Piña Colada Kabobs

The flavor reminds me of summer and Hawaii and delicious.  Such a fun treat, with a great presentation, yet quick and easy.  Pineapples are one of those fruits that you should smell before you buy. It should have the aroma of a fresh pineapple without any hints of mustiness. The stronger the pineapple scent, the juicier the fruit will be.  Yellowing is also a good sign of ripeness.  Some people pull out a leaf and according to the resistance know if it is a good one.

Many people don’t buy fresh pineapple because they don’t know how in the world they would cut it.  I prefer to slice the bottom and top off, stand up on its end and then cut down the sides with a carving knife to get most of the brown off, small bits do not bother me.  I cut this in half lengthwise and each half in half again, then trim the middle core like an apple.  The core is a bit woody, but has great flavor, so it is great for juicing and even smoothies.  Throw them in the freezer if you don’t have immediate plans for them. If I am going for bite-sized pieces to snack on, I slice each quarter into four slices and dice into the common “tidbits.” For this recipe I slice each quarter into thirds, so it will make six kabobs.

½ pineapple

1/2 batch coconut cream frosting

1 cup shredded coconut (toasting is optional)

6 skewers

Slide a skewer into each wedge.  Pat the back of the wedge with a paper towel, spread with one tablespoon frosting and press into a bowl of shredded coconut.  Repeat with each wedge and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sourdough Banana Bread

Remake recipes.  This is what I do.  I love sourdough.  It is so basic and traditional and completely opposite of the modern food ideal.  Sour, dense, slow verses sweet, light and fast.  It really doesn't take long to get your tastes to change and there are many tricks to get you over the hump.  Some of my ideas are; add more sugar to start our and ease back slowly, use white flour to start and slowly start substituting whole grain flour for more and more, let your dough sour for 8 hours, then add conventional yeast for a fast final rise.

I am still new at this, however, so when I want to make sourdough banana bread for the first time, I need a place to jump from.  In this case, I used my super yummy Sourdough Chocolate Cupcake recipe.  Cut back on the oil and sugar because bananas are sweet and moist, then add more flour to compensate for the liquid the banana puree contributes.  Obviously there is a longer bake time, so I had to play around with that.  Now I don't mind when the bananas get old.

1 cup freshly fed sourdough starter
1 cup raw milk
3 cups spelt flour
3/4 cups coconut sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 cups over ripe banana puree
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Mix starter, milk and flour. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 6-8 hours. Don’t worry if it doesn’t get really bubbly. Cream together sugar and eggs. Add oil, banana puree, vanilla, salt and baking soda smooth. Add half of sourdough mixture and pulse 3 times. Scrape out remaining mixture and pulse until thoroughly mixed but do not whip vigorously. The texture is quite gloppy. Ladle into 2 small, greased (with coconut oil) bread pans and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan to cool. Delicious to eat when it is still warm with a pad of butter, but if storing, it is best to cool completely before slicing.
links; Pennywise Platter, Things I Love Thursday, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Foodie Friday, Finer Things Friday, GCC Recipe Swap

Cheesy Kale Chips

My kale chips have evolved already.  We have a lot of kale still, so I have done a lot of experimenting.  The simple recipe that I started out with was fine for crushing and sprinkling on pizza, sandwiches and noodles. Two of my kids actually ate them plain in large quantities, I was impressed, but there was a definite after taste that kept me from snacking.

One of my readers had mentioned a local olive mill that makes great olive oil. A few weeks after, my Backyard Farmer was offering their lovely products.  I was hooked instantly and started trying my new dipping oil (a blend of extra virgin olive oil, basalmic vinegar and herbs) on everything.  You know it ended up on kale and made them delicious on their own.  Now all three kids downed them.  I snacked some and sprinkled liberally on many plates.  We went through 3 lbs of kale in a week.  I was happy with making the rest of my plants this way to get them out of my garden for the season.

But a couple weeks later, at the Phoenix Farmer’s Market, we got a sample of kale chips with more substance.  After checking the ingredients, I said no, thank you to the 3 ounce bag for 7 bucks and soon after pulled up a plant to get started on my own.  They were an instant hit.  I had to keep the kids (and myself) from eating too much at a time.  Even my husband thought they were pretty good and he is an avid anti-kale person.

I used my awesome dehydrator that I got for my birthday.  The first batch I did raw and the second I decided to heat to 150 degrees.  The end result was hardly any different.  Raw kale, although full of enzymes, can be hard on digestion and thyroid.  I was reminded of this when the kids wanted me to come see what they did in the toilet.  A low heat bake is a happy medium.

So, what makes these cheesy?  Not cheese!  I used ground raw cashews (that I soaked and dehydrated first) and nutritional yeast.  At the market, they also added red pepper.  The nuts stick to the kale making the chips thicker and sweeter with a cheesy tang.  Love it!

2 lbs kale

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup raw cashews, ground

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Strip the kale from the tough stems, wash, dry and set aside.  Make a dressing in a large bowl with the oil, lemon juice and salt.  Toss kale to coat.  Sprinkle with fine ground nuts and nutritional yeast.  Toss again.  Place kale in a single layer on dehydrator sheets or baking pan.  Dehydrate for 2 hours at 150 degrees or bake for 1 hour at 200 degrees, turning halfway through cook time.
links; Hearth and Soul Hop, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Works For Me Wednesday, Encouragement is Contagious

Herbed Smoked Salmon Yogurt Cheese Spread

Have you made yogurt cheese?  It is a great way to make your yogurt thicker to any degree.  Just pour into a fine cheese cloth, tie the ends, let it hang and drip into a bowl (I use a wide vase)  A short drip of 2-4 hours will just give you a creamier yogurt like a Greek yogurt.  4-6 hours yields a great sour cream replacement that makes great veggie dips.  To make a cream cheese consistency, you will need to drip for 6 hours, open cloth, scrape, stir and turn contents to loosen, then drip 4 more hours. For this recipe I used a cheese somewhere between sour cream and cream cheese.

4 ounces smoked salmon

1 small shallot, finely minced

¼ cup fresh herbs, minced

4 ounces yogurt cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour to let flavors meld.  Spread on a fresh English muffin.
links; Hearth and Soul Hop, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Monday Mania, Happy Homemaker Monday, Menu Plan Monday

Chia Pudding

For breakfast, a snack, dessert or a cute, green furry pet. Ch-ch-ch-chia.

While the chia seed is not cheap, when you look at it's nutritional profile it kinda is.  It contains more iron than spinach, more antioxidants than blueberries, more fiber than beans, more calcium than milk, and more potassium than bananas. Not to mention that it is a complete protein and an excellent source of omega three's.  This is a super food in it's own right and versatile as all get out.

Add a couple tablespoons to your smoothies. Use to thicken sauces by just mixing in the seeds (about 1 tablespoon per 1/2 cup) and letting the mixture set up for 20 minutes.  You can make a "chia gel" by mixing 2 tablespoon seeds and 1 cup water, refrigerate overnight.  This gel is flavorless, will keep for a month and can be used in yogurt, salsa, soups, and salad dressings.  Chia gel is also a great egg replacement; 1/4 cup gel equal 1 egg in a recipe.

 One of my favorite uses for chia seeds is chia pudding.  A really flexible recipe.  You can go basic with just the seeds milk and sweetener.  Vanilla adds a nice flavor and I love the spices, but you could also go chocolate by mixing in 2 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder, this would slightly hide the brown specks in the pudding.  My favorite milk to use in fresh coconut milk, almond milk is excellent, but cow's milk or goat's milk would do the trick too.  As always; the creamier the better!

3 cups milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a quart jar.  Stir well and refrigerate overnight.  Especially great with sliced strawberries, bananas, peaches or mangoes mixed in before serving.

How do you like your chia?
links; Hearth and Soup Hop, Menu Plan Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Happy Homemaker Monday, Monday Mania, Fight Back Friday, Recipe Swap, Finer Things Friday

Orange Julius

Thanks to my eldest, we keep pretty stocked in the fresh squeezed orange juice department.  He has got a love for gadgets and has taken a liking in to my grandma's simple little electric juicer.  I can't believe that thing is keeping up!

The orange juice is amazing, but straight juice can be a little hard on the system in quantity. So I formulated this healthy beverage that is more balanced and nourishing.

I have been using coconut milk because we got two fresh coconuts in our bountiful basket last week.  You could use almond milk or whole milk.  The egg adds extra creaminess, flavor and beefs up the snack.  I have read about raw egg whites blocking absorption of B vitamins, so you may want to research that to decide if you want to leave that out.  Sweetener is also optional, it is not entirely necessary, but if you have a sweet tooth, a little bit of maple syrup or coconut sugar makes it a nice treat.  I have found that honey is hard to incorporate with cold things.

I haven't had a real Orange Julius in more than 10 years. It is probably more accurate to say this is my first real orange julius since the establishment serves something that is hardly real.  It is made with orange juice concentrate and a lot of powders.  One is called a "flavor enhancer" and contains;  Modified whey solids, maltodextrin, egg white solids, sugar, karaya gum, natural and artificial flavors, corn syrup solids, guar gum, modified food starch, dipotassium phosphate, titanium dioxide, xanthan gum, dextrose.  Yikes!! Apparently much of this stuff is illegal in Canada because the chain has to use a different formula there which only has six of the fourteen ingredients.

2 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup milk or yogurt
1 cup ice
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
maple syrup or coconut sugar(optional)

Blend all ingredients well and serve.

We got a Magic Bullet from my mother in law for Christmas and it makes these extremely well :)
links; Simple Lives Thursday, Cooking Thursday, Things I Love Thursday, Finer Things Friday, Frugal Friday, Fightback Friday, Recipe Swap, Fresh Bites Friday.

Kale Chips

I have these 3 big kale plants in my garden, my side salads a couple times a week were not making a dent in them.  I remembered hearing about cooking it up in the oven into crispy chips.  One afternoon I made a batch with my 5 year old, Brik, who loves to help in the kitchen.  Brik has been looking for something that he can make and sell like his big brother.  I told him that after we finished the first batch he would need to eat a serving to see if it tasted good because he can only sell things that are yummy :)

He agreed that it did, he has made a few batches on his own and has earned $5.  Here is his very own instructional video;


links; Fightback Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Foodie Friday, Frugal Friday, Finer Things Friday, Recipe Swap

Waste Not {Pears}

After canning over half of my 50# load of the most lovely bartlett pears, I tinkered out.  Peeling, quartering, coring, boiling syrup, filling jars and carefully wiping the rims, all by myself…for days.  Next day I decided to do the rest without peeling, it made a huge difference in time.  I had a good amount left that was not going to fill another canner load, so I decided to experiment with dehydrating.

I removed the stems and sliced them whole, vertically, with my mandoline at 1.5mm.  Next, I laid them out in a single layer on large cooling racks and placed them in the sunshine.  They took one full day of Arizona summer sun to dry sufficiently.  At this point they were barely pliable and so delicious!  I was surprised as how yummy they turned out, much better than dried apples and peaches.

 

If I did a lot of these, I would keep them in the freezer for long term storage to be assured they wouldn’t go bad incase there is still some moisture left.  It was surely a great way to preserve, we all loved them to munch on for a snack, but if we had copious amounts, I would make a galette and other fun baked goods.  8 large pears, once dried, took up the space of one quart jar.  I bet pears would make good fruit leather too, anyone tried it?

Links; Fight Back Friday, Finer Things Friday, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday

Waste Not {Apricots}

I am happy to say that I had the opportunity to move around 1000 pounds of local, organic, tasty apricots a few weeks ago. I am learning so much about farming and how the business really works. Items come into season slowly and go out quickly just as they hit their peak. The Backyard Farmer is a company that I use to get high quality fresh produce delivered. The owner works with many local farms to offer a good variety of fruits and vegetable. It has been a privilege to get advice on growing my own garden, sample some interesting varieties (Armenian cucumbers, yard beans) and most of all, unload his excess.

When apricot season came to an end, one of the farmers The Backyard Farmer works with gave him permission to clean off his trees. The fruit so abundant and ripe, it was attracting birds, which deteriorates its quality. Sorting the fruit simply took too much time for it to be worth selling. After a full day of pro bono work, the waste was reduced by about half. Even thought it was grueling and unprofitable, The Backyard Farmer, with his heart of gold is talking about doing it again at the end of peach season, which is soon., I have my fingers crossed.

If you are in the area of Mesa, AZ, get on my Local Finds email list to get notified of all the good deals I am finding in my area. And if you have ordered from The Backyard Farmer, leave a comment with your most favorite item he has brought to your door. Or email me for his latest order form and leave a comment with the item you are most excited to receive.

It was intoxicating to spend days with those apricots, pumping out some glorious treats from my kitchen. Of coarse we at ourselves sick, with enough apricots to account for our lunch. Next, I froze some on a sheet pan and later bagged them to have them handy for smoothies, ice cream and future desires. I made around 30 pints of apricot-honey jam using Pomona’s Pectin. I did a simple cooked sauce with pureed apricots and honey to taste for pancakes and crepes, then thickened some with arrowroot powder and used it in the center of some breakfast rolls. My favorite thing to do when I have an abundance of ripe fruit is fruit leather and apricots make the best fruit leather.

Too simple, I verbally repeated this “recipe” to almost everyone who came to my door that apricot-y day.

Fruit Leather
8 cups fruit puree
1/3 cup honey

Combine fruit and honey in a large blender. Pour about 2 cups onto a silicone baking mat or plastic wrap lined half sheet pan. Spread mixture evenly to about ½ inch from the sides. Set out in the scorching hot sun for a full day or dehydrate per dehydrator instructions or until just tacky to the touch. Peel off of the fruit and cut or store whole rolled up in parchment paper. I like to trim the edges, which store in a separate bag and eat first. You could cover you pan’s with cheese cloth while they are outside, just be careful that the cloth doesn’t touch the puree. I leave it uncovered and just pick out the little leaves that get stuck in it from the wind. It really doesn’t have to be scorching hot, it just may take longer of it is below 85 degrees, and will not work if it is very humid.

This post is part of GNOWFGLINS Tuesday Twister and Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday's

Summer Cooking Bonus Lesson

After watching this video, I am convinced it is a genius idea. Clear and concise videos and print material to guide you through recipes and techniques in the comfort of your own home! What could be better? The Nourished Kitchen is starting an online cooking class June 1. This ecourse is all about how to cook real food including; soaking grains, sourdough breads, pickling and fermenting, homemade stocks, water kefir, cheese, salad dressing, menu planning and more.

My first grader is in a 2 week summer camp and needs to bring the requested "non-perishable" snack each day. There are not a lot of health options out there as real food spoils. I made these "lara bars" this morning using Jenny's simple instructions for my son to get some real sustenance each day at camp instead of a hand full of food-like substance. I found the print material very helpful to refer to not only the recipe from the video, but also a chart that gave me options to use different fruits and nuts in the recipe. You will also find all the hows and whys for soaking nuts and seeds along with some great worksheets for you to write up your own thoughts and recipes using her formula.

I love that my enrollment includes lifetime access to the materials so I can go back and refresh and not be pressured to get through it all by a certain time. Life is crazy and things come up, especially in the summertime. I am excited to start browsing this Tuesday and being inspired to do new things, or old things in a new way.

Take a look at the bonus lesson and see if it is something that might be for you too. If you enroll through any link on my site I will get credit for the sale, but I am only promoting the e-course because I truly feel it is valuable information that will help you navigate traditional cooking with real food in this fast food world.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Working with butternut squash can be quite a chore when you don’t have the right tools. First off you will want a sturdy vegetable peeler, that is comfortable to hold, is sharp and has a swivel blade that can easily run along the squash’s wide curves. If you tire, get blisters, peel off (your)skin, get frustrated or take more than 3 minutes to peel your squash, you need a new peeler.

Next would be a real knife that is made with German steel, properly maintained with a honing steel and regular sharpening. I like a 7 inch chef’s knife, mine is made by J. A. Henckels. If you have to exert a dangerous amount of force while slicing the squash in half or the metal flexes, creating a concave slice, it is time to get yourself a better tool.

I also like a grapefruit spoon to scrape the inners out. The serration and the curve of the spoon make the task of removing the stringy mess a breeze.

One of the main purposes for roasting vegetables (opposed to steaming) is to draw out moisture, which concentrates flavor. If you have a convection setting on your oven, this would be the perfect application to use it. Convection baking moves the air around more for even baking and browning.

2 lb butternut squash
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (convection if possible). Peel squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place one half on cutting board flat side down. Make one inch slices horizontally all the way down the length of the squash, then cut each slice into 1 inch cubes. Toss in oil to coat, arrange cut squash in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish or snack.

Feel-Good Granola

I have had a hard time finding the right granola. The bars of coarse have all the icky vegetable oils and high fructose corn syrup, tasty, conveniently packaged, deceptive health food. There are tons of “natural granolas” that use less refined oils and sweeteners, but still contain lower quality ingredients for a sky high price. Besides, I always feel yucky after eating any more than a handful. Come to find out, oats are SUPER high in this new common term “phytic acid.” Along with nuts that are heavy in enzyme inhibitors—this stuff is just plain hard to digest.

Granola is great to have on hand for a filling, shelf stable snack and a quick breakfast cereal. Commercial boxed breakfast cereals are dangerously toxic. It is so sad that so many people are eating these every day, sometimes twice a day, most of the time doubling or tripling the serving size. The media and FDA have pushed these boxes as health food. Sadly, even the low sugar, color-free, natural and organic brands are making us sick. The problem is with the way that the grain is processed; high temperature, high pressure. This process of extrusion destroys nutrients and fatty acids and renders the amino acids toxic.

This has been such a wonderful replacement for us. Same great sweetness, crunch and shelf life of the boxed variety with none of the awful effects. When I have this for breakfast I am so satisfied, for a long time. The food is easy to digest and the nutrients are easily absorbed because proper care is taken in the preparation. I love that I can keep this raw by dehydrating instead of baking. Do yourself a big favor and master the art of nourishing granola making.

4 cups rolled grains (I use oats, barley and rye) THE MUSH

1/2 cup whole flax seeds
1/2 cup whole millet
1/2 cup kefir (vinegar or lemon juice)
5 cups water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sucanat
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 cup raisins
1 cup previously soaked and dehydrated walnuts
1/2 cup sprouted kamut flour

In a large bowl, place rolled grains, flax seed and millet. Add kefir and water, mix, cover and let soak on counter for 12 to 24 hours. The mixture will become a bowl of mush. Place mixture in a mesh strainer and rinse well. In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, syrup, cinnamon and salt. Fold in rinsed mush, coconut, raisins, nuts and flour. Spread out in a thin layer on 3 lined baking sheets. Bake on lowest oven setting until dry, turning as needed. I used my oven’s dehydrating setting at 115 degrees to preserve the enzymes and turned about every 6 -8 hours for 24 hours. The higher the heat, the more you turn and the less time it takes to dry.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet potatoes are super nutritious and extremely versatile. We love baked sweet potato fries and whipped sweet potatoes with cinnamon and butter, but have you tried them cold? Liberty Market in Gilbert has this awesome sweet potato salad that I have been working to recreate. I feel I am close enough to call it just as good even if it is not quite the same. It is slightly smoky, salty and sweet with a little kick.

The flavors take a few hours to marry, so this is best to make a day or two ahead. I love having a bowl of it ready to serve up for a quick snack or a side with lunch. I think these sweet potatoes would even be great as a thanksgiving side instead of the ewwy gooey marshmallow kind. This would free up oven space for that nice free range turkey and yummy homemade butter rolls!

Chipotle peppers are spicy (they are smoked jalapeños), you can adjust it to your taste. One pepper is just enough to notice, but not at all overpowering. I get the peppers in a can and puree the whole thing, then freeze it in tablespoon portions since I never use a whole can at once and never use them whole, it is a convenient way to use them. 1 tablespoon is equal to about 1 pepper.

3 pounds sweet potatoes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, pureed

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup dried cranberries

½ cup pecans, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (convection works best). Peel and cut potatoes into 1” pieces. Toss to coat with 2 tablespoon of olive oil and arrange in a single layer on two baking sheets. Roast for 35 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons oil, pepper puree, vinegar, salt and pepper to make a dressing. Combine cranberries, pecans, chives and cooked sweet potatoes in a medium bowl, drizzle with dressing, cover and refrigerate until chilled.

How do you like your sweet potatoes?

links; Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Green MONSTER Popsicles

I wasn’t going to post this because I thought my kids were crazy for gobbling them up the way they do. But then we took some up to my inlaw’s cabin where there were some “regular kids” and they gobbled them up too. So I thought I'd better share this one.

When I came up with this concoction I was just trying to make them really green and green they are! It is basically a smoothie, but I leave out the kefir since most of the good cultures are killed once frozen anyway. The ingredients can be fresh or frozen before added to the blender, if mostly frozen add 3/4 cup of water instead of ice. If you don’t have the stevia, use a healthy sweetener like honey. You'll want to send them outside to eat these, ‘cause that green will stain.

1 avocado
1 banana
2 kale leaves
3 cups spinach
1 pineapple core
2 whole kiwi’s
dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 pinches dulse
1 cup ice
1 dropper orange flavored stevia

Blend all ingredients well in blender, pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours. This makes 8 for us, if there is some left over I just drink it down.

If you are too scared to try this recipe, start out with this one:

Purple DINO Popsicles
1 cup blueberries
1 mango
1/2 avocado
dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 pinches dulse
2 leaves kale
2 cups ice
1-2 tablespoons honey.

Blend all ingredients well in blender, pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours.

What healthy alternative treat do you make that all kids go ga-ga for?

Black Bean Salad

Beans are so healthy, they have it all; the fiber, the protein, lots of vitamins, minerals and protective phyto-chemicals. I have been learning about the benefits of soaking grains and beans in a slightly acid solution. The purpose is to neutralize the phytic acid which blocks absorption of some of the minerals. Just a tablespoon of kefir, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar per cup of beans in the the soaking liquid for 12-24 hours does the trick. Of coarse they cook up faster this way too.

Black beans are so versatile as they are fairly small and become soft while holding their shape. The texture blends well with lots, try them in sloppy joes, shepard's pie, tacos or enchiladas. I added quinoa to my salad, another power house, which is totally optional. It should be soaked and cooked separately. I cooked it for 2 minutes in my pressure cooker. I bet avocado would be good in this too. I love the light dressing, it brightens the flavor of the salad/salsa.

1 pressed garlic clove
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups black beans (cooked)
1 cup corn (I like the roasted corn from Trader Joe's the best)
½ cup cooked red quinoa
¼ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

Whisk together garlic, vinegar, oil, honey and spices to form a dressing. Combine all other ingredients, pour dressing over and toss. Serve as a side dish alone, with chips or in tacos.

This post is part of Kitchen Stewardship's October Fest Carnival of Super Foods, Whole Foods for the Holidays

Ranch Dressing

Contrary to popular belief, homemade ranch dressing is not a packet of seasoning mixed with prepared mayonnaise and pasteurized buttermilk at home. I will credit this as a step in the right direction, however. The prepackaged bottles are far worse, using low quality vegetable oils and lots of preservatives to stand the test of time. Steer clear, for they are a health hazard.

Ranch is the most likeable of all the salad dressings. It imparts good clean flavor, a hint of sweetness and a creamy base. I formulated my ranch dressing around these loveable attributes. The purpose of a dressing is to aid in the consumption of more vegetables. So dip away, my friends.

1/2 cup kefir (or buttermilk)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 small clove garlic
thin slice of onion
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
1/2 cup mayonnaise

In blender, place kefir, maple syrup or other sweetener, mustard powder, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and parsley. Blend on high for 20 seconds. Add in lemon juice, dill and mayonnaise and blend on low until fully mixed.

Melon Refresher

The best time to eat watermelon is NOW. It tastes the best now, is most nutritious now and is cheapest now, so chow down now. It is hot and we need lots of fluid, melon is perfect for summer.

So simple and delicious. Add honey if you need a sweeter drink, but this time of the year the melons are so sweet on their own. I have tried this with many varieties of melon and they all made an excellent drink.

This recipe makes yummy popsicles too. I just made some last night with yellow honeydew, a bit of kale and dulse. They were a brilliant green and the kids gobbled them up today.

4 cups chopped melon
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon flax oil (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Deprivation

Remember those orange sherbert push-ups from the Schwan’s Man? In an effort from keeping my kids from feeling deprived, we have been making these treats from sugar free spinach and fruit smoothies (this one has blueberries in place of the banana and kiwi). The kids are ga-ga for them. I found the little contraptions at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Living a healthy lifestyle is a process that takes effort. It all starts with our desire, a personal conversion so deep that change is inevitable. Then we must dive into knowledge. Unlearning our bad habits and misinformation and replacing it with sound principles, our own discernment and truth. This learning seems to never stop but does become less overwhelming.

Now we are putting what we learn into practice. Little by little we apply more and more. Finally, we have gone so far past where our society lies and we are frustrated. The constant candy rewards, unhealthy refreshments at the end of events, party after party with nothing to eat but pizza, pop, cake and ice cream and the endless snack foods that are dished out all-you-can-eat style at every turn of the head.

Deprivation leads to rebellion from that which you are deprived. This is especially true for kids who haven’t had the chance to work it all out for themselves yet. This week we are attending a family reunion, which means lots of kids with parents throwing food (and I use that term lightly) at them to keep them happy. We will be going with a bag full of vegetables to off set the toxins they call food and a bag full of healthy snacks to set a good example. Wish me luck.

One Grain at a Time

--Popcorn--
From the first thanksgiving to the Great Depression, State fairs to the .movies; popcorn has been around. This grain was the first “puffed” breakfast cereal. A wonderful whole grain snack food that is easy to prepare. Stay clear of the microwave varieties for the powdered butter flavorings are very harmful to your health. I prefer the use of a whirly pop with a couple teaspoons of coconut oil. Another good option is an air popper.

There are several commercial classifications of corn. Field corn (also called dent corn or cow corn) is fed to animals. Flour corn is mostly starchy center with a soft hull that allows it to be easily ground into flour or cornmeal. Sweet corn is the kind we eat at the dinner table. Flint corn is usually called Indian corn; its colorful kernels make it highly attractive, and it is used for decoration because it is tough and tasteless. Pod corn is also only used for decoration because each of its kernels has its own separate husk.

Cost:
About 7 cents a serving $1.25 per lb.1 lb = 3 cups dry = 36 cups popped = 4 cups flour

To Cook:
The only way to “cook” popcorn is by popping it or baking the flour into baked goods.

To Store:
-Dry-6 months in an air tight container in a cool, dry place. Or freeze indefinitely.
If popcorn is not popping (old maids) place in a quart jar and add 1 tablespoon water, shake well and screw on lid. Shake a couple times throughout the day. On the next day dump onto a towel to absorb surface moisture and store as usual.
-Popped- one day in an airtight container.
-Flour – one week in an airtight container or freeze up to 3 months.

To Use:
- Pop for snacks, treats and to make decorations
- Use flour for cornbread.

Nutritional Value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates 74 g
Dietary fiber 13 g
Fat 4 g
Protein 11 g
Thiamin 0.3 mg 21%
Niacin 1.6 mg 8%
Vitamin B6 0.3 mg 14%
Folate 62 mcg 16%
Pantothenic Acid 0.4 mg 4%
Iron 3.0 mg 17%
Magnesium 123 mg 31%
Phosphorus 299 mg 30%
Potassium 274 mg 8%
Zinc 2.7 mg 18%
Copper 0.2 mg 11%
Manganese 1.0 mg 48%

Green House Smoothie

After years of trying to cover up the green-ness of spinach in smoothies, I have finally decided to embrace the color that epitomizes nutrition. Smoothies are great for packing a big nutrition 1-2 punch. There are TONS of supplemental items that can hide in a nice, smooth, refreshing beverage. This is a sample recipe that even my husband enjoys. If I am making one for just me and the kids I will add a few more goodies, or add them after I have poured him a glass. Smoothies are a chance to get creative, use up what you have. Always remember to freeze produce that is about to go bad and just throw them into the next smoothie.

2 cups kefir
¼ cup flax oil
dash of salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 whole kiwis
2 bananas-frozen
core of 1 pineapple-frozen
3 cups baby spinach
2 cups ice

Place all ingredients in blender for 45 seconds. Turn into “ugly smoothie” by adding frozen berries.

Other goodies:
Seaweed
Nutritional yeast
Hydrated chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Soaked nuts
Coconut oil
Essential oil
Kale
Carrots
Avacado
Beans
Sprouts