Sugar and Starch Free, No Problem

WHAT IS PAELLA?

PAELLA (PAI-EI-UH) is a classic Spanish rice dish made with rice, saffron, veggies, chicken, and seafood cooking and served in one pan. Paella originates from Valencia, but it’s typically recognized as the national food of Spain. There are numerous varieties to try out, but the most common include chicken, seafood, or mixed paella.

Paella was originally farmers’ and farm laborers’ food, cooked by the workers over a wood fire for the lunchtime meal.  It was made with rice, plus whatever was to hand around the rice fields and countryside: tomatoes, onions, and snails, with a few beans, added for flavor and texture. Rabbit or duck might also have been added, and for special occasions, chicken plus a touch of saffron for extra special color and flavor. Paella was also traditionally eaten straight from the pan in which it was cooked with each person using his own wooden spoon.

Little by little, as ‘Valencian rice’ became more widely available, paella recipes were adapted with new variations appearing. With Valencia being on the coast, it is no surprise that various types of seafood crept into the recipes over the generations. Now paella is the generic name of 200 or so distinctive rice dishes or ‘arroces’ from the Valencia region let alone other parts of Spain and the rest of the world. To this day a “true” Paella Valenciana has no seafood but a mixture of chicken, rabbit, and snails with green and white beans.

(This information comes from http://www.thepaellacompany.co.uk/)

I CAN’T HAVE RICE: SHOULD I STILL PAELLA FOR DINNER?

I absolutely adore paella! It’s one of those dishes that I typically only make on special occasions, but it gets better every time. It makes such amazing leftovers and you get a lot from this dish once you take the time to make it.

I know CSID typically gives us limitations on what we can eat, so every once in a while I will treat myself to this one (you could have it anytime with cauliflower rice)! I try not to eat rice too often, but I’ll splurge on some authentic paella rice and take a Starchway to really enjoy these authentic flavors blended so well together.

So pour yourself some of your favorite wine and check out some of the great tapa and Spanish guitar mixes on Spotify while you enjoy this tasty treat!

Don’t forget to screenshot this recipe and let me know if you got to try the dish on our social media accounts.

https://www.instagram.com/csidrecipes/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/783431485899733: Spanish Paella (CSID-friendly version)