pumpkin from an Amazon deal last month! That's a whole lotta pumpkin for two. My stew is a variation on a common Tex-Mex pumpkin chowder, but I omit the high glycemic corn and use low carb substitutes with much more nutrition.

As you recall, pumpkin is a great low carb winter "superfood," packed with Vitamin A, C, E, magnesium, iron, and a host of other minerals. One common mistake: be sure to use the plain pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie mix!

Cilantro is a fantastic herb for detoxing the body of heavy metals. It is also a great source of B vitamins, zinc, and selenium as well as a host of other vitamins and minerals. In general, dried herbs are nutritionally dense foods, though potency of certain nutrients can be lost in the drying process.

Tomatoes and salsa provide more Vitamins A and C (better than oranges, plus less sugar), and the organic coconut milk and virgin oil provide brain nourishing and metabolism boosting medium chain good fats (the MCTs). Don't fear the coconut fat, it is burned as fuel for and repairing the body, not stored like longer chain polyunsaturated fats (bad fats like soybean, corn, and peanut oils to name a few). Vitamins A, C, E and the B assortment help strengthen your immunity in these blistery wintery days. Don't reach for a pill or softgel for health either- your body knows how to assimilate and nurture itself with vitamins and minerals from real food. Those supplements have their place but shouldn't replace basic real food... hey, you can always start with a big dollop of my warm spiced up stew! :)

Note: The turkey sausage is optional for vegetarians or vegans. For a non-Paleo ("Caveman") version add black beans. I just had a pack of gluten free Andoullie turkey sausages on hand and I wanted to combine the ideas of a typical Mexican pumpkin soup with a Brunswick stew. (Brunswick stew is out for us kosher southerners who don't do pork).

2 15 oz cans organic pumpkin (not pie mix)
1 15 oz can organic coconut milk
3/4 c water (or low sodium free range organic chicken broth- adjust for your consistency preference)
1 15 oz can Rotel tomatoes, Mexican Style Lime and Cilantro OR 1 15 oz can organic fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies (undrained)
1 7 oz can green chilies, drained
1/2 c. hot salsa (Kroger brand is gluten free according to the last list

1 T. organic virgin coconut oil
1 package Andoullie turkey sausage (I used Garrett Farms brand gluten and antibiotic free sausages)
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded before serving (see below)
lime juice, to taste (I usede about 1/4 c)
stevia glycerite,~ 1 T.
1 tsp organic unsulfured blackstrap molasses (great vegan source of iron and B vitamins), optional

spices:

cilantro, ~ 2 tsp
sea salt and pepper, dash each
cumin, ~ 2 tsp
cumin seed, pinch of whole seed braised with pestle and mortar
oregano, ~ 2 tsp
thyme, ~ 1 tsp
Badia curry powder (it is gluten free, I asked the company and posted the reply on Celiac Forums at the end of the thread), ~ 1 T.

garlic powder and onion powder, ~ 1 tsp each
turmeric, ~ 1 tsp
parsley, ~ 1 tsp
paprika and cayenne pepper, ~ 1 tsp each
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (for color)

optional: 1 Reynold's slow cooker liner (makes for easy clean up)*

Preparation:

Line your slow cooker with the liner if you choose to use it.* Add the coconut oil and turn to high to melt the oil and swash it around the bottom (you can also spray the cooker or liner). Add the chicken breasts to the bottom. Add the pumpkin, undrained Rotel or fire roasted tomatoes, and coconut milk. You may wish to thin the stew with either water or organic free range chicken broth. Stir to mix well, though leave the chicken on the bottom. Cook on high for 3 hours. Check the chicken breasts with a fork and shred them a bit into large shreds if you can (to preserve the texture). My breasts were still a bit raw so I did most of my shredding at the end.

Since the sausages are already precooked and I didn't want them to get mushy, I decided to wait to add them until after the chicken had cooked a bit. The sausages can be sliced into bite sized pieces now and added to the stew. Or if you prefer, the whole sausages can be fished out at the end and sliced, though that method is a bit messy. Add the rest of the ingredients: broth or water, the drained green chilies, spices, lime juice, and salsa. Stir well. Cook on low for another 3-4 hours or until chicken is fork tender and shreds easily. Adjust the lime juice and cayenne to suit your taste. You can always cook it all on high for a shorter time as long as the chicken is well cooked. Since I have the time I wanted to let the spices and flavors simmer on low for the last few hours and "marinate" rather than just throw it all in on high for shorter.

Alternative Method (The Quickie): Throw it all in and cook on low for 6 hours or until chicken is fork tender and shreds easily.

Shred the chicken (and slice sausages if not done previously) before serving. This goes great with some guacamole or avocado and a dollop of (nondairy) sour cream (I would use my homemade coconut milk or cultured (fermented) soymilk 'yogurt'). Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and dig in!

While this stew has a nice spice to it, feel free to experiment with spice amounts. I prefer things fiery myself :) Don't forget cayenne pepper and those healthy coconut MCTs help reduce inflammation and rev up that sluggish winter metabolism, while pumpkin and tomatoes give a low carb and low glycemic vitamin and mineral punch. Keeping up your immunity naturally and holistically with healing, warming foods and proper exercise helps balance the body. Now go run in place as hard as you can for 1 minute- burst train and stretch those lungs and achy legs! Whew, now I'm all warm and toasty!

Other add ins that would be nice are 1 c. chopped white onion and diced tri bell peppers like a frozen mix of veggies and chunks of celery and torn bits of kale. I didn't have any on hand at the time though, what a shame to miss kale!!

Note: This was not spicy enough for my taste, but a T. or so more cayenne would help.

*Note on the slow cooker liner: It does not give material but I can tell it is some form of plastic which has been apparently "approved" as food grade. I am skeptical about the liner (as well as the ceramic Crockpot) leaching into the food (acids and fats tend to degrade plastics and break them down into possibly toxic by-products like dioxins and PCBs). However since I am traveling with this whole shebang, I wanted a quick and cleaner way to transport this stew. Yes, even Cindalou up on her health soapbox chose convenience :)

Tri-pepper Chicken Veggie Chowder

It's getting a little more chilly and rainy here as fall finally dons her hat, so I thought I'd share my excuse for a soup that is really chunky chili stew for the occasion. We made this soup awhile ago actually, but I'm behind on blogging here at Cindalou's due to much excitement and distraction in the "real" world. The bank bailouts and election coverage in the media are more intriguing than pepper stew, but they certainly lack the Vitamins A and C and healing capsaicin that the peppers pack. Capsicum is a collection of compounds found in chili peppers with amazing pain-reducing abilities when taking both internally and externally (with caution). There has been recent hype concerning the age-old capsicum and cayenne, also a source of the compounds, for use in arthritis creams and other topical aches and pains. Other benefits of capsicum include better digestion, ulcer treatment, a slight metabolism boost for weight loss, and some gentle pain relief. Personally, I'd rather eat a spicy stew than take a pill or use an external cream, though Jon swears the stew is what causes his pain ("mouth fire") :)

Late summer brings us the last of the pepper harvest around here, so drag out your slowcooker and stuff it full of some hot peppers and seasonal fall produce, or sit back to watch the fireworks on CNN. Hey, as bad as your lips and tongue sting at the spice (which is actually releasing aspirin-like compounds called salycilates and endorphins inside your body during digestion to relieve the pain), that spice is not as bad as the rhetoric on the economy. (Oh, and the white pepper innards hold the spice, not the seeds, so watch out!) Don't blame me for loving spice: I'm related to the Scovilles, though not the namesake of the Scoville pepper rating scale.

photo courtesy of squidoo hot sauce blog

3 large organic carrots
4 jalapeños, whole
1 habanero, whole (optional)
1 fresh, large, green banana pepper
1 red cherry pepper
1/2 green wax pepper
6 cloves fresh garlic
4 large whole thawed boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
2 ears fresh corn, sliced off ear OR 2/3 lb. frozen corn kernels
2-3 sundried tomatoes
1/2 can large black olives, drained
1 28 oz can organic crushed tomatoes
1 large onion
2 c. low sodium gluten free chicken broth (We use Imagine*)
~12 c. water (enough to cover the chicken breasts in your slow cooker, we have a large Crockpot)
~1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
1 7 oz. can fire roasted diced green chilies

Seasonings:
rosemary
garlic powder
sea salt and pepper
dash cayenne pepper (optional but highly recommended for optimal health whallop)
dash crushed red pepper flakes
parsley

Optional add ins (if you have on hand):
1/2 bag (5 oz) of fresh, washed organic baby spinach or other dark greens
2 stalks organic celery, washed

First, wash and pat dry all of the peppers, celery, and greens. I minced about half the garlic and reserved the rest of the whole cloves for the soup. Slice the peppers (wear a glove if you're sensitive to the oil) to your liking and set aside. I finely chopped my jalapeños, but roughly sliced the longer wax and banana peppers and quartered the cherry peppers. The habanero I leave whole in the soup for the "winner" (around here, that's me since Jon's terrified of it). If you do choose to chop up the habanero, be aware that your soup spice level will go through the roof as the oils disperse in the broth. Don't fret about all the different varieties of peppers, substitute ones you like. Note that sweet bell peppers will not have the capasicin-loaded benefits, but they are still excellent sources of Vitamin C (especially eaten raw).

Drizzle the olive oil into the slowercooker and place the washed chicken breasts in the bottom of the slowcooker. I chose to slice the corn off the cob and add the kernels directly to the Crockpot. Chop the carrots and celery and add to the pot as well. If you're adding any heavy greens like mustards or kale, chop and add them now as well. Either add whole sundried tomatoes, or chop them with kitchen shears and add to the pot. Add in all of your seasonings, broth, and water.

If you're using a Crockpot, make sure your's is large enough for all of the liquid. Cook the soup on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 5-7 hours - whichever timing fits your schedule best. Serve hot with a garnish of avocado wedges and a squeeze of lime. If you have fresh basil available, some chopped basil would be wonderful sprinkled on top right before serving.

* Imagine broths and soups are kosher, gluten and dairy free (depending on type). They are also non-GMO (not genetically modified). I buy the low sodium versions of the vegetable and free-range chicken broths.

A Brief (Incomplete) Synopsis of capsicum benefits:

• pain-reliever for aliments such as arthritis and shingles
• metabolism booster for weight loss
  
• aids indigestion and helps heal the inner mucosal membranes in digestive track
• kills bacteria in the stomach which can cause ulcers
  
• helps lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides
• can help kill cancer: studies show it can induce apoptosis (death) of cancer cells in the prostate, lungs, gastrointestinal track, and leukemic cancers among others
  

A neat summary of peppers on the How
Stuff Works website

Spiced Apple and Olive Sirloin Roast

1 25 oz. can organic black beans with juice
1 14 oz. can organic mixed beans, drained
1 14 oz. can organic whole pitted olives, drained
2 medium organic apples
1 medium onion
sea salt and pepper
~ 1.74 lb grass fed beef sirloin tip roast
extra virgin olive oil
cayenne pepper

Open and wash off your roast. I used a 1.75 lb sirloin tip roast from one of our local grass fed farming outfits, the Hogan Magnolia View Farm. I washed off the meat but left on the netting so there would be more room in the Crockpot for the olives and beans.

Lean grass-fed roasts can easily dry out if you cook them on top of the veggies or other food in the slow cooker, so be sure to put the meat on the bottom. Add the roast to the slow cooker and spoon over the black beans with juice. Season the meat and beans with the sea salt and pepper.

Cut apples into thin slices (keep the skin on) and discard the seeds and stem. Roughly chop the onion and set aside. Drain the olives and the mixed beans. Toss the chopped onion, apple slices, olives, and the mixed beans into the slow cooker on top of the meat and black beans. You could layer the ingredients if you wished to do so, but I just mixed it all together. Drizzle the olive oil over everything and sprinkle over some cayenne pepper.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours. I cooked ours for about 8 hours and stopped the cooker when I arrived home from work. Serve hot on top of some fresh red cabbage and sauteed torn kale and collard leaves for a nice vitamin rich low carb "base." This is another easy "quick" prep and clean up recipe exploiting the variety of grass fed roasts we have (had, no more!) in the freezer.

Serves: 2-4

Cranberry and Red Wine Pot Roast [Low Carb] [Paleo]

The cooler weather and meat sales must have prompted all of us meat-hungry heathen gluten free bloggers to think the same thing: beef roasts. Our virtual gf goddess Karina just made a fantastic looking beef stew and it seems that there is no shortage of other gluten free (and often dairy free, as this recipe is) roast and stew recipes. Hey, even the veggie-inclined gf bloggers are in full seasonal swing with a plethora of scrumptious cranberry recipes. Check out Melissa's Cranberry Sauce and the Cranberry Apple Turnover at Book of Yum.

1 ~3 lb. grass fed beef roast cut of choice
~2 c. fresh or frozen raw cranberries
2 organic carrots
1 large onion
2 jalapeños with seeds
~1/4 head fresh red cabbage
1 28 oz. can organic no salt added whole peeled tomatoes
2 c. torn fresh kale leaves
1 c. fresh collards
~1 c. dry red wine

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
rosemary
oregano
Italian seasoning
garlic powder
crushed red pepper
dash nutmeg

Optional Garnish and Toppings:
organic no sulfur raisins
dash hot sauce

First slice the jalapeño and roughly chop the onion and set aside. I used the Saladmaster to slice the carrots and grind up the red cabbage. Wash and pat dry the collards and kale, then either hand tear or roughly chop them.

Coat the inside of your Crockpot or electric skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Unwrap and wash the beef roast with cold water, drain, and place in the Crockpot or skillet. Season the meat. Add the chopped veggies, the cranberries, red wine, and tomatoes with juice.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve with a few fresh cranberries, some raisins for topping, and extra fresh kale if desired. If you're not on low carb, then indulge in a heaping spoonful of nice hot organic brown rice with a little olive oil and sea salt or some baked red potatoes. Delicious!

I love a glass of red wine with this type of meal, but for those of you with anemia or vitamin B deficiencies (like myself), beware: Red wine, tea and coffee all contain tannins which interfere with the uptake and utilization of iron, thiamin and B12 in the body.

If you have trouble with onions, tomatoes, or spicy peppers, feel free to omit them and add lots of extra cranberries and/or some organic apple pieces for a fruitier roast.

Optional Gravy:
Dissolve about 2 T. of corn starch or arrowroot in cold water. Remove all of the meat and veggies from the Crockpot or skillet and stir in the cornstarch or arrowroot mixture. Mix the starch and juice from the roast well and thicken the juice into gravy by bringing the sauce to a brief ~2 minute boil, stirring constantly. Remove the gravy from the heat and serve immediately.

Fruit and Rice "Pudding" Porridge [Vegan]

Okay Michelle (M), this is the whole-rice-in-the-porridge post I was talking about. Sorry it has taken me so long to put up. I actually made this for Jon last weekend before I left, but I've been slacking and haven't made time to finish up my old recipes ~sheepish grin~ Here's to enjoying what Jon has already devoured! This makes a great, hearty porridge or even a rice pudding dessert. Go crazy and add in any dried or fresh fruit and nuts (if you can eat them) that you prefer.

~7 c. water
1 c. ground flax
1/2 c. organic short grain brown rice*
1/2 c. organic long grain brown rice*
1 10 oz. can crushed unsweetened pineapple with juice
2 T. organic small red dates, pitted
3-4 T. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. shredded organic no-sulfur coconut
1/4 c. fresh cooked or canned pumpkin
1/4 c. cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 c. raisins
2 T. natural brown sugar (optional)
1/2 c. walnuts (optional, omit for nut free)
1 t. sea salt

Seasonings:
2 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
4-5 whole cloves

*Brown rice has a glycemic index around 57 where white rice is 88, much too high for even people without insulin problems. The lower g.i. and glycemic load of brown rice makes it a preferred diabetic and general rice option. White rice, parboiled, instant, and sweet rice should all be avoided when possible. This also goes for the lovely gluten free rice flours and premade gf mixes out there - you should really limit your exposure to the white, sweet, and refined rice products. Try brown rice or buckwheat flour instead; add a little extra aluminum-free baking powder to help your baked goods rise since these flours are a slightly more dense than their white and refined counterparts.

This recipe is similar to our Rice and Flax "Oatmeal" Porridge. For this recipe, only grind the flax. We use a dry blade Vitamix container which takes about 15 seconds to pulverize flax seed. Adjust the grind to suit your tastes. Place the resulting meal in a crockpot or pot of choice and add raisins (cranberries, currants), nuts, seeds*, and milk. Stir and add spices to taste. I use a LOT of cinnamon (also helps with glycemic index and insulin levels), nutmeg, and cloves. Add water or more milk until mixture is very watery, keeping in mind that the flax will absorb much of the water before the rice even gets a chance to cook. I use ~5 cups of water initially and stir in another 2 as the porridge cooks. Cook on low anywhere from 3-8 hours. I have found that I could not overcook the porridge as long as I added water when needed).

*seeds such as sunflower seeds provide good omega 6 fats to balance the omega 3 fats from the flax.

Serve hot or cold (best hot), topped with fresh banana, blueberries or other seasonal, local fruit. Jon likes some natural brown sugar in it as well, though agave nectar or honey work also.

**Be sure that your brown sugar is REAL and not just white sugar with molasses added. We use organic brown sugar since it is "real," but the Whole Foods brand natural (not organic) brown sugar is also "real"**

Yield: way to many bowls! In fact, we actually made too much - our small crockpot overflowed a bit. If you are worried about the size of your crockpot, keep it on the safe side by adding and stirring the ingredients slowly. Since the flax absorbs the water, you will initially want to stir and add water every ~20 minutes (so make sure you have enough room for water :). This stuff lasts forever. It's a great family breakfast that is easy, healthy, GF and DF, and budget friendly! Reheat leftovers for quick breakfasts (or great dessert base) in the microwave. I made this since gluten free oats and other commercial gluten free cereals (millet, white rice, tapioca, etc) are pricey or choc-full-o' sugar or high glycemic grains only. I want to control the glycemic index of what we eat; many gluten free items are sky high in glycemic impact and actually WORSE for you than white bread (see The International Table of GI and GL Values for a downloadable Excel file with glycemic indicies (GI) and loads (GL) ). Millet is a good example of an extreme g.i. and g.l. gluten free food. It is gf and healthy, except that it has a very high g.i. and would need to be cooked or served with a large amount of healthy fat and protein to lower the g.i.

Sweet Potato Lentil and Wild Rice Cholent [Vegan]

We had Jon's family over this weekend for a fantastic and energizing visit, so this is a retroactive post from our Friday night dinner :)

6 oz. organic dry lentils
3 organic carrots
4.5 cups water
1 large sweet potato, cooked and chopped into small chunks
1 small yellow onion, chopped
sea salt and pepper
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. organic long grain "black" (Minnesota) wild rice
1/4 c. shredded organic coconut
10 whole cloves
2 T. earth balance vegan butter
1/4 c. natural brown sugar (optional)
2 T. cinnamon
1 T. garlic powder

Coat the inside of your Crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Combine lentils, rice, and water in the slow cooker first. Chop up the cooked sweet potato and onion and add to the mixture. Add all of the seasonings, the Earth Balance, and coconut and stir well until everything is mixed. Cover and cook on low for at least 6-8 hours until the rice is tender. Serve hot with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Stuffed Cabbage in a Crock Pot

Low Carb Crock Pot Layered Turkey and Cabbage (the low carb and low fat version of stuffed cabbage)

This is my version of Laura Dolson's low carb stuffed cabbage recipe. She has a great low carb site on About.com, check it out but be warned it is not allergy friendly per say.


1 whole green cabbage, washed and patted dry
1 lb. lean ground turkey, bison, or grass-fed beef
4 natural (no sulfur) sun-dried, chopped
5+ cloves fresh garlic
1/2" chunk fresh ginger root, minced
1/2" chunk fresh horseradish root, minced
1 carrot, chopped or grated
1 T. San-J low sodium wheat-free tamari
1 T. Bragg's liquid aminos
1/4 c.-1/2 c. low sodium organic free range chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 28 oz. can organic crushed tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes)

Seasonings:
1 T. oregano
1 T. Italian seasoning
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. onion powder
2 T. crushed red pepper flakes
1 T. turmeric

Tear off outer leaves of washed and dried cabbage and set aside. Spray inside of slow cooker with olive oil spray (or use coconut oil). Thinly slice the rest of the cabbage into 1/8" to 1/4" slices and set aside. Mince garlic, carrots, horseradish and ginger and add to meat in separate bowl. Finely chop 4 sun dried tomatoes (natural, no sulfur) and add to mixture. Add seasonings to the mixture and mix. Add Bragg's liquid aminos and GF low sodium tamari to mixture and mix. Layer meat on top of cabbage in crock pot. Pour chicken broth and tomatoes with juice on top of the meat. Place remaining cabbage leaves on top of tomato and meat mixture. Cook at low heat for 6-8 hours and serve as is (for low carbers) or with a side of rice pasta, brown rice, and/or seasonal veggies.

Serves: 6

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free.

Salmon Veggie Spaghetti

picture coming soon..

This is a great healthy and cheap meal that is quick either in the skillet or the Crockpot. I use canned salmon since it is wild caught, inexpensive, and provides many nutritional benefits over tuna or other "convenience" meats. Can salmon is a great source of natural Omega 3's and calcium since the skin and bones are included with the meat; don't throw out the skin or bones! Both mash together easily and add wonderful flavor (no one will know the difference in texture). You can add fresh or canned mushrooms, but for the veggies I recommend either fresh or frozen.

1-2 cans salmon
1 large can Organic whole peeled tomatoes (watch the sodium)
1 large can Organic diced tomatoes (watch the sodium)
1 can Organic tomato paste
1 can mushrooms or 8 oz fresh mushrooms
sundried tomatoes
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped or minced
Optional: broccoli, zucchini, kale, or yellow squash chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
chopped garlic (6 cloves), ginger (1.5"), and 1 jalapeno
1 dash dry red/white wine (optional)
1-2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Seasonings:
fresh or dried oregano
fresh or dried basil
parsley
1-2 sprigs rosemary

Combine all in Crockpot and cook on low for 3-5 hours until flavors have a chance to set. Serve with your choice of gluten free"spaghetti": spaghetti, rice penne, shirataki noodles (low carb option) or steamed grated green cabbage all work great. For you low carbers out there, shirataki noodles, cabbage, or lentil pasta (gluten free and high protein and fiber) are great alternatives. I shake some coarse sea salt on top along with some Rice Vegan (GF, soy free, lactose and casein free "Parmesan" topping).

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free.