Veggie Medley With Ginger Using Platinum Cookware

Two words. Platinum Cookware.  On my blog, I've talked a little about the Salad Master set that Dan and I purchased.  It is water-less, oil-less cooking, stainless steel cookware.  We were not happy with our Salad Master.  See...this cookware had a little opening on the top of the lid that would "click" when the food was up to temperature.  When it was up to temperature you would turn it down.  The problem was, sometimes the clicker wouldn't work, other times, if I needed to cook something like baked potatoes in my pot, I would need the temperature a little higher, like 100 degrees and the clicker would click nonstop, causing me to seriously flip my lid.  Ha ha!  No pun intended there!  

Our good friends Dave & Cindy (Cindy's recipes have been posted here before) and their daughter and son-in-law, Ritchie & Christina decided to make a business of selling Platinum Cookware.  They did a demonstration for us and we were SOLD!  This cookware is exactly what we have needed!  No clicking!!!  Woot!  Most veggies cook at about 60 degrees and the little dial on the lid would show us when it was up to temperature.  We would then turn our burner either off, or on low and it would keep it's temperature until the veggies were cooked, thus keeping the temperature low.  Boiling point is 212, if I remember right.  This keeps your food well below that and traps all the heat inside cooking your food.  It requires no water, if your veggies have been rinsed and are a little wet, and very little water if your veggies are dry.  NO OIL!  They actually bake cakes in these pans, with NO OIL!  It is like a magic show with these pans.  

I cook in them daily!  My kids love potatoes and veggies in them, not to mentions soups, stews, quinoa, rice, oatmeal, the list goes on!

Today I made these veggies.  VERY EASY!  Very delicious!  If you do not own Platinum, it is worth looking into, however, in the meantime, make sure you're using stainless steel.  It is still possible to cook your veggies on a lower heat.

Veggie Medley With Ginger

1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and cut in chunks

1 cup Brussels sprouts, ends removed and rinsed well

1 large handful fresh green beans, ends removed and rinsed well.

1 large handful or two of Asparagus, thick ends cut off and rinsed well.

1 inch ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Combine all the veggies.  Bring up to 80 degrees.  Turn off heat, or remove from heat if your stove stays hot (ceramic).  Let sit for about 15-20 minutes.  Check.  I added my asparagus after the veggies were up to temperature.  They tend to cook quickly and were mushy if combined with the other veggies in the beginning.  

Sprinkle with 21 Seasoning Salute.  Enjoy!

Tastes Like Fall Applesauce!

I have 2 huge bushels of apples that I got for a STEAL!  They are red delicious apples and super juicy.  We've been eating them like candy 'round here.  After a month of apples, they are beginning to go soft and so we decided to make a yummy treat...APPLESAUCE!  I'm sure most applesauce recipes are alike but here is the recipe I came up with.  We made our Pumpkin Waffles and even tried a new waffle recipe the other day, Carrot Cake Waffles and put this yummy applesauce on top.  It was so delish! Enjoy!

Tastes Like Fall Applesauce

12-15 red delicious apples, cored and peeled

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Over medium heat, bring to a boil, cover and turn to low until apples are soft, maybe 20 minutes.  Blend.

I store my applesauce in quart jars in my fridge...should stay fresh for a couple of weeks at least!

Chili Lime Beans & Rice

This recipe was me hurrying to throw some things in the rice cooker before my piano students came.  It just sort of happened!  In fact, I'm sitting her typing this wondering what to call it?!  Amazing Rice and Beans?  Lime Taco Rice and Beans?  Fiesta Rice and Beans?  Boring.  It was so yummy that the kids were eating seconds and the next day I put them in enchiladas (yes, I will post that one too!).  Anytime we can get the kids to eat beans, we have struck gold.  Hopefully I'll have a title for this by the end, lol.

Chili Lime Beans and Rice

3 cups brown rice

6 cups water

2 cups pinto beans

1 large onion, diced

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon paprika

Place all ingredients in your rice cooker and set on high.  If you don't have a rice cooker, place all ingredients in large pot, bring to boil, replace lid and turn to low for 45 minutes.  Serve with tortillas or alone with salad and another side.

Gerson's Hippocrates Soup

I know it's summer and in the last thing you are thinking about is a hot soup.  This soup, however is incredibly easy, great for digestion and a staple in the healing of cancer, the Gerson Way.  What is that?  Well, you can find a simple review of The Gerson Therapy on their main website as well as a simple book review I wrote for the Nutrition Principles website.  The book The Gerson Therapy has to have been one of the most fascinating things I've read....ever!  The basic idea of the therapy is to heal cancer, diabetes, heart disease or any other degenerative disease as well as drug addiction.  Yes, it can be done through the foods we eat which are whole foods, mostly organically grown fruits and vegetables in the form of 13 cups of juice hourly each day, coffee enemas, potassium supplements and other natural supplements.  It sounds a little weird, I'm sure, but chemotherapy and radiation doesn't sound weird?  I also just finished reading a book called "A Time To Heal" by a woman named Beata Bishop.  This book reads like a novel, and is a story of her journey in healing herself using The Gerson Therapy.  Over 25 years ago she was diagnosed with Malignant Melanoma, a very serious and deadly form of Skin Cancer.  She was given 6 weeks to 6 months to live.  She explains how she finds out about The Gerson Therapy and her decision to follow it for the next 18 months and how she miraculously heals.  It is not an easy journey.  The Gerson Therapy requires a great deal of dedication and for a long period of time with strict adherence to following a clean diet after healing.  There are many amazing stories out there of people who have cured themselves using this therapy.  Without question, I would use this method to heal myself if ever needed.  My hope is that I won't.  

This wonderfully simple soup is something I try to keep in the fridge often and eat with my lunch or dinner often.  This is the Gerson's recipe and they purposely leave out salt and other flavorings, because they can conflict with those who are healing.  Before adding anything else to give this soup your own flavor, try to eat it as is.  I love it!

Hippocrates Soup

1 medium celery root or 3-4 stalks celery

Garlic as desired

2 small leeks or 2 onions

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes or more

2 onions

1 pound potatoes

a little parsley

Do not peel any of these vegetables!  Wash them very well.  Cut them coarsely.  Barely cover the vegetables with filtered water (I like less water, it makes the soup much more creamy).  On medium heat bring to a simmer, turn on low and simmer 2 hours.  Blend the soup, leaving small chunks, if desired.  Store for up to 2 days.

Summer Zucchini Bake

 Have a few extra zucchini and yellow squash laying around, like I do?  Not quite sure what to do with it except maybe pour a cup of sugar on it and make Zucchini bread?!  I'm kidding.  I love Zucchini Bread!  I was on Pinterest the other day and saw some good recipes using summer squash but it was loading with cheese and butter.  I started brain storming about how I could make something like it without the butter and cheese and came up with this. It was a HIT!  Its very easy to throw together!

Summer Zucchini Bake

2-3 medium sized zucchini, sliced

1 yellow crookneck squash (any yellow squash will work), sliced

1/2 red onion, slices separated

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

2 teaspoons basil

2 teaspoons oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tomatoes, sliced

1-2 cups bread crumbs

1 tablespoon coconut oil or grapeseed oil

Spray the bottom of a large cake pan.  I use an old roaster pan.  Layer the sliced zucchini, yellow squash, zucchini.  Drizzle the 2 Tablespoon grapeseed oil over the zucchini and yellow squash.  Sprinkle with herbs and salt.  Next, layer the separated sliced red onion, minced garlic with tomato slices on top.  In a food processor, process the bread crumbs and coconut oil.  Sprinkle that over the top of the tomatoes and Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes.  You could also broil it on low for about 3-5 minutes or until the bread crumbs are nice and toasty after baking it for 30 minutes.