Good Food Articles - July 7, 2012

Recalls:
New Jersey Firm Recalls Various Frozen, Ready-To-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Due To Potential Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination

Articles:

It’s Not So Offal

Exercises & Meals - July 6, 2012

Exercises:
Weeded and installed more fence for 3 hours; walked dog to mailbox

Daily Meals:
Breakfast - Lemon/Honey/Betaine/Acerola/Astragalus/filtered water
Snack - filtered water
Lunch - fried bacon; fried eggs; sun tea
Snack - filtered water; hard-boiled egg
Dinner - Easy Summer Hash ; raw milk
Snack - filtered water

Good Food Articles - July 6, 2012

Recalls:

CDFA Announces Recall Of Aandante Dairy Cheeses

Arctic Zero Inc. Voluntarily Recalls For Relabeling Frozen Dessert Due To Undeclared Milk Allergen On Label

Pacific International Marketing Voluntarily Recalls 19 Cases of Bulk Romaine Lettuce Sold At Vons And Pavilions Stores In California And Nevada Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination

Articles:

HS 94 – “Rewild Yourself, Rewild the Planet” with Daniel Vitalis  - podcast

THE SEED OF THE DAY FOR MID-SUMMER AND FALL PLANTING – Cabbage, Savoy Drumhead Perfection

Organic Pastures Summer Newsletter

Easy Summer Hash

1 lb. ground meat
1 stalk fresh broccoli, cut in small chunks
2 small yellow summer squash, cut in small chunks
6 slices raw cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon basil
bacon grease

Coat bottom of large (#9) cast iron pan with bacon grease. Fry ground meat on medium-high until browned. Add vegetables and spices; stir. Cook on low, covered, until vegetables are tender - about 25 minutes. Cover with cheese slices, cooking until melted before serving. Serves 4.

Exercises & Daily Meals - July 5, 2012

Exercises: Worked on pulling weeds and putting up fence for 3 hours.

Daily Meals:
Breakfast - Lemon/Honey/Betaine/Acerola/Astragalus/filtered water
Snack - filtered water
Lunch - raw colostrum
Snack - honey lemonade; baby carrots; Garlic Chive Chevre
Dinner - pork shoulder; pasta with artichoke heart sauce; raw milk
Snack - filtered water

Good Food Articles - July 5, 2012

I've read some really good articles on food health in the past year since I've really gotten serious about getting healthy with food and staying healthy. I'm going to start sharing some here each day in their own post. As well as any food-related recalls. I hope you enjoy them and learn something from them that will also help you. I am slowly getting used to a High Fat/Low Carb/Primal type of lifestyle & I'm really enjoying it. And, feeling healthier than I have in most of my life.

Why Follow A Grain Free Diet? by Jedha

BI-LO Issues Class II Recall On Southern Home Brand Bacon Ranch Salad Mix & Creamy Parmesan Salad Mix

 

July 4, 2012 - Exercises & Meals

Exercises:
Well, I didn't really exercise today, other than walking around a store for 2+ hours.

Meals:
Breakfast - raw milk
Snack - filtered water
Lunch - Berries & Cream; filtered water
Snack - Honey Lemonade
Dinner - Broiled Mozzarella Tomatoes; broiled pork chops; watermelon; raw milk
Snack - filtered water; pitted Kalamata Olives
Fireworks snack - Maple Cream soda

Broiled Mozzarella Tomatoes Recipe

8 small organic tomatoes
5-6 thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, to cover tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon crushed organic garlic
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground sea salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of olive oil on bottom of glass baking dish. Cut tomatoes in half and roll cut part in the olive oil; turn tomato over and arrange in dish, cut side up. In small bowl, combine spices. Sprinkle each tomato with spices. Place thin slices of cheese over tops of tomatoes, to cover. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the top. Place dish under broiler, set on low, for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. This served 2.

Maple Cream Soda Recipe

I haven't had soda since I was about 23 years old. I weaned myself off of that addiction in 1986. I haven't looked back. But, sometimes, I wonder if there's a way to make real, old-fashioned soda. Without the addictive sugars and other man-made chemicals. Well, there is!

1 cup sparkling spring water
1 Tablespoon organic dark maple syrup
.25 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1 cup crushed ice

Pulse all ingredients in blender until thoroughly mixed. Serve immediately, or store in glass jar with tight lid so you won't loose the effervescence. Makes 2-8 ounce servings.
This soda is not as overly sweet as sodas you will buy in the store. It has a mild sweetness.

Honey Lemonade Recipe

I've been wanting to make homemade lemonade for a long time and I've finally done it!

5 organic lemons (enough to make 1 cup of juice)
4.75 cups filtered water, divided
.75 cup raw creamed honey
1 cup crushed ice

Heat .75 cup of filtered water and honey on medium-high heat. Stir until honey is dissolved.
Halve the lemons and juice them. Strain pulp and seeds. Mix juice with the honey/water syrup and 4 cups of water. Pour over crushed ice. Stir.
Makes about 6 cups of lemonade. Refrigerate until used.

Berries and Cream Recipe

This is a simple take on the typical strawberries and cream.

1 cup organic berries (choose your favorite or mix & match!)
3 Tablespoons creme fraiche
1 teaspoon cacao nibs

As you can see in the picture, I used red raspberries. The creme fraiche is by Bellwether Farms. The nibs are 100% crushed cacao beans.
Enjoy!

More posts to come!

Where has the time gone! I haven't posted here since April! Oh, well. I still intend to add some pages here and also organize the recipes to find more easily! But, starting today, I will be posting recipes and articles more regularly again. Also, most of my daily meals and some of my exercises. I am making 3 quick and easy recipes today and will be posting them soon. Hope you are all having a safe Independence Day!

Crockpot Chicken and Rice recipe

2 slices bacon, chopped
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Cornish game hen
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 cup wild rice blend
3 cups homemade chicken bone broth (or enough to cover chicken)

Soak rice for one hour, rinse and strain. Set aside.
Fry bacon in cast iron skillet. Set aside.
Add olive oil to bottom of crock-pot and spread evenly. Add bacon. Place chicken in crock-pot, then add remaining ingredients in order given.
Cover; cook on low for 3-4 hours or until rice is tender. Uncover and let stand 15 minutes or until remaining liquid is absorbed.
This served 2.
Enjoy!

Cucumber Nori Salad recipe

4 slices raw cucumber
1 Spicy Nori Strip, crumbled
1 teaspoon sunflower seeds
5 black olives, crushed with fingers or sliced
1 Tablespoon red clover sprouts
1 teaspoon olive oil
Pinch black pepper

Lay out on serving plate in order. Enjoy!

Chicken and Eggs recipes

I'm making more of an effort to get my mom to stick to a Low Carb/High Fat (LCHF) meal plan. She only has 1 Rx left to wean off of and she has really been pushing to eat too many carbs lately! So, I played around with a couple of recipes tonight that gave us a total of about 2 carbs per plate.

~~~~~

Spicy Chicken Thighs

2 chicken thighs (with skin and bone in)
3/4 Tablespoon chopped garlic
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon bacon grease (not pictured)

Mix together the four spices on a plate. Lay the chicken (skin-side) on the plate and coat.

Heat the oil/grease in cast iron skillet on medium-high. Cook the chicken on each side about 7-10 minutes, making sure it is cooked through to the bone.
Served 2.

~~~~~

Baked Cheesy Bacon and Eggs

2 eggs
2 bacon slices
1 Cheddar cheese slice
2 teaspoons butter
2 Tablespoons sprouts of your choice (not pictured)

Brown the bacon in a cast iron skillet on medium-high. Do not over-cook, as it will continue to cook in the oven. Melt a teaspoon of butter in a muffin cup or ramekin. Wrap a strip of bacon around the inside of the cup. Break an egg into the cup. Cook in 350F oven (or toaster oven) for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and place half slice of cheese on top. Return to oven to continue cooking for 5-10 minutes longer, until cheese is melted and egg is cooked as desired. Top with sprouts.
Served 2.

I garnished with black olives.

Grilled Cheesy Apples recipe

I saw a recipe yesterday that I just had to try. You can find the original here on 1840 Farm's blog: Grilled Cheese for Everyone. So, here is my quick version!

1 apple, center-sliced in 1/4-inch pieces (I used an organic Daisy Girl)
raw cheddar cheese, sliced thinly
organic butter

Heat cast iron pan on medium; add pat of butter. Melt. Place 1 slice of apple in pan, cover with slice of cheese, add another slice of apple. Slightly brown apple and then turn to brown the other side. Cook until cheese is melted.

Let cool slightly. This will be a bit messy. But, oh so yummy. Enjoy!

Bacon and Broccoli Salad recipe

2 slices organic uncured bacon
Black pepper to taste
1 cup organic broccoli florets
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon bacon grease
1 Tablespoon organic pasture butter OR 2 Tablespoons shredded organic raw Cheddar cheese

Fry bacon (sprinkled with black pepper) in cast iron skillet. Cut into 1-inch slices. Remove to bowl.
In small saucepan or skillet, add bacon grease, broccoli and just enough water to cover broccoli. Simmer covered until broccoli is tender. Add broccoli to bowl. Sprinkle with pepper flakes and mix in butter (or cheese) until melted.
Served 1.
Enjoy!

Food Lifestyle

I have been doing a lot of experimenting with the things I eat and what they do to me as far as allergies and other reactions. I've always had a lot of irritating health issues and the more I learn the more I find that they were nearly all related to food choices. My allergies and asthma are essentially gone. My other lung issues are nearly a thing of the past. I no longer have heartburn or the stomach & intestinal issues I used to have. And, my chronic joint issues/synovitis that I have had since childhood are almost non-existent. (I'm still working on the occasional migraines I still have, though.) How? Eliminating processed foods and modern grains, mostly. Organic, real foods are what our bodies were meant to consume. Plant AND animal sources. The way I now eat is nothing radical. It's the way humans used to eat until about 100 years ago, with very few exceptions. Before rampant obesity; before chronic health problems. Another plus for me is that my mom is seeing the benefits, too. She is recalling how she ate as a child. She used to think it was because her family was poor, but now she remembers she was never sick & she was skinny. That really didn't change for her until the 1960s. She has lost nearly 50 lbs. in the past year & is feeling much better now. She is down to about 5 prescriptions from 19 less than a year ago. She was diagnosed 12 years ago as diabetic, obese, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, et al. What caused all this? The food she WAS eating for about 30 years. Processed foods. High carbs/grains. She is now 72 & feels better than she has in almost 20 years. She is walking more now. She is eating the way her body needs and eliminating symptom-suppressing medications. We are getting to the source of our problems, not hiding the symptoms. We've done this in baby steps. So, it has taken a better part of the past year, but we have seen progress every step of the way. One little thing at a time. We're patient! Anyone can do it. Just say no to anything that is sold in a can, plastic bottle, styrofoam box, etc., or that has ingredients that you cannot pronounce or that didn't exist 100 years ago. And, stay away from restaurants (not just 'fast food'.) Trust me. You won't miss it after a while. Personally, I would rather pay for good food that I make myself than pay the exhorbitant prices charged by restaurants and doctors. I'm looking toward the long-term, not the quick fix.
How do we eat? We eat organic meats. Mostly organic/pasture-fed pork, lamb, poultry & rabbit as I have found local organic sources. I am still looking for local beef. Occasionally, trout or other seafood. We get pastured eggs from a local farmer (the hens roam on grass & eat bugs and other things chickens are meant to eat.) We eat and/or juice lots of fruits and veggies (organic & mostly local - go to your local farmer's markets and talk directly with the source!) We also grow a bit of our own fruits and veggies in our small space. We drink filtered water (and occasionally buy real spring water - sadly we don't have a local spring nearby.) We eat & drink organic and/or raw dairy from local creameries (WHOLE milk, WHOLE cream, real cheese - not that dyed orange pretend cheese crap, real butter from pastured, grass-fed cows.) Check out the following websites to help you start on the path to better health through food:
Local Harvest
Weston A. Price Foundation
Daniel Vitalis' blog
David Wolfe's blog
Mark's Daily Apple
These are just a few that I visit regularly. There are MANY more.
Remember, most doctor's are NOT taught nutrition while pursuing their medical degrees. Yet, many take the Hippocratic Oath (which in truth has been adulterated over the years.) One of Hippocrates' original lines was, "I will apply dietic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.
I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art." He also originated the phrase, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food".
Many will tell you to go what I consider the radical route (you must eat raw only, you must avoid all animal-sourced foods, you must eat or not eat this, etc.) Honestly, there is not a 'one-size' fits all 'diet' plan for everyone. I was vegetarian (almost vegan) for 10 years. It was not for me. I felt like crap all the time & it exacerbated many of my health problems. But, for others, it may work. But, the main thing I profess is to eat as closely to what our ancestors ate as you can - this is NOT necessarily a strict Primal or Paleo-type diet. They did not go to McDonald's or Starbucks every day. They did not use microwaves. The did not eat out of boxes or cans. Pick one or 2 things that you can do 'right now' to start your journey. Once you have that working, pick another and another, until you have the healthy diet that works for you. It doesn't have to happen overnight, but gradually it will. And, you will see and feel the difference!

Sesame Banana Treats recipe

I was inspired to try this when I saw this recipe: http://networkedblogs.com/uMPmb I followed it fairly closely.

1 organic banana, frozen and cut into slices

2 tbsp organic tahini

2 tbsp organic coconut oil

Sesame seeds

Organic shredded coconut

cinnamon

Heat tahini and coconut oil in small cast iron pan on low heat just until coconut oil is melted and the 2 ingredients are blended.

Dip banana slices in mixture with spoon, making sure to cover both sides. Place in glass dish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and shredded coconut while still wet. Repeat for each slice. Sprinkle with cinnamon. 

Place in fridge before eating. Can be stored in freezer.

 Forgot to put the cinnamon in the ingredient picture.

Served 2.

Fried Rabbit, Wild Rice and Salad recipe

Dinner almost didn't happen. My mom couldn't decide how she wanted to cook the rabbit! I'm so glad she settled on fried! The picture is at the end.

Half of quartered organic rabbit
Organic milk
Organic flour
Garlic salt, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Bacon grease

Wash rabbit pieces and pat dry. In separate bowls, dredge pieces in milk and then in flour/spice mixture. Fry in small amount of bacon grease until batter is crispy, about 10 minutes. Turn and fry other side.

~~~~~

1 cup organic bone broth
1/2 cup Organic wild rice blend

Boil broth; add rice. Cover pot with lid and reduce heat. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender and broth has been absorbed.

~~~~~

2 cups organic baby lettuce mix, torn into bite size pieces
1/2 organic tomato, sliced into narrow wedges
2 organic radishes with tops, sliced thinly & add tops to lettuce mix
1/4 cup organic onion, diced
1/4 cup organic raw milk cheddar cheese, shredded
Black Pepper, to taste
Organic dressing, to taste

Toss together first four ingredients. Top with cheese and pepper. Add dressing.

~~~~~

This served 2.