What Is Cowboy Caviar?

No one is quite sure how cowboy caviar got its name and, depending on where you’re from, you might’ve heard it called a few things: black-eyed pea salad, Southwestern dip or black bean salsa. But whatever its name, you’ll want to lasso up this recipe.

This cowboy salsa is full of some pretty tasty ingredients, like black beans, black-eyed peas, avocado and seasonings.

The beauty of cowboy caviar is its simplicity. Aside from chopping your veggies, this is a “throw in a bowl and forget about it” type of recipe. No cooking means it’s a summertime favorite, perfect for those nights when the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven.

Because it’s a salad/salsa/dip hybrid, there are also tons of ways to enjoy cowboy caviar. You can eat it solo or serve it as a side for burgers or BBQ chicken. The fresh flavors make it a delicious topping for tacos, and it goes great with tortilla chips.

If you really want to get creative, you can serve this cowboy caviar recipe with scrambled eggs or as a topping for oven-baked potatoes or French fries. With this flavor combination, you can’t really go wrong.

Best of all, this cowboy caviar is suitable for all palates. Vegans, vegetarians, gluten-haters — cowboy caviar is for everyone! No dairy, no gluten — just a whole lot of flavor.

Nutrition Facts

But, you wonder, is cowboy caviar healthy? You’re in luck because this is one of the healthiest dips around! Here’s (approximately) all the good stuff you’re getting in one serving:

• Calories: 130
• Carbohydrates: 7 g
• Fiber: 5.6 g
• Sugar: 5 g
• Fat: 6.1 g
• Protein: 4.3 g
• Sodium: 376 mg (16% DV*)
• Vitamin C: 57.7 mg (77% DV)
• Vitamin A: 1,411 IU (60% DV)
• Vitamin K: 35.9 mcg (40% DV)
• Manganese: 0.432 mg (24% DV)
• Copper: 0.219 mg (24% DV)

*Daily Value: Percentages are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day.

Now let’s talk about some of the ingredients that make this cowboy caviar so good for you.

Black beans are an inexpensive way to get your fill of fiber, protein and legume goodness. These affordable beans are awesome at reducing inflammation. They also protect your heart from disease thanks to the phytonutrients in beans, which help get rid of bad cholesterol.

Black beans also are packed with fiber, which joins in on the fight against “bad” cholesterol levels and keeps you feeling full for a longer amount of time, along with removing waste and toxins from your body.

Black-eyed peas aren’t as common as black beans, but they should be. They’re especially good for your digestion and help keep bowel movements regular. Additionally, black-eyed peas are rich in iron, which helps to prevent anemia and are fantastic for your skin and hair thanks to the vitamin A.

Another ingredient in this cowboy caviar that you’ve likely seen popping up a lot is apple cider vinegar. Not only are there a ton of home uses for apple cider vinegar, but when you ingest it, ACV can boost your metabolism, is full of good probiotics to give your gut a friendly kick and even lowers blood pressure.

How to Make Cowboy Caviar

Now that you know why cowboy caviar is so good for you, it’s time to get this healthy dip going. Because this recipe is basically just assembly, you can prepare it ahead of time and save yourself from slaving in the kitchen while guests or family are in a different room.

Go ahead and dice up your pepper and tomatoes … and then your onion.

At this point, if you’re making the salsa in advance, you can go ahead and chuck the onions, pepper and tomato in a bowl and place it in the fridge until you’re ready to add the rest of the ingredients.

But if you’re ready to go to town on this cowboy caviar ASAP, add everything in a large bowl now.

If you’re feeling extra zesty, a splash of freshly squeezed lime juice is a nice addition.

And the next step? Chow down, of course.

As mentioned, try this dip with your favorite tortilla chips or with tacos.

Other Tasty, Healthy Mexican or Southwestern Dips

• Easy guacamole
• Queso
• Pico de gallo
• Mango avocado salsa
• Cucumber salsa
• Chunky tomato salsa

Print

Cowboy Caviar Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This cowboy caviar or cowboy salsa is full of some pretty tasty ingredients, like black beans, black-eyed peas, avocado and seasonings. It’s a nice filling changeup from salsa and guacamole.

---

Ingredients

• 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
• 15 ounces black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 2 Roma tomato, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple sugar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• ½ avocado, diced

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and refrigerate 30 minutes prior to serving.
2. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or atop your favorite tacos.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Category: Appetizers
• Method: Mixing
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 130
• Sugar: 6.5 g
• Sodium: 376 mg
• Fat: 6.1 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 7 g
• Fiber: 5.6 g
• Protein: 4.3 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

The post Cowboy Caviar: the Best Hearty Salsa Alternative appeared first on Dr. Axe.

As such, they make a perfect ingredient for any most meals and fit most diets, including the keto diet. They also work beautifully for a cold soup, as they add thickness and creaminess that you seek for a good summer soup.

Here we combine avocado with popular cold soup ingredient cucumber, rather than featuring each solo. They truly are better as a duet, especially with the other ingredients and overall flavor. This cold cucumber avocado soup can even be turned into a dip, when you use less water, for chips or cut-up veggies.

Why is this avocado soup good for the keto diet and even high protein diets? Well, each 309 calorie serving offers 25 grams of healthy fats alongside 11 grams of protein and just 5 net carbs (total carbs minus fiber). Those are nearly perfect macros for the ketogenic diet.

Key Ingredients for a Cold Summer Soup

Hot soups are out when summer arrives, but that doesn’t mean you need to do without soup altogether. Instead, start making some cold soups for your lunch or perhaps as a starter for dinner.

Maybe you’ve made or tried gazpacho or cold cucumber soup? These are both longtime cold summer soup faves, but cold avocado soup has been trending.

Here we blend the latter two into one delicious cold soup: cucumber avocado soup. Ingredients include:

• Avocado: One of the most nutrition-packed foods on the planet, avocados are rich in fiber, vitamin K, folate, vitamin C and potassium, plus plenty of heart-healthy fats.
• Cucumber: A great detoxifying food, cucumbers contain compounds called cucurbitacins, which are known to support digestive function.
• Celery: Celery is high in antioxidants and beneficial enzymes, as well as fiber and certain vitamins like vitamin K.
• Lemon juice: High in vitamin C, it balances out the flavor with a little sour taste.

Other ingredients include sea salt, black pepper and fresh herbs like basil and parsley. Lastly, some crumbled raw cheddar or goat cheese on top. Yum!

How to Make Creamy Cucumber Avocado Soup

Place all the ingredients on your counter. Get out a cutting board and a good sharp knife. Peel the cucumber and chop roughly and place into a high-powered blender or food processor.

Next, scoop out the meat from a full avocado after removing the seed. Place into the blender. Chop up five stalks of celery and add to the blender.

Lastly, add the squeezed lemon juice, water, sea salt and black pepper. Blend thoroughly and pour into two soup bowls. Top with shredded raw cheddar cheese or goat cheese, along with fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Creamy Cucumber Avocado Soup Recipe (or Dip!)

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 35 min
• Yield: 2
• Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Go beyond guacamole and use the mighty avocado for this delicious (and easy!) Creamy Cucumber Avocado Soup. It can also substitute as a great dipping sauce.

---

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• ½ cucumber, peeled
• 5 stalks celery
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 ounces raw cheddar cheese or goat cheese
• fresh herbs, such as basil or parsley (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients (except the cheese) together in a high-powered blender or food processor.
2. Blend thoroughly and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
3. Serve chilled and top with fresh cheese and fresh herbs.

Notes

You can also use this as a dip for chips or fresh veggies, use less water in the recipe so it’s nice and thick.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Category: Soups, Side Dishes, Lunches
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Calories: 309
• Sugar: 3.1g
• Sodium: 745mg
• Fat: 25.1g
• Saturated Fat: 9.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 13.6g
• Fiber: 8g
• Protein: 11.4g
• Cholesterol: 30mg

The post Cold Summer Soup Perfection: Cucumber Avocado appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Some of the main kimchi ingredients include Napa cabbage, radish, scallion, cucumber and red chili paste. Other major components that are considered healthy, functional foods include garlic, ginger and red pepper powder.

Today, kimchi is considered Korea’s “national dish” — in fact, on average people in Korea consume about 40 pounds of kimchi per person, per year.

Never tried it before? If you like cultured vegetables and fermented foods like sauerkraut, you’ll probably love kimchi, too.

What does kimchi taste like? It tastes spicy and sour due to the fermentation process that produces live and active “probiotic cultures,” which are responsible for some of its benefits, including improving digestion and raising immune function.

What Is Kimchi?

Kimchi is a traditional side dish and staple of Korean cuisine. It consists of fermented and salted vegetables, most commonly Napa cabbage and Korean radishes with a variety of flavorful and spicy seasonings.

How long does it take to ferment kimchi? In order for kimchi ingredients to actually become a true kimchi, they must undergo a traditional fermentation process inside tightly sealed glass jars. This takes place anywhere from several days to several months.

During this time, the flavors, textures and health benefits of kimchi dramatically change and improve. That is why this food is now growing in popularity worldwide as a “superfood.”

Is kimchi good for you? According to a 2014 report published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods, the fermentative byproducts formed during fermentation and the functional ingredients used to make kimchi significantly boost its benefits because these are responsible for forming the probiotics.

The fermentation of kimchi is carried out by various microorganisms present in the raw materials, including lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Specifically, strains of Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc and Weissella are believed to be the primary types of probiotics produced during the fermentation of this food.

According to the book, “Regulating Safety of Traditional and Ethnic Foods,” a compilation from a team of experts in food safety, nutrition and regulatory affairs, “Kimchi is also regarded as a hygienically safe food because pathogenic bacteria and contaminations are almost completely removed during its preparation and fermentation.”

A 2018 scientific review highlights some of the potential benefits of kimchi according to scientific studies to date:

• Stimulates immune function
• Decreases disease-causing pro-oxidants and free radicals
• Reduces the occurrence of certain cancers
• Holds anti-aging properties
• Wards off cardiovascular disease
• Lowers metabolic syndrome risks
• Improves intestinal flora

Beginning in the early 20th century, health researchers began to speculate that probiotic foods contained proteolytic microbes that worked in the colon to reduce toxic substances responsible for the aging process. They theorized that consuming fermented foods like benefit-rich kefir and yogurt coat the colon with LAB bacteria, decreasing intestinal pH, suppressing dangerous bacteria and leading to a slower rate of aging.

Since this time, numerous studies have suggested this to be true of many different cultured foods.

Kimchi, first called ji, was born during the pre-modern period of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. It was first made using just cabbage and beef stock — a simple and resourceful recipe using widely available and inexpensive ingredients.

Although red chilis are what give it its signature color and spice, this ingredient wasn’t actually available in Korea until the Europeans introduced it to Asian countries after originally finding it in the Americas. Koreans first had access to red chili after the Japanese invasions of 1592–1598. It then became a staple ingredient not only in kimchi, but many other Korean recipes, too.

As the national dish, kimchi has played an important role in Korean cuisine for hundreds of years. During South Korea’s involvement in the Vietnam War, for example, the Korean government requested that Americans help feed the hungry and desperate South Korean troops with this fermented food, because it was said to be “vitally important to the morale of Korean troops.”

Because it is able to help kill intestinal bacteria and improve immunity, it was vital for troops living in harsh environments that didn’t contain many nutrients.

This probiotic food can be categorized by its main ingredients, regions where it originally stems from and seasons. Korea’s northern and southern sections have a considerable temperature difference. This has affected the availability of various vegetable and spice ingredients.

A recipe from the northern parts of Korea tends to have less salt and red chili. It usually does not include brined seafood for seasoning like a Korean recipe from southern Korea typically does.

Other variations in these recipes are due to changes in the seasons, which over the years led people to use fermentation as a way of preserving vegetables that were in season and overly abundant. Before modern refrigeration existed, kimchi was a great way to reduce spoilage and prolong freshness of harvested ingredients, like fresh vegetables and herbs in summer or nutrient-dense sweet potatoes in the cooler months.

Today, even though specialty “kimchi refrigerators” are sometimes used in Korea that have precise controls to keep different varieties at optimal temperatures, many Koreans continue to prepare it according to honored traditional and seasonal preparation methods.

Nutrition Facts

A half-cup serving of kimchi (about 75 grams) contains approximately:

• Calories: 11.3
• Total Carbohydrates: 1.8 g
• Fiber: 1.2 g
• Sugar: 0.8 g
• Total Fat: 0.4 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2 g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Protein: 0.8 g
• Sodium: 373.5 mg (16% DV*)
• Vitamin K: 32.7 mcg (27% DV)
• Riboflavin: 0.2 mg (15% DV)
• Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg (12% DV)
• Iron: 1.9 mg (11% DV)
• Folate: 39 mcg (10% DV)
• Niacin: 0.8 mg (5% DV)

*Daily Value: Percentages are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day.

Kimchi nutrition also contains a good amount of vitamins A and C depending on exactly how it’s made.

Benefits

1. Provides Probiotics that Help Improve Digestion

We hear about the benefits of probiotic foods like yogurt and sauerkraut all the time, but don’t overlook kimchi, which has tons of these gut-friendly bacteria, too. Responsible for giving it its carbonation, sour taste and pungent smell, probiotics develop during fermentation as bacterial enzymes that are able to rapidly reproduce from thriving off of the sugar molecules found in the vegetables.

The longer kimchi ferments, usually the greater the health benefits and higher concentration of probiotics that develop. But remember that “real” kimchi also has to be refrigerated and unpasteurized for the probiotics to remain intact.

While fermenting the vegetables, probiotic LAB develops. Many bacteria are involved in the fermentation of kimchi, but LAB becomes most dominant while other less-beneficial bacteria become suppressed thanks partially to the salting of the cabbage. The addition of other sub-ingredients like garlic and ginger, plus the rise in LAB during the fermentation, is what helps ensure that it is safe to eat since this process kills pathogenic bacteria.

Repopulating “good” bacterial microflora of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can play an important role in preventing the pathophysiology of some GI disorders, according to the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

To put it frankly, this fermented food can “keep you regular” and help you poop! That’s not all. Probiotics have been used as a natural digestive treatment modality for over a century because beneficial probiotic bacteria strains help reduce harmful bacteria in the gut that can cause indigestion, inflammation and even hormonal changes.

Fermented foods are useful for anyone suffering from common digestive issues like constipation or more serious conditions like candida virus, leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune disorders. The efficacy of probiotics, either as a single strain or a combination of probiotics found in some cultured foods, has been shown to be beneficial in antibiotic-associated diarrhea, clostridium difficile colitis, infectious diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, pouchitis and irritable bowel syndrome, among other disorders.

2. Helps Increase Immunity

Because 70 percent to 80 percent of the immune system is actually stored within the gut, probiotic-rich kimchi can help you fight bacterial infections, viruses, common illnesses and serious chronic conditions, too.

Potential probiotic benefits have been have been seen in the treatment or prevention of:

• Diarrhea
• Eczema
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• H. pylori (the cause of ulcers)
• Vaginal infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Recurrence of bladder cancer
• Infection of the digestive tract caused by Clostridium difficile
• Pouchitis (a possible side effect of surgery that removes the colon)

Aside from containing probiotics, kimchi is full of ingredients that are known to stimulate healthy immune function. Similar to the benefits of cayenne pepper, red pepper powder has anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant effects. It’s even capable of helping food avoid spoiling since it contains natural antibacterial properties.

Garlic is another immune system booster that inhibits the activities of many harmful viruses, fights fatigue and lowers inflammation. It has been considered a food for promoting longevity for thousands of years as well.

Ginger is a time-honored beneficial ingredient that helps soothe the digestive organs, nourish the gut, fight bacteria and help you heal quicker from being sick.

Finally, cabbage is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-packaged cruciferous vegetable that provides vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and other important nutrients. Certain biochemicals, including isocyanate and sulfide, that are found in Chinese cabbage and radishes are effective in helping prevent cancer and detoxifying heavy metals in the liver, kidney and small intestine.

Yet another benefit of kimchi comes from the prebiotic fibers found in the cabbage, radishes and other ingredients that are capable of helping enhance immune function, especially in the digestive organs.

3. High in Fiber

Kimchi is made primarily of vegetables. Vegetables provide a good dose of dietary fiber that’s both filling and good for digestive and heart health.

Cabbage is especially a good source of fiber. It is high in volume, yet low in calories and carbs.

The average fiber intake for U.S. children and adults is less than half of the recommended amount, yet we know that individuals with high intakes of dietary fiber appear to be at significantly lower risks for developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and certain gastrointestinal diseases.

Diets that include more high-fiber foods, especially vegetables, are linked to lower blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels, improvements in glycemia and insulin sensitivity, and significantly enhanced weight loss. Increasing fiber in your diet can help you eat less overall since it swells up, absorbs water and makes you feel full.

Even small amounts of kimchi can help you reach your fiber quota for the day and give you a nice dose of probiotics in the process. Try using it on some of your favorite recipes as a healthy condiment.

4. Low in Calories and Can Help Reduce Cravings

Many people find that consuming fermented foods helps kill their sugar addiction, improves digestion and helps with appetite regulation. If weight loss is your primary goal, luckily kimchi is very low in calories but high in nutrients and satiating fiber.

It might even be able to help improve metabolic function. Its spicy red pepper flakes are known to cause warming, thermogenic effects inside the body.

Probiotic supplements and foods are now being linked with reductions in weight and body fat. Studies suggest that manipulation of the microbial ecosystem in the gut might even be a new novel approach in the treatment of obesity. In the future, we might see that treatment options for helping reduce overeating and obesity might consist of altering the compositions of the microbial communities of obese individuals.

How are probiotics related to weight gain or loss? Short-chain fatty acid production and low-grade inflammation have been found to be important underlying mechanisms of action that influence appetite, metabolism and body weight. These are highly connected to gut health.

This means that finding the most effective combination and dosage rate of probiotic microorganisms will likely be able to help those who struggle with controlling cravings, regulating appetite hormones and fighting impulses to overeat.

In fact, a 2024 cross-sectional study that analyzed 115,726 participants aged 40–69 years enrolled in the Health Examinees study in Korea found that consuming one to three servings of kimchi daily “was associated with a lower risk of obesity in men. Baechu kimchi was associated with a lower prevalence of obesity in men, and kkakdugi was associated with a lower prevalence of abdominal obesity in both men and women.”

The study authors did, however, caution that “since all results showed a ‘J-shaped’ association, it is recommended to limit excessive kimchi intake.” Still, provides evidence that this fermented food could help with weight loss and obesity.

5. Provides Antioxidants that Can Help Fight Cancer

Kimchi is chock-full of anti-inflammatory foods and spices that are known to be cancer-fighting foods. They promote overall better health and longevity and slow down oxidative stress. For example, different color varieties of cabbage can contribute a range of important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds to your diet.

Garlic, ginger, radishes, red pepper and scallions are also high in antioxidant properties that help lower inflammation. Anti-inflammatory foods are important for preventing chronic diseases associated to oxidative stress, such as cancer, cognitive disorders and coronary artery diseases.

Research suggests that the compound capsaicin, which is contained in the red hot pepper powder, helps reduce the chance of developing lung cancer. Several population studies demonstrate an association between an increased intake of garlic (and onions) and reduced risk of certain cancers, including cancers of the stomach, colon, esophagus, pancreas and breast.

In addition, the indole-3-carbinol contained in Chinese cabbage has been linked to decreased gut inflammation and colon cancer.

There is also preliminary evidence that kimchi may hold anti-aging effects and could potentially help prevent yeast infections, but more research is needed to confirm these benefits.

Uses in Traditional Medicine

Does kimchi taste sour? According to Ayurveda, it is considered a sour food that can be helpful in balancing the Vata dosha.

The taste of sour foods is believed to encourage good digestion, boost energy and aid in the elimination of excess wind in the body (think symptoms like bloating and gas). It’s also thought to generally enliven the senses.

Probiotic-rich foods have a rich history in Asia so it’s no surprise that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) values kimchi for its beneficial probiotic effects on the digestive and immune systems.

Kimchi has been served daily at virtually all meals in Korean households for thousands of years. The benefits of probiotics found in this fermented food and other foods have only become common knowledge in more recent years. For all these centuries, people in Korea have been consuming a traditional food that truly doubled as a traditional medicine whether they realized it or not.

Kimchi vs. Sauerkraut

Kimchi and sauerkraut are two powerhouse fermented foods with cabbage as their star ingredient. Just like with kimchi, the kind of sauerkraut you want to buy is the type that’s been prepared in the traditional way and is refrigerated in order to preserve the live and active cultures.

The same process used to make kimchi (lactic acid fermentation) is also used to make sauerkraut. When fermented optimally, both are rich sources of beneficial probiotics and enzymes.

Both of these cabbage-centric delights are typically described as salty and sour. Can you eat kimchi on its own? Kimchi and sauerkraut are most often consumed as accompaniments to larger dishes, but you can totally eat them by themselves.

A good homemade sauerkraut typically only contains two ingredients: cabbage and salt. You can also include some caraway seeds like in this sauerkraut recipe. Homemade kimchi involves not only more ingredients (around 10), but a little more effort as well.

Risks and Side Effects

As with anything, even healthy foods, you don’t want to overdo it on your consumption. As a fiber- and probiotic-rich food, too much may result in gas or bloating. If you’ve never eaten it before, start off with a small quantity.

Salt is used in the creation of kimchi so check with your doctor before adding it to your meals if you are following a low-sodium diet.

How to Make Kimchi

Throughout Korea, and other parts of the world where Koreans have formed smaller concentrated pockets, numerous kimchi recipes have been formed. Today, it’s possible to find hundreds of different preparation methods available worldwide, all determined by the length of fermentation, main vegetable ingredients and the mix of seasonings used to flavor the dish.

The most common seasonings in a traditional kimchi recipe include brine (salty water), scallions, red chili, ginger, chopped radish, shrimp or fish paste, and garlic — all of which pack in flavor and make this food stand out in any dish.

How do you make homemade kimchi? You can try making your own at home using this simple recipe below. How to make kimchi is really not as hard as you might think!

How to Eat

If you’re wondering where to buy kimchi, you can find jarred kimchi in health food stores and specialty Asian grocery stores. Some major chain grocery stores now carry it, too.

There are typically three kimchi products you an choose from in stores:

1. freshly packed items of salad-type kimchi (called Geotjeori–fresh kimchi, seasoned, without fermentation)
2. refrigerated items of fermented kimchi
3. fermented, pasteurized items of shelf-stable kimchi

I highly recommend choosing the second option, which is most health-boosting. Opt for fermented but not pasteurized kimchi.

Although having it with traditional Korean foods like rice and proteins might be the first thing that comes to mind, you can also get creative with this food and use it in savory pancakes, on top of burgers, with eggs, on tacos and many other ways, too.

Once you purchase it or make your own, you may have some of these common kimchi-related questions:

• Is kimchi supposed to be fizzy? Should kimchi bubble when opened? It is very common for it to be fizzy or bubbly. It’s a result of the fermentation process.
• Does kimchi expire? Yes, any store-bought variety will come with an expiration date.
• How long does kimchi last? An opened container can last in the fridge for up to three months while an unopened container can last up to 12 months.
• Is my kimchi rotten? As it starts to go bad, it will begin to taste and smell pungently sour. As with any food, if you see anything strange growing in your kimchi or it really tastes off in a bad way, then, of course, be safe and get rid of it immediately.
• How long does kimchi last unrefrigerated? You always want to store it in the fridge unless you are in those first days of creating homemade kimchi (more on that below). Remember that “real” kimchi has to be refrigerated and unpasteurized for the probiotics to remain intact.

Homemade Kimchi Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 2–5 days
• Yield: 1 quart
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Kimchi is a traditional side dish and staple of Korean cuisine. It consists of fermented and salted vegetables, most commonly Napa cabbage and Korean radishes with a variety of flavorful and spicy seasonings. Learn how to make it!

---

Ingredients

• 1 medium head Napa cabbage or purple cabbage
• ¼ cup Himalayan or Celtic sea salt
• ½ cup water
• 6 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons seafood flavor like fish sauce (or use more water to make this a vegan kimchi)
• 1 to 5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
• 8 ounces Korean radish or daikon radish, peeled and cut finely
• 4 scallions, trimmed and cut finely

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Slice the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Then slice into fine strips.
2. Add your salt to the cabbage in a large bowl. Use your hands to massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to become soft and give off water. This might take several minutes.
3. Let the cabbage stand for 1 to 2 hours, then rinse it under water for several minutes. Combine the garlic, ginger, coconut sugar and fish sauce (or water) in a small bowl. Mix to form a smooth paste, then add it to the bowl with cabbage.
4. Add the chopped radish, scallions and seasoning paste. Then massage all the ingredients together using your hands until they are coated. Pack the mixture into a large glass jar and press down on it until the brine rises to cover the vegetables.
5. Make sure to leave at least 1–2 inches of space and air at the top of the jar (important for fermentation). Tightly close the lid and keep the jar standing at room temperature for 1 to 5 days.
6. Check your homemade kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables if need be to keep them submerged under the liquid brine. Taste it after several days to see how if it has become sour enough to your liking. If not, let it continue for several more days before storing in the refrigerator sealed for up to 3 months.

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Category: Snacks, Side Dishes
• Method: Fermentation
• Cuisine: Korean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 0.5 cup
• Calories: 54
• Sugar: 5.9g
• Sodium: 290mg
• Fat: 0.6g
• Saturated Fat: 0.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12.1g
• Fiber: 3.4g
• Protein: 2.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

The post Kimchi: Learn How to Make This Benefit-Rich Fermented Food appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Are the benefits of chicken bone broth from your local grocery store the same? For starters, you have no idea exactly how that broth was made. One of the keys to a health-boosting bone broth is the long cooking time (at least 24 hours), because this infuses it with all of the beneficial nutrients. Another problem with many store-bought broths and stocks is their inclusion of certain fillers and preservatives that you don’t want to consume.

To reap the awesome benefits of chicken broth, you should try this easy-to-make recipe for your digestive system and more today!

What Is the Difference Between Bone Broth and Stock?

Chicken bone broth and chicken stock … are they just two different names for the same thing? Broth, bone broth and stock are similar yet notably different. Broth is typically created using meat, vegetables and herbs. Stock includes vegetables and herbs too, but it also includes animal bones which often have meat attached. While broth is only cooked for 45 minutes to two hours, stock is usually cooked for at least four to six hours.

So what is the difference between bone broth and stock? Bone broth and stock are basically the same, but the cooking time is what differentiates the two. Bone broth takes the upmost claim to flavor and nutrition fame with the inclusion of bones like stock, but it gets cooked for a much longer period of time — typically 24 hours at the least (and often significantly longer).

There’s nothing like homemade chicken bone broth, but if you don’t have the time to make it, there are high-quality protein powders made from chicken bone broth on the market today so you don’t have to miss out on chicken bone broth health benefits.

Which Is Better: Chicken Bone Broth or Beef Bone Broth?

Let’s start off by saying choosing beef bone broth vs. chicken broth is often a matter of personal preference. Some people just prefer the taste of one meat broth over another. Chicken bone broth is often described as having a lighter flavor, while beef bone broth has a richer taste.

The health benefits of beef and chicken bone broth are very similar. Both bone broths are easy for the body to digest and soothing to the digestive system. They’re also both consumed by many people to boost skin and joint health. Either broth can be used on a bone broth fast.

One difference is the collagen types. Chicken bone broth contains mostly type 2 collagen while beef bone broth is high in type 3 and type 1 collagen. Type 2 collagen helps to form the cartilage that protects our joints

It can be advantageous to cook beef bone broth on the longer side of the 24 to 48 hour spectrum since beef bones are thicker than chicken bones.

Recipe Nutrition Facts

The exact nutrition content of this chicken bone broth recipe will vary depending on a number of factors, including the exact ingredients used, the length of cooking time and how much fat is skimmed off the top.

In general, chicken bone broth nutrition is low in calories, fat and carbs, which makes sense because the chicken parts and vegetables are all removed at the end. It also make it a perfect keto drink.

In terms of sodium: You are in control of how much salt you put in it, but for this recipe, we recommend about a teaspoon of high-quality sea salt.

There are several variations on making chicken broth (including instant pot chicken bone broth, chicken feet bone broth or a whole chicken bone broth recipe). You can use various chicken parts, or you can use an entire chicken carcass.

How to Make Chicken Bone Broth

How do you make stock from chicken bones? It’s really not hard at all! This chicken bone broth slow cooker recipe basically entails putting all of the ingredients into the slow cooker (or stock pot) and letting it cook for hours. How to make chicken broth from bones is really that easy.

By opting for organic ingredients, you can easily make this an organic chicken bone broth. In regard to getting the best bones and carcass, we recommend buying organic free-range chicken to avoid hormones and antibiotics.

Your final product can be sipped on as a delicious chicken bone broth soup, or you can add it to all kinds of other recipes from soups and stews to meat and veggies and more.

Start by grabbing and preparing all of the necessary ingredients, such as red onion, celery, carrots, garlic, fresh parsley and thyme, and salt and pepper.

Then place all ingredients — chicken, veggies and then water to cover — in a 10-quart capacity slow cooker or large stock pot.

For the stovetop version, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer gently. For the slow cooker variety, simply turn on and set for as long as it’ll go. Often that can mean 8, 12 or 24 hours. This will mean you may need to restart in order for the cooking time to reach 24 or 48 hours.

Simmer for 24–48 hours, skimming fat occasionally. This low and long cooking time increases the chicken bone broth benefits as there is lots of time for the ingredients to release their goodness into the broth.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard solids.

Strain remainder in a bowl through a colander. Discard any small bits that remain in the colander.

Let broth cool to room temperature, cover and chill.

Use your chicken bone broth within a week or freeze up to three months.

Chicken Bone Broth Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 48 hours
• Yield: 20
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Bone broth is one of the most nutritious foods you can consume, including popular chicken bone broth. One of the keys to a health-boosting bone broth is the long cooking time (at least 24 hours), because this infuses it with all of the beneficial nutrients.

---

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken necks/feet/wings (you can also use the carcass and bones from a whole chicken — do not use the meat)
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium onions, peel on, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, peel on and smashed
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5–6 sprigs parsley
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 18–20 cups cold water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a 10-quart capacity slow cooker or large pot on stove.
2. Add in water to cover.
3. Simmer for 24–48 hours, skimming fat occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard solids and strain remainder in a bowl through a colander. Let stock cool to room temperature, cover and chill.
5. Use within a week or freeze up to three months.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 48 hours
• Category: Beverages, Soups
• Method: Stovetop, Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup (253g)
• Calories: 41 calories
• Sugar: 0.3g
• Sodium: 286mg
• Fat: 0.3g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 0.6g
• Fiber: 0.3g
• Protein: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 2.5mg

The post Chicken Bone Broth: Easy to Make & Flavorful appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Making this homemade beef bone broth recipe is one of the best ways you can reap all of those benefits. Plus, making beef bone broth is a lot easier than you might think and is far healthier than store-bought versions.

What Is Bone Broth Good for?

Bone broths have been staples of traditional diets around the world for centuries. Not only are they both flavor- and nutrient-dense, they’re also easy to digest and able to boost internal healing thanks to key components like gelatin, which research shows can help support intestinal health and integrity.

In addition to gelatin and collagen, the long simmering of the beef bones and ligaments also releases beneficial amino acids like proline, glycine and glutamine. These amino acids are key to metabolic processes, including the support of bone mineral density, muscle tissue creation and repair.

In case you were wondering, the benefits of beef bone broth and chicken bone broth are very similar, so you really can’t go wrong choosing either one!

What is the difference between bone broth and stock? They’re usually very similar or even exactly the same in terms of ingredients, and it’s more of the naming convention. That being said, bone broths are typically cooked significantly longer than a beef or chicken broth. Bone broth contains more protein, collagen, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals than a beef or chicken broth.

Beef Bone Broth Recipes

People are sometimes at a loss for the best way to consume bone broth on a daily basis. Do you just drink bone broth? You certainly can, but there are so many ways you can use bone broth. Whether you choose chicken or beef bone broth, the options are pretty endless.

But wait, which is better: chicken bone broth or beef bone broth? That mainly comes down to personal taste preference. Choosing between the two can also be based on what goes better with a recipe.

Some recipes like Vietnamese pho or beef bone vegetable soup are clearly best with a beef bone broth. For other dishes like Baked Chile Relleno Casserole or Slow Cooker Chicken Gumbo, chicken bone broth is the perfect addition.

Here are some other mouthwatering ways to use beef bone broth:

• Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
• Onion Soup Recipe
• Bone Broth-Braised Short Ribs Recipe with Garlic and Thyme

Nutrition Facts

If you use all organic ingredients, you’ll be making a delicious organic beef bone broth recipe. It’s especially important to opt for organic bones to avoid factory-farmed meats. If you’re really short on time, you can always purchase high-quality bone broth from your local health food store, or try a protein powder made from bone broth.

The exact nutrition facts for beef bone broth will vary from batch to batch because it depends upon the exact ingredients you choose to use, how long you cook the broth for, how much fat you skim off the top, etc.

In general, homemade beef broth is low in calories and fat, contains a notable amount of protein and zero grams of sugar and carbs.  The amount of sodium depends upon how much sea salt you use.

Is this a beef bone marrow broth recipe? Yes, and we recommend opting for beef bones with marrow, which are naturally rich in collagen. To maximize beef bone broth nutrition and quality, the best bones for bone broth come from organically-raised and — in the case of beef — grass-fed animals.

How to Make Beef Bone Broth

Making beef bone broth is just as easy as making our chicken bone broth recipe. All you have to do is combine all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and let it simmer for at least 36 hours (that might require you to run three cycles on your slow cooker unless you have one that allows you to set it for 36 hours). This is truly a pretty effortless beef bone broth slow cooker recipe.

Otherwise, you can also cook on the stovetop in a large stock pot. (See below.)

Why so much more time than a chicken bone broth? It’s because the beneficial components of beef bones take longer to release.

First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees to roast the bones and vegetables later.

While the oven heats up, it’s a good idea to blanch the beef bones. Ideally, as said above, these bones are from organic, grass-fed, free-range beef cattle. Blanching the bones will help create a clearer broth without any impurities. Simply place the bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones with cold water.

Place bones and vegetables in a roasting pan, without piling them on top of each other (you may need two pans). Roast for 30 minutes before turning over bones and veggies, then roast for 20 minutes more.

Place the beef bones and other ingredients in a 10-quart capacity slow cooker.

Add cold water so all the contents are submerged by about an inch. For the stovetop version, bring to a boil over high heat while covered, then reduce heat and simmer gently, with lid slightly ajar. For the slow cooker version, simply turn it on and set to 12 hours (be ready for two more cycles, so set your timer on your watch or in house).

If you’re doing on your stovetop, do not keep in on the flame overnight. Instead, remove from stovetop in the evening, allow it to cool and refrigerate overnight. Repeat the process the next day.

For either version, skim the fat that rises to the surface occasionally. Simmer for 12 to 24 hours.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard all solids. Strain the remainder through a colander.

After straining, let stock cool to room temperature (add some ice cubes to quicken this process if you want), cover and chill.

Place in the refrigerator and allow to completely cool. A few hours later, you can use a spoon or fork to remove the top layer of fat.

Use within a week. Otherwise, you can freeze your homemade beef bone broth for up to three months.

Precautions

If you have a histamine sensitivity, you should avoid bone broth. While it can reduce gut inflammation, bone broth also is rich in the amino acid glycine. And unfortunately, glycine can be converted to oxalates and glutamate in the body.

Beef Bone Broth Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 13 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 20 cups (approximately)
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Making this homemade recipe is one of the best ways you can reap all of the awesome beef bone broth benefits. Plus, making beef bone broth is a lot easier than you might think and is far healthier than store-bought versions.

---

Ingredients

• 5 pounds beef bones with marrow and bones with meat on them (oxtail, short ribs, knucklebones) — ideally from grass-fed, free-range cattle
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium onions, peel on, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, peel on and smashed
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 sprigs parsley
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Blanch the bones by placing them in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones with cold water.
3. Place bones and vegetables in a roasting pan, without piling them on top of each other (you may need two pans). Roast for 30 minutes before turning over bones and veggies, then roast for 20 minutes more.
4. Place the blanched beef bones and other ingredients in a 10-quart capacity slow cooker.
5. Add in cold water so all the contents are submerged by about an inch.
6. Turn on the slow cooker and prepare to cook for at least 12 hours at the low setting. For 24 hours, you may need to re-run the cycle twice or three times, depending on the slow cooker.
7. If cooking on a stovetop, bring the large pot to a boil over high heat with lid on; reduce and simmer gently with lid slightly ajar but on.
8. In slow cooker or pot, skim the fat that rises to the surface occasionally.
9. Simmer for 12 to 24 hours. If using stovetop, cool at evening and refrigerate overnight. Put back on the stovetop the next morning.
10. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. (Use any of the meat for soups or sandwiches, or just eat by itself.)
11. Discard solids and strain remainder in a bowl through a colander. Let stock cool to room temperature, cover and chill.
12. Refrigerate for a few hours before removing the top layer of fat with a spoon or fork.
13. Consume within a week. Or freeze in containers for up to 3 months.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 13 hours
• Category: Soups
• Method: Stovetop, Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.5 cups (355 g)
• Calories: 71
• Sugar: 0.9 g
• Sodium: 124 mg (5% DV)
• Fat: 3 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 1 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 10 g
• Cholesterol: 21.3 mg

The post Beef Bone Broth Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

What Is Borscht?

If you ask someone from Eastern Europe, it’s likely that they’ll tell you borscht originated from their country. Poland, Russia and Ukraine all claim borscht, although most experts believe that borscht was “invented” in Ukraine, where it spread to surrounding Baltic and Slavic countries, most likely thanks to Russia’s influence and presence in the region.

“Borscht” is a Yiddish word, but it’s derived from an old Slavic word for a hogweed plant, bursci, which was the main ingredient in a soup that would’ve been the precursor to borscht. That soup was made from pickled hogweeds. While beets later replaced hogweeds in borscht, the pickled aspect remains, as borscht is traditionally tart.

Borscht doesn’t include fancy ingredients. It was never intended as a fancy dish; in fact, it was a poor man’s soup — a way to make a hearty meal out of whatever was on hand. Beets grow freely and abundantly in Ukraine, so it makes sense that beets wound up being one of the main ingredients.

Borscht didn’t take on outside of Eastern Europe until Russian emperors began hiring French chefs to cook for them. These chefs, who learned how to make borscht in order to prepare it for their employers, eventually took the dish back to France, where it was cautiously greeted by the public.

Stateside, borscht made its way over the Atlantic by way of Eastern European Jews, who brought their borscht soup recipes along with them. A region of upstate New York even became known as “the Borscht Belt.” Jewish-Americans would flock to the area, which had Jewish-owned resorts and restaurants, because many anti-Semitic establishments refused service to Jews. Borscht was one of the most popular dishes these places served, and offered a link to the home country.

What Is Traditional Borscht?

It’s hard to pin down a “traditional” borscht recipe, because each country has its own spin and, in fact, each chef has their own way of mixing it up. Some borsht recipes have cabbage, while others contain potatoes. Some are vegetarian, while others are heavy on the meat.

In a winter borscht, a flavorful broth, a sour taste and a lovely red color, thanks to the beets, are typical characteristics. There are versions of borscht that are meant to be served cool, as a refreshing respite from summer heat.

This easy borscht recipe uses beets, so the soup will have that gorgeous color associated with borscht. We’ll also add parsnips and a heap of seasonings, including Dijon mustard, tarragon, garlic and red wine, for a deliciously flavorful vegetarian borscht.

This recipe doesn’t have some of the heartier root veggies that other borscht recipes do, like potatoes. Instead, to give this borscht some staying power and nutrients, we’re using lentils and chickpeas. Not only do these ingredients keep the borscht true to its “poor man” roots — both ingredients are easy on the wallet — but they’re full of fiber and other nutrients, making this borscht a seriously healthy recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Borscht is loaded with healthy ingredients, led by beets, so it’s not surprising to see how nutrient-dense this dish is. Beets pack in a good amount of folate, fiber and manganese for a low number of calories.

In fact, one serving of this borscht deliver nearly half of our daily requirement for both manganese and vitamin A.

One serving (351 g) serving contains:

• Calories: 193
• Total Carbohydrates: 31.2 g
  • Fiber: 8 g
  • Sugar: 11.9 g
• Total Fat: 4.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 2.7g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
• Protein: 7 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 310 mg (20% DV*)
• Vitamin A: 1117 IU (48% DV)
• Manganese: 0.882 mg (49% DV)
• Copper: 0.367 mg (41% DV)
• Folate: 143 mcg (36% DV)
• Vitamin C: 17.9 mg (24% DV)
• Phosphorus: 159 mg (23% DV)

*Daily Value: Percentages are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day.

How to Make Borscht

Before getting started, there is a little prep that will make this borscht recipe even easier to make. Chop up the beets and parsnips, along with the fresh tarragon. Using dried? Substitute one teaspoon instead.

You’ll need already cooked lentils for this recipe, so you can make those ahead of time or use some that are leftover from another recipe. Finally, you’ll need a food processor to blend the veggies into a broth, so pull that out ahead of time. Now you’re ready to make this beet borscht recipe!

Start by heating a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, tarragon, cayenne, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes.

Add in the remaining ingredients, except the lentils and chickpeas, and bring to a boil. If you want more of a meat taste, feel free to use beef bone broth or chicken bone broth.

Let the mixture simmer on a medium-low temperature for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Discard the bay leaves here, and remove the pan from heat.

With a slotted spoon, scoop the veggies into a food processor.

Add the vegetable mixture back into the pot, then add in the chickpeas and lentils. Stir to combine the broth with the beans.

Serve this borscht recipe warm. If you want, you can top your bowl off with a dollop of plain coconut or goat milk yogurt, or goat milk kefir.

Other Great Winter Dishes

• Butternut squash soup
• Stuffed peppers with rice
• Lamb stew
• Bison chili
• Stuffed cabbage rolls
• Avgolemono soup

Borscht Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 50
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Not sure what to do with beets and want a classic Eastern European dish that people consume on the daily? Try this delicious borscht.

---

Ingredients

• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or beef bone broth)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 3 beets, chopped
• 2 parsnips, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon tarragon, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• ½ cup dry red wine
• one 12-ounce can tomato paste
• ¼ cup dill
• 1 cup cooked lentils
• 1 cup chickpeas (from a can), rinsed and drained
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large pan over medium heat, sauté garlic, tarragon, cayenne, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients except the lentils and chickpeas, bringing to a boil.
3. Let simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes, or until veggies are soft to cut.
4. Discard bay leaves and remove from heat.
5. With a slotted spoon, scoop all the veggies into a food processor.
6. Blend until smooth, then pour veggies back into pot.
7. Add chickpeas and lentils and stir to combine broth with veggies.
8. Serve warm, perhaps with some crusty bread or as a starter dish.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Category: Soups, Appetizers
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Ukrainian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (351 g)
• Calories: 193
• Sugar: 11.9 g
• Sodium: 310 mg
• Fat: 4.6 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.6 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 31.2 g
• Fiber: 8 g
• Protein: 7 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

The post Borscht Recipe: a Hearty Beet Soup from Eastern Europe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

While many sweet potato recipes are often relegated to a side dish, the potatoes take center stage at the table in my sweet potato casserole recipe. (A side dish that fits nicely next to this casserole? Our roasted Brussels sprouts recipe.)

Gluten- and meat-free, this is a healthy, delicious alternative to the calorie-packed versions, made with all-natural ingredients — there are no canned potatoes here! It’s perfect to serve around the holiday season or anytime you’re feeding a crowd.

Healthy Ingredients

What makes this a healthy sweet potato casserole? How many calories are in a sweet potato casserole? One serving is only 204 calories, and it’s still super-healthy thanks to the main ingredients:

1. Sweet potatoes

Are yams and sweet potatoes the same thing? No, and they’re actually entirely different plants. And while they’re similar, they have different nutrition profiles as well.

Which is healthier: potatoes or sweet potatoes? While they are similar in calories and carbs, sweet potatoes are slightly lower in both and have more fiber. As such, they can help with blood sugar balance, brain function, immune health, vision and weight management.

2. Pecans

Pecans supply a good amount of healthy fats, manganese, protein, fiber, copper, thiamine, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus. Thanks to these nutrients, pecans are great for supporting weight loss, heart health, brain function and more.

3. Coconut sugar

While you certainly don’t want to overdo it, coconut sugar makes for a healthier alternative to regular white sugar. That’s because it provides more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, making it a better choice for diabetics and anyone else looking to better gut balance.

4. Grass-fed butter

Another source of healthy fats, grass-fed butter, in moderation, is a healthier choice than processed butter products. It provides vitamin A, medium-chain triglycerides, conjugated linoleic acid and arachidonic acid, which all can boost health.

5. Coconut milk

High in manganese, copper, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, selenium, potassium, zinc and folate, mineral-rich coconut milk can benefits the heart, muscle mass, energy, weight management, digestion, blood sugar and join health.

6. Eggs

An excellent protein source, cage-free eggs are good for the eyes, heart, brain and skin.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

How to do you make sweet potato casserole from scratch? While it takes a few hours to prepare, the amount of hands-on time is so minimal you’ll almost feel guilty about how easy this gluten-free sweet potato casserole recipe is — almost.

Ready to get your sweet potato fill? Let’s get started.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit while you prick the sweet potatoes with a fork. This ensures the insides remain fluffy while baking and keeps the potatoes from exploding in the oven.

Place them in a baking dish and bake for 60–90 minutes, until they’re cooked through and tender. When the potatoes are done, lower the oven temperature to 350 F — we’ll be back soon.

After letting the sweet potatoes cool off, peel the skins then place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl.

Let out any aggression while you mash them up, then add in half of the coconut sugar and butter, along with the coconut milk, vanilla, eggs and salt. Mix everything together until all ingredients are blended together.

Spread the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Now it’s time to get our hands dirty with this easy sweet potato casserole.

In a small mixing bowl, mix the rest of the coconut sugar with the Paleo flour (see our Paleo flour recipe). Add the rest of the butter and combine the ingredients with your hands until it resembles a crumble.

Stir in the pecans. This is my favorite part of this dish.

Spread the crumble over the sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy.

This healthy sweet potato casserole is one of my favorite dishes to bring to holiday potlucks, or to serve at your own dinner. It’s always a crowd favorite, and it really is so simple to make.

You can get the kids helping in the kitchen with this recipe, too. They’d be great at peeling the potatoes (once they’ve cooled) or preparing the crumble.

I hope this healthy sweet potato casserole becomes a holiday favorite in your home like it is in mine!

Similar Recipes

Looking for other healthy recipes in the casserole category? Try these:

• Sweet Potato Hash Brown Casserole Recipe
• Vegetarian Egg Casserole Recipe
• Green Bean Casserole
• 45 Best Casserole Recipes (Including the Healthiest Chicken Casseroles!)

Here are a couple more sweet potato recipes as well:

• Sweet Potato Hash Browns
• Sweet Potato Hash Recipe
• Whipped Sweet Potatoes Recipe
• Sweet Potato Latkes
• Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Gluten-free sweet potato casserole is good for you, delicious and easy to make. Here’s a great version of this holiday classic.

---

Ingredients

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (roughly 6 medium-sized)
• ¾ cup coconut sugar, divided
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided and softened
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ tablespoon salt
• ⅓ cup Paleo flour
• ¾ cup chopped pecans

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 F.
2. Prick the sweet potatoes using a fork and slice sweet potatoes lengthwise.
3. Place facedown on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F.
5. Peel the skin off the sweet potatoes, place the meat in a large mixing bowl, and mash it with a fork or potato masher. Add half the coconut sugar and butter, along with the coconut milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix until well blended.
6. Spread mixture evenly into a baking dish or cast iron skillet.
7. In a small mixing bowl, mix the other half of the coconut sugar along with the flour. Add the other half of the butter and combine the ingredients with your hands until it resembles a crumble. Stir in the pecans.
8. Spread the crumble mixture over the sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

• If coconut sugar is too much sugar for you, you can try other sugar alternatives, such as stevia or monk fruit.
• Opt for organic, grass-fed butter and cage-free, free-range eggs.

• Prep Time: 60 min
• Cook Time: 75 min
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (114g)
• Calories: 204
• Sugar: 16.2g
• Sodium: 376mg
• Fat: 2.8g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.2g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 31.2g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 3.1g
• Cholesterol: 38mg

The post Sweet Potato Casserole: Healthy, Easy & Delicious appeared first on Dr. Axe.

While roasting or steaming Brussels sprouts and then adding a little butter can always work, the flavor goes up several notches when you add the below ingredients.

This side dish is especially appropriate come holiday time, as it will make itself known at the table and can even satisfy a vegetarian as the primary dish because it’s a perfectly balanced macronutrient (carbs, fat and protein) meal.

Key Ingredients

The reason your mother or grandmother wanted you to eat nutrition-rich Brussels sprouts is because they are packed with antioxidants, vitamins (K, C and A are tops), minerals, fiber, omega-3s and a good amount of protein for a vegetable. Regularly eating just a one-cup serving of the cruciferous veggie can help lower your risk of cancer, strengthen your bones, protect skin and eye health, aid digestion, fight inflammation, lower glucose and cholesterol … need I go on?

This roasted Brussels sprouts recipe adds even more vitamins and fiber with apple and the healthy fats of pecans and ghee. The lemon zest, thyme and shallots don’t just bump up the flavor either — they provide more vitamins and minerals to help aid the immune system and benefit the whole body.

While Brussels sprouts, apples and pecans are at their peak in the fall and winter, they’re available year-round, so try this recipe for a holiday gathering next to other great side dishes like sweet potato casserole or green bean casserole. It’s also great as a simple weeknight meal paired with a seared grass-fed steak.

Now let’s get started on this oven roasted Brussels sprouts recipe.

How to Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts

You may be wondering: How do I roast Brussels sprouts? Should you cut Brussels sprouts in half before roasting? Do you have to steam Brussels sprouts before roasting?

We have you covered.

Begin by heating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grabbing a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. That’s the only dish you’ll need for this recipe!

Add two pounds of trimmed (cutting off the stems without taking too much of the nutritious sprout) and halved Brussels sprouts to the dish. (We’re making enough for a crowd, but you could easily half this recipe for fewer people.)

Throw in two minced shallots and some sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix these around so all the veggies get some seasoning.

Next, pour in about a cup of white wine. If you want to avoid using wine, you could use chicken broth, but the wine is going to enhance the sweetness of the roasted Brussels sprouts and help them caramelize a bit.

Next top the sprouts with spoonfuls of ghee, making sure all areas of the dish have some ghee. Now pop the dish in the oven for 30 minutes.

The Brussels sprouts are going to get a little browned and steamed in the wine and ghee.

Take the dish out of the oven, and add the zest of one lemon, one diced sweet apple (such as Braeburn or Fuji), one cup pecan pieces and one teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme.

You can also add a half-cup grated Zamorano or Pecorino Romano cheese if you’d like. Zamorano is a mild, tasty cheese made from raw sheep milk, which has similar benefits as raw goat milk products. Pecorino is a hard, salty Italian cheese also made from sheep milk.

Stir gently to combine — then it’s back to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the Brussels sprouts and apple pieces are tender.

Serve up these roasted Brussels sprouts while they’re warm, and enjoy the sweet, nutty, tangy and buttery flavor. I love this dish with turkey or beef, but it also makes a filling veggie meal on its own and is great reheated.

It’s proof that not only are Brussels sprouts incredibly good for you, but they can taste incredible, too.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Roasted Brussels sprouts with apples and pecans will have you wondering why you ever avoided (or maybe despised!) the tiny green cabbage. Make at holiday time to wow guests … or any cold weather time of year.

---

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved
• 2 medium shallots, minced
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup white wine
• ¼ cup ghee
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 sweet apple, cored and diced
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or ⅓ teaspoon dried
• ½ cup grated Zamorano or Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 F.
2. In a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, combine the Brussels sprouts, shallots, salt and pepper and mix together.
3. Pour the white wine into the dish and place spoonfuls of ghee on top of the sprouts, making sure all areas of the dish have ghee.
4. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the lemon zest, apples, pecans, thyme and (if using) Zamorano. Stir to combine.
5. Return the dish to the oven for 15–20 minutes, or until sprouts and apple pieces are tender.

Notes

• You can use chicken or vegetable broth in place of white wine if you prefer.
• The cheese is optional, and if you can’t find Zamorano or Pecorino Romano in the stores, you can use another healthy cheese, such as goat cheese.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 50 min
• Category: Side Dishes
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup (191g)
• Calories: 225
• Sugar: 6.1g
• Sodium: 177mg
• Fat: 15.1g
• Saturated Fat: 4.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9.7g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 16.6g
• Fiber: 6.2g
• Protein: 5.2g
• Cholesterol: 15mg

The post Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples & Pecans Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

If your familiarity with sweet potatoes is limited to roasting them or eating them as a Thanksgiving side dish, you’re in for a treat with my easy sweet potato hash browns recipe. A delicious, healthy alternative to traditional greasy potato hash browns, these sweet potato hash browns are an excellent breakfast dish.

Served solo or alongside eggs and beef or turkey bacon, it’s a tasty way to kick off your day with nutrients. Let’s do it!

Nutrition Facts

One serving of these delicious sweet potato hash browns contains 188 calories. Macros are 32 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fat and 4 grams of protein.

Because of the sweet potato ingredient, this recipe is extremely high in vitamin A. One serving provides 21,491 IU of vitamin A, which is a whopping 921 percent of your daily value requirement.

How to Make Sweet Potato Hash Browns

This recipe really isn’t hard to make at all. You’re going to be using raw — not roasted — sweet potatoes, which really cuts down on overall recipe time. Once you have your potatoes grated in a bowl, you basically just combine all of the ingredients on the stovetop and to finish it off, give it a little time in the oven to create a roasted sweet potato finish that is crispy and absolutely delicious.

Start by peeling and grating two pounds of sweet potatoes. If possible, check out your local farmer’s market for fresh, organic varieties.

After peeling, use a grater to create sweet potato shreds. Look at that terrific orange color!

Toss in your chopped onion and garlic cloves and, of course, those finely grated sweet potatoes into a heated skillet with two tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee. Don’t forget to season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Sauté all the fixings for 10 to 15 minutes on the stovetop, until the potatoes are tender and the onions are translucent.

Transfer the mixture to a baking pan and brush with an egg wash.

Pop it in the broiler for about five minutes, or until the potatoes have reached your desired crispiness.

See how easy this sweet potato hash brown recipe is? Try it on a leisurely weekend to enjoy with the family.

Accompanying Breakfast Dishes

Wondering what else you can serve along with these hash browns for a really satisfying and savory breakfast? You actually have a lot of options! Here are just some of the healthy breakfast items you may want to consider:

• Eggs Benedict with Easy Hollandaise Sauce
• Turmeric Eggs
• Breakfast Salmon Egg Bake
• Sausage and Egg Casserole
• Veggie Omelet
• Huevos Rancheros
• Sage Chicken Breakfast Patties
• Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Other Sweet Potato Recipes

Looking for more sweet potato recipes to try out? Here are some to get you started:

• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Sweet Potato Brownies
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Sweet Potato Hash
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Sweet Potato Latkes
• Sweet Potato Soup
• Sweet Potato Tacos

Sweet Potato Hash Browns Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Most hash browns are made with white potatoes and canola oil. Up the nutrients and good health by using sweet potatoes, healthy fats plus onion and garlic. These will be a hit!

---

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (approximately 6 medium-sized), peeled and grated
• egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water)
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the coconut oil and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Stir for a couple of minutes.
2. Add in the garlic and grated sweet potatoes.
3. Sauté for 10–15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and onions are translucent.
4. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a baking pan and brush with the egg wash.
5. Broil on the top rack in the oven for five minutes, or until potatoes have reached your desired crispiness. They should be just a little browned on top.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Breakfasts
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (183 g)
• Calories: 188
• Sugar: 7.1 g
• Sodium: 191 mg (13% DV)
• Fat: 5.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 32.5 g
• Fiber: 4.9 g
• Protein: 3.6 g
• Cholesterol: 27 mg

The post Sweet Potato Hash Browns Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Why is miso soup so good for you? It lies in the power of fermentation, which helps increase digestion and bioavailability of nutrients, as well manage and prevent disease.

In addition, miso soup is relatively low calorie and boasts good macros, at 128 calories per bowl and 24 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fat and 7 grams of protein.

What Is Miso?

What makes this miso soup recipe so nutritious is properly prepared miso, made from soybeans. While I’m not usually a soy fan, because the beans are fermented, miso is loaded with probiotic benefits. And making the best miso soup recipe from scratch means you can avoid the additives and excess sodium that too often are included in restaurant versions.

I love this easy miso soup recipe with mushrooms and greens as a meal starter or even as a hot tonic when I feel a cold coming on, as ginger contains immune-boosting qualities. I’m positive you’ll enjoy it.

While I’m generally in the “no soy” camp, what sets miso apart — and similarly natto and tempeh, two other soy products — is that they’re fermented sources of soy. When you ferment soybeans, you have a completely different product that yields a completely different set of available nutrients.

Organically grown fermented soy products like miso, tempeh or natto are the only types of soy I recommend consuming for this reason.

How to Make Miso Soup

How do you make miso soup from scratch?

Let’s begin by heating the broth. Water is fine, too, but the broth will make this Japanese miso soup recipe more flavorful. Meanwhile, prep the vegetables. (Pro tip: Freeze the fresh ginger before making this soup; it’ll grate very easily.)

Once the broth is simmering, toss in the mushrooms, onion, garlic, ginger, collards and coconut aminos. Cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the miso with a some hot water until it’s thoroughly combined.

Remove the broth and vegetable mixture from heat. Add in the miso and stir to combine.

This miso soup recipe with mushrooms can be customized to your tastes. For example, I haven’t specified what type of mushrooms to use here because they all taste great in this soup. Morels, baby bellas, crimini, shiitake, oyster — choose your favorite or grab a variety from what’s on sale at the farmers market.

If you enjoy a little heat, hot peppers would be a terrific addition. Make this miso soup recipe with vegetables of your choosing.

Other Flavorful Soup Recipes

• Thai coconut soup
• Tom kha gai
• Pumpkin cashew soup
• Pho
• Tuscan white bean soup
• Greek avgolemono soup
• Red lentil soup

Print

Miso Soup Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 2
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Try this healthy, delicious miso soup recipe with mushrooms. The soybeans are fermented, so this it’s loaded with gut-friendly probiotics.

---

Ingredients

• 4 cups organic broth or water
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms or 1/2 cup dried, chopped
• 1 large yellow or red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1–2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 2 cups coarsely chopped collard greens
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons mellow white miso

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, heat broth or water over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, ginger, collards and coconut aminos. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put the miso into a small bowl and add a little hot water. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
3. Remove the broth and vegetable mixture from heat. Add in the miso and stir to combine.

Notes

• You can use water instead of broth, though broth brings more flavor.
• As far as broth goes, use vegetable broth for a vegan version. You can sub in bone broth if you aren’t looking to keep this recipe vegan/vegetarian.

• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 5
• Category: Soup
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: Japanese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2
• Calories: 128
• Sugar: 10.7g
• Sodium: 1,764mg
• Fat: 1.7g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 24.3g
• Fiber: 4.8g
• Protein: 7.2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

The post Homemade, Easy Miso Soup appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Most chicken paprikash recipes don’t include many vegetables and definitely not leafy greens, but what’s a main course without some antioxidant-rich greens? I’m taking this easy chicken paprikash recipe up a notch by including collard greens. I think you’ll agree that this dark leafy green is the perfect addition and comes out so flavorful and tender just like everything else in this tasty recipe.

What Is Chicken Paprikash?

Chicken paprikash, also called paprika chicken, is a popular dish in Hungary. A typical chicken paprikash contains meat that has been simmered in a rich and flavorful sauce.

Hungarian chicken paprikash always includes the spice that gives the dish its name — paprika. This bright red-colored spice comes from the chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) plant and is known for adding a distinct peppery flavor to dishes like this one. It’s also loaded with antioxidants.

Just like other authentic hungarian chicken paprikash recipes, this recipe includes a sauce that starts out with a roux flavored with paprika and other spices. For this recipe, rather than using flour to make the roux, you’ll be using gluten-free arrowroot starch.

It’s common to serve chicken paprikash with dumplings or dumpling-like egg noodles, but this recipe skips the dumplings. I recommend serving this recipe with gluten-free noodles. Of course, you can also eat this recipe without noodles, such as over rice.

Nutrition Facts

One serving of this Hungarian chicken paprikash is loaded with nutrients, in particular the vitamins A, K and B6 alongside the minerals selenium and phosphorus. It’s also a very well balanced macronutrient dish, with 32 grams of carbs, 33 grams of fat and 30 grams of fat. Meanwhile, on 3.5 grams of sugar per serving.

One serving contains approximately:

• 540 calories
• 32 grams carbohydrates
• 5.9 grams fiber
• 3.5 grams sugar
• 30 grams protein
• 33 grams fat
• 150 milligrams cholesterol
• 643 milligrams sodium (37 percent DV)
• 3,465 IUs vitamin A (149 percent DV)
• 130 micrograms vitamin K (145 percent DV)
• 1.1 milligrams vitamin B6 (83 percent DV)
• 30 micrograms selenium (55 percent DV)
• 346 milligrams phosphorus (49 percent DV)

How to Make Chicken Paprikash

Before you get started, make sure your oven is preheating to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can chop the vegetables while the oven is heating up so they’re ready to be thrown into the mix when it’s time.

In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the avocado oil. While the oil is heating up a bit, salt the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to the pot and braise each side for about seven minutes each. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside as you move on to the next steps.

Lower the heat to medium and add arrowroot, shallots, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Add the paprika, the key ingredient to an authentic chicken paprikash. Sauté for one minute.

Add the chicken bone broth. You can make your own, or use store-bought or a protein powder made from bone broth and mix with water.

Allow the broth mixture to come to a simmer and thicken, whisking continuously, for around six minutes. See how beautiful the color is?

Cut the fingerling potatoes into nice bite-sized pieces and add them to the dutch oven. We used multi-colored fingerling potatoes. You can also go with Yukon Gold potatoes.

Continue to add the remaining ingredients, including the collard greens and tomato.

Add the chicken pieces last so they are laying on top.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.

While the dish is cooking, prepare the noodles you plan to serve the paprikash over.

Check the chicken thighs for doneness, making sure they register an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. When both are ready, serve this over your favorite noodles.

That’s all there is to it. Enjoy this tender chicken and flavorful sauce! Some Hungarians like to also add some sour cream. Rather than dairy, you can use a vegan sour cream or even coconut yogurt.

If you have a slow cooker, you can also use this recipe to make a slow cooker chicken paprikash. Want to make a chicken paprikash soup? When you’re done making this recipe, simply shred the chicken and omit the noodles. Add a few more cups of chicken bone broth if needed.

Try these other delicious, distinctive dishes that feature chicken thighs:

• Greek Chicken Souvlaki
• Sweet & Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs
• Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Other Great Chicken Dishes from Different Cultures

• Chicken paillard
• Mexican chicken pozole verde
• Thai chicken stir fry
• Sweet and sour chicken
• Mediterranean chicken
• Easy pesto chicken
• Chicken Bryan
• Chicken marsala
• Chicken cacciatore
• Chicken gumbo
• Cajun blackened chicken
• Chicken katsu

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Chicken paprikash, also called paprika chicken, is a popular dish in Hungary. The chicken and vegetables are simmered in a rich and flavorful sauce, and then it’s served over a base of noodles. It’ll quickly become a favorite to make at home.

---

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 6 fingerling potatoes, diced
• 3 cups collard greens, chopped
• 3 cups chicken bone broth
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
• 1 tomato, diced
• ½ shallot, sliced into rounds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus additional for chicken
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add avocado oil.
3. Salt chicken and allow oil to heat for 1 minute.
4. Add chicken to the pot to braise each side for about 7 minutes each.
5. Remove chicken and set aside.
6. Lower heat to medium and add arrowroot, shallots, garlic, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 minute.
7. Add broth and allow to come to a simmer and thicken, whisking continuously, for about 6 minutes
8. Add remaining ingredients with chicken laying on top.
9. Bake for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Also check the chicken with a meat thermometer, and it should register an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
10. While the dish bakes, make your favorite gluten-free noodle of choice
11. When the paprikash and the noodles are ready, serve it over the noodles. Enjoy!

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Category: Main Dishes
• Method: Stovetop, Baking
• Cuisine: Hungarian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 dish (542g)
• Calories: 540
• Sugar: 3.5g
• Sodium: 643mg
• Fat: 33g
• Saturated Fat: 7.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 22g
• Trans Fat: 0.1g
• Carbohydrates: 31.6g
• Fiber: 5.9g
• Protein: 30.3g
• Cholesterol: 150mg

The post Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Believe me, this soup will have you saying, “More, please!” And you will be in luck, because this recipe makes enough for a crowd.

Thai Soup Ingredients

Thai food is traditionally known for its attention to balanced flavors (sour, sweet, salty, bitter and spicy) and the use of ingredients that are both delicious and medicinal. This Thai Coconut Chicken Soup is no exception. By steeping lemongrass and ginger in the broth, which is the base of the soup, you’ll release their oils and gain great health benefits.

Lemongrass helps flush harmful toxins out of your body and helps with digestion. Ginger benefits include warding off stroke and heart disease, helping with digestion, fighting infection, aiding respiratory function and many more.

And that’s just the foundation of the soup! The next layer will be creamy and nutritious coconut milk and red curry paste, which is a paste made with red chili peppers and garlic, two of the top fat-burning foods you can eat. Add in the optional bird’s eye chilis for even more fat-burning benefits.

Then it’s time for the chicken and veggies. You might notice a couple of unordinary vegetables in the group: Japanese sweet potatoes and bamboo shoots. (You should be able to find these at your local natural foods or international foods store.) These will add flavor, texture and amazing nutrition to the soup. Purple-skinned Japanese sweet potatoes contain anthocyanin, the same nutrient that gives eggplant its purple color and health benefits.

Nutrition Facts

All these great ingredients make a nutrition-rich soup. First, it’s balanced in macronutrients, with each serving providing 18 grams of energizing carbohydrates, 33 grams of healthy fats and 31 grams of muscle-building protein.

Next, each Thai chicken soup serving provides nearly 100 percent Daily Value of these amino acids: tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, cystine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and valine.

On the vitamin front, each serving provides 173 percent Daily Value of vitamin C, 231 percent of vitamin A and 104 percent of vitamin K.

This Thai coconut soup is also rich in minerals, with over 50 percent Daily Value of phosphorus, zinc, copper, selenium and manganese.

How to Make This Thai Coconut Soup

Getting hungry yet? Grab a large soup pot, and let’s get started!

You’ll begin by bringing some chicken broth to a boil in your large pot along with a couple lemongrass stalks, some ginger root, and the optional bird’s eye chili peppers. If you can’t find the Thai peppers, you can substitute fresh jalapeños.

Never cooked with fresh lemongrass stalks before? Never fear. They’re easy to prep: chop off the root end and discard; chop off the leaves (you can save these to make a delicious tea); remove any dry layers from the outside of the resulting stalk, which should be whitish-green and about the size and length of a pencil. Chop the stalks in half and smash them with a rolling pin to break them down and release even more of the essential oil and flavor.

While the broth is simmering, grab a medium pot and bring the coconut milk to a low boil over medium-high heat. Once it’s bubbling, whisk in the red curry paste until it’s incorporated. Then turn off the heat and move this pot to the side.

Next, grab a large skillet or wok and melt some butter or coconut oil in it over medium heat. Once the fat is hot, add your chopped chicken thighs and cook them about 5 minutes. (If you don’t have chicken thighs on hand, chicken breasts will also work as a substitute.) Stir them around a bit just to make sure they’re cooking evenly and not sticking.

After 5 minutes, add your red onions and diced sweet potatoes. Cook these for 5 minutes more. At this point, the chicken should be browned and the onions slightly soft. Turn off the heat and set the skillet aside.

Going back to your broth, you want to remove the lemongrass, ginger and chili peppers with a handled sieve or slotted spoon and discard. Increase the heat to medium on the broth and carefully add in the coconut milk-curry mixture, chicken and veggie mixture, broccoli and bamboo shoots. Now you’ll let this simmer for 10 minutes to allow the potatoes to finish cooking and the broccoli to cook.

Lastly, you’ll turn off the heat and stir in the scallions and fresh lime juice. I highly recommend using fresh limes that have been sliced into lime wedges and squeezed as compared to the packaged lime juice you can buy in stores. This is going to add some freshness and the sour flavor component. Cover the coconut soup and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Then ladle it up and enjoy the creamy, spicy, sweet, sour and salty flavors of this soup!

I hope you’ll love this hearty Thai soup so much you’ll want to make it again. One aspect that is great about this dish is it’s incredibly versatile. Next time, try experimenting with carrots, mushrooms, cilantro, fish sauce or noodles (in place of the potatoes). The possibilities are truly endless with this coconut soup.

Inspired to make other Thai dishes. First, make this Thai iced tea to go with this Thai coconut soup, then try these delicious recipes:

• Tom Kha Gai
• Soba Noodles Recipe with Turmeric Thai Sauce
• Thai Curry Kelp Noodles
• Thai Green Curry
• Thai Chili Sauce
• Thai Spring Rolls
• Thai Chicken Stir Fry

Otherwise, try these other delicious, distinctive dishes that feature chicken thighs:

• Greek Chicken Souvlaki
• Sweet & Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs
• Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

Print

Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This will be one of the more flavorful, satisfying soups you will make. It’s packed with healthy fats from coconut milk, protein from the chicken thighs, a punch of spicy flavor from red curry paste and some chili peppers, and the nutrition of numerous vegetables plus a lemongrass- and ginger-infused broth.

---

Ingredients

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth (or regular broth)
• 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, cut in half and smashed
• 1 medium knob of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1–2 bird’s eye chili peppers, optional
• two 13.5-ounce cans coconut milk
• one 4-ounce jar Thai red curry paste
• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or coconut oil
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 2 large Japanese sweet potatoes, diced
• 1 head broccoli, chopped
• one 13.5-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• juice of two limes

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, bring the broth, lemongrass, ginger, and optional chili peppers to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease heat to medium-low and simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. In a medium pot, heat the coconut milk to a low boil over medium-high heat. Add the red curry paste and whisk to combine until smooth and fully incorporated. Turn off heat and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the butter or oil over medium heat. Once the butter is melted or the oil is shimmering, add the chicken thighs and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and sweet potatoes and cook 5 minutes more. Turn off heat and set aside.
4. Remove the lemongrass, ginger and chili peppers from the broth with a handled sieve or slotted spoon and discard.
5. Increase heat to medium and add the coconut-curry mixture, chicken and vegetable saute, broccoli, and bamboo shoots. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat and add the scallions and lime juice. Stir, cover and allow the soup to rest for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Soups, Main Dishes
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Thai

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl (575g)
• Calories: 505
• Sugar: 9.4g
• Fat: 32.9g
• Saturated Fat: 24.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 28.7g
• Fiber: 10.2g
• Protein: 30.6g
• Cholesterol: 106mg

The post Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken & Ginger appeared first on Dr. Axe.

For being incredibly easy to prepare, hash really packs a punch. It’s essentially a dish made from diced or cubed potatoes, veggies, herbs and even meat — turkey bacon makes a tasty addition.

If you want to get really fancy, you can grate the potatoes, like homemade hash browns, but I love the simplicity of just chopping and cooking.

The best part about breakfast hash recipes is that they’re super easy to customize to your family’s tastes or what’s in the refrigerator. In my opinion, as long as you have garlic and onions, you really can’t go wrong!

Why Sweet Potatoes Beat Regular Potatoes

That said, this sweet potato hash recipe is my preferred way of making potato hash. For starters, I love swapping regular potatoes for sweet potatoes. They’re a strong anti-inflammatory ingredient and low on the glycemic scale.

Sweet potato recipes are also absolutely loaded with vitamins and minerals. When it comes to vitamin A, for instance, you’ll get nearly 700 percent of your recommended daily value!

The high amount of beta-carotene in sweet potatoes is also terrific for your skin, keeping it looking young and fresh — plus, it helps minimize wrinkles. Can we say miracle worker?

Most importantly, sweet potatoes are sweeter than regular potatoes, perfect for breakfast or a dinner with a little extra zest.

Other Key Ingredients

In addition to heart-healthy, immune-boosting, antioxidant rich sweet potatoes, this sweet potato breakfast hash packs a nutritious punch. Here are the other healthy ingredients that headline this recipe:

• Avocado oil: Cooking with a natural healthy fat is better than using refined oils, and few cooking oils are better than avocado oil. It can help with blood pressure, arthritis symptoms, skin issues and heart health.
• Bell peppers: Rich in vitamins C, A and B6, bell peppers are great for supporting immunity and skin health.
• Eggs: The eggs are options, but if you do make this a sweet potato hash with eggs recipe, you get an extra boost of protein and up the collagen count.

How to Make Sweet Potato Hash

The best part about sweet potato hash, of course, is making and eating it!

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In the meantime, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add all the ingredients to the tray, using your hands to toss in the avocado oil until well-combined. One less dish to wash!

Next, cook all the ingredients for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. That’s your sign this potato hash recipe is done.

Add the sweet potato hash to a plate, top with egg (extra protein, yum!), cilantro and hot sauce.

Similar Recipes

Looking for more sweet potato recipes to try out? Here are some to get you started:

• Sweet Potato Hash Browns
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Sweet Potato Brownies
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Sweet Potato Latkes
• Sweet Potato Soup
• Sweet Potato Tacos

Sweet Potato Hash Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

For being incredibly easy to prepare, sweet potato hash really packs a punch. It’s made with potatoes, veggies, herbs and optional toppings.

---

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic
• ½ teaspoon oregano

Toppings:

• one pasture-raised egg, cooked any style
• fresh cilantro
• hot sauce

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and add all the ingredients, using your hands to toss in the oil until well combined.
3. Cook for 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Add to a plate, top with egg, cilantro and hot sauce.

Notes

• Feel free to add the meat of your choosing, such as turkey bacon, to top this recipe off.
• To make this recipe vegan, simply skip the egg topping.
• You can customize this dish to your liking, experimenting with different spices and/or additional veggies.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Breakfasts
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 143g
• Calories: 158
• Sugar: 5.2g
• Sodium: 54mg
• Fat: 8.3g
• Saturated Fat: 1.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 18.4g
• Fiber: 3.2g
• Protein: 3.2g
• Cholesterol: 41mg

The post Sweet Potato Hash Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Also, it’s loaded with beneficial vitamin A and vitamin C. So perhaps you don’t know what to do with that can of pumpkin besides a pumpkin pie? Use it in this soup!

Other Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin spice latte
• Pumpkin butter
• Blueberry pumpkin pancakes
• Toaster pastry with sugar pumpkin filling
• Pumpkin bars
• Pumpkin pie cheesecake
• Vegan pumpkin pie ice cream

Other Flavorful Soup Recipes

• Miso soup
• Thai coconut soup
• Tom kha gai
• Pho
• Tuscan white bean soup
• Greek avgolemono soup
• Red lentil soup

Pumpkin Cashew Soup Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This pumpkin soups is loaded with nutrition, macronutrients (nice blend of carbs, fat and protein) and yes, flavor.

---

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can organic pumpkin
• 1½ cups bone broth
• 1 jar roasted red peppers
• ⅓ cup sprouted cashew butter
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ½ cup fresh parsley (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a sauce pan.
2. Sauté onion then add garlic for two minutes.
3. Add everything but maple syrup, salt, pepper, lemon juice and coconut milk.
4. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in remaining ingredients.
6. Pour into blender and puree until smooth.
7. Serve in a bowl with parsley garnish.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Category: Soups, Starters
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: one 8 oz. bowl
• Calories: 299
• Sugar: 7g
• Sodium: 291mg
• Fat: 21.4g
• Saturated Fat: 11.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8.7g
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Fiber: 4.8g
• Protein: 11.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

The post Pumpkin Cashew Soup Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Get ready to fall in love with my pozole verde de pollo recipe, which you can make with chicken or without (for a vegetarian version).

What Is Pozole Verde?

Have you heard of pozole verde before? It’s not as common at Mexican restaurants as, say, tacos. But it’s become a new favorite at my house.

Pozole likely originated in the Mexican state of Guerrero, though it’s eaten throughout the country. You’ll often find it at large family gatherings, since you can make a big ole pot of it and serve a lot of people. It’s pronounced “po-sol-e,” and the name gives you a clue as to what the dish is — pozole is the Aztec word for hominy.

While there are many variations of pozole, the one thing that never changes is that hominy is a main ingredient. If you’ve never eaten or cooked with hominy before, you’re in for a treat. Hominy is essentially whole corn kernels that have been soaked in an alkaline solution to get rid of the hull and sometimes the germ.

The soaking process causes hominy to swell in size — it’s much larger than a normal corn kernel — and really dials up the flavor. Rather than detract from hominy’s nutritional value, nixtamalization, as the soaking process is called, actually improves hominy’s nutritional value by making it easier for the body to absorb the vitamins.

Once the hominy’s soaked, it can be ground up, either to make grits or masa for tortillas. It can also be dried, similar to beans, or cooked and canned. If you purchase dried hominy, you can prepare it the same way you would dried beans.

Hominy really makes pozole, but the color of the stew changes depending on what ingredients are in it. Most contain pork along with the hominy, but some use chicken. I don’t recommend pork, so if you’re eating meat, go with chicken for this dish. In a vegetarian pozole verde, beans are substituted for the meat.

Pozole verde, or “green hominy,” gets its hue from the tomatillos, jalapeños and spinach we’ll add in, but there are also red and white variations of the stew. Pozole blanco eliminates red and green salsas and chilies, while pozole rojo uses strong red ones.

Traditional toppings included hot sauce, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, corn chips and, of course, a squeeze of fresh lime over it all. It’s basically a taco bowl in the form of a stew!

How to Make Pozole Verde

So let’s talk about this particular Mexican chicken pozole verde recipe. To make things quicker, I’ve opted for a 25-ounce can of hominy to make this an easy weeknight recipe, but if preparing dried hominy tickles your fancy, you can do that. Shredded chicken or fava beans can take the place of the pork traditionally used in pozole verde.

First, make up the chicken, if you’re having meat. Open up the can of hominy, rinse well in a colander and add to a large pot (big enough to hold a whole chicken).

Take a whole chicken and cut into four parts: two leg/thigh portion and two bone-in breasts. Add the pieces to the pot.

(No meat? Use one cup of fava beans with the shredded cabbage and spinach later in the recipe.)

Cover the chicken with water and stir, making sure all the chicken is fully submerged. Bring it to boil. Lower to medium-low temperature and cook for one hour.

After the hour, turn off the stovetop and remove the chicken from the soup mixture and let it cool in a dish.

Meanwhile, chop all of the veggies. Place avocado oil in a sauté pot along with the garlic, tomatillos, jalapeño, cumin, salt and pepper.

Sauté for around 10 minutes. Add the veggies into a food processor/blender and process until smooth.

Add the spinach and sliced cabbage to the hominy soup, and turn the burner back on to low.

Simmer these veggies for around 15 minutes.

Shred the chicken and add to the large pot, along with the mixture from the food processor. Stir well and re-heat until ready to serve.

Serve the vegetarian or chicken poloze verde warm with your choice of garnishes, such as sliced radishes and/or avocado, fresh lime wedges, pumpkin seeds and fresh cilantro. You may also choose to add shredded goat cheddar cheese.

Other Healthy Mexican Dishes

• Huevos rancheros
• Chicken enchiladas
• Calabacitas
• Carne asada tacos
• Pico de gallo or salsa fresca
• Chicken fajitas
• Steak fajitas

Other Great Chicken Dishes from Different Cultures

• Chicken paillard
• Hungarian chicken paprikash
• Greek chicken souvlaki
• Thai chicken stir fry
• Sweet and sour chicken
• Mediterranean chicken
• Easy pesto chicken
• Chicken Bryan
• Chicken marsala
• Chicken cacciatore
• Chicken gumbo
• Cajun blackened chicken
• Chicken katsu

Pozole Verde Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This Mexican stew with chicken or fava beans hits all the right notes and will wow your guests or family. Get ready to fall in love with this pozole verde recipe.

---

Ingredients

• 25-ounce can of hominy
• whole chicken, cut in four parts (use 1 cup fava beans if vegetarian)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ onion, sliced
• 5 tomatillos, chopped
• 2 poblano peppers, sliced and deseeded
• 1 jalapeño, sliced and deseeded
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups red cabbage, shredded
• 3 cups spinach
• optional garnishes: shredded goat cheddar cheese, sliced radishes and/or avocado, chopped onions, fresh lime wedges, pumpkin seeds and fresh cilantro

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Open up the can of hominy, rinse well in a colander and add to a large pot (big enough to hold a whole chicken).
2. Take a whole chicken and cut into four parts: two leg/thigh portion and two bone-in breasts. Add the pieces to the pot. (No meat? Use one cup of fava beans with the shredded cabbage and spinach later in the recipe.)
3. Cover the chicken with water and stir, making sure all the chicken is fully submerged. Bring it to boil. Lower to medium-low temperature and cook for one hour.
4. After the hour, turn off the stovetop and remove the chicken from the soup mixture and let it cool in a dish.
5. Chop all of the veggies. Place avocado oil in a sauté pan along with the garlic, onion, tomatillos, poblano and jalapeño peppers, cumin, salt and pepper. Sauté for around 10 minutes.
6. Add the veggies into a food processor/blender and process until smooth.
7. Add the spinach and sliced cabbage to the hominy soup, and turn the burner back on to low. Simmer these veggies for around 15 minutes.
8. Shred the chicken and add to the large pot, along with the mixture from the food processor. Stir well and re-heat until ready to serve.
9. Serve the vegetarian or chicken poloze verde warm with your choice of garnishes.

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 1 hr 20 min
• Category: Main Dishes
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 281g
• Calories: 239
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 558mg
• Fat: 6.3g
• Saturated Fat: 1.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 18.1g
• Fiber: 3.7g
• Protein: 26.9g
• Cholesterol: 78mg

The post Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

When you think of pickling, your mind probably goes straight to pickles, but did you know you can actually pickle a number of different vegetables? Pickling foods is a way of preserving them and, with some foods (like these green beans!), fermenting them for improved gut health.

While you’ll need to let a few weeks pass before you can eat these pickled green beans — or dilly beans, depending on where you’re from — they’re well worth it.

Benefits of Green Beans

Green beans are a legume that’s loaded with health benefits. Did you know that there are more than 130 kinds? You might see them called snap beans or string beans, but rest assured, they all share the same health benefits.

Because green beans are full of starch and fiber,  they’re not processed by the digestive system immediately, letting the body absorb the nutrients and positively affecting your health long after you’ve finished eating. It’s one of the reasons why green beans are great if you’re managing or trying to prevent diabetes. As a low glycemic index food, the carbohydrates found in green beans are released slowly, allowing time for your body to adjust, rather than spiking and dipping your blood sugar.

If you’re looking for antioxidants, you can find them in green beans. Antioxidants help to fight the free radicals that damage the body and contribute to disease.

How to Make Pickled Green Beans

First, make sure you have around five pint jars with lids (and maybe rings) ready to go. They need to be cleaned and sterilized. Running them through the dishwasher is the best way. No dishwasher? Then clean with warm, soapy water.

It’s time to prepare these pickled green beans! Prepare the beans by cutting the ends off and making sure they can fit in the jar. For beans that are too long, cut in half.

In a medium bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, maple sugar, water and salt, whisking until salt is dissolved. Transfer the liquid to a pot and bring to a boil.

Next, loosely pack each jar with some of the dill (even distributed between the five jars) and the beans.

Once the pickling liquid boils, ladle it into each jar, filling nearly to the top. Let the pickling mix cool to room temperature, which may take up to 10 hours.

Once the pickling liquid is cool, seal the jars with lids (and potentially rings). Place in a cool, dark place and allow the green beans to ferment for two to three weeks.

If you have any jars that aren’t sealing properly, stick them in the refrigerator and consume within a week.

Canning dilly beans has never been easier! I love eating these green beans as a snack, adding them to salads or serving them as a room temperature side.

Once you get used to making these pickled green beans, you can start to try different variations of the recipe. Some recipes call for dill seeds; others turn this into a spicy dish by adding red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

Pickled Green Beans Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 2–3 weeks
• Yield: 10
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

When you think of pickling, cucumbers becoming pickles comes to mind. But did you know you can actually pickle a number of different vegetables? Green beans are a top choice. It’s easy to do and makes for a great snack or side dish.

---

Ingredients

• 5 pint glass jars and lids (like Ball jars), thoroughly cleaned and sterilized
• 2 pounds fresh green beans, ends chopped off
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon maple sugar
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, optional

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. First, clean and sterilize the jars. Running them through the dishwasher is the best way. No dishwasher? Then clean with warm, soapy water.
2. Prepare the beans by cutting the ends off and making sure they can fit in the jar. For beans that are too long, cut in half.
3. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, water, maple sugar and salt, whisking until salt is dissolved.
4. Transfer to a pot and bring to a boil.
5. While the liquid mixture is on the stovetop, loosely pack each jar with some of the dill (even distributed between the 5 jars) and the beans.
6. When liquid boils, ladle the pickling liquid into each jar, filling nearly to the top. Allow it to cool to room temperature, around 10 hours.
7. When cooled, seal the jars with lids (and potentially rings). Allow green beans to ferment for 2 to 3 weeks in a cool, dark space before serving.
8. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal properly and consume within a week.

Notes

Once you get used to making these pickled green beans, you can start to try different variations of the recipe. Some recipes call for dill seeds; others turn this into a spicy dish by adding red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Category: Snacks, Side Dishes
• Method: Pickling
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 165g
• Calories: 36
• Sugar: 3.8g
• Sodium: 170mg
• Fat: 0.2g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 7.4g
• Fiber: 2.4g
• Protein: 1.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

The post Pickled Green Beans (Dilly Beans) appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Instead, eating fresh, whole foods will help you feel great, both on the inside and outside. That’s why I highly recommend my Secret Cucumber Detox Soup recipe.

Detox Soup Ingredients

This cucumber detox soup is one of my favorite recipes when I want to hit the “reset” button on my diet. It’s packed with cucumber, renowned for cleansing the liver, our body’s main detoxing organ.

In fact, cucumbers are one of the best detoxifying foods. They contain compounds called cucurbitacins, which are known to support digestive function. These compounds can help keep the liver healthy, assist in elimination, help protect the gastrointestinal tract and also potentially reduce fluid retention.

Cucumbers are also considered a natural diuretic food, meaning they can help the body produce more urine to carry out toxins and waste. It’s why cucumber water is a simple detox drink.

Lemons help keep your skin healthy and glowing thanks to their antioxidant content. Antioxidants help fight off free radicals and prevent oxidative damage, which accounts for the many benefits of lemon water for skin.

Apple cider vinegar is another powerful detoxifier. It can help balance your pH, encourage lymphatic drainage and enhance circulation. It’s also a main ingredient of my Secret Detox Drink to get a concentrated megadose of health-promoting ingredients that can aid in detoxification.

This detox soup also includes avocado and olive oil, which adds healthy fats and a creamy texture. The sea salt helps to push waste through the body, release toxins and improve digestion.

If you’ve had a particularly indulgent weekend, try this Secret Cucumber Detox Soup to feel cleansed.

How to Make a Detox Soup

Start by adding the cucumber, onion, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and water into a high-powered blender. Puree on high until the mix is smooth.

Then add in the chili powder, salt and remaining ingredients and blend together.

Garnish this detox soup with cucumber slices on top and smoked paprika and serve. This refreshing cucumber soup makes for a healthy low-calorie side dish or snack. It’s also ready in minutes, and because it’s served cool, this cucumber soup is portable, excellent for taking to work. You won’t believe how good a detox can taste!

Cucumber Detox Soup Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 8 min
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Eating fresh, whole foods will help you feel great, both on the inside and outside. This cucumber detox soup delivers.

---

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber (peeled and de-seeded plus additional cucumber for garnish)
• 1 tablespoon onion (minced)
• 1 avocado
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 dash of cayenne pepper
• smoked paprika for garnish

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Throw all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
2. Serve, garnishing with extra cucumber cubes and smoked paprika if desired.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Category: Soups, Side Dishes
• Method: Blender
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl (174g)
• Calories: 121
• Sugar: 1.3
• Sodium: 157mg
• Fat: 10.9g
• Saturated Fat: 1.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 6.2g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 1.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

The post Secret Cucumber Detox Soup Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This simple recipe is a delicious way to showcase the season’s fresh produce with minimal effort — and minimal heat during those steamy evenings. Make this summer sautéed veggies recipe after a farmers market haul with the best-quality vegetables you can find. It’s worth it!

Key Ingredients

This summer sautéed vegetables recipe uses nothing but healthy ingredients. Here are the key players in this sautéed veggies recipe:

• Zucchini — Loaded with vitamins and minerals, zucchini is a summer vegetable that provides an array of antioxidants that combat inflammation. It’s also good for the gut, eyes, thyroid and adrenals.
• Yellow squash — As a low-carb vegetable, yellow squash nutrition offers a healthy dose of vtiamin C, potassium, iron, vitamin K and B vitamins, and it can be eaten as part of a low-carb diet.
• Grape tomato — No matter the type — in this case, grape tomatoes — tomato nutrition is great for combatting chronic disease and inflammation, and it’s great for heart, eye, skin and bone health.
• Coconut oil — Coconut oil supplies healthy fats and is a much healthier option than hydrogenated cooking oils.
• Garlic — Supplying flavonoids, oligosaccharides, amino acids, allicin and sulfur, garlic is great for protecting against disease, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia and more.
• Oregano — Another powerful super herb, oregano is an antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory powerhouse that supports immunity and boosts overall health.

How to Make Summer Sautéed Veggies

Start by heating coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Add in the zucchini, squash, salt and pepper. Let those cook for three minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, add in the red and yellow tomatoes. How awesome do all these colors look together?

Continue cooking these summer sautéed veggies for about another three minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Then remove from the heat, stir in the fresh oregano and serve.

These summer sautéed veggies are perfect as a side dish with grilled meats. They also taste just as good when they’re at room temperature.

Take them to your next cookout, and enjoy.

Summer Sautéed Veggies Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This summer sautéed veggies recipe is delicious and healthy! It’s packed full of nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin C and tastes great too!

---

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 yellow squash, halved and sliced
• 1 zucchini, halved and sliced
• 1 cup red grape tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds.
3. Add yellow squash, zucchini, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and continue cooking just until vegetables are tender (about 3 more minutes).
5. Remove from heat and stir in the oregano.

Notes

• You can add any other vegetables of your choosing to alter the recipe and change the flavor profile.
• If you don’t have coconut oil handy or prefer another cooking, that’s fine. Just make sure it’s a healthy one, such as avocado oil or sesame oil.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Category: Side Dishes
• Method: Sautee
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 194g
• Calories: 71
• Sugar: 4.3g
• Sodium: 244mg
• Fat: 3.9g
• Saturated Fat: 3.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 8.8g
• Fiber: 3.3g
• Protein: 2.7g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

The post Summer Sautéed Veggies Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

To remedy this, I have a few tricks up my sleeve. First, pick up some fresh asparagus at your local farmer’s market or supermarket. It’s the prime season now.

The next is to make a delicious vegan and vegetarian dish that deserves its place as the main — no meat here. (It can also serve as a top-notch side dish.) This baked asparagus dish served in a portobello mushroom with arugula, quinoa and red onion will delight any diner.

Best Way to Cook Asparagus?

There are various ways you can cook asparagus, like sautéing in a pan or boiling. But I find those can be difficult for asparagus lovers-in-training. Sautéing can take longer than expected or leave asparagus too crunchy for the taste of some, while boiling or even steaming always runs the risk of overcooking, plus an ice bath is required afterwards to keep the vegetable from cooking even after it’s been removed from the pot.

For most dishes, my preferred way of cooking asparagus is to bake it. Not only is this easy, but the cleanup is minimal, and we could all use less dishes to wash after dinner. Because none of the flavor is lost to water, roasting also ensures you get an intense asparagus flavor.

Asparagus Nutrition

When you eat asparagus, though, you get more than just a great-tasting vegetable. Asparagus nutrition is pretty impressive: about five spears have no fat and only 20 calories, but they’re packed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help prevent disease.

One serving of asparagus has nearly double your daily allowance of vitamin K, which helps blood clot properly and increases bone strength, and a ton of vitamin C.

Asparagus also helps feed good bacteria in our digestive tract, which allows for better nutrient absorption and a lower risk of allergies. Women who are pregnant should also chow down on asparagus; it’s loaded with folate, which helps promote a healthy pregnancy. In fact, folate is one of the main ingredients in pre-natal vitamins.

And finally, if you find things aren’t moving through your body as quickly as you’d like, adding asparagus can help. It’s chock-full of fiber, which helps food move more quickly and easily through the gut.

How to Bake Asparagus

Now that I’ve sold you on it, let’s make this baked asparagus! We’ll start by preheating the oven and whisking together the dressing ingredients. I love using coconut aminos as a soy-free alternative to soy sauce. This dressing is super simple to make; try it on your favorite salad! Add salt and pepper to taste here.

Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the asparagus on it. Drizzle the spears with avocado oil, then add the salt, pepper and onions, mixing it all up until well combined. If you haven’t tried avocado oil, I highly recommend it. It’s full of nutritious benefits and is great for when you’re cooking at a high temperature and extra virgin olive oil won’t do.

Next, place the portobello mushrooms on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Portobellos are nice and hearty, and are an excellent way to get a meat-like texture in vegetarian meals.

Place both of the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes.

When the ‘shrooms and asparagus are done, place the mushrooms face up on a plate. Fill them with the arugula, quinoa, asparagus and onions.

Because we’ve added protein-rich quinoa, this baked asparagus is super hearty. The arugula also adds a nice bite to the flavor.

Drizzle each mushroom and topping with the dressing and serve your baked asparagus.

Print

Baked Asparagus Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Forget the mushy asparagus you may have eaten in the past. This baked asparagus dish served in a portobello mushroom with arugula, quinoa and red onion will delight any diner.

---

Ingredients

Dressing:

• ½ red onion, sliced lengthwise
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Main dish:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 bunch asparagus
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4–6 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 2 cup arugula
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked (¼ cup uncooked)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. First cook the quinoa, in a small pot on the stovetop. Follow package instructions but usually this takes around 15 minutes once it boils.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients together and adjust if necessary.
4. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
5. Add avocado oil, salt, pepper and onions, tossing until mixture is well combined.
6. On a separate baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the mushrooms face down.
7. Add both baking sheets to the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes.
8. Place mushrooms face up on plate and add arugula, quinoa, asparagus and onions.
9. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Notes

For some extra flavor, add some soft goat cheese to each serving. You can make this the main dish or also use as a side dish.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Category: Main Dishes, Side Dishes
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (263g)
• Calories: 168
• Sugar: 5.8g
• Sodium: 204mg
• Fat: 8.3g
• Saturated Fat: 1.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 19.7g
• Fiber: 4.8g
• Protein: 6.5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

The post Baked Asparagus Recipe, with Portobello Mushroom appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Side dishes are often heavier than the main — think rice, starchy potatoes or pasta. This penchant for carb-heavy sides probably stems from the limp, overcooked veggies and sad iceberg salads many of us endured in our youth. But no more! There’s no reason not to have a side that’s full of flavor and easy to make.

These Lemon Garlic Green Beans recipe is not your grandma’s recipe. They require only a handful of ingredients and just 15 minutes, but are a tasty complement to your favorite meals, like burgers and grilled chicken. Kitchen novices, this is a terrific recipe to boost your cooking confidence.

Green beans nutrition is also outstanding. High in fiber, green beans also exhibit strong antioxidant activity that protects from various diseases, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

And garlic nutrition? Eating garlic regularly is not only good for us — it has been linked to reducing or even helping prevent four of the major causes of death worldwide, including heart disease, stroke, cancer and infections.

Heat the coconut oil (or ghee) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the green beans and garlic and stir fry until the beans are a bit crispy.

Next, reduce the heat to medium. Add in the lemon juice, lemon peel, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and steam the lemon pepper green beans for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and sprinkle with grated lemon rind. Serve immediately.

Enjoy these lemon garlic green beans the next time you want a lighter side dish with minimal effort.

Lemon Garlic Beans Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 17 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

These Lemon Garlic Green Beans recipe is not your grandma’s recipe. They require only a handful of ingredients and just 15 minutes, but are a tasty complement to your favorite meals, like burgers and grilled chicken. Kitchen novices, this is a terrific recipe to boost your cooking confidence.

---

Ingredients

• 3 pounds fresh green beans
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• black pepper to taste
• sea salt to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Rinse the green beans in water and then cut off the stems.
2. In large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil or ghee. Add the greens beans and garlic, then stir-fry until crisp and tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low; add lemon juice, lemon peel, pepper and salt. Cover and let steam for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Transfer to serving bowl and serve immediately.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 12 min
• Category: Side Dishes
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (245g)
• Calories: 114
• Sugar: 7.7g
• Sodium: 111mg
• Fat: 5.1g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 17g
• Fiber: 6.2g
• Protein: 4.3g
• Cholesterol: 0mg