another one bites the dust...

Anyone who knows me, knows that the only time I ever consider running is when I'm running away from something. Usually a cow. Or a rabid neighbor dog. Sometimes my children. The point is, if I'm going to lose weight, my strength is going to have to come from something other than running.

Like food. 

I do food well. And usually for no other reason than I just like it. A lot.

After all the health issues that seem to be plaguing me of late, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I may have limitations on what I can eat, but I can certainly control the amount of what passes between these lips. 

And I can have a little fun while I'm doing it too.

I've had a lot of great advice ranging from doing the GAPS diet, to going low carb, vegetarian, and even vegan. What I decided to do was try a modified Paleo-ish diet. (I haven't eliminated dairy~that would leave me with absolutely nothing to eat in the morning!) I hesitate to use the word diet because that's not really what this is. This is about getting healthy. It's about finding foods that not only I can have, but my family can enjoy with me. 

 

Because nobody likes to cook 2 separate meals each night. Least of all me. 

 

And don't even get me started on cross-contamination. After "accidentally" kissing a crumb-covered baby and swelling to the size of a Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade balloon, toast has been banned from the upper level of the house. I look like a chicken with it's tail feathers on fire every time a glutenous utensil or baby gets within 6 feet of me.

It's not pretty.

But, for all the work it's been, my tail feather area is actually shrinking. So far I am down 13.5 pounds. (!!!!!) I'm singing Queen's hit "Another One Bites the Dust" every time I get on the scale.  Even better is that the inflammation that has plagued me for what has seemed like forever, is gone. I have normal thumbs again. The only time my body hurts is when a certain 3 year old pounces on me without warning. And I've only really missed bread twice. 

Before kissing the babies.

 

Finding new recipes has been a challenge. Since beef, eggs, fish, and shellfish are off-limits, my meat protein can only come from chicken and turkey. A new favorite is a chicken and grape salad wrap. 

It is what my gluten-free dreams are made of.

~Drunken Chicken Lettuce Wraps~

~The Players~

1 large chicken breast (bone-in)

olive oil for the pan

1/2 cup white wine (whatever you would drink)

1 c. red grapes, quartered

4 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

2 t. Dijon mustard

1/4-1/2 cup good mayonnaise 

sea salt & pepper, to taste

red leaf lettuce, washed and dried

 

Rinse the chicken breast, pat dry. Sear both sides of the chicken on a lightly oiled cast iron skillet; approximately 4 minutes each side. (I place a cast iron bacon press on the chicken while it's searing~a smaller cast iron skillet would work too.) Add 1/2 cup white wine and cover with a lid. Place in a preheated 350F. oven and bake until done; about 30 minutes. Make sure the chicken is no longer pink. Allow to cool enough to handle.

Shred cooled chicken. If you used a full-sized breast, you should have about 2-3 cups of chicken. Add grapes and onions. Stir in Dijon mustard. Add 1/4 cup of mayonnaise and stir in. Continue to add mayo until you reach the desired amount of moisture. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully drop about 1/4-1/3 cup of salad on each lettuce leaf. Wrap as you would a burrito, being mindful to fold the bottom up before rolling up the side. Refrigerate any salad that you aren't going to immediately consume. Makes 8-10 wraps.

Enjoy!

Peanutty Thai Chicken

It is no secret that I love peanut butter. I especially love it in Asian cooking. There is something so mesmerizing about the combination of peanuts, chicken, lime, red peppers, and tamari sauce that makes my toes curl. Throw in some ginger and cilantro, and I'm singing songs from "Mama Mia", and swinging from the chandelier. 

Well, I would if I had a chandelier.

When the allergist told me that I was allergic to chicken and peanuts, I went into a deep depression. And by deep, I mean I started writing songs of my lost love. And by writing, I really mean I reworded other people's work.

Sue me. I was sad.

 ♫Peanut Chicken, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Peanut chicken, does it show again?
My my, just how much I've missed you
Yes, I've been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Peanut Chicken, now I really know,
My my, I could never let you go.♫

 Thankfully, chicken and peanuts were not the problem. Thankfully, I found another recipe that meshes my favorite flavors together.

Thankfully, my family won't have to listen to me massacre Abba songs anymore.☺

~Peanutty Thai Chicken~

(adapted from "The 150 Healthiest Slow Cooker Recipes on Earth)

Use organic ingredients if possible.

  

~The Players~

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup chicken broth (or homemade stock)

1/2 cup low-sodium tamari sauce

zest and juice of 2 limes, separated

2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

8 cloves garlic, minced

2-inch chunk peeled fresh ginger

2 Tb. honey

1 t. red pepper flakes

2 sweet onions, chopped

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped

2-3 lbs. skinned chicken pieces (I used breasts and thighs.)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more if desired)

sea salt, to taste 

Optional: roasted chopped peanuts for garnish

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the peanut butter, broth, tamari, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, ginger, honey, and red pepper flakes. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary, and set aside.

 

Place chicken in the crock pot. Pour peanut sauce over the chicken.

Sprinkle the lime zest on top.

Add the onion and bell pepper. 

Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours, or on low for 5-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool enough to handle. Using forks or fingers, shred the chicken, and remove any bones. Add the chicken back to the crock pot. Stir in chopped cilantro and season with sea salt before serving. Serve over rice or bean sprouts. Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired.

Enjoy!

One Pot Mexi-Mac

Actually, the real name of this family favorite is Mystery Meat Mexi-Mac, but I didn't think anyone would ever give a second glance at any food with the words mystery meat in it.

"Mystery meat" tends to conjure up images of summer camp and the tummy troubles that went with it. Of course, it may have just been the teenage girls who had the tummy troubles. See, for one week every summer, the girls at my camp didn't use the bathroom. Specifically to go #2. There was always the rumor that the boys had drilled holes through the walls and were watching the girls use the toilets. (Stupid girls that we were, we never actually questioned how the boys got those so-called drills.) And if you were really cool (aka, classy) there was no passing of gas either. Hence, tummy troubles. By day 3, most girls were complaining of cramps (because that was an acceptable ailment to have while maintaining one's coolness), and by day 5, the girls were all forgoing afternoon fun for naps. Which really meant that they had each visited the camp nurse for some Tums and were lying in their bunks discreetly releasing noxious fumes that left a green haze hovering over the entire cabin area.

Or, so I've heard.☺

How did I get so far off course from Mexi-Mac? Oh yeah, mystery meat. I'm back...

This is not the mystery meat of summer camp. Just so you know.

The reason that we added mystery to this dish is simple~we never know what meat will end up in the pot. Our family favorite is bulk sausage, but we also like shredded chicken and beef. And if meat is a luxury item, leave it out. I'm guessing that no one will even notice that it's gone...

I guess that could be the mystery!☺

~Mystery Meat Mexi-Mac~

~The Players~

1 lb. bulk sausage (pork, turkey, venison)

1 large onion, chopped

1 large red pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans (15 oz.) mild chili beans, undrained

2 cans (15 oz.)great northern beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans (14-1/2 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (7 oz.) can diced green chiles

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

2 cans of water (I use the tomato cans)

1 (16 oz.) bag uncooked brown rice macaroni pasta

2 cups frozen corn

1 can olives, sliced

2 Tb. plus 2 t. chili powder

2 t. sea salt

2 t. ground cumin

Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

In a large Dutch oven, cook the sausage until barely pink. Add onion, red pepper, and garlic and cook until meat is done. (If using pre-cooked meat, saute veggies in 2 Tb. olive oil and add cooked meat with the beans.)

Stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and macaroni. Add chili powder, salt, and cumin and stir to blend. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add corn and olives. Remove from heat and replace lid while you shred the cheese. 

Serve in bowls and if desired, garnish with cheese and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Back to Basics: How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken

I am currently reading Joel Salatin's latest book, "Folks, This Ain't Normal." While I am thoroughly enjoying it (personally, I believe this is his best one!), he mentions something that got me to thinking.

I was thinking, "Wow, he's got this one wrong."

Thankfully, I was proven wrong.

Now, if you've followed along here for very long, you'll know that Mr. Salatin is one of my hero's. We have been trying to implement as many of his farming practices as we can on our small farm without breaking the budget. (Fencing for pigs...I have a better chance of winning the lottery than coming up with enough $$$ to fence in our wooded area for the pigs!) As far as I'm concerned, he's a farming genius. And he's a nice guy to boot. And I got to shake his hand and have my picture taken with him. But now I'm just bragging. Sorry.

See, we all know that factory farmed chickens are just an all-around bad idea. Sickness, lack of essential nutrients from lack of sunshine, over-crowding issues, de-beaking chicks so they can't cannibalize their mates, etc...the list goes on and on. If you aren't familiar with these practices, please watch the documentary, "Food, Inc.". It will change the way you look at chickens...forever.

Here's what I took offense with, albeit briefly...

"...So forty years ago, every woman knew how to cut up a chicken. It was part of general knowledge. It was like learning to ride a bike, or read, or tie your shoes. It was part of domestic skills, like hammering a nail, running a washing machine, turning on the vacuum cleaner, or running a lawnmower. Today, more than half or our patrons don't even know that a chicken has bones."

"I've got news for you ladies. Chicken nuggets in the shape of Dino the dinosaur are not part of a chicken's anatomy. You won't find any muscle groups titled "Nuggets." Boneless, skinless breast wasn't even available in the supermarket before 1970. If your recipe called for boneless skinless breast, you did the carving yourself. And when it was done, you also had a neck, backbone, wings, thighs, and legs. And you cooked those, and ate them."

Mr. Salatin refers to ladies because that's who most of his farm store patrons are. That I did NOT find offense. It's fact. What I took offense to was that he thinks that women do not know how to cut a chicken anymore. And while I was ranting calmly discussing this with my family, my children (including 2 of my married daughters) all looked at me and said, "Well, we don't know how to cut up a whole chicken either."

Ouch.

I had assumed that everyone knew how to cut up a chicken. I had assumed that every teenager in America had worked for Colonel Sanders as I had. I assumed that my kids had learned that it is much cheaper to buy an entire chicken rather than just the preferred bits and pieces. It is obvious to me that a whole chicken at $.99/lb. is less expensive than a package of cut up pieces at $3 or $4/lb. After all, a family pack of chicken legs contains the legs of at least 7 chickens! And don't even get me started on the same huge packs of chicken breasts...

So it's time for me to right a wrong. It's time for me to make sure that at least in my family, we all know how to cut up a chicken. Because like it or not, whole chickens are all they're going to find in my freezer.☺

~How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken~

Start with a thawed whole chicken.

Find the joint where the wing connects to the breast.

Using a sharp knife, cut through that joint. Repeat with the other side.

Pull the leg/thigh out and gently run your knife between the thigh and white meat to separate.

Find the joint and cut through that. Repeat on other side.

Thigh and drumstick

Find the joint between the top of the leg and the thigh.

Carefully cut through that to separate the two. Repeat with the other side.

This is what the remainder of the chicken should look like.

Cut along the ribcage to separate the bony back from the meaty breast.

This is half of it. Save the pieces.

Turn the breast, bone-side up, and place the knife in the center of the breast bone.

Carefully cut down the bone to make 2 pieces. This part is a little more difficult, so be really cautious with the knife.

You can either leave the skin on, which keeps the chicken moist, or you can remove it. I removed it for this dish because it was going to be shredded in a sauce.

Toss the extra pieces, and any skin into a crockpot with filtered water. Add a couple of carrots, celery, garlic, and an onion, some peppercorns, thyme, and rosemary, and let simmer in a crockpot all day. Cool, strain, and voila'...homemade stock! 

Congratulations! You did it and used the whole chicken!

Go a step further and raise your own meat birds and throw the feet, neck, liver, and gizzards in too...

What? Too much?

...maybe we'll save that for another day. ☺

Have you entered my giveaway yet? You have until 2/15 until the drawing!

This post is linked to The Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop and Friday Food Flicks.

Chicken Tamale Pie

As most people know, I'm a huge fan of Bob's Redmill. Okay, I'm a fan of Bob too, but I don't want to come across as "stalker-ish", so I try to control that admiration as much as possible.

Can't have Bob calling the authorities now, can I?

Even though the Redmill is a mere hour away from us, I still stock up like I'm waiting for Armageddon. Or the Zombie Apocalypse. Or something equally as epic.

Needless to say, I have at least 500#'s of grain in my possession. Of those 500 pounds, at least 20 different grains are unidentifiable. In my rush to fill bags at the bulk bins, sometimes I forget to write the contents next to the bulk bin number.

This makes cooking a true adventure.

It also leaves me making comments like, "Eat at your own risk." Or, "This is a test~I'll give $5 to the first one who can identify the grain/spice. Yes, I already know what it is, but I want to know if you know what it is!"

Now you know, I'm a big, fat liar.

One of the grains that I was finally able to identify was polenta. Funny thing, I actually bough a 25# bag of the stuff, poured it into a large storage container, and stuffed it to the back of the closet. But, don't you grind your own cornmeal? Why yes, I do. My grainmill only does a fine grind, so the course grind of the polenta kind of threw me off. Since I've only made polenta from scratch once, and from a marked bag, it took awhile to identify this little surprise.

I actually thought for a brief moment that someone, and by someone I mean other than me, had dumped the chicken feed into the kitchen storage bin!

So, what does one do with 25#'s of polenta? Well, I'm sure I don't know, but if Chicken Tamale Pie is a way to use it up, we'll be having this quite often.

And that makes my children very happy to have a momma who is obsessed with everything Redmill.

~Chicken Tamale Pie~

A Bob's Redmill Original (with a little "tweaking" by yours truly!)

~The Players~

2-1/2 t. sea salt, divided

1 cup dry polenta (medium-grind cornmeal)

1 Tb. butter

1 Tb. olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1/2 sweet red pepper, diced

1/2 sweet orange pepper, diced (can use green if you prefer)

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

1 t. ground cumin

1 Tb. chili powder

1/4 t. dried oregano

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup canned, diced tomatoes (I used home-canned)

1/2-3/4 cup grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (or a combination of both)

Sour cream

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. and grease a 9-inch pie dish.

In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water and 2 teaspoons sea salt to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal, whisking to prevent clumping. Lower the heat and continue cooking and stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Spread 2/3 of the corn mush across the bottom and up the sides of the buttered pie dish and set aside. Keep the rest of the mush warm by placing a lid on saucepan.

Sorry about the lighting~I make no claims to fame with my photography skills. Or lack of.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers; cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic, cumin, chili powder, remaining 1/2 t. sea salt, oregano, and pepper and cook until meat is done, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and reduce heat to simmer, cooking uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until liquid has reduced some.

Spoon the filling into the pie dish, spreading evenly.

Top with an even layer of the remaining mush and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

*It is very important to let the pie rest for 10 minutes before cutting. The pie needs a chance to set up a little before cutting. Unless you like your pie in a bowl...☺



Coconut Curry Peanut Sauce

Warning: If you suffer from a peanut allergy, please avert your eyes now. I cannot be held responsible for any computer screen licking that may come from continuing with this post. Of course, I wouldn't blame you if you did.

Of all the flavors in the world, or at least in my neck of the world, peanut is my favorite. And chocolate. Especially chocolate and peanut butter together. And coconut. And lime. Oh, and I can't leave out blueberries. Okay, maybe I should begin again....

Peanuts, coconut milk, lime, and curry equals the state of eternal happiness, otherwise known as nirvana. (I'm not Buddhist, I looked it up.) It also equals low carb, so there is no guilt. Unless of course you add chocolate and blueberries, but that would just be weird. For 1/4 cup serving, there are only 6 carbs. And even though most of my favorite flavors are in this sauce, I didn't use an entire 1/4 cup. I showed great restraint with my meal.

I used a scant 1/4 cup.

I have absolutely no idea where this recipe originally came from, but I know that it was quickly jotted down in one of my trusty notebooks by yours truly. I'm currently on my fourth notebook of miscellaneous recipes.

At some point, my organizational skills are going to have to be reevaluated.

For now though, I'm going to have some more peanut sauce and dream about chocolate-covered blueberries.☺

~Coconut Curry Peanut Sauce~

(A Low Carb Recipe)

~The Players~

3 Tb. coconut oil

2 Tb. Red Thai Curry Paste (found in the Asian section of the grocery store)

1/2 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. ground cumin

3/4 cup skinless, unsalted peanuts

1 can coconut milk (not light!)

1 packet of stevia or the equivalent of liquid stevia

Juice and zest of 1 lime

3/4 t. sea salt

Grind peanuts in a food processor until dry and crumbly, but not a peanut butter consistency. Set aside.

Heat coconut oil in skillet; add curry paste and fry on medium heat until fragrant, but do not let it burn.

After about 30 seconds, add the spices and cook briefly to release flavor. Add coconut milk, peanuts, and stevia and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil and cook a few minutes until slightly thickened.

Season with lime juice, zest and sea salt.

Drizzle over chicken, serve as a dipping sauce, or serve it over rice.

Enjoy!

Not Your Average Chicken Pot Pie

Coeur d' Alene, Idaho



On our recent trip to Spokane, my Mister surprised me with a trip to the Mary Janes Farm Store. As an official member of the sisterhood, I was very excited to see all of the farmgirl decor. This is a very dangerous store for someone with my decorating style to be in. My Mister was aware of that fact and gave me a monetary limit.

I'm happy to report that I spent every last nickel of that limit. While I'm thrilled with my new Tufted Chenille Shower Curtain, I came away with much more than material objects. I came away feeling a kinship with a woman whom I've never met, a connection that can only be measured by similar tastes and dreams. My Mister knew it too.



Moscow, Idaho



So he took me to Mary Jane's second store. What a man.

One of my favorite recipes is one that I got in an issue of Mary Jane's Farm magazine. Originally, it was a way to use the thinnings and early baby potatoes from a spring garden. While I applaud using the recipe in the spring, really, that just isn't enough for this awesome dish. Now we use it with all kinds of veggies, at all different times of the year.

Thank you Mary Jane! ☺

(I modified this recipe just a bit to accommodate our family and pan size!)

Mary Jane Butters' Bottomless Chicken Pot Pie

~The Players~

Dough:

2 C. unbleached, organic white flour

2-1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. sea salt

1 Tb. chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 t. dried

1 T. fresh thyme, or 1 t. dried

1 C. unsalted, cold butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

1/3 C. ice water

Filling:

1/2 C. unsalted butter

8 C. vegetables, cut into 1/2-inch pieces~new potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, peas

1 T. fresh thyme, or 1 t. dried

2 t. sea salt

 1 t. black pepper

1/3 C. unbleached, organic white flour

2 C. chicken, cooked and cut into 1" pieces

1 Tb. lemon zest

1 C. chicken stock, homemade or store-bought

1 C. plus 1 Tb. heavy cream, divided

Dough:

In a large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and herbs.

Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour mixture until peas-size clumps form.

Stir water into flour mixture to form dough. Using your hands, gather dough into a ball; flatten into a circle on a floured surface.

Filling:

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add vegetables, thyme, salt, and pepper , and saute 10 minutes.

Add flour and stir 1 minute. Add chicken, lemon zest, stock, and 1 cup cream. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens to coat spoon.

Pour into an 8-cup baking dish. I used a 9"x13", deep-sided baking dish.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to the shape of your dish. We're not going for perfection here, just make sure it's large enough to cover the entire pie.

Fold the dough into quarters before placing on top of the filling; it makes it easier to handle.

Place dough on top of filling and press up the sides of the dish. I just one-finger crimped the crust to make sure that it was in contact with the dish. You could also use a fork if you want to get fancy. Brush the top with 1 Tb. cream. Cut 4 slits into the dough to vent. Place dish on a cookie sheet or foil to catch any spills.

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!