Dimes2Vines » Recipes

Rendering Tallow

Dina-Marie — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:00:21 +0000

Learning about the fats which are good for you has revolutionized my cooking! Did you know that one hundred years ago, vegetable oil was not around? People cooked with lard, tallow and butter. The difference between the three is the source. Lard is rendered pig fat, tallow is rendered beef or sheep fat and butter is made from cream.

Lard and tallow from grass fed animals are full of fat soluble vitamins and actually good for you. Both have a high smoke point so they are very stable and great for frying. The reason many people today render their own tallow or lard is to avoid the added hydrogenated fat. That is right – the commercial lard available contains hydrogenated lard. A couple of good articles which give more information on the health benefits and history of oils used are “The Oiling of America” and “Good Fats, Bad Fats” both on the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) website.

I can not stress enough how easy it is to render your own tallow. Just remember, it does get very hot so precautions should be taken to keep it away from little hands!

Rendering Tallow

Having purchased a 10lb bag of grass fed beef fat* (before we butchered our own grass fed steer), I began by placing the thawed fat chunks into a 22 qt. roaster. A crock pot works well for smaller quantities. It cooks faster if you cut the large chunks into smaller pieces before beginning.

Turn the crock pot on low and let it cook – It takes from 18 – 24 hours for 10 lbs. I have read that one pound requires a couple of hours. You will know it is done when mostly liquid remains and chunks of hard stuff float to the surface. Turn the crock pot off.

Strain the fat through a fine metal strainer into a mason jar – be very careful as it is extremely hot! I dipped it out with a 2 cup glass measuring cup and poured it through the strainer. The liquid will appear golden brown. As it cools, it turns a creamy white.

From 10 lbs of fat, we bottled 5 quarts of tallow.

* Go here to find sources of grass fed fat and other nutrient dense foods in your local area.

Homemade Kefir Recipe

Dina-Marie — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:00:09 +0000

I posted quite awhile ago about making yogurt, how easy it is and how much our family enjoys it. Well, I have found something better and easier – homemade kefir!

While most people are familiar with yogurt, an even more potent probiotic drink is kefir. Kefir is not as thick as yogurt but has more twang. We drink it straight but you could easily sweeten it with fruit and honey. Once the heat of summer hits, I will be putting it in the blender with some ice and fruit to make smoothies.

Kefir grains, which look like little cauliflower pieces, are needed to make kefir. Since the grains multiply, it is very easy to obtain some from a friend who already makes kefir – if you have one. Otherwise, they are available online. I purchased mine from Cultures for Health. Along with the grains, they sent detailed instructions for the care and use of them. If properly cared for, they should last indefinitely. If you need a break from kefir making, the grains may be rinsed and refrigerated in non-chlorinated water (chlorine will kill them). I have even read that they can be frozen for future use but have not tried it.

Like most things, homemade kefir is tastier and more economical than its store bought counterpart. With homemade kefir, you get the taste you prefer because the twang is determined by the length of time you leave the grains in the milk.

This is one recipe that must be tried to believe how easy it is!

Kefir

To make 1 quart:

4 c whole milk (we use raw milk from our family milk cow, Buttercup, when she is giving milk)

2 – 4 Tbsp kefir grains

Other items needed: 1 qt mason jar, lid or cheesecloth to cover jar loosely, mesh strainer, spatula

Put the kefir grains in a 1 qt mason jar.

Pour whole milk over the grains leaving about 1 inch space at the top of the jar.

Stir the milk and grains and cover loosely.

Leave in a warm place for 12 – 24 hrs. – depending on the taste you prefer. The kefir grains culture the milk and the longer it is left the tangier it will become. I leave mine on the kitchen counter for 24 hours. If it has separated and there is a bit of liquid on the bottom, I shake it before straining.

Pour the kefir through a strainer into another jar catching the grains in the strainer. Refrigerate and enjoy.

Use the grains to start another batch.

I rinse my grains every second or third use before I add them to a clean jar and start a new batch. Some people rinse their grains after each use but mine do not multiply as quickly if I do.

It is just that simple! There is no need to heat the milk like you do when making yogurt. I do not even bring the milk to room temperature – I pour it straight from the refrigerator over the kefir grains and it works every time!

*I recommend Cultures for Health only after being a satisfied customer. If you choose to purchase from them, please use one of the links from Dimes2Vines as I do earn a small commission.

Kombucha

Dina-Marie — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:00:31 +0000

Kombucha is a drink made from sweet tea, is slightly carbonated and delicious! Being full of probiotics, B vitamins and enzymes, it not only tastes good but is also good for you.

If you have not tasted Kombucha before, you might want to buy a bottle at your grocery store or health food store. While a purchased bottle of Kombucha will often cost around $3+, you can make your own for much less.

Kombucha is naturally carbonated tea that starts with a Kombucha scoby (also called a starter or mushroom) which looks like a flat grayish disk – see the picture below. Since the scoby does grow and multiply, if you know of someone who already makes Kombucha, they may share with you. Mine came from my daughter-in-law, Jessica. The picture above shows Jessica’s Kombucha fermenting. There are also many sources available online. One company I have used for other starters is Cultures for Health and they also carry Kombucha scoby. The scoby is reused and transferred from one batch to the next and consists of yeast and bacteria which live together in a symbiotic relationship. SCOBY is an acronym for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast.

Once the scoby is combined with brewed tea, sugar and water, it is allowed to ferment for 7 – 10 days (depending on taste). The longer you leave the tea fermenting, the stronger the flavor will be. That being said, leave it for 7 days and begin tasting it daily. The majority of my family does not like it really strong – it tastes too much like apple cider vinegar – so I pour mine off before that point. It is easiest to make a gallon at a time. I was able to find 1 gallon glass jars at Walmart and had 4 of them going on top of my refrigerator at one time. I am now using two 3 gallon tea dispensers which is working very well.

A couple of notes to help with successful Kombucha:

Make sure to use non-chlorinated water as chlorine will kill the scoby.
The scoby needs sugar to live on – honey, rapadura or sugar substitutes will not work.

The following recipe is adapted from Nourishing Traditionsby Sally Fallon – I multiply this recipe to make 6 gallons at a time.

Kombucha

3 quarts water (non-chlorinated)

4 organic black tea bags

1 c. sugar

1/2 c Kombucha from a previous batch ( you may use purchased Kombucha for your first batch)

1 Kombucha scoby

Other equipment needed: 1 gallon glass jar, cheesecloth to cover jar, rubberband, 1 gallon jar with tight fitting lid to fill with the finished Kombucha

Brew the tea by bringing water to a boil and adding the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep until cool and remove the tea bags.

Add sugar to the tea and stir until dissolved.

Make sure the tea is at room temperature and add 1/2 c of Kombucha from a previous batch and then add the scoby. (If the tea is hot it will kill the scoby)

Put a piece of cheesecloth over the top of the jar and secure with a rubber band - this allows air in but keeps bugs and dust out.

Place the jar in an out of the way place.

If your kitchen is warm, the Kombucha will ferment more quickly, so for the first batch or so, taste it after 3 or 4 days. Once the taste is to your liking, remove the scoby and place in another jar to begin your next batch.

The fermented Kombucha may be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed at will.

*I recommend Cultures for Health only after being a satisfied customer. If you choose to purchase from them, please use one of the links from Dimes2Vines as I do earn a small commission.

Lacto-Fermentation – What Is It?

Dina-Marie — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:04:34 +0000

You may have noticed my latest recipe additions – Sauerkraut and Fermented Carrots - are fermented. Being on the GAPS Diet and reading about the health benefits of probiotics, I have purposefully added them to our family’s diet. One way to get probiotics is through fermented foods. But, not just “fermented” as in pickled, I mean “fermented” using the lacto-fermentation process. So, what is lacto-fermentation and why is it so healthy?

The result of lacto-fermentation is the proliferation of lactobacilli which increase the vitamin levels and make the fermented foods more digestible. These beneficial bacteria, lactobacilli, produce helpful enzymes, as well as, antibiotics and anti-carcinogenic substances.

Lactic acid is the main by-product of lactobacilli and has two important jobs:

It helps preserve vegetables and fruits.
Promotes the growth of healthy flora (or bacteria) throughout the intestines.

Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits bacteria which putrefies. Vegetables and fruits contain starches and sugars which are converted into lactic acid by the lactic-acid-producing bacteria. There are many species of these bacteria. One species, lactobacilli, are present on all living things and can be easily encouraged to grow.

Basically the lacto-fermentation process uses good quality produce, sea salt and water. Good quality produce provides the nutrients necessary for the lactobacilli to work. Sea salt is used to inhibit the growth of putrefying bacteria until enough lactic acid is produced. Once a sufficient amount of lactic acid is produced, the vegetables can be preserved for many months. Kefir (or whey)) is often used to “jump-start” the lactic-acid producing bacteria’s growth. Kefir (or whey) also helps to make the fermentation process more consistently successful.

You might wonder why, if lacto-fermented vegetables are so nutritious, the process is not used on a large scale for profit. The answer is simple – the lacto-fermentation process did not yield consistently predictable results when converted to an industrialized process. Changes were made to produce a more uniform product but unfortunately, that does result in a more nutritious one. Examples would be the addition of vinegar and pasteurization (which kills all the lactic-acid-producing bacteria which benefit the digestive system).

With the recipes I have posted utilizing the lacto-fermentation process, as well as any others you might find, there are a couple of important things to remember.

Lacto-fermentation is an anaerobi process and once fermentation begins, the presence of oxygen will affect your results.During the sauerkraut fermentation, if you do not have something weighing the cabbage down below the surface of the liquid, you should push it down into the liquid using a clean spoon, morning and evening. If you do not, a mold may grow on the surface which is exposed to air. This mold normally can just be scooped out and thrown away with the remaining sauerkraut being fine. But, if your fermented vegetables taste or smell rotten – throw them out and start over. I have made many batches of both sauerkraut and fermented carrots and only one batch of sauerkraut went awry – there was no question that something was wrong and I threw it out and started over!
The vegetables will expand slightly and may even become bubbly during the fermentation process. Make sure to leave a 1 inch space between the top of the vegetables and the top of the jar.

While there are a few brands of lacto-fermented vegetables available through health food stores, they tend to be rather expensive. I have enjoyed the adventure of learning the process and trying new recipes. I encourage you to give them a try also. I have several others I will be experimenting with and will let you know the results.

Fermented Carrots Recipe

Dina-Marie — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:00:54 +0000

Fermented foods are a wonderful source of probiotics which help keep the beneficial bacteria in your gut healthy and active. The following recipe for fermented carrots is easy to prepare and after a week on your counter at room temperature is ready to be refrigerated and enjoyed.

Fermented Carrots

12 medium carrots or enough to fill a 1/2 gallon mason jar

3 Tbsp kefir (may use whey)

1 Tbsp sea salt

2 tsp dill weed

4 cloves garlic (peeled)

water to fill jar within 1/2 inch of the top

Wash, peel and cut carrots into sticks – pack into a 1/2 gallon jars. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the carrots. Put the lid securely on the jar and leave on the counter at room temperature for 7 days. You will begin to see bubbles rising and know that they are fermenting!

* You may increase the dill (weed or seed) and the garlic if you desire a stronger taste.

Recipe adapted from The Nourishing Gourmet

Raw Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Dina-Marie — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:00:03 +0000

Being on the GAPS Diet for the fourth week as a family, the feeling of deprivation by all has me seeking new recipes with honey. The following recipe appeared on the Nourishing Gourmet as a guest post by Kristin Jukes.

Putting my own twist to it (based on a dessert pudding from our time spent in Switzerland), it has quickly become a family favorite. For our family of nine, I quadruple the recipe ingredients and process it in batches in the food processor. If our older children are visiting, well, let’s just say I make even more – we have hearty eaters around here!

As my 16 year old daughter put it, “it is hard to believe something that good is really healthy!” – It had everyone asking for more!

Raw Chocolate Pudding

2 avocados, peeled and scooped

1 ripe banana, peeled

1/4 cup raw honey

3 tablespoons espresso (if leaving off coffee, use 3 Tbsp water)

1/3 cup raw cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup cream*

Combine all ingredients, except the cream, in the food processor and puree until everything is combined and smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes just to chill it.

When ready to serve, whip the cream and fold into the pudding.

Serve and enjoy!

*If leaving off dairy, omit the cream and enjoy pudding!

Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe

Dina-Marie — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:00:14 +0000

Being on the GAPS diet, I have been making quite a bit of homemade sauerkraut. While quality sauerkrauts containing beneficial probiotics are available, they are expensive. Making your own is economical, as well as, satisfying. The following recipe is easy to make and tastes great!

Sauerkraut Recipe

1 medium cabbage

1 Tbsp dill (seed or weed)

1 Tbsp salt

4 Tbsp whey (I use kefir but you could also use yogurt with active cultures)

Using a food processor, shred the cabbage and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt over the cabbage and stir. Using a spoon or a wooden pounder, stir and mash the salted cabbage for 10 – 15 min. This allows the juice to be released from the cabbage.

Place the cabbage in a wide mouth mason jar. At this point, mix the whey (kefir) into 1 cup of water and pour over the cabbage. Mix and press the cabbage down firmly until the juice comes to the top of the cabbage. You may add more water if necessary. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 inch from the top of the jar. Cover tightly.

I multiply this recipe until I have enough to fill a 1 gallon glass container. I then place a small glass bowl on top of the cabbage to weight it down and keep it submerged in the juice.

Finally, I place the lid on the jar and leave it at room temperature for about 1 week. You will see bubbles rising as it ferments. The sauerkraut may be eaten immediately or kept in the refrigerator for several weeks. It actually mellows in taste as it ages.

*Recipe adapted from “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon

Liver Pate Recipe

Dina-Marie — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:34 +0000

Being on the GAPs diet, I have found that one of the more easily digestible meats is liver and especially liver pate. Liver pate goes very well with the Homemade Wheat Thins.

Liver Pate

1 lb beef liver cut into pieces 1 Tbsp rosemary

1 onion chopped 1 Tbsp thyme

1/2 c red wine 1 Tbsp lemon juice

3 cloves garlic minced 4 Tbsp butter at room temp.

1/2 tsp mustard salt and pepper to taste

Soak liver (in the refrigerator) in buttermilk or kefir to reduce the bitter flavor. After 24 hrs, drain, rinse and pat dry.

Saute liver, onions and garlic in 4 Tbsp butter until the liver is browned and onions are translucent.

Add wine, mustard, herbs and lemon juice. Cook uncovered until most of the liquid is gone.

Cool and blend to a smooth paste in the food processor.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

For a smoother and creamier consistency, add sour cream to the liver and blend.

Recipe adapted from Farmlet.Co.NZ

Homemade Wheat Thins Recipe

Dina-Marie — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:00:55 +0000

This homemade Wheat Thins recipe is so easy and costs a fraction of the price that the store-bought crackers do! And, they taste amazingly like the real thing. If your family is like mine, you better at least quadruple the recipe. I cannot seem to make enough of them.

Everyone loves them!

Well, nobody wants to marry them, but they sure get eaten fast!

Since I have been on the GAPS diet, I make a couple of modifications to the recipe. First, I substitute rye flour for the whole wheat because rye has less gluten than wheat. I also mix all ingredient the night before, leaving the dough mixed through the night. When mixing, I leave out 1Tbsp of the water and add 1 Tbsp kefir and continue with the rest of the ingredients. This allows the phytic acid to be broken down in the rye which makes the crackers more easily digestible. This actually makes them more convenient because when I am ready to roll them out and cook them the next day, they are ready and waiting.

Homemade Wheat Thins

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt plus more to top the crackers

1/4 tsp paprika

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 c water (may need a bit more)

1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400F.

Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Add flour, sugar, salt, and paprika in medium bowl and mix.

Cut butter into mixture and mix thoroughly – it will be crumbly.

Combine water and vanilla in a measuring cup. Add to butter and flour mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms. If it is too dry, add more water.

Working with 1/4 of the dough at a time (cover the remaining to prevent it from drying out), roll to 1/16 in thickness on a floured work area and turn frequently to prevent sticking.

Use a pizza cutter and cut into squares. Transfer to cookie sheet

Bake until crisp and brown – 8 – 12 min. Check frequently because they burn quickly.

Remove from oven and cool. Store in airtight container.

Recipe adapted from FoodBuzz.

Broccoli Nut Casserole

Dina-Marie — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:15:10 +0000

Broccoli Nut Casserole is one of my mother’s recipes that is definitely a family favorite and brings back lots of good memories. I reserve it for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner but it would be wonderful anytime. This recipe can also easily be doubled, tripled or ….

Broccoli Nut Casserole

2 packages frozen chopped broccoli 2 eggs, well beaten

1 can cream mushroom soup 1 med. onion chopped

1 cup mayonnaise 1 c. grated sharp cheese

3/4c. chopped nuts 2 c. buttered bread crumbs

Cook broccoli and drain. Add soup, mayo, chopped nuts and mix well. Add beaten eggs and onions. Pour into a greased 2 qt casserole. Sprinkle with cheese then cover with bread crumbs.

Bake at 350F for 30 min.