Apple Dip

From the store:

High Fructose Corn Syrup, Skim Milk, Corn Syrup, Palm Oil, Sugar, Butter, Modified Corn Starch, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Salt, Mono and Diglycerides, Artificial flavors.

From the kitchen:

1/4 cup Butter (half a stick)
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla

Melt together butter and brown sugar. Stir in Sour Cream and Vanilla. Chill before serving.

Try Sucanat or Rapadura in place of Brown Sugar.
Also try only 1/2 cup sugar.

Fast and Easy Potatoes

This potato recipe is fast and easy.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash your potatoes and cut them in half  the long way, it probably does not matter which way you cut them.  Put a generous amount of olive oil, or melted oil (coconut, tallow, ghee) on your pan.  I use my cast iron pizza pan, you can use a cookie sheet with parchment paper on it. Take a handful of coarse salt, I use kosher salt.  Rub the potatoes in the oil and salt until coated. Place flat side down on the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Baked on the cast iron pizza pan they come out crisp and browned.  If you are only making a few you could probably use a cast iron skillet. Enjoy!

Remember, a little oil goes a long way, and you will figure out how much salt you prefer.

I found the original recipe on Pinterest here: quick-baked-potatoes

Easy Beef and Bean Burritos

This is so easy.

1 (10 oz. or 16 oz.) package chopped spinach
1 pound of ground beef
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2/3 cup chunky salsa, your favorite
1 16-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded cheese, Colby or Co-jack or whatever
flour tortillas

Brown the meat in a skillet. (If the meat is lean add some tallow or oil.)  Meanwhile cook the spinach per package directions and drain in a colander. Mix the cooked meat, spices, spinach, salsa, and drained beans. Warm these together and stir in the cheese.  Sometimes I wait to add the cheese on the tortilla, then it is easier to warm the leftovers without having the cheese burn in the sauce pan.  Serve this on tortillas with cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and whatever you want, olives? chopped tomatoes?

The original recipe called for only 1/3 pound of ground meat.

Tools:
Skillet
Colander
sauce pan
Spatula

Salmon Burgers

1 can (14 oz.) Salmon, drained, skin and bones removed
2 eggs
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (I use GF oats, some use Panko (Japanese bread crumbs), you could use coconut flour but only a teaspoon or so, I have not tried this. I often use almond flour for bread crumbs.
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-2 Tablespoons horse radish
1 Tablespoon Pimientos, optional
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine above ingredients and mix well (I use a fork to mix it up). Shape into four patties. In a skillet over medium heat, cook in butter or olive oil until browned, about 6 minutes each side.  The trick with something like this is to only have to turn it once.  Serve on rolls with lettuce, or just plain.

Tools:

Bowl
Skillet
Spatula

Pounded Chicken

This is Zesty Chicken Saute from the cookbook, Cheap, Fast, Good, by Beverly Mills & Alicia Ross.

Mix these spices:

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use Real Salt brand)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional) I never put this in
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Olive oil, or tallow, or other healthy cooking fat

Mix the spices together. Recipe has you place it in a gallon zip bag, I don't do this.

Place the chicken between two sheets of wax paper (I don't do this). Pound the chicken with several whacks of a meat hammer until they are an even 1/2 inch (I never measure this out.) If breast halves are large, cut them in half (or thirds or whatever size you want, even nuggets).

Place the chicken slices in the bag and shake. (I sprinkle one side with spices, nothing fancy, just use my fingers.)

Heat the oil in a deep skillet, I use my handy Le Creuset Braiser (mine is 3 1/2 quart size, if I only had one pan this would be it. Place the meat in the skillet spice side down if not using the bag, sprinkle more spice on the top. The recipe says 4-5 minutes per side, I honestly don't time this, Lightly brown in on the first side, turn and cook until no longer pink in the center.

Transfer to a plate and serve. Serve on a bun as a sandwich, or slice and put on a salad, or just plain with whatever else you are having.

Tools needed:

sharp knife to cut up the chicken
meat hammer (mine is OXO Good Grips, I used to have a wood one but the end kept coming off.)
cutting board
skillet (I use LeCreuset 3.5 qt braiser)
measuring spoons
spatula

Granola

My friend Autumn gave me this recipe, she calls it Granola from Heaven:

5 cups mixed nuts of choice, raw & unsalted
   (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)
1 1/2 cups mixed seeds of choice, raw & unsalted
    (sunflower seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds)
4 cups unsweetened coconut
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together - Split between two cookie sheets - Bake @ 275 degrees for about 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes - Enjoy
Sweet variation:  add your favorite dried fruit to the mix when finished baking.

I never use coriander because I don't have that spice and for better digestion I use soaked crispy nuts. You can find out about soaked crispy nuts from the cookbook Nourishing Traditions.

Easy Potato Recipe

I found this recipe through Pinterest, it comes from tastykitchen.com, have not read anything else on the site, just went there for the recipe after seeing the pictures.

You need potatoes, a chunk of parmesan cheese, a cold stick of butter, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, cream and a bit a shredded cheese, I used cojack.  This are items I always have on hand in my kitchen.

Scrub the potatoes and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
First slice the potatoes, but use chopsticks or wooden spoons so you don't slice through:

 Second fill the slots. Alternate between cheese and butter, then sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake this for an hour. Be sure the potatoes are done before going to the next step.

Take out of oven and drizzle cream in the slots.  I used less than 1/2 cup for four potatoes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake another 15 minutes.

 Finished potatoes.  Yummy and easy.

FYI, I thought I could cook the potatoes for 45 minutes and count the last 15 minutes towards an hour of cooking.  My potatoes were not quite done this way, we ate them anyway.  I will definitely make these again.

Mounds Bars

The original post I got the recipe from:

http://thecoconutmama.com/2011/10/healthy-homemade-mounds-candy/

I did not have the dates in the recipe so I used coconut sugar and used more coconut oil.

1 cup organic shredded coconut

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 - 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

Warm coconut oil is a sauce pan with coconut and sugar until coconut is somewhat softer.  Add vanilla and salt. Pour mix into a loaf size pan and freeze until set, not long. Then cut up.

The second time I made them I mixed in a handful at a time of chocolate chips and made them chocolate.  I never dipped them like the recipe above.

Oatmeal Yes and No

I was asked today if Oatmeal is Gluten Free.  Is it?  Yes and No.  Oats are gluten free, however they are handled and grown in the same fields and processing centers as other grains. I buy gluten free oats, the Bob's Red Mill brand, I can get it in my grocery store or buying club.

Is oatmeal good for you?  Yes and No.  Oatmeal is nutritious if prepared correctly.  If you are not soaking your oatmeal, don't eat it every day.  Grains that are prepared improperly bind up the nutrients and also damage the gut lining. 

Oatmeal is a carbohydrate, so if you are over weight and you eat oatmeal, eat it with lots of butter and/or coconut oil.  Try to add as little sweetner as you can.  I like oatmeal with maple syrup, butter, coconut oil and blueberries.  I don't eat oatmeal for breakfast, I eat eggs. 

If I don't eat oatmeal, why do I buy it? I use the gluten free oatmeal as the bread crumbs when I make meatloaf or meatballs. My daughter uses oatmeal to make no-bake cookies.

Recipe Site Alert

Eatnourishing.com is a great site for finding all kinds of healthy recipes. This is their purpose as stated on the site: The purpose of this website was to create a space for everyday home kitchen tested recipes that center on whole, unrefined ingredients that are prepared in traditional ways in order to optimize nutrition. There are lots of gluten free recipes and great pictures. Enjoy

Road Trip

I have been going on the road more often lately and starting to figure out food to take with me and food to leave for those left behind.

In my refrigerator cooler goes raw milk, kombucha, kefir, gouda cheese, crackers I can eat, cod liver oil, bio-cult probiotic.

This last trip the choices left behind in the freezer were anything that could be warmed up easily because it was just dad and one teenage boy. Chili, Easy Beef and Bean Burritos, a pizza in the freezer, brats and dogs, sloppy joe meat, lunch meat, taco chip ole meat, ravioli. The bonus of making so much, they didn't eat it all so I have meals in the freezer.

The week before I made two pizza's and froze one. The chili was already in the freezer. The burritos, sloppy joes and taco meat were easy to throw together. The rest was a matter of picking up stuff at the store.

My mind is already mulling around ideas of what to take when I go overseas this summer for two weeks.

Leftover meatloaf

I had some leftover meatloaf and this is what I did.
Warm in pan with a little fat, I used tallow.

Shape the meat in a nest.

Drop an egg in the center. Let it cook for a bit.

Gently flip. Cook a little more.

Enjoy.
This is quite tastey.

Broth

Broth is easy, especially with a few secret ingredients. Take the bones and skin left over from making Roast Stickey Chicken, add a broth pack from the freezer, this consists of backs, necks, and the secret ingredient. Cover with water and add some raw apple cider vinegar. Let this set for about an hour before turning on the stove. While it is warming up, chop up some onions, celery and carrots and toss into the pot. When it starts to boil, skim off any foam that rises to the top. Let it simmer for at least 24 hours, or more if you are busy. Here is a picture after two days, there is the secret ingredient.

Next strain the broth, here is my set up for straining:

When the broth cools some, strain it through a smaller strainer into containers and freeze, don't forget to leave some space for expansion in the freezer.
The secret ingredient, allows the broth to set on a plate.

Pizza

My family loves pizza and they all eat gluten. After trying several gluten free pizza crust mixes, some being half way decent, this is my solution.

Pizza omlet. Inside the eggs is pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, sometimes onions, mushrooms and other various pizza toppings. The top is spaghetti sauce. This is also a popular offering to the teenage boys in the house, two have tried it and liked it. I am sure the third one will like it as well.

My reason for passing on the gluten free crusts, first of all they are carbs, I need to avoid these, and secondly the ingredients of a gluten free pizza crust are not that healthy. Also it is a hassle to mix up two different crusts everytime I make pizza, which is usually weekly.

Sauerkraut, the Slow Fast Food

Sauerkraut, the Slow Fast Food

Make Whey. Take some plain yogurt, scoop some into a coffee filter lined funnel. If you have milk allergies, skip this step and use an extra tablespoon of salt below.



Shred Cabbage. I use this slicer, but have used a knife and cutting board.



Add salt and whey, and pound. For a medium head of cabbage use 1 tablespoon salt (Redmond Real Salt, Celtic Sea salt, or something of similar quality), and 4 tablespoons whey. I used extra salt because my cabbage was large.



Press pounded cabbage into quart jars leaving 1" head space. Be sure cabbage is pushed down under the juice. Cover and leave at room temperature for three days.

This process only took about 45 minutes from start to finish, including clean up, ending with two quarts of Sauerkraut. With practice faster. Time well spent on an inexpensive food that will add healthy flora to the gut, one spoonful at a time. Now I have a quick addition to many meals.

Don't wait until your gut is damaged and you develop food allergies or an Autoimmune Disease. Start your little ones on fermented foods early.

New Go To Salad

At the grocery store, pick up a package of broccoli slaw. Add raisins, 1 Tablespoon vineger, a few spoonfuls of Mayo, and some honey (about a tablespoon). Mix it all together, cover and refrigerate, or eat it right now.

To the leftovers add some chunks of lamb salami, a chopped up hard boiled egg and a bit of Sween Russian Dressing found in Sue Gregg's Main Dishes.

Find your own combination of Mayo, vinegar and honey, and you can make all kinds of salads. (you can also use part Mayo, part yogurt

Make Carrot Raisin Salad, shred some carrots, add a small can of crushed pineapple with the juice, raisins, and a combo of Mayo, vinegar and honey.

Roast Beef, Soup and Fat

Recently, I made some roast beef in the crock pot, I simply put an English roast in the pot with about a quart of broth, used chicken broth because that's what was available. Threw in some Italian seasoning. It simmered in the crock pot all day while I was out and about.

We ate the roast with green beans, used frozen beans and steamed them.

I saved the leftover broth (did not skim the fat), and green beans. Today, I made a delicious soup using the leftover broth, meat and beans. Sauteed onions, celery, carrot in coconut oil. I added some chicken livers that which were frozen individually from last summers chicken crop, first I chopped them up in little bits. I also chopped up the leftover beef, and a zucchini and set them aside. When the veggies were soft, and the livers browned, I added the leftover broth and beans. I brought that to a boil and then simmered for a few minutes so the carrots would cook. Next the meat and zucchini were stirred in, and added salt to taste. This was a yummy and satisfying soup, I ate it for breakfast.

Why did I leave the fat in the broth? After watching the Liberation Diet Cooking DVD, I realized that I need to up my fat intake. The more fat in my food, the more satisfying it is. Believe it or not, by increasing fat consumption, cutting way back on carbs, I am finally losing weight without cravings. I am eating less and I feel good. The extra dietary fat seems to have stabilized my hormonal ups and downs.

Is it Spring Yet?

Several bloggers have posted blooms in their yards! As you can see, we're still waiting.

Hello

I found this quote on a blog, I am copying it here for inspiration:

When a woman stays at home and cooks with good judgement and understanding, peace and happiness result. She thus controls the family's health and destiny, also her husband's mood, disposition and feeling, and assures the futures of her children.

Here is the link: http://shannonsfood.blogspot.com

Soaked Pancakes

These pancakes were made from the recipe in Nourishing Traditions, I used whole wheat pastry flour and soaked it in kefir for 24 hours. In the morning added melted butter, eggs, baking and soda and salt. Very easy.
These pancakes are ready to flip.