Tag: gluten-free

Giant Puffball Mushroom

Overnight it seemed, these giant puffball mushrooms sprouted in our backyard. We spotted them in autumn last year and let them grow till they popped into greenish brown powdery spores. Cute, then gross. This year, we found a bunch of them in the same spot. I wondered if they were edible. Google said yes. And it has been found to contain a mucoprotein called calvacin, which is a potent antitumor agent, but becomes toxic with prolonged use. Once a year, though, and eating it as close to nature as possible instead of ingesting a distilled version? I’m willing to give it a try.

So we plucked one out, inspected it to make sure it really was a Calvatia gigantea, and rinsed the dirt off.

Cut off the bottom. This picture shows a couple of the defining characteristics of a Calvatia gigantea: no stem and no gills.

Slice it up. Some people slice off the outer layer and wind up with a block. We just sliced it. As you can see, we picked it early enough in its development stages. The inside is still white and perfect. Do not eat if there are spores.

Store and refrigerate the rest.

Some organic extra virgin coconut oil on the cast iron griddle over medium low. Throw in a sliced onion and cook until glassy. I mixed equal parts safflower oil and soy sauce, some salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder, pinch of cayenne, dipped the giant puffball mushroom slice both sides and cooked it.

Cut it up into strips and serve it up. It would make an amazing addition to stir fry vegetables. The mushroom flavor is subtle and takes on seasonings really well. The texture is soft and smooth against the tongue. I love it!

Also great dipped in a beaten egg and French Toasted.

Gluten-free French Toast Giant Puffball Mushroom with maple syrup drizzled on top and fruit on the side.

Have you ever eaten a Giant Puffball Mushroom? Got any recipes to share? Scroll below to comment. Thank you!

September 26, 2018
Sriracha Shrimp

Google sriracha shrimp and you’ll get 20.5 million results. It’s that popular. I think I’ll give some of those recipes a try this winter. I have my own version of Sriracha Shrimp, and I’ll stack mine up against some of the internet’s best reviewed recipes. I’ll have my family vote.

You can vote, too. Try my recipe below and let me know what you and your family think.

Sriracha Shrimp

Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet pepper, minced
1/2 lime
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 green onion top, chopped

Start by cooking rice the way you usually do. Stovetop, steamer, rice cooker, it’s all good.

While the rice is cooking, melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the shrimp until pink, then add onion, garlic, and sweet pepper. While all that is cooking, mix together the lime, sriracha sauce, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Toss the sauce into the pan with the shrimp combination until well incorporated. Serve on a bed of rice. Garnish with green onions.

If you think there’s a better Sriracha Shrimp recipe than mine, comment below. I would enjoy trying it.

September 19, 2017
Coconut Quinoa Cereal

You might be surprised by how delicious and filling this Coconut Quinoa Cereal is, while being quite possibly the healthiest breakfast on the planet. Let’s look at the ingredients.

Quinoa is a versatile whole grain that can be made into a salad, a lunch casserole, or a dinner side.

Quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein, and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids. It is also high in fiber, magnesium, B-vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants.

– 11 Proven Health Benefits of Quinoa
Authority Nutrition

Coconut milk is no slouch either. Coconut milk improves heart health, builds muscle, helps lose fat, prevents fatigue, stimulates digestion, relieves constipation, manages blood sugar, and prevents anemia, joint inflammation, and ulcers. (Source: Dr. Axe)

Don’t you feel healthier already? Now go and make this cereal.

Coconut Quinoa Cereal

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup quinoa
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Maple syrup or raw honey to taste
More coconut milk to taste

Heat the coconut milk until boiling. Add quinoa and cover. Lower heat to simmer until the coconut milk is absorbed but still slightly wet. Mix the shredded coconut in. Serve warm with maple syrup or raw honey and more coconut milk to taste. Makes 2 servings.

Experiment with some of your favorite toppings. Sliced apples with cinnamon, berries, bananas, nuts. Have a happy healthy start to your day!

December 22, 2016
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
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
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
Guacamole & Salsa

I make the easiest and most delicious Guacamole & Salsa east of the Mission. Or so I think. Give it a try and see if I’m right.

Guacamole & Salsa, when made fresh with organic ingredients, are a super healthy combination. Avocado has more than two times the potassium found in a banana, and is rich in the B vitamins, folic acid and vitamin E. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful anti-cancer nutrient. Cilantro is excellent for removing toxic metals such as mercury from the body. Red Bell Peppers are rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, B, C and E, and a number of beneficial minerals.

Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 organic avocadoes
1 organic tomato, chopped
a bunch of organic cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Mash the avocadoes with a fork. Add chopped tomato and cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix together.

Salsa

Ingredients:
2 organic tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup organic bell peppers, chopped (I used red in this recipe, but any color will do)
a bunch of organic cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Squeeze a little lemon juice.

Serve either or both Guacamole & Salsa with organic and/or non-GMO chips, such as Garden of Eatin’ Blue Corn chips, as seen in the photo above. Enjoy the fiesta!

February 26, 2014
Green Eggs

I started making green eggs when my daughter was a Dr. Seuss-loving toddler. I started out serving it as a sandwich spread, but now that my family is on a gluten-free diet, I serve it with salad. Let’s start with the recipe.

Green Eggs

Ingredients:
1 organic avocado
2 organic eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Boil eggs. For perfect yellow yolks, put eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a rolling boil on high then turn the burner off. Let eggs sit in hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water and replace with cold water. Let it sit for a few minutes, until eggs are cool enough to touch. Peel.

Mash the avocado, then add eggs cut up roughly with a spoon. Mix together. Salt and pepper to taste.

Here’s how I serve it nowadays:

Mine, left, on a heap of green salad – spinach, cucumber, red pepper.

My daughter’s, top, on the side of 9 spinach leaves (for every year of her age), cucumber slices, and 5 tiny bits of red pepper.

My husband’s, right, no green eggs. Just a salad and slices of deli turkey. He does not like green eggs and ham. He does not like it, Sam-I-am.

January 19, 2014