Spicy Kale and Coconut Chicken Soup

This post is long overdue!  My apologies for the hiatus, guys.  Last week was a busy one!

This past Saturday, the gym where I train - Tribe Fitness - hosted its first Bring a Friend Day.  Members were asked to bring a friend with them to visit Tribe and compete in a partner-style WOD.  The day was a huge success!  I had a blast meeting the spouses, relatives, friends, and co-workers of some of our members.  As always, I was uplifted and inspired getting to witness them encourage and push one another through a pretty intense workout.  I'm very blessed to work at a gym where no-one is just a number...we are truly a family.  New faces are always welcomed with open arms and hearts that want to help.  To say this job is one of the best things to ever happen to me would be an understatement!  Thank you to everyone who came and made the day so much fun! :)  Go Team TRIBE!

Anyone else having a hard time believing we are already 11 days into March?  Daylight Savings this past weekend hit me hard - the older I get, the more difficult it is to bounce back from losing an hour :/  However, I'm SO loving this warmer weather.  Today, we're supposed to hit 80 degrees in Athens!  Yes, yes, yes!!!

That being said, it seems not-all-that-fitting to share a recipe for soup, BUT this is one that you definitely need to try...so I'm doing it anyway :)  This soup is spicy, savory, creamy, and simply put, amazing.  The hubby and I were both blown away by how tasty it is.  One of the best Paleo soups we've tried, and now one of our favorites. Better yet?  It's incredibly healthy!

We LOVE spicy food in this house, so the heat in this soup was one of our favorite parts about it. However,  you can totally leave out the paprika and cayenne spices and this soup will still be delicious.  I can't promise I won't tease you relentlessly for not being able to handle spicy food though ;)

Spicy Kale and Coconut Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp coconut oil

8 cups chicken stock

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can coconut milk

1 cup chopped roma tomatoes

1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced

2 cups chopped kale

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne

Directions:

1) Cook chicken in pan with coconut oil, then cut cooked chicken into bite-size pieces.

2) Pour chicken broth into large soup pot.

3) Chop carrots and onion and add to chicken broth over medium heat.  Boil for 10 minutes or until carrots are soft.

4) Add garlic, spices, tomato, and chicken to broth.

5) Add coconut milk and chopped kale.  Warm through, but don't allow to boil.

Cheesy Chicken and "Rice" Bake

Day #2 of SNOWPOCALYPSE in Athens, Georgia. I have not left my couch much at all in the last 48 hours other than to use the bathroom or retrieve food.  So far, the forced relaxation has been really kinda nice, but I think if I don't get out of the house for at least a little bit today, I'm going to start to go stir crazy!  I'm far too Type A to embrace doing "nothing" for very long (which can be both a good and bad character trait, I suppose).

I'm definitely going to miss working out with my fellow Tribe trainers this afternoon, so I've decided to kick off my morning with some Tabata intervals in the living room.  But first!...a cozy, cheesy, cauliflower-y recipe for you.  THIS is the kind of dinner I could easily finish off in one-sitting, by myself, on a bitterly cold night like the ones we've had lately.  Dairy is a Paleo no-go, but we still indulge on occasion. Let's be honest, folks, what is life without cheese?!? This recipe's got it (and needs it, if you ask me), but only enough for some extra flavor...not enough to have to call it a cheat meal :)

Did I mention I love cheese?  

If you haven't tried Cauliflower "Rice" yet, get ready to fall in love. It's a phenomenal Paleo substitute that we use all.the.time. You'll need a head of cauliflower and either a food processor or cheese grater. Cut the cauliflower into florets, place in the food processor, and pulse in one-second pulses until the size of rice. Voila! 

The hubby and I paired this with a side of sautéed green beans. Enjoy! 

                            Cheesy Chicken and "Rice" Bake 

Ingredients:

4 pieces of bacon, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

12 oz button mushrooms, chopped

1 tsp french thyme

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 large head cauliflower, "riced"

1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken, shredded

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

4 green onions, chopped

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook until crispy.  

3) Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan leaving bacon drippings.

4) Add onion and mushrooms to bacon drippings and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

5) Add french thyme and salt and stir until fragrant.

6) Add cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7) Add chicken and bacon and stir until well combined.  Season with salt, to taste.

8) Pour mixture into 11x7" oiled (I used coconut oil) dish, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.  

9) Sprinkle with green onions.