Search Results

If you're a Millennial, and grew up with Addy's Momma's recipe from Addy's Surprise! / The American Girl Cookbook, this is as close as I can get to that flavor without using butter, cream, and eggs! 3 large sweet potatoes or yams, boiled until tender 1/4 cup coconut oil or beef tallow, melted 2 tablespoons molasses 1/3 cup honey pinch of sea salt 2 flax eggs (2 Tbs flax meal + 6 Tbs water) 2/3 cup non-dairy heavy whipping cream or extra creamy oat milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg Coconut oil or tallow to grease your baking dish Preheat your oven to 350°F. When the boiled sweet potatoes are cool, peel them and put them in a large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork. In another large mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil, molasses, honey, and salt. Beat until creamy. Add the mashed sweet potatoes and stir until well mixed. Slowly add the beaten flax egg, non-dairy heavy whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Sprinkle in the nutmeg and stir. Grease a large baking dish and pour in the mixture. Put the baking dish on the lower rack in the oven. Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes or until set. Allow the pudding to cool before serving. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

1 batch Cream of Mushroom Soup 4 15 oz cans green beans, drained and rinsed (if you prefer to use the equivalent fresh or frozen and steamed to all dente, fine, but canned is traditional here and does add to the nostalgic flavor) 1 large, sweet onion, sliced thinly 1/3 cup olive oil or beef tallow To caramelize onions for your casserole topping: In a large skillet, heat your fat on low heat, add your thinly sliced onions, and let them caramelize in the fat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until your onions are as dark and crispy as you would like them to be. Remove from the heat and the pan, and set aside. To assemble the casserole: Add your green beans to a large mixing bowl, and add your batch of Cream of Mushroom Soup, cooled to room temperature. Mix thoroughly. Turn out into an 8"x8" casserole dish, and bake at 350° until the mixture is heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and top evenly with the caramelized onions before serving. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

1 12-14 lb turkey, neck and giblets removed, brought to room temperature 1 roasting pan 1 turkey baster or ladle Aluminum foil For the Herbed "Butter" : 1/2 cup (1 stick) beef tallow or vegan butter, softened (check ingredients for soy) 3 tablespoons reserved bacon grease (optional) 1/4 teaspoon each thyme, marjoram, rosemary, & black pepper 1 tablespoon sea salt (or to taste) Use a spatula or hand mixer to combine all ingredients in a small bowl. With clean hands (and food grade disposable gloves, if you want), take the herb "butter" by the handful, carefully separate the skin from the breast and thighs (there's a thin membrane connecting them that's easy to gently separate), and apply the herb butter underneath the skin, on top of the breast and thigh meat. Leave the skin intact on top. For the body cavity: 1 apple, cored (use a pie variety if you can) 2 stalks celery, washed and rough chopped 1 large carrot, washed and rough chopped 1 small sweet onion, peeled and halved (optional, for an allium-free preparation) Place all ingredients in the body cavity - see my Thanksgiving Bread & Sausage Stuffing for a stuffing recipe to serve on the side . Any other stuffing preparation is a recipe for food poisoning. To Roast: Preheat oven to 450°. Set the rack inside your roasting pan. Pour 4 cups of water into the pan. Place your buttered and stuffed bird on the rack. Place the roasting pan in your oven and roast uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 325°. Baste turkey with pan juices; add more water if needed to maintain at least 1/4-inch liquid in the bottom of your roasting pan. From here, you'll roast for 30 minutes; baste with pan juices, repeat, tenting with foil if turning too dark, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165° (juices should run clear when thermometer is removed), about 2 3/4 hours total. Transfer turkey to a platter. Tent with foil; let rest for 1 hour before carving and serving. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced 1 onion, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, finely diced 3 tablespoons olive oil or sauté oil of choice 1 tablespoon Madras Curry 2 tablespoons Caribbean Spice Mix 1 cup elbow macaroni or gluten-free pasta of choice 1 cup water 1 15 oz can coconut milk (can substitute water) 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables Heat your sauté oil in a large pot, and add the onion, garlic, curry powder, and Caribbean Spice to the pot, mixing well and sautéing until the spices are fragrant and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the diced chicken breast, and sauté with the spices until the chicken is cooked through. Add the pasta, water, and coconut milk to the pot, bring the pot to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer while stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Add the frozen vegetables, mix through, and heat for a minute before serving. Did you enjoy these recipes? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

The Original Pinterest Recipe: 2 parts raw coconut oil 1 part starch of choice (corn, arrowroot, and tapioca are popular) 1 part baking soda Add ingredients to a small mixing bowl, and mix very thoroughly with a spatula or hand mixer, until the paste resembles a whipped frosting. Store in a low, wide-mouth jar. Allow to set overnight before using. To use: apply a pea sized amount to each freshly cleaned armpit with your fingertips. I, personally, have found this recipe to be the most effective deodorant I have ever used, natural or not. I obviously have no problem with coconut oil or baking soda, like a lot of people do. If you need ingredient substitutes, here is what I would recommend: For coconut oil, unrefined beeswax, preferably local. Considering beeswax is very thick, you may want to use a double boiler to melt together 1/2 or 1 part beeswax to 1 part oil (such as olive or castor oil) to get the beeswax to the consistency you want for the recipe. For coconut oil, raw cocoa butter. Unfortunately, the antibacterial properties aren’t perfectly matched, so you’ll want to look into an add-in for extra odor protection. For coconut oil, beef tallow. Like the above, this is not going to have the same antibacterial properties as the coconut oil, but will act as a base for some add-ins. For baking soda, double your starch. I’ve made it this way as an anti-friction balm, you will need an add-in to make up for the antibacterial properties. For baking soda, very fine milled clay. I would again recommend an additional antibacterial with this. To add some additional antibacterial “oomph” to your recipe: Essential oils. Popular oils to use for deodorant are: lavender, patchouli, cedar, rosemary, clove, frankincense. Be mindful when using citrus oils, they make your skin photosensitive, i.e. prone to sunburn. A lil’ orange, rosemary, clove, and frankincense for the Christmas season under thick sweaters is fine, a mojito blend for the beach is not. Raw honey, and it does have to be raw. Locally produced is best, if possible. To incorporate honey into your recipe, melt it together with your “coconut oil” or oil substitute at a ratio of 1/2 part honey to 2 parts fat in a double boiler. Let the mixture set before continuing on with the recipe. Will this be sticky on the skin? Not if you let it sit overnight and meld properly into the paste. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, Colloidal Silver, Hypochlorous Acid - you may find your deodorant is more effective with a two-part process, an antimicrobial or PH balancing liquid like those I just listed, before applying your deodorant paste. Here are a few of my favorite essential oil blends: The Perimenopause Stank Buster: 2 parts lavender, 1 part geranium, 1 part clary sage, 1/2 part ylang ylang. The Music Festival: 2 parts patchouli, 1 part lavender, 1/2 part rosemary, 1/2 part cedar. The Wanderer (as in a dupe of the old Burt’s Bees solid perfume fragrance from the 90’s) : 2 parts patchouli, 2 parts ginger, 1 part nutmeg, 1/2 part clove, 1/2 part black pepper. That Festive Funk Buster I mentioned earlier: 2 parts orange, 1 part rosemary, 1 part frankincense, 1/2 part clove. The Goth Dance Floor: 2 parts patchouli, 1 part clove, 1 part frankincense, 1/2 part ylang ylang (can omit for a more masculine fragrance). Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

1 1/2 cup oat milk 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour (wheat or gluten free mix) 1/8 cup brown or coconut sugar 1/8 cup real maple syrup or honey 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 tablespoons oil 3 flax eggs (3 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 9 tablespoons water) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix your flax eggs in a small bowl, and set aside. Combine the oat milk and vinegar into a small bowl or cup, stir and let sit to make buttermilk. Prepare your 8” square pan, loaf pan, or muffin tin with dairy-free grease or muffin liners. In a large bowl: combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda. Add the oil, maple syrup or honey, and flax eggs to the soured milk and whisk together. Make a well in the dry mixture and slowly pour the wet mixture into it. Gently whisk the wet and dry ingredients together just until combined. Don’t over mix. Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan, spread evenly. Or use a muffin tin for 12 muffins. Place in a 400°F degree oven on the center rack for about 50-60 minutes (15-20 minutes if making muffins) until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

1 cup red lentils 3 cups water 1 onion, diced 8 cloves garlic, minced 2 pimento/red bell peppers, diced small 1 15 oz can sweet or dairy-free cream corn 1 15 oz can pumpkin 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 3 tablespoons neutral oil Preheat oven to 400°F. Add 3 tbs neutral oil to the bottom of a large stock pot or Instant Pot, add your diced peppers, onions, and garlic and sauté until the peppers are soft, and the onions are translucent. Rinse your red lentils and add them to the pot and stir around to sauté for a minute before adding 3 cups water to the pot and either bringing to a boil before covering and simmering 15-30 minutes, or pressure cooking on high for 3 minutes, until the lentils are very soft. Remove from heat, and mix in the can of puréed pumpkin and can of cream corn (drained if using sweet corn), and use an immersion blender to purée the soup base together. 3 Chicken breasts, diced small (optional) 2 cups diced carrots 2- 3 cups diced squash 3 tablespoons Caribbean Spice (recipe below) 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 15 oz can coconut milk 1 15 oz can sweet corn, drained 3 tablespoons neutral oil 1 teaspoon sea salt Toss your chicken, squash, and carrots in the oil and sea salt, lay out on a baking tray in a single layer, and roast until the chicken is cooked to 166°F and the vegetables are fork-tender, about a half-hour. Add the roasted vegetables and chicken to the soup pot, along with the broth and coconut milk, and bring the pot to a gentle boil before serving. This recipe makes a very large pot - easily serving 12-16 people, or making plenty for both dinner and freezing. Low Glycemic Caribbean Spice: ½ cup coconut sugar 2 tablespoons sweet paprika 2 tablespoons sea salt 1 tablespoon ground thyme 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground ginger Ground cayenne or scotch bonnet peppers, to taste (optional) Mix and store all ingredients in a 16oz jar with a tight seal. Store in a dark, cool place. Did you enjoy these recipes? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

4 flax eggs (4 tablespoons ground flax seed soaked in 12 tablespoons water) 1 1/4 cups baking cocoa 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup beef tallow or vegan butter 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (wheat or gluten free mix) 1/2 cup sweetened oat milk creamer or plain oat milk Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9”x13” pan. Put ground flax seeds on to soak, set aside. Place tallow or vegan butter in a microwaveable bowl, and microwave on high power until melted, about 2 minutes. Mix baking cocoa, sugar, salt, baking powder, and coffee granules together in a large mixing bowl. Add flax eggs, melted tallow or butter, creamer or oat milk, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients, and use a hand mixer to bring the batter to a whipped consistency. Turn the batter out into your greased pan, and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving. Store remaining brownies in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

5-7 cheap steak cuts, like a bottom round 1 cup vinegar 3 tablespoons oil 3 tablespoons prepared mustard Salt and pepper to taste, or favorite steak seasoning mix Use those proportions, but you can use any vinegar, oil, and prepared mustard you would like for this recipe. Lay your steaks out in a low casserole dish, and sprinkle each steak generously with salt and pepper, or with your favorite seasoning mixture. Be sure to coat both sides of the steak. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, and mustard together until the marinade comes together. Pour it evenly over the steaks, making sure they’re fully coated in marinade. Cover the dish, and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before cooking. Heat your largest skillet on high heat, I prefer well seasoned cast iron for this. Place the steaks in the skillet and cook until they temp at 130°F or your preferred temperature, about 3-4 minutes per side. Allow the steaks to rest for 2-3 minutes before cutting and serving. Do you have leftover steak the next day? Turn it into Steak & Pinto Beans Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

This is part two of a series I started here . The rice: Long grain white Long grain brown Basmati Jasmine The legumes: Dry red lentils Dry brown lentils Dry pinto beans Dry black beans Dry dark red kidney beans Dry black eyed peas Dry chickpeas Canned black beans Canned chickpeas Canned cannellini beans Canned black eyed peas or dark red kidney beans Why some canned? Because some days, you need a convenience meal, and canned beans make that easy. See my No Effort Pantry Food Ideas For One post for more details. Other canned goods: Coconut milk ( coconut ) Green Chiles ( nightshade) Pumpkin purée (nothing added) White hominy ( corn) Canned/packaged tuna ( fish ) Canned/packaged salmon ( fish ) Canned sardines ( fish ) Smoked oysters ( seafood ) Other pantry goods: Pasta of choice ( wheat or gluten free), would recommend something that would make a good pasta salad or casserole, and a ramen or pad Thai noodle. Tahini ( seed ) SunButter ( seed ) HFCS-free fruit preserves Raisins, or other dried fruit White onions ( allium ) Garlic cloves ( allium) Baking potatoes ( nightshade ) Sweet potatoes Be sure to store the onions and potatoes separately! For the freezer: Frozen peas Frozen corn ( corn) Frozen green beans Frozen broccoli Frozen mixed veggies ( corn ) Frozen stir-fry veggies ( corn , nightshade ) Frozen fruit mix If you eat fish, frozen salmon, tilapia, and catfish fillets. If you eat chicken, frozen boneless breasts and thighs, or bone-in quarters if you prefer. If you eat beef or venison, mid-grade steaks, stew meat, and ground beef re-packaged if needed into 1 lb portions before freezing. Nitrate-free hot dogs. If you eat pork, pork steaks, pork chops, pork butt, sausage, and bacon. Don’t forget your microwave’s defrost function for quickly and safely thawing meat! For the fridge, at a bare minimum: Oat milk Celery Carrots A snacking fruit (apples, oranges, grapes, bananas - don’t store bananas in the fridge!) A salad mix or greens of choice Nitrate-free deli meats Hot tip for the meat eaters - if you go to your local supermarket’s deli at closing time, they’ll put out the close-to-dating deli meats at clearance prices. Whatever you can’t eat before it dates, you can freeze for later. Breads: Whether you buy them or make them, having these in the fridge means you’re ready for all handheld food experiences - A sandwich loaf (make sure you check the ingredients for soy and egg even if you’re like me and you can have wheat, both are common commercial additives) a flatbread for wraps or a burrito-sized tortilla Corn tortillas for tacos ( corn ) Where should I shop for all of this? Again, international supermarkets are going to have the best quality and price on these items, but places like Walmart and Aldi also have all of this for good prices and conveniently located in a lot of areas. Do I have to buy everything you recommend? No, I’ve marked items in both posts that are common allergens, obviously skip those if they’re your allergens. And buy what you know you’ll use, you have your own likes and tastes. Many items up there come with lots of options to pick and choose from to suit your needs. Did you find this shopping list useful? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

This is part one of a series, you can read part two here . The absolute basics : Iodized salt Sea salt or Pink salt Black pepper (pre-ground or corns in a grinder) Onion powder ( allium ) Garlic powder ( allium ) Baking soda Baking powder Whatever thickening starch you best tolerate ( corn , arrowroot, tapioca, etc) All-purpose flour ( wheat , or your favorite gluten free mix) Cornmeal ( corn) Plain quick cooking oats Ground flax seed ( seed to substitute for eggs) The herbs : Oregano (preferably both Italian and Mexican) Basil Marjoram Thyme Rosemary Dill Chives ( allium ) Parsley Bay leaves The spices : Smoked paprika ( nightshade ) Sweet paprika ( nightshade ) Ground hot peppers of choice, like cayenne or scotch bonnet ( nightshade ) Whole Guajillo peppers ( nightshade ) Whole chile de arbol ( nightshade ) Whole dried smoked chipotle peppers ( nightshade ) Gochugaru dried chili peppers ( nightshade ) Ground cumin ( seed ) Ground mustard ( seed ) Ground tumeric Ground cinnamon Ground ginger Ground coriander ( seed ) Ground allspice Ground nutmeg ( seed ) Ground cloves The “nice to have, but I can generally cook without it” : White pepper Celery seed ( seed ) Sumac MSG Roasted sesame seeds ( seed ) Mushroom powder Bullion powder (check ingredients for allergens) The cooking fats : Extra Virgin Olive Oil Avocado Oil Coconut Oil ( coconut ) Roasted Sesame Oil ( seed ) Beef Tallow Reserved bacon grease The vinegars, in order of priority : Distilled white vinegar, 5% Raw apple cider vinegar, 5% Rice vinegar Balsamic vinegar Red & white wine vinegars The other liquids : Coconut aminos ( coconut ) Worcestershire sauce ( seed , check the ingredients for soy) Fish sauce ( fish , check the ingredients for soy) Hot sauce(s) of choice ( nightshade ) Liquid smoke (check the ingredients for soy) Boxed broth (check ingredients for all allergens) Vanilla extract The mustards (all seed products) : Plain yellow Dijon Spicy brown The sweeteners : Turbinado sugar Coconut sugar ( coconut ) Honey (preferably local or domestic, raw or very lightly processed) 100% pure maple syrup (grade B has more vitamins and more maple-y flavor, if you can find it) Maple sugar The un-categorizeable: Plant Based Mayonnaise HFCS-free pickle relish Bottled lemon juice, or dehydrated lemon/lemon peel Where to purchase? Check out international supermarkets, especially those owned and catering to Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Asian, Caribbean, or folks from Hispanic countries. You’ll find the freshest product at the best prices at these markets. Nowhere like that near you? Search for the closest with an online shop, and have them ship your order. Online marketplaces like Thrive Market (I’m not affiliated with any of them) will also have many of these ingredients. You’ll also find a small selection at places like Dollar General and Dollar Tree, especially of the must-haves and the herbs and more common spices like cinnamon. If you’re looking to buy in large quantity, check out places like Costco, or your local restaurant supply chain. You may be wondering why I didn’t recommend any spice mixes? That’s because you can make literally any spice mix you want to with all of these ingredients on hand. You can then blend them into your choice of the liquid ingredients to make all kinds of sauces and syrups and dressings, too. No more having to dodge soy oil in your commercially-made salad dressings. Did you find this shopping list useful? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

2+ cups 100% apple juice or apple cider (can substitute cranberry juice) 1 15 oz can of pear slices in HFCS-free heavy syrup 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons agar agar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/4 teaspoon coriander Drain the syrup from your can of pears into a measuring cup, and top off with apple juice until you have 3 cups of juice total. Empty the pear slices and chop or mash them to your preference to cover the bottom of an 8”x8” casserole dish, a loaf pan, or dessert molds (if you’re not a fan of chunks in your gelatin, you can skip this part). Add the juice mixture to a medium saucepan, and add the rest of the ingredients to the saucepan before setting it on medium low-heat. Whisk your pan frequently at first, until you’re whisking constantly as it begins to boil. Once the pan has come to a good boil, carefully remove the saucepan from the heat, and immediately pour the mixture into your waiting pan or molds. Cover securely with an airtight lid, and place your jelly into the refrigerator until it has completely chilled, 8+ hours. Remove from the pan or molds and slice with a sharp knife if needed to portion before serving. Can be served with non-dairy whipped topping, if desired. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie