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.
Showing posts with label Stage 1 recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stage 1 recipes. Show all posts
Saturday, August 20, 2011
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, 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.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Italian Meatball Soup with Greens
This soup was delicious and simple. Everyone loved it. A few people added sauerkraut in as well.
Meatballs (you could use any recipe for these)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 c. parsley (leave out until Stage 3)
2 eggs
salt (I used about 1 tsp or so)
black pepper
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese (we're not eating dairy yet)
2 tbsp. psyllium seed husks (didn't have...don't know if it's legal)
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (I used 2 pounds - you could probably use chicken or turkey as well)
Puree everything except the beef in the food processor - you could leave it a little chunkier if you want but my kids won't eat them that way. In a separate bowl, mix the beef with the pureed stuff. Shape into meatballs.
For the soup:
3 quarts homemade chicken stock (I used some beef broth too)
1 large bunch kale or spinach, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I used some of each - a LOT of each)
Bring the stock to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the meatballs and gently drop in. I didn't shape them before this stage. Once it was simmering I made them and dropped them in one by one. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes then add the greens. Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve w/additonal parmesan cheese (if you're up to that Stage yet).
Without adding the parsley to the meatballs, this would be a Stage 1 recipe. The parsley can be added in Stage 3. Parmesan cheese can be eaten in Full.
Meatballs (you could use any recipe for these)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 c. parsley (leave out until Stage 3)
2 eggs
salt (I used about 1 tsp or so)
black pepper
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese (we're not eating dairy yet)
2 tbsp. psyllium seed husks (didn't have...don't know if it's legal)
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (I used 2 pounds - you could probably use chicken or turkey as well)
Puree everything except the beef in the food processor - you could leave it a little chunkier if you want but my kids won't eat them that way. In a separate bowl, mix the beef with the pureed stuff. Shape into meatballs.
For the soup:
3 quarts homemade chicken stock (I used some beef broth too)
1 large bunch kale or spinach, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I used some of each - a LOT of each)
Bring the stock to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the meatballs and gently drop in. I didn't shape them before this stage. Once it was simmering I made them and dropped them in one by one. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes then add the greens. Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve w/additonal parmesan cheese (if you're up to that Stage yet).
Without adding the parsley to the meatballs, this would be a Stage 1 recipe. The parsley can be added in Stage 3. Parmesan cheese can be eaten in Full.
Day 20
Breakfast
Smoothie, eggs
(Full for smoothie, Stage 2/3 for eggs)
Smoothies these days consist of fruit - usually bananas, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, frozen raspberries, coconut oil, raw egg yolks, whey and flax seed oil. Sometimes we use a "tropical" fruit mix with pineapple, peaches, mango, and strawberries. If we have leftover freshly pressed juice I'll add that as well.
Lunch
Coconut flour waffles w/peanut butter, squash pancakes
(Full for waffles, Stage 3 for squash pancakes)
I used this recipe from Wellness Mama. My alterations are listed below.
8 eggs
1/2 c. melted butter or coconut oil (I used coconut oil...ghee would work too)
1/2 c. coconut flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon (I used 1 1/2 tsp.)
1 tsp. vanilla (I left it out)
1/2 tsp. salt
Beat eggs with immersion blender. Add everything except the coconut flour and mix again. Sprinkle the coconut flour on top and hit it with your blender again. Whisking just doesn't work for coconut flour - you need an immersion (stick) blender or a regular blender. The batter will be thickish. I was able to get 8 waffles by spooning 2 large spoonfuls into each "waffle" quarter. They didn't fill it completely though.
We ate these with peanut butter, but oh, they were dry. I think they absolutely needed ghee/butter and some jam or syrup of some sort. Even though everyone says coconut flour products are "super dense and filling" my boys ate 1 1/2 each and begged for more.
For the squash pancakes I just followed the recipe from the GAPS book.
3/4 of a medium-sized butternut squash, cooked
about 2 cups almonds, soaked overnight but not dehydrated (you can use dehydrated nuts though)
4 eggs
Blended everything in my trusty Blendtec until it resembled pudding (it was thickish, not runny). Heated the cast iron skillet on medium low and added enough coconut oil to make the bottom shiny (I was out of ghee or I would have used that). I tried making them bigger at first but they were really hard to turn because they didn't hold together well. The next few batches were smaller, maybe the size of a golf ball. I had to add a touch of coconut oil after each batch or they'd stick like crazy. They take a bit longer to cook than regular pancakes.
Dinner
Italian Meatball Soup with greens
(Stage 1 for soup, no cheese until Full)
I was going to make biscuits with this, but we got home really late from the bookstore/grocery store trip.
Meatballs (you could use any recipe for these)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 c. parsley (leave out until Stage 3)
2 eggs
salt (I used about 1 tsp or so)
black pepper
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese (we're not eating dairy yet)
2 tbsp. psyllium seed husks (didn't have...don't know if it's legal)
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (I used 2 pounds)
Pureed everything except the beef in the food processor - you could leave it a little chunkier if you want but my kids won't eat them that way. In a separate bowl, mix the beef with the pureed stuff. Shape into meatballs.
For the soup:
3 quarts homemade chicken stock (I used some beef broth too)
1 large bunch kale or spinach, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I used some of each)
Bring the stock to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the meatballs and gently drop in. I didn't shape them before this stage. Once it was simmering I made them and dropped them in one by one. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes then add the greens. Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve w/additonal parmesan cheese (if you're up to that Stage yet).
This was delicious and simple. Everyone loved it. A few people added sauerkraut in as well.
Smoothie, eggs
(Full for smoothie, Stage 2/3 for eggs)
Smoothies these days consist of fruit - usually bananas, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, frozen raspberries, coconut oil, raw egg yolks, whey and flax seed oil. Sometimes we use a "tropical" fruit mix with pineapple, peaches, mango, and strawberries. If we have leftover freshly pressed juice I'll add that as well.
Lunch
Coconut flour waffles w/peanut butter, squash pancakes
(Full for waffles, Stage 3 for squash pancakes)
I used this recipe from Wellness Mama. My alterations are listed below.
8 eggs
1/2 c. melted butter or coconut oil (I used coconut oil...ghee would work too)
1/2 c. coconut flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon (I used 1 1/2 tsp.)
1 tsp. vanilla (I left it out)
1/2 tsp. salt
Beat eggs with immersion blender. Add everything except the coconut flour and mix again. Sprinkle the coconut flour on top and hit it with your blender again. Whisking just doesn't work for coconut flour - you need an immersion (stick) blender or a regular blender. The batter will be thickish. I was able to get 8 waffles by spooning 2 large spoonfuls into each "waffle" quarter. They didn't fill it completely though.
We ate these with peanut butter, but oh, they were dry. I think they absolutely needed ghee/butter and some jam or syrup of some sort. Even though everyone says coconut flour products are "super dense and filling" my boys ate 1 1/2 each and begged for more.
For the squash pancakes I just followed the recipe from the GAPS book.
3/4 of a medium-sized butternut squash, cooked
about 2 cups almonds, soaked overnight but not dehydrated (you can use dehydrated nuts though)
4 eggs
Blended everything in my trusty Blendtec until it resembled pudding (it was thickish, not runny). Heated the cast iron skillet on medium low and added enough coconut oil to make the bottom shiny (I was out of ghee or I would have used that). I tried making them bigger at first but they were really hard to turn because they didn't hold together well. The next few batches were smaller, maybe the size of a golf ball. I had to add a touch of coconut oil after each batch or they'd stick like crazy. They take a bit longer to cook than regular pancakes.
Dinner
Italian Meatball Soup with greens
(Stage 1 for soup, no cheese until Full)
I was going to make biscuits with this, but we got home really late from the bookstore/grocery store trip.
Meatballs (you could use any recipe for these)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 c. parsley (leave out until Stage 3)
2 eggs
salt (I used about 1 tsp or so)
black pepper
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese (we're not eating dairy yet)
2 tbsp. psyllium seed husks (didn't have...don't know if it's legal)
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (I used 2 pounds)
Pureed everything except the beef in the food processor - you could leave it a little chunkier if you want but my kids won't eat them that way. In a separate bowl, mix the beef with the pureed stuff. Shape into meatballs.
For the soup:
3 quarts homemade chicken stock (I used some beef broth too)
1 large bunch kale or spinach, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I used some of each)
Bring the stock to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the meatballs and gently drop in. I didn't shape them before this stage. Once it was simmering I made them and dropped them in one by one. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes then add the greens. Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve w/additonal parmesan cheese (if you're up to that Stage yet).
This was delicious and simple. Everyone loved it. A few people added sauerkraut in as well.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Day 18
Breakfast
Smoothies, Russian Custard w/cut up fruit
(Full for Smoothies, Stage 6/Full for Custard and raw fruit)
Lunch
Pancakes, fruit
(Stage 6 for banana pancakes, Full for coconut pancakes, Stage 6/Full for raw fruit)
We always get home from church late (2:30/3:00) so we have a big snack instead of a big meal. I made two different kinds of pancakes today.
The first was this "banana" pancake from Grain-Free Foodies. I sort of punted on the egg part. I had a lot of egg whites left over from the custard and yolking the smoothie so I dumped in my bowl of egg whites (maybe 7 or 8 eggs worth) then added 3 whole eggs. It worked. The kids ate them fast.
I tripled the recipe. How will I ever feed all these boys?
The original recipe reads:
1 banana
2 tbsp. peanut butter (or any nut butter)
3 eggs
Mix together (my stick blender did much better than the hand mixer) then cook. If the pancakes got too big I couldn't turn them without ripping.
The second recipe was for coconut flour pancakes.
6 eggs
6 tbsp. milk (I used homemade coconut milk)
splash vanilla (I skipped that)
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder (did not use)
6 tbsp. coconut flour
1/4 c. melted coconut oil
Mix all but coconut oil together. When mostly blended (again, I used my stick blender) add the oil and blend some more. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes then blend again. I tried making these into "little" pancakes like the banana ones but they tore like crazy. These pancakes wanted to be big. They were very crepe-ish and turned extremely well once I made them larger. I can see them working very well as a wrap or "tortilla", maybe even as a noodle in a casserole, especially if you left the honey out. The recipe made about 10 big pancakes (size of a tortilla) and 8 little ones.
Dinner
Borscht, sauerkraut
(Stage 1 if no celery or cabbage, Stage 3 if you add them, Stage 3 for sauerkraut)
We added the sauerkraut into the borscht and it was wonderful! I added celery and cabbage for the first time since being on the diet. I don't use the white sugar or lemon juice listed in the original recipe. I'm also leaving out the tomato juice and sour cream for now.
Reactions:
Nothing I can note.
Thoughts:
Chasing the fermented cod liver oil with carrot juice works well. Water just doesn't get rid of the taste or the oily feel.
Smoothies, Russian Custard w/cut up fruit
(Full for Smoothies, Stage 6/Full for Custard and raw fruit)
Lunch
Pancakes, fruit
(Stage 6 for banana pancakes, Full for coconut pancakes, Stage 6/Full for raw fruit)
We always get home from church late (2:30/3:00) so we have a big snack instead of a big meal. I made two different kinds of pancakes today.
The first was this "banana" pancake from Grain-Free Foodies. I sort of punted on the egg part. I had a lot of egg whites left over from the custard and yolking the smoothie so I dumped in my bowl of egg whites (maybe 7 or 8 eggs worth) then added 3 whole eggs. It worked. The kids ate them fast.
I tripled the recipe. How will I ever feed all these boys?
The original recipe reads:
1 banana
2 tbsp. peanut butter (or any nut butter)
3 eggs
Mix together (my stick blender did much better than the hand mixer) then cook. If the pancakes got too big I couldn't turn them without ripping.
The second recipe was for coconut flour pancakes.
6 eggs
6 tbsp. milk (I used homemade coconut milk)
splash vanilla (I skipped that)
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder (did not use)
6 tbsp. coconut flour
1/4 c. melted coconut oil
Mix all but coconut oil together. When mostly blended (again, I used my stick blender) add the oil and blend some more. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes then blend again. I tried making these into "little" pancakes like the banana ones but they tore like crazy. These pancakes wanted to be big. They were very crepe-ish and turned extremely well once I made them larger. I can see them working very well as a wrap or "tortilla", maybe even as a noodle in a casserole, especially if you left the honey out. The recipe made about 10 big pancakes (size of a tortilla) and 8 little ones.
Dinner
Borscht, sauerkraut
(Stage 1 if no celery or cabbage, Stage 3 if you add them, Stage 3 for sauerkraut)
We added the sauerkraut into the borscht and it was wonderful! I added celery and cabbage for the first time since being on the diet. I don't use the white sugar or lemon juice listed in the original recipe. I'm also leaving out the tomato juice and sour cream for now.
Reactions:
Nothing I can note.
Thoughts:
Chasing the fermented cod liver oil with carrot juice works well. Water just doesn't get rid of the taste or the oily feel.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Meat Patties
One of our very favorite meals thus far is meat patties (which can also be meatballs).
It's a recipe you can change around all the time but the basics are thus:
ground beef (or chicken or lamb or turkey)
salt
pepper
pureed veggies - I like to use onion, garlic, carrot regularly and then add in a few extras - zucchini, spinach, kale, etc.
you could also use fresh herbs in Stage 2/3 and dried herbs/spices in Stage 5 to change the flavors around
For 2 pounds of beef I usually use 1 small onion or 3/4 a medium one, 2 or 3 cloves garlic and one huge carrot. If I'm using a leafy green, I'll use several handfuls.
Mix it all together and form into patties. Bring a pan of broth to a boil (use the kind of broth that matches your meat - chicken broth for chicken patties) and place the patties in the broth - enough broth to come up about halfway on the meat. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes, turning a few times. You can either let the broth reduce so it's thick like gravy and serve it with the patties or you can use the broth as a soup.
I've tried adding the meatball version of this directly to soup and letting it simmer, but they don't end up nearly as tasty as having them in the concentrated broth and then put into the soup at the end.
These are flavorful, soft and snarfed down by my kids. You could easily make large batches of this and freeze them uncooked. When you're ready to make them just pop a few into the pan and let them simmer until cooked through.
It's a recipe you can change around all the time but the basics are thus:
ground beef (or chicken or lamb or turkey)
salt
pepper
pureed veggies - I like to use onion, garlic, carrot regularly and then add in a few extras - zucchini, spinach, kale, etc.
you could also use fresh herbs in Stage 2/3 and dried herbs/spices in Stage 5 to change the flavors around
For 2 pounds of beef I usually use 1 small onion or 3/4 a medium one, 2 or 3 cloves garlic and one huge carrot. If I'm using a leafy green, I'll use several handfuls.
Mix it all together and form into patties. Bring a pan of broth to a boil (use the kind of broth that matches your meat - chicken broth for chicken patties) and place the patties in the broth - enough broth to come up about halfway on the meat. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes, turning a few times. You can either let the broth reduce so it's thick like gravy and serve it with the patties or you can use the broth as a soup.
I've tried adding the meatball version of this directly to soup and letting it simmer, but they don't end up nearly as tasty as having them in the concentrated broth and then put into the soup at the end.
These are flavorful, soft and snarfed down by my kids. You could easily make large batches of this and freeze them uncooked. When you're ready to make them just pop a few into the pan and let them simmer until cooked through.
Day 17
Breakfast
Smoothies (blueberries, strawberries, banana, coconut oil, flax seed oil, raw egg yolks, mango)
Juice (carrot, apple, mandarin orange)
nuts - soaked and dehydrated
(Full for smoothies, Stage 4 for juice, Full for eating nuts plain)
Lunch
Scrambled eggs, Meat and Veggie Sausages, pumpkin pie carrots, watermelon
(Stage 3 for eggs, Full for sausages because of seeds but could modify to be Stage 3, Stage 5 for carrots, Stage 6/Full for watermelon)
Today's "sausages" had the following:
chicken stuff - skin, meat, etc picked off a few smallish chickens over the past week or two
1 turnip
3/4 an onion
4 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
carrot pulp from juicing - probably 10 carrots worth, maybe a bit more
the guts of 2 zucchini (I used the outside parts for noodles)
1 1/2 head broccoli
spinach - 4 or 5 large handfuls
almonds and walnuts - maybe a cup
pumpkin and sunflower seeds - about 1/2 cup
a few spoonfuls coconut oil and palm oil
salt
I skipped the cumin, but wish that I hadn't. I should have just reduced it. They didn't hold up as well as the last batch and fell apart at turning and storage. The kids (and hubby) liked them though and said they'd be happy to eat the pieces.
Dinner
Meat patties, broccoli, zucchini noodles, sauerkraut, avocado (and olive oil)
(Stage 1 for meat patties, broccoli and noodles, Stage 3 for sauerkraut, avocado and olive oil)
Tonight's meat patties had:
3/4 an onion
1 huge carrot
a gob of spinach
Pureed the above together and mixed with 2 pounds ground beef, salt and pepper. Simmered in a pan with broth (about 1 cup beef broth), covered until they were cooked through. I did turn them a few times while cooking. I used the excess broth as a "soup" for myself.
Once again the meat patties were a huge hit. I thought I'd use 2 pounds so I'd have leftovers for tomorrow. I have no leftovers. They ate them all.
Reactions:
The 10-yr-old has been cranky for days. Maybe he's detoxing, maybe he's sick of the diet, maybe he's hitting puberty. Who knows?
No real physical changes going on, either good or bad.
Thoughts:
I continue to work on menu plans and scouting recipes. Today was the first day since we started that the counters were clean! They are usually covered with clean pans, dirty pans, soaking foods, etc. Drives me crazy.
I want to expand my ferments so this week I'll be making a few different types. We're also going to try yogurt (once I get it made).
Smoothies (blueberries, strawberries, banana, coconut oil, flax seed oil, raw egg yolks, mango)
Juice (carrot, apple, mandarin orange)
nuts - soaked and dehydrated
(Full for smoothies, Stage 4 for juice, Full for eating nuts plain)
Lunch
Scrambled eggs, Meat and Veggie Sausages, pumpkin pie carrots, watermelon
(Stage 3 for eggs, Full for sausages because of seeds but could modify to be Stage 3, Stage 5 for carrots, Stage 6/Full for watermelon)
Today's "sausages" had the following:
chicken stuff - skin, meat, etc picked off a few smallish chickens over the past week or two
1 turnip
3/4 an onion
4 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
carrot pulp from juicing - probably 10 carrots worth, maybe a bit more
the guts of 2 zucchini (I used the outside parts for noodles)
1 1/2 head broccoli
spinach - 4 or 5 large handfuls
almonds and walnuts - maybe a cup
pumpkin and sunflower seeds - about 1/2 cup
a few spoonfuls coconut oil and palm oil
salt
I skipped the cumin, but wish that I hadn't. I should have just reduced it. They didn't hold up as well as the last batch and fell apart at turning and storage. The kids (and hubby) liked them though and said they'd be happy to eat the pieces.
Dinner
Meat patties, broccoli, zucchini noodles, sauerkraut, avocado (and olive oil)
(Stage 1 for meat patties, broccoli and noodles, Stage 3 for sauerkraut, avocado and olive oil)
Tonight's meat patties had:
3/4 an onion
1 huge carrot
a gob of spinach
Pureed the above together and mixed with 2 pounds ground beef, salt and pepper. Simmered in a pan with broth (about 1 cup beef broth), covered until they were cooked through. I did turn them a few times while cooking. I used the excess broth as a "soup" for myself.
Once again the meat patties were a huge hit. I thought I'd use 2 pounds so I'd have leftovers for tomorrow. I have no leftovers. They ate them all.
Reactions:
The 10-yr-old has been cranky for days. Maybe he's detoxing, maybe he's sick of the diet, maybe he's hitting puberty. Who knows?
No real physical changes going on, either good or bad.
Thoughts:
I continue to work on menu plans and scouting recipes. Today was the first day since we started that the counters were clean! They are usually covered with clean pans, dirty pans, soaking foods, etc. Drives me crazy.
I want to expand my ferments so this week I'll be making a few different types. We're also going to try yogurt (once I get it made).
Monday, July 11, 2011
Almost Borscht
I have a borscht recipe that I love but we aren't eating cabbage or celery yet and we're avoiding tomatoes so I improvised with this.
Almost Borscht
Beef broth - 2 or 3 quarts (about half the soup pot)
Veal/beef stew meat, cut into bite-size - I used almost 2 pounds
a few handfuls baby carrots, sliced
3/4 an onion, diced
2 beets, peeled and grated
The beef broth was full of fat and marrow so I heated it until the huge chunks were melted then blended the heck out of it. Added the rest of the stuff and brought it back to a boil then lowered the heat and let it simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. This was so delicious. All but one kid ate this cheerfully. We don't normally eat veal, but it too was on clearance so I scooped up a few packages.
As written it is Stage 1. At Stage 3 you can add celery and cabbage. You could also add sauerkraut to the soup at Stage 3 which is super tasty!
Almost Borscht
Beef broth - 2 or 3 quarts (about half the soup pot)
Veal/beef stew meat, cut into bite-size - I used almost 2 pounds
a few handfuls baby carrots, sliced
3/4 an onion, diced
2 beets, peeled and grated
The beef broth was full of fat and marrow so I heated it until the huge chunks were melted then blended the heck out of it. Added the rest of the stuff and brought it back to a boil then lowered the heat and let it simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. This was so delicious. All but one kid ate this cheerfully. We don't normally eat veal, but it too was on clearance so I scooped up a few packages.
As written it is Stage 1. At Stage 3 you can add celery and cabbage. You could also add sauerkraut to the soup at Stage 3 which is super tasty!
Meatballs on Top of Red Mountain
My boys all looked at it funny, but it was seriously yummy. We even invented a song for it -
On top of Red Mountain
All covered with broth
I lost my poor meatball
When somebody coughed.....
Meatballs
1 large carrot, peeled then pureed
1/2 onion, pureed
1 to 2 pound ground beef
1 to 2 tsp. sea salt
(pepper would be good too, but only one of my kids likes it)
1 to 2 cups beef broth (for simmering)
Mix carrots, onion and salt with the ground beef. Bring the broth to a boil in a large pan. Once it's boiling, form the beef mixture into meatballs and gently place into pan. Reduce heat, cover with the lid and let simmer for 30 minutes or so. I took the lid off after that and let some of the broth evaporate (reduce) so it wasn't quite so soupy.
For the Red Mountain -
I brought a large pot of water to a boil, added a bit of salt and then the following:
1 beet, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
several handfuls butternut squash
1/2 head cauliflower, stalks removed
1 zucchini - big chunks
I added the beets, carrots and squash first. After they had softened up a bit I added the cauliflower and after 5 to 10 minutes added the zucchini. When they had all been boiled into submission I drained the pot and added a bit of chicken broth. I attacked them with my immersion blender until they were totally pureed. The result was a deep red pile of mushy veggies (with a green fleck here and there - I should have peeled the zucchini).
To serve I put a pile of Red in a bowl then scooped a few meatballs on top with some broth.
They devoured the meatballs. I could have easily doubled the batch and they would have eaten them too. It was more work to get them to eat the Red Mountain.
On top of Red Mountain
All covered with broth
I lost my poor meatball
When somebody coughed.....
Meatballs
1 large carrot, peeled then pureed
1/2 onion, pureed
1 to 2 pound ground beef
1 to 2 tsp. sea salt
(pepper would be good too, but only one of my kids likes it)
1 to 2 cups beef broth (for simmering)
Mix carrots, onion and salt with the ground beef. Bring the broth to a boil in a large pan. Once it's boiling, form the beef mixture into meatballs and gently place into pan. Reduce heat, cover with the lid and let simmer for 30 minutes or so. I took the lid off after that and let some of the broth evaporate (reduce) so it wasn't quite so soupy.
For the Red Mountain -
I brought a large pot of water to a boil, added a bit of salt and then the following:
1 beet, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
several handfuls butternut squash
1/2 head cauliflower, stalks removed
1 zucchini - big chunks
I added the beets, carrots and squash first. After they had softened up a bit I added the cauliflower and after 5 to 10 minutes added the zucchini. When they had all been boiled into submission I drained the pot and added a bit of chicken broth. I attacked them with my immersion blender until they were totally pureed. The result was a deep red pile of mushy veggies (with a green fleck here and there - I should have peeled the zucchini).
To serve I put a pile of Red in a bowl then scooped a few meatballs on top with some broth.
They devoured the meatballs. I could have easily doubled the batch and they would have eaten them too. It was more work to get them to eat the Red Mountain.
Beef Soup with Squash
Consisting of:
a large steak w/bone (about 2 pounds)
3 large carrots, grated
1 turnip, diced
1/2 a head of cauliflower, stalks removed
1 onion, diced
a few handfuls of cubed butternut squash
At Stage 3 you could add celery. This would also be great with beets.
I put the beef in the crockpot (raw) with all the veggies and let it cook overnight. To serve I ladled soup into the bowl then broke off a hunk of meat and shredded it. One of the boys said it tasted like grass and the other only picked the beef chunks out. My husband and I both thought it tasted great!
a large steak w/bone (about 2 pounds)
3 large carrots, grated
1 turnip, diced
1/2 a head of cauliflower, stalks removed
1 onion, diced
a few handfuls of cubed butternut squash
At Stage 3 you could add celery. This would also be great with beets.
I put the beef in the crockpot (raw) with all the veggies and let it cook overnight. To serve I ladled soup into the bowl then broke off a hunk of meat and shredded it. One of the boys said it tasted like grass and the other only picked the beef chunks out. My husband and I both thought it tasted great!
Chicken "Noodle" Soup
chicken stock
1/2 an onion, diced
a few handfuls of baby carrots, cut bite size
1/2 a spaghetti squash, peeled, de-seeded and then cut into chunks
green peas (frozen or fresh)
other veggies like broccoli and cauliflower would also work well
At Stage 3 you can add celery.
I put the squash in uncooked and let the soup come to a boil, then reduced heat to a simmer. Once the squash was tender I mashed it with the backside of the spoon to make it separate into "noodles. You could also bake the spaghetti squash in advance, but I didn't plan ahead. I put boiled, shredded chicken in the bottom of the bowls then ladled the soup on top.
1/2 an onion, diced
a few handfuls of baby carrots, cut bite size
1/2 a spaghetti squash, peeled, de-seeded and then cut into chunks
green peas (frozen or fresh)
other veggies like broccoli and cauliflower would also work well
At Stage 3 you can add celery.
I put the squash in uncooked and let the soup come to a boil, then reduced heat to a simmer. Once the squash was tender I mashed it with the backside of the spoon to make it separate into "noodles. You could also bake the spaghetti squash in advance, but I didn't plan ahead. I put boiled, shredded chicken in the bottom of the bowls then ladled the soup on top.
Easy Intro Beef Soup
Consisting of:
beef broth
beef chunks picked from the soup bones
1 onion, diced super small
1 turnip, diced
several handfuls of baby carrots, cut to bite size
I added a clove of garlic to my bowl, but not the kids'. Also, I made the soup the night before and put it in the crockpot on low. It was ready when we woke up!
beef broth
beef chunks picked from the soup bones
1 onion, diced super small
1 turnip, diced
several handfuls of baby carrots, cut to bite size
I added a clove of garlic to my bowl, but not the kids'. Also, I made the soup the night before and put it in the crockpot on low. It was ready when we woke up!
Baked Meatballs and Gravy
For the meatballs I pureed:
half a huge onion
1 giant carrot
a big leaf of kale
Added that to 2 pounds of ground beef with some salt and pepper. Mixed it all up and formed meatballs to fill a 13x9 pan and smothered them with gravy. Baked at 375 degrees for 30 minutes then turned up the oven to 400 for about 10 minutes to help reduce the amount of liquid.
You could also simmer these in a pan to "boil" then for Stage 1-3 although they are "boiling" in the oven.
Gravy was made by simmering beef broth with 3 large, sliced onions until soft. Pureed them and let it simmer for an hour or so until it thickened. Seasoned with salt and pepper.
We served it with fauxtatoes. It would also be good with steamed/sauteed veggies.
My kids love these meatballs (with or without the gravy) - I need to make large batches and freeze them to make quick meals.
half a huge onion
1 giant carrot
a big leaf of kale
Added that to 2 pounds of ground beef with some salt and pepper. Mixed it all up and formed meatballs to fill a 13x9 pan and smothered them with gravy. Baked at 375 degrees for 30 minutes then turned up the oven to 400 for about 10 minutes to help reduce the amount of liquid.
You could also simmer these in a pan to "boil" then for Stage 1-3 although they are "boiling" in the oven.
Gravy was made by simmering beef broth with 3 large, sliced onions until soft. Pureed them and let it simmer for an hour or so until it thickened. Seasoned with salt and pepper.
We served it with fauxtatoes. It would also be good with steamed/sauteed veggies.
My kids love these meatballs (with or without the gravy) - I need to make large batches and freeze them to make quick meals.
Day 11
Breakfast
Eggs, snack bars
(Stage 2/3 for eggs, Stage 4+ for snack bars)
I added avocado and cortido to mine, both Stage 3
Lunch
We get home from church around 2:30, 3:00 so we usually just have a BIG snack, not a full meal to tide us over until dinner time
Cashew Cookies
Smoothie
(Stage 3is for cookies unless avoiding honey, Full for smoothie)
I used this recipe for the cashew cookies. Mine did not look like that at all. But they were still tasty and felt like a warm cookie in your mouth! The smoothie had bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, coconut oil and raw egg yolks. But I didn't tell my kids that.
Dinner
Meatballs with gravy, mashed fauxtatoes, creamy avocado salad...and cortido for some of us
(Stage 1 for meatballs, Stage 2 for fauxtatoes, Stage 6/full for avocado salad, Stage 3 for cortido)
For the meatballs I pureed half a huge onion, 1 giant carrot and a big leaf of kale. Added that to 2 pounds of ground beef with some salt and pepper. Formed meatballs to fill a 13x9 pan and smothered them with gravy. Baked at 375 degrees for 30 minutes then turned up the oven to 400 for about 10 minutes to help reduce the amount of liquid.
Gravy was made by simmering beef broth with 3 large, sliced onions until soft. Pureed them and let it simmer for an hour or so until it thickened. Seasoned with salt and pepper.
Fauxtatoes were made from steamed cauliflower then pureed and salted. Added a touch of ghee as well.
I used this recipe for the avocado salad, but left out the green onions and the hemp oil. Olive oil would have worked as would flax oil since it's not heated.
Reactions:
5-yr-old told me his stomach hurt all day and that he needed to poop but his stomach wouldn't let him poop. I'm not sure if it was a reaction to food or that he was a bit constipated. He ate a fair bit of soaked and dehydrated nuts today so maybe that caused some back-up in the plumbing. Late in the afternoon he did two big poops and said he felt fine after that.
10-yr-old is not eating, or else eating very little by choice. And he's super grumpy.
7-yr-old started sneezing Saturday and had a faucet nose for some of Sunday. Not sure if it's a reaction to walnuts he tried Saturday afternoon or if it's a cold or hayfever. I got a runny nose on Sunday as well so maybe it's a cold he shared with me.
Thoughts:
I'm trying to figure out how to get fermented foods into my kids and how to keep up on the soup. I've really slacked off on that which is a huge part of the diet, but the kids are refusing to eat it and I'm too exhausted from all the cooking and dishes to fight them every time. Plus, we need more soup recipes because it's getting old to eat the same things. I'm in plan/organize mode trying to collect some recipes and make meal plans and then we'll backtrack a bit or at least have a once-a-day soup requirement.
Eggs, snack bars
(Stage 2/3 for eggs, Stage 4+ for snack bars)
I added avocado and cortido to mine, both Stage 3
Lunch
We get home from church around 2:30, 3:00 so we usually just have a BIG snack, not a full meal to tide us over until dinner time
Cashew Cookies
Smoothie
(Stage 3is for cookies unless avoiding honey, Full for smoothie)
I used this recipe for the cashew cookies. Mine did not look like that at all. But they were still tasty and felt like a warm cookie in your mouth! The smoothie had bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, coconut oil and raw egg yolks. But I didn't tell my kids that.
Dinner
Meatballs with gravy, mashed fauxtatoes, creamy avocado salad...and cortido for some of us
(Stage 1 for meatballs, Stage 2 for fauxtatoes, Stage 6/full for avocado salad, Stage 3 for cortido)
For the meatballs I pureed half a huge onion, 1 giant carrot and a big leaf of kale. Added that to 2 pounds of ground beef with some salt and pepper. Formed meatballs to fill a 13x9 pan and smothered them with gravy. Baked at 375 degrees for 30 minutes then turned up the oven to 400 for about 10 minutes to help reduce the amount of liquid.
Gravy was made by simmering beef broth with 3 large, sliced onions until soft. Pureed them and let it simmer for an hour or so until it thickened. Seasoned with salt and pepper.
Fauxtatoes were made from steamed cauliflower then pureed and salted. Added a touch of ghee as well.
I used this recipe for the avocado salad, but left out the green onions and the hemp oil. Olive oil would have worked as would flax oil since it's not heated.
Reactions:
5-yr-old told me his stomach hurt all day and that he needed to poop but his stomach wouldn't let him poop. I'm not sure if it was a reaction to food or that he was a bit constipated. He ate a fair bit of soaked and dehydrated nuts today so maybe that caused some back-up in the plumbing. Late in the afternoon he did two big poops and said he felt fine after that.
10-yr-old is not eating, or else eating very little by choice. And he's super grumpy.
7-yr-old started sneezing Saturday and had a faucet nose for some of Sunday. Not sure if it's a reaction to walnuts he tried Saturday afternoon or if it's a cold or hayfever. I got a runny nose on Sunday as well so maybe it's a cold he shared with me.
Thoughts:
I'm trying to figure out how to get fermented foods into my kids and how to keep up on the soup. I've really slacked off on that which is a huge part of the diet, but the kids are refusing to eat it and I'm too exhausted from all the cooking and dishes to fight them every time. Plus, we need more soup recipes because it's getting old to eat the same things. I'm in plan/organize mode trying to collect some recipes and make meal plans and then we'll backtrack a bit or at least have a once-a-day soup requirement.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Day 7
We've made it through one week!
Breakfast
Eggs, sausage, almond bread
(Stage 2/3 for eggs, Stage 5 for sausage due to spices, Stage 4 for bread)
Everyone had scrambled eggs today. I found some sausage with no sugar added so they each had 3 links of that. I made the Intro Almond bread listed for Stage 4. Two of the four boys really liked it, one picked at his and the fourth said it was 'not good'. I really need to work on serving a vegetable with breakfast too....it's just so foreign to me!
To make the bread I used:
2 1/2 cup almond flour
1 zucchini, peeled and pureed, but not cooked
6 eggs
2 tbsp. beef tallow, melted
Mixed together in a bowl then poured it into a loaf pan, oiled with tallow. Baked at 350 degrees for 40 or so minutes. I forgot to add the salt (1/2 to 1 tsp) which I think would have helped significantly. The bottom stayed stuck in the pan so I'll have to figure out how to grease it better.
Lunch
Baked chicken nuggets and cooked carrots for kids
(Stage 4 for chicken nuggets, Stage 1 for carrots)
Baked chicken nuggets, carrots, cortido and avocado for mom (Stage 3 for cortido and avocado) - I had a bowl of lamb broth to drink but it was so gross (I hate the smell of lamb broth) that I couldn't choke it down.
I breaded the chicken in two different things - one batch of almond flour and one of crushed pecans (soaked and dried) with a bit of sea salt mixed in. I used beef tallow and ghee at the bottom of the pans to prevent sticking.
Carrots were cooked on the stove until soft.
Dinner
Chicken and veggie soup
(Stage 1)
a few quarts of chicken broth
a few handfuls baby carrots, sliced
3/4 a big onion, diced
zucchini - cut into small pieces
broccoli - stalks removed
ground chicken - 1 pound
salt and pepper to taste
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until veggies are soft. I actually added them in two bunches. I cooked the carrots and onions first, then once they were almost soft added the broccoli and zucchini. Bring soup back to a boil and drop in small pieces of ground chicken. Simmer until chicken is cooked through.
Everyone said this was good. I would have prepared something else to go with it but I was running late and had to go to a meeting.
Reactions:
We let the 5-year-old eat some fresh fruits between meals - blueberries, strawberries and apples. He was a much happier child today.
The 10-yr-old woke up sick and started dry-heaving. I put him in a detox bath and gave him some juice and he started feeling better right away. After breakfast he said he was much better. I think he was just hungry and his blood sugar was low.
Everyone else seems to be progressing well.
We've now used all our lovely pastured, free-range eggs and I can't make the 90 minute drive to get more until Saturday. Because of the expense and time involved we're probably going to start using "store eggs" for baking and "farm" eggs for eating when we're eating 'just eggs' or putting the raw yolks in soups/broth. Not the ideal, but I don't have a local source here and we went through 8 dozen eggs in a week and a half!!!!! One day I'll live in a place where I can raise my own chickens and then it won't be so much of a problem. Except that each chicken will need to lay 5 to 6 eggs a day!
Breakfast
Eggs, sausage, almond bread
(Stage 2/3 for eggs, Stage 5 for sausage due to spices, Stage 4 for bread)
Everyone had scrambled eggs today. I found some sausage with no sugar added so they each had 3 links of that. I made the Intro Almond bread listed for Stage 4. Two of the four boys really liked it, one picked at his and the fourth said it was 'not good'. I really need to work on serving a vegetable with breakfast too....it's just so foreign to me!
To make the bread I used:
2 1/2 cup almond flour
1 zucchini, peeled and pureed, but not cooked
6 eggs
2 tbsp. beef tallow, melted
Mixed together in a bowl then poured it into a loaf pan, oiled with tallow. Baked at 350 degrees for 40 or so minutes. I forgot to add the salt (1/2 to 1 tsp) which I think would have helped significantly. The bottom stayed stuck in the pan so I'll have to figure out how to grease it better.
Lunch
Baked chicken nuggets and cooked carrots for kids
(Stage 4 for chicken nuggets, Stage 1 for carrots)
Baked chicken nuggets, carrots, cortido and avocado for mom (Stage 3 for cortido and avocado) - I had a bowl of lamb broth to drink but it was so gross (I hate the smell of lamb broth) that I couldn't choke it down.
I breaded the chicken in two different things - one batch of almond flour and one of crushed pecans (soaked and dried) with a bit of sea salt mixed in. I used beef tallow and ghee at the bottom of the pans to prevent sticking.
Carrots were cooked on the stove until soft.
Dinner
Chicken and veggie soup
(Stage 1)
a few quarts of chicken broth
a few handfuls baby carrots, sliced
3/4 a big onion, diced
zucchini - cut into small pieces
broccoli - stalks removed
ground chicken - 1 pound
salt and pepper to taste
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until veggies are soft. I actually added them in two bunches. I cooked the carrots and onions first, then once they were almost soft added the broccoli and zucchini. Bring soup back to a boil and drop in small pieces of ground chicken. Simmer until chicken is cooked through.
Everyone said this was good. I would have prepared something else to go with it but I was running late and had to go to a meeting.
Reactions:
We let the 5-year-old eat some fresh fruits between meals - blueberries, strawberries and apples. He was a much happier child today.
The 10-yr-old woke up sick and started dry-heaving. I put him in a detox bath and gave him some juice and he started feeling better right away. After breakfast he said he was much better. I think he was just hungry and his blood sugar was low.
Everyone else seems to be progressing well.
We've now used all our lovely pastured, free-range eggs and I can't make the 90 minute drive to get more until Saturday. Because of the expense and time involved we're probably going to start using "store eggs" for baking and "farm" eggs for eating when we're eating 'just eggs' or putting the raw yolks in soups/broth. Not the ideal, but I don't have a local source here and we went through 8 dozen eggs in a week and a half!!!!! One day I'll live in a place where I can raise my own chickens and then it won't be so much of a problem. Except that each chicken will need to lay 5 to 6 eggs a day!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Day 6
Let's see if I can remember how yesterday went.
Breakfast (Stage 1 for soup, Stage 2/3 for eggs and sausage, Stage 3 for pancakes)
Almost Borscht (leftover from Day 5), eggs, beef sausage, chicken pancakes
Each person had a small bowl of soup.
Some had scrambled eggs, some had over easy. I used lots of ghee.
I tried to re-create sausage using fresh thyme, rosemary, sage and ground beef and boiled the patties in water for a bit. The meat was tough and it didn't taste very sausagey. One son loved it, the rest only ate a few bites. I'll have to work on that.
I used this chicken pancake recipe. Instead of a banana I used a yellow crookneck squash (cooked). They tasted a bit chickeny to me, but the kids ate them. They said they preferred the pancakes from the night before though.
Lunch (Stage 4 for salmon (baked) and fries, Stage 5 for applesauce, Stage 3 for pancakes)
Baked salmon, butternut squash fries, applesauce, more pancakes
We're starting to bake some of the meats (Stage 4) and veggies instead of boiling them. I kept the salmon simple and just baked it without anything. At the table some added salt and/or ghee.
The butternut squash fries were not a hit. I melted some beef tallow to coat the baking sheet and then salted them partway through baking. They never got hard/crispy-ish like potato fries, they just stayed sort of mushy. Good for our digestion, I guess, but not for the taste and texture. I'll work on these in the future.
For the applesauce - peeled, cored and sliced 2 large apples and simmered them in water until soft. I blended them with some ghee then stuck it in the freezer to help it cool. I thought it was super delicious, but nobody else ate it. One son said the 'ghee was too much'. I couldn't really taste it, it was just the barest hint and added a pleasing 'fat' taste. I guess I'll keep working on that too. The kids are dying to have fruits so we're trying to transition them into that Stage soon. Also, according to NCM we're not supposed to eat fruit with our meals, only as a snack in-between. I need to pound that into my head because it's very different from how we've been doing things.
They also ate some leftover pancakes from breakfast and dinner the night before.
Dinner (Stage 1 for soup, Stage 3 for cilantro and avocado)
Mexican Chicken and Cauliflower soup
I made this pretty much as written, but didn't use as much onion or garlic. And my stinking garlic press broke after the second clove! We added the cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.
My husband and I really enjoyed this and I will most likely make it again...I'd like to try it with avocado as well. My 11-yr-old had 2 big bowls, the 10-yr-old finished his but had to really work at it and the other two wouldn't even touch it.
Reactions
So far I've lost 9 pounds!!! Aside from a few aches and pains now and then I feel good. I'm sleeping much better than I have in a long time, but maybe it's because I'm exercising more as well.
My husband and I are getting pretty worried about our youngest, who is 5. He just isn't eating much. We decided to transition him to Full and are letting him eat raw fruits (his favorite) and some veggies right now. I don't have the emotional strength to coax/cajole/bribe/threaten four kids every meal, every day to eat foods they aren't used to and don't like as well as cook these marathon meals, homeschool, do laundry and dishes and a million other things. We've had no reactions that indicate they need to stay on any particular Stage for weeks at a time so we're going to move through the next 2/3 stages quickly. If, once we've been on Full for a while, we feel that additional healing is necessary, we'll go back down to Intro (all or just the ones that need it). This will also (hopefully) help me get me feet under me as this way of cooking is a bit more labor intensive and time-consuming.
Breakfast (Stage 1 for soup, Stage 2/3 for eggs and sausage, Stage 3 for pancakes)
Almost Borscht (leftover from Day 5), eggs, beef sausage, chicken pancakes
Each person had a small bowl of soup.
Some had scrambled eggs, some had over easy. I used lots of ghee.
I tried to re-create sausage using fresh thyme, rosemary, sage and ground beef and boiled the patties in water for a bit. The meat was tough and it didn't taste very sausagey. One son loved it, the rest only ate a few bites. I'll have to work on that.
I used this chicken pancake recipe. Instead of a banana I used a yellow crookneck squash (cooked). They tasted a bit chickeny to me, but the kids ate them. They said they preferred the pancakes from the night before though.
Lunch (Stage 4 for salmon (baked) and fries, Stage 5 for applesauce, Stage 3 for pancakes)
Baked salmon, butternut squash fries, applesauce, more pancakes
We're starting to bake some of the meats (Stage 4) and veggies instead of boiling them. I kept the salmon simple and just baked it without anything. At the table some added salt and/or ghee.
The butternut squash fries were not a hit. I melted some beef tallow to coat the baking sheet and then salted them partway through baking. They never got hard/crispy-ish like potato fries, they just stayed sort of mushy. Good for our digestion, I guess, but not for the taste and texture. I'll work on these in the future.
For the applesauce - peeled, cored and sliced 2 large apples and simmered them in water until soft. I blended them with some ghee then stuck it in the freezer to help it cool. I thought it was super delicious, but nobody else ate it. One son said the 'ghee was too much'. I couldn't really taste it, it was just the barest hint and added a pleasing 'fat' taste. I guess I'll keep working on that too. The kids are dying to have fruits so we're trying to transition them into that Stage soon. Also, according to NCM we're not supposed to eat fruit with our meals, only as a snack in-between. I need to pound that into my head because it's very different from how we've been doing things.
They also ate some leftover pancakes from breakfast and dinner the night before.
Dinner (Stage 1 for soup, Stage 3 for cilantro and avocado)
Mexican Chicken and Cauliflower soup
I made this pretty much as written, but didn't use as much onion or garlic. And my stinking garlic press broke after the second clove! We added the cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.
My husband and I really enjoyed this and I will most likely make it again...I'd like to try it with avocado as well. My 11-yr-old had 2 big bowls, the 10-yr-old finished his but had to really work at it and the other two wouldn't even touch it.
Reactions
So far I've lost 9 pounds!!! Aside from a few aches and pains now and then I feel good. I'm sleeping much better than I have in a long time, but maybe it's because I'm exercising more as well.
My husband and I are getting pretty worried about our youngest, who is 5. He just isn't eating much. We decided to transition him to Full and are letting him eat raw fruits (his favorite) and some veggies right now. I don't have the emotional strength to coax/cajole/bribe/threaten four kids every meal, every day to eat foods they aren't used to and don't like as well as cook these marathon meals, homeschool, do laundry and dishes and a million other things. We've had no reactions that indicate they need to stay on any particular Stage for weeks at a time so we're going to move through the next 2/3 stages quickly. If, once we've been on Full for a while, we feel that additional healing is necessary, we'll go back down to Intro (all or just the ones that need it). This will also (hopefully) help me get me feet under me as this way of cooking is a bit more labor intensive and time-consuming.
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