Day Two Heart Healthy Tune-up Menu

BREAKFAST
Breakfast Shake: (serves one), 1.5 cups milk or milk substitute (I used a container of full fat, raw milk yogurt and a bit of water, 1 cup frozen berries (or 1/2 banana and 1/2 cup berries), 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (grind in small coffee grinder or spice grinder), 1 scoop protein powder of your choice

LUNCH
Turkey Breast, 5-6 ounce, sliced.  Wrap with 1 cup of sliced tomatoes and lettuce.  You are allowed two gluten-free corn tortillas but I just made a salad.  Mustard or Salsa are approved condiments.

SUPPER
Chicken Stir Fry with Orange-Ginger Sauce

SNACK
Apple with peanut butter
Nut Cup (1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds,  2 tablespoons raw almonds and pistachios, 1 tablespoon raw walnuts and pecans, 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds) MANDATORY
1 Banana MANDATORY
Dill Pickle
1 cup Raw Vegetables & Hummas or Black Bean Dip

Please note:  USE ONLY US BROWN RICE!  WE USE ONLY LUNDBERG RICE!



Chicken Stir-Fry served with left-over Brown Rice made yesterday
serves two + the toddler
1 1/2 teaspoon nut oil (almond or walnut)
1 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1/2 medium onion, diced
3/4 pound organic, free-range chicken, cut into strips
2 med garlic cloves, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced (can use green)
1 cup snow peas
1 cup broccoli, sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chicken broth (homemade preferred)
1 green onion, roots trimmed and discarded, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind from organic orange
3 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed and seeds removed.
1 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free tamari sauce or liquid aminos
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon tapioca starch
Garnish: 1 tablespoon chipped cashews, toasted

1. Heat large saute pan over med-high heat.  Add oil, ginger root, and onion, and stir occasionally until onion becomes translucent, about 2 minutes.  Add chicken and stir until opaque, 4-5 minutes. 
2. To the pan add garlic bell pepper, broccoli, snow peas, pepper and chili flakes.  Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
3. In a bowl, mix the broth, green onions, orange rind, orange juice, tamari sauce, sesame oil, and tapioca starch
4. When vegetables are brightly colored and tender-crisp, add liquid to skillet and stir until chicken and vegetables are coated with the thickened sauce, 1-2 minutes
5. Toast nuts for 1 minutes in saute pan on med-high heat and sprinkle over stir-fry.
6. Serve immediately over hot brown rice.

Black Bean Dip
15 ounces black beans, cooked, drained and rinsed
1 medium red bell pepper, roasted
1/2 cup prepared Mexican salsa
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 tsp red chili flakes (or to taste)
2 tbsp. grated Monterey Jack cheese
Rinse and drain beans, In a food processer, combine ingredients and blend until smooth.  Heat and serve with julienned vegetables or baked tortillas cut into triangles.

Menu Plan and recipes on this page adapted from The 30-Day Heart Tune-up by Steven Masley, MD

Day One Heart Tune-up Diet

BREAKFAST
Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal with 1/2 cup Blueberries and whole raw milk
Hot Herbal Cinnamon Tea

LUNCH
Grilled Organic, Free-range Chicken over Mixed Greens and Vegetables, Vinigrette
Unsweetened, Ice Peach Tea

SUPPER
Grilled Spiced Citrus Salmon, 1/2-3/4 cup Brown rice, Broccoli Shitake Mushroom Saute (1 cup), Mixed Green salad (2 cups) as for lunch

SNACK
Apple with peanut butter
Nut Cup (1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon walnuts, hazelnuts and pecans, 2 tablespoons raw almonds, and 2 Brazil nuts)
Dill Pickle
Raw Vegetables & Hummas

Please note:  USE ONLY US BROWN RICE!  WE USE ONLY LUNDBERG RICE!

Plan your day: 
Morning or night before

1. Thaw your chicken and Salmon in the refrigerator. 
2. Make enough salad in the morning to get you through the entire day for all members of your family joining in the plan.
3. Cook your chicken, leave enough in frig for lunch then freeze the rest.  If you are using what you've previously prepared then thaw what you need for lunch in the refrigerator.
4. We suggest using DRY BEANS to avoid the BPA and other things in your commercially canned beans.  If you use commercially canned beans PLEASE rinse well.  I keep a supply of pre-cooked beans in the freezer and get out what I need for the day each morning.
5. Busy Afternoon?  Rice can be made ahead (try using chicken stock for at least half the water when cooking the rice) and warmed for Supper and you can do all the vegetable slicing and keep it in the refrigerator for later.

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal
(Serves Gabriella and I)
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1.4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 cup water
Bring to simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook on low 5 minutes.  Stir, cover and cook another 5 min.  Add some additional water if necessary.  Place in bowl and add milk or milk substitute as desired.

Grilled Chicken over Mixed Greens and Vegetables
NOTE:  I cook the chicken ahead, slice and freeze.  Then I thaw and use in the salad
Serves ONE (I give Gabriella some of this and she also gets some kind of gluten-free muffin with fruit)
4 ounces skinless, boneless, organic, free-range Chicken breast
2 cups mixed organic salad greens (I add a leaf of chopped kale)
1/4 cup shredded carrot (optional)
1/4 thinly sliced red onion (optional)
1/4 cup diced cucumber (optional)
4 cherry tomatoes
6 tablespoons garbanzo beans, cooked, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup cooked, quartered, drained artichoke hearts (I use 3 oz Native Forest Marinated Artichoke Hearts)
1 tablespoon Dried Cranberries
1 tablespoon raw almonds (chopped or use slivers)

1. Set grill at 450 degrees or turn on the broiler.  Mix us a low carb vinaigrette and set aside 4 teaspoons for this salad.
2. Marinate chicken breasts in your favorite low-carb marinade for 15minutes.
3. Shake off excess marinade and grill 4-5 minutes on each side.  Let rest 10 minutes before slicing into 1/2 inch strips.
4. Combine salad greens, tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, garbanzo beans and artichoke hearts in a salad bowl and toss with 4 teaspoons vinaigrette dressing. 
5. Plate salad and lay chicken slices over it.  Garnish with berries and nuts.

Spiced Citrus Salmon
Serves 2 + our 2 yr old
3/4 pound salmon Fillets (wild caught please)
1/2 cup orange juice (I juiced a whole organic orange and grated the peel for later use, DO NOT use citrus peel from a conventional, non-organic fruit)
1/2 medium lemon
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried dill week
Olive Oil Spray

1. Rinse salmon fillets in cold water.  Marinate in orange juice for 15 minutes.  Preheat grill to 450 degrees.  Drain fillets and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Sprinkle lemon juice over fillets.  Combine salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, sugar and dill weed.  Sprinke over the salmon and spray oil over herb-coated fillets.
3. Grill 4-5 minutes per side.

Broccoli Mushroom Saute
Serves 2+ our toddler
1 tsp virgin olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, sliced into long slivers
1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced long slices
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, cooked, rinsed and drained
1/8 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
pinch ground black peper
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 teaspoon white wine
2 cups broccoli, sliced into 2-3 inch slices

1. Heat pan to medium-high.  Add oil, onion, mushrooms, salt, pepper and herbs.  Saute 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add wine, beans and broccoli, cover and steam for 2-3 minutes until broccoli is al dente.

Menu Plan and recipes on this page adapted from The 30-Day Heart Tune-up by Steven Masley, MD

Best Yet Chicken Enchiladas

1 Tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 small onion, peeled and diced

1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into small 1/2-inch pieces

salt and pepper

1 diced jalepeno (optional)

1 cup black beans (we have them in the freezer because we cook these ahead, if you use canned please drain and rinse)**

4-5 Gluten-Free corn tortillas

1 1/2 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese (Gabby's are made with dairy free cheese and a bit of coconut milk which tends to make the recipe creamier)

1 batch red enchilada sauce (below), or 1/2 can store-bought enchilada sauce

(optional: 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro)

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  
2. Prepare your enchilada sauce, if making homemade.
3. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and Jalepeno and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4.  Add diced chicken, and season with salt and pepper.  Saute for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through (you can also use left-over chicken for this recipe).  Remove from heat and set aside.
5. To assemble the enchiladas, set up an assembly line including: tortillas, enchilada sauce, beans, chicken mixture, and cheese. Lay out a tortilla, and spread two tablespoons of sauce over the surface of the tortilla.  Add beans in a line down the middle of the tortilla, then add in a spoonful of the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up tortilla and place in a greased 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.  Then spread the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas, and sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro if desired.

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. coconut oil
 1 Tbsp. Gluten-Free Flour Blend
 1-2 Tbsp. chili powder (some like it hot and some not)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. oregano
1 cup chicken stock

Directions:

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.

My recipes are scaled to serve 2-3 but we usually still have left-overs.  All our ingredients are Organic and meats assumed to be Pasture/Grass Fed Organic.

**Beans are great for reducing protein costs and stabilizing blood sugars.

SERVED WITH OUR SUPER SALAD

Both recipes adapted from recipes found at: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/best-chicken-enchiladas-ever/ 

Italian Pork and Potato Cauliflower Casserole

Since we won't be raising our own meat anymore and good meat protein** is expensive I am looking for ways to create meals that are; low carb, low sugar (moving to no processed sugar), gluten and dairy free.  Our 'meat' servings in this country are way more than a person needs.  We choose to lower the 'meat' serving size and add more vegetables.  Last nights supper was so filling!   I converted these recipes some from the original recipes noted.

**Good meat protein, for us, is Pasture/Grass Fed, Organic, Locally Raised

.
2.	NOTE: To make meal prep simpler I combined the onions and bacon from both recipes and cooked them together then divided for the individual recipes and continued each recipe. Instead of simmering the Pork I put it in a casserole and put it in the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Italian Pork

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped bacon (we had some shoulder bacon)
2 teaspoons dried chopped sage (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
2 teaspoons dried chopped parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1 tablespoon chopped dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 pound sliced pork (I used pork chops)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup coconut milk (I used organic canned)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the bacon, sage, parsley, dried tomatoes, and onion 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Mix the pork strips into the skillet, and brown about 10 minutes, turning once.

2.

Stir the broth and coconut milk  into the skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork reaches a minimum temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) and sauce is thickened. Converted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?recipeID=71555&origin=detail&servings=2&metric=false Potato Cauliflower Casserole 1 1/2  cup chopped potato 1 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower (I used roughly the same volume potatoes as cauliflower) 1 teaspoon Olive Oil 1 ounces bacon, chopped 1/2 med onion, chopped 1/2 cup cheese (I used non-dairy for Gabby) 1/4 cup Coconut milk Directions1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and boil for 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Remove to a casserole dish; do not drain the water from the pot. Add the cauliflower to the pot and boil for 5 minutes, or until fork-tender. Place casserole with the potatoes. 3. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bacon and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until soft. 4. Add the bacon and onion to the casserole dish along with the shredded cheese and coconut milk and stir to mix. 5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese has melted. Converted from: http://www.organicgardening.com/cook/potato-cauliflower-casserole picture also from that source. SERVED WITH BROCCOLI AND CARROT COINS ALSO COOKED IN THE POTATO WATER.

Eating From The Garden

Well here's some of the pile I have to work with today.  So, for supper today we're having

Tuscan Pasta

Serves 3-4
8 ounces Italian Sausage, browned
4 ounces gluten-free Linguini
2 cups shredded zucchini or other summer squash
1 large, organic carrot, shredded
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons plain yogurt (I used Dairy Free Almond Yogurt)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used a non-dairy substitute)
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Cook linguine according to package directions.  If your squash is frozen and thawed, in a sieve or colander, drain the zucchini, squeezing to remove excess liquid. Pat dry.

In a large skillet, brown meat, remove to bowl,  saute carrot and zucchini in oil for 2 minutes. Add garlic; saute 1-2 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender, add meat back to vegetable mixture.

Transfer to a large bowl. Add the yogurt, cheese, salt and pepper.

Drain linguine; add to zucchini mixture and toss to coat.

Fall Menu Plan - September

Greetings everyone!  Grandma Farmer is back!  I will be blogging about meal planning with meals for two that are also child friendly.  Why?  Well Grandma and Grandpa Farmer are parenting our almost 2 year old granddaughter.  Our hope is to touch her pallet with a variety of foods and vegetables.  We are also eating as organic as possible on our tight budget.  The other obstacle to healthy eating around here is Grandma Farmer and Gabby are both Gluten-Intolerant AND Gabby is Dairy intolerant (Casin).

 If that is not enough Gabby's main joints are all double jointed, she has restrictive airway disease (potential asthma due to cigarette smoke exposure) and was exposed to drugs in utero.  Sound hopeless?  We don't think so.  Gabby is an amazing person and our goal is to make her the best she can be while teaching her about the love of her FATHER GOD and her SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

We live on a small acreage (10 acres) and are passionately against and GMO products for us, our pets and our livestock. We raise much of our own food (crazy about gardening), purchase locally and organic when we can.

We plan to share our journey with you and hope you'll be able to glean from what we discover as we go along.

Here's our menu plan for the rest of September:

Monday:  Goodstuff Casserole,  Broccoli Corn Bake

Tuesday:  Sesame Wild Caught Salmon, Stir-fried Organic Vegetables

Wednesday: Tuscan Chicken Stew

Thursday: Broccoli, Beef, Potato Bake, Carrot Coins

Friday: Roast Chicken, Carrots, & Potatoes (Crock-pot)

Saturday: Cabbage Beef Buns

Sunday: Grilled, Marinated Steak (our own), Baked Potatoes, Salad

Monday: Chicken Tenders, Broccoli/Cauliflower/Carrots

Tuesday:  Goulash, Beets

Recipes to follow!

Strawberry Rhubarb Chrisp

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 cups cut up rhubarb
• 2 cups cut up strawberries
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup certified gluten-free oats
• 1/4 cup Grandma Farmer's Better Than Wheat Flour Blend
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup butter (or dairy free substitute), cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the rhubarb, strawberries, and vanilla. Pour into an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.
3. Stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Using a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the oat/flour mixture, until large crumbs, about the size of a pea, remain.
4. Sprinkle the crisp topping over the top of the fruit in the baking dish, and spread to create an even layer.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the fruit is hot and bubbly.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving, the fruit sauce is very hot straight out of the oven. Delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

 

NOTE:  If you do not need to be Gluten or Dairy free substitute evenly with regular flour, oats and butter.