Homemade Electrolyte Drink {Gatorade Substitute}

It's flu season and one of the risks of the having the flu is becoming dehydrated.  Unlike Gatorade, this mixture contain no chemicals, artificial colors, or flavors.  No blue tongue from drinking this drink!  Here's you your health!

Homemade Electrolyte Drink / Gatorade Substitute

6 tsp fine sugar (organic preferred)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 T boiling water
1 quart of filtered water
juice of half a lemon, strained to remove pulp
1 drop of orange essential oil

Dissolve sugar and salt in 2 T hot water.  Let cool.  Add the sugar-salt mixture to a water pitcher and add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.  Add ice if desired.  Drink frequently while sick to prevent dehydration.

Beef and Heart Chili {Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or Stovetop}

Stay with me here.  Yes, this chili has heart.  I've used both beef heart and chicken hearts for this recipe with great success!

There are some compelling reasons to get more organ meat in your diet.  First, organ meats are nutritional powerhouses.   Organ meats are especially rich in B vitamins, the fat soluble vitamins A,D,E, and K, elastin, collagen, phosphorus, selenium, zinc, and the heart contains CoQ10, an antioxidant that has been shown to boost energy levels and immune function and benefit heart function.

The second reason I like to eat organ meats is because I feel it's a great thing to use the entire animal -  head to tail - none of that great nutrition goes to waste.  The taste can take a little getting used to, but a great place to start is heart meat.  It has a very similar texture and taste to meat you are used to eating, which means you can replace some of the beef in your recipes and will hardly be able to tell the difference.

Third, organ meat is often cheaper than other cuts of meat, so you can save money and get all that nutritional goodness!

I recommend getting your organ meat (and other meat) from trusted sources.  Animals raised conventionally in CAFO's are likely to have higher levels of toxins, hormones, and antibiotics, and lesser nutrition profiles than animals raised organically.  Grass fed beef is shown to have higher Omega-3 levels than conventionally raised beef, for example.  I source the hearts that I use from the farmers who raise the pastured chickens and grass-fed organic cows that I buy for my family to eat.  They are always happy to sell them to me!  {Click the Resources Tab for healthy food sources that I recommend.}

I'm still trying to get more organ meats in my diet and that means trying new recipes and ways of eating them.  So you might see a few "offal" recipes in the future here at Grow Cook Learn.

Do you have any favorite recipes or ways of using organ meats?  If so, leave a comment and tell us!


Beef and Heart Chili
adapted from Everyday Maven
Serves 6-8

1 Tablespoon "safe for high heat" oil (I use avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, or bacon fat)
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers or other chili peppers, to taste, seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 pound grass fed ground beef
1/2 to 1 pound beef or chicken hearts, cut into 1/4" pieces (or substitute more ground beef)
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large dried bay leaf
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 -2 quarts canned tomatoes, whole or crushed
2-3 green bell peppers, or assorted bell peppers (add more hot peppers if you like spice)
2 cups cooked beans, optional (I like black beans or pinto beans here)
avocado slices, cilantro, and/or shredded cheese for topping, optional

Heat oil in a stock pot or directly in the Instant Pot using normal saute setting.  Add the onion, celery, jalapeño, and garlic and saute until softened but not browned.  Add the ground beef, heart, and spices (through bay leaf) and cook until meat is no longer pink.  If slow cooking, transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.  Add tomato paste, tomatoes, bell peppers, and beans, if using.

Instant pot - pressure cook on high 35 minutes, wait 10 minutes, then manually release pressure.
Slow Cooker - cook on low 8-10 hours.
Stovetop - simmer, covered for 2-3 hours.

Taste and adjust seasonings and serve with toppings, if desired.

References (not primary sources):
https://www.livestrong.com/article/336563-is-beef-heart-healthy/
https://www.thepaleomom.com/why-everyone-should-be-eating-organ/

Flourless Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know a recipe is good when every time you make them, your friends ask beg for the recipe!  You can find cashew butter at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, or substitute your favorite nut butter.  You'll never miss the flour in these!

Flourless Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from theviewfromgreatisland.com
makes about 18 cookies

1 egg
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (or substitute coconut sugar, or granulated monk fruit/erythritol, such as Lakanto)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon molasses (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt if nut butter is unsalted
1 cup unsweetened cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, baking soda, molasses, vanilla, and salt.  Add nut butter and stir until well combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls and place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.  Flatten the dough slightly with your fingers or a spatula.  Bake for 12-13 minutes or until they are golden around the edges.  Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!  I always look forward to the leftover turkey just so I can make this soup.  It is one of my favorites and very easy to make.  It's a real comfort food and perfect for the weekend after Thanksgiving when you may be out shopping all day or just lounging around (like me!).

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
adapted from mountainmamacooks.com
Serves 6

3 T butter or ghee (for dairy free)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
8 oz mushrooms, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T all-purpose or gluten-free flour (I used white rice flour)
4-5 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 T soy sauce or coconut aminos (for soy/gluten free)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup wild rice
2 1/2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken), chopped
1/4 cup cream or half and half (omit for dairy-free)
1 T chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1.  In a large pot, melt the butter and oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until the vegetable are soft, about 10 minutes.
2.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook 5 minutes more.
3.  Add the flour and cook while stirring about 3-4 minutes.
4.  Stir in the stock, soy sauce, and bay leaf. and simmer for 30 minutes.
5.  Add the wild rice and simmer for 35 minutes.
6.  Add turkey, cream, thyme, salt and pepper and simmer another 20 minutes.  Add more stock or water to thin as needed.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms are touted for their many health benefits, and they are easily made into this delicious soup.

Creamy Mushroom Soup
adapted from The Nourished Kitchen
Serves 6

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 pound mixed mushrooms (porcini, shiitake, chanterelle, cremini etc), thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced, optional
2 teaspoons finely ground unrefined sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
3 cups chicken bone broth
2 tablespoons sherry
1 cup heavy cream, or less, to taste
pinch ground cayenne pepper, to taste

Melt the butter, add the shallots and thyme, and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute until mushrooms are tender and any extra liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the broth and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a stand blender until smooth.  Stir in the sherry and heavy cream and taste for seasoning, adding cayenne pepper, if desired.  Garnish with chopped fresh thyme, fresh sprouts, or a drizzle of pesto.

Ramp and Watercress Soup

I found myself with ramps and watercress in my fridge thanks to my Penn's Corner Spring Fever CSA membership.  Not sure what to do with them, I consulted the world wide web.  Cooking with unfamiliar ingredients is a snap with so much information at my fingertips.  I found out that watercress is a healthy cruciferous vegetable (like kale and broccoli) and that ramps are a foraged delicacy only growing for a short time in the Spring.  I only had to pick up some leeks and I was in business. Perfect for a cool Spring day, this soup was delicious and just what my body was craving - a healthy warm creamy soup with flavors that meld perfectly.  I enjoyed it with a dollop of plain yogurt mixed in and that made the soup even better.  

Ramp and Watercress Soup

Adapted from Sweet Paul

Serves 3-4

2 tablespoons butter

3 leeks, thinly sliced

1 cup ramps, thinly sliced

1 cup water

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup milk

1 large potato, peeled and cut into cubes

1 bunch watercress, washed good

1 tablespoon grated parmesan

salt

pepper

pinch cayenne pepper or to taste, optional

plain yogurt for garnish

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add leeks and ramps and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.  Add water, stock, milk and potato.
• Bring to a boil and let the soup simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
• Add watercress and parmesan, cook 3 more minutes.
• Transfer to a blender and puree into a smooth soup.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of plain yogurt and swirl it in with a knife for garnish.

Roasted Tomato Soup

I grew some tomatoes in my garden this year, and while I got enough to freeze, I still wanted to make marinara sauce and this tomato soup.  So I ordered a half peck (big box) of organic paste tomatoes from Kretschmann Farm, one of the CSA's I belong to.  Look at these beautiful tomatoes!

This tomato soup is quite easy to make - quarter enough tomatoes to fill a pan, throw on some shallots or onions, garlic cloves, chopped fresh herbs, spices and olive oil and roast in the oven.  When the shallots are golden and the tomatoes are soft, place everything into a blender, add stock and blend into soup.  A dollop of heavy cream is a nice addition, as would be a drizzling of basil pesto.  Freeze leftovers and enjoy it all winter long.

Roasted Tomato Soup
adapted from Honey and Jam

2 pounds fresh tomatoes, any variety, cut into wedges

4 shallots, peeled and quartered 

3 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs; I used thyme, oregano,  and basil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

basil pesto for garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.   Arrange tomatoes, shallots and garlic on a rimmed cookie sheet or other large pan.  Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and herbs, gently toss. Roast for 30- 45 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft and shallots have browned and caramelized.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Pour all of the pan's contents into a food processor and blend until smooth. Slowly add in stock while blending. 

Pour contents into a large stock pot, add heavy cream and adjust seasonings and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.