Many Ways with Pesto

I have been harvesting plenty of basil this year, I love it!  Most of the time, I like to make pesto with it.



I don’t really follow a recipe.  I just pack my food processor bowl with basil leaves.  Throw in a few tablespoons of walnuts, a couple garlic cloves, some Celtic Sea Salt, and start pulsing.  When it’s chopped down nicely, I will pulse and drizzle with olive oil.  Pesto calls for Parmesan cheese, but I have heard that if you are going to freeze it, you shouldn’t add the cheese.  So I just add some Parmesan to it when I thaw and am ready to use it.



What do you use pesto for?  It’s wonderful on pasta!  But did you know, there is more to pesto than just a pasta sauce?



You can use it on pizza instead of tomato sauce, it is awesome!  You can dip fresh veggies in it.  You can use some to make homemade salad dressing.  Just look in a basic cookbook, like Joy of Cooking for a basic ratio of oil to vinegar/lemon juice.  And don’t forget about my Pesto Cheesecake!  It’s really more of a cracker/bread spread.  Think cream cheese, basil, garlic, and sund-dried tomatoes.  It’s wonderful!



Do you have other ideas for pesto?  Please share.

Summertime

I know I haven’t been posting much, but it’s summer and I’m doing something I don’t normally do–enjoying every minute of it!!!

 

I am not one to stop and relax, I’m usually work, work, work, let’s stay productive! But relaxation is productive, too. There is a time and place for leisure.

 

I have been spending a lot of time in my garden, tending to the peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, zinnias and sunflowers. I planted some more pumpkin seeds, hopefully these will be successful.

 

I’ve also been doing a lot of reading. I don’t normally take much time for that, it’s been nice.

 

I’ve also been enjoying fun with the kids. We will start up school on August 10th, so we still have a few weeks to enjoy.

 

I’m feeling great–more on that soon–I feel refreshed and have some new ideas for the blog.

 

I also want to take this time to ask you if you have suggestions for this blog. Do you have any questions? What do you wish I would post about? I’m celebrating 2 years now of this blog–that’s all thanks to you, my readers!

 

If you want to see me on Facebook, click here.  I don’t post much on there either, but it’s a fun way to be connected.

 

Also notice, I have added Recipe Tab to the top of the page.  This page will list all of my recipes in one handy place.

 

Happy Summer!

Why?

Why do I have whey in my fridge?

 

And where did I get it?

 

What am I going to do with it?

 

All very good questions!

 

Whey is a component of milk.  Milk contains fat, protein (casein and others), sugar (lactose), enzymes, vitamins, and minerals.  In the process of making yogurt, the beneficial bacteria convert the lactose into lactic acid, giving the yogurt its sour flavor.  I like to drain some of the whey out of my yogurt to make it thicker.  Whey contains some protein, lactic acid, and I’m sure some other things.  Read about making yogurt, here.

 

Since the whey is acidic I can use it to neutralize the phytic acid in my grains (in the bran of grain).  The phytic acid, if left un-neutralized, will rob your body of important minerals.  For example, I know people like to eat Cream of Wheat for its iron content, BUT you won’t be absorbing that iron because of the phytic acid!  Ideally, we should be eating all whole grain foods, but only those that have been soaked or sprouted.  Read more here.

 

If I want to cook brown rice, I will soak it in filtered water (for a few hours) with some whey added.

 

I have switched my family from modern oatmeal (rolled oats, quick oats) to old-fashioned oatmeal.  The less something is processed, the better.  Instant oatmeal is the most processed, quick oats a bit less, rolled a bit less, but THE best are whole oats!  I buy whole oats (called groats) from Whole Foods.

 

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal

I like to use a mixture of oats, rye, and wheat.  The rye gives it a flavor reminiscent of the Roman Meal hot cereal I ate as a child.  The reason I started adding the wheat and rye is that oats are particularly low in phytase, the enzyme that breaks phytic acid down.  Regular soaking methods don’t reduce the phytic acid very well (in oats).  Amanda Rose, from Rebuild From Depression, suggests adding 10% wheat to your oats.  I started doing that and thought rye would be good, too.

 

I place 3/4 cup whole oats, 2 tablespoons wheat berries (soft or hard), and 2 tablespoons rye berries in a blender.  I grind for about 30 seconds.  I then put the semi-ground grain into the pan I’m going to cook it in the next morning, or if it’s unavailable, a mason jar.  I add 1/2 cup whey and about 2 1/2 cups filtered water.  (Here you will have to see how much water works for you.  We like really thick oatmeal.  Add more or use less according to how your family likes it.)

I let this soak overnight and then in the morning I just bring it to a boil in a saucepan, with a bit of salt added.  I stir constantly until the mixture boils and then turn the heat down to simmer, place the lid on the pan and let it simmer until thick.  I don’t really watch the clock at this point.  It could take 5 minutes, it could take 30.  I usually cook this and then set it on simmer and go blow dry my hair and put on some makeup.  The first step of stirring until it boils only takes a couple minutes, so overall this is an easy breakfast!

 

These proportions make 3 large servings.  If you are accustomed to eating instant oatmeal, then this recipe would give you at least 6 servings.  I have actually been doubling it lately so that we can eat oatmeal all week, but I only have to soak and cook it once.  I reheat portions of it in oven-proof ramekins (covered in foil) in a 350°F oven.  I think it even tastes better the next day!

 

We like our oatmeal with a generous pat of butter, lots and lots of cinnamon, some sucanat (unrefined brown sugar, contains the vitamins and minerals that are stripped from refined sugars), and cream.  Mmm!  You could add fruit to this, nuts, maple syrup–make it the way you like it.  (The picture above in the bowl is oatmeal without anything added yet.)

 

Now, when I switched my kids over to this new oatmeal, I wasn’t sure they would be on board with me (especially my son, he’s the picky one), so I just decided to call it oat porridge instead of oatmeal.  That way their wouldn’t be a comparison, this was something new!  Porridge!  Not oatmeal.  My son didn’t take to it whole-heartedly at first, so I tried toasting it.  In Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon, there is a recipe for Irish Oatmeal and it calls for toasting the grains before soaking them.

 

Here they are spread on my pizza stone.  I would bake them in a 350°F for about 10 minutes.

When I tried this, my son liked his “oat porridge” much better.  I did, too.  After a while, he started loving it and said it was his favorite.  I eventually stopped toasting the oats, since it was an extra step and he didn’t notice the change.  I think he just needed time to develop the taste for this new oatmeal.  Now we even call it oatmeal, too. 

 

I recommend starting out with just a little bit of whey (like a tablespoon) and increasing it each time you make the oatmeal, to become accustomed to the taste.  Like I said, I now use 1/2 cup, I think Sally Fallon’s recipe only calls for 1/4 cup.  I figure the more the better and I always have an excess of whey from my yogurt.  (You can also use lemon juice instead of whey.)

 

I recommend reading Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon for more information on properly preparing grains.  And checkout this excerpt of Amanda Rose’s book, Rebuild from Depression.  This excerpt has some excellent information from studies that have been done that we aren’t hearing about in the mainstream media.

Valentine Cupcakes (or anytime!)

Have your cake and eat it too!

 

Contrary to popular opinion, I am not the food police.  I am not looking around me in shock at what people choose to eat.  I really am an oblivious person.  I’m usually too absorbed in thought to notice others and make judgments.  I am just trying to take my babysteps and I recognize that everyone is at a different place with their babysteps.

 

I do enjoy my occasional desserts.  I try to stick to homemade desserts and forgo the store-bought or restaurant fare.  But sugar is sugar, right?  Well, most (if not all) store-bought (and restaurant) desserts are very high in trans fat.  You name it–cookies, cakes, pies, etc.  You will be much better off if you just make something at home to enjoy.  Use white flour and sugar, but PLEASE, please, please, use butter.  Your heart will thank you.  For more information on that, click here.

 

   Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe is from a Pam Anderson cookbook.  I LOVE all her recipes!  (I have not attempted to cut back the sugar in this recipe.  Cake recipes are pretty delicate, they are not easily altered, like muffins or yeast breads are.)

I divided it in half to make 12 cupcakes.

 

Measure in a bowl:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour (it probably wouldn’t hurt to use all-purpose flour)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/8 teaspoon salt (just a little over 1/4 teaspoon)

Whisk those ingredients together and set aside.

 

Melt 7 tablespoons butter and set aside to cool.

 

Boil 3/8 cup (6 tablespoons or 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) water and mix with 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (I use Hershey’s).  Stir until smooth.  Let cool a bit and then add 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

 

In a separate bowl beat 2 egg whites to soft peaks.

 

With a hand mixer, mix melted butter into flour/sugar mixture.  Add cocoa mixture and beat until batter is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.  With a spatula, fold egg whites into batter until just incorporated.  Spoon into paper muffin cups.

 

Bake in a 350F oven 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Then let cool.

 

   Cream Cheese Frosting

Now this is where you can really cut back on the sugar.  The original recipe had 3 times as much sugar as this, yet this version tastes so good!  The extra sugar is not necessary.

 

Beat together 2 1/2 tablespoons softened butter with 4 ounces soft cream cheese, until smooth.  Add 2 drops red food coloring, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/3 cup powdered sugar.  Beat until thoroughly incorporated and fluffy.

 

Spread frosting on cupcakes.

 

   Chocolate Heart Decorations

I melted about 1 tablespoon chocolate chips and transferred to a ziploc bag.  I snipped off the tip of the bag and then piped hearts onto parchment.  I let them cool to harden and then placed 2 hearts on each cupcake.

 

 

 

 

Real Food Wednesday: Bone Broth

Cheeseslave is hosting a Real Food Wednesday Blog Carnival.  The theme this week is bone broth.

 

Bone broths are full of minerals that are vital for our health.  Plus they add flavor to our meals.  You can make soups, stews, and other things, like rice, with bone broth.

 

My recipe for chicken stock/broth is here.

 

When you have your homemade stock made, you can make these great recipes:

Braised Butternut Squash

Pasta with Butternut Squash

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

 

Be sure to visit this link to see what other recipes were entered in the carnival!

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

I love this soup because it is quick and easy to make, so delicious, and quite nutritious.  You will get plenty of fiber from the sweet potatoes, lentils, celery, and carrots, and plenty of minerals from the homemade chicken broth and celtic sea salt.

 

Now if you told me you had a delicious recipe for soup that called for curry and lentils, I would say, “No thanks!”, but I saw this in a magazine and decided to try it.  I have made this soup many times now because it is SO good!  I encourage you to give it a try.

   Curried Sweet Potato Soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup carrot, diced (about 1 carrot)

1/4 cup celery, diced (about 1 celery rib)

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 bay leaf

2 Tablespoons fat (you could use coconut oil, I typically use the chicken fat from my homemade broth)

1 1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled, cubed (usually 1 large sweet potato)

1 teaspoon curry powder

4 cups chicken broth (my recipe here)

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz.)

1/4 cup brown lentils

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt to taste (celtic is best), probably about 1/2 teaspoon

plain yogurt or sour cream to garnish (sour cream is the tastiest!)

 

Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add fat and onions.  While the onions saute, you can dice the carrots–add to the pan.  Then dice the celery and add to the pan.  Peel and dice the sweet potato and add to the pan.  Peel and mince the ginger root (I suppose in a pinch you could use ginger powder.  I just buy a small root, peel the entire thing and then slice and throw in the food processor.  Whatever is more than 1 tablespoon, I freeze for the next time I make this soup.).  Add the ginger, curry, and salt; saute 1 minute.

Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and lentils; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.  Optional:  At this point, I mash it a bit with the potato masher to break up the pieces of sweet potato a bit and thicken the soup slightly.

Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and lemon juice.  Taste and adjust salt, if needed.  Serve with a garnish of sour cream and extra cilantro.

 

This recipe is part of Nourishing Soups and Stews Blog Carnival, hosted by The Nourishing Gourmet.  Check out the link to find many more great soup and stew recipes!