Chicken Pot Pie (Autoimmune Paleo)

I don't know about where you live, but here in Nashville, it's still winter. STILL. WINTER. I don't remember ever having snow this late in the season. We have a few inches of snow at the moment, which is really quite pretty because we don't get much snow here (and often get no snow during the winter), but I'm feeling ready for more sun and warmer temps.

In the meantime, comfort food is just the thing to get me through the end of winter. When being on a restricted diet, I think the importance of "soul food"- foods that taste and feel comforting and satisfying as well as nourishing (to both body and soul)- is hugely helpful for maintaining an attitude of positivity toward food. I try to consciously cultivate good feelings toward my food, rather than focusing on what I don't tolerate or can't eat at the moment. How we frame things is not to be underestimated in the scheme of health, healing, and happiness.


I'm excited to share this recipe for chicken pot pie. It's not complicated and everyone I've served it to loved it and asked for the recipe, so I feel I can safely say it's a winner. The crust is yummy and flaky. I always joke that I'm a sucker for anything involving a pie crust and it's true. So, this recipe makes me very happy. The hubby and I often make it on Sunday evenings before we curl up and watch all our PBS shows and it's become a cozy weekly ritual. The crust is an adaptation of this fabulous AIP crust from The Paleo Partridge.


Chicken Pot Pie
(makes 6 servings)

Filling:
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced onions
1-1/2 cup diced mushrooms (I prefer cremini/baby bellas)
3/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. garlic granules
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/4 cup coconut milk
2 TB arrowroot
2-1/2 cups cooked, diced chicken
Cooking fat for sauteing (I prefer olive oil or organic palm shortening)

Add carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms to a large pan with the cooking fat of your choice and saute on low-medium heat until starting to soften. Add the rest of the ingredients, whisking the arrowroot into the coconut before adding to the pan and continue cooking over low until the sauce thickens up. Add to a 9 inch round or 11 inch oval casserole dish.

Crust:
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 TB arrowroot
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic granules
1/2 cup melted organic palm shortening (this gives a flakier crust than other oils)
3 TB water

Combine the dry ingredients well and whisk in the melted shortening. It will have a liquid consistency at this point. Add the water and mix well (it will magically thicken and form a soft, but crumbly dough). Press out small pieces of dough in your hands and piece them together on top of the filling. It will be messy and rustic looking which works nicely for pot pie.

Bake at 330º for 28-30 min. or until the crust is golden brown.

Enjoy!
-Erin

Chicken and Biscuits

Sorry for my New Year's hiatus. To make up for being AWOL thus far in 2013, I'm posting a recipe. Everyone likes those, so we're cool, right?

Lately my wonderful husband has gotten into cooking chickens in our 1970 crock pot (you know, the avocado green one?) He's even been making bone broth with the chicken carcasses. Seriously, guys, want to win big points with the wife/girlfriend? Make bone broth.

I'm really digging crock pot chicken; it's so juicy and moist. Here's the technique we've been using: chop some onions into 1/4 inch chunks and throw into the bottom of the crock pot, stuff some fresh herbs into the chicken cavity (rosemary and thyme are nice) and sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper, place on top of the onions and cook on low for about 3.5- 4 hours, depending on the size of the bird.

Hubby cooked a chicken the other night and I thought it would be fun to make chicken pot pie, but then decided I didn't want to mess with making a crust, so chicken and biscuits was my lazier alternative. I adapted the biscuit recipe from the cobbler topping in this recipe.
Husband just declared, while eating some leftovers tonight, that it was one of his favorite dishes ever.


Chicken and Biscuits (serves 4-6)

Preheat oven to 400º

Biscuits:

1/4 cup coconut flour
2 TB blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
2 TB softened butter
3 TB cream
(optional- cracked pepper, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme)

Mix all ingredients well and let sit for a couple of minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquid.


Chicken/veggie mixture:

1 1/2 cups mirepoix (equal amounts of diced carrots, onions and celery)
1/2 cup diced mushrooms (I prefer cremini/baby bella)
2 cups diced or shredded chicken meat
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup cream
2 tsp. tapioca starch
1/4-1/2 tsp. fresh thyme (I didn't really measure it).
salt and pepper to taste
oil/grease/butter for sauteing


Saute the mirepoix and mushrooms in the oil/grease/butter until softened.
Add the broth, cream, and seasonings and whisk the tapioca starch into the mixture while continuing to cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken. After it slightly thickens, add the chicken and transfer to the casserole dish (I used a 10.5 inch oval dish).

Divide the biscuit dough into 6 discs, place atop the chicken mixture and bake at 400º for 10-12 minutes, or until the biscuits are cooked through and slightly golden.




Enjoy!

-Erin

Yorkshire Pudding (it's Primal, yo!)

I had a birthday brunch recently for my 33rd birthday and I made the Elana's Pantry clafoutis recipe, with traditional (morello) cherries instead of pears. It was fabulous and everyone devoured it, including my non-Primal, gluten loving friends:) It was almost a like a very eggy bread pudding and the texture lead to a stroke of genius inspiration: I thought "hey, I could totally adapt this recipe into yorkshire pudding!", and so I did!

Yorkshire pudding might not be familiar to a lot of you, but it was one one my favorite foods as a kid. My mom would make the classic British meal of roast beef with yorkshire pudding. Talk about comfort food. I usually requested it for my birthday dinner.

Yorkshire pudding is not sweet, nor is it "pudding", but rather an eggy batter baked (traditionally) in the drippings from roast beef. The batter is quite similar to popover batter, but it's baked in a pan and is a little more dense, but still fluffy, rich, eggy and a little crispy on top. I've aways had a hard time not stuffing my face with it. I have no control around it, it's THAT tasty. I'm not exaggerating.

This version is very close to the real deal; it's not one of those recipes that's a stretch, where you feel like you're "settling". Although it's not quite as tall as the regular version (I may work on that) the basic eggy texture and rich flavor is all there. I haven't tried doubling up the recipe, but that would be one way to make it taller.

It makes a great side dish for all kinds of food and it's perfect for when you want something bread-y and warm. It also happens to be an efficient way to up your healthy saturated fat consumption and uses ingredients that are probably already in most Primal cooks' kitchens, so it's convenient to make on a whim.




So, without further adieu, here is my ridiculously easy recipe for grain/gluten-free Primal Yorkshire Pudding:

Preheat the oven to 325º
Beat well together:
4 large eggs
1/2 cup cream
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup almond flour
1 TB coconut flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Pour into a greased casserole or 8x8 pan (you could melt beef drippings in the bottom of the pan to make it really authentic)
Bake for 45 min. or until a knife comes out clean when pierced in the center.

Go ahead- stuff your face!! I won't tell (because my own mouth will probably be too full to say anything...)
-Erin