Another Kimchi Adventure. . .

Today I realized I had lots of vegetables that would be great chopped up and naturally ferment into Kimchi.

when using cabbage and the right vegetables, combined with Kosher or Himalayan pink salt, no vinegar is needed and this natural method is more gut healthy

Ever since finding a milder version of Kimchi, at Northern Waters Smokehouse, a multi-faceted Duluth deli-sandwich specialty shop, I've been so intrigued and just love their  milder spin on this.

I've recreated something similar several times, but after this batch is gone, I think it'll be time for a trip over there to buy more of the Northern Waters version get myself back on track by reminding myself again what my original inspiration actually tastes like.
 
For the first part of the process, I chop-sliced the following into a big glass or non-metal bowl:

1 sm.-med. heavy green cabbage

1/2 sm. heavy purple cabbage
1 sm.-med. yellow onion
part of a purple onion
5-6 green onions
1/2 lg. green pepper
2 ribs of celery
2 carrots

Sprinkle 1/3c Himalayan pink salt over all of this and massage it into the vegetables for several minutes. It'll start pulling the water out and shrink the volume.

Let this just do its thing on the counter for a couple hours. Next add 10c of cold water and again massage the vegetables. Cover with a heavy platter to make sure everything is submerged and leave on the counter, if your kitchen is below 65°, or put in the 'fridge for 24 hours.

~ ~ Next Day ~ ~

Drain the vegetable and rinse well with fresh cold water, then let drain again. While this is happening, whisk the following ingredients in a small bowl:

2t finely ground black pepper
2t finely ground red pepper
1T granulated garlic
1T ground turmeric

1T ground ginger

1/3c soy sauce
2t sugar

Put the vegetables back in the big -washed and dried- bowl. Pour the sauce over everything and mix it all well, again with your hands, or a heavy wooden spoon. Fill quart jars. Be sure to push the vegetables down to release more brine. Use thick glass weights if necessary, to keep everything submerged.

Cover each jar with cheese cloth, using a rubber band to hold it tight on the jar. Or a circle of paper towel, secured with a canning ring or sprouting jar top. Not airtight - so gas can escape. Leave on the countertop 24-72 hours.

Check it each day and refrigerate when it until has the tang you like.

This will be best if chilled a week or so. It's fermented, so it will keep a while in the refrigerator. Great as a vegetable side dish, on a hearty sandwich . . . Lin

Cranberry-Orange Healthy Nut Muffins

If you don't like overly sweet muffins, this recipe might be what you're looking for.

1c organic rye flour

2c unbleached all-purpose flour

1T pumpkin pie spice

2T each: ground flax, chi seeds

1/2c each chopped: pecans, walnuts

1t each: salt, baking soda, baking powder

1T pure vanilla

1c coconut sugar

3 pasture raised eggs

3/4c each: single source EVOO

3/4c plain whole milk Greek Yogurt

2 whole Cutie mandarins - chopped

2c chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat your oven to 350°

Whisk the first group of dry ingredients together in the big glass bowl, then do the same with the next group in the other bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl. Mix well but quickly, only until all the flour is incorporated. Spoon into muffin cups and/or greased loaf pans. Bake the muffins about 20 minutes. The loaf pan will take an additional 5-10 minutes.

This made 24 muffins and a muffin loaf. Good for breakfast or a healthy snack. . .Lin 

Cottage Cheese Flagels (flat bagels)

Well now. . .I'm NOT a bagel person, but the picture of these I saw looked really good, and I'm still trying to create a couple go-to quick, savory bread, biscuit or cornbread type recipes. These look softer than a traditional bagels, browned tops and have chopped green stuff in 'em, so I had to try making them.

The ingredients were not all listed, nor were there any instructions. I Googled cottage cheese flagels, I found what I needed, but of course I made changes. . .

1c + a little more flour

~ I used about 2/3c all purpose and 1/2c rye flour

~ next time I might try corn flour in place of the rye

1t Italian seasoning

1t granulated garlic

1T baking powder

1/2t garlic salt

1c cottage cheese

2T single source EVOO

3/4c grated Dubliner cheese

2oz. finely chopped baby arugula

1 beaten egg for egg wash

Preheat your oven to 375°

In a big glass bowl combine all the ingredients. A recipe I found said to blend the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor, but I skipped that step and the cottage cheese stirred in just fine. Ideally, whisk together all the dry first, then add the rest. In putting all this into the bowl, I forgot to do the dry whisk, but after stirring with a wooden spoon and then mixing well with a little water on my hands, it all came together nicely. The recipe said 2oz. fresh spinach, but I had arugula that needed to be used, which gives these a more peppery flavor.

When well combined, form this into a fat cylinder about 6-8" long. Slice into 6 or 8 pieces, poke your finger through the middle of each one. Flatten each piece on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with a little Everything Bagel Seasoning. Bake about 22 minutes or until golden brown. These turned out well, the bottoms were also nicely browned and crispy.

Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Great with soup or a big salad. . .Lin

Brown Rice and Quinoa Tabouli

Traditionally, Tabouli - a middle eastern grain salad - is made with bulgar wheat, tomatoes, parsley, garbanzo beans, onion, bell pepper and cucumber. At least that's what Mollie Katzen included in hers in her Moosewood Cookbook. That was my first introduction to this amazing salad. If you put 'Tabouli' in the search line here, you'll see about 15 of my variations. Most people would stop at one or two, but I'm always finding new ways to make this and I don't think there's ever been one I didn't like.

Prepare the brown rice and quinoa according to package instructions then put it into a big glass bowl. To that add the following:

chopped onion - as much as you like

a big grated carrot (not shown)
1/2c hemp hearts
1-3 big ripe tomatoes - chopped

2-3oz. finely chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes
~ ~ you could omit this if you have enough fresh tomatoes
1 bunch Italian or curly parsley - chopped

1/2c each: lemon juice + single source EVOO
seasonings: black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic salt

Mix well, cover and refrigerate. Be sure to gently toss each time before serving. This will keep well for several days in the 'fridge. I didn't add beans this time since I had sprouted lentils. They were a great substitution.

Top with sliced avocado, crumbled bacon or gorgonzola cheese if you want. Tabouli (Tabbouleh) is amazing, by itself, or as an addition to any lunch or dinner. . .Lin

Steamed (hard boiled) Eggs

First of all, be sure to start with the best eggs.
Fresh, PASTURE-RAISED eggs are the only ones we should ever buy! 

Have you tried this method?

The eggs cook more uniformly and peel easier when done this way. Since I like mine a little less dry than most people, I only expose mine to the heat for 10 minutes. If you like them a little more 'done,' I'd leave them over the steam for 12 minutes.

Get the water boiling, then place the basket with the eggs over the steam. Cover and set the timer for however long works best for you.

Remove from the heat, carefully drain the hot water, run cold tap water over the eggs in the pot for a couple minutes. Leave them in the cold water another 5 minutes or so to be sure the cooking process has been stopped.

Dry them, then store in the refrigerator, where they'll stay fresh for about a week.

This morning I had one for my favorite kind of breakfast. Fresh ingredients, good protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats - all for a total of about 250 calories. Later, I'll use some to make a big bowl of tuna-egg salad. . .Lin

. . .And Yet Another Zuppa Toscana Variation

I'm sure getting lots of mileage from the one or possibly two times I ordered the Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden 15+ years ago! Sometimes it just works that way with those of us who are diehard 'foodies' You try something and just have to break it down, and analyze it so you can recreate it on your own whenever a crazy craving hits. And for me, every time I make it it's slightly different from the last!

This happened also after my first experience with Gazpacho at La Paella, a Spanish restaurant south of Madison, Wisconsin that's no longer in operation. Their's was different from most in that, in addition to the usual tomato, cucumber, onion, garlic, etc., it had carrot, vinegar and a couple other unique ingredients. It was the best ever! I'll work on more Gazpacho again this summer. But, for now. . .it's Zuppa Toscana time! 

Heat a little EVOO in a heavy pot, then add:

1# pork sausage
1 lg. purple onion
~ use only 1/2c chopped fine right now

Saute these together until lightly browned.

Next the following sliced or chopped vegetables go into the pot:

1-2 lg. carrots

the rest of the purple onion
4 colorful -seeded- mini peppers
2 baby bok choy - white parts only for now
1-1/2# scrubbed potatoes - I don't peel mine
the sliced bok choy green tops
a bunch of dinosaur kale - take out the rib and slice

Sauté all this only until steamy and sizzling. Add 2c fresh cold water. Simmer a half hour, then stir in:

Several tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon - chicken or vegetable flavor. Also, (a couple bay leaves, dried oregano, marjoram, rosemary -or- a generous amount of some good Italian Seasoning) black and red pepper, granulated garlic and garlic salt. Add more water.

Next, add 2-3 drained-rinsed cans of your favorite beans, 3 tablespoons of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and all or part of a 22oz. jar of Alfredo sauce. Add more water again if needed and check the flavors until you feel they're right. Simmer another half hour or so to blend the flavors and throw in some chopped, fresh parsley now if you want. This is great on a chilly Winter day. By itself or with a simple, fresh green salad and some crusty sourdough garlic bread. . .Lin

A Winter Viral and Pain Tonic. . .

This recipe approach takes me back to stories of remedies from those who had the reputation of small town natural 'healers' in days gone by.

Having tried SO many of the Rx and IV chemo type approaches my docs have recommended for seasonal illness as well as the list of autoimmune diseases I deal with, with no success I'm going this route for the next couple months.

A good friend sent me a similar recipe, then I found this one when I scrolled beyond it. Since it's on Facebook, it might not open for all of you, so I'm posting my photo and the ingredients here. The ONLY change I made this morning was to add a big splash (maybe 2oz.) of fresh lemon juice to my mug. I'm hoping this will help all of us with whatever-ails-us on a daily basis.

1/2c natural unprocessed local honey

1/2t each: black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper
1lg. garlic clove - I crushed mine slightly then rough chopped it

Combine all the ingredients in a small glass jar. Heat the honey just a bit if necessary, to make it easier to saturate the spices and mix everything together.

The recipe says to 'burp' the jar daily, but since it can just stay on the countertop and I'll have a cup a day, I'm just resting a bigger lid on the top to keep out any dust, etc.

Once mixed well, it can be used right away. Just stir about 1/2t into a cup of almost boiling water. I'm having mine in the morning for pain and immunity, but if you need help with sleep, it might work to drink it an hour before bedtime. Here's to a healthy winter 😊
~ These spices can cause heartburn. If you're prone to that, be sure to eat something with your daily cup of this.

~ Also, put a little spoon in your mug and stir as you drink or you could end up with a big mouthful of settled spices at the end!

Just-About-Everything Healthy Muffins

I'm trying to keep gluten and sugar minimized, but the cravings are sneaky and pop up from time to time. Usually when I don't have good healthy options in the house.

Today I typed in a list of ingredients I wanted to use and ~VOILA~ A.I. presented me with a great base recipe to expound upon! Preheat your oven to 375° Put the dry and wet ingredients in two large glass bowls and combine them well within each bowl:

1c unbleached, organic all purpose flour

3/4c organic rye flour

1/2c organic corn flour

1c chopped walnuts

1c unsweetened flaked coconut

2T ground flax seeds

2T chia seeds

1-1/2T baking powder

1-1/2T pumpkin pie spice

3/4t baking soda

3/4t sea salt

3/4c organic granulated cane sugar

2 lg. pasture raised eggs
1/2c raisins

1/2c fresh orange juice (or orange and lemon)

~ using 1 lg. navel orange

1/2c single origin EVOO

3/4c whole milk sour cream

2 whole Cutie Mandarin oranges - finely chopped

1c+ fresh or frozen whole cranberries - finely chopped

1t -1T pure vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375° 

Combine the wet and dry ingredients until totally incorporated, with a heavy silicone spatula. Fill the paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown and they pass the toothpick test. 

Today, at 3pm, when these cooled I decided I was really needing some Fika time — Ginger-Turmeric tea, a little smoked goat cheese and 2 big muffins. They are SO hearty, I should have stopped at 1. I'm normally not an afternoon break person, but I know my Scandinavian ancestors did this every day. . .and these muffins smelled wonderful 😊

Fika is a Swedish term for a mid-morning or afternoon break, alone or with a neighbor or friend.

Today it's just me, but tomorrow these will go with me to my Tuesday morning Bible study. These turned out so well and are a healthy snack. . .Lin

Garbanzo and Green Pea Salad

The clear container holding 1/2 can of garbanzos kept catching my attention the last couple days. Hmmm, how to use them. . . This morning I decided those would go into a crunchy, bright salad.

To the garbanzos I added 1/2 can of leftover water chestnuts, from our Thanksgiving bean casserole, chopped up 1/4 green pepper and a celery heart. Seasoning was a little garlic salt, 1t good curry powder and a shake of my black + cayenne pepper blend. To hold it together I used about 1/3c each real mayonnaise and sour cream. Then it needed more fresh green color and flavor so I added about 10oz. frozen peas. After that's mixed together, top with homemade bacon crumbles. This went together quickly while I was working on the day 2 procedure for my Thanksgiving turkey, turmeric-oregano bone broth. Mmmm. . .Lin

Shrimp Bowl Surprise!

Wow, it's been a whole month since I last posted! I've taken some photos and created a few recipes, but somehow they never made it here. This one turned out so well and interesting. It makes me realize that if I just focus on an ingredient or two, then check the 'fridge and pantry to add what others I feel are needed, sometimes unlikely magic happens!

This idea started with wild caught Red Argentinian Shrimp. Then I wanted something fresh and green. I was thinking kale, but I finished that in another recipe a few days earlier. Then I spied tiny yellow-green cabbages. . .Brussels sprouts! Yes! Then I needed crunch, hence the walnuts and for a bland flavor and texture, garbanzos seemed right to bring it all together. . .

Slice then sauté the Brussels sprouts in a big spoonful of Costco's Kirkland Organic Ghee. (I've tried several brands and also made my own - this is the absolute best ghee!) As that starts to brown, add a bit of bone broth or a splash of cooking Sherry, then stir in about a cup of rough chopped walnuts. Simmer-sauté these together then add 6-8 big shrimp cut into smaller pieces and half a small, sliced onion. Stir-sauté this until the shrimp is almost done. Season - I use Lawry's Garlic Salt and my blend of finely ground black and cayenne pepper. Just before serving, stir in half a can of drained-rinsed-dried garbanzos. Cover, turn off the heat. Wait about 5 minutes, stir and serve. . .Lin

Healthy Vegetables For Your Dog. . .

Vegetables are an excellent addition to your dog's daily diet. However - NEVER GIVE THEM ONION OR GARLIC and do some research to be sure to avoid other foods that can cause them harm.

Typically, I feed my old pup, Oliver, twice a day. His first feeding, around 7am consists of meat plus a little 'healthy' dry food. Later, usually around 3pm, he gets a little more dry food with lightly steamed-sauteed vegetables added.

Chop everything well, add a little of the rendered chicken fat removed from the top of the chilled bone broth on day 2 of making that and also some bone broth. Simmer this just until the carrots are crisp tender.

When feeding this, I'll add a little warm water or heated bone broth to his bowl with the dry food.

He loves all three of these: carrots, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts! Oliver turned 14 in July. His hearing is mostly gone, and he has some arthritis, but I'm convinced keeping his diet healthy and his weight appropriate has added years to our time together. A big win for both of us! . . . Lin

Healing Chicken Vegetable Soup

I bought some BBQ seasoned chicken leg quarters a while ago. Roasted them, then made bone broth, which is the darker jar shown in this photo. I had also made another batch of bone broth using plain chicken legs. Both of these jelled perfectly, indicating a lot of natural, healthy collagen. For this recipe, I used all the darker bone broth and about half of the lighter jar, so about 40oz. total.

For both of these bone broths, I just simmered the skin and bones with a splash of apple cider vinegar in a couple quarts of cold, filtered water. No additional spices, seasonings or other vegetables added. I might just keep it simple like this in the future. This way, with no onion or garlic, the bone broth is good for humans or my dog and cat. Roasted legs and thighs have made the best bone broths.

I chopped-sliced-cubed the vegetables and added them to the pot according to cooking time needed. The 3 carrots need the longest, so they went in with a couple tablespoons of Ghee and a tiny big of onion. I sauteed these a few minutes, then covered for a bit longer over low heat.

Then I added some bone broth, 8oz. of frozen green beans and the Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed. This was covered and simmered about 15 minutes. Then more bone broth and all the chopped garlic, onion, 2/3c cooking Sherry and 10oz. of roasted chicken. Cover this and simmer another 15 minutes.

This turned out really well, with no additional seasonings! Just plain, healing chicken and vegetable soup! . .Lin

Chicken and Vegetables with Buckwheat

Did you know buckwheat is gluten free? The name is certainly misleading in this regard. I decided to toast some in the oven to use as a healthy grain in this casserole sort of chicken, mushroom and zucchini dish.

First, measure out the buckwheat you want to use, on a flat baking sheet. Toast this at 350° for a short time. Maybe 10 minutes, but stay with this, the buckwheat I finally used was my 3rd attempt. The first two went from light to dark and unusable, in no time.

The first photo shows bacon pieces frying. This is sort of an optional incidental. I just happened to be making that to transfer to paper towels, then to containers, just to have in the 'fridge. It sure tastes great as a crunchy topping to many things.

Once the buckwheat is toasted, transfer it to a pot with a lid and cook it like rice, with a buckwheat-to-water-ratio of 1 to 2.

Sauté the mushrooms in a couple tablespoons of the bacon grease until they start to brown. Add zucchini chunks, mix gently, cover and let cook over low-medium heat for several minutes before adding the chopped onion and mini peppers. When everything is crisp-tender, stir 6-8oz. of roasted chicken meat. Serve this with or over the buckwheat. After the first serving, I combined them in a casserole dish. It would travel well and be a unique addition to any potluck.

~ ~ Don't forget the bacon! . .Lin ~ ~

Crunchy Tuna Salad

Whenever possible, I buy tuna packed in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Then I use it, without draining, for a healthier version of tuna salad. This minimizes the amount of mayo you need to hold everything together.

Use 2 cans with all the chopped vegetables and drained, diced water chestnuts shown in this photo.

Use about 2T each of a good, seedy, brown mustard and mayonnaise. This EVOO might take a little getting used to, but it really is a healthier way to make tuna salad.

If you like the combination of tuna and eggs, add a couple chopped hard boiled eggs for an added protein boost.

This went great with those corn muffins I made the other day. . .Mmmm! . . Lin

Turkey and Brown Rice Dog Food

Today, being a bit incapacitated due to a weird fall in my living room last night (I tripped over my pup, Oliver!) I decided to find some way to be productive in spite of my hobbley knee and achy body.

I cleaned out part of the freezer in my side-by-side 'fridge. There were 3 packages of turkey parts and pieces. All freezer burned, so they ended up in the garbage. . .for about 10 minutes. Then I decided they'd make great dog food and also bone broth for Oliver. (Remember no onion or garlic for animals - ever!! It's toxic to them! Simple is best, you can always add some raw, finely-chopped animal-safe vegetables as you fix their food each day.)

I roasted everything at 375° for about an hour until the turkey legs were cooked and nicely browned. Smells a little like Thanksgiving here!

When everything cooled a bit I separated the edible parts from the skin, bone and cartilage, with the latter staying in the roasting pan. I added 2-3 quarts of water and simmered that for a couple hours. Then strained and chilled it.

Tomorrow I'll scrape off the fat, into another container, to give him in small amounts, mixed with his food. The rest will be heated and poured into Mason jars, sealed and put in the 'fridge for use within the next couple weeks to heat and add to his food.

The edible parts - turkey meat, gizzards, hearts and livers - were chopped up while making a recipe of brown rice - 1c rice + 2c water. These were combined and almost filled my 4 quart bright yellow vintage Pyrex mixing bowl.

I'll put all this into containers that hold 3 days worth of food to mix with his dry food each morning and freeze them. It'll be nice to continue with the freezer clean out once this food is gone. I know Oliver will love it!..Lin

Corn, Oat, Chia and Flax Muffins with Chopped Walnuts

I gathered ingredients this morning for healthy muffins.
I'm not a big bread and grain person, but this sort of thing goes so well with soups and chili, that I'd love to create a go-to recipe that I know works. An interesting one that I really love serving. So. . .I'm on a quest for that. Then I Googled everything and let A.I. put together a recipe for me. Of course I added a couple things, and this is what I got. 

Wet Ingredients:

1 lg. pasture raised egg

1c whole milk plain Greek yogurt

1/4c single source EVOO

1/4c Maple Syrup
1t± pure vanilla

~ add ~

1 can drained, whole kernel corn

4oz. bone broth

Dry Ingredients:

1c corn flour

1c organic quick oats

2T ground flax seed

2T chia seeds

2t baking powder

1/2 baking soda
2T Everything Bagel seasoning

4 oz. = 1c chopped walnuts

1t cinnamon -or- pumpkin pie spice

Mix each set of ingredients well, with a whisk or a silicone spatula. Don't combine the two bowls until your oven is hot - preheated to 375° - and you're ready to bake. Using a big serving spoon or small ladle, fill each paper-lined muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake until they pass the toothpick test, or about 22 minutes. Cool a half hour before serving.
These turned out well textured, grainy and good! . . Lin

Lemon-Ginger-Pepper-Honey Cleansing 'Tea'

I think a lot about food ideas that are healthy and taste good.

I saw an ad about a ginger drink today that didn't look quite right to me, so I decided to experiment. This one would be great if you're trying to cut down on caffeine or alcohol, or just want a good cleansing drink to keep you on track with healthier lifestyle and food choices. 

4-6 cubes of candied ginger

½-1t ground cinnamon

½t finely ground cayenne + black pepper

1-2T local honey - optional

½-¾c fresh lemon juice

filtered water

Heat several cups of filtered water in a stainless steel pot. Chop the candied ginger and add that to the hot water. Stir and let stand to soften the ginger. Pour this into a blender and blend on high for a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients plus more filtered water - enough to fill a glass pitcher, and blend again. I'm thinking a couple mugs of this each day could be helpful in ridding our bodies of toxins. . .Lin

Beefy Chunky Vegetable and Bean Chili

Aside from a very occasional grass-Today's chili will be a big pot for several people I'm cooking for, and me. beef  inburger, the only thing I use ground meat for is meat loaf. For that I use beef, lamb, venison, elk, chicken, turkey. . .whatever I can find that looks good and healthy. Usually a mix of at least 2 of the above. I loosely follow my mom's meatloaf recipe, and it always tastes great. I'm planning to make more of those this winter, so those recipes will be appearing here.

This big pot is for several people I was cooking for, as well as for me. I've finally discovered that my beef-of-choice for chili is beef stew meat. It always turns out great whereas a roast or steak can be tough. Since the pieces are usually about 1¼" cubes, I cut each one into quarters. This way, in the browning-deglazing process, they get well browned, tender and develop really good flavor.

While the meat is browning in single source EVOO, chop the vegetables. Today I used 2c celery, 1 big onion, 1 lg. green pepper, 3 mini red peppers and the celery tops will go in during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Brown the meat until it sizzles, then add liquid and simmer again until it sizzles. Do this 3 or 4 times to bring out all the great flavor of good quality meat. Season it lightly, during the last browning.

To deglaze the pot, you can use water, cooking sherry, Vodka or beer. Beer is the best with red meats. I no longer drink alcohol, but love the way certain ones interact with animal protein to enhance the flavor. Most of the alcohol evaporates by the end of the cooking process.

This time, I used water, then - since I didn't have beer - I poured in a splash Marsala cooking wine at the end. If you take the time to do this browning-deglazing with a liquid, you'll be surprised at how little seasonings you need to add!

Pour in the 28oz. can of stewed tomatoes, and the smaller can of petite diced tomatoes with all the juice. All the chopped vegetables along with a cup or two of water if needed, and a big spoonful of beef Better Than Bouillon. Simmer everything together on low-medium heat, covered, for about a half hour. Next add the drained-rinsed black and garbanzo beans along with the chili beans - but do NOT drain or rinse those. Just pour both cans right into the pot. If you like corn in your chili, now would be a good time to add a couple of cans of drained whole kernel corn (not creamed corn). Now the celery tops also go in the pot.

Simmer everything together another 10-15 minutes. Serve it now, or for best flavor, chill and reheat it several hours later.

I had a bowl with a double corn muffin I made to go with the potato corn chowder. This time I cheated and used a jiffy mix to which I added an extra egg, EVOO, 1t baking powder, 1/3c ground flax seed, 1 can drained corn and some quick cooking oats. . .Lin

Potato-Corn (+ Lots of Vegetables) Chowder

I always love making soup. All kinds of soups. . .
However, Chowders and Bisques are especially interesting to me ever since my first Crawfish Bisque. I bought some crawfish recently, so another big pot of that'll be happening again soon. . .

This was a good combination of ingredients, but of course, if I make it again, I'll add and subtract various things - usually depending on what's in my 'fridge. 

 

Today I started by sauteing 4# of scrubbed, rough-chopped potatoes in some of the rendered bacon fat, but there wasn't much. Then adding the chopped carrots and celery and a big spoonful of ghee. 

Later I also poured in about 1/3c of cooking Sherry.

It was soon clear to me that this wasn't all going to fit in one pot, so after the chopped onion, garlic and mini peppers were added, I divided it between 2 big pots. Then to each pot I added half of the total: corn with the liquid, cream of mushroom soup, coconut milk.

Simmer about 15 minutes before checking the flavors. I added garlic salt, smoky paprika and my mix of cayenne + black pepper, then finished with a big spoonful of chicken Better Than Bouillon. Top with a little crumbled bacon for texture and great flavor.

This turned out really well. . .Lin

Healthy-Healing Colorful Vegetable Soup

Beets are amazing! I bought some about a month ago and forgot about the 4 small ones that just sat there, waiting, in the bottom corner of my vegetable drawer. I scrubbed and cut away a little bit of outer dried area at the top, but they were just great, without being peeled!

Slice or chop everything shown. Melt some of Costco's amazing Kirkland brand Organic Ghee in a big pot, then start with the scrubbed, unpeeled vegetables that require the most cooking, the Brussels sprouts and carrots.

Then the can of tomatoes, cauliflower, beets and green cabbage - (tucked in there at the top center) - about 1/3 of a medium head. I omitted the onion, (shown in the photo) to make it a healthy meal option for my dog also.

After all this sauteed until crisp-tender, I added the chopped fresh spinach, seasoning, some filtered water and a big serving spoonful of chicken Better Than Bouillon, but if you want this to be vegetarian, use the vegetable version. Obviously, the beets have done their thing with their pink carotene. . .but. . .who doesn't love bright pink soup? . .😃. . .Lin

An Eggy Breakfast Idea That Took A While To Hatch 😁

I thought of this a long time ago, but often it takes a 'sick day' for me to actually slow down enough to bring an idea to creation. Yesterday I had to push myself to do everything and had a fever for a while. At 2am this morning I woke up sneezing. So. . .now it's a sneezy, sinus cold. No church today!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 sm. Yukon Gold potato

1/3 lg. Vidalia onion

1 raw pasture raised egg

 a little canned coconut milk

1 slice Black Forest ham

1 hard boiled pasture raised egg

crumbled bacon

shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the potatoes and a little of the chopped onion. Let sizzle-saute until these are lightly brown and scenting your kitchen. Turn down the heat and cover.

After a few minutes add the ham. Beat the raw egg with the coconut milk and add that to the pan. Keep things moving just a bit, so it doesn't stick in one place.

When the egg is about half done, sprinkle on your favorite seasonings.

Chop the hard boiled egg and add that, the bacon and the cheese. Lightly stir everything together, cover and remove from the heat.

Serve with some fruit, or vegetables. . .AND. . .coffee, or tea. . .Mmmm. . .Happy Sunday to you. . .Lin