Sweet Potato With Coconut Butter

1 medium to large sweet potato
2 tablespoons Ghee clarified butter
3-4 tablespoons coconut butter (recipe below)
3-4 dashes sea salt
1 packet Stevia

Bake sweet potato for 45-60 minutes at 400 degrees. When cooled, remove skin and place into a skillet. Mash the potato and add the remaining ingredients. Blend well. Heat to medium, stirring occasionally until the Ghee is melted. Allow to cool.

Easiest Delicious Summer Squash

3-4 large summer squash
GFCF margarine
salt
pepper

Grate squash. Melt 1 tablespoon margarine in a non-stick skillet. Place half of the quash into the skillet into a smooth layer. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the squash. Cook over med.- med.high heat for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the squash over, salt, and saute for another 5 minutes after placing small bits of margarine around the edges of the pan and in the center of the squash. Continue to turn squash over every 4-5 minutes until it reaches the desired level of caramelization. Cool completely. (Cooked squash holds its heat well.) Repeat process with the remaining squash. Serves 4.

~ So easy - Grating and cooking summer squash like hash browns! ~

Old Fashioned Creamed Corn

2 10 ounce pkgs. frozen organic corn
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons GFCF margarine (we use Earth Balance soy free)
salt
pepper

Bring water, corn, GFCF margarine, salt, and pepper to a boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Scoop 3 cups of the corn out of the saucepan and pulse in food processor for about 10-15 seconds. Add to remaining corn in saucepan. Stir. Cook for an additional 30 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently. Serves 4-6.


~ I have only recently purchased a food processor so this might be a "duh" recipe for many of you. I have missed creamed corn so much since we switched to organic (which means No GMOs) foods and beverages. I purchased organic corn on the cob several times in an attempt to make creamed corn but no matter what I tried (organic cornstarch mixture included), I could not make the corn creamy. So, about 45 minutes ago, it occurred to me: Use the food processor! I bought the food processor to shred organic squash so that I could cook it like hash browns, but it is now also my corn creamer. Love it! ~

Scrumptious 4 Minute Squash

2 medium or 1 very large squash (yellow or zucchini)
1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
8 tablespoons GFCF flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon GFCF margarine
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Grate squash into a bowl using the large grating side of a box grater. Stir in the (optional) onion and eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.

Melt margarine and oil together in a large non-stick saute pan over medium to medium high heat. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the pan, reducing heat to medium if/when margarine/oil begins to smoke. Cook about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels. Serves 6-8.

To keep them warm, remove paper towels and place them in a 300 degree oven for up to 30 minutes, on an oven-safe dish.

~ I don't think I will ever cook squash again, without grating it first. It cooks so much faster grated, which makes total sense, but I never thought about it until I tried this recipe...~

Cheesy Peas + Casserole Idea

12 oz. frozen organic baby sweet peas
2 tablespoon GFCF margarine, divided
1/4 cup water
salt
pepper
GFCF Cream of Cheese Soup

Bring peas, water, margarine, salt and pepper to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes. Drain. Add 1 tablespoon GFCF margarine and stir until melted. Add Cream of Cheese Soup and blend well. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.

~ I think this would be even better with GFCF cheddar crackers (I don't have a recipe for them) crumbled over the top and then baked in a lightly greased baking dish until crackers are lightly browned. And perhaps also doubled, with the addition of Cream of Mushroom soup instead of doubling the Cream of Cheese soup. This recipe is inspired by a very old asparagus and sweet pea casserole. ~

Fried Okra

1 bag frozen cut okra (not whole pods)
1/2 cup (or more, if needed) Bob's Red Mill GF Cornbread Mix
salt
pepper
oil for deep frying

Place frozen okra in a large shallow bowl and allow to partially thaw (just until the pieces are moist) at room temperature. Toss with BRM GF cornbread mix, salt and pepper to coat. Carefully place coated pieces into hot oil and cook until golden brown. Drain. Salt to taste.

~ I would venture to guess that you could moisten fresh cut okra with water before tossing with the CB mix, or even coat fresh cut okra with an egg mixture before coating with the CB mix. ~

Strawberries, Fruits & Veggies Info.

Environmental Working Group's list of 47 fruits and veggies, ranked by pesticide load:

List


Tips


Non-Organic Strawberries Alert

Summer Squash with Vidalia Onions

* Must be prepared in a large non-stick skillet with a lid. Please do not even attempt this recipe in a regular skillet.

2 - 2 1/2 pounds small yellow (summer) squash
1 med./large Vidalia (or sweet) onion, chopped
3 tablespoons GFCF margarine
salt
pepper

Thoroughly wash squash, trim ends, and slice into rounds just under 1/4 inch thick. Place margarine into the middle of a large non-stick skillet. Place squash rounds and chopped onions into the skillet. Generously season with salt and pepper. Cover.

- My stove dial settings range from low, 1 through 9, and high. 5 is medium. 8 is med./high. 2 is med./low. -

With skillet covered, turn heat to just above medium-low (3 on my stove) and cook for 15 minutes. Remove lid and turn squash and onions over in sections. Cover, reduce heat to med./low (2 on my stove) and cook for 15 more minutes. Stir.

Now comes the part where you cannot leave the skillet unattended...

Remove lid and turn heat up to just below high (9 on my stove). Gently press squash and onions down to completely cover the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the liquids begin to evaporate and the squash and onions begin to caramelize, for approximately 4-5 minutes. Turn over squash and onions in sections, press down and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat this 2-3 minute process 2-3 more times, reducing heat to Med./high (8 on my stove), turning squash and onions over in sections each time, until the squash and onions reach the desired level of golden brown goodness - caramelization. When the desired color has been reached, remove the skillet from the heat and partially cover the skillet with the lid. (Do not completely cover the skillet with the lid - the squash and onions will dry out and become tasteless.) After 10 minutes, stir completely, being sure to scrape any bits off of the bottom of the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6-8

~ This is another one of those recipes I tried for years to perfect. I was able to achieve the desired taste almost immediately, but the consistency of the squash and onions was mush. Using this technique, I am able to see portions of the squash rounds and still enjoy the caramelized deliciousness of the squash and onions. I do not recommend using a regular (non-sweet) onion in this recipe as the end result will taste very different. If you don't have a sweet onion, simply prepare the squash according to this recipe, without onions. ~

Non-Southern Green Beans

So, I have to tell you the backstory for this recipe first.

A week and a half ago I went bounding out of bed at 2 a.m. on a quest to get more Melatonin for Miss B, who had not slept in over 48 hours. Instead of moving the baby gate (which was propped in the doorway - not locked into the doorway), I attempted to step over it, which I have done successsfully many, many times.

Really, I have.

Call it sleep deprivation, exhaustion, laziness, whatever you will, but my right foot did not clear the baby gate and I went down, hard, on my left elbow and the base of my left hand. Still today, I cannot use a manual or electric can opener.

Those regular sized cans with pop-top lids, that I was actually able to find, are twice as expensive as regular cans twice their size. But I digress. We simply have to have canned peaches and tomatoes. And I thought - green beans, too. I looked in three grocery stores and found not one single pop-top can of green beans.

Being a Southern Girl I have witnessed many fine cooks preparing fresh green beans, or snap beans as they are often referred to in our part of the world. But I have never attempted to cook them myself. Since green beans are a required food in my life, in the final grocery store I hurried over to the produce dept. where I chose a bag of fresh organic green beans.

So today I was thinking about those green beans, and green beans that I have had in non-Southern restaurants before and I really wanted to have that flavor instead of the green beans I usually prepare with smoked ham. I turned to Google for help and I found several recipes for green beans that did not include bacon or ham. What follows is what I came up with, based on several recipes that just did not give me the desired effect until I took them a little farther. This is my green bean recipe exactly as it happened, necessity being the mother of invention and all...

(And, yes, I do have a small container of bacon grease in my refrigerator at all times.)


1 1/2 pounds fresh organic green (snap) beans
water
salt
pepper
pure cane sugar
Earth Balance organic buttery spread
bacon grease

Remove the ends from the green beans and cut into smaller pieces, or leave whole. Rinse well in a colander. Put the green beans into a pot with enough water to cover them. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to med-med. low. Cook for 7 minutes. Drain in a colander, but do not rinse. Into the empty, still hot pot, put 1 tablespoon Earth Balance organic buttery spread, 1 tablespoon bacon grease, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pure cane sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. When melted and combined, put green beans back into the pot, stir to coat well, cover, and simmer over med. low to low heat for 10 minutes, stirring 3-4 times to completely coat the beans with the delicious juices every time. (What I noticed at this point was that some of the thinner green beans had begun to shrivel, but the thicker beans had not and were not quite the consistency I wanted, so I let them simmer, covered for 2 more minutes. I have no idea how those restaurants achieve the cosnistency and flavor they do without the beans shriveling, but I wish I did!) Remove from heat and toss the beans again to redistribute the juices. Serve with a slotted spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Do not drain the liquid out of the pot! If you go back for more, stir the beans to coat well with the juices each time.) Serves 4-6.

~ These would probably be very good with thinly sliced sweet onions added during the last 10 minutes of the cooking process, though I have not tested this theory. ~

Tangy Potatoes

2 medium red or Yukon gold potatoes, skin on
4 tablesppons GFCF mayonaise (trust me)
salt
pepper
green (spring) onions, chopped

Bake or microwave potatoes in glass baking dish until done. Place potatoes in a wide bowl such as a pasta bowl. Mash with a fork to open the cooked potatoes. Drop dollops of GFCF mayonaise over the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Blend well. Garnish with green onions. Serves 2.

~ Now I know the thought of mayo in potatoes may not seem appetizing to some of you, but trust me; these potatoes have a sour cream-y, lemon-y flavor and the green onions advance them to an even more delicious level.

I was a little girl when I first saw my Aunt put mayo and milk on potatoes while making mashed potatoes and I thought "gross!". Until I tried them. I think she must have used mayo because Grandma didn't have any butter in the fridge. What a geat substitution this turned out to be. :) ~

Oven Roasted Carrots

2 pounds carrots, scraped and trimmed (not pre-packaged baby carrots*)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

*Baby carrots are actually processed Imperator carrots. Imperators are bred to grow faster and ripen quickly. They have only 70% of the beta carotene found in non-processed carrots.

Choose carrots that are close to uniform in size from top to bottom, or, cut carrots in half and then cut larger portions lengthwise, as necessary, until all pieces are approximately the same thickness.

In a glass baking dish or stainless steel baking pan, toss carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange carrots in a single layer. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes. I prefer 50 minutes cooking time. (If the ends start to brown (caramelize), you probably won't be sorry. :) ) They will shrivel, and also shrink in size quite a bit. Let cool for at least 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6

~ This recipe was life-changing for me. Seriously! I never knew carrots could be so good. The finished product is to me pretty much lke McDonald's french fries were - irresistible, can't-stop-eating-untl-they-are-gone, crave them daily, etc. If I weren't afraid of turning orange (which can happen, you know) I would have them every single day of my life. So, if you try them and your life changes because of them, don't say I didn't warn you. ;) ~

Oven Roasted Vegetables

1 pound yellow squash, sliced
1 pound zucchini squash, sliced
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, diced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
GFCF lemon pepper

Place vegetables in a large glass baking dish or stainless steel baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Toss to coat well. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then stir to completely coat with drippings. Use a slotted spoon (to drain excess oil) to serve. (I usually put a few clean dish towels under one side of the dish/pan so that it is at an incline, to aid in the draining process.) Serves 6-8

~ I find myself going back to these basic roasted vegetables so very often. If I don't have any squash, sometimes I just roast potatoes. If I don't have zucchini squash or potatoes, sometimes I will just roast yellow squash and onions - though my favorite method for preparing squash and onions is in a non-stick frying pan, with GFCF margarine. (More on that later.) Sometimes it just seems easier to put veggies in the oven and let the magic happen there. ~

Buttery Mashed Potatoes

This recipe includes optional onions or chicken broth.


4-5 small to med. red potatoes, unpeeled
1 large sweet onion, sliced into thin strips *
6 tablespoons GFCF margarine
salt
pepper

Bring whole potatoes to a boil in salted water. Reduce heat to med./med low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. With a large slotted spoon, carefully remove potatoes from water and place in a covered dish. Pour the hot water out of the pan and place margarine and onions into the pan. Cover and saute over very low heat until onions are translucent. Carefully add cooked potatoes, one at a time, to onions and margarine, and mash to achieve desired consistency. Repeat with each remaining potato and stir well. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.

* These potatoes are just as good without the sauteed onions but I thought onions would be complimentary with potatoes as our meat entree today was ungrilled chicken. If you omit the onions, use the same directions but add the margarine after you've drained and mashed the potatoes. After the margarine has melted, add 1/2 cup GFCF chicken broth. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper. The onions and/or the chicken broth make these potatoes really creamy.

{These are especially good if you use my Ghee and GFCF margarine combination - which is for this recipe - 3 tablespoons GFCF margarine + 1 1/2 tablespoons Ghee.}

Savory Squash and Tomatoes

1 zucchini squash, sliced
4 small yellow squash, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
GFCF soy sauce
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place squash and onions in an even layer in an oven-safe square or round dish. (I used a pie plate.) Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Pour olive oil over vegetables and toss gently to coat each piece. Spoon one can of chopped tomatoes evenly over vegetable mixture. Do not stir. Drizzle a few drops of soy sauce over the tomatoes. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Remove from heat, stir, cover and bake for 15 more minutes. If desired, add more salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.

{I had never seen a recipe for this combination of ingredients, but for some reason, today I thought the flavors might blend nicely. It was delicious!}

Snap (green) Beans & New (red) Potatoes

1 28 oz. can cut green beans
1 small smoked ham hock (or large piece of smoked turkey)
3 medium red potatoes, diced but not peeled
2 cups water
Salt
Pepper

Place ham hock (or smoked turkey) in the middle of a large sauce pot. Pour green beans into pot. Add water and a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to almost low (#1 - not "low" on my stove), cover, and cook for 45 minutes. Add diced potatoes and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to almost low, cover and cook 15 minutes longer. Remove lid, and cool for at least 15 minutes. Serves 4-6.

* Save and refrigerate the liquid from this recipe to use in the Southern and GFCF Vegetable Beef Soup recipe. You'll be so glad you did!

{This is THE delicious recipe for those delicious green beans you've seen that have the small red potatoes in them. You can use 5-6 small whole red potatoes if you like, but be sure to add 10 minutes to the final cooking time. The green beans will be even better with the additional cooking time.}

Potato Salad

2 eggs, boiled and chopped
4 med. potatoes, diced and cooked
2 tablespoons GFCF mayonaise
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2-3 tablespoons dill pickle cubes/relish
Salt

Spoon mixture of mayonaise, mustard, and dill relish into cooled potatoes and eggs to gently coat. Salt to taste. Serves 4-6.

{This is my absolute favorite potato salad recipe.}

Chilled Broccoli 'n' Cauliflower Salad

1/2 purple onion, chopped
1/2 cup shredded GFCF cheddar cheese
1/2 cup GFCF mayonaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 pound GFCF bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup sunflower kernals
1 head broccoli, separated and cut into small pieces
1 head cauliflower, separated and cut into small pieces

Carefully place cauliflower and broccoli pieces in unsalted boiling water. Boil for 1 minute. Drain. Rinse with cold water until completely cooled.

Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. Toss in broccoli and cauliflower and coat well. Cover bowl and chill for a few minutes before serving. Serves 8-10, depending on the size of the broccoli and cauliflower.

{I don't care for raw onions but this recipe is the exception ~ from our dear friend, Melinda F. in Ohio.}