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

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!

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

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

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...

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

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

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.