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Wholesome Chef Mici
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Japanese Ginger Dressing

5/25/2017

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2 Tbs. Onion
2 Tbs. Fresh Ginger Root, (peeled)
2 Tbs. Celery
1 Tbs. Ketchup
4 Tbs. GF Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
1 Tbs. Lemon Juice
2 Tbs. Ume Vinegar (or salt to taste and increase lemon by 1 tsp.)
1-2 tsp. Honey
3 drops Stevia
1/3 cup Rice vinegar
1/2 cup light sesame oil or other light oil of choice
2 Tbs. Toasted Sesame Oil

One of things I loved when I used to eat out was the ginger dressing you would get on your salad when you ordered at a Japanese restaurant. Pungent and a little sweet. I found the right combinations with wholesome ingredients to make it just like the real thing.

​This dressing is on the sweet side, so adjust to your taste. 

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Gather your ingredients, there are a lot!

Peel your ginger and cut horizontally to break the fibers into small pieces. This helps make for a smoother dressing. Sometimes the blender will not do the job and there will be ginger stings in your final product. 

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Blend it all up until smooth. 

Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
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Vegan Caesar Dressing

8/4/2016

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Who doesn't love Caesar Salad? I gave it up 20 years ago because of the dairy, but now its back!!! I think I've had it every day for weeks now trying to make up for lost time!











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Ingredients:
1 cup Hemp Seeds
1 cup Pine Nuts 
1 Tbs. Umeboshi vinegar
1/3 cup Lemon juice
1/2 cup Olive oil
4 drops of Stevia
1/2 sheet of Nori
2 tbs. Capers
1-2 Tbs. Fresh Jalapeños 
1-2 Cloves Garlic
2 Tbs. Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Water
Salt and Pepper to taste

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Lightly toast your pine nuts.
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Blend all together in a blender or food processor until smooth.
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Add GF Croutons and fresh ground pepper to taste. Super YUM!!!!
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Zucchini Bird's Nests

8/22/2015

 
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These are such a fun way to eat the zucchini that's exploding in the garden! You need a spiralizer, but who doesn't have one of those? Ha ha ha.. If you don't, they're a great addition to a grain free life and under $30. 

You can try adding other veggies, too, that you might have left overs of. I've included a Gluten-free method below and a Grain-free one, as well. Enjoy!





3 Med. Zucchini (straight and fat is best)
Sea Salt
2 Pasture raised eggs
2/3 cup GF oat flour or
      2 Tbs. Tapioca starch
      2 Tbs. Coconut flour
      4 Tbs. Almond Flour
High Temp Oil for frying (I used avocado)

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Spiralize your squash on the small setting. It should equal around 8 cups of finished raw spaghetti. 
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Toss with several hefty pinches of sea salt. They will start to glisten as the liquid comes out. 


Let it sit for 30min to and hour. The more liquid that comes out the better your nests will be so try for an hour.
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After the liquid comes out, drain and press the squash to release any last bits out. You may be surprised how much you can still get out.
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Toss with your eggs and flour. Mix well.


Ready your fry pan with high temp cooking oil like avocado (400 degree smoke temp).
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Make little nests in the hot oil and fry till golden on each side. Makes 7-8 nests.
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Mamma's Green Beans

7/22/2015

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My mom was the best cook in our family. Looking back, I think it had something to do with butter... She tossed them with seasoned bread crumbs and lots of butter, but I know what to alter in this recipe to make it better... and its surely not the golden goodness. Try different types of nut flours and herbs. They all will add their own fun twist. Or just leave them to salt, pepper, bread crumbs and butter. You can't go wrong with that!








4-6 cups Green Beans (French are my favorite)
Sea Salt & Pepper
1 clove Garlic
1-4 tbs. Grass Fed Butter
1/4 cup Macadamia flour (blanched almond flour or GF bread crumbs/pancake mix work well, too.)
1 med sized Yukon Gold Potato

Optional: Herbs de Provence or thyme & basil


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Peel or not and cube your potato. Boil till soft but not falling apart. About 7-10min. Strain and set aside.

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In the mean time, clean and snip the ends of your string beans in preparation of cooking.

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Saute your beans in a little coconut oil on med high flame until they turn a little brown...

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Then add a little water (like 1/4 cup) and cover the beans to let them steam. Reduce your flame and simmer until they are soft (about 10-20min. depending on how tender you like your beans)


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Mince your garlic. You can cook the beans with the garlic to make it more mild, or add in the next step.

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Add garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and potatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Tossing until most of the liquid is absorbed.

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Then add your flour and butter and toss on med flame for 2 min. Don't let it burn, just toss to get all the beans coated. Remove from flame and serve.

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Paleo Lemon-Walnut Pesto

7/17/2015

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Why not use pine nuts? Please use them if you can get them fresh and inexpensive. But if you can't catch them before they go rancid, walnuts are a tasty substitute. In fact, pesto can be made from many different nuts or seeds. Have fun trying them out.

This recipe is dairy-free and super easy to make, especially when you only need to walk a few feet out the door for fresh basil in the garden. I urge you to plant an herb garden. They can be in pots (even in a window inside) and are very prolific. Basil, Dill and Cilantro for the tender selection, and rosemary, thyme and lavender for the hearty variety. You'll be so happy you did.

1 cup Walnuts or other nut of choice

2-3 cups of fresh Basil leaves (separate from stems)
1-2 Lemons 
1/2 tsp. Zest
1-2 tsp. Ume vinegar to taste (this is like a sour liquid salt)
1 cup Olive oil

(Optional) Cheyenne pepper to taste

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Lightly toast the nuts in a 200 degree oven for 30min. or 300 degree for 10min. When they smell aromatic and are slightly golden, take out to cool.


In a food processor, blend the nuts till fine. 

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Add the rest of the ingredients and blend till smooth, scraping the sides periodically.
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Add to:


  • Baked yams, 
  • Veggie pasta, 
  • Wraps, 
  • Chicken...
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Egg Foo Young

7/7/2015

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I was talking to a friend and childhood foods came up. One of the ones I remember fondly was chicken fried rice and Egg foo young. I haven't eaten Chinese out in over 2 decades due to the MSG and poor quality oils, so I took it upon myself to recreate from memory my culinary experience. This is a simplified version without the water chestnuts and pan fried in organic avocado oil. The sauce is the magical component. If you can't have soy, maybe try coconut aminos.






6 Pasture raised eggs
1 tsp. GF Tamari
1 Package of mung bean sprouts
3 Scallions

(Optional) 1 cup extra veggies like: cabbage, carrots or snow peas

Sauce:
1 cup Chicken or Beef broth
2 Tbs. GF Tamari
1 Tbs. Coconut sugar
3 drops Stevia
2 tsp. Cider vinegar
1 Tbs. Arrowroot diluted in 2 Tbs. Water

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Place the eggs in a bowl and add the Tamari. 


Whip the eggs for 1 min.
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Chop your scallions into thin slices (removing the roots).

And add to the eggs.
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Add the bean sprouts and toss all together.


(I sometimes like adding snow peas or a broccoli slaw mix to the bean sprouts, too.) 
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Heat your skillet and add a generous amount of avocado oil. Toss the bean sprouts and before the eggs can drip off, add a handful to the hot oil, making large pancakes.
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Flip when the eggs are browned. Cook another few minutes. 


FOR THE SAUCE:
Take all the ingredients and add them cold to a sauce pan. Heat on med-low stirring constantly so it doesn't clump. It will thicken and darken when done. About 5-7min.
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10min. Grain Free Pasta

2/8/2014

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Pasta is good... But how good is it really without the sauce? Its a textural vehicle for the butter, marinara, pesto or Alfredo you smother it in. For a grain free version all you need is a spiralizer! One of my favorite and fun kitchen gadgets. Inexpensive and priceless at the same time. Check out my aStore for the one I use.

What an easy way to get in your veggies...
Buon Appetito!

Zucchini, summer squash, beets, thick carrots... You choosa-youra-pasta!
Favorite Pasta Sauce of choice

Spiralizer

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Choose which style of pasta you would like. This spiralizer comes with 3 blades. Thin, thick, and flat pasta. Take your vegetable and place it in as directions state. Push and twist at the same time.

One squash yields quite a bit of pasta. I would say one healthy serving.

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Add your favorite sauce and saute in a skillet for 5-10 min. A lot of liquid will come out of zucchini and summer squash, so plan accordingly. Beets and carrots might need a little longer time depending on how el dente you like your pasta.

This picture shows fresh yellow pear tomatoes and basil over yellow summer squash (also from the garden). I seasoned it with Ume vinegar and olive oil.

Sauce recipes to come...

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Beets are sweet and hold shape well. Nice paired with a cashew Alfredo or walnut pesto.

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Marinara sauce.

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 Meat sauce.


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Les Tomates Provencales

1/7/2014

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One of my signature dishes after I returned from France, was Provencal Tomatoes. They are easy to make, but always seemed to taste better if you were in France. That is, until I went Organic and Heirloom. Never under estimate the power of quality. I learned how to make these while working in an old school French bistro where they changed the menu everyday and only made traditional country dishes from that region. Some days it would be tete de veau, other days it was some locally caught rabbit. French are fiercely proud of their heritage. I'm so excited to share this recipe as it feels like such a part of my life. I have included some photos of my dear  friend Fanny and I making them over an open fire near a lake in the South of France. The association of the smell of these tomatoes brings such a joy to my heart. I smile as I make them.

Organic Heirloom Tomatoes (or vine ripened will do as well)
Sea Salt
White Pepper
Olive oil
Herbs de Provences
Fresh Garlic

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Cut your tomatoes in half and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper.

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Sprinkle each one with Salt and Pepper, Herb de Provences and a generous helping of fresh pressed garlic.

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Pour Olive oil over the tops.

Bake, pan fry covered, or BBQ until the aroma is strong and the tomatoes have broken down to be soft but still holding shape. About 30-40min.

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Lots of juice will come out. Pour it over the tomatoes and be sure to include it on the plate with your helping. It makes whatever you're eating it with that much better!

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Grilled Brussels Sprouts

1/6/2014

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Brussels Sprouts are cute little cabbages and fun when they are grilled. This is a weekly, almost daily recipe at my house. It's best on a real fire grill but you can also broil them in the oven if need be.

4 cups Brussels Sprouts
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 tsp. Garlic Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
Butter, Olive oil or Coconut oil

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Clean and cut in half your sprouts. Cover them half way with water in a pot and boil till tender. About 8-10min.

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Strain the sprouts and place in a grill basket (or on a parchment lined tray if broiling in the oven).

Toss with a generous amount of your fat of choice.

You could just sprinkle with the seasoning at this point and call it good, or:

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Sprinkle the seasonings over the sprouts and grill on the BBQ until they're leaves turn brown. A little black is ok, but be mindful not to burn them. this should take around 10-15min depending on your flame. Turn them several times during the process to be sure all sides get browned.

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By far one of my favorite ways to add green to the plate.

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Marinated Beets

1/6/2014

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I used to really dislike the earthy taste of beets. I've learned to love them by making them sweet from broiling, juicing and marinating them. If you don't like beets, think again. Try them in a new way with new eyes for this new year.

1 large beet
2 tsp. Ume Vinegar or 1 tsp. Sea Salt
1-2 tbs. Red wine vinegar or favorite of choice
2 tbs. Olive or Avocado Oil

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Wash and peel your beets. I like to do it in running water.

Then grate them on a fine setting. The finer the sweeter they will be. I use the sink for easy cleanup. Beets can be messy. Try wetting your hands first so the red doesn't stick to you like glue.

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Pour in your oil, vinegar, and salt. Let set for 15+ minutes. The hardest part about this dish is the grating. If you have an electric grater, go for it, but they never seem to have the settings to make it fine enough.

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Enjoy on top of salad or as a side dish of its own.

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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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