Chocolate Brownie Bars

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Need just a little bit of chocolate to make your day?  We do!  Try these chocolate brownie bars!  Use fresh flour and wholesome ingredients.  All that is left is to enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup organic butter
  • 1/2 cup baker’s cocoa
  • 1 1/2 cup Sucanat (I use 1 cup)
  • 2 pastured eggs
  • 1 cup freshly milled hard white wheat or 1 1/2 cups pastry flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder aluminum free
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt (use less if your butter has salt)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

  1. Melt butter and then add the remaining ingredients and stir until well blended.
  2. Press into a greased 9″x13″ pan.
  3. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Sautéed Organic Collard Greens and Eggs

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Need some low carb goodness?   Dark leafy greens and pastured eggs with organic raw cheese, garlic and onions.  YUM!  Organic collard greens and eggs are my new friend!

If you are making this one for yourself . . .go ahead and make a full batch and enjoy the savory leftovers throughout the week.

Sautéed Organic Collard Greens and Eggs

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
  • 1/4 medium onion finely diced
  • 3 bunches of collards stemmed and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
  • 3 tablespoon of organic butter or ghee (might give coconut oil a try, too!)
  • 6 eggs
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Cayenne sprinkled or to taste
  • Cheese of your choice. We like raw cheddar in chunks.

Instructions

  1. Heat a large (12” or more), skillet over medium high heat.
  2. Sauté onion and garlic then add half the collard greens
  3. Add sea salt, pepper and cayenne
  4. Sauté until the greens wilt.
  5. Add the remaining collards and sauté until the collards are done but still a pretty green.
  6. Turn the heat back up and create 6 pockets in the greens for the eggs.
  7. Add ½ tablespoon of butter to each of the 6 pockets.
  8. Let melt.
  9. Crack an egg into each pocket.
  10. Cover and simmer until the white is cooked but the yolk is still runny.
  11. Sprinkle each egg with the chunked cheese and serve.

Hot Cocoa, Plain or Peppermint

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Who doesn’t love a warm cup of cocoa?  Making your own is one more way to cut down on sugar and be sure your ingredients are only the best for your sweethearts.  Warm, delicious cocoa, made at home.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened organic cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup organic sugar (1/4 cup would be good, too)
  • 1/3 cup hot water
  • pinch sea salt
  • 4 cups milk – we are using farm fresh milk
  • 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
  • 1 tiny drop of peppermint oil for Peppermint Cocoa

Instructions

  1. Instructions
  2. Combine the cocoa, sugar, water, vanilla and salt in a medium saucepan.
  3. Over medium heat, stir constantly until the mixture boils. Lower heat.
  4. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
  5. Stir in the milk with heat set to medium, but do not boil.  
  6. Remove from the heat Serve immediately.  We like to whisk ours so the milk is frothy on top!
  7. If you do boil, the cocoa will form a harmless but yucky film across the top when you serve it.
  8. adapted from:  http://www.momables.com/how-to-make-homemade-hot-cocoa/

How do you make your hot cocoa?

Kombucha

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Pronounced Com Boo Cha. . .such a fun drink!  We discovered Kombucha a few years back.  You can make your own.  Or, you can buy a variety of brands at your local health store.

If you are in a YHS Co-op, you can order via the dry good list.

An easy way to drink Kombucha is to take an existing store brand (or make your own. .. see previous post!) and add just a little of any organic juice to flavor it.  Take GT’s brand for example:  Gingeraide is great with 1 or 2 oz. of Knudsen Organic Apple Juice.  If you love limes. . .try a squeeze of lime with a Strawberry Kombucha.

People drink kombucha because it is reported to help with a variety of things, but mainly because it’s cultured and full of good probiotics and enzymes to enhance your health.

We find Kombucha to be energizing and delicious. . .how about you?

Green Drink – Barley Max Mint

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IMG_4765

1 tsp to 8 oz of water, mix thoroughly

We make family size portions by using our blender.  Make two or three quarts worth and enjoy it like mint tea, all day long.

Barley Max Mint comes from http://www.HACRES.com and is the best tasting green drink!  The powder mixes all the way and is a smooth, delicious drink and easy way to get more greens into your daily routine.

Fresh from the Farm Goat Milk

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Fresh goat milk has many benefits and is known to be easier to digest than cows milk.  If you haven’t tried fresh goat milk, you might like it best with something added like this recipe, below.  Cold and satisfying.

Fresh from the Farm Goat Milk

Ingredients

  • 3/4 glass of goat milk (raw and fresh)
  • add vanilla meal replacement from Garden of Life
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp organic vanilla extract
  • 1 TBL 100% pure maple syrup
  • Blend with ice – enjoy!

Instructions

  1. Blend with ice – enjoy!

Apple Cider

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Make and share this apple cider recipe.  You’ll be glad you did!!  Apple cider is a fall and winter staple in our home.  Lovely, fragrant and full of spices.

Apple Cider – Just in Time for Fall!

Ingredients

  • 6 cups organic apple juice (Knudsen is our favorite brand)
  • 2 organic orange slices
  • 1 organic lemon slice
  • 1 slice fresh ginger, mashed (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 10 whole cloves

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cider has reduced to 4 cups, about 25 minutes. Remove fruit and spices with a slotted spoon.
  2. This recipe was submitted by my long time friend, Becky Dale.

Ginger Spice Cake

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Love ginger?  This spicy cake is one more of our family favorites.  We’ve been eating this recipe for many years and it’s always a welcome addition in the fall months.  Top it with some fresh whipped cream and relish every bite!

Ginger Spice Cake

Ingredients

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • 3/4 cup milk (you could also use water)
  • 2 pastured eggs
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 6 Tbl.  organic salt free butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla (I use 2 tsp.)
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour (freshly milled)
  • 1 tsp. Baking soda
  • 3 tsp. Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. Cardamom(I omit this because I usually don’t have it on hand)
  • 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. Cloves
  • To make the glaze:
  • In a small sauce pan warm:
  • 2 Tbl. organic salt free butter
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • Pour the glaze in a 9×13 in. cake pan then add batter.
  • Cook for 30-45 minutes or until tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients in one large mixing bowl.
  2. I usually make a 2nd batch of the maple/butter glaze to put on top when the cake is finished.
  3. This cake is wonderful topped with homemade whipped cream!

New England Apple Cider Cake

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Apple cider cake?  Who knew?  This little gem was my 3rd son’s request for his birthday!  Where he got the idea. . .I don’t know.   Several of my children like to see if they can dream up something unusual for me to try and this time .. .apple cider cake was the bomb!  We loved it and will definitely make it again soon.

All organic and wholesome ingredients, truly easy and delicous.  The flour was from pastry wheat.  Pastry wheat is perfect for cakes and other pastries.  Try this cake and let me know how you like it.  I’d love to know if you modify it, too!

Ingredients

  • For the Cake
  • • 1 cup organic apple cider
  • • 2 cups organic Granny Smith or organic Fuji apples (3 large or 4 small apples)
  • • 1 whole organic lemon – juiced and added to a medium bowl of water – use this to put sliced apples in to prevent browning while you finish making the cake
  • • ¼ cup coconut oil or butter
  • • 1 cup sucanat sugar
  • • 2 farm fresh eggs
  • • 2 cups pastry wheat flour (freshly milled)
  • • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (aluminum free)
  • • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • • ½ cup heavy organic cream
  • • butter or use coconut oil to lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking pan
  • • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • • 3 tablespoons sucanat sugar
  • For the Glaze
  • • 1 cup apple cider
  • • 1 cup sucanat sugar
  • • 1-2 tablespoons heavy organic cream or milk

Instructions

  1. Place the first cup of apple cider on the stove and bring to a boil and boil until reduced to ¼ cup. Set aside to cool.
  2. Core and peel the apples and then cut each into 16 slices (fewer slices if using smaller apples). Have a bowl of water that has a whole lemon squeezed into it. Place apples into water and then onto a plate to dry and set aside. This will keep them from turning brown.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well mixed.
  5. With the mixer running, add one egg at a time beating until smooth. Scrap sides and beat until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
  6. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  7. Measure out cream and add cooled reduced cider to cream.
  8. With the mixer on low mix until well combined. Scrape sides and mix until smooth.
  9. Grease a 9X13 pan liberally with butter or coconut oil and pour in the batter.
  10. Arrange the apples, across the top of the batter in layers.
  11. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top of the cake and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
  12. While the cake is baking, make the glaze.
  13. Place the second cup of apple cider on the stove as before only reduce down to ½ cup.
  14. Place the sugar in a small bowl and add the reduced cider along with one tablespoon cream and stir. Add the last tablespoon of milk or cream a little at a time until desired consistency. It should be thick so you can drizzle it across each cut piece of cake as you are serving.
  15. When the cake comes out of the oven, cool to room temperature and cut into squares.Serve with whole cream and natural sugar vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Whip Cream Fruit and Date Cake

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We make this cake at least 1 time each year.  Organic whip cream icing paired with fresh bananas and mandarin oranges along with a date cake mixture.  Love to know if  you like this cake best the first day or second.

Two healthy sisters from a health oriented family made this delicious concoction.  They like to call it “Deep Dark Secret Cake” (From the Kitchen of Two Sisters:  A Satisfying, New Approach to Slimness, Vitality, and Health).

Organic Whip Cream Fruit and Date Cake

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chopped organic medjool dates, pitted (or chopped date pieces)
  • 1 cup honey (might sub maple syrup. . sometimes honey can be a little strong)
  • 1 cup pecans or walnuts – chopped
  • 4 pastured/free range eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole grain flour (golden wheat, pastry wheat or spelt flour) Freshly milled
  • 1 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsps vanilla
  • 3-4 ripe organic bananas, sliced
  • 1-2 (11 ounce) cans of mandarin orange segments, drained
  • 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 1 pint organic whipping cream – whipped and sweetened with honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl; stir well.
  2. Spread this mixture into an oiled 9 * 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
  3. One hour before serving, break up half of the cake into bite-size pieces and put them on a cake platter. The cake will probably be a bit gooey.
  4. Cover with the sliced bananas and the mandarin oranges.
  5. Break up the other half of the cake and lay it on top of the fruit mound.
  6. Cover this mound with the undrained pineapple.
  7. Finally, “ice” with whipped cream, and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Chill, serve and enjoy!