Home Made Nut Butters with Added Protein - Great for Low Carb Diets

Protein-Packed Nut Butter 

This is a cool recipe. This protein-enriched nut butter resists that oily separation, that can be messy and annoying, even when stored at room temperature. Nuts stay fresher longer when kept in the refrigerator however, so I recommend doing that.

This recipe uses no unhealthy hydrogenated fats or starches, which are usually used in commercial peanut butters to prevent separation. You can tweak the recipe to reflect your tastes. If you add the xylitol, you have a sugar-free nut butter (most peanut butters contain sugar too).

Try this recipe if you are eating a low-carb, low sugar diet, or high protein diet. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, using a vegetarian or vegan protein powder, will immensely enhance your needed protein consumption.


PROTEIN-PACKED NUT BUTTER RECIPE:

Difficulty level: Easy


1 1/3 c. Fresh roasted nut butter of choice (almond, cashew, peanut...)
1/2 c. Unflavored, unsweetened protein powder of choice
1/4 t. Powdered BioSalt (recipe on this blog), to taste
1 T. Powdered xylitol, optional
1/2 c. Coarsely ground roasted nuts, optional


Method:

In a seed or coffee mill, grind together the BioSalt and xylitol to make a fine powder. You may add some of the protein powder to this,
to make grinding easier. (A Krupps Seed mill is the best.)

In a food processor, place the room temperature nut butter, protein powder, and xylitol/BioSalt mixture. Process to blend well. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.

Blend the mixture until it makes a smooth paste.

If you like a chunky-style nut butter, add the coarsely ground nuts of choice and pulse the food processor to just mix in.

Transfer to a container with an air-tight lid and store until needed.


Variation:

In the finished nut butter, you can swirl in 1/2 cup commercially prepared xylitol-sweetened jam or jelly. Do not use a raw jam or freezer jam, or it will spoil. Grape jelly would be good, for example.


Note: 

You could add a touch of GOLDEN OIL (recipe on this blog), if the mixture seems a bit too thick. It will make the fat content of the nut butter even healthier.

The BEST Tasting D.I.Y. Low-Carb Milk (3 Variations)

I thought you may enjoy a tasty yet inexpensive "Milk" to enjoy with your new low-carb breakfasts.

I have been posting some nice low-carb breakfast options, but they all go well with milk! We need a low-carbohydrate milk too, right?

You could always use unsweetened almond, coconut, or soy milk, but I thought I'd give you a really affordable option for all you dairy lovers out there (me). You most likely have milk for the rest of the family, so it will be easy to make this recipe for yourself.

I have included other low-carb milk variations, but the first one tastes the best. Try them all and see what you think. I know I love to have lots of options, so I try hard to provide you with a variety of options too.



The Best Tasting Low-Carb Milk Recipe:

1 c. organic whole milk (12 grams total carbs)
3 to 4 c. purified cold water
2 to 4 T. heavy cream (from about .80 to 1.60 total carbs)
1/8 t. sea salt or BioSalt, to taste
1/4 t. stevia glycerite, to taste
1/2 t. real vanilla extract, to taste (optional)


Method:

Measure everything into a glass mason jar.
Tighten the lid and shake together well.
Chill in the refrigerator.



To make 1 serving (3.2 grams carbs):

1/4 c.organic whole milk (3 grams carbs)
3/4 to 1 c. purified cold water
1/2 to 1 T. heavy cream (from about .20 to .40 total carbs)
1 pinch sea salt or BioSalt
1 to 2 drops stevia glycerite, to taste
1/8 t. real vanilla extract, to taste (optional)

Notes & Variations:

This Low-Carb Milk has a combined total of about 12.8 grams of carbohydrates for the full amount made (with only 2 T heavy cream added).

If you want more of a skim milk taste, mix it with the 4 c. water.

If you want more of a whole milk taste, mix it with only 3 c. water.

If you want a richer milk, increase the cream up to 8 T.

If you want to make chocolate milk, add a paste made of cocoa powder and sweeten to taste

If you want to use powdered milk instead of fresh whole milk: 

Omit whole milk and add 1/4 c. plus 1 T. plus 1 t. instant dry milk powder (dried whole milk is preferred to dried skim milk). Increase the heavy cream to anywhere from 4 to 8 T., according to your tastes. This version does not taste as good as when using fresh whole milk. (The carb count is the same for the powdered milk and the fresh milk.)


If you want a higher protein content Low-Carb Milk (1 serving): 

Mix together these dry ingredients:
1 T. buttermilk powder (a low carb variety)
1 T. whey protein isolate *
1/4 t. Table-Top Sugar Replacement Blend
1 pinch sea salt or BioSalt
Slowly add:
1 c. purified water
2 T. heavy cream
Mix well until everything is dissolved, then add: 
A splash of real vanilla extract, if desired
Chill well. Shake well before using.
(0.5 g carbs and 11 g protein per serving.)

* Source: Now brand or get from the Protein Factory (online).


Now you can enjoy some low-carb milk with your High Fiber Hot Cereal, low-carb pancakes or low-carb buttermilk pancakes!


Enjoy,

Leila.

BEST Easy Spaghetti Sauce recipe and how to prepare spaghetti squash (Low Carb)

Bake some spaghetti squash while you make this delicious sauce.

We all need easy and quick dinner options made from items we stock in our pantry, right? I know I do. This spaghetti sauce fits the bill nicely. I also show you an easy way to prepare spaghetti squash, which is delicious served with this sauce.

Toss the store bought sauce!

This is my go-to recipe for a fast spaghetti dinner, using items I keep handy in my pantry. This sauce is SO much better than any prepared store-bought sauce you can find, and it is very kid-friendly. everyone loves it. It is a full bodied sauce, but it doesn't require hours of simmering. 

This spaghetti sauce is great reheated too. I have also used it as a delicious base for Italian casseroles. We also love it over steamed summer squash for a lower carb version. You may also use gluten-free or regular pasta of course!

Easy & Healthy Spaghetti Dinner Menu:

Baked and seasoned spaghetti squash
Easy Pantry Spaghetti Sauce
Fresh green salad
Fresh cut up fruit of choice


Leila's Easy Pantry Spaghetti Sauce Recipe:

1 T. deodorized coconut oil
1 large onion, minced
1 pound organic ground beef, buffalo meat, or 2 diced raw chicken breasts.
4 large garlic cloves
2 large bay leaves
2 T. whole fennel seeds
1 T. dried basil leaves
1 pinch rosemary leaves
1 pinch dried oregano leaves
25 grinds black pepper, to taste
2 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed diced tomatoes (plain or Italian)
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce (or 1 can tomato paste)
1 can cream of tomato soup (choose a healthy brand)
1 to 2 soup cans water, as needed to thin
2 t. organic beef or chicken base
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. brown 'Just Like Sugar", or regular brown sugar, or Golden Lakanto zero-cal sweetener
2 to 3 t. BioSalt or sea salt, to taste
1 to 2 T. extra virgin olive oil


Method:

Pre-measure all the spices. Smash the garlic cloves in a mortar & pestle with 1 t. of the salt.

In a large pot, heat  the coconut oil. Add the onion, meat, and garlic and saute until the meat is cooked through (and crumbly if it is hamburger). Season meat with seasoned salt if desired.

Make a well in the center of the pot and pour in all the dried spices. Stir and saute the spices about 30 seconds to bloom the spices (bring out their flavor), then stir into the meat mixture.

Add all the tomato products, along with the water and stir. Add the beef or chicken base, and let sauce simmer about 15 to 30 minutes. Put on a splatter shield to make cleanup easier.

Add the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar of choice, and BioSalt to taste.

Just before serving drizzle some olive oil over the top of the sauce.


To Bake Spaghetti Squash:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.Wash the outside of the spaghetti squash.

Split the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out just the seeds.

Lay the squash cut side down in a baking pan and pour in about 2 cups of water (this will help steam the squash and keep it from sticking to the pan).

Bake about 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the strands of squash with a large kitchen spoon. Place in a serving dish.

Season with fresh ground pepper and onion salt, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss well.

Enjoy, 

Leila.

Photos Of The Cooking Process:

The baked spaghetti squash

Spaghetti squash tossed with seasonings and olive oil (garnished with Parmesan cheese).

I find it easier to mash peeled garlic with BioSalt added to the mortar (1 t. was added here).

Added salt helps the garlic become a paste more quickly and keeps the garlic from jumping out of the mortar & pestle.

Garlic ready for sauteing.

Saute the meat, onions, and garlic together.

The meat is now browned and ready for the other ingredients to be added.

Add all of the pre-measured spices.

Saute the spices before mixing into the meat.

Organic beef base used in this sauce.

A sugar-free low-carb brown sugar replacement.

Adding all the tomato ingredients.

Adding the balsamic vinegar and other seasonings.

The finished sauce, before drizzling with olive oil.

Sauced spaghetti squash with salad and fresh pineapple on the side. YUM.

Dinner is on.

Author, Leila.

Easy Chicken Chile Verde Soup (with 2 variations) PLUS How to Caramelize Onions Faster!

Here is another EASY pantry meal: Chicken Chile Verde Soup. Iv'e been doing a lot of sugar-free candy formulating lately (like marshmallows and caramel), so I have needed quick meals for the family, preferably ones that make great leftovers!

Creamy Chicken Chile Verde Soup

I felt like creating a new Mexican-style soup using the batch of home made chicken stock I just made. We like to buy rotisserie chickens from Costco for a quick meal. I then usually make chicken stock from what ever is left of the chicken. Having so much freshly made chicken stock on hand, I am always seeking new ways to use it because we like variety at our house.

Today I felt like Mexican, but I didn't want a black bean soup, or a tortilla soup, or even a red Mexican soup. So tomatillos came to mind, and roasted green chilies...and I was off!

The recipe posted here is what I came up with. I am pleased with the results, especially when my husband said it is now one of his top favorite soups ever. The rest of the family really enjoyed it too.

I like to stock my pantry with some Mexican staples, which makes putting this soup together very quick and easy.

This soup has a lot going on. It is loaded with goodies. It has a nice tang and brightness from the tomatillos and lime, and is accented with a touch of sweetness to balance out the flavor of the roasted peppers. It also has an appealing smoky depth from the chipotle and smoked paprika. And we always love what caramelized onions bring to the party, right?

Here is a tip about caramelizing onions more quickly and creating a more flavorful result: 
Add a pinch of baking soda, and for the best flavor a pinch of salt while you are sauteing the onions. They will brown faster and have superior flavor this way. The baking soda changes the pH in a way that affects something called the Maillard Reaction (the browning process). Now you know.

I created 2 soup varieties.: A dairy-free version and an extra creamy version. I served the extra creamy version.


Leila's Easy Chicken Chile Verde Soup (2 ways):

1-2 T. coconut oil and/or butter
A pinch of baking soda
4 large garlic cloves
1/2 t. smoked paprika
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. Mexican oregano
25 grinds black pepper, to taste
A pinch ground chipotle pepper, to taste
1/4 t. granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
1 4.25-ounce can chopped pitted black olives
1 7-ounce can Fire Roasted Diced Green Chilies  (La Victoria brand has the best roasted flavor)
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatillos (like Hatch brand)
1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans (white beans), undrained
1 28-ounce can green chile enchilada sauce (like El Paso brand)
1 29-ounce can Mexican Style Hominy (like Juanita's brand), drained
1 quart home made chicken stock, or organic boxed chicken stock
1/4 c. good quality white wine, optional
2 t. BioSalt or sea salt
1/2 t. onion salt
Shredded chicken meat (about a pound), to taste
1 lime, juiced
3 T. Brown Just Like Sugar and/or raw honey (I used 2 T just Like Sugar and 1 T. honey) *

1 block (8-ounces) Neufchatel or cream cheese, optional for the creamy version of this soup


Garnishes:

Minced cilantro
Avocado slices
Mexican cheese
Diced ripe tomatoes
Sour cream
Smoked paprika


Method:

Saute the onion in the oil, adding a pinch of baking soda and a pinch of BioSalt to caramelize the onions faster.

Smash the garlic with some of the salt called for and add to the almost finished onions. Saute.

Add the smoked paprika, cumin, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, fresh ground black pepper, and chipotle powder. Saute until fragrant to bloom the flavors of the spices.

Add all of the canned goods and chicken stock and let the soup simmer about 30 minutes or so. The soup will thicken slightly.

Add the cooked and shredded chicken meat.

To make the creamy version of this soup: Cut up the block of Neufchatel or cream cheese into cubes and stir into the soup, and let simmer a few minutes to let the cheese melt, stirring to speed the melting process. Turn down the heat so that the soup doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the rest of the BioSalt called for and the juice of 1 lime.

Add the Just Like Sugar and/or raw honey. If using honey, add just before serving so that you don't boil the honey. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serve hot with garnishes of choice.


Note: You may also use Lakanto's golden zero-calorie granular sweetener instead of Just Like Sugar.


Tip: I think a lovely appetizer would be my Chili"s Copy Cat Salsa recipe and corn chips!

Get your ingredients ready.

Caramelizing the onions.

Adding the canned ingredients to the soup.

The finished Dairy-Free Chicken Chile Verde Soup (not the creamy version).

The Dairy-Free Soup Version garnished and ready to eat.

The Creamy Chicken Chile Verde Soup is finished (with the cheese added).

The Creamy chicken Chile Verde Soup is served.

How I like to smash my garlic, releasing the maximum amount of flavor oils.

Brown Just Like Sugar (a healthy sugar-free brown sugar replacement).

Enjoy,

Leila.


P.S.   In case you were curious about how my sugar-free candy testing is coming out...

Sugar-Free Hand Wrapped Vanilla Caramels.

Fluffy Sugar-Free Vanilla Marshmallows.

Author, Leila.

Successful momming for a sick child - and a recipe for a delicious hot cereal

What I do when Sickness strikes our house (and a recipe for delicious comforting porridge)

My teenage daughter woke up at 5:30 this morning to throw up. Nice alarm clock for a Saturday morning - NOT. By 10 A.M., she had thrown up so many times, she lost count. Poor thing. The first thing I had her do was to take some Wild Mediterranean Oregano essential oil. I make an oil blend that is gentle enough to swallow by mouth, but so potent, that we use it as a natural antibiotic at our house. In fact, our daughter has never had to take prescription antibiotics - ever. It has kept me antibiotic-free for 20 to 25 years at least (I've lost track). It has saved us probably thousands of dollars in doctors visits alone. CAUTION: Don't take oregano oil strait or you may wish you were dead - it burns the mouth and throat so bad.

Tip: Whenever anyone in our home has gotten sick, I remind the rest of us to take a little oregano oil blend as a preventative measure. It works.

My daughter soon tells me that she can't even keep any water down. I know she is absorbing some of the wild oregano anyway, and I also know it is annihilating this bug she has, it will just take a short time to see the effects.

I have her rub a combination of virgin coconut oil and a mixture of sickness fighting essential oils on the soles of her feet. I instruct her to do this at least every hour. The oils make their way into the body to help fight off the sickness. Cool, right?

I proceed to make her a strong ginger tea. Ginger is one of the best things you can take for an upset stomach and nausea. Ginger is even effective for motion sickness and morning sickness. I sweeten it with about 4 drops of sugar-free stevia glycerite. See our recipe for stevia glycerite on this blog.

I let the ginger tea steep 10 minutes and then take it to my daughter. I tell her about ginger being a perfect remedy for her stomach. She asked me, will it help? I told her, "It certainly will." She's feeling pretty miserable, I want to give her some hope. Honestly, she has been sick so infrequently, that it is a shock to her. She hasn't had all the sickness that most kids have. I have to let her know that she will live. Don't laugh.

Next, I make a pot of hot rice porridge. Rice is very easy on the stomach. I have a special recipe I use, which I will share here. I use basmati rice (brown or white) and I add a little psyllium husk to it. Psyllium is a fiber that is also soothing and detoxifying to the digestive tract. It also gives a nice creamy texture to the hot cereal. We love it for it's blood sugar regulating effects. Psyllium slows the absorption of sugars and carbohydrates, which helps to even out your blood sugar levels. That's a good thing for maintaining health.

Another important tip is to salt all of your hot cereals as you are cooking them. It takes hot cereal from flat and boring to actually tasting good. It brings out the flavors nicely. Even salting to the point of the cereal being on the savory side is delicious, and is our family's favorite way to prepare mush. We have used BioSalt for this purpose for years. It is a balanced salt, that negates water retention in the body. See our BioSalt recipe on this blog.

For my daughter's situation, I sweeten the hot porridge with wild flower honey (preferably raw), as it is healing too. I sprinkled her cereal with ground ginger and cinnamon and topped it off with a little pad of butter. I then added a little organic whole milk.

Let's cross our fingers. Will the cereal stay down?

I made cereal fort the rest of the family too. This cereal is a delicious comfort food, plus it's cold outside and this is nice and warming. The basmati rice makes this cereal special. Try it!

We nicknamed this particular recipe "Fiji Rice Mush." Mom created it while living in Fiji. It gives a nice exotic twist to mush's name, don't you think?

Fiji Rice Mush Recipe:

2 c. uncooked Basmati rice (brown or white)
2 t. finely ground psyllium husk powder


Method:

Grind the rice kernels and psyllium in a high powered blender until it becomes a fine powder.

You may find it easier to grind in 3 batches.

Store what you won't be cooking in the freezer.


To Cook the Fiji Rice Mush:

In a large saucepan, mix 1/3 c. ground rice mixture and 2 cups water. Add 1/2 t. BioSalt or sea salt.
Stir and cook until thick on medium-high heat.
Reduce heat and cook on the lowest heat for at least 10 minutes. Add more water as needed.
Remove from heat, cover, and let sit 20 to 30 minutes.
To keep hot, cover with a folded terry cloth towel.
Check for salt, and adjust is desired.
Serve with coconut milk, organic milk, or nut milk.


Note:

The psyllium husk slows the absorption of the starch in the rice. Psyllium also extends the amount of porridge made because it absorbs a lot of water. It helps your blood sugar levels not to spike and then crash, helping with weight loss. Psyllium is also good for the digestive system and helps you feel full longer.

Enjoy,

Leila

A zippy sugar-free 3-bean salad recipe (no artificial sweeteners)

Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad

Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad

This has been a favorite salad of mine since I was a child. My aunt made this salad using regular granulated white sugar. It is really good but I wanted to create a version that does not use sugar. I also use a fresh, healthy oil instead of canola, soy, peanut, or corn oil.

Making this salad yourself is really easy, and now you can control the sugar content.  It never is as good in restaurants as when homemade anyway, have you noticed that?

I like to make and have on hand a sugar-free sweetener blend of 50% erythritol and 50% xylitol, which is conveniently used here. Just store in your pantry for quick access.


Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 pint (1 lb) canned green beans
1 pint (1 lb) canned wax beans
1 1/2 c. freshly cooked dried red kidney beans (or 1 can drained and rinsed)
1/2 c. chopped green or red bell pepper
1 very large onion, thinly ringed
3/4 c. erythritol/xylitol blend (mix both granular sweeteners at a 50/50 ratio)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with green pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweetener, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved  (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


Note: For a variation use garbanzo beans.


Enjoy,

Leila



UPDATE:

I changed the dressing to cut back on the amount of erythritol and xylitol called for. I also varied the vegies used.

Cutting back on the sugar-free sweeteners used saves you money. Plus adding a bit of stevia glycerite to the mix, makes the sweetening blend more synergistic and sugar-like in taste. Trust me, you won't miss the sugar here at all in this recipe!

I used all green beans because I frequently do not have yellow wax beans just hangin' around. The yellow wax beans are my favorite part of the salad though. I used yellow bell pepper for color and for the milder flavor they have. I used both kidney beans and garbanzo beans for more color variety and nutritional purposes. I think this recipe would work fine using fresh green beans too, blanching them first would probably be best.

Do which ever variation you want, they are both good!

Alternate Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 50-ounce can (3 lb 2 ounces) canned green beans
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 very large onion, thinly ringed
1/4 c. erythritol (Lakanto's sweetener is also great)
1/4 c. xylitol
1/4 t. NOW brand stevia glycerite (or homemade stevia glycerite recipe on this blog)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with yellow bell pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweetener, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


ENJOY!

Mixing the sugar-free dressing.

Three-Bean Salad before tossing together.

Tossed  Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad - Ready to marinate.

Variation with thawed frozen green beans.

2nd UPDATE:

Here is another option for you. I changed the dressing again, to lower the amount of erythritol and xylitol called for.

I cut back even further the amount of erythritol and xylitol used in the dressing. Doing this cuts down on the possible effects of consuming sugar alcohols. Xylitol, cool as it is, sometimes gives some people a bit of gastric distress. Erythritol is the gut-friendliest of the sugar alcohols, which is great to know. Sugar alcohols are also more expensive than regular white cane sugar, as I'm sure you've noticed.

I chose to add some food-grade vegetable glycerine to the mix. It is naturally sweet, sugar free, affordable, and has a warming effect, which nicely counteracts the cooling effects of the erythritol and xylitol. Vegetable glycerine also gives a nice syrupy glossiness to this salad dressing.

I still add a touch of stevia glycerite. Just so you know, when you blend these sweeteners, they act synergisticly with each other, enhancing each others sweetness. The result is that when combined they taste more like real sugar. And your gut is happier too.

The salad still tastes great with these new adjustments. You can choose any of these dressing variations, they are all good.

As far as the vegetables go, I used a red bell pepper this time. and I think I prefer slightly less onion, So I used a med-large red onion instead of an extra large onion.

So I'm just giving you another option for making this salad, Your'e welcome :)


2nd Alternate Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 50-ounce can (3 lb 2 ounces) canned green beans
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium-large red onion, thinly ringed
1/4 c. food grade vegetable glycerine
2 T. erythritol
2 T. xylitol
1/4 t. NOW brand stevia glycerite (or homemade stevia glycerite recipe on this blog)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with yellow bell pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweeteners, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


TIP: I like to add 1/2 tsp. Psyllium Husk Powder to the dressing to slightly thicken it.


Enjoy!

Author, Leila.

Creamy Parmesan Cauliflower Broccoli Bake

True comfort food: Parmesan Cauliflower Broccoli Bake

This is one of my most favorite casseroles ever. Parmesan Cauliflower Broccoli Bake is a creamy, delicious vegetarian casserole. It makes a great side for just about any meal. It tastes super with or without the added tarragon, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. You could also use Herbs de Provence or Fine Herbs as well. 

I made my own bread crumbs. It is healthier, super easy to do, and you can make it fresh for pennies. I made this delicious casserole for our Easter dinner this year and served it along side perfectly baked salmon (thanks to my cute husband) and roasted asparagus. It was a terrific meal. 

I have not done it yet, but I know this casserole would taste amazing with some crispy fried onions sprinkled on top along with the bread crumb topping. I am going to do this next time I make this casserole.

I hope you enjoy this comforting casserole as much as we do.

Parmesan Cauliflower Broccoli Bake Recipe:

1/2 c. Herb & Garlic bread crumbs (like Progresso brand), or home made *
2 T. melted butter
1 lb fresh cauliflower florets and stems
1 lb fresh broccoli florets and stems
1/4 c. plus 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. butter (can omit and just use a non-stick spray for the pan, but butter is better!)
1 large onion, diced
A pinch of baking soda
1 1/4 c. organic milk
4 ounces neufchatel or cream cheese, softened
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. seasoned salt
1/2 t. onion salt
1/2 t. BioSalt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
A pinch each of tarragon, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme, optional


Method:

Wash and trim the cauliflower and broccoli. Peel the tough outer skin off the broccoli stem. dice the broccoli and cauliflower stems into small bite sized pieces. If using frozen cauliflower and broccoli, thaw them completely first. Cut the florets into bite sized pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the dry breadcrumbs, 2 T. melted butter, and 2 T. Parmesan. Set aside.

In a large pan saute diced onion until tender in 1 T. butter and a pinch of baking soda, to aid caramelization. (You may just use a non-stick spray instead, but it isn't as tasty.)

Sprinkle flour over cooking onions and stir in well. Saute another minute.

Pour milk over cooking onions and stir in well, until it starts to thicken.

Add the neufchatel or cream cheese and the 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheeses melt.

Add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, onion salt, and fresh ground pepper. Stir in well and taste.

Add up to 1/2 t. BioSalt, to taste.

Add herbs, to taste, optional.

Add the vegetables and toss well to coat. Scrape into the prepared casserole dish.

Sprinkle the top with the bread crumb mixture.

Bake 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and vegetables are tender.



* To Make the Topping using Quick Home Made Bread Crumbs:

1 heel of a loaf of whole grain bread, crumbled fine
1/4 t. Garlic powder
A pinch each of tarragon, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme
The 2 T. butter called for above


Method:

In a small non-stick frying pan placed over medium heat, transfer the fine bread crumbs. Stir the crumbs around if they are not dried out yet, and gently toast them.

Put the garlic and herbs in the pan and stir a bit until they are fragrant.

Add the 2 T. butter called for and saute until the crumbs are well coated and remove from heat.

Let cool a bit before adding the 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Proceed with the recipe above.

Fresh out of the oven.

A perfect dinner.

Enjoy,

Leila.

South African Sour Cream Green Beans - A Quick & Easy side dish

Creamy, zesty, tangy, and savory, this side dish adds interest to any classic dinner. I love this unique recipe. My mom made it when I was a teenager and I made sure I saved the recipe in my recipe box before I left home to start my own family.

I love the creamy tang the sauce lends to the green beans. The sauce is seasoned perfectly, just make sure you use enough salt to bring out all the flavor. Using our BioSalt recipe on this blog is a healthier version to commercial table salt.

Make sure you do not overcook the green beans. they should still be bright green and firm.

This makes a great side dish and is good served with a variety of meats or vegetarian fare. Gently heat any leftovers,


Sour Cream Green Beans Recipe:

2 packages frozen green beans
2 onions, diced
2 T. butter or olive oil
1/2 c. organic sour cream
1/2 c.plain yogurt
1 t. red wine vinegar
1/4 t. coconut palm sugar (or sugar)
2 t. sweet paprika
garlic, to taste
onion powder, to taste
BioSalt or sea salt, to taste


Method:

Steam the green beans until tender-crisp. Set aside and keep warm.

In a large skillet, saute the onion in the butter or olive oil until translucent.

Add the sour cream and yogurt to the onions and turn heat down to a low simmer to avoid curdling the sour cream. Do not let it boil. Stir together well.

Add vinegar, sugar, and paprika. Season to taste with garlic, onion powder, and salt.

Mix in hot steamed green beans. Stir and serve immediately.


Notes: 

Alternately, you may  cook raw, trimmed green beans in lightly salted water, covered, for about 8 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Drain in a colander and keep warm.

French Creme Fraiche is a great substitute for the sour cream, and it does not curdle when heated like sour cream does!



Enjoy,

Leila.

Super Easy & Delicious Fried Egg Sandwich

Quick Egg Sandwich

Sometimes you just need something FAST. This sandwich fits the bill nicely. You can use gluten-free bread if you like. The bread toasted with butter (or coconut oil) on the griddle is the way to do it. I like to cook the egg over easy, so that you can spread the yummy yolk around (spread the joy).

Fresh minced onion sprinkled over the cooking egg makes the sandwich. Dried onion will do in a pinch. Top with fresh ground pepper and sea salt or bioSalt to taste. you're good to go!





Quick Egg Sandwich Recipe:

1 extra large organic egg
butter and/or coconut oil
2 sliced whole grain bread or gluten free bread (1 slice for open face)
2 t. minced raw onion
fresh ground pepper, to taste
BioSalt or sea salt, to taste (recipe on this blog)


Method:

Heat a cast iron skillet.
Butter the outsides of 2 slices of bread and place on one side of the skillet.
Add a dab of butter on the opposite side of the skillet and crack the egg on top.
Sprinkle egg with onion and fresh ground pepper.
Cook the egg over easy. Don't burn your bread!
Lay the finished egg on top of 1 slice of toasted bread. Spread yolk around and then salt to taste.
Top with the other piece of toasted bread and chow.


Note: Salting eggs after they are cooked keeps the eggs tender.

Enjoy, 

Leila