REAL food recipes
4616882
This easy sandwich is my favorite go-to lunch!! It is full of good fats from the raw butter and avocado, protein from the turkey and cheese, and yet bursting with flavor.
Spread softened butter on the toasted and cooled bread, then smash avocado on top. Sprinkle with salt and balsamic vinegar, then place one slice of turkey on top. Spread with mustard, then add cheese and top with the final piece of turkey. Enjoy!
One of my favorite comfort foods growing up was chicken drizzled with ghee and roasted to a crispy perfection. This za’atar-pomegranate glaze adds a slightly tangy thyme-based flavor to it, making it simply delectable. Best of all, it’s a super simple glaze to add to your roasting routine!
Rinse and salt chicken: First rinse chicken thoroughly under running water, and apply salt generously to skin and rub in. Leave for 10 minutes and then rinse off the salt.
Add to pot with ingredients: I use my stainless steal strainer pot because it is deep, but you can use any pot that would fit the chicken and water without splashing everywhere while it’s boiling. Add filtered water, chicken, onion, mastic crystals, bay leaves, cardamom, salt and pepper.
Cook the chicken: Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium and simmer for 45 minutes or so. During the first 20 minutes of cooking, remove foamy scum that rises to the top and discard. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the inside of the chicken has cooked and the internal temperature is over 165F.
Preheat the oven and prepare chicken: Preheat the oven to 375F on the broil setting. Meanwhile, take out the chicken from the broth and set on a baking pan. On one side of the chicken, evenly drizzle 1.5 tablespoons of ghee and 1.5 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses to cover as much of the exposed side as possible and evenly sprinkle 2 tablespoons of za’atar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper.
Roast in the oven: I prefer to roast the coated side first before flipping to add the glaze, so that it roasts evenly and the spices stay put when I flip the chicken. Roast one side for 10 minutes or so, then take out of the oven to glaze the other side. Flip the chicken, and repeat the same step as above with the same ingredients and measurements for the glaze. Place back in the oven to roast for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. I like to spoon some of the melted ghee that has settled on the bottom on top of the chicken before serving, hot, next to roasted vegetables or a creamy soup! Enjoy.
Editor’s Note: You can substitute oregano for za’atar in a pinch, but it is definitely NOT the same. Make pomegranate molasses by reducing pomegranate juice over medium heat until it’s a a thick syrup.
These burgers can be served on buns and also stand alone as the main dish of a meal. My grandchildren love these.
Open the can of salmon and drain out 1/2 of the liquid it contains.
Pour the contents of the can into a medium-sized bowl.
Using a fork, mash the salmon thoroughly.
Add the egg, onion, and 1 Tbsp Calgin All Natural liquid smoke. Mix together well.
Begin adding the soft bread crumbs, stirring them in a little at a time. Depending on the bread you use, it will need more or less. You want to be able to easily form the mixture into patties to fry.
Form into 5 patties, pressed together well and set them aside on a plate.
In a cast iron skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons of lard on medium-low heat and spread to coat the bottom of the skillet.
Place the salmon patties in the skillet and turn the heat down a little.
Cook approximately 5 minutes on each side. They should be nicely browned on one side before you turn them over, using a metal spatula.
Remove from the skillet and serve. They also can be refrigerated and re-heated for later.
These burgers are good served on a bun with homemade ketchup. They also can be served without a bun… very good with some brown rice and stir-fried greens. If there are leftovers, you can break them into small pieces when cold and add them to a green salad! Another option is to form them into “meatballs” and cook them like that.
A note about the soft bread crumbs. I save the heels of my homemade bread when it gets a little stale. I tear them into pieces and process in a food processor until fine crumbs are formed. These are stored in a lidded glass jar in the freezer and are ready to use whenever I need them.
Move over PB&J !!! Do you have a child who doesn’t “like” peanut butter and yet you wish you could include this economical staple in his diet? Here is the answer!
In a small bowl, combine roughly equal parts of Coconut butter, Peanut Butter and Honey. Using a fork, stir together well.
Spread on some Really Good Bread.
Enjoy!
You may, of course, alter the ratio of the 3 ingredients, adding more or less of any of them. Even though the Coconut Butter, on its own, is only mildly sweet, when you add a little honey, oh my goodness! It’s incredible!
This recipe is based off of an old favorite of ours from The Rachel Ray show called “Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes.” It is so easy to make and has so much flavor! Best part - this version is grain free and GAPS legal!
Cut spaghetti squash in half, remove seeds, and place cut side down on a cookie sheet filled with an inch of water. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool (I like to do this early in the day before dinner). Place butter in a 9×13 pan and set in oven while it preheats to 400 degrees. When oven is preheated, remove the pan and add the tomatoes and garlic. Stir to coat with butter, then sprinkle salt on top. Roast until the tomatoes begin to burst (10-15 minutes). Remove from oven and carefully smash tomatoes with a fork. Gently fold in spaghetti squash (use a fork to scrape squash into spaghetti-like strings), basil, and cheese. Add salt as you go, to taste. If desired, top with additional cheese and set in the still-warm oven to melt.
Traditional homemade falafel is a favorite dish in my Middle Eastern household. A yummy spin on a classic dish, this version includes sweet potatoes, and a bunch of green veggies, in addition to the typical chickpea flour. Perfect for days you’re in the mood for something vegetarian.
Soak chickpea flour overnight: Soak 1 cup of the chickpea flour in filtered water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. The flour will settle in the bottom by morning, and you can then strain out as much of the water so the flour is not watery.
Cook the sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 375 F. Rinse 3 medium sweet potatoes, pierce them in a few places, and bake for 50 minutes to an hour until they’re done. When potatoes have cooled, peel them, throw away the skins, and mash the flesh.
Puree everything: In a food processor, add the following ingredients and puree till smooth: drained chickpea flour, mashed sweet potatoes, spinach, cilantro, parsley, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, baking soda, salt and pepper. Taste test a little bit to adjust the seasoning. Feel free to sneak in some more greens if you’d like.
Stick the mixture in the fridge: No need to transfer to another container if you can fit the blender container in your fridge. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or even overnight) until the mixture hardens and the flavors therein have been incorporated.
Toast the sesame seeds: In a small saucepan or skillet, add a few tablespoons of sesame seeds and stir for a few minutes on medium heat till toasted.
Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 375F. Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large baking sheet and spread to make sure entire surface is covered.
Add mixture in small patties to baking sheet: Using a spoon, scoop out a tablespoon of the mixture and add to the baking sheet. Flatten out with the back of the spoon, and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top. The mixture measurements above make about 25 2-inch patties. Feel free to split the mixture in half, and bake only 12 patties at a time. Refrigerate any unused mixture.
Bake the falafel patties: Bake for 15 minutes and then flip, sprinkle more toasted sesame seeds on top, and bake for another 10 minutes. The center should still be moist in the middle. Turn off the oven and leave in the oven until ready to serve.
Serve warm: These falafels taste best with tahini sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, onions, or other vegetables. I served it with tahini sauce atop a big salad.
These are pretty simple to throw together, yet taste delicious, especially dipped in extra barbecue sauce!
Prepare pizza dough and let sour according to directions. When ready to bake, separate dough into 8 balls and roll each one into a 6″ circle. Spread bottom half of each circle with at least 1 T. each of barbecue sauce, chicken, pineapple, and bacon. Top with 1/4 or more shredded cheese, and then fold top half over, folding up edges to seal. Prick with a fork and bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve with extra barbecue sauce and a big salad!
This recipe feeds my family of five for two meals and makes awesome left overs. It also freezes well and travels well. I serve it on toasted pancakes, usually open-faced. It is the perfect meal to serve those lacto-fermented pickles or sauerkraut with!
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt the butter and spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. When the meat has browned, add onion and peppers to the skillet. Cook for five minutes and add zucchini. Reduce heat to medium low and cook vegetables. Add garlic, vinegar, tomato sauce, paste and honey to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook mixture 5-10 minutes longer or until desired consistency.
Ever wonder what to do with your left over ground beef from Taco Night? I’ve got you covered!
Preheat oven to 250.
Halve and core green peppers and stuff with ground beef, place in oven for about 30 minutes or until green pepper is slightly tender.
Top with whatever is left from last night: lacto-fermented salsa, tomatoes, avocados, sour cream, shredded cheese, etc.
This chicken salad is a perfect way to use up leftover chicken or turkey, but is festive enough for a holiday meal! The tartness of the fresh cranberries is beautifully balanced by honey mustard dressing. Serve on a bed of greens with extra dressing, if desired.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, adding mayonnaise or sour cream as needed. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Serve atop a bed of greens and garnish with homemade candied pecans!
*You can make a simple honey mustard dressing by combining healthy mayonnaise and sour cream, then adding several tablespoons each of dijon mustard and honey, thinning with milk or water if needed.
A salmon salad that is not fishy — provided you start with high quality red salmon.
Combine all ingredients and mix gently. No need to mash it, leave it flaky. Adjust seasonings to taste. Delicious on sourdough english muffins with more mayonnaise.
