Whole Food Meals for Empty Pockets- Wilted Kale Nicoise Salad

Found myself in a time of little money, and a lot of transition.  But skimping on eating healthy food isn't my idea of a good time- broke or not.   So, to the co-op I went, and spent 70$ on food.  To last me until the end of the month.  Thats roughly 23 bucks a week for three weeks. 
So, what can you make that's healthy on a budget like that? 

My biggest concern was how to get adequate healthy protein for my high protein, high fat diet.  I try to stay away from too many grains, but have made an exception during this period to include well soaked and well cooked beans.

I stocked up on organic dry beans (pinto, chickpea and lentils), 4 dozen eggs, cans of wild salmon and tuna, a family pack organic meats on sale when I shopped (that was a family pack of some steaks, chicken thighs, bacon ends, and several soup bones.) 
I also invested in some butter, some kale (2 bunches, and high hopes of including wild foraged greens in my daily fare- including nettles, grape, dandelion, violet.)

I also gratefully accepted some donations from a friend, including some olive oil, vinegar, a chicken, onions, garlic and some other basics. 

So- here's some of the on the cheap meals I'm creating!
Wilted Kale Nicoise Salad
Serves 2

2 c chopped kale leaves
2 boiled eggs
1/2 - 1 can tuna
1-2  c slow cooked chickpeas
1 slice red onion, diced
1/2 c tomato slices (I admit, I splurged at the farm stand- but got a giant bunch of small org farm tomatoes for 2 bucks.)
pepper to taste
1 -2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic or herbal infused vinegar (ACV works too)
(capers, olives, or lactofermented pickles if you have them in the pantry already)

You'll want to start by soaking your chickpeas the night before.  I start cooking them in the morning in plenty of water, on the stove top for 4-6 hrs on low.  A crock pot works just as well.  Add some herbs and spices if you like (thyme, oregano, parsley,garlic etc).  If you're really prepared, you can cook your beans in bone broth!

20 min before your meal, boil two eggs and cool, peel and slice.
Chop your kale and place in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and olive oil, and massage with your hands until well wilted and tender for 5 min. Let rest 10 min.

Dress the salad with the remaining ingredients, and toss well.
Yum!
Eat immediately.  This will save in the fridge for a day, but I like it best fresh, and a bit warm rather than cold.

If you feel extra splurgy, or aren't eating on a budget, a little feta and walnuts would be a nice touch too- but I don't have either right now.  You can use more or less tuna and beans depending on your appetite and how many you are feeding.

This meal is complete with healthy protein from both organic animal and vegetable sources, good quality fats (olive, omega fatty acids from tuna and eggs), and minerals from nutrient dense kale.  A little nettle vinegar will add to the mineral benefits of the salad.  Its filling, not too high in carbohydrates, and a sustaining meal for lunch or dinner.

If you do not like to eat kale raw, even wilted (and this is very common) just steam your kale and dress it with the salad ingredients after cooking.  No problem, it will taste just as delicious.  You could also try this with other seasonal greens available- arugula, dandelion, steamed chard, mustard, steamed nettles.  Hearty greens will respond well to wilting.  And by all means, add some lettuce if you have that around, just don't skimp on the mineral rich deep leafy greens like kale.

Wild Things: Spruce Steamed Baby Artichokes and Spruce Mayonnaise

Rebecca at Crockpots and Cauldrons has a blog round-up or blog party on WILD THINGs each month. This month was devoted to spruce tips.....
So I was all stoked to take part, then i realized, spruce tips are a ways off...so I did spruce needles instead.  I think the tips work better tho.  The needles are poky and stiff even when cooked or blended up.   But nonetheless, the taste is fresh, citrusy and suprisingly delightful! 
Spring is coming soon...and I found baby artichokes at the market. 

So I steamed them with spruce twigs in the water.  It gently flavored the tender baby chokes with a fresh flavor.

Then I used some more spruce needles stripped from the branches to add to a luscious bacon fat based mayonnaise. 

The steamed chokes topped with a creamy fresh mayonnaise were a perfect spring lunch!  Recipe below.



8 Baby artichokes, cleaned and trimmed.
3 Palm sized spruce twigs

Toss the cleaned and trimmed chokes in a steamer basket, and add spruce twigs to the bottom of the pan, with just enough water to cover the twigs.  Turn on medium heat and cover chokes and spruce and water and steam for 20 min.

For the Mayonnaise:
1 c bacon fat, warmed to liquid
1/2 c spruce needles or spruce tips
1-2 slices of preserved lemon
1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk
salt to taste

Whip the eggs,salt, lemon and spruce in a blender, and slowly add in bacon grease, blend until creamy.
Serve over warmed or chilled baby artichokes.

But

Bacon mayonnaise with preserved lemon, rosemary and black pepper

Bacon Mayonnaise with Preserved Lemon, Rosemary and Black Pepper

• 1/2 c bacon grease, warmed to just liquid
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
• 3 slices preserved lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh or dried rosemary
• 1 tsp crack black peppercorns
• pinch of salt to taste

Blend in a blender on high, eggs, lemon and spices.  When fully blended, still on high, drizzle in liquid oils slowly.  Stop the blender when the mayonnaise has fully emulsified and turned creamy.  

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Sesame Ladhu

Sesame Ladhu


One of my favorite treats I learned about from an Ayurvedic practitioner are sesame ladhu, which are rich in minerals ( especially calcium) , healthy fats, warming spices, smooth ghee and fiber rich sesame seeds. I can whip up a batch of these in about 10 min, put them in the fridge for 15-30 min and then enjoy almost right away. It is suggested to eat one ladhu per day for menstrual problems, but I can't seem to keep them around long enough to eat just one a day.
Here's the recipe:

1/2 c whole Sesame seeds — * lightly roasted
1/4 c Jaggery sugar — (raw sugar works just fine too)
25/50g Coconut — grated from block,or use dessicated
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Cardamom — powder or seeds ground
1/2 tsp Ginger — ground
2 tbsp Ghee - warm and runny (you could probably make lovely ladhu with coconut oil or melted butter, but ghee is especially good, Make your own or buy it at the indian grocery.)

Grind seeds in a blender to a coarse powder, then add other items and mix in a blender.
Roll into small balls. I find they fall apart easily so gently round them into a ball and place on plate gently. An ice cream scoop or melon baller would work well too to form these.

refrigerate for 20-30 min, and store covered. Eat one a day ( I bet you can't eat just one. I can't)

*Note: Roast sesame seeds at low heat (electric 2) until they are golden brown for richer toastier flavor; any darker gives a more bitter taste.

*Note: You may want to add other powdered herbs to this blend to make them more therapuetic.  I'd suggest ashwaganda, shatavari, maca, peony, licorice root, schisandra, eluthero, or others.  A twist might add a few cacao nibs in the mix as well.

These are delicious, and everyone in the household can take part in your treat, and enjoy it. They might complain if you eat them all to yourself though, they are that good.

The Incredible Edible Egg Yolk

  The incredible edible egg. Breakfast staple, bakers friend, chicken embryo.  If you are like me, following a whole foods, healthy protein and fat rich diet, while restricting your sugars, grains, and starches- you probably eat a lot of eggs.  Sometimes, even I get tired of eggs at breakfast.  Sure you can scramble, you can fry (in bacon grease even), you can poach, boil, or make an omelette or frittata.  But if that variety isn't cutting it anymore- here's a few more ways to incorporate the nutrient rich egg yolk into your daily life.

Egg yolks are the most nutrient dense part of the egg, weather it be chicken, duck, goose, quail or any other kind of egg you like to eat.  Egg yolks are rich in B vitamins, folate, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Calcium, Phosphorus and Selenium plus loads of brain nutrients choline and lecithin. The yellower the better, so get your yolks from happy chickens that root around eating bugs, seeds and things, not soy feed.  Bonus, eggs from birds fed their natural diet (not soy or corn feed) are rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

Not to worry about the cholesterol and saturated fats in egg yolks, modern science is telling us that sugar, refined carbohydrates and transfats are a more deadly culprit in causing heart disease.

Studies have shown that eating a breakfast high in protein, especially with eggs, can help with weight loss, and a high protein breakfast will set you up for a day without sugar & carb cravings and crashes, full of healthy energy, clear thinking mind and even blood sugar, but don't stop at breakfast.  Eat your yolks any time of day.

here's some ideas to get you started.  Have others? Please share!

1. Make Mushroom Gravy (or add it to any gravy you like)
2.  Make Craving Killer Hot Cocoa- whip up an egg yolk with your cocoa powder, add hot milk or water and a splash of coconut oil! Frothy chocolatey goodness- kills a sugar craving in a hurry.
3.Make Egg Nog- not just for the holidays anymore!
         And you don't need to add the alcohol if you just want a  nourishing delicious drink.  I prefer my nog warm, but I think I'm the only person who does.  But here's a quick and dirty and delicious dairy free nog.
                              Warm in a sauce pan:
                                2 c almond milk
                                1/2 c coconut milk or cream
                              Whisk in 4 egg yolks
                                Beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form, and fold those into the nog just before serving.
                                Top with generous and fresh ground nutmeg, clove and cinnamon to taste.
                                 You may sweeten this if you like with stevia, honey, cane sugar etc.
4. Stir into soup!
           Any soup is enhanced by dropping a fresh egg yolk into the steaming hot bowl of broth.  Stir it around, or leave it be.  It adds body, flavor and nutrients to any soup.  Here's a recipe for Avgolemono soup- Greek egg and lemon soup.
5.  Make hollandaise sauce.  Top veggies with this deliciate and delicious and nutritious sauce.
6. Make custard- pumpkin or coconut, or even herbal infused custard (lavender is delicious!)
7.  Stir into hot cereal.  If you still like a hot bowl of 7 grain cereal on cold winter mornings, one way to up the  nutrient content and protein content of your breakfast is to stir that yolk right into the hot steaming cereal in the bowl.  One or two yolks according to taste.  You can do this with whole beaten eggs as well.
8.  Make mayonnaise.  Bacon mayo is even better than regular, or lard.  Just don't use corn, soy or canola oil to make it.  If you like, you can be creative and add garlic, black pepper, basil or lemon and mint for delicious flavored aioli.

or you can put it in your hair.  Yup, thats right. Egg yolks in your hair.  It makes an amazingly conditioning hair treatment all on its own, but I like to add some honey, and a touch of coconut or jojoba oil to the egg, whip well, and apply generously to damp hair and leave on for an hour or so  (you can add a drop of lavender, rosemary or other essential oil if you desire.)  Rinse thoroughly, but don't shampoo it out, else you loose many of the conditioning benefits of the treatment.

Now, enjoy your eggs!

                                

Healing Foods : Medicinal Mushroom Gravy

Yes, gravy!
Several weeks ago I had dinner with Margi Flint in Marblehead, MA and she made a lovely roast chicken stuffed with herbs, and a most delicious medicinal mushroom gravy.  So she gets credit for the idea, but here's my version that I made to dress our pork roast the other night.

Mushroom teas and extracts take a lot of work to prepare, and aren't always very delicious, but lucky for us Mushroom Harvest has a wonderful ready made, pre-cooked blend of 14 deeply healing medicinal mushrooms as a powder, ready to use in various ways.  Not only is it tasty (much like shitake in flavor- which it contains in spades), but very versatile and easy to use.

Here's the gravy that can be used for roasted veggies, roasted meats, potatoes, rice, or what ever you like gravy on.  Bonus is- it's gluten and dairy free!!


1 c roasted meat drippings
(or sub 1 cup of warm bone broth or seaweed broth and a couple of spoonfuls of fat of choice- butter, ghee, coconut, olive, lard)
3 tbsp cold water or broth
1 heaping tbsp 14 mushroom blend powder
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp tapioca starch
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients except cold water, egg yolk, and tapioca.  Warm until bubbling gently.
Mix tapioca starch, egg yolk and cold water in a cup until dissolved.  Pour slowly while stirring briskly into the bubbling gravy.
Gravy will thicken quickly.  Remove from heat and serve!



Delicious medicine fit for everyday table use!

(edited to add the suggested egg yolk. it is MUCH BETTER with egg yolk!!)

Chicken Pot Pie- Gluten Free

I have fond memories of those individual sized frozen pot pies on cold winter nights as a child.  They way the smell baking in the oven, the fun of a pie all my own, the savory taste of chicken, buttery crust, and sweet carrots.  I started having a bit of a craving for this childhood favorite while visiting family over Thanksgiving. 

Here's the grown up version I came up with tonight- gluten free!  You can make it dairy free as well using coconut oil or lard in place of butter.  I used homemade chicken bone broth that I had cooked with healing herbs like astragalus and burdock, for extra deliciousness and health. 

Crust
2 cups Bobs Red Mill GF Biscuit and Baking Mix 
1 stick of butter or 1/2 c coconut oil or lard
8 tbsp cold water

Cut the butter into the mix until grainy, add water and just bring the dough together.  Roll out on a wax sheet dusted with tapioca flour.


Filling:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1/2 large carrot
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup cubed butternut squash
1/2 c chopped mushrooms

10 oz chicken stock (prefer homemade bone broth infused with herbs)
3 tbsp tapioca starch (dissolved in 1/4 c cold stock)
1 tbsp butter or lard
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp lovage leaf
1 tsp sage leaf

Mix tapioca starch with 1/4 c cold stock.  Warm remainder of stock in a sauce pan with herbs and fat.  Not to boiling, but just to hot.  Add the tapioca starch mixture to the stock to make a thick gravy.

Add chopped chicken and veggies to a large pie pan.  Drizzle the gravy over the veggies. Lay the crust over the chicken and veggies and pinch shut around the edges.  Poke a few holes in the crust with a fork.

Bake at 350 for 1 hr.
Let cool for 30 min before serving. 
Serves a family of 4 generously. 
YUM!

Holiday Goodies and Craving Killer Cocoa Recipe!!

I've got some new goodies available at my Etsy store for the holiday season!!  Chocolate Pomander Lip Balm, Chocolate Mint Lip Balm.  Soon we'll have Spicy Hot Cocoa and her new tasty side kick- Orange Energy Hot Cocoa- with Maca, Ashwaganda and Orange peel for a tasty holiday treat that treats you well on all levels.   These cocoas are made with fair trade organic cocoa, organic cane juice and spices. NO dairy, no gluten!  This is a low sugar blend- just a hint of sweetness to complement the spices and herbs in each blend!  Brew it with your favorite milk (dairy or non) whisk in an egg yolk for extra staying power and enjoy! If you prefer a sugar free version, please just send me a message I'll be happy to whip it up for you!

Try this simple recipe below for the kind of cocoa that kills your cravings and satisfies for hours!

Craving Killer Cocoa

Heat water in a tea kettle to boiling.

In a mug whip together:

• 2 tbsp Spicy Hot cocoa or Orange Energy Hot Cocoa mix,

• pinch of sea salt and/or 10 trace minerals drops

• two or three tbsp of piima cream or other non dairy milk (coconut works especially well)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil or ghee

Slowly pour hot water over the whipped cocoa,c ream, egg  and oil mix gently stirring as you do. Out comes a frothy, foamy, deeply chocolate, creamy delight.

If you want, you can add some stevia to the mix for a slightly sweeter drink, but remember those bitter flavors are there to help you with your sugar cravings!

Yum!

Creamy Red Pepper Sauce

Dress up your dish with this simple, gluten and dairy free delicious sauce.  Perfect on sauteed greens, scrambled eggs, on meats, as a dip for veggies, or a salad dressing!

1 - 12 oz jar or 3 roasted red peppers, drained
3 cloves garlic
1/3 c olive oil
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp balsamic or apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp sweet paprika powder

Put it all in the blender!  Serve immediately or keep cool to use later.
Yum!

Perfectly delicious primal pie!

This primal friendly, but still slightly sweet dessert was inspired by two friends on two occasions. It's a cross between a yummy dairy free avocado pudding, and a gluten free raw brownie...turned into a chocolate berry tart extroidonaire! This contains no refined sugar ( I used honey as the sweetener, you could use agave or stevia to go truly low glycemic), no dairy, no gluten, LOTS of luscious fat, protein and antioxidants from raw cacao and berries.

For the pudding:
2 avocados
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp fresh cardamom, ground
1/2 c raw cacao powder (more if you want it more like dark chocolate)
honey or stevia to taste (maybe 2 tbsp honey)

For the brownie:
1 c walnuts
1 c almonds
1 c hemp seeds
(use any combo you like best though)
6 dates
1 c coconut flakes
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 c cacao powder
honey or stevia to taste

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until it makes a thick fudgy batter. Press this into a thick layer in a pie pan. Pour the pudding into the middle and spread around generously. Top with your favorite berries in a beautiful arrangement, I chose a double spiral of blueberries and raspberries, with blackberry and strawberry border.

Refridgerate for at least an hour to firm up. Serve cool. This will soften and melt a bit at room temperature, so be aware of that. I like it best firm. You could top it with coconut milk for extra creaminess if desired. Enjoy!

Primal Breakfast: Frittata

No this isn't quiche, this is Frittata. It was an egg day, and instead of the usual fried or scrambled ensamble, I made Frittata. This is deceptively easy, and delicious to boot, and a very good meal to take with you. I used a small 8 inch cast iron for my individual appetite, but you may use a bigger pan if you have more mouths to feed.


Choose your selection of veggies and meat if desired. Sliced mushrooms, onions, spinach, tomatoes, green chiles, fennel bulb etc. I had a leek, fennel, spinach and wild olive frittata...here's your chance to get creative with your flavors...basil and tomato w garlic and olives, green chiles and chorizo, bacon, broccoli and red onion. You choose your favorites!
Mine-
1/2 fennel bulb
1 leek (white part)
2 c chopped spinach
a sprinkle of wild olives.
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp sage leaf

Sautee your veggies in butter with salt and pepper. If you are using a meat, you may want to cook this first, then add the veggies to the pan to soften. Preheat your oven to 350 at this point ( and make sure you are using a oven safe pan. If not, you can transfer the veggies to a pie dish after they are cooked)

Sprinkle your veggies with spices (salt, pepper, sage) and cheese if you use it.

6-7 eggs, beaten (for an 8 inch pan, more if your pan is wider)

Beat your eggs well, and pour evenly over the veggies/meat/cheese mixture in the pan. Do not stir. Just put the pan in the nice hot oven, and bake uncovered for 15-20 min, until the middle is firm, and the top just beginning to turn golden.

Serve warm, in quarters. Add a bowl of blueberries, and a green salad or sauteed veggies ( extra from your sautee pan?)

This is relatively easy, but does take some time in the oven, but can easily be whipped up, and put to bake while you shower or tend to other morning chores. Once cool , it can easily be taken with you for lunch or as a snack. I like mine cold as well as warm, but you can warm it up again if you like.

Primal Breakfast: Elk Burgers

Yum! Elk burgers for breakfast! This is a fast fix breakfast if you prepare the patties in advance ( i.e. the night before for supper, or frozen and defrosted) but if you have time in the morning you can make a quick patty.
I chose some nice ground elk meat available at my local grocery store, but if you don't have access to elk, use bison, or even grassfed beef will work. Skip the bun, but keep the fixins for extra flavor and appeal. ( I have to admit, a plain patty doesn't really excite me either, but dress it up with onions, pickles, mustard, tomato = YUM!)
Pair up your primal burger with a mixed veggie salad, or steamed veggies. I had salad prepared from the night before again, to keep things simple and fast. Fresh lettuce, baby beet greens, dandelion leaves, arugula, pickled beets, snap peas, carrots, green onions, a touch of goat cheese and a tahini dressing.

For the burgers:
1 lb ground elk, bison or grassfed beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp sage leaf
1 tbsp wild oregano or regular oregano
2 tsp medium hot chile powder (use mild if you don't like spicy foods)
1 tsp chipotle flakes
black pepper to taste
1 tsp salt
1 egg

Mix all the ingredients well, using your hands makes this easier. Form into 4 1/4 lb patties. Pan fry immediately for approximately 10 min, depending on how thick you have made your patties. (You can grill these too, but firing up the grill in the a.m. is a bit ambitious for me). Or, wrap in wax paper or plastic, and fridge or freeze for later.

Serve burger hot, topped with sliced onion, mustard, horseradish, tomato, pickles ( I added a bit of cheese, not entirely primal), lettuce, or sauteed mushrooms and peppers. Whatever you like.

Another perfectly primal breakfast to keep you going the whole day through. I served my breakfast with a nice steaming cup of spicy chai to wake up my digestive system with carminatives and warming digestive stimulants (ginger, cardamom, orange peel etc).

Primal Breakfast: Bacon and Eggs

Okay, so this isn't exactly a suprise. Bacon and eggs is a standard primal friendly fare in my house. When I'm in the mood for eggs, I usually have them with bacon. Not just any bacon mind you. Make sure you are getting a good quality pork product without nitrates, preferably free range, and without a lot of added preservatives or ingredients. Usually the uncured varieties are a place to start.

My version usually goes something like this:
2 eggs
3 slices bacon
1/4 onion
1 clove garlic
2 c chopped greens
1 tsp hot chile powder
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
(sprinkle of cheese if you eat it, gorgonzola is great on greens, as is feta).

Cook three slices of nitrate free bacon in a skillet. (This anywhere from 15 to 21 g of protein, depending on how thick your slices are.)
Remove bacon from the skillet, and fry your eggs in the bacon grease.
Remove eggs and add to the plate with the bacon.
In the same skillet with the remaining bacon grease, saute onion and garlic briefly. Add the greens and salt, and saute until wilted. Add chile, vinegar and syrup/honey. Remove from heat once cooked through, and sprinkle with cheese if using.
Add greens to the plate.
Serve. Eat!
Have this with a side of blueberries topped with coconut milk and a few walnuts if you like.

Got some concerns about the bacon grease? First, you'll have to get over the idea that fat is your enemy in the primal lifestyle. It isn't. The idea that fat is unhealthy is a made up fallacy that has been passed on by the government for some 50 odd years- all along, our health declining while we cut out the fat and got on the processed food bandwagon. But that's talk for another day.

Here's some food for thought from Rebecca at the Herbwife's Kitchen
"Funny thing is, according to the USDA, lard contains more monounsaturated fatty acids (think olive oil) than saturated ones. Here’s the fatty acid breakdown for one tablespoon of lard: 1.4g polyunsaturated; 5.8g monounsaturated; 5g saturated. (For reference, a tablespoon of butter: 0.4g polyunsaturated; 3g monounsaturated; 7.3g saturated.) So even if you buy the “saturated fat is the devil” theory (and I don’t), lard is not unhealthy."

Nettle Clover Pesto: Invigorating the blood with Wild greens of spring

This morning I whipped up a batch of springy fresh weed pesto! Almost everyone enjoys fresh basil pesto in the summer, but fewer know the joys of spring pesto made with the first pungent greens and weeds of spring. One of my personal favorites is sweet clover, Melilotus officinalis. I first learned to make clover pesto from Loba at the Anima center so many years ago, and ever since have always harvested the small, fresh, fragrant leaves and flowers of Melilotus for pesto in the spring. It makes a very strong flavored pungent pesto by itself, so I often mix it with other greens and herbs to mellow it out. Aside from its sweet vanilla scent of summer, clover is an excellent blood mover, helping to break up stagnant, pooling blood (and other fluids). Useful as a poultice for mastitis, and both internally and externally for nerve pain or weakness. I find it a wonderful spring food to get the blood and fluids moving and flowing in the body, and stimulate the digestion with its bitter aromatic flavor.

In addition to the clover, I am lucky to have a blossoming nettle patch in my garden plot. I've been harvesting the young nettle greens ( much to my delight and suprise, these very young leaves aren't causing me any headaches at all!) every week. Nettles are popping up all over the country in the warming spring, and I'm sure you can find some near you. Nettles are a wonderful mineral nutrient dense green, which builds the blood with its iron, vitamin K, calcium and more. In many parts of the world, nettles is one of the very first spring greens to pop up after a long winter without green foods, and is often touted as a spring tonic food and beverage. It supports kidney and liver health, skin, hair and nails and much much more. Suffice it to say, a winning spring green to include in your weed pesto, with a mild flavor that complements the stronger taste of clover or dandelion.
I often also add dandelion leaves to my weed pesto, but alas, my dandelions are much to small and few to get enough for pesto making, but I've been adding them to my salads on a regular basis. Dandelions are bitter and cooling and diuretic, also very mineral rich. Dandelions help the body efficiently eliminate waste products through the kidneys and bladder, and tone up the liver and our digestion by increasing bile production and bile secretion. You can make your pesto with just dandelion greens as well if other greens are not available to you.

The recipie follows:
several handfuls of spring greens. I used equal portions of fresh nettles and clover tops.
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon (more if you use dandelion or other bitter green)
1/2 c toasted walnuts
1 tsp salt

Steam the nettle greens briefly to neutralize the stinging formic acid. Strain and press well to remove as much water as possible.

Add nettles, clover, garlic, nuts, salt, lemon and olive oil to food processor. Be generous with your olive oil to make your pesto thinner. YOu may also add grated parmesean or romano cheese if you wish. I prefer my pesto without cheese.

Blend well in food processor or blender until smooth. Serve on eggs, fish, meat, in salad dressing, or as a dip for crackers or crudites, or as a sandwhich spread! Invigorate the blood and the body with the vitality of spring!

Shitake Eggplant Stirfry- More Primal/Paleo friendly foodr

6 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 head bok choi,chopped
1 japanese eggplant, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 boneless chicken thighs, cut into small strips or chunks ( or your meat of choice)
Coconut oil
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp hot chile powder
1 tbsp wheat free soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp honey
1/2 bone broth or water
1 tbsp sesame seeds
green onion for garnish

Sautee onion and garlic in coconut oil until soft. Add chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil, allspice and sesame seeds to hot skillet. Cook until chicken is cooked through. Add broth, mushrooms, and eggplant and chile powder and cook until soft. Add bok choi to the hot skillet and cook just till tender (3-5 min maybe less). Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp of honey ( agave or brown rice syrup also work well.) Garnish with green onions, additional sesame seeds, and kim chi.

Serves approximately 2-3 people, depending on portion size.

No rice needed!

Another Pumpkin Recipie : Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup, South Indian Style

I made this lovely soup tonight with leftover pumpkin puree. Dairy free (ghee is fine for most folks with dairy intolerance, use coconut oil if you really must avoid ghee), gluten free, ayurvedic and delicious! And it takes less than 30 min to prepare!
Enjoy!




2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp cumin seed
1 tsp mustard seed
2 tbsp fresh ginger
1 tsp cinnamon powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 onion , chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp hing
2 tsp red curry paste (add more if you want it extra spicy, and if your dosha can handle it, less if you can't handle the heat)
2 c cooked pumpkin puree, or 1 can of pumpkin
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
1/2 can coconut milk
1 c chicken stock
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
1 lime
1/2 c toasted coconut flakes ( toast in dry heat until light brown)

Saute cumin, mustard, garlic, and onion in ghee until soft. Add chicken stock, pumpkin, cauliflower and other spices. Simmer for 15 min, until the cauliflower is tender. Add coconut milk and lime juice (1/2 to 1 lime depending on taste.)
Simmer another 5 min.
Serve hot, top with chopped cilantro, more lime juice or pickled limes, and toasted coconut flakes.

Happy Thanksgiving! Gluten and Dairy Free!

So, I wanted to share my latest contribution for a gluten free and dairy free holiday season.

Here are a couple of my favorite recipes for the holidays!



Gluten Free/Dairy Free Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie



I made this the other night with a whole pie pumpkin. You may sub a can of pumpkin if you like. But baking a pie pumpkin, cut in half, at 400 for 45 min is fairly easy. Cool and scoop out the meat. Use some for this recipe and save the rest for pumpkin soup or something else yummy.



You could use honey and some molasses instead of cane sugar if you wanted.



Blend:

3 c pumpkin, cooked

1 c raw cane sugar

1 c coconut milk

4 eggs

spices to taste ( i used ginger, cinnamon and cardamom and vanilla- lots of ginger and cardamom, Nutmeg and clove are traditional. Use your favorites, but don't skimp on the ginger!)



crust:

1.5 bags of Pamelas Gluten Free ginger snap cookies blended to a powder (about 10 oz of GF ginger snaps)

2 tbsp fat of choice ( ghee is nice, coconut oil is great too!)

2 tbsp water



Mix the cookies and oil well, then add cold water to help it stick. Just a little, not enough to make it soggy!



Press crust into 9 in pie pan, bake 10 min at 400.

Pour pie filling in crust. Bake 15 min at 425 and then 45 min at 350.



YUM!



Something less sweet!

Pecan Shitake GF Stuffing

(serves 4)

1 c cooked Rice

¾ + ¼ c Pecans

¼ c Walnuts

1/8 c Sunflower seeds

¼ large onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 tsp Sage

1 tbsp Ghee

½ tsp Salt

Pepper to taste

1 c Bird broth

1 ½ c frozen sliced Shitake mushrooms

1 egg

In a large skillet cook onions, celery and sage, salt and pepper in ghee until soft.

Process ¾ c pecans and ¼ c walnuts and ¾ c of shitake mushrooms in a food processor into a coarse paste. Use a little broth to aid the processing.

Mix cooked onion and celery, and the nut/mushroom paste with the rice. Add the remaining nuts, mushrooms, broth and 1 egg to the rice and veggies. Mix well. Put into a casserole dish and bake at 425, uncovered for 35-40 min, until the top is browned and the middle is stiff.

Serve with bird and cranberries! Yum! Gluten free goodness!

Budget friendly paleo meal: Chiipotle Sage Pork

It's been a tough summer on my diet, with very limited funds available for investing in some major staples of the paleo friendly diet I'd ideally be eating ( like local grass fed beef shares, wild caught alaskan salmon etc etc) I've managed to make do with things like canned wild salmon, lots of beans ( not paleo at all, but I gotta have protein!), and gifts of fresh vegetables from friends gardens or CSA shares, and canned wild meats from my friends at the Anima center.

I've got one of my garden beds all planted, and should be harvesting my own greens and roots within 30-45 days! That will make a huge difference in the way I eat, because all the funds allocated for food can be directed towards high quality protein.

That said, I'm learning to be a bit flexible with the kinds of foods I buy, and came up with the following fast (less than 30 min to prepare), tasty, and paleo friendly meal. It isn't perfect, by any means, but hey, sometimes a girl needs a steak!

At one of the local stores, a quick browsing of the meat department immediately showed a lack of any grass fed/free range meat. Sure, it is natural, antibiotic free and all that, but right there in big old print, GRAIN FED. Ok, so..not perfect by anymeans, but I found a nice juicy pork steak, about a pound of it, for about $2.50. Snag! I brought that home with a bunch of collards ( non organic, like I said, not perfect) for 99 cents. The addition of a hierloom melon from a friend was a freebie, so the following meal cost about 1.75 a piece for two people. Pretty affordable if you ask me.

Chipotle Sage Rubbed Pork Steak
1 large pork steak
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tbsp sage
1/2 tsp monarda, or oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp honey
butter for cooking in

Mix all the spices together in a mortar and pestle and grind into a fine powder. Rub this all over both sides of your steak. Heat a cast iron skillet till smoking, then Melt butter. Add the pork steak and sear on both sides to seal in the juice. I cooked mine about 7-10 min, still tender, but the juices run clear. Top the hot steak with the tbsp of honey and spread it around. Slice it up and serve it on two plates.

In the same pan, toss in a bunch of greens ( kale, collards, spinach), and sautee with the spices left in the pan, and touch of water to steam. (Chopping and cooking took me 5 min).

Slice open a melon ( or any other piece of fruit that is appropriate, berries, apple, etc) and add a slice of melon to the plate.

Viola! Dinner in about 20 min! For less than 2 $ a person. And tasty to boot!

pepper to taste

Best Gluten Free bread ever!

Kiva gets props for this amazing recipie! It is delcious, moist, chewy, bready....and best of all GF and dairy free if you use coconut oil.

TRY IT, NOW! You won't be sorry!

I made this today for breakfast to go with greens and squash. Good warm and plain, or like my sweetie enjoyed it, topped with honey.

So so good! Soo simple, and so nutritious!
1 quarter of the recipie ( a fair hunk of the loaf) has 10 g protein, 9 g fiber, 10 g carb, and 22 g of healthy fats.

Yay!!!

Coconut Chocolate Custard Pie with Cardamom Rose Piima Cream

YUM! Another Gluten Free Success!! This is one is ALMOST dairy free as well, but not quite, because the Piima cultured cream was made with raw cream from local cows, but if you can find a suitable dairy free cream substitute, it can be DF to boot. Coconut milk might work, if you get the creamy stuff off the top of the can, without the liquid, or cultured coconut milk might be firm enough.

Anyway, I made this little concoction for a dinner/bbq with some friends this weekend. She cooked a big, delicious fish, greek salad, quinoa, and other great nummy stuff. I offered to bring a sweet treat for after dinner. We had talked about cocoa and coconut oil fudge, but I felt like being more creative.

So...Coconut Chocolate Custard, Rose Cardamom Piima Cream, and a Walnut Date Crust.
Custard:
8 oz Coconut milk
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 c sugar
4 oz ( or more if you like) dark, bittersweet baking chocolate ( I used green and blacks 72%)
1 pinch cardamom powder
2 pinches vanilla powder or a tsp of vanilla extract

CUSTARD
To make a custard melt the chocolate and spices into the coconut milk. Whisk together eggs and sugar. Over a bain marie, or water bath. Slowly add the coconut milk to the egg mixture and mix briskly, constantly. Over the water bath the eggs should cook into a thick custard, but you must stir constantly to avoid stringy or clumpy custard. When sufficiently thick ( about 15-20 min) remove from heat and set in the fridge to cool.

CRUST
Blend in a food processor 12 walnuts and 4-6 soaked dates, and a tsp of salt into a thick paste. Press firmly into a pie tin, or as I did, a clean cast iron pan. Refridgerate to firm up.

ROSE CARDAMOM CREAM
While custard and crust are cooling, mix up the cream. I used a cultured Piima cream, which is slightly sour, like yogurt, but milder. Sour cream, creme fraiche, or other dairy free type creamy thing could be used.
I used about a cup of cream, and added 2 tbsp rose gulkand, a delicious Indian jam made from fresh rose petals and raw sugar, and about a tsp of freshly ground cardamom seed. Stir well and then set in the fridge to cool and firm up and let the flavors blend.

To assemble pie:
Pour the cooled custard into the crust and spread evenly. Top decoratively with the piima cream with roses and cardamom. Garnish with cardamom pods, rose buds, and toasted coconut shreds.
Keep the pie cool until ready to serve. It is kind of a soft custard with the coconut milk, so serving it is a might challenging, but despite the falling apart, it tastes just divine! Truly food of the gods, Chocolate, and Cultured cream....ambrosia. Plus the sensual and arousing roses and cardamom might spark some other delicious fun!



Be sure to share this pie with your loved ones! It will disappear in one sitting!

YUMMY!!!