Italian Chickpea Stew
2 TBSP [real] butter 7 oz shiitake mushroom, chopped (give or take), or mushroom of choice 8 cloves of garlic, chopped into chunks 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper 1 dollop of chopped, jarred, sun-dried tomatoes 28 oz can [or box] chopped or crushed tomatoes 2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed & drained 1 bunch of kale (or greens of choice), about 12 large leaves Fresh basil (large handful), chopped Generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat and sauté chopped mushrooms until cooked down a bit (about 5 mins) Add chopped garlic, a...
Read MorePasta and Greens with Garlic, Jalapeño & Basil
2 TBSP [real] butter 4 cloves of garlic, chopped into chunks 1 jalapeño pepper, diced, with seeds (optional) 1 bunch of kale (or greens of choice) stems removed & torn into pieces (6-12 leaves) Fresh basil (large handful), chopped 6 oz pasta of choice, cooked al dente Generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste While bringing pasta water to a boil, prep the vegetables (chop garlic, jalapeño, greens, and basil). While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, and sauté chopped garlic for about 2 minutes – until just starting...
Read MoreItalian Pasta Primavera
2 TBSP pine nuts, toasted (Real) butter (a spoonful for sauteing) (or olive oil if lactose intolerant) 4 cloves of garlic, chopped into chunks 1 jalapeno pepper, diced, with seeds (optional) 1 bunch of kale (or greens of choice) stems removed & torn into pieces (6-12 leaves) 2-3 oz chopped sun-dried tomatoes Fresh basil (large handful), chopped 15 grape tomatoes (give or take), cut in half Kalamata olives (as much as you’d like) 6 oz pasta of choice, cooked al dente Generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste While bringing pasta water to a boil, prep...
Read MoreMushroom, Onion, Garlic, Squash Saute
1 head garlic, chopped (or however much you’d like) 1 large onion, sliced 20 oz cubed butternut squash 7 oz mushrooms, sliced (I use shiitake) Butter Salt Pepper Fresh sage In large skillet, saute chopped garlic in butter until beginning to brown. Remove garlic from skillet with a slotted spoon. Add onion and saute until beginning to soften and brown (add additional butter throughout cooking process as needed). Add cubed squash and continue sautéing until squash softens and browns. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until reduced and cooked through. Add salt / pepper to taste, the garlic...
Read MoreSweet Potato Mash
about 3 pounds sweet potatoes 1/4 cup whole milk or cream 2 TBSPs butter 2 TBSPs pure maple syrup 1/4 tsp pure salt sprinkle of cinnamon (to taste) Bake the potatoes as you would if you were making baked potatoes (wash, prick with fork, and bake for 45 – 60 minutes at 400 degrees). When done, remove from oven and let cool off enough to handle. Meanwhile, add the remaining ingredients to a bowl large enough to eventually hold the potatoes. Peel off and discard the potato skin (simply pull it off with your fingers – it will be a little “baggy” after the potatoes have...
Read MoreItalian Egg Drop Soup
1 cup (dry) rice, cooked (or 12-16 oz small shaped pasta, cooked) 2 TBSP butter 4 cloves garlic, crushed 8 cups chicken-broth 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper 1/2 tsp pure salt freshly ground pepper to taste 5 – 6 oz kale, stems removed, roughly chopped, and washed (or spinach) 4 eggs, lightly beaten w/ salt & pepper Parmesan Reggiano to taste Cook rice or pasta according to package directions. Melt butter in stock pot and add crushed garlic (saute for about 2 mins). Add the broth, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, greens, and simmer over medium-low heat, covered, until greens are...
Read MoreEasy Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 14-oz can quartered artichokes packed in water, rinsed and drained 1 cup packed spinach leaves (fresh or frozen) 6 oz cream cheese 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup mayo 1/4 cup sour cream 1 TBSP lemon juice 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 1/4 tsp pure salt 1/4 tsp garlic powder Combine everything in an oven proof baking dish. Bake at 375 for 30 mins — give or take — until it’s bubbly and looks good! ________________________________________________________________________________ SIDE NOTES: ~ We munched on this with pieces of warm, sour dough bread while...
Read MoreButternut Squash Bacon Soup
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 1 – 2 TBSPS coconut oil, melted 1/2 pounds (give or take) raw bacon, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 small apple, chopped 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup whole milk 1 tsp pure salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg Preheat oven to 350. Add the coconut oil to your roasting pan and set it in the oven for a few minutes while it’s heating up (to melt the oil). Add the squash and carrots to the roasting pan and toss to coat with oil. Return to oven and roast uncovered for 35 minutes (or...
Read MoreCoconut Curry Lamb Stew
1 lamb shoulder roast, square-cut or rolled; or 1/2 leg of lamb roast, or 2 lbs lamb stew meat pure salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 TBSP coconut oil 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 2 tsp turmeric 3 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped 2 large carrots, cut into rounds 2 cans unsweetened coconut milk 1 & 1/2 cups water 4 TBSP red curry paste 4 TBSP tamari 5 TBSP natural sugar or 30 drops liquid stevia 4 oz kale, roughly chopped (optional) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Bring the lamb to room temp (let sit out about an hour) and cut into stew chunks. Heat the...
Read MorePotatoes & Eggs
2 lbs potatoes butter, ghee, or coconut oil pure salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 onion 4 – 6 pastured eggs Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes, chop into bite-size chunks, and transfer to a bowl. Melt a generous amount of ghee (or butter / coconut oil) over low heat, pour over potato chunks, and toss well to coat. Spread potatoes in a single layer on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until done to your liking (45 mins to 1 hour). When potatoes are almost done, begin to heat some coconut oil in a saute pan. Chop the...
Read MoreButtery Rice w/ Greens
For the Rice: 1 cup dry basmati rice (or your favorite / whatever you have on hand) 1 & 1/2 cups water (or appropriate amount depending on type of rice used) 1 TBSP butter, ghee, or coconut oil 1/2 tsp pure salt Combine rice, water, ghee and salt in a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir once to dislodge any rice stuck to the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to low and cook for the appropriate amount of time depending on the type of rice used. For the Greens: 1 TBSP butter, ghee, or coconut oil 2 – 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 6 oz greens washed and roughly chopped pure salt and...
Read MoreStoring Greens for Ease
I’m not always in the mood (or don’t always have the time) to wash, stem, and chop greens on the fly. For busy days, a home cooked dinner can only happen if I have a few things on hand that I can grab and just toss into a pan. When I came home from the farmer’s market last week with 2 beautiful bunches of fresh kale and 2 bunches of beets (w/ greens attached), this is what I did to make life easy for the rest of the week…. ______________________________________________________________________________ I removed the stems (simply lay each leaf down with the stem facing...
Read More
Recent Comments