Almond Milk

For all of you Almond Milk lovers out there, here is how you can make your own.

Ingredients

1 cup of raw, soaked almonds

4 cups of water

Easy huh?

First place the almonds into a container, just cover with water and put a lid over the container and leave for 24 hours out on a counter.

Next, place the soaked almonds into a blender and add 4 cups of water.

Blend thoroughly.

Line a bowl with a piece of muslin or use a nut milk bag (if you have one you probably already know how to make this). Pour the contents of the blender into the lined bowl.

Strain out the milk.

Squeeze out as much milk as possible.

Looks good.

This is what is left over, I made cookies from the left over meal. They weren't very good so I won't share that recipe. Once I get it perfected I will post it.

Approximately 4 one cup servings

Just in case you were wondering

Carbs: 1.3 grams

Fat: 3 grams

Protein 1.3 grams

Fiber: .7 grams

Minerals: Manganese, Magnesium 

Walking The Talk

I love talking about eating good food and I enjoy teaching others how to do it. While the great majority of what I eat fits my definition of "good", I still eat some not so good items.

Well in the spirit of trying to identify all of the hurdles (or most of them) that occur when trying to eat "good" foods I have decided that I will try not eat anything that does not fit the criteria already established. Criteria: it has to be real (ie. chicken, not chicken nuggets, chicken flavored, etc...), it has to be unprocessed or minimally processed (ie. honey, maple syrup, oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes, not honey/maple flavored, flavored oatmeal cereal, white rice, potato chips, etc...). Maple syrup does receive processing, it is originally sap from a tree which has been boiled down into syrup, that is processing, but it is a far cry from maple-flavored pancake syrup. Please note that if I do use maple syrup, I probably don't use it more than 1-2 times per month and I won't use more than a tsp at a time, it is just about pure carbohydrate. Lastly, it has to be good for you, meaning nutritious, something that builds you up and not tear you down. Not a whole lot of criteria, but it is very encompassing.

Food is a very touchy subject, and without parameters I know I have the tendency to touch any and all of it, much to my detriment. I dearly want all of us to live an abundant life that our Lord speaks of in John 10:10. Too many of us are not living abundantly, but are being robbed of health and vitality by the choices that we make. I want to help in this area by providing a map, a road map to help you navigate through the minefield of bad food choices.

The Bible is full of food metaphors, Ps 34:8 says "Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed are all who trust in Him". The Lord is good indeed, He has provided us with so much that is good for us and good to us. Let's choose what builds us up and turn our backs on what ever tears us down.

Red Bell Pepper Goat Cheese Salad

I made this salad to go along with dinner 3 times in the past seven days, it is good!

Ingredients: 

1 red bell pepper

1 large sweet yellow onion, sliced 

4 oz. goat cheese, divided into 4 slices.

4 cups mixed baby greens

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roast pepper for ten minutes.

Place sliced onions which have been generously drizzled with olive oil into oven and roast an additional 10 minutes.

Remove the pepper from the oven and place into a plastic bag for 5 minutes. Turn onions and return to the oven for an additional 10 min.

When onions are done, turn oven to broil and broil the goat cheese until it has brown spots on top.

While cheese is browning, peel, core and slice red bell pepper. Don't burn your cheese, it browns quickly.

Arrange the pepper and onions on the baby greens and top with cheese. Dress with a little olive oil and  balsamic vinegar. Yum!

Fermented Foods - sauerkraut and dill pickles

I started my sauerkraut and dill pickles two days ago. Pickles are simple: wash 4 pounds of pickling cucumber well and trim the blossom end 1/8 inch (I trim both ends, I didn't pick them and I wanted to be sure). Make sure you use pickling cucumbers, they are not waxed, are the right length (4-6 inches) and they are nice and bumpy. You will not have a problem with selection if you grow them yourself.

Use 5 heads of fresh dill, 2 tbsp of pickling spice (you can mix your own or use store bought), I added an extra tbsp of mixed peppercorns and an extra tbsp of ground ginger and an extra bay leaf (we like them spicy!). In addition, add garlic cloves, I used two elephant garlic cloves, you can use 4 regular. Mix 8 cups of water, 1/2 cup of canning salt (do not use table salt) and 1/4 cup vinegar. 

Using a pickling crock or a large glass jar layer spices,cucumbers and garlic. Fill the jar with the water, salt and vinegar solution. Weigh down the contents to make sure the cucumbers stay under the brining  solution, fermentation is an anaerobic activity, you don't want the cucumbers exposed to air. Check daily to see if you need to skim any scum off of the top, brining takes about 2-3 weeks and then I move them to the refrigerator.

Now for the sauerkraut.

You need 20 pounds of cabbage and approx 1/2 cup of salt and a large crock or jar.

Remove the outer leaves and rinse the cabbage well, quarter and core. Shred the cabbage into 1/8 strips.

That was a lot of cabbage to cut. I have used a meat slicer in the past, I didn't feel like pulling it out and the having to wash it. This is what happens with most gadgets, that's why it's important to have good, sharp knives round.

Mix 5 pounds of shredded cabbage with 3 tbsp of canning salt (don't use table salt and consider using natural sea salt). Let sit for a while until juices form.

Start packing in jar but tamping down with the back of a large spoon, it was easier to use the end of a French rolling pin. Continue until you fill the jar, I was able to get the entire 20 pounds ( more like a little over 15 once it was trimmed and cored) into 1 5 gallon jar.

I left it for two days hoping that enough brine would be formed from just the salt and the juice from the cabbage, but I wound up having to prepare a brining solution by boiling 4 cups of water and dissolving 3 tbsp of canning salt in it. I let the solution cool to room temperature and I poured it over the cabbage. I then put a piece of muslin that had been washed well (you can boil it in water, then carefully wring it out) on top and used a spoon to wedge it down the sides. You want to keep the cabbage under the brining solution so it will ferment properly.

I placed several saucers on top of the muslin and inverted the lid which has a knob on top, this keeps the cabbage from floating on top of the solution. Check daily to see if you need to skim the top. 

Fermentation will take approx 6 weeks, then you can divide into smaller jars and store in the fridge. You can also can in a hot water bath, but please know that you will lose all of your probiotics if you do.

I like sauerkraut's flavor, but the only reason I make it and teach others to do the same is for the probiotics. If you are only going for taste, it is easier to purchase it at the store. This tastes much better than your generic sauerkraut, but there are some pretty good tasting ones in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

Pizza (with a Cauliflower & Cheese Crust)

You will be surprised at how good this pizza is. I did a search for low-carb pizza and came across a site that made it with both cauliflower and with zucchini. I like the cauliflower based crust better and it is less work. I plan on making some just to freeze and top later. I also plan on using parchment paper to help speed the process and aid in clean up. There are a number of steps but it is so worth the effort.

Ingredients:

Sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 -3 cloves garlic
2 TBSP olive oil
oregano, basil, salt & pepper, red pepper flakes


Crust
1 cup of "riced" cauliflower
1/4 cup of ground almonds
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 TBSP shredded Parmesan cheese (you can use Asiago if you like)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp of each oregano, basil, salt & pepper.

Toppings
What ever you like on the top of a pizza, I used sliced black olives and saute mushrooms and cheese.


Drain tomatoes in a colander                                      

Saute garlic in olive oil 

Add tomatoes and spices, simmer

"Rice" the cauliflower by chopping finely with a knife or using a food processor. Cover with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. 

Stir the cauliflower for it to cool a little, and add the ground almonds (grind whole almonds in a food processor and process until finely chopped), add cheeses, egg and spices. Mix well.  Pat out mixture on a pizza stone and bake it in a 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes (until crust is golden and bubbly) watch carefully so the edges do not burn. If you do not have a pizza stone, place a cast iron frying pan upside down in your cold oven and heat with the oven at 450 until pre-heated. Place pizza crust (on a cookie sheet or pizza pan) on top of the frying pan bottom. 

While crust is baking, prepare your toppings. 

When crust is ready, top and place in the oven on broil for 2 -3 min, until cheese is melted. 

Enjoy, serves 2. 

Note: I double the recipe when I make these, instead of small 2 person pizza, I make a larger 4 person, it works fine. 

Mediterranean Chicken (in the pressure cooker of course!)

I prepared Mediterranean Chicken for our Nutrition Connect meeting this month. I am trying to win others over to pressure-cooking, it is safe, easy and so fast. I am amazed at the great meals that you can put together in very little time.

Ingredients:

• A 3-4 pound chicken
• 1-2 TBSP. Coconut Oil (or cooking oil of choice)
• 2 1/2 cups frozen, bell pepper/onion mix (you can use fresh as well)
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes (you can use fresh, you will need 8)
• garlic powder
• dried basil 
• dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• sea salt

I did not put down measured amounts of the spices because you can adjust to personal taste, start with 1 tsp of everything and you can add more or less as desired. 

 I cut the chicken up, it is easiest to put the cutting board in the sink and cut it up there. After you are finished, you can wash your cutting board and sink, rinse then sanitize both. (Sanitizer recipe - 1 cup water, 2 drops of plain un-scented bleach, spray or slosh over the entire surface of the sink, don't forget the back splash, water handles and sprayer attachment, leave on for two minutes).

Season the cut up chicken with the garlic powder, basil, oregano and sea salt.

Heat 1 TBSP. of coconut oil in pressure cooker pot and melt over med-high heat.

 Saute bell pepper/onion mixture until onions are translucent and water is mostly reduced (do not completely dry it out). Remove peppers from pot and set aside.

 Add one more TBSP. of coconut oil to pot if needed. Brown seasoned chicken pieces.

Once chicken is browned, add peppers/onion mix, tomatoes and bay leaf.                                                                                                                                                        

 Place lid on cooker and build pressure over high heat. Once pressure has built start timer for 8 minutes and turn heat down to medium (this will vary according to type and model of cooker).  When timer goes off, remove pot from heat and vent. When venting is complete the lock will disengage and you can remove the lid (be careful of steam, the contents are very hot). Remove bay leaf. You can serve as-is or over "Riced" Cauliflower.

Enjoy!

"Riced" Cauliflower

This is a wonderful substitute for those who want rice but are trying to limit their carbohydrate intake (I wouldn't try it in rice-pudding though ;-)

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Chop fresh cauliflower florets into rice-sized pieces. You can use the shredder attachment on your food processor to make this process quicker. Place chopped/shredded cauliflower into an oiled cast iron frying pan. I used coconut oil, you could also use butter or regular (not extra-virgin olive oil).

Roast cauliflower until it starts to get brown flecks, stir and then continue roasting. Keep an eye on it you do not want to burn your cauliflower. It may take as long as 25 minutes to complete, quicker if you are using a convection oven.

 Once browned, remove from oven and season as you would rice, I used butter, sea salt and pepper.

Indoor-Grilled Fish

Fish is a wonderful, protein packed food. Many times it is avoided unless someone else cooks it and here in NC that usually means breaded and deep fat fried. There are many ways other than frying to cook fish (baking, pan-frying, packet, in soup and outdoor grilled).

If your your outdoor grill has been packed away for the winter, you can still grill if you have a "George Foreman" or any other type of indoor grill.

You can generally grill any type of fish, I like to grill heavier, meatier types because they do not fall apart as easily as your thinner, lighter varieties. They also have a stronger flavor which allows you to go heavier on the spices.

Grilled Fish

2 pounds fish fillets (I used Barramundi)
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

Sauce

1/2 stick of butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice (add more or less to taste, I like a strong lemon flavor)
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp dried parsley

Coat the fish in the olive oil, make sure the entire surface of the fish is covered.

Make the sauce, I used fresh lemon juice but bottled will work just as well. Melt the butter, add the lemon juice and spices. The fish cooks so quickly that you want to have the sauce prepared first. 

Grill the fish, usually takes about 2-3 minutes per side, but remember the "George Foreman" type grills cook the top and bottom at the same time so keep an eye on it and do not overcook. 

When the fish is done, remove from the grill and top with the sauce. 

Before I started preparing the fish and sauce, I place my sides in the oven. We had roasted broccoli and Brussels Sprouts. So easy, just toss the vegetables in a little olive oil and season, I used garlic powder, salt, pepper and a little cayenne pepper. Place on the center rack of a 400 degree oven and roast 20-25 minutes.
I like to roast in a cast iron pan because the veggies brown so nicely in it.