KETO Quiche

This crustless Quiche is so light and fluffy it's almost like a souffle.  If you don't do dairy - substitute vegan shredded cheese for the cheddar or simply add an extra cup of sauteed veggies.

Preheat oven to 350 F and spray a pie pan with non-stick spray.

In a bowl whisk:

6 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream (or 1/3 cup almond or soy milk mixed with 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil)
1/2 cup coconut or almond milk
2 Tablespoons finely ground almond flour or coconut flour
dash of black pepper
dash of crushed red pepper
pinch of nutmeg
shake of Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning or your favorite salt blend
half of a small sweet onion sliced thin and sauteed until soft
1 cup of low carb veggies, nuked or sauteed until just starting to soften -I used broccoli, red pepper and a couple of baby carrots (not low carb but it was either the quiche or the trash for those two).
1 cup shredded cheese - 3/4 stirred into the quiche, the remaining sprinkled on top in the pan.

Cook in pie pan 40 minutes or until firm and lightly brown around the edge.  Excellent reheated as leftovers.

Gluten-Free KETO Waffles

At my last check up my blood pressure was high, even though I'm not more than a few pounds above my normal summer weight. The Doctor asked if I'd changed my diet and I said I'd been eating a lot more carbs and vegetarian meals (heavy on the bread).  I'd also been eating quite a bit of sugar, as once I had something sweet I'd continue to crave sweet things the rest of the day.

She said to cut back on the bread and eat a lot more non-starchy vegetables along with eggs and lean meat and fish (or low carb veggie protein such as tempeh, tofu, or seitan) and low sugar fruit and she'd retest in two weeks.  If it didn't go down, I'd have to go on blood pressure medication, NOT something I wished to do.

Essentially her recommendation is the KETO diet (minus the dairy which I'm sensitive to) though she didn't call it as such. I did that, as well as added some essential oils to my daily beauty ritual that reduce stress (that will be a separate post) and my blood pressure did stabilize, but I wanted to keep up the diet plan to see if I could stay off the sugar bandwagon.

It's really worked, I just don't crave sugar like I used to and have been able to avoid the cookies and sweets that come with the holiday season.

But I was really missing my Saturday waffles so I did a KETO version and my husband gave them a thumbs up.  I had a similar gluten-free recipe I posted earlier this Winter, but this version uses less eggs and is dairy free.

Gluten Free KETO waffles

In a medium bowl mix:
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (I used Hain sodium free)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
5 individual serving size packets of Spenda


In another bowl:

With a hand mixer mix 3 large room temperature eggs until fluffy (about one minute)

Fold in carefully to retain the fluffiness:
1/3 cup dairy-free "milk"
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil  (mix it in in a very thin stream)

Mix wet and dry ingredients and bake in a waffle iron that's been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Serve with sugar-free syrup or sugar-free jam

Makes 4 Swedish waffles

Best Beef Stroganoff - KETO friendly

Young Living Beef Stroganoff. (Delicious and less than 20 mg sodium per serving - created for my Dad who has hypertension). If you don't have the Young Living food grade Vitality line of cooking essential oils I've added the amounts for dried herbs in the post.

This was SO good and works for Keto and Low Carb diets, gluten-free (add gluten-free noodles) or vegetarian (use Seitan, Tofu, Gardein "beef" strips instead of the steak though that will add to the sodium content. ) I made it for my husband last night and he gave it an enthusiastic two thumbs up!

Best Beef Stroganoff

Slice 1 and ½ pounds of strip or round steak into thin bite-sized pieces. Put in a ziplock bag with 2 Tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar and 2 tsp. of minced garlic. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but no more than 8.

When ready to prepare, remove steak from marinade retaining the marinade in a bowl.

In 2 Tablespoons of butter, brown steak until lightly browned on all sides with 1 drop of Young Living black pepper essential oil. Add marinade plus 1 additional teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 drop of Young Living Basil Vitality essential oil,1 drop of Young Living Nutmeg Vitality oil, 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and cook through (but don’t overcook, it will be reheated again) Remove steak from pan, retaining liquids in cook pan.

In liquid sauté medium onion (chopped) for 5 minutes.

Add ½ cup dry white wine
1 and ½ cups button mushrooms chopped

Cook for approximately 5 minutes until mushrooms are softened and liquid is slightly reduced.

Stir in a mixture of:
1 Tablespoons Young Living Einkorn flour
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard. Stir thoroughly until incorporated and smooth.

Add meat back in and reheat on low until meat is warmed through.

Stir in ½ cup sour cream, heat on low for a few minutes then serve.

Note:  If using dried herbs:
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (2-3 pinches)
pinch of nutmeg

Keto Kream of Chicken Ranch Casserole

I was making dinner for a diabetic friend that also has high blood pressure and wanted to use a  family favorite super easy recipe that calls for Cream of Chicken soup as one of the main ingredients.

So I did a KETO Kream of Chicken and it worked great!

Note:  If making to eat as soup as opposed to a casserole substitute for canned cream of chicken increase heavy cream to one cup and increase chicken broth to 3 cups

4 Tablespoons butter
3 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
2 and 1/2 Tablespoons coconut flour + 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons almond flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups chicken broth (I used a low sodium chicken bone broth)
1/2 cup finely diced cooked chicken
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon Jane's Krazy Salt (or your favorite low sodium salt or seasoning blend.)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and diced onion and sauté 2-3 minutes

Whisk in the coconut/almond flour combo and continue whisking as you cook for 2-3 minutes (roux should be slightly golden in texture and thickened),

Add broth, chicken and seasonings.  Increase heat and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes

In small batches, pour the soup into a blender and blend on low until smooth.  When all the batches are creamed pour back in the saucepan, add the heavy cream and heat on low until heated through.

If using for the casserole recipe, let cool before mixing.

To Make The Johnson Favorite Ranch Chicken

In crockpot place 1 pound boneless chicken breasts.

In a bowl mix :
1 batch Keto Kream of Chicken (cooled)
1 cup full-fat sour cream
1 (dry) package Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Packet *
pinch of crushed red pepper
3 pieces of chopped cooked bacon (cook six total so you have some for a topping).

Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Shred chicken or serve breasts whole over riced cauliflower. (also great on mashed potatoes, rice, or gluten-free pasta if you are not watching your carbs.)

Top with additional bacon and/or green onion

* DIY Hidden Valley Ranch Dry Seasoning (3 Tablespoons equals one packet, the recipe makes enough for 5).

1 1/2 cup dry buttermilk (available at Walmart and other grocers)
1/3 cup dried parsley
1 tbs. dried dill weed
1 tbs. dried chives
1 tbs. garlic powder
1 tbs. onion powder
1 tbs. ground black pepper

Mix and store in a jar with lid in a cool, dry place

Low Gluten Einkorn Pancakes

These pancakes aren't gluten-free but they are about as low gluten as you can get made with a Young Living Pancake mix that's a blend of a small amount of Einkorn ancient grain wheat, brown rice flour, Amaranth flour, Tapioca flour, Sorghum flour, and Dhokla flour (an Indian flour made from chickpeas). There's a recipe on the box but I tweaked it a bit for a taller, fluffier pancake which is my husband's preference.  If you'd like to order some of the mix you can go to the Young Living link on my right sidebar.  You don't have to sign up as a member to order retail (I did though to get the 24% discount, as I use a LOT Of their products).  They ship to 133 different countries.

Buttermilk Einkorn Pancakes (a riff on the Young Living Pancake Mix recipe). Very tall and fluffy!

In a medium-sized bowl mix:

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Y.L. Pancake Mix
2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
A pinch of Cardamom (or Cinnamon)

In a separate bowl:

add 3/4 cup milk mixed with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes for a "faux" buttermilk.
Add 1 egg at room temperature.
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla
Slowly whisk in 2 Tablespoons of melted unsalted butter.

Combine wet and dry. Let sit 5-8 minutes then cook on an oiled griddle. I served with sugar-free maple syrup and butter.

Makes approximately 10 pancakes.  Each 5-inch pancake is less than 100 calories including butter, milk, and sugar. (this is my husband's stack, mine was a wee bit smaller and no bacon). They also freeze well for re-heating.  Simply put a piece of wax paper between each pancake, wrap in foil and place in a ziplock bag.  Use within 1-2 months.  Microwave frozen pancakes approximately 1 and 1/2 minutes.

Keto Waffles - For Hailey and Zyphod's Mom and Dad

Really good.

5 eggs - medium-sized, separated
4 Tablespoons coconut flour
4 Tablespoons granulated sweetener of choice (I used Spenda)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
3 Tablespoons full-fat milk or cream 125 grams of butter melted. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

In a second bowl:
Mix the yolks, flour, sweetener, and baking powder
Add the melted butter SLOWLY, mixing to ensure it's smooth
Add the milk/cream and vanilla and mix

Gently fold the whisked egg whites into the yolk mixture trying to keep as much of the air and fluffiness as you can.

Use about 1/3 cup in a Swedish waffle maker or follow your waffle iron directions.  Cook until golden. Serve with butter and sugar-free syrup or sugar-free jam.

Healthy English Muffin Sourdough Bread

I love English Muffins (similar to crumpets but made with yeast instead of baking soda, and booked on both sides, unlike crumpets).  But making them from scratch is a bit more work than I wanted to do this weekend.  So I made a loaf of English Muffin bread.  If you use almond milk it is vegan and it makes wonderful toast that has a texture and crumb just like English muffins!

For I do like my afternoon tea.  My Dad who adopted me, is English, though the second generation U.S. born, and my biological mother was a Woodworth (descendant of Walter Woodworth, one of the original colonists in America) so there's more than a small amount of English blood in these veins.

Afternoon tea - just little tradition that means a lot to me.

I made this with my Azure Standard wild yeast sourdough starter but if you just wish to make it without, use the ingredients amounts in the (parenthesis). Adapted from a recipe on the King Arthur flour website, I simply modified it to compensate for the flour and liquid that occurs naturally in the starter.  (I have not tried it without the yeast, just letting it raise overnight in a warm kitchen with the sourdough acting as a leavening might work.)

It's pillowy enough to satisfy that morning bread craving but sturdy enough to toast just enough to stand up to that thick slather of jam.  Plus it has all those little nooks and crannies of English muffins that trap your butter (if so inclined) in creamy pools or just soak up the sweetness of spread fruit. Plus it just slices and toasts, perfect on those extra mornings when an attempt to separate a store-bought English muffin before caffeine might might result in bloodshed..

You will need 2 bowls and a hand or stand mixer. There's no kneading involved and just a short rise time.

No Knead Sourdough English Muffin Bread (with dirctions for no sourdough)

1 cup plus two Tablespoons EACH of King Arthur flour and Young Living Einkorn Flour (3 cups if no sourdough starter)
1 cup sourdough starter (optional but trust me, it's worth it)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 cup milk (1 cup if no sourdough starter)
1/4 cup water (add up to 3 Tablespoons more if needed while mixing if it is dry)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
cornmeal, to sprinkle in pan

Instructions

Whisk together the flours, sugar, salt, baking soda, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the milk, water, and oil in a separate, microwave-safe bowl, and heat to between 120°F and 130°F. (about a minute and forty seconds in my little microwave).  Stir and take the temperature with a meat thermometer or check with your finger - it should be hotter than lukewarm but not so hot you couldn't take a bath at water that temperature).

Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and beat with the mixer on HIGH for 1 minute, scraping down the sides with a spatula.  You will see little threads of gluten forming at the end of a minute. That is good!  The dough will be very soft, thicker than cupcake batter and thinner than traditional muffin batter.

I ended up adding 3 tablespoons more of water as my batter was fairly dry - that's dependent on the liquid in your sourdough starter.  You don't want a runny batter but the mixer should be able to mix it on high without it bogging down.

Lightly grease an 8  and 1/2" x 4 and  1/2" loaf pan, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal, shaking it around to coat bottom and sides.

Scoop the soft dough into the pan, leveling it in the pan as much as possible.

Cover the pan, and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it's just barely crowned the rim of the pan (no more than 1/4 inch over).  For my loaf it was about an hour and a half rise time.

Bake in 400 F preheated oven 22 to 28 minutes, till it's golden brown and its interior temperature is 190°F.

 Let cool 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack.then carefully work  knife around the edges to loosen it

Remove from pan, slice and toast while you get the rest of afternoon tea put together.

Weighted Blanket - The Comfort of a Hug

Many of us, especially as we get older have trouble falling and staying asleep.  I'm no exception.  I tend to be a "restless" sleeper often waking up my husband tossing and turning and I usually steal the covers, even in warmer temperatures.

So I thought I would try out one of the ever-popular "weighted" blankets that are said to help with sleeping issues.  They have a number of benefits, but rather than type them out here I'll provide a link.

https://www.sensacalm.com/blogs/news/benefits-of-weighted-blanket-therapy

So I bought one.  I first purchased one from Mosaic who has one of the more popular blankets and a wide selection of fabrics.  They recommend getting one that's 10% of your body weight so I bought the 15-pound one.

It was really pretty, and the construction was tight, but I ended up giving it to a shelter because
(1)  15 pounds was just too much for me, I weigh what I do because I'm really tall, not because I'm large so I found it too heavy and too hot
(2).  The "beads" inside made WAY too much noise if I moved around.
(3)  The squares the housed the pockets were pretty big and not baffled so if I wanted to sleep on my side the pellets would all go to one end and not provide even weight distribution.

However, I WILL say, if you aren't a light sleeper that small sounds will wake you up and you start with a lighter weight you'll probably love this blanket - it was very pretty and very well made.

So I purchased another brand.

This was the Calming Comfort Blanket by the Sharper Image.  It was a LOT cheaper than the Mosaic blanket.  It was also a lot smaller. It worked for me but if you are over six feet tall, it will not cover your feet. On purchasing through Amazon I was also able to order a washable duvet cover for it since this brand requires hand washing.

I placed it on the bed in the small second bedroom in the back of the house (we turned the master bedroom into an office/den, with all the windows it was always warmer or cooler than the back bedroom, and being in the front of the house we had the traffic noise.)

So even though it was smaller than the Mosaic blanket it was enough to keep me snug overnight, even if my husband had to just deal with his old quilt (and yes those are Tardis pajama bottoms).

On the plus side, the material of the covering was SUPER soft and snuggly, almost velour-like, perfect for using it to lounge in front of the TV and the "beads" inside were considerably quieter than my first blanket. Night one, I fell asleep much faster and when I woke up my husband said I didn't toss and turn near as much. Night 2, I slept so sound I actually woke up an hour earlier than normal, totally rested. This one is a keeper.

The blankets run in the $100 - $200+ range, and may have to be hand washed, but if you suffer from sleep issues I'd certainly recommend one (though they say not to use one if you have sleep apnea or serious snoring as the compression on the chest is not good).

So go give yourself a hug!

Einkorn Sourdough Pancakes (Vegan AND non vegan instructions)

Having great fun with my Young Living Einkhorn flour I purchased, I tried to come up with a fluffy pancake that was not only vegan (as I eat meat free at least two days a week) but was extremely low in gluten. Eikhorn flour, which is not hybridized, is VERY low in gluten compared to genetically modified modern wheat flour and most people that are gluten sensitive (not Celiac) can eat it without issues.

I love the taste and it IS more digestible than wheat flour.  The sourdough starter doesn't leaven, as these have no rise time, but add healthy probiotics and a nice taste.

Note:  If you don't have sourdough starter use an additional 1/2 cup flour in place of it and a total of 3/4 to 1 cup milk.  You can also use butter, ONE egg, and dairy milk if you aren't doing a vegan version of this recipe.

Vegan Sourdough Eikhorn Pancakes  (they're so fluffy!)

3/4 cup sourdough starter (made with whole wheat Eikhorn flour and wild yeast sourdough starter from Azure Standard or the King Arthur Flour sourdough starter, both are excellent).
1/2 cup Eikhorn flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 cup nut milk (if using sourdough starter) OR 3/4 to 1 cup nutmilk if using extra flour in its place
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons vegan buttery spread (melted) or vegetable
egg substitute:
1 T. flax seeds
3 Tablespoons warm water

Egg Substitute Directions:  Put 1 Tablespoon of flax seeds in a blender or food processor and pulse until ground. Place in small bowl and add the warm water, stir and set aside for 5 minutes so it can "gel".

Mix sourdough starter, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and soda in a bowl.  Add or egg substitute and 2 Tablespoons melted vegan buttery spread or vegetable oil.  Add enough milk so that the batter is quite thick but pourable (this depends on the amount of liquid in your sourdough starter).  For a thick starter it may be as much as 1/2 cup, for a watery starter, it may only be 1/4.  Add the smaller amount in, stir, then add more as necessary. If using flour instead of sourdough starter you'll add 3/4 to 1 cup milk

Cook on preheated griddle until starting to bubble up in the center, with dry edges, flip and finish. Serve with buttery spread and syrup or jam.

Einkorn Bread Machine Bread

I love bread, but bread doesn't love me as gluten is a trigger for my IBS.  So I was really to find that ancient grain Einkorn flour, which has retained it's simple, primitive DNA code of 14 chromosomes compared to Frankenwheat's 47 is easy for me to digest and it's really nutritious. It's the only wheat not genetically modified.  The makers of my favorite brand support traditional farming methods and use only non-GMO ingredients.

I've done some muffins using my Young Living Einkorn flour.  They also do an Einkorn pasta and berry granola that is awesome.  Young Living products aren't sold in stores, but you can go to their website and purchase for retail or become a member and get a 24% discount plus incentive products for free which is what I did as I love their essential oils and nutrition products.

• Become a Young Living Member or Purchase Retail

Today I was hankering after some bread.

However today I was also quite lazy, so I played around with a recipe that would work in a bread machine.  This turned out perfect and had a  dense texture suited for a sturdy sandwich or toast and a delicious nutty taste. It only takes 5 minutes to get it started.

Einkorn Bread Machine Bread

1 cup milk mixed with 1/4 cup water, warmed in the microwave (not hot as it will kill the yeast)
2 Tablespoons butter or vegan spread - melted
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons molasses
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups Young Living Einkorn flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast.

Place liquids, fats, sugar, molasses, and salt in the bottom of your bread machine loaf pan (make sure the paddle is installed).

Place the flour on top of the liquids, making sure liquids are covered.  Make a "well" in the flour and place yeast in there.

You want to use a short cycle.  Einkorn should n t be allowed to rise as much as most bread because with its weak gluten content it will not be able to handle the air bubbles doing baking and it will collapse.

For my SKG bread machine, I used a quick bread cycle for a 2-pound loaf to make a slightly denser loaf for sandwiches.  I've also made this on the whole wheat cycle (5 hours) which makes for a lighter texture for toast.

Turn off preheat.
Knead 10 minutes
Rise 1:30
Knead:  5 minutes
Rise:  2:30
Bake 45 minutes.  (if you don't have second knead cycle it should still turn out.)

 For other brands of machines simply pick the shortest cycle available for a yeast bread.

Vegan homemade "Kraft Dinner" style mac and cheese

One food I seriously missed when I started to give up the main triggers for my IBS, namely gluten, sugar, animal fat, and dairy was boxed Mac and Cheese.  My favorite was the Canadian KD (which is boxed as Kraft Dinner in the US) which to me always tasted better than the US Brand.

So I was surprised to find a lovely vegan alternative that is super low fat and non dairy from a young lady named Sam Turnbull author of my all-time favorite vegan cookbook "Fuss Free Vegan" (and trust me the spiral bound one is worth the cost, it's really professionally put together and a size that makes it easy to open and use on a counter).

Her blog "It Doesn't Taste like Chicken" had a recipe for a vegan mac and cheese powder that makes really good cheesy tasting mac and cheese, just no fat or dairy.  You can make a little or a lot and store for when you get a mac and cheese craving.  I used gluten free flour and gluten free pasta but outside of that made no changes.  My favorite gluten-free pasta is Tinkyada brand brown rice pasta (Vitacost or Amazon or direct at www.tinkyada.com)  It's never mushy or gritty like other brands and cooks up perfectly.

The recipe is below for you to cut and paste into your browser to go check it out!

https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/homemade-vegan-mac-cheese-powder/

Sam's blog is just delightful and I'm so glad I found it.

Vegan / Fat-Free Einkorn Muffins

I was trying out some new recipes using my Young Living Einkorn flour (I love their essential oil and nutritional products so much I became a distributor). Einkorn is one of the few non-genetically modified wheat products out there, with only 14 chromosomes compared to the 42 found in most Frankenwheat, making it MUCH easier to digest especially for people like me who are gluten sensitive (I do NOT have celiac, but the blood work did show a marked sensitivity to gluten).

It also has a lower molecular weight compared to processed flour which makes it easier to digest as well and it's more nutritious than most store flours.

This recipe is on the bag of flour, I only modified it slightly by omitting the egg to make it vegan and adding extra applesauce in its place. I also used slightly less sugar. They turned out very tasty and incredibly moist.  My husband, not a fan of most "whole grain" items, promptly ate 2 of them and has been spotted stalking the kitchen looking at where I put them away.

Einkorn/Oatmeal Muffins

In a bowl combine until mixed thoroughly:
1 cup well-ripened bananas, mashed, this was 2 small to medium bananas for me
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup Einkorn flour
1 cup oatmeal (I use Bob's Red Mill)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of Cardamom (optional)

Bake in preheated 350 F. oven for 15-18 minutes. Cool on wire rack and remove from pan before completely cool.

Sorry Charlie - Chickpea of the Sea

I love tuna salad sandwiches or salad and could eat that for lunch 2-3 days a week. I grew up a stone's throw from the canned tuna capital of the world, Astoria Oregon, and as school kids,  we'd visit the Bumblebee canning operations on field trips, before they suspended production there in 1980.

Tuna sandwiches and tuna casserole were staples in our house growing up, along with the Salmon and Steelhead Dad caught fresh.   But today,  that much tuna is NOT a good idea, given the amount of mercury in today's polluted oceans, not to mention the other species of sometimes endangered fish that end up being killed for no good reason as the tuna is harvested.

But how to satisfy a craving for quality albacore tuna without animal protein or cruelty?

Chickpea of the Sea 

Cholesterol free and vegan - adapted from a great little vegan cookbook called The Kripalu Cookbook, I found a nice sized bottle on amazon for only about $8 and it's great in other things such as a sauce for fish or grilled tofu  - mix 1/4 cup each of the vinegar and honey or agave, add 2 T. olive oil and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon - incredibly good as a glaze on fish or tofu or as a stir fry sauce.

My husband had already had a PB sandwich when I got home from the store with the week's groceries and the ingredients, but he took a bite of mine just to try it as he was a bit skeptical looking at what I was tossing into the food processor.

He then proceeded to make ANOTHER sandwich out of the mixture and ate it as well. It only took five minutes to make so we'll be making this weekly for packed lunches.

In food processor pulse 2-3 times

1 - 15 and a half ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed (or two cups cooked ones - easy to do, just soak overnight, drain and add fresh water to simmer about 2 hours, store and use for dishes and salads through the week).
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons umeboshi vinegar.

In another bowl mix:
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon Vegenaise (or mayo if you do eggs)
2 Tablespoons chopped green onion or scallions
1 large stalk of celery - chopped into small pieces
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons celery seed (SEED, not salt)
a few grinds of cracked black pepper
a tiny pinch of red pepper
a dash of James Krazy Mixed up Salt (a low sodium herb/salt blend) - optional

Add to chickpeas and pulse 4-6 times, until the consistency of tuna salad. You're looking for some texture to it to give it the mouthfeel of tuna salad., so don't process it til it's smooth.

Serve on whole grain bread with lettuce, on a bed of mixed greens or on whole grain crackers. Makes four sandwiches. My husband was right - it had the genuine taste and texture of tuna salad, but was even fresher tasting.  With whole grain bread, you can have a nice sized sandwich for around 300 calories with 16 grams of filling protein. Yummy!

Farmhouse Fresh

Some women buy lots of shoes and handbags.  Not me.  I think I own 4 pairs of shoes and one purse.  But I have the bath product collection of all times.  I love my nightly bath or shower (on days I wash my hair) and have lots of different washes, oils, and bath soaks.  But this is the first one that I came out of the shower and give my husband a hug and he said, "you smell terrific!"

The Scent is called "Fluffy Bunny" and it's the absolute best seller at a massage therapist/spa in our village. They describe it as a "mint-julep, cream, with a hint of lavender". I just think it smells heavenly.  You can order it online though from FHF Farmhouse Fresh products (link below). They have a wonderful collection of facial and body products made with natural ingredients, gentle on the skin, leaving my skin so very soft after I dry off.

They also have skin and body oils, soaps and bath soaks.

• Farmhouse Fresh Skin and Body Products

The body wash is made with aloe, vitamin E and a blend of extracts that calm sensitive skin including Green Tea, Chamomile and Arnica Montana Flower. Nourishing Green Tea Extract is loaded with polyphenols and anti-inflammatory properties for delicate skin tissue. Plus sodium PCA, a skin-identical ingredient that helps boost skin’s moisture content and prevent moisture loss.

At $19 it's a bit pricey but it takes just the tiny amount to whip up lots of creamy bubbles, so it lasts three times as long as that grocery store body wash.

Tasty AND Salt-Free

Every couple of months we invite people from our church who have been recently widowed over for supper.  They are in their late 80's/early 90's and have no children living close by.  It's fun for us all, but a challenge is making dishes that are tasty for an elderly palate but also are low salt or salt-free as I know, having a 98-year-old Dad, blood pressure issues are more common as we age.

I was so happy to find these seasonings from Mrs. Dash.  Mrs. Dash is well known (in the US and Canada) for their salt substitutes and I've used them for years.  But these package seasoning and marinades are something I'd not seen.  They weren't from my grocery (which is family owned and family small) but from https://healthyheartmarket.com/

Healthy Heart Market has all kinds of salt-free products including baking ingredients, sauces, condiments, snacks, etc and the prices aren't bad. Shipping was also pretty prompt. Shipping is by Fed Ex so it's not cheap, but if I can't find the product without driving further into the city I'm happy to order online.

I quietly tried the Mrs. Dash taco seasoning last night and not only did my husband not notice it was "salt-free" but he said he liked "whatever you used" better than the big name brand taco seasoning (which is loaded with salt) that I normally purchase. I just added it to my Gardein "beef" crumbles with some water and it was ready in just a few minutes. I can't wait to try the others on some vegetarian versions of my favorite comfort foods.

They also have packaged seasoning mixes for Sloppy Joes, Chili, and Fahitas (USA only for that one) and if you use the code word NEW1 at checkout you'll get $5 off your first order.

If you are in Canada (which I know one regular reader is) you can order the products at Mrs. Dash Canada's online story.  Their web address is:  http://mrsdash.ca/en

But check at your grocers first - the larger ones are likely to carry the products.

Chili is in the Forecast

Chili mac is one of those winter comfort foods, but after some recent dental work where I had to eat soft foods while I had a temporary crown on I made a small batch while my husband was away.  It was slightly different than an earlier chili mac recipe because it used Mexican Oregon and Mexican Chili Powder.

Traditional oregano is common Italian cuisine, especially pizza, with its minty undertones from its membership in the mint plant family Lamiaceae.

Mexican oregano, on the other hand, is from a different plant family altogether, Verbenaceae.  You’ll also find Lemon Verbena in this family, so Mexican Oregano has similar citrus-like undertones.  It also might taste more grassy or earthy to you. But I find it works much better in Tex Mex style cooking than traditional oregano and in dried form can be found in many grocers in their Latin section or from Amazon. It’s great in this dish as well as a pinto bean soup recipe I will share in the near future.

Mexican chili powder is more readily available in the US, and though it’s slightly “hotter” than American style chili powder, both types will work in this recipe.

But seriously, use the Mexican Oregano.

Chili Mac - serves 4-5, easily doubles just use a 13 x 9 pan if you are going to bake it

o 1 teaspoon olive oil
o 1 medium onion small diced, about 1 and a half cups
o 1 jalapeno, stemmed and minced (optional)
o 1 and ¼ teaspoons salt or salt substitute (I like Mrs. Dash and Diamond Crystal Brand) plus more for pasta cooking water
o 1 pound veggie “beef” crumbles
o 2 and ½  tablespoons Mexican chili powder
o dash of crushed red pepper
o 1 and ½ teaspoons Mexican oregano
o 1 tablespoons minced garlic
o 1 (14-16  ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, broken with your hands, with juices
o 1 can red beans, drained
o ½ pound gluten-free macaroni (I used Cadia brand brown rice macaroni)
o ¼ cup water
o 1/2 pound cheddar (optional)

Vegan sour cream substitute.

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a 6-quart soup pot. Add onion, jalapeno (if desired), and salt and cook until soft, 2 minutes. Add ground beef, chili powder, oregano, red pepper, and garlic and cook, breaking up any clumps of meat with a spoon, for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, and 1/4 cup of water, stir, and bring chili to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened to chili consistency, about 20 minutes. Taste and add more teaspoon salt, if needed.

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

• While the chili is simmering, cook macaroni according to package directions in boiling salted water, drain in a colander,

There are two ways to serve this

• (1) add macaroni to prepared chili, heat through and serve with a spoonful of sour cream.  This is what I did today as I prepared this on my short lunch break.

• (2) Preheat oven to 400 F.  Rinse cooked pasta under cool water and set aside.  Grate ½ pound regular or vegan cheddar and set aside. Place an 8 x 8 or other one and a half quart casserole dish on a baking sheet. Once chili has finished cooking, fold in the cooked macaroni and 1/3 of the cheddar cheese. Transfer chili-mac to the baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted - about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Good Intentions

I knew today was going to be a busy day where I had to go to the office for a meeting so I packed a lunch.  I'm going to eat sensibly even with a crazy schedule.

I drank the rest of the refrigerator blueberry smoothie at o'dark hundred and then threw a couple oat muffins in with my packed lunch to munch when I arrived.  For lunch, there would be an Almond butter sandwich, cucumbers, an apple, and almonds and cranberries for a mid-afternoon snack  (AlpsSnack, unfortunately, went out of business with the death of its founder so this is my last one, seriously best nut/fruit bar ever).

Unfortunately, from early morning until after 2:00 I was tied up with something very important and there was NO break to grab a snack.  When I was clear, I was SO happy I had a nutritious lunch with whole grains waiting.

Too bad I didn't eat it.

I had opened it up and was huffing the almonds and cranberries when one of the people I was in the meeting with said "Potbellies" and the next thing you know I'm eating a hot turkey sandwich with cheese and mayo on a toasted bun that's to die for.  And a cookie.  This is what my midsection is going to look like tomorrow.

I got home and said "Abby, I blew my diet today, should we have diet kibble for dinner?

Abby feigns death so not to have to answer.

Sure there were "veggies" on it if iceberg lettuce counts.

OK - I'll add more fruit this afternoon.

Fruit - Fail.

We all have setbacks.  We simply make better choices the next meal, rather than writing the whole day off.  I'll eat the fruit and veggies in my packed lunch for supper and eat the sandwich for breakfast

Total:  Breakfast  340  Snacks  (fruit, nuts, single piece of candy) 365 Lunch - don't ask  Dinner 130 Calories - over 2000.  Not awful, but not good and there was WAY too much saturated fat.

Steps:  4700 but I'll do another walk before it gets dark.

Lesson learned - before an activity that has the potential to delay a meal, eat some protein, a piece of jerky, a protein bar, SOMETHING.

Slow is Good - A Primer on Baking Bread

I'm at work today, earning my daily bread so I will leave you with a little lesson in making your own.  The tasty variety.  While picking up a loaf of bread one day I paid attention to the price. It has gone up significantly in the last year, as have most other foods.

I use up to a loaf a week, sandwiches for lunch, french toast, a base for stew, toasted and smeared with roasted garlic alongside roasted veggies or pasta.  I eat primal a few days a week to keep my overall sugar and carbs down, but I still have some bread days.  I tried to do the low carb thing once and was ready to take hostages at a Dunkin Donut by day 3.  I'm fine with salads and roasted veggies with my meat, but I missed toast with my bacon and eggs.

But everything in moderation.  Still, thinking as to the cost, I wondered - ow much does it cost to bake a loaf versus buy. Using the best quality flour (I love King Arthur for breads, White Lily for biscuits, pancakes and waffles) and getting your yeast in bulk you can bake a loaf of bread (baking two at a time in the oven to reduce fuel cost) for a little more than a dollar.   If you buy cheaper an/or bulk flours, you'll save even more. Artisan breads in the store cost up to  $4-5. For myself, baking two loafs (freezing one) rather than buying a loaf of the fancy bread saves me over a couple hundred dollars a year).  That's just one person.  When I married a "sandwich guy" that doubled my savings and it was SO much better.

But if you won't eat it you won't save anything. My bread was good, but my best friend who is also my book editor makes the best bread in the world, a sweet white bread that makes up awesome sandwiches and toast. One day, she showed me how to make it and unlike her "I love you but if you share this they will never find the body" brownie cookie recipe, this one I can share. (late day low light didn't make for the best pictures but you get the idea).

Anyway - to get started. . .

You will need:
6 cups flour
2/3 cup white sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons butter (NOT margarine)
2 teaspoons salt.
A big bowl, a board for kneading and a little extra flour to coat the board and your hands.

Instructions:

Measure out six cups of flour. (King Arthur bread flour was used).  Flours are different, and some brands may require less or more than the recipe calls for, some, for products like biscuits,  give a taller, more tender product (using soft wheats). I am just telling you what I've had good luck with, but you may have excellent luck with another brand that is less expensive. It's something you just learn over time. I'm also allergic to malt and malted barley flour is added to a lot of cheap grocery store flours.  For my whole grain breads, as I do both, I use Bob's Red Mill.

Anyway - to get started. . .

You will need:
6 cups flour
2/3 cup white sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons butter (NOT margarine)
2 teaspoons salt.
A big bowl, a board for kneading and a little extra flour to coat the board and your hands.

Instructions:

In a very big bowl dissolve 2/3 cup white sugar in 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F. or 45 C.).  If you don't have a thermometer, test it on the inside of your wrist like you would baby formula.  If it's too HOT it will kill the yeast and your bread won't rise (door stop anyone?).  If it's too COLD you have the equivalent of yeast "shrinkage".

Stir in 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast and allow to proof until the yeast resembles a creamy foam.  (8 minutes normally)

While the 8 minutes winds down, melt 1 and 1/2 Tablespoon butter in the microwave and set aside.  When the yeast is ready, mix 2 teaspoons salt and that butter into the yeast.

Add flour, a cup at a time,  stirring with a wooden spoon.  When almost all of the flour is added the batter will look stringy like thick elastic, and want to slide off the spoon. Add the rest of the flour (but gradually, so you use only what you need) until it's too thick to stir.

Remove the dough to a clean floured board or surface and knead it by pushing with the palm of clean, dry hands.  After each push, bring the dough back towards you, gather up the sides and push again watching that you don't poke holes in it with your fingers.

 Add flour to the board to keep it from sticking but not too much, or the dough will be dry.

The more you knead, the finer texture your bread will have, but you also don't want to over work it.

Knead it til it's becoming silky smooth and doesn't stick to your hands.  If it's "shaggy" looking, doesn't hold a shape or tears,  it's NOT ready.

Almost there.

If you're not sure, shape it into a ball, and let it sit 15 minutes.  If it holds it's shape without starting to spread out like a pancake it's probably ready.

Place in a well oiled BIG bowl and turn to coat both sides.  Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place free from drafts until doubled, about an hour. You want a temperature of about 75 degrees F.  If the house is chilled, I'll turn the oven on for just a few seconds, then turn it off, to get it a little warm and put the bread inside. watching though that it's not too hot or your bread will be course textured. In the summer, just put your oven light on and put it in there.

You can also let it raise in the sun, on the counter. but don't let it get more than 80 degrees.

Now go find something to do. It's quiet, you've got an hour. Go commune with nature. .

Or check on your emergency supplies. . .

When it is doubled in size, remove dough from its resting place,  perfect

Now, punch down the dough with a fist andshape and place into 2 well oiled loaf pans. We actually got a third, smaller loaf out of these out of this batch , but remember, it will rise during baking so don't overstuff your bread pan. You definitely should get two well sized loaves out of this recipe..

Time for some fun with that third loaf.

We added some crushed red pepper, cracked black pepper and Parmesan and slightly kneaded it in. You also could do fresh or dried herbs or garlic. Then, a little bit more fresh shaved Parmesan was sprinkled on top after we brushed all of the tops with another Tablespoon (or as needed) of melted butter before that final raise.

Allow to rise for 1 hour, until double and about an inch above the pans. (OK, these weren't all exactly the same size, Yeungling may have been involved).

Bake  at 350 degrees  F. (175  C. for my Canadian friends) for 30 minutes.  For the most part, the crust should be dry, very firm, and a deep golden brown. If the crust is  pale, give it a few more minutes. You can also  use a thermometer. Bread is done baking at 190°F. Just stick a cooking thermometer in the bottom of the loaf to gets its temperature.

Remove from oven and remove from the pans as soon as possible.  (Letting it cool in the pan may result in the bottom of the bread being a bit soggy).

The pepper Parmesan bread was perfect  with dinner that night.

The remainder, as I said, world's best sandwich bread and toast (especially with Amish Bacon from Beef Mart)

Thanks, Stephanie, for the recipe and baking lesson at your lovely country home. I hope you all try it, the kneading takes a little practice but it's fun, relaxing, and the bigger your family, the more money you will save over 20 ingredient store bought bread. If the room or the water are too cold or hot and it doesn't rise like expected bake it anyway, it will make great bread pudding or croutons. If it doesn't rise AT ALL, well, there's not much you can do but launch it at a hippie with a trebuchet or bury it.  But with these hints, hopefully, that won't happen.

Some other household tips:  This has no preservatives.  If you're not going to use it in three days, keep it in the fridge.  For small households, the bread itself freezes well in a plastic bag sealed tight .  When you remove it to thaw,  let it thaw in the bag without opening. Opening the bag while it thaws adds moisture to the bread you do not want.

Enjoy - and happy baking!