Low Carb, Gluten-Free Pho - Tasty Chicken Pho for Fall

My new foodie obsession: Pho. It's one of those tastes that's just impossible to explain. Before I tried it, I had heard people sing the praises of Pho, but I didn't get it. How could mere chicken soup be SO GOOD? Then, upon moving to Austin, my friend took me to her favorite Pho spot.

I was hooked. Something about it--the veggies, the tender meat, the delicate noodles, or the flavor-packed broth--just works. It's one of those stick-to-your-ribs comfort food that's hard to beat.

So, days into the first bits of fall, a cold hit my nostrils. All I wanted was this sweet, spicy soup to kick the cold out of my nose. Some adjustments had to be made to make it tummy-friendly, like omitting the noodles, but overall this is pretty perfect. The spicy zing helped drain my sinuses while the hearty broth gave the protein and nutrients I needed to kick the cold.

And playing the part of the noodles in this sickness busting recipe? Zucchini strands!

Simply use a julienne peeler and peel the zucchini down to the seeds on all sides. Viola! Instant, paleo-approved, gluten-free noodles!

Paleo Pho

• 5 cups chicken broth (I made mine homemade: 1 whole chicken + 2 carrots + 4 celery stalks + 1 onion + 1 tsp peppercorns + 1 tsp salt + 2 bay leaves + enough water to cover it all, simmered until chicken was cooked through, strained and fat scooped off the top after chilling overnight)
• 3 whole star anise
• 1 knob fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1.5 cups cooked, chopped chicken (used chicken I pulled off the bird used in the broth)
• 1/2 cup diced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup kale, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 onion, sliced thin
• 1 jalapeno, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 zucchini, julienned
• 1 lime, wedged

-Start by simmering the broth for 30 minutes with the star anise, ginger, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns, until the broth is fragrant and flavors have intensified.

-Strain the broth, getting all the spices out, then return to medium heat.

-Add the mushrooms, kale, onion, jalapeno, and chicken. Cook for about ten minutes, letting veggies soften and flavors meld.

-Prepare serving bowls (4-6) by placing equal amounts of julienned zucchini in each bowl. Ladle soup into bowls and top with cilantro and lime.