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Wholesome Chef Mici
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Stewing Meat

11/23/2013

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Not eating meat for most of my adult life, I had no idea how to make it tender and flavorful. When I  made the switch, I asked my body how it would like my first piece of meat and I saw a picture of a woman stirring a caldron over a fire. It had carrots, cabbage and potatoes in it. You would expect the body to have some difficulty with it's first time in almost 20 years, but there was none! I was emotionally ready and I chose my first cooking technique well. Now I'm known in my circle of friends as "super carnivore" as a joke. And needless to say, I've mastered stewing it. Many of my clients also like it this way, I hope you do, too.

1-2lbs. Grass Fed Stew Meat (like Chuck, Shank or Rump Roast)
Pad of Grass Fed Butter
Fresh Garlic
Stew Spices: Bay Leaf, Pepper Corns, Mustard Seeds, Rosemary, Red Pepper, Coriander Seeds, Onion Powder
Sea Salt
Water
Optional: Cooking Wine


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Melt your butter in a stew pot. I have a Zepter one that really cooks nicely, but anyone with a thick bottom and stainless would be fine.

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Add your stew meat and fry in butter until it is brown and aromatic. Boy will it be aromatic! My mouth waters at this stage, but you have to snack on something else, because it's gonna be hours before it's done.

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Turn it over and braise the other side.

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Once both sides are browned, add fresh garlic and your cooking wine if you are using it. Maybe 1/4-1/2 cup.

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Place your spices of choice on a piece of cheese cloth. I'm using 1 tbs. of corned beef mix here plus adding rosemary. Each time I do it a little differently. Play around to find your favorite combo.

Tie the cheesecloth in a knot, trapping the spices, so they give flavor but you can remove them later.


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Add enough water to come at least half way up the side of your meat and bring to a boil. Then cover and let it simmer on low flame for 3-4 hours. This will depend on your cut of meat. Half way through, I usually flip it.

It's done when it falls apart with the touch of a spoon.

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Remove the spice sack.

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If using shank, take the bone out. Any marrow that may be left inside, remove and leave it in the broth.

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Taste and season with salt if it needs it.





Options: Wonderful just as it is...

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...Or add vegetables and a little tomato sauce for a beef vegetable stew.

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...Or drain the liquid for another soup and add BBQ sauce.

I don't generally eat agave. It doesn't seem to break down in the body as clean as other sugars (something about an extra carbon on it's molecule), but once in a while, just for fun, I'll use this brand.

In the future, I'll create my own BBQ recipe and post it here.

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Bone Broth

11/22/2013

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Bone Broth is famous for healing all kinds of ailments like the common cold, making your joints move smoothly, your hair and nails strong, and reducing need for actual meat... to even big things like reversing autoimmune dysfunction.

I can tell you, as I made this for the blog, the house smelled rich and sweet... and better than a pie in the oven! It takes a while to make it the way I describe, but you can take the short cut and simmer it on the stove for 3-4 hours until the marrow melts into the broth. I often make a slighter version by getting a beef shank and braising it, then cooking it till the marrow and meat are falling away tender.

Grass fed Beef Bones with marrow
Veggies like carrot, onion, celery, etc...
Water

Parchment paper
Cookie sheet
Crockpot


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For good quality bones, you'll pay around $5/lb. But this makes a lot of broth that you can use in many dishes or freeze for later.

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Line a casserole or cookie pan with sides with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 mins.

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Or until it is browned.

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Place in a large crock pot with your veggies. Cover with 10-12 cups of water.

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Set Crockpot to High for 2-3 hours and then to low for 12-20 more.

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Strain your bones and veggies out.

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Place in mason jars or freezable containers.

Lasts 7-10 days in the fridge.

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Peel Garlic

11/16/2013

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This is a quick and easy way to get that pesky paper skin off your fresh garlic. I offer this one out there because I've had so many students remark at how they didn't know this method. Maybe its an Italian secret, but even most garlic presses have a flat side to apply this technique.

Doing things efficiently is my passion!
Smash away...


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Place individual cloves on cutting board.
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Using a large knife on it's side, give it a quick pound like a hammer.

This photo shows before...
And after.
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The garlic becomes flat, and the skin pops right off. Ready for action!

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Chicken Broth

11/2/2013

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Who doesn't know how to make chicken broth? Well a vegetarian may not... I was vegan for 14 years (and pescetarian for another 4) and I thought I knew the basics, but didn't realize what type to use, or how nutritious and tasty it could make my dishes.

Now that I'm practicing a more Paleo lifestyle, I still don't eat much chicken, so this is a great way to vary my animal nutrition without having to eat it. Boy does it make mash potatoes and soups sooooo much better!

1 Whole Organic Chicken, or just pieces (but be sure it's bone in)
8-12 cups Water (need to cover what ever sized chicken you have)
2 tsp. Sea Salt

Optional:
1-2 Carrots, chunked
1-2 Celery or celery root,chunked
1 Onion, leave peel on and chop
1 cup Italian Parsley, stems too!
2 Cloves Garlic, unpeeled
2 Bay leaves
(Optional)Other Fresh Herbs/Spices of choice (like thyme, peppercorns, paprika, basil...)

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Buy the best Organic Chicken you can. Whole foods has levels of quality for your choosing. If you know a local farmer, that's always optimal.

The quality of your chicken becomes the quality of your meal which becomes your blood and that in turn makes the quality of your health. Please choose wisely and try not to have $money play too big of a factor.

Pay now or pay later as they say...


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Place all in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil.

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Then cover and simmer for 1 hour.

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The chicken should be falling off the bone and very tender. Gently take out your chicken for use in an other dish



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~and strain your vegetables, if using.

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Freeze or use in the next 4-5 days for a rich and flavorful addition to your soup, etc.






Some uses for Chicken broth:

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Stirfry

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Artichokes

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Marinara

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Sauces & Gravies

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Quality Mayo

10/26/2013

 

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Separate the yokes and save the whites for your next omelet or egg white recipe.

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3 Quality Pasture Raised Egg Yolks
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Melted Butter and/or Coconut oil (see note below)
1 1/4 cup Avocado Oil (I also like this recipe with 100% walnut oil)
Salt or Ume vinegar
1-2 tbs. Lemon Juice
(Optional) Vinegar to taste

A Food processor 
or Whisk if you'd like a work out ;-)

The procedures and timing are important in this recipe. Please read first then do.
Boy! Do I love Mayo. When I was vegan, my go to was the soy-free vegannaise, but now that I've learned about how they process most vegetable oils with hexine, I looked into how to make it from scratch. It soooooo easy! and takes next to no time at all. I love the one I make better anyhow, as I notice the feeling that better quality fats give. It lasts about 2-3 weeks in the fridge, but usually doesn't make it that long! Use as the base of dressings and condiments for your favorite "sandwiches."


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NOTE: If you don't want your mayo to taste like coconut, don't use Virgin Coconut oil. Expeller pressed is odorless.

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Can you tell which egg is pasture raised?
And which is store bought Organic?

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Add the egg yolks and  mustard only. Whisk or blend together for a minute until well incorporated. Blenders are not best for this recipe. Food processors are ideal. I have a Ninja so it acts like a food processor. Those hand immersion blenders with or with out the food processor attachment are perfect, too.

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Start the coconut oil or butter to melt. Be sure not to burn them. I stir them frequently and let them cool a bit before adding to eggs.

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Add your Avocado oil slowly, slowly, slowly while the processor is on high. Do not add all the oil until you give this part enough time to start the process of combining slowly.

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Now add the melted oil or butter. No need to do it as slowly. Just a steady stream.


(Pay not heed to the measurements in the cup. I make a lot of mayo!)

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Once all the oil is in and the mixture has become thick, then add your salt and lemon juice. Taste to be sure it meets your approval. A little vinegar is nice, too. Pulse a few times to make sure its mixed in.

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Store in a wide mouth jar in fridge for about 2-3 weeks. It will thicken considerably because we used coconut oil or butter which are both solid when cold. If you don't like it that thick, add more avocado and less butter/coconut.
This recipe is also very nice (and cheaper) with 100% walnut oil.

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What else can you do with mayo?

Click here for Aioli recipes.
And here for Ranch Dressing.

Paleo Quality Flours

10/12/2013

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After making any kind of nut milk, you have a lot of quality pulp left over like this. I love to make macadamia nut milk and flour as it has really satisfying fats in it and tastes sweeter than almond. But I often make Almond milk for one of my clients, so I always have both around. You can purchase organic almond flour at nuts.com

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Veggie Flour:

This process can also be applied to left over pulp from juicing. I call it veggie flour. Try to stick with sweeter veggies and not alot of bitter greens in it. If you wan to add greens, I suggest HFN "Greener Grasses". Its a pure way to get a dry greens powder into a dish.

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Place on a rack lined with parchment paper into the dehydrator. Dehydrate until dry. (about 5-6hours at 130 degrees. Or longer at 105 if you want it to be officially raw.)

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Then grind in a coffee grinder until its a flour. Be mindful not to go too long for macadamia nuts, as they will turn into butter quickly.

For veggie flour, grind till fine and sift if needed and blend larger particles again. Store in an air-tight container. Ready to add to recipes

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Nut Milk

10/12/2013

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This recipe is made from Almonds because that is what most people are used to, but please try other nuts like: macadamia, sunflower seeds, hemp, etc...

2 cups Almonds, soaked 4-6hours
1-2 cups Water
3 cups Hot water
Vanilla, Sea Salt, and Sweetener to taste


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Soak Nut/Seed over night with enough water to cover well as they will swell.

With Almonds, you don't have to measure the water because you will be discarding it. Bitter.

Macadamia nuts, save the water for the blender.

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This is the set up I use:
Measuring bowl on bottom.
Some sort of screen to suspend the colander.
A colander.
Cheese cloth big enough to line the colander.

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Discard the soaking liquid (if using almonds) and add nuts to your blender with enough water to make it blend into a slurry. About 1 cup will do it for this type of blender with multiple blades.

While this is blending. Bring your water to boil.

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Pour slurry into the cheese cloth.
No need for a spatula. I just pour the hot water into the blender to get the rest of the pulp out.

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Pour the hot water over the pulp. let it sit and do its business of dripping for about 10-15min.

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Then lift the pulp and squeeze out the remaining liquid. If its still too hot to touch you can either wait, or use a spoon to push the liquid out by trapping the ball against the side of the colander.

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Add salt, vanilla and stevia or other sweetener to taste. Stir.
 Enjoy hot or cold.

What to do with your pulp? Click here.

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    Author

    Mici is the owner of Wholesome Goodness.

    These recipes are focused on wholesome ingredients from the garden or farm with very little sweet if any. They are gluten or grain free and organic, grass-fed or pasture raised.

    She menu plans, shops, cooks, cleans and fills the fridge with healthy Gluten-Free meals and naturally sweet desserts!

    She also teaches and does personal menu planning for those with restricted diets.

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"I have been richly blessed by Mici’s healing presence in my life.  As a facilitator of personal transformation, her passion and dedication to serving others is evident.  I have grown tremendously from her gifted use of emotional healing work, nutritional counseling, culinary artistry and organizational skills.  She unfailingly demonstrates the highest efficiency and effectiveness, true strength of character, wisdom reaching well beyond her years and a generous heart of gold."    

~Gabriella B.


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