Delicious “Super Food” Soup Recipe: Keto, Paleo, Gluten-Free

You don’t have to be low-carb, paleo or gluten-free to enjoy this deliciously hearty & smoky soup, but if you happen to be, then I’ve got you covered! Today, I’m sharing my “superfood soup” recipe. It serves approximately 10-12 people, but usually just seconds for our family of 5.

A quick word to the parent of a picky food eater. If your kiddos sees this soup and says, “ew” because they see green veggies in it, remind them this is called super food soup because it gives you super powers. Okay, don’t lie to them, but you can explain all of the benefits I list below, however chances are they won’t care. I’ve found the best thing for my kids’ eating habits is having them cook with me in the kitchen. Do they make a big mess and possibly waste some ingredients here and there? Yes, but the truth is if they help me make it, they’re always willing and excited to try it.

 

What makes this soup so “super”?

Some of the key ingredients that make it so nutritionally dense include:
Grass-fed ground beef which is rich in Omega 3s, beta-carotene, B vitamins, iron, vitamin E and glutathione (one of the body’s most important antioxidants).
Kale which is rich is Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and various other minerals.
Bone Broth is an excellent source of collagen which includes glutamine – an amino acid necessary for overall gut & immune health.
Cauliflower covers a great multitude of vitamins and minerals and is also a great source of fiber, to boot.
Garlic has been used since the beginning for its healing properties.
Optional: I break open a few of my beloved desiccated beef liver capsules and mix the powder in at the end since I can’t really stomach offal (get it, stomach?).

 

The cool thing is that this soup is like homemade chili, it just tastes better the next day when the flavors get to hang out and get to know each other a little bit more. If you’ve ever had Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana soup, this is what inspired me to create my own healthified, lower carb version that is perfect for my Type 1 diabetic husband, my Celiac middle daughter (who is also temporarily dairy-free) and for my foodie tastebuds.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. grass-fed/finished ground beef
1 lb. natural, mild Italian sausage (opt for hot if you like it spicy, but we do mild for the kiddos)
2 pieces of uncured, nitrate-free bacon
1-2 cloves minced garlic or 1 tsp dried garlic powder
1/2 white onion minced or 1 tsp dried onion flakes/powder
3 boxes (32 oz.) of organic chicken stock/broth
1 box/jar of quality bone broth (it doesn’t matter which kind)
1 bunch of kale in the produce section, not the pre-bagged/pre-chopped kind
1 bag/box of riced cauliflower or cauliflower florets
Salt (step away from the cheap table salt and pick up some Redmond’s – no, it doesn’t really matter, I’m just a salt snob now.)
Black Pepper
Optional: Heavy Whipping Cream and Grated Parmesan Cheese if you’re not Paleo/Dairy-Free

 

Instructions:

1. On medium high heat, add the ground beef and ground sausage to a large pot. Using kitchen shears, cut up your bacon into bite size pieces and add it to the pot as well. Cook until all of the meats have browned. Drain grease slightly, if desired, by tipping the excess out of the pot.
2. Add your garlic and onion to the pot and cook for an additional 2 minutes until cooked through or just add your dried spices.
3. Add 3 boxes of chicken stock and 1 box of bone broth to the pot and reduce to medium.
4. Add the cauliflower. Depending on if you are using fresh vs. frozen or riced vs. florets, the goal is to cook it for a few minutes until it is tender. For raw florets, this means about 10-15 minutes over medium heat, but for frozen rice, it’s a matter of 5 minutes.
5. While the cauliflower is cooking/warming through, remove the kale leaves from the stem. When you buy pre-bagged, pre-chopped kale, the large stems are included and they don’t cook as evenly which results in a less than desireable texture. Chop your de-ribbed leaves into bite size pieces and add it to the pot. Reduce to low heat. Kale cooks within 5 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste and though it’s technically ready as soon as everything is warm and tender, it tastes best if you let it simmer on low covered and let the flavors meld for awhile… about 20 minutes or so.
7. Optional: if you can have dairy, adding a splash of heavy whipping cream adds an unctuousness to the dish. Did I just say that? I think I’ve been watching too much Chopped lately. Also, finish with some grated parmesan and bon apetit, y’all.