Goodbye A1...A1 beta casein that is, not the steak sauce.

I hit the lottery- my cow share officially begins tomorrow!!!  Ruth Ann (she's a heritage breed Golden Guernsey cow) had her baby (Buttercup, I love that name for a baby cow) a few weeks ago and now I get to pick up a jar (glass, yay!) of fresh A2 casein milk each week.  I love that my son and I can (and will) say hi to Ruth Ann and Buttercup each week and tour the farm whenever we want.  To me this is a dream come true.  I love knowing exactly where my food comes from, who grows it and cares for it and especially what my food is eating (cows eat grass...not grains and definitely not SOY or ground up animal parts!)  If you suffer from sinus issues, allergies, skin rashes, asthma and a host of other related issues, your dairy might be the culprit.  (just Google A2 casein milk) I gave it up for a while, but boy did I miss yogurt, cheese, butter and ice cream.  We have been buying fresh, lightly pasteurized local milk awaiting our turn on the long list.  Because I noticed some skin and digestive issues with my son when we introduced dairy at age two, I have really limited his consumption to goat yogurt and grass-fed butter.  So I really do feel like we hit the lottery.  I plan to make cheese, yogurt and in warmer months some ice cream from our fresh milk.  Stay tuned....

Mmmm...mushrooms

SO what will you be serving along side of your grilled steak or burger this summer?  How about one of nature's high antioxident, immune boosting, belly satisfying foods.  Mushrooms!  For years I avoided them like the plague but in my adulthood I have come to love these yummy fungi.  They fill you up and are loaded with good nutrition.  They make a great side or topping for a meat dish or for those who are vegetarian, they provide a savory meat-like, sink your teeth into substitute.


Here is a basic recipe for a mushroom saute, play with the measurements based on how much you need to serve.


Ingredients:
- EVOO and grass-fed butter
- assorted mushrooms
- some white wine or substitute a tablespoon of white wine vinegar diluted in a little water
- minced garlic to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional
- sea salt and pepper to taste

 Add some butter and a little olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender.  Add the wine or substitute and let it cook off for about 1 minute. Turn down the heat and add garlic and cook for one minute. Garnish with parsley, remove from heat and serve.

Super seaweed salads!

  Here are two yummy ways to try and incorporate seaweed into your diet.  Currently I have a group of ladies from Flow Yoga in Leesburg doing a 7-day raw vegan detox!  This is a great way to get a little more "bite" in your days of juices and smoothies.  Pictured here is the first salad (sans vegetables, added those later) tossed with some cut up chicken for my two year old- he loves his chicken with "noodles"! 


SESAME SEAWEED SALAD
A handful of arame(I have Eden brand)- soak 10 minutes in warm water, drain
Coconut aminos to taste
sesame oil to taste
toasted sesame seeds- just sprinkle as much as you like
squeeze of fresh citrus (I like orange)
diced cucumbers
shredded carrots
any other raw veggie
*optional fresh grated ginger

Use as much of the veggies as you prefer, taste after you add each ingredient.
Enjoy by itself or served over greens.

ARAME SPROUT SALAD
1/2 bag arame- soaked 10-15 minutes and rinsed
1 box sunflower sprouts
add a handful of any other sprouts you want: broccoli, alfalfa etc.
1 large handful mung bean sprouts
1 large tbsp tahini
1 tbsp South River Co. chickpea miso
water (dependent upon how thick you want the sauce)
optional: add a handful of greens

Whisk together tahini, miso and water (if you want a thicker sauce add less water)
Place arame and sprouts in bowl and mix with dressing.

You could also add spirulina to the dressing or sprinkle it on top of the salad!

Enjoy this salad by itself, on dehydrated crackers, wrapped in romaine or collard leaves, wrapped in nori or place it on green salads or sprout salads. It's also yummy with raw fermented sauerkraut.

Sea vegetables are one of nature’s best sources of iodine. Iodine is essential for proper thyroid function.  Including seaweed in your diet can relieve menopausal symptoms, help prevent PMS and reduce your risk of breast cancer. Sea vegetables promote optimal health because they are a source of fucans which reduce the body’s inflammatory response.  They have antithrombotic activity (ability to inhibit blood clots), are antiviral and may inhibit the development of tumors. Sea vegetables are filled with nutrients including energy-producing iron, bone-building calcium and magnesium, heart-healthy folate and sleep- promoting tryptophan. Sea vegetables are also filled with other vitamins and minerals including Vitamins A, B and K, potassium, iron, phosphorous, manganese, selenium and zinc. Many varieties contain up to 50% soluble fiber, which helps regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Sea Vegetables contain approximately 9 calories per 1⁄4 cup serving so they are an ideal food for weight loss and maintenance.  And if you need one final reason to give this super green(ish) stuff a try- how about shiny, glossy hair and clear skin...now who doesn't want that?!

Not Shepherd's Pie

This recipe came about because I had ground beef that needed to be used so I scoured the pantry, fridge and freezer to see what I could cobble together.  I had all the ingredients for a shepherd's pie but didn't quite have the time to make and bake one.  So here is my little made up recipe for what I like to call "not shepherd's pie".  It was filling and delicious and took about an hour to cook, eat and clean up!

1-2 T of butter
1 lb grass fed ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 carrots, chopped
1-2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 - 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
1 tsp dried thyme, rosemary and/or herbs de provence
1/2 -1 cup red wine
1 T organic tomato paste
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

herb smashed potatoes
3-4 small yukon gold potatoes
1 T fresh parsley, chopped
2 T butter (or to taste)
sea salt to taste

peel and cut up potatoes, boil in a large pot of water until fork tender (about 20 minutes)
meanwhile, melt 1-2 T butter in a large saute pan or dutch oven over medium heat.  add onions, carrots, celery and sprinkle with some sea salt.  Saute for a few minutes to soften.  Add garlic, saute a minute more.  Add ground beef, brown.  Add peas, dried herbs, tomato paste, wine and more salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low/medium-low for 10 minutes or more to deepen the flavor and reduce the wine to a thick sauce. 
back to those potatoes... drain, add butter sea salt and parsley, mash to desired consistency...I like mine a little clumpy lumpy!
Serve potatoes over beef mixture...top with some fresh cracked pepper and finishing salt (course sea salt)
now EAT!

EASY & FAST!!!

It's primal, it's gluten free, dairy free, grain free and more!  Most importantly, it's fast and easy!  I was hesitant as I have never cooked such giant steaks before.  I had defrosted two giant grass-fed steaks that my husband was supposed to cook last night.  Meetings ran late, plans for cooking were canceled and dinner was now going to be at a local restaurant.  SO here we are the next night and no husband home, I MUST cook these steaks!  I found this recipe and just happened to have a bunch of tomatoes and cilantro that needed to be used- couldn't have found a more perfect recipe for what I had on hand (thank you again epicurious.com)
I know I will definitely make this again, enjoy!
* I used a cast iron skillet and lard instead of olive oil, from the farm of course.  The four minutes each side suggestion worked perfectly!  Don't forget to let the meat rest before slicing into it.  No pics this time, had to serve it super-fast for my super-hungry toddler "mommy, I want steak!" but it plates beautifully if you slice it just right.