Real Fast (non-toxic) Popcorn

It's movie night!  There's only a few minutes of previews and you don't want to miss a thing, so you grab a bag of microwave popcorn.  WAIT!  Did you know that chemicals used to make microwave popcorn cause cancer and also affect human fertility and development?  Researchers have linked the PFCs used to make the oils not leak through the bag to infertility, cancer, thyroid disease, immunosuppression and increased bad cholesterol.  A Google search lists dozens of reputable sources siting microwave popcorn is a food to avoid, including Dr. Mercola, Prevention.com, Food Babe and even Fox News. 

What if I told you that you could make delicious, buttery homemade popcorn in the same amount of time?  Seriously, it takes less than 5 minutes to make a kettle of popcorn at home, and contrary to what you might think, it's not difficult or messy!  Once you taste this popcorn, you will never eat the fake bag again. 

Real Fast (non-toxic) Popcorn
serves 4-6

1/2 cup popping corn
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp butter, melted (actually, I use up to 4 Tbsp butter, for extra satisfaction and healthy fat)
Sea salt to taste

In a large heavy bottomed pot, melt coconut oil over medium heat.  You can test the heat of the oil by adding a couple of kernels and then add the rest once those pop, but that isn't totally necessary.  Add corn kernels and stir or shake to evenly coat and distribute the kernels in the oil.  Once popping has started, shake the pan every 10 seconds or so to avoid burning any popped kernels.  When popping slows to a few seconds between pops, remove from heat and continue shaking to get any last kernels to pop.   Transfer popcorn to a large bowl, and drizzle with melted butter (to taste) while stirring gently.  I usually melt the butter in the same pan I cooked the popcorn in, just because I hate washing dishes, but you could make this faster by melting the butter in a small saucepan over low heat while cooking the popcorn.  Sprinkle the buttery popcorn with salt and enjoy!

Salty Greens

When I was a kid, my parents used to talk about Popeye to get me to eat my spinach.  I tried that with my son, and he looked at me like I was crazy.  He doesn't know Popeye, just like he can't believe that phones used to have a cord or that cameras once required film.  So... (after feeling like an old lady) I started calling this dish Salty Greens and Ta Da!  He started gobbling it up!  Salty greens are a staple at our house because they are so fast and easy and it's one of the few vegetable dishes that I know he will eat every time.

Salty Greens
makes 2-4 servings

One large bunch Spinach leaves (or one bag, depending on how you buy it)
2 or 3 Tbsp Butter
1 clove Garlic, minced (recommended)
Sea salt to taste

In a large skillet melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium heat.  Add garlic and stir 1 min until fragrant.  Add spinach and slowly turn to coat spinach in butter and evenly cook the greens.  Continue turning until all leaves are dark green and limp, which only takes another couple of minutes.  If you love butter like I do, you can add another tbsp while cooking.  Toss with salt to taste and serve immediately.

Hot Rice Cereal

My son loves this hot cereal more than any other! It is nutritious, simple and satisfying no matter what your age, and as fast as a bowl of "instant" oatmeal.  Perfect for the morning after you make a meal with leftover rice, or make up a big batch of rice for a whole week full of warm, delicious breakfasts!  Whole grains like rice keep well in the fridge for up to one week.

Hot Rice Cereal
1 serving (multiply as needed for larger families)

1 cup of cooked rice
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
dash salt

In a small saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until melted.  Stir in the rice, then add the milk and heat 3-4 minutes until hot but not bubbling or scorching.  Stir in maple syrup, raisins, cinnamon and salt and serve immediately.

Vegan:  Substitute coconut oil for the butter and almond or coconut milk for the whole milk.

Holy moly, I ate the whole bowl of Guacamole!

Guacamole is easily the world's most perfect dip.  It's simple, easy to make, and extremely nourishing.

This recipe should serve 4-6 people, unless you are in love with guacamole like I am and then you better double the recipe. 

3 large ripe avocados
1 diced fresh tomato
1 large clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon or lime
A handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Generous sprinkle of salt

Mash the avocado with a potato masher or back of a fork, then add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir until combined, and transfer to a clean bowl if you are serving fancy folks, otherwise just dig in!

Chicken enchiladas

I've always been a little nervous of making my own enchilada sauce.  Well, no more!  This is the easiest and yummiest sauce!

http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/02/15/chicken-enchiladas/

Taco Spaghetti

Ok, I know, the name sounds childish, but I enjoyed this dish just as much as my son.  It's fun to chop the toppings together and you can serve this buffet style so everyone can pick their favorites.

Cooked rice or quinoa pasta
Spaghetti sauce

Toppings:
Shredded cheese (mild cheddar, Monterey Jack or your favorite)
Finely chopped onion or green onion
Sliced black olives
Avocado slices or chunks
Sour cream or plain yogurt

Cook pasta according to package directions and toss with spaghetti sauce to coat the noodles well, don't drench them.  Warm sour cream or plain yogurt in a small saucepan over the lowest heat, just until it is warmed.  Serve spaghetti and sauce and allow guests to choose their own toppings.  Serve with a green leafy salad.

3 Bean Chili: grain-free vegetarian

This is by far the best chili I have ever made. And that's saying something because I have always loved making chili, even back when I was making it with chemical laced ground beef from the supermarket aisle. Use well soaked and cooked beans instead of canned whenever possible.

1 cup lentils, soaked several hours
1 white or yellow onion
2 carrots
2 ribs celery
1 bell pepper
1 jalepeno pepper
2 1/2 cups vegetable or free range chicken stock
16 oz cooked black beans
16 oz cooked pinto beans
2 cups diced tomatoes
Sea salt and cayenne pepper or chili powder to taste

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a soup stock pot.  Chop onion, carrots, celery and peppers, then add chopped veggies and lentils to the stock and simmer about 15 minutes until lentils are tender.  Add cooked beans, diced tomatoes and season to taste.  Garnish with fresh cilantro, cheese or plain yogurt if desired.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday!

Nourishing Oatmeal

You are not doing your family any favors by feeding them instant oatmeal. Flavored varieties are loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients, and even plain quick oats have been over-processed and have lost their whole grain nutrients.

I want to show you how simple it is to make real oatmeal that your family will love!

Makes 2-3 servings (for a larger family, simply double the amounts)

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter, ghee or coconut oil
1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Optional additions to try:
1 diced apple or pear
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tbsp natural peanut or almond butter
Replace maple syrup with raw honey

For optimal digestion, soak oats in water overnight or for at least one hour before cooking.  Note:  When using soaked grains, drain the soak water before cooking and use half the amount of water for cooking.


Bring water to boil in saucepan. Add oats and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until oats are tender and water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and maple syrup.  Add the additional optional ingredients of your choice, and enjoy!

A hearty and healthy breakfast keeps him going all day!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday!

Easy Egg Drop Soup

Check out this link for a simple and delicious egg drop soup!  Makes a perfect side dish or quick lunch.  GAPS legal and grain free!

http://nourishedandnurtured.blogspot.com/2011/10/egg-drop-soup-gaps-legal-grain-free.html

Three Cheese Frittata

I love this recipe because there is so much room to experiment with different cheeses, and even different vegetables. Try a broccoli, cheddar and bacon version, for example, or red pepper, mushroom and onion with pepper jack.


6 pastured eggs
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed (10oz aprox.)
4oz organic cottage cheese
2oz feta cheese
2oz shredded asiago cheese
Cooked uncured bacon, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a square baking dish or pie pan with butter. Beat eggs in a medium bowl until fluffy, then add cottage and feta cheeses. Squeeze excess water from the spinach and mix it into the egg mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, and crumbled bacon if desired. Pour into baking dish and top with shredded asiago. Bake for about 20 minutes or until eggs are cooked through and cheese is starting to brown on top.

This post is linked to Real Food Wednesday.

Spicy Chicken with Dates and Butternut Squash

I received this email from my dear friend, Sarah.  I love her style, and this recipe!

 

.........................................................................................................................

So I've made this recipe a 100 times and as I was making it tonight I thought, shit, Mel could make this for uprocessed october if she makes her own chicken stock. So I hop on rachelrayshow.com where I got the recipe off 3 years ago, but its no longer there. So that bitch is making me type it out to you.

Spicy Chicken with Dates and Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash seeded, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces.

4 TB Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper

2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs, chopped

1 large onion sliced

12 dried pitted dates, coursely chopped (1 cup)

1 TB ground cumin

1 TB ground coriander

1 TB ground turmeric

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

3 TB flour

3 cups chicken stock

 

Oven at 400, put butternut squash on baking sheet, drizzle 2 TB oil, salt, and pepper, roast for 1/2 hour.

 

While squash is cooking, place a large deep skillet over med high heat. 2 TB of oil. Add chicken, salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown and almost cooked through 6-7 minutes.

 

Add onion, dates, spices, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. Cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the pan and cook for another minute. Then add chicken stock, bring to a bubble.

 

Reduce to medium and simmer until thickened.

 

Discard bayleaf and cinnamon stick. Add squash.

 

It says to serve with coucus, but I know you can't really eat that with the cleanse you are doing. Its good by itself. Or you could roast veggies and put it over that.

 

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Muffins - guilt and gluten free!

Thanks to Jeni Clark for posting this link on her Real Food Nutrition blog! I can't wait to make these this fall! Yum!

real food nutrition pumpkin muffins

Beet Greens with Garlic and Butter

One of my favorite foods in the fall is farm fresh beets with a big healthy bunch of greens on top. Beet greens contain an abundance of vitamins and antioxidants, and have a milder flavor and more tender texture than kale or chard. Definitely my favorite dark leafy green!

1 large bunch of beet greens, including the stalks, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or wok melt butter over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté for one minute until fragrant. Add chopped greens and stalks and sauté until dark green and tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately with whole grain rice, quinoa, roasted vegetables or as a side dish with any meal.

This post is linked to Real Food Wednesday

Quick Chicken Strips

These tasty little strips are simple to make and taste so much better than the frozen bag of nuggets.  Not to mention they contain zero preservatives or artificial ingredients! 

1 lb chicken breast strips
1 cage free egg
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 cup organic corn meal
1/2 tsp sea salt or an MSG FREE seasoning salt, like Lowry's
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp italian seasoning or fresh chopped herbs of your choice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a baking sheet lightly with butter or oil.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, corn meal, salt, pepper and seasoning (you can also mix these ingredients in a large ziplock bag).  In a separate bowl, beat egg until yolk is combined with egg whites.  Dip each strip in egg first, then drag (or shake) in dry ingredients to coat the strips.  Place coated strips on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until juices are clear and meat is white and tender.  Serve with a ceasar salad, pasta of your choice, or with homemade ranch dressing for dipping.  Enjoy!

Grilled Green Beans

Fresh green beans, rinsed with stems removed
1/4 cup butter (half a stick)
1 minced garlic clove
Fresh minced rosemary or thyme
Sea salt to taste


Place beans in the middle of two 24 inch stips of aluminum foil crossing in an x shape.  Top with butter, garlic, herbs and salt.  Fold aluminum foil around beans to completely seal them in a packet of foil.  Grill 20-25 minutes until beans are tender.  Remove from grill and open carefully to release steam safely.

Mmm Kabobs

I served these with grilled green beans tonight.  Amazing! 




1 red pepper
1 yellow or orange pepper
1 vidalia onion
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, washed
Fresh pinapple chunks
Meat or seafood of your choice

Marinade:
1/8 cup braggs amino liquids or fermented soy sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Mix all marinade ingredients together well in a bowl or glass measuring cup.  Cut veggies and meat into large chunks, leaving mushrooms and shrimp whole.  Skewer alternating chunks of onion, meat, mushrooms, peppers, and pineapple onto wooden sticks.  Place in a large flat pan and drizzle with marinade.  Cover and refridgerate 1-6 hours, turning kabobs to coat with marinade at least every half hour.  Grill 8-10 minutes, then turn and grill until meat is cooked and veggies are beginning to soften. 
Enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff

Made this for dinner tonight with some green beans smothered in garlic butter.  Yummy and fast!  It doesn't get better than that!

aprox. 1 lb. sirloin or round steak, cubed
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 cup plain whole yogurt
sea salt and pepper to taste
whole grain brown rice

Cook rice according to package directions (1 cup rice plus 2 cups water, boil then cover and simmer for 40 minutes.)  In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat.  Add meat and brown until slightly pink inside, then add onion.  Cook about 5 minutes until onions become translucent.  Then add mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When onions and mushrooms are tender, remove from heat and stir in yogurt.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve over rice.

Early Spring Salad

Fresh and tender sprouts begin to spring from the ground, leaving the boring browns and whites of winter behind.  I love springtime, and this salad catches the essence of the season perfectly.

2 cups spring greens (try arugula, mustard greens, mesclun, etc.)
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 large handful (about 1 cup) dandelion leaves
2 green onions, chopped
6 small radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup sprouts, any variety (bean, alfalfa, broccoli, sunflower seed or sprouted peas)

Toss all ingredients in a large serving bowl.  Serve with your favorite dressing or try my Dressing, For One.

This post is linked to Real Food Wednesday, enjoy!

Veggie Dip

1 cup whole plain yogurt
8 oz. cream cheese, softened or goat cheese
1 tbsp dill weed
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp sea salt

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly until well blended.  Allow to chill at least one hour before serving for best flavor.  Enjoy this dip with fresh carrot sticks, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers or spread on sandwiches in place of mayo.

Presto Pizzas

Need a tasty snack that will satisfy both kids and adults?  How about these little pizzas that you can make anytime with whatever you have on hand.  I've even served them for dinner with a fresh salad.  Or try spreading the tortillas with mashed black beans and salsa instead of the marinara.

Makes 2-4 Servings

2 sprouted or whole grain tortillas
1/2 cup marinara sauce (I like Newman's Own)
1 or 2 cloves minced garlic, to taste
1 cup shredded cheese
2 cups diced fresh veggies; tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, olives, onion, etc.
1 cup cooked sausage, chicken or ground beef (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place tortillas on a cookie sheet and bake 5-8 minutes until slightly crisp.  Top each tortilla with half the sauce, garlic, shredded cheese, diced veggies and meat.  Bake another 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and starting to brown.  Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs if desired.