*Adapted from a recipe over at Affairs of Living

A Halloween Party… I dread them. Not because I don’t like the people there, but because it is everyone, together, at the same time. Oh, and I’m not a fan of costumes or sweets either. (Yup, that’s right, I’m quite the party animal!)

Last year, everyone got sick and the boys were too little to care much about the event, so we managed to avoid it. This year was another story since no one was sick (knock on wood!), and both of them simply LOVE dressing up, AND I’m making a concentrated effort to be more socially engaged. Fortunately, this was a school party, and the parents were not supposed to dress up (yes, my huge sigh of relief was audible when I read the email). We did, however, need to bring a treat, so I started hunting for a “grain free vegan” (usually our best bet allergy wise) brownie recipe. While searching, I came across this fudge and thought it sounded just right for the occasion – and no baking required!

 *Yield 18 “cupcakes”

2 15-oz cans cooked black beans, drained and rinsed (or approx 3.5 cups of cooked beans if soaking and cooking yourself )
1/2C ghee (can substitute with coconut oil for a true vegan version)
2T coconut manna
2T sunbutter
1 1/2C cocoa powder
2t vanilla extract
2-4T raw honey (to taste) (vegans can use agave nectar or coconut nectar rather than honey)
2-4T maple syrup (to taste)
sea salt to sprinkle (I’m a fan of the Pink Himalayan Salt)

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm ghee, coconut manna, and sunbutter, stirring until melted and mixed. Add all ingredients except salt to your blender jar or food processor container. (I used my VitaMix, but only because we don’t own a food processor – I love it for most everything else, but the really thick stuff, not so much) Slowly blend until mixed. The mixture will be extremely thick. So thick, in fact, that it inspired the first experience with my VitaMix‘s “emergency shutoff” meant to protect the motor… I feared I’d broken it, so there were a few distinguishable beans in the mix, but not enough to make it taste anything like black beans!

Once mixed, smoosh a dollop into each spot in your lined cupcake tins. Sprinkle with salt, and refrigerate for an hour. I used only 4T of the sweet stuff in total, and it made for some very rich, dark chocolatey, not too sweet cupcakes. I’d opt for “mini” cupcakes next time though – these were too big for my taste!

It’s that wonderful time of year again when local squash is abundant. My family loves butternut squash soup, so I’ve already made a few batches this season. Below is my latest rendition.

I made a big pot so we could share (enough to feed two families of four), so feel free to reduce if preferred, though it also freezes well!

Broth

2 chicken legs and thighs (bone in)*+
8C filtered water (to start – add more as needed)
Juice from 1/2 lemon+
2T gelatin (optional – we like Great Lakes Gelatin from pastured happy animals)
Sea Salt to taste+

In a stock pot, place the chicken and cover with water. Add the lemon juice and let sit for 30-60 minutes. Add some salt and turn burner on medium high. Slowly bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer, skimming off any “scum” or “effluvium” (impurities, alkaloids, and large proteins or “lectins”) that rises to the surface. If using gelatin, I then mix my 2T with filtered water and pour it into the pot. Simmer for as long as possible, but not less than 3 hours (preferably 6). Remove from heat. Take the chicken out and put on a plate to drain and cool. Boiled chicken can be used in any number of ways, so be sure to take it off the bone and save for later! Finally, find a large bowl (or two) and a fine strainer and pour the broth from the pot through the strainer and into the bowl(s).

Note: This part can be done FAR in advance and broth frozen for later soup making. I’ll likely create a separate post just for this broth if I can ever remember to snag some decent images! It’s yummy on its own as well as added to almost any dish…

* Again, we strongly advocate the use of local, pastured meats and poultry whenever possible. When not available, the “inedible bits” from local organic produce make delicious veggie broth.

Soup

3 medium/large butternut squash+
2-3T ghee
3 cloves of garlic (minced)+
2t fresh ginger (grated)
1 large yellow onion (chopped)+
8C (approx – enough to cover ingredients) chicken broth (above) – or other broth of your choice
2-3 sprigs each of fresh oregano and thyme (both traditional respiratory tonics and expectorants)+
Salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit (we have a weak oven so tend to have to cook at higher temps). Wash and poke holes in the squash and place on a baking sheet or aluminum foil in the oven. Roast for 90 minutes or so, but please keep an eye on your squash! They will cook at different rates depending on the size and your oven. Remove to cool when a knife slips easily into the long/solid part of the squash (not the bulb as that can be misleading). Once cool, slice the squash in half and scoop out seeds, which you can save to to clean and roast or simply toss in the compost. Then, scoop out the flesh and save in a large bowl.

Heat the ghee on medium, then add the garlic and ginger, cooking for a minute or so, then add the onion, stirring until translucent (several minutes). At this point, I added some broth, then dumped in the squash I had set aside previously. Next, add more broth to cover – enough to easily stir everything around – and toss in the oregano and thyme (to be removed later). Turn up the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow all the flavors to meld together. Add salt to taste (or wait until blended if you prefer).

Turn off the heat and let the soup cool a bit. Remove the sprigs of herbs. (It’s fine if some of the leaves have come off – just important to get the stems out) Finally, blend the soup until smooth, using a stick blender or by blending batches in a regular blender. I opted for my Vitamix this go around since my trusty stick blender decided to die. (We’re on the hunt for a new one, so please feel free to offer suggestions in the comments!)

Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Profile

Bone broth offers many nourishing and healing nutrients. A homemade stock contains easily assimilated minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and other trace minerals. You’ll also find glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, gelatin for gut health as well as easily assimilated protein, and amino acids.

Butternut squash is also jam packed full of nutritional goodness, with an abundance of vitamin A and B complex vitamins, dietary fiber, and minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.

+ Local (except the lemon) ingredients from our weekly order from Harvest Local Foods

Because it’s really cold outside!

When spring leaves you in the lurch, a warming meal can make it all seem a little less dramatic, no?

This is a personal twist on a potato and onion soup my mom used to prepare for us as a side dish in winter. Read More

It seems that I’ve been stockpiling broccoli… It’s so easy to roast with a little olive oil, garlic, and salt! However, my eyes were bigger than my fridge, and I managed to get ahead of myself. My dear husband kindly inquired about my “plans” for the broccoli, so I knew it was time to trim down my store. I also had some baby shrimp from our weekly delivery that were just begging for some Thai spices and coconut milk. This warming dish would also work served with rice (rinse and soak first if possible), or by adding cooked potatoes (remember to keep the skins on!). Below is what I cobbled together…

Ingredients

2-3T ghee
2t cumin seed
3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 medium onions (chopped)
.25-.5lb fresh shiitakes (stems removed and tops sliced)
.5-1lb shrimp (cooked, peeled, and deveined)
1-3 heads of broccoli (chopped) *mine were small so 3 worked, but was plenty
6-8C homemade broth (I used chicken broth, but I suppose fish broth would be ideal)
1 medjool date (chopped) *optional
2T Thai red curry paste
1 14oz can of organic coconut milk
2T tomato paste
Salt to taste

Heat the ghee in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Toss in the cumin and cook until fragrant and starting to pop (I love that sound, and it’s fun for kids to listen for too). Reduce the heat slightly and add the garlic, cooking for a few moments before adding the onions. Stir regularly, cooking until the onions begin to soften. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook until soft. Add the shrimp and broccoli and give it a good mix to coat. Pour in all but a small amount of the broth. To the reserved broth, whisk in the Thai curry paste, and then add that to the pot. If, like me, you forget to reserve any broth, the curry paste can be whisked into the coconut milk or a little water, or just tossed right in. Do note that the “toss-in method” requires a bit more work to assimilate and you may find a concentrated bit in your broccoli! Add the coconut milk, tomato paste, date (if using) and make sure everything is evenly mixed. (at this point, if more liquid is needed, add filtered water) Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the broccoli is done to your liking. Salt to taste.

Next time I might include grated ginger (added at the garlic and onion stage). If anyone tries that, let me know how it goes!

Serves 4 ish (more if adding rice or potatoes)

* This recipe contains shellfish. Gluten, casein, soy, egg, and tree nut free.

When I came across this recipe for Kale & Potato Soup with Chorizo over at Nourished Kitchen, I knew that I had to make it. It’s been so cold and damp lately that the thought of a spicy soup (Caldo Verde, or “broth with greens” in this case) was the happiest thing I could think of, so I headed down to survey what ingredients I had on hand. Now, I also knew that I’d have to cook two dinners, since my kids aren’t old enough to appreciate the spiciness of chorizo, so I was keeping my eyes peeled for an alternate option for them as well. My husband thinks my food fixations/cravings are a wee bit crazy (and he’s probably right), but by this point I know to trust my body as it never craves anything processed or artificial. In this case, it was spicy heat and potatoes. Though we rarely eat them, I had a small bag of fingerlings that had been delivered last Wednesday. A premonition? Perhaps. A relief? To be sure!

What I Used (changes/additions in bold)

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes
2T Ghee (didn’t have any bacon drippings or lard)
12oz chorizo (not quite a pound)
Nixed the chili peppers (Chorizo was very spicy)
3 small onions (chopped) instead of sliced shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium/large carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 quarts roast chicken stock (homemade)
2T Tomato Paste (we use Bionatura)
Large bunch of Rainbow Chard (6 pieces), stems removed and chopped coarsely
Turmeric (no Spanish Smoked paprika here – but it’s now on my list)
unrefined sea salt to taste
1 T Cumin Seeds (sautéed until fragrant)
Original recipe>>

Please head over to the original for cooking instructions, etc.

To my great delight, it did indeed make enough to serve 6-8, so there are plenty of leftovers. (Though not for long!) Suffice to say that it was a clear success in that my husband and I enjoyed a warm and satisfying meal, I have lunch in the fridge for a day or two, and my craving was sated!

For the boys, I made some simple curried lentils, with spices managed expertly by my trusty assistant and oldest son. (post to follow)

Happy cooking!

It was that time of week again – we were running low on broth, which is a staple in much of our cooking. I pulled our last chicken out of the freezer (a 3lb organic, free-range bird delivered by Harvest Local Foods) and left it to defrost in the fridge overnight.

With the recent onslaught of snow and ice, I was home with the boys for the better part of the week, so I was looking for a solution that didn’t require my watchful eye as much as the usual endeavor of boiling, skimming, and adding water as needed over a 6-24 hour period.

With this in mind, it dawned on me that I’ve never roasted a chicken in my crock-pot. A perfect stroke of serendipity! The results were quite yummy, so I thought I’d share this lengthy (it takes a good day to fully execute) but simple recipe in two parts.

*Note: For reference, I use a 6QT Slow Cooker (not worth noting the brand)

Roasted Chicken

One 2-4lb chicken (thawed)
2-3T ghee, melted (optional)
2 medium onions, chopped
6-8 small cloves of garlic
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 pieces of orange (or clementine) peel (optional)
Small handful of sea salt (mineral rich salts are best)
1T thyme, dried (or a couple fresh sprigs)

Place the chicken in the crock-pot. Add the chopped onions and garlic (I also added some of these to the chicken cavity) then arrange the carrots, celery, and orange peel around the outer edge. If using ghee, slice through the skin in a few places and drizzle over the bird. Scatter salt and thyme evenly over everything, and cover. At this point, wash your helpful toddler’s hands, if by chance s/he was petting the chicken at any point during the process! Cook for 8-10 hours on low. The chicken will make its own liquid.

Next step: Allow the contents to cool and remove the chicken from the pot, leaving the drippings and veggies. (Be careful – it WILL fall apart!) Remove the meat from the bones and store in a separate container (or serve).

Chicken Bone Broth

Bones from the above chicken
6-8 cups of filtered water
2T raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
An extra dash of sea salt (optional)

Place the bones and any salvageable cartilage back into the crock-pot. Add the water, vinegar, and salt. Let everything sit for 1 hour while the vinegar draws more minerals from the bones, then cook on low for an additional 8-10 hours. Allow the broth to cool and then strain into a large bowl through a fine mesh strainer. If you prefer to reduce the fat content, place the bowl in the fridge for a few hours and the fat will rise to the surface and solidify, at which point you can easily remove it. Otherwise, ladle the broth into storage containers (preferably glass) and put away. I usually keep a large container in the fridge for the week and freeze smaller containers for later.

Making homemade broth is a wonderful way to use your entire chicken. It is delicious and easy to use in many different dishes; adding healthful minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and trace minerals, joint-supporting glucosamine and chondroitin, gut-healing gelatin and healthy fats. It is also a delicious warm beverage, especially on a bitter winter day.

As for the pieces of roasted chicken, they are great for snacking and an excellent addition to sautéed veggies. If you eat rice, a good “cook ahead” meal that keeps well is rice cooked in broth with chicken added.

Waste not, want not! Have Fun and be creative!

Let’s face it. The weather of late has been downright gloomy. My face had been feeling droopy for a week, but the day came that it was too heavy to muster even a half-smile. My mind was fuzzy, my chest was hollow, and I wanted to sink to the floor and just sleep. I was sure it was the gray day and that I simply hadn’t been getting outside enough. I tried to take a nap. The feelings got worse.

As a side note, in case you haven’t browsed this whole website, our family eats a whole foods diet, rich in protein and vegetables. We cook and eat based on Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions and Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride’s Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet (GAPS).

My mind started racing, “This has been going on for too many days. Do I need to invest in a sun lamp? Am I sinking into a serious depression? Did I get glutened?”

Here is a rundown of my symptoms:

1) Heavy fatigue, even after a seemingly good night’s sleep (though most are not, with two little ones…)
2) Foggy brained
3) Headaches
4) The blues
5) Grumpy
6) Cold hands and feet (more than usual)

True to form, it took hitting a really bad point to realize, I’m ANEMIC.

Thinking I’d change things up, I had skipped the animal protein portion of our meals for a few days because I was feeling heavy and “meated-out.” The dishes I prepared contained legumes and dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, collard greens, chard), along with an assortment of carrots, broccoli, asparagus and cauliflower. Unfortunately, as I always experience, if I go more than three days without, I start to feel crummy. Assuming that I’m not the only one who experiences the “surprise” of anemia, for whatever reason, I wanted to share. Take time to “check-in” with yourself!

The solution? Unless I have some local pastured liver on hand (we can occasionally get chicken and beef), my “go to remedy” (aka quick fix) is Floravital – the yeast and gluten free version of Floradix. I usually notice a marked difference within an hour.

On the flip side, ‘tis ALSO the season for illness and winter blues (Seasonal Affective Disorder), so it’s certainly worthwhile to up your intake of Vitamins A and D if you haven’t already. What works best for us is Fermented Cod Liver Oil.

Some other food sources of Vitamin A:

• Carrots
• Liver
• Spinach (cooked to make the vitamins more accessible)
• Sweet Potato
• Kale
• Collard Greens

And Vitamin D:

• Wild Salmon
• Mackerel
• Tuna
• Sardines
• Shrimp
• Eggs

And a simple recipe for you liver lovers out there…

Liver and Onions

2C (approx) Bone Broth
1 Large Onion
1-1.5 lb Liver
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat ¼ Cup of broth in a pan and add onions. Continue cooking and stirring as the broth cooks down, adding more broth, a little at a time, until the onions are very soft and starting to get a caramel color. Add the liver and flip when it looks to be about half done. Cook for another minute or two, checking doneness by slicing into a thick part. Best if not overcooked. Season to taste.

Collard greens showed up on the list at Harvest Local Foods this week, so I added them to our order, excited to break up our recent streak of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts.

A sturdy loose-leafed cruciferous vegetable in the family of broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale, collards can stand up to serious cooking and make for a nutritious and delicious addition to winter meals.  They also pair well with fats, so when I saw the pan of drippings left over from our morning treat of Niman Ranch Bacon, I knew exactly what I was making for dinner…

Oh, and if vitamins A, B, and C (just to name a few) aren’t enough, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have recently discovered that 3,3′-Diindolylmethane in Brassica vegetables such as collard greens is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity. Nice!

Ingredients

Olive Oil
2C Butternut squash, chopped
6 Cloves of garlic, minced
1lb Chicken (preferably free range, cut of choice)
6-8C Collard Greens, chopped with stems removed
1 large onion, thinly sliced
A few Tablespoons of bacon drippings, ghee, or other oil
15oz Can of Organic Coconut milk (knowing the risks of canned food, coconut milk remains one of my few “canned crutches” – I’ll explore homemade coconut milk later this year!)
Half of a lemon (optional)

Prepare a pan and arrange the chicken to bake. Toss the squash and half of the garlic in some olive oil, and place evenly around the chicken. Salt as desired, and bake at 350-400 until done. Chop the chicken (and squash if necessary) into half inch pieces.

In a sauté pan, heat your bacon drippings, butter, ghee, coconut oil or whatever you fancy. Add the remainder of the garlic, and stir until fragrant. Reduce the heat to medium and toss in the onion. Stir until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Mix in the collards and stir until cooked down (a few minutes). Salt to taste, and add in the can of coconut milk. Return to a boil, then simmer, stirring periodically until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the chicken and squash, add a good squeeze of lemon (if you’d like) and fold in to coat. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes, then serve warm.

Serves 3-4.

*Low allergen recipe

I wanted Indian Food today. I longed for it, in fact. But I restrained myself and resisted the siren song of Minar Palace and Lovash…

Instead, I scoured the kitchen and cobbled together what I could to satisfy the craving for spicy warmth and a full belly.

Here is what we had for dinner!

Ingredients

3T ghee
2T cumin (or to taste)
1/2 medium onion (chopped)
1-3 cloves of garlic (minced)
5 thin slices of fresh ginger
3T curry powder
2t garam masala
1 carrot (sliced)
2 pieces of celery (chopped)
3C broth, water, or a combination
2C green lentils (I was lucky enough to snag a few bags of sprouted lentils from truRoots on sale a few weeks ago)
2C garbanzo beans (cooked)
1.5C tomato sauce
cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt (to taste)

Instructions

I recommend reading through this next paragraph before getting started. As I review it, I realize it might be a bit meandering for those new to these ingredients, but familiarity brings the simplicity to the surface!

Melt the ghee in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Toss in the cumin (pause and stir), garlic, and ginger and cook until fragrant. Breathe it in and enjoy! (my favorite part) Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the onions. Keep stirring for a few minutes until they start to look translucent. Add the curry powder and garam masala and stir to coat everything in the pan. Things will get pasty, so I like to add 1 cup of the liquid here to “deglaze.” Cook for another minute, then toss in the carrots and celery. Keep cooking and stirring, and adding liquid as needed until things start to look like the flavors are coming together (i.e. the celery and carrots are softening slightly). Add your garbanzo beans, then check your lentils for stones and add to the mix, always stirring. Add the rest of the liquid. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer, uncovered and stirring periodically for 30 minutes. (for sprouted lentils, reduce cooking time a bit) Add your tomato sauce, bring back to a boil, then simmer another 15-20 minutes, still stirring. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste (I like to add the salt and pepper as I go and keep tasting, but you can do it all at the end as well). Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve plain, or over rice.

Serves 4-6.

*gluten free, low allergen recipe

Most days, I work for 8 hours at my desk, in front of a screen. It’s not optimal on many levels, and is especially trying when juggling meal prep before meeting my kids at school. And let’s face it, if you have kids, cooking always has its challenges!

I’m very fortunate, however, to work from home. The goal of the year (since this new schedule began) has been to devise some weekday meals that require only a little prep when I go down for my lunch break. Roasted meats and veggies are a staple.

A good amount of our meats come from Highview Farm in Budd Lake, New Jersey. A little plug about this farm from the Harvest Local Foods website:

Linda and Mike McKay-Geren have been raising sheep, pigs, and goats on their North Hanover farm since 2005. With the help of USDA grant money and a five-year contract for USDA consulting, Linda and Mike have installed numerous systems for increasing sustainability. Their pigs, for example, drink from a “fountain” they activate with their snouts that is attached to an underground water system that provides a continual source of fresh water. They are an “Animal Welfare Approved” facility and sum up their philosophy on their website: “Highview Farm’s production is limited because we care about our products, our animals and our friends who consume them.”

I also use yarn from their sheep, but I’ll save that for another post!

To be fair…

Our beets came from Hidden View Organics in Quarryville, PA.
Our onions came from Landisdale Farm in Jonestown, PA.
Our carrots came from Deep Root Organic Cooperative in Vermont.

Ingredients

1 lb fresh sausage (simple is key – meat and a few spices)
1 lb beets, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
olive oil
salt
pepper

Toss the chopped veggies in olive oil and salt and pepper. Lay the sausage out on your pan, leaving a space in the middle, and place your vegetables in the space as evenly as possible.

Broil at 500 for 20-30 minutes, stirring the vegetables at regular intervals, and flip the sausage about half way through. Cooking times may vary, so know your oven and keep an eye on your food!

*Note: This was NOT enough food for my family of four…It’s amazing what two preschoolers can eat! So I’d say, serves 3ish.