Monica’s Recipes Roanoke Chiropractor—spinal adjustments Towers Family Chiropractor

Roasted Potatoes

April 5, 2021 by towers

Who needs another recipe for roasted vegetables? If you are using olive oil and a 450 degree oven, you may want to reconsider. I want to put it out there that you can use ghee instead of other heat-sensitive oils and use a lower temperature and still get good results. Keep in mind that oils are susceptible to damage from heat. The fats that are safer to heat are ghee and coconut oil–I prefer the flavor of ghee. This same recipe can be used for sweet potatoes and other vegetables. I’ve tried Jerusalem artichokes also–be sure to slice these thin and don’t hesitate to use a mixture of your favorite vegetables. Keep in mind that some cook faster than others–cut the starchy ones that cook slower into 1/4 inch slices.

White/red potatoes are a rare treat for us because they are so starchy and high-glycemic. For special occasions they are perfect!

Serves 2

2 medium potatoes (red or white), cut in half length-wise and then sliced in 1/4 inch pieces

1 tsp. dried onion flakes or granules (available from Frontier Co-op with no other ingredients and no salt)

1/2 to 1 tsp. sea salt (use a 1/2 tsp. before baking and then salt more to taste if desired before serving)

black pepper, optional

1 Tbsp. ghee

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt ghee in the pre-heating oven in a baking tray large enough to accommodate the potatoes in a thin layer–about 9 X 12 inches. Remove the pan from the oven and add the potato slices stirring well to coat the potatoes in the melted ghee. Add the salt, onion flakes and black pepper. Stir well and spread out so the pieces are not on top of each other. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Use a spatula and loosen them, and flip them as best you can. Place back in the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and tender. They should be crispy and perfectly salty so salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Sesame Greens Plus

February 17, 2021 by towers

In the past I posted a recipe for Sesame Greens. Here’s an idea for making more of a main dish with this recipe–just add a protein and some shitake mushrooms. When you are short of time and the fridge is getting empty, canned items can be a blessing. We’ve had collard greens all winter long from our cold frame in the garden and plenty of garlic stored from last year’s harvest, so it was easy for me to throw this together and use up a can of minced clams that I had and didn’t know what to do with. You could use some bacon instead if you have that on hand. I served this dish with roasted sweet potato “fries” and a salad. Surprisingly good or I wouldn’t be posting it!

Serves 2

Follow the Sesame Greens recipe but add:

1 cup chopped Shitake mushrooms

Add the mushrooms to the garlic ghee mixture so that they cook for a few minutes before adding other ingredients.

1 6.5oz. can of wild chopped clams

Drain half the water out of the can. Add the clams as the last ingredient–be sure to include half the water that is in the can. Heat for 2-3 minutes until all ingredients are evenly heated through.

Serve immediately.

Sesame Greens Sandwich

January 8, 2021 by towers

Two recipes that I have posted in the past make for a delicious warm sandwich. I keep a batch of gluten-free bread dough in the fridge so that I can easily make a flatbread for this sandwich. Choose your favorite filling—if you are working to increase your intake of green vegetables, try the sesame greens recipe. We have kale from our greenhouse which is young and tender. When using larger leaves of kale or collard greens, cut the thick stems out and discard or use for vegetable broth. Be sure to cook the finely chopped greens until just tender as described in the recipe. I like this sandwich served hot–bread fresh out of the oven and greens right off the burner.

Directions:

Wash and chop the greens as described in the sesame greens recipe. Peel the garlic cloves so they are ready to crush. Set aside.

Use some olive oil on a baking tray and sprinkle sesame seeds over the bottom of the pan (regular or black sesame seeds). Press enough dough into the pan so that it is about 3/16 of an inch thick–just like you would to make a pizza. Bake for about 15 minutes (prepare the greens while the bread is baking) until bread is golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into 6″ x 4″ pieces. Keep warm until ready to assemble sandwiches.

While the bread is baking, prepare the greens by following the recipe. As soon as greens are tender and still bright green, remove from hear and assemble the sandwiches by spooning 3-4 Tbsp. of the greens over each rectangle of bread and folding in half. Serve immediately.

Butternut Soup

December 16, 2020 by towers

This is fast to prepare if you already have the butternut squash cooked. When I have time on the weekend I bake one whole (no need to cut it) at 350 degree F until easily pierced by a knife in the solid end (not the seed cavity at the rounded end which cooks faster). This usually takes about an hour depending on the size of the squash; it’s ok if the skin browns. Remove it from the oven and allow to cool so that it is easier to handle before proceeding. Then, cut it in half length-wise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Scoop the flesh from the skin with a large spoon into a bowl (discard the skin). Now either refrigerate the pulp for later use or proceed with making the soup.

By the way, I always use butternut cooked this way to make “pumpkin” pies–check out the recipe here

Serves 4

Pulp from 1 cooked butternut squash (see directions above)

2 medium-sized onions (about 1 and 1/2 cups chopped), yellow or red or 1 of each which is what I used

2 Tbsp. ghee

1 quart of water or chicken stock

2 Tbsp. MisoMaster chick pea miso (available in health food stores)

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. coriander

cayenne powder to taste, if desired

sea salt to taste

Melt the ghee in a soup pot and once the melted ghee is hot enough for the onions to sizzle, add the onions. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the turmeric and coriander and stir well. Saute a minute more and then add the water or broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low to keep it simmering for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the miso. Blend with an immersion blender. Add cayenne if desired and salt to taste. Serve hot.

GF Bread Updated– Nut-free Version

September 28, 2020 by towers

Here is an update on the gluten-free bread described below: I have had people with nut allergies wanting to make this bread which has almond flour originally. It works very well to substitute tigernut flour for the almond flour. Tigernut is a tuber, not a nut and it can be found online when looking for gluten-free flours–a good brand is Organic Gemini. Also, if you have egg whites you want to use, blend some with the water used in this recipe and reduce the volume of water accordingly. It will increase the protein content of the bread (tigernuts are lower in protein than almonds) and allows it to brown nicely.

One other note to keep in mind: you may have to add more water than is listed in the ingredients. I add enough water to get a soft dough–it is not sticky as I knead it either as the flours used are highly absorbent–especially the added ground flax. I probably use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup additional water. This soft dough is easier to work with and makes a nicer bread.

Watch Dr. Eric Berg’s video below for a great recipe for gluten-free bread. I like it because of the taste/texture but also because it is a lot lower in carbs and higher in fiber than most GF breads–plus it doesn’t have any objectionable starches in it like potato starch. I have used it for rolls or as pizza dough. My latest version of pizza had a crust made with this dough which I pressed out into an oiled pizza pan (you can sprinkle sesame seeds in the bottom of the pan first–I usually do) and baked at 350 degrees F until crusty–with no toppings. After it cooled but was still warm, I spread a couple tablespoons of the basil oil on it, followed by avocado slices and olives. Ready to serve and super easy. You could add some tomato slices too for a more traditional pizza. What a treat!

Also, I have at times altered the recipe by adding 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed. You may need to add a little more water (1-4 Tbsp.) to the dough if you add ground flax seed in order to achieve the soft but not-sticky texture shown in the video.

It’s best to use the light-colored almond flour which is made from blanched almonds.

Also, you can refrigerate the dough for a few days; I do this so I can make a fresh pizza or flat bread very quickly during the week. Great with olive oil which has been flavored with a clove of fresh garlic and some salt.

Here is the list of ingredients:

1 cup each of coconut flour, blanched almond flour (or tigernut flour), and arrowroot flour

2 Tbsp. psyllium

2 Tbsp. ground chia seeds (I use the blender to grind them and I also add 2 Tbsp. flax seed ground in blender)

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. dry baking yeast granules

1 and 1/4 cup water (egg whites can substitute for some of this liquid if you have fresh egg whites to use)

2 tsp. honey or maple syrup

Follow the directions given in the video for how to mix the ingredients.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsl5ENgZnr0

Late Summer Soup

September 7, 2020 by towers

The nights are getting cooler and soup is on the menu again. The garden is supplying lots of tomatoes and butternut squash and so are the farmers markets. I admit the combination of these two late summer bumper crops in a soup was not appealing to me, but given the garden’s abundance and the fact that I had some chicken broth in the fridge that I needed to use, I was inspired to try! We liked the outcome and encourage you to give it a go.

Serves 4

4 cups cubed peeled, butternut squash (cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and discard, and then cut in quarters and peel each quarter before cubing)

2 cups chopped peeled red tomatoes, seeds removed (any kind but be sure to remove the skin and seeds)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1/4 cup ghee or coconut oil (I prefer ghee)

2 cups chicken broth (or water but broth makes a more flavorful soup–if you use water add 2 stalks of chopped celery)

1 cup organic classic coconut milk

1 tsp. ground cumin seed

1/2 tsp. ground paprika

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

sea salt to taste (Redmond or Celtic are good)

red pepper flakes to taste, optional

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, optional

Saute the onion in the melted ghee in a soup pot for five minutes. Stir in the celery (if you use water, not broth), garlic, cumin and paprika. Add the squash and stir again over medium heat for a few minutes more. Add the tomato and and 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer. Add stock and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and then reduce to low heat and cover soup pot with a lid. After about 20-30 minutes once squash pieces are tender and easily pierced with a fork, add the coconut milk. Simmer for a few minutes. Use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Salt to taste and add red pepper flakes and basil leaves if desired. Serve hot.

Easy Sour Pickles

September 4, 2020 by towers

If you haven’t tried to make sour pickles, it’s a good time of year to give it a go—it’s so easy and there’s no canning necessary! You should be able to find locally grown organic cucumbers. Smaller, pickling varieties are best, but even regular eating cukes are good but they should be on the small side so that they are less seedy. I’ve posted this recipe before but I have made some changes. Please read the earlier recipe post to get more information and then give this version a try. I have found that I get better results when I make just a quart at a time and when I keep them fermenting in a cooler with an ice pack to maintain a lower temperature (65-70 degrees F is best).

Here’s a picture of my set up. There’s one quart of pickles and a jar of ginger carrots fermenting at the same time in this photo. You can put a glass dish or jar on top of the pickles to keep them submerged. Also, if you place a dish or bowl under the jar if the brine overflows as the pickles ferment you won’t have a mess. Since the dish completely covers the mouth of the pickle jar I did not need to cover it with cheese cloth (not the case for the carrots).

I have a styrofoam cooler that can sit on my counter-top and when placed on its side it fits both quart and 1/2 gallon wide-mouthed jars. All you need is one ice pack changed twice a day–before bed and first thing in the morning to keep it cool enough. If you keep your house air-conditioned and at a constant low temperature (about 70) you won’t need the cooler.

The ratio for brine is 3 Tbsp. of sea salt to 1 quart of water. If your brine is not salty enough the pickles will spoil. I have found that if made in smaller batches (a quart instead of a gallon), it’s easier to accomplish and I can just use the extra cucumbers as they come from the garden. Remember, this is a way of preserving food–these pickles will keep for months in your refrigerator. Don’t pack the jar with cucumber halves–put them in loosely, otherwise you may not have enough brine to do the job.

For 1 quart of pickles:

About 2-4 small cucumbers, washed well and sliced in half (size will determine how many you can fit in the jar)

1 sprig of fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill weed, optional

3 large cloves garlic, optional

About 1/2 to 3/4 of a quart of brine: 3 Tbsp. sea salt (I like Redmonds or Celtic) per quart of filtered water (don’t use chlorinated water)

Arrange as many of the cucumber halves in a quart-sized, wide-mouth glass jar as will fit easily. Also leave a space of at least 2 inches at the top of the jar. I place them in vertically, side-by side. Add the dill and garlic, if desired, by pushing them down in the spaces between the cucumbers. Dissolve (by stirring well) 3 Tbsp. of salt in 4 cups of filtered water in a quart mason jar. Pour this over the cukes to within an inch of the top of the jar. Now place a small glass bowl over the mouth of the jar–it should fit so that the cucumber halves are kept submerged and the mouth of the jar is completely covered but CO2 will still be able to escape (don’t cap the jar with the lid!)– remove the bowl and add more brine to cover the cucumbers if the cukes are not completely submerged. Place in a 65-70 degree F room out of direct light or use a cooler as described above. Put a plate or bowl under the jar just in case some brine spills over as the fermentation proceeds. Check every day to be sure the cukes stay submerged. The pickles should bubble as they ferment and be soured through in 4-7 days (should be dark green all the way to the center). Cap the jar and keep in the refrigerator.

Avocado Dressing

August 28, 2020 by towers

Don’t throw away the juice from your cultured vegetables–some people drink it (in small amounts or diluted because it is salty) but I discovered it makes very good salad dressing! It may be hard to believe–sauerkraut juice in salad dressing?–but made as I describe below it is delicious. You’ll need a blender.

1-1/2 cups of salad dressing

1/2 cup sauerkraut juice

1/2 avocado

1-2 tsp. honey (you could try monk fruit instead but I like the honey)

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar (I use the vinegar from marinated red onions)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend well. You should not have to add salt as the sauerkraut juice is salty.

Greenbeans with Celeriac

August 24, 2020 by towers

Celeriac or celery root should be showing up at the farmers markets and produce sections now that late summer crops are ready to harvest. If you haven’t tried this unusual vegetable yet this simple recipe may inspire you. I just started digging up a few at a time in my garden. I’ve posted soup recipes that had celeriac as an ingredient and they do make flavorful, creamy soups when cooked until soft and blended. This recipe uses finely chopped pieces of the root so that it will cook tender in about the same time as the green beans–just put them in the same vegetable steamer. The roots have to be peeled–a bit of a chore but easier with a vegetable peeler.

Serves 2

2 cups chopped fresh greenbeans

1 cup peeled and chopped celeriac root (no bigger than 1/2 inch cubes)

1 Tbsp. butter or ghee

salt to taste

black pepper to taste, optional

Put the beans and celeriac cubes in a vegetable steamer. Bring water to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to low to gently steam the vegetables for about 5 or more minutes. Keep an eye on them piercing a few times during steaming so they don’t overcook. You want them perfectly tender but not soft. As soon as they are tender, remove from steam and transfer to a bowl. Add the butter or ghee and cover so that it melts. After a few minutes, stir the butter or ghee in and add salt and pepper, if desired, to taste. Serve immediately.

Natural Deodorant with Essential Oils

July 22, 2020 by towers

If you have a collection of essential oils you likely have what you need to make a simple, effective deodorant. You will need good quality grain ethyl alcohol too–such as Everclear or high proof vodka or gin (organic versions are available). General rule of thumb–use 10 drops of a combination of specific essential oils (listed below) per ounce of alcohol. Best not to use rubbing alcohol due to questionable purity for using on a daily basis.

We’ve been using variations of essential oils in this recipe for years and love it–always smells great and it works!

Glass 2-4 ounce spray bottle (we used an empty Weleda spray deodorant bottle)

2-4 ounces of grain alcohol

10 drops total of essential oils per ounce of grain alcohol; good choices are tea tree, lavender, chamomile, lemongrass, sage, geranium, jasmine, sweet orange, grapefruit, lemon, frankincense. Be sure to include the tea tree oil and at least 2 of the other choices that are printed in bold.

Pour the alcohol in the spray bottle. Add your combination of essential oils. Shake before application.

Roasted Potatoes

Sesame Greens Plus

Sesame Greens Sandwich

Butternut Soup

GF Bread Updated– Nut-free Version

Late Summer Soup

Easy Sour Pickles

Avocado Dressing

Greenbeans with Celeriac

Natural Deodorant with Essential Oils

Good Nutrition

Roasted Potatoes

Children’s Adjustments

Children with back pain

Towers Family Chiropractic