French Onion Soup (with 21 Day Sugar Detox modifications)

French Onion Soup

Memories are often connected to food. We sit around the table with friends and family, enjoying a lovingly prepared meal and conversation. Our bellies, minds, and hearts leave full. One of my fondest memories involves French Onion Soup.

When I was a girl there was a restaurant in an artsy suburb of Downtown called Renee's. Every Christmas, when all the women from my father's side of the family would be in town, we would take a ladies lunch out to Renee's and do a little window shopping. It was always Renee's, and I always got the French Onion Soup. We would all order a different dessert and pass them around the table so everyone could get a bite. I don't recall any earth shattering conversations or mind blowing meals, but I remember the time spent bonding with the women in my family and connecting over good food. As time wore on, Renee's closed down, and eventually the tradition did as well.

Was it that the French Onion Soup was so astounding that it became my favorite soup? I don't really know, but I associate it with fond memories. It is comfort food to me, and I can't help but think about those ladies' lunches at Renee's with my family every time I have a steaming bowl.

This is my Paleo friendly version of French Onion Soup. Today I made it 21 Day Sugar Detox friendly since I am currently on day 4 of the detox. I have noted the modifications for anyone who wishes to follow those. I also used bone broth in place of traditional beef broth to get the added benefits of bone broth; however, a traditional beef broth will work as well.

French Onion Soup (yields 2 large bowls)

Ingredients:

1 onion sliced thinly
3 large cloves garlic crushed
2 Tbs ghee (I use OMghee's brand) or grass fed butter
3 leafy sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup red wine (I prefer Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)*
1 tsp tapioca starch or arrowroot starch*
3 cups bone broth (or beef broth/stock)
Salt and pepper to taste

*Omit these ingredients and associated steps to make this 21 Day Sugar Detox friendly

Directions:

In pan over low heat melt ghee. Add whole sprigs of thyme and bay leaves. Put sliced onions and crushed garlic in pan. Mix to coat everything in ghee. Place lid over pan and allow to cook low and slow. You do not want the onions browning yet, so do not let your heat get too high. You just want them cooking down slowly in the herbs and fat.

Once the onions have cooked down, remove the sprigs of thyme and bay leaves. Some thyme leaves will be left behind, which is good. Add wine turn heat up a bit and continue cooking until the wine cooks way down and there is no more liquid moving around in the pan. Remove from heat. Sprinkle the onions with starch and mix well (this will thicken the soup a bit). In a soup pan over medium-low heat add the bone broth. Once the bone broth has liquified (regular beef broth will already be liquid), add the onions. Stir onions into broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. I'm not including exact measurements because everyone has a different preference. Salt and pepper can always be added so go slowly. Allow the soup to simmer with the lid on as long as desired. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors will blend together. Make sure your heat isn't too high. You want it to simmer, not boil.

When done, pour into two bowls, top with some fresh thyme, and serve with your favorite Paleo bread. If you follow a Primal diet, add your favorite raw grass fed cheese to the top and ENJOY!