Category Archives for "Recipes"

Oct 26

Chicken Bone Broth

By Mary Schurr | Recipes

Bone broth is a staple any time of year, but especially as cooler weather becomes the norm. It’s great as a base for soups, a liquid to thin almost any dish or sauce, or enjoy by itself in a mug. Many people enjoy bone broth every day in one form or another. It’s a great way to provide nutrition and stretch your dollars on your food budget. And, who isn’t interested in that!!

Bone broth provides several amino acids, but mostly proline and glycine. Silicon and sulfur are nutrients that can be helpful as well. And, of course bone broth is known for its collagen!

You can save your bones in the freezer until you feel you have enough. Roast a whole chicken and save the bones. Or order bones from your store’s meat department or even better, get them from your local farmer, hopefully grass-fed.

You can slow cook them in a slow cooker/crockpot or simmer on the stovetop. Whatever works best for you. You can add seasonings as you taste according to what suits you.

Broth
Broth
Print Recipe

Chicken Bone Broth

This broth recipe can be adjusted for beef or just vegetable broth
Course: Soup
Keyword: Easy,
Author: Mary Schurr

Equipment

  • 1 Slower cooker

Ingredients

  • water, preferably filtered Enough to cover chicken
  • chicken bones, organic if possible
  • 1-3 carrots, medium Roughly chopped
  • 1-3 celery ribs Roughly chopped
  • 1 onion, medium Quartered
  • 1-3 garlic, cloves halved
  • 1 parsley, handful
  • 1-2 bay leaf, optional
  • 1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, organic if possible

Instructions

  • Add most of the vegetables, except the parsley to the slow cooker, but save a few pieces for the top.
  • Add the chicken bones.
  • Add remaining vegetables and bay leaves if using, except for parsley.
  • Add the water to cover the bones and vegetables.
  • Add the vinegar.
  • cover, cook on low for around 8-12 hours.
  • add the parsley during the last few minutes of cooking.
  • turn off, skim the top as needed, let cool a bit, remove the vegetables and chicken.
  • strain the broth and store in glass containers or jars.

Notes

Bone broth is a wonderful base for soups, additions to other dishes, or just to sip in a cup. It can be made without the vegetables with just vinegar added, but the vegetables do add nice flavor and some nutrition. If you can find chicken feet to use instead of the chicken bones it will add more gelatin  and collagen to your broth. 
You can add seasonings towards the end if you like. Salt, pepper, and any others to your taste. If I’m adding the broth to a dish that will be seasoned, then I often wait until them to adjust seasonings.
You can use a slow cooker or if you have time you can cook in a pot on the stove slowly as done years ago.
Either way, enjoy! Broth is good food!
Oct 05

Fall Pumpkin Smoothie

By Mary Schurr | Recipes

Print Recipe

Fall Pumpkin Smoothie

Fall and Pumpkins go together! Here's a healthy smoothie to help you switch out Summer with Fall.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy,
Servings: 1
Author: Mary Schurr

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk or milk substitute Raw milk, almond, milk, coconut milk, etc.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Adjust to taste
  • 1 scoop protein powder or collagen powder Your preferred brand
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice Adjust to your taste
  • 1 quarter ripe avocado Or your preferred fat, coconut manna, etc.
  • ½ cup mashed pumpkin or canned pumpkin Add more up to 1 cup, if needed
  • Maple Syrup, ½ to 1 Fresh or Frozen Banana, Stevia, or Dates to taste Taste with just the vanilla extract 1st before adding. Adjust to taste
  • 2 Totally optional, Pastured, raw egg yolks

Instructions

  • Add the liquids, then the powders/spices, then the pumpkin and avocado.
  • Blend, then taste before adding your choice of sweetener or adjusting seasoning
  • Blend again, if needed. If you add a date at this point will need extra time to blend completely.
  • Add ice cubes, if you would prefer it colder.
Apr 15

Split Pea Soup

By Mary Schurr | Recipes

Print Recipe

Split Pea Soup

A protein, fiber, and mineral rich recipe using dried split peas. You can use green or yellow peas.
Prep Time2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy,, Soup, vegetarian
Servings: 6
Author: Mary Schurr

Equipment

  • high speed blender or immersion blender can be helpful

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried split peas rinsed and soaked for 2 hours
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth if you choose
  • 2 cups filtered water or broth if you wish to make a richer tasting soup
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil as needed, can use ghee or butter
  • 1 yellow or white onion medium, chopped or sliced
  • 1 carrot medium, peeled & shredded
  • 3 bay leafs dried
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped/minced
  • 2 tsp granulated onion to taste
  • 1 tbsp sea salt as needed to taste
  • 1 tbsp black pepper as needed to your taste
  • Any additional herbs of your choosing-oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary or dried lemon rind, etc. add to final simmer as desired
  • Garnish as desired using pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, chives, or green onions.

Instructions

  • Rinse and soak the peas in filtered water for 2 hours. Optional to add salt or a bit of lemon juice. Then drain before cooking.
  • Heat the oil over medium heat in soup pot, add the onion and a bit of the salt. Saute until translucent.
  • Add the carrot, garlic and continue to cook until very fragrant.
  • Add the broth and water (if using), granulated onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
  • Add the rinsed peas and reduce the heat to allow to simmer for about 2 hours or until peas are cooked/tender.
  • Add the rest of the salt (to taste) and pepper. Add any additional herbs, if desired of your choosing and/or butter, then simmer a bit to meld the flavors.
  • Remove bay leafs and use either an immersion blender or a high speed blender (see below) to blend to desired consistency.
  • If using a high speed blender, allow soup to cool before adding to blender. Remove small center lid and use a folded towel to allow steam to escape while blending. Hot foods can break glass or plastic and too much steam can cause lid to blow off during blending.
  • Optional-use garnish of your choosing. Pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, chives, green onion or whatever you prefer.
  • This soup freezes well, so you can have leftovers at another time.

Apr 03

Simple Whole Roasted Chicken

By Mary Schurr | Recipes

Roasted Chicken is a basic and yet, easy dish to prepare. And depending on the size of your family, there may be leftovers or at least the bones to use for broth for yet another meal. So there can be leftovers for chicken salad, wraps or tacos, sandwiches, soup, to add to salads, or again, the bones can be used for broth. You can freeze any leftovers for later meals. The possibilities are endless! Easy and a great value.

Print Recipe

Whole Roasted Chicken

How to Roast a Whole Chicken
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Resting Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, French, Italian
Keyword: Easy,, Leftovers,
Servings: 4
Author: Mary Schurr

Ingredients

  • 3 Pound Whole Chicken
  • Salt As needed to cover
  • Black Pepper As needed to cover
  • Unsalted Butter Optional, to baste chicken
  • Dried Thyme Optional, as needed to season

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450F, allow the bird to rest while oven preheats
  • Salt and Pepper the cavity
  • Truss the bird if you like, but optional
  • If basting with butter, add now. I melt butter and then coat the bird
  • Rain salt, pepper, and thyme (optional) all over the bird on both sides
  • I use a simple saute pan or skillet, but you can use a roasting pan to roast the chicken
  • Roast until done, approximately 50-60 minutes. Check after 40 minutes and cover if browning too much. I use parchment paper.
  • Rest for 15 minutes and then serve

Notes

There’s no exact recipe for a whole chicken since the size may vary and your actual oven temperature may vary. Keep check while roasting and use thermometer to see when done. USDA recommends 165, but remember the chicken will continue to cook a bit once out of the oven.
Jul 08

Easy Chocolate Dessert for Two

By Mary Schurr | Recipes

Print Recipe

Chocolate Mousse

This is a dairy-free chocolate mousse, using avocado that is easy and can be make in a high speed blender such as a Vitamix or a food processor. So healthy you could have it for breakfast. And, you’d never guess it has avocado in it!
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dairy-free
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Mary Schurr

Ingredients

  • 2 medium avocados ripe
  • 1/3 cup raw cacao powder or more according to your taste
  • 5 fresh or dried dates pitted, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch sea salt
  • toasted coconut, chocolate nips, or berries optional for garnish

Instructions

  • Soak the dates in warm water for 10-30 minutes to soften
  • Add avocado, dates, milk, vanilla, salt, and cacao powder to blender or food processor
  • Blend until smooth. You may need to add more liquid for easier blending. You may need tamper for Vitamix while blending and scraping sides at times.
  • Adjust ingredients to taste, adding more powder if needed
  • Serve and garnish with choice of toppings.

Notes

It is very stiff blending for me using the Vitamix, but it does work well. I do add a bit of the date water or more milk to add in blending. You could use any type of milk that you prefer. You could play with different types of extract for different flavors such as peppermint. I used sweetened cacao nips, raspberries, and mint leaves in the photo.
Recipe Courtesy of Food Matters TV
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