Paleo Thai Soup

I know... I know... yet again a long time since I've posted.  However I just tried making a new soup and loved it so much I knew I needed to post!  Also with the holidays right around the corner, I know more cupcakes and treats will be coming as well.

One thing I have been working on more and more are freeze ahead paleo meals for the crockpot.  I commute an hour and a half each way and it makes it so much easier to dump a freezer bag of items in the slow cooker, set on low for 8 hours, and come home to dinner ready!

Ingredients -


6-8 cups chicken broth
1/2 c. onion diced
1 1/2 c. diced carrots
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 inches fresh ginger
2 - 3 stalks of fresh lemongrass
4 star anise pods
black peppercorns
1 lb chicken breasts
1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice (I made my own - recipe below if needed)
1 13.5 can of  coconut milk
1 box of pre-spiralized butternut squash or zucchini noodles from Whole Foods

Instructions -

1. Add the first seven ingredients into the crockpot and stir together.
2. Create a spice packet with cheese cloth and twine of the star anise and black peppercorns
3. Rub chicken breasts with Chinese five spice on both sides and place into crockpot
4. Set to low for 8 hours
5. During the last 30 minutes add the coconut milk
6. During the last 15 minutes add the spiralized noodles
7. Top with lime and basil if wanted

I've been into mixing my own spices lately and since I didn't have Chinese 5 spice in my house, I decided to try to make this and love it!

Chinese Five Spice -

6 whole star anise
1 tbsp black peppercorn
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tbsp whole fennel seeds (or ground)
1 1/2 sticks cinnamon broken in thirds
15 whole cloves

Put all ingredients into a coffee grinder or food processor and pulse until fine.  I store mine in a small mason jar

Happy Fall! :-)

Easy & Healthy Chicken Fajita Casserole

I'm always looking for easy and healthy dinners and ones that I can make paleo friendly for when I'm in the mood.  So I was really excited for this one!

• 1 green bell peppers
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 red onion
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can black beans
• taco seasoning
• 3 - 4 chicken breasts

Heat over to 350 degrees. Cut all bell peppers and onions.  Place chicken in a baking dish.  Sprinkle taco seasoning on chicken and then layer the bell peppers/onion mixture on top of the chicken.  Then spread the black beans and tomatoes over the bell peppers and onions.  Place pan in the oven and cook for an hour or until the chicken is cooked fully through.  Serve with fresh avocado and salsa.

Peach cupcakes with cinnamon frosting

Cupcake Batter

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/3 c. whole milk 

Cinnamon Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. powdered sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
about 2 teaspoons of cinnamon (more or less to taste)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

Peel and dice the peaches into small pieces. Place 3 medium peaches (diced) in a bowl and toss them with about a ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg (or more, to taste). Set aside.

For the cupcake batter, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add the baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and salt and mix for about a minute, on medium high, until creamy (be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice, to ensure everything is getting worked in). Then add the milk and flour, alternating between the two ingredients (to avoid lumps) until the batter is smooth and everything is well combined.

Scoop batter into your paper-lined cupcake tins so they’re about 2/3 of the way full. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the peach mixture into the center of each cupcake tin, and slightly press the peaches into the batter with the back of the spoon.

Bake for about 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

Make the buttercream frosting by combining the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Continue to add the rest of the powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract until it is well blended. Add to cooled cupcakes.

I'm calling this one The Haze

Cupcakes:

• 2 ¾ cups flour
• 2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup nearly boiling water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, hot water, and milk and mix for 1 minute at medium speed. Add eggs, vanilla extract and vanilla bean and beat for another minute. Batter will be thin.
3. Use a ¼ measuring cup or ice cream scoop to fill cupcake tins. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick poked into a cupcake comes out clean.
4. While cupcakes cool make the frosting.

Frosting:

• 3 sticks of butter
• 6 cups of powdered sugar
• Half a jar of Biscoff (or more or less to your liking)

Candy Topping:

• Vanilla wafers
• Reece's Pieces
• Black licorice
• M&M's
• Good & Plenty

Cotton Candy Cupcakes

Just like eating cotton candy at a summer fair!

Cupcakes:

• 2 ¾ cups flour
• 2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup nearly boiling water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, hot water, and milk and mix for 1 minute at medium speed. Add eggs, vanilla extract and vanilla bean and beat for another minute. Batter will be thin.
3. Use a ¼ measuring cup or ice cream scoop to fill cupcake tins. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick poked into a cupcake comes out clean.
4. While cupcakes cool make the frosting. 

 Frosting:

• 3 sticks of butter
• 6 cups of powdered sugar
• Cotton Candy syrup & a little milk until desired consistency and taste

S'mores Cupcakes

This year I went to visit a friend I hadn't seen in forever and during my visit I learned of this cookie spread called Biscoff.  I believe Trader Joe's calls it cookie butter but it's amazing!  So I tried to think of what I could make with it and came up with s'mores cupcakes - two of my favorite things!

 Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Filling:

• Marshmallow fluff

Frosting:

• 3 sticks of butter
• 6 cups of powdered sugar
• Half a jar of Biscoff (or more or less to your liking)

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

4. Insert marshmallow fluff in the center

5. Make the frosting and frost the cooled cupcakes

Lemon Beer Cupcakes with Strawberry frosting

Lemon Beer Cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

juice of 1 lemon

6 oz. ish of Shock Top's Lemon Shandy beer

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

 

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.  Add vanilla extract, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and lemon shandy beer

In a smaller bowl, mix together dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in small batches.  The batter should be thick but not dry. 

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 18-22 min. Cupcakes should be a yellow golden color but not brown.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3½ – 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup strawberries
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons half-and-half

Add strawberries to a food processor or blender and blend until they become a puree.  Add to a pan and boil for about 10-15 minutes.  Let puree cool.

Add butter to a bowl and slowly add in powdered sugar.  Alternatively add vanilla, half and half and strawberry puree until the frosting is the desired consistency.  Frost cooled lemon beer cupcakes with the finished frosting.  

**Mine were green because I added green dye to them for an Oakland A's game (green and gold cupcakes!)