Real Food Favourites

Kim's Monster Muesli

I love this stuff. Delicious for breakfast, snack, or dessert! I created this recipe after eating muesli for the first time at the Medicine Hat Lodge.

To make the dry muesli mix, combine:

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup whole almonds
1/4 cup long shred coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup diced dried apricots
1/4 cup diced dates
2 Tbsp. fine shred coconut
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 Tbsp. raw shelled hemp seeds
1 Tbsp. flax seeds
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. pepitas
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Makes just over 3 cups of dry muesli mix. Store in refrigerator.

***

To make 2-3 servings of prepared muesli, combine:

1 cup of dry muesli mix
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup cream kefir or plain full-fat yogurt

Refrigerate overnight. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days.

This is an easy breakfast to take along (in a cooler) when travelling, too. Yum!

Kim's Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal

Soak for 24 hours at room temperature:

• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp. buckwheat flour*
• 3 Tbsp. milk kefir or whey**
• water to cover

Using a mesh strainer, rinse and drain mixture under running drinking water. Transfer to a pot and add:

• 2 green apples, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1.5 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 or 2 dashes of sea salt
• 2 cups whole milk***

Bring to a boil, and simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with milk or unsweetened almond milk.

Notes:

* You can use whole wheat flour if not concerned with gluten. Buckwheat is gluten free.
** You can use another acid such as lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
*** For dairy-free porridge, you could try cooking it in water or almond milk instead of whole milk. (I haven’t tried this.)

If not interested in soaking, omit the flour, acid, and water.

Kim's Oat-Quinoa Porridge

Makes six 3/4-cup servings.

Soak for 24 hours at room temperature:

• 1+1/3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 2/3 cup quinoa
• 2/3 cup walnuts or pecans, coursely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 2 Tbsp. buckwheat flour*
• 4 Tbsp. whey (from kefir or yogurt), lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar
• water to cover (about an inch over ingredients)

Using a mesh strainer, rinse and drain mixture under running drinking water. Transfer to a pot and add:

• 2/3 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup long shred coconut
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 2+1/4 cups whole milk** OR dairy free: 1.25 cups coconut milk + 1.25 cups unsweetened almond milk

Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then simmer on low heat for 18 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with milk or unsweetened almond milk.

Notes:

* You can use whole wheat flour if not concerned with gluten. Buckwheat is gluten free.

If not interested in soaking, omit the flour, acid, and water. You may need to add more liquid when cooking because the chia seeds will absorb quite a bit of liquid. (Or, omit the chia seeds.)

Reference: How to Soak Grains for Optimal Nutrition. This explains why I choose to soak grains, seeds, and nuts, and why I add flour when soaking oats.

Sophia's Smoothie

2 freshly-squeezed oranges
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen peaches/mangos/strawberries (or substitute with another frozen banana)
1/4 c. cream kefir
1/4 c. skim milk
1/8 tsp. vanilla

Combine in blender.

Yum!

Soaked Oatmeal Porridge

Original recipe: Nourished Kitchen Soaked Oatmeal

My exact version:
In the evening, combine 1 cup rolled oats, 1 Tbsp. chia seeds, 1/4 cup* chopped walnuts, about 2 Tbsp. of kefir, and enough water to cover plus room for the seeds to expand. (With everything in, I put water up to the 2 cup line in my measuring cup.) Cover with a plate, and leave it on the counter at room temp.

In the morning, rinse the soaked oatmeal/nuts/seeds in a strainer under running water, and then let it drain a couple minutes before putting it in the pot.

Cook the oatmeal mixture with 1/4 cup* raisins, 1/4 cup* shredded coconut, 2 tsp. cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt, and 1 cup* whole milk.

Bring to a gentle boil, then turn it down to medium low and cook for 10 minutes.

Makes 3 servings (3/4 cup each). After cooking, I divide the porridge and put two parts in the fridge. I eat the other third with some whole milk. (No sugar!) Yum!

*I use a heaping 1/4 cup of walnuts, raisins, and coconut, and a little more than a cup of milk, too.

P.S. I was just reading about soaking grains for optimal nutrition and learned that oats are a special case, so I may try adding some flour (whole wheat or buckwheat) and letting it soak for 24 hours instead of my usual 8-10 hours. This recipe for Soaked Baked Oatmeal also mentions adding flour and soaking for 24 hours. Always learning!

Classic Deer Sausage

25 lbs meat (60% venison, 40% pork, combined)
3/4 cup course ground pepper
1/2 cup salt
3 Tbsp. Tenderquick
3 Tbsp. minced garlic

Mix well, along with enough water (about 2 litres?) to allow the meat to go into casings easily.

Press into casings.

Lightly smoke the sausage links, if desired.

Mom's Grain-Free Pancakes

Pancake mix

• fine unsweetened coconut
• almond meal
• cold-milled organic ground brown flax seed (not meal)

Mix together 3 equal parts of any quantity, such as 500 grams or 1 cup. Store dry pancake mix in the fridge or freezer.

Two large pancakes (serves two, or save one for the next day)

1/2 cup - quite heaped - dry pancake mix
1/4 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp. Himalayan rock salt (or sea salt)
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil (plus some for the pans)
3 jumbo-sized eggs (about 3/4 cup total, if using another size)

Mix together the pancake mix, baking powder, and salt. (You may want to warm this mixture a little so the coconut oil melts or stays melted.)

Heat two frying pans (preferably cast iron) at medium-low heat (~3.5) for about 5 minutes, with enough coconut oil so the pan is well oiled.

Add 1/4 cup of coconut oil (preferably soft or liquid enough to stir) and three eggs (warmed under hot tap water) to the dry mixture.

Whisk everything together well, pour into the pans, and fry for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat a little (~3) after pouring in the pancake batter.

After 4 minutes, turn the pancakes over and cook for 1 more minute with the heat turned off.

Serve with berries and whipped cream, or butter and unpasteurized honey. Yum!

Chocolate Chip Oven Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1.5 cups milk
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
2/3 cup chocolate chips
butter for greasing pan

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl, mix the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk with a fork or egg beater until well combined. Gradually stir in the melted butter.

Pour egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir just to moisten (lumps are okay).

Pour batter into greased 9x13" pan. Bake for 25 minutes (or 15 minutes on convection).

To serve, cut the pancake into squares.

Recipe adapted from My A to Z Recipe Box by Hilary Shevlin Karmilowicz

Extra Good Cereal Squares

2 cups crispy rice cereal (e.g., Rice Krispies)
1 cup roasted flax seed (e.g., Golden Roasted Flax Seed by CanMar Grain Products Ltd.)
1 cup toasted wheat germ (e.g., Kretschmer Wheat Germ)
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup golden raisins, or any dried fruit, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup butter
about 250 g marshmallows (use more when adding raisins)
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and marshmallows together in a large bowl (in microwave, cook for two minutes, stir, then cook for one minute).

Add vanilla and stir.

Quickly stir in dry ingredients.

Press into buttered pan.

Cut into squares.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1.25 cups fresh pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp olive oil
chile-garlic sea salt (or plain sea salt)
fresh ground pepper

Rinse pumpkin seeds. Spread seeds on a cookie sheet, and place in oven for 10 minutes while it's heating up to 400 F (to dry the seeds).

Remove cookie sheet from oven. Drizzle the olive oil over seeds; then sprinkle with a generous amount of chili-garlic sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Redistribute seeds evenly on the cookie sheet, and return to oven. Toast seeds for 10 minutes at 400 F. Stir, and toast for another 5 minutes.

Neil's Chili

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1.5 lbs ground bison (or beef)
2 cups finely chopped white onion
2 540 ml (19 oz) cans assorted beans 
   e.g., chickpeas and black beans, drained and rinsed
1 199 ml (7 oz) can of corn
1 796 ml (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup tequila or water
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
1 or 2 chiles de arbol (whole dried chiles)*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin   
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Heat oil over medium-high heat in large pan. Brown ground meat 6-8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook until softened about 5 minutes.

Crush chilies into fine flakes. Add chiles, garlic, cumin, salt, and cloves to pan. Cook and stir for 30 seconds.

Stir in beans, corn, tomatoes, orange juice, tequila, tomato paste, and orange peel. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Uncover pot. Cook chili over medium-low heat until thickened, 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.

*If you don't have chiles de arbol, you could substitute about 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper plus 1/8 tsp. red chile flakes/crushed red pepper. For more information, see Serious Heat: A Guide to Chile Substitutions.

Neil's Bison Short Rib Stew

1 Tbsp olive oil
2.25 lbs bison short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces (1 rib per piece)
1 onion cut into chunks, about 16 pieces
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
2-3 celery sticks, sliced thick, about 1.5-2 inches
1 large carrot, cut into about 1- 1.5 inch pieces
1 can diced green chiles
4 cups beef broth
1/4 cup chile sauce
3-4 med to large potatoes, cubed, about 1 inch pieces
1 sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Season ribs (or stew meat) with salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to large oven-proof pan. Heat pan on medium-high heat on the stove top. Brown the short ribs on all sides, in batches. Remove to a plate. Add more oil, as needed.

Add onions, celery, and carrots to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic. Continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Add chiles, stir, and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add beef broth. Stir, scraping brown bits off bottom of pan. Add chile sauce and bring to a boil. Return short ribs to pan, along with potatoes, rosemary, and bay leaf. Stir. Cover and braise in the oven until meat is tender, about 2 to 2.5 hours.

Remove bay leaf and rosemary stem.

Serve.

Oatmeal Pancakes

Soak overnight:
2 cups large oat flakes
2 cups plus approx. 2 tbsp. buttermilk

Next morning stir in (a fork works well):
2 large eggs

Add and stir gently:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tablespoons melted butter

Spoon rounds of the thick batter onto a lightly oiled non-stick griddle at medium heat (350 degrees if electric griddle). Cook for three to four minutes per side or until cooked through. Makes 16 to 18 small pancakes.

Saskatoon Berry Crisp

• 4 cups Saskatoon berries 
• 1/2 cup flour 
• 1 cup rolled oats 
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 tsp. cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp. salt 
• 1/2 cup butter 

Put the berries in a baking dish. Blend remaining ingredients and distribute evenly on top of the berries. Bake at 400° for 25-35 minutes.

Easy Pizza Sauce

1 796 ml (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
2 to 3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried basil or oregano (or some of each)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Stir all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until using.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

We like to double or triple this recipe and freeze it in pizza-size portions (about 1/3 cup), so it's ready to use any time.

Overnight Oatmeal

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3 1/2 cups water
pinch of salt

Mix the apples, cinnamon, and sugar in the bottom of the slow-cooker. Sprinkle oats over the apples, them pour in the water & salt. Don't stir. Just leave it alone. Cook on low setting for 8-9 hours.