Curried Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

Curried Lentil Sweet Potato Stew (Wholeliving.com)
Cook Time: Approx 45 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil (I use avocado or coconut)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

• 2 medium celery ribs, chopped (I've used dried celery flakes instead)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 garlic clove, minced (or more... more garlic is always better!)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed
•  2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch dice

1 package (9 ounces) frozen cut green beans

 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional - the kid hates cilantro, so we leave it out)

Coarse salt and black pepper

Plain yogurt (or sour cream), for serving

Directions

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high.
•  Add onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaf.
• Cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add garlic and curry powder and cook until fragrant - about 1 minute more.
• Add 7 cups of water and lentils.
  Bring to a boil
• Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 10 minutes.
• Add sweet potatoes and continue to cook, covered, until lentils and potato are just tender
   (about 15 minutes.)
• Add green beans
• Add diced tomatoes
• Cook until warmed through, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf.  
• Add cilantro (if desired) and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream

My meat-loving husband loves this dish. It's very filling and quite delicious!

Nourishing Traditions Sausage!

Like Sausage, but not all the *disgusting* things they put into them?
 Then this recipe is for you!
A super easy way to turn a good-quality meat into something that tastes just like sausage! 

Ingredients

• 1 pound of Ground Beef (or turkey)
• 1 small Onion, chopped 
  
• ¼ tsp each, of the following spices: Cumin, Cayenne pepper, Ginger, Marjoram, Nutmeg, Oregano, & Pepper
  
• ½ tsp of each: Basil, Sage, & Thyme 
• 2 tsp Sea Salt
• 2 tsp Bread Crumbs (or 1 tsp Coconut Flour)
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tbs. Butter (for sauteing)

Instructions: 

Mix all the ingredients well --- form into patties --- Saute in Butter 
Or brown like ground-beef, if you want it crumbled... :)

Grain free chocolate cookies

Due to my mom & sisters being on the GAPS diet, and my immediate family trying to be more conscientious about eating whole/real foods (i.e. - using nourishing, whole, traditional ingredients - that even your great-great-grandmother would recognize as food).  - and watching/limiting our intake of grains (unless soaked or sprouted).... we're always on the look out for yummy, healthy, grain-free, GAPS approved recipes.

 This delicious recipe is based off of Chocolate-Covered Katie's "Chocolate Lace Cookie" recipe, with just  a few minor adjustments.  Though the recipe was already GlutenFree/GrainFree, and mostly SugarFree... it did have chocolate chips & raw nuts,  which are not GAPS approved.  So some changes were necessary!

One of the biggest changes we made, was adding an egg. This is both substitutes for the lack of liquid, caused from omitting the melted chocolate chips... as well as makes it completely SugarFree. It also gives it a little more protein, which is never a bad thing! ;) The other main difference between the two recipes, is that we used crispy almonds rather than raw. It worked beautifully. We contemplated adding some stevia, to make up for the sweetness of no choc chips... but after tasting the dough, we agreed that it was not necessary, as the dates made it *plenty* sweet!

The result was a yummy, very chocolatey, chewy cookie treat!- which KB fondly refers to as "good-for-me-brownies!"

Grain free chocolate cookies

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 2 T cocoa powder
• Scant 1/4 tsp salt level
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 (packed) cup pitted dates (we did 6 large dates)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 T unrefined coconut oil
• 1 egg

1. Blend first five ingredients until almonds and dates are finely pulverized.
2. Add vanilla, coconut oil and egg. Blend until ingredients are combined thoroughly. 
3. Bake at 355 F for 7-8 minutes. (Take out when still a bit undercooked, as these continue to cook, as they cool.

Recipe: Homemade Soaked Granola

This is one of our FAVORITE recipes... but somehow it never got shared. ~ Until now!! :)

Crockpot Lasagna: Kale!

Photo courtesy of

Recipe: Yogurt

We are huge yogurt fans in our house.  So much so, that I have often thought about making my own yogurt... but then, anytime I would attempt to find a technique that sounded doable.... I always found myself so overwhelmed & intimidated at the seemingly complicated process, and I stopped before I could even get started!  Then, my mom found & passed on this technique... and it seemed so easy (too good to be true?)  that I just had to try it for myself.

AND.... It's fantastic!!

SO easy, healthy, and very yummy! It's not only a excellent way to get some good probiotics and active cultures - which aid in digestion into your diet...  but it's a healthy source of protein, calcium, magnesium, and other essential vitamins and minerals!  And the best news... it's SUPER frugal!!!

I don't know about you... but it's not east handing out $4 every time you buy just ONE quart of Organic yogurt. Even with coupons, it was hard to find less than $3.   But by making myself... I can get a half-gallon of Organic milk for around $3 (often cheaper with a coupon)... and I get not one, but TWO quarts out of the deal!  - Yes, I think it's totally worth the 10mis it takes to assemble it in the crock pot... don't you?!
 

Recipe: Kamut Bread

This is currently the bread recipe I use when baking for our family.  However, the more I read about soaked grains --- basically, starting the recipe the night before, and letting is sit in an acidic medium & liquid...  this then neutralizes the phytic acid (something contained in the bran of the grain, which locks itself to important minerals, and make it difficult for the body to absorb & digest) and  releases them for your body to use properly. --- the more I am motivated to begin finding and/or adapting our recipes to ones that use soaked-grain.  So far I have tried granola, a cake recipe & a few other items... next on the list, is bread!  When I do, I will either adapt this recipe, or find one where wheat can successfully be substituted with Kamut.  But until then... this is a fairly easy, and super yummy option! :)

Delicious Chicken & Dumplings

This is one of our favorite meals! Adapted from the No-Guesswork Cookbook - to be made wheat-free!!

Delicious Chicken & Dumplings (from scratch)...
Yield: 8 servings
Cook Time: 30 mins + 20 mins

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

These delectable Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (or Buckeyes, as some call them) are one of my favorite sweet treats. (esp. for the Christmas season!)

Harvest Stew...

This is a recipe my sister made up, based on a dish she *tasted* at a restaurant... and began craving [during her pregnancy]. It's a creamy beef soup, made up of a variety of Fall squash, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, & veggies... all pulled together with a spicy hint of nutmeg. It's a fairly simple, but very delicious recipe.... one that has quickly become a family favorite! (and for good reasons, too!!

Harvest Stew

1. In a stock pot, cook some Beef or Venison roast ** in oil (I use olive oil or coconut oil) with a Medium onion (chopped), salt & pepper
   
   ** (I usually get just under a pound of meat. Last time, I used boneless shoulder roast - basically one of the cheapest roasts the store had.... this time I used something else, that I already had in my freezer.)
   
   
2. Once meat is cooked through, add to the pot:
   
   • celery ribs - sliced (I have used dried celery flakes when I didn't have fresh, and it works fine.)
   • 2 medium carrots - diced
   • 1 med. Sweet potato - peeled & cubed
   
   • 1 lrg or 2 small potatoes - peeled & cubed
   • 1 -2 cups of Butternut squash - peeled & cubed (I use half a medium sized squash)
   

   And I have even been known to put zucchini in mine... and contemplate how some chopped up pumpkin would work... ??

   • 4 cups of beef broth (beef bullion cubes + water)
   • Seasonings - Rosemary, Thyme, parsley, nutmeg - Season to taste!
     
   • Garlic
     
   
3. Let simmer for 25 - 30 minutes.
   
   
4. Meanwhile combine together:
   • 1/3 cup water
   • 1/3 cup of cream
   • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
   • 1 Tbsp of ketchup
   
   
5. Add to pot, once done simmering.
   
   
6. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer
   
   
7. Cook (covered) for 10-15 minutes.

Of snacktimes, butter balls, & Kung Fu...

As I mentioned in my previous post, this past week our church had their VBS! Knowing that this crazy, attached, "health-nut" mama wouldn't put her baby girl into the nursery, just to go off and teach other people's kids... I was assigned as one of the assistants in the 2, 3, 4, & 5 year old class - in which they allowed KB to participate, even though she won't be two for another two weeks. So I stuck her in the Ergo, during times we were walking to and from, or during times I needed her to sit still... and off we went.

In our class alone, we averaged about 30 kids each night (give or take)... and it was crazy, energetic fun!! We had songs, games, stories, puppets, crafts, and (the source of frustration)... a snack. Now, someone please explain the logic behind feeding a bunch of pre-k aged children a sugar-laden snack (cookies), and then be bewildered at why they won't still and listen... getting frustrated with them when you have no control, because they don't/can't?!? I just don't get it. And while I appreciate the drink of choice not being Kool-aid, like they gave the older kids - although merely out of mess-control, not health reasons (arg) - Cookies? Really? And not just one... but two or three? Again, I just don't get it.

So what was this conscious mommy's alternative? Nut butter balls! OMW, these are SO good... and believe it or not, pretty good for you! The combination of nut butter & the cocoa powder - yeah, these could definitely be addicting!

Recipe:

• 2 1/2 cup Oats
• 1 cup nut butter (I used peanut butter, but would love to try almond butter next time)
  
• 1/2 cup flax seeds, ground (Though ours had way more, do to an overly zealous toddler "helping" - oh well - flax are SUPER good for you!!
  
• 1/2 cup agave nectar or honey (I did honey)
  
• 1/2 cup dried coconut (I did less, do to taste preferences & the already excess amount of flax)
  
• 2 T carob powder (I'll admit, I used cocoa powder - lol!)
  
  
• Optional: 1/8 cup dates or raisins, chopped. (used raisins, unchopped - personally that was too many for my liking.)
• Optional: 1/8 C Cacao nibs or carob chips.
  

Mix together until combined well... then dig in - rolling the batter into balls with your hands. (You may need to wash your hands after a few, as sticky hands make it very hard to roll them.) Refrigerate, and they are good to go. One butter ball makes an awesome, quick on-the-go snack!

- Made a TON of balls (like, 3-3½ doz?)!! -

Recipe & cookie pix courtesy of: Nature Moms Blog

Lentil Rice Casserole

This easy, healthy & delicious dish has become a family favorite... and always seems to disappear quickly, any time it is served. -- It could also be easily converted into a vegetarian dish, if wanted! Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 6 cups Broth (I use Chicken broth, or water w/ bouillon)
• 1 1/2 cups Lentils
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup chopped Onion (alternative: 1/2 cup of dried minced onion)
• 1 teaspoon of salt (omit if using a salted broth, or the bouillon method)
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder (though I always add more!!)
  
• Grated/chopped (or frozen) vegetables of your choice (optional)
  I've used zucchini, carrots, peas, corn, broccoli, squash, etc...
• Approx 2 cups Cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300-325 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Mix first eight ingredients together in a 9x13 pan
3. Cover & Bake for 2 - 21/2 hours
   
4. During the last 45 minutes of bake time, stir in your grated veggies
5. During the last few minutes, top with cheese, if desired

Potato Leek Soup

The first time I made soup was about six months ago. Someone gave us some leeks, and having never cooked with such a vegetable... I naturally turned to one of my favorite recipe websites, AllRecipes, for help. Since then I have made it a handful of times.... as it's become one of my husband's favorites. -- Actually, he once even compared it to a soup he likes at Olive Garden. LoL! But while I wouldn't go quite that far.... it is a delightfully creamy & deliciously filling soup!

Ingredients

• ½ cup Butter (I half it, as the full amount makes it too greasy IMO)
• 2 Leeks, sliced
  
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
  
• 1 Quart (4cups) chicken broth (I imagine you could sub vegetable broth, to make it vegetarian)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or flour, arrowroot powder or thickener of choice)
• 4 cups Yukon Gold Potatoes, pealed & diced (though I use/prefer red potatoes .Also, I hardly ever measure out 4cups... I usually end up using more.

• 2 cups cream (If I don't have cream, I have been known to use raw milk, or half/half... or mix sour cream or yogurt with some water)
• onion powder
• Garlic (fresh or granulated) 

Optional Additions:  

•  Kale 

•  Ground beef or Sausage 

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Cook leeks in butter with salt & pepper until tender - stirring frequently (about 15 mins).
3. Stir cornstarch (or your choice of thickener) into broth
   
   
   
   
   
4. Pour broth/thickener mixture into pot
5. Add potatoes 
6. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder & garlic
7. Bring to a boil
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Pour in cream
9. Reduce heat & simmer at least 30 mins - until potatoes are tender
10. If you wish to add kale, add about 20 mins into simmering.
11. Add (pre-cooked) Ground beef or Sausage!
12. Season with salt & pepper - Serve!

Sometimes I will even run the hand blender through it before serving it up, to make a smoother soup....

Apple Crumble

Well tonight I had one of my first attempts at making a wheat-free dessert.... an warm, Apple Crumble!! Though it's not the healthiest dessert... it was amazingly delicious! And surprisingly, I actually had everything the recipe called for (or was able to adapt).... and was SO pleased with it's results. I will definitely make this one again!! Oh.my.word! Talk about tasty!

APPLE CRUMBLE:

6 large apple - peeled, cored and cubed (I left mine unpeeled)
1. 1 tablespoon white sugar (I substituted rapadura... and used more like 2 Tbs, so it coated the apples well!)
2. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I wanted a bolder flavor, so I used more like ½ tsp)
   CRUMBLE TOPPING
   
   
   
   
   1. 1/4 cup rice flour (I used oat flour - rolled oats in the coffee grinder. about 1/8 cup whole oats = about ¼ cup flour.)
   2. 3 tablespoons almond meal
   3. 2 tablespoons white sugar (again, I used rapadura)
   4. 2 tablespoons flaked coconut (Omitted this - worked fine!!)
   5. 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened or coconut oil
   
   
   
   
   
   DIRECTIONS
   
   
   
   
   1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Arrange apple pieces in baking dish, sprinkle with sugar, and cinnamon; toss well.
   2. In a bowl, combine the rice flour, almond meal, sugar, and coconut. Cut in butter until mixture is fine and crumbly. Sprinkle topping over apples.
   3. Cover, and bake for 40 mins to 1 hour in the preheated oven, until the apples have lost their shape. Uncover, and continue to bake until crumble is crisp and golden in color.

My favortie pancake recipe...

From Kim Cahill's No Guesswork Cookingbook...

Image courtesy of NoGuessworkCooking.com

Chicken Enchiladas

Tonight we had Chicken Enchiladas with white cream sauce (out of my beloved NoGuesswork Cooking book) for dinner! It turned out SO tasty!! And was so filling, we have enough for a second meal!

Crockpot Chili & Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Today was B's first day with the new job!! Since I knew he wasn't going to be home until late... and probably would have worked up a pretty big appetite... I wanted to make something filling & comforting for dinner. The decision? This super easy, and very delicious Crockpot Chili... Garlic Cheddar Biscuits... a salad... and sweet tea! Yum!

Crockpot Chili...
Ingredients:

• 2 cans of Kidney beans
• 1/2 -3/4 lbs of Ground Beef
• 1 cup of onion (I used minced)
• 1 tsp Garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can stewed tomatoes (approx 18 oz)
• 1 can (approx 10 oz) Tomato Sauce
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cubes beef bullion
• 4 tsp Chili powder
• 3/4 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• generous pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. Brown beef in a skillet, along with onion & garlic - pour into crockpot
2. Rinse and drain beans - add
3. Mix in the diced tomatoes & the stewed tomatoes.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the Tomato sauce, Water, & Spices - whisk until smooth.
5. Add ;liquid mixture to the crockpot
6. sprinkle with additional garlic, to taste.
7. Cover & cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or high heat for 4-5 hours.
   
   
   
   
   
   Note: You could also add raw vegetables to this recipe, if you wish...

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits...

Recipe coming soon...

Amazingly Delicious Whole-Grain Brownies

I was seriously craving brownies tonight, so I decided to try this recipe (with a few minor changes - denoted in GREEN) ... and OMW! They were*So* delicious!!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup applesauce (I used homemade, which was already slightly sweetened)
  
• 3/4 cup white sugar (For a healthier alternative, I used 1/3 cup honey + 1½Tbs of sugar)
  
• 2 egg whites (I used flax... 1¾ Tbs + 5 Tbs water)
  
• 1/4 cup butter, melted (this can be interchanged with oil, if you wish)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, you can always use ¼ milk + ¼ tsp vinegar or lemon juice...)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coffee flavored extract (I actually used coffee grounds, & it worked fine)
  
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I omitted this, and doubled the whole wheat flour)
  
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional - I used mini chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional - I didn't do this!)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
   
2. Grease an 8x8 inch square pan.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the applesauce, white sugar (honey/sugar), egg whites (flax), and butter until smooth. Mix in the buttermilk, vanilla extract and coffee.
   
4. In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa, flours, baking powder and salt;
   
5. Combine into the sugar mixture, just until incorporated.
   
6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
7. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the brownies look like they are pulling away from the sides.
   
8. Cool, and cut into squares.

**Note - due to the flax seed and other substitiutions - this recipe makes more of a dense, flat brownie, rather than a fluffy, cake-like brownie... **

Pumpkin Muffins...

One of my favorite things about this time of year, are all the pumpkin flavored foods that come out! Tonight I made these easy & extremely tasty whole wheat pumpkin muffins (original recipe courtesy of HillbillyHousewife...)

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)

1 cup buttermilk or yogurt (I actually used vanilla yogurt)

1/3 cup melted margarine (I used butter or coconut oil, of course!)

1/2 cup white sugar (I used honey, and did a little less than a 1/3 cup, as the yogurt was slightly sweetened, and I wasn't looking for a very sweet muffin)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 medium eggs (or 1 Tbs flax + 3 Tbs water, ground together = one egg)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups whole wheat flour

Instructions:

Get out a big bowl. Scrape the pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin into the bowl. Add the buttermilk, margarine, sugars, vanilla, eggs, salt and cinnamon. Use your whisk to work everything together until it is well blended. Add the baking soda and flour. Mix again, stirring only until the flour is moistened. Be careful not to over beat, muffin batter should be lumpy. Spoon the batter into well oiled muffin cups. Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes (12 mins for mini-muffins).

This recipe makes about 18 muffins. (40 mini-muffins)

Note: If you buy pumpkin in large cans, you can divide it into cup size portions and freeze it until you need it again. This prevents waste, because you don't have to use the whole can up right away. I usually buy pumpkin in 28 ounce cans, because it is cheaper this way. Although sometimes the 16 ounce cans go on sale around the holidays

Note 2: If you don't have buttermilk, you can use 1 cup milk + 1 Tbs vinegar
Instead of using either white or brown sugar, I replaced both with all honey. - about ½ cup + a little worth. They came out awesome!!

Shepherds pie...

Last night we were blessed to be given some food... and though most of it was non-pershiables... tucked in the top, was a little 1lbs chub of ground turkey! So tonight for dinner, I made a very simple & delicious Shepherds pie...

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground turkey
  
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• Garlic powder
• 1 can cream soup (recipe calls for cream of potato, but I used Onion or mushroom, and it was just as good!)
• 1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables
  
• Mashed potatoes (enough to cover a 9 x 13 pan)
• Grated Cheese (cheddar, colby, jack… your choice)

Instructions:

Brown turkey on stove top, add onions during the last 3 minutes of cooking, I also season with some garlic powder. Mix turkey and onions with the cream soup. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick, then spread the turkey mixture in the bottom of the pan. Then layer the corn on top of the turkey, finally spread the mashed potatoes on top of the corn. Bake covered for about 25 minutes @ 350 degrees. During the last 5 minutes of cooking uncover the casserole and sprinkle with grated cheese.