real food cook

it’s been a while since i’ve been here. i’ve mostly been on my other blog (but you have get invited to that one!). if you’d like an invitation please let me know.

let’s get back to the basics of feeding our families awesome food with little prep.

there are so many places to buy “food” these days, and most of them are happy to fill their aisles with boxes, cans and packages of processed/toxic matter called food. i went into a local market a few days ago to buy vinegar for the science class i teach and remembered why i stay out of there. except for the produce area 95% of the store was dead boxed food. who feeds their families this? the vast majority of americans…sad!

have you ever made kefir? it’s a delicious cultured milk, healing for the body and offers millions of beneficial bacteria for your intestinal tract. i really enjoy goat milk kefir from our own goats, but raw cow’s milk has great flavor too. culturing the milk eats the lactose (milk sugar) and makes this a very low glycemic food. as goat’s milk is naturally homogenized (the cream doesn’t separate from the milk) goat’s milk kefir is fantastically creamy (unlike the packaged stuff at the store, which i have used in a pinch, but i digress…). you can buy kefir grains online (my original grains came from www.culturesforhealth.com) and i recommend them. they multiply like crazy so if you already know someone making kefir ask for some grains to start!

here’s a very basic recipe to get you going:

1-    pour 1-cup keifr into blender

2-    add I heaped TB raw virgin coconut oil

3-    add 1 heaped tsp chia or golden flax

4-    add maple syrup to sweeten (or a dab of honey) to taste

5-    blend well and enjoy!

Next time you could add

a half cup of berries

vanilla or chocolate protein powder (omit sweetener!)

an omega-3 egg yolk

THRIVE!

rfc

got this from the fabulous site of nell stephenson, check her out if you haven’t already!  her recipes for Christmas celebrations look amazing, and i am excited to make her “stuffing”.  what do you think?

nell writes:

If you’re really jonesing for an eggnog, following is a recipe for one which you can make with coconut milk (just a reminder NOT to use canned- as it often contains guar gum, derived from a bean, and thus, not Paleo!).  I’ve found this online, and, to make an example out of how you can convert a non-Paleo recipe to one that is, I’ve made some changes in red:

8 egg yolks

4 cups coconut milk or cream

8 tablespoons dark rum Easy enough to omit- or use natural rum extract flavoring

6 tablespoons white sugar Skip this, or use a bit of honey- as per The Paleo Diet- ok to use on rare occasions…

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

Coconut Eggnog Directions

Into a large saucepan, pour the coconut milk/ cream and add the white sugar.

Heat BUT DO NOT BOIL over a medium heat.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the vanilla essence.

Into the bowl, pour approximately half the coconut milk & sugar mixture.

Whisk briskly.

Add the remainder of the coconut milk & sugar mixture.

Pour the combined mixture back into your large saucepan.

Wash out the large bowl because you’ll need it again in a few minutes.

Cook over a low heat BUT DO NOT BOIL, ensuring that you continuously stir.

Continue stirring until the eggnog thickens slightly – enough to be able to coat the back of a spoon.

Pour & strain the eggnog back into the (washed, rinsed & dried) large bowl.

Allow the eggnog to sit and cool until it becomes room temperature.

Stir in the dark rum.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.

Just prior to serving, combine the ground nutmeg & ground cinnamon on a small dish, and sprinkle a little of the mixture on top of each served glassful of your delicious coconut eggnog!

Enjoy the holiday shopping, warm beverage in hand, with the knowledge that you’ve not strayed off your Paleo track, and as a result, you’ve avoided adding a few hundred empty sugar calories to boot!

rfc says:  we will be enjoying this on Christmas eve, you can be sure!

you’ve had several weeks now to get into the groove of weekly stock making.  how is that going?  this week i have sold all of the stock i generally have for my family so i will be making an additional 16 quarts tomorrow.

when we first journeyed into this wonderful nourishing of our bodies and our children i began making beet kvass.  my then 4 year old son HATED it, it’s still not something he willingly drinks.  beet kvass is a traditional fermented drink made with beets and whey.  i began making vegan kvass for one of my dear clients who does not use any dairy at all and i actually like it better!  it might be a very acquired taste for some, it’s earthy and salty, very thirst quenching on a hot day and an excellent flavor enhancer for soups and other dishes.  according to nourishing traditions: “this drink is valuable for it’s medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid.  beets are just loaded with nutrients.  one 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aid digestion, alkalized the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments”.

beet kvass

4-6 large organic beets, peeled and coarsely chopped (NOT shredded, chopped)

1/4 c. coconut water kefir

1 tsp. sea salt

filtered water

place the chopped beets, coconut kefir water & salt into a gallon glass jar.  add enough filtered water to fill the container.  stir it up, seal it tightly & put it into a dark cupboard for a few days (room temperature for several days).   shake it a few times each day.  your fermenting times will differ based on the temperature of your home, it will bubble and slightly fizz when it’s ready to go into cold storage.  take several sips twice daily and see how you feel.  let me know!

ever gone to the store and seen that quart of eggnog for $3.99 and wondered why it costs SO much?  i have, especially when the babies are begging me to buy some.

time to figure out my own… and it’s delicious!

if you want to make this for a special occasion be sure you make it ahead so the flavors can marry, meld, join, whatever you want to call it.

12 eggs, separated

1 c. rapadura (or sucanat)

½ tsp. salt

3 c. whipping cream

2 Tb. rapadura (or sucanat)

2 Tb. vanilla

8 c. whole raw milk (shaken to combine)

rum flavoring (ACH! I know, but it’s what makes the store bought stuff so yummy)

nutmeg if desired

first, separate the eggs.

add 1 c. of sweetener to the whites, beat until they are thick

add ½ tsp. salt to the yolks, beat until thick

combine the eggs together.

in a third bowl beat the whipping cream until it starts to thicken, then add 2 Tb. sweetener and the vanilla

finally add in the whole raw milk and about 2 tsp. of rum flavoring (you will have to adjust this to your own personal taste preference).

pour all of this into a gallon jug and chill it for serving (at which point you can add a dash of nutmeg on top if you wish).

although there are several steps involved in making this yummy treat (and three bowls!) it’s truly worth it.  i used raw milk and cream, pastured eggs and homemade vanilla- perhaps that’s why it’s so divine.real