If you are ever feeling under the weather, or if you just want to give yourself a boost, drink raw liver. This is some powerful stuff. I usually drink it in my special liver drink (see below) but today I juiced the liver, which is another easy way to get some raw liver nutrition. I actually make it a habit to drink raw liver juice at least 1-3 times per week. Try it, it's not as bad as you may think.
Breakfast: 1 piece of bacon, 1 soft-boiled egg yolk, celery sticks and sliced cucumber. Raw, home-made yogurt with 2 raw egg yolks and 1/2 banana.
Lunch: Leftover goat curry, 1 soft-boiled egg, mushroom, spinach and tomato salad with raw, home-made sauerkraut, sprinkled with nutritional yeast and dulse.
Dinner: Clam and fish chowder (recipe below), sauteed kale, bell pepper, cucumber and celery salad with raw chevre (chive and garlic) and freshly ground flax seeds. Tall glass of fresh vegetable juice made with raw liver. (see below)
Clam and Fish Chowder:
2 dozen little neck clams
1 lb roughly chopped Rockfish, snapper or other white fish
2-3 tbsp. butter
1/2 large onion
1 whole bulb garlic
potatoes (optional)
sea salt
black pepper
1 tsp. dried or fresh thyme
dash of white wine
2-3 cups fish stock
1 cup raw cream
Soak clams in cold, filtered water for at least 30 minutes to remove sand. Saute onions and garlic in butter until soft. Add thyme and wine and then add sea salt and pepper to taste. Let cook for about 1 minute. Add Rockfish and saute lightly for 3-5 minutes and set aside.
In a separate pot steam clams until they are fully open. Remove from heat, remove meat from shells and chop into small pieces. Add stock to fish/onion mixture, bring to a light boil, add clams and reheat. Add 1 cup of cream (preferably raw but if not try to avoid ultra-pasteurized).
If you are adding potatoes: Dice potatoes and boil separately. Add into soup with clams, just to reheat.
Jill's juice today:
2 stalks celery
1 whole green pepper
1/2 cucumber
1 whole fennel stalk
2 carrots
1 whole, raw chicken liver
1/2 bunch cilantro
few leaves of kale
Jill's Special Liver Drink:
1/2 chicken liver or 2 oz. beef liver
1 raw egg yolk
4-6 oz home-made beet kvass
dash of cinnamon
juice of 1/2 lemon
Add all ingredients to food processor and mix. Drink with a smile! Drink quickly if you have issues with liver. But the cinnamon is great at cutting the taste.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"What Jill Eats" Series
Meals should be enjoyable. It's no use eating the perfect foods while stressing about it. Eat what you enjoy, eat in harmony with your metabolism and eat fresh, high-quality foods as often as possible and you may see an improvement in your health. Lunch is the one meal that I often eat alone and in peace. I love my lunches because I can eat whatever I want and no one is complaining about the food or yelling at me :)
I savor my lunches. I eat slowly, usually sitting in the sun or with a lit candle, listening to my favorite classical music. It is a spiritual experience. It enables me to really experience how delicious and nourishing my food is. And often I feel a rush of "feel-good" hormones as I am eating. Top that off with the fact that my meals are infinitely satisfying to me on so many levels; visually, texturally, nutritionally and taste-wise, and you have a recipe for health!
Breakfast: 1 soft boiled egg, 2 pieces of bacon, 2 celery sticks, raw home-made yogurt shake with banana and 2 raw egg yolks
Lunch: Raw ribeye steak marinated in olive oil, lemon and soy sauce, sauteed kale, bell pepper, cucumber and celery salad with olive oil, vinegar and sea salt, mixed with sauerkraut raw garlic/chive chevre, freshly ground flax seeds, nutritional yeast (Lewis Labs) and dulse. 8 oz. of water kefir.
Dinner: Goat curry (recipe below), mushroom, spinach, and tomato salad with olive oil, raw vinegar and sea salt mixed with raw chevre and sauerkraut. Fresh vegetable juice mixed with beet kvass and 1 raw egg yolk.
Jill's Goat Curry Recipe:
1/4 cup butter or ghee
1/2 large onion
1 bulb garlic
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
other chopped veggies (optional) such as celery, carrots, potatoes, string beans, etc
home-made curry powder (see below)
2 lbs. goat stew meat
2-3 cups beef stock (or other stock)
8-12 oz. coconut milk
1 tbsp. arrowroot powder (optional)
Almonds, cashews or peanuts (optional)
Lacto-fermented sauerkraut or other LF vegetable such as carrot, daikon or kohlrabi
Warm ghee. Add onions and stir and saute at low-medium heat until soft. Add curry powder, garlic, tomatoes and other veggies and saute until veggies are slightly soft. Add goat meat and continue to saute and spread curry powder on meat. Brown meat slightly (optional). Add beef stock and coconut milk and cook at very low temperature for 6-8 hours. If thicker consistency is desired add arrowroot powder before serving. To add powder: remove some warm broth and add to arrowroot in a cup or small bowl. Dissolve powder in broth and then add back to curry. Let heat for a few minutes until sauce thickens. Serve with ground almonds or other nuts and the fermented veggies (they go so well with curry, something I learned in Japan). If your curry is too spicy add yogurt (a trick I learned in India).
Home-made Curry Powder:
1 tbsp. cumin seed
1 tbsp. coriander seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
1/2 tsp. clove seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seed
1 -2 tbsp. turmeric powder (or seeds?)
dash to 1 tsp. chili powder (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 tsp. cardamon
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
dash of allspice
dash of cinnamon
Grind seeds in a coffee grinder (this is an invaluable kitchen tool and can be bought for about 10$). Mix all ingredients.
If you don't have all of these spices the curry will still come out great, as long as you have at least cumin, turmeric, coriander, chili, salt and pepper. The more spices you can add, the more complex the taste will be. Freshly ground seeds render a tastier curry as well.
I often mix the seed portion of curry powder in larger amounts and store in a jar. When I want to make curry I just grind and then add the other powders.
I savor my lunches. I eat slowly, usually sitting in the sun or with a lit candle, listening to my favorite classical music. It is a spiritual experience. It enables me to really experience how delicious and nourishing my food is. And often I feel a rush of "feel-good" hormones as I am eating. Top that off with the fact that my meals are infinitely satisfying to me on so many levels; visually, texturally, nutritionally and taste-wise, and you have a recipe for health!
Breakfast: 1 soft boiled egg, 2 pieces of bacon, 2 celery sticks, raw home-made yogurt shake with banana and 2 raw egg yolks
Lunch: Raw ribeye steak marinated in olive oil, lemon and soy sauce, sauteed kale, bell pepper, cucumber and celery salad with olive oil, vinegar and sea salt, mixed with sauerkraut raw garlic/chive chevre, freshly ground flax seeds, nutritional yeast (Lewis Labs) and dulse. 8 oz. of water kefir.
Dinner: Goat curry (recipe below), mushroom, spinach, and tomato salad with olive oil, raw vinegar and sea salt mixed with raw chevre and sauerkraut. Fresh vegetable juice mixed with beet kvass and 1 raw egg yolk.
Jill's Goat Curry Recipe:
1/4 cup butter or ghee
1/2 large onion
1 bulb garlic
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
other chopped veggies (optional) such as celery, carrots, potatoes, string beans, etc
home-made curry powder (see below)
2 lbs. goat stew meat
2-3 cups beef stock (or other stock)
8-12 oz. coconut milk
1 tbsp. arrowroot powder (optional)
Almonds, cashews or peanuts (optional)
Lacto-fermented sauerkraut or other LF vegetable such as carrot, daikon or kohlrabi
Warm ghee. Add onions and stir and saute at low-medium heat until soft. Add curry powder, garlic, tomatoes and other veggies and saute until veggies are slightly soft. Add goat meat and continue to saute and spread curry powder on meat. Brown meat slightly (optional). Add beef stock and coconut milk and cook at very low temperature for 6-8 hours. If thicker consistency is desired add arrowroot powder before serving. To add powder: remove some warm broth and add to arrowroot in a cup or small bowl. Dissolve powder in broth and then add back to curry. Let heat for a few minutes until sauce thickens. Serve with ground almonds or other nuts and the fermented veggies (they go so well with curry, something I learned in Japan). If your curry is too spicy add yogurt (a trick I learned in India).
Home-made Curry Powder:
1 tbsp. cumin seed
1 tbsp. coriander seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
1/2 tsp. clove seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seed
1 -2 tbsp. turmeric powder (or seeds?)
dash to 1 tsp. chili powder (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 tsp. cardamon
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
dash of allspice
dash of cinnamon
Grind seeds in a coffee grinder (this is an invaluable kitchen tool and can be bought for about 10$). Mix all ingredients.
If you don't have all of these spices the curry will still come out great, as long as you have at least cumin, turmeric, coriander, chili, salt and pepper. The more spices you can add, the more complex the taste will be. Freshly ground seeds render a tastier curry as well.
I often mix the seed portion of curry powder in larger amounts and store in a jar. When I want to make curry I just grind and then add the other powders.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
"What Jill Eats" Series
I suppose it's presumptuous to assume anyone cares what I eat, but I think there may be a few out there. Perhaps out of sheer curiosity, perhaps for new meal ideas, perhaps for fodder to make fun of me (enter my brothers).....who knows.
Joking aside, this is actually serious stuff. I feel fabulous most of the time. I'm not perfect and I don't want to be but I do feel great in spite of a persistent underlying weakness in my thyroid. For a long time I've been looking for the magic reason why my thyroid is not working right. You know, that one thing that is going to cure me. Well I've come to the realization that it is most likely a set of factors that have contributed to that weakness. And I think I have accepted the fact that I have a weakness (OK, maybe I do want to be perfect).
You see, I feel soooooo good. My mood is even, I'm calm and accepting, I have lots of patience and I just feel content all the time. There is this underlying pervasive feeling of satisfaction and sometimes even giddiness that I walk around with. My kids do get me frustrated sometimes, again, I'm not perfect, really. And sometimes things bother me but I soon return to that calm, content feeling. And I have plenty of energy, which can come in handy sometimes. My point is that I think it may be valuable to share with others about what I am eating. And perhaps other people can post their ideas as well.
Please keep in mind that everyone is unique in how they metabolize food. (ie: how they produce and use energy) So my needs will not be the same as everyone else. Right now I tend to have a mixed need for high and medium protein foods and low and medium carbohydrate vegetables coupled with a moderate need for fat. Grains rarely make an appearance and fruit is eaten as desert, if at all. Dairy is eaten raw of course. Eggs I usually have in the form of just the yolks and I eat them mostly raw. In the summer I was eating a lot more raw beef but in this cold weather it just doesn't feel right.
I always pay attention to my body. Anyone who is focused on eating well should be engaged in this process. Eating well is an art form. There is the need for knowledge of course, but that must be coupled with intuition, open-mindedness, and careful observation. Dogma is for the dogs. Whatever you learn from a book or from a nutritionist should serve as a guideline, not a rule. If you are inspired to make a change, do so, but listen to your body. It will tell you what works and what doesn't.
Yesterday this is what I ate:
Breakfast: 1 soft-boiled egg, 2 celery sticks, 2 raw egg yolks in a banana and raw yogurt shake
Lunch: 4 chicken legs (marinated overnight in lemon, butter, fresh garlic, sea salt, thyme, rosemary, and sage and then slow-cooked in a covered pot at 225 degrees for 8 hours), 1 soft boiled egg yolk, cucumber, spinach, and mushroom salad with olive oil, raw vinegar, sea salt, nutritional yeast (Lewis Labs is the best), dulse and freshly ground flax-seeds. A glass of water kefir.
Dinner: Pork shoulder (marinated in mustard, sea salt, black pepper, tomato paste (from a jar not a can), and garlic powder and then slow cooked at 225 degrees for about 8 hours) eaten with slices of gruyere cheese (this is a fabulous combination by the way). Also, sauteed kale and a tomato, celery and orange bell pepper salad with olive oil, raw vinegar and sea salt.
After dinner: Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil mixed with Butter Oil and Kombucha. (Green Pasture is the only brand I would recommend for cod liver oil.) Cod liver oil taken with butter oil has a synergistic effect.
Joking aside, this is actually serious stuff. I feel fabulous most of the time. I'm not perfect and I don't want to be but I do feel great in spite of a persistent underlying weakness in my thyroid. For a long time I've been looking for the magic reason why my thyroid is not working right. You know, that one thing that is going to cure me. Well I've come to the realization that it is most likely a set of factors that have contributed to that weakness. And I think I have accepted the fact that I have a weakness (OK, maybe I do want to be perfect).
You see, I feel soooooo good. My mood is even, I'm calm and accepting, I have lots of patience and I just feel content all the time. There is this underlying pervasive feeling of satisfaction and sometimes even giddiness that I walk around with. My kids do get me frustrated sometimes, again, I'm not perfect, really. And sometimes things bother me but I soon return to that calm, content feeling. And I have plenty of energy, which can come in handy sometimes. My point is that I think it may be valuable to share with others about what I am eating. And perhaps other people can post their ideas as well.
Please keep in mind that everyone is unique in how they metabolize food. (ie: how they produce and use energy) So my needs will not be the same as everyone else. Right now I tend to have a mixed need for high and medium protein foods and low and medium carbohydrate vegetables coupled with a moderate need for fat. Grains rarely make an appearance and fruit is eaten as desert, if at all. Dairy is eaten raw of course. Eggs I usually have in the form of just the yolks and I eat them mostly raw. In the summer I was eating a lot more raw beef but in this cold weather it just doesn't feel right.
I always pay attention to my body. Anyone who is focused on eating well should be engaged in this process. Eating well is an art form. There is the need for knowledge of course, but that must be coupled with intuition, open-mindedness, and careful observation. Dogma is for the dogs. Whatever you learn from a book or from a nutritionist should serve as a guideline, not a rule. If you are inspired to make a change, do so, but listen to your body. It will tell you what works and what doesn't.
Yesterday this is what I ate:
Breakfast: 1 soft-boiled egg, 2 celery sticks, 2 raw egg yolks in a banana and raw yogurt shake
Lunch: 4 chicken legs (marinated overnight in lemon, butter, fresh garlic, sea salt, thyme, rosemary, and sage and then slow-cooked in a covered pot at 225 degrees for 8 hours), 1 soft boiled egg yolk, cucumber, spinach, and mushroom salad with olive oil, raw vinegar, sea salt, nutritional yeast (Lewis Labs is the best), dulse and freshly ground flax-seeds. A glass of water kefir.
Dinner: Pork shoulder (marinated in mustard, sea salt, black pepper, tomato paste (from a jar not a can), and garlic powder and then slow cooked at 225 degrees for about 8 hours) eaten with slices of gruyere cheese (this is a fabulous combination by the way). Also, sauteed kale and a tomato, celery and orange bell pepper salad with olive oil, raw vinegar and sea salt.
After dinner: Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil mixed with Butter Oil and Kombucha. (Green Pasture is the only brand I would recommend for cod liver oil.) Cod liver oil taken with butter oil has a synergistic effect.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Simple, Delicious and Nourishing
This is such a great meal and most kids will love it.
Ribeye Steak with "Creamed" Broccoli Soup
You can cook the ribeye however you like. This is super-duper easy. Either broil on low until done to preference (the less you cook the meat, the more nutrients will be maintained). Or you can slice the steak thinly and saute in butter and salt (literally you can cook for 1-2 minutes). Or you can do a Carpaccio (I usually eat this for lunch: raw ribeye sliced thinly and then drizzled with olive oil, naturally-fermented soy sauce, raw vinegar and Lewis Labs' Brewers Yeast).
The soup is a bit more involved but still very simple.
Creamed Broccoli Soup
(this can be dairy-free quite easily)
1 head broccoli
dash of thyme
4 tbsp. butter (can substitute with olive oil or leave out)
5-6 cloves of garlic (or a whole head if you want to give the immune system an extra boost)
sea salt
4-5 cups stock (chicken or turkey is best but beef would be fine as well)(use home-made stock if possible)
1 tbsp. raw cream per bowl of soup (optional)
Wash broccoli and soak in filtered water to remove any little critters. Saute garlic and thyme in butter, olive oil or a bit of stock (or all three). Once garlic becomes fragrant add broccoli and about 1 tsp. sea salt and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add stock, cover and bring to a light boil. Simmer until broccoli is tender but do not overcook (you want to retain the nutritional value of the broccoli). Puree contents of soup. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowl and add 1-2 tbsp. raw cream.
Note: If you are not using cream you may want to use less stock so that the soup is thicker. You can also easily thicken soup with arrowroot powder (Remove some of the warm liquid from the soup, add to small bowl with about 1-2 tbsp. arrowroot powder and dissolve with a spoon. Return thickened liquid to soup and stir in. Soup will take a few minutes to thicken).
Arrowroot powder is rich in calcium and is completely gluten-free.
Ribeye Steak with "Creamed" Broccoli Soup
You can cook the ribeye however you like. This is super-duper easy. Either broil on low until done to preference (the less you cook the meat, the more nutrients will be maintained). Or you can slice the steak thinly and saute in butter and salt (literally you can cook for 1-2 minutes). Or you can do a Carpaccio (I usually eat this for lunch: raw ribeye sliced thinly and then drizzled with olive oil, naturally-fermented soy sauce, raw vinegar and Lewis Labs' Brewers Yeast).
The soup is a bit more involved but still very simple.
Creamed Broccoli Soup
(this can be dairy-free quite easily)
1 head broccoli
dash of thyme
4 tbsp. butter (can substitute with olive oil or leave out)
5-6 cloves of garlic (or a whole head if you want to give the immune system an extra boost)
sea salt
4-5 cups stock (chicken or turkey is best but beef would be fine as well)(use home-made stock if possible)
1 tbsp. raw cream per bowl of soup (optional)
Wash broccoli and soak in filtered water to remove any little critters. Saute garlic and thyme in butter, olive oil or a bit of stock (or all three). Once garlic becomes fragrant add broccoli and about 1 tsp. sea salt and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add stock, cover and bring to a light boil. Simmer until broccoli is tender but do not overcook (you want to retain the nutritional value of the broccoli). Puree contents of soup. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowl and add 1-2 tbsp. raw cream.
Note: If you are not using cream you may want to use less stock so that the soup is thicker. You can also easily thicken soup with arrowroot powder (Remove some of the warm liquid from the soup, add to small bowl with about 1-2 tbsp. arrowroot powder and dissolve with a spoon. Return thickened liquid to soup and stir in. Soup will take a few minutes to thicken).
Arrowroot powder is rich in calcium and is completely gluten-free.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Some Simple Recipes
It should be easy to cook. I usually make super-duper simple dishes so I have time to do other things like make sauerkraut and cheese.
Here are some recipes I like:
Homemade Sausage:
1 lb. pork sirloin cut into 1" cubes
1/2 cup pork fat
1 tsp. ground sage
1 tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. ground rosemary
1 tsp. ground onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tbsp. dry sherry
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup stock (beef, chicken, duck or turkey)
Mix pork, fat and all spices together in food processor. Form into patties. Heat stock and butter in frying pan. Cook patties in stock and butter on low flame with pan covered until cooked through (or leave pink on the inside if preferred).
Tuna Tartar:
3/4 lb raw sashimi-grade tuna
1 avocado
2 tomaotes
1 tsp. dried wakame seaweed
1 tbsp. diced fresh dill
1 tbsp. diced fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. diced fresh scallions
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
cayenne (optional)
Rehydrate wakame in hot filtered water for about 30 minutes. Chop tuna, avocado and tomatoes and place in a medium-sized bowl. Drain wakame. Add all other ingredients to bowl and mix together. Add dash of cayenne to add some spice.
Meatloaf:
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs (preferably home-made)
2 tbsp red wine
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
3-5 cloves finely minced garlic
Grind dried herbs in a spice grinder. Mix all ingredients in a bowl (by hand, do not squeeze meat). Place in a loaf pan to set mold, then remove meatloaf onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until desired temperature (135-155 degrees depending on your taste). If you have a grinder, grind the chuck and sirloin yourself.
Here are some recipes I like:
Homemade Sausage:
1 lb. pork sirloin cut into 1" cubes
1/2 cup pork fat
1 tsp. ground sage
1 tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. ground rosemary
1 tsp. ground onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tbsp. dry sherry
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup stock (beef, chicken, duck or turkey)
Mix pork, fat and all spices together in food processor. Form into patties. Heat stock and butter in frying pan. Cook patties in stock and butter on low flame with pan covered until cooked through (or leave pink on the inside if preferred).
Tuna Tartar:
3/4 lb raw sashimi-grade tuna
1 avocado
2 tomaotes
1 tsp. dried wakame seaweed
1 tbsp. diced fresh dill
1 tbsp. diced fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. diced fresh scallions
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
cayenne (optional)
Rehydrate wakame in hot filtered water for about 30 minutes. Chop tuna, avocado and tomatoes and place in a medium-sized bowl. Drain wakame. Add all other ingredients to bowl and mix together. Add dash of cayenne to add some spice.
Meatloaf:
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs (preferably home-made)
2 tbsp red wine
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
3-5 cloves finely minced garlic
Grind dried herbs in a spice grinder. Mix all ingredients in a bowl (by hand, do not squeeze meat). Place in a loaf pan to set mold, then remove meatloaf onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until desired temperature (135-155 degrees depending on your taste). If you have a grinder, grind the chuck and sirloin yourself.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Raising The Bar
King's Hill Farm is doing on their land what I have always imagined all farmers do (I now know they don't). They are practicing what is known as permaculture, and they're doing it in their own unique way. If you're unfamiliar with permaculture, one visit to a farm that is practicing it is worth a thousand words, but this is part of how Wikipedia defines it:"The intent is that, by rapidly training individuals in a core set of design principles, those individuals can design their own environments and build increasingly self-sufficient human settlements — ones that reduce society's reliance on industrial systems of production and distribution that Mollison identified as fundamentally and systematically destroying Earth's ecosystems."
I recently visited King's Hill Farm, near Mineral Point, WI for a day and I received the grand tour, including; petting the two sun-burnt pigs, walking with the chickens and ducks, visiting the hot greenhouses, getting yelled at by the geese, walking through a field of young berry bushes, nut and fruit trees, being mesmerized by the beautiful turkeys, petting a baby Peking duck, looking at the beehives and mushroom plants in the woods and chasing the llama (oh yeah, and I brought home a pet tick too).
Joel Kellum, the farmer, led the tour barefoot, naming plants at a rapid pace and encouraging us to touch the animals. Joel has a connection with the earth that can only remind me of Dickon from A Secret Garden. It is almost as if he knows something about the land, the plants, the animals that others wished they knew. He shares a secret with them, he seems to be one with them. This allows Joel to be extremely creative with how he is building this "self-sufficient human settlement". It appears that he works part knowledge, part intuition, and all love. There is room for trial and error because he is going to make it work no matter what. And he certainly has the skills, the dedication and the passion to make it work!
Of course, without Jai Kellum, the farmer/businesswoman/yoga teacher/ and mom who also manages the CSA and the website, it probably wouldn't work. Jai makes sure that the bounty of the farm gets into the kitchens of all those people looking to eat quality, organic produce, eggs and honey. Jai's easy-going, sweet personality is contagious and, I would bet, her sensibility tempers many of the decisions made on the farm. Together they're a great team and I imagine their children have an envious life with 800 acres of well-cared-for land to roam around on.
There are two reasons why I feel compelled to highlight this farm. One reason is that I think it is very important for every conscientious consumer to visit local farms and witness how much hard work and dedication it takes to provide high-quality food. If nothing else it will make people appreciate their farmers! Even better, it may foster loyalty and a desire to stand up and fight for our local, sustainable farmers. It bears repeating: without our farmers we have no food!
Another reason is that I think King's Hill Farm should serve as a model for other farms. I shop at multiple farmers' markets and buy from a diverse group of farmers, but I'm sorry to say that very few of them actually practice any form of diversified farming. And no, 60 different types of vegetables is not diversified farming. Pigs, ducks, chickens, turkeys, geese, bees, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and mushrooms; that is diversity! Let's all gently encourage our farmers to move in this direction. This is what it means to be "sustainable". The duck and chicken poop fertilize the earth and make for yummy food! A farm without animals will never be truly self-sufficient.
As we drove home from the farm (with unknown tick as passenger, I won't go into the gory details) it was absolutely striking to see corn field after corn field. Is this what we want? Do we want our farmers to produce a few crops that end up in the bellies of tortured animals or as another un-recognizable ingredient in a long list of processed foods? What kind of love could there be in that? I'm not knocking them, most of them are barely surviving themselves, with their houses 1/5 the size of the stainless steel grain storage tanks that tower over them. And the system has them so deeply embedded in debt and a convoluted web of government subsidies and toxic chemicals they are mostly little more than indentured servants.
But without a revolution, how can this change? How about by putting our money into farms like King's Hill and taking our money away from factory-farmed food and highly processed garbage passed off as food at a cheap price? Yes, I think it's a good place to start. You can also visit your local farm, and thank them for all they do. And most of all, be prepared to be part of the revolution, because as it is now, the system truly is unsustainable.
For those living in the Chicago area, King's Hill Farm will come weekly to Green City Market, Oak Park Market, Independence Park Market and Glenwood Sunday Market. Give their delicious food a try.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Fluffy Radical
I've always been off the grid, with just about everything I've done. My parents had a large organic garden in the back yard and we grew up eating fresh veggies and tofu and brown rice stir-fry. My lunch bag was usually filled with a sandwich of whole wheat bread, sprouts and avocado with perhaps some fresh fruit. I used to look longingly at the fluff and peanut-butter, white bread sandwiches my friends had.
As I got older I began to appreciate being "weird" and even to embrace it. For a long time I avoided shaving my legs and considered myself a feminist, "not to be controlled by any man" (I grew out of that one). With my children I went even more radical and had home-births, breastfed for years on end and never let a needle come within 10 feet of them. Now I eat in a way that makes some people think I'm too extreme. You know; real food, no processed food, lots of raw animal protein and fresh veggies. But all the while, even though I mistrusted government and big businesses I still had a naive belief in their inherent relative benevolence and a quiet acceptance of their necessity. So I suppose you could say I was a fluffy radical; going about my business but not truly questioning the gravity of the matters at hand.
The gravity of the situation truly hit home this past weekend, when I spent a whole day at The 2nd Annual Raw Milk Symposium sponsored by the Farm-To-Consumer-Foundation. It may sound silly to those who have never gone out of their way to drink real milk on a regular basis, but this type of gathering can make profound changes in the hearts and minds of those who take the time to attend. When listening to the deeply moving words of the likes of Michael Schmidt and the intensely motivating words of Mark McAfee one cannot help but be outraged and motivated.
When you look at what is going on with raw milk farmers, the true intent of our government, at the behest of corporate interests, becomes painfully obvious. The government is kicking the butts of raw milk producers; raiding, confiscating, harassing, manipulating, threatening and flat-out wasting wads of dollars in destroyed product (and government money). All in the name of public safety. Well, I hate to point out the obvious, and pretty much any relatively informed consumer can figure this out, but if the government were truly concerned with our safety, wouldn't they be doing these very same things to factory farms and mega-sized slaughter-houses? It is well-established that these are the source of the vast majority of food-borne illness outbreaks and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But this is what we only see on the surface. As infuriating as it is, it is not the core issue. The real issue is that raw milk represents a kind of food freedom statement that those in power do not want to hear. The very simple ideas;"I can eat what I choose" coupled with; "As an informed consumer I choose to eat real food that is produced locally with minimal processing", scare the living daylights out of those who would control every morsel that enters our mouths.
Everything I knew in my heart to be true about corporate greed and government's inability to do their job was staring me in the face this weekend. And one cannot turn away from that. My comfortable illusions have been shattered! They (meaning the greedy and power-hungry who control our food supply) are truly intent on making as much money as possible and they really, really don't care that it is slowly killing many Americans. They really don't care that our rural countryside has turned into a desolate and depressed endless sea of corn fields, factory farms and mega grain-processing plants. They truly, really don't care that that our country is filled with overweight, drug-dependent, tired, stressed-out, sick people! Really, they don't. And the scary part is that not only do they not care, the continuation of this status quo is in their best financial interest and they know it. They will stop at nothing to maintain it. And this is easy for them because usually a nice, shocking smear campaign, like highlighting how raw milk will kill you, is all the ammunition they need. Fear is a powerful weapon, but fear and total control of almost every public outlet of information is pretty much unstoppable.
So what hit home is that raw milk issues are not just about raw milk and the warm and fuzzy notion of drinking this nourishing liquid in its unadulterated form. What the fight over raw milk is about is food freedom. Every time a governmental bureaucrat enters the private property of a farm, harasses them (and often their children), confiscates their products, forces them to dump their products (for months upon months) and essentially forces them to choose between bankruptcy and giving up their many years of blood, sweat and tears, they are infringing upon our rights, as consumers! The reality of our food production and distribution system in this country is so eloquently and violently displayed when you look at what is going on with raw milk farmers. Raw milk is the poster child for food freedom!! Even if you never have the good luck to sip a glass of fresh raw milk from happy, healthy grass-fed cows, raw milk is important to you. And I mean it.
If this has in any way motivated you to step up your game and to really fight back against corporate interests in what you put in your mouth, here are some things you can do today and beyond to help in the fight for food freedom:
1. Call your local and federal legislators and tell them what you think. S.510 is up right now in the Senate. Call your senators and tell them you support the amendments being proposed to this bill by Senator Testor that will protect small-scale farmers and food artisans from the more onerous requirements. More detailed info about the bill and what to say to your senator here.
2. Join the Farm-To-Consumer-Legal-Defense-Fund and/or the Farm-To-Consumer-Foundation. These organizations are dedicated to helping farmers fight back and they're doing an excellent job!
3. Most important of all, buy local!! Support your local farmers with your dollars, stop feeding the greedy bellies of mega-corporations. This means eating little or no highly processed food and completely avoiding conventional meat and dairy. No crackers, chips, pasta, soda, fast food, (where do you think all that corn goes?) etc. I know, I know, it sounds totally radical. But that food is bad for you anyway. You'll feel much better without all that junk and the joy of buying directly from someone you know who has worked hard to bring you the best quality food they can, is unmatched in shopping experiences.
4. Always be on alert to help out by attending meetings and rallies, calling elected officials, giving donations, even just sending a letter of support to a farmer who has been beaten down.
I'm not sure if food can fully cure but I do know that junk food can kill. I refuse to let anyone tell me what I can and cannot eat but without real farmers there won't be much of a choice. Please, please let's all support our local farmers who are giving their hearts and souls to provide us with real food!!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Quick and Fabulous Dinner
OK, so I made dinner in 45 minutes today. I served Cioppino with steamed broccoli soup and salad. If you have never had Cioppino before I suggest you try it, it is simply (and I mean simply) wonderful!
Ingredients for Cioppino:
2 dozen Manilla clams
1 dozen large shrimp
1/2 lb halibut (chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
3-5 tbsp pastured butter
5 cloves garlic
herb mixture (see below)
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 head of fennel
1/2 cup red wine
3 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups fish stock
tabasco sauce is optional
You can use pretty much any fish or seafood for Cioppino.
Herb Mixture:
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sea salt
Just put in spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
I started by soaking the clams in filtered water. Then I chopped the garlic, fennel and onion while I waited for the butter and olive oil to warm. As soon as I added the garlic I pulverized the dried herbs in my spice grinder.
I then added the onions, fennel and herb mixture. After letting them heat for a few minutes I added the wine, vinegar and fish sauce. I let that reduce for a few minutes (meanwhile separately I chopped the broccoli for the soup and began steaming it) and then I added the home-made tomato sauce (canned in the summer), the lemon juice and the fish stock (made from last night).
By this time the clams were ready to be scrubbed and rinsed, so I did that and added them to the soup and covered the pot. During that time (about 5 minutes) I quick as lightning peeled and de-veined the shrimp (butterfly them to make this process go quickly) and added them to the soup with the halibut. I covered the pot and let them cook for 2 more minutes and turned off the heat.
At this point I removed the broccoli from the steamer and put them in a small soup pot with about 4 tbsp butter and some sea salt and then I made the salad (a simple salad of lettuce, cilantro, avocado, red bell pepper and cucumber). Then I added some duck stock (home-made last week) to the broccoli, heated a little and pureed in the pot. I dressed the salad with olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar and wheat-free tamari.
And that's it. Simple but really, really tasty. The broccoli soup may seem like an odd addition but that was a request from my daughter.
A few days ago I made red snapper, which I bought whole at the store. I saved the head and bones for my fish stock. You can make fish stock from any whole fish but white fish is best (and red snapper and halibut are really the best, but both are pretty pricey).
Fish Stock:
I put the carcass in a pot and added about 2 quarts of filtered water and about 2 tbsp vinegar (any kind will do). I let that soak for about 1 hour and then added 1 onion, 1 head of garlic and some slices of ginger. Then I turned on the heat to low and simmered overnight.
About 10 minutes before I was ready to drain the stock I added some fresh parsley to the stock.
To drain I used a strainer and a funnel and I strained the hot liquid into quart-sized Ball jars. I immediately plunged the jars in ice-cold water to cool quickly (this helps with gelatinization) and then put the jars in the fridge to fully cool.
Stock is easy and sooooooo good for you! It is packed with minerals and the gelatin aids in digestion. There is a reason why people have served chicken soup when you get sick. But it only works if the soup is made with high-quality stock.
The fish stock was my inspiration for the Cioppino. Stock, butter, cream and salt are magic ingredients that make everything taste good.
As far as eating raw today, well, I did OK.
Breakfast:
3 raw eggs with raw cream and strawberries pureed in the food processor (Jill's shake)
Snack:
2 pieces of raw cheese
Lunch:
Raw ribeye steak sliced and eaten with Lewis Labs' Brewers Yeast and dipped in soy sauce and vinegar. Salad with dulse. Egg drop soup (this was super easy to make)
Snack:
Raw liver shake: Add about 4 oz of raw liver (I used beef but chicken or duck is much more mild) to food processor, add 1 raw egg, 3 tbsp raw cream, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp raw honey and 1 tsp cinnamon and process. Take a deep breath, muster your courage and drink up. If you can't handle the aftertaste (which the cinnamon greatly reduces) have a strong drink to chase it with, kombucha works beautifully)
Dinner is above.
Egg Drop Soup:
5 eggs from pastured chickens
1 quart duck, turkey or chicken stock
4 tbsp arrowroot powder
1 cup tomato sauce
sea salt and pepper to taste
Heat stock and thicken with arrowroot powder (take about 1/2 cup of hot stock, add to a small bowl with arrowroot powder and dissolve, then add back to stock and stir until thickened). Add tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Crack eggs in a bowl, turn off heat, add eggs to hot stock slowly, whisking as you add the eggs. Serve immediately.
This is a simple soup that is a wonderful complement to any meal, the stock helps with digestion and is rich in minerals, the arrowroot is rich in calcium chloride (balances acid/alkaline in the body), and the eggs (provided they are from pastured animals fed a healthy supplemental diet) are full of good fat and cholesterol, protein (in particular the detoxifying sulphur-rich amino acids), omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins D and K.
Ingredients for Cioppino:
2 dozen Manilla clams
1 dozen large shrimp
1/2 lb halibut (chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
3-5 tbsp pastured butter
5 cloves garlic
herb mixture (see below)
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 head of fennel
1/2 cup red wine
3 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups fish stock
tabasco sauce is optional
You can use pretty much any fish or seafood for Cioppino.
Herb Mixture:
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sea salt
Just put in spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
I started by soaking the clams in filtered water. Then I chopped the garlic, fennel and onion while I waited for the butter and olive oil to warm. As soon as I added the garlic I pulverized the dried herbs in my spice grinder.
I then added the onions, fennel and herb mixture. After letting them heat for a few minutes I added the wine, vinegar and fish sauce. I let that reduce for a few minutes (meanwhile separately I chopped the broccoli for the soup and began steaming it) and then I added the home-made tomato sauce (canned in the summer), the lemon juice and the fish stock (made from last night).
By this time the clams were ready to be scrubbed and rinsed, so I did that and added them to the soup and covered the pot. During that time (about 5 minutes) I quick as lightning peeled and de-veined the shrimp (butterfly them to make this process go quickly) and added them to the soup with the halibut. I covered the pot and let them cook for 2 more minutes and turned off the heat.
At this point I removed the broccoli from the steamer and put them in a small soup pot with about 4 tbsp butter and some sea salt and then I made the salad (a simple salad of lettuce, cilantro, avocado, red bell pepper and cucumber). Then I added some duck stock (home-made last week) to the broccoli, heated a little and pureed in the pot. I dressed the salad with olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar and wheat-free tamari.
And that's it. Simple but really, really tasty. The broccoli soup may seem like an odd addition but that was a request from my daughter.
A few days ago I made red snapper, which I bought whole at the store. I saved the head and bones for my fish stock. You can make fish stock from any whole fish but white fish is best (and red snapper and halibut are really the best, but both are pretty pricey).
Fish Stock:
I put the carcass in a pot and added about 2 quarts of filtered water and about 2 tbsp vinegar (any kind will do). I let that soak for about 1 hour and then added 1 onion, 1 head of garlic and some slices of ginger. Then I turned on the heat to low and simmered overnight.
About 10 minutes before I was ready to drain the stock I added some fresh parsley to the stock.
To drain I used a strainer and a funnel and I strained the hot liquid into quart-sized Ball jars. I immediately plunged the jars in ice-cold water to cool quickly (this helps with gelatinization) and then put the jars in the fridge to fully cool.
Stock is easy and sooooooo good for you! It is packed with minerals and the gelatin aids in digestion. There is a reason why people have served chicken soup when you get sick. But it only works if the soup is made with high-quality stock.
The fish stock was my inspiration for the Cioppino. Stock, butter, cream and salt are magic ingredients that make everything taste good.
As far as eating raw today, well, I did OK.
Breakfast:
3 raw eggs with raw cream and strawberries pureed in the food processor (Jill's shake)
Snack:
2 pieces of raw cheese
Lunch:
Raw ribeye steak sliced and eaten with Lewis Labs' Brewers Yeast and dipped in soy sauce and vinegar. Salad with dulse. Egg drop soup (this was super easy to make)
Snack:
Raw liver shake: Add about 4 oz of raw liver (I used beef but chicken or duck is much more mild) to food processor, add 1 raw egg, 3 tbsp raw cream, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp raw honey and 1 tsp cinnamon and process. Take a deep breath, muster your courage and drink up. If you can't handle the aftertaste (which the cinnamon greatly reduces) have a strong drink to chase it with, kombucha works beautifully)
Dinner is above.
Egg Drop Soup:
5 eggs from pastured chickens
1 quart duck, turkey or chicken stock
4 tbsp arrowroot powder
1 cup tomato sauce
sea salt and pepper to taste
Heat stock and thicken with arrowroot powder (take about 1/2 cup of hot stock, add to a small bowl with arrowroot powder and dissolve, then add back to stock and stir until thickened). Add tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Crack eggs in a bowl, turn off heat, add eggs to hot stock slowly, whisking as you add the eggs. Serve immediately.
This is a simple soup that is a wonderful complement to any meal, the stock helps with digestion and is rich in minerals, the arrowroot is rich in calcium chloride (balances acid/alkaline in the body), and the eggs (provided they are from pastured animals fed a healthy supplemental diet) are full of good fat and cholesterol, protein (in particular the detoxifying sulphur-rich amino acids), omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins D and K.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Something about spring just makes you want to get all healthy, doesn't it? I recently heard a great theory as to why we have this impulse. Originally, the term, "spring cleaning" was not meant for cleaning out the cobwebs or washing your back deck, it actually referred to the process of cleansing your body as the weather grew warmer and more humid. The theory as to why people did this is that in the winter your cells slightly, yet significantly, constrict in order to retain moisture and heat, but in the spring your cells are able to relax and expand and so do not hold on as tightly to heat and moisture and, it so happens, toxins. This makes spring-time a perfect opportunity to cleanse your cells of built-up toxins because the cells just don't cling to them as strongly. So trust that instinct that is telling you to change your diet and get a few more nutrients in there. Those nutrients are the little soldiers that facilitate a continual state of detoxification.
So, perhaps that is why I've decided to take up writing in this blog again. Last year I started this blog in order to account my experience with a raw milk diet. After my dismal failure I turned away from the blog, thinking I didn't really have time to sit around and tell people what I was eating and how I felt. As boring as that may sound to some, for some reason now I do feel like sitting around and writing about what I eat and how I feel.
So, since last year, I've learned many, many things and I hope they will all come out in various entries in bits and pieces. I still take medication for my autoimmune issues (Hashimoto's Thyroiditis) and it irks me to no end. I've improved my nutrition greatly over the past year and I feel absolutely fabulous most of the time. I haven't been sick in over 2 years and I have tons of energy, I have improved strength and stamina when I work out and I don't get achy joints or back pain afterward, my period comes and goes with little or no discomfort, I rarely have cravings for sweets (which I used to have all the time) and, best of all, I have a pretty constant high state of contentment in life.
As I go I will blog about all of the things I do to keep myself in a calm, peaceful state of contentment with plenty of energy, but today I will begin to talk about what I have been eating (this is obviously key to health). I hope to include my daily food in here as well. Many people have asked me for recipes so this will be a good place for me to start recording some of my favorite recipes.
2 days ago, I had 3 amalgam fillings replaced with pretty porcelain ones. Despite my dentist's best efforts, I'm pretty sure there is some extra mercury floating around in me somewhere right about now. So on the advice of my mentor I am leaning toward eating a detox diet. I refuse to say I'm going all the way, no exceptions, because if the raw milk diet taught me one thing, it was that life happens, you gotta go with the flow. I also hope to talk another time about the importance of staying cool with food. Faithfully striving is great, fanatical up-tight adherence is perhaps not so healthy. And that is the goal, now isn't it? To be healthy, in the highest sense of the word.
So the goal is as much high-quality raw animal and vegetable food as possible in ratios that are appropriate for my individual metabolic needs.
This is today:
Breakfast: 2 eggs cooked omelet-style with raw cream and sea salt and my daily shake: 1 raw egg, 4-5 tbsp raw cream, and a handful of fresh berries mixed in the food processor (could work in a blender), 2 slices of bacon
Snack: Home-made raw farmer's cheese with fresh garlic, onion, leeks and sea salt, 2 pieces of organic salami, 1/2 stick of celery
Lunch: About 4-5 oz of raw ribeye steak, eaten with olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar, sea salt and homemade pesto dressing, 2-3 tbsp. raw chevre with nutritional yeast, and a salad of red bell peppers, celery, cucumbers and olives
Snack: 6 oz. fresh juice of celery, cucumber, red bell pepper, fennel, and cilantro with 2 heaping tbsp raw cream and 3 raw eggs.
Dinner: Garlic-Herb Red Snapper with Cauliflower, 3 heaping tbsp. sauerkraut and 1/2 cup beet kvass
Recipe:
Garlic-Herb Red Snapper with Cauliflower (GF, Can be DF)
1/2 head chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup grated cheese (monterey jack or cheddar work well)
Saute cauliflower in same pan that you heated the butter-herb mixture in. Add a little salt. Cook until slightly softened. Place in baking dish, sprinkle grated cheese over cauliflower and heat in oven at 350° for about 6-7 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.
Good stuff!
So, perhaps that is why I've decided to take up writing in this blog again. Last year I started this blog in order to account my experience with a raw milk diet. After my dismal failure I turned away from the blog, thinking I didn't really have time to sit around and tell people what I was eating and how I felt. As boring as that may sound to some, for some reason now I do feel like sitting around and writing about what I eat and how I feel.
So, since last year, I've learned many, many things and I hope they will all come out in various entries in bits and pieces. I still take medication for my autoimmune issues (Hashimoto's Thyroiditis) and it irks me to no end. I've improved my nutrition greatly over the past year and I feel absolutely fabulous most of the time. I haven't been sick in over 2 years and I have tons of energy, I have improved strength and stamina when I work out and I don't get achy joints or back pain afterward, my period comes and goes with little or no discomfort, I rarely have cravings for sweets (which I used to have all the time) and, best of all, I have a pretty constant high state of contentment in life.
As I go I will blog about all of the things I do to keep myself in a calm, peaceful state of contentment with plenty of energy, but today I will begin to talk about what I have been eating (this is obviously key to health). I hope to include my daily food in here as well. Many people have asked me for recipes so this will be a good place for me to start recording some of my favorite recipes.
2 days ago, I had 3 amalgam fillings replaced with pretty porcelain ones. Despite my dentist's best efforts, I'm pretty sure there is some extra mercury floating around in me somewhere right about now. So on the advice of my mentor I am leaning toward eating a detox diet. I refuse to say I'm going all the way, no exceptions, because if the raw milk diet taught me one thing, it was that life happens, you gotta go with the flow. I also hope to talk another time about the importance of staying cool with food. Faithfully striving is great, fanatical up-tight adherence is perhaps not so healthy. And that is the goal, now isn't it? To be healthy, in the highest sense of the word.
So the goal is as much high-quality raw animal and vegetable food as possible in ratios that are appropriate for my individual metabolic needs.
This is today:
Breakfast: 2 eggs cooked omelet-style with raw cream and sea salt and my daily shake: 1 raw egg, 4-5 tbsp raw cream, and a handful of fresh berries mixed in the food processor (could work in a blender), 2 slices of bacon
Snack: Home-made raw farmer's cheese with fresh garlic, onion, leeks and sea salt, 2 pieces of organic salami, 1/2 stick of celery
Lunch: About 4-5 oz of raw ribeye steak, eaten with olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar, sea salt and homemade pesto dressing, 2-3 tbsp. raw chevre with nutritional yeast, and a salad of red bell peppers, celery, cucumbers and olives
Snack: 6 oz. fresh juice of celery, cucumber, red bell pepper, fennel, and cilantro with 2 heaping tbsp raw cream and 3 raw eggs.
Dinner: Garlic-Herb Red Snapper with Cauliflower, 3 heaping tbsp. sauerkraut and 1/2 cup beet kvass
Recipe:
Garlic-Herb Red Snapper with Cauliflower (GF, Can be DF)
- 2 red snapper fillets, about 6 to 8 ounces each
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced (add more if you love garlic)
- 3 or 4 drops Fish Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning, or your own favorite seasoning blend, (be careful of MSG here), or your own favorite seasoning blend (I took 1 tsp. thyme, 1 tsp. oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1 tsp. sea salt and crushed them in my spice mill, I didn't use all of it in this recipe, I just kind of threw in what looked good)
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon snipped fresh or frozen chives, optional
- 3 to 4 tablespoons plain or seasoned bread crumbs (gluten-free bread crumbs work just as well)
- 2 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional
Preparation:
Place snapper fillets in a baking dish. In a skillet, melt butter with garlic, fish sauce, seasoning blend, pepper, parsley, and chives, if using. Cook on low for 2 minutes, just to blend flavors. Brush both sides of fish fillets with the butter and herb mixture. Toss bread crumbs in the remaining butter mixture; sprinkle over the fillets. Grate cheese over fish (optional). Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets, until fish flakes easily and is no longer translucent.
1/2 head chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup grated cheese (monterey jack or cheddar work well)
Saute cauliflower in same pan that you heated the butter-herb mixture in. Add a little salt. Cook until slightly softened. Place in baking dish, sprinkle grated cheese over cauliflower and heat in oven at 350° for about 6-7 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.
Good stuff!
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