Recipes Archives | Page 4 of 6 | Embracing Motherhood

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

How to Make Healthy Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yes, these oatmeal cookies are healthy! They are healthy because they are made with real all natural ingredients and half the sugar of conventional cookies, yet they still taste absolutely amazing! Butter is not the demon you might think, it is actually a healthy fat and a good source of energy. Pastured eggs are a superfood with the perfect balance of fat and protein. Organic rolled oats are a good source of fiber, protein, and carbohydrates. Cinnamon improves insulin sensitivity and helps you digest sugar more efficiently. The dark chocolate chips provide beneficial antioxidants, and who can argue with that?

Not only are these cookies a staple of my children’s diets, but they love helping me make them too! I think they secretly just like eating the batter. 🙂 (*Note: If you’re cooking with pastured eggs, eating them raw is not a problem.)

Ruby Cracking Eggs

Ingredients

2 Sticks (1 c.) of Butter, Room Temperature (Grass-fed like Kerrygold is best, but I at least look for organic, or rBST free at the bare minimum.)
½ c. Sugar (You could even use less than this.)
½ c. Brown Sugar (Sometimes, for extra flavor, I only use brown sugar.)
2 Eggs (Preferably pastured for the highest nutrient content.)
2 t. Vanilla Extract (Get some here.)
2-3 T. Cinnamon (Get some here. *I go REALLY heavy on the cinnamon! We love the flavor, plus it helps stimulate insulin production which helps the body process sugar better.)
¾ t. Baking Powder (Look for the aluminum-free kind. You can also use baking soda, and no, there is never any aluminum in baking soda.)
¾ t. Real Salt (Get some here.)
3 c. Organic Rolled Oats (Get some here.)
1 c. Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Flour (Get a grinder here and some grain here.)
1 c. Chocolate Chips (Ghirardelli are the best!!)
Coconut Oil (to grease the pans)
*Optional: ½ c. Craisins (Get some here.) or Raisins
*Optional: ½ c. Coconut Flakes (Get some here.)

*I included Amazon links to most ingredients, but I’m actually in a co-op where I order most of my ingredients in bulk from Country Life Natural Foods.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
Mix the butter, eggs, and sugar. First, let the butter sit out until it’s at room temperature. I like to do this the night before (if I can think of it).
Eggs, Sugar, Brown Sugar, and Butter
Add the vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix with beaters until it is nice and creamy. (I actually never measure anything…so basically, I shake a TON of cinnamon, add a few glugs of vanilla, and then a sprinkling of salt and baking powder. 🙂
Oatmeal Cookies with Vanilla, Cinnamon, Baking Powder, and Salt Added.
Mix in the flour and oats. If you’re looking for a more sturdy cookie, go with a bit more oats; if you’re looking for a softer cookie, go with a bit less.
Add the chocolate chips and any other extras. My kids LOVE the chocolate chips and would hate it if I skimped, but you could totally just add half a bag.
Oatmeal Cookie Batter
Cookie sheet time! First, grease the baking sheet liberally with coconut oil. Use a cookie scoop (I love this medium sized one.) to place the dough balls in scattered rows on a baking sheet.
Oatmeal Cookie Batter Neatly Scooped on a Cookie Tray
Press down the balls with a fork. If you cook them in little balls, they will stay in the shape of little balls, but hey, that might be pretty good too!
Bake at 375˚F for 10 minutes. If you like your cookies on the soft side, this is a perfect amount of time, but if you want to avoid the crumbles, you might want to go with 12 minutes.
Oatmeal Cookies Fresh Out of the Oven
*Let cool on a cooling rack. Get one here. This is totally optional, but I find it necessary when I make a double batch because I just don’t have enough counter space. Plus, it makes the bottoms more firm.
Oatmeal Cookies on a Cooling Rack
Serve with a tall glass of raw milk, sit back, and enjoy.
Freshly Baked Oatmeal Cookies with a Glass of Raw Milk

In Conclusion

I make a double batch of these cookies about every other week. My kids love them as a snack, packed in their school lunches, when we’re on the go, and even as a meal replacement. I like to store them in large ziploc bags and keep them in the fridge. If you’re looking for another great recipe with oats, check out my healthy granola cereal recipe, and if you’re looking for another great cookie recipe, you’ve got to try my Great Grama Gene’s famous gingersnap recipe.

April 20, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

How to Make the Best Potato and Egg Salad

Eggs, General, Potatoes, Recipes

There are lots of recipes for potato salad out there, but I’m not kidding when I say that this is the best! It’s all about the simplicity of the recipe and the quality of the ingredients. When you buy organic potatoes and pastured eggs and use Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, Hellman’s Mayonnaise, Real Salt, fresh organic parsley, you have the makings for a winning recipe. Not only does this recipe, taste good, it’s good for you too. So, let’s get to it!

Ingredients

4-5 Medium Sized Organic Potatoes
10-12 Eggs (Preferably pastured)
8 T. Mayonnaise (Hellmann’s)
1 T. Mustard
2 T. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 t. Real Salt
1 t. Dill
½ t. Pepper
1 t. Celery Seed
*1 t. Cayenne Pepper (If you like things on the spicy side.)
Extras: Chop up any of these items to give it a little pizzazz.
- Fresh Organic Parsley
- 1-2 Chives
- 4 Small Pickles
- ½ c. Celery
- 2-3 Pieces of Bacon

Directions

Cut the potatoes into cubes. (I don’t bother to skin them, but you could.) Make sure they are covered by about an inch and a half of water, and heavily salt the water (this brings out the flavor of the potatoes).
Raw Potatoes with the Skins On
Bring the water to a slow boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 12-15 minutes. Check the potatoes at about 12 minutes. (If you cook them too long, they will lose their firmness and texture and it will be more like mashed potato salad.) Dump them into a strainer, and run cold water over them to stop them from cooking any further.
Cooked Potatoes in a Colander
Boil your eggs. Check out my blog here to learn how to boil the perfect egg that’s easy to peel.
Chop up the eggs into cubes. I just use a basic egg slicer.
Cubed Hard Boiled Eggs
Mix in the mayonnaise, mustard, and apple cider vinegar.
Add the potatoes. I don’t mind if the eggs get mashed up a bit, but I like to be gentle with my potatoes so that they’ll hold their shape.
Eggs, Potatoes, Mayo, Mustard, and Apple Cider Vinegar
Add the salt, pepper, celery salt, and dill. I really never measure out my spices, especially salt. I just add a little, taste a little, add a little more, and taste again until it’s just right.
I like to add finely chopped fresh parsley, chives, and pickles to my potato salad, but add whatever extras suit your fancy.
Parsley, Chive, and Pickles
I just so happened to have some crispy freshly cooked bacon around after making this potato salad, and I thought, what the hey, everything’s better with bacon! So I crumbled some up, and sprinkled it on top of my potato salad. It was amazing.
Bacon Topped Potato Salad
So what are you waiting for? Go make some dang egg and potato salad already! (*Note: since 2018, I have used a keto diet to help me maintain a lower weight, so I don’t use the potatoes anymore.)

April 11, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

How to Make the World’s Best Yogurt and Buttermilk Pancakes

Grain, Recipes

I stumbled across the recipe for these yogurt and buttermilk pancakes this morning purely by accident when I ran out of my intended ingredients, and the results have absolutely blown me away. These are the best pancakes I have ever made. Period. It isn’t even dinnertime yet and the entire batch has been devoured by everyone in the family. Now, let me share the brilliant story of their creation.

It all started when I woke up this fine Saturday morning with my precious little five month old who decided that 5:30 a.m. would be a fine time to start the day. While everyone else slept in and Julian played happily in his bouncy seat, I decided that I would waft the house with the delicious aroma of a pancake breakfast and fresh coffee.

After I had added two cups of flour to my bowl, hoping to next add the milk and my cup of sourdough starter for my Sort of Sourdough Pancakes, I realized that we were out of milk. “Rats!” I thought, as I slowly remembered that I knew that we were out of milk since it was milk day and we had plans to visit the farm and get our weekly eight gallons of fresh raw milk when everyone woke up. Come on brain!

As I scanned the fridge, I found one cup of buttermilk left over from making my Ranch Dressing. “Hmmmm, buttermilk pancakes sound good,” I thought. But after adding the one cup of buttermilk to my flour, I realized it wasn’t near enough liquid. So I scanned the fridge again and noticed some plain organic yogurt sitting way in the back. “I sure hope this isn’t rotten,” I thought, not remembering the last time I had even touched the stuff. “Phew!” it passed the smell test, and into the mixture it went!

Next, I had hoped to add 3 or 4 eggs to at least make some super protein pancakes that Scott and I could force down, but we only had one egg. So after adding it to the mixture, I only half-heartedly mixed in the rest of the ingredients (vanilla, cinnamon, aluminum free baking powder, and salt). I had pretty much accepted the fact that this recipe was a bust, and I was ready to toss the whole thing out. But after mixing everything together, I realized that, hey, it wasn’t half bad. “Maybe there’s hope!” I exclaimed to Julian who just looked at me with a big goofy grin.

So I heated up the skillet with some coconut oil and decided to give these my best shot. I spent the next hour cooking one pancake after another (they took a reeeeeeeeeeally long time to cook thanks to the yogurt) until I had one big stack of pancakes. I usually take pictures of just about everything I cook since I like to blog about my recipes, but I didn’t even think it was worth it to snap one single photo.

After all of my pancakes were complete, I finally decided to try one. I was prepared for the worst as I hesitantly lifted up one corner of a still warm pancake and took a little nibble. It was…good. I mean, wow, like, really good, and it didn’t even have any butter or syrup on it yet! So I smothered one with butter, cut it up into bite sized pieces (cuz that’s what you do when you’re a mom, even if there aren’t any kids around), and drizzled some fresh maple syrup on top. Then I poured a big glass of milk, and sat down to one of the best pancakes I have ever had in my life.

The texture was just so amazing. It was chewy and moist, and full of so much wonderful flavor. The way that the buttermilk and yogurt complemented each other, and how the vanilla and cinnamon accented this taste explosion was simply exquisite. When my husband and children finally awoke, they were all treated to the most amazing breakfast ever. Everyone devoured these pancakes for breakfast, and then we ate them again for lunch! I am happy (and sad) to say that they are now all gone!

We only go shopping every other week nowadays to help with our time and budget, so we’ll have to wait awhile to stock up on buttermilk and organic plain yogurt again, but you can bet your buttons that this will be a recipe I will make time and time again. Now, without further adieu, here’s the recipe.

Yogurt and Buttermilk Pancake

Ingredients

1 c. Buttermilk
1 ½ – 2 c. Plain Yogurt
2 c. Flour
1 Egg
1 T. Cinnamon
1 T. Vanilla Extract
½ t. Real Salt
1 t. Aluminum Free Baking Powder

Directions

Preheat your cast iron skillet at heat level of 3 (if that’s how you’re cooking) and plop in a huge dollop of coconut oil.
Mix together the flour, buttermilk, and yogurt. The mixture shouldn’t be too thick, but it shouldn’t be runny either.
Crack the egg and mix it in.
Then add the cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and baking powder, and gently mix everything together.
Turn the heat up to a 4, and pour in a ladle’s worth of batter.
Cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes.
Check to see when not just the edges, but the entire pancake starts to look a darker shade of brown and you can see little bubbles popping up before flipping.
Cover and cook for another minute or two. If you don’t cook these pancakes long enough, they will feel gooey in the middle. As they cool, they will firm up a bit.
This recipe should make about 6 medium sized pancakes.
Top with tons of butter, drizzle on some fresh maple syrup, and sit down at a real table with a big glass of milk to enjoy the best pancake you’ve ever had.
You’re welcome.

ruby_eating_yogurt_and_buttermilk_pancakes

Yogurt and Buttermilk Pancake Lunch

April 11, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

Whole Wheat Pancakes or Waffles

General, Grain, Recipes

I love making these whole wheat pancakes or waffles when we need a quick meal and I don’t have the time to wait for my Sourdough Waffle and Pancake Recipe or my Sort of Sourdough Pancake Recipe. I like this recipe because it has the most eggs and least amount of flour of any of my waffle or pancake recipes. Yes, it will have phytic acid, but as long as it’s just sometimes and not all the time. The kids love helping me with this recipe.

Ingredients

2. c. Milk (Raw is best.)
3 ½ c. Flour (I get my wheat berries here, but you can find some similar here too. I use this grinder. You could also just buy some organic sprouted grain flour here.)
4 Eggs (Preferably pastured)
2 T. Cinnamon (Buy some here.)
2 T. Vanilla Extract (This vanilla would be best, but on our budget, I buy this.)
½ t. Real Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here, you can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)
1 t. Baking Soda (or Aluminum Free Baking Powder)
2 T. Coconut Oil (This coconut oil would be best, but on our budget, I buy this.)

Directions

Preheat your cast iron skillet (make sure it’s cured properly) by setting it to a 2 or 3 for about five minutes.
Add a dollop of coconut oil to your cast iron skillet (or whatever cooking pan you choose).
Mix the eggs. It definitely is a good idea to have some help with this! Ruby knows how to puncture each egg yolk and stir them up.
Ruby is Really Good at Cracking Eggs
Add the cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Stir well.
Add the flour and mix together. (Add a little at a time and mix well to avoid lumps. To make a thinner mixture, use 3 cups of flour, and to make a thicker mixture use 4 cups of flour.)
Turn the heat dial to 4 and pour a ladle’s worth of batter into the skillet. (The oil should be bubbling around the pancake.) *If you’re making waffles, go ahead and add the batter to the waffle iron. I like to grease mine with coconut oil.
Whole Wheat Pancake Batter Starting to Cook
Cover and let cook for about 2-4 minutes. (By the time I get a few pancakes in, the heat is sometimes too high and needs to be turned down temporarily. You’ll know if the heat is too high if you get hit with splattering coconut oil!)
When the edges are slightly browned and the top is bubbly, you’ll know it’s time to flip. (Stand back as you do this so you don’t get hit with splattering coconut oil.)
Whole Wheat Pancake Cooking
Cover and cook for about 1 minute on the other side.
Whole Wheat Pancake Cooking
Cook the rest of pancakes and add more coconut oil as needed. When you rock the pan back and forth, there should be enough oil to generously coat the bottom. This batter should make about 5-6 pancakes.
Serve with butter and maple syrup. (I like to smear the butter all over the top, then cut it up, and finally add a very modest amount of syrup.)
Whole Wheat Pancake Topped with Butter and Syrup

Elliot Loves these Whole Wheat Pancakes!

April 10, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe

Dressing, General, Recipes

This homemade Italian dressing is my absolute favorite thing about salad! I love making it with whatever fresh herbs are growing in the garden or with whatever herbs I can find at the grocery store. It is a much better alternative to the MSG laden commercial dressings made with canola oil that you’ll find at the store.

Ingredients/Materials

½ c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Get it here.)
1 c. Apple Cider Vinegar (Get it here.)
2 T. Filtered Water
Fresh Herbs (Cilantro, dill, and curly leaf parsley are my favorites. You could also add sage, thyme, basil, or whatever other fresh herbs you have around.)
2-3 Green Onions
2-3 Pods of Garlic (This is optional. If you don’t mind the garlic breath, go ahead!)
1 t. Real Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here. You can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)
¼ t. Pepper
1 t. Onion Powder
*¼ t. Cayenne Pepper (This gives it a nice kick, but you might want to leave it out.)
Container to Hold Dressing (Get one here.)
Small Food Chopper (Get one here.)

Directions

Add the Water and Vinegar: If you’re using the container that I linked to above, it will have a line for how much water, vinegar, and oil add. You basically want to have twice as much vinegar as oil and add a splash of water. I like to add my water and vinegar before the oil so that I have enough room for the herbs.
Dressing Container with Lines for the Water, Oil, and Vinegar

Water and Vinegar Added to the Dressing Container
Chop Up the Herbs, Green Onion, and Garlic: I don’t really measure my herbs, I just grab a handful and sprinkle any leftovers right into my salad. I like to coarsely chop everything up (on a wooden cutting board) before adding them to the mini food processor.
Green Onions, Parsley, and Garlic

Food Chopper: Add the chopped up herbs and garlic to the mini food chopper. Pulse a few times on low until everything if fairly mixed, then mix on high until everything is finely chopped.

Green Onions, Garlic, and Parsley Chopped Up in a Food Processor
Add the Herbs: You can see how there’s a lot of room for the herbs. You can go crazy and add a ton or just keep it minimal.
Fresh Herbs Added
Add the Olive Oil: Fill up the rest of the container with extra virgin olive oil.
Oil Added to the Dressing
Add the Seasonings: You can measure out the seasonings or do like me and just sprinkle them in. Once you make this a few times, you’ll get to know what tastes you like more or less of.
Shake and Serve: You’ll want to make sure the cap is securely closed, shake vigorously, and then serve right away before everything separates and settles again.
Homemade Italian Dressing
Storing: You’ll want to keep this in the fridge for optimum freshness. The oil should stay in liquid form if you use it often enough, but if the oil hardens, either run it under some hot water or leave it at room temperature until it liquefies again.
Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing

April 6, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

How to Make the Best Baked Salmon

Fish, General, Recipes

baked salmon with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and dill baked

Salmon is a nutrient dense food that we like to eat about once a week. Stay away from farm-raised salmon that are fed soy meal and given a chemical to make their flesh pink. Wild caught salmon are rich in 18-carbon omega-3 linolenic acid that protects us against heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, cancer, arthritis, psoriasis, asthma, and autoimmune disorders. It is also rich in the longer chain fatty acids like EPA and DHA that are necessary for proper function of the brain and eyes (and are especially beneficial in the diet of pregnant women and growing children). Salmon is also an excellent source of vitamin D and contains vitamin A and E, iron, iodine, and the B vitamins. (Information from Sally Fallon’s Book Nourishing Traditions p. 418)

Ingredients/Materials

Wild Caught Salmon (We buy ours at our local grocery store for $10 for 16 oz.)
¼ c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon
½ t. Dill
1 t. Real Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here. You can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)
½ t. Pepper
Glass Pan (Buy one here.)
Lemon Press (Buy one here.)
Everything You Need to Bake Your Wild Caught Salmon

Everything You’ll Need to Turn this into a Great Dinner

Directions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 425˚F.
Salmon: Arrange the salmon in the glass pan. I usually need to cut the tail off in order to make it fit. (I like using my kitchen scissors for this.)
Wild Caught Salmon Cut to Fit in a Glass Pan
Lemon: Use the lemon press to squeeze the juice of one lemon all over the salmon.
Squeezing Lemon Over Wild Caught Salmon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Drizzle the olive oil generously on top of the salmon.
Pouring Extra Virgin Olive Oil Over Wild Caught Salmon
Spices: Sprinkle generous amounts of dill, salt, and pepper all over the salmon.
Sprinkle Salt, Pepper, and Dill onto the Salmon
Bake: Bake at 425˚F for 10 minutes. The fish should flake apart with a fork when done.
Baked Wild Caught Salmon
Enjoy: Serve with rice and broccoli for a complete and delicious meal. Our kids love salmon. It is one of their favorite dinners.
Elliot Loves Salmon!

April 6, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

Sort of Sourdough Pancakes

General, Grain, Recipes

Typically, when you make things with sourdough, you need to prepare them well in advance, but what if you wake up one Sunday morning and you’re just craving pancakes? This is a good recipe to make some quick pancakes that are “sort of sourdough”. (If you’re looking for more of a real deal sourdough waffle/pancake recipe, check this recipe out, and if you just want some whole wheat pancakes, go here.) My kids always love this pancake recipe, and we sometimes even eat them for dinner!

Read my article about phytic acid if you want to learn why eating sourdough is so important!

Ingredients

1 c. Sourdough Starter
2. c. Milk (Raw is best.)
2 c. Flour (I get my wheat berries here, but you can find some similar here too. I use this grinder. You could also just buy some organic sprouted grain flour here.)
3 Eggs (Preferably pastured)
6 T. (¾ stick) Melted Butter (You can add room temperature butter and it should mix alright though.)
2 T. Cinnamon (Buy some here.)
2 T. Vanilla Extract (This vanilla would be best, but on our budget, I buy this.)
½ t. Real Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here, you can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)
1 t. Baking Soda (or Aluminum Free Baking Powder)
2 T. Coconut Oil (This coconut oil would be best, but on our budget, I buy this.)

Directions

Mix the sourdough starter and milk. Try to let it sit out for as long as you can. If you let it sit out for 8 hours, all of the phytic acid will be broken down, but if you can at least let it sit out for half an hour to an hour it will be better than nothing. (*Eating sourdough is an acquired taste. It might be a good idea to slowly get your family used to the sour taste of these pancakes by letting the batter sit out for increasing amounts of time.)
Preheat your cast iron skillet (make sure it’s cured properly) by setting it to a 2 or 3 for about five minutes.
Add a dollop of coconut oil to your cast iron skillet (or whatever cooking pan you choose).
In a separate bowl, mix the eggs.
Add the cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Stir well.
Add the flour and mix together. Add about a ½ c. to a cup more flour if you like poofier pancakes. This mixture is pretty thin, but it makes some deliciously thin pancakes that we all love. (*I find that my kids really like it when I cook pancakes one way for awhile, that I mix it up and make it a little different. So I’ll go from thick to thin and less sour to more sour quite often.)
Sort of Sourdough Batter
Turn the heat dial to 4 and pour a ladle’s worth of batter into the skillet. (The oil should be bubbling around the pancake.)
Sort of Sourdough Batter Starting to Cook
Cover and let cook for about 2-4 minutes. (By the time I get a few pancakes in, the heat is sometimes too high and needs to be turned down temporarily. You’ll know if the heat is too high if you get hit with splattering coconut oil!)
When the edges are slightly browned and the top is bubbly, you’ll know it’s time to flip. (Stand back as you do this so you don’t get hit with splattering coconut oil.)
Sort of Sourdough Pancake Ready to Flip
Cover and cook for about 1 minute on the other side.
Sort of Sourdough Pancake Almost Done Cooking
Cook the rest of pancakes and add more coconut oil as needed. When you rock the pan back and forth, there should be enough oil to generously coat the bottom. This batter should make about 5-6 pancakes.
Serve with butter and maple syrup. (I like to smear the butter all over the top, then cut it up, and finally add a very modest amount of syrup.)
Sort of Sourdough Pancake

Sort of Sourdough Pancake Cut Up and Ready to Eat

April 5, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

Why Broccoli is So Good for You and How to Make the Best Steamed Broccoli

Fruits and Veggies, General, Health, Nutrient Dense Foods, Recipes

steamed broccoli with melted butter and salt

Steamed broccoli smothered with butter and sprinkled with salt is a favorite side dish in our household. I like to buy organic broccoli (when I can) and cook it a couple times a week. It makes a great accompaniment to a roast chicken or salmon dinner, and the kids love it too!

Why Broccoli is So Good For You

Broccoli is high in carotenoids, vitamin C, chromium (which helps prevent diabetes) and contains B complex, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium as well. It also contains some protein and fiber. It is rich in indoles (as are all members of the cruciferous family), which is a potent anticancer substance as well as.

Broccoli is loaded with glutathione! Glutathione is found at very high concentrations in the lens of the eye and when eaten in the form of broccoli, cabbage, and parsley, it helps to protect the eye from cataracts. Glutathione is also an antioxidant that helps prevent cancer. Studies show that people who prefer to eat broccoli have lower rates of all kinds of cancer. When you cook broccoli, 30-60% the glutathione is lost. (100% is lost in canning.) (From Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, p. 192 and p. 374)

But Watch Out!

Broccoli also contains glucosinolates which prevent the uptake of iodine and affect the function of the thyroid so they are considered goitrogens. When iodine uptake is interfered with, it can result in an enlargement of the thyroid, known as a goiter. This is really only something to watch out for if broccoli and other cuciferous vegeatables (brussel sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower) are eaten in excess. So don’t go too overboard on eating them!

Steaming is the Best

By steaming broccoli, you are lessening the effects of the goitrogens while maintaining the valuable nutrients packed within. I also think it tastes the best!

Ingredients/Materials

Broccoli (One head of organic is best.)
Steamer Pan (Get one here.)
Butter
Real Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here. You can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)

Directions

Prepare the Steamer: Fill the steamer with water and turn the heat to high.
Steaming Pan
Chop up the Broccoli: Sometimes I like cutting it into more bite size pieces before steaming, and sometimes I just chop off the stalk. (You can eat the stalk too if you’d like.)
Add the Broccoli: Place the broccoli in the steamer. When I can, I like to position the head of the broccoli facing up so that the top doesn’t get overcooked.
Raw Broccoli Ready to Steam
Cover and Steam for 5 Minutes: Once the water comes to a boil, I like to turn down the heat just a bit so it’s still boiling, but not spurting water out. The broccoli should be bright green and tender when it’s done.
Steamed Broccoli
Cold Water Bath: Run the broccoli under cold water to stop it from cooking any further. This will help the broccoli to hold its color. I usually skip this step, however, because I want the butter to melt easily.
Butter and Salt: Cut into florets, smother with butter, sprinkle with salt, and serve.
Steamed Broccoli with Butter and Salt

April 1, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

How to Make the Perfect Fried Egg

Eggs, General, Recipes

fried eggs cooked in a cast iron skillet

There are so many different types of egg dishes to consider making, but my each of my four kids have gone through a phase when one of their favorite foods was a perfectly cooked fried egg. Just like all of my other egg recipes, this one is simple and easy to follow, and will soon become a family favorite in your home too.

Ingredients

3-4 Eggs (Preferably Pastured)
1 T. Coconut Oil
½ t. Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here. You can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)
¼ t. Pepper
1 T. Butter
½ c. Cheese (Optional)

Directions

Cure the Cast Iron Skillet: If you’re using a cast iron skillet, which I recommend, then you’ll want to make sure it’s cured properly before beginning.
Coconut Oil: Plop in a dollop of coconut oil and let the pan warm up for a good 3-5 minutes on a low setting. (This helps to ensure that the skillet is properly cured even more.)
Coconut Oil Melting on a Cast Iron Skillet
Turn Up the Heat: Turn the heat up to a 3 or 4 and if you have the patience, let it heat up for another few minutes.
Crack the Eggs: I usually like to cook three or four eggs at a time.
Fried Eggs Just Hit the Cast Iron Skillet
Break the Yolks: Puncture the yolks by making an X in them with the spatula. (Don’t get too crazy here, you want the white and yellow parts of the egg to stay somewhat separate.)
Fried Eggs with Broken Yolks
Cover and Cook: Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a 3 for about 8 minutes. Check the eggs after about 4 minutes. If they’re not really cooking yet, turn it up a bit. If the oil is bubbling and the eggs are cooking too fast, turn it down.)
Fried Eggs Covered and Cooking
Flip: Once the eggs are cooked almost all the way through, it’s time to flip.
Fried Eggs Ready to Flip

Fried Eggs Flipped
Cheese: If you want cheese, add it now. Either shredded or sliced will work just fine.
Cover and Turn Off the Heat: Let the eggs finish cooking for a minute or two, or wait until the cheese melts.
Fried Eggs with Cheese
Serve: If I’m serving the eggs plain without any cheese, I like to add a large pat of butter. Then I cut the eggs up into bite size pieces and serve. These eggs also work really well in egg sandwiches.
Cooked Fried Eggs with Cheese Served with Bacon

One Egg with Melted Cheese Cut Up and Ready to Eat!

March 31, 2015/0 Comments/by Stacey Maaser

How to Cook the Perfect Sunny Side Up Eggs

Eggs, General, Recipes

perfectly cooked sunny side up eggs with sourdough muffins

Frying an egg might seem like the simplest of culinary feats, but it can also be one of the most challenging..especially if you want to cook an egg just perfectly so that the white part is completely cooked and the yolk is nice and dippy. For years and years, I would proclaim to my husband that we were having sunny side up eggs for breakfast, only to serve them over medium time and time again. But I have FINALLY figured out how to cook the PERFECT sunny side up egg. Every. Single. Time.

Ingredients

3-4 Eggs (Preferably pastured)
1 T. Olive Oil
1 T. Coconut Oil
1 t. Real Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here. You can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)
½ t. Pepper
Sourdough Muffins
1 T. Butter

Directions

Cure the Cast Iron Skillet: If you are cooking with a cast iron skillet (which I recommend for pretty much everything), then you’ll want to make sure it’s properly cured before you begin. Even if it’s been cured recently, I recommend running some hot water over it to clean out any bits of food, pouring in a fresh glug of olive oil, and letting it sit at the lowest setting on your stove for about thirty minutes to an hour.
Coconut Oil (or Butter): Add a dollop of coconut oil and turn the heat up to a 3 or 4 for a few minutes.
Coconut Oil Melting on a Cast Iron Skillet
Add the Eggs: Make sure the coconut oil is melted and the pan has had plenty of time to heat up (a few minutes at least), and then crack the eggs into the pan.
Sunny Side Up Eggs Just Starting to Cook
Cook Low and Slow: The trick with just about every egg dish is to cook them at a low temperature for a long time. Resist the temptation to turn the heat up because you’ll turn your back for ONE SECOND and the eggs will be overcooked. You’ll want to cook them for about ten minutes or so. If the eggs are just not cooking after some time, turn the heat up just a titch, and if the oil is starting to bubble, turn the heat down a smidgen. DON’T COVER WITH A LID! You might think that it will help cook the tops, but it won’t. It will just overcook the eggs.
Sunny Side Up Eggs Halfway Cooked
Add the Salt and Pepper: At any point after you’ve cracked the eggs, go ahead and sprinkle on some salt and pepper.
Sunny Side Up Eggs Sprinkled with Salt and Pepper
Time to Flip: Once the eggs are cooked just about all the way through, they are ready to be flipped.
These Sunny Side Up Eggs are Ready to Flip

Flipping the Eggs
Keep it Quick: To make a truly perfect dippy egg, you’ll only want to keep the egg flipped for no more than ten seconds. If you keep it flipped for about 30-40 seconds, you’ll notice that the egg is still dippy, but more firm around the edges. Any longer, and you’ve ruined the whole thing, and you might as well start over. Just make sure the whites are cooked through all the way because it’s really gross when they’re not.
Sunny Side Up Eggs Cooked to Perfection

In the picture above, the egg with the fork next to it was flipped for about 45 seconds, the egg in the middle was flipped for about 30 seconds, and the egg on the right was only flipped for about 5 seconds.
Check the Pan: You’ll know if your cast iron skillet was cured properly (and that you didn’t cook the eggs at too high of a temperature) if your pan looks like this when you are done.
Cast Iron Skillet After Cooking Sunny Side Up Eggs
Enjoy: Serve with some toasted and buttered sourdough muffins, a few slices of bacon, and a tall glass of milk for an amazing breakfast! (Also, make sure to sprinkle those yolks with a generous helping of Real Salt!)
Sunny Side Up Eggs, Sourdough Muffin, Bacon, and Milk…the Perfect Breakfast!