Harvest Cooking

Raw Veggie Omelet

2010-10-30T16:24:00.000-04:00

At first glance, you may panic, believing I’m advocating eating a plate of slimey raw eggs with vegetables and cheese strewn about willy-nilly. Well, your panic is unfounded, I assure you! The eggs are cooked, and the cheese is melted. All this talk of rawness really only pertains to the vegetables.

I love a good omelet as much as the next guy. And until recently I really never questioned the way an omelet was made. I always sautéed my veggies and meats and then tossed in the eggs and voila, omelet! But if you think about it, wouldn’t it be better if the veggies in your omelet were raw? Raw veggies are, after all, the best way to consume them. And from the average Joe’s stand point, how many ways are there, I mean really, to consume raw veggies? I’m afraid the prospects look pretty grim, unless you want to munch on carrots and celery sticks for the rest of your life! But that’s why I’m here. I want to help you eat more raw veggies, without making it painful to do so! And this recipe really accomplishes both those goals.

An interesting thing to note is that when a meal that you eat contains less than 51 percent raw ingredients, your body actually attacks the food? Your white blood cell count goes up and everything, as if you’re sick! You should definitely try to get more raw foods in, which I know isn’t really part of today’s average diet. Veggies, nuts, fruits, seeds, wherever you can sneak in something raw, do it! It’s easier than you think.

Ingredients:

Veggies of your choice (I’ll tell you what I’m using below!)

Butter

Raw milk

Eggs

Cheese

Step One: Prepare your veggies

It’s really up to you what kind of veggies you’d like to try. Definitely try to get a variety, though, and as many green ones as you can. For our omelet today I used alfalfa sprouts (never use regular bean sprouts. Those are soybeans. Soy, if left unfermented, is full of natural toxins. Read: poisons. Too much soy is a very real and very serious health risk, despite the common misconception that soy is a health food. Fermented soy, like Tempah, natto, or soy sauce, is perfectly fine, as the fermenting process gets rid of these natural toxins. Check out Soy Online Service for a ton of good soy info.) as well as green peppers, avocado, onions, tomatos, and broccoli. Dice them up very small- this is key! If you have big chunks, it’s just going to taste like big, cold, hard veggies wrapped in egg. The very small pieces meld well with each other and the recipe, and give it the illusion of being cooked. They also heat up quickly in the last step.

Step Two: Prepare your Eggs

Now, here’s a little something that you might not have known: my family LOVES my scrambled eggs. What’s so good about them, you ask? It’s their light, fluffy texture. That’s my trade secret, you see. Instead of just whisking them with a fork like mom and grandma used to do, I crack those suckers right into my Ninja (or food processor, or blender, or use a stick blender) and put about a tablespoon of milk per egg (I made a two egg omelet today, so two tablespoons. You also can use water instead of milk if you want.) and put some salt, pepper, and ½ tsp of Kirkland’s no-salt seasoning.

Pulse that baby for 30 seconds and you’re going to have the lightest, fluffiest omelet shell ever!

Step Three: Cooking your shell

Now, this part is up to you, I will give you several methods. First, put a liberal amount of butter onto your pan, and heat it up on medium low heat. A smaller pan will yield a thicker omelet, but I prefer to use one that really spreads it thin. I use a 9 inch cast iron round griddle pan and that is just about perfect.

Once your pan is hot and the butter is spread around, slowly pour on your egg mixture. If your stove is a little lopsided like mine is, wait a minute and then turn the pan the opposite direction, so the eggs spread out evenly. Cover this and let cook for several minutes. Keep checking until it appears to be almost completely cooked (the top of the egg is dry all around) and then sprinkle on some cheese. I used three tablespoons of shredded mozzarella, but at other times I enjoy a few slices of yellow American. Whatever you like! Cover for another few minutes to let the cheese melt.

As soon as it’s melted, spread your veggies over one half of the omelet, then cover and turn off the heat. The covor and the warmth from the eggs will heat up your veggies without cooking them, so you aren’t biting into a cold center when you eat your omelet!

Step Four: Fold and serve.

Now grab your spatula and gently check that the egg is separated from the sides of the pan. Fold the empty half of the omelet up and over your veggified half. (Yes, I made that word up.) Slide it onto a plate and add a dollop of sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Perfection!

You may want to try serving this with sweet potato home fries, a healthier alternative to the classic side dish. I will have a recipe for them up soon. Why don’t you follow the blog so you can know the minute it arrives? J

MMMM...let's go to bed early so we can get up and eat breakfast!!

Homemade Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

2010-10-30T16:12:00.003-04:00

The whole idea behind making your own cheese completely messed with my husband’s head. He was amazed by the idea that you could start with a gallon of milk and end up with a pound (or so) of incredibly delicious, homemade cheese. And who can blame him? I mean, is it something you see a lot of these days? Have you ever called a friend, asked what they were doing, and had them reply “Oh, not much, just making some cheese.”

That’s why you’ve simply got to try it. There isn’t much out there more satisfying than being able to say you’ve made your own cheese, from scratch. And the best part is, the ingredient list is very short, and once you buy the things you need they will last you many batches, so you can do it whenever it suits your fancy! Amazing, right? Plus it doesn’t take very long. Be warned, however: cheesemaking is fun and addictive, so don’t try this at home unless you plan to make it a fairly regular family activity!

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Ingredients:

1 Gallon of Milk

Citric Acid

Rennet

Salt

Step One: Prepare!

At two points during this recipe, you will be stirring at the same time that you are required to add ingredients. It is thus prudent to prepare these add-ins ahead of time, and save yourself the trouble of only having two hands.

First, dissolve 1 ½ tsp of citric acid in 1 cup of cool, filtered water. (You absolutely cannot use tap water. If there is chlorine in it, it will ruin your cheese! Cheese contains active, live components. Chlorine kills active, live components. Get some filtered water.)

Next, dissolve ¼ of a tablet of rennet in ¼ cup of cool, filtered water. Rennet comes in several varieties. There is animal based rennet and plant based rennet, and there is liquid rennet and tablet form rennet. The tablets will store for a very long time in the freezer. If you use the liquid, you will need about ¼ tsp. It doesn’t matter what kind you choose, but it IS a vital ingredient: your milk cannot form curds without it.

If you cannot find rennet or citric acid, try a specialty store, health food store, or even just amazon.com. They have plenty of choices on there! Whatever you do, make sure you are getting non gmo citric acid. Citric acid is extracted primarily from corn, most of which is, unfortunately, GMO!

Step Two: Begin!

Now pour your milk into a large pot. (We used our 5 quart cast iron and it was the perfect size.)

NOTE: You absolutely CANNOT use ultra pasteurized milk for this recipe, so make sure that you’re using only raw milk or regular pasteurized milk. For health reasons, we recommend raw milk. The reason being that once milk is ultra pasteurized, it cannot form a curd because its coagulating factors have been destroyed. Most national brands of milk are ultra pasteurized to increase shelf life, because they travel such great distances to get to your grocery store shelves. Try to find a local brand, and if at all possible, buy from a local farmer!

Stir with vigor, man!

Now add the citric acid, stirring quickly as you do. Turn on your burner (medium or medium high is fine) and, stirring constantly, bring your milk up to 90 degrees. You can use a meat or dairy thermometer to make sure you get it right J

Step Three: Add your Rennet

Once you reach 90 degrees, turn off the heat or remove your pot from the boiler. Moving your spoon up and down in the liquid, add the rennet solution. Stir in this up and down fashion for 30 seconds. Don’t stir longer, or you will be cutting the curd as it forms, and your cheese will end up more ricotta textured then mozzarella textured and be ruined.

Step Four: Leave it alone

You heard me! Cover the pot and leave it for five to ten minutes. Come back and check it after that. It should be a custardy consistency, and if you gently pull it away from the side of the pot, the liquid around it (whey) should be clear. If these two conditions aren’t met, leave it a little longer.

Step Five: Cut and Reheat

Using a large knife (it has to reach to the bottom of your pan at least) cut the curd first one way, then the opposite way, and then on a diagonal. The goal is to make a bunch of small pieces of curd instead of one large one, to ensure even heating in the next stages. Do your best, it doesn’t have to be pretty.

Please note that you’re doing this cutting right in the pan, don’t drain it yet. Next, you want to heat the curds back up to 110 degrees (grab your thermometer!) stirring gently all the while. Then turn off the heat again and stir it for about five minutes, gently.

Step Five: Waterbath time!

Now you want to drain your curds. Grab a large mixing bowl and put it in your sink underneath your colander. Pour your pot slowly over the colander so that it drains into the bowl. Now save that whey! You can use it for lots of different recipes, and even if you don’t want it right now, you can freeze it for later. It packs a powerful protein punch and is delicious in things like pancakes, pizza crusts, or breads.

Fill your pot back up with filtered water and 1 tsp of salt. (IMPORTANT! If you haven’t read my rant on salt, do so now! If you refuse to use a good salt, you must at least make sure the one you have doesn’t say ‘iodized’. Iodine will kill your cheese making process as quickly as chlorinated water will.)

Heat your water up to about 185 degrees, and then dunk your curds in. You can do this all at once or in small batches. Your goal is to heat the curds up to around 135 degrees, but you don’t have to use the thermometer here. You are just trying to get it hot enough that it becomes stretchy. If it’s breaking instead of stretching, stick it back in for a bit. The best way to put them in is right in your colander, but you can also put them in a ladle.

Sometimes, by this point, your curds have reformed into one large lump. If you are quick and careful, you can just throw this whole lump straight into the water, stir it a bit, and pull it out with a big wooden spoon.

Step Six: Knead it like you mean it

My husband has nerves of steel- no gloves!

Now this part can be a bit tricky. The best way to go about it is to put on two pairs of latex gloves, or some rubber kitchen gloves (make sure they’re clean and new, not ones you’ve been scrubbing the floor with!) to protect yourself from the heat of the cheese. You can only work with the cheese at this temperature- if it’s cool enough to be touched it may not be hot enough to stretch and knead! Pull and fold the cheese over and over, until it becomes nice and shiny and you’ve worked out any lumps. Put it back in the water bath as needed to heat it back up. During this stage you can salt the cheese to taste, working the salt in as you knead. Form it into whatever your heart desires: a ball, log, or lots of small little balls like you see in containers in the store mixed with oil and basil.

Step Seven: Ice it, baby!

Fill a mixing bowl with ice water and place your finished product in it for about ten minutes. This will harden it enough to keep its shape, though it won’t be completely hard until the next day. Don’t forget to sneak a chunk of warm yummy cheese in for a taste test before you throw it in the ice bath!

That’s it! It’s ready to eat or refrigerate, and should keep for up to a week. Your yield per gallon of milk is about ¾ of a pound of cheese. Serve it however you’d like, whether straight up on a tomato slice, topped with basil and some balsamic vinegar, or go crazy and try my recipe for almond-crusted fried mozzarella sticks!

Not Yo Mama’s Marinara Sauce

2010-10-30T16:11:00.003-04:00

This is a simple but versatile sauce that will have you quickly tossing any of its store bought competitors in the trash. Delightful and hearty, serve warm over anything from omelets to fried mozzarella cheese. (What? We have recipes for both of those on this blog? Fantastic! How convenient!)

Ingredients:

Tomatoes

An Onion

Garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

Basil

Olive Oil (or coconut oil!)

Step One: Dice & Chop

It doesn’t really get much easier than this recipe, but you’ll be extremely satisfied with the results. It won’t take long to prep, so start preheating your pan now. Throw a little olive oil in there, maybe a tablespoon, and put it on medium heat. Did you know that extra virgin olive oil goes bad really quickly? That’s because it’s minimally processed and there’s still chlorophyll in it. So if you use extra virgin olive oil, make sure you’re using it up pretty quickly. Once it goes rancid, it’s obviously no good for you. It’s actually better if you’re going to COOK with olive oil, to use regular olive oil instead of extra virgin. Two much better choices would be coconut or palm oil.) First, grab your onion. Depending on personal preference, you may want to do a little less onion or a little more tomato, but this combo works for us. Chop up 1/3 of the onion into small chunks. Do the same with the tomato, trying not to spill all the juice on the counter- you want it in your pan! Mince up some garlic, too. We throw in five or six cloves, because marinara should have a decent amount of garlicy-ness. You can also supplement with garlic powder or salt, if you prefer!

Step Two: Sauté and Season

Throw all of your veggies and garlic in the pan and stir ‘em up. Grab some basil (fresh chopped is preferable but dried will work, too) and add a liberal amount, a teaspoon or more. Everything is about personal taste, I’m just trying to set some general guidelines for you. Continue cooking on medium until the tomatoes have broken down a bit and the onions are translucent, stirring often to keep anything from burning to the pan. This takes about 5 or 6 minutes. Now turn it to low and let it simmer 5 more minutes.

That’s it, it’s done! Remove from heat and serve warm. This sauce can be frozen and reheated later. As long as you promise not to do it in a microwave! Microwaves are bad. It can take a little getting used to living without one in our micro-centric society (I once found a cookbook entirely on microwaving food!) but you CAN do it and it doesn’t take all that much effort. Eating food out of the microwave is about as nutritious as munching on cardboard. Wait, no, maybe the cardboard is better. The radiation kills anything that used to be good for you and mixes up molecules in ways we just don’t really understand. My mama always said, if you wouldn’t stick your head in it, don’t stick your food in it! (Well, no, she didn’t. But I’m going to say it from now on!)

Almond Crusted Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

2010-10-30T16:09:00.003-04:00

Melty, gooey...oh, it's love.

To say that fried cheese was my favorite restaurant stand by growing up is probably an understatement. I could easily polish off an order on my own, and frequently did so. Sometimes I ordered it as my meal, sometimes I ordered it with my meal, but I always ordered it.

There’s something so attractive about fried cheese. The crunchy coating? The gooey, melty center? The beautiful melding of flavors as you bite into a marinara-drenched morsel? I’m not sure, but it may be a combination of all of those factors that makes it so appealing to not only myself, but the young and young-at-heart all over the nation.

Although the whole idea of fried does imply a certain amount of unhealthiness, there are a few things you can do to improve this favorite snack and feel less guilty serving it up, all the while earning major brownie points with the kids or your guests. I hope the tips below will help you to enjoy a guilt-free snacking session with the whole family!

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Ingredients:

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Marinara Sauce

Almonds
Garlic Powder

Basil

Eggs

Olive Oil

Step One: Slice The Cheese

Now, when we talk about mozzarella cheese, we aren’t talking about string cheese or shredded. We’re talking those delightful little balls you see near the deli section, wrapped up tight in saran. You’re going to need about a half a pound, so look for one around that size. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, make your own! It doesn’t take much time (about half an hour) and it doesn’t take many ingredients. We’ve got a recipe for it available here. It’s a fun activity with the kids, and you can really impress your friends when you tell them you’ve made your own cheese. Not to mention that’s about the only way you’re going to be able to get fresh, grass-fed, raw milk mozz. All other kinds will be pasteurized already, most likely grain fed, and most likely made from skim instead of whole milk. It just lacks the flavor and fulfillment of a real cheese!

So take your cheese ball, and slice it into whatever size you find aesthetically pleasing. Try not to go too thick, or you’ll end up with fried cheese that’s cold in the middle. 1/3 of an inch is a great size!

Step Two: Dip and Coat

Now you’ll need to do an egg wash. Just crack an egg in a bowl and whisk it lightly. Then take your food processor, blender, or Ninja (I love my Ninja!) and pour in some almonds (1 cup) and some garlic powder (1 tsp) Cover and pulse until you have a pretty fine almond meal. Pour part of it on a plate. You never want to put all of it on the plate at once, because if you’ve made too much, you will contaminate the whole lot with raw egg and you’ll have to throw out the left overs.

Take your slices of mozzarella and dip them in the eggs, then coat them with almond meal, pressing firmly on both sides to ensure it sticks. Arrange them all in one layer on a plae and continue until you’ve coated them all.

Step Three: Repeat! Repeat!

That’s right, you have to do it again! If your egg is running a little low, whisk up another. Then dip and coat all of your cheese slices a second time. This step is critical: given the gooey nature of hot cheese, if they aren’t well sealed, you’re going to have a pan full of icky gooey mess instead of beautiful individual cheese sticks. Once you’ve done all of your slices a second time, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for ½ hour to chill. This is a good time to clean up your mess! Yes, I can tell you made one. Go ahead, clean it up. You’ll feel better later.

Step Four: Fry it up!

About 5 minutes before you want to start cooking, put a small layer of oil (regular olive oil, not extra virgin, or you can use coconut oil or palm oil.) into a pan with high sides. Just enough to coat the bottom is fine, we aren’t going to deep fry these! Let it heat on medium low.

Grab your cheese and gently place several into your oiled pan, being careful to avoid oil splatter! I know you’re excited to try them, but do several small batches even if you can fit all of them in the pan at once. Every time you put a new slice in you make the temperature of the oil go down. So you’re going to have to cook them longer if you put too many, and they won’t cook evenly or brown as nicely.

After a minute or two, flip all of them over and cook for another minute. They don’t take long! If you leave them for too long, all the coating in the world won’t save you- you’re going to have a big blob of greasy cheese in your pan. Take one out and slice in half just to make sure it’s heated through, then repeat with the rest of your batches, adding more oil if necessary.

Serve immediately with warm marinara on the side. Yuuuum-my!

The Hummus Among Us

2010-10-26T21:37:00.002-04:00

For some, hummus comes naturally. They take a taste, and their eyes grow wide with joy, their tongue freezes in pure bliss. It’s a combination of simple taste and creamy texture that can be explained as nothing less than perfection. To others, it’s an acquired taste. A hesitant hand dips a pita chip into the beige unknown and then brings it to a waiting mouth. The verdict? Not much to say about it either way. And yet everytime the strange substance presents itself at a party or among snacks that your spouse sets out for the guests, you find yourself inexplicably drawn to it. You taste it again. And again. By the fourth or fifth time, you sincerely enjoy it. After that, it becomes somewhat of a favorite in your weekly palette.

Wherever you’re at, Hummus can meet you there. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Hummus is simple to make and much cheaper (and more tasty) when you make it yourself.

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Ingredients (All organic, as always!)

Chick peas (AKA Garbanzo Beans)

1 Lemon or Lime

Tahini (sesame paste)

Salt

Olive Oil

Roasted Red Peppers (optional)

Garlic

Step One: A Good, Long Soak

You’re going to start with two cups of dried garbanzo beans. Place these in a large mixing bowl and fill it with filtered water. Then relax- you have to let them soak for 12 hours. When they’re done, they’ll have expanded to about five cups worth!

Why is it important to use filtered water, you ask? There are, as usual, a myriad of reasons. First, there’s chloride. Now, many filters that claim to filter chlorine (like a Brita) really only remove the chlorine odor. If you leave water out long enough, the chlorine will evaporate. (Incidentally, did you know that taking a ten minute shower allows your skin to absorb 8 glasses’ worth of chlorine? Icky thought for the day.)

Same beans, different day!

The second reason is fluoride. Not all water is fluoridated (thank goodness!) but many sources are. Please, I beg you, do not drink fluoridated water. If your water is fluoridated, purchase a reverse osmosis filter to remove it. Fluoride is a POISON. It may help you get less cavities, yes. But it’s a poison. It is doing terrible things to your brain and your childrens’ brains. If you have an infant or toddler, do not give them fluoride supplements to help their teeth! There is a reason you are supposed to call poison control if you swallow too much toothpaste. Fluoride…is…poison. If you don’t believe me, at least do the research yourself. *End rant.*

The third is that there is all kinds of other unpleasant nonsense in the water, not the least of which is more pharmaceuticals than you could shake a stick at. Prozac, birth control, pain pills. You name it, it’s in measurable amounts in our water sources.

If anyone has ever said to you “There must be something in the water.” He was right. I highly, HIGHLY suggest you invest in a reverse osmosis water filter. I like reverse osmosis because it gets rid of fluoride and pharmaceuticals. Do some research and find out what kind of filter is right for you, but please, get one!

Step Two: Boil, boil, and boil some more!

So in the morning, take your nicely hydrated chick peas and strain them, then place them in a large, heavy pot (I love my ceramic coated cast iron pot)and once again, fill with water. Now here is the important part! You’re going to have to have them at a hard boil for two hours. That’s right, two hours. Stir occasionally and keep covered to minimize your evaporation loss. Keep an eye on them- if you have to add more water, make sure it’s boiling when you add it. These things are important because if you don’t do this step properly, you won’t have nice, soft chick peas. You’ll have yucky hard ones.

After your two hours of boiling is up, strain the chick peas again, this time reserving the water.

Step Three: Put it all together, and what have you got?

Now you’re going to put all your ingredients (well, most of them, don’t rush me.) in your desired crushing device. I, as usual, will use my Ninja! Put all the chick peas in, then 8 tablespoons of Tahini.

Tahini Note: When you open up your Tahini for the first time, it’s going to be pretty soupy on top from settling, gently stir it all back together, until it becomes more of a peanut butter texture.

Next, add 1 tablespoon of salt, 10 cloves of garlic (you can mix it up between fresh cloves and garlic powder, but fresh is always better.) and the juice of one lemon or one lime. Puree this mix, using short pulses, until you reach the desired consistence. Hummus consistency is hard to explain in words. You’re going to have to figure it out on your own. When you stick your finger in and it’s pretty smooth and it’s pleasing to eat, then by Jove! You’ve got it!

Step Four: Extras, Extras

Here you can add in pretty much anything your heart desires. For this recipe we added scallions and roasted red peppers. I chopped the peppers up really small and added about ½ cup to the mix. For the scallions, we did about 4 tablespoons. If you taste it and you like it, then stop here! If not, get imaginative. Try adding different spices, more garlic, whatever you’d like. To ours we added some pepper, a little rosemary, and some Kirkland no-salt seasoning. Parsley or basil would also be a nice addition.

Step Five: Serve

Serve with a garnish of whatever you’ve added, such as a nice pile of red peppers or some fresh sprigs of parsley. Right before serving, drizzle with olive oil. There you have it! Lovely with flat bread, pita chips, and of course, veggies! Enjoy!

Almond Crusted Salmon with Asparagus Spears

2010-10-26T21:25:00.004-04:00

This one is definitely a best seller in my house, sure to disappear quickly even from the plate of my finicky two year old! I started with the desire to make a slightly healthier version of fried fish. As I munched on almonds, pondering a plausible solution, it came to me. Almond meal! And so a beautiful relationship was born. This is also a great alternative to breading in just about every recipe, from chicken parm to the less formal chicken nugget! It’s a good substitute for bread crumbs for any of you low-carb people doing South Beach or Atkins, too, for instance. Almonds are packed with a great number of yummy nutrients, so don’t be afraid of them! The best way to eat them is, of course, raw. But we’ll make an exception for this recipe, ok?

Ingredients:

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Raw almonds

1 lb Salmon fillet

Garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dill

Lemon

Asparagus

Ground Flax Seed (Optional)

Olive Oil

Step One: Prep your coating

You can do this in a blender, food processor, or (like me!) with a trusty Ninja! Put about a cup of raw almonds, 1 tsp of garlic powder, 1 tsp of dill, 2 TBSP of flax seed (optional) and ½ tsp of salt into your food crusher of choice. Then pulse it a few times, until you get a nice meal. You can use one that is coarse, or one that is very fine, it’s all about personal preference. I prefer the texture of a coarser grind, so that’s what I’ve done for this recipe.

Crack one egg into a bowl and whisk with a fork. Now set everything aside for a few minutes, we’ll get back to it later. A note on the flax seed: lots of people try to add flax to their diet for its nutritional benefits. Unfortunately, you can’t digest flax seeds in their whole state! Make sure when you make such valiant efforts, that you consume flax that has been ground or crushed. J

Step Two: No scales, please!

Next you want to get your fish ready for coating. Depending on what salmon you buy, this step may not apply to you. We can do a quick test to see if it does or not, so don’t panic. Here we go: Look at your fillets. Do they have scales? If yes, then this step applies to you! If not, skip ahead to step three.

As of yet, there is currently NO organic seafood. There just aren’t standards for something you’re getting out of the middle of the ocean! Your best bet at this point wild caught, all natural. It’s important to be aware that due to pollution, all fish is going to have mercury in it. The bigger the fish, the more mercury, since they eat smaller fish and absorb the mercury from those as well. Salmon is one of the safest fish that’s going to be common in any given seafood section, so you don’t have to worry too much. Plus, fish (salmon especially) is one of the best sources there is of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for brain function and growth, so yeah, really important. Don’t skimp on those omega-3s! There are plant sources of omega-3, too, but they don’t compare to animal sources. Your body has to convert them to the same type as the animal omegas, and in doing so you loose pretty much all of it, resulting in only trace amounts of what you’ve consumed. Try to eat a good omega-3 animal source, like salmon, twice a week.

You might think at this point, “Why don’t I just get farm raised salmon? Wouldn’t they have less mercury than their wild counterparts?”

It may be true, I’m not sure. But I do know that most fish farms feed their fish pellets composed of crushed up chicken feathers. Why? Because the factory farms don’t have a good use for the quadrillions of feathers they rip off their chickens each year, and they want to get every penny they can. It’s a cheap food source for fish farmers. And it’s completely unhealthy. Fish aren’t supposed to eat feathers! Unless you can verify that your farm source is practicing ethically, stick to wild caught. Fish eating feathers just aren’t getting what they need- why would you think any different concerning the people eating those feather fish?

Ok, now, let’s skin that fish! Some people use a knife. I buy Full Circle’s frozen fillets from Big Y and never have to, though. I find that by just grabbing the fish at the corner and pulling gently at the skin, I am able to pull the whole piece away without too much trouble. Try to start on the thinner side of your fillet so that you don’t end up pulling the flesh away with the skin. You will still have a thin ‘film’ of skin when you’re done- this is fine to cook and eat!

Step Three: Dunk and Coat

At this point you’re ready to pre-heat your pan. You want to put two or three tablespoons of olive oil in it and heat on medium low. This is important, don’t cook on high with olive oil! Once the olive oil starts smoking, it has turned from a good, healthy fat, into a bad one. Cooking with lower temperatures will help prevent this transformation from taking place.

You also want to get your asparagus ready. I am using my handy bamboo steamer, but you can use any method you prefer- asparagus is very versatile. I like the bamboo steamer because unlike metal steamers, it does not collect water on the surface, effectively flooding your veggies. It absorbs water, and lets them actually be cooked by the steam, as you intended to do in the first place. Lightly steaming them is fine, if you overcook them, they lose most of their nutrients. It should only take between 6-8 minutes, or until tender. If you’re using frozen asparagus refer to the instructions on the bag.

HINT: If you don’t have a steamer, that’s perfectly all right: the best way to cook asparagus is to steam it standing up! That way it cooks more evenly, because the bottoms are tough and thick, the tops are thin and tender. Place all the stalks together and tie with a little twine or a rope fashioned MacGyver style from aluminum foil. Place them upright in a pot in an inch or so of boiling water for 6-8 minutes. Beautiful!

Here’s one last handy note on your asparagus. If you’re using fresh asparagus, most people cut off an inch or so from the bottom to avoid that akward, this-is-too-tough-I’m-going-to-spit-it-in-my-napkin-and-everyone-will-stare moment. But there’s a better way to make sure you’re getting the tenderest of the tender! Hold the stalk horizontally with your thumbs and forefingers. If you hold both sides and gently bend the stalk, it will snap right where that tough part and the tender part meet. If you find that yours are breaking halfway up, it means you probably got old asparagus that was sitting in the store awhile. Sorry, pal- tough break! (Pun intended.)

Remember your eggs and almond meal? Grab them, it’s time to get down to business! Pour a little almond meal onto a plate. Don’t pour all of it- it will only take about ¾ cup to coat your fish, so you don’t want to contaminate the whole lot with raw eggs and raw fish. Instead, add a little to the plate as needed. The rest can be saved, and if you aren’t going to use it in fairly short order, go ahead and freeze it. (Looking for a great recipe to use that left over almond meal? Why not try my Fried Mozzarella Cheese sticks?) Dip your fillets, one at a time, into the egg, and then place them on your almond meal plate. Coat all over with the meal, making sure to press it in well so it doesn’t all just fall off in the pan.

Step Four: The fish fry!

When all of your fillets are coated, place them on your pre-heated pan. As you cook, you might want to add more olive oil. Use your discretion! Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and do the same on the other side. It will take about 5 minutes per side, but this can vary widely depending on the thickness of your fillets. You can tell they are done when there is no more translucent pink in the middle, only opaque pink. Cut into one with a knife to check, I don’t expect you to have crazy x-ray powers!

Arrange your asparagus and salmon on a plate and either bring a lemon wedge to the table or just add a squeeze fresh off the pan. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve with a hearty helping of quinoa (not pictured.) Costco sells organic Quinoa for the best price that I’ve found so far, but you can find a Bob’s Red Mill version for slightly more per pound at most grocery stores and even Ocean State Job Lot. Quinoa is a whole grain, try to store it in the refrigerator to keep it from going rancid if you aren’t going to use it right away. If you have no idea what Quinoa even is, please try it! It’s a healthier and much yummier substitute for rice that is also gluten free. It’s so tasty, it has a light, nutty flavor, and goes nice in any number of recipes as well as being the perfect side dish.

I hope you enjoy the salmon. Every time I make it, it’s almost sad how quickly it disappears. I only wish I could savor it longer!

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Dip

2010-10-24T21:14:00.003-04:00

This recipe is simple, yet satisfying, and so rich. It goes great on bagels, crackers, veggies (especially broccoli, that’s our personal favorite!) and it’s very likely that a number of other items in the food world would benefit from its presence as well. The salmon provides a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which we don’t get enough of in today’s average diet. And it’s an easy sell with kids. It’s meant as a treat or to be used sparingly because it does have a high fat content, but don’t fret too much. It ages you prematurely. J Be aware that besides the oil, cream cheese, and salmon, all of the other ingredients are really optional. You can tweak it to taste. This is the recipe that we like best in our family!

Ingredients

Click to Enlarge

8 oz Cream Cheese or Neufchatel Cheese

4 oz smoked Salmon

1 TBSP butter

2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ tsp Celery Leaf

¼ tsp Garlic Powder

½ tsp Parsley

½ tsp Kirkland No-Salt Seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

Step One: Put it All Together!

Like I said before, this recipe is very simple. Add all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. If you prefer to ease the work a bit, you can soften the cheese and butter beforehand. Try to get pastured butter if you can. During the fall, Organic Valley makes a special pastured butter. Why? It’s the same concept as with grass fed beef. When cows eat grass, they produce milk, and therefore milk by-products like cheese and butter, that are far superior to the average grocery store product. These products are shockingly good for you, high in CLAs and other important nutrients. Pastured raw milk and butter actually can help prevent disease and heal the body, whereas pasteurized, grain fed milk and butter are virtually useless and/or harmful to you. Yeah, the Got Milk campaign? That is a total scam, unless that milk is raw. Sorry I had to be the one to break it to you. If you’re skeptical, I highly encourage you to do the research yourself. If your brainwashing says (as mine once did, I’m not judging!) “RAW! That’s horrible! It needs to be pasteurized or you could die!” then please review the facts. In the disgusting factory farm model of today, where manure and other unsavory things are flying into the meat and products we drink every minute of every day, of course pasteurization is needed. It kills everything-good and bad-in the milk. In a small farm with a clean operation, so long as basic precautions are taken, its not nearly such a risk. (Did you know that a grain fed cow that is given grass for only 5 days will have the ecoli in its gut reduced by 80 percent?) When they get the right food, the right amount of space, and the right care, disease is really not an issue anymore. If you are STILL concerned, be aware that a farm must be licensed and inspected to sell raw milk. Way to go, government regulation! Putting minds at ease every day.

Now where was I? Oh yeah. Cream cheese.

Neufchatel cheese, at least in America, is basically exactly the same in taste and texture as cream cheese. Instead of being made with just cream, it is made with whole mik and cream, therefore reducing the fat content by 30 percent. 365, Whole Food’s store brand, sells both cheeses in an organic variety.

Step Two: Mix it in!

Mix this concoction together thoroughly with a bamboo spoon (or other utensil of your choice. I like the bamboo spoon because it doesn’t slip over the cheese, it has more grip, and helps get the job done faster. That’s just my humble opinion!)

Step Three: Find something to dip in it!

That’s it, you’re done. Serve it up and dip whatever your heart desires in it, or else spread it on toast, or a bagel. You get the idea, the possibilities are endless.

Wholly Guacamole!

2010-10-24T16:23:00.004-04:00

Guacamole is an enigma. It is both insanely good for you- full of fresh, raw, powerfully healing veggies- and disgustingly delicious. So where can you go wrong? Here’s a simple and easily doubled recipe for making your own guacamole in the comfort of your kitchen. Everything’s better fresh, right? And the best part is, it’s fast and easy, so you can whip it up with a moment’s notice to impress unexpected (uninvited?) guests or for a great snack anytime. Serve it with chips (I like blue corn chips or Yucca chips, both of which are almost always easy to find at my local Ocean State Job Lot!) or veggie sticks.

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Ingredients (serves 2)

1 avocado

¼ small onion

2 cloves garlic

Cilantro

½ Lime

½ small Tomato

Salt and Pepper to taste

Step One: Know Your Enemy!

To some, the avocado can be intimidating when you are first getting to know it. Is it ripe? How do you cut it? You can relax- it's simple, and you, too, can be an avocado slicing expert!

If you aren't planning to make this recipe right away, pick an avocado that is still very firm. It will ripen in a day or two just left out on the counter. The avocado is ripe and ready to slice when it is slightly soft when squeezed. Too soft, and you're likely to discover that the inside is is brown and mushy- undesirable! Use it on the day it's first soft to spare yourself this disappointment. Another tip: If the little brown stem pops off easily, the avocado is likely ready. If you have a local Trader Joe's, they have a great deal on 4 packs of organic avocados.

To slice, cut into the top (where the stem is and slice down until you hit resistance (that's the pit!) then simply work your knife around that pit to finish halving the fruit. Pull it apart, and then remove the pit by smacking it with your knife and twisting slightly to loosen. Voila! Two beautiful avocado halves. If for any reason you need to stop after this step, place the avocados cut side down on a plate in the fridge to stop them from browning.

Note: A great 'recipe' for a quick and delicious healthy snack: Cut an avocado in half, then pour some soy sauce into the hole from the pit. Eat with a spoon, dipping each bite in a little soy sauce! It's FANTASTIC!

Step Two: Chop it up!

Grab your chopping board and dice up your tomato and onion very fine. I personally can’t stand chopping onions, and nothing ever comes out as fine as I’d like, so I use my uber-handy Ninja. It’s awesome for a lot of things around the kitchen, and has 3 different sized containers to process in, so whatever the job, the is ready! Plus, it’s easy to clean- a must with two little ones expecting mommy to be at their beck and call! I used to use a Magic Bullet, and I did like it, but the small size of the cups made it pretty restrictive, I couldn’t use it for things like pureeing a large soup recipe, for instance. In any case, a food processor will also work if you have one, but chopping them the good old fashioned way is just fine too! You may or may not, at your option, chop up the avocado as well. Some people enjoy smashing it whole. To each their own!

Note: You know all those bamboo chopping boards you’ve been seeing just about everywhere? You might want to snag one if you haven’t already! Bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial, which is awesome when it comes to something as important as food prep. If you’re using a plastic one, I can’t stress enough that you NEED to keep it VERY clean. Bacteria and other undesirables can easily hide it the deep grooves created by your knife when you’re chopping and cooking. If possible, keep separate boards for meat and veggies.

Step Three: Mix it up!

Put all ingredients except the lime into a bowl. If you’ve never tried cilantro before this moment, I suggest you do so before putting it in that bowl. Cilantro is a very love-hate relationship, though some would argue that guacamole is not guacamole without it. You can skip it without much consequence if you discover you utterly abhor it!

Squeeze the lime over your mixture and then stir, mash, and otherwise incorporate the ingredients until it reaches your desired consistency. A classic guacamole is a little lumpy. Some enjoy it with a bit of a smoother mix. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Step Four: There is no step four. You are now ready to eat! Serve it with chips, and enjoy!

Helpful Hint: If you have made more guacamole than you can finish in one sitting, there is no need to despair. Stick the avocado pit into the mix and cover with plastic wrap. The pit will keep it from browning!

Chibi's Slider Sampler

2010-10-24T14:27:00.002-04:00

First of all, you don't have to make all three types of sliders if you don't want. I call it a slider sampler because there are three great varieties in this recipe for you. But if one doesn't sound so great to you, then just make more of another! Or even get brave and mix and match ingredients. That's the beauty of it. Still, I think all three of these tiny cheeseburgers are sure to please, and encourage you to give them a try! There's the Wholly Guacamole, the Bacon BBQ Bonanza, and Chibi's Classic Cheeseburger. We’re trying to limit our carbs lately, so I’ve prepared them sans rolls- but feel free to throw them on the buns of your choice, OR, make your own! Nothing beats the smell of freshly baked bread. I’ll be including a few recipes here on the blog very soon, so make sure to follow me and keep an eye out for them! The same goes for guacamole. There are store brands, but they really don't compare to freshly made. Serve these up with a nice side salad and enjoy!

Note: The ingredients I use are ALWAYS all organic. I think hunting for a new ingredient or a replacement for something I really loved to cook with is exciting and fun. If you don't agree, check out my links for brands that I use to help get you started.

Yield: 9 Sliders

Click to Enlarge

Ingredients

1 lb grass-fed ground beef

Guacamole
¼ Small Onion

Crispy Fried Onions

2 TBSP Shredded Cheese

Kirkland Brand Organic No Salt Seasoning

Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Slices Bacon

½ Tomato

Lettuce
BBQ Sauce
3 Slices of Cheese (I like cheddar, but you can use your favorite! Whole foods sells a large variety of sliced organic cheeses.)

Ketchup (try to find it in glass- acidic things like tomatoes leech chemicals from plastic. Many of which are carcinogens! Yikes.)

Mustard

Step One: Prepare Your Toppings

Nothing is worse than making the perfect burger only to have it get cold while you’re busy scraping together your toppings as quickly as you can. In a pan, fry up two slices of bacon until they’re nice and crispy, then set aside to drain.

Slice up your ¼ onion into thin slices, and then sauté until translucent. If you’re feeling crazy, use the bacon grease to sauté your onions- it adds a little extra umph! Next, slice your tomato. You’ll need three slices. The rest you can snack on while you’re cooking or put away for another recipe (like guacamole!)

Grab your guacamole, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, and lettuce (wash it first and pat try! You’ll need three small pieces.) Take your cheese slices and quarter them- you’ll end up with a few extra, you can eat them, I won’t tell.

Once your bacon is cool, crumble it up and divide it into six parts.

All right, we’re ready! Let’s get cooking!

Step Two: Season Your Meat

I don’t think a lot of people do this, so I don’t think you might realize how crucial this step is! Adding things to your beef before you cook it really ups the deliciousness factor in your finished product.

Start by making an indentation in your beef where you can throw all of your seasonings. Be warned, I like things to have a lot of flavor. So if you’re more on the, well, let’s face it- boring side- you can scale down any spices to taste. I put about ¼ tsp of Kirkland Brand Organic Salt Free Seasoning. This stuff is so yummy! It has 21 spices and veggies all mixed up in perfect proportions and ready to enjoy. I use it on almost everything, to be honest. It never hurts to add a little flavor! Then add ¼ tsp of garlic powder (Frontier spices has a nice line of organics, but buying bulk at your local health food store is going to be a lot less pricey then buying those little jars at the grocery store!) and some salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Table salt is a no-no. It’s not real salt. It’s an overly processed mess that they add aluminum to most times to help it pour more smoothly! Yowza. Sea salt is a step up, but most of them are still highly processed. My favorite is Himalayan Salt. It’s pink! And it comes from the Himalayan mountains. It’s so pure that it does not need refining at all. And guess what? You know how everyone is always telling you, watch your sodium, too much can be dangerous? When you’re eating REAL salt, it’s good for you! That’s right, good for you! Your body needs salt to survive. Eat the good stuff. Your body will thank you. You can usually snag it at stores like TJ Maxx that have a specialty food section, or buy it bulk online or in a higher end store like Whole Foods. Don’t get jipped at the supermarket- they sell a 3 ounce bottle for $10 when you can get 5lbs online for $20!

Throw in 2 TBSP of shredded cheese (I use mozzarella. Try whatever you like!) and 2 TBSP of Crispy Onions. The onions are optional, but they definitely make a big difference, so if you can find them, go for it! The brand I use is Golden Farms.

Step Three: Form Your Patties

That’s all for your seasonings. Preheat your cookware of choice over a medium high flame. I always cook with cast iron. It’s the safest way to go, it’s not as much of a hassle as they would like you to believe, and I promise- nothing tastes better than food in a cast iron pan. There is just something about it that makes stuff so much better. If you don’t have cast iron, that’s fine. Just promise you’re not using non-stick cookware, like Teflon! Did you know that people with birds can’t use non-stick cookware, because the birds will die? Have you ever heard of the canary in the coal mine? If it’s killing the birds, it’s killing you- it just might take a little longer. My advice, toss that garbage into the junk heap where it belongs and get yourself some quality cookware!

If you’d like to acquire some cast iron cookware, it’s really not too expensive. Surf the web. I have a bunch of Lodge pans that have served me well and are very affordable.

Now back to the recipe! Grab that meat and kneed it until everything’s incorporated and well distributed. Then divide it into 9 pieces and form it into little patties. Aren’t they just adorable???

Step Four: Grill On!

You can grill these on a real grill but it’s a bit tricky given their small size- you may lose some between the bars. A better bet is a frying pan or a griddle on the stove top. When your pan is hot (do drops of water sizzle when they hit it?) you’re ready to start cooking. Throw those little guys in the pan and let them cook for 2-3 minutes on one side. Grass fed beef is a little different than your standard grain fed beef, so don’t get lazy here. It has 50% less fat, and so it cooks about 30% faster than grain fed. Depending how you like your burgers, you’re going to want to keep an eye on them or they might end up well done! When the first side is well browned, flip them. It will take another 2-3 minutes on the other side.

Step Five: Cheese, Anyone?

If you like cheese, now is the time to add it. Once the burgers are flipped, place a ¼ slice of cheese on each and then cover (if you’d like, you don’t have to) to speed melting. When it’s been 2-3 minutes and when the cheese is nice and gooey, remove the patties from the heat and get them onto plates.

Step Six: Topping Time

Now for the part we’ve all been waiting for! You’re going to be making three of each kind of slider, so prepare in whatever order makes you happy. For the Wholly Guacamole, all you need is a large dollop of guacamole. It doesn’t sound all that exciting, but all the flavors of the guacamole are going to be all you need to complement your deliciously seasoned slider.

For the Bacon BBQ Bonanza, put one part bacon, add a spoonful of BBQ sauce (I really like the Organic Village brand, classic!) and then smother in 1/3 of your sautéed onions.

Finally, for Chibi’s Classic Cheeseburger, grab some ketchup and mustard (or mayo if you’d like. I’m going to have a recipe for that up soon as well!) and top with a tomato slice, a lettuce leaf, and bacon.

Arrange on a plate with your side salad and enjoy the oohs and awws of your adoring family at the utter cuteness of their lunch!