Bacon wrapped Oysters

So I know I have been wrapping a lot of things with bacon lately and frankly I make no apologies :-) I really think that bacon should be a staple in your diet. Assuming you buy sugar free, nitrate free bacon, it has great fats and is so tasty! This recipe is great for appetizers or side dish. It is rich, creamy yet crunchy and has a very unexpected taste. You really cannot go wrong.

Ingredients:
4 pieces of Bacon
8 Oysters (I used canned)
2 tablespoons Cream cheese
2 tablespoons Goat cheese
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

In a small bowl add cream cheese and goat cheese. Place bowl in the microwave for a few seconds-- just long enough so it is soft and can be mixed easily. Add crushed garlic, salt and pepper into the cheese mixture. Lay bacon on a cutting board and cut each piece in half. On one end of the bacon place a dollop of cheese mixture, then add an oyster to the top. Carefully wrap the bacon around the cheese/ oyster dollop and secure with a tooth pick. Place all wraps on a cookie sheet and back at 375 for 15 minutes. If you like your bacon crunchy broil the wraps for a few minutes before removing from the oven. Let cool for 5 minutes then serve. These also keep well in the fridge if you would like to make them in advance. ENJOY!

Kefiring....Making kefir that is!

I have mentioned in past posts that I have been recently diagnosed with Lyme Disease. Treatment for Lyme is notoriously difficult if you have had the disease for longer than about 4 wks of time-- which I have (about 4-6 yrs actually). So I have started what is going to be a long treatment with pharmaceutical and natural antibiotics . Both pharmaceutical and natural antibiotics are very hard on your digestive tract, killing off your body's friendly bacteria and breaking down enzymes. Even those who are not taking antibiotics need to replenish their bacteria, which is damaged by all the chemicals and pollutants your body is exposed to every day. SO-- I've been back to my 24 hr yogurt making and have started making my own kefir....and I love it!
Kefir has been around for hundreds of years. It is a live bacterial culture much like yogurt, but contains up to 57 different bacterial strains while yogurt usually contains about 3. Why is yogurt so popular then if they only contain a measly 3 bacterial strains? Well the bacterial strains in yogurt are the same strains that are naturally in your digestive tract, while many in kefir are not naturally occurring in you GI. Although they are not naturally occurring, these bacteria are still very beneficial in aiding in your immune function, digestive system, yeast control, and over all enzyme performance (which is basically necessary for all of your body's functions). You can buy kefir bottled in your local health food store, but if you're going to be drinking it every day its much less expensive to make it yourself-- not to mention you dodge additives like: sugar, gums, thickeners, and other things we can't spell. The best part: if you can pour a glass of milk...you can make kefir.
The first step is to get your kefir grains. Now a note-- like most things in life: not all are created equal. You do not want commerically sold powder kefir grains. These kefir starters are not the real thing and will only last one batch. Real kefir grains look like cottage cheese, are stored in liquid and are alive. I got mine on craigslist from a local kefir drinker who had an abundance of grains (they grow, because they are a live). There are water kefir grains, where you ferment with water, or milk grains (you can use goat milk, regular milk or coconut milk). For those lactose intolerant try out the milk any ways-- fermenting the kefir breaks down the lactose and even helps break down casien-- so many are able to tolerate the dairy kefir. SO now on the the kefiring!


1 tablespoon Kefir Grains
2 cups of Milk (you really want organic....its only about .50 more than regular--TRUST ME!)
1 glass jar
1 pastic strainer




Place kefir grains in well cleaned jar and pour milk into jar. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a corner (our of the sun). Let sit for 24 hours then strain kefir into a glass using a plastic stainer (metal harms the kefir grains, so no metal).




Refrigerate for about an hour, add some stevia, or make a smoothie and enjoy! I have mine after dinner in place dessert. Replace the kefir and milk in the jar and repeat process. The grains will need to be in milk constantly so that it can stay alive, if you want to slow down the fermenting process because you have too much kefir, you can put the jar in the fridge which will slow down the fermenting process.
ENJOY!!! Its addictive people

Waffles Waffles!

I haven't had a waffle in over a year! This was a good one too. I was inspired by one of my favorite blogs "Heather Eats Almond Butter", who made waffles last week. They are pretty simple to make and super healthy! This recipe is for just one person, so keep that in mind if you're cooking for a crowd.

Allergy Resume: Grain Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free


Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon Flax meal
1 tablespoon Coconut flour
1/2 tablespoon of Protein Powder (I used Hemp)
2 teaspoons Stevia
1 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Baking powder

Place egg whites in bowl and beat until stiff. Next fold in: flax, coconut flour and protein powder. The egg whites will probably fall a bit, but that's ok. Add remaining ingredients and fold until ingredients are well mixed. Fire up the waffle iron and make sure it is well greased. Pour in batter and wait until well cooked. Top with your favorite topping (I mixed yogurt and almond butter) or throw some blue berries or bananas into the batter...whipped cream...ohhh the list could go on! Have fun with it and enjoy!

Lulu Chews Her Toy: note white fluffies every where

Crackling Pork Belly

For the season finale of LOST I needed to make something special to celebrate. I choose pork belly because it seemed like readily available Island fair. I have never had pork belly before and I am definitely going to be making it again. I am one of those people who favor fat over any carb or sugar-- if you are afraid of fat, you may want to save this for a rainy day.

Ingredients:
Pork Belly
3 tablespoons Yellow mustard
3 tablespoons Molasses
1 tablespoon Minced garlic
2 dashes of pepper

I've tried slow cooking my pork belly before and have not had good results for some reason. So my method is to bring a large sauce pan to a boil and add pork belly. Lower the heat of the water to a simmer and cover pot. Boil for about 3 hours. Remove pork from water. It should be totally cooked and tender (if not-- throw it back in!).
In a small bowl add mustard, molasses, garlic and pepper. Once the pork has cooled, add the sauce over the pork making sure it is fully covered. Place pork on a baking sheet and place in the broiler. Every three minutes flip over the pork and return to broiler. Continue broiling and flipping until the outside is crunchy, but not burnt. Remove from oven and let cool before eating. You might want to make some extra sauce for putting over the finished pork.

** a few notes on Pork Belly: it is usually cured with salt when you purchase it, boiling it in the water will bring a lot of this flavor out (which is a good thing). You do not want to add any salt otherwise it will be too salty. Also keep in mind that pork belly is very rich, so portions are usually smaller.

Carrrott Cake Cupcakes

I have been meaning to make some carrot cake for a while now and the bad weather has given me the opportunity. I like to think of carrot cake as a healthy dessert, but it certainly depends on what you are putting in them. If you wanted these to be more of a breakfast muffin then simply omit the frosting and voila! But lets be honest the frosting really makes it!

Allergy Resume: gluten free, sugar free, grain free, dairy free (option for frosting)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup Almond Butter
1 Carrot
2 eggs
2 teaspoons Stevia Powder
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 teaspoons Flax Meal



Preheat oven to 375. Place almond butter, eggs, and flax in a bowl and mix well. Grate carrot and add to the almond butter mixture. Add stevia, vanilla, baking soda, powder, and cider vinegar. Mix the batter well and pour into cup cake tins. This will make six large cupcakes or eight regular sized cupcakes. Bake for about 20-30 minutes (depending on cupcake size).

Frosting:
1/3 cup Palm shortening
1/3 cup Cream cheese
1 tablespoon Stevia
2 tablespoons Shredded coconut

Place shortening and cream cheese in a sauce pan on low heat. Let the saucepan mixture melt while constantly stirring. Next add stevia and coconut, mix well and turn off the heat. When frosting has cooled a bit apply to cupcakes, the frosting will continue to cool and thicken.

Bacon Zucchini Roulade

I cooked this up for breakfast the other day, but it would also be great as an appetizer or side dish. This is one of those dishes that look a lot more complicated than they really are-- they're pretty easy. Also, the secret ingredient to this recipe is definitely the walnuts that really add an unexpected crunch (so don't leave them out!).

Allergy Resume: gluten free, grain free, grain free, and egg free.


Ingredients:
1 Piece of bacon
1/4 Avocado
1 tablespoon Feta
1 tablespoon Spinach
4 Walnuts
1 Zucchini

Take zucchini and slice very thin layers length wise. Lay a piece of bacon on a cutting board and place a few layers of zucchini on top of the bacon. Next add spinach and feta in a small bowl and microwave for about 20 seconds so the feta melts and the spinach wilts. When the feta mixture is soft, but not watery, spread it on top of the zucchini layer. Slice avocado into small bits and evenly distribute them on top of the feta layer. Last but not least, chop walnuts and spread those on top of the avocado layer. Very carefully roll the roulade together like a cinnamon bun, careful not to spill the ingredients. Place roulade on a baking sheet and bake on 350 for about 20 minutes. If you like your bacon crispy put oven on broil for the last minute or two of baking. DE-light!