Sweet and Smoky Bacon Chili

February 5, 2016 By Natasha 2 Comments

Sweet and Smoky Bacon Chili

I looooooove sweet and smoky, or sweet and spicy, or sweet and smoky and spicy all together! This Sweet and Smoky Bacon Chili will leave you coming back for more. It’s got just enough sweet from the sweet potatoes, just enough spicy from the chili powder, seasonings and chipotle peppers, and a nice smoky element from the smoked bacon and also the chipotle peppers.

Sweet- Sweet potatoes and raw honey.

I added sweet potatoes for a few reasons. First of all, they are delicious. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite starchy carb sources, they are packed with vitamins A, C, B5, B6, & E, plus Manganese and Potassium. They also add a much needed sweetness that balances the spicy and smoky elements. The raw honey helps balance the spiciness and the acidity from the tomatoes.

Smoky- Chipotle peppers, smoked bacon and cumin.

I love the rich smoky flavor that chipotle peppers en adobo give. They are basically smoked and dried jalapenos that are reconstituted in a tomato, vinegar, garlic sauce. A little goes a long way, trust me! I almost killed my whole family a few years ago for Christmas when I added a little too much to my whipped sweet potatoes, oops! The other smoky element comes from smoked bacon. The bacon was actually not in my first attempt at this dish, only because I didn’t have any thawed out and ready to go at the time. However, it gives a nice smoky flavor and who doesn’t love bacon? Cumin is one of my favorite spices to use! It gives a nice earthy and smoky feel to dishes and is commonly found in curries and taco seasoning. It’s one of my secret ingredients to my guacamole!

Gut Healing- Bone broth and collagen peptides.

Anywhere I can sneak in some extra gut-healing, I go for it. I have been using bone broth in place of regular broth for awhile now because of the extra health benefits it offers. Bone broth is basically broth cooked for much longer, up to 36 hours, and made primarily with bones and some aromatics. Regular broth/stock is cooked for a much shorter time, up to a few hours, and is very light in flavor and texture. Bone broth is rich in protein, minerals, and gelatin. I’ve also included collagen peptides as a bonus to get in even MORE gut healing collagen! Collagen protein is tasteless and does not contribute to the flavor in any way.

Fat-burning and brain health- MCT oil.

Another boost I’ve been adding to most of my recipes is a highly concentrated form of coconut oil called MCT oil, which is a blend of medium chain triglyceride fatty acids from the heart of the coconut. These are 6 times more powerful than regular coconut oil and for those of you who don’t like the coconut flavor, this is flavorless! My favorite brand is by Bulletproof, called XCT oil, which is 10% off for the month of February!

This is one of those dishes that you want to make a large pot of and save some in the freezer so you have a delicious meal you can grab and reheat without thinking. It’s perfect for anytime of the year, but especially good on cold days where you want to bundle up in the house with blankets and movies on Netflix! And, especially good on Super Bowl Sunday which is this weekend! So make a huge batch. Enjoy it with your friends and family.

Equipment You’ll Need:

SWEET AND SMOKY BACON CHILI

Make this NOW and tag me on Instagram so I can see it! Use hashtag #thefeistykitchen!!

Sweet and Smoky Bacon Chili

February 5, 2016 By Natasha 2 Comments

Sweet and Smoky Bacon Chili

Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup

January 31, 2015 By Natasha Leave a Comment

creamy-roasted-parsnip-soup

Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup topped with Green Apple and Crispy Bacon

Soup.

Creamy, delicious, comforting soup.

I don’t make a lot of soup, but when I do, I want it to warm me up from my head to my toes. This bowl of deliciousness was created for two reasons. First off, I wanted to make a recipe for the Whole30 and OMGhee mystery box challenge on Instagram. The challenge was to create a Whole30 approved recipe using apples, parsnips, and OMGhee butter. The second reason, was because I ran myself into the ground this past week and I really needed a meal that would help with my Saturday of R&R. And a creamy, hot bowl of soup definitely fit what I had in mind.

I had actually been thinking of things to make for this mystery box challenge while working in San Francisco this week. My parents happened to be housesitting for my brother and we overlapped for one night, so my mom and I were brainstorming recipe ideas. We were thinking of things like muffins and flourless cakes, when I realized that those did not fit the criteria of being Whole30 approved. So, scratch those ideas and I still wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to create. But I knew I wanted to have bacon in it some how and I love the crisp and tart flavors of Granny Smith apples too.

Funny thing happened, I got like zero sleep in SF during my stay for multiple reasons. And I totally overdid it with training and tennis when I got home. Recipe for disaster when you push your body too hard physically, while running on fumes. So I decided to wait until I got a good night’s sleep in my own bed and then see what my brain came up with to make.

That’s when I woke up this morning and decided it had to be a soup. So, I looked in the refrigerator to see what else I had to add to this soup idea. I knew I wanted to roasted the parsnips to develop a deeper flavor. And I had some green cabbage and sweet Maui onion in the fridge from earlier in the week. Boom. Throw all those on a tray and roast them up in some ghee and Flavor God seasoning. Then I saw that I had chicken stock and canned coconut cream. So those were added to blend it all together into a fabulous and creamy soup. Next I topped it off with matchstick apple slices and crispy bacon! (Make sure if doing Whole30, you use compliant, sugar free bacon. 5280 Meat offers a fresh pork side that has no sugar and you can easily season yourself to your liking!)

I hope you try this comforting soup and enjoy it on a day when you feel like curling up on the couch with a blanket!

Equipment You’ll Need:

Baking sheet
Vegetable peeler
Knife
High powered blender - or- immersion blender
Mandolin
Parchment paper

Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup

Recipe Type

Main

Author:

Natasha Gildea

Prep time:

15 mins

Cook time:

35 mins

Total time:

50 mins

Serves:

2 small or 4 large bowls

Ingredients

3 parsnips
1 sweet Maui onion
1/2 head green cabbage
13.5 oz can coconut milk
8 oz chicken broth/stock
4T ghee
1T Garlic seasoning (FlavorGod)
Pinch Sea salt
4 pieces bacon (optional)
1 Granny Smith Apple

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Prep veggies: peel parsnips and cut into chunks; peel and chop onion; roughly cut cabbage
Put bacon and veggies on separate parchment lined baking trays and put both in oven side by side. Toss veggies on tray in 2T melted ghee and garlic seasoning
Bacon will cook in approx 15 min and veggies about 20-25 min
Transfer bacon to lined paper towel lined plate to cool. While veggies finish cooking, use a mandolin or knife to cut the apple into very fine matchsticks. Squeeze a little lemon juice on to prevent browning
Once veggies are roasted, take out and let cool a few min. Then you can puree in a high powered blender with the chicken broth and coconut cream until very smooth. Or you can use an immersion blender in a stock pot with the broth and coconut milk.
Top with a drizzle of melted ghee, chopped bacon, and apple matchsticks. Enjoy as an appetizer or large bowl for main course!

3.2.2925

Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup

January 31, 2015 By Natasha Leave a Comment

Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup topped with Green Apple and Crispy Bacon

Soup.

Creamy, delicious, comforting soup.

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

January 22, 2015 By Natasha 1 Comment

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Don’t you just love sweet potatoes! They are probably one of my favorite carbs to indulge in. And they are so versatile too! I had been wanting to make hasselback potatoes for a long time, but I very rarely, like once a year rarely, eat white potatoes. So why not try it with sweet potatoes? This recipe is super easy and a fun presentation for the humble sweet potato too!

Here’s what I did… On a cutting board, put the sweet potato in the middle and on either side of it place a chop stick or wooden spoon handle. Using a sharp knife, cut down until you hit the chop stick, and you will not cut through the potato. Make a slice approximately every 1/4″ until the whole potato is evenly sliced. I am wishing I would have taken step by step photos for this one. Maybe I next time I make these!

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Drizzle with the melted butter/ghee and seasoning mixture. In this case I used ghee from OMGhee, sprinkled on sea salt and Flavor God Chipotle seasoning, and fresh minced garlic and parsley. You want to make sure the mixture gets in between the hasselback slices. I baked in a cast iron skillet in a 425F degree oven for approximately 35 minutes. Added a teeny bit of shredded cheese and put back in oven for another 5 minutes or until cheese melted. When out of oven, I topped with more chopped parsley, some chopped scallions, and finally, chopped bacon from 5280meat in Colorado!

This dish is a wonderful accompaniment to your steak! Or really anything! Also great for making ahead for meal prepping since the leftovers are delicious!

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Recipe Type

Side

Author:

Natasha Gildea

Prep time:

10 mins

Cook time:

40 mins

Total time:

50 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes
4T ghee/butter, melted
2T Flavor God Chipotle seasoning
1t sea salt
4T fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
4T chopped scallions
4T shredded cheese (optional, omit for paleo)
4T cooked bacon, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Using technique above, cut slices into potatoes (don’t cut through to bottom)
In a small bowl, combine melted ghee/butter, chipotle seasoning, sea salt, parsley, and garlic.
Drizzle/brush on 1T of mixture to each sweet potato getting in between the slices.
Bake in cast iron skillet or baking dish for approx 35 min or until soft.
Add cheese and cook another 5 minutes until cheese melts (optional.)
Remove from oven and top with more scallions and chopped bacon.

3.2.2885

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

January 22, 2015 By Natasha 1 Comment

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Paleo Broccoli Salad

January 15, 2015 By Natasha Leave a Comment

Paleo Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad. I know this isn’t quite something you’d think of for the middle of January, but I got it stuck in my head, and had to make it. So there’s that. My version has a few twists in it but still reminds you of that classic Broccoli Salad that your aunt or somebody would bring over to the summer potluck!

I don’t care for raisins. Like not one bit, so I subbed in organic dried goji berries and still achieved that little hint of sweetness in the dish. Raw red onions are another one of those things I just can’t do. Luckily I do like raw shallots, so that was a perfect substitution in this recipe and I opted to add it in minced in the dressing portion rather than in a dice in the salad, so it’s just a hint. I also don’t care for sugar and soybean oil filled mayos. Gross. I was lucky enough to get my hands on some new Paleo Approved Mayo by Mark Sisson‘s Primal Kitchen Foods… It’s sooo yummilicious! It’s made using avocado oil, cage free eggs, and it’s free of sugar, soy and canola! It’s amazing! Since I don’t use regular cane sugar in my daily life anymore, I surely didn’t want to add it in here for the dressing portion as many recipes call for. I very lightly sweetened it with a teaspoon of raw honey whisked into the dressing. You can definitely adjust it up or down or omit altogether especially if following the Whole30 or The 21 Day Sugar Detox like many people are this month. And lastly, I did keep in a few of the traditional ingredients such as bacon and sunflower seeds and added some grape tomatoes just for fun!!

In my opinion, this version kept the main components of a broccoli salad with a few alterations that still kept it tasting true. It’s no secret that hubby doesn’t always like the same foods as me, but I’m happy to say that, once again, I was able to “fool’ him into eating my “hippy sh*t” as he sometimes refers it.

I love to cook and eat seasonally, but sometimes your body just wants what it wants! So don’t wait for Spring or Summer to enjoy your favorite dishes. Make them whenever you want! I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you have any questions, please let me know! If you make this or any of my dishes, I’d love to hear your feedback!

Paleo Broccoli Salad

Recipe Type

Side Dish

Author:

Natasha Gildea

Prep time:

15 mins

Total time:

15 mins

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

Salad:
12oz bag broccoli florets, cut into uniform size
1/4c grape tomatoes, cut into 3rds
1/4c goji berries
1/4c sprouted sunflower seeds
4 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped
Dressing:
1/3c paleo mayo (I used Primal Kitchen Foods brand)
1T Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar
1T Brain Octane or MCT oil (I used BulletProof Exec brand)
1T shallot, minced
1t raw honey (omit for #whole30 and #21dsd)
Himalayan pink salt & pink peppercorns (I used Flavor God)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add all salad ingredients.
Separately, in a small bowl, add all dressing ingredients except S&P.
Whisk until combined and then season to taste with S&P.
Add dressing to salad and stir to ensure all broccoli is coated.
Refrigerate for 30 min to allow flavors to mingle

Paleo Broccoli Salad

January 15, 2015 By Natasha Leave a Comment

Paleo Broccoli Salad

I don’t care for raisins. Like not one bit, so I subbed in organic dried goji berries and still achieved that little hint of sweetness in the dish. …

Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Breakfast Skillet

January 14, 2015 By Natasha Leave a Comment

Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Breakfast Skillet

I love sweet potatoes. And bacon. And eggs. Especially when you add all 3 of these ingredients together in a cast iron skillet. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes with the saltiness of the bacon, and that gooey yolk that acts like a sauce. Here’s an easy recipe that incorporates all 3 ingredients together along with some smoky chipotle seasoning. Enjoy this for breakfast, or really any meal of the day! I use FlavorGod Chipotle seasoning, however you may use a combination of sea salt, cracked pepper, chipotle powder and cumin to achieve a nice smoky flavor with a little bit of heat. In addition to using FlavorGod in all my dishes, I also love using OMGhee brand ghee, however you may choose to use regular butter instead. Ghee is made from butter that has been heated and the milk solids and water removed. I have switched to using butter made from grass-fed/pasture raised cows, such as Kerrygold, due to the health benefits versus grain fed cows.

Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Breakfast Skillet

Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Skillet

Recipe Type

Breakfast

Author:

Natasha Gildea

Prep time:

10 mins

Cook time:

25 mins

Total time:

35 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

1.5 lbs multi colored sweet potatoes, diced
1 lb smoked bacon (I use 5280meat)
2T ghee
1-2T Chipotle seasoning (I use FlavorGod, or you can blend salt, pepper, chiptole pepper powder and cumin)
4 pastured eggs

Instructions

Place bacon on baking sheet and put in oven at 425*F for approx 15-20 min. Set aside in paper towels.
Meanwhile, heat a cast iron skillet over med-high with ghee and add diced the potatoes. Season with FlavorGod seasoning.
When potatoes can be softly pierced with a fork, approx 10-15 min, add in half of your cooked bacon, chopped (save the other half for dinner), and crack 4 eggs over top. Tip: I crack each one in a small bowl to make sure I don’t get any shell in skillet)
Cook on stove or in oven until egg whites are set. You may put a lid on to help steam.
Sprinkle more FlavorGod Chipotle and ENJOY!

3.2.2885

Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Breakfast Skillet

January 14, 2015 By Natasha Leave a Comment

Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Breakfast Skillet