Beef Barley Soup



Delicious and a great way to use homemade beef broth and barley, both of which are extremely nutritious.

Ingredients:

1 lb. 100 % grass-fed stew meat or ground beef, cooked

1 Tbl organic olive oil

1/2 onion, diced fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 large mushrooms, diced (or 8 dried, reconstituted)

3 cups homemade beef broth (or chicken or combination)

3 cups filtered water

3/4 barley (dehulled or hulless, not pearled)

1 tsp. sea salt

2 Tbl fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dry)

Brown ground beef or stew meat (cut into bite-size pieces) in heavy skillet.  Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.  Prepare vegetables.  Heat heavy skillet again (I use my cast iron) to medium heat and add olive oil.  Sauté vegetables and then add meat, homemade broth, and water (and parsley if using dry).  Add barley and bring to gentle boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until barley is soft, about one to two hours.  Season with sea salt and pepper.  Turn off heat.  Add parsley is using fresh.  Serve immediately. 

Summer Squash and Fresh Sage

 

There are not a lot of ways to use fresh sage, but combining it with a summer squash (zucchini, yellow, or patty pan) is very good.

I like to bake it, but last night I decided do something quick and easy, just simply sautéing it.  Fall will be here soon and the summer produce will be gone, so enjoy it now while it is still in season.

This is a typical type recipe that I make - not measuring anything.  It is good to learn to 'eyeball' quantities for easy dishes like this in which quantities are not critical, thus I am not giving you exact quantities.

 



Ingredients:

a couple cups of sliced summer squash (I used yellow straightneck and patty pan from my garden)

~ 1 Tbl extra virgin organic olive oil

a couple Tbls finely chopped red onion (I used one harvested earlier in the summer from my garden)

a couple cloves of garlic

a few grinds of sea salt

a few grinds of black pepper

~ 4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (from my garden)

~ 2 Tbl freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Chopped squash, onion and sage leaves.  Mince fresh garlic cloves.  Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet (I used my large cast iron skillet).  When hot (medium temperature), sauté the squash, onion and garlic for a couple minutes.  Turn off heat, season with sea salt and pepper, and stir in finely diced sage leaves.  Place in serving dish and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.  Serve immediately.

Weekly Challenge - Week 36 (September 3, 2013)

Be intentional.

This is something that Jennifer has taught me this year in the area of house cleaning and decluttering.  But it is a wonderful principle to follow for success in all areas of one's life! 

If you want to make changes, you must be intentional about your efforts.  The meaning of this did not sink into my brain right away.  Jenn states in her ebook to start each day making one's bed.  I have started this habit - intentionally forcing myself to make my bed in the morning.  I quickly learned that there is something wonderful that lifts my spirit when I walk in my bedroom now and see my bed made!  I love it and it starts my day out right.

The same is true with what one eats.  If you start your day with a good morning routine, such as the 'break fast' plan (drinking water, eating a piece of fruit and then having a good breakfast), it starts your day off right and sets you up for success with food for the day.

Even more important to the success of your day is beginning your day spending time with God.  Filling yourself with praise and worship of our wonderful God, creator of heaven and earth, sets you up with a joyful heart.  I grab my glass of water and my Bible first thing in the morning.  I ask God to fill me with His spirit and to guide my day.    

All of these actions - making your bed, drinking a glass of water and eating some fruit, praising God and spending some time in His word (Psalms are a great place to start - songs of praise to God) - must be intentional acts.  Soon they will become habits and you will be so blessed as you grow in each of these areas.  Do these things, intentionally fill yourself with the best things - both the food you feed your body and the food you feed your soul, and the peace of God will be with you.

Be intentional this week!

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."  Philippians 4: 8 - 9

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake



This is incredible - I rate it at the top with the finest bakery pastries.  It is super rich but absolutely delicious and made with only healthy ingredients.  Julie gave me this recipe and it took two attempts at modification.  Today's attempt turned out quite well; I am pleased.  I replaced the flour in the recipe with whole wheat pastry flour (which I ground from soft white wheat berries) and the sugar with honey, maple syrup and a bit of maple syrup granules.  I use unprocessed dairy products and butter instead of margarine.  Though this is a 'coffee' cake and thus excellent for a brunch, it is also an elegant dessert that could be served with dinner.  Of course, buy the best quality organic ingredients available for optimal taste and nourishment.

 



Ingredients:

Batter

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 2 cups soft white wheat berries ground fine)

1/2 tsp baking sea salt

1 stick unsalted organic butter (I used my homemade)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup sour cream (or homemade yogurt sour cream) - don't use lowfat or nonfat

1 tsp pure almond extract (not use artificial)

1 range-free egg

Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature - don't use lowfat or nonfat

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 range-free egg

Topping

1 cup raspberry jam (fruit-juice sweetened, I use Crofter's)

1/2 cup diced almonds

2 Tbl pure maple syrup granules, ground fine

Preheat oven to 350 °F.  Grease (with butter) and then flour a 9" spring-form pan.  Mix together the pastry flour and 1/2 tsp sea salt, and then cut in one stick of cold butter with pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Remove 1 cup of crumbs and reserve for topping.

To the remaining crumb mixture, mix in the baking powder and baking soda.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, one egg, and almond extract.  Pour this wet mix into the remaining crumb mixture and combine well.  Spread this batter mixture into the bottom of the prepared spring-form pan and up the sides (about 1/4" thick up the sides).

Next whisk together the softened room-temperature cream cheese with the other egg and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup.  Pour this over the batter.  Finally, carefully spoon 1 cup of raspberry jam (don't use one loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners) over the cream cheese layer.





In your flax seed grinder, grind 2 Tbl of dried maple syrup granules to a fine powder.  Add this and the 1/2 cup of slivered almonds to the reserved cup of crumbs.  Sprinkle this topping mixture over the top.  Bake in preheated 350 °F oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until top lightly browned and center set.  Allow to cool for at least one hour.  Refrigerate leftovers.

 

 

Update:  We refrigerated half overnight and had it today.  It was very good too.  Allow to come to room temperature (remove from refrigerator about an hour before eating).  Still delicious!

 

 



Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili and Zucchini



Another recipe idea that Julie found.  These were absolutely delicious - the recipe required only a few minor adjustments.  Remember as you modify recipes - don't use low-fat or no fat dairy products.  These are not healthy - they are heavily processed.  Also shred your own cheese.  Pre-shredded cheeses that you buy contain chemicals to keep them from caking.

Ingredients:

2 cups green chili salsa (homemade or 505 brand)

1 cup cilantro (you can include the stems), finely chopped

1/2 cup organic sour cream (not lowfat or nonfat)

1 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups diced zucchini or other summer squash

2 cups of cooked, shredded range-free chicken

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 cup grated white cheese (jack or mild cheddar)

10 - 12 organic corn tortillas (it is important to buy organic)

 

Combine green chili salsa, cilantro and sour cream.  Set aside.  In a heavy skillet (don't use one with a nonstick coating), heat olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic and zucchini.  Add chicken and spices.  Stir to combine.  Turn off heat and stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese.

 

In another dry heavy skillet, warm the corn tortillas (so they will roll without cracking).  Then in a large glass baking dish, spread a little of the green chili mixture on the bottom.  Next place some of the chicken filling into a corn tortilla, roll it up and place in baking dish.  Continue filling and rolling all tortillas, placing them side-by-side in the baking dish.  Spoon the rest of the green chili mixture on top and sprinkle on the rest of the shredded cheese.  Bake at 375 °F for about 15 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Roasted Okra

Okra is in season in the summer and is a wonderful addition to chicken sausage gumbo or to stews.  Okra is a very interesting vegetable because once cut, it is very slimy.  This quality helps thicken stews and gumbo if you add about 1/2 to 1 cup of sliced okra to the dish with the other vegetables. 

I planted my okra very late in my garden this year and it is just now starting to produce (and only a couple plants).  But just one plant can give a significant quantity so I was also looking for a way to fix okra that would use larger quantities.  Jennifer came up with this recipe and it was delicious.  I could have fixed two to three times as much for the three of us!

Ingredients:

10 - 20 okra, sliced

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt (freshly ground)

pepper (freshly ground)

Preheat oven to 425 °F.  Wash and dry okra.  Cut off ends and slice about 1/4" thick.  Place sliced okra in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss well with oil.  Add a bit more oil if needed until all slices are slightly coated (I did not measure but probably a couple tablespoons depending on how much okra you have).  While still in bowl, season with freshly ground sea salt and pepper.  Place okra on a cookie sheet (I used a ceramic stone cookie sheet) and bake in preheated 425 °F oven for 15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

 

 

$0.00 on Over-the-counter and Prescription Medication



Five years ago when I taught classes, I had said that we had spent $0.00 on over-the-counter and prescription medication in the previous ten years.  This $0.00 amount is for all four of us:  Fred is now 55, I am 53, Tom is 18 and Jon is 15.  I think this fact is as unusual for a family in the USA as our diet of eating only foods created by God. 

Since those classes five years ago, I have spent about $5, so I have spent less than $1 a year now over the past 15 years.  What is your yearly medicine bill?  If you feel you cannot afford the best quality FoodsbyGod, take into consideration the money and time you might be paying in other ways as a consequence of your food choices.

So why did I spend $5?  About 4 years ago (after teaching the last set of classes), I bought one bottle of infant dye-free Tylenol for Tom (who was 14 at the time).  He had his last baby tooth extracted, one that would not fall out and which was preventing a permanent tooth from coming in.  The dentist said he would be in a lot of pain and I needed to give him something.  I chose the infant Tylenol, thinking it would take the edge off the pain.  Though Tom was not in pain yet, I gave him one dose.  I watched him closely and he showed no signs of excess pain (nor did he complain), so no more was needed.  Last month, I threw away the rest of the bottle.  That was a waste of money but I wanted to be a 'good' mom and was scared by the dentist into thinking I needed some man-made pain medicine since Tom was only 14. 

 

I did not give him more because over-the-counter medications do not help one's body heal but only mask symptoms and load the liver with toxins.  Instead I like to use anti-inflammatory healing supplements such as garlic and vitamin C or I increase consumption of anti-inflammatory foods in our diet.  There are many wonderful options, such as pineapples, which contain bromelain, an amazing natural anti-inflammatory healing chemical.  (Be aware that if you are having surgery that some supplements thin the blood and must be stopped a week or two before your surgery.)  I cannot offer you an Advil or Tylenol if you are at my house and have a headache or a Tums if you have a stomachache.  We use none of these things and keep none in the house. 

 

So now I have spent about $5.00 once in the past 15 years on over-the-counter medications and $0.00 on prescription medications.  We use minimal supplements too; I don't know the exact amount but less than $20 (probably less than $10) in supplements for the four of us during the year.  Most of my supplements go past their expiration date before we use them up. 

 

So what is in my medicine cabinet?  

 

Tom just went off to college, and thus we got him my basic 'first aid' supplements in case he needs them.  Since I have just been thinking about what these would be, I thought I would share that information with you. 

 

For stressful time periods (to take daily when immunity is low):

 

Cod liver or fish oil (store in refrigerator, I buy Nordic Naturals or Carlsons)

Probiotic (store in refrigerator, there are many good brands)

 

For first signs of cold/flu (sore throat or chills):

 

Healing chicken soup in freezer (must be homemade)

Chicken stock in freezer (must be homemade)

Echinacea/Goldenseal tablets  (take for only 1 - 2 weeks max at a time)

Vitamin C with Rosehips tablets

Garlic tablets (I like the Kyolic brand, odor-free)

 

For stomach virus/food poisoning:

 

Activated charcoal (causes constipation - only take what is needed for nausea or diarrhea)

 

For skin cuts/infections (topical use instead of antibiotic ointments):

 

Colloidal Silver

Tea Tree Oil (not in photo because I gave my bottle to Tom - I prefer to use the colloidal silver)

 

These are the basics that I like to keep on hand or take with me when traveling.  We take no supplements on a regular basis, though if I were not making our own yogurt and kefir, we would take a daily Probiotic. 

Please note, I do not take the Echinacea/Garlic/VitaminC regimen typically when I start to feel that I might be coming down with something.  Taking supplements does not allow my body to build its own immunity, so these are only for special times when I just can't get sick (such as when on a trip or teaching a class, etc.).  Instead of taking these supplements - I eat nutritionally dense foods, such as healing soup, completely cut out all sweets, and try to rest more to allow my body to fight off the infection.  As I stated in a previous post, we eat the foods God has given us, those that are filled with the nutrients our bodies need, and thus we have no need for extra supplements and medicines on a regular basis.