Grain-Free Zucchini Bread

As the warm season is drawing to a close here, we've been enjoying lots of zucchini bread. This recipe gets a nutrition boost from zucchini, sucanat (unrefined sugar, complete with minerals), and nutrient-dense butter. This recipe is moist, lightly sweetened, and delicious!

Since this recipe is grain-free, everyone in my family has enjoyed eating zucchini bread as much as they want to. This recipe makes a great breakfast, or a snack for any time of day.

Grain-Free Zucchini Bread

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter
• 3/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup arrowroot starch
• 1/2 cup sucanat
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp finely ground Celtic sea salt
• 1&1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• dash of dried ginger
• dash of dried allspice
• 3/4 cup whole milk kefir (or substitute plain, whole milk yogurt)
• 3 eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 medium small zucchinis (to make 2 lightly-packed cups of shredded zucchini)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat and allow to cool a bit.
3. Generously butter the sides and bottom of a loaf pan. (I use a 9.5X4.5 glass pan.) If desired, you could line the baking pan with parchment paper to make it very easy for the bread to be removed from the pan. The butter makes a nice "glue" that allows the parchment paper to stick to the inside of the pan.
4. Combine the tapioca starch, coconut flour, arrowroot starch, sucanat, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk to mix it all together well.
5. Combine the kefir, vanilla, and eggs in a small bowl or pourable measuring cup. Mix together with a fork.
6. Shred the zucchinis using a box grater. There is no need to peel the zucchinis.
7. Mix the kefir mixture into the dry ingredients using a hand mixer.
8. Mix the butter into the batter using a hand mixer.
9. Fold in the shredded zucchini.
10. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon or spatula.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for about 55-65 minutes.  It will be done when it is set in the middle (you can lightly touch it, or check to see if a toothpick comes out clean).
12. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes, and then use a spatula or knife to go around the edges.  Invert the pan and move the bread to a cooling rack.  Remove the bread from the pan when it is mostly cool.
13. Slice the bread, and serve! A Rada bread knife works excellently for slicing this bread.  
14. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If you're freezing it, place parchment paper between the slices so they will be easy to separate later on. We like to re-warm this bread in the toaster oven and serve it with a smear of butter and perhaps some cream cheese or goat cheese.

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins (gluten-free : nutrient-dense)

As summer marches on, there is an abundance of local zucchini available. Zucchini's mild neutral flavor makes it work equally well in savory dishes such as ratatouille and spaghetti, as well as in sweet dishes such as muffins and cookies.

I've previously blogged a recipe for grain-free zucchini spice muffins, but this summer I wanted something different. This mildly-sweet chocolate chip zucchini muffin recipe was a hit with all of my family. It makes a tasty, healthy breakfast or snack.

Chocolate  Chip Zucchini Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

• 1 stick butter, preferably the nutrient-dense yellow kind
• 1 cup white rice flour*
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/2 tsp finely-ground Celtic sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/3 cup sucanat
• 3 eggs, preferably pasture-raised
• 2 Tb sour cream
• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life soy-free chocolate chips)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with paper cups. I like to use If You Care Unbleached Baking Cups, as the muffins do not stick to them!
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat and allow to cool a bit.
4. In the meantime, combine the rice flour, coconut flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sucanat in a medium bowl. Whisk it all together to combine, making sure to break up any lumps.
5. Combine the eggs and sour cream in a large bowl. Beat it all together with a fork or whisk.
6. Shred the zucchini using a box grater, discarding the ends. The zucchini does NOT need to be peeled before it is shredded.
7. Mix the zucchini and melted butter into the egg/sour cream mixture with a hand mixer or whisk.
8. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
9. Mix in the chocolate chips.
10. Scoop the muffin batter into the paper muffin cups. I like the convenience of using a 3-Tb scoop for this, but you could just use a large spoon.
11. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned. Another way to tell the muffins are done is to insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin; if the toothpick comes out clean (NOT wet), the muffins are done.
12. Remove from the oven, cool, and enjoy! 

*Want to know more about why I use white rice flour instead of brown? Check out this article.

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

Smashed Potato Pancakes (gluten-free : nutrient-dense)

When there are lots of leftover Butter Smash Potatoes, this recipe for Smashed Potato Pancakes is a great way to create something new and delicious. Smashed Potato Pancakes are beautifully browned on the outside, with a nice crispiness that gives way to a soft smashed potato interior. They make a versatile side dish that pairs well with meats, veggies, or applesauce, or they can just be topped with some gravy. Yum!

Smashed Potato Pancakes
Serves 5-7

• 5 cups leftover Butter Smash Potatoes
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten, preferably from pastured hens
• 1/3 cup white rice flour*
• 1/3 cup packed finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1&1/2 Tb minced green onions, green parts only
• 2-3 Tb refined coconut oil
• 1-2 Tb butter, preferably from grassfed cows

1. In a large bowl, mix the rice flour and eggs into the potatoes. Then mix in the Parmesan and green onions. I like to use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer to mix this all together. 
2. Use a 3 Tb scoop (or just a large spoon) to make mounds of the potato mixture. I like to use a scoop with a spring release mechanism, as it easily makes the mounds all evenly sized and round.
3. The smashed potato pancakes will need to be cooked in batches. Heat 1 Tb coconut oil and 1/2 Tb butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. (Or, if you want to spend less time cooking the pancakes, use two skillets for this recipe. I like to use two 10-inch cast-iron skillets for this recipe.)
4. Smash each potato mound between your palms, until they are about 1/3-inch thick.
5. Once the oil and butter are shimmery and hot, add the smashed potato pancakes, making sure there is plenty of space around each pancake. A 10-inch cast iron skillet will hold about 5-6 of these pancakes at a time.
6. Cook the pancakes over medium heat for a few minutes, until the edges are looking nicely browned. 
7. Flip the pancakes over and cook a few more minutes.
8. Place the cooked pancakes on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain off any excess grease. 
9. Add more oil and butter to the skillet if necessary before cooking the next batch.
10. Once the pancakes are all done, serve and enjoy! These taste fabulous plain, dipped in applesauce, or drizzled in gravy. 

*If you want to know more about why I use white rice instead of brown, check out this article.

Affiliate Disclosure - Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

Cobb Salad (grain-free : gluten-free : nutrient-dense)

As my children and I are wrapping up our unit study on the United States, we're "visiting" the west coast.  Cobb Salad is a California specialty that has become a mainstay salad all over the country.

An easy way to remember the ingredients in Cobb Salad is to use the acronym EAT COBB - Egg, Avocado, Tomato, Chicken, Onion, Bacon, Bleu cheese. My family enjoyed this hearty salad recipe, although it was preferred to substitute goat cheese for the bleu cheese.

Cobb Salad
Serves 4

• For the chicken:
• 3 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped roughly
• 1 celery stalk, chopped roughly
• 1 white onion, in large chunks
• Celtic sea salt
• filtered water
• For the bacon and eggs:
• 6 slices of bacon, preferably nitrate-free
• 4 eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• filtered water
• For the salad:
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce
• 1/2 head red leaf lettuce
• 2 small endives, diced
• 2 ripe avocados, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 3 Tb diced green onions, green parts only
• 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese or goat cheese
• For the dressing:
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 drop hot sauce
• 1/8 tsp soy sauce
• 1/8 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 1/8 tsp fish sauce
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp finely-ground Celtic sea salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Cook the chicken: 

1. Place the carrot, celery, and onion in a 4-qt pot. Add the chicken thighs, cover with filtered water, and add a generous pinch of salt. 
2. Bring the pot of chicken to a low simmer. Cover the pot and allow the chicken to gently simmer for 40 minutes.
3. Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool until it can be handled easily. (The super-delicious broth leftover from cooking the chicken can be used for some other meal later on. It makes fantastic nutrient-dense white rice.)
4. Once the chicken is cool enough, remove and discard the chicken skin. (Or feed it to the dog!) Remove the chicken meat from the bones, being careful to avoid any cartilage or other chewy bits. The bones can be saved for making chicken bone broth. 
5. Chop the chicken into small pieces.
6. The chicken can be prepared earlier in the day or even a day in advance of the meal. If so, just allow the chicken to sit out for a few minutes before adding it to the salad, so the chicken isn't refrigerator-cold. 

Cook the bacon:

1. Cook the bacon until it is nicely crisp. My favorite way to cook bacon is to bake it in the oven at in a 9X13 glass baking dish. It takes about 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees, and seems to cook best on the bottom rack.
2. When the bacon is done, place it on paper towels to remove the excess grease. Once the bacon is cool enough, it can be chopped or crumbled for the salad. 
3. The bacon can be cooked earlier in the day or even a day in advance of the meal.

Boil the eggs:

1. Boil the eggs to your liking. My preferred way to make boiled eggs is as follows: Put the eggs in a small pot and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Set a timer for 15-18 minutes (depending on the size of the eggs). When the timer goes off, pour out the hot water and then add cold water and ice to cool the eggs down quickly (so they don't continue to cook).
2. Once the boiled eggs have cooled enough to handle, peel them. Chop the eggs into wedges or slices.
3. The eggs can be boiled and peeled earlier in the day or even a day in advance of the meal.

Prepare the dressing:

1. Combine the red wine vinegar with all other ingredients except for the olive oil.
2. Whisk or shake vigorously to mix it all up. I like to use this salad dressing bottle so I can just put on the lid and shake it all together.
3. Add about 1 tsp of the olive oil and whisk/shake vigorously again. Adding a small amount of oil first helps the dressing become better mixed so it won't separate back into oil and vinegar as quickly.
4. Add the rest of the olive oil and whisk or shake to combine.

Prepare the salad:

1. Rip the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and chop the endive. Wash and dry the lettuces and endive. A salad spinner works excellently for this. I use this method to easily wash and dry all of my salad greens.
2. Chop up the avocado, slice the tomatoes, and dice the scallions.

Bring it all together:

1. Place a generous amount of lettuce on each plate.
2. Create stripes over top of the lettuce, adding the avocado, bacon, eggs, bleu cheese (or goat cheese), chicken, and tomatoes. Sprinkle the green onions over it all.
3. Shake up the dressing and drizzle to taste.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Affiliate Disclosure - Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site! 

Banana Muffins (nutrient-dense)

Every weekend, I bake a few items that can be used for simple breakfasts throughout the coming week. I usually bake my husband his favorite breakfast of grain-free custard cake, as well as some muffins, granola, or cookies for the rest of us to enjoy. My latest recipe for an easy weekday breakfast is banana muffins.

I've used a combination of flours in this recipe: Einkorn, coconut flour, and sprouted spelt. Einkorn is an ancient variety of wheat that is naturally lower in gluten and higher in protein than modern wheat. The addition of coconut flour allows these muffins to be more-filling, since coconut flour requires extra eggs into the batter.  And the sprouted spelt gives a nice bit of nutty flavor and boosted nutrition (and since the spelt flour is sprouted, the phytic acid anti-nutrient has been reduced). I've made these muffins using a combination of sucanat and sugar for the sweetener; however, sucanat can be used exclusively if you prefer to stick with only unrefined sweeteners.


Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup organic Einkorn flour 
• 1/3 cup organic coconut flour
• 1/4 cup sprouted spelt flour
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp ceylon cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp freshly-ground nutmeg
• zest from 1 lemon, which makes about 1 tsp of packed zest (I use a microplane rasp, and it works wonderfully)
• 2 ripe bananas (with brown spots on the skin, indicating the bananas are sweet enough for this recipe)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) grassfed butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup of sucanat 
• 1/4 cup of organic sugar (or just use more sucanat if you prefer only unrefined sweeteners)
• 3 eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• 1&1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract (or use homemade vanilla)
• 1/2 tsp organic almond extract

1. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.  (I prefer If You Care Unbleached Baking Cups because the muffins do not stick to the sides of the cups.) 
2. Zest the lemon using a microplane rasp or other zester.
3. Combine the Einkorn, coconut flour, sprouted spelt flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Whisk it all together to break up any lumps.  
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
5. Mash two ripe bananas in a medium bowl. I like to use a potato masher to mash the bananas, but a fork would work, too. 
6. Combine the butter, sucanat and sugar in a large bowl (a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer works great for this recipe). Cream together for a couple minutes until the mixture turns slightly lighter in color.
7. In the meantime, combine the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract in a small bowl. (I find that a Pyrex glass measuring cup works great for this because the pour spout makes it easy to add these ingredients to the mixer while it is running.) Do NOT mix up the eggs at this point.
8. Once the butter and sucanat/sugar have become well-mixed, mix in the eggs one-at-a-time.  With my stand-mixer, I can just pour in each egg while the mixer is still running.  Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to get everything incorporated well. (It is okay if the mixture looks a bit curdled during this step.)
9. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just mixed. Because the Einkorn flour does contain gluten, make sure not to overmix or the muffins will be tough. 
10. Mix in the mashed bananas.
11. Use a 3-Tb scoop or large spoon to scoop the batter into the muffin cups.
12. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees F for 27-32 minutes, until a they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out dry.
13. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit before serving.
14. Serve and enjoy! Delicious when paired with a glass of raw milk.

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

My Family's Spring Diet

When I blogged a few months ago about My Family's Winter Diet, I promised to share what our Spring, Summer, and Fall diets look like as well. We are still primarily eating a nutrient-dense diet, but rather than aiming for perfection, I am aiming for an unstressed, maintainable diet that my family can eat for many years to come. We do eat somewhat seasonally, so our diet changes a bit with the seasons to reflect which fruits and vegetables are in season.  

Each Saturday morning, I spend a few hours in the kitchen preparing baked goods for the coming week. Typically, this includes making one custard cake (clafoutis), one or two batches of muffins, and perhaps some cookies or waffles to freeze. By preparing these items on the weekend, our breakfasts throughout the weekdays are very quick-and-easy. Here is a snapshot of our Spring diet.

Breakfast

• Since I wake up early, I often eat two breakfasts. My first breakfast is generally simple, followed by a more substantial breakfast a couple hours later. 
• This Spring, my first breakfast is often one of the following along with a glass of raw milk: 

• Cranberry orange morning round with butter and cream cheese
• Lemon raspberry muffins
• Blueberry muffins 

• My second breakfast is most often sprouted whole wheat or white sourdough toast with eggs and frozen veggie mix sauteed in butter, usually with a glass of raw milk. I have a dose of extra-virgin cod liver oil with my second breakfast perhaps once a week (as determined by when I feel a craving for it). At this time of year, I spend so much time outside that I don't seem to crave cod liver oil as much as I do during the winter months, so I reduce how often I take it to match my desire. 

• My husband eats homemade custard cake for breakfast 6 days of the week every week. (He likes eating the same thing over and over; I can't stand doing that!) In the spring, I most often make one of the following custard cakes for him to have for breakfast each week:  
• Triple berry custard cake 
• Banana clafoutis
• Applesauce custard cake
• This Spring, my 6-year old son often eats one of the following, sometimes with an egg, and always with a glass of raw milk:

• Cranberry orange morning round with butter
• Apple cinnamon morning round with butter and honey
• 7 sprouted grains cinnamon raisin bread with butter, cream cheese, and honey
• My 9-year-old daughter often has one of the following for breakfast this Spring, sometimes with an egg, alongside a glass of raw milk. 
• Blueberry banana grain-free muffin 
• Raspberry chocolate grain-free muffins (or strawberry chocolate muffins using the same recipe with strawberries instead of raspberries)
• Whole milk yogurt with honey and/or fruit 

 

Lunch

• My husband takes frozen homemade leftovers to work for lunch everyday, which he re-heats in a toaster oven.  This Spring, his favorite leftover lunches are:
• Cheesy hashbrown casserole
• Shepherd pie with green beans and mushrooms (made with only beef since I don't generally have ground lamb available)
• Beef and beans

• This Spring, the lunches my children and I are eating most often are:
• Cheesy scrambled egg sandwiches, with mayonnaise, served on sprouted whole wheat bread or gluten-free waffle
• Lunchmeat rolls with cheddar cheese, homemade honey mustard, and fermented pickles, with a side of avocado oil chips or crackers (Absolutely gluten-free flatbread is a great, grain-free option that we all enjoy)
• Leftover soup (from the freezer)
• Canned sardines, served with buttered crackers or sourdough toast (or waffle for my daughter)

 

Snacks and Desserts

• The only snacks my kids are allowed between breakfast and lunch is fruits or veggies, which they have to get for themselves. That makes it where they are certain to be hungry at lunch (whereas previously when they were allowed more-filling snack options, they often didn't eat well at lunch). In the spring, their fruit and veggie snack options are:
• Fresh seasonal fruit, including strawberries and apricots
• Bubbies fermented dill pickles 
• Carrots
• Dried fruit, such as Just Bananas or Just Fruit Salad
• Dried Just Peas
• My husband typically has one of the following snacks while at work:

• Kind bars
• Granola bars
• Salted, roasted cashews
• Banana chips
• Perhaps 40-50% of the time, the kids will have a small snack after our afternoon Quiet Time, usually consisting of nuts, fruit, or cookies (such as butter shortbread or chocolate macaroons). I am always ravenous when I wake from my daily nap, so I always have an afternoon snack such as plain whole-milk yogurt, butter shortbread, apple and cheese, etc.
• The kids and my husband have a snack before bed every night; usually fruit, fried fruit, yogurt, or applesauce. About twice per week they will have dessert such as ice cream or cookies. I'm not generally hungry after dinner, so I don't usually eat anything before bed.
• Perhaps once a week, my husband and I will each have a package of Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.

 

Drinks 

The drinks we consume the vast majority of the time are:

• Raw milk
• Homemade triple berry kombucha
• Fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice in sparkling spring water
• Homemade soda

 

Dinner

• I make a from-scratch dinner meal about 2-3 times per week (and I always make a large portion so there will be enough to freeze for my husband's lunches, or for us to have as leftovers). I can't stand eating the same thing two days in a row, so I plan to eat leftovers a few days later, or freeze them for a future use. This Spring, as the temperature is warming up, we move away from soup and onto other foods. The dinners I'm making most-often are:
• Parmesan fried chicken
• Parmesan fried chicken
• Parmesan fried chicken (no, this isn't a typo: my family loves this chicken recipe so much that I am making it often)
• Ground beef taco meat served as tacos or taco salad
• Side dishes I've been making most often this Spring are:
• Butter smash boiled potatoes (I haven't blogged this recipe, but I will if there is interest)
• Coleslaw with cabbage, carrots, and celery (I could blog this recipe, too)
• Roasted potatoes
• Simple buttered veggies with frozen peas or broccoli 
• Green salad with lettuce, cheese, carrots, celery, and homemade ranch dressing
• Carrot sticks with homemade ranch dressing
• On days when I don't make a from-scratch dinner, we have leftovers or dinners which include some already-prepared ingredients (which I consider to be compromise dinners). The ingredients in our compromise dinners aren't absolutely perfect, but they are pretty good, and incorporating these items into our diets allows for busy days when I don't have hours to spend in the kitchen. Our most commonly-consumed compromise dinners this  Spring are:

• Pizza made with Against the Grain crust, quick-and-easy homemade pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and sauteed mushrooms
• Nitrate-free sausages such as kielbasa or hot dogs, served with frozen sweet potato fries or chips, and fermented pickles
• Tuna salad or chicken salad sandwiches, made with canned tuna or chicken, served with kettle chips and fermented pickles
• We eat out at a restaurant about 2-3 times per month. We also often eat Sunday dinner at my mom's house, and are often blessed with leftovers to often bring home which will make for an easy meal some other day of the week.

 

 

 

Do you find it helpful or interesting to see what we're eating?  What are your favorite Spring meals? 

 

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

Fried Rice (nutrient-dense : gluten-free)

Looking for a side dish to complement teriyaki chicken last week, I created this recipe for fried rice. The celery and cabbage are seasonal vegetables that provide a nice bite in contrast to the soft rice. The combination of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and fish sauce gives this recipe a great Asian taste.

I use white rice in this recipe, which is considered a safe starch by quite a few diet and health authors such as Dr. Mercola, Chris Kresser (author of Paleo Cure), and Paul Jaminet (author of The Perfect Health Diet). My favorite way to prepare white rice is to cook it with butter and homemade chicken bone broth, as that makes the rice more nutritious and gives it an excellent flavor.

Fried Rice
Serves 4-6

• 4 cups cooked white rice, cooled (I used this recipe for nutrient-dense white rice) 
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 Tb gluten-free tamari soy sauce
• 2 tsp sucanat
• 1 Tb refined coconut oil
• 1 medium-sized white onion, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, sliced on the diagonal
• 1/2 pound green cabbage (about 1/4 of a large head of cabbage), sliced and chopped roughly
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1-inch knob of fresh ginger, pressed
• 2 eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• 1/2 Tb refined coconut oil
• celtic sea salt

1. The rice in this recipe needs to be cooked ahead of time and allowed to cool (or even refrigerated). If hot, freshly cooked rice is used, it will become rather mushy in this recipe.
2. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, and sucanat. Stir occasionally while the rest of the ingredients are prepared until the sucanat is dissolved.
3. Chop the onion. I use my favorite knife to prepare the veggies for this recipe.
4. Melt 1 Tb refined coconut oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. I use a deep 12-inch stainless steel skillet for this recipe, but cast iron should work well, too.
5. Saute the onion in the oil for about 10 minutes over medium heat. A bamboo spatula works perfectly for this. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Don't stir it too often, so that the onion can undergo some delicious caramelization (as evidenced by it browning).
6. While the onion cooks, chop the celery and cabbage.
7. Add the celery to the skillet and saute 5 minutes.
8. Add the cabbage to the skillet and saute for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a little more salt.
9. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Use a fork to beat the eggs lightly.
10. Use a garlic press to press the garlic and ginger. With my Pampered Chef garlic press, it is not necessary to peel either the garlic or ginger; it presses them just fine and leaves the skin behind.
11. Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet and saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
12. Add the cooled rice, drizzle with the soy sauce mixture, and fold it all together to combine. Cook for a few minutes to warm the rice.
13. Push the rice and veggies to one side of the skillet. On the other side of the skillet, melt 1/2 Tb refined coconut oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmery, pour the eggs into the oil. Let the eggs cook until they start to set, then lightly chop and fold them while they continue to cook. Cook the eggs until they are almost done and still look a little wet. Turn off the heat.
14. Stir the eggs into the rice/veggie mixture.
15. Serve and enjoy! This fried rice makes an excellent side dish for teriyaki chicken. Egg drop soup would be another good addition to the meal.
16. Store leftovers in the fridge. Re-warmed and topped with a couple fried eggs, they make a great breakfast.  

What is your favorite homemade Asian-inspired meal?

 

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

Carrot, Coconut, and Ginger Muffins (nutrient-dense)

My newest muffin recipe combines three great flavors: carrots, coconut, and ginger. The base of this muffin recipe is my current favorite flour combination: coconut flour, ground crispy nuts, and Einkorn (an ancient variety of wheat that is naturally lower in gluten and higher in protein than modern wheat). These muffins are nutritious, moist and delicious. Paired with a glass of raw milk, these make a great breakfast or snack.

Carrot, Coconut, and Ginger Muffins

• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup organic Einkorn flour 
• 1/3 cup organic coconut flour
• 1/4 cup ground crispy pecans or almonds (or substitute almond meal)
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt 
• 1&1/2 tsp ceylon cinnamon
• pinch of freshly ground nutmeg 
• 1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• zest from 1 lemon, which makes about 1 tsp of packed zest
• 4 med-large organic or local carrots, peeled and shredded
• 6 Tb grassfed butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup of sucanat 
• 3 eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• 1&1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract (or use homemade vanilla)
• 4 Tb organic sour cream, preferably from pastured cows
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger (measure it after it is chopped)

1. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.  (I prefer If You Care Unbleached Baking Cups because the muffins do not stick to the sides of the cups.) 
2. Zest the lemon using a microplane rasp or other zester. 
3. Combine the Einkorn, coconut flour, ground nuts, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Whisk it all together to break up any lumps.  
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
5. Peel and shred the carrots. I like to use a box grater to shred the carrots.
6. Combine the butter and sucanat in a large bowl (a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer works great for this recipe). Cream together for a couple minutes until the mixture turns slightly lighter in color.
7. In the meantime, combine the eggs and vanilla extract in a small bowl. (I find that a Pyrex glass measuring cup works great for this because the pour spout makes it easy to add these ingredients to the mixer while it is running.) Do NOT mix up the eggs at this point.
8. Once the butter and sucanat have become well-mixed, mix in the eggs one-at-a-time.  With my stand-mixer, I can just pour in each egg while the mixer is still running.  Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to get everything incorporated well. (It is okay if the mixture looks a bit curdled during this step.)
9. Add the sour cream to the wet mixture and mix it all well.
10. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just-combined.  Because the Einkorn flour does contain gluten, make sure not to overmix or the muffins will be tough.  The batter will become rather thick, but don't worry about it.
11. Stir or mix in the shredded coconut and chopped crystallized ginger.
12. Use a 3-Tb scoop or large spoon to scoop the batter into the muffin cups.
13. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees F for 27-33 minutes, until a they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out dry.
14. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit before serving.
15. Enjoy! 

 

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

Egg-In-a-Nest: A Favorite Breakfast!

One of our favorite breakfasts is Egg-In-a-Nest.  I rediscovered this wonderful food a few months ago
thanks to a visit from my father-in-law. Egg-In-a-Nest combines eggs and toast into one scrumptious combination.

If I serve my children fried eggs for breakfast, my daughter is likely to leave most of the yolk untouched and my son is likely to leave much of the egg white uneaten. I love that, when I make Egg-In-a-Nest for breakfast, my kids will both easily eat a whole egg.

Egg-In-a-Nest
Serves 2

• two slices of bread (I use either sourdough or sprouted whole-grain bread; for my daughter, I use a homemade gluten-free soaked freezer waffle)
• butter, at room temperature 
• 2 eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• fine-ground celtic sea salt  

1. Carefully cut a hole in the middle of each slice of bread. This can be accomplished with a sharp knife or biscuit cutter.  Don't stress if the bread rips a bit; the egg will "glue" it back together for you later on.
2. Butter both sides of the bread and the round pieces that were cut from the bread. 
3. Warm a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
4. Place the two slices of bread and the two round pieces into the skillet and cook until lightly browned. Flip them all over and cook until lightly browned. Remove the round pieces from the skillet, but leave the bread-with-holes in the skillet.
5. Add a little pat of butter into each hole in the bread.  Once it is melted, crack an egg into each hole.
6. Allow the eggs to cook until the whites are set. It will take longer than it usually does when frying an egg, because of the bread.
7. Once the egg whites are set, flip each piece of bread over to cook the other side of the egg. I like to melt a little more butter for each one, to make sure the eggs don't stick to the pan.
8. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the egg white is fully cooked.
9. Serve each Egg-In-a-Nest alongside with the round pieces. I like to add jam to the round pieces, which my children then dip in their egg yolks. Yum!

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream (nutrient-dense : raw : primal : no refined sweeteners)

My son's pumpkin harvest is rolling in, and he has garnered many more pumpkins than I expected. Since it is still fairly hot here, we've been enjoying pumpkin ice cream. Creamy, spicy, and cool: this ice cream is so good!

All of the pumpkin ice cream recipes I found on the 'net involved cooking the cream, eggs and sugar to make a custard base, but I wanted our pumpkin ice cream to be raw and simple to make.  So I've relied on my old standby for sweetening ice cream, which is a combination of maple syrup and raw honey.  With plenty of spices and egg yolks, this ice cream is rich, smooth, and yummy.

This ice cream comes together quickly and easily by just mixing everything in the blender before pouring it into our ice cream maker.  You could also try this method to make ice cream without a machine.

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
Makes about 6-7 cups of ice cream

• 2 cups heavy cream, preferably raw and from grassfed cows
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tb grade B organic maple syrup
• 3 raw egg yolks, preferably from pastured hens*
• 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 tsp dried ginger
• 3/4 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp fine-ground celtic sea salt
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract, organic or homemade
• 1 and 3/4 cups pumpkin puree, preferably chilled
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tb raw mild-flavored honey
• optional: crumbled Ginger-O's or chopped candied ginger

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Add the honey last, and then blend it right away so the honey doesn't have a chance to harden and clump.
2. Whir for several minutes, until well-combined.
3. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can follow these instructions to make ice cream without a machine.
4. If you do have an ice cream maker, pour mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the instructions for your maker.  I use the Kitchen-Aid ice cream maker attachment, and it works great!
5. Transfer to the fridge to freeze solid for several hours. 
6. Scoop and enjoy! If desired, top with chopped candied ginger or crumbled Ginger-O's.

*Since the egg yolks in this recipe will be consumed raw, it is a good idea to make sure the eggs used are from a trusted source.  Salmonella is typically only an issue with unhealthy hens.  Washing the eggs before you crack them will also reduce any potential salmonella risk, since it actually comes from bacteria on the OUTSIDE of the egg shells.  

What is your favorite pumpkin recipe?

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site! 

Ginger Pear Muffins (nutrient-dense)

Here in the desert southwest, local pear and apple season has arrived.  I always seem to be taken a little off-guard when the first apples and pears start arriving at our natural foods co-op and farmer's market, as it is still hot and definitely still summertime here. But with our long growing season, these traditional fruits-of-Fall are starting to attain ripeness already.

I brought home a small haul of beautiful green Bartlett and Comte pears the week before last. Unlike apples and peaches, pears are picked when green and then ripen to full sweetness and softness off the tree. So the pears I bought were still bright green and hard. By Saturday, after about nine days on the counter, the pears were soft and the skin was turning a nice yellow-green color. It was time for baking.

One of my absolute favorite flavor combinations is Ginger and Pear. Those two flavors are good on their own, but when combined they are fantastic. This recipe for Ginger Pear Muffins uses my currently-preferred combination of Einkorn flour, coconut flour, and ground crispy nuts.  (For a grain-free ginger pear muffin recipe, click here.) These muffins are so very good that they won't stay around long.

Ginger Pear Muffins

• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup organic einkorn flour 
• 1/3 cup organic coconut flour
• 1/4 cup ground crispy pecans or almonds (or substitute almond meal)
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt 
• 1 tsp dried ground ginger (or 1 Tb minced fresh ginger)
• 1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 6 Tb grassfed butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup of sucanat (or use a combination of sucanat and sugar for a lighter flavor)
• 3 eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• 1/4 cup organic sour cream, preferably from pastured cows
• 1&1/4 cup diced ripe pears (they don't need to be peeled)

1. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.  (I prefer If You Care Unbleached Baking Cups because the muffins do not stick to the sides of the cups.)
2. Combine the einkorn, coconut flour, ground nuts, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and ginger in a medium bowl. Whisk it all together to break up any lumps.  
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Combine the butter, sucanat and sugar in a large bowl (a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer works great for this recipe). Cream together for a couple minutes until the mixture turns slightly lighter in color.
5. In the meantime, crack the eggs into a small bowl. (I find that a Pyrex glass measuring cup works great for this because the pour spout makes it easy to add these ingredients to the mixer while it is running.) Do NOT mix up the eggs at this point.
6. Once the butter and sucanat/sugar have become well-mixed, mix in the eggs one-at-a-time.  With my stand-mixer, I can just pour in each egg while the mixer is still running.  Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to get everything incorporated well. (It is okay if the mixture looks a bit curdled during this step.)
7. Add the sour cream to the wet mixture and mix it in well.
8. Add the dry ingredients a bit at a time.  Because the Einkorn flour does contain gluten, make sure not to overmix or the muffins will be tough.  The batter will become rather thick, but don't worry about it.
9. Stir or mix in the pears.
10. Use a 3-Tb scoop or large spoon to scoop the batter into the muffin cups.
11. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees F for 23-27 minutes, until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out dry.
12. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit before serving.

What is your favorite pear recipe?

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!

Chicken Green Chile Crustless Quiche (grain-free : gluten-free : GAPS : primal)

My daughter's egg business is in full-swing now, and she sells ~5 dozen eggs per week. A couple weeks ago, we had some extra eggs piling up in the fridge and I was secretly gleeful that we could have one of our favorite dinners: quiche!  Instead of making our old standby (mushroom cheddar crustless quiche), I came up with a new quiche recipe: Chicken Green Chile Crustless Quiche.

My 5-year-old-son's favorite food is quiche; it's even what he requested for his birthday dinner. My 8-year-old daughter eats quiche, but it is not one of her favorite meals... until now. She melted into a contented puddle when she took her first bite of Chicken Green Chile Crustless Quiche. This recipe is so good, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Chicken Green Chile Crustless Quiche

• 1/4 of a medium white onion, minced
• 3 Tb butter, preferably nutrient-dense
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted mild green chile, minus the seeds and skin*
• 1/2 stalk celery, minced
• 1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/4 tsp dried cumin
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• one small clove of garlic, minced
• one dozen (12) eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• 1 cup leftover cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt, preferably from pastured cows
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 
• butter, to grease the baking dish

1. Melt the butter in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and a tiny sprinkle of celtic sea salt.  Saute the onion for ~10-15 minutes, stirring as needed but not too often. Let the onion get a bit of browned color, which indicates that it is caramelizing and releasing its natural sweetness.
2. Add the green chile and celery. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp celtic sea salt, and saute for about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium if the skillet is becoming overheated.
3. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano. Saute for about a minute, until fragrant. Turn off heat and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a large bowl.  Beat the eggs slightly. Add the cheddar cheese, chicken, yogurt, 1 tsp celtic sea salt and 1/4 tsp of freshly ground pepper.   Stir well to combine.
6. Add the cooked veggies to the egg mixture and stir to combine. 
7. Grease a square 8X8 glass baking dish with butter. Pour the quiche mixture into the baking dish. 
8. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the quiche is set in the center and beautifully browned on top.
9. Let cool a bit, then slice and serve!  This pairs wonderfully with hash browns and a green salad dressed with homemade ranch dressing.  
10. Store leftovers in a covered dish in the fridge.  They reheat well in a toaster oven at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.

 *We live in the land of abundant green chile. I buy it whenever our local healthfood store is roasting it out front, and then freeze it in baggies until use. If you can't buy fresh green chile, you could use fire-roasted canned green chile in a pinch.


Links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you use these links, your price remains the same, but I earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this site!