A Simple Spicy Lemon Immunity Tea

This is a good one for cold symptoms or to drink on a daily basis as a healthy hydrating hot drink.

Pour 6-8 cups of cold fresh water into your very clean Mr. Coffee. I use mine alternately for coffee, tea, cacao and herbal tonics to help with viral symptoms. If you clean it well after each use, it's always ready to go with whatever you're craving.

Put a filter into the basket - preferably an unbleached brown paper filter. Add the following to the pot:

6-8 whole cloves
1 big cinnamon stick

a big pinch of whole peppercorns

a good shake of powdered cayenne

a 1" chunk of fresh ginger - sliced thin
1 lemon - juice and outer peel

Hit the ON button and let it run through. Don't overheat it or it'll turn bitter. Pour a mug, turn it off and remove from the heat. Until it's gone just pour and heat one cup at a time. . .Lin

Duck Primavera With Skinny Noodles

Oh Boy!

I can't remember when I've made a better casserole from odds + ends leftovers! With just a little-bit-of-this and a little-bit-of-that, after eating this three times, I'm already wishing there was more! All the ingredients combined perfectly to bring out the best flavors in each other!

Simmer 3oz. Asian wheat (or rice) noodles until only half done. Drain then rinse in icy cold water to chill them and wash away the surface starch.

Slice-chop the vegetables shown on the board in the first photo and saute in single source EVOO. When these are translucent and about half done, add a couple handfuls of sliced fresh spinach.

Pour in about 1/3c cooking Sherry and half a jar - 8oz± - of Alfredo sauce. Cover and barely simmer, on low heat until the spinach wilts. Stir in the chilled, drained noodles. Mix gently.

I chopped then weighed the leftover roasted duck and was surprised to find it was only 2.5oz! Although it was a small amount, it was just right for the flavor and texture it provided. 

Serve this with some fresh sliced vegetables. . .Lin

Plum Sauce - For Plum Walnut Muffins

I bought a big bag of plums recently that were lacking in flavor, so they lost their charm as something to just grab and eat. I decided to make plumsauce, like applesauce. My mom made the best Applesauce Muffins. Originally, she couldn't find applesauce she liked, so she made her own with her favorites, either McIntosh or Jonathan apples.

I Googled the ingredients I wanted to use and A.I. popped up with a recipe for this! 

1# 12oz. chopped purple plums

~ scrub well and dry but don't peel

1c golden raisins

1 lemon - zest and juice

1-1/4c turbinado sugar

1/2T pumpkin pie spice

a shake or two of salt

Simmer all this together over low.-med. heat, 8-15 minutes or so, until the fruit is soft. Let it cool a bit before using or eating. You can leave it chunky like this, or use your immersion blender to bring it to a more cohesive state.

I've found most of the flavor in a plum is in the skin. To simmer the chopped fruit this way, with a little added sweetness and the tartness of the lemon really blossoms it! Blending a bit brings that out even more. . .Lin

Lotsa-Ingredient Egg Bake - Gluten Free

Well, this was fun!

Lots of slicing and chopping, so it took a bit longer than most egg bakes I've made, but I think really worth the extra. . .The texture and flavors are really good. I made it without onion or garlic, so this bake is good for humans and dogs.

First preheat your oven to 375° Scrub the vegetables, spray or oil a 9"x13" glass pan. Slice-chop all the vegetables into the pan, in layers or mix. They will be mixed after baking.

Take into consideration any differences in cooking times and cut them up so the entire mix will be done the way you like it - baked all together, rather than in stages. For instance, celery and carrot take longer so I cut them smaller than the rest.

3 carrots

4 ribs of celery

1 med. zucchini

3 colorful mini peppers

5 big meaty mushrooms
a good amount of broccoli

Drizzle several tablespoons of Moroccan EVOO over the top of the vegetables then bake for 20-30 minutes until they seem about half way done. The liquid pulled out of them should be bubbling a little. 

Just before the end of the vegetable baking time, mix the rest of the ingredients together in your blender jar and blend well for a minute or so to incorporate everything into the eggs.

7 extra large pasture raised eggs

4oz. good quality bone broth
2/3c full fat cottage cheese

2T buckwheat flour

1T baking powder

~ 1t - 1T each:
~ black+cayenne pepper, Italian Seasoning
~ Himalayan pink salt, dry dill

Pour this evenly to cover the vegetables. I also had 2oz. of bacon I previously cooked and crumbled over this followed by a couple handfuls of grated cheese. 

Return to the oven and bake another 30 minutes or so, until the top is lightly brown and the egg mixture is baked all the way through. Test with a toothpick. Cool a bit then cut into squares and serve. I'll make variations of this one again. It turned out well and will make a lot of meals for me and my dog, Oliver. . .Lin

A Simple Salad Everyone Likes. . .

Yes, Everyone! Even my two Great Grandsons request this one!

several tiny or mini English cucumbers

5-6 green onions

1 med. tomato

~ increase the amounts if you're serving a big group

dry dill

your favorite dressing

Slice or chop the vegetables into a pretty glass bowl, if you're serving this right away, or into a refrigerator container. Sprinkle generously with the dill then add enough dressing to cover everything well.

This is best with a tangy yet slightly sweet dressing. Today I used one I put together the other day. It's sort of a cross between ranch and honey mustard, but everyone also really loves my Lemon EVOO Dressing. Mix and serve.

This will keep well in the 'fridge, covered, for 2-3 days
if it lasts that long . . . 😉 . . . Lin

Duck and Vegetable Soup

3 big carrots

4 ribs of celery

12 Brussels sprouts

2 big spoons of duck fat
1t-1T Lowry's Garlic Salt
1t black+cayenne pepper

1 big green pepper
3 seedless red mini peppers

6 sm.-med. Yukon Gold potatoes
6 big cloves of garlic
1 med. yellow onion
3 bay leaves

1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2c cooking Sherry
12oz. duck bone broth
24oz. fresh cold water
1/4-1/3c chicken Better Than Bullion
10oz. roasted duck meat

I melted a couple big spoons of the strange looking chartreuse rendered duck fat in a big heavy bottomed pot. (color is from the turmeric and oregano - although duck fat is also darker than chicken fat)

Sauté the  sliced carrots, celery and Brussels sprouts for about 5 minutes until they start to soften.

Add the second group of rough chopped vegetables, and about half the bone broth. Cover and simmer on low about 10 minutes.

Next add the final group of ingredients, cover and simmer another 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are done the way you like them. . .Lin

My Current (310 calorie) Snack Obsession

The Ginger Turmeric juice is great mixed with lemon 'soda water' as my children always called it. I fill the glass with ice, add 4oz. of juice and 4oz. soda water and stir.

The dates and lemoncello-white chocolate almonds are both from Costco. The dates are only medjool dates filled with almond butter. When you're craving sweets, if you can turn it into something healthy, that's always a plus. . .Lin

Duck Bone Broth - For Dogs and Humans

Yesterday I took out what I thought was a big package of chicken leg quarters from the freezer. Once the frost melted away, I saw eyeballs staring up at me! 😯 Not chicken! It was a whole duck I bought on a trip to the cities, several months ago, with my daughter. We go there once or twice a year to shop at Trader Joe's and Asian markets we don't have here in Duluth.

Alrighty then. . .Duck it is!

And before roasting - - off with its head 🥺

After roasting an hour and a half or so, with temps varying between 350° then up to 400° to melt the fat and crisp up the skin, I let it cool awhile. Then pulled off, and refrigerated the meat, returning the skin and bones and mystery parts back to the pan. Then I was done for the day. I sealed up the roasting pan, put it on my deck to chill at 29° and decided to finish it this morning.

As I've mentioned before, bone broth containing onion and/or garlic is NOT safe for animals. Neither are bones for the most part, especially those that have been cooked! So, although they may lack a bit in flavor, mine are now all made safe for me and my furry pets. This one is just duck, water, my black + cayenne pepper mix, turmeric and bay leaves. Once this comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a low bubble, cook covered 2-3 hours.

What was in the roasting pan was then strained, discarding the bones, skin and solids. Then strained through progressively smaller mesh strainers, then chilled overnight.

This morning the broth was gelled and the fat was firm enough to sort of roll into clumps with a big spoon. This made it really easy to separate the fat from the broth. The gelling is an indicator of broth that has a lot of natural collagen which makes it a very good broth!

The odd color of the fat is from the turmeric + oregano. In spite of its strange appearance, I'm saving it to try as a cooking fat. I know chefs rave about it. A little can also be added to your dog's food, but only a very small amount just to enhance the flavor of their food.

This broth doesn't have much flavor, even with the seasonings I use, it never tastes like much of anything. Yet I know when using it in a recipe, I'm making something really healthy. Collagen is an excellent source of nutrients for skin and bones in humans and animals.

Bring the gelled broth to a low simmer, then pour into clean jars with sealing lids. Screw those on tight then leave on your counter until they seal with a >ping<

After you hear that, let the jars continue to cool a bit longer on the counter before refrigerating. Remember, this is NOT a shelf-stable method of 'preserving' bone broth. Sealing the jars in this way - without using a pressure canner - only takes the air out of the jar. The jars should be refrigerated, where they will stay fresh for 2-3 weeks. Use a little each day to enhance your dog's food. That's what the open jar will be used for the next day or so.

Bone broth is always a great base for gravies, soups or stews. You can also heat a cup and drink it as a healing drink if you're fighting a virus . . . Lin

Cleansing Caffeine-Free Teas

If you feel the need to flush out some toxins from your body, no need to resort to pills or harsh method. There are so many naturally cleansing foods and drinks you can make. Here are some tea suggestions with ingredients easily obtained.

I clean my great little no-frills $17 Mr. Coffee, bought at a big box store 8 years ago, very well between uses. This makes it easy for me to switch from coffee to tea to cacao quickly depending on my current craving.

When making tea or cacao, I make sure the basket for the ground coffee is completely clean and line it with a big cupcake-shaped filter. The best are the brown, unbleached filters.

I live on the north shore of Lake Superior and our tap water tastes great. I let it run until it's icy cold. For tea, I fill the carafe to the 8 cup level. Pour it in. . .and then the fun begins.

I pick a tea and decide what, if anything, I'll add as enhancements. Flip the On button and brew-away! This morning mine is the Turmeric Ashwagandha but I also really love Aldi's Ginger Turmeric

3 tea bags
twisted peel from a Cutie mandarin
1/4 squeezed lemon
1" cube of unpeeled fresh ginger
1 big cinnamon stick - break in half

Right after brewing, stir in a little local organic honey, or Maple syrup, if you want.

I brewed and sweetened this tea last night, then turned off the coffee maker. Steeping many hours brought out all the flavors, with no bitterness.

In the morning, heat what you need in a little pan or pour into a favorite mug and - into the microwave. Mmmm. . .Good stuff. . .Lin

Crunchy Egg and Tuna Salad

I love always having some version of this ready to eat in my 'fridge. Sometimes it's just tuna, but when I have a lot of eggs, I'll often add those as well.

My body seems to respond well to a blast of tuna protein. When I was working at our local Police Department, I'd often not eat until noon or thereabouts. Sometimes I'd intentionally not bring lunch and instead walk to the Subway a couple blocks away. On the days when I'd get a tuna sub I'd always feel so good for hours afterward. I love those (rare) strong signals our body gives when we find something that works well.

I used all these ingredients shown for this salad except for the cheese and tomato. It didn't really need the extra calories in the cheese, nor the water in the tomato. That was better on the side.

2 cans EVOO packed tuna - don't drain
1/2 lg. yellow onion
2 ribs of celery

2 hard boiled eggs
2 mini peppers

2 dill pickles
a little sweet pickle relish
2T brown grainy mustard
black + cayenne pepper
Lowry's Garlic Salt
1/2c± mayonnaise

Mix everything in a big glass bowl.

I had this with the gluten-free corn muffins I posted recently. I also served it over tossed salad. It would also be good in a tortilla wrap. . .Lin

Coconut Milk Coffee Creamer

I have yet to find inexpensive, healthy variations of this at the grocery store.

This is dairy-free and has a little sweetness. I added vanilla, but use whatever flavoring you like, or just stick with the flavors of coconut and whatever you're using for sweetness - honey, molasses or Maple syrup.

1 can coconut milk
1-2t± pure vanilla
1-2T± pure Maple syrup
a pinch of Himalayan pink salt

Put all of this in a shaker type container with a secure top. Shake well to mix. Store in the refrigerator. . .Lin

Raw Immunity Shots

I've been seeing variations of this recipe online. I tried making it a couple times and finally came up with a variation that has great ingredients and tastes good! I'd recommend fresh pineapple, but all I had was canned in juice.

1/3 lg. can pineapple chunks + juice

1 scrubbed med. beet

~ don't peel, just cut off any bad spots ~ 

3 big ribs of celery

3 cloves garlic

1 lg. scrubbed carrot

1T± raw-unfiltered honey

a sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt

8-10oz. cold water

Smash the garlic, cut up the vegetables, then blend everything well, on high until this is pourable. If you're not used to concentrated raw vegetables like this, I'd recommend starting with about 4oz. / day. In just a couple days you'll be able to double that amount. 

This provides great vitamins as well as natural cleaning for your body.

Store whatever you don't consume right away in a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid. This keeps well, refrigerated, for several days. . .Lin

Gluten-Free Corn Muffins with a little help from A.I.

Please excuse the font change, I wanted the A.I. comment to stand out from my ramblings. . .For the past several years, when I have ingredients rattling around in my 'fridge and my brain, I've found if I type them in the Google search line, it'll send me to similar recipes.

Now. . .A.I. not only does that but it will actually create a recipe for me using exactly what I've typed in! This is possibly the ONLY positive comment you'll ever see from me on this scary, invasive technology. . . 

So. . .I typed in only the main ingredients I wanted to use: "For Corn Muffins: Corn flour, buckwheat flour, eggs, canned corn, EVOO, plain Greek Yogurt" and this is what it suggested:

AI Overview

Healthy, moist corn muffins can be made using corn flour, buckwheat flour, eggs, canned corn, EVOO, and plain Greek yogurt. This combination typically requires a binder like baking powder, and often a sweetener like honey, with a base of 1 cup cornmeal (or flour) and 1 cup alternative flour, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, and 1/4 cup oil. 

Key Considerations for this Recipe:

• Moisture: Greek yogurt is the key ingredient that ensures the muffins are not dry or crumbly, often replacing butter or sour cream.
• Flour Mix: Using buckwheat flour adds a earthy, nutritious profile, while corn flour provides the traditional flavor, usually combined with a 1:1 ratio of flour to cornmeal.
• Method: Combine dry ingredients (corn flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, salt) and wet ingredients (eggs, yogurt, EVOO, canned corn) separately before gently mixing them together.
• Baking: Bake at 375°F-400°F for 15-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Add-ins: Enhance the savory flavor by adding mix-ins like jalapeños, shredded cheese, or savory herbs, or keep them slightly sweet with honey. 

For a healthier or gluten-free version, this combination works well and can be customized with additional ingredients like cheddar cheese or scallions. 

Preheat your oven to 350°
Line metal muffin tins with papers or use silicone muffin pans.
My take on this:

In a large glass bowl, whisk together:

1c corn flour

1c rolled oats

1/2c buckwheat flour

1T baking powder

1/2T Lowry's Garlic Salt

1/2T Little's Chili-Lime Seasoning

Combine the following in a smaller bowl:

1 can corn—drained

2 lg. pasture raised eggs

2oz. *1/4c raw, unfiltered honey

4oz. *1/2c Moroccan EVOO

8oz. *1c plain Greek yogurt

6oz.± low sodium vegetable broth or water - only if batter is too thick.

Other good additions would be grated Parmesan cheese, chopped canned jalapenos, finely diced sun-dried tomatoes, (chopped garlic stuffed large olives-?)

***My daughter-in-law bought me a kitchen scale several years ago. Best thing ever! She's a Pastry Chef and strongly recommends WEIGHING ingredients whenever possible for better accuracy. It also saves on having to clean measuring utensils. Just put whatever it is you need on the scale, zero the setting, and then the amount you need will register as a negative amount as you (for this recipe) squeeze, pour or spoon it into the bowl, all perfectly 'measured' by weight. 

When each bowl is well combined, and the oven is ready, pour the second into the first. Mix again, then fill each muffin—mini-bread cup 1/2—3/4 full. Sprinkle with a little grated cheese or everything bagel seasoning.

Bake until the tops are nicely browned or until a toothpick used to test comes out clean - about 20 minutes. Then drop the oven temperature to 325° for another 15 minutes. . .Lin

Sorry this appears so choppy, it always happens when I copy and paste text from an outside source to this site. I also can't remove the open space below without losing all the text above 😕 odd programming or crabby software I guess!

 

An Expanded Garlic-Cheese Biscuit—Muffin Recipe

😃 — WOW — 😃

I just realized. . .This is recipe #2,000!!!

I think some variety of this will be my go-to 'bread' recipe. In fact, next time I make this, I might try baking it in a loaf pan. There are other variations I'd also like to experiment with. Different spices, seasoning and other flours. I thought I only had 1/2c corn flour, but I was wrong, I found another package, or I would have made up the difference with buckwheat flour. In spite of the name, buckwheat flour is actually also gluten-free. I also bought coconut flour the other day when I shopped. Ohhh, so many fun possibilities! Here's today's recipe though, which is just a bit of an expansion on the original one I posted last week.

Preheat your oven to 375° In a big glass bowl, whisk together:

1c almond flour

1c corn flour

1T baking powder

2T ground flax seed

Put these ingredients in your blender and pulse until they're mixed, then blend a minute or so:

14-16oz. cottage cheese
6 cloves of garlic
3 jumbo eggs

1T± dry oregano

1/2T dry dill

1/2T garlic salt

Pour the blender contents into the flour bowl and stir until well mixed. Then add whatever cheese you like in whatever amount you want. Today I used about 2 cups of Taco Blend cheese.

Spoon the batter into paper lined muffin tins or directly into silicone muffin pans. Add more shredded cheese to the top of each, or sprinkle them with Everything Bagel Seasoning.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. Cool, then serve with. . .Well. . .Just about anything! . . .Lin

Chicken-Mushroom-Vegetable Alfredo

6-8oz. pasta - Cook the pasta about half way, then drain and rinse in ice water until well chilled to turn this into resistant starch. While this is chilling, combine the following ingredients for the sauce.

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce

1/2-1c chicken bone broth

1/2c Marsala cooking wine

Simmer the sauce over low heat, season with black and cayenne pepper, granulated garlic and garlic salt until it bubbles and thickens a bit. Sauté 8oz. mushrooms over low heat in 2-3T black truffle oil. Add a little more Marsala. When the mushrooms are nicely browned add the chopped vegetables:

4 big ribs of celery
4 seedless mini peppers

1/2 large onion

Simmer over low heat, covered until the celery is crisp-tender. Add 1 can drained-rinsed diced water chestnuts, the chilled-drained pasta and 11oz. roasted chicken. Mix together gently, pour into a glass baking dish and sprinkle the top with 4oz. crushed salad croutons. Bake 20-30 minutes.

Serve with a big mixed green salad, which is what I'll have next time. This time it was some of those red white and green lemon-butter vegetables. . .Lin