The Search for Paleo Bread

Intrigued by Paleo bread I wanted to try some. I found one company, Julian Bakery,  that makes it and was able to purchase it frozen at Mountain Mama's here in Colorado Springs. However it was very expensive. I believe I paid between $8.00 and $9.00 per loaf! These are small loaves!  Well, I went home and defrosted them, anxious to give them a sample, and see just how wonderful they were. After all the ingredients looked nice. I knew what everything was on the ingredient list. A nice bonus when you want to steer clear of strange additives. Well I have to tell you it was disappointing to sample those loaves. They were very, flat. Not much flavor at all!  Sure they had low calorie, especially considering the nut flour used in them. So, I did some research and found that the Psyllium Seed Powder is their main ingredient. This name should be familiar to you because it is the main ingredient in any fiber drink for when you need to be more regular. Not that it's bad or even unhealthy, but in this case it is more of a filler and added fiber for pretty low cost.  Like I said there are plenty of people out there that obviously like this bread. I just wanted something more flavorful, and  less expensive.

I perused books, and web sites looking for some good recipes to try. I tried a few. This one I am posting here is my favorite. I only changed it a little bit from the original and it comes out good every time. The original is from Guilty Kitchen. This is a very nicely flavored loaf. You can cut it thin and use it as a sandwich bread. I hope you enjoy it.

Paleo Sandwich Bread
Makes 1 small loaf (10 slices)

Ingredients
3/4 cup organic raw almond butter (I used whole foods, where you grind your own)
6 range free eggs
2 tablespoons local honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup golden flax meal
1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 4 x 8" loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl blend the almond butter, eggs, honey and melted coconut oil. You want this mixed well.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and blend.
4. Pour into greased pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Loosen edge of pan and remove. Let cool completely, or eat warm.
6. Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator. It will last about 10 days.

High Altitude: 375F 40 minutes.

Dandelion Flower Cookies

This is an absolutely enchanting recipe adapted from The Dandelion Celebration by Peter A. Gail.  This recipe produces a delicately flavored and textured cookie.  Remember when harvesting dandelions make sure they have not ever been treated with fertilizer or pesticides.  Make sure you wash your flowers before use.  For this recipe you will use only the flower pedals, the yellow parts, none of the green as it is bitter.


1/2 cup Dandelion pedals - only yellow parts.
1/2 cup Coconut oil (original recipe used vegetable oil)
1/2 cup Raw Honey (original called for regular honey)
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.
In medium sized bowl mix together the coconut oil, honey and eggs. Blend well. Then add the vanilla, flour oats and dandelion flours.

Drop by tablespoons onto parchment covered cookie sheet, 2-inches apart. These cookies do spread out a bit. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, until golden on the edges.  Please note if you are using the coconut oil as I have make sure you don't bake above 350F. 

Honey Bran Muffins

Alright I have finally, finally, come up with the perfect Bran Muffin Recipe. I modified Thomas Keller's Bran Muffin recipe a bit. I hope he doesn't mind.  I added a smear which I want on my bran muffins and added flax to my muffins as well. Please note, the batter needs to rest in the fridge for 24 to 36 hours prior to baking. 

The finished product

Ingredients.
110 grams all-purpose flour
74 grams wheat bran
16 grams Wheat germ
8 1/2 grams ground flax seed
6 5/8 grams baking soda
5 1/2 grams baking powder
149 grams buttermilk
58 grams half and half
55 grams water
46 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
82 grams granulated sugar
55 grams eggs
46 grams honey
1/4 Vanilla Bean, split
46 grams molasses, blackstrap
28 grams pear halves in water, diced, drained
28 grams golden raisins
55 grams pumpkin seeds, roasted
5 grams flax seed

For Smear:
102 grams brown sugar
68 grams butter, room temperature
68 grams honey


Muffin mixture before refrigeration
 

Directions:
1. Combine flour, bran and wheat germ, and ground flax seed in a medium bowl. Sift in the baking soda and baking powder and whisk together. Combine the buttermilk, half-and-half and water in a large spouted measuring cup.
2. Put the raisins in a bowl, cover with warm water and set aside.
3. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, turn to medium low speed and cream the butter warming the bowl as needed untl it has the consistency of mayonnaise.

4. Add the sugar and mix on medium low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the misture is fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean, add them to the butter mixture and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to distribute the seeds evenly. Stop as necessary to break up any larger pieces.
 5. Add the eggs (I used powdered eggs in order to get the right amount), honey and molasses and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, until just combined. Add half the flour mixture and mix on low speed for 15 seconds, until just combined. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients, followed by the remaining buttermilk mixture.
 6. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that have settled there. Fold in the pears, raisins (drained), and pumpin seeds. Transfer the batter to a covered container and refrigerate overnight or up to 36 hours.
 7. To Bake The Muffins:
 8. Make the Smear; in medium bowl combine the butter, brown sugar and honey, blend until smooth.
 9. Preheat oven to 425F. Spray Jumbo muffin tin with cooking spray. Divide the Smear between the six cups and spread it part way up the sides and along the bottom of the cups. Sprinkle the flax seed on top of the smear.
 10. Stir the batter gently then spoon the batter evenly into the cups (140 grams each).
 11. Place the pan in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 325F (if high altitude 350F), and bake for 30 to 33 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
 12. Remove pan from oven. Immediately place cookie sheet upside down on muffin pan; turn cookie sheet and pan over to remove muffins. Serve warm if desired. 

Nutrition:  
Per Serving: 536 Calories; 21g Fat (33.5% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 86g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 85mg Cholesterol; 551mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 4 Fat; 3 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Easy THRIVE Beef Stew

My daughter-in-law made a very nice beef stew for me one day. As I was looking for something to make with my new product I decided this was the recipe to try.  Now as the name suggests I am using mostly Freeze Dried products.  If you have food storage you want to rotate this is a great recipe for you. If you want to go camping this is easy as well, since it all packs up and is very light.

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups THRIVE Cooked Roast Beef + 2 cups warm water
2 cups THRIVE Green Beans
2 cups THRIVE Potato Chunks
1 cup THRIVE Sweet Corn
1/2 cup THRIVE Sweet Peas
1/2 cup THRIVE Carrot Dices
2 8-ounce cans Tomato Sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Beef Bullion
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper (more to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
7 cups water


Directions:
1. Measure out your Cooked Roast Beef and put in a medium bowl, add 2 cups warm water and set aside for 5 minutes, drain.
2. Measure out all your THRIVE ingredient, set aside.
3. Add oil to stew pot over medium heat. Add your reconstituted beef to the pan, season with salt, pepper, garlic and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.  Since your beef is already cooked this step is just to incorporate the flavors.
4. Add the rest of your ingredients at this time. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for about an hour for flavors to meld.  Taste broth and adjust seasonings to your personal taste. Remember you may need a bit more salt than you would normally use since all your vegetables are salt free.

* This would also be an excellent base for Shepherd's Pie.
* If you don't want to fry your beef first, simply omit the olive oil, and add the beef and the additional 2 cups water at the same time.

THRIVE Omelet made two ways

Okay today I set out to test the egg products put out by THRIVE. I have a simple recipe for boiled omelets. I was thinking how easy it would be to make the omelets ahead of time in little bags, just add water, and cook while camping. When my kids were younger they loved to make these. Now my husband finds them easy if he wants a quick omelet while getting ready for work.

Whole Egg Powder Omelet:
1/4 cup THRIVE Whole Egg Powder
2 Tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup of water

Heat a medium sized pot half full of water to boiling. Reduce heat to simmer.
In the mean time combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour into a pint sized zip lock back. Seal bag, put bag in simmering water. Cook for 15 minutes.

*As you can see this one the cheese tended to sit towards the bottom of the bag and the herbs tended to float towards the top. The texture was nice and light. I thought it was pretty good.

Scrambled Egg Mix Omelet:
1/4 cup THRIVE Scrambled Egg Mix
2 Tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 Tablespoons water

Heat a medium sized pot half full of water to boiling. Reduce heat to simmer.
In the mean time combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour into a pint sized zip lock back. Seal bag, put bag in simmering water. Cook for 10 minutes.

* As you can see this is a much nicer omelet. My ingredients were incorporated better and the taste was excellent. You would not know this was not a fresh egg by the taste or texture.

Two points I want to make. First off the Scrambled Egg mix is the better product for eating. Although I have used the Whole Egg Product in all my baking and it is very easy and convenient, however I prefer the Scrambled for the taste. Next if you are going to store eggs, and can only do one kind I suggest you use the Scrambled Egg Mix and use it for your baking as well.

There is a price difference in the two egg mixes.
Scrambled Egg Mix, #10 Can which is 2.5 lbs and has 107 servings is $42.19
Whole Egg Powder, #10 Can which is 2.38 lbs and has 216 servings is $22.69

Next time I will try the FD Cheddar Cheese and see how it works.

THRIVE

Hello Everyone. I have been away for a while handling a family emergency. I am back now. Alright, let me tell you about a great product to aid you in making cooking a bit more convenient when you are crunched on time or perhaps don't want to run to the store when you are out of a product. It's called THRIVE.

THRIVE is product that has been picked when nice and ripe then freezedried, aka all water is removed from it. This is not to be confused with dried products which can be tough. These fruits and vegetables are light and airy.  The product itself is great tasting. I tend to munch on it all the time in the freezedried form.  Since I am getting to know this product I am going to post about the different items and recommend recipes to use them in. Right now I am using them in my regular recipes so I can see how they work. So far I am having good results.

The reason I started to sell THRIVE was actually simple. I wanted to round out my own food storage with more products and I wanted it at a discount. If you price freeze dried fruits and vegetables in the grocery store you will find, like I did, they are prohibatively expensive. Then I found THRIVE and sampled their products. They were great, and a lot more affordable.  I also like that I buy ingredients not mixed products. Anyway, you will see more as I post recipes and product pictures.

Here is a link to my THRIVE site. Each month I make an on-line party. If you buy through a "party" you will save money off of retail prices. How it is set up you simply go in and order through that party, set up your account etc. Your product is shipped directly from THRIVE.

Butter Biscuits for High Altitude

This recipe has been adapted for high altitude from the country cook. They have a bunch of great recipes on their blog.
Ingredients:

3 3/4 ounces butter
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 Cups Buttermilk Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F
Grease and 8X8" glass baking dish. Add your butter, and melt it in the microwave.
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Then add the buttermilk. It will be a very sticky dough.
Add the dough to the butter dish and spread evenly. Then using a sharp knife cut into 9 squares (Two slices each direction will do it).
Put glass baking dish on a baking sheet, to catch any spilled butter, and bake for 23-25 minutes. They will be golden on top.

French Breakfast Muffins, High Altitude

This is a wonderful breakfast treat. This is baked up like a muffin but isn't as sweet.  This recipe was adapted from The Butte's Heritage Cookbook.
This isn't  my most healthy recipe, but sometimes we need to splurge.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons milk, 1% lowfat


For Coating the Muffins:
6 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2.    Mix together the shortening and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
3.    Next, add egg, baking powder, flour, flax, salt, nutmeg and milk.  Mix well. Divide evenly among the 12 muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
4.    In the mean time make cinnamon sugar by mixing 1/2 cup sugar and 1T cinnamon. Set aside.
5.    Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

For complete Nutrient breakdown including Omega-6 and 3 fatty acids, click HERE.
Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Honey Almond Chicken

This wonderful recipe is from my soon to be daughter-in-law Ashley. It was a great hit with the whole family. Enjoy it. Serves 7

Ingredients:
3 pounds chicken tenders
8 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup red wine (I used Shiraz)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup honey, divided
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Toast almonds when oven is ready. See directions below.
2. In a zip lock baggie combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken tenders to bag, seal and shake to coat.
3. In a large skillet heat the butter and vegetable oil, over medium high heat. Remove chicken from flour mixture then fry them about 3-minutes on each side (they will not be cooked through).
4. Add soy sauce and wine to the frying pan, scrape up any bits left behind by the chicken. Bring to a boil. Remove chicken from pan and arrange in bottom of greased baking dish. Pour this sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar and drizzle with half the honey. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until 165F.
5. Remove chicken from oven, drizzle with remaining honey, and top with toasted almond slices.
6. To toast almonds: spread almond slices on a baking sheet. Toast in 350F oven. Watch closely, they burn easily. Set aside.

Nutrition:
Per Serving: 570 Calories; 22g Fat (35.2% calories from fat); 46g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 132mg Cholesterol; 1249mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 4 Fat; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango

This is another great recipe from Veganomicon. This salad is easy to put together and very easy to substitute to make it your own. In my version I used red onions instead of scallions.

Ingredients:
1 cup mango, cut into small dice
1 cup red bell pepper, cut into small dice
1 cup scallion, chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups quinoa, cooked
15 ounces black beans, canned, drained and rinsed

Directions:
Combine the mango, red bell peppers, scallions and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the red wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the quinoa and stir until everything is well incorporated. Fold in the black beans. You can serve immediately or let it sit for a bit for the flavors to meld. To Serve, place a few leaves of lettuce on a plate and scoop some salad on top. This tastes good chilled and is even better at rom temperature.


Nutrition:
Per Serving : 240 Calories; 7g Fat (25.3% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 313mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.