Don't have time to cook? Now you do...

This post is looong over due.  I have found a new love.  An appliance love (yes....again. :-)  )

My steamer was starting to give out so I went online months ago looking for a new steamer.  Everywhere I looked this thing called an Instant Pot popped up.  I ignored it.

Then I decided to find a new pressure cooker to use on the stove.  I have one but it is aluminum and I am NOT cooking in aluminium anymore.  Guess what kept popping up in my search for a new pressure cooker?  Yep, you guessed it, this weird little appliance called an Instant Pot.  Still, I ignored it.

Then a friend sent me a link to this appliance that she knew I would love.  Can you guess what the link was too?  Yep.  An instant pot.

Hilarious, right?!

So, I started researching and asked for an Instant Pot for Christmas.  My giving husband delivered. :-)

Then for about what feels like 2 weeks, I sat there staring at the Instant Pot.  The manual was overwhelming and my past fear of pressure cookers was resurfacing.  Finally, I decided to bite the bullet and just try something...anything.

So, I boiled water (this is a test they want you to perform before using) I thought I could handle that.  

Then I was ready to cook a meal.  And it turned out beautifully.

Here are a few reasons why I am in love with my IP:
-Chuck roast in IP-45 minutes....crock pot 8 hours
-Beef bone broth in IP 1 hour 50 minutes and delicious....stove top 1 day.
-Refried beans in IP-30 minutes....crock pot 24 hours.
-Ribs-actually tender
-Best cheesecake ever
-Best soft boiled eggs ever
-Best hard boiled eggs ever
-Dinner time is no longer stressful and I enjoy meal planning

So, for those of you who have told me you can't cook traditional, that there aren't enough hours in the day....well.......guess what?  Now you have no excuse.  Start saving for the appliance that will change your life forever and allow you to cook healthy, home cooked meals in a fraction of the time.  And I can't even imagine how much this is cutting down on our electricity bill.  Click here to see the one we bought.  A 6qt Duo.  There is a new one with blue tooth, but I didn't want that one.

You can see in the picture the 3 cookbooks I bought.  I love them all but Bob Warden's is my favorite.

Also make sure you are part of the Instant Pot community on Facebook.  It's amazing.

Happy instant potting!!!  Your life will never be the same.

  

Cooking with Essential Oils

This is "The oils I use" company blog.  It is packed with wonderful information and recipes.

This link has a ton of cooking recipes.  You will love it!!

http://doterrablog.com/category/recipes/

Cooking with Essential Oils

This is "The oils I use" company blog.  It is packed with wonderful information and recipes.

This link has a ton of cooking recipes.  You will love it!!

http://doterrablog.com/category/recipes/

Living Beyond Organic with Jordan Rubin

I have recently stumbled upon a show on TBN called Living Beyond Organic by Jordan Rubin.  And WOW am I in love.  He teaches all of the eating principles I live by and has taught me many new things.  Watch his first episode here and his second episode here.  Go to YouTube and type in Living Beyond Organic to watch more of his videos and tv shows.  His story is amazing.

Fortunately, I recorded 4 of the Living Beyond Organic tv series and I just keep watching them over and over.  He gives a website for their recipes, but when I go there I can't find many of the recipes.  So, over the course of a few days I have re watched the cooking portion of the tv series and have written down the recipes and ingredients.  They are not perfect but they are close.  So, when you see a recipe below and there are no measurements, that is why....just go with your gut.  :-)  

Later I may go back in and create a Living Beyond Organic button and singly file these recipes under that button, for today you are getting all the recipes in one place.  :-)

Below I am posting Jordan's recipes (and The Juice Lady).  They are not only juicing recipes but main course recipes too.  All things that I want to try.

Hope you enjoy them.  I am getting ready to go juice right now.  :-)

I did contact the website asking for them to give the recipes, if they do I will come back in here and update these.  

Jordan is part of a Direct Marketing program with Living Beyond Organic which I think is very cool.  We can buy top of the line foods from him and sign up if that is something you are interested in.  I love how, he doesn't only point out the best foods to eat, but he has taken the steps, has his own farms and creates the healthy foods for us to buy (top of the line from what I can see).  I may buy Amaise in the future if I can't find it at EarthFare or WholeFoods.  But for now I am shopping and making due with local products.

Amasie is a new cultured dairy beverage, easier to digest and packed full of probiotics and tons of other good for us vitamins and minerals. If you can't find it use organic kefir or yogurt.  I will be receiving Milk Kefir grains in 2 weeks and I will be making my own Raw Milk Kefir.  I can't wait!!!! 

RECIPES:

Jordan's Raw Smoothie

2 cups Amaise Cultured Beverage(Organic Kefir or Organic Yogurt)of Goat or Sheep milk

½ c Organic Strawberries

½ c Organic Blackberries

2-3 tbsp Coconut Cream

1 tbsp Flax seed oil

1 tsp-1 tbsp Raw honey

Raw Protein Powder (organic, sprouted beans)

Can make Popsicles or ice cream with this too.

Juice Blend (The Juice Lady. Cherie Cabom, MS.  Wrote The Juice Lady’s Living Foods Revolution)

1 Organic Cucumber Peeled

Organic Kale (1 stalk)

Organic Collard Green

Organic Swiss Chard (1 stalk)

3 whole organic carrots

1 organic lemon, peeled but leave white pith

Chunk of organic ginger root

Green powder (super food)

Place this juice in the blender.

Then add 2 organic avocados, peeled and sliced and blend.

Curb Your Cravings (The Juice Lady)

First juice to get….

½ cup Organic Spinach and celery juice

½ cup Organic apple juice

½ cup organic spinach

1-2 tbsp Tahini

¼ c-1/2 cup frozen banana

Ice cubes

Blend.

Probiotic Pancakes

3 cups Amaise (honey flavored), Yogurt or Kefir

2 Eggs (beaten)

1 cup Whole Grain Flour (grind if you can yourself)

1-2 tbsp Honey (if you do not use honey flavored Amaise)

1-2 tsp Vanilla

½-1 tsp Cinnamon

Coconut oil on the griddle

Topping: blueberries (wild are the best for higher antioxidants), yogurt (Greek) and real maple syrup, honey butter.

Chocolate Fondue

1 cup Italian organic, chocolate unsweetened dark chocolate (it has flax seed in it and probiotics)

1-2 tbsp raw honey

½ cup Amaise

½ cup raw cream

Serve with dates, strawberries, apricots, walnuts, blackberries, dried cherries, pineapples and pecans.

Eggs Benedict

Get water boiling.  Gently pour from a small bowl/dish raw egg into 3 inches of boiling water.  Cook for a few minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon.  And lay on an English muffin (sprouted preferred).

Hollandaise sauce

3 room temperature egg yolks

Lemon juice

Cayenne

Dribble in hot hot boiling butter while blender is running.

Salmon Burgers

Onions

2 eggs

Lemon juice

¼ c Parsley fresh

½ tsp-1 tsp Cayenne pepper

Basil

Mush it up.

2 cups Wild Caught Salmon (Sockeye is the best)

(Snapper, Sea bass, Flounder, Sole)

Sauce for Burgers

Organic Mayo (no canola oil!!)

Lemon juice

Ginger juice (small amount)

Basil

Rainbow slaw serve/salmon burgers

¼ c Mayo

2 tbsp Raw honey

Apple cider vinegar

Celery Seed

Purple and Green Cabbage

Purple Onion

Shredded Carrots

Apples

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Onion (sauté in wok)

Coconut oil, olive (do not go beyond the smoke point)

2 cups Precooked pastured organic chicken (dark meat)

Minced Garlic

Water chestnuts

Green onion

Red pepper flakes

Sauce

Rice wine vinegar

Light soy sauce or Tamari (namashoyu) (miso is good) (nato) Fermented ONLY

Ginger

-Dressing

Miso paste red or yellow (comes from fermented soy)

Sesame oil

Ginger, fresh

Tamari

-Salad

Snow Pears

Grated Carrots

Radicchio lettuce

Bib lettuce to hold the chicken, roll the bib lettuce.

Halibut Dijon with Quinoa Pilaf and Veggies

Cover the top of the halibut with Amaise (substitute with whole milk, yogurt or kefir) mixed with Dijon

Sauté already cooked quinoa, red pepper, chopped green onions and she added something else…looked like some sort of nuts.

Roast broccoli, zucchini, peppers, carrots and asparagus in a stainless steel pan with coconut oil or butter or water.

Healthy Raw Ketchup

Studies involving the tomato have cropped up all over the world. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and antioxidants. This ketchup makes for a healthy addition to your Green Fed burgers or hot dogs. 

Ingredients:
1 cup organic tomato, chopped
1 cup organic sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for 30 minutes, drained, and chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh organic garlic, minced
10 fresh organic basil leaves
3 organic dates, pitted
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1- 2 Tablespoons Bragg’s raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Blend all ingredients together until it forms a paste.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
From The Juice Lady’s Living Foods Revolution by Cherie Calbom

Ranch Dinner

Ranch Dinner Menu: Green Fed Steak with Delicious Garlic-Herb Rub, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and Roasted Veggies.

Ingredients:
Green Fed steak – 1-2 pounds
3-4 medium sized sweet potatoes
Mixed veggies of your choice

Garlic-Herb Rub:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Use about 1 teaspoon of the rub for each side of the meat. Let the meat marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature before cooking.
Grill the steak to the desired temperature, along with the vegetables. Peal sweet potatoes, cut into small pieces and boil until tender. You can add butter, coconut oil or even plain Amasie or yogurt. Honey is a great option to sweeten up the mashed potatoes even more.

Posted by Beyond Organic at 8:05 AM 

Healthy Power Burgers

We love this recipe because it “sneaks” vegetables into your burger, which makes it great for your little ones. Feel free to substitute in different veggies—Portobello mushrooms and eggplant make for a hearty burger!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup organic veggies such as yellow onion, green onion, zucchini and yellow squash
chopped 3/4 pound Beyond Organic Green Fed ground beef
2 Tablespoons organic parsley, chopped

Directions: 
Sauté the vegetables over medium heat until tender, about 8-10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the sautéed vegetables with the ground beef and parsley. Work the mixture with your hands until well combined. Form into four patties and grill until done—when no pink remains and the juices are clear.
Serve on sprouted whole grain buns, as an open-face burger on lettuce leaves or between two lettuce leaves Serves 4 Adapted from The Coconut Diet by Cherie Calbom.

Posted by Beyond Organic at 7:19 AM 

Ranch Breakfast

Eggs sunny-side up with Turkey Sausage, AMASAI parfait, and Fresh Orange-Carrot juice with greens. 

Ingredients:
Organic or pastured eggs
Turkey sausage
Fresh fruit
Amasai (or another cultured dairy like Kefir or Greek Yogurt)
6 oranges
4 carrots

Directions: 
Cook the eggs sunny side up in a pan, with coconut oil or a healthy butter from a local farm. Be sure not to break the yolk if possible. You can season with sea salt or organic seasoning of your choice.
For the turkey sausage you can cook in a pan or a grille machine that drains the fat. Place fresh fruit on top of a bowl of Amasai. Combine carrots and oranges in a juicer for a refreshing ranch breakfast morning drink.

Cherry Grape Kale Beverage Blend

(A lot of these ingredients you can buy from Beyond Organic Living or sub your own.
The concept behind this sweet blend is to help people prepare and break a period of cleansing/fasting. This will help minimize the symptoms of a detox reaction and provide a gentle way to reintroduce solid foods to the digestive track. From the kitchen of Chef Mandy.

Ingredients:
NuVino Super Soda Grape, 1/2 cup
Plain Amasai, 1/3 cup
Gold SueroViv, 1/4 cup
Frozen Cherries, 1.5 cups
Frozen Banana, 1 chopped
Lacinato Kale, 2 medium leaves chopped
Celery, 1/2 stalk, chopped
Cucumber, 1/4 cup chopped with skins
Lime, 1 slice with rind
Raw Honey, 1- 2 tablespoons - optional
EA Live™ Sprouted Seven Blend, 1 tablespoon

Method:
Mix all ingredients into a high speed blender until smooth. Yields 3 cups.

Posted by Beyond Organic at 12:50 PM No comments: 

Chef Mandy's Beyond Organic Ranch Dressing to complete your Ranch Flatbread sandwiches!
Ingredients:
Healthy mayo, 1 cup (I prefer soy-free Vegannaise)
Plain Amasai, 1/2 cup
Dried chives, 1/2 teaspoon
Dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon
Dried dill weed, 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon
Onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon
Pink Crystal Salt, 1/8 teaspoon
Black Pepper, fresh ground, 1/8 teaspoon

Method:
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Yields 1 cup.

Enjoy!

Find most of these recipes click this link http://beyondorganicnetwork.blogspot.com/search/label/recipes

Happy GREEN Eating!!!!

Beans, Beans and more Beans

I thought I would post about beans.  I have decided to use dry beans whenever I can.  I admit I still have a few cans of beans in my pantry, just in case.  But I really DO NOT want to use them because they are in a can.  See my blog post on BPA if you wonder what my deal is with cans...in a nutshell anything in cans is BAD!!!!!!  I wish this was not true....but alas it is what it is....BAD!!

(I have found a brand called Eden Organic, their cans are bpa free!  Yay!)
So, back to beans.  We are having friends over tonight, I am making a tortilla soup and need beans in my soup.  I am using black beans, kidney and pinto.  We are eating around 6:15pm so I am starting the process now at 11:00am.  So, here is what ya do.....

-Buy ORGANIC dry beans
-Store them in an airtight glass jar away from heat.  Try to use within 6 months.
-If you need 1-1.5 cups (8-12 oz) of beans in your recipe, use 1/2 cup (4 oz using liquid measuring cup) of dried beans.  They swell...ALOT!  LOL
-Sort:  Sort and rinse your beans.  Remove any bean that appears shriveled.  Rinse well in cold water.
-Soak:  Soak beans over night covered in water and apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp organic apple cide vinegar to 1 cup of water, so that water covers beans).  Cover bowl with lid and place on countertop over night.
-Cooking:  Put your beans in a cooking pan (no t-fal if possible, stainless steel is the way to go.  My mom found me a very nice set at Goodwill), cover the beans with 1 inch of clean cool water.  Bring to a boil.  (Use 3-4 cups of water for each cup of dry beans).  DO NOT ADD SALT or any acidic flavoring yet.  Only do your major seasoning 30-45 minutes before beans are due to be done.  Spicing too early can cause the flavors to break down.  You can cook from the start with the basic spices:  chopped onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, cumin, epazote or kombu.
-Cooking Times:
Black eyed peas 1-1.25 hours at boiling.
Chickpeas 3 hours at boiling.
Great Northern 2 hours at boiling.
Green Lentils 45 minutes at boiling. (do not presoak)
Lima (baby) 1.5 hours at boiling.
Navy 2.5 hours at boiling.
Pinto 2.5 hours at boiling.
Red Kidney 1.5 hours at boiling.
Soy 3 hours at boiling.     

There are a few more beans I did not list here.  Email me if I did not list the bean you are looking for.  kboughman@sbcglobal.net

Happy cooking and ENJOY cooking healthy for you and your family!!!!