Fauxton Soup

This is one of my diet recipes, but the whole family enjoys it. It tastes much like a wonton soup, but with no wonton wrappers, hence it being "Faux-wonton". If you're dieting, this makes 5 servings, and each serving counts as 1 protein and one vegetable.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken breast
• 2" piece of fresh ginger root, grated
• 1/2 cup chopped white or yellow onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth (any broth is fine if you're not dieting!)
• 2 cabbages, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion

Directions:

1. Combine ground chicken breast, grated ginger root, chopped white or yellow onion, cilantro, chili powder and garlic in a mixing bowl. If you have a kitchen-aid mixer - use it with the paddle attachment, it works great!
2. When well combined, divide the chicken mixture into meatballs of about 1 tablespoon each. You can use a cookie scoop, or roll by hand. Place on plate or parchment paper until all mixture is formed into meatballs.
3. Heat coconut oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add meatballs, turning frequently to brown evenly. When all meatballs are evenly browned, add 1 cup of water and turn heat to medium low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.
4. Add broth and cabbage. Bring to a boil and then simmer and additional 15 minutes, or until cabbage is tender. Garnish with Green onion and serve.

Marie's French Onion Soup

Paul recently reminisced about his Mom's French Onion Soup, so I asked for her recipe. It's largely made from Julia Child's recipe, but with some alterations. It was great on this cold winter day.

Ingredients:

• 5 -6 cups yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil (I used coconut oil)
• 2 tablespoons butter (but have 4 Tablespoons on hand if possible)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon sugar (Truvia for baking)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 cup wine (dry red or white, I used Pinot Grigio and enjoyed it)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• 6-12 ounces Swiss cheese (sliced or grated)
• 4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 -3 tablespoons cognac
• 8-12 slices French bread, about 1 inch thick (We're partial to sourdough)- plan on 1-2 croutes per serving, depending on your bowls or ramekins. Or if you love bread like me - double the croutes and fill your bowl with bread before adding soup!  :-)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, for toasting bread

Directions:

1. Heat a large Soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add 1 Tbsp. coconut oil, 2Tbs butter to pot. Add sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil. Cover and cook on medium low for about 20 minutes until they are very tender and translucent.
2. To brown or caramelize the onions turn heat under pot to medium or medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tsp sugar or sugar substitute and 1 tsp salt and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions have browned and reduced significantly (this took about another 20 minutes, but I may have had the burner too low)
3. Once caramelized, reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 Tbsp.p flour to the onions. Brown the flour for about 2-3 minutes trying not to scorch it. (I added another 2 Tbsp. butter here).
4. Stir in about 1 cup of warm stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all of the cooked-on bits. If your pan is non-stick to begin with - it shouldn't be an issue. Add the rest of the stock, wine, sage, and bay leaf to the soup. Simmer for 30 minutes, while preparing the croutes.
5. To make the "croutes" (toasted bread), heat oven to 325 degrees F. Drizzle or use a pastry brush to apply olive oil to both sides of the bread slices. Place on parchment paper on a baking tray, and toast in oven for 10-15 minutes each side. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add 1/2 slice of Swiss, 1 slice of provolone or a slice of gruyere. Remove from the oven when the cheese is melted and bubbly.
6. Check the soup for seasoning, and add salt and pepper if desired. Remove the Bay leaf.  Add a few ounces of the Swiss cheese directly into the soup and stir. Add the 2-3 Tbsp. cognac.
7. Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with cheesy croutes. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and allow cheese to melt. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

I adapted this one from a recipe posted at The Recipe Critic. It might be my new favorite crock-pot meal! It worked best for me to prepare everything the night before, and just pop it in my Crock-pot on my way out the door in the morning.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Flank Steak
• 1/3 cup Almond Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic Cloves
• 1/4 cup Dried Minced Onion
• 1/4 teaspoon Dried Ginger
• 3/4 cup Bragg's Amino Acids
• 3/4 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup snow peas
• Chopped Green Onion for garnish

Directions

• Cut Flank Steak into thin strips. In a large ziplock, add flank steak pieces and almond flour. Shake to coat.
• If prepping in advance, add all ingredients but snow peas and green onion to the ziplock and leave overnight in the fridge. In the morning empty ziplock bag contents into slow cooker.
• OR If prepping in the morning, add olive oil, minced garlic, minced onion, dried ginger, amino acids, water, Splenda and carrots to slow cooker and stir. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
• Cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked through and tender. Add Snow peas in last hour of cooking. Serve over rice or riced cauliflower. Garnish with green onions.