Category: Food

Aloo Gobi

Aloo Gobi is one of those dishes I’ve enjoyed in lunch buffets at Indian Restaurants, but don’t usually order as an entree for dinner. It’s unassuming and understated, not as much star power as the tandooris or the tikka masalas.

When it comes to home cooking, though, Aloo Gobi wins because I can make it in under an hour. Also, a quick glance down the list of ingredients reveals at least five ingredients that are known to be cancer-fighting immune boosting superfoods.

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is blowing up all over the internet with lists upon lists of the many benefits and uses for it, from nutrition to personal care to first aid to household uses.

Garlic has been shown to lower risks for certain cancers, as well as supports the immune system. We turn to our recipe for Honey Lemon Garlic Tea every time we feel under the weather and need a boost.

Ginger fights cancer, relieves motion sickness and nausea, aids digestion, promotes healthy circulation, and many more. It is a major ingredient in Hulda Clark’s recipe for Kidney Cleanse.

Turmeric contains curcumin, which is more effective than many pharmaceuticals against several chronic and debilitating diseases including cancer, and has no side effects.

Cauliflower and other Cruciferous Vegetables contain sulforaphane, one of the ten best cancer-killing phytonutrients.

So here it is, my version of Aloo Gobi, the cancer-fighting, immune boosting superfood that can be made under an hour. I started out with this recipe and modified as I went along.

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 onion, sliced
2 medium diced potatoes
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 head of cauliflower
Salt to taste
Rice
Cilantro

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute cumin, garlic and ginger until the spices are infused in the oil. Spread onions across the skillet but do not stir. Let the edges of the onion caramelize. Stir in potatoes and cover to steam. Season with turmeric, paprika, and garam masala. Stir in yogurt, water and coconut milk. Cover and let it cook for about ten minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, cut up the cauliflower into florets and stir into the stew. Cover and let it simmer for half an hour. Salt to taste. Serve on top of rice and garnish with cilantro.

October 13, 2015
Morse’s Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is an Eastern European delicacy made of finely shredded cabbage fermented by lactic acid bacteria. It is an effective way to build probiotics, bacteria that is beneficial to the body’s digestive system. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals.

Like most healthy food items, industry has figured out a way to ruin a good thing. Canned store-bought sauerkraut is heat-treated to extend shelf-life, so it is missing the live bacteria cultures that raw sauerkraut has to offer.

Cody LaMontagne, owner of Morse’s Sauerkraut

Seek out a local source for raw sauerkraut. We lucked out here in Maine because Morse’s Sauerkraut is the most awesome place to get “unadulterated lacto-fermented unpasteurized ‘kraut” since the day Virgil Morse delivered his first barrel of pickled cabbage to the local store in Waldoboro in 1910. Today, Morse’s Sauerkraut and Euro Deli also sells the best pickles, various cheeses, butters, fine meats, and many other European luxury foods.

Morse’s Sauerkraut serves amazing breakfasts and lunches in their restaurant, which gave us a chance to sample their pickles, sauerkraut and coleslaw on the side of their entrees. Everyone in the family loved it. Our bellies were happy!

More about Sauerkraut:
June 7, 2015
Duck Eggs

I received a flat of fresh duck eggs as a gift!

I grew up eating duck eggs in the Philippines. The infamous balut is hardboiled fertilized duck egg, with a half-formed baby chick on one side and a bright yellow veiny yolk on the other. Begin by cracking the balut on one end to make a little hole, sprinkle some salt in there and suck on the soup. Then remove the rest of the shell, salt to taste and dig in. I’ve never eaten the chick part, but the yolk is rich and protein-packed goodness in a gulp. There is also a hard white “bone” in there. Don’t eat that.

Penoy is another duck egg delicacy. It is unfertilized duck eggs, not as gruesome as its counterpart. It is all yellow yolk the whole egg through. It comes either soupy or dry. The soupy kind was incubated in rice hay for 12 days. Incubated for more than 12 days and it dries out for those who prefer to eat the dry kind.

I received a flat of #duck #eggs as a gift. That’s 30 eggs!

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 5, 2015 at 6:10am PDT

The duck eggs I received were unfertilized and not incubated. They were simple farm fresh duck eggs, and the first thing I did was hard boil some of them. Same as chicken eggs, I fill a small pot with water to cover the eggs, set the stove on high until the water reaches a rolling boil, then turn the burner off. I let the eggs sit in hot water for 15 minutes, then pour the water out and rinse the eggs in cold water.

Hard boiled #duck #egg. A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 5, 2015 at 6:11am PDT

I love eggs of all kinds. They are perfection!

Peeling a hard boiled #duck #egg. A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 5, 2015 at 6:11am PDT

Look at how much of the egg is yolk, and how rich and creamy it is. Duck eggs are bigger and more nutritious than chicken eggs. It has 52% more vitamin B12, 13% more selenium, 10% more iron, almost twice as much omega-3s than chicken eggs. The list goes on. Whatever nutrition chicken eggs have, duck eggs have more of it. And because there isn’t a huge duck egg industry, it is more likely that duck eggs come from humanely raised ducks that get to run around free at the farm.

That #yolk is a beauty. Flavorful too! Hard boiled #duck #egg.

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 5, 2015 at 6:12am PDT

Duck eggs can be cooked every way chicken eggs are cooked. We used it for homemade pasta, green egg sandwich, and ice cream.

4 #duck #egg #yolks. Can you guess what I’m making?

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 7, 2015 at 1:03pm PDT

So if you ever come across duck eggs at farmers markets or health food stores, jump on it. This richer and more nutritious egg is worth a try.

May 24, 2015
Banana Ice Cream

If I were to get stuck on an island with only one kind of fruit-bearing tree, I would hope and pray it was banana. Believe it or not, bananas are considered berries. In tropical countries like the Philippines, where I grew up, there are different kinds of bananas, varying in size, color, firmness and the thickness of its peel.

Latundan bananas are short, fat, very sweet and have thin peel. Lacatan bananas are the typical kind that can be bought in Western countries, longer, starchier, and with thicker peel than Latundan. Saba, also known as plantain, is big, bland, and better eaten cooked than raw. There is also the Señorita, which is very very small and very very sweet.

Growing up in the Philippines, bananas were a staple in my home. We don’t have as much variety in the US, but I try to always have some in my home here in Maine. It’s an easy to grab and go snack, and a nutritious dessert after meals. I throw one in the blender for all kinds of smoothies. Cut up in half with some peanut butter spread in between is all kinds of awesome.

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium and potassium, according to the USDA report on the nutritional value of bananas.

Although my favorite way to eat bananas is just by itself, my daughter recently requested it as an ice cream flavor. Here’s my recipe:

Banana Ice Cream with Caramel Swirl

Ingredients:
2 cups organic raw whole milk
1 cup organic raw heavy cream
4 large organic egg yolks (we had duck eggs, and they were fantastic!)
2/3 cup organic sugar
2 ripe organic bananas, chilled
1 tablespoon organic sugar
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed organic lemon juice

Caramel Ingredients:
1/2 cup organic sugar
1 cup organic raw heavy cream

Directions:

Combine milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally so a film doesn’t form on the surface, until tiny bubbles show up on the edges and the mixture reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

4 #duck #egg #yolks. Can you guess what I’m making?

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 7, 2015 at 1:03pm PDT

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with 2/3 cup of sugar until smooth.

Is it crazy that I’m making ice cream during a snowstorm? A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on Feb 14, 2015 at 12:18pm PST

Once the milk/cream mixture reaches temperature, slowly pour a little bit at a time into the bowl of egg yolks while whisking continuously. Don’t hurry this. You don’t want to cook your eggs into some kind of scrambled thing. Slowly but surely, you want custard. Return the whole mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. It should reach a temperature of 185 degrees Fahrenheit without ever going to a boil. This will take a long time. Patience is the key. Pour the whole mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean glass bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Stir it often to let the heat out. Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate overnight. Chill the bananas in the refrigerator as well.

#Bananas in a blender. A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 7, 2015 at 2:37pm PDT

Blend bananas, 1 tablespoon sugar, lemon juice, and half the custard. Blend until smooth then whisk back into the rest of the custard. Pour the whole mixture into a prepared ice cream maker. Churn until thickened.

Melting #sugar A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 7, 2015 at 2:39pm PDT

While churning, cook 1/2 cup sugar in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon once sugar begins to melt.

Melted #sugar

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 7, 2015 at 3:02pm PDT

Once the sugar is completely melted and turned a reddish-brown color, lower heat to medium-low and add 1/2 cup of heavy cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously, so keep a distance from the pan immediately after pouring. Whisk and add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream.

Melted #sugar + heavy #cream = #caramel A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 7, 2015 at 3:03pm PDT

Keep whisking and cooking until the sauce thickens but is still pourable, about 10 minutes. Cool completely, then refrigerate. It will harden in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using as a topping.

When the ice cream has churned into a soft serve consistency and just before it overflows out of the ice cream maker, turn the machine off. Transfer a little bit at a time into an airtight container, alternating with spoonfuls of caramel. Freeze until firm.

Banana-yum!

May 10, 2015
Berry Yogurt

It’s springtime and berries are back in season. Sure, you can find berries in the grocery store almost any time of the year, but more often than not, they look a little sad and travel-worn.

I’m talking about berries you can find at your local farmers market, the kind more than likely grown just within a few miles from where you live. Yes, the kind that is bursting with nutritious ripeness because they were harvested the morning you bought it. (See Superfoods: 11 Berries to Improve Your Health.)

Now I could probably eat a whole pint of any of these berries in one sitting, just popping each one in my mouth like popcorn. But for a heavier breakfast or dessert, I like to put it on top of a bowl of raw organic yogurt.

Raw organic yogurt is dairy that is fermented with beneficial bacteria, for a healthy digestive system. (See 10 Proven Probiotic Yogurt Benefits & Nutrition Facts.) My local health food store stocks them from a local organic dairy farm. They come in flavors such as maple, vanilla and blueberry, but I’m a stickler for keeping it simple. I get plain for its versatility.

Raw organic yogurt is not the same as the mass-produced yogurt you can buy in the grocery stores, which is over-processed through pasteurization, killing all the beneficial bacteria naturally occurring in raw milk. Then they add back a starter culture of live bacteria, thickeners, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners. It is nowhere near the creamy goodness I get in a mason jar from my local organic dairy farm. Believe me, it’s really worth it to find a local source for raw organic yogurt, and when you do…

Scoop out some of that raw organic yogurt into a bowl, drizzle maple syrup to taste, and sprinkle your favorite berries on top. You’re welcome.

Raw #yogurt with #berries and maple syrup. #organic #raspberries #blueberries #blackberries

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on May 2, 2015 at 12:01pm PDT

May 3, 2015
How to Make Homemade Pasta

My daughter has been making homemade pasta with her Dad for as long as she remembers. Preparing meals is a family activity in our home. It’s so gratifying to see my 10-year-old daughter competently handling knives and the stove, while conversing about our family’s health philosophy (in between silly stuff).

We stopped eating wheat for a few years, but the complexity of blended flours trying to capture the texture and taste of wheat seemed more of a process than simply committing to using organic or non-GMO wheat flour products.

We still enjoy coconut flour for making coconut muffins, arrowroot flour for making dry arrowroot cookies, rice flour for making rice cakes. But when it comes to making bread and pasta, there is nothing like good old wheat.

Homemade Pasta

Ingredients:
1 cup semolina flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
2 eggs or 3 egg whites, free-range and organic

Combine semolina flour and salt. Add beaten eggs. Mix to make a stiff dough. On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough with a rolling pin. Jelly-roll the flattened dough and cut into noodles.

Homemade pasta for dinner. #semolina #pasta

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on Feb 21, 2015 at 1:13pm PST

We used a curly knife to cut the pasta.

My daughter chops the #pasta with a curly knife.

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on Feb 21, 2015 at 1:44pm PST

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Unroll the pasta and add to the pot of boiling water. Cook until al dente.

Unrolling #homemade #pasta.

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on Feb 21, 2015 at 1:45pm PST

Serve with your favorite sauce. Or simply toss with butter, salt and herbs such as green onions and cilantro.

#homemade #pasta #dinner with chopped #herbs. #cilantro #greenonions

A photo posted by Modern Wife (@modernwife) on Feb 21, 2015 at 1:47pm PST

Serves 3.

Buon appetito!

February 25, 2015
Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

Sure it’s cold outside, but here in our house we turn our leftover candy cane into…

Peppermint Stick Ice Cream
From The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto: Bold, Fresh Flavors to Make at Home:

Ingredients:
2 cups raw organic whole milk
1 cup raw organic heavy cream
4 large organic egg yolks
3/4 cup organic sugar, separated
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
candy cane, crushed

Pour milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn’t form until tiny bubbles form around the edge and the mixture reaches 170°F.

In the meantime, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup sugar until it becomes a thick pale yellow paste. Slowly pour in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. This is important: The milk should not be poured into the egg mixture quickly or you will get scrambled eggs.

Return the custard to the saucepan and cook over low heat. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Temperature of the custard should reach 185°F. Do not allow the custard to boil.

Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Stir the peppermint extract into the custard before pouring into the ice cream maker. Churn until thickened. Add crushed candy cane to the churning concoction. When the ice cream has churned into a soft serve consistency and just before it overflows out of the ice cream maker, turn the machine off. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

Serve with larger chunks of peppermint candy topping.

It’s like Christmas morning all over again.

December 31, 2014
Sprouts Plus Vietnamese Noodle Bowl Recipe

I sprout. Do you sprout?

I just felt like it one morning. I got out a couple of quart mason jars and put in a tablespoon each of alfalfa and mung beans. Poured it full of water, a teaspoon each of food-grade hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for 15 minutes.

I trapped a mesh net (I save the mesh net packaging my lemons come in) between the mouth of the jar and the band – see my blog entry on alfalfa sprouts. Pour the water out, fill it back up again and let it soak in water for 8 to 12 hours in a dark place.

Pour the water out, rinse, pour the water out, let it sit. Repeat everyday. Once the sprouts are a good size they are ready to sit in a sunny place to grow some greens.

Eat!

Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Bowl

This is my version of the Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Bowl. The traditional way to do it involves fish sauce which I don’t have, and pickled carrots, which is not well-liked by my family. So here goes.

Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 package (8oz) vermicelli (I have the Explore Asian Jasmine Brown Rice Vermicelli)
1 tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon Bragg’s amino acid (I may skip this next time. It tends to overpower all flavor.)
1 teaspoon organic coconut palm sugar (I bought this thinking it would be a good sweetener but found out it was harvested using unsustainable practices.)

From our local organic farmstand:
leafy greens
cut carrots
cut cucumber

mint from our backyard
mung bean sprouts grown right in our kitchen

Directions:
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the shrimp and cook until pink. Flavor with Braggs and sugar. Cook until sauce is almost cooked off.

Boil water in a medium saucepan. Add vermicelli and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and wash with cold water.

Arrange leafy greens, carrots, cucumber, mint, mung bean sprouts and cooked vermicelli on the plate. Top the vermicelli with shrimp. We skipped the syrupy sauce. The shrimp is plenty flavorful on the noodles.

This is one way we sprout. How do you sprout?

September 10, 2014
Fiddleheads

I’ve never met this vegetable before: fiddleheads.

It’s the curled ends of a young ostrich fern, harvested in early spring. It is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C.

There are so many recipes and ideas for cooking fiddleheads online, but here is the simplest way to serve it:

Steam the fiddleheads for about 20 minutes. Melt butter on warm fiddleheads. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with quinoa on the side.

May 31, 2014
Coconut Muffins

Coconuts made quite an impression on my husband and daughter when we visited the Philippines. My home has coconut trees growing right on our front yard. One Sunday morning a boy climbed one of the trees with a machete and carefully lowered bunches of coconuts down to our driveway.

We drank fresh coconut juice and ate fresh coconut “meat” that day.

Coconuts are nutritious and can be eaten in so many different ways: juice, “meat,” oil, milk. Here’s a healthy breakfast recipe that uses various coconut products:

Coconut Muffins

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons organic virgin coconut oil, melted into liquid
6 organic eggs
1/2 cup organic coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup organic coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
6 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease a 12-muffin pan with coconut oil or use paper muffin cups.

Beat eggs, coconut oil, coconut milk and salt. Add coconut flour and baking powder. Whisk until smooth. Pour batter halfway into muffin cups. Sprinkle with shredded coconut.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins. Serve with raw honey for sweetening.

This is based on a recipe found in The Candida Free Cookbook by Shasta Press. I skipped the Stevia for sweetening. Stevia is the sweetener of choice for people who are on a candida-free diet. Since my family and I are not, I took the liberty of topping the unsweetened coconut muffins with raw honey to taste.

May 19, 2014