The last few months have been crazy busy. If you've been to my main blog over at Life on Purpose and Principle, you know that in the last 2-3 months, I've become a grandmother, moved (drastically downsizing in the process), become a mother in law, helped plan and host my youngest stepson's high school graduation and had company from out of state...twice. Whew. It seriously tires me to reminisce. And in all that busyness, sometimes our food choices were less than optimal. Now that the dust has settled, it's time to re-evaluate what we eat and make some changes.

Looking back, I see how God has gently led me to where I am now. Thanks to my grandmother, I learned how to throw things together, make bread, "get all the goody out" (use a spatula to scrape out every last bit of batter or whatever you've mixed up), and I am thankful for both the instruction and the fond memories of working with my grandma in the kitchen. I began cooking on my own at a young age and loved coming up with my own recipes. 

About four years ago, I had my eyes opened by attending a Nourishing Our Children seminar. I was so mad by the end of it, I wanted to go home and throw out all our food! Since that was not practical at all for this one-income family, I gave away the worst offenders (or just threw it away), and gradually used up what was left, replacing what was used up with healthier alternatives. I began to make my own mixes for taco seasoning, onion soup mix (and yes, it can be made without boullion, and therefore without MSG), cookies, breads, and anything else I might have bought in a box at the store. 

I eased into fermenting with water kefir, dairy kefir, and eventually sourdough. I have to admit to being afraid of making my own lacto fermented vegetables, and so I have not ventured into that arena, yet. I used to be afraid of balsamic vinegar, because it was so dark. I just had no idea what it would taste like and was afraid to try it. Turns out I've been missing out on one of the most delicious (not to mention healthful) condiments I've ever tried. I put that stuff on anything, even eggs. I'd put it on, or in, more things, but my husband doesn't like vinegar in general, and especially not balsamic. Boo. Sometimes I wonder how we connected...we seem to be polar opposites when it comes to many foods.

Eight months ago, I finally yielded to the Lord's leading and went gluten-free. After sulking for several days, I finally put my Big Girl Panties on and dealt with it. And I'm so glad I did! I've lost 20 pounds without doing anything other than not eating grains with gluten, my blood sugar is better controlled, and I just feel better in general. I've seen improvements in my children - my son no longer has paint-peeling gas, his bowel movements are normal, his bumpy rash on his face is gone, and he is somewhat less hyper; my daughter reported feeling less tired, more clear-headed, and no longer itches constantly. She has also learned to not "cheat" - because she feels so terrible after eating something with gluten. I'm glad she willingly makes the choice!

Lately, God's been nudging me to check out the Paleo thing. At first I thought good heavens, I don't think I can handle any more dietary changes and food restrictions. It's hard enough sometimes, especially when well-meaning family and friends don't quite "get it", or going to a get together and the only thing that is "legal" to eat is on the veggie tray...but no dip, since we don't know what is in it.  I'm getting used to bringing our own food, eating what I can and being happy with it, or just not eating, but honestly, it just kind of sucks sometimes. I don't want to have to constantly watch what I'm eating. It's not fair that other people can eat anything and have no health problems! But, then again, perhaps that's what's wrong with the world these days, everyone doing what they want with no thought to the consequences. Maybe it's not such a bad thing to have to be mindful of what you're doing all the time. I'll have to remember that when we go to our daughter's 4H picnic tonight. At least they're having hamburgers, not just hot dogs! 

Several years ago, I did the Atkin's diet and lost about 45 pounds. I don't want to do that again (the Atkin's diet...I have NO problem with losing 45 pounds!) because that diet requires the use of artificial sweeteners and soy, but I do know that cutting out carbs (which for me amounts to a lot of grains in general, gluten-free or otherwise) means I feel better and lose weight. I've found that I love love love Miracle Noodles, and am finding a lot of recipes to make tortillas, and other foods traditionally made with grains, with things like cauliflower instead. 

A friend of mine and I recently discussed the trend of replacing "off limit" foods with something similar, made with "legal" ingredients. She wondered why do we do that instead of just not eating those things anymore. Why do we feel the need to replace everything with something similar? I see her point, because sometimes we just trade one thing for something else that may not be good for us. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I think that food is, for some people, something that is very intimate - it's a relationship. If you broke up with your boyfriend, you wouldn't want to replace him with a potted plant, even though it may be healthier for you. You want to find another boyfriend, another person to connect with. Someone similar, but without the traits you hated in the guy you dumped. 

Humans are also creatures of habit! For some, there is so much comfort in the routine and ordinary it's hard to change. And there's also the fact that some of the things we eat we just don't want to eliminate because we really like them that much. But when your health is compromised, you have to make a choice. 

I have seen a gradual improvement in my health, but it's time to take it to the next level. I KNOW I feel better when I don't eat a lot of carbs - I am not ravenously hungry all the time, am satisfied longer between meals, and often have more energy. I'm also on a budget, so "going Paleo" is going to require good planning and stewardship. I know that God provides when He calls us into anything...whether it's overseas missions or just something as mundane as diet (I can't tell you how many times I've been blessed with gluten free foods, either just given to me or finding them dirt-cheap at the store!). I've recently found Miracle Noodles for 30c a bag at a local discount grocery store. 

So, what now? Research. Try new recipes. Do the best I can with what I have. Don't beat myself up when the budget says we have to eat rice this week...several times. Be thankful for what I have, and that God loves me so much He wants to help me be healthy. And try not to miss ice cream too much. And keep hoping that after a season of being grain-free, I can try introducing soaked grains again, because I do so love a good sourdough. Sourdough pancakes were a favorite around here...we even named our sourdough - Jack (after "Sourdough Jack" Mabee). I miss Jack. A lot. 

My next bunch of posts will likely be Paleo recipes, either that I've tried or want to. I'd love to hear from you and your experiences with the Paleo lifestyle! Please share your stories, recipes and tips in the comment section!

Gluten Free Spiced Peach Buckwheat Waffles, Sans Xanthan Gum

Light, fluffy, flavorful and without gluten and xanthan gum!
Our family's favorite waffle recipe

Many gluten free recipes call for xanthan gum...at least the ones that are mimicking their evil gluten-containing twins, like cakes, cookies and breads. Since xanthan gum is derived from corn, that can be an issue for people with corn allergy. I'm considering exploring that possibility here, but just haven't been able to bring myself to that point yet. Going gluten free is challenging as it is, and to eliminate another food that is so helpful in gluten free cooking (cornstarch and tortilla chips!!) is ratcheting it up a notch too high at this moment.

As I rediscovered my love of buckwheat, I began to notice most bread-like things made with it contain xanthan gum. I have a lot on hand, thanks to a friend and a good deal at a local "dented can" grocery store, but if I don't have to use it then I'd rather not. And, since we are Waffle Lovers over here (thanks to my awesome stepson Andrew who got me a waffle maker for a gift) I was trying to find a buckwheat waffle recipe that didn't require the use of xanthan gum.

My mother in law had shared her waffle recipe with me when I got the waffle iron and I thought why not just substitute the all-purpose flour with buckwheat? It has whipped egg whites in it and baking powder so that will make them rise and be fluffy. I tried it and they turned out great, and honestly, I like them better than their evil wheat twins. Like I said, I love buckwheat!

They are a bit more labor intensive since you have to beat the egg whites until moderately stiff, but that only takes a minute or two, and the result is amazing so it's worth it. I also add vanilla, because we love vanilla too, and the aroma while they are cooking is amazing. We also like to have these any time of day, really. I'm planning on experimenting with a "savory" type of waffle for supper time, although we frequently have these waffles and scrambled eggs for "brupper". Breakfast for supper...

Best Ever Waffles (foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 c buckwheat flour (any type)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sucanat (or sugar of your choice)
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/2 c melted butter, coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 3/4 c milk
• 2 tsp vanilla, more or less (;

Method:

Plug in your waffle iron to preheat it. Whisk together dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whisk together egg yolks, milk and vanilla. Beat egg whites until moderately stiff. Combine milk mixture and flour mixture and blend well (I just use a whisk), mix in melted butter, then fold in egg whites. Cook on well greased waffle iron until done, top as desired. 

We usually use butter and real, yummy maple syrup. We also like fresh blueberries and whipped cream...well, any kind of fruit and whipped cream. Today, I made spiced peaches to put on top, which would have been good with whipped cream...had I thought of it in time to make the whipped cream. I'm not a morning person. I'm also not a DST person. The combination has been especially brutal this year. 

Anyway...the "spiced peaches" was not made as ideally as I'd prefer (fresh peaches and juice) but I do the best I can with what I have. Here's my "recipe"....

Spiced Peaches and Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 large can sliced peaches in heavy syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• splash of vanilla

Method:

Drain some of the heavy syrup off the peaches and whisk in the spices until well combined. Add the rest of the peaches and juice and mix well. 

If I had fresh peaches, I would have sliced them and put a little sugar on them to draw out the juice, then proceeded as above. Makes my mouth water to think about it...I absolutely ADORE fresh peaches.

Lightly spiced, no HFCS. Delicious on our waffles!

Allergy-Free* Spice Cake...FINALLY!

Thankfully, we don't have nut or egg allergies here, but I know many do so I'm sharing this recipe I found...and modified to suit our gluten-free needs. We love spice cake, and cake in general, so it's great to be able to have our cake and eat it too even though we're gluten-free. I made this for a family gathering today, and eaters of gluten loved it too.

I found this recipe on All Recipes, it's called Wacky Buckwheat Spice Cake. It's egg and nut free, and with some small modifications also gluten free. The title to my post is Allergy-Free*...but if you have a corn allergy you'll need to substitute for the cornstarch. I know there are people out there that are allergic to virtually everything, but I think this seems like a recipe that would suit many with egg, wheat, gluten and nut allergies. I was so happy to find this, because all the recipes I'd found for buckwheat cake always included almond meal...which I never have because it's kind of pricey. I'd wondered if ground flax would be a suitable substitute and decided that a family gathering was the perfect place to test out a new recipe.

The batter is thin, and seems like it would be too runny but it bakes up nicely. It fills the house with a delicious spicy aroma. And it tastes fantastic. The texture is different than regular spice cake, ground flax is not as fine as regular flour. It also calls for a couple pinches of black pepper, which did not sound good at all to me so I left it out. I topped it off with a creamy cream cheese frosting (add a couple spoonfuls of sour cream and wow is it yummy!), but it would be good by itself or topped with fresh whipped cream or a sprinkle of vanilla sugar, maybe even some fruit. 

I doubled the original recipe and baked it in a 9" x 13" pan. Click on the link to go to the original recipe, what follows is how I made it...

WACKY BUCKWHEAT SPICE CAKE

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flax meal
• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sucanat
• 1 cup white sugar (next time I will use all sucanat)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 2 Tb molasses
• 1/2 cup light olive oil
• 2 Tb white vinegar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups cold water

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Mix until just blended. Pour the batter into a 9" x 13" baking dish (the original recipe says ungreased, but I missed that and greased the pan with no ill effects). 

Bake in the preheated oven until it passes the toothpick test, 30-40 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Cooking on the Fly with Perpetual Stock

A very dear friend of mine recently introduced me to "perpetual broth (or stock or soup...)." I was intrigued by the idea, but wasn't sure if I would use enough broth to make it worthwhile. Turns out, it's a magnificent kitchen tool to have on hand. Yes, I said tool.

5. anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose (dictionary.com)

In the case of the modern housewife faced with the task and purpose to feed her family nourishing, minimally processed foods, perpetual broth is definitely one tool no cook should be without..

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "PERPETUAL BROTH"? 

My first thought when my friend began to explain it to me was YOU PUT A CHICKEN CARCASS IN YOUR CROCK POT AND MAKE BROTH WITH IT FOREVER? Sort of.  Into your crock pot, you put bones of your choice, good, filtered water, vegetables (be careful what kind, some will cause the broth to be bitter and, well, yucky), maybe some seasonings, and turn the crock pot on low. After 24 hours, you can start using the broth for meals or whatever ails you. As you remove broth, replace it with water...and you can  keep that broth simmering for four to seven days. Yes, that long!

GRANDMA WAS RIGHT ABOUT CHICKEN SOUP

I'll admit, it sounded kind of...well...gross, to be honest. But I know the benefits of good, nourishing bone broth and seeing as how we're smack dab into flu season, the idea of always having some of that magical elixir on hand night and day was what made me decide to give it a whirl.

Grandma was right about chicken soup being able to cure what ails ya. The problem nowadays is that the broth in those convenient cans on the supermarket shelf is NOT your grandmother's, not by a long shot. Even aside from the fact that most broths contain MSG and other chemicals, it's just not made the way grandma did it. And the way grandma did it produces the magical healing qualities of broth.

Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.

Broth is Beautiful, by Sally Fallon  Check out the Weston A. Price Foundation's website for lots of great information on nourishing foods. 

My husband recently started "coming down with something" and I forced him to drink broth. He didn't fight much, his mom raised him right! He never did come down with anything then. The kids and I have healthy constitutions and rarely get sick, for which I am so thankful, but since I babysit for a little girl who tends to catch colds at the drop of a hat, it's good preventive medicine for us...and as long as I can get this broth into her, hopefully it will help keep her healthy this winter, too.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

This is the end of week two in the perpetual broth experiment. Not only do we drink it straight from a mug, but I put that rich, delicious broth in everything I can. Mashed potatoes? Forget the milk, use chicken broth...OH.MY.WORD. Rice, pasta, beans...anything you'd use water in, you can use this nutrient-rich broth. 

Our favorite is definitely chicken broth, made with the carcass (or frame, if carcass grosses you out too much...) of a locally raised, free-ranging chicken, rubbed with olive oil, salt and pepper, some garlic cloves in the cavity, baked and noshed on for Sunday lunch. Toss that in the crock pot with some carrots, celery, sea salt and freshly ground pepper, a splash of apple cider vinegar (to help draw out the minerals), set it to low and in no time you have a pot full of the best broth around. Strain the broth in a reusable coffee filter or other such thing, sufficient to catch bits of stuff floating around in the broth. My friend used an ice cube to "catch" the excess fat. After a couple of days, there is much less fat to fool with. The result is a rich, smooth, soothing broth perfect for a cold winter's day or a loved one who's feeling under the weather.  I like to try and have a cup before each meal and before I go to bed. It aids digestion, and the abundance of minerals can have a calming effect...something I always need!

Today, I made chicken tacos and pinto beans for supper and it was a big hit. My daughter ate three tacos and begged me to make it again. My husband would have eaten more, but we had licked the pot clean of the chicken. My son and I love beans more than the rest of the family, so there were beans leftover (fine with me, pop them in the freezer for another meal!). But here's how I got more nourishing bone broth into my family:

Chicken Tacos (no precise measurements, as I was cooking "on the fly" tonight)

Saute about 1/4 c diced onion in olive oil until it begins to soften, add a minced garlic clove and cook briefly, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add about 2 cups of leftover chicken meat, about 1 c bone broth, about 1/3-1/2 c diced tomatoes and juice. I make my own taco seasoning and keep it in a jar, which I just shook out onto the chicken mixture until it looked right, adding more as necessary until it tasted right. I also added some ground marjoram (maybe 1/2 tsp) and a pinch of sugar. Simmer until chicken shreds easily and most of the liquid has evaporated.  Serve with your favorite taco shells and condiments.

Pinto Beans

Last night (at around 8 p.m.), I rinsed and sorted a pound of dry pinto beans, covered with about 4 inches above the beans with warm water and added a generous pinch of baking soda. At around 3:30 p.m. this afternoon, I drained and rinsed the beans and put them in a heavy bottomed stock pot. I covered the beans and then some with the perpetual beef broth I had simmering away, probably about two quarts worth. Brought to a boil, then lowered the heat and simmered until they were soft, about an hour and a half. Seasoned gently with ground cumin and marjoram, generously with sea salt. I think these were the best pinto beans I've made yet. They had the most amazing "pot liquor" that I've been trying to achieve, but before now had not yet managed to pull off. Fabulous.

HEALTHY AND HANDY

I don't know if I'll brew perpetual broth all year long, as hot summer days call for cold, refreshing liquids, but I think I'll continue this practice during the cooler months of the year. It makes cooking many things, such as rice, potatoes and pasta...typical fall and winter fare...a breeze, not to mention incredibly flavorful. And with the added immune system boost, and the benefit to skin, hair and nails, well, I don't see how I can NOT keep making this amazing stuff. 

Our Gluten-Free Table Today

I have to admit I have not planned well for meals this week...I've gotten lazy over the last several days weeks months to be honest. And I surely wasn't prepared for planning gluten-free meals! What a blessing kind and generous friends are, let me tell you. Each day, I'm kind of "flying by the seat of my pants" and trying to pray about what to make, but it is so easy to just slip into "well, what sounds  good right now?" (along with the new "and how do I substitute the gluten ingredients in it?"). It's a process. 

Today, I am quite certain gluten should not be a part of my diet, and my son's for sure, and most likely my daughter's. I accidentally consumed something with gluten in it last night and I have felt terrible all day...the same way I felt after absentmindedly eating Hidden Valley Ranch - tired and hung-over-ish, no motivation aside from a strong desire to crawl back into bed and sleep. Blech. I don't think there's much gluten-containing foods worth feeling like that. Well, except for cheesecake, maybe. And my mom's Old Fashioned Cream Pie....

Other clues are that my son was, although active and boyish, not "spastic" and driving me out of my gourd all day. His BM today looked more like a normal one, his face looks less bumpy. And, for my daughter, the doctor's office called and said her TSH test was a little elevated and they want to recheck in eight weeks. I so want to save her from ending up like me so if her diet is contributing to the elevated TSH, tiredness, brain fog, etc. then I want to fix it now while she is young! I also need to really watch for soy, although we don't eat as much soy as we used to. Just something else I need to be vigilant in watching for when reading labels.

We ate fairly well today, I think:

• Breakfast was scrambled eggs and fresh apple slices. I like sharp cheddar melted on top and smothered in homemade salsa and sour cream (the eggs, of course!)
• Lunch was Millet Meatballs in Quinoa Rotini Pasta and homemade spaghetti sauce, sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a side of fresh veggies. Very tasty! I was a little unsure if I'd like the Qunioa/corn pasta, but it was practically like "real" pasta. I love that it is made with Quinoa!
• Supper is in the oven right now:  A hybrid Tater Tot Casserole. I quit buying canned soups ages ago, so it was a cornstarch-thickened gravy made with beef broth, sour cream  and nutritional yeast, browned ground beef, and green beans.  I am not sure if Tater Tots are safe yet (and I don't have any in the house, anyway), so I made mashed potatoes to put on top. All in one lovely, cast iron skillet too. Love those one-dish meals!

Here's how I made the Millet Meatballs (I just threw it together, so measurements are not guaranteed to be accurate!)

Millet Meatballs

ingredients:

• one free range egg
• 1/4-1/3 cup of leftover cooked, seasoned millet
• 1/4 pound or so of ground beef
• Miss Tink's House Seasoning
• 1-2 Tbs nutritional yeast
• 1-2 Tbs olive oil or fat of choice

method:

Whisk together egg, Miss Tink's, and nutritional yeast. Add millet and mix well, then add ground beef and mix very well. Form into meatballs. Gently heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet and brown meatballs on all sides until cooked through, or brown all sides then finish cooking in a 350 degree oven until cooked through, about 20 minutes. These can be seasoned however you like, of course...more garlic, some spicy hot pepper, even add shredded vegetables like carrot or zucchini. The kids and I loved them and there were none left over! I forgot to count how many it made, but my best guess is about 15 walnut-sized meatballs.

________________

I can't think of anything to go with our supper tonight, and honestly don't really care to make anything else. I just want to get done with the day and crawl into bed, into my nice, fragrant, freshly laundered flannel sheeties. I just love Fall!

Good Gluten-Free Eats to you!

Blueberry Bliss: Whole Wheat Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

I woke up  wanting pancakes, and after perusing my latest copy of Woman’s Day this morning, I had a plan – pancakes with blueberry compote (pg 182 of the May 2011 issue or you can click here for a slide show presentation of the article “How to Make Pancakes”).  Of course, since I’ve basically eschewed White Death Flour, I make 100% whole wheat pancakes now. I decided to look for a new recipe since I’d just been adapting my normal pancake recipe by substituting whole wheat flour. I found this delicious recipe at AllRecipes.com and made a couple adaptations to suit our real-food lifestyle…

Whole Wheat (Blueberry) Pancakes

I left the blueberries out of the pancakes and made Blueberry Compote instead…recipe follows the pancake recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder (aluminum-free)
• 1 egg (pastured)
• 1 c milk (raw)(+ up to 1/4 cup more if needed)
• 1/2 tsp salt (sea)
• 1 tbs artificial sweetner raw sugar
• 1 tbs melted coconut oil (no oil called for in original recipe)
• 1/2 c blueberries

METHOD:

Sift together the flour and baking powder (I’m too “efficient” for that…just mix them together well!), set aside. Beat together the egg, milk, salt and sugar in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add coconut oil and blueberries and stir to incorporate.

Cook pancakes on a hot griddle or cast iron skillet. The most important part of making great pancakes is PATIENCE! You simply MUST wait until it’s the right time to flip them…when the top is bubbly and the edges look dry, then it’s time to flip. It’s hard, I know…I’m still guilty of premature pancake flipping from time to time…I don’t like to wait…

Serve with your favorite pancake toppings…might I suggest:

Organic, pastured butter made from raw cream and this fabulously easy and delicious Blueberry Compote recipe with a drizzle of fresh, raw cream…

BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

The link above will take you to Woman’s Day magazine’s website, where you’ll find a slideshow showing how to make perfect pancakes. This recipe is on step 4 of the slide show, or on pg 182 of the May 2011 issue of Woman’s Day

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c frozen (or ideally, fresh organic) blueberries
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbs raw sugar (I actually used less and it was still delicious…adjust for your taste)

METHOD:

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and syrupy, 5 to 6 minutes

Bon appetit!

Crockpot Love: Mexicali Chicken and Cheese Sandwiches

The switch to DST (Dumb Stupid Time in my book) always leaves me off-kilter for basically the entire 8 months of this ridiculous practice. So, my crockpot and I continue our love affair…only changing things up a bit from chili, soups and stews. Tonight, it’s an adaptation of a recipe I found on Food.com called by the same name…Mexicali Chicken and Cheese Sandwiches. My DST stupor has left me too uninspired to change the name…really, I’m just happy I got it in the crockpot in time to be done for supper…

MEXICALI CHICKEN AND CHEESE SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 c water
• several generous shakes of your favorite pepper sauce, I used LaBelle No. 5 Pepper Clear, a mild sauce with vinegar and garlic
• appx 1 Tbs Miss Tink’s House Seasoning, more or less to taste
• 3/4 c home-canned salsa
• 1/4 c no HFCS ketchup
• 1/4 c water
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or other shredded cheese
• Hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls

METHOD:

Place chicken breasts, water, and pepper sauce in crockpot. Sprinkle seasoning over chicken. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Drain liquid and shred chicken, add remaining ingredients except for buns and cheese and cook in crockpot until heated through or cook in a pan on the stove. Put on buns and top with cheese. You can then broil if you like. I don’t know what happened to the broiler innards in our oven so I didn’t broil them. Just let them sit until the cheese melts or pop them in the oven for a few minutes.

Kicking The Can(ned Cream of Mushroom Soup): A Healthy Alternative + 2 BONUS Recipes!

Canned Cream of Mushroom soup is a staple in the cupboards of my region. It is the heart and soul of  a myriad of casseroles. We make Green Bean Casserole with it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter Dinners. It livens up Beefy Macaroni and Cheese for a quick supper on a busy night, something known in our house as  Surprise, It's Supper.  It's one of those magical ingredients that you can just dump in with something from each food group and voila! dinner is served. You'll find it in Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Casserole, and Poor Man's Steak and in at least half of any church fundraiser cookbook's recipes. And who hasn't tossed some boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a crockpot and smothered them with a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup for Sunday dinner? 

Of course, the Holy Grail of condensed cream of mushroom soups is Campbell's. I have a delicious recipe that my mother in law shared with me for Burrito Casserole that is simply to die for, and even though (when I used to buy canned soups) I would buy the cheapo creamo's for most applications, I would always buy Campbell's to make the hallowed Burrito Casserole. It just really was that much better.

Now, however, I make most of everything from scratch in order to avoid all the chemicals in most commercially prepared foods. It can be time consuming, but I absolutely love it. Sure, there are some days that I wish I could just make a box of Hamburger Helper and be done with it, but most days I love making things myself. Burrito Casserole was talked of last night, so tonight I had to make it. I didn't have taco seasoning or cream of mushroom soup, two essential ingredients. But I had the stuff to make them with.

I searched online for a cream of something soup recipe that didn't call for bouillion or powdered milk (I used to make a mix that was super easy to use, but have since quit using bouillion and powdered milk) and ended up combining a couple recipes, but since I used my cell and can't find the sites again I went to, I'm going to have to try to recreate it from memory. Wish me luck...

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

• 3 Tbs butter
• 1/2 c flour (I used Ultragrain whole wheat)
• 1 1/2-3 c milk
• 10 oz beef broth or stock, no msg
• 1/2 c finely chopped mushrooms (more or less to taste, I used Organic Mini Bellas)
• 1 tsp refined coconut oil (optional)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• sea salt to taste

In a small sauce pan, heat beef broth and mushrooms, simmering until time to add to soup. Meanwhile, in a 2 qt sauce pan, melt butter and then whisk in flour (will be thick). Add about half of the milk slowly, whisking. Continue whisking until smooth, cook until it begins to thicken, stirring or whisking occasionally. Add beef broth and mushrooms, whisking until smooth. Add seasonings and coconut oil, combining well. Add more milk or broth, as necessary, until soup reaches desired consistency.

Really simple and very tasty! And probably very forgiving. You could use chicken broth or even vegetable or mushroom broth if you didn't have beef, but I really liked the flavor the beef broth imparted, subtle yet rich. I don't like mushrooms, really, so I whacked them pretty well into teeny, tiny pieces. If you like mushrooms and want larger chunks or even whole slices that would work too. I think simmering the mushrooms in the broth draws out the mushroom flavor, which gives the soup that classic cream of mushroom flavor and not mushrooms-in-white-sauce. The can of beef broth that I had was 14 oz...I used four ounces in the meat mixture for my Burrito Casserole, but you could use the whole can, really, if you didn't want four ounces of beef broth sitting around. Of course, switch the ingredients up a bit and you have a basic Cream of  Something soup...broccoli, chicken, celery...whatever you want to cream up. 

And now, just because I'm nice like that...I'm going to give you my Burrito Casserole recipe. We have this on a rotation for Christmas meals at my mother in law's. It's a tradition. It's amazing. It was totally love at first bite!

BURRITO CASSEROLE

• 1 lb hamburger
• 1 pkg taco seasoning (see recipe below)
• 1 1/2 c sour cream
• 1 pkg small tortilla shells, or  homemade
• 1 can mushrooms, or desired amount of sliced, fresh mushrooms
• 1 large (or small works too) can refried beans or equivalent amount of homemade
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (or above recipe)
• 2-4 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar is terrific but any yellow cheese or blend works well)

Brown hamburger and drain if necessary. Add seasoning, mushrooms and beans and combine well. In a small bowl, combine soup and sour cream, then spread half of mixture on the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking dish. Fill tortillas with meat and bean mixture, roll and place in pan. Cover filled tortillas with remaining soup mixture, then cover with cheese (I just use 2 cups of cheese usually, but 4 is very, very delicious!). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until center is bubbly and cheese is slightly browned. Can serve with salsa, and taco toppings if you want, but we just eat it like this.

I made this tonight with some fabulous homemade whole wheat tortillas (thanks Heather and Nancy!), which were made with freshly (as in from the mill to the mixing bowl fresh) ground soft whole wheat. Absolutely delicious and satisfying!

TACO SEASONING MIX

• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt (or garlic powder and salt to taste)
• 1/2 tsp oregano

Mix and use as one package of taco seasoning mix.

Really, there isn't much that is in the grocery store that you can't make yourself. If you like cooking and love a challenge, start making your own convenience foods and condiments. Use the freshest, healthiest ingredients you can find and afford and you will be amazed at the difference in taste...not to mention that your body will be amazed at the lack of chemicals to contend with! 

Healthy Convenience Food: Breakfast Hot Pockets

Convenience food is not necessarily known for being particularly healthy.  While it's quick and easy and yes, tastes good, in the long run the toll on one's health from subsisting mainly on pre-packaged, processed foods just may not really be worth the time you save in the kitchen at all.

Fortunately for me, I love to cook. However, I also have an extremely busy 2 1/2 year old BOY. As in I can not usually maintain any kind of productive activity for more than 30 seconds at a time because the remainder of each minute requires me to take immediate action to prevent him from destroying something or hurting himself. This makes cooking difficult some days, especially in the morning if Mister doesn't sleep late. As if 7 am is really late, but I'm just sayin'...

I have for some time now wanted to make some healthy (or at least healthier) homemade "convenience foods" to toss in the freezer but just haven't had the time/ingredients/organization/motivation lately. My youngest stepson, who is almost 16 and a football player, has inspired and motivated me to give it a whirl. So, today I whipped up some breakfast hot pockets. They're really rather easy, although as  you'll see below I do need to tweak my technique. They may look strange, but they are pretty tasty! I've always had trouble with this sort of thing...ravioli, those pizza-like things of which I can not remember the name...the dough always ends up too thin in the middle and the stuffing pokes out or leaks out, then the edges are super thick. I think with practice, though, I'll be able to nail it one of these days.

I used my favorite pizza dough recipe for these, it only takes maybe 10 minutes to make...no first and second rise like with bread dough, and it's tasty and has nice texture too. Since my football player was headed out to a game this morning, I decided it would be a great time to try this. I added a bit of Frank's Red Hot to his, because I know he likes that on his eggs.

BREAKFAST HOT POCKETS 

• 1 RECIPE 5 MINUTE PIZZA DOUGH, BELOW
• 6 EGGS
• 1/4 C MILK
• 1 TB SEASON SALT OR TO TASTE
• 1/2 TO 1 LB BACON, SAUSAGE OR OTHER MEAT, COOKED TO YOUR LIKING
• 6 SLICES CHEESE (I USED WHITE AMERICAN)

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES. BEAT TOGETHER THE EGGS, MILK AND SEASON SALT AND SCRAMBLE. AFTER MAKING THE DOUGH, SCOOP OUT A BALL THE SIZE OF A LARGE SERVING SPOON OR SO AND PRESS OR ROLL INTO A CIRCLE, MAKING SURE TO NOT GET THE MIDDLE TOO THIN. PLACE CHEESE, TEARING OR CUTTING TO FIT INSIDE THE DOUGH PIECE IF NECESSARY, A SLICE OF BACON (OR A COUPLE TABLESPOONS OF SAUSAGE OR OTHER MEAT), AND A COUPLE TABLESPOONS OF SCRAMBLED EGG ON TOP. CAREFULLY FOLD THE DOUGH OVER AND SEAL THE EDGES. CHECK POCKET TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO HOLES FOR THE FILLING TO LEAK OUT WHILE BAKING. PLACE ON BAKING SHEET AND BAKE 20 MINUTES OR UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN. COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE WRAPPING AND FREEZING.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET 6 HOT POCKETS OUT OF ONE BATCH OF DOUGH. YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE EGGS OR MEAT LEFT OVER, I'M REALLY JUST GUESSING ON THOSE AMOUNTS SINCE I'M A THROW-IT-TOGETHER COOK! I MADE TWO BATCHES, USED A DOZEN EGGS, WITH A SERVING OR TWO LEFT OVER, AND ABOUT A POUND OF BACON.

5 MINUTE PIZZA DOUGH  (REFERS TO HOW LONG IT SITS!)

• 2 1/2 C FLOUR (I USE 2 C BREAD FLOUR, 1/2 C ULTRAGRAIN WHOLE WHEAT
• 2 TB SUGAR (I USE ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE)
• 1 tsp SEA SALT
• 1 TB YEAST
• 2 TB OLIVE OIL
• 1 C WARM WATER (105-110 DEGREES)

MIX DRY INGREDIENTS, ADD OIL AND WATER AND MIX UNTIL DOUGH BALL FORMS AND FLOUR IS MOSTLY MIXED IN (DON'T OVERWORK IT OR IT WILL BE TOUGH, IT'S OK FOR A TEASPOON OR SO OF FLOUR TO BE LEFT). SET IN WARM PLACE FOR 5 MINUTES. (FOR PIZZA, PRESS INTO PAN AND ADD TOPPINGS)

 And now for some pictures of my first attempt at these delicious morning goodies:

 Dough ball, this is roughly the size of my palm

 Dough circle...I just press them out but you can roll if you want

 I take a slice of cheese and tear it in half, then put on bacon and eggs. I found putting the bacon on last ends up with bacon poking out of the dough. Not good!

 On this one, I decided to fold each side up to meet in the middle, since folding it over completely, like what commercial hot pockets look like, results in a big hole in the middle. Definitely not good!

 I pinched the dough together, this is the bottom.

 Four pockets ready to bake...notice the variegated forms LOL

 This is the first batch I did. The one in the foreground I used a fork to pinch/seal the edges. I had to do some "repairs" on that one because the filling ended up poking out of some holes.

 Second batch turned out a bit more uniform looking

 Inside...warm, cheesy breakfast goodness! I was afraid the bread-to-filling ratio might be too much, but it was ok. I'm finding it's tricky to get enough filling and be able to cover it all.

My dear friend Mary from church suggested using two circles, like making a pie. Easier to work with...I think also that if I rolled out two dough sheets in a rectangular shape and cut them in rectangles that would also work. She also suggested brushing them with melted butter after them come out of the oven. I'm going to try those suggestions next time!

This is really a a versatile recipe. You can add herbs and seasonings to the dough, use fancy cheeses. You can leave out the meat. You can add veggies or mushrooms. Salsa and jalapenos. Cream cheese flavored with herbs. Or cream cheese and fruit...that sounds great! I'm planning a "baking day" here soon and want to make some with pizza fillings or other sandwich fillings for lunches and suppers too. 

Use the freshest, healthiest ingredients you have or can procure. I know bacon isn't necessarily the healthiest food in the world, but we love it anyway. And the fact that this wasn't loaded with preservatives and other chemicals makes it far more healthy than what you can buy in the store.

So, now I have some quick and easy breakfasts in the freezer. Since I'm trying not to use my microwave these days, I figure I can get a couple out the night before to thaw and then heat them in my cast iron skillet to warm them up. I'm glad I finally got these done!

The Moist Amazing (Blueberry) Banana Bread Ever

While searching for a recipe for blueberry banana bread, I came across this little gem of a recipe. The author at GreatGrub gives credit to Martha Stewart for the "secret ingredient" in this recipe...something I would never have thought of adding to a quick bread. Normally, I find Martha to be rather pretentious, especially considering her stint in prison, but I must say this recipe makes up for that and then some. The result was a delightfully moist and flavorful bread that has far exceeded the many banana breads I have whipped up in years past. I can't wait to make this again!

SUPER MOIST (BLUEBERRY) BANANA BREAD

EQUIPMENT:

• Electric mixer
• Sieve
• Spatula
• 9x5x3 bread loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Cooling rack
• Preheat oven to 350°F

INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ pound (1 stick) butter, unsalted and at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup organic Sucanat sugar, or brown sugar of choice
• 1 ½ cups organic unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup mashed banana, super ripe
• 1 teaspoon Tahitian vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream (SECRET INGREDIENT)
• 1/2 cup or more of fresh blueberries (My addition!)

METHOD:

Sieve together the flour, salt and baking soda, then set aside. Cream the butter in the mixer. Once the butter is fluffy, add the sugar and blend the mixture well. Then, add each egg, blending in between. Mix in one third of the dry ingredients and then one third of the banana. Repeat twice. Add the vanilla extract. Blend in the sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Turn the batter into the loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Letter batter stand for 15 minutes. Bake for 1 hour. To test if it is done, insert a knife and if it comes out clean, it is ready. Turn the finished loaf on to a cooling rack. Serve when you can't stand to wait any longer.

***REMEMBER to never over work your batter, unless you want a tough, cakey finish!***

 =======================================

I didn't make too many changes or substitutions this time...I used about half Ultragrain Whole Wheat flour and half unbleached bread flour...salted butter (I never have UNsalted butter on hand...I've never understood the purpose of unsalted butter...) and cut back just a bit on the salt (not quite a full measure).  Using the organic sucanat was a new one for me, I don't usually use it in baking, but it rendered a sweetness that was dark and rich, with a depth of flavor you just won't find with plain old brown sugar.

Many thanks to Angela at GreatGrub for this unbelievably amazing banana bread recipe! Be sure to check out her website, it's full of great cooking info! Hopefully it will last longer next time and I can take some pictures...but trust me, this is one for the recipe box for sure!

Menu? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Menu...

Well, at least that's what it seems like these last few weeks. I have gotten very lazy about menu planning. In fact, it's Wednesday night and I should have a menu planned and coupons organized by now. And, well, I don't!  The pantry and fridge are getting pretty bare, so it was a Throw-Something-In-A-Pan-And-Pray kind of night. It actually turned out very tasty! Seems like some of my best meals are forged in the adversity of a bare pantry...

Summer Garden Skillet

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound bulk sausage $1
• 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced FREE
• 1/3 cup Vidalia onion, chopped $0.40
• 1/2 can garlic, basil and oregano seasoned diced tomatoes, with juice $0.10 from Stetta's Discount
• 2 large,white button mushrooms, sliced $0.26
• 1/3 of a large zucchini, sliced into 2 inch spears FREE
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

METHOD: 

Brown sausage in pre-heated, medium cast iron skillet; drain if necessary. Add potatoes and onion and cook, turning occasionally, until potatoes are almost tender. Add tomatoes and juice, bring to a simmer and add mushrooms and zucchini. Cook until zucchini is crisp-tender. 

TOTAL COST: $1.76, COST PER SERVING: 59 CENTS. This served 3 adults comfortably, Miss Picky and Mister Messter didn't eat much and there were no leftovers. It could have easily stretched farther with more vegetables. I didn't figure in the cost of the biscuits, but I'm sure it was less than $1 for the batch. If I'd had the time or inclination, I would have whipped up more of a delicious cucumber salad I made recently. A crisp, green salad would have gone nicely with this as well as some fresh fruit. This would have altered the cost of the meal, but I speculate it could still stay under $3 for the total meal, assuming that you have a vegetable garden or access to free or very inexpensive vegetables.

The improvements to the highlighted items are generally the same as the last post...sausage could have been from pastured animals, veggies and fungus could have been organic. And the BPA in cans makes the tomatoes a less than desirable choice. I would much rather prefer to pick some tomatoes from my back yard. However, they are still quite green...although I did entertain the idea! I did love how the seasoned tomatoes made this very simple, I just added a little sea salt and organic black pepper. When I can tomatoes this year, I want to do some seasoned with herbs and garlic.  I served it with whole wheat biscuits made with olive oil. They turned out a little dry, I will have to work on that recipe! All in all, it was very delicious and satisfying. I love summer produce!

This dish was still far more healthy (not to mention economical) than something prepared from a box or picked up at a drive through. We went to a movie today ($1 tickets!), and ate at Wendy's before we went. I have to say that while it tasted fairly good, it was not satisfying in the least. I was still hungry for hours later...I think my body was craving real food! After our supper this evening, I am much more satisfied. I used to eat at fast-food places fairly regularly, especially when I was younger and it never phased me. Now that I have not been eating as many chemicals, preservatives and refined foods, I really notice a difference in how I feel. Even one meal at a burger joint upsets the balance. I was a crab this evening, and my daughter had a stomach ache. It just strengthens my resolve to do the best I can to serve real, whole, nourishing foods to my family.

Making Real Food on a Real Budget...

...or at least on a budget like mine!  I've been learning a lot about "real" food, food that is nutrient dense and as close to its natural state as possible and not full of chemical preservatives, colorings, and flavorings. And thanks to A Peasant's Feast eCourse through The Nourishing Gourmet, I'm also learning how to do it on a budget.

Basically, what it boils down to is making the best use of every dollar I have to purchase the most nutrient packed foods. With my current budget, every week brings choices and compromises. Being armed with information about what's really in our food (and what's not that should be) helps me to make the best choices and, when necessary, the healthiest compromises that I can.

Ideally, I would be grinding my own, organic home-grown grains for freshly baked breads every day. I would use eggs freshly gathered from free-ranging chickens in my back yard. Butter would be churned from the rich, nutrient-packed cream and cheeses made from the cows milked in the morning, and delicious, cold, whole raw milk would grace our table with every meal. Pastured meats would simmer in nourishing bone broths on cold winter days for delicious soups and stews. And we would eat an abundance of seasonally available fruits, berries and vegetables grown in our back yard. And of course, we'd have a variety of lacto-fermented and cultured things...sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, cortido, pickles, yogurt, buttermilk...to help keep our digestive systems in balance and our immune systems strong.

Reality, however, is not nearly so quaint. The "nutritional information" provided on packaged foods in the grocery store is like a scientific abstract written by Stephen King. My general rule of thumb is If I Can't Pronounce It I Shouldn't Eat It. The food industry has conditioned us to believe that food that can stay on the shelf longer without spoiling is healthy somehow. I disagree...true, the absence of microorganisms to make you sick is definitely healthier, but if the microorganisms can't live on it, how good can it really be four our bodies? Is it actually devoid of nutrients or is it just filled with deadly chemicals? Or both?

So, I try to plan meals that will have the greatest nutritional punch and try to buy the highest quality foods that I can. Here's an example of something I made recently...

Zucchini, Sausage and Brown Rice Skillet

INGREDIENTS: 

Disclaimer: I just threw this together, so there's the possibility that some of the measurements aren't as exact as possible...sorry...that's how I roll in my kitchen! I'm fairly sure it's pretty close though.

• 1 c uncooked brown rice
• 1-2 Tbs ketchup, tomato sauce or 1/4 to 1/2 c diced, fresh tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder or a clove of garlic, pressed
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 Tbs butter
• 1/3 to 1 pound bulk sausage
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c water (mineral or filtered water, chlorine- and fluoride-free)
• 1/4 c cooking sherry or white wine
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder or garlic clove, pressed
• 1/4 tsp ground marjoram
• 1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced

METHOD:


Combine 2 1/2 c water, ketchup (or sauce or tomatoes), garlic, salt and butter and bring to a boil. Add rice, simmer 35-45 minutes or until rice is cooked and water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, brown sausage and onion, add water, sherry, garlic and marjoram and simmer while rice cooks. When rice is almost done, add zucchini to sausage mixture and cook until crisp-tender. Combine with rice. Could top with cheese if desired, parmesan or romano sound good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I highlighted the ingredients that could have been healthier. For example, I used ketchup because I didn't have any fresh, organic tomatoes or tomato sauce. It was at least free of HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) so that was a plus. Lacto-fermented ketchup would have been good as well, although I'm sure the heat would kill off the good bacteria, but it would still be healthier than commercially prepared ketchup. Fresh garlic would have been better than garlic powder, as well as the marjoram. And cultured butter made from cow's milk from pastured animals would have been ideal. The onion was not organic, but the zucchini was locally grown and organic (thanks to my mother-in-law!). The sausage was from a local butcher shop that has good quality local meat, but I doubt it was from pastured animals, so that could have healthier as well. You could always leave the meat out all together, or use grass-fed beef, free range chicken, venison, bison, etc. for healthy meat choices.

How much did this dish cost? My best calculation (figuring costs for tiny amounts of seasonings is more work than I have time for at the moment, so I guestimated it. I don't pay much for anything if I can help it, and I know I got most of these ingredients very inexpensively) is $1.78 for the WHOLE dish, which comes out to 45 cents a serving, for four servings. Using all organic vegetables and spices and high-quality pastured meats would increase this cost minimally to possibly significantly, depending on the prices in your area. I have found a local butcher that sells grass-fed ground beef for $3.29 a pound, and have seen grass-fed ground beef at a local natural foods co-op for over $6 a pound. Organic, out of season vegetables can be very expensive...I saw bell peppers at the same co-op for over $7 a pound this winter.

This dish was very tasty (although I thought it needed a bit more salt) and has a lot of room for variations, such as the types of vegetables, using nourishing bone broths instead of water (which will add even more nutritional punch), and fresh herbs from your garden. I love to have a 'base' recipe and tweak it for fun or be able to pull off a delicious, nutritious meal when there's just "nothing to eat in the house".

So, this is one example of how I'm doing "real food" with my less than "real" budget. Some weeks I have to buy things I wouldn't normally or go without some things, simply because I just don't have the money. But, I don't get myself all worked up about it if I can't buy something that I prefer. I keep in mind that we've eaten processed foods all of our lives and only recently have made the change to less processed and more healthy alternatives to the Food Industry's packaged poisons. While it's not ideal, any changes that mean we consume less of it will benefit our overall health. And in the mean time, I have a never-ending goal in front of me to provide the most nourishing and environmentally responsible foods as I can for my family.

My husband, when asked if he notices a difference in how he feels since I've been making these changes in our diet, commented that he did feel better. This is huge coming from someone who would live on frozen pizza, soda and cookies if he could get away with it! I've also noticed a difference in him and also in my children. They are still kids who like cookies and candy, but it does my heart good to see them enjoying things that are healthy, like my Li'l Man here, scarfing up this cheap, but healthy, meal!