Nori’s Stuff

I’ve been making ginger beer for a couple months now. I have no idea how it compares to other ginger beers, I just know it is simple to make and works for me. It’s both a great mixer and a great tummy settler. Let me share!

I have a half-gallon wide mouthed glass bottle I use for my starter. Each time I need to make ginger beer I drain off four cups of the liquid leaving the fresh ground ginger in the bottle alone. I don’t dump it, I don’t replace it. I learned early there is no point in dumping the ginger in the bottle. I think it’s actually detrimental. I’m treating this like sourdough starter, adding to what I’ve already got instead of starting from scratch. To prep the ginger I scrub it with a vegetable brush under running water, cut it into chunks and run it through the food processor. If you end up grinding a lot divide it up into 1/8th cup amounts and store it in the freezer so it doesn’t go bad.

So . . . maintaining the starter . . . I add an 8th cup (two tbsp) of organic natural cane sugar to my starter every day or so. I can’t swear I remember to do it every day and it doesn’t seem to matter if I skip an occasional day so I’m not going to obsess. I add 1/8 cup (two tbsp) of fresh ground organic ginger a couple times a week. Stir well so the sugar dissolves. My bottle is capped with a silicone fermenting lid. Easy peasy.

To start a batch of ginger beer I draw off four cups of the liquid from my starter jar. To that I add 2/3 cup organic cane sugar, 2/3 cup organic pineapple juice (shake before dispensing to get the sediment off the bottom of the bottle) and enough filtered water to make 80 ounces (ten cups). Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Dispense into 10 8oz swing top glass bottles leaving two inches of head room. You should have enough to completely fill ten bottles.

Burp the bottles in 24 hours and remember to feed your starter. You don’t need to add fresh ground ginger every time but do add the 2 tbsp organic cane sugar daily-ish. If the silicone fermenting lid and canning ring are difficult to remove rinse them well in running water, wipe the top of the bottle with a clean damp rag and lightly screw the ring and lid back on. Sugar on the rim and or bottle threads is usually the issue.

Burp the bottles again in 24 hours.

24 hours after the last burp refrigerate the bottles. That’s three days of fermenting. Any longer than that and too much of the sugar is used up. If you like it that way, great. I prefer a milder brew.

Yup, it truly is that easy to have awesome tasty ginger beer. As a plus it’s an awesome pair with tequila if you need a bit of a kick.

At some point there will be too much ground ginger in your starter bottle. Spoon some off using a slotted spoon, add 2 tbsp of fresh bit of fresh ground ginger and continue on! You know you’re on the right track when bubbles float to the top and bits of ginger hang out in the middle of the jar.

 

I’m currently stuck on chunky chili. If you follow me you know me getting stuck on something is a thing. I find something that works and I obsess on it until something else comes along. Squirrel!!

So . . . chunky chili. It’s got a lot of bits so bear with me.

I love rib steak. Not so much the cut as the flavor and tenderness of the meat . . . so I tend to use it a lot. Because I’m a cheapo I want the best quality for the fewest dollars I can spend. I buy boneless rib roast and cut it into steaks. When I want something like chunky chili I cut the steaks into small pieces. I get the flavor, I get the tenderness, I get a reasonable price. Win win.

I love flavor. I’ve got a chili seasoning recipe that delivers flavor. It’s not too spicy. I could probably serve it to Wadly who is a not-spicy guy though I’d probably leave out the chili sauce in that case. I make this up in batches and tailor the amount I add to my recipe depending on how I like the flavor.

• 1/2 tbsp cardamom
• 1/2 tbsp coriander
• 1/2 tbsp paprika (I use organic smoked paprika because it’s awesome and another layer of flavor)
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp cilantro (if cilantro tastes like soap to you, leave it out)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground mustard
• 1 tsp garlic (if you’re low FODMAP use 1/2 tsp hing)
• 1 tsp black pepper

For chunky chili I cut my meat into small bits. Diced? Yeah, probably diced. I heat my skillet until it’s just short of smokin’, add garlic oil and a couple tbsp of butter, throw in the meat, give it a quick stir or two and sprinkle my chili seasoning on top, give it another quick stir and then add 2-3 tbsp chili sauce (I use Sambal Oelek), 1/2 cup bone broth, 1/2 cup petite diced tomatoes (canned), 1/2 diced tomato, sliced and diced green onion, diced green and red pepper to taste (totally okay to leave them out) and 1/2 cup drained/rinsed black beans.

Stir to combine, turn down to a low simmer, plop a lid on top and leave it for a while. This really is a quick-to-fix meal and the back side doesn’t take that long . . . ten minutes maybe.

After the broth has reduced turn off the burner. Leave it to sit or not, your call. This truly is a delicious chunky chili.

On the canned diced toms thing . . . I distribute the can into a silicone muffin tray and stick it in the freezer. No worries about left overs. Once frozen I stick ’em in zippered bags. Any time I want chunky chili or something else using diced toms I can grab out what I need . . . fast and convenient.

Bone broth . . . I make it by the batch. We get bones from our local butcher from good grass fed beef. In my instant pot I process with cardamom pods, leak tops, a bit of salt and filtered water. Once cooled I package in zippy snack bags, place the filled bags on a tray and freeze. Once frozen I pop them into a gallon zippy for convenient access. When I make a recipe I whack off the amount I need (cutting board, big knife and brass hammer), place the remainder in the next size up zippy and stick it back in the freezer. Really convenient.

 

 

I really like meals that involve one pan, one bowl. It’s weird, I know, but it’s what works for me. My latest fav is a surf and turf “stew”, though it really isn’t a stew. And it’s not really a stir fry and it’s got a bit of liquid at the end that creates a nice broth.

My latest iteration has leeks, green onion, cubed rib steak, medium shrimp, rosemary and salt. Yup. That’s it.

Cube/slice a bunch of stuff. Beef, salmon, shrimp, leek and green onion.

Heat a cast iron frying pan. While it’s heating season the beef (use the beef of your choice) with rosemary and salt. Once the pan is sufficiently hot add garlic oil and butter. Add the seasoned beef and over the next minute or two give it a couple good stirs.

Add everything else. Stir occasionally until cooked through. Side with a veg. Wadly likes corn. I tend to not side with anything. Personal preference.

That’s it. I bet you thought this was going to be more complicated. Nope. Not. Fast, simple, delicious.

 

Anyone who follows me knows I cycle through foods I like. I may do pizza for a month and then switch to frittatas and then go for taco stir fry . . . it’s an ever changing landscape. Apparently I’m in a “beef stew” cycle. Who knew?

Wadly had a molar pulled and is on a “soft food” diet. That meshes pretty well with my current beef stew fetish.

I hate have veges in the fridge that go bad before I can use them up. Toward avoiding that I’ve taken to buying bags of prepped fresh organic veges, generally broccoli and broccoli slaw. I toss the bags directly into the freezer. No waste, no ick.

So, my current iteration of beef stew is . . . sauté a couple big handfuls of broccoli slaw, a few broccoli florets, some green onion and a fresh organic tomato in garlic oil and plenty of butter. Once the veges hit al dente move them to a bowl and re-oil/butter the pan. Season cubed meat with rosemary and salt. Once the meat starts to brown I add bone broth, ground ginger, merlot and Worcestershire sauce. If I’m cooking just for me I add chili sauce. I stir and cook for a bit and then add back the veges I’d set aside. Then I add drained and rinsed canned black beans, turn to med-low, add a lid and let it simmer a bit.

I am not kidding. This is such a warm and hearty one bowl meal full of really awesome flavor.

I’m having tacos again. Being a celiac and sensitive to every darned thing I can’t begin to tell you how awesome that is. Many meat departments and butcher shops use a cleaning chemical that destroys my stomach so I buy roasts, rinse in running water, pat dry, cut them into cubes and grind them using my handy-dandy meat grinder attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer. Having my stomach burn is SO not fun. I had to give away half a pig I bought even after the butcher assured me they’d not use their normal cleaning agent. Ugh. Never again.

I mix my own spices because most companies are not careful about where their spices come from or how they’re processed. Cross contamination is a HUGE thing. I buy certified gluten free spices and mix my own. It’s a PITA but it’s SO worth it for the increased variety in things I can eat. The plus side of this is getting to curate my own blend of spices. Stuff for Wadly is not spicy, stuff for me . . . yeah, bring it on.

So, with ground pork and ground beef, I’m doing tacos!

Because I’m eating low carb (yes, it IS helping) I’m eschewing the taco shell though I did see a recipe a few days ago for a carnivore taco shell (I have all the ingredients and am going to try that soon) I’m doing a taco-in-a-bowl thing. Today’s effort was fairly fabulous.

I brown equal parts ground pork and ground beef. I mix in taco seasoning and add bone broth. I let that simmer for a bit until the liquid has evaporated. This is standard how to prepare taco meat. You’ll see the “mix in spices, add liquid, simmer” instructions everywhere.

Divide the browned and seasoned meat into single serving sizes (once cooled I store in zip snack bags in the freezer for quick tacos on demand).

I have a flat bottomed soup bowl that makes a great vessel for this dish. I spread the taco meat in the bottom, top with cheese (I’m using pepperjack, my fav cheese) and heat until the cheese melts. Top with sour cream (I make my own), diced toms and diced green onion.

I am not kidding. This is SO good and it makes my tummy happy.

This is a smarter not harder recipe.

Put a bit of water in your Instant Pot. Not much, about 1/2″. I’m using my small Instant Pot as I’m doing chicken soup just for me so only one chicken hindquarter. Place the chicken hindquarter skin side up.

Sprinkle with poultry seasoning, salt and powdered onion. Set the pressure cook timer for 20 minutes.

While that’s doing it’s thing, sautee a carrot, some halved broccoli florets and a bit of fresh cabbage in 2-3 tbsp butter. Don’t scrimp here, butter is awesome flavor. Add some bone broth (1/2c). At this point your Instant Pot chicken should be done. Add the broth and the rough chopped deboned chicken (including the skin).

Cover and let simmer for a little bit.

There ya go, awesome fast easy keto chicken soup.

I’ve got a new fave . . . and it’s both keto friendly and absolutely delicious.

On YouTube is a video on spaghetti squash pizza bowls. That’s where it all started. The idea was really good . . . but was lacking. It was fussy to fix and fussy to eat . . . not my cup of tea. After fixing it twice I abandoned it and went another way.

The spaghetti squash as a crust ingredient is unparalleled for those of us who can’t do grains. Yes, I eat it with a fork but . . . it’s still an awesome pizza. The flavor of the sketti squash compliments the pizza ingredients in a really lovely way, something that nothing else I’ve tried can do.

Here’s what I did.

Wash then slice the spaghetti squash lengthwise into 3 or 4 equal pieces. Scoop out the guts and salt and pepper the flesh side of the squash. Place it flesh side down (skin side up) on a rack and bake it at 350º for an hour and 15 minutes. Don’t undercook it or it will hang onto the skin.

Scrape the squash out of the skins. This squash is very moist. The more moisture you can remove the better. What works best (but is really time consuming) is to freeze it. Once it thaws put it in a strainer and let the excess moisture drain off. Save the liquid as it makes great broth for soups and gravies.

Place the squash into a big bowl. I use my KitchenAid mixer bowl because I can automate the mixing and save my arm.

Add an equal amount of cheese. My favorite is pepperjack. For Wadly I use mozza as he’s very un-spicy. Add egg white protein. I added about half a cup per sketti squash. That’s what felt right to me so that’s what I did.

Mix thoroughly. This is your pizza dough mix. It’s very unlike pizza dough (more moisture) and it requires a different method of handling. I use 8″ round parchment papers. I create a 6″ pizza crust on the parchment paper using a big spoon. I create a ridge around the outside to hold the stuff in though this isn’t really necessary. Dock the dough or not as suits you. It will puff up as it bakes so be aware of that. Cover in a light layer of grated parmesan. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes.

To prepare the pizza, brush the baked crust with oil. I use home made garlic/onion oil. Cover with pizza sauce and your favorite toppings. My favorites are home made Italian sausage, sliced olives, peppers (bell, usually green and orange), onion, sliced or diced mushrooms (shiitake) and grated pepperjack cheese. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes.

I really do love this pizza.  Everything in it makes my body happy. I hope it does the same for you.

 

Apparently other peoples’ idea on what should go on pizza and my concept of what a pizza should contain don’t match. I grew up on Pizza Hut. I think that’s what set my standard.

 

Some days I just can’t. Today is a fish day. I’m hurting so bad I am medicating/staying distracting/using the hot tub – turned up to 11. If you don’t know what “turned up to 11″ means just move on.

So, dinner. Some days I just can’t. It’s a good thing Wadly likes having an excuse to eat hot dogs. He doesn’t get them often so he relishes those days. Usually I’m stuffing him with good stuff. Today is one of those days. This meal is so simple I can do it on a hurting day.

We have an elderly cat who is beyond being a fussy eater. She doesn’t like eating something more than two or three meals in a row and she eats tiny meals six+ times a day. She does not get dry food. She pukes it up with flare, usually on someone’s pillow or exactly where they’re going to step bare footed. Yeah, that’s our girl. So, I grind food for her often. When I do chicken . . . I buy 10lb bags of chicken hindquarters for less than $0.90 cents a pound . . . I put the skin, bones, etc. in a snack bag and stick those into a gallon ziplock in the fridge. When I get lots of them I pressure cook them with an extra thigh or three to add extra meat, seasoning with poultry seasoning, leeks and salt.

So I did that yesterday then separated the non-meat soft tissue bits and small bones for the dogs, chucked the bigger leg bones into the trash and put the chicken meat and broth into the fridge for . . . chicken something. I really don’t know what else to call it. Chicken cabbage stew? Maybe that.

This is SO fast and simple. Sautee in butter . . . thin leek slices (1/8″ or less), bell pepper slices (I used green and . . . orange? I think the not-green color Wadly got last is orange) and 1/4″ strips of cabbage (cut into 4” lengths). Once the veges are al dente add the chicken and broth. Simmer on low. I think the prep time on this (not the chicken pressure cook/separate bones bit) was less than ten minutes. Truly that fast. It took more time to take things out and put them away than it did to make it.

Truly, it was really good. I’ll do this again.

 

It’s hard to come up with a treat that works for me. I’ve got a new one I think is going to work.

1 egg, 1 tbsp coconut flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/3 cup Rebel Triple Chocolate Ice Cream

Mix, dump into a ramakin and microwave for 90 seconds.

Add butter to the top when it’s done (lacks fat) and it’s pretty darned good and fast to make.