cookingintuitive

Summer Squash, Goat Cheese & Arugula Salad

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Thu, 09 May 2013 23:31:57 +0000

Enjoy this simple main course salad inspired by my farm box!

Ingredients:

Summer squash, sliced in large chunks
Spring onion, sliced thinly
Arugula
Goat cheese
Dill
Coconut & Olive Oil

Steps:

Combine squash, onions, dill and oils in pan. Bake in preheated oven @ 350 for about 25 minutes (don’t overcook-they are better firm)
Pour over arugula
Top with goat cheese
Stir together–the oils and cheese will add flavor to the arugula

Happy Spring!

Sweet Potato Ginger Carrot Stew

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:43:49 +0000

This healthy stew is full of flavor and very filling. I made it thinking of a hot breakfast but it would be great for any meal. The humble star of this stew is the highly medicinal burdock root. It is very mild in flavor and full of medicinal benefits.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons corn meal
Sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 carrots peeled and diced
Burdock root, thinly sliced
Ginger, crushed through garlic press
Slice of lemon
Salt
Shredded cabbage

Combine all ingredients except cabbage and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes, until veggies are cooked and stew is desired thickness. Remove lemon slice. Top with shredded cabbage and serve.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 23:58:28 +0000

This is a gluten-free version of a recipe that has been in my family for years. It is an easy, one bowl mixture that is great to make with kids.

My daughter who is my most honest critic loved them–and she has no problem telling me when one of my baking experiments is an “epic failure”.

Enjoy this simple recipe!

Ingredients:

Three bananas
1/4-1/2 cup honey
One egg
1 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Flour (I used Trader Joe’s)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Mash bananas with fork.

Combine rest of ingredients first, then mix in chocolate chips.

Divide between 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350 in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Chicken Soup

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:39:12 +0000

Ideally, making chicken soup is a leisurely affair involving a bath and/or a nap. You could make it in a couple of hours–but I like to make a day out of it.

All you really need to make it is a big pot, a chicken, water, onion and salt. I make it differently each time depending on what I have on hand. It is a great way to cook all those extra farm box veggies and I sometimes freeze the parts I don’t use (kale ribs etc.) for this purpose. A typical recipe combination I use is listed below.

You will have many meals from this one dish: chicken dinners, sandwiches, and plenty of broth to freeze.

Ingredients:

One whole organic, free-range chicken (I like Mary’s Chicken)
Celery greens (adds a lot of flavor)
Onion, cut in half
Whole garlic, cut in half
Carrots
Burdock root (medicinal)
Fresh Dill and Thyme (put in spice bag or wrap in cheesecloth)
Greens
Salt

Steps:

Put all ingredients in stock pot, cover in water and add salt. Bring to a boil.
Once it reaches a boil, add more salt. You may also skim the fat off at this time.

Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.
Turn off heat and cover.
Take a nap and/or bath.
Allow chicken to continue to cook with heat off for 1-2 hours.
Remove chicken and allow to cool.
Scoop out vegetables with a mesh strainer and discard. Rinse out the spice bag for reuse.
Once cool remove from bones and shred. You can freeze the carcass for another use.

Remove broth–I like to use a glass measuring cup for easy pouring.

Store in glass and plastic containers for the refrigerator and freezer.

SO Delicious: Homemade Almond Milk

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:39:13 +0000

I decided to start making my own almond milk to avoid the additives in the store bought but after tasting my homemade almond milk I would make it for the flavor alone. It is light, fluffy, creamy and just scrumptious.

Good enough to be desert!

Ingredients:

One cup almonds
Four cups water
Teaspoon cinnamon

Soak almonds at least overnight in water in the refrigerator.

Rinse and put in blender with four cups fresh water.

Blend for one minute –add cinnamon and blend for another minute.

I got a jelly strainer bag from the hardware store and secured it over the top of the blender before carefully pouring into a bowl. I then squeezed out all the liquid. I plan on using the excess nut meat in a recipe. You can also put the contents of the blender through a cheesecloth or buy something called a “nut bag” for this purpose.

I came out with four cups of heavenly almond milk-the same amount as a 32 ounce store bought carton.

Egg and Kale Muffins

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:31:12 +0000

These yummy little muffins are loaded with protein, greens, and Vitamin C. They reheat nicely–just put them in the microwave for one minute for a quick and satisfying breakfast.

Ingredients:

9 eggs
Handful of fresh flat leaf parsley
3 or 4 kale leaves, ribs removed and shredded
1/2 small onion
1 red bell pepper
4 slices turkey bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
Coconut oil melted, to grease pan

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350
Grease muffin pan with coconut oil
In a food processor blend kale, parsley, onion and turkey bacon
Chop bell pepper into small pieces
Whisk egg and spices
Combine all ingredients and pour into muffin cups
Bake about 20 minutes or until set

Makes 12 muffins.

Kale Chips: Not Meh

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:30:12 +0000

The highlight of my Sunday morning is reading the “Meh List” in the New York Times magazine. The meh list is a weekly compilation of things, people and places that are neither here nor there–just so so. I have been trying to come up with an item I can submit and on my list of possibilities was kale chips. Well I recently made them and and as it turns out not only are they not “meh” they have some sort of mystical quality. They were so good that I barely remember eating them!

Ingredients:

One bunch kale leaves, chopped
Juice of one lemon
Olive oil
Red Pepper
Salt

Steps:

Preheat oven to 300
The best way to get crisp kale chips is to make sure they are completely dry. After I ran the kale pieces through a salad spinner I laid them out on a kitchen towel and rolled them up.

Combine all ingredients, except salt, in a plastic bag and shake.
Lay across a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt.

Bake until crisp @ 20-25 minutes.

Kale “croutons” in sweet potato soup

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 02:17:59 +0000

I had so much fun making this recipe. I picked the apple from our tree, the nuts came from the local farmer’s market and the squash from our weekly farm box. After I devoured it I threw the shell in the compost pile in our backyard.

I’m sure it was extra yummy due to the freshness, but this is also a tasty, healthy “pantry recipe”. You can easily keep these ingredients on hand to throw together at the last minute. Squash lasts for months on the counter and I suggest keeping nuts in the freezer. Dried fruit may also be used.

Ingredients:

Our Apple Tree

Acorn Squash, cut in half and seeds removed
Nuts, chopped (I used a mixture of pistachios, walnuts and chestnuts)
Apple, peeled and chopped
Cinnamon
Coconut oil
Salt, to taste

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350
Mix nuts, apple, and cinnamon
Divide mixture and place in cavities of squash halves
Top with dabs of coconut oil and shake of salt
Cover and bake @ 40 minutes or until cooked through

Back to Mother Earth!

Easy Apple Crumble

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:26:00 +0000

Looking for a desert that is gluten-free, sugar free, dairy free, vegan and grain free? Well look no further!

I’ll take a gander you will like this recipe even if you don’t have any pesky food allergies.

The measurements and cooking time are totally adjustable.

Ingredients:

Two apples, sliced
1/3 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
Cinnamon to taste

Steps:

Melt coconut oil in microwave in baking pan
Mix rest of ingredients in baking pan–except lemon zest
Top with lemon zest
Bake @ 450 for 20 minutes

This desert was a huge hit at my house and I will be making more next time. Best wishes in your baking experiments!-Julie

Paleo: Banana Sweet Potato Muffins

Julie Hansen Intuitive — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 20:09:36 +0000

I recently discovered coconut flour and am exploring ways to use it. Coconut flour is very in high fiber, low in fat and is naturally sweet. I am very happy to find another healthy gluten-free flour to add to my repertoire! I am not usually a fan of coconut but the flour is very mild.

I made these muffins with ingredients on hand and the result was surprisingly good. Even my daughter liked them–she noted the flavor was like banana bread but the consistency was different. And so goes gluten-free baking. For this recipe you can also use three bananas instead of the one sweet potato and chocolate chips instead of raisins.

These are great with scrambled eggs or a snack you can grab on the go.

Ingredients:

One sweet potato (cooked)
Two very ripe bananas
Two eggs
One cup coconut flour
1/4 cup raisins
One teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt

Steps:

Mash bananas and sweet potatoes together
Add rest of ingredients, combine with hands
Bake in muffin cups @ 325 for 20 minutes

Happy Baking-Julie