Spinach Timbales
Posted: May 25, 2015 Filed under: Recipes | Tags: #Beyond-Paleo, #Healthy, dairy free, Paleo Leave a comment
Serves 4
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound tightly packed spinach leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups chopped leeks
2 whole eggs
1/3 cup coconut cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Steam spinach until well wilted but still bright green. Drain and push moisture out of spinach. Cut up with scissors well.
3) Saute leeks, salt and pepper, and cook, in butter, stirring for 3 or 4 minutes. the leeks, and cook over high heat, stirring, until the leeks are wilted.
4) In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cream and nutmeg, and beat well with a whisk.
Grease four aluminum molds ( 1/3-cup capacity) with the remaining butter. Distribute the leak, spinach and mushroom mixture evenly in the molds. Place them in a deep skillet. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the molds. Add warm water around the molds to about 1/2-inch depth; then, cover them with aluminum foil.
Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm. To serve, unmold onto the plates holding the roast duck.
Get Organized…To Get Healthy!
Posted: May 20, 2015 Filed under: Food and it's Impact on Our Health, In The Kitchen with Millie- How To's | Tags: #, #cooking from scratch, #saving time, Paleo Leave a comment
One of the reasons people give the most often, when I mention making all my own food from scratch, is that they do not have time to cook. I say you don’t have time not to!
Let me explain that.. Not eating correctly and truly nourishing yourself means not having as much energy, not sleeping as well, not having the mental acuity and emotional poise that reflects great health. You will get sick more often, experience colds and allergies more often, you will gain weight, be tired…all the things that most of my clients tell me they experience.. that people think are normal as we mature!
Eat better gives you great health and high energy. This save saves lot of time! You will wake up early, raring to go, have high playful energy all day, have the energy to exercise and then sleep well at night. Since radically changing my diet 29 years ago, becoming truly well nourished I wake up raring to go on about 6 to 7 hours sleep.
Getting up early means sipping tea of coffee as the sun comes up, enjoying the morning as I start work, without rushing. Plenty of time to cook breakfast. I turn the pan on, shower, cook bacon while getting dressed. Then eggs, cut up an avocado maybe, or get some coconut milk yogurt I made over the weekend. Sit and eat breakfast while reading. Off and running for the day, or gardening…I stop for lunch about 2-is. Whatever I made for dinner the evening before; or some roasted chicken. With some leftover greens and sliced tomato. Dinner will be a steak, roasted chicken, salmon, whatever I have or have defrosted fro dinner. It doesn’t have to be ornate.
Making all my own food from scratch and hardly ever eating out means I have to stay organized. But feeling WAY better through making ME a priority allows me to feel great all the time. never run out of energy.
I few things you can do that help get through the week;
It takes a little planning ahead, but that allows you to eat well all week and actually feel great…
Sunday Is Not a Day of Rest
If you are going to cook dinner every day of the week, you will have to do most of your shopping and some preparing ahead of time. This is particularly the case if you have a very busy schedule.
Yes, this means planning menus for the week. Don’t wince. This is good. It means freedom from the painfully frequent question, “What are we going to eat tonight?” By Sunday, you will know.
Getting some meals ready ahead of time makes sense for people who like to cook, because weekend preparation can be as languorous as you allow.
In spring and summer, when I want to go dancing, or am swamped at work…or my herb garden calls for fussing, I keep it simple. Advance work might include buying the ingredients for a composed salad and chopping and roasting whatever can be done ahead of time without sacrificing freshness. I might use the most basic techniques: steaming artichokes, for example, instead of braising them.
In winter, depending on my mood, I could make a chuck roast in wine and herbs (10 minutes of browning and stirring, three hours in the oven) instead of concocting a stew that demands that the meat be cubed, floured and browned and copious vegetables be diced. Or, I could do just the reverse.
As often as not, I don’t cook the food right away but prepare it for the moment it is to be popped into the oven. For food that looks great and entices children, I find it is easy to stuff a flank steak or chicken breasts ahead of time, secure them with twine, wrap them well and just roast them when I walk in the door.
Whatever the season, my habit is to get at least two meals done on Sunday. For at least one of these meals I make a double portion and freeze half to serve a week from the coming Tuesday. Among my standbys are stews (chicken and vegetable, or beef), Chicken breast; grilled or pan seared, fish cakes, pesto (in ice cube trays) and soups, especially lentil-vegetable, minestrone and butternut squash.
If you are disciplined, shopping and cooking (not including time in the oven) can be kept to two hours on Sunday, setting you up for dinners through Tuesday.
Also, make salad dressings and mayonnaise for the week; they only take 5 minutes apiece as most of the work is in the blender or food processor.
The Foods of My GrandMother
As a child, in my grandmother’s house, there was always a leftover roast chicken, meatloaf or pot roast in our refrigerator. Always. The reliability of these offerings was something of a joke among my friends, but they did end up in my kitchen stuffing themselves after every school event. Who could blame them? Even today few foods are more satisfying than my grandmothers warmed brisket!
Naturally, when I began to cook I disdained such pedestrian offerings or reconfigured them to epicurean standards.
I have now come full circle, and appreciate the genius of my grandmother’s approach. I have four core dishes: marinated flank steak, pot roast, roast chicken and chicken stew. I could now do each of these dishes in my sleep. Perhaps I have. My basic roast chicken is covered in butter and sprinkled with kosher salt and paprika, pepper and that’s that.
Every week I make at least one of those dishes and leave it in the back of the fridge to do emergency duty. And like a great friend, it never fails me in a crisis.
Perhaps by now you have noticed we are not all the way through the week. I’ve helped you plan Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. If you’ve done your job well, Thursday will be leftovers night. On Saturday everybody’s eating Friday nights leftovers.
But what about Wednesday?
This is why you must memorize five or six dishes that can be prepared in a snap. If you use only one a week, say on Wednesday, they will not get old or tired.
As someone who watches carbs, I make here a painful admission: baked sweet potatoes are the best bet. I can use stocks or leftover soups on them; baked or mashed. Olives, sautéed red peppers and onions are favorite additions. My older daughter is partial to potatoes carbonara with turkey bacon and eggs.
Quickly seared meats like lamb chops, seafood and thin steaks are satisfying (cooked with little more than butter, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and a few seasoning) and just right over spicy prewashed greens and served with a sweet potato (pop that in the oven the minute you walk in the door). (Children may omit greens and go straight for the baby carrots.) The trick for flavor here is a salad dressing with an extra twist, like puréed sun-dried tomatoes or chipotle peppers. The dressing, of course, is the ones you made ahead, on Sunday.
Fast vegetables are also important. Asparagus can be tossed with coconut oil and roasted in seven minutes. Prewashed baby spinach can be tossed in the wok and on the table in about as much time. Shredded coleslaw or broccoli stem mix from bags can be assembled in under five (remember that mayo you made Sunday??)
See it is possible!!
Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Mango
Posted: May 4, 2015 Filed under: In The Kitchen with Millie- How To's, Recipes | Tags: #desserts, #lactose free. #Dairy free, gluten-free, Paleo Leave a comment
FROM; Smitten Kitchen
Serving Size : 4
1/3 cup small pearl or flaked tapioca
1 each egg yolk
2 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon stevia
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mango puree;
1 ripe mango — peeled, pitted and roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup coconut flakes — toasted
Make pudding: In a medium saucepan, soak tapioca in coconut milk for 30 minutes. Whisk in egg yolk, stevia, salt and vanilla bean seeds, if using (if using extract, you’ll add it in a bit).
Place saucepan over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer, then reduce it to very low heat so it’s barely bubbling, and cook it until it thickens, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, if using. [Pudding will be the consistency of thick gravy – i.e. worrisomely thin – going into the cups but after chilling in the fridge, it will set.]
Pour into pudding cups to chill for several hours or overnight.
Make mango puree: Place mango chunks in food processor and lime juice and blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides several times, if needed. Refrigerate puree until needed.
Serve with mango puree on top, toasted coconut flakes or a few gratings of lime zest.
To toast coconut chips: Heat an oven to 350 degrees F. Spread coconut flakes on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes, tossing once if needed to help them brown evenly. Let cool before using.
Chicken Fried Steak- lactose and gluten free recipe!
Posted: May 4, 2015 Filed under: In The Kitchen with Millie- How To's, Recipes | Tags: #grass fed, gluten-free, lactose free, Paleo Leave a commentWhile at Riverside Arts Market on Saturday buying grass fed meat from JD Beef, their cube steak was on sale for $7.00 a pound!
Here’s my lactose and gluten free recipe for Chicken Fried Steak!
Serving Size : 4
3 cups sweet rice flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup coconut milk
2 pounds cube steaks
1/2 cup butter
Gravy;
1 medium onion — minced
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
2 medium cloves garlic — minced or pressed through a garlic press
3 tablespoons sweet rice flour
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 cups coconut milk
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1) For the steaks: Measure the flour, 5 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne into a large shallow dish.
2) Stir rice vinegar into coconut milk. In a second large shallow dish, beat the egg, baking powder, and baking soda; stir in the coconut milk (the mixture will bubble and foam).
3) Heat iron skillet to medium hot. When hot, add butter and let it come to bubbling.
4) Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper to taste. Drop the steaks into the flour and shake the pan to coat. Shake excess flour from each steak, then, using tongs, dip the steaks into the egg mixture, turning to coat well and allowing the excess to drip off. Coat the steaks with flour again, shake off the excess.
5) Place three steaks in the butter and fry, turning once, until deep golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes (oil temperature will drop to around 335 degrees).
6) Turn the heat to medium, add the onion and thyme, and cook until the onion has softened and is beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the flour to the pan and stir until well combined and starting to dissolve, about 1 minute.
7) Whisk in the broth, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the milk, salt, pepper, and cayenne; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until thickened (gravy should have a loose consistency-it will thicken as it cools), about 5 minutes.
8) Transfer the chicken-fried steaks to individual plates. Spoon a generous amount of gravy over each steak. Serve immediately, placing any remaining gravy in a small bowl.
The Myth about Low Sodium Diets
Posted: January 30, 2015 Filed under: Food and it's Impact on Our Health | Tags: Paleo Leave a comment
A client emailed me this morning asking if adhered to the Paleo Guidelines of using no salt or sugar. I am unsure why many people think that we should drastically lower our sodium intake in spite of the studies showing otherwise.
Salt is crucial to our health, Sodium is a naturally-occurring element found in everything from milk to beets to celery sticks. Most people’s main source of dietary sodium is table salt (sodium chloride), which is 40% sodium; fancier sea salts contain roughly the same amount of sodium, although they also contain several other trace minerals that are stripped from table salt during processing. Sodium is crucial for maintaining proper muscle and nerve function and electrolyte balance. It helps maintain the volume of blood plasma, an important balance for heart health. Salt also aids in digestion by providing chloride to the hydrochloric acid (HCL) in your stomach.
People with certain kidney problems may see some benefits from reducing salt consumption, but it’s not necessary or even healthy for most people. The historical stability of salt consumption suggests that our bodies know better than we do how much salt they need: on a Paleo diet rich in other important micronutrients like potassium, there’s nothing harmful about eating as much salt as you have a taste for.
Oven Charred Okra with Bacon Jam
Posted: January 23, 2014 Filed under: Recipes | Tags: bacon, bacon jam, Paleo Leave a comment
Wow, what an amazing dish!
For the bacon jam:
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
- 1/4 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the okra:
- 12 ounces fresh okra
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked salt
- 3 Tablespoons butter
For the bacon jam:
- Place the bacon in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is starting to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has browned, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and stir to combine.
- Add 1 cup of the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add 1 more cup of the broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the remaining cup of broth, honey, measured salt, and black pepper and stir to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender and reserve the pot. Blend until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the lid from popping off).
- Return the mixture to the reserved pot, place over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter; set aside. (At this point, the bacon jam can be cooled to room temperature and then refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Re-warm before using.)
For the okra:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim the stems from the okra and cut each pod in half lengthwise. Place in a large bowl, add the salt, and toss to combine; set aside.
- On a large, well-seasoned or enameled thick baking pan, add the okra, cut-side down in a single layer, bake for about 15 minutes, then start to watch closely. You want it charred, but not burnt. When finished baking, remove to a medium bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup of the bacon jam to the pan (reserve the remaining bacon jam for another use), and stir to combine. Immediately transfer to a serving dish.
Dijon Mustard- from scratch!
Posted: January 5, 2014 Filed under: Recipes | Tags: Paleo Leave a comment
- · 4 ounces Mustard Seeds (Dark Seeds Are Hotter)
- · 1 cup onions- diced small
- 1 teaspoon butter
- · 3 Tablespoon Honey
- · 2 teaspoon Salt
- · ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- · ½ teaspoon Garlic – minced
- 2 cups white wine
- · Cider Vinegar
For the mildest mustard, add the vinegar at the same time as the water
1) Use utensils and mixing vessels that are glass, or ceramic — anything but aluminum, which can be dissolved by the vinegar.
2) Grind mustard seed in coffee grinder to a very fine powder. Whole seeds come in ‘white’ (yellow), brown, and black varieties. The darker the seed, the stronger the mustard.
3) Take the dry ingredients. Grind in a spice grinder until relatively fine. This way you won’t have to do any soaking. The sound of the grinding will change when the mustard reaches an evenly ground consistency.
4) Simmer the onions, garlic, honey, wine, butter and salt until onions are transparent, about 20 minutes.
5) Add ground spices. To make it sweeter, try anise or cinnamon; to make it hotter, try ginger, cloves, or one of the black peppers. Taste and adjust seasoning.
7) Mix together, cover, microwave for one minute. Leave on the counter until the hotness is at your desired strength. Wait between 2 hours and a day for flavors to blend. Aging for a day is typically needed for the flavors to mellow, however some find that the best flavor arises after aging for several weeks. Aging mustard in the refrigerator will cause it to stay hotter longer. Aging mustard in a closed container in a cupboard or on the counter is safe, as mustard has anti-bacterial properties.
8) Adjust consistency as necessary with juice, vinegar, or other liquids; mustard will thicken over time.
Spinach Paneer- Dairy Free!!
Posted: September 28, 2013 Filed under: Recipes | Tags: dairy free, Paleo, recipes Leave a comment
1 Tablespoon ghee
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/3 teaspoon jalapeno- minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/3 teaspoon cardoman
1/3 teaspoon tumeric
3 Tablespoons beef or chicken stock
1 pound spinach
1/2 cup coconut milk yogurt- see recipe HERE.
1) Sauté ginger, cayenne, jalapeno until softened and aromatic. Add garlic and sauté until slightly browned…about 3 to 4 minutes.
2) Add stock and simmer a few minutes. Add spinach, cover and let cook a few minutes, then stir to mix onions and spices well with spinach.
3) Cover again alt let cook a minute or two, until spinach is wilted and bright green.
4) Remove from heat and stir in yogurt a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Serve immediately.
French Apple Cake- Gluten and Dairy Free!
Posted: August 14, 2013 Filed under: Recipes | Tags: #lLactose Free, #Low Carb, gluten-free, Paleo Leave a comment
I found a recipe for French Apple Cake, so I decided to convert it to lactose and gluten free. I am blown away!! Think about the best homemade vanilla custard you’ve ever had, with crust on the outside as crisp as you could want, then add apples baked in with plenty of fresh vanilla…heavenly!!! This dessert is a custardy, apple rich base with a very light crispy crust and top layer with brandy and vanilla.
1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise
1 tablespoon Calvados
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Sweet rice flour- Do NOT use regular rice flour, as the cake will not set right. Sweet rice flour is available from Asian markets.
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, plus 2 large yolks
1 cup butter
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar
1) Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a springform pan. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss apple slices with Calvados and lemon juice and let cool for 25 minutes.
2) Whisk 1 cup of the rice flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk only the whole egg with the melted butter, coconut milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.
3) Add egg yolks to the and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.
4) Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over cake.
5) Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 2 hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 45 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.
Chicken Kiev- An Overlooked Classic!
Posted: August 5, 2013 Filed under: Recipes | Tags: #Chicken recipe, #Healthy, gluten-free, lactose free, Paleo Leave a comment
I was reading a courtroom drama not too long ago and saw a reference to Chicken Kiev. Having never made it, or even tasted it…I found a recipe. I put it on the menu this week for my Meal Delivery Service. OMG!! This is one of the best chicken dishes I’ve ever baked. Traditionally this dish is fried, which is just as healthy as baking if you use beef fat to fry in, not any type of vegetable oil. As I was short on beef fat, and the round shape of these made it imperative to have enough fat to come up to about 2 or 2 2/3 inches in the pan…I decided to bake them. They were awesome!
Serves 4
- 4 large organic chicken breasts, placed in a large Ziploc bag and pounded to just over 1/3 inch.
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 1-2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1/3 teaspoon cayenne
- 2-3 tablespoons sweet rice flour, seasoned with salt and pepper for dredging
- 2 eggs, beaten with a teaspoon of water
- Gluten Free Bread crumbs for coating, mixed with melted butter (this makes them brown evenly and come out crispier)
Method
1. In a small bowl, mix together butter, garlic, dill and cayenne; season with salt and pepper and then freeze for 25 minutes in a 3 by 4 inch rectangle shape.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
3. In the middle of each pounded chicken breast, place a fourth of the compound butter, then fold over the chicken to envelope the butter.
4. Using wooden toothpicks, seal around the outside of the parcel, sealing the butter inside the chicken.
5. Dredge each chicken breast into the seasoned flour to coat evenly.
6. Then roll each chicken breast in egg mixture, then coat in breadcrumbs.
7. Place onto a baking tray (sheet/pan) lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake in the middle of preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, then flip over gently. Bake another 25 minutes or until golden on the outside, and cooked on the inside. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken is at 175 degrees. Make sure that you insert the thermometer in the chicken and do not go directly in the middle of the breast, as the butter will run out.
9. Carefully remove toothpicks before serving. I use a form to hold the chicken while tugging on the toothpick…otherwise the chicken may tear.
Enjoy!
Meal Delivery Service by Millie Barnes 