Milk, you're no friend of mine!

Before anyone thinks that I'm going to say that milk is bad for everyone, and nobody should drink it, let me say this:  if you can tolerate it, I'm happy for you, and consume to your heart's content!  The statements I make here only apply to me!   

I made an appointment to see a naturopathic doctor in September because I just wasn't happy with the way I felt.  I was almost always tired and brain foggy.  One of the first things she had me do was a cleansing diet.  For three weeks, I ate no dairy, wheat, corn, or acidic foods.  I found that, while on the diet, my energy returned, and I felt a lot better than I had in a long time.  After the three weeks of cleanse, it was time to start introducing the dairy, wheat, corn and acidic foods back into my diet, one at a time, to see if I was sensitive to any of them. Since my love of cheese and yogurt came second only to my love of bread, the first thing I reintroduced was dairy.  Within the first day of eating dairy again, the fatigue and brain fog promptly returned.  That's when I started researching milk sensitivities and milk allergies.  I learned that you don't have to be born with lactose intolerance.  I drank milk for 30+ years with no ill effects.  It is only in the last few years that I have been plagued with the symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, and some of those nasty intestinal symptoms that I won't mention.  I learned that some adults can develop lactose intolerance in their 40's! 

As a result of reading this, I eliminated milk, cheese, and yogurt from my diet.  My fatigue and other symptoms subsided within 3-4 days.  On the occasions that I consumed ice cream, the symptoms returned, and stayed with me for 3-4 days.  I made the decision that, no matter how much I loved ice cream, it wasn't worth the way it made me feel, so I gave it up.  Instead of milk-based products, I started using soy, coconut and almond-based products to get my dairy-like fix.  I personally like Silk Vanilla Soy Milk, I consume it on a daily basis in my oatmeal, and I make fruit smoothies with it.  I also use Silk unflavored Soy milk in recipes as a substitute for regular milk with no bad results.  I started buying soy ice cream, and even coconut milk based ice cream, but at five dollars a pint, I knew that there had to be a homemade solution that would cost a lot less, and be a lot better for me.  Here's the Soy Ice Cream recipe I made this week:

• 1 cup powdered sugar - or 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 4 egg yolks (or 1/2 cup egg beaters) - I used egg beaters
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 cups soymilk - I also added fruit and pureed it in the blender
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Put the eggs yolks, sugar, and corn starch into a bowl; whisk the mixture together.

2. Heat the soy milk; slowly pour the hot soy milk into the mixture while continuing to beat.

3. Add the vanilla extract.

4. Gently heat the mixture until it thickens.

5. Let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

6. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker; make ice cream following the instructions of the machine.  If you want to add fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, wait until the ice cream starts to thicken before adding them.   If you like your ice cream really soft, it's ready to eat.  If you prefer a harder texture, freeze it for several hours, and it will be more scoopable.

 It's not real ice cream, but it's pretty darned close!  Next batch I make will be chocolate!

Knowing what I know now, I'm disappointed that my regular doctor didn't even attempt to determine if I had milk sensitivity.  Instead, he just proscribed me antidepressants, which helped for a while, but I always felt like they were just a band-aid, not a solution to the underlying problem. 

So, if you're suffering some or all of the symptoms that I mentioned above, consider giving up dairy for a week, and see how you feel.  It made a world of difference for me!

Happy Eating everyone!

LT

Soup, wonderful Soup

Soup has to be one of the most perfect foods I know.  It makes you feel better when you're sick, it warms you when you're cold, feeds a bunch of people, freezes well for later use, and you can use up all the odds and ends in your refrigerator when you make it!

Your soup is only going to be as good as the ingredients that you use.  I'm not advocating using expensive ingredients, but instead, high quality ingredients.  I've become a huge fan of homemade chicken stock, where you add some cheap chicken parts, a bunch of vegetables, and some seasonings to a pot of water, and four hours later, you have 6 quarts of wonderful, thick, flavorful chicken stock.  Plus, my dogs love it when I make stock because I puree the chicken and veggies up for them to eat in their dog food.  In fact, I think I hear Beans telling me it's time to make some more.  For those of you that may be thinking that you can use the chicken for something else after making the stock, don't bother, it's given up all it's chickeny goodness to the stock, but the dogs do truly love it!   For those of you that want to give it a try, here is Ina Garten's chicken stock recipe, courtesy of the Food Network:

Homemade Chicken Stock

• 3 (5-pound) roasting chickens - instead I use a 10 pound bag of chicken leg quarters, 59 cents a pound at Walmart
• 3 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
• 6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
• 4 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds
• 4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in half, optional
• 20 sprigs fresh parsley
• 15 sprigs fresh thyme
• 20 sprigs fresh dill
• 1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Directions

Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. Chill the stock overnight. The next day, remove the surface fat. Use immediately or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

If the thought of making chicken stock doesn't excite you, there are lots of good quality stocks and broths out there, just make sure that the one that you choose is low sodium.

Here are some of my favorite soups:

Ribollita - also known as bread soup.  I make this at Halloween time every year, it gives everyone a nice warm tummy before they set out into the often chilly Michigan Halloween night.  This one comes from Ina Garten.

• 1/2 pound dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini - or you can use 3 cans of already cooked beans, just make sure you rinse them well.
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 1/4 pound large diced pancetta or smoked bacon
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 1 cup chopped carrots (3 carrots)
• 1 cup chopped celery (3 stalks)
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• 4 cups coarsely chopped or shredded savoy cabbage, optional
• 4 cups coarsely chopped kale
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 4 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by 1-inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. - If you're using canned beans, skip this step.

Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.  If you're using canned beans, skip this step.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their puree, the cabbage, if using, the kale, and basil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.

Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough chicken stock to make 8 cups.  If you're using canned beans, just add 8 cups of chicken stock.   Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil.

Carrot soup - From Melissa D'Arabian - quick and yummy!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons light sour cream, divided

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and the onion and sweat until the mixture starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, orange zest and oregano and cook until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes. Raise the heat and deglaze the pan with white wine. Add the stock and water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the carrots are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the mixture for about 5 minutes before processing.

Process the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into serving bowls and swirl in a heaping teaspoon of sour cream before serving.

and here's the one I'm going to make today, mainly because I have some broccoli that's been in the vegetable drawer for a while, and needs to be used up!   I haven't tried it before, but all the ingredients sure sound good.  

Mushroom, Leek and Broccoli Soup

• 2 pkg mushrooms
• 2 sliced onions
• 1 leek - I don't have any of these, so more onions instead!
• 1 pkg broccoli
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 low fat chicken stock
• brown miso paste
• white wine
• water
• 3-4 Tbsp of lemon juice

You’ll need to:

• Sauté mushrooms and onions.
• Slice thinly your leek and separate the crowns of broccoli and put in a large saucepan.
• Cover leeks, broccoli, mushrooms and onions with chicken stock, water and some wine. Add some lemon juice to taste.
• Disolve 1 TBSP of miso paste in 2 cups of water and add to your soup.
• Mince garlic and sauté for 30 sec and add to your soup.
• Add any spices you have on hand, I put in some pepper, salt and crushed chili flakes for a nice kick
• And don’t forget to purée the soup. I left some chunks in it, but made sure all the broccoli was mushed

and this really easy soup, from Giada DeLaurentis.  It takes only minutes to prepare, and is very filling and tasty.  I make this with my kids on cold winter days, or whenever the craving hits!

Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce (recommended: San Marzano brand)
• 2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

These are only a few of my favorites, but I'm always looking for new ones to try.  So, if you have a favorite, and want to share it, leave me a comment!

thanks, and get in there and make some soup!

I love bread!

The first installment of my blog is dedicated to my favorite food on earth......BREAD!  I'm not talking about wonder bread, or any of that stuff that is mass produced.  I'm talking about real, crusty, chewy bread, made with really good ingredients, no preservatives, and baked with love.

When I was still working, one of my favorite bread places was Great Harvest Bread Company.  They really know how to make high quality, really tasty bread.  It wasn't uncommon that I would stop by there at least once or twice a week to buy a loaf or two of their many varieties.  At four dollars plus a loaf, these purchases were the first thing to be eliminated once I lost my job and had to cut down on my food spending.  Although I could no longer afford their bread, I wasn't willing to give up that level of quality.  Thus began my love affair with my bread maker.

I have my mom to thank for getting me started in the world of bread machines, she had one several years before I did.  In fact, she gave me my first one, and I was hooked!  I'm now on my third machine, a Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Bread Machine, and I absolutely love it.  It takes less than five minutes to assemble the ingredients for a loaf of bread, and three hours later, warm, fresh, chewy bread!  Now, if you're put off by the $199 pricetag, fear not, there are several other models of bread makers for far less money that will produce a respectable loaf of bread.  My second breadmaker was a Oster 5838 ExpressBake Breadmaker, White, which cost only $68.00.  I used this machine for several years before graduating to the Zojirushi.

Then began my quest for great bread machine bread recipes.  I purchased three bread machine cookbooks, The Bread Machine Cookbook, The Bread Machine Cookbook II (Nitty Gritty Cookbooks), and The Bread Machine Cookbook III (Nitty Gritty Cookbooks), all written by Donna Rathmell German.  These became my bread making bibles.  If you're just getting started with bread machine baking, I highly recommend these titles.

I would be remiss if I didn't post a couple of my favorite recipes.  Here they are!

Honey Bread
Yields a 1.75 to 2 pound loaf

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 TBS vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats - do not substitute quick or instant oats, you'll be disappointed in the finished product!
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast

add all ingredients to the bread pan in the order listed, select the basic cycle, and wait for the yummy bread!

Sweet Raisin Bread
Yields a 2pound loaf

1 1/3 cup lukewarm milk or water
2 TBSP butter
3 TBSP white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3 cups bread flour
2 tsp yeast
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

add all ingredients to the bread pan in the order listed, select the basic cycle.  This is a great breakfast loaf, and even makes great peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Enjoy!