One Vibrant Mama

You are here: Home / Archives for butter

butter

My Story

by 49 Comments

Note: I am neither a dietitian nor a doctor.  I do not dispense medical advice nor do I offer any information on treatments nor cures for any medical condition. Always consult a physician before proceeding with any treatment.  Our full disclaimer is at the bottom of this page.

—

In June and July on the blog, we’re going to discuss gut health.  Gut health is a hot topic in the traditional foods world because so many people are not healing despite a traditional foods diet.  I became seriously ill and healed my gut before the currently fashionable diets came out.  This is my story.

A very wise man in my life often tells me, “A problem well stated is half solved.”  Five years ago, we knew all of the problems, but had none of the answers.

I was born 7 weeks early to an undernourished mother who was 95 pounds when I was conceived.  My childhood was rather uneventful health wise, other than huge tonsils and repeat ear infections.  I grew normally and had none of the digestive problems associated with celiac disease.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2001 and was told I’d never had kids.   I changed my diet to traditional foods after seeing my cat, Blue, have an ‘incurable’ and life-shortening health problem healed by a species-appropriate diet. I was told he wouldn’t live long and would require expensive, difficult medication until his death.

It had worked for him why can’t it work for me?

 

[Read more…] about My Story

Chicken Mole

by Leave a Comment

This recipe was requested over on the CTF Facebook page. If you use Facebook, come over over and join us.  I post daily reminders about thawing meats, soaking grains and planning your meals.  It’s great if you’re in a meal-cooking rut or need some inspiration, because many folks post what they’re fixing for meals and snacks, too.  I mentioned testing a chicken mole recipe and someone asked me to post it.

Chicken Mole
From the Menu Mailer
[Read more…] about Chicken Mole

Gluten-Free Wednesdays: Quinoa Cranberry Pilaf

by 5 Comments

Last week we look at the basics on quinoa and how to soak and cook it. Today, let’s look at some family favorite ways of fixing it.

When I went gluten-free, I had just discovered couscous and was enjoying it.  Since couscous is a wheat-based pasta, it was totally out after going GF and at the time I couldn’t find a replacement for it. Later, I discovered that quinoa was the perfect GF substitute for any recipe calling for couscous.

Quinoa’s slightly bitter, slightly earthy taste pairs exceptionally well with chocolate or fruits.  Ground into flour and put in chocolate cookies will work well. Or cooked whole, chilled until cold and tossed with fruit.  I sometimes add dried fruit to hot quinoa pilafs, such as dried apricots, as they pair well together.

My Quinoa Cranberry Pilaf is a good example of how to pair sweet and bitter. It’s an excellent sweet and savory dressing replacement and we enjoy it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, however I use it year-round as a side dish.

Last year, as I tested multiple recipes for the Christmas mailer, I quickly fell in love with this sweet and savory dish. We ate it for that meal, but the next day I reheated it for lunch and it took on a crispy crust that was awesome. So if you like a crisp, browned crust and a tender inside, spread this in a baking dish and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees until the top looks rightly browned to you.  I promise it won’t disappoint!

Quinoa Cranberry Pilaf

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
3 Tbs lemon juice, divided
2 Tbs coconut oil or butter
½ onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1¾ cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
½ cup crispy or raw pecans, optional
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup golden raisins
1 apple, diced
½ orange, peeled, segmented, deseeded and chopped
zest of ½ orange
Dash sage, optional

In a bowl, combine the quinoa, water and 2 Tbs lemon juice. Stir and cover. Soak 24 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the quinoa, stock and salt. Stir, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the stock is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional few minutes to drive off extra moisture, if needed.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in ½ Tbs lemon juice and the remaining ingredients. Taste, adjust seasonings, and add the extra ½ Tbs lemon juice, if needed.

Can be served warm or at room temperature or spread in a pan and cooked at 350 degrees until the top is lightly browned.

This post is part of Soaking Grains Gallery.

One Track Minds That Get Derailed: Quick Chili

by 1 Comment

We are, for the third time this winter, getting snow.  The snow is supposed to fall until Tuesday and we’re not supposed to go above freezing.  Their total prediction for this area is 4-6 inches last I looked, but we already have 3 inches and it’s supposed to snow through Tuesday!  They change the forecast hourly it seems.

Last year during the big 15″ snow, we had no power and I was hunkered down with cabin fever, alternating between loom knitting an afghan on a knitting board and planning the first garden revision via lantern and graph paper. I spent hours on that garden, even after the power came back on.  I became a one-track mind, weaving the garden and a massive expansion plan involving terracing and moving fences into our homestead master plan.  After multiple revisions and hours of discussion, we planted and worked… and worked… and worked.  And the garden failed due to alternating drought and flooding.  Failed miserably and painfully, after the hours of planning and toil.  It was disheartening to the point I decided to scale back for 2011.  With the amount of time and dedication a garden takes, I was scared to devote too much to it and experience another failure.

[Read more…] about One Track Minds That Get Derailed: Quick Chili

Cheap Eats- Budget Breakfasts IV: Fruit Cobbler

by Leave a Comment

 

This cobbler has proven to be popular among Menu Mailer users, as it is egg free. I originally used it as a Menu Mailer dessert recipe, but I occasionally use it for breakfast when we have an over-abundance of fruit.  The topping becomes completely firm while baking, even though it’s liquid when you add it.

 

Fruit Cobbler

From the Menu Mailer

1 Tbs yogurt or kefir (coconut or dairy-based)
1 cup flour of your choice (I used sorghum)
4 cups firm fruit, such as peach/apple/pear/apricot, peeled and cubed
1 cup soft fruit, such as berries or nectarines, cubed if needed
1/3 cup + 2 Tbs rapadura (more if your fruit is tart)
1 tsp cornstarch (use organic to minimize potential GMO exposure)
¼ cup tapioca starch if gluten free, or additional wheat flour
½ tsp xanthan gum if using gluten free flours
1¾ tsp baking powder
Heaping ½ tsp salt
½ cup coconut oil or butter, melted

In a medium bowl, combine the kefir or yogurt with enough water to make 1 cup and whisk in the flour. Cover and allow to stand 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease a 12×8 baking dish or another shallow, 2-quart casserole dish. Add the fruit, 1/3 cup rapadura and cornstarch. Stir to combine and set aside.

Whisk the remaining 2 Tbs rapadura, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt into the soaked flour, being careful that the xanthan and baking powder don’t clump. Whisk in the oil. Pour the batter over the fruit. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and firm.

 

Image from flickr