Here is a short little movie my girls made showing how to make yogurt. . . They watch a lot of cooking shows.  Here's the recipe.

Homemade Yogurt (makes 4 pints)

Supplies: 

Four 1 pint glass jars with lids

Candy Thermometer

Cooler and a blanket that will fit in the cooler

Ingredients: 

7 Cups of Milk

1/2 C instant powdered milk

1/2 c yogurt (plain or vanilla without preservatives)

Optional: 

1/2 c Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

Directions: 

1. MIX all ingredients EXCEPT yogurt  (milk, powdered milk, sugar, vanilla)
2. Heat to 180 degrees. (use a thermometer or look for little bubbles around the edges of the pot)
3. Pour into a bowl to cool.  Let cool until between 115 and 110 degrees.  (about an hour)
4. Measure out yogurt and let it sit on the counter to warm to room temperature.  DO NOT add it to the milk yet.  
5. When the milk mixture is between 115 and 110 degrees add the yogurt and stir until combined.  
6. Pour the milk plus yogurt mixture into the jars and put on the lids.  
7. Incubate: Put the jars into cooler, wrap a blanket around to add insulation.  Do not disturb for 6-9 hours.  Your goal is to keep the temp at about 90-100 degrees for the entire incubation time.  
8. You are done!  You did it!  Refrigerate as normal. 

  

If your yogurt did not set up - the temp when yogurt added to the milk was too hot or too cold or your yogurt starter did not contain live cultures.   

Sour-dough Banana Bread (Muffins)

I ended up with an extra 10 lbs of bananas today, and my new sourdough was ready to cook with.  So I did a search for sourdough banana bread and came up with this recipe.  Since I have had good success with other info from this site I decided to give it a go.  I didn't follow their recipe, but modified it and it turned out great!

1/2 cup pureed white beans
1 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2  (scant) cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup sourdough starter (preferably whole grain start)
1 Tbl olive or coconut oil
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (I forgot to add these, I am sure they would taste great!)
1 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp grated orange rind (I also forgot this, but I am sure it would add to the flavor)


Blend the beans, banana, honey and molasses in the blender until smooth.  Pour into a large bowl (larger than you think) and add sourdough start, salt, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, vanilla,  nuts, whole wheat flour and oil. Stir gently until all ingredients are moistened.  
Put into greased 9x5 bread pan or muffin pan.
Bake bread at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
For muffins, preheat oven to 450.  Fill muffin cups all the way to the top. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon and sugar (I did only because I have had a bowl sitting on my counter for several months and I wanted to use it up).  Put into 450 degree oven, set time for 5 minutes then turn oven down to 350 and bake for another 20-25 minutes.  (I learned this tip here )  This may not be quite enough for 12 muffins, probably more like 9 if you fill them really full. 

Minestrone Soup

I love soups.

I am sad to see soup season disappear, I just don't like soup in the warm weather.  It snowed this week so I was excited to get to make this soup at least once more before warm weather appeared.  

It is also my first go to recipe when I have too many veggies in the fridge. It is a good way to use up odds and ends.  I'll write the basic recipe out, then include a few tips at the end.

Ingredients. 

1-2 T oil of choice

2 potatoes

2 carrots

1 zucchini

1 c green beans

1 c shredded cabbage (I have used green, napa and red, they all work fine, just use what you have on hand)

1/2 c celery

1 onion

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 t Italien seasoning

1-2 t oregano

4 c stock

15 oz can tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce  (opt, it does give greater depth if not cooking all day)

15 oz kidney beans

2 c water

4 oz dry pasta 

Chop the vegetables how ever you would like.  

Saute the first 8 vegetables in oil until crisp tender.  Stir in seasonings, cook 1-2 minutes more.  Add everything but the pasta and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Heat to boiling and add pasta,  let simmer until pasta is al dente (10-12 minutes).

Serve and enjoy. 

My kids really like a little fresh parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

A few tips.  I usually add at least 1 cup of chopped greens to the vegetable mixture.  I have added spinach, kale, collards, really whatever I have on hand.  I usually add too many vegetables and I end up with 2 gallons of soup and I take one to a neighbor.  Occasionally if I am feeling really decadent, I will saute 1/4 lb bacon or italien sausage and then saute the veggies in the drippings. This makes the soup even richer, I then crumble the bacon and add it in just before serving.    I usually leave out the pasta, mainly because I put in so many veggies I don't think the pasta adds anything. 

In the summer when I have veggies coming out my ears, I chop my veggies and freeze them in the proper amounts in quart bags.  Then I can dump them in and make this soup even easier.  Frozen vegetables from the  store work well too.  

This soup works great in a crockpot, I just skip the sauteing step if I am in a hurry and cook on low 6-8 hours. 

If you are out of one particular ingredient, substitute something that you do have on hand.  I frequently blend up fresh tomatoes in place of the can of tomatoes and it works great. 

The can of tomato sauce is something I only add if I am not going to let the soup simmer for a few hours to give the flavor of a longer simmering time. 

Creamy Lemon Dressing

This dressing is so good! I have been using it all over the place, but especially on my favorite salad.
Ingredients
1/4 c sugar (I used sucanat, but agave would work as well, you might be able to even decrease to 2 TB agave!)
1/2 c lemon juice
2 t onion
1/2 t salt
2/3 c  Olive oil
1-2 T Poppy Seeds (Opt.)

Combine everything but the oil and poppy seeds in blender or food processor, blend until well blended. Slowly add oil in steady stream until slightly thickened and smooth.  Add poppy seeds and blend for a few seconds.
Serve on your favorite salad, especially great with salads that have fruit in them.  This is enough for 2 good size salads.

My Favorite Salad (Right Now) Mango Kiwi Salad

Ingredients:

Spinach, or romaine lettuce, or a mix of your favorite greens.

2-3 mangos peeled and diced

3-4 kiwis peeled and diced

1/4 c dried Cranberries

1/2 c chopped almonds

Lemon Dressing

Place clean greens in a large bowl Pile remaining ingredients on the top and drizzle with dressing.

Serve and enjoy.

To make chopping the mango easier, if you are like me and terrible at it, peel them first. Then set them on your cutting board and cut down lengthwise about 1/3 in from the side.  Continue to make small slice in from the side to get as close to the seeds as possible.  Then flip and repeat for the remaining 3 sides.  The pieces that have been cut off are then easy to slice cleanly.  I then scarp all that I can from the seed/pit with my teeth and throw it in the compost heap.

Mexican Squash Soup

This is yummy! I made it a few years ago and we all liked and I forgot I had the recipe. We made it tonight and loved it, the kids even ate it.

Spiced Mexican Squash Soup

1 ½ T Olive Oil
2C chopped Onion
6 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tsp Oregano
1 Butternut Squash (peel and dice into ½ inch cubes)
3 C Water
1 tsp Salt
¼-1/2 tsp. Cumin
1 ½ tsp chili Powder
2 C fresh Tomatoes (diced) or 1 can
2C Red or Green Peppes (chopped)
2 C Corn Kernels
1 can black Beans (15 oz- drained and rinsed)

Saute Onion/Garlic with Oregano
Add in Squash with the water and remaining spices. Simmer 5-10 min, add tomatoes and peppers and simmer 10 more minute.
Stir in corn and black beans and simmer few more minutes until corn is tender.

Serve with Tortilla chips and avocado dices
(optional: serve with sour cream and shredded cheese)

Clean Food

My Mom bought this book and I am loving it. Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with More than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You by Terry Walters. (Sterling Epicure, 2009)
My favorite features:
1. Has recipes divided into the four seasons using the fresh produce available.
2. Everything is Healthy.
3. The index is search able by ingredient particularly by vegetable. For example there are 13 recipes using Kale, 11 with lemons, 5 with parsnips, 9 for Quinoa, 20 with tomatoes and the list goes on
4. Recipes call for few ingredients and are simple
5. The intro has some great info.

We have tried the cookies and the Pad Thai and are trying more this week- black bean burgers and shepherds pie.

Available on AMAZON HERE

Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are so yummy, you would have no idea they were healthy. These are definitely"guest" worthy. I get nervous about serving our 'healthy food' to other people, but definitely not these cookies. The original recipe is listed and my changes are in the parentheses. Also next time I might add in some ground flax just for fun. They would also be yummy with raisins, cranberries, nuts, be creative.

Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 bananas, mashed
1/4 cup canola oil (I used melted Unrefined Coconut Oil)
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 c brown rice flour ( I used whole wheat)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips (or raisins, carob chips etc.)

Preheat oven to 350. F
In medium bowl or stand mixer combine bananas, oil, syrup and vanilla. Mix until combined well and banana is well mushed. In a separate bowl mix together, oats, flour, baking soda, coconut and salt. Add to the banana mixture and lightly mix until just combined (do not over stir.) Fold in Chocolate Chips.

Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. Bake for 14-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and place cookies on wire rack.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen (we doubled it).

I am doing a bulk buy on the following items. Please order in 5 lb increments. Tax is being charged on these items. We should have them by the end of October. I do need payment before I order. I think the order due date will be the week of the 5th of October, but I am not absolutely sure. So For now please plan on getting Money to me or Melissa by the 5th. All prices are per pound, unless noted.

Item Price/lb Price w/Tax 5lb 10lb 15lb 20lb 25lb

Almonds 3.25 3.46 17.30 34.60 51.90 69.20 86.50

Pecan Halves 5.25 5.60 28.00 56.00 84.00 112.00 140.00

Sunflower Seeds 1.87 2.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00

Pumpkin Seeds 3.43 3.66 18.30 36.60 54.90 73.20 91.50

Cashew Pieces 4.31 4.60 23.00 46.00 69.00 92.00 115.00

Sesame Seeds 2.25 2.40 12.00 24.00 36.00 48.00 60.00

Chia Seeds 4.95 5.28 26.40 52.80 79.20 105.60 132.00

Organic Flax seeds 1.89 2.02 10.10 20.20 30.30 40.40 50.50

Dattes (Chopped) 1.65 1.76 8.80 17.60 26.40 35.20 44.00

Diced Apricots 3.15 3.26 16.30 32.60 81.50 97.80 114.10

Shredded Coconut 1.91 2.04 10.20 20.40 30.60 40.80 51.00

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 1 gallon 48.00 51.17 with tax

Organic, Raw, Dark Agave 1 gallon 35.00 37.31 with tax

We are not shipping these Items out. This is for local people in Utah Valley and the Salt Lake Valley, unless you can make arrangements for someone to come and pick your things up. If you live out of the area you can order things yourself on green smoothie girl's website. She does ask that you not start ordering until Tuesday as she will be out of town.

Thanks! Heidi

Apricot Almond or Raspberry Almond Muffins/Bread

I've had a raspberry almond bread recipe that is one of my favorite quick bread recipes for over 15 years. I looked forward to raspberries every year just to make this bread. I have slowly been making it healthier, and this year I think I reached a point it is worth sharing. I also fixed the problem of how overly crumbly it was. I made it once this week with apricots, and the next day with Raspberries. It was great with both.

Ingredients:

2 c Whole Wheat Flour

2 Tbsp Fresh groudn Flax Seed

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 c yogurt

1/2 c milk (You can substitue 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 cup of rice milk for the yogurt and milk)

2 eggs (or an additional 2 tbsp flax mixed with 1/4 c water)

1/2 sugar

1/2 c coconut oil

3/4 c toasted almonds

1 c diced apricots or Raspberries, or fruit of your choice. I used fresh in both cases, but I can't see why dried fruit wouldn't work. I also nkow that frozen raspberries work well, just keep them frozen until you add them to the batter.

If you are using the milk and lemon juice option, mix them together and set aside.

If you are using the Flax and water in place of eggs, mis together and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Melt coconut oil by placing in a bowl within a bowl of hot water.

Mix the coconut oil into the dry ingredients until it resembles wet sand.

Add the milk, yogurt, eggs and almond extract. Mix until evenly mixed and no dry pockets remain.

Gently fold in the nuts and fruit.

Makes 1 9x5 loaf or about 18 muffins

The muffins take about 20-25 minutes (Mine were perfect after 23).

The bread will take 50 minutes to just over an hour.

Bake until toothpick comes out clean.

If baking in loaf pan let cool ten minutes before inverting or it will fall apart. Both the muffins and the bread will firm up as they stand.

No Cook Ketchup

This was great- I don't think we'll ever buy ketchup again. It's so much cheaper to make your own.

1- 4 ox can tomato paste
1- 4 oz can water
1/3 c Honey
1 Tb Molasses
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Salt

Mix in a bowl. If you want to fill a Ketchup bottle then double this recipe.


BTW: I recently found these blogs and can't wait to try out some new recipes
http://www.greenereating.com/
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

Vegetable Fritters

Ingredients:

1 Medium Zucchini

1 Large Carrot

1 Walla-walla onion along with 2 inches of the stem

Chard (I used 2 stems, you could use more)
4 cloves Garlic

1/4 c bread crumbs

2 eggs (If you don't use eggs, this would work great with 2 T ground flax seed soaked in 1/4 c water)

Basil

Thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Grate Zucchini and Carrot, place in Medium mixing bowl

2. Roll Chard into a bundle with Herbs and chop roughly, Add to bowl

3. Dice onion add to bowl. *

4. Mince Garlic and add to bowl. *

5. Add bread crumbs and eggs to the bowl along with salt and pepper. Mix.

*If your family has issues with onion blend the onions, garlic and even the herbs together in the blender.

Red Onions would make this even prettier, but it wouldn't taste quite as sweet.

Take 1/4 cup at a time and fry in a lightly oiled frying pan (Non-stick really works best). Let cook 3-5 minutes then flip and cook through.

Serve- These would be great with a little tahini warmed and drizzled over the top, some Aioli, or just plain.

This would be great with a little tahini warmed and drizzled over the top, some Aioli, or just plain.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

After Melissa's Sandwich post I thought some of you might like this recipe. We have been eating it non-stop for the last month. I found the original here, but it had quite a kick. Some in my family don't like that much kick (Or any kick for that matter) so I tweaked it just a bit and came up with this. It still has all of the great flavor without the kick.

1 can or 2 c Garbanzo Beans

4 Oz Roasted Red Pepper (About 1 Red Pepper)

3 T Lemon Juice

1 T Olive Oil

1 1/2 T Cumin

1/2 t Salt

3 T Tahini

3 T Water

1 T Paprika

3 Garlic Cloves

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender. Blend until Smooth.

Use as a dip for veggies, a spread on sandwiches or any other way you might enjoy.

Tahini

1 c Sesame Seeds

1/4 c Olive Oil

Place sesame seeds in frying pan over medium heat (NO oil yet). Stir until starting to lightly brown. Put into blender and add olive oil. Blend until smooth.

The Vegetable Sandwich

This recipe is for Liz, by special request.
Thank you to Courtney for introducing me to these.

Step 1: Cut up your fresh veggies. Whatever you like. (as long as it

is a vegetable. - sorry no bacon here.) Almost any veggie will work. Be sure to add the avocado, with it, you won't miss the cheese and meat. As a grown up, if you don't like some veggies, slice them super thin and put them on anyways, you won't know they are there - but your kids will and eventually they will eat it too, if they see you eating it.

We like spinach or lettuce, sprouts, carrots (grate or use your vegetable peeler to make thin slices,) cucumber, tomato, peppers -red yellow or green, avocado, onion, zuchinni (again with the vegetable peeler), and fresh herbs (cilantro or basil.) Try to get as many different colors as you can - then you will be getting a wider range of nutrients.

Step 2: Pick a sandwich spread --mayonaise, vegenaise, soy mayo substitute, pesto; spread it on a couple of slices of whole wheat bread. Layer on the veggies. Everyone gets to pick what they want on their sandwich. If they don't want it on their sandwich, they get to try it anyways-just one bite. Just make sure they have something to dip it in. Top off your sandwich with some salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lime.

Step 3: Eat it. yumm.

Then make another one and eat it too. Its ok, its just vegetables.

My girls really do actually eat this, they call it the "begetable sandwich". Its funny though because the vegetables they want usually changes each time we have it. And sometimes they want to pick their sandwich apart and eat it bit by bit seperately, thats ok too.

Also, we like veggies in a tortilla or pita with hummus. Delish!

Eat more fresh veggies! They supply your body with enzymes that help you digest your food, anti-oxidants to stop cancer causing free radicals, lots of vitamins and minerals, and fiber to maintain a healthy digestive system.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie

I found this recipe HERE. We ALL loved it. We could definitely drink this smoothie everyday.
(the bag is to hide my messy counter)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie

2 C Rice Milk
2 Handfuls Spinach
2 Tb Peanut Butter
2 Tb Honey
2 to 3 Frzn Bananas
Ice (optional)
Small Handful Chocolate or Carob Chips

Blend all ingredients in Blender.

Cabbage Rolls!

Not as complicated as they look and so Yummy! My husband just kept eating them and eating them and eating them... (I used couscous instead of Bulgar, brown rice would probably be good as well)

Bulgar Stuffed Cabbage

½ cup cooked bulgar or Couscous

1 head cabbage (remove tough outer leaves)

2 tsp olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

4 oz sliced mushrooms (optional)

1 zucchini (sliced)

½ tsp basil

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp thyme

¼ tsp pepper

1 egg white

2 tsps lemon juice

1 can 8oz tomato sauce

Serve with Rye bread and Green Salad

Prep 25 minutes, cooking 1 hour

Serves 4 Adults

1. Cook couscous or bulgar and set aside
2. Place cabbage in boiling water for about two minutes, then remove four leaves, repeat until you have 12 leaves
3. Heat oil in skillet over moderate heat and sauté onion, red pepper, and mushrooms, sauté 5 min
4. Stir in zucchini and cook for a few more minutes, until tender
5. Remove from heat add to couscous, stir in lemon juice and egg white
6. Stuff each cabbage leave like a burrito with the filling
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place rolls in baking dish, then spread tomato paste along top.
8. Cover with aluminum foil and cook 25 min, remove foil and cook 10 more minutes

P.S. The leftover cabbage was really good in stir-fry the next day.

10 to Buy Organic

I am not entirely convinced on the whole organic movement (mainly because of cost) but I found this list and thought it was cool. I found the list HERE

To Buy Organic (the numbers to the side show the percentage of washed fruit that still contains pesticides):

1. Nectarines – 97.3%
2. Celery – 94.5%
3. Pears – 94.4%
4. Peaches – 93.7%
5. Apples – 91%
6. Cherries – 91%
7. Strawberries – 90%
8. Imported Grapes – 86%
9. Spinach – 83.4%
10. Potatoes – 79.3%

Probably Okay to Buy Conventional:

1. Asparagus
2. Avocados
3. Bananas
4. Broccoli
5. Cauliflower
6. Kiwi
7. Mangoes
8. Onions
9. Papaya
10. Sweet Peas

Notice that most of the ones that are not so scary to eat conventional are those with tough skins. So, that's probably a good rule of thumb, if it's protected by inedible skin, save the money and buy conventional. Then spend your savings on good organic raspberries!

Granola

We are big fans of oatmeal around here, but in the summer a steaming bowl of oatmeal just doesn't sound right. So we eat granola.

Here is the Recipe:
Mix the following in a large bowl:
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats - not the 1 minute kind

1/2 cup coconut

3 T Flax seeds

3 T Sesame seeds

1/4 c Sunflower or pumpkin seeds

1/2 c nuts - your choice I used sliced almonds

2 t Cinnamon

In a smaller microwaveable bowl mix:

1 t salt

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

4 T Honey, Maple Syrup and / or Molasses in any combiniation

**trick #1** Melt / caramelize the sweeteners in the microwave for 1 minute so they will coat the granola evenly.

Then add:

2 t vanilla

1/4 c oil

Stir together and add to the dry ingredients.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spread out the granola on the sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes stirring twice. The second time you stir lightly press down the granola so it sticks together. Remove from oven when it is the right color of golden brown. **trick #2** this is very important: Do not stir after you take it out of the oven. Let it sit in the pan until it is completely cool. This will allow the caramelized sugar to make the granola stick together like it should. Then break it apart and add:

2 cups of dried fruit. I usually use raisins, but I am loving dried blueberries too.

Store in jars or Ziploc bags. I double or triple this recipe to make enough to last for a month.

We eat this with milk for breakfast, or with yogurt and fruit for lunch, and on top of ice cream with some strawberry jam for dessert. Not all three everyday of course. And if you are not used to eating flax seeds go easy until your body adjusts.

Dehydrating 101 In videos.

I came across these videos on you Tube a few months ago. She has recently added several more. They are the best videos and demonstrations I have found on dehydrating food. There are 10 vidoes on the series. She also has videos on making your own herbal teas that I thought were great as well. If you have thought about dehydrating, I would strongly recommend watching this series.

Video 1

After you watch the first video a link will come up for the second and on it will go until you finish.

I don't remember how I first found her videos. I am sure it was probably off of someone elses blog. I'm sorry I can't give credit.