This morning I woke up and it was very overcast and cold outside. I made tea and sat at my kitchen table to study Chemisty – just like I do every weekend. This week I have been testing out a hydrolyzed beef protein powder from Designs for Health called PurePaleo meal – its a true paleo protein source. They offer whey protein, pea protein and their newest product is a hydrolyzed beef protein! I had to try it because most other most protein powders I can’t tolerate. I am lactose intolerant so whey protein is no good. I am sensitive to green peas, so I try to stay away from pea protein. I guess a soy isolate would work but beef protein was intriguing!
This product contains beef from animals raised in Sweden without hormones or antibiotics, and is free of any GMO grains, grasses, and/or ensilage. Besides the normal benefits of protein power this powder also has added collagen to help support muscles, cartilage and ligaments.
DISCLAIMER: I do not promote Paleo as a superior diet, however, I do believe that a low carbohydrate, clean diet can help kick start the weight loss process and help eliminate water weight up front to see quicker results and help motivate you to continue.
Anyway – I digress – I wanted to tell you about my Chicken Pot Pie. While trying this PurePaleo protein and I am trying to maintain a paleo diet but felt that the cold weather required some comfort food and thus paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free chicken pot pie was born.
About coconut oil
When shopping for coconut oil pay attention to the label. There is a definite difference between virgin coconut oil and refined coconut oil.
Virgin Coconut Oil – made from fresh coconut meat which contributes a very pure coconut flavor. It has a lower smoke point and is best for baking when you want the coconut flavor.
Refined Coconut Oil – made from dried coconut meat and is great for sauteing, stir-frying and baking. It has a higher smoke point and a neutral flavor.
Use the leftover chicken from our crockpot chicken recipe to make chicken pot pie later in the week!
- ¾ C blanched almond flour
- ¼ C tapioca flour or 2 tbsp corn starch
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp homemade baking powder (2:1 ratio cream of tartar to baking soda)
- ¼ C refined coconut oil, cold butter or organic palm shortening
- 2 tbsp cold water
- ½ lb leftover chicken, cut or tear into bite size pieces
- 1 cup allowed vegetables, bite size
- 2 tbsp refined coconut oil, butter
- ⅓ C chopped onion
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour or 1 tbsp corn starch
- ¼ tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
- pinch paprika
- ¾ C chicken broth (Swanson chicken stock is a great clean broth!)
- ¼ C allowed milk (I used homemade coconut milk)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a saucepan, cook onions in coconut oil/butter until tender.
- Stir in tapioca flour/corn starch, salt, pepper and paprika.
- Slowly stir in chicken broth and allowed milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened like gravy.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place chicken pieces and chosen vegetables in a bowl. Stir in gravy mixture.
- Pour mixture in 9x6 pan (8x8 or small casserole pan should also work).
- Take out crust if completely chilled - if not ready, throw it in the freezer for a couple minutes! Cold dough will make it easier to work with (less sticky).
- Pat handfuls of dough into palm-sized discs and piece together over filling. If you have extra dough, fill in the cracks.
- Place on a baking sheet in case it bubbles over and bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until crust is golden brown. I placed mine under a broiler for a couple minutes to get a nice golden brown color.
If you have a deeper pan add additional chicken and vegetables. This will decrease calories per serving, increase protein per serving and fill you up more!
**Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.
Alternatives:
This recipe has so many possibilities for customization!
Thickening Agent: as listed in the recipe, corn starch and tapioca flour can both be used to thicken sauces. If you are not looking for a paleo or gluten-free recipe wheat flour can also be used!
Baking Powder: Store bought baking powder often contains corn starch. If sensitive to corn it is best to make your own in a 2:1 ratio (listed above) and keep this to use in place of store bought. Note: cream of tartar is a byproduct of wine making so only use it if you are not sensitive to grape.
Protein: any other leftover protein would work here! Beef (I would use a beef broth to make filling gravy), pork, turkey.
Vegetables: green beans, corn, broccoli, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas. I used canned green beans and frozen corn because I had it on hand. This is your opportunity to make it your own! If using fresh vegetables, pre-cook them before adding to filling. Omit onions if you do not tolerate them.
Milk: any milk would work here!
There are so many possibilities that I’m sure I am missing some! Let me know if you try something different!
Products:
Let us know what you tried in your pot pie!