Awesome Home Made Fruit "Gello"

This is a great once-a-week batch for "already made" breakfasts and desserts for a few days or even a beautiful holiday dish :)

Once you've made this enough to see the ingredient adjustments you can just use any Juice Blox /Blocks recipe online or make your own!  (priceless tidbit: 1 juice blox envelope = 2tsp gelatin)
https://www.knoxgelatine.com/basics.htm


The general outline is 1 bowl + 1 pot:

Fruit Juice KNOX^® BLOX:
 Sprinkle unflavoured gelatine over 1 cup (250 mL) cold liquid; let stand 1 minute.  
Add 3 cups (750 mL) fruit juice, heated to boiling 
and stir until gelatine is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. 
....adjust to taste, then chill and serve.

 

The general ratio for jiggler gel density:  

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1 bowl of room temperature liquid in which you sprinkle the gelatin powder across to "soften" it gels up and goes clear instead of white. This bowl needs to be big enough for the final set.

1 pot of liquid about boiling temperature - enough that when you will pour into the 1st bowl it will be able to dissolve the gelatin (turns invisible instead of visible or rough) 

In the 1 bowl:

• We start by using the pot to heat the water that will make the leaf juice. 
  (The tea "leaf juice" cannot be boiled which would denature (destroy) the nutrients.)
• Turn the heat off and then add the plants of choice. 
  This is left to sit (steep) for long enough that it is cooled off to room temperature.
  Strain. 
• Pour half of 4-6 cups of "leaf juice" into the bowl  (and put the rest in a glass bottle). 
• Sprinkle the powdered gelatin across the bowl of leaf juice. 

 

In the 1 pot: 

• The packaged juices, (water to partially reconstitute frozen concentrate), and the citrus juice needs to be brought to boil to "kill" the enzymes.
• Turn heat off, cool slightly.
• This hot fluid will then be poured into the bowl. 
• Stir to dissolve and mix completely. 
• Taste test and add as much of the leaf juice from the glass bottle as flavor allows.   

Leaf juice:
amount is added to-taste in final bowl mix with excess left for drinking or another batch.

Bring water to boil, turn heat off.

Add cut herbals before walking away so you don't forget.  Since it is just barely not boiling, I follow this order:
a sprinkle of licorice root, then 2 spoonfuls of each: shavegrass, oatstraw, red raspberry leaf.
other add-ins could include nettle, oak bark, chamomile, passionfruit leaf, red clover,...  

• cut wood, barks, most roots needs a very hot, basically light simmer, for ~20 minutes 
• leaves and powders just hot for 10 minutes
• flowers are most delicate and need either warm water or just time
• (sun tea and just soaking is appropriate for the most delicate product OR for raw properties).

Below is how I used to do it.  
The above method is less error prone.

One approach to 

How to make "LEAF JUICE"
Bring 1 Cup of water to a boil and turn off heat.
Stir maybe a 1/8 cup or more fluffed red raspberry leaves (plus an optional less than 1 Tbl or so of fluffy nettle leaves)
Cover to steep nutrients into the water for 10-15 minutes. Strain out leaves. (Can keep for herbal compress/healing pack.)

COLD WATER, GELATIN AND FRUIT JUICE:
In a bowl or container at least 8 cups in size put:
2 Cup of water (this is usually just whatever drinking water you use)
Shake in 8 tsp to 3 Tbl of 100% beef gelatin (or kosher):  I order my beef gelatin from Azure Standard.To this, add a container of Frozen concentrate Purple 100% Grape Juice (next time could try your favorite 100% fruit combinations like apple and oranges or... link, or throw in some leftover cranberry sauce, yummm, or the whole can of pineapple or .... :)..) (rinse out cans with less than 1/2 Cup water.)

This is the concord grape that we have most available to us

COMBINE:
Pour the cooled "leaf juice" into the big bowl and add the gelatin to "soften".  When white powder has dissolved away, pour in the hot juice and any water.
Stir and taste.
The citrus juice (sour) 'covers' the bitterness of the leaves while the leaves make the flavor depth of all of this so yummy. Whichever sour juice is used needs it enzymes to be "killed" = boiled slightly to keep it from eating the gelatin.  Citrus, kiwi, pineapple, etc all have enzymes that eat 'dead proteins.'
Dump in frozen fruit after it has cooled down. It will speed the set but, again, tropical enzymes or citrus will eat the gelatin if warm.

If you want a molded shape pour into that pan.
Chill.

(To Remove a molded shape, "melt" the layer closest to the pan by running it under hot-ish water (sideways with a plate on it so it doesn't fall in the sink!) for a few moments then put a tray on the bowl and flip.)

(Fruit will float unless you stir it after partially set up to suspend them throughout.)

Not enough eggs?

Some gluten free recipes have, for example, a little coconut flour and 6 eggs.
Very Yummy and nutritious (have you found a good source of eggs?), but for the holidays when eggs start running a little short, it is good to know why and what different ingredients are used in a recipe.

This site -link- has a great bit of info and explanation.

Useful Information To Know About Substituting Eggs:

Eggs have three main functions in cooking and baking; they add moistness, they bind ingredients together, or they leaven. How do you know what the egg is in your recipe? If the egg is the main liquid ingredient, it adds moistness. If the recipe has one egg but a fair amount of baking powder or soda, (or if there are no other components in the recipe that would be able to hold the other ingredients together, like bread crumbs, nuts, flour) the egg is the binder. If there are no other rising agents, the egg is the leavening.

Note:

To maintain the integrity of your recipe, you shouldn't try to replace more than two eggs.

If A Recipe Uses Eggs For It's Liquid Properties Alone:
Two tablespoons per egg of any liquid, like juice, milk or soy milk, will do just fine. To add moisture and flavor to baked goods requiring eggs, substitute ½ (half) mashed banana or 1/4 (one-fourth) cup of applesauce or pureed fruit for each egg. Keep in mind that because these add moisture to a recipe, you might have to bake for a bit longer than the recipe calls for.

To Achieve The Binding Properties Of Eggs:
Use one mashed banana per two eggs in baked sweets.
Try blending two ounces of silken or soft tofu per egg with the liquid in the recipe.
One tablespoon of arrowroot or one tablespoon soy flour and two tablespoons water mixed together also work when added to the ingredients.
Try a mixture of 2 tablespoons flour, two tablespoons water, ½ (half) tablespoon oil and ½ (half) teaspoon baking powder.

To Achieve The Leavening Effects That Eggs Provide:
Add an extra half teaspoon of baking powder per egg. Or, you can substitute an acidic liquid (buttermilk or thinned and beaten yogurt) for the liquid required in the recipe. To avoid a bitter final product, limit the amount of baking powder of baking soda to one teaspoon per cup of flour.
Consider the way you want to make your batter. Add air to lighten by creaming together the sweetener and the fat before adding dry ingredients. Whipping the liquid ingredients together in a food processor for 30-45 seconds works, as well.
Other Tips For Light, Eggless Baking:
Successful eggless baking will be more successful if you don't take for granted the type of flour you use. For example, whole wheat flour contains gluten, which can make a chewy end product.
Try replacing some of the whole wheat flour with whole wheat pastry flour or any other flour that doesn't contain gluten, like brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, soy flour, corn flour, millet flour, amaranth flour, or quinoa flour. Keep in mind, however, that gluten helps baked goods rise, and substituting with a low-gluten flour may not always work.

For egg-based recipes such as quiches and custards, however, the substitutes should be used for only half of the eggs. And the fat that's added prevents them from working in recipes calling for beaten whites, such as meringues and souffles.

Homemade Eggnog (in a blender!)

As a child, I never liked eggnog.  We would buy eggnog in a carton from the grocery store, but it was too thick and sweet for my liking.  Now I know, from reading eggnog labels the last couple of years, that I probably didn't like the flavors of high fructose corn syrup and thickeners in store-bought eggnog.  

A few years ago I tried Silknog, an eggnog-flavored soy milk.  It's thinner but still has that nice holiday flavor.  We drank it for a couple of years during the holidays, but in the last year I have learned about many problems surrounding soy.  Soy has a very high phytic acid content, and should only be consumed in moderation and properly fermented.  Good sources of fermented soy include natto, naturally fermented soy sauce, and fermented miso.

This year I have been missing my thinner, eggnog drink.  So I started looking around for a real food version of eggnog using raw milk and cream, raw egg yolks (but no raw egg whites, they have enzyme inhibitors!), wholesome sweeteners like maple syrup and raw honey, and as my friend likes to call them "Christmas spices".  Using this recipe as inspiration, I upped the cream and yolks and made delicious eggnog in my blender!  How easy was it? VERY.

You place all the ingredients in a blender, blend them up, and then pour and serve.  If you have seen the way classic eggnog is made, then you'll be impressed with this method.  In the original recipes you are supposed to separate eggs, whip the whites, whip the cream, fold them in at different times, and so on.  I don't have time to mess with that!  And I don't want to eat the raw white anyway.

So enjoy this quick recipe.  It makes delicious, healthy, homemade eggnog that has that not-too-thick texture.  Even R liked it!  And as R would say: "You can really taste the nog."

Homemade Eggnog

1 cup whole milk (preferably raw and grass-fed)

3/4 cup cream (preferably raw and grass-fed)

4 egg yolks (preferably pastured)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of cloves

pinch of allspice

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey (I used syrup)

dash sea salt

Bourbon, rum, cognac, to taste (optional)

1. Place everything in a blender and blend for a minute or so.  Pour into glasses and garnish with another grating of nutmeg, or a stirring stick of cinnamon.

Coconut Citrus Fudge

Coconut Citrus Fudge

1 cup coconut butter

2-3 tablespoons raw honey

2 tablespoons coconut oil, gently melted

1 tablespoon orange, lemon, grapefruit or other citrus zest

1 teaspoon orange, lemon, grapefruit or other citrus extract (if using oil, use a few drops)

1. In a food processor pulse coconut butter and honey until combined.  Then with the processor running, add the coconut oil in a steady stream.  Add zest and extract or oil, and mix until combined.

2. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper, spoon mixture and form into a rectangle.  Press with your hands to make the thickness even, about 1/4 inch thick.  Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

3. Remove from the fridge, and lift parchment or wax paper off the cookie sheet and transfer to a cutting board.  Cut into little squares or whatever bites you like.  

4. You can store these in the fridge, or even on the counter in an airtight container.  The coconut butter keeps it shape well, even at room temperature.  And this time of year our houses are on the cooler side.  Enjoy!

(Inspired by a review of Cooking to Heal by Kimi at The Nourishing Gourmet, I have made this "fudge" a few times.  It is very light, very nourishing, and kid-friendly.  My kids love it.  I have changed it a little, mostly to incorporate more coconut oil and achieve a smoother feel.)

Joyous Almond Cups

Whenever I make these peanut butter cups I always end up making these Almond Joy-esque cups as well.  I use the same mini cupcake pan, the same spot in the freezer to freeze the two layers, and we end up with two flavors of cups to choose from for a sweet, but nourishing treat.  This recipe is my version after being inspired, as usual, by a recipe from Kimi over at The Nourishing Gourmet.

Even more so than the peanut butter cups, these joyous almond cups have a lot of coconut oil incorporated into the recipe.  Coconut oil has many benefits.  Coconut oil has a lot saturated fat.  But don't fear.  This saturated fat is good for you.  Yes you read that right.  The saturated fat in coconut oil is comprised of medium chain fatty acids, 50% of which are the fatty acid lauric acid.  Medium chain fatty acids are more easily digested, reducing strain on the liver, pancreas, and digestive system.  Coconut oil benefits a sluggish thyroid by this same logic: it takes less energy to digest coconut oil, freeing up your thyroid to heal and function better.  Coconut oil helps with energy levels and weight loss.  Coconut oil heals you from the inside out.

So when you wonder why I go through all the trouble of researching coconut oil, finding different kinds of coconut oil, and then incorporating it into my diet despite my lack of love for it's flavor, this is why.  I feel better when I have it in my daily diet.  I know the science behind it and am more than happy to have it's help healing my body.

Now let's get back to the treat part.  I make these either with or without chopped almonds.  Sort in the vein of sometimes feeling like a nut...But when I do add the nuts I make sure they are from my soaked and dehydrated stash.  Soaking nuts overnight in salt water helps neutralize the naturally-occuring enzyme inhibitors present in most nuts.  Then dehydrating them returns them back to their crispy state.  The almonds I used in this recipe were soaked, dehydrated, and then toasted for 20 minutes at 300 degrees just to bring out their flavor a little before I chopped them and added them in.

Joyous Almond Cups

coconut base:

1/2 cup gently melted coconut oil

1/4 cup gently melted raw honey

1 1/4 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1/2 cup chopped almonds, preferably soaked and dehydrated, then toasted for 20 min. at 300 degrees

chocolate topping:

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3 tablespoons raw honey

3/4 cup coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon coffee liqueur

1. Make coconut base: Combine melted coconut oil and raw honey.  Whisk well to combine.  Add shredded coconut and almond extract.  

2. Using a small ice cream scoop, divide among 24 mini cupcake molds.  Sprinkle each one with a little of the chopped almonds, dividing evenly.  Place in the freezer on a level surface for 30 minutes to harden.  

3. In the meantime, make chocolate topping: combine cocoa powder, honey, and coconut oil in a glass bowl set over simmering water.  Whisk until coconut oil is almost completely smooth.  Remove from heat and continue whisking, adding vanilla and coffee liqueur.

4. Remove frozen coconut bases, and spoon a little of the chocolate topping on each cup.  Place back in the freezer for another 30 minutes until frozen and set.  

5. To remove, pop out with a spoon or butter knife immediately after removing from the freezer.  Store in the freezer, or else they will melt.  To eat, I like to remove from the freezer and let sit for a few minutes to soften.  Enjoy with cold, whole raw milk, yum!

(cross-posted at k-land)

Peanut Butter Cups

I love these peanut butter cups.  I made them last February for R for Valentine's Day.  I wrote the other day about looking for candy for Christmas at the store, but coming up empty.  Even in my compromising mindset I couldn't find anything that would work.  So I am making a few different candies and confections to help satisfy M's and E's sweet teeth on that magical morning.

But back to the peanut butter cups.  I have tweaked the recipe just a bit.  I watch Ina Garten on the Food Network quite a bit, and on her show Barefoot Contessa she occasionally shows how she tests recipes.  Ever since she explained how chocolate is enhanced by a little bit of coffee I have been paying attention to how she pairs them in different recipes.  She says that you do not end up tasting the coffee, but the chocolate tastes better.

Sometimes she uses leftover brewed coffee, sometimes it's instant coffee or espresso granules, and sometimes it's coffee liqueur.  I have Kahlua, so I have used that recently in any chocolate recipe I make.  I just eyeball between a teaspoon and a tablespoon.  I don't know enough about how they make instant coffee crystals to use them confidently, and I don't brew coffee at home.  (The caffeine affects my adrenals and such.)

Oh, and one last thing: after I use up the natural peanut butter in the jars in my fridge I want to make my own peanut butter.  It's very handy to have peanut butter around, so I think it's worth the trouble to soak peanuts in salt water, dehydrate them and then put them through the food processor.  The point of doing all of that is to avoid the enzyme inhibitors present in peanuts and nuts in general.  The soaking process neutralizes the enzyme inhibitors, helping you to not only digest them better but absorb more nutrients from the nuts.

Peanut Butter Cups

peanut butter base:

3/4 cup natural peanut butter, preferably from soaked and dehydrated peanuts

1/4 cup gently melted coconut oil*

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup chopped nuts, preferably soaked/dehydrated/roasted at a low temperature (300), optional**

chocolate topping:

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon coffee liqueur

1. Mix peanut butter and coconut oil together until smooth, using a rubber spatula.  Add honey and vanilla and stir until smooth.  Using a small ice cream scoop, divide among the 24 mini cupcake molds in a mini cupcake pan.  Put into the freezer for 20 minutes or so while you make the chocolate topping.

2. In a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stir chocolate, honey, vanilla and coffee liqueur with a wooden spoon until almost smooth.  Remove from the pot and set onto a hot pot holder while you continue to stir until completely smooth.

3. Remove mini cupcake pan from freezer and spoon chocolate mixture onto each peanut butter cup, smoothing a little with the back of a spoon.  Place back into the freezer until solid, about 20 minutes or more.

4. Remove with a spoon or butter knife.  They should pop out with a little elbow grease, as long as they are completely solid.  If they mush together at all, put them back into the freezer for a few minutes and try again.  Store in the freezer until you want to eat them.

5. To eat, I like to take a few out and let them rest on a plate for a few minutes to soften.  And, of course, my favorite way to eat them is with a cold glass of whole, raw milk.  Enjoy.

*You can use virgin coconut oil (which will taste like coconut), or expeller-pressed coconut oil (which will have neutral taste).  I prefer the expeller-pressed, but I have tried it both ways and the coconut flavor does work in this recipe.

**(I didn't add these, E can't chew them very well; he choked on a swiped cashew yesterday when I wasn't looking, scary!)

(cross-posted at k-land)

Basic Rich Crackers

These are the basic crackers I make on a pretty regular basis for our family. They are made with four simple ingredients: butter, yogurt, flour, and salt. You combine, cover and soak overnight, then roll them out in the morning, cut and bake them. Simple as that, and you get all the benefit of whole foods, properly prepared.

To start with, freshly ground flour that has been soaked to rid it of phytic acid is very healthy. Not to mention the vitamin K2 from the butter if it is grass-fed, and the probiotics found in good quality whole milk yogurt. Even the salt is beneficial if you choose a high quality salt full of trace minerals, such as Celtic sea salt.

I like to use Kerrygold Irish Butter from Trader Joe's because it is the best price I have found. I also get my yogurt from Trader Joe's, or I make my own from whole raw milk. I haven't tried it yet, but since I have milk kefir around, I wonder if I could use that in place of the yogurt in this recipe.

They are delicious with raw cheese and organ meat sausage (like Braunschweiger, yum!). But enjoyed all by themselves they are still lovely. They are very similar to Cheez-its I think.

Basic Rich Crackers

1 cup plain, whole milk yogurt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3 1/2 cups freshly ground whole grain flour (I have used spelt and whole red winter wheat, both with good success)
2 teaspoons sea salt

1. Cream yogurt and butter together. Add flour and salt and stir to combine.
2. Cover with a towel and a plate, find a warm place to soak 12-24 hours (or overnight).
3. After the soaking period, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. At this point you can add any herbs, cheeses, or spices to your dough you might like to try. I have only attempted cracked pepper and parmesan cheese, but it was delicious! The possibilities are endless, but the crackers are truly delicious all on their own. Don't feel you need this step, it is optional.
5. Use white flour, sprouted flour, or arrowroot powder (because each of these options have no phytic acid) to roll your dough out very thin. Use a pastry or pizza cutter to cut dough into small squares or rectangles.
6. Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can put the crackers fairly close to each other, they do not spread. You can prick with a fork, but I have not seen much of a need for it.
7. Bake 8-12 minutes, checking every minute or so after 8 minutes have gone by to make sure they do not overbrown. You know the crackers are done when they are slightly brown on the edges and the middles of the crackers look drier.
8. Remove from baking sheet to cooling racks immediately, but be gentle so they do not break. Enjoy!