Apparently my stomach doesn't want to stay healed so I think it's back to GAPS for me. I've been experiencing an increase in symptoms for my ulcerative colitis and I don't think I'm in "remission" any more. Some days are downright painful.
So, I'm starting Intro again. I'll work my way up to FULL and then probably stay there for a bit. My goal is to stay on each Stage for at least one week before moving up, but I might go faster or slower depending on how my guts react.
I'm the only one doing it this time. My husband volunteered to do it with me (bless his heart) but since I'll be making meals for the kids I told him to eat with them or else I'd have crazy amounts of leftovers. I'll be using a lot of the recipes I've already tried (and liked) and will be posting new ones as I go.
Here we go......
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Chicken "Lo Mein"
This is a variation on the Stir Fry....and tonight it went like this.
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 chicken sausages, also bite-sized
Cooked them up in a skillet until browned.
Added:
several handfuls baby carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 head broccoli, crowns only
Cooked until softish. I did add a bit of water here and there to make sure it didn't burn. I wasn't going for tender-crisp, but soft-tender. It would have been much better to add chicken broth, but I had none.
When everything was basically cooked I added:
salt to taste
2 medium zucchini turned into "noodles"
Cooked a few more minutes until zucchini was warmed through and soft.
The kids inhaled this and later told me it was "really, really, really, really, really, really good". I think I might have missed a few reallys in there...but they liked it.
This would also work well with beef and/or shrimp or other sausages. It would also be great with onions. Sadly, my kids only eat onions in soup.
I'm thinking it's a Stage 4 when you start baking things and cooking them on the stove.
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 chicken sausages, also bite-sized
Cooked them up in a skillet until browned.
Added:
several handfuls baby carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 head broccoli, crowns only
Cooked until softish. I did add a bit of water here and there to make sure it didn't burn. I wasn't going for tender-crisp, but soft-tender. It would have been much better to add chicken broth, but I had none.
When everything was basically cooked I added:
salt to taste
2 medium zucchini turned into "noodles"
Cooked a few more minutes until zucchini was warmed through and soft.
The kids inhaled this and later told me it was "really, really, really, really, really, really good". I think I might have missed a few reallys in there...but they liked it.
This would also work well with beef and/or shrimp or other sausages. It would also be great with onions. Sadly, my kids only eat onions in soup.
I'm thinking it's a Stage 4 when you start baking things and cooking them on the stove.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Beefy Squash Bake
What do you call something that you just threw together? Goulash? Bake? Dinner?
Tonight I used the other half of the squashes that went into the Crockpot Chicken Curry. I totally improvised and it actually worked. GAPS is taking me so far out of my comfort zone!!!
In a 13x9 pan add the following, and stir to distribute.
1/2 butternut squash, small cubes
1/2 acorn squash, small cubes
1 onion, diced small
1 calabaza squash, small cubes
Take 1 pound of ground beef and break into small, small bits. Top with lots of salt (a few teaspoons?) and gently mix together. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Take off the foil and stir around, breaking up the ground beef as needed. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed/cooked off and the squash is soft.
Everyone ate this without complaint, although there was a lot of picking out of the meat to begin with. This is a Stage 3 recipe, "stews and casseroles".
Tonight I used the other half of the squashes that went into the Crockpot Chicken Curry. I totally improvised and it actually worked. GAPS is taking me so far out of my comfort zone!!!
In a 13x9 pan add the following, and stir to distribute.
1/2 butternut squash, small cubes
1/2 acorn squash, small cubes
1 onion, diced small
1 calabaza squash, small cubes
Take 1 pound of ground beef and break into small, small bits. Top with lots of salt (a few teaspoons?) and gently mix together. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Take off the foil and stir around, breaking up the ground beef as needed. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed/cooked off and the squash is soft.
Everyone ate this without complaint, although there was a lot of picking out of the meat to begin with. This is a Stage 3 recipe, "stews and casseroles".
Crockpot Chicken Curry
You know you found a good recipe when your 10-year-old comes up to you the next morning and says, "That was some good curry you made yesterday".
I followed a recipe from The Well Fed Homestead.
I used 3 different kinds of squash, all uncooked -
1/2 butternut squash, small cubes
1/2 acorn squash, small cubes
1/2 spaghetti squash, chunks about 2 inches long and 1/2 an inch wide
I threw all those in the crockpot and added:
1 LARGE onion, diced small
one can coconut milk (I should have used homemade but didn't)
1 to 2 cups chicken stock (I just ladled it in and didn't measure)
3 tsp. curry powder (I added another 1 tsp. later)
2 tsp. salt (and added more later)
Stirred it all together and let it cook for 7 or so hours, on low. Instead of adding cooked shredded chicken to the crockpot, I cubed some chicken and fried it up on the stove (in coconut oil) and stirred it in the crockpot right before serving. I liked the texture better that way.
It had a good flavor and texture. I served it in bowls because it was a little soup like, closer to chili. Two of the boys ate it with no problem (one had seconds). The little boys picked the chicken out. This fed our family of 6 dinner and then lunch the next day.
Because of the coconut milk this is Stage 6. You could probably make this in Stage 5 (due to spices) if you added more broth instead of the coconut milk.
I followed a recipe from The Well Fed Homestead.
I used 3 different kinds of squash, all uncooked -
1/2 butternut squash, small cubes
1/2 acorn squash, small cubes
1/2 spaghetti squash, chunks about 2 inches long and 1/2 an inch wide
I threw all those in the crockpot and added:
1 LARGE onion, diced small
one can coconut milk (I should have used homemade but didn't)
1 to 2 cups chicken stock (I just ladled it in and didn't measure)
3 tsp. curry powder (I added another 1 tsp. later)
2 tsp. salt (and added more later)
Stirred it all together and let it cook for 7 or so hours, on low. Instead of adding cooked shredded chicken to the crockpot, I cubed some chicken and fried it up on the stove (in coconut oil) and stirred it in the crockpot right before serving. I liked the texture better that way.
It had a good flavor and texture. I served it in bowls because it was a little soup like, closer to chili. Two of the boys ate it with no problem (one had seconds). The little boys picked the chicken out. This fed our family of 6 dinner and then lunch the next day.
Because of the coconut milk this is Stage 6. You could probably make this in Stage 5 (due to spices) if you added more broth instead of the coconut milk.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Raw Veggie Crackers
So, even though we're doing GAPS I find it hard to completely walk away from my raw food interests. I do think the two dietary philosophies can work well together and this was one attempt to do so. I'm not baking with nuts these days - we use them for snacks in their raw (soaked and dried) form. The expense is just too high and the frustration level is too. So, veggies seemed like a good compromise for crackers. I used the recipe from Simple, Healthy, Tasty and while they were good, it needs some work.
2 1/4 c. carrot chunks (peel and chunk some big ones)
1/2 c. raisins
juice of 1 lemon
2 c. raw sunflower seeds (use soaked and dried seeds)
3/4 c. golden flax seeds
1/2 small onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. salt
In a food processor, blend the carrots and raisins until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, then sunflower and flax seeds, pulsing until incorporated. Then add the other ingredients, pulsing as you go.
The original recipe states "The mixture does not want to be completely smooth." I disagree somewhat. My flax seeds never really got crushed and unless they are ground/smashed to bits they just pass right through you. Good for "roughage" but not good for absorbing nutrients. The next time I make these I will use my Blendtec to grind the flax and sunflower seeds. Then proceed with the food processor steps.
Add a little water as needed if it's too thick. Spread, about 1/4 inch thick, onto dehydrator teflex sheets. (I just used my holey ones and they made pretty funny looking spiky crackers). Dehydrate at 125 degrees for 6 hours, flip and dry another 6 or so hours. Cut into squares (or break into chunks) and store in airtight container. If you want it truly raw, dehydrate at a temperature no higher than 105 degrees.
Mess around with flavors. Check the original recipe for some ideas.
We tried the Mexican one with:
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 jalapeno
And the Pizza flavored one:
1 1/2 tbsp. oregano
2 tsp. fennel seed
2 tsp. ground fennel (didn't have)
Nobody had a clear favorite and so we'll keep trying. I don't like biting into whole fennel seeds so I might skip that and try to find the ground fennel instead.
I'd save this for the Full Stage.
2 1/4 c. carrot chunks (peel and chunk some big ones)
1/2 c. raisins
juice of 1 lemon
2 c. raw sunflower seeds (use soaked and dried seeds)
3/4 c. golden flax seeds
1/2 small onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. salt
In a food processor, blend the carrots and raisins until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, then sunflower and flax seeds, pulsing until incorporated. Then add the other ingredients, pulsing as you go.
The original recipe states "The mixture does not want to be completely smooth." I disagree somewhat. My flax seeds never really got crushed and unless they are ground/smashed to bits they just pass right through you. Good for "roughage" but not good for absorbing nutrients. The next time I make these I will use my Blendtec to grind the flax and sunflower seeds. Then proceed with the food processor steps.
Add a little water as needed if it's too thick. Spread, about 1/4 inch thick, onto dehydrator teflex sheets. (I just used my holey ones and they made pretty funny looking spiky crackers). Dehydrate at 125 degrees for 6 hours, flip and dry another 6 or so hours. Cut into squares (or break into chunks) and store in airtight container. If you want it truly raw, dehydrate at a temperature no higher than 105 degrees.
Mess around with flavors. Check the original recipe for some ideas.
We tried the Mexican one with:
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 jalapeno
And the Pizza flavored one:
1 1/2 tbsp. oregano
2 tsp. fennel seed
2 tsp. ground fennel (didn't have)
Nobody had a clear favorite and so we'll keep trying. I don't like biting into whole fennel seeds so I might skip that and try to find the ground fennel instead.
I'd save this for the Full Stage.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Ground Beef Soup
I've been fighting a cold and not feeling peppy. Two of my boys and my husband are sick as well and they all requested soup. Since I wasn't wanting to spend a lot of time 'prepping' I made a lazy soup...and we loved it.
1 onion, pureed
2 or 3 large carrots, peeled and pureed
2 or 3 cloves garlic, pureed
2 to 4 quarts broth (depending on how much soup you need to make)
1 to 2 pounds ground beef
a few handfuls broccoli heads (stalks removed, just the little flowery parts)
several large handfuls of spinach, sliced small
2 large leaves of kale, cut into tiny pieces
2 zucchini, made into "noodles" (use a julienne peeler or spiralizer)
Puree the onion, carrots and garlic. Add to a large stock pot with the broth and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling drop in small bits of ground beef, no fancy meatballs this time around. Alternately, you could dump the whole chunk of meat in and use a masher or spoon to break it up as it cooks. After adding the beef, reduce heat and cover with a lid. Let simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and let cook about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini noodles, kale and spinach. Cook about 5 minutes or until zucchini noodles are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I cooked this until the broccoli and other veggies were MUSH. Several of us had sore throats and didn't want to swallow "rough" things.
Fast, easy, tasty, very nourishing. This would also be great with sauerkraut or kimchi, avocados and olive oil drizzled on top.
This is a Stage 1 recipe.
1 onion, pureed
2 or 3 large carrots, peeled and pureed
2 or 3 cloves garlic, pureed
2 to 4 quarts broth (depending on how much soup you need to make)
1 to 2 pounds ground beef
a few handfuls broccoli heads (stalks removed, just the little flowery parts)
several large handfuls of spinach, sliced small
2 large leaves of kale, cut into tiny pieces
2 zucchini, made into "noodles" (use a julienne peeler or spiralizer)
Puree the onion, carrots and garlic. Add to a large stock pot with the broth and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling drop in small bits of ground beef, no fancy meatballs this time around. Alternately, you could dump the whole chunk of meat in and use a masher or spoon to break it up as it cooks. After adding the beef, reduce heat and cover with a lid. Let simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and let cook about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini noodles, kale and spinach. Cook about 5 minutes or until zucchini noodles are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I cooked this until the broccoli and other veggies were MUSH. Several of us had sore throats and didn't want to swallow "rough" things.
Fast, easy, tasty, very nourishing. This would also be great with sauerkraut or kimchi, avocados and olive oil drizzled on top.
This is a Stage 1 recipe.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Simple Chicken Noodle Soup
I know I've posted about chicken noodle soup before, but this is the latest version and we like it lots better.
1 large onion, diced (I try to get this super small)
several chicken thighs (or any type of chicken meat), cut into small bite-sized pieces
In a soup pot, saute the onions until soft, about 20 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until browned. Throw in:
2 to 3 stalks celery, sliced
3 or 4 handfuls baby carrots, sliced
chicken broth - 2 to 4 quarts, depending on how many people you need to feed
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until carrots are soft. Meanwhile, make zucchini noodles. To do this, wash and dry some zucchini (I use 2 or 3 for our family of 6). Using a vegetable peeler or julienne cutter (small, hand-held peeler that creates noodles!) slide the peeler down the zucchini. I go until I hit the seeds. I also cut large zucchini in half so the noodles aren't a foot long.
Once the carrots are soft, add the zucchini noodles and return to a boil. Let boil for 2 to 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. I often add in a few cloves of crushed garlic at this point as well.
This is good with a little olive oil drizzled in. We've added sauerkraut as well, but kimchi would be better (I'm out right now).
Without the celery this is a Stage 1 recipe. If you add celery then it's Stage 3.
1 large onion, diced (I try to get this super small)
several chicken thighs (or any type of chicken meat), cut into small bite-sized pieces
In a soup pot, saute the onions until soft, about 20 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until browned. Throw in:
2 to 3 stalks celery, sliced
3 or 4 handfuls baby carrots, sliced
chicken broth - 2 to 4 quarts, depending on how many people you need to feed
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until carrots are soft. Meanwhile, make zucchini noodles. To do this, wash and dry some zucchini (I use 2 or 3 for our family of 6). Using a vegetable peeler or julienne cutter (small, hand-held peeler that creates noodles!) slide the peeler down the zucchini. I go until I hit the seeds. I also cut large zucchini in half so the noodles aren't a foot long.
Once the carrots are soft, add the zucchini noodles and return to a boil. Let boil for 2 to 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. I often add in a few cloves of crushed garlic at this point as well.
This is good with a little olive oil drizzled in. We've added sauerkraut as well, but kimchi would be better (I'm out right now).
Without the celery this is a Stage 1 recipe. If you add celery then it's Stage 3.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Curried Lentil Soup
I made this several days ago and froze 3 quart-sized bags of it. I have since re-heated one and it didn't effect the taste or texture. The soup was okay, but not nearly "curried" enough for me. I LOVE curry. It's rather an obsession of mine. In fact, it was sort of bland. I like the concept of the soup (nourishing, filling, inexpensive) but need to tweak it a bit. One of the boys said it needed "bits of meat". I agree. When I re-heated it I added some cooked steak and it greatly improved the flavor.
The original recipe is found here.
3 large onions, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. butter or ghee
2 tbsp. coconut oil or tallow
2 quarts stock (any flavor will work)
2 c. red or brown lentils*
1/2 tsp. dried green peppercorns (I will leave out next time...it didn't add)
2 tbsp. curry paste, red, green or yellow (which may or may not have GAPS legal ingredients -read the label carefully)
sea salt or fish sauce, to taste
In a large soup pot, cook the onions and carrots in butter/ghee and coconut oil/tallow until soft. This takes about 30 minutes on medium low. Once the veggies are soft, add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, reduce heat and add the curry paste. Cover and simmer until the lentils are soft. Mine took about 45 minutes. Puree with an immersion (handheld) blender. I left it about half chunky, half pureed. Season with salt (or fish sauce) and pepper to taste.
*Soak the lentils at least 7 hours before cooking with 3 tbsp. whey or apple cider vinegar and filtered water. Use a bit more water than covers the lentils. Drain and rinse before cooking. Green and brown lentils don't turn mushy or dissolve like red lentils tend to do.
We all added sauerkraut to it (which was great) and some tried it with kimchi. Also great.
Some additions I tried when I re-heated and would definitely do next time around:
chopped avocado
garlic cloves (1 per bowl or else in the pot of soup)
cooked meat (beef, chicken or pork)
olive oil - drizzled on the top
fermented food - sauerkraut, kimchi, etc.
sautéed, chopped greens - spinach or kale
Lentils can be eaten when you reach the Full Stage of the diet.
The original recipe is found here.
3 large onions, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. butter or ghee
2 tbsp. coconut oil or tallow
2 quarts stock (any flavor will work)
2 c. red or brown lentils*
1/2 tsp. dried green peppercorns (I will leave out next time...it didn't add)
2 tbsp. curry paste, red, green or yellow (which may or may not have GAPS legal ingredients -read the label carefully)
sea salt or fish sauce, to taste
In a large soup pot, cook the onions and carrots in butter/ghee and coconut oil/tallow until soft. This takes about 30 minutes on medium low. Once the veggies are soft, add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, reduce heat and add the curry paste. Cover and simmer until the lentils are soft. Mine took about 45 minutes. Puree with an immersion (handheld) blender. I left it about half chunky, half pureed. Season with salt (or fish sauce) and pepper to taste.
*Soak the lentils at least 7 hours before cooking with 3 tbsp. whey or apple cider vinegar and filtered water. Use a bit more water than covers the lentils. Drain and rinse before cooking. Green and brown lentils don't turn mushy or dissolve like red lentils tend to do.
We all added sauerkraut to it (which was great) and some tried it with kimchi. Also great.
Some additions I tried when I re-heated and would definitely do next time around:
chopped avocado
garlic cloves (1 per bowl or else in the pot of soup)
cooked meat (beef, chicken or pork)
olive oil - drizzled on the top
fermented food - sauerkraut, kimchi, etc.
sautéed, chopped greens - spinach or kale
Lentils can be eaten when you reach the Full Stage of the diet.
Curried Cauliflower
This also came from Everyday Paleo (we ate it with the baked breaded chicken). My boys didn't really care for it but I loved it. In fact, I was sort of hoping they'd hate it so there'd be more for me! Well, one of them said it "wasn't spicy enough" and I should add more chili powder next time. What is happening to my children?
coconut oil, melted - maybe 1/4 cup, perhaps less
1 head cauliflower - cleaned and separated into florets
1 to 2 tsp. curry powder
a few shakes turmeric
a few shakes garlic powder
a shake or three chili powder
maybe 1/2 tsp. sea salt
a few grinds black pepper
Mix some coconut oil and the spices in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and stir around until coated. Place on a baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees for between 30 to 45 minutes.
Because of the spices, this would be a Stage 5 recipe.
coconut oil, melted - maybe 1/4 cup, perhaps less
1 head cauliflower - cleaned and separated into florets
1 to 2 tsp. curry powder
a few shakes turmeric
a few shakes garlic powder
a shake or three chili powder
maybe 1/2 tsp. sea salt
a few grinds black pepper
Mix some coconut oil and the spices in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and stir around until coated. Place on a baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees for between 30 to 45 minutes.
Because of the spices, this would be a Stage 5 recipe.
Baked Breaded Chicken
This recipe comes from Everyday Paleo. I used chicken breasts and halved the "stuff" because I only used a pound of meat. It ended up being a bit dry so if I make this again, I'll cook it for less time. My boys said this was "good, good, good".
I served it with curried cauliflower and raw sugar snap peas.
chicken (breast, thighs, whatever) - enough to feed your family
1/2 to 1 cup almond meal*
1/2 to 1 cup coconut flour
garlic powder (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
salt (to taste)
2 to 3 eggs
coconut oil or tallow
Cut the chicken into 'chicken strip' size pieces. Scramble the eggs in a dish with sides. Mix the coconut flour, almond meal, garlic powder, pepper and salt in a second dish with sides. Dip the chicken in the eggs, then roll it in the flour mixture. Place in a pan that has been greased with coconut oil or tallow. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees. My chicken was dry at 30 minutes. It might also help to drizzle oil/tallow on the chicken at some point in the baking.
*I ground 1/2 cup soaked and dried almonds in my food processor until fine.
This is a Full recipe because of the coconut flour.
I served it with curried cauliflower and raw sugar snap peas.
chicken (breast, thighs, whatever) - enough to feed your family
1/2 to 1 cup almond meal*
1/2 to 1 cup coconut flour
garlic powder (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
salt (to taste)
2 to 3 eggs
coconut oil or tallow
Cut the chicken into 'chicken strip' size pieces. Scramble the eggs in a dish with sides. Mix the coconut flour, almond meal, garlic powder, pepper and salt in a second dish with sides. Dip the chicken in the eggs, then roll it in the flour mixture. Place in a pan that has been greased with coconut oil or tallow. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees. My chicken was dry at 30 minutes. It might also help to drizzle oil/tallow on the chicken at some point in the baking.
*I ground 1/2 cup soaked and dried almonds in my food processor until fine.
This is a Full recipe because of the coconut flour.
Friday, August 5, 2011
My favorite ways to eat eggs
I've made this multiple times and love it still. It's usually the same base recipe (eggs, carrots, onions and something fermented) and I add things here and there, depending on what I have in the fridge. This recipe is enough for one person (my kids won't touch it) so adjust as needed.
matchstick carrots, one large handful
1/2 onion, sliced
2 eggs
ghee
1/2 avocado, chopped
olive oil
sea salt and pepper
sauerkraut OR kimchi OR cortido
cilantro
green onions, sliced
Cook the carrots and onions in ghee with some sea salt until soft (you decide if you want them mushy or slightly crispy). Remove to a plate.
Fry two eggs in ghee (or butter if you can tolerate it). I like to cook mine until the whites are set and the yolks are runny.
Place the eggs on top of the cooked carrots and onions. On the side arrange the avocado. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add 2 or 3 spoonfuls fermented food of choice. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions, if desired.
Because I'm a bit weird I try to make sure I get a bite of each thing on my fork, but I DON'T like to mix it all together and stir it around.
Due to the avocado and fermented foods, this is a Stage 3 recipe.
matchstick carrots, one large handful
1/2 onion, sliced
2 eggs
ghee
1/2 avocado, chopped
olive oil
sea salt and pepper
sauerkraut OR kimchi OR cortido
cilantro
green onions, sliced
Cook the carrots and onions in ghee with some sea salt until soft (you decide if you want them mushy or slightly crispy). Remove to a plate.
Fry two eggs in ghee (or butter if you can tolerate it). I like to cook mine until the whites are set and the yolks are runny.
Place the eggs on top of the cooked carrots and onions. On the side arrange the avocado. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add 2 or 3 spoonfuls fermented food of choice. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions, if desired.
Because I'm a bit weird I try to make sure I get a bite of each thing on my fork, but I DON'T like to mix it all together and stir it around.
Due to the avocado and fermented foods, this is a Stage 3 recipe.
Shredded Beef Soup
I made some shredded beef soup the other day, following this recipe from Grain Free Foodies. My older boys, the kimchi lovers, thought I was disgusting to put it in my soup....and then they tried it and went crazy. One of them had 3 bowls of it! The original recipe is for one bowl of soup, but I adapted to make a large pot.
Beef broth (enough for a pot of soup)
beef, cooked and shredded (the meat picked from soup bones works well)
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
Heat the above until warm. Ladle into bowls. At the table add any of the following:
kimchi OR sauerkraut (we tried both and loved it both ways)
green onions, sliced
cilantro, chopped
hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
avocado
olive oil
This is a Stage 3 recipe due to eating the fermented foods as well as avocado and cilantro.
Beef broth (enough for a pot of soup)
beef, cooked and shredded (the meat picked from soup bones works well)
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
Heat the above until warm. Ladle into bowls. At the table add any of the following:
kimchi OR sauerkraut (we tried both and loved it both ways)
green onions, sliced
cilantro, chopped
hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
avocado
olive oil
This is a Stage 3 recipe due to eating the fermented foods as well as avocado and cilantro.
Some housekeeping matters
You probably noticed...but I'm not doing daily updates anymore. It was just too time consuming and I have lots of other things I need to be doing, including cooking for the GAPS diet.
We are still plugging along and I'm going to continue to update with recipes that we like and any interesting information that I find.
We are still plugging along and I'm going to continue to update with recipes that we like and any interesting information that I find.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Day 25
Breakfast
Smoothie, Meat and Veggie Sausages, fruit, nuts
(Full for smoothie, Stage 5 for sausages unless using only salt & pepper, Stage 5/6 for fruit, Full for nuts)
Today's smoothie had bananas, strawberries, blueberries, coconut oil, flax seed oil, raw egg yolks, prunes, a drizzle of honey and YOGURT. Our first day trying yogurt, fermented 24 hours in my dehydrator.
Lunch
Meatballs, pumpkin pie carrots, sauerkraut, kimchi, more Meat and Veggie Sausages
(Stage 1 for meatballs, Stage 5 for pumpkin pie carrots, Stage 3 for sauerkraut and kimchi)
Instead of meatballs or meat patties, I made mini-meat patties. Basically a meatball flattened. They liked this variation in size even though it was the same taste they had yesterday.
Lunch Part II
Lara Balls, smoothie, fruit
(Full for Lara Balls and smoothie, Stage 5/6 for fruit)
Dinner
Chicken Stir Fry, kimchi
(Stage 4 for stir fry, Stage 3 for kimchi)
The stir fry had broccoli, carrots and yellow squash. Normally I would "fry"it in broth until the veggies were soft, but I was out so I used water.
The boys have turned into kimchi monsters. They love it and keep asking for it, saying "My body just really craves it." Even the 7-year-old got in on the fun and ate a small helping then ran around the table yelling that his mouth was on fire. And then sat down and ate more. Kids are weird.
Reactions:
No pukes today. No complaints of hurting stomachs. Fairly normal day for everyone.
Thoughts:
I need to keep a constant supply of ferments going in the pantry because we're going through them faster than I anticipated. And I never really expected my boys to like them...but they do!
Smoothie, Meat and Veggie Sausages, fruit, nuts
(Full for smoothie, Stage 5 for sausages unless using only salt & pepper, Stage 5/6 for fruit, Full for nuts)
Today's smoothie had bananas, strawberries, blueberries, coconut oil, flax seed oil, raw egg yolks, prunes, a drizzle of honey and YOGURT. Our first day trying yogurt, fermented 24 hours in my dehydrator.
Lunch
Meatballs, pumpkin pie carrots, sauerkraut, kimchi, more Meat and Veggie Sausages
(Stage 1 for meatballs, Stage 5 for pumpkin pie carrots, Stage 3 for sauerkraut and kimchi)
Instead of meatballs or meat patties, I made mini-meat patties. Basically a meatball flattened. They liked this variation in size even though it was the same taste they had yesterday.
Lunch Part II
Lara Balls, smoothie, fruit
(Full for Lara Balls and smoothie, Stage 5/6 for fruit)
Dinner
Chicken Stir Fry, kimchi
(Stage 4 for stir fry, Stage 3 for kimchi)
The stir fry had broccoli, carrots and yellow squash. Normally I would "fry"it in broth until the veggies were soft, but I was out so I used water.
The boys have turned into kimchi monsters. They love it and keep asking for it, saying "My body just really craves it." Even the 7-year-old got in on the fun and ate a small helping then ran around the table yelling that his mouth was on fire. And then sat down and ate more. Kids are weird.
Reactions:
No pukes today. No complaints of hurting stomachs. Fairly normal day for everyone.
Thoughts:
I need to keep a constant supply of ferments going in the pantry because we're going through them faster than I anticipated. And I never really expected my boys to like them...but they do!
Day 24
Breakfast
Eggs, Meat and Veggie Sausages, Smoothie, Juice
(Stage 2/3 for eggs, Stage 5 for Meat and Veggie Sausages unless using only salt and pepper, Full for smoothies)
Lunch
Meatballs, Peas, sauerkraut
(Stage 1 for meatballs, Stage 1 for peas, Stage 3 for sauerkraut)
Today's meatballs had one onion, 4 cloves garlic, a giant carrot, a handful of parsley and a monster leaf of nearly indestructible kale.
Dinner
Mexican Chicken Soup, avocado, olive oil (drizzled in the soup), cilantro, sauerkraut, watermelon
(Stage 1 for soup w/out extras, Stage 3 avocado, sauerkraut, cilantro & olive oil, Full for watermelon)
The soup was lovely with all the add-ins. And yes, we put sauerkraut in the soup and it was GREAT.
Reactions:
I woke up to find my 5-year-old sprawled in the floor, dry heaving. I got him to the bathroom and he emptied his stomach. He immediately asked for food, which I gave him as I suspected it was "diet" related and not stomach bug. He ate a heaping plate of scrambled eggs, a peach, an apple and then got up and played all day. We let him eat all day long and he was fine. Most likely it was another dip in blood sugar. Or that he hadn't eaten well the day before. My husband and I are currently discussing what we can do to avoid this and to make sure this child doesn't develop digestion/food issues that he didn't have before we started GAPS.
In other news, we have some mildly constipated kids and the darn eczema just isn't budging. He told me that it's so bad now that he can't lay his legs on the sheets at night without it hurting. Diet? Laundry soap? Fabric? It's a puzzle I can't seem to solve.
Thoughts:
I'm still brainstorming on snacks...trying to find healthy, inexpensive snacks that don't take a ton of prep work. It's discouraging to spend an hour in the kitchen making a "batch" of snacks and watch them eat it all in one sitting! We've pretty much lifted the fruit ban and are letting them eat it when they want, as snacks, with meals, whenever. Their morale has improved a lot and I think they feel more relaxed knowing that they have instant access to food if they are hungry instead of me saying, "Just give me 30 minutes or so and I'll have a snack ready."
Eggs, Meat and Veggie Sausages, Smoothie, Juice
(Stage 2/3 for eggs, Stage 5 for Meat and Veggie Sausages unless using only salt and pepper, Full for smoothies)
Lunch
Meatballs, Peas, sauerkraut
(Stage 1 for meatballs, Stage 1 for peas, Stage 3 for sauerkraut)
Today's meatballs had one onion, 4 cloves garlic, a giant carrot, a handful of parsley and a monster leaf of nearly indestructible kale.
Dinner
Mexican Chicken Soup, avocado, olive oil (drizzled in the soup), cilantro, sauerkraut, watermelon
(Stage 1 for soup w/out extras, Stage 3 avocado, sauerkraut, cilantro & olive oil, Full for watermelon)
The soup was lovely with all the add-ins. And yes, we put sauerkraut in the soup and it was GREAT.
Reactions:
I woke up to find my 5-year-old sprawled in the floor, dry heaving. I got him to the bathroom and he emptied his stomach. He immediately asked for food, which I gave him as I suspected it was "diet" related and not stomach bug. He ate a heaping plate of scrambled eggs, a peach, an apple and then got up and played all day. We let him eat all day long and he was fine. Most likely it was another dip in blood sugar. Or that he hadn't eaten well the day before. My husband and I are currently discussing what we can do to avoid this and to make sure this child doesn't develop digestion/food issues that he didn't have before we started GAPS.
In other news, we have some mildly constipated kids and the darn eczema just isn't budging. He told me that it's so bad now that he can't lay his legs on the sheets at night without it hurting. Diet? Laundry soap? Fabric? It's a puzzle I can't seem to solve.
Thoughts:
I'm still brainstorming on snacks...trying to find healthy, inexpensive snacks that don't take a ton of prep work. It's discouraging to spend an hour in the kitchen making a "batch" of snacks and watch them eat it all in one sitting! We've pretty much lifted the fruit ban and are letting them eat it when they want, as snacks, with meals, whenever. Their morale has improved a lot and I think they feel more relaxed knowing that they have instant access to food if they are hungry instead of me saying, "Just give me 30 minutes or so and I'll have a snack ready."
Kimchi
I made our first batch and it finished fermenting today so we tried it for lunch. Talk about hot and spicy! One of my sons (11-yr-old) said "It feels like some of the hot salsa we used to eat at restaurants". Another son (10-yr-old) tried a bit then pushed it away, only to ask for the jar a few minutes later saying, "I'm starting to really crave it." They both ate 2 helpings! So did I. My mouth is still watering just thinking about it.
The next time I make it I'll cut the amount of peppers because it was just a tad too hot, even though we ate it happily. I used the recipe from Home, Health and Happiness, and would also like to try this version once I find the right kind of pepper powder and figure out how to make fish sauce.
1 Napa cabbage, washed and sliced thinly
1 bunch green onions, sliced (use both green and white parts)
3 carrots, grated
1 bunch radishes (didn't have, but would like to try it next time)
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 chili peppers (I used serrano and they were HOT...need to decrease the amount or switch peppers)
4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. whey per mason jar
Mix it all together and pound for about 10 minutes to release the juices. I prefer to stir it around with a big wooden spoon or my hands for a minute or two then let it sit for an hour or so. Then come back and stir/squish with my hands and let it sit again. After two or three times there is a lot of liquid at the bottom of the bowl and my hands aren't sore! Pack it tightly into the jars and add the whey on top. You want the vegetables to be submerged in their own juices...add some water if need be but leave at least an inch at the top. Cover with a clean cloth or loose lid and allow to ferment at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. You can taste it periodically to see when it reaches the flavor you like or when there are lots of bubbles up at the top and in the liquid on the sides. Transfer to the fridge or cold storage. It will last for several months, unopened. Once you open it, use within a week or so.
This made about one quart, but I put it in two one-quart jars as it's easier for me to work with and then we're only opening one smaller amount at a time so it won't go bad.
The juice for this can be used in Stage 1. In Stage 3 you can start eating the vegetables.
The next time I make it I'll cut the amount of peppers because it was just a tad too hot, even though we ate it happily. I used the recipe from Home, Health and Happiness, and would also like to try this version once I find the right kind of pepper powder and figure out how to make fish sauce.
1 Napa cabbage, washed and sliced thinly
1 bunch green onions, sliced (use both green and white parts)
3 carrots, grated
1 bunch radishes (didn't have, but would like to try it next time)
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 chili peppers (I used serrano and they were HOT...need to decrease the amount or switch peppers)
4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. whey per mason jar
Mix it all together and pound for about 10 minutes to release the juices. I prefer to stir it around with a big wooden spoon or my hands for a minute or two then let it sit for an hour or so. Then come back and stir/squish with my hands and let it sit again. After two or three times there is a lot of liquid at the bottom of the bowl and my hands aren't sore! Pack it tightly into the jars and add the whey on top. You want the vegetables to be submerged in their own juices...add some water if need be but leave at least an inch at the top. Cover with a clean cloth or loose lid and allow to ferment at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. You can taste it periodically to see when it reaches the flavor you like or when there are lots of bubbles up at the top and in the liquid on the sides. Transfer to the fridge or cold storage. It will last for several months, unopened. Once you open it, use within a week or so.
This made about one quart, but I put it in two one-quart jars as it's easier for me to work with and then we're only opening one smaller amount at a time so it won't go bad.
The juice for this can be used in Stage 1. In Stage 3 you can start eating the vegetables.
Cortido
This is a Latin American version of sauerkraut...kind of. We love the taste and even my kids will eat it.
1 head cabbage - green or red, or half of each
2 onions, white or yellow - thinly sliced
3 carrots, grated
1 tbsp. dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. sea salt
1/4 c. whey OR an additional 1 tbsp. sea salt
Wash all the veggies as needed. Cut and core cabbage then thinly slice or coarsely chop. Place in a large bowl and add other ingredients. Some directions say to pound/squeeze/smash for about 10 minutes. I've had best results by spending a minute or two squeezing/stirring with my hands, then letting it sit for an hour or so. Squish/squeeze/stir with clean hands again for one to two minutes, then let sit another hour or two. Repeat as many times as necessary until you have a nice puddle of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Pack the cortido into clean quart or other sized glass jars. Push it down hard. Leave at least an inch at the top. You want the vegetables submerged so add water if the veggie liquid isn't enough. Cover with a clean cloth or a loose lid and let ferment in a warm (think cupboard or basement shelf) for 3 days. You'll start to see bubbles and the liquid may rise up (or spill over). Taste every day or so until it reaches the taste you want. Once done, transfer to the fridge (or cold storage) where it will last several months. Once it's opened and you're digging into it every day, it's best to use within a week or so.
This makes between one and two quarts - it depends on how big your cabbage and carrots are. The juice can be used starting in Stage 1 and the vegetables can be eaten in Stage 3.
1 head cabbage - green or red, or half of each
2 onions, white or yellow - thinly sliced
3 carrots, grated
1 tbsp. dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. sea salt
1/4 c. whey OR an additional 1 tbsp. sea salt
Wash all the veggies as needed. Cut and core cabbage then thinly slice or coarsely chop. Place in a large bowl and add other ingredients. Some directions say to pound/squeeze/smash for about 10 minutes. I've had best results by spending a minute or two squeezing/stirring with my hands, then letting it sit for an hour or so. Squish/squeeze/stir with clean hands again for one to two minutes, then let sit another hour or two. Repeat as many times as necessary until you have a nice puddle of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Pack the cortido into clean quart or other sized glass jars. Push it down hard. Leave at least an inch at the top. You want the vegetables submerged so add water if the veggie liquid isn't enough. Cover with a clean cloth or a loose lid and let ferment in a warm (think cupboard or basement shelf) for 3 days. You'll start to see bubbles and the liquid may rise up (or spill over). Taste every day or so until it reaches the taste you want. Once done, transfer to the fridge (or cold storage) where it will last several months. Once it's opened and you're digging into it every day, it's best to use within a week or so.
This makes between one and two quarts - it depends on how big your cabbage and carrots are. The juice can be used starting in Stage 1 and the vegetables can be eaten in Stage 3.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Roll-Ups
This recipe comes from Keeper of the Home. I made it exactly as listed.
12 eggs (oh the pain...oh the cost...)
4 tbsp. coconut flour
1/8 tsp. sea salt
coconut oil or tallow for cooking
Blend the heck out of the eggs, flour and salt. Use an immersion blender or a blender as coconut flour needs help playing nicely with the other ingredients. Let it sit a few minutes then blend it again. Heat your skillet/griddle and melt a small amount of coconut oil or tallow. Add a small amount of the batter and cook until the edges are dryish. Flip and cook a minute or to longer.
These darn rolls were not uniformly lovely. They came out all different weird shapes. They were a little dry and tasted "eggy" according to one kid. They held together without ripping and worked just fine for what I needed them to. It made 15 or so oddly-shaped rolls.
We used these for tuna rolls. You could also use chicken, eggs (yes more eggs!), fruit, veggies (raw or cooked), etc.
This is Full recipe due to the coconut flour.
12 eggs (oh the pain...oh the cost...)
4 tbsp. coconut flour
1/8 tsp. sea salt
coconut oil or tallow for cooking
Blend the heck out of the eggs, flour and salt. Use an immersion blender or a blender as coconut flour needs help playing nicely with the other ingredients. Let it sit a few minutes then blend it again. Heat your skillet/griddle and melt a small amount of coconut oil or tallow. Add a small amount of the batter and cook until the edges are dryish. Flip and cook a minute or to longer.
These darn rolls were not uniformly lovely. They came out all different weird shapes. They were a little dry and tasted "eggy" according to one kid. They held together without ripping and worked just fine for what I needed them to. It made 15 or so oddly-shaped rolls.
We used these for tuna rolls. You could also use chicken, eggs (yes more eggs!), fruit, veggies (raw or cooked), etc.
This is Full recipe due to the coconut flour.
Honey Mustard Chicken
Chicken - enough to feed your family
mustard
honey
ghee (optional)
salt
In a small bowl I mixed about 2 or 3 tsp. of mustard, a few spoonfuls of honey and a big spoonful of ghee. Drizzled over the chicken (in a 13x9) pan and baked at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. It was a little bland and needed salt desperately. The kids snarfed it down though so it's a recipe I'll tinker with in the future. Most likely I'll just salt it before adding the honey/mustard mixture.
This is good served with a green veggies (peas, green beans, zucchini, etc) and an orange veggie (carrots, squash, etc). Also good with avocado (drizzled with olive oil) and a fermented food like sauerkraut or cortido.
This is a Stage 5 recipe because of the mustard. Some people will want to wait until Full for honey.
mustard
honey
ghee (optional)
salt
In a small bowl I mixed about 2 or 3 tsp. of mustard, a few spoonfuls of honey and a big spoonful of ghee. Drizzled over the chicken (in a 13x9) pan and baked at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. It was a little bland and needed salt desperately. The kids snarfed it down though so it's a recipe I'll tinker with in the future. Most likely I'll just salt it before adding the honey/mustard mixture.
This is good served with a green veggies (peas, green beans, zucchini, etc) and an orange veggie (carrots, squash, etc). Also good with avocado (drizzled with olive oil) and a fermented food like sauerkraut or cortido.
This is a Stage 5 recipe because of the mustard. Some people will want to wait until Full for honey.
Day 23
We're just going to pretend that Day 22 didn't happen. It was a Murphy's Law day and pretty much everything I made didn't work, didn't taste good, had blenders fall apart in it and other such awful things. I even called my husband and told him to pick up pizza and then cried and told him not to.
So, for Day 23....
Breakfast
Smoothie, Apple Pie Lara Balls, fruit
(Full for smoothie and Lara Balls)
The kids found out that I put raw egg yolks in their smoothies today. The 7-year-old politely requested that he have a smoothie without egg yolks. I told him he'd been drinking them for the past 2 weeks so he "manned up" and drank his cup. Then had another!
We're adding fruit (fresh or frozen), whey, coconut oil, raw egg yolks, flax seed oil and water to the smoothies.
Lunch
Tuna roll-ups, sauerkraut
(Full for the "rolls", Stage 3/4 for tuna w/mayo, Stage 3 for sauerkraut)
These darn rolls were not uniformly lovely. They came out all different weird shapes. They were a little dry and tasted "eggy" according to one kid. They held together without ripping and worked just fine for what I needed them to.
I mixed some tuna with homemade mayo (I'm not posting the recipe until it's perfected). Some of us added sauerkraut to the roll. I added some diced raw onion and celery to mine as well.
Dinner
Honey Mustard chicken, green beans, raw carrots, avocado, sauerkraut, olive oil
(Stage 5 for chicken unless waiting until Full for honey, Stage 1 for green beans, Stage 6 for raw carrots, Stage 3 for avocado, sauerkraut and olive oil)
In a small bowl I mixed about 2 or 3 tsp. of mustard, a few spoonfuls of honey and a big spoonful of ghee. Drizzled over the chicken (in a 13x9) pan and baked at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. It was a little bland and needed salt desperately. The kids snarfed it down though so it's a recipe I'll tinker with in the future.
Reactions:
We're having some constipation issues with some of the kids...and me. I gave them some of our old probiotics (with some GAPS illegal ingredients) and they pooped sometime that day. 5-year-old is complaining that his stomach hurts, all day. I had a MASSIVE headache as did the 11-yr-old. Maybe we didn't eat enough for lunch? The two oldest and I were out 'school' shopping until almost 3 and then ate lunch.
Thoughts:
I need to do better about having portable snacks for when a meal will be late. I also need to find a child friendly probiotic that isn't uber expensive and still GAPS legal (or mostly). Chewable or powder works best since 3 of them can't swallow pills!
So, for Day 23....
Breakfast
Smoothie, Apple Pie Lara Balls, fruit
(Full for smoothie and Lara Balls)
The kids found out that I put raw egg yolks in their smoothies today. The 7-year-old politely requested that he have a smoothie without egg yolks. I told him he'd been drinking them for the past 2 weeks so he "manned up" and drank his cup. Then had another!
We're adding fruit (fresh or frozen), whey, coconut oil, raw egg yolks, flax seed oil and water to the smoothies.
Lunch
Tuna roll-ups, sauerkraut
(Full for the "rolls", Stage 3/4 for tuna w/mayo, Stage 3 for sauerkraut)
These darn rolls were not uniformly lovely. They came out all different weird shapes. They were a little dry and tasted "eggy" according to one kid. They held together without ripping and worked just fine for what I needed them to.
I mixed some tuna with homemade mayo (I'm not posting the recipe until it's perfected). Some of us added sauerkraut to the roll. I added some diced raw onion and celery to mine as well.
Dinner
Honey Mustard chicken, green beans, raw carrots, avocado, sauerkraut, olive oil
(Stage 5 for chicken unless waiting until Full for honey, Stage 1 for green beans, Stage 6 for raw carrots, Stage 3 for avocado, sauerkraut and olive oil)
In a small bowl I mixed about 2 or 3 tsp. of mustard, a few spoonfuls of honey and a big spoonful of ghee. Drizzled over the chicken (in a 13x9) pan and baked at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. It was a little bland and needed salt desperately. The kids snarfed it down though so it's a recipe I'll tinker with in the future.
Reactions:
We're having some constipation issues with some of the kids...and me. I gave them some of our old probiotics (with some GAPS illegal ingredients) and they pooped sometime that day. 5-year-old is complaining that his stomach hurts, all day. I had a MASSIVE headache as did the 11-yr-old. Maybe we didn't eat enough for lunch? The two oldest and I were out 'school' shopping until almost 3 and then ate lunch.
Thoughts:
I need to do better about having portable snacks for when a meal will be late. I also need to find a child friendly probiotic that isn't uber expensive and still GAPS legal (or mostly). Chewable or powder works best since 3 of them can't swallow pills!
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