Banana Ice Cream

This ice cream is amazing and so easy!  It really only has one ingredient unless you want to spice it up and add more goodies.  My kids love this and we have a fun taste testing game when I make it.  It is totally Paleo and Whole 30 approved.  While there's no added sugar to the ice cream, it is still full of sugar from the bananas so enjoy in moderation. 

Ingredients:

4-5 bananas with black spots (you don't want the bananas to be too ripe, the texture won't be the same)

• Slice your bananas into 1/2 inch pieces and lay flat on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper
• Put baking sheet in the freezer until bananas are completely frozen (I usually put them in the day before I'm going to make the ice cream)
• Remove frozen bananas from baking sheet and place in food processor
• Process until bananas are smooth and creamy (you will have to scrape the sides a few times until the bananas start to break down)

Add any additional goodies you want.  We scoop out a bowl full of just banana and then add 1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder to the remaining ice cream.  Then we process and remove a bowl full of that and add 1 1/2 Tbsp almond butter.  Process and remove a bowl full and add coconut.  Our final concoction is banana, cocoa, almond butter and coconut.  We like to sit down with all four bowls in front of us and debate which one is our favorite at that moment and why.  It's really a fun process with delicious results!  Other add-in ideas: chocolate chips(not paleo), nuts, frozen berries . . . the options are limitless.  Let me know what you come up with.  Enjoy!

Delicious chocolate banana ice cream!

Chicken Tortilla-less soup

This soup was a pleasant surprise.  I wasn't planning for it to turn into a tortilla-less soup but that's what it tasted like to me and it was delicious.  And even better, it cooked in the crock pot all day long.  This is my modified version of the Chicken-Tomatillo Soup from the Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook, which if you don't have it yet, is a really fantastic book (especially if you're from the south, lots of southern staples in the book).  This is a great dish to come home to on a chilly fall night!  The soup has a very rich flavor with a little heat but it wasn't too hot for the kids (they even had seconds).  You can add jalapenos to the dish if you want to kick it up a notch.  I served this with chopped cilantro on top and it was a nice addition.

Ingredients:

2 - 3 lbs chicken, cooked and shredded (I did thighs with salt and pepper cooked on the BBQ and then shredded) (use any leftover chicken or pork that you have, it'll be delicious)
1-2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 medium poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 - 2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 tsp chipotle powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
4 Cups chicken broth
1 jalapeno (*optional, if you like it spicy)
chopped cilantro for garnish

 

• Heat oil over medium heat in large Dutch oven or pot
• Add poblano peppers, zucchini, onion, bell peppers and garlic.  Saute until onions are translucent.
• Add all the spices and mix until well incorporated.
• Add tomatillos
• At this point, I transferred everything in the pot to my crock pot.
• Add the chicken and broth.
• Let cook for several hours on low (or all day) and taste to adjust seasonings to your taste.
• You can also leave it on the stove and let it simmer for an hour or two.

Enjoy!