Angel Eggs

A perfectly hard-boiled egg is a thing of beauty. One that makes me reflect on the great tenderness with which God strews visual delights everywhere. Getting a perfect hard-boiled egg is another matter all together. But whether it comes out perfectly or no, transforming ordinary eggs into angel eggs makes them a fantastic treat. And a quick food at that.

So first, let me share some of the best secrets for perfect hard-boiling. I was blessed to learn how to make them growing up, though I no longer put the eggs in cold water, but put them directly into the water boiling. This is a multi-step process, but it really doesn't take that long. Oh, and a timer is your friend.

First - get some older eggs. The ones from your farmer are often fresher than what is carried at the grocery store - so let them sit for a while. Newer eggs will still work, but the white will stick to the shell more and they won't be so pretty.

Fill a pot with enough water to cover your eggs. Your best estimate is ok. If you didn't quite have enough water, you can add more. Turn the heat on medium-high.

This is the trick I learned growing up: use a knife to gently tap the eggs and just barely crack them. To do this, hold the egg in one hand, and (carefully!) the blade of a knife in the other. Then let the handle of the knife tap the egg gently until you just hear it crack. This lets the egg release air while cooking and not stick to the shell. After all the eggs are just barely cracked, your water should be ready.

Once the water is simmering, add your eggs with a ladle or spoon. Continue to let the water simmer - but not boil - until the eggs are done. For my medium eggs (though comparatively, grocery store size large) 10 minutes came out perfectly. Do slightly less time for smaller eggs, more for larger. Cooking mixed sizes will still be ok - though you may have yolks that are drier if overcooked.

Once the timer beeps - hurry! Turn off the heat, and gently pour off the hot water. Immediately put cold water in the pot, and dump in a full tray of ice cubes - being careful not to crack the eggs as the ice falls in though! Swish them around a little bit to stir in the ice.

The eggs should sit in the ice water for a while until they are completely cool. I usually figure 10 minutes, though often I get busy and it is much longer.

To peel, gently tap the egg all over on the counter, rolling it until the whole surface is cracked. This link gives a great demonstration. Using the side of your thumb helps to not dent the surface.

And voila!

For a different method (and this was my standard for a long time) Check out It's Fitting blog. Everyone's stoves and subtle differences require a little bit of tweaking to get consistent results.


Now, once your have these pearls all peeled and ready to go, open them up and put the yolks in a bowl. (If you're not ready to do this right now, they'll keep for about a week un-peeled, or a few days peeled.)

Does anyone else find that when they change their lives, they have to discover new ways of doing things, instead of just modifying the old? When I first switched to real food, I tried very hard to make deviled eggs the old fashioned way, but it just didn't work as well. Then one day I realized I could just use butter! (Of course, bacon fat wouldn't be bad either. )

To make angel eggs - add about equal amounts butter as there is yolk, and mash it all together. It may need more butter to get to the right consistency. A sprinkle of salt is good too. You did pull out the butter to soften before you started all this right?

And who says that the egg yolk filling has to be piped? Personally, I enjoy the contrast of the shiny smooth egg white and the rough chunks of egg yolk filling. Besides, these never last long enough to be eye candy.

This has become a favorite GAPS convenience food now - high protein, high fat, wonderfully delicious and beautiful to boot. 

GAPS Breakfast Cereal!

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!

Basic Broccoli Quiche

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!

Perfecting the Perfect Fried Egg

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!

Liverwurst Update!

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.

Pizza Egg

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

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!

How to turn milk into yogurt goodness

Homemade yogurt... full of delicious cultures and cheaper than the store. Tangy, no lactose to bother me with, and delicious with a little honey and vanilla and frozen in my $1 ice cream maker. I especially like to mix in a little sliced banana.

So how do you make such a masterpiece?

The first step to find a good quality culture - I used to use just plain yogurt from the grocery (be sure it says "active cultures") and preferred Dannon brand. You can also get starters from Cultures for Health. They have both heirloom starters and one-time-use starters. Right now I'm using Custom Probiotics Yogurt Starter #1 (they have two different ones.) There are lots of options out there and it's worth trying a few and finding your favorite. You can save some yogurt from a previous batch of your own to use within a couple weeks, but just be aware that it must be "pure" (not raw milk yogurt) and overtime the strength of the culture may fade. I could go about 2 batches past the store starter. Freezing starter only seems to extend the life of the cultures a week or two.

The next step is to heat (or not heat) to prepare the milk for culturing. Milk heated to 180º F will be thicker in the final product, milk kept closer to raw (so only heated to 105º F or so) will have more complex probiotics and the benefits of being raw. This type of heating is *not* the same as pasteurizing, which is an intense method and quite destructive of the milk. If your milk comes to you pasteurized though, do heat to 180º before making into yogurt, as you are more likely to have undesirable cultures in the milk, and you don't want to promote those! I hate heating milk, but I think breaking down the proteins somewhat, especially in such a gentle way, helps make it more digestible too. My dear husband likes the flavor and thickness that way as well.

Before heating, make sure your tools are perfectly clean, sterile is ideal, but I don't stress it personally. I just pour my milk into a pot and use a thermometer to check. Once it hits 180º F, I turn the heat off and stir throughout the heating and cooling time. For a crockpot method, heat on low for about 2 hours.

After heating, cool to about 110º F  before adding your cultures. Adding them when it is too hot will kill them. Yogurt cultures are finicky about temps. For store yogurt, add about 2 heaping Tbsps culture per half gallon of milk. For other starters, follow the included instructions. Mix very thoroughly. Avoid stirring with plastic, as plastic never truly comes clean and tends to harbor other bacteria.

Now here is the tricky part... how to keep it nice and cozy warm (and undisturbed!) for 24 hours. If you only want standard yogurt, 8 hours is fine, but for GAPS yogurt, it needs to go the full 24. This helps eliminate all of the lactose. Some yogurt makers have a lot of trouble staying warm long enough, though if you have one it is worth a try. Some people like the cooler method, or going in the crockpot, or a warm oven, but I have a dehydrator now and love it's consistent temp control! However you decide to tackle this, the temp needs to be about 95-110º F consistently for the whole duration, and sit in a spot where it won't be bumped or jostled during culturing.

For the crockpot - at least in summer - heating the milk for 2 hours on low, then turning off and adding cultures 2 hours later, and then sitting with lid on for the next day can work well... If you can find a warm spot in the house, put a towel over it (cultures don't like light) or a empty microwave that will keep the light on with the door cracked... use a spot like that. Check and see if it keeps the temp you need.

A heating pad inside an oven is another effective method, just check that your heating pad doesn't have an auto-matic shut off! The oven insulates, so when I did this I just had the yogurt on one rack and the heating pad on another.

For the cooler -hot water method, check out this link.

In the dehydrator, just put it in, and turn it on. It must be a dehydrator with temp control, such as an Excalibur. I got one for cheap on Ebay and love it.

Once it is finished culturing, stick it in the fridge. I find it does better if I don't stir until it has cooled. It has a smoother consistency. Some fancier-bloggers out there have experimented with adding gelatin or sweetening or other fun stuff, but I like to keep it simple.

Finally - just a quick note on containers. When I started, I was so super fancy, I just used a big ol' pyrex bowl. It was what I had and it worked. Later on I switched to Mason jars, and now I use Fidos. A sealed jar helps prevent other cultures that live in your house from entering in and taking over. Yogurt cultures are weaklings, I'm sorry to say. You have all kinds of yeast and other microbes hanging out in your house all the time, even if you don't have kombucha, kraut, carrot pickles, and a hundred other ferments bubbling away nearby, and if any of them pop in and start chewing on the milk sugars before the yogurt guys do, then all of a sudden you'll have yeasty milk instead of yogurt. Kefir is a much more robust culture (it is far far more complex) and is a lot less picky. So by fermenting in sealed jars (and burping them before going in the fridge) I can avoid yeast-yogurt that is only good for breadbaking. And it tastes better too! If you have an air-lock on your fancy jar and it fits in your fermenting hot spot, even better.

So there you are. You have conquered the mystery of yogurt making, and you can culture the world! Or at least your stomach.

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 and tips:

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?

GAPS Granola

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!

Fluffy Wheat-less Pancakes

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!

Salsa + stuff = lunch

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!

Egg in a Squash Basket

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 grease 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 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. I've not tried that though, but I have cooked it longer so the yolk is more done.

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.

Mmmm.... Sausage

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 :)

Egg Drop Soup for Breakfast

Stock is a wonderful substance - not only is it good for amazing base for soup - but the gelatin helps heal the gut, the minerals and protein from the bones is made more bio-available, and it aids digestion. There is a reason why chicken noodle became a traditional healing food. The power is in the broth!

I won’t go into how to make stock here, though I will assure you, it is really easy. It freezes well, and keeps for a week in the fridge. Here are a source to get you started.

Since it is summer time, I'm not as excited to eat soup very often, but I do love egg drop soup for breakfast. Eggs are wonderfully nutritious and also easily digested, and throwing in an onion is also healing and yummy. If you really want to be fancy, add some fish sauce or tamari. Yum!

Here’s how to make:
1.5 c good stock
2 eggs

2 green onions
Salt to taste
Optional: (but we really like it this way)
Ginger
Fresh cilantro leaves
a tiny bit of garlic

(Update: I also like to add a splash of fish sauce, as well as some coriander, mustard, and dill. Mmm..)

Heat broth on the stove on a med/high fire. While it is heating, add the chopped onion and stir.

Now at this point there is two ways to make it:

The GAPS inspired way is to cook it such that the egg yolk is partially raw when finished. This method allows the yolk to be cooked less, since it is more nutritious when it is raw or nearly raw. To do this, you add your eggs into the simmering broth (gently!) and then swish your spoon back and forth a little to incorporate (and cook) the whites. The yolks you leave intact. Once the white part is cooked, turn off the fire, stir the yolk in, and add your seasonings.

For a more traditional egg drop soup, beat the eggs before dropping in hot broth, a little at a time, stirring slowly all the while. Turn the fire off as soon as you have added all the egg.

You could also double or triple or quadruple this recipe so you have a quick breakfast all week. Just get the broth closer to a boil the more eggs you are going to be adding in it.  It even tastes good cold, but if you have a good stock, it will probably be really jiggly fresh out of the fridge!