Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Skillet Apples in Coconut Oil

For a tasty and nutritious Dessert like treat try these. Your taste buds will thank you and you'll get the benefit of healthy fats and fruit with a sweet twist!

Serves 2:
  • 2 medium size apples. I prefer fuji or pink lady but most people use granny smith. Go with your favorite
  • 2 T coconut oil
  • pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or cinnamon to taste (whatever you prefer. I like one of the combination spices)
Cut apples in about 1/4 inch thin slices
Heat coconut oil in a skillet at medium/ Medium-high heat
Add apples to skillet and brown on one side
Flip over and season with spice of choice while browning on the other side.
Don't allow these to sit in the skillet as they will become mushy. Once done place them directly on a papertowel to remove some of the moisture from the coconut oil then set on a plate to cool slightly. Top with a pinch of spice and consume while still warm.
Share/Bookmark

Friday, April 23, 2010

Gluten Free Bread Machine Recipes

Crusty French Baguette
Makes Two 12-inch loaves, 12 slices each

You’ll be amazed by this one — a crusty loaf with a typical French bread texture.

 Baguette pan or baking sheet, lightly greased, then lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with cornmeal
  • 2 cups brown rice flour    500 mL
  • 2⁄3 cup potato starch    150 mL
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar    10 mL
  • 2 teaspoons xanthan gum    10 mL
  • 2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast    10 mL
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt    7 mL
  • 1 1⁄2 cups water     375 mL
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar    10 mL
  • 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1. In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine brown rice flour, potato starch, sugar, xanthan gum, yeast and salt; mix well
and set aside.

2. Pour water and vinegar into the bread machine baking pan. Add egg whites.

3. Select the Dough Cycle. As the bread machine is mixing, gradually add the dry ingredients, scraping bottom and
sides of pan with a rubber spatula. Try to incorporate all the dry ingredients within 1 to 2 minutes. Stop bread
machine as soon as the kneading portion of the cycle is complete. Do not let bread machine finish the cycle.

4. Divide dough in half and form each half into the shape of a French loaf. Place parallel to each other in prepared
pan, at least 6 inches (15 cm) apart. Using the edge of a moistened rubber spatula or a sharp knife, draw 3 or 4 diagonal lines, 1⁄4 inch (0.5 cm) deep, across the top of each loaf. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place for 60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

5. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until internal temperature of loaf registers 200°F (100°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the pan immediately and let cool completely on a rack.

Tips
Store this bread loosely covered in a paper bag to maintain the crisp crust. Use an electric or serrated knife to thickly slice these loaves on the diagonal.

Ancient Grains Bread
Makes 15 Slices

Here’s a quartet of healthy grains — sorghum, amaranth, cornmeal and quinoa — combined in a soft-textured,
nutritious loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches.

  • 1 cup sorghum flour    250 mL
  • 3⁄4 cup amaranth flour    175 mL
  • 3⁄4 cup cornmeal    175 mL
  • 1⁄4 cup quinoa flour    60 mL
  • 1⁄2 cup tapioca starch    125 mL
  • 1⁄3 cup packed brown sugar    75 mL
  • 1 tbsp xanthan gum    15 mL
  • 3⁄4 tsp bread machine or instant yeast    4 mL
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp salt    7 mL
  • 1 1⁄4 cups water    300 mL
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil    30 mL
  • 1 tsp cider vinegar    5 mL
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1. In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine sorghum flour, amaranth flour, cornmeal, quinoa flour, tapioca starch,
brown sugar, xanthan gum, yeast and salt; mix well and set aside.

2. Pour water, oil and vinegar into the bread machine baking pan. Add eggs and egg whites.

3. Select the Dough Cycle. As the bread machine is mixing, gradually add the dry ingredients, scraping bottom and
sides of pan with a rubber spatula. Try to incorporate all the dry ingredients within 1 to 2 minutes. When the mixing and kneading are complete, remove the kneading blade, leaving the bread pan in the bread machine. Quickly smooth the top of the loaf. Allow the cycle to finish. Turn off the bread machine.

4. Select the Bake Cycle. Set time to 60 minutes and temperature to 350°F (180(C). Allow the cycle to finish. Do not turn machine off before taking the internal temperature of the loaf with an instant-read thermometer. It should be 200°F (100°C). If it’s between 180°F (85°C) and 200°F (100°C), leave machine on the Keep Warm Cycle until baked. If it’s below 180°F (85°C), turn on the Bake Cycle and check the internal temperature every 10 minutes. (Some bread machines are automatically set for 60 minutes; others need to be set by 10-minute intervals.)

5. Once the loaf has reached 200°F (100°C), remove it from the pan immediately and let cool completely on a rack.
To make this recipe egg-free: Omit eggs and egg whites from the recipe. Add 4 tsp (20 mL) powdered egg replacer
with the dry ingredients. Increase yeast to 2 tsp (10 mL). Increase water by 1⁄4 cup (60 mL). This flavorful egg-free
loaf is shorter than some.

Tips
You can use 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) liquid whole eggs and 1⁄4 cup (60 mL) liquid egg whites, if you prefer.

Gluten-Free Cycle
If your bread machine has a Gluten-Free Cycle, you will need to make these adjustments:

1. Warm the water to between 110°F and 115°F (43°C and 46°C).
2. Warm the eggs and egg whites
3. Follow the recipe instructions, but select the GlutenFree Cycle rather than the Dough Cycle and Bake Cycle.
4. At the end of the Gluten-Free Cycle, take the temperature of the loaf using an instant-read thermometer. It is baked at 200°F (100°C). If it’s between 180°F (85°C) and 200°F (100°C), leave machine on the Keep Warm Cycle until baked.
If it’s below 180°F (85°C), turn on the Bake Cycle and check the internal temperature every 10 minutes. (Some bread machines are automatically set for 60 minutes; others need to be set by 10-minute intervals.)


These recipes may be reproduced with the following credit:
Recipes from 125 BEST GLUTEN-FREE BREAD MACHINE RECIPES
 by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt
(Robert Rose; April  2010 Softcover/$24.95)

Share/Bookmark

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Ginger root tea for nausea and sinus congestion

Ginger has been used for thousands of years not only as a flavoring agent, but also as a medicinal herb. Ginger tea can eliminate nausea from most causes and more commonly being used for pregnancy morning sickness, motion sickness, and simple stomach upset. It can also be useful for nausea from cancer chemotherapy. Ginger root tea has also shown to be useful for sinus congestion by clearing mucus and reducing sinus inflammation. It also has mild anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities that would be beneficial if you have the common cold.


Here is a simple Ginger Root tea recipe that can be drunk often:
4-6 thin slices or 1 tsp fresh ginger root
1 tsp honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup boiled water
Let the ginger steep in hot water for 10-15 minutes to get the most benefit.


Share/Bookmark

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Enlightened Cooking: Homemade Lara-Type Bars (energy bars part 3)

Enlightened Cooking: Homemade Lara-Type Bars (energy bars part 3)

Love these raw food treats. Great condensed fats, proteins, and sweetness all in one portable snack!
Share/Bookmark

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Pink Ribbon Smoothie for October (Breast cancer awareness month)

Click on the image above for the recipe!

Share/Bookmark

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Soy Sauce Alternative

For those who need a replacement due to a soy allergy.

2 Tbs beef stock
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp molasses
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp garlic powder
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup boiling filtered spring water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil until it is reduced by about half.
Share/Bookmark

Monday, September 21, 2009

The Taste of Autumn: Great Recipes from my favorite blogs

I just can't help myself...Fall is right around the bend and all I can think about is warm comfort foods, puddings, chilis, muffins, quick breads, and of course...pumpkin! Try some of these great recipes out from some of my favorite food bloggers:

Share/Bookmark

Monday, September 7, 2009

Cooking Traditional Foods: Why you should, and How you can!


It's hard to know these days just which dietary guidelines we should follow to obtain optimal health. The experts all seem to vary, and we all know just how many fad diets are out there. The truth is, however, that nutrition is not an ever changing concept. The roots of healthy eating will never change. In fact, traditional foods are really the most wholesome way to eat. We just have to learn what that means again.

Simply put, Traditional Foods are foods consumed in the way our ancestors ate them. The basis of Traditional Foods is that the food you consume be as nutrient dense and nourishing as possible. Traditional Foods (TF) goes beyond just avoiding packaged and processed foods. It is about choosing the best food options available for your budget & location and consuming it in a way that allows your body to extract the maximum nutrition from that item.

Local foods+ organic foods+ in season foods (-microwaves) = responsible eating for you and your family!

Here is a link to the "Cooking Traditional Foods" website...home of the American Menu Mailer...that describes traditional diets and cooking in layman's terms.

http://www.cookingtf.com/whatistf.html

(to the right is some homemade chicken bone broth I have cooking on the stove)

For more help check out this amazing link on how to convert your favorite recipes to the traditional style of cooking!

http://www.cookingtf.com/convert.html

(Rosemary Apple Chicken with garden salad, snow peas, and homemade mashed potatoes. Tonight's delicious dinner. Just an example)

I suggest that anyone committing themselves to a healthier lifestyle give traditional nutrition a try. It truly is the most nourishing way to eat.

Share/Bookmark

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Sloppy Joes (GFCF)


For More Delicious American Menu Mailer Recipes go to www.cookingtf.com

Share/Bookmark