Healthy Meal / healthy meal

One thing we all have in abundance right now are zucchini's, either from your own garden or from your neighbors leaving bags full on your doorstep.  Your welcome!  A summer squash saute with onions, topped with fresh basil is my easy go to for abundant zucchini.  Making pancakes with zucchini is a bit more interesting and they freeze really well so this is a nice way to make dinner, or breakfast, and save all the leftovers for later in the season.  

In this recipe I use chick pea flour for best flavor and because it's gluten free, lower in carbohydrates and very nutritious.  There is also a super low carbohydrate option: coconut flour.  The measurements are different since coconut flour has a very high fiber content and will absorb much more liquid than the chickpea flour will.  Either one is delicious.

On our way to dinner with friends, I reheated these under the broiler in a few minutes.

Ingredients:

8 Cups shredded zucchini

1 shy cup of finely chopped onion

2-3 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped 

zest of a small lime

1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Black pepper and salt, to taste

4 medium sized eggs, beaten

1 Cup of flour: chick pea works great, oat flour or spelt is nice too.  For a super low carbohydrate option (Atkins, Candida Diet, etc) substitute with only a 1/2 cup of coconut flour.

Method:

Shred the zucchini, by hand if you want a work out or with the shredder attachment on your food processor.

Toss the shredded zucchini with salt and let it drain in a colander over a bowl for about 20 minutes.  I know it's tempting to skip this step but it is crucial to ending up with yummy pancakes instead of globs of mush. 

8 cups of shredded zucchini, salted, and set to drain into the bowl below.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl (large enough to accommodate all the ingredients), add in the onion, garlic, lime zest, lemon juice, oregano and black pepper.

Go back to your sweating zucchini after 20 minutes and give it a good squeeze. Really get in there and squeeze as much liquid out as you can.  I got a full jam jar and then some and my zucchini was reduced in size by about half.  

After 20 minutes and a lot of squeezing!

You can save the zucchini water for soup or you can be super hardcore and just drink it, it's good for you!  I diluted mine with some ice water, it was a bit too salty, and added a shot of Fire Cider.  

Once the zucchini has been squeezed and drained, mix it in with the eggs and seasonings. 

The mixture will be soupy, which is where the flour comes in.  Add the chickpea flour, 1/4 cup at a time till your zucchini mix is like thick muffin batter. Mine usually takes about one cup. You are now ready for frying!

I used my large cast iron skillet to cook these since I use my large cast iron skillet for everything.  Add organic peanut, coconut or grapeseed oil to generously coat the pan and turn the heat to medium high.  You can make these pancakes as small or as large as you want just be sure to get them nice and brown on each side- about 3 minutes each. Set them on a plate covered with paper to absorb the excess oil.  

Serve immediately, topped with fresh goat cheese and more fresh oregano.  

Or, let them cool completely on a cookie rack.  Wrap them up and store them in the freezer.  They make an excellent quick meal, just unwrap and pop them in your toaster oven or under the broiler.

 

One of my favorite ways to eat more greens is to use them in place of bread or crackers.  Nothing against burger buns or sandwich bread but we know that whole grains are best, well, whole!  Skip the processed wheat and grab a bunch of crispy Romaine or collard greens instead.  I use Romaine lettuce like a taco shell- fill it up with whatever you like- sliced avocado, tomato, homemade mayo and bacon for a healthier B.L.T.   Bibb lettuce is soft, flexible and makes for a great little wrap.  Want to eat that salad with your hands?  Wrap it up in the biggest lettuce leaves from the outside of the bunch.  Look at you, doubling down on your veggies!

Using large collard leaves makes for a sturdier wrap that can hold such awesome summer foods as cheese burgers or the ultimate hummus wrap.  You can use the leaves raw or lightly steamed -- these are best for hot foods or for bigger wraps.  The folding is easy and unlike regular wraps, these stay sealed. The only prep work you need to do is to carefully trim them rough stems.  

Cut the end of the stem off and then lay the collard leaf flat and slice off the rough stem that sticks up, so that the leaf is flat and entirely flexible, like in this photo from MindBodyGreen.com's tutorial on how to use collards like a wrap!

Don't worry if you tear the collard leaf a bit, you'll get the hang of the stem trimming and can fold around any small tear.

If you want to steam your collard leaves so that they are more flexible and easier to use and eat, there are a few methods that work well.  This video from Plant Powered Kitchen.com has my favorite technique for when you just want to make up a few wraps.  Get some water boiling in your kettle and open the spout so you've got a nice stream of steam coming up.  Hold your raw collard leaf by the stem and wave it over the spout of steam, lightly steaming the whole leaf until it's bight green and soft enough to fold.  Then trim off the stem as described above.  Repeat until you have enough wraps.

Or, follow the quick blanch method I found on Mind Body Green.com- bring a wide shallow pan of water to a simmer.  Take your de-stemmed collard leaves and give them a 10 second dunk in the pan, one at a time, using tongs to get the collard leaves in and then out and into an ice bath.  Dry in layers using tea towels. Once you've got all your wraps ready, fill as desired!

The wrapping part is easy, and there are a number of ways to do it, but this photo tutorial from Honest Fare.com is easy to follow:

Add your filling to the center of one or two overlapping leaves.  Fold the sides in to contain the filling.  Then, starting at one long end, roll the leaf over the filling and keep rolling, making sure the ends stay tucked in. Slice in half and enjoy!

Above: steamed collard wrapped burger with the works from Bareburger.

Now that Fall is officially here I've been getting into some new recipes for one of the seasons most versatile vegetables: cauliflower and her cousin, romanesco.  Part of the Cruciferous family, one cup of cauliflower has more than 73% of your daily vitamin c!  Cauliflower can also help you to detox, it's got anti-inflammatory properties and is an excellent source of dietary fiber.  As you'll see from the wide variety of recipes I've gathered here, cauliflower is super versatile and full of as much flavor as nutrition.  Happy Autumn eating! [caption id="attachment_737" align="aligncenter" width="538"] From LowCarbSlowCarb.com[/caption] My first recipe suggestion is to make rice out of cauliflower, a low carbohydrate, high fiber, nutrient packed alternative to a grain side dish.  I've eaten this rice as a side with baked chicken, in lettuce wraps with shredded pork, basically it can be substituted anywhere you'd usually use rice.  How cool is that?  Check out this super simple recipe on www.lowcarbslowcarb.com under, you guessed it, Cauliflower Rice! [caption id="attachment_738" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Cauliflower Steak au Poivre by Jacky Hackett[/caption] Next up, Cauliflower Steaks.  This recipe was sent to me by a friend who I have shared many a steak tartare and pork chop with so I knew it had to be delicious.  I was a bit skeptical but he assured me this was no wimpy vegan alternative, it's filling, awesome plant food thank you very much!  The recipe I like best comes from www.jaxhouse.com, aka Jacky Hackett, a food enthusiast mom blogger.  You can find her simple and easy recipe under 'Cauliflower Steak au Poivre.  The trick is using your cast iron skillet in a very hot oven and the results are wickedly good. [caption id="attachment_739" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Photo from TheIronYou.com[/caption] This last recipe is sure to convert you to the power of what you used to think of as a bland white vegetable: The Cauliflower Grilled Cheese.  Yes, it's gluten free, it's a full serving of veggies and it's got a gooey cheese center.  This recipe can be found on www.TheIronYou.com a blog run by a guy named Mike who thinks we could all eat better and exercise more for a more awesome us, I think he's onto something!  Search for 'Cauliflower Grilled Cheese' and you'll find a recipe for what will become one of your fall favorites, no matter what your relationship is to gluten.  Pair this with a hot bowl of tomato soup and call it lunch. Be sure to check out the other recipes and ideas these bloggers have to offer!

This past Father's Day weekend I did what all good children do: grilled with my dad!  It was really fun, especially since I was trying out a new marinade that Chef and Butcher James Burden recommended to me.   I went to Berkshire Organics in Dalton to stock up on everything we needed for dinner.  I picked up fresh, organic veggies: eggplant really soaks up marinade so it's great for grilling, plus onions, zucchini and some red and orange bell peppers. Red Apple Butchers, at Berkshire Organics, had 30 day, dry aged steaks, so I had to try a few of those.  And I also bought about 2 and 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs with the skin on.  Here's the marinade recipe plus a bonus curry mix from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything, which is as useful as it sounds.   Last week I wrote to Mr. Bittman about Fire Cider and his assistant wrote me back saying she had tried it the last time she was in the Berkshires and would be happy to share a sample bottle with her boss.  How cool is that?! Marinade for 2-3 pounds of Chicken  Yes, of course you can use this marinade on tofu, fish or veggies.  For fish and veggies, about 20 minutes in the marinade will do.  For meat, like the chicken, make the marinade the day before and let the meat marinate overnight.  I made double this recipe, one half for the chicken and one half for the veggies. Ingredients: a generous 1/4 cup Fire Cider 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons salt 1 big tablespoon fragrant curry powder blend (see photo below for the recipe! Yes, you can use store bought as well.) a pinch of asafoetida a pinch of chipolte pepper 1 teaspoon garam masala   Method: First, make up the fragrant curry powder blend, this will make enough for this recipe plus plenty left over for all your curry spice needs, it's awesome on pop corn! [caption id="attachment_618" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Mark Bittman's curry blend.[/caption] Get the spices together and toast the spices in a dry skillet. [caption id="attachment_619" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Whole spices ready to toast![/caption] [caption id="attachment_620" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Mmm, toasty and very fragrant![/caption] [caption id="attachment_621" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Use a small spice grinder to turn toasted spices into powder and then add powdered ginger and turmeric.  Homemade curry powder![/caption] Once you've made the curry blend,  combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. [caption id="attachment_624" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Yes, that's a gallon of Fire Cider. Beware the underdose![/caption] Pour all the marinade over the chicken and marinate over night in a sealed bag or sealed container. The next day, when you are ready to cook, remove the chicken, discard any leftover marinade and grill the chicken til it's done! For veggies: chop bite sized pieces of onion, bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant, make up more marinade and marinate for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat each piece.  Slide onto skewers and grill with the chicken. [caption id="attachment_622" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Grill ready chicken, veggies and steak.[/caption] The 30 day dry aged steaks were perfect as is so I let them sit out at room temp for about an hour, lightly salted them and then grilled them for a few minutes on each side for perfectly rare, melt in your mouth awesomeness. [caption id="attachment_623" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Happy grilling, all summer long![/caption]

Recipe by Noel Prophet Last summer Dana and I went to a pot luck beer and food pairing: everyone brought a dish and a beer that went with it.  Dana made a summer saison that was a bit citrus-y  and it went well with the berries n biscuits I brought for dessert.  However, I thought the best dish was the jerk chicken that Noel and Kristen brought along with some very appropriate Red Stripe.  Just recently Noel sent me his jerk sauce recipe which I was pretty darn excited to see if I could replicate.  As per his suggestion, the recipe can be modified to suit, the one that follows is enough to marinate 3 pounds of chicken/meat/tofu with enough leftover to serve as a side sauce for greens.   I only made a few changes to Noel's recipe and the end result was deliciously hot and there were no leftovers! [caption id="attachment_551" align="aligncenter" width="516"] Bright ingredients makes for a spicy brown sauce.[/caption] Suggested Ingredients:

• Up to 6 scotch bonnet peppers or whatever hot peppers you like - I used the one Habanero that was ready in our garden and then some of the chili peppers that Pete and Jennifer from Woven Roots Farm gave us at the Harvest Festival.
• 2 Tablespoons each: dried thyme, ground allspice, Fire Cider, salt and black pepper
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (fresh or powdered), to taste.
• 8 garlic cloves
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup or less olive oil
• 1/2 cup or less tamari
• Juice of 1 lime or lemon, or more, to taste.

Method: Chop up everything and then put all in the blender.   Or, put all ingredients into a wide mouth mason jar and use a wand blender to puree, same difference.  The marinade is done, ready to eat now on cooked greens or... Poke holes in your chicken (or tofu!) before you jerk it so it will hold the flavor better. Marinate overnight. When you are ready you can bake, grill, roast, etc your jerked chicken.  This would also work well with tempeh or tofu or other meat. Here's what I did with the chicken I let marinate in the fridge, well covered, for over 12 hours: Pre-heat the oven to 365.  Spread the chicken breast (I had about 2 pounds) and the jerk sauce I used to marinate it, in a wide glass baking dish.  I covered the dish with aluminum foil (or a glass lid if you have one) and baked it for about 45-50 minutes, until the thermometer read 142 and when I sliced into it, it was juicy and cooked through! Dana made coconut brown basmati rice to go with the baked jerk chicken.  I made a huge side of broccoli rabe dressed in olive oil and salt, which we ate with the remaining jerk sauce. [caption id="attachment_552" align="aligncenter" width="538"] All covered in Jafakin' Jerk Sauce![/caption]

I love this new version of  egg salad that Heidi posted on her blog 101 Cookbooks, which if you don't already rely on it for great recipes, now you know!  This is a nice, light update on a familiar classic, perfect for a new light filled season. Here's her recipe, I didn't want to change a thing, except maybe adding a few dashes of Fire Cider! Ingredients: 6 eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 small head of radicchio, shredded 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 1 medium shallot, chopped 3 baby radishes, shaved thin to serve: little dollop of salted creme fraiche and/or a drizzle of olive oil and Fire Cider Method: "Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for ten minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Crack and peel each egg, then use the big holes on a standard box grater to grate the eggs. Place in a bowl and use your fingers to gently toss the eggs with the salt and pepper. At this point you can add whatever you like to the salad -  shredded radicchio, fresh dill, shallots, and shaved baby radishes. Serve topped with tiny dollops of something creamy - like creme fraich or plain yogurt, and a drizzle of olive oil and Fire Cider.  Just a bit of each so you don't weigh it down." Serves 2-4.

The secret to amazing pork stock?  The answer is trotters, aka pigs feet!  The same goes for chicken stock, it's best with chicken feet.  Now don't get all ewwww about it, the feet are perfectly clean.  You eat animals, they have feet, it's really not a big deal. When we kill animals for food we should use every bit, nose to tail, because all those bits in between are full of health building essentials!  The reasons this specific part of the animal is so great for making stock are threefold: 1. Trotters especially are known for their gelatin, so when you simmer them for hours, they make a naturally thick, deeply flavorful stock that is soothing to the digestive system, full of cartilage repairing collagen and deep immune support. 2. They are cheap and plentiful.  For every hog that's butchered, there go 4 more trotters.  Your local butcher or farmer can hook you up with feet for cheap, just ask! 3. Waste not, want not: chicken feet and trotters can certainly be deep fried into one of the best bar snacks you'll ever eat but I'd argue that making stock from the bones and feet of an animal is the best and easiest way to use them.  And you'll be sure you are making the most out of the food you raise or buy. Bone Broth or Stock is relatively easy to make in large amounts, it just takes some time.  I eat a bowl of broth a day during the winter months, dressing it up with a shot of Fire Cider, kelp, mushrooms and chickpea miso.  Or making traditional chicken soup.  You can also add frozen cubes of stock concentrate to all kinds of recipes to add deep nutrition and lots of flavor.  I recommend a bowl a day to stay warm and healthy til Spring.  Here's the basic recipe and method my husband Dana uses- [caption id="attachment_442" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Simple whole foods waiting to be transformed into liquid gold![/caption] Ingredients for 2 ½ quarts Chicken /Turkey /Pork Stock:

• 5 pounds assorted organic, local farm raised chicken parts (2-3 pounds of feet plus backs, necks, legs, and wings), rinsed.  For pork stock, use the bones from your last roast plus several trotters.
• Handful dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 medium carrot, chopped into 2-inch lengths
• 2 celery stalks, chopped into 2-inch lengths
• 2 medium leeks or one onion, chopped into 2-inch chunks
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1-2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar, or 1-2 Cups wine/hard cider

Optional, but highly recommended for ultimate, health enhancing stock add:

• 2-4 tongue-depressor sized pieces Astragalus root (available from mountainroseherbs.com)
• Small handful dried Reishi and/or Maitake mushroom
• 1-2 ginseng roots

Method:

1. Place all of the ingredients in a stockpot large enough to hold them with about 3 inches of room above (an 8-quart pot should do) and add enough water to cover by at least 1 inch (about 3 quarts).
2. Heat until bubbling, then reduce heat to a bare simmer (bubbles should just gently break the surface). A slow cooker works well for this if you have one. Simmer for 8-48 hours.  I think the longer the better.
3. Pass stock through a sieve into another bowl or pot, line the sieve with cheesecloth if you want clearer stock.  I never bother.  Discard the solids, I recommend composting them, or feed to your chickens.
4. You can use the stock for soup right now, yummmm!
5. If you are planning to store it without reducing it, stick it in the fridge or freezer.  The fat will rise to the top as it cools, and you can remove it, or leave it in. You can also boil the stock uncovered and reduce it by as much as 90%.  This makes for easier storage of large amounts of stock concentrate.
6. Note: I use ice cube trays to freeze cooled stock.  Then I keep the cubes in a container in the freezer for use whenever I need.  It’s easy to make a cup of hot broth by adding cubes to a mug with boiling water or throw a bunch into soups.  Sometimes I sauté greens until almost done, then add a cube of stock to finish for extra flavor and health benefits.

Here's the next spicy, healthy recipe from Chef Joe Dewey.  It is pretty similar to Nina's recipe, which she sent us after meeting team Fire Cider at the Big E this year.   Nina marinated and grilled the shrimp and then made fire cider shrimp tacos! According to Nina "they were SO good!" Here is the Chef Dewey's version of a chili shrimp marinade plus Nina's taco serving suggestion: