The Road to Health

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

2012-02-27T17:44:00.008-06:00

MSCD beginner recipe

I'm a Brussels sprouts newbie. This was my first recipe to try with them, and it turned out great! Very fast and easy. Serve them as a side with any meal or make them the main dish with a side of Deb's Cornbread. If you'd like to spice it up a bit, add 1 tsp. red pepper flakes when you're sautéing the garlic. Freeze leftovers to add to your next vegetable soup.

1 (1 lb.) bag Brussels sprouts (approximately 24), sliced into ribbons, ends removed

¼ of a yellow onion, sliced into ribbons

2 Tbs. minced garlic

2 Tbs. butter

extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. honey

2 tsp. Mrs. Dash Table Blend seasoning

1 tsp. sea salt

½ cup sliced almonds

Melt butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add Brussels sprouts and onion. Sauté for a couple minutes. Add seasoning and honey while continuing to sauté for a total of around 5 minutes. Stir in almonds and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Cheesecake

2012-02-16T09:58:00.018-06:00

MSCD 12-month recipe

Cheesecake. mmmm...

It took many recipe flops to come up with this mouth-watering, healthy delight! It's one of my Mom's favorites, which is why I made it for her surprise princess birthday party. But she's not really 60. (wink, wink)

This cheesecake is a mixture of cream cheese, honey and maple syrup, accompanied by a simple cinnamon and honey oat crust to upgrade from the traditional graham cracker crust laden with enriched flour, sugar and hydrogenated oil. The cake's topping is optional and flexible. My favorite is strawberries, but serving it plain or topping with cherries or any berry would be excellent.

Crust

1 cup whole oats

1 cup oat flour

¼ cup applesauce

3 Tbs. butter, finely diced

1 Tbs. honey

1 ½ Tbs. water

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

extra virgin olive oil

Lightly chop oats in a blender. In a bowl, combine chopped oats with remaining ingredients, except olive oil, forming a ball by working the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with your hands until the entire ball of dough is moist. Drizzle the dough ball with olive oil to coat. Butter or oil a 10-inch springform cake pan. Press the crust dough to an even thickness along the bottom and sides of the dish. Make the side crusts tall enough to hold the filling and strawberry topping. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Filling

4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

4 eggs

¾ cup honey

¼ cup maple syrup

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

Place eggs, honey, syrup, lemon juice and vanilla in a bowl. Mix to combine. In a separate bowl, whip cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add egg mixture to cream cheese, a little at a time, whipping until creamy. Pour filling into crust. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Topping

1 (16 oz.) bag frozen strawberries

½ cup honey

While the cake is baking, make the topping. Place strawberries and honey in a saucepan over medium low to medium heat. As the strawberries begin to melt, smash mixture with a potato masher until a chunky sauce is formed. Place topping in the refrigerator to thicken.

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Remove cake from springform pan and place on a decorative serving dish. Top with strawberry topping. If you can resist, the cake is best after it is chilled in the refrigerator.

Orange you glad we're friends, Valentine?

2012-02-15T13:36:00.002-06:00

Holidays equal candy. And cookies and cake pops and cupcakes and icing and SPRINKLES! What's a health-conscience family to do?

With a Kindergartener and a preschooler, I face these dilemmas - a lot. The most recent dilemma was Valentine's Day. I wanted to make homemade valentines with my sons. But I just could not buy candy. I wanted to do something fun and witty (and cheap!), and I just knew I could come up with something that wasn't coated in sugar! I brainstormed with my husband one night. His idea was to give all the kids a bag of rocks with a note that said "Valentine, you rock!"

Witty. Check.
Cheap. Check.
No sugar. Check.

But can you imagine what would happen if I gave a bunch of 4 and 6-year-olds a bag of rocks?! So, instead, I went with my idea. Little cutie mandarine oranges with a card that read "Orange you glad we're friends? Happy Valentine's Day!" I designed the cards in Adobe Illustrator and printed them at Office Depot, but you by no means have to get that fancy. Construction paper and a marker would work just as well. I had each son sign the card with a Sharpie and put it and an orange in a snack size ziplock bag. The cost was 29 cents per valentine, which was great since we made 63!

Having the boys hand-make the valentines gave me some special time with each son. We talked about what love is and who we love and why we love while we assembled the bags. And because the boys helped make the valentines, they were invested and it meant so much more to them when they gave the valentines to their friends. My 4-year-old handed his out at his party this morning, and his teachers commented on how big his smile was while he was doing so.

And guess who else smiled? The recipients! All of the kids were so excited to get an orange. The teachers told me they were all so happy to have an orange, too, because their tummies hurt from gorging on chocolate the previous day. And the parents. Of course they were smiling, too, and asking to steal the idea (which I encourage you to do, too!) One mom said she is going to make them as party favors for her daughter's birthday tomorrow. Great idea.

For my Kindergartener's Christmas party a couple months ago, I had made fruit kabobs. And guess what the kids requested for their Valentine Party? More fruit kabobs! Not more candies and cookies - more fruit. The kabobs are very easy, fun and healthy. And pretty, too!

One tip I would give you is to snip the sharp tips off the ends of the sticks after you've threaded the fruit if you are making the kabobs for young children, which thankfully I did. The sticks become light sabers and swords soon after the fruit is gone! Yes, my son is the one that started the light saber fight...

For our family party at home, I made the delicious strawberry muffins pictured below with organic oat flour, brown rice flour, fresh strawberries and honey, just to name a few ingredients. The icing is simply cream cheese whipped with honey and a few drops of red food coloring. I hope to post the full recipe soon. Can someone please send me a babysitter?!

Remember that you CAN give your kids and coworkers and friends a healthy holiday. All you have to do is think outside the sugar-coated box.

Banana Nut Pancakes

2011-04-05T18:22:00.001-05:00

MSCD 6, 9 or 12-month recipe (see note below)

Breakfast for dinner? Yes, please!

2 cups oat flour

½ cup brown rice flour

½ cup pecan flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

4 eggs

1 ½ cup milk (plain brown rice “milk” drink, organic cow milk, or goat’s milk)

1 cup live yogurt

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. vanilla

1-2 bananas, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 cup walnuts, chopped

In a large bowl, mix first 6 dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix next 5 wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix with an electric mixer on high until completely incorporated and lump-free. Stir in bananas and walnuts.

Heat skillet or griddle at medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Pour batter by the ½-cupfuls onto griddle. When bubbles form throughout batter, flip the pancake to cook the other side. Remove to serving dish when cooked through. Repeat until you’ve used all the batter.

Serves a family of 5! If you don’t need that many pancakes, simply half the recipe.

NOTE:
Choose the ingredients for this recipe according to where you are on the diet:

brown rice and goat milk OK at 3 months
cow milk OK at 12 months
oat flour OK at 6 months

by Laura Schroeder

Chicken Spaghetti

2011-03-09T18:15:00.002-06:00

MSCD 3, 6 or 12-month recipe (see note below)

Chicken

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

sea salt

pepper

garlic powder

paprika

extra virgin olive oil

Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika. Bake, grill or pan fry until center of chicken is white and its juices run clear. Dice chicken into dime-sized pieces.

Pasta

1 (16 oz) package Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti OR brown rice spinach spaghetti

Cook in a large stock pot according to package instructions. I always use the “Easy and Energy-Saving” cooking method printed on the front of the package.

Sauce

½ cup extra virgin olive oil OR 1 stick of butter

2 Tbs. minced garlic

3 Tbs. oat flour

3 Tbs. brown rice flour

2 cups chicken broth, room temperature

2 cups milk, room temperature (plain brown rice “milk” drink, organic cow milk, or goat’s milk)

½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 (7 oz.) can green chiles, drained

sea salt

pepper

Garnish (optional)

diced tomatoes

sliced scallions

Coat large skillet with the olive oil or butter. Heat oil over medium heat or melt butter. Add garlic. Slowly sprinkle in brown rice and oat flour, whisking continually until flours are lightly browned. Slowly add broth and milk of your choice, whisking continually to prevent lumps. (Having them at room temperature also helps prevent lumps.) Once flours and liquids are completely incorporated, begin adding the 3 cheeses a little at a time, stirring between each addition to make sure your sauce is nice and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in green chiles and diced chicken.

When the sauce is fully heated, stir pasta with the sauce and serve as is or garnish with diced tomatoes and scallions.

NOTE:
Choose the ingredients for this recipe according to where you are on the diet:

· brown rice and goat milk OK at 3 months

· cow milk OK at 12 months

· oat flour OK at 6 months

· If you want to try this recipe at 3 months, eliminate the oat flour from the sauce and just double the brown rice flour.

by Laura Schroeder

Chebe Breadsticks

2011-02-13T18:04:00.001-06:00

These are just funky-looking little breadsticks, aren't they? But don't let their appearance fool you - they're really tasty (even kid-approved).

These breadsticks are made from Chebe (pronounced chee-bee) Pizza Crust Mix. The package acclaims the slogan "Slightly unusual. Unusually good." I agree. They're unlike any breadstick I've ever had. But they're super good.

The mix is based on a Brazilian cheese bread. The texture is crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle.

The package gives you instructions on how to make breadsticks, pizza dough, calzones, soup bowls, crackers, sandwich buns and pigs-in-a-blanket. And the attractive part for many who struggle with food allergies is that the mix is gluten-free, yeast-free, soy-free and dairy-free. Tapioca flour is the main ingredient in the mix, so this product is allowed at 12 months on the MSCD.

The package instructions tell you to add milk or a milk substitute to the mix. Brown rice, almond or goat milk works well if you are avoiding dairy products. And you are instructed to add Parmesan cheese, but that is completely optional. I did add cheese to the sticks in the picture, but I was out of Parmesan, so I added shredded cheddar. The other ingredients you'll need to add to this mix are eggs and extra virgin olive oil. I also like to add some seasoning like sea salt, garlic powder and Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage).

There are 6 different Chebe mixes, all reasonably priced. I've been able to find their products pretty easily, both in health food stores and in grocery stores, usually in the gluten-free section.

I love the breadsticks so much that I've never tried any of the other recipe options, so if you do, let me know how it turns out!

Fruit Dip

2011-02-10T18:04:00.001-06:00

MSCD beginner recipe

This recipe also works well as a fruit salad dressing. Just chop up all your fruit & place in a large bowl. Whip up this recipe & pour onto fruit, tossing to coat. Dip or dressing - it's delicious either way!

1 ½ cups organic plain yogurt

½ cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. cinnamon

Stir all ingredients together until well blended. Pour into a serving dish and serve with your favorite fruits: grapes, strawberries, sliced apples, diced pineapples, etc.

Healthy yogurt options:

Cascade Fresh

Stonyfield Farm

White Mountain

Live Yogurt, pg. 146 in The Road to Health

by Laura Schroeder

Taco Dip

2011-02-07T18:30:00.002-06:00

MSCD 12-month recipe

My Mom’s Taco Dip is a 28-year-old Super Bowl tradition for our family. During yesterday’s game, my husband was talking with me about who played in what Super Bowl all the way back to the early-80s. How does he know that??? I told him that all I could remember was the Taco Dip! I’m a day late in posting this recipe – or instead consider me 364 days early. (February 5, 2012 is the date for Super Bowl XLVI, assuming that the NFL has a season this year.) Regardless, go ahead and throw another party next weekend just so you can have an excuse to make this dip. It’s good stuff.

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature

1 (16 oz.) can refried beans

1 (16 oz.) jar salsa

1 (8 oz.) bag shredded cheese

Place cream cheese and refried beans in a bowl. Mix on high with an electric mixer until smooth, creamy and completely incorporated. Spread mixture evenly onto a serving dish, all the way to the edges of your dish. For the second layer, pour hot sauce onto bean mixture, again spreading evenly to the edges. For the top layer, sprinkle on all of the shredded cheese.

Serve as is or sprinkle on any toppings you like: diced onions, sliced olives, minced jalapeno, diced bell pepper or diced scallions.

Serve with dippers like corn chips, potato chips, baby carrots or cherry tomatoes (on toothpicks).

NOTE:

To make it easy on yourself, buy a package of organic cream cheese. If you can’t find any, make your own from the Cream Cheese recipe on pg. 147 in The Road to Health.
Usually the fat free or vegetarian refried beans are free of lard and hydrogenated oils. Read those labels!
Use whatever kind of serving dish you like – a football-shaped one would be cute for a Super Bowl party. But just to give you an idea of serving size, Mom and I usually use a 12-inch round dish.

recipe by Marilyn Shaw

Snowpocalypse Stew

2011-02-05T10:56:00.000-06:00

MSCD 12-month recipe

Still snowed in? Cold? In serious need of some comfort food? Me, too!

Cook yourself a big pot of this stew. Guaranteed to help you survive the

Snowpocalypse Snowstorm of 2011.

2 lbs. beef stew meat

5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into bit-sized pieces

1 lb. bag baby carrots, halved

½ yellow onion, diced

1 gallon water

garlic powder

sea salt

black pepper

oat flour

extra virgin olive oil

In a large stockpot, bring water to a low boil. While waiting on the water, coat stew meat with oat flour. Coat a skillet with olive oil and brown stew meat in skillet over medium heat. When water comes to a boil, gently add potatoes, carrots and onion. When the outer layer of the meat is browned, add it to the stockpot with the vegetables. The meat will finish cooking in the water.

To thicken stew without making it lumpy, put 2 Tbs. oat flour in a sealable jar. Add some of the stew stock to the jar, place the lid on the jar, and shake vigorously to mix the flour and stock. Once the mixture is incorporated and lump-free, stir it back into the stew. As the stew continues to simmer, the flour will thicken the stock. Season stew to taste with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Continue to cook stew at a simmer/low boil for at least 30 minutes. Serve with a large slab of Deb's Cornbread.

by Laura Schroeder

Sweeter Days Pecan Pie

2011-02-01T17:35:00.000-06:00

MSCD 12-month recipe

My Dad adores pecan pie. I created this recipe for him upon retiring from his business, with the prayer that as he embarks on his new chapter of life, he will be blessed with each new day being even sweeter than the one before.

Prepare Basic Pie Crust.

Filling
4 eggs
¾ cup maple syrup
¼ cup honey
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. liquid Vanilla Crème stevia
1 cup pecan halves

Lightly beat eggs. Add syrup, honey, butter, vanilla, and stevia. Beat well. Stir in pecans and pour into pie crust. Cover crust edges with foil and bake at 350°for 50 minutes or until center is firm and an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool to near room temperature before slicing.

by Laura Schroeder

Basic Pie Crust

2011-02-01T17:27:00.000-06:00

MSCD 6-month recipe

1 cup whole oats
1 cup oat flour
¼ cup applesauce
3 Tbs. butter, finely diced
1 Tbs. honey
1 ½ Tbs. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
extra virgin olive oil

Lightly chop oats in a blender. In a bowl, combine chopped oats with remaining ingredients, except olive oil, forming a ball by working the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with your hands until the entire ball of dough is moist. Drizzle the dough ball with olive oil to coat. Butter or oil a deep 10-inch pie dish. Press the crust dough to an even thickness along the bottom and sides of the pie dish. Create a decorative edge on the crust with a fork or your fingers.

If making a pie that needs to be baked, fill pie shell with filling and bake as pie recipe recommends. If making a refrigerator pie that does not need to be cooked, first bake the pie shell at 350° for 12 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before filling.

by Laura Schroeder

Emergency Chocolate Cake

2011-02-01T17:05:00.000-06:00

MSCD 6-month recipe

Ever get that craving? “I need my chocolate, and I need it NOW!”
Well, this recipe is for you! Cook and prep time included, you can have a chocolate cake in 5 minutes. (Okay, maybe 10 minutes if you’re fumbling to find ingredients while dragging one child on each leg like I do!) For years I’ve used my microwave for nothing more than sanitizing my dish sponge, but thanks to this recipe, it’s been upgraded to
Sponge Sanitizer AND Emergency Chocolate Cake Maker!

1 large coffee mug
3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. oat flour
1 Tbs. brown rice flour
2 Tbs. cocoa powder
½ oz. (or ½ square) unsweetened baker’s chocolate, chopped
3 Tbs. milk (brown rice, almond,* goat or organic cow*)
1 egg
4 Tbs. honey
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. liquid stevia (I recommend Sweet Leaf Liquid Vanilla Crème Stevia)

Place butter in mug and melt for 30 seconds in your microwave. When melted, carefully swirl butter around the mug so that it coats the bottom and sides of the mug.

In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour previously-melted butter and remaining wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Pour mixture into mug. Place your mug back in the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes. The cake will rise over the top of the mug while cooking, so don’t be alarmed. Remove cake from microwave and allow to cool a little. Eat it straight from the mug or tip out onto a plate. Slice if desired.

Serves 1-2, depending on how bad your chocolate emergency is!

*NOTE: Wait until month 12 of the diet before using cow or processed almond milk.

by Laura Schroeder

Popcorn Chewies

2011-02-01T16:57:00.000-06:00

MSCD 12-month recipe

1 cup (unpopped) popcorn kernels
olive oil
4 Tbs. butter
½ cup honey
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cup raisins

Pour enough oil into a large pot to fill to a ⅛-inch depth. Place 1 popcorn kernel into the oil and place pot over medium high heat. When kernel pops, add remaining kernels. Place lid on pot and shake side-to-side until popping ceases. Be careful not to overcook. Pour popcorn into an extra-large bowl, removing any unpopped kernels. Stir raisins into popcorn.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When butter is melted, stir in honey, peanut butter, and cinnamon. Continue to stir and slightly warm until mixture is smooth, then drizzle over popcorn and raisins. With a large spoon, slowly stir peanut butter mixture into popcorn until all of the popcorn is lightly coated.

Lightly oil or butter a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Place popcorn mixture into the dish, a small amount at a time, smashing the mixture to fit in the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Slice or scoop and serve.

Note: Change this treat any way you like by trying different nut butters or different dried fruit combinations. You can also toss in a cup of your favorite chopped nut for added crunch.

by Laura Schroeder

Nut Bars

2011-02-01T16:39:00.000-06:00

MSCD beginner recipe

1 stick butter
1 cup honey
1 cup raisins or chopped dates
1 cup unsweetened grated coconut
3 cups coarsely chopped nuts
½ tsp. salt

In saucepan, stir butter and honey over low heat until melted and blended. Remove from heat and add raisins/dates, coconut, chopped nuts and salt. Spread mixture evenly in a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper oiled with coconut oil. Press down with oiled hands or wax paper. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes. Let cool. Place pan in refrigerator until set. Cut into bars.

Option: Add two small or one large apple chopped in food processor.

by Liz Ricks

Caramelized Bananas

2011-02-01T16:32:00.000-06:00

MSCD beginner recipe

You have to act fast when cooking this recipe, so have all of your ingredients

measured and ready before you begin cooking. The bananas should be in and out of the skillet in no more than 1 ½ minutes or they’ll turn to mush.

1 large, firm (but ripe) banana, peeled
1 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. honey
⅛ cup orange juice
¼ tsp. cinnamon

Quarter the banana by cutting it in half cross-wise and length-wise. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When butter is melted, drizzle in honey, and then add bananas, cut side up. Cook for 20 seconds, lightly stirring the sauce without disturbing the bananas. Add orange juice and cinnamon. Carefully turn bananas cut side down and cook for another 45 seconds, basting with sauce as they cook. Remove bananas and sauce from skillet and serve immediately as is or over French Toast (The Road to Health pg. 90) or Banana Ice Cream (pg. 138).

by Laura Schroeder

Banana Bread

2011-01-31T21:08:00.000-06:00

MSCD 6-month recipe

2 cups oat flour
½ cup brown rice flour
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
3 eggs, beaten
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup applesauce OR ½ cup applesauce & ½ cup yogurt or sour cream*
½ cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. Vanilla Crème liquid stevia
½ cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
½ cup raisins (optional)

Mix first 5 dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl mix the next 6 wet ingredients. Gradually pour wet ingredients into the dry, mixing together a small amount at a time. Stir in walnuts and raisins if desired. Pour into 2 well-oiled 9×5-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing from pans and slicing.

*Note: If using yogurt or sour cream, use either Live Yogurt or sour cream from The Road to Health pgs. 146-147. White Mountain Bulgarian yogurt and Cascade Fresh yogurt/sour cream are suitable brands to use in this recipe as well.

by Marilyn Shaw

Chicken Chili

2011-01-31T20:58:00.000-06:00

MSCD 6-month recipe

This is a rare recipe in which I don’t tell you to drain and rinse your beans.

I do this to create a thicker chili. If your tummy disagrees, go ahead and rinse the beans and add an equal amount of water to the mixture. The chili will be thinner, but the flavor will be just as good.

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 (7 oz.) cans green chiles
2 (15 ½ oz.) cans great northern beans
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ large yellow onion, diced
2 Tbs. minced garlic
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
paprika
garlic powder
extra virgin olive oil

Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is done. While chicken bakes, sauté bell pepper and onion in a large skillet. As peppers and onions soften, add minced garlic, chiles, and beans, including all juice from the chiles and beans. Maintain a light simmer. When chicken is done, dice and add to mixture. Stir and continue to simmer for at least 10 minutes to incorporate flavors. Add small amounts of water, if necessary, to prevent sticking.

Serve as is or topped with organic blue corn chip crumbs and/or shredded Monterrey jack cheese.

by Laura Schroeder

Chocolate Crispy Rice Treats

2011-01-31T20:50:00.000-06:00

MSCD 3-month recipe

6 cups brown rice cereal
1 cup honey
1 cup chunky peanut butter
4 Tbs. butter
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
dash of nutmeg

Combine honey, peanut butter, and butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Stir for a few minutes until melted. Slowly sprinkle in cocoa powder, stirring to prevent lumping. Once incorporated, remove from heat and stir in vanilla and nutmeg. Add brown rice cereal to mixture, stirring to combine until cereal is coated and mixture is sticky. Press mixture into a well-oiled or buttered 9 by 13-inch dish. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.

by Laura Schroeder

Deb's Cornbread

2011-01-31T20:42:00.000-06:00

MSCD 6 or 12-month recipe (see note below)

My friend Debbie is a cornbread connoisseur. This is an adaptation

of her wonderful recipe. Best cornbread I've ever eaten.

Thanks Deb!

1 cup cornmeal (I prefer organic, medium grind)
1 cup oat flour
4 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
¾ tsp. sea salt
⅛ cup honey
1 cup milk (plain brown rice “milk” drink, organic cow milk, or goat’s milk)
¼ cup butter
3 eggs

Mix cornmeal, oat flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix honey, eggs, milk, and butter. Combine wet and dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour batter into a well-oiled or buttered baking dish – a cast iron skillet works best. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes.

NOTE:
Choose the ingredients for this recipe according to where you are on the diet:
•organic white, blue, & red cornmeal OK at 6 months
•yellow cornmeal OK at 12 months
•brown rice and goat milk OK at 3 months
•cow milk OK at 12 months

By Debbie Healer & Laura Schroeder

Khakis

2011-01-30T21:24:00.000-06:00

MSCD beginner recipe

Because there is no chocolate in this recipe, I can’t really call these brownies.

That’s why I opted for the lighter shade of brown, khaki.

They’re just as good as brownies though!

1 (18 oz. jar) natural peanut butter, crunchy
1 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. plain or Vanilla Crème liquid stevia
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder, aluminum free

Thoroughly mix all ingredients together. Pour into a well-oiled or buttered 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Cool to room temperature before slicing into individual squares. For the best flavor, refrigerate before serving.

by Laura Schroeder

Sqaush Medley

2011-01-30T20:30:00.000-06:00

MSCD beginner recipe

The pecans add a nice crunch to this dish while also complimenting

the squash’s sweet and savory flavor.

2 large yellow summer squash
2 large zucchini squash
½ large yellow onion, diced
3 Tbs. butter
extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. Mrs. Dash Original Blend seasoning
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup pecans, diced

Halve squashes lengthwise, then slice into half-moon shapes about ¼-inch thick. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. As butter melts, add squash and onion. Season with Mrs. Dash, salt, and pepper. Place a lid on the skillet and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans.

by Laura Schroeder

Cascade Fresh yogurt & sour cream

2011-01-29T22:57:00.000-06:00

www.cascadefresh.com

I used to make my own yogurt and sour cream (see recipes on pgs. 146-147 in The Road to Health). And then I became a mom of 3! So now it’s nice to have someone else make my yogurt. And Cascade Fresh is who I choose.

A paragraph from their Web site explains why:

“Being family owned, we follow our hearts, instead of a corporate formula. Each wholesome batch contains only the freshest natural ingredients. No preservatives. No artificial sweeteners. No refined sugars. Our cows are as special as our yogurts, enjoying lush pastures and humane handling at every level. To produce luscious, wholesome milk that’s totally free of rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone).”

Plus, it’s delicious.

I buy the plain yogurt in quarts to cook with, but I also buy the individual 6 oz. containers for snacks or meals. The individual containers are full of fresh fruit, sweetened with fruit juice and available in a variety of flavors - strawberry, blueberry, cherry vanilla and lemon chiffon, just to name a few of our favorites.

My family has been eating their yogurt for a while, but I just recently discovered their sour cream. The sour cream container states that it was “cultured at a low temperature for a full 18 hours.” No preservatives; no artificial ingredients.

Typically store-bought sour cream is not allowed on the diet until 12 months. However, since this sour cream is processed and cultured much like the recipe for Live Yogurt, it is allowed at the beginning of the diet.

Keep in mind though that this is still barring any dairy allergy you might have, which is quite common for MSCD beginners. If your gut doesn’t like dairy, it’s not going to like dairy even from happy cows grazing on lush pastures. But once your gut heals, make sure to go buy some of this stuff and enjoy it.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

2011-01-29T22:23:00.000-06:00

MSCD 6-month recipe

You’ll need to be sitting down when you take your first bite of this cake.

Yes, it’s that amazing.

1 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 eggs
½ cup applesauce
1 banana, smashed
3 Tbs. butter, melted
⅓ cup oat flour
⅓ cup brown rice flour
⅓ cup pecan flour
½ cup cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. Vanilla Crème or plain liquid stevia (Sweet Leaf brand)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder, aluminum free
dash of nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together to form a smooth batter. Pour into a well-oiled bundt pan and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Allow cake to cool to room temperature before adding icing.

Icing:
4 Tbs. butter
½ cup honey
⅓ cup cocoa powder
2 Tbs. powdered goat milk (NOT diluted)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a small sauce pan over medium low heat, melt butter. Stir in honey. Add cocoa and powdered goat milk. Mix thoroughly. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour to cool and thicken.

When cake is cooled, gently release it from the sides of the pan with a butter knife. Place a serving platter on top of bundt pan and quickly flip the combo upside down to get the cake out. Using a spatula, generously ice the cake.

by Marilyn Shaw & Laura Schroeder

Black-eyed Goulash

2011-01-29T22:17:00.000-06:00

MSCD 6-month recipe

1 lb. ground meat
1 (1 lb.) bag frozen black-eyed peas
½ yellow onion, diced
½ bell pepper, diced
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
extra virgin olive oil

Brown ground meat, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook black-eyed peas according to package directions. When meat is brown, remove from skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté until tender. Add diced tomatoes and green chilies, cooked and drained peas, and meat to skillet. Mix all ingredients to incorporate and cook on medium heat for a few minutes to heat through.

Great served with cornbread.

by Laura Schroeder