Spinach Green Smoothie

After a good exercise session in the morning, we all enjoy a healthy smoothie.  Green smoothies starts our day with much needed healthy fuel that gives us a good jump start to keep us moving at a good pace.  This smoothie I'm sharing is very simple which includes only a few ingredients, namely a lot of spinach.

Ingredients

• 4 cups spinach, approximately
• 4 ripe bananas (can use frozen)
• 3-4 cups strawberries (can use frozen)
• 1/4 ground flax seed
• 1 to 1 1-2 cups water
• 1/2 Rejuvalac* (optional)

Directions
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  If you are using frozen fruit, blending always works best when adding frozen fruit after blending other ingredients with liquid.  Simply add frozen strawberries and/or frozen bananas  and blend well.  Adjust the ingredients as per your preferences but remember spinach is a key ingredient.

Yields enough for at least 5 good size glasses full.

*I'll be posting about Rejuvalac and the benefits real soon!

And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. Nehemiah 4:14

Lentils with Salsa for Breakfast

Yes Lentils with Salsa for Breakfast sounds good to me. I love eating lentils no matter the time of day.  I even add some garbanzo beans along with some ground up flaxseed and apple cider vinegar.  Ok I know this doesn't sound like the typical breakfast eaten in the North American diet but it pleases me and my body to eat dish cold for my first meal of the day.

Hot oatmeal or even Red River Cereal (cracked wheat) was a staple at home during the winter months.  During the hot days, we would all pile on the healthier cold cereals (if there is such a thing as healthy prepackaged cereal) in a bowl with milk, or maybe enjoy some toast with jam.  Nowadays, although breakfast in our home varies depending on who is having it, you will find raw oatmeal available with fresh or thawed fruit along with raisins or dates along with almond milk; hard boiled eggs, eggs prepared in the cast iron pan, green smoothies or an 'all veggie smoothie'.  Lately though I find can start my day much better with legumes. Lentils are rich in protein and in cholesterol lowering fiber.  My blood sugar is easily regulated with no ups and downs since lentils have a special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders due to their high fiber content which prevents blood sugar levels from rising quickly after eating.  My energy levels will last much longer eating a bowl of cold cooked Lentils with homemade salsa.

Chart from WHFoods.org

Now I know I'm not the only one who eats a similar breakfast.  So if you're one these people, I'd love if you'd share with Pebble Crossing's readers.

Blessings ~ Pebble Crossing

And take wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt. 

And you shall put them into one vessel, and make bread of them. 

You shall eat it, as many days as you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days.

Yehezkel/Ezekiel 4:9

This post has been shared with Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

Healthy Hummus made at Home

 

Hummus has been a staple in our house for many years. We’ve gone through stages of making it to buying it and back to making our own. Hummus can be made in very little time with only a few ingredients. Now that we are able to order many of our foods in bulk including garbanzo beans (chick peas), I have happily resorted to making Hummus at home once again.  Hummus is an Arabic word for chickpea. Garbanzo is the Spanish translation for the word chickpea.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked garbanzo beans
• 1/3 cup Tahini (sesame seed paste)*
• ¼ - ½ cup water (I use the water from the cooked beans)
• 4-6 garlic cloves, slightly chopped up
• Juice from two lemons
• 1 tsp salt
• 2-3 tbsps Olive oil
• Cayenne or other herbs, optional

Directions
In the food processor, add the four cups of the garbanzo beans along with the tahini, water, garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. If you find that the mixture is too thick, you may want to add more water, one tablespoon at a time. I then add our favorite spices and process once more. Remember to make the Hummus to 'your' liking.  It may take several tries before you find what works for you.  Once it is ready, simply place the hummus in a dish, add some chopped up parsley, cayenne or other spices or herbs of your choice on top and serve. Place the freshly made Hummus in a glass container to refrigerate for later use if that is your preference.

Hummus can be served with crackers, cut up vegetables of your choice or just eaten by the spoonful! I like to eat Hummus with one of my favorite flax crackers.  See recipes here and here.

*Tahini can be easily prepared at home in about 10 minutes.  Here is a  recipe from Dedemed.com.

• 2 cups sesame seeds
• 1/4 vegetable oil (I use olive oil)

You will want to preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. On a cookie sheet, spread out the sesame seeds and place in the oven for about 4 to 5 minutes. You do not want the seeds to turn brown so it may be less depending on the heat of your oven. Keep checking on your seeds. Once you have taken the seeds out, place them in a food processor and process along with the oil until you have a smooth paste. And voila! Place the paste in an airtight glass container into the refrigerator. This is so easy to make. To view the video, please click here.

blessings ~ Pebble Crossing

This recipe was shared with:
Simple Lives at Gnowfglins
Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

Galette Bretonne (Buckwheat Crepes)

Galette de Sarrasin with Homemade Preserve

Our family grew up making and eating many galettes with a variation of different flours. Galettes were a staple food. Eating these for dinner was not uncommon. Crepes tend to have a sweeter taste. Galettes ask for buckwheat flour and usually include other foods other than fruit. We always opted to include jams, peanut butter and yes just plain brown sugar. That was the extent of our sweet foods in our house. Zachary and Leah love eating these. We take advantage of making these during the Days of Unleavened Bread. We still make them using a frying pan, just like my mamie and grandmaman made them years ago. They originate from Brittany, France where my mother grew up.  It takes a bit of work ensuring the liquid gets spread as evenly as possible throughout the pan but it is well worth the work.
There are a variety of recipes out there. I've some that use only one egg and no sweetener.  Here is the recipe that we use.

Galettes bretonne au Sarrasin (Buckwheat crepes)

Ingredients

• 2-3 eggs
• ¾ cups sugar(honey will work as well, may want to add less)
• ¾ cup buckwheat flour* (I’ve added up to 1 cup)
• 2 to 3 cups whole wheat or spelt flour (can use white organic flour) rice flour does not work
• 2 to 3 cups of milk or water
• Buckwheat flour is also known as blé noir (black wheat) or farine de sarrasin (buckwheat)

 Directions

• Mix first two ingredients together. Add buckwheat flour and other flour alternative with milk or water. Simply placing everything in a blender and blending will work as well. Consistency should be like cream,  runny.

(There are nice crepe makers that sure make the job look easy but we don’t own one. We just use what pans we have.)

• Heat up your frying pan to medium heat. Add some butter or a bit of oil and ensure that it is spread throughout your frying pan. I use a cast iron pan and it works great. Test the heat by dropping a few drops of the galette liquid into the pan and if it seems to cook quickly, then your pan is ready.

• Add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter to the pan.  As soon as you've added the batter, quickly tilt your pan to ensure the batter is swirled all around in the pan in a circular motion as best you can.  I've done this for many years, and I don't always make them perfect.  It doesn't matter, we love them anyway and eat them all.  
• Cast iron retains heat, we usually flip the galette to the other side within 30 seconds.  It may take longer depending on the heat and pan you are using.  Leave for around another 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Place your galette into a holding plate and prepare your pan to make another one.  Depending on how the pan looks you may not need to add more butter or oil.  
•  

• What you add in them is up to you, you can add cut up fruit, make your own fruit jam, nut butters or adding some veggies like spinach with some cheese. Make up your own recipe. We like to roll ours and eat them with our hands.

Did you know that buckwheat is not a grain but a fruit seed.  It is actually related to the rhubarb and sorrel. 

Its name is supposedly derived from the Dutch word bockweit, which means "beech wheat," reflecting buckwheat's beechnut-like shape and its wheat-like characteristics. Buckwheat flowers are very fragrant and are attractive to bees that use them to produce a special, strongly flavored, dark honey.  For information, please visit WHFoods

If you've tried these before or do try this recipe, come back to visit and leave us a comment.

Bon Appétit 

blessings ~ Carmen

This recipe was shared with
Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

Lentil Salad with Artichoke Hearts

Whether I'm in a rush 'or not', salads seems to be the main theme for many meals. For last Shabbat's lunch, I prepared, in advance, a lentil salad. We prepare our Shabbat meals ahead of time to be able to rest.  Having cooked the lentils ahead of time, all it took to finish preparation was to cut up some veggies that I could find in the refrigerator and make a quick vinaigrette. There is nothing special about this recipe, but regardless it is nutritious. It is high in fiber protein and iron.

Ingredients for Lentil Salad

• 2-3 cups lentils cooked and cooled
• 4-5 celery sticks chopped
• 1/2 black olives sliced
• 1/2 to 1 cup peppers of your choice
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts cut up
• some red onion

Ingredients for Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice from one lemon
• 1/4 apple cider vinegar
• 5-6 garlic cloves chopped
• basil, fresh or dried
• cilantro, fresh or dried

Directions for Lentil Salad

• Cook lentils. Once lentils are cooked, place aside to cool. Prepare vegetables to be added to lentils accordingly. If you have other favorites or prefer other vegetables, by all means, change out the recipe. Add vegetables into bowl of lentils.

Directions for Vinaigrette

• chop garlic cloves into small pieces. Place in a bowl big enough to be able to add other ingredients. Add oil, vinegar and lemon juice, along with herbs. Mix well.

• Pour vinaigrette over lentil and vegetables. Mix well being careful not mushing up the lentils. Add salt and pepper. You may need to add more oil or vinegar if you prefer. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 one hour before serving.

Bon Appetit!


The word Lentils is found in the KJV Bible translation as
lentiles H5742
עדשׁ
‛âdâsh
aw-dawsh'
From an unused root of uncertain meaning; a lentil: - lentile.
Genesis 25:34, 2 Samuel 17:28, 2 Samuel 23:11, Ezekiel 4:9

Blessings ~ Carmen

This recipe was shared with
The Nourishing Gourmet
Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

Old Fashioned Pear Cake

What to do with pears that are on the verge of being overly ripe?  Making pear sauce would be nice.  And of course, we can always include them in a smoothie. I was able to find a neat recipe online and adapted it to include raw honey rather than sugar. I love old fashioned recipes, most often only basic ingredients are required. This pear cake turned out to be moist from the pear juice and dense. The strong raw honey taste added even more flavor than it would have with regular plain sugar.

Ingredients
1/2 cup melted coconut oil,  plus 2 tablespoons,(can also use unsalted butter, at room temperature)
All-purpose flour for dusting
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup raw  honey (1 cup Rapadura can be used instead of honey)
3 eggs
2 ripe medium sized pears (may need more if pears are smaller), cored and cut lengthwise into quarters
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)


Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Butter a cake dish with 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter.  Then dust the dish with flour making sure the pan has a thin layer all around.  Tap out excess flour.  (A 9" round pringform pan can also be used.)
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Using your mixer,  mix together the 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter along with raw honey (or  sugar) on high speed until pale, light.
• Add the eggs, and mix again until well combined. 
• Fold in the dry ingredients using a spoon or spatula making sure all the ingredients are well combined.
• Transfer the batter to your prepared pan.  Arrange the pear quarters on top with the skin side up. (I did the skin side down, oops! And it still turned out great.)
• Bake the cake for about 1 hour, or until the top is nicely browned and the cake is well baked on the inside.  Simply test it by inserting a knife, toothpick or a skewer in the middle and if it is clean, then the cake is ready to be taken out of the oven. 
• Let the cake cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing it from the pan.

This recipe was adapted from 101Cookbooks.com which was also adapted.  The original recipe is made with Italian prune plums. mmmm... I will definitely have to try making this cake with the plums the next time around.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, 
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;

his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 
Tehillim(Psalms) 1:3

This recipe is shared with:
Hearth & Soul
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Pennywise Platter

Have you prepared a pear cake before?  If so, what is your favorite recipe?

Blessings ~ Carmen

Cran-Apple Sauce

What do you do with a bunch of apples which are badly bruised but may still have some nutritional value? A quick an easy way to use up apples is to make apple sauce. Here is a recipe using apples and adding cranberries to give the sauce a tart flavor.  Fruit sauces can be eaten with granola, as jam, or just plain for a snack, breakfast or desert.

Ingredients

• 12-15 apples (different sizes and different varieties can be used)
• 4 cups cranberries (add more if you prefer a more tarter flavor)
• water

Supplies

• 1 large pot
• 1 big spoon for mixing

Directions

• Wash apples the best you can. You’ll be peeling them so you don’t need to spend cleaning them.
• Rinse cranberries and remove any bad cranberries that you may find. I use frozen cranberries as I usually stock up during the winter months when they are available.
• If you own a peeler, this is most likely the fastest way to peel your apples. For this time, I used a knife and removed any really mushy bruised brown pieces and peeled the rest of the skin using a knife.
• Once the apples are peeled, you can then cut and core the apples into ¼ inch to ½ inch pieces. The smaller the pieces, the quicker the apples will cook.

• Since the cranberries take longer to cook, start cooking the cranberries. Add about 1-2 inches of water in your pot and then add the cranberries. Bring water to boil and then lower the heat to medium. Cook the cranberries for about 5-10 minutes. During this time, you will hear the berries pop as the skin opens up.

• Once the berries are somewhat soft and have started popping, add the apple pieces. Mix everything together continuously for about another 10 to 15 minutes or until the apples have become soft. You may need to add some more water if you see some stickiness at the bottom of the pot.  I chose to use the potato masher to mash down the apples once the sauce was cooked.  You can also opt to use a blender if you prefer a less chunky consistency.

We don’t feel the need to add more sweetener since we feel there is enough sweetness from the apples.

If you have apples or other fruit which you feel may not be good enough to eat, try to find ways to use them instead of throwing them out. Get your children involved in making the applesauce. Children love all kinds of fruit sauces!

As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons.
I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
Song of Solomon 2:3

Blessings! ~ Carmen

This recipe was shared at A Moderate Life's Hearth & Soul

Lentil Rice Soup

 

The first time we see lentils mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis as Jacob traded to Essau for his birthright.

Jacob/Yaʽaqoḇ then gave Essau/Ěsaw bread and stew of lentils. 

And he ate and drank, and rose up and left; thus Esau despised his birthright.  

Genesis/Berisheet 25:34

Lentils have obviously been part of people's food choices for many years as we have noted above. It has long been a staple at our house also especially during the cold months of the year. During these months one of our basic staple recipes always consists lentil soup.  If you like lentils and rice, here is an easy and delicious recipe combining both along with other vegetables making this a nutritious soup.

 A Few Lentil Facts

Lens ensculenta laten, latin for lentils, are part of the legume family and although small in size they are loaded with high nutrition value.   They are believed to have originated in Asia and to be one of the first foods to have been cultiviated.  Lentils are seeds of a plant which grow in pods that may contain up to two lentil seeds. There are a variety of lentils which include black, brown and red, french green, yellow, and white lentils.

Lentils are low in fat and have a very high fiber content, (molybdenum and folate), which is known to help lower cholesterol.  It also has special benefits in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.  For more information on health, storing or preparing lentils please visit WHFoods.

Ingredients
1 onion chopped
3-4 or more garlic cloves chopped
a bit of oil (we use coconut oil)
8 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
4-6 celery stalks sliced
4-6 carrots chopped
1 pint to 1 quart of tomatoes
1 cup of lentils
1 cup of rice
salt, pepper and desired spices for added flavor
 
Directions

• Heat the oil on medium heat in a big soup pot and add chopped onion. Once the onion has become soft, add garlic and sautée for a few more minutes.
• Add chopped celery, carrots tomatoes, stock to the pot. Bring heat to higher temperature.
• Once the stock has become hotter, add rice and lentils. Continue to bring to boil. Reduce partially and let cook for about one hour on simmer.
• Once rice and lentils are cooked, add desired spices. We love to add cayenne as well as some Braggs Liquid Amino. 

Note:  If you soak your lentils ahead of time, cooking time will be less.  If you choose to make this soup using a pressure cooker, cooking time will be cut in half.

If you are looking for a nutritious meal on its own, you may want to try this wonderful Lentil Rice Soup.

There are many Lentil soup variations, do you have a recipe you'd like to share?  If so, simply place your link in the comment section below.  We'd be blessed if you would.


Blessings ~ Carmen

This post has been shared with:
A Moderate Life's Health & Soul 
Simply Sugar & Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

Herbal Remedy for Sore Throat/Strep Throat

A few weeks ago, some of us experienced feeling ill. One of the symptoms was a sore throat. We decided to try one of Mr. Christopher’s herbal remedies. Although this remedy was made to help strep throat, it can also relieve a sore throat. If you have garlic, raw honey and cayenne pepper on hand, it is quite simple to make.

Proportions
Decide how many proportions you will need to prepare.

• 1 Tablespoon of real honey
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 3-4 cloves garlic chopped up real fine

Directions

• Mix honey and cayenne together. Then add chopped up garlic.

Instructions for taking remedy

• Give 1/2 tsp of mixture at a time every 1/2 hour, chew it very well and swallow it. Do not wash it down with anything else. It is important for the ingredients to do their work.

The honey will stick itself to the esophagus, the Cayenne brings blood to the surface because it is a rubefacient, blood will rush to the area. The immune system that comes with the blood will get kicked into action. The garlic stimulates the immune system to be active. Garlic is also good since it is anti bacterial. This can be given during waking hours. I agree with Mr. Christopher when he says sleep is also medication, there is no need to wake up the child.

Mr. Christopher states that this procedure takes around 24 hours  every half hour to help relieve strep throat. It may take longer though.

If you are interested in learning of more herbal remedies, please visit Dr. Christopher's Family Herbalist Course.  If you do decide to sign up for the course, you will save $100.00 by signing up with Pebble Crossing.


Blessings ~ Carmen

Nutty Mint Fudge~Raw!

A couple days ago, I tried a fudge recipe from GNOWFLGLINS.  Because I had recently used a generous amount of carob powder in another recipe, I decided not to make the dark side of the marbled fudge.  Truth be told, we had actually run out of vanilla too.  So...

I took the advice of Ms. Wardeh, who posted the recipe, and added spearmint extract instead.  I also added some chopped almonds, and Voilà!

They tasted rather yummy despite my impartiality towards coconut cream concentrate in recipes.  Papa said he could eat coconut cream all day, so he definitely loved them!

To make a batch of these yummy, coconutty, nutty, minty fudge squares, have on hand the following:

Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut cream concentrate*
aprox. 1/2-1 tbsp coconut oil (liquid but not hot)
aprox. 1 1/2-2 tbsp. raw honey (or to taste)
A handful of almonds or nut of your choice
A drop (or two) of spearmint (or peppermint) oil

Directions
First, chop the almonds or run through the food processor, then set aside.  Place coconut cream into empty food processor and spin until rather finely ground.  Then add coconut oil and honey.  At this point, you can remove the mix to a bowl and add the nuts, mixing with your hands.  Then, add the mint extract and make sure it is mixed thoroughly.

Pat into a small glass pan or other container on hand and refrigerate for about 30-60 minutes.  Then cut into small squares and enjoy!

As I hope you will do.  Until next time...      Blessings!  ~ Leah

*Note added Feb 9th:  Coconut Cream can be found at your local health food Store.  It can also be found at Tropical Traditions   If you are new to Tropical Traditions, please consider using our User ID: 247069.  You are eligible to receive your own free copy of Virgin Coconut Oil book, complementary by visiting here. Feel free to visit customer service Tropical Traditions Customer Service  if you need help placing your first order & to receive your free copy of Virgin Coconut.  (We at Pebble Crossing appreciate your support)

This post is shared with:
GNOWFGLINS' Tuesday Twister
A Moderate Life's Hearth & Soul 
The Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter
Simply Sugar Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday 

Steamed Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Did you know that Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable? They are a mini version of a cabbage and when they are eaten steamed, you can reap many nutritional benefits. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin K. As a cruciferous vegetable Brussels sprouts have many anti cancer benefits. Regardless of their slightly bitter taste, we enjoy eating them especially in the winter months. I've come up with an easy winter salad which not only includes Brussels sprouts but garbanzo beans as well.

Ingredients
2 lbs (around 4 cups) Brussels sprouts
1-2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked
Handful of parsley
1 apple
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
1 teaspoon raw honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Cook garbanzo beans ahead of time and have them ready for the salad preparation.
• Trim all of the Brussels sprouts, cutting off any bruised outer leaves or anything which needs to be trimmed off.
• Steam the Brussels sprouts 8-10 minutes once the water starts to boil making sure to slightly cook them. The sprouts should still hold their bright green color and be somewhat tender. Once steamed, place the Brussels sprouts in a separate bowl big enough for the addition of the garbanzo beans and apple pieces. Let cool.
• Cut apple into bite size pieces and add to cooled Brussels sprouts. Add garbanzo beans as well.
• Chop parsley and add to ingredients.

Lemon Vinaigrette

• Squeeze juice of one lemon in container. Add ground mustard seed, raw honey and oil to the lemon juice and whisk well. 
• Once the ingredients have been mixed well, add to the Brussels sprouts, garbanzo beans and apple pieces. Gently toss until the vinaigrette making sure it has coated all the ingredients.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

This can be served immediately or chilled for about 30 minutes to one hour.
Serves 4-6 people

Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for the use of building up, 
so as to impart what is pleasant to the hearers.  Ephesians 4:29 

Blessings ~ Carmen

This recipe was shared with:
Tuesday Twister at GNOWFGLINS
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free 
Hearth & Soul Hop at A Moderate Life 
Real Sustenance's Seasonal Sunday

Orange Pumpkin Loaf with Dates

Are you in the mood for a change instead of making muffins?  Our children love eating muffins.  Depending what is in season, we can be making the same kind of muffin for a long time.  No, we don't get tired of eating zucchini muffins.

We currently have pumpkin purée in our freezer and my first thought was to make muffins.  This past fall we were able to purée pumpkin.  It always feels good to be able to store food for future use.  We needed a change this past week, and so I opted to bake some loaves instead.  I really don't think there is much difference in taste between muffins and loaves, maybe just the shape, maybe one is sweeter than the other.  In the past we've often taken a banana muffin recipe and baked it as a snack cake.  Obviously the baking time may increase if baking a loaf.  I've had this Pumpkin Orange recipe for a while.  I'm sorry I did not write down where it came from.  I have also adapted this recipe to ensure I was incorporating healthier food choices. Including both the pumpkin and the oranges definitely makes this loaf very moist.  I cut down on the sweetener knowing I was going to add the chopped dates.  This can be eaten plain or with a little butter.  The recipe is as follows:

Zuppa di Porri e Bietole ~ Leek and Swiss Chard Soup

When we think of an Italian recipe, we think of the many tomato sauces incorporated in the main dishes.  Visiting my husband's Italian family in Europe a few years ago, we enjoyed many different Italian foods including dishes without tomatoes.

Since we love eating leeks, I thought it would be nice to serve this soup to my family. Adding the Arborio rice will give the soup a pleasant texture although any rice will do. With nice challah on the side, and an extra big green salad, it will make a lovely Shabbat dinner.

Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
4 small leeks or 2 big leeks, cut into ½ inch slices
1 lb Swiss chard, cut into 1 inch pieces
12 cups chicken stock
1 cup Arborio rice or other medium grain rice
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions
In a large pot over low heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add leeks and cook stirring occasionally until tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and stock. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a simmer and cook until the chard wilts. Stir occasionally. This may take about 10 minutes.

Add the rice and salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is tender for about 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Adjust and add other herbs or spices as you desire.   Serve soup immediately.


Serves 8

This recipe was taken from William Sonoma - Savoring Italy

Matzo Ball Soup

This post is written by Leah our daughter.

As a cultural assignment for my French class, I prepared a dish that was part Jewish and part French. While searching on the internet for recipes, many of the links led to a book by Joan Nathan called Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France. It had recently come out, and therefore, my nearby library was still in the process of obtaining it. I put the book on hold (it is still not on hold yet). Thankfully, Mamie (my mother) did another Google search and found two recipes for me, one of which is described below. It is actually an adapted version of a recipe from Joan Nathan’s book.

Cranberry Cocoa Challah

We love Challah at our house in fact, we love all kinds of breads although we do try to eat bread in moderation. For this week's theme on the Preparation Day Link Up, Challah Bake Off, I decided to try a new Challah recipe. I used my main Challah recipe here and added some organic cocoa along with some sweetened dried cranberries. It turned out tasting pretty good but I think the next time I will add a bit more cocoa. I still plan to add some kind of cocoa/coconut drizzle on top.

Ingredients

4 cups unbleached bread flour
1/2 cup cocoa (I plan to increase to 3/4 cup next time)

3 TBSP granulated sugar (we use honey)

1 tsp salt

1 1/3 tsp instant yeast (we use regular yeast)

2 TBSP oil

3 eggs
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

¾ cup plus 2 TBSP to 1 1/3 cups water, at room temperature

1 egg white, whisked until frothy, for egg wash (optional)

Directions

• Stir together the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and yeast (because we don’t use the instant yeast, I usually proof my yeast with the water first, and once its ready then I add the dry ingredients)

• Using another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and yolks and ¾ cup plus 2 TBSP water. Poor the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a spoon or low speed with paddle attachment in mixer until the ingredients gather and form into a ball. You can add the extra water if need.

• Sprinkle flour on the counter and place the dough on the counter. Knead for about ten minutes (or mix at medium-low speed for about 6 minutes with the dough hook), sprinkle more flour if you need to make the dough more soft and supple but not sticky dough.

• Oil a large bowl, form the dough into a ball and place it into the bowl. Make sure to roll the ball around to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. (we’ve also used a dishcloth in the past). Let ferment for one hour at room temperature.)

• Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for about 1 minutes Add in the dried cranberries and knead to ensure the cranberries are somewhat evenly distributed in the dough. Re-form it into a ball and return the ball to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or whatever you are using and let ferment for another hour. It should be at least 1 ½ times its original size.  I usually form my loaves at this point, I don't reform into a ball)

• Remove dough from the bowl and divide it into 6 pieces for 2 loaves. Form each piece into a ball and cover them with a towel and let them rest for ten minutes. (I’ve been omitting this step, and my bread always turns out.)

• Roll out the pieces into strands, each the same length, thicker in the middle and slightly tapered toward the ends. Braid them using the 3-braid method. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment and transfer the loaves to the pan. Brush the loaves with the egg wash. Mist the loaves with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap or place the pan in a food-grade plastic bag.  Here's a short video for 3 braid instructions.

 

• Proof at room temperature for 60 to 75 minutes or until the dough has grown to 1 ½ times its original size.

• Preheat the oven to 350 F with the oven rack on middle shelf. Brush again with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.”

• Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan 190 degrees and continue baking for 20 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the loaf. The bread should be a golden brown.

• When done, you can transfer the bread to a rack and let cool for at least one hour before slicing or serving.

Adding a glaze on top can add more sweetness if you desire.

If you have a favorite cocoa or carob challah recipe, please share, i'm always open to trying something different.

Balsamic Root Vegetables in the Crockpot

This past week  I decided to try a new recipe for Thanksgiving. We strive to always include a big portion of vegetables as part of our dinner meal. And since lunches are usually leftovers from the night before, we are most likely still eating veggies, except for the green salad which always gets finished during dinner meal.   This recipe includes root vegetables simply prepared by chopping, a mixture of sweetened vinaigrette poured over the vegetables and allowing the crockpot to do the cooking. I adapted this recipe which was found in the November 2010 issue of Southern Living.

Ingredients

2 good sized sweet potatoes

1 good size parsnip

4-6 medium carrots

2 large red onions, coarsely chopped

1 good handful sweetened dried cranberries

1 Tbs honey

3 Tbs olive oil

3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Directions

• Wash, sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots, I only peeled the sweet potatoes. I cut the vegetables  into strips of 3-4 inches by about 3/4 wide. Combine parsnips, carrot, onions, and cranberries in a lightly greased 6 quart slow cooker; layer sweet potatoes over top.

• Mix together the honey, oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl. Once mixed, you can pour the mixture over the vegetables but do not stir.

• Cover and cook on HIGH in your crockpot for 4-5 hours or until vegetables are tender. Toss with parsley if desired right before serving. If you eat bacon it says you can sprinkle with it.

• Over all this was a nice tasting dish. Like I said, we enjoy vegetables. The carrots were still a tiny crunchy which made for a variety of different vegetables and a variety of different cooking levels. If you like root vegetables and would love try them all together in one dish, I would encourage you try this dish.

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

This recipe is shared with:
Tuesday Twister at GNOWFLINS
Slightly Indulgent at Sugar Free and Gluten Free 
Penny Wise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

How do you prepare root vegetables?  I'd love for you to share your recipes.

Progression Soup ~ How Have You Stretched A Meal?

Have you ever prepared a meal for your family and ended up with leftovers? Ok, who hasn't.  And wanted to use up your left overs the following evening but needed to cook something extra to feed your family but  ended up with leftovers again? And the following evening you wanted to finish up the leftovers but needed to be extra creative to make the meal stretch once more?

A dear friend of our family shared with us about how he experienced the same meal planning tips and called it his “progression meal”. I really like this term, don’t you. As you keep stretching your meal and move forward, meal after meal by adding new foods to it, it just keeps getting better and better tasting. You could refer to this as a progressional meal or even a “progressive” meal.  I personally like "progression meal."

  Dictionary Definition for the word ‘Progression’

   -  the act of progressing; forward or onward movement.

   -  a passing successively from one member of a series to the next; succession.

Last week I prepared chicken pieces in homemade tomato sauce on a bed of rice. We ended with quite a bit of chicken in tomato sauce left over but not much rice. The next evening I decided to reheat the chicken and tomato sauce and made a new batch of barley to go with the chicken and left the rice out for another meal. The following evening, I’ll be honest, I just didn’t feel like making supper and needed a quick fix and nutritious meal. Well what could be easier but to not have to cook anything and just prepare a soup. This is how I prepared my progression soup.

• With about ten cups of water in my pot, I added some organic vegetable broth powder,
• added some already cut-up leeks, white and green parts that I had in the freezer
• added left over chicken and tomato sauce(maybe one cup’s worth)
• left over rice and barley
• added some frozen corn and green beans
• One can of organic diced tomato
• Some frozen already cooked beans( about 2 cups)
• I also added some herb seasonings to taste.
• I let this heat up and it was ready in less than 20 minutes.

Yes our two teen children love vegetables, Yeah!  What a great way to use up your left overs and not waste food and still make it taste great. 

I’ve prepared this kind of meal many times before and I know you have as well. Please share with us your “progression” meal tips and what has worked for you.  Its is fun to hear from others what creations we can come up with at the last minute!

This was shared with:
Tuesday Twister at GNOWFLINS
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life  
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at  Simply Sugar and Gluten Free


Blessings ~ Carmen

Sprouted Bread Recipe and Review Series Continues

Not long ago, Moira from Look Who's Cookin' was here at Pebble Crossing as guest post with her first Sprouted Bread Recipe and Review  Please visit here to view her first sprouted bread recipe.  We really enjoyed your visit Moira!

Moira has since continued on with her review and has just recently posted her 3rd sprouted bread recipe and review at her blog Look Who's Cookin'.  This is an ongoing series so if you are interested in the recipes and review series be sure to visit and follow Moira.


Moira is a devoted wife and mother who loves to prepare healthy meals using whole foods.   You can find nutritional information on juicing, lacto-fermentation, sprouting and also eating clean biblical foods on her blog. If you have time, do read about how she learned to cook for her family here; it is a real encouragement to persevere.  

Many blessings
Carmen

Carrot Soup with Ginger-Dairy Free

Adding ginger to this carrot soup gives a zing of fresh ginger and complements the sweetness of cooked carrots in this refreshing soup. We are big fans of soups in the winter and continue to follow my family’s winter tradition of soup eating during the cold winter months. Yes even here in the Dallas area. Eating a large salad with an entrée of soup and a slice of homemade bread, or just eating many bowls of nourishing soup for dinner is not uncommon in our house. I had two Ginger Soup recipes with slight variations, one of them on a recipe card and the other recipe comes from a wonderful book called The Complete Guide of 400 Soups*. I came up with my own version of Carrot Soup with Ginger. Adding potatoes to puréed soups is a great way to thicken soups. Even if you are not a fan of ginger but love carrots this is a wonderful variation.

Ingredients

4 TBSP butter or coconut oil

1 onion chopped

1 3 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and coarsely chopped (about ¼ cup)

5-6 cups sliced carrots or more if you desire

2-3 small to medium potatoes, diced

10 cups of vegetable or chicken stock or broth

2 oranges, peeled and in pieces

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper

Crème fraiche for garnish, optional

• Melt the butter and add chopped onion and let cook on medium heats for five minutes and stir occasionally until the onion is soft.
• Stir in the cut up potatoes, carrots, ginger, orange pieces and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the low heat and let simmer with cover on. This may take about 20-25 minutes.
• Pour the soup into the food processor or Vita-Mix blender and process until smooth. You may want to let the soup cool before blending or processing. I had to blend in 3 batches. You may also prefer to use a vegetable mill to purée the soup.
• Once everything is blended or processed, return everything into the stock pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently to serve. This soup can also be served cold. Just chill soup in the refrigerator until cold, at least 6 hours (up to five days) and then serve.
• If you wish to garnish with a spoonful of crème fraiche, simply drizzle the crème on top of the soup and then create a swirl pattern by dragging the tip of a knife or fork through the crème fraiche.
• Options: celery can be added, leeks can be added instead of onion, 1 cup fresh orange juice instead of oranges. To make vegetable stock if I don’t have any on hand, I add my Frontier Coop Organic vegetable broth powder to my water.  For gluten free, simply avoid the crème fraiche.

Makes 8 servings or 2 meals for 4 people.

* Although there are some recipes using unclean foods in this cookbook, I have been blessed with making many nourishing soups.

This Recipe was shared with
Tuesday Twister at GNOWFLINS
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life 
Penny Wise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

Are you a soup lover also?  Have you made a carrot ginger soup with other variations?
 

Making Homemade Pumpkin Purée by Steaming or Roasting

Last week Leah and I spent time making our own pumpkin purée. If you are new to making pumpkin puree, continue reading. Since I had two pumpkins, I decided to make puree by steaming one pumpkin and  roasting the second pumpkin. By following these simple steps, you’ll be able to add more foods in your freezer to have on hand during the winter and spring months to come. We love making pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pies. How about pumpkin soup?  Yummy.  This is the ideal season to do so. Below I’m sharing two easy ways to make homemade pumpkin purée.

Making Homemade Pumpkin Purée by Steaming on the Stove

Supplies Needed

• sharp knife
• cutting board
• large stock pot or large pot with strainer, I used my pasta pot which has a strainer.
• spoon
• food processor or blender

Place the pumpkin under water and wash it thoroughly on the outside.  You want to avoid any dirt or bacteria to enter into the inside when cutting it.  With a sharp knife, cut the pumpkin in half crosswise.

Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds.  These can be dehydrated or roasted in the oven at a later time.
 

Continue to cut up the pumpkin halves into smaller pieces to be able to fit in a large stockpot.

Once the pumpkin is all cut up into smaller pieces, add 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water at the bottom of your pot.  Place the pumpkin pieces in the pot.  Turn the heat on high, once the water boils, lower the heat to medium, with cover on or slightly on an angle, allow the pumpkin to steam.  This took about 50 minutes to one hour for all the pieces to be completely steamed.

Remove the steamed pumpkin pieces to cool.  We used our Vita-Mix blender to blend and purée the pumpkin.  I included the pieces "with" the skin.  A food processor can also be used.  I did add some of the water when puréeing as I chose for the puree to not be too thick.  That is a preference that you can choose depending on your liking. 

Making Pumpkin Purée by Roasting in the Oven

Supplies Needed

• sharp knife
• cutting board
• baking dish big enough to hold the pumpkin halves, I used my pasta pot which has a strainer.
• food processor or blender

Preheat your oven  to 350 F.

As mentioned above, place the pumpkin under water and wash it thoroughly on the outside.  You want to avoid any dirt or bacteria to enter into the inside when cutting it.  With a sharp knife, cut the pumpkin in half crosswise.

Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds.  I set the seeds aside along with the seeds from the other pumpkin I was steaming.

Place the pumpkin half cut side down in your baking dish.  My first choice would have been a glass container but it was not an option for me since my pumpkin was too big for what I owned.  Add at least 1/4 to 1/2  inch of water at the bottom of the container.  Hey I caught you looking at the bottom of the oven, yes it needs cleaning, one of these days I'll get to it.

Roast until pumpkin is ready, you will see the skin changing color and will see the pumpkin softening. A knife or skewer can be used to be tested.  Roasting should take about one hour but it make take longer depending on the size.  My pumpkin was a bit bigger and it took more than one hour to roast.

Let pumpkin cool.  Once it has cooled, scoop out the pumpkin from the skin.  Leah and I were able to peel the skin off, it was that easy.  To purée we used our Vita-Mix.  A food processor with an S blade can also be used to purée.

To store, it is probably best to use glass jars.  Place in freezer or in the refrigerator for later use.

Blessings to all!  Carmen and Leah

This post was shared with
Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist
Tuesday Twister at GNOWFLINS 
Hearth 'n Soul at A Moderate Life 
Slightly Sugar and Gluten Free at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free 
Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Penny Wise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet