This weeks menu was inspired by the latest Bon Appetit I just received in the mail, and a soup book someone loaned me. I also wanted to build out some more freezer meals because I am still making efforts to save time, save money, but feed our family nourishing and whole foods. I pre-made most everything today (Sunday) so this week should be a breeze. And cravings for easy to go food should be obsolete with all this fantastic food in the fridge and freezer!
Sunday: Homemade Italian Sausage (pulled from our freezer reserves) with bell pepper and onions and sauteed kale and dandelion greens
Monday: Arroz con Pollo with mixed green and tangerine salad
Tuesday: Bon Appetit's Root Vegetable and Mushroom Pie (I am doing a gluten free version of the biscuits on top, and I have modifications for the flour they added to the mixture)
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/03/root_vegetable_and_mushroom_pie
Wednesday: Fresh Greens Soup and Leftover Chicken from Monday's Arroz con Pollo
Thursday: Artichoke and Potato Soup with salad
Friday: Leftovers
This week's tip:
Try doubling your soup recipes. If you are a family of two, just make what it calls for and initially freeze half. You will have 2-3 meals ready for you whenever you are in a pinch. If you are a family of one, try partnering up with a friend to split the work, ingredients and risk of trying new recipes. Cook together or meet up to exchange your foods.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Gluten Free Coffee Muffins
Before you throw your arms up and say forget it because it's gluten free, take a look. I don't make things that try to mock a modern version. For example I don't get tofurkey, I don't like most gluten free bread....these are things that you just shouldn't try to replicate if you have a food sensitivity.
That is how I survived the 10 years that I had a sensitivity to milk protein. I ate as many whole foods as possible and tested recipes until I could make them just taste good and not 'ok, but dairy free.
So, these muffins. I was hesitant to try them, but I will tell you they are great! Give them a try next time you have guests over.
Coffee Muffins
Adapted from the "Gluten Free Gourmet Cooks Comfort Foods" by Bette Hagman
Before you start, mix 1 cup garfava flour, 1 cup cornstarch and 1 cup tapioca flour in a storage bin
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour mix
1/2 cup sucanat
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbls melted butter
2 eggs
2 tsp instant espresso
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup chocolate chips (to add right before baking on top of the muffins, otherwise they sink to the bottom)
Cupcake liners
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line muffin tin.
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line muffin tin.
2. In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, coffee and butter together.
4. Add half the flour mixture until just moist. The key with this is not to overmix or beat.
5. Add half the buttermilk, stir lightly.
6. Add the rest of the flour, stir. Then the rest of the buttermilk. Stir lightly.
7. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Top with chocolate chips if you want.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
I would suggest tasting the batter before. It doesn't taste good, so that is not why I am suggesting that. Instead, I just thought it was so cool how the bean taste gets cooked out and how baking is such a science!
According to the original author, each muffin packs 6 grams of protein! Enjoy with some tea or coffee.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
NT Eggplant Relish
Nourishing Traditions page 167 Eggplant Relish
We made this for our Superbowl party and I will say that it was a great addition. Served it with whole wheat pita chips. I love tahini and capers so smothering eggplant in them was heaven. I would suggest making sure you chop everything pretty small. Not into a pulsed paste, but really small chunks. We kept it large and while that was ok, it would have better mouth feel and dipping ability if you had it smaller.
Also, we didn't let the eggplant sit in a colander. I never do this. I think it is usually suggested to draw out the bitter flavor eggplant can have. I have tried both ways and never found a difference. Just make sure your eggplant are relatively young and not super bruised and I think you will be ok.
We made this for our Superbowl party and I will say that it was a great addition. Served it with whole wheat pita chips. I love tahini and capers so smothering eggplant in them was heaven. I would suggest making sure you chop everything pretty small. Not into a pulsed paste, but really small chunks. We kept it large and while that was ok, it would have better mouth feel and dipping ability if you had it smaller.
Also, we didn't let the eggplant sit in a colander. I never do this. I think it is usually suggested to draw out the bitter flavor eggplant can have. I have tried both ways and never found a difference. Just make sure your eggplant are relatively young and not super bruised and I think you will be ok.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Nourishing Traditions Recipe Reviews
You will find that I have added a category called "Nourishing Traditions Recipe Reviews". Basically as I went to go conquer trying things from this book, I found that I didn't know where to start or in some cases, what to actually do. The ingredients, the techniques - they were all new to me. I Googled and came up with a few things, but I still have not found someone who is methodically going through the book, Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon, and reviewing and adding commentary about how to make the recipe better.
I am not going to list the recipe, because I really do think it's a key text to have in your own library. I will be referencing the Revised Second Edition from 2001. This is an easy book to find. Try starting with Amazon.
I am not going to list the recipe, because I really do think it's a key text to have in your own library. I will be referencing the Revised Second Edition from 2001. This is an easy book to find. Try starting with Amazon.
Natasha's Sheppherd's Pie
This is really one of those things that I put together based on flavors I knew were in a regular Shepperd's pie, but I either didn't want to follow an exact recipe or wanted to replace the typical 'white' products with something more nourishing. This is also a great recipe to make on Sunday and quickly re-heat for a nourishing and tasty weeknight meal. Just serve with a salad for a whole meal!
Specifically I did a mix of russet potatoes with sweet potatoes to top it. And I did ground beef and natural chicken livers (you really can't taste them in this application) to give the meat portion more nutrition. I also did a lot more vegetables in the mixture than you would normally find. Lastly, I didn't use flour to thicken the sauce and instead used arrowroot powder. Give it a try! The only thing I would change next time is to find an alternative to the worcestershire sauce. Additional herbs, some tamari and anchovies would probably do the trick if you didn't make your own full on batch of worcestershire.
Serves: 4 large servings or 6 smaller servings
Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely diced
2 stalks of celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 lb beef
1/2 lb natural chicken livers (soaked in lemon juice for 2 hours, rinse and pat dry, remove filament), finely chopped
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 Tbls arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 Tbls worcestershire sauce
1 russet potato
1 sweet potato
Butter (optional)
Cream (optional)
Olive Oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
1. Scrub the russet and sweet potatoes and poke with a knife. Toss in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until they are soft. Set aside and let cool.
2. Over medium heat, warm a bit of olive oil or butter and soften the carrot, onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper as it cooks. Set aside.
3. Warm another tablespoon of olive oil and toss in the beef. When mostly cooked, toss in the livers.
4. A minute after the livers are added, toss in the broth and worcestershire sauce and let come to a boil. Add the arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce is thick enough to leave a line when you run your spoon through it.
5. Combine the meat and vegetables and put in the bottom of a medium casserole dish (I personally like Corningware products).
6. Take the potatoes out of their skins and mash in a bowl. Mix with just olive oil, or butter and cream (don't be afraid of the fat - remember, in moderation it is good for you and will satiate you.
7. Top the meat mixture with the potatoes.
8. Put in oven and bake until warmed through and potatoes are a little crispy on top.
Specifically I did a mix of russet potatoes with sweet potatoes to top it. And I did ground beef and natural chicken livers (you really can't taste them in this application) to give the meat portion more nutrition. I also did a lot more vegetables in the mixture than you would normally find. Lastly, I didn't use flour to thicken the sauce and instead used arrowroot powder. Give it a try! The only thing I would change next time is to find an alternative to the worcestershire sauce. Additional herbs, some tamari and anchovies would probably do the trick if you didn't make your own full on batch of worcestershire.
Serves: 4 large servings or 6 smaller servings
Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely diced
2 stalks of celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 lb beef
1/2 lb natural chicken livers (soaked in lemon juice for 2 hours, rinse and pat dry, remove filament), finely chopped
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 Tbls arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 Tbls worcestershire sauce
1 russet potato
1 sweet potato
Butter (optional)
Cream (optional)
Olive Oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
1. Scrub the russet and sweet potatoes and poke with a knife. Toss in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until they are soft. Set aside and let cool.
2. Over medium heat, warm a bit of olive oil or butter and soften the carrot, onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper as it cooks. Set aside.
3. Warm another tablespoon of olive oil and toss in the beef. When mostly cooked, toss in the livers.
4. A minute after the livers are added, toss in the broth and worcestershire sauce and let come to a boil. Add the arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce is thick enough to leave a line when you run your spoon through it.
5. Combine the meat and vegetables and put in the bottom of a medium casserole dish (I personally like Corningware products).
6. Take the potatoes out of their skins and mash in a bowl. Mix with just olive oil, or butter and cream (don't be afraid of the fat - remember, in moderation it is good for you and will satiate you.
7. Top the meat mixture with the potatoes.
8. Put in oven and bake until warmed through and potatoes are a little crispy on top.
Weekly Menu 2/2/09
This weeks menu was inspired by a desire to make more comfort foods. The weather has been warm actually, but I have just wanted to eat my favorite things. The shepherds pie for example was to satisfy a craving from one of our favorite restaurants, Sullivans, in La Honda where some of the best English food is made in this area. But being the food coach, I also wanted to make these nourishing and balanced, so I added my own twists. Enjoy!
Monday: Natasha's Impromptu Shepherds Pie - Food Coach Style
Tuesday: BBQ chicken with soaked brown rice, sauteed kale and chard and homemade balsamic vinaigrette
Wednesday: Sushi made with nori, brown rice and leftover chicken, spinach salad on the side
Thursday: Baked pork chops, polenta, sauteed greens (spinach, kale, chard) with onions
Friday: Portuguese cookoff with friends - to be determined and I will be sharing recipes with you!
Monday: Natasha's Impromptu Shepherds Pie - Food Coach Style
Tuesday: BBQ chicken with soaked brown rice, sauteed kale and chard and homemade balsamic vinaigrette
Wednesday: Sushi made with nori, brown rice and leftover chicken, spinach salad on the side
Thursday: Baked pork chops, polenta, sauteed greens (spinach, kale, chard) with onions
Friday: Portuguese cookoff with friends - to be determined and I will be sharing recipes with you!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Carnitas
I was skeptical when Ben told me last week that he was going to make homemade carnitas....I just thought 'uhhh'. I like it from the taco shop and I rarely get it because it is so fatty and makes me nauseous, but I do like it. He found the recipe here: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/004198carnitas.php
I will tell you two things about this:
1. This is EASY!
2. This is the best carnitas I have ever had
I really recommend this recipe and I suggest trying this one week. You can use this for tacos, empanada filling, soup, burritos, etc etc etc! With a snappy little salad on the side and some mashed avocado, fresh radishes and fresh made salsa and lime, you can't beat a tastier meal. I wanted to add that we use non GMO corn tortillas in our house. They are readily available, and if you have a choice, why add more junk to your system? You shouldn’t! Most corn, unless otherwise noted, is genetically modified (GMO). I suggest reading Michael Pollan’s The Omnivores Dilemma if you really want a nice picture of how this came about and what it is.
This was a great meal because we got to control how fatty it was, the quality of ingredients and we got to connect with our food.
A true whole food meal with a ton of flavor and love.
I will tell you two things about this:
1. This is EASY!
2. This is the best carnitas I have ever had
I really recommend this recipe and I suggest trying this one week. You can use this for tacos, empanada filling, soup, burritos, etc etc etc! With a snappy little salad on the side and some mashed avocado, fresh radishes and fresh made salsa and lime, you can't beat a tastier meal. I wanted to add that we use non GMO corn tortillas in our house. They are readily available, and if you have a choice, why add more junk to your system? You shouldn’t! Most corn, unless otherwise noted, is genetically modified (GMO). I suggest reading Michael Pollan’s The Omnivores Dilemma if you really want a nice picture of how this came about and what it is.
This was a great meal because we got to control how fatty it was, the quality of ingredients and we got to connect with our food.
A true whole food meal with a ton of flavor and love.
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