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.
Showing posts with label stage 4 recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stage 4 recipes. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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".
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Fish patties
I loosely based the fish patties on this recipe.
I used about:
1/3 cup leftover cod from last night
some salmon
1/2 an onion
1 zucchini
7 or 8 baby carrots
2 cloves garlic
about 1/3 to 1/2 cup ground nuts (almonds and pecans)
3 eggs
salt
Pureed all the veggies and added it to the fish with the eggs and nuts then mixed it all together. It was a bit goopy but I formed mushy patties and laid them gently in the pan and they held together just fine. Cooked it in my cast iron skillet until browned on both sides. Would have been great with some homemade mayo, but I didn't have my olive oil until late in the afternoon. Maybe next time.
All the kids ate these and had seconds or fifths, depending on the kid.
This is a Stage 4 recipe because it's not boiled!
I used about:
1/3 cup leftover cod from last night
some salmon
1/2 an onion
1 zucchini
7 or 8 baby carrots
2 cloves garlic
about 1/3 to 1/2 cup ground nuts (almonds and pecans)
3 eggs
salt
Pureed all the veggies and added it to the fish with the eggs and nuts then mixed it all together. It was a bit goopy but I formed mushy patties and laid them gently in the pan and they held together just fine. Cooked it in my cast iron skillet until browned on both sides. Would have been great with some homemade mayo, but I didn't have my olive oil until late in the afternoon. Maybe next time.
All the kids ate these and had seconds or fifths, depending on the kid.
This is a Stage 4 recipe because it's not boiled!
Almond bread
I used the recipe from Cheeseslave for almond bread. It created a dense loaf and for once didn't stick in my pan. I've made this recipe and added cooked squash as well and it turned out nicely.
One of my sons laughed at how "short" the bread was. They're used to my big loaves of fluffy wheat bread. Fluffy this is not!
Nut breads are a Stage 4 recipe.
One of my sons laughed at how "short" the bread was. They're used to my big loaves of fluffy wheat bread. Fluffy this is not!
Nut breads are a Stage 4 recipe.
Day 14
I didn't write what we did yesterday so this is my best guess at remembering.
Breakfast
Eggs, fruit
(Stage 3 for eggs, Stage 5/6 for fruit)
Lunch
On the road - we had two dentist appointments then two eye doctor appointments - what was I thinking?
Soaked and dried nuts, bananas, almond bread
(Full for nuts, Stage 6 for bananas, Stage 4 for almond bread)
Dinner
Cod, pumpkin pie carrots, sauerkraut
(Stage 4 for baked cod, Stage 5 for carrots due to spices, Stage 3 for sauerkraut)
Breakfast
Eggs, fruit
(Stage 3 for eggs, Stage 5/6 for fruit)
Lunch
On the road - we had two dentist appointments then two eye doctor appointments - what was I thinking?
Soaked and dried nuts, bananas, almond bread
(Full for nuts, Stage 6 for bananas, Stage 4 for almond bread)
Dinner
Cod, pumpkin pie carrots, sauerkraut
(Stage 4 for baked cod, Stage 5 for carrots due to spices, Stage 3 for sauerkraut)
Day 15
Breakfast
Smoothie and Russian Custard over sliced apples and bananas
(Full for smoothie and custard)
The smoothie had bananas, strawberries, blueberries, coconut oil, flax seed oil, and raw egg yolks. I halved the recipe for the Custard because I didn't know how it would go over. Three of them loved it and would have eaten much more, the fourth said it was "disgusting".
Lunch
Fish patties, sauerkraut, raw carrots, sliced avocado
(Stage 4 for fish patties, Stage 3 for sauerkraut and avocado, Stage 6 for raw carrots)
I loosely based the fish patties on this recipe.
I used about
1/3 cup leftover cod from last night
some salmon
1/2 an onion
1 zucchini
7 or 8 baby carrots
2 cloves garlic
about 1/3 to 1/2 cup ground nuts (almonds and pecans)
3 eggs
salt
Pureed all the veggies and added it to the fish with the eggs and nuts then mixed it all together. Cooked it in my cast iron skillet until browned on both sides.
I bought a case of Bubbie's sauerkraut from our local food co-op and two of my boys are eating it like crazy. It is some seriously tasty stuff. My homemade stuff doesn't even come close. We can only order once a month and I'm not sure it will last that long. I may have to buy a mini-fridge just for a monthly sauerkraut supply.
Dinner
Roast Chicken, green beans, butternut squash pudding
(Stage 4 for chicken, Stage 1 for green beans, Stage 4 or so for pudding unless you're avoiding honey)
The boys loved the pudding...mostly because of the pecans on top, but they did eat the squash underneath so I consider it a success. I came home from a meeting and found my 7-year-old at the table eating the cold pudding right out of the pan.
Reactions:
Nothing really to report here.
Thoughts:
I need to do another meal plan and go shopping. I'm trying to keep up with all the soaking and dehydrating of nuts. At this point I consider us in Full, but I'm trying to remember to eat lots of soups and such still. Our olive oil finally came so I'm going to try some mayonnaise sometime this weekend.
Smoothie and Russian Custard over sliced apples and bananas
(Full for smoothie and custard)
The smoothie had bananas, strawberries, blueberries, coconut oil, flax seed oil, and raw egg yolks. I halved the recipe for the Custard because I didn't know how it would go over. Three of them loved it and would have eaten much more, the fourth said it was "disgusting".
Lunch
Fish patties, sauerkraut, raw carrots, sliced avocado
(Stage 4 for fish patties, Stage 3 for sauerkraut and avocado, Stage 6 for raw carrots)
I loosely based the fish patties on this recipe.
I used about
1/3 cup leftover cod from last night
some salmon
1/2 an onion
1 zucchini
7 or 8 baby carrots
2 cloves garlic
about 1/3 to 1/2 cup ground nuts (almonds and pecans)
3 eggs
salt
Pureed all the veggies and added it to the fish with the eggs and nuts then mixed it all together. Cooked it in my cast iron skillet until browned on both sides.
I bought a case of Bubbie's sauerkraut from our local food co-op and two of my boys are eating it like crazy. It is some seriously tasty stuff. My homemade stuff doesn't even come close. We can only order once a month and I'm not sure it will last that long. I may have to buy a mini-fridge just for a monthly sauerkraut supply.
Dinner
Roast Chicken, green beans, butternut squash pudding
(Stage 4 for chicken, Stage 1 for green beans, Stage 4 or so for pudding unless you're avoiding honey)
The boys loved the pudding...mostly because of the pecans on top, but they did eat the squash underneath so I consider it a success. I came home from a meeting and found my 7-year-old at the table eating the cold pudding right out of the pan.
Reactions:
Nothing really to report here.
Thoughts:
I need to do another meal plan and go shopping. I'm trying to keep up with all the soaking and dehydrating of nuts. At this point I consider us in Full, but I'm trying to remember to eat lots of soups and such still. Our olive oil finally came so I'm going to try some mayonnaise sometime this weekend.
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!
Beef Stir-Fry
This would also work with chicken.
beef, almost 2 pounds - cut bite-sized
a few handfuls of baby carrots, sliced into long 'sticks'
broccoli - stalks removed
zucchini - cut in fourths the long way then sliced
Simmered the beef in broth until almost cooked through then added the veggies and cooked until soft but not mushy. It was delicious, but two of the boys wouldn't touch it. Punks.
I think this is Stage 4 because you aren't boiling the meat.
beef, almost 2 pounds - cut bite-sized
a few handfuls of baby carrots, sliced into long 'sticks'
broccoli - stalks removed
zucchini - cut in fourths the long way then sliced
Simmered the beef in broth until almost cooked through then added the veggies and cooked until soft but not mushy. It was delicious, but two of the boys wouldn't touch it. Punks.
I think this is Stage 4 because you aren't boiling the meat.
Mexican Chicken Soup
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.
This would be Stage 3 without the cilantro, but I think it needs it. Stage 3 for both the cilantro and avocado.
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.
This would be Stage 3 without the cilantro, but I think it needs it. Stage 3 for both the cilantro and avocado.
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!
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