Yesterday I made my first batch of Kombucha with a scoby from Lee Moore, thanks, Lee! It was easy to do, now I need to wait 8 days to see if it works! I boiled 3 quarts of water (2 filtered, 1 Italian Mineral spring water) and dissolved a cup of organic cane sugar. Once dissolved, I floated 4 black organic tea bags and let sit overnight until cool. I then took out the tea bags and poured the sweet tea into a one gallon glass jar already containing 1/2 cup of Lee's Kombucha for the starter. I then floated the scoby on top of the tea and covered with a tea towel.
The tea is supposed to brew in a warm environment and it's not particularly hot in our home. So, I put it next to my crock pot cooking beans and hope that the steam will warm the tea enough to get the process going.
I also made some pate for a dinner party tonight with fresh chicken livers, some mushrooms, white wine and dried herbs from my garden. After cooking till all the liquid is gone, you let it cool. Then, on to the food processor with half a stick of butter. Yum!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Chicken soup really does work
After a weekend away camping, my daughter presented with cold/flu symptoms on the car ride home. She stayed home from school yesterday and I used the time to make the Nourishing Traditions inspired Chicken Soup. I make the Chicken Stock recipe adding vinegar as it calls for to leach calcium from the bones. There is something in chicken soup that stimulates the immune system- I think it's in the collagen in the chicken feet, yes chicken feet.
Anyway, I started doses of Oscillococcinum (which really works!)and by dinner time the chicken soup was ready. I cooked up a batch of simple rice a la Rick Bayless and voila!
Satisfying dinner! I also prepared a lettuce of local fresh greens and a simple dressing (also Nourishing Traditions). The dressing is one that my mother in law taught me. Nourishing Traditions adds flax oil for omega 3's. Just a little dijon mustard in a small glass bowl, add (approx. 2 TBS) raw apple cider vinegar and swirl around until the mustard is dissolved. Then add olive oil to taste (I use a little more than the vinegar, so about 3 TBS) and 1 TBS flax oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Just stir with fork until blended and toss with your salad. I had blue cheese so that went in too!
My daughter is back at school today, feeling nourished.
Thanks to healthy food, and a little help from oscillo! Oh, and I got to play my tennis match and we won!
Anyway, I started doses of Oscillococcinum (which really works!)and by dinner time the chicken soup was ready. I cooked up a batch of simple rice a la Rick Bayless and voila!
Satisfying dinner! I also prepared a lettuce of local fresh greens and a simple dressing (also Nourishing Traditions). The dressing is one that my mother in law taught me. Nourishing Traditions adds flax oil for omega 3's. Just a little dijon mustard in a small glass bowl, add (approx. 2 TBS) raw apple cider vinegar and swirl around until the mustard is dissolved. Then add olive oil to taste (I use a little more than the vinegar, so about 3 TBS) and 1 TBS flax oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Just stir with fork until blended and toss with your salad. I had blue cheese so that went in too!
My daughter is back at school today, feeling nourished.
Thanks to healthy food, and a little help from oscillo! Oh, and I got to play my tennis match and we won!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Liver for breakfast!
Today, I served sauteed liver for breakfast. Yesterday, I purchased two whole chickens from Whole Foods for $1.39 a pound! I had the butcher cut up the chicken into parts and froze 4 bags of parts. I had the organ meats leftover and served chicken hearts last night to my husband. He loved them! We decided to serve the livers for breakfast.
Organ meats are extremely healthy for you (if you know your meat is safe)and should be consumed more regularly in our diet. These organ meats contain vital vitamins and minerals that our body needs. More on that later- I will do research and post the results.
Organ meats are extremely healthy for you (if you know your meat is safe)and should be consumed more regularly in our diet. These organ meats contain vital vitamins and minerals that our body needs. More on that later- I will do research and post the results.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Pizza Night!
I am trying out the sourdough pizza dough recipe found on http://www.breadtopia.com!
It's currently rising (I made it this morning and left in the fridge for several hours) and hopefully will double in size while I go pick up my daughter from gymnastics!
Updates later!
It's currently rising (I made it this morning and left in the fridge for several hours) and hopefully will double in size while I go pick up my daughter from gymnastics!
Updates later!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Dinner tonight
Last night's dinner went well and the leftovers will be today's after school snack. The baba ghanoush recipe was particularly easy, just roasted the eggplant in its own skin on a cookie sheet covered in foil (prick like you would a baking potato) at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. The eggplant becomes soft and after it cools is easy to split open. The recipe called for scooping out the flesh, but I like a little of the eggplant skin.
Process in a food processor along with a couple of Tablespoons tahini and olive oil, juice of one lemon, a little salt and a few garlic cloves and voila!
Hummus is a similar process, just use your drained, cooked chickpeas in place of the eggplant (I cooked 1 lb. dry beans in 8 cups water, cooked in slow cooker on high for 4 hours- I used half for the hummus and froze the other half for later use) and the only additional ingredient is a little fresh water.
OK, for tonight's dinner I am making carnitas from Alice Water's cookbook. Very simple recipe. I have a pound of frozen pork shoulder already cut into cubes. I will also cook zucchini and squash- I had planned on serving this last night, but I ran out of time! Additionally, I am putting a pound of Pinto beans in my slow cooker for six hours. (8-10 cups of water, 1 lb Pinto Beans- no salt at first) After they cook I will add a little leftover bacon drippings and salt. Mash them and you have refried beans! I will serve the Carnitas with hard shell tacos with lettuce, tomato, and homemade guacamole.
Yum, my family loves taco night! Off to put on the beans.
Process in a food processor along with a couple of Tablespoons tahini and olive oil, juice of one lemon, a little salt and a few garlic cloves and voila!
Hummus is a similar process, just use your drained, cooked chickpeas in place of the eggplant (I cooked 1 lb. dry beans in 8 cups water, cooked in slow cooker on high for 4 hours- I used half for the hummus and froze the other half for later use) and the only additional ingredient is a little fresh water.
OK, for tonight's dinner I am making carnitas from Alice Water's cookbook. Very simple recipe. I have a pound of frozen pork shoulder already cut into cubes. I will also cook zucchini and squash- I had planned on serving this last night, but I ran out of time! Additionally, I am putting a pound of Pinto beans in my slow cooker for six hours. (8-10 cups of water, 1 lb Pinto Beans- no salt at first) After they cook I will add a little leftover bacon drippings and salt. Mash them and you have refried beans! I will serve the Carnitas with hard shell tacos with lettuce, tomato, and homemade guacamole.
Yum, my family loves taco night! Off to put on the beans.
Ads on a blog
I am experimenting with running ads within my blog. I am trying to only allow ads that promote healthy products, but am not sure that the filters will work. So, please use your head and only click on the ones that are healthy! I will continue to monitor this and please give me feedback!
Also, I have added a search engine that will take you to a new window with your search results. The search engine is powered by Google and is located at the very bottom of my blog page.
Also, I have added a search engine that will take you to a new window with your search results. The search engine is powered by Google and is located at the very bottom of my blog page.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Canning class
It's been a while since I have blogged. Guess I am still getting used to this! I just signed up to help at a canning class this Thursday, 9/17. Anyone care to join me? We will learn how to can tomatoes and I can't wait! I hope I am chosen to help...you can learn more about this class at www.CharliVogt.com. If you do register for the class, let her know I sent you! Charli teaches the class at Oakhurst Community Garden Center.
Today, I am serving a totally vegetarian meal. I had some leftover salad dressing that I made from Rick Bayless' cookbook, "Everyday Mexican" made from dried New Mexico chiles rehydrated in olive oil in a skillet alongside some garlic cloves. The whole thing is blended along with some vinegar. It's quite yummy. So tonight's dinner is salad with avocado, tomato and blue cheese. I will also stir fry some local squash and zucchini. I have dried garbanzos cooking in my crock pot and I will make a hummus when they are tender (about 4 hours). I think I might make Baba Ghanoush, too. I found a good recipe on the Food Network (foodtv.com) that I want to try again. The last time I made it I used frozen eggplant slices that I had put up last summer and it worked out quite nicely. Today, I actually have a whole eggplant from last week's CSA share. (www.moorefarmsandfriends.com) I should have enough to send some leftovers for snack tomorrow!
All for now- off to roast the eggplant!
Today, I am serving a totally vegetarian meal. I had some leftover salad dressing that I made from Rick Bayless' cookbook, "Everyday Mexican" made from dried New Mexico chiles rehydrated in olive oil in a skillet alongside some garlic cloves. The whole thing is blended along with some vinegar. It's quite yummy. So tonight's dinner is salad with avocado, tomato and blue cheese. I will also stir fry some local squash and zucchini. I have dried garbanzos cooking in my crock pot and I will make a hummus when they are tender (about 4 hours). I think I might make Baba Ghanoush, too. I found a good recipe on the Food Network (foodtv.com) that I want to try again. The last time I made it I used frozen eggplant slices that I had put up last summer and it worked out quite nicely. Today, I actually have a whole eggplant from last week's CSA share. (www.moorefarmsandfriends.com) I should have enough to send some leftovers for snack tomorrow!
All for now- off to roast the eggplant!
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