I walked to the fence to talk to my neighbor this past Tuesday, asking if she knew about our newest special delivery.  There was a moment of awkward silence, the kind that you have to fill with something, so I excitedly blurted out, "I picked up the chicks today!"  Of course, she was thinking perhaps I was pregnant (um, no), but I am the mom to 10 brand new fluffy, soft, adorable cheeping chicks.  In just 5 short months, we'll have our own little egg factory happening in our backyard.  I cannot wait!  Meanwhile, we have some sassy girls housed in a large box in our living room under the heat lamp.  I'm sorry to say that any roosters who accidentally made their way into the flock will become dinner when the time comes.

Since it seems oddly weird to have a chicken recipe on this post when I'm talking about live baby chickens in my house, let's do something with beef.  How about Sloppy Joes?    
This is a tasty recipe served "open-faced" on a grain-free almond flour biscuit.  Sloppy Joe eaters rejoice!

Biscuits

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup vegan buttery sticks, butter or butter-flavored shortening 
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, cut butter (or shortening) into almond flour using a fork, knife or pastry blender.  Mix until the dough forms pea-sized crumbles.  Stir in baking powder, salt and eggs.  Mix to combine.  Drop by spoonfuls on a lined baking sheet.  Bake 20 minutes until very lightly browned (be sure not to overcook).  Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving. 


Sloppy Joes

2 tsp oil (or lard)
1 small onion
1 lb ground beef
8 oz tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Saute onion until tender.  Add ground beef, breaking into small crumbles, and cook until completely browned.  Drain grease if needed.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together tomato sauce, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.  Add to ground beef, stirring to coat meat.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over biscuits.

I know I give my oldest daughter a lot of flack on this site regarding her picky taste in eating.  And although she has improved greatly, she's not always a willing participant during dinner.  Almost every night, I hear this desperate plea: "PLEASE, mommy, PLEASE make something that I like for dinner... PLEASE."  So I tell her I'm making liver and onions and that I'm going to make her eat all of it -- so perhaps she'll realize that I'm not so mean by fixing pork chops or ham or chuck roast for dinner.  (No offense to you lovers of liver and onions out there -- I just know that is a dish that would completely repulse her delicate sensibilities.)  Other times I tell her I'm making crickets and scorpions; then I remind her that some cultures do eat food like that, so perhaps hamburgers aren't so bad after all.

Then I learned that my father is just about as picky as my daughter.  Yes, Dad, if you're reading this, I'm writing about you and your lack of refined culinary tastes.  (I'm laughing as I write this.)  I never realized his palette was limited growing up; I just figured that everyone ate the same four vegetables each week (broccoli, peas, corn, potatoes).  I thought it was hard to change a defiant, strong-willed 6-year-old to try and like new foods.... but try doing that with a defiant, strong-willed, set-in-his-ways 60-year-old!  My condolences to my father's wife.

Here's a recipe my father is sure to hate, but James and I actually liked.  We've been dabbling into the world of Paleo eating lately, which appears to have great health benefits.  I have certainly felt better eating Paleo and plan to continue to do so.  You don't have to be eating Paleo to enjoy this recipe, though -- it's gluten-free and full of great nutrition.


Beef Marinara with Zucchini "Noodles"
1/2 lb ground beef
2 cups Marinara or your favorite pasta sauce
1 Tablespoon oil
3 large zucchini, julienne (or "matchsticks")
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Brown ground beef, breaking into crumbles, then add marinara.  Turn down to low and simmer.

2. In another 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add zucchini, stir and saute until zucchini is tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in minced garlic and continue to cook another 30 seconds.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and toss with fresh basil.

3. Serve with zucchini topped with beef marinara.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy! 

Hooray for Fridays, huh?  Sometimes Fridays mean I'm taking a break from cooking all week.  The kids aren't exactly keen on eating leftovers (let's face it: many nights are a battle to get Cora to eat the fresh food, let alone day-old reheated food) so instead I turn to a meal that's still nutritious yet totally kid-friendly and easy.  Yep, I'm talking pancakes.  

 Breakfast for dinner, the ultimate comfort meal.  Yes, even adults can enjoy this indulgence, too.  And it's made with one of my favorite ingredients -- almond flour.  Let us rejoice in a healthy alternative to high-glycemic wheat flour.  Plop some berries on top of these, maybe a drizzle of syrup or honey, or a pat of melted butter (if that's your thing).  My kids will ask for peanut butter.

Almond Flour Pancakes
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xantham or guar gum
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk (almond, coconut, rice, etc)
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla

1.Heat a griddle over medium-high heat.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, xantham/guar gum, and salt.

3.In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring to combine well until all of the flour is fully incorporated.  

4.Ladle batter 1/4 cup at a time onto hot griddle and cook until the edges are set and the bottom is browned.  Carefully flip over and continue to cook until golden brown.  Serve. 

I'm not exactly a soup expert.  My few experiences making soup have had mixed results -- a couple of times they have worked out and the other times have left James and me scrambling for some other ingredient to add that will cover up everything that is just plain wrong with the soup.  Back in our dairy days, that often included cream.  I once tried making a soup with butternut squash that was barely edible -- somehow James choked down more than me, but that stuff was just bad.  

Last night I found myself staring down my dutch oven in what would become an epic soup battle in my kitchen.  I knew the recipe was in my head somewhere, that I had something good pictured in my mind.  But could I use my ingredients to create my vision?  The meat was prepared, vegetables were furiously chopped, cut, diced, sauteed and simmered, and a combination of flavors was used to make the broth (that made me the most nervous, having never done this before).  

Then, the taste test.  I scooped up the broth, unsure of what to expect, and well... after previous mediocre soup attempts, I wasn't exactly expecting the best.  The flavor that met my taste buds surprised me -- and my taste buds.  It was good.  It was really good.  It was a home run, a goal, a touchdown, a 3-point basket.  I reveled in my glory all alone (James was working late and the soup was too spicy for the little ones to enjoy, even if they did eat soup).  And now, my friends, I share what might be my ultimate soup creation.  And just between you and me, I wouldn't expect anything of this magnitude in the soup department to make its way to my page anytime in the near future, so enjoy it while it lasts.


Vegetable Soup with Spicy Meatballs


3 T. oil, divided
1 lb spicy pork sausage
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup almond flour
1 medium onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups tomato juice
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-in pieces
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 bunch collard greens, cut into 1-in pieces
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
 salt and pepper

1. Heat 2 T. oil over medium high heat in a large dutch oven.  In a large bowl, beat together egg and almond flour.  Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix in pork sausage.  Form into meatballs, roughly 2 inches in size and set on a plate.

2. Place half of the meatballs in hot dutch oven, cooking until well-browned, about 2 minutes.  Carefully turn over and brown the opposite side.  Set aside.  Repeat with rest of meatballs.

3. Add remaining oil to dutch oven and turn heat down to medium.  Place onion and bell pepper in pot, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds, stirring to incorporate and prevent burning.  Pour in chicken broth and tomato juice.  Bring to a simmer.

4.  Carefully add zucchini, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, collard greens, thyme, bay leaves and browned meatballs.  Stir to combine, being careful not to break up meatballs.  Simmer, cover and cook until meatballs register 170 degrees, about 15 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve. 

I am proud to announce that I have gotten my energy and productivity back.  It's been gone for some time now... several years in fact... but recently both have returned to me.  I feel like a new person -- my mind is clearer, my body feels rested and I even have energy to get some stuff done around the house without wearing out after 15 minutes.  Yes, if I had gone to the doctor about my constant tiredness, I'm sure I would have been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome -- I had a lot of the symptoms.  

But this past two weeks, I greatly diminished my carbohydrate intake -- limiting sugar, carrots, potatoes and all grains.  Yep, I've been grain-free... no rice, quinoa, gluten-free flours, gluten-free cereals, etc.  I've been wanting to go down this path for a while, but I was a little unwilling.  To be frank, I liked my carbs, and despite being gluten-free and no longer eating wheat, I was still in that "carbohydrate-high blood sugar-low blood sugar-need more carbs" cycle.  

Since I gave it up, I feel GREAT.  In fact, I cannot tell you the last time I felt this good.  I cannot remember the last time I had this much energy -- definitely before my children were born.  I guess I'm still surprised at how the foods we eat can impact our bodies so much.  You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but the way foods work with our bodies still amazes me.  I feel so much better that I have no intentions of EVER eating the way I used to eat, especially before I went gluten-free (I was a total sugar-addict).

This next recipe is low in carbohydrates, high in protein, and great for either a snack or a dessert.  It's not super-sweet or super peanut-buttery, and I call it a "brownie" because the texture greatly resembles that moist brownie consistency.  Not too fluffy, not too dense but just right.  

*To make this recipe sweeter, add chocolate chips to the batter before baking.  Or spread with a layer of melted chocolate after baking and allow chocolate to cool and set up.  Mmmmm.

Peanut Butter "Brownies"


1 T. coconut oil
1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 Cups blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x8in pan with coconut oil and set aside.

In a food processor, pulse coconut, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds until finely chopped.  Add almond flour, baking soda, and salt and pulse until combined.  Add peanut butter (or almond butter), agave nectar, egg and vanilla and process until the mixture forms into a dough and peanut butter has been incorporated.

Press into the prepared baking dish using a spatula or the bottom of a drinking glass.  Bake 15-20 minutes until edges are browned.  Cool for about an hour, then cut into 16 squares and serve.    

Don't you just love spring?  And asparagus?  It's funny, because asparagus is one of those vegetables that you're pretty much taught to hate as a child -- right up there with Brussels sprouts.  If you've been following my blog, you can probably guess that I had neither asparagus nor Brussels sprouts as a child (neither did my parents as it was never served in our house, not a culinary diverse place).  

I opened my heart up to asparagus a few years ago and have never looked back.  What a wonderful creation!  Nothing to be afraid of after all!  And you all know I'm a bit of a health nut when it comes to food, so hear this: asparagus is loaded with amino acids, vitamins and minerals -- potassium, folate, vitamin A, vitamin C, among others. So head to the local market and enjoy the asparagus while it remains in season.

This recipe is delightfully simple.  Simply season and bake.  And enjoy.


Roasted Asparagus


1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1TBSP olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash pepper
dash garlic powder


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lay asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until stalks are bright green and tender with a fork.  Serve. 

I have come to the startling realization that our kitchen is more of an experimental laboratory than just a kitchen.  Almost daily, I am concocting a new recipe, creation, science experiment, whatever you want to call it... sometimes they work out (and end up on the blog) and sometimes, well... sometimes they don't end up on the blog.

Once upon a time, I was a semi-homemade cook using boxed, processed ingredients with little actual cooking involved.  It was more like assembling -- add the warm milk to the instant potatoes, place chicken on top, sprinkle bacon bits on top and bake.  Not that everything I make now is super-complicated, I'm just not relying on partially prepared processed foods to add to the dish.  That may sound like a nightmare to someone who doesn't enjoy cooking or doesn't think they have the time to cook entirely from homemade.  Fear not, home cooks.  And keep reading the blog for more recipe updates -- made from scratch the way nature (and our bodies) intended.

This recipe was inspired from reading Elana Amsterdam's book, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.  As you probably know by now, I love almond flour.  It's low glycemic index helps keep insulin levels steady (no carbohydrate spikes like those from wheat or other gluten-free flours).  I could go on and on about the benefits to almond flour, but let me just get down to the recipe already.  


Date Shortbread Squares
1 cup chopped medjool dates (about 9 or 10), diced small
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw, unsalted
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 TBSP vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8inx8in square pan with coconut oil.

2. In a food processor, blend dates, coconut and sunflower seeds until coarsely ground.  Add almond flour, salt and baking soda and pulse until combined.  Finally add egg and vanilla and process until a stiff, doughy mixture forms.

3. Press the dough into the pan -- batter will be very sticky.  This is best done with the bottom of a glass.  

4. Bake about 20 minutes until squares are firm and edges are browned.  Allow to cool in pan for 1 hour, then cut into squares and serve.  Store in the refrigerator. 

We went on a frying binge last week... bacon, pork breakfast sausage, green beans with more bacon.  And then last night was the grand finale -- fried chicken, onion rings and french fries (for the girls).  We certainly got the frying bug out of our system for a while (did I mention we fried everything in lard?), but it sure did taste good.

If I had to rank each fried dish we made, the blue ribbon would definitely go to the onion rings.  James confessed he has not cared for onion rings in the past, but that these were the best he'd ever tasted (he even went back for seconds... I had thirds).  I've never made onion rings before, and the ones I used to get in restaurants were heavily battered so that once you bit into the ring, the whole onion would slip out of its coating, leaving me to stuff the whole onion in my mouth.  The breading would just be an empty shell, all lonely, so I'd quickly stuff that in my mouth, too so I could enjoy the two flavors together as they were meant to be tasted.  Needless to say, I wouldn't have won any etiquette awards.

However, the onion rings we made had a nice, light breading (not battered) with a salty crunch that clung nicely to the onion -- no slipping, no empty breading, no mouth stuffing.  I was in heaven.  


Onion Rings


2 cups oil (palm, peanut, lard, organic shortening, etc)
1/2 cup sorghum or brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
2 tsp baking powder
dash cayenne pepper (optional)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (almond, coconut, soy, cow)
1 large yellow onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rings, separate each layer

1. In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until 350 degrees.  Line a plate or baking sheet with paper towel and set aside.

2. In a shallow dish, whisk together sorghum or brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, salt, pepper, paprika, baking powder and cayenne pepper (if using).  In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk.  Add onion and toss into egg mixture to coat.  


3.  In small batches, lightly coat the onion rings into the flour mixture, then gently place into the hot oil.  Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Remove and allow to dry on paper towel-lined plate.  Repeat until all of the onion rings have been breaded and fried.  Serve. 

Nothing beckons kids to the table in my house like a plate of hot waffles.  Well, that and bacon (their new favorite food).  When James and I started dating a LONG time ago, he thought my ritual of putting peanut butter on my waffles was a little... well... let's just say unsophisticated.  Now the kids put peanut butter on their waffles (and pancakes) and even James does it, too!  Believe me, I don't let him forget what he used to call me back in the day when he thought my waffle (and pancake) topping was not good eats.

You don't have to put peanut butter on these waffles to make them taste good -- the topping of your choice would suit them just fine!  There are times when I skip the peanut butter and do homemade blueberry syrup instead.  

Waffles
1 Cup brown rice flour
1 Cup potato starch
2 T sugar
1 tsp guar gum (or xantham gum)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup oil
1 Cup milk (almond, soy, rice, cow's)


1. In a large bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, potato starch, sugar, guar gum, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  In a small medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, oil and milk.

2. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until completely incorporated.  Cook in a hot waffle iron until lightly browned.  Serve.

James and I have been on this total food education kick lately -- even more so than usual.  He read Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes, a science writer who presents the research we have and have not heard regarding fat, cholesterol, calories and diets.  What surprised me most about the book is that I thought much of our food wisdom regarding diet and exercise was fact proven by scientific studies.  Since then, I've learned our food "wisdom" (that term should be used lightly as most of what we're taught regarding food is not wise but wrong) is a farce.  I'm not writing this as a paid reviewer -- I'm just passionate about health and getting to good health via good nutrition.  

A few things I took away from the book:
1. A diet rich in carbohydrates (sugar, refined flours, pastas, breads, etc) causes obesity.
2. Dietary fat and calories do NOT cause obesity.  (Hello, bacon, nice to see you again!)
3. Low-fat diets and calorie-restricted diets are unhealthy.  (Low-cholesterol diets have been link to increased cancer rates just as a side note.)

Although I already ate fewer carbs than the regular Joe out there, being gluten-free and all, I cut back on my carbohydrate intake a little bit more just to see what would happen.  My energy increased greatly and my thought processes were much clearer.  

So, my recipe is for Garlic Balsamic Glazed Carrots.  Usually this recipe has a balance of vinegar and sugar, but I wanted to make this sugar-free (carrots are naturally high in sugar already).  James had the amazing idea to use roasted garlic because garlic becomes sweeter once roasted.  He threw this dish together for me and it was great!



Garlic Balsamic Glazed Carrots

3 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. red wine vinegar
4 cloves roasted garlic*
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock1 T. oil
2 lbs carrots, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick 
salt and pepper to taste

*To roast garlic cloves, peel outer skin of garlic, keeping cloves intact.  Cut 1/4-inch off the top of the bulb, place in a muffin tin cut-side up and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until soft.  Roasted garlic has a sweet flavor which eliminates the need for sugar in the recipe.  This recipe calls for only 4 cloves; use the rest of the cloves as a great spread or topping for baked potatoes, salads, dips, dressings, etc.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, roasted garlic, minced garlic and chicken stock.  Set aside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until fork-tender.  Whisk in vinegar sauce, stirring into carrots.  Cook another 2-3 minutes until sauce has reduced and thickened.  Serve.