Alright, y’all.  I’ve been promising you my super-amazing soup recipe for a while now, and with the craziness going on in my life I haven’t gotten around to it until now.  I probably could have gotten this paleo soup up earlier if some of you had come to help me pack! 😉  (And obviously, by “pack” I mean “follow my husband around and talk to him while he packs”)

If you’ve been following this blog for any amount of time, you know two things about me:

1. I am not fancy. Simplicity is probably my favorite thing.
2. I rely greatly on soup to cook nutrient-packed meals.

Since I’ve been on the Autoimmune Protocol (which you can read about Week 1 and Week 2), I’ve come to rely on my trusty soup recipe even more.  I mean, it’s easy, so healthy, and (huge bonus) it makes TONS of leftovers.  I love leftovers, mostly because it means I don’t have to cook every night.  I don’t hate cooking, but I don’t love it either.  So anything that makes enough food for me to eat for a few meals is an automatic winner in my book. This paleo soup delivers, for sure!

So, in order for it to be a recipe I make often, it obviously has to be simple, and take minimum prep time.  I can’t stand being in the kitchen for hours, trying to get a meal made.  I’d rather have it cook for me, which is why I love my crock pot so much.  Therefore, until my husband hires a chef for me, I’ll be making simple meals.  So basically, forever.

Simple Paleo Soup

2 lbs chicken breast (or meat of your choice, cut into chunks)
1 Onion, cut into chunks
2 tbsp diced garlic
2-3 tbsp Red Palm Oil (I get mine here)
2 quarts of bone broth (recipe here)
1-2 rutabaga,cut into small pieces (or sweet potato, butternut squash, turnips, or any starchy veggie)
1 bag of frozen vegetables (I buy the organic ones from Whole Foods)
Spices of your choice (My faves are salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and chives)
Saute oil, chicken, onions, and garlic together in a large stock pot. (YES, this is a one pot meal. You’re welcome)

Once the onions are soft and the chicken is cooking, add your bone broth.  Bring it to a boil and then cover and simmer.  Add your spices.

While the soup is simmering, put the chopped starchy veggie of your choice (I used rutabaga) in a large ziploc with olive oil, salt, pepper, & garlic powder and shake it until everything is covered.  Spread it on a pan and roast at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until everything is starting to brown and smelling delicious.

All that’s left now is to add the roasted vegetable in with the rest of the soup, and also dump in the frozen veggies as well.  Cover it again and let it simmer until the frozen veggies are no longer frozen, and everything is nice and hot.  Stir occasionally.  If you like your soup with more liquid, then add water until it’s at the right consistency.  I prefer mine to be more stew-like.

This paleo soup is so versatile because you can use whatever meat you want, your favorite starchy vegetable, and your choice of frozen veggie blend.  It really turns out to be almost a different soup every time, but each time, it’s so delicious.

I really think that what takes this soup above and beyond is the roasted vegetables.  I was never really a huge soup person until I started adding them, but now I never make soup without them!  And with all of the different nutrients (protein, fat, greens, starches) it’s really a fantastic meal.  Add in the gut-healing bone broth on top of that, and it’s pretty close to perfect!

What kind of soups do you like?  Have any good, healthy recipes to share? 🙂