Fig Chutney

Fig Chutney

8 TBS (1/2 cup) Fig preserves
8 TBS ACV
4 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
4 TBS Sugar/Cream of Tartar mix
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
Horseradish or mustard to taste (optional)

Mix the dry ingredients together, then mix in the wet.  Heat slowly to dissolve the gelatin, stirring occasionally.  I used the soapstone on my wood stove.
Serve warm or cool, makes 4 servings.

This was a big hit for Sunday brunch served with homemade fries and milk fed pork brats cooked in coconut oil.  Ketchup Boy was caught wiping up any extra sauce with his fries.  No one in the house likes spicy quite like me, so I gave my self a large dollop of horseradish and mixed it together on my plate.  Scrumptious!

Hearth and Soul Hop
Real Food Wednesday

Apple Beef Green Curry Stew

I put up 4 cases of applesauce in the past week and had one jar that broke its seal the next day.  Rather than reprocess a single jar, I put it in the fridge for more immediate use.

Here's what I did with that jar...after a few nibbles, that is. ;)

1 pint of homemade beef broth
1 pint of water to rinse broth jar (or as needed)
about 6 potatoes, shredded
1 pound of beef, cut in small chunks
4 TBS Gelatin
1 can of crushed pineapple (optional)
1 can of coconut milk
1 pint of homemade applesauce
or fresh cut apples
1/2 jar Thai green curry paste
unrefined sea salt to taste

Pennywise Platter Thursday
Zero Waste Food Challenge
Fight Back Friday
Simply Lives Thursday 
Monday Mania

Ratios Reference page

Homemade Baking Powder = 1 part baking soda to 2 parts cream of tartar
Before the invention of commercial breads and such, people made their own baking powder.  Baking powder is the reaction between and acid and a base....traditionally baking soda and cream of tartar.   You can tweak the ratio with more or less cream of tartar or baking soda if you are using a base like salt or another acid like sour milk.

Sugar/Cream of Tartar mix = approximately 1/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar per 1 TBS of Cane Sugar
 This mix replicates as much as possible the natural sugars and potassium normally found in a tree or vine ripened piece of fruit...unfortunately, woefully lacking in commercial fruits nowadays.

Gelatin to Muscle/Organ meat ratio = 1 TBS unflavored gelatin (preferably beef) to 1/4 lb meat (chicken, pork, goat, beef rump, thigh, liver etc.)  This approximates eating the "whole" animal.
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/gelatin.shtml

Chunky Tomato Soup

Chunky Tomato Soup
Homemade bone broth
Shredded Potatoes
Coconut Oil
Tomato Puree
Diced tomatoes and green chilis (optional)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Cane Sugar/Cream of tartar mixture
Stew Meat
Gelatin
Unrefined sea salt

Heat the broth with a little extra water for rinsing the gelatin out of the jar.   Cook the shredded potatoes in the broth and oil. Add tomatoes, sugar mixture and meat.  Cook at low temperatures, stirring occasionally until meat is tender.   I think we ate after about 2 hours.  Add a tablespoon of gelatin per 1/4 lb of meat and salt to taste.  This will be a naturally thick and hearty soup.  If using a Crockpot, add all the ingredients at one time and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Variation:
Using the leftovers, I made a cream of tomato soup by adding some fresh cream/milk and gently warming.  A dollop of sour cream would be a nice option as well.

Monday Mania
Pennywise Platter Thursday
Fightback Friday
Frugal Food Thursday 
Real Food Wednesday

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

Coconut Cookie with Raspberry/Pomegranate Preserve

Coconut Cookies
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsp cream of tartar
1 TBS gelatin
4 pinches of sea salt
1 1/2 cups coconut flakes or shreds
 3/4 cup lecithin free dark chocolate chips
 Dollop of jam per cookie (optional)



I found this recipe online through a link from one blog to another blog.  I, of course, had to add my own twist to it.  Hence the addition of the gelatin and jam.  I think the next time I make them, I will use a little less coconut flour....and possibly more chocolate. ;)

Mix the wet ingredients first, then the dry ingredients in separate bowls.  Mix the 2 groups together and add the chocolate chips.  I used a ice cream scoop to form each cookie and then used the back to make an indentation for the jam.  I used the last of a raspberry preserve jar and some raspberry pomegranate.  The raspberry was slightly darker and thicker than the raspberry blend.  I think some orange marmalade would work well too.  I made some plain too, no jam, but they were a bit boring after eating one with the jam.

Bake at 350 for 10-14 minutes.  I think mine needed to go a little longer because of the jam.

Hearth and Soul Hop 
Tuesday Twister 
Gluten Free Wednesdays 
Real Food Wednesdays

Frittata Soup

Chopped Leftover Frittata,
Herb Toss Broth
Water to rinse gelatin out of broth jar
Leftover BBQ Brisket with gelatin
Diced potatoes
Diced tomatoes
Glug of vinegar (ACV, red wine, or balsamic)
Unrefined salt to taste

My leftover brisket add so much fat, I didn't need to add any extra fat.  In fact, I added extra vinegar to cut the fat.  It seems to help lessen the clinginess of the fat globules or mouth feel of the fat.  Toss all the ingredients in the pot, heat, correct the seasoning and serve.

Real Food Wednesday

Floating Frittata

Floating Frittata
Eggs, whipped
Leftovers, chopped
Green or white onion (optional)
Unrefined sea salt to taste
Seasoning to taste (optional)

 We found TWO hidden nests, one with white eggs and one with brown eggs.  I don't like to store mystery eggs, so I needed to used them quickly.  I floated the eggs and kept the ones that stayed mostly horizontal and gave the verticals to the dogs.  We didn't have any "floaters" this time, but they would have been tossed FAR, FAR away out of smell distance.

    I had some leftover homegrown, grass fed brisket with BBQ sauce and gelatin and some failed potato lasagna (using potatoes instead of noodles).  I used the fat off the brisket to sauté some onion and chopped the meat and potato dish into bite size pieces.  I added the meat/potatoes to the pan and when they were hot added the eggs.  I think basil and tomato based sauces have this "understanding" that they always taste good together.  I added some sprinkles of basil and red pepper flakes for color.  I cooked on medium low, covered.  After 5 minutes, I turned the stove off and let sit for another 5 minutes.  Cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the eggs...mine were pretty thick.

Tuesday Twister 
Zero Food Waste Challenge

The Ultimate Bedtime Snack - A Mocha by the Hearth

There is nothing better than a warm mug of mocha  right before bed.  Sweet, rich goodness to nourish the body as it repairs itself from the stress of the day.


The hearth...in my case a soapstone topped wood stove...is perfect for slowly warming the milk.


Making a batch of cocoa separate from the coffee allows for customizing. Some like coffee with a hint of chocolate, some a hint of coffee in their chocolate.
I like a half and half blend.


Don't forget the gelatin in the coffee.  Gelatin is high in glysine and "Glycine is recognized as an “inhibitory” neurotransmitter, and promotes natural sleep."    http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/gelatin.shtml


Consume your beverage with a little homemade cream of tartar (potassium) capsule and magnesium and you have it made.

Hearth and Soul Hop
Whole Foods for the Holidays

Cream of Leftover Soup

Ingredients:

Leftovers
Gelatin
Fresh Cream/Milk
Unrefined sea salt/Seasoning
Coconut Oil


I had some leftover diced potatoes with ketchup, mustard and salt already on them. (My seasoning!)  I sliced a single brat sausage (custom processed from a milk fed pig) into bite size pieces.  I heated them up in a pan with the oil.  The sausage had already been cooked in coconut oil and there was extra oil that had solidified when the sausage was stored.  I added the gelatin (a TBS per 1/4 lb of meat at least) and some cream/milk to cover.  When it was hot enough to eat, but not too hot as to kill the enzymes in the cream/milk, I added some extra salt to taste and served with a few apple slices on the side. It was a surprisingly big hit!

An alternative would be to dice the apples small and serve IN the soup.

Simple Lives Thursday 
Pennywise Platter Thursday
Zero Food Waste Challenge
Real Food Wednesday

Herb Toss! (or making bone broth)

I normally make broth with just bones, onion tops, a few glugs of ACV, unrefined salt and water to cover.  In addition to bones available from processing an animal, I save my bones from meals and onions top/skins in the freezer.  It's the connective tissue and the stuff INSIDE the bones that adds gelatin to the broth.

I decided to clean out the "cupboard" a bit today.  I tossed in older carrots that were never going to get eaten, some celery seed from who knows when, some dried parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

It sure looks pretty!  This is when it is just coming to a boil.  Right after taking a picture, I turned the stove way down to just above the lowest setting and covered.  it will cook for about 12-24 hours or when I get around to straining it.

UPDATE:  Here's the final result, 24 hours later.







Tuesday Twister
Hearth and Soul Blog Hop