Homemade French Onion Soup

A few weeks ago I made a meal using organic french onion soup, and I was advised to make sure I knew exactly what was in the soup because sometimes there were some little hidden ingredients that we don't need or want. So this time, I made my own! I'm going to be using it for the classic french onion soup dish some night this week for dinner, and I'm also going to use it for my grandma's french onion roast tomorrow night (I "splurged" on a grass fed chuck roast) - two birds, one stone =) I thought you might enjoy this recipe, its so easy! You pretty much spend about 20 minutes on it in the beginning and then let it do its thing the rest of the time.

French Onion Soup
4 Large Sweet/Vidalia Onions
6 cups organic beef broth
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup red wine
1 tsp organic cane sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
fresh ground pepper

Heat a pan on medium low and add butter
Slice onions very thin and add to the pan
Season with salt and pepper
Let the onions cook until translucent - about 15 minutes on the lower heat setting
Add 1 cup of beef broth and worcestershire sauce
Let the broth cook down with the onions until the onions appear brown in color
Add the rest of the broth and wine and bring to a boil for 5 minutes
Turn the heat down to low and cover
Let simmer as long as possible - the longer you can do this, the richer the flavor will be
Enjoy!

Sawmill Gravy

This morning I made some of my homemade biscuits and sawmill gravy. I was going to post a picture until I realized the picture just really doesn't make it look very appetizing lol so just trust me on this - it's really good! Here's the recipe

Sawmill Gravy (my way)

4 pieces of organic bacon (I had to use up what was left of mine from before, but this can be easily omitted)
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups whole wheat (or 50/50) flour
1 tbspn organic butter
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Milk

Cook the bacon in a large pot until done, remove pieces and set aside on paper towel
Add the turkey to the hot pan (should still have some grease in it) - if you want to dump the bacon grease and use a healthier oil, you can definitely do so
Add the honey on top of the turkey while browning
Cut up the bacon into little bits and add to the browned turkey
Add the flour and mix until absorbed by the meat
Add butter and mix in as well
Add milk until meat is covered (make sure pan is on medium high heat)
Stir and wait for mix to boil, it will thicken
Add more milk, stir, wait for it to reach thickness again
continue to do this until you have a good "gravy" consistency
Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper
Serve over warm biscuits and enjoy :)

Zuppa Toscana

So I know this type of blog has been done not long ago by another poster, but I thought I'd post my version since this is a staple in my home. This is my version of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! (Note: I think by now you should know that whenever I list an ingredient that it is organic ((like the onions and what not)) so I'm going to stop writing "organic" and "all natural" next to every single thing, I think youre smart enough to get the point!)

1 lb of ground turkey
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 - 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp celery salt
1 large or 2 small onions, minced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
4 large potatoes (I used russet), diced with skin on
4 pieces of organic bacon**
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups of chicken broth
2 - 3 cups of milk
2 cups of water
1 Bunch of Kale

In a pan fry up the bacon and set to drain on a towel
While the pan is hot add the diced garlic and onion and saute
Meanwhile, add water and chicken broth to a stock pot and bring to a boil
Add the onion/garlic mix to the pot, then add the diced potatoes and let the potatoes cook
Add the ground turkey, fennel, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and celery salt to the hot pan that the onions were in and brown
Once meat is cooked through, add to the stock pot
Pat the bacon completely dry (we don't want any extra fat/grease!!)
Chop into little bits and add to the soup
Chop up the kale (the more the better! I used the whole thing because I LOVE kale and its so good for you!)
Add the kale to stock pot and let it cook for about 15 - 20 minutes
Add the milk to the mix - your soup should be an off whiteish/pale yellow color, if it seems like its too yellow, add more milk!
Season with salt and pepper to taste - once you get the right amount of salt the soup really reaches its full potential!

**About the bacon: I have, thus far, not been able to locate any all natural/organic turkey bacon in my area. If you can, absolutely use it. So instead I opted for pork bacon, but it is all natural and without any preservatives, nitrites, or nitrates. The chemicals will do me far more harm than the organic pork will. If you have neither turkey nor pork bacon offered organically, by all means use the turkey bacon, as it is better for you in terms of health. Or you may of course omit it all together, the choice is yours :)

Breakfast Buttermilk Biscuits

Yesterday Marcus took me on a trip out to Amish Country in New York. We stopped at a lot of cute shops, had a delicious lunch at Essenhaus, an Amish Restaurant, and stopped at an Amish Country store. This place was pretty neat in that they sold a lot of things you might find in stores in bulk. Things like popcorn seeds, all the flavoring powders you could dream of, bulk cereal marshmallows and a few other things. While it was cool to walk around in, I didn't see much that I would buy - as hardly anything was organic. However, Marcus did find his long sought after Sorghum Molasses and requested biscuits for breakfast this morning. I had made buttermilk biscuits a hundred times before but not since I changed my lifestyle - so it was a challenge. And let me say, they turned out awesome! On my first try! I thought you all might enjoy this one too, so here ya go =)


Buttermilk Biscuits
2 Cups of Flour (Note: For my baking I have started using Hodgson Mill's all natural 50/50 flour as I find I like the lighter flavor in my baked goods)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 stick of cold organic butter
1/2 tsp grape seed oil for oiling your pan

Pre-heat oven to 450
Mix all the dry ingredients together
Cut the butter into small pieces and add to dry mix - mix butter in until you reach a meal like consistency (if you have a food processor, a few pulses should do it)
Add the buttermilk until just mixed (do not overmix! if you do your biscuits will not be as fluffy!)
Once combined roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten to about 1/2 an inch thick
Cut the biscuits into circles. I used the open side of a glass (upside down). Once I cut out all the biscuits I combined the remainder of the dough and continued to do that until I only had enough for one more biscuit so I had shaped it
Lay biscuits down in your lightly oiled pan so that they are touching - For this part I recommend using a cake/pie pan or something with high walls, this makes the biscuits rise more
Bake for 12 minutes - try not to bake much less than this as the wheat flour adds a density that is offset but a little longer baking time
Once done remove from pan so the bottoms don't continue to bake - Marcus topped his with the Sorghum Molasses, I opted for Honey (yum!) but you can use anything you'd like.
Enjoy!

A wholesome feast

Tonight I made one of my favorite meals - My traditional Roasted chicken meal! I was inspired to make it when I read Dana's recipe for stuffing. And I was so proud of myself, it's all natural, whole, and organic. Every meal I complete in this fashion gives me the courage to continue doing so. Anyway here's the recipe! =)

Roasted Chicken
1 whole organic chicken
2 - 3 tablespoons organic butter (Note: I know what people say, but I am not convinced you get nearly the same taste without buttering the skin. Still, you can use grape seed or coconut oil if you wish)
Thyme
Poultry seasoning
Black pepper
Kosher salt

Pat the chicken dry and rub with butter
Sprinkle poultry seasoning on the chicken
Sprinkle thyme
Season with salt and pepper
Roast at 350 for about an hour or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160/165 - keep an eye on it
Remove chicken from oven and cover with aluminum foil - let rest until temperature reaches 170
Carve and serve!

Note: I make mine in a cast iron skillet and once I remove the chicken I use the skillet to make my chicken gravy: Add whole wheat flour to the drippings, a little salt and pepper if necessary, and then whisk in chicken broth until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.



Whole Wheat Stuffing
8 - 10 pieces of whole wheat bread
1 - 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
Poultry seasoning
Thyme
Kosher salt
Black pepper 
1 onion
2 - 3 celery stalks
3 garlic cloves
Chicken broth

 

Cut up wheat bread into cubes and spread out evenly on a cookie sheet
lightly drizzle with grape seed oil
Sprinkle with seasonings and salt and pepper
Stick in the oven (350) until bread is "crusty" and baked through
In a skillet saute onion, celery, and garlic
Add enough chicken broth to cover and let simmer
Add the bread cubes to the skillet and add about 1 cup of chicken broth
Once mixed in, pour stuffing into an oven safe pan
Stick in oven for about 10 - 15 minutes or until tops are crunchy (if you prefer soft stuffing, omit this step)

Loaded Turkey Tacos

Everyone loves a good taco - but the traditional ones are full of empty calories, sugars, and all the wrong kinds of fats - so I changed it! Mine is healthy, filling, and delicious! Try it, Youre gonna love it!

Whole wheat tortilla wraps
1 tbspn grapeseed oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 small organic sweet onion
4 organic garlic cloves
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp organic red pepper
1organic tbspn cumin
1 organic tbspn italian seasonings
1 organic pack of sazon
1 tsp adobo
Salt and pepper to taste

Our Toppings:
Organic Avacado
Chopped organic romaine lettuce
Grated all natural white cheddar cheese
Black beans
Salsa
Rice

Heat oil in a large skillet and add onion, garlic, and ground turkey
Season with salt and pepper
Add all the spices and mix well

Heat up the wheat wraps in the microwave to soften
Fill shell with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Hearty Winter Beef Stew

Yesterday was cold and blustery, it was a perfect day for beef stew! And it's super easy (and affordable) to make! I literally threw this all together in the crock pot in 10 minutes before I ran out the door to go to work. Let me know if you make it and how it turns out!

Hearty Winter Beef Stew

1 - 2 lbs grass fed beef stew chunks (I only used 1 lb, but if you like yours with a lot of meat, double it)
1 qt organic french onion soup ( I use Pacific Foods brand)
1 cup organic beef broth
*1/2 cup of red wine (optional, I like the flavor it provides)
5 - 6 medium sized organic potatoes
1 large bunch of organic celery
1 large organic sweet onion
4 - 5 organic garlic cloves
1 - 2 large organic carrots
1 cup organic corn
1 cup organic peas
2 bayleaves
1 - 2 tsp organic celery salt (I use the simply organic brand)
1 Tbpsn organic italian seasoning
1 tbspn kosher salt (add half a tbspn at a time to taste, I tend to like things a little saltier than most!)
Ground black pepper to taste
Tiny pinch of red pepper flakes
Whole wheat flour

Season the beef with salt and pepper and dump in a crock pot
Add whole wheat flour - enough to create a thick coat on the beef
Chop up potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, and carrots and add to the beef
Add the onion soup, beef broth, and red wine, mix the pot
Add bay leaves, celery salt, italian seasoning, ground pepper, red pepper flakes, and half the kosher salt
Turn the crock pot on high and cover for 6 - 8 hours, stirring occasionally
Taste the stew near doneness and add salt as needed
About 30 - 45 minutes before serving, add the corn and peas and cover
Serve with yummy whole wheat bread

Savory Chicken Saltiambocca and Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Green Beans

A few nights ago I thought it would be fun to make a new, special dinner for Marcus. I searched online for some recipes I thought would be fun to try and I found this delicious (and easy) chicken dish. Thought I would share the joy with all of you - Enjoy!


Savory Chicken Saltiambocca

2 Organic chicken breast's pounded thin (you can double this recipe easily)
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
3 - 4 tbspns coconut oil
2 tsp chopped organic fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried sage)
2 slices all natural/organic prosciutto
1/4 lb fresh all natural mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
3/4 cup white wine - ie. Sauvignon Blanc
Fresh ground pepper
Kosher salt

Heat the coconut oil in a medium sized pan
While pan is heating, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper
Dredge chicken breasts in whole wheat flour and shake off excess
Once pan (and oil) are hot, add the chicken breast and cook until browned, about 5 - 7 minutes depending on the thickness
Flip the chicken breast and brown another 4 - 5 minutes, or until done (firm when pressed)
Turn down the heat all the way to low
Add the chopped sage evenly on top the chicken breasts
Place the mozzarella on top so the chicken is evenly covered
Place a lid tightly over the pan until the cheese melts
Remove chicken breasts from pan and place on a platter, cover with tin foil and set to the side
Turn the heat back up high until the pan starts to crackle
Add the wine, scrapping up the bits on the bottom of the pan, until wine is reduced to about half
Remove from heat and let thicken about 5 minutes
Plate chicken breast, pour some of the wine reduction on top, garnish with a whole sage leaf



Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Green Beans

1 tbspn coconut oil
1/4 lb organic, fresh, trimmed green beans
1 cup water
4 - 5 organic garlic cloves, minced
2 tbspn freshly grated all natural Parmesan cheese
2 tsp kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat oil and garlic in a pan until lightly browned, about 3 - 5 minutes
Add green beans to the pan and cook another 3 - 5 minutes
Add the water, cover with a lid, turn the heat to medium and let cook until softened
Once water is gone, add salt and pepper to taste
Plate beans and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese - serve and enjoy!

Shepherds pie

One of Marcus's favorite meals is Shepherds pie, and it was actually super easy to make organically. Here's the recipe, let me know if you like it! I had to play around with the amounts of broth,wine, and Worcestershire sauce, to get the flavor that I like, so I suggest you do the same to get a taste you like!

1 tbspn grapeseed oil
2 lbs organic ground turkey
1 large organic onion
5 - 6 cloves of organic garlic
1 - 2 large organic carrots
1 - 2organic zucchini
1 cup of red wine
1 - 2 cups all natural  beef broth
MSG free Worcestershire sauce
2 cans Organic tomato paste
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
A pinch or two of crushed red pepper
1 tsp of organic cumin
About 1.5 cups of organic corn
About 1.5 cups of organic green beans
About 1.5 cups organic peas
1 - 1.5 lbs organic potatoes
Organic Heavy milk/cream
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 organic egg yolk

Heat oil in a large pan
Dice onion and garlic, add to oil
Add the ground turkey to the pot and season with salt and pepper
While its browning grate the carrot and zucchini (using a cheese grater) and add to the pan
add the tomato paste to the pan and mix until fully incorporated
add the red wine, worcestershire sauce (to taste.. I used about 2 tbspns), and beef broth
Add red pepper flakes and cumin
Let the mix sit on medium low heat until the liquid boils down and it becomes reduced
Add the vegetables that youre using at this time

Meanwhile, boil potatoes until soft enough to mash
Mash with cream, salt and pepper, parm cheese, and egg yolk

Pour the meat mix into a glass pan
Top with the mashed potato mix
Top with more parm cheese

Baked at 400 for about 20 - 30 minutes

Let it sit for a few minutes to settle and enjoy!

Snowball Cookies

So these are some of my absolute favorite cookies at Christmas time, the only problem is that they are made entirely of bleached and enriched flour and processed sugars and butters - so I changed it! Yesterday I was experimenting with a new version of these, and they didn't come out well at first. Too wheat-y and grainy for Christmas cookies. The second attempt however, was a complete success! Even passed the taste test with my sweet-toothed finace, so you know they have to be good! Here ya go, super easy!

1 cup coconut oil
**1 cup organic powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 finely chopped nuts
**Organic powdered sugar for dusting
(**See note at bottom of recipe)

Combine softened coconut oil (if yours is not already in liquid form) with the whole wheat flour
Mix in the powdered sugar
Mix in vanilla
Mix in sea salt (note - make sure this sea salt is finely ground! otherwise you will bite into big pieces of salt)
Add in the chopped nuts - I used walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400
Mix until just incorporated, it should look crumbly !!!Do not over mix!!!
Take a spoonful of the mix and form into balls. The dough will fall apart and some will fall back into the bowl, just combine until it stays together. If you find it wont clump, add a teaspoon more coconut oil at a time until you get the right consistency.
Make the cookies into 1 inch balls and place on a prepared cookie sheet
Bake for 8 minutes
When you take the cookies out let them rest on the sheet for about 5 minutes
Roll the cookies in their first coat of powedered sugar and place on a wire rack to cool
Repeat with the rest of the dough
After about 30 - 45 minutes, roll the cookies in their 2nd coat of powdered sugar and place on the rack again for another 10 minutes to let the sugar set
Enjoy!

**Note: if you do not have any organic powdered sugar, but you have regular organic sugar, simply pour it into a blender and let it go for about 5 minutes. Stop every now and then to shake it up and make sure all the sugar is getting whipped. Ta-da! Powdered sugar!!

Well it's spaghetti and meatballs, Naturally.

So today is a chilly, cloudy, late fall day - a great day for sauce! I just perfected my sauce recipe a few weeks ago - and I'm sharing it with you :) Here you go!

For the meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb organic turkey sausage (if you can find it... if not, just stick to the turkey!)
1 egg
1 1/2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
Italian seasonings - I use a dried herb mix, you can use whatever you like. I prefer something with basil, oregano, parsley, garlic, onion, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary.
1 tbsp MSG free Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup natural grated Parmesan cheese

Mix together, form into balls, and bake at 350 for about 15 - 20 minutes

For the sauce:
1 cup minced onion
5 - 6 cloves of garlic, crushed
28 oz. organic crushed tomatoes
12 oz. organic tomato paste
13 oz. organic tomato sauce
2 - 3 tbsp pure cane sugar
Fresh basil - chopped
Fresh oregano - chopped
Fresh thyme - chopped
Fresh rosemary - chopped
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp italian seasonings
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 - 2 cups water

In a heavy pot, saute onions and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Add the meatballs, cover, and simmer for as long as possible, but for the best results at least 4 hours. Serve over whole wheat pasta and top with a little more Parmesan cheese, and enjoy! =)