Tag Archives: real food

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?

Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce!

| 2 Comments | Beatty Protocols, Meals, Recipes

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce - Amanda NaturallyAhhh spaghetti. The epitome of comfort food. Slurping up those noodles, dripping in tomato sauce and covered in parm! Actually as a kid I was slurping up noodles covered in Becel margarine covered in parm…and I wonder why my belly was always sore! However, once I made it over to the spaghetti and meat sauce team, I was hooked. Making my own spaghetti sauce was one of the first things I learned how to make. In university I would make a huge bowl of pasta (whole wheat, cause you know, “healthy”) and simmer onions, garlic and fresh tomatoes on the stovetop with basil, oregano and maybe a splash of red wine if there was some leftover from the night before. Not too shabby for a 20 year old biosci student who was stressed beyond belief! 

 

This recipe, is a variation on the one my mom has Mom's Spaghetti Sauce - Amanda Naturallymade for my entire life, so I call it Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce! I believe the original recipe was in Chatelaine. It is, in my humble opinion, a perfect tomato sauce. And when you mix it with grass-fed ground beef? A bolognese that will make any Italian grandmother cry tears of joy. Okay so maybe I’m being a little melodramatic, but that’s only because homemade tomato sauce is AMAZING. Even using (organic) canned tomatoes! Trust me. It’ll change your life!

 

IMPORTANT: If you are going to put the time in to make your own spaghetti sauce (which is absolutely worth it, I promise!) be smart about it! Make as much as you can and freeze it in portions for a later date! The best thing is being able to pull homemade spaghetti sauce out of the freezer and dump it into sautéed ground beef. Toss that over noodles of your choice (I personally love zoodles or sweet potato noodles, but anything will do!) and you have a fabulous, home-cooked meal in less than 10 minutes. 

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce - Amanda Naturally

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce
Serves 12
Traditional spaghetti sauce, that is easily turned into a bolognese! Paleo, vegan, kid-friendly and delicious.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Tomato Sauce Ingredients
  1. 2 tbsp fat (olive oil, tallow, lard)
  2. 2 onions, diced
  3. 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
  4. 2 cans organic tomatoes (I used Kirkland brand from Costco)
  5. 2 cans organic tomato paste (Kirkland)
  6. 1 tbsp oregano
  7. 1 tbsp basil
  8. 1 tbsp chili flakes (optional)
  9. 1 tsp sea salt
  10. 2 bay leaves
Bolognese
  1. 1 lb grass fed ground beef
Tomato Sauce Directions
  1. In a deep pot, heat 2 tbsp fat over medium heat.
  2. Add diced onions and sautee until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  4. Add in canned tomatoes, tomato paste and all spices.
  5. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
  6. Serve over your choice of noodles or turn into bolognese (see below).
Bolognese
  1. Sautee grass-fed ground beef, seasoned liberally with sea salt, until cooked through. About 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add ⅓ of the tomato sauce, about 3 cups, to the cooked beef. Cook for a few minutes.
  3. Serve over your favourite type of noodle!
Notes
  1. This tomato sauce recipes makes enough for 3 meals for 4 people, so 12 servings. I typically use ⅓ of the tomato sauce and mix it with ground beef for 2 dinners and 2 leftover lunches. Divide the remaining sauce into 2 containers and freeze for a later date!
Adapted from Chatelaine
Adapted from Chatelaine
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

 

 What recipe did you always eat growing up that you can’t get enough of? Share in the comments below!

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/
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