Elk and goat piri piri meatloaf

I've been wanting a meatloaf for some time, and for some reason just never got around to making one.   This came together really well. 

Serves 6 meals with sides.  

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground elk meat
• 1 pound ground goat meat
• 2 small chicken eggs
• 1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs
• Piri piri spice to taste
• Toasted onion 2 tablespoons
• Turmeric 2 tablespoons
• Medium yellow curry 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 cup shredded or chopped goats milk sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients except cheese in bowl. 
• Form a 'bowl' with roughly 3/4 of the meat
• Full bowl with the cheese
• Cover the cheese with remaining meat and blend top and bowl seamlessly
• Bake in oven at 425 for 1 hour
• Serve and enjoy

Simple arepas

This is a recipe I got from a great Venezuelan lady.  I have modified it slightly to work for my tastes.  If you are in the Raleigh NC area look up bracci's.

Serves:1

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup PAN pre-cooked white corn meal (GF).
• 1/2 cup water
• touch of salt

Instructions:

• Add water and salt to a bowl mix quickly
• Add the corn meal and mix with your hands until it approaches a 'playdough' like consistency
• Note that if the consistency is not right add a touch of cornmeal or water.  (Not thick enough cornmeal, too thick water)
• Once mixed completely then let sit 2-5 minutes
• Grab a handful of the mix and roll into a ball.  
• Place ball on some wax/parchment paper and press down softly until a disc is formed.   This disc should not be too thin, possible a little less then a fingers width in depth.
• If the disk is showing 'cracks' on the edge then you did not have enough water in the mix add a couple drops and redo until this resolves.
• This should make two discs.
• Place some parchment paper on a pizza stone (I prefer pizza stones for making bread products)
• Cook for 30 minutes at 350.  
• The arepa then can be cut to produce a pocket.  note that the inside may seem a little gummy this is too taste.   This is a proper Venezuelan style.
• If you prefer crispier arepa's, I cook mine for 45 minutes at 385, this leaves almost no gumminess on inside, and a nice crispy exterior.

Fillings:

• Can be anything.  Note that sweet fillings will not be standard Venezuelan but don't shy away from fun :)
• My favorites so far are:
• Breakfast:   Scrambled eggs, Bacon, sausage, and a spot of cheese
• Lunches and Dinners:   Any ground or diced meat with veggies and cheese.   I typically spice out the meal with south American or middle eastern flavors.

Alternate uses for this recipe:

• The base arepa recipe if pressed much thinner can be made to an empanada or rolled around a sausage or other meats to form something like a taquito.   This recipe can be modified as needed to make hundreds of different meals, making this very flexible and a great base meal.

Peruvian lamb leg stew

This came out of a need to make a stew with a Peruvian flair.   This is a standard lamb stew, but with some pretty standard Peruvian pastes.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium potatoes rough chop
• 1 white onion rough chop
• 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb rough chop
• 3 tablespoons Mirasol paste
• 3 tablespoons homemade garlic scape paste (1-2 tablespoons garlic paste sub)
• 1-2 teaspoons 4 corners salt and pepper blend
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions:

• Sweat onions until translucent in hot oil
• Add the pastes and mix thoroughly 
• Add meat and brown while continue mixing to cover meat
• Add potatoes mix roughly and pat down until one layer
• Add water to cover
• Close lid on pot
• Very low boil for 1 hour
• Serve and enjoy. 

Potato, carrot, and turnip soup

Ingredients:

• 1 medium potato
• 1 large yellow carrot ( didn't want to change color of soup)
• 1 small 'baby' turnip
• 1 small handful of mixed grains of paradise and Szechuan peppers
• Salt
• 1/2 cup shredded goats milk sharp cheddar
• 1 cup cashew milk

Instructions:

• Rough chop potato, turnip, carrot and add in pot and cover with water with salt and pepper
• Low boil 1/2 hour until everything tender
• Immersion blend result should get very thick. 
• Add cashew milk and shredded cheese 
• Simmer 1/2 hour
• Serve and enjoy

Turkey meatball and Bokchoy soup

Having some left over frozen turkey stock from my last turkey I made I wanted to make a riff on a chicken bokchoy soup.  

Ingredients:

• Bag of baby Bokchoy from local farmer (any Bokchoy is great.  I prefer the smaller ones, but even a large one cut up will be great.  )
• 2 lbs ground turkey meat
• Szechuan pepper salt blend
• Turkey stock (prefer home made myself, local farmer sells parts like back/wings great for making stock if you haven't made turkey recently)
• Soy sauce
• 1 chicken egg
• GF breadcrumbs

Instructions:

• Making the meatballs:
• Mix the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, and Szechuan salt blend until balls can be formed.   The mixture if you grab handful will stick together when you try and lift handful from rest of bowl.  
• Bring a tablespoon of coconut oil to heat in a deep soup pot (8 quart usually good)
• Place the turkey meatballs at bottom spaced out so you have room to roll them.  You may need to do multiple batches.  Brown/sear the balls.  
• Add the stock and cook for 20 minutes.  
• Add the Bokchoy and cook for 2-4 minutes and serve with a touch of soy sauce and enjoy.  

Lamb Stew

Found a great deal on a lamb chuck roast and was in a stew mood.   So this recipe was created

Ingredients:

• 1 White Onion, roughly chopped.
• 3 1/2 pounds of lamb chuck roast (roughly chopped and deboned and fat removed)
• Smokey BBQ Blend (http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/07/bbq-spice-blends-i-love.html)
• 1 dried Limon Chili
• 1 dried Guajillo Chili
• 1 dried panca seco chili
• 1 dried cascabel chili
• 6 cups water
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 6 tablespoons Black Strap Molasses

Instructions:

• Start with the bones and fat from the lamb chuck roast and add 3-4 cups water enough to cover and a splash of apple cider vinegar.  low boil for 30 minutes to make a quick bone broth.  Once done remove bones and fat.
• In another pot add the dried chilis and 3-4 cups water and low boil for 60 minutes.  
• Immersion blend the chili
• Add the Molasses and quick immersion blend and let sit for 30 minutes
• Combine the bone broth and the chili sauce.
• In a pan bring the coconut oil to het and once ready to start frying add the chopped lamb. 
• Brown lamb for 5 minutes until a good sear on all sides.
• Add in the sauce and the rough chopped onions. 
• Mix well
• Reduce heat to just above a simmer and cover for 1 hour.
• Enjoy and Serve over Baked Potato or Rice.

Chicken in cashew sauce over noodle

Instead of using a peanut sauce which is more traditional I had to modify these recipes due to my wife's allergies to peanuts.   So I use Cashew as an alternative and thankfully she's not allergic.   Also I had leftover roasted chicken that needed to be used up.  Note that this recipe can be made with any leftover white meat or bird.

Ingredients:

• 1 small chicken breast (roughly 1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons cashew butter
• 1 cup cashew milk
• My Sazon Blend http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/08/sazon-blend-i-like.html)
• Korean Chili threads
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions:

• Warm up the coconut oil until the oil is hot enough to 'fry' the chicken when added.  Add the chicken and liberally sprinkle with the sazon
• Start browning the chicken.
• Mix the cashew butter and milk to create a viscous liquid
• Add in the chili threads and the cashew milk and butter mix
• Cook at a low simmer for roughly 10 minutes until the liquid thickens.
• Serve over Kelp noodles (my favorite noodles) and Enjoy.

Chicken Gizzard and Heart stew

My wife absolutely loves this stew.   She makes it often for herself so decided to add it to my list of recipes.   Due to the inclusion of tomatoes this is a recipe I myself can't eat, but I do make a similar stew without tomatoes (http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/07/simple-rustic-chicken-heart-stew.html)

Ingredients:

• 3 lb's of chicken hearts and gizzards (cleaned and rough chopped)
• 4 Russet Potatoes
• 1 tomatoes diced
• 1/2 diced yellow onion
• Peruvian chili lime spice blend  (Alternately Mirasol paste or even rocotto is an option here)
• Oregano
• 2 cups chicken or turkey stock

Instructions:

• Heat up two tablespoons of Coconut oil and add in the onions.  Cook the onions until translucent.
• Add the tomato and the chili spice and warm up the tomatoes
• Add the organ meat and cook for 5 minutes browning the meat.
• Add in the stock and the potatoes and oregano 
• cook at low boil roughly 30 minutes.
• Serve and Enjoy.

Simple Turkey soup

The farmer I buy the majority of my meat from had a special going on Turkey thighs, which are larger then chicken thighs. Since it was raining all weekend here I decided a good soup was what the day called for.

Ingredients:

• 2 Turkey thighs
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 cups concentrated turkey stock from last years Thanksgiving turkey.
• 4 russet potatoes rough chopped

Instructions:

• Place the turkey thighs in about 6 cups of water and low boil for 1 hour
• Add the celery, carrot, onion, and the previously made stock and low boil for another hour
• Fish out celery, carrot, onion, and turkey thighs.
• Place the rough chopped potatoes in the stock and low boil for 20-30 minutes until potatoes fall apart to touch.   Sample stock and salt to taste if needed.
• While the potatoes are cooking, mince the turkey thighs by removing the skin and pulling apart the meat into thin strips for the soup.  Ensure skin and bones are not in the meat.
• Once potatoes are done cooking add the meat back in.
• Serve and Enjoy.

Simple chicken noodle soup

Had a carcass leftover from a rooster I made this past weekend, so that and some chicken thighs from a local farmer are the basis for this soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 carcass bones
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• Handful of 4 corner peppercorns
• 1 large carrot
• 3 stalks celery
• Celery salt to taste
• 1 serving gluten free noodles of choice

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients in all ingredients except noodles and low boil 2 hours
• Remove meat, peppercorns, carrots, celery from stock and bring to roiling boil
• Verify taste of stock and adjust as needed with salt or other herbs
• Add noodles cook for desired time to bring to aldente.  
• While noodles are cooking strip meat from bones and mince and when noodles cooked add meat back in.
• Serve and enjoy

Turkey olive burgers

I love turkey burgers, but by the nature of turkey mostly come out dry and tasteless unless you work with the flavorings a bit.   This is especially true while making the recipe GF.   The canned sliced olives and a touch of the sauce they were canned/pickled in adds some moisture as well as some flavors that compliment the turkey meat.
 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• Cambridshire seasoning salt 
• 1 egg
• GF breadcrumbs to consistency
• 1 small can of sliced black or green olives

Instructions:

• Mix all ingredients well.  Mixture should stick together when lifted. 
• Put in frig for 30 min give time to make proper consistency. 
• With 1 tablespoon coconut oil, cook 4-5 minutes per side in pan
• Serve and enjoy

Slow Cooker Osso Bucco

Ok I admit I'm on a bit of a slow cooker kick this weekend, but with the meats I have chosen from the local farmer from the rooster recipe I posted earlier to this osso bucco cut of meat; I wanted to be able to let the meat work it's way to completion over a long period of time.   The farmer I buy meat from had some great items they usually don't have lie that rooster and now this cut of meat so I had to go for it.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of Osso Bucco cut of meat 
• Greek Seasoning
• 3 large carrots rough chopped
• 4 pieces of celery rough chopped
• 2 tablespoons garlic paste
• 1 yellow onion rough chopped
• 2 cups water

Instructions:

• Toss in the veggies and the water into the slow cooker and form a nice bed for the meat to rest on
• Sprinkle the meat well with the Greek seasoning and place either on top of the bed of veggies or if your slow cooker came with a rack that keeps the meat out of the liquid use that.
• Cook on low for 6 hours in the slow cooker
• Remove the rack and place the meat directly in the liquid making sure it is as covered as possible.
• Cook for an hour on high in the slow cooker
• Turn over the meat and cook for another hour on high.
• Let the meat sit on a plate for 5-10 minutes while you work on the Gravy below
• Reserve the veggies and the sauce that formed at the bottom of the slow cooker

Instructions for a quick Gravy:

• Take the reserved veggies and sauce place in a pot and immersion blend the mixture and cook on high
• Take a good steel pan (for heat distribution) and 1-2 tablespoons butter and melt the butter and add 1 teaspoon of coconut flour and brown quickly.  
• Pour the blended sauce into this steel pan and cook on high until the gravy becomes nice and thick.  Drips slowly off of a spoon.
• Stand up the osso bucco on plate if you want this to look sort of like what they do in restaurants.
• Pour a good couple tablespoons of the gravy over the meat.  Be as generous as you feel like and reserve remaining gravy for a future meal

Suggested Sides:

• Ok there is no question here in my mind.  Mashed potatoes, and if you want to be fancy put the mashed potatoes on plate first, put meat on top and then pour the gravy all over.
• For the veggie:  Green beans, corn, peas and carrots, and brussel sprouts all would do well with this meal.

Slow Cooker Stewing Hen or Rooster

I personally prefer the flavor to the Stewing Hens or Roosters.  For many people this is a tougher cut of meat but if you know what you are doing with this bird the flavor is phenomenal.  Also these birds are much harder to find in an average grocery store and may require you to look at local farmers markets and get to know the farmers that sell eggs and chickens.   A stewing Hen is a hen that essentially has been around laying eggs for several years and has reached the end of the laying cycle.

Typically these birds are much leaner as well and their body will not be as rounded making a stew much better way to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 1 Rooster or Stewing Hen (I had a 4lb bird for this recipe)
• 1 cup water
• Sazon (http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/08/sazon-blend-i-like.html)

Instructions:

• Place 1-2 cups water in slow cooker.
• Remove the chickens legs at the body joint to get a leg+thigh combo, and then remove the wings again at the body joint.
• Sprinkle well with Sazon and place these pieces outer skin down in the slow cooker.
• If you were lucky enough to get the neck with your bird sprinkle well with sazon and add to bottom of slow cooker with the legs and wings.
• Take the remainder of the bird, sprinkle well with sazon inside and out and place on top of the above ingredients.
• Cook at low on the slow cooker for 6 hours.   By hour 4/5 depending on your slow cooker the meat will start falling off the bone, I prefer mine just a little more rendered. 
• Serve and Enjoy
• This should feed 5 portions of meat.  You will need sides.
• Save the liquid as a base to make a chicken broth soup later, This should be very concentrated chicken broth capable of serving a soup for 5.

Alternate ingredients:

• Typically I love to add Celery, Carrots, and Onions to the broth.  I did not have any in the house when I made this one so went without.

Recommended Sides:

• Rice if you are not grain free.  If you make rice try and get a couple tablespoons of the chicken broth per cup water for a flavored rice.
• Potatoes or sweet potatoes.  I typically prefer a quick stove fry, but mashed and oven roasted work as well
• Any Vegetable.  I typically stick with an oldie but goody like peas and carrots, but there is no limit here. 

My Wife's favorite pasta sauce

Though I personally can no longer eat tomatoes, I do get requests (like this) occasionally for items I can no longer eat.  As part of the nightshade a family they cause considerable inflammation for me if I eat more than a slice a month.  My wife still loves the red sauces I made before I cut them out of my diet.  So for her I'm bringing this recipe back.   She loves a good solid red sauce, and honestly so did I before I realized the negative impact it had on my body.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes
• 3 Large Beefsteak tomatoes
• 15 cherry tomatoes that were too soft for salads.
• 2 teaspoons Garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons Cilantro garlic scape paste
• Handful of Italian herbs to taste
• Pinch of dried rosemary leaves
• 2 teaspoons of roasted onion
• Salt and pepper to taste (light handful)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients and boil for 15 minutes.  
• Use immersion blender to make a smooth red sauce
• Cook at low for 30 minutes to thicken.  Try flavor 5-10 minutes before complete and if too acidic for your taste add teaspoon sugar at a time to reduce acidity to taste.   

Alternates:

• Beefsteak tomatoes make the best sauce in my opinion but Roma were a close second for me and I know some Italians prefer the Roma.
• Leftover salsa can be used, but will change flavor profile.  
• If processed sugars a problem add honey or blackstrap molasses to reduce the acidity without adding processed sugars.  This is what I do for similar sauces I make for myself  

Yucca and Zucchini hash with over easy eggs

Found some great frozen Yucca at one of the local International Food Markets and wanted to try and new idea for a quick breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1 Yucca
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sliced zucchini
• Sazon (http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/08/sazon-blend-i-like.html)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions:

• If you start with the frozen Yucca like I did for this recipe, or even if you find the fresh Yucca the process will be similar, but cook times may vary a bit as you are not defrosting first.
• Place Yucca, roughly chopped in a pot of boiling water and cook for roughly 20-30 minutes until fork tender
• Remove Yucca from water and rough chop or dice neatly, remembering to remove the hard fibrous 'spine' in the middle of the root.
• Add this diced up Yucca to a heated up pan with 2 tablespoons coconut oil and start pan frying at about med-high heat with a good dusting of sazon
• slice up the zucchini to fine strips. 
• Once the Yucca starts showing some browning from the pan frying add the sliced zucchini.  Should be roughly 10 minutes
• Cook mixture of Yucca and Zucchini for roughly 5 minutes until the zucchini is starting to show some browning and by now the Yucca should definitely have been browned well.
• Remove the zucchini and yucca from the oil and place on plate, leaving the oil in pan.
• Turn up the heat on the pan to high
• Crack the eggs and place in pan trying to keep the yolks intact.
• Cook the eggs 2-3 minutes each side, flipping once.
• Cover the hash on the plate with the two eggs, resulting eggs should have a partially runny yolk.

Enjoy.   Alternately you can have a scramble with all the above ingredients or even an omelet.  It's all n how you use/prepare the egg.

Sazon blend I like

This is a Sazon or seasoned salt that I love to use where I need a touch of flavored peppers to re-enforce the salt flavor on a meal

Ingredients:

• Course Pink Himalayan sea salt  (50% of resulting mixture)
• Other 50% should come from a mixture of:
• Grains of Paradise
• Brown Mustard seeds
• Black Tellicherry Peppercorns
• Ground Ancho and Guajillo Pepper

Instructions:

• Using a spice or coffee blender, blend the salt, Grains or Paradise, mustard seeds, and peppercorns.   Once well powdered, add the ground ancho and guajillo peppers and pulse in spice blender for a second or two to combine thouroughly.

Bratwurst, Jalepeno, and fingerling potato scramble

Simple easy leftover breakfast

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken eggs
• 1 bratwurst already cooked diced small
• 3 already cooked fingerling potatoes sliced thinly
• 1-2 jalapeño diced small
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 4 corners peppercorn salt to taste http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/06/salt-blends-i-love.html

Instructions:

• Heat up the coconut oil in a non-stick pan
• Add in the bratwurst, potatoes, and the jalapeños and pepper salt blend to the pan and cook on med-high for 3 minutes
• While this is cooking whisk the eggs.
• Pour the eggs over the bratwurst and jalapeños and put the heat back to high and quickly keep 'stirring' the mixture until the eggs are properly cooked to a scramble.  Should be less then 2 minutes.

Vietnamese style cabbage salad with smokey pork

Had this great salad at a local Vietnamese Pho place and wanted to replicate it at home.  Warning I have not read the recipe anywhere so am solely working by taste and look and working with ingredients that as closely resemble the tastes that I could find that may come from other cultures.

Ingredients:

• Thinly sliced Mechaalany pickled wild cucumbers
• Shredded Red cabbage 
• Shredded Lettuce
• Shredded carrots
• 1 lb pork loin sliced thinly
• Smokey BBQ rub (http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/07/bbq-spice-blends-i-love.html)
• 3 tablespoons Fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons Mirin
• 2 tablespoons Ume plum vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Madras curry
• 1 teaspoon Market lime powder
• 1 traspoon Lemon peel powder
• Splash of balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Black Currant Syrup
• 2 tablespoons coconut or grape seed oil

Instructions:

• Combine the shredded cabbages, carrots, and pickles into a bowl
• Combine the Fish sauce, mirin, vinegars, curry, and lime an lemon peel powders in a small container and pour over the bowl of cabbage
• Remove excess liquid and place in small bowl after letting sit for 10 minutes tossing occasionally
• Combine the Smokey BBQ Rub and the pork loin slices in a bowl and toss; coating well
• Heat up a pan (I prefer a metal pan for this) with coconut or grape seed oil until hot, and toss in the pork.  
• Cook the pork on high stirring occasionally to ensure not sticking to pan and to try and ensure that the pork is crusting equally.   This does not have to be perfect, but a good effort
• Take out pork leaving any leftover oil and place in small bowl to cool for a minute
• Add the excess liquid from the salad the black current syrup to the pan and reduce for 3 minutes on high or until nice and thick/syrupy.
• Combine meat into salad and then pour over the syrup and toss salad
• Serve and Enjoy.

The taste profile of this dish is that of Korean smoky BBQ mixed with a freshness and lightness of a  Vietnamese cabbage salad.

Visit to a local GF expo /event today

So this posting will not be a recipe but a list of some resources I found at a local GF expo I attended today.

This is meant to be an extension of my general resources page until I either start using them as a general use.
http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/06/resources-i-wanted-to-start-resources.html

Now I focused on gluten free, grain free, dairy free, sugar free and nut free products that fit into my general leaning toward paleo.  I do not have nut allergies personally but my wife does so all recipes and products have to include that limitation. 

Many companies and vendors at this expo were focused on gluten free products using many different alternative grains or processed sugars in their products.   Sure the were certified GF, but for me that is not adequate.  

A couple I'd like to mention though for folks looking for the grain free lifestyle.  

JP's pastry. Jpspastry.com, www.facebook.com/jpspastry.com

So this company already has a paleo product or two including breads,  but I wanted to challenge them to make one nut free as well.  He indicated he just took delivery of casava root for future products.  

Gluten free by Sara.   http://www.gfwithsarahb.com/

First met her at the wake forest farmers market and she's been willing to work with me on making a bread that meets my dietary restrictions. 

Roots
hummus product that can be found at whole foods.  Pretty good list of ingredients and a very decent price.  I stopped by whole foods on way home to pick up a couple flavors that I sampled at the event.  Thai and Chipotle flavored humus current favorites.

Produce box.  www.theproducebox.com.   T
his is a NC delivery of farmers products to your door.  Cool if you aren't close by a farmers market or don't have time for going to one.  One of the things that drew me to find this resource prior to this event was the fact that they carry Imagine That GF product line which does not currently sell directly to consumers today.

Relayfoods.com.
Online grocery story for organic produce and products. Need to check this one out myself in more depth. 

Thrive bites.  Thrivebites.thrivelife.com.
Freeze dried fruits and veggies.  Alternative location for organic fruits and veggies for smoothies during off season.  Ok this is also prepper heaven probably if into prepping. 

Allergic traveller.  Www.allergictraveller.com.  
International dietary and allergy alert cards.  

The gluten & grainfree gourmet.  Ggfgourmet.com.
She had a great talk about grain free lifestyle. Her chocolate chip cookies I received as samples  were pretty good.

Rikkos inc.   Www.rikkosinc.com.
Great plantain and cassava root chips.  Bought a couple bags :).  They do have a local store in Raleigh they sell through.  

Honorable mentions of larger companies:  
Got swag (free samples) of kind bars, lära bars, and enjoy life chocolate chips.  

Jalapeño Poppers

One of my favorite appetizers are jalapeño poppers.  These are a great balance of spicy and soothing relief.  There are many variations and I will put a couple I love making the most on this page.

This will serve 3-5 people.   just cut recipe in half or double as needed

Ingredients:

• 1 lb any ground meat you like.  I have used, Elk, Boar, and Venison.  Pork and Beef will work as will Chicken and Turkey
• 15 Jalapeño's
• Daiya Coconut cream cheese. 
• 5 tablespoons spicy banana pepper relish (http://drummingupabettermeal.blogspot.com/2015/08/homemade-spicy-banana-pepper-mild-hot.html)
• 1 slice bacon per jalapeño popper

Basic Instructions for all options:

• Prepare Cream cheese by mixing the cream cheese with the relish.
• Prepare the ground meat
• by cooking in a pan with 1 tablespoon coconut oil and spices to preference on high ensuring that the smallest pieces of ground meat are created.   For a bit more kick I usually use my spicy BBQ blend or a harissa spice
• Brown the meat, if preferred you can go to the crispy side.

Instructions: (option 1)

• Cut Jalapeño's in half and remove the stems and seeds.. 
• Fill each half with cream cheese mix and cooked meat.
• Wrap with half of a bacon slice
• Cook in oven on 380 for about 20 minutes.  I sometimes do 425 or broil for 5-10 if in hurry.  Should crisp bacon and cook the jalapeño's. Now to prevent them from tipping over use Aluminum foil with ridges just wide enough to hold up the halves evenly.
• Serve and Enjoy

Instructions: (option 2)

• Core seeds out of whole jalapeño's
• Fill each with cream cheese mix and cooked meat.  Alternating for maximum coverage per bite.
• Wrap with a whole slice of bacon, trying to first cover the hole that removing the stem made.
• Cook in oven on 425 or broil for 10 minutes.  This should crisp the bacon and cook the jalapeño's  Now keeping these from tipping could be crucial.  There are reasonably priced devices which are designed for jalapeño poppers.  Anything with holes that will allow the peppers to stand up with bacon wrapped around them would be appropriate.
• Serve and Enjoy.

Bacon and Yellow sqush omelette

Wanted a somewhat healthy breakfast and had some bacon already defrosted so considered throwing that in.   According to a program I had based on ingredients this was about 400 calories.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices Bacon diced/sliced
• 3 chicken eggs quickly whisked in bowl for omelet
• 1 med size yellow (summer) squash roughly diced
• 1 jalapeño diced finely
• 4 corners Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 oz goat cheese

Instructions:

• Slice up bacon in fine pieces.  I prefer this, if you prefer chunkier pieces of bacon cut to your preference.
• Place bacon in a pan with 1 tablespoon coconut oil and cook at a little higher than medium to brown.  Roughly 2 minutes. 
• While bacon browning dice up the squash and the jalapeño
• Add the squash and the jalapeño to the bacon and salt and pepper to taste and cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Pour in egg mixture and cook 1-2 minutes per side on high heat and flip once to complete omelet
• Serve on plate and place the 1 oz of goat cheese in small dollops all over the omelet.  This adds a tangy bite to the omelet.

Mixed seafood stew

Ingredients:

• 1 package of frozen mixed seafood (mussels, shrimp, squid, octopus) rough chopped.  Note that fresh will always be better, but the frozen can be a money and time savor depending on where you live
• 1 lb fresh shrimp deveined and shells removed (save for sauce)
• 1/2 medium size red onion diced small. 
• 1 tablespoon rocoto paste
• 1 tablespoon homemade garlic paste
• Old bay season to taste
• 8 oz coconut milk
• 2 cups rice
• 2 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions:

 

• In rice cooker combine rice, water, and salt.  Cook to done
• In a small pot with 2 cups water boil any shells from shrimp or mussels for 30 min for shrimp/shell stock.  Strain out shells once done and set aside.
• In another larger (medium size) pot bring the coconut oil to temp, and add the onions and begin to sweat them
• Once onions are translucent (not browned), add the rocoto and garlic paste and old bay seasoning and  stir quickly for 30 seconds to meld the flavors at med high.  
• Add the Seafood and cook for 2 min until shrimp start showing pink.
• Deglaze pot with coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add in the strained stock and simmer at low for roughly 20-30 minutes letting the sauce thicken and the soup flavors to come together.
• Server over the rice and enjoy.

Modified Gumbo with Heart meat.

So a friend of my wife's handed her a bag of okra.  First time I have ever seen or used this vegetable personally.   I of course have eaten both good and bad examples.   So I decided Gumbo was the best way to inaugurate my use of okra.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Andouille sausages cut roughly
• 1 lb rabbit hearts
• 1 lb mixed goat and lamb hearts chopped roughly
• 1 lb roughly cut okra
• 6 pieces of celery chopped finely
• 3 carrots chopped finely
• 1/2 red onion diced
• 2 tablespoons homemade garlic paste
• Black River Creole Seasoning to taste
• Salt to Taste
• 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• 2 teaspoons coconut flour
• 2 cups organic red rice
• 5-6 cups water

Instructions:

• Add Coconut Oil and Andouille to pan and brown quickly at high
• Remove the Cooked Andouille, leaving the oil in pan
• Add the diced and chopped vegetables (except okra) and the ghee to the Pan and on medium sweat the vegetables for roughly 10 minutes, do not brown.
• Add the flour and brown the flour in the oil/ghee with the vegetables
• Add the hearts and the cooked Andouille and keep browning for a couple minutes
• Add the rice and let the oil coat the rice
• Add the water and let the stew at a low boil for an hour
• Add the chopped okra (note to reduce the slimyness of okra, you can swish and sit in vinegar for 30 minutes)
• Let stew at low boil for another hour.
• Server and enjoy

General Smoothie guidance.

This is my favorite guidance I have found on making smoothies.   I did download this from a group called Young and Raw.   I needed the image and keep this on my phone and iPad so that when I question how to build a smoothie it is there and easy to consult.

I hope this does assist someone else in making their own smoothies and show exactly how easy it is to make your own.

Kiwi Peach smoothie

So todays smoothie blend focused on fresh organic Kiwi and peaches.   I did get the peaches a month or so back and processed over 30 to be frozen for later smoothies from a local farmer.   I wanted a more fruit based smoothie, and skipped the greens for this one.

Ingredients:

• 1 peach frozen (see above).  Now you can just buy frozen peaches from the store -- roughly 6 pieces.
• 3 frozen kiwis that I had previously processed from a sale that I found at whole foods.
• 1/2 cup cashew milk
• 1 teaspoon each of cacao and maca powder
• handful of dried goji berries
• 3 pieces of crystalized ginger

Piri piri zucchini and patti pan squash

Time of year for fresh squashes from the local farmers.  Here's another way to enjoy them.

Ingredients:

• 1 patti pan squash diced roughly
• 1 zucchini diced roughly
• 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• Piri piri spice to flavor
• Lemon peel powder to flavor
• Four corner salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup of rice, teff, quinoa, noodles, or zoodles.

Instructions:

• Melt ghee
• Add the coconut flour and cook the flour on medium for 1-2 minutes to brown. 
• Add coconut milk and spices and cook for 5 minutes on medium while stirring occasionally.  Sauce should start thickening at this point. 
• Add squashes and cook for 5 min on high.  
• Pour over rice, teff, quinoa, noodles, or zoodles. If you choose zoodles (zucchini noodles), then replace zucchini in main recipe with another squash or additional patti pan. 

Serves two people.

homemade Spicy Banana Pepper Mild Hot sauce

This is a simple pepper sauce and relish I make once the farmers markets start rolling out the spicier peppers.

This blend is a mild for me and I use it in a variety of applications from mild Chili's, stews, scrambled eggs, as a relish on a burger or sausage, and even in small quantities in dressings.  

As a note for some folks not used to eating a lot of Caribbean dishes, or the spicier middle eastern or Asian dishes:  This sauce could be considered a spicy hot sauce, all depending on how spicy the peppers were. 

Banana peppers like jalapeño can range from a very mild to a damn what did I just eat depending on variety.  I did want to add this warning in here, because people who frequently love ghost, habanero, and other peppers higher up on the scale take these peppers for granted and they can sneak up on you.   Also the flavor is completely different (much sweeter), and it's usage in meals needs to be balanced out.

Ingredients:

• 8 Spicy Banana Peppers
• toasted onion flakes
• Head of Elephant Garlic
• white vinegar

Instructions:

• Clean the peppers of seeds and the ribs and place in blender of choice.   I use my Ninja juice blender for this.
• Clean the head of elephant garlic and add to pepper
• Put in two handfuls roughly of toasted onion flakes  (to flavor)
• Put in white vinegar to liquid fill line if using a blender, or to cover if using a food processor
• Blend/process until it looks like a relish.  Usually less then a minute depending on machine.

Packaging:

• So I save up bottles that have re-closable lids for this for my home use.   Make sure they are clean.  
• I typically like an 8 or 16 oz bottle.   This can be potent stuff for most people and I personally do not try and keep a batch longer then 6 months.   With the vinegar it may be theoretically last longer, but I like making fresh every year, and I save some peppers in freezer for a batch off season.
• What I like to do so that it's not too watery is to use a fine mesh sieve and separate the vinegar and the 'pulp'
• Pulp goes in a small 8 oz or 16 oz container.   This will look like a fine relish.  Pack well and then cover with some of the vinegar.
• The vinegar with all the awesome heat and flavor I save in a jar appropriate to amount 32oz typically.  I can use this vinegar for a wide variety of applications including salad dressings.  Not as spicy as the pulp but great flavor.

Homemade Habanero Hot Pepper Sauce

This is a simple pepper sauce and relish I make once the farmers markets start rolling out the spicier peppers.

Todays blend is roughly a medium for me and I use it in a variety of applications from mild Chili's, stews, scrambled eggs, as a relish on a burger or sausage, and even in small quantities in dressings.

Ingredients:

• 8 Habanero's
• 8 Jalapeño's
• toasted onion flakes
• Head of Elephant Garlic
• white vinegar

Instructions:

• Clean the peppers of seeds and the ribs and place in blender of choice.   I use my Ninja juice blender for this.
• Clean the head of elephant garlic and add to pepper
• Put in two handfuls roughly of toasted onion flakes  (to flavor)
• Put in white vinegar to liquid fill line if using a blender, or to cover if using a food processor
• Blend/process until it looks like a relish.  Usually less then a minute depending on machine.

Packaging:

• So I save up bottles that have re-closable lids for this for my home use.   Make sure they are clean.  
• I typically like an 8 or 16 oz bottle.   This can be potent stuff for most people and I personally do not try and keep a batch longer then 6 months.   With the vinegar it may be theoretically last longer, but I like making fresh every year, and I save some peppers in freezer for a batch off season.
• What I like to do so that it's not too watery is to use a fine mesh sieve and separate the vinegar and the 'pulp'
• Pulp goes in a small 8 oz or 16 oz container.   This will look like a fine relish.  Pack well and then cover with some of the vinegar.
• The vinegar with all the awesome heat and flavor I save in a jar appropriate to amount 32oz typically.  I can use this vinegar for a wide variety of applications including salad dressings.  Not as spicy as the pulp but great flavor.

Introduction Post

For my first post for this blog I wanted to do two things,  Introduce myself and the reason that I am on my this journey with food.

My name is Michael Huber and I have chosen to do a blog with the name 'Drumming up a better meal' based on some recommendations and pushes from my friends.    The name comes from two sources, when I go to relax after a stressful day of work I head either to my kitchen or more occasionally to my drums both of which I feel the stress of the day disappear.  

About 10 years ago I started to feel pain in most every joint of my body, and it hurt to breath and walking up a flight of stairs could take me 10 minutes or more on a bad day.  A couple years later I decided to start working with doctors to find out what was causing this problem.   After 3 years of random testing and considerable money out of pocket the doctors were no closer in finding out why the pain, though they were prescribing stronger drugs.

One day I read about how fibromyalgia sufferers were improved by simply removing gluten from their diet, I figured I could try it for 6 months having nothing to lose at that point.    So three years later after eliminating a few more foods then Gluten, I am now running up stairs when I want, practicing the martial arts again in limited capacity and in general I have days where I don't have any pain that stops me from doing what I want when I want to.

During my journey I have seen a ton of posts on the gluten free and whole foods eating groups about how difficult it is to eat healthier, how much more expensive it is and how much more time and effort it is to cook meals.   I would like to work on changing mindsets and dispelling these myths.   I spend far less time in the kitchen now and a lot less money, then I did in the years before I started my food journey.

So I am not a chef (never went to school for culinary arts), nor am I a nutritionist.   I will be posting recipes I make for myself, my family, and those fortunate souls who happen to show up for one of my parties I like to host occasionally.    These recipes will be simplified and geared toward reducing the money and time that is spent in the kitchen actively doing prep or actively cooking.

The recipes I post will be Gluten Free, and mostly grain free, nightshade Fee, and cows milk Dairy Free.   I have issues with many inflammatory causing foods and have eliminated quite a few in the first years.   As for nightshades the only ones I can take in small amounts are potatoes, sweet potatoes, and spicy peppers. 

I will occasionally cross-link to other blogs that may have good recipes that contain one of those ingredients purely to share a great idea or explain how to modify the recipe based on food sensitivities unique to me.

Chickpea soup

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeRecipes Facebook group on October 25, 2014

 

Used this recipe on bag as a starting point.

Modified it as follows

Doubled the soy and used the GF variety.
Used two tablespoons each of home made garlic paste and parsley paste
Added some ghost curry for a kick
Added 1 cup coconut milk for some extra creaminess
This soup came out awesome. A nice fall soup.

Guacamole with Chorizo Party Dip

So since I don't consume cows milk based cheeses, been looking for a replacement for queso dip with ground meat in it

Ingredients:

• 3 avocados
• 1 small red onion minced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• Key lime juice to flavor
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 3 tablespoons Chimayo Chorizo sausage Spice
• 1 -2 teaspoons mixed toasted onion and garlic powder
• Himalayan Sea Salt (or any Sea Salt) to taste
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• Tellicherry pepper salt (see the salt page)

Instructions for Guacamole:

• Clean out the Avocados, and mix with the minced red onion mixing thoroughly (I prefer my guacamole to be smooth).
• Fold in chopped cilantro.
• Key Lime juice and Tellicherry pepper salt to taste.

Instructions for Chorizo:

Skip these steps if you just want to Guacamole recipe.

• Heat up coconut oil.
• Once oil heated up add ground meat you should hear a good sizzle.
• Add spices and salt
• cook approximately 5 min mixing occasionally until meat starts caramelizing.
• Remove from heat.
• Let meat cool. 
• Layer the cooled meat and guacamole or fold the meat into the guacamole whichever works best for you and then eat with favorite chip or veggie.

Peruvian flavored Chicken Thighs with brussel sprouts

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on February 6, 2015

Rocoto, coriander and basil paste encrusted chicken thighs with maple syrup and telichery black pepper roasted Brussel sprouts.
Aji rocoto, basil paste and coriander paste are all available at most Latin food stores.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tablespoon each basil and coriander paste
• 2 tablespoons aji rocoto
• 3 tablespoons coconut milk
• Whole chicken thighs with skin and bones
• Bag of Brussel sprouts
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Tellicherry black pepper salt (see salt page)

Instructions:

• Mix the basil and coriander paste, aji rocoto paste, and coconut milk together
• Marinate the chicken thighs in the resulting paste for an hour.
• Cook thighs in oven for 1 hour at 400.
• While chicken cooking:
• Clean Brussel sprouts and half them.
• With roughly 15 minutes left on the chicken:
• Heat up 1 tablespoon coconut oil in pan and drop in Brussel sprouts.
• Sprinkle lightly with tellicherry black pepper salt to taste
• Cook 5 minutes
• add in two tablespoons pure maple syrup
• cook on high for 2 minutes.  Continuously stirring.
• The Brussel sprouts should soak the syrup up completely. 

Chicharrones de chancho (Fried Pork)

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on February 9, 2015

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs pork. Spare ribs and cheaper cuts with lots of fat better but can be a boneless pork roast

Instructions:

• Cut meat roughly and marinate in aji marisol, roasted granulated garlic and onion and salt for 4 hours.
• When ready to cook ready a hot pan with couple tablespoons coconut oil and 'fry' the pork until nice and crispy but not burnt.

For sides recommend:

• Lentils or split peas
• With coconut rice
• Sarsa (onions very finely sliced in lime juice with a little aji rocoto. )

Haddock and shrimp ceviche

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on March 3, 2015

Ingredients:

• 10 limes juiced.  (Note bottled key lime juice is a simple substitute method for this)
• 1 red onion finely sliced
• 1 lb haddock diced
• 1/2 lb fresh shrimp de shelled and deveined and diced roughly if large shrimp.

 

Instructions: 

• Run boiling water over the cleaned shrimp. If you add octopus or squid do the same to them as well 
• Put all in casserole dish and let sit 4 hours 'cooking' the fish in line juice.
• Add pepper flakes to taste level just prior to eating. I personally use 2teaspoons of  Habanero, siracha, or ghost pepper purée I have premade.

 

Alternate seafood's that can be used or added:

• Any white firm fish is usually a good substitute (tilapia as example)
• ceviche mixto refers to using everything from mussels, octopus, squid, and other seafood.   I prefer the small octopus legs in mine, and squid cut up in fine ribbons.

Sides that are very Peruvian that you might see in restaurants:

• Cooked Sweet potato
• Fries
• Peruvian corn (Choclo -- boiled or fried hard to be like beer nuts)

Pea soup

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on February 15, 2015

 

Ingredients:

• 2lbs worth of typically a Ham bone, but I got some pork neck bones from a local farmer.  Note skip this ingredient for a vegetarian friendly version.
• 1 bag of split peas  

Instructions for Broth if not making the soup as a vegetarian split pea soup:
Skip this section completely if going for vegetarian

• Slow and low boiled pig neck bones with Szechuan salt for 12 hours (see salt page). 
• Cooled off the broth to fridge overnight.
• Next day another 2-3 hours slow and low. Once the meat comes off bones take out meat and bones

Instructions for Soup:

• Choose favorite broth and bring to heat.  
• I use a pork based broth as that is what I prefer.  
• A good vegetable broth makes this soup great as well.
• slow and low boil the split peas and some fresh turmeric about 2 hours
• Once peas fall apart immersion blend the result. 
• Add minced meat from neck bones back in (Skip if vegetarian)
• Add a 16 oz container if coconut milk.
• Simmer to finish for 30 minutes. 

 This is a very cost conscious soup with 6 lbs worth of neck bones for 10$ was a great deal from local farmer. I'm only using 1/2 of the bones for this soup. The split peas were 1$ a bag.

Lettuce wrapped chicken with quick BBQ Rub

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on Feb 26, 2015

 

If you have 5 minutes and a cheap coffee/spice grinder make your own BBQ Rub. I like making new blends all the time so as not to get bored with the flavors.

 

 Ingredients for BBQ Rub: 

• Grains of paradise
• Ancho
• Gaujillo
• Brown mustard
• Urfa
• Aji Amarillo
• Aleppo
• Honey powder
• Himalyan sea Salt
• For spicier mix add a touch of ghost or habanero to mix.

Ingredients for Meal:

• 5 diced small boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• Lettuce to be used as lettuce cups/wraps
• BBQ Rub for the chicken

Instructions:

• Using a Spice/Coffee Grinder mix up the seeds and berry's and other whole dried spices for 30 seconds or until powder
• Add powdered spices and pulse a couple times to mix thoroughly
• Coat the diced chicken with the rub.   Any leftover rub bottle for a future meal.
• Put a tablespoon of coconut oil and bring to heat
• Drop in the chicken into the oil should be sizzling and cook on high continuously moving the chicken around ensuring the chicken is browned on all sides.  This should be roughly 5 minutes at high heat.
• Deglaze pan for one minute with a splash of lime juice.
• Put in a bowl to add to wraps as a finger food as you go.

Recommended sides to cool down the spice:

• Homemade Gaucomole.
• Homemade Mayo

Simple Green Salad -- Nightshade Free

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on March 3, 2015

Ingredients:

• 2 winter onions/scallions diced small
• 1 small green/Granny Smith apple diced small
• 2 small cucumbers diced small
• 3 kiwi diced small
• Light dusting of salt and pepper (to taste)
• Teaspoon of Lime juice

Instructions:

• 5-10 minutes of dicing.
• Mix everything in a bowl. 

Love this flavor combination for some reason. Since I can't have tomatoes and sweet peppers anymore this is a combination that gives that same tart and sweet, crispy and smooth textures of a salad with those more normal salad items.

Salad with Mustard crusted chicken thighs

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on March 13, 2015

 

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless/skinless thighs diced roughly
• 1 green/Granny Smith apple
• 1/2 small/medium head lettuce
• 3 scallions/winter onions
• 1 teaspoon each yellow and hot oriental mustard seeds and birds of paradise seeds
• 4-5 pieces mace (Penzeys)
• 1 teaspoon each organic peruvian ginger and yellow curry

Instructions:

• With spice grinder mix the seeds and mace for 20 seconds or until powdered.
• Mix with ginger and curry then coat the diced chicken thighs
• Heat up metal pan with tablespoon or so coconut oil
• Once hot toss in the chicken and brown almost until chicharon (until the mustard based coating goes crispy but not blackened).
• Stir occasional to fry all sides
• While chicken cooking:
• Dice up the onions, apples, and lettuce and mix with a light coating of red wine vinegar and Avocado oil.
• Once chicken crispy remove from heat and cool then mix into salad and salt to taste and serve
• You can add a grated cheese for additional flavor. I use an aged sheep's milk cheese I like.

Green PB&J Smoothie Recipe

This is one of my favorite smoothies when I want a smoothie that just tastes great and that reminds you of the flavor of a favorite meal.

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on March 31, 2015
Ingredients:

• Coconut milk
• Spinach
• Sun flour seed hearts
• Crystallized ginger
• Dried mulberry
• And teaspoon of almond butter
• Grapes fill up 3/4 of the cup.

Simple oriental chicken and bok Choy soup

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on March 31, 2015

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs deboned and de-skinned. Chop roughly
• Roughly 2 quarts stock (made from bones and skin of the thighs or supplemented from a stock made from a prior carcass.)
• Szechuan salt (see salt blends post)
• powdered Ginger (or use fresh)
• 2-3 bokchoy heads sliced lengthwise to thickness preferred. 

Creating the Stock:

• Place the bones and skin from the chicken thighs in roughly 3 cups water.
• You can add a fresh piece of ginger for this stock to provide that ginger flavor.  If you do skip adding powdered ginger later
• Low boil roughly an hour
• Filter liquid.

Instructions:

• Using a tablespoon coconut oil in a very hot pot brown up the chicken.
• Add the stock to de glaze the pot and the spices and bring back up to slow boil 5-10 minutes ensuring that if the chicken wasn't cook in the sear that it will be now.
• Add the bok Choy for 5-10 minutes at summer, just long enough to get some tenderness but not until they are mush.
• Serve with soy sauce to your taste. I use a splash and I use either GF tamari or soy.

Slow cooker Rabbit and potatoes

Originally posted by me in MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on April 5, 2015

 

Prep about 10 minutes

cook time 4-5 hours in a slow cooker.

Ingredients

• 1 approx 3 lb rabbit from local farmer...
• 4-5 med size potatoes

Seasoning:

Using a spice/coffee grinder to combine the following

• a good handful whole pieces of Rosemary
• coarse ground pink Himalayan sea salt
• small handful of telichery black pepper berries
• freeze dried shallot and onion pieces.
• Grind for 30 seconds
• add in a pinch or two of ground kaala jeera and sumac berries.
• Pulse grinder for a few seconds to mix.

(I get all my whole spices from either my garden, local farmers, or savory spice shop)

Instructions:

• Roughly chop potatoes 'stew' size.
• Place on bottom of slow cooker with 1 cup water.
• Sprinkle in seasoning.
• Rub seasoning on rabbit and place on top of potatoes in slow cooker.
• Cook on high for 1 hour, low for another 3-4. Rabbit should 'fall apart' when you try and take it out.
• Any leftover seasoning store in a jar for another meal

Quick Vegetable StirFry

Originally posted by me in the MyWholeFoodsLife Facebook group on June 7, 2015.

So got a bit of local caught seafood from farmers market this week and some great veggies for stir frys. I am so on a stirfry kick at this time.

Here's a simple stir fry for vegetarians as well as gluten free.

Ingredients:

 

• Two handfuls of Snow peas
• 3 small purple carrots (sub normal orange ones if you want, I love the heirloom breeds when I can get them)
• 4 scallions roughly diced greens and all
• Small package of mung bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup cooked rice

For sauce/flavor:

• 1/3 cup tamari soy sauce GF
• 1 teaspoon madras curry from savory spice shop
• 1/2 teaspoon each ginger, granulated garlic, four corners peppercorn and sea salt powder together.
• Hand blend sauce together in bowl

Instructions:

• Chop all veggies roughly except mung bean sprouts, I like mine roughly bite sized. Place in bowl.
• Bring 1 tablespoon coconut oil up to high heat.
• Dump in bowl of veggies let sauté for 1 min.
• Add sauce and keep mixing for 1 minute.
• Add cooked rice and turn down to low mix up everything for 2 minutes.
• Plate a sprinkle lightly with powdered Szechuan pepper salt
• This should make roughly two servings.

Simple duck soup

Came up with this recipe when a local farmer was selling duck at farmers market this paste weekend. So roughly 10 meals off a little less than $40 duck. 

Ingredients:

• 1 carcass from a 4lb duck, minus the breast and leg meat (went to other dishes)
• 6 stalks of celery
• 6 med size potatoes...
• 1/2 bag of tinkyada elbow pasta
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Boil duck and celery at low boil for about 2 hours until carcass falls apart.
• Take out carcass from broth and let cool.
• While waiting for the carcass to cool
• chop up the potatoes roughly and toss in the broth.
• Taste broth and add flavoring appropriately to your taste.
• Cook 5 minutes at low boil and add the tinkyada pasta 
• boil another 15 minutes per directions for the pasta.
• Strip any remaining meat off carcass, should be a little under a lb worth.
• Add the duck meat back in last 5 minutes.
• Made 5 complete servings and a sixth serving that is just broth to be used by another meal in future.

Egg Drop soup

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeRecipes Facebook group on September 23, 2014

Had a want for egg drop soup and not trusting the local restaurants on GlutenFree preparations decide to make a simple home version.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken broth (made from bones and carcass of chicken dinners)
• 4 chicken thighs skin and bones ...
• 4-6 cups water (enough to cover)
• 1 red onion
• 4 eggs
• GF soy sauce
• Toasted sesame oil
• 3 small Bok Choy

Instructions:

• Cut up the red onion to chunks and place in pot with the bones and skins from the chicken thighs and enough water to cover. Roiling boil for 1 hour.
• Filter out the thighs and onions leaving the broth and if needed add the extra broth from a previous chicken broth and bring back to boil for 10 min to reduce a little.
• While waiting for the broth to boil:
• Separate the yolks and whites of 4 eggs
• Mince the meat of the chicken.
• Add the add sesame oil, Bok Choy and minced chicken meat to the broth and reduce heat to low boil for 5 minutes.
• Add in the egg whites stirring softly 3 min.
• Add in yolks and stir softly another 2.
• Add soy sauce to taste and enjoy.

Pepperoni and cheddar cheese with naan style paleo pizza crust

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeRecipes Facebook group on August 1, 2014

Prep time 5 min
Cook time 20 min

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almond or cashew meal
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 package of boarshead mini pepperoni
• 1/2 cube of smoked goat cheddar cheese

Crust Instructions:

• Mix the almond/cashew meal with tapioca starch/flour.
• Add spices to this mix if you want. I add toasted garlic and turmeric.
• Spice to taste.
• Add the coconut milk and mix until completely combined. This should result in a pancake like consistency. Add more tapioca starch or coconut milk in small quantities until a thick pancake mixture consistency.
• Pour onto a pizza stone and spread thin.  Note that I put a parchment paper down to reduce cleanup later.
• Place in oven. 400 for 15 min.
• Take out and if any bubbles formed pop them and flatten.

Pizza Instructions:

• Spread the shredded cheese and sliced pepperoni on the bread.
• Place back in oven for another 5-10 minutes at 425.
• Serve warm. The pepperoni is a little oily but this naan style crust was still pull apart awesome.

Steak and garlic mashed potatoes

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeRecipes Facebook group on September 28, 2014

Simple meal proving not everything has to be complicated

 

Ingredients:

• 2 steaks
• 3 red potatoes
• 1/2 med size parsnip
• 4 med size shallots
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt, pepper and garlic powder
• Butter
• Coconut milk
• Coconut oil

Instructions:

• Skin and rough chop the potatoes drop in pot of water
• Skin and finely chop parsnip and drop in with potatoes
• Cook at med heat for 15-20 until parsnips and potatoes are soft to fork.
• While potatoes cooking:
• Finely cut the shallots into ribbons.
• Put in pan with tablespoon coconut oil.
• Cook a med until starting to become clear.
• Add in balsamic to cover and continue cooking until balsamic reduces to thick glaze and remove from heat.
• The timing should have the potatoes coming off the stove while the balsamic is still reducing.
• Place steaks lightly salted and peppered onto pan on the burner you took potatoes off. Cook 3-5 minutes per side depending on thickness. I shoot for med-rare.
• While steak is cooking:
• Drain water from potatoes
• Mash with butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Add a little coconut milk just enough to add some moisture to the mashed potatoes.
• Put steak on plate let sit for 5 minutes while you place the mashed potatoes on the plate and drizzle the balsamic glazed shallots over the potatoes.

Simple Rustic Chicken Heart Stew

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeRecipes Facebook group on September 1, 2014

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb chicken hearts
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes chopped into rough steak fries
• 1-2 shallots finely chopped...
• 2 tablespoons Cilantro/garlic paste ( if need recipe to make paste ask and I can post)

 

Instructions:

• Add shallots to hot oil in small pot.
• Sweat for 2 minutes
• Add washed hearts and cook about 5 minutes.
• Add paste and cook 2 minutes.
• Add potatoes
• Add enough water to cover all ingredients.
• Turn down heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes stirring occasionally until potatoes fall apart easily

Simple tuna or Salmon salad

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeRecipes Facebook group on May 26, 2014

Ingredients:

• 1 can/pouch of tuna/salmon drained unless in oil then use oil for dressing
• 1 small shallot diced finely
• 1 small pickling cucumber diced finely
• 1/2 stalk celery (I skip this because I don't like celery)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Mix everything together roughly trying not to completely mash out the tuna.

Suggested sides and notes:

• Eat on bread or make a handful of pasta to make a small pasta salad.
• This is a quick lunch I make a couple times a week during summer months. It's light and no mayo to go bad it's safe to take out for picnic.

German potato salad

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeRecipes Facebook group on May 26, 2014


Ingredients:

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 4 shallots (small to med size -- to taste)
• 2-3 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
• 2-3 slices of bacon.  Completely optional if vegetarian. 
• Spices for flavor. My favorites are lemon pepper and salt. Alternately Hungarian sweet paprika, pepper and salt.

 
Instructions:

• Brown up the bacon until crispy.  Whatever your favorite method and put to side until cool on paper-towels.   Skip this step if vegetarian.
• Boil the potatoes in the skin for roughly an hour. Stick a fork in them and if it goes in without resistance they are done.
• Let the potatoes cool for 5-10 minutes
• Peel the potatoes when still warm don't worry if they crumble a little.
• Place peeled potatoes in a bowl and chop loosely.
• Add the apple cider vinegar, finely minced shallots, and spices to the potatoes.
• Pour a few tablespoons of boiling water over it all
• Mix quickly before the potatoes soak up all the liquid.

Notes:

• Serve warm or cold. For me tastes better if it's had an hour in the refrigerator to cool off and of course as leftovers.  
• This is typically a side to grilling for me, but could be a side to any meal.
• Recipe feeds about 10-15 servings as a side
• Since no Mayo this can be safe for a warm day of grilling.
• Depending on what part of Germany you come from mustard may be added for a different flavor profile.

Paleo Bread

 Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on November 10, 2014

So been tweaking with a recipe I originally took from Elena's pantry site. Her recipe was for a much smaller bread pan then what I had. I also wanted a bread which would work for grilled cheese as well as sandwiches. Here's the latest copy modified to my tastes. Hope this helps someone else looking for a bread they aren't sure how to make.

 

 

This bread will come out a little heavy, like the consistency of a German rye style bread.  It will hold up to making grilled cheese, sandwiches, and most anything else you will through at it.

Mini GF pizza bites

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on September 11, 2014

Ingredients:

• 4-5 slices from my simple paleo bread recipe
• Goats milk smoked cheddar cheese 
• Goats milk mozzarella cheese...
• Boars head turkey pepperoni   Omit this ingredient if you want to avoid meat)
• Sprinkling of roasted garlic powder

Instructions:

• Take the slices of bread and put on parchment paper.
• Sprinkle with roasted garlic powder.
• Place shredded or thinly sliced cheddar, topped with the pepperoni slices, topped with mozzarella.
• Place in over 300 for approx 10-15 minutes or until all cheese melts.

Notes and Substitution Ideas:

• I was lazy and didn't feel like making my normal pizza dough. Figured I'd try something new
• You can sub out all the cheeses with vegan cheeses and sub out the meat with a vegan meat substitute, and sub out the bread (since that recipe contained eggs) for a vegan bread and this can be a turned into a vegan meal.

Simple fish dinner with rice

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on August 16, 2014

10 minutes active cook and prep time 40 minutes of waiting for rice to be cooked.  Serves 2

Ingredients:
For rice:

• 1/2 cup Lundberg jubilee GF rice
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 leek
• 10 Brussel sprouts

For fish:

• 2 tilapia
• Almond meal
• Favorite fish seasoning ( I like something called cloud peak I get from savory spice shop. Old bay also won't go wrong. )

Instructions:

• Mix rice, water and butter and bring to boil.
• Following package direction reduce heat to low and cook 40 minutes.
• Let stand 10 additional.
• While rice is cooking:
• Finely chop leek and brussel sprouts into thin ribbons.
• In a bag mix almond meal and seasoning. Place fish in bag and shake until coated.
• While rice is standing:
• Place the leek and Brussel sprouts in hot pan with oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook about 5 minutes at low med heat until browning/caramelization starts.
• Mix in rice and cook 1 additional minute while mixing well.
• Place coated fish in hot pan after rice is done and cooling with favorite cooking oil (I use Coconut oil) and brown about 3 minutes per side.

 

 

 

Simple summer salad with fruit

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on August 10, 2014

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber diced small
• Scallions to taste diced small
• 3 golden kiwis (like green ones but with golden flesh these are sweeter) diced small...
• 1 apple diced small
• 1 small pear diced small
• Lime or lemon juice to keep fruit fresh
• Favorite oil (lately mine is avocado)
• Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in bowl sprinkle with lime or lemon juice and favorite salad oil. S&P to taste.

Simple quick veggie omelet

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on August 13, 2014

 

5 min prep. 5-10 min cook. Cook times may vary slightly depending on pan type and stove heat.

Ingredients:

• 1 leek...
• 1 medium size summer squash
• 3 eggs I prefer duck eggs when I can get them.
• 2 tablespoons cultured coconut (sour cream or milk)
• 2 slices of cheese (my preference is smoked goats milk cheddar. )

Instructions:

• Beat eggs, and cultured coconut, salt&pepper and spices.
• Dice leek and squash small.
• Place in hot pan with 2 tablespoons coconut oil.
• Cook 3 min on high.
• Pour beaten eggs into pan over leek and squash.
• Flip omelet when ready (should take 1-2 minute on high looking for browning edges and firming of the eggs)
• Place the cheese on the cooked side and cook about 1-2 more minutes.

Simple salad

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on August 11, 2014

Prep time 5 min

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber diced
• 1 apple (For taste I prefer the Granny Smith) diced
• 1-5 winter onions depending on size diced
• 2 small red radishes diced
• 1/5 of a small red cabbage diced
• 1 can of tuna  Omit this ingredient if vegetarian)

 

Instructions:

• Mix onions, radishes, and apple first mixing with lime or lemon juice then dice the rest.
• Add the tuna and Mix well with salt and pepper.

Some subs or additions:

• If no issues with tomatoes add some.
• Also any good crumbly cheese works (Goat or Sheeps Milk Cheese for me) if the tuna is left out.
• Instead of apple a strong pear works as well. Danjou or Asian pear best so far.  You can have both pear and apple as well as kiwi.
• To extend the salad you can add a lettuce like Romaine Hearts, Iceberg.  I prefer the crisper lettuces personally.

Ghost curry chicken thighs with roasted garlic and turmeric naan:

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on July 26, 2014

 

 

I posted my basic paleo style naan recipe. So take that basic almond, tapioca starch and coconut recipe and add powdered roasted garlic and turmeric spices mix well. 

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless/skinless chicken thigh
• 2 small shallots
• Ghost curry spice mix
• Turmeric
• Charnushka
• 2 teaspoons of cashew meal
• Roughly 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil

 
Instructions:

• Chop chicken thigh meat in small cubes and mix with curry, turmeric and charnushka until the cubes are coated and dry
• Chop the shallots loosely and toss into a pan with coconut oil at med to med high for roughly 2 minutes until they start getting soft.
• Add in coated chicken cook roughly 5 min.
• Add coconut milk and cook another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the cashew meal and cook until the sauce gets thickened.

Serve in bowl and eat with pieces of naan.
Could add a cup of rice to turn into a two person meal. If for two double the chicken and naan.

Dirty rice

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on July 24, 2014

Ingredients:

• 3 leeks diced
• 1small fennel diced
• 1 leftover cooked chicken breast diced
• Ghost curry and salt to taste
• Roughly 1 cup of coconut milk
• 1 cup leftover rice
• 1/2 cup frozen corn

instructions:

• Place leeks and fennel in pan with 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• Season with ghost curry and salt
• Cook until leeks and fennel start getting translucent. Roughly 5 minutes.
• Add in diced chicken, rice and corn.
• Cook 1 additional minute.
• Add the coconut milk and cook until it's all absorbed

Substitutions:

• Make vegetarian by removing any meat products
• Any left over meat, and any veggie that you liked cooked can be subbed in to add variety to this simple meal.

Smelt and Shrimp fish soup

Originally posted by me in GlutenFreeFoodandRecipes Facebook group on May 24, 2014

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb wild caught smelt...
• 1/2 lb Argentinian pink shrimp
• 4 med red potatoes
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons habanero paste
• Old bay seasoning, 3 bay leaves, salt
• 1 container GF Medford veggie stock/broth
• 1 cup cooked rice

 

Instructions:

• Cook the onions in the old bay, salt, and habenaro paste with some oil.
• Once onions translucent put in the shrimp shells and stock and cook for 30 minutes to make the stock.
• Take out the shells and put in the potatoes cubed.
• Cook for 10 -20 minutes until potatoes almost done.
• Add the cleaned shrimp and smelt and cook for 10 minutes.
• Pour over some rice prepared ahead of time and enjoy.