Paleo Cookbook For Dummies (83 page)

Back in the day, before there were a gazillion prescriptions and medical treatments, people used slow cooked foods to get deep healing. Every nutrient was retained in the preparation, and the outcome was steamy, robust flavors. All the nutrition provided people's cells with the best raw material possible. It was natural healing at its finest. Getting back to using broths and slow cooked meals to help heal the body is a benefit of living and cooking Paleo.

As you prepare these easy yet decadent meals, know that you're giving your body simply the best. Bonus: Slow cooking is so convenient. You can cook your meals while you're at work, at play, or even sleeping. Now that's a good deal!

All the recipes in this chapter are Paleo perfection!
Kalua Shredded Pork
is an award winner, and the
Sausage-Stuffed Peppers
are just about the most perfectly balanced food you can find. The
Deep Healing Chicken Broth
can be the base of many meals.

Getting the Scoop on Slow Cooking

Whether you're a busy parent or just a busy person, do yourself a favor and get a slow cooker. Making meals this way is both convenient and wholesome. The slow cooker frees your oven and stove top for other uses, and it makes large gatherings or holiday meals so easy! Sauces and gravies cook really well in a slow cooker too.

Even at the low setting, internal temperatures of foods are raised well above 140 degrees, the minimum temperature at which bacteria are killed. If you're concerned about food safety, bring the food up to temperature by cooking on high for the first hour. (In most slow cookers, one hour on high is equal to two hours on low.)

Here are some general tips to get you fired up on slow cooking; be sure to also consult the user manual for your particular slow cooker model:

Working with a new slow cooker:
When using a new slow cooker, keep an eye on it during the first few uses. These slow cookers can have a mind of their own on high and on low — they can actually boil food, burn food, or just overheat — so don't leave one unattended until you have a better idea of its idiosyncrasies. Place the cooker on a cookie sheet, a granite countertop, the stovetop, or a similar surface that won't burn; the bottom can get pretty hot on some models.

Cooking fish:
Fish and seafood generally aren't good candidates for the slow cooker. If you use them, put them in at the very end of cooking, as with the
Creamy Red Shrimp and Tomato Curry
later in this chapter.

Cooking dense carbohydrates:
Cut Paleo-approved dense carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, and turnips, into small pieces (about 1 to 1
¹
⁄
₂
inches). In most dishes, you should layer these root vegetables on the bottom of the crock, under the meat and other ingredients, so that they begin to cook as soon as the liquids heat.

Browning meats:
Browning many meats helps reduce the fat content and can enhance the flavor and texture of dishes, but doing so isn't necessary. However, you should cook ground meats in a skillet before adding them to a slow cooker.

Using spices:
Stir in spices during the last hour of cooking. They lose their flavor if you cook them with the rest of the food or for a long period.

 
Stirring:
Try to refrain from lifting the lid to stir unnecessarily, especially if you're cooking on the low setting. Each time you lift the lid, enough heat escapes that you should extend the cooking time by 20 to 30 minutes.

Deep Healing Chicken Broth

Prep time:
5 min •
Cook time:
11 hr •
Yield:
Six 1-cup servings

Ingredients

4-pound roasting chicken

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon pepper

¹
⁄
₄
cup roughly chopped onions

¹
⁄
₄
cup roughly chopped celery

¹
⁄
₄
cup roughly chopped carrots

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon dried rosemary

Directions

1
Rinse and pat the chicken dry. Place it in the slow cooker, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 hours on high.

2
Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and let it cool enough that you can handle it. Take all the chicken off the bones; refrigerate or freeze the chicken for future use.

3
Return the bones and skin to the slow cooker and add the onions, celery, carrots, and rosemary.

4
Fill the slow cooker about two-thirds full with water (just enough to cover the carcass and bones, about 6 cups).

5
Cook on low for 8 hours. Before using, strain the broth and discard the bones, skin, cooked vegetables, and rosemary.

Per serving:
Calories 20 (From Fat 9); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 574mg; Carbohydrate 1g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 2.5g.

Tip:
If you buy a precooked roasted chicken, you can skip Step 1 and prepare this recipe before going to bed to wake up to a beautiful, delicious broth.

This recipe has been vetted by the team at Whole9 (
http://whole9life.com
) and is considered acceptable for a cleansing 30-day Paleo launch.

Beef Bone Broth

Prep time:
10 min •
Cook time:
10 hr •
Yield:
12 servings

Ingredients

2 unpeeled carrots, scrubbed and roughly chopped

2 stalks celery, including leafy part, roughly chopped

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

3
¹
⁄
₂
pounds grass-fed beef bones (preferably joints and knuckles)

2 dried bay leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions

1
Place all the vegetables and the garlic, bones, and bay leaves into a slow cooker. Sprinkle on the salt, drizzle with the vinegar, and add enough water to cover everything by 1 inch (about 13 cups).