Improvement on a holiday classic

Getting better and better ! Friday I managed 1,367 steps without aid and yesterday I was strong enough to make a swipe with the vacuum cleaner and actually lift a bag of groceries to the counter. Both moves proved a lot more physically challenging than I ever thought they could be , but I did them. Things will get easier. Today I am going to try to get outside and all the way to the car. It will be the first time I wave been out of the house since the injury, which was the weekend before Thanksgiving.

All this time at home has given me opportunities to play with new recipes and techniques ,  and it has been very rewarding. One of these was an opportunity to make a fruitcake that is better and better for you. Yes, I know. At the mere mention of the word fruitcake most people make jokes  or worse. Poor Fruitcake ! What is commercially sold as fruitcake in most places today is kind of a lab experiment with tar based colored , jellied fruit. Real fruitcake is lighter, delicious and filled with dried fruits and nuts. It is to savor ! I came across this recipe that combines good fruitcake with real gingerbread and does it using the soaked flour and nuts method. It was so good, Nick asked for seconds

Meg's Gingerbread Fruitcake

(From Keeper of the Home   )
The night before you'd like to make the cake, combine:

    * 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
    * 1 cup buttermilk
    * 1/2 cup melted butter

Let sit on the counter, covered tightly overnight.  The next day you'll need:
  * 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    * 3 teaspoons ground ginger
    * 2 teaspoons dry mustard
    * 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    * 2 teaspoons ground allspice
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
    * 1/2 cup Rapadura or Sucanat( I used Splenda)
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 1 1/2 cups Blackstrap  molasses ( it's a whole bottle)
    * 2 large eggs, beaten
    * 1 T vanilla extract
    * 3 cups dried unsulphured fruit, finely chopped - apricots, cherries, cranberries, raisins, figs, dates, apples
    * 1 cup chopped nuts (it's best if they have been soaked and dehydrated first) I used walnuts

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2)Spray cake pans with Pam ( I prefer this to butter and flour)

3) Mix the eggs, Sugar, molasses, and vanilla together until creamy.
4) Gradually add the soaked flour mixture, beating until combined.
5) Add the rest of the ingredients, and stir until just blended.
6) Gently fold in the dried fruit and nuts.
7) Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8) Place pan on rack and let cool.

We had this with a scoop of vanilla Ice Cream- YUM !!! ( I have to ask Santa for some colored plates- white is horrible to photograph !)

Cavorting, crock pot and cookies

Yesterday I made a big step towards recovering. I walked around the house, without the chair or a cane, holding a watering can full of water and I watered all my plants . This may sound like a non such thing, but I have still heeded to support my self on the walls while walking , and carrying anything has been  out of the question. This was kind of like a mini marathon at this point. Yay me ...I am getting better !

I am constantly in search of some crock pot recipes that work well ! It seems that modern crock pots cook a lot quicker than their older models, and most foods turn not so nice when cooked in them. Especially true of any dish containing chicken !It takes a bit of experimentation with your own crock pot to discover just the right time table for the dish through trial and error. Happily, my guys are agreeable "guinea pigs"  in this process. These days I am also looking for recipes that use nourishing foods prepared in the proper way, so when I find on , I give it a whirl. Yesterday I experimented with quinoa in the crock pot for the first time. Quinoa is a very healthy, high protein whole grain, and to acchive it's full nutritional benefit it must be soaked in water and a small amount of whey or cider vinegar 8-24 hrs before cooking.( This step removes the phytic acid , which can block the digestive tract from fully absorbing minerals and other nutrients)

                                 Chicken and quinoa stew...or soup

Crockpot Chicken and Quinoa from The Nourishing Gourmet

1 cup quinoa (soaked overnight in water, than drained and rinsed in a strainer. If you don’t soak your grains still rinse to remove a bitter substance from the grain)
2 cups of chicken broth
1/2-3/4 cup of white wine (amount depending on your taste and wine used)
2 cups of water
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon of salt
4-6 carrots, peeled and cubed
3 celery, sliced
1 onion, minced
2 chicken breasts or thighs
3 Tablespoons of butter (opt, for added richness and flavor)

Throw all the ingredients in your crock pot, cook on high, 4 hours or on low, 8. Shred the chicken when done, and stir into the stew and you are done!

Verdict- quinoa seems to really break down in the crock pot !It became almost invisible, and the chicken did get overdone, sadly. It seems that the dish could have used a bit more flavor as well. However, it did come out tasty and very filling !

I also experimented with another cookie - a flourless Walnut Thumbprint using soaked walnuts and home made date butter

Walnut Thumbprints
1 1/2 cup walnuts
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 egg
1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup of sugar( I used Splenda)
fruit puree OR sugarless jam ( I used Date Puree- recipe follows)

In a food processor, combine walnuts and coconut oil. Process until it becomes walnut butter. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides once or twice. When that mixture is the consistency of a chunky nut butter, add the egg, coconut, soda and sweetener. Blend it until incorporated. Chill for 30 minutes.

Roll dough into balls or use a small scoop. Lay out 24 balls onto a cookie sheet. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each ball as you press down. Fill this cavity with a small amount of jam. Bake for about 15 minutes at 325. Let cool on cookie sheet.

Date Puree
1 lb Majool Dates
water to cover

In a jar place dates , cover with water and soak at room temperature overnight, covered. In the morning drain the dates and place in a food processor. Puree till a jam like consistency. Store in refrigerator.

These were very good ! The date puree gives an almost chocolate taste, so you have a nutty, chocolate cookie that is not overly sweet, and satisfying. Definately a keeper !

While visions of Sugarplums danced in their Wee Little Heads...

It's getting closer and closer to Christmas ! Parties, errands, commitments... all of which I have been able to say no to this year because of my recovery. I am walking a lot more stable, but it takes very little time for my muscles to become taxed and really wobbly. Does not make for a good situation to wander through stores at this time of year, so I have been giving Bob and Nick lists and they do the errands. Stairs are still a no go  as well  as other things, so we have canceled any party invites we have, including the annul gathering with my family. I am being super cautious ! A fall could mean more serious damage, and it has only been slightly more than 3 weeks. 6 weeks is pretty much the normal time table for serious injury healing, so it's just a mater of time and patience.

This has been a huge blessing, because it allows complete control over our eating ! We have specific dietary guidelines that we follow ( it must be food that our primitive ancestors would have been able to create) and properly prepared grains and nuts ( soaked, sprouted or fermented before cooking), and absolutely no fat free anything.Regular meals are very easy , but when you come to things like cookies, a little more thought provoking. Many recipes can be adapted to these guidelines, but some things get a little difficult to know how much water to soak the flour in and not compromise the quality of the final product. Happily there are several very creative women out there doing this for their families and are happy to share their knowledge. I visit their blogs and learn about how to nourish my family , even when it comes to treats. I decided for my first attempt into this healthy holiday baking would be Sugarplums. Did you know that they are an actual food substance and not a made up literary device ? In days gone by, they were sort of the go to sugar cookie because they contained no sugar beyond fruit. Spices, dried fruit and nuts that are properly prepared.

Sugar Plums ( adapted from The Nourished Kitchen, found here)

In a mixing bowl , place
 1 cup shelled walnuts ( or other nuts of your choice)
1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
enough war water to cover plus an inch

Cover and let soak at room temperature 8-12 hrs ( this removes phytic acid from the nuts, making them more digestible and nourishing). Then when ready to make, drain, pat dry and place in a food processor. Add:
 zest of 1 orange ( or 1/2 tsp dried orange peel )
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped unsulphured apricots
1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes

Pulse for a minute, till well combined. Transfer to another bowl, roll into small bite sized balls .( be prepared to rinse your hands often, as this gets really sticky !) To make less sticky for serving, roll in unsweetened coconut flakes. Makes about 3 dozen.

How do they taste ? Like a cross between a Lara Bar, a truffle and a good fruit cake. No wonder children had visions of these dancing in their heads- they are yummy ! News of my creating them sent Nick into a spontaneous recitation of  Twas the Night Before Christmas- it made me smile ! After dinner , as we were watching a DVD in John Adams and making mention that tomorrow was St Lucy's Day I brought them out, curious to see how the guys would like them. They were inhaled ! I felt really good that these were something that tasted good and was good for you . Can't wait for the next experiment !