Healthy No Sugar Apple Chips

Wow! It has been an incredibly long time since I have posted to this blog and I am greatly sorry for not posting more regularly, especially with so many great recipes that I have found successful for my family in this long hiatus. I must admit that I have started a second blog related to my other love, teaching art to elementary children. My other blog, Artteacher101.blogspot.com, has kept me very busy this year and made me a slacker at this blog, but my goal this spring is to post regularly on this site (weekly if possible) any new, successful, healthy, recipes that my family enjoys! So, here is one that I have been making for years and my kids love it; Apple Chips! This simple recipe can be stored for up to six months and worked great for the incredibly large apple harvest from my parent's farm.

The very first step is to peel and core the apples. My kids love to eat the shavings like a natural fruit by the foot, less sugar than any you can buy in the store and no pesticides to worry about!

An apple corer works best on firm apples. Apples that are overly ripe and soft will just fall apart in the apple corer. My kids love to help with this step and of course, eat the skins as they work the machine (the original fruit by the foot).

After the apples are cored and skinned, I cut them in half and the apple easily separates into slices.

Once sliced and separated, I place the apples on the dehydrator's shelves in a single layer and sprinkle with cinnamon for extra flavor. No sugar needed! The natural juices of the apple make the apple chips plenty sweet when all complete.

I mostly use a dehydrator to make the chips. It's a hand me down from my mother. To be honest, I don't even know if they make this one anymore. Sometimes, in addition to the dehydrator, I have so many apples that I place the apples in a single layer on a cookie sheet with parchment paper (to prevent the chips from sticking to the cookie sheet) and set the oven to a low temp (250 degrees Fahrenheit) to dry out the slices. This usually takes a couple of hours depending on how juicy the apples. Sometimes using the oven is quicker and more efficient. When using the dehydrator, it can take up to two days almost to dry out the apples.

 

We love this sweet treat without any unnecessary sugar.  Have you and your family ever tried homemade apple chips? Let me know what you think.

Acorn Squash Low Carb Pizza Crust

Did I mention that my husband and kids (me included) love pizza! I am a carb junkie. My addiction includes breads and desserts, so I try to curb my carb cravings and at least try to reduce the amount of flour I consume.

In the last six months we have been ordering produce through Bountiful Baskets, a coop distribution of 50% fruit/50% vegetable baskets, organic produce baskets, artisan bread and sandwich bread every other week. The last week's basket was definitely bountiful and included three small acorn squashes. Instead of using sweet potatoes for a pizza crust (as we have tried in a previous post), the thought occurred to me...why not try squash and see what happens! I am hoping this experiment is a success as the crust is baking in the oven right now.

I must give credit for the inspiration of this recipe to Tina at Carrots N' Cake. I did make some modifications to her original recipe, so see the comments below. You can find my original sweet potato pizza crust recipe by clicking here.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups acorn squash roasted (1 whole small acorn squash, skin and seeds removed)
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (pureed in blender with acorn squash)
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• Your choice of toppings

Directions:
The first step is to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  Next, I prepared the acorn squash for mashing by cutting it in half, placing it on a cookie sheet (cut sides up), drizzling with olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper, and roasting in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until cooked through (about 30 minutes).  After the squash is cooled, I peeled it, scooped the seeds out, cut it into small chunks, and threw in the blender with a half cup coconut milk to puree. To be honest, I did this step one week ago and threw the acorn squash puree in the freezer.

Next, I combined all the ingredients listed above.  The original recipe called for almond flour.  It's not a staple in my pantry, so I replaced with whole wheat pastry flour instead. Those who suffer from gluten allergies could substitute with another kind of flour, such as almond or coconut flour.

The original recipe also called for garlic powder, although normally a pantry staple in my home, I was all out and did not feel like running to the store, so we used the fresh garlic we had on hand instead and grated with a micro-planer.

The original recipe also called for a pizza pan. Thanks to my wonderful MIL, I received one at Christmas. I covered it with olive oil and preheated it in the oven. I spread the dough onto the baking pan until about a 1/2 inch thick and baked for 25-30 minutes until center was firm and edges were lightly browned. Just an advanced warning, the dough will be sticky and goey and may be difficult to spread. I used a spatula to help spread the dough.

Next, we removed the crust from the oven, added toppings, and baked for another 5-7 minutes until the cheese was completely melted. My children's favorite topping of all time, "Epiphany" sausage! It is made by a local church as their annual fundraiser and is held every year on the 2nd Sunday in March. The entire parish works together to butcher 30 hogs and process their own sausage with seasonings and casings making the leanest most flavorful sausage I have ever tasted! This small town of 50 people will fill with 1000 to 1500 people in one day looking for a great meal that only happens one time a year!

UPDATE! The crust is awesome and so much better than the sweet potato pizza crust I posted earlier! My children will agree! THEY EVEN REQUESTED WE MAKE IT AGAIN SOON!

Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

I am a carb junkie. My addiction includes breads and desserts, so to curb my carb cravings and at least try to reduce the amount of flour I consume, I thought what better way than a sweet potato crust pizza. Did I mention that my husband and kids (me included) love pizza! My husband worked in the pizza business for ten years and although, he is not home to try this new experiment, I am hoping to save him a piece and give me his pizza man experienced opinion! I must give credit for the inspiration of this recipe to Tina at Carrots N' Cake. I did make some modifications to her original recipe, so see the comments below.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (2-3 medium sized sweet potatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar because that is what I had on hand, but any kind would work)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• Your choice of toppings

Directions:
The first step is to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  Next, I prepared sweet potatoes for mashing by peeling and cutting into small chunks and throwing into a sauce pan with water. Let the potatoes boil until soft. Now you're ready for mashing!

 

Drain the sweet potatoes, but reserve a cup of the starchy sweet potato flavored water for mashing.  I used a hand masher, but I suppose you could use a processor as well, just be careful not to over process. I added about a half cup of the water reserve while mashing to help make the potatoes softer. Next, I combined all the ingredients listed above, adding the mashed sweet potatoes last.

The original recipe called for almond flour. It's not a staple in my pantry, so I replaced with whole wheat pastry flour instead. I purchased a 25 lb bag from Azure Standard. That's a lot of flour....What was I thinking? I am not quite sure! Those who suffer from gluten allergies could substitute with another kind of flour.

The original recipe also called for garlic powder, although normally a pantry staple in my home, I was all out and did not feel like running to the store, so we used the fresh garlic we had on hand instead and grated with a grater.

 

 

The original recipe also called for a pizza pan. Alas, something we do not have in our kitchen. Isn't that amazing that we love pizza so much, but do not have a pizza stone or pan in our house?! So, instead, I covered a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray (olive oil). After making this crust, I found it did stick to the pan, so I may use aluminum foil next time. Using a spatula, I spread the dough into the baking pan until about a 1/2 inch thick, and baked for 25-30 minutes until center was firm and edges were lightly browned. 

 

Next, we removed the crust from the oven, added toppings, and baked for another 5-7 minutes until the cheese was completely melted. My kids loved the beef and barbeque pizza, but the asparagus, although still good, was not their favorite.

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken with Garlic and Lemon

This delicious and easy recipe is inspired by the Harcombe Diet cookbook. For any of you who are not familiar with the Harcombe Diet, it's established by the experiences and research of Zoe Harcombe, a nutritionist from the UK.  She is an author, obesity researcher and nutritionist graduated from Cambridge University. This is what I take most from her books and diet research; eat a clean diet by limiting processed foods, sugar, and carbs, exactly what I want my family to experience.

This is one of my favorite recipes from her Harcombe Diet recipe book. I have tweaked it to fit my busy lifestyle, by transferring the cooking process from the oven to the slow cooker. My family enjoys this recipe, too! Another great perk about this recipe; it's simple and so are the ingredients.

Ingredients:
one whole chicken
6-8 cloves garlic
2 whole lemons
salt and black pepper
Olive oil
2 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth

Add two cups of chicken stock to your slow cooker. After removing giblets, stuff 1/2 the garlic cloves and lemons inside the chicken. My bird is from a local producer, Maxwell Colony. I feel the quality of these birds is exceptional! 

 

I place the bird in the slow cooker upside down so the juices can penetrate the breast meat. To add more flavor to the meat, I drizzle olive oil on top of the skin and in between the skin and meat.as well as half of the garlic cloves. 

 

Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low heat all day (8-9 hours) or on high heat for 5-6 hours until the bird is cooked thoroughly. I usually serve with vegetables. This particular meal I served with steamed organic carrots from Azure Standard.

My take on chicken, beef, or vegetable Stock and broth, if you can't understand the ingredient list, don't buy it. I like buying most organic brands because when I read the ingredient list, I can understand every ingredient. When I look at a brand like Swanson's, I find autolyzed yeast extract. What is that? Well, after further research, it turns out to be monosodium Glutamate (MSG). MSG is a form of concentrated salt. Because the kind of MSG we find at the store is processed, it can cause many adverse reactions, including skin rashes, itching, hives, nausea, vomiting, migraine headaches, asthma, heart irregularities, depression and even seizures. Since MSG has gained a bad rap because of its ability to cause headaches and migraines, the food market changes MSG's name. Other names used to disguise MSG include autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, maltodextrin, hydrolyzed protein, sodium caseinate, mono-potassium glutamate, and textured protein. (www.naturalnews.com)


I once thought that Rachel Ray's broth was safe to use and maybe even healthy for me, until I read about MSG and its other names and forms. Why would food companies choose to use these ingredients? Because MSG can enhance the flavor of low quality foods and reduce production costs. Natural flavoring such as "natural chicken flavoring" is another ingredient I try to avoid. What is that exactly? The Sweet Beet wrote a great article about this same topic and I found it very enlightening. If you have time, hop over to read it.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

We've had an unusually cold spring with ice and snow storms even in late April. Today's forecasted high is in the low 60's with clouds making the day very gloomy and leaving the potential for rain unfortunately high. Soup sounds like a great meal for this family. This is the season for asparagus and even with the late spring and cool temperatures you can find it in abundance at the market. Here is today's recipe and the kids devoured it, asking for seconds and thirds! This can be made Harcombe friendly or gluten free by using corn or almond flour instead of whole wheat flour. This is one recipe we will certainly make again and so simple, too!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup onions diced
1/2 cup celery diced
6 TBSP butter
6 TBSP whole wheat flour
3 cups skim milk
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
Dash of nutmeg
salt and pepper for seasoning

Dice the onions and celery and leave to the side. In a sauce pan, add the butter and melt. Once melted, stir in the flour. This will thicken the butter and make a paste. Add the milk one cup at a time, making sure the sauce thickens each time you add the next cup of milk. Finish by adding the asparagus, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Let it cook for a few more minutes until the asparagus brightens in color. We served over homemade whole wheat bread or serve by itself. The homemade bread is a great and easy recipe...watch for that post soon to come!

Chicken Stir Fry

With husband on the Harcombe diet again, I needed to make a Harcombe friendly meal. This meets the standards for phase one except for the sauce which could easily be eliminated. Very healthy and tasty meal whether you are on the Harcombe diet or not, unfortunately the kids did not enjoy it as much as the adults...Gabe ate every bite, Allie picked out her favorites and left the onions, celery, garlic and green peppers, Josh only liked the chicken, rice and carrots....maybe not a great meal for the kids. I better stick to hiding the vegetables minced in things like meatloaf.
Ingredients:
1 TBSP olive oil
1-2 lbs chicken breast
salt and pepper to season
3-4 cloves garlic sliced
3-4 carrots sliced
4-5 stalks celery
1 green pepper diced
1 large onion sliced

Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
a little under 1/4 cup water
1 heaping TBSP of corn starch
 Whisk sauce ingredients together.

While the olive oil is heating in a pan on the stove on medium high heat, I diced the chicken breast into 1 inch pieces and added to the hot oil. after chicken is cooked thoroughly, I threw in my vegetables. After stirring veggies and chicken for one minute, I added the sauce and it didn't take long for it to thicken, stir into the veggies and chicken for another minute. Dinner is ready! Serve with brown rice.

Phase One of the Harcombe Diet

Well, things are serious and now require a serious diet, so my husband and I are back on the harcombe diet together - phase one - in hopes to shed many pounds and loose inches around our waists in a short amount of time. This is a great diet plan for a lifetime because it focuses on eating pure unprocessed food without the sugar and preservatives. This is really the kind of food I want my family to eat for improved health, improved weight and improved energy.

Phase one of the Harcombe diet is a 5 day detox to rid your body of the sugar and carb cravings. It is similar to the Atkins diet allowing only certain vegetables and meat and no carbs or sugar, but Zoe Harcombe instead suggests lean cuts of meat and does not allow for fat from meat in phase one and absolutely no sugar substitutes or caffeine such as soda pop/coffee. Here are the allowed foods in phase one:

Vegetables:
Alfalfa
Artichoke
Asparagus
Aubergine (eggplant)
bamboo shoots
bean sprouts
beetroot
broccoli
brussels sprouts
bok choy
Chinese cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
celeriac
celery
chicory
chillies (any)
courgette (zucchini)
cucumber
dandelion
endive
fennel garlic
kale
leeks
lettuce (any)
mange tout
marrow
mustard greens
okra
onions
parsnip
peas
pepper
pumpkin
radish
rocket
salsify
shallots
sorrel
spinach
squashes
Swiss chard
swede
turnip
watercress
water chestnuts

Herbs and Spices
basil
bay leaves
caraway
cardamom
chervil
chives
cinnamon
cloves
coriander cumin
dill
ginger
marjoram
mint
nutmeg
oregano
paprika
parsley
rosemary
saffron
sage
tarragon
thyme
turmeric

Fish/Seafood
Cod
haddock
halibut
plaice
turbot
whiting
clams
crab
lobster
mussels
oysters
prawns
winkles (British creature)
anchovies
mackerel
pilchards
salmon
tuna
trout

White/Red Meat
chicken
duck
goose
guinea fowl
pheasant
quail
rabbit
turkey
bacon (lean)
beef
gammon
ham
lamb
pork
veal
venison

Other
eggs
natural live yogurt
Tofu
Quorn (leading brand of mycroprotien food product in the UK and Ireland)
Tomato
Olives
unsalted butter
olive oil

Herbal Teas
chamomile
fennel
ginger
ginseng
hawthorn
lemon balm
peppermint
rose hip