For me, Chicken Masala is perfect for this time of year, especially on Halloween night. I love being home then, making something so yummy with all these amazing smells wafting through the house. You can make it as spicy as you would like but it is not difficult to make and has a ton of flavor. Many recipes for Masala include heavy cream but since I don’t include much dairy in my diet, I added coconut milk and coconut cream instead. The coconut cream is absolutely divine. It still gives it that creamy texture that you would otherwise get from heavy cream but adds much more flavor. If you are not familiar with curries than this will be a great place to start! When choosing a curry powder you may want to start with a mild one unless you love some heat! Although it is not difficult to make a curry and Garam masala spice mixture from scratch, you can find excellent blends at Penzey’s spices. Here is the recipe for Garam masala for those who prefer to make their own. Garam Masala Ingredients: 3 tsp. ground cardamom 1 tsp. coriander 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground cloves 1 1/2 tsp. ground pepper 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg There will plenty of spice mixture for this recipe and some leftover for another day. Store it in an airtight container.   Chicken Masala Ingredients: 1 1/2 Tbs. coconut oil 1 large red onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 1 Tbs. finely grated ginger (you can […]

  Hot chili is wonderful on a cold evening! It’s another way to really take care of yourself when it is cold and dark outside. We crave warm food during the winter for good reason! This lamb chili is one of my favorite recipes for the winter.  Full of cinnamon and spice, this chili is memorable. I like to make a double batch and freeze half for another time.  Sometimes, for large group gatherings, I will make several types of chili and this one is the first to go.     Enjoy this recipe and feel nourished and warm!     Ingredients: 1 T ghee 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 3 carrots, peeled and chopped 3 cloves garlic 1 lb. ground lamb  (you can replace this with beef or ground turkey) 1 tsp. Sea salt 3 T chili powder 1 ½ tsp. Ground cinnamon 1 tsp. Cumin ½ tsp. Coriander ½ tsp. Smoked paprika 3 C chicken stock 1 28-ounce can or jar of crushed tomatoes 1 28-ounce can San Marzano diced tomatoes 1 T double concentrated tomato paste 1 can organic garbanzo beans Salt and pepper to taste       Directions: 1. In a dutch oven, melt ghee over medium-high heat.  Add onions and carrots and saute until onions are translucent.     2. Add garlic and saute for one minute. 3. Add ground lamb and tsp. salt and saute’ lamb until well browned.     4. Add all the spices.  Mix with meat mixture and saute for 1 minute or […]

This Carnitas recipe has been on repeat over here all summer long, the flavor I get out of the meat from Riven Rock farms can’t be beat. I have also noticed that when I order meat from a healthy animal you actually need less in order to feel full because it is so nutrient dense. You can order from this farm and others through Fall Line Farms, they have multiple farms and co-ops on their site and lots of pickup locations in the Richmond area. I generally use their pastured pork shoulder/pork butt for this recipe but sometimes I might use a pork loin which is leaner. This is one of those recipes that is so easy to modify and the serving options are endless! You can have it with any of my salsas. These kinds of Mexican or Southwest flavors all go so well together especially in the summer when things like tomatoes, limes, corn and peppers are all in season! Sometimes I just have this on a plate with tons of grilled veggies and some guacamole and salsa drizzled on top. Delicious! Adobo Seasoning You can buy this mix at Penzeys but here is my homemade mix: 2 tbsp. sea salt 1 tbsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. ground black pepper 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tbsp. mexican oregano 2 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tbs. chili powder For the Carnitas Ingredients: 4 lb. pork shoulder (boneless) or 5 lb. pork shoulder (bone in) Generous amount of […]

  My friend Wanda made this delicious meal for me a couple of months ago and I have been reduplicating it ever since. Of course, as with all other recipes I have slowly made it my own. This recipe is done in 4 different steps. Now don’t let this deter you from trying this recipe because the last three steps can be done while you are accomplishing the first. I find that just cooking up the individual ingredients can result in several different meals during the week so don’t hesitate to double this recipe. Almost everything on here can be frozen including the dressing so you can have everything on hand to have this another week.   Ingredients: Serves 4 2 large sweet potatoes 1 carton chicken stock (4 C) Fresh ginger Turmeric Ghee 1 bunch of parsley Garlic bulb Arugula 1 lemon Raw honey Olive Oil Quinoa 4 eggs Sea Salt Peppercorns Shelled Pistachios Feta Cheese   Step 1: Turmeric Ginger Sweet Potatoes 2 large sweet potatoes 2 C chicken stock 1 tsp Turmeric ½ tsp chopped fresh ginger Salt & Pepper   Directions: 1. Peel and chop sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. 2. In a small saucepan, combine sweet potatoes, turmeric and fresh ginger. Cover with chicken stock. 3. Simmer on the stovetop until sweet potatoes are soft and can be pierced easily with a fork. 4. Remove sweet potatoes from stock with a slotted spoon. Mash with a fork adding in as much broth as needed for […]