Short Rib Curry with Lychees (Slowcooker) - GF

Ingredients
beef short ribs
coconut milk
red curry paste
pickled and sliced banana peppers
jumbo onion, sliced
straw mushrooms
whole lychees (or pineapple)
beef gelatin
cane sugar
sea salt

Ok...so I've never had a lychee before, but it was priced the same as pineapple...so I grabbed a can.  They look like odd shrimp and taste like a bland over sized raspberry without the seeds.  I am sure fresh is better.

Layer in order in the slow cooker, adjust amounts to the size of your cooker.  My oval cooker fit a 6.8 lb frozen block of ribs.  There was a small space on the side for the onions and peppers.  I added the mushrooms, lychees, gelatin, sugar and salt towards the end. This cooked over night and I pulled out loose bones in the morning.  Some of the interior pieces needed more cooking time for bone release.  An extra hour on high did the trick.
Use approximately 1 TBS gelatin per 1/4 of meat and roughly equal parts gelatin and sugar.  Measuring doesn't matter too much, except the salt.   Leave it out until finished cooking, then season to taste. Serve over rice or potatoes.

Hunk of Meat Monday
See Ya In The Gumbo

Cranberry Coconut Stew with Beef

Cranberry Coconut Stew with Beef  (8+ servings)
(fits a 4 quart slow cooker)

2 lbs Homegrown, grass fed beef, cubed 
1 package OG frozen Cranberries 
1 can Pineapple with juice
1 can Golden Star Coconut milk (no stabilizers or fillers)
8-10 TBS Beef Gelatin
8-10 TBS Cane sugar with Cream of tartar
Salt to taste 
1-2 TBS Green Thai Curry paste (optional)
1 Onion, sliced (optional)

I had asked for some GOAT stew meat to be brought up from the freezer...I guess the lighting was poor or something.  I prefer to use organic cranberries because the non organic I can get locally have all had an unpleasant bitterness I don't care for.  The price isn't much different because I buy them AFTER season and hoard.

I layered the beef on the bottom of the slow cooker, with the cranberries filling in around the still frozen blocks.  I mixed the dry ingredients together first, then sprinkled over the top.  The canned items were added next, with the curry paste and onion being an after thought.  I like the balance of sweet and tart and found that the salt counter balanced the sour as well.

There's enough acid in the broth that the gelatin stays fairly liquid even in the fridge.  Leftovers pour out of the jar instead of having to be carved out.

Food and Health Carnival 
Alimentary Tuesdays Carnival

Sauted Brats and Peach Stew

The problem:

SOMEONE picked all the meat and most of the peaches out of the Goat and Coconut Peach Stew so went I went to reheat some, it was basically rice and broth. 

The solution:

I grabbed a package of brats out of the freezer and soaked them in a large bowl of cold water in the sink.  Meanwhile, I started to heat some coconut oil in a large fry pan and sliced some onion in for sautéing.  Adding salt and stirring occasionally, I got the soup reheating with some extra peaches, coconut milk and gelatin.  I added the brats, cut up into bites sized pieces.  When the brats were cooked, the "broth"  was done too and the brats and onions went in with the broth and Brats and Peach stew was born.

Goat and Coconut Peach Stew

Layer in a crock pot: (recipe fits a 4 quart size)

Goat "stew" meat (approx 1 lb, mine was still frozen)
A can of sliced peaches (use commercial or home canned, avoid HFCS)
2 cans coconut milk (Golden Star has NO stabilizers or added gums.)
4-6 TBS unflavored gelatin
A few TBS Cane Sugar and Cream of tartar mix
A few TBS of vinegar ( I used rice)
Salt to taste
A dash of cinnamon
A dash of red pepper flakes
Sweet Potatoes (Cubed, optional) ****

Set crock pot to low and cook for hours on end....about 12 hours.

I set if before going to bed and enjoyed a nice, hot and hearty meal for breakfast.  I would have had a pot of rice already made too, but I couldn't find the rice cooker.




****I found a bag of frozen sweet potatoes in the bottom of the freezer drawer. I don't really recommend them, they are a bit of a disappointment compared to ones you cook yourself.  They almost totally dissolved in the broth, making for a nice color, but I don't think I would even know they were in there if I hadn't put them in myself.

Friday Potluck

Fresh Jalapenos and variations

Sauteed mushrooms with sliced jalapeño peppers

I purchased 10 lbs of peppers.  I put up quite a few jars of frozen pickled peppers and salsa and have been using the remainder for fresh summer soup, stir fry and quesadilla toppings.

Pickled Peppers
Using gloves, pack a straight sided jar with shredded, chopped or sliced peppers and fill with ACV and some salt.  Can or freeze.

Peach Tomatillo Salsa
Ripe peaches
Tomatillos
Jalapenos
Sugar/COT
Salt
Lemon Juice (optional)

Chop pepper first, then tomatillos, then peaches.  Add sugar/COT , salt and lemon juice to taste.  Serve immediately or freeze for later. 

Peach Tomatillo Summer Soup
Peach Tomatillo Salsa
Orange Juice (freshly squeezed, if possible)
Lemon Juice
Coconut oil 
Avocado Slices or bite sized chunks
Cream (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)
Coconut Milk (optional)

Mix the ingredients for the salsa and add the juice of one or 2 oranges, one lemon and a few TBS of coconut oil and avocado slices.  Serve chilled for a refreshing meal on a hot day.  You could substitute cream, sour cream or coconut milk instead of avocados and coconut oil.

Mushroom & Pepper Stir Fry
Sliced peppers
Mushrooms, quartered
Coconut Oil
Salt

Heat the oil and cook peppers and mushrooms together until mushrooms are cooked.  Add a generous portion of salt and serve.  Works as a topping for quesadillas with peach salsa or added to potatoes or eggs.

No Croûtons Required : July Theme - Hot Peppers 
Monday Mania 
Garden Variety Wednesday
Simply Delish
Hearth and Soul Hop
Made From Scratch Tuesday

Bedtime snack - Coconut Peaches

1 can of coconut milk
1 can of peaches, drained (NO HFCS)
2 TBS Beef Gelatin
Large pinch unrefined Salt
Sugar/COT mix to taste

Add wet ingredients to a small pan.  Mix dry ingredient together, then add and stir.  Let sit for a minute until gelatin is wet through.  Check for clumps.  Heat on medium low for a bit, stirring occasionally.  It's ready when the gelatin has dissolved completely.  Serve hot for a soup, room temperature for a "custard" or chilled for "jello."

I had a small bowl as soup right before bed and some leftovers again for breakfast.  A little goes a long way...YUM!

Monday Mania 
Real Food Wednesday 
Pennywise Platter Thursday

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

Thai Style Potato Soup

Thai Style Potato Soup
Potatoes and/or Sweet Potatoes 
Pineapple
Coconut Milk
Broth
Shrimp (optional)
Gelatin
Basil (optional)
Unrefined Salt
Green/Red Curry paste
Dried Mangoes (optional)
Sucanat/Rapadura (optional)
Cream of Tartar (optional)


Cut up the potatoes, place in pan and cooked covered in broth.  When potatoes are tender add pineapple, mangoes (if you have them, fresh or frozen would work too) coconut milk, salt and curry paste.  Be careful with the paste, a little goes a long way.  Add gelatin, basil and sweeten to taste.  Extra sugar will help cut the "burn" if you've added too much curry.  Use approximately 1/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar per tablespoon of sugar.  Add the shrimp at the very end, if you use it, when the burner is already turned off.  They will be done before you can fetch the bowls for serving.

Hearth and Soul Hop 
Gluten Free Wednesday 
Family Food Fridays 
Simple Lives Thursday 
Ultimate Soup Recipe List