Primal-Friendly Worcestershire Sauce

Preparing tasty meals at home is easy when you have a variety of bottled sauces to add instant flavor. However, many of the store-bought ones are loaded with sugar. I combined and tweaked a couple of recipes I found online for homemade Worcestershire sauce to create a low-carb one. 

Because it isn't identical to the traditional sauce, it is best to avoid using it in recipes that rely on Worcestershire as the primary flavor element (e.g. a Bloody Mary). Instead, use it whenever you want a concentrated blast of sweet and sour, with a little bit of spice. You could add an anchovy for extra umami, and the orange zest would make it an ideal accompaniment for pork. This sauce is also excellent on braised cabbage or greens. 

½ cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. Coconut Aminos

2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. tamarind paste

10 drops Stevita brand stevia juice (or equivalent amount of other brand)

¼ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. mustard powder

¼ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/16 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. (scant) grated orange or lemon zest (optional)

1 anchovy, finely minced (optional)

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer 5 minutes. Cool.

Store in the refrigerator.

When Life Gives You Eggplant, Make Dessert!

I’m not necessarily a big fan of eggplant, but I do like what happens when you cook the living daylights out of it, as in certain Sri Lankan and Moroccan recipes, so when I ran across a recipe by Deborah Madison for Savory Eggplant “Jam” with Cumin and Coriander, I knew that I would like it. It was, indeed, quite tasty, and I especially loved the sticky, silky texture. Because eggplant doesn’t have much of its own flavor, I thought that it might make a good foundation for a sweet, dessert-y treatment, so I started to experiment.

The first attempt was a cinnamon walnut concoction that turned out really well. It would be right at home rolled up inside some kind of pastry. I added fenugreek for a touch of maple flavor, and it was even better.

The second stop was inspired by a dish from the Amalfi coast of Italy which pairs breaded, fried eggplant with chocolate sauce. I added cocoa powder and toasted, slivered almonds to the mashed eggplant matrix, and was absolutely blown away by the natural affinity of these ingredients for each other. It was a bit like chocolate pudding. After a night in the fridge, I was even more blown away, as the texture had transformed into something more like chocolate frosting.

The third and fourth variations were less successful, using orange flower water in one, and raspberries in the other. They weren’t bad, but it seems as though these delicate flavors were not bold enough to stand up to the slight eggplant flavor. My (non-Primal) taster simply shook his head, “No”.

The fifth recipe was a revelation. I tried to recreate the coconut pecan frosting that is typically spread on German chocolate cake.

Oh my.

Granted, if you give it to someone who eats German chocolate cake every day, they will not be fooled. However, for someone who hasn’t eaten sugar, eggs or dairy in several months, this is definitely a treat. I wouldn’t recommend using it as a frosting, unless you’re willing to cook down several pounds of eggplant to make enough to cover a (grain-free!) cake, but put it in a little dish, call it dessert and prepare to smile. It would also be an enjoyable breakfast for anyone who misses the creamy/chewy texture of steel-cut oats.

Because sweetness varies between different  brands of stevia, as with all desserts, start small and add more in tiny increments until you reach your ideal sweetness level.

Please note: Since eggplant is a nightshade, which can trigger an inflammatory response in some people, I would keep this as an occasional indulgence, for when you are really hankering for that very distinct textural experience.

Sweet Eggplant Dessert

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 pound eggplant, purple or white, slender or round
Sea salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee

10 drops (or to taste) Stevita brand stevia (if using a different brand, use to taste)

1½  tsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp ground fenugreek (optional)

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Water

½ cup coconut milk (optional)

Peel the eggplant, and slice into 1/2 inch rounds, salt generously, and set on a plate for an hour, or longer if time allows. Rinse, then squeeze the eggplant dry in a towel.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the eggplant and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until well browned on both sides, about 15 minutes. Add about 1/2 cup water, reduce the heat, and mash the eggplant with a fork or spatula until it’s broken into a jam-like consistency. This can take 15 – 30 minutes, depending on the eggplant. Add walnuts. Add more water (or coconut milk, if using, up to ½ cup, then switching back to water if necessary), as it cooks, to help break it down. Mash occasionally.

The pan can be covered or uncovered, though leaving it uncovered means that you’ll have to monitor it more closely, and add water more frequently. You can uncover the pan and let the excess liquid cook off when the eggplant is finally soft.

Remove from heat. Add the spices, vanilla and stevia. Mix well. Mound in a shallow bowl or in individual dishes and serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

 

 Coconut Pecan Variation

Make as above, but increase the (now mandatory) fenugreek to ¾ tsp. and omit the cinnamon. Substitute ½ cup chopped walnuts and ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. shredded, unsweetened coconut  for the walnuts. For optimal results, do use the coconut milk option, and if you are able to use ghee, it will result in a better, buttery flavor.

Chocolate Variation

Make as above, but omit spices. With vanilla and stevia, add 2-4 Tbsp cocoa powder (2 if you are planning on eating it warm, 4 if you are planning on eating it cold, or try 3 if you aren’t sure) and ¼ cup toasted, slivered almonds. Here again, the coconut milk option will give you a broader flavor and richer texture.

It's Pie Time!

 A rainy May and a warm June mean another bumper crop of raspberries at Casa de Tightwad. If you are similarly blessed with more berries than you can reasonably eat in a day, I have tinkered with my family's favorite raspberry pie recipe (usually referred to simply as "The Pie") to make it free of grains, dairy and sugar. 

Don't be daunted by the length of the recipe; it is assembled from 3 components,  each of which is simple to make, but I have included several options, so it only appears complicated until you read through it.

 The crust is  based on a recipe by the perennially fabulous Durga Fuller. Her inspiring website is http://www.thecookawakening.com/

 The first cooked filling option is more expensive, but if you will be serving only a piece or two at a time, or need the pie to be picture perfect, this is the one to make. The konjac version is 50 times cheaper, and is perfect if you will be serving the entire pie at once, but it will start to ooze a bit after about 20 minutes.

 Feel free to improvise with adding flavors; try adding a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the cooked filling, some almond extract or grated ginger to the Crust Protector, or whatever you think might make it your new favorite. My Mom thought that it would be good as squares (though it would still need to be served on a plate, as the crust is a bit streusel-y). I'd love to hear about any customizations you make to it!

 You can also make the pie with other types of berries. For the cooked part, blueberries would need to be closer to 3 cups, mashed, and strawberries need to be pureed, or augmented with a little liquid.

The biggest variable is the stevia. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, and use stevia more to counter the tartness of the berries and the bitterness of the chocolate. If you like things sweeter, use a little more (see my note about stevia at the end of the directions).

 

Primal-Friendly Raspberry Pie

Crust

2 cups almond flour

¼ cup coconut oil

10 drops stevia juice*

Pinch of coarse salt

Crust Protector

¼ cup coconut cream**

2 oz. (by weight) coconut oil OR unsweetened chocolate (this option may require an additional 1-2 Tbsp. coconut cream for better spreadability) OR food-grade cocoa butter

½ tsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract

3 drops stevia juice*

Filling

2 cups fresh, whole raspberries

Cooked Option 1

2½ cups mashed raspberries (fresh or previously frozen)

1 tsp. Pomona’s Universal Pectin

1 tsp. calcium water (calcium and instructions included in the package of pectin)

18 drops stevia juice*

Cooked Option 2

2½ cups mashed raspberries (fresh or previously frozen)

1¼ tsp. konjac/glucomannan***

18 drops stevia juice*

Directions

To make the crust: Mix all the ingredients together in a food processor. Turn out into a 9” pie pan and press with your fingertips until the mixture is evenly distributed in the bottom and sides of the pan.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature while preparing other pie components.

To make the Crust Protector: Measure coconut oil, chocolate or cocoa butter in small mixing bowl (if using chocolate or cocoa butter, chop or shave into small pieces). Heat coconut cream over low/medium heat (stirring to keep it from doing that crazy, gurgly popping thing) to just under the boil. Pour hot coconut cream over fat of choice, stirring occasionally until fat is melted. Add stevia juice and vanilla, stir again and allow to cool down to tepid/room temperature.

When crust has cooled down, pour Crust Protector over the entire bottom (if using coconut oil, you may need to do one last stir to make sure that all of the ingredients are completely incorporated). Using a spatula or your clean fingertips, spread Crust Protector evenly onto surface of crust, including as much of the sides as possible. Place in refrigerator to cool.

To make the filling:

Option 1:

Place 2½ cups mashed raspberries in a small saucepan. Add 1 tsp. calcium water, and stir well.

Bring 3 oz. water to a boil and pour into blender. Add 1 tsp. pectin and blend until thoroughly dissolved , 1-2 minutes.

Bring raspberries to a boil. Remove from heat. Add pectin mixture and stir well. Add stevia and stir again. Bring back to a boil, stirring a couple of times to keep raspberries from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30-60 minutes.

Option 2:

Place 2 ½ cups mashed raspberries and stevia  juice in a small saucepan. Very gradually add konjac/glucomannan powder, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until significantly thickened (5-7 minutes). Allow to cool a bit (15-20 minutes).

To assemble pie: Remove crust (coated with Crust Protector) from refrigerator. Arrange fresh, whole berries in a single layer over the bottom surface of crust. Pour cooked filling evenly over the fresh berries, spreading with a spatula if necessary to make sure that most of the fresh berries are covered.

Refrigerate until cooked filling is set. Serve plain or with coconut cream that has been whipped with a little stevia and vanilla extract.

* A note about stevia: I tested this recipe using Stevita brand stevia juice. Because stevia varies widely in sweetness from brand to brand, if you aren’t using Stevita, your results will vary accordingly. For best results, start with a very small amount and keep adding a little bit at a time until the sweetness is right where you want it. Be careful! You can always add more, but once you’ve added too much, you can’t remove it.

**Coconut cream can be puchased in a can from Asian grocery stores, or you can put a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for an hour or two and spoon off the cooled cream that has risen to the top (use the rest of the milk in a smoothie or curry). Make sure not to get Cream of Coconut, which is sweetened and is generally used for making Pina Coladas.

***Konjac powder can be purchased from http://konjacfoods.com/. It is also sold in capsules as Glucomannan, and can be found at many stores that sell nutritional supplements.

Still Plenty of Good Soup Weather Ahead

It might be Spring, and visions of fresh salad are dancing in our heads, but the fact is that here in the Northland, there may be many weeks ahead of chilly, damp weather that only a good bowl of soup can counteract. Here is a recipe for one of my All Time Favorite Soups, adapted for the ancestral diet crowd. I usually increase the amount of turmeric and ginger when conditions are especially cold and rainy (a holdover from my more strictly Ayurvedic days).

The first time I made this was in tandem with a batch of broth from a very inexpensive turkey back. The amount of meat pulled off the bone after an hour of simmering was exactly 16 ounces, enough for 4 very hearty servings.

A note: All of the sieving and sifting is for if you want a velvety soup that is suitable for serving to fancy company. I never bother!

Mulligaturkey (adapted from World Vegetarian  by Madhur Jaffrey)

Makes 4-5 servings

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 tsp whole cumin seed

½ tsp whole fennel seed

½ tsp turmeric (or up to 1 tsp to taste)

¼ tsp cayenne

1 Tbsp ground coriander

2-3 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil

1 small-medium sized onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp (or more, to taste) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

12 fresh curry leaves or 8 fresh basil leaves

5 cups turkey broth

1 medium sized head of cauliflower, broken into large florets

2 medium carrots, medium diced or 1 small sweet potato, medium diced *
2 Tbsp tamarind paste/concentrate, unsweetened (optional)**

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

1 lb. cooked turkey, shredded

1 ¼ tsp salt, or to taste

Lime wedges for serving

  

Put the peppercorns, cumin seeds and fennel seeds in a small cast-iron frying pan and set over medium-high heat. Stir and roast until the spices emit a roasted aroma and some turn a shade darker. Empty into a plate to cool, then grind in a clean coffee grinder, mortar and pestle or other spice grinder. (Some may wish to sift the ground spices through a fine sieve, stirring them about with a spoon as they pass slowly through the mesh. This is not absolutely necessary, but it makes for a finer soup.) Add the turmeric, coriander and cayenne to the spice mixture.

In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat, and add onions. Saute until soft, then add garlic and ginger, and saute for another few minutes. Add spice mixture and saute for a minute or so. Add curry leaves or basil leaves, broth and vegetables. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth. If desired, strain the soup through a coarse sieve. Add the tamarind paste, coconut milk, cooked turkey and salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to blend the flavors; thin out with more stock, as needed. Serve hot with lime wedges.

* Omit if you are following a strictly Primal diet

** If you like a tangy flavor, but don't have any tamarind paste on hand, just substitute a couple of tablespoons of cider vinegar

Book review

I have just finished reading Beyond Broccoli, Creating a Biologically Balanced Diet When a Vegetarian Diet Doesn't Work by Susan Schenck LAc.

This book is a must-read for anyone who is a vegetarian or vegan for health reasons, and has been experiencing less-than-stellar health. While she covers many of the same topics as books like Primal Body, Primal Mind, Schenck excels in her focus of inviting the meatless to consider expanding their nutritional horizons, and makes a very persuasive case for a diet based on raw foods.

Very thorough and comprehensive, the book is extensively footnoted, and all of her assertions are backed up by solid science and research. The objective facts are nicely balanced with lots of subjective, anecdotal experiences, both her own and those of colleagues and others in the nutritional world. This makes it quite readable and engaging.

Her approach is very inclusive and non-judgmental. She doesn’t go for the easy black-and-white view, and instead acknowledges the broad continuum of possibilities for incorporating animal products, in varying degrees and for various reasons, into one’s diet.

While the most hard-headed of ideologues may not be open to her message, it is presented in such a way as to create the potential for the majority of vegetarians and vegans with open hearts and minds to at least take a rational, objective look at the foundations of their food choices.

A Primal Valentine's Dinner

I have always been ambivalent about Valentine's Day. On the one hand, how lovely to set aside a day to celebrate love! On the other hand, how sad that we need a reminder to tell us to turn our attention toward the ones we hold dear. And don't even get me started on the cultural and commercial coercion of earnest and hopeful lovers (usually men) to spend vast amounts of money on flowers, jewelry and chocolate, many varieties of which are produced with no shortage of involvement with slave labor and arms trafficking.

But I digress. This was intended to be a happy post, so in the most positive spirit of Valentine's Day, I will share a recipe for a fancy meal that won't break the bank. The prices listed are from my cheapest sources (e.g. organic frozen beans from Trader Joe's, sustainably caught frozen flounder from Aldi). My own costs were a bit cheaper, but I don't expect that everyone has home-grown tarragon hanging in their kitchen and a freezer full of green beans from last summer's Farmers' Market.

For the sauce, if you don't have a double boiler, you can use a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water.

 

Flounder with Mustard Sauce and Green Beans

Adapted from La Grenouille restaurant’s recipe, via Bon Appetit magazine

I increased the vegetable serving size, decreased the fish serving size, and cooked the fish under a broiler to simplify preparation.

Serves 4

2 lb. cut green beans  3.98

Coarse sea salt   .02

1 Tbsp. olive oil  .09

1 lb. skinless, boneless flounder fillets  3.99

1 tsp. (or more) paprika  .17

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter or ghee   .33

1 small shallot, minced  .10

1 small garlic clove, minced  .10

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley   .04

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon (or 1½ tsp. dried)  .29

Freshly ground black pepper  .05

Mustard sauce   4.01

Lemon wedges  .33

Cook beans in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; transfer to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Pat dry.

Arrange flounder in an oven-proof baking sheet or gratin dish. Season all over with salt and use a sieve to dust paprika over both sides of fish. Cook under broiler for 3 minutes, then turn and cook another 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add green beans and cook, stirring to coat, until warm. Stir in parsley and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide fish equally among 4 plates, with mustard sauce on the side. Serve with green beans and lemon wedges.

$3.38 per serving (13.50 total)

Mustard Sauce

¾ cup dry white wine (I used Charles Shaw Chardonnay)  .76

2 tsp. minced shallot  .10

1 small sprig thyme  .24

½ small bay leaf  .36

¼ tsp. tarragon or white wine vinegar  .01

6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter   1.98

2 large egg yolks   .58

1/8 tsp paprika  .02

1½ tsp. Dijon mustard  .05

Bring first 5 ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan; cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the top of a double boiler. Let cool slightly. Discard thyme sprig and bay leaf.

Meanwhile, simmer butter in a small saucepan over low heat until foamy, and the solids are slightly browned and settled to the bottom. Pour clarified butter into a small glass measuring cup, leaving brown bits behind. Keep warm.*

Whisk egg yolks, paprika and 1 Tbsp. water into wine mixture. Set double boiler over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow water to touch bowl). Whisk constantly until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in butter. Whisk constantly until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in Dijon mustard. Season with salt. Serve immediately. **

Total $4.10

*This instruction is important! If the butter gets too cool, it will “break” the sauce when it is subsequently added to the egg yolk mixture. I learned this the hard way. However, even if the sauce breaks, and isn’t glossy and gorgeous, it is still absolutely delicious! I put the leftover sauce in the fridge, then took it out about 30 minutes before serving and stirred to incorporate the butter. It was fabulous! An Italian might call it brutti ma buoni: ugly, but good.

**Because I had already messed up on the sauce, it didn't seem to suffer from having to wait to be served. 

And if you want a little something for dessert, here's a flourless, sugarless chocolate torte that my Mom (who, admittedly, has a bit of a sweet tooth) thought tasted like a nutrition bar. Ummm...thanks Mom, I guess. My non-Primal Eater boyfriend, however, thought it was good, and really enjoyed it with raspberry jam. I am generally not a chocolate person, but I enjoyed it. It reminded me of a less-moist brownie.

Primal Chocolate Torte

Serves 8

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, ghee or coconut oil ($1.98 for butter or homemade ghee)

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken up into squares; I used Ghirardelli ($5.00)*

6 large eggs, room temperature, separated  ($1.76)

1½ tsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract (.66)

½ tsp. (64 drops) stevia liquid** ($.23)

¼ tsp. coarse sea salt ($.01)

½ cup chopped walnuts, divided (optional)  ($.74)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees with the rack in the center. Grease (using butter, ghee or coconut oil) the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Place butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Do not allow water to touch bottom of the top pan. Heat until melted, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool to barely warm/tepid.

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites until glossy stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks, vanilla and stevia. Gradually add cooled chocolate mixture, a little at a time. It will get quite thick.*** Beat in ¼ of the egg whites. Gently fold in remaining egg whites, salt and half of walnuts.

“Pour” batter into the prepared pan, and smooth top with a rubber spatula (or with moistened fingertips; it will be stiff). Top with remaining walnuts (if using) and a little more sea salt (if desired). Bake until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center, about 45-50 minutes. It might be hard to discern this visually, as the top of the torte will still appear sort of damp, so you may quickly and carefully tap the top with your finger to see if it is dry and seems set. The toothpick test may not apply with this type of cake.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Remove sides of pan. Serve at room temperature. May be served with whipped coconut cream with vanilla and stevia added. It is also good with raspberries (thawed from frozen or fresh picked in season; please do not buy raspberries in February unless you live in the Southern hemisphere!).

If you are sharing this with  non-Primal eaters, theirs can be topped with powdered sugar, raspberry jam and/or sugar-sweetened whipped dairy or coconut cream.

If the torte turns out a bit crumbly, fret not! Just layer it in individual glass serving dishes with whipped coconut cream and raspberries and serve it as a trifle.

$10.38 total ($1.30 per serving)

* If you are sensitive to caffeine, please note that each serving has 22.5 mg. of caffeine. On an unrelated note, according to their parent company, while they are not officially buying Fair Trade, Ghirardelli does not source cocoa beans from Ivory Coast.

** I used Stevita brand. Since the sweetness of stevia varies by brand, you might start with 20 drops and keep adding and tasting until you get to your preferred level of sweetness.

*** I must interject at this point to say that, if you aren’t squeamish about eating raw eggs, you could stop right here and just eat the mixture right out of the bowl; it reminded me of truffle filling.