The blog I rarely attend

Fluffy dairy free pancakes Sadly, I’ve been dairy free due to my nursling who has a dairy issue. This has called for a good bit  of creativeness because dairy is such a big part of my family’s diet. I learned early on that water makes a sufficient substitute for fluffy dairy free pancakes; or almond milk, cashew milk or coconut milk if you want to get fancy. I’m pretty particular about processing and ingredients so I take great strides to make my own or find minimally processed ingredients so sometimes water just has to work. I have also  found that eggs can make up taste when water is used. These pancakes are pretty fluffy on their own but I used large biscuit cutters to make them thick. You could use egg rings as well. If you choose to use to do this, be sure to oil the inside of the rings really well. These are by far a favorite pancake recipe.  Ignore my slightly burnt pastured, home cured bacon. I also use this same recipe to make bacon pancakes which is another family favor

Homemade Cinnamon Marshmallows I hosted a bonfire and smore’s party back in October. I tried to make homemade marshmallows but they failed. But my friend, Laura brought some of her homemade marshmallows and saved the day. One of our Christmas traditions is include homemade hot chocolate as part of our evening festivities. I was ready to give another try at homemade marshmallow. I checked with Laura about her perfectly formed marshmallows and she shared that she uses Alton Brown’s recipe! Viola! Well, I don’t use or have corn syrup but Laura said she didn’t either. I’m happy to report that I made these marshmallows successfully using Great Lakes Gelatin and we enjoyed them in our hot chocolate. I dressed them up with some cinnamon and they add a wonderful depth of flavor.  I hope you will try making these Homemade Cinnamon Marshmallows. It will be impossible to go back to store-bought ones. Cut them into cubes or use your favorite cookie cutters.  Ingredients 6 tsp Great La

Velvety Leek and Potato Soup Who knew such a simple potato soup could be so rich and velvety without cream! Wanting something warm after the snowy afternoon, I turned to comfort food dressed up.  Leeks are in the onion family but with a milder taste. The edible portion is the lower half that is white and light green.  This recipe is so easy, I’m almost embarrassed. The velvety texture comes from pureeing this soup and the aroma of truffle oil makes this soup feels like silk on your tongue.  Go make this Velvety Leek and Potato Soup. Be sure you get some truffle oil too. It really dresses up this dish.  Ingredients 1 leek, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 medium potatoes, cubed 4 cups homemade chicken meat stock 1 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp pepper 1.5 tsp sea salt (or more to taste) I didn't measure this. 1 tbsp Lard, butter or your favorite fat Optional 8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped Dried chives Truffle oil May also consider adding sour cream and/or shr

Nourishing Zuppa Toscana Soup Olive Garden has this wonderful soup that can be duplicated at home but with nourishing ingredients. It’s one of my favorite winter time staples. I have adapted the copycat recipe to make this Nourishing Zuppa Toscana Soup. Or you might otherwise know this soup as Sausage, Kale and Potato soup.  Ingredients 1 large onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 lb pastured sausage (I prefer spicy but mild will work too.) 2 large russet baking potatoes, cut into small cubes 1 bunch of kale, chopped 6 cup chicken bone broth 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 cup heavy cream Instructions Brown sausage along with onions and garlic in a large soup pot. Add potatoes and chicken bone broth to pot. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done (approx 15 minutes). Salt and pepper to taste. Add kale and cream. Simmer for another 10 minutes and serve.

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas If you need a protein, fiber packed snack, Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas is an easy one to satisfy a sweet tooth as well! I like to soak my chickpeas overnight in warm water with a bit of whey prior to cooking them. This helps break down the phytic acid.  This is a very forgiving recipe and you can change it up adding your favorite seasoning. If you like spicy, try adding some chili powder. Ingredients 2 cups of soaked and cooked chickpeas or grab a can of garbanzo beans 2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon sea salt Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander. Mix honey, cinnamon, melted coconut oil, cinnamon and salt. Toss chickpeas in the mixture. Spread chickpeas on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or up to 15 minutes longer if you want them crispy.

If you don’t like cabbage, I encourage you to try this recipe before you write it off.  This is my current favorite go to recipe right now and it’s a hit with the whole family. It’s warm, filling and nourishing. It’s much like cabbage rolls but without the work of stuffing and rolling those cabbage leaves but just as good, if not better. This soup reheats well and we enjoy it as leftovers. I also like to add collard greens to this soup but you can leave that out.  Ingredients 1 onion, diced 3 cloves, minced 1 lb grass fed beef 1/2 lb pastured spicy pork sausage 3/4 cup of basamati rice 1 medium cabbage, chopped (core removed) 1 bunch of collard greens (leaves cut from stems and chopped) 1 quart of canned diced tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato paste 4 cups of bone broth (I used pork, but really any will do). 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp Celtic sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce Instructions In a large pot, saute onion, garlic with beef and