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Cranberry Drink

November 18, 2011 By towers Leave a Comment

This festive CRANBERRY DRINK has many merits! It is unusual in that the cranberries and oranges are not cooked or heated in any way; the nutrient levels are maintained better when a food is not heated. It has peppermint tea which aids digestion. It is not high in sugar since stevia is used to sweeten and the natural fruit sugar in the orange juice is diluted by the tea and cranberry juice. Many people do not realize that cranberries are very sour alone so that products made with them (besides being heated) are very high in added sugar. This drink is a refreshingly low-sugar way to enjoy the health benefits of cranberries. One other benefit—being a fluid it contributes to your 8 or so cups of recommended fluids a day.

RAW CRANBERRY ORANGE DRINK

1 12 oz. Bag fresh cranberries, organic is best

8 organic juicing oranges

3 peppermint tea bags

2-3 cups water

stevia extract to taste

This beverage can be made with a blender or a vegetable juicer. It is also helpful to have a citrus juicer.

Boil the water and pour into a glass quart jar or a teapot and add 3 peppermint tea bags or 3 Tbsp. of the dried herb. Let steep until cooled to room temperature.

Wash cranberries and drain. If you are using a vegetable juicer, put them through a vegetable juicer and set aside the juice. If using a blender place the cranberries into a blender. Add the tea to the blender and blend very well. Strain mixture through a strainer into a glass bowl and press pulp with a spoon until most of juice is removed. Discard pulp or put it into homemade  cranberry sauce.

Juice oranges. Mix orange juice, cranberry juice, and tea if you used a vegetable juicer to extract the cranberry juice, in a pitcher. Add stevia to sweeten to taste. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: cranberry, cranberry drink, holiday cranberry drink, raw cranberry recipe

Celeriac Soup

October 19, 2011 By towers Leave a Comment

Celeriac Soup Recipe

Celeriac root is an unusual vegetable related to celery that has a fantastic flavor.  If you can’t find it, 4 stalks of celery can be substituted.  The vegetable stock can be made concurrently with the onion, the leek trimmings, the potato and celeriac peelings, plus a bay leaf.  Remember to slit the leek with a knife lengthwise from about 3 inches from the root end all the way through the remainder of the leek so you can wash all the dirt out.

1 celeriac root (5 inches in diameter)

4 cups vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

1 onion

1 leek

4 small white potatoes

2 Tbsp. butter

1/3 cup cream or plain yogurt

4-5 sprigs of fresh basil and parley each

Wash and trim the leek well–usually only about 6-8 inches of the white part of the root end of the leek is used and the rest trimmed off.  Place the trimmings in a sauce pan with 5 cups of water, the bay leaf, and the onion (cut in half ) and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to medium low and cover.  Wash and skin the celeriac root and potatoes.  Place the peels in the water also and continue to simmer with the lid on.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Continue preparing the remaining ingredients while the stock cooks.

Chop the leek and potatoes.  Grate the celeriac root.   Saute the leek in the melted butter in another sauce pan for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add the potatoes and grated celeriac root.  Saute 5 minutes more.  Add the stock and bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft.  Blend with a hand-held blender until smooth. (You can also transfer to a blender and blend.)   Add cream or yogurt, salt and pepper to taste, and the chopped herbs.  Serves 4-6.

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: celeriac soup, leek recipe, soup recipe

Coconut-Walnut “Granola”

May 5, 2011 By towers Leave a Comment

I do not recommend granola since it is most often made with a lot of concentrated sugar of some sort and poor quality oil (remember any product made with non-organic soy or canola or corn–their oils too–is very likely genetically modified).  Also, the rolled oats in granola are high in phytate, a mineral binder that makes mineral absorption difficult for the gut. (A healthy way to have oatmeal is to soak rolled oats overnight, rinse, and then cook in water for at least 20 minutes until creamy.)  Here is a healthy version of granola.

Coconut-Walnut Granola

4 cups of dried, shredded coconut flakes

2 cups soaked walnut halves (soak the walnuts in plenty of water overnight-rinse very well and drain before use)

2 Tbsp. organic coconut oil, it will be a solid as shown in the photo

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional:  raisins or other fried fruit chopped into small pieces.

Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Blend well until mixture is homogenous.  Spread in a baking pan (about 9″ by 12″).  Bake at 250 degrees F  until light gold and dried.   This may take an hour or more depending on your oven.  Stir every 15 minutes so it browns evenly and doesn’t overbake on the sides or bottom.  You can also dry the mixture in a food dehydrator for “raw” granola.  Allow the granola to cool completely before storing in a glass jar.  Keep refrigerated.

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: gluten-free granola. low-sugar granola, healthy granola, raw granola

Blueberry Squares

March 31, 2011 By towers Leave a Comment

When you want something sweet, make it yourself but be sure to use the best quality ingredients.   The cost and the time involved may deter you from having desserts more than once or twice a week, which is a good thing! 

The Roanoke Natural Foods Coop is  where we buy good eggs and other organic foods–especially bulk grains, beans, and herbs.  As for blueberries, we keep them in the freezer all year–we pick enough locally in early August to have them last all year long and they are easy to freeze.  This recipe has blueberries, rolled oats, arrowroot, and walnuts–all excellent ingredients. 

1 cup organic rolled oats

3 Tbsp. organic butter (organic coconut oil may be substituted)

1 egg, organic and from pasture-raised chickens

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder

1/4 cup arrowroot powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Place the oats in a food processor and process into a coarse flour.  Cut butter into 1/2 inch pieces and blend into oats until mixture is homogeneous.  Add egg, honey, vanilla, and baking powder and blend well.  Add arrowroot flour and blend again.  Hand stir the walnuts into this mixture and spread into a pyrex baking dish (10-inch diameter or 8-inch square).  Spread the blueberries evenly on top and press them down into the batter–it’s ok if they are frozen but it may take a little longer to bake.  Bake for about 15 minutes in a pre-heated 325 degree F. oven until just golden and a knife poked in the center comes out clean.  Do not overbake or the squares will be dry.  Let cool and cut into squares.  Serves 4.

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: arrowroot powder, blueberries, healthy desserts

Honeyed Parsnips

March 21, 2011 By towers Leave a Comment

As a gardening side note, we let the parsnips we planted last year in the garden overwinter so that they would be ready to dig once the ground thawed in the Spring.  It’s nice to have something to harvest this early in the year and it is said that the winter freezing sweetens them.  Leeks overwinter well also.  I mention this because many gardeners don’t take advantage of Fall gardening and they are missing out on so much!  

This recipe is a delicious way to enjoy an unusual root vegetable. 

Honeyed Parsnips

2 parsnips (1 medium sized parsnip per serving)

2 Tbsp. organic butter

2 tsp. honey

cinnamon or cardamon (optional)

Wash the parsnips well and peel if skins are tough or they are difficult to clean. Slice them into thin rounds no more than 1/8 inch thick. Melt butter in a skillet on medium-low heat. Do not burn—add the parsnips as soon as the butter melts and stir well to coat with butter. Cover the pan and let the parsnips brown for a few minutes. Use a spatula to loosen and flip them every 3-4 minutes, keeping them covered in between flipping. Again, do not let them burn. They should be tender in the middle, lightly browned and slightly crispy in about 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Place on serving dishes and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with spice of your choice if desired.

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: parsnip recipe

Omelet with Feta and Zucchini

February 11, 2011 By towers Leave a Comment

Eggs from pasture-raised healthy chickens are a very good source of protein.  Omelets are easy and can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This one  is a meal in itself (the leftover wild rice is unusual for an omelet but very tasty with a nice texture) if served with a salad.  Add some vegetable juice and you have an excellent meal that is nutrient dense but not high in carbs—great for weight loss!

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small zucchini, chopped

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup leftover wild rice

2 tsp. dried basil or 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped very fine

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (can be goat or sheep milk feta)

1/2 tsp. salt and black pepper to taste 

hot pepper sauce to garnish, optional

In a 10-inch skillet saute the onions in olive oil over medium heat about 5 minutes.  Add the zucchini and cook another 5 minutes.  Stir as needed to prevent sticking.  Add the cooked rice, basil, salt and pepper, and stir.  After a few minutes pour the beaten eggs slowly into the skillet.  Sprinkle the feta cheese evenly over the omelet.  Cover with a lid and cook over low to med. low heat until just set.  Do not overcook–eggs are easier to digest when lightly cooked.  Serve warm.  Serves 2.

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: eggs from pasture raised chickens, feta cheese, omelet, weight loss recipe

Our Family Cook Book

January 28, 2011 By towers Leave a Comment

Monica and her siblings have recently published a charming volume called Our Family Cook Book. Dedicated to their parents, it contains an excellent variety of recipes submitted by Monica and her sisters and brothers. Special holiday recipes, modern healthy supper ideas, and old family favorites are included as well as interesting personal comments regarding the origin and history of some of the recipes. There is something to please everyone in this cook book!

Come by the office and take a look.  We will have additional copies printed if enough people are interested, so please let us know if you would like to be added to the waiting list.

Submitted by Sandy Taylor

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: Monica's Kitchen, our family cookbook

Elderberry Drink

January 24, 2011 By towers Leave a Comment

We are very excited to share our latest discovery, dried elderberries.   Known to contain beneficial factors for the immune system that aid in the body’s defense against colds and flu, elderberry is fantastic mixed with holy basil (tulsi) tea.  We have also mixed it with fresh orange juice–YUM!  Both recipes follow.

 

 

Elderberry with Holy Basil Tea

1/4 cup dried elderberries (from the Roanoke Co-op or mail ordered)

1 cup water

3 cups holy basil or tulsi tea, cooled (this herb can be homegrown-we will share the seed–or bought as tulsi tea)

juice of 1/2 lemon

stevia extract to taste

Soak the dried elderberries in the water overnight.  The next day strain the juice through a fine strainer.  Stir and press the soaked elderberries against the strainer with a spoon to strain all the liquid and some of the pulp into a glass jar–do this until all that is left in the strainer is a dry residue of mostly seeds and skin which can be discarded.  Do not ingest the seeds of raw elderberries as they may contain some compounds associated with nausea and headaches.  Add to the strained liquid the holy basil tea, lemon juice, and stevia to taste.  Keep refrigerated.

Elderberry-Orange Juice

Follow the above recipe for soaking and straining the elderberries.  Use a citrus juicer to juice 3 organic oranges.  Mix the elderberry extract with the orange juice in a glass quart jar and add enough water to fill the quart jar.  Sweeten to taste with stevia extract.  Keep refrigerated.

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: cold and flu defense, elderberries, holy basil tea, immune system support, tulsi tea

Sweet Potato Soup

December 8, 2010 By towers Leave a Comment

If you have leftover sweet potatoes, try this easy, dairy-free recipe.  Next time you prepare sweet potatoes, bake a couple extra and use them for this soup the following day. 

1 1/2 cups mashed, baked sweet potato

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups of turkey or chicken broth or water

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. cayenne, optional

2-4 Tbsp. canned coconut milk

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Saute onions in olive oil in a medium-sized soup pot until soft.  Stir in spices.  Add broth.  Stir over medium heat until it simmers.  Add sweet potatoes and more water if necessary to reach desired consistency.  Add coconut milk and stir well.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a simmer before serving.

Serves 2-4

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: coconut milk, sweet potato soup

Salad with Marinated Beets

November 10, 2010 By towers Leave a Comment

Here’s to beets making a comeback…they are so easy to grow and very nutritious.   In this recipe the beets are crisp because they are raw, and flavorful from the marination.

Marinated thinly-sliced beets–made with the slicing side of a grater–are a colorful addition to a green salad. Endive instead of spinach is just as good in this recipe. Garnish with mild soft goat cheese for contrast.  The beets don’t need to be cooked; they are marinated in balsamic vinegar and herbs for at least a day and can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. Once the salad is made, strain some of the marinade and use with olive oil for dressing.

2 medium-sized peeled red beets, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. fresh chopped chives, or 1 tsp. dried

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 tsp. dried

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 large clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp. sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

balsamic vinegar

4 cups of baby spinach leaves or young endive leaves, washed well and drained

1/2 cup chevre or other mild, soft cheese, broken in pieces

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place the beet slices in a quart-sized glass bowl that has a lid. Add the herbs, garlic, salt, pepper and mix well. Stir in the honey. Compress the beets into the bottom of the bowl with a spoon. Pour enough balsamic vinegar into the bowl to just cover the beets. Cover with the lid. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Stir the beets up a few times if possible during the marination.

Place spinach or endive leaves in a mixing bowl.  Add equal parts olive oil and marinade liquid (1/3 cup of each) and toss well. Place in individual bowls. Garnish with plenty of beets and cheese.

Serves 4

Filed Under: Monica's Kitchen Tagged With: endive salad, marinated beets, spinach salad
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