Natalie's Kitchen

My New Blog

2010-01-05T10:11:00.000-08:00

I've been updating a new blog for the past few months. I wrote about a trip back east, where I was in charge of catering for a movie.

I'll be updating A Nat in the Kitchen more often, so feel free to fix your bookmarks or feeds.

My New Toy!

2010-01-05T10:05:00.001-08:00

Sorbet or Sherbet?

2009-06-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been eating sorbet, in place of ice cream, because it's dairy-free & gluten-free, which I've cut out from my diet. (A post for another time...)

It's made me think...Sorbet or Sherbet? For years I've eaten the rainbow sherbet ice cream, and I never knew Sorbet existed until recently. What's the difference?

"For those of you wondering what the difference between 'sorbet' and 'sherbet' is, a sorbet has no dairy or eggs in it, and sherbet is usually made with milk or egg whites." -David Lebovitz

I highly recommend Raspberry Sorbet. Mango's pretty good too. :)

Cook Gluten Free!

2009-05-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Check out my new website: Cook Gluten Free!

http://cookglutenfree.blogspot.com/

Pizza Crust

2009-04-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

3-Layer Chocolate Cake ("Death by Chocolate")

2009-04-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

1 cup cocoa powder

2 cups water, boiling

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (or use cocoa powder) three 9 inch cake pans.

In medium sized bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water,
mixing with wire whisk until smooth. Cool completely.

Sift flour with baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light, scraping bowl occasionally.

At low speed, beat in flour mix alternately with cocoa mix, beginning and ending with flour. Do not overbeat.

Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when touched. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Carefuly loosen sides with spatula; remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

I then used a basic strawberry-chocolate filling, and then BHG's No-Cook Fudge Frosting for outside of cake. I sprinkled sliced almonds on top.

Beef Stroganoff

2009-03-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

12 ounces boneless beef sirloin steak
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups hot cooked noodles

Directions

1. If desired, partially freeze beef for easier slicing. Trim fat from meat. Thinly slice meat across the grain into bite-size strips. In a small bowl stir together sour cream and flour. Stir in water, bouillon granules, and pepper; set aside.

2. In a large skillet cook and stir the meat, mushrooms, onion, and garlic in hot butter over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until desired doneness. Drain off fat.

3. Stir sour cream mixture into skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Serve over noodles.

4. Makes 4 servings

----

From the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

Wild Olive Tees

2009-03-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to put in a plug for Wild Olive Tees. Three ladies have put together a business selling trendy t-shirts with bible verses on them. Check out their site at www.WildOliveTees.com...

12-layer Lemon Cake

2009-03-07T21:40:00.001-08:00

Mix up your batter. (I used 2 Lemon Supreme Box mixes)

Grease your pans in between baking each layer. I put 2/3 cup batter in each pan. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

Let each layer cool.

I stacked them with wax paper, so they could continue to cool.

A thin glaze in between each layer.

And the finished product.

It took quite some time to make it, but it was so much fun! I'll definitely do it again someday, though I think I'll use 12 foil cake pans, so I don't have to wash my two cake pans in between layers.

Cooking for your Crowd

2009-02-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

"How do you keep those tummies full without spending your whole day in the kitchen?"

Check out my friend's blog, Cooking for your Crowd. She gives many tips, suggestions, and helpful hints on cooking for your family using bulk freezing, crock pot meals and more.

Cooking for your Crowd

Classic Carrot Cake

2009-02-27T14:31:00.000-08:00

SERVINGS: 12
TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 35 min. + cooling
Ingredients:

* 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 2 cups shredded carrots
* 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
* FROSTING:
* 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons juice (discard remaining juice or save for another use). In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add the eggs, oil, carrots, pineapple and reserved juice; beat until combined. Stir in walnuts.
Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cake. Yield: 12 servings.

Baked Ziti --- from AllRecipes.com

2009-02-20T22:46:00.000-08:00

I made this Wednesday night, and everyone loved it! It's a nice change from lasagna, and tastes delicious! It's easy too!

INGREDIENTS
1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
salt to taste
1 (6 ounce) package provolone cheese, sliced
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1 (6 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in oil until tender. Stir in rosemary and garlic. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. Place ground beef. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Stir in the onion mixture and the spaghetti sauce. Season with salt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In the prepared dish, layer 1/2 of the cooked pasta, provolone cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, and a little less than 1/2 of the meat mixture. Then layer the rest of the pasta, mozzarella cheese, remaining meat mixture, and Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until heated through and cheeses are melted.

Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

2009-02-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

I made the Red Cherry version (see below) vs. Raspberry, and it was very delicious!

TIME: Prep: 25 min. Bake: 55 min. + cooling
Ingredients:

COFFEE CAKE:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream (you can also substitute vanilla yogurt)
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract

FILLING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup raspberry jam (or use cherry, strawberry, blackberry, peach, apricot, etc)

TOPPING:
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; reserving 1 cup crumb mixture.
To remaining crumb mixture, add baking powder, soda, salt, sour cream, egg and almond extract; blend well. Spread batter over bottom and 2 in. up side of greased and floured 9-in. springform pan. (Batter should be 1/4 in thick on sides.)
In small bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and egg until smooth. Pour over batter in pan. Carefully spoon jam evenly over cheese filling.
In a small bowl, combine reserved flour mixture and almonds; sprinkle over top. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until cream cheese filling is set and crust is a deep golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Serve warm or cool. Cover and refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 16 servings. NOTE: I suggest placing the springform pan on a baking sheet, in case of drips during baking.

Brownie Cups

2009-01-29T14:01:00.000-08:00

1 cup butter
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Cool. Add pecans; stir until well-coated. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla. Fold in chocolate mixture. Add extra chocolate chips (optional).
Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 325° for 35-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

2009-01-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

I've discovered a new recipe! I baked it for the first time tonight, and it turned out great and was easy to make. It tasted so good; hot out of the oven, with a dollop of whip cream on top! I was so eager to taste it that I forgot to take a picture...I'll just have to bake it again soon!

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake (from Betty Crocker)

1	cup all-purpose flour
3/4	cup granulated sugar
2	tablespoons baking cocoa
2	teaspoons baking powder
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/2	cup milk
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
1	teaspoon vanilla
1	cup chopped nuts, if desired
1	cup packed brown sugar
1/4	cup baking cocoa
1 3/4	cups very hot water



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Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, the baking powder and salt in ungreased square pan, 9x9x2 inches. Mix in milk, oil and vanilla with fork until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread in pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa over batter. Pour water over batter. Bake about 40 minutes or until top is dry. Spoon warm cake into dessert dishes. Top with ice cream (or whipped cream!) Spoon sauce from pan onto each serving.

Apple Crumble Pie

2008-12-30T11:31:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups cubed peeled baking apples
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 unbaked pastry shell (recipe below---cut recipe in half to make one crust; or make two pies)

TOPPING:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter

In a bowl, combine first five ingredients; spoon into pie shell. For topping, combine sugar and flour; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over pie. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°; bake for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is browned and apples are tender. Cover crust edges with foil during the last 15 minutes if needed. Cool completely before cutting. Yield: 6-8 servings.

PIE CRUST:

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup ice water
1 egg yolk

Sift the flour and salt together in a bowl. Quickly rub small pieces of cold butter into the flour mixture with your fingers until bits are the size of peas. Add the ice water, starting with a few tablespoons and adding more as needed to moisten all the dough. Stir with a fork until mixture forms a loose ball. Divide dough in half and make two equal patties. Place one patty between two pieces of wax paper. With a rolling pin or bottle, roll into a 12 inch circle. Peel off the top piece of wax paper and turn into pie pan. Remove wax paper. Trim around the edge. Roll out the top crust in the same way. Refrigerate both until ready to use.

Vanilla Granola

2008-12-21T21:14:00.000-08:00

10 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup (or more) flax seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup coconut oil (use vegetable oil if you have to)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 300. Lightly oil a 11x15 glass baking pan, or cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flax, salt and cinnamon. In a small saucepan, combine honey, coconut oil, and white sugar. Cook over low heat until sugar has dissolved and everything is combined. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. It will bubble and foam. Pour over oat mixture and mix with a wooden spoon (or your hands) until oats are evenly coated.

Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Leave on counter uncovered overnight to cool. In the morning, break apart and store in an airtight container.

Recipe taken from A Distinctively Different Household.

Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Mousse

2008-12-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

Chicken Pot Pie

2008-11-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, at around 5:30, I was having the hardest time deciding what to make for dinner. Seeing that we had some pre-made pie crusts and cooked chicken, I made Chicken Pot Pies.

I used a traditional recipe, from your good ole' Betty Crocker cookbook, except I changed the ingredients a little. I added two cans of corn, and I chopped up baby carrots and broccoli, and boiled them in water for a few minutes, until they were soft. I also doubled the recipe, so we had two pies, and we saved enough for leftovers for Friday's lunch.

I've always thought chicken pot pies couldn't be made on short notice, but these were quick and easy. I also made a lime jello salad, and garlic mashed potatoes with homemade gravy.

Mexican Casserole!

2008-10-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Preheat over at 375*. Grease large glass casserole dish.
Step 2: Brown 2 lbs. ground beef; drain fat.

Step 3: Add 1 taco seasoning packet (1.25 oz. pkg.) with 3/4 cup water. Stir and bring to boil.

Step 4: Spread 1 (31 oz.) can of refried beans in bottom of pan.

Step 5: Spoon meat mixture over beans.

Step 6: Spread 1 (15.25 oz.) can of drained whole kernel corn on top of meat.

Step 7: Shred cheddar cheese (amount is up to you, I used 4 cups), and spread on top of corn.

Step 8: Pour half a jar of Southwest Black Bean and White Corn Salsa (26 oz.) on top.

Step 9: Top with 1 (2.25 oz.) can of drained sliced black olives. Step 10: Bake until bubbly, about 40 minutes.

Serve with sour cream, tomatoes, diced chilies, tortilla chips, guacamole, and more!

Apple Cake

2008-10-31T13:06:00.001-07:00

I just found this recipe...

Mrs. Paxton's Raw Apple Cake. It looks good, I'll have to try it out!

Spinach Quiche

2008-10-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

8 eggs
2 bunches chopped green onion bulbs (without greens) OR use 1 medium sized white onion
1 24-oz. carton cottage cheese
1 16-oz. pkg. frozen, chopped spinach
4 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cook spinach according to package directions, drain, and squeeze to remove liquid. Beat eggs in bowl, and add onions, cottage cheese, spinach and cheddar cheese. Pour into 2 pie crusts (I used 2 "Ready to fill" frozen pie crusts). Makes 2 pies.

Make-Ahead Instructions: Cover with foil and freeze. To prepare for serving, thaw pie and bake uncovered in a preheated 325* oven for 1 hour. Be careful that the crust doesn't overbrown.

Bake Now Instructions: Cover edge of crust with a strip of foil. Bake in a preheated 325* oven for 1 hour. Remove foil for last 15 minutes.

Recipe taken from Once-A-Month Cooking. Buy at Amazon.com for only $5.99!

Easy way to wash dishes

2008-10-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had to scrub and scrub to get food off plates, pots and pans? Problem solved!

This is a must-have tool for washing dishes! We bought this a long time ago, but I've only been using it this past year. You fill up the top part with dish soap, and then scrub your pots and pans, and soap comes through and cleans as you scrub!

It makes washing dishes so much easier! I highly recommend it!

Amazon.com sells it for only $4.19.

Lemon Cake

2008-10-15T10:53:00.001-07:00

Coconut Banana Cream Pie

2008-10-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

I made this tonight in celebration of Mom's birthday. It's rich, yet really yummy!

INGREDIENTS
3 cups flaked coconut
7 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoons salt
3 cups half-and-half cream (I used regular milk)
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large firm bananas, sliced
Whipped cream and sliced bananas, optional
(I also added chocolate syrup, and almonds)

In a large skillet, saute coconut in butter until golden. Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish. Press remaining toasted coconut onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. pie plate (or springform pan). Bake at 350° for 7 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

For filling, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Stir in cream until smooth. Cook and stir (with a whisk) over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Place bananas in the crust. Cover with cream mixture. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Sprinkle with reserved coconut.

If desired, garnish with whipped cream and bananas. Refrigerate leftovers.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

Crêpes!

2008-10-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbs. melted butter
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend together with hand-mixer, until smooth. Lightly butter a 6-in. to 8-in. saute pan, and heat over medium heat till bubbly. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and tip to spread the batter to the edges. When bubbles form on the top and the edges are dry, flip over and cook until lightly browned on the other side and edges are golden. Repeat with remaining batter.

Roll and stuff crepes with fresh fruit (strawberries, kiwi, bananas, pineapple), whip cream, or chocolate whip cream.

Chocolate Whip Cream: Beat whipping cream using electric hand mixer, until soft peaks form. Add maple syrup to sweeten, and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add Hershey Chocolate Syrup (you decide the amount!) and fold into cream.

A crêpe (pronounced /kreɪp/) is a type of very thin, cooked pancake.
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepe

Cappuccino Cake Brownies

2008-10-06T10:18:00.000-07:00

I made these last week, and we ate almost the whole pan in less then 10 minutes...so good!

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

2 teaspoons boiling water

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, dissolve coffee in water; set aside. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, melted chocolate and coffee mixture. Combine flour and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture until blended.

Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan (I used a 9x13-in. glass pan--makes thinner brownies). Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

Two of my favorite cooking blogs!

2008-10-04T16:19:00.000-07:00

Kimi Harris at The Nourishing Gourmet
Lindsay Edmonds at Passionate Homemaking

Bake Until Bubbly

2008-09-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

I just received Bake Until Bubbly in the mail (along with a free green spatula), and I highly recommend it! This cookbook is divided into many sections: beef, chicken, dairy, seafood, pasta, vegetarian, sides, desserts and more. What makes this cookbook unique from others, is that all 250 recipes are casseroles!

Order from Canon Press or Amazon.com.

Slow-Cooked Short Ribs

2008-08-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 to 4-1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
1/4 to 1/3 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
1-1/2 cups beef broth
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
5 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

Directions: In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add ribs in batches and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown ribs in butter. Transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker. In the same skillet, combine the remaining ingredients. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil; pour over ribs. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: 12 servings.

Coffee and Cake.

2008-05-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight, after I finished washing dishes from dinner, I was in a baking mood. I grabbed one of my cookbooks, and perused through it looking for something good to make. Knowing that we had a can of pumpkin in the pantry, I decided to make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Coffeecake. I had fun, and it smelled sooo good baking in the oven. It reminded me of Thanksgiving time.

I also made some mochas for everyone (which included me dropping the shot glass on the counter and spilling espresso everywhere because the glass was too hot!). The combination of warm coffeecake and coffee was delicious. :)

I took a mug and plate up to Victoria's room, where she gave me the sad news that she wasn't eating sugar today. Poor girl. She was pretty disappointed. I can bet I know what she'll be eating for breakfast in the morning...actually, we all probably will be eating it. :)

But, don't worry, it didn't go to waste. I just walked down the hallway and gave them to Stephanie.

It's all good. :)

Today's attempts in the kitchen.

2008-03-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

This afternoon...
This morning I found a wonderful new recipe entitled, "Cinnamon Triumph Rolls." My attempts at making cinnamon rolls over the past few years haven't been the greatest. The rolls turn out, but normally they don't rise as much as they should. And a result of my poor attempts is that I haven't made cinnamon rolls in a long time.

This afternoon I decided to try out the new recipe, and my excuse for making them was that I was going to freeze some for my birthday and take some to our church's Easter breakfast this Sunday.

They turned out great! And they were huge! I was so happy. :) I put a note by the pan that said, "Don't touch!" because the girls were just dying to eat them. I held my ground for quite a few hours...until after dinner. The rolls just looked too tempting. So the girls and I each ate one.

Don't worry; there's still enough left to eat come Wednesday morning (and enough to take on Sunday). I've been told to eat plenty of unhealthy food on my birthday, so I'm really looking forward to eating more of these. :)

For those of you who are hankering for a great cinnamon roll recipe, head over here.

This evening...
Stephanie and I had fun making dinner tonight --- angel hair spaghetti w/ a homemade mozzarella sauce (I discovered that it's hard to make an Alfredo sauce without Parmesan cheese, so I substituted mozzarella), lettuce salad w/ a red wine vinaigrette, and sauteed zucchini. Stephanie didn't want me to add chopped black olives to the salad, so I instead added them to the spaghetti sauce. When we were eating, Victoria asked me what "the black things" were in the sauce. "Are they peppercorns?" "They're chopped olives."

After this little conversation, I informed the family that I had used whipping cream in the spaghetti sauce to make it creamy and thick. They weren't really surprised. For those of you who don't already know, I love whipped cream. :)

I also incorporated plenty of garlic, which everyone appreciated (especially the girls! ;). As soon as Dad told me that garlic helps getting over a cold...well, you can imagine how much fun I had adding garlic to the dishes. I put the big jar of crushed garlic on the table in front of Dad (he loves garlic!) and as the girls came into the dining room, they were asking what smelled so strong--then they saw the garlic jar. I smiled. They groaned. But, I then gave them the happy news that we weren't seeing anyone tonight, so no worries.

It's all good. :)

Pizza Bagels --- Recipe by Stephanie.

2008-02-10T18:35:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Bagels, plain
Spaghetti Sauce
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

Toast your bagels (If you don’t have a toaster, you can toast the bagels in the broiler for 2 minutes). Put them onto a cookie sheet. Get some spaghetti sauce and spread some all over the top of the bagels. Then sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on top, until you can’t see the spaghetti sauce anymore. Turn on the broiler so it can heat up.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of bagels. (You can also add other toppings such as: jalapeños/sliced red peppers/onions/olives) Place cookie sheet with bagels in the broiler. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Keep on checking to make sure they don’t burn. They’re done when the cheese is melted and the Parmesan cheese is browned. Take them out and serve immediately. Enjoy eating these delicious pizza bagels!

My sister Stephanie makes this recipe for lunch for us several times a week. I asked her to type up the recipe so I could share it with you all. These taste very good and are really easy, too!

Lemon Bars

2008-02-04T10:50:00.000-08:00

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4

cup powdered sugar

cup granulated sugar

teaspoons grated lemon peel, if desired

tablespoons lemon juice

1/2

teaspoon baking powder

1/4

teaspoon salt

eggs

Additional powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press in ungreased square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches, building up 1/2-inch edges. Bake crust 20 minutes.

Beat granulated sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, baking powder, salt and eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly in center. Cool; dust with powdered sugar. Cut into about 1 1/2-inch squares.

I can't count the times that I've made lemon bars and they don't turn out. Either I cook them too long, too short, or...well, you get the picture. This past Saturday night I braved making Lemon Bars again for our church fellowship meal and this time they turned out! And they must have tasted good because someone had 4 of 'em yesterday!

So, now I can officially make Lemon Bars and it makes me happy. Let me know when you'd like me to bake some for you. :-)

Angel Toffee Trifle Recipe

2007-12-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

1 package (6 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 small carton heavy whipping cream

5 cups cubed angel food cake

1/2 cup Hershey’s chocolate syrup

1/2 cup Heath English toffee bits

In a mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. In another mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and milk until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream. Layer cake cubes, cream cheese mixture, chocolate syrup, and toffee bits in an ungreased trifle dish, drizzling the top layer with chocolate syrup and topping with remaining toffee bits. Cover and chill until serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Yield: 6-8 servings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's the recipe for the Angel Toffee Trifle that you've all been anxiously waiting for. :-) This is one of my new favorite desserts to make. I hope you enjoy it!

-Natalie

Angel Toffee Trifle.

2007-12-09T21:29:00.001-08:00

Recipe to come!

Great new recipe!

2007-10-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

Fiesta Taco Casserole

Prep Time: 15 min

Start to Finish: 45 min

Makes: 4 servings

1	lb ground beef
1	can (15 to 16 oz) spicy chili beans in sauce, undrained (or refried beans)
1	cup salsa
2	cups coarsely broken tortilla chips
4	medium green or white onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
1	medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1	cup shredded Cheddar cheese
	Tortilla chips, if desired
	Shredded lettuce, if desired
	Additional salsa, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in beans and 1 cup salsa. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.

In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place broken tortilla chips. Top with beef mixture. Sprinkle with onions, tomato and cheese.

Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Arrange tortilla chips around edge of casserole. Serve with lettuce and additional salsa.

I made this for dinner a few nights ago. It was very good!
-Natalie

Mountain Dew Cake

2007-09-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

1 box lemon cake mix
1/2 c. olive oil
1 box instant pineapple (or lemon) pudding mix
4 eggs
10 oz. Mountain Dew

Mix together cake mix, pudding mix, oil and eggs. Then add 10 ounce Mountain Dew. Bake in greased 13x9 glass pan. Bake at 350 degrees until done, about 40-45 minutes. Cool on wired rack; frost.

FROSTING:

8 oz. cream cheese
6 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups milk
15 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 medium container of whipping cream
2 tbs. maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut

Beat cream cheese, pudding and milk well and spread over cooled cake. Drain crushed pineapple, spread over pudding mix. Whip up whipping cream, add maple syrup to sweeten, then spread whipped cream over pineapple. Sprinkle coconut on top.

Note: Some of you probably think I'm weird, as I'm normally against drinking soda. But I'm making an exception with this recipe--this cake is too good for you to not know about. But don't feel that you need to try it out just because I posted it on my blog. Bake and eat at your own risk. I've made this cake twice within the past year, and only because a good friend really likes Mountain Dew, so I make it for him. The cake does taste good, though...

-Natalie

Peanut Butter Cookies

2007-08-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

1/2	cup granulated sugar
1/2	cup packed brown sugar
1/2	cup peanut butter
1/4	cup shortening
1/4	cup butter, softened
1	egg
1 1/4	cups unbleached flour
3/4	teaspoon baking soda
1/2	teaspoon baking powder
1/4	teaspoon salt

1 cup crushed peanuts

Mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat oven to 375ºF. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Prep Time: 15 min

Start to Finish:2 hr 25 min

Makes: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

I won first place with this recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies, at our local fair last week. It's a wonderful recipe and since they're my favorite type of cookie, I love to make them.

-Natalie

What ingredients are in a fast food strawberry milkshake?

2007-07-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

How Long Does A McDonald Hamburger Last?

2007-07-10T09:35:00.001-07:00

They call it the “Cadillac” of Cookbooks!

2007-06-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

I bought this cookbook at Target two weeks ago, and it is a great cookbook! It has a lot of recipes (over 1,200), and the recipes are easy to make too. Nothing too gourmet; mostly just the ingredients you normally have on hand. I highly recommend it. Besides...when you buy the cookbook you receive a free 1 year subscription to the Taste of Home magazine.

"Twinkie, Deconstructed" by Steve Ettlinger

2007-06-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

The book that uses the Twinkies ingredient list
for its table of contents!

A pop-science journey into the surprising ingredients found in dozens of common packaged foods,

using the Twinkie label as a guide

Like most Americans, Steve Ettlinger eats processed foods. And, like most consumers, he often reads the ingredients label—without a clue as to what most of it means. So, when his young daughter asked, “Daddy, what’s polysorbate 60?” while eating ice cream at the beach on a hot summer day, he was at a loss—and determined to find out.

In this fascinating exploration into the curious world of packaged foods, Twinkie, Deconstructed takes us from phosphate mines in Idaho to corn fields in Iowa, from gypsum mines in Oklahoma to oil fields in China, to demystify some of America’s most common processed food ingredients—where they come from, how they are made, how they are used—and why.

Beginning at the source (hint: they’re often more closely linked to rocks and petroleum than any of the four food groups), Ettlinger reveals how each Twinkie ingredient goes through the process of being crushed, baked, fermented, refined, and/or reacted into a totally unrecognizable goo or powder with a strange name—all for the sake of creating a simple snack cake.

An insightful, entertaining exploration of modern food industry, if you’ve ever wondered what you’re eating when you consume foods containing mono and diglycerides or calcium sulfate (the latter, a food-grade equivalent of plaster of Paris), this book is for you.

------------------------
Review taken from http://www.twinkiedeconstructed.com

Beat Asthma Without Drugs

2007-06-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

By Al Sears, MD

As we move into summer, you may start feeling the effects of asthma, an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the pipes that deliver air to your lungs. Some 20 million Americans suffer from this allergic condition... and the problem is only getting worse. Many of my patients have been asking me for alternatives to their inhalers and prescription drugs.

When you're exposed to large amounts of pollen, dander, and other allergens, your risk of having an asthma attack increases. If you're especially sensitive, you may find that asthma is a constant problem - and it may surprise you to learn that this could be directly linked to your diet.

Processed foods, medicines, and pollutants in the environment are loaded with all sorts of chemicals that directly cause inflammation in our tissues. But the problem doesn't end there. There are also nutrients missing from the typical American diet that help our bodies fight that inflammation.

Here are two recommendations that will help:

1. Ramp up the omega-3s.

Wild salmon, grass-fed beef, and organic brands of seeds, oils, and nuts should be making their way to your table on a regular basis. Omega-3s effectively reduce inflammation. And not only can they relieve your asthma, they can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

2. Reach for foods high in vitamin C.

Citrus fruits (like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons) all have high amounts of this powerful inflammation fighter. Red peppers are another good source. Supplementing with extra vitamin C is also a good idea. Take 2,000 to 4,000 mg a day in two doses, morning and night.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears, a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure, is a leading authority on longevity, physical fitness, and heart health.]

Layered Jello Salad

2007-05-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day, I made a six-layered rainbow jello salad. It turned out really well! It was the first time I'd ever made one, so it was pretty exciting. It tasted great, too!

Here's the recipe. It's really easy.

For a clear jello layer: Mix small pkg. of flavored jello with 1 cup boiled water. Mix until dissolved. Add two ice cubes and stir until dissolved. Pour into glass bowl and refrigerate until firm/set.

For creamier jello layer: Mix small pkg. of flavored jello with 1 cup boiled water. Mix until dissolved. Add one ice cube. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream and stir under blended. Pour into bowl. Refrigerate until set.

For topping: Whip, using hand mixer, whipping cream until creamy, add a little maple syrup to sweeten. Do not over whip. The whipping cream must be a smooth and easy-to-spread consistency.

Salsa, Salsa!

2007-05-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Last year I purchased a salsa maker. I'm really looking forward
to making fresh salsa this summer!

A Great Cooking Website!

2007-05-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

Check out this website! It has a lot of recipes, cooking tips, menu planning helps, and lots more.

http://www.abondanteliving.com/

Shakespeare's Pizza

2007-04-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I posted about a pizza company in Missouri, named, Shakespeare's Pizza, who in return offered to send me three free pizzas! Well, they sent them to me (plus a t-shirt!) and they tasted great! It was very nice of them to send them to me. I highly recommend them!
Shakespeare's Mail Order Pizza

Ever heard of Mail Order pizza?

2007-02-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

Shakespeare's Pizza in Columbia, Missouri. Click here to read how they do it.

Lemon Meringue Pie

2007-02-14T19:15:00.000-08:00

1 pie crust for a 9-inch pie plate, partially baked
grated rind of 2 lemons
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup maple syrup
4 tb. arrowroot powder mixed with 6 tb. water
3 egg yolks
1 tb. butter
3 egg whites
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup rapadura (substitute for sugar)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place lemon rind, lemon juice, maple syrup and arrowroot mixture in a pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until mixture thickens. Let cool slightly and beat in egg yolks and butter. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean bowl until softly stiff. Beat in vanilla and rapadura. Pour lemon filling into partially baked pie crust and carefully cover with beaten egg whites. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes.

-----------------------------

This is Victoria's favorite type of pie and she loves it when I use this recipe. -Natalie

New Blog Feature

2007-02-13T22:40:00.000-08:00

I've now added a site feed to Natalie's Kitchen. On the left sidebar you can enter your email address and then you'll get an email each time I post on here, so that you won't have to keep looking to see if I've posted something new.

Let me know if you have any questions.
-Natalie

Tonight's Dinner 01-29-07

2007-01-29T20:52:00.000-08:00

Tonight I made spaghetti for dinner and it tasted really good! So I thought I’d post my recipe for it…

Menu:
Spaghetti w/ meat, red and alfredo sauces
Green salad
Green bean salad
Rolls

Ingredient list:
Spaghetti noodles
1 jar Bertolli spaghetti sauce
1 jar Bertolli Alfredo sauce
1 small can chopped olives
5 sliced fresh mushrooms
Ground beef
Cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese
Rolls
Green salad

I first started cooking the spaghetti noodles and ground beef. When those were almost finished I started heating up both sauces. Once the red spaghetti sauce was cooked through, I added the chopped olives and sliced mushrooms. At this point I put together a green salad and popped the rolls into the oven to heat up. Next, I shredded the cheese, and then drained the noodles.

To serve, I put the noodles on each plate, added the sauces, meat, and sprinkled the shredded cheese and parmesan cheese on top.

It turned out really well. Victoria said it was the best time I'd ever made spaghetti! =)

-Natalie

GREEN TO GO

2007-01-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

Two firm bananas
Two large handfuls of spinach
Two tablespoons of honey
Two tablespoons of flax seed oil
¾ cups water
4 ice cubes
A blender

You put the first five ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth. Then put in one more small handful of spinach and the ice cubes and, again, blend till smooth. It’ll be frothy and very green, but a healthy, spinach green. If you don’t like it thick, use ripe bananas and more water, if you like it thick, use slightly green bananas.

Thanks to Lucy for the recipe!

Breakfast Foods

2007-01-17T14:59:00.000-08:00

Fruit Smoothie

-1 1/2 cups milk (add more if you want a thinner consistency, less if you want it thicker)
-2 bananas
-1 cup frozen or fresh fruit (peaches, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or combine different fruits)

Add milk, bananas, and fruit to blender. Blend.

I have this smoothie for breakfast almost every day. It's delicious and is a healthy way to start the day!

Fried Eggs

1 Tb. butter
2 eggs
salt and pepper
shredded cheese
salsa

Melt butter in a small skillet on medium heat. Once melted, crack eggs into skillet; with knife or spatula break the egg yolks. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until eggs begin to set. Flip eggs and cook until completely set. Remove from heat. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Serve with salsa.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-23T09:04:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I hope you have a great day celebrating Jesus Christ's birth.
-Natalie

Luke 2: 11-20
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

An explanation...

2006-12-11T22:13:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my lack of posting on here, but recently I haven't been motivated to post, and I'm still not. Until I'm motivated to post an entry, don't expect any new posts.

Thank you to those of you who have been faithful in reading what I have posted!

Blessings,
Natalie

P.S. I'll still be posting on our sisterhood blog, http://livelikefriends.blogspot.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers! I hope you have a great day thanking the Lord for His overflowing abundance of blessings and goodness to us.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!"

—Psalm 100:4

Praise the Lord!
-Natalie

We Gather Together

2006-11-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

-Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn

Favorite recipes, anyone?

2006-11-07T22:11:00.000-08:00

Do any of you have any recipes to share? Post them under the comment section. I love discovering new recipes...especially ones that are proven!

Thanks!

-Natalie

I'm still around...

2006-10-27T22:31:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my lack of posting...I'll try to do better in the future! -Natalie

Lemon Meringue Pie
Serves 8

-1 pie crust for a 9-inch pie plate, partially baked.
-grated rind of 2 lemons
-1/2 cup lemon juice
-3/4 cup maple syrup
-4 tb. arrowroot powder mixed with 6 tb. water
-3 egg yolks
-1 tb. butter
-3 egg whites
-pinch of sea salt
-1/4 cup rapadura
-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place lemon rind, lemon juice, maple syrup and arrowroot mixture in a pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until mixture thickens. Let cool slightly and beat in egg yolks and butter. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean bowl until softly stiff. Beat in vanilla and rapadura. Pour lemon filling into partially baked pie crust and carefully cover with beaten egg whites. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes.

------------------

This is a great recipe. Our family has enjoyed it immensly!

Honey Oatmeal Cake

2006-10-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

1 cup oats (not quick)
1 stick butter
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Put oats, butter and boiling water in a large bowl. Let set for 20 minutes. Add honey, vanilla and eggs. Add the rest of the ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350F. Cool. Store in an air-tight container.

(Thanks to Moriah Barach for the recipe)

Favorite Foods

2006-09-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

Broccoli Casserole

2006-09-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

This is really easy to make, really tasty, and you'll love broccoli after you eat it!

2 pkgs. frozen broccoli (or 2 lbs. fresh broccoli)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 mayo
1 tb. lemon juice
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tb. chopped pimentos
1 cup crushed cheese crackers
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Cook and drain broccoli and arrange in casserole dish (13-in. x 9-in.). Mix soup, mayo, lemon juice, and cheese; spoon over broccoli. Top with pimentos, crackers, and almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Soy: Too good to be true

2006-09-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

By Brandon Finucan & Charlotte Gerson

While even in 1966 there was considerable research on the harmful substances within soybeans, you'll be hard pressed to find articles today that claim soy is anything short of a miracle-food. As soy gains more and more popularity through industry advertising, we are moved once again to raise our voice of concern.

The Soybean Industry in America

In 1924 soybean production in the U.S. was only at 1.8 million acres harvested, but by 1954, the harvested acres grew to 18.9 million. Today, the soybean is America's third largest crop (harvesting 72 million acres in 1998), supplying more than 50 percent of the world's soybean demand.

Most of these beans are made into animal feed and are manufactured into soy oil for use as vegetable oil, margarine and shortening. Of the traditional uses for soy as a food, only soy sauce enjoys widespread consumption in the American diet. Tofu, measuring 90 percent of Asia's use of the soybean, has gained more popularity in the U.S., but soy is still nowhere near a measurable component of the average American diet - or is it?

For more than 20 years now, the soy industry has concentrated on finding alternative uses and new markets for soybeans and soy byproducts. At your local supermarket, soy can now be found disguised as everything from soy cheese, milk, burgers and hot dogs, to ice cream, yogurt, vegetable oil, baby formula and flour (to name just a few). These are often marketed as low-fat, dairy-free, or as a high-protein, meat substitute for vegetarians. But soy isnít always mentioned on the box cover. Today, an alarming 60% of the food on America's supermarket shelves contain soy derivatives (i.e. soy flour, textured vegetable protein, partially hydrogenated soy bean oil, soy protein isolate). When you look at the ingredients list, and really look at the contents of the "Average American Diet," from snack foods and fast foods to prepackaged frozen meals, soy plays a major role.

Where the soybean goes wrong?

Here at the Gerson Institute, we feel the positive aspects of the soybean are overshadowed by their potential for harm. Soybeans in fact contain a large number of dangerous substances. One among them is phytic acid, also called phytates. This organic acid is present in the bran or hulls of all seeds and legumes, but none have the high level of phytates that soybeans do. These acids block the bodyís uptake of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc. Adding to the high-phytate problem, soybeans are very resistant to phytate reducing techniques, such as long, slow cooking.

Soybeans also contain potent enzyme inhibitors. These inhibitors block uptake of trypsin and other enzymes that the body needs for protein digestion. Normal cooking does not deactivate these harmful "antinutrients," that can cause serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and can lead to chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake.

Beyond these, soybeans also contain hemagglutinin, a clot promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together. These clustered blood cells are unable to properly absorb oxygen for distribution to the body's tissues, and cannot help in maintaining good cardiac health. Hemagglutinin and trypsin inhibitors are both "growth depressant" substances. Although the act of fermenting soybeans does deactivate both trypsin inhibitors and hemagglutinin, precipitation and cooking do not. Even though these enzyme inhibitors are reduced in levels within precipitated soy products like tofu, they are not altogether eliminated.

Only after a long period of fermentation (as in the creation of miso or tempeh) are the phytate and "antinutrient" levels of soybeans reduced, making their nourishment available to the human digestive system. The high levels of harmful substances remaining in precipitated soy products leave their nutritional value questionable at best, and in the least, potentially harmful.

The Extraction Process

The processes which render the soybean "edible" are also the processes which render it "inedible." In fermenting soybeans, the process entails that the beans be purÈed and soaked in an alkaline solution. The purÈed mixture is then heated to about 115ƒC (239ƒF) inside a pressure cooker. This heating and soaking process destroys most, but not all, of the anti-nutrients. At the same time, it has the unwelcome effect of denaturing the proteins of the beans so they become very difficult to digest and greatly reduced in effectiveness. Unfortunately, the alkaline solution also produces a carcinogen, lysinealine, while it reduces the already low cystine content within the soybean. Cystine plays an essential role in liver detoxification, allowing our bodies to filter and eliminate toxins. Without proper amounts of cystine, the protein complex of the soybean becomes useless, unless the diet is fortified with cystine-rich meat, egg, or dairy products - not an option for Gerson patients.

To the soybeanís credit, they do contain large amounts of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, but these are particularly susceptible to rancidity when subjected to high pressures and temperatures. Unfortunately, high pressure and temperature are required to remove soybean oil from the soybean.

Before soybeans are sent to your table, they undergo a rigorous process to strip them of their oil. Hexane or other solvents are first applied to help separate the oil from the beans, leaving trace amounts of these toxins in the commercial product. Hexane by definition is; "any of five colorless, volatile, liquid hydrocarbons C6H14 of the paraffin series," and cannot be the least bit beneficial in anyoneís diet. After the oil is extracted, the defatted flakes are used to form the three basic soy protein products. With the exception of full-fat soy flour, all soybean products contain trace amounts of carcinogenic solvents.
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Flourless Carob Cake

2006-09-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have a sweet tooth and enjoy chocolate....

Flourless Carob Cake
Serves 8

3/4 cup carob powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter
3 tbs. water
1 tb. vanilla extract
1 tb. chocolate extract (optional)
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup Rapadura
5 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 cup carob sauce (recipe below)

Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Place butter, carob powder, water, and extracts in a glass container set in a pan of water over a low flame. Melt and blend well. Beat egg yolks with Rapadura for about 5 minutes with electric beater. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with pinch of salt until stiff. Mix carob mixture with egg yolk mixture and then fold into egg whites. Divide batter between two pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pans. Remove one layer to a serving dish and place other layer on top. Frost top with carob sauce and let it dribble over the sides.

Carob Sauce
Makes 2 1/2 cups

2/3 cup carob powder
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup mayple syrup
1 tb. vanilla extract
1 tb. chocolate extract (optional)
pinch of salt
1 cup cream

Place all ingredients in the top half of a double boiler. Cook gently, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until well amalgamated.

Chili

2006-08-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

-2 cans black beans, drained
-1 can chopped tomatoes, drained
-2 cans chili beans, drained
-1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
-2 cups water
-2 packets chili seasoning
-1 large onion
-salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together in large saucepan. Cover and cook on medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve with sour cream, cheese, fresh tomatoes, onions and hot sauce, or serve over pasta noodles.

The Five Absolute Worst Foods You Can Eat

2006-08-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege

There are no "bad" foods, right? Only food you should eat in moderation? Well, not really. The following foods are so bad for your body that I really can't see any reason to eat them. Not only do they have zero nutritional value, but they also give your body a healthy dose of toxins, which should make the idea of eating them really hard to swallow.

Doughnuts

Doughnuts are fried, full of sugar and white flour and most all varieties contain trans fat. Store-bought doughnuts are made up of about 35 percent to 40 percent trans fat.

An average doughnut will give you about 200 to 300 calories, mostly from sugar, and few other nutrients.

It's too bad that Americans view doughnuts as a breakfast food as, nutritionally speaking, eating a doughnut is one of the worst ways to start off your day. It will throw off your blood sugar and won't stay with you so you'll be hungry again soon. You are better off eating no breakfast at all, or better yet grabbing a quick glass of Whey Healthier.

Soda

One can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites. I can't think of any good reason to ever have it. The diet varieties are also problematic as they are filled with harmful artificial sweeteners like aspartame.

Studies have linked soda to osteoporosis, obesity, tooth decay and heart disease, yet the average American drinks an estimated 56 gallons of soft drinks each year. Plus, drinking all that sugar will likely suppress your appetite for healthy foods, which pave the way for nutrient deficiencies.

Soft drink consumption among children has almost doubled in the United States over the last decade, which is not surprising considering that most school hallways are lined with soda-filled vending machines.

Schools often make marketing deals with leading soft drink companies such as Coca-Cola from which they receive commissions--based on a percentage of sales at each school--and sometimes a lump-sum payment, in exchange for their students' health. School vending machines can increase the consumption of sweetened beverages by up to 50 or more cans of soda per student per year.

If you routinely drink soda--regular or diet--eliminating it from your diet is one of the simplest and most profound health improvements you can make.

French Fries (and Nearly All Commercially Fried Foods)

Potatoes are bad enough when consumed in their raw state, as their simple sugars are rapidly converted to glucose that raises insulin levels and can devastate your health. But when they are cooked in trans fat at high temperatures, all sorts of interesting and very unpleasant things occur.

Anything that is fried, even vegetables, has the issue of trans fat and the potent cancer-causing substance acrylamide.

Foods that are fried in vegetable oils like canola, soybean, safflower, corn, and other seed and nut oils are particularly problematic. These polyunsaturated fats easily become rancid when exposed to oxygen and produce large amounts of damaging free radicals in the body. They are also very susceptible to heat-induced damage from cooking. What is not commonly known is that these oils can actually cause aging, clotting, inflammation, cancer and weight gain. You can read the article "Secrets of the Edible Oil Industry" for more information.

It is theoretically possible to create a more "healthy" French fry if you cook it in a healthy fat like virgin coconut oil. Due to its high saturated fat content, coconut oil is extremely stable and is not damaged by the high temperatures of cooking. This is why coconut oil should be the only oil you use to cook with.

I am fond of telling patients that one French fry is worse for your health than one cigarette, so you may want to consider this before you order your next 'Biggie' order.

Chips

Most commercial chips, and this includes corn chips, potato chips, tortilla chips, you name it, are high in trans fat. Fortunately, some companies have caught on to the recent media blitz about the dangers of trans fat and have started to produce chips without trans fat.

However, the high temperatures used to cook them will potentially cause the formation of carcinogenic substances like acrylamide, and this risk remains even if the trans fat is removed.

Fried Non-Fish Seafood

This category represents the culmination of non-healthy aspects of food. Fried shrimp, clams, oysters, lobsters, and so on have all the issues of trans fat and acrylamide mentioned above, plus an added risk of mercury.

Seafood is loaded with toxic mercury and shellfish like shrimp and lobsters can be contaminated with parasites and resistant viruses that may not even be killed with high heat. These creatures, considered scavenger animals, consume foods that may be harmful for you.

Eating these foods gives you a quadruple dose of toxins--trans fat, acrylamide, mercury and possibly parasites or viruses--with every bite.

If you have a taste for seafood, there's an easy solution. It's best to avoid your local fish fry and try the only fish I now eat--the delicious wild red Alaskan salmon that was proven through independent lab testing to be free of harmful levels of mercury and other contaminants.

To read the article, click here.

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The only downfall is that I enjoy eating chips. Oh well. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, everybody.

-Natalie

Dangers of Soda

2006-08-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege

www.mercola.com

How many sodas have you had today? How about your kids? The average American drinks an estimated 56 gallons of soft drinks each year, but before you grab that next can of soda, consider this: one can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites.

This is an alarming amount of sugar, calories and harmful additives in a product that has absolutely no nutritional value. Plus, studies have linked soda to osteoporosis, obesity, tooth decay and heart disease. Despite this, soda accounts for more than one-quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States.

Teenagers and children, who many soft drinks are marketed toward, are among the largest consumers. In the past 10 years, soft drink consumption among children has almost doubled in the United States. Teenage boys now drink, on average, three or more cans of soda per day, and 10 percent drink seven or more cans a day. The average for teenage girls is more than two cans a day, and 10 percent drink more than five cans a day.

While these numbers may sound high, they’re not surprising considering that most school hallways are lined with vending machines that sell, of course, soft drinks. It’s not uncommon for schools to make marketing deals with leading soft drink companies such as Coca-Cola from which they receive commissions--based on a percentage of sales at each school--and sometimes a lump-sum payment.

The revenues are used for various academic and after-school activities, but what activity could be worth devastating the students’ health, which is exactly what consuming all that soda is doing? Getting rid of vending machines in schools--or replacing their contents with pure water and healthy snacks--could make a big difference, as vending machines can increase the consumption of sweetened beverages by up to 50 or more cans of soda per student per year.

Let’s take a look at some of the major components of a can of soda:

Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients.
Sugar: Soft drink manufacturers are the largest single user of refined sugar in the United States. It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar.
Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilispsy/seizures. Further, when aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens.
Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.
Tap Water: I recommend that everyone avoid drinking tap water because it can carry any number of chemicals including chlorine, trihalomethanes, lead, cadmium, and various organic pollutants. Tap water is the main ingredient in bottled soft drinks.
Soda is one of the main reasons, nutritionally speaking, why many people suffer health problems. Aside from the negative effects of the soda itself, drinking a lot of soda is likely to leave you with little appetite for vegetables, protein and other food that your body needs.

If you are still drinking soda, stopping the habit is an easy way to improve your health. Pure water is a much better choice. If you must drink a carbonated beverage, try sparkling mineral water.

Welcome!

2006-08-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! Have fun looking around. This is where I'll post recipes, cooking tips, articles on healthy eating, etc.

In Him,
Natalie