Mini Breakfast Cheesecakes ~ THM Style

Cheesecake for breakfast?  Is it legal?  ;-)

Is it really possible to eat these little yummies and continue to lose
or to maintain a good weight?  Good news ~ Yes!  :)
This was my breakfast this morning ~ shhh...don't tell.

This is only recommended if you are doing it the Trim Healthy Mama way.

The trick is not to mix fats with sugars/carbs.  
Always wait 2.5 -3 hours before changing your fuel source.

That way, your body burns the fat as fuel and doesn't retain it for future use.

Want to know how to bake some cheesecake
that will treat you kindly and will produce no guilt?
Not even if you should choose to indulge in it for breakfast?
Remember the rule ~ no carbs for at least three hours after consuming.
Two of these will stick with you that long...don't worry.  Yippee!

First, let's discuss the supplies.
Individual custard cups are a must-have for these to turn out right.
You could substitute a large cup muffin tin, but, the cheesecakes will sink.
That would be okay in an emergency.  But, real custard cups are the best option.
Mine are 4 inches across at the widest point and 2 inches deep.

Now...on to the recipe.  :)

~ Mini Breakfast Cheesecakes ~
(Recipe altered from the original found in Trim Healthy Mama)

1 lb (500 grams) Cream Cheese ~ room temperature
2 Large Eggs ~ organic, free-range, if possible
3/4 cup Greek Yogurt ~ Fat Free
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice ~ fresh squeezed
1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract 
10 tsp Truvia (or sweetener of choice)

**If you don't want to follow THM, you could use sugar ~
You'd need about 1/2 cup granulated sugar for this recipe.

Mix all ingredients together in stand mixer.
Once ingredients are well combined, whip like you would for whipped cream.
Beat together until light and fluffy ~ this will take quite a few minutes.
Grease your custard cups with butter and fill nearly to the tops with batter.
This recipe will make 7 mini cheesecakes.

Set custard cups onto a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides),
and add water to the pan as shown above.
Set into the pre-heated oven to bake.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until tops are just turning golden.

Remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.

Serve topped with Greek Yogurt or whipped cream and berries.

These are also super duper yummy all by their lonesomes.  :)

Enjoy!  Banish the guilt!

Many Blessings,
Camille

**This recipe is THM *S* ~

Chocolate Pecan Muffins ~ THM Compliant

Have Y'all heard of Trim Healthy Mama?

I kept hearing about it so much, and I was intrigued

enough by all that I read, that I bought the book.

These girls have much to say that makes a lot of sense.

I don't know enough about them to endorse all that they

may stand for, but, the initial results I've had

from eating the way they suggest have been positive.

I've felt better than I have in a long while.

I've dropped 10 pounds without starving myself ~ it really has been painless.

And, the cravings truly are not there or, can easily be satisfied

while staying on plan and continuing to achieve your ideal weight.

It isn't a "diet" in the conventional sense ~

 it's a way of eating and nourishing oneself that is easy to stick to.

It tends to regulate blood sugars and help the body find a good balance.

I have found it to be both satisfying and energizing.  :)

Are you interested to learn more?

Click here to find the book for sale on Amazon.

One thing to mention, and it's a significant thing if you ask me ~

these sisters do not endorse sugar of any kind

if your goal is to lose weight and/or balance your blood sugars.

That means no honey, natural sugar, raw sugar, or maple syrup

for those who are trying to achieve the specific goals mentioned above.

These authors would not include growing children in that restriction.

All of God's good food is encouraged in their case.

And, for everyone, a balanced approach to nutrition is promoted.

They encourage the use of Stevia in a couple of forms.

One of those is Truvia ~ I don't know for sure how I feel about it.  

More research is required before I become settled on the matter.

In the meantime, I have been using it.

That's my disclosure for this post, and I felt it was 

necessary to give it prior to sharing the recipe.  

There.  Now I feel so much better.  *Wink*

Having said all the above, I don't see why you couldn't make these

muffins with regular sugar if you don't want to follow the plan.

I've not actually made them without Truvia, so you'd have to give it a try to see.

According to my calculations, this recipe would require approximately 

3/4 cup to 1 cup of sugar to achieve the same level of sweetness.

Oh, and just so you know.  I still have sugar occasionally.

When I do, however, the scale shows me that I've done it.

It's so empowering to know how to quickly arrest that situation

and stop it in its tracks before it gains a foothold.

Now, on to the recipe!

~ Chocolate Pecan Muffins ~

(Adapted and modified from one of the recipes

which may be found in Trim Healthy Mama)
**These would fall into the S category**

6 Large Eggs ~ Organic, preferrably

2 tsp Vanilla ~ I use the pure extract

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Golden Flax Meal

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Almond Flour

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/3 cup Truvia sweetener (or 3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar)

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1 cup Chopped Pecans

1/3 cup Coconut Oil, melted

Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside.

Measure all dry ingredients together in large bowl and

stir until no lumps remain ~ I mix with my fingers.

Mix egg mixture into dry ingredients, stir lightly with a fork.

Add in melted coconut oil and stir together well.
Let sit a minute or two to let batter rise a little.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin.

I use parchment liners in my muffin tin,

but, you could grease the muffin cups prior to filling.

Fill to the tops of the liners ~ I use the large size.

Makes 10 large muffins.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.

Tester should come out nearly clean. 

Be careful not to over bake as your end product will be too dry.

Serve warm with butter.  Enjoy!

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Disclaimer ~ I only endorse things that I use and enjoy.

I am not compensated in any way for my opinions.

They are just that ~ opinions.  Please do your own research
in order to be sure that you have made the right choice for you.  :)

Soaking and Drying Nuts

Did you know that nuts, oats and beans

are more nutritious when soaked prior to cooking?

This is a relatively new concept to me.

I first wrote on some of the changes I'd made in my 

kitchen back in my early days of blogging ~ 

It includes many links to the *whys* and *hows* behind soaking.

That post may be found by clicking here.

At the time I didn't know about the benefits of soaking and drying nuts ~

just goes to show we are always learning something new, doesn't it?

I certainly do not have it all together in this area,

and I have been known to completely change my mind on some 

things after further research.

It's a good thing to be flexible ~ another thing I've been learning.  :)

Soaking may seem like such a lot of extra work, but, it really isn't.

It just requires a little advance planning,

and the end product is so much better for you.

I cannot help but take notice of the references to soaking beans

in the "Little House" books when I consider what we do as cooks today.

There seemed to be a general knowledge about these things passed

down from one generation to the next back in those days.

We often are hurried and harried in this day and age ~

sometimes food preparation suffers in the process of day to day living.

Soaking and drying nuts is my most recent kitchen upgrade.

I buy pecans and almonds raw.

Then, I soak in salted filtered water for about twelve hours ~

I use 1/2 Tbsp sea salt to 1 lb nuts in about six cups water.

For a specific guideline on how long to soak 

for the type of nut you are working with ~ Click Here.

Sea salt is added to the bottom of a large glass bowl ~

then one variety of nut is added and covered with plenty of fresh water.

Soak only one type of nut per bowl of water.  Stir to dissolve the salt.

Set a lid or large plate over the bowl to cover it ~

some people use a tea towel so it can *breathe*.

After about twelve hours, the water will be brown and murky ~

 pour it off and rinse the nuts well with fresh water.

I use my dehydrator to dry the nuts.

This could also be done in the oven if it will allow you to set it

for a low enough temperature ~ it needs to be about 115-120 degrees F.

Whichever method you choose to use,
it's beneficial to spread the nuts onto parchment paper
for the drying time ~ I do this even in the dehydrator.
If you are using your oven a parchment lined cookie sheet works well.
It's best to try to evenly distribute the nuts in a single layer.

This next step takes a good 24 hours for pecans,

and closer to 36 hours for almonds.
The nuts need to be kept in the oven or dehydrator for the 
appropriate length of time and turned every so often.
Keep checking them for *doneness* ~ this is the fun part!

The goal is to remove all that water and get them

toasty and crunchy ~ They are kinder on your tummy,

and, in my opinion, actually taste better than when they were *raw*.

Once you have a batch of nuts ready to go,
put them into a freezer container and keep them
frozen until needed ~ they will be kept fresher that way.

What about you?  
Do you prepare raw nuts in this way?
Oh, and if you don't and aren't ever planning to,
know that there are seasons for everything ~
It's okay if you never ever do this!  *Smile*

Happy snacking!  :)
Camille

**Update ~ I have found that my pecans have turned out too salty
in recent days and have modified the instructions to reflect this.
Make sure you use lots of soaking water and 
rinse very well prior to the dehydration process.  

Yummy Oatmeal Muffins

In keeping with my recent buttermilk theme,
I'm going to share one of my favourite muffin recipes with you.
This particular recipe comes from the Canadian Heritage Cookbook ~
I think that's fitting since I am Canadian through and through.  :)

I've altered the method a little to allow for a soaking time for the oats.
Did you know that soaking grains is an important thing to do?
I didn't until just a few years ago. 
It's not difficult to incorporate soaking into the cooking process ~
it just requires a little planning ahead.

Before I share the recipe, I need to tell you about another favourite of mine.
These paper chef parchment paper muffin liners are the Best!
And, did you know that they can be re-used?
Even though they are more expensive than their bleached
or coloured counterparts, they are more economical if you 
use them twice instead of just once.
I've even made them last for three baking sessions.

Now, on to the recipe.
Here is my hand printed recipe...hope you can read it!
If not, just ask.  I'm getting lazy, aren't I?  :)

The oats I use are the rolled/old fashioned ones.
I use sea salt, and occasionally, I will substitute Sucanat 
(as pictured below) for the brown sugar. 
I use butter, not oil, and if I want to be extra good, 
I will use whole wheat flour instead of white.  :)

Mix buttermilk and oats in a large bowl ~
Cover with plastic wrap and leave on counter to soak overnight.
In the morning, mix brown sugar, egg, and melted butter into the oat mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just moistened.
Spoon into muffin tins lined with papers ~
if you do not use paper liners, grease the tins.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes ~
A toothpick will come out clean when they are done.
Mine are usually done in 20 minutes.
Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 10 to 12 large muffins.

The photo above shows the muffins prior to baking ~
I fill the cups right to the top.  
I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.  :)

Many Blessings,

Camille

Dairy Free Mint Ice Cream!

You would never know this
ice cream has no sugar in it ~
Just honey.

And no CREAM either ~
Only coconut milk!

W.O.W.

It is yummy.

Oh...
and one *secret* ingredient
to make it green ~
S.P.I.N.A.C.H.

Can you believe it?
Shhh....don't tell my kids! :)

I found the original recipe here.
And then I tweaked it ~
Just a little.

If you are looking for
dairy-free, sugar-free, grain-free recipes,
The Unrefined Kitchen
is a great resource!

~ Mint Ice Cream ~

Three 400ml tins premium quality coconut milk ~
Or just two if you use the liquidy stuff...
Make sure these are full fat, not *lite*! :)

1/2 cup Liquid Honey

1 cup Baby Spinach Leaves ~
Lightly steamed and cooled

2-3 tsp Peppermint Extract

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Chips to taste ~
My photo does not show chocolate
chips since this was a chocolate-free batch.
It's super-duper yummy with chocolate
chips in it though!

Scoop off the top heavy cream from
your tins of coconut milk and
discard the watery stuff ~
Or, if you are using all the contents
of the tin, just use two.
(I have done it both ways,
and I prefer the taste when
the watery stuff is not included).

Place into blender or a deep bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients
and blend ~ I use a deep bowl and
mix it all up well with my immersion blender.

Taste and adjust flavourings.

Process in your ice cream maker according
to manufacturer's specifications.

If adding chocolate chips,
do so at the end of churning and
fold in until well distributed.

Transfer to a freezer container.
Store in the deep freeze until
ready to use.

Thaw a few minutes prior to scooping.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Camille

Almond (or Peanut) Butter Granola

This got rave reviews.
My Sweetie couldn't
believe that I made it ~
LOL! :)

Should I take that
as a compliment?
I chose to.

Y.U.M.

Jennifer Jo featured it on her
blog about a week and a half ago.
I altered it slightly.

One thing to note ~
I don't have peanut butter
in the house because two of our
children are are deathly allergic to it.

However, I think it would be
F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.
made with peanut butter.
I substituted almond butter.
And it was SO GOOD!

~ Peanut Butter (or Almond Butter) Granola ~
Adapted from Jennifer Jo's recipe.

5 cups rolled oats
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup brown sugar (I used Sucanat)
1/3 cup liquid honey
1/3 cup unrefined organic coconut oil
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
(I used almond butter) ~
If it's salted,
decrease the amount of salt you use.
1 cup dried cranberries
(or other dried fruit)

Stir the oats, nuts,
and coconut together in a large bowl.
In a small saucepan,
combine the brown sugar,
honey, coconut oil, salt
and peanut (or almond) butter
over medium heat until melted together.

Pour the wet ingredients over
the dry and stir to combine.
It will be lumpy.
Spread the mixture into a
10" x 15" glass baking dish
and bake at 250 degrees for 60-90 minutes ~
Stir every fifteen minutes,
until nicely golden in colour.
Be careful not to overdo it.

Cool to room temperature and add dried fruit.
Store in an airtight container.
Serve with creamy milk.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Camille

Got Quinoa?

Quinoa.
(Keen-wah)

A *new* grain that
is touted as a super food.
Even though it is technically
not a grain at all!

Have you tried it?

Quinoa is versatile
and so healthy for you!
There are many ways to prepare and serve it.
A bonus boost of nutrition is
promised each time you do. :)

It can be served as a side dish,
much like rice (and as easy to prepare) ~
Although, it is bland and
not my favourite way to eat it.
In fact, a bag of quinoa
sat in my pantry for ages while
I pondered what to do with it.

Solution.

I just got my hands on
this quinoa cookbook .
And I've already employed it.
I needed some ideas to incorporate
this food into our diet that would
please the taste buds.

One day for lunch last week
I whipped this soup up.
And it was a hit.

The only mistake I made was not
doubling the recipe.

~ Sweet Potato and Coconut Quinoa Soup ~

Slightly adapted from this cookbook ~

Quinoa 365 ~
The Everyday Superfood

2 Large Sweet Potatoes
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (or Butter)
1/2 cup Onion ~ diced
1/2 cup Quinoa
3 cups Vegetable Stock
400 ml (1 2/3 cup) Coconut Milk
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Chili powder

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes.
Dice into 2 to 3 inch pieces.
Boil 5 to 6 minutes to soften.
Drain and set aside.

In another pot,
fry the onion in the oil
over medium heat until translucent ~
Do not brown.
Add the quinoa to the pot
and fry for a few minutes until
it begins to smell slightly nutty.


Add the vegetable stock to the
pot with the onions and quinoa,
and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and cook
for about 15 minutes ~
until the quinoa is cooked.

Add the drained sweet potatoes to the pot.
Puree the mixture with a hand blender
or in a food processor.
Return to pot on low heat and add
in the spices and the coconut milk.

Stir to blend.
Thin with water or stock, if necessary.
Heat slowly.
Taste and correct seasonings.
Serve and enjoy.

This recipe made about 5 good-sized
bowls of soup.
Next time I will make double. :)

Happy Cooking!
Camille

Esther's Greek Salad

My friend Esther has
shared a number of recipes
with me over the years.

This Greek Salad is
one of my favourites.
It's simple and...
Y.U.M.M.Y.

Thanks for sharing Esther!

~ Esther's Greek Salad ~
(Slightly altered)

One Large Head Romaine ~ Cleaned and torn
One Long English Cucumber ~ Chopped coarsely
Two Large Tomatoes ~ Chopped coarsely
One Small Red Onion ~ Chopped
Four Green Onions ~ Chopped
One Small Tin Olives ~ Drained
Half Pound Feta ~ Crumbled

Put all salad ingredients into large bowl.

~ Dressing Ingredients ~

1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Dried Marjoram
(Substitute Oregano if preferred)
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Mix up the dressing,
toss with greens and serve.
(I reserve the Feta and
top individual portions with it).

Enjoy!
Camille

**To make this SCD Compliant,
just substitute Freshly Grated
Parmesan for the Feta.

Simply Guacamole!

Super Easy!
So. Good. For. You.
Y.U.M.M.Y.

Simply Guacamole.
(Gwa-ka-moe-lee)


I use three or four ripe avocadoes.
(They are ripe when dark in colour
and slightly soft).

Wash the skin and slice length-wise
through to the pit.
Split in half and remove the pit
with the tip of your knife.

Scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
Mash with a fork.
Add in the juice of one lemon.
A splash or two of Hot Sauce.
And a shake of garlic powder.


Mix together.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Chill and serve.
Enjoy! :)

Amazing Salmon ~ Quick and Easy!

Now this was yummy!
Easy to put together...
And perfect for a hot summer day!
(Is it hot where you are?)

What more could you ask for?

I didn't have fennel or dried cherries on hand.
So, I skipped the fennel and used
dried cranberries instead of the cherries.
The vinegar was my choice rather than the champagne,
and I pan-fried the fish in coconut oil.

One of the boys said he didn't have
much hope for it when he saw it.
But after tasting the salmon
said I could serve it to him anytime!
LOL! Is that a rave review, or what??

Click here to get to
the original recipe shared
by Miss Jen at Blessed Femina.

Enjoy!

Some of You Were Asking...

What does one DO with Almond Flour?
How can it be made into something edible?

One of the answers to
those questions is ~

Almond Flour Banana Cake.

But, that is not the ONLY answer.
There are so many more things that can be done with it ~
I hope to share another favourite with you soon.

But, for now...
this recipe is a good place to begin.

No grains.
No dairy.
No sugar.
(except honey)

Intrigued?

Oh, and did I mention that it's so healthy
you can eat it for Breakfast??

What are you waiting for??

~ Almond Flour Banana Cake ~

Slightly adapted from the book
"Breaking the Vicious Cycle"

3 cups Almond Flour
(not coarse meal)

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup honey
(preferrably raw and liquid)

1 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 cup mashed bananas
(very ripe) ~ about two medium

1/4 cup melted butter
(if you are eliminating dairy,
coconut oil would substitute nicely)

Measure the Almond Flour and Baking Soda
into a large mixing bowl.
Stir to completely mix in the Baking Soda.

In another bowl,
mix together all the wet ingredients.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry
and stir until combined.

Spread batter evenly into a
greased 8 inch square baking pan.
(I use a glass pyrex dish)

Bake at 350* F until done (about 30 to 40 minutes) ~
Check at the 30 minute mark...mine takes 35.
When done, the top should spring back when touched.

It goes quickly from done to overdone...watch closely.
It also is easy to underbake...don't do that either!
It's not too difficult, really. ;-)
Somehow, I don't think I'm very reassuring!
But, please believe me...LOL! :)

ENJOY!
Without any guilt.

**One thing to note ~
Almond Flour will go rancid if
it's not stored properly.
Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge
or freezer for long term storage.

Grain Free Nut Bars ~ Oh YUM!

Really, you HAVE to give these a try.
They are sooo yummy!
Like a candy bar, but without any of
the *scary* ingredients.
In fact, you can feel GREAT about having one of these.
They are soooo good for you!

How often does that happen?
Something that is good for you is also super duper amazingly good?

I found the recipe here.
And I tweaked it a bit to suit our tastes.
The result?

Perfect!

Now, you will have to keep them in the fridge or freezer,
they will be too soft at room temperature,
but, that seems a small price to pay for such yumminess.

Enjoy!



Grain Free Nut Bars

Courtesy of "Enjoying Healthy Foods" Blog by Lindsey
Thank you so much for letting me share these Lindsey! :)

~ The Ingredients ~

2 cups raw Almonds,
coarsely chopped

2 cups raw Pecans,
coarsely chopped

1/2 cup raw Sunflower seeds

1 cup raw Pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup dried Cranberries

1/2 cup Raisins

1/2 cup unsweetened
Medium or Shredded Coconut

1/2 cup Honey (liquid)

1/2 cup Coconut Oil
(Organic, Extra virgin, Cold pressed)

1 cup Almond Butter
(Natural, unsalted, roasted)

1 tsp Sea Salt


~ The Method ~

I make this in a 10 x 15 inch pan.
If you want to make less,
use an 8 x 8 inch pan and cut the ingredients in half.

Prepare your pan by lining it with parchment paper.

Coarsely chop the almonds and pecans.
Mix together all the raw nuts, seeds and
dried fruit in a large bowl.
Set aside.

Melt the coconut oil, honey and almond butter
together in a saucepan on the stove over low heat.
Stir the salt into it once it is melted and remove from heat.

Pour this mixture over your nut mixture.
Scrape all that yummy goodness out with a spatula.
Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

Pour into prepared pan
and set into freezer to harden.

Remove from freezer once it is firm enough to
cut into bars.
Cut and store in a sealed container
in the freezer.
Be sure to put parchment or wax paper between layers
so the bars do not stick together!

About 15 minutes prior to serving,
remove the number of bars you need from the freezer.

Serve without guilt!

Yum!!

Pumpkin Leek Soup

This soup is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Easy to make.
Yummy to eat!

Comfort food at its finest.

I tried it for the first time last night.
What a treat! A *hit* all around!
I found this wonderful recipe in
this pretty book ~ A favourite that I only
pull out during the Christmas Season.



Be sure to use a sweet pumpkin
such as the "Sugar Pie" variety.

~ Pumpkin Leek Soup ~

Adapted from Mary Englebreit's
"Let the Merrymaking Begin ~
Christmas Volume One"

~ Serves 3 or 4 ~
I made a double recipe for the six of us...
Next time I will make FOUR times the recipe to have leftovers!

~ Ingredients ~

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Medium Leeks ~
white part only, rinsed well and thinly sliced

1 Small Onion ~ diced

4 Cups 1/2 inch diced sweet pumpkin (I used Sugar Pie) ~
about the size of a small non-regulation soccer ball.
LOL ~ is it obvious that there are boys in our home?

* Skin the pumpkin with a carrot peeler,
cut in half, scoop out stringy flesh and seeds.
Save the seeds to toast and discard the stringy flesh.

4 to 6 Cups Chicken Stock (I used 4)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 Cup toasted and coarsely chopped pumpkin seeds for garnish

* To toast ~ wash the seeds and place on a
parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Generously salt and place in a 350*F oven.

Check and stir after 10 minutes,
continue checking a stirring every 5 minutes thereafter until crunchy.
They will quickly go from "just right" to burnt, so do be careful!

~ Instructions ~

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat and cook leeks
and onions until transparent and limp.

Add in the pumpkin and stir to coat with butter.

Pour the chicken stock over all until the pumpkin
is covered by about one inch.

Bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes ~
until the pumpkin is very tender.

Use your immersion (hand) blender and puree directly in the pot.

If you do not have one of these handy contraptions,
hint that you would like one for Christmas (smile)
and proceed to blend until smooth in your blender.

Return to pot and adjust seasonings.
Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds
over each individual serving.

~ Y.U.M.M.Y. ~

Do Enjoy!
Blessings,
Camille

Dressing Up the Lentils

I have never been excited about lentils.
They have never been interesting to me.
Never, that is...
until now.

A trusted source for recipes is a wonderful thing.
I am fortunate enough to have a few.
This came from one of them ~
I have not been disappointed with her recipes yet.

I was prepared to be disappointed this time ~
After all, we are talking about lentils!

BUT I wasn't.
None of us were.
We all liked them ~
A LOT!

One thing to mention ~
We had them the first time with brown rice and
a lovely green salad on the side.
You could go back and forth between the flavours.
The meal was a HIT!
Everyone had seconds.
As it should be...
the sign of success.

The second time around, a HUGE pile of rice and lentils
was dished out to each guest around the table ~
without the salad on the side for balance.
The salad had been enjoyed as the first course.

The second course completely lost its shine ~
as you might imagine.
These lentils
sparkle brightest as a side dish.
In that supporting role,
you will find it difficult to resist a second serving.
Really, it's true!

Lesson learned *the hard way* ~
Do NOT serve these lentils in a HUGE mound unaccompanied.
BUT DO serve them...you won't be sorry you did!

I do hope you try them out...
with a lovely green salad on the side! ;-)


Sweet and Sour Lentils ~

Click on the name above,
and you will find the post with the recipe in it.
Entertainment awaits...she always entertains while talking about food.
Read through, or just skip right to the bottom of the post,
and there you will find what it is you are looking for.
I think you will agree...they are worth the hunt! :)

I made them exactly as stated, but for the following few adjustments ~
I soaked the lentils prior to cooking,
I used dehydrated cane juice instead of brown sugar,
and I also used organic apple juice.

The recipe, as is,
would feed about four *normally*...maybe more?
I made double.

Any questions?
They really are super easy...and delish!
ENJOY!

Update ~ Chicken Broth Questions/Answers

This post comes as a result of the questions left in the
comments section on yesterday's post.

If you do not have the ability to watch video on your computer,
the tutorial link I gave will not be helpful!
So, here in a nutshell are the instructions for the way I make broth.

~ Camille’s Chicken Broth ~

I get a 4 or 5 pound organic bird and I roast it
(I actually cook two of them) and we eat "roast chicken dinner"
the first night.

Then I strip off all the meat and put it in the fridge for the soup making day.
The carcass and skin and bones all get refrigerated until the next morning.
In the morning I take the carcass (skin, bones and all),
and put them in my stock pot.
I pour cold water to cover so that everything is under
the water by about an inch or so.
~ If you need to, you can add ice cubes to make it really cold,
because it's going to sit out for awhile.
I pour in a few tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar
and let it sit covered on the stove without the
heat for at least an hour.
(Apparently, this draws the calcium out of the bones).

After the hour is past,
roughly chop two large carrots,
a large onion and two or three stalk of celery.
(I use more for two chickens).
Add them into the pot.
Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil.
Skim off the foam that rises to the top.
Turn down the heat to keep at a very very gentle simmer...
barely, but still slowly simmering.
Continue to skim off foam until it is clear.

Now cover your pot with the lid cracked a bit to
allow steam to escape ~ Very Important.

Let simmer like this all day...
try for 12 hours.

At the end of the simmering time you can plunge a
whole head of parsley into the mix and let sit for a few minutes.
This adds more nutrients to your broth.

Strain all the chunks out through a fine mesh strainer and discard.
If you want really clear broth, use cheese cloth to line your strainer.
At this point many people "clarify" the broth by letting it cool
overnight in the fridge and then skim off the layer
of fat that rises to the top.
With the organic chickens I don't find there is much fat
(especially since I make the stock from a previously roasted bird),
and a little fat adds to the flavour.
I don't do this step, but you can ~ it's a personal choice.

Your stock is ready to be used!
I make soups like normal,
but this stock is not salty,
so more salt would be required than "normal"
if you are used to using cubes or powdered "stock".

For my friend at "Wanting What I Have" (and anyone else, including me)
who are wondering about canning broth ~
I asked my friend Christa, and this is what she kindly shared with me.
**Obviously, you will want to be safe while doing such a thing,
so researching it out is a good idea!
Here was her answer ~

"I process my chicken stock in a pressure canner for 25 minutes
at 10 pounds of pressure.
You CANNOT process chicken broth or stock in a water bath canner."

Thank you Christa for helping us out here! :)

Any other questions?
I do hope you all give it a try...it is SO good!
AND so good for you!

Blessings,
Camille

The Benefits of Stock

Homemade stock (chicken, beef, or fish)
is something I have been learning more about this past year.

Why did Grandma make broth?

Was there a purpose to it,
or was it something she just couldn't buy in cube form?
Maybe the answer is BOTH!

Last winter I made chicken broth faithfully ~
it was a staple in our diet.
I don't know whether it's by coincidence or not,
but we had the healthiest winter we can remember since having children!

Michelle at "She Looketh Well" posted an amazing video tutorial
on her blog to demonstrate the step-by-step method she uses to make stock.
I do mine in basically the same way and it is WONDERFUL!!
Just click on the link above to find her tutorial video.

Two of my favourite uses for this chicken stock are
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and
Tanya's Turkey Soup.
Yum Yum!

**Update ~ I answered questions that were asked
in the comments section in another post.
Find it by clicking here.

Salmon Burgers

This recipe was given to me by a dear friend ~
Thanks Claudia! :)

It is an easy (and yummy) way to get salmon into your diet ~
We all know how good it is for us!

Salmon Burgers

1 lb canned salmon with liquid
⅓ c flour
¼ c cornmeal
⅓ c wheat germ
2 eggs
½ c chopped onion
¼ c chopped green pepper (I omit this)
1 Tbs lemon juice


Flake salmon, mashing bones well.
Mix all ingredients together. Form into flat patties.
Brown in oil over medium heat until nicely browned on both sides.
Serve in a bun with tartar sauce or with rice and veggies on a plate.

ENJOY!

Banana Muffins ~ Healthy Version

These were for breakfast this morning.
"Biscuits, Muffins and Loaves" by Jean Pare
is one of my most used cookbooks.
I have altered the original recipe to make it healthier.
I hope you like them as much as we do! :)

**Updated April 20, 2010 ~ You may find that they burn easily...just reduce the heat to 375* ~ if you keep the temp at 400*, begin checking them at the 15 minute mark.**

~ Banana Muffins ~

1 & 3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour (I use organic)
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt (I use sea salt)
1/2 cup Butter, softened (I actually melt it!)
3/4 cup Sucanat (alternative to refined sugar)
2 large Eggs ~ free range and organic (if possible)
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt (organic)
1 cup mashed ripened Bananas (organic)

Measure flour, baking soda and salt into large bowl.
Stir together and make a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl ~

Cream together butter, sucanat, and eggs.
Mix in yogurt and banana.
Pour into well in flour mixture.
Stir just until moistened.
Batter will be lumpy.
Line muffin tins with paper liners and fill 3/4 full with batter
(I fill mine a little more than that)

Bake at 400* F for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Remove to wire cooling racks.

~ ENJOY! ~

Cream Soup Alternatives

I found the recipes (reposted below) to use as a substitute for various canned condensed soups at this website.

There is no longer any need to buy canned tomato or mushroom soup to use in your recipes. What a great find...no MSG or any other scary ingredients! The one thing I would like to substitute with a healthier alternative is the white flour ~ Any suggestions?


Cream Soup Alternatives

For one can of cream of “whatever" soup use the following simple, four ingredient recipe:

Basic Cream Soup:

3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chicken stock, water or milk

Instructions:

Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Blend flour and salt into saucepan while cooking and stirring until bubbly. Use a wire whisk to prevent lumps and stir in liquid ingredient choice slowly. Medium thick sauce is comparable to undiluted condensed soups and makes approximately the same amount as a 10 oz can.

Variations:

Cheese ~ Add ½ C grated sharp cheese and ¼ tsp mustard
Tomato ~ Use tomato juice for the liquid in the basic recipe and add a dash each of garlic powder or garlic salt, onion powder or onion salt, basil and oregano.
Mushroom ~ Saute ¼ C finely chopped mushrooms and 1 Tbsp finely chopped onion in the butter before adding the flour.
Celery ~ Saute ½ Cup finely chopped celery and 1 Tbsp finely chopped onion in butter before adding flour
Chicken ~ Use chicken broth or bouillon for half the liquid in the basic recipe. Add ¼ tsp poultry seasoning or sage, and diced cooked chicken if available.

It's very simple to "reconstitute" this to enjoy as a bowl of soup. Just stir in about 1 cup of liquid such as broth or milk (for a cream soup) after you have made the initial recipe. You may need a little more to ge the consistency you want. If you are going to use this in a recipe that calls for the condensed soup straight from a can you would skip this step.