Essential Grain Newsletter

April Greetings!

Normally I’m not a fan of spring – it can be cold, snowy, wet, muddy and a bit dreary until it really gets going into late April early May, but not this year! Dandelions are springing up (pun intended J), birds are chirping and its downright really nice outside. So in honor of the new season, I’ve got a recipe you’re really gonna love.  I’ve heard of black bean brownies before, but having not conveniently come across a recipe I kept forgetting about it until I was blessed with this recipe just falling into my lap.  Okay, maybe not my lap – but after finding it there sure are a lot of browines in my tummy!  This slightly more modified version is a bit more healthy – and honestly you could even go further with that on this one.  I think the eggs could be replaced with the flax substitute (see my site for instructions).  We’re also thinking of adding some cherries in the future for a really loaded goodie!

Black Bean Chocolate Brownies

Makes 12 brownies at 83 calories a piece.
1 cup cooked black beans
2 tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
2 eggs
Dash of salt
1/3 cup Rapadura (or regular sugar)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup nuts
¼ cup chocolate chips

- Place all ingredients accept nuts and chocolate chips into blender.
- Blend on medium high until you see a creamy batter. Depending on your blender, several seconds to a minute.
- Grease an 8”x8” pan with oil (preferably coconut) and pour batter in.
- Sprinkle nuts and chips over batter if using and gently push into batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the top looks dry and it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool, slice and enjoy!

Easy Drain Cleaner/Refresher

Will this drain cleaner get rid of hairballs? No, but if you’re looking for a natural way to get some of the gunk from building up and get the ‘funk’ out of your drains – this is as easy and safe as it gets! Take your average baking soda and pour/sprinkle a ½ cup of it down the drain of your choosing. Pour a ½ cup of regular white vinegar over that and watch the fizzy magic happen.  Let this sit for at least 2 hours, then rinse for several minutes with very hot water from the tap.  Viola! Your drain is now a little cleaner and you didn’t have to muss up the environment to do it. You could also add a few drops of an essential oil of your choice to boost the disinfecting and deodorizing power.  Good choices would be eucalyptus, tea tree, thyme and any of the citrus oils.

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

March Greetings!

What an interesting winter season it’s been!  Whether you’ve gotten more than your fair share of snow, or are falling behind – warmer weather is always welcome after the cold temperatures. The 20^th of this month marks the Spring Equinox and the beginning of a new season.  An equinox is a day of equal sun and night – a symbol for balance.  What a great reminder during the changing seasons to take stock of where we’ve been and where we’re going in the next year!   

This month I’d like to highlight a gluten free baking mix that is truly tasty, easy and versatile.  If you haven’t tried Pamela’s baking mix yet, now you’ve got a great recipe to try it with!  I’ve used this mix to make cookies of every kind, muffins and super yummy pancakes.  Whether you’re a seasoned gluten free pro and make everything from scratch or just starting out, you will find this a wonderful addition to your pantry.  I’m also highlighting a favorite spice in our house that is far more versatile than you could ever imagine.

Graham Crackers

Makes 18 crackers/cookies at 57 calories a piece.
2 ½ tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
¼ cup Rapadura (or regular sugar)
1 ½ tbsp raw honey or agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups Pamela’s Baking Mix
¼ cup or less of water

- Cream the coconut oil (or butter) and Rapadura (or sugar), honey or agave and vanilla until creamy.
- Add in the Pamela’s Baking mix and start stirring together.
- Start adding water in a tablespoon at a time, you want the dough on the slightly dryer side (but not so dry its crumbly and won’t hold together).
- Divide into 24 balls of dough and flatten on cookie sheet lined with Silpat or unbleached parchment paper. You could also roll out between two pieces of wax paper, which is recommended if you want the more authentic cracker texture.
- Prick with fork every ½ inch, all through the dough in rows.
- Bake at 275° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool and store in an airtight container.
* Can also be crumbled and used to make a graham cracker crust. *
* Make cinnamon graham crackers by adding in 1 tsp cinnamon when adding in the mix. I’ve also been known to sprinkle with coconut sugar and more cinnamon and press into the top of the crackers with the wax paper before baking. *
 

Ancho – Your new secret weapon

 Chili powder is used to spice up all sorts of things from tacos, to dip, to….. chili!  I’ve found that there are many dishes that I would like to have the same ‘kick’ of chili powder, but not quite the same taste.  Either I’m using other spices or ingredients that would clash, or I’m just looking for something a little different.  Enter ancho powder!  Often the main ingredient in chili powders (along with garlic, cumin and oregano) ancho lends a perfect amount of heat without being overwhelming.  Tastier on its own than you might imagine, I’ve found myself adding it to all sorts of recipes.  Sweet and sour stir fry a little boring – add some ancho! Mexican hot chocolate is just asking for a sprinkle of this gem. How about a little extra in that taco dip seasoning?  It’s also great along with chili powder for extra heat without overdoing the other spices and upsetting the balance of the dish.  If you don’t already have it in your pantry, pick some up and give it a try.  Adding ¼ to ½ tsp to an existing recipe is all you need to get things really cooking!

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

February Greetings!

 Winters in full swing with freezing temperatures, snow and blowing winds.  Yikes! Time to think about the next season.  While I’m not one to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I certainly won’t pass up the chance to eat more chocolate!  This recipe is a bit healthier than other chocolate truffle recipes as it uses less fat and employs copious amounts of coconut oil and shredded coconut.  If you haven’t heard me rave about the health benefits of coconut, check out the links on my site.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised!  This is a super easy recipe, no bake, and lots of fun.  Try making it with your honey, the kids or a special friend.  Using a small Pyrex glass bowl (3 ½”  diameter) to roll them in cocoa powder is something you’ll find more entertaining than you thought… just don’t let them fly out of the bowl!

 Coconut Truffles

Makes 26 truffles at 64 calories a piece.
3 tbsp dark chocolate chips
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
3 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp Agave syrup (dark) or Maple Syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
½ cup coconut, shredded
¼ cup coconut, finely shredded *
Pinch of salt
Cocoa powder for coating (approx. ¼ cup)

- Place chocolate chips and coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl and melt.
- Stir well and add in the cocoa powder, Agave, vanilla, arrowroot and salt.
- Mix in the shredded coconut.
- Place in fridge to firm up for at around a ½ an hour.
- Place 2 tbsp of cocoa powder in a small bowl.
- Take small amounts of ‘dough’ out, a little less than a teaspoon at a time, and roll into balls between your palms about the size of a cherry.
- After forming each truffle, place in bowl and jiggle around until completely coated.
- Keep going until you have all the truffles rolled and coated in cocoa powder. Place in airtight container and store in fridge.
* If you don’t want to purchase or grind up finer yourself, you can just use more regularly shredded coconut or coconut flour. If using coconut flour, reduce to 1tbsp. *

 

Tropical Traditions

And since I’m on the subject of coconut oil, I found a new supplier that makes an organic coconut oil – truly ‘old school’ style.  You can read all about it on their site, but I have to tell you that from my experience with them so far, their oil IS different than other virgin coconut oils.  A bit more on the pricey side, but they have lots of sales and free shipping offers which makes the cost more reasonable.  When you consider the quality of the product, it’s worth it.  Sign up for their emails or Like them on Facebook to get updates.  They sell a large selection of items other than just coconut products including honey, meat and produce - to just name a few.  www.tropicaltraditions.com

See you next month!

December Greetings!

Wow! Has the end of this year gone fast! Sorry I missed you last month – I zoned right through doing a newsletter and I’m going to blame it all on being in a turkey induced hazeJ.  I’m sure everyone has been enjoying all the treats of the season, which can lead to a little overindulging.  I found this recipe on HerbMentor.com and wanted to share it with all of you!  It’s a simple herbal recipe for helping soothe the tummy and help with digestion.  Whether you like to make your own candied ginger or buy some, it’s a very easy recipe to bring together.  Impress your guests and help everyone to feel more relaxed and comfortable, in a healthy and natural way.

 Natural Digestive Aid

1 tbsp minced candied ginger
1 tbsp dried orange peel powder
3 tbsp’s fennel seeds
 
- Mix the minced candied ginger, orange peel powder and fennel seeds in a bowl.
- Eat a teaspoon or more after meals.
- If you don’t like chewing fennel seeds, lightly crush them before mixing with the other ingredients.
 

 See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

October Greetings!

 Indian Summer anyone? I hope you’re all getting to enjoy the end of the season with a walk through your local park – the colors this time of year are always so amazing to look at. Enjoying the change of seasons can bring all sorts of wonderful things back into our lives that we look forward to all year long.  Spiced Apple Cider after a long fall walk, Pear Crisp with a nice dollop of ice cream on the side, and let’s not forget the Pumpkin Pie! While all of these desserts are vital (yeah!) to enjoying the season, the simple staple of a nice fresh roll with the warming fall and early winter meals can’t be forgotten.  I love this recipe for its simplicity and quick results.  While not gluten free (still working on that…) spelt is a hearty and nutritious grain that you will surely love.  Whole wheat would also work, but spelt is preferred.

Super Quick Rolls
With the texture and taste of a hearty dumpling, you'll love these with soup or stew.
Coming it around 80-110 calories, depending on the fat option. Makes 6 rolls.
1 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup goat (or your choice) milk
1/2 tsp Rapadura (or sugar)
2 tbsp plain mayo, low-fat yogurt or low-fat sour cream

- Mix all dry ingredients together.
- Add the mayo (or other) and mix in until crumbly.
- Add milk and stir well until all mixed.
- You can grease muffin tins, or wait a minute until the mix starts to thicken and drop into 6 even mounds on Silpat or parchment paper.
- Bake at 450° for 7-9 minutes, until golden.
- Leftover rolls are great warmed up in the microwave.

Sami’s Bakery

If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of baked goods from ‘Sami’s’, you’re missing out!  The first time that I had one of their brown rice and millet buns I thought I had made a mistake and somehow got a wheat bun instead.  Fluffy, moist and with great texture and taste - truly superb toasted.  I’ve since tried their bread and Lavash baked goods and all of them make rotations in our household.  While these aren’t certified gluten free as they’re produced alongside items that have wheat and gluten (sorry for those that need absolute gluten free!), if you have a gluten/wheat intolerance than these are highly recommended.  My hubby who doesn’t need to eat that way actually prefers the buns over regular wheat.  The secret seems to be the brown rice starter culture which I’ve done some reading on.  Seems the best way to get a brown rice culture to grow is with kefir water, which is not the same as kefir milk.  Similar grain, but grown in a water sugar mix versus milk.  There is a lot of interesting info out there on kefir water as a great probiotic especially for those who are lactose intolerant or just don’t like the taste of regular milk kefir.  There’s someone on eBay that sells organic kefir water grains if you’re interested in checking them out.  Sami’s also has lots of items that aren’t carried in my local store (like a pizza crust) but you can order them online from their website.  www.samisbakery.com

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

September Greetings!

 I’m always excited this time of year when I can get back into the forests for a walk and not be attacked by swarms of buggies, but find myself (like everyone else) wanting to hang onto the warm short wearing weather.  Nothing like baked goods to take the edge off!  In a follow up to last month’s recipes is the Baked Long John recipe.  While this version with cinnamon in the batter and chocolate ganache on top gets gobbled up shortly after coming out of the oven, I’ve also included another variation.  Being a lover of all things lemon, I’ve found that lemon zest and poppy seeds make a delightful and refreshing cupcake with this batter as well.  This recipe is made with light Spelt flour, and you could substitute regular white flour for this.  It doesn’t work well with whole wheat versions though.  I’m in the process of testing a gluten free version of this, and will update you when that’s finished.  If you haven’t tried Spelt flour before, this is a great recipe to get your feet wet.  A variety of wheat often tolerated by those with wheat sensitivities, it has a higher nutritional value than regular whole wheat with a sweet, nutty taste.  It can be found in the bulk isle or bagged in most natural foods stores.

Baked Long Johns

Makes 2 large servings (using small bread loaf pan) at 291 calories a piece – or –
Makes 4 smaller servings (using muffin top) at 145 calories a piece.
1 cup light spelt flour
¼ cup Rapadura (or regular sugar)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/8 tsp Cinnamon powder (I’ll admit it, we used ¼ +)
¼ tsp Salt (kosher if you can)
1 large egg
3 ounces milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 ounces Chocolate chips (the darker the better!)
½ tbsp Milk (got goat?)

- Mix the flour, Rapadura, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Mix the egg, milk and vanilla and add to flour mix and stir until incorporated.
- Lightly grease small bread loaf pans (3”x6”) or a muffin top pan.
- Place batter in the pan of your choice and bake at 325 for approx. 18 minutes or until golden.
- Cool on wire rack.
- Melt chocolate chips and add goat milk, stir til smooth and ‘frost’ tops.
_ Let them thoroughly cool (if you can wait!) and enjoy with Tapioca, vanilla pudding or as is.

For the Lemon Poppy seed version we made them into cupcakes. Add 1 tbsp freshly grated lemon rind, 1 tbsp Poppy seeds and skip the vanilla. Eat as is or frost with white or buttercream frosting. Cupcakes bake for 15 minutes.

Leroux Creek Apple Sauce

I know what you’re thinking, applesauce… why not just make some?  Granted I love homemade applesauce as much as the next, especially during the fall apple season.  But some recent dental work that I wasn’t prepared for changed my mind on prepared applesauce and I had to pass along this super tasty brand.  Highly recommended if you’re ever looking for something quick, easy, portable and best of all organic with nothing else added.  I’m hooked on the Cherry Applesauce.  The flavor is sweet with just the right amount of tang and surprisingly better than I ever expected.  Since I couldn’t chew it was a welcome treat.  Now I find myself purchasing it when I’m running low on time and want something a little extra special.  (if I can keep my hubby away from it!)  I haven’t had the easiest time finding it as it seems only one natural store in my area carries it, but its totally worth the effort as I’ve never tasted prepared applesauce this good.  http://lerouxcreek.com/

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

August Greetings!

There’s nothing like a cold, refreshing pudding on a hot summer evening and this recipe doesn’t disappoint.  Fluffy, textured and oh so creamy - Tapioca pudding is easier than you ever thought!  Not only is this a delightful early evening dessert, it also makes a tasty edition to summer picnics.  As usual, I recommend that you make this with goat milk as the creamy results will impress you.  We often make this with baked Long Johns (recipe later) and serve them with this pudding.  Served with fresh fruit or alone, you’ll be enjoying this pudding and its homemade taste any time of the year.

Tapioca pudding
Serves 8 at 130 calories per serving.
½ cup pearl tapioca
¾ cup water
2 ¼ cup milk (goat!)
2 eggs, separated
1/3 cup agave syrup
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

- Soak tapioca and water in the saucepan you’ll be cooking it in for 30 minutes on the counter.
- Separate the eggs and place the egg whites in a non stainless steel bowl (glass or copper work best).
- Add the milk, egg yolks and salt and place on burner over medium high heat.
- Stir with whisk and continue to stir until it starts to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the agave to the egg whites and beat with electric whisk/mixer until soft peak forms.*
- Temper the beaten egg whites by adding some of the cooked milk mixture and fold with a spatula.
- Add the tempered mix back into the saucepan and cook over medium low heat while gently folding with a spatula until fully incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
- Take off of heat and let rest 15 minutes before adding in the vanilla extract, folding again to incorporate.
- Serve warm for a fun treat and refrigerate the rest for later.
* Soft peak will be when the egg whites start to look creamy and have a light, glossy appearance. You will stop the beater and pull the beater whisks up to see if a ‘soft peak’ forms. The egg whites will not be watery at this stage and will hold their shape very lightly. *
 

Carmelite Water

I came across this recipe on HerbMentor.com (a monthly fee site offering herbal information and mentoring) and had to share it with everyone.  You can imagine sipping this on the patio in the early evening just as the firefly’s start their show. The following is an excerpt from their site.  Enjoy!

Carmelite water refers to a myriad of recipes that infuse lemon balm along with a couple of other plants in wine or alcohol. This mixture was used externally as an ‘eau de toilette’ or perfume back before bathing was cool. It was also used internally for digestive complaints and neuralgic complaints (headache, pains etc).  I’ve read that the original recipe was created by Carmelite monks near Paris in 1611. Since then there have been countless variations.  Herbalist Maude Grieve writes the following in her book A Modern Herbal (published 1931). Formerly a spirit of Balm, combined with lemon-peel, nutmeg and angelica root, enjoyed a great reputation under the name of Carmelite water, being deemed highly useful against nervous

To make this you’ll need....

*I highly recommend using it fresh if you are able.

Once you’ve got all the ingredients together you simply need to put them in a jar and then fill the jar with the bottle of white wine. Then stir or shake well to mix everything together.  Taste the mixture at regular intervals to see how long it needs to macerate, depending on your taste preference.  Anywhere from 3-6 hours is the recommended time.  When you decide your brew is done, strain off the herbs and enjoy! This is wonderful when drank chilled on a hot summer day.

Not a wine drinker?

There are lots of options to modify this recipe to work for you.

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

July Greetings!

 Ice Cream!  Now that I’ve got your attention, I’m going to give you a healthy alternative that’s simple and requires very few ingredients.  Made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, (okay, maybe not the coconut milk) you’ll be eating a tasty frozen dessert in no time!  We skipped the crust (as usual) and made this upside down by spraying the pie dish with coconut oil and sprinkling the topping on the bottom and pouring the mix over the top and served it upside down cake style.  Whichever way you choose, you’ll be enjoying this frozen treat all summer long.  Don’t let the high calorie count fool you; coconut milk’s fat is healthier for you than regular fat.  Two-thirds of coconut oils fat goes to your bodies’ energy burning, with the last 1/3 going to your fat stores.  How’s that for easy healthy eating!

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Cone Pie
358 calories with crust, 258 without! Serves 8
5 really ripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup cocoa powder
1 can of coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 graham cracker pie crust of your choice
1/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped
1 oz of dark chocolate, shaved
* ¼ cup toasted coconut (optional)

- Place bananas, cocoa powder, coconut milk and vanilla into blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour into pie crust.
- Sprinkle peanuts, chocolate and optional toasted coconut over top.
- Cover with wrap or container top.
- Freeze a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
- Let sit for 30 minutes before enjoying..

Summer Salads made Healthier

Tuna salad, macaroni salad, potato salad… easy, cool and oh so welcome in the summer months.  The amount of mayo these recipes call for can be a bit frightening when you add up the fat and calories though!  An easy and tasty way to reduce the fat and also get a better coating sauce lies in simple solution of low-fat yogurt.  If your recipe calls for say, a ½ cup of mayo, reduce the mayo to 2 tbsp and fill the rest of the measuring cup up with yogurt, the equivalent of 6 tbsp of mayo.  Add in a tsp of Dijon mustard and a ½ tsp of lemon juice and you’ll have all the zing of mayo but you’ll lose hundreds of fat calories while adding in some healthy probiotics.  We’ve found that all the starchy items you coat it with (pasta, potato) love the yogurt coating and your salad will have a more moist and consistent texture.  Better yet, try plain low-fat goat yogurt for an extra creamy addition to your summer salad.  Enjoy!

 

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

June Hello There!

I don’t know about you, but personally I’ve been impatiently waiting for comfortable, warm weather.  The kind of temperatures where when you get out of bed in the morning you aren’t scrambling for clothes to put on before your toes freeze off!  Boy, oh boy have I been loving the warm weather!  Fresh fruit and all of summer’s bounty ready and ripe for some healthy tasty eats. Which brings me to this month’s Newsletter subject: when you’ve been grocery shopping lately I bet you’ve seen those large displays of the ever looked forward to Vidalia sweet onions.  I’m a big onion fan, but even if you’re not, who can turn down a Blooming Onion?  Granted, this one isn’t battered from stem to stern, and also not deep fried (obviously with it being baked) but with some clever seasoning and a tasty dip, you’ll be enjoying it more knowing the hundreds of calories and tons of fat that you’ve ditched for this healthier alternative.  This is a great example of easy gluten free fun food.  You can use regular bread crumbs for this, gluten free bread crumbs, or be even more nutritionally daring and use what we did; Amaranth Flakes cereal pulverized into a nice crumb!  Whatever way you choose, you’ll be happily munching on this tasty and healthy seasonal delight.

Blooming Onion

Serves 4 at 140 calories per serving with 2 tbsp sauce.
2 large sweet Vidalia onions
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp dry bread crumbs *
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Sauce:
¼ cup reduced fat sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 ½ tsp roasted granulated onion
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp dried dill weed (or fresh if you have it!)
* We used Arrowhead Mills Amaranth Flake cereal in this recipe. *

 - With a sharp knife, slice 1/2 in. off the top of the onions; peel outer skin off onions. Cut each into 16 wedges to within 1/2 in. of root end.
- Place each onion face down on a 1’x’1 section of unbleached parchment paper. Fold over and around onions and place stem side down so paper stays in place in an ungreased 11”x 7” baking dish. Bake uncovered at 425° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully open paper (careful, hot steam!). Open onion segments up.
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter and mustard. Brush butter mixture over onions evenly getting into all the nooks and crannies; sprinkle with bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
* A few times when we made this we took all the onion segments apart and laid them on the opened parchment paper so that we could easily brush the butter mixture on top, then sprinkled with topping and baked as usual.*
- Bake 18-22 minutes longer or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Serve with onions.
 

Summer Sun Skin Tip 

Everyone knows how aloe can soothe a sun burn, but have you tried a hydrosol?  They’re a wonderful healing and soothing remedy for overindulgence under the sun.  True hydrosols are steam-distilled specifically to capture all the beneficial components that whole plant materials have to offer.  They contain all of the essence of the plant in every drop, just like essential oils but in a milder form.  This is particularly important when dealing with sun damaged, sensitive skin where using essential oils may be to strong.  If you don’t have access to hydrosols, making a strong ‘tea’ of herbs and using it as a spritz or rinse over the affected area would also be effective.  Herbs to use would be Chamomile, Lavender, Calendula and Rose.  All are soothing, healing and gentle enough for sensitive skin use.  Questions? Visit me on Facebook and start a discussion.
 

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

May Greetings!

With the upcoming warm, summer weather right around the corner I find myself looking forward to all the tasty recipes that are enjoyed during this time of year.  Granted, there are a lot of cold dishes of salads and such, but also the lighter but still ‘hot’ dishes.  While I must admit we enjoy this year ‘round, it truly is a great dinner in the summer when you don’t want to be overly full (so you can enjoy all the cold desserts!).  Easier, faster and more economical than you ever thought it could be, and versatile enough to please just about everyone.

Who doesn’t like Fajita’s?  This tasty Mexican dish is a favorite of many but not easily duplicated.  Although this recipe doesn’t replicate the open frying on the grill, it offers an easy and tasty way to have another version of them at home.  Tortillas are an obvious choice, but consider changing things up a bit and serving with rice for a Mexican Stir Fry.  Low in fat and calories and easy to customize to everyone’s preferences with garnishes.  I pre-slice the steak and freeze in portions to make things even easier when assembling in the slow cooker.  From start to finish, you’ll have the lid on the pot in 15 minutes.  How great is that?

Slow Cooker Fajita’s

Serves 4 at 250 calories per serving. (with tortilla & cheese!)
½ lb. sirloin tip steak, sliced thinly into 1”x2” rectangles
2 large bell peppers (each of a different color) sliced thinly
½ large onion, sliced thinly
½ cup water
½ tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tortillas
Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese (or your choice) slices
Sour cream and any other toppings you desire.

- Slice steak very thinly into 1”x2” rectangles and place in slow cooker.
- Slice bell peppers and onion thinly in long strips and place in slow cooker.
- Mix water, chili powder, lime juice and apple cider vinegar, pour over meat and veggies in slow cooker and stir well until all items are coated. Try to pat down into an even layer.
- Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours.
- Strain meat and veggies from juices and serve on tortillas (or rice) with cheese.
- Serve with sour cream, extra salsa (if you really like it hot!) and some sprouts for garnish.

Gluten Free Tip

Bread crumbs are indispensable in the kitchen when cooking from scratch.  They’re the special ingredients in making meatballs, crunchy toppings, breading’s and coatings.  I’ve often made a batch of bread or kept the crusts from a not so fresh loaf of gluten free bread to make into croutons to crush into bread crumbs – but that’s a lot of work!  I also use corn flakes crushed as either a substitute or in conjunction with bread crumbs.  Recently I was thinking of how people with corn and gluten allergies would like a simpler, quick solution.  Enter… Amaranth Flakes cereal from Arrowhead Mills.  I crush these flakes the same way in my Vitamix blender and used them to bread fish sticks.  My hubby didn’t even notice!  Since then I’ve used them in any recipe that called for bread crumbs and have been happy with the results in all cases.  We even used them to ‘bread’ a baked blooming onion. (recipe for next month)  So there you have it; a simple, quick and easy gluten free, corn free bread crumb with amaranthy goodness to boot.

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

April Greetings!

The first time I made this recipe it didn’t call for any spinach.  While it was tasty without it, I found this to be a perfect example of how often I see good recipes that could be even better nutritionally with the addition of more vegetables.  Adding more mushrooms is an easy way to make a dish ‘larger’ without adding any fat or calories.  The addition of spinach also increases portion size while adding the nutrition of greens.  I’m sure if you took a look at some of the recipes you make right now you would find easy ways to incorporate veggies like spinach into them.  Using bagged frozen spinach takes any extra work out of it, making it an easy choice.  That said, this is one of those really easy recipes that gives you a lot of bang for your buck (and effort).  The Neufchatel cheese* makes every bite seem as though you were getting a whole lot more cheese than you really are, and the chorizo sausage packs so much flavor that you won’t even notice all that healthy spinach.  * Neufchatel cheese is a soft unripened cheese that originates in France. The American version, which is similar to cream cheese, is made from pasteurized milk and cream. American Neufchatel is slightly lower in calories than cream cheese and has slightly more moisture. Don’t mistake it for non-fat cream cheese, which can really alter a recipes texture.  Neufchatel allows for less fat and calories and retains all the creamy goodness.*

Enchilada Lasagna

Serves 4 at 350 calories per serving.
1 Chorizo sausage
7-10 mushrooms, diced
½ large onion, diced
1 cup frozen spinach
4 oz. Neufchatel cream cheese
½ tbsp. chili powder
½ can of Muir Glen Chipotle Fire Roasted Tomato’s
3 flour tortillas
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or your choice)

- Remove the Chorizo sausage from its casing and break up in pan. Sauté and continue to break up the sausage as if you were browning meat for tacos.
- Drain fat. I usually toss an unbleached paper towel in and give it a few stirs as pork fat doesn’t pour out of the pan very easily.
- Add in the mushrooms, onion and spinach and cook until all are wilted and most of the moisture is gone.
- Take off heat and stir in the chili powder and cream cheese and mix until cheese is thoroughly melted.
- Puree the canned tomatos. I puree the whole can and freeze half for another recipe.
- Grease a pie pan and place 1 tbsp. of sauce evenly over the bottom of the pie pan.
- Place a tortilla over the sauce, add on ½ of the sausage/veggie mix and top with ½ the cheese.
- Place another tortilla on top, place 2 tbsp. of sauce and spread evenly. Add the other half of the sausage/veggie mix and the other ½ of the cheese.
- Top with the last tortilla and the rest of the sauce.
- Bake uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.
- Let sit 5 minutes after removing from the oven and slice into 4 sections.
- Serve with sour cream, extra salsa (if you really like it hot!) and some sprouts for garnish.

Beauty Tip

This will be the easiest beauty tip ever!  Change your pillow case from cotton to silk.  When it comes to your delicate facial tissue, smooth silk fabric helps to prevent creases, which in turn can help to prevent wrinkles.  For hair, silk prevents static build up and helps to reduce the amount of tangles as hair glides across it.  This results in the added benefit of less ‘bed head’ in the morning. 

Silk is also good for allergy suffers as it doesn’t collect dust mites like other pillow surfaces.  It is naturally mildew resistant and is very durable.  You will also find that the pillow case feels cooler against your skin.  This is because silk doesn’t trap body heat like other fabrics.  Washing issues you say?  Never fear, sweater bags are here!  I place my silk pillow case in a sweater or fine fabric zippered machine washing bag and toss in with other bed linens for easy cleaning.  I’ve found this protects and cleans so efficiently that handwashing is a thing of the past.  Indulge yourself in a little silk for affordable and enjoyable nurturing body care.

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

March Hello There!

When I first tried this recipe we were still regularly using buns for any and all types of burgers.  Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with buns – but we often felt that the bun overshadowed the tasty patty.  It was actually my hubby’s idea to ditch the bun and go ‘au natural’.  You need to realize that he’s quite the sauce lover and I secretly think he felt the bun was interfering with him enjoying the tasty sauce.  So I took his suggestion and made more sauce and added a veggie side and - viola!  This recipe is a perfect example of how a ‘burger’ can be made into something that is a lower calorie, healthier dish (and easy gluten free) by just removing the bun.  One hamburger bun weighs in at 100 calories or over and is easily replaced with a tasty vegetable side.  With the added pineapple and spiced up ketchup it’s a quick and easy meal – you won’t even miss the bun!  Personally, we love it with asparagus around here, but any veggie combo to your liking will be superb.  We also often have more than one pineapple slice per person.  After having this dish, you’ll be inspired to toss the bun on your other burger recipes as well.  And if tossing the whole bun is just too big of a step, consider open faced sandwiches with more fixings on top.

 Hawaiian Turkey Burgers

Makes 4 servings at 161 calories.
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 sliced green onion
¼ red bell pepper diced (optional)
½ tbsp Tamari (soy sauce)
Pinch of Kosher salt
2 tbsp pineapple juice
½ lb of ground turkey thigh
4 pineapple ring slices
Sauce:
1 tbsp Tamari (soy sauce)
1 tbsp pineapple juice
¼ tsp garlic granules (or powder)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Dash of habanera sauce
4 tbsp ketchup

- Mix the bread crumbs, green onion, bell pepper, Tamari, salt and pineapple juice in a mixing bowl.
- Add the ground turkey thigh and mix well until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Mix all sauce ingredients except ketchup. Place ketchup in separate small bowl and add 1 tbsp of sauce and mix together.
- Divide turkey mix into 4 equal sized balls and form into patty sized burgers about ½” thick. *Tip* I often dip the balls into pineapple juice before patting into burger shapes so the mix doesn’t stick to my hands.
- Preheat indoor grill pan on medium high heat.
- Place 4 patties and 4 pineapple slices onto preheated grill. Baste the burgers and pineapple slices with the sauce mix.
- Grill several minutes before turning over and grilling other side. Use the rest of the sauce mix to baste the other side of the burgers and pineapple. Grill several more minutes until burgers are done.
- Serve burgers with pineapple slices on top and ketchup spooned over them.
- Asparagus, mixed gardeners vegetables or any other veggie side pairs up with this dish for a complete meal.
- These reheat really well.

 New Tasty Chip from Late July

I saw these at the store recently and was intrigued due to the lengthy, nutritious and organic ingredient list.  Fortunately, they were on sale, so trying them was easy on the wallet.  The three flavors to choose from are Dude Ranch, Green Chili and Plain Sea Salt.  I went straight for the Dude Ranch and wasn’t even remotely disappointed.  I would describe the flavor as kinda cheesy but with a lot of zing.  The crunch is perfect – not to hard and just the right crisp.  I won’t tell you how many bags I’ve been through, but it’s been more than I’d like to admit!  It’s not so easy finding organic, gluten free and super tasty snack that isn’t really high in fat and calories – but somehow they’ve managed to do it.  I’ve also tried the Green Chili but found it to be a bit too high on the heat scale for me, but for those who like a little extra heat they’ll love this chip.  The plain sea salt is just what you would expect and would be a nice change from the regular corn chip for sauce dipping.  So far I’ve found them at all the natural health food stores in my area, so you shouldn’t have too much of a problem, except for the one I did.  Shortly after they came out the Dude Ranch flavor sold out, so I’m not the only one! 

See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

February Greetings!

 Oatmeal anyone?  Give me a nice steaming bowl of apple and cinnamon or the boxed cold cereal version and I’m a happy camper.  Which is why it was such a pleasant surprise to know that it’s helping me stay heart healthy by lowering my cholesterol.  I’ve heard the same ads and commercials that you probably have – and kinda ignored them as I’m already eating lots of oatmeal in the first place.  But then I saw a cleverly done episode of ‘Good Eats’ and realized that I needed to be getting more of these oats into my hubby!  Since he’s not an oatmeal eater, I naturally thought oat cookies or granola.  The episode talked about oatmeal cookies and his dislike of raisins.  I personally LOVE the raisins, but I’ll admit he had a clever idea to make them more ‘adult’.  He soaks them in rum for several hours or overnight and drains them before adding to the batter.  Did we try this?  You bet!  But to be honest, we didn’t notice much of a difference.  My hubby thought the sweetened Rum was nice though.  So onto the granola we go.  I personally like crispy granola, loaded with other healthy nuts and this recipe hits on all of that.  Not a lot of sugar, very little oil and pretty darn easy.  The hardest part is portion control.  So instead of giving your sweetie chocolate this year (what am I saying?  Give chocolate!), try making this recipe for them, or with them, and have a heart healthy Valentines day.

Crispy Granola Chunks

2 cups thick rolled oats
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup walnut halves/pieces
½ cup oatmeal
½ tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp Rapadura (or brown sugar)
3 tbsp Honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

- Place the first 5 ingredients on a sheet cake pan evenly and toast in a 350 oven for 15 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Take out of oven, turn down to 300 and let the toasted mix cool down.
- Next, mix the coconut oil, Rapadura, Honey and salt in a large microwaveable bowl. Cook on medium high setting until coconut oil is melted. Stir, and microwave on high for one minute. It should be all fluffy and bubbly.
- Stir in vanilla, then stir in all of the toasted mix until well coated.
- Line sheet cake pan with parchment paper and put the mix on the lined pan, distributing evenly. Pat down gently so it’s relatively flat.
- Bake at 300 for 20-25 minutes, turning the sheet pan around after 10 minutes. You want the granola to be ever so lightly browned.
- Let cool and break into chunks. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!
 

Quick Warming EO

During the last snow storm here my hubby was out clearing off our driveway when he came back in early and was trying to put on different gloves because his hands were freezing.  At that moment I remembered something I read about whiffing Black Pepper essential oil to bring back quick circulation to hands and feet.  This was a perfect time to try it out, as he was already wearing the ‘warm’ gloves.  So off to the herb cabinet I went and quickly retrieved the little bottle, hoping this would be something almost like magic.  He took three long breaths in of the spicy oil and went back out to finish the cold and unpleasant task.  About a half hour later he popped back in and said ‘hey, that worked!’ and asked for a few more whiffs to finish the shoveling part.  Will this work for you?  Only one way to tell!

 See you next month!

Essential Grain Newsletter

January Hello to you!

Years ago when I started changing over my diet due to health issues, I really missed the taste and convenience of microwavable cheese sauces.  After some searching and experimenting I came up with a sauce that we have used for nacho’s ever since.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and tasty the sauce is.  It also has the added bonus of not being filled with lots of unhealthy ingredients.  Although I haven’t tried this in a fondue pot, I think it would be great for dipping (add more milk if it gets too thick in the pot).  We enjoy ours over a toasted pile of tortilla chips with the usual garnishes – which can mean just about anything now a days!  Whatever you throw into your nachos, this cheese will make your nachos the best, healthiest and tastiest ever.   Just in time for the Super Bowl….  Enjoy!

 Nacho Cheese Sauce

Serves 4 at 115 calories per serving
4 ounces cream cheese
2 slices American cheese
½ cup goat milk (dairy if you’re not into goat)
1 tsp worcestershire
½ tsp garlic granules
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ cup salsa

- Place all ingredients in a large saucepan.
- Set burner to medium heat and stir to combine. This will be just to get things broken up as we’re waiting for the cheese to melt.
- Keep stirring occasionally as all of the cheese melts.
- You will notice an even, orange color and it will start to bubble, letting you know you’re done. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
- Enjoy as nachos with your favorite fixings or as fondue.
- Easily reheats in microwave for future use. I have also frozen this with excellent results. Let it thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Salmon Oil for pets

Not the usual topic, I know, but I felt the need to pass on this information for those of you with furry companions.  Finding the right supplements for your individual pet needs can be daunting.  We’ve got sisters from the same litter and they couldn’t be more different.  And while we had the vitamins figured out for one of them, we’ve struggled trying to find the right EFA for both of them.  I’ve spent a lot of time (and money) trying to find an oil supplement that would address the EFA’s they need while also getting the benefits of a shinier, softer, less shedding coat.  We have two mondo Maine Coon kitties and one of them has the ‘mother’ of all difficult coats.  I’ve often described her as the troll hair on the top of a pencil.  Remember those?  They were the ones where a little troll with fuzzy hair was attached to the top of a pencil and you would rub the pencil quickly back and forth between your hands to make the troll hair stand up.  She kinda looked like that, without the rubbing.  So I tried Halo’s Dreamcoat oil and saw no difference.  I also didn’t like the long list of ingredients including an abundance of soy oil.  Does my cat really need soy oil?  Then I tried Ark Naturals.  It seemed better, but still no change in my girls fuzzy troll coat.  Then I got the simple thought of, back to basics.  One ingredient and one ingredient only – salmon oil.  Seems obvious now, right?  Right away I noticed that fishy odor and thought to myself, oh yeah, this is offensive – they’re gonna love it.   And now, after several weeks of dispensing the fishy surprise into their food, my troll looking kitty is now soft, sleek and looking as sweet as her southern belle personality.  I choose the Life Line brand that is carried at the local natural pet food store in my area, Bark & Scratch Outpost.  For those of you not around here (Milwaukee, WI), here’s their website: www.alaskansalmonoil.com

See you next month!