Tag Archives: AIP

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

| 6 Comments | AIP, Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, Meals, Recipes

Thai Butternut Squash Soup | Amanda NaturallySoup is probably my husband’s favourite thing to eat, ever. If I made soup (or stew for that matter) every day for the rest of our lives, he would be thrilled. Talk about simple pleasures eh? Luckily I love soup too – for many reasons! I get chilled easily, and when I get chilled, there’s no recovering without a hot cup of something. Soup absolutely fits that bill! More importantly, soup is an incredibly easy way to get a TON of nutrients into your body at once. Have you ever noticed that if you were to take a huge salad and cook it down for a few minutes, the volume dramatically reduces? Well soup takes it even further – you can jam gazillions of nutrients into each bite by throwing in all sorts of veggies, seasoning it with fresh herbs and using homemade broth. Why homemade broth you ask? Well it is a magic elixir that cures everything. Stay tuned for a post on exactly what allows me to make that claim, (UPDATE: check out my post on Bone Broth here) and in the meantime, go ahead and check out this one instead! To sum it up in a few words:

Bone broth heals joints, repairs the digestive tract, protects our cardiovascular system, encourages healthy skin and nails, and is a concentrated source of minerals required for every system in the body.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup | Amanda Naturally

Since the last few weeks have been incredibly stressful for us (good stressful! We launched Beatty Naturopathic!), I have been doing everything possible to get as many nutrients in us as we can. And since stress causes leaky gut, I’ve been eating soup daily to keep my gut locked up tight to protect my body! So far it seems to be working – neither of us have gotten sick!

I have a variety of soups that I make, but I always come back to this simple favourite: Thai Butternut Squash Soup. Rich and creamy, this nourishing soup makes a fabulous snack or meal. I often eat it for breakfast! As always, I’m using my favourite brand of Thai ingredients:

Aroy D

Their curry pastes are one of a kind. Perfectly clean ingredients – no additives, stabilizers or unnecessary junk. I’ve gone on and on about their coconut milk before, but I’ll say it again: there’s no other brand that compares! With only 2 ingredients (coconut milk and water) it has the best flavour and zero gut irritants! 

Bonus: this recipe can be made vegan if you use a veggie broth instead of the (magical elixir) bone broth! 

Thai Butternut Squash Soup | Amanda Naturally

Thai Butternut Squash Soup
A rich, creamy and incredibly nourishing soup. Gluten, grain and dairy-free, with a vegan and nightshade-free option!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup onion, chopped (approx 1 large or 2-3 small)
  2. 12 cups butternut squash in cubes (1 large or 2 small)
  3. 2 tbsp cooking fat (lard, coconut oil, duck fat)
  4. 4 cups of broth
  5. 2-3 tbsp Aroy D red curry paste (as per desired spiciness)
  6. **see notes for nightshade free option**
  7. sea salt
  8. black pepper
  9. filtered water
  10. 4 cups Aroy D coconut milk
  11. fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, sautee onions in cooking fat until translucent - approx. 5 mins
  2. Add squash cubes, broth, salt, pepper and curry paste. Stir to combine.
  3. Top up with filtered water until the squash is just covered in liquid.
  4. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
  5. Puree using an immersion blender. Or carefully transfer portions to your blender.
  6. Stir in coconut milk and heat through.
  7. Serve topped with fresh cilantro.
Notes
  1. You can use any curry paste in this recipe - green and golden both work great!
  2. Nightshade free? Omit curry paste, add in 1 stalk of lemongrass while simmering. Remove before pureeing.
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/
Thai Butternut Squash Soup | Amanda Naturally

So tell me, are you a soup in a bowl or a soup in a mug kinda person?

Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts and Carrots

| 2 Comments | AIP, Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, Recipes

Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts & Carrots - Amanda NaturallyBrussels Sprouts. The poor vegetable that has been demonized by our society! I hadn’t even tried Brussels sprouts, but I knew I didn’t like them because….wait, I didn’t actually know why.

So when a few years ago I received them in my vegetable CSA I was actually pretty stoked to give them a try. There were so many foods that I either used to not like, or had simply pre-judged, that I now love, that I was pretty sure I was in for a treat.

And boy was I right! 

Roasted brussels sprouts are so delicious! They caramelize against the pan, which leads to an incredible smokey flavour, with a hint of sweetness. In this recipe, I’ve taken both of those flavours up a notch. I used maple syrup and roasted carrots to compliment the sweet side, and smokey bacon as a delicious contrast!

Bonus: Brussels sprouts are part of the brassica family. These vegetables – which include broccoli, kale, cauliflower, collards, cabbage, arugula, mustard greens and bok choy – are anti-carcinogenic by way of a powerful little molecule known as indole-3-carbinol  (I3C). I3C modulates estrogen uptake by cancerous cells that rely on estrogen for growth and proliferation – namely breast, endometrial and cervical cancers.  They also contain very high levels of sulfur (which is why if you overcook them, they get stinky!) which is a crucial building block of glutathione – one of our critical detoxification molecules. 

Note on Brassica Veggies & the Thyroid

Many people with low thyroid function, hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have been warned against eating brassica vegetables. While it is important to remember that I’m not a doctor, it is equally as important to understand that the research simply isn’t there to support this. Moderate consumption of brassica veggies, even with subpar thyroid function, especially if they have been cooked, are not only safe, but may be beneficial to thyroid health. Now, if you’re downing a green juice made of raw kale, on a daily basis, you could potentially get yourself into trouble – especially if you have a selenium deficiency. As with any and all foods, overdoing it on one, will inevitably cause problems. Everything in moderation my friends!

Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts & Carrots - Amanda Naturally

Enough science, back to the yummy stuff. Today’s recipe, which is perfect for a regular fall/winter dinner, and is especially timely for our neighbours to the south since Thanksgiving is next week, is Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts and Carrots. First time cooking brussels sprouts? Rest assured this is easy! Simply combine all ingredients together in a roasting pan, on a cookie sheet or even in a cake pan and bake until crispy. Drizzle the maple syrup for the final 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts & Carrots - Amanda Naturally

 

Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts & Carrots
A delicious side dish for a fall meal, including Thanksgiving! Gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo. Full of flavour!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. 4 cups Brussels sprouts (whole)
  2. 4 cups carrots
  3. 2 tbsp cooking fat (lard, tallow, butter, olive oil)
  4. 4 pieces of bacon
  5. sea salt
  6. black pepper
  7. 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Prepare Brussels sprouts by slicing ¼ inch off the bottom and peeling off the outer few layers. The leaves should be bright green and tightly packed. Slice in half from top to bottom. Place in pan.
  3. Wash carrots and chop into pieces about the size of the brussels sprouts. Add to pan.
  4. Drizzle with 2 tbsp cooking fat and season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
  5. Chop bacon into small pieces and spread on top of the brussels sprouts and carrots.
  6. Bake for 35 minutes. Stirring 2 or 3 times.
  7. Drizzle with maple syrup and bake for 10 more minutes.
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash)

| 0 Comments | AIP, Beatty Protocols, Meals, Recipes

Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - Amanda NaturallyWhen I first started cooking, I would follow a recipe exactly as it was written. As I got more comfortable in the kitchen, I started loosening up a bit. One tablespoon of oil? Approximately a quick circle around the pan. One tsp of cumin? I’d eyeball it in the palm of my hand. The more I practised, the better I got. I started to inherently know when an additional spice should be added, or what ingredients were okay to omit if I didn’t have them. Before I knew it, I stopped following recipes altogether! I learned some basic flavour combinations such as chill powder, cumin and oregano; lemon, garlic and rosemary; dijon and thyme – and started applying them to various  cuts of meat and veggie dishes. Now I rarely follow a recipe, which can actually make it challenging when I’m trying to post my recipes for you guys!

This recipe is a perfect example of that. I had a few ingredients in my kitchen, but no plan. I started with sausage and wanted to do something different with it. I mean, I love grilled sausages topped with sautéed onions and mounds of sauerkraut, but a girl’s gotta have some variety! I was trying to think about other ways that sausage is used and I instantly flashed back to the Sausage and Pepper Penne we served at the East Side Mario’s I worked at back in school. I decided on a pasta!

 Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - Amanda Naturally

As I do with all my squash, I turned the oven on to 400F and threw the squash in whole as it was preheating, for 25 minutes. It has never exploded on me and it makes cutting it open WAY easier! After 25 minutes, cut in half width wise, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down in a pan. Roast for another 15-25 minutes until the skin gives slightly under pressure. Scrape noodles out with a fork!

Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - Amanda Naturally  Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - Amanda Naturally

Cook the bacon, set it aside and sautée the veggies and sausage in the bacon grease.

Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - Amanda Naturally

Toss sautéed veggies and sausage with spaghetti squash. Top with the bacon and fresh basil. Voila – Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash)! 

Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - Amanda Naturally Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - Amanda Naturally

Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash)
Serves 6
Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - an easy, low-carb pasta, jam-packed with healthy fats, protein and flavour!
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Save Recipe
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large spaghetti squash
  2. 4 pieces of pieces of bacon
  3. 4 sausages, sliced into bite sized pieces
  4. 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
  5. ½ red onion, sliced thinly
  6. fresh basil
  7. salt salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Cook spaghetti squash - set the oven to 400F and throw the squash in whole. After 25 minutes pull the squash, slice it across the circumference, width wise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for another 15-25 minutes, until soft to the touch. Set aside until you're ready to assemble the pasta.
  2. Cook the bacon until crispy. Chop into small pieces and set aside.
  3. Pour half of the bacon grease into another pan. Add onion and mushrooms. Season with sea salt and pepper. Sautee.
  4. Meanwhile, in the original pan, brown the sausage slices. Approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
  5. When the sausages are done, add the onion and mushrooms to the sausage pan. Using a fork, scrape the spaghetti squash into noodles into the pan. Season liberally with sea salt and pepper. Toss everything to combine well and distribute the yummy bacon grease.
  6. Serve in pasta bowls topped with bacon and fresh basil.
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/
Sausage & Mushroom Spaghetti (Squash) - Amanda Naturally

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