This was a super quick meal to put together because I had frozen chicken broth in my freezer. Chicken broth is so versatile and can be used in so many recipes, so I always love to have it on hand. You can read more about why homemade chicken broth is so good for you here. I used the grater on my food processor to grate the onion and zucchini. If you do not have a food processor, a hand grater will work just as well.

I am eating this soup for a mid-morning snack after my workout as I write this post, it is a great source of protein!

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Paleo Chicken Dumpling Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

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WholeFoodRealFood.com

Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound ground chicken breast (preferably organic)
• 1 small zucchini, peeled and finely grated
• 1/2 small onion, finely grated
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, zucchini, onion, egg, salt and pepper.
2. Refrigerate for one hour for perfectly shaped balls (optional).
3. Form mixture into 1-inch balls.
4. Add to boiling chicken broth.
5. Cover and cook on low for 45 minutes.
6. Enjoy!

Notes:

Recipe adapted from A Taste of Wellness by Rochel Weiss.

Paleo Chicken Dumpling Soup

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound ground chicken breast (preferably organic)
• 1 small zucchini, peeled and finely grated
• 1/2 small onion, finely grated
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, zucchini, onion, egg, salt and pepper.
2. Refrigerate for one hour for perfectly shaped balls (optional).
3. Form mixture into 1-inch balls. I used a scoop to do this.
4. Add to boiling chicken broth.
5. Cover and cook on low for 45 minutes.
6. Enjoy!

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Once you store it in the refrigerator it will form a layer of fat. You only need to skim this if you want to. If you choose to skim the fat, let your broth sit in the fridge for several hours, until the fat rises to the top and hardens. Scrape off the fat with a spoon, and your broth is ready to go. Skimming off the fat is more important if you are using bones from animals that are conventionally raised.

I keep my broth in the refrigerator up to 4 days. When I have extra, I freeze the jars with room at the top.

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Simmering bones over low heat for an entire day will create one of the most nutritious and healing foods there is. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain. (Source)

You can use this broth for any recipe that calls for chicken broth, soups, stews, or drink it straight. I love drinking a glass of it immediately after it is done. The broth can also be frozen for future use in mason jars. The “skin” that forms on the top is the best part. It contains valuable nutrients, such as sulfur, along with healthful fats, so just stir it back into the broth.

Healing Benefits of Bone Broth

Helps heal and seal your gut, and promotes healthy digestion: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion.

Inhibits infection caused by cold and flu viruses, etc.: A study published over a decade ago found that chicken soup indeed has medicinal qualities, significantly mitigating infection.

Reduces joint pain and inflammation, courtesy of chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage.

Fights inflammation: Amino acids such as glycine, proline, and arginine all have anti-inflammatory effects. Arginine, for example, has been found to be particularly beneficial for the treatment of sepsis (whole-body inflammation). Glycine also has calming effects, which may help you sleep better.

Promotes strong, healthy bones: As mentioned above, bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients that play an important role in healthy bone formation.

Promotes healthy hair and nail growth, due to the gelatin in the broth. (Source)

“Good broth will resurrect the dead.” ~South American proverb

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Crock Pot Bone Broth

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 24 hours

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WholeFoodRealFood.com

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken bones
• 12 cups water (or enough water to cover bones)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 tsp dried thyme or 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Himalayan pink salt

Instructions

1. Place the chicken bones, water, celery, carrots, onion, thyme, bay leaf, vinegar and salt in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low setting for 16-24 hours.
3. Strain before using, and discard vegetables.

Crock Pot Chicken Broth

• 4 pounds chicken bones
• 12 cups water (or enough water to cover bones)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 tsp dried thyme or 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Himalayan pink salt

1. Place the chicken bones, water, celery, carrots, onion, thyme, bay leaf, vinegar and salt in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low setting for 16-24 hours.
3. Strain before using, and discard vegetables.

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CHICKEN STOCK, MEATBALLS (BEEF, PORK, WATER, BREAD CRUMBS [WHEAT FLOUR, NATURAL CANE SUGAR, YEAST, SEA SALT, CANOLA OIL], SEASONING [SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, SUGAR, ONION*, SPICE, GARLIC*, BEEF FAT], SALT, SPICE EXTRACT), SPINACH, MACARONI PRODUCT (WHEAT FLOUR, EGG WHITES), CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF: LOWER SODIUM NATURAL SEA SALT, ONIONS*, GARLIC*, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, FLAVORING, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CARROT JUICE CONCENTRATE, SALT, CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), PARMESAN CHEESE (MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), CHICKEN BROTH*, SUGAR, FERMENTED WHEY (MILK), CHICKEN FAT, YEAST EXTRACT, TURMERIC EXTRACT, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), SOY LECITHIN, TOCOPHEROLS, SPIC *DRIED.

Why avoid canned foods?

BPA

Most canned foods have a plastic coating inside the can to keep the food fresh inside. The inner plastic lining is Bisphenol or BPA, and it is a harmful poisonous coating that has shown to kill rats in laboratories even at concentrations 1000 times lower than what an average American consumes per meal. BPA is a toxic chemical that causes hormone imbalances and a wide variety of other health issues like hypertension, obesity, aggression, cancer and heart disease. The Environmental Working Group conducted a study and found that more than 50% of cans with brand names have toxic BPA in them. Cook your beans and veggies from scratch if you can!

Here is a great reference for BPA free canned food brands: http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-canned-food-brands/
Here is a BPA Canned Food Pocket Guide to take with you to the store: http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-pocket-guide/

Nutrients

Canned foods have around 80% less nutrients than fully ripe fruits and vegetables, and have about 15 times the amount of sodium you are required to eat for the day. This, of course, leads to nutrient deficiencies and heart and blood problems.

Aluminum

Aluminum cans leak (just like aluminum pots and pans). Most people are unaware that when food is packaged in a can, it is then heated up again to supposedly retain freshness. Heating up these aluminum cans actually leaks aluminum free radicals into the food. Over time, too much aluminum in the body can cause memory problems like Alzheimer’s. More than 5000 million pounds of aluminum is used every year for making aluminum cans – they are more light weight, and are a cheaper material to use for big corporations. Most canned foods like soups, vegetables, chicken or beef broth as well as tomato sauces are made out of aluminum because it is cheaper for the company. Even though these cans are lined (with BPA lining), this lining does not completely protect the food from leached aluminum particles during the can heating process.

Preservatives

There are so many preservatives in canned food, and all are referred to as something different. Every few months a new name is established for the same ingredient to come up with names that are more friendly-sounding. To counteract the effect of preservatives rotting the canned food, manufacturers add in copious amounts of salt (sodium).

Quality

The quality of food inside canned goods is really not that great. Companies will do anything to save a dollar, and this means packing in the lowest quality foods at all costs.

This recipe comes from The 30 Day Guide to Paleo Cooking by Hayley Mason and Bill Staley. The meatballs were a tad time intensive because I rolled them small, however you can roll them as small or as large as you prefer. My local grocery store sells organic ground pork, which is a bonus if you can find it. This soup was a hit with my son and everyone else who tasted it and the noodles were not missed. You can double the recipe and freeze for later use.

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Real Italian Wedding Soup

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Whole Food. Real Food. Good Food.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground pork (preferably organic)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 head escarole

Instructions

1. Place the ground pork in a large mixing bowl, and season with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Mix thoroughly to evenly combine.
2. Roll the ground pork into 1/2-inch meatballs. Set them aside to add to the soup later.
3. In a large soup pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
4. Add the chopped carrots and celery.
5. Once the broth has reached a rolling boil, add the meatballs slowly and carefully. Adding too many cold meatballs at once will cool the soup.
6. Allow the meatballs to boil for 10 minutes.
7. Lightly chop the escarole, and add to the soup.
8. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
9. Enjoy!

Real Italian Wedding Soup

• 2 pounds ground pork (preferably organic)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 head escarole

1. Place the ground pork in a large mixing bowl, and season with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Mix thoroughly to evenly combine.
2. Roll the ground pork into 1/2-inch meatballs. Set them aside to add to the soup later.
3. In a large soup pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
4. Add the chopped carrots and celery.
5. Once the broth has reached a rolling boil, add the meatballs slowly and carefully. Adding too many cold meatballs at once will cool the soup.
6. Allow the meatballs to boil for 10 minutes.
7. Lightly chop the escarole, and add to the soup.
8. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
9. Enjoy!

To receive daily health tips and gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and sugar-free meal/snack ideas, like us at www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood.

“When you know better, you do better.”