Oh no! I really do need to eat my vegetables!

GAPS Gummis!

2012-02-14T13:02:00.000-08:00

Beginning of pregnancy I really wanted cinnamon gummi bears. I wish I knew why... but they sounded amazing. Not until later when I figured out how to make homemade Jello did I even venture to ask if I could make my own gummi candies.

Turns out you can!

Now - you could use fruit juice (probably concentrated) or various other things... but my DD is off most fruit, and cinnamon was my craving. So experiment! Be inspired! Get a mold and make your own GAPS gummi worms!!!

For now, here is my recipe for gummi cinnamon sticks:

1/2 c water
1.5 Tbsps bernard jensens gelatin
a generous amount of cinnamon (about a half tsp)
big drizzle honey (or small one, if you like less sweet)

Whisk thoroughly, heat till steaming (will heat very quickly!) and make sure everything is well mixed and dissolved.
Pour into dish and toss in freezer or fridge till sufficiently solidified. (An hour or so in the freezer, for this small amount)
Then cut into strips!!!!

Of course, if you have a mold, you can make these really pretty. Cooling it quickly seems to help the cinnamon from sinking to the bottom.


She doesn't care what shape they are - they taste yummy!

Now, as to how to clean the pot..... I may whisk my ingredients in my mold in the future. The pot took a lot of soaking!

Variations on a theme: Roasted Cauliflower

2012-02-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

I love love love roasted cauliflower. Unfortunately for me, it is my DD's favorite food, and she prefers it steamed. She has the narrower diet, so most of it goes to her. I must try this recipe though!

Mmmmm!

You can view the recipe here - garlic and herbs and browned goodness...

Jello Tea

2012-01-30T08:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the longing for fruit becomes very difficult. Or even Jello. With all its sugar fake flavor goodness. It's delightful jigglyness and mouth feel..

Wait... you mean I can’t have jello anymore because I’m trying to avoid sugar or can’t have fruit?

Noooooo!

As I was doing ok with fruit flavored teas, which nicely help to tone the flavor of my more bitter ones (nettle and dandelion anyone?) I suddenly was struck with the question: Can I make tea into jello? Well, yes, you can! So in desperation for something fruit like... I bought some cheap gelatin and mixed it with one of my favorite fruit teas... and it was wonderful.

Amidst my searching for an answer to this question, I discovered Bernard Jensen Gelatin. Hurray! Gelatin I can be really happy about. It is made from good animal gelatin and doesn't have weird additives or crazy processing methods. It seems I have to use slightly more than commercial gelatin to do the job, but I just keep that in mind if converting recipes. There is another excellent quality brand of gelatin out there, but I can't recall the name.

Just a note about this recipe - this makes very lightly sweetened jello. My daughter and I love it, but we've gotten used to non-sweet things. Sometimes I don't use sweetening at all. Just think of it as your favorite tea now cold and jiggly.

In fact, I found out that there are many traditional recipes for non-sweet jellos! Meat flavored herby gelatin sounds a little strange to my over-sugared American ears still... but I really should try them sometime. Like this jellied chicken recipe...

Then again, maybe I'll stick to herbal teas and fruit....

For every 1 cup of liquid, it’s a 1/2 Tbsp gelatin. I like to go a little over that (think heaping Tbsps) to make it extra firm.

2 cups filtered water
tea of your choice
small drizzle honey (about 2 tsps maybe) If desired.
2 heaping TBSP gelatin
a good whisk

Brew your tea as usual, and compost the tea bag or herbs. If the tea is still very hot, just pour into the dish you'll make your jello in, along with the gelatin and honey and whisk thoroughly. If you are doing an infusion or decoction and the tea is too cool for the gelatin to dissolve, then gently re-heat it first.

Once everything is whisked thoroughly, and the gelatin is completely dissolved, you're done! Throw it in the freezer for an hour or two for quick setting, followed by some time in the fridge, or in the fridge for several hours for a slower set.

Just be sure you don't put a super hot glass in the fridge or freezer! This is one area where I've compromised and used a plastic bowl - I just don't have a stainless steel one that would work well.

And voila... you have Jello!!!!!

Oh, and another note: if you dip repeatedly into the dish in the fridge, the saliva will begin to break the jello down (oops.) You can just use that as an excuse to eat it faster.

Zucchini Chips

2011-08-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

Summer is coming to a close - but many of my dear friends with gardens have zucchini and summer squash coming out their ears. Here was one of my favorite ways to eat it (and preserve it!)

Zucchini chips!

It is truly amazing how many cukes you have to use to fill a small jar of these.

So - here is how.

Wash and slice summer squash as thinly as you can. I did about a 1/4" thick. A mandolin could come in handy for this, if you fancy those.

Then arrange on your dehydrator sheet - or a parchment paper line pan if you dry them in the oven.

Sprinkle with a little salt. Set the dehydrator for 120º or the lowest temp for your oven. These dry fairly quickly, depending on how thin they are sliced and the air flow. You may need to flip them if drying in the oven. Then wait 6-8 hours or overnight. These don't really become "overdone" unless the oven is too hot.

Once dry and crispy, carefully remove from sheet and store. They are very brittle - and very addictive!

And for reference, this is a pint size jar. It contains 3 large summer squashes. They really shrink a lot!

Keeping costs down and nutrients high?

2011-07-31T10:54:00.000-07:00

Cutting the cheap fillers (starches!) when going on GAPS can send your budget soaring. While upping the fat and cutting the nuts and pricey veggies are my biggest tips - Nourished and Nurtured has put together a great post with more ideas!

GAPS intro looking too overwhelming?

2011-07-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

Check out a GAPS Intro Book! Cara gives you a fantastic guide to help you make your way through the challenges of intro and takes care of the planning for you.

You may have looked at the list of "do not's" and thought "What can I eat now?" .... And she answers that question with lots of delightful recipes. An e-book you can click and print, check it out!

Pink lentils & Salmon

2011-06-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

This meal satisfies all the requirements for a good recipe these days. Fairly quick to prepare, nutrient dense, tastes good warm and cold, and nutrient dense. I've packed it up for several lunches this week, as the texture/flavor is similar to potato salad. Just call it salmon lentil salad, and everyone will tell you how amazing you are. If you serve it warm, call it casserole. No one will notice.

    2 heaping cups lentils
    3 cups dense flavorful broth (chicken or fish)
    1/4 cup lard
    1 lb salmon
    cheese - such as parmesan, dill garlic cheddar, romano, etc.
    1/3 c yogurt
    1 large or 2 small onions

    1/2 tsp salt
    pinch cayenne
    1/2 tsp mustard
   generous amount of dill
    1/2 tsp curry powder
    generous paprika

Soak lentils overnight in filtered water. The water should be double the height of the lentils, as they will triple in volume. Put salmon in the fridge to thaw overnight, if frozen. If you really plan ahead, you can sprout the lentils for a day or so. If you're running last minute, you can do a quick soak with the lentils, and thaw the fish in a bowl of warm water.

Next day, cook lentils in the chicken broth on high-simmer for about a half hour, stirring often. Once they have changed color, they are done. Add lard and salt, and turn off.

While lentils are cooking, mix yogurt with other spices and place salmon on a greased pan. I baked the salmon in the oven, but you could also cook it even faster in a skillet. Cover the salmon with the spiced yogurt, and cook gently. In the oven, 350º for about a half hour, on the stove, medium - low heat for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Either way, check the salmon regularly, fish should break apart with a fork, but should not be overcooked. It will continue to cook a little more after heat is turned off.

Cook onions in a separate pan, with plenty of grease, until cooked through and lightly browned. Add to lentils. If conserving dishes, cook them before the fish, and you can use the same pan to cook the fish in.

Break apart salmon and add yogurt salmon mixture to lentils, along with cheese. Add additional salt and seasonings to taste.

Quick, delicious, and loaded with nutrients!

Banana leather

2011-06-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

Walked into the store and they were begging me to take away bags upon bags of spotted bananas. Bananas are one fruit I don't feel quite as bad about buying conventional, as the thick skins that absorb the chemicals and pesticides are peeled away, but if I could get everything organic, I would get organic bananas too, at least for the sake of the growers. Walking out of the store with two huge bags of spotty bananas was a treat I didn't want to pass up, even if I'm not making banana bread. So home they came.

My daughter helped mash them as I peeled and drop them into the bowl.

Then I spread them on a piece of parchment paper, laid on a pan, and put them in my 200 degree oven for several hours. I was drying several other things in the oven anyway.

At that point, they had browned some and looked lovely, but weren't dry enough. So down into the dehydrator at 135º overnight.

And in the morning I had this:

Chewy, densely sweet, and ready and waiting should I want to add to smoothies or baked treats (as a sweetener!) or just for a banana-y treat.

GAPS Breakfast Cereal!

2011-06-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Nuts are not something to eat in tremendously large quantities, but if you want a GAPS legal, grain-look alike treat check out grain-free cold breakfast cereal!

Variations on a Theme (i.e. Eating the same thing all week and it not getting boring!)

2011-04-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

Themed weeks are nice, because half the meal is already prepared, and I just add a little somethign to make it different. This week the theme was ham and mustard. Ham is not technically GAPS legal, unless you cure it yourself, but we are not being extremely strict at the moment. You could probably use any sausage or bacon or a pork roast...

So on the first day we had Ham, cubed, cooked, most set aside, and some mixed with eggs and cheese and mustard greens and my ruined BBQ sauce that is mostly mustard now. As a good foodie blogger, I should really share my failures more. Adding strong dijon mustard instead of dry mustard to almost perfect BBQ sauce is not a brilliant thing to do. That is, unless you have recipes that call for BBQ flavored mustard. So turn your tastebuds on : Ham, BBQ flavored mustard, melty cheddar cheese, eggs, and just a little greens that add some spice and otherwise soak up the other flavors. Yum...

Then this became a salad. All the same ingredients, but more kick of mustard greens (raw now, instead of cooked) and a lighter dish.

Now exceptionally mushy navy beans are added. Cooked in pork broth with lots of fat. Cubed ham, BBQ flavored mustard, greens tossed in and warmed a little, cheese.... Now it has become a casserole.

With grains, I could put this in a puff pastry, or a tortilla, or layer slices of ham and greens and cheese as a sandwhich.... You get the idea.

Do you ever eat the same thing all week?

Fermented Cod Liver Oil Giveaway!

2011-04-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

If you aren't taking cod liver oil for it's fantastic vit. A, D, and essential fatty acids... Why aren't you?

Keeper of the Home is doing a giveaway so you can try it for free!

Green Pastures is the best brand around, and even if the regular flavor is something your turn up your nose at, they have lots of blends to make it easier to take every day.

Spanish Carrot Stew

2011-04-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

4 c beef stock
1/2 lb gr. beef
1 lb navy beans
1 lb carrots (organic, preferrably)
2 gigantic onions
1/2 bulb garlic
2 tsp salt
juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp thyme
handful of crumbled cilantro
1 Tbsp hot sauce (give or take)
or some dried hot peppers, finely chopped

Would also appreciate the addition of:
bell peppers
tomato chunks
green onion
lettuce or bitter greens

Soak beans overnight with filtered water and a little baking soda. When ready to cook, drain beans of soaking water, and put in pot with stock. Cover with additional water so they have an additional inch of liquid, and turn fire on med-high so they can simmer for 3 hours. You will probably turn the fire down once they come to a hard simmer, you want it to be more gentle.

Peel and slice carrots, and add to beans. Then chop onions and garlic and stir in. The beans will need more frequent stirring at this point, as they will start to disintegrate and stick.

In a separate pan, cook the ground beef, and add, along with juice, to the stew. Then add the rest of your seasonings, and any other veggies that look appealing. Make it as hot or as mild as you like.

Top with some yummy yogurt, cheese, fresh avocado, and fermented salsa.

This is a great dish for picnics, too. It's a little different from the standard chili, taste great on a hot day, and stays warm for a long long time in the pot.

The more ideal Food pyramid

2011-04-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

I do applaud the government for trying to give us some guidance on how to best feed our bodies... the only problem is, we've been trying to follow it and getting more sick.

How about trying this food pyramid on for size?

I know some of us GAPSters are ignoring the grains (and maybe the fruit as well!) in this pyramid for right now, but just think if you had always eaten this way and if your parents and their parents always ate this way?

What We've Been Eatin' lately...

2011-04-01T17:15:00.000-07:00

I completely neglected to ever post our February menu, but here is March and February together.

February:

Week 1 Pink soup - Turkey Hash - Naked Bean Burritos - Fish Chowder - BBQ Ham Quiche

Week 2 Chicken & Squash Fries - Chicken Lentil Stew - Tom Goulash & Roasted Cauliflower - Sausage Lentil stew (upgraded leftovers) - Lemon Salmon Stir Fry with Egg Drop Soup

Week 3 Roasted Cauliflower, Steak, Salad - Broccoli Beef Quiche - Salisbury Steak w/ mushrooms and broccoli - Navy Bean stew - Braised Rainbow Cabbage and hot dogs (good ones!)

Week 4 Roast Chicken and Fried Kale - Mushroom Chicken Curry - Crock Pot Roast and Veggies - Taco Bowls - Sausage Brusells

Week 5 Stew - Cheesy Crepes - Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

March:

Week 1 Bacon wrapped liver and Squash Fries - Mexican Pork and Liver salad - Italian Soup w/ sprouted lentils - Shrimp Fried Cauli-rice w/ lentil stir fry - Brussells Aug Ratin

Week 2 Banana Crepes & Suasage - Navy Bean Stew - Burgers w/ Garlic Green Beans - Tomato Onion Soup with Cheese

Week 3 Steak and Garlic Lemon Broccoli - Grain-free Pizza - Sausage Lentil Stew - Salisbury Steak w/ cabbage - Broccoli Cheese Quiche with liversausage - Seafood soup -

Week 4 Green Bean Turkey Casserole - Green Beef Curry - Naked Bean Burritos - BBQ shrimp w/ garlic fried green beans and turnip fries

Week 5 Mexican Carrot stew - pizza quiche

As you can see - everything tastes good with salsa, a chicken can last for several days, and we eat lots of leftovers. Not all of these have recipes posted here, but I hope they're food for thought!

Basic Broccoli Quiche

2011-03-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Just a simple, delicious, easy meal.

1 large head broccolli
1 lb cheese - I used a mix of romano, parmesan, and provel.
9 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

lard to grease pan.

So easy!
Steam broccoli (I find it easiest to leave the crown whole, and steam, stem down, then chop afterwards.) Broccoli should have just changed colors, don't overcook.
Use some lard and grease a 9" pan with your fingers.
Chop broccoli and cover bottom of pan.
Beat eggs and pour on top.
layer cheese on top.
Bake at 400º for 40 minutes, or until you can't stand the aroma anymore and take it out.
Cool for 10 minutes.
Cut into squares.
Dish up and enjoy!

Raw Chocolate Cheesecake

2011-03-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

To my SAD-eating friend who begged for the recipe. :)

4-6 oz unsweetened chocolate - melted
    1/4 c cocoa powder
    1/16 stevia & 1/2 c honey (OR 1 full cup honey) Taste if needed more sweetening
    1/2 c fat (Butter, coconut oil or palm shortening)
    1/2 tsp salt (if not using butter)
    1/2 tsp vanilla
    2 c yogurt cheese
(After making yogurt, drain about 4 cups through a fine cheesecloth overnight to get about 2 cups yogurt cheese.)

Melt chocolate and fat in a double boiler, add cocoa and sweeteners when chocolate is just beginning to melt. Remove from heat, allow to cool for a few minutes while you make crust.

Crust:
    1/2 c fat (such as coconut oil or palm shortening, you want it very solid when cold.)
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 c almond flour
    1/8 c cocoa powder
    pinch stevia OR dash honey

Mix all ingredients over double boiler until thoroughly mixed. Should be clumpy, but all the fat should be melted and mixed into flours. Press into the bottom of 8 in. pan. It will be a very thin crust, you can double this for a thicker crust, I just wanted a delivery device.

After crust is finished, fold yogurt into chocolate mixture. There is no need to have it mixed perfectly. Pour and spread into prepared pan and put in the fridge to cool for several hours.

A drizzle of chocolate sauce and whip cream would be divine on this... but we ate it too fast to find out.

It's Not Soup Navy Bean Casserole

2011-03-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

The end of the month sometimes brings on re-newed creativity. Especially on months when a grocery expense was somehow missed, and I can't go to Trader Joe's until April. And I've not been thinking about food much anyway because I'm designing a new house. And the weather was warm (for a few days, before snowing.) According to my monthly planner, it was time to have beans. But not naked bean burritos because who puts green beans in tacos?

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh green beans, broken into bite-sized pieces.
the little bit of leftover ground beef out of the fridge (or other meat)
1 lb navy beans, soaked in baking soda and water
2 tsp salt
2-3 cups beef or chicken stock
onions and garlic, if you have any.
Lard, tallow, whatever fat is available. About 1/2 c or more.

After soaking beans overnight, (or as long as you have time for) drain off water and put in a large stock pot along with stock and enough water to more than cover. Bring to a simmer, skim off foam, don't let it boil over, and simmer hard for an hour, stirring often so you aren't screaming when you try to clean the pot later. The beans will become even more mushy as they cool. Add salt, seasoning as desired, lots of fat, and mix in anything else that looks appetizing from the fridge.

While the beans are cooking, trim and wash green beans (or as some call them, string beans.) and steam gently until they have just changed color. Salt, add fat.

Re-warm other meat and veggies in toaster over/oven and mix all these items together. Plop on plates and pull out every condiment in the house.

My hubby had his with yogurt and salsa, I just added extra cumin and green onions. You could add any number of things. Hurray for lack of supplies!

Fish Stock isn't so fishy...

2011-03-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

I've put off making fish stock for a long long time. Fish doesn't top the charts of my favorite flavors in the least. Usually only the mildest flavored fish can be found in my dishes. So making something really fishy? That looks at me? And not knowing a good source for fish heads... Well, it was a challenge I could happily ignore. I dutifully saved the recipe in my file (which is oh so basic!) and thought nothing more, until I met someone who works for a fish shop - and can get me free fish heads.
Then the fish heads sat in my freezer. They would look at me as I dug for my beef bones and ground pork, but it wasn't until I learned that even beef stock isn't allowed on lenten fast days, that I finally took the plunge. And guess what, fish stock isn't so bad. It tastes quite good - the flavor is different, but I enjoyed it. Only downside is that the house does smell like fish for the 18hours that you are simmering it. Not a bad smell, if you like fish, but not quite what I hope to walk into when I come home. Chicken stock or beef stock simmering is such an inviting smell... but fish? Well, it was worth it anyway. Once done, I drained the stock, picked out mushy stuff and threw it into my soup. The heads disintegrate while they cook, so I only recognized little white balls as they eyes, hurray!

As for the recipe, I refer you to The Healthy Home Economist. The text of her recipe is below:

Ingredients

3 quarts of filtered water
2 lbs of fish heads and bones (fish heads alone will suffice)*
1/4 cup raw, organic apple cider vinegar
Himalayan or Celtic sea salt to taste

*Do not use oily fish such as salmon for fish stock or you will stink up the whole house! Only use non-oily fish such as sole, turbot, rockfish or, my favorite, snapper. I've also used grouper in a pinch, but the stock does not taste nearly as good.

Instructions

Place water and fish heads/bones in a 4 quart stockpot. Stir in vinegar while bringing the water to a gentle boil. As the water first begins to boil, skim off any foam that rises to the surface. It is important to remove this foam as this is impurities and off flavors. Reduce heat to a simmer for at least 4 hours and no more than 24 hours. Cool and then strain into containers for refrigeration. Freeze what you will not use in one week.

**and just a PS - I'm not 100% for sure that the heads I got from my fish monger were non-oily - which may account for the entire house smelling of fish. Either that, or it is because I have a very small house. Either way, the stock turned out wonderful.

Pastelli Candy

2011-03-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

Candy on GAPS???? Yes!

This is a recipe from Nourished Kitchen. For the recipe go here.

I ended up adding a full tsp of salt, and used coconut ghee instead of olive oil. Chewy and sweet and so good!

Perfecting the Perfect Fried Egg

2011-03-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse. I completely pity those who are intolerant of eggs, as they are so incredibly versatile, delicious, convenient, and easy. Frying the perfect egg is not so easy. Sure, anyone can make scrambled eggs, even the perfect omelet isn't too hard, but frying without totally cooking the yolks and without flipping? Without burning? Without sticking to the pan and ruining your presentation? I assure you, it can be done!

Here are some tips to pull of a fried egg like a pro:

Lard. Lots of it! For the 8 in. skillet I picture, I use a full teaspoon. (And please, get it from a good source, and don't get hydrogenated. I care too much about your health!)

Good quality eggs. Better ingredients make for a better dish, or so we hear right? Eggs from chickens that are pastured, fed non-gmo feed, allowed to eat bugs and scrape the dirt, and allowed to run around will have richer, more nutrient dense yolks, better flavor, stronger whites, and harder shells. Organic does not equal quality product. Vegetarian does not include chickens - they are natural omnivores. "Cage-free" does not mean they get to run outside. Confusing? Yes. Buy the best eggs you can, you'll get your money's worth.

Cast iron. Yes, those black pans your grandmother used. Believe me when I say they are the best! A well seasoned pan is naturally non-stick, easy to clean, and produces much better results than your non-stick aluminum skillet. And with health benefits too.

Fire! Some people are very attached to their electric stoves. I understand. I wouldn't mind a smooth surface to clean either. But for some things, fire allows a much higher degree of control and the quick change of temperature which spells the difference between an amazing dish and a flop. For frying eggs, a constant, low low temperature is what is necessary, so electric may work just fine, but I highly recommend gas.

Now here's what to do.

Put a low fire under your skillet. After a few times you'll know exactly how big the fire should be. My stove can go even lower than what I need for this (good for making stock!) but a very low fire is needed to cook these evenly.
While pan is heating, add lard, swish it around until it is all melted and pan is coated. Be sure to go up the sides just a little.
Crack eggs into pan before it has fully heated. The eggs should not sizzle when they hit the pan. If they do, that is ok, they will be a little crispy on the bottom.
I usually cook three small eggs at a time, but 2 large eggs will be about the same.
As soon as eggs are in the pan, try to make the yolks more toward the center, if they don't go there with your finger, that is ok.
Put lid on immediately. If you don't have a tempered glass lid, you'll just have to check on them more often.
Let eggs sit.
Once the white over the egg yolks is just starting to turn opaque, turn the pan off. Your eggs are done!
Quickly, slide them out of the pan, onto a waiting plate. Assuming you used enough fat, you should be able to just slip them out by tipping the pan.
Top with butter and salt and enjoy!

Quicky Brussels & Sausage

2011-02-25T17:37:00.000-08:00

Another evening when meal prep didn't really happen, and I didn't get home until right before dinner time. And I needed to wake baby-cakes up. Nooo!

So I did what all hungry mothers do, I opened the fridge and let my daughter pull things out.

Brussels & Sausage

1/4 to 1/2 lb cooked sausage, crumbled
1 onion, chopped
1 half bulb garlic
1 lb brussells
2 cups chicken stock

Chop onions, add to hot cast iron skillet along with a couple heaping tablespoons of lard, or other fat. In-between stirring onions, chop garlic, and add when onions have cooked for a couple minutes. Cut off the ends of the brussels sprouts, after washing, and place, cut side down, on pan. (As pictured.) You may want to squish the onions out of the way a little bit so the brussels can brown. Cook for another couple minutes, then pour broth on top, and pile precooked sausage on top. Allow to simmer on high heat for about 10 minutes, until broth is reduce, and brussels are soft.

Meanwhile, set the table, throw scraps on the floor to keep baby happy, and pull out some parmesan cheese, if desired.

Once stock is reduced and the lovely greenery has changed colors and is very soft, run a knife through the brussels and mix everything up, and add another tablespoon (or two!) of fat. Salt if desired, and serve with a little cheese. Yum yum!

Lemon Salmon Stir-Fry

2011-02-21T17:29:00.000-08:00

Hurray for quicky yummy meals!

Lemon Salmon Stir Fry

2 pieces salmon
3 ribs celery
2 large carrots (or more small ones)
2 onions
half bulb garlic
1 lemon
few shakes fish sauce
paprika
Dill
a couple tablespoons of lard

Chop all of your veggies while your pan is heating to medium-high. A wok is wonderful if you have it, but I just used my big cast iron skillet. Add some lard and stir-fry onions, then add carrots and garlic, then add celery. Keep the heat high and keep adding fat as needed. The veggies should be moving quickly around the pan to cook evenly. Once all are somewhat transparent (but still have a little bit of crunch,) set aside.

If your fish was frozen, put in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water to defrost while everything else is cooking. Re-grease the pan, turn the heat to medium-low, and add the fish. Sprinkle with half of the lemon juice, several sprinkles paprika, and a little dill. Let the fish cook until just opaque. Salmon doesn’t like being overcooked. If you put a lid on, there should be no reason to flip. Mix rest of lemon and a couple swishes fish sauce to veggies, along with more fat as desired. Return veggies to pan if needed to warm, and serve over salmon.

Liverwurst Update!

2011-02-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

I like my original liverwurst recipe a lot, but wanted to make some that was more sausage-y and less liver-y. When the opportunity arose to get real pastured pork for cheap, I was thrilled and tried this out.

Liver flavor is still there, but it is very subtle, and when tossed in other items (such as sasuage on pizza or in stew) it is not really noticeable at all!

4 lbs gr. pastured pork
2 lbs liver (maybe less)
1 onion, chopped finely and cooked.

6 tsp salt
4 tsp garlic powder - or 2 tsp finely chopped raw
4 tsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne (less for less spicey)
2 tsp ginger
other sausage spices, as desired. I threw in a tiny bit of sage. & pepper

put liver, onion, and spices in food processor. Add a little bit of pork to processor, then put everything in large bowl and mix thoroughly, shape into patties and fry in ungreased skillet. - this recipe is very easily halved, I just made a huge batch.

What Does she eat?

2011-02-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

My little girl is eating more and more food. We're still working on making sure digestion is in tip top shape, so I focus on the most digestible and nutrient dense foods I can. This is what a typical day looks like for my 18mo.

Breakfast:
-2 mostly raw egg yolks with lots of pastured butter.
I fry a couple eggs on low low heat until the whites are cooked, without flipping. That way there is a little yolk that is more cooked, but most of it is raw and just warmed, and all of the whites are cooked. You can eat raw egg white from what I understand, but I don't like the slimey texture, and I don't trust her gut yet enough to let her eat egg white.
-half-teaspon of fermented cod liver oil (Green Pastures bran)
-Some homemade 24hr yogurt if she is interested.

Lunch:
-a few tablespoons of mushed up vegetables that I'm eating, sometimes
-as much chicken, especially organ meats, as she wants to eat - maybe a 1/4 cup
-a few tablespoons homemade yogurt
as much homemade stock as she wants to eat
- several big spoonfuls of milk kefir.

Dinner:
-1/8 c yogurt
and
-2-3 ice cube size pieces of a pureed soup
or
-pre-chewed meat that we are eating
-mushed up veggies we eating, sometimes
- several shreds of raw liver (I keep grated frozen liver in a container so I can just pull out a little and let it thaw while we're eating. She eats it like its dessert!)

I let her eat as she desires, when all of her food starts moving to the corner of her tray, then I know she'll only eat a few more bites that I feed her and be done. Some days she is all about yogurt, other days she like veggies, but I know I can trust her desires to keep everything balanced. When I remember, I give her sauerkraut at the beginning of the meal. She is still nursing a lot, but I let her drink water if she wants too.

For more information about feeding baby a Weston Price way, check out this article.

Happy foods for a happy baby!

Goodies to read

2011-02-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

The FAQ section on the GAPS website has been greatly expanded. Lots of good information there.

Life is a Palindrome has notes from a series of talks from Dr. NCM. Even more info.

Also - know someone with heart problems? Put Your Heart in Your Mouth is the book for them. Dr. NCM is also coming out with another GAPS book - Gut and Physiology. The original GAPS book has also been updated and expanded.

I wish you continued healing through diet!

Pink Vegetable Soup

2011-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

All little girls like pink, right? So all little girls will happily eat their vegetables when they are pink, right? I don't know if that is true, but my daughter did love this soup. And I was happy to get beets in her.

3 cups stock, additional filtered water to cover
3 large turnips
2 beets
1 bulb garlic
5-7 ribs celery
1 small butternut squash
3 small carrots
parsley - fresh or dried
2 onions

additional veggies as desired
salt to taste
1-2 tsp dried mustard
pepper

Chop all your veggies, dump everything in pot, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or longer, until everything is soft.

I used turkey stock, which added a rich flavor, but you could use almost any stock. The sweeter veggies balance out the more bitter ones, and the beets make the whole soup pink!

Making Stock

2011-02-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

I really like this mom's description of making stock. It is basically what I do.

Here are some additional notes about stock:

I have good jiggly stock in only 12-18 hours - depending on how diluted it is, whether I started with frozen bones or cooked chicken, whether it is first or second (or third?) batch... etc. I usually do try to go longer though. 24 hours is more ideal. The main thing is low low heat. A crock pot or a stock pot on top of cast iron pan will help have lower heat.

Cracking the bones helps release the marrow and minerals, any vinegar will help release minerals, and you don't need a huge amount. Just toss a little in with water and let it sit half hour or so before starting to heat. If it's already hot, and you don't have time to soak with acid, no big deal.

Once your tired of letting stock simmer, strain if desired, and drink/make soup, or save. Put in thick jars, and completely cool in fridge before freezing (if freezing) and freeze slightly tipped so you don't explode your jars. I have found that those nut jars or jars from my prepared-sauce days are thicker than mason jars, and freezing them tipped slightly makes a world of difference.

All the mushy bits and bones that completely disintegrate can be ground up (processor) as added bonus to thicken soups or use like bullion cubes. Organ meats I didn't/couldn't sneak into main course are easily hidden in this paté. You can even use it to make gravy!

Any kind of bones will work - however, certainly better raised animals will yield more nutrients and less toxins - esp. in regards to fats. Toxins are primarily stored in fat. You can bones for really cheap (or free!) if you find the right source. The best bones are the weird ones - knucke bones, heads, feets, legs, etc. Feet are especially good for gelatin.

You can get multiple batches of stock from the same set of bones, later batches will be much weaker. You will probably want to reduce the stock after making it.

Some people flavor the broth while they make it (with dried seasonings, trimmings from other veggies, onions, carrots, garlic, etc.) Salt should be added after finished simmering. I typically don't season my stock - I just season the dish I prepare with it.

And finally - stock is the best source of calcium and other minerals. Gelatin is incredibly healing, and stock is often referred to as the "elixir of life" - Whether you are just trying to be healthier or just save money - you WANT to add stock to your daily meals.

Other yummy recipes and brilliant ideas...

2010-12-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

-Pecan-glazed butternut squash pudding (this takes a little bit of time, but it so worth it!)

-Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce I modified this recipe a lot and it still turned out wonderful. I didn't bother with sticks and just pan fried the chicken and piled it on top of some cauli-rice.

- BLT spagetti

- Egg White Cake (Pavlova) I make this cake a lot. Sometimes with as many as 8 or 12 egg whites! You really can use very little sweetening with it (I've used just a TBSP honey for 8 egg whites before) and it goes wonderfully with the GAPS Russian Custard.

- Think the absence of starches means no more gravy? Think again!

- If you find truly uncured bacon (or want to make other types of bacon): How to cure your own bacon at home.

Not recipes:

- useful info about Honey!

- Recognizing the true cost of different cuts of meat. (I don't recommend using TVP or soy ever, of course, and certainly you want to be eating the fat, but this is nonetheless helpful info. Don't forget the huge savings by making your own stock from leftover bones!)

- Also coming soon - a GAPS cookbook!

I'll be adding more to this page as time goes on :D -

Sweet & Sour Soup

2010-12-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

I wanted stir fry.... but I wanted to stretch it, and therefore, we had sweet and sour soup. If you aren't avoiding starches, it would thicken nicely with a little arrowroot (mix with water before adding to pot) but it tastes quite good without. You can also drizzle beaten egg into the simmering mixture, but I chose to scramble my eggs in another pan before adding. You can also skip other veggies and merely add a few green onions so this is a side dish. So really, this is very versatile. Here are the requirements to make it sweet and sour soup:

1 part vinegar (use a good one!) to 1 part sweetening (honey is wonderful! Just keep in mind, it is doubley sweet.)

and here is what I did:

4 small organic carrots
1 whole celery
1 large red onion
2 large pastured eggs
6 cups chicken stock + added filtered water
2 cup lentils (sprouted would be best)
3 Tbsp pineapple vinegar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
lard or coconut oil
1-2 tsp ginger
2 tsp salt
couple swishes wheat-free fermented Tamari sauce

See this post for how to sprout lentils. Sprouting increases bioavailability of many nutrients, including vit. C, and makes them easier to digest. You can also just soak in water and a Tbsp whey for most of the day or overnight.

Simmer lentils along with stock for about 20-30 minutes, until tender. (You could also add the other veggies at this time too, but I wanted some crisp to them.) Chop all veggies and heat skillet with a little of your favorite fat to medium-high heat. Sauté one at a time (unless you have a really big skillet and they all fit!) and add to pot just before they are all the way done. (If you don't want to overcook them, you can transfer cooked veggies to a plate while the lentils finish cooking. Onions and carrots will withstand the most cooking.) Scramble eggs and add to pot.

Add ginger, salt, and Tamari sauce. I also had a little fish sauce on hand as well. Turn off heat and add vinegar and honey. Taste and add more salt if needed, and serve.

Linked up on Monday Mania.

Navy Bean Squash Stew

2010-12-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

This is rich, filling, flavorful and so gooood! It requires a little bit of prep, but the pay-off is high. No it doesn't look very attractive in the bowl. I could have thinned it with water more, but I left it gloppy. My husband called it gruel, and then asked for seconds.

1 med. butternut squash
1 lb navy/white beans, soaked, sprouted
1 leek
4 cloves garlic (or more)
4 ribs celery
leftover beef roast (about 1-2 cups cubed)
3 cups beef stock, or several beef bones
2-3 Tbsp stock paste

This is a true crock pot meal - but you don't have to use one, just keep a close eye on your stove.

the night before, soak your beans in water with some baking soda, or soak *without* baking soda a couple days before so you can sprout your beans. The previous day is when you cook your beef roast too and set some aside for this dish.

Drain beans and put them in the pot with beef stock, (or with a couple beef bones and a Tbsp vinegar). Add the stock paste (I had some frozen from chicken stock) and add enough filtered water to cover. They should simmer for about 3 hours.

Peel and chunk your butternut squash. You can do larger cubes if you are tired of chopping, but they will need more time. I ut them into bite-sized peices, and they simmered with the beans for an hour and a half.

Chop onions, garlic, celery, and leeks, add them the last hour of cooking.

Chop your leftover roast into small pieces and add a little before serving, a long with a little red wine vinegar, a couple teaspoons salt, (taste as see) and oregano, thyme, and other seasonings that strike you.

This so so hearty and rich and wonderful on a cold day, even if it does look like gruel.

Taco Salad Soup

2010-11-22T10:16:00.000-08:00

Taco style salads are the mainstay of my summers. During cold days, who wants to eat salad?

Why not salad soup?

1/4 lb ground beef, cooked
1 bunch kale or other bitter greens, chopped.
3 tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
several green onions, chopped
a few bell peppers, chopped
4 cups beef stock

Chop all your veggies. I like to do bigbarches in the beginning of te week so I can throw meals together. Sauté red onion in lard on medium heat for a few minutes, then add garlic. Continue cooking until onions turn clear, then add rest of ingredients. Add filtered water if needed to thin, and bring to a simmer. Simmer briefly and season with salt and your organic taco seasoning,(Cumin, paprika, coriander, etc.). Serve with freshly shredded cheddar and sour cream (yogurt!)

Mmm!

And yes, there is lettuces in this soup, it works! Kale, spinach and other hard greens should be cooked slightly anyway before eating, and everything tastes good in a taco.

Salmon and Swiss Chard Soup

2010-11-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

So warm and delicious on a cool fall day.

1 lb salmon
3 cups chicken stock (fish stock would be even better)
1 bulb garlic, chopped finely
2 onions, chopped
4 ribs celery

1 tsp dill
1/2 tsp paprika (more to taste)
1 tsp salt
Water to thin

Sauté onion in a little lard or other fat for a few minutes while you chop garlic. Add garlic and continue sautéing for a minute or two. Add stock, celery, and swiss chard. Add filtered water to thin to your liking. Bring to a boil and turn heat to medium. Cook fish in another pan with more lard, breaking into pieces as it cooks. Once fish is almost completely opaque (do not overcook) add to soup. Season and taste.

Topped with fresh havarti cheese Mmm....

Fried Squash Chips

2010-11-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

This is an easy recipe. No exact measuring... just a addicting way to eat veggies. I call them chips because my hubby said they tasted like potato chips, only they were squash. Yum!

Pattypan squash seems to work the best as far as flavor, though you could use any summer squash.
Slice it thinly (about 1/4") while skillet is heating on medium/high heat with coconut oil or lard. Use lots of fat. Lay slices in a single layer on the hot pan (they should sizzle when you put them in) and immediately sprinkle with salt and paprika. After a minute or two, flip them over and cook the other side. Once slightly browned and the flesh is turning clear, put onto a ready plate. It's best to let these cool a minute before eating...

You could also make these in the oven by tossing with fat and salt and baking. Probably 400º for 20 minutes or so would do it.

Thickening soups

2010-11-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

A little trick I learned recently (and making even more use out of "waste") is to save the mushy stuff leftover from making stock and add it to soups and stews. I just separate the bones (though, if they are soft enough, I blend them up too) and put it all in the processor until it makes a nice paste. It will look pretty gross, don't worry. Add a few big spoonfuls to your soup as it simmers, and it will add flavor, depth, richness, and extra nutrients!

Enjoy the soup weather!

Key Lime Pie (cheesecake!)

2010-11-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

This is so simple and delicious. Definitely for those who like limey & tangy. (Which does not include my mom - but does include one of my brothers!)

Crust:
3/4 c pecans
3/4 c almond flour
1 egg
2 T lard
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
vanilla (opt.)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Puree pecans in food processor (if almonds are whole, grind those first) then add rest of ingredients. bake at 325º for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before adding filling.

Filling:
4 c tangy yogurt, strained overnight (Should yield 2 cups cream cheese)
juice from 1&1/2 limes, plus rind for extra limey-ness
1/2 c heavy cream, optional
1/4 tsp vanilla, optional
1/2 c honey
1/4 tsp pure stevia extract powder (or an additional 1/2 c honey)
(You may like it sweeter, I enjoy the tanginess.)

Beat all ingredients aside from cream, taste for your preference. If you want a fluffier result, beat cream with electric mixer until you have firm peaks, and then gently fold into lime mixture. Spread into cooled crust and put in freezer for a few hours until firm.

(Alternatively, you can make the day before and leave in freezer overnight, and just put it in the fridge to soften a couple hours before serving.)

Thanks to GrainFreeFoodie for getting me started on the crust!

Liverwurst (aka. superfood sausage!)

2010-10-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

I just made this tonight, and I was really thrilled! Everything is approximate - so play around with the recipe. Try different spices too... I'm still obsessed with cumin & cayenne :)

1 lb grass fed beef liver
1 lb pastured organic ground pork
half bulb garlic
half small onion
3 tsp kosher salt
pepper (as desired - up to 2 tsp)

Use whatever sausage seasonings you like - One recipe I looked at for liverwurst used allspice, sage and marjoram. This is what I used:

1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ginger

Put in onions and garlic (pre-chopped a little) in processor. Then add liver and puree. Then add ground pork and spices. I stuck my nose in and smelled it - if I still smelled liver, I added more spices. Once pureed, it should be the consistency of gloppy pudding. If anyone comes in the room and asks what you are making, you can tell them that it is pudding. Hee hee. Heat cast iron skillet on medium heat. Drop by big spoonfuls onto skillet (no need to pre-grease unless the pork is lean) and spread with spatula into 1/4 in patties (bread shaped for sandwiches!) Brown for a few minutes on each side, and then serve up for a super-powered meal.

Keeps in the fridge at least a week, and freezes nicely too!

Linked to Monday Mania.

UPDATE: Check out my updated recipe!

Rosemary Squash Faux-tatoes

2010-10-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

Forget mash potatoes this thanksgiving. This is SOOO good! It tastes like super rich mash potatoes and the rosemary is wonderful.

4 cups mushed cooked butternut squash
3/4 cup yogurt, or sour cream or soured cream (raw cream that sat in your fridge too long)
2 heaping tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp rosemary (fresh would be even better)
parsley

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 400º until warmed throughout. Probably about 20 minutes.

Cauli-Rice

2010-10-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

I make cauli-rice quite a bit. Not just for stir-fries, I also like it underneath some sloppy joes instead of a bun. Or any other dish that formerly used rice. Here is the simplist way to do it.

Wash cauliflower, break into chunks and run through processor until it becomes small crumbles. You’ll probably have to do that in batches. (You can also grate it.) Put all of it in a large pot or skillet with a little bit of coconut oil or other fat. Stir often on medium heat.

When cauliflower is becoming more translucent, make a shallow area in the center. Add some additional fat or oil.

Pour two or three beaten eggs in shallow area and gradually stir into cauliflower, leaving chunks of egg throughout.

Season with paprika, wheat-free Tamari sauce, salt, garlic, onion, and anything else that strikes you. Pile on protein and other veggies and dive in!

Oh... Liver (with brussels and salt pork)

2010-10-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

I've been working hard trying to figure out how to include liver in my diet. Chicken liver is easy to just blend into chicken salad or soup - it's flavor is incredibly mild. Beef liver on the other hand, is strong! Whew! And I have about 24 lbs of it in my freezer from grass fed wonderful cows. Here was one success and we'll try to do this monthly:

(Based on a recipe by Real Food for Less Money)

1 pound grass fed beef liver
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 lb salt pork
2 onions- cut in half and sliced thin
1 lb brussels sprouts

Slice liver while frozen very thinly, and soak overnight in lemon juice or whey.

I liked doing this in one pan - but you do have to start it fairly early. Cut salt pork into small peices and cook up on medium heat until cooked through. Set aside, leaving drippings in the pan. Meanwhile, slice onions thinly and wash and trim brussels sprouts. Cook onions and then sprouts in salt pork drippings (can put in another pan so liver can cook at the same time) until browned, and then turn heat to low and continue cooking slowly for about 10-15 minutes until caramelized. Mix almond flour with salt and spices and coat both sides of liver slices with flour mixture. Cook in salt pork drippings on medium heat until browned, flipping to cook both sides.

Serve with the crumbled salt pork and don't tell anyone they're eating liver :)

Peanut Chicken Wraps

2010-10-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

Chicken salad is my favorite packable food. It is also a wonderful way to use the little-too-dry chicken from making stock. (and a great place to hide ground up bones, mushy weird organs and nutritious bits that no one wants to eat. Shhh!) For GAPS, I wrap it in steamed cabbage leaves, or just eat it out of the bowl. I like adding almonds and green onions and cheese and egg and random leftovers and make it a million different ways. I've made chicken curry salad a few times and it was really yummy - a spicy twist on the usual chicken salad. Then recently I tried a peanut chicken stir-fry and thought it was amazing! So this is a fun blend. My husband even thinks this is ok (he doesn't like cold chicken, any time, anywhere.) I feel this is still a recipe in progress, but it is still too yummy not to share.

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped cooked chicken

Sauce:
1/4 c peanut butter (organic, unsalted is best)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or pineapple vinegar)
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 c cream or coconut cream (could also use yogurt possibly for different flavor)
3 Tbsp oil - coconut, olive, sunflower seed
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

1 small onion, cooked, finely chopped (opt.)

If using coconut oil, gently melt in a sauce pan. Sauté garlic, then add ginger and stir til fragrant. Mix rest of sauce ingredients thoroughly. It should be a gloppy brown sauce. Since I used pineapple vinegar, which I find to be a little more mild than apple cider, I used a bit more. You may like more ginger too. Just taste it and see what you think. Mix in chicken and onions.

For wraps, break off (carefully) a few cabbage leaves (I filled 8 with this recipe) and put them in a pot, stems down, with an inch of water to steam for a couple minutes.

Serve warm or cold!

Naked Salmon Tacos!

2010-09-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

I finally tried this recipe for southwest salmon and oh is it yummy! Mix it up with sautéd veggies, pile on fresh greenery and a dollop of sour cream (or yogurt). I'm going to make this tonight and add some beans as well, flavored with lime, salt and good stock. You could also add avocado slices, fermented salsa, shredded cheese....

(Recipe is easily double or tripled, this should be good for two people or more if you have beans with it)

2 salmon fillets
ghee, butter or coconut oil, to grease pan
juice of 1  lime (or lemon)
2 Tbsp yogurt or SCD mayo
1/2 tsp  oregano, dried
 1/2 tsp  cumin, dried and ground
1/2 tsp  salt,
1/4 tsp   crushed red pepper or chili powder, (use less if you like it less spicey)
4 tsp  Basil or Coriander(cilantro), Fresh

Mix yogurt or mayo with seasonings & lime juice, then spread over fish, and allow to marinade in the fridge for an hour or two (or overnight) till you are ready to bake. Marinating isn't critical if pressed for time, but does enhance the flavors. Heat oven to 400º. Grease a pan and put fish with yogurt mixture in it, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until fish flakes easily. Salmon doesn't like being overbaked.

Shred and mix with the rest of your taco fillings that you prepared while fish was baking, and eat while warm. This also tastes good as leftovers!

Filling up on Fat

2010-08-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

I've been asked a few times now where I get my fats. I use many different kinds, primarily saturated animal fats, since those are the best for your body and best for cooking, but I try to use a variety and am learning to include coconut oil in my diet more. If you still think saturated fats will increase your waistline, I encourage you to read the book "Eat Fat, Lose Fat." and read what the Weston A. Price foundation says about fats. Fats are essential for energy, digesting, satiety, and lower the glycemic index of foods. They make up every cell of your body, so why not make sure you body is made up of good, strong fats? Here is a list of the fats I use, where I get them, and what they work best for.

Bacon fat
I save every last drop of drippings when I make bacon. I usually cook up about a lb of nitrate free farm fresh bacon each month, and the drippings are usually enough for the month. Try to find a pig source where the pigs are farm raised and pastured. Happy, well fed pigs make more nutritious (and better tasting!) meat.
Good for: sautéing veggies, meat, fish, flavoring veggies with bacon flavor.
Keep in fridge, fairly soft right out of fridge.

Lard
I don't have any lard at the moment, but will have some soon! My mom and I will be distilling some lard from pork fat that we are buying from a local farmer. You only need to simmer it in water all day, and then strain out the rich fat and let it cool. Be careful purchasing lard already prepared, it is often hydrogenated to make it more shelf stable.
Good for: frying, baking, sautéing, etc. Nice neutral flavor and very heat stable. Also excellent to add to beans when mashing them.
Keep in fridge, soft after a few minutes in room temp.

Beef tallow
A lot like Lard, only from beef fat. It used to be the frying fat of choice at McDonalds before the whole "saturated fat is evil!" scam came about. I save the fat whenever I cook beef, the rind from steaks, the big chunks on roasts, or the drippings from ground beef (if there are any, grass fed is pretty lean.) Simmer in a pot of water for several hours, strain, and refrigerate, the fat will rise to the top and can be kept in the fridge.
Good for: adding to soups, baking with meat and vegetables, frying, gravy.
Keep in fridge, will be hard until closer to room temp.

Chicken fat
I usually don't have any of this in my fridge, as whatever fat sits on top of my chicken stock I use with my soups and drink with my broth. The fat helps you assimilate more of the minerals and nutrients in the stock - so why would I remove it? Well, sometimes there is a lot more fat than I need, and then I'll scoop it off the top when the stock & fat are cold, and store it in the fridge for future use.
Good for: adding to soups that need more fat and flavor, sautéing, adding to beans when mashing, flavoring potato-like dishes or chicken dishes that have little fat on their own.
Keep in fridge, softens when warmed.

Butter
Oh, how I love butter. When grains return to my diet I will be slathering my bread in butter. For now, I slather my eggs in butter (a wonderful combination for digestion.) I also try to add lots of butter (or another fat) to any vegetables I eat, since fats help you digest greens, and greens help you digest fats! I used to use generic store butter, and while that is certainly better than margarine, it is usually made from leftover whey and is very low in nutrients - that is why it is so pale. If I had access to as much cream as I wanted, I would certainly make my own butter. It is really easy, and you can even let the cream sit out for half a day so you can have cultured butter! For now, I found a source for grass fed cultured butter made from the cream, that is pasteurized (cooked) but is at least not ultra-pasteurized, and tastes wonderful. It is a rich yellow color and I find that I'm happy to use a lot less than store butter.
Good for: slathering on everything, baking, frying, etc.
Keep in fridge (or freezer if longer than a couple months), softens after a few minutes in room temp.

Forgot to mention ghee as well! - ghee is clarified butter and has virtually no milk proteins or sugars in it. Often people unable to tolerate dairy handle ghee just fine. You can make your own ghee fairly easily, but you can get excellent ghee from Pure Indian Foods.

Palm shortening/ Palm kernel oil
Mild neutral flavor, and very inexpensive. This is what I use now for pretty much all my baking when flavor is not needed (cookies and brownies are richer with butter, for sure.) I get it through Tropical Traditions (when they have their half-price or free shipping sales) and it lasts me for a good half of the year. High in saturated fat so good for lots of uses and doesn't need to stay in the fridge.
Good for: pan frying, baking, etc.
Keep in cool cabinet, soft at room temp.

Coconut oil
I'm learning to use more of this in my dishes. Coconut is a natural detoxifier and has strong antifungal and antimicrobial properties, so I'm working my way gradually with it. It also adds a slight coconut flavor to certain dishes, which can be delicious if you like the coconut flavor. I don't personally, but I don't notice it in stir-fries or in flavorful dishes. A lot of people also use it for skin - from deodorant to natural sunscreen, I'm learning to do that as well. Be sure to find cold pressed and organic, this is often over-processed as well. Tropical Traditions carries good quality coconut oil for fairly inexpensive.
Good for: baking, any kind of frying, binding for granola, smoothies, skin.
Keep in cool cabinet, or fridge. Softens when heated, very hard below about 80º.

Olive Oil
I try to minimize cooking with this wonderful oil, is it is high in monounsaturated fats, which are very good in moderate amounts, but more easily damaged by cooking. I use it plenty in other dishes though. Be sure to buy cold pressed extra virgin. Be sure to test your bottle - it should turn completely solid after a couple days in the fridge, there are a lot of misslabeled bottles out there. It should be in a dark bottle and be richly colored and cloudy.
Good for: salad dressings, pesto & other sauces, some baking.
Keep in cabinet, use within two months of opening.

This mom also has good tips on cooking with fats.

Lemon ice

2010-08-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

Oh.. happy accident. I was trying to make the lemon curd... and I didn't cook it long enough, and skipped straining so it was a little too thin even after going in the fridge. I also think I added too much lemon juice. But I had some frozen yogurt in the freezer, so I dumped it in and stirred it up. Oh... lemony goodness!

Lemon Ice

4 egg yolks
juice of 1 large lemon or two small lemons
1/4 c honey
1/4 c coconut oil/butter/palm shortening

3 cups tangy yogurt
3 tbs honey
little vanilla

Mix up the first four ingredients, and put in double boiler (bowl on top of small pot with a little water in pot.) Whisk quickly while it thickens somewhat. Once it blends well and starts to bubble a little, it's done! Take it off, and allow it too cool.

Now, there are two ways to do this - you can freeze the yogurt and swirl in the lemon, or you can mix it all up and then freeze it. Personally, I like the lemon swirl, but it is up to your preference.

Mix the yogurt with the honey and little vanilla and pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Once frozen to the point of soft serve, add lemon egg mixture and continue stirring and freezing. Transfer to freezer to firm up, and serve.

If you wanna be really fancy, pull out a (well-ripened for GAPS) banana and slice it up. Lemon and banana - yum!

On the Menu

2010-08-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted a menu in a little while - I know I find it helpful to look at other's weekly plans. Here is what we ate during this week. Lunch is leftovers or whatever I find in the fridge. Frozen yogurt or yogurt with banana makes a wonderful breakfast or snack!

Saturday
        B- squash gratin
        D- alfredo (thickened with bean paste) on salad & spaghetti squash
Sunday
        B- bacon, egg crepes, yogurt
        D - steak, mashed cauli-potatoes, salad with tomatoes and garlic dressing
Monday
        B- egg drop soup
        D- naked burritos
Tuesday
        B-fried eggs
        D- Chicken nuggets with sauteed summer squash
Wednesday
         B- soft fried egg with lots of butter
         D- Pesto on spaghetti squash with fresh tomatoes and romano
Thursday
          B- rest of squash gratin
          D- Sweet & sour lentils
Friday
          D- Southwest salmon with grilled bell peppers
Saturday
          D- Peanut chicken

Crispy Kale

2010-08-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

Mmm... this is so addictive! Think potato chips only lighter with crumble in your mouth salty flavorful goodness. And so easy to make!

1 bunch kale
olive oil or coconut oil
tsp (or so) salt
other seasonings, as desired

Turn on oven to 350º. Wash and cut kale into bite sized pieces, discarding hard stem. Melt coconut oil, if using (better for high temps than olive) and toss kale pieces in oil. Toss with salt and other seasonings - I used garlic along with another house blend I have - you can really do anything you want! Spread on pan or stone in a single layer and bake for 10-15 minutes, turning once or twice. Once cool, you can store in a paper bag to keep them fresh and crispy. If they last long enough to be stored that is.

I recommend doubling or tripling this recipe... I think my husband I finished these before they finished cooling. :)

Pasta pasta!

2010-08-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

What to do when you can still make your favorite tomato sauce that is GAPS legal, or learned how to thicken gravy with a little yogurt, or just miss pasta because it sounds so exciting?

Here are a few different pasta methods:

Vegetable pasta
Veggies that work best include:

Carrots
summer squash (zucchini, yellow squash, pattypan)
kohlrabi, beets
cauliflower
spaghetti squash
winter squash

Cut it down to size:

grate
process into tiny bits for "cous cous"
sliver or chop into shreds
run through a thin french fry cutter
spiralizer
or peel into strips with a vegetable peeler (as pictured)

How to prepare:

soak 1 hr in salted ice water (best for summer squash, carrots)
drop in boiling salted water (sum squash only needs a minute - Just cook till color changes.)
steam
use raw
spaghetti squash should be baked for an hour, then you scrape out the "pasta" shreds
winter squash can be eaten raw, but will benefit from baking or boiling - you want it a little underdone for pasta

Egg Noodles
Make super thin crepes with 1 tbsp water per egg, 2 eggs per person. Slice into wide long noodles after cooled somewhat. The trick to thin crepes in a greased, (but not over-greased) pan and a quick hand. Beat eggs with water and put in just enough to cover pan with a quick swishing around. Use med/low heat and flip carefully with a spatula. Don't worry if you utterly tear up the first few - theses are becoming pasta anyway. Make sure they cool flattened out, not folded, and cut after cooling.

Gnocci
see my recipe here.

Or just eat your sauce as a soup and skip the pasta :)

For those of you who can handle buckwheat (not GAPS legal, but technically a fruit, so some people can handle it when sprouted or soaked) this mom has details on how to make pasta with buckwheat flour.

Shared on Pennywise Platter Thursday.

Pizza Egg

2010-08-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

Another way to eat eggs that is yummy, different, and helps with the pizza cravings! I came up with this a long time ago when my body didn't tolerate fried eggs on their own, but I wanted to include more in my diet. It takes a little bit of time, but it so well worth it.

2-3 eggs (depending on size of your pan and how hungry you are)
1/6 c milk or yogurt
half a large tomato, thinly sliced
half a green pepper, chopped into strips or small pieces
1/4 small onion, already cooked or little dried onion
1/4 c pizza cheese
little salt
little oregano (be fairly generous)
other pizza seasonings or toppings you like

Grease skillet Preheat to a medium fire. In a bowl, mix eggs, milk or yogurt, seasonings. Add pepper, onion, other “toppings” and half the cheese. Pour into pan. and cover with lid. Cook until edges are done and nearly cooked through, 3-5 min. Using spatula (or fork if you’re talented) flip over omelet without breaking. Quickly top with sliced tomatoes so the whole top is covered, and replace lid. Cook for two more minutes, until tomatoes have softened slightly, and then, (this is the tricky part) flip whole thing onto plate, so the tomatoes are spread underneath the eggs. Push back underneath any tomatoes that decided to slide out. Top with rest of cheese, which should melt as egg cools.

In the picture I show this with mozzarella - my favorite cheese - which is not GAPS legal. For GAPS I have been doing this with cheddar or other cheeses. Keeping the tomatoes underneath the egg as you eat it helps keep them warm - and all the flavors make this really taste like pizza!

Alternatively, you could also make this as a crustless quiche - just chop the tomatoes up and mix them in with the other ingredients before baking.

Spagetti Squash Gratin

2010-08-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

Eggs are wonderful. Inexpensive, excellent source of protein and other nutrients, and endlessly versatile. For how to cook the squash, see this post on butternut squash. Spagetti lends itself more to just being cut in half and baked, and then having the stringy insides scraped out with a fork for "pasta." It can also be boiled and then well drained to have it cooked a little faster. You could use other types of squash for this recipe very easily though - so try out different kinds!

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked squash
6 eggs
1/4 c yogurt
4-5 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
cheddar and parmesan or romano cheese
other seasonings, such as paprika, garlic, thyme...

lightly grease the sides of an 8x8 pan, cover the bottom with shredded/mashed squash. It should be loose so as to let egg fill in spaces and hold the dish together. Sprinkle green onions (and any other veggie add-ins) on top of squash. Beat eggs, then add yogurt, salt, and seasonings. Pour on top of squash. Sprinkle top with cheese. I used cheddar and some stinky romano, which ended up tasting wonderful. If you have ham, bacon, sausage, etc. - they could be wonderful additions as well.

Bake at 400º for 30 to 35 minutes.

Allow to cool some before removing from pan, slice into sections, and enjoy!

The yogurt takes on a sweet flavor when baked, so keep that in mind - I really enjoyed having the squash, then sweet egg, then cheese flavors on top of each other. It reheats well and tastes good cold for a quick breakfast too!

Yogurt

2010-08-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

Homemade yogurt... Cultured for 30 hours in my overly warm house. Tangy, no lactose to bother me with, and delicious with a little honey and vanilla and frozen in my $1 ice cream maker.

And now I can add bananas!!! I finally tested banana and my baby seems to be just fine!

I want to find out more about making raw yogurt, and try out kefir now that I've learned to enjoy tangy-ness and I think my body is ready for more pro-biotic goodness, but for now, here is my mom's easy crock-pot method.

Put half gallon of whole milk in crock pot and turn to low for 2 hours. Allow to cool for two hours before adding 3 Tbsp of culture (other plain yogurt - make sure it has live cultures) Then allow to sit for a day.

Alternatively you can put it in the oven with the light on, or in a dehydrator to keep it warmer. Higher temp (as long as below 110º) will help it culture faster, but if your oven space is precious and your house is warm, then room temp works just fine. I let mine culture 30 hours or more to make it nice and tangy - GAPS protocol has you culture yogurt for at least 24 hours. Some people like their yogurt after 8 hours... it is your preference.

Set some yogurt aside for the next batch (I have a small container in fridge for this purpose.) It will keep for about a month, so you can make heated yogurt only once a month if you like. You can also freeze yogurt in the ice cube tray so you have ready made starters if you make yogurt less often than weekly, or if you make raw yogurt. Just keep in mind that frozen cultures don't keep for superbly long, and eventually they make runny yogurt.

Raw yogurt needs a "pure" starter (heated and then cultured) at least every other time it's made, otherwise the other cultures in the raw milk will change it over time and you'll not end up with yogurt. Though clabbered milk is still a wonderful thing!

Sweeten to taste if desired, strain for cream cheese, use to thicken sauces, as a base for smoothies, ranch dressing, or soak your skin in it. Yogurt is wonderfully useful.

Curious about other ways to make yogurt? Here are some other methods:

Cooler method
Raw Yogurt - cooler method
Incubator method and oven & heating pad method
Another heating pad method for smaller batches
Coconut milk yogurt (I would recommend sweetening with honey, not agave though.)

Getting Whey & Cream Cheese - Video
Another cream cheese method from buttermilk

How do you like your yogurt?

UPDATE: I tried the heating pad in the oven method, and it keeps it at a very nice 108º on the medium setting. I just have the heating pad sitting in the bottom of the oven, and the yogurt on one of the upper racks. Only bummer - our heating pad has automatic turn off. You could probably also do this kind of a set up in a large cooler - you don't want the yogurt to be directly sitting on the heating pad, but if you can make an insulated, draft free enclosure, this works well!

UPDATE2: Tried out the raw yogurt - heated my milk to just above room temp, added starter, and kept it warm in the oven with the heating pad (needed to be kept warmer so it would culture properly.) It has a slightly different flavor than the usual yogurt, but good, and certainly has even more pro-biotic goodness! I'm also looking into other types of yogurt from Cultures for Health.

UPDATE3: These days my crock pot is always in use, so I just heat my whole milk on the stove to 180º, stirring often, then, once it cools to 110º, put it in my bowl with cultures and stir well. Then it sits with a light on in the oven for 24 hrs.

Also, it is very important to have your utensils clean, and your culture un-tainted by the kefir, sourdough, kombocha also sitting on your counters. 180º is truly the magical temp. Whenever I've heated it to just under that, my yogurt didn't turn out as well. I hate heating milk, but I think breaking down the proteins somewhat, especially in such a gentle way, helps make it more digestible too.

Crackers and Dips

2010-08-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by Health Home and Happiness to make some dip. Spinach dip just sounded so good. I also wanted to make some liver paté, but I don't have any wine, or a lot of the other ingredients... So I ended up with french onion type dip that happened to have liver in it. (Neither hubby or I noticed the liver.) Forgive me for not making my own cream cheese this time, my yogurt is just too precious and I got organic cultured cream cheese for super cheap. But in the future, I will be good and just drain my yogurt through a cheesecloth overnight.

Spinach dip
2 packed and overflowing cups spinach
2/3 c cream cheese
2 cloves garlic (if you want it less strong you can cook it before hand)
1/2 onion, cooked
couple pinches salt
Parmesan would have been a good addition, I didn't have any available.

Put everything through food processor, then fridge for an hour or two till more firm.

French onion with (shhh!) liver
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, cooked
lots of parsley
1/8 c cooked chicken liver (cook with onions in bacon fat)
1/3 c cream cheese
pinch salt

Whirrr in food processor, fridge for an hour or two.

Tip: Cutting garlic a little bit before adding to processor helps to make sure there are no big chunks at the end.

For the crackers, check out this recipe by Grain Free Foodies. I used mostly sunflower seeds, and threw in some cashews because they were sitting there. I highly recommend using soaked and dehydrated seeds and nuts to make them more digestible. Also be sure to watch the crackers carefully - they go from "done" to "burned" very quickly. Once done, immediately cut and lift from pan. They can cool on the pan, but if you wait too long to loosen and cut... you'll end up with a lot more crumbs. (oops!)

Best Ever Grain Free Brownies!

2010-08-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

It's taken a lot of experimentation, but I finally have a grain free brownie recipe that I'm happy with. I tried the bean recipe, I tried avacado, coconut flour, almond flour... and finally came back to squash. I tried different amounts of butter and cocoa and decided pecans with chocolate is divine. When I do bring back grains, I think I'll just sub them out for the squash. It is that good. I think I like it even better cold. It kept us very happy while we were on vacation!

(Note: Cocoa is technically not GAPS legal, but I'm allowing it to keep sane, and I don't think it hurts my progress too much. Everything else is GAPS legal.)

Ingredients:
1 c pecan butter (put crispy pecans in processor till they turn to butter.)
1/2 c overcooked, mashed butternut squash - could increase to 1 cup for more volume
4 eggs - increase for more cakey brownies
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (make sure no corn syrup or additives)
1/2 tsp salt
1 c cocoa
1/2 c palm shorting/ coconut oil/ butter (butter would give a richer flavor)
1/4 c honey & 1/8 tsp (scant!) stevia OR 1/2 c honey (taste to see if it needs more)

Soften your fat and add other wet ingredients. Mix everything aside from cocoa thoroughly and preheat oven to 350º. Fold cocoa in gently until completely mixed in, but do not overmix. Pour into well greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan and bake for 30 minutes. Wait until cool before cutting into, if you can manage!

These are rich, soft, and dense. I'd like to try using some unsweetened chocolate instead of the some of the cocoa. The conversion is 3 T. cocoa powder and 1 T. butter for 1 ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate, so I would use 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate and lessen the cocoa to 3/5 cup, and the fat to 1 heaping tablespoon.

Many thanks to all those who inspired me with their recipes!

Shared on Pennywise Platter Thursday 8/19.

Lamb Meatballs with Braised Cabbage

2010-08-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to get some ground lamb!

Then I looked at the recipe again and saw mint, cinnamon, and allspice and wondered if I should really try something Lebanese. So I skimped on the odd flavors and overdosed on garlic. Yum yum.

Lamb Meatballs with Braised Cabbage
(meatball recipe modified from this one for Lebanese Lamb Meatballs.)

Ingredients;
Meatballs:
1/4 c dried onion, or 1/4 finely chopped fresh onion
3 Tbsp parsley
2 Tbsp dried garlic, or 1 clove finely chopped
3 mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
sprinkle pepper
1 tsp salt
1 lb ground lamb

bacon fat or sausage fat for cooking

Cabbage:
1 head of cabbage
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
tsp italian seasoning blend
tsp salt
olive oil

Mix all ingredients for meatballs and shape into balls, and put in large skillet with a little fat so they don't stick. I had made sausage that morning, so the leftover drippings were a wonderful base to brown the meatballs in. Put the lid on and cook on medium/low heat.

Take off outer leaves and any browned parts on cabbage. Cut out core and put in pot with a couple inches of filtered water. Steam for about 7 minutes. Check on meatballs periodically and rotate them. When cabbage is looking clear, drain, rinse in cold water so you can handle it, and cut into smallish chunks. Return to pot and toss with olive oil and seasonings.

When meatballs are browned on all sides (Don't forget to rotate them!) remove from pan and set aside. Put cabbage in skillet that had meatballs (it probably won't fit very well, that is ok.) and cook on medium/high heat, turning frequently with tongs until browned.

Serve immediately.

Hubby and I really enjoyed, though I think I did more pepper than I should have (I lessened the amount for recipe.) It was fun to have a different flavor, and the cabbage took on some of the flavors from the meat nicely.

Week 12 - What GAPS has helped so far

2010-08-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

Our vacation was great! I planned meals carefully and am glad that slightly spicey/flavorful dishes taste just as good cold as hot. We had a fridge/freezer and a stove, so we could do eggs in the morning and ate lots of salad and frozen yogurt with the heat. I also made awesome grain free brownies so we wouldn't be tempted by all the desserts. It was a good week.

Now that I'm back (and trying to post a backlog of recipes) I thought I would make a list of all the complaints that have gone away or improved since I started GAPS.

mental clarity
no longer chronically cold, even in the summer - basil body temp much higher
chemical sensitivity is much much less
sensitivity to scents, strong flavors/odors
sun headaches are gone
sunburn less easily
chronic nausea is gone and there are only a couple foods that cause very mild queasiness
gas discomfort
skin problems - acne is much improved, dandruff is gone
no more severe symptoms when hungry
blood sugar issues
less sleep needed
symptoms of thyroid problems
hair fall out
body odor
confusing fertility signs completely cleared up

Not to mention my palate has widened and I like things with a lot less sweetness than before. We've discovered a lot of new vegetables and learned to like foods that are more bitter, sour, tangy, spicey, etc.

Keep in mind the GAPS changes for me include:

lots of good fats - organic, grassfed butter, virgin coconut oil, palm oil, bacon fat, beef tallow, chicken fat, lard
only buying grass-fed or pastured animal meats and eggs and following this guide for fish
daily fermented cod liver oil
daily sauerkraut
daily probiotic
daily stock
raw milk, lots of homemade 24+ hour yogurt
raw honey, stevia as sweeteners
lots of fresh, cooked, fermented vegetables, buying organic where it counts.
soaking and dehydrating nuts and seeds
no grains - although I will be bringing back sprouted and fermented grains soon, since they do not seem to bother me.

We've also been very illegal here and there - at parties or eating out, and it always reinforces how beneficial this diet is. I also have not dis-allowed chocolate, but am sweetening it with the allowed sweeteners. Allowing chocolate in small quantities and raw dairy and cheese has made this doable for our family for long term - especially since I can't really have fruit.

We'll be doing grain-free full time for another couple weeks, but after that we are going to bring back grains in smaller quantities than pre-GAPS, and make sure they are properly prepared by soaking, sprouting, fermenting. I can't wait to make some sourdough!

Skillet Fish with Summer Medley

2010-08-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

This is my "we-need-to-eat-in-a-half-hour-and-nothing-is-prepared!" dish. Simple, quick, frugal, and yummy.

1 serving of fish for each person

(pulled out of freezer, throw in warm (not hot!) water to defrost)

1 small summer squash per person
1 or 2 small tomatoes per person
(Other random veggies about to die if not consumed.)
fresh basil, oregano, or parsley if available
little bacon drippings or other fat
salt to taste
garlic, paprika, dill

While fish is defrosting, wash and slice thinly the summer squash or zucchini. That goes into the pan on medium heat along with the fat. Stir often while slicing tomatoes. When squash is starting to turn clear and get lightly browned, toss in tomatoes. Continue to move quickly, add more fat if needed, and season with a tsp or so of salt, and fresh spices. Basil is the best of course, either dried of fresh.

Once that is done transfer to a plate, add some more fat to the pan and put in the fish. Turn heat down a little bit. Season generously with garlic, paprika, and dill. Put a lid on and allow to cook for a few minutes, until fish starts to be flaky. You may need to rotate the fish depending on how evenly your pan heats, but their should be no need to flip the fish with the lid on.

Serve immediately and don't have leftovers. These don't reheat well, but taste amazing when first prepared!

Pineapple Vinegar - Making use of waste

2010-08-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

When we had our barbecue, I got some fresh pineapple for munching, roasting, and salsa. Have you ever roasted pineapple over open flame? It's a lot healthier than roasting marshmallows! There were a lot of scraps leftover - and you can use them before they go in the compost!

If you haven't read Nourishing Traditions (where this recipe comes from) then this may seem like a foreign concept, and what do you do with pineapple vinegar anyway? Anywhere else you would use vinegar - but could use a pineapple zing!

Heres how:

Stuff the core, skin, and other pineapple trash into a quart sized mason jar. The scraps from one pineapple will easily fill two jars. Add a tablespoon of whey, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes to each jar. Fill the jar with filtered water and make sure everything is submerged, while still leaving an inch or more of air-space in the top of the jar. Seal tightly, and leave on the counter at room temp for 3 days.

When finished fermenting (there should be a nice "pop" and a vinegar smell when you open it.) Strain and throw the scraps in the compost, and store the vinegar in the fridge!

I'm looking forward to using this next time I make stir-fry - I sometimes use pineapple juice as the liquid base for the sweet & sour, but I can use this instead!

This recipe is linked to the 6th edition of Simple Lives Thursday.

GAPS Granola

2010-08-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

Much thanks to Grain Free Foodies & The Prairie Mom for inspiring me to make granola. I never was terribly interested in granola - but I wanted another munchy snack for our eight hour drive. It was also a good breakfast when I couldn't cook anything. I also appreciated that I couldn't really taste the coconut oil, as I don't like coconut yet. I shared samples with some friends very much buried in the SAD (standard american diet) and they loved it too!

I combined ideas and came up with this recipe:

3 cups of stuff - soaked and dehydrated pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, slivered almonds, & sunflower seeds.
I processed about half of it so some could be a little more finely ground (and more surface area for honey!)
Add 2 heaping Tbsp coconut oil, and 1/4 c honey, melted. Mix thoroughly until evenly coated. It will be very sticky and require frequent finger licking.

At this point you can allow to cool and harden on it's own, or make it crisp in the oven. I think the philosophy of GAPS would prefer it un-baked. I baked at 350º for 25 minutes - stirring half-way through. Break off from the pan before it completely cools.

(I also recommend soaking everything for a long while in order to clean :)

I think it will keep at least a few weeks outside the fridge - especially if not baked. I wouldn't know as we ate all within the week - and had to force ourselves to not eat it all in a single sitting! My husband thinks it's candy.

You can also add a cup or more dried fruit, coconut, good chocolate chips, etc. to this recipe. Yum yum!

Making six eggs look like a lot - Fluffy Layered Frittata

2010-08-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

I had six eggs for dinner that night and I was planning to make quiche. Normally, I like to do as many as 10 or 12 eggs to fill my 9x9 pan, and have some leftovers for breakfast. But it was not possible. I also had 2 tiny pieces of bacon and little cheese and a little green onion. No matter how dense a dish is, if it looks really small on the plate, it seems like a small meal. So what to do? Unleash the space-filling power of the egg whites.

Ingredients
6 large eggs
1/4 c milk (opt.)
1/4 c shredded cheddar
little bacon
little green onion or other add-ins
pinch salt
tsp vinegar (opt.)

Separate yolks from whites carefully. Make sure the bowl you put the whites in is perfectly clean, and not a speck (Not a speck!!) of yolk gets into the whites. I usually crack the egg in half and gently toss the yolk back and forth between the two shells to get out all the white. Turn the oven on to 350º. Beat the eggs yolks with the milk, if using, greens, some of the cheese, and any other add-ins. Grease thoroughly you 9x9 pan. I usually use butter for this, but any kind of good saturated fat will work.

Beat egg whites with clean beaters until stiff. Add salt and vinegar as you go along. The vinegar is not critical, but I think it is supposed to help it stay fluffier as it bakes. Once egg whites are stiff, pour the egg yolk mixture into the pan, followed by the egg whites. A spatula is helpful to spread them in the pan - keep in mind that the center will become taller as it cooks - if you want it more even, then make it slightly more shallow in the center. Top with the rest of the cheese and chopped up bacon bits.

Bake for around 40 minutes. I flipped upside down onto our plates, to emphasize the layered look, but, either way it will taste delicious!

Honey Ginger Carrots

2010-08-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

Wait... I thought you said your daughter is sensitive carrots. Yes yes. These came from the CSA we are in, and my husband likes carrots. And once my daughter weans - I'll be eating these too! This is one of my mom's recipes that I've always loved. Thanks Mom!

Ingredients:

enough carrots for everyone, either baby carrots, or larger carrots cut into smaller pieces.
little butter
little honey
few pinches ginger

Steam the carrots for a few minutes until just soft, drain. Add rest of ingredients - to taste. You don't need much butter, honey, or ginger to give it a wonderful flavor. Yum!

(Could also substitute another fat instead of butter, such as bacon drippings or coconut, but butter tastes best in my opinion.)

Spicey Lentil Stew on Salad

2010-08-06T12:53:00.001-07:00

This is another gem from Grain Free Foodies. Since this is summertime and I wanted to make it packable, I didn't add the greens to it as a stew, but eat this cold on top of the fresh greens as a summer salad. Lentils are frugal and take on other flavors well, and the spiciness of this dish makes it taste just as good cold as warm.

Here is the recipe from Grain Free Foodies, my modified summer version below:

2 T butter or ghee or coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 (or more!) cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 heaping tsps of organic, non-irradiated curry powder
1/2 tsp paprika
2 cups of lentils, soaked for 24 hours and drained
2 cups of chopped greens, somewhat tightly packed
2 cups (or more) of meat stock
1 T apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Two large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 lb sausage, cooked, crumbled
4 ribs celery, chopped

To sprout lentils, soak in water overnight, drain, and use a cheesecloth on a container or a sprouter to let extra liquid drip out and air to circulate so they can sprout for a day or two. Rinse twice a day. I sprouted mine for two days and decided the tails were plenty long.

Saute onions in fat for several minutes until they become soft. Add the garlic, celery, salt and spices and continue to saute on moderate heat another 5 minutes or so.

Add the lentils and cook another few minutes. Add the stock, sausage, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Simmer until lentils are tender, 30-50 minutes depending on lentils.

If the stew is thicker when done than you want, add more stock and heat through. Remove from heat and add lemon juice or vinegar (real balsamic vinegar is the best if you can get it). Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Wash and shred your greens, top with stew mixture after cooling, or eat warm.

Week 10

2010-08-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy week getting ready for our vacation. We are staying in a cabin with cooking privileges, fridge, etc. but I still want to have as many things pre-prepared as possible, and need lots of foods to eat cold while on the road. Lots of salad! I'll be posting our quick and packable recipes as much as I can. I'm also going to make some GAPS desserts so we are less tempted by the very poor quality food that I know will tempt us while we are there.

When I get back I plan to post on what conditions this diet change as helped, as well as how this is different from our "healthy" diet that we had before, and what changes I would still like to make if we can.

Meanwhile, my baby loves sauerkraut, plain home-made yogurt, avacado, and mashed navy beans! Now if I could only get her to not make a mountainous mess each time she eats....

Preparing almonds & other nuts

2010-08-05T09:14:00.000-07:00

Did you know you can make your nuts more digestible and gain valuable enzymes from them by how you prepare them?

Nuts have wonderful enzymes - the trick is making them available (by soaking) and then not destroying them (roasting at high temps). My oven only goes as low at about 170º - not low enough to maintain the enzymes (below 150º is best) and heats up the house besides. I don’t have a dehydrator right now (though I wouldn’t mind a nice Excalibur) but I certainly have plenty of summer heat, and a car.

First soak them for 7-24 hrs in salted filtered water. Use about 1 TBS sea salt per 4 cups of almonds. Soaking (and sprouting) also eliminates phytates that rob your body of minerals and nutrients. Drain, and spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet or stone. I like to add some additional salt at this point, just sprinkled on to taste. Then dry them. I have done them in the oven sometimes, but with the heat, I just put the pans on the dashboard in the morning where the sun would be shining in. When I went to take them out later that afternoon, I need hotpads! It took two days of sunshine to get them crispy, but then I can store them in the cabinet for a quick snack.

This past time, I peeled them. It isn't hard, and makes them a little easier to digest, and a little tastier and nicer when ground up for baked goods. Before drying them, right after draining, just squeeze the skins off. They will go flying, so have the other hand there to catch them while you squeeze with the other hand.

Hold in your fingers like so. Then squeeze toward the smaller side of the nut.

What do you do with the skins? Well, you could add them to ice cream while you make it to add a touch of almond flavor,(just drain out before you freeze it), put in alcohol to make almond extract (let me know if you try this!), or just throw in your compost.

And other nuts? Do the same thing! Peeling is not necessary, but soaking and drying works the same way for most nuts. Cashews are a little different. They should only soak for 6 hours and be dried at 200º - 250º. They do not come to you truly "raw", because heat is required for removing them from their shells. For more info and ideas with nuts, check out Nourishing Traditions.

Fluffy Wheat-less Pancakes

2010-08-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

Pancakes are one of our favorites. Prior to going grain free, I made some sour-dough pancakes almost every Sunday. And when we are done with GAPS, I know we'll be going back to that. In the meantime, these are pretty deceptive. They look like wheat pancakes. They taste kinda like wheat pancakes, but you know by the slightly nutty flavor and crumbliness that that they aren't. Definitely a little lighter in texture, but very good. And filling! Topped with real butter and syrup, they were wonderful.

This recipe is a gift from Grain Free Foodie. I highly recommend the lemon honey syrup she mentions as well. I made a few modifications, so I list her recipe with my changes here:

Ingredients:
1 C pureed, cooked squash
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C almond flour
5 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
pinch stevia

Method:
Separate the eggs, and beat the whites until fluffy (soft peaks are fine). In a large bowl, mix together the 5 egg yolks, the squash, the nut butter, and the salt and sweetening. Blend thoroughly. Fold the egg whites into this mixture gently, so that the resulting batter is airy and light.

Cook on a well-greased griddle on a somewhat low heat, (medium to low) as they do burn easily. Flip them gently as they do not stay together as well as regular pancakes.

Spread them on the pan with a spatula.

When edges look slightly dry (it is hard to tell!) flip gently. I flipped with a little too much force here.

Thanks Grain Free Foodie!

Honey Pineapple Shrimp & Red Cauliflower (Sweet & Spicey goodness!)

2010-08-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

This was one of those haphazard experimental meals that turned out really well. It was the end of the month, (and therefore I cook whatever we have left in the house) so I pulled out some leftover pineapple salsa, and a head of cauliflower. I also had some whole, raw shrimp I had gotten from the Farmer's market. I even had followed the recommendation to let it thaw for a day in the fridge. Food with Kid Appeal had posted a fun recipe for cauliflower that I really wanted to try, so I didn't make the usual cauli-rice I would have thought of making to go with pineapple shrimp. Then I was sitting there eating spicey cauliflower, and sweet shrimp... spicey, sweet. Sweet, spicey. Wait.... sweet and spicey? I mixed them all up together, and Mmm... Hubby still ate his mostly separate, but he enjoyed the mix as well.

Honey Pineapple Shrimp
(from Better Homes and Gardens)

1-1/2 lbs shrimp
1 lime
1 garlic clove
1/2 c fresh cilantro (can sub parsley) chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
20 oz peeled pineapple
1 red onion
1/8 tsp salt

Finely chop garlic, cilantro, and pineapple, and chop onion. Grill onion, pineapple, shrimp - basting with some of sauce made from other ingredients and pineapple juice, reserving extra sauce for after cooking. Or just pan fry everything, cooking onions and garlic first, then adding shrimp to cook until just pink on one side, then adding the rest of ingredients and cooking for another couple minutes.

This recipe is very flexible - I like more greenery and not quite as much pineapple, just use whatever you have.

For red cauliflower recipe, see Food with Kid Appeal's post. I cut the cauliflower into smaller peices than she shows in the picture, but still had decent sized chunks. I also used a little less lemon and a little too much cumin. Yum!

Note on the shrimp: I got whole raw wild shrimp. (See photo) It was kinda creepy to cut the heads off, and a little more work to peel and de-vein, but the resulting taste and texture was well worth it. I'd previously always gotten the pre-cooked and de-veined shrimp that was really easy to peel, but the flavor and texture was nothing like these. The meat was more flaky and lingered in your mouth so much longer. I will definitely be buying these again even if they are looking at me!

Salsa + stuff = lunch

2010-07-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Its summer time, therefore, time to eat salsa! Not only is it raw (or super-powered raw if you ferment it) but it is a great way to eat your garlic, acids, onions, and makes whatever you top it on flavorful and good.

I used to add corn and black beans to my salsa, but otherwise, this is the same approximate recipe I've used for years. The addition of a food processor is wonderful, and any excess liquid (if you don't remove the juice from the tomatoes) can be used to flavor soups, make guacamole, or as a soaking liquid.

I usually make salsa every other week and keep it in the fridge (it stays good for a while with all the acids and garlic in it!) and just pull out protein, cheese, and some other greens if desired, and voila! lunch!

Fresh Salsa
(adjust to your own taste buds, very flexible!)

1 large onion - red or white
1-2 jalepeños (I usually taste after adding one, I like it mild, but often I use two.)
1 large bunch cilantro
juice of 1 lime or lemon
2 bell peppers
4-6 cloves garlic
5-7 large tomatoes (I like mixing different kinds for a complex flavor.)
tsp salt - to taste

Wear gloves for handling jalepeños, and scrape out seeds into compost unless you want it really spicey. Chop finely or put in processor first. Chop garlic and onion finely as well, along with cilantro. I find bell peppers and tomatoes are nice to keep chunky as well as finely chopped, so I sometimes process everything but a couple tomatoes, and then have those larger. Add lemon/lime juice and salt, mix and let flavors meld for a couple hours.

Keep in a non-reactive (glass) bowl in the fridge for a quick topping to everything!

Have you tried salsa on eggs? It a delicious wake-me-up breakfast. Yum!

Week 9

2010-07-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

No major updates this week. Continuing to eat GAPS food, continuing to see healing which is slow but steady. Pediatrician was thrilled to see that my baby no longer has any rashes or signs of yeast, is pleasantly plump, no diarrhea, and looking happy. She has perfect baby skin these days that eluded us those first nine months before I figured out the problem.

I also discovered another GAPSer that has a bunch of phenomenal recipes! I wish I had discovered this blog before. Check out Grain Free Foodie for more recipes to keep you excited about food even when you've cut out entire food groups. There are also lots of fruit recipes that you won't find here.

Meanwhile, I need to start planning GAPS meals for vacation. We'll be in a cabin for a week and have a stove, fridge, etc. but I will have to pack everything and have lots of quick meals. Any suggestions?

Sweet & Sour Lentils

2010-07-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

I tried out this recipe from Keeper of the Home. It is seriously yummy, it just doesn't score high on the presentation factor. To make it more exciting, I topped it with fresh chopped pineapple and crispy cashew pieces. I think next time I make it I will also add a tiny bit of pork and other veggies such as green pepper, carrots (for hubby), leeks, water chestnuts, and other stir-fry type veggies.

If you like sweet and sour, try it out. The taste more than makes up for it's odd appearance.

Sweet and Sour Lentils
by Keeper of the Home with my modifications in italics.

(I double this recipe for our family of 4, and it gives me enough leftovers to serve it to the kids and I for lunch)  
2 1/4 cups water or bone broth  or mixture of both
1 cup lentils (green or brown, not orange) 
1/2 medium onion, diced (I used a whole one)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
2 Tbsp honey  (I used half as much honey)
1 Tbsp olive oil 
1 tsp. sea salt 
1 tsp. basil

Soak the lentils with a tbs whey, overnight or start them early in the morning (using the 2 1/4 cups liquid).
Without draining, bring the lentils to a boil, then turn low and simmer for 1/2 an hour. Add the onions and cook for another 15 minutes. ---- I did half hour total, they were plenty tender, they soaked a full 24 hrs.
If there's still quite a bit of liquid remaining, remove the lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes more.
When tender, add oil, vinegar, honey and seasonings. Cook again for 5-8 minutes, mixing well. (I skipped additional heating to preserve enzymes in the vinegar. Turned out just fine.)

topped with a little bit thinly sliced fresh pineapple, and crispy cashews.

Egg in a Squash Basket

2010-07-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

I eat cooked butternut squash for breakfast a lot. I usually add a little bacon fat or butter, and a pinch of salt. Reheating it in the toaster oven is pretty fast, so along with my egg drop soup, I have a "quick" breakfast. Baby likes it too.

But once in a while it is nice to look at something a little different.

1/2 c leftover winter squash
1 egg
1 tbs butter

Lightly butter your pan and preheat oven(or toaster oven) to 400º - alternatively, this can be done on the stove, just put a lid on the skillet and cook it gently. Spread squash into a mound, then make a bowl in the center for the egg to go and drop egg in. Bake for 15 minutes till egg white is done and yolk is still slightly runny. Put rest of butter on top of egg while still warm so it can melt, and sprinkle with a dash of salt to taste.

Looking at other recipes - it looks like this is best done with a broiler for about 7 minutes. There is a bite out of mine because I wasn't sure if I had cooked it long enough yet.

I especially like how the sweet flavor of the butternut squash plays with the salty flavor of the egg and butter. Mmmm...

Shared on Pennywise Platter Thursdays.

Cilantro Lime Navy Beans

2010-07-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

I finally got my order of navy beans in. They are so much cheaper when you order 5 lbs at once! I love throwing beans in soup to help spread the meat farther, but with the heat we didn't feel like soup. This had a slightly mexican flavor and was super yummy.

Basic recipe:

1 cup beans, soaked for 24 hours with a little whey, simmered for 6 hours
juice of 2 limes
handful of cilantro, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
2 medium onions, 1 red, 1 white
half bulb garlic
little salt to taste
little organic, non-irradiated taco seasoning

Other add-ins:

several handfuls of green beans
2 chopped bell peppers
jalepeño
cooked chicken from making stock

Soak beans the day before in about 3 cups water and a couple tablespoons whey, vinegar, or salt. This helps tremendously with digestibility. Simmer in the chicken stock for 6 hours, You should use up most of the liquid this way, if there seems to be too much you can just take the lid off, or if you are running out too early, just add some filtered water. When nearly done, chop onions and garlic, and sauté for about 5 minutes in bacon fat, lard or ghee. Add other vegetables and cook for another few minutes till onions are clear and other greens have just changed color. Add bean mixture, along with lime juice, cilantro, salt, and seasonings.

Top with fresh avocado and dig in.

This post is a part of Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

Octopus Squash Birthday Cake

2010-07-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

My baby is one! I made chocolate bean cupcakes for everyone else, but for my highly sensitive baby, I wanted to make her a cake she could squish, cover herself in, and eat without any reactions. So far homemade yogurt, mashed avacado, pre-chewed meat, and butternut squash are happy foods for her. So I cooked up a squash until it was nice and mushy, and squished and squashed and molded it into an adorable little octopus. Little bits of broccoli made the face, and my baby had a marvelous time.

On the Menu

2010-07-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

Sweet & Sour Lentils
Chicken Fingers
Buttered Bacon Baby Cabbage
Salad with crumbled bacon, egg, tomato, and homemade ranch dressing
Leftover minestrone

Bacon Butter Baby Cabbage

2010-07-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

I got a couple adorable baby cabbages from the CSA last week, and didn't want them to languish in the fridge. Not a big cabbage fan normally, I already knew that buttered cabbage was delicious. Add some onions and bacon fat as well, and you'll have a dish that makes you love cabbage.

2 fist sized baby cabbages (could also use full size, just increase recipe overall)
3 green onions
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp butter
2 tbsp bacon fat
Salt

Chop all veggies while pan is heating with bacon fat. Sauté garlic on high heat for a minute or two, then turn heat to medium and add other veggies. Cook until slightly softened, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, and trying to have the thicker portions closer to the heat. Add butter, and salt to taste, around a tsp or so.

(Pictured with chicken cooked into the mix as well.)

(Can also use more bacon fat and skip the butter if not using dairy yet :)

Eating illegal food - Week 8

2010-07-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

This was a party week, a celebration week, a running around week... and we took a break from GAPs on more occasions than we probably should have. It is interesting now that I can really taste the artificial processed additives that I never noticed so much before. Fortunately, despite all compromises made, we stuck to the diet for most meals, and are not suffering major set-backs that we can see. Just a little more of the discomforts that remind us why we want to be eating this better way.

I've also begun my experiments with stevia. The verdict still seems to be out as to whether or not it is GAPS legal, but given that it is like an spice in regards to use and digestion, and how little is needed, I'm assuming it to be fine. No one has reacted badly to it, and it definitely will slow how quickly honey is used in this house even when there are birthday parties. I followed the recommendation of many bloggers and purchased the NuNaturals pure extract powder. No weird additives, no added sugar alcohols, no weird aftertaste, and incredibly sweet. I may have gotten used to less sweet desserts, but I need less stevia than I've seen others use - 1/2 tsp replacing 1&1/2 cups regular sugar. Pretty impressive. So far combining it with a little honey has made for delicious desserts, and no one has noticed the lack of processed sugar in the treats I made.

I am truly amazed at how much more satisfying real food is. I survived on meals out here and there before, but now they just leave me wanting. My body has learned to crave good food!

Chicken Fingers

2010-07-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

Time to do something with chicken... how about.... CHICKEN FINGERS! Chickens don’t have fingers you say? Well, that may be a topic for debate, but in the meantime I can certainly make "breaded" chicken deliciousness.

1 lb chicken
1 egg
1 cup (maybe more) almond flour
paprika, salt, pepper, italian seasoning blend

First, cut up your chicken into finger sized pieces. In a small bowl, beat the egg. In another dish, put in almond flour, and seasoning to taste. I threw all kinds of flavors in there, but you could also make it really simple with just salt and pepper. Just lick your finger and dip it in the almond flour blend to see how it will taste as breading. Turn on the oven to 400º, grease a large stone or baking pan, and line everything up. I found it easiest to use a fork to dip several pieces of chicken into the egg, let the excess run off, and then put in the almond flour. After I had several pieces in the almond flour, I put the lid on the container and shook it around to coat the chicken, before using my fingers to transfer coated pieces to the pan.

Bake at 400º for about 20-30 minutes, until cooked through, flipping once. Let them cool a couple minutes on the pan before transferring to your plates and dipping in homemade ketchup.

(I think I like almond "breading" even better than the usual grain version :)

Sloppy Joe "rice" bowl

2010-07-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

There are certain flavors that evoke memories and make you happy. Like sloppy Joes. The warm red sauce and meat oozing out of the bun onto your hands, plate, and lap. Woops. I hope you have a napkin. Somewhere along the way I heard of eating sloppy Joe’s with rice. It makes it less messy (and therefore, less fun) but the flavor is nonetheless satisfying.

Sloppy joes

1/2 lb ground beef (preferably grass fed)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped
leftover steamed, grated cauliflower (half)
Organic, non-irradiated BBQ seasoning
honey
red wine vinegar
worcestershire
a few cloves garlic, (optional)

Sauté onions in a little fat, along with chopped garlic if you desire it. Add ground beef and cook, stirring frequently until about half-way done. Add tomatoes and put the lid on so it can simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tomatoes should be quite mushy. Add about a Tbsp or so of honey, a couple tsp BBQ seasoning, a swish of red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, and a couple swishes of worcestershire. Stir, simmer a couple minutes, and taste for flavor. I used to like it really sweet, but now I like it really tangy. This is quite flexible. Simmer another few minutes or so, while you reheat your cauliflower rice (or steam it if you didn’t have any leftover. You can throw it in the pan along with the sloppy joes, or have it separately for layering.

Note - if you want to thicken the sauce a bit more, you can add a little yogurt to the excess liquid. Stir vigorously while on medium heat.

Shared on Wheatless Wednesday.

Minestrone Plus

2010-07-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

This is yummy no matter what time of year. Minestrone is usually an italian vegetable soup, but we like the additional protein. For GAPS, I skip the potatoes and pasta that it usually involves, and sometimes add pre-cooked butternut squash.

3 cups beef stock
4 large tomatoes
3 onions
1 bulb garlic
4 ribs celery
1/4 to 1/3 lb ground beef or shredded roast beef, cooked
enough additional filtered water to cover
salt, seasonings

Also would be good:
1 large zuc
2-3 carrots
peas

Pull out your dutch oven or stock pot. Chop onions and celery, and add to pot along with beef stock and begin to simmer. While that is heating, chop tomatoes into smallish pieces and add to pot as you chop them. Carrots would be good to add at this point too. Add enough water to cover and turn your fire to high. Once it all reaches a simmer, add your chopped garlic and quick cooking vegetables, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for a couple minutes. Add beef, seasonings (Basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram, salt, pepper, etc. sorry, I didn’t measure these, I just add, taste, add some more.)

Great with freshly grated parmesan, a dollup of crème frache, and a good place to hide your essential fatty acids and cod liver oil.

Cheeseburger Broccoli

2010-07-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

This is a nice quicky meal when you get home and need to cook up dinner in a hurry.

And of course, it is delicious. You can't go wrong with broccoli and cheddar.

2 heads of broccoli 
1/3 lb pre-cooked ground beef 
1 cup shredded cheddar 
bacon fat 
salt 
other additions as desired

Chop broccoli into bite-size pieces. Cook broccoli gently with a little fat in a cast iron pan over medium/low heat. Try to keep stems closer to the base of pan and turn once or twice to cook evenly. When color has just changed, add already cooked ground beef, and heaping Tbsp bacon fat. Stir to incorporate and cook a few more minutes. Top with generous amount of cheese and salt to taste.

Welcome additions could be carmelized onions, seasoned and slightly cooked tomatoes, bacon, cauliflower “rice”, etc.

Week Six

2010-07-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

Wow... is it really week six?

It is the little successes that encourage me to keep going even when I’m tired of struggle. Not that this is a huge struggle anymore. Aside from the desire for bread and mozzarella cheese, I really don’t miss other foods too much. It is the convenience I miss. However, my husband told me some great news: an infected toenail that he had decided to start treating again with an anti-fungal medication is finally healing! He had tried to treat it with the same product several years ago, and gave up after several months of little success. Additionally, the product he is using is expired as of last year, which makes it’s potency questionable, and even more proof that the diet is making the difference. Other oddities and skin ailments that he has had are starting to show significant signs of healing as well. Woo hoo!

So with that happy news, we push on despite the lack of our beloved starches. We’re taking breaks here and there (though not recommended by GAPS :-/ ) and we’re working toward our goal.

Cheese Gnocci

2010-07-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

This especially goes out to people like CheeseSlave, and all lovers of cheese. Much thanks to SCD recipes where this was posted.

Cheese Gnocci
An alternative to potatoes and pasta

    •    1 cup DCCC (dry curd cottage cheese)
     (I substituted Farmer's cheese and it worked well.)
    •    1 egg
    •    1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Run in food processor, transfer into a bowl and add

•    1/4 cup almond flour
    •    1/2 cup grated cheddar

Mix well, form into 4 balls (moisten hands) roll into ropes about 1/2" thick. Length will vary as to the thickness. Pat down slightly, cut into 1" pieces. Alternatively you can just grab little bits and roll into 1 in. balls as I did, but I think the rope is more efficient. Fill a small bowl partially with ice water and have nearby. Bring pot of water to boil, then lower temp. to where the water is simmering, drop gnocci into the water - when they rise to the top after a minute or two - remove and place into cold water, drain, refrigerate for 1 hour. Do not overcook or they will turn into a cheesey blob!! Reheat and serve with tomato sauce with added mushrooms, SCD bacon, sausage, ham etc. These gnocci freeze well.

I took a picture of the prettier ones - but I learned from experience not to let them overcook. Some of my gnocci was very blobbish instead of cute little pasta balls. Oh well, it still tasted very yummy. I skipped the fridge time and added these to some leftover beef-tomato-garlic soup. They were wonderfully good.

Shrimp Fried Cauli-rice

2010-07-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. Cauliflower? Again? Really? We got an abundance this week, so that is what went on the menu. Honestly, I didn't really notice eating cauliflower almost every night. Each time it was a completely different dish. The secret is the seasoning and the egg. Your mouth will believe you are really eating fried rice. And you don't need to tell it otherwise.

1 lb shrimp, peeled

1 head cauliflower

2 beaten eggs

4 ribs organic celery
1 large onion
4 green onions
3-5 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lemon

paprika
salt
pepper

dill
bacon fat or butter

sliced carrots (opt.)
snow peas (opt.)
water chestnuts (opt.)
pineapple (opt.)
green pepper, chopped (opt.)

If you are doing proper stir-fry and have a wok or a really big skillet, then grate your cauliflower (or process it into tiny bits) and set aside till the end. If you don't have such large cooking tools, then just put your crumbled cauliflower into a stainless steel pot with a little olive oil or butter and cook on a medium to low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often till it all turns clear.

Prepare all of your vegetables, and have your shrimp ready. Sauté veggies in skillet or wok, moving them quickly over high heat. Add the longer cooking ones first - onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and when half done add the ones that cook more quickly - peppers, peas, green onion. Salt lightly. Once vegetables have changed in color remove from pan and set aside. Turn heat to medium, add more fat if needed, and add shrimp. Season to taste. Once cooked, add lemon juice and vegetables and stir to incorporate, then set all aside so you can cook cauliflower. On medium heat, fry cauliflower until just starting to turn clear or change color. Add beaten egg and stir quickly to incorporate - but not so quickly that there are no chunks of egg. Season with lots of paprika, salt, and pepper.

Pile your cauli-rice on the plate and top with shrimp & vegetable mixture and dig in. Mmm!

Spiced Squash & Kale salad

2010-07-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

This was a little too much winter warmth and spice for my taste this time of year, but it was good and my hubby liked it! Paired up with a slow-cooked roast and you have a wonderful GAPS meal that is loaded with nutrients.

Spiced Squash & Kale salad

10+ leaves of kale and swiss chard, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup or so of butternut squash, already cooked and cut into 1 in cubes
couple cloves garlic
enough olive oil to coat
juice of 1 lemon
couple pinches of salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
couple of pinches of black pepper or cayenne

Toss all in a bowl until evenly coated. Throw in skillet and cook on medium heat till warm and veggies are wilted - a few minutes. Stir constantly. I had to cook this in shifts in my 12 in skillet, but it stayed warm for a bit so I just transferred it directly to our plates.

The original recipe had pomegranate, which I do love, but I don't think my baby will like me eating, so I left it out.

Great way to eat some of these more bitter greens!

Cashew Cookies

2010-06-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

Just the thing to eat when you want a treat and... err. There are no cookies in the house anymore. These are soft, chewy, and wonderful, without being cakey. And so yummy.

3 c finely ground cashews/cashew butter
2 eggs
1/2 c honey

Blend cashews in a food processor as long as you can stand. The smoother they are, the better the cookies. Transfer to a bowl and mix in eggs and honey. Batter will be soupy/gloppy. A little time in the fridge helps. Drop in gloppy spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes. They will spread, fluff up, and finally turn golden brown. Allow to cool on the pan before transfering to a cooling rack. Or your mouth. Makes 2 dozen large cookies, or 3 dozen smaller ones.

idea from: Premeditated Leftovers

Notes: I could easily see this working with 1 egg per two cups cashews. You could also use less honey if you like since cashews are naturally sweet.

I'm anxious to try this with other nuts when they come in. Mmm....

Cauliflower "Popcorn"

2010-06-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

This was the dish that convinced my husband and I that cauliflower does *not* have to taste like cardboard. The two of us ate an entire head of cauliflower in one sitting. Mmmm.... it was so good. Now my husband requests this. I get excited when cauliflower is on sale. Really. We never liked this white vegetable before!

Now why is it called "popcorn"? Well, forgive me for losing the link to the original recipe that I base this off of, but that person found it from someone else, who found it in a newspaper, and even though long ago it was determined this wasn't really popcorn-like, nobody came up with a better name. And perhaps there is no need to, because this is so addictive that you eat it as you would popcorn. Down to the last little bit in the bottom of the bowl :)

Cauliflower "Popcorn"

1 head cauliflower
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/4 c parmesan

Preheat oven to 425F, Cut out and put in compost cauliflower core and thick stems.
Break the cauliflower into bite size pieces. I find this easier to do with my hands initially, then I use a knife on the final chunks. In a large bowl, add cauliflower, and other ingredients. Toss thoroughly. If it looks like it needs more of any seasonings or you're feeling adventurous, throw it in. I never measure with this, I just see how it looks. Spread in a flat layer on a baking sheet or stone and bake for one hour, turning at least once or twice while roasting. Allow to cool for a minute so you don't burn yourself, and then dive in.

Time saving option: Clean and trim cauliflower and then place whole head in a pot to steam for 5-7 minutes until looking somewhat clear. Drain and run under cold water briefly. Then follow the rest of the steps, but bake only 20 minutes in a 450º oven. You could also steam them before roasting on the grill.

On the Menu

2010-06-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Taco salad
Beef soup (green beans, celery, onions, etc.)
Crispy kale & roast
Shrimp fried cauli-rice

Week 5

2010-06-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

One month just about completed! I will confess that we went out and had some completely illegal food a couple days before the month was up, but it was the right time, and Hubby & I had some very good conversation. I could tell I had a sugar headache, but otherwise not too bad.

I’m working toward really incorporating all of the GAPS protocol: eating lots of fermented probiotic laden foods, taking cod liver oil and essential fatty acids daily, and getting lots of good stock. Not having a vegetable juicer, and not being able to use any of the sweeter vegetables to make that tolerable, I’m not doing the recommended juicing, but I shouldn’t detox too quickly anyway with a very dependent nursling. I have cravings occasionally still, but it is more the memory of the taste, (for which I try to find a substitute) than a craving for that particular item. I do miss bread and dark chocolate, but it isn’t that hard to pass such items by so I can continue making progress.

The most fascinating thing for me is how many vegetables I’ve learned to like and use since changing my diet. I’ve discovered squash, radishes, bitter greens such as kale, chard, etc., brussell sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, and no longer shy away from buying or receiving a vegetable that looks weird and I’ve never heard of. All this wonderful greenery needs is the right seasoning and a little fat. Some are best baked, or pan fried, or raw, or crisped in the oven, and a little experimenting and google searching will easily reveal that. Had I not decided to radically change my diet, I may have tried some new ones eventually, but it would be slow, and I would probably stick to classics that I know - it is much more fun to be adventurous. It’s more nutritious too - different vegetables have different blends of nutrients, and eating what is in season means you get the most nutritionally dense item available.

Meanwhile, I have to plan some good GAPs packable meals for the 4th. Any ideas?

Tiptoeing toward ferments

2010-06-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

I finally felt daring enough to try the fermented salsa I made. I was a little apprehensive - not only because I don’t really like the ferment flavor (though with the diet change I’m learning to!) - but it had gotten a little mold on it because I didn’t keep all the stuff down below the liquid. I now know the cabbage end trick (using a cabbage chunk to push down all the chunky pieces.) But given the assurance that what was in the liquid should be fine, I scraped off the moldy bits and put it in the fridge. There is nothing hard about fermenting. For this salsa I merely dumped in a glass jar a little bit of salsa I had made, screwed the lid on tight, and let it sit at room temperature for 3 days. I didn’t even add any whey since there was already plenty of acid from the lemon juice, jalepeños, and tomatoes, and salt for flavor. And finally, after a week of it looking at me from the fridge door, I pulled it out and tasted a little bit on a cheese chip.

And...?

It wasn’t too bad actually. It tasted like salsa, just with more of a buzz and a tang and less of a burning jalepeño aftertaste. Different, but not so terrible that I couldn’t get used to it. I figure I'll dump a bunch on taco salad tomorrow.

I also ate a little of my sauerkraut. That almost tasted good! I learned from a friend of mine that if you put it thru the processor (which is MUCH faster!) it also gives it a better flavor. Seasonings help too. I tried out garlic and oregano in this batch. I think I’ll be able to get used to it and learn to really enjoy it. And eat my probiotics!

What are you fermenting?

Mmmm.... Sausage

2010-06-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

Oh sausage. I didn't eat sausage for many years, because between the pepper and the commercial pork, I would feel pretty sick after eating it. I would feel sick with it just cooking actually. But now, I have found a source for pork that is raised properly, allowed to root around on the ground and be happy. So I buy ground pork and make my own sausage. Mmmm...

Here is my recipe for polish (?) sausage.
1/2 lb ground pork
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cayenne
couple pinches ginger
couple pinches pepper

Mix all thoroughly with a heavy spoon. (Not the easiest to blend, but so worth it!) Shape into patties (if you make them a little thinner in the center that helps them cook flat instead of football shaped.) Cook on medium heat on cast iron until starting to look cooked through, then flip over to brown on other side. You could probably also cook it in the oven.

For italian sausage, use your italian seasoning blend - Margoram, basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary - along with salt and pepper. Use a liberal amount, these are not quite as overpowering as cayenne and cumin can be.

You may also like a lot more ginger and pepper than I use - my body just doesn't tolerate more at this point.

Serve up with eggs and squash cakes and lots of butter :)

Grilled Zucchini Boats

2010-06-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

I got this idea from a friend and tried them out last night - yummy! Best of all, I only used one pan (though I had to do this in two rounds). Yay for cast iron!

2 gigantic zucchini, or 3 smaller ones
half bulb garlic, minced (I love garlic, you may want less)
1 medium onion
1 huge tomato or a couple small ones
lots of cheese
little salt to taste

Chop up onion and garlic, and cook until onions are almost translucent with a little bacon fat, ghee, or other fat. While those are cooking, dice tomato, set aside. Cut zucchini in half-lengthwise, scoop out the soft flesh and chop up. Add zucchini guts and tomato to pan and cook on medium to low heat for another five minutes, until everything is soft, and a lot of the liquid has evaporated. Salt to taste and add other seasonings as desired. (Basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram... any would have been a good addition, I was just in a hurry and didn't have time to experiment.) When the filling is ready, use a spoon to fill your hollowed out zucchini “boats” and top with a thick slice of cheese. (I use cheddar and colby jack - you cheese fanatics might like an enjoy a nice goat cheese.) After you’ve scraped out the last bit of filling into your boats, throw some more fat into your pan and carefully put the zucchini in. If you have an actually grill fired up, this is the time to put them on. Next time my hubby has the grill going I’ll do these that way. Put a lid on to help contain the heat and melt the cheese, and cook till the cheese is melty - but not oozing everywhere!

Top with a sail and eat up - these were quite filling, yummy, and messy :)

Ranch Dressing

2010-06-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

Remember how terrible it is that people would pile on dressing on their salad and turn something otherwise healthy into a calorie laden bowl of fat? I used to eat my salads plain.... but then I learned that fat it good for you!

However, I don't care for the toxic soybean oil and preservatives (which GAPS has you avoid) so I learned to make my own dressing!

First, you'll need to make mayo. I assure you, it's not hard. Just pour the oil, really, really, slowly.

Then, here's the ingredients for good ol' ranch dressing:

1 cup mayo (homemade)
1/2 cup yogurt (plain)  (or you can use sour cream for non-GAPS)
1/2 tsp (or more) garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried onion (powder or bits) 
1/2 tsp dried parsley 
1/8 tsp salt 
few sprinkles pepper

Mix up, dump on greenery! Fits very well in peanut butter container. You can add plenty of other seasonings if you like, this is just the basic recipe. Let sit for a little while so flavors meld.

For a buttermilk version, just add 1/4 - 1/2 c buttermilk, depending on your preferred creaminess,(and you may want to increase seasonings.) Buttermilk is not GAPS legal, though I'm allowing raw milk, and therefore raw buttermilk, but I didn't have any, so I didn't use it.

Much thanks to the author of the original recipe.

Homemade Nutella for Father's Day

2010-06-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

Daddy loooooves Nutella. So do I. And I have a brand new 525 watt food processor.

Homemade Nutella
(Modified from http://www.sugoodsweets.com/blog/2005/12/nutella/)

1/2 cup honey
 1/4 cup raw milk
 2 cups whole raw hazelnuts (soaked for 8-24hr in salt water)
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1/8 tsp salt

    1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Toast until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 25 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
    2.    Since the skin is bitter, you’ll want to discard them. Wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, and rub until most of the skins have come off. Don’t fret if you can’t get off all the skins.
    3.    Process nuts in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. First, you will get coarsely chopped nuts, then a fine meal. After a little while, the nuts will form a ball around the blade, and it will seem like you only have a solid mass. Keep processing. The heat and friction will extract the natural oils, and you will get hazelnut butter!
    4.   Melt chocolate with honey in a double boiler, (see picture) stir while melting, and then remove from heat. Add liquefied nuts, and rest of ingredients, and whisk vigorously.
    5.    Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.

Additional notes:
I used half as much honey and thought it quite good, but I like pretty bitter chocolate. Hubby thought the flavor was perfect.
Could possibly use some more milk/butter, as it was fairly firm even when room temperature.
The nuts really do liquefy. I stopped the processor, thinking they were done, but decided to process more, and could have done more than that.

Now cook up some pastured bacon, some super thin GAPS legal crepes (just egg and little water), and pull out some blueberries.

Happy Father's day!

(shared on Fight Back Friday)

On the Menu

2010-06-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

Father's day is this week!
I took a break from GAPS and made Nutella for daddy.
Father's day dinner included shrimp, marinated and grilled steak, and broccoli with leeks.

For the rest of the week we'll have:

Roasted vegetables and yogurt baked chicken
Salmon "cous cous" salad
Bacon & hardboiled egg salad with homemade ranch dressing
Cheesy grilled zucchini boats

And the when-in-doubt meal of the week is:

Sautéd green pepper and onions with leftover chicken or fish.

Week Four

2010-06-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

It has occurred to me, that in this short time of eating this way (and having some honey sweetened treats in there) I have improved quite a bit. I’m not getting sunshine migraines. My chemical sensitivity is much improved. My skin is getting better again (though I expect that to go up and down with die-off), hair loss is almost none, no nausea issues aside from avocado, and best of all, my mental clarity is much improved. I also don’t feel horrendously awful if a meal is delayed. I felt weak the other evening and couldn’t figure out why - I realized after a while I just needed to eat more! I’m really excited about this progress, especially considering the fact that I haven't really dove in to full GAPS protocol - I’m only taking regular cod liver oil starting this week, I’m not consistent about having stock every day, I haven’t started much of probiotics or probiotic foods, etc. I am simply following the diet. Sunday was a hard day with all the treats (and all my favorite kinds!) and having to look at them and not eat any. But it was a good sacrifice. This is for me and my children after all. And then I made some cashew cookies today. Mmm....

Dal (Indian Lentil Dip)

2010-06-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Tumeric is fun to play with. It has a nice aroma, and stains everything in the nearby vicinity yellow.

Dal

1 cup lentils, sprouted for a day or two
1 cup or more chicken stock
1 onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter or lard or some other fat
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
several sprigs cilantro, chopped finely
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp cayenne
salt to taste, about a tsp

To sprout lentils, soak overnight in a jar with at least 3-4 cups filtered water. Drain, rinse, and keep in jar for a day or two with a cheese cloth or similar over the opening, and tilted so no water collects at the bottom. If you have a sprouting contraption, beautiful. Make sure to rinse once or twice a day.

Sauté onions and garlic in fat until onions are almost clear, a few minutes. Add stock and lentils and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until there is no more liquid, stirring regularly. (I used too much liquid when I made this before, so I’m approximating.) Add seasonings (taste along the way, cayenne makes it spicey really quick!) and add cilantro. Put everything in a food processor and puree until it is the consistency you like. This last step is not essential, but it does make it more of a “dip.”

Tomatoes are sometimes added as well, depending on the recipe, but I enjoyed this a lot without tomato.

Goes wonderfully with kholrabi chips, green pepper wedges, and other cool veggies.

Salmon "Cous Cous" Salad

2010-06-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

Very refreshing on a hot day, and quite yummy. I was happily surprised at how well the flavors blended.

cauliflower - grated, steam a few minutes (set about half aside for other recipes)
3 salmon pieces, cooked, torn into shreds with fork
little olive oil
1 tomato - chopped
lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
parsley - good handful
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients and allow to sit for a little while so flavors can blend. Eat cold.
(idea from http://gapsguide.com)

This is also a great dish to throw in extra grated/finely chopped zucchini leftover from making bread, or a place to hide sauerkraut without anyone fussing too much. Yay!

Roasted Vegetables

2010-06-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

One of the secrets I've learned in my food journey is that all veggies really need is a little seasoning, and a little fat. Whether that means just putting on some ranch dressing, or tossing in some butter and salt after steaming, many of the herbs we use all the time for making food flavorful are not only yummy, but medicinal, and a healthy addition of fat to your veggies makes them more digestible too.

When I want to make a huge batch of delicious comforting veggies, but don't feel like soup, this goes wonderfully with baked chicken, pork or steak.

Roasted Veggies : 8 servings

1 cauliflower
1 large zucchini
half bulb garlic
half lb brussel sprouts
1 lrg B squash
handful radishes
couple onions
few kale leaves

Carrots, green peppers, or peas could be good additions as well.

Cut everything into chunks or bite-sized pieces. Have a bowl for longer cooking veggies (cauliflower, squash, garlic, radishes, onions, carrots, celery) and another bowl for quicker cooking veggies (brussell sprouts, green pepper, zucchini, kale, etc.). Toss in olive oil, red wine vinegar, good amount of salt, pepper, and dried herbs. I like a house seasoning blend, but sometimes just use basil, oregano, thyme, and anything else that sounds good.

Bake longer cooking veggies for 20 minutes in 400º oven, then take out and add quicker cooking veggies. Stir everything together and return to oven for another 30 minutes.

You can use any blend of veggies you like - I love having some sweeter veggies, such as squash, onions, carrots to balance out more bitter ones like green pepper, brussel sprouts, etc.

Chicken "Noodle" Soup

2010-06-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Should have posted this recipe earlier...

3-4 c chicken stock
additional filtered water
1 lb chicken, cut into peices
3 ribs celery
2 onions, finely chopped
other veggies as desired, such as carrots, peas, leeks
salt, pepper, as desired

and now the secret of the noodles....

Spaghetti squash!

Simply cut in half length wise, bake for an hour at 400º, and then scrape with a fork to extract your "noodles". Just throw them into the soup at the end, and enjoy!

On the Menu

2010-06-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

More experimenting this week.

Sloppy Joe "rice" bowl
Salad & Chicken
Grilled Cheese on almond bread
Dal (indian lentil dip)

Week Three

2010-06-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

It’s thursday so a good time for an update...
The sugar cravings came back again a little bit more this week - but they are easily tamed with a little almost-has-some-sweetness-tangy-yogurt. I think my body is doing more detoxing, as my skin has turned a little sour again and I’m needing more sleep, but otherwise I feel energetic and my BRAIN HAS COME BACK! I’ve gotten so much done the past couple days because I’ve been able to think about 5 things at one time and remember all the tid bits on my to do list. I’m also not super hungry at all anymore. It is so nice to live on so little after having the hungries so bad the first couple weeks.

Pesto Crackers

2010-06-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

The CSA I am involved in gave me a bunch of basil this week. That can only mean one thing : Pesto!

Recipe modified from Simply Recipes
    •    2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
    •    1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
    •    1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
    •    1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
    •    1-3 garlic cloves (1large is fine)
    •    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Update - you can also add a TBS of whey to lacto-ferment it and help it keep longer without changing the taste.

Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Makes 1 cup.

Leftover almond crackers with a little fresh pesto and raw parmesan...

Toasted until just slightly melty and savored down to the last bite. Mmm....

Crackers for Soup

2010-06-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

Soup just needs crackers sometimes. GAPS doesn't allow even a lot of the alternative flours, (though many take advantage of coconut flour) but I thought these turned out pretty well. My husband enjoyed crumbling them on top of his soup.

Cheese Crackers (SCD) makes 15-18

4oz Ground Almonds
2 oz Grated Parmesan or Gran Padano
Large Pinch Sea Salt
1/2oz Butter or Coconut Oil
2 tbs Yogurt
Pepper to taste

Cayenne, Garlic, Onion, Sage, Thyme as desired

Preheat the oven to 150C fan assisted (or 160C without fan). about 300ºF

Put everything except the yogurt into a food processor and process until it looks like dry breadcrumbs.

Add yogurt a tablespoon at a time and pulse until the mixture forms a loose crumbly dough. Don't process too much or the oil will start to come out of the nuts.

Tip onto a large piece of baking paper (to fit your largest cookie sheet) or a silpat, form into a rough square with your hands and cover with another sheet of baking paper or some cling film.

Roll to a thickness of about 3mm or quarter of an inch between the two sheets and don't worry if the edges look a little rough - they will still taste great.

Mark into crackers with a sharp knife and bake for 8-10 minutes until just starting to turn golden. Turn the oven down to 110C (250ºF) fan assisted (or 120C without fan) . Leave crackers to cool on the tray in one piece.

When cool, cut into pieces where you marked them before and put back onto the tray spaced apart. Bake for 10-20 minutes until golden brown, but not nut brown or they may taste burnt - they should snap when you break a bit off, but they will crisp up on cooling.

Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container for up to three days. If they go a little soft, just put them back in a low oven for 10 minutes and cool again.

From the SCD website

ps. This recipe looks really complicated, but it isn't really. I just tripled the recipe, mushed everything together, rolled it out, cut into squares, baked it, and carefully broke apart into crackers once cooled.

Peanut Butter Brownies

2010-06-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Dessert! Dessert! Helping to chase those cravings away....

PEANUT BUTTER SQUASH BROWNIES
by Nancy

1 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup cooked butternut squash (overcooked is best)

Mash squash, add rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly. A double batch will make thick brownies in a 9x9 pan, or you can do thinner brownies (single batch) in an 8x8.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Credit where credit is due: http://sanjayamma.blogspot.com/2007/11/peanut-butter-squash-brownies.html
(I use less honey - more PB flavor)

(And no, there is no chocolate in these, but it certainly wouldn't be bad with some!)