Rosemary Chicken Liver Skewers

September 30, 2009 / Ren

(you might also like this recipe)

Local, pastured chicken livers pan-fried on rosemary skewers with garlic smashed purple potatoes and mushroom & onion gravy..

Rosemary Chicken Liver Skewers

For 2 servings

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

3 medium purple potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1-2 cloves Chesnok or other strong garlic, minced
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 tablespoons fresh whole milk
sea salt and cracked pepper

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Pour off all but 2 ounces of water and keep hot until 5 minutes before ready to serve. To finish, pour off any remaining water and stir in butter and garlic. Mash with a flat-faced potato masher and thin slightly with milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mushroom and Onion Gravy

1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 palm-full pearl onions
1 palm-full large brown mushrooms, quartered
1 oz Armagnac or brandy
4 oz roasted chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons roux
sea salt and cracked pepper

Sauté mushrooms and onions in butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until well browned. Off-heat, de-glaze the pan with 1 oz Armagnac or brandy. Return to heat and add chicken stock. Reduce slightly, then whisk in a little roux to tighten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in a knob of cold butter just before serving.

Rosemary Chicken Liver Skewers

12 oz fresh, pastured chicken livers, cleaned, rinsed and patted dry
4 6-inch rosemary skewers
1 tablespoon rendered chicken fat
1 tablespoon pastured butter
sea salt and cracked pepper

Thread 2-3 plump chicken livers onto each of 4 6-inch rosemary skewers. Set on paper towels and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.

Sear livers on all sides in chicken fat and butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until nicely browned and medium-rare to medium doneness. Add 2 tablespoons chicken stock and allow to sit 2 minutes.

To serve, mound smashed potatoes in the center of a large plate. Place 2 skewers on top of the potatoes then spoon gravy over the top. Garnish with bits of herbs and greens.

: Rosemary Chicken Liver Skewers

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays

Tuesday Twister

September 29, 2009 / Ren

Each Tuesday, Wardeh at gnowfglins.com encourages us to share what we’ve been up to in our kitchens over the past week.

Gravitating towards a more primal diet, my focus this last week has primarily been on simple, fresh ingredients that are served raw and/or minimally-cooked.

Here are a few examples..

1) Loin of Rabbit with Pancetta, Porcini and Wild Onions De-glaze the pan with an ounce of Armagnac and stir up all the brown bits with the edge of a wooden spoon. Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and reduce slightly..

2) Bengal Lentils with Pea Shoots and Wild Pomegranate A traditional, healing dish of sprouted lentils in a spicy, savory tomato sauce with toasted whole spices, onions, peppers, pea shoots and wild pomegranate seeds..

3) Antidote Salad At home this evening, I knew I needed to make up for the nutritionally empty & otherwise damaging lunch, so I gathered up what I could from the garden, pantry and fridge and made this Antidote Dinner Salad..

4) Filet de Bœuf Béarnaise Pan-roasted grass-fed filet mignon, asparagus tips, shiitake mushrooms, heirloom tomato and sauce béarnaise..

5) Corn Spaghetti with Duck Egg Aioli Pungent Chesnok red garlic, duck eggs and 100% organic corn pasta..

Overall, a pretty satisfying, nourishing week. Now let’s go see what wonders await at the home of the Tuesday Twister!

Corn Spaghetti with Duck Egg Aioli

September 28, 2009 / Ren

Gluten-free, 100% corn spaghetti with fresh herbs, roasted vegetables and a rich duck egg aioli..

Corn Spaghetti with Duck Egg Aioli

Make a traditional aioli, substituting pastured duck eggs for chicken eggs, and using a bold garlic such as Chesnok red. Add minced fresh opal basil, oregano, frisée (curly endive), a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice and plenty of sea salt and cracked pepper. Set aside.

Boil one quart of filtered water with one teaspoon sea salt for every 4oz of corn spaghetti. Swirl the water, add the pasta and cook al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse. Keep warm.

Broil 3/4 inch-thick slices of heirloom tomato seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper until brilliant red and blistered. Hold in warm oven.

Meanwhile, quickly sauté onions and Italian roasting peppers in a bit of oil over high heat until just softened.

Toss the pasta with the sautéed vegetables, then stir in the aioli.

To serve, arrange pasta in the middle of a large plate and use a spatula to place the broiled tomato on top. Shave a little Pecorino over all and garnish with additional minced herbs.

: Corn Pasta with Egg Sauce

Filet de Bœuf Béarnaise

September 27, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

(Like steak? You might also like this and this)

Pan-roasted grass-fed filet mignon, asparagus tips, shiitake mushrooms, heirloom tomato and sauce béarnaise..

Filet de Bœuf Béarnaise

Lightly coat all sides of a thick-cut beef tenderloin filet with coarse sea salt. Wrap in brown paper and refrigerate overnight, turning once.

Blot the filet with paper towels to remove the surface moisture and any remaining salt. Allow to come to room temperature.

Combine asparagus tips, quartered shiitake mushrooms, chopped garlic, shallots, melted butter, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Set aside.

Make sauce béarnaise. Keep warm.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 15 minutes. Sear the filet on all sides until well browned but still rare. Remove from heat.

Remove the steak from the pan and put thick circles of heirloom tomato in its place. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Center the steak on top of the tomatoes, and spread the asparagus mixture around the perimeter.

Place the pan in a 400 degree oven and roast until the filet is barely medium rare, about 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand 5 minutes (the steak will continue to cook).

Use a spatula to transfer the steak and tomato to a dinner plate. Top with roasted asparagus mixture, then dress with sauce béarnaise.

Duck Egg Migajas

September 26, 2009 / Ren

A variation of the traditional Tex-Mex migas, this is a shirred duck egg with pork sausage, poblano peppers, queso cotija, pico de gallo and fried corn tortilla strips..

Duck Egg Migajas

Cook pastured ground pork seasoned with salt, cumin seed and Mexican oregano in a heavy skillet until brown and crumbly.

Pour off all but a teaspoon of fat, then use a wooden spoon to make a well in the middle of the pan. Crack one or more duck eggs (substitute chicken eggs) into the well, and season lightly with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Scatter diced poblano peppers and fresh tomato wedges around the perimeter of the pan, then sprinkle queso cotija (substitute Parmesan) over the top.

Place the pan in a 400 degree oven until the eggs are shirred (baked) to your preferred degree of doneness.

Meanwhile, fry strips of corn torillas in a bit of leaf lard or reserved pork fat until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

To serve, use 2 wide spatulas to transfer the contents of the skillet to a dinner plate. Dress with fresh pico de gallo and garnish with tortilla strips. Beans and hot sauce may be offered on the side if you like.

: Duck Egg Migas

Antidote Salad

September 25, 2009November 15, 2016 / Ren

Today’s post isn’t so much about any particular dish (although this salad was really good) as it is a reminder to myself of why I choose to eat clean, healthy nourishing food.

Earlier today I ate a cheeseburger & fries with the guys at a local joint. While the food tasted OK at the time, I knew I was in trouble less than an hour later when the industrial CAFO burger & potatoes fried in God-knows-what kind of unnatural hydrogenated oil together felt like a greasy, soggy bowling ball in my gut. Back at work, I resisted the urge to crawl under my desk & sleep it off.

It is readily apparent why America is so sick.

At home this evening, I knew I needed to make up for the nutritionally empty & otherwise damaging lunch, so I gathered up what I could from the garden, pantry and fridge and made this Antidote Dinner Salad..

Antidote Salad

Kamut pasta, raw virgin olive oil, raw and pickled peppers, olives, scallions, Lupini beans, avocado, anchovies, fresh basil and oregano, tomatoes, watercress, pea shoots, prosciutto, white balsamic and lots of coarse sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

I swear I felt completely restored almost immediately!

: Antidote Salad

Be a Food Renegade – Fight back against the Standard American Diet (SAD) !

Bengal Lentils with Pea Shoots and Wild Pomegranate

September 24, 2009 / Ren

A traditional, healing dish of sprouted lentils in a spicy, savory tomato sauce with toasted whole spices, onions, peppers, pea shoots and wild pomegranate seeds.

Bengal Lentils with Pea Shoots and Wild Pomegranate Seeds

Sauté whole hulled cardamom, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, bay leaf and true cinnamon in ghee or clarified until fragrant and the seeds begin to “pop” in the in pan.

Add diced white onion, peppers and plum tomatoes and cook, stirring continuously until the oil separates, about 5 minutes.

Add turmeric, paprika, black pepper, freshly-grated ginger and wild pomegranate seeds and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Add raw, sprouted lentils, pea shoots and chopped cilantro and stir to combine.

Note: if feeding a crowd, you could easily extend this dish with simmered chickpeas

Serve over aged basmati rice or with naan if desired.

: Bengal Lentils with Pea Shoots and Wild Pomegranate

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet

Wild pomegranate seeds are sometimes used as a spice known as anardana (which literally means pomegranate (anar) seeds (dana) in Persian), most notably in Indian and Pakistani cuisine but also as a replacement for pomegranate syrup in Middle Eastern cuisine. As a result of this, the dried whole seeds can often be obtained in ethnic Indian Sub-continent markets. The seeds are separated from the flesh, dried for 10–15 days and used as an acidic agent for chutney and curry production. Seeds may also be ground in order to avoid becoming stuck in teeth when eating dishes containing them. Seeds of the wild pomegranate daru from the Himalayas are regarded as quality sources for this spice.

Loin of Rabbit with Pancetta, Porcini and Wild Onions

September 23, 2009 / Ren

Loin of rabbit with pancetta, porcini, wild onions, garlic and sage..

Sauté pancetta in a teaspoon of clarified butter until most of the fat has been rendered. Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add thick pieces of porcini mushroom and continue to cook until golden brown.

Season strips of rabbit loin with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper and add to the hot pan with garlic, onions and sage. Let the rabbit brown, but keep it to no more than medium doneness.

De-glaze the pan with an ounce of Armagnac and stir up all the brown bits with the edge of a wooden spoon. Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and reduce slightly.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add a couple of ounces of fresh cream and a good spoonful of coarse mustard. Stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Toss in some coarsely-chopped curly parsley and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve over rye spaetzle or egg noodles.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays

Center for Food Safety v. USDA

September 22, 2009 / Ren

Court Finds USDA Violated Federal Law by Allowing Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets on the Market

Government failed to evaluate environmental and economic risks of Monsanto product

September 22, 2009

San Francisco, CA — In a case brought by Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice representing a coalition of farmers and consumers, a federal court ruled yesterday (PDF) that the Bush USDA’s approval of genetically engineered (GE) “RoundUp Ready” sugar beets was unlawful. The court ordered the USDA to conduct a rigorous assessment of the environmental and economic impacts of the crop on farmers and the environment.

The federal district court for the Northern District of California ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (“APHIS”) violated the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) when it failed to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) before deregulating sugar beets that have been genetically engineered (“GE”) to be resistant to glyphosate herbicide, marketed by Monsanto as Roundup. Plaintiffs Center for Food Safety, Organic Seed Alliance, Sierra Club, and High Mowing Seeds, represented by Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety, filed suit against APHIS in January 2008, alleging APHIS failed to adequately assess the environmental, health, and associated economic impacts of allowing “Roundup Ready” sugar beets to be commercially grown without restriction.

“This court decision is a wakeup call for the Obama USDA that they will not be allowed to ignore the biological pollution and economic impacts of gene altered crops,” stated Andrew Kimbrell Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety. “The courts have made it clear that USDA’s job is to protect America’s farmers and consumers, not the interests of Monsanto.”

Read the full article..

Screenshot-1

Tuesday Twister

September 22, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Each Tuesday, Wardeh at gnowfglins.com encourages us to share what we’ve been up to in our kitchens over the past week.

One practical benefit of the Tuesday Twister is the ability to see at-a-glance whether I’m hitting my diet/nutritional goals or not. I can immediately see for instance, that I need to increase my intake of fermented/pro-biotic foods.

Here’s a look back..

1) Salmon Cakes with Sauce Rémoulade Made from homemade mayonnaise, fresh herbs, capers and cornichons, sauce rémoulade is a perfect contrast for spicy, pan-fried salmon cakes. With lots of healthy Omega-3s, this one’s staying in rotation.

2) Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops with Mint Peas and Wild Rice Local, pastured lamb loin chops with rosemary garlic demi-glace, fresh peas with fried shallots and mint, and mushroom wild rice. Bring on those fall flavors!

3) Deep Chili With pastured beef, chiles, onions, water & little else, this 1880’s style chile con carne really hit the spot.

4) Chicken à la King Another classic from the 1800’s, made with local organic ingredients. I just had this again for lunch today.

5) Mayan Banana Bread With sprouted spelt, roasted Maya nut and mashed bananas, this nutrient-dense, low-gluten bread tastes of coffee and chocolate, but contains neither. Highly recommended.

6) Pan-seared Lamb Chops with Garlic, Mint & Grape Tomatoes I hadn’t intended to turn this one into a blog post, but the flavors were so amazing that I wanted to document this one for later.

So, there you have it.. now let’s go see what everyone else has been up to!

Pan-seared Lamb Chops with Mint, Garlic and Grape Tomatoes (a recipe in progress)

September 21, 2009 / Ren

I stuck my hungry face in the fridge this evening and spotted 3 lamb loin chops that had been marinating in olive oil, rosemary and garlic for a couple of days.

I threw the chops into a super hot skillet with some of the oil & a tiny bit of butter and seared them to a perfect rare+ doneness, then tossed in some halved grape tomatoes, slivered garlic and lots of fresh mint, sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

I hadn’t planned on posting anything tonight, but this primal, ad-hoc dish was so good that I wanted to document it for future development 🙂

Pan-seared Lamb Chops with Mint, Garlic and Grape Tomatoes

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

September 21, 2009 / Ren

Simmered black beans with red and white quinoa, toasted cumin, onions, tomatoes, New Mexico and poblano chiles, garlic, oregano and wedges of avocado, all served up in baked corn tortilla shells..

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

Soak dried black beans and quinoa in filtered water overnight. Drain, rinse and cook in vegetable stock until just done.

Sauté cumin seeds, chopped chiles, garlic and onions in a heavy skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant. Add chopped tomatoes and poblano peppers and cook 5 minutes.

Add garlic, Mexican oregano, 1/4 teaspoon each cloves, allspice and cinnamon, cooked beans and quinoa and simmer 20 minutes; keep moist by adding bean-cooking liquid as needed. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Meanwhile, lightly coat small corn tortillas with oil and press into the wells of a jumbo muffin pan. Bake at 400 degrees until crisp and browned.

To serve, spoon chili into tortillas shells and garnish with avocado wedges, a squeeze of fresh lime and hot sauce.

: Black Bean Chili

Mayan Banana Bread

September 20, 2009 / Ren

(you might also like this recipe for Maya Nut Cake)

With sprouted spelt flour, roasted Maya nut, mashed bananas, fresh milk, pastured butter and eggs, this moist, delicious bread looks, smells and tastes like chocolate and coffee although it contains neither.

Extremely high in Fiber, Calcium, Potassium, Folate, Iron, Zinc, Protein and Vitamins A, E, C and B, it is also high-fiber, low-gluten and easy to digest.

Try it with a little sweet, cultured butter, raw honey or Crème fraîche..

Mayan Banana Bread

For one loaf

6 oz. (by weight) sprouted spelt flour
2 oz. (by weight) organic, roasted Maya nut powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 oz. rapadura or other non-refined sweetener
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 oz. fresh whole milk
2 medium bananas, mashed
2 large pastured eggs
4 oz. pastured butter, melted

Combine the wet ingredients (whisked) and the dry ingredients separately, then fold the two together until just combined.

Pour batter into a buttered loaf pan, sprinkle with crushed Maya nuts (raw, soaked and dried) and bake on the middle rack of a 350 degree oven until a thin knife blade inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes.

Allow to cool on a rack at least 25 minutes before slicing.

: Mayan Banana Bread

Learn more about the benefits of Maya nut

Chicken a la King

September 20, 2009 / Ren

Tender pieces of pastured chicken simmered in bone broth with fresh cream, sherry, nutmeg, peas and mushrooms. Invented in the late 1800’s, this retro dish is every bit as good now as it was then..

Chicken à la King

To make roux, melt 4 oz. pastured butter over medium-low heat until it just begins to sizzle. Add 5 oz. by weight sprouted wheat or spelt flour and whisk to combine. Stirring continuously, continue to cook until it smells like baked bread, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

To make topping, toast a piece of sprouted wheat or spelt bread in the toaster, then tear it up into small pieces and sauté in butter and parsley until golden brown.

Gently simmer chunks of pastured chicken (I’m using thighs, skin removed) in chicken stock with a little sherry and fresh thyme until just done.

Lightly sauté halved pearl onions, wild mushrooms and a bit of red bell pepper, then stir into the chicken.

Add fresh cream, green peas and freshly-grated nutmeg and simmer 5 minutes.

Whisk roux into the chicken and simmer, stirring continuously until thickened, 3-5 minutes.

Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

To serve, simply spoon chicken mixture into a deep dish and top with toasted bread crumbs.

: Chicken à la King

Deep Chili

September 19, 2009 / Ren

Nobody knows for sure exactly when and where chili con carne was first made, but we can generally agree that the original recipes read something like this..

“Cut up as much meat as you think you will need (any kind will do, but beef is probably best) in pieces about the size of a pecan. Put it in a pot, along with some suet (enough so as the meat won’t stick to the sides of the pot), and cook it with about the same amount of wild onions, garlic, oregano, and chiles as you have got meat. Put in some salt. Stir it from time to time and cook it until the meat is as tender as you think it’s going to get.” –Texas, early 1800s

With deep, dark beef and chile flavors, this is an intensely flavored dish.

Deep Chili

Smoke onions, garlic, jalapeños and a plum tomato over mesquite for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, roast a variety of chiles such as Guajillo, ancho, arbol and New Mexico in a slow oven for an hour.

Pull the stems from the peppers and shake out the seeds. Transfer to a food processor and chop into a fine powder. Add the roasted onion, garlic, jalapeños and a tablespoon of cider vinegar and blend into a paste.

Brown a couple of pieces of pork belly in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add small chunks of grass-fed beef chuck or bison and sear until seriously browned.

Add 1/2 cup of the chili paste and just enough water to cover the meat.

Add toasted cumin seed, Mexican oregano, a little sea salt, a few shards of true cinnamon and 3-4 whole cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours, adding the chopped, smoked tomato during the last half hour.

Add 1 ounce of Mexican chocolate and stir until melted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve with beans, cornbread or tortillas on the side if you like.

: Deep Chili

Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops with Mint Peas and Wild Rice

September 18, 2009 / Ren

Local, pastured lamb loin chops with rosemary garlic demi-glace, fresh peas with fried shallots and mint, and mushroom wild rice.

C’est si bon!

Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops with Mint Peas and Wild Rice

lamb loin chops from premiumlamb.com via greenling.com

Marinate lamb chops in olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh rosemary, freshly-ground pepper and a three-fingered pinch of coarse sea salt for 4 or more hours (refrigerated). Allow to come up to room temperature before cooking.

Rinse and prepare true wild rice according to package directions, about 1 hour. Add sautéed wild mushrooms, a teaspoon of pastured butter and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Lightly steam fresh peas until about 2/3 done, then transfer to a skillet with pastured butter and chopped shallots. Fry until browned, then season with chopped fresh mint, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Quickly sear lamb chops in a very hot skillet with butter and a little of the marinade until well browned but still rare. Transfer to a side plate.

De-glaze the pan with burgundy then scrape up all the brown bits with the side of a wooden spoon. Add a little brown stock, reduce and finish with demi-glace and fresh rosemary.

Set the rare lamb chops in the pan with the demi-glace until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.

To serve, heap wild rice in the center of a dinner plate and arrange lamb chops around the perimeter. Spoon demi-glace over the top, then spoon peas in between the chops and garnish with additional mint and parsley.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes, Sauce Remoulade

September 17, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Made from homemade mayonnaise, fresh herbs, capers and cornichons, sauce rémoulade is a perfect contrast for spicy, pan-fried salmon cakes..

Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes with Sauce Remoulade

Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes with Sauce Rémoulade

Makes 4 large Salmon Cakes

2 cans wild Alaskan Salmon, drained
2 tablespoons red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons celery, diced
2 tablespoons scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 large pastured eggs
2 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon smoked black pepper, more-or-less
1/2 tablespoon half sharp paprika or cayenne, more-or-less
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 pieces stale sprouted wheat bread, toasted and torn into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter

Warm diced red bell pepper, celery and red onions in a little butter over medium-low until softened, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate.

Lightly toss together salmon, scallions, parsley, eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice and seasonings. Fold in cooled vegetables and refrigerate 1 hour.

Fold enough toasted bread pieces into the salmon mixture so that you can form patties that are cohesive and moist, but not wet.

Fry salmon cakes in ghee over medium-high heat until browned on 1 side, then flip over and cook 1 minute longer.

Place the pan in a 400 degree until the cakes are sizzling, about 5-7 minutes.

Allow to cakes to rest in the pan for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a serving plate.

Dress each cake with a tablespoon or more of cold rémoulade and optionally garnish with a bit of caviar.

For the Rémoulade

1 cup homemade mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon fresh chives
1/2 tablespoon fresh tarragon
1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon fresh chervil
1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped
2 cornichons, finely diced
1 small anchovy fillet, minced

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet

There’s Nothing “Smart” About Froot Loops

September 16, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Learn more at The Nourished Kitchen

Dear Doctors Kennedy, Kahn, Hager, and Bier,

I am writing to express my outrage that you are supporting the “Smart Choices” program. Any certification program that calls Froot Loops a “Smart Choice” doesn’t deserve your support. Our children are already eating too much sugar and suggesting that parents should consider Fruit Loops and other unhealthy foods packed with sugar a good choice is irresponsible given the dangerous and costly rise in childhood obesity we currently face.

Fruit Loops is 41% sugar.

You should know better, as doctors and as public health leaders, than to promote eating sugary cereals for breakfast. I am appalled that any university or nonprofit organization that supports healthy eating would want to be associated with an industry-backed promotional gimmick suggesting that Fruit Loops and other clearly unhealthy foods are a good choice for children.

This is, simply put, unacceptable. I urge you to resign from the board of the Smart Choices program. Until you do, you not only cast doubt upon your own objectivity, but also on the credibility of Tufts University, the Baylor College of Medicine, the American Dietetic Association, and the American Diabetes Association. I highly doubt that any of these institutions want to be associated with the idea that Froot Loops, or any of the other unhealthy foods manufactured by the program’s sponsors are “Smart Choices.”

Prefer an ACTUAL Smart Choice? Try Kelly’s Breakfast Oatmeal..

The night before, mix these ingredients together in a small saucepan (takes about 2 minutes):

1/2-1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. real maple syrup (we get ours at our farm, ask at your local health food store)
2 c. organic oats (not the quick-cooking kind)
2 c. warm water (filtered is best) (***Only 1 c. if you’re just adding hot water in the morning – see below.)
4 T. organic whole-milk yogurt (even better: homemade yogurt from raw milk), OR you could also use whey, kefir or buttermilk – using ONE of any of these is the key to breaking down the phytic acid. (Those with severe milk allergies can substitute lemon juice or vinegar.)

Cover and leave it on the counter-top overnight.

In the morning, turn on your stove and heat the oatmeal to the desired temperature, and that’s it!

Go get some more REAL breakfast ideas!

Tuesday Twister

September 15, 2009 / Ren

Each Tuesday, Wardeh at gnowfglins.com encourages us to share what we’ve been up to in our kitchens over the past week.

Here’s a look at what’s been going on around here the last few days..

1) Pork Stew with Chipotle and Plantains A simple weeknight sort of meal. This one could easily be made into a Cuban or Jamaican dish.

2) Brussels Sprouts and Ham in Mustard Cheese Sauce Loved this. May try adding smoked black pepper next time.

3) Huevos con Tocino y Salsa Verde I have eggs at least 4 times/week. Got smart & made enough salsa to last several few days.

4) Chocolate Maya Nut Cake Loved the idea & it tasted fine, but I think I’ve lost my enthusiasm for dessert.

5) Creole Beans and Rice Red beans & rice is one of my standby comfort meals.

6) Cryptolaemus montrouzieri ? If so, this the larval stage of a beneficial predator and not a garden pest. We’ll see what happens when I introduce a couple thousand ladybugs this weekend!

7) Basil with Green Anole Found this guy hanging out in the basil. His bright green color indicates that he’s a healthy & non-threatened specimen 🙂

8) Mango Mole The slightly sweet, warm chile/cinnamon flavors were amazing when paired with the tart pickled onions.

Well, that’s a wrap.. let’s go see what everyone else has been up to!

Mango Mole (Sauce)

September 14, 2009 / Ren

Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appétit magazine (via Edible Therapy), this complex sauce is fantastic with pickled red onions and grilled pork chops..

Making Mango Mole

2 tablespoons leaf lard or other fat
1 large plantain, sliced
1 cup fresh diced mango
2 large dried Guajillo or Ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup chopped white onion
12 whole raw almonds
1 tablespoon homemade chili base
2 tablespoons shelled peanuts
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 small bay leaf
1 small bunch fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
1 teaspoon true cinnamon shards
2 cups homemade chicken stock, more or less
1 small piece Mexican chocolate

Heat the fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add plantains, chili base and everything else except stock and chocolate. Sauté until plantain is soft, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock. Reduce heat and simmer until chilies are tender, about 15 minutes.

Puree sauce in blender then return to skillet.

Add chocolate and stir until incorporated. Thin with reserved stock if necessary, then season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

: Making Mango Mole

New High-Protein Basil Discovered

September 14, 2009 / Ren

On my patio, that is..

High-Protein Basil (click to enlarge)

Creole Beans and Rice

September 13, 2009 / Ren

A densely nutritious dish with tender kidney beans, Andouille sausage, okra, kale and aged Basmati rice..

Creole Beans and Rice

Soak dried red beans overnight. Rinse, cover with fresh filtered water and bring to a boil. Add a bay leaf, reduce heat and simmer until just tender, about 2 hours.

Sauté bias-cut Andouille sausage with a little pancetta or fatty bacon until browned. Add diced yellow onions, celery and bell peppers and cook until vegetables soften.

Add okra, seeded jalapeño, garlic, and chiffonade of kale and sauté 2-3 minutes.

Add cooked beans, black pepper, caraway, dill, oregano, cumin, thyme and paprika and simmer 20 minutes, adding bean-cooking water as needed to keep moist.

To serve, mound Basmati rice in the center of a bowl or dinner plate and ladle bean mixture around the perimeter. Offer Louisiana hot sauce on the side.

: Creole Beans and Rice

Chocolate Maya Nut Cake

September 12, 2009 / Ren

(you might also like this recipe for Mayan Banana Bread)

“With one tree able to produce as much as 400 pounds of food a year, using the Maya nut prevents rain forest clear-cutting to harvest other foods and increases populations’ food supplies. Dried, the Maya nut can be stored for up to five years — a lifeline for regions with frequent drought.

The Maya nut has high levels of nutrients including protein, calcium, fiber, iron and vitamins A, E, C and B…

It is also less susceptible to climate changes than the crops that had been brought in to replace it.” -CNN

Chocolate Maya Nut Cake

Adapted from a recipe by The Equilibrium Fund

1 1/2 cups sprouted wheat flour
1/2 cups Maya nut, ground
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1 teaspoon aluminum-feee baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon true cinnamon
1/3 cup panela or other non-refined sweetener
1 cup strong coffee (use decaf if you prefer)
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
2 teaspoons coumarin-free Mexican vanilla
2 tablespoons organic cider vinegar

Grease an 8″ deep-dish pie pan (or two 4-inch ramekins) with coconut oil. Sift together the dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then slowly stir back into the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Take care to not over-bake. Allow to cool 15 minutes before inverting onto a large plate and glazing.

1 cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coumarin-free Mexican vanilla
2 tablespoons warm, filtered water

Melt the chocolate in a pan set over steaming water. Whisk in vanilla and water, then spoon over cooled cake. Garnish with coconut flakes, cinnamon and ground, toasted Maya nut.

: Chocolate Maya Nut Cake

The Equilibrium Fund in partnership with Alimentos Nutri-Naturales, BanRural, Rainforest Alliance, the Guatemalan Ministry of Education and the Guatemalan Ministry of Agriculture started the Healthy Kids, Healthy Forests Program in September, 2008..

Please visit The Equilibrium Fund to learn more

Salsa de Tomate Verde Asado

September 11, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Time was when I’d come home at the end of the work week and just pull out a frozen pizza or microwave dinner and plop down in front of the TV.

Not anymore. Even when I don’t much feel like cooking or fiddling around with the camera or the blog (i.e., tonight), a simple, comforting meal is within reach because I only keep fresh, whole foods on hand. The TV? Gave it away years ago.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa..

Salsa de Tomate Verde Asado

Husk, rinse and halve fresh tomatillos. Place cut side down in a heavy skillet along with a few cloves of garlic, a jalapeño and a poblano chile. Brown well on both sides.

Seal the peppers inside a paper bag and allow the steam 15 minutes. Peel away most of the skin (leaving a few charred bits), split and remove stems and seeds.

Transfer peppers to the bowl of a food processor along with tomatillos, garlic and a handful of cilantro. Moisten with 1/4 cup or so of filtered water and pulse into a coarse puree.

Stir minced onion into the salsa and season to taste with sea salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Leftover salsa will keep 2-3 days in the fridge.

Bacon & Eggs

Fry uncured streaky bacon or pork belly with yellow onions until the onions are brown and the bacon is crisp.

Pour off all but a teaspoon of fat, then crack eggs directly into the pan and allow to set for just a moment.

Spoon roasted tomatillo salsa over the eggs and toss in some chopped cilantro. Stir and scramble to your preferred degree of doneness and serve with frijoles and fresh tortillas.

: Huevos con Tocino y Salsa Verde

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

The Thing About Brussels Sprouts

September 10, 2009 / Ren

In the same plant family as cabbage, broccoli and kale, Brussels sprouts have been cultivated in Belgium (hence the name) since the 1200’s.

Extremely high in Vitamin C and a good source of iron, a lot of people dislike Brussels sprouts, reporting that they have a bitter or sulphur-like flavor. The objectionable taste actually comes from a compound called sinigrin (CAS 3952-98-5), which is released when the vegetables are overcooked.

So to ensure mild, sweet-tasting Brussels sprouts, simply do not overcook them..

Brussels Sprouts and Ham in Mustard Cheese Sauce

Place washed, untrimmed Brussels sprouts in a covered steamer for 6-7 minutes until bright green but underdone. Shock the sprouts in ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the color.

Trim off the stems and peel away the outer leaves. You want the sprouts to be as uniform in size as possible, so you might cut the larger ones in half (or even in quarters) and leave the smaller ones whole.

Heat some fat (bacon grease, butter or leaf lard all work well) in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and Brussels sprouts and cook until both are well browned.

Add uncured ham and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add fresh cream and coarse mustard (preferably homemade) and simmer until it sprouts are fork-tender.

Add cheese such as raw-milk cheddar with caraway seeds and stir to combine. Add some chopped parsley for visual appeal if you like.

Season with sea salt, freshly-ground pepper and perhaps a few red pepper flakes and serve hot from the pan.

: Brussels Sprouts and Ham in Mustard Cheese Sauce

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet

Pork Stew with Chipotle and Plantains

September 9, 2009 / Ren

Smokey braised pork with peppers, onions, piloncillo and plantains..

Pork Stew with Chipotle and Plantains

Trim pork shoulder, removing any heavy fat. Cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks, arrange on a foil-lined baking tray and broil, turning once, until golden brown. Some pieces will be crisp, others less so. This is a good thing.

Transfer meat to a Dutch oven and add minced fresh garlic, diced fresh peppers, red and/or yellow onions, sliced ripe plantains and 1-2 diced chipotle peppers with 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce.

Season with a little toasted cumin, a pinch of Mexican oregano and just enough shaved piloncillo (a traditional, unrefined sugar common to Central and South America) to balance the heat of the peppers.

Add enough dark beer (preferably a Munich-style beer such as Negra Modelo) to almost cover the contents of the pot. Cover tightly and braise in a 300 degree oven until fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Serve with fresh tortillas.

: Chipotle Banana Pork Stew

Square-foot gardening at greatstems.com

September 9, 2009 / Ren

Meredith over at Great Stems has put together an excellent series of posts about vegetable families, square-foot gardening and companion plants, complete with a 3-year rotation plan for organic vegetables. Check it out..

Square-foot gardening at greatstems.com

Help me water my square foot garden! (ask.metafilter.com)

Tuesday Twister

September 8, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Each Tuesday, Wardeh at gnowfglins.com encourages us to share what we’ve been up to in our kitchens over the past week.

Here’s a glance at what’s been cooking around here..

1) Grilled Mango Salad with Aji Mirasol Bacon Dressing Fresh ripe mangoes, avocados and an aji mirasol-infused balsamic bacon dressing over watercress and field greens. I really liked this one, but it wasn’t particularly popular with my readers. Oh, well.

2) Pan-Seared Salmon, Fresh Peas and Mustard Beurre Blanc I really liked this one too, but my readers weren’t impressed. Tough crowd!

3) Huevos Rancheros Fresh, pastured eggs poached in roasted tomato salsa with fresh tortillas. Garlic, cumin, Aji Mirasol (a Peruvian chili whose means looking at the sun), onions and cilantro. A long-time favorite in my family.

4) Salade Niçoise Américaine A primal, seasonal all-American version of the venerable French Salade Niçoise.

5) Chili Lime Delicata Fries, Avocado Mayonnaise Wedges of oven-roasted delicata squash, seasoned with smoked chili powder and fresh lime, served with homemade avocado mayonnaise. This one drove a ton of traffic 🙂

6) Smoked Beef Brisket Good old fashioned hickory-smoked Texas beef brisket with chili BBQ sauce.

7) Horchata Horchata is a traditional agua fresca made from rice, almonds and cinnamon. Really refreshing and costs just pennies to make.

8) Grilled Cheese Soup Homemade vegetable stock, sourdough croûtons, fresh basil, scallions, Roma tomatoes and raw cheeses.

Hickory Smoked Beef Brisket

Now go see what everyone else has been up to!

Grilled Cheese Soup

September 7, 2009 / Ren

Simmering vegetable stock, sourdough croûtons, fresh basil, scallions, Roma tomatoes and raw cheeses..

Grilled Cheese Soup

This recipe is a riff on The Moosewood Collective’s Italian Bread & Cheese Soup

For the stock

Roast such vegetables as you have available. At a minimum, try to include celery, onions, carrots, tomatoes and garlic. Parsley root and celery root add extra flavor.

Place roasted vegetables into a clean pot and fill with cold, filtered water. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced in volume by 1/3 or more, about 2 hours. Add a teaspoon each of turmeric and paprika for color if you like. Strain and keep hot.

Tear wild yeast sourdough into irregular pieces and sauté in pastured butter until crisp and golden brown. Place in the center of a deep dinner plate.

Add diced Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced scallions, Italian parsley and fresh basil.

Add shredded cheeses. I’m using raw cheddar and Grana Padano.

Pour hot vegetable stock over the top and garnish with additional minced herbs. Season with a little coarse seal salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

: Grilled Cheese Soup

Horchata

September 7, 2009 / Ren

Horchata is a traditional agua fresca commonly served in Spain, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico. Depending on the region, it may be made with sesame seeds, rice, tigernuts, barley, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar..

Horchata

1/2 cup aged basmati
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 1/2 inches Ceylon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup fresh whole milk, more or less
non-refined sugar to taste

Pulverize dry rice in a blender or food processor and transfer to a glass bowl. Add almonds and cinnamon then pour boiling water over the top. Cover and allow to stand overnight.

Transfer soaked rice, almonds and cinnamon to a blender and blend for 3 minutes. Strain mixture into a clean container, thin with milk and sweeten to taste.

Thai-Spiced Roast Chicken, Ginger Jasmine Rice

September 6, 2009 / Ren

Local, pastured chicken roasted with raw coconut oil, lemongrass, onion, garlic, coriander and fermented soy..

Thai-Spiced Roast Chicken, Ginger Jasmine Rice

Rinse and pat dry a 3-pound pastured chicken. Place in a large glass bowl.

Melt raw coconut oil over low heat. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor with cumin, coriander, garlic, onion, lemongrass, fermented soy, turmeric, paprika and fresh lime juice.

Pour mixture over chicken, taking care to coat all sides. Allow to sit 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Place chicken in a heavy skillet and roast in a 400 degree oven until the skin is crisp and brown and the juices run clear, about 50-60 minutes.

Pour the fat, oil and juices from the pan into a glass measuring cup and use that and some filtered water as the cooking liquid for the rice.

Add fresh ginger, minced lime leaves, cilantro and thinly sliced peppers to the rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

: Thai-Spiced Roast Chicken, Ginger Jasmine Rice

Smoked Beef Brisket

September 5, 2009 / Ren

Hickory-smoked local, pastured beef brisket with chili BBQ sauce..

Smoked Beef Brisket

Trim a beef brisket of most fat and all connective tissue. Rinse and pat dry.

Liberally coat all sides with your favorite dry rub (I use smoked chili powder), cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Place seasoned brisket in a hickory chip-impregnated smoker bag along with 1/4 cup of filtered water and some coarsely chopped celery, yellow onions and carrots.

Seal the bag and place in a 500 degree oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and continue to cook until meat is tender, about 2 hours for a 3-pound brisket.

Remove brisket from bag and allow to rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the vegetables and juices from the bag into a blender and pulse until smooth. Add tomato paste to thicken, a little molasses for sheen and chili base for flavor.

Carve brisket against the grain into 1/4 inch slices and serve with chili BBQ sauce.

: Smoked Beef Brisket

Chili Lime Delicata Fries, Avocado Mayonnaise

September 5, 2009 / Ren

Wedges of oven-roasted delicata squash, seasoned with smoked chili powder and fresh lime, served with homemade avocado mayonnaise.

Makes a great side for Smoked Beef Brisket..

Chili Lime Delicata Fries, Avocado Mayonnaise

Split delicata squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Split halves into wedges, arrange skin-side down in a heavy skillet. Season with fresh lime juice and smoked chili powder and roast in a 350 degree oven until tender/crisp and golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

For the mayonnaise

1 pastured egg yolk at room temperature
1 teaspoon homemade mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 to 1 cup raw organic avocado oil
1/2 ripe avocado, mashed
generous pinch of sea salt

In your food processor, place egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice and salt and process until well blended, about 30 seconds. With the motor running, add oil in a very slow, thin stream. The mayonnaise will thicken as it stands.

: Chili Lime Delicata Fries, Avocado Mayonnaise

Happy Birthday, Mom

September 5, 2009 / Ren

Love you!

Salade Nicoise Americaine

September 4, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

While the term SAD very appropriately describes the unhealthy Standard American Diet of nutrient-depleted, heavily-processed foods (so-called), there is abundant goodness to be had for little extra effort or expense.

Here’s a primal, seasonal all-American version of the venerable French Salade Niçoise..

Salade Niçoise Américaine

Prepare hard-cooked pastured eggs. Cool and set aside.

Take a thin slice off the North and South poles of a large, ripe heirloom tomato. Scoop out a little of the flesh from the center and place the tomato in a heavy skillet. Chop the remaining flesh, tops and bottoms and set aside.

Lightly drizzle the tomato with virgin olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly-cracked pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes to intensify the flavor. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine US Pacific pole-caught albacore tuna in a bowl with plenty of raw olive oil, organic pitted black olives, sliced scallions, diced roasted red peppers and flat-leaf parsley. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Prepare a salad of mixed field greens and herbs and toss with a little white balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

To assemble, place tomato in center of dinner plate and mound over with tuna mixture. Arrange salad around the perimeter and garnish with quartered eggs and a variety of made-at-home sprouts.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

Eggs Toscana

September 3, 2009 / Ren

Eggs Toscana

Fresh local eggs fried in a bit of cultured butter with chorizo, Italian grilling peppers, red & green onions, flat-leaf parsley and roasted salsa. Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Huevos Rancheros, Salsa de Aji Mirasol Asado

September 2, 2009 / Ren

If you’ve never made roasted salsa from scratch before, you owe it to yourself to try it – you just can’t buy anything this good in a store at any price. This dish is easy and inexpensive enough to feed the whole gang.

Fresh, pastured eggs poached in roasted tomato salsa with fresh tortillas. Garlic, cumin, Aji Mirasol (this Peruvian chile’s name means looking at the sun), onions and cilantro..

Huevos Rancheros, Salsa de Aji Mirasol Asado

Coarsely chop tomatoes, tomatillos, red & green onions, garlic, jalapeño peppers, cumin and Aji Mirasol chiles. Season lightly with sea salt and smoked pepper and roast in a 450 degree oven until blistered, about 15 minutes.

Working in batches if necessary, transfer the roasted vegetables to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to a semi-coarse texture.

Pour the salsa into a skillet and simmer over moderate heat until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

With the back of a large spoon, form a well in the just-bubbling salsa then crack an egg into the well. You can prepare as many as a dozen eggs at once, depending on the size of your pan and the quantity of salsa that you’ve made.

Cover the pan and cook eggs to your liking, about 3-4 minutes for runny yolks.

Meanwhile, heat fresh tortillas (corn tortillas are traditional for this dish) in a lightly greased comal or skillet.

To serve, nestle an egg inside a tortilla and spoon some of the salsa around the edges. Dress with a squeeze of lime.

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet

Pan-Seared Salmon, Fresh Peas and Mustard Beurre Blanc

September 2, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Wild Alaskan sockeye with smoked pepper, fresh peas with pastured bacon and thyme and coarse mustard beurre blanc..

Pan-Seared Salmon, Fresh Peas and Mustard Beurre Blanc

For the mustard beurre blanc

1/4 cup white vermouth
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 oz fresh cream
1 tablespoon homemade coarse-grain mustard
4 tablespoons pastured butter, cut into small pieces
sea salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Boil vermouth, vinegar, shallots and garlic until liquid is reduced by 1/2, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in fresh cream and homemade mustard, reduce heat and simmer another 5 minutes.

Strain mixture into a clean pan over low heat and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time. Season with sea salt and cayenne and keep warm until ready to use.

Rinse fresh, wild Alaskan salmon fillets, pat dry and season with sea salt and smoked black pepper. Set aside.

Blanch fresh peas in salted boiling water until not quite done. Drain and rinse under cold filtered water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Fry pieces of fresh pork belly or uncured bacon until crisp. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat then add blanched peas and fresh thyme. Cook until peas are fork-tender, perhaps 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, sear salmon presentation-side down in a little clarified butter or unrefined coconut oil until brilliant orange and slightly crisp on the edges, about 2-3 minutes.

Turn salmon over and place pan in a 400 degree oven until the fish is medium-rare, about 3 minutes depending on thickness.

Spoon peas in a circle around perimeter of plate and spoon beurre blanc into the center of the plate. Place salmon on top of sauce and dress with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

This post is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival

Giveaway: Real Food Must-Reads

September 2, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

There’s still a little time left to enter the giveaway for your choice of one of nearly 2 dozen top real-food titles..

Grilled Mango Salad with Aji Mirasol Bacon Dressing

September 1, 2009 / Ren

Fresh ripe mangoes, avocados and an aji mirasol-infused balsamic bacon dressing over watercress and field greens..

Grilled Mango Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Wash and dry field greens, watercress and fresh herbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Fry cubes of uncured, pastured bacon and chopped red onions until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat.

Add white balsamic vinegar and 1 small aji mirasol pepper (mild chile and apricot-like flavor) and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Adjust sharpness with a spoonful of raw honey, but don’t make it particularly sweet. Add the bacon and onions and keep warm.

Split and score a ripe mango. Push up from the bottom so that the sections pull apart, dress with coconut oil (unctuous and high-heat stable) and season with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Grill the mango halves flesh side down until caramelized, about 5 minutes depending on heat source.

Arrange warm grilled mango over crisp greens. Dress with hot bacon dressing and garnish with avocado slices and quartered grape tomatoes.

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