Cucumber-Dill Salad

This is a very refreshing side dish to serve at a hot summer picnic!

1 English cucumber

1/2 small red onion

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1. Thoroughly wash and dry cucumber; slice very thin; place in small storage container.
2. Peel small red onion; slice very thin; add to storage container.
3. Make dressing: in a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, cane sugar, sea salt, and black pepper.
4. Pour dressing into storage container; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine; place container in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
5. Chop fresh dill; remove container from refrigerator; add dill to container; stir to combine.

Serve immediately, or refrigerate in storage container up to 3 days.

Serves 4

Preheat: None

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook Time: None

Chocolate Dream Cookies

Must love chocolate!

3/4 cup light brown sugar, or cane sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup GF oat flour, or millet flour, or brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch, or potato starch, or cornstarch, or arrowroot starch

1 tablespoon egg replacer powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1-3/4 cups chocolate chips (Enjoy Life®), divided

3 tablespoons pure olive oil

1. Place baking racks in second and third positions; preheat oven to 350°F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, beat together light brown sugar, water, and pure vanilla extract; set aside.
3. In airtight container, combine GF oat flour, tapioca starch, egg replacer powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine and to introduce air; add to mixing bowl; beat to combine; set aside.
4. Fill a medium saucepan one-third full with water; place over medium heat; add 1 cup chocolate chips to smaller saucepan; place smaller saucepan over medium saucepan; heat to melt chips; stir until chocolate is creamy; remove pan from heat; add oil; beat to combine.
5. Add melted chocolate to mixing bowl; beat to form soft dough; fold in remaining chocolate chips.
6. Scoop dough out onto prepared baking sheets, placing 9 cookies per sheet, evenly-spaced apart.
7. Place sheets in preheated 350°F oven; bake 7 minutes; swap sheet positions; bake another 7 minutes.

Remove sheets to wire rack; cool cookies on sheets 10 minutes.

Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days.

Servings: 18 cookies

Preheat: 350°F

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 14 min

NATURAL FLAVORS = SOY

All Natural Juice contains SOY ... really!

I spent time this morning contacting Simply Orange Juice Company, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola (1-800-871-2653) to inquire about the ingredient "Natural Flavors" in their products, which include:

• Simply Lemonade
• Simply Lemonade with Raspberry
• All sizes and all flavors, including sparkling ....

And, these products are supposedly 100% juice ... but I will boycott these too!

• Simply Apple
• Simply Orange

I asked if they could please let me know if any of the constituents of Natural Flavors contain or are derived from soy. Boy did I get the run around! The first customer service representative stated that all their "juices contain BVO, Brominated Vegetable Oil, which is soy derived but does not contain soy protein". Also I was told that "if soy was in the products, it would state that on the label ... ".

Considering there are ZERO regulations concerning lecithin or oil derived from soy, I guess I should just believe the corporation! When tested recently, by the US Department of Agriculture mind you, it was reported that all samples of lecithin and oil from soy, contained soy protein and some in very high amounts! The new regulations to issue by early 2011 by the USFDA will hopefully address this problem.

Here is an excerpt from the entry in Wikipedia for BVO, a nice, nasty, and for the wrong person (such as my son who developed PTOSIS of the right eyelid over the past three days while consuming Simply Lemonade with Raspberry - the only new addition to his restricted diet) very dangerous food additive.

"Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is vegetable oil that has had atoms of the element bromine bonded to it. Brominated vegetable oil is used as an emulsifier in citrus flavored soft drinks to help natural fat-soluble citrus flavors stay suspended in the drink and to produce a cloudy appearance.

The addition of bromine increases the density of the oil, and the amount of bromine is carefully controlled to achieve a density that is the same as the water in the drink. As a result, the BVO remains suspended in the water instead of forming separate layers.

Health effects: Individuals with higher than normal sensitivity to bromine ... experience memory loss, tremors, fatigue, loss of muscle coordination, headache, ptosis of the right eyelid as well as elevated serum chloride blood levels.

Restrictions: BVO is one of four substances that the Food and Drug Administration has defined as an interim food additive, the other three are acrylonitrile copolymers, mannitol, and saccharin.

Standards for soft drinks in India and the European Union (including the UK) prohibit the use of BVO."

Please show your support and join the boycott of these products! You can also call Simply Orange Juice Company and ask that they please state more clearly on their label that their products contain BVO/soy!

Too much Fat or Oil ....

I am in the final stages of editing my second book, "Every Body Eats" and have discovered the wonders of lard - yes, I said that word - LARD! So I began retesting recipes with lard in place of oil or butter of choice and low and behold, what did I find? About 20% less lard is required! Believe it or not, Lard is the best choice .... I know, we have been educated to think lard = heart attack, but the newest truthful research indicates just the opposite!

Lard contains: Zinc, Selenium, Choline (significant value), Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), Vitamin D (D2 + D3), Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), Vitamin D, saturated Fatty acids 80g, monounsaturated Fatty acids 93g, polyunsaturated Fatty acids, 23g, Cholesterol 195mg (not stored readily as blood Cholesterol).

It is a natural animal fat and it very low in the dangerous polyunsaturated fatty acids, and contains zero trans fats. And, it yields an excellent end product!

Quick Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Make this as a large, square cookie then cut it into strips for cookie biscotti.

3/4 cup light brown sugar, or cane sugar, or evaporated cane juice, or granulated sweetener of choice
1/3 cup pure olive oil, or coconut, or palm oil, or 1/2 cup butter of choice
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup millet flour, or brown rice flour, or GF oat flour
3/4 cup tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch, or potato starch, or cornstarch
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 teaspoons egg replacer powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1. Place baking rack in second position; preheat oven to 375 degrees F; line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In mixing bowl, beat together light brown sugar, pure olive oil, water, and pure vanilla extract; set aside.
3. In an airtight container, combine millet flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, egg replacer powder, baking soda, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine and introduce air.
4. Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl; beat to form dough.
5. Place dough on prepared baking sheet; split in half; flatten each into large squares; sprinkle on chocolate chips; press down to adhere.
6. Place into preheated 375 degree oven; bake 7 minutes; remove sheet from oven; cool 5 minutes; slice into desired shapes, such as 1/2" x 4" strips.

Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Servings: 16 strips/biscotti
Preheat: 375 degrees F
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 7 minutes

Variations
To use egg: omit egg replacer powder; omit water; beat 1 egg in during step 2.
To omit egg replacer powder: omit egg replacer powder; omit water; beat 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce in during step 2.

Pulled Pork

Prep this dish in the morning and cook until lunch, remove from oven and shred to serve as pulled pork. Use half to make enchiladas for dinner; freeze the rest for future meals, such as pulled pork sandwiches.

3/4 cup GF ketchup
1/2 cup GF broth of choice, or water
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as a mixture of thyme, sage, rosemary (if dried, use 1 teaspoon of each kind, 1 tablespoon total)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, or granulated sweetener of choice (not stevia)
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, or 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons parsley flakes, or 2 springs finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 pounds well-trimmed pork roast, or pork tenderloin
2 cups unfiltered organic apple cider, as needed for moisture during end-stage of roasting

1. Place baking rack in third position; preheat oven to 325°F; select a deep, medium-sized roasting pan; set aside.
2. Thoroughly wash dry meat; remove all silver-skin and any extra fat.
3. In small bowl, whisk together GF ketchup, GF broth, finely chopped fresh herbs, dark brown sugar, garlic powder, parsley flakes, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper; add meat; coat well; remove meat to roasting pan; pour sauce over top of meat; cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.
4. Place roasting pan in preheated 325°F oven; roast 1-1/2 hours.
5. Remove pan from oven; remove foil; add apple cider; cover pan tightly with foil; return to oven; finish roasting, at least 1 more hour.
6. Remove meat from roasting pan to shallow bowl to cool; set roasting pan aside to cool sauce.
7. Once cool enough to handle, use two forks to pull pork into shreds; return to roasting pan; stir to coat with sauce; remove coated meat to serving bowl; serve immediately.

Serve pulled pork on a GF bun (page 225), or over GF pasta (page 215), or with mashed potatoes (page 275), or use to make enchiladas (page 298).

Refrigerate meat in an airtight container up to 3 days.

To freeze: allow meat and sauce to cool completely; scoop into plastic freezer bag; store frozen up to 2 months.

To prepare frozen meat: remove from freezer to refrigerator to thaw; or, cut bag open, place meat into small saucepan with 1/4 cup GF broth of choice (page 176), bring to a simmer, cook to heat through; serve.

Servings: 3 pounds (about 6)
Preheat: 325°F
Prep Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 2 hours

French Fries

A necessary accompaniment for a “Happy Meal” for kids! Great alone, or served along side chicken tenders (page 286), pizza (page 226), or corn dogs (page 288).

8 cups cold water

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 pounds potatoes of choice, such as Russet

6 cups lard*, or pure olive oil, or coconut oil, or palm shortening

Sea salt to taste

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Garlic powder to taste

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water; stir in 1 teaspoon sea salt; set aside; line a rimmed baking sheet with a kitchen towel; line another rimmed baking sheet with paper towels; set aside.
2. Wash potatoes; cut to a uniform size, keeping in mind thinner cooks faster; place potatoes, as they are cut, into the bowl filled with cold water; set aside to soak at least 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add lard to a cast iron Dutch oven, or deep fryer, or heavy-bottomed saucepan; place over medium-high heat, bring to 375°F (check fat temperature with candy thermometer).
4. Once lard has reached the correct temperature, remove a large handful of potatoes from the water to the towel-lined baking sheet; thoroughly dry potatoes.
5. Gently drop potatoes into hot lard (do not crowd); stir with metal slotted spoon; fry until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes; stir as needed to ensure even cooking.
6. Using slotted spoon, remove fries to paper towel-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, and/or garlic powder, to taste; set aside to cool slightly.
7. Allow lard temperature to reach 375°F between each batch.

Serve with ketchup (page 162), mustard (page 164), and mayonnaise (page 163).

Servings: 4

Preheat: 375°F

Prep Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 7 min

Variations

Other Vegetables to Use

• Parsnip
• Potato of choice (try Yukon Gold – very sweet and yummy!)
• Rutabaga
• Sweet potato
• Yam
• Yucca (slice fairly thin)

Replace in equal quantity to potatoes.

Notes

* To store used deep-frying lard or oil: while lard is still hot, stir gently with a metal spoon then skim off food particles; remove pot from heat and place in a safe place to cool completely; once cooled, scoop lard (or pour) into storage container; refrigerate until next use – use this lard to deep fry only; lard can be a few times; do not reuse lard that has been used to cook seafood or fish of any kind as certain dangerous bacteria are present in these meats that will proliferate as the lard is stored.

Maple Carrots and Sweet Tomatoes

This pleasing side dish is a great addition to a quick summer meal.

6 organic carrots, sliced on the bias

2 tablespoons soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance®), or pure olive oil, or butter of choice

2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes preserved in olive oil, or 2 dried tomatoes rehydrated and diced

2 tablespoons Maple sugar, or date sugar, or cane sugar, or light brown sugar, or liquid sweetener of choice such as Maple syrup or honey

1. In small pot over medium heat, melt buttery spread; add carrots and tomatoes.
2. Sprinkle on date sugar; stir; place on lid; decrease heat to low; cook until carrots are tender; stir occasionally.
3. Serve warm or cold.

Servings: 4

Preheat: None

Prep Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Variations

Other Vegetables to Use

(clean then cut into matchstick-sized strips)

• Beet
• Acorn squash
• Kombucha squash
• Onion
• Potato of choice, such as Baby Red
• Pumpkin
• Turnip
• Rutabaga

Combine with carrots, or use in replacement of carrots.

Notes

To prepare using an outdoor grill: generously coat the surface of a sheet of aluminum foil with fat or oil of choice, such as lard or olive oil; in a small bowl mix together all ingredients; place mixture in center of prepared foil; fold the long side of foil to meet in center, fold over edges to crimp the two sides together; repeat with other open side; place over coolest part of grill; cook at least 20 minutes – check for desired doneness prior to removing from grill.