Butternut squash with pasta and brats – ? What the – ?
When a family member first suggested this recipe, I couldn’t imagine it working. It just sounded weird. But, this butternut and brats combo works well, thanks to the unexpected collaboration between whole lemon, garlic, and good brats. It’s a regular in our rotation now, and it can be totally AIP (autoimmune Paleo) friendly – just use a grain free pasta. My favorite for this dish is Tolerant Organic Lentil Penne Pasta. It’s hearty in texture and flavor, and beats the bland, limp taste and texture that rice pasta can suffer. For the bratwurst, a good option if you are sticking to AIP, SCD (specific carbohydrate diet), or just fiercely avoiding sugars (common in cured or processed meats including sausage and brats) is this Organic Chicken Bratwurst from Whole Foods. Any favorite brand of your own will do!
If you have time to bake a fresh organic butternut squash, this tastes best, IMO. If not, a good option can be tapped with this organic canned butternut squash. It makes the recipe even faster and easier. And speaking of fast and easy, a couple of tools are handy for this recipe, if you don’t have them already: An ice cream scoop, to scoop fresh butternut out of its skin; and, silicone oven mitts, so you can handle said butternut once it is out of the oven. Since the recipe calls for adding honey and ghee to the butternut while hot, you’ll need to scoop it out just about fresh from the oven.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
AIP Butternut and Brats Pasta
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A simple one dish meal, warm, hearty, satisfying, and surprisingly delightful!
If you are baking a fresh butternut squash for this recipe, start this about 90 minutes before you want the dish ready.
- Slice the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and place face down in a glass ovenproof dish with 1/2 inch of water in it. Use two dishes if needed.
- Place in a 400 degree oven and bake x 1 hour, til a knife poked through the skin moves easily through the squash.
- Once baked soft, remove the squash from oven. Scoop the baked squash out of its skin - an ice cream scoop works well for this task. You may want to wear silicone oven mitts too, as the squash will be very hot, or simply let it cool enough to handle.
- Scoop it into a mixing bowl or food processor. Add the ghee (or butter), honey, and dash of salt. Blend til ghee/butter melts through and all ingredients are evenly mixed. Set aside, keeping the squash warm.
- If using canned squash, heat it in microwave or on stove top, add ghee, honey and salt, and set aside.
Remove bratwurst from the package and slice it into thick coins, before cooking.
Heat olive oil in large skillet to medium-high temperature. Add the sliced bratwurst and brown on both sides of coins.
We happened to have a bigger than usual squash to use up on the day that we cooked up this recipe - so our images show a lot of squash. No need to go that big, but it works either way.
Larb (aka Laab) is a Thai dish that can be modified nicely for young eaters: It’s not too spicy (unless you up the heat), it can be fast and easy to make, and it has a good profile for protein and minerals, thanks to turkey or pork and a line up of fresh herbs. The generous garlic is a good gut health helper, with antimicrobial action and ability to bust up biofilm. Traditionally, larb is a spicy ground pork dish crafted into an aromatic salad and served with toasted rice and sticky rice. If you get a chance, enjoy it at an authentic Thai restaurant soon.
For your home table, make this fast version inspired by the real thing. Even babies learning pincer grasp feeding can enjoy it, provided they are sitting well, and have skills settling in for chewing, swallowing, along with some baby teeth. Older kids can enjoy this with brown rice, sticky rice, congee, or in lettuce wraps. It’s shown here with congee and a side of roasted zucchini.
Ground Turkey Larb - Fast and Easy Kid Friendly
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A simple fast savory dish that can be enjoyed across ages. Use organic ingredients for best flavor and health.
Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook on medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes; do not burn. Add turkey, smoked paprika, chili flakes( if hotter spice is desired, omit if not), salt, and pepper. Stir and cook until turkey is browned, about 2 minutes.
Stir in tamari, and chicken broth, simmer for a minute. Then add scallions, mint, and cilantro. Cook until turkey is done, about 5 minutes.
Add lime juice and stir evenly throughout the skillet.
Serve with hearty lettuce leaves like butter lettuce or romaine for lettuce wraps, or over sticky rice, congee, or any side your kids like.
This SCD Turkey Chili comes together pretty fast, and is proof that eating SCD or Paleo doesn’t mean you never get to eat chili.
This works as a fast recipe if you allow a few cheats. I use store bought prepared goods for the navy beans, mild green enchilada sauce, and broth. These are normally a big fat no when strictly following SCD. If you need this to be SCD legal and have the time, it can still work – soak and prepare navy beans per SCD guidelines; make your own scratch SCD legal enchilada sauce.
Back to the short cut: I used Whole Foods 365 Organic Canned Navy Beans, which contain only navy beans and water – no gums, no seaweeds. I drain and rinse these thoroughly. Next I used Siete Family Foods Mild Green Enchilada sauce. It has no added sugars, only dates as a sweetener, and this is SCD legal. But it does have vinegar in it, as well as small amounts of flax and chia seeds. This may work for those advanced and stable on SCD, or on Paleo diets. Lastly, I use Pacific brand Organic Chicken Bone Broth if I don’t have my own homemade on hand. Store bought broths are famous for having added sugars, starches, mystery “flavorings” and other sketchy ingredients that can make trouble for people needing SCD foods, but this brand fills the bill.
SCD Friendly Turkey Chili
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Modest on the heat, this is a delicious soothing chili that will feel good in just about any tummy. Dial up spice if you like by adding diced jalapeños to the saute.
Modest on the heat, this is a delicious soothing chili that will feel good in just about any tummy. Dial up spice if you like by adding diced jalapeños to the saute.
Add coriander, paprika, and cumin. Stir to evenly distribute.
Next add the ground turkey. Use a wood or metal spatula to chop it into smaller pieces as it cooks, so it doesn't clump together. Add salt. Cook until turkey is no longer pink.
Add enchilada sauce, mix evenly into the pot and heat through. Then add navy beans, and broth. Continue cooking on a low bubbling simmer until chili is evenly cooked through.
Just before serving, squeeze each lime section over the chili to let the juice drip in. Squish out all the juice you can from each piece, then drop the piece of lime into the chili. Stir to spread lime juice in the chili, and heat for a few more minutes to let the lime add flavor settle in.
With all the heavy food we love to eat at this time of year, not to mention sweets and homemade eggnog, I was craving a light but satisfying raw greens combo. This slaw is perfect – lighter than summertime slaw with raw cabbage or broccoli, but hearty with its creamy dressing, seeds, and dates. Also a colorful accompaniment for a holiday meal spread of roasts, fish, or chowders.
Kale Slaw with Honey Lime Dressing
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With all the heavy food we love to eat at this time of year, not to mention sweets and homemade eggnog, I was craving a light but satisfying raw greens combo. This slaw is perfect - lighter than summertime slaw with raw cabbage or broccoli, but hearty with its creamy dressing, seeds, and dates. Also a colorful accompaniment for a holiday meal spread of roasts, fish, or chowders.
Servings
Prep Time
6people
15minutes
Servings
Prep Time
6people
15minutes
Kale Slaw with Honey Lime Dressing
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With all the heavy food we love to eat at this time of year, not to mention sweets and homemade eggnog, I was craving a light but satisfying raw greens combo. This slaw is perfect - lighter than summertime slaw with raw cabbage or broccoli, but hearty with its creamy dressing, seeds, and dates. Also a colorful accompaniment for a holiday meal spread of roasts, fish, or chowders.
Servings
Prep Time
6people
15minutes
Servings
Prep Time
6people
15minutes
Ingredients
1small-medium bunchkaleany type chopped into small pieces
1small headlettucebutter lettuce, red lettuce, or green lettuce, chopped into small pieces or shredded
Wash, rinse, spin dry, and chop the greens, scallions, and cilantro. Toss together in a large serving bowl. Grate in the carrot, and add the minced celery, dates, and sunflower seeds Toss again.
You will need an immersion blender or small food processor to make this dressing easily. Otherwise, use a rubber or wire whisk or electric beaters with whisk attachments. Start with the egg, lime juice, and mustard and process or blend for 15 seconds. Next, add the oils (slowly while blending is ideal) and continue to process until it thickens into a mayonnaise-like texture. Add the honey and salt and finish blending. Adjust lime juice, honey or salt to your taste, blending thoroughly to creamy texture, then fold in the lime zest if you have it.
Pour dressing generously over the greens and toss all together into an evenly dressed slaw. Enjoy!
