Cream of Delicata Squash Soup

I’m bringing back one of my old favorites…my Cream of Delicata Squash Soup. I love so many soups, but this one is one of the most cherished! It reminds me of the days I was living in northern Cali in my early twenties when I was just discovering that cooking was to be my path. I…

Read More

Cream of Asparagus Soup with Spring Leeks

ingredients-for-asparagus-soup-with-leeks

Some of the best things in life are simple and this soup is one of them. This Cream of Asparagus Soup with Leeks could be made even by those that claim they can’t cook. And for those that can, enjoy a night off (almost) as this soup will only take about 20 minutes. Although truly…

Read More

Detoxifying Delicious Winter Greens Salad

basket-of-dandelion-greens

Salad is typically more of a food we eat in the warm season, but the cool weather brings us hardy greens that are full of vitamins and minerals that should not be ignored. Greens are full of chlorophyll which is very detoxifying to your blood and liver. They will help to purify your bowels and give you fresh breath too. This is a great dish to eat if you overdosed on rich holiday foods. It will help you to feel lighter and lose weight more easily.

Read More

Green Chili Summer Squash Soup

green-chile-summer-squash-soup

Late summer is the season for green chilies and summer squash. These two veggies pair so well together. They are like old friends. And, of course, they like growing near each other too. Both share their soil origins in the Americas.  Squash is actually the fruit of various members of the gourd family; it comes…

Read More

Beet Kvass – Ancient Eastern European Lacto-Fermented Beverage

glass-jar-of-beet-kvass

This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver, and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments. Beet kvass may also be…

Read More

Making Whey and Kefir Cheese

straining-kefir

Whey is useful in many fermentation recipes – as a starter culture for lacto-fermented vegetables and fruits, for soaking grains for proper preparation, and as a starter for many beverages. The yogurt or Kefir cheese is a delicious by-product with beneficial lactic-acid-producing bacteria. You may use homemade yogurt or Kefir or good quality commercial plain…

Read More

Dairy Kefir and Kefir Cream

dairy-kefir-cream

Kefir is one of the most powerful foods you can eat. It contains anywhere from 30-50 beneficial microorganisms that inhabit your gut and create colonies of helpful microflora. These little “good” bugs (not all bugs are created equal) literally become your immune system as they fight to protect you by killing invading pathogens (bad bacteria…

Read More

Super Simple Seasonal Greens

Hardy cold season greens are one of the most nutritious of vegetables. They are full of fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals. Try this recipe or make up your own. Eating them regularly will help prevent SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder) in the low light winter months. Eat greens regularly to enhance your health, cleanse…

Read More

Bone Broth

homemade-bone-broth-in-a-jar

“Indeed, stock is everything in cooking…without it nothing can be done.” Auguste Escoffier
Bbroth or stock as some call it is one of the most nutritious of foods. In many cultur­­es it is consumed almost daily. Ancient cultures would not think of throwing out the bones, the place that holds the essence of the animal. They knew to slowly cook them with water and maybe other herbs and ingredients to extract the precious life giving nutrients from them.

Read More

Osso Bucco – Slow Braised Grassfed Veal or Beef Shanks

This is a warming winter dish and perfect to serve for a romantic Valentine’s meal. Osso Buco is traditionally made with veal shanks. You can, however, use this recipe with great success with regular beef shanks, or any beef or veal stew meat as well. Use 2-2 ½ pounds of stew meat. Make sure to…

Read More

Alaskan Halibut with Lemon & Artichoke Hearts

Halibut with Lemon and Artichoke Hearts

Since you can not get fresh halibut all year long in your local markets, you can order this fish frozen over the internet and have it delivered. It’s not ideal (not local) but I’m thankful for the option to choose. I endorse Vital Choice because they have a superior standard for quality. Their fish are tender and amazingly yummy.

Read More

Roasted Sweet Potato Ginger Soup

bowl-of-roasted-sweet-potato-ginger-soup

Man must have been very excited the first time a sweet potato rolled over into the fire. A once hard tubor became soft and sweet. What a discovery! Sweet potatoes or yams are grown all over the world, but mostly are grown in the tropics, Africa and in the Deep South of the USA. There…

Read More