Category Archives: Recipes

Chicken ‘n Rice Casserole

(or just plain “Rice Casserole” for a yummy easy meatless meal)

• Measure 3.5 cups long grain brown rice* into the bottom of a deep 9x 13 pan (I use Pampered Chef 9×13 Stoneware).
• Over the top of that sprinkle a couple handfuls each of chopped celery* and diced onion* – or 1 handful each of dried,
  and a small handful of dried parsley*, and about a teaspoon of dried basil* (crushed).
  Mix together in the pan. (I just stir around a bit with my fingers. 🙂
• If desired, add a bit of cooked, shredded chicken* over the rice and seasonings. (We buy organically grown whole chickens, which I boil and shred. I use less than 1/2 chicken. Most of the time I make this meatless.)
• If making meatless, you can add a shredded carrot* or two and/or 1-2 cups frozen peas*, if desired.
• Measure 7 cups hot broth (from cooking chicken). If you don’t have broth, just use hot water.
• Add, and stir to dissolve, 1-2 teaspoons/cubes of vegetable (or chicken) bouillon/broth powder** (I use Rapunzel vegetable bouillon cubes or Better Than Bouillon base. ) (If you are using a seasoned broth from cooking the chicken, you’ll only need 1, or maybe none. If using water, use 2 or more.) Pour over the rice, (meat) and seasonings.
• Bake at 350° for 1-1.5 hours – until rice is soft and water absorbed. (My oven usually takes 1 hr. 15-20 minutes.)

This feeds our family of 8 – 3 little kids, 3 big kids.

Note* – Use organically grown, if possible.

Note** – If you aren’t using one of these brands, be sure to check the ingredients to make sure they are Good for You-Naturally!™

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
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Good morning! Mmm – to wake to fresh cinnamon rolls. Well, I’m not today. Off to a homeschool museum day, so quickly to the point today. [Post updated 3/30/09]

Lisa’s Honey Cinnamon Rolls

2 c. hot purified water (steaming not boiling)

1/3 c. raw organic coconut oil

1/3 c. raw honey

1 tsp. unrefined salt (Real®, himilayan, or celtic)

Put above into your mixing bowl.

Add:

approx. 4 c. freshly milled, organic hard white wheat flour

1 slightly rounded Tbl. SAF yeast (instant) (on top of your flour)

Mix and knead, adding enough flour to make a soft dough. (That is, add flour until it cleans the side of your bowl in a Bosch, knead in Bosch for approx. 5-6 minutes.)

Prepare “Carmel Topping” (above recipe makes 2 pans of Cinnamon Rolls – so prepare 2 pans as below.)

For each pan, Melt:

1/3 c. unsalted butter (organic, if you can)

1/3 c. raw honey

(Can use 1/2 c. each for a stickier, sticky bun.)

1 tsp. blackstrap molasses (can use 1 Tbl. unsulfured light molasses)

Stir together well.

Pour into 9×13″ pan, and distribute evenly across the bottom.

“Grease” your working surface, we use liquid lecithin /olive oil (see below).

Divide dough in half, and prepare each half as follows.

Roll out  on your greased surface, into a rectangle, approx. 1/4″ thick. Spread (smear) dough evenly with approx. 1/3 c. soft butter. Pour over that, and evenly distribute, 1/3 c. raw honey (you can also substitute 1/2 c. sucanat, if you wish). Sprinkle well with non-irratiated, organic ground cinnamon. Roll up (like a jelly roll,) slice into 12 equal slices. Place cut side down in your prepared pan.

Cover with a flour sack towel. Let rise until doubled (nice and puffy.) Preheat oven to 350°. Bake approx. 20 minutes.

Notes: Start milling wheat, while water is heating and you’re measuring first ingredients.

You can use milk substitute to replace water, if you desire.

Our “greasing” recipe: 1/3 c. liquid lecithin, 1 c. olive oil, mixed well. Store in a covered container. Use to grease pans and surfaces for dough handling.

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No, I’m not repeating the recipe from a couple weeks ago. I’ve been asked about another recipe I have for Refried Beans – the Fast and Easy Way!

Instant Refried Beans

Mill clean, organic dried, pinto beans in your NutriMill (or other grain mill that is designed to do dried beans,) at the same setting you use for bread flour, or slightly courser. (No, you don’t have to use organic, but it’s better for you if you do. Yes, you DO have to use dried. DO NOT wet them in any way before grinding. Just pick out any foreign objects.)

Boil – 2.5 c. purified water in a small saucepan.

Whisk in:

3/4 c. pinto bean flour

1/2 t. unrefined salt (Real®, himalayan, or celtic)

1/4 t. cumin powder*

rounded 1/2 t. chili powder

small clove minced garlic, organic – or scant 1/8 t. garlic powder

Stir over medium heat about 1 minute, until mixture thickens. (Lumps are fine.)

Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Cook approx. 4 minutes more. (Mixture will thicken more as it cools.)

Add:

approx. 1/2 c. organic, natural Salsa

Serve with fresh, corn Tortilla Chips or use as a burrito filling, in whole wheat tortillas.

Bon Appetite – whoops, forgot again – Ole!

*Note: Use non-irradiated spices. You can add a bit more salt, if you really must, and less or no garlic, if you want.

– adapted from Country Beans by Rita Bingham

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
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Ever wonder about the recipes for what’s in our Friday Food picture? That’s a plain lettuce/tomato salad at the top left, homemade salsa (almost more of a pico de guillo) at the bottom right, homemade corn tortilla chips at the top right, and you guessed it, refried beans at the bottom left. This is one of our favorite light, snack-y type lunches. It is so much better than opening a can of beans, bag of chips, and jar of salsa, and takes just a little more work – but not much.

Today you get the recipe for the Refried Beans. It makes a nice large batch to eat on for a while, or freeze in meal size portions. I have a 6 qt. crock pot and it fills it pretty well.

Lisa’s Refried Beans

Sort and rinse, then soak 4-4.5 cups organic dried pinto beans* in double to triple that amount of water. You can either soak overnight or quick soak by bringing to a boil for 1 minute, then turning off the heat and leaving sit covered for an hour.

Place in crock pot, (if you didn’t soak them in there.) Cover to about 1″ over the swelled beans with water (add or remove water, as needed.) Cook until nearly soft.

Add: 1-1.5 large fresh organic onions, diced

6-8 medium cloves of organic garlic, minced

Continue cooking until very soft.

Add: 1/2 – 1 stick soft real butter (or 1/2 – 3/4 c. organic, expeller pressed safflower oil) and mash well.

Stir in: 2-4 organic Roma Tomatoes, blended

2 Tbl. organic Chili Powder

1.5 tsp. cumin

opt. 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, diced small

Salt &/or Pepper, if desired

Reheat, adding water if needed.

Serve with fresh corn tortilla chips.

Bon Appétit! (Whoops! Olé!)

*Note: Obviously you don’t HAVE to use organic ingredients. It’s just better for you if you do.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
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A quick one dish meal (well, after the beans are cooked, it’s fast) and Good for You-Naturally!™

Lisa’s Taco Salad

• 1/2 – 1 large head torn Romaine Lettuce

• 3-4 c. cooked, drained and cooled Pinto Beans

• 1 chopped Tomato

• 1/2 – 1 chopped Green Pepper – optional

• 1 can Black Olives – slice them

Toss together. Add Dressing (below), toss and chill.

Just before serving add 1/2 or more large bag tortilla chips (approx. 8 oz), crushed. Toss well. (Adding the chips just before eating keeps them crisp. But this is fine if you serve later also – after the chips are soft.)

Dressing: 1.5-2 cups or more Homemade Mayo & Taco Seasoning (below) & Not-Milk to thin.

Shake or stir together well.

Taco Seasoning:

• 2 t. dry onion

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1/8 t. ground red pepper (or less)

• 1/2 t. dry garlic granules

• 1/4 t. ground oregano

• 1/2 t. cumin

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
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Yummy, easy Good for You-Naturally!™ cookies that your children will love to make.

Lisa’s Good for You-Naturally!™ No-Bake Cookies

• Put in a large saucepan:
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, preferably organic
• 3/4 c. raw, unfiltered honey
• 1/2 c. not-milk

Cook 3-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often.

Mix in well:

• 1/3 c. raw carob powder – sift out any lumps
• 1 tsp. real vanilla
• 1/2 c. organic nut butter – (nuts only, no additives) almond,peanut, or other

Stir in until evenly coated:

• 3 c. organic rolled oats
• 1 c. organic raw coconut shreds – (no additives)

Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Let set or chill until set.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
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What could be better than Saturday night Pizza – and here’s a Good for You-Naturally!™ recipe.

Lisa’s Good for You-Naturally!™ Pizza

Pizza Crust:

1 1/2 c. water
1/2 t. unrefined salt
4 c. + whole wheat flour
scant Tbl. instant SAF yeast
1 1/2 t. extra virgin olive oil

Mix. Add more flour as needed to knead.
Knead. Rise – 15-20 minutes is fine, while you prepare your other ingredients. Divide in half (makes 2 “hand tossed” type crusts – 3 or 4 if you like THIN crust). Roll out on corn meal covered Pizza Peel. Top with sauce, toppings and not-cheese. Bake 450° on baking stone for 8-10 min.

Pizza Sauce

• 2 c. tomato sauce (organic, no salt added)
• 1 small or half medium diced onion (organic)
• 1/2 tsp. ground oregano (or 1 tsp dried leaves) (all spices should be organic, if possible, and definitely not irradiated)
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. (organic cold-pressed extra virgin) olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. (raw unfiltered) honey

Toppings

We like many different veggie toppings (organic, if possible, and fresh). Many times we just do quick and easy – black olives, mushrooms, green peppers, onions. Zuchinni, carrots, broccolli, cauliflower, tomatoes, spinach are some other favorites for some of us. Soy mozzerella (or raw goat’s) cheese can top it all, if desired.

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It’s been a busy week, so I’ll just give you a VERY SIMPLE Snack Recipe this week – but so YUMMY! and Good for You-Naturally!™

Apple Wedges and Almond Butter

My dc LOVE this, (and me too,) – and even dipping the apples (or other fruits or veggies) into non-homemade, organic, nut only butters works – peanut, cashew, almond, or sesame could be used.

Almond Butter:

Fit Champion Juicer with blank for “homogenizing” foods (rather than juicing). Turn on and pour in Raw Almonds. Push through with food pusher. Feed slowly for a creamy nut butter, faster for chunky.

If butter is too dry, more like almond meal, sitr in just a bit of olive oil, or put through Champion again with just a bit of olive oil. You can also make nut butters in a blender or food processor if you don’t have a Champion.

Tip: The natural oil in your almonds will flow better, making a creamier butter, if your almonds are a bit warm, not cold from the fridge. I usually warm mine up just a bit on the dehydrator, set at 110°. You don’t want to heat them higher, or you will destroy the enzymes.

Slice Apples, or other fruits or veggies, and dip/scoop into the butter, and eat. Bananas aren’t the best scoopers since they are softer, but you can still put a hunk of nut butter on them for a great, yummy snack or lunch.

You got a hankerin’ for chocolate? It’s not exactly the same, but carob is a Good for You-Naturally!™ substitute. Stir some vegan, malt sweetened carob chips into the nut butter before scooping onto the fruit, for an occasional treat.

For Life & Health –
For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
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I promised this one, my fake, Good for You-Naturally!™ cappacino.

Lisa’s Fake-acino

Make a cup of roasted barley/chicory herbal coffee (Cafix) with hot, not-milk (instead of water). Add 1/2 tsp. raw Carob Powder, and 2-3 drops flavored (English Toffee, is a favorite) Stevia Drops (Sweet Leaf brand). Froth in frother.

When you are traveling, you can use Better than Milk (a milk substitute powder – soy or rice) and skip the frothing, to make an easier “on the road” drink. Just make your herbal coffee with water, and add milk powder, carob powder, and stevia drops and stir well. (Plain Teeccino or Celestial Seasonings Roastaroma are other herbal coffees you can use. Teeccino brews like coffee; Roastaroma brews like tea – in a tea bag.)

Tips: Of course, you could use one of the already flavored Teeccinos.

Carob Powder can be substituted in any recipe that calls for cocoa powder. It is a bit different taste than chocolate, but a good, Good for You-Naturally!™ substitute. Also, it is not bitter like chocolate.

Stevia leaf is an herb that is 300 times sweeter than sugar. You can buy it ground and sifted (a green powder – the straight herb) or a white powder (I don’t know what they do to it, obviously this is a processed product) or as a “tincture” in grapeseed oil (what the Sweet Leaf drops are.) When using the powder you use just a very small pinch, the drops, just a couple drops.

[Update: We have mainly used the plain ol’ cut and sifted Stevia herb, and just recently began using the Sweet Leaf drops. I’ve never tried or looked into what other Stevia processors were doing to it. Erica at SuperMom has posted why she only uses Sweet Leaf brand and not others.]

For Life & Health-
For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
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