Chicken Liver Pate (AIP, Paleo, Low FODMAP)

If someone had told me two years ago that I’d not only like liver pâté, but my body would crave it, I would have thought that person was crazy. But it’s true. Not only am I consuming chicken liver pâté, but I’m making it myself, which is true dedication for this former vegetarian.

I didn’t have a lot of trouble when it came to the concept of eating offal, especially something as mild as chicken liver pâté, but I did have a bit of a hang up on making it myself. Last November, I finally found the courage to consider making pâté. I bought a package of chicken livers, only to chicken out (ha!) & have them go bad in the fridge before I could make the pâté. The second time, I finally convinced myself to go ahead and make my friend Martine’s pâté recipe. While I didn’t love the process of working with raw liver, the results were delicious & I found my body craving the pâté on the days I wasn’t eating it. Perhaps the high nutrient density of the liver has something to do with that (read more about liver & organ meat here)

I have made pâté fairly regularly over the next few months, even traveling with it when I’d go on trips. But this summer, when I found myself needing to go low FODMAP for SIBO, I fell off the pâté bandwagon. I loved Martine’s pâté recipe, but it had all sorts of ingredients that I needed to eliminate, like onions, garlic & mushrooms and I was concerned I wouldn’t like pâté once I took out those key ingredients.

As I was grocery shopping a few weeks ago, I found a large display of organic chicken livers & my body immediately started craving pâté again! It seemed perhaps time to start experimenting on a low(er) FODMAP pâté recipe. I’ve been fortunate to begin adding back in some higher FODMAP foods, like the apples in some of these images, but I wanted to keep the pâté base on the lower FODMAP side. Three of my favorite ingredients came to the rescue: bacon, leek greens & garlic oil. My first attempt was much more delicious than I anticipated, and there were many people over on Instagram who also seemed interested in a low FODMAP pâté recipe, so I’m sharing it here.  

Spreading the pâté on cucumbers or plantain chips is my favorite low FODMAP methods of eating it. If you’ve reintroduced some FODMAPs, I also really like apple slices, celery sticks, & homemade herb crackers (you can find that recipe in my new e-book “AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats”).

Note on FODMAPs: FODMAPs are confusing things... Certain resources will say that one item is “ok” and other resources will list that item as “avoid.” I am choosing to get my information about FODMAPs from Monash University & their app. Monash is continually updating their information & they are great about listing what quantity of food (both by volume & by weight) keeps it within the low FODMAP guidelines. As always, though, you know your body best. Just because one list says a food is fine, doesn’t always mean your body will be fine with it. Or on the flip side, just because one list says a food is on the avoid list, doesn’t mean your body is automatically going to be bothered by it. Do what makes your body & mind feel the best. 

Chicken Liver Pâté

Yields 5-4oz jars

4 strips of Bacon

110 g (1 1/2 cup) Leek Greens

1 lb Organic Chicken Livers, rinsed 

1 tablespoon Garlic Olive Oil

1/2 cup Red Wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon) 

1 teaspoon Thyme, dried

1/2 teaspoon Parsley, dried

1/2 teaspoon Sage, ground

1 each Bay Leaf

4 tablespoons Bone Broth

1 tablespoon fresh Parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt 

1. In a large non-reactive skillet (i.e. stainless steel, not cast iron), brown the bacon over medium high heat. Once the bacon is cooked through, remove from the pan (reserving for later), but keep the grease in the skillet.
2. Add the leek greens to the hot pan & briefly sauté. Move the greens off to the side & add the chicken livers. Drizzle the garlic olive oil over the livers. Cook for 4 minutes, or until brown on one side. 
3. Flip the livers over, add the wine & dried herbs. Stir to combine. Cover the pan & reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lid & cook an additional 3 minutes. The alcohol cooks off during this process, making it safe for AIP. 
4. Add the liver mixture to a large food processor, along with the cooked bacon, bone broth, fresh herbs & salt. Puree until smooth, scraping the sides of the food processor as needed. Taste & add additional salt, if needed. 
5. Portion into small cups (I like to use 4 oz mason jars). Chill in the refrigerator until cold. Consume within 4 days, or freeze for longevity. A word of caution, the pâté may become a bit more grainy & firm once frozen & thawed, but it still tastes great. 
6. Serve the pâté with veggies (I like cucumbers best) or fruit (I like apples, though they are a higher FODMAP food that I have successfully reintroduced) or homemade AIP crackers.

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Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (Paleo, Low FODMAP, AIP Reintroduction, Whole30)

After my Autoimmune Protocol reset, which I began in July, I was a little more selective in my reintroduction process decisions than I was during my initial AIP adventure. It is perfectly normal to wait longer than 30 days to reintroduce foods, but since I was also combining AIP with low FODMAP diet, I was concerned that perhaps my diet was too limited for longterm health. Remember, neither AIP nor low FODMAP diets are meant to be followed forever. Sure, elimination diets are really important for the process of figuring out things your body may or may not tolerate, but once you experience elimination of symptoms & gut healing, it is a good idea to add back items as your body allows. Not only can it increase your nutrient sources, more variety can have a profound psychological effect & make going out to eat or socializing with friends much easier. 

For this second round of reintroductions, egg yolks and green beans were the first two items I decided to reintroduce. Why did I chose egg yolks? (We’ll leave the discussion of green beans for a future post) Egg yolks are really nutrient dense, full of good fat-soluble vitamins and a plethora of minerals. Plus eggs are a great source of choline, which is something my integrative doctor discovered I’m deficient in. Choline is also important for methylation, and because I am heterozygus for a couple of the MTHFR gene mutations, I just happen to need some extra help with methylation. Sorry if I just went way, way too technical, but I believe it is important to concentrate on nutrient density and the “whys.”

For actually incorporating the yolks into my diet, making a paleo-ified carbonara has been my go-to dish. Plus, who doesn’t love a meal that reminiscent of pasta! Traditional carbonara features and egg yolks, cheese (usually parmigiano-oregiano, or pecorino romano), bacon or pancetta, and pasta. To keep things within paleo parameters & my personal food sensitivities, I used pastured, soy-free egg yolks, omitted the cheese, kept the bacon & substituted cooked spaghetti squash for the pasta noodles. In addition, because I’m all about adding nutrient density wherever possible, I added some chopped scallion (green parts only, to keep it low FODMAP), chicken thighs (for protein), and flat-leaf parsley. We’ve enjoyed this dish so much that I’ve made it almost weekly.

If you’re interested in more information about the AIP reintroduction process, this reintroduction guide from Eileen at Phoenix Helix is a great resource. Eileen’s podcast “The Phoneix Helix Podcast” also has an episode about reintroductions. Or Sarah Ballantyne has written about the process in her book, The Paleo Approach, and in this article.  

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

yields two generous servings

4 strips Bacon

4 medium chicken thighs, organic/pastured preferred

60 g (approximately 1 1/3 c) Chopped Scallions, just the green parts if you’re watching FODMAPs

380 g (approximately 2 3/4 c) Cooked Spaghetti Squash (see notes below) 

2 tsp Garlic Flavored Olive Oil

3 ea Egg Yolks, pastured & soy free preferred, separated while still cold 

4 Tbl Coconut Milk

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

2 Tbl Chopped Parsley

1. In a large skillet (cast-iron preferred), fry bacon over medium heat. If not using a cast iron skillet, use a little bit of oil in the bottom of the pan, as needed.  Set aside. 
2. Cook the chicken thighs over medium heat in residual bacon grease. Chicken takes approximately 10 minutes on medium heat, or until reaches an internal temp of 160 F. Set aside to cool slightly & then cut the chicken in to cubes. 
3. In the same skillet, briefly sauté the scallion. Add the spaghetti squash & garlic oil. Add some additional olive oil (or other fat of choice) if the ingredients begin to stick. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the yolks, & coconut milk. 
5. Pour the yolks/milk into the skillet, over the scallion & spaghetti squash. Stir constantly & continue cooking for a minute or two, until the squash begins to absorb some of the sauce--we’re not trying to make scrambled eggs. 
6. Remove from the heat. Add half of the bacon, cubed chicken & parsley. Toss together to combine. 
7. Divide between two plates & add the remaining bacon, chicken & parsley. 
8. Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. 

Notes:

• To cook the spaghetti squash for this recipe, I prefer to use my Instant Pot. 
• Alternately, you can also cook the squash in an oven or in a microwave (note: black pepper is not AIP)
• For longer strands of spaghetti squash, check out this ingenious tutorial!! 

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Plantain Chip Chicken (AIP & Paleo, low FODMAP variation)

UPDATE 7-31-15: I've now included an AIP + Low FODMAP variation at the bottom of the recipe. 

One day, as I was eating my way through a bag of plantain chips (one of my very favorite AIP snacks), I was inspired by all the crumbs that are inevitably found at the bottom of the bag. Why not crush lots of plantain chips & use them to coat chicken pieces?!? My husband grew up on shake-and-bake, so I knew he’d be on board with the idea, especially if I added a few tasty seasonings to the crushed chips. This recipe just might be in both our lists of favorite AIP main dish options.

Most fried chicken recipes involve dipping the chicken pieces first in either an egg or milk-based mixture and then dipping it in a breading mixture. But, since neither eggs nor dairy work with AIP, I took a gamble and instead just coated the chicken pieces lightly in avocado oil before gently pressing in the plantain chip crumbs. I also took the easier route & baked the chicken instead of messing with deep frying. By baking the chicken at a high temperature on top of a rack (on a baking sheet), the entire crust is able to stay nice and crispy. Not quite as crispy as deep fried chicken, but still oh so delicious & satisfying. Since I first concocted this recipe earlier in February, we’ve eaten it almost every week! And I don’t see it leaving our meal rotation anytime soon.

Plantain chip crusted chicken
Yields 2-4 servings, depending on appetite  

One 4 oz package Plantain Chips (make sure the ingredients are just plantains, palm oil, and salt) 
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt

1 Tbl Oil (I used avocado , but olive would also work)
between 1.25 and 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Place a cooling rack in a rimmed baking sheet. 
2. Pulverize the plantain chips, garlic, onion & salt in a food processor until the chips are crumbs. 
3. Lightly coat the chicken pieces in the oil. Coat with the plantain crumb mixture & place onto the prepared rack.  Sprinkle any remaining crumbs over the chicken, or discard them. 
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the biggest chicken piece reads 165 F. If they do not seem crispy enough for your preferences, place the pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes right before serving.

Low-FODMAP variation 

One 4 oz package plantain chips (make sure the ingredients are just plantains & palm oil) 

1 tsp dried parsley 

1 Tbl chopped fresh chives 

1 tsp sea salt 

1 Tbl Garlic Olive Oil

between 1.25 and 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

• follow the same instructions as above, replacing the onion powder & garlic powder with parsley & chives, and replace the oil with garlic oil 
• FODMAPs are NOT oil soluble, so garlic oil is a safe substitute 

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Chicken, Bacon, Kale & Spaghetti Squash Hash (AIP)

“Laura, will you ever be able to eat normal food again?” was a question my Grandma Vein asked when I was back in North Dakota in January. Very good question, Grandma.

I know it is so hard for Grandma (and for other friends and family members) to understand my health challenges & the journey that has lead me to following the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP).

Yes, I will freely admit that even after months and months on AIP, including some successful reintroductions, I do occasionally mourn the food I cannot eat. But instead of dwelling on what I can’t eat, I find it better to concentrate on what I can eat. I can eat lots and lots of delicious foods! Rarely do I feel deprived after eating a good AIP meal at home or with family/friends. There is something empowering about eating tasty food that is also going to be beneficial to your health. Though, yes, there are times I wish I could eat “normal” foods, like pasta & pizza & cereal...... AIP isn’t meant to last forever, but given my particular AI diagnosis’s, there are certain foods my body may not ever tolerate.

Thankfully, there are a few other AIP bloggers who have concocted AIP pizzas & cereals (I’ve tried this stromboli recipe (yum!), but also have been eyeing this one, and this one, and this one). And I created this spaghetti squash hash, which really does remind me of pasta, but isn’t going give me horrible symptoms for days on end which would make me regret eating it.

Chicken, Bacon & Kale Spaghetti Squash Hash
yields 2-4 servings, depending on how hungry you are 

3 Strips of Bacon
1.15 lb Chicken Thighs
Sea Salt
2 Onions, sliced
5 c (100 g) Kale, ribs removed & chopped
3 c (325 g) Cooked Spaghetti Squash strands (see this post for spaghetti squash cooking instructions)

Smoked Sea Salt, for serving

1. In a cast-iron skillet fry the bacon over medium high heat, flipping as necessary. When the bacon is golden, remove from the pan & reserve for garnish at the end. Leave the drippings in the pan. 
2. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt & sauté them in the bacon drippings until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F. Transfer the cooked chicken thighs to a cutting board. 
3. In the same pan, with the drippings from the bacon & chicken, caramelize the onions over low heat, stirring occasionally. This process may take more than 20 minutes. 
4. Once the onions are golden brown, increase the heat to medium low and add the chopped kale & cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale wilts slightly. Meanwhile, chop up the cooked chicken thighs. Add the spaghetti squash to the skillet.  Toss to combine. 
5. Add the chicken pieces & continue to cook until heated through. Portion onto plates Chop the cooked bacon & sprinkle, along with some smoked salt (or other pink or sea salt) and serve. 
6. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator or freeze for longevity. 

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Sausage & Kale Soup with Sweet Potato (AIP)

It’s not surprising that I would turn to soup, as I branch out into posting about more savory foods. I love to both make soup & eat it.

Many of my previously favorite soups contain ingredients that no longer like me--tomatoes, potatoes & beans, I’m referring to you! But really, there are so many, many other ingredients I can use that I just need to think a little more creatively.

This soup is a rift on a sausage & Kale soup with white potatoes that I use to make frequently in my pre-autoimmune protocol (AIP) days. I’ve swapped the regular pork sausage, which is often filled with nightshade ingredients, for Garlic & Herb Chicken Sausages. And I now use white sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes.  Not to mention that anything that includes homemade stock (aka “bone broth” in the AIP world) is really, really beneficial for the healing process.  The flavor becomes a little more complex & a touch sweeter (from the sweet potatoes), but still makes a fantastic, filling, nutrient-dense lunch option, even if you aren’t Paleo or AIP.

Chicken Sausage, Kale & Sweet Potato Soup 
yields 2 to 4 servings, depending on how hungry you are

1-2 Tablespoons of solid fat (I used duck fat)
1 medium onion, diced (mine weighed 176 g)
2 medium carrots, peeled & sliced (mine weighed 113 g)
1 medium/large Sweet Potato, peeled & diced  (I used a white sweet potato & it weighed around 300 g)
1 package of chicken sausages, sliced on the bias (I used Trader Joe’s Garlic & Herb Chicken Sausages, which are free from nightshades, but do contain black pepper, so proceed with caution if on strict AIP)
1 quart of stock (I used homemade chicken stock, but you can certainly use purchased)
6 ribs of kale (mine weighed 50g)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste (omit for strict AIP)

1. In a medium/large pot, melt the solid fat. Add the diced onion & sauté over medium heat until the onion becomes slightly translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the sliced carrot & sauté an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the carrot softens just slightly. 
2. Add the peeled diced sweet potato, sliced chicken sausages & stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover the pot, reduce to medium low & simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. 
3. Add the kale & cook an additional 5 minutes, or until the kale is wilted. Taste, and add salt & pepper as needed, depending on the flavor of the sausages & stock. 
4. Ladle the soup into bowls & serve. 
5. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. The soup may be frozen, although the potatoes do break down, so the consistency will be different after thawing. 

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