The Healthy Cooking Coach

Barbecued Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce

I’ve had a fascination with barbecued ribs for the past couple of months, ever since I ordered Thai Style BBQ Ribs at Wild Thaiger in downtown Phoenix (I will post a qulaified review soon. Although this place has many grain-free and wheat-free menu items, they cannot guarantee that your meal will be entirely gluten free and not cross- contaminated with gluten foods, a major disappointment for many!)

A few weeks ago I had BBQ American-style ribs at the graduation party for my former cooking assistant and new friend, Mary Rondeau, and her husband Steve who recently completed their naturopathic medical school training.

New to ribs
I’ve only cooked ribs a couple of times (I was into macrobiotics for more than 12 years and vegan for 9 of those years, so I spent much of my adult life on a meatless or nearly meatless diet, then focused mainly on fish and poultry for many years, then got more into beef, lamb, and eventually pork). After my two recent experiences eating ribs, I was excited about trying some new recipes and techniques for cooking ribs at home.

The sauce
Although I have barbecue sauce recipe in my Garden of Eating book, I wanted to try something different. I found a recipe for Oakland Style BBQ Sauce in The Complete Meat Cookbook that piqued my interest. I tweaked the recipe, making substitutions for the vegetable oil, brown sugar, and conventional ketchup.

Since I cook with but don’t drink wine, I used red wine that had been sitting in my fridge (with a wine stopper) for many moons. I know wine connoisseurs will roll their eyes, but I didn’t think it hurt the recipe.

Yeah I know the picture on the right is a bit blurry. I had a smudge on the lens of my camera that I've since cleaned off!

The broth or stock
Rather than buy beef or chicken broth from a natural foods store, I used some of my homemade Bone Building Broth to make the barbecue sauce below. I’ve used it make other barbecue sauces and find it adds so much depth of flavor. It adds calcium, boron, soothing gelatin, and other healthful compounds such as glucosomine and condroitin sulfate, supplements people pay a lot for. It also allows me to get more mileage from the meat I buy. 

It’s easy to make and super economical. If you go through a quart of stock or broth per week and you use this instead of buying broth, you can save at least $150 a year! You’ll find the recipe in both the poultry and meat chapter of my previous book, The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook. You can use it to replace stock or broth in recipes; in some cases you may need to thin it with water.

About Bone Building Broth
Technically it’s is a stock because it’s made from bones rather than meat on the bone, but I call it broth because I like the way it sounds (you know the alliteration of all the Bs). I save raw and cooked meat bones, even if I’ve nibbled on them while eating a piece of chicken or steak. I deposit the bones in bags in the freezer, storing lamb bones separately (they have a strong aroma) and poultry and other meat bones in different bags When I have enough bones, or need more stock or broth, I create a delicious, gelatinous, broth packed with nutrients that support health by adding a few secret ingredients and leaving the bones to simmer. You’ll find cooking instructions in The Garden of Eating along with ideas for other ways to use it. The recipe requires no tending when made in a Crock Pot.

Don't let the long list of ingredients stop you from making this sauce. It comes together quickly if you measure our all the ingredients before you start and work methodically. It's so worth the time you put into it!

Oakland-Style Barbecue Sauce
From The Complete Meat Cookbook by Bruce Aidels & Denis Kelley

Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

You’ll never buy barbecue sauce again after tasting this simple sauce. The meaty, smoky sauce gets its flavor from reduced beef stock (or broth) and is not as tomato-y as many traditional sauces. Not only is it great over pork ribs, it’s also delicious on grilled steaks and burgers. You can make it as mild or as hot as you like by varying the amounts of (or leaving out) the cayenne or Tabasco. If you use canned or aseptically packaged cartons of beef or chicken stock or broth, be careful about salt—most canned and packaged stocks and broths become too salty when reduced. If you buy the stock or broth for this recipe, it’s best to leave the salt out altogether and adjust at the end. And use a low-sodium Tamari soy sauce.

Note: I doubled the recipe so I would have some leftover to freeze. This would make a great gift for family or friends any time of year.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I suggest extra virgin olive oil or palm shortening)
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped carrots
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (don’t even think about using bottled!)
¼ teaspoon salt (I use Celtic Sea Salt or Real Salt)
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine
6 cups beef stock or broth (I used 4 cups thick, gelatinous homemade Bone Building Broth + 2 cups water)
2 cups ketchup* (I use Westbrae unsweetened or fruit sweetened Ketchup; see variation below)
1/3 cup Worchestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins Worcestershire is gluten free as is The Wizards)
¼ cup soy sauce, preferable low sodium (I use Eden or SanJ Tamari soy sauce)
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons Natural Liquid Hickory Smoke Seasoning (I like Wright’s brand)
¼ cup dark brown sugar (I used Coconut Palm Sugar; see other options below)
3 tablespoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons dried thyme (crumbled between your fingers)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (crumbled between your fingers)
1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional); I used ground chipotlé pepper
4 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce, or more to taste (optional)

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, saute , celery, carrots, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and beginning to color, 10 to 15 minutes. 

2. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and boil for 2 to 3 minutes.  Put in the remaining ingredients except the Tabasco and stir until everything is well blended.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sauce has thickened but can still be poured.  Add a bit of water if it seems too thick. Note: In a 4-quart pot it took 1½ hours for a double batch to cook down to 4 ½ cups; more than the 45 to 60 minutes listed in the book.

3. Taste sauce for salt and pepper and, if you wish, add Tabasco or other hot sauce. Remove the bay leaves.

4.  The sauce keeps, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 1 month. If you make a double batch, you can freeze some in wide-mouth pint jars, leaving 1-inch of space below the lip in the jar and chilling it to refrigerator temperature before placing the jars in the freezer.

Variations:

*  Replace brown sugar or Coconut Palm Sugar with 1/2 cup soft pitted dates puréed with a portion of the broth or stock before cooking. Adjust with pure stevia extract powder or liquid or here at the end of cooking if needed, adding it 1/8 teaspoon at a time.

*  To make your own ketchup, click here: Note: You can replace the brown sugar with Palm Sugar or with soft pitted dates puréed with an equal amount of soft pitted dates, pureed in with the vinegar. Add 1/4 teaspoon pure stevia extract powder or liquid or here if you like, or as needed.

Barbecued Pork Ribs

Serves: 4- to 6-people w/bone in ribs; more with boneless

I used The All New All-Purpose Joy of Cooking as my guide for coking the ribs. If you use other kinds of ribs, check this book or an on line source for recommended cooking times and temperatures, which can vary with the kind of meat you use and the cooking method you select.

Note on yield: Figure about 1 pound of baby back ribs or 8 to 12 ounces of country style ribs or spare ribs per person. This accounts for the bones and shrinkage in cooking. I suggest cooking more than you need for a meal so you have leftovers for the next day or two and/or the freezer.

Ingredients:
4 pounds of bone in pork spare ribs or about 6 pounds of country style ribs (boneless or bone in)
3 cups of Oakland Style BBQ Sauce (see recipe above)

1. Slather the ribs with BBQ sauce.  I placed them in a 14x9x3 Pyrex glass baking pan with sauce in the bottom, then a layer of ribs, then sauce, then ribs, covering the top layer with sauce. I had 4 slabs of ribs, each 10-inches long by 3 to 4 ½ inches thick, by about 1 inch thick. I covered the baking pan with a fitted lid. A large Dutch oven or other pan will also work as long as it is not made of aluminum. It’s best to marinate in glass though. Note: If using foil, cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside of the pan without hanging out, then cover the pan tightly with foil so the ribs don’t touch the foil and absorb aluminum.

2.  Refrigerate all day or overnight.

3.  If you marinated the ribs in a bowl or other container unfit for baking, transfer them to 14x9x2 or 18x9x2 or other large pan. The ribs can overlap in the baking pan. Place the covered pan of ribs in a preheated 300° oven. Cover tightly with a lid or foil. Bake for 3 hours. Remove the cover and raise heat to 350°F, and bake for 1 more hour turning the ribs once after 30 minutes.  Don’t worry if they fall apart a little when turning them over.

4.  When done, remove them to a platter and let them rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile transfer the pan juice to a wide and shallow pot and boil them down until thick and saucy. You can slather more sauce of the ribs at the table or spoon it over grilled vegetables, green salad, or sautéed or steamed broccoli or bok Choy.

5.  Refrigerate leftovers. Once chilled freeze what you don’t plan to use within 3 days. Reheat leftovers in a heatproof dish in a toaster oven, about 15 minutes at 300˚F.

A visit to Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch

Are you looking for a fun day trip for kids and adults over the summer? If you live in Arizona or plan to visit the Southwest, check out Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch, the nation’s largest ostrich ranch, located in Picacho, Arizona, off I-10 and exit 219, 75 miles East of Phoenix.

The Attractions
At the ranch you can see ostrich face-to-face.  You can feed them, learn about their habits and habitat, and try products they produce. Besides ostrich you can see, pet, and feed miniature deer, donkeys, and lorikeets, noisy and colorful members of the parrot family, and learn about them.

After you’re done feeding the animals, you can go on a 40 minute monster truck tour of the ranch to learn more about the land, plants that survive in the desert, the creatures that live here, and how the ostrich fit in. You can also go ostrich fishing, an experience you won't forget!

Get your tickets
My good friend Don and I purchased tickets for the monster truck tour. We each received a 32-ounce cup of green alfalfa pellets to feed the deer, ostrich, and donkeys, and a tiny custard cup of nectar for the lorikeets.

The deer
We proceeded to the deer pen where at least 100 small deer greeted us with open mouths and a noise that sounded like a cross between honking geese and braying donkeys. They stuck their cute little faces over and through the railing on the fence, ate what we offered, and licked our hands. We decided to save some food for the ostrich and donkey pens.

The ostrich
I wasn’t as attracted to feeding the ostrich, although I did briefly. We noticed the warning that they can bite. Don put his hand out flat and let then eat from it. I dropped pellets into a chute to let them feed themselves. We didn’t stay as long at their pen. (I actually preferred feeding them more later in the day when we went Ostrich fishing on the Big Truck Tour.)

The donkeys
The donkeys were our next stop. They were friendly, eager to eat, and be petted. You could feed them out of your flat hand or put the pellets in a chute for them. I grew up around horses so I wasn’t afraid of letting them eat out of my hands. Don did the same. We found them endearing and fed them the last of our alfalfa pellets.

In the Aviary we met the lorikeets (aka Brushed Tongued Parrots).  They flew onto our hands and shoulders and slurped the nectar we brought them. They literally licked the cups clean. We went back to get a second cup of feed and nectar so we could feed the deer, donkeys, and Lorikeets a second time.

Strange but true
We learned that these tiny birds each eat the equivalent of a 150 pound person.  There metabolism run 100 times faster than ours. Adult Lorikeets burn approximately 250,000 calories a day!

Lorikeets enjoy being hosed down with water like kids playing in the sprinklers. They screech and fly around excitedly and chirp constantly.  They require huge amounts of liquid and a special and expensive diet.  They make a mess and they don’t take well to confinement. So they make poor house pets.

 The Big Truck Tour
Next was the truck tour. We entered the truck on a ramp (see right) and listened attentively to our guide, the daughter of the couple who started the ranch. She told us things we never knew about the deserts, the plants, and the animals that liver here, and the history of Picacho Peak. We also had a chance to go fishing for ostrich, something you’ll learn more about if you go on the tour.

Here is a sampling of what I learned:
There’s more but I don’t want to give away everything.

*    Ostrich are prized for their feathers, their leather, and their meat.
*    Ostrich don’t have teeth.
*    One ostrich egg can way 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds.
*    One ostrich egg = 24 chicken eggs.
*    In the wild an ostrich will lay as many as 20 eggs then sit on them to incubate.
*    If you take away an ostrich’s egg, she will lay another one to replace it.
*    If you keep taking away her eggs, she will lay an egg a day during her fertile season.
*    One ostrich can lay 60 to 80 or even 100 eggs a year.
*    Ostrich males and females take turns sitting on the eggs.
*    An ostrich has a brain the size of a walnut (a bird brain!)
*    Ostrich can run 35 to 40 miles an hour and for 30 to 40 minutes straight.
*    Australian Shepherd guard dogs protect the ostrich from Javalina at night
*    It will take 1½ to 2 hours to hard boil an ostrich egg.

I bought an ostrich eggs as a sounvenir. I’ll share more with you about how I cooked in another day.

To visit this family owned and operated ostrich ranch, buy ostrich meat, jerky, eggs, feather dusters, leather wallets, and more go to www.roostercogburn.com
You can also email them at <fun@roostercogburn.com>

To find out more about the annual ostrich festival, Google Chandler Ostrich Fest to learn when the festivities will begin.

Revisiting The Complete Meat Cookbook

Have you ever purchased a book that sounded great and boasted beautiful pictures then filed it away on a bookshelf and neglected to cook from it for one, two, three, or four years? Have you gone back at a later date and suddenly felt drawn to cook from it?

Such is the case with Bruce Aidell’s and Denis Kelly’s book, The Complete Meat Cookbook: A Juicy and Authoritative Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, and Cooking Today’s Beef, Pork, Lamb and Veal. I bought it as a part of a cook book club promotion and I’m glad I did.

Revisiting the book
After at least four and maybe five years of sitting idle on my bookshelf other than being used as an occasional reference when I wondered about the best cut of meat for a particular dish, I am finally using it. My 1998 hard cover edition has a delicious looking picture on the jacket and eight full color pictures of additional recipes inside. I have the 1998 edition. The newer editions have been updated.

What’s to like
I like the blend of history (of meat in the human diet), practical guidelines for choosing the right cooking method, choosing the right cut of meat, and then preparing each one to perfection. 
Illustrations in each chapter show you where on the animal each cut comes from, the different names for particular cuts, the different ways that each comes, such as square cut boneless lamb shoulder roast vs. rolled lamb shoulder roast, and how to cut each of them.

Sidebars answer common questions, provide cooking tips, cut through popular myths, and offer insights to help you become better at cooking meat. You'll find the detail here that is often lacking from other books. The authors don't assume you know how or how long to cook each kind of meat or how to tell when its done. Instead, they walk you through all the details you need to know to expertly cook meat.

You'll find so many recipes to choose from and they're all marked with helpful notations such as, Fit for Company, Good for a Crowd, Cooking on a Budget, Rewarms Well, Great Leftovers, Mom's Comfort Food, and more. I made two recipes from the book a couple of weekends ago, made another one last weekend, and have more earmarked for weekend with leftovers in mind.

Who will like it?
Whether you new to cooking meat or just looking for new ideas and inspiration, this is a great reference book. I like to refer to it hen I'm faced with unfamiliar cuts of meat, making homemade and healthier versions of old favorites, such as barbecue sauce, exploring different ethnic cuisines, and looking for a less expensive alternative to dining out. Dining in can be so much fun when you try one, two, or three new recipes each week or weekend and make enough for the next day or two.

Thai Style Meat
Since Thai food is my new curiosity, inspired by four recent visits to two local Thai restaurants and one Thai cooking class, I flagged all of the Thai recipes I found in the book.  I’ve used Asian ingredients for more than 20 years, many of them staples in Thai cooking, but I had only gone out for Thai food on a handful of occasions, until this past Spring.

Here’s the recipe I made a couple of weekends ago. I hope you will try it and tell me what you think. My dining companion and I enjoyed it. I would definitely make the marinade again for meat.

Thai Marinade for Pork (also great with beef)

This marinade also works well with spareribs, country-style ribs, pork chops, and lamb riblets. It’s also great with steak, which I used in the recipe below. The Asian ingredients can be found in Asian groceries or specialty stores or by mail-order. I doubled the recipe so I’d have leftover marinade to use with chicken during the week.From The Complete Meat Cookbook.

Ingredients:
¼ cup Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
2 tablespoons Asian peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves removed and tender center thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sugar (I used palm sugar)
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

3  (1-to-1½- pound slabs) of meat: sirloin, top loin, tenderloin, or T-bone steak, or spareribs, country-style ribs, pork chops, or lamb riblets)

1.  Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl and blend well. Put the meat into a zip-lock bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over the meat.  Cover if necessary and refrigerate the meat overnight turning occasionally.  

I added the next set up steps for anyone new to cooking with meat (any former vegetarians or     vegan reading?)
For a video on how to broil steak, click here:

2.  reheat a medium-hot gas grill or position a broiling rack 2 to 3 inches from heat source for 3/4-inch thick steaks, 3 to 4 inches for 1- to 1 1/2-inch thick steaks, 4 to 6 inches for 1 1/2- to 2-inch thick steaks.  Preheat 15 minutes before cooking (5 minutes for a toaster oven).
3. Remove the meat from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Shake off the excess and place on a broiling pan about 4-inches from the heat source or on a hot grill.
4. If using an electric oven or toaster oven, add 1/4 cup water to the bottom of the broiler pan (under the meat tray); it should not touch the steaks. During cooking, leave the door of an electric oven ajar.

For estimated cooking time for types and thicknesses of steak, click here:

5. Cooking time for steaks can range from 3 minutes for very thin cuts to 18 minutes for thicker pieces. Grill or broil steaks, turning them once they look done on the first side. To test for doneness, make a small slit in the steak and check the center. The interior should be slighlty less done than desired; the steaks will continue cooking after you remove them from the heat. I prefer rare or medium rare; well done meat can be tough and leathery.
6. Allow the steaks to rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes to let the juices to settle, then slice and serve, or refrigerate for later. Deposit any bones in a bag in the freezer for making broth or stock. Freeze leftover meat or consume within 3 days.

Source: The Complete Meat Cookbook: A Juicy and Authoritative Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, and Cooking Today’s Beef, Pork, Lamb and Veal by Bruce Aidell’s and Denis Kelly

Thai Beef Salad
Serves 4
In a Hurry.  Cooking on a Budget. Fit for Company.

This refreshing salad can be made with a freshly cooked steak such as flank steak or with leftover steak or roast beef.  Ideally, the beef should be marinated in Thai Marinade for Pork before cooking, but any flavorful steak marinade will do, since the meat will pick up Thai flavors from the dressing.  The spicy salad makes a lively centerpiece for a lunch or light summer supper; it can also be served as a first course for an Asian banquet.

FYI: I  doubled the amount of meat so I would have leftovers. I also did a slightly different presentation and replaced the tomatoes with red radishes. It made a yummy dinner and I enjoyed the leftovers the next day for brunch.

Note: Thai ingredients are available from Asian groceries or by mail-order.

Ingredients:
¾-1 pound steak, marinated (see above) and grilled, OR ¾-1 pound leftover cooked steak or roast beef
1 cup thinly sliced unpeeled English or Japanese cucumbers (I peeled and seeded the cuke)
½ cup shredded carrots (I peeled, the finely grated)
1 cup thinly sliced red onions
4-6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (I used romaine)

Thai Salad Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons light or dark brown sugar
1 2-inch piece of lemongrass, tough outer part removed, tender center very thinly sliced, OR
2 teaspoons thinly sliced lime zest
½ teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil or other basil

4 large iceberg or red lettuce leaves

Garnish:
20 fresh mint leaves, cilantro sprigs (optional), and 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1.  Thinly slice the cooked beef across the grain and then cu it into ½-inch-wide strips.  Set aside.
2.  Place all the vegetables, including the shredded lettuce, in a large bowl and set aside.
3.  To make the Thai Salad Dressing:  Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
4.  To assemble the salad:  Spread a lettuce leaf on each of four serving plates. Add the sliced beef  and dressing to the vegetables and toss well.  Put one quarter of the mixture on each of the lettuce leaves.  Garnish with the mint leaves, the optional cilantro sprigs, and the cherry tomatoes, and serve.

Source: The Complete Meat Cookbook: A Juicy and Authoritative Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, and Cooking Today’s Beef, Pork, Lamb and Veal by Bruce Aidell’s and Denis Kelly

Dip it, Dip it Good!

Go nuts
Nix nuts and nut butters from your “no-no” list. Recent research has affirmed what your taste buds already knew: nuts are great for your health. How good? Findings from five epidemiological studies have concluded that consumption of one ounce at least five times a week may significantly reduce your risk of developing coronary artery disease. That amounts to 1/4 cupful of nuts or 2 tablespoons of nut butter five times a week. Not a difficult amount to get down.

Beyond PBJ
Tired of nut butter and jelly sandwiches and celery sticks filled with peanut butter? It’s time to explore a multitude of more interesting options. You can transform nut butters into delicious dairy-free salad dressings, sauces and dips for raw and cooked fruits and vegetables, use them in sauces for exotic entrées, and as an addition to luscious, dairy- desserts.

Fat is where its at
One of the secrets to making vegetables more appealing to children and adults is to prepare or serve them with healthy fats or oils. This could be butter or ghee; olive, avocado cocout, or palm oil; avocado, guacamole, olives, or bacon; nuts or nut butters, or a dip made from one of these.

Adding fat to vegetables in cooking or at at the table makes sense nutritionally; it boosts the absorption of the carotenoids in vegetables, increasing the likelihood that some of the pro-vitamin A (betacarotene) will be convereted to true Vitamin A. Without fat, the conversion is a losing proposition.

Veggies dressed for success
Including fats, oils, nuts, or nut butters in meals and snacks, including those that contain vegtables, will help to stabilize your energy and blood sugar levels, making you feel more satisfied for longer periods after eating. Fat also carries and accentuates flavors of herbs, spices, and even sea salt, making everything it touches taste better.

The winning recipe
What follows is a recipe from my previous book, The Garden of Eating, that has been a house favorite for me, many of my friends, cooking students, coaching clients, and former personal cheffing clients for years. It is easy to assemble.You can double or triple it with ease. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator or for several months in the freezer. It’s versatile. You can make it thick and serve it as a dip or make it thinner and serve it as a ranch-like salad dressing. It pairs well with so many different foods.

Cashew Dill Dip & Dressing           

Prep: 15 minutes/ Yield: 1 3/4 cups; 8 servings

The creamy texture and rich taste of cashew butter makes a delightful, dairy-free, low-fat dip and salad dressing–––perfect for parboiled vegetables or tossed green salads. Look for unsalted, unsweetened cashew butter in natural foods stores or make your own.

Note: I often make a double or triple batch of this recipe. It only takes a few more minutes. The dip or dressing will last for 2 weeks in your refrigerator or several months in the freezer. For a triple batch, use an entire 16-ounce jar of nut butter (1 ¾ cups), then triple everything else. You may need to add a little more water.

Most salad dressings and dips pack a lot of fat in small serving. Not this one. You can turn 1 tablespoon of nut butter into 3 or 4 tablespoons of dip or dressing. You eat 1/4 cup of this for only 135 calories and 10 to 12 grams of fat.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted, unsweetened cashew butter (see variations  below)
1/2 cup warm filtered water
1 teaspoon finely ground, unrefined sea salt (reduce by ½ if using salted nut butter)
1/4 cup cold filtered water (omit if you want a thick dip; add for a salad dressing)
3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar or brown rice vinegar or 1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup minced scallions/green onions or 1 tablespoon freeze-dried onion flakes
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives or 2 teaspoons dried chives
1 teaspoon wet or dry mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed, optional
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper, optional

1. If you’re opening a new jar of nut butter, do not discard the oil on top; blend the entire contents of the jar in a food processor or a bowl with a sturdy spoon. If you’re not making a triple batch, return the mixture to the original jar and refrigerate the unused portion.
2. Dissolve the sea salt in warm water then mix it with ½ cup nut butter until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and purée in a blender, a food processor, or in a bowl with a whisk or immersion blender until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides.
3. Pour into a clean jar, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or freeze for 1 to 2 hours, until thick, before serving. Mixture will thicken when chilled. If too thick, stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time. Freeze what you don’t plan to use within 2 weeks and refrigerate the rest.
1/4 cup dressing: 135 calories, 2 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate (1 g fiber), 12 g fat, 17 mg calcium, 296 mg sodium

Variations:

*  Replace scallions (green onions), dill, chives and garlic with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of a salt-free dill blend made by Spice Hunte, Frontier Herbs, or some other company.

*  Cashew-Macadamia Dill Dip & Dressing: Use unsweetened roasted cashew-macadamia nut butter above. I buy mine at Trader Joe’s, a local independent natural foods store, Sprouts, or Whole Foods Market.

*  Macadamia Dill Dip & Dressing: Use unsweetened roasted macadamia nut butter above. I buy it at a local independent natural foods store Sprouts or Whole Foods Market.

Source:The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert-Matesz & Don Matesz (Planetary Press, 2004).

Do You Follow a Dairy-Free Diet & Lifestyle?

I love to read and I love to cook, so reviewing cookbooks is something that feels more like play than work. I was excited to receive a review copy of Go Dairy-Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living by Alisa Marie Fleming, a fellow blogger I met on line last year.

How it all began
The book opens with a short succinct summary of the authors story, of the baffling and often frightening symptoms she suffered from prior to discovering that she had a dairy allergy, of the cessation of her symptoms within mere days of going dairy free, and of her eventual ease in living a dairy free lifestyle.

Alisa Fleming’s personal success living dairy free area led to the creation and launch of www.godairyfree.org in 2004, an information resource for an estimated 7.5% of the U.S. population that follows a dairy-free diet.  She had no idea that she would eventually reach half a million visitors and receive more than 2.5 million hits over a 2 year period, or that word would continue to grow with each passing month. She didn’t know then that she would be so busy updating her high-ranking site weekly, if not daily, adding new product reviews, recipes, news articles, announcements, discounts, give-aways, personal stories, and other things that might prove useful for dairy-free eaters everywhere.

In 2006 Alisa produced a limited edition guidebook Dairy Free Made Easy in 2006, which quickly sold out. The popularity of both her web site and her guidebook led her to update and expand her guide to address additional FAQs and to include an expansive cookbook section and change the name.

What’s in it?
The 288-page book is broken down into chapters, six main sections. The first section, Understanding Dairy & Dairy-Free From a Health Perspective, includes chapters that explain the term dairy-free, addresses the questions of why someone would choose to live dairy-free, covers concerns about strong bones and calcium, issues relating to infant and childhood milk allergies, and other dairy-free concerns.

The second part of the book, Eating Away from Home, covers restaurant dining and social events and travel while the next section, Grocery Shopping and Preparing your Kitchen, teaches you about decoding food labels, including shipping list inspirations, includes Alisa’s Random Grocery Tips, and How to Create the Well Equipped Kitchen.

The fourth section, All You Ever Wanted to Know about Dairy Substitutes, explores the myriad of milk alternatives, offers alternatives to butter and cheese in cooking and baking, and includes egg substitutes for those who are also intolerant of eggs.

In addition to providing her own findings, Alisa's book features recipes and resources that other authors, experts, bloggers, and eaters have shared with her, including a couple of recipes from The Ice Dream Cookbook. It contains both a general index and a special index containing charts that tell readers which recipes are vegan and which ones are egg, soy, wheat, gluten, peanut and/or tree nut-free, a plus for those with multiple food allergies or intolerances.

What I like about this book
I like the comprehensiveness of the book, the layout and organization, the Q&A’s, and the extensive recipe offerings that meet the needs of people following a wide range of diets.

Although I don’t follow an exclusively dairy-free diet (I periodically eat some dairy foods), I have eaten a mostly dairy-free diet for the past 25 years, including 9 years of veganism in my twenties and early thirties. Many of my clients and cooking students follow dairy-free diets and I hear of increasing numbers of people being diagnosed with allergies or intolerances to milk products, including Children with ADD, ADHD, chronic respiratory problems, ear infections, skin problems, and those on the autism spectrum.

Because of my own experience and what I have learned about the possible health consequences of eating dairy products, particularly modern, pasteurized milk products from factory farmed cows, I can appreciate all that went into this book. 

Simple substitutions
I would recommend it to anyone who follows, or needs to follow, a dairy-free diet. Although some of the recipes call for ingredients I don’t keep in my kitchen or choose not to use, most recipes offer several options for ingredients; for those that don’t readers can easily make their own substitutions.

I think there’s so much valuable information contained in this book that readers who don’t eat this or that food can easily make the modifications they need to benefit from it. You’ll find recipes for savory and sweet things for every meal and any occasion.

 For example, in recipes that call for rice or soymilk powder, you can use coconut milk powder (I’ve done that and it works beautifully). In those that call for white or brown sugar, you can substitute maple or honey granules, coconut palm sugar, date sugar, xylitol, erythritol, honey, maple syrup, or any one of these combined with a tiny amount of stevia. In place of powdered sugar, there’s a new non-caloric sweetener called Swerve (made from erythritol) that looks, cooks, and measures like the real thing. I used it in one of Alisa’s recipes and it came out great.

Some recipes call for vegetable oil or vegetable margarine, one can easily substitute olive, coconut, or avocado oil, or non-hydrogenated palm shortening. If you follow a gluten free diet, you can easily replace all-purpose or wheat flower with a gluten-free flour blend paired with xanthan gum (1/4 to 1/ 2 teaspoon per cup of gluten free flour used). 

What I tried
I tried four recipes from this book: Dulce de Coco, Cinnamon Coconut Pops, Magic Shell, and Cool Whipped Coconut Cream. I thought they all came out great. I flagged additional recipes I would like to try for a special occasion, such as White Chocolate and White Chocolate Mousse.

First I tried the Dulce-de-Coco, a vegan twist on dulce-de-leche, the famous caramel flavored sauce. The recipe contained only four ingredients. I followed the straightforward instructions making only one substitution—replacing the brown sugar, which I don’t keep in the house, with coconut palm sugar, which I recently received a sample of.

I poured some of the finished sauce over sliced strawberries one morning and sprinkled with shredded unsweetened coconut. I shared some of the sauce with friends, who also liked it. I think it would taste great over vanilla or ginger-flavored Ice Dream (my non-dairy, coconut milk based ice cream alternative), commercial coconut milk ice cream. 

The Cinnamon Coconut Pops recipe required a minimum of ingredients and took less than 10 minutes to assemble and pour into popsicle molds. Once frozen, I made the Magic Shell (chocolate coating) in about 5 minutes (recipe below).

I don’t have or use a microwave oven, so I melted the chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat. I ran warm water over the popsicle molds to release the pops, set them on a plate, and spooned the liquid chocolate sauce over them, turning them to coat all over with chocolate. For a prettier finish, go slowly with this step.

I set the chocolate covered popsicles on parchment paper and returned them to the freezer. The result: delicious, ice-creamy coconut milk popsicles covered in a crispy shell of chocolate, reminiscent of the ice cream bars I ate as a child.  I would make them again especially with children or for company. 

For the Cool Whipped Coconut Cream, I replaced superfine or powdered sugar with Swerver (info above) and the rice or soymilk powder with coconut milk powder. The result was a creamy, voluptuous topping that tasted great over berries and just as good on it’s own, spooned into a parfait glass and sprinkled with cacao nibs.

I liked that the recipes were simple, easy to follow, didn’t require any special equipment – except popsicle molds, which I already had. the author also explains that you can replace these with 5-ounce paper cups and wooden craft sticks.

Magical Shell
Yield: approximately 1 Cup

Recipe from Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living by Alisa Fleming

I loved this stuff as a kid, so when I discovered the magical solidifying properties of coconut oil, I knew it was time to recreate this old favorite at home.

Ingredients
6 Ounces Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (see my variation below)
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Grapeseed or Vegetable Oil (I used unrefined almond oil; avocado oil would also work)

Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it on HIGH in 30 second intervals (just 2 to 3 should suffice), stirring vigorously between intervals, until the chocolate has just melted and is smooth (see notes  below for melting without a microwave). Be careful not to overheat the chocolate, as it can scorch easily.

Stir in the two oils until smooth and drizzle away! Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator, warming the sauce as needed.

My notes & variations:
The recipe called for 6-ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips, which I didn’t have in the house, so I subbed 6-ounces of bittersweet dark chocolate plus 3 tablespoons of honey and ½ teaspoon of clear stevia liquid. For the grapeseed or vegetable oil, I used unrefined almond oil. Since I don’t have a microwave oven and I discourage using one, I chose to melt the chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat. It came out great.  I plan to try the leftover sauce over strawberries, other variations on the popsicles, or one of my Ice Dream flavors for another weekend treat.

Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for milk allergies, lactose intolerance, and general casein-free living is now available to purchase via Amazon or BarnesandNoble.com. For those who prefer the instantaneous gratification of eBooks, Go Dairy Free is also available in an eBook format and through Amazon Kindle. For more information, visit our Dairy Free Shop.

Dairy Free Coconut Whipped Cream

Last summer, shortly after I received review copies of my Ice Dream Cookbook, I found Ricki Heller’s blog, Diet, Dessert & Dogs. I perused it, noticed she used some of the same ingredients that I use, that she loves to bake, create new recipes, write about food and her dogs, and follows a wheat-free, dairy-free diet.

I offered to send her an early reading copy of my book. In exchange she tried several of the recipes, took pictures of them, and wrote a review. When I heard she had a book in the works, I asked if she would send me a review copy once her book came out, which she did.

Ricki lives in Maple, Ontario with her husband and two lab-border collie cross dogs. Her book, Sweet FreedinL Desserts You'll Love Without Sheat, Eggs, Dairy, or Refined Sugar, represents the culmination of years of developing recipes, baking, and gathering her most requested and successful recipes from her former vegan, organic bakery, Bake It Healthy, her years of catering, teaching cooking classes, doing cooking demos for groups, and writing her award-winning blog, Diet, Dessert and Dogs.

Allergy friendly desserts
“Many people think the term healthy desserts is an oxymoron,” says Ricki Heller, a holistic nutritionist and former English teacher. But when she was forced to change her diet for health reasons, she wasn’t willing to give up her favorite desserts just because she could no longer use conventional ingredients.  So she designed recipes that she could enjoy and share with others who had food allergies or intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, casein allergy, and sensitivity to refined sugar. 

Coconut Whipped Cream in process>>>>

Allergy friendly designations
Each of her recipes includes a symbol/key indicating the special need the recipe is suited to, for example, SF = Soy free, GF = Gluten free, CF = corn free, NF = nut free.  Rather than use wheat, her recipes call for speet, oat or barley flour.  Instead of white or brown sugar, her recipes call for agave nectar, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, dried fruit or some combination.  All of the ingredients she uses can easily be found in the health food section of supermarkets and natural foods stores.  Ricki also offers alternatives for those who cannot eat eggs.  She says that about one-third of her baking is entirely gluten-free. 

Btw: If you follow a gluten free diet you could replace the gluten flour in her recipes with a gluten free flour blend, if you do this you will need to add ¼ to 1/2 teaspoon of guar gum or xanthan gum as a binder per cup of flour. Ricki prefers to avoid these binders, so most of her gluten-free baked goods are grain free. I find the binders helpful so I offer the above tip.

Coconut Whipped Cream, ready>>>

Conversion guide
Ricki’s book includes guidelines for converting recipes from sugar to maple syrup, agave nectar, and date puree, how to replace eggs with flax, chia seeds, or tofu, and information on using coconut oil, olive oil, coconut milk, almond milk, and other alternatives.

Who will like it?
If you include have a sweet tooth, you limit or avoid dairy products, you prefer to use less refined sweeteners, you regularly consume grains, or you cook for anyone else who falls into one or more of these categories, you’ll want to check out this book. Most of the recipes in Sweet Freedom focus on baked goods—muffins, scones, rolls, cookies, bars, squares, cakes, cupcakes, dairy-free cheese cakes, pies, and baked puddings although the book does include toppings, frosting and some raw and no-bake treats.

What I tried
I made her Soy Free, Sugar Free Coconut Whipped Cream (page 125), which Ricki says she tested more than 50 times – by far the most in the entire book. 

Although “it’s a slightly fussy recipe with several steps,” says Heller, “the result is well worth the effort:  you’ll have a light, creamy, fluffy topping that can be dolloped over shortcake, pie, or fruit without soy or refined sugar.   She also includes tips for making it stiffer and piping it through a pastry bag.

I made it twice because the first time I neglected to divide the cornstarch and add it at two different stages. Nevertheless, I enjoyed both batches over juicy summer berries one time and my Fresh Fruit Gel the next weekend. While not as light as real whipped cream, it’s a pleasant alternative for those who need to avoid all dairy and it looks like a rich and special treat, my photograph doesn’t do it the justice that the cover of Ricki’s book does.

I made the Cashew “Cream,” (page 106) a staple in most vegan households (which mine is not...but I do love cashews). Mine came out a bit dark because of the quantity of dates I used. The recipe called for a specific number of dates, which here in the date growing Southwest can vary in size. I think future printing of her book will call for a specific weight, which will improve accuracy.

Cashew Cream made w/dates>>>

You can serve it as an ice cream or whipped cream alternative over fresh fruit desserts, or pies. Unlike most sweetened nut cream recipes, this one calls for dates rather than maple syrup or agave nectar.  I found the texture creamy and the flavor sweet – a nice topping for fresh strawberries or peaches this time of year. 

Sweet Freedom, a 7x10 book, contains more than 100 recipes in 172 pages, a four color cover, and a 6 page color insert showing off 18 of Ricki’s recipes.  The cover includes four more. The book is indexed by ingredient and recipe names.  It retails for $27.95 Canadian. For more information or to order, visit the Diet, Dessert & Dogs blog

Soy Free, Sugar Free Coconut Whipped “Cream”
Recipe from Sweet Freedom by Ricki Heller    

In creating this recipe, I ended up testing it more than 50 times—by far the most in the entire book—and am happy to say I’m thrilled with this final version. It’s a slightly fussy recipe with several steps, but the result is well worth the effort: you’ll have a light, creamy, fluffy topping that can be piped or plopped in dollops atop shortcake or pie, all without soy or sugar.

Ingredients
1-1/2 level tsp (7.5 ml) agar powder or 1 level Tbsp plus 1 level tsp (30 ml) agar flakes
2 Tbsp (30 ml) organic cornstarch, divided (arrowroot won’t work for this recipe)
3 Tbsp (45 ml) light agave nectar (I used honey)
1/3 cup (80 ml) plain or vanilla rice or almond milk
One 14-ounce (400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk (I use Thai Kitchen; the higher the total fat content, the better), at room temperature; shake well before opening
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) fine sea salt
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) coconut oil, preferably organic, melted (optional; will depend on the fat content of the coconut milk)

For agar powder: In a small bowl, combine the agar powder, 1 Tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch and agave nectar. Whisk well to eliminate any lumps.
Pour the coconut milk, rice milk and salt into a small heavy pot. Slowly whisk in the agave mixture until well combined.

Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to boil. Continue stirring constantly and cooking over medium heat for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the mixture into a deep bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, stirring once every minute for the first 5 minutes. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow to chill completely, at least 4 hours.

For agar flakes: Combine agar, rice or almond milk, coconut milk and salt in a small, heavy bottomed pot; allow to sit at room temperature, covered, for at least 20 minutes to soften the agar.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp cornstarch and agave nectar until smooth. Add to the agar-milk mixture in the pot and stir to blend.

Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally to avoid scorching. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a deep bowl (this will catch any bits of flakes that haven’t dissolved entirely; you definitely don’t want chunks of agar in your whipped cream!). Allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, stirring once every minute for the first 5 minutes. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow to chill completely, no less than 4 hours.

Once chilled, proceed as follows for both agar powder and agar flakes: Break the chilled mixture into large chunks (it should be jelled and quite solid) and place in a food processor. Sprinkle with the last 1 Tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch and process until perfectly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides two or three times. The mixture should have no visible little lumps or grains of gel, and should be very fluffy and smooth. At this point, the cream may be used as is to dollop over pies or puddings. For a firmer cream that can be piped, continue as below.

If the cream is not quite stiff enough to pipe, beat it with electric beaters, as follows: turn the already-processed cream into a deep bowl. If you have time, refrigerate for another 10-15 minutes until very cold (otherwise, place the beaters in the freezer for a few minutes). Melt the coconut oil (start with one Tbsp or 15 ml). While beating the cream, pour the melted oil in a stream over it, and beat on high speed to incorporate; the cold cream and beaters will help to congeal the oil as it’s blended in. The cream should thicken enough to hold a shape. If necessary, use the final Tbsp (15 ml) of oil as well.

Store in refrigerator up to 5 days. The cream will keep its shape and should still remain soft. Makes about 2 cups (500 ml).

For more information or to schedule an interview with Ricki (samples of the baked goods can be provided to Toronto-area events), you can contact her through her blog.

To order, visit www.dietdessertndogs.com/cookbook or www.amazon.com

Cooking with Economy Cuts, part 2

In a previous post about Healthy Eating on a Budget and cooking with economy cuts, I suggested buying and cooking more roasts. If you haven’t cooked many roasts you might conjure up visions of waiting hours for your dinner to cook. Not so! Many a roast will be done in 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 

Cook ahead
I like to do all or most of my cooking in the morning. That simplifies my day and allows me to pull out food when I need it, whether I am dining at home or packing a meal to go. Whatever my schedule for the day, I know I have food ready when I need it. I also like to cook with multiple means in mind, so cooking a larger cut of meat, such as a 2 to 3 pound roast means I will have great leftovers (planned-overs) for future meals.

Cook with multiple meals in mind
I usually plan to serve the meat 2 or 3 days in a row. Whatever I don’t think will get eaten in that time, I freeze in single or double portions, in heatproof Pyrex or Corning Ware containers with lids, or wide-mouth pint-size canning jars. I label them with wide masking tape and Sharpie markers, and then I stash them in the refrigerator. Once the containers feel cold to the touch, I transfer some of them to the freezer

Homemade convenience food
I transfer containers of leftover meat from the freezer to the refrigerator a day or so before I need them.  I can serve them close to room temp without reheating, in hot weather, if I don’t want to wait to heat the meat, or if I want to slice and serve it over a salad. Or, I can remove the lid and place the heatproof container in my Cuisinart convection toaster oven and heat for 10 to 12 minutes at 250˚F or 300˚F.

The How to Cook Everything Book
For the recipe below I consulted Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything. I started with his recipe for Roast Pork with Garlic and Rosemary. I doubled the amount of seasonings (rosemary, red pepper, sweetener, and garlic) as indicated below. I replaced sugar with dried coconut palm sugar, cayenne with ground chipotlé pepper powder, and I used dried powdered rosemary rather than fresh (I dry rosemary myself, then powder it). I prefer grinding dried rosemary needles rather than leaving them whole, where they get stuck between teeth and sometimes look more like lawn rakings than herbs. The powdered herb spreads more easily over foods, whether I’m making a roast or roasting vegetables. Other than those few changes, I followed the instructions as written.

For tips for drying and powdering fresh rosemary, click here.

Meals made easy
The roast pork cooked in 1 and 1/4 hours. Just before I popped it into the oven, I also seasoned a pan of cut of chicken fryer parts. Both of them cooked at the same time. This provided the meat for the other meal of the day for three days with several portions for the freezer. 

While the meats cooked, I prepared vegetables with three days in mind. I made sautéed kale with onions and herbs and blanched broccoli with carrots. To round out each meal I planned to rinse and slice fresh fruit, topping or serving it with crispy toasted nuts or creamy raw coconut butter.

I find eating a moderate to low-carb produce- and protein-rich diet is so much easier to plan and cook for than my previous plans that required foods with long soaking and or cooking times, such as whole grains or starchy vegetables.  Doing IF (Intermittent Fasting) and eating only two times a a day further simplifies shopping, cooking, and eating so I don’t have to spend as much time in the kitchen or at the table, which gives me more time and energy for other things.

To read about IF (intermittent fasting), check out Eat, Stop, Eat, and Lean Gains  and this site.

Back to the roast
After letting the pork roast rest for 10 minutes, I sliced it thinly and divided it between 8 containers, spooning some of the reduced pan juices over each portion. After refrigerating, I froze 5 of the containers, that left me set for protein for 1 of my 2 daily meals for the next 3 days.

Roast Pork with Garlic and Rosemary

Time: 1-1/2 to 2 hours, largely unattended        Yield: 6 or more servings

Bittman suggests you serve this with very light side dishes; to me that means non-starchy vegetables prepared or serve with a bit of butter, olive oil, or homemade salad dressing, and fresh fruit for dessert. He says,” this is the kind of dish that drives you wild and makes you eat more than you want to.” I didn’t have that problem. I felt easily satisfied with a modest portion.

He suggests that “If you want a more garlicky flavor, cut a clove of garlic into thin slivers and, using a thin-bladed knife, insert them into the roast all over. You can do this a day or two in advance; if you do, rub the roast all over with salt, too, and keep refrigerated, covered loosely with a towel or piece of waxed paper. “

Note: The recipe below contain twice as much of the seasonings as Bittman's original recipe from his book, How to Cook Everything.

Ingredients:
finely ground sea salt and black pepper (I used 1 teaspoon of each)
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried (I powdered it and doubled it)
1/4 teaspon cayenne, optional (I used 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotlé)
1 tablespoon sugar (I used coconut palm sugar and doubled it)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I doubled it)
1 (3- to 4-pound pork loin roast, bone in or 1 (2- to 3-pound boneless roast, or a similar size pork loin roast
1 1/2 cups dry white wine or stock, approximately (I used wine)
1 tabelspoon butter, optional (I used extra virgin olive oil and doubled it)

   

1. Preheat the oven to 450˚F.  Mix a liberal amount of salt and pepper together with the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, and garlic, and rub it all over the roast (I figured about 1 teaspoon of each).  Place the meat in a roasting pay (use a rack if the roast is boneless, but don’t bother if the bone is still in) and put in the over. Roast, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.

2. Open the oven and pour about ½ cup of wind or stock over the roast; lower the heat to 325˚F. Continue to roast, adding about ¼ cups of liquid every 15 minutes or so.  If the liquid accumulates on the bottom of the pay, use it to baste; if not, add more.

3. Start checking the roast after 1 and 1/4 hours of total cooking time (it’s likely to take about 1 and 1/2 hours).  When it is done—an instant-read thermometer will register 145˚ to 150˚F—remove it to a warm  latter.

4.  Put the roasting pan on the stove over 1 or 2 burners set to medium-high. If there is a great deal of liquid in it, reduce it to about 3/4 cup, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any brown bits that have accumulated.  If the pan is dry, add 1 cup of liquid and follow the same process. Note: If the pan is not suitable for the range top, scrape the juices into a saucepan. When the sauce has reduced some, stir in the butter if you like, slice the roast, and serve it with the sauce. (I cooked the sauce down to about 3/4 cup.)

Real Food for Mother and Baby

I just finished reading, Real Food For Mother & Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two and Baby's First Food  by Nina Planck (Bloomsbury, 2009).

Jonathan Yardley of the Washington Post described Nina Planck as “A cross between Alice Waters and Martha Stewart.”

What’s in it for you?
If you’re looking for guidance as you enter the all important act of conception and the stages of pregnancy, breastfeeding, weaning, and introducing nourishing food to your baby, or you educate parents, prospective parents, and caregivers about the essentiality of a diet based on real, wholesome, and traditional foods, you’ll want to read this book.

You’ll get ideas about what to eat when you’re pregnant and why. You’ll glean tips from Ms. Planck’s experience and insight about the changes your body and emotions may go through and how to prevent problems such as swelling, bloating, excess weight gain and varicose veins. You’ll learn from the author's experience nursing a baby and eating real food, how to know when to wean, what to feed your baby, and what challenges you might encounter along the way. You’lll also learn about
How to transition your baby to solid foods.

If you are hoping to get pregnant, this book is worth buying for the chapter on fertility foods alone. You’ll find information that used to be common sense that has been lost in our modern fast food and pharmaceutical focused culture.

For the record
Before we go any farther I want to make it clear that I am not pregnant nor am I even remotely considering becoming so, at least not this time around. If I have another life coming up after this one, I’ll consider it…then! So why am I reading a book on this subject? I thoroughly enjoyed Nina’s previous book, Real Food: What to Eat and Why.  I like the way she cuts through the dietary dogma dictated by the industrialized fast food empire and stands up for real, old, whole, and slow foods.

Practical wisdom
In this, her latest work, Ms.Planck shares practical wisdom and her personal experience going through the stages of pregnancy, delivery, nursing, and introducing solid food to her baby. She debunks many conventionally held beliefs about pregnancy and baby foods.

     “Nina Planck’s personal story of life with baby Julian, from preconception to tending the first tomatoes at their own Small Farm, makes compelling reading. Her non-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is voice cuts through cant and euphemism like a whiff of sharp cheddar for anyone who wants the real dope. Her basic distinction between real and fake foods makes essential reading not just for mothers with babies, but for all of us who want to live and eat well.”
    ---Betty Fussell, author of The Story of Corn, Raising Steaks, and My Kitchen Wars

Tells it like it is
Nina can be controversial. Her op-ed in The New York Times on vegan diets for infants was one of the paper’s most emailed articles; however, if you delve deeply you’ll discover that what she says makes sense – intuitively, historically, nutritionally, and even scientifically. 

    “Science is finally catching up to what our grandmothers knew long ago:  that traditional foods, and even fats, are actually good for you—and a whole lot healthier than the creations of food technology. Drawing on the latest research and oldest folk wisdom, Real Food offers a persuasive and invigorating defense of eggs, butter, mea, and even lard (!(, as well as a powerful critique of a food industry that aims to replace these standbys with its highly processed, and sometimes deadly, simulacra. Nina Planck has written a valuable and eye-opening book.”
    --- Michael Pollan, a real food advocate and author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, The Botany of Desire, and In Defense of Food

What’s real food?
Ms. Planck defines real food as old––meaning we’ve been eating it for a long time, thousands, if not millions of years.

Planck includes stone age foods we can or could hunt or gather: meat, fish, fowl, insects, eggs, leaves, nuts, berries, and the odd sip of honey scavenged from bees – cultivated foods such as whole grains, and foods we can make from them, such as traditionally fermented sourdough bread, porridge, wine, and beer, which in the context of our time on earth are relatively recent additions that entered human diets approximately 10,000 thousand years ago. 

She also includes in this category traditional dairy products––real creamy butter, full fat milk, yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, sour cream, and whole milk cheese. By traditional she means foods produced and prepared roughly as they once were before factories gave us refined, denatured, lesser versions.

While her definition may not be spot on for those who espouse and follow a paleo or primal diet,  it’s fairly chose and I believe her definitions would certainly put the majority of Americans on the road to better health by eliminating the most unnatural foodstuffs and focusing on more nutrient dense foods created by nature.

Out with the old school
Rather than the old school notion that pregnant women should take iron supplements, eat low fat foods, avoid fish because of mercury contamination, eat soy for protein and reduce their salt intakes if they’re swelling, Nina explains why you’re better off getting your iron from red meat, eating wild fish for omega 3’s, eating more protein to reduce swelling, eating plenty of traditional fats for boost important fat soluble nutrients. 

Photo right: Rachel Albert Matesz © Copyright 2009

“ Eating is our most fundamental and sensual act. It never did make sense to me that eating what’s good for you should mean depriving yourself of foods you desire. Now Nina Planck explains exactly why we are drawn to foods that delight our senses and keep us healthy.”
    ---Bill Niman, founder of Niman Ranch

Breast is best
Nina won’t give you the worn out mainstream advice that nursing for 3 months is enough, that your baby needs mushy food, that cereals are soft veggies are good first foods, or that your baby needs iron fortified cereals or formula.  She will tell you about how breast milk saves lives and that formula can’t replace it and that even today’s “good” formulas contain bad ingredients.

Myth busting
Contrary to what your doctor might tell you, Ms. Planck will tell you about how the benefits of nursing for digestion, immunity, and nutrition continue for as long as you nurse, even while feeding real food.

You’ll learn about why Ms. Planck thinks teeth have nothing to do with baby nutrition; why you don’t have to spoon feed your baby, why the best first foods are good fats (avocado, olive oil, and butter) and proteins (meat, cheese, and egg yolks); why you don’t need to make or buy bland or puréed baby food or delay feeding your baby good/real foods, such as milk or eggs, to prevent allergies. Best of all Ms. Planck will encourage you to breast feed and buy and to feed your whole family real foods.

From zero to two
This book is a complete guide to eating from pre-conception to 2 years of age.  Even people who aren’t planning to get pregnant will profit from this practical guide to eat real food. You'll also find valuable resources from books and web sites to organizations that can provide support and education as you move through the stages of pregnancy and mothering.

To read articles by Nina, receive her newsletter, and more visit her web site: http://www.ninaplanck.com/

To pick up your copy of Real Food for Mother and Baby check on line sources such as Amazon or visit your local bookstores. You won’t regret it!