Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Zest and Bourbon-Soaked Black Currants

Posted on March 13, 2014 Written by 2 Comments

Slightly sweetened with rich whole cane sugar and orange zest, this Irish soda bread is my favorite combination of flavors I have tried during these St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.  I cannot imagine a better Irish treat than a piece of soda bread fresh out of the oven, studded with plump raisins and slathered with bright yellow butter.

I love Irish soda bread.  I know that the soda breads we enjoy here in the States aren’t very traditional, but as long as I use real food ingredients I’m okay with not being authentic.  At least I am eating some tasty foods that are festive for the occasion! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Apple Cinnamon Soaked Granola

Posted on March 28, 2013 Written by 9 Comments

homemade soaked granola

Homemade granola is about as “crunchy” as you can get!  In fact, every time I make a batch, my hubby has to comment on how I’m such a hippie granola tree-hugging waffle-stomper.  So rest assured that this granola is yummy enough for me to make it in spite of knowing the grief I will get for it!

This granola is packed with goodies: homemade dehydrated apples, organic raisins, warm cinnamon, floral honey, good vanilla, toasted almonds, and shredded coconut.  It’s the perfect real food breakfast, and you can make it in large batches to replace your family’s hankering for cereal in the morning. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: , , ,

Hearty Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy

Posted on June 20, 2012 Written by 15 Comments

Biscuits & gravy are one of the great comfort foods.  Just ask my husband.  Every time we’re out for breakfast, you can bet he’ll be ordering biscuits & gravy.  And from a metabolic perspective, they are an excellent choice for getting enough carbs, helping your temperature stay nice and high, and just plain enjoying your food!

Well, last year It finally occurred to me that I could make it, and it would be not just better for us, but just as tasty.  I found good quality pastured sausage, and gave it a go.  The first time was pretty good, but I needed to adjust the seasonings a bit to get it just right.  And so my recipe was born, which I share with you right now!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: , , , ,

REAL FOOD 101: How to Make Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

Posted on June 14, 2012 Written by 10 Comments

 

This post is part of a series.  You can buy the Volume One of the e-book containing several REAL FOOD 101 tutorials here: To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here.  Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more.  Only $14.

Perhaps I should have been born in the south, because I love me some biscuits and gravy. Warm from the oven, break one apart and savor the rich, flaky texture from the buttermilk and bright, yellow butter.

Biscuits are always handy to have on hand: alongside dinner and slathered in honey butter, for making breakfast sandwiches (like with these egg muffins, cut in half), sopping up some homemade sausage gravy, or delectable desserts like strawberry shortcake.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Kid-Friendly Broccoli Cheese Bites

Posted on May 21, 2012 Written by 17 Comments

Kid Friendly Broccoli Cheese Bites | OUR NOURISHING ROOTS #kids #snacks #dinner #kidloved

These little bites are very popular around here.  I love to hear my six-year-old come home from school delighted to down 4 or 5 of them and say “Mom, you should be on Top Chef!”  Ah, the days where your children think you are the most accomplished, smartest person in the world!

Simple to throw together, and full of veggies and nutrient-dense fats from the cheese, this is a great after-school snack or bag lunch recipe.  In fact, you could cut the pieces smaller and serve them as hors d’oeuvres if you were feeling fancy!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

REAL FOOD 101: How to Make Fresh Pasta

Posted on May 16, 2012 Written by 16 Comments

fresh soaked pasta

This post is part of a series.  You can buy the Volume One of the e-book containing several REAL FOOD 101 tutorials here: To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here.  Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more.  Only $14.

Since I am about one quarter Italian, I tend to like the delicious foods of my ancestors.  I also enjoy any sunshine I please, since between my Italian skin and taking fermented cod liver oil, I never burn!  But today I am going to focus on one of the central foods of Italian cuisine: fresh pasta.

I love to see fresh pasta made in glossy magazines and gourmet food television programs.  But I always considered it out of my reach, or at least on par with something really difficult and time-consuming to make like croissants or something.  Oh how wrong I was, and happy to be!

In only a few minutes time, you can have fresh pasta ready to eat, and all without any special equipment.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Real Food 101, Recipes Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Chocolate French Silk Pie

Posted on May 4, 2012 Written by 21 Comments

Soft, smooth whipped chocolate pie filling is deliciously sandwiched between flaky pie crust and cool whipped cream.  Having a slice of this pie is like floating away in the sky for a few minutes.  Savor each bite, enjoying how the cool flavors melt on your tongue.

This pie is worth the effort to make, which honestly isn’t that hard.  Plus, I’ll take you through it step by step.  And the best part?  You don’t have to bake this pie, which is perfect for the hotter time of year when you don’t want to turn on that oven.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: , , , , , , ,

REAL FOOD 101: How to Make All-Purpose Yogurt Dough

Posted on May 3, 2012 Written by 36 Comments

soaked pie crust

This post is part of a series: To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here.  Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more.  Only $14.

In Nourishing Traditions, there are separate recipes for pie crusts, crackers and various breads.  I love to try different recipes for those baked goods, to see which is my favorite, which is easiest, which works for a particular meal or pairing.

But this all-purpose yogurt dough is one of my favorites, because it is so versatile in and of itself.  I have personally made it into whole grain crackers, into a round for a pizza crust, and turned it into a pie plate for a flaky crust.  Plus, it’s a lot easier than any pie crust or pizza dough recipe I know!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Real Food 101, Recipes Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Molasses Crinkles

Posted on April 25, 2012 Written by 10 Comments

Molasses Crinkles | OUR NOURISHING ROOTS

These cookies are one of the best success stories I have had with a mainstream-recipe-turned-real-food-transformation.  The flavors work, the end result is chewy and crispy all at the same time, and they are perfect for any time of year.  I love the depth of flavor from the molasses, and the mineral content doesn’t hurt either.

I love virtually anything with molasses in it, like all those holiday cookies and cakes we see in the fall.  I’m sure these molasses crinkles would be amazing then, especially with a glass of eggnog.

But these cookies are also for spring and summertime; they taste amazing with a glass of lemonade, or as part of a spring brunch.  That’s my afternoon snack today!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: , , , , , ,

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Gluten-free)

Posted on April 24, 2012 Written by 17 Comments

chickencordonbleucasseroletext

.

I have toyed with the idea of making Chicken Cordon Bleu at home, not just for a special occasion but for the family on a regular basis.  It is time-consuming to make traditional Chicken Cordon Bleu.  Stuffing the chicken with cheeses and ham?  Plus hoping it is cooked through?  Not very relaxing, either.

And so the casserole version was born!  It’s not that I’ll never make it the traditional way; I’m sure I will.  But this version is much easier, and real foodified to offer maximum nutritional benefit!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: , , ,
Next Page »