fruits and veggies | Embracing Motherhood

How to Stay on Top of Free Radicals with Antioxidants

I hear the terms “free radicals” and “antioxidants” thrown around a lot, but the extent of my knowledge was that free radicals were bad and antioxidants were good. I wanted to know more, so I researched it and synthesized my findings here. The information is quite fascinating.

Free Radical Test

If you want to see how much your body has been affected by free radicals you can do the following test: Hold out your hand with the palm facing down in a relaxed position, then pinch the skin on the back of the hand by lifting up the fold and releasing it. If the skin snaps quickly back into place, then you have minimal free radical damage. If the skin takes a few seconds to go back into place, then that is a bad sign and you will want to take immediate steps to adjust your diet to eliminate free radicals and incorporate as many antioxidants as you can.

What are Free Radicals?

Free radicals are atoms that have unpaired electrons in their outer shell. These dangling covalent bonds make free radicals highly reactive to other substances or even to each other. In our bodies, they can create abnormal cells that can lead to a growing list of diseases from cataracts to cancer and leads to oxidative stres (where your body is kind of rusting from the inside out). What’s scary about free radicals is that they are able to penetrate into the DNA of a cell and damage its blueprint so that the cell will reproduce mutated cells that can then replicate without normal controls.

But they’re not all bad. In his article on the Weston A. Price foundation, Staying on Top of Oxidative Stress, Stephen Byrnes, ND, RNCP, states that, “free radicals are involved in many cellular functions and are a normal part of living. When, for example, a mitochondria within a cell burns glucose for fuel, the mitochondria oxidizes the glucose and in so doing generates free radicals. White blood cells also use free radicals to attack and destroy bacteria, viruses and virus-infected cells. The detoxifying actions of the liver also require free radicals.”

Where Do Free Radicals Come From?

When the body is fed poorly, it slowly starves at the cellular level, all systems become weaker, and then these weak systems become prime targets for free radical attack. The major sources of dietary free radicals are chemically-altered fats from commercial vegetable oils, vegetable shortening and all oils heated to very high temperatures. Excessive sugar can also contribute to free radical damage. Stephen Byrnes further states that, “Free radicals are also released in the body from the detoxification of drugs (whether legal or illegal), artificial food colorings and flavorings, smog, preservatives in processed foods, alcohol, cigarette smoke, chlorinated drinking water, pesticides, radiation, cleaning fluids, heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, and assorted chemicals such as solvent traces found in processed foods and aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and naphthalene (found in moth balls).” Even psychological stress can produce certain hormones that generate free radicals.

What are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are scavengers on the look out for free radicals. They stabilize the free radicals by giving them the electron they need to calm down. The also work to prevent free radicals from forming in the body. In the process, the antioxidant sacrifices itself.

How Antioxidants Diffuse Free Radicals by Donating an Electron

Watch this video that shows a great explanation of how free radicals and antioxidants work.

Where Do Antioxidants Come From?

As people age, they are exposed to more and more free radicals, but the body has a wonderful way of repairing itself with cholesterol, which is a major antioxidant. This is probably why the serum cholesterol levels rise as people get older and why people with higher cholesterol live longer. Stephen Byrnes explains that, “the main antioxidants are vitamins A, E and C, betacarotene, glutathione, bioflavonoids, selenium, zinc, CoQ10 (ubiquinone), and various phyto-chemicals from herbs and foods. Green tea, for example, is rich in polyphenols–powerful antioxidants that help fight cancer.” Alpha lipoic acid is another amazing antioxidant that can help to reduce insulin resistance and helps to repair the body after a strenuous workout.

Glutathione

Glutathione is pretty much the most powerful antioxidant. It is found inside every single cell in our bodies. It is special because it helps to maximize the activity of all the other antioxidants. It is a complete amino acid (cysteine, glycine and glutamate), it removes toxins from our cells, and it protects us from the damaging effects of radiation, chemicals, and environmental pollutants. So where can we get glutathoine?

The best way to get glutathione is high quality whey protein. The best kind to get is cold pressed, from grass-fed cows, and free of hormones, chemicals, and sugar. I have a wonderful book that I enjoy reading called Trim Healthy Mama. In it, Serena Allison and Pearl Barrett talk about the amazing benefits of whey protein including how it helps stimulate the hormones that enhance fat burning, eliminate sugar cravings and hunger by promoting a stable blood sugar, boost serotonin levels, fight breast cancer, and is a great post workout boost. They say that instead of asking for Christmas or birthday presents, they just ask for whey protein! It also occurs in raw milk, raw eggs, and raw meat. *Consuming raw meat can lead to intestinal parasites, so I personally wouldn’t do it.

Fresh fruits and raw vegetables provide an excellent source of glutathione. This goes away once cooked, however. Spinach, potatoes, asparagus, avocado, squash, okra, cauliflower, broccoli, walnuts, garlic and tomatoes have the highest glutathione per serving. *The oxalic acid in raw spinach prevents the absorption of calcium.

In Conclusion

With all of the environmental toxins, poor dietary habits, and prevalence of diseases such as cancer, it seems like a good idea to do whatever we can (especially when we’re young) to eliminate things containing free radicals and to boost our intake of antioxidants.

For additional reading:

Staying on Top of Oxidative Stress by Stephen Byrnes, ND, RNCP (on the Weston A. Price Foundation website)
This ONE Antioxidant Keeps All Other Antioxidants Performing at Peak Levels by Dr. Mercola and Ori Hofmekler

December 28, 2017/by Stacey Maaser

Simple Homemade Hummus Recipe

Fruits and Veggies, General, Recipes

One of my favorite snacks in the whole world is homemade bread topped with homemade hummus, green olives, and fresh tomatoes from the garden. This hummus recipe is easy to make, super nutritious, and oh so very delicious!

Homemade Hummus

Ingredients

2 15 oz. Cans of Garbanzo Beans (drain and save the liquid)
½ Cup Tahini (make sure it’s evenly mixed)
¼ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon (juice from one lemon or more if you like it tangy)
2 Cloves of Garlic (peeled and sliced, more or less depending on taste preference)
1 t. Cumin (Some recipes don’t call for this spice, but I think it’s what completes the flavor.)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
*Blender (You could also use a food processor.)
*Parsley (as a garnish, optional)

Directions

Drain the liquid from the garbanzo beans and add them to the blender. Set the liquid aside to add later as needed to get the blender going.
Add the rest of the ingredients (tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper).
I like my hummus on the thicker side, so I try to add as little of the reserved garbanzo bean liquid as possible which is usually about half of a can.
In order to blend everything evenly, I use a large spoon to stir, blend, stir, blend, repeat until the consistency is nice and creamy.

In Conclusion

By having some delicious homemade hummus prepared ahead of time, you can be sure that when hunger strikes you will have a healthy snack on hand. I love chopping up fresh carrots and celery and using the hummus as a dip or putting it on top of my homemade bread. Delicious!

Hummus on Homemade Bread

September 1, 2017/by Stacey Maaser

The Best Homemade Guacamole

Fruits and Veggies, General, Recipes

Avocados are ridiculously healthy! Along with their monounsaturated fat (mostly oleic acid), they are naturally nutrient-dense and contain around 20 vitamins and minerals. I love slicing up avocado and using it on sandwiches or toast, but I just love, love, LOVE making homemade guacamole!

Ages ago, before I attempted making most of my food from scratch, I would simply pick up one of the avocado packets from the store, but now I skip that msg laden pouch and instead make my own mixture that tastes WAY better and is better for you too.

Ingredients

4 ripe avocados (Avocados are on the clean 15 list, so you don’t need to worry if you can’t find some that are organic.)
1 lemon (or lime)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
*1 tomato (optional, gives it a little kick)
2 teaspoons Real Salt
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon pepper
*¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped, optional)
*½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (add to taste if you like a little spice)

Guacamole Ingredients

Directions

Open the avocado. Cut the avocados length-ways and pinch the skins to expel the soft buttery flesh of the fruit (yes, it’s a fruit). Discard the skins and pits then dump the avocado into your bowl.
Avocado Flesh
Mince the garlic. 4 pods of garlic will give the guacamole a noticeable garlic flavor and give you some garlic breath to boot, so feel free to just add one or two pods for less of a garlic effect! I like to press the garlic pods with the side of my knife until they pop and then easily remove the skins. Then I chop them as fine as I can with my big knife. Sometimes I like pulling out my hand chopper or mini food processor to get the garlic minced really fine. *If I were to add cilantro, I would put it in the food processor with the garlic, but I didn’t have any this time around, so I didn’t add it.
Minced Garlic
Squeeze the lemon. I love using this handy lemon squeezer. (I actually kind of prefer the taste of a lime, but we usually keep more lemons on hand, so that’s what I used.)
Squeezing Lemon on Avocado
Add the seasonings. I don’t usually measure my seasonings. I just add some (usually less than I would think), taste it, and add more until I get the right flavor. I’m really generous with the salt here, sparing with the pepper, and appreciative of the cumin, which is really the key ingredient and gives the guacamole its distinctive flavor! I love adding cayenne to just about everything, but my kids don’t like it, so I just add it separately to my portion.
Mash it up. Use a fork to mash up all of the avocado onto the sides of the bowl. Keep spinning and mashing until you’ve gone over all the avocado flesh. I think that it looks and tastes better if left a little lumpy.
Mashed Up Avocado
Chop up a tomato. This is totally all about your personal preference. I like adding just one tomato for a little color and extra flavor, but if I’m running low on avocados and want to stretch things out, I’ll add more tomato. When I chop up the tomato, I like to get rid of all the seeds and extra juice so that it doesn’t make the dip too watery.
Set and serve. The longer this sits, the more the flavors can sink in, and the better it tastes. It also tastes better room temperature. So I like to make mine the day before I need it, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight, and make sure it sits out long enough to get to room temperature before serving it.
Holy Guacamole!

In Conclusion

This guacamole is so much more than just a dip! Sure you can enjoy it with some tortilla chips, but it also makes a great topping on a burger, a delightful edition on an egg sandwich, and a must have for tacos too!

December 10, 2015/by Stacey Maaser

Hamburger Salad Recipe

Beef, General, Recipes

I love finding simple ways to make dinner that are both healthy and that my family will enjoy. The kids love eating grilled burgers on a bun or cut up and dipped in A1, but my husband and I really enjoy these hamburger salads

Ingredients

Grilled Hamburgers
Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices (Or really any kind of cheese you prefer.)
Lettuce (The darker the lettuce, the more nutrients it has. I prefer organic because it’s one of the dirty dozen.)
Green Olives (Sliced or chopped)
Tomato
Mayonnaise (I like Hellman’s.)
Real Salt (Get some here.)

Directions

Grill some burgers. Check out my recipe: How to Make the Best Grilled Burgers.
Add some cheese when the burgers are almost done cooking, cover, and let it melt.
Chop up the burgers into cubes.
Place on a bed of lettuce and top with tomatoes, green olives, and mayonnaise.
Add a sprinkling of Real Salt on the top and serve.

Hamburger Salad

July 24, 2015/by Stacey Maaser

Homemade Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe

Dressing, General, Recipes

I love the house dressing they serve at Olive Garden, and I LOVE the fact that they serve limitless salad and breadsticks even more. To be honest, when we go there (or when we used to go there, before we had all of these kids), I would just fill up on the salad and breadsticks and take the entrè home with me to eat later! But what I don’t love about the Olive Garden dressing that you find at the store, is that like pretty much every other store bought salad dressing, it is made with canola or vegetable oil, white vinegar, and has MSG sneakily hidden in the ingredients (if you see “natural flavors“, that means MSG).

Anyways, I’ve always loved my homemade Italian dressing, but I was looking for something a bit creamier, and so I simplified my Italian dressing recipe, added some mayonnaise, and voilá, a great tasting creation was born! I think it tastes similar to the Olive Garden dressing, but even better because it’s made with only the best ingredients. Give it a try, and see for yourself!

Ingredients

Container to Hold Dressing (Get one here. I like using this because it has fill lines for the oil, vinegar, and water pre-marked on the glass jar.)
1 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Get some here.)
½ c. Apple Cider Vinegar (Get some here.)
2 T. Filtered Water
4 T. Mayonnaise (I like Hellman’s)
Curly Leaf Parsley – 1 Small Bunch (You can add whatever fresh herbs you have here too. If I have it, I like using cilantro and sometimes dill, sage, or basil.)
1 t. Onion Powder
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
Optional: 2-3 green onions chopped, 2-3 pods of garlic peeled and finely chopped, or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for a little kick,

Directions

Basically, you just mix all of the ingredients together, and shake it up! Simple as can be!

Homemade Olive Garden Salad Dressing

I find that with salad dressing, there is such a personal preference of taste that it’s really all about finding a base recipe and making it your own. My husband, for example, really doesn’t like the taste of vinegary things, so his ideal recipe might include less apple cider vinegar and a little more water or olive oil. (But honestly, he’s a die hard thousand island fan, so I’m going to be crafting a homemade thousand island recipe for him soon.) I, on the other hand, love vinegary things, so I’ll actually go a little heavier on the apple cider vinegar than this recipe calls for.

In the end, it’s about finding what you love, making it as healthy as can be, and then enjoying the fruits of your labors as you become the healthiest version of you that you can be!

May 22, 2015/by Stacey Maaser

Tomato Cabbage Soup Recipe with Chicken or Ground Beef

General, Recipes, Soup

On a cold winter night, or a hot summer day, this soup is good anytime! Filled with fresh, nutrient dense, and delicious ingredients, this soup will help you stay slim, energized, and full. Fresh cabbage is an amazing vegetable filled with beta-carotene, vitamin C, and glucosinolates (that protect against cancer). Fresh tomatoes are also an excellent source of nutrients including potassium and the powerful antioxidant lycopene. So what are you waiting for? Let’s make some soup!

Cabbage, Chicken, and Tomato Soup with Barley Added

Ingredients

1 Head of Cabbage (cabbage is on the “Clean 15” list)
1 Bag of My Tomato Purée (or 2 16 oz. home canned jars, or organic BPA free jars from the store)
2 c. Chopped Celery (or whatever other vegetables you have lying around)
1 Whole Chicken or 1 lb Ground Beef (See my Roasted Chicken Recipe or Ground Beef Recipe)
*Optional: 4 c. Properly Prepared Barley
*Seasonings: I add most of my seasonings to my tomato purée, but if you’re used canned tomatoes without any seasonings, I would add the following:
- 3 pods of Chopped Garlic
- ½ c. Chopped Parsley (super duper healthy)
- ½ c. Chopped Cilantro
- 2 T. Real Salt (salt to taste)
- 1 t. Pepper

Directions

Tomato Purée: Add the tomato purée to a large pot and start to warm it up at a low-medium heat.
Tomato Purée
Add the Vegetables: Cut up the cabbage (shredding it is even better), chop the celery, and really go ahead and chop up any other vegetable you have in your fridge that sounds good like carrots, bok choy, leeks, green onion, etc. and throw them all in the pot.
Add the Meat (or not): Cut up the cooked chicken into bite sized pieces and add it to the pot. Or, if you’re going the ground beef way, add that to the pot. Or, just keep this a vegetarian dish, it will still taste great! (I have actually always used this recipe with ground beef until I just happened to have some extra chicken around, and it was simply amazing!)
Roasted Chicken
Add the Seasonings: If you’re using my tomato purée recipe, you’ll already have most of your seasonings added, but if you’re using unseasoned tomatoes, add the garlic, cilantro, parsley, maybe a little dill, oregano, thyme, sage, or whatever other fresh herbs you might have lying around. Then add salt and pepper to suit your taste.
Chopping Up Some Fresh Herbs
Simmer: Bring all of the ingredients to a slow boil, then turn down the heat to a low 2 or 3, cover, and let everything simmer for about 30 minutes. If I know that I’m going to be eating my soup for many days, I like to cook things really lightly at first so that every time I reheat it, all of the nutrients aren’t lost from over-cooking it.
Cabbage Soup Simmering
Barley: I love adding barley to just about every soup because it’s so healthy and filling, but sometimes it can kind of take over the soup and then no one else wants to eat it but me! So, sometimes I’ll just cook the barley and leave it separate so that anyone who wants can go ahead and add a scoopful. See my recipe for properly preparing organic barley to get rid of the phytic acid here.
Serve the Barley on the Side
Enjoy! This soup is good hot or cold. I really like eating mine with a toasted sourdough muffin with butter on the side.
Cabbage Soup with Barley Added

Toasted Sourdough Muffins with Butter

May 20, 2015/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/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/by Stacey Maaser

How to Make the Best Baked Potato

General, Potatoes, Recipes

Who doesn’t like a steaming baked potato loaded with fresh toppings? Potatoes are very high on the glycemic index, so I always thought it was best to steer clear of them. But then I learned about their wonderful benefits, such as being high in vitamin C and B6 (almost half of the daily recommended amounts), and discovered how they can be a vehicle for other good foods such as butter, sour cream, and cheese which drastically lowers its glycemic index, and now I am a big fan! There are so many good options for a baked potato, so get creative and dig in!

Organic potatoes are one of the dirty dozen, meaning that they contain a large amount of pesticides. In fact, according to studies, 81% of conventionally grown potatoes contain pesticides, even after being washed and peeled. We pay $3.50 for a 3 lb bag of organic potatoes at our local grocery store, which I think is well worth the price.

Ingredients

1 Potato
2 T. Butter (Kerrygold)
4 T. Sour Cream
½ c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Chives, Chopped
Real Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here, you can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)
Pepper (Buy it here.)
Optional Toppings: Crumbled bacon, chili, or broccoli

Directions

Cook the Potato.
1. Microwave: Poke holes in the potato and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Bake: Wash your potatoes, rub with olive oil or coconut oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake at 350˚F for 1 hour. (Flip halfway through.) Bake a whole bunch so that you can keep extra in the fridge so that you won’t need to wait for an hour the next time you want a baked potato! *Throw these in the oven when you’re making a roasted chicken!
  Baked Potatoes
Cut it up, smother it with butter, and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on the top. Pop it in the microwave for 1 minute.
Then, smother it with sour cream, top with chopped chives, and sprinkle generously with salt and a little pepper.
Baked Potato with Butter, Melted Cheese, Sour Cream, Real Salt, and Chives
Now tell everybody to leave you alone because you have some serious eating to do!!

March 20, 2015/by Stacey Maaser

Tomato Purée

Fruits and Veggies, General, Recipes

I worked with my mom and grandma one late summer afternoon to learn the fine art of canning tomatoes. It was so awesome to learn such a fine craft, but it was sooooooo much work, and something that I just don’t have the time for these days. Well, one day, my Grandma brought over some puréed tomatoes that had been in her freezer for practically a year. I cautiously used them in a chili and it was amazing!!! The taste was so much fresher than the canned tomatoes and freezing is so much better at preserving the nutrients too. What I like most about this method is being able to do small batches as my tomatoes ripen.

Ingredients/Materials

10-12 Tomatoes
Cilantro (Half of a bunch)
Parsley (Half of a bunch)
Optional: Dill (Half of a bunch)
Optional: Fresh Garlic (4 pods)
2 T. Real Salt (I buy my Real Salt in bulk here, you can buy a shaker here, or a refill pouch here.)
Large Bowl
Blender

Directions

Cut up the tomatoes into quarters or eighths (depending on how efficient your blender is).
Smush and crush them into bottom of the blender.
Cover and blend in short pulses. You may need to smush the tomatoes down more in between pulses in order to get the juice flowing and the blender to run more efficiently.
Prepare the herbs by chopping them up coarsely and add them to the middle of a tomato blend cycle.
Add salt to a tomato blend cycle.
Dump all of the blended tomatoes into a big bowl and stir. Give it a taste test to see if you’ve added enough herbs and salt. *You can also add some garlic, but I like the taste of fresh garlic and I’m worried that over time the garlic might take on too powerful of a flavor.
Other optional ingredients: Onions, peppers, chives…be creative!
Store in gallon size Ziploc freezer bags. I like to fill each bag about ¾ full. When pouring the tomato liquid into the bag, lay it down flat until the purée comes right up to the locking mechanism. This is the best way to get rid of all air bubbles. Find a flat place in your freezer to store it until it freezes in a nice shape. Try to avoid plopping the bag on top of wire racks. If you do, the bag will be more likely to stick in weird places and leak or tear when you retrieve it.
Label the bags with the date you made it and the herbs you added if desired.
To thaw, place in a warm sink bath, then add to whatever you are making!

Notes: As you are preparing your purée, think about what you’ll be using it for. I like to use mine primarily in chili, as pizza sauce, or as spaghetti sauce, so I like it to have a nice Italian flavor. You might also want to store it in some smaller pint or quart size Ziplock bags if you plan on making smaller recipes. I find that one large gallon size Ziploc bag is perfect for one pot of chili, so that’s how I like to store it.

October 20, 2014/by Stacey Maaser

Tag Archive for: fruits and veggies

Free Radical Test

What are Free Radicals?

Where Do Free Radicals Come From?

What are Antioxidants?

Where Do Antioxidants Come From?

Glutathione

In Conclusion

For additional reading:

Ingredients

Directions

In Conclusion

Ingredients

Directions

In Conclusion

Ingredients

Directions

Ingredients

Directions

Ingredients

Directions

Ingredients/Materials

Directions

Why Broccoli is So Good For You

But Watch Out!

Steaming is the Best

Ingredients/Materials

Directions

Ingredients

Directions

Ingredients/Materials

Directions

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