It's as easy as almond milk

Almond Milk...never buy store bought again!  No need to when it's this easy.

Ingredients:

1 C. Almonds

4 to 7 Cups Water

Vanilla (Optional)

Honey (Optional)

Equipment required:

Blender

Fine Mesh Strainer

Measuring Cup

Jars for storage

Nut Bag or Cheese Cloth

Almond milk is pretty simple to make but it does take a hot minute to accomplish. First thing is start with is 1 cup of organic high quality almonds. 

Soak your almonds in clean water for a full 24 hours, changing the water every 6-8 hours.  

After you soak them, then you simple take the one cup of almonds and add 4 cups of fresh clean water to the blender and let it do its thing.  The longer the better, and I actually don't add all 4 cups at the same time, I add about 2 1/2 cups and get the almonds chopped up and then add more water as it's blending.  After about 3 minutes on medium I start to strain out some almond milk through a small fine strainer.

I just strain it over a cup that my strainer fits in.  I use a spatula to get most of the moisture out of the almond pulp and then put the pulp in a bowl where I store it for round two in the blender. 

Then I transfer it to a big jar.

 

If you like it super strong then only use the 4 cup ratio, I think I can get way more then 4 cups out of these almonds, so I get another 3 cups of water and throw all the almonds BACK into the blender, add the water and let it go again, this time for even longer, 5 minutes or so.  I strain again, mix the two jars together to get a more even flavor from them both and I get 2 full big jars worth from 1 cup of almonds.  These last about 4-5 days in the fridge.  Mine never lasts that long, so I'm not really sure on the time table but I've read it will keep for 5 days.  

    I use Cheese Cloth to get all the moisture from the almond pulp and I save the almond pulp lay it out on a cookie sheet and let it dry out.  That my friends is first class almond meal that can be thrown into the food processor and made into almond flour which is HIGH DOLLAR, so keep that pulp, sell it, trade it or give it to your girlfriend who bakes if you don't. 

Now, to sweeten it's simple, add honey, about a tablespoon per jar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla to each jar and shake till the honey is dissolved into the milk.

Homemade Almond Milk

In door start up pictures

A look at my indoor garden, before it goes outside.  I was very skeptical to start anything indoors with our current drought situation but you know what, I can do a few herbs and one of two choice items to put my energy into and then just pray for rain and see what happens.  If it grows, great.  If not, OH WELL.  Not much I can do, but try.

Here is the Thyme

And the Dill

The Broccoli is looking FANTASTIC!

A look at the Sage!

Here is the whole set up, pretty simple, I have a light, big enough for 4 trays under.

Yes it's not level, cause the dill is taller, lol, had to raise up one side :)  I have a fan pointed at the table moving air. 

My squash has flowers on it already.

Roasted cauliflower and chick pea soup.

Roasted Cauliflower and Chick Pea Soup

Ingredients: 

1 head of Cauliflower

2 cans of Chick peas

4-5-6 Cloves of Garlic

2 potatoes

Coconut Oil

Garam Masala 

Coconut Milk 1/2 cup

Salt and white pepper

Stock - your choice, I used Beef.  

Garnish, I used Cilantro, you can use whatever you wish!  

Bacon would be a good choice too and

 if I had some that would be what I would use.

Take your head of cauliflower and break it down like this.

Drain your chick peas and pat them dry if you wish.  

Peel your garlic and place it on the baking sheet with the cauliflower and drained chick peas.

Coat the cauliflower and the garlic with some coconut oil.  I also coated the baking sheet with coconut oil so that chick peas didn't stick to it. 

Sprinkle Garam Masala and SALT all over the whole thing.

Like so!

Place the whole thing in a 400 degree preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the cauliflower is browned. 

While that is baking,

Peel 2 potatoes and place in a large stock pot with some coconut oil so the potato doesn't stick.

Sweat the potato

After you sweat the potatoes add a little bit of broth, I used beef, you can use Vegetable, chicken or whatever stock you like, my only suggestion is that as a cook you start to make your own stock.  I make mine once every 3-4 weeks and I make enough for the month and freeze it in jars.  It makes things easy when you keep one jar full in the fridge and can just use it for whatever all the time.  

by the time you've sweat the potatoes and added some stock, the cauliflower, chick peas and garlic are done.  Takes about 20-25 minutes.

Add all of it to the stock pot

Add more stock until it's almost covering everything, if you run low on stock then add water until you have enough to almost cover all the ingredients.

Bring it to a boil

After it's done simmering, maybe another 20 minutes or so, I checked the potato to see if it was ready, and when it was, I started to puree the soup.  Took a few minutes and then I added the 1/2 cup of coconut milk.  mixed it in and checked the seasoning levels.  I then added more salt and some white pepper and a little more garam masala.  Let it blend for another 5 minutes or so and checked my seasoning again.  I found it was a bit thick so I starting thinning it down with water.  Got it to where I wanted it and covered for another few minutes to let all the flavors blend.  Here is the result!

Roasted Cauliflower and Chick Pea Soup!

Easy turkey chili

Easy Turkey Chili

Some meals can be VERY simple and EASY.  Turkey Chili on a winter afternoon for lunch is one of these things that should be simple.  Nothing fancy.  I know a lot of people are CHILI Freaks, with or without beans.  I like beans in mine, which makes it NON Paleo, but my cornbread has milk in it too, so the whole paleo is out the window on this one, BUT it is more of a Primal way of eating.  

Take some ground turkey and 1 whole white onion and brown it up

After it's browned, add 1 jar of diced tomato, 1 jar of tomato sauce.  I didn't have tomato sauce, so I just took my diced tomato and put it in the blender for a few seconds to get some tomato sauce.  Also add in your beans, you can use whatever kind you want. I used Pinto.  Drain if using canned.  Feel free to add in some bell pepper too if you want, I would have, but I didn't have any, I just used mine all up yesterday.

I make things really easy, buy some good quality chili powder I've tried a few organic brands and this one is NOT HOT, which Dennis prefers and since we have a small child eating this as well, it less spicy the better. 

Great brand of chili powder.

Here is the final product after a little while of simmering.  At least 30 minutes, if you want to let it simmer longer, be prepared and have some beef stock on hand to add back in for moisture if needed.  I did add about 2 ounces after about an hour.

And it's ready to eat.  I serve with gluten free corn bread that I made from scratch.

It's a hit on a winter afternoon!

Levi approves! 

Jan 14, 2014  

New years good luck soup.

My New Year's Good Luck Soup!

Ingredients: 

Sausage: I used 5 German Brauts (No Nitrates, fresh, locally made from Red River Fine Meats)

1 purple onion

2 cans of stewed tomatoes

2 can of black eyed peas 

(I wanted the real deal beans but the stores were out oops, my bad for waiting)

Head of cabbage

2-20 ounce jars of home made beef bone broth.  

(You should have this on hand at all time to cook with)

few cloves of garlic

seasoning: Salt, Pepper, Thyme, Rosemary, Tarragon, Parsley

I took the sausage and cut it up into bite sized pieces.  Left the shell on, I chose to NOT get ground sausage and got them in the casing because I wanted them to stay together and be chunks and not like ground into the soup.

I cut up about 3/4 of a purple onion and placed it in with the sausage. 

Cooked sausage and onion on a medium heat until it was browned and onions were done but not burned.

I then added the beans and tomato

I also added 2 full jars of my homemade Beef Bone Broth that takes 36 hours to make.

I think this is why it tasted so damn good!  My bone broth is awesome.  If you need to know how to make that, it's so simple...just ask the butcher for bones when you get your meat, and then boil the bones in water for 36 hours on a low heat...then store in glass with lots of room for expansion and freeze. 

I also cut up an entire head of cabbage and threw that in there as well.  so after all that was in there, I added another 35 or so ounces of water to it to fill er up, so to speak, and since I used my bone broth I knew I could add as much water as I wanted. Then I seasoned the heck out of it,  giving it time and tasting again.  I used rosemary, thyme, tarragon and parsley.  Of course salt and pepper as well.  After it got warm and I was tasting I added more salt.  I use Himalayan Pink Salt that is mined so it's pretty good stuff, but it took some salt, don't be scared, just keep tasting.

after about 20 minutes the cabbage begins to get soft and then you can eat it whenever after that.

Here it is in the bowl!  

It was so delicious

Levi ate it up, I have some video of him, it was hilarious.

Teriyaki brussels sprouts

Teriyaki Brussels Sprouts

Look at how gorgeous these are.  I found them at the new Natural Grocers.  LOVE IT!  Anyhow I cleaned them up and cut the bottom off and cut them in half. To clean them, simply  rinse under water and then remove the most outer leaf if there is damage from shipment. 

 

Get a pan and heat up some coconut oil, you're going to sear these babies so they are nice and brown before we steam cook them.

You'll need this.  Really you can use any kind you want, but I have to go Gluten Free...so because you use a little of this, it's not really the "cleanest" way to eat it, but OH MY GOODNESS, just 1 tablespoon for the whole thing is all you really need. Now if you don't want to use teriyaki, there are so many other things you CAN use...Balsamic Vinegar, Worcestershire sauce are two that sound like they would be good.  

So brown the heck out of them and this is when I season them too, I use a little curry, or some garam masala, in addition to just plain ol salt and pepper.  Hold off on the teriyaki until you add the water to steam them.  If I had to guess Id say it takes about 4-6 minutes to sear them up on medium heat...not too hot

After a few minutes add a little bit of water, just about enough to cover the bottom of the pan.  This is also when you add the teriyaki sauce to it, I just add it right to the water in the center. The water is going to be absorbed into the brussel sprouts and so will all that great teriyaki sauce you put in there, not too much, just enough, about 1 1/2 Tablespoons or so.

Like so....then COVER IT FOR ABOUT 6 MINUTES or so. and turn the heat down to simmer it and steam them.

When all the water has been absorved, it's done.  If the color is still really bright green, go another minute, and add a very small amount of water to prevent burning. You want it to be soft not too crispy.

And the finished product is this!

Served with Filet Mignon and Mashed Potatoes

Thai butternut squash soup

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients: 

1 Butternut Squash

Coconut Oil

1 Sweet Onion

4-5-6 Cloves of Garlic

Ginger (Full finger size piece)

Veggie or Chicken Stock

Garam Masala

Curry Powder

Salt and Pepper

1/2 can of Coconut Milk full fat, refrigerated to separate the cream out.

1 Lime

Cilantro for Garnish

I cut the top and bottom off the butternut squash and then peel the skin off with a veggie peeler, it's a lot of work to do it this way, but it  is what it is.  Takes about 10-15 minutes, probably the hardest part of the whole thing, making the end result that much sweeter.  When it's peeled, cut it down the middle lengthwise and scrape the guts out like a pumpkin with a spoon.  Then lay on the side and cut into stripes and then into chunks.

Cut up the onion, the ginger and the garlic, my garlic was still whole here, but I wanted to shoot the picture before dumping it all in the pan, I needed more room for chopping the garlic.

All chopped up and ready to saute with coconut oil.  Do so until it's fully transparent, but not browned.

Like so below!

Now add your garam masala, curry, salt and pepper, and dont be stingy with it.  Like a tablespoon of curry and 1/2 tbs of garam masala and teaspoon of salt and 1/2 of that in pepper or so, you know a good amount.  I went less here and then ended up adding more throughout the cooking process....ohh I also wanted a little bite, so I added a smige of cayenne pepper too, but I didn't include that in the ingredients above...you gotta read the recipe to know the secret bite to the soup. 

Add the cubed butternut squash and then add some veggie or chicken stock, which ever you have on hand.  I used chicken since that's what I had.  I also only used 8 ounces and then added some water as well.

Now you cook it, takes about 40 minutes on a nice simmer/low boil.   When you are done cooking it, then you have some options as to how to make it into your soup...What I did was took some water out, stuck my hand blender/emulsifier into the stock pot and blended. After it's blended Add in your coconut cream from the top of the refrigerated can of coconut milk and the juice of a fresh lime and simmer for 10-20 additional minutes.  If it's not the right consistency, add back your water you took out, before and after the coconut milk, which I did, I like a thinner soup, not a thick bisque, but again it's your soup, so make it how thick/thin you want it to be.  A lot of people LOVE it really quiet thick, so then when you take some water out, leave it out and adding the coconut cream is enough to thin it back down.  It's great like that as well.   Other options for making into a soup are a food processor and a blender. 

Here is the final product.  I like cilantro as a garnish, you can chop it up or eat it whole.  People also like to garnish with chopped up peanuts, but I dont have any.

Hope you enjoy making your Thai Butternut Squash Soup! This recipe is Gluten and Dairy free and if you use veggie stock it's Vegan as well.  And it's Paleo!